Yun Chu continued practicing martial arts in the courtyard.

Qiutong carefully taught her basic moves. After completing one set, she was drenched in sweat.

“Mother…”

At the courtyard gate, a figure appeared.

She wiped her sweat and looked over—it was Xie Shiwei.

She spoke in a flat tone: “Why has Wei’er come?”

Since he received his family punishment last time, apart from morning greetings, he basically never set foot in her courtyard. She was also happy not seeing him, too lazy to bother with him.

“Mother, I also want to learn martial arts.”

Xie Shiwei walked in and mustered his courage to speak.

Ever since he made that mistake, his food, clothing, and expenses had all been reduced by half. Every day he couldn’t quite eat his fill, and he had no silver to use.

He had come originally wanting to admit his mistake and beg for mercy, hoping Mother would restore everything to how it was.

However, seeing Mother practicing martial arts, each move particularly beautiful, he suddenly also wanted to follow along and learn a few moves.

He wasn’t good at studying. Father scolded him every day, the Old Madam and Grandmother also constantly advised him in various ways. He thought he was truly very inadequate.

But now he suddenly understood—he simply had no interest in studying, not that he couldn’t learn anything. He felt he could take the martial path and wouldn’t necessarily be much worse than his elder brother.

Yun Chu lowered her head and looked into Xie Shiwei’s eyes.

This concubine-born son hadn’t inherited Xie Jingyu’s talent for studying, but he was naturally born with a reckless energy. Back when he first entered the Yun family military camp, in less than a year he became a captain of a thousand. Combined with her Yun family’s support, Xie Shiwei had walked the martial path extremely smoothly…

She would never again give Xie Shiwei the opportunity to pursue martial arts.

“It’s rare that you have such an ambitious mindset, so follow along and learn together.” Yun Chu spoke warmly. “Qiutong, first open his meridians for him.”

Qiutong was somewhat surprised. Madam should know that for beginning martial arts students, they only needed to practice horse stance to strengthen their physique. Opening meridians was something for much later—it simply couldn’t be opened now.

Tingshuang said softly: “Just follow Madam’s instructions.”

Qiutong nodded and walked to Xie Shiwei’s side: “Second Young Master, pardon the offense.”

She directly took action, grabbed Xie Shiwei’s right arm, and yanked it downward. With only a cracking sound, Xie Shiwei let out a miserable scream and instinctively tried to escape.

However, Qiutong didn’t give him any opportunity. She found his meridian acupuncture points and pressed down hard, then pulled forcefully.

“It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!” Xie Shiwei was drenched in sweat. “Let me go, quickly let me go, I’m dying from the pain.”

Yun Chu sat in the wicker chair and said: “Your father told you to study properly, and you said studying was too boring. The Old Madam indulged you, so no one said anything. Now, you’ve taken the initiative to want to learn martial arts. Since this is your own choice, then there’s no reason to give up halfway. Opening meridians before learning martial arts is my Yun family’s exclusive secret technique, and also the foundation of how my grandfather and father acquired their excellent martial skills. I’ve always treated you as my biological son, so I won’t keep secrets from you. It’s painful at the beginning, but it gradually gets better.”

Xie Shiwei’s face turned white from the pain: “How—how long do meridians need to be opened?”

“When you no longer feel pain, then there’s no need to continue opening them.” The corners of Yun Chu’s lips held a smile. “My father took three months. My older brother tried for a year and couldn’t do it, so he gave up on the martial path.”

Xie Shiwei was so frightened he nearly collapsed on the ground.

He stammered in fear: “What if meridians aren’t opened?”

“Without building a good foundation, you can only be an ordinary martial artist for life, only able to be a common soldier on the battlefield.” Yun Chu said flatly. “To become a general like my grandfather and father—that would be completely impossible.”

Xie Shiwei stood in place, pressing his lips tightly together.

He wanted to learn martial arts, but this process was far too painful. It would take at least three months…

“Qiutong, continue.”

Following Yun Chu’s command, Qiutong directly grabbed and lifted Xie Shiwei upside down, removed his shoes, and pressed her fingers hard against the acupuncture points on the soles of his feet.

