lcionline Chapter 14 Two Sects and Six Unique Skills, Eight Beauties of the Capital
Chapter 14 Two Sects and Six Unique Skills, Eight Beauties of the Capital
"What about the Six Masters and the Eighteen Famous Masters?"
Li Xin asked again.
"Among the Six Greats, Master Wang Zhengyi of Yuanshun Escort Agency is the most famous. He has connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds, and martial arts masters from all directions come to join him. He is practically a leader of the alliance in the capital."
However, if the young master wants to learn martial arts, going to him isn't really suitable. The key is, this…”
"Too young, isn't it?"
Li Xin knew his disadvantages.
In other places, being young is not a disadvantage.
However, companies like Yuanshun and Huiyou, which are like large corporations from a bygone era, do not place much importance on youth training.
They have their own talented people, as well as experts from all over the world who come to seek a living.
Those who are trustworthy, have a good reputation, and are strong will receive preferential treatment.
It's ready to use as soon as you arrive.
As for myself, I can't possibly go out and earn money as a bodyguard with this small body; that's not practical.
"As for the others, such as Master Gong in the inner city, Master Yin in the north city, Master Zhou from Huiyou, and Master Wen from Hongmen, they don't really accept outsiders."
On the contrary, Master Cheng in the south of the city does not ask about one's background; as long as one can afford the tuition, one can learn the craft.
I observed that the young master was incredibly skilled and his killing techniques were ruthless. However, his moves were a mix of various styles of martial arts, indicating that he had not received guidance from a master.
He only stole a few moves, yet he was able to kill a master like Black Snake.
If one day I were to become a disciple of the Six Absolutes, and with a little training, I would surely soar to great heights, becoming invincible in the world in no time.
"Hongxiu, that's very nice of you. Don't say that again."
"Yes."
Zhuang Hongxiu quickly covered her mouth and stole a glance around.
"I misspoke. I'll keep this thought in mind next time. I've forgotten the saying, 'The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind.'"
"Alright, it's fine for us to brag a little behind closed doors. Being humble in front of outsiders isn't a bad thing."
"Yes, young master. This servant greets you, young master."
Hongxiu immediately knelt down on the ground, tears streaming down her face.
He knew that this incredibly handsome young master had finally accepted him.
With his temperament and abilities, if he were a few years older, he would naturally roam freely throughout the world, and no one knows how high his achievements would be.
He managed to snag a pair of big, thick legs.
I no longer worry about dying in the street one day.
Zhuang Hongxiu didn't say something in detail: she followed her mother and trained hard in the sweltering summer and freezing winter.
Now I have mastered the control of Qi and blood.
Although she looks delicate and weak, even ten or so men couldn't subdue her.
The Wing Chun style passed down from the Leung family is characterized by its speed, agility, and rapid advance towards the center.
Especially in listening to and striking, when countering and breaking moves, the most important thing is the brain's reaction and the speed of the strike, which is to seize the initiative.
She witnessed Li Xin's actions in the alley courtyard firsthand and understood their significance better than anyone else.
His reaction time is so fast that if you try to land a hit, you might not even be able to touch the hem of his clothes before you get hit.
This is still before learning the true essence of the boxing technique and understanding the power of the internal force.
If we wait until he has undergone the transformation of tendons and bones and the refinement of strength with blood, we can't even imagine how strong he will become.
With someone protecting me, I can walk sideways in the future, right?
At least, I won't be bullied anymore.
Li Xin helped her up, his body trembling slightly.
He discovered that another ray of golden light had flown out from Zhuang Hongxiu's body.
"Is it that easy to be moved? It seems I guessed right. The closer and more trusting you are to yourself, the easier it is to inspire your faith."
Having gained and lost, lost and gained again, amidst these emotional rollercoasters, Zhuang Hongxiu lost gold coins again. Compared to this, ability isn't actually that important.
"Hongxiu, we'll talk about the other eighteen masters later. I'll give you a task first."
See that house over there? The one with white walls, green tiles, and two trees in the yard. They're in a hurry to sell. Are you confident you can negotiate a lower price?
He has keen eyesight and hearing, and can easily find out secrets.
I had been standing there for a while and had already heard people arguing in that courtyard.
The owner of the courtyard seemed to want to sell the house at a low price, consolidate assets as soon as possible, and run some connections to relocate it to another area.
According to his steward, the market is currently in turmoil, and staying in the capital could be life-threatening.
Even if his life is safe, he will lose his official position.
But the women in the outer quarters of the house were unwilling, and they were crying and sobbing...
This annoyed the owner, who scolded them repeatedly.
"Leave it to me. That place is a courtyard with nine rooms in the middle. It's in a good location and the environment is quite quiet."
