The sound of a loud argument broke the afternoon tranquility in Millbrook, coming from the direction of the village center. Li Yuan, who was sharpening his knife handle in front of the Miller Inn, looked up with attention. It wasn't just a usual commotion—there was a deep anger in it, the kind of anger that could permanently damage relationships if not handled carefully.
Sarah Miller came out of the inn with a worried face. "They've been arguing like this for three days," she said to Li Yuan. "Edwin Fletcher and Henrik Carter. A land boundary issue."
Li Yuan stood up, putting down his knife and whetstone. "Has no one tried to mediate?"
"Thomas Aldrich tried yesterday, but both of them are too stubborn to listen." Sarah shook her head in frustration. "Henrik says Edwin moved the boundary stone. Edwin says Henrik is trying to steal land. And while they argue, Henrik's cornfield is getting ruined because it's not being harvested on time."
Li Yuan listened to the argument, which was getting louder. In his past few days as a village guard, he had learned that guarding a community wasn't just about driving away bandits—but also about maintaining internal peace that could be ruined by misunderstandings and ego.
"Perhaps I can help," Li Yuan said.
Sarah looked at him skeptically. "Yuan, they've been friends for twenty years before this issue. If Thomas, as the village elder, can't solve it..."
"Sometimes fresh eyes see something that overly familiar eyes miss," Li Yuan replied. "And sometimes someone who has no history with either party can be a more objective mediator."
Li Yuan walked toward the source of the commotion, finding a small crowd of villagers standing in a circle, watching with a mix of worry and discomfort. In the middle of the circle, two middle-aged men were facing each other, their faces red with anger.
Edwin Fletcher—Margaret the vegetable seller's husband—was a large man with hands calloused from blacksmithing. Henrik Carter was thinner but tall, with blue eyes that were usually calm but now shone with rage.
"That stone has been there for ten years!" Henrik yelled. "My own father put it there!"
"And now you're saying I moved it?" Edwin shot back with a booming voice. "For what? A piece of land no bigger than a small shed?"
"Because that land contains a small spring that waters my field!" Henrik pointed with a finger trembling with anger. "Without that water, my harvest is cut in half!"
Li Yuan observed the situation with eyes trained to see beyond the surface. Neither of these men was evil—they were neighbors who had lived side-by-side for years. There was something deeper here than just a land dispute.
"Excuse me," Li Yuan said in a voice loud enough to be heard but not threatening. "May I see the disputed land?"
Edwin and Henrik turned to him, their faces still red. Some of the villagers who knew Li Yuan began to whisper—the news of his action saving the trader Willem had already spread, and he was starting to gain a reputation as someone trustworthy.
"Who are you to interfere?" Edwin asked in a voice that was still hot.
"I am Yuan," Li Yuan answered calmly. "A village guard. And as a guard, I am interested in ensuring that no conflict can threaten the peace of our community."
Henrik seemed a little hesitant. "What can you do that Thomas couldn't?"
"Perhaps nothing," Li Yuan replied honestly. "But I can see with impartial eyes. No history with either of you, no assumptions about who is right or wrong."
Margaret Fletcher, who was standing in the crowd with a face of shame due to her husband's argument, took a step forward. "Yuan has helped many people in this village. Maybe we should listen to him."
Edwin glanced at his wife, then let out a heavy sigh. "Alright. But I'm sure you'll see that I'm right."
"And I'm sure you'll see that Henrik is right," Henrik added.
Li Yuan nodded. "Let's go to the disputed location."
They walked in a small group to the area in question—a plot of land on the border between Edwin's house and Henrik's field. There, Li Yuan saw a large stone that seemed to serve as a boundary, and a small spring that flowed about five meters from the stone.
Li Yuan squatted next to the stone, observing it carefully. Something caught his attention—the soil around the base of the stone looked disturbed, but not by a human hand.
"Edwin, when was the last heavy rain in this village?" Li Yuan asked.
Edwin frowned. "About two weeks ago. Why?"
"And Henrik, when did you first notice that this stone seemed to have shifted?"
Henrik thought for a moment. "About... a week ago. After that big rain."
Li Yuan nodded, then walked around the area, observing the soil with eyes that had been trained to read tracks and natural signs. After a few minutes, he called the two men over.
"Look at this," Li Yuan said, pointing to the ground beneath the stone. "You were both right, in a way."
"What do you mean?" Edwin asked suspiciously.
Li Yuan pointed to the small marks on the ground. "Henrik, this stone did shift. But Edwin, you didn't move it." He stood up and faced the two men. "The heavy rain two weeks ago made the soil soft. A stone this heavy, in soft soil, can shift on its own due to gravity and the flow of groundwater."
