Chapter 22: The Official Move

Xiao Jinyu nodded.  The two of them worked tirelessly all day, and by evening, they were exhausted. Xiao Jinyu was relatively alright, but Xie Jiu’er’s legs felt as heavy as lead.  She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

Zhou shi watched her daughter sleep, a look of worry on her face.  “Silly child, you’re this tired after just one day of travel. Life in the county won’t be easy! Mother will go to work for a wealthy family; I won’t be a burden on you.”

Early the next morning, Zhou shi cooked a pot of porridge and a dish of stir-fried pork slices to replenish Xiao Jinyu’s energy. After breakfast, he prepared to go to the mountains alone. Xie Jiu’er, still suffering from leg pain, worried about Xiao Jinyu’s leg. “Brother Xiao, did your right leg feel any discomfort from yesterday’s journey?”

Xiao Jinyu shook his head. “My leg is completely healed, much faster than you expected. Don’t worry!”

Xie Jiu’er was doubtful.  Was her judgment off because she wasn’t a medical professional? “Such a serious injury, really healed in a month?”

Xiao Jinyu rolled his eyes. “Should I take off my pants and let you see?”

Xie Jiu’er laughed angrily.  “Fine, take them off. It’s free; why not?”

Xiao Jinyu coughed awkwardly.  This little girl, how could she say such things? “A young unmarried lady, where did you learn such nonsense? You won’t be able to get married.”

Xie Jiu’er snorted. “Don’t worry about me. Money is better than a husband.”

Xiao Jinyu walked away without looking back. “All you talk about is money. You’re obsessed with money.”

While Xiao Jinyu went hunting in the mountains, Xie Jiu’er and the others were busy loading the meat jar, taro, and saved foxtail grass seeds onto the cart. They placed their bedding on top, leaving some space in front for cooking utensils.

Xiao Jinyu entered the mountains at dawn and returned home around noon, carrying four rabbits and two pheasants. Xie Jiu’er was overjoyed.  They still had frozen rabbits from a few days ago. These would fetch a good price. With a little extra, she could cover his travel expenses.

When Xiao Jinyu arrived, Xie Jiu’er had already prepared the meal: braised pork ribs, mashed taro seasoned with salt—a unique flavor.

After a bowl of rib soup, they felt warm and energized. After quickly cleaning the stove, the family set off.

The journey wasn’t as strenuous as they had imagined. Along the way, they encountered wave after wave of returning refugees. Some even mocked them, “This family ate their horses, and now they only have a cart left, haha.”

Xie Jiu’er looked back. The people mocking them were dressed in rags, no better off than them, but they were full of energy.  They must have been wealthy before.  Their journey was hard, but they weren’t starving.

They arrived in the county under the cover of darkness.  Their newly rented house hadn’t been lived in for a long time; it was cold and empty. Xie Jiu’er first took out the charcoal and basins from the cart and lit fires in both rooms.

Then, they started unpacking. Zhou shi immediately cleaned the kitchen and quickly prepared a meal. By the time Xie Jiu’er and the others had settled their belongings, the meal was ready.

Tired from the half-day journey, Xie Jiu’er and Zhou shi shared a room, and Xiao Jinyu and Wuyang shared another. They rested despite the cold.

The next day, Zhou shi used the cloth Xie Jiu’er received from Madam Zhu to make clothes for everyone. Xie Jiu’er returned the cart, and Xiao Jinyu went out to sell the game.

Wuyang went to the outskirts of the mountains to collect firewood. When Xie Jiu’er returned, she saw a pheasant and two rabbits left behind. “The Golden Thigh is really nice; he still thought of leaving us food before leaving.”

However, he had already hunted a wild boar for them, more than repaying his debt, not to mention saving them several times. Xie Jiu’er took the remaining game to sell it.

This time, she saw several shops opening on the street, and the county office had more constables.  The shopkeepers must have opened their businesses because the county office had resumed normal operations, ensuring safety.

Xiao Jinyu’s clothes were of good quality but were worn and stained with blood.  Since poultry was scarce, those craving meat could only find game. Xie Jiu’er’s two rabbits and a pheasant were very popular.

A corpulent man immediately approached her. “Girl, how much are these?”

Xie Jiu’er looked at the man, dressed in fine silk, clearly wealthy. “Uncle, they’re all one tael each.”

“One tael! That’s too expensive!  Alright, I’ll take them. It’s not easy to get some meat.”

The man took out his purse to pay.

Xie Jiu’er held up three fingers. “Uncle, I meant one tael per item, three taels for all three.”

The man’s eyebrows furrowed. “Girl, are you robbing me? That’s too expensive! Are these dead chicken and rabbits made of gold?”

Xie Jiu’er looked embarrassed. “Uncle, you can choose not to buy them if you think it’s too expensive. I know the price is a bit high, but food is scarce now, and poultry is even rarer.  Even with money, you may not be able to buy it. These days, what’s valuable isn’t money, it’s food!  I’m freezing, and my family doesn’t have clothes to wear. Otherwise, I wouldn’t sell them for one tael each.”

The man shook his head and stamped his foot. After a moment, as if making a big decision, “Alright, give me one rabbit and one chicken.”

He handed Xie Jiu’er two taels of silver.

After the man left, a constable came and bought the last rabbit. Xie Jiu’er took the three taels of silver to a clothing store.

“Girl, do you want fabric or clothes?” The shopkeeper saw Xie Jiu’er’s ragged clothes but didn’t look down on her.  In these times, few people were well-dressed.

“I want a man’s clothes, thick and padded.” Xie Jiu’er looked at the men’s robes.

The shopkeeper asked about his age and height and brought out a robe. “Girl, how about this light blue one? Young men should wear brighter colors.”

“No, he probably doesn’t like bright colors.  That dark blue one!” Xie Jiu’er pointed to a longer robe.

The shopkeeper brought the robe. Xie Jiu’er touched it, and the shopkeeper quickly explained, “This is the thickest one, with the best fabric, perfect for this season.”

Xie Jiu’er felt the fabric; it was decent and thick enough, but the style was ugly.  Remembering the palace robes she had seen in a museum, she gestured for the shopkeeper to quickly alter it, and she would pick it up later.