Chapter 7

Chapter 4: The Marriage Proposal

The town of Gongyi County was not large, but it was the most densely populated area in the county, so all the prominent families had their residences here.

The Fan family’s residence was located in the southern part of Gongyi County. It was called the Fan Residence, but it was actually just a compound of several houses similar to those in Shanxi, far from being a grand mansion.

The patriarch of the Fan family, Fan Tianyang, was now forty-seven years old. To put it in modern terms, he was in excellent health, full of energy, and in high spirits.

"Son-in-law, you’ve come. Where’s Hong’er? Come in, come in. Someone, bring tea quickly." His loud voice, combined with his ruddy complexion and robust build, made him look like a father figure standing next to Zhang Shiwen.

Once they were seated, Fan Tianyang looked at the radiant Zhang Shiwen and felt very pleased. The Fan family had fled from Liaodong, where the ruthless Khitans and the later Manchu soldiers had wreaked havoc. According to Fan Tianyang’s grandfather, out of the twenty-odd members of the Fan family, only two brothers survived in Xiqin. Although the land in Xiqin was not as fertile as the black soil in the northeast, the political climate was clear, and several generations of wise rulers had governed the region, maintaining internal order and repelling external threats. As a result, more and more outsiders like the Fan family settled here. The Fan family had been in Gongyi County for fifteen generations, but their population had never been large. By Fan Tianyang’s generation, he was the only surviving male descendant. Although the family had some wealth and lived comfortably, he always felt a sense of regret, as he only had two sons and eight daughters, with only six of the latter surviving to adulthood. But daughters were a financial burden, and it was the sons who would support him in his old age, wasn’t it?

The Fan family had made their fortune through the fur trade in the frontier regions, but by Fan Tianyang’s time, they had long since stopped engaging in such risky business and now owned land, living off the rents.

So, after living for so many years, Fan Tianyang had few things to be proud of, but marrying into the Zhang family was one of them.

The Zhang family was a native Xiqin family, known for their scholarly lineage. In an era where literacy was rare, a wealthy family like the Fan family could be very proud of such a match.

Now, he felt even more proud. He secretly congratulated himself on his foresight in lowering his pride to propose the marriage to the Zhang family. Although Zhang Shiwen’s third brother was not as outstanding as the eldest, he was much better than the second. In just a few days, the former minor tax collector had become a high-ranking salt supervisor, and now he could not help but feel a sense of pride when he imagined the envious looks of his old friends. The thought made Fan Tianyang’s heart warm.

Thinking of this, Fan Tianyang’s eyes narrowed into slits, and he spoke in a refined manner, despite his lack of education, "Son-in-law, don’t leave tonight. We must celebrate such a great event. Let Hong’er’s mother cook personally, and we can have a few drinks together."

"Father-in-law, please wait a moment," Zhang Shiwen thought for a moment and decided to be straightforward. "I have something to discuss with you, and I’ll talk about it after we finish."

"Oh?" Seeing his son-in-law’s serious expression, Fan Tianyang’s smile faded, and he felt a bit puzzled. He knew his son-in-law’s character well; he was as concerned about face as Fan Tianyang himself. Since marrying his daughter, he had never asked for anything. Why would he come to ask for something now that he had been promoted?

Zhang Shiwen rubbed his hands, not out of nervousness, but because the matter at hand was significant for the Zhang family. He had heard that his father had suffered greatly to marry his mother, who was from a different social class, and had even risked being disowned. Since becoming the salt supervisor, his cousin’s marriage had become a concern for him. He didn’t think much about it, but he felt he owed his cousin, who had helped him so much, a good match. After some thought, he remembered that his sister-in-law was only eight years old, the perfect age for his cousin, and thus came to propose the match.

"Listen, Father-in-law, whether this works out or not is not important, but please don’t be angry. Consider it first. I’m here to propose a match today..."

Fan Tianyang laughed. The position of salt supervisor, though not among the nine ranks of officials, was a true imperial post, with a higher salary than a county magistrate and independent authority. The amount of money involved was unimaginable, and everyone called him "adult" with respect. How could a match proposed by the son-in-law of a salt supervisor go wrong?

"Shiwen, are you talking about Wan’er? I’ve been worried about her wild nature and lack of suitors. Tell me about the family, how old he is, and so on. We’re family, so there’s no need to be so formal."

"Oh, it’s not Wan’er, it’s... it’s Rou’er..."

"Ah?" Although child betrothals were common, Fan Tianyang was still taken aback. He had two daughters left to marry, one being Wan’er, who was fourteen and of marriageable age, and the other, Rou’er, who was only eight. He hadn’t expected his son-in-law to propose the younger one.

"Rou’er is only eight..."

"Here’s the situation. My cousin is eleven years old. I’ve watched him grow up, and he has an excellent character and a good appearance, though his family’s circumstances... are not ideal. But my cousin is extraordinary. To be honest, in terms of intelligence, I can’t even compare to him. He’s truly exceptional.

Originally, my cousin was still young, and it wouldn’t be too late to find him a good match later. But my uncle, who has only this one child, is naturally anxious, so he entrusted me with this matter. This is my first time proposing a match, and it feels a bit awkward, but I’ll try my best to explain.

