Chapter 11 : New Year

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Shen Zechuan’s shackles were removed. He moved his wrists as he listened to the Squad Commander grumble on and on. Ji Gang pushed the wheelbarrow and swiftly finished unloading the wine for the Imperial Army. With a coarse cloth wrapped around his head, he shifted over to them.

After ordering Ji Gang to finish tidying up the courtyard before spring, the Squad Commander went outside again to instruct the squad on guard duty that night not to spread word of the incident.

“Are you hurt?” Ji Gang pulled Shen Zechuan’s arm. 

“No.” Shen Zechuan raised his hand to wipe the nape of his neck, where Xiao Chiye had left strangulation marks. He called out, “Shifu.”

Ji Gang asked, “Where does it hurt?” 

Shen Zechuan shook his head. He considered it for a moment, then said, “His external martial arts is strong and fierce, and his fists and kicks are powerful. It feels familiar to me.”

Ji Gang’s burned and disfigured face looked astonished. He said, “Our Ji Clan Boxing Style has never been imparted to outsiders.”

“I didn’t dare to counter his moves the moment he struck.” The taste of blood seemed to linger in Shen Zechuan’s mouth.

He licked the edges of his teeth with the tip of his tongue and thought for a moment. He said, “I was afraid he might get an inkling, so I did not dare to pull out all the stops. It’s just that making a scene and playing dumb could not deceive him either. Shifu, why does he hate me so much? Teacher spoke of the current political situation. Aren’t those relatives of the Empress Dowager with her at the lead the ones he should hate the most?”
 
“That brat is drunk!” Ji Gang said with loathing. “And bullies always pick on the weak. So he could only turn to you.” 

Shen Zechuan shook out his left hand. “He was looking for this. Does shifu recognize it?”

Lying quietly on his palm was that aged and worn out bone thumb ring. 

“Those with impressive arm strength in the army often use large bows and must wear these kinds of thumb rings when they are pulling the bowstring.” Ji Gang scrutinized the thumb ring and said, “This kind of wear and tear is most likely from drawing the Libei Cavalry’s Great Bow of Heaven. However, this Second Young Master Xiao is not heading into war. So what is he wearing this for?”

🍀🍀🍀

Xiao Chiye slept in silence. It was Lu Guangbai who woke him up.  

“You were really a piece of work last night.” Lu Guangbai did not hold back. He sat on the chair and said, “You have only just gotten a post, and you have already gone and looked for trouble. I just saw Jiming leaving the residence earlier to head for the palace.”

Xiao Chiye’s throat felt uncomfortable as he lay covered under the quilt. He said, “I drank too much.” 

“In a few more days, we will leave the capital.” Lu Guangbai said in all earnestness.

“You can’t continue drinking like this. What are you going to do if you drink until your martial art skills are rendered useless and your body collapses?”

Xiao Chiye did not reply. 

Lu Guangbai continued, “They devastated your elder brother’s heart at the banquet last night, so you should show him some understanding. He is busy with Libei’s military affairs and, at the same time, concerned about your sister-in-law. And now he has to leave you behind here. He feels terrible. A-Ye, who doesn’t speak highly of him before others? But all of them hope that he will never come back again every time he sets off for battle. For these people, he has to lead the troops to the battlefield year after year. He won’t say it himself, but he’s made of flesh and blood. So how would it not hurt him?”

Qiang Jin Jiu (Author : Tang Jiuqing 唐酒卿)Where stories live. Discover now