Chapter 15

As the sun sank in the west, the ox cart arrived at Tianwan village. The three siblings thanked the driver and headed toward Dayu Village.

Dayu Village was just over a mile from where they got off. Standing on the road, they could see the village from afar, and their hearts swelled with indescribable excitement, their steps growing lighter.

"We’ll soon see our uncle," Gao Zhao said, thrilled. "I even dreamed about him last night! He looked a bit stronger than before."

Yu Shensi was also excited. He had no memory of this uncle, but over the past two years, he’d heard countless stories about him from Gao Nuan and her brother. The uncle, though frail, had a gentle temperament and cherished the four siblings dearly.

Among the Yu siblings, the eldest sister had married into a neighboring village. When her husband’s family prospered, they all moved to the provincial capital and hadn’t returned for years. She came back only once to mourn her younger sister’s passing, never meeting the siblings. They felt no particular closeness to this eldest aunt, but their bond with their uncle was as deep as family ties could be.

Yet fate had not been kind to their uncle. Sickly since childhood, his two sisters married out one after another. His parents passed away in succession, and he himself had no children, his only kin the wife he’d married young. The couple ran a tailor's shop in the market, but in recent years, due to his health, it was his cousin who managed the business, barely keeping the household afloat.

Hearing all the excited talk from Gao Nuan and her brother, Yu Shensi squeezed their hands and asked, "Our little cousin should be walking and talking by now, right? Can he call us brother and sister?"

"If we teach him, he’ll learn," they replied.

"I want to play with our little cousin. Brother, is the rattle drum still in your bag? You didn’t lose it, did you?"

Gao Zhao patted the bundle on his back and laughed, "No, I didn’t lose it."

When the three siblings entered the village, smoke curled from every chimney, the air thick with the scents of dinner. They guessed what their uncle’s household might be cooking.

"Uncle’s wife makes the best dried eggplant," said Gao Nuan. "Do you remember, Yang’er? Once you ate so much Uncle worried you’d overeat and wouldn’t let you have more, and you cried!"

Yu Shensi had no memory of this, but with Gao Nuan praising her aunt’s cooking, he truly looked forward to a proper meal. For years, Gao Nuan had been cooking, but her skills never matched her embroidery. Meat had been absent from their diet for so long; he found himself craving it desperately.

"Dried eggplant with pork is delicious," he said.

Gao Nuan smiled and patted his head. "If you want it, Aunt will surely make it for you."

Their uncle’s house was in the heart of the village. Seeing smoke rising from the chimney, Gao Zhao excitedly pulled his younger brother along. The gate was half open, and the brothers didn’t call out, hoping to surprise their uncle. But as they stepped into the courtyard, something felt wrong.

The yard was in slight disarray. In the center stood a clay basin filled with ashes—an all too familiar sight for those newly released from mourning. They knew instantly what it meant, and it struck them like lightning.

Gao Zhao dropped his brother’s hand and rushed into the main room, finding their uncle lying on the bed and their aunt sitting beside him, slumped in a chair against the wall. Her eyes were vacant, her face waxen and cheeks hollow, like a statue.

"Uncle, Aunt!" Gao Zhao’s tears flowed instantly. He dropped his bundle and threw himself at the bedside.

Their uncle looked even worse than their aunt, eyes sunken and cheekbones protruding. Hearing someone call him, he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing his nephew, he reached out from under the quilt and gripped Gao Zhao’s hand. "Zhao’er, what brings you here?" He tried to rise.

"Uncle, don’t get up," Gao Zhao said, his heart aching.

His aunt’s reaction was delayed, her mind only just returning. In a hoarse voice, she asked, "Where is your elder sister?"

Just as she spoke, Gao Nuan entered the room. Seeing her uncle and aunt so gaunt in the dim light, she too rushed to the bedside, sobbing aloud.

Yu Shensi, unable to control his tears, shuffled forward and called softly, "Uncle, Aunt."

After years apart, their reunion was in such sorrowful circumstances, and all could not help but weep.

