Before returning to the town, Duan Yan went to see Old Daoist Hu one last time. He had brought Chen Hu along to purge the traitor from within, but the old Daoist was not one of his men, so there was no need for him to take the trouble of escorting him out. Whatever questions needed asking and whatever business needed handling could be dealt with here.
“By now, the two of you can barely save yourselves. Killing someone with a medicinal formula is a serious crime. Even if you escape execution, you’ll hardly avoid a heavy prison sentence. You needn’t entertain any more thoughts of using another poison to cover your tracks. Magistrate Kong has already obtained a better formula.”
Duan Yan spoke leisurely to Old Daoist Hu. “You should know why I’ve come to see you.”
Though Old Daoist Hu had never formally met Duan Yan, he had worked for Chen Hu for a long time and had supplied him with poisons. How could he not know who Duan Yan was?
Now that Duan Yan had summoned him alone for interrogation, Old Daoist Hu was terrified.
He crawled on his knees to Duan Yan. “Brother Duan, it wasn’t that I meant to wrong you. I’m only a medicine-maker. How could I know what the buyer intended to do with the medicine after taking it?”
“Of course I know that,” Duan Yan said with a faint smile. “But other people don’t.”
Old Daoist Hu’s eyes shifted. He immediately understood that Duan Yan had come to obtain his testimony, and he fell silent again.
To catch a thief, one needed evidence. If he left behind a confession, wouldn’t that give others one more piece of evidence to use against him? How could he possibly do that?
Seeing that Old Daoist Hu refused to speak, Duan Yan was in no hurry. He said slowly, “You and Chen Hu must have worked together for quite some time. You should have some idea of what sort of man he is.
“Now that both of you have fallen into trouble, do you think he’ll take all the blame upon himself just to save his own life? He can easily claim that you were the one who found the formula and gave it to him so he could take credit. He only rushed to save people because he was desperate, and was deceived by you.”
Old Daoist Hu’s expression changed. He said coldly, “Since I’m doomed to die either way, why should I give you a confession?”
“Indeed, you needn’t. That would merely leave me with one less piece of solid evidence to take back and use to purge the traitor from within. It would allow Chen Hu’s crime of poisoning his former master to remain hidden, and spare him one more charge.”
Duan Yan continued, “But I still have a duty to remind you of something. Magistrate Kong has already promoted me to patrol inspector. When you and Chen Hu fall into the hands of the judicial authorities and are subjected to questioning, I’ll be sure to show you both special consideration. By then, the things you refuse to say now will surely be confessed after you’ve been through one or two implements of torture.”
Old Daoist Hu felt his breath seize in his chest. He stared at Duan Yan, not daring to make a sound…
Duan Yan ordered Gou San’er to bring Tie Da and Tie Er and take Chen Hu, Zhang Wang, Biaozi, and Hanzi back. He also sent out a notice instructing all the managers and stewards of the farmsteads to come to town.
That evening, there was inevitably a reckoning to be made.
“Should I escort you back, or what?”
After arranging everything at hand, Duan Yan found a quiet place and asked Song Fengsui what he intended to do.
“I can return on my own. You’re already attracting enough attention. If you escort me, someone might see us together and spread the word. Once my identity is exposed, you’ll easily be implicated as well.”
Ever since Song Fengsui had left the village, Duan Yan had been worried sick. The village was still in chaos as the authorities worked to reassure the people and distribute new medicine. The epidemic had not been completely eradicated, so the guards stationed around the village surely would not have been withdrawn yet.
How could Duan Yan possibly feel at ease letting Song Fengsui run back and forth alone? Song Fengsui himself did not even know that he was the sort of person who seemed destined to run into trouble. The fact that nothing had happened to him on the way out had already made Duan Yan’s heart pound with fear. If he made the trip again, wouldn’t Duan Yan be left constantly on tenterhooks?
“How can that be? I promised Uncle Song that I would keep you safe. You came out here to find me, so I must take responsibility for your safety. How could I simply abandon you once my business is finished?”
Duan Yan thought for a moment before saying, “Why don’t you come back to town with me first? Since we came together, we’ll return together. No one will have anything to say if they see us. But if they see only one of us, they might start wondering about your identity.
