After keeping vigil for several days, by the fourth day the Emperor’s decree arrived.
First came flowery words of commendation for Old Magistrate Cheng—”vast kindness and great righteousness, bestowing grace upon the people, his name spreading to later generations, worthy of being called a virtuous great officer by all under heaven.” Before Shaoshang kneeling below could grumble internally, the yellow-robed eunuch immediately announced the substantial content: Old Magistrate Cheng was posthumously granted the title of Second Class Marquis of Guannei. When his eldest grandson came of age he would inherit the title and be granted an official rank of six hundred measures. Additionally, ten thousand strings of cash were bestowed.
Seeing her niece listening half-comprehendingly, Yun Shi quickly explained in her ear: This meant when Old Master Cheng’s grandson became an adult, he could automatically obtain an official position at the six hundred measures rank level. As for whether it would be an important post or an idle one depended on the child’s own capabilities—this was already extremely generous commendation.
Shaoshang expelled a breath of pent-up frustration, thinking the Emperor was still somewhat reasonable. When really calculated, if the Emperor hadn’t been soft-hearted and failed to decisively resolve the traitor problem, how would Hua County and the Cheng household have encountered this bloody disaster!
Accompanying to announce the decree was also Yun Shi’s elder brother Sang Yu. Old Madam Cheng led her two grandsons to bow and thank the imperial grace, then had Cheng Zhi and his wife accompany Sang Yu to the side hall to speak. Including Shaoshang, the four people sat surrounding a brazier. Because they were beside Old Magistrate Cheng’s spirit hall, they couldn’t feast and drink. Cheng Zhi could only offer his brother-in-law a bowl of steaming hot honey syrup water.
The Sang siblings resembled each other greatly, both with ordinary features. But after all, Sang Yu had taken disciples and established his school for many years, so he had acquired somewhat scholarly gravitas about him. He held the cup without drinking and first asked about his sister’s injury.
Yun Shi smiled: “These past days I’ve eaten well and slept well, changing the medicine daily—it’s much better. All flesh wounds, not affecting bones and sinews.”
Sang Yu breathed a sigh of relief and brought everyone the second piece of news—the Emperor had ordered Cheng Zhi to temporarily assume the role of Hua County Magistrate to comfort the people and eliminate disaster from the township. The decree would probably arrive in the next day or two.
While secretly cursing Uncle’s good dog luck, Shaoshang politely asked: “Teacher Sang, why wasn’t this decree issued together today?” Along the journey, Cheng Zhi and his wife had hosted renowned scholars and Confucian students, and she had always accompanied them this way, occasionally interjecting a sentence or two.
Sang Yu had long learned from family letters that his sister dearly loved the daughter of the Cheng family’s first branch. Now seeing the girl was indeed remarkably beautiful with distinguished bearing, and thinking how after his sister’s injury she had relied on this young girl’s careful care, he already felt close to her and smiled: “His Majesty is benevolent. Fearing the old magistrate’s family might feel grief seeing the scene, he deliberately delayed the decree by a day or two.”
Shaoshang was speechless. She hadn’t expected the supreme emperor to actually be of such a warm and considerate nature.
Seeing her stunned expression, Yun Shi smiled and said to her brother: “A few days ago she was still complaining to me that His Majesty wasn’t ruthless enough—if he’d eliminated that Fan Chang earlier, wouldn’t nothing have happened?”
Shaoshang exclaimed “Aiya” in shock and dissatisfiedly pinched Yun Shi’s waist. Yun Shi in turn reached back to scrape her little nose.
Sang Yu shook his head and sighed: “Nowadays quite a few probably think this way, but how do common people know His Majesty’s difficulties? That Traitor Fan’s merit in following the dragon wasn’t small. Besides having a violent temper, there wasn’t anything else wrong. Before his rebellion was exposed, arresting him based just on rumors… this, this…” He stroked the five strands of scholarly beard under his chin and continued: “Moreover, it’s always been easy to share hardship but difficult to share prosperity. Back when the founding Emperor executed quite a few meritorious officials, now outsiders all say His Majesty will follow suit. To avoid unstable hearts… ahem…”
Shaoshang nodded secretly—spoken this way, there was some logic to it.
