Leaving Quietly
Yue Wuchou lit up when he saw the sword fly to him on its own. When his older brother told him to take it, he greedily glanced at it, then looked up at his father. Seeing his father nod, he timidly reached out and took the sword, hugging it tightly to his chest. His gaze towards his older brother finally showed a hint of affection. He was still completely like a child.
Yue Qianchou then asked with a smile, "Can Wuchou write?" Yue Wuchou nodded vigorously and said, "I could write when I was four years old."
"Hmm! Very good." Yue Qianchou turned to Fu Qing and called out, "Bring over a low table and prepare writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone." Fu Qing quickly ran to prepare. Yue Changgui looked at his two sons, wondering what they were up to.
A moment later, all the utensils were set out. Yue Qianchou pointed to the table and smiled at his younger brother, "Wuchou, I have something to tell you. I'll say it, and you write it down. Write down everything I say, and I'll test you to see if you can really write."
Hearing this, Yue Wuchou's competitive spirit was also ignited. He went over, put the sword on the table, picked up a brush, dipped it in ink in a very professional manner, and stared at his older brother with his big eyes, waiting for him to speak.
Yue Qianchou hesitated for a moment, then walked around to his side and smiled, saying, "As the eldest son in my family, I should be filial to my parents and share my father's burdens. However, I was young and impetuous, and I sought the Great Dao. But the Great Dao is elusive and the path is fraught with difficulties. Yet I will search high and low without wavering, and I am deeply ashamed before my elders. Today, I entrust you with this important task..."
At this point, Yue Wuchou understood what was meant and turned to look at his elder brother in astonishment. Yue Changgui's brows furrowed deeply. Yue Qianchou gestured for his younger brother to continue writing, then sighed and said, "From this day forward, all the heavy responsibilities I have not yet fulfilled are entrusted to you, brother. You must remember the painstaking efforts I made to teach you with the blood of hundreds of bandits when we were in their den. Know that only by enduring hardship can one rise above others. Do not succumb to wealth and honor, guard against arrogance and impetuosity, be filial to your parents, carry on the family business, and bring glory to the Yue Family. I entrust this to you with great responsibility, and I hope you will remember it!"
Having finished speaking and writing, though the handwriting wasn't great, the meaning was simple and clear. Yue Wuchou about the "Great Dao" or "Great Dao" mentioned earlier, only knowing that his brother was going out to do something important and that everything at home would be entrusted to him. Staring at the black and white words on the paper, he pouted for a long time before reluctantly saying, "Brother's words, I'll remember them."
"Heh! Good that you remembered. Keep what you wrote safe. If I come back one day and find that you haven't done it and are still in the same den of thieves, spouting nonsense without any real skills, then you'll see how I deal with you," Yue Qianchou laughed.
Yue Wuchou's pout grew even higher. Yue Changgui, however, felt a deep sadness in his heart. He had initially thought that someone would inherit the family business after his eldest son's return, as the tradition of the Huaxia Empire was for the eldest son to inherit the family business. Now, his eldest son had used his second son's pen to express his meaning clearly, which was tantamount to indirectly answering his earlier question. The path he had embarked on must be extremely arduous, and there was probably no turning back. That was why he had taken this action. His intentions were truly painstaking!
Yue Changgui couldn't say anything more. Now that his son's true condition was clear, he was no longer an ordinary man and couldn't be forced to stay. He could only regret that he had agreed to his son's request back then. He sighed and said, "Fu Qing, put up the second young master's courtesy name and hang it in his room."
"Yes!" Fu Qing accepted the order respectfully. Fu Qing was genuinely happy today. The master and the Young Master always sought him out for anything; his future prospects seemed to be about to change.
"When are you leaving?" Yue Changgui sighed. Yue Qianchou paused, intending to leave immediately, but then thought it would be too much. He hadn't been back for nearly ten years; what did it matter if he stayed a day longer? He smiled and replied, "Then I'll stay one more night!"
Yue Changgui understood the implication in his words and beckoned for servants to prepare a feast. The three men, father and sons, headed towards Xue Erniang. Yue Wuchou, carrying a sword, trotted along. Just as they reached the door, Xue Erniang came out. Upon seeing her youngest son, she immediately embraced him and burst into tears. Yue Qianchou felt a pang of heartache; nearly ten years had passed since they last saw each other, and his mother still had this tendency to cry. He and his father both turned their heads away.
"Oh! What happened to my son! Oh! Who slapped him on the face?" Xue Erniang asked anxiously.
Yue Changgui's face twitched. He turned around and snapped, "Are you ever going to stop? This little injury will heal in a couple of days. Can't you see the boss is here? What kind of behavior is this, crying and whining all the time!"
"Ah!" Xue Erniang stood up and saw Yue Qianchou rushing over again, crying, "Where have you been all these years, my son? Don't you even want your mother anymore... Waaah!" Yue Qianchou grimaced and pushed her away, saying with a bitter smile, "Mother, I haven't eaten for a long time, I'm really hungry."
"Ah! Why didn't you say so earlier?" Xue Erniang wiped away her tears and said, "Wait here, I'll get it for you myself." After saying that, she led her maid and hurried away.
"Phew!" The three of them exhaled in unison, looking at each other in dismay. Little Wu Chou shook his head and sighed, "I really can't stand Mother like this. I'd rather stay in the thief's den for a few more days."
"You brat, what did you say?" Yue Changgui shouted. The little guy stuck out his tongue and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Big brother, I'm too dirty. I'll go wash up first, so I won't be unfit for the banquet later." With that, he ran off in a flash.
A little later, the family of four sat down at the sumptuous dinner table. Under her mother's constant encouragement and urging, Yue Qianchou ate her fill. Although she felt a little uncomfortable from being so full, she still enjoyed the warm and cozy atmosphere.
That evening, in Yue Changgui's study, the father and son had a deep conversation. Yue Qianchou gave them three small, sealed porcelain bottles as a form of instruction. Afterward, Yue Qianchou had his mother brought in. In front of the two elders, he took out two Ruyi Pills that shimmered with seven-colored light and handed them to the two of them respectively.
The couple stared at the beads in their hands, dumbfounded. After a long while, Yue Changgui exclaimed with emotion, "Could this be the elixir of immortality?"
Yue Qianchou smiled calmly, "Almost! Father, Mother, just take it. This pill can preserve your youthful appearance and detoxify and beautify your skin. After taking it, you will be immune to all poisons. However, there are some side effects after taking it. You need to prepare by the toilet and bathtub."
Hearing about the benefits, the couple immediately disregarded the potential side effects. Yue Changgui solemnly swallowed the radiant light, but he wasn't used to swallowing something the size of a quail egg, and it took him a bit of effort to swallow it. Xue Erniang stopped before she could finish the medicine, saying, "I'd better not use it. Save it for your brother! My son, have you used it?"
Yue Qianchou sighed inwardly, thinking that all mothers in the world are equally great. He smiled and said, "My brother is still young. Does Mother want him to stay like a child forever? I will take care of his affairs. Mother, you don't need to worry. As for me, I have already taken the medicine. You can take it with peace of mind." Only then did Xue Erniang feel at ease and take the medicine.
After leaving, he didn't sleep in his usual room that night, but instead slept with his younger brother, telling the boy quite a few things, unsure if he could remember them. The next morning, when his family could find no trace of him, they discovered that Yue Qianchou had quietly departed. Yue Changgui stood in the back garden with his youngest son, who was carrying a sword; the former sighed deeply...
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