Chapter 71: Resolution

Zhang Xiaohu said mysteriously, "Of course, I've never practiced before. This is my first time boxing."

Li Laoliu became a bit excited and said, "Impressive! Though you can't be called a genius, it's still quite rare. The Six Harmonies Fist is known for its complexity. To remember most of it on your first try shows you have a talent."

At this moment, there was a chorus of applause.

Zhang Xiaohu's face turned red, and Zhang Xiaohua was also happy for his older brother. However, he was secretly worried. He didn't seem to remember as much. He wondered if he could pass the test when it was his turn.

Li Laoliu smiled and said to Zhang Xiaohu, "Come over here, let me check your bones and physical condition."

Zhang Xiaohu obediently walked over. Li Laoliu felt his body here and there, and finally said with satisfaction, "Very good, this body is extremely suitable for martial arts. If not for your age, you could probably join the Ethereal Sect."

Zhang Xiaohu's face bloomed with a smile, and he asked, "So, I've passed, can I be a scout now?"

Li Laoliu smiled and said, "Passed, of course you've passed. After a year or so of training, you could even be a bodyguard."

He turned to Wen Siye and said, "Sir Wen, you have a keen eye. You've brought us a treasure."

Wen Siye modestly replied, "Lucky, just lucky."

Li Laoliu said to Zhang Xiaohu, "Alright, let's go. I'll register you. From now on, you're a scout for the Lotus Escort Agency. Everyone else, scatter and continue your training."

With that, he turned to leave, and the crowd also started to disperse.

At this moment, a voice rang out, "What? You're not going to test me?"

Everyone stopped. Li Laoliu looked and saw it was Zhang Xiaohua. Zhang Xiaohu quickly added, "That's right, my younger brother hasn't been tested yet. Does he not need to be tested?"

Li Laoliu sized up Zhang Xiaohua and asked, "How old are you?"

Zhang Xiaohua said in confusion, "Thirteen years old."

Li Laoliu laughed, and the people around him also burst into laughter. Then, Li Laoliu asked, "Do you know that the escort agency has age requirements for scouts?"

Zhang Xiaohua shook his head.

Li Laoliu smiled and said, "The escort agency is a business. We need adults. Our youngest scouts are at least sixteen years old. Look around, do you see any children as young as you?"

Zhang Xiaohua looked around and indeed, most of the people were in their twenties. Zhang Xiaohu and Xiao Hou were considered young.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaohua couldn't help but feel the world was so small. The Ethereal Sect required disciples to be around five or six years old, and he was too old. Now, the Lotus Escort Agency required scouts to be at least sixteen, and he was too young. How could learning martial arts be so difficult?

But he didn't give up. He said loudly, "I may be young, but I'm not weak. Let me lift the stone lock. See how much I can lift."

Li Laoliu still shook his head and said, "It's not that I don't want you, but you're too young. You can't even take care of yourself, how can you help the escort agency? The rules are clear, and I can't make an exception."

As he said this, he tried to leave, but Zhang Xiaohu held him back, pleading, "Sir Li, please, Xiaohua is really strong. Just give him a chance."

Zhang Xiaohua was almost in tears, but he remembered his promise to his grandmother not to cry. He saw his older brother holding Li Laoliu, so he quickly ran to the stone lock that Zhang Xiaohu couldn't lift and said, "Look, I'll try this one."

He grabbed the stone lock with one hand and, with a burst of strength, lifted it over his head.

Li Laoliu, who was being held back by Zhang Xiaohu, was about to break free, but when he saw Zhang Xiaohua lift the 200-pound stone lock, he was stunned. Zhang Xiaohua, seeing that he wasn't speaking, thought he was dissatisfied and quickly threw the 200-pound stone lock to the ground. He picked up the largest stone lock, weighed it in his hand, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Lift!" and lifted the largest stone lock with one arm.

In an instant, the training ground fell silent. Everyone was dumbfounded, their eyes wide open, and Li Laoliu's eyes were wide open, his mouth agape, big enough to fit a large duck egg.

After a while, someone timidly asked, "That, that stone lock, is it the 500-pound one?"

At this moment, a stern voice rang out, "What are you all doing? Instead of practicing, you're just watching."

At the same time, a woman's voice said, "Oh, Zhang Xiaohua? What are you doing here?"

Everyone turned to see a gray-haired old man walking out from the back corridor. The onlookers said, "Sir Qu has arrived, let's go."

The crowd quickly dispersed, leaving only the small figure of Zhang Xiaohua, his face red from the effort, still holding the large stone lock.

The woman walking beside Sir Qu was none other than Qiutong, whom they had met in the morning in Pingyang City.

