Seven, The First Step of Success

  The first enemy to come face-to-face was a man with a prominent nose and a wooden staff in his hand. He was about 1.7 meters tall, thin but with some muscle power. Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's bony hands without even a weapon, the man burst out laughing and swung his staff at Zhu Yuanzhang's head.

  This stick is very rotten, the stick is random, there is no law, the force is old, and there is no room for maneuvering. This is also the level of rural fighting. It may not be a problem to use it to crush another rural farmer, but against Zhu Yuanzhang, who has been through hundreds of battles and has been tempered, this stick will not work.

  Zhu Yuanzhang didn't think too much, he decided to use the simplest and fastest method to knock him down. Facing a stick that was swung over with great force, an ordinary person would definitely be startled, either blocking or dodging. But Zhu Yuanzhang instead took a big step forward, instantly entering his opponent's embrace.

  This stick naturally fell behind him, without even touching a single hair, and then Zhu Yuanzhang swung his fist, punching the opponent's middle abdomen just like he had punched that arrogant laborer earlier.

  One punch, man down!

  The wooden stick in his hand fell to the ground, and he clutched his stomach and collapsed.

  This move instantly attracted a burst of astonished gazes. Those who had never seen Zhu Yuanzhang in action before were all startled by his simple and decisive punch, and couldn't help but rub their eyes, worried that they might have misseen something.

  But this shock only lasted for an instant, as people from both sides rushed together, raising their wooden sticks and bamboo poles, and fiercely smashing them down on each other.

  Zhu Yuanzhang didn't even give a second glance to the person he had knocked down, and instead turned to Yang Chao who was rushing up behind him, saying in a low voice: "I'm leaving this one to you, beat him up."

  Yang Chao was a trusted aide of Qi Guan, higher than ordinary long and short workers. He usually called the shots in front of everyone, never receiving orders from anyone. But just now, he followed closely behind Zhu Yuanzhang, witnessing at close range the lean monkey's swift and decisive punch. Even before he could blink, the other party had fallen... Immediately after, he heard Zhu Yuanzhang's low voice instructing him: "This person is handed over to you, beat him up..."

  Yang Chao was momentarily intimidated by Zhu Yuanzhang's aura and unconsciously acted according to his words, raising the wooden stick in his hand and wildly beating the hanging corner of the eye that had fallen to the ground.

  Great! Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied with his behavior, this is the effect he wanted, first show his strength, to tell the people around him "I am strong", and then use this momentum to establish his leadership position among these long workers and short workers. This is the method he used in the peasant army of the peasant uprising at the end of the Yuan Dynasty in his previous life, with very significant effect, using this method, he won over his comrades, won over his superiors, and soon became a leader in the insurgent army... This life can also be used, and he has reviewed hundreds of years of history, deeply knowing that this method is still applicable even after hundreds of years.

  In the subsequent fight, Zhu Yuanzhang made the people of Zhangjia Village in Qing County deeply understand what is called simple and practical boxing. He didn't have any fancy moves, nor would he shout loudly "ah, hey, ha" during a fight, let alone swear, he just silently threw punches.

  One punch, take down an enemy!

  Another enemy falls!

  Height and weight are not a problem for him, wooden sticks and bamboo poles make no difference to him, as long as he charges towards an enemy, it is announced that the enemy will fall, no one can be an exception.

  Every time he knocks down an enemy, he would whisper orders to his nearest comrade: "Take over, beat him up!"

  Those who were summoned by him would, without exception, enthusiastically use the bamboo pole in their hands to teach the enemy a lesson. They did not realize that Zhu Yuanzhang was using this simple command to secretly take away all the respect and obedience of both the long workers and short workers towards him.

  They only listened to his orders at first because they were led by the atmosphere on the scene, but if they came a few more times, they would become dependent on him. After a long time, without his orders, they wouldn't do anything... As long as such a transformation is completed, these people will become his most loyal subordinates.

  About half an hour later, the group fight ended. All forty-seven people from Zhang's family in Cheng County were knocked to the ground, groaning "Ah yo! Ah yo!" Zhu Yuanzhang alone knocked down twenty-five people. Bai Shui Wang Er, that short-sighted fellow, listened to Zhu Yuanzhang's words and honestly went around to rescue his own men. As a result, he only knocked down four enemies... Although he rescued thirty brothers, saving people on the battlefield is always not as impressive as fighting.

  "Zhū bā, zhēn yǒu nǐ de!"

  Translation: "Zhu Ba, you really have it!"

  "Zhu Ba, you're fighting beautifully, how come I've never seen you show off your skills before?"

  "Zhu Ba, this time you've really given us a chance to vent our anger..."

  Lian Qi couldn't help but glance at him sideways, walked over and patted his shoulder twice, laughing loudly: "You're really something, this fight was well fought, it gave our Ma family a boost of prestige."

  Zhu Yuanzhang smiled slightly, he wasn't a person who liked to smile, especially after becoming the emperor in his previous life, he rarely smiled because a smile would make him lose his intimidating power over his ministers. But at this moment, he was not yet an emperor and didn't need that kind of power. He knew he had to smile, to match the atmosphere and laugh along with others, it was also a way to win people's hearts.

