The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

Yan Fugui, however, had always prided himself on his shrewdness. He knew exactly what anyone in the courtyard was thinking. He had even seen through Yi Zhonghai's schemes before and had never been fooled. But this time, he had been fooled by a young man.

It's true that being too clever for one's own good can backfire.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Yang Ping's lips.

Liu Haizhong understood that Liu Guangqi was determined to leave, which made things easier.

That brat dared to spread rumors in front of Xu Banxia; he was practically courting disaster.

"Dear neighbors,"

Liu Haizhong cleared his throat, his voice carrying through the courtyard, "If you see Guangqi showing any signs of stepping out of this courtyard tomorrow, please be sure to let me know."

He revealed his son's plan for this very reason.

This eldest son must not be let go; he must be kept close by.

Only with Liu Guangqi around could his hopes of climbing the ranks not be dashed.

"become!"

Don't worry!

Scattered echoes of agreement rang out from all around.

Once the matter was settled, Yan Fugui took the initiative to bow and bid farewell.

Liu Guangqi was unemployed and was clearly a hopeless case, so there was no point in staying any longer.

Seeing this, the others also dispersed in twos and threes.

Yang Ping turned around and went back to her own house.

Liu Haizhong slumped back into the old chair, feeling increasingly uneasy as he pondered the situation. He looked up at the inner room and said, "My wife, could you go and ask Yi Zhonghai to ask for leave for me?"

I'm not going to work tomorrow; I'll just stay and watch over that kid Guangqi.

He still didn't trust others and felt that he had to keep a close eye on things himself to be sure.

If Liu Guangqi were to slip out of this courtyard house, in the vast city of Beijing, with its countless people, finding him would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

He couldn't afford to lose his eldest son.

"Dad! You can't do this!"

Liu Guangqi suddenly jumped up from the corner, his eyes bloodshot. "I have to go to Shimen with Banxia! I absolutely have to go!"

Before he finished speaking, he rushed toward the courtyard gate like a trapped beast.

He couldn't care less about the capital or his home at that moment; all he cared about was Xu Banxia.

"Guangtian! Guangfu! Stop him!"

Liu Haizhong's face turned pale instantly, and he shouted urgently.

His aging body couldn't keep up with the legs of a young man in his twenties, so he hurriedly called his two youngest sons forward.

"Yes, sir!"

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu readily agreed and rushed forward in a few steps.

The two figures darted out like arrows, their speed so fast that only afterimages remained.

They had never been beaten before, and dodging the belts that were being swung at them was part of their daily training, so they still had most of their strength left.

Liu Guangqi, however, was covered in injuries, bruises and welts. He had neglected his training and was now moving much more slowly.

In the blink of an eye, he was pinned to the ground by his two younger brothers.

"Guangtian, Guangfu! Let me go!"

Liu Guangqi shouted hoarsely.

"Don't even think about it!"

The two were resolute.

The grudge had been brewing for a long time, and besides, if he were really let go, he would definitely be beaten up next—who would want to suffer for nothing?

"Quick! Get a rope and tie it securely!"

Liu Haizhong made a decisive decision.

In the blink of an eye.

Liu Guangqi was then firmly tied to a beam or pillar in the room.

"Dad, we can take turns watching over him. Why tie the child up like this? It's going to hurt him."

The second aunt felt a pang of heartache upon seeing this.

"Not tied up? He'll be gone in the blink of an eye!"

Liu Haizhong retorted in a deep voice.

"From this day forward, anyone who dares to loosen this rope will be kicked out of the Liu family's gate!"

He gave a stern order.

The second aunt's face turned pale.

Ultimately, having no other choice, he had to move outside, cross the courtyard to find Yi Zhonghai, and ask for leave on Liu Haizhong's behalf.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu naturally wouldn't touch the knot—they would never do something so foolish as to invite trouble.

……

The morning light of a rest day spills through the window.

Yang Ping pushed open the door and went out.

A wooden bucket was casually placed by the door, filled with yesterday's clothes, waiting for Ma Xiaoling to come and collect them for washing.

Now, apart from cooking and lighting fires, I don't have to do any other chores. Life is as easy as floating on clouds.

