Chapter 45: The Village Elder’s Thoughts

Li Yuanjing and Zhang Kun entered the small room where the family of Mao Fugui was staying. Mao Fugui had recovered considerably and was able to speak. He hurriedly relayed all the information he knew to Li Yuanjing in detail.

As it turned out, Yicheng County had been plagued by the “Fragrant Scent Sect” for several years. Though the authorities had made repeated attempts to suppress the sect, the truth of the matter remained elusive, and instead of being quelled, the sect’s chaos grew ever more severe.

Just a few days ago, a great upheaval erupted. The Fragrant Scent Sect launched a rebellion overnight, unleashing a massacre right in the city of Yicheng. Mao Fugui’s family originally lived in the city, but by chance, he was working that day at the home of a local gentryman outside the city. Though his three children were young, they were already his capable assistants.

Thanks to this, the family of four was not trapped in the city and, upon receiving news of the chaos, immediately fled for safety. However, they traveled east along the wild Yishan mountain range instead of the main road, thus remained ignorant of Yicheng’s subsequent fate.

Hearing this, Li Yuanjing furrowed his brow in deep thought. No wonder a craftsman like Mao Fugui would choose to flee with his entire family—it was because a major upheaval had struck Yicheng. Although traces of the Fragrant Scent Sect had always existed in Fengcheng County as well, the situation there was clearly much better than in Yicheng, so Li Yuanjing had never paid much heed to the matter.

But now, the sect had caused havoc right in Yicheng, and, crucially, it had been three or four days with not a single word from Tieniu Town, which connected to Yicheng. How could this not trouble Li Yuanjing?

After a long silence, Li Yuanjing gradually regained his composure, massaging his temples as he considered the situation more objectively. Between Yicheng and Tieniu Town lay over a mile-wide stretch of the surging Yi River, surrounded by dense primeval forests. There was little travel between the two places, no direct route, and so delayed news was to be expected.

Moreover, Yicheng was much larger than Fengcheng and was the fief of the youngest son of the Prince of Qi, who was much favored. Even if the prince's son was not stationed directly in Yicheng, would the Prince of Qi ignore such an event? Although the princes of Great Qian held no military power, the general commander of Qizhou was once the prince’s close companion.

As these thoughts swirled, a realization struck Li Yuanjing. Perhaps it was not that no one wished to spread news of Yicheng, but rather that there were those preventing it. Even if the Prince of Qi had already quelled the chaos, this was an ominous precedent.

Furthermore, the prince might not eradicate all remnants of the Fragrant Scent Sect, leaving the common people to suffer the consequences.

“Uncle Mao, I heard you are an old craftsman from Liaodong, especially skilled in making fire lances?”

Li Yuanjing, now much calmer, smiled as he looked at Mao Fugui.

Mao Fugui quickly bowed respectfully and replied, “To answer your lordship, my family has been blacksmiths for generations. Not only can I forge fire lances, but I am also well-versed in all manner of ironwork. If your lordship has need, I will follow you loyally, so long as my family can have a meal to eat…”

Clearly, Mao Fugui had already learned about Li Yuanjing from Zhang Kun. Seeing that Li Yuanjing intended to take him in, he hurriedly knelt to pledge his loyalty. His three children also dropped to their knees, looking at Li Yuanjing with desperate, pleading eyes.

Li Yuanjing had not expected the Mao family to be so perceptive and cast Zhang Kun an approving glance. Zhang Kun scratched his head with an awkward grin, clearly harboring his own motives in this matter.

Li Yuanjing smiled, “Uncle Mao, you are too polite. You are an old friend of Brother Zhang, so it is only right that I take you in. However—”

His tone changed, his expression growing stern.

“Uncle Mao, you are an experienced man, so you understand that a nation has its laws and a household its rules. You wish to stay in Quanzi Village? That is possible. But—your entire family must sell yourselves as my servants! Otherwise, there is nothing more to discuss. It would be better for you to seek your own fortune.”

Zhang Kun was taken aback by Li Yuanjing’s bluntness and didn’t quite know what to say.

After a moment’s hesitation, Mao Fugui made his choice. He kowtowed respectfully, “Your lordship saved our lives. To serve as your bondservants would be a blessing for us. We are willing to sell ourselves into your household, without asking for a single coin…”

“How can it be called selling yourselves if you ask for nothing in return?” Li Yuanjing chuckled. “Uncle Mao, since you trust me, I will not treat you unfairly. We shall do this properly, as it should be!”

Since the Mao family agreed, Li Yuanjing immediately called upon the old village headman as a witness and personally wrote out the indenture contracts for all four members of the Mao family, each party signing and affixing their seals.

Li Yuanjing paid the Mao family four taels of silver: two taels for Mao Fugui, and two taels for his three children together.

He had little choice. For one, his own funds were limited. For another, this was the prevailing market price. Mao Xiaocao, being plain in appearance and even a bit unsightly, was worth little, sometimes even requiring extra payment to take off someone’s hands. Her two brothers, both half-grown boys, would consume more than they could earn, and as low-caste craftsmen, Li Yuanjing was being benevolent in offering even one tael apiece.

There was also a reason why Li Yuanjing took them as bondservants rather than as hired laborers. He had confidence in his discernment—Mao Fugui was by no means a simple man. Without firm rules to bind him, Li Yuanjing would never have dared to employ him, preferring to go without than risk disaster.

With everything settled, the Mao family was overjoyed and kowtowed in gratitude, addressing Li Yuanjing as “master.”

Li Yuanjing patted Zhang Kun’s shoulder, instructing him to explain their new status and arrangements to the Mao family, then left the room with the old village headman to discuss the upheaval in Yicheng.

Even the old headman was startled by the news, looking as if he’d aged several years in an instant. He shook his head and sighed, “These are ill-fated times, ill-fated times indeed.”

He quickly turned to Li Yuanjing, “Yuanjing, I’ve had an idea for years, but lacked the means to carry it out. Now that our village has you, this old man finally has hope. Yuanjing, would you be willing to lend me a hand?”

“Uncle,” Li Yuanjing replied respectfully, “we are like family. If you have any request, just say the word. As long as it is within my power, I will do my utmost.”

Li Yuanjing had a vague idea of what the old headman wanted and bowed as he spoke.

The old headman was delighted. “Yuanjing, this matter will cost some money, but not too much. I want to surround Quanzi Village with an earth wall. That way, even if disaster strikes, we will not be as helpless as pigs and dogs, waiting to be slaughtered…”

This notion matched Li Yuanjing’s own thoughts. To be frank, he too wished to build an earthen wall around the village. In these troubled times, with bandits and demons rampant, such an unprotected village gave no sense of security. Even if the wall offered little real defense, it would at least bring peace of mind.

Previously, the main obstacle had been that all the surrounding fields belonged to the benefactor Xue. The old headman was willing, but powerless. Now, however, all the land belonged to Li Yuanjing. As long as he agreed, the project could proceed even if he provided no funds.

Li Yuanjing nodded, about to respond, when Chen Chunyan came hurrying over. “Master, Mr. Wang Youdao from Dagou Village is here. He says he has urgent business and wishes to see you…”

“Oh?” Li Yuanjing started. What could bring Wang Youdao here at such a moment? Knowing Wang Youdao would not come without reason, Li Yuanjing dared not be careless.

He turned to the old headman, “Uncle, I fully support this idea. As for the details, let’s discuss them further in a little while. Let me see this guest first.”

The old headman, delighted by Li Yuanjing’s affirmation, replied, “Of course, Yuanjing. Go ahead, I’ll wait right here.”