Chapter 16: Teaching the Children Martial Arts

Chapter 16: Teaching the Children Martial Arts

From the first hint of dawn until full daylight, the three children progressed from wobbly instability to barely holding a proper horse stance. The entire morning simply melted away.

Before the sun had even peeked out to observe the scene, Jiang Yaozu’s chubby little face was already redder than the morning sun itself. Surprisingly, this usually timid boy actually managed to hold on without complaining.

"Sis, I... I can't hold on much longer!"

Jiang Han's small legs trembled with a mind of their own, and she looked as drenched as if she'd just been pulled from the creek back home.

"Hold on, huff, just a bit longer."

Truth be told, Jiang Wan herself was struggling fiercely. She knew practicing martial arts would be tough and had prepared for it, but she never imagined that the very first hurdle—the horse stance—might just knock all three of them flat. If word got out, they'd be the laughingstock!

After enduring for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the little girl's pitiful cries echoed through the courtyard once more.

"Dad, Dad, Dad~~~"

Seeing that her older sister was no help, Jiang Han miserably turned her head to look at their father, who was squatting at the very front. She called out piteously, one cry after another, hoping to stir his surging fatherly love.

Jiang Huailiang looked up at the sky. The crimson sun seemed poised to emerge from the clouds, and the beautiful rosy glow illuminated his three children, making each one look absolutely delightful!

Hmm, it was also time for him to head out for his duties.

He straightened his legs and dropped his hands, concluding the session.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Later, make sure to massage and rub your arms and legs thoroughly, so you don't wake up screaming in pain tomorrow morning."

At their father's command, the three Jiang siblings collapsed to the ground with a series of thuds, one after another. Their disheveled and pathetic state amused their father.

"Well? Can you handle it, or not? If it's too much, you might as well go back and practice writing characters."

"...Huff, huff, I can do it!"

Jiang Yaozu hadn't even caught his breath yet but eagerly raised his hand in refusal. Are you kidding? He hated practicing writing characters even more than the horse stance!

Especially since he harbored a secret, hopeful fantasy.

He hoped to become a supremely skilled martial arts master someday. If his crazy older sister dared to hit him again, he'd be able to hit her back directly. He'd let her taste the 'bamboo shoots stir-fried with shredded pork' herself!

His pitiful delusions were plastered all over his face, and Jiang Wan couldn't be bothered to respond. Having dreams was good, anyway; whether they came true or not wasn't really important.

Managing to get up from the ground, she casually walked a few steps and sat down against the long corridor railing under the eaves.

"Dad, how long do we have to practice the horse stance before we can officially start learning martial arts?"

Jiang Huailiang picked up the two younger children from the ground, one in each hand, and set them down next to their sister.

"How would I know? Just keep practicing for now. I'll find out and let you know later."

"Ask who? Dad, you're already such an amazing general. Is there anything you don't know?"

"Exactly! Dad is already so impressive. Why would you need to ask anyone else?"

In truth, the twins were utterly awestruck by their suddenly appearing general father. He fulfilled almost all their childhood fantasies of what a heroic father should be.

Swelling with his children's adoration, Jiang Huailiang, who already loved to show off, burst into hearty laughter.

"Hahahaha, truly my offspring! You really have good judgment—just like your old man!"

His bushy beard twitched with pride, and his bright, piercing eyes scanned over the three children, visibly filled with immense affection for them.

"Your old man may be a general, but as the saying goes, 'There's always a mountain higher, and a person greater.' When it comes to teaching disciples, I'm far behind your Uncle Song.

I saw him start his disciples with the horse stance. As for what comes next, I'll ask him for the proper procedure and then come back to teach you!"

Old Jiang checked the time and realized he truly couldn't delay any longer, so he waved to the children.

"Dad has to head out for work now. You three behave at home and don't make your mother angry. Otherwise, Dad will punish you when he gets back!"

Though his words were directed at all three children, his eyes glanced at his eldest daughter. Only after she nodded did he smile warmly, return to the main courtyard to change his clothes, and then mounted his horse to ride straight for the Prince of Huai's Residence.

Well, that wasn't entirely accurate. Since he hadn't yet received an official title, the estate hadn't hung the plaque for the Prince of Yihuai, so it should rightly be called the Li Mansion.

The Prince of Huai's surname was Li, his given name Li Changhuai, and he hailed from Guangping Prefecture.

He had initially been conscripted by the imperial court, then by a stroke of luck narrowly escaped death, and somehow stumbled into the rebel army.

This man seemed destined for greatness. In less than ten years, he had fought his way up from a humble foot soldier with nothing to his name to amass the fortune and standing he held today. With his capabilities, he could be called a true dragon among men, no matter where he was placed.

But at this moment, the tall and handsome Prince of Yihuai was furiously pointing at his sworn brother's head, unleashing a torrent of abuse.

"Jiang Huailiang!

For all these years, I've watched you fight battles across the land, killing without batting an eye, and I've praised you everywhere as a true hero, worthy of being my sworn brother.

But I never in my wildest dreams imagined that you could be such a spineless coward who's afraid of his wife!"

Old Jiang, who had grown accustomed to the scolding lately, chuckled as he wiped his face.

"Big Brother, if you're going to scold me, just scold me. Why drag my wife into it? This is all my fault—I admit it. What does it have to do with her, a mere woman? Just focus on scolding me. I'm listening with both ears wide open, aren't I?"

The shameless rogue even had the nerve to grin foolishly, which made the Prince of Huai pound the table in fury.

"Will scolding you alone satisfy me? I wish I could give you a good thrashing to knock some sense into you!"

"Fine, Big Brother, if you want to hit me, go ahead. Beat me to death if you must. If not, I'll still need this useful body to help you attack the capital, won't I?"

Jiang Huailiang laughed with a carefree recklessness that made his sworn brother's liver ache with anger.

"Get out of my sight! Now you remember we need to attack the capital? If you had any sense, you'd just marry Zhu Mingzhi and be done with it! With her mother's family, the Qians, working from inside the capital, think of how much trouble we'd save!"

"Big Brother, that's just unreasonable! I have a family, a wife, and children. Why would I want to marry her?"

"Can't you just let your wife endure a little hardship and make this sacrifice? Once our great cause is accomplished, won't you be able to make it up to her in every way? Can't you prioritize the bigger picture?"

The Prince of Huai made a valid point, but Old Jiang wasn't having it.

"No!"

His bushy beard trembled, and his eyes widened like copper bells. Old Jiang argued his case logically and methodically.

"My wife was a young, beautiful girl back then. She didn't look down on me for being an old widower and married me, working tirelessly to help me raise the children.

Even after she thought I was dead, she never remarried. She, a mere woman, dragged the kids along and supported the elderly all by herself for all these years.

My wife loved pretty things when she was young. Later, to mourn me, she went so far as to burn her own face with a candle!

Do you know she burned her face? She did it herself!

Every time I think about it, my heart aches unbearably!"