In the martial arts hall of the Huang family mansion, Huang Daimei, the young lady of the Huang family, asked, "Miss's disguise technique is indeed exquisite and unparalleled, difficult for ordinary people to see through..." Zhou Fugui replied, "But am I an ordinary person? I am no ordinary person! Hahaha..."
"Stop bragging here..." Huang Daimei interrupted Zhou Fugui's triumphant laughter and asked with a mix of anger and playfulness, "Quick, tell me, how did you see through it? If you tell me, this young lady will believe you, otherwise... humph..."
"Otherwise what?" Zhou Fugui shook his head slightly and said, "False begets true, and true begets false. Miss's clothing, ears, and chest were well concealed, and even her male voice and demeanor were imita ted to perfection. The disguise was indeed exquisite, but it was like attending to the head and neglecting the tail... uh... attending to the head and neglecting the feet. With those delicate small feet, Miss's feet had already given her away..."
Although the evil custom of foot binding was not prevalent at this time, women's feet were generally smaller than men's, especially Huang Daimei's jade feet, which were small and delicate. Therefore, the boots on her feet were exceptionally small, far smaller than a man's. In this world, how could a man on the verge of adulthood have such petite and delicate beautiful feet? Almost impossible, unless he was like Prince Bian, whom Zhou Fugui had killed. Prince Bian not only had small feet but also a small physique.
Therefore, Zhou Fugui saw through Huang Daimei's disguise as a man at that time.
"Haha!" Huang Shirren couldn't help but laugh.
"Brother..." Huang Daimei, both ashamed, annoyed, and angry, ran to her elder brother Huang Shíba, clinging to his arm and stamping her foot, saying, "He's bullying me... Second Brother is also laughing at me..."
With talk of chests and buttocks, how could Huang Daimei not be ashamed, annoyed, and angry? Zhou Fugui had looked her up and down to his heart's content, and he was still looking, not just once... How could Huang Daimei not be ashamed, annoyed, and angry?
Huang Shíba frowned, his two thick eyebrows knitted together. He squinted at Zhou Fugui, then at Huang Shirren, revealing his rough, tattooed, and muscular arms.
Huang Shíba was a warrior, possessing immense strength.
"Little sister, don't worry, second brother will get this back for you!" Huang Shirren, seeing his elder brother Huang Shíba's gaze, quickly said to Huang Daimei.
"Swish!" Huang Shirren opened his folding fan and walked up to Zhou Fugui. While gently fanning himself, he said, "The Ballad of Mulan? It seems I, Huang, underestimated Governor Zhou. Governor Zhou, as a military official, also possesses such remarkable literary talent, truly a master of both civil and martial arts! However, my Huang family is not to be trifled with. We welcome friends from all over the world for martial arts and receive friends from all corners for literature! Does Governor Zhou dare to compose a poem with me?"
It turned out that Huang Daimei's habit of fiddling with her fan was learned from her second brother...
Although Huang Shirren spoke in such a manner, praising Governor Zhou's literary talent, he actually looked down on martial artists or soldiers like Zhou Fugui, who only knew how to fight. He believed that Zhou Fugui knew nothing of literature and was uneducated. Therefore, he intended to make Zhou Fugui a laughingstock and avenge his little sister.
"We welcome friends from all over the world for martial arts and receive friends from all corners for literature?" Zhou Fugui heard this and shook his head, "Compose a poem? No, I don't have time!"
Zhou Fugui was in a hurry, how could he have the leisure to compose poems with him?
"No? No time?" Huang Shirren was stunned. For a moment, he was at a loss for what to do and turned to look at his elder brother Huang Shíba and his little sister Huang Daimei.
Among literati, when someone challenges them, they usually accept. As long as no gambling is involved, it is a harmless affair regardless of victory or defeat, and sometimes even mutual appreciation might occur...
Who would have thought that Zhou Fugui would refuse outright? For a moment, Huang Shirren was at a loss.
"Governor Zhou, why have you come?" Since Huang Shirren was at a loss, Huang Daimei had to help her second brother out of his predicament and asked.
"You invited this governor, how would I know?" Zhou Fugui replied with a laugh.
"Are you doing this on purpose?" Huang Daimei was speechless at such a thick-skinned person and could only say resentfully.
"Miss Huang..." Zhou Fugui sighed and clasped his hands, asking, "And these two?"
"This is my elder brother Huang Shíba and my second brother Huang Shirren," Huang Daimei introduced.
"Oh, elder brother, second brother, and Miss Huang..." Zhou Fugui nodded.
"They are my elder brother and second brother, not your elder brother and second brother... How can you be so... so... shameless?" Huang Daimei interrupted Zhou Fugui, feeling both angry and ashamed.
"Oh, hehe..." Zhou Fugui, angry at Huang Daimei's deception and the Huang family's pretentious demeanor, wanted to retaliate but was seen through. He then said with an embarrassed smile, "Two elder brothers, and Miss Huang, this governor has indeed come with a request for the Huang family today. Why does this governor have a request for the Huang family? It is for the people of Donghai Prefecture, for the suffering people of Quyang, Shuyang, and Houqiu counties, who are starving and waiting to be fed. But why does your Huang family keep making excuses?"
"Why is the head of the Huang family avoiding seeing me?" Zhou Fugui then said loudly into the room.
However, there was still no sound from within the room.
