Chapter 29

October was nearing its end, and the morning breeze carried a sharp chill.
The canopy hanging by the bed swayed slightly, and Tao Yu, nestled in the quilt, shivered. He instinctively hugged his shoulders tighter, burrowing further into the warmth of the bedding.
As his sleepiness began to recede, the room brightened. Suddenly, the curtain of the bed was pulled open a crack.
“Little Tao Zi, wake up quickly.”
Tao Yu heard his mother’s familiar voice and mumbled, “It’s so cold, Mother, don’t pull my quilt.”
Huang Manjing patted the ball of Tao Yu’s body through the quilt and said, “I won’t pull your quilt, but you need to get up and get ready. Today Mother is going to slaughter chickens and ducks, and you need to come help.”
Outside was cold, so Tao Yu was especially reluctant to leave the cozy bed. “I’m afraid to slaughter chickens and ducks.”
Huang Manjing heard his muffled voice and smiled, “I’m not asking you to slaughter them, just to help me start the fire. It’s warmer under the stove than in the quilt.”
With that, Huang Manjing stood up. “Get up quickly, your father will start nagging soon.”
Tao Yu responded with a low hum from under his quilt, almost falling back asleep. However, remembering his mother’s words, he finally opened his eyes.
He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep lately because of the You family’s affairs. Now that it was over, he finally felt relaxed enough to sleep, and it felt like all the sleep he had missed was catching up with him, making him feel like he could never sleep enough.
Tao Yu stretched out an arm, intending to pull the clothes from the bedside cabinet into the bed to wear. However, after a few attempts, he couldn’t find them. He rubbed his eyes and poked his head through the curtain, realizing that he had put his clothes on the shelf by the window last night.
“Ah!”
Tao Yu’s face fell, and he shrank back with a sigh of dejection. Why had he put his clothes so far away last night?
After a struggle in bed, he finally grabbed his clothes and pulled them onto the bed, still wrapped tightly in the warm quilt.
“Let’s get some more fish and shrimp. Ours are just out of the pond, let’s buy some from others.”
Ji Yangzong walked into the kitchen with his hands behind his back, glancing at the chickens and ducks that Da Niu had just slaughtered and bled, and were now placed in a wooden bucket, ready to be scalded and plucked when the water boiled.
Seeing his wife taking out some cured pork heart, liver, and sausage, he suggested, “Little Tao Zi also likes shrimp.”
Huang Manjing replied, “Alright, you can buy a few more later.”
As they were talking, a sudden exclamation came from behind them, “Is it the New Year? Why have you prepared so much food!”
Tao Yu walked into the warm kitchen and saw the steaming stove, the large basins and small plates of ingredients on the stove, making it look as lively as a festival.
Ji Yangzong saw that his son had finally woken up and said, “The village’s grain tax has finally been collected this year. There were many unlucky things happening before, and after a month of hard work, we’re having a good meal.”
Tao Yu, hearing that there would be plenty of delicious food, smiled and said, “Father, you’re so good.”
As he spoke, he ducked down towards the stove, “I’ll start the fire.”
“Your father wants you to run an errand.” Tao Yu had only taken a couple of steps when Ji Yangzong grabbed him. Ji Yangzong said somewhat unnaturally, “You can start the fire later. You go to the Zhao family and invite Huo Shu over for a meal.”
“Why should I call him over?”
Tao Yu looked at his father with wide, uncomprehending eyes. “Besides, he has a livelihood now, and he’s learning to slaughter livestock and manage the shop from Master Qiao, so he might not be home.”
Ji Yangzong said, “Just go when I tell you to, stop asking so many questions.”
“Why doesn’t Father go?”
Tao Yu, being a bit afraid of the cold, didn’t want to go out. “I need to help Mother.”
Ji Yangzong insisted, pushing Tao Yu towards the door. “Someone helped our family a lot before, running errands back and forth, so we have to invite them to a meal to thank them. Da Niu knows how to help your mother, you go and come back quickly.”
“So it’s a thank-you banquet, and Father said it was a celebration after the tax was collected.” Tao Yu mumbled, “Since it’s a proper thank-you, wouldn’t it show more sincerity if Father, as the head of the family, went to invite him?”
“Father is going to buy shrimp from Qian Si’s house for you. Be good and go quickly.”
Tao Yu was pushed outside the door and twisted his neck to say to Huang Manjing, “Mother, look at Father!”
Huang Manjing, however, sided with her husband this time. “Little Tao Zi, you go. Your father has other things to do.”
