Chapter 0001: A Long Howl

"It is better if they do not come, it will be peaceful," Li Ze said with a cold smile

"How does Sister Xia Zhu know that it is the young master calling?" Xia He said with a light laugh

The people below find it neither strange nor surprising, merely assuming that they have not heard it. Over the past few years, whenever Li Ze ascends to the rooftop and adopts this posture to squat for a while, he always concludes with a peculiar and eerie howling sound.

Li Ze is only fourteen years old this year, but he is significantly taller than his peers. At the age of fourteen, he has already reached about 1.7 meters in height. Although his face cannot be said to rival that of Pan An in beauty, it is nonetheless characterized by distinct features, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a sense of heroism. Of course, this is also attributed to his excellent genetic inheritance, coupled with favorable living conditions.

Li Ze stood up on the roof, spreading his arms wide as if he wanted to embrace something in his bosom, and then he opened his mouth and let out a long howl towards the sky

Xia He was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, "Young Master, what are you doing?"

When have you ever seen your wife angry

Li Ze's mother, Madam Wang, resides in Jingxin Pavilion, while Li Ze lives in Mingshuyuan. These two courtyards are in close proximity, connected by a corridor. In addition to the two of them, there is also a special individual who possesses an independent courtyard, namely Gongsun Changming, who teaches Li Ze to read, residing in Moxiangju

Upon entering the main hall, Li Ze immediately saw Madam Wang sitting upright at the edge of the table

Madam Wang did not say a word; she simply picked up her chopsticks and quietly began to eat.

Li Ze nodded and strode inside, while behind him, Xia He softly explained, "When the young master was playing outside, he accidentally got some dirty things on him from the birds. After washing up, he arrived a bit late. Sister Xia Zhu, the madam is not angry, is she?"

He stood on the rooftop, posing as a thinker, while several pairs of eyes in the courtyard below were fixed upon him. Even if their necks grew sore from straining, they dared not let their guard down. The lives and fortunes of these individuals were all tied to Li Ze alone. It was not just a matter of Li Ze facing any serious misfortune; even a mere headache or cold would be a significant concern for them.

In the Ming Shu Garden, in addition to Li Ze, there were also more than ten other residents, among whom were Tu Lichun and several other guards, as well as the main maid Xia He and some other rough servant girls

Hmm! Li Ze nodded. He pulled over his clothes and sniffed, "There is indeed a bit of a smell"

Li Ze let out a cold laugh, stopped in his tracks, and turned to look at the towering, lush green mountains in the distance. "Small doors and small households, ha ha, at least small doors and small households can live freely. But can we? We are merely birds trapped in a cage, unaware of when we might offend someone, who could reach out and crush us at any moment. Living for today without a tomorrow, it would be better to live boldly, however we wish. That way, even if we die, we wouldn't have lost anything, would we?" We are merely birds trapped in a cage, unaware of when we might offend someone, who could reach out and crush us at any moment. Living for today without a tomorrow, it would be better to live boldly, however we wish. That way, even if we die, we wouldn't have lost anything, would we?

Behind Xia He stood a burly man with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, standing with his arms crossed. In stark contrast to Xia He's imposing elegance, this man appeared much more unadorned, exuding an air of efficiency and simplicity.

Our young master's temperament is indeed quite interesting. When others get angry, they often vent their frustrations on others; however, he is different, as he simply shouts and then resolves his own feelings.

"Ha, a bright future?" Li Ze said dismissively, curling his lips.

Li Ze shrugged and said, "It's just a bit of flavor, what does it matter whether it changes or not"

Indeed, not only have Xia Zhu and Xia He never seen it, but even he has never witnessed his mother being angry. Not only has she never been angry, but she has also never been happy. Even as Li Ze has grown up, he has hardly seen his mother smile. Madam Wang always maintains a faint expression, regardless of whether Li Ze has caused any trouble or achieved any minor accomplishments, her expression remains unchanged, as cold and unyielding as ancient ice.

Upon passing through the long corridor, I arrived at the entrance of the Jingxin Pavilion, where a maid dressed similarly to Xia He was already waiting. Upon seeing Li Ze, she crouched slightly and greeted him softly, saying, "Young Master, the Madam is already waiting in the main hall."

Li Ze turned around, yet the words that Xia Zhu had just spoken still echoed in his mind

Xia He turned back to glance at Tu Lichun, who, seemingly unfazed, walked a few steps behind them with his hands hanging down, as if he had not heard what Li Ze had just said

"Young Master, after all, the Master is your father!" Xia He advised, "No matter what, it is not appropriate for you to speak like this behind his back. If this were to reach the Master's ears, he would be even less pleased. In these past two years, the Master's visits here have become increasingly infrequent."

Xia He stepped forward two paces, took out a handkerchief to wipe the bird droppings off Li Ze's body, and frowned as she said: "Young Master, you should return to your room to wash up first and change into a clean set of clothes before going out."

Two young girls were whispering behind him. Li Ze's footsteps paused slightly as he turned to glance at them. The two immediately lowered their heads and fell silent.

"Young master, please do not speak nonsense; your future is indeed bright!" Xia He, affected by Li Ze's words, showed a somewhat pale expression, yet she still mustered her spirits to offer comfort.

