Chapter 7
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Although the Great General, Hu Quan Li, assured the siblings that Hu Zi would be fine, the Hu siblings were very worried because Shou's way of training was actually too harsh.
Shou made her fly around in the dark, swim even though she did not know how to float (she ended up sinking like a stone in the cold water), short marathon-run in the practice ground, fight a wild boar, race with a horse, climb trees, do push ups, sit ups, tree trunk barbels, and much more.
But Hu Zi improved pretty quickly because of this extremely harsh training. Slowly, she managed to master 'feel' and was able to sense the wind's movement by emitting her energy and sending it with the wind. She learned the way to feel and sense the air, it was like a radar in the dark to Hu Zi.
As time passed by, Hu Zi's body became stronger and stronger. She could host an abundant amount of energy within her body, her healing period also shortened. The energy that Hu Zi could house within her tiny body was the same as a grown up.
One day, Hu Zi tried to walk in the house alone without anyone guiding her. She could 'feel' the stiff and strong walls without even touching them. Little by little, she walked. Getting out of the training hall and walking into the long corridor, then taking turns here and there to finally find the small courtyard that was located near the practice hall.
"How is it?" asked Shou, he flew from the practice hall and landed in the small courtyard. Shou picked Hu Zi up. She teared up and placed both her hands on Shou's clothes and choked. Being a stubborn girl and not wanting Shou to look at her crying face, she buried herself within his embrace. "Ugh... master..."
Hu Bai, Hu Cheng Se, and Hu Ye were actually eavesdropping behind the small courtyard gate. Hu Cheng Se pushed the gate a bit, opening it to reveal Shou and Hu Zi. The three siblings saw their third sister's emotional face. They looked at each other and nodded, tacitly agreeing on something.
'This is best for her.'
Three to five times a month, Master Shou would take Hu Zi to the mountain to train her body and build up the energy inside of it. With her body getting stronger, she leveled up her capability of hosting energy. Usually, when they went back, Shou would carry Hu Zi on his back because she was either full of bruises or unconscious.
Fortunately, Shou would give her a one-day break every time they went back. For someone who practiced Wu Feng and had the help of a certain bitter tea, this one day was enough for her to rest her body.
Today was the same. Hu Zi's body was wrapped in bandages, looking even worse than a mummy.
"You okay, sis?" Hu Ye saw his sister struggle to place a spoonful of soup into her mouth.
"Yes, I'm fine." As soon as she said it, her spoon fell back into the bowl. "Now, not so fine."
Hu Ye lightly chuckled. Hu Zi's right hand was badly hurt because she fell near the waterfall yesterday. It was currently wrapped in five layers of bandage. Hu Zi could not move her fingers.
"Here, I will help you." Hu Ye loved his three sisters, but he was most gratified with Hu Zi because her age was the closest to his own. "Open up."
Hu Ye fed Hu Zi her soup until there was nothing left in the bowl. Hu Zi was actually feeling embarrassed at having to be fed by someone younger than her, and a male at that, but she knew that there was no use in arguing about it.
In the Hu household, the number of guards stationed was twice the amount of other high-level noble households, but the number of servants was only half the normal amount, consisting of only housekeepers, cooks, gardeners, etc. But no personal servants. The children were accustomed to serving themselves.
"Ye'er, it is time for your archery lesson," said Lady Hua to her son. "You better not be late."
"Okay, mother." Having just finished doing Hu Zi's hair, he ran outside of the room.
Hu Zi laid on the bed, quietly listening and sensing her mother's movements. Her mother opened her sewing kit and started to embroider a piece of cloth. Now that it was autumn, almost a year had passed since she started practicing Wu Feng. She could feel almost every single detail that happened around her if she concentrated.
"Mother."
"Yes, Little Zi?"
"Can I touch the cloth?"
"Of course." A warm smile appeared on her mother's gentle face. Hu Zi couldn't see the warmth in her mother's smile, but she could definitely sense the movement of her lips. Hu Zi's mouth curved up, too.
