The Cruel Family Law - Sworn Brotherhood

I lay quietly on the small rattan chair, gazing at the pear blossoms filling the garden, my heart utterly at peace. A gentle breeze stirred, and a few pear blossoms drifted down slowly.

I truly savored this feeling of stillness, my mind growing ever more tranquil, ever more ethereal. I slowly closed my eyes, gradually immersing myself in that profound state of detachment from the human world, observing the entire world as a detached bystander. Silence reigned; in the entire back garden, there was only me… Slowly, as if a long time had passed, or perhaps it was merely an instant, I emerged from this state. I felt the refreshing comfort of the breeze on my face, truly sensing my liquid Innate True Qi circulating even faster. A faint smile appeared on my lips.

"Third Young Master, the boy you brought back has woken up. But he insists on finding his mother, and none of us can stop him. Please go and see him quickly." A maid in green stood at the entrance to the back garden, looking quite anxious. The main reason was that I had previously set a rule: no one was allowed to enter my back garden without my permission.

Oh, he's awake and clamoring for his mother. Fortunately, Ouyang Liang has already brought his mother here, hehe.

Smiling, I hurried towards the East Wing of Star Peak Pavilion. "Chun Yu, hurry up! I'm going to see him first. You go and take good care of the person Ouyang Liang brought, understand? Quickly."

"Yes, this servant girl will go right away." Chun Yu immediately ran towards the West Wing of Star Peak Pavilion, muttering as she ran, What's gotten into the Third Young Master? He's so concerned about these people. I've never seen him care so much about anyone before.

As I walked down the corridor, I could hear Lang Feng's voice from afar: "Please, let me go find my mother. My mother is at the Ouyang family's, and her health is poor. She needs medical treatment. If I lose this time, Young Master Ouyang won't treat my mother. Please, after I've seen my mother, I will thank the Third Young Master."

"No, we don't have the authority to let you go. We'll wait for the Third Young Master to return and decide." This must be Uncle Wang. His tone of voice is always the same.

I immediately strode towards the room. As soon as I entered, Uncle Wang saw me, lowered his head, and said, "Third Young Master, this Young Master Lang Feng insists on finding his mother." He then stepped aside, awaiting my command.

"Third Young Master, I, Lang Feng, am extremely grateful that you didn't kill me but brought me back, allowed me to recover, and took care of me. However, my mother still needs my care. I earnestly request that you allow me to go find my mother." Lang Feng stood before me, cupping his hands.

I smiled and immediately helped him up. "Brother Lang Feng, don't worry. I already brought your mother here from the Ouyang family, and I've summoned a renowned physician to treat her. Rest assured."

"Really? Thank you so much! I don't know how I can repay your great kindness, Third Young Master. You even call me 'Brother.' How can I possibly accept such a title?" Lang Feng's face was flushed, and he appeared extremely agitated, bowing repeatedly.

I looked at Lang Feng and said, "Brother Lang Feng, you are clearly older than me, so calling you 'Brother' is only natural. You must not refuse." This was merely a tactic to win him over. It was clever, though it made me seem a bit petty. Never mind, those who achieve great things are not bound by trivialities.

"Third Young Master…" Lang Feng seemed very emotional. A ten-year-old child is still easily manipulated by me. "Third Young Master, from now on, whatever you command, I, Lang Feng, will absolutely obey." Lang Feng's expression turned serious as he replied solemnly.

I smiled. Everything was proceeding exactly as I had anticipated. I looked at Lang Feng and said with a smile, "Brother Lang Feng, come, I'll accompany you to see your mother. Let's go." I took Lang Feng's hand and ran towards the West Wing. It seemed Lang Feng was extremely eager to see his mother, showing no resistance and holding my hand as we walked towards the West Wing.

Crossing a small bridge connecting the East and West Wings, we arrived at the door of an elegant room. Chun Yu was standing there, waiting for us.

