674 One Step Ahead

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

It’s hard to describe the hardships I’ve endured this month.

Today is New Year's Eve.

They set up camp not far from the county town in the afternoon.

For several days in a row, whenever they passed through the county town or the market town, they would buy some food, mainly meat.

For example, now, although it is mid-afternoon, there are not many people on the street, and shops and restaurants are basically closed. No one wants to stay in a shop to do business. After a busy year, you still have to take a break for a few days during the New Year. Otherwise, what's the point of living?

The tents were next to each other, and a bonfire was burning in the open space in the middle.

Rows of large iron pots were emitting fragrant aromas. Fifteen people were gathered around one pot, which contained a hodgepodge of several kinds of cooked food stewed together. The taste was surprisingly good.

Sun Sicheng put down his chopsticks and said, "General, I will take Ping An and the others with me tomorrow. I am really worried about my daughter. I am sorry."

General Hao waved his hand and said, "Sicheng, isn't this something we have already agreed on? Now the sequelae of the epidemic here have basically been eliminated, and other doctors can treat minor illnesses.

Awu is your daughter and also my godson. I will feel relieved if you go back early.

Let's take the imperial doctors like Zhu Yuanzheng with us. They are usually quite old, unlike us soldiers."

Zhang Jinping quickly held out his hand: "And Jiaxuan and I, we also want to go with Sicheng."

General Hao laughed and said, "Okay, okay, you guys come together, and the rest will be mine."

Ping An took out a small package from his backpack: "Godfather, take this. We brought some good medicine, but we kept a little bit of it. The rest are all here. They are all marked, so you won't make a mistake."

General Hao took it immediately and said, "This is good, this is good. Your medicine is the most effective. Ping An, I have already told you that no matter how few herbs there are this year, you must give me enough medicine in our camp."

Ping An smiled and said, "No matter who's missing, my godfather's can't be missing."

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, they started to leave the main group and go ahead, so as to ensure that they could arrive in the capital before the Lantern Festival.

I hope Awu won’t give birth prematurely.

Many other doctors also wanted to go with Sun Sicheng, but Sun Sicheng politely declined.

"I'm really sorry, there are nearly 40 of us in total, and the inn won't be able to accommodate any more.

Actually, you can also invite 40 or 50 people to go together, so that you can split into two pairs. It will be safe for so many people on the journey, and you will not have to worry about not being able to stay at an inn."

These doctors think so too.

Besides, the remaining journey is only half.

What are forty or fifty people afraid of? The Great Zhou is still stable now.

So these doctors hurriedly sent two leaders to discuss the matter with the general.

General Hao naturally agreed, but he also told them that they could leave the main group but they had to sign an agreement, put their fingerprints on it, and they would be responsible for anything that happened, as he would not be responsible at all.

The same goes for Sun Sicheng's team.

Since they are all the same, what is there to say?

Next to the big bonfire on New Year's Eve.

One by one, they came forward to sign and put their fingerprints.

It took about an hour to finish all these things.

It was late at night, but no one wanted to sleep in the tent or car.

Someone simply started singing songs from his hometown, in a low voice at first, but later he let out more voices.

Ping An became interested. In his previous life, he was a person who liked singing and dancing.

I simply stood by the bonfire and said, "Everyone, I'm going to dance for you guys."

Everyone who could get close to him started to make a noise, as everyone liked this smiling and humble top scholar.

Ping An danced a passionate and unrestrained Mongolian dance. He danced very freely without any shyness. He was handsome and had a good figure.

After the dance, everyone clapped their hands until they were red.

Master Shi San was also excited: "Ping An, pick up your scabbard, let's fight and show them."

Master Shi Sanye was not idle this month. During the day, he would teach his apprentice some moves in the car. In the early morning or evening, he would take his apprentice to a deserted place to teach Ping An a few moves.

In his words, he was good at knife, sword, staff, fist, and martial arts, so two years was not enough to learn them safely. So he couldn't relax even for a month and a half.

Ping'an didn't want Master Shi San to know about the Snow Steps, for fear that he would find out that it was the Taoist's kung fu and pursue him relentlessly. That would be troublesome. After all, he had lied to the emperor before. So he told Xiao Wu and the others to try not to use the Snow Steps in the next two years, especially in front of Master Shi San.

After returning, I also have to instruct the other people who have learned the Snow-Walking Steps.

The Snow-Walking Step cannot be used, but the improved Light Kung Fu can be used, which also incorporates some of the Snow-Walking Step. However, even those who know the Snow-Walking Step cannot guess what it is.

General Hao watched with particular interest the two men who came to the campfire.

The Shi family's Kung Fu is famous all over the world, so it would be nice to take a look at it.

Mr. Shi Sanye suddenly made a lightning-fast move, and just when everyone was sweating for Ping An, Ping An floated a dozen feet away on the ground.

Yes, it just floated out, as light as a cloud or a gust of wind.

The two men quickly started competing. They were like two gusts of wind, one attacking and one defending, one advancing and one retreating. Their offense and defense were well-organized, and every move was murderous, making it a feast for the eyes.

No one dared to breathe. This fight was just like the real thing. Even General Hao sat upright, not wanting to miss a single glance.

I won’t talk about Mr. Shi San, but good kung fu is a must.

But Ping An, a 22-year-old boy who could get the sixth place in the imperial examination, shouldn't he study every day? Moreover, it is not easy to acquire such amazing medical skills, and one has to endure great hardships to learn them.

Following Sicheng since he was seven years old, in just fifteen years, he studied, learned medicine, and practiced martial arts. What kind of perseverance does it take to be able to do all of this?

He couldn't quite understand this child.

…

"Okay, okay, Master Wei, Ping'an admits defeat." Ping'an jumped out of the field.

Uncle Shi San looked at Ping An with eager eyes, he really had found a treasure.

No matter what, two years later he must bring Ping An back to Zither Mountain to show off and let everyone see that he, Shi Lao San, will not accept any disciples, and if he does, he will accept the best one.

Two years ago, he wanted to teach his eldest son Kung Fu, but his eldest brother was worried and directly handed his two sons over to his cousin.

Is there anything more infuriating than this?

"Ping An, you are also very good. In time, no, even if your sword skills are good, it will take at least ten or eight years to master all the eighteen martial arts. But after ten or eight years, you may surpass me."

Ping An's eyes were full of smiles. He clasped his hands together and said, "Ping An dares not. I will be satisfied if I can have half of Master Wei's kung fu skills."

Finally, everyone started to urge the general to have a go.

General Hao became excited and started throwing punches on the spot with the force of a tiger descending from a mountain. Even Mr. Shi Sanye clapped his hands in approval.

The most special New Year's Eve passed quietly like this.