Aunt Zhang kept refusing. “It’s only right,” Lu Qing explained with a smile. “They protect the safety of Manglong Village. As someone from the village, it’s my duty to contribute.”
“Then I’ll thank you on their behalf,” Aunt Zhang said, half accepting, half resisting, as she took the two knives.
Although Wu He and Wu Hai knew a bit of martial arts, they always went out empty-handed. Aunt Zhang constantly worried—what if the enemy had real weapons? She had argued with Wu Facai several times about this. In the end, Wu Facai gave the two brothers wooden sticks to use as weapons, but those were more like toys for children. Against a real threat, they were useless.
“I’ll be going now.” After settling everything, Lu Qing headed into the mountains to set up traps in hopes of catching some wild game.
By afternoon, Wu Facai returned home with Wu He and Wu Hai.
“Husband!” Aunt Zhang greeted him with a bright smile.
“What’s going on?” Wu Facai noticed her expression.
“Lu Qing came by and left us two things.”
“What?” Wu Facai was curious. Earlier that morning, Lu Qing had sent over a bag of white flour through Wu Hai. What did he bring this time?
The three followed Aunt Zhang into the house.
“A knife!” Wu He was the first to cry out. He rushed over and picked one up. As the blade gleamed out of its sheath, Wu He waved it excitedly. The blade’s glint was fierce, and the way he moved made him feel unstoppable, as if he could single-handedly take down all the bandit strongholds in Luliang Mountain.
“Stop shouting! Put it down!” Wu Facai barked.
Wu He instantly fell silent. Wu Facai took the knife from him. “Good blade. But we can’t accept it.”
“Huh?” Wu He and Wu Hai were confused. Why not accept a gift from Lu Qing?
“You don’t understand. Do you know how much these knives cost? When you two said you had no weapons, I checked in Luliang County. Each of these costs at least 5 taels of silver.”
Wu Facai looked at his sons. They thought he had given them sticks out of carelessness. In truth, he had no choice. A decent weapon cost 5 taels of silver—they’d have to sell the house and still might not have enough. Five taels was no small amount.
“What? That expensive?” Aunt Zhang was speechless. She thought it was just a few dozen copper coins. Five taels of silver—they wouldn’t be able to save that much in years.
“That’s why we can’t accept it.” Wu Facai put the knife down. He liked it, but he had his principles. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“But he…” Aunt Zhang still felt they should keep them. With the knives, Wu He and Wu Hai would be much safer.
“Whether someone offers it or not is their business. But we mustn’t be ungrateful. Lu Qing finally has a better life. We can’t let him waste it like this,” Wu Facai said firmly, always thinking for Lu Qing’s sake.
“Give it here!” He picked up the knives and left the house.
Soon, Wu Facai arrived at Sun Magan’s old home, where Lu Qing now lived.
“Uncle Facai!” Lu Qing had just returned.
“Do you need something, Uncle Facai?”
“These are too expensive. We can’t accept them,” Wu Facai said, taking out the knives. Even just the bag of flour was already a generous gift, and now there were these blades too.
“Heroes deserve fine blades. Wu He and Wu Hai are our village enforcers—they should carry weapons for protection,” Lu Qing said with a smile.
“Heroes? I think those two are more like fools.” Wu Facai didn’t sugarcoat it. He had no desire for his sons to be heroes. His crippled leg was the price he paid for trying to be one.
Lu Qing was a bit speechless.
“Uncle Facai, you don’t need to overthink it. I gave them these knives because yesterday they helped me catch Sun Magan. That man had a dagger. If it weren’t the three of us, anyone who went alone could have been killed.”
Lu Qing’s tone turned serious. From that encounter, he realized the danger Wu He and Wu Hai faced.
“They’re village enforcers. With knives, they can protect Manglong Village better, can’t they?”
“This…” Just a few words, and Wu Facai didn’t know how to refute him.
“Alright then,” he finally agreed. “I’ll remember this favor. If you need anything in the future, come to me.”
“Of course,” Lu Qing replied with a smile and a nod.
Wu Facai returned home with the knives. When he saw Aunt Zhang, Wu He, and Wu Hai looking downcast, he said, “Why the long faces? Here are your knives,” and tossed them over. This story is hosted at NovelPing.
“Really?” Wu He and Wu Hai were overjoyed.
“Lu Qing told me Sun Magan pulled a dagger on you last night. And you, charging in like an idiot!” Wu Facai kicked Wu He to the ground.
“Me?” Wu He didn’t know how to respond.
“If something happened to you, what would your mother and I do? Next time, protect yourself first, understood?” Wu Facai said sternly.
“Yes.” Wu He nodded, but he couldn’t stop grinning at the knife in his hands.
“With this, I’m not afraid of ten Sun Magans!” he said excitedly.
“You didn’t listen to a word I just said, did you?” Wu Facai scolded and kicked him again. Wu He howled in pain.
“I get it now!” Wu He begged.
“From now on, both of you stay close to Lu Qing,” Wu Facai instructed. After everything that happened, he sensed Lu Qing was no ordinary man. When he went to return the knives earlier, he had noticed the traps set up in the courtyard. Only someone with military experience would spot them—clever and well-hidden.
“Understood.” Wu He and Wu Hai nodded. Even without being told, just the knives alone made them admire Lu Qing even more.
“By the way, how’s the village chief handling things?” Wu Facai asked Aunt Zhang.
“No sign of him. Sun Magan really escaped,” she replied.
“I told the chief to drive him out of the village, but he didn’t listen. Now he’s suffering the consequences.” Wu Facai showed no sympathy. Pity often leads to trouble, and people like Sun Magan shouldn’t be protected.
…
On the other side, Han Qiuniang and Dong Chunhua returned after digging for wild vegetables.
“Husband!” Dong Chunhua followed Han Qiuniang in addressing Lu Qing. Since she was now his concubine, she naturally had to change how she addressed him. Lu Qing didn’t correct her—who would complain about having another wife?
“You’ve worked hard.” Lu Qing had told them they didn’t need to dig every day, but they refused to stop. They had known hunger for too long. Now, they wanted to stockpile wild vegetables, which could be dried and stored for a long time.