Chapter 7: Wait for Grandfather

It is indeed rare to find someone who receives such praise from the master now.

Seeing Liu Jun dressed elegantly, especially with the scholar's robe and cap, the attendant recognized him as a young master and immediately lowered his tone. "Young master, do not pity these lowly people; they are not worth your compassion. Their filthy appearance would spoil your tea experience. If you truly feel sorry for them, let me take a few coins and throw them over for them to eat."

The child, perhaps extremely hungry, at this moment could not care much about anything else. Upon hearing this, she immediately darted over like a cat and directly grabbed some snacks from the plate, but instead of eating them, she placed them into her arms

As the elder had anticipated, in a matter of moments, Liu Jun had already knocked down this group of ineffectual individuals. Realizing that a wise man does not suffer losses in front of his eyes, they all scrambled to get up and flee. Liu Jun stepped on the fat man, saying, "You haven't even left the tea money yet. Moreover, aren't you responsible for the damages to the tables, chairs, and dishes?"

At noon, the sun was blazing, and having traveled halfway, a tea shop appeared in the distance by the roadside. A large tea banner hung from a tall pole, prominently displaying the character for tea. Liu Jun urged his green mule to quicken its pace and hurried over.

The man quickly extended his hands to receive the silver, and upon weighing it, he immediately realized it was at least 5 taels, of excellent quality, which brought a broad smile to his face. A few rough tables and chairs, along with some cups and plates, hardly amounted to much; even after deducting the cost of tea and snacks for the two tables of guests, and serving a few more pots of good tea, he would still make a substantial profit. Overjoyed, he left, even secretly wishing for more disturbances so that he could receive another 5 taels into his account.

When the tea and snacks were served, Liu Jun had only eaten a little when he noticed a pair of eyes watching him from behind a tree trunk. He looked up and found a pair of round eyes belonging to a little girl, no more than seven or eight years old. She was pale and emaciated, her body barely covered by tattered clothes, looking very pitiful. Her eyes were fixed on the plate of snacks on Liu Jun's table, sparkling with hunger.

Upon hearing the elder's words, the stout man became even angrier. He turned around and shouted at the elder, "Which pair of trousers failed to hold you in, allowing you to leak out like this, you old fool? This is none of your business, so get lost and don't go looking for trouble."

The scene of peace and prosperity in the previous Xiwancun was merely a corner of Jiangnan. Now, to the west of Macheng, Zhang Xianzhong, who had originally surrendered in Gucheng, has rebelled. He had previously seen the imperial court's wanted notice. Looking at this child now, it is highly likely that he is a refugee who has fled due to the impact of the bandits.

Liu Jun looked at her pitiful appearance and was momentarily moved. Although he had also experienced poverty in his childhood, at least he could still eat his fill. Seeing this child made him realize that this was indeed the world at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Thank you, young sir, for helping me out just now; otherwise, I might have had to endure some rough treatment for this old body of mine!" The old man stepped forward and said to Liu Jun with a smile

The young attendant stood to one side, observing the group of wealthy young gentlemen, and then glancing at the irritable scholar. At that moment, he found himself in a difficult position.

At that moment, the argument here caught the attention of several guests at another table in the teahouse. There were two elderly men and four middle-aged individuals, resembling a pair of scholarly friends each accompanied by two attendants. One of the elderly men, with graying hair, said, "When out in the world, we should be tolerant of one another. For trivial matters, why must we argue? Give this old man some face, and let us all settle this."

Facilitating others is also facilitating oneself, and respecting others is also respecting oneself. Originally, Liu Jun intended to speak gently, but these few individuals were truly too rude and overbearing, which triggered his temper. He abruptly grabbed the visibly frightened little girl who seemed about to leave and made her sit down

Liu Jun felt somewhat displeased upon hearing this, and immediately said, "Everyone, please be understanding; I will have the waiter bring her a few more steamed buns."

Speaking of this, I do have a question: how did you discern that my four servants have once been on the battlefield and killed enemies

The elderly group was utterly astonished that Liu Jun could identify the identities of the four veteran attendants beside him at a glance

Over there, a servant shouted as he ran over, "Where did this little beggar come from? Get lost, don't dirty the guest's clothes." As he spoke, he charged forward holding a wooden stick. Liu Jun quickly intervened, saying, "Servant, do not be angry; I saw that he was pitiful and asked him to come over for something to eat."

Liu Jun served as a soldier for seven years in his previous life, and in this life, he has also practiced martial arts for two years. Therefore, he is certainly familiar with military affairs

The waiter accompanied by a smile said, "No, no, it's just that your friend here is rather unkempt and has a bit of an odor, which affects the other guests sitting here. How about I pack her up instead?"

As soon as Liu Jun spoke, he immediately provoked the wealthy young man. One of them stood up right away, pointing at Liu Jun and cursing, "You are asking for trouble by being so disrespectful. If you know what’s good for you, get as far away from me as you can. Damn it, encountering a rabid dog in this small place is just ridiculous"

The man's words are not entirely incorrect; Liu Jun understands that it is not easy for him to open a store and run a business, and he nods in agreement.

The four of them indeed once served in the military, but that was many years ago. I never expected that you would still recognize them at a glance today; you have quite an eye.

You jest, esteemed elder. You are surrounded by the Four Great Guardians. Just by looking at their appearance and demeanor, it is clear they are not ordinary servants, but seasoned veterans who have seen battle and bloodshed. With them present, that group of fat men from earlier is merely a joke. In fact, I must also express my gratitude to you for intervening on my behalf earlier.

