Chapter 4: Reunited in This Life

Foundation building is actually quite simple; it involves specific training methods combined with the assistance of medicinal substances to strengthen the body and build endurance. In fact, this is a very painful stage. One might ask, how many four or five-year-old children can endure such torment

The little girl finished speaking and began to wipe the wounds on Gongsun Xu's face

Although it is said that one should practice martial arts, the child is still too young and should not be rushed. At this stage, the focus should be on building a solid foundation. There is a foundational phase in martial arts training, which determines the level of skill a practitioner can achieve in their lifetime. If this phase is not well established, no matter how hard one works later on, it will be difficult to reach the pinnacle of martial prowess.

After the leading boy slapped the little girl across the face, she merely looked at Gongsun Xu and began to cry. Gongsun Xu finally awakened from his memories of the past

Looking back, the little boy who had just been attacked was pinning the troublemaker down on the ground and beating him mercilessly, while the boy being beaten was crying incessantly

Moreover, he feels that his grandson is extraordinary; the impression his grandson gives him is akin to that of an elderly person who has experienced the vicissitudes of life. At times, Liu Jun is even startled by this thought of his.

However, Gongsun Xu only directed his fists at the leading boy's face, disregarding whether others would strike him. In his eyes, there was only one target. The leading boy was beaten to a pulp, yet he could not escape, as Gongsun Xu always had one hand gripping him.

If this continues, I fear that my son will end up being just a scholar, and he will have little connection with military generals. However, Governor Liu does not share this view; he believes the child is still young, and it is too early to say such things.

The remaining group of children, seeing their leader being beaten, rushed to help. At this moment, Gongsun Xu was truly suffering. Although he had been practicing martial arts and building his foundation for some time, his body was still small, and he could not fully utilize any skills. Moreover, it was more than ten against one.

Zhang Fei was thinking to himself while walking alongside. The two of them chatted quite a bit on the way home and learned each other's names and ages. At present, Zhang Fei is only eleven years old, far from the imposing presence of a fierce general

Then a boy who looked about thirteen rushed into the crowd and threw a punch at the nearest boy. The punch was powerful, causing the struck boy to roll on the ground in pain. However, the assailant did not have time to pay attention to this and continued to throw punches, quickly knocking down more than ten boys.

Gongsun Xu combined some training methods from his previous life with the martial arts fundamentals taught by Gongsun Zan. He developed a set of exercises suitable for children of his age to build strength. Practicing martial arts has now become a mandatory part of Gongsun Xu's daily routine.

Zhang Fei? Although the fierce warrior from the Three Kingdoms flashed through Gongsun Xu's mind, he still did not dare to be certain

Zhen Dao was sent back home, and Zhen Dao's family expressed their gratitude to Zhang Fei and Gongsun Xu. They inquired about the two men's addresses, preparing to visit and express their thanks another day. On the way back, Gongsun Xu experienced a significant change in his inner world; at least Zhang Fei felt that this little fellow seemed very excited.

It has been a month since Gongsun Zan returned home. On this day, the whole family was busy packing things up, while Gongsun Xu watched from the side, feeling a sense of lamentation in his heart

At that moment, a voice shouted from the depths of Gongsun Zan's heart: "It is her, it must be her. Running across half the world, hunting down one enemy after another, was it not all to seek everything related to her? She is right in front of me." Gongsun Xu faintly felt that his return to two thousand years ago was indeed to find her; it turned out that a new beginning was truly possible.

The young man observed it with surprise in his heart

He saw those eyes looking at him, shedding tears. Gongsun Xu was filled with anger; this was the first time he had ever felt such anger since coming into this world

It's nothing, it doesn't hurt at all. Little sister, what is your name? Where is your home? Let me take you back home.

After all, the old man is not young anymore; if he still cannot achieve something substantial, it would bring shame to his grandfather's face

Governor Liu observed this and understood in his heart that his son-in-law still harbored some inner turmoil. Nevertheless, he thought that it would be resolved in due time

While enjoying the joys of family life, Gongsun Zan planned to start teaching his son martial arts. According to his own words, even if he and his son do not become military generals in the future, practicing martial arts is essential. A gentleman should also be well-versed in the six arts, and after all, the family’s martial traditions should be passed down.

