Chapter 66

"Xiaoming, if you're willing, come and practice here. Anyway, I'm the only one here, but we'll still go to the cargo yard for the noon sparring," Zhao Jin said with a smile.

"Sure, the cargo yard is lively, but it's better to have a quiet place for practice!" Chen Sheng's eyes immediately lit up.

Young people of similar age often couldn't settle down when they gathered together, spending a lot of time chatting and joking. Originally, Zhao Jin had such concerns, but he didn't expect that once Chen Sheng started practicing with the saber, he became completely calm. In the courtyard, only the sounds of the spear thrusts and the saber slashes could be heard, and this atmosphere actually promoted their mutual improvement.

At noon, the two dispersed. Zhao Jin didn't rush back home; he first went to the shop to confirm that the items were hidden well. They were no longer stuffed in the corner of the counter but were placed in a box after hollowing out a few bricks on the ground. Zhao Jin knew the importance of these memories and thoughts, and he reviewed them every morning and evening.

After lunch, they went to the cargo yard, where everyone had a good fight. This time, Wang Zhaojing took first place. His sword techniques and Chen Sheng's saber methods had many similarities, with many thrusting and slashing actions. When he fought Zhao Jin, if Zhao Jin left an opening and he charged in, it often caused trouble.

After the competition, everyone shared some snacks and then went home. Chen Sheng, carrying his saber, walked with Zhao Jin. When Zhao Jin left the cargo yard, he looked around; today, Mu Shulan didn't appear. After yesterday's incident, her family probably wouldn't let her out.

Not long after Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng left, they heard footsteps behind them. Looking back, they saw Wang Zhaojing catching up. Wang Zhaojing smiled at Chen Sheng and whispered to Zhao Jin, "Brother Zhao, it's not that I'm unwilling to help, but if my father gets involved, things will get bigger. Yesterday's incident wasn't that serious, please understand."

Zhao Jin was taken aback by what Wang Zhaojing said, but then he reacted. If Wang Zhaojing's father had intervened, the problem would have been solved more thoroughly, but Wang Zhaojing hadn't mentioned it at all, and Zhao Jin hadn't paid attention. He hadn't expected Wang Zhaojing to bring it up first.

"Brother Wang, don't worry. The matter has been resolved. If your father had intervened, even the Prefect might have been involved, and that would have been too much. It's not necessary," Zhao Jin said with a smile.

Hearing Zhao Jin's words, Wang Zhaojing also breathed a sigh of relief. He valued his friendship with Zhao Jin and was afraid of any misunderstanding.

After explaining clearly, Wang Zhaojing was about to take his leave. Seeing that Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng were heading in the same direction, he asked casually, "What are you two going to do?"

Thinking about their conversation, Wang Zhaojing was very sincere. Zhao Jin smiled and said, "My second uncle's place is quiet. We practice there. Brother Wang, why don't you come along?"

Wang Zhaojing was surprised but then smiled and agreed. In his view, this was a sign of closer relations.

The next day, Sun Dalei joined in. On the third day, Dong Bingfeng and Shi Manqiang also joined. By March, all the people from Zhao Jin's small circle at the cargo yard had come to this courtyard. Those who had money and leisure time practiced here every day.

Everyone had their own masters, but they had learned most of the routines. The rest was daily practice. Zhao Jin's second uncle's courtyard met their requirements perfectly. They could practice during the day and have a place to rest when they had free time.

The Chen, Wang, and Sun families all sent people to check the place and then sent people to roughly renovate the courtyard and house. The ground was made flatter, and Shi Manqiang specially made training equipment for the courtyard. The Sun family bought weapon racks and weapons, and the Wang family sent people to tidy up the house, providing all the necessary furniture so that they could eat and sleep there.

The parents of these families supported their children gathering here more than at the cargo yard. Zhao Jin and his friends also needed a more private space.