Xie Shiwei screamed miserably one cry after another.

He Shi had just returned to the Xie estate and was about to come to the main courtyard to report back. Before she even entered, she heard her son’s miserable screams.

She hurriedly rushed in. Seeing the scene before her eyes, she got a huge fright and quickly said: “Madam, what has Second Young Master done wrong?”

Tingshuang said: “Second Young Master wants to follow Madam in learning martial arts. This is opening his meridians.”

Hearing this, blood rushed to He Shi’s heart.

Madam already didn’t look kindly upon children who weren’t her biological offspring. If Wei’er followed Madam to learn martial arts, wouldn’t that be walking into a trap? He was truly crazy.

Moreover, studying was so much easier—why seek suffering by learning martial arts? Haven’t you seen that in the Yun family’s generation before last, only one old general remained? In the last generation, only Yun Chu’s father remained. By Yun Chu’s generation, they didn’t even let the younger generation learn martial arts—enough to prove this path simply wasn’t easy to walk.

The path even the Yun family was unwilling to walk, Madam was having her son walk it. Who knows what her intentions were!

Yun Chu raised her eyes: “Concubine He is standing there not leaving—what, do you also want to learn martial arts together?”

He Shi hurriedly said: “Second Young Master seems to be tired. Why not rest a while before continuing?”

Yun Chu nodded. Qiutong immediately released the person, and Xie Shiwei collapsed directly onto the ground.

He Shi rushed over to check on her son’s condition.

Yun Chu stood up: “Concubine He and Wei’er have always been close, so help look after him for a while.”

She turned and entered the inner chamber. The maids outside all followed in.

He Shi hurriedly took the opportunity to say: “Wei’er, learning martial arts is useless, completely useless. Quickly tell Madam you don’t want to learn anymore.”

Xie Shiwei had just been tormented until he lost half his life. From screaming continuously, his voice had gone hoarse. He originally wasn’t a person with firm resolve. Hearing He Shi say this, he was completely defeated: “But Mother said I can’t give up halfway.”

“Just say you’re willing to study properly—wouldn’t that work?” He Shi helped him up. “The Xie family is a scholarly family. The younger generation should naturally study, shouldn’t they?”

Xie Shiwei wore a long face: “But studying is so difficult…”

“Is learning martial arts not difficult? Look at what you’ve been tormented into after just the first day. Will there be any good days to live in the future?” He Shi said earnestly. “Let’s not eat unnecessary suffering, be good.”

Just as they were talking, Yun Chu walked out from the inner room: “Wei’er, let’s continue opening your meridians. Earlier Qiutong only used one-tenth of her strength. Next she needs to use five-tenths. Are you prepared?”

Xie Shiwei was so frightened he stepped back.

Just now with only that much strength, he was already dying from pain. If the intensity increased further, he would truly die here.

“Mother, can I—can I not learn anymore…”

Yun Chu’s expression darkened: “No, you must learn. This is the path you yourself chose. Qiutong, go.”

Qiutong walked toward Xie Shiwei.

Xie Shiwei was so frightened he immediately started crying: “Mother, I was just curious, I didn’t really want to learn. I was wrong, truly wrong…”

Yun Chu frowned: “How can learning be child’s play? It’s not something where you can just say you won’t learn and then not learn.”

“I’ll definitely study properly from now on.” Xie Shiwei kept backing up. “Father said the Xie family passes down through books, every child must study. I’ll listen to Father’s words.”

Yun Chu’s lips curved.

Children at this age were like this—the more you made them do something, the more they were unwilling to do it.

At least for the next three to five years, Xie Shiwei wouldn’t take the initiative to bring up learning martial arts again. By the time he reached twelve, thirteen, or fourteen years old, wanting to learn martial arts would be far, far more difficult.

After He Shi sent Xie Shiwei back, she returned to her own Bihe Garden. Seeing the fallen leaves in the courtyard with no one to sweep them, she immediately felt exhausted to the extreme.

She didn’t understand how things had reached this point…