Chinese martial arts: From being shot and killed by the armed police during a mountain search to bec

"no."

Du Yuesheng walked up to Huang Jinrong, his tone urgent: "Boss Huang, this can't be done this way. After the ring match in three days, regardless of who wins or loses, the feud between the Green Gang and Chen Hongwu will be wiped clean."

This is a rule we set ourselves. We sent out invitations, gave gifts, and even asked Chen Gongzhe from the Jingwu Association to act as an intermediary.

"Before the fight even starts, we're already pinning a Black Dragon Society murder case on him behind his back. Isn't that just creating another grudge for no reason?"

Huang Jinrong leaned back in his armchair, rubbing two iron balls in his hands, without even lifting his eyelids.

Suppressing his frustration, Du Yuesheng patiently continued to persuade him: "Boss Huang, this matter is too risky. If word gets out, how will we explain it to Chen Hongwu? How will we explain it to the Jingwu Association? All the steps we've painstakingly built up will collapse."

Huang Jinrong leaned back in his armchair, picked up the teapot and took a sip: "If you don't tell me and I don't tell you, who will know that it was us who leaked the information to the Black Dragon Society?"

"Is Chen Hongwu really going to go to the Black Dragon Society to confront the Japanese? Does he have the ability, and do the Japanese have the temper?"

He slammed the teapot down on the table. "The Yamamoto Ichiro line has been cut off. The Black Dragon Society won't give us an explanation. Not only will we not get the final payment, but we'll also have to worry about whether opium can be transported along the Beiyang coast in the future."

Send them a list, let them get the information, and let them fight it out. If they manage to kill Chen Hongwu, they'll get their money back, and the Green Gang won't lose a penny; if they don't, let Chen Hongwu kill a few Japanese, and the Green Gang can sit back and watch the fight, still not losing anything.

Du Yuesheng frowned slightly, about to speak again: "Boss Huang—"

"Stop." Huang Jinrong raised a hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt, "Yuesheng, you are a meticulous person, I have never doubted that."

But this time, I've already made up my mind. I'll shift the blame eastward, let the Black Dragon Society and Chen Hongwu clash, let them fight like dogs.

Regardless of the outcome of the match three days later, the Japanese people must be given an explanation for Yamamoto Ichiro's actions, and this list is that explanation.

"We'll hand over the list, and they'll check it themselves. If they find it, that's their problem; if they don't, that's also their problem. What does it have to do with us?"

Du Yuesheng remained silent for a moment, then stopped arguing.

Having followed Huang Jinrong for so many years, he knew when it was still possible to persuade him and when trying to persuade him would only be pointless.

Seeing that he had fallen silent, Huang Jinrong nodded in satisfaction and asked, "Have you invited all the people to help you in the arena three days from now?"

"The relevant arrangements have been made." Du Yuesheng regained his usual calm tone. "The martial arts instructors who came to help have been accommodated in inns in the French Concession, and the arena has been set up in Hongkou. The referees are several senior figures in Shanghai's martial arts world, so there won't be any problems on stage."

Huang Jinrong grunted in agreement, stood up, and glanced back at Du Yuesheng: "Make sure you do the job of framing Chen Hongwu discreetly, and don't let anyone find out."

Only you and the person who handled this matter know about it. The more people who know, the more trouble I'll be in.

Du Yuesheng bowed his head and replied, "Understood."

Huang Jinrong turned and left.

Du Yuesheng stood there, watching Huang Jinrong's retreating figure, remaining silent for a long time.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Xinghualou, private room.

The dishes on the table had been changed several times. Chen Gongzhe was very attentive and thoughtful. Chen Zizheng didn't talk much, but every time he spoke, he hit the nail on the head. It was clear that he was a calm and steady martial arts expert.

Li Cunyi sat next to Chen Hongwu, with only a few light dishes in front of him.

After several rounds of toasts, the atmosphere gradually relaxed.

Chen Hongwen, holding a cup of Shaoxing rice wine, stood up and walked to Chen Gongzhe's side. He smiled and filled his cup, saying, "Chairman Chen, this is my elder brother's first time in Shanghai. He's unfamiliar with the place and people, so we need your help. This cup is for you."

