"Nobody knows what actually happened between you and your father, we can make up a story that suits our needs." And the two began to tailor a devious, almost diabolical plan.
Zhang Jian was to lie and say that he was A grade. This would put Grandfather in a weaker position and force him to listen rather than retaliate. Zhang Jian took off the bandage and bled himself a bit to remove any suspicion on Li Rou.
They would take the exact amount of money needed to not harm the family greatly, that way when the truth eventually leaks out, the Clan wouldn't be so bent on hunting Zhang Jian down.
When Grandfather agreed to the blackmail, Zhang Jian proposed the following: "I have hidden Fathers body in the forest, but even if he goes missing for a few weeks nobody will care about that bum. So here's what I'm thinking, you give us at least hmmm... 1000 Yin? How's that sound?"
Yin is a round coin with a square hole in the center, it resembles silver but that metal that its made of is far from it. 1 Yin is approximately 100 US dollars on earth in terms of monetary value. But if you were to estimate its actual value based off its uses, it could chalk up way higher.
"That's outrageous! We don't even have 500 Yin in storage!" and like that Grandfather has already fallen into the snakes mouth.
"Give me everything you have then." Zhang Jian haggled his Grandfather until they came to the deal of 100 Yin, which left his Grandfather feeling proud of himself until he realized that he's been scammed out off 100 Yin for practically nothing.
Zhang Feng had left the room during the haggling, he went to see his mother. Li Rou was packing leftover food in the kitchen for the journey ahead. "Mother what are you doing?" She shushed him.
The servants quarters were just nearby and Li Rou did not have much time. Zhang Feng sort of put together what was going on.
After a hasty preparation, Zhang Jian had received the money from the family treasury. Both Grandfather and Zhang Jian saw each other off like two scheming businessmen, both assuring themselves that they got the better end of the deal.
It would not be until the next day that Grandfather had realized he was swindled, a very bad morning for his tea cup.
Li Rou gave a deep hug to the two of her boys, she pretended like she was crying. Zhang Jian and her exchanged a few words while Zhang Feng went on ahead.
The two brothers reunited at the entrance to the village, the guards had stopped Zhang Feng from progressing further. He explained to them that he was travelling with his brother, and that Zhang Jian would be there shortly.
"What seems to be the hold up?" Zhang Jian said with a calm and cunning smile, the two men who were arguing with Zhang Feng turned to him.
Zhang Jian is notorious in the village for getting away with whatever he wanted, even though his family had only heard of him beating other children, he has robbed, snuck out of the village on multiple occasions, relocated a cow 10 kilometers away from its herd onto some poor fellows shop and wreaked havoc among the children.
"My elder brother speaks the truth, here's a note from my Mother. In the morning you can even visit our house, she will tell you everything." The guards looked at each other, than at Zhang Jian and laughed hysterically "You expect us to believe you? What a joke!" When speaking rationally with the authorities fail, always turn to blatant bribery.
Zhang Jian pulled out a small pouch, he dangled it from his hand in the air and it made clinking noises. "5, this is the note, please make sure that the note magically disappears when you are questioned." The guards stared at the pouch, one reached out to grab it but Zhang Jian pulled away "Let us through first"
With a groan, they let the boys through and after about 20 meters from the gate, a pouch could be seen flying through the air at the guards. When they caught and opened it, there was wooden circles with square holes in them, 5 in number. You could really tell some master craftsman made this with time and dedication.
Betrayed, they searched everywhere, the brothers were far gone from the village. The mortal guards had no choice but to inform their boss about this incident, but then they brainstormed for a bit and realized they can pin this on Madam Zhang. "She's a mortal like us, if the boys had "only told us that their mother had sent them on their way" then we can avoid punishment." but that's not guaranteed.
They finally concluded that staying silent was the best option. But once again, the prey has fallen into the snakes mouth.
"Brother Jian, can you explain to me everything that has happened since you arrived home this evening? I am very lost." They ran through the bamboo woods, the moonlight shone brightly alongside the stars. It was an ethereal moment in the sky, entire galaxies and constellations came together to sculpt the night sky.
"Well, first I had to clean up those kids. Then when I got home Father was really fuming. I sort of got into fight with him and then uhhh.." Zhang Jian had this face that you could tell he was hiding something, but most of the time you wouldn't know what he was hiding.
"Don't tell me, you actually killed that bastard?!" Zhang Feng laughed, his brother replied with the most serious expression "I did actually." That laughter almost immediately halted, and so did Zhang Feng. "What?" He stared at his brother, who stopped a few meters away from him.
"I did, there was no other way, he was going to kill me."
Liar...
Zhang Feng did not have any empathy for that man named Zhang Qian, but the fact is that his younger brother has murdered his father in cold blood and threatened his grandfather. This was far, far more insane than his usual antics.
Zhang Feng stood there with his eyebrows furrowed, contemplating what in the world was going on. "And what about the body? where did you bury it?" Zhang Feng's grasp on the situation was weakening, he had assumed Zhang Jian had knocked out Father and plotted with mother so that the brothers could escape. It seems he was thoroughly incorrect however.
"I did not, it would not matter either way. I want them to find the body." Zhang Jian's jade eyes glowed in the moonlight, making him look different than normal.
"Tomorrow Grandfather will realize that I have swindled him, he will organize the servants to search for Father's body. But to their surprise they will find it almost immediately. When the body is found, rumors will spread. The guards will come under fire for letting us leave the village, there was never a note in the pouch nor any money. There is absolutely no trace back to Mother so don't worry."
"Wait, wait. What the hell are you going on about?" Zhang Feng could understand what he was saying, but it was just too many threads to hold together.
"I am saying, by the time the Lan Tian Clan gets their shit together, we will be far gone from this side of the mountain. Do not worry, I have gotten us more than enough time and money. Mother planned everything with me as soon as I told her that we had to leave. Brother Feng, everything will be alright."
Zhang Jian had a sorrowful expression on his face, it seemed to have convinced Zhang Feng. "Zhang Jian, what are you planning?" He said with determination in his eyes.
The cold night breeze, Zhang Jian's hair flowed freely in the wind. The heavens were absolutely dumbfounded at his genius, this liar has successfully convinced his naïve brother that the murder was some kind of accident.