Chapter 27

The Arrow Pavilion is located to the north of the city, covering about three acres, with a narrow archery range. Despite the Song Dynasty's long-standing emphasis on literature over martial arts, after the Jingkang Incident, the weight of national collapse and family destruction pressed down on everyone, and practicing martial arts to protect one's life became almost a necessity for every household.

Not to mention defending the country, they just wanted to save their own lives, or even to run a bit faster than others when danger came, hoping to have a little strength to protect their families in the chaotic times, and not to become the prey of the Jurchen soldiers or bandits.

Various martial arts schools, weapon training halls, and archery pavilions quickly rose in major cities north of the Yangtze River, and the Xu Family Arrow Pavilion was born amidst the blood and gore.

Chen Qing met the pavilion owner, Xu Ning, a middle-aged man around fifty, who spoke slowly and with a gentle tone. If not for his appearance, he would seem like a refined scholar, but seeing his face and his gray hair, one could tell that his life was filled with vicissitudes.

"I know you!"

Xu Ning's gaze was extremely penetrating, as if he could see through all of Chen Qing's secrets.

"Your head is worth 100,000 guan, making it the most valuable head in the world."

Chen Qing sneered, "Do you think the Jurchens will honor their promise?"

"You are wrong. The Jurchens always keep their word, which is better than the Han people. They will honor their promise and at least reward you with a piece of land worth 100,000 guan."

"So you see a path to wealth?"

Xu Ning shook his head, "I don't need so much money. Two bowls of rice and a pot of tea a day to sustain my disabled body is enough for me."

Xu Ning slowly rolled up his sleeve, revealing that his left hand was cut off at the wrist.

Chen Qing's gaze froze, "This is......"

"Thanks to the Jurchens!"

Xu Ning sighed deeply, "During the Jingkang Incident, I guarded the Crown Prince and the Empress as they fled north. Just as we left the city, the Jurchens came to snatch them. I held onto the carriage with all my might and was slashed by a Jurchen soldier, losing my left hand. When I woke up, I found myself thrown into a pile of dead bodies, and the Crown Prince was nowhere to be seen...... Later, I escaped back to my hometown and opened this martial arts school to make a living, living out my remaining days!"

As he spoke, tears welled up in Xu Ning's eyes. He wiped them away and continued, "I only regret my weakness at that time. Why didn't I seize a horse and take the Crown Prince to safety? I only regret my lack of courage, my inability to resist. A chief instructor of the Golden Lance Corps was reduced to a cripple by a Jurchen soldier......"

By the end, Xu Ning's chest heaved with emotion, and he was speechless.

Chen Qing watched him silently, understanding his pain. He had spent these years in self-reproach, and at just over forty, his hair was already gray.

"Actually, you still have a chance!"

"A chance?"

Xu Ning turned to look at Chen Qing, "A cripple like me, what chance could I have?"

Chen Qing said calmly, "Since you can run a martial arts school, you can also be a drill instructor for my army, teaching my soldiers martial arts to help us drive out the Tartars and restore the Song Dynasty. Use your remaining years to ignite a flame, and you will die without regret."

Xu Ning's cloudy eyes gradually brightened, and he smiled, drawing a short spear from the weapon rack and throwing it to Chen Qing, then drawing one for himself.

"I know you killed Wanyan Lou Shi. Let me see your spear technique. Use all your skills, don't worry, you won't hurt me."

"Then I won't hold back!"

Chen Qing growled, and the short spear moved like a storm, thrusting at Xu Ning. Xu Ning retreated, using his single arm to wield the short spear fluidly, countering Chen Qing's moves one by one.

Xu Ning smiled, "Since you're not using your full strength, don't blame me for being impolite."

He drew a circle with his short spear, thrusting it at Chen Qing's right leg, precisely where Chen Qing had been previously injured by an arrow.

Chen Qing inwardly praised his keen eye and had to use his full strength. With a loud 'clang,' Xu Ning's short spear was knocked out of his hand.

"I'm sorry, I used too much force!"

Xu Ning smiled, threw the short spear to his disciple, and gestured, "Please sit!"

The two sat down, and a young maid served them hot tea.

Xu Ning smiled, "I noticed you don't actually know spear techniques, right?"

Chen Qing had to admire Xu Ning's insight. He indeed didn't know spear techniques; he used heavy sword techniques, which he adapted into spear techniques, making them somewhat awkward.

"I've never practiced spear techniques, only sword techniques!"

