Chapter 10: Learning Martial Arts

Chapter 10: Learning Martial Arts

After bidding farewell to Zhao Datou, Meng Yuan brought Tie Niu to the Xin Wangfu and delivered the letter of recommendation. An old man came out to receive them.

"Follow me." The old man led the way, muttering to himself about how guiding them was a laborious task and how country bumpkins were ignorant and didn't know how to show respect.

Meng Yuan pretended not to understand, while Tie Niu genuinely didn't comprehend a word.

They didn't venture deep into the mansion but circled around to the southern side, where they encountered a long wall.

Knocking on the door and pushing it open, they found themselves in a training ground.

In the center was a combat arena surrounded by archery targets, weapon racks, various stone mills and locks, wooden dummy posts, and plum blossom posts. There were no trees around, only high walls enclosing the area.

On the open ground of the arena, more than twenty people, both male and female, around fifteen or sixteen years old, all dressed in tight-fitting short martial arts attire, were practicing horse stances and punching.

A man in his forties, with his hands behind his back, walked back and forth, occasionally shouting and cursing.

The elder led Meng Yuan and Tie Niu forward and introduced them to the middle-aged man, "Teacher Nie, these are the new kids."

"Why did they only come now? Look at them, these kids have already grown their second set of teeth!" Teacher Nie exaggerated.

"There's no other way, it's what Miss Xun Mei instructed." The elder helplessly explained.

"We have to respect Miss Xun Mei's wishes. Whether it's one or ten, they all have to train. It's not like they're eating my family's rice anyway." Teacher Nie smiled.

After some polite conversation, the elder slowly left.

Teacher Nie waved to the two, and Meng Yuan and Tie Niu quickly approached.

"Such a handsome young man, why not mix in the garden instead of learning martial arts?" Teacher Nie grabbed Meng Yuan's wrist, glanced at his calluses, then squeezed his shoulder and waist, saying, "He's indeed a talent for training. If he started young, who knows what abilities he might have by now."

After a brief evaluation, he asked, "Have you slept with women?"

"No," Meng Yuan replied.

"You can't sleep with women now. Learn some skills, and when you've mastered them, I'll ask the Empress Dowager to find you a pretty one!" Teacher Nie laughed and then grabbed Tie Niu's wrist to examine him.

"This kid is strong, he's also a talent." Teacher Nie gave his assessment and asked, "Have you slept with women?"

"Yes," Tie Niu replied.

"Well, well!" Teacher Nie laughed and then took a closer look at Tie Niu, asking, "How many have you slept with?"

"Two," Tie Niu answered honestly.

The group of teenagers also looked at Tie Niu with a mix of envy and disdain.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, which family's garden are you from?" Teacher Nie asked curiously.

Tie Niu was surprised and said, "It's my own family's garden. My mother and I..."

"Oh, so you're a wet nurse's child! You're quite a talent, I can't help but laugh." Teacher Nie couldn't hold back his laughter. Seeing that Meng Yuan and Tie Niu were carrying their bundles, he called over one of the teenagers and instructed, "Take them to get fitted for training clothes and then arrange their accommodations. Help them wash up; they stink like donkey dung."

The teenager accepted the task and led Meng Yuan and Tie Niu outside, whispering as they walked, "I'm Wu Changsheng. What are your names?"

Meng Yuan and Tie Niu introduced themselves.

As they chatted, the two received two sets of thin training clothes, which were for daily practice. Wu Changsheng mentioned that these were provided by the Empress Dowager, showing her generosity.

The accommodations were also within the training ground, a row of green-tiled rooms along the wall.

Upon reaching the dormitory, they found a large communal bed that could fit more than ten people sleeping side by side. There were no cabinets or other furniture for storing clothes, making it very simple.

They put down their bundles and, after drawing water from the well, proceeded to wash themselves inside the room.

Wu Changsheng was quite talkative, and without Meng Yuan asking, he spilled everything he knew.

