Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

Chapter 80 The Way of Harmony: Combining Strength and Softness

In the days that followed, Lin Yan went to see Ip Man every day to learn Wing Chun, immersing himself completely in the world of martial arts.

That day at the Workers' Union, Ip Man looked at Lin Yan's skillful sticky hands technique and nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, your basic skills are solid. Today I'll teach you the wooden dummy."

Lin Yan's eyes lit up; he had long been interested in the wooden dummy standing in the corner.

Ip Man stood before the wooden dummy, his movements fluid as he sparred with it, producing crisp cracking sounds. "The wooden dummy has 108 forms, encompassing all the offensive and defensive techniques of Wing Chun. Watch closely."

With Lin Yan's divine sense assisting him, Ip Man could see every detail of his movements clearly. But when it was his turn to try it himself, he found it wasn't so simple. The wooden dummy was inanimate and didn't provide feedback like in sparring; he had to rely entirely on himself to control the force and distance.

With a "bang," he struck with his elbow, using too much force, causing the wooden dummy to shake violently.

"Relax," Ip Man advised from the side, "Don't use brute force, use skill. Just treat it as sparring with someone."

Lin Yan calmed down and slowly found his rhythm. Gradually, his movements became smoother, and the sounds of his movements colliding with the wooden dummy became crisp and rhythmic.

Ip Man felt both gratified and moved. This student was learning too fast; at this rate, he feared he would soon run out of things to teach.

When get out of class ended, Ip Man suddenly said, "You don't need to come tomorrow."

Lin Yan was taken aback: "Master Ye, is there something I did wrong?"

Ip Man smiled: "On the contrary, it's because you've learned it too well. You've already mastered the basics of Wing Chun, and now it's just a matter of practicing more on your own. And..." He paused, "I remember promising to take you to see a Tai Chi master, and I happen to be free tomorrow."

Lin Yan was overjoyed when he heard this.

The next morning, Ip Man took Lin Yan to Victoria Park. In the morning light, an old man was practicing Tai Chi.

An elderly man in a white martial arts uniform came up to greet him, looking very energetic: "Master Ye, you've arrived."

"Master Yang," Ip Man returned the greeting and introduced, "This is Lin Yan, whom I mentioned to you. Lin Yan, and this is Master Yang, the authentic successor of Yang-style Tai Chi."

Lin Yan greeted him respectfully.

Master Yang looked him over, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Such a solid foundation. Master Ye, your student is quite something."

Ip Man smiled and said, "That's why I brought him here to learn from you. This kid is too strong; he needs the gentle strength of Tai Chi to balance it out."

Master Yang nodded, but instead of immediately teaching the movements, he first drew a circle on the ground.

"Lin Yan, look what this is?" Master Yang asked, pointing to the round object.

"A circle," Lin Yan answered honestly.

Master Yang shook his head and then nodded: "This is not just a circle, it represents Tai Chi." He stood inside the circle and began to demonstrate, "Everything in Tai Chi is within this circle. The movements are circular, the exertion of force is circular, and even the intention should be circular."

He slowly demonstrated the cloud hands technique, his arms drawing arcs: "Tai Chi emphasizes smoothness and continuity. All the force must circulate and transform within the circle, endlessly cycling."

Under Lin Yan's spiritual observation, Master Yang's seemingly slow and gentle movements actually contained a subtle power circulation. The muscles were not simply contracting and relaxing, but vibrating slightly at a special frequency, allowing the power to circulate and be transmitted throughout the body, forming a complete "circle".

"Come on, give it a try." Master Yang had Lin Yan stand inside the circle. "Don't think about any moves yet, just feel the circle."

Lin Yan closed his eyes and tried to imitate it, but found it was far from as easy as it seemed. His 30,000 jin of strength was like a stubborn ox; trying to make it move in a circle was extremely difficult. After several attempts, his strength either suddenly burst out or suddenly stopped, making it impossible to form a continuous circle.

Master Yang wasn't in a hurry. He smiled and said, "The combination of strength and gentleness doesn't mean not using force, but rather using skillful force. Try to disperse your strength, don't exert it all at once."

Lin Yan's heart stirred. He recalled the principles of cyclical energy and endless regeneration found in cultivation techniques, realizing that martial arts and cultivation were interconnected. He changed his strategy, no longer striving to control all power, but instead guiding a small portion of it, making it circulate along a simple arc. Under the precise control of his divine sense, this small force indeed completed a full circle smoothly.

"Great!" Master Yang's eyes lit up. "That's the feeling! Gradually increase the force, but keep the circle intact."

Lin Yan gradually increased his strength. One hundred jin, five hundred jin, one thousand jin... When he reached about three thousand jin, he started to lose control again.

"Frequency! Pay attention to the frequency of muscle vibration!" Master Yang promptly reminded him, "The key to Tai Chi's hidden power lies in this frequency!"

