Chapter 2 General Pei Yu
At dawn, it was already time for spring plowing, and many farmers in the suburbs of Chang'an had already gotten up and started their busy farming season. Someone knocked on the door of their courtyard.
Huiyin, who had just fallen into a light sleep by the bed, was startled awake by the sound. She knelt up, supporting her numb body, feeling completely confused.
Madam Song lay peacefully on the couch, her face covered with a white cloth. Song Jingchuan was curled up at her feet, fast asleep. Huiyin took the quilt that had fallen off and covered him with it.
In early spring, the chill of winter lingered. The hearth in the house had gone out sometime earlier. Huiyin lit the ceramic lamp, got up and took out the firewood and straw from under the cabinet on the right and lit them. The fire in the hearth was lit, dispelling the chill from the room.
As dawn broke, Huiyin, wrapped in a thick linen coat, stepped out of the house. There were no lights in the courtyard, and she groped her way to open the wooden door. Standing outside was a familiar face—her wet nurse, Yan Niang.
After the Song family's downfall, Huiyin restored Yan Niang's freedom and gave her a contract of indenture to allow her to leave. However, Yan Niang refused. She was originally a peasant girl from a village in the eastern suburbs of Chang'an, and after coming of age, her father arranged for her to marry a farmer from a neighboring village.
The man was lazy and loved to gamble. In just three years, he lost all his possessions and even his newborn daughter starved to death. She was heartbroken and had no way to live. Fortunately, Madam Song happened to pass by, rescued her, and then arranged for her to be Huiyin's tutor.
A month ago, the Song family fell into ruin. She hurriedly went to the county with her indenture to cancel her status as a slave, and then rushed back to Chang'an.
Yan Niang was dressed in coarse cloth short clothes, with a round face and thick lips. Her hair was tightly wrapped behind her head with a headscarf, and she was short and stout.
She looked travel-worn, with a cloth bag slung over her shoulder, but her spirits were high. Upon seeing Huiyin, a smile spread across her face. "My lady, I'm back."
Huiyin hadn't slept all night, and now her eyes were dark and swollen. Her tense mood relaxed the moment she saw Yanniang. She forced back the soreness in her chest and said, "Mother Fu... Mother... passed away last night."
Yan Niang's smile froze on her face. The cloth bag on her shoulder fell to the ground with a "thud." She helplessly reached out and then withdrew her hand, and could only look at Huiyin's tearful eyes and try to comfort her: "My dear, please accept my condolences."
Huiyin stepped aside and led her into the room. Song Jingchuan had already woken up and was standing in front of the table looking at the two of them, his eyes still bloodshot.
Yan Niang rushed to the bedside. Madam Song's body was already ice-cold. She lifted the white cloth and glanced at her. Her heart sank, and she pounded her chest, weeping, "Madam, why didn't you wait for me before you left!"
Upon hearing the cries, Huiyin and Song Jingchuan couldn't hold back either, kneeling beside Yan Niang and weeping. After crying for a while, Yan Niang wiped away her tears, knelt on the ground, and respectfully kowtowed three times to Madam Song's corpse.
"Madam, please rest assured. I will take good care of the young lady and the young master. May your spirit in heaven protect them and keep them safe from harm."
Yan Niang turned to Huiyin and asked, "Young lady, young master, what should be done about the lady's funeral arrangements?"
Huiyin replied numbly, "My mother left a will, asking us to bury her and my father together."
Yan Niang looked sorrowful. "Nanshan is a good place, with beautiful scenery and no one to disturb it."
——
As soon as the morning drum sounded, Huiyin used the money she had left to buy a pine coffin, and also bought two bolts of white cloth to make three simple mourning clothes. She rented a wagon, and together with Song Jingchuan and Yan Niang, she carried the coffin out of the house and headed south towards the mountains.
The street at Xuanping Gate was slightly smaller than the surrounding streets, about eight zhang wide, and was tightly packed with yellow earth. There were underground channels dug on both sides, which were used to drain sewage after rain.
In this suburb, most of the people traveling are ordinary farmers, and there are not many official carriages passing by on the road. The wooden carts of food vendors on both sides have been set up, and the vendors have already started shouting at the top of their lungs. Most of them are men in short brown clothes, but there are also many women with headscarves and cloth wrapped around their heads busy at work.
Since the establishment of the Southern Dynasties, the population has been increasing due to war. After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he issued an edict to encourage widows to remarry and increase the population. The world did not impose many restrictions on women.
The backstreet was unusually bustling today. The wooden notice board was surrounded by crowds, and the lively discussions reached the ears of Huiyin and the others.
"The magistrate of Chang'an proclaims to the people: Dong'ou has rebelled. General Pei Yu led 20,000 elite troops to meet the enemy and defeated 50,000 of them, achieving a great victory! This has enhanced our national prestige, and we celebrate with the people. We hereby grant the people a five-day feast!"
"Who is this Pei Yu?"
"This man has quite a background. He is the nephew of the current empress and the cousin of the crown prince. He grew up in His Majesty's presence since childhood and is more favored than even the princes."