Taking the cloth into her hands, she could feel its softness and the details of the needlework. Truly exquisite, as expected of her mother. The thread was lined and sewn perfectly, making dots, dashes, and images.
"Mother, it is very beautiful." Hu Zi stroked it again and again.
Lady Hua chuckled at Hu Zi's lovely behavior.
"Do you want to try embroidery, Zi'er?"
Before Hu Zi could answer, the door opened and in came Hu Bai and Hu Cheng Se with heavy sighs and tired faces. Hu Cheng Se was in her 'pug face' mode, the edges of her lips turned down till they reached the earth. There was a noticeable frown on Hu Bai's pretty face.
"What is wrong with that guy..." Hu Cheng Se threw herself onto the bed, ready to take a nap, but unfinished with her complaining. "Ugh…" She mumbled something under her breath.
"Is it Qing Bo again?" Lady Hua said, seeing her daughter's exhausted figure. A loud thud could be heard from Hu Cheng Se's bed.
"Yeah! That guy! Class was finally over, and I just wanted to go home or something, but he suddenly approached me and started to argue about this and that, and... huft..."
"Stopping their fights is another struggle." Hu Bai kneaded her temple then let out another deep sigh. "How about you, Third Sister?"
"Great! Mother and I were just talking about embroidery," said Hu Zi in a happy tone. One could hear snores coming from the direction of Hu Cheng Se's bed. She was quick even in terms of falling asleep.
"Is that so?" Hu Bai looked interested.
"If you three want to learn, I can personally teach you anytime." Lady Hu was always delighted to teach her children something she knew.
"Yeah, let's do that!" Hu Bai immediately came forward to sit beside her mother.
"But, mother...I..." Hu Zi was eager but concerned. She couldn't draw, and even getting the sewing thread into the needle hole took up her full concentration.
Of course, Lady Hua knew her daughter's worries. She gently placed her hand on top of Hu Zi's, which was stroking the embroidered clothes. The warmth of her mother's hand traveled through her arm, shoulder, and to her heart.
"Don't worry, you don't need sight to make simple artwork, you only need your feeling and a strong will to learn."
Hu Zi's closed eyelids suddenly opened, and she exclaimed. "Being stubborn is one of my good points, I will definitely be able to surpass mother."
"It is strong will, not stubbornness." Lady Hua and Hu Bai giggled at Hu Zi's reaction.
"Let's start tomorrow when you are healed." Lady Hua lightly stroked Hu Zi's hair. "We still need to buy two more sewing kits and more clothes."
Hu Zi cocked her head, hearing unhurried and smooth footsteps from far away, the sound getting closer and closer until it reached their door. Lady Hua heard it too, she called. "Housekeeper Zhi Yu!"
The footsteps stopped. On the other side of the door, a thirty-year-old male voice spoke. "Yes, My Lady?" He didn't open the door because the room was the three young ladies' 'female' bedroom.
Housekeeper Zhi Yu had served the general's house ever since the late emperor gave this manor to Great General Hu Quan Li. He was good at managing the house and taking care of the kids. Coupled up with his good looks, he was also quite popular among the maids.
For a second there, Hu Zi sensed her sister Hu Bai's body temperature go up.
'It seems like he's not just popular among the maids.' Hu Zi grinned to herself.
A pity that he was already in love with his work.
"Tomorrow, the children are going to the market to buy some needlework tools, can you go with them?" Lady Hua asked Zhi Yu.
"Of course."
Lady Hua then dismissed him and went back to her room to let the two other sisters rest.
-----
The archery class was held in a separate building inside the school. This was not like swimming and horse riding. Archery class was special in this school; only those who took the test and were deemed qualified were able to receive lessons. As such, there was a grade and age diversity in this class.
Although it was Hu Ye's first time taking the class, he was not worried or nervous because his father already taught him some of the basics at home.
Currently, he was aiming at a point in the target eighteen meters away from him. He released the arrow, so sure that it would at least hit the target, when abruptly another arrow came from the right side and hit his arrow.