Lin Yan suddenly understood. In his divine sense, Master Yang's muscles were indeed vibrating slightly at a special frequency, and it was this vibration that allowed the power to circulate smoothly. He concentrated all his energy to carefully analyze the mystery of this frequency.

Three days later, when the morning sun shone into the park again, Lin Yan finally grasped that "frequency".

He stood on the grass and slowly began to practice the starting posture of Tai Chi. The movements were still very slow and gentle, but if there were any experts present, they could feel the air around him vibrating slightly, emitting an almost inaudible buzzing sound.

Master Yang stood to the side, his face filled with shock. This young man had not only found the frequency of internal force, but was even more proficient and refined than him, a Tai Chi practitioner of decades!

"Now, try it on that tree," Master Yang said, pointing to a tree as thick as a bowl.

Lin Yan nodded and slowly placed his palm on the tree trunk. The movement was as light as a caress, but the moment his palm touched the trunk, his muscles trembled slightly at that peculiar frequency.

With a soft "poof," the surface of the tree trunk remained intact, but a fine cracking sound came from inside.

Master Yang stepped forward and gave the tree a gentle push, and the entire tree fell down with a crash! The wood chips at the break were as fine as powder, as if they had been cut by countless tiny knives.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!" Master Yang exclaimed three times, his beard trembling with excitement. "His internal energy penetrates the body, shattering wood into powder! I've practiced boxing my whole life, and I've never seen anyone reach this level in just three days!"

Lin Yan himself was somewhat surprised. He had only converted one-thousandth of his 30,000 jin of strength into internal force, and it had such great power.

He suddenly remembered the wooden dummy in the workers' union and an idea popped into his head.

After saying goodbye to Master Yang, Lin Yan went to the Workers' Union. Ip Man was teaching his disciples when he saw him and smiled, "What brings you here today? Didn't you learn Tai Chi from Master Yang?"

"I've just gained some insights and would like to ask Master Ye for guidance," Lin Yan said as he walked to an old wooden dummy.

He adopted the Wing Chun stance, but at the moment of exertion, he incorporated the circular and subtle energy of Tai Chi. With a flick of his finger, he lightly landed on the wooden dummy's arm.

With a soft "poof" sound, almost inaudible.

The disciples exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of the meaning behind that finger gesture. Only Ip Man's pupils constricted, and he abruptly stood up and went to the wooden dummy.

He gently touched the spot Lin Yan had touched, and the entire wooden dummy arm instantly turned into powder, falling off in a flurry!

The training hall fell silent. All the disciples stared in disbelief at the pile of powder, then at Lin Yan, who remained calm.

Ip Man remained silent for a long time before letting out a long sigh: "What a subtle strength! What a perfect blend of strength and gentleness! Lin Yan, you have already forged your own path."

He patted Lin Yan on the shoulder, his tone a mix of relief and emotion: "We've taught you everything we could. The rest of the journey is up to you."

Lin Yan bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Master. I will always remember your teachings."

Leaving the trade union, Lin Yan felt particularly enlightened. He finally understood that martial arts, when practiced to its highest level, truly could lead to divine enlightenment. This harmonious framework, this miraculous frequency—wasn't it a manifestation of the "Tao"?

Back at his villa in Deep Water Bay, he stood in the courtyard and slowly began practicing the boxing style he had been working on. One moment it was the fierce and swift power of Wing Chun, the next it was the rounded and gentle grace of Tai Chi; the transitions between strength and softness were natural and fluid.

After finishing a set of punches, he gently patted a landscape stone in the yard.

The stone remained motionless, its surface perfectly intact. But as soon as he turned to leave, a gentle breeze blew by, and the entire stone silently turned into powder, scattering with the wind.

Lin Yan didn't turn around, but just smiled slightly.

He finally took that step. He might have to explore the road ahead on his own, but he already had a direction in his heart.

Inside the study of the Deep Water Bay villa, Lin Yan instructed Lin Er, who stood solemnly to his side, "Master Ye and Master Yang are both true masters of martial arts, yet they are not well-off these days. I would like to invite them to serve as the head instructors of the security department at the Lin Group. This would not only meet the company's needs but also improve their lives."

He paused, then emphasized, "Don't mention my name. Just speak from a business perspective, as the group's vice president. Master Ye has taught so many outstanding disciples, and Master Yang's Tai Chi is unparalleled—these are tangible values. You need to make them feel that their abilities deserve this salary, not that they are receiving charity from someone."

Lin Er bowed slightly: "Understood, young master. I will handle it."

The next morning, Lin Er went to Victoria Park first. He changed into a sharp dark suit, and his gaze behind his gold-rimmed glasses was calm and sharp, completely different from his usual demeanor when he served Lin Yan.

"Master Yang," Lin Er bowed respectfully, "Master Ip Man asked me to pass on a message to you, saying he has something important to discuss and would like you to come over."

