Human Martial Venerable: Starting from the Synthesis Technique

Chapter 2 Jade Belt Pond Reservoir

The carriage came to a steady stop in front of the main gate of the mansion.

The two heavy wooden doors, as tall as a person, were covered in a dark, grimy black from years of use. Above the doors hung a simple plaque with the two characters "Fengfu" written in bold, iron-like strokes.

After getting off the carriage, the coachman continued driving it towards the back corridor.

Feng Xiu walked into the mansion. The mansion was a typical three-courtyard layout. Facing him was a small but well-maintained bluestone courtyard, with several drought-resistant pines and cypresses planted under the walls on both sides.

While not grand or luxurious overall, it exudes a sense of composure that comes from years of hard work and dedication over two or three generations.

As Feng Xiu walked, the faint scent of grass and trees in the air was broken by a slight but swift breeze, and three patrolling martial arts masters brushed past him in a line.

His body was incredibly muscular and imposing, yet his footsteps were barely audible. The leader nodded to Feng Xiu, who nodded slightly in return, and then walked straight over.

"Young Master."

Upon seeing several young men dressed as servants approaching, he greeted them respectfully.

Feng Xiu didn't even lift his eyelids. "Where's my father?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Xiu realized his mistake and quickly changed his question, "Has the patriarch returned yet?"

Although the Feng family was not a wealthy family in Qingyan City, they were still very much feudal and conservative, both openly and secretly.

If you didn't know better, you'd think it was some kind of gathering of five prominent families and seven noble clans.

As the eldest son who carries the weight of the family, his mentality is completely contrary to that of an ordinary person in his previous life. Even after two months, it is still quite difficult for him to play the role.

"Reporting to the young master, the head of the family has not yet returned, but Chief Escort Zhou has arrived ahead of time and is currently in the west courtyard," the guard replied.

Feng Xiu breathed a sigh of relief and then nodded.

To be honest, Feng Xiu was actually a little intimidated by his father, mainly because Feng Ao had given the original owner a very strong sense of oppression in his memories.

The truth is that "spare the rod and spoil the child," making him arguably the most severe father in feudal families.

Moreover, he's a martial arts practitioner.

"Okay, I'll go find him." Feng Xiu's thoughts flashed through his mind.

The Feng family mainly ran corner shops, restaurants, stores, and grain businesses, and never engaged in martial arts.

However, Uncle Zhou's visits have been unusually frequent these past few days.

The young guard withdrew in response.

West courtyard.

When Feng Xiu arrived, he looked up and saw a group of about twenty men wearing short-sleeved shirts with their arms exposed under the scorching sun.

Shi Suo was practicing his fists and feet in front of the wooden stakes in the courtyard.

Dozens of men stood apart, each throwing a punch and kick that produced a sharp, piercing sound, while exhaling a powerful "Hey-ha!"

The swirling, steaming air overhead mingled with the pervasive stench of sweat.

The sight of sweat evaporating, the heavy blows of fists pounding the wooden dummy, and the oppressive masculine presence of bulging muscles all rushed towards me instantly.

Feng Xiu felt a surge of emotion, took a deep breath, and stepped out from the shaded area of ​​the corridor.

"Wenzheng is here."

The person instructing the group of dart throwers was a burly martial artist with a swallow's jaw and a tiger's head. His hands had large knuckles and a metallic pale blue hue, clearly a sign that his external martial arts skills had reached a certain level.

Upon seeing Feng Xiu arrive, Zhou Gang greeted him with a faint smile.

"Uncle Zhou."

Feng Xiu's relationship with him wasn't exactly unfamiliar; he was someone Feng Ao referred to as "your Uncle Zhou."

When Feng Xiu first took charge of family affairs, he specifically sought out Zhou Gang to discuss how to deal with the tenant farmers.

That's why he introduced Master Hei to step in and appease Bailiu Village on his behalf.

"Is everything settled?" Zhou Gang asked at this moment.

I guess so.

Feng Xiu thought for a moment and replied, saying that the topic gave him a headache.

The matter has been appeased, but further intervention is still required.

I really can't handle this myself.

Suppressing his thoughts, Feng Xiu looked at the group of shirtless men under the blazing sun and asked curiously, "Uncle Zhou, are you practicing martial arts?"