“I’ll have someone send word to Uncle Song that you’re safe. Once Chen Hu’s matter has been dealt with and today’s commotion over our arrival at the encampment has died down, I’ll have the patrol inspector’s token. Then it will be easier to escort you back to the village, whether openly or in secret.”
Song Fengsui fell silent for a while, as though lost in thought. He tilted his head slightly to avoid Duan Yan’s gaze. “That’s fine, then.”
Seeing him like that, Duan Yan could not help thinking of something as well. He gave an awkward cough, wanting to explain himself, but not knowing how.
When he finally opened his mouth, all he managed to say was, “Then hurry and mount the horse.”
It sounded more like he was urging Song Fengsui to follow him as quickly as possible…
On the way back to town, Duan Yan first escorted Song Fengsui to the residence.
Song Fengsui had been stifling beneath his hat for most of the day. The moment he entered the house, he impatiently removed it. The cloth wrapped around his hair and face was already soaked through.
Although there was no breeze that evening, casting off those restraints brought a sudden, refreshing coolness.
Duan Yan had been about to arrange for someone to deliver a message to the Song family, but when he turned his head, he saw that the fair skin beneath Song Fengsui’s chin and down his neck was covered in a patch of tiny red bumps. His brows drew together. “What happened?”
Following Duan Yan’s gaze, Song Fengsui touched his neck. The damp skin was dotted with small raised bumps. “It must be heat rash. It’s nothing serious. I’ll bathe and apply some cooling medicine later, and it will be fine.”
Duan Yan’s brows remained furrowed. His heart felt uneasy, knowing that he had once again made Song Fengsui suffer.
Seeing his expression, Song Fengsui changed the subject. “Who are you planning to send to deliver word to my father? You’ve dispatched everyone at hand to deal with other matters. Will they even be able to find their way into the village?”
“How about Lin Erlang? He knows the road to the village, and he already knows about us.”
“His temperament does seem reliable enough. Let him deliver the message.”
Song Fengsui imagined that once he returned home, he would have to endure a thorough interrogation from his family. His father had already been displeased with him when he left that morning.
And now he still had not returned. He felt a little guilty about it~
Still, with the epidemic and these sudden developments, he truly could not simply stand by and do nothing. As Duan Yan had said, the epidemic was raging across this part of Yan Town. Who could remain entirely untouched by it?
Seeing that Song Fengsui agreed, Duan Yan asked Madam Li to go home and fetch Lin Erlang, saying that he had a task for him. Madam Li hurried off home, delighted.
After returning to his room and bathing, Song Fengsui ate some food that An Ge’er brought in. He had been exhausted for several days in a row. Now that half the crisis had passed and the weight in his heart had lifted, his body was weary, his mind empty, and he relaxed enough to sleep soundly.
He lay barefoot on the bed, intending only to rest for a little while, but before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
After sending Lin Erlang on his way, Duan Yan went to tell Song Fengsui that he intended to deal with matters at the smithy. But when he arrived, he saw An Ge’er stepping out of the room and carefully closing the door behind him.
“He ate a plate of rice cakes, along with some chicken and an egg pancake. He’s already gone to bed and is sleeping soundly.”
Hearing that Song Fengsui had not only eaten but had also fallen asleep, Duan Yan figured that he must truly be exhausted; otherwise, he would never have been so obedient. That was a good thing. Duan Yan decided not to disturb him. After giving An Ge’er a few more instructions, he left with Gou San’er for the smithy.
At the smithy, meanwhile, the atmosphere was unmistakably tense and heavy.
As dusk fell, the rear courtyard of the shop was brightly lit. Everyone Duan Yan had summoned had arrived, yet without a word from their employer, none of them knew what this urgent gathering was about.
In particular, when they saw that Manager Lü of Liucun Manor had also been brought over, Steward Fei—who had not heard the slightest hint of what was happening—felt his heart tighten. In the sweltering weather, he wiped away his sweat several times and secretly questioned those he knew, hoping to exchange information. Why had their employer summoned all the managers so urgently? Had something gone wrong?
Most of those present had heard something about the falling-out between Duan Yan and Chen Hu, though each person knew only a fragment of the story, and no one had yet pieced it all together.
Now that they had been summoned here, they more or less had their suspicions, but none knew the details. Several of them had private dealings with Duan Yan and naturally did not dare answer anyone’s questions too freely.
Everyone was uneasy. No one could stomach their tea, and no one could sit comfortably.