Chen Gongzhe smiled, raised his glass, and took a sip. Chen Hongwen refilled his glass, then changed the subject, "President Chen, could you give me a hint? Who exactly is that martial arts master who's going to fight my brother in three days?"

Chen Gongzhe put down his wine glass, picked up a napkin from the table to wipe his mouth, and smiled, "Alright, since Second Young Master Chen asked, Gongzhe won't hide anything."

The martial arts master that the Green Gang invited to fight Master Chen this time is surnamed Meng, named Guangyin. He practices Mianquan (Cotton Fist) and used to work as a bodyguard in the Cangzhou area.

"Mianquan?" Chen Hongwen had no idea what the name meant.

Chen Hongwu's eyes flickered slightly. Mianquan is a local boxing style from Cangzhou, Hebei. It appears soft and fluffy like an embroidered pillow, but its strength is hidden. It emphasizes using softness to overcome hardness and using softness to wrap iron. You only know how heavy it is when you touch it.

This style of boxing is rarely practiced in the south because the training method is extremely tedious. One must repeatedly rub cotton wool with both fists for several hours every day to develop a soft and penetrating strength.

Chen Gongzhe added, "This man isn't very famous. Meng Guangyin worked as a bodyguard in Cangzhou for a few years. Later, the bodyguard agency disbanded, and he ended up in Shanghai. I don't know where the Green Gang found him."

However, the people the Green Gang invited to help this time were indeed quite influential.

"Oh? Who are they?" Chen Hongwen poured him another full glass of wine.

Chen Gongzhe held up one finger: "First one, Lu Songgao, a disciple of Yuan Fengyi, is skilled in the Ten Forms of Xinyi Liuhequan."

Lu Songgao was a master of Xinyi Liuhequan (a style of Chinese martial arts).

After being passed down by Ji Jike, Xinyi Liuhequan split into two branches: one is Henan Xinyi Liuhequan, and the other was passed down to the Dai family in Shanxi.

The Dai family's Xinyi Quan, which was passed down by Dai Longbang, was later learned by Li Luoneng. Based on this, Li Luoneng reorganized and innovated it, and formally established Xingyi Quan. It was then promoted and spread southward by Guo Yunshen, Li Cunyi and others.

Both Xinyi Liuhequan and Xingyiquan adhere to the core principles of internal and external harmony. Xinyi Liuhequan is based on the Dan-style oblique stance, with fewer routines, more emphasis on the expansion and contraction of the stance, and more emphasis on close-range swaying and dodging with the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees moving together. In its early days, it was mostly passed down in secret.

Xingyi established the San Ti Shi (Three-Body Stance) as its foundation, created the Five Elements Fist, and expanded it into the Twelve Forms. Its stances are regular, and it emphasizes hard fighting and direct attacks to break through the center gate. Its complete system makes it easy to teach students publicly. Although the two originate from the same source, there are significant differences in stance training, technique appearance, power generation, and inheritance style.

Yuan Fengyi was the authentic successor of Henan Xinyi Liuhequan. Lu Songgao fully inherited the true teachings and mastered the ten forms, which are dragon, tiger, monkey, horse, chicken, swallow, hawk, snake, eagle, and bear. He had mastered each form to perfection.

The seven hammers are fierce and powerful, the ground-scraping kicks target the lower body, and the dragon-shaped phoenix-wrapped close-range strikes are exceptionally ruthless.

If this person were to step into the ring, even Chen Hongwu would have to take him seriously.

"The second one is Tian Zhaolin," Chen Gongzhe continued.

Tian Zhaolin is the fourth-generation successor of Yang Family Tai Chi.

This man was extremely diligent when he was learning boxing from the Yang family. He practiced boxing for more than ten hours every day without interruption. When Yang Jianhou saw how hard he worked, he taught him the secret mental techniques of Yang family Tai Chi while he was ill.

Tian Zhaolin was extremely skilled in push hands and had a profound understanding of listening energy. He held a high position within the Tai Chi school and was one of the few capable fighters among the fourth generation of Yang family Tai Chi practitioners.

Chen Gongzhe then listed a few more names, each with their own background, but none as influential as the first two.

Finally, he put down his fingers, picked up his wine glass and took a sip: "The Green Gang really went all out this time. Just the travel expenses for these martial arts instructors are no small sum."