Chapter 35 Saving All Living Beings: Rescuing the common people from suffering and helping all living beings with a benevolent heart.
Before dawn, a bluish-white mist hung over the Shuimen Wharf; it had finally snowed today.
The fine snow suddenly leaked down from the gaps in the heavy clouds. As fine as dust, it was swept obliquely by the wind and melted silently as soon as it landed on the stone steps.
The river surface in the distance from the dock was dark and murky, with bits of ice floating on it.
The cargo ships moored at the dock resembled a massive group of river beasts, with the ram's horn lamps on their bows like the blinking eyes of those beasts. Their masts stood upright, like beast horns or iron needles that could pierce the night.
Ripples lapped against the shore, dawn was breaking, and the boatmen on the canal were already untying the mooring ropes and lowering the sampans one after another. Under the lantern light, one could see colorful flags and a dense crowd of people.
The officials in black boots were shouting for people to back up, carrying fire and water sticks to separate the onlookers from those about to board the ship.
With tears in her eyes, Aunt You hugged Jasmine one last time, kissed her now plumper face, and reluctantly told her for the umpteenth time, "Listen to Grandma, don't go out to play alone, don't play with fire, don't chase dogs, and don't pluck your Uncle Yu's parrot feathers to make shuttlecocks. Eat well, sleep well, and your parents will be back soon. Do you understand?"
Jasmine pursed her lips tightly, stared intently at her mother with her big eyes, and nodded.
"Why aren't you talking to your mother?" Aunt You choked back tears and gently patted her head. "Don't be angry. Your father and mother aren't abandoning you. Your father and mother are going to fight the plague demon. We'll come back when we win! How about I bring you some pottery dolls from the Beiliuhe Pottery Kiln in Guizhou? And orange cakes and orange candy too. I heard that Guizhou is like spring in winter, not cold at all. There are lots and lots of oranges there, and orange groves all over the mountains. Oh, and dried lychees too. Our Jasmine has never eaten lychees before. I'll definitely bring some back for you to try."
Jasmine remained silent, only leaning affectionately against Sister-in-law You's neck. Then, Doctor You took her in his arms, holding her neck, and listened to her father speak softly for a while.
At this moment, a series of bugle calls sounded. Mrs. You and her husband hugged Jasmine and looked back. The cargo ship at the front of the line on the dock was fully loaded with medicinal herbs in its hold. Soldiers in cloth armor and helmets were carrying packs and boarding the ship one by one.
The imperial court also sent several hundred soldiers along with them, in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
Next, it was the turn of the imperial physicians and their students to board the ship. Sister-in-law You and Physician You kissed their daughter one last time, then resolutely put her back in her grandmother's arms. They also said goodbye to the neighbors in the alley, and then called out to the students who were also saying goodbye to their families.
They picked up their medicine bags, shouldered their belongings, and left.
Not only was Physician You present, but most of the imperial physicians from various departments of the Imperial Medical Bureau also went. Groups of young people dressed in blue robes followed their teachers, like a row of newly grown pine and cypress saplings, solemnly passing in front of Yao Ruyi.
Among the medical students, the tallest student was holding a large flag aloft. It seemed to have words embroidered on it, and one could vaguely make out the words "The lives of the people are at stake, we must not slacken day or night." However, the flag was already soaked by snow and hung heavily, making it impossible to see the whole thing. All that could be seen was that the flag was blue with yellow edges.
At this time, doctors did not wear white coats and preferred green and yellow. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that green belongs to wood and corresponds to the liver, while yellow belongs to earth and corresponds to the spleen and stomach, both of which are associated with growth.
It is the hope of life.
Yao Ruyi stood among the sisters-in-law and aunts in the alley, watching You Saozi walk all the way to the boat without turning back. It wasn't until she was about to board the boat that she finally couldn't help but turn around and glance at where they were.
Aunt Yu, Madam Cheng, and Sister-in-law Yinzhu immediately waved their arms vigorously at her and shouted:
"Qinglang!"
"You've traveled a long way, please take care!"
Jasmine's maternal grandmother, Granny Xue, was already crying uncontrollably. When she saw her daughter turn around and look into the distance, she quickly bent down to pick Jasmine up and said excitedly, "Jasmine, hurry, hurry, Granny will hold you. Wave goodbye to your mother!"
