Bab 17: Reconciliation
Editor: Caron_
The matter should've been simple. Since Ye Ba acknowledged his fault in the matter, he accepted the Lin Family Village's challenge and sent forward a young man from the Ye Family Village to duel the champion from the Lin Family Village.
But to their stunned disappointment, the young man Ye Ba chose was easily trounced by the Lin Family youth.
"Haha… which kid did you choose?" Ye Meng asked as he chuckled casually.
Ye Tian put down his empty bowl and looked over, curiosity on his face.
"Ye Hu," Ye Ba replied awkwardly.
"Ye Hu? I heard that kid also advanced to Martial Warrior, maybe a month after your brat? He's also one of our talents, yet he lost?" Ye Meng said, surprised.
"The Lin Family youth was very strong, and he's already a mid-stage Level Two Martial Artist!" Ye Ba answered, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He paid no mind to Ye Meng's unpleasant tone—after all, he had come here today to seek help and couldn't be overbearing.
"Middle Stage Level Two Martial Warrior?" Tsk tsk, the same age as Ye Hu and with such a high cultivation? He wouldn't be the Lin Family Number One Genius, Lin Wudi?" Ye Meng asked.
"The one and only!"
Ye Feng replied, his eyes bright and his tone quite serious, "That child's Martial Spirit is Orange but very close to Yellow, and he's very talented."
"So what? Is his talent better than my son Tian Er's? Ha!"
Ye Meng replied proudly, but at that moment, he finally understood why the captain had come. He frowned at Ye Ba: "Wait, are you two here to ask my son Tien Er to challenge Lin Wudi?"
Ye Feng nodded.
"This… this, Big Brother Meng, everything that happened before was my fault. You are a great man and I hope you won't remember my petty faults and help me this time," Ye Bai said anxiously, bending his waist. He was only inches away from kowtowing.
Ye Tian's eyes flashed. He had never seen Ye Ba humble himself so, but it was understandable given the situation.
If Ye Wei couldn't bring back his bride quickly, he would never be able to lift his head high and even his father would suffer at the hand of the gossip.
For the sake of his happiness and his own reputation, Ye Ba was willing to bow his head and ask for help.
"He's still a worthy father!" Ye Tian nodded to himself, his eyes flashing as he made his decision.
"No way!"
Ye Tian looked up at the loud cry, seeing his father wave his hand and shake his head, immediately shutting Ye Ba down and sneering: "Isn't your family's Ye Wei the number one genius of our village? Let him answer the challenge himself—it's his marriage. What? He wants someone else to escort his bride for him?"
Ye Ba's face grew more and more awkward and he could only turn to Ye Feng, wordlessly begging him.
Ye Feng didn't know whether to laugh or cry, looking at Ye Meng before slowly replying: "Brother Meng, we cannot act impulsively in this matter. If Ye Wei fails to escort his bird, this will not only be the disgrace of Ye Ba's family but also Ye Family Village. This matter is about preserving face for our village, and Ye Ba has already apologized. If you need help in the future, he won't stand idly by. In the end, we're all brothers from the same village—are there any grudges we cannot reconcile?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Brother Meng, ask me for anything, whether it's climbing across a mountain of swords or plunging into an ocean of flame, Ye Ba will refuse no request!" Ye Ba hurriedly added.
"This…"
Ye Meng hesitated. Ye Feng had made the request himself and he had to show the captain face. After all, without even mentioning Ye Feng's prestige, the man had greatly helped Ye Meng and his family.
"Captain, it's not that I'm unwilling, but Ye Tian has only just advanced to Martial Artist. Even if he was able to defeat that foolish brat Ye Wei, he won't be able to oppose Lin Wudi. You also know the great gap between Level One and Level Two Martial Artists."
Ye Ba showed no sign of anger at Ye Wei's description of his son as he asked again: "Brother Meng, I know Ye Tian can't defeat Lin Wudi, but all the Lin Family Village wants to do is embarrass us. Ye Tian only needs to hold his own in his fight and the Lin Family Village will probably let the matter go. After all, this matter isn't about the challenge but about the bride. They won't make trouble out of nothing!"
"That's right. With Ye Tian's cultivation, he can hold his own even while fighting a Level Two Martial Artist like Lin Wudi." Ye Feng agreed.
"This…" Ye Meng hesitated, turning to look at Ye Tian. "Tian Er, what do you think? Your old man will listen to you!"
Ye Feng and Ye Ba both turned to look at Ye Tian.
Ye Ba sighed, his face filled with pleading as he spoke: "Little Tian, this uncle really has failed in the way he has treated you, but I still have to thicken my skin and ask for your help. In the future…"
"No need to continue!"
Ye Tian calmly interrupted.
Ye Feng silently frowned at Ye Tian's words while Ye Meng's lips quivered as he sighed.
"Ye Tian…" Ye Ba's face filled with despair as he stared imploringly at the boy.
