Chapter 47: Misunderstanding |
In the back courtyard of Old Chen's house.
Old Master Chen had just poured a heavy sack of soybeans into the wooden basin beside the stone mill. Exhausted, he hunched over, supporting himself against the millstone while gasping heavily, turbid sweat trickling down his deep wrinkles.
Second Aunt hurried over with a bowl of clear water, her tone worried, "Father, please rest and have some water."
The old master took the bowl and gulped down most of it, wiping his mouth, "That... that lazy good-for-nothing, is he still not up?"
He was referring to his worthless youngest son.
Second Aunt's eyes flickered as she said quietly, "Not... not yet..."
She didn't dare say more, afraid of angering the old master again.
"Alas!"
Old Master Chen let out a heavy sigh, his calloused hand patting the cold millstone, "How did our Chen family end up with such a thing!"
"Father."
Second Aunt quickly changed the subject, worry creasing her face, "By the way, Xiao Heng told me yesterday that his blood qi pills for practice... are almost gone again. What do you think..."
"What?!"
The old master's head shot up, his brows knotting into lumps, "How long has it been? Used up again?!"
Buying medicine for Chen Heng's martial arts practice was the family's biggest expense and his heaviest burden.
Second Aunt's face was bitter, her voice pleading, "Father, you must think of something. Xiao Heng's martial arts medicine... absolutely cannot be interrupted!"
"Sigh!"
Old Master Chen let out another long sigh, as if trying to exhale all the frustration in his chest. He looked at the basin of golden soybeans with vacant eyes, "I know... I'll figure something out..."
But where was the solution? All relatives and neighbors who could lend money had already been approached, old debts unpaid, how could new ones come?
Just thinking about that expensive medicine cost made his heart feel like it was pressed by a huge stone, so heavy he could barely breathe, his worried wrinkles deepening.
Just then, urgent, chaotic sounds came from the front of the general store:
"Old Chen! Old Chen! Great news! Tremendous great news!"
Old He from the coffin shop almost burst through the door curtain into the back courtyard, his face showing unprecedented excited flush.
Old Master Chen was startled by this commotion and instinctively asked, "Old He? All flustered... whose family is having a funeral now?"
He thought Old He was announcing a death.
"Bah, bah, bah! What funeral! This is a celebration! Great news!"
Old He was so excited he slapped his thigh, his voice cracking, "Your Xiao Heng! He passed! He passed as a martial scholar!"
"Clang!"
Old Master Chen's pipe dropped straight to the ground with a crisp sound.
He froze in place, eyes wide, as if he hadn't understood or was stunned by this sudden news, "You... what did you say? Say it again?!"
Second Aunt beside him held her breath, then her face burst with wild joy.
Before Old He could speak again, the neighbors from the firewood market had already surged into the small back courtyard like a tide, their congratulatory voices instantly drowning this small space:
"Old Master Chen! Great joy! Your Xiao Heng passed as a martial scholar!"
"Oh my, this winnowing basket is so much in the way here, quickly clean it up!"
"Whatever you need, just say the word! All the neighbors will lend a hand!"
"Old master, your hardships have ended and sweet days have come, just wait to enjoy the good fortune!"
"Xiao Heng has made it! Really brings glory to our firewood market!"
...
Old Master Chen was completely dazed by this surging joy and babbling congratulations. He stood there stupidly, looking at familiar, excited faces, listening to those repeated words "martial scholar" and "passed," feeling his ears buzzing and everything before him seeming unreal.
The tremendous happiness was like warm tide water, instantly drowning his previous worries, making him dizzy and at a loss.
Second Aunt was already wild with joy, so excited her face was flushed red, her voice raised eight octaves as she proudly declared to everyone, "I knew it! I knew my Xiao Heng would definitely pass! He's been smart and hardworking since childhood!"
She seemed to already see her son wearing official robes, bringing glory to the family.
Old He, seeing Old Master Chen's stunned appearance, laughed heartily and cupped his hands again, "Old Master Chen, great joy! Great joy! From now on, you just wait to enjoy your children and grandchildren's good fortune! Good days are ahead!"