  He smiled once, and the second smile came easily. He seemed to have found himself back in his previous life when he first joined the rebel army as a common foot soldier. At that time, he often smiled, but most of the time it was a fake smile, not a real one. For someone who had experienced hardship since childhood and lost all his family members, smiling was a luxury. He only smiled to please his comrades or to please their leader, Guo Zixing...

  He forced a smile, adjusted his mindset to be more approachable and friendly, then turned to the people around him and clasped his fists together: "It's not my credit, it's everyone's credit. Qi Guan did a great job directing, Yang Chao brothers, Wang Er big brother, Liu Wu ge and Zheng Qi ge all fought well..."

  "Haha, you little kid's mouth is really sweet..."

  No one dislikes being praised, and the few people who were mentioned by name all smiled with pleasure. The people standing beside Zhu Yuanzhang all felt a sense of warmth, like a spring breeze. Several people in their hearts secretly wondered: yesterday's Zhu Ba still gave people a feeling of being superior to others, with an air that was completely different from ours, but today, for some reason, this feeling disappeared, and it seemed as if Zhu Ba were one's own brother... This feeling is really strange.

  Only Zhu Yuanzhang knew that yesterday he had just arrived in this world and was still adapting to Zhu Ba's body and interpersonal relationships, and he had to use a calm attitude to eliminate potential dangers. But today he has changed his mind and plans to start from scratch again, and under such circumstances, refusing people at a distance of thousands of miles would be hindering his own growth.

  Qiguan Shi stood a little further away, looking at Zhu Ba's calm and composed appearance in the crowd, and then compared it with Yang Chao, whose aura was completely suppressed by Zhu Ba. He couldn't help but shake his head... This guy Yang Chao, I thought he was someone who could be trusted as my right-hand man, but now comparing him to Zhu Ba, they're not even on the same level. It seems that from now on, I'll have to use Zhu Ba more often. If this person can listen to me obediently, he'll be much more useful than Yang Chao.

  He thought again: I didn't expect Zhu Ba to be so capable, it seems that except for Wang Er, no one in the Ma family can match him. In the past when Wang Er came to the Ma family, I even wanted to recruit him as my subordinate, but unfortunately Wang Er was never a obedient person, I couldn't control him, on the contrary, this Zhu Ba might be worth trying to control.

  That day, the Bai Shui Ma family won a crushing victory. After humiliating their opponents' wounded again, Qi Guan Shi led dozens of thugs back to the outside of the Ma Family Mansion with great fanfare.

  As soon as he returned to the edge of the field outside the big courtyard, Zhu Yuanzhang left the team and walked towards the ridge of the field, picking up an iron plow on one side and leading the old yellow cow on the other.

  "Zhu Ba, what are you trying to do?" someone asked.

  Zhu Yuanzhang said seriously: "I still owe a piece of land that has not been plowed, yesterday I promised Qi Guanshi to plow this piece of land, and I also got extra care for dinner. As a person, one must have a beginning and an end..."

  "Ah! So that's what it was all about! Today's fight was exhilarating, thanks to you I was able to enjoy it so much. This field of yours, let me help you plow it." A long worker jumped beside Zhu Yuanzhang and reached out to grab his iron plow.

  Zhu Yuanzhang was about to politely decline, but unexpectedly two more workers jumped out and laughed: "We'll also come to help, next time we'll beat up the stupid Zhang family from Cheng City together."

  "What's the big deal?" Zhu Yuanzhang smiled again, his face smiling, but in his heart he was secretly thinking: Success! My network has already started to take shape. The next question is, within a year, how large can I build my network, and what level can I establish it at?

  Watching Zhu Ba and several long workers go to plow the field, Qi Guan Shi looked at Zhu Yuanzhang again with a higher opinion. This guy really understands things. I thought he would rush back home and want to reward money, but he still remembers the work he promised me yesterday. This kid is more and more likable! Hehehe!

  Just thinking of this, Yang Chao's head stretched out beside him, smiling ingratiatingly: "Director Qi, we made a big win this time, and you gained face. We should have meat to eat tonight, right? And... about that reward money..."

  "This useless good-for-nothing, as soon as he opens his mouth it's all about getting rewarded. How did I ever take a liking to him? And now he wants to be my right-hand man? It's really infuriating! Qi Guangsi glared at him fiercely and sneered: "Who took down several enemies, I've got the count in my heart. Yang Chao, you tell me yourself, how many did you take down?"

  Yang Chao's expression changed slightly, and he said cautiously: "I... I knocked down a..."

  "Get out of my sight!" Qiguan kicked Yang Chao's waist and scolded, "Not one of them was knocked down, but you picked up Zhu Ba's defeated person and beat him like a drowned dog. Are you trying to deceive me with your blind eyes?"

  "Qī Guǎn Shì... I was wrong... I shouldn't have taken credit for it..." Yang Chao fell to his knees with a thud.

  "Get out!"

  The scene that took place on the edge of the field all fell into Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, and he secretly smiled to himself: Success is a process of stepping on other people's heads one step at a time, Yang Chao, you are the first person I want to trample underfoot, this has nothing to do with gratitude or resentment, it's just that you happened to block my way.

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