Du Gen’s mother held court, her words tumbling out in a boastful torrent. How could she not? This was her chance, after so long, to finally hold her head high. Her family had always been looked down on in the village. People whispered that her Du Gen was a lazy good-for-nothing with nothing but a pretty face to his name. The Gu family, in particular, always had the upper hand. With a son who had a