Lin Fang was quite puzzled. Recently, Fifth Brother seemed gloomier with each passing day. Unable to contain her curiosity, she called out, “Fifth Brother, today Father and Mother are having my portrait painted. Why don’t you join us? You’re so exceptionally handsome—wouldn’t it be a shame not to have a portrait of you when you grow up?”
Eldest Brother and his wife chuckled at this. Their youngest son had always been endearing—naturally dexterous and quick-witted, with a silver tongue. When in high spirits, he’d boast and carry on, full of himself. Among the siblings, Lin Wu and Fang’er were the closest, often teasing each other, which only made their bond seem all the more affectionate.
After calling several times without a response, Li Cuimei smiled and said, “Stop calling. He must be engrossed in inventing something new again.”
But Eldest Brother sensed something amiss. He stepped into Lin Wu’s room and moments later roared, “Who did this?!”
“It was an accident—I fell,” Lin Wu defended weakly, his voice lacking conviction and tinged with grievance.
Alarmed, Li Cuimei and Lin Fang hurried into the room, their hearts wrenching at the sight. Lin Wu’s face was covered in bruises, his cheekbones swollen—clearly the result of a fight, and not just with one person.
Li Cuimei pulled Lin Wu close, bending down to examine his injuries. “Wu’er, tell us the truth. Did someone bully you?”
“Haha, it’s nothing. Just kids roughhousing. Ouch—” Lin Wu tried to laugh it off but winced as the movement tugged at his wounds.
“Where’s Xiao Sheng? How could he let his master get hurt like this? Qian’er, go find Xiao Sheng. I want to know exactly how Fifth Young Master got these injuries. If he lies, he’ll be severely punished.”
Eldest Brother could no longer contain his anger. He knew his children might suffer repercussions because of his own disgrace, but he’d assumed it would be limited to taunts. He never imagined it would escalate to such violence. Though Lin Wu wasn’t yet nine, he’d been rigorously trained in martial arts and was naturally clever. Even an average adult guard would struggle to subdue him. The fact that Lin Wu had been beaten so badly now enraged him.
“Ouch—” As Li Cuimei applied medicine to Lin Wu’s wounds, the boy quickly interjected, “Father, don’t blame Xiao Sheng. He’s hurt worse than I am—he can’t even get up. I’ll tell you what happened. Lately, I’ve been fighting every day, but I didn’t want to worry you and Mother while Father was recovering. Don’t be angry—I’m fine. Even though I’m hurt, they didn’t fare much better.”
All the household servants had been trained in martial arts by Eldest Brother and Guicheng. Xiao Sheng, as Lin Wu’s attendant, naturally served as his sparring partner. Though young, he was quite skilled. That he’d been beaten so badly now spoke volumes about the brutality of the attackers.
Eldest Brother asked painfully, “Is this because of the disownment?”
Lin Wu reassured him, “Father, don’t be upset. Though I’m young, I remember things from childhood and know right from wrong. This isn’t your fault—it’s those people who can’t tell black from white, barking and biting like mad dogs. I’m not afraid.”
Touched by his son’s maturity at such a young age, Eldest Brother’s heart ached with mixed emotions. He held the boy for a moment, then turned and left the room.
“Cuimei, what if we moved? You and I can endure this, but the children shouldn’t suffer. Though Wen’er is mature for his age, Wu’er is still too young. If this continues, it’ll warp his character. And Fang’er—as a girl, her marriage prospects will be affected if we stay. Moving far away might be for the best.”
“I’ve been thinking the same but didn’t want to upset you by bringing it up. Since you’ve come around, tomorrow I’ll speak to Aunt and entrust everything to her. With Uncle’s help, there’s nothing to worry about.”
“Any thoughts on where to go?”
“Anywhere with you is fine.”
“What about Jile Town? It’s your maternal uncle’s territory. Life might be easier for you there.”
“Let’s go somewhere no one knows us. That way, the children won’t be recognized and hurt again, and you won’t be constrained by my family’s influence.”
“It doesn’t bother me.”
“This time, let’s do it my way, alright?”
That evening, Eldest Brother and Li Cuimei finalized their plans to move. The next day, they took Lin Wu and Lin Fang back to the village to explain their decision to Tongshi and Lin Zhongsi. Though reluctant to see them go, the elder couple understood it was unavoidable.
When Lin Zhongsi furiously demanded the names of those who’d beaten Lin Wu, the boy listed them one by one—with Shi Binhua as the ringleader. Lin Zhongsi grabbed a whip and stormed out. Business wasn’t his forte, but dealing out beatings? That he excelled at.
Eldest Brother and his wife tried to stop him, but Tongshi waved them off with a laugh. “Let him be. He’s been cooped up at home with nothing to do, pestering me to spar with him every day. Now that he’s finally found some amusement, I’ll enjoy the peace.” Lin Fang found it amusing—if this was his idea of fun, Liangping Town was in for quite the spectacle.
Lin Zhongsi didn’t actually beat anyone. Instead, he dragged the parents of the bullies into the street and publicly berated them for their poor parenting, warning that such negligence could ruin families or even harm the nation. He made Shi Liaoliang slap his own face, and the other parents followed suit.
Though Lin Zhongsi introduced himself as a constable, he was no ordinary one—he was a bona fide imperial guard, albeit only of the sixth rank. Publicly reprimanding a mob of troublemakers wasn’t overstepping his authority.
The children who’d dared provoke Lin Wu came from prominent local families. Their parents, accustomed to throwing their weight around, were now unceremoniously dragged from their homes and humiliated in public, with no room for rebuttal. Their pride wounded and tempers flaring, they took it out on their children upon returning home—especially Shi Binhua, who’d repeatedly provoked the Lin family. This time, his actions had brought public disgrace upon his household. Without a word, Shi Liaoliang gave him a brutal beating, egged on by his concubines. Had Shi Binhua’s mother not intervened, the Shi family might have ended its own lineage.
When the Li family learned their grandson had been bullied and their daughter forced to leave town, their fury knew no bounds. But with Lin Boshi dead, there was no outlet for their rage. Instead, they covertly sabotaged the businesses of the bullies’ families, leading to the downfall of many wealthy households in Liangping Town.
When Lin Cui’e learned her eldest brother and sister-in-law were leaving, she tearfully insisted on joining them. Li Cuimei dissuaded her, explaining that their move was to escape the shadow of Lin Boshi’s disgrace. If word got out at their new home, it could harm Cui’e’s marriage prospects. But Cui’e refused to let go, clinging to her sister-in-law and pleading until Li Cuimei relented.
No one expected Lin Cuiping to also ask to join. When questioned why, she smiled bitterly and said her reasons were the same—to leave the past behind. She also begged them to bring her flock of sheep, as she couldn’t bear to part with them. Lin Fang likewise pleaded to keep the goats, as she raised them for their wool. With spring not far off, abandoning them now would be a shame. Besides, they could raise them at their new home too.
Guicheng, who’d grown up alongside Eldest Brother, insisted on accompanying them as always, bringing his wife and daughter. Eldest Brother smiled wryly—this wasn’t some joyous promotion, but a reluctant exile. Yet somehow, it felt like an entourage was forming around him.
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