Chapter 26: Father and Son
The Li siblings, harboring a secret that could not be spoken of, dared not accept this and dared not accept that. This made Old Master Kuan frown, his mood extremely heavy.
With all matters settled, Li Xuedong and his siblings hurried back to Xiao Li Village, while Old Master Kuan walked home with a heavy heart.
Upon entering the courtyard gate, he saw a cart parked in the courtyard. Before Old Master Kuan could ask, his grandson Azhuang rushed out from the kitchen and shouted excitedly at him, “Weng Weng Weng Weng! Father is back!”
Old Master Kuan’s eldest son, Li Wenliang, came out from the kitchen and smiled as he approached, “Father, you’re back.”
Li Wenliang was in his early thirties, of medium build, strong and agile, dressed in a clean and tidy indigo coarse cloth shirt and trousers. His square face always carried a smile, making him look like a simple yet shrewd farmer.
“Didn’t you say you’d be back tomorrow?” Old Master Kuan looked at his eldest son and smiled.
“The second son returned to Linhai last night. I thought about how urgent your message was, so I set off in the middle of the night. I’ve been home for a while. Azhuang’s mother is as familiar with the shop in Linhai as I am. With her guidance, the second son won’t need me to delay any further.” Li Wenliang said, carefully observing his father, “Father, you look well.”
“Hmm? That prodigal son, he actually knows how to come back! How is he now? Can he manage the shop?”
Old Master Kuan felt annoyed whenever he heard the words “second son.”
“The second son is much more sensible now than before. Last year I sent him on a trip to Fuzhou, and this year I sent him on two trips to Yangzhou. Both were handled perfectly. Father, you can’t always dwell on his childhood mischief,” Li Wenliang said with a smile.
“Hmph!” Although Old Master Kuan snorted, his face clearly showed a smile.
His youngest son was very intelligent. Originally, he had placed great hopes on this youngest son, thinking their family would have a promising scholar. Who knew, alas, when he was furious, he truly wanted to beat this rebellious son to death!
“Let’s not talk about him. Let’s talk in the backyard,” Old Master Kuan patted his eldest son’s shoulder, gesturing.
The two entered the backyard, and his wife brought out a dish of freshly made fish cakes and a dish of steamed rice cakes.
Li Wenliang boiled water to make tea, while Old Master Kuan picked up a fish cake and ate it slowly. Seeing his eldest son finish making tea, he gestured for him to eat a fish cake first.
“Have your mother told you about the two major matters in our clan?” Old Master Kuan asked with a smile after watching his son eat the fish cake.
“I know about them. It wasn’t entirely Mother who told me. As soon as I reached the town entrance, I ran into the third son. He came back with me and talked all the way. The third son just left.” Li Wenliang said with a smile.
Old Master Kuan smiled with some helplessness upon hearing that Li Wenliang had met Li Wenhua.
Since Wenhua had told him, it meant that whatever Wenhua knew, Wenliang also knew.
“We just finalized the matter of Xuedong attending the prefectural school,” Old Master Kuan sighed. “Xuedong and his eldest sister are quite distant from the clan. The clan’s copper coins, the siblings unanimously refused to accept a single coin. Later, it was only through Mr. Gao’s favor that they accepted the rent for the house, which shows they resent the clan. Alas.”
“According to the third son, the Xiucai Scholar and his eldest sister are not distant with him at all,” Li Wenliang said in surprise.
According to Wenhua’s account, the Xiucai Scholar and his eldest sister were very close to him.
“The third son is a fool! What can he understand? Alas, this is also my fault. Since I helped back then… alas!” Old Master Kuan did not finish his sentence.
At that time, he truly never expected Xuedong to actually pass the Xiucai examination!
The copper coins for Xuedong’s prefectural examination and courtyard examination were an impulse, and there weren’t many coins anyway.
Even after Xuedong passed the prefectural examination, he did not dare to hold any hope.
Among the Xiucai scholars in the county, which one was not known as a child prodigy throughout the county since childhood?
That Xuedong could pass the Xiucai examination was unexpected not only for him but even for Mr. Gao, who kept saying that this was the Li Clan’s fortune turning.
“Father, don’t think too much about it. It’s only natural for the Xiucai Scholar and his siblings to have grievances with the clan. Even we, when we mention the clan, are full of resentment, aren’t we?”
“Fortunately, there are many days ahead. In the future, we will treat the Xiucai Scholar’s family with sincerity. Sooner or later, true sincerity will be reciprocated. People’s hearts are made of flesh.” Li Wenliang’s words were not entirely for comfort.