But Jasmine dodged Granny Xue's hand, squeezed through the crowd, and suddenly bumped into Yao Ruyi's back.
Yao Ruyi was startled and turned around to hug her, but Jasmine just hugged her waist tightly and buried her face in her chest. No matter how her grandmother coaxed or persuaded her, she refused to look up.
Grandma Xue couldn't persuade her, and when she looked up again, Sister You had already lowered her head and turned back to catch up with the others, her figure gradually disappearing into the group.
"Oh! She's gone!" Granny Xue said regretfully, stamping her feet. "You silly child, why didn't you wave goodbye to your mother and let her see you? She must have wanted to see you just now!"
The bugle sounded melodiously, and the large sails on the masts were lowered one by one. The dockworkers shouted hoarsely, "Weigh anchor!"
Only then did Jasmine release Yao Ruyi, revealing a face that was trying hard not to cry. She pouted and said to Granny Xue, "I don't want to, I can't help but cry."
Grandma Xue was angered by her appearance and couldn't help but scold her, "So what if you're crying? Your parents have gone so far away, how can you be so insensible? Don't you know you should say goodbye to them properly?"
The boat had started moving slowly. Jasmine's lips trembled, her eyes red and bulging as she stared at her grandmother, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to spill. She held on for a while longer, but then she couldn't take it anymore and finally burst into tears.
"No! No!" she cried stubbornly to Granny Xue, her head tilted back. "I can't cry! If I don't cry, Mother won't miss me! Then she can go fight the plague demon in peace!"
Jasmine's cries didn't carry far, because all around were sobs of reluctance to part. Grandma Xue squatted down and hugged the stubborn, precocious child in her arms, her own turbid tears falling one by one.
Yao Ruyi felt a lump in her throat and, afraid she would also shed tears, quickly turned her head away.
The queue for boarding the ship at the dock hadn't stopped yet. After the imperial physicians and students had all boarded, it was the turn of the folk doctors and physicians recruited by the court to board. Not only were there doctors from Bianjing (Kaifeng), but many physicians had also come specifically from neighboring prefectures.
They were weary from their journey, of all ages, with many white-haired old doctors leading their apprentices, carrying medicine banners, one after another braving the wind and snow to board the boat.
Footprints overlapped in the snow, making it impossible to tell whether they were mostly people seeing someone off or those embarking on a long journey.
Suddenly, Yao Ruyi spotted a familiar face. She stood on tiptoe and peered again, confirming that she wasn't mistaken—it was Doctor Chen, the doctor who worked at Zhao Taicheng's clinic!
He has a goatee, making him easy to recognize.
He did not go alone; he was accompanied by a young girl dressed as a man in Hu clothing. Yao Ruyi had seen her a few times at Zhao Taicheng's medical clinic. She was Chen Langzhong's daughter, Chen Moyao.
When Yao Ruyi took her grandfather to Zhao Taicheng's clinic for acupuncture, she was bored while waiting and chatted with Doctor Chen. Every time they talked, he would start to talk about his daughter, always beginning with "How is my daughter?" or "How is my Ayao?" with a tone full of pride.
He always said that his daughter was calm and composed from a young age and had a great talent for medicine. She could recite the names of medicines and prescriptions when she was three. When she turned twelve, instead of letting her stay at home to embroider or learn women's handicrafts, he sent her to Zhang Niangzi's clinic as an apprentice to learn how to treat women's diseases. Now she is seventeen and is highly regarded by Zhang Niangzi. This year, she can even see patients on her own.
The father and daughter, both wearing faded cotton robes and each carrying a large medicine chest, walked hand in hand through the snow, quickly following the boarding procession and boarding the ship.
Behind them, a dozen or so female physicians could be seen, carrying banners and wearing the same blue cloth round-necked, narrow-sleeved Hu-style clothes. Their hair was tied up in high braids. Hu-style clothes were convenient for going out and riding horses. They became popular from the early Tang Dynasty and were still worn by many women when going out in the Song Dynasty.
This group of people must be the female doctors from Zhang Niangzi's Clinic, a very famous clinic in Bianjing City.
