Chapter One, Forty-Eight Villages

Zhou Fei furrowed her brows, decisively swallowing the word "mother" back down, and then silently walked into the courtyard. With a flick of her garment, she knelt down properly. Before she could steady herself, Li Jinrong suddenly turned around and struck her with a whip. Zhou Fei's eyelashes trembled rapidly; she gritted her teeth to stifle the unexpected groan that threatened to escape, and abruptly raised her head, glaring at her mother with a mix of anger and confusion.

Zhou Fei is not a person with a good temper; she considers herself to be exceedingly "kind" and has done her utmost for Li Sheng. However, that young man has truly gone too far this time

The "Lessons for Women" is not particularly remarkable; most young ladies have probably read it. However, Zhou Fei is not an esteemed young lady. The Forty-Eight Villages of Mount Shu are engaged in the business of fighting and killing, a venture without any capital—essentially, they are the great bandits officially sanctioned by the Northern Capital. To recite "Lessons for Women" in a bandit den to young bandits? This Mr. Sun certainly has some ideas.

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Jinrong slapped her and said, "Who do you think you are slapping?"

Young Master Li is refined in both demeanor and manners, and naturally does not wish to be overly pretentious in defeat. The tall and strong youth retrieves his spear, his face slightly flushed, nods slightly, and says "I dare not" before leaving the arena. Just as he departs, another onlooker eagerly steps forward and says: "Brother Li, I also seek your guidance!"

Li Jinrong felt a throbbing pain in her temples as she recalled the misfortunes of that little rascal. She pointed at Zhou Fei's nose and scolded, "Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parents, and Teachers, that Mr. Sun was invited by me to be your teacher. On the very first day of your studies, you dared to show disrespect to him. Once you have grown your wings, will you forget your parents as well?"

You also know that she is the apple of the big boss's eye, and we can't even hold her up. Who has the time to mess with her?" The senior brother replied casually, and then quickly shifted his attention back to the arena, eagerly saying, "Today is a rare opportunity; I will also go and ask Senior Brother Li for some pointers.

Zhou Fei said irritably: "The Book of Women."

Before he could finish speaking, someone suddenly interrupted him from behind, saying: "Excuse me."

As soon as Zhou Yitang heard that his wife had hit their child again, he hurried over. Lowering his head, he saw Zhou Fei's back, which was bruised and bleeding, and her swollen little face, and he felt a surge of pain that nearly brought him to tears. However, this girl was already wild and difficult to discipline; if he openly protected her now, she would likely become even more unrestrained in the future. Zhou Yitang could only cast a subtle glance at Li Jinrong, step forward to separate the mother and daughter, and asked in a deep voice: "What happened?"

There are numerous matters, too many to enumerate. In summary, those two are both biological children of the Li family, while Zhou Fei is an adopted one

The furious Li Dajiang heard the familiar sound of coughing, and her expression suddenly softened. She took a deep breath, reining in her anger, and somewhat helplessly turned her head to ask the newcomer: "Which little brat disturbed you?"

Once Li Dazhang left, Zhou Yitang gently asked her daughter, "Does it hurt?"

Ah," the senior brother beside him nodded, and then reminded the newly initiated junior brother, "Sister Zhou has a rather bad temper, so remember to be polite when you encounter her in the future... However, she doesn't mingle with people like us, so you won't have many opportunities to see her.

Zhou Yitang waved his hand, lowered his head, and asked Zhou Fei, "I heard that you had a conflict with Mr. Sun the day before while studying. What was the reason? What did he say?"

Zhou Fei knelt with an expression of indifference, remaining silent.

Zhou Fei is somewhat resistant to hard approaches. Upon hearing this, there was finally a slight change in her otherwise unyielding expression, and after a long pause, she reluctantly replied: "The fourth female character's book."

The willows are sprouting catkins, and the begonia is beginning to bloom

Zhou Fei is as stubborn as a mule; when her temper flares, even if her mother were to beat her into a spinning top, she would still dare to retort and show her displeasure. Upon hearing this, she fell silent, lowering her head with a cold expression. Li Jinrong, standing nearby, sneered, "I see this little beast won't shed tears until she sees the coffin"

Zhou Fei struggled to stand up, a layer of cold sweat forming on her forehead, her nose feeling not quite like a nose, her eyes not quite like eyes as she glared at Li Jinrong, half-alive, and said: "The leader takes care."