“Yes, I think so too. Alas, it can only be this way,” Old Master Kuan sighed again.
Their Wangzi branch had taken over the clan affairs. Although the Feng and Sheng branches dared not speak, they were not necessarily not angry, nor could they be convinced or softened. What would happen in the future was still unknown.
The male members of their Wangzi branch and the Man and Xiang branches combined were not as numerous as those in the Feng and Sheng branches. To manage the clan affairs, their Wangzi branch could only rely on Xuedong, the Xiucai Scholar. Their family and Xuedong’s family could not afford to be estranged under any circumstances.
“When will the Xiucai Scholar depart? I’ll accompany them,” Li Wenliang suggested.
“I called you back because I intend for you to accompany Xuedong’s family to settle down. They have to depart in the next two days. Xuedong has a deadline to report to the prefectural school. Take a few more silver notes with you. In the future, Xuedong’s expenses will not be covered by the clan’s public funds; we will subsidize them ourselves.”
“Also, Xuedong’s eldest sister is decisive and stubborn, and she is also capable. On the journey to Pingjiang City to settle down, do not argue with her, do not make decisions for her, and absolutely do not interfere in their family matters,” Old Master Kuan paused for a moment before continuing, “Even Xuedong’s affairs should be decided by his eldest sister. You should just help them wholeheartedly.”
“Okay.” Li Wenliang nodded. “When I heard it from the third son, I already felt that the Xiucai Scholar’s eldest sister was very formidable.”
“Mm.” Old Master Kuan hummed. Thinking of something, he was lost in thought for a while. Looking at his eldest son, he said, “When I was young, I heard the elders in the clan say that the Li family’s feng shui lies entirely with the women of the Li family. Every time the Li family prospered, it was thanks to the women of the Li family. If the Li family truly prospers this time, this fortune might fall upon Xuedong’s eldest sister. You must respect her.”
“Don’t worry, Father,” Li Wenliang replied with a smile.
Old Master Kuan and Li Wenliang discussed some more important and trivial clan matters. His wife called them for dinner. As they came out of the backyard and had just sat down, Li Wenhua rushed in, “Something’s happened, something’s happened!”
“What’s happened?” Old Master Kuan quickly put down his chopsticks.
“Don’t rush, speak properly!” Li Wenliang stood up.
“The two children of Li Wencai’s family in Xiao Li Village were beaten! They were beaten…” Li Wenhua was radiating excitement and agitation, gesturing wildly with his hands, “Here, here, all blood! Bloody!”
Old Master Kuan frowned.
“The two who beat the Xiucai Scholar? What happened? Who beat them?” Li Wenliang breathed a sigh of relief, pressed Li Wenhua to sit down, and handed him a cup of tea.
“I think this is retribution! This is what they call retribution that is not delayed! Everyone is saying so!” Li Wenhua tilted his head and drank the tea. “It happened not far from our Li Family Market, near Xiao Li Village. They say those two fools bumped into two passing merchants. Those two merchants, I don’t know what business they’re in, but they struck hard with their first move. I don’t know what they used to beat Xuefu and Xueshou, their heads were covered in blood! On their heads, here, there was such a long and wide bloody gash! Tsk! Scary!”
Li Wenliang stared at Li Wenhua’s widely spread fingers. If his cousin’s fingers were really that long, wouldn’t that be terrible?
“Don’t believe me, it’s really that long, at least three inches, right on their heads, from here to here! Tsk, all blood, really scary. Tsk.” When he said “really scary,” Li Wenhua let out a satisfied “tsk.”
Li Wenliang looked at his father.
Old Master Kuan frowned and waved Li Wenhua away, “Alright, go back. How old are you? Look at yourself. No matter what, you shouldn’t be gloating like this, it’s bad luck! Hurry back, don’t mention this matter again!”
“I’m not, I just… then I’ll go.” Li Wenhua stammered, quickly stood up, and walked out.
“Stay for dinner here,” Li Wenliang called out to Li Wenhua as he followed him.
“No need, dinner is already served at home. You all eat, I’m going back.” Li Wenhua left, almost running.
Watching Li Wenhua leave the courtyard gate, Li Wenliang looked at his father, “Father?”
“Our Xiucai Scholar doesn’t have that ability. Wenhua’s words are right, retribution is not delayed. Let’s eat,” Old Master Kuan gestured to his eldest son.
