Chapter 32: Family Celebration

Not wishing to interrupt their self-satisfaction, Cheng Feng returned in the afternoon.

Was Cheng Feng not happy about entering the Outer Disciple ranks?

Of course he was happy.

But seeing so many people on the Martial Arts Training Ground expressing their joy and emotions, Cheng Feng felt that was perhaps something only a true fourteen-year-old would do.

Mentally, as an adult,

he neither needed nor allowed his emotions to be overly exposed.

This was to avoid the prying eyes of others.

Only upon returning home, back to his own territory, did Cheng Feng have his own ways of being happy.

First, he pulled the three women of the household aside and told them the results.

The three women of the house were naturally overjoyed.

He kissed Cai'er lightly, then had Xiaohua keep her company, and took Cuier to the side room.

Seeing the door being forcefully closed by Cheng Feng, Xiaohua widened her eyes in surprise and said, "Why is the master closing the door in broad daylight?"

Cai'er, however, was amused by Xiaohua's naive words, though she found it difficult to explain.

Soon, Xiaohua heard the clattering sounds from inside and asked curiously, "Sister Cai'er, just tell me."

Cai'er laughed even harder, pulling Xiaohua aside to explain in a whisper. Xiaohua was shocked: "They, they..." then her voice dropped: "It's still broad daylight, how can they do this?"

As she spoke, her face turned red. Cai'er said to Xiaohua, "Don't worry, you will have your day too, and when that time comes, it will be your turn to serve the master."

Xiaohua said she wouldn't, but in her heart, there was a budding sense of longing; having stayed in Cheng Feng's house for a long time, she knew they were all women bought by Cheng Feng.

Seeing Cheng Feng's intentions, she also knew he was preparing to have heirs and propagate his family.

The three women, including Cai'er, could see this, but they didn't feel much resentment toward it.

Cheng Feng practiced martial arts; not only did he have high standards for the quality of his food, but due to his own strong appetite, every meal in the household used carefully selected ingredients and was prepared with great care.

As a result, even though it was just an Ordinary small family, the quality of their meals was quite exceptional, and even compared to the wealthy families in the county, it was likely not far behind.

During this Great Zhou period, plagued by frequent natural and man-made disasters, the situation was turbulent and the lives of the common people were miserable. Apart from those high-ranking officials and nobles who could still enjoy wealth and luxury, the commoners at the bottom of society lived in utter wretchedness.

Local gentry and powerful clans used their influence to bully the good, colluding with the government and leaving the people in dire straits. In such an environment, everyone only cared about their own interests; who would care about those poor people suffering in the depths of misery?

Cai'er and Xiaohua knew this well, for they had personally experienced these hardships, which made them understand how hard-won their current stable life was, and thus they cherished it all the more.

In the eastern region of Great Zhou, the Red Lotus Sect was rising rapidly like a prairie fire. And Cuier, who should have been a "gift" offered by a local powerful clan to a family of influence, had been displaced by war and eventually sold here. Had Cheng Feng not stepped in to help, it is likely that even among locals, few would have been able to afford her.

After all, those wealthy families were well-traveled and knowledgeable; would they really be lacking a woman? And who could have predicted what fate Liu Cui would have faced later? Perhaps the most tragic ending would have been that, because of her beauty, she would have been resold by a Tooth Agency to a brothel, allowing the agency to make a large profit. To the brothel, she would have been nothing more than another tool for making money.

As for Cuier's own wishes and choices, what did they count for? Even if they were important, could they possibly be more important than money? In such a cruel, realistic world, an individual's fate is often so fragile and powerless, leaving one sighing with regret.

Could they be more important than the big shots behind the brothel?

Over the past two days, Cai'er, who had been arranged by Cheng Feng to temporarily manage household affairs, had also inquired about the backgrounds of the two women.

She stood firmly on Cheng Feng's side, laughing and talking about how good Cheng Feng was.

After all, Cai'er was now pregnant.

Cai'er could see the importance Cheng Feng placed on children.

Naturally, she could not bear to see her own man suffer.

Cai'er was also aware of Cheng Feng's needs in that regard.

While joking and doing chores,

the inexperienced Xiaohua felt her heart constantly stirring.

The pregnant Cai'er also felt a touch of moisture welling up in her eyes.

Xiaohua inadvertently projected herself into the scene,

dreaming of a beautiful future.

"I heard from Sister Cai'er that Brother Feng doesn't like those who are too thin," Xiaohua looked at her own toes, "Hmm, I need to keep nourishing myself; it would be best if I couldn't see my toes, just like Sister Cai'er."

The naive and innocent Xiaohua envied the figures of Cai'er and Cuier.

She held a faint expectation for her own future figure.

Finally, Cheng Feng had once again laid the foundation for his future.

After relaxing the atmosphere, he looked at the sky.

Cheng Feng estimated it was time to go home.

He had previously said he would return at least every seven days, but it had been nearly two months and he hadn't gone back.

Cheng Feng hadn't told anyone about buying three women.

