The moment he stepped through the door of the small tavern, a brisk-looking waiter ushered Han Li inside.
Han Li did not go up to the second floor. Instead, he found a somewhat secluded corner on the ground floor, sat down, ordered a few simple dishes, and silently observed everything around him without a word.
The ground floor was filled with all manner of patrons — laborers, porters, small-time merchants who had come into town to do business, and everything in between. It was much the same as any other tavern Han Li had visited before.
The only thing that drew his eye was a table of brawny men dressed in tight-fitting attire. There were five or six of them, each with a cloth-wrapped bundle several feet long resting within easy reach at their sides. Even without sweeping them with his spiritual sense, Han Li could immediately guess that the bundles held weapons of some kind — swords and sabers, most likely. Judging by their matching outfits, they were probably members of some gang or other.
Still, the sight gave Han Li a faint sense of familiarity, bringing back memories of his days at the Seven Mysteries Sect.
He let his spiritual sense sweep briefly over the group, and their conversations came clearly to his ears. Sure enough, they were discussing matters of gang warfare and turf disputes. After listening for a short while, Han Li lost interest and shifted his gaze, intending to turn his attention to the other patrons.
Just then, two young scholars walked into the tavern from outside. They chatted animatedly as they strolled forward at a leisurely pace.
"I hear that when Han Shilang returns to his hometown this time for the ancestral rites, not only will the Prefecture Magistrate come in person to pay his respects, but the Fan and Li families will also send representatives. It looks like the Han family is truly going to make a grand spectacle of it this time — no chance of keeping a low profile."
"Exactly! I've heard that for this ancestral rite, the Han family sent out invitations far and wide, calling back branch family members from every region, no matter how distant. Even the notable gentry of Jingzhou have sent people to attend the ceremony. Mark my words — the Han family will soon stand alongside the Fan and Li families as one of the three great houses of Jingzhou."
"Tsk, tsk! They say the Han family rose to prominence barely a hundred years ago, and yet they already have this kind of influence. It's truly unbelievable!"
"What's so strange about that? Ever since the Han family produced a juren among their in-laws a few generations back, things have been on an unstoppable upward trajectory. Successive generations have produced men who passed the imperial examinations. After accumulating all that over several generations, it would be strange if they *didn't* enjoy such prosperity. Say, perhaps we should go and—"
The two scholars casually sat down at a table near Han Li.
"The Han family!" Han Li started in surprise upon hearing this and hurriedly tried to listen further. But the two had already shifted topics, launching into a discussion about the Book of Songs and similar literary matters, which left Han Li quite frustrated.
However, after turning the matter over in his mind for a moment, he suddenly rose to his feet and walked over to the two scholars.
"Gentlemen, my name is Han Li. I wonder if the Han family you were just discussing might be the same one I belong to. I've also come here in response to a letter calling me back for the ancestral rites. But I grew up far from home from a very young age and am quite unfamiliar with my clan — I don't even know where the rites are being held. I would be grateful if you could point me in the right direction." Han Li approached the scholars with a gentle smile.
"So you're a member of the Han family! Please forgive our oversight. But which Han family could it be around here other than the Han family of Wuligou?" The two scholars were briefly taken aback, but seeing that Han Li was also dressed like a scholar and spoke in a refined manner, they had no suspicion whatsoever and answered readily.
"Wuligou!" That was precisely the name of the small mountain village where the Han family had once lived. The entire village sat within a mountain gully roughly five or six li across, which was how it had acquired such an earthy name.
It seemed that the Han family the scholars had been discussing was almost certainly connected to him.
"If it's Wuligou, then that Han family is indeed my clan. Could you two give me a general overview of the situation? I've never attended the ancestral rites before, and I'd rather not make a fool of myself." Han Li's expression remained perfectly composed as he spoke in a mild tone.
"Well… just a general overview, of course there's nothing wrong with that. It's common knowledge, after all." The two scholars exchanged a glance. One of them looked Han Li over again, decided he didn't look the least bit suspicious, and readily agreed.
"Thank you both!" Han Li smiled and thanked them once more.
The scholar then began his account: "If you're planning to attend the ancestral rites, you'd best not go to Wuligou just yet. The Han family moved their main household to Han Family Fortress, some dozens of li away, several decades ago. Only on the day of the actual rites do all the clan members return to the old village at Wuligou. And the Han family…"
Han Li listened quietly to the scholar's words, his expression unchanged, but his mind was churning.
…
Two hours later, Han Li appeared above the green hills of his youth. This time, however, he did not descend. He simply hovered in place, gazing down in silence.
Was this still the little village of old?
The dirt paths, the low-walled thatched houses, the village children and townspeople — all gone. In their place stood grand courtyards with tiled roofs, cobblestone paths, and neatly dressed servants. Not a single trace of the past remained.
After watching for a while, Han Li shook his head. He had been about to leave immediately when his gaze suddenly fell upon a pavilion at the very center of the estate.