Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
There was an extra person lying outside the room, and Shen Mingsu felt a bit uneasy, only falling asleep late at night.
The next morning, upon opening her eyes and stepping outside, the folding stool was empty. After a spring rain, the small courtyard looked even more dilapidated than before. If she was to stay here long-term, it needed a thorough cleaning.
Just as Shen Mingsu picked up a broom, she suddenly heard a creaking sound. Looking up, the already tattered thatch shed in the courtyard suddenly collapsed with a loud crash right before her eyes.
She exhaled sharply, her hand reaching toward the flat pouch at her waist. Only then did she remember that the money from last night’s performance had not been given to her by Wuguan.
Such a big pouch from Shiquan...
Since someone had come knocking at her door, they wouldn’t run off without revealing their purpose. Wuguan was right—relying solely on shadow plays, life would only grow more impoverished.
Should she sell medicine then?
Not quite to that extent yet.
Her father had been far-sighted, not letting her inherit his skills only to hang herself from a tree. Besides medicine, he had taught her some means of livelihood, telling her, “If you don’t learn more skills, how will you live when you’re alone someday?”
She had taken it lightly, believing such a day would never come, only to find his words were prophetic; now she truly was alone.
Shen Mingsu chose carpentry. Though not possessing the talents of Feng Zhongyan, she could easily make little wooden toys for children.
After a morning’s work, she made dozens of wooden dragonflies. She bought a few eggs from Mrs. Wang’s stall to fill her stomach, then carried the wooden box, going door to door to sell.
The street near the inner city was usually bustling even by day, but today it was unusually quiet.
Seeing someone on the road burning paper money, Shen Mingsu asked a passerby, “Whose funeral is it?”
“The Liang family,” the man replied with a sigh. “That third young master hadn’t even come of age. I heard he died of illness. Even if he reincarnates, he wasn’t destined to enjoy happiness...”
She nodded in agreement, “Yes.” Carrying her box, she moved on and set up her wooden dragonflies beside a teahouse diagonally across from the Liang residence.
With so few people around, the dragonflies were hard to sell. By dusk, with many unsold, she sold the rest cheaply to the teahouse owner.
—
The street was quiet, but the Liang household was lively. From morning till night, people came and went without pause.
Liang Er had many friends from prominent families, many of them rakish youths. They couldn’t meet officials openly by day, but once night fell, a group of these companions arrived.
Entering the house, they went straight to the mourning hall, kneeling in unison and crying even more bitterly than Lady Liang herself.
“Brother Liang, not long ago we were drinking together, planning to swim in Guan River come summer. The summer hasn't even arrived, yet Brother Liang, why have you left us, crossing to the other side?”
Their lamentations were nothing but salt sprinkled onto Lady Liang’s open wound. Liang’s servants hurriedly ushered the group out to the funeral banquet outside.
Seated among the guests, their faces showed no less sorrow. One said, “Brothers, Brother Liang left us earlier. Though he is gone, his feelings for us must not be forgotten.”
“Indeed, we cannot forget.”
Someone raised a cup and spilled wine onto the ground. “Brother Liang, rest assured, we brothers are here. If you need to send a message in a dream, we won’t hesitate.”
One cup followed another, and soon the group was drunk to a stupor.
During the feast, some people excused themselves to the outhouse. In the backyard, away from others, a young man in blue, who had been too drunk to walk, suddenly sobered up as someone helped him up. He cursed, “Damn it, I still owe so many debts. Now that he’s dead, what are we to do?”
“Didn’t you hear Snow Girl’s wail inside? Heartbreaking. Can he really have died from illness?”
“But the Liang family is holding a funeral. There’s no reason to lie to us.”
“Who knows?” The first to sober, the blue-clad youth, turned to one on his left. “You go check.”
The man’s face changed, stepping back, “I’m weak in fate. If I encounter something unclean...”
“Useless,” he snapped, turning to the right side.
The man there also looked reluctant, “Me too. Born under an unlucky year and hour.” He pulled out a jade Buddha from his neck as proof. “This still wards off evil.”
No one wanted to go.
“A bunch of cowards...” The blue-clad youth was about to lash out when a small figure stepped forward and volunteered, “I’ll go.”
Everyone was surprised and turned around to see a person in a dusty gray shirt, pale-faced, whose features were indistinct in the dim lamplight.
Tonight’s visitors were all Liang Er’s drinking buddies. Known for his treachery and many enemies, everyone understood these guests had come to collect debts.
“Fine.” The blue-clad youth nudged the one with the jade Buddha. “Go with him.”
“I...”
“With Buddha’s protection, what are you afraid of? Let’s go!”