What was strange was that Chen Hu still had not appeared.
After waiting anxiously for nearly an hour, Gou San’er entered first, with Duan Yan following behind him like a gust of wind. At last, the judgment they had been dreading seemed about to begin. Everyone hurried to their feet and greeted him respectfully.
“Big Brother!”
“Boss…”
Duan Yan strode into the room. Gou San’er quickly trotted to the head seat and shifted the grand armchair slightly. Duan Yan sat down with the imposing air of a man accustomed to having the final say.
Everyone in the hall looked toward the man seated at the head. They drew a quiet breath. It had been a very long time since they had witnessed such a solemn occasion.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve gathered everyone together like this. If this were not a serious matter, I would not have made you come all this way while the epidemic is raging.”
Duan Yan raised a hand. “Bring him out.”
At his command, Tie Da and Tie Er left the hall. Amid the astonishment and nervousness of those below, Chen Hu—whom no one had seen until now—was dragged into the hall, bound hand and foot.
Not only were Chen Hu’s limbs tightly tied, but a filthy cloth had also been stuffed into his mouth. When he saw all the familiar faces in the hall, he struggled wildly and widened his eyes, clearly trying to say something. But with the cloth wedged so tightly in his mouth, his forehead soon grew slick with sweat, and all he could produce were muffled whimpers.
Earlier that day, when Gou San’er had come to take him from Kong Youhua’s camp, Chen Hu had secretly rejoiced. At least he had not completely fallen out with Duan Yan or pushed him into an all-out fight. Despite his anger, Duan Yan was still willing to rescue him.
Chen Hu had already begun making plans. Once he returned, he would kneel and apologize to Duan Yan, getting past this hurdle first. He could make other arrangements afterward. After all, one had to know when to bend and when to stand if one hoped to achieve anything great.
Who could have guessed that his wishful thinking would come to nothing? Gou San’er had not only arrived without a pleasant word, but had turned around and bound him, sent him back to the shop, and locked him in the woodshed. No one had paid him any attention for hours.
He had not been allowed to see Duan Yan, either, and his heart had swung wildly between hope and fear. He could not figure out what Duan Yan thought of him now.
At long last, someone had come to open the woodshed. The next moment, Chen Hu found himself brought into the hall, where everyone with even a little standing—and anyone who could get in a word with Duan Yan—had gathered.
Even Chen Hu, usually an optimist, sensed that something was badly wrong. Judging by the situation, they clearly intended to put him on trial before everyone.
Those who did not know Chen Hu had betrayed Duan Yan were startled. Chen Hu had worked for Duan Yan for years and had always been treated with great respect. When had they ever seen him in such a wretched state?
Even those who knew he had betrayed Duan Yan were deeply shocked. The man had only just won Magistrate Kong’s favor—how had Duan Yan found the nerve and the means to have him bound and dragged here like this?
Everyone was shaken in their own way, and they turned toward Duan Yan.
“Big Brother, this…”
Some wanted to say that it was inappropriate; others were simply trembling with fear.
“You have all worked under me, Duan, for years. I imagine you know that I have never treated Chen Hu unfairly. Yet today, you see me acting completely out of character, tying him up and displaying him here before everyone.
“I have gone to all this trouble today so that every one of you will understand this: I, Duan Yan, will not tolerate anyone who forgets the debt they owe, betrays their master, and acts with cruelty and treachery!”
At his words, Chen Hu began thrashing about like a maggot. Seeing how desperately the man was trying to defend himself, Duan Yan showed him a rare mercy and had Gou San’er pull the cloth from his mouth.
Since this was an interrogation, the accused should at least be given the freedom to speak. Otherwise, would that not make it appear that he had been convicted through torture and false charges?
Duan Yan wanted to see what sort of excuse Chen Hu could still come up with.
“Big Brother! Big Brother!”
Once the cloth was removed, Chen Hu drew several deep breaths. He crawled on his knees, trying to get closer to Duan Yan.
“I had intended to give you the prescription for treating the epidemic. But that old Daoist refused. He was afraid he would lose his own share of the benefits, so he insisted that I accompany him to the town magistrate’s office. Otherwise, he would not hand over the prescription.
“After thinking it over, I was afraid there might be something wrong with the prescription. That was why I did not report it to you at once. But then the town magistrate took a liking to me and appointed me as a patrol inspector.