Alright, let's not worry about that fierce person for now; there are more important individuals. At this moment, the little girl also approached and said, "Brother, are you alright? Does it hurt?"

Gongsun Xu feels that the difficulty is not great; he can only say that his current physique is not yet able to adapt. It is merely a matter of time.

No wonder that such a despised minor official in history could follow the great Confucian Lu Zhi for learning; it is likely that his maternal grandfather contributed significantly to this. There was no prospect for development back in his hometown

I understand this, let us go

As soon as he got off the car, Gongsun Xu shouted, "Grandpa and Grandma." The elderly couple was overjoyed, and the whole family happily entered the house, although Gongsun Zan still looked a bit awkward.

In the blink of an eye, four months have passed, and Gongsun Xu is now over four years old. According to the ancient method of calculation, Gongsun Xu is now also considered five years old.

The little girl was probably around six or seven years old, frail in stature, and was crying and trying to reclaim her belongings. Although it was a group of children playing around, Gongsun Xu could no longer bear to watch.

He was extremely frightened; he had always relied on numbers to overpower the few when leading a group of children, but he had never encountered such a madman. No matter how many people attacked this lunatic, he simply kept hitting himself in the face.

One's own family does not provide space for one's father to develop. A few days ago, my grandfather wrote a letter, asking my father to go to Zhuojun. At that time, my grandfather was serving as the governor in Zhuojun, and if my father went, he would surely achieve something significant.

The young man replied, "What’s the big deal? My home is just down the street. I, Zhang Fei, have been fighting with them for many years already, so I don’t care about this one time."

Due to the lack of suitable positions at the moment, Gongsun Zan could only serve as a charioteer under his father-in-law. He had plenty of free time, which conveniently made up for the regret of spending little time with his family.

This left Gongsun Zan feeling quite astonished. How could he know how much hardship his son had endured in his previous life? Such willpower is likely quite rare. Although the foundational stage is indeed challenging, it has not reached a level that would cause Gongsun Xu to cry out in distress.

However, compared to his peers, Zhang Fei possesses considerable strength, as he began foundational martial training six years ago and often ventured out to engage in fights, making it quite normal for him to be more formidable than his contemporaries

Many years ago, I met my grandfather, who is named Liu Jun. He can be considered a member of the royal family, as during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, one could easily encounter a descendant of Liu Bang on the roads.

In recent days, due to Liu Jun's official business requiring him to travel far, Gongsun Zan accompanied him. Gongsun Xu practiced martial arts alone, and since he had decided to train, he had to put in hard work.

No one is willing to stay behind to be beaten. At this moment, Gongsun Xu gradually calmed down and said to the young man: "Thank you, elder brother, for your assistance."

I never expected to encounter this in my lifetime. Is it fate, or is there a higher power at play? Regardless, I will never let go again in this life

Due to her beauty, loud voice, and intelligence, she was appreciated by her maternal grandfather and invited to be a son-in-law. With her grandfather's assistance, she studied alongside Liu Bei under Lu Zhi.

After more than ten days, the family finally arrived in Zhuojun. From a distance, Gongsun Xu could see his grandparents standing at the door waiting. How pitiful is the heart of parents everywhere; these two elderly people must have worried quite a bit for their daughter and son-in-law.

Since this morning, Gongsun Xu has been practicing for nearly two hours. While taking a break, he heard cries and commotion from outside the courtyard. Out of curiosity, he ran out to take a look and found a group of children, around seven or eight years old, surrounding a circle. Inside the circle, a boy of about ten was snatching a toy from a little girl.

Although Gongsun Zan later became a prominent figure, he is currently an undiscovered gem. So far, only two or three people truly appreciate his father, with his maternal grandfather being one and Lu Zhi perhaps being another

After returning home, Gongsun Xu could not avoid explaining to his family, who did not blame him. The child now possesses a chivalrous heart, and the adults are also very pleased. That night in bed, Gongsun Xu resolved to practice martial arts diligently, to protect her well. In this lifetime, they must be together, and no one is allowed to harm her, absolutely not.

