Ling Ye lay comfortably in bed as the morning sun rose, the moon slowly fading from view.
As he stirred from sleep, he stretched his arms and back, then gently massaged his neck, cracking it with a soft pop. Rubbing his eyes, the last traces of drowsiness began to fade. He turned his head toward the window and blinked, surprised to see that the sun was already well above the horizon.
"Heh, I really need to start getting used to this kind of life," Ling Ye chuckled softly to himself.
All his life, he'd been woken by Wang Xin at sunrise. It had become a routine, something ingrained in him since childhood. But now, there was no Wang Xin and no mansion filled with servants, with both of that gone, the once familiar rhythm didn't excists anylonger.
He wasn't there anymore!
Shaking his head to clear the lingering thoughts, Ling Ye got out of bed and made his way downstairs. He sat at the kitchen table, only to pause again, this time letting out a bitter sigh.
"Sigh... food. I don't think I have anything here," he muttered with frustration, realizing how empty the house and his stomach, really was. The hunger gnawed at him, making him more irritated by the minute.
"I just woke up, and I'm already sighing so much… wasn't there a saying? The more you sigh, the more wrinkles you get?"
The thought made him laugh lightly. The tension eased a little, and his mood improved. As he tried to think of what to do about breakfast, he suddenly remembered something.
"Zhou Wu said he'd send someone with food…" Ling Ye looked around, frowning. "So where is he now?"
He had no answer, just an empty house, a hungry stomach, and a growing list of things to adjust to in his new life.
Faced with the growing problem of his empty stomach, Ling Ye began to think about what to do for food. Then he remembered what Zhou Wu had told him the night before, right before delivering his dinner: he lived next door.
"Right next door?" Ling Ye muttered, standing up.
He glanced down at the clothes he'd slept in and sighed. Though the Daopao* he wore was elegant, sleeping in it had left it wrinkled, and with his limited knowledge of fabric care, there was no easy way to smooth it out. It needed a proper wash and pressing before it would look presentable again.
Going out in wrinkled robes would only make him seem careless or unkempt, definitely not the image a village head should give off.
Better to be seen as someone who takes care of himself than as someone messy and poorly prepared.
With that in mind, he pulled out the other two outfits he had brought with him, another Daopao and a Dachang*.
The second Daopao was made of black silk with long sleeves and small white bird patterns embroidered at the cuffs. It came with a thin, round black belt meant to wrap around the waist.
The Dachang, in contrast, is a gray blue robe that he had often worn this year. It featured a large cloud motif across the chest and wide, curved sleeves, paired with a dark blue belt about two fingers in width.
Ling Ye laid both outfits neatly on his bed and considered them. After a moment of thought, he chose the black silk Daopao and changed into it.
Now dressed and feeling more like himself, Ling Ye finally stepped out of his house and made his way to the one right next door.
Ling Ye arrived after a short walk of just fifteen meters. It hadn't taken him long, so he allowed himself a moment to take in the sight of Zhou Wu's home. Like most of the houses in Spring Village, it was a simple wooden structure, though slightly larger than the others he had passed. That, however, was only natural, Zhou Wu is the Vice Village Head, after all.
After finishing his quick observation, Ling Ye stepped forward and knocked on the wooden door.
He didn't have to wait long. Just a few moments later, the door opened and Zhou Wu appeared, clearly surprised to see him. His surprise quickly shifted into a calm and friendly smile.
"Haha, good morning, Village Head Ye. I didn't know you were already awake! Had I known, I wouldn't have let you come all the way here."
Ling Ye simply shook his head and replied, "It's no trouble, Vice Village Head Wu. I usually wake around this time anyway. I actually came to ask if you could point me to where I might find something to eat."
"Oh…" Zhou Wu paused at the question, but then smiled with a quick cough, "What a coincidence, Village Head, I was just about to have breakfast myself. If you don't mind, I'd be honored to invite you to join me in my humble home."
Ling Ye returned the smile and nodded in agreement.
