Chapter 6: Violent Youth

Hehe. Tu Niu'er jumped down from the community tree, half of his face swollen and bruised, yet he seemed completely unconcerned. "A Xiao, why did you come so early?"

I cannot say this clearly said Liang Xiao. In fact, I am not quite sure how much he can teach me. From what he implied, it seems he wants to pass his skills on to his son

"Inquire about someone?" Tu Niu'er scratched his head and asked again, "Inquire about whom, is it related to the Hu family?"

Indeed

"Of course, good things should be reserved for one's own son," said Tu Niu'er after a moment of thought. "How about this: once we find his son, we secretly break his arm. That way, he won't be able to learn archery."

Liang Xiao furrowed his brow, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded: "Then please wait for good news, Lord Huan. I will go inquire first."

It is not that Liang Xiaodan is timid, but rather that this directly relates to his future, and he must exercise caution

The child Tuniu is being beaten, and his mother, Shi, is barefoot on one foot, chasing him around the yard. She holds a shoe in her hand, continuously striking Tuniu while scolding him: "Little beast, have you eaten the heart of a bear and the courage of a leopard? How dare you provoke the Hu family. For causing trouble for your old mother, I will beat you to death today. It will be as if you were never born, and it will also spare us from a calamity."

Tu Niu'er was even more astonished, walking while vigorously shaking Liang Xiao's arm. "Ah Xiao, is this prisoner really that strong? Your archery skills are so good, do you still need to learn from him?"

Liang Xiao quickened his pace, hurried to the courtyard wall, and peered over the top of the wall.

Regarding this form of education, Liang Xiao felt both intrigued and somewhat unaccustomed. Fortunately, Tu Niu'er believed that he was injured first and had not yet fully recovered, so he did not harbor too many suspicions. The two arrived at the stone house, and before they could enter, they were stopped by the vigilant village head. The village head, with his hand resting on the sword at his waist, cast a glance at Liang Xiao and his companion.

No, I am going to inquire about a person

Liang Xiao smiled. "I'm afraid that's not possible; he is currently living in my house, brought by Wang Lizheng."

"What is it, looking for Hu to take revenge?" The eyes of the calf shone brightly.

"Where did this child come from? They look unfamiliar. What are they doing here in the stone?"

Liang Xiao increasingly found it absurd; the violent tendencies of this Niu Er were too obvious. He quickly raised his hand to stop him: "Niu Er, you are mistaken; I have no intention of killing him. I still want to learn from him."

Upon seeing Liang Xiao, Shi immediately put on a friendly smile: "Ah Xiao, you are here! Is there something you need? Have you had breakfast yet? If not, come eat at my place. I just made some soup pancakes, with plenty of oil, I guarantee they will be so good you won't want to part with them even if I slap you twice."

The two individuals engaged in casual conversation, exited the inner gate, and headed directly northwest towards the city. Having mingled in the city since they were young, they were quite familiar with the locations of various districts. There are a total of seventy-one districts within and outside Guangling City, and the youth are generally divided into three factions. Qingyun District is located in the southwest and belongs to the Southwest Faction, while Shili District is situated in the northwest and belongs to the Northwest Faction. Although the distinctions are not sharply defined, they do take care to maintain a distance to avoid conflicts.

... ...

My son is named Huan Sheng, and at that time we lived in Shili, located in the northwest of the city

So, what is your son's name, and where did your family live at that time

The cowherd scratched his head more vigorously, and dandruff flew everywhere. He caught a louse, put it in his mouth, and with a "crunch" sound, bit it to death, then spat it out with a "pfft," looking heavy-hearted. "This is a bit troublesome. Since it was brought by Wang Lijeng and is staying at your house, if we were to kill it, it would be difficult to cover up. If it really comes to that, we should first trick it out..."

Liang Xiao shook his head. "Do you still remember the one-eyed prisoner we encountered yesterday in the west of the city?"

What art to learn?

Moreover, whenever the term "sixteen years" is mentioned, Liang Xiao naturally thinks of the Wu-Chu Rebellion. If this Huan Jun were to be convicted for this reason, he would be deemed a traitor. Such a person, even if extraordinarily fortunate and regaining their freedom, would never be able to hold an official position again in their lifetime, and their children would undoubtedly suffer repercussions, with at least three generations required to restore their reputation.

Taking advantage of the moment when Shi and Liang were engaged in conversation, Tu Niu'er dashed out the door and disappeared in a flash. Liang politely declined the enthusiastic Shi, exited the Tu family home, and walked under the community tree, saying without looking up: "Niu'er, come down quickly, if your mother sees you, it won't just be a matter of the soles of your shoes. By then, I'm afraid all the elders in the neighborhood will be chasing after you to give you a beating"

A Xiao, how did you get involved with him? Although that person is useless, he clearly has a ruthless nature. If there is nothing going on, you should avoid provoking him; the farther away you stay from him, the better.

Tu Niu'er covered his face with one hand and held up his pants with the other, running wildly around the courtyard. Although Shi was barefoot on one foot, he ran swiftly, and it seemed he was about to catch up with Tu Niu'er. Tu Niu'er's father squatted nearby weaving a bamboo basket, completely oblivious to the chase between the mother and son in front of him.

Tu Niu'er was taken aback, his face showing a look of terror. "Is it that man dressed in ochre, who is blind in one eye and has a lame leg?"

Good

To enter the officialdom, one may temporarily lack wealth, but must at least possess a clear and upright identity. According to the laws of the Han Dynasty, the children of criminals are certainly not counted among respectable families. Moreover, this Lord Huan has been imprisoned for sixteen years; without a general amnesty, he would likely remain a convict for life. With such a father, he has little prospect for the future

Upon seeing this, Liang Xiao did not dare to be negligent. He quickly turned over and jumped into the courtyard, smiling as he approached Shi Shi, and said loudly: "Aunt, good morning!"

Liang Xiao had breakfast, said a word to his mother Liang Miao, and then went out, heading directly to find Tu Niu'er. The Tu family and the Liang family were in the same village, with the Tu family being the first house on the left side of the village. Passing by the large tree that represented the village deity, and just a few steps away from the Tu family, Liang Xiao heard the distinctive and mournful cry of Tu Niu'er.

Ah! Ah! Ah! Do not hit the face, do not hit the face!

Unlike the gentle customs of later generations, the customs of Wu and Chu are fierce. Most people hold a tolerant or even somewhat indulgent attitude towards the actions of these unruly youths, while those who are obedient and compliant often end up with a weak impression, which does not endear them to others

I need you to take care of something.

Archery

The youths loitering on the streets, apart from a few professional delinquents and idlers, are mostly minors from the Fu nationality. They form cliques, delineate their spheres of influence, and engage in games, occasionally committing some criminal acts, but not as a means of livelihood. Many of them, once they reach adulthood, obtain citizenship, are assigned land, and become busy with farming, soon to be conscripted for service, leaving them with no time for play, and they gradually fade out of this circle.

Liang Xiao recounted his brief interaction with the prisoner Huan Jun. Tu Niu'er listened with rapt attention, appearing even more excited than Liang Xiao himself. With a glint in his eye, he then said, "Ah Xiao, if I help you find his son, will he teach me a few moves as well?"

Therefore, for Liang Xiao, it is acceptable to learn from him, but it is better to avoid the father-son relationship

Liang Xiao glanced at Tu Niu'er and instinctively took two steps back. However, Tu Niu'er remained completely unaware and naturally moved closer.

"I have eaten, and I am quite full," Liang Xiao exaggeratedly patted his belly. "Otherwise, I must try the soup dumplings made by my aunt."