Putting this matter aside, she said crisply: “Uncle, I’ll go to the front spirit hall to keep watch for you. You talk properly with Teacher Sang—don’t rush.” Speaking thus, she rose and went out. Halfway there she turned back: “Teacher Sang, I’ve instructed the kitchen to stew scallion leaf mushroom meat broth. Uncle can’t eat it, but Aunt and we can pour it over steaming hot wheat rice to eat.”
Cheng Zhi had originally been in low spirits, but now couldn’t help slapping the floor, laughing and scolding: “You child! Even if you find your uncle unpleasant to look at, you don’t need to display it to everyone!”
Shaoshang immediately retorted: “Last night I even stewed bone soup to make you soup cakes!”
“Wasn’t that because Old Madam Cheng instructed you to make one more bowl?” Cheng Zhi got angry just thinking about it. “Otherwise you only planned to make it for the three of them, grandmother and grandchildren! I doted on you for nothing!”
Shaoshang became indignant: “Uncle is a great stupid parasite—only when the old madam spoke could you eat properly! Hmph, tonight there’s no soup cakes for you!” Speaking thus, she stamped her foot and left angrily. Cheng Zhi glared and blew out his beard behind her. The Sang siblings both collapsed laughing onto their armrests.
After the girl left the room, Sang Yu wiped tears of laughter from his eyes and said to his sister: “Your niece is clever and endearing, very likeable.” He turned to his brother-in-law: “This county seat is fine, but the townships outside suffered considerably. You must be diligent and thorough—perhaps you can fill this magistrate position.”
Who knew Cheng Zhi would shake his head and say quietly: “Being diligent and thorough is natural—otherwise I couldn’t face the old master beneath the nine springs. However, I still won’t fill this vacancy. When this place recovers next year, I’ll have Elder Brother find another location.”
Sang Yu frowned, about to express disagreement, but Yun Shi quickly interrupted, saying softly: “My thoughts are the same as Zirong’s. If we hadn’t been leisurely wandering along the way but had arrived at the county seat a few days earlier, Zirong would probably also have had to leave the city to kill bandits—life or death uncertain. Now the old master died for righteousness while we’re fine. If Zirong fills this vacancy, in the future he’ll inevitably be criticized by those with ulterior motives, saying those who were carefree and relaxed were blessed while those who fulfilled their duties loyally met disaster.”
Sang Yu stroked his beard and thought for a moment: “That also makes sense. Don’t worry about where to go—I know of several small counties that need magistrates. Sigh… just not as prosperous and peaceful as here.”
As the Emperor successively crushed the various powers and conquered the regions, actually there were quite a few places needing local officials. But counties were the same in name only—there were prosperous large counties like Qing County and Hua County with over ten thousand households, and also impoverished small counties with only a few hundred to a thousand households. Going there as magistrate wasn’t as comfortable or profitable as being assistant magistrate in Hua County.
“No matter.” Cheng Zhi said seriously. “I should also learn to stand on my own, protecting the people of one region like the old master. Just…” He looked toward Yun Shi. “Why don’t you return to the capital while I take up the post alone?”
Yun Shi forcefully pinched her husband’s waist and glared: “If returning, you return yourself and give me the official seal—I’ll take up the post for you! In early years following Elder Brother, where haven’t I been? Do you need to show such tender care for jade?”
Cheng Zhi cried out “aiyou” covering his waist and said angrily: “What does a woman know? I’m doing this for your good!”
“Enough!” Seeing this scene, Sang Yu had a headache. “Where has it come to this? Would I find Zirong a place of poor mountains, bad waters, and troublesome people everywhere?! General Cheng wouldn’t agree either! Moreover, we must wait until His Majesty finishes touring Yanzhou, then Qingzhou, and returns to the capital before officially conferring office.”
After painstakingly finishing this speech, he grew angrier the more he thought. Pointing at his sister’s nose, he said loudly: “You—heal your leg injury properly, or don’t think of going anywhere!” Then pointing at his brother-in-law: “You—take good care of your health for me, don’t become emaciated! Otherwise go back to White Deer Mountain to collate books for Father!”