"Greetings, Third Young Master. This young master's mother has fully awakened and her condition has improved significantly," Chun Yu said from the side.

"Oh, alright. Chun Yu, go to the kitchen and tell them to prepare more nourishing food tonight. Brother Lang Feng's mother still needs to recuperate. That's all, understand?"

"Third Young Master…" Lang Feng became emotional again. No choice. I pulled him along. "We're like brothers in this family, there's nothing to say. Let's go see the elder madam." I said this immediately, otherwise, I didn't know how Lang Feng would thank me. It seemed he was truly desperate to see his mother, and without waiting for me, he went directly to see her.

A very kind-looking middle-aged woman lay on the bed. One could faintly discern that she must have been extremely beautiful in her youth. Decades of hardship had turned her hair yellowish-grey, and her complexion was not good. At this moment, she seemed very happy, a smile gracing her face. She appeared to be happily conversing with Lang Feng, mother and son having endless topics to discuss, talking non-stop. It seemed they realized my presence as their benefactor, standing by the door.

"This commoner greets the Third Young Master." Lang Feng's mother seemed very grateful, or perhaps she was too nervous meeting someone from high society like me. She immediately tried to get out of bed. I was startled. No, she's getting out of bed, what for? I can guess even without thinking. Of course, I wouldn't let this happen. I intended to treat Lang Feng as an equal, and if she were to kneel, how could I face anyone afterward?

I moved with practiced speed, immediately supporting her with my hands. "Elder Madam, Brother Lang Feng is my elder brother. It is only right that I take care of you, Elder Madam. Please, do not do this. Just focus on recuperating, and I will handle everything."

I looked at Lang Feng and said, "Brother Lang Feng, stay here and talk with the elder madam. From now on, the elder madam will live here, and you should stay too. Understand?"

"Third Young Master…"

"Brother Lang Feng, stop being so sentimental. What are these small matters to a man? Just spend time with the elder madam. You can sleep in the room you were in earlier tonight. I'll have the servants prepare your meals. I'm leaving now, okay?"

Lang Feng, in the room, watched Zhang Xingfeng's retreating back, his heart deeply moved. Since childhood, besides his parents, no one had ever cared for him like this. Receiving care from someone for the first time filled him with warmth. Third Young Master, I, Lang Feng, will be loyal to you until death and will never betray you. Otherwise, may heaven strike me down. Lang Feng vowed silently in his heart. Perhaps Zhang Xingfeng never expected Lang Feng to become so devoted to him so easily.

The main reason was that Zhang Xingfeng didn't realize the feeling of receiving care when one had never experienced it before.

The night was like water. I stood by the window, breathing in the fresh air, which was also a kind of enjoyment. The slightly moist air, blown by the night wind onto my face, was naturally absorbed by my skin. Gazing at the boundless stars in the sky, those countless, chaotic stars were like the Dao of Heaven, impossible for anyone to fathom or understand.

Traces of spiritual energy entered my body, circulating through my meridians, slowly transforming into liquid. The liquid Innate True Qi continued to spin tirelessly…

It was getting late. I stretched my body out the window, preparing to close it. Suddenly, I noticed that the light in Lang Feng's room was still on, and I could vaguely see a figure by the window. Lang Feng wasn't asleep yet; what was he doing?

Filled with curiosity, I left my room and walked towards his.

I stood outside his window and saw Lang Feng reading. Oh, Lang Feng can read too. Not bad.

I quietly entered through the door and stood silently behind him. He seemed extremely engrossed, reading a book with such intensity. I craned my neck to see. Oh, it was just the Shaolin Long Fist manual. Shaolin Long Fist is the most common martial art in the Ming Dynasty; all the servants in my household know it, along with Shaolin Arhat Fist. However, Shaolin Arhat Fist is easy to learn but difficult to master, while Shaolin Long Fist is more effective and easier to pick up. Therefore, every room in my residence has manuals for Shaolin Long Fist and Shaolin Arhat Fist in its bookshelf.

