Chapter Six: Training

Watching the obedient Xu Fu trailing behind him, Xu Kang suddenly felt a twinge of sympathy for this older brother of his, bestowed by fate. Although he himself was the interloper from another world, a counterfeit, at this moment, it seemed he was the true son, while Xu Fu appeared to be the adopted one.

Fortunately, Xu Fu seemed unfazed by such matters. Noticing Xu Kang glancing his way, he offered a look of gratitude—as if to say, Thank you for stepping in earlier, or I’d have been beaten again!

Xu Kang instantly understood and couldn’t help but grin, winking in return—It was nothing, don’t mention it!

Seeing his expression, Xu Fu broke into a wide smile as well.

Their little exchange did not escape Madam Xu’s notice, but she said nothing. Leading both sons into her room, she instructed Xu Fu to pull out the large wooden chest from beneath her bed.

The chest was heavy, and as Xu Fu dragged it out, it scraped noisily across the floor. Xu Kang hurried over to help, but found he couldn’t budge it and had to give up, a little embarrassed.

Only when Xu Fu, sweating, managed to drag the chest out and, at Madam Xu’s direction, opened it, did Xu Kang realize why he had failed.

The chest was filled to the brim with copper coins!

These coins were the standard five-zhu coins used in the empire, each weighing about four grams. Judging by the fullness of the chest, there must have been no fewer than twenty thousand coins—nearly two hundred pounds in total!

Such weight was a struggle even for the robust Xu Fu; for Xu Kang, still recovering from illness, moving it was impossible.

Though reasonable, Xu Kang couldn’t help but feel a little dispirited.

This body is so weak, he thought. I’ll have to find a way to train myself. Even as a scholar, I need a healthy body. I refuse to die young like Guo Jia.

Madam Xu, of course, was unaware of his musings. Seeing his furrowed brow, she mistook it for dismay at the meager sum. With a weary sigh, she spoke:

“Kang’er, the harvests have been poor these years, and with the chaos of the Yellow Turban rebels, this is all our Xu family possesses. I intend to send Cui’er to buy two weaving looms, so she and I can make cloth to help with household expenses.”

He knew what a weaving loom was, so at her words, he smiled and waved his hand gently.

“No need, Mother. Please focus on your recovery. Cui’er should tend to you as she ought, and as for earning money, leave that to your son.”

Xu Fu nodded earnestly. “Indeed! Mother, you just rest at home. As long as your sons have a bite to eat, you’ll never go hungry!”

At that, Xu Kang realized trouble was brewing.

Such words would be unremarkable in a common peasant’s home, but the Xu family, though impoverished, still bore the pride of a lesser gentry clan. That pride made Xu Fu’s words, when heard by Madam Xu, sound unbearably grating, and she could not contain her anger.

“Hmph! You unambitious wretch! If you have but one bowl of food, then eat it yourself. I’d rather starve than be shamed by such a son! Get out of my sight!”

Xu Fu: “╭(°A°`)╮”

What did I do now?

Seeing Madam Xu’s rage and Xu Fu’s look of bewilderment, Xu Kang realized that if he didn’t intervene, Xu Fu would be on his knees receiving a beating within minutes.

So he hastened to mediate.

“Mother, my brother meant well. His words clumsy, but his heart is filial. Don’t take it to heart. Our family’s hardships are only temporary. With both of us here, the Xu family will surely become the foremost noble clan in Yingchuan!”

These words struck a chord with Madam Xu, and her anger visibly subsided. She turned to Xu Kang, her expression full of relief and pride.

“My son, since recovering, has grown even wiser. In time you will serve the Han dynasty and bring honor to our family. Then I can face our ancestors with dignity. As for your brother…”

She turned to the still-bewildered Xu Fu, her face shifting instantly to one of exasperation and resignation.

“As long as this fool doesn’t cause trouble or disgrace our ancestors, I’ll thank the heavens. Enough, let’s not speak of it.”

Xu Kang gazed at her, at a loss as to how to persuade her further. He discreetly signaled Xu Fu to withdraw.

Xu Fu caught the hint at once, bowed to Madam Xu, and said, “Mother, please rest. I’ll go buy a chest for my brother. I’ll return soon to receive your guidance!”

With that, he slung two heavy strings of copper coins over his shoulder, and quickly retreated from the room, vanishing outside.

Xu Kang couldn’t help but grin at the sight, turning to Madam Xu with a laugh.

“See, Mother? Though my brother often vexes you, he holds you in respect. Please don’t be too harsh on him.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Kang’er, don’t plead for your brother. It’s not that I am too strict, but he is reckless by nature. If I do not discipline him, he’ll bring disaster upon us!”

She then closed the money chest and gestured to Xu Kang.

“Enough about your brother. You are still recovering and must not tire yourself. I’ve sent Cui’er to buy a chicken; soon I’ll make you a nourishing soup. Go and rest.”

Her words warmed Xu Kang’s heart. He nodded earnestly. “I understand, Mother. You rest well too. I’ll return to my room.”

“Go on, then.”

With her permission, he bowed and left for his room.

But once inside, he did not immediately lie down. Instead, he prepared to exercise, as had once been his habit.

Let’s set a small goal: twenty tiger push-ups, fifty squats, and five minutes of high knees.

With his plan set, he began to work out.

To his surprise, what had once been child’s play was now an ordeal. He found he could not do a proper tiger push-up, and had to resort to kneeling. Squats, though done with good form, required two sets to complete fifty. High knees were the worst—at a pace of one per second, he lasted just two minutes before sweating profusely, breathing like a bellows, and growing dizzy. He had reached his limit.

Surveying his frail condition, Xu Kang could only muster a bitter smile.

Damn, this body really is a mess. It’ll take at least a year or two to get back to my former level. I’ll just have to be patient. For now, I’d better find something to eat.

He’d barely slept the night before, racking his brains for a solution, and now, after this exertion, his stomach was growling insistently, urging him to eat.

Not one to deny himself, Xu Kang left his room for the kitchen.

There, he found the maid, Cui’er, boiling water and preparing to slaughter a chicken. Seeing him, she hastily set down her work and bowed.

“Second Young Master, are you hungry? I’m sorry for the delay on the road. Perhaps you’d like a baked flatbread as a snack? I’ll make chicken soup for you right away.”

She uncovered a basket, revealing a dozen or so yellowish baked flatbreads.

They didn’t look like much, but hunger cared little for appearances. Xu Kang immediately grabbed the basket and began eating.

Perhaps it was because he was so hungry, but he devoured two or three with each bite, and in no time, all the flatbreads—each the size of a rice bowl—were gone. Cui’er could only stare in disbelief as he finished with a resounding burp.

“Ah… barely seventy percent full. Cui’er, hurry up with the chicken soup. Call me when it’s ready. And next time, don’t buy these flatbreads—they’re dry, hard, and tasteless. Awful.”

His words had barely left his mouth when Cui’er, snapping out of her daze, burst into tears.

“These were for the family to eat for two days! Now you’ve eaten them all, and I don’t know how to explain it to Madam… Waaa…”

“What?”

Xu Kang was stunned by Cui’er’s tearful face.

Those were meant to last two days? I just ate the family’s rations for two days in one sitting?