The old master finally recovered a bit from that tremendous shock. His lips trembled as he tried to speak but couldn't make a sound. He suddenly turned around, staggering toward that basin of golden soybeans, his withered hands trembling as he grabbed a handful of beans, then let them rustle through his fingers, as if only this real touch could make him believe this tremendous fortune had truly descended upon his dilapidated Chen family courtyard.
"Good! Good! Excellent!"
Old Master Chen's withered palms trembled uncontrollably, his cloudy old eyes bursting with unprecedented brilliance as he laughed loudly.
"Heaven has eyes! My Chen family's ancestral graves are smoking with good fortune! Finally... finally produced a martial scholar!"
Chen Heng was the grandson he had cultivated with everything he had. Now that he had passed with honors, his old face was more radiant than if it had been oiled.
Looking at the eager, envious eyes of all the firewood market neighbors in the room, the old master felt a surge of heat rush to his head. He straightened his back, his legs became nimble, the gloom of worrying about medicine money instantly vanished, and his whole person seemed twenty years younger.
"Clean up! Quickly clean up!"
The old master's hands and feet were agile, as if he had inexhaustible energy, busily beginning to organize the clutter in the house.
Seeing this, Old He quickly called out, "Everyone don't just stand there, lend a hand, help Old Chen's family tidy up, this is tremendous good news!"
"Right, right, right, let's work together!"
The neighbors were enthusiastic, moving clutter, sweeping, sprinkling water, and the small courtyard instantly became bustling with activity.
Chen Wen rubbed his sleepy eyes and wandered out from the inner room, startled by this scene, "Father? What... what's happening? Did thieves break into the house?"
Aunt Lin smiled so widely she couldn't close her mouth, rushing to say, "Uncle Chen! You're still half asleep! Great news! Your Xiao Heng passed as a martial scholar, and the officials bringing congratulations will be at the door soon!"
"Passed?! Xiao Heng really passed?!"
Chen Wen instantly lost all sleepiness, his eyes wide as saucers, a tremendous wild joy surging in his heart. His son's official recognition would be his support for the rest of his life.
Retirement? No more worries!
Every wrinkle on Old Master Chen's aged face smoothed out. Looking at this usually worthless son, he now found him much more pleasing to the eye and rarely praised him, "Good! You boy, finally did something proper for the Chen family!"
Second Aunt straightened her back even more, chin held high, her face showing undisguised pride and satisfaction, as if she had earned that official recognition herself.
Her eyes rolled as she asked with feigned concern in a loud voice, "By the way, Aunt Lin, my nephew Ah Qing also took the examination, didn't he? Did he have any success?"
This question was deliberate, meant to have everyone praise her Chen Heng more.
Aunt Lin's smile stiffened slightly as she replied vaguely, "I heard... heard from Xiao Hai that only one seemed to pass..."
Second Aunt immediately raised her eyebrows, using a tone of superiority mixed with consolation, "Alas, that child Ah Qing has inferior aptitude and a restless temperament. But it doesn't matter. When my Xiao Heng returns, I'll have him provide guidance and support for a few years. There might still be opportunities."
This comment drew nods of agreement from several neighbors around.
Just then, Xiao Hai finally squeezed in, gasping for breath, his forehead covered with sweat. His face was all smiles as he bowed to Old Master Chen, "Old Master Chen! Congratulations, congratulations! Tremendous good news!"
"Good child, thank you for your trouble."
Old Master Chen was in excellent spirits and gestured for Second Aunt to give some copper coins as a reward.
Second Aunt took out a few copper coins and stuffed them into Xiao Hai's hands with a charitable smile, "Here, take these for good luck. Why don't you say some auspicious words to congratulate our Xiao Heng?"
Xiao Hai accepted the coins joyfully. Learning from opera performances, he loudly declared with great ceremony, "Congratulations to Old Master Chen! Congratulations to Master Chen Qing for passing as martial scholar! Bringing glory to ancestors and rising step by step!"
Hearing this, Second Aunt's face immediately showed displeasure, "Xiao Hai, I gave you money, why are you congratulating Chen Qing?"
Xiao Hai was stunned, "Master Chen Qing passed, of course I should congratulate him."
Master Chen Qing passed!?
The entire back courtyard of Old Chen's house instantly fell into suffocating dead silence.
Even breathing could be clearly heard.
All busy movements stopped.
