Promise!

Chapter 60, Change

"Brother Zhuang, the scene a few months ago when you came to me to register as a formal warrior and promoted to a one-pattern servant is still fresh in my mind. In the blink of an eye, you have now broken through the three classics and are the same as me!" Chang Hetong exclaimed.

Today, his attitude towards Zhuang Jin is different again. It can be seen from the way he addresses him that he has changed from "Brother Zhuang" to "Brother Zhuang". Obviously, he has changed from the psychological superiority of the elders towards the younger ones to an equal interaction with peers.

Afterwards, he presented a gift of five taels of silver, which could be considered quite generous. Of course, this was more of an investment.

Ping Yongfeng came over almost immediately. He felt a little awkward facing Zhuang Jin and opened his mouth: "Zhuang..."

For warriors, strength is the most important thing, and seniority is determined by strength. In the outer courtyard of the Shen family, you can often see older warriors saluting and greeting younger warriors first.

If we only consider the relationship between Zhuang Jin and Ping Yongfeng from the perspective of the month they were martial artists and the time they taught standing meditation, the teacher-student relationship is not that of a "master", but more like a "teacher".

Ping Yongfeng naturally treated the other three-class warriors with a lower-level attitude, but Zhuang Jin... Zhuang Jin's breakthrough was too fast, so fast that he couldn't change his mentality for a while.

"Master Ping, you used to treat me like your own son or nephew. I'm worthy of the title 'Master'. Just call me Jinzi as before."

When Zhuang Jin saw Ping Yongfeng's reaction, he immediately understood and immediately returned to the way they had been getting along before to help him out.

In his heart, Ping Yongfeng was indeed different, even a little different from Chang Hetong. He could feel that Chang Hetong's kindness to him was purely an investment for future returns. Ping Yongfeng was the same at the beginning, but later he really developed some feelings for him.

Putting it this way, if Zhuang Jin's talent suddenly declined, Chang Hetong would probably become estranged quickly, but Ping Yongfeng might still treat him like his own son or nephew.

People have their own standards. Zhuang Jin thought back to when he had broken through to the martial artist level, and Ping Yongfeng had carefully instructed him on the theory of making up for his losses; he thought back to the detailed, almost nagging, parental instructions he had given to the Shen family's outer courtyard on the way to register as a martial artist; he thought back to that afternoon after breaking through the second level, when he had brought exotic beast meat to him, forced two taels of silver on him, held his wrist, and said, "Show me the higher realms of martial arts," and told him to come to him if he had any financial difficulties...

He has an emotional recognition of Ping Yongfeng in his heart.

"Good! Good!"

Ping Yongfeng saw that Zhuang Jin still had the same attitude as before, without any change, and he felt relieved and touched. He raised his hand, as if he wanted to pat Zhuang Jin on the shoulder, but he didn't do it and put it down again - Zhuang Jin was not alienated from him, but he also had to be sensible and pay attention to the other person's face, so for a moment, he seemed a little at a loss.

"This silver..."

"Thank you, Master Ping!" Zhuang Jin looked at the silver Ping Yongfeng took out and estimated that it was at least ten taels, but he suddenly interrupted and gave a wink.

He knew Ping Yongfeng's intentions, but if he put himself in his shoes, he couldn't just make a quick buck and let Ping Yongfeng offend others.

——Ping Yongfeng is just a two-level servant. Giving too many gifts is equivalent to putting others in a position of provocation.

Ping Yongfeng immediately understood. He thought that Zhuang Jin had broken through the three classics, which consumed more resources and was in urgent need of silver. However, he forgot this point. He glanced at another warrior who came in to congratulate him and only took out three taels of silver.

"Okay, you're busy here. There must be a lot of people coming today, so I won't sit down. Our relationship doesn't need these superficial things. As I said before, if you need anything, just come to my place."

This is because I don't want to cause trouble for Zhuang Jin.

Zhuang Jin sensed this affection and felt secretly grateful, so he sent Ping Yongfeng out the door.

……

Because the news of breaking through the three classics spread, Zhuang Jin had been kind to others in the outer courtyard of the Shen family in the past two months and had a good relationship with them. Many people came to congratulate him at noon that day and gave him gifts of three or five taels of silver.

After a while, someone arrived who surprised Zhuang Jin a little: Guo Jun.

