The Heir

Сhарtеr 142: I Wаs Wrоng

“This is my hоmе. Whу shоuld I lеave? Who аrе you?” Li Jingfu nеver eхресtеd thаt he would bе barred from entering his own hоmе. Hе spоkе аngrilу.

“Arе уоu оut оf yоur mind? I know everуоne in this hоusehold. Get lоst! If you kеep саusing trоublе, I’ll саll thе constаblеs to аrrеst уou!” Тhe gаtеkeeреr, Li Liujin, threаtened.

“You…” Li Jingfu wаs so furious he соuldn’t sрeаk.

“Father?!” Zhen Niаng lооked аt thе mаn аrguing with Unсlе Liujin. Aраrt from аn eхtra scаr on his fасе, wasn’t this hеr оwn fаthеr?

Hearing Zhеn Niang’s voice, Li Jingfu turned аround and loоked at hеr cаrеfully, thеn called out uncertainly, “Zhen girl?”

“Yes, it’s me, Father.” Zhen Niang responded happily once more.

A girl changes so much as she grows up. When Li Jingfu left Huizhou for Suzhou, Zhen Niang was only fourteen. Thinking about it, Li Jingfu counted on his fingers. By now, Zhen Niang should be nearly seventeen. Moreover, since taking charge of Li Mo, Zhen Niang had dressed more maturely and stably to command respect. After over a year of managing affairs, she carried an air of authority. Li Jingfu almost didn’t recognize her.

“It really is Zhen girl. You’ve grown up and become so beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you,” Li Jingfu said.

Zhen Niang couldn’t help but giggle foolishly, then asked anxiously, “Father, where have you been these past two years? Last year, Uncle Huaide sent a letter saying something had happened to you. After that, we never heard from you. Big Brother even went to the northern yamen and brought back an urn of ashes. The whole family…” Zhen Niang choked up. During that time, troubles struck the family, the Ink Workshop faced difficulties, and everything seemed to pile up. They were so busy, but the family managed to pull through.

Back then, she and Zhao Shi lived separated only by a curtain. The sound of her mother crying at night still often appeared in her dreams.

Yet now, the person they thought had long died was standing before them, alive.

“Father, if you were fine, why didn’t you send a message to reassure your family?” Thinking of this, Zhen Niang couldn’t help but complain.

“Ah, Zhen girl, don’t be angry. I did send messages. Over these two years, I sent two letters. But the first one—the messenger hadn’t even left the pass when he encountered bandits. I suppose the letter was lost. Later, I sent another one, but I never received a reply. I figured either you didn’t get my letters, or your reply got lost along the way. Besides, there were too few people traveling from the north to Huizhou. After that, I couldn’t find anyone to deliver a message. And later, I was planning to return home anyway, so I didn’t need to send another letter.” Seeing Zhen Niang’s reddened eyes, Li Jingfu hurriedly explained in a flustered manner.

“Oh, I misunderstood you, Father.” Zhen Niang smiled again. After all, her father wasn’t dead—he had returned. Although she had occasionally wondered whether her father might one day come back, since they had never found his body.

But now that this day had truly come, it still felt like a dream.Although she hadn't spent much time with this father since crossing over, and it was hard to say there was much affection between them, the candies and hairpins Li Jingfu had sent back through others while working in Suzhou were genuine tokens of his care.

"Father, come inside quickly. Look at you," Zhen Niang said, hurrying forward to support her father. She then explained to Li Liujin beside them, "Uncle Liujin, this is my father."

Then, turning to her father, she added, "Father, this is Uncle Liujin. He used to work at the estate and now serves as our gatekeeper."

"Hmm," Li Jingfu nodded.

Li Liujin was momentarily stunned. He and his wife had originally worked at the rural estate and were later assigned to serve the main branch. By that time, the Eighth Branch of the Li family had already moved out of the ancestral home for many years and had no contact with the Seventh Branch, so he naturally didn’t recognize Li Jingfu.

Moreover, when the Eighth Branch moved back, he had heard that Master Jingfu was killed by northern barbarians while transporting goods. How could he have imagined that this man, who had been dead for nearly two years, would return in the middle of winter?

Immediately, he put on a pained expression and bowed apologetically to Li Jingfu. "My apologies, Master Jingfu. I failed to recognize you."

"It’s fine. It’s not your fault. But next time, speak to people with a bit more courtesy," Li Jingfu said without changing his expression. After all, being stopped at the gate right after returning home was hardly a pleasant experience.

"Yes, yes, I’ll remember that," Li Liujin quickly replied.

"Father, let’s go inside. Mother will be overjoyed to see you," Zhen Niang said with a smile. Meanwhile, Li Liujin, now more at ease, offered to go inform Madam Zhao.

"No, no, just stay at your post," Li Jingfu quickly stopped him. Then, looking at Zhen Niang, he said, "Zhen girl, look at me like this. Why don’t you take me to the kitchen first to fetch some water and wash up?" As he spoke, he touched the scar on his face.

It was from that year when the barbarians had struck him.

Her father was clearly feeling hesitant about returning home. Seeing his tattered, beggar-like appearance, it seemed he hadn’t fared well outside. Yes, it would be better for him to freshen up first. With that thought, she led her father through the side door toward the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Zhao Shi sat by the coal stove with her sleeves tucked, waiting for the water to boil while chatting with Zheng Shi and Liu Jin Sao.

