White Horse, Silver Spear, Grand Commandant Gao

Another day, Gao Huaide invited Yang Chonggui to teach him boxing and spear techniques, but the location was changed from the back hall training ground to another place.

Yang Chonggui was honest and followed the rules. When he came to someone else's house, he didn't dare to wander around. So, even after several days, he was still not very familiar with the layout of the government office's residence.

The person who came to lead the way was Lu Qian, a close attendant who often accompanied Gao Yanei. Yang Chonggui felt at ease and followed him.

The old servant of the Yang family wanted to go and serve the young master, but Lu Qian persuaded him to stop, saying that it was inappropriate for outsiders to watch the young master teach his skills.

Passing through two or three gates to the west, Lu Qian led Yang Chonggui to a hall surrounded by green railings.

He led him to the front of the hall, where Lu Qian stopped and said, "Young Master, please wait inside. Go in yourself."

Yang Chonggui, unsuspecting, walked inside, still clutching his knife, completely bewildered.

Upon entering the hall, a plaque hangs above the entrance, bearing four blue characters: "White Tiger Hall!"

Yang Chonggui was not of official birth and did not know where he was. He saw many banners standing in the hall, all covered with silk bags, with strands of red tassels peeking out from the openings.

After waiting for a while, Gao Huaide still did not appear. Yang Chonggui was wondering if this guy had stood him up.

Suddenly, a junior colonel appeared, leading several soldiers who rushed in, shouting, "Catch the thief!"

Startled by this sudden turn of events, Yang Chonggui was dumbfounded and exclaimed, "It was Gao Yanei who sent me here!"

The leading officer refused to listen to his explanation, ordering his soldiers to surround the marshal, swords and spears pressed in from all sides. He shouted sternly, "This is the White Tiger Hall, a crucial place for discussing military matters. You dare to trespass with a knife? Do you intend to assassinate the marshal?!"

Gao Xingzhou went to the capital to meet the emperor, but he was not in his residence, which is why Gao Huaide dared to act so recklessly.

This was the first time Yang Chonggui had encountered such a situation. He was not a particularly eloquent person, and with a blade at his side, he thought he had gotten himself into a huge mess and was speechless for a moment.

"To enter the Hall of Honor with a sharp weapon is a capital offense!"

Without a word, the soldier seized the golden knife and sealed it: "This murder weapon must be sealed and presented in court."

Yang Chonggui was wronged, and his already ruddy face turned purplish-red. His chest felt so tight that it seemed about to explode, and he wanted to shout.

"Walk."

The soldier shoved him, and Yang Chonggui, enraged, turned around and kicked him.

"Wow, this kid's got guts, he's got real strength."

The soldier, who had been kicked, rubbed his calf. Yang Chonggui, thinking that he was bound to retaliate, raised his head, ready to be beaten.

Unexpectedly, the soldier cursed, but instead of attacking, he pulled his sword and spear back, as if afraid of hurting him.

As Yang Chonggui was escorted out of the hall by a group of soldiers, he saw Gao Huaide leaning against the door, smiling at him: "Hey, isn't this Brother Gui? What have you done wrong?"

Though he was slow-witted, he wasn't stupid. He immediately realized who the culprit was who had framed him. However, being straightforward and stubborn by nature, he refused to bow his head and beg for help. He bit his lip, remained silent, and glared back hatefully.

"This is my friend, let him go."

The soldiers, who had been instructed to conspire together, laughed and released Yang Chonggui upon hearing this, but did not return the knife to him for the time being.

"Give me back the knife!"

Yang Chonggui wanted nothing more than to chop down this villain who had set him up, but fortunately he still retained some rationality and shouted, "You plotted to harm me, I challenge you to a duel!"

Gao Huaide was more than happy to oblige, and he took a fighting stance, beckoning with his finger: "Bring it on!"

The two began fighting right at the entrance of the White Tiger Hall.

Gao Huaide was two years older than Yang Chonggui and thought he could easily defeat him, but as soon as they started fighting, he realized that the boy was incredibly strong and no less so than himself.

Enraged, Yang Chonggui unleashed a barrage of punches aimed at the opponent's head and face.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Gao Huaide initially only defended and did not attack, which immediately put him at a disadvantage.

Yang Chonggui had only been learning boxing for a short time, and he was still using the moves of his own school, but he had subtly incorporated the style of the Yang family's swordsmanship. His moves were wide and powerful.

Gao Huaide focused his mind on the battle, using stillness to control movement, parrying and countering each move. He combined the eight stances, six strength techniques, and five lightness skills, feeling that he had never fought so exhilaratingly.

"You two, stop right now!"

The two fought back and forth, and when they were locked in a fierce battle, Gao Huaixuan arrived after hearing the news and hurriedly stopped them.

Hearing his sister's rebuke, Gao Huaide tried to stop, but Yang Chonggui was so badly bullied that he showed no sign of stopping.

When Gao Huaixuan saw that the two wouldn't listen to her advice, she was about to personally intervene to break up the fight, which greatly frightened Gao Huaide.

Gao Xingzhou adhered to the family tradition that martial arts skills should be passed down to sons, not daughters. His sister was a frail woman who had never practiced martial arts, so it would be terrible if she were to be hit by a punch from her.

Fine, I'll just have to take the beatings I got myself into.

Thinking of this, Gao Huaide lowered his hands to his side, leaving his mouth wide open. Yang Chonggui threw a punch, hitting the corner of his mouth, which immediately broke the skin and bled, turning a dark purple patch.

Yang Chonggui unleashed a flurry of punches with both hands, the next one aimed straight for his face.

