Li Changhu and Li Xiangping

"It was because he was cruel enough."

Before Li Tongya had even finished speaking, a chill crept up Li Changhu's spine. His pupils abruptly dilated, and every hair on his body stood on end. He stared at his younger brother's smiling face, his heart turning cold.

"Ha ha ha ha ha..."

Li Tongya gave Li Changhu's shoulder a shove, lightly tossed the Wooden Slip in his hand, and looked at him with a soft laugh.

"You brat."

Li Changhu let out a long breath, taking it as a joke. He waved his hand lightly and said, "I'll go make preparations for Xiangping's wedding."

After speaking, Li Changhu straightened his clothes and stepped out the door toward the Tian Family.

Li Tongya, however, put away his smile. Sitting quietly beside the wooden table, he called out, "Father."

Li Mutian had somehow appeared on the stone steps without a sound. His face was stern as though he were lost in thought, and at the words, he turned his head to look at Li Tongya.

Last night, Li Mutian had been sitting In Front of the Gate, gazing at the moon, when he saw Li Xiangping rushing toward the Back Mountain in a great blaze of haste. Uneasy, he quietly followed the boy up the mountain.

Who would have thought that Li Tongya was just as worried about his brother and had secretly trailed after him as well? The two were awkward when they met, then tacitly watched Li Xiangping kill a man and watched the wild beasts devour the body clean. Only then did Li Mutian descend the mountain.

"Xiangping did it for the clan's safety. Father needn't be angry..." Li Tongya consoled him.

"What the hell am I angry about?!"

The pressure in Li Mutian's heart had built up, and he no longer cared for refined speech. Narrowing his eyes, he continued, "That brat did well to kill that useless bastard! If he'd only tried to scare him, I would've jumped down there and hacked that trash to death myself! He killed him well, killed him well! What am I angry about? Don't you cover for Li Changhu!"

Li Tongya sighed deeply and said in a muffled voice, "Elder Brother is generous and kind. The villagers and Tenants alike hold him in great respect. He can safeguard the family estate."

"Bullshit!" Li Mutian slapped the tabletop, anger rising on his face. "What they respect is me, Li Mutian! They gather around your brother only because Li Changhu charges low rent! Those people have always feared might but never cherished virtue. Look at him—if I, Li Mutian, died today, Li Yesheng would dare come rolling up to our door tomorrow. Would Li Changhu dare kill him?"

Seeing Li Tongya lower his head in silence, Li Mutian's tone softened considerably. He said quietly, "I wasn't afraid before. With you two brothers, Li Changhu's generosity was the best possible thing—kindness and force used together, with a future full of promise. But things are different now. Our Li Clan possesses a jade and bears the guilt for it; we tread on thin ice. If the one in charge is not ruthless enough, the family will be easily destroyed!"

"Besides..." Li Mutian drew a breath, unease and worry filling his eyes. "These past few days, my heart has felt heavy with foreboding. I fear a calamity that will take my life."

Li Changhu went to the Tian Family and settled the many matters of the marriage agreement. He sat blankly in the fields, his expression complicated. He made a round through the village, yet Li Yesheng was the one person he had not seen.

Recalling his younger brother's low shout last night and Li Tongya's hint, Li Changhu understood that Ye Sheng had most likely already been killed by Xiangping.

Pain welled up in Li Changhu's heart. When they were young, Ye Sheng and Tong Ya had been two tiny little figures, always obediently following behind him into the river to catch fish.

He vaguely remembered Sheng'er holding a Large Black Carp and calling out with a grin, "Big Brother, Big Brother, look at me!" Tong Ya had clearly been terribly envious, yet he would always turn his head away with puffed cheeks and refuse to look. When the three of them had played themselves tired, they would stand by the river to piss, competing over who could piss higher and who could piss farther.

But later, their aunt had died, and Second Uncle had taken to his sickbed. In just a few short months, Ye Sheng's temperament had changed completely. He was no longer the person he had once been.

"His crime didn't warrant this...!"

A shimmer appeared at the corners of Li Changhu's eyes. He had always believed he could persuade him again, make him turn over a new leaf, protect his younger brother Ye Sheng properly, and live well.

