Chapter 14: An Honored Guest at the Old Village Chief’s Home

In the corner, Li Yuanjing suddenly halted, both exasperated and amused by Lu Gang’s sheer stupidity.

Did this fool really not know what kind of man the Old Master was?

And yet...

He had the nerve to pull off such a “mouse stealing from the cat” stunt...

Was he not courting death itself?

But soon enough, Li Yuanjing let it go.

People really were all different.

With the old village chief always cleaning up after this boy, how could he possibly know that the world was made of iron and that salt and rice cost dearly?

They were fortunate that Biaozi was a bit thick-headed, or perhaps the Old Master had simply swallowed the loss in silence, unable to voice his grievance.

Otherwise, how could today’s mess have been settled with just five taels of silver?

Still, even if Li Yuanjing decided to help Lu Gang, he certainly wouldn’t drag himself into the mess.

He strode quickly to Lu Gang and said coldly,

“Lu Gang, I can help you with today’s trouble. But I don’t have that much silver either, do you understand?”

“Uh…”

Having just been put in his place by Li Yuanjing, Lu Gang no longer dared act superior. He pleaded,

“Yuanjing, Yuanjing, we’re from the same village! If you don’t help me, I’m dead for sure today. Wuwu, my father only has me as his son…”

As he spoke, snot and tears threatened to smear all over Li Yuanjing.

Li Yuanjing drove him off with a sharp knee and snapped,

“If you want to live, shut up! Listen to me!”

“Uh—fine, fine…”

Chastened, Lu Gang deflated like a punctured ball and dared not utter another word.

Li Yuanjing continued,

“I may have no money, but I have ties with Master Wang Youdao. Today, I can vouch for you, have Master Wang lend you five taels of silver, and settle this affair!”

“But!”

“When and how you repay it is not for me to decide—do you understand?!”

Lu Gang finally caught on and nodded furiously like a pecking chick,

“Yuanjing, I understand, I do. That’s only fair, only fair…”

…

Soon enough.

With Li Yuanjing as guarantor, Lu Gang received five taels of silver from Wang Youdao.

Li Yuanjing himself drafted the IOU, both parties signed and pressed their seals.

But he didn’t hand the money directly to Lu Gang, keeping it in his own hand.

As Lu Gang stepped out, Wang Youdao chuckled,

“Yuanjing, you’ve gone to such lengths for this wastrel—do you think it’s worth it? I doubt you’ll ever see that silver again.”

Li Yuanjing could only shake his head and force a wry smile.

“Uncle Wang, the old village chief has always treated my family kindly. I can’t just stand by and watch Lu Gang get beaten to death.”

“Uncle Wang, truly, thank you for today.”

He bowed deeply.

Wang Youdao smiled,

“Why thank me? I didn’t do anything. The boy borrowed your silver, didn’t he?”

“Enough, Yuanjing, don’t worry. If his family really can’t repay the debt, come to me and I’ll help you think of a way!”

Li Yuanjing paused at these words, then nodded.

…

Once he’d settled things with Wang Youdao, Li Yuanjing dragged Lu Gang out, signed a contract with Biaozi to confirm receipt of the silver, and the matter was truly put to rest.

Only then did he hand the silver to Biaozi.

As Biaozi and his men left, jubilant, Li Yuanjing gave Lu Gang a none-too-gentle kick and scolded,

“Get moving. What are you standing around for? Waiting for someone to feed you?”

“Hey!”

“Li Yuanjing, you penniless wretch, are you tired of living?!”

Lu Gang suddenly sprang to life, rolling up his sleeves, ready to go at Li Yuanjing.

Zhang Kun instantly blocked Lu Gang, solid as a mountain.

Furious, Lu Gang cursed,

“Zhang Kun, you one-armed cripple, why are you always protecting that penniless bookworm? Think I won’t thrash you?”

Zhang Kun was about to teach Lu Gang a lesson, but Li Yuanjing cut in coldly,

“One more word out of you, Lu Gang, and I’ll tell Master Wang to have your sister work off your debt!”

“Uh…”

Lu Gang was instantly dumbstruck.

Only now did he remember that he still owed Wang Youdao five taels of silver…

He went limp, unable to utter another word.

What else could he say?

If Li Yuanjing really did that, not only would his father break his legs, but his sister would hate him forever…

Useless as he was, he couldn’t possibly send his own sister into the fire pit…

…

After Li Yuanjing’s handling, Lu Gang was much quieter on the way back, like a rooster defeated in battle.

A faint smile curled Li Yuanjing’s lips.

This brat wanted to play games with him? Even a hundred more years of practice wouldn’t be enough!

Returning to Spring Village, Lu Gang seemed about to speak to Li Yuanjing, but the words died in his throat.

He’d figured it out.

Everything was written in black and white by Li Yuanjing himself—what could he possibly argue now?

If he kept protesting, his father really would break his legs.

Li Yuanjing wasted no time with Lu Gang and went straight to the old village chief’s house. He explained everything, producing both IOU and Biaozi’s contract for the old man to see.

“You beast!”

“I’ll beat you to death, you unfilial wretch!”

“Ah!”

“Heavens, what sin have I committed to have such a lawless son…”

As expected, the old chief exploded, raining fists and kicks on the kneeling Lu Gang. Still unsatisfied, he raised his tear-streaked face and wailed to the sky.

Turning then to Li Yuanjing, he thanked him profusely,

“Yuanjing, thank you so much for this. Don’t worry, once the autumn taxes are paid, I’ll sell everything if I have to and pay you back, even if it means smashing my pots for scrap iron…”

Seeing that the old chief seemed to age several years in an instant, Li Yuanjing felt a twinge of helplessness.

But he would not be soft-hearted.

After all,

His silver hadn’t exactly blown in on the wind.

And the reason he’d gone to such lengths to save Lu Gang was precisely for the sake of the old village chief’s goodwill.

So he smiled,

“Village Chief, since that’s settled, allow me to take my leave.”

But after all the help Li Yuanjing had given, how could the old chief just let him walk away?

He quickly held Li Yuanjing back,

“Yuanjing, what’s the rush? Stay for lunch with us! I still have half a rabbit an old friend sent me. Today, by all means, you and I must share a good drink.”

This was just the outcome Li Yuanjing wanted, though on the surface he protested,

“Village Chief, wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”

…

Though the old chief’s household was small, with only a son and a daughter, both his wife and daughter, Lianhua, were brisk and capable.

Soon enough, a table was laid.

Not only was there a dish of rabbit, but also a bowl of cured meat stewed with dried vegetables, both dishes fragrant and tempting.

Yet while Li Yuanjing could enjoy this feast—a meal most ordinary folk could only dream of—Lu Gang could only look on, drooling.

At such a moment, how could the old chief let him to the table?

Even when Lu Gang’s mother tried to save him a few bites, the old man scolded her fiercely and forbade it.

With no choice, Lu Gang’s mother could only retreat to a corner and weep.

Lu Gang himself felt worse than dead, his heart utterly broken.

Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined—

One day,

Li Yuanjing, the penniless scholar, would be a guest of honor in the Lu household…

While he, the son, could only look on from the sidelines…

Alas.

This was the brutal, bleeding reality.

After a few pleasantries and cups of wine, the old chief loosened up, singing Li Yuanjing’s praises without end.

Li Yuanjing accepted every word with a smile and even managed to exchange furtive glances with Lianhua, Lu Gang’s quite lovely sister, enjoying himself immensely.

As he was about to toast the old chief and tease Lianhua a bit more, a sharp female cry suddenly rang out from outside.

“Chief, help! Help!”