Henrik and Edwin stared at the stone, their expressions changing from anger to confusion.
"You mean... the stone moved on its own?" Henrik asked.
"The ground slopes slightly to the south," Li Yuan explained. "The heavy rain softened the soil beneath the stone. The stone's weight and the flow of the water slowly pushed it to shift about half a meter to the south. That's why the stone is now closer to the spring."
Edwin still looked skeptical. "But how can we be sure?"
Li Yuan pointed to the northern side of the stone. "See the mark in the soil here. Its shape matches the base of the stone. And look at the way the grass grows—there's a pattern that shows where this stone used to be."
The two men examined the evidence Li Yuan showed them. Slowly, the anger on their faces began to melt into shame.
"So... we were both wrong?" Henrik asked in a calmer voice.
"You were both reacting to a real problem," Li Yuan said. "Henrik, the spring is indeed farther from your field now. Edwin, you indeed did not move the stone. But instead of blaming each other, maybe we can find a solution."
Li Yuan walked to the small spring, observing its flow. "This water flows quite strongly. If we build a small channel out of stone and wood, we can direct some of its water to Henrik's field without disrupting the main flow."
"That... might work," Henrik said with a hesitant tone.
"But it'll take work," Edwin added. "And materials."
Li Yuan looked at the two men. "Henrik, you have farming expertise and know exactly how much water the field needs. Edwin, you're a blacksmith with building skills. If you work together, this problem can be solved in a few days."
Margaret Fletcher, who had been following the discussion with attention, stepped forward. "I can contribute food for both of you while you work. And I'm sure the other neighbors will help too."
Henrik and Edwin looked at each other—no longer with anger, but with shame over their unnecessary argument.
"Henrik," Edwin said in a heavy voice, "I'm sorry for accusing you of trying to steal land."
"And I'm sorry for accusing you of moving the stone," Henrik replied. "We've been friends for too long to let it be ruined by a misunderstanding."
They shook hands, and the small crowd that had followed them gave a small round of applause.
Three days later, Li Yuan helped Edwin and Henrik complete their small water channel. The project that had started as a solution to a dispute had grown into a community project—James helped with labor, Robert contributed wood, even Sarah Miller brought food for the workers.
"Yuan," Henrik said as they sat resting, watching the water flow smoothly through the new channel to his field, "how did you know how to solve a problem like that?"
Li Yuan looked at the flowing water—clear, calm, finding its own path without resistance. "Most conflicts happen because people see a situation only from their own point of view. When you step back a little and see the bigger picture, you often find that the problem isn't 'who's right,' but 'how can we solve this together'."
Edwin, who was cleaning the mud from his hands, nodded in appreciation. "You speak like someone who has a lot of experience with people."
"Perhaps," Li Yuan replied with a thin smile. "Or perhaps I'm just fortunate enough to see that most people are fundamentally good, they just sometimes forget how to work together."
That night, when Li Yuan returned to the Miller Inn, he found Thomas Aldrich waiting for him in the dining area.
"Yuan," the village elder greeted him with a warm smile. "I heard you managed to resolve Edwin and Henrik's issue."
"They resolved it themselves," Li Yuan replied. "I just helped them see what was really happening."
Thomas nodded with eyes full of appreciation. "That's a valuable, and rare, ability. Most people, when they see a conflict, they choose a side. You, on the other hand, sought the truth."
Li Yuan sat across from Thomas, feeling the familiar warmth of the Miller Inn—Sarah's soup aroma always wafting from the kitchen, the sound of soft conversation from other guests, the feeling of safety and being accepted that he was beginning to consider home.
"Thomas," Li Yuan said, "may I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"How do you maintain peace in this village for so many years? I mean, there must be many conflicts like the one today."
Thomas smiled with a mix of weariness and satisfaction. "By remembering that this village isn't just a collection of houses and people. It's a big family that sometimes argues, but fundamentally cares for each other. My job—and now your job as a guard too—is to remind people of that when they forget."
Li Yuan felt something warm flow in his chest. Not the warmth of power or cosmic understanding, but a warmth that was simpler and perhaps more valuable: the feeling of belonging, of having a purpose, of having people who appreciated his contribution.
"Thank you for trusting me," Li Yuan said.
"Thank you for proving that the trust was not misplaced," Thomas replied.
When Thomas left and Li Yuan went up to his room, he stood at the window looking out at the village that he was now getting to know so well. Every house had a story, every family had a personality, every individual had their own dreams and worries.
For the first time in eleven thousand years, Li Yuan felt he wasn't just observing human life from the outside—he was truly living in it.