In the blink of an eye, a month passed. The Liu family's fate became nothing more than idle gossip among the farmers, and with the busy spring plowing, the matter naturally faded from mind.

A few incidents occurred during this time. A drunkard from the Wang family had led several of his younger brothers to break into the Zhou compound at night, only to be driven out by the guards. On his way back, he supposedly slipped and fell into a ditch, breaking his leg.

As for the Sun family, a perfectly healthy man suddenly dropped dead, his corpse burning hot to the touch. That, too, was a strange affair.

Uncle Chen trailed behind a Zhou family guard, his face fraught with worry. Before he even neared the inner courtyard, wretched screams drifted from within.

"Ah! Ah!"

Zhou Hong stood at the doorway, pacing back and forth in anxiety, occasionally peering inside. In the distance, Zhou Dashan stood rooted like an old tree, staring dully toward the inner courtyard, his lips moving without sound.

That morning, Chen Nianqiu's water had suddenly broken, throwing the entire household into a panic. Madam Lin, Madam Huang, and a gaggle of maidservants scrambled about in a flurry.

Fortunately, they had anticipated her time was near. A few days prior, the Zhou family had already arranged for a midwife to stay in the compound, just in case.

Sister-in-law, you must come through this safely, Zhou Hong prayed fervently in his heart. Because of the Sun and Wang families, his younger brother had been forced to hide in the mountains, leaving him to manage the household. If Chen Nianqiu suffered a difficult labor and something happened to her, he would carry the guilt for the rest of his life.

"Qiu'er!" Uncle Chen could not help but weep. No matter how much he obsessed over revenge, he was still a father. How could his heart not ache for his daughter?

The unceasing screams from the room gripped the hearts of everyone present.

Meanwhile, in hidden corners around the Zhou compound, several men from the Sun family crouched in wait. They gripped sharp weapons, waiting for someone to arrive.

"This Zhou Erlang has a ruthless heart. His own woman is about to give birth, yet he still won't show his face," one of them cursed.

"Why don't we charge in and drag that Chen woman out? I refuse to believe Zhou Erlang is truly that cold-blooded."

The leader lowered his voice, "Have you forgotten how Wang Laosi crippled his leg?"

"Zhou Erlang is now a vicious wolf hiding in the dark. If we wipe out his whole family, what else will hold him back?"

He silently scanned their surroundings, but even when joyous shouts erupted from the courtyard, Zhou Ping's figure still did not appear. Reluctantly, the leader stood up. "Since Zhou Erlang didn't show, there's no point in guarding this spot. Let's head back."

These men had tried to use Chen Nianqiu's labor as bait to ambush Zhou Ping.

As for charging straight in to slaughter the Zhou family, Wang Laosi had attempted exactly that over ten days ago. Zhou Dashan had suffered a stroke from the fright, yet Zhou Erlang had still refused to show himself. It wasn't until a few days ago, when Wang Laosi went alone to plow his fields, that Zhou Ping suddenly appeared and tossed him straight into a ditch, leaving him severely maimed.

After that, the Sun and Wang families naturally dared not act rashly. After all, Zhou Ping remained in the shadows while they stood in the open. If they had to stay on guard day and night, their entire clans would be driven mad.

Inside the compound.

Looking at the child the midwife carried out-wrinkled like a little monkey and utterly unsightly-Zhou Hong was nonetheless overcome with emotion. Trembling, he gathered the infant into his arms.

"Mother and child are safe. A plump boy, seven Jin and six Liang," the midwife said with a beaming smile.

Zhou Hong shouted in elation, "Zhou Shi, escort the midwife out and see to her reward!"

Immediately, Zhou Shi trotted over from the side. Dressed in fine robes woven from premium fabric, his expression radiated confidence. "Follow me."

The midwife eagerly followed. The Zhou family had always been generous; her bounty would surely be substantial.

Zhou Hong then looked around at the gathered guards and maids, calling out joyfully, "Your master is in high spirits today! Each of you, go to the storehouse and collect two hundred Wen to share in this blessing! Zhou Hu, take them down."

The servants were instantly ecstatic and, guided by Zhou Hu, dispersed one after another.

Following the extermination of the Liu clan, Zhou Hong had purchased several young boys and girls from the human brokers, raising them within the compound to guard the estate.

He appointed Zhou Shi as the steward to manage the estate's affairs and oversee the guards' martial arts training. Zhou Hu, meanwhile, was placed in charge of the family's herbal medicine and mountain goods trade, leading men from the Qian and Lin families to forage in the mountains. Though Zhou Hu lacked strong capabilities and struggled to keep the different factions in line, his unwavering loyalty to the Zhou family made up for it.

Zhou Hong had even arranged marriages for them; their wives, Huixiang and Chunlan, were maids from the rear courtyard, ensuring their complete devotion to the family.

All of this was done to ensure the Zhou family would not be coerced by the Wang and Sun families. Handing out rewards to the servants now was also a deliberate move-a way to let Zhou Ping, hidden deep in the mountains, know that mother and child were safe and that he need not worry.