“I admit that I was narrow-minded and had never seen much of the world. Once I received the appointment, I became carried away and said things I should not have, hurting you, Big Brother.
“I was young and hot-blooded. After leaving the shop, I soon came to my senses. I regretted saying those things to you and had intended to come find you and confess my wrongdoing. But before I had the chance, the old Daoist’s prescription caused someone’s death. Magistrate Kong was furious and had me taken away for questioning!
“Thinking back on it now, it was fortunate that I did not rashly give the prescription to you. Otherwise, would it not have been you who was charged tonight? I would have regretted that for the rest of my life!
“Since you were willing to rescue me from the town magistrate’s office, I know that you must still cherish the bond we shared in the past. You have treated me so generously, yet I was too ungrateful to appreciate it. Big Brother, I accept my punishment. Even if you break both my legs today, I will not utter a single complaint.”
Chen Hu’s voice broke with emotion, and when he finished speaking, he slammed his forehead heavily against the floor before Duan Yan.
As he pleaded his case, he secretly exchanged glances with Wang Quan, Manager Lü, and the others, signaling for them to speak up and plead for mercy at the appropriate moment.
But after he had knelt there for quite some time, not a single person in the hall dared to make a sound. From Chen Hu’s explanation, those from the estates had finally pieced together part of the story.
Apparently, Chen Hu had obtained a prescription for treating the epidemic and secretly gone to Old Daoist Hu to use it in exchange for a patrol inspector’s appointment from Kong Youhua. Believing himself superior to Duan Yan, he had strutted about and flaunted his authority in front of him. But fortunes changed without warning. Before he had enjoyed his triumph for even half a day, the prescription had been exposed as faulty, and he had become a prisoner instead.
No one knew what they could possibly say. More than anything, they were watching Duan Yan’s reaction.
“That was quite a speech. It was moving enough to make anyone’s heart ache. But if one listens closely, it seems that in the end, everything comes down to my being angry and jealous that you had achieved something without sharing the credit with me.”
Duan Yan’s tone remained indifferent.
“You have followed me for many years and handled matters well. If you truly found a higher position and wished to sever ties with me, then after all the years we spent as brothers, we could simply have parted on good terms. But Chen Hu, did you ever truly intend for us to part amicably?
“All these years, I had you oversee Liucun Manor. You kept two sets of books and embezzled thousands of taels’ worth of the manor’s assets. You deceived those above and below you, had an incompetent physician give Wang Quan’s mother medicine that damaged her health, and used that to control Wang Quan for your own purposes. You repeatedly sowed discord between me and the people under me.
“How do you intend to explain any of that?”
“You were blinded by greed and acted as you did. I bear some blame as well. I failed to judge your character and placed too much trust in you, allowing you to commit so many acts of treachery.”
Duan Yan stared straight into Chen Hu’s eyes. “You were greedy and had your own ulterior motives—I’ll say no more about that. But I believe I treated you well enough. How could you bring yourself to poison me?”
The charges he had listed earlier were shocking, but not yet enough to inspire terror. It was only when Duan Yan coldly revealed that Chen Hu had poisoned him that everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.
It was as though a thunderbolt had exploded right in the middle of the hall!
Just as Duan Yan had said, everyone present knew how much prestige and trust Chen Hu had enjoyed over the years. Even his embezzlement and abuse of power might have been explained away to some extent—but that he had poisoned Duan Yan, who had never treated him unfairly, was truly horrifying.
No one dared even breathe too loudly, fearing there might still be some misunderstanding.
But as soon as Duan Yan finished speaking, Gou San’er produced the falsified account books. At the same time, he brought out two packets of poison and a written confession.
Everyone hurriedly passed the items around, examining them.
“This… this!”
“This poison was refined by the old Daoist who supplied Chen Hu with the prescription for the epidemic medicine,” Gou San’er explained in detail. “It’s a slow-acting poison, difficult to detect. Taken over a long period, it gradually weakens the body. If the victim becomes angry or exerts himself too strenuously, his qi and blood can easily surge, causing sudden death! And yet the poison leaves no obvious trace. It can be traced back to two years ago—he had already begun putting it into Big Brother’s meals then.”
“It was only because Big Brother had a strong constitution that he didn’t collapse sooner. He found out he’d been poisoned before that happened.”
