Seeing the still-youthful yet already fierce expression on Chi Jing Li's face, Leo Ye paused amidst the crowd, holding a torch and stroking his chin as he pondered aloud: <br><br>"This fourth son might not be an easy one to deal with either. With Liang Lu, the leader, dead, the remaining three wolves are another matter. The eldest is cunning, the youngest is ruthless. Within ten years, Li Jing Village will surely become a stronghold of dictatorial style under the Li family." <br><br>The crowd hesitated for a few breaths, only to hear someone murmur in a low voice: <br><br>"The death of Changhu at the hands of refugees!" <br><br>Xander Li, holding back tears, knelt beside Charles Li and turned his head to look toward Sam Waters, choking back sobs as he asked: <br><br>"Uncle Tian, what happened here?" <br><br>"Most likely the Yuan family survivors." <br><br>Matthew Lee squeezed the words through clenched teeth, glaring at the ashamed and silent Sam Waters before glancing around at the villagers. He then called out: <br><br>"Thomas Li!" <br><br>Upon hearing this, Thomas Li wiped away his tears, stepped forward, and cupped his hands towards the villagers, loudly saying: <br><br>"We've disturbed everyone tonight. Please, everyone, disperse and do not linger here." <br><br>After saying this, he then bent down to help up Willow Ridge, leaning close to whisper in his ear: <br><br>"Uncle, please first take some men to control those refugees. Prevent anyone from causing trouble amidst this chaos. We will be there shortly." <br><br>"Alright, alright..." <br><br>Willow Ridge, who was already trembling with fear, knelt before Matthew Lee like he was sitting on pins and needles. Hearing these words, he felt as though he had been granted a reprieve. He repeatedly agreed and quickly left with his men. <br><br>Sam Waters and Ren Peacefully carried Charles Li into the rear courtyard of the Li family. Meanwhile, cries broke out from the main courtyard, as Mrs. Ren fainted upon hearing the dreadful news. Grace Tian and Mrs. Liu held back their tears—one took care of her while the other hurried to fetch a doctor. <br><br>"Elder brother..." <br><br>Sam Waters set Charles Li down, tears filling his eyes, and was just about to speak when Matthew Lee waved him off and tiredly said: <br><br>"Peacefully, go check on Mrs. Ren. Sam, you first go with Willow Ridge to watch over the refugees. If our Li family doesn't make a statement, he probably won't know what to do." <br><br>"Understood." <br><br>Sam Waters hesitated for a moment, wiped his tears, and answered before stepping away. Ren Peacefully also nodded blankly and went to look after Ren Ping'er. <br><br>With the outsiders gone, only the Li family's brothers remained in the rear courtyard, quietly sobbing. <br><br>Matthew Lee finally could no longer hold back his grief. Like a wounded lone wolf, he sat beside his eldest son, moaning in low cries. <br><br>"Changhu, oh..." <br><br>The brothers also burst into tears. Thomas Li and Xander Li managed to restrain themselves, but Chi Jing Li, still young, cried so fiercely it was as if his life depended on it. <br><br>———— <br><br>In the dead of night, chaos engulfed Li Jing Village. Old Xu, leaning on a hoe, made his way alone to the back mountain. Turning through winding paths, he soon stood amidst overgrown weeds, facing an expanse of grave mounds. <br><br>Stopping to take a closer look, he indeed saw a young man, dressed in tattered clothes and draped with animal pelts at the waist, leisurely sitting beside a small gravestone in the corner. His legs spread apart, he muttered to himself. <br><br>The young man’s ears twitched. He keenly lifted his head and glanced over, seeing only a slow, bent, and frail old farmer. He clapped his hands, tilted his head, and smiled as he called out: <br><br>"Old man, where are you from?" <br><br>Old Xu ignored him, deliberately walking at a snail's pace, shuffling over while trembling. Once he got close, he stared at the young man cautiously, then knelt before the grave and began to sob softly while hugging the gravestone. <br><br>The young man listened closely, faintly hearing words about avenging great hatred and the master finding peace. His heart stirred instantly. <br><br>In his youth, his family was destroyed, leaving him to wander. Throughout his tormented early years, he practiced bitterly each night with a dagger, driven by the sole hope of one day personally severing Matthew Lee's head to honor his parents' spirits. <br><br>Now, his great hatred was somewhat avenged, filling him with unspeakable exhilaration. A torrent of words threatened to spill from his lips, yet he had no one to share his joy and triumph with. Why not have a chat with this old man and kill him before leaving? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds? <br><br>With this thought, the young man chuckled and said: <br><br>"You cry here at the Yuan family graves. Aren't you afraid the Li family will trouble you?" <br><br>"The old man has little time left to live..." <br><br>Old Xu wiped his tears, sneaking a glance at the young man before exclaiming, shocked, and bowing down: <br><br>"A young master!" <br><br>"Hmm?" <br><br>The young man was taken aback, thinking to himself: <br><br>"Has this old man seen me at the village entrance? Better kill him now to avoid complications." <br><br>Old Xu, covering his tears, spoke again: <br><br>"The Lady of the House often carried the young master to the fields, so I recognize you. The old man even remembers three black moles on your foot—it could serve as proof." <br><br>Having lived for over seventy years, Old Xu was shrewd and crafty. He concocted his story, turning cause into effect. His words startled the young man into abandoning his killing intent. Confused, the young man urgently asked: <br><br>"Then do you remember my mother's appearance?" <br><br>"Of course I remember." <br><br>Old Xu pulled out a tree branch from the grass stack, loosened the soil with his hoe, and began to carefully sketch. <br><br>The young man, overcome with excitement, repeatedly glanced down at Old Xu with a mix of gloom and suspicion. Thoughts raced through his mind—should he kill him on the spot or take him captive to extract more about his mother's fate? <br><br>Not long after, Old Xu finished the drawing and stood up. Though he was a farmer, his years of painting door gods and auspicious murals for the village had honed his skills. With just a few strokes, he brought the figure’s spirit to vivid life. <br><br>"Mother!" <br><br>The young man dropped to his knees and gazed at the sketch, recognizing in it the faint features of his mother from his dreams. Tears began to flow as twenty-two years of pent-up grievance and despair surged through him. He wept uncontrollably. <br><br>Beside him, Old Xu sighed and lamented the Lady of the House’s virtues, further amplifying the young man’s sorrow. <br><br>"The old man still remembers the master’s appearance. Let me draw it for you." <br><br>Hearing this, the young man believed Old Xu almost entirely. He wiped his tears and nodded without raising his head. <br><br>As Old Xu raised his hoe to loosen the soil for drawing, a vicious glint flashed in his eyes. The hoe, with its silvery blade faintly gleaming under the moonlight, suddenly swung down—but it aimed straight for the young man’s neck instead of the ground. <br><br>The young man had spent the day fleeing with the refugees, exhausting himself in the effort to kill Charles Li and escaping through The Swamp of Reeds to elude Sam Waters. He was utterly drained, his legs weak. Now overwhelmed by joy and sorrow, he had no strength or thought to evade. The hoe struck him squarely. <br><br>Having toiled in the fields for years, Old Xu’s body remained strong. The blow landed with a dull thud, breaking bones and shattering muscles. The young man collapsed forward, his head lolling, eyes rolling back, and limbs convulsing as froth spewed from his mouth. <br><br>Seizing the moment, Old Xu struck again, smashing the young man’s skull until he no longer breathed. <br><br>Not yet reassured, he swung the hoe wildly another dozen times, scattering flesh and blood until the ground was stained with red and white. Turning the body over, he saw that the young man had already passed, his face still bearing a look of sorrow even in death. <br><br>Finally spent, Old Xu slumped to the ground, covering his face with age-weathered hands. With a sorrowful cry, he wailed in agony: <br><br>"A fatal entanglement! Such a fatal entanglement!")
