Chapter 5 Martial Arts·Physique
After lunch.
Chen Yi brought over a reclining chair and had Xiao Die prepare a tea set. He sat in the pavilion, drinking tea and enjoying the free breeze.
The summer sun was not glaring, and a gentle breeze made him feel very comfortable and at ease.
"With mountains, water, flowers, grass, and beautiful scenery, plus tea, this is what life should be like."
Thinking about it, a smile appeared on Chen Yi's face.
His carefree and sunny profile caught even Xiaodie's eye a couple of times.
In her eyes, her son-in-law was extremely handsome—he wore a pure white scholar's robe, his long black hair was tied up to his waist, and two strands of hair in front of his forehead made his face with delicate features look elegant and gentle.
In short, he was very special, unlike any of the talented scholars she had ever met before.
Perhaps this is what the young lady meant by "a learned man".
"Sir, the eldest lady just said that the master who will teach you martial arts will be here this afternoon."
Without turning his head, Chen Yi said, "So urgent?"
He was staring at a patch of purple bamboo by the pond, thinking about making a fishing rod from them. A few goldfish had jumped around earlier, splashing him with water, and he couldn't stop craving them until he caught one.
Xiaodie thought about what Xiao Wan'er said and lowered her head and said, "Son-in-law, this is all Xiaodie's fault..."
Chen Yi turned to look at her, smiling as he asked, "What's it to you about?"
"Some time ago, the young lady asked me about the young master's recent situation, and I told her everything."
"I see," Chen Yi said, turning his gaze back to the bamboo grove and smiling slightly. "It's alright, I said it."
Now that he is in the Xiao residence, his every word and action will be reported to the powerful figures in the residence.
Even if Xiaodie doesn't tell them, others will.
"But Miss said that the old master arranged for you to learn martial arts after he heard about the poem the young master wrote."
Xiaodie didn't think she was wrong at first; she was just ordered by the young lady to keep a close eye on her son-in-law.
But after learning that she had become Chen Yi's personal maid, she felt a pang of guilt for no apparent reason.
If it weren't for her, the son-in-law could be resting right now.
"It's alright."
"Young Master, are you not angry?" Xiao Die raised her head slightly, her eyes looking at his profile through the stray hairs on her forehead.
Chen Yi said nonchalantly, "Just consider it exercise."
"Don't think about that anymore. Before they arrive, help me find some tools."
"What is the young master looking for?" Xiaodie breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face.
"A knife, string, and nails."
"this……"
Looking at Chen Yi's mysterious look, Xiaodie was confused, but finally she came to find him.
She soon learned of Chen Yi's plan.
"fishing rod?"
"That's right."
Chen Yi looked at the fishing rod in his hand, which couldn't even be described as "simple," and said, "Xiao Die, don't let its unassuming appearance fool you. Do you believe I can use this to wipe out all the fish in the pond?"
Limited by available resources, he had to make do with what he had on hand.
The fishing rod was made of thin bamboo from the pond, the fishing line was made of wool yarn, which was specially rolled into a ball, and the hook was made by bending and polishing a thin iron nail.
In less than half an hour, this simple fishing rod was ready.
"Young master, those fish were specially brought from Guangyue Prefecture by the second young lady. It is said that they are of very high quality," Xiaodie whispered a reminder.
Chen Yi touched the fishing rod like a treasure, "Don't worry, I'm just fishing, I don't plan to eat them."
For anglers, the enjoyment comes from the sense of accomplishment of catching a fish and the admiring glances they receive when they stroll through the streets with their catch.
That immense sense of satisfaction is something that others simply cannot comprehend.
Not eating? Xiaodie breathed a sigh of relief at first, then wondered: If you're not going to eat fish, what's the point of fishing?
Clearly, she was the "other person" Chen Yi was thinking of, and it was difficult for her to understand the fisherman's joy.
However, before Chen Yi could cast his line to test the depth of the fish, a rumbling sound, like the rolling of wheels, came from outside the garden.
He looked in the direction of the sound.
I saw the tall and strong Wang Lixing carefully pushing a middle-aged man in a wheelchair over.
