piratefiction Chapter 20 Old Objects from the Redemption
Chapter 20 Old Objects from the Redemption
"A person's life is like this kind of achievement."
Looking at the starry sky, Lu Cheng spoke slowly.
"If the foundation is not straight, no matter how tall it grows, it will be a crooked tree that will break in the wind."
"If your heart is not pure, no matter how well you practice your martial arts, you will still be a menace and will die a violent death in the street sooner or later."
"If you want to learn skills, first learn how to be a good person."
"Practice this breathing technique until it flows smoothly, and straighten this posture."
"Then one day, you'll stand here in the snow, covered in snowflakes that won't melt, but the snow beneath your feet will have melted into water..."
"Then you've entered the field."
Shunzi and Xiaodouzi listened intently.
Although they didn't understand any profound principles, they felt that what Master Cheng said was like the words of a deity in a play, exuding a sense of mystery.
It seems that as long as you do what your master says, you can be completely transformed.
Lu Cheng watched as the two children gradually settled into their routines, their breathing becoming steady.
He also stood still again.
This time, he felt differently.
In the past, practicing martial arts was called "training".
Now, it is "enlightenment".
He felt as if his consciousness had truly transformed into a large tree.
The roots spread underground, drawing strength from the earth.
The branches and leaves stretched out in the air, absorbing the essence of the stars and moon.
The blood and qi in the body are no longer surging rivers, but have become gentle rain that nourishes all things.
Moisturizing is silent.
Is this... the threshold of Ming Jin?
It is not about being overly forceful, but about combining strength and gentleness, and harmonizing yin and yang.
Only by understanding "softness" can one unleash the most brittle "hardness".
Only by understanding "stillness" can one unleash the most powerful "movement".
Sudden.
Lu Cheng's body jolted violently.
The spinal dragon made a crisp "crack" sound.
Followed by.
He casually threw a punch.
This punch wasn't delivered with much force, and the movement was even quite slow.
But at the moment the fist is thrown.
A crisp popping sound suddenly rang out in the air.
"Smack!!!"
This sound was crisper and louder than firecrackers during the Lunar New Year.
This startled Shunzi and Xiaodouzi, who were standing nearby, so much that they fell to the ground.
"Brother Cheng, what happened? What exploded?"
Lu Cheng stood with his fist clenched, looking at his fist with a smile.
That was a joy that came from the bottom of my heart.
"fine."
"It's about... breaking through this barrier."
A single sound is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.
Mingjin, it's done!
……
The next morning.
Lu Cheng got up very early.
I felt refreshed and light, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from my body.
This is the benefit of entering the Ming Jin state: smooth flow of Qi and blood, preventing all kinds of diseases.
He pushed open the door, and in the courtyard, Lu Laogen was holding a white towel, humming a little tune, and wiping down the "Speedy Legs" rickshaw.
"Good morning, Dad."
"Hey, Chengzi, get up. There's millet porridge in the pot, and some leftover braised meat from yesterday. Just heat it up and you can eat it."
Lu Laogen now looks at his son with nothing but pleasing eyes.
"Dad, I have something to do today and need to get out of the car."
Lu Cheng said.
"Alright, I've already prepared it for you, and I've even warmed up the cushion for you."
Lu Laogen put down the handlebars, patted his chest, and said, "Dad's going to take you!"
"No need, just hire someone to haul it."
Lu Cheng smiled and said, "I'm not going to the theater today; I'm going to the pawnshop."
"pawnshop?"
Lu Laogen was taken aback. "We're not short of money right now, why would we go to the pawnshop?"
"To redeem something."
Lu Cheng's eyes dimmed slightly, then brightened again.
"Redeem our family heirloom."
Lu Laogen's body trembled violently, and the towel in his hand fell to the ground.
"Chengzi, you...you still remember?"
"That was left by my grandfather. He had to pawn it when my mother was seriously ill."
Lu Cheng walked over, picked up the towel, and patted the dirt off it.
"At that time, I vowed that one day I would redeem it in a grand and glorious manner."
"Let's go, Father."
"Today, let's go together, you and me."
……
Desheng Pawnshop.
That was the largest pawnshop in the southern part of the city, with its tall counter and iron bars, exuding a cold and indifferent atmosphere.
"To pawn for dead or to pawn for alive?"
The salesperson behind the counter had droopy eyelids and didn't even glance at the counter.
"Redemption."
Lu Cheng gently patted a yellowed pawn ticket on the counter.
The clerk picked it up and frowned.
"A ticket from three years ago? It's long expired; the contents have probably already been sold off."
"I know the rules."
Lu Cheng took out a handful of silver dollars from his pocket and placed them on the counter.
"This is the principal, this is the interest, and this is the penalty for doubling the amount."
"Whether the item is still there or not, you can find out by taking a look in the warehouse."
