Chapter 80: Morning Practice

The next morning, the sky was overcast, but Zhang Xiaohua's mood was sunny. Early in the morning, Zhang Xiaohua arrived at the place where he had practiced the horse stance the night before, thinking happily to himself, "Today, he should teach me some boxing techniques."

After a moment, He Tianshu came over, saw that Zhang Xiaohua was already standing there, and was very pleased. He nodded and said, "Zhang Xiaohua, you're really great, getting up so early. Alright, let's start today."

Zhang Xiaohua asked, "What kind of boxing techniques will you teach me today?"

He Tianshu was taken aback: "Boxing techniques? Hehe, don't be in a hurry. First, we need to get your horse stance right. The horse stance is the foundation of boxing. If your horse stance isn't solid, your lower body won't be stable. As the saying goes, 'To practice martial arts, start with the horse stance' and 'Begin by practicing the horse stance for three years.' A stable lower body makes it easier to learn anything."

Zhang Xiaohua opened his mouth wide: "What? For three years? What can I learn then? By the way, what is the lower body?"

He Tianshu smiled and said, "Three years is just a metaphor, but it's also possible to practice boxing while learning the horse stance. If your horse stance isn't good, it's hard to master boxing. The lower body refers to the part below your waist. Only when your legs are stable can you avoid being at a disadvantage in a fight. Remember, yesterday when you punched me, although you were strong, you didn't pay attention to my legs. I used the horse stance at that moment, and you felt how steady I was, right? If your lower body is unstable, one punch could make me step back, giving you the upper hand. Then, you could keep pressing me, making it hard for me to win. Do you understand?"

Zhang Xiaohua nodded, somewhat understanding, and then asked weakly, "Captain He, what is the upper hand?"

He Tianshu immediately took the horse stance, standing firmly, and said, "That's a good question, but I won't answer it today. You'll understand gradually. Now, let's start today's practice. Zhang Xiaohua, continue your horse stance. It's difficult at first, so you must persevere. Don't think about slacking off. At the beginning, you can hold it for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Rest and then continue. If you can hold it for one or two months, you can hold it for the time it takes to eat a meal, or even better, then I can teach you boxing techniques."

Zhang Xiaohua said excitedly, "Captain He, you mean I can hold the horse stance for the time it takes to eat a meal?"

He Tianshu nodded and said strangely, "Yes, what's the problem?"

Zhang Xiaohua asked again, "Is it breakfast or dinner?"

He Tianshu understood and smiled, "It doesn't matter whether it's breakfast or dinner. I just need to be satisfied with your stance."

Zhang Xiaohua said reluctantly, "Alright, I understand. I'll do the horse stance for you."

He turned to face east, raised his head, puffed out his chest, and placed his fists on his waist, firmly taking the horse stance. He Tianshu watched Zhang Xiaohua's movements with a smile, pointed out a few minor errors, and nodded, praising him, "Zhang Xiaohua, very good. You remember everything from yesterday. Let's see how long you can hold it. Tell me when you're tired, and you can rest."

After responding, Zhang Xiaohua remained silent, his eyes fixed on the gloomy sky, as if trying to find the sun.

He Tianshu also moved to one side and began his daily practice. The other three people also came out one by one, found their spots, and started practicing.

Today, He Tianshu was practicing the Thousand Leaf Palm. At the beginning, he was still paying attention to Zhang Xiaohua, ready to let him rest when he got tired. However, as he practiced, he became engrossed in his palm technique, forgetting everything else. The Thousand Leaf Palm was quite complex, and it took a lot of effort to practice from start to finish. He Tianshu usually practiced it less, so sometimes he would be a bit uncoordinated. But today, from the first move to the last, he performed it smoothly and fluently. When He Tianshu finished, he heard a round of applause and felt a bit elated, thinking, "These little rascals, they can appreciate it. They can see that my Thousand Leaf Palm has improved, which is rare."

As he thought, he turned and said, "You guys..." but stopped halfway.

Why?

There was no one around He Tianshu. The three people were cheering at the place where Zhang Xiaohua was doing the horse stance.

He Tianshu had moved away from his original spot after finishing the Thousand Leaf Palm. Before he could reach Zhang Xiaohua, he heard someone say, "Do you dare to bet with me? Zhang Xiaohua can stand for two meals. If I win, you wash my socks for three days."

Another person said, "You're really shameless. I won't take advantage of you. I bet Zhang Xiaohua can stand for three meals. If I win, you wash my socks for two days."

The last person said disdainfully, "You guys are wasting your time. Zhang Xiaohua can stand for the whole morning. What's the point of betting?"

Then, the three of them shouted together, "Zhang Xiaohua, keep it up! Zhang Xiaohua, keep it up!"

He Tianshu walked over and sternly scolded, "What are you doing? Why aren't you practicing?"

