Chapter 14: Changhu and Xiang Ping

“It is because he is cruel enough.”

Before Li Tongya’s voice had even faded, Li Changhu felt a chill crawl up his spine. His pupils dilated suddenly, and the hair on his body stood on end. He stared at his brother’s smiling face, his heart filled with dread.

“Hahahaha...”

Nudging Li Changhu’s shoulder, Li Tongya lightly tossed the wooden slip in his hand, watching Li Changhu with a faint smile.

“You child.”

Li Changhu let out a long breath, treating Li Tongya’s words as a joke. He waved his hand dismissively and spoke

“I am going to prepare for Xiang Ping’s wedding.”

Having said his piece, Li Changhu straightened his clothes and walked out the door toward the Tian family residence.

Li Tongya, however, withdrew his smile. He sat quietly by the wooden table and spoke

“Father.”

He saw that Li Mutian was already standing on the stone steps, having appeared there undetected. With a stern face, he seemed lost in thought, but upon hearing the voice, he turned his head to look at Li Tongya.

Last night, while Li Mutian was sitting before the door gazing at the moon, he had seen Li Xiangping rushing toward the back mountain in a frantic manner. Worried, he had quietly followed the boy up the mountain.

As it turned out, Li Tongya was also worried about his brother and had been tailing him stealthily. The two had met and shared an awkward moment, watching in silent tacit agreement as Li Xiangping killed a man, and then witnessing with their own eyes as a beast devoured the remains. Only then did Li Mutian descend the mountain.

“Xiangping did it for the safety of the clan; Father need not be angry...” Li Tongya offered consolation.

“I am born of such a troublesome brat!”

Li Mutian was suppressed by emotion, and his speech lost its refinement. He narrowed his eyes and spoke again

“The brat did well to kill that useless waste! If he had merely given him a warning, I would have jumped down and hacked that waste to pieces myself! Well done, well done! Why should I be angry? Do not try to cover for Li Changhu!”

Li Tongya let out a long sigh and said gloomily

“Eldest Brother is magnanimous and kind-hearted. The villagers and tenants respect him immensely; he is the one who can preserve our family estate.”

“Bullshit!” Li Mutian slammed the table, his face flushed with anger. “They respect me, Li Mutian! They surround your brother only because Li Changhu is a tenant! These people have always feared might and lacked loyalty to virtue. Look at him—if I, Li Mutian, were to die today, Li Yesheng would dare to come to the door and roll around in protest tomorrow. Would Li Changhu dare to kill him?”

Seeing Li Tongya lowering his head in silence, Li Mutian’s tone softened considerably. He said in a low voice

“In the past, I was not afraid because I had the two of you brothers. It was best for Li Changhu to be magnanimous. By exercising both grace and authority, the future would be promising. But things are different now. Our Li family possesses a treasure that invites crime; we are walking on thin ice. If the one in charge is not ruthless enough, we will fall easily!”

“Furthermore,” Li Mutian paused to catch his breath, his eyes filled with anxiety, “for these past few days, I have felt a constant sense of dread in my heart. I fear a calamity upon my life.”

————

Li Changhu went to the Tian family to settle various matters regarding the marriage contract. He sat blankly in the field, his expression complicated. He had walked through the village, but he had seen no one except for the absence of Li Yesheng.

Recalling his brother’s low shout last night and Li Tongya’s implication, Li Changhu knew that Yesheng had most likely been killed by Xiang Ping.

A wave of pain washed over Li Changhu. When they were small, Yesheng and Tongya were two tiny things who always followed obediently behind him to the river to catch fish.

He vaguely remembered Sheng’er clutching a large black fish, shouting happily, “Brother, brother, look at me!” Tongya would clearly be envious, yet he would always turn his head away and pout. When the three of them grew tired of playing, they would stand by the river to urinate, competing to see who could aim the highest and who could aim the farthest.

It was only after his aunt died and his second uncle fell ill that Yesheng’s temperament changed drastically in just a few months; he was no longer the boy he once was.

“The crime did not warrant this!”