Zhou Fei retorted without a moment's thought: "That old fool farted in public, misleading the students. It would have been lenient of me not to slap him hard!"

The sword-wielding youth remained unperturbed, gracefully shifting half a step as if flowing like water. He held the short sword inverted in his palm, and with a light sound of "clang," the blade struck the spear at an angle. The sword made contact and then swiftly glided away, like a fish slipping through water. The youth smiled and cautioned, "Be careful."

The senior brother immediately flicked his wrist, stepped forward, and channeled half of his strength into his hands. The spear let out a buzzing sound as the iron rod was swung horizontally.

There happened to be an older disciple nearby who had entered the field slightly earlier and was quite eager to play the role of a teacher. Upon hearing his question, I shook my head and teased him, saying: "Who is this person? If no one tells you, you definitely won't be able to guess—ah, they have started! Quick, look!"

Zhou Fei did not expect that he was aware of these fallacies, and frowned as he said: "In today's world, where wolves are in power, those who are not eagles or tigers will inevitably suffer all kinds of hardships, with life and death beyond their control, like a weak lantern!"

Zhou Yitang's habit is probably unchangeable; even when chatting casually, he must have a "starting point," which means he needs to meander a bit before getting to the main topic. At this moment, he inexplicably began to talk about ancient times, and Zhou Fei did not interrupt him, listening with a familiar expression of indifference.

The new disciples were busy stretching their necks and standing on tiptoe to look, when suddenly, the senior brother, whose body resembled a small mountain, let out a light reprimand. His spear shot out like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, aimed directly at the face of the sword-wielding youth. However, the sword-wielding youth remained unhurried, slightly shifting his body to the side, appearing languid, as he effortlessly evaded the spear, not willing to exert any unnecessary effort.

Zhou Fei was at a loss for words and let out a heavy hum. The more Li Jinrong hit her, the more she was determined to oppose her, not even willing to offer a defense.

Zhou Yitang did not block her eyes, allowing her to see clearly, until more than ten years later, Zhou Fei could no longer remember that person's face, but would never forget that bleeding back.

In the spring of the 17th year of the Jianyuan era of the Later Zhao

Li Jinrong was not angry with him and softly advised, "Go inside, you haven't recovered from your illness, don't expose yourself to the wind"

Zhou Yitang took a breath and asked, "What did the gentleman talk about?"

The "precious pearl" in the eyes of the leaders, Zhou Fei, had just passed through three checkpoints alone and arrived at the small courtyard of Li Jinrong, the leader of the Forty-Eighth Village. Upon entering, she saw Li Jinrong standing with her back to her, hands clasped behind her back, holding a whip about the thickness of a thumb.

You said, "Zhou Fei stated with conviction, 'You said this when you were drunk once, and I did not forget a single word.'"

As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up to his junior brother who was staring at him from the side. The newly enlightened disciple looked towards the center of the arena and saw that Young Master Li smiled gently, not at all arrogant, as he returned the spear he had taken back into its owner's hands, saying: "I appreciate your guidance, thank you, senior brother"

The number of disciples gathering around is increasing, and they are whispering to each other. A curious new disciple is peering at the handsome young man and quietly asks the person next to him: "Which senior brother is sparring with our eldest senior brother? Is he formidable?"

The senior disciple, who was explaining to the new disciples with gestures, said: "Our senior brother Li is skilled and has a good temperament. He always knows when to stop when trying things out, and he speaks very kindly. If you have any questions, feel free to ask him, and he will do his best to guide you..."

Zhou Fei raised her eyebrows in a manner that suggested she understood, yet did not fully comprehend

Zhou Yitang glanced at Li Jinrong again. Li Jinrong did not expect that the person she had brought was such an unreliable gentleman, leaving her momentarily at a loss for words, awkwardly touching her nose

Li Sheng is the son of Zhou Fei's second uncle, a few days older than her. He lost his father at a young age and was raised alongside his sister Li Yan by Li Jinrong. Among the younger generation of the Li family village, most are of average talent, with only Zhou Fei and Li Sheng standing out, which has led to a competitive relationship between the two since childhood. However, this is merely the perspective of outsiders

Zhou ... ... A Fei? Zhou Fei? Under the gaze of the new disciples, they instinctively followed her and whispered, "She is ... ..."

