Chapter 13 In the martial arts hall, where is the poor door?
Tai'anfang is located on the east side of the outer city. After exiting Nanmen Hutong, cross a cross street and go right.
The official residence next to the East Wucheng Bingma Si Yamen is the martial arts hall.
Along the way, Ji Yuan feasted happily.
From the salted duck, goose web and tiger skin meat at Shangde Restaurant, to the dragon beard noodles and duck blood vermicelli soup from street shops.
I ate enough food for several people to fill my stomach and calm down the strong hunger after doing the internal exercises.
"External training strengthens the body, and internal training strengthens the Qi. The two are complementary to each other. The stronger the body, the better the effectiveness of the breathing method."
After Ji Yuan took the last bite of the sesame cake, he asked for a bowl of water to rinse his mouth.
He wiped his mouth clean and stood next to the food stall set up by the vendor.
This place is opposite the gate of the martial arts hall. There is an endless stream of cars outside, with the flags of different general families flying.
The semi-annual martial arts exam is about to begin again.
The generals on each mountain top are so noble that they will naturally not be ignored.
The reputation of a martial arts examiner is a suitable enough starting point.
From now on, it doesn't matter whether he joins the army or is sent to the state capital.
He is naturally a head above others.
"Long time no see, Ninth Brother, why do you have time to eat and drink today?"
Ji Yuan was leaning against the wooden beams of the shed to protect him from the wind and rain. When his mind was wandering, a voice suddenly came from the side.
He didn't move, only glanced out of the corner of his eye.
He is a round-faced boy in his twenties, who looks well-behaved and smart.
Wearing shorts of coarse cloth on the upper body and long trousers and straw sandals on the lower body.
"Ping Xiaoliu, if you're not working at Yongding River Wharf, why would you go to Dongcheng Military and Horse Department to do it?"
Ji Yuan did a rough search and then remembered who this person was.
There are many three religions and nine schools in the outer city, and various people live in several houses in Nanmen Hutong.
This Ping Xiaoliu's father is a private salt dealer, and he makes a living with the help of salt gangs.
At a young age, he dropped out of school early and started doing business with him.
He is very smart and pleasant to talk to. If nothing unexpected happens, he should be able to take over his father's family business and make it bigger and stronger.
"Brother Ninth, you don't know that there are a lot of evil in the outer city these days, and people are dying every day for no reason."
Ping Xiaoliu didn't hide anything and told the truth frankly.
"In more than a month, three watchmen and two prostitutes died.
The day before yesterday, my father invited a steward from the Salt Gang to have a drink. Unexpectedly, he drank half of the wine. When it was almost the second watch, he was nowhere to be found.
I didn't find the body in the stable until daybreak. Half of the face had been chewed, and one leg and two arms were missing. It was so miserable that I didn't eat anything all day.
Brother Ninth, you also know that if someone loses his life, it’s a big deal, so why don’t you come over with my father to report the crime.”
Although Ji Yuan was a Tiqi, he was an official figure.
Because he never blackmailed traders or exploited people.
It has a good reputation among the neighbors.
Therefore, private salt dealers like Ping Xiaoliu did not avoid anything.
"Died in the stable, his body was separated, his face was damaged... Did he encounter a wild beast?"
Ji Yuan raised his eyebrows, feeling weird.
His professional habits in his previous life made him subconsciously analyze the cause of death and look for motives.
“Brother Ninth, the most bizarre thing is, do you know where the steward’s missing legs and arms were finally found?
The legs are in Anminfang, and the arms are in Changshoufang. These two places are separated by seven or eight streets! What a fucking ghost!"
Ping Xiaoliu seemed to be frightened, his face was a bit ugly, he shook his head and said.
"So, when it gets dark or night falls, you should go out less often.
Don't always take advantage of the lax curfew in the outer city. You only have one life, and if you die, it will be gone."
Ji Yuan's eyes flashed and he whispered.
It seems that there may be some weird things in this world that are difficult to explain with common sense.
Not surprisingly, this case should eventually be handed over to Beizhen Fusi.
"Brother Ninth, you know me well. I never go to Goulan to listen to music. I'm just waiting to save enough money to marry the daughter of the old Wang family."
Ping Xiaoliu scratched his head, smiled, and asked:
"By the way, Brother Ninth, aren't you from Beizhen Fusi? What are you doing in Wucheng Bingmasi? Are you visiting?"
Ji Yuan raised his chin, curved the corners of his mouth, and said calmly:
"Did you see the martial arts hall opposite? I was running there."
Ping Xiaoliu's eyes widened, he looked Ji Yuan up and down several times, then he gave a thumbs up and said:
"As expected of Ninth Brother! There are no martial arts schools or gangs in Tai'anfang, no one dares to go to the martial arts hall in the past few years!
No matter whether you succeed or not, you are the number one person!"
Ji Yuan smiled and didn't care about the compliment.
The masters of martial arts schools and the worshipers of gangs are, in the final analysis, just people seeking a living.
There is nothing better than taking good care of your body and practicing gun and stick since you were a child.
We even hold autumn and winter hunts every year, and are we honored by the generals who personally fight tigers and leopards?