After this scolding, seeing the couple looking meek and not daring to act rashly, the respected Teacher Sang finally felt much more comfortable. Breathing out, he said: “Go instruct your niece to prepare the evening meal as well. I’ll return to His Majesty’s place tomorrow morning.”
Yun Shi raised her head, surprised: “Eh? Didn’t they say in a few days His Majesty will break camp for Shanyang Commandery? Won’t Elder Brother return immediately to pack?”
Sang Yu said helplessly: “These two days His Majesty is in a temper. I want to avoid him. I’ve already had my servant pack.”
Cheng Zhi also found it strange: “Is His Majesty angry about Traitor Fan’s rebellion?” During the sudden chaos, the Emperor wasn’t seen getting angry. Now Fan Chang and the gang who attached themselves to the rebellion all had their heads hung up to dry—why get angry now?
“It’s not about that.” Sang Yu pinched his beard with a bitter smile. “Two days ago, Fan Chang and those several bastards who incited rebellion were all captured and killed by Shiyi Lang after he caught up with them. This was originally good news…” He paused. “Who knew when reporting before the Emperor, Shiyi Lang collapsed. Only then did His Majesty know he’d been injured for several days but consistently concealed it and didn’t report, forcing himself to pursue the rebel traitors. Now he’s bedridden with high fever, unconscious… uh, no, wait—when I left, he’d already awakened.”
Cheng Zhi and Yun Shi exchanged glances. Yun Shi smiled: “Since he’s awakened, why is His Majesty still angry?”
Sang Yu was both angry and amused: “His Majesty paced back and forth before Shiyi Lang’s sickbed, saying over and over—telling him to hurry up, marry, and have children, otherwise when he dies no one will see him off!”
“Shiyi Lang refuses?” Cheng Zhi said.
“Nonsense! If he were willing, why would His Majesty be angry!” Sang Yu said weakly. “Later when pressed urgently, Shiyi Lang said he wished to marry someone he knew and loved like his maternal uncle, and didn’t want to be like his parents—hating and loathing each other for half a lifetime.”
Cheng Zhi clapped his hands laughing: “Once he said this, His Majesty certainly had no recourse.”
Sang Yu said irritably: “Whether he said this or not, His Majesty has no way to deal with him! Four years ago when Princess Yuchang wanted to remarry him, His Majesty originally wanted to pressure him to complete the marriage. As a result, he rode alone to the northwest, and by chance encountered barbarian border invasion—he nearly lost his life there! After that, how would His Majesty dare force him! His Majesty can’t lose his temper at Shiyi Lang, so doesn’t the anger get vented on others?!”
Cheng Zhi couldn’t help saying: “His Majesty pities Shiyi Lang’s hardships and raised him like his own son. Actually if he truly doesn’t want to marry, why not first take concubines and have children?” Actually marrying or not wasn’t important—the key was having children first.
Sang Yu drained the sugar water in one gulp: “Concubines, hmph—do you think His Majesty hasn’t bestowed them? Haven’t others gifted them? However, Shiyi Lang is also strange. Those concubines come and go—not one has served long-term, much less produced offspring. Sigh, forget it, forget it. After accompanying His Majesty on the Qingzhou tour, I’ll return to White Deer Mountain. Days accompanying the Emperor really aren’t comfortable!”
Yun Shi seemed thoughtful and said nothing, nor did she mention this matter afterward.
After three days of vigil ended, Cheng Zhi immediately threw himself into the vigorous disaster reconstruction work. Because Yun Shi had an injury on her leg, besides negotiating with the wives of the county’s prominent families to obtain grain, many other auxiliary tasks were unceremoniously assigned to dear good niece.
When studying, Shaoshang had once heard a saying: until the establishment of New China, successive dynasties in our country could at most control down to the county level. Units below the county level were basically governed by indigenous forces like clans and local gentry.
Before transmigrating, she didn’t understand what this meant. How could there be no control? Villages had village committees and village secretaries, towns had mayors, secretaries, and various level organizations. By county level there was a complete set of public security, procuratorate, courts, and various auxiliary offices—tax collection, gambling raids, vice sweeps, organized crime crackdowns, population statistics all in one package. Simply point where to strike, summon on demand.
