Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 97 Official position registered, rank of one hundred shi (a unit of grain).
The cicadas' chirping has just begun in the woods, and the summer heat is already intense.

Under the shed behind the yard, Jiang Yi was squatting down, removing seedlings and pests.

Suddenly, a commotion came from the other end of the village road. Footsteps and laughter mingled, rising and falling, and faintly mixed with the sounds of gongs and drums.

He raised an eyebrow, paused with his hoe, and looked in the direction of the sound.

On the winding dirt road, a lively scene unfolded, with crowds of people packed together.

The person at the front had straight shoulders and a composed gait, carrying a long stick on his back with copper hoops at both ends that gleamed in the sun.

Surrounded by villagers, he showed no sign of unease, a smile on his face, and his every gesture was polite and respectful, bowing and making gestures with unhurried grace.

It was Jiang Liang.

He had lost weight and gotten darker, his shoes were covered in yellow dirt, and he was covered in dust.

But his spirit and energy couldn't be hidden.

The youthful spirit remains, only it has deepened, as if it has been polished, pressed, or burned by something.

The villagers surrounded him, which was more like a crowd of onlookers than a genuine throng.

You exclaim, "That's really something!" and he replies, "Is that still the same kid?" The chatter is lively, and there's a certain interest in watching the spectacle unfold.

Jiang Liang just smiled, walked steadily, and didn't say much.

The smile showed neither shyness nor reserve, but rather as if it were something she was already used to seeing people this way.

The group arrived at the foot of Jiangjia Mountain, where the lively sounds and the sounds of gongs and drums still lingered in their ears.

Jiang Yi had already put away his hoe, but his footing was steady as he slowly went out to greet them.

Before anyone even got close, he had already bowed with his hands clasped, his voice low but clear, silencing the murmurs and laughter of the crowd:

"I'm so grateful to all my uncles and brothers for bringing him here. My son has been traveling a long way and must be exhausted. I'll come to thank you again after he's rested for a few days. I won't dare to be negligent."

He spoke tactfully and calmly, yet his subordinates had already pulled Jiang Liang to their side, protecting him securely.

They were all neighbors from the same village, and they were very sensible. Upon hearing this, they realized the matter was settled, and they all smiled, clasped their hands in greeting, and dispersed in twos and threes.

Jiang Liang turned his head to look at his father, his expression calm, his eyes seeming to hold a thousand words, yet everything was understood without being spoken.

Jiang Yi patted him on the shoulder, his voice low and calm, saying only one sentence:
"We'll talk about it when we get home."

The courtyard gate creaked shut, drawing in the tranquility of the courtyard and shutting out the noise from outside.

Jiang Mingzao stood by the door. When he saw his younger brother come in, he didn't say much, but just reached out and patted his shoulder.

The force was neither too light nor too heavy, as if confirming something, or perhaps just making a brief exchange.

Further inside, Liu Xiulian quickly came to greet her, her eyes already red before she could even speak.

She held the child's arm, looking him up and down, muttering reproachfully:

"You've lost weight, you're so thin I almost didn't recognize you... Your face is so thin, you don't look like you came back from Beijing at all..."

Although his tone was somewhat reproachful, his hands were warm, tracing along his clothes down to his wrist, as if he wanted to feel each joint himself.

Jiang Xi, with her sharp eyes and quick hands, noticed the bulging bundle hanging from her second brother's back and pounced forward, quickly untying the rope.

"Second brother, second brother! What rare thing did you bring back? Isn't the candy from Luoyang sweeter than the candy from here?"

He laughed as he flipped through the pages, making a ruckus, his tone full of joy, as if the New Year had arrived early.

Jiang Liang simply let her rummage through the things without stopping her, watching the commotion with a smile.

After exchanging a few words with her son, Liu Xiulian slowly calmed down, wiped her eyes, and pushed her son into the hall.
"Hurry up, your father is waiting."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liang stopped laughing, turned around, stood still, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and spoke in a clear and steady voice:

"Father, the child is back."

Jiang Yi remained seated in the hall, not in a hurry to get up. His gaze swept up the child's feet inch by inch, finally settling on the child's now half a head taller.

His clothes were dusty, but his expression was somber, and his aura was restrained, making him look like someone who had just returned from a battle.

Although his eyes showed no emotion, the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted slightly, and the fine lines at the corners of his eyes also seemed to be a smile.

He nodded slightly, his tone calm, yet still revealing a hint of unwavering determination:

"What have you been doing for the past year or so? Tell me in detail."