"Changhu!"

The call jolted Li Changhu awake. He hurriedly lowered his head to wipe the corners of his eyes, then looked toward the voice.

It was an old farmer with white hair. He had an honest, simple-looking face, dark skin, coarse homespun clothes, and trouser legs wide enough to billow.

"Uncle Xu." Li Changhu stood and patted off his trouser legs, asking with concern, "How is it? Does your family still have enough grain to eat?"

"Enough, enough!"

At the sight of Li Changhu, tears began rolling down Old Man Xu's face. Though he was old, his body remained fairly sturdy, but his only eldest son had been bedridden with illness and could not even manage to cultivate all their fields.

Li Changhu had lowered his rent and sent them grain, allowing them to barely pull through. Old Man Xu was an elder who had watched Li Changhu grow up and had always regarded him as a child. After all this, his heart was filled with gratitude.

"Please, don't stand on ceremony!"

Li Changhu had already swiftly emerged from his sorrow. With a serious expression, he said, "My father reminded me a few days ago to take greater care of Elder Xu's fields, so I came looking for you."

Old Man Xu was old enough to have turned shrewd. How could he not know that Li Changhu was giving Li Mutian credit for the favor? He smiled, cupped his hands toward Li Changhu, and said, "Please thank the clan head for me! Uncle Xu's family will remember this kindness."

"Ah, how can you call it owing us a favor? It's only what we ought to do!" Li Changhu waved his hand.

As the two spoke in the fields, Li Xiangping arrived at the edge of the Reed Marshes with a cloth bundle in hand. He silently watched Li Yesheng, who was sitting by the bank.

Li Yesheng was counting on his fingers and muttering to himself, "The day before yesterday, I went to Third Uncle's place. The day before that, I went to First Uncle's place. Fourth Uncle drove me out yesterday. Today, I can only boil some wild vegetables, catch some shrimp, and make myself some soup."

He looked at the Reed Marshes swaying before him in the wind, the place that had given him life and raised him. If not for these generous Reed Marshes, he, Li Yesheng, would have long since died in some unknown corner.

"And First Uncle's family too," he thought silently, only to see a figure emerge from the Reed Marshes.

"Brother Xiangping!"

Li Yesheng sprang to his feet in delighted surprise. Ever since the main family had built their high-walled courtyard, Li Xiangping had seldom come out. It was said he spent every day reading within the courtyard. Li Yesheng could only see him when he went to the main family's home for meals.

"Come, come."

Li Xiangping smiled as he took a white steamed bun from the cloth bag and handed it over. Li Yesheng hurriedly accepted it and wolfed it down, saying through a mouthful of food, "Big Brother treats me the best!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha."

Li Xiangping had always been closest to Li Yesheng. When they were young, he had secretly taken things from home to give Li Yesheng to eat. With Li Mutian turning a blind eye, Li Xiangping had truly brought him quite a lot.

"Here." Li Xiangping's expression was somewhat complicated as he stuffed the cloth bundle into Li Yesheng's hands. "These are the books I used when I first began my studies. You can read more of them while you're herding ducks."

"Thank you, Big Brother!"

Li Yesheng was deeply moved. He scooped up a handful of river water to wash his hands, then carefully put away the cloth bundle.

"In a few days, I'll ask Father to speak with the teacher. When you have nothing to do, go to him and read more. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask us as well."

"How could I possibly accept that?"

Li Yesheng was both startled and overjoyed. He repeatedly tried to refuse, unease and anticipation mingling in his heart as he waved his hands again and again.

"I've heard that studying requires tuition. My brother won't give me money."

Li Xiangping studied him for a moment, then said evenly, "There's no need for such formalities between us. If I ask Father, that means I'll be paying it for you."

"This..."

Li Yesheng wanted to say more, but when he saw Li Xiangping's calm expression, a sense of reverence rose within him for no reason. He secretly thought, Brother Xiangping is just like First Uncle!

Li Xiangping did not know what Li Yesheng was thinking. He patted his shoulder, made arrangements for his studies, and then returned home.