Chapter 940
Making Do
After he finished speaking, the crowd finally dispersed.
As they dispersed, many people couldn't help but turn back to look at Zheng Yi a few times.
The magistrate walked down the steps and stood before Zheng Yi, his politeness no longer feigned.
"May I ask your esteemed name, sir?"
"No need for formalities, my surname is Zheng."
"Mr. Zheng." The magistrate cupped his hands, his smile carrying a hint of sincerity. "If it weren't for your words just now, I'm afraid this place would have been in chaos until dark."
Zheng Yi returned the greeting: "You flatter me, sir. It's just a little bit of cleverness."
"A little cleverness?" The magistrate shook his head with a smile. "If it's just a little cleverness, it can only bring temporary pleasure. The method you just used, sir, not only divided the family property but also put people's hearts at ease. I've been an official in Anping County for eight years and have seen at least eighty or a hundred cases of property disputes, but I've never seen one like this where all three parties agree on their own."
Zheng Yi said calmly, "They will nod not because I said it well, but because none of them wanted to completely tear this family apart. It's just that everyone wanted to save face, so the arguments got fiercer and fiercer."
After hearing this, the magistrate's appreciation deepened.
“Mr. Zheng is right.” He paused, then suddenly raised his hand and gestured, “Since you are passing by, sir, do you have a place to stay tonight? If you don’t mind, please sit in the back hall of the county government office, so that I can show you some hospitality.”
Zhou Xiaoliu's eyebrows rose when he heard this.
Being hosted by the county magistrate is far more respectable than staying at an inn.
Zheng Yi thought for a moment and nodded: "Then I'll have to trouble you, sir."
"No disturbance, no disturbance," the magistrate said with a smile. "My surname is Sun, and my given name is Qian. Mr. Zheng, please."
……
The Anping County Government Office was not large, but the back hall was kept very clean.
Thick straw mats were laid on the ground, a brazier burned in the corner, and food and wine were laid out on the table. Although it was not extravagant, a pot of steaming mutton soup, a plate of braised donkey meat, two kinds of seasonal vegetables, and a pot of warm wine were enough to show the thoughtfulness on this day.
Magistrate Sun personally invited Zheng Yi to take a seat of honor, and even Zhou Xiaoliu and Xu Chuan were taken to a side hall for a meal and rest.
Once only the two of them remained in the hall, Magistrate Sun picked up his wine cup and said with a smile, "Mr. Zheng, there were too many people and too much chatter at the yamen gate earlier, so I didn't feel comfortable asking too many questions. Now that things have quieted down, I really want to have a chat with you. You don't seem like an ordinary merchant, nor do you seem like a typical scholar; rather, you seem like... someone who has seen a lot of things."
Zheng Yi picked up his wine glass and took a small sip.
The liquor isn't strong, but it's warming.
"Lord Sun has a good eye." He put down his cup. "I'm certainly not here simply to do business."
"Oh?" Magistrate Sun became interested. "Where are you headed, sir?"
"The far north."
Magistrate Sun paused for a moment with his chopsticks, then chuckled, "Mr. Zheng certainly knows how to pick a place. Everyone else is heading south to escape the cold at this time of year, but you've gone north."
“Sometimes you can see things better in colder places,” Zheng Yi said.
Magistrate Sun looked at him and nodded thoughtfully.
"These words sound like something someone who has read many books would say."
"I've read some books."
"So, sir, did you learn this method of dividing the family property and resolving disputes today from a book?"
Zheng Yi smiled and said, "The books will only tell you about brotherly love and respect, and filial piety. But when it comes to dividing up the money and houses, those eight words alone won't do the trick."
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Sun was first taken aback, then burst into laughter, laughing so hard that even the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out.
"Excellent! Excellent! Mr. Zheng, you've hit the nail on the head." He raised his hand to refill Zheng Yi's wine. "The laws of the court are written in detail, but ordinary people don't live their lives according to the rules. If I were to judge this matter of the three brothers strictly according to the law, it would most likely create enmity. The case would be closed, but people's hearts wouldn't be at peace. In the future, it would either escalate to the clan or back to the yamen, turning it into a mess."
Zheng Yi nodded: "So we can't just consider the accounts, we also have to consider the people."
Magistrate Sun raised his cup: "Yes, let's count people."
The two clinked glasses.
The light from the brazier reflected in the wine, causing it to sway slightly.
After finishing his drink, Magistrate Sun's expression gradually darkened.
“Actually, Mr. Zheng’s words today can resolve more than just this small matter concerning the Gu family.” He looked at the wine in his glass and said softly, “If you look at it on a larger scale, many places and many people are the same.”
Zheng Yi listened, but didn't respond.
Magistrate Sun seemed to realize that his words had gone a bit too far, so he looked up and smiled, then brought the conversation back on track: "Let's not talk about that. Since Mr. Zheng is heading north, I can tell you a few things about the road. Further north from Anping County, there's first Baishi Town, and then the Yundu River. Recently, the snow has been heavy, and the river has frozen over quickly, but the bridges are not sturdy, so carriages have to cross slowly. Further up, once you reach the territory of Ningyuan Prefecture, the road becomes difficult to travel. There are all sorts of people there—bandits, refugees, and wandering cultivators—so you must be careful, sir."
