Chapter 1, Sharpening the Sword (3)

Uncle Er! Ning Yanzhang's cleverness backfired, and he was left with a pained expression, quietly pleading for mercy.

Even among the descendants of prominent families, it is rare to find someone as foolish as this! The second-in-command, Ning Caichen, secretly glanced at the young man in the distance who was "holding the pen like a club," and shook his head in bitter amusement.

"Jade must be carved to become a gem! Previously, considering your recent recovery from illness, we have been somewhat lenient with you!" In response, Ning Caichen completely changed his usual kind and gentle demeanor, showing no willingness to compromise. "Moreover, you cannot possibly live your life as a bandit like us! Each of us has our own unavoidable reasons for taking to the mountains. As for you, you must live a life better than ours!"

Therefore, the suspicions that everyone had earlier were merely self-imposed fears, and looking back now, it truly is a source of great amusement

Turning his head to look at the young boy practicing calligraphy, his gaze is filled with anticipation

Thank you, Uncle Er! Feeling the warmth from the other person's palm, Ning Yanzhang bowed and paid his respects

However, to expect more goodwill from the Five Masters is no different from a fool's dream. Li Tieguai has experienced countless deceptions and betrayals in the first half of his life, which has led him to be ten times more vigilant than an ordinary person when encountering anything suspicious. As long as he cannot ascertain the true identity of Xiao Fei, he will remain on guard in his heart.

This is because the world is too chaotic; one cannot solely blame the scholars for their lack of ambition!" Ning Yanzhang immediately turned as red as if he had been caught stealing a watermelon, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead one after another. "But, but there should eventually be a day when the chaotic times come to an end..."

The current youth is intelligent and innocent, resembling my own self at that tender age. Back then, I had ample time to study and cultivate myself, yet I was preoccupied with the extravagance of life. As a result, the external splendor quickly turned into a fleeting illusion, and in the end

In fact, his current appearance is the best for us! The third master Xu Yuanju also came over holding a pot of strong tea, savoring it slowly from the spout while smiling and reminding us.

However, there are certain innate talents that cannot be compensated for merely through hard work

You, with that time, it would be better to teach him some martial arts instead! Just as he was feeling dejected, he heard the fifth master, Li Tieguai, sneering and saying, "In this day and age, no matter how well you read, can it compare to someone else's blade coming at you? Just look at Liu Zhiyuan, Du Chongwei, and the others; which of them became successful through studying? They all live their lives to the fullest, getting whatever they want. Even if the Khitan people became emperors, they wouldn't dare to easily touch them. They all live their lives to the fullest, getting whatever they want. Even if the Khitan people became emperors, they wouldn't dare to easily touch them. On the other hand, those scholars, after kneeling to the Li Tang, kneel to the Great Jin, and after the Great Jin, kneel to the Great Liao; if they want to live well, they must first learn to be a kneeling bug...

However, no matter how hard Ning Yanzhang tried, he could not meet the requirements of the fifth master. It was not a deliberate deception, but rather the reality of the situation. A few months ago, shortly after waking from a coma, he discovered that there was a blank space in his memory.

However, as soon as he picked up a wooden pen or held a book, his shortcomings were immediately laid bare. No matter how hard he tried, the characters he wrote were still crooked and uneven, even worse than those of a child just beginning to learn calligraphy. It took him nearly half a month to barely manage to recite a thousand-character essay in a stammering manner.

The aspect of him that most resembles the descendants of dragons is not his skin color or physique, but rather his appetite. If he goes a meal without meat, he cannot muster any energy; after two consecutive meals of dumplings without even a pinch of salt, he would surely be so hungry that he could not lift a pen, let alone learn anything about the art of facial muscles and bones.

In my memory, he seemed to have sprung out from the crevices of a rock, suddenly transforming into a figure of about fifteen or sixteen years old. The entire process lasted only a brief moment, during which he had never encountered any peers, had not entered a city, had not made any friends, had not eaten any food, and had not drunk any water

Without parents, without siblings, and not even a single relative or friend.

The final suggestion undoubtedly came from a good heart. Who would have thought that the second-in-command, Ning Caichen, after hearing it, decisively shook his head, saying, "No, my life is too hard; I cannot implicate this child! He, no matter whose son he is, should live better than us!"

As he spoke these words, a distinct expression of gloom was evident on his face. His bright eyes were also filled with sorrow and humiliation. Ning Yanzhang felt a tightening in his heart and quickly nodded in agreement. "Then, I will practice calligraphy. Second uncle, I will listen to you. I will practice calligraphy for one hour each day, and then study the inscriptions for another hour."

Note 1: The Thousand Character Classic, one of the three great classics for enlightening the minds of ancient scholars, was composed during the Southern and Northern Dynasties

In terms of martial arts training, his progress can be described as astonishingly rapid. When learning forms, he can perform them quite adeptly after just two repetitions. During paired practice and technique breakdowns, he is also able to leverage his robust physique and exceptional strength to compensate for his lack of experience to the greatest extent possible

Not only did the various leaders and subordinates in the gang no longer easily make jokes about his dullness, but even the fifth leader, Li Tieguai, would not always scrutinize him with a critical eye. Occasionally, he would stop and nod his head when the latter paid his respects, as a gesture of elder kindness

"Forget about the inscriptions; the contents of the Buddhist scriptures are too profound for you!" Ning Caichen reached out his hand, affectionately ruffling his hair, and smilingly advised, "It's too abstract! For us Han boys starting out, it's better to choose the 'Thousand Character Classic.' I'll take some time tonight to memorize it, and you can use it first thing tomorrow morning!"