Aunt’s voice was broken with grief. "Your cousin is gone. He passed on the eighth night of the ninth month, didn’t even live to see the Double Ninth Festival." Overwhelmed by pain, uncle’s tears flowed as well.

The child had come to them less than two years ago, only to leave so soon.

Gao Nuan could not bring herself to utter words of comfort, unable to accept grief herself. She held her aunt and cried with her, until their younger cousin came in and managed to calm them.

That evening, when uncle and aunt retired to rest, the three siblings pulled their younger cousin aside to ask what had happened.

Their little cousin’s health had never been good. Several doctors had seen him, but none could help. He fell ill in autumn and passed away. With their only child gone, uncle and aunt were devastated, unable to eat or drink; aunt wept every day.

"If you hadn’t come, tonight’s meal would probably have gone untouched again."

"Thank goodness you’re here to care for them."

"We’re family, there’s no need for formalities. Now that you’re here, stay as long as you can. Your uncle and aunt always regarded you as their own. With you by their side, they’ll find some comfort."

Seeing their uncle and aunt in such a state, the siblings couldn’t bear to leave.

They stayed with Yu Lun and his wife for several days, until the couple’s spirits improved and they could eat a little more. The siblings, reassured, began planning a trip to Shicun in Shuanghe township.

But before Gao Nuan could go, the smallpox-stricken youth sought them out.

He stood at the door, smiling. "I asked around in Gao Village and found out who you are. I guessed you’d come to your uncle’s house, so I asked for directions and came here."

Gao Zhao was curious. "Why didn’t you think we’d go to the Gao residence?"

"Because it’s not safe there," the youth replied.

Hearing this, the three siblings realized the youth had uncovered the truth. Gao Zhao pulled him toward the southern vegetable garden, making sure their aunt, sunning herself in the courtyard, could not overhear.

Yu Shensi glanced back to see his aunt worriedly rising and coming over. He hurried to her, took her hand, and said, "Aunt, Yang’er is cold."

She turned her attention from the doorway to the child beside her; his hand was indeed cold. She pulled him inside, rummaging through a chest for clothes their nephew had left behind days ago, and dressed Yu Shensi warmly.

When he emerged, Gao Nuan and her brother had already finished speaking with the youth, who had departed.

Aunt was about to ask what had happened, but Gao Nuan volunteered, "He’s someone we met in Gao Village, it’s a matter concerning the Gao residence. We’ll go back at the end of the year."

Aunt assumed he was a relative of the Gao family and didn’t press further. The siblings had kept vigil in Gao Village for several years; it was only right they return to the Gao residence for the New Year.

That afternoon, with uncle and aunt resting, Gao Nuan and her brother sat outside the gate in the sunshine, discussing how best to expose Gao Mingtong’s crimes.

Yu Shensi listened to their ideas for a while and thought the siblings were still too young and naive.

Gao Mingtong’s real target was Gao Zhao—not because he couldn’t tolerate him, but because he couldn’t tolerate his status. Gao Zhao was the legitimate eldest son, clever and diligent; if he earned honors and entered officialdom, he’d pose the greatest threat to Gao Mingjin’s children by his second wife. The son of a minister’s daughter, overshadowed by the child of a country woman—too many would feel resentment. This would inevitably hinder Gao Mingjin’s prospects. Eliminating the child while he was away avoided criticism.

Gao Mingtong had wealth and power; the siblings were weak and junior, disadvantaged both in law and custom. Who would stand up for them if they exposed Gao Mingtong’s crimes? The old clan leader? The county magistrate? In the face of power and interest, betting on conscience was too risky. Even if someone stood up for them, what punishment could they inflict on Gao Mingtong? It would hardly hurt him, and might only provoke greater retaliation. If he could send a smallpox-stricken youth this time, next time they might "accidentally" drown, fall from a mountain, or be trapped in a fire—too many accidents to guard against.

Even if Gao Mingtong stopped, what about Gao Mingjin? Would he stop? Should they accuse him?