Lu Xun's words are indeed true: When good things are offered to you, there is no need to refuse them; just accept them willingly.

Yang Ping closed the door behind her and slowly pushed the old bicycle toward the central courtyard.

As he passed by the Liu family's window, he glimpsed Liu Guangqi still tied up in the house with hemp rope, his face expressionless except for a slight upturn of the corner of his mouth.

That kid has been tied up inside for two days already.

He was supposed to leave with Xu Banxia yesterday, but Liu Haizhong took a day off to stay at home and wouldn't even let him squeeze through the door.

The entire steel mill is on holiday today, and Liu Haizhong is even more idle at home, his eyes glued to his son.

Xu Banxia waited in vain for two days, and probably lost heart.

If they were to meet again on the street, Yang Ping thought he might be able to approach her—after all, that woman would become a powerful businesswoman who would stir up a storm in the future, and if he could climb onto that tree, his future life would be much more comfortable.

As for whether Liu Guangqi hated him or not, Yang Ping didn't care at all.

Are there few people in this courtyard who hate him? Yi Zhonghai, Sha Zhu, Jia Dongxu... who isn't gritting their teeth, but what can they do to him? Yang Ping loves to see them jumping up and down in anger, yet helpless.

He leisurely pushed the cart, secretly chuckling to himself: I just enjoy teasing you guys like this.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, and he left the courtyard.

I originally wanted to see Gao Yue today, but the girl refused to come out no matter what, afraid that he would have another headache, so she refused outright.

Having no other option, Yang Ping went to Lou Xiao'e's place instead—perhaps she could give him some "headache."

Opportunity.

Before long, he was standing outside the Lou family's courtyard gate.

He raised his hand and knocked twice on the wooden door.

"Thump, thump".

A cheerful voice came from inside: "Coming!"

The door creaked open, and Lou Xiao'e stood in the light and shadow, dressed in a dark red cheongsam, her figure slender and her eyes bright.

Yang Ping's gaze was once again firmly drawn to him.

He gazed at Lou Xiao'e before him; the cut of her cheongsam perfectly accentuated her slender figure, a kind of appreciation that would rekindle with each encounter.

He felt a dull ache in his temples, and the familiar dizziness returned. All he wanted was to find a quiet place to lie down and rest.

"Come on, let's go shopping together."

Lou Xiao'e turned around and locked the door, her tone light and cheerful.

"Okay."

Yang Ping responded.

Today I was just killing time because I had nothing to do, so it doesn't matter where I go.

He pushed the bicycle over, let Lou Xiao'e sit sideways on the back seat, and then slowly rode along Qianmen Street.

Amidst the bustling street, Lou Xiao'e's figure stood out like a bright and beautiful sight, drawing frequent glances from passersby.

Many eyes fell on her, then glanced furtively at Yang Ping, their envy barely concealed, as if marveling at how fortunate this man was to have such an outstanding woman by his side.

"Let's go check out that Sequoia Jewelry store up ahead."

Lou Xiao'e suddenly made a suggestion.

"it is good."

Yang Ping glanced in the direction she pointed, and the shop was not far away.

He parked the car outside the store, and the two of them stepped through the threshold one after the other.

The shop wasn't large, just one storefront, but the interior was neatly arranged. Various kinds of pearls, jade, gold, and silver lay quietly in the wooden glass display cases, from warm and lustrous pearls and jade to dazzling Western ornaments, everything was available, quite like a "world hidden in a small space".

The meaning of.

The two female shop assistants who were chatting idly by the counter quickly dispersed and returned to their respective areas of responsibility when a customer entered.

Lou Xiao'e strolled slowly along the counter, occasionally pausing to signal the shop assistant to take out a piece of jewelry.

She put it on, examined herself in the round mirror on the frame, and then turned her face to the side.

"Yang Ping, do I look good like this?"

She suddenly asked.

Yang Ping had already intended to find a corner bench to sit down, but upon hearing the sound, she took a few more steps closer.

Lou Xiao'e tried on a pair of ruby ​​earrings; the dark red color subtly echoed the color of her cheongsam, making her ears appear even whiter.

"It suits you well."