*Yank!
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Although the Great General, Hu Quan Li, assured the siblings that Hu Zi would be fine, the Hu siblings were very worried because Shou's way of training was actually too harsh.
Shou made her fly around in the dark, swim even though she did not know how to float (she ended up sinking like a stone in the cold water), short marathon-run in the practice ground, fight a wild boar, race with a horse, climb trees, do push ups, sit ups, tree trunk barbels, and much more.
But Hu Zi improved pretty quickly because of this extremely harsh training. Slowly, she managed to master 'feel' and was able to sense the wind's movement by emitting her energy and sending it with the wind. She learned the way to feel and sense the air, it was like a radar in the dark to Hu Zi.
As time passed by, Hu Zi's body became stronger and stronger. She could host an abundant amount of energy within her body, her healing period also shortened. The energy that Hu Zi could house within her tiny body was the same as a grown up.
One day, Hu Zi tried to walk in the house alone without anyone guiding her. She could 'feel' the stiff and strong walls without even touching them. Little by little, she walked. Getting out of the training hall and walking into the long corridor, then taking turns here and there to finally find the small courtyard that was located near the practice hall.
"How is it?" asked Shou, he flew from the practice hall and landed in the small courtyard. Shou picked Hu Zi up. She teared up and placed both her hands on Shou's clothes and choked. Being a stubborn girl and not wanting Shou to look at her crying face, she buried herself within his embrace. "Ugh... master..."
Hu Bai, Hu Cheng Se, and Hu Ye were actually eavesdropping behind the small courtyard gate. Hu Cheng Se pushed the gate a bit, opening it to reveal Shou and Hu Zi. The three siblings saw their third sister's emotional face. They looked at each other and nodded, tacitly agreeing on something.
'This is best for her.'
Three to five times a month, Master Shou would take Hu Zi to the mountain to train her body and build up the energy inside of it. With her body getting stronger, she leveled up her capability of hosting energy. Usually, when they went back, Shou would carry Hu Zi on his back because she was either full of bruises or unconscious.
Fortunately, Shou would give her a one-day break every time they went back. For someone who practiced Wu Feng and had the help of a certain bitter tea, this one day was enough for her to rest her body.
Today was the same. Hu Zi's body was wrapped in bandages, looking even worse than a mummy.
"You okay, sis?" Hu Ye saw his sister struggle to place a spoonful of soup into her mouth.
"Yes, I'm fine." As soon as she said it, her spoon fell back into the bowl. "Now, not so fine."
Hu Ye lightly chuckled. Hu Zi's right hand was badly hurt because she fell near the waterfall yesterday. It was currently wrapped in five layers of bandage. Hu Zi could not move her fingers.
"Here, I will help you." Hu Ye loved his three sisters, but he was most gratified with Hu Zi because her age was the closest to his own. "Open up."
Hu Ye fed Hu Zi her soup until there was nothing left in the bowl. Hu Zi was actually feeling embarrassed at having to be fed by someone younger than her, and a male at that, but she knew that there was no use in arguing about it.
In the Hu household, the number of guards stationed was twice the amount of other high-level noble households, but the number of servants was only half the normal amount, consisting of only housekeepers, cooks, gardeners, etc. But no personal servants. The children were accustomed to serving themselves.
"Ye'er, it is time for your archery lesson," said Lady Hua to her son. "You better not be late."
"Okay, mother." Having just finished doing Hu Zi's hair, he ran outside of the room.
Hu Zi laid on the bed, quietly listening and sensing her mother's movements. Her mother opened her sewing kit and started to embroider a piece of cloth. Now that it was autumn, almost a year had passed since she started practicing Wu Feng. She could feel almost every single detail that happened around her if she concentrated.
"Mother."
"Yes, Little Zi?"
"Can I touch the cloth?"
"Of course." A warm smile appeared on her mother's gentle face. Hu Zi couldn't see the warmth in her mother's smile, but she could definitely sense the movement of her lips. Hu Zi's mouth curved up, too.
