Chapter 54: Rejection

Aunt Liu’s eyes darted everywhere, her face filled with wonder and envy. When Zhao Mengcheng had visited the Liu family yesterday, he hadn’t mentioned any of this.

She truly hadn’t expected that after so many years of marriage, during which her eldest sister had lived a frugal life, the brother-in-law would suddenly become successful after her death. Even the new house was built of blue bricks.

Aunt Liu’s mind whirled, and she became even more determined to marry her younger sister-in-law into this family. Otherwise, even if the brother-in-law still felt some old affection now, that feeling would fade once he remarried someone else. The Liu family would never be able to claim such a connection again.

With this in mind, the smile on Aunt Liu’s face grew even warmer. “Brother-in-law, we’ve come to pay you a New Year’s visit.”

Zhao Mengcheng was stunned for a moment before letting them inside. “Please, have a seat.”

The melon seeds¹, pastries, and snacks on the table were already laid out. He went into the inner room to brew three cups of tea.

When he came back out, Aunt Liu quickly stood up to take them. “Don’t trouble yourself, brother-in-law. We’re all family, there’s no need for such formalities. Let’s just sit and talk.”

Zhao Mengcheng felt her enthusiasm was a bit excessive. He sat down and asked, “Why didn’t you bring the three children along?”

“The roads are slippery with snow. They would only cause trouble if they came,” Aunt Liu said with a smile. However, when she saw the snacks on the table, she felt a pang of regret. Had she known, she would have brought the children so they could at least eat something good.

Zhao Mengcheng had only asked casually. He wasn’t familiar with the Liu family at all, so naturally, he had nothing to say. For a moment, the atmosphere at the table was somewhat awkward.

Aunt Liu put her eloquence to use, praising everything from the moment she entered. She praised the children and then the house, never stopping for a breath.

When it was time for lunch, Zhao Mengcheng stood up and said, “It’s rare for you to visit, so stay for a meal. I’ll go prepare the food.”

Aunt Liu quickly stopped him. “How can we let you cook? Muniang, you go.”

Zhao Mengcheng felt a bit fed up. “No need. You are guests, how can I let a guest do the cooking?”

Liu Muniang, however, had already stood up. “Brother-in-law, let me do it. I’m used to doing this sort of work every day.”

Aunt Liu added, “You should try Muniang’s cooking. Her skills are praised throughout the whole countryside.”

Fearing Zhao Mengcheng would disagree, she signaled Liu Dahu emphatically with her eyes.

Liu Dahu cleared his throat and finally spoke. “Brother-in-law, let Muniang go. I have something I want to discuss with you.”

Zhao Mengcheng assumed they had a request to make, so he didn’t stop her. “Chun, take your younger brother and sister inside to help your aunt.”

Liu Muniang’s face flushed red as she said repeatedly, “No need, I can manage on my own.”

“Aunt, you’re a guest. How could we let you do everything? We’re quite capable. We usually help Dad with the fire and the cooking,” Zhao Mao said.

Without leaving room for argument, he entered the kitchen and directed his elder brother to start the fire and his younger sister to wash the vegetables. He then brought out all the ingredients needed for lunch, keeping everything in perfect order.

Liu Muniang was somewhat surprised. With only the three children present, she felt a bit bolder than she did outside. She smiled and praised them, “You’ve all become like little adults. Every one of you is so capable.”

“Of course! Daddy also praises me for being capable,” Zhao Xin said happily.

Liu Muniang let out a giggle and affectionately stroked the little girl’s hair. She glanced outside, feeling a bit apprehensive in her heart.

Zhao Chun and Zhao Xin didn’t notice anything unusual, but Zhao Mao knit his small brows and looked outside from time to time.

In the living room, the atmosphere was far from harmonious.

Zhao Mengcheng suspected he had misheard, his brow furrowed into a knot. “Dahu, this isn’t appropriate.”