Who says that a refined and fair appearance necessarily indicates a scholarly disposition? Among ten plump individuals, nine are likely to be gluttonous and indolent! If Xiao Fei had half the talent for studying that he possesses for martial arts, in times of peace, it would be sufficient for him to achieve top honors. As for his current appearance, well! In a chaotic era, it could be said that he was born at the right time!

***

It is actually quite easy to prove this matter. Even the least favored prince, from the time of his childhood, would certainly have designated teachers to guide him in reading and writing. Yet, he not only fails to comprehend the Buddhist scriptures inscribed in the temple's stone forest, but the characters he writes are also crooked and incomplete, lacking limbs and coherence

The premise is that both you and Xiao Fei must be able to survive until then Li Tieguai shrugged and staggered towards the door The words that came out of his mouth continued to gnaw at others' hearts like the fangs of a venomous snake Just by his delicate and tender appearance if he does not learn martial arts for self-defense once he leaves us I guarantee he won't survive for more than three months I bet you that if he can live for one more day I will also take your surname Ning and become your godson

This young man is not doing well; he was originally from a family of generals! As the saying goes, every loss brings a gain. Ning Yanzhang's poor performance in his studies has instead reassured the fifth master, Li Tieguai, quite a bit. Intentionally choosing a spot where the young man cannot hear, he pulled the second master, Ning Caichen, aside to whisper.

Shi Zhonggui possesses more integrity than his adoptive father Shi Jingtang, who willingly accepted the role of a puppet emperor, yet his vision is not particularly far-reaching. Otherwise, he would not have ultimately lost his country in such a muddled manner after withstanding the invasions of the Khitan people for several consecutive years. Therefore, the poorer the talent that Xiao Fei demonstrates in his studies, the less likely it is that he is the son of Shi Zhonggui

"Is it really that important? He is not my son!" Li Tieguai from the Hetushu family now believes that he was indeed overly suspicious at the time, yet he refuses to admit it verbally. After some thought, he added with a cold smile, "As for the second brother, he has gained an heir for nothing! By the way, this kid is not of bad character; you might as well just acknowledge him as your son!"

In chaotic times, teaching one's descendants to read is not as effective as teaching them how to kill. Although Li Tieguai, the Fifth Master, has a poor character, his words are not without reason. Therefore, starting from the next day, Ning Yanzhang had two fixed assignments every day: practicing calligraphy and reading in the morning, and training in martial arts and archery in the evening, regardless of the weather.

One may conquer the world on horseback, yet cannot govern it. The great Jin emperor Shi Chonggui, no matter how muddled and incompetent, would not neglect to seek the guidance of renowned scholars for his son's education. However, he resolutely entrusted his dragon sons and grandsons to a mere warrior for instruction. Unless, unless he was already aware that he would eventually lose his kingdom, thus preparing his son in advance to rely on the means of an ordinary man.

However, when Ning Yanzhang eagerly presented his new evidence to several heads of the family, he did not achieve the expected effect. The third head, Xu Yuanju, had long lost interest in his true identity, while the sixth head, Yu Siwen, and the seventh head, Li Wanting, were both illiterate. The fifth head, Li Tieguai, immediately concluded that he must have intentionally written in such a manner; otherwise, even if he held the pen with his toes, it would be impossible to write so poorly. Meanwhile, the second head, Ning Caichen, who had always been the most concerned about him, made a decision on the spot: from that day forward, the young man must practice writing on the sand table for one hour each day; otherwise, all meat in the two meals would be canceled, and he would have to gnaw on vegetable dumplings with the lowly soldiers.

Unfortunately, in this time of chaos and turmoil, otherwise, my second uncle would have sent you to attend the county school... Alas! Yet, Ning Caichen was once again reminded of more of his worries, shaking his head with a bitter smile

Even if a person suffers from amnesia, the skills he was once familiar with can gradually be regained with reminders. However, despite Young Fat's arduous training under the supervision of Ning Caichen for nearly half a month, he still struggles with reading comprehension and his writing is lacking in structure, while his martial arts skills have advanced remarkably. It is evident that before he was struck on the head by the Khitan with an iron hammer, he had a solid foundation in martial arts, but had not devoted much effort to his studies.

Using the evaluation of San Dangjia Xu Yuanju, it can be summarized as "a mere commoner." One must ask, even if the Emperor of the Great Jin were to be confused, would he raise his own biological son like a pig?

You should live better than I do! This is the expectation of most fathers for their sons in this world. Even if life has bent their backs, even if they crawl in darkness all day long, when fathers look at their sons, their eyes are filled with light!

He is a person who knows right from wrong and understands the good intentions of Ning Caichen, the second-in-command, towards him. Therefore, whether it is studying literature or practicing martial arts, he takes it very seriously. Whenever he has time, he actively adds extra training for himself, never daring to waste a moment, ensuring that there is not a trace of disappointment in Uncle Ning's eyes.

There is only one thing that Ning Yanzhang can be certain of. That is, he is not a descendant of dragons. The jade pendant around his neck, engraved with the character 'Zheng' and dragon patterns, is definitely unrelated to the cowardly emperor who was taken away by the Khitan people.

Perhaps it was the vow made before the Buddha that temporarily dispelled the doubts in everyone's hearts, or perhaps it was out of respect for the second-in-command Ning Caichen. In any case, ever since the name Ning Yanzhang came into being, the days of the young Xiaofei have improved significantly.

You ... ... '' Ning Caichen was so enraged that he trembled, yet he could not utter a single word of rebuttal. Since the time of Huang Chao's rebellion, the turmoil of war had persisted for nearly seventy years. The name of the court had changed four or five times, yet in this chaotic era, who knows when it will come to an end ? !