“Hey, what are you doing? Please, get up!”
Qin Ming quickly stepped forward to help Mu An to his feet.
A man should not kneel lightly, and Qin Ming felt uncomfortable accepting such a formal gesture of gratitude.
“Master Qin, you saved his life. It’s only right for him to thank you properly,” Mu Quan said.
“But…”
“Master Qin, I have one more request.”
Mu Quan hesitated before continuing.
“Would you be willing to take my son as your apprentice?”
“Absolutely not.”
Qin Ming immediately shook his head so vigorously that it looked like a rattle drum.
All he wanted was to live a peaceful life and take care of his family.
The idea of suddenly taking on a disciple had never crossed his mind.
As a rule, he wasn’t interested in things that brought him nothing in return.
“Master Qin, if you agree to accept my son, I’m willing to give up half of my land. And in the future, if you ever need help, our entire stockade will support you.”
“Uh…”
“To be honest, he’s the only son I have left.”
A trace of sadness appeared on Mu Quan’s face.
“In these troubled times, a man without skills to protect himself may not survive for long.”
“The problem is that martial training requires a foundation. If someone doesn’t start young…”
“Please don’t worry about that.”
Mu Quan quickly interrupted.
“My son is clever and hardworking. Whenever you go hunting, just let him follow you.”
“So you want him to become a hunter?”
Mu Quan nodded.
“A family fortune can disappear overnight, but a skill learned with one’s own hands remains forever. If Master Qin is willing to teach him, I will never forget the favor.”
Qin Ming considered the matter for a moment.
Rejecting him outright in front of everyone would be awkward.
At the same time, he had no intention of dragging around an unnecessary burden.
“How about this?” he finally said.
“I’ll observe him for a while first. If he shows talent and determination, I’ll consider accepting him. If not, then we’ll leave it at that.”
Mu Quan’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Master Qin, my son has actually trained in martial arts since he was young.”
“Oh?”
That piqued Qin Ming’s interest.
In his previous life, he had been a martial arts instructor, and he had always been curious about the combat techniques of this era.
“In that case, let me see what he can do.”
Mu Quan immediately turned toward his son.
“Mu An, grab your weapon and show Master Qin your skills.”
“Yes, Father.”
Mu An answered promptly.
He walked to the edge of the courtyard and returned carrying a long wooden staff.
Stepping into the center of the yard, he took a stance.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The staff spun smoothly through the air.
His movements were practiced and confident.
After a series of flowing flourishes, he shifted his grip and launched into a sequence of thrusts and sweeping attacks.
Qin Ming watched carefully.
A moment later, he raised an eyebrow.
“That’s spear technique, isn’t it?”
“Master Qin has sharp eyes.”
Mu Quan smiled.
“He’s indeed practicing spearsmanship.”
“Then why use a staff?”
“The government doesn’t permit commoners to privately own military weapons.”
“I see.”
Qin Ming nodded.
“Is this style passed down through your family?”
Mu An’s fundamentals were surprisingly solid.
His timing and coordination were much better than Qin Ming had expected.
“No.”
Mu Quan shook his head.
“My eldest and second sons taught him.”
“They learned it while serving in the army.”
“In earlier years, military households only had to provide one soldier per family, and troops could periodically return home. The techniques came from instructors in the army.”
“So that’s where it came from.”
Qin Ming understood immediately.
This was likely standard military spear training used throughout Great Zhou.
Ancient warfare emphasized formations above individual heroics.
Soldiers were trained in practical techniques designed for the battlefield.
The focus was simple and effective:
Attack with thrusts, strikes, and cuts.
Defend with blocks, redirections, and coordinated movement.
The principles themselves weren’t complicated.
The challenge was mastering them.
That required talent, experience, discipline, and physical conditioning.
It also required proper nutrition.
Intensive training demanded food, especially meat.
For ordinary villagers, regular access to meat was a luxury.
There was an old saying: the poor studied literature, while the wealthy studied martial arts.
Without adequate nutrition, the body simply couldn’t support rigorous training.
