Lihuo Province, Longxiang City.

The scorching sun is like fire, burning the creatures on the earth. The setting sun passes under the eaves and shines into the thatched cottage of Zhuxiang Academy.

"Next, I want to announce the results of the last "Shu Jing" exam." A white-haired old man in the study hall looked down at the audience and said sternly, "Anyone who failed will be penalized for the first ten chapters of this "Shu Jing" exam."

Copy it twice!”

The thatched cottage under the stage was filled with twenty or thirty people, all six or seven-year-old children. Upon hearing this severe punishment, their young cheeks were full of anxiety and nervousness.

"There are only ten questions this time, but only one person got them all right."

"Who is so powerful?"

The children opened their dark eyes wide and looked around with curiosity and admiration.

"He is Tang Lin." A smile appeared on the old man's stern face and he looked towards a corner of the thatched cottage.

All the children turned around and looked.

Sitting in the last row of seats in the thatched cottage was an eleven or twelve-year-old child with delicate features, a gray-white gown, flowing black hair, and a white scholar's hat on his head. With his thin and frail body, he exuded a strong scholarly atmosphere.

"It turns out to be brother Tang Lin!"

"Three of the questions in this test are from the "Martial Arts Code". His family runs a martial arts school. No wonder he can get them all right."

The eyes of these children sparkled with admiration, while some of the stronger ones pouted in grievance.

The old man lowered his face and said: "Although Tang Lin's family runs a martial arts school, he only entered school when he was ten years old, and his time in the academy is not as long as yours. You must strive to surpass him, do you understand?"

"Got it!" the children responded in unison.

"Okay." The old man nodded slightly, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival and the academy is on holiday. Everyone should go back early."

"Have a holiday?"

"Very good!"

When they heard about the holiday, a group of children immediately became happy, quickly packed up their books, and filed out quickly carrying book baskets.

"Mid-Autumn Festival..." A glimmer of light flashed in Tang Lin's eyes, "I wonder if the eldest brother and second sister who went to the Shenwu Gate in the capital to run for election will come back this year."

He quickly packed up his things, left the academy and went straight to his home.

Tang Lin's home is located to the north of Longxiang City in a relatively remote environment. It can be reached in half an hour by walking straight along the path outside the academy.

Looking from afar, an old building stands on a deserted street. There are many maple leaf trees nearby. The door is full of fallen leaves because no one has cleaned it. There are few people here. There are two stone lions in front of the spacious mansion. The door is open and there are no people.

People guard.

Four large gold characters on the door: Chunyang Martial Arts School!

Walking along the gate, a straight bluestone road led directly to the main hall. Tang Lin happily ran out of the main hall. Before he walked in, he heard a strange middle-aged man's voice from inside, "Tang Tian, ​​your mansion."

The rent for the land is now nine months in arrears. Please give me a deadline when you are ready to pay."

"Brother Lantian, I've been really nervous recently. Although I opened a martial arts gym, you also know that martial arts gyms are scattered all over the city and are extremely competitive. Our Chunyang Martial Arts Gym is only a third-rate martial arts gym at most, with little income.

I'm humble, I really can't afford that much money at the moment." A loud voice said with embarrassment.

Tang Lin could tell that it was his father's voice. He was a little confused, so he secretly walked behind the stone pillar outside the main hall and looked around. He saw a middle-aged man standing in the hall, with a wide body and a fat body, a slightly bulging lower abdomen, and a body full of purple brocade.

Noble, he should be the "Brother Lantian" in his father's mouth.

The father stood aside. He was wearing a gray short shirt and his exposed muscles were as hard as steel. His tall and majestic body stood in front of the middle-aged man, but he seemed to be shorter than him. The smile on his face was a bit embarrassing.

and ugly.

"No money?" Lan Tian raised his eyebrows, "I think your Chunyang Martial Arts School was the largest martial arts school in Longxiang City back then. Although it declined later, the funds stored will definitely not be small, right?"

The largest martial arts gym? Tang Lin was startled when he overheard it.

In Tang Lin's view, his family was just a third-rate martial arts gym, which was barely able to survive. How could it once be the largest martial arts gym in Longxiang City?

It seems that I have never heard these words from my father.

Tang Tian sighed bitterly, "That was my father's time. Later, the martial arts school had many problems and all the funds were spent. Our whole family cut down on food and clothing. Where did the money come from?"

Lan Tian sneered and said: "Stop pretending, Tianlong Martial Arts School came to buy your mansion some time ago and was willing to pay three times the price for you to transfer it to them, but you refused. If you were really so poor, you would have

Just sell it, and you said it yourself, now your Chunyang Martial Arts School is just a third-rate small martial arts school, occupying such a large rented land is a complete waste of resources."

"This mansion leased land has been owned by my grandfather's generation. The foundation of my Tang family is here. I will never transfer it to anyone!" Tang Tian raised his head and looked directly at Lan Tian, ​​"As long as you give me two more months.

If you have time, I will definitely raise the money to give it to you."

"Two months?" Lan Tian smiled disdainfully, "What do you do with this little time?"

Tang Tian breathed a sigh of relief, with a smile on his face, "Last year, my son and daughter went to the Shenwu Sect in the capital to run for election. News will come within two months. As long as they join the Shenwu Sect, it is possible for them to become warriors in the future.

It’s very simple to come up with the land rent.”

