Baichuan Academy was the official county school and the finest institution of learning in the county. Those who studied there were either genuinely wealthy or—like Li Yao’s younger brother, Li Xian—possessed natural talent and were supported by their family’s entire resources. Half of the students were from surrounding villages; because the journey was long, they resided at the academy, having their meals delivered from home or spending their own coin at shops in town. In short, everyone sent there was a family treasure, and each had a bit of pocket money to spare.
They set up their stall just as the students were being dismissed. As the scholars emerged in small groups, dressed in clean, modest robes, Dazhuang and Sandun immediately began shouting their best sales pitch.
Upon hearing they were selling “braised delicacies,” the scholars grew curious. They considered themselves worldly and well-read, but they had never heard of such a dish, nor had they ever smelled such a tantalizing aroma. After clustering around, they realized the portions were large and the prices reasonable, so many decided to sit down and give it a try.
“My word, this flavor is truly unique—it leaves one longing for more.”
“I find the meat the best part; it’s so fragrant and tender.”
“Nay, nay! If one must choose the best, it is undoubtedly these radishes. They surpass the meat!”
Amidst this chorus of scholarly praise, Li Xian walked out of the gates with three of his classmates. From a distance, Wang Er spotted them and immediately looked for a place to hide.
“Don’t you dare hide,” Li Yao said. “Stay right here.”
Wang Er didn’t dare disobey. He stood his ground, stiff and motionless, looking for all the world like a statue.
Attracted by the aroma, Li Xian grabbed a classmate who was returning toward the stall. “What are they selling over there?”
“Braised delicacies—meat, rice, and vegetables. It’s delicious. If you want some, you’d better hurry; they’re almost sold out.”
Braised delicacies? Li Xian was curious, and as he peered into the crowd, he spotted Li Yao working behind the stall. His heart lifted. Isn’t that my big sister? So she’s the one running this stall!
“Brother Wen, Brother Liu, Brother Fan,” Li Xian said with a faint, confident smile. “Come, let me play host today; I’ll treat you all to a taste of these delicacies.”
“Let’s not, Brother Li,” one of them replied. “It’s not that we aren’t grateful, but given your family’s situation…”
“Now you’re being strangers!” Li Xian insisted. “Don’t be polite! I am paying today!”
As if he needed to pay to eat at his sister’s stall. Never mind a few bowls of rice; if he just asked, his sister would hand over the entire stall!
Leading his three companions to the stall, Li Xian feigned surprise. “Oh, why is it you…”
“What do you mean ‘why’?” Li Yao snapped, her voice cold. “I am not your aunt; I am your elder sister. Which tutor taught you to call your own sister ‘aunt’ upon meeting her?”
Taken aback by the sharp rebuff, Li Xian was momentarily speechless. What has gotten into my big sister today? Why is she being so vicious?
“Why are you shouting at me?” Li Xian felt his face heat up as he lost face in front of his peers. “Just hurry up and serve us four bowls! We’re hungry.”
Li Yao scoffed internally. The previous owner of this body had been too indulgent, and now the brat was riding high. Serve him? Fine.
“Four bowls: 60 wen.”
Li Xian’s eye twitched. Has my big sister lost her mind? “I am here to eat, and you want to charge me?”
“Well,” Li Yao asked coldly, “in broad daylight, are you planning to commit open robbery in the street?”
“I…”
Li Xian was fuming, his face turning beet red, but he had no rebuttal. Although she was his biological sister, she had been married out of the family for over a decade—she was no longer a Li! It was a favor if she didn’t charge him, but it was her right if she did. What he couldn’t grasp was why his sister, who had always been submissive and obedient, had suddenly transformed into someone who wouldn’t even grant him a civil word.
“Brother Li,” his three classmates whispered, sensing the awkward tension. “Perhaps we should buy our own.”
“Absolutely not!” Li Xian couldn’t lose face like that. “A gentleman’s word is bond. I said I would treat you, so I must treat you.” The problem, however, was that he didn’t have enough money.
“Big Sister, hurry up and serve us!”
Li Yao didn’t budge. “Payment first.”
“You… you…” Li Xian was desperate. He spotted Wang Er cowering on the side. “What are you staring at? Get over here and serve us!”
Wang Er moved instinctively, but he caught himself and held his ground.
Now that Mother no longer favored his young uncle, and he was no longer his errand boy, why should he still listen to him?