Sir Qu walked to Li Laoliu's side, and Li Laoliu and Wen Siye quickly bowed. Sir Qu returned the bow and, seeing Zhang Xiaohua still holding the stone lock, frowned and said, "What are you doing? Put it down quickly."

Zhang Xiaohua, not knowing who he was, didn't dare to let go but looked at Li Laoliu, who quickly said, "Put it down, put it down."

Only then did Zhang Xiaohua release the stone lock, which landed with a loud "thud," sending dust flying.

Sir Qu turned to Qiutong and asked, "Do you know them?"

Qiutong smiled and said, "Yes, this is the child I told you about earlier, who helped me retrieve my money bag this morning. His name is Zhang Xiaohua, and this is his older brother, Zhang Xiaohu."

Sir Qu nodded with a smile and said, "Good children."

Then, he asked Li Laoliu, "What's going on? Why did you make the child lift the stone lock?"

Li Laoliu quickly and respectfully explained the situation, concluding, "Zhang Xiaohua's strength is truly remarkable. Few in our Lotus Escort Agency can lift that stone lock. However, he is still young and a child, which doesn't meet the rules. Please, Sir Qu, make the decision."

When Sir Qu heard that Zhang Xiaohua had lifted the 500-pound stone lock, he was also moved. He looked at the stone lock lying on the ground and the small child standing next to it.

Qiutong also chimed in, saying, "Xiaohua is a good child. If not for him, my money bag would have been stolen. Even if I told Uncle San, it would still be a favor. Uncle San, please make an exception."

Sir Qu smiled and said, "You're too careless. You know the sect only accepts children around five or six years old, yet you brought them to the entrance of the manor and left them. Our escort agency only recruits scouts who are at least sixteen years old. Isn't this putting me in a difficult position?"

Qiutong also smiled and said, "They didn't say they were here to learn martial arts this morning. I thought they were relatives of the sect, visiting. Besides, isn't the Lotus Escort Agency under your control? Can't you just decide?"

Sir Qu said, "I can make the decision now, but the rules are set by the leader. How can I easily violate them? Moreover, scouts need to escort goods. How can a child do that? If there's any danger, it would harm him."

Qiutong thought about it and agreed, feeling sympathetic towards Zhang Xiaohua.

Sir Qu continued, "However, I have a solution that could satisfy everyone. Do you want to hear it?"

Qiutong was surprised, "A solution that satisfies everyone?"

Sir Qu said, "You mentioned that the person in charge of the herb fields at the manor lost a family member and needs someone to help with the fields. You asked me for someone who can farm and is strong. Isn't this child a good candidate? He wants to learn martial arts, and you can find a martial arts teacher in the manor to teach him. If not, he can come to me for training."

Qiutong's eyes lit up, and she agreed it was a good idea.

Then, Qiutong called Zhang Xiaohua over and explained the situation to him, asking if he knew how to farm. Zhang Xiaohua nodded, of course. Farming was his main job before. What choice did he have now? The Ethereal Sect didn't accept him, and the Lotus Escort Agency didn't want him. At least he could learn martial arts at the Huaxi Manor, even if he had to farm. Why not?

Moreover, when Qiutong mentioned that the Huaxi Manor paid five taels of silver per month, Zhang Xiaohua was even more delighted. Zhang Xiaohu, as a scout, only earned six taels per month. He could earn so much just by farming, without risking his life. How could he not be happy?

The only downside was that he would be at the Huaxi Manor while his older brother was at the Lotus Escort Agency, and they couldn't be together all the time. This was a bit of a worry.

Zhang Xiaohu, who was listening, asked Qiutong, "Where is the Huaxi Manor?"

Qiutong smiled and said, "It's right next to the Ethereal Manor. That's why I said it was on the way this morning."

Zhang Xiaohu said to Zhang Xiaohua, "Xiaohua, the escort agency isn't far from the Huaxi Manor. I'll visit you when I have time. It's safe there, and our parents will be relieved. When you grow up, you can join the escort agency and be with me."

Seeing his older brother agree, Zhang Xiaohua also agreed. Qiutong was very happy. She had felt a connection with Zhang Xiaohua in the morning, seeing him like a little brother. Helping him also completed her task, truly a win-win situation.

Thus, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua parted ways at the escort agency. Li Laoliu took Zhang Xiaohu to the room to complete the registration and arrange his accommodation. Sir Qu had also heard about Zhang Xiaohu's test and instructed Li Laoliu to pay special attention to him, as he might become a pillar of the escort agency in the future.

On the other side, Zhang Xiaohua, carrying his small bag, followed Qiutong to the carriage and headed back to the eastern suburbs of the city.

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End of Chapter 71