MLMD – Chapter 4 Conflict

“Call people? Young Master, call people for what?” Looking at Yue Yang’s darkened face, Shunbao scratched his head in confusion. Logically speaking, shouldn’t this matter be reported to the Old Madam first, and then someone sent to the yamen to inform the prefect so the authorities could mediate the beating?

“For what? Obviously to get ready for a fight. What, are we inviting them to dinner?” Yue Yang shot Shunbao a glare.

“What? A fight…?”

This time it wasn’t just Shunbao— even the Linglong sisters were stunned. Three pairs of eyes stared straight at Yue Yang. Before this, none of them would ever have imagined that the Yue family’s young master, famed for his courtesy and gentle temper, would calmly utter the word “fight.” Was this really the well-known Yue family young master of Wuli Village, renowned for being polite, mild-mannered, and friendly to all?

Seeing the three of them staring blankly at him, Yue Yang touched his nose and asked strangely, “Why are you all looking at me? Didn’t you hear what I said? Shunbao, hurry up and go call people. Linglong, help me change clothes. Move it!”

“Uh…”

Seeing Yue Yang’s calm yet resolute expression, Shunbao finally realized that his young master was not joking. He swallowed hard, then immediately turned and ran off—this matter still had to be reported to the Old Madam first.

After Shunbao left, the Linglong sisters hurried after Yue Yang into the room and began helping him wash up and change. One brought over a towel and water, while the other fetched his clothes. Yet both of them seemed distracted. Yulong, in particular, kept stealing glances at Yue Yang, as if she were examining some rare curiosity.

“Yulong, what are you looking at? Hurry and bring the clothes over.” Seeing Yulong’s large, beautiful eyes fixed on him, her delicate little face flushed with an inexplicable blush, she looked especially alluring. Her small lips were rosy and pouty, making one want to steal a kiss. Yue Yang forcibly suppressed the lust rising in his heart and gently tugged at the twin braids atop Yulong’s head.

“Mm, Young Master, you’re so annoying! My hair took Sister ages to fix.” Yulong shot Yue Yang a resentful glance. Combined with her cute expression and snow-white skin, she looked extraordinarily adorable. Ever since the Old Madam assigned the Linglong sisters to Yue Yang, during the ten-plus days of serving him they had discovered that Yue Yang truly was just as people said—gentle in temperament. He never beat or scolded servants, and toward the Linglong sisters in particular he was especially easygoing. Even when they made mistakes, he rarely scolded them, at most just patting their heads. As a result, Yulong gradually became more casual around him.

After washing up and getting dressed, Yue Yang stepped out of the courtyard gate, only to see the Old Madam, supported by two maidservants and accompanied by Shunbao and others, hurrying toward his courtyard. One look and Yue Yang knew Shunbao had tattled. He shot Shunbao a glare, then quickly went forward to greet her. Toward this elderly woman who genuinely cared for him, Yue Yang felt deep respect from the bottom of his heart.

“Grandmother, why have you come?”

The Old Madam stopped. Having walked too quickly, she panted as she asked, “Grandson, I heard from Shunbao that you plan to take people to the river to confront the Wang family?”

“Yes, Grandmother.” Yue Yang nodded. “The Wang family is bullying us too far. The Sanggan River is the lifeline of Wuli Village. If we just stand by and watch them divert the water into a canal, the harvest of tens of thousands of mu of farmland in Wuli Village will be affected. And don’t forget—the Li and Lin families are watching us closely. If we retreat this time, I guarantee those two families will immediately pounce and demand to divert water from the Sanggan River as well. What then? Do we agree or not? If we agree, forget Yue Family Manor— even the tens of thousands of mu of farmland in all of Wuli Village will yield nothing. How many people would starve to death then?”

Hearing Yue Yang deliver such a long, impassioned argument, not only the Old Madam, but also Shunbao, the Linglong sisters, and the surrounding servants and maids all looked at him with strange expressions. Was this still the same bookish scholar who used to only clutch his books and recite texts? Was this still the Yue family young master who believed that a gentleman used words, not fists?

After a long while, the Old Madam let out a deep sigh. A trace of relief appeared in her eyes as she nodded. “Originally, Grandmother was worried that your temperament was too soft, that you would suffer greatly after I’m gone. Now I finally see that my good grandson has grown up, and I can be at ease. You’re right. Ever since your parents passed away, the attitudes of those three families toward us have only worsened. In recent months they’ve gone even further, actually proposing to buy the land of Yue Family Manor. These lands were accumulated by our ancestors over hundreds of years. If they were sold to others, even in the afterlife I would have no face to meet the Yue family ancestors.”

At this point, the Old Madam’s anger was plain to see; even her body trembled slightly.

Yue Yang quickly supported her and comforted her. “Grandmother, please don’t worry. I’ll take people to support Master Hu and the others right away. If the Wang family dares to use force, we’re not afraid. If they want to seize our water, that depends on whether the villagers of Wuli Village will allow it!”

