Chapter 25: Ups and Downs (III)
It turns out that in this world, the only one you cannot deceive is your own heart. It always reveals your joys and sorrows when you’re least prepared.
After returning from Yixianju, Li Kuo was filled with worries. Yang Xuan’s words were like a sharp needle, piercing deep into the wound in his chest and widening the scar. Even the new flesh that grew and the fresh skin could not cover that twisted, terrifying mark. Once an injury is formed, it takes root deep in one’s heart, forever unreparable. All one can do is cover it up with superficial disguises to deceive oneself.
Some pains—how can they be spoken of? Where? When?
He couldn’t let it go; he truly couldn’t.
It was a pain that penetrated to the bones, a betrayal that felt all too real.
Tibetans, the Luo Shu, demon monks, masked men, Gao Xiuyan…
Could it be that Gao Xiuyan really had dealings with the Tibetans? Then the betrayal during the Battle of Jiuxu City wasn’t just due to Li Linfu’s personal grudges…
In his new home in Qiren Fang, Li Kuo sat alone on a step, gazing blankly at the night sky.
“Guess who I am!”
Suddenly, darkness covered his vision as a pair of delicate hands covered his cheeks.
“Besides my dear Miss A Tian, who else would have the leisure to tease me like this?”
Li Kuo sighed and moved her hands away.
“Ah, you’re such a bore!”
Unexpecting such indifference from him, Du Jingtian immediately furrowed her brows, crossed her arms, and shouted, “Today is a great day as we move into our new home—we should celebrate properly! It’s one thing you going out with that Yang Xuan to drink and feast without me, but ever since you returned, you’ve been sulking. My aunt is already old, and it’s not easy for the whole family to get together for dinner. And you act like this…”
Li Kuo shook his head and said with a bitter smile, “A Tian, there are things you don’t understand.”
“Oh, I don’t understand? So only you do? Today you went out with that Yang Xuan, ate and drank to your heart’s content, hired several courtesans to sing for you—be honest!”
Li Kuo stood up, placed his hand on Du Jingtian’s shoulder, and said, “A Tian, I don’t want to argue with you now. Let me be alone for a while, okay?”
“You say I’m arguing with you? Oh, now that you’re a great general, you look down on me, an ordinary person? Is it because I, Du Jingtian, am too forward by staying by your side? Fine, I’m cheap—can’t I just run away if I can’t handle you?”
Calling her “little lady,” he shook off her sleeve and ran toward the back house.
“A Tian!”
The young man stood up, reaching out to call after her.
“Ignore me; I won’t have any eggs fried anymore!～～” “Sigh!” With a long sigh, Li Kuo shook his head and sat back down on the stone steps. Under normal circumstances, he would have rushed over to apologize to the young lady, but right now, he simply didn’t have the heart for it. Just then, the moonlight ahead dimmed, and a shadow emerged. Turning around, he saw a face as fair as white silk and as gentle as a bodhi tree. “Young master, it’s cold at night; put on a coat.” Shen Liniang draped a green robe over Li Kuo’s shoulders and smiled gently. “It’s Liniang. It’s so late—aren’t you asleep yet?” Li Kuo nodded at Shen Liniang and asked in a kind voice. “Aren’t you asleep either, young master? In Liniang’s opinion, you must be preoccupied with something.” Shen Liniang also sat down on the stone steps, about a foot away from Li Kuo. “Liniang often hears people say that beautiful music is easy to compose, but true entendres are hard to find. As the saying goes, ‘Five notes on seven strings—yet true understanding has been rare since ancient times.’ When Liniang was in trouble, you saved her; she doesn’t know how to repay you. Though Liniang is not talented, she has seen much of the world’s ups and downs over the years. I wonder if you would be willing to act like Yu Boya and share your heart with her?” Shen Liniang spoke softly, her words like a warm breeze in the cold winter, touching the young man’s heart. Li Kuo smiled and said, “Never mind. I’ll tell Liniang.” After thinking for a moment, he gathered his thoughts and began to speak slowly: “Once upon a time, there was a peasant who had two sons. His wife died early, so he raised them alone. The elder son was honest and polite. Because of his excellent handwriting, he gained a good reputation among the villagers and opened a shop