A Martial Saint Among Men: From Joining a Martial Arts School

Chu Xuan's father, Chu Ping'an, had learned a few military martial arts techniques from a retired soldier in his early years. It was with these techniques that he managed to obtain the identity of a bodyguard at the Zhenwei Escort Agency in the inner city.

Although he was just an ordinary bodyguard, he was able to support his family and even live a better life than ordinary people.

Two years ago, during a mission to escort goods, Zhenwei Escort Agency was attacked by bandits. The goods were stolen, the agency's best guards were killed, and the others scattered and fled for their lives.

Most of them did not escape and their fate remains unknown. His father was one of them.

Later, the security escort agency compensated their family with twenty taels of silver.

Two years have passed, and Zhenwei Escort Agency, severely weakened by that failed mission, has long since disbanded. As for his father…

Outside the city, refugees and bandits roamed everywhere, and the distant mountains were teeming with all sorts of poisonous insects and ferocious beasts. Let alone ordinary people, even martial artists dared not venture there lightly.

If his father were still alive, he would have returned long ago.

What Chu Xuan was referring to was the twenty taels of silver that Zhenwei Escort Agency had compensated them!

However, the money was not in Zeng Ke's hands, but in Chu Xuan's grandfather's!

"That money is probably hard to get back," Zeng Ke frowned.

After Zhenwei Escort Agency paid compensation, Chu Xuan's grandfather asked for the money back, saying things like, "The amount is too large; if we give it to them, others will covet it. We're saving it for Chu Xuan to use when he gets married."

In the past two years, Zeng Ke had considered returning some of her money to improve the family's life. Half a year ago, when Chu Xuan fell ill, it was the most difficult time for the family. Zeng Ke even knelt down before the old man, begging him to give money for Chu Xuan's medical treatment.

But the other party still didn't pay a single penny!

Fortunately, Chu Xuan survived.

Because of this, the two sides have become very hostile!

"Even if it's difficult, we have to have it!" Chu Xuan said firmly.

He knew his mother's concerns; she was worried that if things got too ugly with his grandfather, people would laugh at her and accuse her of being unfilial.

But at this point, he couldn't care less about any of that.

"Mother, isn't tomorrow Grandpa's birthday?" Chu Xuan said in a deep voice, "Don't say anything then, I'll bring it up!"

The next day.

Around noon, the family of three changed their clothes, and Chu Xuan carried the pig intestines they had cleaned the day before, and together they headed to his grandfather's house.

After passing through several narrow and cramped alleys, the three of them soon stood in front of a farmhouse.

The main house was an impressive three-room brick house, with a woodshed and side rooms on the side, and a spacious and flat courtyard in the middle. Compared to the damp and dark house where the family of three lived, it was quite grand even by the standards of the surrounding area.

Zeng Ke looked at the house in front of her with a complicated expression.

The younger sister, Chu He, pouted and snorted angrily.

The reason is simple: this house belongs to their family!

It was built by his father, Chu Ping'an, with the money he earned from working at a security escort agency. Later, after his father disappeared, his grandfather said that they were a widow and her son, and living in such a big house would easily attract unwanted attention, so he moved in without further ado.

As a daughter-in-law who had lost her husband, Zeng Ke naturally couldn't live under the same roof as her father-in-law, so she had no choice but to move out with Chu Xuan and his sister.

Then, the weird tricks started.

No sooner had his family moved out than his second uncle's family moved in!

Now, my second uncle's family and my grandfather live together in this house. The three of them can only squeeze into a dark and damp house in a narrow alley.

"Oh, my sister-in-law's here!"

"Xuan'er is getting more and more handsome! And He'er, she's grown into a beautiful young lady, she'll be ready to get married in a couple of years..."

"You're here, why did you bring anything..."

As soon as the three entered, the second aunt's loud voice boomed out, acting like the hostess, and she reached out to take what Chu Xuan was carrying. However, upon seeing that Chu Xuan was carrying pig intestines, she curled her lip and withdrew her hand in disgust.

Food had already been laid out in the main room.

Old Master Chu sat on the long bench in the main seat, holding his pipe in one hand and taking deep drags, exhaling several puffs of thick smoke. His other hand was also busy, rubbing his toes on the bench.

My second uncle, Chu Pingfan, wasn't there. He said he went to the inner city to make furniture for someone and wouldn't be back for lunch.

My cousin Chu Ming was also there, still wearing the same martial arts school disciple uniform he wore yesterday. He had a sense of superiority typical of city dwellers on his face. When he saw Chu Xuan carrying pig intestines in, he turned his head away with disdain, pretending not to see him.

"father!"

"grandfather!"

"grandfather!"

The three of them stepped forward to greet them.

"You're here! Please have a seat!"

Old Chu said casually, tapped his pipe and put it away, then put down the toes he had just rubbed. "Let's eat first. I have something to tell you later."

The three of them didn't say anything and all sat down at the table.

The family was gathered together, but the meal was incredibly dull.

Fortunately, the food on the table was quite good, with chicken and fish. Although it wasn't seasoned much, it only tasted slightly saltier than boiled food, but it was still a rare delicacy for Chu Xuan and his sister.

Little Chu He didn't stand on ceremony, puffing out her cheeks like a squirrel. Before coming, her brother had told her not to worry about anything that happened. Eat! Eat your fill first.

Chu Ming took a few bites, but couldn't eat anymore. Having tasted the exquisite dishes at Yun Ding Xuan, eating this felt like eating pig swill. Seeing Chu Xuan and his sister enjoying their meal, a hint of disdain unconsciously crept into his eyes.

Halfway through the meal, Second Aunt looked at Chu Xuan and subtly inquired, "Xiao Xuan, I heard you're working as a shop assistant at the dye shop, and the manager even wants to adopt you as his godson. You must earn quite a bit of money a month, right?"

Chu Xuan picked up a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly and deliberately, while asking curiously, "Second Aunt, which dye shop's workers still get paid? Tell me, and I'll go see if they're still hiring tomorrow."

"You're different!" Auntie said anxiously. "The shopkeeper is going to take you as his godson, how could he not pay you?! If you ask me, he wants you as his son-in-law, maybe the whole dye shop will be yours in the future."

"Xiao Xuan, we're family! You have to help your brother!"

Chu Xuan picked up another piece of fish and put it in his mouth, shaking his head and saying, "Manager Wu's daughter is already married. Why would she need a son-in-law? Besides, she has a son too. How could she possibly give her family business to an outsider? Second Aunt, where did you hear these rumors?"

"I……"

"Cough cough..."

Seeing that his second aunt was being led astray by Chu Xuan, Chu Laoguo coughed and looked at Chu Xuan, saying, "Xiao Xuan, Grandpa won't beat around the bush with you! You're doing well now, and the dye shop owner values ​​you. Even if he doesn't take you as his son-in-law, you might become a manager in the future!"

"You know your brother Ming's situation! Ming'er is already working very hard at the martial arts school. If he doesn't get enough nourishing soup and meat, he'll not only fall behind others, but he might even ruin his training."

"From this month onwards, you will set aside three hundred coins each month to support your younger brother Ming in learning martial arts!"

"Once your brother Ming becomes a martial artist, you'll also benefit from it!"

"Yes, yes!" Auntie Er chimed in from the side, "Brothers should support each other! Xiao Xuan, you absolutely have to help your brother Ming!"

Chu He was furious when she saw the two of them working together to make a move on her brother.

Before she could even speak, she received a look from Chu Xuan. Chu He immediately understood and began to eat even more diligently.

Zeng Ke's hand holding the chopsticks froze, and she looked at Chu Xuan with some worry.