CDJMM – Volume 1 – Chapter 54 Writing in the Republic Era (53)

Yang Jinglun set down the newspaper. Although he had already read Le Jing’s original manuscript, rereading The Path of a Beast still sent chills through his entire body.

This article tore away the veil that had covered the Han-centered Chinese nation for thousands of years, exposing the festering, worm-ridden flesh beneath.

It was unbearable to read, yet impossible not to.

He found himself looking almost in awe at the youth hunched over his desk, writing swiftly.

The boy’s body was thin, but he possessed a terrifyingly powerful mind—one that could change the course of heaven and earth, one strong enough to face an army of thousands.

Yang Jinglun’s keen editorial instinct told him exactly what kind of storm this article would unleash.

So when the piece was delivered to the Shanghai branch of The Literary Gazette, the editors unanimously decided to offer the exceptionally high price of ten yuan per thousand characters.

That was already the rate of a first-class writer.

But anyone who read the article knew—it was worth every penny.

This piece would become a landmark work. All the editors understood this without needing to say it aloud.

Li Tingye had already been locked up for two weeks.

During this time, aside from the servant who delivered meals each day, he had seen no one.

At first, he could still shout angrily a few times. But after two weeks, his rage had ebbed away, replaced by a bone-deep terror.

Would he really be imprisoned for life?

Why were his great-uncles so determined to protect that bastard?!

Could it be that brat was really a star of literature descended from heaven?!

If not for that beast Li Jingliang acting on his own self-righteous impulses, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state!

He cursed the heavens for being blind—why had he been cursed with two such wretched sons?!

Like a trapped beast, he paced back and forth endlessly in the room.

He didn’t know how long had passed before the door creaked open. Li Tingfang stepped inside.

Overjoyed, Li Tingye exclaimed, “Big Brother! You’re here to let me out, aren’t you?!”

Li Tingfang’s face was expressionless. “Do you know what you did wrong?”

Aggrieved, Li Tingye said, “This was all because of that brat Li Jingliang dragging me down! If not for him suddenly publishing that article in the newspaper out of nowhere—”

“Seems two weeks still isn’t enough,” Li Tingfang sneered. He tossed a newspaper at him. “Read it yourself! If you still can’t understand after this, then stay here forever and never come out!”

Perplexed, Li Tingye opened the newspaper. The first thing that caught his eye were the three large characters of The Path of a Beast.

The article was long, but that wasn’t the reason Li Tingfang had almost abandoned it several times.

Li Tingfang barked, “Read it through—every single word!”

Forcing himself, Li Tingye finished the piece. By the end, he was drenched in sweat, as though he had just been hauled out of water.

Panting heavily, eyes wide in horror, he turned to Li Tingfang and stammered, “This article… it was written by… Li Jingran?”

Li Tingfang nodded coldly.

Li Tingye fell silent. He only stared in terror at the newspaper in his hands, his mind lost in turmoil.

A long time passed. Just as Li Tingfang was about to leave in impatience, a trembling voice finally came from behind:

“…It’s no injustice that I’ve been locked up.”

“Second Granduncle was right. Just him alone—he could destroy our Li family.”

Li Tingfang shot him a sidelong glance. “At least you’re not completely stupid.”

Li Tingye’s face was deathly pale, his eyes filled with deep fear as he muttered blankly, “Now I understand the invisible killing power of a scholar’s pen. From now on, I’ll surely be condemned by all, reviled for generations…”

“I just don’t know if that brat Li Jingliang understands. I fear…”

Though he didn’t finish, Li Tingfang understood perfectly. Expressionless, he said, “I’ve already written a letter in the clan head’s name, summoning him back.”

For the first time in his life, Li Jingliang experienced true despair.

That feeling had first taken root the moment he read The Path of a Beast in the newspaper. It grew as the papers dug deeper and deeper into his family’s sordid past, until it reached its peak when he received the clan head’s scathing letter.

He couldn’t understand why the tide of public opinion had turned overnight.

Those who had once cursed The Watchman now cursed him and his parents with ten, a hundred times the fury.

Stories of how his father had favored a concubine over his wife, how his mother had forced the original wife to her death, how they had schemed against the rightful eldest son—all spread through the streets, becoming a favorite topic for idle gossip.

Even at school, people discussed it openly.

“Li Jingliang’s just a bastard. With a mother like that, how could he be any good himself?”

“I’m telling you, those slanderous articles against The Watchman before—what if they were written by Li Jingliang and his mother?”

“Li Tingye, favoring concubine and suppressing wife, letting his second wife harm the original wife’s children—such muddleheadedness is rare in this world!”

“And now he dares publish an article to clear The Watchman’s name, claiming all the slander against Li Jingran was nonsense… does he take us for fools? Why didn’t he speak up earlier? Clearly, it’s only because his family scandals have been exposed that he wants to salvage his reputation.”