Because Mu Quan’s family was relatively well-off, Mu An had grown up stronger than most boys his age.
Watching the youth finish his routine without showing signs of exhaustion, Qin Ming narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
Finally, he nodded.
“Very well.”
Mu Quan immediately leaned forward.
“Starting tomorrow, he can accompany me into the mountains.”
Qin Ming continued,
“I’ll teach him the basics of hunting.”
“If he proves hardworking and capable, then I’ll formally accept him later.”
“Wonderful!”
Mu Quan was overjoyed.
He immediately raised another bowl of wine.
“Thank you, Master Qin!”
The banquet continued late into the evening amid laughter and conversation.
…
The next morning, when Qin Ming finally woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
As he pushed open the door, he immediately spotted a wagon waiting outside.
The bear he had killed the previous day had already been securely loaded onto it.
“Master Qin, we’re ready to accompany you to collect your reward.”
The first person to greet him was Mu Quan.
Standing beside the wagon was Mu An, who would be driving it.
The wagon was the only transport vehicle in Mu Family Stockade and was usually used to haul grain.
“Let’s go.”
Qin Ming swung himself onto his horse and waved forward.
The group set out immediately for Heishan County.
…
By around noon, they finally arrived at the county town.
However, the moment they passed through the city gates, the enormous bear on the wagon attracted everyone’s attention.
“Heavens! What’s that?”
“A bear! That’s a huge black bear!”
“My goodness! Look at the size of it!”
“Who killed it?”
“What a remarkable hunter!”
Gasps and excited chatter erupted from every direction.
Within moments, people crowded around the wagon.
The roadway became completely blocked.
Everyone stretched their necks to get a better look at the giant animal.
Even the bored gate guards abandoned their posts to investigate.
“Move aside! Make room!”
One guard pushed through the crowd.
When he saw the massive bear, his eyes widened.
He looked up at Qin Ming.
“Sir… did you really hunt this bear yourself?”
“That’s right.”
Qin Ming answered calmly.
The guards exchanged glances.
Their eyes were full of admiration.
One of them clasped his fists respectfully.
“An impressive feat. Truly impressive.”
Then he turned and began helping clear a path.
“Everyone move! Let the hero pass!”
Thanks to the guards’ assistance, Qin Ming and Mu An eventually made their way through the crowd and entered the city.
Behind them, discussions continued nonstop.
…
Meanwhile, at the county yamen, a large crowd had already gathered outside.
“What is all this commotion?”
Qian Jiang stepped outside and frowned.
“Why is everyone blocking the entrance?”
Just then, Qin Ming dismounted and stepped forward.
“Clerk Qian, Qin Ming has returned to report.”
“Returned to report?”
Qian Jiang blinked.
Then his gaze landed on the bear lying atop the wagon.
His expression immediately changed.
“You really killed it?”
“Please inspect it yourself.”
Qin Ming gestured toward the wagon.
“Bring the bear inside.”
Qian Jiang quickly ordered several yamen runners to help.
Then he turned toward Qin Ming and Mu An.
“You two, come with me.”
The gates closed behind them as they entered.
Inside the courtyard, Qian Jiang carefully examined the bear several times.
Finally, he turned back toward Qin Ming.
“Tell me honestly.”
“How was this bear killed?”
“And besides yourself, who else participated in the hunt?”
“I killed it alone.”
Qin Ming answered without hesitation.
“Alone?”
Qian Jiang stared at him in disbelief.
At that moment, Mu An stepped forward.
“Sir, Master Qin truly did it alone.”
“The bear charged into our stockade, and everyone in our village witnessed the entire battle.”
“I swear we’re telling the truth.”
Qian Jiang fell silent.
The testimony of an entire village couldn’t easily be fabricated.
Yet the idea of a single hunter bringing down such a massive bear seemed almost unbelievable.
Before he could say anything else, another voice sounded nearby.
“What happened?”
“Why are the gates closed?”
County Magistrate Lou Changfeng walked out from the rear hall.
The moment his eyes landed on the enormous bear in the courtyard, he stopped in surprise.