Family

The weather was gradually turning colder, though noon remained warm and sunny.

Yang Jing sat on an old square stool, leaning against the entrance to the main hall. As he basked in the sun, he considered his plans for the future.

"Feng Lei, there's no need to say any more. Our family has no intention of selling our land."

A sudden argument broke out beyond the courtyard gate. Several of the voices were familiar—his grandfather's and grandmother's among them.

"Hm?" Yang Jing frowned, rose to his feet, and prepared to go out and see what was happening.

He had barely stood when he saw his mother, Liu Cuiling, rushing outside with a kitchen knife in hand, a gray cloth apron tied around her waist. Even then, she did not forget to warn him, "Jing'er, don't come out. Stay home and wait."

Yang Jing did not truly hide inside. He followed her to the courtyard gate. Liu Cuiling glanced at him but said nothing. She merely shifted her body, placing herself in front of him.

Five men stood outside the courtyard gate, all dressed in coarse, short work clothes. The lead man was a burly fellow with his shirt hanging open, a tuft of black chest hair exposed. His face was fierce and ugly.

Yang Jing had inherited the original owner's memories and knew who these men were. They were local hooligans who ran rampant through the village. The black-haired brute leading them was called Feng Lei, while the other four were his lackeys.

"Yang Shouzhuo, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit.

"The two mu of prime fields your family has north of the village are now surrounded by Master Ning's land. I advise you to know what's good for you and wipe your eyes clean.

"Some people you can afford to offend. Others you cannot.

"Master Ning is merciful enough to offer money for your land. If some other rich and powerful master had set his eyes on it, he could use any little trick he pleased. Not only would you fail to keep those two mu of prime fields—you wouldn't get so much as a single copper coin."

Feng Lei folded his arms across his chest, showing off the thick muscles in his arms as he delivered his threat with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

The Yang Family's faces all turned slightly pale at Feng Lei's threat.

They knew full well that Feng Lei was not exaggerating. In times like these, some landlords and powerful local tyrants would stop at nothing to swallow up land.

"My patience is limited." Feng Lei snorted. "Master Ning said he'll give you one more month to think it over properly. After one month, Master Ning won't want those two mu of land anymore. And then, heh heh—"

Feng Lei's vicious gaze swept across each member of the Yang Family, his threat laid bare for all to see.

Standing at his own courtyard gate, Yang Jing heard Feng Lei's words clearly. So this is courtesy first, force afterward? If the Yang Family refuses to sell those two mu of prime land to Master Ning after a month, these people will likely begin using hard measures.

Feng Lei turned around, and his gaze finally settled on Yang Jing, who stood to one side behind Liu Cuiling. Under Yang Jing's gaze, he curled his lips slightly, revealing a cruel sneer.

He knew the Yang Family's boy had entered a martial arts school in the city, so he had originally been somewhat wary.

But half a month ago, this Yang Family boy had actually been frightened unconscious in an old residence. Feng Lei knew that place too. It merely looked gloomy; there could not possibly be ghosts there. Back when he had fallen on hard times, he had even slept several nights in that abandoned house.

With such a weak will, even if the Yang Family boy truly trained in martial arts, he would never amount to much. Sooner or later, he would be driven out of the martial arts school.

The wariness in Feng Lei's heart immediately diminished considerably, and he became more willing to further pressure the Yang Family.

This brat is such a coward. Maybe I can scare him stiff with one glare. The thought rose in Feng Lei's mind. He then withdrew his gaze, lifted his left arm, and made a casual gesture. "Let's go!"

As soon as he spoke, the four lackeys followed Feng Lei away, leaving only the Yang Family outside the courtyard gate.

Only then did the neighbors dare gather around to offer comfort, while cursing Feng Lei and his gang for acting as tigers' accomplices.

After exchanging a few simple words, Old Master Yang called everyone back into the courtyard.

Once they returned home, everyone looked weighed down with worry.

Feng Lei's threat had planted a shadow in all their hearts.