Aunt Liu asked urgently, “Why isn’t it appropriate? Although Muniang isn’t as beautiful as her elder sister, she’s still decent-looking. If she hadn’t been delayed these past two years and grown a bit older, who knows how many people would be knocking at our door to ask for her hand?”

Zhao Mengcheng left no room for negotiation, rejecting her directly. “Whether she is good or bad has nothing to do with me. This matter is impossible.”

Liu Dahu’s face showed his embarrassment. He was about to speak when his wife pulled him back.

Aunt Liu said earnestly, “Brother-in-law, Muniang is the children’s biological aunt. If you marry her, she will naturally be good to Chun and the others once she enters this house. But if you marry someone else, they might promise you the world before the wedding, but once they have their own children, how could they still care for the ones left behind?”

“We only thought of this because we care about our nephews and niece. Think about it again.”

Zhao Mengcheng glanced at her. “If you’re worried about the three children being mistreated, then I can guarantee that I will never remarry.”

“What?” Even Liu Dahu was shocked.

Aunt Liu pursed her lips. “Brother-in-law, I know you still miss your late wife and that you mean what you say right now. But you’re still young. Are you really going to spend the next several decades all alone?”

She clearly didn’t believe him in her heart, thinking that a man would eventually remarry and that he was just saying nice things for now.

Zhao Mengcheng’s patience was exhausted, and he spoke bluntly. “Yes, that is exactly what I intend. So, there is no need to mention this matter again.”

“Brother-in-law…” Aunt Liu wanted to try persuading him further.

But Zhao Mengcheng interrupted her. “Sister-in-law, our two families can still interact as relatives for now. If you continue with this, even the little affection we have left will be gone.”

Aunt Liu’s mouth full of arguments was stifled. Seeing Zhao Mengcheng’s cold face, even her glib tongue couldn’t find any words to say.

Zhao Mengcheng simply stood up. “I’ll go take a look. I can’t let Muniang, a guest, do all the work.”

As soon as he left, Aunt Liu’s face darkened. she whispered, “He says nice things now, but what can we do if he changes his mind later? We’ll just have to watch the children suffer.”

Liu Dahu advised, “Forget it. Brother-in-law isn’t interested. We can’t force him to marry Muniang.”

“It’s also because Muniang is disappointing. Her looks aren’t outstanding, and her personality is dull,” Aunt Liu said, frustrated. She added, “If I had a blue brick house like this, I wouldn’t look twice at Muniang either.”

Liu Dahu’s face also darkened. “Stop talking nonsense. What kind of behavior is this?”

“I’m only doing this for the sake of our family! If Muniang doesn’t marry into this house, our relationship will fade in three to five years. Do you really expect your nephews to remember you for a lifetime?” Aunt Liu cursed under her breath.

Liu Dahu replied, “We’ll just visit more often. As long as we’re good to the children, they’ll remember it in their hearts.”

Aunt Liu still hadn’t given up, but Zhao Mengcheng had made himself so clear, leaving no room at all, that she truly had no other choice.

In the kitchen, Zhao Mengcheng took over the cooking. “I’ll do it. You’re a guest, go sit outside and have some tea and melon seeds.”

Liu Muniang was startled by his cold expression. She didn’t dare to resist and walked out with her head lowered.

When Aunt Liu saw her come out, she reached out and grabbed her. “Why did you actually come out? If he told you not to help, you should have insisted on staying no matter what!”

Liu Muniang looked like she was about to cry. “Brother-in-law wouldn’t let me, what could I do? He looked so scary.”

“You really are…” Aunt Liu felt she had worried herself to death, only for the Liu siblings to hold her back.

Liu Dahu couldn’t stand to see his sister cry and comforted her, “Fine, fine. If it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be. We’ll find another good family for Muniang.”

Aunt Liu snorted. “Go ahead and try to find another one with a blue brick house.”

“Dad?” Zhao Mao walked to Zhao Mengcheng’s side and looked up at him.

Seeing the boy’s eyes darting around, Zhao Mengcheng knew he had guessed what was happening. He smiled and flicked the boy’s forehead. “It’s rare for your uncle and aunt to visit. Treat them well.”

