Turtle Dove

The next day, Lu Chen climbed out of bed early.

Lu Ming and Lu Tang had not been sleeping well lately, and they were still asleep.

After washing up, he took his place in the courtyard and loosened up a little. Then he picked up the Bamboo Spear leaning against the wall and practiced thrusting for a while.

With the help of his trait, Lu Chen could strike the hanging straw ball squarely with every thrust.

His accuracy had improved greatly.

After practicing for a while, he had thoroughly warmed up. He put down the Bamboo Spear, picked up some small stones in the courtyard, and tested his minor mastery in throwing.

Standing at the courtyard gate, he picked some weeds more than ten paces outside as his targets. Without taking much aim, he raised his hand and let fly.

The stones snapped the stems of the fleabane weeds.

"Just as I thought. Not bad!"

He went outside. The sun had yet to rise, and the morning light was faint, but red clouds and rosy dawn already showed in the distance.

"They say a rosy dawn means you shouldn't go out. Is it going to rain?"

Lu Chen took a deep breath.

The air in the ancient countryside really was fresh.

It also smelled of cow dung.

Clutching a handful of stones, he went around to the side of the house, where there were quite a few trees. Birds were chirping and twittering there.

Lu Chen looked closely and fixed his sights on a bird with black-and-white spots on the back of its neck.

It kept going "coo-coo-coo."

Lu Chen slowly took a few steps forward and found a spot with a clear shot. He weighed a stone in his hand, his gaze sharpening in an instant, and hurled it.

"Whoosh!"

Like an arrow loosed from a bow, the stone shot through the air and struck the plump bird.

It was a turtle dove.

Without making a sound, it was knocked flying by the stone and fell from the tree.

The commotion startled the other birds, and a whole flock took flight with a flurry of wings.

Lu Chen paid them no mind. He quickly ran to where the turtle dove had fallen and picked it up with delight.

The Turtle Dove's head and neck had already been caved in by the stone.

"It's pretty heavy. Must be about half a jin, right?"

Lu Chen was a little surprised.

He had heard that turtle dove was nourishing, but he had never eaten one. He had eaten pigeon before, but he had not expected this bird to be so heavy.

"Braised turtle dove for lunch!"

He smiled.

Throwing was already this powerful at minor mastery. What about major mastery?

Could it be like a bullet?

Or a cannonball?

"Brother, what's that in your hand?"

Lu Ming had gotten up bleary-eyed. He was still rubbing his eyes when he saw Lu Chen returning from outside.

Yesterday had worn him out, but a growing boy recovered quickly. He had eaten his fill these past two days, too, and after a night's sleep, yesterday's exhaustion had vanished without a trace.

"It's a turtle dove. I just knocked it down with a stone. Hehe, we're having it for lunch!"

Lu Ming's eyes went wide, and he perked up at once.

A turtle dove? He'd hit a turtle dove with a stone?

Children his age had all tried throwing stones at birds, but few succeeded. They couldn't even catch a sparrow.

Yet his brother had hit two birds in as many days!

He remembered the meat he had eaten yesterday and couldn't help swallowing.

There had hardly been any seasoning, and it had tasted so-so, but it was meat!

He might not even get to eat it a few times a year!

He had to learn his brother's technique properly. Then he could hunt birds too!

"Brother, give it to me! I'll do it. I'll go heat some water and pluck it!"

Lu Ming was very excited.

Lu Tang, who woke up afterward, also shook off her sleepiness and got busy with her second brother.

Lu Chen made breakfast. The three had just finished eating when they heard the sound of someone crying outside.

He was very curious.

Whose family was beating a child so early in the morning?

As the sound drew closer, he also heard a familiar name.

Uncle Huaiyi?

Could they be coming to see me?

Lu Chen had a guess.

Sure enough, there was Lu Huaiyi, carrying a load on a shoulder pole and accompanied by his wife and child. Lu Chengzong walked in front, crying and wiping his tears.

An old man, Lu Xiande, was walking slowly behind them.

He was the patriarch of the Lu clan.

He was also the cousin of Lu Chen's grandfather, Lu Zhong.

Some villagers watching the spectacle were muttering in the distance.

"Xiao Chen, you're home? Have you eaten? How's your health? Are you all right?"

Lu Huaiyi set down his load as he asked.

"Uncle Huaiyi, I just ate. I'm all right."

Seeing Lu Chengzong still standing there, Lu Huaiyi felt his temper flare again and couldn't resist smacking him on the back of the head.

Lu Chengzong looked helplessly at his mother.

His mother said quietly, "Kneel down and kowtow to thank your Brother Chen. What are you looking at me for?"