Master Yang was somewhat puzzled: "Master Ye? Is there something he can't just say directly?"

Lin Er smiled and said, "Master Ye is currently entertaining an important guest and can't get away. He specifically asked me to drive here to pick you up." He gestured for him to enter, and a brand-new black Mercedes was parked by the roadside.

Although Mr. Yang found it strange, he still got into the car.

The car pulled up outside the Hong Kong and Kowloon Hotel Staff Union, where Ip Man was already waiting. Seeing Master Yang step out of the luxury car, he was taken aback: "Master Yang? What brings you here?"

Master Yang was also stunned: "Didn't you, Master Ye, send me?"

Both men looked at Lin Er simultaneously. At that moment, Lin Er calmly got out of the car and handed over his business card: "Let me reintroduce myself. I am Lin Er, the deputy general manager of the Lin Group. I used a little excuse earlier to ask you two to discuss some important matters."

Ip Man sized up Lin Er, his brow furrowing slightly. "Mr. Lin, you look somewhat familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"

Lin Er adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and smiled calmly: "Hong Kong isn't that big, but it's not that small either. Perhaps we've met at some event. Gentlemen, please come in?"

The three went into the inner room and sat down. Lin Er got straight to the point: "Our group is building a professional security team and needs to hire top-notch martial arts instructors. I've observed your teaching sessions. Master Ye's Wing Chun has extremely high practical value, and Master Yang's Tai Chi deeply embodies the essence of internal martial arts. Both are invaluable talents."

He took out two contracts and pushed them over: "These are the contracts we've drafted: a basic monthly salary of HK$800, plus an extra HK$100 bonus for each security personnel trained who passes the assessment. Your two apprentices can also join the company if they pass the assessment, with a starting salary of HK$300."

Ip Man and Master Yang were stunned when they saw the numbers on the contract. It was several times higher than their current income.

Ip Man was the first to shake his head: "Mr. Lin, this treatment is too generous; we are unworthy of it. Besides, we're supposed to be teaching boxing here..."

Master Yang waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "No way! I'm too old for that. I'm only good at teaching older people to stretch their muscles. How could I possibly become a coach at a big company?"

Lin Er leaned forward slightly, his tone sincere yet authoritative: "Masters, in business, we don't care about formalities, we only care about value. In Hong Kong, masters who can systematically train practical experts like you two are few and far between. We've done market research, and this price is very fair."

He looked at Ip Man: "Master Ip, the disciples you've trained are all exceptionally skilled; that's true value." Then he turned to Master Yang: "Master Yang, your Tai Chi teaches people to overcome strength with softness and to be adept at control—precisely the qualities security personnel need most."

Ip Man still hesitated: "But..."

"No buts." Lin Er's tone was firm. "Martial artists value morality, but they also need to eat. What's wrong with earning money through genuine skill? Don't you two deserve this respect for your lifelong learning?"

He stood up and walked to the window: "Moreover, your disciples will also get stable jobs. Isn't that a win-win situation?"

Ip Man and Master Yang remained silent for a long time. Ip Man carefully examined Lin Er and suddenly felt that the more he looked at the man, the more familiar he seemed, especially his calm demeanor; he was certain he had seen him somewhere before.

Ip Man sighed and picked up his pen: "Mr. Lin is right. Martial artists need to make a living too. It's a good thing that my disciples can have decent jobs."

Master Yang smiled and said, "Since Master Ye has said so, I'll let these old bones of mine do my part a little longer."

Lin Er smiled sincerely: "Welcome to the Lin family. I believe this will be a win-win collaboration."

After signing the contract, Lin Er personally escorted the two to the door. Watching the Mercedes drive away, Ip Man suddenly stopped, slapping his thigh: "I remember now! That man... he's Lin Yan's follower! Every time Lin Yan comes to learn boxing, he's always behind him!"

Master Yang exclaimed in surprise, "Lin Yan?"

Ip Man nodded, his expression complex: "That's right. He calls Lin Yan 'Young Master,' and he always came in casual clothes, without a hairstyle, and wearing glasses. I never expected that the young man following behind him like a butler would actually be the vice president of the Lin Group... Just who is this Lin Yan?"

The two looked at each other, both seeing shock and confusion in each other's eyes. Then it dawned on them: there was no coincidence in their business collaboration; this was clearly the young man helping them in the most thoughtful way, while carefully protecting their dignity.

On the way back, Ip Man suddenly laughed: "Good lad...you've really put in a lot of effort."

Master Yang remarked with emotion, "It's our blessing to have taught students like this."

Back at the company, Lin Er made a phone call: "Young Master, everything's taken care of. Both masters have signed contracts."

On the other end of the phone, Lin Yan chuckled: "Very good. Remember, increase their salaries regularly, but make sure they feel they deserve it."

"clear."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Yan looked out the window with a satisfied smile. Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish; this way, he helped the two experienced workers without hurting their dignity.