Chapter 144 – The Correct Way to Increase Favorability (Part 2)
Just thinking about everything my wife and daughter faced before their deaths, the despair they endured, made Meng Hunyun feel like his insides were on fire, his eyes tinged with blood, practically bursting with anger!
His rage blazed fiercely, gradually infecting those around him, and the delicious hot soup they had been sipping lost all flavor.
“Military Officer, we have plenty of chances for revenge! When we next see that little brat Meng Liang, we’ll definitely chop him up as an offering to our sister-in-law and niece in the afterlife!” A nearby man raised his left hand and patted Meng Hunyun’s shoulder, producing dull thuds.
His right hand was injured; he had just cleaned the wound with clean water, applied medicine, and wrapped it in white cloth around his neck, making his movements somewhat inconvenient.
“Yes, our sister-in-law and niece will surely bless us to successfully take down that little brat Meng Liang. Good people deserve good rewards,” another chimed in, his voice deep and heavy. He was somewhat tongue-tied, speaking whatever came to mind, so comforting others wasn’t really his strong suit.
The pressure on Meng Hunyun’s shoulder snapped him out of his reverie. His expression remained gloomy, but at least he didn’t drown further in his hatred.
Seeing Meng Hunyun’s reaction, the others couldn’t help but show signs of worry.
The one leading them through life-and-death situations was this towering seven-foot man before them. He was also the one who stepped up to save their lives in times of crisis, despite living a meager existence himself, he still took care of them from time to time!
In contrast, what had the Meng Clan done?
Their current splendor and wealth came partly from their ancestors’ fortune and partly from feeding off the blood, sweat, and tears of the common people!
Thus, when Meng Hunyun suppressed his emotions and stated plainly, “I want to revolt,” they all followed him without hesitation.
Compared to the Meng Clan, which relied on ancestral support, they trusted Meng Hunyun more.
“Good people have good rewards?” Meng Hunyun mumbled, repeating those words, his expression lost and hollow as he buried his blood-dried face into his palms.
If good people really had good rewards, how could his virtuous wife and clever daughter have ended up in such a tragic state?
In the hidden cave, several big men exchanged silent glances, each preoccupied with their thoughts, and they tacitly refrained from disturbing Meng Hunyun.
The farm was shrouded in moonlight, utterly silent.
Now, Xu Ke was considered a trusted insider, a key figure in the farm’s operations. At night, he would even light an oil lamp to go over the training records and farm expenses from the day; if time permitted, he might read some scriptures or historical texts.
Today, after calculating the accounts, he didn’t take out any scrolls but instead donned his cloak and picked up the oil lamp from the table.
Creak—
He raised his hand to shield the flame from the wind, ensuring the night breeze wouldn’t blow it out, and made his way skillfully to the kitchen’s storage area filled with miscellaneous food supplies.
Holding the lamp closer, he peered inside and found the supplies were indeed gone, even the footprints on the ground had been deliberately erased.
“A small gift with great feelings… as long as it reaches the heart,” Xu Ke glanced around the storage area, a faint smile appearing on his face, though soon a touch of sadness dimmed it. “Geez, even saying that, I still spent six taels and seven coins this time…”
He’d spent more than half in one go; had he known, he would have asked the Young Master for more.
Knitting his brow, Xu Ke carefully closed the storage door behind him and took measured steps back to his room.
In these times, common families only got to taste meat once a year during the festivals; those two packs of pork belly were a luxury!
Then there were the herbs and white cloth, all handpicked by him from the pharmacy; the efficacy was worth the high price.
Those few new quilts, warm clothing, pottery bowls, and utensils added up to quite a sum, costing him six taels and seven coins altogether!
He could only hope that this time he wouldn’t mess up. If it turned out to be a lost cause… He chuckled, thinking his mischievous Young Master might be tough to appease, and when faced with the other’s anger, wouldn’t it still be him getting the brunt of it?
Closing the door behind him, he shut out the cold air outside.
Xu Ke moved a charcoal pot closer to himself, and the chill around him lessened considerably, his cold, stiff hands and feet slowly warming.
“Let’s see how that group reacts tomorrow… then we’ll know…” Xu Ke murmured, taking a moment to look over a bamboo scroll borrowed from Jiang Pengji’s study. His brows furrowed at times, at others, he’d suddenly look enlightened, utterly engrossed in it, lost in another world.
The next morning, the Doorkeeper of Liu Residence yawned as he came out of the corner door. Just then, a plainly decorated and low-profile carriage drove up at the alley’s entrance.
With a neigh, the horse halted, and the carriage stopped directly in front of Liu Residence.
The Doorkeeper rubbed his sleepy eyes and focused on the patterns painted on the carriage. Instantly, a certain household came to mind.
Wasn’t this the carriage from Second Young Master’s tutor—Sir Wei?
Sir Wei was truly dedicated; had his health improved that he was coming to teach the Young Master again?
As the Doorkeeper speculated internally, he had someone go fetch the Steward, moving forward to welcome the visitor.
However, the one who emerged from the carriage wasn’t Sir Wei at all, but a young man around the age of twenty.
He was tall, clad in what was clearly a newly made scholar’s robe, draped in a cloak, his black hair neatly tied back.
From his attire, he appeared to be a bookish scholar, but beyond that, his imposing demeanor and height gave an innate sense of pressure. Looking closely, his features were deeper than most, less typical of Central Plains, and more like someone from the northern frontier.
The young man stepped down from the carriage and lifted the curtain, and only then did the beloved tutor of the Young Master—Sir Wei—emerge.
“Sir Wei, we’ve arrived at Liu Residence.”
Qi Guanrang maintained his stern expression. Perhaps it was the daylight affecting him; the chill in his eyes was nowhere near as intense as during the night.
Sir Wei looked up at the sky, then at the still-closed doors of Liu Residence, with only a small corner open.
Upon seeing Wei Yuan, the servants believed he was there to give lessons to the Young Master, little did they know he had come personally to resign today!
Hearing Wei Yuan’s intention, Liu Zhi’s remaining traces of drowsiness fled immediately, and his expression turned serious.
“Has my son misbehaved and offended you, Sir Wei?”
Although he had already tacitly allowed Jiang Pengji to study in Langya, he had never thought Wei Yuan would personally come to ask for resignation.
Thinking it over, he felt a sudden jolt of dread, fearing Jiang Pengji might have said something inappropriate to Wei Yuan privately.
Offending someone was one thing, but more importantly, Wei Yuan held a significant status and reputation among learned men in Dongqing!
If this matter didn’t have a reasonable explanation, based on current opinions, his daughter wouldn’t hold any ground.
Once a teacher, always a father; the relationship with one’s teacher is a form of filial piety.
Wei Yuan smiled and replied, “Zhongqing, there’s no need for that. This decision of mine comes after much consideration, and it’s not that Lan Ting is lacking in any way.”
Regardless of identity or age, Qi Guanrang felt he could not intrude in their conversation, so he simply sat behind Wei Yuan, serving as a background figure.
As Wei Yuan brought him to Liu Residence, Qi Guanrang felt a great deal of surprise.
He understood that Wei Yuan saw him as a potential son-in-law, but to extend such favor before even a proper match was surprising.
“Since it’s not because of Lan Ting’s mischief, why does Sir Wei wish to resign?”
