Judge
Shi Yu grabbed a zongzi (sticky rice dumpling), tugged at it, but couldn't find the end of the string. His hand was about to reach for the curved knife at his waist. Wei Ji took the zongzi, untied the knot, peeled off the bamboo leaves, and handed it back to him. Then he washed his hands in the basin and poured me some wine: "This second cup is for Qing Niangzi. Thank you for bringing me Shi Yu. With him by my side, I don't feel lonely."
Shi Yu smiled happily. I patted his head and asked, "Why didn't Lord Wei bring any personal attendants with him when he went to his post?"
Wei Ji replied, “I have no wife yet, and my parents are old and have lived in Jiangnan for a long time. My elder brother and sister-in-law take care of them. As for my followers, I have been demoted to this place and have no way forward or back. Why should I burden them?”
I grabbed a few candied fruits and handed them to Shiyu, chuckling softly, "That's just one thing. Actually, you don't want those who were by your side when you were successful to witness your downfall and misery. Isn't that right?"
Wei Ji paused for a moment, then filled his own cup, raised it to me, and drank it all in one gulp: "To be honest, this is exactly what I was thinking."
I took the teapot and poured him half a cup: "Lord Wei, you drank too fast. This 'Chongbichun' is made from five grains and is very rich and mellow, unlike the smooth and mellow yellow wine from your Jiangnan region."
Wei Ji blushed: "You flatter me, Lady Qing."
"Does Lord Wei ever regret defending his teacher?"
Never.
"Since you don't regret it, why be upset? This is your choice." I pointed to the hollyhocks in the garden and asked, "Do they have hollyhocks in Jiaxing too?"
Wei Ji nodded: "Yes."
"Is she as pretty as the girls in this garden?"
"yes."
"Look, the flowers in our Sichuan region are just as beautiful as those in your hometown. Why do you, a living person, feel so melancholy when you come to Sichuan?"
Wei Ji's eyes shone brightly: "It is truly the luckiest thing in my life to have met Qing Niangzi as a friend since I entered Shu."
I smiled and clinked glasses with him: "The prefecture is poor and its people are fierce. Lord Wei has certainly suffered a lot here."
Wei Ji took the teapot, poured me half a cup, and then filled his own cup: "I think the people of Nanguang are simple and honest. In fact, the mountain people are fierce, which comes from the harsh living environment. They have to fight against miasma, wild beasts, insects, snakes, rats and ants. Surviving in struggle has become a habit."
"If they could leave the mountains and learn from the Han people's experience in farming and spinning, once they have enough to eat and wear and their granaries are full, they would surely be able to live together happily with the Han people."
“What a wonderful ‘Han and Yi people living together in harmony’!” I raised my glass and said, “Come, Qingcheng, let me toast you. On behalf of the elders and folks of Nanguang, thank you. Under Lord Wei’s guidance, that day will surely come.”
"The idea is there, but how to implement it still needs careful consideration. Qingniangzi is intelligent, and I hope you can give me more guidance when the time comes."
I propped my head up and asked, "What are your ideas, adults?"
"Last time by the Yuejiang River, Qingniangzi mentioned your father and mother to me. Families like Qingniangzi's, so happy and harmonious, are truly rare in this world, and they have given me some inspiration."
“I believe that if people live together, they should be able to intermarry, travel, and trade in a truly meaningful way. The more commonalities there are between different groups, the fewer disputes and conflicts will naturally occur.”
I clapped my hands and drank with him: "You're absolutely right, sir. Let's have another cup."
"My parents were the most loving couple I've ever seen in the world. Nanguang was backward and poor, and the villages fought each other all year round for limited resources. A horse, a bronze drum, or even a piece of animal skin could cause villages of different surnames to fight for three days and three nights, resulting in the loss of dozens of lives."
"After my mother gave birth to me, my father felt that childbirth was too dangerous for women, so he decided not to have a second child. They gave me all their love and spent the happiest time of their lives with me."
"Although they have passed away, I think they must be watching over me from somewhere in heaven, blessing me. That's why I was fortunate enough to meet such a wonderful daughter as Huai Xu, as well as Lin Zhong and Feng Qiao."
Shiyu came over and took my hand. I patted him and said in Dongcuanwu dialect, "Oh right, and there's our Adao too. Go, pour some wine for your father."
Shi Yu poured wine for Wei Ji and then filled mine up, saying, "Mother, you should drink too."
I held up a finger to my lips and shushed them, then grabbed the last few candied fruits from the plate and stuffed them into Shiyu's palm.
Shi Yu was led away by Wei Ji again, and Wei Ji took the candy candies out of his hand one by one: "Don't eat too many sweets, or your teeth will rot."
Shi Yu looked sullen and turned to look at me: "A Dao's teeth are perfectly fine!"
I picked up another piece of tea pastry and handed it to him, saying, "He wants some too, so just let him have some."
Wei Ji peeled open a candy fruit and put it in his mouth: "What are you guys talking about?"
I looked at Shiyu and smiled, "This is our secret, isn't it, Shiyu?"
Shi Yu nodded seriously.
Wei Ji asked, "Why do people always ask Qing Niangzi to mediate when prices are at odds in the border markets?"
“When Han people and Liao people have a dispute, they go to the Han people to settle it. The Liao people feel that they are outnumbered. If they go to the Liao people to settle it, the Han people also feel that they will be at a disadvantage. In their eyes, I am half Liao and half Han, so they all come to me.”
"Now, the two land routes, the Five-Foot Road and the Eight-Pavilion Road, and the two water routes, the Mahu River Road and the Minjiang River Waterway, in the 'southwest half' have all been reopened. Trade volume in the border markets along the way has increased dramatically, and disputes and frictions between officials, civilians, and merchants have also increased significantly. The Tea and Horse Bureau is short-staffed and intends to select people familiar with Han and Yi customs to serve as judges. I think Qing Niangzi is skilled in this area. I wonder if you would be interested in serving as a judge at the Yuezhou border market?"
I lowered my eyelids, slowly swirled the wine glass, and remained silent.
Wei Ji added, "At the end of the year, the Tea and Horse Bureau will settle commissions based on the trade volume of each market. It's just a part-time job, so it shouldn't interfere with Qing Niangzi's management of the inn business."
I put down my wine glass, looked up and smiled, "Will Qingcheng's actions help Lord Wei?"
Wei Ji nodded: "Of course."
"Alright! I agree."
Wei Ji raised his glass to me: "Thank you!"
I heard the familiar neighing of horses in the distance. I got up, washed my hands in the basin, and said goodbye to Wei Ji: "Lord Wei, my Lin Zhong has come to pick me up. Farewell! I had a very enjoyable time tonight. Next time, it's my turn to treat you."
"I'll see you off." Wei Ji got up and took the lamp. "Shi Yu, go to the bedroom and get a cloak."
Lin Zhong, holding his horse under the eaves, saw Wei Ji seeing me off and turned around to say, "Master, Lord Wei."
Wei Ji said, "Lin Zhong, your master has drunk quite a bit tonight. There are empty guest rooms in the prefectural government office. Why don't you stay here tonight and go back tomorrow morning?"
"No need, Lord Wei. Her daughter is waiting at home and wants me to take her back."
"Yes. I have a daughter who can't speak yet... What if she gets lured away by brokers while I'm not with her..." I pulled my cloak tighter around myself and staggered to the front of the horse...
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