Martial Arts and Longevity: Starting from the Spiritual Beast Picture

Chapter 5 Zhou Paotou

Without internet, TV or mobile phone, Zhao Lin developed the habit of going to bed early and getting up early.

Early the next morning, I got up in the dark, took a quick wash, and took two bran cakes from the kitchen to go out.

When he came to the pier, it was just dawn, and the laborers were standing on the shore waiting to pick up the work.

Zhao Lin looked around in the crowd, but he didn't see Ma Jiu's figure. He asked someone to find out that Ma Jiu was off work today.

Carrying bags at the pier consumes a lot of physical energy, and it is too much to do every day. Most people take three or four rests.

Zhao Lin found the supervisor and told the story, the supervisor immediately shouted to the crowd: "Zhou Paotou, take him today!"

"Success, I'm feeling bored working alone."

A lazy voice sounded, and a man in his thirties walked out of the crowd, with a red face, a medium build, and a very thick frame.

This person was originally handsome, but something scratched the left side of his face, and there was a huge scar, his eyes were half-opened and half-closed, and his face was hideous.

Zhao Lin looked away after only one glance, and greeted him actively, "Hello Brother Pao."

"Brother Zhao."

Zhou Paotou patted Zhao Lin's arm enthusiastically, "I saw you yesterday, young man has strength!"

"Brother Pao, please take care of me."

The two chatted for a few words, and learned that the other party was also a villager of Baitou Mountain, but Zhou Paotou was in Baiqiao Village, Zhao Lin was in Sanjia Village, and the two villages were far away.

Zhou Paotou is a hunter in the mountains. He has nothing to do in winter. He comes to the pier temporarily to find work. After the spring, he returns to his old business.

Paotou means the leader of hunters. He is familiar with tracking wild animals, proficient in hunting methods such as burying traps, making nests and pulling nets. He is a master who can lead people to hunt.

Zhou Paotou is very talkative, talking about the local culture and style, and his past hunting experience.

Zhao Lin happened to want to know more about the world, so he took the initiative to chat with him.

After one morning, the two have become very familiar with each other.

"Brother Zhao, why are you choking on steamed buns? Are you full?"

When the time came to noon, the two of them sat on the embankment to eat during the interval.

Zhao Lin ate up the two pancakes he brought in the morning on the road, and bought four steamed buns with the only penny he had.

Eating steamed buns dry is not very tasty, but fortunately, they are so big and filled with ingredients that they can't be grasped with one hand, which is barely enough to fill the stomach.

Unlike the steamed buns in the previous life, which shrunk severely, they can be squeezed into a ping-pong ball.

Zhou Paotou brought two large pancakes wrapped with meat and vegetables, and said while eating: "In our business, you must have oil and water in your stomach, or your body will not be able to survive."

"You have strength, and you earn no less than anyone else, so you don't feel bad for this little money, do you?"

Zhao Linxin said that of course she knew, didn't she make money yet?

"Going out in a hurry today, I forgot to bring the meal prepared by my mother, and I only have a penny on me. It's okay, I'll eat back at night."

Zhou Paotou took out a piece of cooked bacon from his pocket, cut off a piece with a knife, and handed it to Zhao Lin.

"We don't know what's going on in your family, but you must not save on food, otherwise it will be difficult to make up for it if you run out of energy!"

Zhao Lin took it over and said gratefully, "Thank you Brother Pao."

Bite a piece, the mouth is full of salty fragrance, and there is a smell of smoked pine branches.

He chewed slowly, feeling delicious beyond words.

"Get out of the way...no fucking eyes."

The two were eating when a group of people came rushing on the road, all of them were dressed in black, carrying whistle sticks, and two crossed axes were embroidered on the front of their chests.

The leader was a middle-aged man wearing satin boots and brocade clothes, with a look of arrogance hanging from the corner of his mouth.

Vendors and Lifus stepped aside one after another.

"Master Hua, I haven't seen you for more than a month, and my complexion is even better than before."

Master Bang went up to meet him, nodded and bowed authentically.

Zhao Lin asked curiously: "Where did this group of people come from? Master Bang is so polite?"

Zhou Paotou curled his lips and said, "It's from the Tiger Head Gang."

"Tiger Head Gang?"

Zhao Lin took a closer look and asked in confusion, "Why is there an ax embroidered on the chest? Shouldn't the tiger's head be embroidered to suit the occasion?"

Zhou Paotou sneered, "Their gang leader is a foreigner with a strange accent. Hu Fu didn't distinguish between them, so he named his gang the Axe Gang, but everyone heard it as the Tiger Head Gang, so it spread."

Lord Bang gave the chair to the man in brocade clothes, served him with tea and water, and took out a few banknotes from his pocket and offered them to him.