As Zhou Fei grew a little older and learned martial arts under Li Jinyong, she never received a single word of "acceptable" from Li Jinyong. On the contrary, even if Li Cheng occasionally surpassed her, he could always earn various rewards from Li Jinyong.

Li Jinrong was taken aback

This move is called "Zhuang Nanshan" and is a technique from the "Qianzhong" faction among the Forty-Eight Villages. It is exceptionally fierce and powerful; if one encounters an opponent lacking in strength or courage, this single move can easily sweep them out of the arena

"Come, talk to your father," Zhou Yitang said to Zhou Fei, then turned his head and coughed twice, "You get up first"

"What a temper, just like your mother," Zhou Yitang sighed, patting her on the back of the head. Suddenly, he continued, "Twenty years ago, the treacherous minister Cao Zhongkun plotted rebellion and usurpation in the Northern Capital. At that time, twelve civil and military officials risked their lives to protect the young sovereign as he left the palace and headed south. They established the present-day Southern Dynasty, later known as the Later Zhao, with the natural barrier as the boundary. Since then, the two dynasties have been plagued by years of military conflict, and oppressive governance has been as fierce as a tiger."

Zhou Fei understood this immediately and said: "Pah! I went easy on you."

In places like the Forty-Eight Villages, as long as one possesses strong skills and ruthless methods, that is considered commendable. Many individuals come from humble beginnings, unable to read even a half basket of large characters, and do not concern themselves with trivial matters. However, a girl of thirteen or fourteen, at that age of transition, is aware of the distinctions between genders. The incident where Li Sheng falsely accused her of stripping an old man's clothes made Zhou Fei feel indignant and humiliated.

Zhou Yitang nodded and said: "Oh, you haven't heard much either—let me ask you, which three elements does this 'Chang Dao' refer to?"

He has been frail for many years, and his speech inevitably lacks vigor, always soft and unable to be stern. However, to Zhou Fei, these last few words carry far more weight than Li Jinrong's few lashes.

"I did not mean to make you the bad person," Zhou Yitang said with a hint of self-mockery, "As parents, we always hope our own children are smart, while others' are foolish, that our own are exceptional, and that others are easy to bully—this is your father's mindset. Mr. Sun... he has nothing to do with you. Ordinary men, when looking at women, naturally wish for all women in the world to possess both virtue and grace, willingly serving their husbands and in-laws, being submissive and gentle, without seeking any return; this is the selfish desire of men.

The new disciple did not dare to breathe loudly, only to hear the senior disciple beside him continue: "That is Young Master Li, the nephew of our chief from the Forty-Eighth Village. His skills were personally taught by the chief, so naturally, he is formidable, being the best among our generation."

The young girl turned a deaf ear, treating Master Li as if he were nothing, and walked away without even raising her head

She returned to her room from Zhou Yitang, tidied herself up, changed her clothes, moved her shoulders a bit, felt that there was no problem, and then picked up the narrow-backed long sword she had propped up at the door, heading out with a fierce intent to settle accounts with Li Cheng.

That day, the mountains were filled with the sounds of battle cries, and the surrounding bloodlust seemed to hang in the air. Zhou Fei remembered being tightly held in someone's arms; that person had a broad embrace, but the scent was not pleasant, carrying a strong odor of sweat, suggesting he was not very clean. He brought her to Zhou Yitang, and as she grasped her father's cold hand, Zhou Fei heard a loud noise behind her. She suddenly turned her head and saw that the person who had escorted her had a steel knife embedded in his back, blood streaming down, already congealed. He brought her to Zhou Yitang, and as she grasped her father's cold hand, Zhou Fei heard a loud noise behind her. She suddenly turned her head and saw that the person who had escorted her had a steel knife embedded in his back, blood streaming down, already congealed.