Tao Yu, hearing his mother say this, narrowed his eyes slightly. “Alright, alright, I’ll go.”
Ji Yangzong watched his son leave, his figure disappearing into the ink-like gray mist, then turned back with his hands behind his back.
“You, you have such improper thoughts, it’s lucky you thought of asking Little Tao Zi to go over to call someone early in the morning, it’s so cold even I feel it.”
Ji Yangzong saw his wife glance at him and didn’t get angry. Instead, he said,
“After what happened before, others avoided it, but only Huo Shu helped think of solutions. I think this kid has rare character, and it’s people who have experienced hardship who can handle things.”
“Oh, ‘experienced hardship’ now? Didn’t you think he was old before?”
Huang Manjing asked, “Are you thinking of betrothing Little Tao Zi to him again this time?”
Ji Yangzong immediately stiffened his neck and said, “When did I ever say he was old? I’ve always said he was a bit more steady. It seems that being steady is nothing bad for a man these days.”
“Besides, I never said I was going to betroth Little Tao Zi to him. We can’t rashly agree to anything like before and have another incident like You Lingxiao.”
Ji Yangzong mumbled, “Even if I think he’s alright, I don’t know if Little Tao Zi is willing.”
Huang Manjing chuckled at this. She thought, maybe Little Tao Zi was willing.
—
“A Shu, it’s cold today, wear an extra layer when you go out.”
Yuan Huiru woke up early. She changed into thicker clothes and, having made plans with some villagers to go to the temple, she reminded Huo Shu to wear an extra layer while getting dressed.
“I heard that the Bodhisattva at Jinlong Temple is very effective for finding a spouse. The matters between the Ji and You families have finally subsided, so I must hurry to pray for you.”
Huo Shu, as usual, woke up early and did a set of exercises in the courtyard. According to his old habits, he would also chop two baskets of firewood, but the firewood stocked at home couldn’t withstand his daily chopping, so all of it had been cut into pieces and stacked under the eaves at the back of the house.
He didn’t believe in ghosts or gods, but seeing Yuan Huiru’s enthusiasm, he agreed.
“Thank you, Godmother. If it works, I’ll donate some incense money.”
Yuan Huiru chuckled upon hearing this. “You’re usually a child of few words, but you’re willing to say a few more for Brother Tao’s matters.”
“Don’t worry, Godmother will tell the Bodhisattva your wishes properly. I’ll bring the incense and candles, they sell them expensively at the temple.”
“Mm.”
Huo Shu responded with a hum and prepared to go back inside to get ready to leave.
Today, a family in the village was slaughtering a pig, and Qiao Tu Zi had asked him to go along. He would slaughter the pig at the village entrance in the morning, so he wouldn’t have to go to the city. Fang He would manage the shop in the city instead.
“Brother Huo.”
As Huo Shu reached the eaves, he heard a familiar voice.
He turned his head and saw a round figure walking through the gray mist. The person, huddled in a cloak, only showed their eyes.
It was self-evident who it was. Before the person had even arrived, Huo Shu stepped forward and opened the courtyard gate.
“So early, why are you here?”
Tao Yu sniffed and looked at Huo Shu, who was standing in the wind wearing only an inner garment, still like an unshakeable mountain, full of energy and even slightly sweating.
Huddled in his cloak, he couldn’t help but envy, “Brother Huo, aren’t you cold?”
Huo Shu lowered his eyes and looked at the hem of his clothes gently swaying in the wind, saying, “Let’s go inside first.”
Tao Yu shook his head. “I won’t go in. Father asked me to come and invite Brother Huo over for a meal.”
“Your father asked you to come?”
Huo Shu looked at Tao Yu’s demeanor of being sent on an errand and raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to slaughter a pig later.”
“Is it someone from the village, or from somewhere else?”
“The village.”
Tao Yu blinked. “Whose family is slaughtering a pig? I haven’t heard about it, and they didn’t invite my father to the pig-slaughtering feast.”
Huo Shu replied, “It’s not for slaughtering livestock to keep for the New Year, it’s directly for sale.”
“Oh.”
Tao Yu responded with a hum. It wasn’t strange that a self-sold pig wouldn’t invite them to a pig-slaughtering feast.
He knew Huo Shu had something to do, but his father didn’t believe him.
However, for some reason, he felt a little disappointed about it.
“Then are you going to my house?”
Tao Yu’s voice became quieter, a little clingy.
“It depends. If there’s enough time, I’ll come.”
Tao Yu pursed his lips upon hearing this. He hesitated for a moment and said,
“Why don’t you come earlier? I’m cooking today, thank you for helping me before.”