Jiang Liang answered "yes," then calmed himself down and briefly recounted what he had seen and heard along the way.

From his initial entry into the army and his reconnaissance missions, he recounted his journey to the heartland of the barbarian tribes, a maze of white bones and a tide of bloodshed. He spoke lightly, mentioning numerous life-or-death situations, his tone flat, as if he were talking about someone else's affairs.

Liu Xiulian gasped several times upon hearing this, her cuffs tightening involuntarily, her eyes reddening as she forced herself to hold back her tears.

Jiang Yi remained silent throughout, listening quietly, the brow furrow between his brows seeming to deepen slightly.

He knew all along that his son would never have been granted such a title without some extraordinary fortune.

But now, hearing it with my own ears, though the words were only hinted at, every word was sharp and every sentence gleamed with cold light.

He simply held the rough porcelain teacup, his eyes lowered, saying nothing, but his knuckles slowly turned white.

At this point, Jiang Liang slowly reached out and untied the long stick from his back.

The stick was dark and dull, with a shiny copper band, clearly an old item that had been with the user for many years.

The parts that have been held for a long time have a warm, oily sheen, and the end of the stick still retains some of the sharpness of blood.

He lowered his eyes and stroked the edge of the hoop, as if he were going through the past, or as if he was weighing how much to say.

After a long while, he finally looked up and gazed at Jiang Ming.

"The reason I survived the blood array and even made a contribution is because of it."

His tone was neither loud nor soft, but it sounded quite heavy in the room.

After pausing, he continued:
"When we arrived in Luoyang, several Taoist priests from the Celestial Masters sect borrowed it to take a look, and they said that there were some Taoist secrets in the copper hoop that could suppress evil spirits and ward off evil.

"We even took it back to the mountain and tried it a few times, but... we still couldn't figure out the cause."

As she spoke, she glanced at her elder brother again, her gaze containing a hint of probing.

But Jiang Ming remained seated upright, a very faint smile on his face, unmoved and unfazed.

"I picked it up casually back then, and now I have this strange encounter with you. It must be destiny."

These words were spoken in a calm and measured manner, without revealing any excessive interest.

Jiang Liang is no longer the stubborn kid he used to be.

Having spent several years in the army, he had long since learned to read people's expressions. Seeing his elder brother's expression, he knew that he did not want to talk about it in depth, so he stopped talking.

He turned his head and saw that his parents still looked somewhat dazed.

He quickly waved his hand with a smile, changing his tone to a lighter one:

"All that fighting and killing sounds impressive, but it's all in the past."

As he spoke, he blinked, his youthful smile reminiscent of the sunshine of yesteryear, yet also carrying a hint of the ruggedness of someone returning from the battlefield.

"Let's talk about something happier."

The atmosphere in the room eased, and he continued, "This time I returned to my hometown, I didn't come empty-handed. Because of my merits, I was awarded the title of Grand Master."

He paused slightly, a smile playing on his lips, as if suppressing a hint of smugness:
"The captain also said that once the military merits are settled, he will ask for the position of clerk or clerk for my son."

Jiang Yi listened and simply nodded.

Although the position of Commander of the Armed Forces was only a lowly post with a salary of 100 shi (a unit of grain), it was still legitimate and he had finally taken that step.

Jiang Liang added casually, as if he had just remembered something:

"The Celestial Masters sect also said they wanted to request an official title, saying that I had solved a serious case involving evil spirits for them, and they wanted to leave a favor by offering incense and making offerings."

"I can't quite remember the rest of the rewards, big and small."

As he spoke, Jiang Liang took the bundle from his younger sister, placed it on the couch, and opened it.

A few ingots of gold, two bolts of fine satin, a packet of tribute tea, and two boxes of Luoyang pastries.

Although the items inside were not luxurious, they were neatly arranged, with a golden sheen and a touch of everyday life.

He took things out one by one, dividing them as he went, all the while giving instructions:
"This is for Mother, this is for Big Brother to try, and Little Sister's snacks are here. Remember to take them to school and show them off."

The room became lively, filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.

As Liu Xiulian accepted the things, her eyes reddened, but she couldn't help but laugh and spit at him:
"They've only been back for a few minutes, and they've already divided up all the good stuff."

Jiang Liang just turned around with a grin, patted the bottom of his bundle, and said in a nonchalant tone:
"Sharing it with family members is the only way to make it worthwhile."

(End of this chapter)