From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 33 Dugu
After arriving at the training ground and warming up a little, Meng Yuan tried out the power of the Qilin Arm.

Now the four acupoints on the right arm have been opened, and the infusion of true qi has increased his strength.

Take a horse stance, put your strength into your waist, press the support of the millstone with both hands, and then slowly lift it up.

He slowed down for a moment, then the true energy in his dantian surged to his right arm. He slowly loosened his left hand. Meng Yuan lifted the stone mill with just his right arm and held on for more than thirty breaths.

Putting down the stone mill and taking a breath, Meng Yuan estimated that the strength of his right arm alone was about two hundred kilograms. If he could infuse his right arm with true energy, it would be almost three hundred kilograms.

The improvement is not big, but it is not small either.

Although strength can be improved after entering the realm of Qi, strength cannot be quantified. It is not the case that opening an acupoint will increase one hundred pounds of strength, but there are differences between each person.

After the acupoints are opened, their strength is still related to one's original strength, the strength of one's muscles and bones, and the amount of true Qi that the acupoints can carry. Some people gain more strength, while others gain less.

Even those who have achieved enlightenment are not as strong as those who have not.

To put it bluntly, the ninth rank is not much different from ordinary people, and even if they fight with ordinary people, they may not be able to win.

But after entering the level, the body is more coordinated and the reaction is faster. Its special feature is that it can nourish the true qi, and then combined with the fist and sword method, as well as the method of true qi circulation, it is not difficult to surpass ordinary people.

If one can also comprehend the eight-character method of combining Qi with strength, and intention with Qi taught by Master Nie, then he will be considered outstanding among his peers.

After another whole morning of training, it was almost noon, but there was still no sign of Master Nie!
"You don't do your job all day! I can't even find anyone to borrow money from!" Meng Yuan cursed secretly.

Taking advantage of the break, Wu Changsheng and Hu Qian also came to ask, and a group of students also came up curiously, asking about Master Nie's news.

"Master Nie has been so lazy lately, he doesn't look like a commander!" Meng Yuan criticized in his heart, but as soon as he opened his mouth he asked, "What are you doing?"

Meng Yuan frowned, looking very serious, and said dissatisfiedly: "Master Nie has been away for several days. Have you lost your backbone? You should know that this is Master Nie's test of us, and also his recognition of us! Because Master Nie knows that even if he is not here to supervise, everyone will never be lazy, will never slack off, and will even increase training! Don't you agree?"

"Yes!" The young men couldn't stand the excitement and responded loudly.

Meng Yuan was very pleased and wanted to leave, but when he saw that Hu Qian seemed to agree with him, he put on a serious look again.

"We all have different backgrounds. Some were born as slaves, some were born as refugees, and I myself was born as a gelder!"

Meng Yuan said loudly, "I was almost dying of hunger and cold, but it was the princess who gave me food, water, and a house to live in! Although everyone works hard every day, they are well fed and well clothed! In the future, you will be like me, or even live better than me! Tell me, who gave all this to you?"

Showing loyalty is something that knows no time or place.

"Princess!" the young men responded.

"Who will give us food?" Meng Yuan asked again.

"Princess!" The voice became louder and louder.

"Who will give us clothes?" Meng Yuan asked again.

"princess!"

“Who do we owe allegiance to?”

"Princess!" the boys shouted at the top of their lungs.

Meng Yuan was very pleased to see that the cohesion had emerged and the enthusiasm was high.

Eh? But suddenly, Meng Yuan realized that this series of words was like raising a group of assassins.

"Everyone just keep these words in mind and be sincere! Don't tell anyone about it!" Meng Yuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and added.

"Yes!" the boys shouted.

"Okay, okay, keep your voice down." Meng Yuan didn't dare to stay for long. He left the training ground and headed straight for Zuiyue Tower.

When Meng Yuan arrived at Zuiyue Tower, he saw Nie Qingqing and said directly, "Sister, I have no money."

Seeing Meng Yuan speak directly and straightforwardly, Nie Qingqing laughed and shook her head, "Didn't you ask my dad for it?"

"I don't know what Master Nie is busy with. He hasn't been to the training ground for several days." Meng Yuan said.

"Then she's probably busy with martial arts." Nie Qingqing smiled, "Come on, sister is a man of her words and will never let you go hungry."

She called a waiter over, whispered a few words to him, then walked up the stairs slowly with light lotus steps.

Zuiyue Tower is located in the prosperous area of ​​​​the south city, built by the river.

Based on the location alone, Meng Yuan felt that Zuiyue Tower should not be just Nie Qingqing's business, and he was afraid that there was someone behind Master Nie.

It was a warm spring day, and it was almost noon. There were many elegant guests on the second floor. Judging from their attire, they were mostly scholars and children from wealthy families. Some were discussing poetry, while others were chatting and talking. Although there were many people, it felt quiet.