Zhou Wu stepped aside and led him to a small kitchen table. On the table lay some modest food along with a single wooden plate, clear evidence that Zhou Wu hadn't been lying about preparing to eat.
"Village Head Ye, please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. Today's breakfast is quite simple, just some bread, cheese, and ham. I hope you won't be disappointed by such a humble meal."
Ling Ye chuckled at Zhou Wu's words and shook his head, signaling that he didn't mind at all. Seeing this, Zhou Wu looked relieved and brought over two plates, one empty, and the other holding slices of cheese and ham. The loaf of bread was already on the table.
Judging by the setup, it seemed Zhou Wu had planned to eat two loaves of bread by himself, but Ling Ye didn't comment on it.
As the two sat down and began eating together, Ling Ye decided to take the opportunity to talk with Zhou Wu.
"Tell me, Vice Village Head Wu," Ling Ye began, "what do you think about the two families who came to greet me yesterday?"
Though the question was a bit direct, Ling Ye had already observed that Zhou Wu seemed like a straightforward and simple man, something anyone could tell just by looking around his clean, modest home.
"Oh, you mean Envoy Jun from the Lifeng family and the representative of the Tiansheng family?" Zhou Wu asked.
Ling Ye nodded, and Zhou Wu continued with a light smile, "Well, I've known both families since I was a child. On the surface, they don't cause much trouble for us common folk."
He let out a soft sigh before continuing, "But that image couldn't be further from the truth. When I turned twenty one, I inherited my father's role as a manager of common affairs in the village. That meant I handled a lot of paperwork. Thanks to my hard work, and the contributions my father and grandfather made over the years, I was eventually given the chance to become the next Vice Village Head."
He paused briefly, then added with a more serious tone, "That was also when I started dealing with all three of the major families, especially the Chun family, who were still leading the village back then. From that point on, I saw much more than what the average villager does."
After speaking so much, Zhou Wu paused for a moment and reached for his glass of water. He took a sip, then let out a deep sigh, his expression filled with emotion.
"Although none of the families ever did anything directly against me, most of the candidates for the position of Vice Village Head came from within the three major families. Only two of the five positions were ever offered to us commoners, but who could've predicted the former village head's sudden death? That event threw everything into chaos among the families and by some stroke of luck, I ended up getting the position."
The more Ling Ye listened, the more interested he became in Zhou Wu's story. So, he stayed quiet and waited patiently for him to continue. Seeing that Ling Ye was genuinely interested, Zhou Wu didn't hesitate to go on.
"Even though I was lucky, I also worked the hardest. Compared to the others, who were all older and far more experienced, I managed to stand out because I introduced a better system for organizing village records. That small change helped reduce a lot of paperwork, and because of that, I secured the position. Since then, my only goal has been to maintain stability and avoid any major issues... at least until the next village head was appointed."
Although Zhou Wu's story interested Ling Ye greatly, he realized that up until now, he hadn't actually learned much about the three families. So, he remained silent, waiting for more, but when he noticed the hesitation in Zhou Wu's eyes, Ling Ye could tell something was being held back. Offering a reassuring smile, he gave Zhou Wu a firm nod.
"Don't worry. No one will move against you. You have my word." With those words and another deep sigh, Zhou Wu finally continued.
"Well, if the Village Head truly wishes to know… During the time I was competing for the Vice Village Head position, I came to understand that things are not always as they appear. For instance, the arrogance and ruthlessness of the Tiansheng family, the aloof and cold nature of the Chun family, and the scheming cunningness of the Lifeng family… These traits have caused the village to stagnate for nearly thirty years, with no visable improvements."
He paused briefly, his expression turning more serious.
"Most of the problems we face today stem from the rivalries between these three clans. They've created a hidden chaotic environment, carefully disguised as harmony among the families."
*Dachangs and Daopaos are traditional types of Chinese clothing. I recently read more about them and learned that there are many different styles of robes in Chinese culture. If you're interested, you can look them up, it's quite interesting!