He glanced at it twice and said it truthfully.

Lou Xiao'e nodded slightly, her gaze still lingering on the glittering ornaments, her fingertips brushing over one piece after another, occasionally turning her head to seek Yang Ping's opinion.

Yang Ping always responded patiently.

If he finds a style pleasing to the eye, he will say it looks good; if he thinks it's ordinary, he will also frankly express his opinion.

Just then, the curtain behind the counter was lifted, and an elderly man with white hair and beard walked out.

A gentle smile spread across the old man's face. He bowed slightly to Yang Ping and said in a deep, clear voice, "If you don't mind, sir, you may rest inside for a while so that your wife can choose in peace."

Yang Ping's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

With just one glance, he recognized the other party's identity—one of his own assassins.

Upon entering the shop, I noticed the main hall was deserted and I didn't pay any attention to it. Little did I know that the person was hidden in the back room.

"Xiao'e, I'm going inside to sit for a while. Call me when you've chosen."

He turned to Lou Xiao'e, speaking in a casual tone.

"Okay, go ahead."

Lou Xiao'e readily agreed, her eyes glancing at the old man out of the corner of her eye as she addressed him as "Madam."

She didn't say anything to correct him, but a very faint blush seemed to rise on her cheeks.

Yang Ping said no more and walked towards the back of the counter.

The old man had already moved the barrier aside and bowed to let him in.

Two female shop assistants nearby exchanged surprised glances, not expecting that this customer knew the owner.

They immediately composed themselves and continued to diligently and attentively retrieve and store the jewelry for Lou Xiao'e, never neglecting their manners regardless of whether the transaction was completed or not.

The interior was simply furnished, with a square tea table and six heavy iron boxes neatly stacked in the corner, all locked. Presumably, the real treasures and precious objects were stored inside.

"Mr. Yang, I truly did not expect to meet you here."

The old man flicked his sleeves, his smile undiminished.

"I just happened to be passing by and bought some items."

Yang Ping answered, his gaze lingering on the old man for a moment, and information about the man naturally surfaced in his mind—

Yan Hancheng, who has lived for 108 years, is a master of Wing Chun. He was once the owner of Sequoia Jewelry and is still the only person in the business who holds a private share, owning a quarter of the business.

108 years old.

Yang Ping silently recited the words in his heart, but his face remained calm.

As Yang Ping's fingertip swiped across the screen, his movements suddenly stopped.

The string of numbers silently entered my field of vision.

103 years old.

He stared at the words, his chest tightening silently—when he saw the white-haired old man in the tea room, he only guessed that the man was over seventy, but he never expected that he had lived for a whole century.

The rest of the information was blurred into the background.

What does the inheritance of martial arts techniques or the ownership of shares matter? All of that fades in the face of these alarming times.

"The old gentleman is truly... a man of great hidden talent."

Yan Hancheng simply smiled faintly.

"I was lucky when I was young, and I had a bit of luck."

The old man's voice was as calm as well water: "An innate internal energy has altered my physical constitution, which is why I have survived until now."

"Innate internal strength?"

Yang Ping caught the word.

If one could grasp it... the scroll of a hundred years of life would seem to unfold silently before one's eyes.

"good.

What is naturally infused into the body without arduous cultivation, but rather through the absorption of external spiritual energy, is called innate internal strength.

As Yan Hancheng spoke, he casually picked up a curled tea leaf from the tea tray.

With a flick of his wrist, the dark green leaf shot out like an iron spike, "Snatch!"

With a soft thud, it drove straight into the sandalwood pillar three steps away, penetrating deep into the wood.

"That's one of its uses."

Yang Ping was stunned.

The slight trembling on the pillar had not yet stopped.

He could clearly feel that the aura that had just passed by was from the same source as the warm current that Jing Hongfu had channeled into his body that day.

So that's what it's called.

"If Mr. Yang is willing, I can share a strand with you."

Yan Hancheng's voice pulled him back to reality, "But this method will cost me ten years of my lifespan."

He spoke calmly, and even laid out the consequences clearly.

We are human after all.

Even if they were willing to die for their cause, no one would truly want to sacrifice their time for nothing.