Huo Shu’s eyebrows lifted upon hearing this. “Alright. I’ll come after I finish my work.”
Tao Yu’s eyes lit up when Huo Shu agreed. “Then what do you want to eat?”
“Anything you make is fine.”
Huo Shu saw Tao Yu’s slightly surprised expression and added, “I mean your cooking is decent, so anything you make should be fine.”
Tao Yu smiled happily. “Okay.”
“Brother Tao is here, A Shu, why aren’t you inviting Brother Tao inside on such a cold day?”
Yuan Huiru came out after tidying up and saw Huo Shu standing at the courtyard entrance. His figure completely blocked Tao Yu, making it look like he was talking to himself at the entrance from a distance.
Only when she got closer did she realize there was someone else in front. Seeing that the visitor was the Ji family’s son, Yuan Huiru smiled exceptionally warmly.
“Madam Yuan, please come to our house for a simple meal at noon.”
Yuan Huiru was even happier to hear that they were inviting Huo Shu to dinner. She hadn’t even prayed to the Bodhisattva yet, and there was already a sign!
She glanced at Huo Shu and said, “It’s a pity, I’m going to the temple to offer incense and fulfill vows today, and I’ll have vegetarian food there. Please apologize to the village head and Madam Huang for me.”
Tao Yu replied, “Okay, then next time it will be the same.”
Yuan Huiru said, “Brother Tao, then you should come over for dinner next time, okay?”
Tao Yu nodded. “Mm.”
Yuan Huiru, being considerate and not wanting to intrude on their conversation, picked up her basket and made as if to leave.
“Then you two talk, I’ll be going ahead. I can’t keep Madam Xu waiting. We’re taking the ox cart to the village entrance together, and the cart will leave if we’re late.”
“Alright.”
Watching Yuan Huiru walk away, Tao Yu felt a bit embarrassed to say more to Huo Shu. “Then I’ll be going back too. You, you hurry up and finish your work and come over.”
After saying that, Huo Shu watched the young boy run away.
There was a smile in Huo Shu’s eyes, and he only went inside after the figure disappeared.
When Tao Yu returned home, he found the courtyard quite lively. Upon entering, he discovered that Huang Yinsheng had actually come to the countryside.
He was overjoyed. “Why is Grandpa here? Didn’t you say you were going to the outer prefectures for a while? When did you arrive?”
“I just arrived.”
Huang Yinsheng pulled the young boy, whom he hadn’t seen in some time, towards him and looked him up and down. “You’ve lost some weight.”
Tao Yu saw that his grandfather knew about the family’s affairs and said, “I’m fine.”
Huang Yinsheng rubbed Tao Yu’s head. “Fortunately, Huo Shu helped, otherwise, it would have been truly difficult to explain without being able to speak.”
Ji Yangzong echoed, “Yes.”
“By the way, is Huo Shu available to come over?”
“He’s going to slaughter a pig and said he’ll come when he’s done.”
“That’s good then.”
The few of them walked through the courtyard and into the kitchen. Huang Manjing had already started stewing the chicken, and a fragrant aroma had already filled the air.
Tao Yu rushed to make a cup of tea for Huang Yinsheng. “The clinic is busy, it’s a bother for Grandpa to come all the way to the village to see me. If you miss me, just send a message, and I’ll come to the city myself, so Grandpa won’t have to make the trip.”
Huang Yinsheng took the tea and said, “I’m not only here to see you, but I also have something to tell your father.”
Ji Yangzong’s heart skipped a beat when he heard that his father-in-law had come specifically to see him.
“Regarding the You family’s matter, I truly did not foresee it. I misjudged them at the time…”
Huang Yinsheng took a sip of tea. Hearing Ji Yangzong say this, he chuckled and put down the teacup. “Do you think I would neglect my clinic work to come to the village to scold you? Since the matter has passed, there’s no point in saying more.”
“Then what matter did your esteemed father-in-law come to the village for specifically?”
As Huang Yinsheng reached this point, his expression suddenly became serious. “Do you know that the grain transported into the city by Fan Village the other day was robbed by bandits on the official road?”
“What!”
Ji Yangzong’s eyes widened upon hearing this.
Tao Yu and Huang Manjing also hurried over upon hearing the news.
“Such a major event happened within the prefectural territory! Fan Village is only fifty li from our village, how is it that we haven’t heard a single word?”
“Was the grain that was robbed the grain prepared for the autumn harvest to be submitted to the imperial court?”
