Chapter 7: Not Entering the Ancestral Hall (Please add to favorites and follow for updates)

“The bandits killed by the government soldiers must have come from neighboring Baiyang County…”

“Baiyang County suffered a disaster this year.”

The next day, after returning to his rural home, Wei Tu finally learned the origin of those swordsmen during a conversation with Wei Bao.

Although he had seen the government soldiers killing the bandits last night, he hadn’t dared to mention it or ask anyone else about it, fearing it might bring trouble.

Only after arriving home did he dare to bring it up.

Six years ago, in order to keep the family alive, Wei Bao had not only sold his eldest son, Wei Tu, but also sold a portion of the family’s ancestral property.

Over the years, to support the household, he would follow acquaintances from the village to the neighboring county to work as a seasonal wheat harvester.

Baiyang County is located to the northwest of Qingmu County and consists mostly of dry, sloped land, where the wheat ripens earlier than in Qingmu County.

As a wheat harvester, Wei Bao knew about the disaster in Baiyang County earlier than anyone else in Qingshan County.

“But in these times… I reckon things are about to turn chaotic. During this disaster relief in Baiyang County, the grain in the public granaries was seventy percent less than what was recorded in the ledgers.”

Wei Bao said.

Hearing this, Wei Tu nodded.

Although country folk are uneducated, being at the bottom of society, they are more aware of drastic social changes than the wealthy families.

It is just like the sky turning overcast and raining, or ants moving their homes.

After discussing yesterday’s “anomaly,” the father and son fell into silence, not knowing what topic to discuss next.

Wei Bao caught a glimpse of the dry tobacco pipe tied to Wei Tu’s waist. He rose from his stool, walked to the windowsill, gathered a small pouch of sun-dried tobacco leaves, and handed it over.

“Try it, it’s home-grown,” Wei Bao said.

A short while later.

The father and son took turns puffing on their pipes.

Soon, the room was filled with layers of hazy mist, resembling a veil of moonlight.

“I’ve let you down, son. This is some money I’ve saved over the years. Take it; whether you use it to set up a life outside or to redeem your indenture, it might be of some use.”

That night, Wei Tu was called out by Wei Bao. The widower didn’t say any affectionate words; he stood in the shadow of the eaves, pulled a worn, floral-patterned cloth bag from his chest, and shoved it into Wei Tu’s hands.

After a moment of silence, Wei Tu took the bag.

As soon as he touched it, he felt its heavy weight.

Even if it were just copper coins, there were at least five or six strings of them in the bag.

Besides the coins, Wei Tu also felt several hard, uneven lumps the size of soybeans.

He knew those were the silver fragments Wei Bao had scraped together over the years.

However, Wei Bao’s next cold words shattered the warmth that had just risen in Wei Tu’s heart.

“You sold yourself into servitude. Unless you redeem your indenture, a house slave, according to the rules, cannot enter the ancestral hall to worship the ancestors…”

“Including your wife…”

Wei Bao said, word by word.

Yes, country folk do not view selling oneself to a wealthy family as a disgrace.

But they would never allow a house slave to worship ancestors or enter the ancestral hall.

Because the clan leader takes this matter seriously.

Being of the same clan and lineage as a house slave would bring shame upon the clan leader’s own line.

“I understand.”

Wei Tu felt a burning sensation on his face, as if scalded by hot water. He was grateful that he was currently hidden in the dark rural cottage, where no one could see the expression on his face.

He gripped the money bag tightly, his throat moved a few times, and he said, “I’ll leave tomorrow morning so the villagers won’t see me.”

Only then did he realize.

For a house slave, returning home with a wife was not a glorious homecoming, but a shameful act that brought disgrace to the clan.

No matter how open-minded one tries to be, being stepped on by others is never a pleasant feeling.

Wei Bao gave him the money not only out of inner guilt but also to ensure he wouldn’t make a scene about his return to the village.

Leaving the Wei village early was better than enduring cold stares and the embarrassment on his face.

