"The bandits the government troops killed should have come from neighboring Baiyang County..."
"Baiyang County suffered a disaster this year."
The next day, after returning to his rural home, Wei Tu finally learned where those saber-wielding bandits had come from during his conversation with Wei Bao.
Though he had watched the government troops kill the bandits the night before, he had not dared mention the matter too much or ask others about it, for fear of bringing disaster upon himself.
Only after returning home did he dare bring it up.
Six years ago, for the family's survival, Wei Bao had not only sold him, his eldest son, but had also sold off part of the family inheritance.
Over the years, to support the family, Wei Bao had followed acquaintances from the village to neighboring counties to work as a wheat harvester.
Baiyang County lay northwest of Qingmu County. Most of its land consisted of dry slopes, and its wheat ripened earlier than that of Qingmu County.
As a wheat harvester, Wei Bao had learned of Baiyang County's disaster earlier than anyone in Qingshan County.
"But in times like these... I reckon chaos is coming soon. During Baiyang County's disaster relief this time, the grain in the charity granary was over seventy percent short of what the ledgers recorded."
Wei Bao said.
Hearing this,
Wei Tu nodded.
Though country folk lacked education, being at the bottom of society allowed them to sense social upheavals more keenly than wealthy households did.
It was like ants moving house when dark clouds gathered before the rain.
After discussing yesterday's "abnormality," father and son fell silent, unsure what topic they should talk about next.
Wei Bao caught sight of the dry tobacco pipe hanging from Wei Tu's waist. He rose from his little stool, went to the windowsill, gathered a small bundle of dried tobacco leaves, and handed it over.
"Give it a try. We grew it ourselves," Wei Bao said.
Before long,
Father and son each took a puff after the other.
The room was soon filled with layer upon layer of hazy smoke, as gauzy as moonlight.
"Your father has wronged you. This is some money I've saved over the years. Take it. Whether you use it to establish a household outside or redeem your contract of sale, it should be of some use."
That evening, Wei Bao called Wei Tu outside. The widower did not say any warm words. Standing in the shadow beneath the eaves, he pulled a half-worn floral cloth pouch from his chest and stuffed it into Wei Tu's hands.
After a moment of silence, Wei Tu accepted the pouch.
The instant it landed in his hand,
He felt its weight.
Even if it held only copper coins, there had to be at least five or six mace worth inside.
Besides the copper coins, Wei Tu also felt several hard, uneven lumps the size of soybeans.
He knew they were the bits of broken silver Wei Bao had saved over the years.
However,
Wei Bao's cold words that followed shattered the warmth that had just risen in Wei Tu's heart.
"You sold yourself. Unless you redeem your contract of sale, a household slave cannot, by the rules, enter the ancestral hall to worship the ancestors..."
"Your wife as well..."
Wei Bao spoke each word slowly and clearly.
Yes, country folk did not consider selling oneself to a wealthy household a disgrace.
But neither would they allow household slaves to worship the ancestors or enter the ancestral hall.
Because the clan elder took such matters seriously.
Sharing a clan and ancestry with a household slave would bring shame upon the clan elder's branch.
"I understand."
Wei Tu felt as though his face were being scorched by fire and scalded by water. He was thankful that he was hidden in the unlit country house, where no one could see his expression.
He clenched the money pouch, his throat bobbing several times before he said, "I'll leave tomorrow. I won't let the villagers see me."
Only then did he understand.
For a household slave, returning with one's wife was not a glorious homecoming. It was a disgrace that brought shame upon the clan.
No matter how open-minded one was,
Having others trample on one's head never felt good.
Wei Bao had given him money not only out of guilt, but also because he wanted Wei Tu not to announce his return to the village.
Leaving Wei Family Village early was better than enduring others' cold stares and losing face.
"Alright." Wei Bao's lips moved soundlessly for a moment. After pausing for half a breath, he finally said, "Alright."
In the morning,
The mountain path was soaked with morning dew and somewhat slippery.
Wei Tu and Xinghua walked in small steps.
