Chapter 170: Rectifying the Atmosphere

Chapter 170: Rectifying the Atmosphere

"Who are they? Have they all been caught?" Li Yuanxiu asked as he stepped out of the courtyard, his voice low.

Li Pingyi responded promptly, "I've caught them red-handed. Apart from those not bearing the Li surname, there were six individuals in total with the Li surname. Five of them are descendants of the illegitimate brothers of our founding ancestor, and one... one is my uncle."

Li Pingyi's confession was delivered with a sense of shame and dread.

The founding ancestor he was referring to was naturally Li Mutian. Li Pingyi's uncle was one of Li Xiewen's siblings, specifically one of the sons of Li Yesheng. While Li Yesheng was alive, there was at least someone to keep them in check. After his death, they remained subdued for a few years but with Li Xiewen preoccupied with affairs, they eventually began to stir up trouble.

"I see."

Li Yuanxiu left after just speaking those two words.

"Brother, I will go too!" Li Yuanjiao muttered and quickly scrambled up to follow Li Yuanxiu down the mountain. Li Yuanxiu whispered a few words to Li Pingyi who nodded and left, then led the way to the front of that courtyard in question.

A crowd had gathered in front of the courtyard, with clan guards securing the area tightly. Li Xiewen, looking grim-faced, stood at the entrance.

Upon seeing Li Yuanxiu, he cupped his fist respectfully.

"Greetings, young clan head."

"Uncle Wen, there's no need for formalities," Li Yuanxiu responded as he entered the courtyard with him, only to witness a scene of pure chaos.

The floor was littered with fruit and vegetable scraps, making it difficult to navigate through. A dozen men—bare-chested, were pressed to the ground. His clan uncle, Li Qiuyang, stood by with his arms folded.

"Greetings, Clan Uncle," Li Yuanxiu said curtly as he greeted his clan uncle.

"Young Clan Head!" Li Qiuyang responded right away as he caught sight of him, cupping his fist and then retreating into a corner, choosing to remain silent. Li Yuanxiu noticed his graying temples.

Li Yuanxiu surveyed the courtyard. Everyone's expressions varied—Li Xiewen appeared ashamed, Li Qiuyang calm, and the townsfolk angry and fearful, creating a heavy atmosphere. Eyes were all fixated on Li Yuanxiu.

His few illegitimate brothers, whom he had barely seen since he was six, now watched him silently from the crowd, resembling silent wolves. Li Yuanjiao, standing by his side, stared back at them coldly.

Li Yuanxiu had not interacted much with his elder brothers who lived at the foot of the mountain. These three elder brothers lacked spiritual orifice and were not well-educated, yet they had never been a bother to Li Yuanxiu.

As Li Yuanxiu led his group out of the courtyard, the onlookers parted to give way to them, shrinking back and avoiding his gaze.

Li Pingyi, feeling a sense of satisfaction, stepped forward and said, "Young Family Head, that should shut up those uncles and clan elders who often criticize you for not being harsh enough!"

"There's no need to mind them," Li Yuanxiu responded, walking through the dimly lit streets.

He then continued, "Those people are just looking to shift more control of the seven towns from the main family and Uncle Xiewen to their own descendants... Their gossip is meaningless. Now that this is over, they'll say I'm too brutal to lead the family."

"Power and profit struggles are inherently dirty! It's all about slandering each other... and in the end, whoever causes the other to suffer the worst defamation gets the last word..." Li Yuanxiu spoke nonchalantly, patting Li Yuanjiao's head and continuing solemnly, "Our real adversaries are never these minor internal family disputes, but the Yu and An families... along with the other ambitious clans surrounding us."

Li Yuanjiao nodded, walking beside him. After a moment of thought, he said seriously, "Brother, I'm afraid they'll hold a grudge against you. Maybe we should just send someone to get rid of them for good..."

Li Yuanxiu shook his head and replied softly, "They're still our relatives at the end of the day. Our family is already few in number... A few notorious and begrudging mortals can't make much of a difference! The Clan Affairs Courtyard will keep an eye on them, there's no need for drastic measures."

Li Yuanjiao could only nod and say coldly, "Did you notice the looks from those few brothers of ours? They're quite frightening."

Li Yuanxiu sighed slightly, causing Li Pingyi behind him to step back half a step instinctively, his gaze wandering as if lost in thought.

Li Yuanxiu shot him a glance before responding, "They're merely troublemakers without any spiritual orifice... It's not surprising that they harbor some jealousy toward us. After all, we share the same father; yet, they were born without spiritual orifice. I'm sure they also understand the bigger picture. With them around, the outsiders can't stir up much trouble."

"Understood, brother!" Li Yuanjiao said thoughtfully, nodding.

The two then ascended the mountain together, sharing a smile as they looked down at the darkening night below. Li Yuanjiao's black robe fluttered in the night, complementing Li Yuanxiu's pure white cloak. Having felt little fatherly love from a young age, he felt a profound sense of affection from his brother.

"Brother, you are much better than father!" he chirped cheerfully.

Li Pingyi, who was behind them, wished that he could cover both his ears at that very moment.

Li Yuanxiu stared sternly at Li Yuanjiao and said righteously, "What kind of talk is that?! Father is the most hardworking among all our elders. In his life, he has had little to take pride in but instead has had to act against his nature day after day... Now, in his mid-thirties, he already has a head full of gray hair. It's inevitable that he might neglect some aspects; you should be more understanding of father."

"Mhm," Li Yuanjiao chuckled, agreeing. Clutching his brother's cloak, he continued with a smile, "Brother, one day, our Li Family will surely defeat the Yu and An families under our leadership. United as brothers, we are much stronger than any Yu Mugao or Yu Muxian!"

Li Yuanxiu laughed heartily, patting his head, his eyes filled with laughter and hope. Together, they gazed at the moonlight, walking in silence.