Wazi Town, Yang Family Village. Noon.
The February sun, carrying a slight chill, filtered through the gaps in the branches and fell upon the stone table in the courtyard.
When Elder Yang entered the courtyard carrying a hoe, his shoes were still caked with fresh mud, his pant legs rolled up to his knees.
"Father, you're back. Get some rest, lunch will be ready soon," Liu Cui Ling called out from the kitchen.
Her mother-in-law, Grandmother Qin, was giving her a hand.
Elder Yang grunted in response. He leaned the hoe against the base of the wall, sat down on a wooden stool by the main house's entrance, and slowly took out his tobacco pouch.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
Just then, someone knocked on the courtyard gate.
Having just finished cleaning the vegetables, Grandmother Qin walked out of the kitchen. She went to the gate, peeked through a crack in the wooden door, and then pulled it open.
"Mother."
A woman of about thirty-five or thirty-six, carrying a basket, walked in from outside the gate. She bore a slight resemblance to Grandmother Qin, only much younger. It was Yang Jing's aunt, Yang Yan.
"What brings you here?" Elder Yang asked his daughter, tapping the ash from his pipe.
"I just happened to have some free time today," Yang Yan said with a smile, then greeted her sister-in-law, Liu Cui Ling, who was busy in the kitchen.
Liu Cui Ling's attitude was lukewarm at best. She gave a soft "mhm" in response.
She still harbored some resentment toward her sister-in-law.
Her son, Yang Jing, had previously gone to the Shi Family's old residence at Yang Yan's invitation to check on the situation. He had fallen into a coma afterward and had spent half a month at home recovering.
But in that half a month, neither Yang Yan nor her husband had shown their faces even once, which infuriated Liu Cui Ling.
However, the Ning Family had its eyes on their two acres of top-grade fields in the Northern Lands. Since the Shi Family had some connection to the Ning Mansion's steward, they might still need Yang Yan and her husband's help. Thus, Liu Cui Ling could only swallow her dissatisfaction and maintain a civil front.
Yang Yan took two white flour buns and six or seven coarse grain buns from her basket, placing them on the stone table. She started chatting with Elder Yang, who was smoking his pipe beside her, and the conversation soon turned to the two acres of top-grade fields the Ning Family coveted.
"Ever since Feng Lei was killed, the Ning Family hasn't sent anyone over, nor have they mentioned buying our two acres of top-grade fields again. Do you think they've given up on our land?" Elder Yang said, puffing on his pipe.
Grandmother Qin, who was sweeping the courtyard nearby, heard this and nodded repeatedly. "If that's the case, that would be wonderful. Our family depends on those two acres to survive. If they were gone, we'd truly have nothing left to eat."
Yang Yan, however, frowned and shook her head. "Father, Mother, I don't think it's that simple. I heard from Yunlin that Master Ning is a famous skinflint in Wazi Town. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants."
Yang Yan paused for a moment before continuing:
"The Ning Family has bought so much land in Wazi Town; they've already bought up many of the fields north of our village. Our two acres are right in the middle of their large plot. Master Ning definitely wants to connect all his land into one piece. I bet he's still scheming to get our two acres of top-grade fields."
Yang Yan's words made sense.
Hearing this, the hearts of Elder Yang and Grandmother Qin sank.
"So you're saying… we really can't hold on to those two acres?" Liu Cui Ling, who had come out of the kitchen at some point, had overheard their conversation. Her expression was grim.
Yang Yan sighed.
She had heard from her husband how domineering Master Ning always was. They were just simple farmers, their faces to the dirt and their backs to the sky. What could they possibly use to stand against a powerful local family like the Ning Family?
The atmosphere in the courtyard grew as heavy as waterlogged cotton. Elder Yang tapped his pipe against the table, the ash falling silently onto the grey bricks below. He had no heart to repack it.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted from outside the gate.
There were hurried footsteps and the neighing of horses and cattle. It sounded like many people had arrived.
The family members exchanged glances, their hearts dropping with a thud.
