Chapter Fourteen: Combat Training

Every man, at some point, has imagined himself as a masterful hero from a martial arts novel, unrivaled in his skills. Tan Hai was not well-educated and could barely grasp what Du Huaishan was saying, but he instinctively felt that this unarmed fighting style was remarkably formidable.

“Of course you can.”

Du Huaishan was not only unbothered by Tan Hai’s eagerness to learn, but truly delighted. This meant he would always have a partner to spar with. In martial arts, nothing is more detrimental than practicing in isolation—one cannot hone true skill without a resisting opponent. Without real combat or resistance, everything remains mere theory.

Tan Hai was overjoyed at first, but then, patting the corner of his jacket, his face fell. “But when I escaped from Xintun City, I left with nothing—not a single coin, I…”

“We are already friends. Since you helped me set things right and didn’t charge me, I won’t charge you for teaching you unarmed combat either.”

Du Huaishan knew what he was really asking about—the fee for taking on a master.

“Really? Brother Huaishan, you are a true man of virtue, a saint descended to earth. Please accept my humble—”

“Enough! Spare me your flattery!” Du Huaishan reached out and blocked Tan Hai’s head with his hand, pushing him upright. Tan Hai grinned cheekily.

“You’ve already memorized the basic movements of the jab, the straight, and the hook. From now on, when I’m resting, you’ll practice and I’ll supervise you; when you’re resting, I’ll practice and you’ll watch me. We’ll repeat this over and over.”

“Alright!” Tan Hai rubbed his palms together, eager to begin.

They spent the entire afternoon practicing fighting stances, ways of generating force, and the three basic punches: jab, straight, and hook. Once Tan Hai mastered the combinations, he was amazed at the subtlety of the techniques. To think there was such an art to fighting! He now felt his former self was far too weak; now, he felt as if he could take on ten men at once.

Seeing Tan Hai so brimming with confidence made Du Huaishan want to laugh—he’d entered that “newcomer’s phase,” inflated with a sense of strength. Every beginner goes through it. But more valuable than the fighting techniques themselves, Du Huaishan possessed a wealth of professional training experience, modern theories, and real combat knowledge. That was his true treasure.

By dusk, both men were drenched in sweat and panting from exertion. After washing his face, while his body was still warm and limber, Du Huaishan found a metal frame used for pitching tents and began stretching his legs. The advantage of a youthful body became clear—his ligaments were supple.

Though it was late autumn and the air was cool, with daily stretching, he estimated that in just over half a month, his ligaments would be fully loosened. There was no rushing this. Du Huaishan didn’t want to injure his ligaments and be left with a lasting weakness; flexibility was crucial for all sorts of maneuvers—life and death could hang on an inch.

Nearby, Tan Hai imitated him, but found his thigh muscles unbearably sore. No wonder Brother Huaishan’s skills were so profound—the hardship alone was more than most could bear.

“Whew… Tan Hai, do you know how to give a massage?”

After stretching each leg for fifteen minutes, Du Huaishan concluded his training for the day.

“Massage? That’s my specialty! Just wait!”

Tan Hai dashed off, soon returning with a wooden stool. He wiped it down with his sleeve and, folding his arms, said with a grin, “Sir, please!”

“Well, now, this is something!” Du Huaishan recalled that Tan Hai had worked as a teahouse server—his skills in massage and serving others were well-honed.

Indeed, after Du Huaishan pointed out a few pressure points and muscles, Tan Hai quickly got the hang of it. The massage was so effective that Du Huaishan felt all the fatigue from his day’s training melt away.

“All right, now let me give you a massage!” After a session of kneading and pressing, Du Huaishan felt revitalized.

But Tan Hai hurriedly waved his hands and backed away. “Brother Huaishan, I can’t allow that! You’re teaching me boxing—you’re my master now. There’s no reason for a master to massage his apprentice. From now on, you just enjoy it!”

“Massage and stretching aren’t just for enjoyment—the main purpose is to accelerate muscle recovery. Otherwise, when you wake up tomorrow, you’ll be so sore you won’t be able to train!”

Perhaps it was the culture of their era that made them so bound by etiquette. No matter how Du Huaishan tried to persuade him, Tan Hai remained adamant.

There was nothing to be done.

After dinner, Du Huaishan returned to reading the book he’d borrowed from Qiao “Four Eyes,” slowly acquainting himself with this world.

The next morning, a commotion sounded outside the tents. The first light of dawn fanned out along the high walls, heralding the end of night. Du Huaishan stretched deeply, feeling discomfort in his triceps, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi. Without Tan Hai’s massage and stretching, he probably wouldn’t have been able to lift his arms at all!

Stepping out of the tent, he saw Tan Hai emerge from next door, looking pained. With his arms drooping like limp hoops, Du Huaishan couldn’t help but laugh, “Well, how’s that soreness?”

“Sore as hell!”

Tan Hai didn’t even have the energy for his usual cheeky grin, a testament to his “suffering.” Yet even so, he stubbornly refused to let Du Huaishan massage him.

“Why is it suddenly so lively at the camp entrance? Looks like someone’s arrived…”

Even the return of the cavalry yesterday hadn’t caused such a stir. Du Huaishan muttered, squeezing forward with Tan Hai.

“Brother Huaishan, go easy! That hurts!”

…

At the front of the refugee line stood several soldiers in khaki uniforms. The young man leading them held a broadside notice, apparently about to make an announcement.

“Ahem… Quiet, please!”

After a while, as the crowd gathered, the young soldier coughed twice, unrolled the notice, and began to read aloud: “From the seventh day of the eleventh month of the fifth year of Anguo, Xintun City has fallen. The Fenghou City government has actively undertaken relief work. Excluding those who have found means of survival themselves—over three hundred people—there are a total of 907 refugees sheltered.

“Due to the government’s financial deficit, soaring prices, and grain shortages, the shelter cannot continue indefinitely. Three measures have now been proposed:

“First, all those without illness may go to repair the west outer wall of Feng City. Food and lodging provided, five silver dollars per month.

“Second, all aged between sixteen and thirty-five, in good health and with strong bodies, may register for the 173rd Winter Recruitment of the Bingzhou Tri-Provincial Army Academy. A ten-silver-dollar resettlement bonus, food and lodging provided, five silver dollars per month in military pay.

“Third, those who do not choose either option may collect three silver dollars and seek their own livelihood. Everyone is urged to decide within five days. After five days, the camp will close. Issued on the ninth day of the eleventh month, fifth year of Anguo, by order of the Fenghou Government, signed by the Grand Marshal himself! Please read it for yourselves…”

As soon as he finished, the refugees burst into discussion.

“Joining the army is good! The resettlement bonus is ten silver dollars!”

“Bah! Being a soldier is dangerous. If you really end up on the battlefield, a demon or ghost could devour you in a single bite! Repairing the city wall is safer!”

“The wall work is too hard. I’d rather just take three silver dollars and head to Tun City!”

The people voiced no real complaints about the three government options. To put it plainly, anyone who had relatives or friends to turn to had already left; those still in the camp had no connections or prospects. In these chaotic times, the government offering any path to survival was already a boon.

“They’re finally recruiting!” Du Huaishan’s face lit up at the second measure. Just as he was about to step forward to ask questions, the young soldier rolled up the notice and suddenly called out, “Is there anyone here named Du Huaishan?”