Wang Quan strode forward and exposed him as well. “When he saw that Big Brother still hadn’t fallen, he grew impatient. He threatened me with my old mother and forced an even more potent poison on me, ordering me to use it against Big Brother!”
After hearing all this and seeing the conclusive evidence, the people from the estate knew that none of it was baseless rumor. There was no way Chen Hu could deny it now. They were utterly terrified.
Those who often ate and drank alongside Chen Hu and Duan Yan at the ironworks felt an even colder chill run down their spines. Chen Hu was vicious enough to poison even Duan Yan. Who could say whether they themselves had already been poisoned without knowing it?
Chen Hu had thought he still had room to argue, but he had never imagined that Duan Yan had somehow learned every one of his schemes and gathered evidence against him.
In an instant, it felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss.
The cunning in his eyes vanished under Duan Yan’s methods. Almost instinctively, he opened his mouth to beg for mercy—but the moment his lips moved, a flying kick sent him sprawling. It nearly twisted his mouth out of shape.
“You dog-born bastard! You brainless wretch! We used to treat you like a brother, and you still tried to take Big Brother’s life!”
Tie Da had a straightforward temper. Fists and feet came before any reasoning.
His anger had reached a boiling point, and one kick was nowhere near enough to vent it. He grabbed Chen Hu from the ground and hammered him with several vicious punches. Tie Er joined in, and the two brothers beat him as though they meant to kill him. Chen Hu could not even speak; blood pouring from his nose and mouth choked the words back down.
Thinking of how his old mother had been wronged, Wang Quan also wanted to vent his fury.
Duan Yan watched coldly as Chen Hu took blow after blow. When Chen Hu’s eyes rolled back and he seemed about to lose consciousness, Duan Yan finally spoke.
“That’s enough. If you beat him to death here, we’ll be accused of administering private punishment, and there’ll be no one to hand over to Magistrate Sun.
“I went to the trouble of bringing him back because I wanted to lay everything he’s done bare and clear, so that he wouldn’t die under the government’s judgment with all these crimes still following him into the grave.”
With Gou San’er taking the lead, the others finally pulled the three men away.
Duan Yan swept his gaze across the hall, taking in every face—some frightened, some furious, and others deep in thought—before slowly rising to his feet.
“I, Duan Yan, could never have reached where I am today without the support of everyone present. But I am no saint, and I will not allow the people under me to sow discord or commit vile acts behind my back.
“Today, I’ll make myself perfectly clear. If you are still willing to serve me loyally, then no matter how close you once were to Chen Hu, I will not pursue the matter, nor will I let his crimes implicate any of you. If you would rather leave and seek another arrangement, I won’t make things difficult for you either.”
He paused, his gaze stabbing into the depths of every person’s eyes.
“But if you stay, and anyone dares to harbor crooked intentions or stab me in the back again…”
His chin tilted toward Chen Hu, who lay on the ground, breathing weakly.
“This will be your fate. I will show no mercy.”
Everyone in the hall stiffened. They hurriedly straightened and bowed with their fists clasped.
“Big Brother has always treated us generously and dealt out rewards and punishments fairly. We absolutely would never harbor a second thought!”
Duan Yan took Chen Hu to the town’s administrative office and submitted all the evidence he had gathered concerning the poisoning to the authorities. Falsifying accounts was, strictly speaking, a private matter between an employer and his hired men, but poisoning one’s master was a crime punishable by imprisonment. Duan Yan naturally had no intention of letting Chen Hu off.
Magistrate Sun already favored him. Once he saw the evidence, he would not have sentenced Chen Hu too harshly for the poison alone—but with this added to the case, he would certainly do Duan Yan the favor of showing Chen Hu no mercy.
And before the final judgment was handed down, Chen Hu could hardly be allowed to enjoy himself in prison. Gou San’er and Wang Quan secretly spoke with the constables in charge of the criminal court. Chen Hu would be given plenty of “special attention.”
As for Chen Hu’s lackeys, Biaozi and Hanzi, as well as Zhang Wang, that fence-sitter, they were all thrown into prison too. They might not receive the death penalty, but they would very likely be sentenced to hard labor.
