Heaven rewards diligence; he fought his way through chaos to become a saint.

Martial arts training requires comprehension.

In the military, when practicing the same techniques, some people will make mistakes, achieving the form but lacking the spirit, while others can master both. Therefore, the effectiveness of each person's practice will vary.

The saying "Heaven rewards diligence" means that as long as you are willing to cultivate yourself, you will definitely reap the rewards.

Ye Ci knew the use of his cheat ability. He didn't have heaven-defying combat power, but the harder he worked, the stronger he became, and the more persistent he was, the more terrifying he became.

Others may become rusty when practicing their skills, but as long as he puts in the hard work, his moves will become more and more proficient. He may even grasp the essence and fill in the gaps on his own, eventually making it almost instinctive.

In other words, once you've maxed out your proficiency, all your efforts will eventually translate into real skill, with nothing wasted.

However, to truly learn martial arts, one needs to spend money.

Just then, Li called out to Mumu from the inner room, and she hurriedly went inside.

Then, Mumu came out of the inner room, took a dustpan and a broom, and went back inside.

"Go to your second uncle's house."

Li carried a gray cloth bag and led Ye Ci out the door.

"Going so late?"

"Good news, tell him as soon as possible."

The wind picked up outside, and the old hemp paper pasted on the windows of the houses on both sides of the road rattled loudly in the wind.

The two walked along, one foot in the mud and the other in the water, for about half an incense stick's time, until they arrived at their second uncle's house.

"The second son's family..."

Li called out from the doorway, and after a moment, a rustling sound came from the inner room, followed by a tiny light.

The door creaked open.

Ye Ci didn't see her second uncle, but she did see a small figure wearing a patched cotton-padded jacket, with dry, yellow hair sticking messily to his forehead.

Under the lamplight, the little girl's eyes were vacant, but the moment she saw Ye Ci, her eyes lit up and were filled with joy.

"elder brother."

She put down the oil lamp, rushed over, and hugged Ye Ci's leg tightly with her little arms, her voice trembling with a sob:

"Brother! It's me, brother! You've been gone for so long! Have you missed me...?"

When they were conscripted for forced labor, this little girl cried the most.

Ye Yao, the daughter of my second uncle.

The harm should not extend to the children.

Seeing that she had a lot of snot running down her nose, Ye Ci gently patted her back:

I miss you.

Do you think of me every day?

"Um."

"Phew...that's good. I thought only Yao Yao missed you every day. If you miss me too, then we're even..."

"Yaoyao, where's your mother?"

Li walked over from behind and patted Yao Yao's head.

"She's lying in bed. Yesterday, the Black Tiger Gang came to collect taxes, and Li Dabiao kicked my mother. She has a stomachache, so she's in bed."

The Black Tiger Gang collects taxes?

The common people pay their exorbitant taxes to the government, but the Black Tiger Gang collects protection taxes.

Ye Ci remembered Li Dabiao as a burly man who was responsible for collecting protection taxes from the people near Longpan Township on behalf of the Black Tiger Gang.

When Li Dabiao collected protection taxes, he didn't treat everyone equally; he always picked on the weakest.

He would demand an exorbitant 30% from honest or timid farmers, and if they dared to utter a word of complaint, he would beat them up and smash their houses.

He also had connections with many yamen runners and grain officials in the city. Some clever farmers figured out Li Dabiao's preferences and secretly prepared benefits for him, so they could pay less public grain. They could even use Li Dabiao to squeeze out those neighbors who were unwilling to "compromise" and avoid some forced labor.

Ye Ci had always suspected that there was something fishy about his forced labor.

Even though the grain tax paid was sufficient, the corvée labor still fell on their own shoulders.

Mrs. Li sighed deeply: "Li Dabiao is too much of a bully..."

She took Yao Yao's hand and walked towards the back of the house: "Since your mother is lying in bed, we won't go in. Come on, let's go find your father."