—
Inside the mourning hall, Lady Liang, having been emotionally stirred by the visitors, wept heavily. Just as she regained composure, loud mourning chants arose from the front yard. Overcome with grief, she fainted and was hastily carried to the backyard by her maid.
Shortly after, someone drunk in the front yard accidentally knocked over an oil lamp, setting the curtains aflame. Flames blazed up, and the steward hurriedly led servants to extinguish the fire.
Amid the chaos, the two young men slipped into the mourning hall.
The hall was lit by numerous white candles, bright but eerie. The man behind, clutching his jade Buddha tightly to his chest, saw the yellow-faced youth stepping onto the bench holding the coffin. Nervously, he stammered, “Brother, how... how shall we do this? Are we really opening the coffin?”
The yellow-faced youth said nothing, instead pulling a small hammer from within his wide sleeve.
The other young man’s expression changed. “Looks like you came prepared.”
Ignoring him, the yellow-faced youth began prying at the coffin’s rivets with the hammer.
“Amitabha, Master Liang, forgive us. Blame your many misdeeds in life that now they pry open your coffin... ah, no... I was wrong, Master Liang is magnanimous...” He glanced anxiously at the yellow-faced youth and trembled, “Brother, are you done yet? Hurry up.”
If caught by the Liang family, it would be worse than being discovered by Liang Er himself. They’d probably be sent down to accompany him.
The jade Buddha holder was sweating profusely. Finally, a creaking sound came from the coffin.
He backed away, swallowing nervously. “Well... well? Is there anyone inside?”
“Yes.” The yellow-faced youth stood above him, looking down, “Want to see?”
The man turned pale, shaking his head vehemently, “No, no, no.” Without waiting, he fled at once.
Outside, the fire was under control. After such an incident, the steward was seeing guests out. The jade Buddha man circled from the outhouse to the front yard and glanced back before exiting.
Fortunately, the yellow-faced youth followed.
Once they reached the alley, the blue-clad youth finally asked the jade Buddha man, “So, dead?”
“Dead. That young master personally pried open the coffin.” The jade Buddha man looked back but saw no sign of the yellow-faced youth. “Strange, I clearly saw him come out…”
Before he could finish, a black cat darted from the alley, its eerie cry startling the timid into screams.
The blue-clad youth shivered in his vest, then kicked the wall in anger. “Damn it, he really is dead. My money’s gone just like that...”
—
After silence returned, the two hiding in the shadows emerged.
Wuguan glanced at the hammer tucked in the wide sleeve beside him and laughed, “I didn’t expect the young lord of Shiquan to have so many skills.”
Shen Mingsu tugged at the sleeve he’d wrinkled, “Such skills can’t compare to yours, Wuguan, who has eyes like heaven.”
“I was just passing by.”
Shen Mingsu smiled, “Your passing by is quite a feat.” She didn’t know where he had suddenly appeared from, grabbing her like that; now her vest was completely soaked with cold sweat.
—
When leaving earlier, Shen Mingsu clearly remembered the thatch shed in the courtyard had collapsed. But now, opening the door, the shed was intact, without a single hole.
Not only that, the courtyard was clean, with a wooden table and several stools added.
Wuguan entered first, proudly displaying his handiwork. “Since we’ll be staying here long-term, I bought a new bed and tidied the place. I also added a few things to your room.”
Shen Mingsu followed behind, sensing his intention to linger here indefinitely. It was more than just a few additions. “I thought you were out of money?”
“The rich young lord from yesterday gave it to me.”
Shen Mingsu was stunned. How much had Shiquan given her? “All spent?”
“Yes.” Wuguan pointed to a jar of wine beneath the wooden table outside. “I spent the rest on wine, waiting for you to come back and drink.”
The badge still hung on him—well, she might as well drink.
Shen Mingsu brought in a lamp. When she returned, Wuguan had already poured two bowls of wine, looking up at her. “Shiquan, any snacks to go with the wine?”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out two marinated eggs.
Wuguan watched the eggs slowly roll across the table toward him. His peach blossom eyes stayed fixed on them for a long moment before blinking in puzzlement. “You don’t have any food at all in this place?”
Shen Mingsu shook her head. Her father had taught her many survival skills, but never how to cook.
Because he didn’t know either.
Since she could remember, she had followed her father, while Yueyao followed her mother.
Her mother taught Yueyao embroidery and how to boil dumplings, but never taught her.
...
“Can’t you talk to Ajin more, like you do with Yueyao?”
“She’s different.”
“How is she different? She’s your daughter too.”
A voice that had lingered in her mind flashed suddenly, but Shen Mingsu’s expression remained unchanged. “Gentlemen stay away from the kitchen. Wuguan, you’ll have to bear with it.”