Chapter 27
“Dad! Did you send all the meat over? What’s left at home, just a few chickens?” Wang Gui was obviously reluctant. His family was better off than Zheng Fa’s, but this was not how one squandered wealth.
“Your family still raises chickens?” The Seventh Young Master chimed in, clearly intrigued.
“Let’s kill another chicken!” The steward Wang kicked Wang Gui, urging him to shut up, fearing that if he kept talking, they might end up giving away their newly built house to the Zheng family.
……
“The table’s a bit small, please bear with us, Young Master.”
Even with the generous support from the steward Wang’s family, dining at the Zheng household was a humbling experience for the Seventh Young Master.
There were only three stools, and the Seventh Young Master, Zheng Fa, and Gao Yuan squeezed onto them.
Zheng Mu and Zheng Shan had no place to sit.
Zheng Mu felt more at ease hiding in the kitchen; she wouldn’t dare sit with the Seventh Young Master.
Zheng Shan didn’t care about the seating arrangement at all. She leaned against Zheng Fa, standing on her tiptoes to gaze at the small table piled high with sumptuous dishes.
“The Wang family… their food is really good!”
She stuffed her fingers into her mouth, saliva coating her tiny hand, and said enviously.
Zheng Fa picked up a handkerchief and wiped her hands, but he knew in his heart that the steward Wang probably didn’t eat like this every day.
Serving the Seventh Young Master daily? What a privilege! If the steward Wang had to endure that, he’d probably hang himself at the Zhao family’s gate…
The Seventh Young Master furrowed his brow and asked, “Is there a conflict between your family and Wang Gui’s?”
If he hadn’t sensed that, he wouldn’t have bothered with the Wang family.
Before Zheng Fa could respond, Zheng Shan had already pouted and complained, “They’ve always bullied our family!”
“Oh?” The Seventh Young Master seemed a bit interested.
**Chapter 31: Complaints**
Little sister Zheng Shan seemed to realize she had misspoken, covering her mouth and glancing at Zheng Fa.
Zheng Fa looked at the Seventh Young Master, who wore a curious expression, then smiled down at his little sister, gently patting her head.
Understanding the cue, she tilted her face up and began to complain:
“Wang Gui is the worst! He’s the biggest bully in the whole village!”
“How did he bully you? Tell me, and I’ll help you out.”
The Seventh Young Master set down his bowl, watching Zheng Shan with a smile, her face full of determination to seek justice.
“He stole my pigweed leaves! I spent two hours picking them, and he took them all!”
“Pigweed leaves?” The Seventh Young Master turned to Zheng Fa.
“They’re used to feed pigs in the village,” Zheng Fa replied, lowering his gaze. “We use them too.”
“…” The Seventh Young Master stared at the bowl of white rice in front of him, momentarily at a loss for words.
“He stole them and didn’t even eat them, just threw them on the ground and stomped on them!”
Little sister was initially just trying to complain, but as she recounted the incident, her anger bubbled over, tears welling in her big eyes.
From her expression, it was clear that the fact that Wang Gui had trampled her pigweed leaves hurt her even more than the theft itself.
“Is that so?”
The smile on the Seventh Young Master’s face slowly faded.
“And that’s not all! Someone sent my brother new cloth, and my mother made me a beautiful new dress. I wore it out, and Wang Gui and his friends tore it to shreds!”
Zheng Fa glanced at his little sister’s worn clothes, his gaze darkening.
When he was at home, Wang Gui had been unfriendly, but he mostly just isolated Zheng Fa and his sister.
Now that he was at the Zhao family’s estate, Wang Gui probably felt resentful, thinking Zheng Fa had taken his place as a servant, and was acting even more recklessly.
“Is there anything else?” Before the Seventh Young Master could ask, Zheng Fa spoke up.
“Also, he said bad things about you and my brother!” Zheng Shan pouted. “He said you’re hard to serve and just got lucky being born into a good family, and that my brother would definitely be beaten to death by you!”
Zheng Fa looked at the Seventh Young Master, whose expression had darkened further, then shot a complex glance at his indignant little sister.
This little one could even stir up trouble!
More importantly, even Zheng Fa believed that a child her age wouldn’t come up with such words on her own—Wang Gui must have really said them.
In this world, compliments are often insincere, but insults are usually heartfelt.
The Seventh Young Master’s mockery was undoubtedly sincere…
And yet, he knew exactly what kind of person he was. Deep down, he might even agree with Wang Gui’s words!
Wasn’t that infuriating?
At the door, Wang Gui stood holding a basin of freshly cooked chicken, staring blankly at Zheng Shan, his face paler than the skinned chicken legs in the basin.
