Jiang Yun shook his head. "I don't want to take you as my disciple, nor can I."
Xia Lin wasn't angry. He looked at Jiang Yun, blinking. "Why? Do you hate me?"
Jiang Yun smiled, took a sip of tea, and slowly explained. "I won't take you as my disciple because you're already fourteen. It's too late to start practicing martial arts. I can't take you as my disciple because your father is a general."
Xia Lin nodded. "You make sense, but I also have two reasons. First, even though I'm older, I'll practice martial arts diligently. I truly want you to be my master. Second, as the son of a general, I guess my father won't agree to let me worship you as my master. I'll go and plead with him now. I'll even kowtow to him. If my father agrees, will you take me as your disciple?"
Looking at Xia Lin's sparkling eyes, Jiang Yun's heart skipped a beat. He almost blurted out an agreement but managed to hold back in the end. He tapped Xia Lin's head and asked, "Why do you want to be my disciple so much?"
Xia Lin thought for a moment and said, half - truthfully, "Because I want to get to know you. I'm curious about you. Of course, liking martial arts and wanting to practice powerful kung fu is also a reason. Please, be my master. I'll treat you well and be very filial to you. It's settled then. I'll plead with my parents tomorrow. It's getting late. I need to go back to sleep. See you tomorrow. Bye... See you!"
Xia Lin left like that, leaving Jiang Yun alone in the room to ponder. Maybe it wouldn't be bad to take the second son of the general's mansion as his disciple. Life would surely become interesting. However, the premise was that the general would agree to hand over his precious son to him.
The next day, the general's mansion had an eventful day.
"Get out!"
"I won't! I'm not leaving! I won't bother you until you agree!"
"You're trying to kill me of anger! Steward Chen, bring me my whip. I'm going to use the family punishment!"
Hearing this, Xia Lin wasn't scared. He stubbornly stood still. Just then, Xia Lin's mother finally arrived.
As soon as she came, she saw Steward Chen handing the general his whip. Frightened, she immediately shielded Xia Lin with her body. "Xia Zhenting, how dare you!"
The general had just raised his whip. When he heard his wife's voice and what she said, he froze. He watched as his wife firmly shielded Xia Lin with her body, and Xia Lin even glared at him, his own father! This made the general so angry that he shouted, "Wife, get out of the way! Let me teach this unfilial son a good lesson!"
The wife was also angry. This was her precious son whom she doted on. She would feel heart - broken even if he skinned his knees, but this brute actually wanted to whip him. She would never allow it!
"I'm not getting out of the way, Xia Zhenting. Let's see if you dare to hit him! What did Lin'er do wrong? You're so heartless as to whip him. If I hadn't come, what if Lin'er was injured by you? I'll... I'll complain to the emperor brother!"
All the general's anger was gone after his wife's outburst. He put down the whip, looking extremely helpless. "Wife, you're a princess, the emperor's own sister. Could you please not say 'old... mother' all the time?"
Seeing that the general wouldn't beat Xia Lin anymore, the wife's emotions calmed down a bit. She let go of Xia Lin and said, "Lin'er, tell mother what you want. Mother will buy it for you."
The general shook his head and sighed. "A kind mother often spoils her son. Wife, just keep spoiling this rascal!"