Feng Xiu felt he couldn't stand it for long; the sun was as scorching as a knife.

With all this training, my skin is all sunburned and bright red. Aren't I afraid of getting heatstroke?

"Yes, I'll let them simmer it gently. Under this blazing sun, it's the perfect time to quell the inner fire and sense the flow of qi and blood."

Zhou Gang smiled faintly, reached for a cup of plain tea on the stone table, and took a small sip.

Feng Xiu's gaze fell on a young bodyguard who was hitting a wooden dummy. When the man threw a punch, the wooden dummy, which was as thick as a bowl, trembled slightly.

The surface of the stake showed four dents from the blows from the fist.

"Uncle Zhou, what kind of wood is this wooden stake made of?" Feng Xiu asked, his eyes widening slightly.

"Jujube wood." Zhou Gang glanced at it, smiled, and said, "It's been air-dried for three years and soaked in oil three times. It's very hard."

I do have an idea about the hardness of jujube wood; this type of wood is more heat-resistant than other woods and has a very high density.

Let alone a fist mark, if an ordinary person throws a full-force punch, the only one who will feel the pain is their own hand.

"Uncle Zhou, do you think I'm suited to martial arts?"

Feng Xiu's face showed a hint of interest as he looked at Zhou Gang and asked.

Unfortunately, after two months of learning and growth, Feng Xiu has taken over most of the family affairs.

However, I still don't know much about some of the common knowledge of martial arts in this world.

The Feng family is at a crucial stage of its rise, and he is the undisputed heir.

His daily life revolves around farming, running a business, and managing people.

"you?"

Zhou Gang glanced at Feng Xiu, his gaze lingering for a moment on his delicate, slender, fair fingers and handsome face.

Then, the scrutinizing gaze slowly faded, and he shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Feng Xiu is not spoiled. He may be very capable in other matters, but how well he performs in martial arts remains to be seen.

"Brother Feng did indeed say that I should mentor you and help you temper your temper. If you're willing, you can come to my place another day and see how determined you are."

Zhou Gang pondered for a moment.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhou!"

Feng Xiu's face lit up with joy, and then he continued.

Zhou Gang's strength is not low. Although we don't know what level he is, he has been able to lead the Zhou family's escort team all over the country for more than 20 years.

There must be some real skills involved. After a moment's thought, Feng Xiuzheng thought, "Why don't we postpone it and do it now?"

But then a respectful voice came from behind.

"Young Master, the Patriarch has just returned and requests your presence, saying he has something to ask you," the young guard replied.

"Father is back?" Feng Xiu's heart skipped a beat.

"Yes, Chief Escort Zhou will also be going. The patriarch is waiting in the main hall." He then added.

Upon hearing that there was something important to ask, Feng Xiu's expression turned somewhat helpless.

Seeing him like this, Zhou Gang laughed and found him quite amusing.

He reached out and patted Feng Xiu on the shoulder, offering a slight encouragement, before following the guard to the main hall.

"Alright, wait a moment."

What's meant to happen will happen eventually, Feng Xiu sighed inwardly.

Immediately afterwards, he hurried to the bedroom and took out a thin sheet of Xuan paper filled with neat small characters from the stack of "The Hundred Treatises" on the desk.

[Result of the tenants' disturbance in Dendrobium Village: Reprimand]

[The way the villagers handled the brawl in Baidou Village deserves some praise.]

[Treat maids and guards with arrogance and do not bestow rewards indiscriminately.]

[Bai Liu Village, tentative; specific reporting method should emphasize individual subjective actions]

[Use affectionate terms like "father" or "dad" when addressing someone; use their job title when working.]

[Why are there so many rules? Bullshit - scratch that -]

The paper was filled with nonsensical words that only he could understand. After quickly glancing at it and memorizing it, Feng Xiu put it back in its original place.

They proceeded to the main hall reception room.

Outside the reception room, the door was tightly closed.

Feng Zheng was about to raise his hand, but he quickly tidied his appearance and posture, and after confirming that nothing was missing, he knocked on the door.

"Go in." A deep, steady voice rang out.

In the center of the hall, on the left side of a purple sandalwood chair, sat a middle-aged man with gray stubble and wearing a brocade robe.

"Patriarch." Feng Xiu walked steadily, bowed slightly, and looked at Zhou Gang again.

