Chapter 7
Chapter 7
While earning money to take revenge on the Xu clan was important, Shen Lang had heard his father was gravely ill and his brother's leg was broken, so returning home immediately to treat them was the priority. Besides, they hadn't seen each other for three months, and they would be worried sick about him.
"Young Master Shen, let's go!"
Thirteen and Fourteen, Tian Heng's subordinates and adopted sons, said.
"Or must we carry you?"
These two would be watching Shen Lang at all times to prevent him from escaping. Shen Lang stretched languidly before continuing on the path toward his home.
* * *
The State of Yue was located in the southeast of the Great Yan Empire. It was a hilly region with many mountains, though none were particularly high. Despite this, the roads were remarkably well-maintained. They were quite wide and evenly paved, allowing three or four horses to pass side by side—a feature that surpassed even ancient China.
As day broke, Shen Lang saw many farmers heading out to work. Their clothing resembled that of ancient China, but their physiques were better—taller, stronger, and more robust. Furthermore, nearly every village he passed had a sturdy stone fortress patrolled by a militia. Some men carried swords at their waists, while others had bows and arrows slung over their backs. It was a very different sight.
In most of ancient China's dynasties, carrying bows, arrows, and swords was prohibited. This world's reverence for martial arts surpassed that of ancient China; even in these small villages, one could glimpse the proud spirit of warriors.
Shen Lang walked until noon the next day before finally reaching Fengye Village, where his home was. Nestled in a mountain valley, Fengye Village had a population of about six hundred. It wasn't a large number, but the village had its own stone fortress guarded by a militia. Most of the villagers lived clustered on either side of a river. Only Shen Lang's house stood isolated, far from the village on the mountainside.
This was because Shen Lang's family was the only one to have moved here from another region over a decade ago. Such villages were very conservative and tended to ostracize outsiders. Since Shen Lang's parents didn't interact much with the villagers, they had never managed to integrate.
As he reached the midway point of the mountain, Shen Lang saw the mud-brick house before him—his home.
The house was utterly dilapidated. It was even more run-down than he remembered from three months ago. The yard, which his father had always kept tidy, was now overrun with weeds. The earthen walls, battered by wind and rain, had several holes, and the straw thatch on the roof was faded and worn.
It was a picture of such destitution that Shen Lang could hardly bear to look. A house that couldn't even keep out the wind and rain. Before he even entered the gate, Shen Lang heard his mother's weeping, his father's harsh coughs, and his brother's groans.
"Hurry, go to the Xus and bring our eldest back, bring him back..."
His father spoke in a hoarse voice, coughing incessantly. He was breathing with great difficulty; it sounded as if his external injuries had led to a severe infection, and he likely had a hematoma in his lungs.
"Father, I'll go get him tomorrow."
Hearing her younger son, his mother began to cry.
"Old man, you're coughing up blood and can't even get out of bed, and our second son has a broken leg. Who is supposed to go? I'll go to the Xus tomorrow. If those fiends won't release our eldest, I'll bash my head against their gate and die right there."
"My eldest son... he was always so honest and kind. What kind of torment must he be suffering among those wildcats at the Xu clan... My son."
His mother said through her tears.
"He's probably not even eating his fill, shivering in the cold with only thin clothes to wear. He never knew hardship growing up, never left our side... what is he going through now..."
Hearing his mother's sobs, his brother's heart ached.
"Mother, I'll go out later and make a pair of crutches. We'll go get my brother from the Xus tomorrow. We'll risk our lives to bring him back."
Hearing his family's words, Shen Lang felt a warmth spread through his body, and his heart ached. He immediately kicked the door open, entered, and knelt before his parents, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"Father, Mother. I'm home. I've been an unfilial son."
His parents and brother stared blankly for a moment, then were overcome with joy. His mother rushed over, embraced Shen Lang, and wailed loudly.
"My eldest? Is it really you? Your mother thought she'd never see you again. This isn't a dream, is it?"
Shen Lang replied.
"Yes, Mother. It's me, Shen Lang. I'm back."
His mother said.
"My son, as long as you're back, that's all that matters. Let's not be separated again. The people of the Xu clan are vicious. Don't you ever go back there."
Shen Lang nodded firmly.
"Yes, I'll never go back to the Xu clan."
"Good, good. That's good."
His mother, overjoyed, wiped her tears away. His father, also pleased, said.
"My son has truly matured."
Shen Lang quickly went to support his father. Focusing his gaze, he assessed his father's condition. Just as he'd suspected, he had internal injuries. His father's lungs and stomach were damaged. There was a large amount of clotted blood in his lungs, and his ribs were fractured. Fortunately, three months had passed, and the fractures had healed, but the bones hadn't set properly, resulting in many bone spurs.