"With such a noble birth, why is he leading troops into battle?"
Old Zhang stroked his sparse beard and said in a pretentious manner, "The Grand Marshal was a brilliant strategist, and his son was naturally no less capable. Five years ago, the Grand Marshal died at the hands of the Xiongnu, and he left the capital to go to Dai County to take over the Pei family army. In the second year of Jianyuan, he crossed Yanzhi Mountain and killed the Xiongnu Kulan King, annihilating more than 10,000 enemies. This battle resounded throughout the three armies."
"A swift cavalry raid deep into enemy territory—a rare talent indeed."
Old Zhang chuckled as he touched his shiny bald head. He recalled the dashing young man in Chang'an five years ago, a man of noble birth and handsome appearance.
For years, people could watch him lead a group of richly dressed young men out of the city on horseback to hunt, their whips cracking, returning laden with game. When they passed his stall, one of the young men would rein in his horse, laugh loudly, and ask him to pack a few flatbreads and toss them over.
Five years have passed, and things have changed. I wonder if the boy is still the same as before.
Old Zhang snapped out of his daze, put his arm around the bearded man beside him, and said, "Come on, let's go have a couple of drinks, it's on me."
The overwhelming festivities contrasted sharply with the misery and poverty of Huiyin and her two companions. The three of them went against the flow of people, carrying the coffin out of the city.
The muddy ground smelled unpleasantly earthy after the rain, and the roads were difficult to travel on, with deep and shallow mud all the way, and carts often got stuck in the mud.
The Song family fell into ruin too quickly, and Song Wei's body was only hastily prepared and a small grave was erected. The three of them worked together to bury Madam Song and Song Wei together, and erected a wooden sign that read, "Tomb of the deceased parents, Lord Song, erected by son Huiyin Jingchuan."
Huiyin and her two companions had just returned to the courtyard when a group of uninvited guests arrived at the gate. The man in the lead wore a long crown, had beady eyes, a slightly plump figure, and wore an exquisitely crafted silk robe. He led several servants into the courtyard.
Upon entering the courtyard, he first looked around for a while, his gaze turning to disgust when he saw the pile of firewood at the foot of the wall and the muddy sewage that hadn't been properly drained from the yard. He shuffled along the muddy ground, his words filled with utter disdain, "What a lousy place!"
Hearing the commotion, Song Jingchuan went out to investigate, frowning as he asked, "Zhang Xun, what are you doing here?"
Zhang Xun's disdainful gaze changed upon seeing Song Jingchuan. He crossed his arms and said with a flippant expression, "Song Jingchuan, you're really here. Is your older sister inside?"
Upon seeing the grime on his face, Song Jingchuan understood everything. His elder sister was exceptionally beautiful, and even when their father was still alive, rumors circulated that she was the chosen Crown Princess.
Back then, my elder sister was of noble status, and these spoiled young men dared not offend her. Now that the Song family has fallen, these people are eager to come and bully her.
Song Jingchuan snorted coldly and stepped forward, trying to force the crowd to leave. "This is my home. You're not welcome here. Get out of here!"
"Song Jingchuan, do you still think you're the same Young Master Song you used to be?" Zhang Xun chuckled twice, a smug glint in his eyes. He took two steps back, spread his arms, and ordered his servants to swarm forward, "Tie him up!"
"How dare you!" Song Jingchuan roared, rushing forward in a few strides, kicking aside the servant in front, grabbing Zhang Xun's collar tightly, and glaring at him angrily.
Seeing this, the Zhang family servants surrounded the two men and struck Song Jingchuan hard on the back with wooden sticks. Before they could strike again, Song Jingchuan suddenly turned around and stared at them, intimidated by the ferocity in his eyes, and dared not take another step forward.
A clear, cool voice broke the silence among them. Everyone turned to look, and a beautiful young girl emerged from behind the house. The girl had skin as white as snow, wore mourning clothes, and her hair was loosely tied at her side, with a white silk flower tucked behind her ear.
Seemingly catching a cold, she raised her hand to cover her mouth and coughed lightly. Her eyes were as clear and cold as the reflection of a deep ravine, making one's heart tremble.
"According to the laws of our dynasty, anyone who enters another's residence without cause can be killed on the spot. Zhang Xun, you have come to my door to cause trouble without cause; are you trying to disregard the law?"
Huiyin coldly stared at the group of uninvited guests. She had been caught in a downpour and hadn't slept all night due to her grief. At this moment, she felt dizzy and somewhat unsteady on her feet.
Seeing the person in charge emerge, Zhang Xun raised his hand to signal the servants to step back. He straightened his clothes and stepped forward, raising his hand to touch Song Jingchuan's shoulder, only to be turned away by Song with a look of disgust.
Zhang Xun casually waved his sleeves, cupped his hands towards Huiyin, and said, "How are you, young lady? How can it be considered trouble when an old friend comes to visit?"
Huiyin leaned against the wooden door, her lips pale. "There is a funeral in the family, so it is inconvenient to entertain guests. Please leave."