But now, Shaoshang completely understood.
Hua County was also considered a sizable county with a permanent population around ten thousand households. It was equipped with one magistrate with an official rank comparable to a thousand measures (less than a thousand measures), one assistant magistrate (Cheng Zhi) with official rank from four hundred to six hundred measures handling civil administration, tax collection, household registration statistics and such. Another two county sheriffs with official ranks of two to three hundred measures handled public security.
In other words, such a large county seat with several tens of thousands of people had only four state-employed officials! Four! Other auxiliary personnel were all arranged by the officials themselves.
Therefore—
Old Magistrate Cheng supported four or five advisors, plus retainers and soldiers brought from the clan. In peaceful times they wrote memorials and documents; when people caused trouble they could arrest and beat them with boards.
Young Assistant Magistrate Cheng supported two or three retainers, plus battle-hardened retainers and guards continuously sent by his elder brother.
Even the two local-snake county sheriffs each had a group of little brothers following them, ordinarily shouting orders at street corners, markets, and various shops, maintaining order.
Originally Shaoshang wanted to ask “what if the appointed magistrate or assistant magistrate has no money or people?” Later thinking this question was too idiotic—this era didn’t have the civil examination system that could achieve “in the morning a tiller of fields, by evening at the emperor’s audience.” Currently most officials were recommended by the court and renowned scholars or summoned by imperial decree. Simply put, those who could come be officials, whether from aristocratic families or not, were basically people with connections.
Taking Yuan Shen as an example, he met all the above conditions—his father was a Provincial Governor, a renowned border official who could completely recommend his excellent son to enter court as an official. His N teachers were either contemporary great Confucian scholars or bigshots at the Imperial Academy who could also introduce outstanding disciples to office. But he took a third path—at age eighteen he became famous in one stroke at a scriptural debate, personally summoned by the Emperor to be granted office.
Of course, there were also exceptions through alternative routes.
For instance one: the assistant magistrate under neighbor Senior Brother Gongsun came from an ordinary farming family, but from childhood he was uncommonly clever. Spotted by the local township teacher, he was taken as a disciple and even recommended to the Imperial Academy.
For instance two: the current Assistant Administrator of Dong Commandery originally came from a street vendor family, but he found business opportunities in chaotic times, accumulating great wealth selling horses. Reportedly he even helped procure provisions for several of this dynasty’s great generals during war. With this merit, after the war he donated for a modest position to satisfy his official ambitions while bringing glory to his family. This time his superior caused rebellion—he agreed flowingly to his face, even claiming he’d donate his entire family fortune to the great enterprise, then turned around and pledged loyalty to the Emperor.
—Shaoshang couldn’t help raising her big toe for this Assistant Administrator. What talent!
Shaoshang had originally felt this appointment model wasn’t conducive to upward mobility for lower-class talent, but looking at the heavy bamboo slips in hand, she felt this thought was superfluous. A society that hadn’t yet developed and popularized paper couldn’t circulate knowledge cheaply, couldn’t enlighten the masses—where would large-scale upward mobility of lower-class talent come from? This was reality.
For instance, she was now standing in the medical shelter at the western city corner, also serving as shelter and soup kitchen. A minor official came to ask:
The day before yesterday thirty measures of old rice were delivered, yesterday forty measures of mixed beans. One large pot requires two measures of rice. Each pot daily can provide rations for twenty people. Using three parts old rice to one part mixed beans to cook thick bean porridge, with over twelve hundred people outside, today at minimum how much more old rice and mixed beans does Young Master Cheng need to deliver?
Over there, the retainer Cheng Zhi sent to help hadn’t even finished arranging his counting rods when Shaoshang, using a tree branch, drew a few equations on the ground and calculated the answer, shocking that minor official speechless.
Shaoshang was also startled. She clearly remembered that as long as it didn’t involve higher mathematics and above, Yun Shi’s mental arithmetic versus her applying formulas with written calculation—speed and results didn’t differ much. That retainer was still considered educated. As for the other common people in the shelter, they fundamentally didn’t know what Shaoshang and the others were talking about. Some from barbarous undeveloped areas couldn’t even do basic counting, much less addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Shaoshang suddenly discovered she needed to forcefully suppress greed, because deceiving these farmers and hunters was really too easy! When collecting hides and grain, just doing slight manipulations with numbers—simply profiting without capital investment! —Forcefully killing the unscrupulous merchant genes inherited from her callous father, Shaoshang kept a stern face and buried herself in work, firmly driving away these evil thoughts.
Because the Tiger Guards arrived in time, that fierce bandit gang could actually only commit crimes for a brief half day. Even working overtime at rape, plunder, and abduction, the destruction to population and economy remained limited.
Currently the twelve hundred-plus people in this shelter belonged to the unlucky severe disaster victims. Not only were their houses burned, family members killed or disabled, but property and grain were also completely plundered. Even if relatives’ homes could provide shelter, the injuries and illnesses would consume much. Therefore, Cheng Zhi specially established this medical shelter, taking in common people harmed in the townships to treat injuries and illnesses. When their bodies recovered, they could return to their villages.
Shaoshang: Indeed throughout history, medical treatment always burned money.
Originally Yun Shi didn’t want Shaoshang coming to this kind of place, but Shaoshang felt that accompanying the orphans of Old Magistrate Cheng’s family keeping vigil all day left her feeling low. Better to come out and engage in Red Cross activities. Moreover, external injuries weren’t contagious.
Yun Shi always respected her opinions, so she could only agree.
Medical standards at this time were still quite crude. Treating external injuries was mostly three axes: washing—scraping necrosis—applying medicine, and done. At most adding one technically demanding procedure—suturing. And this used hemp thread to sew alive into flesh—watching it made Shaoshang’s heart and liver tremble. Don’t think about antibiotics. The highest level treatment was actually having shamans nearby dancing and singing incantations!
Originally Shaoshang wanted to drive these superstitious elements all out and beat them up for good measure. But seeing that after this performance of spirits and demons, quite a few patients actually mustered courage to survive—so the atheist Miss Cheng politely requested these charlatans perform every few days. Compensation negotiable. Over time, the county actually spread her good reputation for revering heaven and earth and respecting spirits and gods.
The medical shelter housed all those who suffered disaster in this military chaos, so naturally there was no good atmosphere. Everyone had a bellyful of tragic stories. If it were an ordinary young lady, she’d probably cry dozens of times a day. Only someone as callous and hard-hearted as Shaoshang could HOLD steady.
Stuffing protruding intestines back inside, amidst heaven-shaking howling sewing up the belly, cutting off limbs hanging by threads of flesh, with no anesthetic only able to endure, applying medicated oil on skin burned into black-red charred rotten flesh…
Facing physicians, apprentices, and helpers summoned from the entire county seat, Shaoshang stood expressionlessly in the center directing. Daily allocating grain, medicine, and clean water, registering names and native places of those who died and those who recovered and left, deploying personnel to care for patients, arranging rest shift schedules, carefully tallying expenditures and income to avoid waste and embezzlement.
Cheng Zhi had originally only wanted his niece to fill in for a few days. When he could spare time from repairing city defenses, he’d send another reliable person to manage the medical shelter. Who knew Shaoshang would argue her case forcefully and refuse to withdraw.
These days, she rose before dawn to rush from the county yamen to the medical shelter, not returning until dusk—working at least fifteen hours daily. Sometimes when extremely busy, she’d make do sleeping one night in the shelter’s inner hall. Anyway, guards and martial maidservants who could rotate watched beside her.
If initially she just wanted to avoid the mourning-filled county yamen and take refuge outside, later it seemed as if some inexplicable anxious and restless force supported her from behind, urging her to persevere day after day.
Medical shelter, fifth day—
Facing groups of patients either crying bitterly or with hearts like dead ashes, Shaoshang could already respond coldly with practiced ease:
“Cry? What use is crying? With this strength, hurry and bite the wood in the physician’s hand and endure the bone-setting!”
“Stop shouting. So you were violated. Ah, violated several times—what difference between once and several times? Your fiancé has been waiting outside two days for you to recover and return to marry. If you don’t recover, I’ll matchmake him to find a new wife!”