The neighbors' faces showed frozen, stunned, incredulous expressions, all gazes turning toward Old Master Chen and Second Aunt.
The flush on Old Master Chen's face visibly drained away, that hearty laughter seemed frozen on his face, leaving only stiffness and bewilderment.
His lips trembled, making "ho ho" sounds in his throat, but couldn't utter a single word.
Second Aunt's expression was even more spectacular, instantly changing from proud flushing to shocked pallor, then from pallor to ashamed iron-blue, finally swelling to liver-colored purple-red.
She felt a surge of hot blood rushing to her head, her ears buzzing, wishing she could dig a hole and crawl into it on the spot!
"Xiao... Xiao Hai!"
Old He was the first to react, grabbing Xiao Hai's arm, his voice completely changed, "Did you see wrong? Or remember incorrectly? The one who passed is Chen Heng! Chen Heng!"
Xiao Hai was frightened by this scene, arguing bewilderedly and aggrievedly, "No... no mistake! I saw it clearly! The announcement clearly wrote 'Chen Qing,' place of origin Mute Bay! I was afraid of seeing wrong, so I specifically asked several people nearby, they all said it was Master Chen Qing!"
His brain turned slowly, how could he understand these social complexities?
He only knew Old Master Chen's grandson was Chen Heng, but never thought the one who passed as martial scholar was actually another grandson living on a broken boat, Chen Qing!
Boom!
Xiao Hai's adamant answer was like a final heavy hammer, completely shattering the dream that had just risen in Old Chen's house.
They had made a mistake!
The one who passed as martial scholar wasn't the hoped-for Chen Heng, but Chen Qing, forgotten on the broken boat in Mute Bay.
"Whoosh—!"
After brief dead silence came irrepressible commotion and whispers.
The neighbors' gazes toward Old Master Chen and Second Aunt instantly became extremely complex, showing sympathy, surprise, embarrassment, and even... a trace of indescribable mockery.
Second Aunt felt her face being pricked by countless needles, burning with pain. Those few copper coins given as rewards became the most glaring mockery.
She suddenly turned her head away, not daring to look at anyone.
Old Master Chen seemed to have all strength instantly drained from him. His straight back hunched over again, his eyes staring vacantly at the pipe on the ground, the whole person seemingly aged another ten years.
He never imagined that Old Chen's house had indeed produced a martial scholar, but in such a way that gave him the most resounding slap in the face.
"Ahem..." Old He awkwardly cleared his throat, his voice dry as he tried to smooth things over, "Well... everyone disperse, disperse, let the old master... have some quiet."
The neighbors from the firewood market awoke as from a dream, immediately scattering like birds and beasts, hurrying away as if escaping some embarrassing whirlpool but low discussions still drifted back with the wind, like cold needles piercing Old Master Chen's ears:
"Sigh, Old Master Chen... too biased..."
"Who says otherwise? If he had been slightly better to that mother and child in Mute Bay..."
"I heard that child lives on a broken boat, never knowing where his next meal comes from..."
Xiao Hai remained completely oblivious, pocketing those copper coins and happily following the crowd away.
In the blink of an eye, Old Chen's back courtyard, which had just been noisy, festive, and packed, was left with only debris everywhere and heart-chilling desolation.
Old Master Chen stood dumbly beside that basin of golden soybeans, his withered hands unconsciously grabbing handfuls of beans and letting them rustle through his fingers, as if the "good fortune" he had just grasped was also flowing away.
...
Rare warm sunlight fell on Mute Bay's muddy water surface, creating several patches of false golden light.
"Passed! Really passed! Martial scholar! Chen Qing passed as martial scholar!"
The messenger's voice cracked from shouting, running barefoot frantically on the muddy wharf, as if that good news were his own.
The news was like a water drop thrown into boiling oil, instantly exploding.
All of Mute Bay was like a hornet's nest that had been viciously poked, instantly boiling!
Curtains of broken sheds and rotten boats were suddenly pulled open, revealing faces that were usually numb and weathered, now showing only shock and disbelief.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Clear, loud bronze gong sounds approached from far to near, drowning out all other noise.
Two officials in black uniforms with red feathers in their caps, led by a clerk holding a vermillion-painted wooden tray, strode forward with heads held high.
