Chapter 5

Chapter 2: Relatives

The one who entered was a man in his twenties, a large and stout figure. His face, covered in sweat, glistened with oil, and he held a variety of items in his hands. This man was named Zhang Shiwen, with the courtesy name Zongxing. Although his name was elegant, he looked more like a butcher with a cleaver in hand.

Zhao Shi knew who this man was. Technically, they were relatives, and not just distant ones. Zhao Wanshan's father-in-law's family was the Wangs, who originally came from a nearby village and were also hunters. However, the Wangs had a good daughter—though not Zhao Shi's mother. This good daughter was Zhao Shi's aunt, and it was said that she was so beautiful that everyone in the surrounding villages knew the Wangs had a golden phoenix. She married the young master of the wealthy Zhang family in the county town, becoming the main wife of the eldest son. It was a significant leap for her, and she was very fertile, giving birth to three healthy boys in a few years. Zhang Shiwen was the third of these boys.

The Zhang family could be considered a scholarly family, with ancestors who had passed the imperial examinations. Although no officials had emerged in the family since Zhang Shiwen's father's generation, Gongyi County was a small place, and such a family was highly respected by the villagers.

Zhao Shi's father was a bit dull and had never been to the county town more than a few times. In modern terms, he was a simple, honest countryman with no thoughts of climbing the social ladder. Despite having such a good relative, they didn't visit often. However, Zhang Shiwen, as a tax collector in Gongyi County, often came to visit at his mother's request. He would also instruct other tax collectors to take care of Zhao Wanshan's family when collecting taxes, which Zhao Wanshan greatly appreciated.

"Shiwen, you're here! I was just talking about you. Have you eaten? Come, have a meal with your uncle. We can have a drink and chat," Zhao Wanshan warmly invited Zhang Shiwen into the house.

Zhang Shiwen didn't hesitate, as he often visited and they were not strangers. He put down the items he brought, greeted Zhao Wanshan and his aunt, and sat down at the table.

He patted Zhao Shi's head and joked, "It's been a year, and you've grown so much, Stone. You look like a real man now."

Zhao Shi barely resisted the urge to twist the man's hand, turning his head to avoid the fat hand. It wasn't that he was ungrateful; he knew how normal life should be, but the warrior's instincts were deeply ingrained in him, making him instinctively reject people getting too close. It made him feel uneasy.

"Hey?" Zhang Shiwen was surprised. "It's been a year, and Stone doesn't recognize his third brother?"

Zhao Wanshan glared at Zhao Shi, about to speak, but his wife interjected, setting the table for Zhang Shiwen. "Third Brother, it's my fault. A year ago, I wasn't careful, and the child fell into a well. When we rescued him, he was barely alive. It's a miracle that the Zhao family's lineage wasn't cut off. We managed to save him, but..." She wiped away tears, her voice choking.

Hearing this, Zhao Wanshan felt a lump in his throat and sighed deeply.

"Is this true?" Zhang Shiwen's surprise and concern were genuine. He valued this relative highly. The Zhang family was a wealthy household in Gongyi County, with many relatives, but such a humble and unassuming relative was rare. They never asked for anything and didn't try to curry favor, but during festivals, they always sent the best things they had to the county. Although the Zhangs didn't value the items, the sentiment was precious. Naturally, Zhang Shiwen held this relative in high regard.

He carefully examined Zhao Shi, who he hadn't noticed much when he first entered. He was startled to see how his once lively cousin had changed. "It's been a year? Why didn't you come to the county to inform us? We could have found a good doctor. I'm sorry, I was away on a trip recently, but..."

"Shiwen, the child is fine. He's much stronger now. The doctor said there's nothing serious, just that his personality has changed a bit... Let's not talk about this. I'm glad you're here, and we can have a drink. I have a favor to ask," Zhao Wanshan changed the subject, clearly not wanting to dwell on it.

Zhang Shiwen, still uneasy, looked at Zhao Shi and said, "Uncle, what is it? You don't need to be formal with your nephew."

"It's about Stone. I want to find him a wife..."

Upon hearing this, not only was Zhang Shiwen surprised, but Zhao Shi, with his character, almost fell over. He was only eleven, and while he knew that people in ancient times married young, the idea of an eleven-year-old boy getting married still made him shudder. He wasn't unfamiliar with women; as a warrior, relieving the stress of battle and endless training was necessary, and there were many ways to do it. However, the image of an eleven-year-old boy with a young wife was bizarre.

Zhao Wanshan, however, didn't care about his son's thoughts. According to tradition, parents decided such matters, and children had no say. He continued, "I want to arrange a marriage for him. We can wait a few years until he's older to bring the bride home. There were a few suitable girls in the village, but... now it's different. I feel awkward asking, given the child's condition."

