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

After the meal, Chen Gongzhe took out the paper covered with addresses from his sleeve and spread it out on the table.

"Master Chen, I've been to several places in Shanghai these past few days and have picked out five. Let me tell you about them first, then you can go and take a look."

The first place is an old factory building on Hengfeng Road in Zhabei. It was originally a grain merchant's warehouse. The place is large, more than three acres. The brick walls are old, but it is not difficult to convert it into a martial arts school. It's just out of the way.

The second place, the shop you just acquired on Avenue Joffre in the French Concession, is a two-story building in an excellent location, suitable as a martial arts school, though a bit cramped, only able to accommodate a maximum of twenty people practicing boxing.

He paused, then continued, "The third place is the former site of an auction house on East Broadway in the International Settlement. It's a shop in the front and a residence in the back, with a square courtyard and reasonable prices."

The fourth location, near Yokohama Bridge in Hongkou, was originally the playground of a Japanese elementary school. After the Japanese caused trouble, the school was sealed off. The area was spacious, but there was a lot of trouble in the concession.

The last place is a guild hall outside the Xiaodongmen Gate in Nanshi. Formerly the Fujian Association, it has three courtyards, many rooms, and is sunny.

Chen Gongzhe picked up the paper and waved it around: "Master Chen, which one should we look at first?"

Chen Hongwen said, "What do you mean, 'look at which one first'? Just go to the biggest one!"

Chen Gongzhe looked at Chen Hongwu, who nodded: "Start by looking at what's close up."

The group first went to Avenue Joffre.

The shop was indeed well-lit, but the interior was cramped. It was only suitable as a storefront, and it was not spacious enough for practicing martial arts.

Chen Hongwu shook his head after just one glance. Further east on Broadway, the former auction house site was square, but surrounded by buildings on all sides, with poor ventilation, and standing there for a long time made one feel chest tightness.

The third old factory in Zhabei is large, but two walls have collapsed, making repairs extremely expensive.

The area around Yokohama Bridge in Hongkou was quite spacious. Chen Hongwu stood in the courtyard and suddenly pointed to a stone pillar, saying, "There's a corpse in here."

Everyone was startled, but subconsciously did not question Chen Hongwu's words.

Chen Gongzhe sighed, "This place is unlucky and inauspicious."

So the matter was dropped.

In the end, only the Fujian Guild Hall outside the Xiaodongmen Gate of Nanshi remained.

This place faces south, with stone lions in front and a high wall behind.

Pushing open the door, you are greeted by a screen wall made of blue bricks, and two old locust trees in the courtyard provide ample shade.

The building has a front hall and a back hall, two courtyards, and about ten rooms in the east and west wings. The floor is paved with polished blue bricks, which are flat and neat.

Chen Hongwu walked around the courtyard, then suddenly lightly touched the ground with his toes and floated onto the roof of the back hall. He walked quickly on the tiles for a few steps, then landed back on the same spot without raising a speck of dust.

"This is the place," Chen Hongwu said. "It's spacious enough to house and feed a hundred people."

Chen Gongzhe asked with a smile, "We need to negotiate the lease, find someone to renovate, and buy equipment. Will it be possible to do this in the long run?"

Chen Hongwu nodded: "The sooner the better."

In the following days, everyone in the Jingwu Association was busy.

Chen Gongzhe stepped forward to sign a contract with the landlord, Chen Hongwen led people to clear the tiles and repair the walls, Li Yi supervised the work, and Chen Shi followed Chen Hongwu around the yard without leaving his side.

A wooden dummy formation was erected in the courtyard, the east wing was converted into an armory, and the west wing into a teahouse. A large circle was drawn in white lime on the center of the blue brick floor.

On this day, Chen Gongzhe brought in a fine nanmu wood plaque, six feet long, two feet wide, and three inches thick, which had been planed smooth.

He then took Huizhou ink and Jingxuan paper, along with a large wolf-hair brush, and placed them on the stone table in the courtyard.

"Master Chen, the martial arts school will be opening soon. This plaque must be written by you personally," Chen Gongzhe said with a smile. "I originally invited Mr. Yi from the City God Temple, but then I thought, only you can write these five characters. No matter how famous someone else is, they can't overshadow the two characters 'Central'."

