Chapter 8: Meeting Ma Teng with courtesy name Mengqi

  Ma Chao was really reluctant to leave, but he had no choice but to go away.

  Yan Zhong has left without looking back, which means that Ma Chao has already come out of his tutelage. From now on, Yan Zhong will not interfere with anything. However, if Ma Chao gains a good reputation outside, Yan Zhong as his teacher will also gain face; similarly, if Ma Chao does something bad and ends up in a mess, Yan Zhong will lose face, and people will think that it is because the teacher did not teach his disciple well.

  The disciples will definitely not make their teacher lose face, Ma Chao thought. Don't look at Yan Zhong's behavior, in fact, Ma Chao understands that the teacher is also reluctant to part with himself.

  During the five years of studying, Yan Zhong was very dedicated to Ma Chao. Yan Zhong had no children, so he treated Ma Chao like his own son. Although Yan Zhong rarely spoke and usually looked serious, that was unavoidable - he needed to maintain a stern teacher's image in front of Ma Chao, fearing that if he didn't, Ma Chao would become complacent and not work hard.

  He cared about Ma Chao just as much, and although he didn't say much at ordinary times, Ma Chao himself had a count in his heart. Yan Zhong was that kind of teacher who looked very strict on the surface but had an extremely caring heart for his disciples.

  Ma Chao returned to his own house, packed up his things and prepared to head home. Not back to Fufeng, but to Longxi where Ma Teng was currently residing. After finishing packing, he took a last look at the house before heading out the door.

  There wasn't much to pack, just that one trunk. Ma Chao hired a cart and left, leaving behind the Han Yang Lou county where he had stayed for over five years. Although daily life was dull and uninteresting, with nothing but studying and practicing swordplay, he himself liked it here.

  Ma Chao then studied under Yan Zhi for five years, during which time Yan Zhi taught Ma Chao everything he knew. During his time at the Yan household, Ma Chao also met Jia Xu, who was not yet thirty, and Dong Zhuo, a man of bold and generous disposition, at a local restaurant. These five years were thus quite fruitful for Ma Chao.

  Ma Chao did not know and would never know that just as he had hired a carriage to leave, Yan Zhong's figure appeared at the entrance of the Yan residence.

  Watching the horse carriage leave, Yan Zhong couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Gone? Good riddance. From now on, you're on your own. Your master is getting old, and the future belongs to you young people!" After finishing speaking, he turned around and entered the courtyard.

  In the courtyard, Yan Jiaolong walked up to Yan Zhong's side and said, "Master, why must you do this again?"

  Yan Zhong shook his head, "A man should have ambitions in all directions, I don't want to influence Chao Er too much. What I promised Subo (Ma Teng's father's courtesy name) back then has finally been fulfilled."

  More than a decade ago, Ma Yun's father had asked Yan Zhong if he could be the godfather of his future grandson.

  Because it was his good friend's only request, Yan Zhong agreed. So before Ma Chao, Yan Zhong had never accepted a disciple, just waiting for Ma Chao. At first, he took in Ma Chao simply to fulfill his promise to his good friend, but after teaching him, he discovered that Ma Chao was a fine raw jade, absolutely capable of inheriting what he had learned. So he stopped accepting other disciples and devoted himself to instructing Ma Chao until he graduated.

  This matter was unknown even to Ma Teng, only Ma Ping and Yan Zhong himself knew about it, but he had never told Ma Chao about these things.

  Ma Chao left Lintong County and soon returned to Longxi. Stepping on this land under his feet, Ma Chao didn't have any feeling. Hanyang and Longxi are adjacent, but in the five years that Ma Chao studied, he only came back during Chinese New Year, and he had no sense of belonging to Longxi. He lived in his hometown Fufeng Maoling when he was young, went to Hanyang for school at the age of 5, and didn't stay in Longxi for a few days, so he naturally didn't have any feeling.

  Returning home, as soon as I entered the courtyard, I happened to meet Mrs. Liu.

  "Super boy you're back, come here and let mom take a good look at you!"

  Although Liu and Ma Chao had not seen each other for only three months, their parents' love for them had not diminished in the slightest.

  "Mother, I'm back." Ma Chao hastily ran in front of Liu's wife.

  "It's been just a few months since we last met, and you seem thinner." Liu said, stroking Ma Chao's face.

  Is it, Ma Chao himself didn't feel anything at all.

  "Erlang usually eats more than before, and doesn't feel thinner." Ma Chao said with a puzzled expression.

  "You usually only pay attention to studying and practicing martial arts, which one have you noticed?" Liu said with a light smile.

  "Mother, I've brought something for Xiaodi, Tiedi and also Yunmei, but where are they all?"