Firstly, he couldn't explain the origin of the silver,

and secondly, Lao Da wasn't married yet, so it wouldn't make sense for him, the second son, to be married.

Thirdly, Cheng Feng wanted to stabilize things in the city first.

Now that he had become an Outer Disciple of the Martial Arts Hall,

and his own strength had a foundation,

if he didn't go back now, Cheng Feng himself wouldn't be able to justify it.

Thinking of it, he acted; he had Cai'er and Xiaohua pick out some things, and Cheng Feng took out the wine he had set aside for Lao Cheng at the time.

He prepared to take it back home to Lao Cheng.

He had fulfilled the promise he made to Lao Cheng last time.

Cheng Feng carried the prepared items and set off on the road home.

Along the way, he thought about how to explain his situation to his parents after arriving home.

At the same time, he was also worried about the situation in the village, wondering if his family had been safe during this time.

Soon, Cheng Feng arrived at the entrance of the village. Seeing that the village was still peaceful, the stone hanging in his heart finally fell to the ground.

He walked quickly toward the house, and before he had even entered the courtyard, he heard his mother's laughter.

Walking into the room, Cheng Feng saw his parents talking with a stranger.

It turned out to be Cheng Feng's uncle, his mother Xu Min's younger brother, Xu Minghao.

Xu Min was already very happy; her younger brother had gone out to seek his fortune and succeeded.

To be able to see each other again after many years, she did not forget their bond as siblings.

Her second son, who had been away for several months learning martial arts at a Martial Arts Hall, had also returned.

This made her even more delighted.

Her own son was promising!

Before he left, he had also arranged everything at home very well.

This made her younger brother, who had returned from afar to visit, very surprised.

Xu Minghao was indeed very surprised; others might not know what kind of person Cheng Ming was, but how could he not know?

Back then, the Xu family had agreed to his sister's marriage precisely because of Cheng Ming's honest and steady character.

He had not expected that after not seeing them for a few years, his sister's home would have taken on a completely new look.

Their food, drink, and daily expenses were all out of the ordinary.

There were even several targets standing in the courtyard.

Looking at the holes covering them, he knew that someone in the family must practice often.

Cheng Fu smiled from the side: "Come quickly and greet your uncle."

Only then did Cheng Feng step forward two paces, cup his hands, and say: "Greetings, Uncle."

He saw this uncle's appearance clearly at close range.

His predecessor had some impression of this uncle from a few years ago; it must have been when this uncle was saying goodbye to his mother.

It seemed this uncle had indeed achieved success in his ventures over these past few years.

People rely on clothes, and horses rely on saddles.

After a rough glance, Cheng Feng knew that this uncle had become wealthy.

What he wore on his head and the clothes on his body were all signs of the extraordinary status of the person before him.

Seeing his promising second son return, Cheng Fu puffed himself up: "The son is back, why haven't you gone to cook yet?"

Cheng Mu, who had been preparing to have a good talk with her second son, rolled her eyes at Cheng Fu and turned to go cook.

Cheng Feng exchanged a few pleasantries with his uncle and then presented the gifts he had brought to his parents.

Seeing that there was also liquor in the package, Xu Minghao could not help but say: "Brother-in-law, you have a good son!"

Cheng Fu said triumphantly: "That's right, don't look at whose seed he is."

Watching the two elders boasting to each other, Cheng Feng naturally and quietly retreated.

He sought out Cheng Mu to ask: "Where are the eldest brother and Lao San?"

"Those two went to Hou Shan to see if they could catch a rabbit or some birds. For these two months, your eldest brother and Lao San have been doing as you said before, and your father has been watching from the side, so they wouldn't dare to slack off," Cheng Mu said while preparing the meal, detailing the situation at home after Cheng Feng left.

"Your father also finished the cellar; it was done a few days ago. You should take a look later to see what else is needed and have your father do it, otherwise he'll be bored to death when winter comes."

Cheng Feng smiled: "I know, I know."

After chatting for a while, the eldest brother and Lao San returned, carrying bows and arrows.

They had indeed caught a rabbit.

It would be perfect to go with the evening drinks.

At dinner, Cheng Feng's parents welcomed Xu Minghao very warmly, and after they were full of food and wine, they let Xu Minghao go to the side room to rest.

And after sending Xu Minghao off, the whole family chatted for a long time.

He recounted his experiences in the city and the matter of becoming an Outer Disciple at the Martial Arts Hall.

He also indicated that Lao San was at the right age to learn martial arts, and that he had connections to get Lao San into the Martial Arts Hall as well.

Hearing this, his parents were both surprised and gratified.

They felt proud of their son's growth.

Lao San was excited; next year he would be able to go learn martial arts.

Meanwhile, the eldest brother sat to the side with a somewhat forced smile.

Uncle Xu Minghao stayed at the house for two days before returning to the county town.

Only then did Cheng Feng learn that his uncle had been hanging around gangs for the past few years.

The Blood Wolf Gang in North City.

It was said that he was now a small leader.

He had over a dozen men under him and was quite imposing.