It turned out that Wu Changsheng was the son of a wet nurse who had accompanied the Empress Dowager when she married into the mansion. He had always been favored by the Empress Dowager and held a relatively high position among the teenagers, who all referred to him as Teacher Nie.

"How's the food here?" Meng Yuan was most concerned about this matter, as it directly affected the growth of his Essence Flame.

As the old saying goes, the poor practice martial arts, while the rich practice swordsmanship. If you're poor, you go pick up manure.

Practicing martial arts is not something an ordinary family can afford. Aside from the costs of the venue, social connections, and finding a teacher, the food alone is a significant expense. These young men are at the age where they can eat a lot, and without a solid financial foundation, it's genuinely unaffordable.

Meng Yuan was worried that someone might skimp on their meals.

"We have steamed buns every day to fill our stomachs, and there's even meat! The Empress Dowager is the kindest person in the world; how could she let us go hungry?" Wu Changsheng, also from a homeless background, genuinely admired the Empress Dowager.

Meng Yuan felt much relieved.

After thoroughly washing himself, Meng Yuan sniffed his tiger's mouth, but couldn't detect any foul odor.

"I wonder if Granny will still be able to find me when she wants to introduce me to a business," Meng Yuan muttered to himself.

Changing into a clean short-sleeve martial arts uniform, Wu Changsheng led Meng Yuan and Tie Niu back to the training ground.

Nie Yanyan, the teacher, didn't waste words. He simply said, "There are no rules here, only one: don't leave the training ground. Whatever you practice, let Wu Changsheng guide you."

Meng Yuan and Tie Niu acknowledged.

"Go ahead, let me see your patience," Nie Yanyan said.

Meng Yuan and Tie Niu quickly joined the group of boys, found their spots, and followed their movements, practicing the horse stance and then punching.

"This is the horse stance punch!" Nie Yanyan observed for a while and then offered guidance, "Spread your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, bend your knees and press down. Your thighs should be parallel to the ground, and your knees shouldn't go beyond your toes. This is the correct horse stance!"

After teaching the stance, Nie Yanyan continued, "Clench your fists with the palms facing up, and place them on either side of your waist. Punch forward with your right fist, keeping your arm straight and the palm facing down! Alternate your fists! Remember to twist your waist and shoulders to generate more power!"

Nie Yanyan briefly finished his instructions and then demonstrated it himself. He said, "Study hard," and left the training ground without checking if Meng Yuan and Tie Niu had learned it or not.

It was clear that Teacher Nie didn't consider this group of boys as his disciples; he was just passing the time.

Seeing that no one was supervising them, the boys dared not stop. They continued practicing the horse stance punch but started chatting.

Someone asked Meng Yuan's name, another talked about which family's flower cakes were the best, and another shouted that he needed to use the bathroom.

Meng Yuan didn't engage in their chatter; he focused on learning.

The horse stance punch was a simple method to train the lower body and build strength. It wasn't difficult to learn, just tedious.

Moreover, when you start practicing, you don't feel much, but the more you practice, the more your legs ache and your arms swell, making your whole body feel heavy.

Meng Yuan diligently followed Wu Changsheng's lead and practiced several times, quickly grasping the key points.

After a quarter of an hour, Wu Changsheng signaled for everyone to take a break.

After the break, they started practicing front and side kicks, followed by lifting stone locks to train their arm strength.

As dusk approached, Wu Changsheng blew the signal to end the training. The boys, already very hungry, rushed to the mess hall in the training ground.

The meal was tofu stew with cabbage and radish, with sesame oil floating on top.

After lining up, Meng Yuan first served a large bowlful to Tie Niu and then served himself. He grabbed a few steamed buns, and the two sat side by side, eating heartily.

The food here was much better than at the livestock farm, especially the white steamed buns, which were infinitely more delicious than testicles. Meng Yuan felt incredibly happy.

"Brother, there's meat!" Tie Niu, already enjoying his meal, suddenly found a piece of meat in his bowl and immediately beamed with joy.

Meng Yuan didn't say a word; he just ate heartily, his heart filled with hope for the future.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end