Chapter 433: Chapter 159: Don’t Deceive People
Verdant hills stood like dark green ink wash, with low-lying fields beside the water.
Far and near a strip of lush greenery, faint and indistinct chirping of birds could be heard, their calls crisp and pleasant, unknown whether they were Light-vented Birds or something else.
Pei Yunmeng stood in the shadow cast by a withered tree, gazing at the floating clouds scattered over the distant mountain peaks.
The clouds hovered over the village, like a shroud of darkness that couldn’t be dispelled, tightly wrapping around the long days.
How much silver could a bird be worth?
Ten taels, twenty taels?
Five hundred taels, a thousand taels?
None of these.
It turned out that the value of a bird could be so high that it was worth four human lives, or perhaps even more.
How absurd.
Such inequivalent weights on the scales of justice, almost laughably ridiculous.
Lu Tong heard her own voice, "Where are the other members of the Yang Family?"
Pei Yunmeng said the entire four members of the Yang Family had perished in a fire. She asked, "Are there any other distant relatives?"
"None."
Pei Yunmeng continued, "The eldest daughter of the Yang Family had already passed away from illness before the incident. Apart from the couple, there was only a son-in-law and an idiot son. None are left."
Lu Tong fell silent.
Although she had already guessed the outcome, hearing these words still made her feel as if a shadow had spread over her heart.
She turned her gaze to the house that stood in the wasteland, slowly walking towards it.
The house no longer bore its original appearance; the fire had consumed everything, its ashes long solidified. Only the collapsed door frame gave a glimpse into the desperation of that day.
A copper hook still hung beneath that wall.
Lu Tong reached out, brushing her hand over the blackened copper hook.
It seemed as if she could see the Green Gauze Birdcage that once hung from that hook, with the Light-vented Bird joyfully singing inside, and the family of four laughing as they sifted tea in front of the house.
She withdrew her hand and murmured softly, "So lifelike."
Pei Yunmeng looked at her.
Lu Tong lowered her eyelashes.
The fate of the Yang Family bore an uncanny resemblance to that of the Lu Family.
Both families of four were wiped out, both perished in a fire that destroyed everything. The difference was that the Lu Family’s tragedy began because of Lu Rou, whereas the Yang Family’s started over a Light-vented Bird. A man who carries a precious jade invites trouble though he has done no wrong, commoners suffer undeserved disasters, like lambs dragged onto the slaughter board, powerless to resist, left to be slaughtered at will.
Even in the eyes of those in power, a human life was less valuable than a Light-vented Bird.
Less than dogs and pigs.
Like a raging fire rising from her heart, the calmer she was, the more turbulent it became. She suppressed the hatred and anger in her heart and asked Pei Yunmeng, "So it seems that Qi Yutai murdered for the bird after his request was denied by the Yang Family?" Lu Tong frowned, "But if that was the case, why would Qi Yutai dislike Light-vented Birds?"
People do not hate something for no reason, and the fact that the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion hadn’t kept birds for many years seemed more like avoidance than hate.
Why was Qi Yutai avoiding them?
Pei Yunmeng spoke indifferently, "I learned of this matter later and inquired with the Department of Imperial City. The Department of Imperial City through their sources revealed that there were signs of struggle in the Yang Family’s dwelling." He paused, then continued, "It was said that during those days, Qi Yutai encountered robbers on his way and sustained minor injuries."
A thought struck Lu Tong, "This means..."
"Yang Dalang, the son-in-law of Elder Yang, had spent several years learning Martial Arts with a Martial Arts Instructor." He turned to face Lu Tong.
In a flash, Lu Tong realized the truth.
The confusion in her mind slowly began to clear up.
Qi Yutai was determined to possess the Light-vented Bird, so he took his men to Mangming Township. But Elder Yang, deeply mourning his deceased daughter, ignored the offer of silver and declined politely. Qi Yutai, humiliated and enraged, might have argued on the way, Yang Dalang rushed to his father-in-law’s aid upon witnessing him bullied. Yang Dalang practiced Martial Arts and was not one to suffer in silence. To help his father-in-law...
Perhaps it was then that Qi Yutai suffered some "minor injuries" at the hands of Yang Dalang.
But however skilled in Martial Arts Yang Dalang was, he was ultimately overpowered by numbers, and since he also injured the Young Master of the Grand Preceptor’s Mansion. As a result, the entire family of four, along with their feeble-minded son who had no power to fight back, all died.
The retreating members of the Qi Family set a great fire to the Yang Family’s house, destroying all evidence. And Qi Yutai developed a heart disease from this incident...
This man is said to be timid, with family members prone to madness, his mind already not fully present. He was quite frightened during the incident with Yang Dalang, hence he kept his distance from Light-vented Birds.
And Qi Qing, loving his son and fearing his son would follow his wife’s fate, also drove away all the birds from the mansion to prevent upsetting Qi Yutai and triggering his latent madness.
In the entire incident, the Qi Family stood high above, cleaning up the Yang Family like fish remains and blood, erasing all traces. But the injustice and resentment entwined within were unknown to anyone.