Old Master Yang Shouzhuo took out a tobacco pipe, sat on the steps before the main hall with a furrowed brow, and began puffing away.

His mother, Liu Cuiling, lowered her head and went into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

"If it truly comes to it, we'll sell those two mu of prime fields. Jing'er needs money for martial arts training too." Old Master Yang tapped his pipe as he spoke.

"The times are stronger than men. Master Ning wants to connect all the land north of the village into one stretch, so he must have his eyes fixed on our two mu of land. Sigh." Madam Qin let out a sigh.

"Let's wait and see. Didn't Feng Lei say he was giving us another month? We'll pull some strings and see whether Master Ning can raise the price a little." Old Master Yang said with a deep frown. "Yan'er's in-laws seem to have some connection to Master Ning's steward. Later, have Yan'er ask around."

"Alright, I'll have Yan'er ask," Madam Qin said with a nod. Only when her gaze fell upon her grandson standing nearby did her heart settle slightly. "Once Jing'er succeeds in martial arts, what are a few mu of land worth? Perhaps our family may even enjoy the kind of life the Ning Family has."

Listening to his grandfather and grandmother, Yang Jing's heart sank slightly.

Over several generations, the Yang Family had accumulated twenty-two mu of land: five mu of prime fields and seventeen mu of poorer fields. In terms of landholdings, they ranked among the better households in the village.

Yet to support Yang Jing's martial arts training, they had sold land until only the last two mu of prime fields and ten mu of poorer fields remained.

Only because the Yang Family had once possessed a solid foundation could they still support the household after selling so much land.

But now, even those two mu of prime fields had caught the eye of the local powerful.

"Father, Mother, Jing'er, come eat."

His mother, Liu Cuiling, poked her head out from the kitchen, looked at the three people in the courtyard, and called out.

Then the food was carried from the kitchen to the stone table in the courtyard, and the family gathered around it to eat.

Yang Jing sat down beside his grandfather and looked over the dishes on the stone table.

His bowl held gleaming white rice.

Everyone else's bowls, however, contained coarse rice mixed with wild vegetables.

There were two dishes on the table. One small plate held seven or eight pieces of spare ribs. Another held steamed wild vegetables of an unknown kind, while a small bowl contained pickled vegetables.

"Jing'er, eat meat."

Old Master Yang picked up the small plate of ribs and placed it directly beside Yang Jing. Then he took a dark green corn bun that looked hard as stone, bit into it, and picked up a strip of pickled vegetable to put into his mouth.

Seeing that his grandfather, grandmother, and mother ate only the clearly unappetizing wild vegetables and pickles, Yang Jing felt a faint ache in his heart. But after spending this time with them, he knew he could not win against his family, so he could only accept it.

Knock, knock, knock.

As the four ate, someone knocked on the courtyard gate.

Everyone's expressions changed. They feared that Feng Lei and his gang had returned.

"I'll go take a look." Liu Cuiling put down her chopsticks and was about to rise.

"Don't go. Old woman, you go." Old Master Yang looked at his wife.

Madam Qin was not fat, but she was somewhat taller. Her waist and back had already begun to stoop, making her seem shorter. She wore a faded blue shirt of coarse cloth, and her graying hair was loosely pinned up with an old wooden hairpin.

Grandmother nodded, rose briskly, and walked quietly to the courtyard gate. She peered outside through the gap in the doors, immediately let out a breath of relief, and turned to Old Master Yang. "It's the eldest branch's wife."

After saying that, she pulled open the courtyard gate.

Two figures entered from outside.

One was a sallow-faced middle-aged woman. Her hair was carelessly tied behind her head with hemp rope, and her brown robe was covered in patches, its cuffs worn through to reveal the cotton stuffing.

Beside her stood an equally thin youth. He was so gaunt that his cheekbones protruded slightly, and his lips held little color. Yet his back was held very straight at the moment, and his gaze rested on the food atop the stone table—or, more precisely, on that small plate of ribs.

"Father, Mother."

"Grandfather, Grandmother."