Ye Ci realized something, her steps froze, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

The wind grew stronger, as if it were sobbing.

After going around the courtyard wall, a low mound of earth came into view, without a tombstone.

"Second brother! I've come to tell you some good news..."

Li slowly opened the gray cloth bag, inside which was a stack of paper money and a few sticks of incense.

"You've had a tough two years. You didn't dare say you were sick, but you still went to work in the fields in the spring. You couldn't even make it through the summer. Thankfully, you are watching over us from heaven and have blessed Ye Ci so that he can come back alive."

"You said back then that the women in the village couldn't survive without a man, so you made Xiao Ci do corvée labor..."

"Even after he's dead, he's still lamenting. If I'd known I was going to die, I would have preferred to do corvée labor. I'm letting down the women in my family and Xiaoci."

"Now you can close your eyes in peace, our family is doing well again..."

Ye Ci remained silent.

Good news must indeed be announced at night, otherwise Uncle Er won't hear it.

Yao Yao hugged his leg, looking up at him with her little face: "Brother, Dad is gone, he's never coming back, Yao Yao doesn't have a dad anymore..."

The firelight flickered, and the paper money was blown around wildly, as if someone was scattering it in front of the grave.

"Don't cry, I'm back..."

Ye Ci stroked Yao Yao's head to comfort her for a while, then squatted down and used broken bricks to gather the fire together, adding some paper money for his second uncle.

This is the second time I've told my family not to cry.

He felt that if he were that man, he might have made the same choice.

After all, the child is so young.

Li continued to mutter to herself, telling her second uncle that Ye Ci had returned and that with a man in the house, they wouldn't be bullied anymore.

Just then, a soft footstep sound came from behind.

Ye Ci turned around and saw that her second aunt was wearing a tattered dress and her hair was disheveled.

She walked to the mound of earth, her face as pale as paper in the firelight, her eyes sunken, and her shoulders trembling silently.

After a long while, she turned to look at Ye Ci, her voice tinged with sadness: "Ci'er, your second uncle is gone. He wronged you about what happened before. You're all grown up now. Tell me, what are your plans for the future? Your second aunt will pay off his debts."

"Second Aunt, I came back... I originally wanted to learn martial arts..."

Ye Ci repeated what he had told Mu Mu in front of the grave, then spoke in a calm tone.

"I'll figure out the money myself."

Upon hearing this, the second aunt remained silent for a moment, then slowly turned around and disappeared into the darkness.

A moment later, he came out carrying a tattered cloth bag.

She handed the cloth bag to Ye Ci: "Ci'er, this is what your second uncle saved up by scrimping and saving. He couldn't even afford a coffin when he died. Take it, find a good master, and practice martial arts properly. Don't feel bad about it; it's what our family owes you."

******

In the end, Ye Ci still did not enter her second uncle's house.

I took Yao Yao and her second aunt home and told them that things would get better soon.

arrive home.

Ye Ci entered the inner room. There were only two bedrooms in the house, one for Li Shi and one for Ye Ci.

Li took out two coarse cloth quilts from the wooden box. The quilts were filled with straw and hemp, and they had a pungent musty smell.

late at night.

In the darkness, Ye Ci opened her eyes wide.

Judging by the season, the rice at home will be ripe soon. I must complete my studies within a month before I can come back to help with the rice harvest.

The people rely on the autumn harvest to get through the winter, and since he is the only male in the Ye family, he should help them out.

In other words, he only has enough money for one month's tuition, and he won't have any money for the next month.

On the bed, Mu Mu was curled up to one side, hugging her knees. Noticing Ye Ci wasn't asleep, she asked in a barely audible voice:

"My benefactor, have you raised enough money for martial arts training?"

Ye Ci was silent for a moment, then lowered her voice.

"My second uncle is a very obedient person. He gave me the money without saying a word. It was about sixteen or seventeen taels, which was more than enough."

"He forced you to do corvée labor, so giving him more money should be compensation."