and the rebellion of the third village chief among the forty-eight villages

In various places, the oppressed rose up in rebellion, but unfortunately, they were no match for the lackeys of the false court in the northern capital. Among these people, some died, while others sought refuge in Mount Shu, turning to your grandfather for support. Consequently, the false emperor Cao the Thief marched into Shu, and from then on, labeled our forty-eight strongholds as 'bandits.' Your grandfather was a hero of his time; upon hearing the so-called 'imperial decree' from that Cao the Thief, he laughed heartily and ordered the flag of the forty-eight strongholds to be raised, declaring himself 'King of the Mountain,' thus firmly establishing the label of 'bandit.'" Zhou Yitang paused, turned to Zhou Fei, and said calmly, "The reason I recount these old stories to you is to remind you that even if you bear the title of 'bandit,' the blood flowing through you is that of a hero, not that of common robbers and brigands. Do not tarnish the illustrious name of your ancestors.

This is not so much a matter of her profound understanding of righteousness, but rather, for a girl of around ten years old, it allows Zhou Fei to feel a sense of superiority, thinking "I know I am better than you, I am just letting you have your way." Each time she views her cousin from this perspective of looking at a big fool, the small, sordid satisfaction she derives is enough to compensate for the grievances she has endured. Of course, beyond this, she also has a bit of a rebellious attitude towards Li Jinrong—after all, no matter what, she should not expect to hear a "good job" from the big boss, so she simply resigns herself to her fate. Each time she views her cousin from this perspective of looking at a big fool, the small, sordid satisfaction she derives is enough to compensate for the grievances she has endured. Of course, beyond this, she also has a bit of a rebellious attitude towards Li Jinrong—after all, no matter what, she should not expect to hear a "good job" from the big boss, so she simply resigns herself to her fate.

Zhou Fei's gaze lingered for a moment on the whip in her hand, and just as she was about to call out "Mother," she heard Li Jinrong coldly command, "Kneel down"

The young girl glanced at him, gently nodded her head. The others in the room, upon hearing the commotion, immediately made way for her in perfect unison. Young Master Li, who was instructing others, looked up and upon seeing her, instantly broke into a familiar smile and called out: "Ah Fei, have you come to exchange a few moves?"

Zhou Fei muttered, "Who the hell knows?"

Zhou Yitang, upon hearing this, gradually withdrew his smile. For a moment, his expression was quite complex, as if his gaze had pierced through the layers of mountains surrounding the Forty-Eight Villages, landing between the vast and boundless thirty-six prefectures of the Nine Provinces. After a long while, he finally spoke: "Even if I say it, it may not necessarily be right. I have only you as my daughter, and naturally, I wish for your safety. Even if you become a wolf or a hawk, it is still better than being a sheep or cow that is led to slaughter."

Zhou Fei lowered her head and after a long while, reluctantly said: "I only heard him mention 'the common principles of women in the three aspects, the rites and laws of education' and then I left"

Zhou Fei occasionally feels quite wronged, but she also understands the reasons behind this inclination. After feeling wronged, she thinks of her second uncle and lets it go. As she grows a little older, she learns to hold back. No matter how hard she works privately, she no longer competes with Li Sheng on the surface. Whether it is during casual sparring or competitions, she subtly holds back a bit, maintaining the illusion that their levels are roughly equal.

Before his words had finished, he had already glided two feet into the air as if by magic. The short sword seemed to grow from his palm, and the young swordsman made no significant movements. He merely flicked his sword, which moved like a spirit snake, executing a light and effortless move called "Drawing the Beaded Curtain," and in the blink of an eye, he had dislodged his opponent's spear.

A tall and slender man walked slowly towards me. His features were exceptionally handsome, yet there was a hint of illness about him. He wore a royal blue scholar's robe, which accentuated the pallor of his cheeks. It was evident that he was not young, but his every gesture exuded a certain elegance.

The senior brother beside him hurriedly pulled him aside and respectfully said to the young woman, "Sister Zhou, I apologize."

