Chapter Nine, A Man Who Stands Tall and Proud

Qingshan County clearly does not have such a grand place

More than ten years have passed, and most people have come to accept this kind of life. They have taken wives, had children, enjoyed food and drink, and worked hard, which is nothing extraordinary. At least everyone can be considered part of the bourgeoisie, far happier than those who can only survive as tenant farmers.

Today, five large ships have already arrived at that dock.

At this moment, Xu Laoba entered the main gate and directly came to the courtyard. Upon seeing Xu Zhong in the outer courtyard, he spoke up, saying: "Elder brother, several boats have approached the river, five or six large ships."

Xu Jie’s own thought was merely to teach a lesson to those who came looking for trouble, yet Xu Zhong spoke with extraordinary eloquence, even going so far as to regulate the waterways, prohibiting the passage of vessels carrying contraband. It truly conveyed a sense of grand ambition.

Scholar Xu touched his ear and said with a smile, "After the New Year, I will take you to the county town to experience those elegant places."

Yun Shuhuan glanced at Scholar Xu, and there was a hint of yearning in his expression. Neither Yun Shuhuan nor Scholar Xu had ever attended a genuine gathering of literati. However, it was also because a place like Qingshan County was too small, with very few scholars, resulting in a lack of such a consumer market.

Indeed, your granddaughter must sing much better than your broken voice

The old man beside him laughed heartily upon hearing this and said, "Elder brother, in the past, when the brothers asked you to lead everyone to make a living along the river, you were unwilling, insisting on living a good life and being filial to our parents. Now, after more than ten years, you have finally come to your senses."

Then Xu Xiucai laughed and said, "That pair of siblings left just in time, they did not hear the old man's lewd words. Yun, do you think I, the young master, have done a good deed?"

The old man smiled faintly upon hearing this, yet he did not respond. An elderly man, accompanied by his granddaughter, made a living by singing in a teahouse, driven solely by the necessities of life. The old man was aware of what he should sing and what his granddaughter should sing. The teasing patrons were merely creating a ruckus, fully aware that a fourteen-year-old girl could not possibly sing such lewd lyrics. The old man could not genuinely respond to them, as he still hoped for his granddaughter to marry well and lead a good life, free from such wandering.

Unrestrained, carefree, and spontaneous. This became the unintentional attitude of Scholar Xu

Yet there were those who laughed and shouted: "Old man, when will your granddaughter come to sing this song?"

More than a decade ago, the men who survived the battlefield supported the elderly in this town. A decade later, these men must again think of the lower class in this town. In times of flood and famine, they enlist in the army. After the great war, they still have to consider their superiors and remember the subordinates.

By the afternoon, Xu Jie took the iron crutch with Yun Shuhuan and paid the silver. They then headed back to Xu Family Town. The distance of over ten miles could be covered in just about an hour.

It is just that iron crutch, which is indeed not light, feeling as if it weighs around 20 to 30 pounds

Xu Zhong spoke lightly, yet both Jian and Tu Shu were very resolute

The old man playing the erhu, who had just been singing a traditional opera tune, was now singing suggestive and risqué lyrics, causing the audience to erupt in laughter and continuous cheers. Listening to a young girl sing literary verses is naturally a display of elegance. However, listening to such lyrics represents the true entertainment market of the common people.

At that time, Xu Zhong did not agree, and the others were unable to do anything. With the court's compensation, they could only purchase a few more acres of land. During the slack farming season, they worked the fields themselves, and during the busy season, they hired a few outsiders to help. Life was quite manageable, but wealth and nobility were still a bit distant

Xu Zhong said these words with a smile, which surprised Xu Jie a bit, as he was astonished at how his usually amiable second uncle had suddenly become so fierce.

Xu Jie looked at his second uncle leaning on this new iron crutch, moving back and forth, and couldn't help but smile even more happily

Upon returning home, the winter sky had not yet darkened

The renowned brothels, located in the city of Dajiang County, in the region of Jiangnan, are not merely places of fleshly commerce. Rather, they offer elegance, ambiance, and a form of high-end service, and even facilitate romantic encounters. The true stories of love between courtesans and talented scholars unfold within these establishments.

There is no need for excessive speculation; since the Iron-backed Dragon has been struck and has lost something, how could it not return

Xu Jie's happiness comes from seeing Xu Zhong happy. In the Xu family, there is only an elderly blind grandmother and a disabled second uncle left. Apart from cherishing them, Xu Jie has no other thoughts.

