The Foolish Boy

Noon.

On a quiet road with few travelers, a faint sound suddenly erupted from the roadside grass, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Immediately following, a person appeared out of thin air amidst the rising dust.

He was an old man dressed in a grey cloth robe, possessing a refined and unusual appearance.

The old man's hair and beard were completely white, and he appeared to be well over seventy years of age. He was tall and thin, with a travel pack strapped to his back.

Curiously, beneath the pack of such an elderly man, there was also a sword strapped to his back.

After emerging, the old man first raised his head and looked around in a daze, as if searching for something.

However, when he caught sight of a village in the distance to the south, his face first lit up with joy, then he sighed softly: "Forty years have passed since we parted; I wonder if my elder brother is still among the living."

He frowned and began to count on his fingers. A moment later, his brow smoothed and his face beamed with joy: "Alive, still alive! Thank goodness, thank goodness!"

With that, he brushed the dust from his clothes with his sleeves, stood straight, and tidied his attire before setting off toward the manor.

Though he was a man of seventy, his pace was not much slower than that of a strong, young man.

As he walked, the old man noticed that at regular intervals, red cloth was tied to the tree trunks along the road, fluttering in the wind.

Furthermore, people were converging from all directions toward a certain spot within the village.

"This... could it be that someone in Song Family Village is celebrating a joyous occasion today?" the old man muttered to himself.

Before long, he arrived at the gate of what appeared to be the wealthiest household in the village.

The gate of the manor was draped in red and decorated with colorful silks. Firecrackers popped and crackled at the entrance, guests arrived in a steady stream, and the courtyard inside was filled with dozens of banquet tables, bustling with activity.

At the main gate, a middle-aged man who looked like a steward stood with a beaming face, hands cupped in greeting to the arriving guests.

"Whose celebration is being held at your estate today?" the old man asked the middle-aged man after reaching the gate.

The man glanced at him and smiled: "It is my master's third young master getting married today. Old sir, are you also a guest?"

After speaking, he took another look at the sword on the old man's back.

"Third young master?"

Jiang Ziya pondered for a moment, then smiled: "I am not a guest. Please, trouble yourself to inform your master that an old friend, Jiang Ziya, has come to pay a visit."

"An old friend? Then please wait here for a moment, old sir."

The man turned quickly and entered the courtyard. He returned shortly, but this time he was accompanied by another old man, also well past seventy, who wore an anxious expression.

This man was dressed in a brocade red robe and was somewhat stouter than Jiang Ziya. Even before he had stepped out of the gate, he kept asking: "Steward Lu, where is my sworn brother?"

"Elder brother, your younger brother is here."

Jiang Ziya stepped forward, bowed, and smiled: "It has been many years since we parted. I wonder how you have fared all these years?"

The old man who had just emerged was none other than Song Yiren, his sworn brother from his youth.

"Good, good, good! This brother has fared very well!"

Song Yiren helped Jiang Ziya up and smiled: "And how has my brother fared?"

"This younger brother has also done passably well," Ziya said with a smile.

Song Yiren reached out a hand, stroked a lock of Jiang Ziya's white hair, and suddenly pointed at him, laughing heartily: "Brother, it has been many years; you have grown old."

Jiang Ziya also smiled slightly and said: "Elder brother, have you not grown old as well?"

The two stopped laughing and looked at each other, then both pointed at one another and burst into loud laughter.

In the main hall.

Song Yiren and Jiang Ziya walked in hand-in-hand and sat down. Then, Song Yiren went to the hall entrance and called out to two people in the courtyard: "Eldest, Second, why haven't you come over yet to pay your respects to your Uncle Jiang?"

One was a middle-aged man in his forties, the other a young man in his twenties.

The two looked at each other and entered the hall. After hearing Song Yiren's introduction of Jiang Ziya, they hurriedly bowed:

"Nephews Song Shan and Song Ze pay respects to Uncle Jiang."

Jiang Ziya raised his hand and smiled: "Good, good, good. Please rise, my two nephews; there is no need for such formality."

The two stood up.

Song Yiren said: "You two remember this well: this Uncle Jiang of yours is my sworn brother. In the future, you must treat him just as you treat me. Do you understand?"

Song Shan and Song Ze exchanged a look, a strange glint flashing in their eyes, before they replied in unison: "We understand, Father."

Song Yiren waved his hand: "Very well, go out and entertain the guests now!"

The two turned and withdrew.

Song Yiren sat down and sighed: "Brother, you and I have been parted for over forty years. Now we are both old. I thought we would never see each other again in this lifetime. To see you again today is truly a blessing."

Jiang Ziya felt a warmth in his heart and said: "After I parted from you, elder brother, I went to the immortal mountains to seek out masters and cultivate, hoping to transcend the mundane."

