Chapter 32: The Taiji Master of the Eight Trigrams Sect, Li Yuanzhi

  "When I saw your father, he was only eight years old at that time. Although his face was dirty, his eyes were rolling around non-stop, a complete little clever ghost." Li Shifu's face full of wrinkles showed a hint of a smile as he said this.

  "At that time, I saw your father was an orphan with no parents, and my husband and I had been married for several years without children, so we brought him home to raise him. Your father was very obedient and listened well, but every time we asked about his origins, he would fall silent."

  "After asking for a long time, he didn't say anything, and I didn't ask again. Your father has high intelligence and learned martial arts very diligently. Among my apprentices, your father's comprehension is the highest, and since I raised him from childhood, at that time I intended to let your father inherit my legacy."

  Later, your father was admitted to the Huangpu Military Academy at the age of 18 and became a student in the 22nd Cavalry Department. Every time he was assessed, his indicators were all first-class, but later your father refused to join the party and was marginalized by the military academy. At that time, I also advised your father many times, but for the first time, your father who usually listened to me did not listen to my advice. When I asked your father what reason he had, your father just remained silent, which made me so angry that I stripped off all his clothes and whipped him hard with a leather whip, but still couldn't get your father to open his mouth.

  "I thought at the time that your father was influenced by them, and the Military Commission also had a talk with your father, but neither of these made your father change his mind. Later, after I mediated in many ways, the Military Commission finally stopped investigating your father, but in early 1949, your father was still forced to drop out of school."

  "After dropping out of school, your father returned to my side again, followed me to learn martial arts, and then the National Army was defeated and retreated here. Everyone's heart was uneasy, but later when the US sent troops, everyone's heart gradually calmed down. Although Chairman Chiang kept shouting about counterattacking, everyone knew in their hearts that it was impossible, so this matter was just a verbal outcry."

  "Days gradually returned to calm, and then five years passed. Your father was already a 25-year-old man at that time. At that time, I was busy with Ah Tong to find a wife for your father, but he refused. At that time, I didn't think much of it, thinking that your father was shy."

  When he said this, a look of pain flashed across Li's face. "It's all my fault for being too careless and not noticing your father's abnormal behavior. Your father was away from home every day during that period, and every time he came back, he would buy some rice, oil, and daily necessities for the family. Your Shifu mother loved your father very much, so she didn't think much of his unusual behavior, thinking it was just a young man's love of play, which is why he was always out early and returning late. And I was too busy with work at the military school to notice your father's abnormal behavior during that time."

  "Not long after that, the Military Intelligence Bureau people came to me at the military school and said they were investigating some things. I didn't know what it was about at the time, so I went with them. It wasn't until later that I found out - it turned out your father had killed an American lieutenant."

  "I was stunned at that time. How could your father kill American soldiers? But the Military Commission people said they had already investigated clearly, and the person who killed people was undoubtedly your father, using the Swallow Fist."

  "About a day later, the Military Commission people let me go, saying they had already investigated and found I was not involved. I didn't know what had happened, so I rushed back home in a flurry, only to find a letter from your father. After reading it, I finally understood. It turned out that your grandfather and grandmother were killed by an American soldier. And the reason your father didn't tell me was just because he didn't want to implicate me. You see, the Chairman needed the help of the Americans, so there are many preferential policies for them."

  Later, your father found out through various channels the soldier who killed your grandparents at that time. The soldier had already retired and was assigned by the US side to come over as an instructor. But he didn't expect to meet your father. Dying in a foreign land, this is also considered getting what one deserves.

  Speaking of this, Li Shifu's eyes turned red and said: "Your father, that rascal, stayed by my side for over a decade without revealing a single word. He left with his tail between his legs, looking very carefree, but he didn't care about his master or mistress."

  At this point, Wang Wei couldn't help but interrupt, "My father didn't want to implicate you, Shifu's mother and the other fellow disciples."

  Listening to Wang Wei's explanation, Li Shifu's turbid eyes squeezed out a tear and said: "But he didn't even want to come back and see me once. You know that as parents, who would be afraid of being implicated by their own children? I've raised him for almost twenty years, what's the difference between him and my own child? How could I be afraid of being implicated by my own child?"