Before I even got up, I heard a voice: "Little brat pretending to be a hero, are you looking for a fight? You little ones, go up and beat him up."

The leading boy said angrily: "Where did this little brat come from, daring to meddle in my affairs? Are you looking for a fight?" After saying this, he pushed the little girl to the ground.

This is also one of the reasons why there are not many peak generals. In addition to talent, willpower is also quite crucial. Gongsun Zan initially thought that his son would cry and fuss about not wanting to practice martial arts, but unexpectedly, after a month, his son did not complain even once or demand to stop learning.

My name is Zhen Dao, and my home is in Zhongshan Wuji. I came out to play with my elder sister, but we just got separated. I don't know where she went. Can you take me back to the inn

However, judging by the voice and the demeanor, it is indeed quite possible, especially since this is Zhuojun. Considering the age of this young man, it is also about right.

I do not know where it is either, I only know that my sister said it is the largest inn here

Alright, this is simple. I, Zhang Fei, am quite familiar with this. Just tell me which inn you are staying at, and we will escort you back.

Gongsun Xu paid no attention to them and approached to help the little girl up, but when the little girl lifted her head to look at Gongsun Xu, he was taken aback

Just as Gongsun Xu was about to help the little girl up, he suddenly felt a kick to his waist, and then he rolled away for a distance of three zhang

He is not as mischievous as other little boys; rather, he has a somewhat feminine disposition, being very quiet. According to Gongsun Zan, this child is completely different from how he was in his own childhood

Shouting at that group of children: "So many of you are bullying a single girl, what kind of ability is that? This is the governor's residence, and you cannot act recklessly here"

Then a group of children surrounded Gongsun Xu, clearly ready to engage in a fight. Immediately afterward, that voice sounded again: "What I like belongs to me, and I won't let you have it."

After speaking, Zhang Fei led the way, followed by Gongsun Xu. Zhen Mi held onto Gongsun Xu's clothing, and for some reason, she felt particularly safe following behind him

In an instant, his mind returned to his past life, recalling her from before. The little girl's eyes were strikingly similar to hers, almost identical, and both had a mole at the tip of the left eyebrow.

Perhaps today I really gave that guy a good beating. It's quite exhilarating to take on more than ten at once; I have never fought like this with anyone at my age

This son-in-law was chosen by my grandfather himself, and despite the opposition from many, he stood firm in his decision to marry his daughter. To be honest, Gongsun Xu sometimes cannot help but admire his grandfather.

After all, having been appreciated by my father-in-law for so many years, I ultimately still have to rely on his promotion. My wife has been with me for three to four years without enjoying a good life, and I feel a deep sense of guilt about this

Gongsun Xu did not wish to cause trouble, so he invoked his grandfather's name to intimidate others. After all, he was just a child, and a little scare would suffice. Of course, Gongsun Xu was completely unaware that he was also a child.

At this time, the old man must have been at the lowest point of his life. Although he was of noble birth, due to his mother's humble origins, he could only serve as a scribe.

Although he is larger than his peers, he appears to be only about seven or eight years old. This remark, once shouted out, could be considered stirring up a hornet's nest

Gongsun Xu is now gradually calming down, and he is certain that this is the memory he has been seeking in his previous life

This guy's stance in hitting others is even more fierce than his own; if we don't intervene soon, something serious is bound to happen. Then, I went up to pull them apart. After separating them, the group of children who had been beaten got up and ran away

This child may very well be an extraordinary person, Liu Jun always thought

Returning to two thousand years ago, he unexpectedly saw her being bullied. Gongsun Xu could not bear it; he jumped up, broke through the crowd, and charged at the leading boy, directly tackling him to the ground, and the two began to wrestle.

Just as the two were about to be pulled apart, a voice rang out: "What skill is it to gang up on one person? If you have the ability, come and fight me."

The ability to assess others and the decisiveness displayed here are truly beyond the reach of ordinary individuals. One might ask, which official would be willing to betroth his only daughter to a penniless minor official? It seems that the ancients were not simple folk either