Xu Ning looked at Chen Qing, "Your sword technique is actually very simple, fast as a gale, one strike to kill. But to disguise it, you added many flashy moves. Think about it, did you kill Wanyan Lou Shi with those moves?"

Chen Qing nodded, "You're right. In the battle with Wanyan Lou Shi, there was no chance to use those moves. Life and death were decided in one move, and of course, there was strategy. I had him kill his horse and then thrust a spear through his throat, winning by speed."

"So you should get rid of those flashy moves; they're unnecessary. Swords and spears are both deadly weapons; speed is enough. The simplest way is the best. In any martial art, strength and speed are paramount."

Seeing Chen Qing still hesitating, Xu Ning understood his thoughts and smiled, "I know over a hundred sets of spear techniques, but they're just for making a living. In the bureaucracy, it's all about deception, but on the battlefield, it's either you or me. The Jurchens won't play games with you. All their talk of invincible spears is nonsense. One strike from a Jurchen soldier can kill you. Do you understand?"

Chen Qing nodded, fully understanding. He had been a bit worried about others mocking him for not knowing spear techniques, but Xu Ning's words completely dispelled his concerns.

Seeing his quick understanding, Xu Ning inwardly praised him as a promising student.

"I'll report to your camp early tomorrow. As for payment, two meals a day are enough. I'll eat what the soldiers eat, no special treatment!"

"Thank you, sir, for your generous assistance. Also, I have a personal request!"

"You don't need me to teach you martial arts."

Chen Qing shook his head, "I'm not talking about spear techniques, but horseback archery. I've never practiced horseback archery, only crossbow."

Xu Ning laughed, "You're a commander; mastering the crossbow is enough. You don't necessarily need to know horseback archery."

Chen Qing smiled bitterly, "I have a blood feud with Wanyan Huo Nü. We will meet on the battlefield sooner or later. If I don't know horseback archery, I will surely die from his arrows."

"True, in battle with the Jurchens, not knowing horseback archery is indeed dangerous. Prepare your bow and horse, and I'll teach you tomorrow. To practice horseback archery, you must start with foot archery."

Chen Qing thought of something and asked with a smile, "Does the Pavilion Master have any connection with Liangshan Marsh?"

"You mean the thirty-six rebels led by Song Jiang during the Xuanhe period?"

"Exactly, do you have any connection with them?"

Xu Ning smiled, "Not really, but I did have dealings with them. In the third year of Xuanhe, I was training troops in Haizhou under the command of Prefect Zhang Shuye. It was in Haizhou that Prefect Zhang and I suppressed Song Jiang and his men."

......

Chen Qing returned to the camp, which was still in the city temple, with forty large tents of the Jin army. Chen Qing's main tent was small, the smallest of all, but it was the command center of the entire army.

Headman Zheng Ping and County Magistrate Wei Qing were waiting for him in the tent.

"Is the search over?"

Seeing these two, Chen Qing knew the search must have yielded results.

"Commander, we caught a big rat!" Zheng Ping could hardly contain his excitement.

"Not just good, but beyond expectations!"

Zheng Ping placed a list of seized items on the table and explained, "Li Huailiang's residence was relatively normal. We seized 700 shi of grain, 4,600 guan of money, 1,200 taels of silver, 300 taels of gold, 2,000 bolts of silk, and several boxes of gold and jade jewelry. The key was the estate. We found three underground warehouses with 3,300 shi of grain, including the grain he embezzled recently, and 28,000 guan of copper coins, which was truly shocking."

28,000 guan! Chen Qing was also shocked. He looked at the list and turned to Wei Qing, "County Magistrate, do you know the reason?"

Wei Qing nodded, "I checked the county records from the past two years. From the second year of Jingkang to the third year of Jianyan, the county collected taxes for four years but did not remit them. There are no records of remittance to either the Song or Jin governments. I asked the county clerk, who said that a group of Jin soldiers took the money at the beginning of the year, transporting twenty large carts of money and burning the treasury. I find this suspicious."

"Explain further!"

"Tax revenue usually includes money, but more often silk and grain. The Jin soldiers only took the money, mostly iron coins, because the people of Shaanxi don't have much copper money. However, the 28,000 guan of copper coins we found were all copper, indicating that Li Huailiang sold the silk and grain privately, keeping only the copper money, which he hid in the estate. If the commander needs, I can thoroughly investigate the matter."

Chen Qing nodded, "It does need to be investigated, but not necessarily now. The immediate priority is to rent houses and settle the refugees on the streets before nightfall. I don't want to see another tragedy of nearly a hundred people freezing to death."