Chapter 5 of 10

Chapter 5

15 min read3,864 words

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Liu Yongfu eventually left, taking several thousand Black Flag Army soldiers to Annam to fight against the French army. Besides leaving behind a few hundred Black Flag Navy soldiers for Wong Fei-hung to reorganize into a militia, he also left a paper fan inscribed with an unequal treaty.

For over a month, besides reorganizing and training the disbanded Black Flag Navy into a militia, Wong Fei-hung would take out the paper fan given by Liu Yongfu whenever he had free time and examine it. Sometimes, he would even lock himself in his room and forget to come out for meals.

"Knock, knock, Master, it's time to eat!" Ye Xuan held the food and knocked on Wong Fei-hung's door.

"Oh, it's you, Ah Xuan. The door isn't locked, come in!" A somewhat melancholic voice came from inside the room.

Ye Xuan pushed the door open and saw Wong Fei-hung sitting by the table, holding the unfolded paper fan in his hand.

Placing the food in front of Wong Fei-hung, Ye Xuan stood beside him and smiled, "Master, let's eat first!"

"Oh, okay, thank you!" Looking at Ye Xuan standing beside him, a hint of comfort flashed across Wong Fei-hung's face.

Wong Fei-hung was very pleased to have such a disciple. Ye Xuan not only had a natural talent for martial arts but was also very hardworking. More importantly, despite his broad knowledge and extensive reading, he remained very humble and got along well with his fellow disciples, showing no disdain for those who were less educated. The only thing that worried Wong Fei-hung was that Ye Xuan's sense of right and wrong was very clear, sometimes even bordering on being unconventional and out of step with the world. In this chaotic era, Wong Fei-hung was very concerned that his disciple might one day get into serious trouble.

"You haven't eaten either, right? Come, sit down and eat with me!" Just as Wong Fei-hung was about to pick up his chopsticks, he suddenly stopped and said, seeing Ye Xuan standing beside him.

"No need, Master. I'll go out and eat later." Hearing Wong Fei-hung's words, Ye Xuan quickly shook his head. Sometimes, the environment really influences a person. Ye Xuan, who had no concept of a master-disciple relationship before, had, after a few months of immersion, come to accept this somewhat ridiculous rule from a modern perspective.

However, Ye Xuan believed he wasn't bound by the rules but was showing respect to a person with chivalrous and benevolent qualities in this old society.

"Sit down and eat. Master has something to say to you." Seeing that Ye Xuan didn't sit down, Wong Fei-hung had to speak more firmly.

"Yes, Master." Seeing Wong Fei-hung's insistence, Ye Xuan had no choice but to sit down, pick up his bowl and chopsticks, and start eating.

"Ah Xuan, the world has changed. You've been back for a few months now. Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?" While eating, Wong Fei-hung suddenly asked.

"Ah?!" Hearing Wong Fei-hung's question, Ye Xuan was taken aback. He had always lived with the mindset of a passerby, and even when doing things, he followed the system's tasks. He had never thought about what Wong Fei-hung was asking.

"Ah Xuan, Master knows you are very smart and have principles. But Master hopes you remember that no matter what you do in the future, you must be true to your heart." Wong Fei-hung put down his chopsticks and said with deep meaning.

After a few months of interaction, Wong Fei-hung knew that his disciple's temperament couldn't be changed easily, so he could only hope that his valued disciple wouldn't take the wrong path.

...

In the courtyard, Ye Xuan, bare-chested, moved nimbly, sometimes like a tiger, powerful and majestic, and at other times like a crane, agile and graceful, practicing the Tiger-Crane Double Form Fist. After months of martial arts training, Ye Xuan's body was no longer weak but was now muscular and full of explosive power, exuding a martial aura.

In the system, Ye Xuan's personal attributes had also changed significantly:

Health: 12

Spirit: 10

Strength: 11

Agility: 11

Skills: Cross Fist (Level 3), Gongzi Fuhu Fist (Level 2), Tiger-Crane Double Form Fist (Level 2), Acupuncture (Level 1), Western Surgery (Level 1, Temporary), English (Level 4, Temporary), Firearms (Level 4, Temporary).

Cultivation Points: 1000

All these changes had come from Ye Xuan's daily martial arts practice. Watching the changes in his personal attributes in the system every day was also a driving force for his martial arts training.

"Ah Xuan, stop for a moment. Zhang Jufu has invited me to have tea at Datong Restaurant. Change your clothes and come with me." Seeing Ye Xuan finish his set of boxing, Wong Fei-hung, who had been watching him, suddenly said.

"Okay, Master!" Ye Xuan wiped the sweat from his head and smiled.

Since the First Opium War, the corrupt and incompetent Qing government had been seen as a piece of fat meat by the various powers, who bullied it at will. The Qing government suppressed the people at home while being extremely accommodating to the foreign powers, signing one unequal treaty after another. The foreign powers acted arrogantly and lawlessly in China, dividing the land and ruling as they pleased.

Foshan, being a coastal area in Guangdong, was no exception. On the streets, foreigners in Western clothing walked around, and British and American soldiers strutted about as if they were patrolling their own territory. Ye Xuan saw that whenever ordinary people saw foreigners, they would show a hint of fear and unconsciously make way, while the foreigners would barge through as if it were their right.

"There are more and more foreigners in Foshan." Walking on the street, looking at the foreigners passing by, Wong Fei-hung said to Ye Xuan, who was walking behind him.

"Yes, haven't you heard that the court is promoting the Self-Strengthening Movement? The Qing court might need these foreigners now." Ye Xuan sneered.

As a modern person who had studied modern history, Ye Xuan knew the consequences of the so-called Self-Strengthening Movement very well.