The middle-aged woman and the thin youth bowed to Old Master Yang.

As the two entered, Yang Jing and his mother, Liu Cuiling, also stood.

Liu Cuiling watched the ragged mother and son warily. Especially when she noticed the youth's gaze fixed upon the ribs on the table, her expression darkened slightly.

"Elder Sister-in-law, you're here." Liu Cuiling spoke blandly.

Yang Jing's gaze also fell upon the two people entering the courtyard.

Having received the original owner's memories, he naturally knew their identities.

Old Master Yang and Madam Qin had raised two sons and a daughter: the eldest uncle Yang Guang, Yang Jing's father Yang Gang, and his younger aunt Yang Yan.

Of the three children, Old Master Yang had favored his younger son the most—Yang Jing's father, Yang Gang. When the family split up, most of the family's land and possessions had been given to the second son.

After the separation, Old Master Yang and Madam Qin had also lived with the second son.

Some days ago, the authorities had been escorting grain and fodder to the eastern front at Caozhou and recruited local strong men to assist with the transport. The pay offered was quite high.

Considering that Yang Jing was a bottomless pit for money, his father had discussed the matter with the family. Before they could reach an agreement, he ignored the family's objections and directly signed up to join the grain convoy.

Only several days after the convoy departed did Old Master Yang's side learn that his eldest son, Yang Guang, had also signed up for that same grain convoy.

The mother and son before them were Yang Guang's wife, Madam Xue, and his son, Yang An.

"You haven't eaten yet, have you?" Old Master Yang looked at the two of them. "Sit and eat with us. Old woman, move over and make room for the eldest daughter-in-law and Xiao An."

Old Master Yang knew the situation in his eldest son's household. They were not quite at the point of having no food left to cook, but they were close. Otherwise, his always honest and dutiful eldest son would not have signed up for the grain convoy heading to the Caozhou front.

Madam Xue and Yang An sat in the places Old Master Yang had arranged. Whether by coincidence or not, they sat directly opposite Yang Jing and were also farthest from the plate of ribs.

"Brother An, eat some meat."

At that moment, Yang Jing pushed the plate of ribs at his side forward. A natural smile appeared on his face as he looked at his cousin, Yang An.

Having inherited the original owner's memories, Yang Jing knew that his eldest uncle's family lived in such misery partly because of his own family. When the family had split, Old Master Yang had given most of the prime and ordinary fields to his second son Yang Gang's family, while the eldest uncle's family had received very little land and few possessions.

Had Yang Jing not consumed so much through martial arts training, the family would have been living far better than it was now.

Yang Jing's sudden action stunned everyone.

His mother, Liu Cuiling, frowned, and a trace of anxiety flashed through her eyes.

Old Master Yang also paused slightly.

In these times, meat was exceedingly precious. Old Master Yang had only intended to let Yang An and his mother share a meal; he had not planned to let them eat meat. In this household, only Yang Jing was entitled to eat meat, because Yang Jing was training in martial arts. Once he succeeded, the entire family would rise with him, chickens and dogs ascending to heaven. What would change was the family's future.

Madam Xue and Yang An were both extremely surprised.

They had not expected Yang Jing to take the initiative and offer them meat.

In the past, when Yang Jing occasionally saw them, he did not show it openly, but there had always been an intangible arrogance about him. He would never take the initiative to speak.

"I-I won't eat it." Yang An shook his head and took a bite from the dry, hard corn bun in his hand. "You should eat it. You train in martial arts. You need meat."

Yang An had originally longed to eat meat, but Yang Jing's unexpected concession instead made him hold back. After refusing, he immediately wished he could punch himself twice.

Then, in the next instant, he saw a pair of chopsticks carrying a piece of rib toward him and placing it atop the corn bun in his hand.

Gulp.

Yang An swallowed, then raised his head to look at Yang Jing across from him. A flash of astonishment crossed his eyes.

"Xiao An, eat, eat." Old Master Yang waved a hand. Though he felt it was a pity to let Yang An eat that rib, seeing the two brothers seeming so much closer made him deeply gratified.