Cheng Feng felt no ripples in his heart.

He could tell that his uncle was just an Ordinary person who had never practiced martial arts.

He must have relied on his courage and ferocity to climb his way up.

He just didn't know what level his uncle held in the Blood Wolf Gang.

Cheng Feng had no intention of competing for status.

As long as it didn't affect his own family, it didn't matter.

Looking at the eldest brother's look of yearning,

Cheng Feng felt he should say something to him.

Although the eldest brother was honest, he was an adult after all, and there was no guarantee that one day his Blood Qi would surge,

and he would leave a note and run off to join a gang.

In his own arrangements, although he had pushed Lao Da back a bit,

he hadn't truly left Lao Da out in the cold.

He had Lao Da and Lao San follow him to Hou Shan.

Lao Da Cheng Shu asked curiously, "Lao Er, what's wrong? What could you not say at home?"

Cheng Feng looked at his brothers: "I've picked up some tricks while out there, let me show you the results."

After saying this, he stood in a horse stance, channeled strength to his right hand, and felt his hand fill with power.

Without another word, Cheng Feng threw a punch at the large tree beside him.

With a "Boom—", a hole the size of a bowl was punched into the tree by Cheng Feng.

Meanwhile, the back of Cheng Feng's hand was bruised a dark blue.

Lao Da and Lao San were startled.

They looked at Cheng Feng's fist, which had not bled.

Cheng Feng looked at Lao Da and said, "Big Brother, I didn't mention your arrangements last night, but you must absolutely not run off, thinking you can make a career for yourself alone like Uncle."

Having his secret thoughts exposed, Lao Da waved his hands and said awkwardly, "No, no, how could I!"

Cheng Feng laid out his plan completely: "Big Brother, you are very important."

"The Martial Arts Hall's standard for accepting disciples is those who are underage with bones not yet set, at two taels of silver per month; for those whose bones are set, it is five taels of silver per month. I have already inquired about all of this. The reason I didn't let Big Brother go is not because of the silver, but mainly because I want Big Brother to stay home and take care of Mom and Dad, relieving me of any worries. Later, I will find a way to move our whole family into the county town. By then, Big Brother will definitely be able to practice martial arts too, and I am confident that at the latest, it will be by the end of next year or the beginning of the year after. Big Brother, believe me."

Looking at the arrangements his second younger brother had made for him, Cheng Shu simply opened up and asked, "Why didn't you say so last night?"

"Big Brother, if I tried to get both of you into the county town in one go, first, I'm afraid I couldn't handle it myself; after all, I had to rely on someone to get in, and trying to arrange for two people at once would put pressure on them! Taking it one by one is the best choice. Besides, would Dad let you go after hearing that?"

Cheng Feng was undoubtedly skilled at speaking; he sincerely and earnestly avoided the heavy and focused on the light, using flowery words to break down the situation.

One was that he had relied on someone to get in and there was a third party involved.

The second was that Mom and Dad still needed him to take care of them, which highlighted the original theme.

After hearing this, Cheng Shu stopped struggling; he understood his own father, who definitely would not have agreed.

Seeing that the time was right, Cheng Feng added one more sentence: "Big Brother, do you really think you can easily make something of yourself out there?"

This one sentence doused the hot blood in Cheng Shu's heart.

There were people in the village who had gone out to seek their fortunes for decades and still hadn't sent back any news.

Could he really leave Mom and Dad behind?

Seeing that Cheng Shu had the intention to give up, Cheng Feng struck while the iron was hot: "So Big Brother, please bear with it for a year; I'll leave Mom and Dad to your care."

Having let go of his inner knot, Cheng Shu laughed and scolded: "Do you even need to say that?"

Seeing the crisis resolved, Lao San finally let out a slow sigh of relief.

No one else could have said this as well as Second Brother.

Sometimes Lao San could also feel Big Brother's confusion; it was a sense of unwillingness and panic regarding the road ahead.

Lao San didn't understand, but he could feel that his Big Brother, whom he spent every day with, was unhappy.

Seeing Big Brother's smile, Lao San finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Cheng Feng continued: "Big Brother, for the next period of time, you and Lao San must not stop exercising. Keep up the training, and Archery cannot be neglected either. Lao San is young and cannot pull the bow, so it can only be you in our family. Once you have practiced it well, it will be of great use."

Cheng Shu nodded and said, "Rest assured, I will not neglect Archery."

Cheng Feng gave a suggestion: "When you're done, you can find Master Liu Hao for some guidance."

After saying this, they chatted about their experiences with Archery.

Cheng Feng was still thinking about being able to cultivate his Big Brother into a skilled archer; that way, his own Archery skills could improve faster through mutual discussion.

Cheng Feng could practice himself, but given his own mediocre aptitude, it would likely take a very long time, and he might encounter bottlenecks and stop progressing.

Adding points was fine.

But it was taxing on the kidneys!

Cheng Feng was still thinking about saving some to use elsewhere.

On the third day, Cheng Feng bid farewell to his family and returned to the city.