From ancient times to the present, the situation in the arena has been one of good versus evil.
Numerous Taoist traditions and countless sects have given birth to generations of top-notch people with unparalleled grace.
Until the saint came out of the sky and overthrew the flourishing dynasty of hundreds of barbarians in one fell swoop.
The group of barbarians were driven back to Shiwanda Mountain, and a nine-border military town was set up as a solid barrier.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Jing Dynasty's iron-hoofed horses traveled across the rivers and lakes.
In addition, all the righteous sects and demonic sects were eradicated.
From then on, the people of Jing Dynasty wanted to climb up the martial arts and hone themselves.
There is only one way.
That is to enter the martial arts hall!
Because the best martial arts and the best elixirs in the world are all in the hands of the imperial court.
"Except for the six true traditions who have bowed to the imperial court early on, there is no one else who dares to say that he is a master of martial arts."
Ji Yuan restrained his thoughts, now is different from the past.
The four characters "court eagle and dog" represent the will of the saint and the laws of the Jing Dynasty.
It is a reasonable and legal violent organ.
Compared with the inner disciples of any sect, the true disciples have a much brighter future.
"So, since ancient times, taking the public examination has been the only way out."
Ji Yuan thought this, waved his hand to Ping Xiaoliu, and walked towards the martial arts hall with his head held high.
On the left and right sides of the gate are two-person-high stone carvings of 狴紴, a vermilion door with shining copper nails, full of majesty.
When Ji Yuan crossed the threshold, the first thing he saw was a square of yellow mud, paved with blue bricks, and a spacious martial arts training ground dozens of feet wide.
On both sides are displayed swords, guns, swords and halberds, and eighteen kinds of weapons.
More than a dozen young people dressed up in fancy costumes and with strong energy competed against each other or practiced alone.
The sound of shouting and shouting is endless.
"Beizhen Fusi? What happened?"
A pian with a mustache asked Ji Yuan.
The Martial Arts Hall is neither a Qingshui Yamen nor a good job.
It belongs to a special organization under the Six Ministries.
The Ministry of Household Affairs allocates money, the Ministry of Personnel verifies the candidates, and the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Punishment poach.
As for the Ministry of Industry?
The craftsmen at Tiangongyuan and Kaiwuyuan don’t care about external objects at all.
Except for the biannual martial arts competition, it will be more lively.
Usually the place is deserted and deserted.
"Beizhen Fu Si Ji Yuan wants to enter the martial arts hall."
Ji Yuan cupped his hands and replied.
"Yun Yingpao... is a Tiqi.
Your surname is Ji? Are you from the side of the Duke of Yue's family? Or are you from the Marquis of Yangwu?"
The pian was holding a booklet and preparing to register people.
He felt a little strange. He had never seen any noble general go to Beizhen Fusi to serve as a Tiqi.
This is not how you build your qualifications to become gold-plated.
Heilongtai has two yamen in the north and south, which are directly under the governor Ying, who has great skills and is deeply trusted by the saints.
Whether it is the prince who supervises the country, or several princes.
I have always avoided him, for fear of getting too close and causing suspicion and misunderstanding.
"None of them. I am from the Ji family in Liaodong, and I am from an unknown family. I am not from a noble family."
Ji Yuan was neither humble nor arrogant, and responded with a smile.
"Liaodong, it turns out that he came from a military family, no wonder he was so reckless.
Young people, listen to my advice and give up as soon as possible the thought of relying on martial arts to get ahead.
In the Thirty-sixth Square of Tianjing, in which year did the martial arts graduates come from famous families?
Since the saint no longer came to the court, no one from a humble family has been ranked number one in martial arts in the past nineteen years, let alone... Oh, let's go."
The official's eyes widened in surprise at first, and then he kept shaking his head.
He has stayed in this martial arts hall in Tai'anfang for ten years.
I have seen a lot of dirt-legged guys with no background participate in martial arts competitions with enthusiasm.
In the beginning, I was all thinking about becoming famous and crowning the world.
But in the end, not many of them had a good ending.
Either select the younger brother, look after the house and guard the courtyard, and be a personal guard;
Or because he accidentally offended a distinguished noble, his hands and feet were broken on the martial arts training field, or even his life was lost.
"Even the great general Zong, who was an ordinary and meritorious man and was known as the pillar of the Southeast, faced a lot of pressure when he entered the martial arts hall and took the martial arts examination. If he had not been appreciated by the nobles in the cabinet, he might not be in the position he is today."
The official advised sincerely.
"Don't look at Tai'anfang in the outer city. There are still many generals and nobles. Have you seen the carriage outside the door? The second son of General Fengguo, the side house of General Xuanwei's family, and the nephew of Xiaoqiwei's family, Wang Sanlang, is the worst here.
My...father was also a Forbidden Army instructor."
The implication is obvious: the threshold for joining a martial arts school is not high, but the difficulty of getting ahead is not small.
If you don't have much family background, don't join in the fun.
"Sir, I am very grateful for your kind words."
Ji Yuan's waist was straight like a big gun, and he said softly: