The name of the one who had been beaten up was Lin Yuan, a petty official working for the Prefecture Yamen, who was mainly in charge of construction projects and restoration work. He was also one of the most competent subordinates of Ling Zhaowen.
After giving Ling Zhang a word of warning, Ling Zhaowen intended to pay a visit to Lin Yuan.
Though it was people of Jia family who had attacked Lin Yuan, their hatred towards Ling family was the reason why they had done that, which obliged Ling Zhaowen to call on him.
“Uncle, let me go with you.”
Ling Zhang was somewhat concerned. The abode of Ling family happened to be located in the eastern part of the city, so there was a high risk that Ling Zhaowen would encounter people of Jia family on his way there.
“Don’t worry. I’ll bring some men with me.”
“It was because of us that Supervisor Lin got beaten up, so I should accompany you. The more people go and see him, the more comforting it would be for him.”
Ling Zhaowen gave a smile. Though he deemed it totally unnecessary for his own nephew to do this for him, he appreciated Ling Zhang’s heartfelt concern. “Okay, then. Let’s go.”
“Dad, elder brother, where are you going? I want to go as well!” As chance would have it, Ling Maomao, who had just come back home from school, overheard their conversation and yelled his intention to go with them.
“Behave yourself. Dad and your elder brother are going out to handle some Yamen affairs.” Ling Zhaowen put on a sulky face.
“I promise I’ll be quiet. Take me with you, dad. Please,” Ling Maomao pleaded, looking up at his father with expectant eyes.
The appealing look of the little boy made refusal a difficult choice, but Ling Zhaowen, his natural father, made it without even blinking. “No.”
The look in the sparkling eyes of Ling Maomao instantly dimmed. Seeing this, Ling Zhang gave a soft cough and said, “Just now, when I was on my way here, I smelt sweet dumplings. Your mother seemed to be cooking them. She must be specially preparing them for you. Why don’t you go and check it out?”
Ling Maomao, who had just finished school, was hungry, so his eyes lit up as he heard this. “We–Well then, I’ll go and see.”
With that, the little boy immediately turned around and hastily ran outside.
On the sight of the running little boy, Ada let out two barks and followed in his wake.
Ling Zhaowen shook his head resignedly. “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve told him to try to develop a steady demeanor, but he never listened.”
“Being naughty is a privilege boys of his age enjoy. I made no less trouble for you and grandfather when I was his age.”
Ling Zhaowen smiled. “You were much more sensible than him when you were a young boy.”
Ling Zhang summoned Wang Dashan, Qiu Bing and Zhou Xiang to accompany them. Apart from these three and Li Fu who was an attendant of Ling Zhaowen, Physician Lin was also on the carriage drawn by four horses. Ling Zhaowen had specially invited him over to help treat Lin Yuan. The group of people departed, heading for the east of the city.
After entering the east of the city, they progressed straight towards Lin family and eventually reached the destination without any trouble.
Lin Yuan’s wife came to their welcome with her children. People of Lin family had a simple family structure. Lin Yuan’s parents were living with his elder brothers in the countryside. Apart from Mr. and Mrs. Lin, their two children and four servants were the only ones dwelling in this house.
Not yet old enough to go to school, their two children standing behind Mrs. Lin timidly cupped their hands before their chests and bowed to Ling Zhaowen and Ling Zhang.
“There’s no need for formality, Mrs. Lin. It was because of me that Younger Brother Lin suffered this misfortune. I feel guilty and I’m utterly unworthy of your courtesy.”
Mrs. Lin observed with a calm look, “Please don’t beat yourself up over this, Your Lordship. Both my husband and I are sensible persons. People of Jia family were the ones who committed this crime. On no account should we lay the blame for it on you.”
“Your words made my conscience suffer even more, Mrs. Lin. This time, I brought Physician Lin here to help treat Younger Brother Lin’s wounds. Would you be so kind as to lead us to his room if it’s convenient?”
Mrs. Lin bobbed her head. “Your Lordship, Childe Ling, Physician Lin, this way please.”
Lin Yuan was lying prostrate in bed and a servant was tending him.