With the major tumors removed, there were probably still some of Chen Hu’s people scattered throughout the estate. Most were insignificant underlings with no real say in anything. They could be given a warning; as long as they worked honestly, there was no need to wipe them all out. But if they continued making trouble, Duan Yan would use the opportunity to purge them as well.
Duan Yan acted swiftly and decisively. After dealing with Chen Hu, he took his men to Chen Hu’s home. Trouble would not be visited upon the innocent members of his family, so he left the old and young members of the Chen family alone. But the money and goods Chen Hu had embezzled from him naturally had to be reclaimed.
They would never have known how extravagantly the family had been living if they had not come to Chen’s residence. Their days here were practically dripping with wealth!
The family was in the middle of a meal. Four people sat around a large round table of carved blackwood. It was neither a festival nor a holiday, yet their dinner consisted of chicken, duck, fish, and lamb, with a dozen or more dishes laid out before them.
Chen Hu had never properly taken a wife, but he had treated his old father well enough. After his mother passed away, he feared his father would be lonely, so he had taken the initiative and arranged for him to marry a young, attractive young man to wait upon him.
Old Master Chen was a lecher as well. One young spouse was not enough for him, so he had taken two more young ones besides.
When the group burst in, Old Master Chen was accepting a morsel of food from his spouse with his mouth. After chewing it twice, he turned his head and had one of the younger ones wipe his mouth with a handkerchief. His face was flushed with drunkenness. He was a shameless old lecher indeed; there was not a decent soul in the entire household.
Duan Yan found the sight an affront to his eyes and could not be bothered to say another word. He merely waved his hand, ordering his men to get on with the work.
“Bandits! Robbers! How dare you take our family’s belongings? Put everything down!”
“Who gave you permission to do this? My son is a patrol inspector! How dare you!”
Seeing several burly men storm into his home, Old Master Chen shuddered in fright, and the wine haze cleared from his head by a third. When he recognized the familiar faces from the ironworks, he initially tried to put on the airs of an elder.
Seeing that no one paid him the slightest heed, Old Master Chen only began to panic once they had finished gathering up the belongings. He hurried over to snatch them back, but Tie Da simply hoisted him away with one hand.
Thoroughly frightened, Old Master Chen did not dare approach again. He could only jump up and down, shouting curses.
Gou San’er picked up the four silver dishes and wondered if they were not the very ones Master Luo had sent when his elder brother celebrated his birthday. Who would have thought they had somehow ended up in a thief’s house, where someone had been enjoying them for nothing?
He went over to the old man and said, “Old Master Chen, you’d best drink a little less of that wine. You seem terribly out of touch. Your son hasn’t been an Inspector for quite some time—he’s a prisoner now~”
“I’d better tell you this early: though there are plenty of fine dishes and valuable things in the house, your good son privately embezzled over a thousand taels of silver from his master. The belongings here alone won’t be enough to cover the debt.
“If you have any private savings, bring them out and repay what he owes. If you refuse, then hurry up and pack your things and move out. The house will be used to settle the debt. Otherwise, we’ll have no choice but to take this to court. At your age, it would be best not to put yourself through too much trouble.”
Duan Yan had no desire to continue bickering with Chen Hu’s family. Seeing that his men, though rough-handed, had followed his orders and refrained from harming the old man or his family—indeed, they had not even touched anyone, merely gone about collecting the belongings—he finally felt at ease.
When Old Master Chen tried to come after him, Duan Yan did not give him the chance to rush forward, curse, and put on a tearful display. He turned and walked out of the courtyard.
The moon was bright and the stars sparse—a fine night.
A breeze stirred, bringing a refreshing comfort to his body.
Duan Yan gazed up at the night sky. By his reckoning, he had not actually been here for very long, yet it felt as though an age had passed.
Perhaps it was because he had taken over such a complete mess and had been treading carefully, step by step, keeping his nerves taut the entire time. With one matter after another piling up, it made the passage of time seem much longer.
Still, at least one major problem had finally been dealt with. He knew the real troubles had yet to arrive: the chaos of war, natural disasters, and years of famine. Those would be the true tests of human nature.
But with no one around him constantly scheming viciously against him, he felt much more at ease. Moreover, he had not only steadily reclaimed the people and enterprises that had originally belonged to him, but had also gained authority from the government. Handling matters would be far easier from now on.
Let the troubled times come, let disasters and famine descend—he would face them with everything he had!
