Li Changhe had barely stepped past the threshold when the atmosphere inside the room behind him turned solemn.
The smile vanished from Li Tongyan's face instantly. He straightened his posture and called softly toward the empty doorway:
"Father."
At the top of the stone steps, Li Gengye had somehow appeared silently, his expression stern, his gaze fixed heavily on the interior of the room.
Last night's moonlight had been perfect. Li Gengye had been sitting in front of the gate enjoying the moon when he saw Li Yunping hurrying toward the back mountain with purpose. Suspicion arose in his heart, so he quietly followed. Unexpectedly, Li Tongyan had also been worried about his younger brother and had secretly tailed behind. The uncle and nephew had run into each other on the back mountain. Awkward as it was, they both witnessed Li Yunping killing someone, then leading wild beasts to devour the corpse. They watched until the body vanished completely before Li Gengye descended the mountain silently.
"Yunping acted for the family's safety as well. Father, there's no need to be angry..." Seeing his father's expression was off, Li Tongyan spoke softly to soothe him.
"What reason do I have to be angry!"
Resentment had been building up in Li Gengye's heart for a long time, so he spoke without any pretense of refinement. He squinted his eyes and coldly harrumphed:
"That child killed that useless wretch well! If he had merely threatened the fellow, I'd have jumped down myself and cut that wretch apart! Good that he killed him, good! What reason do I have to be angry? Don't try to cover for Li Changhe!"
Li Tongyan sighed deeply and said gloomily:
"Eldest brother is magnanimous and kind-hearted. The villagers and tenants all respect him deeply. He can protect the family estate."
"Rubbish!" Li Gengye slammed the table, his anger intensifying:
"They respect me, Li Gengye! Those people following your brother are only because Li Changhe's rent is low! These people always fear strength but hold no gratitude. Look at his demeanor—if I, Li Gengye, died today, Li Yesheng would dare come here and make a scene. Would Li Changhe dare kill him?"
Seeing Li Tongyan lower his head in silence, Li Gengye's tone softened considerably as he said quietly:
"In the past, I had nothing to fear. With you two brothers, it was best that Li Changhe was magnanimous. Combining kindness with authority, the future held promise. But things are different now. Our Li family carries jade in our arms—we walk on thin ice. If those in charge aren't ruthless enough, the family will fall easily!"
"Moreover." Li Gengye caught his breath, worry and unease evident in his eyes:
"These past few days, I've had this constant uneasy feeling in my heart. I'm afraid disaster is coming."
...
Just moments earlier, inside the room.
"It's because he is sufficiently ruthless."
No sooner had Li Tongyan finished speaking than Li Changhe felt a chill crawl up his spine. His pupils dilated sharply, and every hair on his body stood on end. He stared at his younger brother's smiling face, his heart filled with dread.
"Hahahahahaha..."
Li Tongyan pushed Li Changhe's shoulder, then lightly tossed the bamboo slip in his hand, gazing at Li Changhe with a light smile.
"You child."
Li Changhe exhaled a long breath, assuming Li Tongyan was joking. He waved his hand dismissively and said:
"I'll go make preparations for Yunping's wedding."
After speaking, Li Changhe tidied his clothes and walked out toward the Tian family.
Li Changhe went to the Tian family to finalize the various matters concerning the betrothal agreement. He sat stunned on the field ridge, his expression complicated. He had walked through the entire village but had not seen Li Yesheng anywhere.
Recalling his younger brother's low shout from the previous night and Li Tongyan's veiled implications, Li Changhe suspected that Yesheng had most likely already been killed by Yunping.
A wave of pain surged in Li Changhe's heart. When they were children, Yesheng and Tongyan, both small and tiny, would always obediently follow behind him to catch fish in the river.
He vaguely remembered Yesheng clutching a big black carp, grinning and shouting: "Brother, brother, look at me!" Tongyan, though envious beyond measure, would always turn his head away and pout, refusing to look. When the three of them tired from playing, they would stand by the river and urinate, competing to see who could pee the highest or the farthest.
It was only later, after their aunt died and their second uncle took to a sickbed, that Yesheng's personality changed dramatically within a few months. He was no longer the person he used to be.
"Such a crime doesn't deserve death!"
Tears glistened at the corners of Li Changhe's eyes. He always felt he could still persuade Yesheng, could still guide him back to the right path, could protect his younger brother Yesheng properly and let him live well.
"Changhe!"
A call startled Li Changhe awake. He hastily lowered his head to wipe his eyes and looked toward where the voice had come from.
It was an elderly white-haired farmer, his face honest and simple, his skin weather-beaten and dark, wearing homespun cloth garments with very wide trouser legs.
"Elder Xu." Li Changhe stood up and brushed off his pants, asking with concern:
"How are things? Do you have enough grain at home?"
"Enough, enough!"
Tears welled up in Old Xu's eyes the moment he saw Li Changhe. Though his body was still fairly robust for his age, his only eldest son had fallen ill and couldn't even tend the fields properly.
Li Changhe had reduced his rent and delivered grain to him, barely helping them scrape through. Old Xu had watched Li Changhe grow up; he regarded Li Changhe as his own child. Having been through such hardship and received such help, his gratitude knew no bounds.
"Don't stand on ceremony!"
Li Changhe had quickly emerged from his melancholy and said solemnly:
"Father instructed me just a few days ago to pay extra attention to Elder Xu's fields. So here I am."
Old Xu was worldly-wise. How could he not understand that Li Changhe was giving Li Gengye credit for the goodwill? He smiled wryly, clasped his hands in a bow toward Li Changhe, and laughed:
"Please convey my thanks to the family head. The Xu family truly appreciates this kindness."
"Ah, there's no need to speak of appreciation. It's what I should do!" Li Changhe waved his hand.
As the two were chatting on the field, Li Yunping arrived at the edge of the reed marsh with a cloth bag, silently watching Li Yesheng sitting on the bank.
Li Yesheng was counting on his fingers, muttering to himself:
"The day before yesterday I went to Third Uncle's place, the day before that I went to Eldest Uncle's place, Fourth Uncle drove me out yesterday. Today I can only boil some wild vegetables and catch some shrimp to make soup."
He gazed at the swaying reed marsh before him, the place that had given him life and nurtured him. If not for this generous reed marsh, Li Yesheng would have died in some unknown corner long ago.
"There's still Eldest Uncle's family." he thought silently, then spotted a figure emerging from the reeds.
"Yunping brother!"
Li Yesheng stood up in delight. Ever since the main family built the high walls, Li Yunping had not come out much. It was said he spent all his days reading in the courtyard. Li Yesheng could only encounter him when he went to the main family's house for meals.
"Come, come."
Li Yunping smiled and took a white steamed bun from his cloth bag, handing it directly to him. Li Yesheng hastily accepted it, devouring it ravenously, speaking with his mouth full:
"Brother is the best to me!"
"Hahahahahaha."
Li Yunping and Li Yesheng had always been the closest. When they were children, Li Yunping had secretly brought food from home for Li Yesheng. With Li Gengye turning a blind eye, Li Yunping really had brought him quite a lot of things.
"Here." Li Yunping's expression was somewhat complicated. He pressed the cloth bag into Li Yesheng's hands and said:
"These are the reading materials from when I started school. You can read more when you're tending the ducks."
"Thank you, brother!"
Li Yesheng was deeply moved. He cupped some river water to wash his hands, then carefully stored the cloth bag away.
"In a few days, I'll ask Father to speak with the teacher. If you have nothing to do, you can go study there regularly. If you have questions, you can certainly ask us."
"That would be... how could I presume!"
Li Yesheng was both overjoyed and anxious, repeatedly