  "My father might be afraid that if he comes back to see you, the Military Affairs Bureau people will find out and implicate you, so he didn't dare come back to see you." Wang Wei said after some thought.

  The old man didn't refute, but instead used a withered yet powerful hand to wipe away the tears in his eyes. After a moment of silence, he continued: "Later, your father changed his name and lived in a military dependents' village in Taipei. Then he met your mother. And then you were born. Your father wrote me a letter asking me to give you a name. Because your father was always hiding, I didn't want you to be like him, so I gave you the name Wei, meaning brilliant and radiant."

  "After you were born, I wanted to see you, so I wrote a letter to your father. Your father said there were some things to arrange, and after the arrangements were made, he would bring you to see me, but then there was no more news from him. Later, Ali told me that your father helped them retreat, so..." The old man covered his face with one hand and choked back a sob.

  "Never... thought... about... that year... that one farewell, it was actually our eternal farewell as master and apprentice."

  Wang Wei saw that Coach Li was emotionally agitated, so he supported Coach Li's arm from one side and helped him sit down on the chair. After sitting down, Coach Li choked back his sobs for a while before gradually calming down, then continued to speak to Wang Wei: "Later, I asked someone to find out about your mother and son, but after more than ten years, there was no news of you two at all. Originally, I thought I wouldn't be able to see you two in my lifetime, but unexpectedly, heaven hasn't forgotten this old man. It let me see Zhao Fu's son before I die."

  At this point, Master Li patted Wang Wei's hand and said with a sigh of relief: "Even if I die now, I can close my eyes in peace. Otherwise, I wouldn't know what to say to Ah Tong."

  "A Wei, do you know that when your Shifu's mother was leaving, she was still most concerned about your father. When your Shifu's mother was dying, she kept reminding me that if I couldn't find A Wei back, then don't come see me."

  "Now I can finally see you, and I can also go see your master's mother with a clear conscience." Li Shifu sighed and said.

  Seeing Li Shifu's despondent expression, Wang Wei comforted him on the side: "Master, don't say such inauspicious words. Your body is still so robust, I think you'll live to be 70 or 80 without any problem."

  "In his seventies or eighties, wouldn't he be an old monster? You little rascal." Wang Wei's words brought a burst of laughter from Li Shifu beside him.

  The old man thought for a moment and said, "Ah Wei, I heard from Liu Yu that you want to learn boxing?" "Yes, Master, I want to learn boxing to strengthen my body and protect myself."

  The old man nodded and said, "However, learning boxing is a very bitter thing, a very dull thing. To learn boxing well, you need to practice diligently every day, not relaxing for a single day. Can you do it?"

  "Wang Wei thought for a moment and then replied: 'Master, I can do it.' The old man nodded and said: 'Alright, follow me here.'"

  Then he stood up and led Wang Wei to a temple, on which several plaques were placed. Respectively written with the names of Dong Hai-chuan, Cheng Tinghua, Xia Guoxun, etc., although Wang Wei did not know who Xia Guoxun was, but understood that Hai-chuan and Cheng Tinghua were both masters of the Wudangquan school, and both were representatives of the Bagua Taiji Fist.

  Master Li had Wang Wei light the incense first, then he himself lit the incense and said: "The ancestors are above, Yuan Zhong today specially accepts Zhao Fu's son Wang Wei as the fourth generation successor of Bagua Taiji Quan." After finishing speaking, he knocked his head three times against the command tablet.

  Wang Wei also followed Li Yuanzhi and kowtowed three times, then gave Li Yuanzhi three more head knocks before getting up. Wang Wei asked Li Yuanzhi if there were any other rituals that had not been performed.

  Li Yuanzhi smiled and said, "That's it, now you are officially a disciple of the Bagua Taiji Sect." Li Yuanzhi finished speaking and walked out with his cane. Wang Wei was stunned and thought to himself, "I didn't expect becoming a disciple would be so simple, could he be an imposter?" As he thought about this, Wang Wei glanced at the ancestral tablet in the temple and suddenly had an epiphany - earlier, when Master Li was accepting him as a disciple, he seemed to have mentioned his own name. Yuanzhi, Li Yuanzhi, it turned out that he was actually the great master of Bagua Taiji, Li Yuanzhi.

  P.S.: Little brother is begging for recommendations, can you big brothers give some?