to sell calligraphy. The younger son, however, liked to cause trouble and didn’t engage in proper work, constantly getting into fights. Yet the peasant doted on the younger son, protecting him whenever trouble arose and always saving the best food for him.” (Note 1) With a long sigh, Li Kuo looked at the stars in the night sky and continued, “The elder son saw all this but never complained. He thought, since they were brothers, why worry over such trivial matters? As time passed and the old man grew older, he stopped working in the fields. The family managed to get by with the money the elder son earned from selling calligraphy. Later, a band of bandits came to the village, burning, killing, and looting. The village chief called on everyone to resist, and the old man called his two sons. They picked up hoes and went to the village entrance, just in time to see the bandits. The elder son, though not skilled in martial arts, rushed forward first and fought against the bandits.” (Note 2)
A slight movement in his throat made Li Kuo force a bitter smile. “There are more and more bandits around us, and the leader is gradually losing his strength. Just as he wondered why his younger brother hadn’t come to help him, he suddenly felt a chill on his back—a dagger had been thrust into his spine. When he turned around, it was his own brother who had stabbed him. In fact, his brother had already joined the bandits and was the one who came up with the idea of raiding the village. Out of jealousy over his brother taking his share of the family wealth, he decided to go ahead and kill him while the bandits were raiding the village.”
“That second brother is utterly shameless!”
Upon hearing this, Shen Liniang clenched her fists. “He would sacrifice the safety of the entire village for his own gain, even colluding with bandits! What’s worst is that he dared to kill his own brother!”
“Unfortunately, the leader still isn’t dead. The county magistrate heard about it and led the local militia to suppress the bandits. Seeing things going wrong, the second brother changed his tune and pretended to be one of the villagers again…”
“There are really such shameless people in this world!”
Shen Liniang shook her head. “That second brother changes his attitude faster than an actor. What’s his skill then?”
“The county magistrate only saw the second brother’s active role in fighting the bandits and rewarded him generously. The leader, injured as he was, lost much of the credit. It’s not that the leader cares about the rewards; he just doesn’t know how to face his father or the villagers who died.”
Li Kuo sighed in relief, finally finishing the story.
“What else is there to think about? Go to the county office and accuse the second brother to seek justice for the dead villagers!”
Although Shen Liniang was gentle by nature, she couldn’t stand such corruption either and came up with a plan for the leader.
“Except for the bandits who were killed, the rest have fled into the mountains. Aside from the leader, almost no one knows about the second brother’s crimes, not even their father. If the leader rashly goes to the county office to accuse his brother, he won’t only fail to gain the county magistrate’s support but may also be accused of framing his own brother.”
Li Kuo shook his head, revealing the leader’s dilemma.
“If that’s the case, it’s quite difficult.”
Shen Liniang was also at a loss for a moment and lowered her head.
“What’s difficult about it? The leader can secretly gather evidence of the second brother’s collusion with the bandits and hand it over to the authorities when the time is right!”
Zhou Wucui and Zhang Yanji entered through the second gate almost at the same time. Zhou Xiaolangjun’s chubby cheeks trembled slightly before he gave his answer.
Note 1: Suiwa: A dialect term from Guanzhong, referring to the youngest child in a family.
Note 2: Muramasa: This position was established in the 15th year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (642 AD). According to Volume 3, Food and Goods, of the “Tongdian,” “Villages were filled with ordinary commoners; in areas without such people, village heads and others would recruit men aged 18 and above, as well as those with disabilities.” The main duty of a Muramasa was to oversee the local area and report any theft or crime to the authorities immediately. Therefore, the story created by Ruyun is reasonable.