Due to this matter, Li Jinyong has always shown favoritism towards the siblings Li Sheng and Li Yan. It is not a big deal that she has to accommodate Li Yan in trivial daily matters such as clothing and food; after all, she is younger and a sister, which is to be expected. When they were young, the three of them would often get into mischief together, and it was mostly Li Sheng's idea. However, the one who always took the blame and faced the consequences was the so-called "precious jewel" of the family, Zhou Fei. This is not surprising, as she was not entirely innocent either.

Two young disciples, whispering to each other, turned around in surprise. They saw that the newcomer was actually a young girl, dressed in neat short attire, with her long hair tied up high like a man's. However, the absence of adornments on her shoulders and neck made her appear even more slender and delicate. Her complexion was very fair, and there was a cold, refined beauty in her features.

Zhou Yitang grasped her hand gently and gave it a light squeeze. Li Jinrong understood and nodded slightly, albeit somewhat reluctantly, saying: "Alright then, you two can talk. I will go check on Mr. Sun."

Zhou Fei felt confused and somewhat unconvinced, yet she could not think of any rebuttal.

Zhou Yitang asked curiously, "Then why didn't you say that to her just now?"

Zhou Yitang sighed and said softly, "Can you tell father about it?"

Li Jinrong almost choked, and at that moment, a sound of footsteps approached. The footsteps were unrestrained and somewhat unsteady, suggesting that the person was not a martial artist. As they walked over, there were also a few faint coughs accompanying them

Zhou Fei's expression remained unchanged, yet her tone was extremely sharp as she retorted, "What is wrong with me?"

Zhou Yitang waved his hand and said, "Oh, the Four Books for Women— which one did he mention from the Four Books for Women?"

Li Jinrong's attitude softened somewhat, yet that reckless little brat dared to continue provoking her. She immediately raised her eyebrows in anger, ready to erupt. Zhou Yitang, fearing that the two of them would get into an endless quarrel, quickly cleared his throat and delivered a lengthy discourse, forcing Li Jinrong's anger to subside. She shot a piercing glare at Zhou Fei, coldly pointed at her, and turned away with large strides, choosing to ignore her.

Li Jinrong was ruthless and merciless, causing Zhou Fei to instinctively flinch to the side. At that moment, she felt as if a layer of skin had been stripped from her face, a buzzing sound filled her ears, and her sharp teeth had cut her tongue, leaving her mouth filled with the taste of blood

"Speaking disrespectfully." Zhou Yitang glared at her, then continued, "To understand their inferiority, to understand their labor, and to understand their role in continuing the sacrifices, women often speak of these three aspects."

This time it was truly a severe blow, and Zhou Fei's expression changed. She glared fiercely at Li Jinrong and squeezed out a sentence through clenched teeth: "It's a bargain for him that he didn't die"

That person is her second uncle, who is also Li Sheng's father

For a pretty young girl, having a bit of a bad temper is not considered a flaw. The new disciple, upon hearing this, did not take it to heart but instead curiously asked: "Senior Brother Li is the nephew of the head, and Senior Sister Zhou is the apple of the head's eye. The skills they have learned must surely be inherited. Earlier, Senior Brother mentioned that Senior Brother Li is a standout among our generation, so is he more accomplished than Senior Sister Zhou?"

The "Qianzhong" faction, which is euphemistically referred to as "Piran Zhengqi," is essentially characterized by "reckless and unrestrained behavior." As a result, it has earned the nickname "Wild Dog Faction." Its disciples are all bald monks, and not only do they lack female disciples, but they cannot even hatch a bird's egg. When a new disciple suddenly sees a young girl, who is quite a beautiful little lady, he is momentarily taken aback and does not know how to react.

Zhou Fei immediately exclaimed: "I only pushed him a little, I didn't get up in the middle of the night to strip him of his clothes. This wicked deed must have been done by that bastard Li Sheng! On what grounds does Li Jinrong accuse me of being underhanded? Her nephew's methods are the truly despicable ones!"

Even if you are under the threat of a bandit, the blood that flows in you is that of a hero, not that of a common thief or a brigand. Do not tarnish the illustrious name of your ancestors.

She spoke as if it were a matter of great importance, seemingly quite moved. Zhou Yitang was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but laugh: "You little girl, you haven't even been to Mount Shu, yet you dare to talk about the world? And you say it so seriously... Where did you hear that from?"