"good!"

Chen Hongwu did not refuse and walked to the stone table.

He took a brush, dipped it in ink, lowered his waist and sat on his hips as if in a standing meditation posture, his whole body's energy sinking down, and there seemed to be thunderous sounds in his abdomen.

Suddenly, he flicked his wrist, the pen tip touched the paper, and the ink flowed like a knife and axe, the character "中" (zhong) appeared first.

The first stroke is like a fist bursting forth; the second stroke is like a spear piercing a line. When he writes the character "央" (yang), his brushstrokes are sharp and fierce, seemingly overflowing with murderous intent.

The character “国” is written with a robust and powerful stroke, its strength hidden within; the character “术” is slender and firm, like a sword drawn from its sheath; the last vertical stroke of the character “馆” is so forceful that it penetrates the back of the paper, and the ink splashes out with a “splat”, landing on the stone tabletop, where it is like iron filings embedded in the stone, leaving several small pits.

After the five characters were written, Chen Gongzhe and the others gathered around, feeling that the paper was filled with an imposing atmosphere, as if a thousand troops were about to rush out of the plaque.

"Beautiful calligraphy!" Chen Hongwen couldn't help but exclaim.

Chen Gongzhe clapped his hands and laughed: "Master Chen's calligraphy truly combines martial arts and calligraphy into one. I've heard people say that Wang Xizhi observed geese and gained enlightenment about calligraphy, and Zhang Xu watched Gongsun Da Niang dance with a sword and greatly improved his cursive script."

Today, Master Chen infused his calligraphy with the power of a fist; every stroke is like a burst of energy, every character like a powerful strike. Once this plaque is hung up, it will win three points without even needing to be spoken!

Just then, someone came to report: "President Chen, Young Master Lu has arrived with Master Hu!"

The crowd went out to greet them.

Lu Xiaojia's car was parked at the entrance, and Hu Baoyi got out of the car.

He was fit and strong, and although he had been in prison for several months, he still stood up straight, though his temples were slightly disheveled and his face was darker than before.

He strode forward and bowed deeply to Chen Hongwu: "Master Chen, I will never forget your great kindness! If you hadn't spoken up, I'm afraid I would have lost my life in the French Concession prison."

Chen Hongwu helped him up, saying, "Master Hu, you flatter me. You have a long history with the Jingwu Association and possess genuine martial arts skills. How could I stand idly by?"

Chen Gongzhe also stepped forward and said, "Baoyi, it's good that you're back! It's good that you're back!"

Hu Baoyi turned around and greeted his old acquaintances Chen Gongzhe, Li Yi and others.

Lu Xiaojia stood aside and said with a grin, "Master Chen, I've picked you up, and the formalities in the French Concession have been completed."

They released the man and even gave Master Hu twenty silver dollars for travel expenses. I didn't let them bully people for nothing!

Chen Hongwu nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Lu."

Lu Xiaojia didn't linger, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then got into the car.

Chen Gongzhe led Hu Baoyi to the backyard and ordered tea to be served.

Chen Hongwen and Chen Shi also gathered around. Chen Gongzhe asked, "Baoyi, were you tortured inside? Did those police thugs give you any trouble?"

Hu Baoyi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled. "At first, people would cause trouble every few days, making the prison guards order me around to move stones and paint the walls. Later, after Young Master Lu made a call, no one dared to touch me anymore, and even the prison food improved a lot."

He spoke casually, but there was a hint of relief in his eyes.

Chen Gongzhe sighed, "You've suffered."

"It's alright." Hu Baoyi put down his teacup, looked at Chen Hongwu, and said solemnly, "Master Chen, you saved my life. In the future, if you need anything, just say the word, and I, Hu Baoyi, will go through fire and water for you."

Chen Hongwu said, "I need your help with something."

Hu Baoyi's eyes lit up: "Master Chen, please speak."

Hu Baoyi was taken aback, then clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice trembling: "I am deeply grateful for Master Chen's high regard. I am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

A Jingwu Association disciple poked his head in, his face pale: "Master Chen, a Japanese man has come outside, specifically requesting to see you. He also brought... brought something."

Chen Hongwu glanced at him: "What is it?"

The disciple swallowed hard, then pointed towards the door: "A coffin."