“Your father and brothers were dismembered and died in agony? I deeply grieve. However, if you die, all that farmland at home goes to others. You should quickly recover, marry a wife, and have one-two-three-four-five children, living out your father and brothers’ days.”
“What, your mother and sisters were all violated to death? Then fortunately you’re male and the bandits were straight, otherwise your chrysanthemum would’ve become a sunflower.”—This sentence was internal grumbling.
Medical shelter, tenth day—
Writing “Today twelve recovered, already returned; thirty-one died from injuries, moved outside the shelter,” Shaoshang profoundly felt that compared to developing paper to spread knowledge, currently most urgent was developing medicine.
Relying on these current few tricks, even though she tried to improve sanitary conditions—boiling and washing bandages, eating and sleeping cleanly, ensuring indoor temperature—ultimately it still depended on each person’s physical constitution. Those who could endure made it through; those who couldn’t were dragged outside the city.
But after all, not everyone had Ling Buyi’s fierce endurance and robust physique. By this day, of the original twelve hundred-plus people, only two to three hundred remained. Of those who left, one-third had already become departed souls, their corpses either claimed by family for burial or cremated to ashes scattered in desolate graves.
Medical shelter, fifteenth day, heavy rain fell—
Shaoshang leaned beside a quiet sickbed in the inner hall, both hands tightly gripping an ice-cold small hand, finally unable to hold back tears streaming down her face.
The girl on the sickbed wasn’t yet thirteen years old, born with delicate features and a large dimple on her cheek. Her family had originally been happy and complete, but unfortunately her home was built at the village entrance. When bandits came galloping on horses, they couldn’t even escape.
She watched helplessly as her entire family was slaughtered. After being gang-raped, she was stabbed in the abdomen. Kind neighbors picked the dying girl out from beneath the burned house, cared for her several days seeing no improvement, then sent her to the county medical shelter.
The little girl’s will to survive was extremely strong. She gritted her teeth enduring the intense pain of repeated medicine changes and suturing. Even while unconscious she murmured about surviving to take revenge. When conscious she’d tell people how her parents and brothers doted on her in childhood. Shaoshang did her utmost caring for her, personally wrapping her wounds, feeding medicine, changing clothes, constantly encouraging her, praying to all the gods and buddhas not to let this child die.
Just let her live, just let her live.
But she still left, taking endless pain and unwillingness. Before dying, she opened her wide eyes and said to Shaoshang: “Young Lady’s great kindness and virtue—this humble girl will repay in the next life holding grass rings in my mouth…”
Watching the girl’s corpse being carried away, over half a month of toil and indignation struck together. Shaoshang cried until choking, her whole body trembling. Through tear-blurred eyes, she remembered that little maidservant who also had a dimple on her face and loved listening to her play the flute. She hadn’t even seen her corpse, or perhaps there was no corpse at all…
Shaoshang suddenly wanted so much to go home—even returning to that small town of cold looks and words would be better than here. Because there, she feared nothing and no one. When people mocked her, she could curse back a hundredfold. When people bullied her, she could always find opportunities to retaliate doubly. Later everyone in town looked at her with new eyes.
But here, she was so powerless! She could do nothing! Only curl up in the inner hall crying weakly…
After crying a long time until her head ached, a guard hurried in from outside reporting: “Young Lady, outside there’s a young master surnamed Lou saying he wants to see you.”
Shaoshang stood up with a start, forcefully wiping away tears with her sleeve, charging out with a murderous expression. The two martial maidservants looked at each other—just now they’d tried persuading for ages but the young lady wouldn’t stop crying. How did she immediately stop?
Shaoshang rapidly stepped out of the inner hall, with a swish pulled open the outer room curtain. Sure enough, she saw Lou Yao, separated for two months, standing there with three to five servants beside him.
Lou Yao seemed to have also traveled a long time, his face full of weathering. His garments under the straw raincoat were half wet. Upon suddenly seeing Shaoshang, his face filled with joy. But before he could open his mouth to speak half a word, Shaoshang had already walked over like a gust of wind, silently grabbing Young Master Lou’s sleeve and forcefully dragging outside.