In fact, Zhou Fei felt that she had not really targeted Li Sheng, and had even avoided him to some extent. Zhou Fei had a good memory from a young age, and during the time when adults did not bother to avoid her while speaking, she had some vague impressions of significant events. These events included the time when her mother clumsily pulled off one of her joints while bathing her, which did not seem to hurt much; she only remembered her mother being frightened, crying as she put it back together. It also included the time when her father fell seriously ill during a rainy winter, nearly dying. At that time, Dr. Chu, who had not yet grown a white beard, came out with a blank expression and said to her mother: "Take this child in to see him; in case he does not make it, he will at least be reassured."

"You wretched thing, kneel before me!" Li Jinrong roared, "Not only do you bully the weak and take advantage of your power, but your methods are also so despicable! Is this the kind of skill you were taught to employ?"

Furthermore, Mr. Sun is advanced in age and rather muddled; it is inappropriate for you to hold him accountable. Zhou Yitang changed his tone and added, "Moreover, it is unnecessary to mention that you even resorted to violence, hanging him from a tree..."

Zhou Yitang slightly curved the corner of his eye and then said: "At his age, having escaped from exile and faced countless dangers, now left with a broken family and all alone, turning to banditry, does he not understand the principle that the weak cannot survive? However, in front of you children, that old gentleman also wishes to close his eyes and block his ears for a while, to dust off these long-disordered old morals and indulge in daydreams... This is the old scholar's sentiment of lamenting the present while reminiscing about the past, a bit pedantic, indeed. Yet, in front of you children, that old gentleman also wishes to close his eyes and block his ears for a while, to dust off these long-disordered old morals and indulge in daydreams... This is the old scholar's sentiment of lamenting the present while reminiscing about the past, a bit pedantic, indeed. When you listen to someone speak, even if it is a complete fallacy, there is no need to immediately turn away; the absence of reason may not necessarily be devoid of meaning.

In the Forty-Eight Villages of Mount Shu, two young men are testing their skills. One of them is slightly older, tall and strong, resembling a small mountain. He wields a long spear, his tiger-like eyes wide open, showing no sign of carelessness. The other young man is only about fourteen or fifteen years old, tall and slender, and quite handsome. He holds a short sword, and just by casually standing there, he already exudes the demeanor of a refined young gentleman

Zhou Fei was stirred by this statement, feeling an immense sense of grievance, yet she stubbornly held her ground. She raised her hand to wipe her face and said stiffly, "Anyway, I am still alive"

The person who has arrived is none other than Zhou Fei's father, Zhou Yitang

Mr. Sun is a pedantic scholar who has fallen into trouble due to his loose tongue—his scathing article denouncing the Cao family's false emperor is said to be capable of being compiled into a book. Consequently, he was pursued and hunted down by the puppet regime. Fortunately, he had some connections with a few people from the rivers and lakes in his early years, who escorted him all the way to the Forty-Eight Villages. Upon seeing that he was unable to carry burdens or lift anything, Li Jinrong thought to keep him in the village as a teacher. She did not expect him to produce top scholars; it was sufficient that he could teach the young disciples to recognize a few characters, so that in the future, they could write clear letters in plain language when they ventured out.

The gentleman merely scolded you a few words, yet you pushed him to the ground on the spot, and in the dead of night, you knocked him unconscious and bound him, stripping him of his clothes and gagging him for an entire night. If it were not for the early morning patrol discovering him today, would he still be alive?

Zhou Fei was personally taught by Zhou Yitang since childhood. Although she had a "renowned teacher," she did not take her studies seriously. Last winter, Zhou Yitang caught a slight chill and remained ill until spring, lacking the energy to supervise her. Li Jinrong, fearing that she would cause trouble if she went out, insisted on taking her to listen to lectures from the old gentleman. Unexpectedly, this led to unforeseen complications.

Zhou Fei was just about to speak in her defense when, unexpectedly, Li Jinrong became increasingly furious, raising her hand to deliver a heavy lash. The whip struck Zhou Fei's back, tearing through her clothing and flesh, instantly opening a gash that bled profusely, and the whip even broke.