According to the laws of Da Sheng, a child accusing a father, or a commoner accusing an official, would be flogged fifty times before the trial, and even if they won, they’d be exiled two thousand miles. Accusing Gao Mingjin would be both child against parent and citizen against official; they’d die before ever reaching the courthouse. Such a mutually destructive path was unthinkable.

The disparity in power was so great that fighting was like striking an egg against a stone.

To avenge their mother, they first had to save themselves. To do so, they must pose no threat to Gao Mingjin’s children by his second wife, nor hinder his official career. The only way was to shed the status of legitimate eldest son.

Now, an opportunity presented itself.

Yu Shensi tugged at Gao Nuan’s sleeve, speaking in a childlike tone, "Elder sister, since Father doesn’t want us, let’s take Uncle as our father and Aunt as our mother, and live here, all right?"

Gao Nuan, moved by her younger brother’s sad expression, pulled him into her arms and stroked his head, comforting him, "All right, we’ll live here from now on."

Yu Shensi saw that his siblings hadn’t yet thought along these lines, and clarified, "If we become Uncle’s children, wouldn’t our uncle stop harming us?"

The siblings paused, finally recognizing the meaning behind his words. They exchanged glances and understood each other. It was indeed a good solution.

How could the killer of their mother be worthy of being called father? They no longer wished to be children of Gao Mingjin, or of the Gao family.

Seeing their uncle’s household in such a state, if their mother could see, her heart would surely be torn apart. They believed her spirit in heaven would approve.

After discussing, the siblings brought Yu Shensi inside.

Yu Lun had already awoken from his afternoon rest, Aunt Lu was feeding him medicine, and both looked better this day.

The three siblings knelt before their uncle’s bed, startling the couple.

"What are you doing?" Yu Lun sat up, reaching out to help them. "Get up."

Gao Nuan said, "There’s something I wish to ask of Uncle."

"Speak up," he replied.

The three remained kneeling. Gao Nuan told Yu Lun and his wife all that Gao Mingtong had done to them over the past two years, omitting details of their mother’s fate lest it cause their uncle excessive grief and anger.

The more Yu Lun heard, the angrier he became, pounding the bed and cursing the brothers of the Gao family as worse than beasts, coughing and wheezing for some time.

Lu, listening beside him, was both furious and sympathetic. She herself had lost her own child, and the Gao family had so mistreated the siblings. Tears overflowed.

Gao Nuan’s eyes were moist as she spoke with self-pity, "We siblings are now orphaned, with nowhere to stand. Uncle, you are our only kin in this world. We beg you to take us in, so we may serve you as your children." With that, the three kowtowed to Yu Lun and his wife.

Yu Lun understood what the children meant, and could not help thinking of his poor second sister. She had married into the Gao family, borne four children, managed the household, yet never enjoyed a day of happiness from them. Now she was gone, and her children were so mistreated. Had he known sooner, he would have taken them in, never letting the Gao family abuse them thus.

Lu looked at the children she had cherished since infancy. Years ago, she had wanted to adopt them, even mentioning it to her husband. With no offspring in the clan, she hoped to bring her second sister’s youngest son into the family. Her husband, feeling he owed her, still hoped for a child of their own and asked her to wait a few more years. But now... Perhaps it was fate, destined that they would have no children.

If the children could be adopted in her name, she would gladly accept them a thousand times over—but would the Gao family consent? A champion scholar, newly remarried and with a newborn, now transferring his first wife’s children to another family? He would surely face criticism. Officials cared most about reputation.

Lu voiced her concern, "But your father..."

Gao Nuan replied, "I’ll find a way with the Gao family, as long as Uncle and Aunt agree."

Lu gently squeezed her husband’s hand. Yu Lun knew how much his wife longed for children. With their own son gone, she was heartbroken and nearly lost herself; only with the arrival of her nephews did she recover. If he could have these children at his knee, it would help her gradually forget her grief.

"I’ll speak to the clan elders about it tomorrow."