Baohua County’s gates had been shut for three days now. All travelers were allowed in but not out. The constables and bailiffs patrolled the streets daily. Overhead, a huge eagle circled, its occasional shrill cries setting everyone on edge. Notices were posted not only on the public boards, but plastered across every street and alley. Strangely, the picture on them was not of some notorious bandit or missing young lady from a wealthy family—but a dog. Stranger still, it was a one-eyed dog.
No one knew which passing royal relative had lost their dog here, prompting such a great fuss. The people of Baohua County were abuzz with gossip, all saying their lives were worth less than a dog’s. If someone found that dog, they’d get a reward of five hundred taels of silver! If they could get that sum, wouldn’t they be set for life, never having to worry about food or clothing again?
So, without the officials even having to summon them, men and women, young and old, all hoping to earn that five hundred tael reward, joined the dog-hunting party of their own accord. The local bullies had searched every nook and cranny, the constables had gone door to door inspecting every household, comparing almost every dog one by one, short of digging three feet into the ground—yet the one-eyed dog was still nowhere to be found.
Xing Muzheng’s expression grew darker with each passing day. The guards he sent out also returned empty-handed. Li Qingquan and Wang Yong discussed with Ah Da and guessed that Qian Jiaoniang had long since fled far away, so they didn’t dare report the truth. What they couldn’t understand was why their master, despite being able to hold his temper, insisted on remaining in this small county town.
Ah Da was very worried about Xing Pingchun, thinking that he had always been close to Qian Jiaoniang, and now that his mother had left him, he must be heartbroken. But Wang Yong said, “I was worried the boy might take it badly, but surprisingly he’s acting as if nothing happened—eating when he should, drinking when he should, not looking the least bit sad. I asked him why he wasn’t going to look for his mother, and he said, ‘She wanted to go, so why should I go after her?’ Come to think of it, wasn’t it the same before—when she wanted to remarry, he didn’t try to persuade her otherwise, just happily watched her go through with it.”
Ah Da sighed. “Our Chou’er is a good kid, just a little slow in the head.”
Li Qingquan said, “When he’s smart, he can be very smart—didn’t I get tricked by him last time? This child… in the end, he’s a bit strange.”
~
Qian Jiaoniang, dressed in coarse hemp clothes, stood in a tiny single courtyard, barely five paces across, piled high with discarded junk others didn’t want. In the corner sat two chamber pots, and beside them, Qian Jiaoniang raised an axe to split a plank of wood. Having not used a blade or axe in a long time, she was quite out of practice, and before long her strength was spent. Panting, she wiped the sweat from her brow, and heard a sharp cry overhead. She lifted her head slightly and looked up at the sky—Lielei was circling high above, screeching. Her gaze changed for a moment, then she lowered her head again.
“Jiaoniang, stop fussing now. Cough, cough… It’s cold—come inside and warm yourself.” Out from the dark, shabby thatched hut came a hunched, white-haired old woman. Leaning on a stick, her whole face was deeply wrinkled, and her drooping eyelids almost hid her eyes entirely.
This was Granny Zhou, who in her younger years had been a midwife of some renown in Baohua County, and a good-hearted one—praised by all the neighbors. But once she grew old and her eyesight dimmed, no one hired her anymore. She had once had two sons. Her eldest died young of smallpox, and his widow remarried. Her younger son was still alive, so Granny Zhou spent her life’s savings to get him a wife, and even bought a bun shop for the couple to run. She herself raised her eldest son’s orphaned daughter, Zhou Cuilian, who also helped out at the shop. Later, Zhou Cuilian married into the neighboring county. Granny Zhou’s younger daughter-in-law, thinking her clumsy and prone to breaking dishes, no longer let her help in the shop. The couple even sold the old family house left by Zhou’s late husband, leaving only a kitchen room for Granny Zhou. They themselves bought a new house behind the bun shop and moved there. At most, they came to visit her once a year—just to see if she was dead yet.
“I’m not cold, Granny Zhou. You should go back inside and rest—your legs aren’t good, you need to take care of yourself.” Qian Jiaoniang had met Granny Zhou a few years back. Baohua County was not only on the route from Yongan to Yuzhou, but also on the road back from Zizhou to Yongan. Back then, Qian Jiaoniang had been taking Xing Pingchun to Yuzhou. Passing through Baohua County, the boy had developed a bad cough. She went into the mountains to pick herbs and brew medicine for him, but was delayed there for several days. Those were chaotic years, with war and hardship everywhere, and it was all too common for people to abandon children to save themselves. Qian Jiaoniang feared that Granny Zhou might think she had abandoned Xing Pingchun to sell him off, but thankfully the old woman had a kind heart and took care of him for many days without complaint. When Qian Jiaoniang returned, she kowtowed to Granny Zhou three times in thanks.
