"Is this kind of training useful?" Ai Pi sat on a willow branch, speaking to Xiao Huan, who was walking upside down.
In March in Jiangnan, the spring chill was still biting, and the willows had just sprouted new green leaves. By the river, a pair of young boys were seen: one dressed in short clothes, with a round face and big eyes, practicing diligently under the tree; the other in a long robe, with delicate features, reading on the tree.
Xiao Huan flipped in the air and stood upright on the ground.
"Of course it's useful. This is a training method invented by my grandfather, Jiao Tianyou. It's passed down to sons, not daughters, reversing the meridians for double the results with half the effort. My grandfather was the fastest runner in Feiyan City."
"Xiao Huan, you've made two mistakes: one logical and one citation error."
"Be careful, or you'll get beaten. Speak plainly."
"Well, you said your grandfather passed it down to sons, not daughters, meaning he passed it to your father, who then passed it to his son, which means it could only be passed to your brother, not to you. That's a logical error."
"I only said my grandfather didn't pass it to daughters, but he could pass it to granddaughters. Isn't that correct?"
"That... never mind. The other mistake is that according to historical records, your grandfather wasn't the fastest runner. At least in Feiyan City, the Lu family's Lu Kunpeng has the same historical record as your grandfather, and they are both known as the 'Double Wings of Feiyan.'"
"Lu Kunpeng is as fast as my grandfather, so they are both the fastest, which means my grandfather is also the fastest. So I'm not wrong, and you're the one making a big mess of things."
"What big mess of things..."
"Double Wings... chickens. Speaking of which, it's lunchtime. I'm hungry. Let's meet at Drunken Immortal Tower..." Before the words had even settled, the short-clad girl named Xiao Huan was gone like a gust of wind.
"Hey, wait for me, you know I can't run fast," the long-robed boy scrambled down from the tree, holding a scroll of a book, and struggled to chase after the girl.
"Xiao You, our Lu family has always been a family of freight transport, even quite famous in the Great Xin Kingdom. Your younger brother is still young, and only by marrying into a powerful family early can we expand our strength and support him to continue the family business."
"Father, I don't want to marry. With my abilities, I can also support my brother alone."
"Xiao You, you don't understand how harsh the world is and how treacherous people can be. As a woman, you will ultimately find it difficult to uphold the Lu family's legacy."
"Father, you are in the prime of your life. The Wang family in our town has been our long-time friends. Do we really need to rush into marriage?"
"Xiao You, you don't know. Although we have controlled the freight stations in Feiyan City for many years, there are internal threats from the Jiao family and external threats from other city and state families. Our Lu family is like a single boat in the vast sea, unable to withstand much storm. The relationship with the Wang family is also not stable. To survive in our Great Xin Kingdom, we rely on strength and connections. In terms of strength, only your grandfather was the fastest runner, attracting a large number of young people from my generation to learn and join our freight stations. But I was incapable and failed to learn the true teachings of your grandfather. Our generation failed to attract the next generation of talented individuals. The one who learned your grandfather's true teachings and dominated the era is Wang Rufeng, the head of the Wang family. In the past, the Wang family relied on us, but now it is the right path for us to unite with the Wang family. Therefore, marrying you to Wang Yunxiang, the son of the Wang family, will strengthen our family's prestige."
"Father, that Wang Yunxiang is just a playboy, I don't like him. As you said, whoever runs the fastest can dominate our country, so we don't necessarily have to marry into the Wang family. Over the years, I've learned my grandfather's martial arts and have grasped the essence. I can go to our academy to teach and train elites, and I won't be inferior to anyone."
"Xiao You, you don't understand that people value reputation. In our Feiyan City, the current fastest runner is only Wang Rufeng. The next generation of elites in the city have all gone to the Wang family's academy. Our family's academy has long been attended only by our own clan members. Look, among our own clan, there isn't a single person who can run faster than you. Can we rely on them?"
"Father, if it weren't for the fact that women are naturally less physically strong than men, I would have gone for the title of the fastest in the world. In any case, I don't like Wang Yunxiang. Father, here's what we can do: the Feiyan City Speed Competition is coming up, and we set the rules every year. This year, I will design the rules to test the participants' abilities, character, and intelligence. I will choose one of the top three as my future husband."
"Xiao You..."
"Father, no need to say more. Your daughter has made up her mind. I will go back to my room to think about the rules. As for the Wang family, you can figure out how to explain it. Besides, if the talented young men from the Wang family can pass the test, they will also have a chance. Your daughter takes her leave."
Lu Feihong knew that his daughter had always been resolute and decisive, and could not be forced. He sighed and sat down to ponder.