Before the naval battle, even three hundred taels of silver might not be enough to buy it…
Zhuang Hongxiu spoke with confidence, seemingly referring to her expertise.
The call for reform is now very strong, and a change of regime is imminent.
Many officials and businessmen were living in constant fear. In addition, as chaos gradually broke out in the capital, while the prices of daily necessities soared, the market prices of permanent properties such as houses and shops plummeted.
"One hundred taels, at most one hundred and twenty taels will be enough." She looked coldly at the mansion, like an eagle eyeing a sparrow.
As expected of a former daughter of an official family, her family owns numerous businesses.
I'm still considering whether I can afford it.
She had already calculated the price.
Li Xin estimated his own silver reserves.
The spoils from these several battles combined seem to amount to only a little over 140 taels.
After buying the house, I'm finding it a bit difficult to make ends meet.
But not buying it doesn't seem right either.
When practicing martial arts in the future, should we also find an open space?
Renting isn't actually that cost-effective. Renting a large, detached house like this isn't much cheaper.
It was mainly determined by the current situation.
Li Xin looked at the house more carefully. The courtyard in the middle was about 80 square meters, and the total building area was about 200 square meters.
There are four rooms in total on both sides, three main rooms on the north side, two rooms in the back row, and a shopfront has been converted on the left front.
"Besides being used as a residence, it can also be used to open a shop."
Thinking this through, Li Xin immediately made a decision: "Let's go back. You go take a shower and change your clothes. It's still early; let's see if we can negotiate the house deal first."
As he walked, he said, "By the way, at Master Cheng's martial arts school, it seems like all the students are just teenagers. They seem to be teaching stance training and the Swimming Palm technique."
Is there any shortcut to learning the real training and fighting methods?
"There are shortcuts, but it's better to make others seek your help than to ask others to ask you. With such talent, if Third Master knew, he would surely beg and plead to take you as his disciple."
After all, their family had been competing with the Yin family of Beichang for many years, and they had never produced a martial arts champion, thus being consistently outshone. They also wanted a worthy successor.
"Aren't the Cheng family's disciples good enough?"
"It's not that it's impossible. The Seven Outstanding Students of the Cheng Family are all excellent and have a great reputation in the capital. But have you ever heard the saying, 'Of the Seven Outstanding Students of the Cheng Family, Fei Yan is the most virtuous'?"
"What do you mean?" Li Xin asked, slightly puzzled.
Zhuang Hongxiu laughed and said, "It means that Master Cheng has one son, five male apprentices, and one daughter."
These seven people are all very capable, but the most capable is her daughter, Cheng Feiyan.
She covered her mouth and laughed as she said this.
This era was nothing like the open-minded Han and Tang dynasties; women's status was at its lowest point in history.
Many families, both large and small, confine their female members to their homes, rarely venturing outside.
The most outstanding disciple of a famous martial arts school is actually a daughter.
It's easy to imagine how much regret Master Cheng must have felt.
"So she's a remarkable woman! How old is Cheng Feiyan?"
"Still unmarried, a year or two older than Nunu, young master, do you want to..." Zhuang Hongxiu looked over in surprise.
"I didn't mean to."
Li Xin glared at her and quickly added, "I was just curious about how skilled she was at such a young age. I saw a woman named Wang Erya on the road earlier. She was also young and very skilled, and I was just a little impressed."
"I understand, young master is referring to Wang Jingya of Yuanshun. She is known as the tigress and is ranked among the Eight Beauties of the Capital along with Cheng Feiyan. Of course she is formidable. Some busybodies say that they are women who are just as capable as men."
At this point, Zhuang Hongxiu sighed, her voice slightly low, clearly recalling her own drifting life.
Li Xin knew that his newly acquired maid was wallowing in self-pity again.
I'm interested in asking who the Eight Beauties of the Capital are, but I'm also a little worried that Hongxiu might think I'm a lecherous slut, which would damage her image.
He decided not to ask any more questions and simply led her back to the inn.
After buying a house, you need to find a decent job; it's not right to always rely on bad people for support.
Of course, the most important thing is to find a way to become a disciple of the Cheng family.
This Master Cheng had an excellent reputation in history; he sympathized with the lower classes and was kind-hearted.
I don't know how well he teaches his apprentices, but at least I admire their character.
Of course, one cannot follow the example of other young people who apprentice under a master, spending three years building a foundation, then three years doing odd jobs, before finally receiving the true skills.
The cucumber dish was already cold.
Just as Zhuang Hongxiu said, you have to make the other party take it very seriously. Moreover, you can't cause any resentment; it's best to let it happen naturally.
……