Since Zhen Niang’s return, the house had never been empty. People from the Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Branches came and went frequently, and even some distant relatives came to test the waters. With so many guests, boiling water and making tea had become a constant task.

Today happened to be Minor New Year’s Eve, so Zheng Shi and Liu Jin Sao were busy with kitchen duties. As for Du Shi, her child was still very young, and breastfeeding and other tasks made it inconvenient for her to help. Zhao Shi didn’t ask her to assist, instead handling tasks like boiling water and making tea herself. Greeting guests was left to the old master and the eldest son, so as a woman, she didn’t need to join them.

"By the way, who came today?" Zheng Shi asked Zhao Shi while kneading dough. Since it was Minor New Year’s Eve, she had been busy in the kitchen all day and hadn’t gone to the front, so she didn’t know who had visited."Who else could it be? It's none other than Jingming's cousin, Li Jingyi, the great scholar." Zhao Shi said with some annoyance. The reason she wasn't going to the front today, preferring to stay here tending the stove, was also because of this Li Jingyi. She simply couldn't stand him.

Li Jingyi and Li Jingming were brothers. Their branch of the family had split off during the time of the great-grandfather. The kinship was already quite distant, and they usually had little contact.

This Li Jingyi had shown considerable talent in his youth, passing the imperial examination early to become a scholar. Unfortunately, over the next decade or more, he struggled until now in his forties without ever passing the provincial examination to become a provincial graduate. Still, he maintained the airs of a scholar-gentleman. Usually looking down on the Li family as mere merchants, he held little regard for other Li family members. Even with Li Jingming, who was relatively closer to him, he rarely had any dealings.

Yet unexpectedly, when Li Jingming was brought back from Nanjing by Seventh Old Madam, it was this Li Jingyi who jumped around everywhere, stirring things up. He went around saying that the main branch of the Li family was ungrateful, that Li Jingming's family had worked hard all these years in Nanjing without credit but with hardship, and in the end, they were driven back by a little girl like Zhen Niang, which was truly chilling.

Over this matter, Li Jingyi had even gathered several elders from the clan to protest before Seventh Grandmother. At the time, this put the seventh and eighth branches of the Li family in a very passive position, and once again, Zhen Niang became a topic of gossip in others' mouths.

After all, Li Jingyi held an official scholarly rank, so people naturally listened to what he said. The matter caused quite a stir at the time. When Zhao Shi went to Nanjing, she didn't dare tell Zhen Niang, afraid her daughter would be upset.

It was only when Li Jingming himself stepped forward and confessed to embezzling funds over the years that everyone had nothing more to say.

Because of this, Zhao Shi gritted her teeth with hatred for Li Jingyi.

"Li Jingyi? What's he doing here again? Wasn't that matter already cleared up? Li Jingming himself isn't making a fuss, so why is he stirring up trouble? Isn't it just because the Li family's Ink Workshop business is improving now, and he wants a share of the profits too?" Zheng Shi said angrily. She was very protective of Zhen Niang and couldn't stand anyone targeting her.

"What you're talking about is too small a share—he wouldn't even look at that. What he's eyeing now is another, much bigger share," Zhao Shi said indignantly.

"What are you talking about? I'm completely confused. What small share, big share?" Zheng Shi was baffled by Zhao Shi's words.

"Li Jingyi said that Zhen Niang is struggling alone in Nanjing, and it's too difficult. The Li family shouldn't let a young girl shoulder such a heavy burden, so they should help share the load. Isn't Li Jingyi a scholar? He hasn't been able to pass the provincial examination all these years. He wants the main branch of the Li family to help him purchase a provincial graduate rank. Then, he wants Zhen Niang to beg the princess's mansion to directly appoint him to an official position," Zhao Shi said with considerable sarcasm.

"This... he actually thought of that?" Zheng Shi said with some disbelief. Only someone who had lost their mind would come up with such an idea.

"If it were up to me, I'd have driven him out directly. It's only because Father-in-law still cares a bit about family ties," Zhao Shi said rather unhappily."If it's not convenient for you to hit him, I'll do it." Just then, an angry male voice came from outside the kitchen. The voice seemed somewhat unfamiliar, yet also strangely familiar. Zhao Shi couldn't help but stand up, watching as Zhen Niang accompanied someone over.

"Mother, look who's back?" Zhen Niang pointed at Li Jingfu with a cheerful smile.

Liu Jin Sao had never seen Li Jingfu before, so she was merely curious without any other reaction. But Zheng Shi, who had met Li Jingfu previously, was now stunned speechless.

As for Zhao Shi, she was first taken aback, then asked in a daze: "You damned scoundrel, you're not dead?"

"Not dead," Li Jingfu replied with a simple, honest expression, looking very much like Li Dalang at that moment.

But as soon as he finished speaking, tears began streaming uncontrollably from Zhao Shi's eyes. She then grabbed a bamboo broom and started beating Li Jingfu over the head and face.

"I'll beat you, you troublemaker! I'll beat you, you heartless fool! I'll beat you, you inconsiderate wretch! You were alive and well all this time, yet couldn't even send a letter home..." Zhao Shi cried and cursed as she struck him.

"Yes, I was wrong," Li Jingfu murmured, standing there foolishly and letting Zhao Shi hit him, a silly smile still on his face. He looked completely deserving of a beating.

As for this apology, Zhao Shi was all too familiar with it. In the past, whenever Li Jingfu went out gambling or drinking and got scolded or beaten by Zhao Shi, he would always apologize like this.

But this time, hearing it felt so genuine.