The clerk raised his head, about to explode in anger, but met Lu Cheng's eyes, which were as deep as a pool.
My heart skipped a beat for no reason.
This guy is skilled in martial arts, and he's not someone to mess with.
"Wait."
The shopkeeper muttered something and turned to go into the storeroom.
A short while later, he came out carrying a long, rectangular wooden box.
"You're just lucky. Although this is old jade, its quality is average, and it's been sitting at the bottom of a box unsold."
The clerk threw the red cloth package onto the counter.
Lu Cheng reached out and took it.
In that instant, he felt his father breathe a sigh of relief behind him.
Lu Cheng carefully lifted the red cloth.
Inside lay a warm, smooth jade pendant.
It wasn't some priceless imperial green jade; it was just a piece of old, bluish-white jade.
The carving is exquisite, depicting two carp with their heads and tails intertwined.
Pisces jade pendant.
Although the jade has some impurities, it has been polished to a smooth and lustrous finish, indicating that it was an object that had been worn close to the body for a long time.
"Old friend, I'm sorry you had to go through this."
Lu Cheng gently stroked the jade pendant; it felt cool to the touch.
He turned around and handed the jade pendant to his father.
"Father, please keep it."
Lu Laogen tremblingly accepted the jade pendant, his eyes instantly reddening.
He used his rough, large hands to stroke the patterns on the jade pendant again and again, as if caressing a child he had lost for many years.
"It's redeemed...it's finally redeemed."
"Now, even if Father goes to the underworld, he can face his ancestors with a clear conscience."
They left the pawnshop.
The sunlight was perfect, almost blinding.
Lu Laogen carefully wrapped the jade pendant in a handkerchief, put it in his inner pocket, patted it, and then breathed a sigh of relief.
"Chengzi."
Lu Laogen suddenly spoke, his tone somewhat hesitant.
"Actually, this jade pendant is more than just a family heirloom."
"Um?"
Lu Cheng was tidying up the car seat cushions when he heard this and was taken aback. "Is there anything else you're particular about?"
Lu Laogen blushed and scratched his head awkwardly.
"These were originally... a pair."
"A pair?"
"Yes, this is the 'male' piece, and there's also a 'female' piece."
Lu Laogen sighed and looked into the distance.
"Back when you were born, our family hadn't fallen into such a state of decline."
"Your grandfather has a sworn brother surnamed Lin. He has a daughter who is two years younger than you."
"Back then, the two families were on good terms. After drinking too much, they arranged a marriage between their unborn children."
Lu Cheng's hand froze.
He slowly turned around and stared at his father with wide eyes.
"Father, what did you say?"
"A marriage?!"
He'd been in this world for several days now, fighting and performing operas, but he never expected to suddenly have a wife.
Seeing his son's expression, Lu Laogen quickly waved his hand and explained:
"Don't be in a hurry."
"These are all old almanacs. Later, the Lin family moved to Tianjin to do business, and they said they made a fortune."
"Our family has become poorer and poorer, so this marriage proposal has gradually been dropped."
"This jade pendant is the token from back then. The 'female' one is in the hands of the Lin family's daughter."
At this point, Lu Laogen gave a wry smile.
"Originally, I thought that since our family was destined to be rickshaw pullers, we wouldn't dare to presume to marry into such a family. But if we were to pawn this token without a second thought, that would be breaking the contract and being untrustworthy."
"Now that it's redeemed, a weight has been lifted from my heart."
"As for this marriage..."
Looking at his son, who now exudes confidence and charisma, Lu Laogen suddenly straightened his back even more.
"Dad used to think my son wasn't good enough for her. But now, I think my son Chengzi is a dragon, more than good enough for any girl!"
Lu Cheng was somewhat bewildered.
This plot development is somewhat reminiscent of the opera "Qin Xianglian" or "The Romance of the Western Chamber".
"Um... what's the name of the Lin family's daughter?" Lu Cheng asked subconsciously.
"His name is Lin... Lin Yudie, right? I think that's the name."
Lu Laogen thought for a moment, "I used to hold her when she was little. She was such a beautiful little girl. Now she should be a grown woman."
Lu Cheng rubbed his temples.
Lin Yudie?
Tianjin Wei?
He looked at the Pisces jade pendant he had just redeemed in his hand and suddenly felt that it had become a little too hot to handle.
I originally thought it was just a matter of redeeming a wish, but I never expected to redeem a karmic debt.
"Alright, Dad, let's talk about this later."
Lu Cheng shook his head helplessly.
In this chaotic world, now that the Lin family has made their fortune, they probably look down on this poor relative a long time ago.
This keepsake is just a memento.
"Let's go home."
"Tonight, let's have dumplings!"
"Alright, pork and scallion filling!"
Lu Laogen put those complicated thoughts behind him, sat in the brand-new rickshaw, and smiled happily.
Whether or not he has a wife, life is getting better and better.