Chapter 0003: A Peep

The young master's technique has become increasingly proficient; with just a bit more strength, he would be a skilled practitioner.

Some stuttered, some were awkward, and some stumbled over their words, yet no one found it strange. After all, it is to be expected that someone who has not spoken for an entire year would find it somewhat difficult to speak again. As a result, it seemed to align with everyone's expectations, and in the days that followed, Li Ze became increasingly fluent in his communication with others

Tu Lichun laughed heartily, "I have received the auspicious words of the young master, but I no longer have that mindset. This place is remote and quiet; my once restless heart has truly calmed down now. When I am not on duty here with the young master, returning home to my wife and children by the warm kang is quite nice."

This was originally a sizable garden, with a pond in the center. The pond still exists, but the flowers are gone. The flowers and plants that once surrounded the pond have been completely cleared away, replaced by a circular track and a small training area. The training area is filled with various weapons and equipment for strength training.

Tu Lichun fell silent for a moment before saying: "At first, I felt quite wronged, but over the years, I have come to terms with it. The young master treats us well, and life here is comfortable; we have no worries about food and clothing. A person's life is only a few decades long, and it passes by in the blink of an eye. Being able to enjoy a peaceful life is quite good. Although it seemed impressive before, it was exhausting, and the heart was even more tired. Now, life is much more comfortable!"

"Well, it is indeed thanks to you." Li Zedao felt quite satisfied with himself. Over the past seven or eight years, he had been training in martial arts under Tu Lichun, honing his body. Not to mention anything else, just the fact that he had managed to strengthen his physique to such an extent that he had not even caught a cold or cough once was already a source of great joy for him

At this time, Li Ze had already arrived at an open area behind the Ming Shuyuan, where Tu Lichun was waiting.

This place, this estate, is less a refuge for Li Ze than a prison that confines him. Unbeknownst to others, Li Ze's activities are forever limited to this area of several dozen miles. Having arrived here and learned these truths, it is destined that I will rot here alongside this young master. What talk is there of lofty ambitions or a competitive spirit!

I can recognize characters, but I do not consider myself a scholar. Li Ze said seriously as he got up from the ground and began the final subject of today's martial arts training, which was to build strength.

Upon reaching the side of the training ground where a row of ribs was planted, Li Ze effortlessly placed his leg on a position slightly higher than his shoulder to begin stretching his legs and shoulders. Tu Wu, however, had his own method for loosening his muscles and bones. After about a quarter of an hour, the two finally arrived at the center of the training ground, standing opposite each other, and commenced a serious sparring session

"Young Master, it is now the hour of the Dog." Xia He glanced at the hourglass and walked over to remind Li Ze.

Li Ze quietly gazed at the book, occasionally lifting his pen to make some notes on the pages or recording certain important information separately. Xia He, on the other hand, was tidying up the room quietly beside him. Noticing that the ink in the inkstone was nearly depleted, she approached Li Ze to grind some ink for him. Upon discovering that the light had dimmed, she went to adjust the wick. When she saw that the water in Li Ze's teacup had run out, she picked up the kettle to add some hot water.

Among them, the happiest was undoubtedly Xia He. According to Xia He, when he spoke again, his mother, Madam Wang, made an exception and had a glass of wine during dinner that evening

"Good." Li Ze put down the book, stood up, and Xia He immediately stepped forward to assist him in removing his clothes. He changed into a set of short, agile attire, put on his boots, and fastened his cuffs before walking outside. After seeing Li Ze out the door, Xia He returned to the desk, used a bookmark to neatly place the book Li Ze had just read back to the side, emptied the excess ink from the inkstone, then extinguished the lamp, left the study, locked the door, and returned to her side of the bedroom to begin tidying up.

"In the future, who can say for certain?" Li Ze said softly, "Perhaps one day, you will be able to dominate the world, gain fame across the land, and showcase the ambitions within your heart!"

Li Ze was not talkative, and Tu Lichun was also somewhat of a taciturn person. The two of them remained silent and ran for a full fifteen minutes, during which beads of sweat had already formed on their foreheads before they finally came to a stop

Li Ze chuckled a few times, turned to look at Tu Lichun, and said, "Follow me, I have put you in a difficult position."

Li Ze's life is extremely regular. He has created a very detailed schedule outlining what to do at what time each day, and he strictly adheres to this schedule. Over the years, the people around Li Ze have become accustomed to it, but for someone who has just learned about Li Ze and is beginning to understand him, it can be quite shocking

Having recovered from his illness, Li Ze seemed to have undergone a transformation in character. The lively and carefree spirit of the young man appeared to have vanished without a trace, seemingly cured by the countless medicinal soups he had consumed during his serious illness. After a full year of silence, just when everyone thought he had become foolish due to his sickness, Li Ze spoke once more

"Who knows about the matters of scholars?" Li Ze smirked.

