abnabooks Chapter 99 Great Kindness!
Chapter 99 Great Kindness!
Chapter 99 Great Kindness!
The next morning, a thin mist hung in the air.
Qingxi Village was shrouded in a grayish-white hue, and the air was filled with a strange, rotten smell.
Su Yu, carrying a package full of rice, grains, oil, and salt, pushed open the creaking door of the Su family's old house.
In the courtyard, a somewhat slender figure was moving about in the morning mist.
Su Can was shirtless, sweat streaming down his back. He clenched his remaining left hand into a fist and threw a straight punch, creating a faint whooshing sound.
However, as he turned his body, the empty sleeve on his right shoulder swung helplessly in the cold wind, looking rather forlorn.
"Third brother," Su Yu called softly.
Su Can froze, then turned around abruptly, a flicker of panic in her eyes that quickly turned to delight: "Second Brother! Why are you back?"
Su Yu stepped forward and squeezed his intact left arm. The muscles were firm, and his blood and energy had not deteriorated too much.
"Good training." Su Yu nodded. "Is your Qi and blood still increasing? Is there a chance for you to break through to the Martial Artist level again?"
Su Can gave a bitter laugh, lowered his head, and looked at his severed arm: "What hope is there left? I am just—"
I don't want to become truly useless. Practicing martial arts, even after three rounds of energy cultivation, will leave me with a considerable amount of vital energy, preventing me from becoming a cripple.
His tone carried a sense of resigned desolation.
Su Yu didn't know if his third brother had really given up, so he didn't ask any further.
He simply took out an exquisite red porcelain bottle from his pocket and put it into Su Can's hand.
"Take it."
"This is—" Su Can uncorked the bottle, and a strong smell of blood wafted out. "A pill!"
This is so much better than the herbal medicine he used before!
"Second brother, this is too precious! I'm just a cripple—" Su Can's hand trembled, and he was about to refuse.
Su Yu pressed down on his hand, her tone leaving no room for argument, "Take this. This is a Blood Amber Pill. Take one-third of it each time, dissolved in water. As long as your qi and blood don't dissipate, you won't be crippled."
Holding the still-warm porcelain bottle, Su Can's eyes instantly reddened, her throat choked, and she nodded heavily.
"Squeak!"
The main door was pushed open.
"Second brother!"
"Brother Su!"
Ya'er pushed Su Hong out. Although Su Hong in the wheelchair looked somewhat haggard, he was in pretty good spirits.
Upon seeing Su Yu, a delighted smile spread across his face.
Ya'er was like a happy little deer, taking the rice from Su Yu's hand, but reluctant to leave, waiting quietly to the side.
Su Yu patted her head and noticed that the little girl had grown quite a bit taller.
Immediately afterwards, my third uncle and eldest aunt also came out upon hearing the noise.
"Xiaoyu! You're finally back!"
As soon as Aunt Su saw Su Yu, tears streamed down her face. She quickly brought over a stool and wiped them with her sleeve, saying, "Sit down, sit down! Are you hungry? Aunt Su will get you something to eat!"
Third Uncle Su Dawen remained silent, only patting Su Yu's shoulder heavily.
The family sat together in the courtyard, and the atmosphere in the old Su family house became joyful again after a long time.
"Second brother," Su Hong spoke first, his eyes filled with hope, "I heard the martial arts examination just finished in the city, it was quite a spectacle. Did you—go to participate?"
Su Yu didn't hide anything and said directly, "I participated and made it into the top five. I came back to tell you guys about it."
"What?!"
"Top five!" Su Hong straightened his back abruptly, gripping the wheelchair armrests tightly with both hands, his voice trembling.
The one who reacted the most was Su Can.
His eyes widened, and he was momentarily stunned.
He once hoped to break through to become a martial artist and participate in the martial arts examination. At that time, his goal was simply to be among the top 100.
Even if you're in the top 100, that's still a great honor for your family!
And the second brother actually made it into the top five?
He snapped out of his daze, his voice hoarse: "Second Brother—what realm are you at now?"
"One acupoint."
One acupoint!
Su Can felt completely numb. His second brother had only recently broken through to the Martial Artist realm, yet he had already opened one of his acupoints.
It's laughable that I used to be called the hope of the family; my second brother is the real genius!
Although the others didn't know what the acupoint was, the top five in the martial arts competition and Su Can's reaction had all seen it and guessed that it seemed to be very powerful.
"Heaven has eyes! The Su family's ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke, producing a martial star like Xiaoyu! If the old man were still here—" At this point, the aunt suddenly realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly shut her mouth.
Su Yu didn't care. When a person dies, the light goes out; he no longer cared about the past.
"I've come back this time to bring you into the city."
Su Yu dropped a second bombshell: "I've acquired a large two-courtyard house in Anping Ward, outside the city. Let's all pack up and move there together."
"That's wonderful!" Upon hearing this, Auntie burst into tears of joy. "Xiaoyu, you don't know, people are dying everywhere outside the city, and our Qingxi Village is now more than half empty—we really can't go on living—"
Uncle San looked troubled and hesitated, saying, "Xiao Yu, is this appropriate? The checks to enter the city are strict now. I heard that out of dozens of villages nearby, only the Xu family from Xu Family Village, who married their daughter to a martial arts master as a concubine, managed to bring their entire family in."
"Won't our whole family cause you trouble? Maybe—let them go, I'll stay here and watch the house—"
"Yes, Xiaoyu, don't let us ruin your future." Auntie also realized what was happening and quickly wiped away her tears to decline. "Your third uncle and I will stay here. You can let Hong'er and Can'er go. They might be able to help you."