He had a regular appearance, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, exuding the courage and tenacity of a soldier.
Perhaps because of his physical disability, there was an unyielding sorrow between his brows.
Xiaodie took a look and quickly whispered, "Sir, it's the young lady's second uncle, Xiao Xuanliao."
After saying that, she stood by the pavilion and bowed respectfully.
Chen Yi nodded slightly, handed the fishing rod to Xiao Die, and before the two of them came over, he stepped forward and bowed slightly, saying, "Chen Yi greets Second Uncle."
He had heard Xiao Die mention Xiao Xuanshuo before. It was said that a few years ago, when he was inspecting a military town, he was ambushed by barbarians and only managed to escape after hundreds of his personal guards fought desperately.
However, Xiao Xuanshuo was seriously injured as a result, and since then he has been confined to a wheelchair.
Xiao Xuanshuo slightly raised his head, saw the fishing rod in Xiaodie's hand, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he said calmly:
"As per the old man's instructions, I will teach you martial arts."
"But let me make it clear from the beginning that you are only a son-in-law of the Xiao family, so what you have practiced and learned is only the basics of martial arts."
"If you achieve great success in your studies in the future, or if you make contributions to my Xiao family, someone will naturally pass on more advanced techniques to you."
Before Chen Yi could speak, Xiao Xuanshuo emphasized, "..."
"I don't care what you did in the Chen family before, and I can let bygones be bygones for your elopement. But if you do anything to damage the reputation of my Xiao family again in the future, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Chen Yi nodded calmly: "It's up to Second Uncle to arrange."
He could hear Xiao Xuanliao's dissatisfaction, and he knew that he was the one who had suggested expelling him from the family in the Punishment Hall, but...
It's just so-so.
He now has enough food and clothing, and it is good for him to be a stable son-in-law in the marquis's mansion.
Xiaodie had already quietly left Chunhe Garden before Xiao Xuanliao finished speaking and was waiting outside the corridor leading to Jiaxing Garden.
The Xiao family treats their servants well, but when it comes to martial arts techniques, ordinary maids and servants are not qualified to observe.
Not long after.
The three of them found a spacious open space by the pool.
Xiao Xuanliao glanced at Chen Yi and then ordered Wang Lixing, "Holding the pole, spear."
Wang Lixing responded loudly, standing in front of Chen Yi and saying solemnly, "Martial arts all over the world share the same origin. They all start with training the body, strengthening the muscles, bones and skin..."
As he spoke, he slowly demonstrated.
He started by standing straight, like a long spear standing upright. Then he pushed his hands forward, took a deep breath, and felt his chest swell up as if a stone was stuck in it.
After several rounds, Wang Lixing exhaled and said:
"The Great Spear Posture requires specific breathing techniques to gradually strengthen the body and enhance physical strength."
"Once the muscles, bones, and skin have been thoroughly trained and the internal energy has been generated, the next step can be taken: using the energy from the dantian to refine the five internal organs and meridians, until the four main meridians are opened, one can reach the perfection of the ninth rank of martial arts..."
Despite his rough and unrefined appearance, Wang Lixing was meticulous when he taught.
After practicing several times, he asked Chen Yi to stand in the big spear stance.
They don't even need to act.
Chen Yi knew that his performance was very poor. His body was loose and sluggish, not only did he lack strength, but even his movements were not standard.
Wang Lixing seemed to have anticipated this, and he slapped him several times with his palm as big as a palm fan, hitting him one by one at the places where he made mistakes.
"Tighten your waist."
"Chest out, stomach in."
"Step your left leg forward half a step... Hold this position, inhale, exhale..."
Despite the pain in his body and the soreness in his limbs, Chen Yi followed Wang Lixing's rhythm of breathing in and out.
Suddenly, he felt a heat coming from who-knows-where, making his body feel hot and his blood seem to boil, his heart pounding rapidly.
[Successfully mastered the Great Spear Stance Technique (Mysterious Rank), Level: Beginner]
[Martial Arts - Body: Beginner 0/1 (Points can be added)]
(End of this chapter)
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