"But don't worry, Shiwen. The child is physically fine; it's just his personality that has changed. He's become a bit... strange, not talking much. But we don't need to bring the bride home immediately. In a few years, when he's older, this issue might be resolved. If the other party is still unsatisfied, we can break the engagement. We won't make you uncomfortable."

Zhang Shiwen hesitated for a moment but nodded. "Alright, I'll look for a suitable match in the city. But I think it's best to take Stone to see a doctor. Uncle, he's your only son, and it's better to be cautious. Besides, Stone isn't young anymore. Staying in the village won't help him. I suggest he attend the county school. Even if he doesn't excel in studies, he can learn some skills and earn a living. What do you think?"

Zhao Wanshan's face lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. "That's a great idea. Having a brother like you is a blessing for Stone. Stone, thank your third brother. You're so stubborn and don't know how to show gratitude."

Zhao Shi's lips twitched, but he didn't object. Despite his cold and ruthless nature, he was cautious. After listening to their conversation, he realized these matters wouldn't harm him. He was indifferent to things that didn't affect his safety, so he simply said, "Thank you, Third Brother."

The interlude passed, and Zhao Wanshan and Zhang Shiwen continued drinking and chatting, both becoming quite tipsy.

Zhao Wanshan then said, "Your aunt is not in good health. I have a deer I hunted recently. It's already cleaned, and you can take it with you to nourish your mother. She's been mentioning that you haven't visited in a while and is worried about her asthma. If you don't come soon, I'll have to take her to the county. There are only three children at home, and I'm worried."

Hearing this, Zhang Shiwen drained his cup and sighed, his face darkening. "Is your mother's condition worse again?"

Zhang Shiwen shook his head. "No, she's fine. But since we're not strangers, I'll tell you. You don't know, but our family has been in turmoil this year..."

"What happened?"

"Do you know my uncles?"

"Yes, I've met them. They..."

"They started demanding a division of the family property at the beginning of the year. At first, my father didn't take it seriously, but they became more and more unreasonable. My third uncle even spoke coldly to my father. Of course, my father was angry and fell ill. He hasn't fully recovered yet. You know, I'm young and the third son, so no one listens to me. My second brother is even less capable. My cousins are troublemakers, and the family was on the verge of a full-scale conflict. My eldest brother, who is studying elsewhere, returned when I saw things getting out of hand. It took three months, but things didn't get too bad. My eldest brother is wise and decisive. He calmed the family down, but he also expelled the most troublesome cousins and forced a division of the property. Despite this, he still showed some respect to our uncles. Even so, my father scolded him harshly, saying he was too harsh and would damage the family's reputation."

"In my opinion, my eldest brother did the right thing. The only mistake was being too lenient. If it were up to me, I wouldn't have given them anything. Ha, I apologize for my frankness."

The turmoil lasted nearly a year, and the family's relationships have become strained. Seeing each other is worse than meeting strangers. It's been a year of frustration. I understand now that every family has its own troubles. Sometimes, I think life in a small family is simpler, without so many problems. But small families dream of living like wealthy families. Isn't life complicated?"

Zhao Shi, listening quietly, understood the coldness of human relationships and the harshness of the world. He had experienced many hardships with his mother and understood these truths from a young age. Zhang Shiwen, at twenty-something, showed no courage in the face of trouble, running far to find his brother. It was embarrassing.

Zhao Wanshan and Zhang Shiwen, oblivious to Zhao Shi's thoughts, continued chatting. Men usually don't discuss family troubles with others, but since they were close and both were tipsy, they shared their grievances and comforted each other.

Zhao Shi listened quietly, learning about the era through their conversation. He wasn't good at socializing and, as an eleven-year-old, others wouldn't share much with him. He had to gather information from their words.

Zhang Shiwen then said, "This year has been tough. You might not know, but a new county magistrate has arrived. The old one was good, but he retired. The new one, however, brought over a dozen servants, all loyal to him. He's been trying to place his people in key positions, but there aren't many good positions in the county. I think our lives as tax collectors will become difficult soon."

"And there's more," Zhang Shiwen continued, emboldened by the alcohol. "The position of salt supervisor at the salt field is vacant. Many people are eyeing it. Gongyi County produces salt and coal, but coal is expensive and mostly used elsewhere, making the salt field more valuable. Everyone needs salt, so the position is highly coveted. The county magistrate, the county secretary, and the county captain are all interested. In the past, eunuchs controlled the salt field, but now, with the fall of a powerful eunuch, the position is a hot potato. No one dares to take it. For now, it's being managed by lower officials, but the higher-ups are still discussing it. I think the lower officials are fighting over it, and the higher-ups are even more competitive. This issue won't be resolved soon."

"This is good for the lower officials, who are now in charge. The new county secretary, relying on his family's influence, is already in conflict with the other officials. This has delayed any trouble for us tax collectors, but it won't last. The future is uncertain..."

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End of the chapter.