"My lord, you truly humble me. In fact, the drawings you made for me have greatly benefited me. I had never thought that a single person could have so many twists and turns. After your explanation and my contemplation, I truly felt a sense of enlightenment. In the past, I only knew how to confront things head-on, but now I can also dissect them like a skilled butcher. " Tu Lichun said with a smile. "The next time I encounter those scoundrels, I will make sure to beat them so badly that they won't even recognize their own mother." "The next time I encounter those scoundrels, I will make sure to beat them so badly that they won't even recognize their own mother."

Behind a large tree not far from the training ground, a thin figure stood, stroking a few sparse whiskers on his chin, observing the sweating Li Ze with a hint of curiosity. Watching Li Ze lift the heavy stone lock time and again with the help of Tu Lichun, his gaze grew increasingly peculiar.

And let it be this way! Unless the heavens turn upside down and the stars reverse their course, this life of mine will remain as it is.

It is said to be a spar, but it is more like Tu Wujin giving Li Ze a lesson, serving as a sparring partner. Although Li Ze is relatively tall, he is only fourteen years old, lacking in strength and unable to fully utilize his physique. How could he possibly be a match for a capable man like Tu Lichun in the prime of his life? After a few exchanges, he would immediately find himself in a predicament. However, Li Ze remained undaunted; after one failure, he would come back for a second attempt, and if the second attempt failed, he would try a third time, until he was panting and once again found himself caught by Tu Lichun, with his hands twisted and legs tripped, falling to the ground. Only then did he relent, lying on his back on the training ground, staring up at the round, plump moon in the sky.

Li Ze tilted his head to look at Tu Lichun. Under the faint moonlight, Tu Lichun's expression was very calm, yet in his eyes, there still lingered a hint of unwillingness.

Upon arriving at the training ground, Li Ze nodded to Tu Lichun and began to jog leisurely along the track. Tu Lichun accompanied Li Ze in running. Before practicing, it is always necessary to warm up the body, break a sweat, and stretch the muscles and bones, and only then proceed to practice. This significantly reduces the likelihood of injury.

Li Ze smirked and fell silent

At that time, Xia He was seven years old and had just been assigned to take care of Li Ze.

This study, apart from Li Ze and Xia He, has never had a third person enter. Li Ze does not allow anyone else to step into this study. A year ago, a careless servant from the courtyard barged in without understanding the gravity of the situation, and then he disappeared without a trace. It is said that he was sold off by the young master. Since then, this study has become a forbidden place within the entire Ming Shu Yuan.

Tu Lichun turned his head to look at Li Ze. Under the moonlight, Li Ze stared blankly at the moon in the sky, his expression seemingly returning to a state of distraction. He sighed inwardly, recognizing that this young man was the most resilient and disciplined he had ever encountered. In the past, when he was in the city, he had seen countless young masters, but compared to Li Ze, those individuals could only be regarded as worthless. Unfortunately, Li Ze's identity destined him to remain forever in this remote and impoverished area, with the best outcome being a life free from worries about food and clothing, merely becoming a local landowner. He sighed again, acknowledging that this young man was indeed the most resilient and disciplined he had ever met. In the past, he had encountered numerous young masters in the city, but those individuals were truly insignificant compared to Li Ze. It was a pity that Li Ze's identity condemned him to a life in this desolate place, where the best he could hope for was a life without material concerns, merely as a rural landowner, and if things went awry, he might even face life-threatening dangers.

His mother was close at hand, yet she regarded him with indifference. His father, whom he had hardly seen, had never even come to see him. When Li Ze saw him again, it was a year later. The man's appearance was vague in Li Ze's mind; he only knew that he was very tall and imposing, with an extraordinary demeanor

Tu Lichun savored this sentence carefully and suddenly burst into laughter. "Young master, you can be considered a scholar too."

Because in reality, no one cared for Li Ze. Madam Wang gave birth to him, but throughout his childhood, she hardly paid any attention to him. Even when Li Ze experienced a great calamity at the age of five, nearly losing his life, the most affectionate gesture from Madam Wang was merely standing by his bedside, staring at him with red-rimmed eyes for a while, before turning around and leaving.

Lying there, Tu Lichun's ears twitched, and a faint cold smile appeared on his face as he softly said to Li Zedao: "Young Master, that person is peeking again. Do you think he is unwell? If he wants to watch, he can just watch; why act so sneaky? No one is stopping him anyway"

Tu Lichun is indeed quite exhausted. This young master is getting older, having started training his strength at the age of seven or eight, and now it has been seven or eight years. Although he is only fourteen, he is considerably stronger than the average adult. Since he began practicing martial arts, his techniques have become increasingly refined, making it progressively difficult for me to handle him. The key point is that he is the master, and I cannot go all out. Every time we practice together, I have to hold back, fearing that I might injure him. This is truly more exhausting than a serious match. Li Ze is panting heavily, and he is also quite worn out.

This person is naturally the teacher of Li Ze in name, Gongsun Changming.