"Is the foreign world really that good? Over a decade ago, some people in the court called for 'learning from the foreigners to strengthen ourselves,' but after so many years, why haven't we become stronger? Instead, we have signed more and more unequal treaties?" Wong Fei-hung looked lost, touching the paper fan in his pocket, as if asking Ye Xuan or talking to himself.

"Master..." Seeing Wong Fei-hung's expression, Ye Xuan felt uncomfortable and wondered whether to tell him the reasons for the failure of the Self-Strengthening Movement and that the Qing government was beyond saving, and that in a few decades, a man surnamed Sun would lead a revolution.

"What is it?" Wong Fei-hung came back to his senses and turned to look at Ye Xuan.

"Oh, nothing. I was just saying that we've arrived at Datong Restaurant." Ye Xuan swallowed his words and forced a smile.

"Oh, we're here? Let's go in then!" Wong Fei-hung looked at Ye Xuan strangely and walked into Datong Restaurant.

Datong Restaurant was one of the largest local restaurants in the area. Cantonese people have the habit of drinking morning tea, so the restaurant was crowded and noisy.

"Master Wong, Master Wong..."

"Master Wong, you're here. Uncle Zhang said if you come, you can go to the Bird Appreciation Pavilion. He's inside chatting with someone." As soon as they entered the restaurant, many people greeted Wong Fei-hung with a salute. Ye Xuan followed Wong Fei-hung through the crowd, and a waiter came up to them.

"Thank you, young sir!" Wong Fei-hung smiled and saluted the waiter.

"You're welcome, Master Wong."

Many restaurants had a special Bird Appreciation Pavilion for those who had nothing to do and liked to play with birds. This hobby was said to have originated from the sons of the Eight Banners in Beijing.

The Bird Appreciation Pavilion was spacious, with a few tables and rows of bird cages hanging around. Various precious birds chirped and played in the cages, their voices clear and pleasant.

"Master Wong, Master Wong..." Seeing Wong Fei-hung enter, the people immediately saluted him and made way for him and Ye Xuan to pass.

"Hello, everyone!" Wong Fei-hung saluted and smiled as he walked.

"Fei-hung!" An old man with a paper fan and glasses saw Wong Fei-hung and walked over with a smile.

"Uncle, it's been a few years, and you look even more spirited." Wong Fei-hung smiled at the old man.

"Thanks... Fei-hung, look, who came back with me this time?" The old man winked at Wong Fei-hung and pointed behind him with his paper fan.

Standing behind Wong Fei-hung, Ye Xuan followed the old man's finger and saw a group of people gathered around an old camera, which he had only seen in museums on TV. A tall woman in Western clothing was under the black cloth behind the camera.

Seemingly hearing the discussion around her, the woman came out from under the black cloth and saw Wong Fei-hung, her delicate face breaking into a charming smile.

"Aunt Thirteen?" Wong Fei-hung was taken aback and then smiled.

"Fei-hung!"

Aunt Thirteen saw Wong Fei-hung and walked over quickly, grabbing his hand to shake it.

"Master, foreigners shake hands when they meet." Ye Xuan reminded Wong Fei-hung from behind.

"Oh!" Wong Fei-hung smiled awkwardly.

At this moment, a foreign woman walked over, and Aunt Thirteen laughed and held her hand, introducing her to Wong Fei-hung, "Come, Fei-hung, let me introduce you. This is Joanna."

"How do you do!" The foreign woman extended her hand and said in a foreign language.

"DO? What DO?" Wong Fei-hung was taken aback and turned to ask Ye Xuan.

"Master, she's greeting you, like asking how you are. Just say 'I am fine' in response." Ye Xuan whispered in his ear.

"Fine, fine!" Wong Fei-hung dryly shook the foreign woman's hand and pulled it away, complaining to Ye Xuan, "These foreigners have such strange ways of speaking."

"This is my new disciple, Ah Xuan. He just returned from America a few months ago." Seeing everyone looking at Ye Xuan behind him, Wong Fei-hung introduced him with a smile.

"Uncle Zhang, Aunt Thirteen, hello!" Hearing Wong Fei-hung's introduction, Ye Xuan extended his hand and shook hands with both of them.

"Hello! Hello!" Both of them, hearing that Ye Xuan had studied abroad, politely shook his hand.

"Fei-hung, come, let's take a picture with this bird." After the greetings, Uncle Zhang laughed and pulled Wong Fei-hung's hand, leading him to a table with a bird cage.

"Sure!" Wong Fei-hung smiled and followed Uncle Zhang.

"This is Old Zhao's 'Imperial Finch,' a rare and precious bird that has been in the limelight recently." Uncle Zhang pulled Wong Fei-hung to sit down and pointed to the green bird in the cage on the table.

"Sit, Fei-hung, taking a picture is easy. Just look over there." Uncle Zhang pointed to the camera in Aunt Thirteen's hand.

Ye Xuan didn't follow Wong Fei-hung but walked to Aunt Thirteen's side, looking at the antique camera with interest. This camera, besides the main body and a wooden tripod, required a person to hold a device like a sun lamp, and the most peculiar thing was that it needed magnesium powder.

"Don't move, or the picture won't be beautiful. Sit still!"

"Ready, one, two, three!"

"Puff!"

A burst of flame shot out from the device like a sun lamp, startling Wong Fei-hung, who was sitting stiffly. He kicked Uncle Zhang, who was sitting next to him, along with his chair, and leaped to the side.

Looking at the "Imperial Finch" with its bright feathers, which was now hanging upside down in the cage, its feathers completely burned off, it had turned into a roasted bird.

"Pfft!" Ye Xuan couldn't help but laugh at the smoking bird.

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