Gao Huaide knew that taking this blow would likely leave him with a bloody face and possibly a broken nose. Yet, instead of dodging, he stared wide-eyed at the ever-growing fist.

"Why don't you hide? Who do you think you are?"

Just before his fist touched his nose, Yang Chonggui abruptly stopped, panting heavily.

"Why did you two suddenly start fighting? It doesn't look like you're practicing martial arts, it looks like you're risking your lives. Oh, look how badly you're injured."

When Yang Chonggui heard Gao Huaixuan ask about the reason, and saw her wiping the blood off Gao Huaide with a handkerchief, he felt a pang of sadness, thinking that this person had done something bad but was still comforted by someone.

He has always been proud and unwilling to speak out even when he is wronged.

"Dedi, you speak."

Gao Huaixuan knew that Yang Chonggui was honest, and that it was probably his younger brother who had started the trouble, so she sternly questioned him.

"I just wanted to play a joke on Gui-ge'er..."

"Nonsense!"

After learning what had happened, Gao Huaixuan scolded Gao Huaide severely: "Gui-ge'er came to our house alone. What kind of logic is it to play tricks on him? Hurry up and apologize to him."

He then asked Yang Chonggui, "Are you injured anywhere?"

Yang Chonggui shook his head and pointed at Gao Huaide: "You should go take care of your own brother. Don't worry about me, an outsider!"

"Once you come to my house, you're no longer an outsider."

Gao Huaixuan said softly, "My father is very particular about rules and principles. If he were here today, he would surely have severely punished Huai De. Since Father is not home, I, as his elder sister, will punish him in his place."

"Brother De, you're being punished by not eating for a day. Reflect on your actions. Do you accept this punishment?"

As soon as Gao Huaide opened his mouth, a tooth fell out.

Yang Chonggui was startled, thinking that he had hit the young master too hard and knocked out his tooth.

"It's okay, it was already loose these past two days, so now I don't have to pull it out."

Gao Huaide was losing a tooth, and when he did, his speech became slurred: "Sorry. If you're still not satisfied, feel free to punch me a few more times."

Yang Chonggui had been unable to bring himself to strike, his fist awkwardly hanging in mid-air.

Gao Huaixuan held his hand and gently pressed it down. She then ordered someone to fetch medicinal wine and ointment for treating sprains and bruises, and specifically instructed that Madam Gao should not find out.

Seeing that Gao Huaide might not take it to heart, she gently asked, "If your brother Liang encountered the same thing in the Yang family, how would you feel?"

Moved by this, Gao Huaide bowed deeply and said loudly, "It was my mistake. If I could do it all over again, I would never do it this way."

Seeing that his apology was sincere, Yang Chonggui couldn't help but feel embarrassed and started panting heavily.

In families practicing martial arts, medicinal ointments are an essential part of daily life, let alone the Jiedushi's residence, which houses only the finest and most exquisite medicines.

Gao Huaixuan told her younger brother to apply the medicine himself and asked Yang Chonggui to take off his clothes so she could see where the bruises were.

"No, I wasn't beaten up."

Yang Chonggui's face suddenly became burning hot. He then remembered that Gao Huaide had several opportunities, but each time his fist only lightly touched his clothes before he immediately withdrew it.

This guy held back just now.

……

evening.

Since Yang Chonggui arrived at the Gao family, Gao Huaide has spent one day with his family and the other day having meals with him. Today is the day again.

Looking at the food on the table, Yang Chonggui figured that after such a big fuss, he probably wouldn't come.

The room was quiet. The old servant noticed that the young master's expression was off and asked him what was wrong.

Yang Chonggui said nothing and told the old servant to go eat and rest.

As he picked up his rice bowl, thinking of his parents and brothers at home, and then looking at himself all alone, an indescribable emotion welled up in his heart. Yang Chonggui's eyes stung slightly, and he quickly lowered his head and ate two mouthfuls of rice.

"Hey, why didn't you wait for me? Why are you eating all by yourself?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Chonggui looked up and saw Gao Huaide leaning against the door, the bruises on his face from his own self-inflicted blows still visible.

He said gruffly, "If you want to eat, come in. This is your home; you can do whatever you want here."

"My sister punished me by not eating for a day, and I have to do it. But I was worried you wouldn't be able to eat without anyone to keep you company, so I came anyway."

"Pah, seeing you makes me lose my appetite."

"Don't say that. Here, let me serve you some food and soup."

"Don't come any closer, it's disgusting."

"Alright, alright, I won't provoke you again, my good man."

Gao Huaide raised his hands, groaning in pain, and complained that Yang Chonggui had hit him too hard.

"You deserved to be beaten."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Gao Huaide sighed, "I just wanted to see a good show of accidentally stumbling into the White Tiger Hall."

"Who do you think you are, Grand Commandant Gao?"

"Who says I can't become a Grand Commandant someday? Maybe you can become a General of the Army."

"Hmph, I'll still call you Gao the Scoundrel, or Gao the Mischief, or just Gao Qiu for short. How about it, Gao Qiu, Grand Commandant Gao?"

Gao Huaide, observing Yang Chonggui's expression, saw that Yang Chonggui's anger had subsided somewhat, and sat down opposite him with a grin, the wound on the corner of his mouth still clearly visible.

Yang Chonggui felt a little guilty, but Gao Huaide didn't care. Even though his lips were sore from the twitching, he kept nagging on and on.

Yang Chonggui listened without finding it too annoying.

The child's anger came quickly and subsided just as fast. The feeling of loneliness and solitude that had just been there gradually thinned out and dissipated.