[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life":3,"chapter-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-781":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Courtyard House: A Salted Fish's Good Life",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2109968,3398,"Chapter 781: The Times Have Changed","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-781",781,"\u003Cp>Fangshan Changyang\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>When Cao Cao Weiguo’s group arrived at Second Master Cheng’s lodging, it was already past two in the afternoon. The secluded courtyard was silent, and a pitch-black crow stood on the treetop, looking around from time to time.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Second Master!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The man leading the way asked Cao Cao Weiguo’s group to wait on the spot. A moment later, an old man wearing a gray Zhongshan suit, with gray hair, triangular eyes, and a hooked nose, walked out holding a purple clay teapot, followed by six strong men, all looking fierce, with a full posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng, in a Zhongshan suit, narrowed his triangular eyes and said in a slightly hoarse voice: \"Zhao Zhao Yuanchao, right? I’ve heard your name. Why, do you want to stand up for Brother Heizi? Young man, let me advise you: it’s best not to meddle in other people’s business.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Zhao Zhao Yuanchao’s posture was very low, and he arched his hands with a smile: \"Second Master Cheng, you are an old senior, and I respect you from the bottom of my heart. I am definitely not here to stand up for Brother Heizi this time, but just to shamelessly come over to mediate. As the saying goes, it is better to resolve grievances than to harbor them. Brother Brother Heizi had eyes but didn't recognize Mount Tai, his heart was covered with pig oil, and he offended you for a moment of confusion. Now he knows he was wrong. You are a person of great stature, and I hope you can give a junior a chance to admit his mistake. As long as you are willing to raise your hand high, whatever punishment you want to give Brother Brother Heizi first, Brother Brother Heizi will have no second words.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Brother Heizi walked out with a face full of shame and knelt down toward Second Master Cheng with a thud: \"Second Master Cheng, the junior knows he was wrong, please give me a chance to admit my mistake, I, Brother Heizi, accept the beating and punishment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Hmph!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Watching Zhao Zhao Yuanchao and Brother Heizi’s performance with cold eyes, Second Master Cheng snorted expressionlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>A strong man standing behind Second Master Cheng kicked Brother Heizi over: \"You dog, you are also worthy of being a junior of the Second Master? The Second Master said he would chop off your hands, so he will chop off your hands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng said indifferently: \"Zhao Zhao Yuanchao, I know that you three brothers have people and money in the capital today, but if you want to manage my business, you are not qualified enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Zhao Zhao Yuanchao, Sun Chao, and Liu Shan were already famous on the streets in this area of the capital, but Second Master Cheng, this old senior, did not take these up-and-coming juniors seriously, even if Zhao Zhao Yuanchao was doing well for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Senior, I have self-knowledge, how could I be qualified to manage your business? I am mainly here to lead the way for a friend this time. This friend of mine has admired you for a long time, and upon learning that you came to the capital, he insisted on coming to visit you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>For Second Master Cheng’s contempt, Zhao Zhao Yuanchao was not angry, but retreated behind Cao Cao Weiguo with a face full of smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo smiled indifferently: \"I have long heard of Second Master Cheng’s great name, please forgive me for coming uninvited.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng looked Cao Cao Weiguo up and down, his face as heavy as water, his eyes like knives, his deep eyes seeming to want to press people into cakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>For Second Master Cheng’s knife-like eyes, Cao Cao Weiguo said calmly and composedly: \"Heroes will grow old, beauties will grow old, and even magnificent, tall, and indestructible cities will disappear in the long river of history. What can be left in the end is this piece of land. It never makes a sound, silently watching everything, witnessing the ups and downs of human history, witnessing the rise and fall of empires. The graves of many emperors and heroes throughout the ages are left with only a handful of yellow soil, and wild dogs will shit and pee on them. No matter how heroic and arrogant they were in their lifetime, they can only be judged by future generations...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng’s eyes were deep: \"What exactly do you want to say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Cao Cao Weiguo smiled gently: \"I want to say, old senior, the times are different.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Presumptuous!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng’s face became gloomy, and the strong man who kicked Brother Heizi shouted sharply, rushed out in one step, and raised his fist straight toward Cao Cao Weiguo’s nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Zhao Zhao Yuanchao looked panicked, Cao Cao Weiguo smiled plainly, a bow-step punch, heroic and unrestrained, fierce and surging, the explosive power like a dam breaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Eh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>That strong man was the number one lackey under Second Master Cheng, and also the best family servant and thug. Seeing Cao Cao Weiguo make a move, his face changed instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>An expert makes a move, and you know if it exists.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Swish!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Bang, bang, bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>After all, he was an experienced expert, and the strong man didn't hesitate, using the three-ring cannon in the Tongbei fist... four-level cannon... five-flower cannon... the thunderous secret attack was surprising, the fists were like wind, the tigers and wolves were walking, seeking hardness in softness, exerting force in swinging, seeking straightness in circles, the whole body inside and outside, up and down in one breath, the fists were like a rainstorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Good skills!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Facing the strong man’s swift offensive, Cao Cao Weiguo was instantly excited, his footwork was as flexible as the wind, his boxing style was not restricted to old traces, hardness and softness were combined, virtual and real changes, the boxing was like a flood, long hitting and short leaning, offense and defense were at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, the two fought quickly in the courtyard, making everyone present dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Even Zhao Zhao Yuanchao, who was prepared, and Second Master Cheng, who was relying on his age, were shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Zhao Zhao Yuanchao had long known that Cao Cao Weiguo had great skills, and one person had humiliated his three brothers until they had no power to fight back, which was why he became Cao Cao Weiguo’s lackey, working hard and risking his life for Cao Cao Weiguo in the dark. At first, he was a little reluctant, but now he was convinced, and even extremely fortunate.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng’s old face became heavy, and the tension could not be hidden in his triangular eyes. He knew too well how his subordinates were capable, with family learning and diligent practice. Looking at the three northeastern provinces, they were rare national martial arts experts. If they didn't use guns, ten enemies were not a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>In the blink of an eye, Cao Cao Weiguo used a move of the Kui Star kicking the bucket, his left leg kicked straight out, and the strong man flew out and fell heavily to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Qi Yong, stop!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"What a good Taizu Long Fist, to have practiced such high-level boxing at such a young age, it was my eyes that were clumsy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng handed the purple clay teapot to the man next to him, looking at Cao Cao Weiguo with burning eyes, his posture no longer indifferent and contemptuous as when they first met.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>No matter whether Cao Cao Weiguo was old or young, no matter what Cao Cao Weiguo’s identity was, just this kind of skill was worthy of his polite treatment.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>People with real skills are worthy of respect anytime, anywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Second Master Cheng said in a deep voice: \"I’m sorry, little brother, I didn't discipline my subordinates well, and they were suddenly reckless and offended you, please don't blame me, little brother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"It doesn't matter, moving your hands and feet, and learning from each other is nothing. Besides, I came uninvited today and visited the old senior rashly. It is normal for this brother to have a misunderstanding about me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1363,"2026-06-16T08:10:16.781Z","2026-06-17T08:52:03.356Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","f5b1599012e741266487f7465af3d80cc949a59b20c196afe6313c56963967f6","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-782","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-780",843,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsiheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-cover.jpg"]