Chapter 159

Under Xiaoya's guidance, the stir-fried pork cooked by Da Zhuang was quite salty and flavorful, though the meat was cut a little too thick.

"Mother, eat more chili peppers," Xiao Si put a big handful of chili peppers in Li Yao's bowl, and also gave some to He Xiaoya, "Sister-in-law, you eat more too."

He Xiaoya really liked eating chili peppers, but Chun Ning had said that she could not eat anything too spicy, otherwise it would be bad for the child in her belly.

Chun Ning was a maid Liu Yun had called from the Capital City. Although she was only seventeen, she knew a lot of things. She had been accompanying He Xiaoya these days, and the two were now like close sisters.

But these chili peppers weren't that spicy. Eating a little should be fine, right?

"Chun Ning, can I eat this much?"

"Eat half," Chun Ning said. "I'll take the other half."

"Okay."

With the chili peppers, the meal tasted much more fragrant.

"Mother," Da Zhuang asked, "We still have a lot of leftover chili peppers. Should we keep them to stir-fry more, or should I pickle them?"

"You know how to pickle vegetables?"

"I don't, but I can learn," Da Zhuang said. "For household chores like this, I can't always let Mother do them."

"Then I'll teach you when I have time."

Li Yao felt that Da Zhuang was like a different person these past few days.

Previously, he would be busy working in the fields every day, leaving before dawn and not coming back until dark.

But now he had started learning to do housework. Could it be that since he was about to become a father, he was paying special attention to these things?

"Right," Li Yao said, "Starting tonight, you boys can train with me."

"Great!" Song Zhe's eyes immediately lit up, "Auntie, I've wanted to learn some moves from you for a long time, but didn't dare ask because I was afraid you wouldn't teach me."

"Do I need to train too?" Wang Er asked.

"Of course."

"But...I still want to study more at night."

Wang Er wanted to participate in the county exam this autumn.

Although it was a bit rushed, if he missed this opportunity, he would have to wait another two years.

He didn't really want to wait, so ever since passing as an academically-talented person, he had studied even more diligently. Plus, the tutor Liu Yun had called from the Capital City was quite capable, so he still had a decent chance.

"Studying is indeed important," Li Yao said, "But scholars must also focus on exercising their bodies. Only then will your mind...I mean, your wits become more nimble."

Everyone present was stunned. They had never heard of such an idea! Even Chun Ning, who had grown up in the Capital City and was quite worldly, had never heard this before.

She only knew that the scholars in the Capital City would either study desperately day and night, or relax completely for a few days. She had never seen anyone exercise their body.

This mistress of the household really seemed a bit different from the norm.

"Alright, I'll listen to Mother on this."

After settling the matter, Li Yao began making some preparations.

Including Song Zhe, there were four boys total, and each had different physiques and strengths, so she would need to teach them individually.

That afternoon, she made a simple plan.

After dinner, the four boys were called to the spacious yard. The revolving watermill fan blew away the heat from their bodies.

"Mother, how should we train?" Da Zhuang asked.

"Go lead that bull from the pen over."

A bull?

The brothers were puzzled.

Weren't they supposed to be training martial arts? Why did they need to lead a bull over, was Mother going to teach them how to plow fields?

Da Zhuang quickly led over a sturdy adult bull. It was the calf they had bought previously, and had grown quite big, but had not yet done any serious plowing.

"Da Zhuang, your task is simple," Li Yao said. "Find a way to wrestle it to the ground."

The brothers: "..."

"Wrestling bulls, what kind of martial arts is that for practicing?"

"It's not any kind of martial arts, just wrestling," Li Yao said. "Don't underestimate it. If practiced to mastery, even a dozen ordinary people would not be a match."

As soon as Da Zhuang heard this, he became excited.

He recalled how he had always been bullied by his uncle when he was little, and could never fight back. It had become almost a complex for him.

"Mother, I will practice diligently."

Da Zhuang herded the bull to the open ground nearby, then grabbed its horns and tried to push it down.

But of course the bull would not obediently listen. It twisted its head and almost flung him away. Da Zhuang tried over a dozen times but could not succeed. Only then did he realize it was not so simple.

So he tried hugging its legs, hugging its neck, but the bull's strength was too great. It easily defused his attacks each time. Da Zhuang was drenched in sweat, but had not even managed to bend one of the bull's legs.

"Just practice like this for the first few days," Li Yao said. "Try to find the bull's weaknesses, and pay attention to using clever force. If you can wrestle it down once, I'll teach you more techniques."

"I understand, Mother," Da Zhuang became even more enthusiastic. "I will definitely wrestle it down."

After seeing Da Zhuang's training methods, Song Zhe was a bit deterred.

Wrestling with bulls, he did not have that kind of skill!

Seeing Li Yao look over at him, Song Zhe quickly said, "Auntie, I don't have much strength."

"I know, I won't make you wrestle bulls." Li Yao smiled.

"Then what will you teach me?"

"Is your head hard?" "Very hard!" Song Zhe said. "I've always won at butting heads since I was little. I've never lost to anyone at butting contests with bulls!"

So-called butting bulls referred to two people pressing their heads together and seeing who could endure longer.

"Then I'll teach you the Iron Head skill."

Song Zhe's heart thumped rapidly. This name alone sounded very powerful. It was proper martial arts!

"Auntie, how do I practice it?"

Li Yao led Song Zhe under the eaves and pointed to the hanging sandbag. "Besides basic training morning and night, use your head to hit it one hundred times. When you feel you can adapt to it, increase the amount." "I can do this!"

Song Zhe was very confident.

If it was using his head to hit a wall, he might be a little apprehensive.

But hitting a sandbag... heh heh, this was too easy!

After all, sandbags were soft. He could punch a dent into one with a fist.

So he grabbed the sandbag with both hands and slammed his head into it.

But somehow, the sandbag that had felt rather soft when punching it with fists, now felt no different from hitting a wall when using his head. The vibration made his head buzz.

"You can go lighter at the beginning, it's fine if you can't persist to one hundred hits. Don't injure yourself."

"I... understand... understand..."

Song Zhe was dizzy, but still persisted in hitting his head. After only twenty some hits, he collapsed straight away.

It turned out this Iron Head skill was not so easy to practice either!

Wang Xiao Si watched merrily on the side, "Mother, it's Er Ge's turn now."

"No hurry, you first."

"What will I practice?"

"Running."

Wang Xiao Si blinked. What was there to practice about running?

He ran all over the village every day!

Li Yao took two small leg bindings, one weighing only half a pound, and tied them to Wang Xiao Si's ankles.

"Run one hundred laps around the yard at night."

"Okay, I can definitely finish them!"

Wang Xiao Si ran off swiftly, leaving only Wang Er.

Seeing his elder and younger brothers training so arduously, Wang Er felt quite uneasy. After all, he had been reading since childhood and hadn't done any physical work, so he had no strength at all.

Even just running, he could not beat Wang Xiao Si.

"Xiao Hui, bring out the things I told you to prepare."

Du Xiao Hui quickly brought out two mats from the room, and spread many thick cotton quilts over them.

Li Yao had Wang Er take off his shoes and the two of them stood on the soft cotton quilts.