Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 8, Volume 1 of Standing Posture Exercises

Coach Lin's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes darkened slightly.

It's one thing for children to be ignorant, but it's another for adults to be so muddle-headed.

The courtyard was dilapidated, with its thatched gate and broken tiles, clearly showing its dire financial situation.

To hand over such a great opportunity for nothing is like holding a mountain of gold while eating coarse food.

I am angry at their lack of ambition, and saddened by their self-destruction.

Seeing the slightly tense atmosphere, Master Cen coughed and stepped forward to smooth things over.

They chatted and laughed, saying auspicious things like "once in a thousand years" and "the ancestral graves are emitting smoke."

Jiang Yi still shook his head, politely declining, saying only that the child was too young and the mother was too weak to leave.

Instructor Lin wasn't one to eagerly seek favors. Seeing that this person was completely unmoved, he simply turned pale, clasped his hands in farewell, and took his leave.

With a flick of his sleeve, he prepared to leave.

Just then, a series of light footsteps came from inside the house.

Jiang Liang, the youngest son of the Jiang family, was holding a rough porcelain bowl in one hand, from which wisps of steam rose.

With light steps and a solemn expression, she first handed it to her father, then carefully passed it to her brother.

Instructor Lin hadn't paid much attention at first, but a quick glance from the corner of his eye fixed his gaze on the child.

His muscles and bones were well-proportioned, and his complexion was rosy.

Although not as robust as Jiang Ming, he is younger and his joints are not yet fully developed, making it the perfect time to strengthen his body.

With a little guidance, he might one day be able to leave the county government and make a name for himself in the prefecture.

His eyes shifted, and his previously indifferent expression softened, revealing a renewed sense of patience.

He immediately crouched down, lowered his voice, and asked gently:
"Young man, would you like to come with me to the county town to learn some skills and practice martial arts?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang first looked up at his father.

Jiang Yi didn't speak, but just looked down at him with a calm expression, neither stopping him nor urging him.

The child thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice:
"If you go to the county town, will you still need to study?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi could only smile wryly and shake his head in silence.

He thought to himself, "This kid may not say it, but he's really afraid of those books and papers."

Upon hearing this, Instructor Lin raised an eyebrow, knowing there was hope, and smiled, going along with it.

"Of course, I still have to study, but it's very easy. I practice boxing for three days, study for one day, and then rest for one day."

As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes, as if deliberately enticing:

"On the day off, with the allowance from the government, you can go to the city to have fun. You can eat as many sugar figurines and candied hawthorns as you like from the street vendors."

The county magistrate's office is not some rural martial arts school; it's an official government office, a business with a solid foundation.

Once you've entered the door, you'll have no worries about food, clothing, or daily necessities; someone will teach you martial arts and physical skills; and someone will teach you how to use paper and ink.

There are still some small subsidies every month, enough for the little ones to buy snacks and treats.

Jiang Liang's eyes lit up when he heard this.

She was still holding the bowl of hot water in her hands, looking up at her father with a longing gaze, her eyes filled with tears.

Looking at his youngest son's expectant face, Jiang Yi hesitated for a moment.

This child has always been afraid of recognizing characters and copying books; he would fall asleep as soon as he touched paper and ink.

If I really wanted to study, I'm afraid I wouldn't be cut out for it.

Given his personality, learning martial arts would be a viable path for him.

Moreover, such a good opportunity would be something many families would beg for even if they broke their bones.

But he's still young, and he hasn't even lost all his teeth yet. If he really goes to the county, can he withstand that kind of ordeal?

Having spent many years in the yamen, Instructor Lin could easily see through Jiang Yi's intentions.

"This kid has a good foundation and is a promising talent, but he's still a bit too young."

His expression remained unchanged, but his voice carried a hint of certainty:

“According to the department’s rules, we have to wait another year or two until the structure is stable before we can be promoted to a regular section chief.” Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

In another year or two, they'll be around six or seven years old.

If you think back to my previous life in a sports school, I was about this age.

He nodded, agreeing tentatively, but not making any definitive statements.

This boy, barely out of school, has a new idea every few days. He might be all smiles today, but tomorrow he could be crying and begging for his mother.

When Instructor Lin saw Jiang Yi nod, he nodded in return.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin booklet. The cover was faded and the edges were creased with old marks.

"This is the introductory manual for stance training issued by Silifa."

Instructor Lin handed over the booklet:
"It's not some secret, top-secret technique; it's just a method for laying a foundation. Every new recruit in the department has a copy."

And said:

“Go back and teach him according to the instructions. This kid is young, so it’s good to build up his foundation first, so he won’t mess up his strength when he practices boxing in the future.”

He casually flipped through a few pages, his fingertip pausing at the very end of the booklet:

"There are also several medicinal bath recipes attached. If you have enough money, boil them a few times and soak in them to strengthen your muscles and bones."

At this point, he suddenly glanced sideways at Jiang Ming, pausing slightly in his speech:
"Don't rush to abandon your older child. In the next couple of years, try to persuade him to join the company together so that the two brothers can look after each other."

Jiang Yi took the book; his fingers felt rough and damp. He opened it, and the pages were slightly sticky, like an old scroll picked up from years past.

He raised his hand in a gesture of respect, offering his sincere thanks, and replied only:
"I will try to persuade him again. But ultimately it depends on his own willingness; you can't force him."

After hearing this, Instructor Lin simply nodded slightly and did not speak again.

With a turn of his body, the hem of his robe lightly brushed the dust, and he left with steady steps.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, and Master Cen stood by for a while.

His gaze fell on Jiang Ming's face, then shifted to Jiang Yi, and finally he let out a soft sigh.

"The academy starts tomorrow, don't forget the time."

Having said that, he flicked his sleeve and left.

Jiang Yi stood in the courtyard, watching the two figures disappear into the distance, before turning back into the house.

Once the fire was lit, smoke rose from the stove, and porridge simmered in the hot pot.

While calling to the child, she ladled out a bowl for herself and sat down at the table.

The old book lay beside me, its pages curled and its cover faded.

The page depicts several stances in an ancient and simple style, with a few annotations explaining the principles of establishing a firm foundation and regulating breathing.

It's not exactly mysterious, but it's solid.

It was the genuine knowledge that came from the government office, and it was much more legitimate than my half-baked and half-made-up Five Animal Exercises.

After finishing the work in the fields, he returned to the house.

While Liu Xiulian was still resting on the couch, Jiang Yi stood guard by her side, rolled up his sleeves, and began to demonstrate the movements according to the diagrams.

First, I practiced horse stance, keeping my steps slightly low. My legs immediately started to ache and tremble, making me stand a little unsteady.

I tried a few more techniques for circulating qi and energy, emphasizing sinking the shoulders and dropping the elbows, and drawing the qi back to the abdomen.

Each move is executed slowly and deliberately, prioritizing stability over speed.

This body is naturally not as nimble as a young man's.

Fortunately, I had practiced some breathing exercises a while ago, so at least I didn't get cramps as soon as I moved.

I gritted my teeth and managed to pull through.

As a father, one must first understand the ins and outs of this skill so that one won't appear ignorant when teaching the two boys in the future.

As for the methods of those medicinal baths, the ginseng, astragalus, angelica, and atractylodes, the cooking time, and the distinction between yin and yang, cold and heat, and tonification and purgation, deficiency and excess.

Jiang Yi's head was throbbing from looking at it.

I'll wait until things are a bit quieter in the fields before I go and seek advice from Physician Li.

(End of this chapter)