Do not spoil this fine pot of tea for the elder

Liu Jun held a disdainful sneer, wondering who would be foolish enough to wait for you

He smiled and said, "Waiter, clear the table and bring another pot of fine Longjing tea!" Liu Jun tossed the piece of silver left by the fat man to the tea shop attendant

They exude a certain aura, one that can only be possessed by warriors who have truly experienced the brutal slaughter on the battlefield. To be honest, I am currently a martial student at the Huangzhou Guard Martial Arts Academy. Although I have yet to engage in battle against the enemy, our instructors are seasoned veterans who have fought against the Liao and the Tartars. Having trained under these instructors for two years, I am therefore quite familiar with this kind of atmosphere

"May I address you as 'Uncle Shi'?" Liu Jun smiled as he invited the elder to take a seat. "Since our meeting is fated, and the sun is so bright outside, why not delay our departure for a while? Let us enjoy some tea together and chat for a bit."

The four middle-aged men behind the elder stood up together, but the elder waved his hand, prompting them to sit down again

Go away

No need, this young man is likely a martial arts student. Just look at his techniques, they are exquisite and powerful, easily handling these young rascals without any effort. We can just enjoy the show. This person is quite interesting; he can empathize with the poor and weak, is not afraid of the wealthy, and possesses good skills. Not bad, not bad.

"Who do you think you are? Get lost." A plump man, wrapped in luxurious Shu brocade yet covered in flesh, shouted while waving a folding fan.

Liu Jun did not enter the teahouse; instead, he first sat down at a table under the shade of a tree outside, ordering a pot of Tieguanyin tea and some snacks.

The fat man looked at Liu Jun, the flesh on his face quivering a few times. He took out a silver ingot from his body, which appeared to weigh about four or five taels, placed it on the table, and then fled in a panic. He mounted his horse, ran a short distance, and then circled back, shouting at Liu Jun from afar, "You wait for me!"

I want to take it back to share with my parents and my younger siblings." The little girl said honestly

May I ask your name, young friend

At that moment, Liu Jun noticed the girl, who looked like a beggar, standing uneasily to the side. He turned his head and smiled at her, saying, "Why aren't you eating? You look quite hungry."

Liu Jun always felt that this old man had an extraordinary background, but upon hearing the name Xintian, he searched his mind carefully for a long time and found nothing. In his memory, there was no remarkable figure by the name of Xintian. However, he did not take it to heart; perhaps this old man was concealing his identity, or maybe Xintian was indeed a formidable character, but it was also possible that he was simply uninformed.

Liu Jun turned his head and shot a cold glare, merely sneering without speaking. Although it was evident that these individuals had some background, Liu Jun was not someone with a particularly good temper.

Young people should not speak so harshly; didn't your parents teach you what politeness is?

Oh no! The fat man is rolling on the ground, having lost several teeth, with blood filling his mouth, crying out in agony. The young gentlemen nearby are instantly enraged and rush forward in a crowd

I also have this intention; however, are you not afraid that the group from earlier will come back to cause trouble? Those individuals, judging by their attire, are either wealthy or of high status

Certainly, esteemed guest, please step inside. I assure you that I will take excellent care of this mount for you.

Since the other party did not intend to reveal his name, Liu Jun did not pursue the matter further. However, he still believed in his heart that the old man must have a significant background, and that establishing a connection with him would certainly be beneficial.

Do not pack it; just eat here. Rest assured, I will pay double for the tea later

How is it that, as a customer entering the store, my request is still deemed inappropriate in any way

The scholar behind the old man said, "Sir, do you need assistance?"

The younger generation, surnamed Liu, given name Jun, courtesy name Jiyie, hails from Xiwai in this county. May I inquire about your esteemed surname and full name, sir

Old man www.hetushucom.com, with the pseudonym Xintian, you may call me Old Zhang! However, the old man did not register, only mentioning his pseudonym

"Esteemed guest, please stop for a moment to rest and enjoy a refreshing cup of tea before continuing your journey." The attendant warmly approached on the road to welcome customers. Liu Jun dismounted from his mule and handed the reins to the attendant, saying, "Give my mule a drink and prepare some fodder for it to eat."

"I go to your mother..." Before the fat man could finish his curse, Liu Jun had already taken action. He sprang up, accelerated, and dashed to the fat man's side, delivering a powerful uppercut that struck the fat man's double chin squarely. The impact sent him flying, crashing into the tea table behind him and shattering it, splattering hot soup all over the group of young gentlemen at the same table.

Liu Jun smiled and said, "Those people are clearly outsiders; they only leave with a few harsh words. They wouldn't dare to come back for real. Even if they did return, with reason on our side, we have nothing to fear. When it comes to reason, they have no grounds. If they wish to resort to violence, even a few young men would be enough to handle them, not to mention the four strong men beside my uncle."

Yet there were some who refused to comply. A few young men dressed in fine silks and satins, clearly the offspring of wealthy families, looked down upon Liu Jun's scholar's attire. They covered their noses and waved their folding fans, as if they were being assaulted by the stench of a beggar. "Beggar, get lost!"

Do not be afraid, you are now my friend. I invite you to have tea and some snacks. Waiter, bring another pot of Longjing tea, and yes, please bring a few varieties of the finest pastries.

"If you are hungry, come over and eat." Liu Jun greeted the child

Liu Jun secured his bundle and casually rewarded the attendant with two copper coins. Although the amount was modest, the extra tip brought a smile to the attendant's face, who expressed his gratitude with several compliments before leading the mule away.

The old man, who called himself Xintian, was quite interested in observing the martial artist before him, believing that the latter was completely unaware of his true identity