Chapter 22

Before he could explain, Zhao Zhenxing asked with a smile, "Why didn't you continue the competition?"

Seeing his uncle in a good mood, Zhao Jin scratched his head and said, "I was eager to get back and practice martial arts, afraid of wasting time."

Zhao Zhenxing nodded with a smile and said, "You can finish the competition tomorrow and then come back. It won't waste too much time."

Zhao Jin was surprised by his uncle's words and quickly nodded.

Even with an adult's mentality, Zhao Jin found the competition earlier quite interesting and couldn't help but look back. Just as he did, Chen Sheng started fighting. In one move, his thin opponent was thrown out.

Compared to the variety of the noon session, the afternoon martial arts practice was still monotonous. However, Zhao Zhenxing took out a long spear and demonstrated in the courtyard. Compared to the quick thrusts, this time there were many more blocking and sweeping movements, still simple and practical.

However, this demonstration did not mean he would teach. Uncle Zhao Zhenxing watched Zhao Jin more closely in the afternoon. Any slight mistake in his movements would result in a bamboo stick strike.

Fortunately, Zhao Jin had a focus far beyond his peers and quickly adjusted. Because he had been delayed, he practiced a bit later than usual.

When Zhao Zhenxing was sending the two children back, he specially said to Zhao Jin on the way, "A month for the staff, a year for the saber, a lifetime for the spear. If you want to learn martial arts, you can't be impatient. To achieve something with the long spear is a lifelong endeavor."

Zhao Jin nodded, but a memory flashed in his mind. It seemed that during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, European firearms had already begun to develop, but at this time, Western armies also seemed to be using long spears.

At the time, he had no interest in listening while in bed, and now, even with his best efforts to recall, he only remembered some fragmented details. However, his friend liked to read military and political materials, and this knowledge was still useful in the present, not just theoretical.

When they reached the street in front of Zhao Jin's house, Zhao Zhenxing didn't go further. This had been the case for several days. At first, Zhao Jin thought his uncle didn't want to always eat at their house, but later he realized his uncle didn't want to meet Mu Shulan's father.

Everyone around him seemed ordinary, but each had their own story. Zhao Jin often thought this, but he also knew that some things taken for granted in this era were new to him, which was why he had such feelings.

However, today was a bit strange. Mu Shulan's father was waiting at the intersection. Zhao Zhenxing nodded coldly and led Zhao Jin past him.

Compared to the cold attitude of his elders, Zhao Jin was curious about Mu Shulan's father and had a good impression of him. Most commoners in this era were not very clean, with messy hair and beards, which Zhao Jin found hard to get used to. But Mu Shulan's father paid attention to his appearance, always wearing clean clothes, with neat hair and beard, and walking and speaking with grace.

As they approached their house, Zhao Jin understood why Mu Shulan's father was waiting at the intersection. There were people waiting in front of their house, an adult and a teenager.

The sun had already set, and the street was somewhat dim, but Zhao Jin could still see the two people clearly. He recognized the teenager, one of the strongest children at the cargo yard, with dark skin. The former Zhao Jin didn't dare to interact much with such people, and he vaguely remembered the boy's surname was Shi.

The teenager named Shi was holding a bundle, with a不服气 (unwilling) expression on his face, and there were tear marks on his face, as if he had been crying. Zhao Jin didn't know what had happened.

Zhao Jin glanced casually and immediately froze. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, realizing the bundle was the one he had used for the pastries. Seeing this, Zhao Jin finally snapped out of his daze from the martial arts practice, wondering what his ranking in the competition was.

"Master Shi, are you free at the blacksmith shop today? What brings you here?" Zhao Zhenxing greeted.

The adult called Master Shi was also a robust figure, with a similar appearance to the teenager beside him. Both had thick lips, narrow eyes, and large noses, clearly father and son. His beard was quite noticeable.

