A Clash of Tempers

"Second Child, I guessed you'd be here with Third Master." The speaker was Liu Chuang, nicknamed Hu Wa. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a pair of bell-sized eyes that gave him a formidable air. He was also one of Liu Yuanzhou's good friends.

"What are you looking for me so early in the morning?" Liu Yuanzhou asked curiously.

"Fanfan said you gave that bastard Li Er a vicious beating yesterday. Haha, that was satisfying!" Liu Chuang said excitedly, then complained, "Why didn't you call me for something this good?"

"Come on, I'm an Immortal. How could I have known in advance there'd be a fight? Besides, you know I hate fighting most. We should win people over with virtue and defeat them with wisdom, understand?" Liu Yuanzhou rolled his eyes.

"Keep pretending." Liu Chuang curled his lip, then said, "Are you still going to fetch water? I was fetching water too, and my buckets are still lying by the well."

"Yeah, I'm going to make one more trip." As he spoke, the two headed toward the well.

Laughing and chatting, they reached the well, where someone was already drawing water. They exchanged greetings and waited a while before it was their turn. Once they had filled their buckets, Liu Yuanzhou said to Liu Chuang before they parted, "There's a market at Crouching Tiger Slope the day after tomorrow. Are you free to go? Ask Xi Zi and Xiucai too. It's been a long time since we all went to the market together."

"Sure. I'll go ask them in a bit," Liu Chuang agreed.

By the time Liu Yuanzhou carried the water back to Third Master's home, Third Master had already set up a low table on the kang. On it sat a stack of white-flour flatbreads, two large bowls of Millet Porridge, and a small dish of Pickled Vegetables. Liu Yuanzhou poured the water from his buckets into the water vat and put the carrying gear back where it belonged. When he returned, Third Master had already begun eating. He did not stand on ceremony, kicking off his shoes and climbing onto the kang to sit by the table. He took a sip of porridge, then grabbed a flatbread, rolled it up, and took a huge bite.

"Second Child, I need to tell you something. I'm heading to Yan Province City tomorrow or the day after. I'll probably spend the New Year in the city. What a pity—I won't get to drink Da Wa's wedding wine," Third Master said as he ate.

"That's how it should be. During the New Year, families ought to be together. I remember Uncle and Yuanzhi Ge came back once during Qingming this year, but they haven't returned since," Liu Yuanzhou said.

"Yes. They've written several times, asking me to go to the city earlier. I miss them too. Hehe, I'm getting old. Who knows how many more times I'll be able to go?" Third Master sounded somewhat melancholy.

"Why are you saying such unlucky things? Third Master, you'll definitely live past a hundred," Liu Yuanzhou said, pretending to be angry.

"Few men have lived to seventy since ancient times, and I'm nearly sixty already. Hehe, enough of that. After I leave, I'll give you the keys. Help me keep an eye on the house, and remember to put up a couplet on the door for the New Year," Third Master said with a smile.

"Don't worry, leave it to me." Liu Yuanzhou patted his chest in assurance.

"Hehe, you brat." Third Master chuckled and shook his head. He took a palm-sized pouch from his pocket and handed it to Liu Yuanzhou. "There are nearly seven taels of loose silver in here. Take it. I know your family urgently needs money. Consider it a loan to your family; pay me back when you have it. An old man like me doesn't have much use for money anyway." Seven taels of silver was no small sum. Liu Yuanzhou's family spent only around twenty taels a year, while Liu Yuanbo's betrothal gift alone had cost nine taels and nine mace of silver.

Liu Yuanzhou instinctively wanted to refuse, but then reconsidered. His elder brother's marriage would require borrowing money anyway. Rather than make his parents swallow their pride and go from household to household in the village, begging to borrow money, he might as well take this first and repay Third Master later. He accepted the cloth pouch. "All right. Thank you, Third Master."

Seeing Liu Yuanzhou accept the money, Third Master was delighted. He truly liked this child and treated him like his own grandson.

After they had eaten their fill, Liu Yuanzhou climbed down from the kang and cleared the bowls and chopsticks. Third Master sat at the edge of the kang, smoking Dry Tobacco, while the two chatted on and off about village affairs.

When Liu Yuanzhou mentioned yesterday evening's fight, Third Master warned Second Child, "Be careful of that bastard Li Laocai. He bears grudges over the smallest slight, protects his own, and never reasons with anyone." He felt somewhat worried. No, I need to go give that old bastard a warning later, so he won't deliberately target Second Child's family after I leave.

Liu Yuanzhou nodded to show that he understood. Third Master continued earnestly, "You don't need to fear offending Li Laocai, but he has a son named Li Fusheng who serves as a registrar at our Shi Fu County Yamen. Li Fusheng may not care about such trifling matters, but common folk like us should avoid provoking people like them. If we can endure, then we should endure."

Liu Yuanzhou did not think much of it. So what if they were officials at the County Yamen? Could they simply ignore reason? Outwardly, he said carelessly, "Got it."

Third Master knew at once that the boy had not taken his words to heart, but he said nothing more. What young man did not think his heart higher than the sky? After getting battered by society, he would learn just how treacherous people's hearts could be.

Maybe I'm just old and worrying over nothing. Still, there's no need to fear Li Laocai too much. The Liu family isn't so easily bullied, Third Master thought. But there was no need to say that to Liu Yuanzhou, his junior, lest it make him even more reckless.

When Liu Yuanzhou returned home, everyone had already finished breakfast. His mother, Zhang Shi, was washing dishes. Seeing him return, she said, "There are steamed buns and porridge left for you in the pot."