Behind him, the steward Wang pulled him down to the ground, not daring to utter a word of plea.
……
The Seventh Young Master looked at the father and son kneeling on the ground, pursing his lips.
He leaned down and forced a smile at Zheng Shan, saying, “Wang Gui is so bad. How do you want me to punish him?”
Zheng Shan’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Can I tell you what to do?”
“Of course!”
“I…” The little one bit her finger, struggling for a moment. “I can’t think of anything!”
“Shall I give you a suggestion?”
“Yeah! My brother said you’re the smartest!”
Zheng Fa: … I never said that!
The Seventh Young Master shot a surprised glance at Zheng Fa, his expression brightening.
After all, children don’t lie, right?
“Last time my mother gave him a good beating, and it didn’t seem to change him,” the Seventh Young Master glanced at the trembling Wang Gui on the ground. “How about we give him another beating?”
“Sounds good!” Zheng Shan clapped her hands, though she looked a bit dissatisfied. “But he got worse after the last beating.”
“Don’t worry, this time we’ll make sure he doesn’t get up.”
When he said this, the Seventh Young Master’s expression remained unchanged.
Wang Gui at the door could no longer hold himself together, collapsing to the ground, his face filled with despair, his lips mindlessly repeating, “Young Master, spare me.”
“Dead?” Little sister Zheng Shan was startled. “Like my father?”
Her understanding of death came almost entirely from her late father. Remembering this, a hint of conflict crossed her face as she cautiously tugged at the Seventh Young Master’s sleeve, saying, “Please don’t kill him.”
“Oh?” The Seventh Young Master looked at Zheng Shan, who was pleading for Wang Gui, a smile hidden in his eyes. “Aren’t you the one who hates him the most?”
“I do hate him, but… I can forgive him!” Zheng Shan patted her little chest, trying to show her magnanimity. Then her voice dropped, “Father died, and my mother said I was too young to remember him.”
The Seventh Young Master gently patted her little head, remaining silent for a long time before finally nodding. “Since you’ve forgiven him, I’ll spare his life.”
“Thank you, Young Master!”
Tears glistened on Wang Gui’s face, unsure if they were tears of joy or despair. Behind him, the steward Wang wore a look of relief, as if he had narrowly escaped disaster.
“Thank her,” the Seventh Young Master pointed at Zheng Shan.
Wang Gui and his father bowed repeatedly to Zheng Shan.
Little sister Zheng Shan looked a bit frightened and hid behind Zheng Fa.
The Seventh Young Master suddenly turned to the steward Wang and said, “You’re Wang Gui’s father. It’s your fault for not teaching him properly, so you should step down from your position as steward!”
The steward Wang trembled but didn’t dare to speak.
“Get lost.”
Wang Gui, filled with relief, followed the steward Wang out, oblivious to the hint of despair on the steward’s face.
Zheng Fa guessed the steward’s concern: he had spent five years building up this large estate, and his methods were hardly above board. Losing his position could lead to backlash.
As for Wang Gui… Having experienced similar ups and downs in life, Zheng Fa could only wish him the strength to endure this fall.
He glanced at the Seventh Young Master, feeling that this young master probably understood the implications of his actions. Perhaps it was even more despairing for the steward Wang than killing Wang Gui outright.
It might have been intentional.
After finishing their meal, the Seventh Young Master and Gao Yuan had to stay at the steward Wang’s house for the night—there simply wasn’t room for them at the Zheng household.
Zheng Fa saw them off, and as they reached the corner, the Seventh Young Master suddenly spoke up:
“Zheng Fa, I envy you.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m a young master, and you’re a peasant, but I really envy you.” The Seventh Young Master gazed at the night sky. “Your mother cares about you. When you return home in glory, she’ll be the first to see if you’re doing well. Your little sister, at such a young age, knows to speak well of you in front of me.”
Zheng Fa nodded, unable to see the expression on the Seventh Young Master’s face.
“This is something I long for but cannot have.” The Seventh Young Master waved his hand. “Today, I did it for them. Go back!”
Zheng Fa watched as the two figures faded into the distance, then turned and headed toward the light shining from his mother’s room.
As he reached the door, he heard Zheng Mu scolding little sister Zheng Shan.
“Why aren’t you listening again?”
“Mom, I was listening!” Zheng Shan’s tone was a bit aggrieved.
“Didn’t I tell you not to let your brother complain?”
“I didn’t make him say anything! I said it myself!”
“Then what if you offend the Young Master? Don’t drag your brother down with you?” Zheng Mu still seemed to think her daughter was a bit too bold.
“I’m only six! Would the Young Master really hold that against me?”
Table of Contents