Zhang Niangzi was the most skilled female doctor in Bianjing City. She was not only a guest of many high-ranking officials and nobles, but it was also said that she had entered the palace to treat the Empress Dowager. She was very good at gynecology.
Yao Ruyi stared at them with shining eyes, her heart pounding wildly.
It's unclear whether this was merely a description in books or a reality during the Song Dynasty. Perhaps it was due to the extreme prosperity of commerce at the time, reaching a point where "everyone was a merchant"; or perhaps it was because the aristocratic clans had declined, and there were fewer prejudices and constraints. In this world, many girls worked on the streets from a young age, and women could be seen working in all walks of life. Besides traditional activities like mulberry picking, tea picking, weaving, and running shops, gynecology was also extremely popular in the Song Dynasty. [Note]
At this moment, Yao Ruyi saw a group of female doctors who traveled the world practicing medicine.
Most of them were very young; even the leader, Zhang Niangzi, seemed to be only in her thirties or forties. They surrounded their master, with a cart of medicinal herbs following behind them. The mules pulling the cart puffed out white steam, and the wheels made a clattering sound as they rolled over the bluestone slabs.
They were about to board the ship, lining up step by step to climb the deck, when suddenly a strong north wind picked up again. This gust of wind ripped the corners of the flags they were carrying straight up, and the snow particles covering them were blown off by the wind. The snow could not accumulate, and the red color of the flags was revealed.
As the sky darkened, the flags carried by the female healers fluttered brightly and high amidst the swirling snow.
Yao Ruyi stood on tiptoe and looked up, clearly seeing the words embroidered on it.
"To relieve the people from suffering and to help all living beings with a benevolent heart."
The ship started moving, and everyone stared intently at the departing vessel. Even the officials had tears in their eyes as they turned away to watch the large ships leave the dock one after another, heading south, all the way south.
Many family members who came to see him off took the opportunity to slip past the sticks that the officials had tucked down, and even ran along the dock. Jiang Tao pounded on the side of the ship again and again, and they shouted something. Even if Yao Ruyi couldn't hear it, she could guess that they wanted to come back safely and have a smooth journey...
The snow fell thicker and thicker, gradually enveloping the figures of those chasing after them, as if being kneaded into wisps of mist by an invisible hand.
***
After Mrs. You and her husband took the students south, life in the alley continued as usual. But Yao Ruyi sometimes felt that there was an empty space in the alley, and when she took down the door panels in the morning, she would subconsciously look towards the You family's door.
In the depths of winter, many leaves had fallen in front of the You family's house, and the coal ash in the corner of the wall had been kicked away by some careless person, leaving it a messy pile.
In the past, Sister You was always the most diligent. She couldn't stand the house being dirty, so she would get up early to sweep the doorway clean. Every time Yao Ruyi opened her shop, she would see that Sister You had already swept the leaves into a pile and neatly stacked the burnt coal briquettes against the wall, waiting for the scrap dealers to come and collect them.
As Grandma Xue got older, she couldn't keep track of so many details, so the once exceptionally tidy entrance to the You family's house gradually became just like the other houses.
Before you know it, it's December. Yao Ruyi's shop has started selling New Year pictures, peach wood charms, door gods and kitchen gods. It has also started selling all kinds of incense, candles, paper horses, fireworks and firecrackers for worshipping gods. The open windows are now full of all kinds of gods, which is quite festive.
The snow on the day of the farewell seemed to be the last snow of the winter, after which only two light, cold rains fell, and then there was no more snow. That day, as Yao Ruyi watched the snow fall like dust, she thought, "That's good, the quarreling gods in the sky have finally made up."
Looking at it now, it seems like a cold war has begun.
The alleyway was beginning to feel the festive atmosphere of the New Year. The old elm tree behind the Imperial College had been completely bare of leaves. One day, Yu Shouzhen suddenly bought a few strings of small lanterns and hung them up. From a distance, they looked like the tree was laden with fruit, and they were quite pretty.
From that day on, Yao Ruyi noticed that the smell of cured meat and wind-dried chicken could be smelled everywhere in the alley.
