Chapter 568 - 211: Sparring (Part 3)
Chapter 568: Chapter 211: Sparring (Part 3)
On second thought, Xu Yanlin had to agree his uncle’s words had been a bit harsh.
But from his uncle’s point of view, his beloved sister had gone from a treasured young lady of high birth—someone who could have become a princess consort and married into a great house—to the wife of a simple man from the countryside. It was a drastic fall from grace, and it was no wonder his uncle was having a hard time accepting it.
Xu Yanlin was just wondering how to mediate between the two men, to prevent his uncle-in-law from harboring resentment over his younger uncle’s words, when De’an, Wanqing, and Zhao Jing burst through the door.
De’an rushed in, yelling, "I heard from the servants that our uncle is here! Where is he? Has he seen Mom yet? Dad, why are you out here? Where’s Mom?"
Zhao Jing cupped his hands in greeting toward Chen Song and Xu Yanlin, then glanced at the small parlor. The faint sound of voices drifted out from within. If all had gone well, the reunion was happening in there.
Xu Yanlin chuckled, trying to be diplomatic. "Let’s head to the main hall to wait. My uncle and aunt have things to discuss, so we should give them some space."
Chen Wanqing said, "You haven’t eaten lunch, have you? You all go on to the main hall. I’ll send someone to order a spread from the restaurant."
"Don’t worry about it, cousin," Xu Yanlin said. "I’ve already sent someone to take care of it. The food will be here soon."
Just as they were about to move to the main hall, two figures emerged from the small parlor.
They stood shoulder to shoulder. While they didn’t look much alike, their bearing, the aura they projected, the very air about them, and the unspoken understanding in the way they looked at each other—anyone could tell they were blood relatives.
Xu Shiling looked at the group in the courtyard. "What are you all doing standing out there? Get into the hall, quickly."
Xu Yanlin quickly piped up, "We were just afraid of interrupting you and Aunt while you caught up! We’re coming, we’re coming."
As the group drew near, Chen Song was the first to offer a respectful salute. "...Mr. Xu."
’He’s certainly handsome and imposing, with that square jaw, broad nose, and righteous air. He looks like a man of character,’ Xu Shiling thought. ’If he were one of my subordinates, I’d be willing to promote him. But he’s my sister’s husband...’
Xu Shiling straightened his sleeves. "I heard you rendered great service suppressing the bandits before the new year. Your skills... did you train from a young age, or did you learn them more recently?"
"I’ve had some formal training these past few years," Chen Song replied. "But when I was a child, we often went hungry. I got into a lot of fights just for a bite to eat. I didn’t know any real martial arts; it was just instinct, fighting to survive."
"Is that so? Then how about a little sparring match?"
"Of course. As long as you don’t find my technique too unrefined."
As they spoke, the two men actually made their way to an open area in the front courtyard.
Xu Suying rolled her eyes, hurried after them, and grabbed Xu Shiling’s sleeve. "Seriously? He’s the husband I chose, and I happen to think he’s just fine. Don’t you come here and immediately try to put him in his place."
Xu Shiling looked aggrieved. "How am I trying to put him in his place? I just want to see his skills."
"How is that any different from—"
Xu Suying didn’t get to finish, because Chen Song shot her a smile and a reassuring glance.
’Fine,’ she thought. ’If neither of them minds, then let them fight.’
"Do you need weapons?" she asked sarcastically. "We don’t have any proper ones, but there are a couple of axes, and plenty of kitchen cleavers. Take your pick."
Chen Wanqing lowered her head, hiding a gentle smile. De’an and the others were also grinning. Only Chen Song and Xu Shiling looked sheepish, rubbing their noses in embarrassment. Xu Shiling commented, "That snarky tone... that’s our Suying, all right."
Chen Song, however, said, "We won’t need weapons. We’re just exchanging a few pointers, that’s all. We’ll know when to stop."
"Hmph!"
The match in the front courtyard was a lively back-and-forth.
Chen Wanqing didn’t know the first thing about fighting. When she saw her father take a punch, she flinched.
Zhao Jing noticed and took her hand, which was as soft and warm as jade. "Don’t worry," he whispered. "They both know what they’re doing and are pulling their punches. It won’t matter if they take a hit or two."
"Easy for you to say," she retorted. "Since when does getting punched not hurt?"
"Then what do you suggest? Should I go and separate them?"
"You’d better stay put. With your pathetic skills, you wouldn’t even be able to dodge a stray punch."
Zhao Jing gave her a wry look. "Is that what you really think, Sister?"
Realizing what she had just said, Chen Wanqing quickly composed herself. "I was just spouting nonsense. Your skills are actually very impressive."
"Oh, really? Then perhaps we should have a ’practice’ session tonight?"
Chen Wanqing feigned ignorance and quickly deflected. "What’s the point of sparring with me? I’m as weak as a kitten; there’s no honor in defeating me. If you’re that good, you should... you should spar with De’an."
De’an glanced over, looking completely innocent. "Sister, why would I fight Jing? He’s trained for a few years, at least. I haven’t trained at all. Wouldn’t I just be asking for a beating?"
Xu Yanlin overheard and looked over. "De’an, you’ve really never trained before?"
A schadenfreude-filled grin spread across his face. "Oh, you’re finished. In our family, from our grandfather in his seventies down to the two-year-old toddlers, everyone starts practicing their horse stance as soon as they can walk steadily. You’re this old and you haven’t learned a single thing? Just you wait. As soon as our uncle has a moment, he’ll be sending someone to train you."