Swords emerge from the human world

Chapter 7, Section 7: Recruiting Soldiers at the Government Office, Classmates Practicing Swordplay
The visitor was Wang Fu, a former classmate of Chen Jin, whose courtesy name was "Caochi".

Wang Fu is thirty-three years old this year. He has a free-spirited personality, loves mountains and rivers, enjoys leisurely travel, and is not content with the status quo.

Five years ago, he passed the preliminary examination and became a student, but he failed the provincial examination repeatedly. Time passed and he was still unable to obtain the title of scholar. He remained an "old student".

Fortunately, his family were wealthy merchants in Maoxian County, and they had enough money to support him to continue taking the exams.

Wang Fu rode up in a sedan chair, and after getting off, he looked around and then went inside to examine the mountain god temple. He exclaimed, "Beautiful mountains and clear waters, truly a wonderful place!"

Chen Jin and Wang Fu had some acquaintance back in the county school, and Chen Jin asked with a question in mind, "Brother Wang, what brings you here to play?"

"I came here specifically to see you."

"Find me?"

"good."

Wang Fu sighed, "I can't stay in the city any longer."

Chen Jin was taken aback and quickly asked what was going on.

Wang Fu then said, "The day before yesterday, the county government issued a proclamation saying that the imperial court was going to wage war against the southern barbarians and had begun recruiting soldiers..."

Since its founding, the Great Qian Dynasty has always implemented a military household system, with military registration being hereditary and passed down from father to son. Even if all the heirs died out, relatives and children would be added to fill the vacancies in order to ensure the dynasty's continuity.

Under normal circumstances, people outside of military households are not required to serve in the military.

However, when the situation changes, a conscription system is activated, recruiting mostly landless vagrants, street ruffians, and all sorts of criminals.

It was a mixed bag, with lax military discipline.

The conscription system is temporary in nature, using military pay as bait and military merit as a reward to attract qualified people to "voluntarily" join the army.

If they can't recruit enough people, they will take harsh measures, such as corvée labor or even conscripting men directly.

Hence the poem says: An official was arresting people at night, but an old man escaped by climbing over the wall.

When it gets to this point, it becomes extremely serious; even people in their fifties and sixties have to go to the battlefield.

After listening, Chen Jin frowned: "Brother Wang, your family has extensive connections and can pay money to be exempted from corvée labor. Surely you wouldn't have to flee the city?"

Wang Fuyi shrugged: "That's true, but my father has his own worries, so he arranged for me to leave the city to avoid trouble. I thought of your home in Datang Township, so I came to visit you, only to find out that you've moved up the mountain to live as a hermit. You really know how to enjoy life."

Chen Jin said calmly, "Living alone, struggling to make ends meet, how can one talk about enjoyment?"

Wang Fu looked you over and said, "Tsk tsk tsk, look at you, you're glowing and looking so refreshed, much better than before... What have you been eating on the mountain to be so energetic?"

Chen Jin: "..."

The effects of practicing the "Six Qi Correct Position Method" during this period are remarkable. Although I am still in the introductory stage, the changes it brings are obvious. In addition, the improvement in my diet has made me feel completely different.

The most important thing is the transformation on a spiritual level.

No longer listless or dejected, but instead filled with a vigorous and enterprising fighting spirit.

Especially her eyes, which had lost their previous dullness and lifelessness, now shone with light.

He then said, "Perhaps people are happy to be on the mountain, enjoying the peace and quiet, and no longer having wild thoughts, so they eat and sleep well and appear more energetic."

Wang Fu clapped his hands and said, "That's excellent, just what I wanted."

Chen Jin looked puzzled: "Could it be that Brother Wang also wants to live on the mountain?"

Wang Fu sighed, "There's nothing I can do. Who told me I couldn't pass the imperial examination to become a scholar? If I had that degree, I could be exempt from all kinds of corvée labor and miscellaneous duties."

Chen Jin remained silent.

Wang Fu realized he had spoken out of turn and touched on Chen Jin's sore spot, so he quickly changed the subject: "I have already instructed my servants to clear out the other side of the hillside and build a thatched cottage. Brother Chen, from now on, we will be neighbors."

Chen Jin said "Oh": "With so many of you living here, the thatched cottage must be very big?"

"No need. Like you, I live alone. Too many people would make it noisy and unpleasant."

"How will you manage your food and shelter? Besides, the wilderness is full of birds and beasts, so it's not safe."

