By early morning the next day, a soft spring breeze swept through Gemhill County, stirring the blossoming trees and flowers. Mountain streams trickled musically, and the once-dry creek beds were now flowing again. Creatures from deep in the hills crept out to drink at the water’s edge.0

At dawn, the four Qian brothers were already up and ready, each holding a valid hunting permit. With so many local men gone, the permits from a few households had become all but useless. 0

Qian Da, knowing better than to just snatch them up, had bought them fairly. His younger brothers couldn’t grasp why he went to such trouble, so he explained that if you want to work for a big shot in the long run, you had to keep your hands clean and avoid nicking petty gains here and there.9

“If you want to act without restraint,” he’d said, “you need to understand the rules first. And if you want to ride the coattails of someone important, you don’t drag them down with shady behavior.”9

Qian Er and the other two did not fully understand the reasoning. But they did know that without their eldest brother, the Qian Family wouldn’t stand a chance. In the past, as long...2