Nie Qingqing invited Meng Yuan to sit in a corner, and then a servant brought various snacks, candied fruits, and a pot of wine.

"Sister Qingqing, I just heard you say that Master Nie is busy with martial arts business. Does he also have martial arts business?" Meng Yuan had already seen that with Master Nie's temper, he would never stay in the palace obediently.

Moreover, Master Nie also said that he had been with the princess's brother, and they might have fought together. Therefore, the princess did not control Master Nie too much, and Xunmei also treated Master Nie as a junior.

It is normal for Master Nie to do some business outside.

"He and Uncle Zhang opened this business together. It's been open for a few years and the business is pretty good." Nie Qingqing obviously understood this. She added, "The martial arts industry recruits people with some family background. They practice differently from you. They mainly use medicinal baths and use physical training as a supplement."

Meng Yuan understood. Master Nie does not make money from the poor. The martial arts industry only accepts people who have some spare money and cannot endure the hard training day and night, so he mainly uses medicinal baths.

From this point of view, the harvest must be very good! Meng Yuan was very jealous. Master Nie made money but didn't even mention helping him.

"Master Nie, do you still need help? I have a family to support and I'm really short of money. Please give me some advice, sister." Meng Yuan said sincerely without any reservation.

Nie Qingqing heard these straightforward words, smiled and poured the wine, "Don't worry, drink it."

Meng Yuan took the wine glass and drank it in one gulp. Just as he was about to ask more questions, he saw a group of people escorting a young man in gorgeous clothes up the stairs.

The young man was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a fat head and big ears, and a very blessed appearance. He gently waved a folding fan in his hand, as if trying hard to pretend to be elegant and literary.

Among his followers, there were two with sharp eyes and swords on their waists. They were probably warriors of the ninth rank, but only.

There were also four people dressed as scholars, probably hangers-on who were there to join in the fun. Behind them followed a few servants, among whom there was an acquaintance, Liu He who had been driven out of the military training ground.

The receptionist at Zuiyue Tower led everyone to the private room, but the young man refused and insisted on sitting in the lobby facing the river, saying that watching the river would inspire him to write poetry.

Liu He was obviously a man with good eyesight. He immediately led the way and started wiping the table, more diligently than the shop assistants.

Meng Yuan took a glance and saw that Liu He was trying to curry favor with him, but the young man didn't even glance at him.

"Sister, do you know them? Are they regular customers?" Meng Yuan was in the corner and Liu He did not notice this side.

"You don't even know him?" Nie Qingqing laughed.

When Meng Yuan heard this, he immediately understood and whispered, "Is it Prince Xin?"

Nie Qingqing smiled and nodded.

The surname of the Qing state is Dugu. It is said that the founding emperor had no father or mother and was born and raised by nature, so he was given the surname Dugu.

There are also rumors that Taizu was born in a Buddhist temple and changed his surname to Dugu after returning to secular life.

Of course, the official version is that he is a descendant of a great scholar from the previous dynasty.

Prince Xin is the uncle of the current emperor. He is in his forties and was once a fiefdom outside the capital.

Later, his first wife died of illness, and Prince Xin was banished to Songhe Prefecture for some unknown reason. It was here that he was granted a marriage by the emperor, but after so many years of remarriage, he still had no children.

Today, this prince is the son of Prince Xin’s first wife, and is Prince Xin’s only flesh and blood.

Meng Yuan had been in the palace for nearly two months, but he knew very little about the affairs of the palace. On the one hand, he practiced hard day and night, but on the other hand, he could not find anyone to ask.

"The prince's name is Dugu Kang, and all of his generation are named after stars. The prince is honest, and outsiders all praise him for his pure character." Nie Qingqing said with a low laugh.

The so-called pure quality generally means simple and unsophisticated.

"Pure?" Meng Yuan was puzzled.

Nie Qingqing smiled and nodded.

Meng Yuan understood that the so-called pure quality was not a nice word. It probably meant that the brain was not working very well.

However, as a descendant of the royal family, fools have their own blessings.

Seeing that Nie Qingqing was willing to talk, Meng Yuan poured wine while asking, "The princess and Prince Xin are not on good terms, and Steward Liu is from the princess' hometown. How come Steward Liu's son is the prince's attendant?"

Meng Yuan first assumed a premise.

As expected, Nie Qingqing obviously recognized the premise that the princess and Prince Xin were not on good terms. She smiled faintly and said, "General Manager Liu was born a refugee. Although he has the title of general manager, he actually has no experience. He is just in charge of things that Xunmei and others are not convenient to handle. There are countless people in this world who want to climb up the social ladder but can't figure it out. It's nothing strange."

It turns out that the princess and Prince Xin really don't get along! And from what Nie Qingqing said, the princess is the real high branch.

(End of this chapter)