As the year drew to a close and the days grew short, Yao Ruyi, wrapped in a thick quilt, was groggily awakened again by Xiao Shitou's recitation. The sky was still a hazy gray, and the room was pitch black with the thick curtains drawn. She rubbed her eyes in the darkness, lay on the bed, and quietly listened to Xiao Shitou recite, trying to wake herself up.
At first, I wasn't fully awake and didn't hear what he was reciting. Suddenly, I heard him reciting in a clear voice not "Alas!" but "Sea travelers talk of Yingzhou, its misty waves and distant shores are hard to find..."
Yao Ruyi was stunned for a moment.
It's really not easy. This child has been memorizing for two or three months, getting up early every day to memorize. And no matter where he got to yesterday, he has to start from the beginning the next day. If he doesn't start from the beginning, he won't be able to continue at all. It's the same as Yao Ruyi memorizing the twenty-four solar terms and the twelve zodiac animals. She can't remember what comes before and after, so she has to count on her fingers from the beginning.
It seems that Little Stone has finally finished memorizing "The Road to Shu is Hard".
But why is he reciting "A Farewell to Tianmu Mountain in a Dream" now? Is Little Stone also a die-hard fan of Li Bai? Is he already studying "The Collected Works of Li Bai" at such a young age?
It doesn't look like it. Just a few days ago, he asked his father to make him a bamboo horse using a clothesline pole that the family had salvaged. Every day, he would use that broom as a sword and play games of charging into battle and fighting golden statues in the alley. He would ride the bamboo horse, yelling and rushing to the end of the alley, then drift, brake sharply, turn around, and yell back.
Yao Ruyi leaned against the window, resting her chin on her hand, watching him run around tirelessly in the cold wind. She felt that it was a waste of the child's talents to have him study all day.
Outside, Little Stone's recitation stopped again: "What city... what city?"
Yao Ruyi yawned as she got up and began folding the blankets, getting dressed, and combing her hair.
I opened the door to wash up and found that Uncle Cong was already up. He was hanging a rope on the window of her kitchen to hang cured meat, sausages and chicken. The chilly air was filled with the smell of sesame paste that I had just bought from He's sauce shop, mixed with the smell of dried peppercorns drying on the windowsill, which made me want to sneeze.
There was no one else in Cong Bo's courtyard. Grandpa Yao was still asleep; he'd been spending these past few days in bed tending to his poor buttocks. A while back, he'd been either ordering San Cun Ding to steal spicy snacks for him, or assigning Lin Wen'an to do it. Yao Ruyi had intercepted the information and scolded him several times, but he wouldn't change. Now, he'd eaten too much, and was in so much pain he couldn't sit still, but he was too embarrassed to say anything.
Who is Yao Ruyi? She's a long-time resident of the hospital, she's seen it all! With a blink of an eye, she knew what was wrong with Grandpa Yao.
Without saying a word, she dragged Grandpa Yao, who was clinging to the door and reluctant to see a doctor, to the clinic. She found a highly respected old doctor in this field and had him undergo a complete treatment process, including moxibustion, fumigation, hot compresses, and ligation (not the kind of ligation). After this, Grandpa Yao was finally free from the pain, but the doctor also completely cut off his hope of eating spicy food, and he had to drink thin porridge and mushy soup for three to five days.
Even Lin Wen'an has hardened his heart and will no longer let Grandpa Yao steal spicy chips.
Speaking of Lin Wen'an... Yao Ruyi asked Uncle Cong, who was standing on a stool hanging meat, while brushing her teeth: "Uncle Cong, why hasn't Second Uncle come over to visit these past few days? What's he doing cooped up in his room all day?"
Cong Bo replied with concern, “Young lady, if you have time, try to talk to Erlang more often. I feel he’s become strange again. These days, I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but he’s made Cong Xin go out and collect a lot of Taoist books to read, like the *Baopuzi*, the *Taiqing Danjing*, and the *Zhouyi Cantongqi*. The other day he even made me buy a pill furnace! Apart from that, he’s absent-minded whenever I talk to him, as if he wants to crawl into the pill furnace…”
He glanced around and, seeing that neither Sancunding nor Congxin were there, and no one was coming or going, he lowered his voice and whispered to Yao Ruyi, "Young lady, do you think Erlang is thinking of becoming a monk? What should we do?"