"Governor Zhou..." Huang Shíba said, "Who says my Huang family is making excuses? If we were making excuses, we wouldn't have invited Governor Zhou here today."
"If that is the case, then what is the meaning of this?" Zhou Fugui nodded.
Zhou Fugui did not know the specific intentions of the three Huang siblings, but he knew they would not let him borrow money, grain, or medicine smoothly.
"Every temple has its own Bodhisattva, and every family has its own rules," Huang Shíba replied, holding up two thick fingers. "If Governor Zhou wants to borrow money and grain today, he needs to pass two trials?"
"Two trials? What two trials?" Zhou Fugui asked.
"We welcome friends from all over the world for martial arts and receive friends from all corners for literature!" Huang Shíba replied coldly.
"Good, good, it seems this governor must pass these two trials today?" Zhou Fugui asked.
"What? Is Great Governor afraid?" Huang Daimei asked.
"Hahaha..." Zhou Fugui retorted with a loud laugh, "This governor is a survivor of a hundred battles. What in this world can be more frightening than 'death'? In this world, this governor fears nothing more! You can set the challenges today, and this governor will agree to anything!"
"Humph, bragging!" Huang Daimei snorted.
"Governor Zhou is also a fellow traveler?" Zhou Fugui's veiled words made Huang Shirren somewhat curious.
"Are you from the same circle?" Zhou Fugui seemed to have probed the bottom line of the Huang family.
Judging by their demeanor, the Huang family did not seem to be merchants, but rather gangsters? Or perhaps called gangs, societies, and so on.
"What circle? My Huang family is a family of chivalrous heroes!" Huang Shirren replied proudly.
"Chivalrous heroes? What is that?" Zhou Fugui frowned.
As soon as Zhou Fugui said this, the faces of the three Huang siblings darkened...
The so-called chivalrous heroes refer to people who are heroic and righteous, strong and chivalrous. Those who establish prestige, wield power, form private connections, and thus become powerful in the world are called knights-errant. Generally, knights-errant are divided into wandering knights and heroic knights.
As the name suggests, wandering knights are primarily itinerant, while heroic knights are those who hold sway in a region, or dominate an area, or reside in a certain place, enjoy private revenge, gather assassins, and possess a generous, heroic, and unrestrained spirit.
Wandering knights keep their word, act decisively, and fulfill their promises. Wandering knights may be swordsmen who dispense justice with their swords, but they do not necessarily dispense justice with their swords. For example, Zhu Jia, Guo Jie, and Ju Meng of ancient times are not known to have practiced chivalry with martial arts, whereas heroic knights generally practice chivalry with martial arts.
The so-called heroic figures of ancient times must have extraordinary character. When ordinary people are insulted, they draw their swords and fight, which is not bravery. The truly brave in the world remain calm in the face of sudden danger and do not get angry when provoked without reason. This is because their ambitions are great and their goals are far-reaching.
Martial arts are a basic requirement for heroic knights, while integrity and ambition are their higher pursuits.
The Huang family is a family of heroic knights in Donghai Prefecture, or it can be understood as a family of powerful individuals, with a fierce and robust custom, even the authorities fear them.
The Huang family certainly engages in business, rents land, and lends money, thus acquiring wealth and power, and the ability to seek private revenge, gather assassins, and dominate the region.
The Huang family's merchandise was robbed by various scoundrels several times. Each time, the Huang family retaliated with assassination, even with the extermination of entire families. Therefore, Huang Daimei was dismissive when Zhou Fugui proposed to help the Huang family clear their trade routes.
"We welcome friends from all over the world for martial arts and receive friends from all corners for literature!" Huang Shirren closed his folding fan and clasped his hands, saying, "Governor Zhou, please begin!"
"Come on!" Zhou Fugui slung his heavy sword on his back and tucked the hem of his clothes into his waist.
Zhou Fugui's appearance was somewhat like a wandering knight or a heroic knight...
"My little sister's name contains the character 'Mei', and she also likes plum blossoms. So, I will use plum blossoms as the theme. Governor Zhou, please respond!" Huang Shirren said with a smile.
"Second brother... you... what are you doing?" Huang Daimei stomped her feet and said shyly.
Did Huang Shirren just reveal Huang Daimei's maiden name to Zhou Fugui? In this world, a woman's maiden name is not easily revealed. Generally, it is only known when discussing marriage...
"Daimei, we are a family of chivalrous heroes, there's no need to bother with such minor details," Huang Shíba said.
Now, Huang Shíba had revealed Huang Daimei's full name to Zhou Fugui...
"I... I..." Huang Daimei almost cried with anger. She was extremely helpless with her two unreliable brothers...
"Huang Daimei? Haha, a good name, poetic!" Indeed, Zhou Fugui gave a thumbs-up and praised, but it sounded like he was mocking Huang Daimei.
"One plum branch drinks with the drifting snow, old and weathered, it can be broken by the falling rain." Huang Shirren, ignoring Huang Daimei's murderous gaze, recited the first half of a seven-character quatrain.
Huang Shirren was singing about plum blossoms, but without a single character for "plum" in the poem. It could be considered ingenious. To engage in poetic "friendship," he had to make Zhou Fugui complete the second half of the seven-character quatrain.
For Zhou Fugui, this was quite difficult. Zhou Fugui would rather wield his sword and welcome friends with martial arts...
For a moment, Zhou Fugui was unable to respond, causing the three Huang siblings to show disdain.