“Song Huiyin, you are no longer the most noble lady in Chang’an, why bother putting on airs?” Zhang Xun’s gaze swept over Huiyin’s face and landed on her slender figure, his eyes filled with lewdness. “Why don’t you come back with me and become my concubine? At least you can keep your wealth and status.”
"Pah!" Song Jingchuan glanced at Zhang Xun, stepped in front of Huiyin to block Zhang Xun's arrogant gaze, and cursed, "You toad trying to eat swan meat, give up on that idea!"
Zhang Xun snorted coldly, ignoring Song Jingchuan's angry curses, and focused his attention on Huiyin, scanning her back and forth.
Huiyin didn't even glance at him again, turning and going inside. Completely ignored, Zhang Xun, enraged, pointed at Huiyin's retreating figure and hurled insults: "What are you pretending for? One day, I'll have you pinned down..."
Splash—
A basin of dirty water was thrown at Zhang Xun, its stench overwhelming him and soaking him completely, even filling his mouth and nose. Zhang Xun stumbled back two steps, only managing to regain his balance with the help of the servants behind him. He wiped the dirty water from his face and roared, "Who!"
Yan Niang stood at the door with a wooden basin in her hand, glaring angrily at Zhang Xun. "Your mouth is full of foul language. This old woman will rinse your mouth for you!"
Enraged, Zhang Xun picked up a wooden stick from the ground and charged forward. His bulky build contrasted sharply with the lean and wiry Song Jingchuan.
In the blink of an eye, the wooden stick in his hand was chopped in half by Song Jingchuan's machete. He looked up and saw Song Jingchuan raising the machete and staring at him fiercely, his handsome face full of disgust. "If you don't get out of here, I'll chop off your head."
"You...you all...just you wait!"
Zhang Xun threw away the broken wooden stick in his hand and retreated, trembling with anger. He turned around and saw the timid servants behind him. Enraged, he slapped each of them across the face, threw down a curse, and slunk away.
Yan Niang returned to the house in a huff. She saw Huiyin kneeling on a bundle of cattails by the fire pit, folding clothes with her hands, her whole demeanor serene.
She put down the wooden basin and slowly sat down, stroking Huiyin's thin back to comfort her, "Young lady, don't let those idiots' words slip out of your mouth."
Huiyin shook her head. It wasn't because of that. "There are too many noble people in Chang'an. If this happens once, it will happen again. I can't stay here any longer."
Yan Niang sighed and took the work from Huiyin's hands. "Let's leave Chang'an after the seventh day after the madam's death."
Huiyin looked at the sky. The once clear sky was now covered by dark clouds, a sign that the heavy rain of the past few days was about to come. Her heart suddenly pounded, bringing a sense of panic.
She got up and called Song Jingchuan, who was chopping wood outside, in. "We can't stay any longer. Pack your things today and go back to Jingzhou tomorrow."
Song Jingchuan looked bewildered and glanced down at Yan Niang, who was kneeling on the ground. Yan Niang put down her clothes and shook her head at him, indicating that she did not know.
He then turned to Huiyin and said, "Sister, you should at least wait until Mother's seventh day memorial service is over before you leave."
Huiyin felt a tickle in her throat. She suppressed the urge to cough and looked worried: "Zhang Xun is a vengeful man, and his father is the Grand Master of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Now he is in power and we are in power. If he wants to do something, we are powerless to stop him. Besides, there are too many old friends in Chang'an. I am worried that if we don't leave now, we won't be able to leave at all."
Seeing that Huiyin had made up her mind, Song Jingchuan didn't say anything more and went to pack his luggage in silence.
Huiyin knelt before the low table, took out a bamboo slip with rough edges, picked up a brush and began to write. The square clerical script appeared, with wide and flat characters that stretched out to the left and right.
Yan Niang leaned closer to make out the characters, but could only vaguely recognize a few, such as "fields" and "Zhang".
After a short while, Huiyin put down the thin bamboo pen and placed the bamboo slips by the fire pit to dry them. Yanniang picked up the curved iron hook next to her and turned the fire pit to make the charcoal burn evenly, and a warm feeling came over her.
Song Jingchuan also came over, his eyes filled with doubt.
"Sister, what is this?"
Huiyin smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Zhang Xun hit you with a stick just now, so I gave him a gift before he left."
Yan Niang got up and handed the medicine that had been drying on the windowsill to Huiyin, saying, "Since you are going on a long journey, I will go and buy some dry food to prepare."
Huiyin nodded, held the earthenware bowl, and drank it all in one gulp. The bitterness spread wildly in her mouth, but her expression remained unchanged. Yanniang felt extremely uncomfortable. In the past, young ladies were most afraid of bitterness and would need to eat candied fruit with their medicine to swallow it.
She quietly turned her back to wipe away her tears. Huiyin saw her action and comforted her, "I'm fine, this medicine isn't bitter."
Yan Niang quickly responded, not daring to look up again, and left the courtyard with her bamboo basket.
The medicine isn't bitter, but my heart is.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