Taking the cloth into her hands, she could feel its softness and the details of the needlework. Truly exquisite, as expected of her mother. The thread was lined and sewn perfectly, making dots, dashes, and images.
"Mother, it is very beautiful." Hu Zi stroked it again and again.
Lady Hua chuckled at Hu Zi's lovely behavior.
"Do you want to try embroidery, Zi'er?"
Before Hu Zi could answer, the door opened and in came Hu Bai and Hu Cheng Se with heavy sighs and tired faces. Hu Cheng Se was in her 'pug face' mode, the edges of her lips turned down till they reached the earth. There was a noticeable frown on Hu Bai's pretty face.
"What is wrong with that guy..." Hu Cheng Se threw herself onto the bed, ready to take a nap, but unfinished with her complaining. "Ugh…" She mumbled something under her breath.
"Is it Qing Bo again?" Lady Hua said, seeing her daughter's exhausted figure. A loud thud could be heard from Hu Cheng Se's bed.
"Yeah! That guy! Class was finally over, and I just wanted to go home or something, but he suddenly approached me and started to argue about this and that, and... huft..."
"Stopping their fights is another struggle." Hu Bai kneaded her temple then let out another deep sigh. "How about you, Third Sister?"
"Great! Mother and I were just talking about embroidery," said Hu Zi in a happy tone. One could hear snores coming from the direction of Hu Cheng Se's bed. She was quick even in terms of falling asleep.
"Is that so?" Hu Bai looked interested.
"If you three want to learn, I can personally teach you anytime." Lady Hu was always delighted to teach her children something she knew.
"Yeah, let's do that!" Hu Bai immediately came forward to sit beside her mother.
"But, mother...I..." Hu Zi was eager but concerned. She couldn't draw, and even getting the sewing thread into the needle hole took up her full concentration.
Of course, Lady Hua knew her daughter's worries. She gently placed her hand on top of Hu Zi's, which was stroking the embroidered clothes. The warmth of her mother's hand traveled through her arm, shoulder, and to her heart.
"Don't worry, you don't need sight to make simple artwork, you only need your feeling and a strong will to learn."
Hu Zi's closed eyelids suddenly opened, and she exclaimed. "Being stubborn is one of my good points, I will definitely be able to surpass mother."
"It is strong will, not stubbornness." Lady Hua and Hu Bai giggled at Hu Zi's reaction.
"Let's start tomorrow when you are healed." Lady Hua lightly stroked Hu Zi's hair. "We still need to buy two more sewing kits and more clothes."
Hu Zi cocked her head, hearing unhurried and smooth footsteps from far away, the sound getting closer and closer until it reached their door. Lady Hua heard it too, she called. "Housekeeper Zhi Yu!"
The footsteps stopped. On the other side of the door, a thirty-year-old male voice spoke. "Yes, My Lady?" He didn't open the door because the room was the three young ladies' 'female' bedroom.
Housekeeper Zhi Yu had served the general's house ever since the late emperor gave this manor to Great General Hu Quan Li. He was good at managing the house and taking care of the kids. Coupled up with his good looks, he was also quite popular among the maids.
For a second there, Hu Zi sensed her sister Hu Bai's body temperature go up.
'It seems like he's not just popular among the maids.' Hu Zi grinned to herself.
A pity that he was already in love with his work.
"Tomorrow, the children are going to the market to buy some needlework tools, can you go with them?" Lady Hua asked Zhi Yu.
"Of course."
Lady Hua then dismissed him and went back to her room to let the two other sisters rest.
-----
The archery class was held in a separate building inside the school. This was not like swimming and horse riding. Archery class was special in this school; only those who took the test and were deemed qualified were able to receive lessons. As such, there was a grade and age diversity in this class.
Although it was Hu Ye's first time taking the class, he was not worried or nervous because his father already taught him some of the basics at home.