Yun Shuhuan nodded upon hearing this and simply said: "Wealthy families should go to elegant places"

Xu Zhong's happiness does not solely stem from this turn, but also from Xu Jie's heartfelt gesture. This is often the case with elders

Xu Xiucai's carefree attitude is, in fact, a reflection of a life philosophy characterized by indulgence and spontaneity. This is also related to Xu Xiucai's experiences, having lived a life that was overly repressive, where everything was done in a routine manner, and where there was an excessive pursuit of praise from others.

However, the more than one hundred men from the boat, armed with knives, guns, swords, and halberds, were clearly not easy individuals to deal with

There is no need to think about any room for maneuver; if one is to act, one must do so decisively. This is Xu Zhong's thought.

Xu Zhong took the iron crutch, tested it back and forth in the courtyard, and found it to be extremely suitable. With a beaming smile on his face, he walked around while saying, "Jie'er is filial; this iron crutch is truly excellent"

Xu Zhong had already stepped over the threshold of the door and replied nonchalantly: "In the past, with our parents still alive, we risked our lives for wealth, which was a disservice to our parents and also to the parents of our brothers who died at the border. Now that we are of this age, most of us have few elders left at home. Earning some money is merely for the servants."

The words of Xu Laoba also spoke of old matters. When these soldiers returned from the border after the fierce battles, although they were filled with sorrow, most of them were still in a fervent state of mind, thinking about making a living and earning money along this riverway

Xu Zhonglian quickly replied with a smile: "Not heavy at all, it's especially good"

This attitude towards life is often accompanied by a lack of awareness of one's limitations, as well as fervor and passion. Yet, it is also a true reflection of human nature

Time passed in this manner, and lunch was also taken care of. Xu Youjin returned to the town at ten o'clock in the afternoon.

In the past, the fierce tiger roamed the battlefield; today, it shall once again roar through the mountains and forests

The daughter of a wealthy family naturally possesses a different upbringing; upon hearing such vulgar words, she would likely feel even more ashamed than if Xu Jie had exposed her identity as a daughter.

Such is the essence of a true man who stands tall in this world

Xu Zhong expressed his innermost thoughts in a very relaxed tone. However, this reasoning was profoundly moving, causing Xu Jie’s eyes to involuntarily become slightly moist.

Seeing that Xu Zhong was satisfied, Xu Xiucai also smiled broadly: "As long as my second uncle likes it, I was worried that my second uncle might find this crutch a bit too heavy and inconvenient."

Xu Jie raised his eyebrows upon hearing this, touched the long knife at his waist, and said, "Damn it, they have come back looking for trouble. We need to teach them a good lesson."

Old Xu was overjoyed and quickly stepped forward to follow, saying, "Elder brother, today I will take the lead and help you seize a few good ships first!"

Xu Zhong leaned on his iron crutch, his smile undiminished, still immersed in the joy of the child's filial piety. He nodded and said: "Old Ba, this time we are going to have a fight, gather the people. From now on, no boats carrying contraband are allowed to pass freely through the river at the entrance of Xu's family town, especially those damn South Mountain Gang boats; for every one that passes, we will seize one."

While watching, Xu Xiucai gave a thumbs up and said: "Uncle Er is still impressive!"

There are too many failures. After experiencing life once more, Scholar Xu suddenly seemed to attain great enlightenment; he no longer wished to live so burdensomely, nor did he want to continue living in excessive failure. He sought to pursue a life attitude that he had previously dared not embrace.

The old man's granddaughter is naturally the young girl who previously sang "Sheng Sheng Man." Amidst the teasing of the crowd, it is not truly an act of oppressing the good; rather, it is a form of jesting and also a source of amusement

Making a living along the river is not simply about casting nets for fishing, but rather relying on a fearless disposition to seize a share of the smuggling trade. Such profitable endeavors are naturally easy and straightforward, making it not difficult to achieve great wealth and prosperity

Xu Zhongwen smiled even more brightly as he leaned on his cane and said, "Jie'er, the principle of dealing with matters is just this way. In the past, we thought of living a simple and honest life, but now that trouble has come knocking, and we have reached this point, if we want to settle things peacefully, we can only bow and scrape. The Xu family cannot bow and scrape, so we can only tear off the facade and let people know that the Xu family is not to be trifled with.

Xu Zhong perceives matters with clarity and directness. Given the current state of affairs, it is already impossible to conclude this matter peacefully. Compensating with money or goods evidently will not resolve the issue. If one wishes for others to let this matter pass, the only option is to humbly beg for mercy, enduring humiliation until others feel satisfied.

A boat is, of course, an indispensable element of this waterway. The boats of the Nanshan Gang are used to transport contraband goods that the court has prohibited from being sold by civilians. Since Xu Zhong intends to make a living on the waterway, a boat is essential.