Their expressions were arrogant, but their steps carried deliberate dignity, completely out of place in this slum's decay.
"Congratulatory announcement, Gaolin County Mute Bay's Master Chen, given name Qing, passed this county's martial examination as scholar, ranked seventh on the third list! Congratulations to Master Chen! Felicitations to Master Chen!"
The clerk's voice was loud and long, penetrating every corner.
The crowd exploded with a "buzz," followed by deathly silence, only heavy breathing and suppressed exclamations remaining.
All gazes focused on that broken boat.
Lady Han's hunched back instantly straightened. Supporting herself against the cabin door, her lips trembled violently as tears poured out, rolling down her cheeks.
The clerk stood on the narrow bow, quietly waiting for this newly appointed scholar master's mother to react.
Lady Han suddenly shuddered, awakening from that tremendous shock.
Enormous panic and unprecedented awe seized her. She hurriedly bent down to perform a grand bow, her voice carrying sobs and trembling, "Thank... thank you officials for coming! This common woman... this common woman..."
"Oh my! Madam, you're too kind to this humble one! Absolutely inappropriate!"
The clerk's arrogance instantly transformed into an ingratiating smile, his waist bending lower than tax-collecting bailiffs usually did.
He respectfully presented the bright red congratulatory announcement with both hands, "Master Chen is a young talent who soared to great heights. His future prospects are limitless! We've come specially to announce the good news and share in Master's joy!"
The surrounding neighbors finally awoke from their dream.
"My heavens, Ah Qing really passed, martial scholar! Our Mute Bay has produced a scholar master!"
Uncle Gao was so excited his beard trembled. He was the first to fall to his knees toward Lady Han's direction, "Kowtowing to Old Madam Chen! You've finally made it through the hard times!"
His kneeling was like toppling dominoes.
On the wharf and neighboring boats, people fell to their knees in waves... These uncles and aunts who had watched Chen Qing grow up now showed faces mixing incredible awe, envy, and excited pride.
"Scholar master! Aunt Han, you've finally made it through!"
Aunt Cuihua had the loudest voice, carrying sobbing tones yet tremendous excitement, "I always said Ah Qing was extraordinary from childhood!"
As she spoke, she secretly pinched her thigh, afraid she was dreaming.
Er Ya's heart felt like something had squeezed it hard, then suddenly released, leaving empty, shocking reverberations.
In the blink of an eye, he had become the lofty 'Master Chen'?
The wealthy Master Zhao she served would have to bow when meeting a scholar master.
Lady Han finally caught her breath. Wiping tears, her voice was choked but carried unprecedented resonance, "Shared joy! Shared joy! All neighbors share the joy! Officials, please come in and sit!"
She bustled about, rushing back into the cabin, emerging moments later with a crude clay bowl containing a full bowl of snow-white, steaming hot wheat flour gruel.
She tremblingly offered it to the official, "Officials have worked hard, please... please have something..."
The clerk looked at that bowl of wheat flour gruel without any disdain, instead smiling as he accepted it, "Oh my! Thank you for Madam's generous gift! This bowl of fortune noodles smells wonderful, we must properly partake of your household's good luck!"
The official cleared his throat and announced loudly, "According to imperial favor! Master Chen passed as scholar, your household is exempt from poll tax and corvee labor for this year and next! Future taxes will permanently be only forty percent! This is imperial grace, benefiting scholars!"
Hearing this, everyone present was extremely envious.
These fishermen had been oppressed by taxes, corvee labor, and protection money their entire lives, unable to raise their heads.
Lady Han's heart was filled with mixed emotions. She fumbled in her bosom for a heavy small cloth bag she kept close to her body, tremblingly handing it to the lead clerk, "Officials have worked hard, a small token... please have tea with your brothers."
Inside were the silver pieces Chen Qing had left for her.
The clerk accepted the bag, weighing it in his hand. His smile became even more brilliant, almost overflowing, "Madam is too kind, too kind. We wish Master Chen boundless prospects, may he soon pass the martial examination for higher degrees. We take our leave and will come again to pay respects to Master and Madam!"
With that, he led the two officials away, beating gongs amid the neighbors' respectful gazes and still-unsettled commotion, departing with great satisfaction.
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