Chapter 757 - 759: Do You Really Like It?
"My master is very knowledgeable, he will teach me to read." Xiaosi wasn’t in a rush, and his normally cold and indifferent tone grew more obstinate, giving everyone a headache.
Lin Ping’er tugged at Bai Yihong’s sleeve, whispering, "Dear, speak kindly to the child, let’s persuade him more."
Bai Yihong sighed repeatedly, thinking of Xiao Si’s background and stubbornness, made him feel more certain that Xiaosi should not practice martial arts.
The next day, Xiaosi brought his master to the Bai family yard, the same person he had mentioned before, Xuan Jizi.
Xuan Jizi’s hair and beard were all white, probably around his sixties. But his face was ruddy, his eyes were bright, and he walked very steadily, clearly a healthy old man.
"Father, mother, this is my master Xuan Jizi." Xiaosi introduced him to the family.
Xuan Jizi stroked his beard and greeted Bai Yihong and his wife with a smile. He had an air of sage-like aura about him. Bai Yihong didn’t feel like losing his temper, so he had the maidservant serve tea and started chatting with Xuan Jizi.
Lin Ping’er quietly left the room, and found Cui Fan. She whispered, "Guard Captain Cui, please investigate this." She then made a meaningful glance at him.
Cui Fan immediately took his leave to carry out the task.
Xuan Jizi stayed at the Bai residence for a meal. He got along well with Bai Yihong. Before becoming a Daoist, he was a farmer just like Bai Yihong, so they had a lot to talk about. Bai Yihong found out he was a good farmer and is now an elder at the Huashan Sect who grew his own vegetables in the backyard. This made his impression of Xuan Jizi much better.
In the end, the Bai family didn’t want to show any disrespect to Xuan Jizi. But when he proposed to take Xiaosi away to learn martial arts, Bai Yihong said: "In my family, my eldest daughter calls the shots. We’ll wait and ask for her opinion on this matter."
Xuan Jizi didn’t insist and politely excused himself after a brief chat.
The next day, Cui Fan returned with his investigation: Xuan Jizi was indeed an elder at the Huashan Sect, had a fair bit of renown in the martial arts world, and was highly respected. Even the City Lord Meng Liangshen showed him due deference. He currently lived in the City Lord’s residence as a distinguished guest.
Everyone in the Bai family breathed a sigh of relief. Bai Zepei said to his parents, "If Xiaosi insists, let him go. It’s better than planting the seed of resentment in his heart."
In the end, Xiaosi isn’t Bai Yihong and Lin Ping’er’s biological child. If he were, they could scold or spank him. But with Xiaosi’s special circumstances, Bai Yihong couldn’t bring himself to hit the boy, no matter how angry he was.
Xiaosi is still sleeping in the same room as Bai Zepei. That night, Xiaosi was restless. He waited until Bai Zepei put down his book before saying, "Second brother, I’ve decided to learn martial arts. It’s not that I don’t like reading, it’s that I prefer martial arts. With martial skills, I can also take the martial exam, become an officer in the future, and better protect the family."
Bai Zepei was silent for a moment before asking, "Do you genuinely like martial arts, or do you think learning martial arts can protect us?"
"I like it, for myself," Xiaosi replied firmly.
"Ruozhu and I feel the same way. We don’t want you to take on any burdens for your life. The road to martial arts is much harder than reading. If you don’t truly love it and are just choosing this path for others, it will only be more difficult in the future. So, consider carefully. Neither Ruozhu nor I need you to sacrifice anything for the family," Bai Zepei said earnestly.
Xiaosi’s expression turned serious. "Second brother, I really love martial arts. I miss everyone, but I don’t want to miss such a great opportunity."
Bai Zepei nodded and said, "Alright, since you’ve decided, I’ll speak with father and mother tomorrow."
Three days later, Xiaosi left Beiyu City with Xuan Jizi. The whole Bai family escorted them out of the city. Lin Ping’er’s eyes were swollen from crying, and although Xiaosi was more mature than children his age, he too was in tears.
Before leaving, he knelt down on the ground, kowtowing three times to Bai Yihong and Lin Ping’er saying, "Father, mother, I’m leaving. You must take care of yourselves. I’ll come home when I get the chance."
Lin Ping’er rushed over and pulled him to his feet. She noticed a bruise on his forehead from the kowtow, and her heart ached. She held him and cried even harder.
Xuan Jizi was somewhat awkward, standing off to the side as if he was the cause of the family becoming separated.
After crying with Lin Ping’er for a while, Xiaosi said his goodbyes to the rest of the family, and finally left with his master.
Xuan Jizi, not riding a horse, picked up Xiaosi and took big strides forward. His pace seemed leisurely and not fast at all, but within a few steps, they’ve already reached far ahead. One blink and they were both out of sight.
"Master Taoist Xuan Jizi is indeed powerful. The young master’s fortunes are looking up." Cui Fan couldn’t help but comment, envy apparent in his eyes.
The Bai family were all dumbfounded, but they couldn’t help feeling happy for Xiaosi. With such a skilled master, his future definitely had no bounds.
By the time Bai Ruozhu received Xiaosi’s letter, she had finished preparing the birthday gift for the Empress Dowager, and Jiang Yichun had convinced the Emperor to assign him the position of a ranking officer in Beiyu City. After the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, he would be able to take his wife and children to assume his post out of the capital.
Just as Bai Ruozhu was enjoying a few days of joy from the news, reading Xiaosi’s letter turned her mood sour.
"What’s the matter, dear? Who upset you?" Jiang Yichun came home to find Bai Ruozhu in a foul mood. He cracked a joke, picked up the letter, and started reading.
After reading it, he comforted Bai Ruozhu by putting his arm around her shoulders, "Silly woman, men should have ambitions. It’s good that he could find a famous master to guide him. Besides, you can always visit him at Mount Hua."
Bai Ruozhu pouted and said, "But I am worried, who knows if Xuan Jizi is real, what if he’s a fraud?"
Jiang Yichun laughed and stroked her nose, "I know who Xuan Jizi is, he’s on good terms with Meng Liangshen, and is a distinguished guest at the City Lord’s Residence. I don’t think a conman would dare to use his identity in Beiyu City. Plus, your guard captain came from the City Lord’s Residence, right? He should be able to verify if Xuan Jizi is real or not."
Only after hearing Jiang Yichun’s words did Bai Ruozhu felt more at ease. But recalling Xiaosi’s background, she couldn’t help but sigh and shared her thoughts with Jiang Yichun.
Mentioning Niu Cuihua made Jiang Yichun’s face stiffen. Bai Ruozhu quickly noticed his discomfort, and tugged at his cheek, "What are you hiding from me? Confess!"
Jiang Yichun managed a wry smile, "During the mountain bandit’s raid on the village, Niu Cuihua did manage to escape unscathed, but her husband was seriously injured. He was initially saved, but he relapsed after a few days and passed away. Because of Xiaosi’s special circumstances, I was worried that others might use it against him. I didn’t bring it up to you."