Huang Yinsheng responded with a hum. “The incident happened suddenly, and even the authorities did not expect these bandits to be so bold as to publicly rob the imperial grain.”
Ji Yangzong couldn’t believe it and said, “Since such a serious incident occurred, why haven’t the authorities convened a meeting of all the village heads? If bandits dare to rob openly within the same prefecture, what should we do if they attack our village? If we were notified earlier, we could have taken precautions!”
“Esteemed father-in-law, could this news be wrong?”
Huang Yinsheng said, “I have some connections with the prefectural yamen’s military affairs clerk. I went to his home to treat his mother the other day, and he told me a few things, advising me not to go out unless absolutely necessary during this period.”
“That’s why I haven’t gone to the outer prefectures and came to inform you first. While the prefectural government has not suppressed the bandit problem, you should all try not to go out.”
With that, Huang Yinsheng lowered his voice slightly. “Prefect Zhang has been transferred to Tongzhou for five years already. After the Ministry of Personnel’s assessment next spring, he will be transferred. At this critical juncture, such an incident has occurred, and if it is not handled properly, it will surely affect his official reputation. The prefectural government has suppressed this matter for now and has dispatched troops to suppress the bandits and secretly recover the grain, intending to settle the matter privately. Thus, they have not publicized it to avoid leaking any information.”
“As for whether the bandits entered the village, it’s hard to say. However, Mingxun Village is only about twenty li from the prefectural capital, so even if the bandits wanted to enter the village to plunder, they wouldn’t cause trouble so close to the city.”
Tao Yu opened his mouth. “The prefectural officials, for the sake of their official reputation and assessment, do not understand the common people in the territory. Let alone whether the bandits will enter the village, even if they don’t, what about the farmers who go out to do business and accidentally encounter bandits!”
“This is clearly not valuing the lives of the common people…”
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized he was getting agitated. Although he knew he was at home, he still dared not criticize the officials so recklessly.
Huang Yinsheng sighed. “It’s like this with many court officials. Their official status and achievements are prioritized, and the common people are secondary. Even if they have grievances, they cannot shake things up. The most they can do is be careful.”
“The taxes have been collected, and the taxes and grain must be delivered to the prefectural yamen before next month. With such chaos outside, what are we to do?”
Ji Yangzong said worriedly, “If the grain is lost, it’s a serious crime worthy of imprisonment.”
“I came to remind you of this because of this very reason. While personal safety is important, the payment of autumn grain is also a top priority. You find a day to go to the prefectural yamen and see if they can spare any troops to escort the grain. If not, you should organize the strong men in the village to deliver the grain together.”
Ji Yangzong’s brow furrowed, his mind in disarray due to the sudden news.
“What kind of times are these, that even Tongzhou has fallen into such chaos, and the yamen is still not taking action? What are we rural farmers to do?”
“It’s alright, I’ll go with the village head to deliver the grain into the city then.”
A voice suddenly came from the doorway. Everyone instinctively looked over and, seeing the person striding in, their faces all broke into smiles, changing the previously solemn atmosphere.
Da Niu led Huo Shu in.
Huo Shu’s gaze first swept over Tao Yu, then he bowed to everyone.
Huang Manjing quickly brought a stool for Huo Shu, and everyone politely invited Huo Shu to sit. “You’re busy, yet we still called you over for dinner. Thank you for running around.”
The Ji family, as when Huo Shu first arrived in the village, were now much more familiar with him and less reserved.
Since he was no longer a stranger, Ji Yangzong continued, “It’s good that Brother Huo is willing to escort the grain into the city with me, but the bandits are fierce, and it’s difficult for two hands to fight four fists. I’m afraid relying solely on the village’s strong men is also risky.”
“If the yamen cannot provide escorts for the grain, the village can only find its own solutions. If the grain is lost on the way, the farmers will ultimately bear the responsibility. The taxes have been high year after year, but the grain yield has not necessarily increased. Collecting the taxes this time was not easy, and if it is lost and needs to be replaced, it might be impossible.”
Huo Shu said, “Since the bandits are operating within the territory, if the prefectural government cannot quickly eliminate them, the news can only be suppressed for a while. At that time, all the villages under the prefectural government will be in distress.”
“If the prefectural government’s dispatched personnel are insufficient, perhaps each village can help each other. The strong men from several villages can gather together to deliver grain into the city in rotation.”
“That’s a good idea! I’ll privately contact the village heads of the two surrounding villages to discuss it.”