"Am I a three-year-old child?" Lan Tian glanced at him, his voice full of ridicule, "Who doesn't know that your son is a waste born with weak blood and blood, unable to practice martial arts, and can only go to an academy to study. What future will he have?

"

Tang Tian's face suddenly darkened, and he said coldly: "Lantian, you're not too much! I'm talking about my eldest son and daughter. They are less than eighteen years old this year, and they are already senior martial arts students. They will only need to work hard in the future.

, there is still hope to become a warrior! And although my youngest son, although he has been weak since he was a child, his grades in the academy are now top-notch. In the future, if he succeeds in the examination of being a scholar or a member of the Yuan Dynasty, and gets an official position in the court, he can also

If you are blessed throughout your life, you will never be a waste!"

His angry face exuded a cold aura, and he stood in front of Lantian like a giant in an instant.

Tang Lin's heart was shocked, and a wave of heat surged from his heart.

"Father..." His eyes were a little moist.

Ever since he was found to have congenital anemia when he was practicing martial arts at the age of six, his father has been taking him to visit famous doctors. He takes a lot of medicinal herbs every day to replenish his body, but there is still no improvement. By the time he is ten years old, he has passed the best bone-building period.

It was already difficult to achieve success in martial arts, so I was forced to change my career to literature.

He had known since he was a child that his family was not well off and that the martial arts gym was expensive. For this, he had been filled with guilt and self-blame. In order to save tuition, he even planned to drop out of school and go out to find a job to supplement the family income. He never expected that his father would actually

Such high hopes were placed on him.

Lan Tian's expression changed due to the aura of Tang Tian, ​​and he also said with a cold face: "I don't care about you, the Shenwu Sect in the capital is not that easy to enter, I will give you another month, if you haven't paid yet

If you come out, I will report it to the government and sue you for breach of contract!"

Tang Tian clenched his fists and stared at Lan Tian like an angry lion. His body was shaking slightly with anger and he was speechless.

Lan Tian was a little worried in his heart. Although he had the power of the imperial court, the man in front of him was a senior martial arts student after all. He could tear himself to pieces in an instant. He snorted coldly and was about to turn around and leave. Suddenly he thought of something and looked at him with a smile.

Tang Tian.

"For the sake of old friends, by the way, Tianlong Martial Arts School seems to be interested in Wolong Pond behind your mansion. Although it used to be a geomantic treasure land, it has been over-developed for too long and has long been abandoned. You can take advantage of it while it still has some

Value, if you sell it as soon as possible, you can still get some money for it."

After saying that, he turned around and left leisurely without looking at Tang Tian's gloomy face.

"Bang!"

He slapped his palm on the table and the wooden table shattered into pieces.

Tang Tian watched Lan Tian disappear at the door of the house, his eyes almost bursting with fire.

Seeing his father's angry look, Tang Lin secretly gritted his teeth and said, "Tang Lin, Tang Lin, although you can't practice martial arts, as long as you study hard, you will still have a chance to stand out in the future. As long as you pass the provincial academic and political tour examination in two years' time.

If you pass the exam, you can become a scholar, you can get the grain distributed by the court every month, and you can have the opportunity to participate in the provincial examination. If you can pass the provincial examination, you can serve as a court civil servant and get a salary. Although the salary is not much, it is enough to pay.

I can afford the land rent.”

In the Cangxue Dynasty, civilian officials were far inferior to military officials, but this was Tang Lin's only way out at the moment.

He took a deep breath and clenched his fists.

"Who?" Father's deep voice came from the room.

Tang Lin secretly shouted in his heart. He didn't expect his father to be so sharp and have such strength. According to the records in the "Martial Arts Code", he should be able to hear a needle drop within three feet.

He is worthy of being a senior martial arts student!

With a secret admiration, Tang Lin walked in and called out respectfully, "Father, it's me."

"Lin'er, why did you come back so early today?" Seeing that it was Tang Lin, the gloom on Tang Tian's face swept away, and he showed a doting smile. He walked over and picked up the heavy book basket on Tang Lin's body, "Thank you for your hard work."

Come on, go and have a rest, let your Granny Song cook you something delicious tonight."

"Father, the man just said that we were once the largest martial arts school in the city. Is that true?" Tang Lin raised his head and looked at his tall father curiously.

Tang Tian was startled for a moment and looked at him, "When did you come back?"

"Just now." Tang Lin said honestly.

Tang Tian looked a little complicated. He originally didn't want Tang Lin to know these things. Although Tang Lin was sensible, he was still too young after all. "I didn't expect you to hear it. It seems that I am really old and didn't even notice that there was someone outside."

..." There was bitterness in his voice.

Tang Lin felt a pain in his heart, and quickly stretched out his white and tender hands to grab his father's rough big hands. He felt the calluses left from martial arts training on them, and felt even more pity in his heart. He said softly, "Father, you are not old. The book says so."

, when you are in your forties, you are too focused on me to notice me."

Tang Tian felt warm in his heart and rubbed his son's black hair on his forehead, "You are the most sensible person. I, Tang Tian, ​​can have a son like you and I will have no regrets in this life. That person is right. In your grandfather's generation, our martial arts school

It used to be the largest martial arts gym in the city, and everyone knows it. Even the city lord would get off his sedan chair and stop his horse when he came to my house. But something happened later and the martial arts gym began to decline." There was sadness and sigh in his voice.

"What is it?" Tang Lin was even more curious.
To be continued...