"I won't take it for nothing."

The evening breeze had not yet ceased, still murmuring softly, drifting through the silent night.

******

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

Ye Ci leaned against the kitchen doorway, his gaze fixed on the bubbling corn porridge, the porridge itself thin.

This corn was given to me by my second aunt yesterday.

The days leading up to the autumn harvest are the most difficult for the family.

In the courtyard, Li picked up the bamboo baskets from her home, intending to sell them at the market. She seemed to be in a good mood. Mu Mu obediently stepped forward and tied the bamboo baskets and bamboo chair together with hemp rope.

Sparsely populated areas form villages, and densely populated areas form townships, much like the towns of ancient times.

It takes about half an hour to walk to the market in Longpan Township, where Li would go to sell baskets every day.

"Grandma, remember to exchange the money for some rice and flour. Don't neglect your health. Things will get better for our family in the future."

Ever since her grandson returned, Mrs. Li seemed to have become ten years younger overnight, her voice booming:

"Grandma's at home, so you can focus on your martial arts practice. Come home early tonight, and Grandma will make your favorite childhood steamed buns..."

"it is good."

Ye Ci picked up the rough porcelain bowl, tilted his head back and gulped down the thin porridge in a few mouthfuls, straightened his clothes and went out the door.

Outside the houses along the roadside, the houses are built in a staggered pattern along the road. As the line of sight winds into the distance, there are rows of fields and vegetable plots, with crisscrossing paths on the field ridges.

After entering the county town, passing through the bustling streets and alleys, and turning into the eastern part of the outer city, we finally found the martial arts school we had inquired about before.

Above the gate of the blue brick courtyard hangs a black plaque with the four large characters "Pan Shi Wu Shuan" (磐石武馆).

The martial arts school was run by an old镖头 (bodyguard/escort) named Yang Huaichuan. When Master Yang was young, he traveled all over the country escorting many valuable goods. He was very skilled and is now quite famous in the county.

As soon as you reach the door, you can hear deafening shouts.

The gate was closed.

Ye Ci leaned over the gate and peered inside through the vertical crack.

There were dozens of shirtless teenagers in the courtyard, most of them practicing standing meditation, some were hitting wooden dummy dummies wrapped in cowhide, and some were swinging stone weights to hone their strength.

"Knock knock knock!"

Ye Ci knocked on the brass ring on the door.

A moment later, the heavy wooden door opened a crack, and a shirtless man poked his head out: "What is it?"

Ye Ci respectfully clasped his hands in greeting: "I've come here to learn martial arts."

The man glanced at him, then opened the door a little wider: "Come in."

After entering the courtyard and passing through the front yard, there is a narrow path with pavilions and towers on the side, creating an elegant environment.

Underfoot is a smooth bluestone path, and on both sides are neatly trimmed flowers and trees.

After passing through several corridors, the outside noise was instantly shut out, replaced by a sense of tranquility. But soon after, shouts and cries began to rise again.

"This is the inner courtyard; entry and exit are not permitted at will."

The man led him through the area to a quiet backyard.

An elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in a traditional Chinese jacket, stood upright in the courtyard like a pine tree.

"Master Yang, someone wants to become your disciple," the man respectfully announced.

This old man was Yang Huaichuan, whose aura was still at its peak, and whose eyes shone with a sharp light, showing no signs of old age.

"origin?"

"Farmers from Longpan Township, locals."

"age?"

"eighteen."

Qin Huaichuan stared intently at Ye Ci as he spoke, exuding immense pressure like a ferocious beast.

This pressure made Ye Ci somewhat uncomfortable, but her expression remained unchanged.

"good!"

Qin Huaichuan praised, "You've got guts! You've seen the world!"

But then he pressed Ye Ci for details about his background, and only after learning that Ye Ci had served in the border army did he nod slightly.

Taking on a disciple is no small matter, and he would pay extra attention to such a bold disciple to prevent him from being implicated.

