Chapter 129: Let the Scoundrel Stay!

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The young thief wore a look of anguish as he said, “My name is Qi Yanwu, and I come from Anqiu in Qingzhou Prefecture, Shandong. My family owned only a few poor acres of land. Though life was hard, we could still somehow get by.

“But this year, Qingzhou Prefecture was struck by floods, and our fields yielded not a single grain. We had no food stored away to begin with, and a poor family like ours could no longer survive.

“The authorities did provide a considerable amount of relief grain, but very little of it ever reached the hands of the poor. Then, at that very moment, my father, who had always been strong and healthy, suddenly contracted malaria. Before long, he died.

“After Father passed away, Mother was overcome with grief and fell ill as well. I had no choice but to borrow money from a wealthy household at exorbitant interest so that I could buy medicine for her. But... but sadly, she spent a great deal of money on treatment and still passed away in the end, leaving me alone in this world.”

By the time Qi Yanwu finished speaking, he was weeping so bitterly that he could hardly get the words out.

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou He also wiped away her tears repeatedly. She reached out and gently stroked Qi Yanwu’s head, comforting him. “Child, do not grieve so.”

Her soft, gentle words moved Qi Yanwu deeply.

After finally managing to master his sorrow, Qi Yanwu continued, “After Mother died, the wealthy household came to my door demanding repayment. Where could I possibly find the money? So I simply ran away.

“I actually have an older brother. He left home many years ago, and later I heard that he had gone to the region around Northern Zhili. I begged my way along the road... and begged my way here.”

Zhou Zhi furrowed his brows slightly. “Begged your way here? Ha! I think you stole your way here.”

Although Zhou Zhi had long since seen that Qi Yanwu was not bad at heart and had stolen only because he had been driven mad by hunger, the boy had nevertheless become a thief, whatever his reasons might have been. That was something he had to be taught.

In Zhou Zhi’s eyes, Qi Yanwu was still young. If he guided him properly now, the boy could certainly mend his ways in the future.

Qi Yanwu’s filthy little face had already turned scarlet with shame. He said timidly, “Brother, actually... actually, most of the time I begged. But begging never brought me much food, and I have a large appetite, so... so sometimes I stole a little.”

A strange light flickered in Zhou Zhi’s star-bright eyes. He first glanced at his mother, Madam Zhou He, then suddenly darkened his expression and stared coldly at Qi Yanwu. He was just about to speak when Qi Yanwu abruptly dropped to his knees with remarkable agility, lifted his face, and said, “Brother, I know stealing is wrong. Although I did not manage to steal anything from your home today, I did intend to do so. Please punish me!”

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The boy was exceptionally quick-witted. His eyes were clear and bright, and his words were utterly sincere. Evidently, he already regretted what he had done.

Zhou Zhi suddenly found it rather pointless to lecture or even reprimand him. Instead, he asked, “Have you found your brother these past few days?”

Qi Yanwu replied, “I did not find my brother, but I did hear some news about him. He went to the area around Bazhou and became a bandit. He has no fixed abode.

“Although I have stolen things, I hate bandits most of all. Ever since I was little, my parents taught me to keep to my proper path, neither stealing nor robbing. As the saying goes, a person may be poor, but his spirit must not be poor.

“I have already made up my mind not to look for my brother anymore. Hmph! If that useless, shameless man ever crosses my path, I will make him pay!”

As he spoke, he clenched both fists. He was clearly furious and deeply ashamed of his brother’s conduct.

“You are still so young, while your brother must be at least twenty by now. How do you intend to make him pay?” Zhou Zhi asked.

“My father was only a poor farmer, but our ancestors passed down a few martial skills. I began practicing under Father when I was little. My brother practiced with him too, but he was not as clever as I am. After all these years, I believe I can defeat him.” Qi Yanwu spoke with absolute confidence.

Zhou Zhi was slightly taken aback. No wonder the boy had regained his strength and spirit so quickly after eating merely two bowls of hot porridge and several steamed buns. He actually knew martial arts.

Qi Yanwu was still kneeling on the ground. Madam Zhou He had long since been moved by his plight, and she hurriedly helped him to his feet.

“Do not kneel. You did not truly steal anything. Besides, would anyone turn to thievery if he were not starving?”

Then Madam Zhou He turned to Zhou Zhi and said, “Little Zhi, do not speak to him so harshly. I believe him. The southern part of Shandong truly did suffer a drought.”

In truth, Zhou Zhi did not doubt Qi Yanwu’s account. He had merely wanted to teach the boy a lesson. But that was clearly impossible now. Though Qi Yanwu was young, he was quick-witted and intelligent, and he had already won Madam Zhou He’s sympathy.

It was not only Madam Zhou He who pitied him. Even Zhou Tie, Zhou Zhi’s father, felt compassion for Qi Yanwu. After all, Zhou Tie had spent half his life as a poor farmer. He was kindhearted—and somewhat softhearted as well.

Once Qi Yanwu was standing again, Zhou Zhi studied him more carefully. The boy was not tall, and his face was haggard, but his body was straight, his eyes now shone with vitality, and he possessed an unmistakable air of martial nobility. For some inexplicable reason, Zhou Zhi felt a measure of admiration for him.

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Qi Yanwu. Qi Yanwu... That name... Wait...

A person suddenly came to Zhou Zhi’s mind, and his heart gave a violent jolt. Fixing Qi Yanwu with his star-bright eyes, he asked, “Qi Yanwu, you said just now that your brother became a bandit around Bazhou. What is his name?”

“My brother’s name is Qi Yanming,” Qi Yanwu answered without hesitation.

Zhou Zhi secretly drew in a sharp breath. So it really was him.

As a transmigrator from a later age, Zhou Zhi knew the peasant uprisings of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty very well. In the fifth year of the Zhengde reign, Liu the Sixth and Liu the Seventh launched a peasant uprising in the Bazhou region of Northern Zhili. Vast numbers of people joined them. The rebel armies captured cities and territories, fighting across Northern Zhili, Shandong, Henan, Huguang, and many other regions. Its scale had been enormous.

Liu the Sixth, Liu the Seventh, and Qi Yanming had all been leaders of the rebel forces, and Qi Yanming’s reputation at the time had been considerable.

Zhou Zhi had transmigrated into the Great Ming with nothing more than the desire to study and pursue the civil examinations. He refused to live an ordinary life and wanted to accomplish something in the empire. He certainly did not want to become entangled with a future rebel.

Although the Qi Yanwu before him hated his brother deeply, they were brothers nonetheless. It would be best to have Qi Yanwu leave the Zhou household as soon as possible.

With that thought, Zhou Zhi hardened his expression and said coldly, “Qi Yanwu, you originally came to my household to steal from us, yet my family treated you kindly and gave you food and drink. Your stomach is full now. Why have you not left? What are you still doing here?”

The moment Zhou Zhi finished speaking, Qi Yanwu dropped to his knees for the third time and pleaded, “Brother, your family has shown me great kindness. You saved my life. I only wish to remain here and work like an ox or a horse to repay you in some small measure.

“Besides, I have nowhere else to go. If I leave today and do not become a thief again, I will sooner or later freeze or starve to death. Please, for the sake of my misery, give me a bowl of rice and let me stay!”