Yao Ruyi was startled: "No way?" Why would he suddenly become a monk?
Cong Bo spoke with great seriousness, then sighed, "Young lady, you don't know, but during the years when Erlang was recuperating in Fuzhou, his behavior was already somewhat strange. He would often stare blankly, sometimes for days without saying a word, or he would spend the whole day writing, crumpling up each page, ignoring everyone from morning till night. If it weren't for that one day when we suddenly received a letter from Lord Wang saying that Dr. Yao had suffered a stroke and was seriously ill, and Erlang was determined to return to the capital to visit him, and his spirits had only improved afterward, I was really afraid that he would develop some kind of illness from holding it in."
Yao Ruyi chewed on her toothbrush, pondering to herself based on Uncle Cong's words: Did Second Uncle have a history of... stereotypical behavior?
As far as she knows, stereotyped behaviors in humans are often caused by similar reasons as those in animals that have been kept in captivity for a long time. For example, living in a small, isolated place for a long time, or in a monotonous environment with little social interaction, can easily lead to aimless and repetitive behaviors.
Lin Wen'an was trapped in Fuzhou for seven years. Initially, his legs were weak, forcing him to spend most of his time indoors, finding solace in repetitive, fixed movements – that was understandable. But now that his legs are healed, and he's seemed perfectly normal since arriving in Bianjing, how could this be…?
After brushing her teeth, Yao Ruyi scooped water to wash her face while thinking about it.
Come to think of it, my second uncle's strange behavior seemed to have started from the day he went to the dock.
That day, watching the cargo ships sail south one by one, Yao Ruyi couldn't help but shed tears, just like her sisters-in-law and aunts, for that benevolent heart that saved the world.
Lin Wen'an, who was beside her, silently lent her his sleeve to wipe her tears and stood quietly the whole time, watching the fleet sail away.
After he returned, he became less talkative. Although he was never one to utter a word before, something was different. He seemed to be preoccupied with something important, pondering it alone.
He used to come to the Yao family every day to talk and play chess with Grandpa Yao, quietly listening to his incoherent ramblings about the past. But ever since he came back that day, he hasn't even come over for meals.
Uncle Cong was worried about him and often asked Yao Ruyi to call him. She also went through the side gate to call him a few times. He was willing to comply and obediently got up to eat, but he would start to lose himself in thought while holding his chopsticks.
At first, he didn't do anything special. He just looked at a scroll of blueprints left by Lord Wang, day and night. Then he started asking Cong Xin to search for Taoist books at the bookstore, and he began to read those books day and night. Now he has devoted himself to studying alchemy.
This is much more serious than just not coming to eat before! It's really worrying.
Yao Ruyi thought that once the shop opened, she would definitely go and see him.
With this matter on her mind, Yao Ruyi hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of porridge, then busied herself opening the windows and doors, tidying up the goods in the shop, keeping the tea eggs and oden warm on the stove, and arranging the meat paste for grilled sausages and the batter for egg hamburgers before finally settling down.
It was still early, and it was estimated that there wouldn't be any guests coming. Uncle Cong said that Lin Wen'an had gotten up early, so he shouldn't disturb his sleep.
Just as she was about to head to the Lin family's house, she suddenly heard a series of tender, chick-like calls of "Sister Ruyi."
Little Stone, Jasmine, and Little Song pulled Guan Rongrong along. The children were all bundled up like fried meatballs, wearing cotton hats, scarves, and gloves, their necks and waists completely hidden. They rushed in like cannonballs.
"Sister Ruyi! We want to eat 'Three Scholars Passing the Imperial Examination'! We also want to eat mixed vegetable stew! We also want to eat egg burgers! We also want to eat roasted sausages!"
Yao Ruyi stepped aside and exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you all up so early?" It's so cold, and the children aren't even sleeping in.
“We told our parents (grandmothers) yesterday that we wouldn’t eat breakfast at home today; we’d come to the grocery store!” the children answered in unison.
"Alright, alright," Yao Ruyi smiled and shook her head, resignedly rolling up her sleeves to get them today's breakfast set, along with grilled sausages, grilled eggs, and hamburgers.
The colder the weather, the more popular her snacks and breakfasts become.