Currently, he was aiming at a point in the target eighteen meters away from him. He released the arrow, so sure that it would at least hit the target, when abruptly another arrow came from the right side and hit his arrow.
*Yank!
Although the Great General, Hu Quan Li, assured the siblings that Hu Zi would be fine, the Hu siblings were very worried because Shou's way of training was actually too harsh.Shou made her fly around in the dark, swim even though she did not know how to float she ended up sinking like a stone in the cold water, short marathon-run in the practice ground, fight a wild boar, race with a horse, climb trees, do push ups, sit ups, tree trunk barbels, and much more.But Hu Zi improved pretty quickly because of this extremely harsh training. Slowly, she managed to master 'feel' and was able to sense the wind's movement by emitting her energy and sending it with the wind. She learned the way to feel and sense the air, it was like a radar in the dark to Hu Zi.As time passed by, Hu Zi's body became stronger and stronger. She could host an abundant amount of energy within her body, her healing period also shortened. The energy that Hu Zi could house within her tiny body was the same as a grown up.One day, Hu Zi tried to walk in the house alone without anyone guiding her. She could 'feel' the stiff and strong walls without even touching them. Little by little, she walked. Getting out of the training hall and walking into the long corridor, then taking turns here and there to finally find the small courtyard that was located near the practice hall."How is it?" asked Shou, he flew from the practice hall and landed in the small courtyard. Shou picked Hu Zi up. She teared up and placed both her hands on Shou's clothes and choked. Being a stubborn girl and not wanting Shou to look at her crying face, she buried herself within his embrace. "Ugh... master..."Hu Bai, Hu Cheng Se, and Hu Ye were actually eavesdropping behind the small courtyard gate. Hu Cheng Se pushed the gate a bit, opening it to reveal Shou and Hu Zi. The three siblings saw their third sister's emotional face. They looked at each other and nodded, tacitly agreeing on something.'This is best for her.'Three to five times a month, Master Shou would take Hu Zi to the mountain to train her body and build up the energy inside of it. With her body getting stronger, she leveled up her capability of hosting energy. Usually, when they went back, Shou would carry Hu Zi on his back because she was either full of bruises or unconscious.Fortunately, Shou would give her a one-day break every time they went back. For someone who practiced Wu Feng and had the help of a certain bitter tea, this one day was enough for her to rest her body.Today was the same. Hu Zi's body was wrapped in bandages, looking even worse than a mummy."You okay, sis?" Hu Ye saw his sister struggle to place a spoonful of soup into her mouth."Yes, I'm fine." As soon as she said it, her spoon fell back into the bowl. "Now, not so fine."Hu Ye lightly chuckled. Hu Zi's right hand was badly hurt because she fell near the waterfall yesterday. It was currently wrapped in five layers of bandage. Hu Zi could not move her fingers."Here, I will help you." Hu Ye loved his three sisters, but he was most gratified with Hu Zi because her age was the closest to his own. "Open up."Hu Ye fed Hu Zi her soup until there was nothing left in the bowl. Hu Zi was actually feeling embarrassed at having to be fed by someone younger than her, and a male at that, but she knew that there was no use in arguing about it.In the Hu household, the number of guards stationed was twice the amount of other high-level noble households, but the number of servants was only half the normal amount, consisting of only housekeepers, cooks, gardeners, etc. But no personal servants. The children were accustomed to serving themselves."Ye'er, it is time for your archery lesson," said Lady Hua to her son. "You better not be late.""Okay, mother." Having just finished doing Hu Zi's hair, he ran outside of the room.Hu Zi laid on the bed, quietly listening and sensing her mother's movements. Her mother opened her sewing kit and started to embroider a piece of cloth. Now that it was autumn, almost a year had passed since she started practicing Wu Feng. She could feel almost every single detail that happened around her if she concentrated."Mother.""Yes, Little Zi?""Can I touch the cloth?""Of course." A warm smile appeared on her