  In the five years that Ma Chao was studying, his family had another brother and sister. His younger brother was born in the third year of Xiping and was named Tie by Ma Teng, meaning as strong as iron. His younger sister was born in the fifth year of Xiping and was named Yunbiao. Biao is a reference to the ancient text: "Ji Rong Yun Biao, travels a thousand miles a day". Ma Teng's intention was that not only did the Ma family have sons, but their daughters were also "thousand-mile horses".

  This year, Ma Chao is seven years old, Ma Tie is four years old, and Ma Yun is only two years old. Every time Ma Chao comes back, he always brings something for his younger brothers and sisters, and this time is no exception.

  "Xiu'er has taken Tieren out to play, and Yunchen is still taking his noon nap." Liu replied.

  "Okay, let's give the things we brought back to mom first, and when they get back, mom will give them to them."

  "Alright. Superboy, you said during Chinese New Year that you were about to graduate, so is this time already..."

  "Yes, mother, the teacher said I can already leave the school, so I came back and am preparing to go out and study."

  "That's great, Chao'er you can finally stay at home for a few more days. Your father told me before he left that after you finish your studies and return home, he will give you a letter to seal the family book, and he will rush back."

  Ma Teng has not been at home for a long time. He is no longer a white body, but a military governor in the army. Just last year, several tribes of Qiang people rebelled, and the court recruited soldiers in Longxi. Ma Teng signed up and started as an ordinary soldier, repeatedly making military achievements in the army, until he became the current military governor.

  However, Ma Teng is not in Longxi now, so Liu can only write a family letter to inform him to return home. Fortunately, the rebellion has already been pacified, and Ma Teng will ask for leave to come back after receiving the family letter.

  "Oh, I see. Mother, if there's nothing else, I'll go back inside."

  "Let's go, your house is always being cleaned by someone, it's very clean."

  Ma Chao then returned to his own room, and except for the things he had brought for his younger brother and sister which he handed over to Lady Liu, everything else was in the box given by Ma Teng. Ma Chao also moved the box back into the house.

  Open the box and take everything out. There are not many more things than before, only a snow-drinking knife and a map of Eastern Han have been added. The map was given to Ma Chao by Yan Zhong, and Ma Chao regarded it as a treasure. The map is not very valuable, but it was made by Yan Zhong himself, and it is something that the teacher gave to him, so he must keep it well.

  Looking at the short gun he took out, Ma Chao smiled. This short gun was no longer suitable for him now. Nowadays, Ma Chao was much taller than when he was five years old. It seemed that he could only put away the short gun and use an ordinary long spear instead.

  "Brother, your mission is over." Ma Chao said a word towards the short gun and then put it away.

  After tidying up the things in the box, Ma Chao took a look at the box. Originally he wanted to send the box to Ma Teng's house, but then he thought again, Ma Teng hadn't come back yet, and could only wait for him to return before giving it to him.

  However, Ma Chao still went to Ma Teng's weapon rack, took a long spear back, and practiced the Qiankun Wujigun with the long spear. The feeling was great. Holding the long spear, Ma Chao stared blankly, wondering what he was thinking about.

  "Great big brother!" Two little kids appeared beside Ma Chao, clapping their hands and shouting.

  Ma Chao suddenly came to his senses and saw the two younger brothers beside him, who were Ma Xiu and Ma Tie. They had just finished playing and were passing by Ma Chao's courtyard when they happened to see their elder brother practicing with a spear. The two younger brothers thought their elder brother was very skilled in martial arts, so they came over to praise him.

  But Ma Chao didn't think of this, he was secretly blaming himself at the moment. It's really not good enough to learn the art, two big living people appeared beside him and he didn't know at all, although they were just children, and it was his own brother, but what if it was an enemy or a master? He had been too careless, and he couldn't be so distracted in the future.

  Ma Chao wiped the sweat from his forehead and said: "Xiu Di, Tie Di, you've arrived. I brought some good things for you, go get them from Mother."

  "That's great, thank you big brother, I knew you're the best!" said Ma Xiu, who was a bit older. "Thank you big brother!" Ma Tie also exclaimed happily, and then the two of them took off running.

  Looking at their backs, Ma Chao sighed secretly, when was it that he was like them? It's been a long time ago, should be in his previous life's childhood, from then on, there hasn't been a time like this again. The current Ma Chao, if counting the age of his past life, is already over 34 years old, which means Ma Chao appears to be 10 years old but has experienced more than 30 years.

  Two days later, Ma Teng returned home. After having dinner with his family, Ma Teng called Ma Chao to his study.

  Ma Teng's current study and the original study are basically the same, in fact, not only the study, but also the house where he lives in Longxi is built according to the old house in Fufeng Maoling.

  Ma Chao sometimes thought, it seems that this old father should be a more nostalgic person. You say it's not, then why build the house like this? Moving from Fufeng to Longxi, saying it was for his own convenience in studying, but wouldn't going to Hanyang be even more convenient?