Except for the first day when the breakfast sets were slow to sell, she has been able to sell out every day since then. However, she didn't prepare a lot in the first place. Now, many students come to order the day before and pick them up directly from the basket the next morning. They take what they need and leave, and the sale ends when they're sold out.
However, in a few days, the Imperial College would be on winter break, and the students would all have to go home for the New Year. But before the winter break, the students would have to celebrate the "Kitchen God Festival" at the Imperial College, which is also known as the Little New Year. The holiday would only begin after the Little New Year was over, so Yao Ruyi had another idea!
The Kitchen God Festival is a folk custom where people send the Kitchen God to heaven to "speak good words." In addition to offering "sticky candy" to the Kitchen God, people also prepare a sumptuous meal.
It seems that this is how festivals are: no matter what festival it is or what deity is being worshipped, in the end, it all comes down to returning to basics and having a big meal during the celebration.
Since no one was cooking for the students at the Imperial Academy, they were naturally more willing to spend money on food and drink than usual. Yao Ruyi then decided to make some exquisite, beautiful, and delicious sushi boxes to earn some extra money. After that, she stopped preparing so much food.
School's out for break, and she and her little shop will be hibernating for the winter.
As Yao Ruyi grilled the sausage, she thought about her sushi. Shouldn't it be called "sour rice sashimi" now?
Several children sat down in a row at the narrow table against the wall of the shop, swinging their legs and chatting while waiting. The Yao family's several half-grown puppies also sneaked in—they were at that awkward age where their fur grew unevenly and they looked rather ugly.
Only the big fat cat, Wangwang, remained round and plump, showing no signs of being in an awkward phase. It was born with a shorter body than other cats, its fur was very fluffy, and its legs were short. When it walked, its butt wiggled from side to side, and it was a bright orange-yellow like a tabby orange.
When Xiao Song saw it come in wagging its tail, it immediately lowered its voice, bent down, hugged it, rubbed against it vigorously, and called out in a sweet, affectionate voice, "Woof woof! You're here!"
Woof woofed back and meowed, flicking its chubby tail in response to her enthusiasm.
Xiao Song used a lot of effort to lift it up, held it on her lap, and refused to let go.
Guan Rongrong was about the same age as Xiao Shitou and had a very lively personality. She glanced at the dog and the cat and thought of her aunt's majestic black dog, Bai Sui. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Let me tell you a funny story."
"What is it?" The children all turned their heads.
“A few days ago, my uncle slaughtered a sheep and specially took a car to deliver the mutton to my aunt’s house. Seeing that Bai Sui was very majestic, he said he would borrow it to find a mate for it so that it could have a few puppies as fierce as it. My aunt then let my uncle take Bai Sui away. But before noon, Bai Sui was returned.”
Little Stone asked, "Why?"
Xiaosong and Jasmine exclaimed in surprise, "How could it be so fast?"
Hearing this, Yao Ruyi, who was grilling sausages, almost choked on her own saliva.
“That’s right! Do you know why it was so fast?” Guan Rongrong laughed out loud first. “When Bai Sui arrived at his uncle’s house, he ate two bowls of rice as soon as he entered. His uncle then put his beautiful little dog with Bai Sui, but Bai Sui thought it was there to steal his food. He bared his teeth and roared, scaring the little dog away! His uncle was furious and said that Bai Sui only ate and did no work. He even lost two bowls of rice, so he sent him back.”
Several children laughed heartily.
"Your 100-year-old is so much fun."
"It can eat two bowls of rice! That's amazing!"
Yao Ruyi carried a plate and brought the food to the children. They immediately stopped talking and laughing and buried their heads in their food.
She touched each child's head, and when she touched Jasmine, she gently rubbed it a few more times with tenderness. Judging by the days, Sister You and the others should have arrived in Guizhou by now, right? She wondered how the disaster was going there.
"You all eat, and while you're at it, help your sister watch the shop. She has something to do, but she'll be back in a bit." Yao Ruyi casually handed the shop over to these unofficial "young helpers."
"Don't worry, Sister Ruyi, leave it all to us!" Little Stone patted his chest and said, glancing at the newly arrived Great Horse General on the farthest shelf. He had already saved up more than ten coins, and with two hundred and eighty-two coins left, he could buy the Great Horse General!