"Uncle Ba, you don't need to be like this. We're all people of the village—how could I refuse this small matter?" Ye Tian continued, smiling faintly as he gestured. His frank and generous mannerisms really made it hard to believe he was only a sixteen year old youth.
Ye Feng smiled and was pleased that he had misunderstood Ye Tian's meaning, his eyes filled with praise as Ye Tian agreed.
Ye Meng was somewhat surprised, but he still let out a breath of relief. Truthfully, he held no hatred for Ye Ba, and it was as Ye Feng said—they were all brothers from the same village. What grudge could not be reconciled?
"Ye Feng, you… You agree?" Ye Ba almost gasped with disbelief. He knew very clearly how his son had bullied Ye Tian and was stunned that Ye Tian could forgive them.
Ye Tian stood, walking forward and smiling at Ye Ba. "This matter between Ye Wei and I was just an argument between children, and who has not been young and boisterous? We're still all family from the same village and no hatred can separate us. Uncle Ba, rest easy and consider this matter done. I'll have Ye Wei in the bridal chamber by the end of the day."
"Ye Tian…" Ye Ba murmured, deeply moved and at a loss for words, incredibly ashamed of his previous behavior.
Finally, Ye Ba breathed deeply and looked into Ye Meng's eyes, bowing over clasped fists. "Brother Meng, I have no gracious words, but from today forwards…"
"From today forwards, we are brothers!"
Ye Meng interrupted, walking forward and grasping Ye Ba's hands, repeating in his deep voice: "We are brothers. Us men of the Ye Family Village are brothers, and like the Village Chief often says, it's only united that our village can grow and flourish."
Ye Tian's words had enlightened Ye Meng, allowing him to understand these words.
"I also acted poorly before…" Ye Meng admitted. "When we both were Level Seven Martial Artists and the captain made you vice-captain, I was discontent and envious, but now I understand. I finally understand!"
"My brother!" Ye Ba's called out, his eyes moist as emotion filled him.
Ye Tian watched, nodding to himself. Agreeing to Ye Ba's request was meant to bring about this reconciliation.
White Cloud Town was filled with intense competition, and if the members of a village weren't united, then they would be defeated by other, stronger villages. Ye Ba was vice captain of the hunter team. He wasn't only sufficiently powerful himself but was also one of the Ye Family Village's top brass. If they truly offended him, conflicts would only escalate and there would be no pleasant ending for anyone. It was far wiser to reconcile and work together to strengthen the Ye Family Village.
After living two lifetimes, Ye Tian was very broad-minded and felt no need to bring such danger upon the village because of a conflict between children.
"You're right—the men of the Ye Family are brothers. For you two to reconcile is your good fortune as well as the good fortune of Ye Family Village,"
Ye Feng said as he walked over, grabbing Ye Meng and Ye Ba's clasped fists, his face solemn.
Ye Tian looked at the three men and felt as if he saw the bright future of the Ye Family Village.
Soon, a team of men and horses was prepared with bright and happy carriages parked at the gate to the village. Ye Feng and Ye Tian's group of four arrived together.
"Dad, Uncle Feng… Uncle Meng!" Ye Wei called out in greeting, climbing down from the red carriage. He approached excitedly, his gaze complicated as he turned to Ye Meng and Ye Tian, but there was no anger on his face.
"Ye Tian!" Ye Wei greeted him loudly.
Ye Feng glanced at them and took Ye Meng and Ye Ba away, leaving a small clearing for the two young men.
"They won't fight, right?" Ye Meng turned back after some distance, concerned.
Ye Ba was also quite worried, clearly understanding the poor relationship between his son and Ye Tian.
Only Ye Feng was calm, and he smiled as he reassured the others. "Relax, I know Ye Tian's character. Nothing will happen. It's very normal for young people to fight and argue."
Ye Meng and Ye Ba nodded at his words.
Behind them, taking up the rear of the bridal escorting team:
"Hey, you recovered pretty quickly. Looks like you won't have any problems in the bridal chamber tonight," Ye Tian teased the hesitant Ye Wei.
"Thank you!" Ye Wei said quietly, gazing seriously into Ye Tian's eyes.
"Why are you thanking me? I was the one who put you in this state! Unless you're a masochist, hahaha…" Ye Tian joked, laughing as he ran forward to catch up to Ye Feng and the others.
Ye Wei was surprised and he hurriedly yelled at the running Ye Tian: "Ye Tian, I'm still going to try to defeat you so that everyone will know that I'm the top talent in the Ye Family Village!"
"Oh? Really!"
Ye Tian smiled as he turned, yelling back: "Then you need to work hard or else you won't even be able to stand with me and fight by my side, haha…"
"Hahaha…" Ye Wei laughed.
Their brilliant, sunny laughter rang out, filling the entire village.
In the distance, Ye Feng, Ye Meng, Ye Ba, and all the other men of the Ye Family Village smiled as they watched the young men joking and tussling.
-- Hadiah diterima