Ji Yangzong’s eyes lit up, and Huang Yinsheng also stroked his beard in approval. “Then let’s wait for a while, don’t rush to deliver the grain. It’s better to be a little late and be reprimanded than to lose the grain.”
“The village must not be negligent in its defenses. We must also instruct the households at the village entrance to be more vigilant and pay attention to people entering and leaving the village. If there is any unusual movement, they should be informed promptly.”
Seeing Huo Shu arrive, Tao Yu went into the kitchen with Huang Manjing to prepare the meal, leaving the three of them to talk outside.
Since they had found a solution, Ji Yangzong and Huang Yinsheng’s tone became much lighter. After saying this, they started discussing the You family’s matters again, using the opportunity to thank Huo Shu.
“I truly didn’t expect the You family to be so petty. The cancellation of the engagement was a mutual decision by both families, and it wasn’t as if one family insisted on breaking the engagement. They still tried to harm Little Tao Zi this way, using the incident to stir up trouble and attempt to suppress the Ji family together. Their methods are truly despicable.”
“If it weren’t for Brother Huo’s help, we probably wouldn’t have known how to proceed and would have let the You family succeed. Brother Huo’s kindness to the Ji family is something we can never repay.”
Ji Yangzong said as he refilled Huo Shu’s cup.
Huo Shu was not someone who used favors to demand repayment. From the beginning, he didn’t intend to please the Ji family and gain anything from it. He simply wanted to protect the person he wanted to protect.
Even if the Ji family betrothed Tao Yu to someone else, he would still do so.
“As fellow villagers, helping each other is only right. Village head, you don’t need to be uneasy.”
Ji Yangzong felt a sense of relief upon hearing this. Seeing that Huo Shu did not mention Little Tao Zi in this regard, his impression of Huo Shu rose a few more points.
As they talked, the aroma of stir-fried meat wafted from the kitchen. Ji Yangzong and Huang Yinsheng stopped talking about unpleasant things and invited Huo Shu into the main hall to eat.
They then asked Huo Shu about his progress under Butcher Qiao and whose pig was being slaughtered today.
Before long, a table full of dishes was served: braised black chicken with vermicelli, stir-fried duck with ginger shreds, steamed cured meats, braised pork trotters with radish… a large table laden with dishes of all sizes, still steaming hot from the pot, their aroma even richer, as sumptuous as the New Year.
“I bought these shrimp in the village today. They were just caught from the pond, very fresh. Dip them in some aged vinegar from Sifu Fang, they are sweet and fragrant, Brother Huo, eat more.”
Tao Yu sat beside Huang Manjing, with a seat separating him from Huo Shu. Seeing his father say this, he repeatedly nodded in approval.
“These shrimp are very plump, they’ll surely be sweet to eat.”
Huang Yinsheng saw Tao Yu’s eyes light up at the sight of the orange-red shrimp and chuckled, “Now that we all know each other, don’t be so formal, start eating.”
To thank Huo Shu, Ji Yangzong also brought out a jar of his prized wine.
Huo Shu didn’t like to make a fuss about drinking and poured himself a cup. Ji Yangzong was even more enthusiastic seeing Huo Shu’s straightforwardness.
Tao Yu, seeing his family starting their drinking ritual again, took his chopsticks and ate the richly flavored, nourishing chicken wings, and then the oily, spicy young duck.
The cured meats were also rare delicacies like steamed pork liver and heart, which wealthy families disdained as humble. However, after being salted and smoked with cypress, washed clean, and steamed, when cut into thin slices, they were not at all fishy and were quite flavorful.
Their family only cured some during the New Year’s pig slaughter. Salt was expensive, and cured meats were also pricey, so they rarely served them to guests.
There were also the chewy and fresh pork trotters. There wasn’t a single dish on the table that he didn’t like. Although he looked a bit thin, his mouth was greedy, and he wanted to eat everything, yet he didn’t seem to grow.
Huo Shu also found the good food and wine satisfying.
Especially seeing Tao Yu, who, without regard for etiquette in front of his own family, rolled up his sleeves.
Holding a large shrimp in each hand, he skillfully twisted off the heads, peeled the shells, leaving the firm, plump shrimp meat, dipped it in a little vinegar, and popped it into his mouth, his cheeks bulging with a satisfied expression, which couldn’t help but bring a smile to his eyes.
Huo Shu ate quite a lot this meal, as opportunities to eat the Ji family’s cooking were not frequent, having only eaten it twice before.
Just as the family was enjoying themselves harmoniously, an uninvited guest arrived.
“It’s just mealtime, and she chooses this time to come. Is she trying to freeload!”