As you know, I’ve become the salt supervisor. To be honest, with my abilities, I wouldn’t have gotten this position without the help of my elder brother, who wanted me to go to the capital. But I’m different from my brother; I’m not ambitious. I don’t have the talent or the destiny for great achievements. The capital is a prosperous place, but I know that under the emperor’s rule, there are countless officials. If I went there, I’d just be bowing and scraping. I’d rather live freely in the countryside. But I can’t go against my brother’s wishes.

By chance, I visited my uncle’s home a few days ago. I intended to ask if there was anything I could help with before leaving, but my cousin gave me some advice. Despite his young age, his few words clarified a problem that had been troubling me for a long time. As the saying goes, a child’s character is evident by the age of three, and by eight, it’s clear. My cousin, though from a poor family, is destined for great things. My uncle entrusted me with his marriage, and I thought that among the girls in Gongyi County, only our Rou’er would be a match for him. That’s why I came to you.

If you don’t agree, I won’t say anything more, but I’ll have to ask my brother to find a match in the capital. To be honest, we wouldn’t accept just any girl for my cousin, even if my uncle agreed.

Most importantly, please don’t let my brother know about this. You know his character. If he finds out that my cousin gave me this idea, he’ll surely take my cousin elsewhere. My cousin is the only child and doesn’t want to leave home, and my uncle and aunt wouldn’t agree either. I’m being honest with you; I haven’t mentioned my cousin to my brother."

Fan Tianyang didn’t fully believe Zhang Shiwen’s words, but he didn’t dismiss them either. Since his son-in-law had never asked for anything before and was now in a different position, he couldn’t refuse him.

"Perhaps we should have the children meet. I’d like to see them myself."

"Agreed. You should see them for yourself. I’ll bring him here once I’m done with my work at the salt fields. But I should warn you, my cousin is a bit cold, but that’s common among capable people. He’s still young, and my brother was even more arrogant when he was young. Now, he’s a model of humility. Don’t worry about it."

...

Zhao Shi, of course, had no idea that his few words had led to a marriage proposal for a girl younger than himself. After feeling the abundant energy and strength in his body, he took the towel offered by the little girl and wiped the sweat from his face.

This was his nightly routine. Since learning the Bajiquan from a coach, he had practiced it rain or shine for over a decade. Unfortunately, he had learned it too late, and his body had already set its form. Otherwise, with his talent and perseverance, he would have achieved great success, according to the coach.

The coach couldn’t have imagined that this young man, with an extraordinary talent for close combat, would have such a strange fate. In Zhao Shi’s view, Chinese martial arts had become a mere formality in modern times, with little practical use in combat. Bajiquan was no exception. Using martial arts techniques in close combat was a sure way to get killed. There might be some martial arts experts in the countryside, but Zhao Shi had never met them. Even the coach, when sparring, used standard military combat techniques, with only occasional hints of Bajiquan.

Zhao Shi practiced Bajiquan for so long because it had practical benefits for body coordination and strength. For example, the "Mountain Lean" technique in Bajiquan, where practitioners would lean against walls or trees, involved the application of full-body strength. The force seemed to come from the shoulders, but it actually originated from the waist, using a twisting motion to concentrate the power in the shoulders before releasing it.

While Chinese martial arts might not be as effective in combat as sanda, karate, or joint locks, they had unique methods for applying strength, which was why Zhao Shi continued to practice diligently.

Of course, hard qigong was a required course in the military, but it was more about training the body to withstand pain than actual qigong. Over time, it could indeed unlock some potential, but the idea of being invulnerable to weapons was a myth.

The little girl by Zhao Shi’s side was his younger sister. In the countryside, names were simple, so she was called Zhao Cui’er.

She was six years old and resembled her mother, though she was frail but still quite pretty. She wasn’t particularly close to Zhao Shi, but she was used to following him around. Now, despite her fear of his cold demeanor, she couldn’t break the habit. Zhao Shi’s adult-like composure gave her a sense of security, so she often followed him like a little shadow.

Subconsciously, he touched his chest, where he felt a dull pain after intense exercise. It was a scar from his third mission, a deep knife wound that had almost killed him. A seemingly harmless girl had inflicted it, but fortunately, it hadn’t hit his heart. He had fought for his life for ten days before recovering. Since then, the pain reminded him to show no mercy to his enemies, and his ruthless and brutal nature had become more pronounced.

But he felt nothing but smooth, firm muscle. He realized he was no longer the same person. A bitter smile crossed his lips. The more he tried to forget, the more the memories lingered. Looking at the timid little girl, he felt that a year of peaceful life had not completely freed him from his past. He had tried to adapt to a normal life, but a simple task had undone all his efforts. He knew it was a twisted reaction, but he couldn’t help feeling a sense of excitement and satisfaction when he effortlessly hunted his prey.

Putting aside these troubling thoughts, Zhao Shi led his sister into the house. If his former teammates saw him now, they would notice that he had gained a bit more humanity.

The door closed, and the light inside the room was shut off, restoring the usual calm to the courtyard.

Unbeknownst to Zhao Shi, who was slowly transforming, a nineteen-year-old Mongol youth, with eyes burning with hatred and ambition, stood before the Burkhan Khaldun mountain, swearing to the Eternal Blue Sky to wage war against the powerful Merkit tribe. The Merkits had abducted his newlywed wife, a humiliation no Mongol could bear. According to the Eternal Blue Sky’s rules, he would repay his enemies with blood and steel.

But this young Mongol, who would one day stain the earth with blood, did not know that in the distant south, his future greatest enemy was striving for a peaceful life, trying to erase the bloodstains from his body.