"Thank you for the reminder, sir."
"There's more," Magistrate Sun lowered his voice, "some strange things have been happening in the north lately. I heard that several caravans disappeared halfway through their journeys, with both people and goods vanished. They weren't robbed, because there were no bodies or signs of struggle; it's as if they evaporated into thin air. The information may not be accurate, but if you're really heading that way, sir, you'd better be careful."
Zheng Yi's eyes flickered slightly.
"Both people and goods are gone?"
“Yes.” Magistrate Sun nodded. “I’ve only ever seen a sentence or two in official documents. The higher-ups are giving it very little pressure, as if they don’t want to make a big fuss.”
Zheng Yi didn't ask any further questions, but simply kept those words in mind.
As the meal progressed, the conversation became more relaxed.
Magistrate Sun was a capable man, and he also possessed the refined air of a scholar. However, after years of working in the county, he had become more down-to-earth. He could speak eloquently about local affairs such as land taxes, water conservancy, clan disputes, and the ups and downs of trade routes.
Zheng Yi answered him without holding back his knowledge.
The more the two talked, the more surprised Magistrate Sun became.
Finally, he couldn't help but put down his glass and sigh.
“Mr. Zheng, if you weren’t so eager to travel far, I would really like to keep you here as a secretary in Anping County. Your brains are good enough for any county or prefecture.”
Zheng Yi smiled faintly: "You flatter me, sir."
Magistrate Sun shook his head: "It's not flattery, it's the truth. A man like you, sir, is destined for greatness wherever he goes."
Zheng Yi didn't respond to that, but just glanced out the window.
The next morning, the snow hadn't stopped.
In Anping County, dawn always comes late, especially on gloomy days like this. Even though it's past dawn, the streets are still shrouded in a gray haze, as if covered by an old cloth that hasn't been wiped clean. The footprints and cart tracks left from yesterday's commotion outside the county government office have been mostly covered by the new snow, with only some dark mud marks still visible in the cracks of the stone slabs.
Zheng Yi did not stay any longer.
Magistrate Sun originally wanted to keep him for another half day, at least until the snow subsided, but Zheng Yi politely declined. In a place like the county town, staying one night is just passing through, but staying two nights makes him memorable. Besides, he hadn't come here to socialize or meet friends.
Zhou Xiaoliu, leading his horse, was breathing out white vapor outside the side gate of the yamen. As soon as he saw Zheng Yi come out, he immediately went to greet him.
"Boss, the car is ready. We'll pass through Baishi Town today. If the road is smooth, we should be able to reach the Yundu River before evening." Zheng Yi nodded and was about to get into the car when his gaze suddenly swept towards the street corner.
There's an old mule cart parked over there.
The cart wasn't big, but the planks were neatly arranged, covered with two layers of snowproof tarpaulin, and the corners were tightly tied with hemp rope. Standing beside the cart was an old man in his fifties, wrapped in an old sheepskin coat full of patches. He was a little hunched over, but his hands were very steady as he moved two wooden crates onto the cart.
The wooden crates weren't heavy, but they were stacked carefully, clearly containing goods that could be exchanged for money.
On the other side of the cart stood a young woman, around twenty years old, with a dark blue cloth wrapped around her head, wearing a faded padded jacket, and a worn cotton cloak over it. She was holding onto the cart shaft, counting several packages wrapped in oil paper, her nose red from the cold, but her hands were very nimble.
Zheng Yi glanced at it twice and paused slightly.
Zhou Xiaoliu followed his gaze and whispered, "Boss, have you taken a fancy to that car?"
"How to say?"
“I also asked the gatekeeper about things on the road last night when we were having dinner in the side hall,” Zhou Xiaoliu said in a low voice. “The old man’s surname is Xu, and his name is Xu Laoshuan. He’s from Liushugou outside Anping County. The girl next to him is his daughter, named Xu Ahe. He originally had two sons, an older brother and a younger brother, but they were both killed in the war in the north a few years ago. The government gave him some compensation money, but he didn’t want to just sit around and do nothing. So he and his daughter started a small business, dealing in needles and thread, medicinal herbs, and furs. They even travel in the winter.”
Zheng Yi glanced at him: "You're quick to find out."
Zhou Xiaoliu grinned: "I'll get these ears too, they're not for nothing."
Xu Chuan muttered from behind, "If the owner thinks our carriage is too conspicuous, then traveling with these small carriages will certainly be less noticeable."
Zheng Yi didn't speak immediately.
He hadn't originally planned to ride in his own car the whole way.
Two covered carriages were fairly ordinary in Dingzhou, but the further north they went, the more likely they were to be spotted. Especially in those remote areas, the more the carriages looked like those of wealthy people, the more trouble they would attract. Rather than standing out and being noticed, it was easier to blend in with ordinary people.