'Could what we were just talking about be coming true so soon?'
Elder Yang shot to his feet.
Yang Yan's face turned pale. "Could it be… the Ning Family?"
Her voice had barely faded when the gate was struck with a "BANG BANG." A surprisingly respectful voice called out, "Li Zhong, steward of the Ning Mansion, has come to pay a visit."
Hearing the man announce his identity, the Yang Family grew even more alarmed and uncertain.
Elder Yang's expression flickered. Forcing down his panic, he called out, "The gate's unlocked. Come in."
The gate was pushed open.
A smiling, middle-aged man walked in with two servants, followed by a sturdy yellow ox with a brand-new quilt draped over its back.
Li Zhong's face was wreathed in smiles. He cupped his hands in a fist and saluted. "Greetings to Master Yang, Elder Madam Yang, and Madam Yang."
His gaze swept over everyone before finally landing on Elder Yang, Yang Shouzhuo.
"I heard that your family's draft ox was sold before the new year. With the spring planting so busy, it won't do to be without one. My master specifically instructed this humble one to deliver an ox for your family's use."
Li Zhong's speech was rather formal and flowery.
But as soon as he spoke, the members of the Yang Family froze in place, as if struck by an Immobilization Technique.
Yang Yan hurried forward. "Uncle Li, my father is Shi Yunlin. This is my maiden home. If I may be so bold, have you made a mistake?"
Li Zhong nodded as if in sudden realization. He looked at Yang Yan and said, "Ah, so you are Yunlin's wife. Is this elderly gentleman named Yang Shouzhuo? The grandfather of Young Master Yang Jing?"
Yang Yan froze for a second, then nodded.
Yang Shouzhuo was also taken aback. He nodded as well. "This old man is indeed Yang Shouzhuo, and I do have a grandson named Yang Jing. I don't understand…"
"Haha, then there's no mistake! Elder Yang, this draft ox is for you," Li Zhong quickly said with a laugh.
"Ah? This… this… this… Steward Li, we can't possibly accept this ox. The matter from before hasn't been cleared up. Please, ask Master Ning not to hold it against us."
"Oh, what are you saying, Master Yang?" Li Zhong waved his hand dismissively, his tone growing even more polite. "It was my subordinates who were ignorant before and disturbed your family. My master has already reprimanded them."
Li Zhong paused here, his voice dropping even lower. "Young Master Yang has achieved great success in the Martial Dao. He is now a prized disciple of Hall Master Sun, with a boundless future ahead of him. My master said that we are all neighbors in the same town, and we should look out for each other from now on."
Li Zhong's face was beaming as he bowed with his hands clasped. "If your family needs anything in the future, just tell me. I will do everything in my power to help."
As he spoke, he signaled for a servant to tie the ox to a post in the corner of the courtyard. He then pulled a small cloth pouch from his robes. "Here are some silver coins. A small token of my master's goodwill, for the master and elder madam to buy some nourishing supplements."
The actions of Li Zhong, the steward of Ning Mansion, left the Yang Family completely stunned.
Liu Cui Ling blinked, her lips moved, but no words came out.
Yang Yan, standing to the side, was so shocked her jaw dropped.
Her husband's family had some dealings with this Steward Li, so she knew him better than anyone.
Li Zhong had been the head steward of the Ning Mansion for decades and held a certain status there. He usually treated her father-in-law and husband from the Shi Family with a degree of arrogance. When had he ever been so subservient to anyone?
'And now he's being this respectful to my maiden family, even using a term like 'Young Master'…?'
Seeing their hesitation, Li Zhong smiled again. "Now that the items have been delivered, I shall not impose any longer. I must return and report to my master. If your family runs into any difficulties, feel free to send someone to the Ning Mansion at any time."
With that, he offered another salute and quickly left with his servants.
The courtyard fell silent once more, leaving only the draft ox leisurely flicking its tail.
The members of the Yang Family stared at each other, unable to process what had just happened for a long time.