"Madam Xue, did you come here because something happened?" Old Master Yang turned to Madam Xue and asked.

Madam Xue raised her head. "Father, I want to borrow some money from you. Xiao An, he... he also wants to train in martial arts. But the apprenticeship fee his father and I have saved for him is still short by six taels of silver. I want to borrow six taels from you."

Once Madam Xue finished speaking, everyone present was stunned.

Liu Cuiling could not help laughing. She looked at Madam Xue and shook her head. "Elder Sister-in-law, do you think just anyone can train in martial arts? How could it be that simple? Martial arts require natural aptitude. Without aptitude, even training for a hundred years won't get you anywhere. When Jing'er became an apprentice, they specifically examined his aptitude. He only succeeded in becoming an apprentice because he was qualified to train."

Grandmother Madam Qin nodded as well. "The second daughter-in-law is right. If martial arts were that easy, there wouldn't be only so few martial artists in Wazi. Besides, besides... the cost of training is far too high. With Xiao Jing training alone, our family has already sold cattle and land. We can't bear the burden of Xiao An training too."

Old Master Yang fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

He said nothing, but his attitude was self-evident.

He clearly did not support Yang An training in martial arts, nor did he have money to lend Madam Xue.

"Father—" Madam Xue grew anxious at once.

When the family had divided, Old Master Yang had given the eldest branch only six mu of land. Over the years, they had encountered several hardships and sold four mu. Combined with the poor harvests of the last two years, their food stores were nearly depleted, and life had become painfully tight. Yang An was gradually growing up, and the remaining two mu of land simply could not support the family. Yet whether Yang An went into the city to become an apprentice or trained in martial arts, both required money.

Her husband had gone to the Caozhou front, but she did not know when he would return.

Her father-in-law was now Madam Xue's only hope.

"Aunt, how about letting Brother An train with me for now? I can't pass on my martial school's techniques, but I can teach Brother An some methods for Temper Qi and Blood. It can count as laying a foundation first. Once he saves enough money in the future, he can formally take a master. With a foundation by then, his progress will also be faster." Yang Jing looked at Madam Xue and spoke.

The courtyard fell silent as soon as his words landed.

Yang An, who had not spoken all this time, abruptly raised his head. His eyes, filled with surprise and joy, stared fixedly at Yang Jing. He had never imagined Yang Jing would be willing to teach him martial arts. It was as though he were seeing this younger cousin for the first time.

Madam Xue froze, then could not help becoming excited as well.

At that moment, Liu Cuiling furrowed her brow tightly and turned toward Yang Jing, her expression stern. "Jing'er, don't be foolish. You're at a crucial stage in your martial arts training. How can you divide your attention? Your greatest priority now is to train your martial arts well. Only once you have ability can you look after the family. Only then will you have lived up to the hopes your grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt, your father, and I have placed on you!"

"Mother, I know what I'm doing."

Yang Jing shook his head and explained to his mother, "What I'll teach Brother An are only some simple methods for tempering the body and qi and blood. It will mainly depend on Brother An's own effort, and it won't delay my own training. Besides, the master of the school said that teaching others is also a process of reviewing, deepening, and mastering things anew. It can only benefit me, never harm me."

Liu Cuiling looked at Yang Jing skeptically. "Really?"

"Really!" Yang Jing smiled and nodded.

Liu Cuiling said no more and turned her gaze toward Old Master Yang.

Though the old master was advanced in years, his position in the family remained the highest. Many major decisions depended on him, including the earlier division of the family, Yang Jing's martial arts training, and the later sale of land.

"Mm—" Old Master Yang pondered for a moment before finally nodding. "Alright. For now, Jing'er will teach An'er martial arts. But remember, you must not delay your own training. Only if you train your martial arts well will our family have a future."

"Yes, Grandfather." Yang Jing nodded solemnly.

"Jing'er, you return home on the first and fifteenth of every month to collect money. Use that time to teach your brother some martial arts," Old Master Yang said.