Lu Chengzong sniffled and knelt, sobbing, and was about to kowtow to Lu Chen.

"What are you doing?" Lu Chen said helplessly, reaching out to stop Lu Chengzong. "Chengzong, get up!"

Lu Xiande came over from behind.

Seeing Lu Xiande, Lu Chen hurriedly cupped his hands. "Grandpa De, what brings you here too? Come in, don't stand at the gate!"

"I came to see you! Chengzong nearly drowned yesterday. If it weren't for you, this little brat probably..." Lu Xiande shook his head and said to Lu Huaiyi, "Huaiyi, put the things in Xiao Chen's home."

Lu Huaiyi put the load he had been carrying on his shoulder down in the courtyard.

Two baskets.

Lu Chen glanced at them.

There was probably grain inside, and what looked like some cured meat.

They were likely a thank-you gift for saving the boy yesterday.

"Grandpa De, I can't accept this. We're family, and you helped us when my mother passed away. Besides, anyone who saw what happened to Chengzong wouldn't have stood by and done nothing!"

Hearing this, Lu Xiande was deeply moved.

What a good child!

It was a pity his life had been so hard.

His younger cousin Lu Zhong and Lu Zhong's wife had died young in an epidemic.

That boy Lu Hai had once been a skilled hunter in the village. After marrying Luo Shi, he had earned enough in just a few years to build the family this large house of gray bricks and tiles, and their life had flourished.

Unfortunately, he had encountered a bear on the mountain and injured his hand, forcing him to give up hunting. Then he had run into a downpour while gathering herbs on the mountain.

In just a few years, all the adults in the family were gone, leaving only these three children to depend on one another.

"All right, accept it. It's just a few things that aren't worth much. You were injured yourself, yet you still went into the water to save him. We can't forget that kindness!"

Lu Xiande waved his hand, giving Lu Chen no chance to speak, and turned to Lu Chengzong. "Chengzong, kneel and kowtow to your Brother Chen. You must remember, your Brother Chen saved your life!"

Lu Chengzong hurriedly knelt and knocked his head against the ground several times.

Seeing this, Lu Chen stopped refusing.

"The silver you borrowed when your mother passed away will be written off as well."

Lu Huaiyi also stepped forward and placed an IOU in Lu Chen's hand.

Lu Chen was silent for a moment, then said solemnly, "Thank you, Grandpa De. Thank you, Uncle Huaiyi!"

"Mm. Life isn't easy for the three of you. If anything comes up, remember to come to me!"

Lu Xiande prepared to leave.

Just then, Lu Chen said, "Grandpa De, there's something I really would like to discuss with you!"

Lu Xiande was a little surprised.

"What is it?"

"Well, I..."

He immediately brought up what he had considered earlier.

He wanted to reopen the Village School and teach the village children to read and do arithmetic.

On the one hand, it would give him work and earn him some grain.

On the other hand, he wanted to earn Fate Value.

"Reopen the Village School?" Lu Xiande lowered his eyes and thought for a moment. "I don't object to that, but..."

He had already been planning to reopen the Village School, but he was worried that Lu Chen wasn't good enough and might lead the children astray.

"I studied with my mother for a few years. I'm not capable of teaching the classics, histories, philosophical works, and collected writings, but teaching some common characters won't be a problem. I also know something about arithmetic. How about I give a trial lesson tomorrow, and you sit in and see how I do?"

Lu Xiande was a little surprised by Lu Chen's words.

As he remembered him, Lu Chen was quiet and stubborn as a mule.

The way he was now was good!

"All right, tomorrow morning at the old Village School. I'll find a few children, and you can teach them. The old sand tray will still be usable after a little repair."

The group chatted for a while in Lu Chen's courtyard, then left.

Lu Chen was quite happy too.

He had found a job that could earn him Fate Value.

I wonder if I could get a lot of Fate Value by becoming an executioner. Or by joining the army. Either should earn me quite a bit of Fate Value, right?

As Lu Chen pondered this, he suddenly heard a grating voice outside the gate.

"Well, well, Little Chen, have you come into money? You can even afford cured meat?"

Several young men were lounging against the courtyard wall, their faces full of wicked smiles.

They were notorious village ruffians who indulged in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. They harassed women in the village, stole chickens and ducks to eat, and were gluttonous and lazy. The villagers loathed them.

After joining the Green Bamboo Gang in the county town, they had grown even more brazen. It was said they even had lives on their hands.

If they hadn't still had some regard for the authority of the village clans, they would have dared to run rampant in the village long ago.

Even so, they weren't far from it now.

"Do you need something?"