Zhou Hong looked down at the newborn, his voice softening. "Hello there, Xuanya. My good nephew."

Several Li away from the Zhou estate, deep in the mountains, Zhou Ping stood atop a boulder that offered a sweeping view of the compound. Seeing the tiny figures moving about like ants below, his eyes welled with moisture.

Over the past days, he had hidden in the wilderness to avoid the Sun and Wang families. Yet even so, Zhou Ping frequently spotted their men roaming the peaks. Ostensibly, they were foraging for herbs, but in truth, they were searching for him and Liu Ming.

However, he had already chopped Liu Ming and his companion to pieces and thrown them down a bottomless abyss. How could they possibly be found?

"The enmity of today, I will repay a hundredfold in the future!"

Zhou Ping cast a glacial stare toward the lands held by the Sun and Wang families, then turned and began his trek toward the county city.

Qingshui County City.

"Brother, when will Father come to fetch us?" Zhou Minghu asked Zhou Changhe timidly.

Even if he possessed the aptitude for cultivation, he was still only a five-year-old child. Never having been separated from his parents for this long, he was naturally fraught with terror.

Before they arrived, Zhou Ping had repeatedly drilled into him one absolute rule: he must not cultivate. After all, there were several Spirit Awakening Realm cultivators residing within the county city. If they sensed any fluctuations of Spiritual Qi, they would undoubtedly investigate the source.

Given Zhou Minghu's tender age, Zhou Ping was genuinely terrified that those people might abduct him, raise him for a dozen years, and turn him into a weapon for their own clan.

"Do not fear, Minghu. Uncle will definitely come to get us," Zhou Changhe comforted him, though his own heart was equally adrift and fearful.

Baixi Village lay dozens of Li from Qingshui County City. Aside from the times when officials ventured down to collect the grain tax, or when the county hosted grand festivals, the two places were virtually cut off from each other. Even if he wanted to uncover news of Baixi Village, he had no avenues to do so.

"Zhou Changhe, want to come out and play?" a voice called from outside. It was a boy slightly older than Zhou Changhe-Lin Zhaohe, the son of Lin Ruohe.

"Zhaohe, the county examinations are only days away. It is best not to idle about."

Lin Zhaohe merely waved his hand and laughed. "It's just the Child Scholar examination. How could I possibly fail?"

His father was the Master of Records. While the title of Child Scholar might genuinely elevate a poor family's standing, it meant little to him. Even if he scribbled complete nonsense, the clerks in the county office would smoothly pass him along as a favor.

After all, a Child Scholar held neither real status nor privilege; it was merely an empty title. It was far better for the officials to sell a favor to the Master of Records.

Only after clearing the prefectural examinations and earning the title of Xiucai would one be granted true privileges, such as exemption from corvée labor and taxes.

That was precisely why Liu Ming had persistently taken the prefectural examinations. Had he passed, the Liu family could have transferred portions of their land into his name to evade the heavy land taxes.

If one advanced further, passing the provincial examinations to become a Juren, they could even be recommended for official posts within their county. Though they might lack an official imperial rank, their authority would still be considerable.

The men from the Wang and Sun families were naturally not Juren; they were but lowly clerks within the county. Had either family produced a Juren, they would have long since claimed total dominion as the true landlords of Baixi Village.

Even when ordinary Spirit Awakening Realm cultivators returned to their hometowns, their mortal status fell far short of a Xiucai or Juren. Yet their overwhelming strength more than compensated for it, allowing them to easily forge their own family factions.

Zhou Changhe looked at Lin Zhaohe with quiet envy. If he could earn scholarly honors, even as a minor official within the county's Three Departments and Six Bureaus, he would have enough authority to suppress the turmoil plaguing his family.

But right now, he was nothing more than a commoner devoid of any rank-not even a Child Scholar.

"Zhaohe, forget it. My younger brother is here with me, I cannot leave his side."

Lin Zhaohe naturally missed the finality in Zhou Changhe's refusal, assuming he was merely tied down by babysitting duties. "Ah, just leave him with the servants to watch over!"

After much persuasion, he finally managed to convince Lin Zhaohe to leave. Sitting in the room, Zhou Changhe looked at the frightened Zhou Minghu and let out a soft sigh.

He then pulled a text from the study desk and immersed himself in it, hoping the quiet routine would soothe Zhou Minghu.

In truth, his mind was an entangled mess. He had been immensely frugal with the hundred taels of silver Zhou Ping had given him. Yet, with no news arriving from home, a heavy dread weighed on his thoughts.

He was only a ten-year-old child, and Zhou Minghu was barely five. The single guard they had brought was a full-grown man, but if they were forced to flee to distant lands, how far could one adult and two young children truly survive?

He also did not know if, over time, that guard might harbor dark intentions. After all, the human heart was the most fragile thing when put to the test.

Watching his older brother read, Zhou Minghu's small body gradually relaxed. He sat there, staring blankly at Zhou Changhe. Ever since arriving in this unfamiliar county city, surrounded by strangers and strange sights, the only time Zhou Minghu felt his fear recede was when he watched his brother study.