The three people saw He Tianshu and rushed over, babbling about what had happened.

It turned out that when the three came to practice, they had already seen Zhang Xiaohua doing the horse stance. They didn't pay much attention, as they had all started with the horse stance. Unlike He Tianshu, who was deeply engrossed in his practice, the three were practicing while secretly watching Zhang Xiaohua, waiting to see when he would give up and sit down. However, as they watched, they realized something was wrong. Zhang Xiaohua didn't lower his stance like they did when they first started, and he didn't sit down. Instead, he maintained the same posture, as if he had been practicing for three years. The three stopped practicing and gathered around Zhang Xiaohua, asking him about his condition. Zhang Xiaohua, while maintaining the horse stance, talked to them, his face not red, his heart not racing, and his breathing steady, as if he were sitting in a chair. When the three heard that this was Zhang Xiaohua's second time doing the horse stance, they were speechless. Since they couldn't say anything, they started cheering.

He Tianshu looked suspiciously at Zhang Xiaohua and the three, and asked, "Are you sure Zhang Xiaohua isn't slacking off?"

The three nodded in unison.

He Tianshu asked Zhang Xiaohua, "Xiaohua, did you practice the horse stance all night without slacking off?"

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said, "Yes, Captain He, I really didn't cheat. I didn't slack off."

He Tianshu said seriously, "Hmm, I believe you, Xiaohua. By the way, are your legs sore? Is there any other discomfort?"

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and said, "No, Captain He, my legs are a little sore, but there's no other discomfort."

He Tianshu thought for a moment and said, "Zhang Xiaohua, if you keep doing the horse stance, how long do you think you can hold it?"

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and said, "I think I can hold it until noon. I feel quite relaxed."

He Tianshu's expression changed, and he was about to speak. Zhang Xiaohua, seeing his expression, quickly said, "Captain He, if I keep trying, I can hold it longer, even until evening. Then, can you teach me boxing?"

He Tianshu's expression became even more serious, and he asked sternly, "Zhang Xiaohua, tell me the truth. Have you ever practiced martial arts or done the horse stance before?"

Zhang Xiaohua, still in the horse stance, didn't dare to move, and said anxiously, "Really, Captain He, I've never practiced martial arts before meeting you. I had never even heard of the horse stance."

He Tianshu thought about it. Yesterday, when he taught Zhang Xiaohua, his movements were very stiff, clearly not knowing how to do the horse stance. Moreover, if he had practiced martial arts, there would be no need to lie. Having a foundation is better than having none.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through He Tianshu's mind: "Is Zhang Xiaohua a martial arts genius?" However, looking at Zhang Xiaohua's ordinary face, childish expression, and slightly thin body, it was hard to associate him with the word "genius."

For the first time, He Tianshu doubted his own judgment: "Are geniuses not all as handsome as me?"

While He Tianshu was thinking, someone said, "Captain He, it's time to eat. Otherwise, it will affect our work in the morning."

He Tianshu nodded and said, "Alright, let's go to the dining hall quickly. Work is important. If the herbs are damaged, everyone will suffer."

He led the group and quickly walked into the courtyard, heading for the dining hall, leaving Zhang Xiaohua, who was still doing the horse stance, crying out, "Captain He, I'm hungry too. What should I do?"

He Tianshu, already in the courtyard, slapped his head and said, "I forgot about Zhang Xiaohua."

He quickly turned back and shouted, "Xiaohua, you've passed. Go eat quickly. We'll talk about it tonight."

Zhang Xiaohua stood up, as agile as a rabbit, showing no signs of soreness, and followed the four people to the dining hall.

In the dining hall, the servants in blue clothes were almost finished eating. Seeing Zhang Xiaohua rush in, they all looked at him with a mix of sympathy and schadenfreude. When Zhang Xiaohua sat down, before he could pick up his chopsticks, Tian Chongxi walked over and said, "Zhang Xiaohua, I know you're young and growing, so you might be a bit lazy, but you need to have a limit. Don't stay up too late. I won't pursue this time, but if it happens again, I'll deduct your pay. Do you understand?"

Zhang Xiaohua wanted to argue, "I..."

Tian Chongxi immediately said earnestly, "Don't give me excuses. Being lazy is being lazy, and being late is being late. I've already heard from Ma Jing. Don't look for excuses. I hope you will improve in the future. If you do, you'll still be a good servant at Huaxi Manor."

Then, he patted Zhang Xiaohua's shoulder and walked away.

Zhang Xiaohua looked up at Ma Jing, who smiled at him, threw down his chopsticks, and also left the dining hall.

Zhang Xiaohua felt uncomfortable, thinking, "Who did I offend? I'm just new and want to practice martial arts. Why does Ma Jing want to bully me?"

---

End of the chapter.