Tu Lichun is indeed quite remarkable, but that old man Gongsun, do you really think he came to teach me how to read? Rather than saying he came to teach me, it would be more accurate to say he came here to seek refuge. This old man is quite shrewd; he knows how to hide people all in one place, which certainly makes things easier.

The master is quite concerned about you; not only has he sent a capable bodyguard like Brother Tu to protect you, but he has also invited Mr. Gongsun to teach you how to read. I have heard that Mr. Gongsun is a highly renowned scholar! If the master were indifferent to you, how could he go to such lengths?

Looking at Li Ze's appearance, Xia He sighed, said nothing more, and simply led Li Ze towards the backyard

"Young Master, it is almost time, and Madam is waiting for you to dine!" A girl dressed in an orange skirt called out cheerfully while rubbing her neck with her hand. Her name is Xia He, and she is the chief maid in Li Ze's household. Although she holds the title of a maid, in reality, the maids in such households live more comfortably and nobly than the young ladies in ordinary families. Not to mention, this round-neck, diagonal-collared dress, embroidered with gold and silver patterns, is worth more than ten taels of silver. Her name is Xia He, and she is the chief maid in Li Ze's household. Although she holds the title of a maid, in reality, the maids in such households live more comfortably and nobly than the young ladies in ordinary families. Not to mention, this round-neck, diagonal-collared dress, embroidered with gold and silver patterns, is worth more than ten taels of silver. Furthermore, the jade hairpin atop her head and the white jade bracelet entwined with gold threads on her wrist, each of which could provide for a small family's sustenance for an entire year.

A whirlwind suddenly arose above the open area ahead, wrapping up pieces of golden fallen leaves and swirling upward with a whoosh, soaring higher than the rooftops. Then, with a rustling sound, the leaves scattered and floated down like feathers. The whirlwind came swiftly and departed just as quickly; without the support of the wind, most of the fallen leaves could only drift down to the ground. Naturally, many of them landed on Li Ze, who was currently sitting on the roof ridge.

"Young Master, we are not from a humble background. In our speech and actions, in our dealings with others, and in our attire and grooming, we naturally must pay attention to certain standards" said Xia He in a low voice

Originally, Tu Lichun, who was standing with his hands crossed, took a step forward. With a gentle pull and lift under Li Ze's armpit, Li Ze was now firmly standing on the ground. This kind of game, the two of them had played countless times, and they were already very familiar with it.

Xia He is a quick-witted person. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she immediately began to make arrangements in quick succession. Several young girls swiftly prepared hot water and towels, while Xia He assisted Li Ze in changing his clothes. After he washed up, the two of them headed straight to the Jingxin Pavilion to see Madam Wang. As for Tu Lichun and the others, their meals would naturally be sent from the kitchen to the Mingshu Courtyard.

When they first heard it, everyone was quite apprehensive, thinking that the young master had gone mad. However, after a period of shouting, the young master's mood seemed to improve for a while, and everyone gradually became accustomed to it. Later on, whenever Xia He felt that the young master's emotions were unstable again, she even encouraged Li Ze to go up to the roof to enjoy the scenery.

"Nonsense, at home, aside from the young master, who else dares to shout so recklessly? Which servant would be so audacious? Aren't they afraid of being kicked out?" Xia Zhu cast a glance at Xia He.

His name is Tu Lichun, and he is the bodyguard of Li Ze

"When have you ever seen a wife get angry?" Xia Zhu's voice was also low, "The young master is on the roof again, and we can faintly hear his call from the backyard."

"Indeed," Xia He said with a smile, "I don't know what is wrong with the young master today. As he looks at the messages sent from outside, his mood has become extremely poor again. You know, every time it reaches this point, the young master goes up to the roof and shouts for a while, which helps to relieve a lot of his stress."

As expected by everyone, after the howling ceased, Li Ze turned around, and the face that had previously been covered with a layer of frost was once again filled with smiles. He walked from the ridge of the roof to the edge of the eaves, and with a leap, he jumped down.

Li Ze supported his chin with both hands, his elbows resting on his knees. He had maintained this posture for quite some time, undisturbed even when leaves fell on his head and shoulders, or when a sparrow flew overhead and unceremoniously dropped a clump of dark grayish-white droppings on his expensive lake-blue jacket. He continued to stare into the distance with his large eyes, which held a hint of melancholy, yet without any focus. Even when a sparrow flew overhead and unceremoniously dropped a clump of dark grayish-white droppings on his expensive lake-blue jacket, he did not move a muscle. He remained there, gazing into the distance with his large, slightly melancholic eyes, yet without any focus.

Li Ze had become accustomed to his mother's habits, and he no longer spoke. He sat opposite her and began to eat. The two maids stood to the side, continuously serving dishes for the two of them

Mother, I have arrived said Li Ze as he bowed

This is an enormous residence, divided into a front yard and a back yard. The back yard alone, with its three entrances and exits, covers an area of over ten acres. Within the back yard, there are several smaller courtyards, each consisting of a main house, side rooms on the left and right, as well as various other buildings such as pavilions, side houses, and dozens of rooms of different sizes, along with gardens, water pavilions, and ponds. However, despite the vast space, there are only two masters, namely Li Ze and his mother. There are dozens of other servants, including gatekeepers, cleaners, gardeners, kitchen staff, seamstresses, and some rough laborers.