Chapter 3, Worship (Part 2)

After sending Master Su out, he finally came to his senses and looked at the knife manual he had taken out, beginning his study.

Brother Zhang is still young after all, so I will let you off the hook today; there won't be such good fortune in the future. " A fragrant master laughed heartily, having seen Master Su's gesture.

After much consideration, there may be only two factors. First, Yangzhou is located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, adjacent to the Huai River, with convenient transportation. Its military and economic status has become increasingly important. During the Three Kingdoms period, it became a fiercely contested area between Wei and Wu. In the Eastern Jin and Southern Dynasties, Yangzhou served as the "capital region," making it a focal point for imperial oversight, which hindered the expansion of gang influence.

As for the techniques of movement and swordsmanship, they were not the primary focus of the original training, thus the memories are few. Zhang Xuanning has always been troubled by this, and now it is truly a timely assistance in her time of need

At this time, Yangzhou, located at the eastern end of the Yangtze River, could directly reach the sea, connecting to Japan, Ryukyu, and various regions of the South Seas. It had become one of the most important transit stations for foreign trade in the country, busier and more intense than any other city, not to mention that the ships above could carry loads of hundreds of tons

Yes, my child understands, esteemed father, my child presents this to you

How are you? Have you sobered up a bit? I see you only drank alcohol and ate nothing. I brought some food to fill your stomach. Come, let us have a conversation.

Just as she was feeling drowsy, she heard a sound from outside. Zhang Xuanning quickly got up, only to find that Master Su had arrived

At that time, I was so engrossed in reading that I finished a thin few pages by the light of a candle, only to realize that I had grown weary from sitting, and the kang had also nearly grown cold

In fact, Zhang Xuanning is not yet drunk, after all, the current alcohol content is still low, far less potent than the white liquor of later generations; it is just that there are many matters that require careful consideration

The first matter is that the Zhu Hua Gang possesses immense strength, with tens of thousands of members spread across several nearby counties. Why, then, has it not established any halls in Yangzhou? There is not even a branch, and only a few peripheral forces exist.

My son is so cautious, I can rest assured. Ah, having had a bit to drink, I will also take a nap. Master Su nodded and said, "Yes, this is the knife manual sent by the leader. Back in the day, the leader built his foundation relying on one knife and one person. You should study it carefully."

After half a year, the pent-up frustration and grievances borne in silence have, at this moment, completely dissipated

Although there are currently no representatives sent to the hall, it is presumed that the helpers within the hall have their own arrangements and intentions. As the child is still young, it would be best to first establish a framework for the incense business. Some of the young men still possess considerable potential, and the child can initially recruit them, focusing on securing a street for now

"How could I possibly ask Father to bring the dishes?" Zhang Xuanning quickly went up to greet him, setting up a small table over the fire pit, and hurriedly brought the dishes over. It turned out to be a braised white fish, a plate of peanuts, a platter of sliced meat, along with a small bottle of wine and two small cups.

Especially in the eyes of Zhang Xuanning, the so-called body technique and sword technique must be practical. Having experienced over 200 battles, Yin Kaishan's sword techniques are undoubtedly extremely practical. Even without practical training, one can understand from the descriptions that every strike is made with maximum lethality in mind. There are not many sword techniques, only twelve moves, yet they have already grasped the true essence of swordsmanship.

The grand pass is as solid as iron, yet today we step forward to surpass it anew! Closing this thin volume, I got off the kang and walked outside. Although the cold wind outside is biting, the moonlight is like water. Reciting this line, I feel as if my spirit is empty and my breath flows like a rainbow. The essence of striving in life is encapsulated in these fourteen characters

The hall has more than 1,000 people, the helm has over 300, while the incense room has only a few dozen or at most 100 people. It seems that the gang is somewhat cautious and does not dare to make a big move right from the start. If they can succeed, that would be best; if not, they would only lose a trivial pawn. Understanding this point, Zhang Xuanning couldn't help but let out a laugh.

Touching the dishes and the wine, they were surprisingly warm. Zhang Xuanning felt grateful for his kindness, and her heart warmed as well. She invited Master Su to sit on the platform, covered his legs with a thin quilt, and then poured him another cup. The father and son then toasted each other with a cup, fortunately, it was still rice wine, sweet and light.

