After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 739 Testing
Jin Jiashu quickly adapted to the new self-defense course.

Haitang taught him very carefully how to deal with various critical situations, which were all within the reach of a young man of his size and strength. Xiao Shitou served as his sparring partner. However, when he needed to learn the tricks of counterattack, he often failed against Xiao Shitou, so he had to let Qiu Baisheng be his opponent instead.

Qiu Baisheng had learned some basic boxing and kicking skills from his former master, but even if he was not vulnerable, he was no match for the son of a military family. By serving as a sparring partner for Jin Jiashu, he could also learn a few more moves and improve his own martial arts skills.

If Haitang couldn't explain something, she would pull Shi Liu to show Jin Jiashu how to do it. Although Shi Liu had never practiced martial arts, he was a servant of a military officer. He was strong and knew a few basic skills. He could definitely be Haitang's sandbag tool. Besides, the ground in the second courtyard was covered with thick grass, and Haitang knew how to use her strength, so she would never get hurt. She thought it was fun.

When Shi Liu was busy and couldn't come to help, she would recommend the newcomer Xiangcao to come over and act as the sandbag tool. But Xiangcao had no basic skills and average physical strength, and she didn't know what to do at all. If Haitang wanted her to be her tool, she had to teach her in advance. As Xiangcao learned, she became interested. It turned out that a delicate girl like her could use all kinds of clever tricks to fight back against tall, strong and powerful men? ! It was a pity that she didn't know anything before, otherwise how could she have been beaten and scolded by her father and was completely unable to resist? !

Xiangcao also began to study hard. Although Haitang was not teaching her, she thought to herself that Master Jin next door had about the same physical strength as her. She could learn the same things Master Jin could learn. As long as she listened carefully to the tips taught by her own girl, observed her movements, and memorized them in her heart, she could also learn these martial arts skills by asking Shiliu for advice in private, or even practice with her!

In this way, Jin Jiashu quickly learned many self-defense skills within a few days. Haitang also gave him the dagger she used when she was a child as a personal defense weapon, just in case. Although his strength did not improve much, he learned how to use his strength skillfully, and he was no longer a rookie who could not even beat a half-grown child. Now, relying on his skills alone, he can fight Xiao Shitou for two or three moves - although after two or three moves, he will be easily knocked down by Xiao Shitou's brute force.

Haitang encouraged him to practice running every day to increase his physical strength. Even if he encountered danger and could not defeat the enemy, he would have the strength to run away for a long time and a long distance, instead of collapsing on the ground due to exhaustion before running far because of lack of physical strength.

Since your riding skills cannot be improved in a short period of time, it is also good to improve your physical strength first.

Jin Jiashu actually wanted to get closer to Haitang, even if it was just a conversation between the two of them. But Haitang was thinking about his safety and urged him to exercise, so he couldn't be ungrateful. In order not to disappoint Haitang, he patiently practiced hard at home every day. Not only did he try to find time to practice equestrianism at the small parade ground every day, but he also ran eight or ten laps in the backyard of his home in the morning and evening. He sweated profusely during the training, and his appetite for three meals a day was great. He slept better at night and went to bed earlier than usual - he had to go to bed early, and he was exhausted every day. He dozed off quickly at night, and even if he wanted to stay up late to study hard, he couldn't open his eyes.

Jin Jiashu's living habits suddenly changed so much that Ma Shangyi couldn't ignore it no matter how busy she was. She didn't object to Jin Jiashu exercising and improving his physical strength. Anyway, it was still a long time before the next provincial examination, so he didn't need to start drafting and studying poetry and books in the dark. It was okay to relax for a few months. It was just that all these changes were brought about by Haitang of the Hai family. Jin Jiashu started to practice martial arts so hard because of Haitang's persuasion. This made Ma Shangyi feel a little uneasy.

She found some time to chat with Ma, talking about some trivial matters, and "in passing" mentioned that Jin Jiashu came here every day to learn martial arts. Ma didn't think there was anything wrong with this: "If Xiao Jin hadn't been so focused on the imperial examinations in recent years and was always busy studying, he should have learned some self-defense martial arts and practiced horse riding. He will live in Chang'an, and the people he is familiar with are all military families. How can he not have some martial arts?! Baoshun is not at home, he can't just stop making friends. But his friends are going out of town to play, if he can't even ride a horse well, and he complains of being tired after playing for half a day, and people don't like to call him after so many times, what will he do when he is alone? Our family will move to Beijing next year, and by then even cousin Xie, Lao Cao, Lao Lu and others will have to follow. Lao Zhuang and Lao Geng are also about to retire, and Lao Geng takes his grandson Tianyou away, how many people will be left in Chang'an to accompany Xiao Jin? The children of the Wu family will also return to Beijing sooner or later..."

Ma Shangyi listened and felt that the Hai family had good intentions, but they had no idea what was going on behind the scenes...

She sighed inwardly and began to inquire about Ma's intentions. "What date have you set for your trip to Beijing? Has Lord Tao mentioned it in your letter? If you can go earlier, it's better to go earlier. You always want to find a husband for your granddaughter after you go to Beijing, but Tang Jie'er is getting older every year. She's sixteen this year and seventeen next year. If you're busy with moving, and you delay it any longer, it will be too late to find a husband when she's eighteen! Daughters of officials in Beijing rarely get married so late unless there's a reason. I'm afraid that by then, we won't be able to find a good candidate, which will further delay the child's life."

Ma was a little worried after hearing this: "I have thought about this, too. My eldest sister's granddaughter Yijun is almost engaged now. She is a few months younger than our Tangtang! She is engaged, but Tangtang is still unsettled. I am also very worried. But there is nothing we can do about it. We can't arrange a marriage for the child in Chang'an and leave her here alone while we go back to our hometown. We may not be able to see her for three to five years. In order for our flesh and blood to be closer in the future, we can only wait patiently."

Ma Shangyi wanted to recommend a few candidates, but thinking of Jin Jiashu's resistance, she didn't dare to speak out, and only hinted: "I wonder if Elder Tao has made any arrangements? He now thinks highly of Hai Zhushi. Jiao Ge'er's marriage has been decided, and the one he decided is the granddaughter of Wu Men Gusheng. As for Tang Jie'er's marriage, Elder Tao should also have some ideas, right?"

Ma said, "I haven't heard the master mention it. Lord Tao never cares about these things. Uncle Xie is here, so why would Lord Tao ask about the marriage of our children?" Tao Yue regarded Xie Wenzai as a close friend. If Xie Wenzai asked, Tao Yue would definitely introduce a good marriage for his friend's niece's granddaughter. But Xie Wenzai never asked, so how could he interfere?

Neither Hai Xiya nor Ma had ever thought of asking Tao Yue to be a matchmaker for their granddaughter. Perhaps in the future, if their granddaughter didn't like the man, they would still ask for him, but that would be after they came to Beijing. Right now, Ma would never let her husband travel thousands of miles to Beijing to write a letter just for this kind of thing. She wouldn't trust anyone who picked a candidate without seeing him in person!
Seeing that Ma was completely clueless, Ma Shangyi was helpless. She could only force a smile and said, "Don't worry, the Wu family has risen again, and they are no longer suppressed like before. There are so many people, there will always be a few good children. If you really can't find a suitable grandson-in-law in the future, ask Tao Ge Lao, he will definitely be happy to be a matchmaker. Tang Jie'er is such a good child, she will definitely have a good marriage!"

Ma was delighted to hear this, and smiled as she shook her hand: "Then I'd like to thank you for your kind words, Sister Ma!"

(End of this chapter)