Chapter 6 I have this determination and I also have this ability

"Hanzi, hasn't your mother been the one to wash your feet for you since you were little? You... you really can't do such things."

Gao Wen's hand relaxed, and the feathered arrow shot forth from the bowstring

I never expected that Gao Wen is also a skilled archer

It must be a coincidence

Gao Wen lowered his head, and by the light of the moon, he looked at his ten fingers, which were covered in thick calluses, as if he understood something. He recalled that the action of drawing a bow and shooting arrows was something he had practiced countless times in the past, and hitting the target had become an instinct.

At that moment, Gao Mu suddenly squatted down and extended her hands to vigorously rub Gao Wen's feet.

Her face was marked with numerous wrinkles, her hair had turned gray, and her voice was weak: "Wen'er, Mother has just finished weaving the cloth, and I will go boil some water for you now"

In my memory, my father passed away when I was very young. My mother cried for several days, and her health deteriorated. Later, in order to support the two of us, she bought a loom and managed to raise us by weaving and mending. Perhaps due to years of staying up late to weave and straining her eyes, she became unable to see clearly three years ago

Before him, he could see clearly, and Gao Wen was astonished: no wonder it was so easy to beat Han Kui earlier, no wonder the other three militia dared not step forward when I took action; it turns out I am a person of great martial skill. It was just that in the past, I was a bit foolish and had a gentle temperament, which allowed others to take advantage of me.

No, no, no, I will do it myself." Gao Wen hurriedly stopped his mother's hand, quickly rubbing his ankle and removing the small bits of dirt.

In fact, this is also a good thing. In ancient times, when people lacked clothing and medicine, a simple cold could be fatal. Having a strong body was more valuable than anything else. Moreover, this is a jungle where the weak are preyed upon by the strong; possessing a skill can provide a means of survival in unexpected situations.

Upon hearing these words, Gao Wen's hands, which were washing, came to a halt, and he let out a low cry: "Mother... every night I light the lamp, just to ensure that my son can see the path clearly... Mother... it is the unfilial conduct of your son that has caused you so much suffering. You are already of such an advanced age; you should be enjoying your life at home. It is your son's lack of ability that has forced you to toil and worry day and night."

At that moment, the sound of the loom ceased, followed by the sound of the hall door opening, indicating that my mother had finished her work for the day

With a thought, Gao Wen drew another arrow, effortlessly pulling the strong bow into a full moon shape. This time, he did not hastily release the arrow, but instead took a careful look at the target leaning against the wall

Gao Mu Yi smiled and said: "Fool, you have been busy with the affairs of the yamen outside for so many days, walking an unknown distance, and your feet must be in a terrible state. How can you sleep without washing them? You are now a person who eats the government's food, so you must maintain some dignity"

Gao Wen, oh Gao Wen, it turns out you were such a despicable person in the past! I used to be a dignified intellectual and scholar, yet after crossing over to the Ming Dynasty, I have become a mere warrior. No, to be precise, I am just a capable enforcer.

Feeling the warmth of his mother's palm and the boundless love, Gao Wen could no longer control his tears, which flowed out like a spring. It was only at this moment that he fully accepted this mother emotionally

"What does it matter about dignity? My son is just a civil servant, a runner for errands." Gao Wen thought to himself: As for eating from the public purse, he is merely a city management officer. Today, he beat that scoundrel Han Huai; it wouldn't be surprising if this job was already ruined.

After putting down the bow and arrow, Galwen picked up a white wax staff from the weapon rack. With a slight tremor of his hand, a sharp whistling sound erupted as the staff danced into a swirl of white light. As if compelled by the white wax staff, the pores on his body contracted entirely, darkness enveloped his vision, and a powerful force within him seemed ready to burst forth, carrying him to soar in midair

Gao Wen was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, washing feet is such a trivial matter, is it really worth being this happy about it

Yes, it was merely good luck

He was involuntarily dragged by his mother into the kitchen, where she fumbled to pour some hot water from the kettle into a wooden basin, instructing Gao Wen to take off his shoes

A wave of bitterness surged within me; before I could finish my words, tears streamed down my face

It seems that this body still has many aspects that need to be familiarized with

"Wen'er, your mother misses you." The ancients were not accustomed to expressing their emotions; even when saying this to her own son, Gao Mu still felt her face flush with embarrassment

Gao Mu smiled and said, "Wen'er has indeed become sensible, knowing how to be frugal and manage the household. It is my fault for wasting lamp oil." She felt a bit embarrassed and continued, "Wen'er, weren't you assigned by the yamen for five days? I figured that after so many days, and since you have never left home, you must be missing home and might come back to take a look. It is difficult to see clearly while walking at night; if you were to fall, what would we do? I light a lamp every night to guide your way.

Ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics—these are the six arts of a gentleman. Archery, in addition to referring to shooting arrows, also encompasses the skills of combat and warfare. It is evident that being well-versed in both literature and martial arts is an essential quality for the scholar-official class. However, after the mid-Ming Dynasty, there was a trend of promoting literature while suppressing martial skills, and the imperial examination system consumed too much of the scholars' energy, resulting in a proliferation of ineffectual scholars who were unskilled in physical labor and unable to distinguish between different grains.

Gao Wen extended his hand, wet and clammy, grasping his mother's hand, and said: "Mother, you are right. I am the smartest and most capable person in this world. I swear that I will ensure you live a life beyond your imagination. I have this determination and I possess the ability to do so"

Gao Mu tilted her head to listen for a long time, her face revealing a look of surprise: "Wen'er, you can wash your feet now. That's wonderful, that's wonderful, my son can wash his feet now"

Hearing the sound of the door, Gao Wen threw away the stick in his hand and turned to look, only to see an elderly woman in her fifties emerging, holding an oil lamp in one hand while feeling her way with the other.

"Do not cry, do not cry, my Wen'er. In my heart, you are the smartest and most capable child in the world." Mother Gao, hearing Gao Wen's faint sobs, reached out her hand to gently stroke his face: "Having you as my child is enough for me"

Although he still felt somewhat uncomfortable with the sudden addition of a family member in his life, being affectionately called by his mother, Gao Wen could not shake off the unease. However, upon seeing that loving face, a wave of maternal affection surged from the depths of his memory, compelling him to step forward, assist his mother, and softly say: "Mother, your eyes are not well; don't worry about it. I am also tired, so I won't wash my feet today."

Gao Wen saw this expression, looked at the dilapidated house, and after a long while said: "Mother, your eyes are not well, why light a lamp?" Isn't it a waste of wax for a blind person to light a lamp? This thought was somewhat unkind, yet Gao Wen couldn't help but think this way

In ancient times, a clay pot filled with clear water was hung on the stove. Thus, the steam rising from the stove while cooking would heat the water in the pot. By the time the food was cooked, the water would also be boiling. Additionally, due to the thick walls of the clay pot, it had good insulation properties, making it an essential item in ordinary households

"This is nonsense. Even if you are not a public servant, you should still handle things neatly." Mother Gao held one of Gao Wen's hands and said, "As a person, you must be clean and tidy. Although we are poor, we cannot let others look down on us."

Gao Wen felt so embarrassed that he could hardly bear it, and hurriedly said: "Mother, let me handle it myself. I am already grown up; how can I let my mother do such things."

I am indeed a bit tired, sitting on the bench, dipping my feet into the warm water, Gao Wen could not help but let out a soft "Ah! How refreshing!"

"Whoosh," "crack," another exquisite arrow is shot, without the need for aiming at all

Gao Wen quickly wiped the tears from his face and smiled, saying: "Mother, there is nothing to be unhappy about. I am very happy today, extremely happy. I know what to do from now on."

Mother: "Foolish child, what does it matter whether the days are good or bad? As long as you are safe and sound, I will be happy. Do not cry, do not cry, but if you encounter anything unpleasant while on a business trip, do share it with me."

It is good to be happy, just be happy, go rest now. Your hands are wet, you've dirtied the mother's coat. Still, I say, although we are poor, we must keep ourselves tidy, we cannot let others look down on us

He sighed inwardly, realizing that he had truly been a useless person in the past! He couldn't even manage something as simple as washing his feet, let alone working to earn a living. It was likely that his mother had spoiled her only son too much, which is why others called him "the foolish Gao".

In my memory, my mother was a very frugal person, and our family was extremely poor, often having no oil at all in our three daily meals. Throughout the year, we could only have a few meat dishes during the New Year.

The yard is quite large, and the target is actually only about 30 meters away. Although it is not far, the bullseye appears to be just a small dot, and with the dim light at night, aiming accurately to hit the center of the target is almost an impossible task

At that moment, he suddenly realized that although the feathered arrow had been shot out, his connection with that flying arrow had not been severed. It was as if his arm extended infinitely forward, directly piercing the arrow into the target.

Gao's mother felt a deep sense of satisfaction upon hearing that her son had learned to take care of himself. What could be more joyful for a mother than witnessing her child grow up and become responsible

In that moment of crossing over, I was still thinking about the imperial examination and becoming a standard scholar of ancient times. In fact, possessing martial skills does not conflict with being studious and ambitious. In reality, many scholars in ancient times were quite skilled in martial arts. For instance, the Poet Immortal Li Bai was a swordsman, and Wang Yangming was also a master of martial arts. During the Ming Dynasty, many literati traveled the world with swords. The saying goes, "On horseback, a general; on foot, a scholar." For instance, the Poet Immortal Li Bai was a swordsman, and Wang Yangming was also a master of martial arts. During the Ming Dynasty, many literati traveled the world with swords. The saying goes, "On horseback, a general; on foot, a scholar."