Yao Ruyi smiled and left with peace of mind.
These kids are all very well-behaved. They come to the shop to play and often help her watch the store. Last time, a pickpocket tried to steal something, but these little ones were surprisingly bold. They not only knew to call Big Yellow and bring the dog team to catch the thief, but they also successfully recovered the stolen goods.
Yao Ruyi passed through the side gate and entered the Lin family's residence. The side gate was no longer locked; Uncle Cong had even considered dismantling it last time.
It was already daylight when Yao Ruyi entered the Lin family's backyard. She first greeted the persimmon tree, saying, "Good morning, Pingping," before following the corridor to find her way there.
Lin Wen'an's room is in the east wing.
The door was ajar, but the inside was dimly lit. Yao Ruyi paused at the doorway, peering in through the doorframe while calling out softly, "Second Uncle."
Sunlight streamed through the windowpane. The charcoal brazier in the room had long since gone out, leaving only a few dim red embers flickering. She stepped inside and landed on several sheets of haphazardly arranged Xuan paper and books. The floor was a complete mess; some papers had folded corners soaked in ink, some were weighed down by paperweights, and some were crumpled into balls, making it impossible to even put her foot down.
She had no choice but to dodge left and right, stepping into the gap.
Fortunately, her sprained ankle had already healed.
Lin Wen'an was lying face down in the pile of papers, one arm hanging down to the ground, his clothes were wrinkled, the collar was loose by half an inch, and half of his chin was hidden by the disheveled collar.
Yao Ruyi squatted down in front of him, her breathing inexplicably becoming lighter.
A few rays of cool sunlight filtered through the window and shone on his forehead, casting two faint shadows on his brow bone, making his eyes and brows appear even more profound.
"Such a high nose, and such long eyelashes!" Yao Ruyi took the opportunity to thoroughly examine Lin Wen'an, nodding emphatically to herself. Her judgment was spot on; why didn't her aunts believe her?
My second uncle's appearance would make him a star in later generations.
Suddenly a gust of wind came, making all the papers on the ground tremble. One piece of paper flew up and was caught by Yao Ruyi with quick eyes and hands. She subconsciously looked at it and froze.
The image above is a rough sketch, but it depicts a weapon with a base and a long, straight cannon barrel.
Yao Ruyi was dumbfounded. This thing looked exactly like... a cannon! Although she had never seen a real cannon, she had watched the play "Second Battalion Commander, bring out my Italian cannon" with her grandmother.
Yao Ruyi, who wasn't very familiar with history, was unaware that the earliest siege weapon in history had actually been created as early as the Song Dynasty, and it really did look like a cannon. Her eyes widened, and a strange and unbelievable thought kept swirling in her mind, making her hand holding the blueprint tremble slightly.
No way... Could it be...?
A moment later, when Lin Wen'an suddenly realized someone was beside him and drowsily opened his eyes, he heard Yao Ruyi lean close to him in a tone as if they were plotting something big, or two undercover agents exchanging coded signals. She whispered mysteriously in his ear:
"Second Uncle."
Do you know how much a cup of Imperial Jade Liquor costs?
Lin Wen'an: ?
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Note: The employment rate for women was very high in the Song Dynasty. The *Dongjing Menghualu* records: "In the capital, lower-class families did not value having sons. They cherished every daughter as if she were a precious gem. Once she grew up, they taught her various arts and crafts according to her natural beauty, so she could serve as amusement for scholars and officials. These arts and crafts took many forms, such as attendants, actors, musicians, and chess players." In the Song Dynasty, with its highly prosperous economy, the phenomenon of "preferring daughters"—rare in feudal dynasties—emerged. Women could work outside the home without being criticized, and their social status was relatively high.
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For a while afterward, Ruyi would often chase after her second uncle to exchange secret codes:
"Second Uncle, do you know how much a big sledgehammer costs and how much a small sledgehammer costs?"
"Second Uncle, the Wumeng Mountains connect to mountains beyond mountains, what's the next line?"
"Second Uncle, do you know what a rooster that lays eggs is?"
Lin Wen'an: ? ? ? ?
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