lunch.
The Chen family ate wild vegetable pancakes, stir-fried green beans with chili peppers, and broad bean porridge.
"It smells so good!"
Su Wenxuan's stomach began to rumble.
After discussing it with Su Wenhao for a while.
Su Wenxuan: "Uncle, neither of us can cook. Can we eat at your house? Don't worry, I'll pay."
He took out some loose silver from his pocket.
Chen Xian: "How about this, we don't need this much to guide you in writing the story. Consider it your food expenses."
Su Wenxuan became anxious: "This isn't appropriate."
Chen Xian: "What's inappropriate about it? It's enough. In fact, my family is the one who's benefiting from you."
He asked with a hint of doubt, "You just told me that your brother is a martial artist?"
Su Wenxuan said calmly, "Yes, I've worked hard since I was a child. Even three or five strong men can't get close to me."
Chen Xian's heart stirred. In his memory, the mountains and wilderness were not safe. There were bandits, jackals, tigers and leopards.
"Young Master Wenhao, could you please teach my children?"
Su Wenhao ate the pancake in large bites without saying a word, somewhat puzzled: "Uncle, just call me Wenhao too, I'm interested in kung fu."
Chen Xian chuckled: "It's good for your health, and it also protects you from being bullied. Isn't that great?"
As he spoke, he handed over the one or two taels of silver from his pocket.
Su Wenhao frowned: "It doesn't need to be that much. Practicing martial arts is very hard, and not many people can stick to it for years. I can only teach you some basic fist techniques and body movements, which requires a lot of comprehension."
Su Wenxuan gulped down the broad bean porridge and said in a muffled voice, "How about this, when you get up in the morning to practice martial arts, you can also take care of the young people from the Chen family. It won't take long, and they can learn from you."
Su Wenhao nodded: "Mm."
They are sparing with words.
Chen Xian chuckled; these two young people were an extreme case.
One is quiet and reserved, the other is lively and outgoing.
At the dinner table.
The Chen family members introduced each other to the Su brothers.
It was lively and bustling.
Erzhu felt a pang of jealousy watching Chen Xian and Su Wenxuan speak so amicably.
After finishing his meal, Erzhu secretly approached Chen Xian.
“Dad, this is the first time our family has met outsiders. I still feel that we don’t know much about these two people’s backgrounds. I’m not comfortable with these outsiders.”
Chen Xian nodded.
"Yes, you're right. Having such thoughts shows you're mature, and Dad is very happy."
"However, you haven't considered that we don't have anything that they would covet. It's true that the two boys are dressed in coarse cloth, but look at the lining underneath—it's the finest silk. That outfit alone would cost at least three to five taels of silver. And then there's the mutton-fat jade hanging from their waists; that would cost at least ten taels. And then there's the horse they're riding, and the slightly older young man, who's supposed to be a martial artist, with a sword. That outfit alone would cost at least a hundred taels, wouldn't it?"
Chen Xian chuckled: "What is there for him to covet about our family? A dilapidated house and a few acres of barren land. In my opinion, he's just a rebellious teenager who ran away from home. He doesn't even live with us. Besides, even the landlord's farmhands feed their donkeys."
Erzhu said in a low voice, "Dad, have you ever considered that they came here specifically for you?"
Your stories have impressed that young nobleman. It seems this young man is eager to become your uncle.
Erzhu looked dejected. That's my dad.
Why do you think you're getting along like family with my dad after only one day here?
Chen Xian: "When you're learning martial arts, put your heart into it. I think you're the smartest in our family. Who knows, maybe our family will produce a top-notch master in the future?"
Erzhu nodded emphatically: "Yes, I'll listen to Dad."
In the courtyard.
Chen Xian whispered to Su Wenhao, "Wenhao, do you think older people can learn martial arts?"
Su Wenhao looked at him curiously.
"It's best for young people to learn martial arts, as they are quick-witted and agile. I don't recommend older people to learn. It can cause injuries and make them suffer."
Chen Xian said awkwardly, "Well... I have an old friend who used to like to carry a wooden stick when he was young. He would walk past the roadside weeds and imagine himself as a martial arts master, making random gestures. Unfortunately, his family was not well-off. Now that he has the opportunity, he wants to learn."
Su Wenhao looked at him intently.
"The uncle's friend, could it be..."
Then the conversation shifted.
"If it's an older man, I can learn it. Just don't make the movements so exaggerated. Pay attention to the practice time, strengthen your body, and an ordinary big man won't be your match."
In the afternoon, the wheat at home had been mostly dried in the sun, so Chen Xian asked Chen Qingshan to help him weigh it.
Chen Qingshan laughed and said, "In previous years, one mu of land could yield 170 jin, but this year, due to the drought, we can only harvest a little over 120 jin. After deducting the grain tax and the population tax, five mu of land will yield a little over 500 jin, which is not bad."
"We still need to rely on you more. If it weren't for your idea to bring water from the mountains, we wouldn't even be able to get 50 jin per mu in our village."
Chen Xian chuckled: "Yes, I'm quite lucky. I just happened to discover the mountain spring."
Chen Qingshan said meaningfully, "No, no, no, I think it's about people's brains. Many people in our village go up the mountain to pick mushrooms and wild vegetables. Someone has to find a mountain spring, but they all overlooked this. Only you came up with this bold suggestion."
Chen Xian: "Qingshan, I'm going to Chating Village this afternoon to get some hay. Our village isn't very peaceful at night, and the neighboring Hongye Village is also causing trouble. I'd like to ask you to help out tonight."
Chen Qingshan glanced at the sky and asked doubtfully, "Can't we go tomorrow?"
It's probably too late; the mountain roads are rugged.
Chen Xian shook his head: "You know, my family is planning to sell food in town. A while ago, I brought some chili peppers from Chating Village and put them in cold noodles and tea eggs. They sold quite well, and I was planning to buy a lot. If it weren't for the busy farming season recently, I would have gone to buy them a long time ago. Now a lot of people know about it, but I don't know if I can still buy them."
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