Liu Yuanzhou said he had already eaten at Third Master's place, then took out the pouch and gave it to his mother. Zhang Shi was shocked when she saw so much money. Once her son explained, she smiled. "Wonderful. Money finally isn't quite so tight. Third Master truly sent charcoal in the snow. Second Child, you must do more for your Third Master from now on."

Liu Yuanzhou nodded silently.

Liu Da and his son Liu Yuanbo had dug a pit beside the courtyard and poured in the chunks of quicklime they had bought yesterday. After adding water, the lime began bubbling and steaming. Liu Yuanzhou changed into old clothes and came out to help his father. While the weather was good, they planned to plaster the walls of Liu Yuanbo's new house over the next two days.

Leaving Liu Yuanzhou's family aside, Third Master finished breakfast, tidied up his home, changed into a brand-new silk robe, and strolled out toward Li Laocai's house. By then, the sun had already risen high.

There were more people on the road now. Third Master walked and stopped, greeting some people and exchanging a few idle words with others. It took him quite a while to reach his destination.

Li Laocai's home stood in the middle of the village beside the main road, a large compound enclosed by high walls of blue stone. Hitching posts stood outside its gate, and big red lanterns hung above the entrance. The gate was wide open.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Third Master stepped through the gate. A vast courtyard stretched before him. Along three sides stood rows of blue-brick Cave Dwellings, forming an enclosed square with the wall by the gate. The row of Cave Dwellings directly opposite the entrance stood atop a raised platform, with steps in the middle leading up to it. Animal sheds and latrines had been built against the wall near the gate.

Compared to this place, his own courtyard was practically a doghouse. Third Master immediately felt a wave of discomfort.

Just then, the curtain of a Cave Dwelling on the right was lifted, and two people emerged. Third Master looked closely and burst out laughing. "Haha, Li Fuyuan's second boy, what happened to your face? It's black here and purple there. Fuyuan, hurry and get a doctor to look at him."

The two who had come out were Li Er and his father, Li Fuyuan. Li Er lowered his head without speaking, but inwardly he cursed, Old bastard, weren't the injuries on my head inflicted by your Second Child? What are you pretending to be a good man for? Still, facing the Liu family's Third Master, he did not dare voice those thoughts.

Li Fuyuan greeted Third Master from the side and said with a bitter smile, "He got them in a fight with Liu Da's second boy. Liu Da even came to apologize this morning. But as far as I'm concerned, it was just a fight between children. Besides, my boy was in the wrong too."

Third Master nodded. "Your father's in the Cave Dwelling, right? I'll go see him. You two carry on." Li Fuyuan had always enjoyed a good reputation in the village.

As they spoke, three men entered through the gate. They were all hired hands of the Li family, so Li Fuyuan instructed his son to take them out.

Third Master ignored them and went straight up the raised platform. Reaching a Cave Dwelling, he called loudly, "Old Li, your elder brother has come to see you." With that, he lifted the curtain and walked in.

Inside the Cave Dwelling, an old man in his sixties sat on the edge of the kang, puffing away at Dry Tobacco. An old woman sat on the kang doing needlework. The old man was Li Laocai, thin as a reed, with drooping triangular eyes and two wisps of rat-like mustache trembling with each puff of smoke.

Li Laocai frowned but did not rise. In a strange, sarcastic tone, he said, "Well, who did I think it was? So it's Liu Laosan. You came to see your elder brother empty-handed, and you've got the nerve?"

"You, Li Laocai, Li Half-Village, with your great estate and wealth—would you care about these trifles of mine?" Third Master said with a smile as he found a stool and sat down.

The old woman on the kang was Li Laocai's wife. Seeing the two start fighting the moment they met, she put down her needlework, climbed off the kang, said a word to Third Master, and left.

Once the old woman was gone, the two had no more restraints. One spoke with a gun hidden in his words, the other answered with a sword. They argued back and forth until the fire in their hearts gradually rose. Then Li Fuyuan entered carrying a teapot.

"Father, Third Uncle, you're both so old—why are you arguing again? It's early morning. Have some tea." Li Fuyuan brewed tea for them both. Third Master took his cup and drank, while Li Laocai, fuming, refused. Li Fuyuan knew his father's temper and did not try to persuade him. He set down the teapot and went out.

After drinking tea, Third Master's anger subsided considerably. Remembering that he still had business to discuss, he said, "I'll be going to Yan Province City in a few days. You know my eldest works at the Tai Xuan Sect's Yan Province Academy. In his last letter, he said he'd been promoted to some kind of steward. So I was thinking of getting Liu Da's second boy, Second Child, a job there too. What do you think? Could that work?"

Li Laocai's heart jolted. The Tai Xuan Sect was no ordinary sect. Third Master's son might only be a minor steward, nothing compared to his own son, the dignified registrar of the County Yamen, but why should he make an enemy of someone connected to a martial sect? The little superiority he had felt immediately faded.

Yet Li Laocai's tongue remained sharp. With a smile that did not reach his eyes, he said, "Hehe, then congratulations to your eldest on his promotion and fortune."

"Promotion and fortune would be overstating it. But in this little patch of Yan Province, he can still make his voice heard," Third Master said smugly after taking a sip of tea.

Li Laocai angrily took a mouthful of tea and said nothing.

Seeing Li Laocai fall silent, Third Master knew he had already softened inside. His mood instantly became incomparably pleasant. He no longer wished to stay, so he rose and said, "This tea tastes terrible. Remember to serve a good pot next time I come. Haha, your elder brother is leaving. No need to see me out." Without waiting for Li Laocai's response, he walked out.

Smash! Inside the Cave Dwelling, Li Laocai fiercely hurled his teacup to the floor.