She had never wanted to see Granny Zhou in such a pitiful state. Now the old woman walked with a lopsided limp, and had even twisted her ankle in a fall the other day. Her unfilial son gave her only a few strings of coins a year, not enough even to stave off hunger. She survived by scavenging scraps and relying on the charity of neighbors. Now she lived alone in the thatched kitchen room—stove on one side, bed on the other, walls blackened with soot, the windows in tatters letting in the wind at night so that it was bitterly cold. With snow soon to fall in Baohua County, Qian Jiaoniang planned to find some wood strips and window paper from Granny Zhou’s pile of junk and patch up the windows. She still had a banknote from Qingya tucked in her bosom, but with so many soldiers and officers outside, she dared not go out. She would wait until they left before making further plans. But it had already been three days, and Xing Muzheng still hadn’t gone—was he so certain she was in the county?
A sudden “woof” sounded. Big Sis stood at the doorway, wagging her tail at Qian Jiaoniang, her one watery eye gazing at her. Qian Jiaoniang waggled a finger at her, then pointed to the sky—her nemesis was still searching for her up there. Big Sis seemed to understand and turned to go inside, lying down by the stove to warm herself.
Granny Zhou took a small stool and sat by the doorway with a sigh. “What’s the point of keeping myself alive? I’m just a useless old thing waiting to die. It’d be better if I went sooner.”
“Don’t say that! You’re blessed with a long life, and you’ve still got many good days ahead.”
Granny Zhou smiled bitterly. “When you’re old and useless, unable to help with anything, you deserve to be disliked. There’s an Aunt Zhao down the street—she’s well over eighty, still strong and able, even helps her daughter-in-law take care of the grandkids. And look at me—not even past eighty, and I can’t do a thing! Ai…”
“You were so capable when you were young! You even set up a shop for your son. Once you’re old, it’s only natural to rest and enjoy life—it’s your son and daughter-in-law who are unfilial.” Qian Jiaoniang measured the length of the wood as she spoke.
“My son and daughter-in-law aren’t entirely unfilial—they’ve had a hard time too, with two children to raise. I’m just a burden.” Tears welled at Granny Zhou’s eyes as she slapped her thigh, hating her own uselessness.
“That’s not true. One of these days I’ll find a place, and I’ll come take care of you myself!” Qian Jiaoniang had always kept in mind the kindness Granny Zhou had shown in taking care of Chou’er for those few days. For such a good person to spend her final years alone and destitute would be far too heartbreaking.
Granny Zhou said, “How could I let you serve me, child? It’s kind of you to think of me, but you have troubles of your own right now, don’t you?” She gazed at her. “Those officials outside—are they here for you?” Though they came in saying they were searching for a one-eyed dog… wasn’t that very dog lying by the fire right now?
Qian Jiaoniang silently nodded.
“Why? To be able to stir up so many officials, did you offend some high-ranking one?”
Qian Jiaoniang smiled faintly. “Granny Zhou, don’t worry. I did offend a high official, but it’s nothing that great—nothing that will drag you into it.”
“Eh, I’m already halfway in the earth; what’s there left to worry about? But you’re still young. Where’s that good son of yours? He’s all right, isn’t he?”
“He’s fine.” Qian Jiaoniang went on splitting her sticks. “I…”
She stopped, hesitating. Setting down the hatchet, she sat in silence for a long while. “Someone like me, rolling in the mud, has no right to such thoughts. If I just accepted my fate, wouldn’t life be much easier?” At times she thought herself sentimental to the point of foolishness—she had endured so much hardship, even willing to throw away her pride to survive. So why was it, with Xing Muzheng, that she simply could not get over that hurdle? Whether he was pretending or repaying a debt, the fact was she sat in the seat of his legal wife. She would never want for food or clothing—so what did it matter? Yet she couldn’t let it go. If Xing Muzheng didn’t like her, she hurt; if he pretended to like her, she hurt even more. Life was long—why make them both suffer? Everything before, she would count as written off. He was better suited to a young lady like Zhao Yaoqian. Perhaps from now on she would still have to hide here and there, still miss her son unbearably—but her heart… would be free.
Granny Zhou, though, couldn’t make sense of it. “What are you talking about?”
Qian Jiaoniang gave a brief smile. “Nothing.”
That afternoon, she spent hours fixing up the lattice windows, sealing them tight so not a wisp of wind could enter. She cut out two paper window flowers and pasted them on; Granny Zhou clapped her hands in delight, praising her skill. Once done, Qian Jiaoniang began preparing supper. Earlier she had given Granny Zhou a bit of broken silver, asking her to have the neighbors bring back some pork and lard. Now she meant to render some fat—the oil jar had long been empty.
She had just set the big pot on the stove when a sudden, urgent pounding sounded at the door.
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