"Uncle Zhou."

Zhou Gang nodded slightly.

"Wenzheng, is there any progress on the matter of Bailiu Village?"

Feng Ao possessed an extraordinary air about him. He was in his forties, at the peak of his male life. His brocade robes were impeccably groomed, and his finger rings and waist accessories were also extremely exquisite.

After glancing at Feng Xiu, she gently picked up the teacup and slid the lid to wipe away the foam.

Zhou Gang, standing beside him, watched the upcoming test with great interest.

"Reporting back to Father, the matter of Bailiu Village was not something that troublemakers were making trouble for."

In fact, Feng Xiu's timing for transmigrating was just right. Two months ago, it was precisely when Feng Ao was handing over some of the family's power.

Therefore, Feng Ao needed to be involved in all matters, big and small, that came into play while managing the family business.

At this moment, Feng Xiu bowed slightly and answered with his hands clasped in prayer.

Fortunately, Feng Xiu had prepared his answers beforehand, so he was able to handle Feng Ao's questioning with ease.

After giving a truthful report, Feng Ao exchanged a slightly surprised glance with Zhou Gang.

The latter accepted it calmly.

Yes, Blackie is a lowlife who frequents many places in the underworld.

It must have been Zhou Gang who introduced them.

Thinking of this, Feng Ao couldn't help but nod slightly. Not bad, he knew how to leverage people and influence.

"So, the rainmaking ritual was just a stopgap measure you devised?"

"Father, that's not the case. I have already ordered Master Hei to go to Yulin County to find that old Taoist priest. If the rain is not brought in ten days, we can open the reservoir and draw water from the Yudai River to irrigate the farmland."

Feng Xiu shook his head and then explained.

The Great Liang Empire, and the southwestern regions.

The Yunling Plateau has a high average altitude, resulting in a unique geography where the river valley basins are generally high but locally flat.

This also resulted in less rainfall in the area surrounding Qingyan City, forcing them to rely solely on the weather and irrigation from the tributaries of the Jade Belt and ponds.

Currently, opening up ponds and reservoirs is the best solution that Feng Xiu can think of.

Previously, the issue of Dendrobium Village waiving tenant rent had already enraged Feng Ao.

When faced with the same event again, the revisionists acted quite conservatively.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Feng Ao's expression changed slightly. His hand, holding the teacup, paused in mid-air before placing it back on the table with a soft click.

"We'll discuss this later."

"Regarding the White Willow Farm matter, Chief Zhou's escort team will be stationed in the city for a month. You should go and find a new respectable young lady." Feng Ao's tone was slightly cold.

Feng Xiu was taken aback, his eyes widening slightly.

A caravan, from respectable families?!

He's not completely ignorant, that's the implication.

Feng Ao tacitly acknowledged that the people of Bailiu Village would cause trouble and intended to suppress them with his escort team!

Is things really that bad, that they have to escalate to the point of bloodshed and the introduction of new tenants?

After a moment's thought, Feng Xiu sensed something was amiss.

It was already the height of summer, and the heat was unbearable. Even Hou Yi, the legendary archer, would shake his head in dismay at this weather.

The glaciers on the Jade Belt Mountains have long since melted. The Feng family, as a major grain merchant in Qingyan City, is also one of the families that hold the River Law Certificate.

Opening a pond or reservoir only requires informing the river management officer.

Ultimately, it's nothing more than bribing officials and going through the motions.

Compared to the potential for popular uprisings and the loss of harvest, this cost is almost negligible.

"Father... Patriarch." Feng Xiu's mind was filled with doubts as he cautiously probed.

"This year's drought is particularly severe, and Bailiu Village has reached a critical point. In previous years, even occasional rain could help the village cope."

"If there is no water, we fear there will be no harvest. I wonder if the River Law Office could make an exception?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into a brief silence, with only Feng Ao's knuckles tapping on the armrest of the rosewood chair.

Zhou Gang kept his eyes down, his nose focused on his heart, and remained silent.

"Make an exception?" Feng Ao's voice lowered.

"I would love to be accommodating, but rules are rules, as hard as the soil in the ground."

Feng Ao's gaze was captivating, and his imposing aura, combined with the invisible pressure that had been hidden for many years, made the air feel slightly heavier.