“Okay, I’ve already brought out the cured meat.” Zhao Mao understood immediately and felt relieved.

Once the food was ready, Zhao Mengcheng had Zhao Mao take a bowl to the children in the inner room first before setting the rest on the table.

Zhao Mengcheng treated the Liu family well, but the meal was still awkward. Liu Muniang clearly knew what had happened, and her eyes were red, making her look quite pitiful.

Liu Dahu likely felt ashamed as well, as he only lowered his head to eat without saying a word.

Aunt Liu intended to say something more, but every time she spoke, she was cut off. In the end, she was left with a sheepish expression.

Once they put down their chopsticks, Zhao Mengcheng said, “Dahu, it’s getting late and the mountain roads aren’t safe. You should head back early. Be careful on the way.”

Liu Dahu knew this was a hint to leave, so he quickly took his wife and sister and departed.

After seeing the three of them off, Zhao Mengcheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the Liu family still cared about their dignity, otherwise, this kinship would have had to be severed.

Zhao Chun rubbed his stomach. “Eating with Uncle was so weird. My stomach actually hurts.”

He was usually oblivious, but even he knew the atmosphere at the table had been wrong.

Zhao Mao teased him, “That’s because you ate too much. Just walk around a bit to help your digestion.”

But as soon as he stood up, he also felt his stomach was bulging and a bit painful.

Zhao Mengcheng laughed at the sight. “It seems one shouldn’t be upset before or after a meal. Eating like that is worse than not eating at all.”

“Dad, why aren’t you affected?” Zhao Chun asked curiously.

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Your dad doesn’t take such small matters to heart. Never mind a little bickering, even if there was a war going on outside, I could still eat just fine.”

This was nothing. The Liu family held no weight at all in his heart. If not for the children, he wouldn’t even have remembered to maintain relations with them. How could he lose his appetite over this?

Zhao Chun patted his stomach. “I need to learn from Daddy.”

Zhao Mao thought silently that reaching his father’s level would be far too difficult.

Zhao Mengcheng laughed heartily. Seeing that the three children were all feeling uncomfortable, he said, “Wait here. I’ll brew a pot of sweet soup to help your digestion.”

After speaking, he went into the house to find the hawthorns picked from the mountain last year. Zhao Chun had gathered them while running all over the hills.

The wild hawthorns were bright red but small, each only about the size of a thumb. One bite was enough to make one’s teeth ache from the sourness.

At the time, Zhao Chun couldn’t bear to throw them away but really couldn’t eat them either. So, he followed Zhao Mengcheng’s example of drying vegetables and dried the hawthorns to store them away.

Zhao Mengcheng pulled them out now, washed them, and sliced them in half. With a flick of his knife tip, he dug out the pits.

Making hawthorn sweet soup was simple. Once the hawthorns were prepared, he tossed them into the pot and simmered them with a few pieces of rock sugar.

While the hawthorns were being stewed until soft and the pot bubbled away, the three children had already cleared the dining table.

Zhao Mengcheng beckoned to them, “Come and have a taste.”

The three little ones immediately lined up in front of him, looking like three little piglets waiting to be fed.

Zhao Mengcheng filled three small bowls. The dusty-looking clay bowls weren’t much to look at, but the bright red hawthorn sweet soup still looked incredibly inviting.

Zhao Chun took a hasty gulp and couldn’t help but give a thumbs up, “It’s delicious! Sour and sweet, much better than eating them raw.”

“That’s because I added rock sugar,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile.

He knew his own cooking skills. He was simply generous with the ingredients. How could it not taste good with so much rock sugar?

Zhao Mao took a sip and looked up to praise him, “It’s because Father made it well. Even if other families used rock sugar, it wouldn’t be this good.”

Zhao Xin nodded vigorously. After a sip, she asked, “Dad, should we bring a bowl to the little brother?”

“He didn’t overeat, so he doesn’t need to drink hawthorn sweet soup,” Zhao Chun said, feeling like the small amount in the pot wasn’t even enough for himself.