Wang Fu laughed heartily, "Brother Chen, now that things have come to this, I won't hide it from you anymore. I started learning martial arts at the age of six, and have studied under many famous martial arts masters, learning all eighteen weapons, especially swordsmanship. Let alone birds and beasts, even tigers and wolves, I'm not afraid. I'll cut them down with one sword, pluck their feathers, and boil them into soup." Hearing this, Chen Jin couldn't help but widen his eyes, looking at Wang Fu's physique, which was indeed quite strong and upright, with a powerful and robust appearance.

As for the level of martial arts skills, it is difficult to see clearly without their demonstration.

"You do not believe?"

Wang Fu strode over and took something out of the sedan chair: it was about three feet long and was a sheathed sword.

Its scabbard is made of genuine leather with a gleaming patina; the hilt is quite long and inlaid with jade, which shines brightly.

"This sword is named 'Qingyun'. It weighs three catties and twelve taels and is made of refined iron through a hundred forgings. It is not comparable to ordinary weapons."

He explained that as he reached out and drew his sword, its cold edge was fully revealed.

Upon seeing it, Chen Jin couldn't help but exclaim, "What a fine sword!"

Wang Fu said, "Brother Chen, please step aside so as not to frighten you."

Having said that, he immediately twirled his sword, and with a whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, he unleashed his sword techniques with a powerful and swift motion.

He is indeed skilled with a sword.

Subconsciously, Chen Jin immediately compared this sword technique with the "Huang Ting Yang Wu Sword" and felt that the opponent's moves were quite flashy and complicated, emphasizing graceful posture, which made the flaws obvious...

After demonstrating a few moves, Wang Fu sheathed his sword with a graceful movement and said with a smile, "Brother Chen, what do you think of my sword?"

Chen Jin's wording: "Impressive."

Wang Fu was self-satisfied, thinking to himself that Chen Jin didn't understand swordsmanship and couldn't possibly see its subtleties. Besides, talking about it would only seem like showing off.

He was the only son in his family, and his father hoped he would become a dragon among men, so he devoted himself to his upbringing from a young age, wanting to raise him to be a successor who was both literate and skilled in martial arts.

However, Wang Fu preferred swordplay to literature.

This trip up the mountain was well-prepared, with three mule carts, more than ten people, and all kinds of supplies and tools.

The thatched cottage was located on the other side of the hillside, standing next to the mountain god temple, with a distance of twenty or thirty feet between them.

They weren't far apart, but they weren't touching either.

In fact, the Wang family owned land and estates in the countryside, but Wang Fu was unwilling to accept his father's arrangements. After hearing about Chen Jin's deeds, he also wanted to come to the mountains to become a "hermit".

With many people, things get done. The thatched cottage was built in just two days, with one room and one bedroom; pine pillars and thatched roof, arranged in a staggered pattern, simple yet sturdy.

Once upon a time, Chen Jin dreamed of owning such a thatched cottage, but unfortunately he lacked the manpower, resources, and money, so it remained just a dream.

Now that I've gotten used to living in the mountain temple, those thoughts have gradually faded.

There was no kitchen in the thatched cottage, because all three meals were brought up by servants. As a son of a wealthy family, Wang Fu believed in keeping away from the kitchen, so why would he personally boil water and cook?

Although she lives alone, her daily needs are taken care of by a dedicated person.

This leisurely and carefree life is exactly what Chen Jin saw in the book as the "life of a hermit".

Before, I would have been incredibly envious, but now, looking at it, I realize it's not all that great.

Upon the completion of the thatched cottage, Wang Fu ordered a sumptuous feast to be prepared and invited Chen Jin to join in the celebration.

Chen Jin did not refuse. He lived a simple life and had no suitable gift, so he simply wrote a piece of calligraphy to express his feelings.

The drinking session lasted from dusk until the moon rose high in the trees.

Wang Fu sent all the servants and attendants down the mountain, leaving only him and Chen Jin.

It was a rare opportunity to eat so lavishly, so Chen Jin didn't hold back at all, drinking heartily until he was slightly tipsy.

Suddenly, Wang Fu clapped his hands and shouted, "Meiniang, there are no outsiders here, you can come out now."

A soft laugh was heard, and the curtain of the sedan chair that had been quietly parked beside the small hall was lifted, revealing a graceful woman who stepped out, swaying and twisting with each step.

(End of this chapter)