Elizabeth came from another direction. Her golden hair had faded to silvery white, but her bearing remained. Behind her followed her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson, forming a long line.
The two groups met at the foot of the hill, and a dark mass of people dropped to their knees.
Su Li stood at the hilltop, looking down.
There were several hundred people. The ones with Little Stone were surnamed Su; the ones with Elizabeth were surnamed Al. He had seen a few of them, but most were strangers. Some were tall, some short, some fat, some thin. A few children were pressed down by the heads by the adults to make them kneel, secretly raising their eyes toward the hilltop.
What they saw was a face younger than their own fathers'.
Su Li withdrew his gaze.
Little Stone led the whole family in kowtowing three times. The sound of their foreheads striking the muddy ground was dull as it carried up.
"Father."
Little Stone rose and looked up at the figure atop the hill.
"Come back and live with us. Su Yuan has already tidied up the east wing. There's a heated bed, a warm stove, everything."
Su Li looked at this son of his, whose hair had turned white.
"No need."
His voice drifted down from the hilltop, neither loud nor soft.
"You should all return to your own homes. Just come by during the holidays."
Little Stone opened his mouth.
Qin Lan tugged at his sleeve and shook her head.
Little Stone swallowed the words that had reached his lips, kowtowed once more, then turned and led the whole family down the mountain. Before leaving, Elizabeth looked back at Su Li, as though she wanted to speak but held herself back. In the end, she followed them away