But Zhao Xin insisted, “Father’s cooking is the best. I want the little brother to taste it too.”

“Then give him a bowl,” Zhao Mengcheng said, not being stingy as he filled a small bowl.

Zhao Xin happily carried it away.

Behind her, Zhao Chun was quite displeased, “Why is Third Sister so good to that kid? Usually, she isn’t even willing to bring me a cup of water.”

“She definitely thinks the little brother is good-looking. Third Sister likes people who look good. She thinks everyone in the village is ugly, which is why she only gets along with Cao Wu Mei,” Zhao Mao said, seeing right through his younger sister.

Zhao Chun got even angrier, “But I’m not ugly either! Dad even praised my looks.”

Zhao Mao looked at his burly, thickset older brother with his righteous face, not knowing how to explain the difference between being handsome and being sturdy.

Zhao Mengcheng drank his hawthorn sweet soup while listening to the children’s banter, feeling that the flavor was even better now.

Carrying the full bowl of hawthorn sweet soup, Zhao Xin arrived at the study next door. As soon as she entered, she saw the child on the bed staring at her with those bright, sparkling eyes.

Zhao Xin felt the little brother’s eyes were particularly beautiful, like stars in the sky. It was a pity a scar on his face ruined the effect.

She asked with a smile, “My dad made hawthorn sweet soup. It’s delicious. Little brother, do you want to try some?”

Tang Tang blushed as he sat up, “Thank you.”

He reached out to take the simple bowl of sweet soup, momentarily unsure where to start.

“Drink it quickly. It won’t taste as good once it gets cold,” Zhao Xin urged.

Tang Tang lowered his head and took a sip from the rim. The sweet and sour taste hit him, making the child squint in enjoyment.

“Isn’t it delicious?” Zhao Xin saw that he liked it and felt a bit proud. “This must be the best sweet soup you’ve ever had, right?”

Tang Tang paused for a moment, then nodded.

Zhao Xin became even happier and sat by the bed to chat. “Then drink more. There’s still some in the pot. But our family doesn’t have many hawthorns left. Big Brother picked them in the autumn. They were so sour they could make your teeth fall out.”

“Sigh, if I had known hawthorn sweet soup was this good, I would have had Big Brother pick more. This is better than mushrooms.”

Amidst her chattering, Tang Tang finished every last drop of the hawthorn sweet soup.

The hawthorns were too small and not fresh, so the texture was a bit astringent.

The rock sugar wasn’t pure enough, and too much had been added, making the final taste a bit too sweet.

It hadn’t been stewed long enough, so the hawthorns didn’t melt in the mouth.

Tang Tang could point out many flaws, but in such a winter, being able to drink this kind of hawthorn sweet soup was a luxury. He knew that for ordinary people, sugar was very precious.

This family was willing to share it with him, an outsider.

Tang Tang lowered his eyes slightly as a thought flashed through his mind.

Suddenly, a small hand touched his cheek, “Brother, what’s wrong?”

Tang Tang stiffened and turned his face away to avoid her hand.

Zhao Xin didn’t sense his rejection. She looked down at him and asked, “You looked like you were about to cry just now. Do you miss your parents?”

Tang Tang glanced at her and shook his head, “I don’t remember them.”

Zhao Xin followed Zhao Mengcheng’s example and gently patted his shoulder, “It must be because you’re still too young, so you forgot. But it’s okay. You’ll remember when you grow up.”

“Xin’er, is the little brother finished? Dad said to bring the bowl back once he’s done,” Zhao Chun shouted loudly.

Zhao Xin immediately carried the bowl out.

The lively sounds of the family came from outside. Zhao Mengcheng said something that made all three children laugh.

The laughter drifted through the room, sounding hazy and somewhat unreal.

Inside the room, Tang Tang lay back into the covers, wrapping himself like a cocoon. He thought to himself that the master of this house seemed kind and was willing to spend money and effort to save a stranger like him, but after he woke up, the man didn’t seem to care about him much.