“Go ask them,” Zheng Yi said. “See if they accept travelers.”
Zhou Xiaoliu responded and immediately ran over.
A short while later, he returned with the old man.
After the old man approached, he rubbed his hands awkwardly before bowing and smiling at Zheng Yi: "Sir, I also heard from the young man that you are also heading north?"
Zheng Yi said, "That's fair. If it's on your way, I'd like to hitch a ride. You'll have to pay for your own food and expenses along the way, but the fare will be extra."
Upon hearing this, the old man waved his hand first: "No rush for the fare, no rush. I'm going too. This cart wasn't full to begin with, so more people means more company. It's just... I'm going too, so I'll walk slowly and might delay your journey."
"I'm not in a hurry."
The old man nodded, then relaxed a little: "Alright. I'll also go to Baishi Town and Yundu River, and then head towards Ningyuan Prefecture. If you don't mind, sir, we can go together."
Zheng Yi smiled and said, "Thank you."
The girl next to him hadn't said much until now, when she finally looked up at Zheng Yi.
Her eyes weren't timid, but there was a wariness that only someone who had been out on the road for a long time possessed. She glanced at you not out of curiosity, but to assess whether you were a troublesome person.
Zheng Yi glanced at her as well, his expression unchanged.
The girl bent down and carefully stuffed the last two packets of medicine before whispering, "Father, press down the oilcloth again; it looks like it's going to snow heavily today."
The old man quickly replied, "Yes, I'll go press it here too."
Zhou Xiaoliu leaned closer and whispered, "Boss, what about our own car..."
"Have Xu Chuan lead one of them ahead," Zheng Yi said. "The other one doesn't need to follow too closely; just keep a distance."
"I'll go and understand too."
After making the arrangements, Zheng Yi simply moved some of his personal belongings out, taking only a slightly worn bundle and a short knife, and boarded the Xu family's mule cart.
The platform was a bit hard, and it was covered with old cotton wadding and straw mats, so it wasn't very comfortable to sit on, but it was cleaner than I had imagined.
Xu Ahe stepped aside and, without saying anything more, simply said, "The car is small, I'm sorry to have to make you uncomfortable."
"It's alright."
She nodded and stopped exchanging pleasantries.
Old Xu, however, was a little embarrassed while driving the carriage, and would turn around from time to time to apologize, saying, "This carriage is not as good as the carriages of wealthy families. If you get bumpy, please bear with me."
Zheng Yi leaned against the side of the carriage, looking at the official road ahead that was slowly being buried by snow, and said calmly, "When you're traveling, it's good enough to have a carriage to ride in."
Upon hearing this, Xu Laoshuan visibly felt better. He gave a "Giddy up" and cracked his whip, urging the gray mule to slowly head north.
……
After leaving Anping County, the road became much more difficult to travel.
The snow fell on the official road, first crushed into mud by the wheels, then frozen into a hard crust, making a cracking sound as the wheels rolled over it. The trees on both sides became increasingly sparse, and occasionally one could see an abandoned small earth god temple, half collapsed, with the statue leaning in the snow, only half of its mud face showing.
Old Xu drove the cart very steadily.
He wasn't a talkative person, but the journey was so dull that he would always ramble on. Most of the time, he wasn't talking to Zheng Yi, but to himself and his daughter; if they didn't talk, the journey would seem too long.
"About ten miles ahead, there's a dilapidated pavilion. They used to sell hot water cakes there, but they haven't done so in the last couple of years."
"The bridge over Yundu River, I went there last time and there was a crack. I don't know if it has been repaired or not."
"Fur goods sell well in Ningyuan Prefecture, but you have to be wary of scoundrels who shortchange you."
Xu Ahe occasionally replied, "I know."
And occasionally, he would add a sentence when Xu Laoshuan forgot something.
"Dad, let's buy salt first when we get to Baishi Town."
"Dad, don't crush the bag of hawthorns on the right side of the box."
"Father, there's a pothole on the left side of the main road ahead. Let's take a detour."
He didn't say much, but you could tell from his words that the one who truly held up half the sky in this family now was not only the old man, but also his daughter.
At noon, the snow stopped for a while.
The group stopped to rest by a sheltered, broken earthen slope by the roadside. Old Xu pulled a small clay stove from under the cart and expertly set up a fire to boil water. Xu Ahe spread out an old cloth and took out a few grain cakes and a small packet of pickled vegetables from an oil paper package.
Her movements were very natural; she handed it to her father first, then to Zheng Yi.
"This is all we have on the road, please make do with this."
Zheng Yi accepted it and thanked him.
The multigrain pancakes were hard, and the pickled vegetables were so salty they tasted bitter, but soaking them in hot water made them very comforting.
Zhou Xiaoliu and Xu Chuan, who had been following at a distance on the other side, also came over to rest. Zhou Xiaoliu, with his sweet tongue, immediately smiled and said as soon as the fire blazed, "Uncle Xu, I went to check on it too. Your mule is really strong; it hasn't rested much along the way." (End of Chapter)