It was the first time Lu Liu had seen real gold, the first time he’d held a gold ornament. To say he wasn’t happy would have been a lie.
Li Feng said, “Wear it on your wrist. Keep this treasure in plain sight.”
Lu Liu pressed his lips together and told Li Feng about the budget he had been planning recently.
Clothes were bought, the inkstone was bought, and there were still horses to purchase, weapons to repair at the blacksmith, and preparations for the New Year to be made.
Li Feng said, “No need to buy a horse. I’ll have one soon enough.”
The bandits they had captured on the return trip hadn’t ridden horses; they had been shot at from a distance, exhausted by the pursuit. Next time, if bandits came, they’d surely be on horseback—and he would take theirs.
Li Feng hadn’t told Lu Liu about capturing the bandits. He only said, “I made some friends in the prefecture city. They want to give me a few horses.”
Lu Liu was surprised. “Horses? So expensive, and they’re giving you several?”
Li Feng nodded. “Yes, they’re enthusiastic and insist on giving them to me.”
Lu Liu, wary of gifts from strangers, asked, “What do they want from you in return?”
Li Feng didn’t even blink and spoke the truth in a certain sense: “They want to travel safely with their comrades. I’m just escorting them for a stretch.”
Lu Liu didn’t think much of it. He had heard how treacherous the roads could be. Merchants transporting goods often hired escorts, sometimes even from security agencies. Li Feng and his companions were large and strong, obviously not easy targets. It was reasonable for people to hire them for protection.
He calculated and still felt it was too generous. Horses were expensive, and accepting several would make it difficult to repay the favor later.
He looked serious. Li Feng couldn’t help laughing. “Xiao Liu, once I have the horse, I’ll teach you to ride too.”
Lu Liu opened his mouth but forgot what he wanted to say.
He had never even climbed a cow’s back. In their village, cows were precious; children from families with cows gained a little prestige. Riding a cow was already impressive—riding a horse would be something else entirely.
He tried to refuse a few times but couldn’t. Finally, he laughed. “Da-Feng, now I understand why you’ve been craving a horse.”
Li Feng encouraged him to explain. Lu Liu said he had envied others riding oxen as a child, feeling jealous. “I think seeing you wanting a horse is the same as my feelings back then. Luckily, you’re about to have one.”
Li Feng touched his face. “Exactly, that craving. Once I have it, you have it too. I’ll take you riding.”
They chatted for a while until Shun-Ge came to call them for meals. Li Feng helped Lu Liu out.
After the drying ground opened for business, only the small shop was operating; not many visitors came.
Meals were eaten at the small shop. Mother said Lu Liu still needed to walk a bit, move around, so the baby would be healthy. He didn’t need to walk far, just a few steps around the house with each meal.
Seasonally, radishes were back in the house. This year, with better conditions, Chen Guizhi planned to make more pickled radish—some for home, some to gift.
She remembered Lu Yang liked them, so she also gave a jar to the in-laws to taste.
Lu Liu’s eyes widened when he heard they were giving pickled radish to both fathers. He had remembered what they had said last time they visited—words that had stuck with him. Those tricky matters had weighed on his mind ever since.
After meals, Li Feng brought out the clothes, jewelry, and inkstone to show to Mother and his younger brother.
The whole family urged Mother to try them on. Chen Guizhi’s face lit up as she went inside, changed into the clothes, redid her hair, secured the silver hairpin, and put on the earrings.
Now in her forties, she had grown white hairs early due to years of worry, but her face remained good-looking and spirited. The new outfit made her look younger, and her three children complimented her appearance.
Shun-Ge went inside with his small leather bag, packed the inkstone, and insisted on taking Mother out to see the drying ground.
“Let’s see what we can help with there!”
Chen Guizhi called him showy, but he tugged at her, and she couldn’t resist. They went out without even preparing the mule cart.
Lu Liu, staying at home, could already imagine the bustle outside.
With Mother and brother gone, Li Feng was left to clean the dishes.
Lu Liu stayed by the kitchen, watching him work.
“Da-Feng, Mother will be so happy today. She hasn’t gone out like this in a long time. Usually, she goes to the drying ground to help, not to visit other homes like today.”
Wearing a cotton coat, she would get a little warm, but she was smart—probably not wearing much underneath, so the weather was just right.
Li Feng cleaned roughly. When he lived alone, he’d just boil water to wash dishes, wipe the stove casually, and leave the rest.
A year of marriage had made Lu Liu take good care of him. He no longer had to worry about household chores. Now washing dishes felt awkward; his hands were clumsy.
He spoke to Lu Liu without looking back.
“Mother thinks about appearances. Life in the stronghold—people aren’t inherently bad, just competitive. Mother didn’t behave like that, so they gawked at her. When Father first passed, many men came to propose; she refused them all. Later, my little uncle wanted to marry her, and only with support from my elder uncle did it work. Over the years, our family improved, and others grew envious. Not all households are harmonious, but the unfilial one, Er Tian, got noticed. He could do what he wanted; others’ talk didn’t matter. Now, Mother has let go, doesn’t care about Er Tian anymore.”
Li Feng, knowing his responsibility as the eldest son, didn’t speak sharply. He just gently kept Er Tian in check so Mother wouldn’t be troubled.
Fortunately, Lu Liu and Shun-Ge were considerate, speaking softly and sweetly, easing her heart.
Lu Liu knew how hard it was. Both fathers had raised him, yet it was still so difficult. Mother’s hardships were beyond his imagination.
Thinking about these things, any related topic would stir his anxiety.
He pressed his lips together and asked Li Feng about the prefecture city.
“Have the shops been finalized?”
Li Feng nodded. “Hong the supervisor at the dock is very enthusiastic. From his words, he wants me to help train a group of guards to watch the dock. The dock’s shops are usually rented out. I’m renting one for a fair price, and he agreed to let me keep one shop. The location might not be prime—big merchants occupy the best spots, mostly grain, cloth, or a few medicine vendors, renting for three-year terms. He can’t evict them, so he asked if I’d be willing to compromise. If not, he can allocate me another spot. I checked; the dock market is lively. Traveling merchants pass through, inspecting goods. Location isn’t critical, as long as the calls for trade are loud enough. I said I’d rent it in February, and he agreed.”
Lu Liu asked about the moving date. Li Feng said, “Next year, mid-year, when the child is over six months old and you’re fully recovered, we can move.”
Mid-year, many examinees travel to the provincial capital. The roads will be full of scholars, so bandits won’t dare act—perfect timing to move.
During this period, he would confront any bandits, scattering and frightening them until even those relying on their local strongholds feared him.
After cleaning the dishes and wiping the stove, Li Feng helped Lu Liu back to bed for a nap.
“Don’t worry. I’ll handle your father-in-law’s side. You won’t be troubled.”
Lu Liu sat on the kang, leaning back, watching him silently.
Li Feng sensed something on his mind. Seeing him quiet, he asked, “What’s wrong? You don’t look happy.”
Lu Liu shook his head. “No need to arrange anything. My father doesn’t want to leave with me.”
Li Feng asked, “Then where will they go? With Lu Yang? That would be the same.”
Lu Liu sighed softly. “They also don’t want to go with my brother.”
Li Feng didn’t understand. “Then what do they want to do?”
Lu Liu felt a suffocating frustration. “They want to stay at Lu Jia Tun, tend their small plots of land, raise chickens and pigs. We’ll visit when we can; if not, so be it.”