He sighed faintly: "Alas, my affinity for the immortal path was too shallow; I could not attain it. After descending the mountain, my heart was adrift and I had no kin, so I suddenly thought of you, elder brother, and came to pay a visit."

"Well come, and well timed."

Song Yiren clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "My youngest son taking a wife today is a joyous occasion in itself, and to be reunited with you, brother, adds yet another layer of delight. With this double happiness at my door, my heart is filled with joy."

He paused, then smiled again: "From now on, brother, you shall settle down here in my Song Family Village and live in peace."

The two men were deep in pleasant conversation within the hall, which also served as the wedding chamber. Before long, the wedding procession arrived amidst the sounds of flutes and drums.

A youth of sixteen or seventeen, dressed in red robes, strode through the entrance with high spirits and a beaming smile, surrounded by the laughter and cheers of the crowd.

Behind him, a red-clad matchmaker supported a woman draped in a red veil and wedding attire. They entered the hall, where Steward Lu acted as the master of ceremonies, chanting the rites of the wedding.

"The rites are concluded! Retire from the hall, escort them to the bridal chamber!"

Following Steward Lu's loud proclamation, the bride was led by a red silk ribbon held by the groom as they exited the wedding hall toward the bridal chamber in the rear.

As Steward Lu watched the newlyweds depart, a flicker of envy suddenly crossed his smiling eyes, though he immediately let out a sigh so faint it went unnoticed.

"Meat, baby wants to eat meat..."

Suddenly, a voice rang out from outside. Steward Lu's expression shifted upon hearing it, and he hurried out of the hall to find a youth of about fifteen or sixteen standing there.

Though the youth had delicate, refined features, a foolish grin hung on his face, and he was biting the index finger of his right hand.

The youth shouted loudly about wanting meat, crystal-clear drool hanging from the corners of his mouth and chin. A young maidservant was trying to pull him away, but she could not hold him back at all.

"Hahaha, that fool has come out."

Upon seeing the youth, the guests could not help but whisper and burst into laughter.

Song Shan, the eldest son of the Song Family Village, saw this scene and his face darkened instantly. He shouted at the maid: "Xiao Xiang, how are you handling things? Didn't I tell you to keep a close eye on him today?"

The maid, struggling to hold the foolish youth, was on the verge of tears: "Master, look, Xiao Chuan... his strength is immense! He insisted on coming this way, and I simply cannot hold him back!"

This was the truth; although the youth was simple-minded, his physical strength was ultimately greater than that of a girl.

The foolish youth stared at the meat on a banquet table, his eyes practically glowing, and he took step after step toward it, dragging the little maid who was clutching his arm along with him.

"Steward Lu!"

Song Shan's face was grim, his eyes practically spitting fire: "Are you not going to take this fool away immediately? Are you doing this on purpose to make a laughingstock of my Song family?"

Steward Lu's expression dimmed. He lowered his head and said repeatedly: "Yes... yes!"

In truth, he did not need Song Shan to tell him; he had already run to the side of the foolish youth in the courtyard, grabbing his other arm: "Chuan'er, be a good boy, go back quickly. I will give you meat in a little while."

"No... no... baby wants to eat meat."

Who would have thought the youth would be so stubborn? He refused to leave and began to struggle violently. The maid could not hold on and was knocked to the ground by a swing of his arm.

The steward was both anxious and furious, seeing that the youth could not be calmed down by any means.

Glancing around, he saw the guests watching the spectacle with amusement. Unable to bear it any longer, he raised his hand and dealt the youth a heavy slap across the face.

Smack!

With that single blow, the foolish youth staggered and nearly fell to the ground.

One could see that half of the youth's face swelled up instantly, the imprint of the palm and fingers clearly visible on his reddened skin.

The force behind that slap was evident.

"Go back!"

Steward Lu gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at the youth, his eyes burning with such urgency they seemed ready to ignite. He practically roared the words.

"Waaah!"

The foolish youth was stunned for a moment, then sat on the ground and began to wail, rolling about, but he still refused to leave.

The youth's tantrum left Steward Lu feeling as if his head were splitting, leaving him at a complete loss.

The guests pointed, whispered, and laughed at the youth rolling on the ground, treating it like a show and waiting to see how this farce would end.

"What is going on?"

At this moment, a voice came from the front of the hall. It was Song Yiren and Jiang Ziya, who had come out after hearing the commotion.

Steward Lu was so anxious he stamped his feet, but he was utterly helpless against the youth.

Hearing the voice, Lu Liang walked toward Song Yiren, his face full of guilt as he said: "Master, Xiao Chuan... sigh, he has run out to cause trouble again."