Tears welled in the corners of Li Changhu’s eyes. He always felt that he could have persuaded him more, taught him to be better, and urged him to protect his brother Yesheng and live a good life.

“Changhu!”

A call startled Li Changhu. He hurriedly lowered his head to wipe the corners of his eyes and looked toward the source of the voice.

It was an old farmer with white hair. He looked honest and simple, with dark skin, wearing coarse cloth clothes and very wide trouser legs.

“Uncle Xu.” Li Changhu stood up, patted his trouser legs, and asked with concern: “How is it? Is there enough grain left at home?”

“Enough, enough!”

Old Man Xu’s tears fell upon seeing Li Changhu. He was old, but his body was still relatively healthy; however, his only eldest son was bedridden, making it impossible to tend the fields properly.

Li Changhu had reduced his rent and sent him grain, which was the only reason he had barely managed to scrape by. Old Man Xu was an elder who had watched Li Changhu grow up and already viewed him as a child; after this recent turn of events, his gratitude was immense.

“Please, do not be so polite!”

Li Changhu had quickly pulled himself out of his melancholy and said seriously: “A few days ago, my father instructed me to look after Uncle Xu’s fields. That is why I have come by.”

Old Man Xu was as shrewd as an old fox; how could he not know that Li Changhu was doing a favor for Li Mutian? He smiled faintly, cupped his hands toward Li Changhu, and said with a grin

“Please convey my thanks to the Head of the House! My family will hold this favor in high regard.”

“Eh, how could I say it is a favor? It is only what should be done!” Li Changhu waved his hand.

As the two chatted in the field, Li Xiangping arrived at the edge of the reed marsh carrying a cloth bundle, silently watching Li Yesheng sitting by the bank.

Li Yesheng was counting on his fingers, muttering to himself

“The day before yesterday I went to Third Uncle’s, the day before that I went to Eldest Uncle’s, Fourth Uncle kicked me out yesterday, and today I can only boil some wild vegetables and catch some shrimp for soup.”

He gazed at the reed marsh swaying in the wind—the place that had birthed and raised him. If not for this generous reed marsh, he, Li Yesheng, would have died in some unknown corner long ago.

“And Eldest Uncle’s family too,” he thought silently, just as a figure emerged from the reeds.

“Brother Xiangping!”

Li Yesheng stood up in pleasant surprise. Ever since the main family had built the high courtyard, Li Xiangping had not come out much. It was said he spent his days reading in the courtyard; Li Yesheng could only encounter him when he went to the main house for meals.

“Come, come.”

Li Xiangping smiled and took a white steamed bun from the cloth bag, handing it to him. Li Yesheng hurriedly took it and began devouring it, saying muddledly

“Brother, you are the best to me!”

“Hahahaha.”

Li Xiangping was quite close to Li Yesheng. When they were children, he would secretly take things from home to give to Li Yesheng. With Li Mutian turning a blind eye, Li Xiangping had indeed brought him quite a lot of things.

“Here.” Li Xiangping’s expression was somewhat complex as he pressed the cloth bundle into Li Yesheng’s hands and said

“These are the reading materials from when I first began my studies. You can read them more often while you are out herding ducks.”

“Thank you, Brother!”

Overwhelmed with emotion, Li Yesheng scooped up some river water to wash his hands before carefully tucking the cloth bundle away.

“In a few days, I will go and ask my father to speak to the teacher. When you have nothing to do, you can go to him to read more, and if you have questions, you can ask us.”

“How could I possibly accept such a thing!”

Caught between surprise and joy, Li Yesheng repeatedly declined, his heart filled with both unease and anticipation as he waved his hands.

“I heard that studying requires tuition; my brother won't give me the money.”

Li Xiangping studied him for a moment and said calmly, “There is no need for such formalities between us. When I go to ask my father, I will pay it on your behalf.”

“This...”

Li Yesheng wanted to say more, but looking at Li Xiangping’s indifferent expression, an inexplicable sense of awe rose in his heart. He thought to himself

“Brother Xiangping is just like Eldest Uncle!”

Unaware of Li Yesheng’s thoughts, Li Xiangping patted his shoulder, gave him instructions regarding his studies, and headed home.