Chapter 12 of 100

Chapter 12

15 min read3,711 words

Chapter Twelve: The New Home

The Summer Courtyard was half the size larger than the Winter Garden. Now that it was cold, the flowers and plants in the yard had withered, making the vast courtyard seem desolate. Not many people had moved in; only Jianxi and Fengxi, along with six young eunuchs, as well as Guihua, Huahua, and two young maids. Additionally, two cooks were assigned to the small kitchen to specifically serve Zhao Cheng.

Zhao Cheng stepped up three steps and entered the main house. According to custom, fires were lit for warmth starting on the first day of the tenth month. The ground dragons in various parts of the mansion had already been ignited, and after a few days of heating, the rooms were warm and cozy. The floor was entirely covered with wooden planks over half an inch thick, and the walls were lined with light blue silk. The ceiling was suspended, and the main house consisted of eight rooms in a row. The two middle rooms were the hall, and it was then that he realized the ancients used pillars to divide the rooms. This room had a large span, making the room size appear larger. The two main halls were about a hundred square meters, separated by a hardwood screen into front and back sections. The front hall was for receiving guests, while the back hall served as a dining room with a door leading to the back courtyard.

Zhao Cheng occupied the three rooms on the east side. Inside, they had been divided according to his wishes, somewhat resembling a modern four-bedroom, one-living room layout. The largest room served as his small study and living room, while the two sunlit rooms were his bedrooms. A small room on the side was for the night-duty maid, and all the furniture and daily necessities were brand new.

The back room was the bathroom, designed to mimic his previous room. The floor was covered with marble tiles, and inside was a large bathtub, a toilet, and various toiletries. To ensure he could bathe at any time, it was adjacent to the room where the ground dragons were heated. The water was kept warm there, and when he needed it, the young eunuchs would send the water through pipes to the bathtub, making it very convenient.

To ensure his safety, a secret room was built inside, serving as a refuge and emergency escape route. The three rooms on the west side were for the servants, where Guihua and others lived. The remaining empty rooms were temporarily used as storage. The two rows of connected rooms outside were where Jianxi and the other young eunuchs lived on the east side, and the kitchen and the cooks' quarters were on the west side.

The Zhao family, after all, had gained their power through military might. Whether they practiced martial arts or not was another matter, but a training ground was essential. The entire back courtyard was leveled and compacted with a stone roller. The weapon racks held eighteen types of weapons, and a row of stone locks for strength training was placed on the ground. Three straw targets were set up against the wall, and sandbags and wooden dummies for practice were placed nearby.

Zhao Cheng strolled to the weapon rack and picked up the smallest three-dou bow. He mimicked the archery stance he had seen in TV shows, trying to draw the bow with great effort, but it only bent slightly. He tried harder, but nothing changed, and he broke out in a sweat. Disappointed, he shook his head and threw the bow back onto the rack. Looking at the long spears and large swords, and hearing the snickers of the two guards, he lost all interest in trying. He was too weak and didn't want to embarrass himself.

"What are you laughing at? Could you draw a bow and shoot arrows at seven years old? I doubt you can even draw a one-dou bow now!" Jianxi, annoyed by the guards' mockery, glared at them and said angrily.

"Hiss! Big brother, show them a shot, don't let them think you're just a pretty face!" The younger guard, Yang Feng, said to the other guard, Meng Tao.

"Alright, let's both show our skills, don't let them think we're just taking the twenty taels of silver a month for nothing!" Meng Tao, known as "Little Guan Suo," smiled and stepped forward. He looked at the weapon rack and chose a two-dou bow, plucked the bowstring, and drew three arrows from the quiver.

"Hmph, just because you look good, you call yourself Little Guan Suo. Don't show off, you might hurt your back!" Jianxi said, smirking. He hadn't seen a pig be slaughtered, but he knew it took at least four or five hundred pounds of strength to draw a two-dou bow.

"Is Guan Suo very famous? Who is he?" Zhao Cheng stepped back to make room and asked curiously.

"Second Young Master, according to legend, Guan Suo was the youngest son of the Martial Saint Guan Yu. He was handsome and skilled in martial arts, combining beauty and bravery, earning the title of 'Heroic Man.' Many martial artists love to take names like Flower Guan Suo, Sick Guan Suo, or Tyrant Guan Suo," Jianxi explained quickly.

"Oh!" Zhao Cheng nodded, realizing it was like a marketing slogan. Just like in his previous life, many warlords and nobles wanted to boost their popularity this way. However, he thought Little Guan Suo's steady steps suggested he wasn't just a showman.