Ling Zhang and the others were greeted with smells of medicine the moment they entered the room. Manifestly, some physician had been here and rendered Lin Yuan medical treatment.
Ling Zhaowen quickly walked up to the bed and called, “Younger Brother Lin.”
Eyes closed, Lin Yuan was somewhat sleepy. On hearing the voice of Ling Zhaowen, Lin Yuan opened his eyes in a mixture of surprise and delight. “Lord Ling, to what do I owe the honor?”
Upon saying this, Lin Yuan made a struggling effort to rise from the bed.
Ling Zhang preceded Ling Zhaowen to the bedside and supported Lin Yuan. “You’re still recovering, Supervisor Lin. There’s no need for you to get out of bed. My uncle doesn’t really care much about formality.”
“That’s true. Please just lie down, Younger Brother Lin,” said Ling Zhaowen. “I invited Physician Lin over here to treat your wounds. Let him do his job first. We can have our talk later.”
With Ling Zhang’s assistance, Lin Yuan conveniently lay back to his original position and observed. “I haven’t seen you for quite a long time, Childe Ling. It’s a pity that I have to lie in bed. Otherwise we may have a good talk.”
“I promise I’ll come here more often to chat with you after you recover from the injury, Supervisor Lin.”
Taking the hint, Physician Lin came over and sat down beside the bed to feel the pulse of Lin Yuan.
“Thank you for your trouble, Physician Lin,” said Lin Yuan.
Physician Lin replied, “This is what I do. Besides, we bear the same surname. It’s my pleasure to be able to help.”
Most of Lin Yuan’s wounds were in his arms and back. On that day, after someone put a sack over his head, he immediately realized what was coming next and sensibly curled up in an effort to protect his head, chest and abdomen. As a result, though his back and arms had been badly hurt, his head and internal organs were fine.
Watching Physician Lin checking the wounds on the back and arms of Lin Yuan, Ling Zhaowen, with a solemn expression on his face, observed angrily, “What Jia family did is beyond forgiveness! By no means will I let them get away with this.”
“Please turn from your anger, Your Lordship. Currently, Jia family is like a rabid dog. Please be careful and make sure you are adequately accompanied when you are out on the streets. In no circumstances should you go outside alone,” said Lin Yuan.
Then Ling Zhaowen and Lin Yuan had a fairly long conversation. Lin Yuan gave him a sketchy account of his previous disagreement with people of Jia family as well as their attack on him. After hearing it, Ling Zhaowen indignantly rose to his feet with the intention of going to Jia family to seek justice but Lin Yuan stopped him, trying to persuade him to calm down.
Ling Zhang had been listening on the side all along. If it weren’t for that he was well aware of what kind of man his uncle was, he might have been convinced that just now his uncle had really intended to go directly to Jia family to bring Lin Yuan’s attackers to justice.
Though it was more likely that his uncle had done that as a pose for Lin Yuan to see, as Ling Zhang found that Lin Yuan seemed to be in a much better mood, he realized that Lin Yuan had actually needed his uncle to stake out his position on this issue.
He didn’t really have the talent for this kind of finesse, but –
“Young Master, all necessary arrangements have been made,” Qiu Bing said after entering the room, an expectant and excited look on his face.
Ling Zhang gave a bob of his head. “Good.”
Ling Zhaowen flicked a questioning glance at Ling Zhang, as if asking him what he had done.
Ling Zhang made no immediate response. On their way out of Ling family, Ling Zhang said to Mrs. Lin who was seeing them off, “Mrs. Lin, you could expect to hear a pleasant message tonight. Though it cannot really be taken as a vengeance on the attackers of Supervisor Lin, I hope it’ll help abate the anger of Supervisor Lin and you. Rest assured, Mrs. Lin. Soon Jia family will no longer be a threat to us.”
Mrs. Lin stared at him in amazement. After quite a while, she collected herself only to find that Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowen had already got on the horse-drawn carriage and were on their way back.
Mrs. Lin hurriedly returned and told this to Lin Yuan, who was also amazed by it.
“What do you think Childe Ling meant by this remark, darling?”
After meditating on it for a while, Lin Yuan replied, “Since Childe Ling told us to wait until night, we might as well show patience.”
Mrs. Lin was rather concerned. “Do you think Childe Ling by any chance has gone to Jia family and done anything? What if people find out about it?”
Lin Yuan asked her, “Did His Lordship say anything?”
Mrs. Lin responded, “I wasn’t paying attention, but it seemed as if His Lordship was uninformed about the arrangements Childe Ling made as well.”
After another few moments’ silence, Lin Yuan observed, “Childe Ling has really changed considerably these days. Scarcely has Jia family ever gained any advantage over Ling family during the two previous conflicts between them, both of which were resolved by Childe Ling himself. And I suspect that Childe Ling was also the one who made some covert arrangements which eventually brought about the resolution of the crisis Lord Ling encountered in that tavern. I think we should trust Childe Ling and wait to find out what that good news he mentioned is.” Slightly relieved, Mrs. Lin gave a bob of her head.
“By the way, Childe Ling said that soon Jia family would no longer be a threat to us. Darling, do you think–”
Lin Yuan signaled her to lower her voice and observed, “I don’t know much about it, but the tension between Ling family and Jia family is rapidly approaching flashpoint. It could be said there will soon be a fight between them in which only one side will survive. Judging from what people of Ling family have been doing recently, they definitely have no intention of waiting for death.”
Mrs. Lin made no further remarks, looking forward to the arrival of night.
Ling Zhaowen had been meaning to ask Ling Zhang what he had done all along ever since they took their leave of Ling family, but due to the presence of Physician Lin, he had no choice but to subdue his urge. All he could do was cast Ling Zhang a glance of warning.
Ling Zhang flicked him a comforting look in response.
Ling Zhaowen was speechless. ‘You brat.’
They had thought that they would have an uneventful trip out of the east of the city. Unexpectedly, what they did have was a chance encounter with people of Jia family, their mortal enemies. The carriage in front of them was also escorted by a great many guards.
Both sides paused. The street was broad enough to allow two carriages to get through, but people of Jia family, on the sight of the carriage of Ling family, parked their carriage squarely in the middle of the road, blocking their path.
Seeing that the two carriages belonged to Jia family and Ling family respectively, residents nearby who knew about the hatred between the two families instantly drew back for fear of potential collateral damage, but they didn’t walk far away but kept a safe distance from the scene, waiting to see whatever it was that was going to happen next.
“A good dog never gets in people’s way!” yelled a servant of Jia family, a malicious smile on his face.
Ling Zhaowen knitted his brows, thinking that it was such an unpleasant coincidence that they met people of Jia family when they were so close to leaving the east of the city.
Ling Zhang slightly raised the curtain of the carriage and gestured Qiu Bing to come over to him. “You know how to swear?”
Qiu Bing nodded. “I do, Young Master. Do you want me to swear at them?”
Ling Zhang lowered his voice whispering something into Qiu Bing’s ears. Qiu Bing’s eyes gradually lit up as he listened. At last, he patted his own chest and replied, “Consider it done, Young Master.”
Ling Zhaowen, who had pricked up his ears and heard everything, amusedly derided, “Where did you learn all these mean tricks?”
Somewhat embarrassed, Ling Zhang replied, “They came into my mind on their own account when I caught sight of these guys of Jia family.”
Ling Zhaowen gave a smile but raised no objection. Clearly, he was also waiting to see Jia family be humiliated.
“Eek? Whose dog barked so loudly just now? Bark again so that I can tell which family you belong to. I might feed you some meat If your barks please me!” Qiu Bing rode to the front of the carriage and yelled at people of Jia family on the other side.
“Why are you asking them questions? They’re dogs, and dogs cannot understand human language. Can’t you see that they are also blind? The road is right in front of them but instead of taking it, they chose to bark.” Zhou Xiang rode to Qiu Bing’s side and joined his effort.
“You… Humph! You’re just two guard dogs. Tell your master to show himself!” shouted the man on the other side.
“Eek? Did you hear that? It sounded like a vicious dog of Jia family.” Qiu Bing affectedly pricked up his ears and then pretended that light suddenly dawned on him.
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