Xinghua slipped and fell, leaning against the mountain wall as she rubbed her ankle.
"Does your father dislike me, brother Wei? I called him Father, but he didn't even respond."
Tears seeped from the corners of Xinghua's eyes.
"And the ancestral hall..."
She could not let go of being unable to enter the Wei Family ancestral hall to pay respects.
Wei Tu did not answer. He stroked Xinghua's head, drew her into his arms, and let her tears soak his collar.
"There will come a day."
Wei Tu secretly swore.
When he married Xinghua, he had not given her the three betrothal gifts and six marriage rites. It had been a simple affair, and that was one thing.
But when they returned home to visit family, he could not even let Xinghua enter the ancestral hall. The two of them had risen early and slunk away from Wei Family Village in disgrace...
How could he not care about that?
After returning to the Li Residence,
Wei Tu resumed his peaceful life.
Madam Li never mentioned renting farmland again, as though she had forgotten the matter entirely.
Wei Tu guessed that the Li Residence intended to leave him and Xinghua hanging for a while. Bestowing favor and exerting authority together was the way to control subordinates.
He continued to comfort Xinghua and urged her to wait patiently.
Half a year passed.
As spring plowing approached and Madam Li still had not mentioned it, Xinghua gave up on having Wei Tu become a tenant farmer that year to increase their income and save money.
Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique (34/100): Practice nine times a day, and it will be mastered in five years.
More than a year had passed since he acquired the Turtle Breath Qi Cultivation Technique.
That day, Wei Tu diligently practiced the Health Cultivation Technique. Just as he was performing it for the thirteenth time, he suddenly heard a soft sound within his body like river tides crashing against the shore. As his Stance Training shifted beneath his feet, it seemed to gain an indescribably unique rhythm.
Several breaths later, a stronger warm current than before flowed from within him, coursing through his limbs and bones and strengthening his physique.
"Could it be that my Health Cultivation Technique has reached minor accomplishment?"
Wei Tu glanced at the progress of the Health Cultivation Technique engraved upon his fate.
As far as he knew,
Martial arts had four basic stages: beginner, minor accomplishment, major accomplishment, and perfection.
His Health Cultivation Technique had now reached one-third progress. Combined with the changes in his body this time, it stood to reason that he had reached the minor accomplishment stage.
"Let's try the two-hundred-catty stone lock."
After the warm current within him faded and he regulated his breathing for a while, Wei Tu turned his gaze toward several stone locks in the corner of the courtyard.
Stone locks were not expensive. After deciding to practice martial arts, he had spent a small sum to buy this set of stone locks for building strength from a nearby farming household.
Walking over to the stone locks, Wei Tu placed one hand on the two-hundred-catty stone lock and lifted with force. He easily raised it to his chest, until it was level with his shoulder.
"Success!"
Joy appeared on Wei Tu's face.
An adult could lift a two-hundred-catty stone lock with some effort, but there was a vast difference between lifting it and lifting it with one arm.
Being able to lift a two-hundred-catty stone lock one-handed meant he was qualified to take the military examination.
Still, qualifying to take it was one thing. Strength alone meeting the standard was not enough for Wei Tu to earn a military examination degree.
Besides Stone Lock Lifting, the military examination also tested saber dance, Drawing a Heavy Bow, mounted archery, and military strategy.
"While practicing archery, I need to save silver and find a way to shed my slave status first..."
"Those of slave status cannot take the military examination."
Wei Tu set down the stone lock and began considering the next step of his life plan.
At present,
Given his own circumstances, the fastest and best shortcut for crossing the class divide was to take the Zheng State's once-every-three-years military examination.
Though a military examination degree was not as prestigious as a civil examination degree, for an ordinary commoner, it was still an enormous leap across the social divide.
Many thanks to Funeral Has Been Cancelled for the two thousand Qidian coins.
And thanks as well to all you esteemed readers for your monthly ticket support.
If you have monthly tickets, please cast one for this book too. Arigato—many thanks, esteemed readers.
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