Lu Chen didn't remember having had any dealings with them before.

"Oh? You still dare use that tone? You were beaten half to death like a dog just a few days ago. Have you forgotten already?"

The leader was called Lu San. His chest was bare, and a dragon tattoo could just be made out running over his shoulder.

He was proud of it and often showed off the dragon tattoo.

Lu Chen's expression remained unchanged. He glanced at the four of them, then sent Lu Ming and Lu Tang back inside. The two had already sensed trouble and quietly taken out a firewood knife and a kitchen knife.

"You two go inside first. Don't worry. Have you forgotten I can... Get inside!"

Lu Chen glanced at Lu Ming, whose little face was tense, and Lu Ming understood.

He was still worried, but he also knew that he and his sister couldn't help by staying there, so he pulled the indignant Lu Tang back inside.

"Tch, a little brat dares to take out a knife? Who's he trying to scare?"

Lu San's face darkened. He sneered and beckoned to Lu Si.

Lu Si understood and took out an IOU.

"Here, take a look. This is the IOU for what you owe Young Master Li: ten taels of silver in all! Our Green Bamboo Gang bought it." Lu San shook the IOU open, waved it in front of Lu Chen, and put it away.

"You've owed it for five days without paying, so now there are two taels in interest. The four of us brothers have gone to all the trouble of coming to collect, so you owe us another three taels of silver for our trouble. That's fifteen taels altogether!"

Lu San spoke with a grin.

Behind him, Teng Jun and Luo Yong also watched Lu Chen with smiles.

Lu Si went straight into the courtyard. He looked at the two baskets of grain and the several strips of cured meat, clicked his tongue, and draped an arm over Lu Chen.

"Little Chen, that's not very decent of you. You have money to buy meat, but none to pay us brothers back?"

Lu Chen's gaze grew a little cold. He stepped aside to avoid Lu Si's arm and spoke calmly.

"The patriarch gave me these. Besides, I don't owe anyone money, and that IOU is a complete fabrication. If you want money, why don't you go straight to the authorities?"

He looked expressionlessly at Lu San and Lu Si, then turned his gaze to Teng Jun and Luo Yong, as if committing their faces and features to memory.

"I have things to do now. You can leave!"

Lu San looked as if he had heard a joke. He exchanged incredulous glances with his brothers, then burst out laughing. "Hahahaha! Look at him, look at him! This boy's really got guts! Are you really not afraid of death, or what? Paying your debts is only right and proper. It's written down in black and white. You think you can welsh on it?"

"Besides, do you know who Young Master Li is? His father is the county commandant. You want to go to the authorities? Fine! Why don't you come with us right now? Let's see whether the county magistrate believes us or you!"

Lu San was extremely arrogant.

Lu Chen was nothing but a sickly weakling, the sort he could crush with one hand. Yet he still dared speak to him like that?

"I have no money! Go find whoever owes you."

Lu Chen was already finding it hard to hold back.

If it weren't for all the people watching, he really would kill the four of them here, but then he wouldn't be able to get away either.

"No money? That's all right. Don't you still have a house? And your family has a few mu of paddy fields, doesn't it?"

Lu San curled his lips and spat on the ground, then looked at Lu Chen with a wicked smile. "Besides, your sister's not so young anymore. You can't support her anyway, so why not just sell her to us? I can even find her a good family!"

Lu Chen's eyes turned utterly cold, and he glanced at the ground.

"Get lost!"

He bent down and snatched up the wood-chopping knife his younger sister had left on the ground, then swung it fiercely at Lu Si, who had been wandering around the courtyard, touching this and kicking that.

Lu Si's pupils abruptly contracted.

Fuck, you really dare to slash me?

He was so frightened he nearly pissed himself. Sweat broke out on his forehead, and he hurriedly fled.

Lu Chen chased him straight out of the courtyard. "Fuck your mothers, die!"

Lu San, Teng Jun, and the others were just as incredulous. Seeing the killing intent on Lu Chen's face, they didn't dare linger either and scattered in panic.

"Lu Chen, you fucking want to die! Just you wait!"

Lu San might have lost, but he refused to lose face, hurling threats even as he ran.

Lu Chen simply stood beside the house, quietly watching the direction in which they had gone.

That way should lead to Teng Jun's home.

Teng Jun had no family. He was an orphan who lived alone.

His house was where the group gathered.

Should I sneak over in the dark tonight and kill them?

Lu Chen wondered how he could keep himself out of it.

After thinking for a while, he saw an old man coming down the road.

The old man was tall and broad-framed, though somewhat thin, with hair that was half-gray.

Second Grandfather?