Su Yu glanced at his third uncle's increasingly hunched back, then at his aunt's messy white hair, and comforted her, "Third Uncle, Aunt, you're overthinking it. I already have an official position, so these things aren't a problem. Let's all go together."
"Really? That's wonderful!" Auntie burst into tears of joy again, murmuring repeatedly, "Xiaoyu has really made something of herself—she's made something of herself—"
"Bang bang bang!"
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Ya'er ran over and opened the door.
The moment the door swung open, a wave of clamor, like a sweltering heat, rushed out. Outside, a dense mass of people stood, their faces etched with anxiety and anticipation.
Village chief Wang Yuezhi stood at the front, blocking the group of people behind him.
"Don't push! Don't disturb the adults!"
Su Yu walked out slowly.
The previously noisy crowd fell silent instantly. Then, without anyone noticing, dozens of villagers immediately knelt down.
"Lord Su! You're back!"
"Lord Su, please, I beg you, save Qingxi Village! Two more families in the neighboring village were wiped out last night. We have no way to survive!"
"I kowtow to Lord Su!"
The sound of kowtows echoed throughout the room.
Su Yu frowned slightly and looked at Wang Yuezhi: "Uncle Wang, what's this?"
Wang Yuezhi gave a wry smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Lord Su, these are difficult times. When people heard that you passed the military examination and were appointed as a captain, the news spread back to the village, and everyone grasped at it like a lifeline."
Su Yu remained silent.
Looking at these once-familiar neighbors, he felt a pang of reluctance, yet remained clear-headed.
He was not a savior, nor did he have the ability to bring hundreds of people into the city; he could only do what he could.
"Fellow villagers, please rise."
Su Yu used a trace of his vital energy, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears: "I know it's hard to survive outside the city now. But I am not strong enough to protect Qingxi Village by myself."
The light in the villagers' eyes dimmed instantly, and even desperate sobs could be heard.
"but!"
Su Yu changed the subject, his gaze resolute: "I've heard definite news from within the city. The Blackrock City Enforcement Team has been fully assembled. The three major families and the Blackrock Army are joining forces, and the enforcement team will be in action within the next few days to sweep away the bandits and strange occurrences outside the city!"
"The banks of the Blackwater River will then be peaceful again! Just hold on for a few more days, and you'll have a chance to survive!"
These words were like a life-saving injection, instantly bringing some life back to the lifeless crowd.
"Really? The martial arts masters from the city are coming?"
"Great! We're saved!"
Wang Yuezhi was also invigorated. He knew that Su Yu was a steady person and would never speak carelessly.
He immediately turned around and shouted excitedly to the villagers, "Did you all hear what Lord Su said? The gentry in the city haven't abandoned us! You all still have a chance to live! Now go back and don't bother Lord Su anymore!"
Although the villagers were still worried, they heard the good news and finally had a glimmer of hope to survive, and gradually dispersed.
After the crowd dispersed, Su Yu invited Wang Yuezhi into the courtyard.
The girl obediently served hot tea.
"Uncle Wang, please sit down."
Wang Yuezhi took a sip of tea somewhat nervously and asked, "Lord Su, what brings you back this time?"
Seeing this, Su Yu smiled helplessly and said, "Uncle Wang, there are no outsiders here, no need to be so formal. Just call me my nephew, it sounds nicer."
"Absolutely not! Absolutely not!"
Wang Yuezhi waved his hands repeatedly, his expression serious: "Lord Su, you have now passed the military examination and are a ninth-rank Jing'an Colonel, a high-ranking official. If I were to presume upon this, I would be ungrateful."
"However—" he changed the subject, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, "If you have any orders, sir, I, Wang Yuezhi, this old man, will still be as capable as ever, without hesitation!"
Seeing his resolute attitude, Su Yu did not press him further.
I can only sigh inwardly, realizing that my current status has truly transcended many social classes.
"Uncle Wang, to tell you the truth, I came back this time to take the Su family to the city."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yuezhi's eyes flashed with an undisguised envy.
Going into town —
That's something so many people dream of doing now. In this world, a single city gate can separate the living and the dead.
Lord Su was actually able to bring people into the city; he must really be a big shot.
Thinking of this, he remembered his five-year-old son, and felt a pang of pain in his heart.
If I had let my youngest son shamelessly beg Su Yu to become his godfather back then, perhaps things would be different now—
"The Su family is lucky. With such an important person like you around, they're destined for success," Wang Yuezhi said with a forced smile, cupping his hands in congratulations.
Su Yu looked at Wang Yuezhi, seemingly knowing his thoughts, and said, "Uncle Wang, my residence is newly built, and we are in dire need of manpower."
He put down his teacup and said sincerely, "Please help me choose two loyal, hardworking, and well-known young men from the village to come with me to my residence as guards and servants."
He paused, looking directly at Wang Yuezhi, and continued, "Also, I think your youngest son, Wang Qu, is quite talented. If Uncle Wang is willing, let him come along as well, to be my page, so he can learn something from me."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yuezhi, a man of unyielding integrity, trembled with excitement, and his eyes even reddened.
This isn't about finding a servant or page; this is clearly about saving a life! It's about helping someone!
Entering the Su family not only saved my life, but following Su Yu, this young nobleman, meant a truly bright future!
He suddenly stood up, then knelt heavily on the ground as if a mountain of gold and jade had collapsed: "Thank you so much, Lord Su, for your great kindness!!!"