Zhao Lin understood that this was paying protection fees, so he couldn't help asking: "Brother Pao, are there many members of the Tiger Head Gang? Are they very powerful?"

"It's okay, one or two hundred people."

"That's not more than us, why is Mr. Bang like a scumbag?"

Zhou Paotou smiled slightly, "Brother, you don't know something. Strength doesn't depend on how many people there are, but whose fists are big and hard!"

"The leader of the Tiger Head Gang is a master of the third level of strength. Mr. Bang has only practiced boxing and kicking for a few days. If ten of them are tied together, it is not enough for him to fight."

Three levels of strength?

Zhao Lin silently kept it in his heart, and then asked: "The Tiger Head Gang is considered powerful in our Qinghe County, right?"

Zhou Pao shook his head, "That can't be done. Strength fighters can only show off their power in front of us ordinary people. Compared with the masters of Qi in the county government and sect, they are little Xiami."

Force environment, air environment...

Zhao Lin was thoughtful, thinking that this is really a world of martial arts, and the status of martial artists is very high.

I just don't know how powerful a martial arts expert is.

To open monuments and crack stones, to tear tigers and leopards alive, or to fly into the sky and escape from the ground, splitting mountains and cutting off streams?

As soon as the members of the Tiger Head Gang left, Mr. Bang's waist stiffened again, and his confident expression returned to his face.

In the afternoon, the pier was busy again, and Zhao Lin gave Zhou Paotou a hand from time to time, which was a small reward.

On the way to deliver the goods, Zhao Lin saw a bookstore on the side of the street, so he greeted Zhou Paotou and walked in.

Reading is the fastest way to understand the world, especially history books.

The shopkeeper saw two Lifus in white waistcoats coming in, he was taken aback for a moment, and hurried out of the counter.

He didn't speak, and followed the whole process, apparently because he was afraid that they would steal the books or destroy them.

Zhao Lin didn't take it seriously, picked out a book and asked, "How much is this "History of the North and South"?"

"Eighty characters."

"Then what about the "Records of the Founding of the Great Vietnam"?"

"140 words."

Zhao Lin was speechless secretly, thinking that the poor are rich in martial arts, what kind of poor people can afford such expensive books?

Or do different classes have different understandings of poverty?
140 Wen, enough to buy half a pig!

……

One day later, when it was time to settle the bill, Zhao Lin got 25 Wen in his hand, which was the highest among all the laborers.

This makes the laborers envious, but no one is jealous, after all, this business sells coolies, and those who work harder get more.

Although Zhao Lin has strength, it is not easy to earn money.

There were several large blood blisters on the two shoulders, soaked in sweat, the taste was so sour.

Holding the "huge money" in hand, Zhao Lin finally felt confident.

While the vegetable market was still open, he bought two catties of cheap "evening vegetables" and some rice noodles and vegetable oil.

There was also a piece of pork sitting porridge.

Zuo squat meat is the meat above the pig's hind legs. It is fat and thin, suitable for satisfying cravings.

He went home and cooked the meat, and the family had a delicious meal.

During the meal, Zhao Lin noticed that his mother was wiping away tears while eating, thinking that she was weeping with joy, and persuaded, "Mom, I can earn money now, and there will be more days like this in the future!"

Zhao's mother sighed, "I miss your elder brother. He is doing hard labor outside. I heard that he is dirty and tired, and the food is not good. I don't know how much he has suffered."

Zhao Lin fell silent, recalling the past, this elder brother who was ten years older than him was indeed very kind to him.

Especially in the first few days when he crossed over, he was struggling on the verge of death. It was his elder brother who worked tirelessly behind his back to find a doctor to see a doctor, buy medicine and boil it, so that he survived.

If it hadn't been for his serious illness that emptied the family, his brother would not have been arrested for failing to pay the autumn grain.

The two are true dear friends, brothers and sisters.

"Father, how long will my brother's hard labor last?" Zhao Lin asked.

"Oh, I have never been sure."

Father Zhao looked sad, "In previous years, it would take up to two months, but I heard that a new county magistrate has arrived in the county, and I don't know what the regulations are."

Zhao Lin thought about it for a while, and said, "I still have twenty or thirty Wen a day, so I can save it for half a month and pay back the taxes I owe?"

Zhao's father said: "I asked Qian Sanming from the town to help him, see if he can find a way to release him earlier, he said a few days back."

Qian Sanming is a distant relative of the county magistrate, and the mountain people don't know how to deal with the government, so they always ask him to help bridge the gap.

Zhao Lin took out ten Wen coins and put them on the table, "Father, Mother, you take this money first, let's try to bring my brother back as soon as possible!"

(End of this chapter)