“Good.” Wei Bao’s lips trembled, and after a half-second pause, he uttered the word “Good.”

Morning.

The mountain path was soaked with morning dew and somewhat slippery.

Wei Tu and Xinghua walked with small steps.

Xinghua was careless, tripped, and leaned against the mountain wall, rubbing her ankle.

“Brother Wei, was I disliked by your father? I called him ‘Father,’ and he didn’t even respond.”

Tears welled up in the corners of Xinghua’s eyes.

“And the ancestral hall…”

In her words, she remained deeply troubled by the fact that she could not enter the Wei family ancestral hall to pay her respects.

Wei Tu did not answer. He stroked Xinghua’s head and pulled her into his arms, letting her tears soak his lapels.

“There will be a day for that.”

Wei Tu vowed silently.

When they married, he hadn’t provided the three letters and six rites for Xinghua, and everything had been kept simple.

But upon returning home to visit, he hadn’t even been able to let Xinghua enter the ancestral hall, and the two of them had to sneak away from Wei Village at dawn…

He could not be indifferent to this.

…

Back at the Li residence.

Wei Tu resumed his quiet life.

Li Tong-shi never mentioned the matter of renting land for farming again, as if she had forgotten it entirely.

Wei Tu guessed that the Li family intended to leave him and Xinghua hanging; using both kindness and severity was the way to manage subordinates.

He continued to comfort Xinghua, telling her to wait patiently.

Half a year passed.

As spring plowing approached, seeing that Li Tong-shi still hadn’t brought it up, Xinghua gave up on the idea of Wei Tu becoming a tenant farmer to increase their income.

【Turtle Breathing Cultivation (34/100): Nine practices a day, success in five years.】

It had been over a year since he obtained the 【Turtle Breathing Cultivation】.

On this day, as Wei Tu diligently practiced the health-cultivation technique, just as he reached the thirteenth repetition, he suddenly felt a faint sound like a tide hitting the shore coming from within his body. The stance he held with his feet seemed to take on an inexplicable, unique charm as he shifted.

A few breaths later, a warm current, stronger than before, gushed out from within his body, coursing through his limbs and bones, strengthening his physique.

“Could it be that the health-cultivation technique has reached the ‘Small Success’ stage?”

Wei Tu glanced at the progress of the technique engraved on his destiny.

As far as he knew, martial arts were divided into four basic stages: Beginner, Small Success, Great Success, and Perfection.

At this moment, his progress was at one-third. Combined with the changes in his body, he inferred that he must have reached the Small Success stage.

“Let’s try the two-hundred-jin stone lock.”

After the warm current in his body dissipated and he had regulated his breath for a while, Wei Tu set his sights on the stone locks in the corner of the courtyard.

The cost of stone locks was not high. After deciding to practice martial arts, he had spent a little money to buy this set of stone locks from a nearby farmer to train his strength.

Walking over to the stone lock, Wei Tu placed one hand on the two-hundred-jin weight and lifted it with effort. The stone lock was easily raised to his chest, level with his shoulders.

“Success!”

Wei Tu’s face lit up with joy.

A two-hundred-jin stone lock could be lifted by an adult with some effort, but there was a huge difference between lifting it with two hands and lifting it with one arm.

Being able to lift a two-hundred-jin stone lock with one arm meant he was qualified to participate in the military examinations.

However, participating was one thing; having only the strength was not enough for Wei Tu to earn a military degree.

The military examination included not only lifting stones but also sword dancing, drawing heavy bows, horse-stance archery, and military strategy.

“While practicing archery, I must save money and find a way to shed my slave status…”

“A slave cannot participate in the military examinations.”

Wei Tu put down the stone lock and began to think about the next step in his life plan.

Right now, given his own conditions, the fastest and best shortcut to cross the class divide was to participate in the Zheng Kingdom’s triennial military examination.

Although a military degree was not as prestigious as a civil one, for a commoner, it was a massive leap in social class.