Just how savagely had the Xu clan's servants beaten him three months ago for his injuries to be this severe? If his brother hadn't borrowed five gold coins to fetch a doctor, Shen Lang might never have seen his father again.
For an ordinary farming family, paying five gold coins to a doctor for treatment was an absurd notion. What commoner could possibly possess such a sum?
Yet even after paying such a price, his father's internal injuries hadn't fully healed. If he didn't receive further treatment, his life would be in danger.
Shen Lang instantly formulated a treatment plan. He would make a tiny incision in his father's lung to drain the hematoma, then use medicinal herbs to reduce the inflammation and administer tonics to restore his vitality. In a few months, he would be fully recovered.
"Father, I was foolish. I will never make you and Mother worry again."
As Shen Lang spoke, he placed his palm on his father's forehead. He had a fever, a sign of inflammation. If it wasn't treated immediately, his life would be at risk within days. His father looked into Shen Lang's face, desperately trying to suppress his coughs. His eyes were filled with boundless love.
"My boy, you've become sharp."
A father's love is as deep as life itself, and he had keenly noticed the change in Shen Lang in an instant. Both his parents loved him dearly and knew their son well. Though they hated to admit it, they knew exactly how society treated their beloved eldest son. But in just three months, Shen Lang had returned, his former vacant gaze and dull expression replaced by a sharp intelligence.
That was enough. His father was overjoyed. Even if he was still considered useless, he at least looked clever now. Perhaps he could find a wife again. Even a widow would do.
His mother came forward, cupped Shen Lang's face in her hands, and gazed at him for a long moment before exclaiming with delight.
"That's right, that's right! Our eldest has become clever. His eyes are full of spirit; everyone will like him now. The heavens have blessed us, the heavens!"
Shen Lang wondered how to explain his transformation, but there was no need. His parents, with their infinite love and trust, accepted their son's change without question. That was just the kind of people they were.
"Brother, did the Xu clan kick you out?"
Shen Lang nodded.
"Good, that's good!"
His mother said.
"When I think of what my son must have endured in that den of vipers, my heart still breaks. Our family may be poor, but your father, your brother, and I will work hard to provide for you. We'll make sure you never suffer like that again."
Her favoritism for him remained boundless; she was reassuring him that he could still stay home and do nothing.
"You became a live-in son-in-law because you wanted a bride, right? Once your father and brother are well, we'll earn money and find you a wife. What about Widow Liu from the village? She's three years older than you, but she's pretty and has a kind heart."
His parents weren't looking down on him by suggesting a widow. Considering their family's circumstances and Shen Lang's reputation, marrying a widow seemed like a decent option.
Shen Lang simply smiled in response to his parents' words and walked over to his brother's bedside, lifting his pant leg. His shin was swollen with a large, dark bruise, and his right tibia was broken.
"Brother, I'm fine. I'll be all better after lying down for ten or fifteen days. I might end up with a limp, but you're the one who'll carry on the family name, so it doesn't matter. Even with a limp, I can still make money by swindling people. For example, I could run out in front of a carriage, get run over by a wheel, and extort them for money!"
His brother was good to Shen Lang, but he wasn't the most dependable person. If his broken leg wasn't treated, it would only hasten his demise. Shen Lang asked.
"When did this happen?"
"The day before yesterday. We hadn't heard from you in over a month, so I went to the Xu's estate to spy. I couldn't even get in, and on my way back, I was ambushed and my right leg was broken."
The Xu clan had suppressed the news of Shen Lang's grave illness, preventing any word from getting out, so his family remained in the dark. But the bonds of kinship are not so easily severed. Worried after not hearing from him for so long, his parents had sent their younger son to find out what was going on.
To be beaten and have his leg broken just after leaving the Xu estate—this was undoubtedly their doing. Vicious bastards. Shen Lang's handsome face turned cold, and a muscle twitched near his eye.
"I will fix your broken leg. It's going to hurt a lot. You have to bear it."
"How can you do that? When did you learn how to treat injuries?"
Shen Lang used to need his mother's help just to get dressed. Where could he possibly have learned to set a broken leg?
As Shen Lang from modern Earth, he had spent his days treating illnesses and saving people. While he couldn't be called a peerless physician, he had a wealth of clinical experience. His father's and brother's ailments were nothing to him. Besides, with his X-ray vision, treating the two of them was a piece of cake, even in a world with such primitive medical conditions.