Despite his fierce appearance, he spoke politely. When Zhao Zhenxing greeted him, Master Shi clasped his hands and said, "Second Master, my son caused trouble today and said it was done by Master Zhao's young master. I can't indulge him in this, so I asked for the truth and gave him a good lesson!"

"Neighbors, no need for formalities. Xiao Jin is right here. Master Shi, you can ask him directly... Big Brother, you're back." Zhao Zhenxing was about to finish speaking when he saw Zhao Zhentang slowly returning from the other side.

Master Shi's attitude towards Zhao Zhentang was even more respectful. He bowed and said, "Master Zhao is back. How have you been recently?"

Seeing this, Zhao Jin was somewhat shocked. He had never really understood his family's status. He always thought his father was a bailiff in the yamen, with a job as an executioner, and the position of a hundred-household commander in Xuzhou was rarely used. His second uncle managed a shop, and the Zhao family was just an ordinary household.

Today, Master Shi's attitude made Zhao Jin realize that in the eyes of the common people, the Zhao family was already high up. Thinking about the morning when he didn't have to pay for pastries, this life was indeed different from the previous one.

Zhao Zhentang's response to Master Shi's greeting was cold. He just nodded and directly said to Zhao Zhenxing, "Older Brother, just come home for lunch and dinner. Why be so formal? Do you really want your sister-in-law to come and call you?"

Zhao Zhenxing smiled and said to Master Shi, "Xiao Jin is here. Ask him directly!"

Master Shi nodded somewhat awkwardly, then reached out and slapped the teenager beside him, saying, "This boy brought a bundle of pastries home tonight..."

The story was simple. Master Shi's eldest son, Shi Manqiang, was not yet old enough to work at the blacksmith shop. With little work at the shop, he didn't need to help. He spent his days playing at the cargo yard. Today, in the competition, Shi Manqiang won first place and brought back over twenty pastries.

Shi Manqiang didn't eat them at the cargo yard and excitedly brought them home for his younger brother and two sisters. The pastries, like milk cream pastries, osmanthus cakes, and red bean cakes, were delicacies that ordinary families rarely tasted. Even sesame cakes, the Shi family only bought a few during the New Year. It was worth noting that the blacksmith shop was a joint venture, and having their own business was already quite good.

The elderly Shi family members had passed away early, and Shi Manqiang's mother helped in the shop. The house was usually locked, and the children were kept in the yard. When Shi Manqiang climbed over the wall, no one could stop him.

When the couple returned home and saw the children happily eating the pastries, and there were quite a few, they immediately became worried. These pastries were something they wouldn't buy much of even during the New Year, and now there were so many.

Shi Manqiang said he won them in a competition, but the couple didn't believe him. A group of children playing, what competition, what prize, it was clearly a story made up after listening to stories at the teahouse. The couple demanded to know where Shi Manqiang had stolen the pastries and repackaged the few that hadn't been eaten.

Hearing his parents accuse him of stealing, Shi Manqiang became agitated. His younger brother and sisters were scared and started crying, making Shi Manqiang even more frustrated. He was then beaten severely by Master Shi.

The couple didn't expect their usually honest child to be so stubborn. Even after being beaten, he still insisted on his story and mentioned "Master Zhao's family." Master Shi was forced to take his son to ask for the truth, to leave him speechless, and then break his leg when they returned home to teach him a lesson.

"Really, you won first place?" What surprised Zhao Jin the most was this. He couldn't help but ask, thinking Chen Sheng would win without a doubt, but unexpectedly, the unassuming Shi Manqiang won first place.

Hearing this, Master Shi's mouth opened wide. From Zhao Jin's question, he could tell that his son really won first place, and the pastries were indeed the prize.

Shi Manqiang glared at his father. Children are children, and their emotions change quickly. Talking about something he was proud of, a smile appeared on his face. Shi Manqiang said proudly, "Chen Xiaofat is good with a stick, but without it, he's nothing. He tried to throw me but failed. I picked him up and threw him out."

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