"Well, you're a bit older. You've trained in the military, but I'm afraid your joints might become too stiff, otherwise you won't be able to train anymore."

After saying that, he stepped forward and pinched Ye Ci's shoulder, his palm moving down the spine. Then he suddenly exerted force, causing Ye Ci to break out in a cold sweat, but he didn't utter a sound.

"His physical constitution is inferior, but fortunately his major tendons haven't died out, so he can still train."

Qin Huaichuan then changed the subject, speaking solemnly, "Your martial arts potential is limited; you might end up achieving nothing. If you fail, your tuition fees will not be refunded. If you are unable to pay your tuition fees in the future, you will naturally be barred from staying here to practice martial arts. Do you understand?"

Let's get the ugly truth out of the way beforehand to avoid trouble.

Ye Ci had already inquired about the inside story, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "I know."

"Tell him the rules."

Qin Huaichuan said to the man next to him.

The man cupped his hands in greeting: "Do you know the cost of learning martial arts?"

"Ten taels per month."

Ye Ci presented the silver, which consisted of loose coins, but the amount was sufficient.

The man hesitated for a moment, did not take the silver, and then said:

"Don't you know Master Yang's rules? Ten taels of silver doesn't include room and board, twenty taels includes room and board and medicine, but each semester lasts three months, and you have to pay for three months at once."

Ye Ci calmly said, "I've also heard that if one can cultivate Ming Jin (a type of internal strength) in three months, one is considered a disciple of Master Yang and can be exempted from tuition fees for a year. I can cultivate Ming Jin in a month..."

Martial arts training is divided into three types: Ming Jin (manifest strength), An Jin (hidden strength), and Hua Jin (transformative strength). Developing Ming Jin is considered to have entered the realm of martial arts, but it is vastly different from the strength of ordinary people.

As a master, in addition to making money, taking on apprentices naturally also involves expanding one's reputation, and apprentices who develop Ming Jin (a type of internal strength) will naturally receive preferential treatment.

"You learned it in a month!"

The man, who was originally an honest-looking person, now had a very strange expression, as if he wanted to laugh but couldn't.

Upon hearing this, Yang Huaichuan sighed and said, "Poor families learn martial arts for two reasons. One is that they are arrogant and think it's a way to escape their predicament, believing that they can master it by practicing hard. The other is that they want to be part of a sect so they can look after each other in the county. They can have fellow disciples wherever they go, making it convenient to stick together and support each other."

He looked at Ye Ci, nodded and said, "You were forced into labor at sixteen, and it's not easy for you to come back alive. It's a blessing from heaven... I'll give you a month to live too."

"I'll take this disciple."

Yang Huaichuan looked at the man and said, "Fang Cheng, take him to familiarize himself with the surroundings, and bring him back to me later."

"yes!"

Fang Cheng led Ye Ci on a walk around the courtyard.

The front courtyard is the training ground for outer disciples, the inner courtyard is located on the west side and can only be entered by those who are registered disciples or above, and the back courtyard is the master's residence, which cannot be entered without permission.

"My name is Fang Cheng. From now on, you can call me Second Senior Brother or Senior Brother Fang."

"We don't have many rules here. Before you graduate, you're just an apprentice and you can't cause trouble outside using the name of the martial arts school."

"Once you leave the school, regardless of whether you have mastered the skills or not, you must not mention your master's name when seeking revenge. However, if someone bullies you, you may reveal your master's name."

"One rule must be strictly remembered: No killing among fellow disciples!"

Ye Ci memorized these rules, and then took a gray coarse cloth garment as her training clothes before returning to the backyard with Fang Cheng.

"When you come to me, I personally teach you the basics of martial arts, because I'm afraid that other disciples won't teach you well."

Qin Huaichuan strolled over and said slowly, "Since I am your master, I must explain to you what martial arts are before you start practicing, so that you will have a clear goal in the future."

Ye Ci cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you, Master!"