mother's gentle face. Hu Zi couldn't see the warmth in her mother's smile, but she could definitely sense the movement of her lips. Hu Zi's mouth curved up, too.Taking the cloth into her hands, she could feel its softness and the details of the needlework. Truly exquisite, as expected of her mother. The thread was lined and sewn perfectly, making dots, dashes, and images."Mother, it is very beautiful." Hu Zi stroked it again and again.Lady Hua chuckled at Hu Zi's lovely behavior."Do you want to try embroidery, Zi'er?"Before Hu Zi could answer, the door opened and in came Hu Bai and Hu Cheng Se with heavy sighs and tired faces. Hu Cheng Se was in her 'pug face' mode, the edges of her lips turned down till they reached the earth. There was a noticeable frown on Hu Bai's pretty face."What is wrong with that guy..." Hu Cheng Se threw herself onto the bed, ready to take a nap, but unfinished with her complaining. "Ugh" She mumbled something under her breath."Is it Qing Bo again?" Lady Hua said, seeing her daughter's exhausted figure. A loud thud could be heard from Hu Cheng Se's bed."Yeah! That guy! Class was finally over, and I just wanted to go home or something, but he suddenly approached me and started to argue about this and that, and... huft...""Stopping their fights is another struggle." Hu Bai kneaded her temple then let out another deep sigh. "How about you, Third Sister?""Great! Mother and I were just talking about embroidery," said Hu Zi in a happy tone. One could hear snores coming from the direction of Hu Cheng Se's bed. She was quick even in terms of falling asleep."Is that so?" Hu Bai looked interested."If you three want to learn, I can personally teach you anytime." Lady Hu was always delighted to teach her children something she knew."Yeah, let's do that!" Hu Bai immediately came forward to sit beside her mother."But, mother...I..." Hu Zi was eager but concerned. She couldn't draw, and even getting the sewing thread into the needle hole took up her full concentration.Of course, Lady Hua knew her daughter's worries. She gently placed her hand on top of Hu Zi's, which was stroking the embroidered clothes. The warmth of her mother's hand traveled through her arm, shoulder, and to her heart."Don't worry, you don't need sight to make simple artwork, you only need your feeling and a strong will to learn."Hu Zi's closed eyelids suddenly opened, and she exclaimed. "Being stubborn is one of my good points, I will definitely be able to surpass mother.""It is strong will, not stubbornness." Lady Hua and Hu Bai giggled at Hu Zi's reaction."Let's start tomorrow when you are healed." Lady Hua lightly stroked Hu Zi's hair. "We still need to buy two more sewing kits and more clothes."Hu Zi cocked her head, hearing unhurried and smooth footsteps from far away, the sound getting closer and closer until it reached their door. Lady Hua heard it too, she called. "Housekeeper Zhi Yu!"The footsteps stopped. On the other side of the door, a thirty-year-old male voice spoke. "Yes, My Lady?" He didn't open the door because the room was the three young ladies' 'female' bedroom.Housekeeper Zhi Yu had served the general's house ever since the late emperor gave this manor to Great General Hu Quan Li. He was good at managing the house and taking care of the kids. Coupled up with his good looks, he was also quite popular among the maids.For a second there, Hu Zi sensed her sister Hu Bai's body temperature go up.'It seems like he's not just popular among the maids.' Hu Zi grinned to herself.A pity that he was already in love with his work."Tomorrow, the children are going to the market to buy some needlework tools, can you go with them?" Lady Hua asked Zhi Yu."Of course."Lady Hua then dismissed him and went back to her room to let the two other sisters rest.-----The archery class was held in a separate building inside the school. This was not like swimming and horse riding. Archery class was special in this school; only those who took the test and were deemed qualified were able to receive lessons. As such, there was a grade and age diversity in this class.Although it was Hu Ye's first time taking the class, he was not worried or nervous because his father already taught him some of the basics at home.Currently, he was aiming at a point in the target eighteen meters away from him. He released the arrow, so sure that it would at least hit the target, when abruptly another arrow came from the right side and hit his arrow.*Yank!