“I’m your uncle, and I can’t even boss you around anymore, is that it?” Seeing Wang Er stand his ground, Li Xian’s rage grew even more intense. “See how I deal with you today!”
Li Xian stepped forward, grabbed Wang Er by the collar, and tried to shove him to the ground. Dazhuang and Wang Sisan wanted to jump in, but a sharp look from Li Yao stopped them. Wang Er was thirteen, and Li Xian was fourteen; their builds were quite similar. Li Yao intended for Wang Er to handle this himself. Winning or losing didn’t matter. The important thing was that he summoned the courage to face his tormentor; only then could he step out of the shadow of his past.
However, Wang Er remained deeply fearful. As he was shoved to the ground and struck several times, he only dared to cover his head with his hands, not daring to strike back. Dazhuang watched, his heart aching with worry. “Mother, look at this…”
“Do not interfere,” Li Yao said coldly. “He is not a child anymore. He must learn to solve his own problems; he cannot go on being a coward.”
The battered Wang Er heard these words and knew no one was coming to save him. He bit his lip until he tasted blood. Mother was right—he was a coward. In the past, whenever he was bullied or humiliated, he never dared to resist; he only suffered in silence. But things are different now. He didn’t need to study with his uncle anymore, so why should he keep taking this abuse? Why couldn’t he fight back?
“If you hit me again, I’m going to hit you back!”
“You dare?” Li Xian was even more incensed. He abandoned his hands and began to kick, venting all his frustrations on Wang Er. “See how I finish you today!”
“Argh!”
Wang Er finally reached his breaking point. He let out a primal roar, scrambled to his feet, and threw a punch straight at Li Xian’s face. Li Xian hadn’t expected him to actually retaliate. Caught off guard, he took several heavy blows, and blood began to gush from his nose.
“I am your uncle!” Li Xian bellowed, his voice cracking. “You little mongrel, how dare you strike your elder? Are you not afraid that Heaven will strike you down with lightning?”
Wang Er stood his ground, unyielding. “If you can hit me, why shouldn’t I be allowed to hit you back?”
“Big Sister! Is this how you indulge your son?” Li Xian turned to Li Yao, his face twisted with rage. “You must give me an explanation for this!”
“Does it hurt?” Li Yao asked calmly.
“How could it not hurt? My nose is bleeding!”
“Good,” Li Yao said with a faint, chilling smile. “If it didn’t hurt, I would have been worried. I was actually concerned he didn’t have enough strength; I was just about to step in and help him with a few punches myself.”
“You… you wouldn’t dare!”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Li Yao teased. “If an uncle hitting his nephew is a matter of course, then an elder sister teaching her younger brother a lesson should be equally natural, shouldn’t it?”
Li Xian was so angry he felt like he might vomit blood. He suddenly recalled that although his eldest sister had been obedient in the past, she had been a notorious shrew back in Riverbend Village. If she really turned against him, he couldn’t out-argue her, and he certainly couldn’t out-fight her.
However, he was standing at the gates of the Academy, surrounded by his peers. He shouted, “Everyone, come judge this! Who has ever seen someone so brazenly encourage their son to commit violence? Is there no morality or law left in this world?”
He expected his passionate plea to win the support of his classmates, but the crowd remained dead silent. Anyone with eyes could see exactly what had transpired. His three companions, deeply embarrassed, felt their own reputations being dragged through the mud.
“An affront to decency!”
“Causing such a scene at the gates of an academy—how unseemly!”
“We’re going to get lunch. Farewell!”
The three of them scrambled away like greased lightning, vanishing from sight in seconds. Li Xian’s face turned deathly pale. He hadn’t expected his “righteous” stand to lead to such abandonment.
“Fine! Just you wait! I’m going home to tell Mother, and let’s see how she deals with you!” Li Xian turned and stormed off.
“Perfect,” Li Yao called out to his retreating back. “While you’re at it, ask her for me: when is she going to return that old hen she borrowed from me to hatch eggs?”
Borrowed a hen to hatch eggs? The students’ eyes widened in astonishment. They thought that was just a storybook joke, but such a bizarre thing had actually happened? Feeling the strange gazes of his classmates, Li Xian nearly tripped over his own feet. He had truly made a fool of himself today!
Just wait. When he got home, he would tell their mother every detail—he wouldn’t be able to swallow this humiliation otherwise!