Qin Yong's tone shifted, the heaviness on his face disappearing, replaced by a smile of relief. He continued:
"It was only later, when the Changping Hou line rose to prominence and sought out scattered members of the clan, that they found us. That's when our branch acknowledged our roots and recognized Changping Hou as our clan leader."
Puffing out his chest, Qin Yong added proudly:
"All the land in Qin Village is under the name of Changping Hou. We pay no taxes to the court, nor are we required to perform labor for the state. Everything we cultivate belongs to us. This is why, among these surrounding villages, Qin Village is the most prosperous and secure."
His tone then softened, and he said calmly:
"Of course, to maintain the honor of the clan, our branch must protect the main line."
Pausing, Qin Yong asked:
"Are you wondering why there are practically no children aged eight to fourteen in our village?"
Without waiting for the children to answer, he immediately explained:
"Every two years, the Changping Hou Mansion sends people to collect the children of eligible age from all branches. They are brought together to the mansion for a unified training that lasts six years."
Qin Yi was about to speak when Zhuzi, ever forgetful of his past mishaps, excitedly asked as if listening to an interesting story:
"Father, did you go too?"
Qin Yong chuckled and nodded:
"Of course I went. Not only I, but the fathers of all the children you play with went as well. When you turn eight or nine, you will also go."
Before Zhuzi could continue, Qin Yi quickly interjected:
"Father, what does the Hou Mansion train you in?"
Qin Yong hesitated for a moment, then answered simply:
"Martial arts."
Sighing, he continued:
"But to truly master martial arts and become a martial practitioner is incredibly difficult. It depends not only on innate talent and comprehension, but also on resources."
Suddenly realizing something, Qin Yong added:
"And this assumes there is a proper lineage to inherit. Without inheritance, random training, even a lifetime of effort, will never make one a martial practitioner."
Qin Yi naturally understood the implication.
With such strict conditions, without acknowledging their ancestral roots, Qin Village would just be an ordinary village. Its people would never come into contact with martial practitioners, let alone become one.
What Qin Yi most wanted to know, however, was whether martial practitioners in this world possessed extraordinary power. That question, he realized, could probably only be answered by his father.
He asked cautiously:
"Father, today, when the Young Master's carriage passed by the eastern wasteland, he opened the window and looked at us. We felt our minds being seized. Was that… the work of a martial practitioner?"
Qin Yi deliberately left out the part where he had conversed with the Young Master.
Qin Yong was slightly surprised at the question, murmuring to himself:
"The Young Master opened the window as he passed the eastern wasteland? That shouldn't happen…"
But he quickly realized—if their minds were affected, how did Da Tou know about it? Clearly, Da Tou's talent was extraordinary.
Qin Yong glanced at Da Tou meaningfully but didn't elaborate. Instead, he answered along the lines of Da Tou's question:
"That is the aura unique to martial practitioners."
He sighed in despair:
"There is a tremendous gap between martial practitioners and ordinary people. Ordinary people have no courage to act in front of a martial practitioner. If a martial practitioner decides to attack, ordinary people are powerless."
Hearing this, Qin Yi felt a chill in his chest, as if standing on a cliff's edge in high winds, teetering, ready to fall into an abyss at any moment.
Then, realizing something, Qin Yong quickly dispelled the despair in his expression and smiled:
"However, the court imposes strict laws on martial practitioners—they cannot arbitrarily harm ordinary people, nor can they unleash their aura without cause. So as long as we do not provoke them, we will be safe."
Yet Qin Yi was not reassured. He did not like placing his safety in the hands of others' moods.
He asked stubbornly:
"Then… do ordinary people have no means to resist martial practitioners?"
Qin Yong shook his head firmly:
"Only martial practitioners can counter other martial practitioners. Ordinary people cannot resist them."
Qin Yi frowned. The gulf between martial practitioners and ordinary people was even greater than that between nobles and commoners in the old feudal dynasties of his past life.
Seeing Da Tou with a puzzled look on his face, Zhuzi asked anxiously:
"Father, didn't you say that we shouldn't be affected by that… aura? But just now Da Tou said the Young Master used it on them. Did he do something wrong?"
Qin Yong glanced nervously toward the door, then swatted Zhuzi's rear again, reminding him firmly:
"How many times have I told you, never be disrespectful to the Young Master?"
He then explained patiently:
"The Young Master didn't actively release his aura. You children are too young, your minds too weak. Even if the Young Master did nothing deliberately, just appearing before your eyes was enough for your minds to be affected."
To ease the tension and change the subject, Qin Yong continued:
"You might not know, but there are martial practitioners in our village. As I mentioned earlier, even without actively using their aura, you children could not withstand them, so they usually stay behind closed doors. That's why you've never noticed them."
Qin Yi finally understood.
Martial practitioners had been living so close to him, right beside him, all these years, and he had not realized it.
Although, of course, "behind closed doors" was somewhat of an exaggeration—people still went out. But to ensure children's safety, they would not appear in front of them, and parents deliberately kept the children unaware.
This meant that although Qin Yi and the others lived alongside martial practitioners for years, they had never known of their existence.
Suddenly, a thought struck Qin Yi.
If such rules were known even to his father—a non-martial practitioner ordinary man—then surely the Young Master must have known too.
If he knew, why would he deliberately break this rule?
Was it just his temperament, or…
Qin Yi recalled the moment the Young Master opened the window, looking only at him and speaking, ignoring everyone else. His heart skipped a beat.
Could it be… that I caused him to break this precedent?
For me, is this a blessing, or a curse?
(End of Chapter)