Chapter 57: The Yan Family Banquet (Part Two)

The young lady noticed the awkward mood around the table and quickly changed the subject. “By the way, what are we going to do about the Zhang family? Their second young master, Zhang Xuan, saw a chance to profit and tried to kill our guard. He nearly got Shusheng killed, too.”

“We’ll deal with it, of course.” Yan Wenbei seemed to relax. “I spoke to Zhang Qidong on the phone at three this afternoon. Zhang Qidong tells it differently.”

Zhang Qidong was the head of the Zhang family.

“He says his son, Zhang Xuan, clashed with Shusheng, Yan Ning, and the others because they couldn’t agree on a deal and got into an argument. Young men are hot-blooded. A disagreement turns into a fight—that sort of thing happens all the time.”

He said it as though it were hardly worth mentioning.

Yan Ruosong and Yan Ruobing both frowned. That account was completely at odds with what Yan Ning and Shusheng had reported to her.

“Father, several people witnessed what happened, including the shopkeeper and his grandchild, Yan Ning, and several guards. Their accounts don’t match the Zhang family’s,” Yan Ruobing said.

“What more do you want them to say?” Yan Wenbei shot her a cold glance. “We lost an ordinary guard, and the second young master’s manhood was smashed… Are we supposed to go to their door and demand justice?”

His manhood was smashed?

Yan Ruobing and her brother immediately understood what had happened. They stared at Shusheng in disbelief. You never mentioned that.

“I didn’t know,” Shusheng said, looking innocent. “It was a matter of life and death, and everything happened so fast. I just flailed around with my water ability. I don’t know if I hit him, or where. Zhang Xuan didn’t tell me, either.”

As if he would tell you.

“Let this be the end of it. Don’t go looking for trouble with the Zhang family,” Yan Wenbei said. “The Zhangs are opening a karaoke club on Xiening Road next week. Ruosong, go to the opening and bring a generous gift. That will settle the feud between our families.”

“Big Brother.” Yan Wendong could hardly believe what he was hearing. His temper flared. “Zhang Xuan is greedy and lecherous. I’ve never cared to have anything to do with him. He provoked us first, then tried to kill our guard. If Shusheng hadn’t had a protective treasure, he might have died right there with the rest of us. And now we’re supposed to bring a gift and make peace?”

“The lives of ten guards still don’t outweigh the second young master’s manhood,” said Yan Ruofeng, the son of Yan Wenbei’s second younger brother, Yan Wenxi.

Most of those present seemed to agree.

Watching their expressions and listening to them speak, Shusheng felt a chill settle in his heart.

In the eyes of these powerful families, the lives of ordinary people meant little. What mattered most was the interests of those at the top.

They had forgotten that everyone living in this world had a life of their own, with its own worth and light.

“Don’t the guards’ lives count as lives?” Yan Wendong said.

“The lives of cats and dogs count, too. Would you compare them to human lives?” Yan Wenxi cut in. “The same goes for guards. Their lives count, but can they compare with those of young people from a great family? Third Brother, people are not all the same, and neither are their lives. That’s the truth of the world.”

“That’s your truth, not the truth of the world,” Yan Wendong retorted.

Hearing this, Shusheng’s regard for the third master rose considerably.

“Enough. All of you, stop. There are too many people here; arguing back and forth looks bad. That settles it.” Family head Yan Wenbei brought the discussion to an end.

After he spoke, no one said another word on the matter.

“And one more thing.” Yan Wenbei pointed at the spatial-stone ring on Shusheng’s hand, speaking just like an elder reprimanding a younger relative. “Parading around with a ring that valuable is bound to make people covet it. Zhang Xuan’s attack won’t be the last. Until you’re strong enough to protect it, come up with a solution: either stop wearing it, or disguise it. And don’t take anything out of it in front of people, or you’ll tempt them into doing something criminal.”

“Yes, I understand,” Shusheng said obediently. You’re the head of the family, and I’m living under your roof. Whatever you say goes.

Still, it was true that wealth stirred people’s greed. He would have to think of something.

The banquet continued. Guests toasted one another, and the wine flowed freely. Reporters from Fuling’s local multimedia outlets, newspapers, and online media had been invited to take photographs and write reports. The Yan family had arranged it deliberately, to dispel the rumors spreading both within the family and beyond it.

During the meal, Yan Wenbei took Shusheng from table to table, introducing him briefly as they raised their glasses. But when they reached a table of scholarly-looking guests, the family head’s imposing manner vanished. He became humble and deferential.

“Shusheng, everyone at this table teaches at the family’s Yanyuan Academy. This is the dean, Mr. Yan Wentong.” He indicated an elderly man with graying hair, round glasses, and a weathered face.

“Mr. Wentong was my teacher, too,” Yan Wenbei said. “When Yanyuan Academy was first founded, Mr. Wentong was among its first teachers, and I was among its first students. In the blink of an eye, forty years have passed.”

“Yes. Time flies like a knife, each stroke carving another year into us,” Yan Wentong said with a smile.

“Good evening, sir.” Shusheng lowered his glass and offered a toast.

Seeing how modest and sensible he was, Yan Wentong nodded again and again.

“Shusheng, tomorrow is Monday, so you’ll be reporting to Yanyuan Academy. Under Mr. Wentong’s guidance, you must study and train hard,” Yan Wenbei said, showing the same concern as a true elder.

“Yes. I’ll study and train hard,” Shusheng said.

“I’ve already told you about him. He’ll be placed in the intermediate class, right?” Yan Wenbei asked.

“Yes, the intermediate class,” Yan Wentong replied. “With his current water ability at level two, he should really be in the beginner class, but he’s simply too old…”

“That’s right. He wouldn’t fit in playing with a bunch of little kids,” Yan Wenbei said.

Yanyuan Academy had three levels of classes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

The beginner class was for family members who had just awakened their abilities and were training at levels one or two. It served as an introductory course, and students were generally between six and twelve years old.

The intermediate class was for those consolidating and improving their abilities, usually at levels three or four. Students were generally between twelve and eighteen.

The advanced class was for anyone at level five or above, regardless of age. But every member of the Yan family had responsibilities to fulfill. After turning eighteen, most took charge of some aspect of the family’s affairs or went elsewhere to attend university, so few could devote themselves to training there full-time. They usually returned to study when they had free time from their duties or questions about their training. In essence, the class was for students pursuing their studies elsewhere who came back for guidance.

After making the rounds and toasting everyone, Shusheng’s eyes grew heavy, and his drunkenness was plain to see.

By then, he was ravenous. The delicacies spread across the table were unlike anything he had ever tasted, and he tucked in without restraint.

After working his way through a generous helping of the feast, the alcohol went to his head. Without realizing it, he slumped over the table and fell fast asleep.

“He’s never had a good life,” said Yan Wenbei’s wife, Chen Xiaoxin.

“Father, are we really going to keep him with the family?” Yan Ruosong lowered his voice. “He is, after all, an outsider…”

“It’s only a temporary measure,” Yan Wenbei said. “Once things have quieted down, we’ll find somewhere else for him. The family has businesses everywhere. We can easily give him some unimportant job in another city and keep him there. How much could he possibly cost us?”