I stood there for a while. Lang Feng seemed to sense someone behind him (his reaction was too slow). He turned his head. "Third Young Master!"

"Oh, I saw the light in your room was still on, so I came to take a look. I didn't expect you to still be reading this Shaolin Long Fist manual," I said with a smile.

"Third Young Master, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have rummaged through your things. I beg your forgiveness." Lang Feng immediately said, filled with apprehension.

"It's fine, feel free to use these things. I was just surprised that you don't know Shaolin Long Fist; almost every martial artist does!" I explained immediately.

"Oh, since childhood, I only learned to read and write from my mother. Otherwise, I spent all my time hunting in the mountains. When I was young, I used to go hunting with my father. But later, my father was surrounded by a pack of wolves. To save me, he was bitten several times by wolves. When he returned home, he had lost too much blood and died. I was only six years old that year; my father died for me." Lang Feng's eyes seemed a little moist.

"After my father died, my mother and I depended on each other. I diligently practiced the qi gong my father had taught me. It's a pity that this qi gong was just a very ordinary manual; otherwise, my father wouldn't have died. But I still continued to practice it. I also continued to hunt in the mountains, but I didn't dare go deep into the mountains, only hunting on the outskirts. That's how my mother and I lived. One day, when I returned home, the nightmare began. My mother had a high fever. I looked for help, but no one was willing to assist me. I looked for doctors, but they all demanded a lot of money. I kowtowed and begged people, and finally, an old doctor was willing to take a look. I was full of hope at the time, but the result was that although my mother's illness wasn't serious, she needed constant good care and expensive tonics. But where could I get such things? Later, I saw that the Ouyang family was recruiting attendants. I went there, hoping they could take care of my mother. Their requirement was to be able to kill a fierce tiger. Since that day when I saved my mother and killed the tiger, the airflow within my body had become even greater, and killing a tiger was no longer difficult. I passed the test with ease, and the Ouyang family agreed to help take care of my mother. Later, I met you, Third Young Master."

I looked at him, and my heart inexplicably ached. I could imagine everything he had done for his mother. How old was he? My eyes couldn't help but turn red. I could truly feel the deep mother-son bond between them. I also felt distressed that he had to bear such a heavy psychological burden from such a young age. Ha, what's wrong with me? In my previous life, I would never have been moved by this, but now I can hardly control myself. Have I become childish, or am I more human? No matter what, I am still me. I want to live a new life, a new beginning, unaffected by my past life.

"Brother Lang Feng, how about we become sworn brothers?" I admired him and respected him greatly. From this moment on, Lang Feng would be my brother, sharing life and death with me. I looked at Lang Feng, my gaze unwavering.

"Third Young Master, you…" Lang Feng seemed very surprised. Becoming sworn brothers is not the same as casually calling someone a brother.

"If you think highly of me, Brother, then become sworn brothers with me. If we are brothers, let's not say anything more." I said firmly, staring intently at Lang Feng.

Lang Feng took a deep breath and said, "Alright, I've decided today."

"Good, Brother. Why don't we become sworn brothers right here under the bright moon?" I said with a smile.

"Good, a true man is not bound by trivialities. Let it be here." Brother also agreed heartily.

We walked onto the grass outside the room and knelt side by side, raising our right index and middle fingers together.

"I, Zhang Xingfeng, today, under the bright moon, become sworn brothers with Brother here. We shall share fortune and misfortune, not seeking to be born in the same year, month, and day, but only to die in the same year, month, and day. Heaven and Earth bear witness. If I betray my brother, may I be abandoned by gods and men."

"I, Lang Feng, today, under the bright moon, become sworn brothers with Second Brother here. We shall share fortune and misfortune, not seeking to be born in the same year, month, and day, but only to die in the same year, month, and day. Heaven and Earth bear witness. If I betray my brother, may I be abandoned by gods and men."