In terms of strength, three Shaoshangs couldn’t drag Lou Yao, but how would Lou Yao compare strength with a girl? Of course he followed Shaoshang being pulled to the outdoor courtyard. The several servants had good sense—they wouldn’t step forward to “protect their master.”
Shaoshang plunged headlong into the torrential rain, eyes bloodshot, shouting loudly: “What are you here for! To threaten me again!” She was truly sick of these young masters and young ladies born in nests of comfort!
Rain poured down. In moments the girl was soaked through most of her clothing. Seeing something wrong, Lou Yao quickly removed the straw raincoat from his shoulders to drape over the girl, stammering: “It’s not that. Last time I said I greatly admire you…”
Shaoshang forcefully pushed away the raincoat in the youth’s hands, roaring shrilly: “You shut up! Who wants your admiration! You don’t even know what kind of person I am! Seeing three portions of appearance you ‘admire’—you ignorant young fool, do you know what happened in Yanzhou these days?! You still think about this worthless ‘admiration’? You’re so full you’re bloated! I’m telling you, I’m acerbic and mean, I take revenge for the smallest slight, I’m narrow-minded, I have a vicious heart, full of cunning but without half a portion of capability! Only relying on father and brothers’ protection to bare fangs and brandish claws until now—truly a hundred uses for nothing! What’s there to ‘admire’…”
Regardless of the girl still speaking激indignantly without stopping, Lou Yao stepped forward, grabbed her with one pull, then exerted strength to cover her head and shoulders with the raincoat. Then retreating three large steps, he mustered all his chest cavity’s strength, roaring like thunder: “You listen to me first!”
Shaoshang was startled and stood there blankly wrapped in the raincoat, closing her mouth.
Lou Yao took a deep breath, but because rainwater flowed all over his face, he nearly sucked water into his nostrils. After coughing狼awkwardly several times, he shouted loudly: “That day outside the capital seeing you off, I wanted to say—actually the day of the Wan family banquet, as soon as I returned I reported to Mother I wanted to marry you! Mother initially took it as a joke. I knelt before her room for… knelt for about half an incense stick’s time… only then did Mother agree to send a letter to Yanzhou to Father asking about this matter.”
Shaoshang stood stunned: Half an incense stick—so short. Your mother seems very easy to talk to.
Lou Yao continued: “Who knew you’d leave the capital so quickly, so I came chasing to tell you. I, I’m not a lecher, not frivolous—I truly sincerely admire you.”
Speaking to here, he showed some shyness: “After your family’s convoy departed, actually I immediately returned to pack and rode fast horses to Shanyang Commandery where Father is. I, I wanted to tell Father you’re a very, very good girl.”
Shaoshang laughed despite herself, nearly laughing to tears: “I, I’m very good?” This was the best joke she’d heard since birth.
Lou Yao was now completely soaked through. He wiped his face and said firmly: “Right, you’re very good. You’re courageous beyond others, clever and intelligent. You dare say what others don’t dare say, dare do what others don’t dare do! Since childhood I’ve been taught to step back for vast seas and open skies, to yield to He Zhaojun with courtesy. But I’m unwilling! Why must I swallow anger when bullied? Why must I force myself when I don’t like it! If the He family hadn’t withdrawn the engagement themselves, would I have to be cowardly and endure my whole life?!”
“I want… I want to be fearless like you! I don’t want to be mediocre and weak like before.” The youth said word by word. He stood straight against the endless rainwater, completely unaware of the cold.
“Five days ago, Father agreed to our marriage and has already sent people back to the capital to have Mother go to the Cheng household to propose. I, I hurried ahead to see you first…”
“Don’t listen to what people say and then damage and insult yourself. I’ve inquired about your affairs—you’re not at all like the rumors! I trust my own eyes! You must also trust yourself!”
The winter rain was piercingly cold, but the fervent sincerity radiating from the youth seemed to evaporate this piercing cold into nothingness.
Shaoshang stared blankly at him, a warmth rising from her heart. Though only weak and small as a night lamp, it was enough to give people hope.
She also no longer felt cold.