Although he does not read many books and his martial arts skills are not particularly impressive, he has been around for several decades. While he may not be aware of the overall situation in Yangzhou City, he is still knowledgeable about the local circumstances. From this, he vaguely understands the intentions of the gang.

The child is aware that with limited knowledge and prestige, he cannot become the leader of the sect. However, the child believes that in this vast city of Yangzhou, within this large sect, how could there be no one? As long as the child listens to the sect leader, the hall master, and his father, and focuses on doing his own tasks well, willing to sacrifice himself, that would be sufficient. With this thought, dear father, do you think this is correct?

There are not many matters left to discuss. After all, Master Su has served as the deputy hall master and holds a high position. Currently, Zhang Xuanning has also become the deputy incense master, and compared to some of the incense masters who have come, she is not lacking much. Moreover, most of the incense masters who came today are former subordinates of Master Su, so they are naturally more courteous.

Yin Kaishan started his career at the age of sixteen, building his enterprise from scratch. Over the course of more than twenty years, he established a group of thousands of people. His talents are undoubtedly exceptional, and the techniques he developed are largely based on practical combat experience

In the sword manual, the internal martial arts principles are the simplest, as this is a closely guarded secret. Therefore, only the most superficial layer is presented. In contrast, the techniques of body movement and swordplay are explained relatively clearly, using the most straightforward language

From the very beginning, he became the deputy incense master, partly due to the leader's lingering affection, and more so to prepare for leveraging the local forces in Yangzhou, gradually establishing a foothold in the city of Yangzhou

Even though this world has changed significantly due to internal forces, it is likely that the fundamentals still consist of these few types

Indeed, the child also feels that this matter is a bit too urgent. If three more years were to pass, receiving the teachings of my father day and night, then the child could not only become the deputy incense master, but even the deputy helmsman. However, at present, I understand nothing. Suddenly becoming the deputy incense master, it seems that I am still not as capable as the master. The child feels quite lost in heart. At that time, when I received the appointment, I was stunned, but I could not go against the orders of the gang leader and the hall master. Their intentions are difficult for us to gauge. If we were to disrupt the important matters of the gang leader and the hall master, it would not be good.

So how do you specifically plan to proceed

When it came to the first half, Master Su nodded repeatedly, but when the second half was spoken, Master Su was taken aback, then fell into a deep thought, as if he had gained some understanding

In his early years, Yin Kaishan came from a minor branch of a small family, yet he harbored grand ambitions from a young age. Whenever opportunities arose, he learned some profound martial arts principles, and through diligent study, he managed to achieve considerable renown.

"Indeed, you are absolutely right," Master Su responded, having caught on to the subtle hint.

If a hall is built here, the profits will be quite substantial

The two were drinking wine, eating dishes, and chatting casually. After a few drinks, Master Su said seriously: "It was beyond my expectations to appoint you as the deputy incense master. I had intended for you to gain some experience over the years before discussing this. Being in this position all of a sudden, you are still a bit too young for it."

Zhang Xuanning understood the implied concern in the incense master's words immediately. Consequently, she became even more indecisive. After expressing her apologies, she went down and made her way to her own room, lying down on the bed.

Zhang Xuanning once recalled that she had read before: during the Anti-Japanese War, when fighting the Japanese with bayonets, there were really only eight practical knife techniques, while all the others were merely for show

Secondly, this place already has its owners. The martial arts schools and dojos are, in fact, another form of underworld power. More than ten martial arts schools and dojos in the city have already controlled the entire city's organized crime forces. Moreover, there is the renowned Shilong Martial Arts School, led by the top expert in Yangzhou, Shilong, who is a first-rate master with many disciples. Even the gang leader, Yin Kaishan, would find it difficult to take him down, making it naturally impossible for the Zhuhua Gang to insert themselves.

After several rounds, it was just drinking. Zhang Xuanning had already become utterly dazed after three drinks, which caused many of the guests to burst into laughter

The internal cultivation method, upon a glance, Zhang Xuanning's original body began practicing at the age of four and continued until the age of fourteen. This method was practiced daily without interruption, thus it is the most deeply ingrained in memory and remains very firm in the residual memories. Therefore, he has essentially acquired all that he learned, which consists of three layers, and compared to this, it is certainly much more profound and effective.