Gradually, the twenty-odd people who always played at the cargo yard came to this place. Ji Xiang and Liu Yong didn't need to be mentioned. Even if they couldn't train here regularly, they were happy to show up, drink tea, and chat. Even Chen Hong, who no longer followed Chen Sheng around, was willing to come.

Some of the elders even said that if they didn't want to come back for lunch, the family would arrange to send food.

But Zhao Jin said that this place was not their home. They should still go home for meals and spend more time with their families. His words were passed back to their families, and the elders thought even more highly of Zhao Jin, considering him a well-mannered and promising young man.

In fact, Zhao Jin wanted to limit the time his friends spent here. He needed the gaps to read and modify the records.

These days passed happily. Everyone felt more at ease here than at the cargo yard. If it weren't for Zhao Jin's insistence on going to the cargo yard for sparring, everyone would have thought this place could be a sparring ground. Since this area was also a commercial district, it was quiet and deserted during the day, and no one would disturb them if they fought on the street.

The only thing that surprised Zhao Jin was that Mu Shulan hadn't appeared for over half a month after that day. He often heard news about Yunshan Xing, such as how Yunshan Xing had fired the two trackers, and their bodies were found in a dilapidated temple outside the city.

Hearing this news, Zhao Jin felt a chill. He knew this was the revenge of Mu Shulan's elders, but he didn't expect it to be so brutal.

Zhao Jin also noticed that his parents were unwilling to have any dealings with Mu Shulan's elders. They treated the girl as just a girl and acted as if her family didn't exist. Recalling their previous interactions, even He Cuihua was unwilling to talk much with Mr. Mu, only speaking when she couldn't bear it anymore.

Could they be from a major gang or secret agents of the Eastern Depot and the Jinyiwei? The more they tried to hide, the more curious Zhao Jin became. Every time he tried to inquire, he was scolded, which made him even more curious.

Zhao Jin found an opportunity to ask his training companions, but to his surprise, none of them knew Mr. Mu. Some even asked, "Isn't he your neighbor?" Zhao Jin thought about it and realized that, except for himself, no one else had any reason to interact with Mu Shulan's family. Since the girl spent most of her time with him, when outsiders asked, she just said they were neighbors, and everyone assumed it was true.

Moreover, Zhao Jin paid more attention to Mr. Mu because he was more involved in the matter and paid attention to the details. Others had their own lives and didn't notice these things.

Zhao Jin quickly refocused on his training. One benefit of training together was that it was easy to spot one's own shortcomings. Zhao Jin felt that his spear techniques were still not concise enough. If he focused on thrusting, making it as fast and direct as possible, it would probably be even more lethal.

This insight came from a few words Wang Zhaojing said during a break: "My master said that in the past, sword techniques were elaborate and complex, with over a hundred different starting positions. It was impossible to practice them all. But after two hundred years of inheritance, only six starting positions and three initial movements remain. There's no other reason; killing and injuring must be simple and effective, not just for show. So, the impractical ones were abandoned."

Wang Zhaojing's master was a renowned teacher from the capital, a former imperial guard with specialized skills in swordsmanship. The Wang family sincerely hired him, paid him well, and Wang Zhaojing had talent and was willing to practice hard. The master was willing to teach him real skills and hoped he would carry on and improve. Therefore, these words were not just empty talk but had real meaning.

After the New Year, Wang Zhaojing's master returned north, saying there was nothing more to teach and hoping Wang Zhaojing would continue to practice diligently.

Zhao Jin specifically noted these words in his record book. Although Wang Zhaojing used a long sword, his techniques heavily emphasized thrusting, which could be very useful for the spear. Thrusting was the most basic and lethal move for long weapons, even for weapons like the halberd, which also included slashing and smashing.

Zhao Jin believed his second uncle wouldn't hold back and would teach him everything. He felt he had learned a lot, but he couldn't be satisfied with simple repetition. He needed to think and innovate to improve and break through.

Because of this mindset, Zhao Jin practiced extra every day and returned home later than usual.