As he spoke, a violent aura surfaced on his face…

The Sanggan River lay to the northeast of Wuli Village. For thousands of years, its mighty waters had not only irrigated tens of thousands of mu of farmland along both banks, but also branched into several tributaries, nourishing fields for hundreds of li around. Today, on the east bank of the Sanggan River several li from Wuli Village, more than a thousand farmers and tenant farmers from Wuli Village, armed with hoes and clubs, were facing off against several hundred people from the Hun River downstream. The atmosphere between the two sides was extremely tense, on the verge of erupting at any moment.

At the center of the standoff stood a young man wearing a square headscarf and a white silk robe. His appearance was ordinary, but a sinister glint occasionally flashed in his eyes. He sneered at a burly, broad-shouldered man in his thirties with a full beard standing opposite him. “Hu Laosan, let me be clear with you today. This canal—we’re digging it whether you agree or not. I, this young master, am determined to dig this canal today!”

“You dare!”

The man called Hu Laosan roared like thunder from the heavens. With eyes wide in fury, he shouted, “Second Young Master Wang, today I show you respect as the Wang family’s second young master, so I’ve given you some leeway. But if you insist on digging a canal here to divert water, then first ask whether the villagers behind me agree!”

A trace of disdain appeared on Second Young Master Wang’s face, and then he shouted loudly, “Hmph! What if you don’t agree? You people of Wuli Village occupy the upstream water source of the Sanggan River, so of course you’re not worried about water. But have you ever thought about how we villagers downstream are supposed to live?

Last month, the water of our Hun River nearly ran dry. Tens of thousands of mu of farmland are withering for lack of water—the fields are about to crack, and the rice is about to die. What do you expect us villagers to do? With no harvest, should we just watch our people starve to death? Tell me, Hu Laosan, where is your conscience? I, Wang Chenglin, though lacking in talent, must today seek justice from you on behalf of the villagers!”

“Good!”

“Second Young Master speaks too well! We need to live—this canal must be dug!”

Wang Chenglin’s words stirred the emotions of the dozen or so retainers behind him as well as several hundred common folk. They all shouted loudly in support of Wang Chenglin.

Meanwhile, Hu Laosan on the opposite side found himself at a loss for words. As the head guard of Yue Family Manor, Hu Laosan had never feared anyone when it came to fighting. But sparring with words—how could he be a match for Wang Chenglin, a scholar? With just a few sentences, Wang Chenglin left him speechless. Hu Laosan knew very well that something was wrong with the other man’s argument, yet he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what. He grew so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead, but his mouth stammered uselessly, unable to form a coherent reply. In the end, he managed to squeeze out only one sentence.

“You… you’re talking nonsense! Th-that river water belongs to our Wuli Village, to our Yue Family Manor. We absolutely can’t give it to you!”

“Haha…”

Seeing Hu Laosan’s stuttering words, Wang Chenglin burst into triumphant laughter. Feeling fully confident, he drew a folding fan from his sleeve, snapped it open with a pa, waved it twice, then closed it again and pointed at Hu Laosan. “Hu Laosan, oh Hu Laosan. You’re nothing more than a crude martial man who’s never studied. I never expected you to understand the lofty principles of the sages, but at the very least you should know basic good and evil. Can you really stand by and watch tens of thousands of mu of farmland downstream wither away, and thousands of commoners starve for lack of grain? How vicious your heart is!”

“You… you…”

Already inarticulate to begin with, Hu Laosan was now completely flustered by Wang Chenglin’s words. His face flushed purple; though he had a belly full of words, he couldn’t utter a single complete sentence.

“Hahaha…”

Seeing this, Wang Chenglin laughed smugly. He raised his hand and shouted loudly, “Villagers, look! They have nothing left to say. Hurry up and dig the canal to divert the water!”

“Villagers, charge!”

At Wang Chenglin’s command, the dozen or so retainers and several hundred raggedly dressed commoners behind him surged forward, brandishing hoes and shovels, about to tear open the riverbank to divert the water into the canal. Hu Laosan tried to block them, but he was held back by Wang Chenglin and his dozen retainers.

Wang Chenglin sneered at Hu Laosan and said, “Hu Laosan, let me tell you—this young master is a degree-holding xiucai. If you dare lay a hand on me, I can report you to the authorities and have you arrested for insulting the literati! Come on! Hit me! Go ahead, hit me! Let’s see who among you dares to touch me!”

Facing Wang Chenglin’s relentless advance, Hu Laosan truly dared not act. After all, Wang Chenglin was a xiucai, and xiucai enjoyed privileges. For example, they could receive a small stipend, were exempt from personal agricultural taxes and corvée labor, and when appearing before county-level officials they did not need to kneel. They could even carry a sword and wander the realm (euphemistically called “traveling to study”). More importantly, if a commoner dared to assault a scholar of xiucai rank or above, it was a serious crime, and the yamen would punish them harshly.

Just as Hu Laosan was at his wits’ end, a voice suddenly rang out beside them:

“I dare to touch you!”