Meng Tao was also holding his breath. He had practiced martial arts since childhood, mastering both spear and staff techniques, and was proficient in both mounted and unmounted combat. By the age of fifteen, he could draw a two-dou bow. He later traveled the world and earned the name Little Guan Suo. To avoid an enemy, he had to hide in the Duke's mansion and was assigned here. Now, he was being mocked by a weakling.

With three swift "swish" sounds, Zhao Cheng turned to see Meng Tao firing three arrows in quick succession. By the time he focused, Meng Tao had already finished, and the three arrows were almost touching, firmly embedded in the target fifty meters away, hitting the bullseye.

"Great, great archery!" Zhao Cheng clapped his hands and jumped, inwardly amazed. "His shooting speed is so fast. Even if I had a gun, I wouldn't stand a chance in a face-to-face confrontation!"

"Second Young Master, it's just a small skill, I'm ashamed to show it!" Meng Tao smiled at the still-dazed Jianxi.

"Guard Meng, your skills are divine. I was blind. I will rely on both of you in the future!" Jianxi, being straightforward, immediately admitted his mistake.

"Jianxi, words are not enough. I'll make you buy a jar of wine for the two guards!" Zhao Cheng joined in, grinning.

"Without Second Young Master's order, I will definitely invite the two brothers for a drink to apologize!" Jianxi said.

"How can we let Master Jianxi spend money? We will rely on Master Jianxi's care. We should have invited you for a drink long ago!" Yang Feng, being experienced, quickly responded.

"Brother Feng, that's not right. This drink should be on Master Jianxi. We'll return the favor when we have the chance, and Second Young Master must join us!" Meng Tao said, slightly displeased. Yang Feng smiled awkwardly and began to build rapport with Jianxi. The tension dissipated, and their relationship seemed to improve.

"I admire both of your skills. Teach me a few moves someday!" Zhao Cheng clasped his hands and smiled.

"Second Young Master, it's an honor for us to spar with you. We would be delighted!" Yang Feng replied immediately.

"I'm afraid Second Young Master can't endure the hardship. Martial arts take more than a day or two. You look like you've just recovered from a serious illness," Meng Tao said, frowning.

"Second Young Master, it's enough that you're interested. We'll start teaching you boxing tomorrow!" Yang Feng tugged at Meng Tao's sleeve, stopping him from saying more.

"Alright, it's a deal. I'll wait for both of you tomorrow morning!" Zhao Cheng glanced at the talkative Yang Feng and then at Meng Tao behind him, and he subtly smiled with a hint of amusement.

At the first light of dawn, Zhao Cheng woke up. He quickly washed his face and put on a set of short, tight-fitting clothes. Guihua, worried he would catch a cold, added a fox fur vest. Ready, Zhao Cheng led Jianxi, who was still rubbing his eyes, out the door.

"Second Young Master, aren't you going to the garden for a morning walk today?" Jianxi suddenly realized they were heading in the wrong direction and asked urgently.

"We agreed yesterday to practice with Instructor Meng, didn't we? Did you forget after drinking last night?" Zhao Cheng said as they walked.

"Oh!" Jianxi remembered the agreement from yesterday. He had thought Zhao Cheng was just joking, but he didn't expect the young master to take it seriously.

As Zhao Cheng passed the rear hall, he heard the shouts of the guards practicing in the guard house. He felt invigorated and quickened his pace. "Second Young Master, you're here!" The guards stopped their exercises and bowed.

"Good, where's Instructor Meng? Has he arrived?" Zhao Cheng smiled and nodded.

"Instructor Meng is already here. He's over there, I'll call him!" A guard pointed to Meng Tao, who was practicing in the courtyard.

"Good morning, Instructor Meng!" Zhao Cheng bowed.

"Good morning, Second Young Master!" Meng Tao, surprised by Zhao Cheng's bow, quickly stepped aside and returned the bow. Although the old master hadn't explicitly said who he was to protect, he knew the identity of the Duke's grandson. He couldn't accept the bow, but he was still taken aback. He had thought it was just a joke yesterday, but the young master had really come today.

"Instructor Meng, let's start!" Zhao Cheng said with a smile, without any unnecessary words.

"Sure, have you learned martial arts before?"

"My body has always been weak, and my family never arranged for a teacher."

"Alright, let's start with the basics," Meng Tao nodded. He then demonstrated and explained the horse stance: "The horse stance is the foundation of martial arts. It helps to ground your qi and strengthen your legs, preventing your qi from rising. Stand with your feet parallel, toes slightly inward, about three feet apart. Spread your toes, squat down, keep your knees behind your toes, stand straight, and lift your upper body. Place your hands on your waist, relax your shoulders, waist, and hips, look straight ahead, breathe naturally, and focus your qi on the dantian."

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