"Master Zhuang, I heard that you have broken through the Three Sutras realm. Congratulations." Guo Jun bowed his waist, put himself in a lower position, and handed over three taels of silver.

He didn't know that Hou Yong was dead yet. After the last reconciliation, Hou Yong came to him every now and then, but nothing happened. Since last month, Hou Yong has gradually returned to his previous state. He basically comes here only to pay tribute after collecting the fee. Today he came to congratulate Zhuang Jin on breaking through the three classics.

Guo Jun was truly shocked when he heard Zhuang Jin had broken through to the third level. The month before last, he'd already overestimated Zhuang Jin's talent when he'd heard he'd broken through to the second level, but he'd still underestimated him! He could have been indifferent to the second level, but not the third level. So, he came to offer a congratulatory gift, more as an apology than anything else, hoping Zhuang Jin wouldn't dwell on that little incident.

"Thank you, Master Guo Wu." Zhuang Jin accepted the silver and nodded with a smile. If the other party knew what was good for him and knew his limits, it would be fine to stop here.

……

At noon that day, at the Tang family.

"Then, give me five taels of silver later."

Tang Wentao sighed as he spoke, "Zhuang Jin, that kid, broke through to the second level the month before last when I taught him martial arts. Now, just a few days later, he's already broken through to the third level. Not bad! Really good! The young are truly formidable!"

"Another gift for students?" Mrs. Tang frowned and went in, and soon took out one or two taels of silver.

"Didn't you say you'd take five taels of silver? Why is there only one?"

"It's just one tael, take it or leave it!" Tang's wife sneered, "You have this old habit of liking talented students. How many gifts have you given out over the years? Two or three hundred taels, right? But how many of them have a conscience? How much have they given back?"

"Look at what you're saying. There aren't any weddings or funerals in our family. How can we possibly come back?"

"Then during the holidays, the threshold of our house must have been trampled down by your students, right?" Mrs. Tang said sarcastically.

"This..." Tang Wentao was choked and said, "My student is called Zhuang Jin. He is different. I think he is grateful and repays his kindness..."

Tang's wife rolled her eyes at him. "Last time, the time before that, wasn't that what you said? Ten taels of silver were given away, and it was all wasted... No, it was just wasted, and I could still hear the sound. But what did you get from those two students as gifts? Let's not talk about anything else, and I don't ask for much in return. Like we said before, it's okay to visit during the holidays. Has anyone ever done that?"

"This..." Tang Wentao was speechless.

He has been teaching martial arts in the Shen family for some years. He started teaching when the Shen family did not start recruiting martial artists from outside. At that time, he taught students recommended by relatives. Since then, he has liked students with good talents.

But this person, although talented, may not have a good character; a martial arts teacher like him is at best a "master", and he is also very concerned about his reputation, so when he goes to give people gifts, he cannot lower his status or say compliments; moreover, people with good talents have many people to curry favor with... Due to all these factors, the result is: money is spent, but little is gained.

Tang Wentao stammered for a moment before saying, "Don't talk about that. Didn't I just find a student connection two months ago and arrange for my third nephew to go to the medicinal fields outside the city?"

"Yeah, I finally got some good deals, but your relatives took them all!"

When Tang's wife heard this, she became even more angry. She pinched her waist and said, "You're such a face-saver. You agreed when someone offered you something. You even paid for something done by your former student... Look at you, even if you gave gifts to maintain relationships and gained benefits, it would still be someone else taking advantage of you. You might as well save it."

"You, what you said... Never mind, I won't argue with you. If you don't want five taels, can you give me three taels?"

"Just one or two taels, not a penny more!"

"No, that one~"

Tang Wentao said earnestly: "One tael of silver is really too ugly. Besides, this student is really different. I can't be wrong..."

Seeing that his wife remained unmoved even after he had talked till his mouth was dry, he angrily said, "You woman, you have long hair and short knowledge!"

Seeing her husband still raging, Tang's wife also got angry. She stood up, her belly sticking out as she faced him. "What? You want to hit me? You heartless man! I gave birth to two sons for you, and you still want to hit me? I'm pregnant with another one. Come on, hit him! Beat him to death!"

"I...you...Alas!" Seeing his wife like this, Tang Wentao had no choice but to flick his sleeves and leave with a tael of silver.

……

(End of this chapter)