  It's mainly because Ma Teng himself wants to come back, after all, he has lived here for 18 or 19 years. Ma Teng is only just over thirty this year, so Ma Chao still understands.

  Knowing that his father was looking for him, Ma Chao brought the prepared box with him and then entered the study together.

  As soon as he entered the house, he saw Ma Teng. Ma Teng also caught sight of the box that Ma Chao had brought with him.

  "You brought this too." Ma Teng asked, pointing at the box.

  "Ah, isn't this coming to return your treasure? " Ma Chao said with a smile, and even intentionally emphasized the word "treasure".

  Ma Teng looked at the box and said slowly: "This is not my personal treasure, but the treasure of my Ma family!"

  Ma Chao heard it and thought: What? What? The treasure of the Ma family? There's something to it! He quickly perked up his ears, afraid of missing a single word.

  "Actually, I was going to talk to you about this today anyway. Since you brought the box with you, I'll just say it directly. Chao'er, listen carefully."

  "Nuo, Father, please speak." Ma Chao said respectfully.

  Next, Ma Teng told Ma Chao his father's last words without leaving out a single word. Then he said: "This is the ancestral silk book taken from that box of yours."

  He handed the silk book to Ma Chao, who took it and looked at it.

  "This is the ancestral hammer method and military strategy, a total of six volumes." Ma Teng handed over six books to Ma Chao.

  "Chao Er, are you wondering why it's six books instead of six bamboo scrolls? Those bamboo scrolls were passed down from our ancestors and cannot be given to others. These six books were copied by your father from the bamboo scrolls without missing a single character. They're no different from the bamboo scrolls, but they can be taken out and read or given to others at will."

  So that's how it is, thought Ma Chao. Actually, he didn't really want to give away the original either; General Ma's things should stay in the Ma family if possible, and as for General Ma's wishes, even if he gave a copy, wouldn't the content be different from the original? He still agreed with Ma Teng's approach.

  "As for that hammer, Super Child, you know your father doesn't use a hammer and has no interest in it either. The one you're using isn't the real deal, and it seems like you don't have much interest in it either. Your two younger brothers might be interested, but unfortunately, they weren't born with divine strength, so we can only wait for someone with fate to come along."

  However, the drum and golden hammer are not something that can be taken out to give to others. The hammer is a symbol of our ancestors, and when people talk about our ancestors, they will always think of his pair of hammers. As a descendant of the Ma family, it's naturally impossible for me to give away the symbol of our ancestors to outsiders! Chao'er, can you understand? Moreover, our ancestor wrote clearly that he created the hammer method, which is applicable to all hammers in the world, so...

  "Father, no need to say more, I understand. As a descendant of the ancestors, it is only right to take good care of the ancestral relics. Moreover, I also think that in today's world, there may be someone who can learn from the ancestors' hammering method, but there is no one worthy of using the ancestors' hammer! From ancient times to the present, there has only been one person, our ancestor!" Ma Chao said firmly to Ma Teng.

  "Alright, since it's like that, this matter is settled. You find someone to pass down the ancestral manual, and I'll keep the hammer safe within the hands of my descendants in the Ma family!"

  Ma Teng then took out a black thing, Ma Chao saw it and his eyes lit up, it was a piece of meteoric iron from outside the sky, absolutely good stuff.

  "Chao'er, this is the piece of meteoric iron left behind by our ancestors. Today, I'm giving it to you. If it can be smelted now, make a weapon out of it; if not, don't force it!"

  "No, thank you Father!" Ma Chao put this hundred and twenty jin of heavenly meteorite aside.

  At this time, Ma Teng spoke again, "The last thing left by our ancestors is this." As he said that, he took off a piece of armor from his body. Ma Chao naturally knew what it was.

  "This, this... Father cannot..."

  "Superior son..." Ma Teng waved his hand and said, "Now the honor and shame of my Ma family's rise and fall are not on me but on you, so you must wear this armor!"

  Ma Chao was deeply moved, this wasn't just a simple armor, but his father's concern for him. Suddenly he turned around and said: "The thin armor will be worn, but not now. Now your body is still too big to wear it, so it's not late to wait until you grow up!"

  Ma Teng smiled slightly after hearing this. He naturally understood what Ma Chao meant. "Alright, next time you're allowed to wear it, don't decline again!"

  "Hello!"

  "Chao'er, your father knows that you are going to leave home again for further studies. Who knows when you will return? Although it is common for people to have a courtesy name after coming of age, our Ma family doesn't bother with such formalities. Your courtesy name was already chosen by your grandfather while he was still alive."

  Ma Teng looked at Ma Chao with great expectation and said: "Your style name is Mengqi, from today on, you are Ma Chao, Ma Mengqi!"