Hearing the clan elder's scolding, not one of the clansmen seated in the chairs dared raise his head.
After all, those words were true. They were indeed inferior to Qian Lucai. Almost the entire Qian Family was held up by its patriarch alone.
The clan elder who had spoken first soothed him gently. "Don't be angry. What matters most now is keeping our holdings secure. Have people keep a close watch on those fertile fields, and send more men to the shops. We're only being held down temporarily."
"Mm. Let's leave it at that."
Once the two clan elders finished speaking, the discussion was over. What remained was to safeguard the Qian Family's properties.
The doors of the hall opened, and the Qian Family clansmen emerged, their expressions almost identical as they suppressed their unease.
Beneath the deep moonlight, a small river flowed without pause, its waters splashing against submerged rocks.
A group of travelers had stopped briefly beside the river. They arranged several carriages in a semicircle and lit a bonfire in the middle for light and warmth.
Dry branches crackled in the bonfire, and the smell of charcoal drifted out, mingled with the aroma of meat.
A middle-aged man dressed entirely in thin black clothing warmed his hands by the fire. His brows and eyes curved like bows, his face was square, and his powerful hands were seasoning a skewered leg of meat.
This man was Qian Lucai, the current patriarch of the Qian Family. He had just negotiated a business deal on Great Yong's frontier. If it succeeded, the Qian Family would have a firm foothold in the commandery.
But everything had changed not long ago.
Qian Lucai remained expressionless. Smelling the aroma of meat, he suddenly looked toward the silent figure beside him and spoke,