The child keenly sensed that the man saving him was no different from saving a kitten or a puppy.

If he wanted to stay in this home, he would have to find a way.

Tang Tang clutched the warm corner of the quilt and fell into deep thought.

Zhao Mengcheng indeed didn’t pay much attention to the recovering child. He only brewed medicine for him every day and handed him the ointment Doctor Liu had prepared, letting the child apply it himself.

As for anything else, he didn’t put much heart into it.

The one who cared the most was Zhao Xin. She was currently enjoying being a big sister, staring at Tang Tang every day as he applied the ointment, eagerly hoping the scar on his face would disappear so he could completely become a little fairy.

Once the fifth day of the first lunar month passed, the village’s tofu business, which had paused for the New Year, began once again.

Thinking the tofu business would immediately boom after the New Year, the neighboring Wang Family happily made a lot of tofu.

To their surprise, Wang Ming went out to do business in high spirits but didn’t return until dusk, with half the tofu on his cart still unsold.

That evening, Wang Ming went to find Zhao Mengcheng, “Brother, the situation in town isn’t good.”

“Tell me about it.”

Zhao Mengcheng had noticed the town’s desolation last year, but he hadn’t expected the impact to be this significant.

Not only had Wang Ming noticed, but the usually bustling tofu market at the village entrance was also neglected today.

Wang Ming frowned, “I thought since I hadn’t sold tofu for a while, there wouldn’t be enough to go around. Who knew there wouldn’t even be many people on the streets?”

Logically, even if the surrounding villages suffered from disasters, the townspeople should have some savings, so their lives wouldn’t be too affected.

Wang Ming had been cautious and asked around while selling tofu, only then learning the truth.

“A few regular customers said things weren’t great last year. Grain prices have risen too sharply. Just paying for basic food is overwhelming. How could anyone have spare money for anything else?”

“It’s not just my tofu that isn’t selling. Nowadays, except for rice and grain shops, no other business is easy to do.”

Hearing this, Zhao Mengcheng knew the situation was even worse than he had estimated, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit worried.

Wang Ming sighed, “Now the price of beans is rising, and the profit from tofu was already low. If we can’t sell it, this business might fall through.”

Zhao Mengcheng advised him, “Since grain is precious, why not put the tofu business aside for now and focus on spring plowing?”

“I suppose that’s all I can do.” Wang Ming sighed, planning to wait another two days. If business didn’t pick up, he would go home and manage the spring plowing.

“There’s one more thing. It’s said in town that the Emperor is going to hold the Qianqiu Festival. The officials below are all busy presenting birthday gifts, and our town has to contribute too.”

This was the first time Zhao Mengcheng had heard of this, and he couldn’t help but frown, “Fengzhou has suffered a disaster, yet they still have to send birthday gifts to those above?”

No wonder the Great Zhou collapsed so quickly. The old Emperor’s actions were practically stabbing the common people in the heart, forcing them to rebel.

Wang Ming was also furious, “That old Emperor only cares about his own pleasure. He doesn’t care whether we commoners live or die.”

After he left, Zhao Mengcheng was lost in thought.

“Dad, are we still making our dried tofu?” Zhao Chun ran over to ask.

Zhao Mengcheng thought for a moment and said, “We’ll go to town tomorrow to see. Tang Tang is also mostly recovered. We’ll go visit Magistrate Huang and see if we can find his family.”

Tang Tang, who was sitting on a small stool letting Zhao Xin comb his hair, was stunned. He pursed his lips and lowered his head.

Early the next morning, Zhao Mengcheng didn’t take the three little ones but carried Tang Tang onto the donkey cart.

Zhao Xin was a bit reluctant to see him go, but she still pulled Tang Tang’s hand, “Little brother, be good. You’ll find your parents soon.”

Tang Tang didn’t say a word.

On the donkey cart, Zhao Mengcheng glanced at the child and, in a rare show of comfort, said, “Don’t worry. Magistrate Huang will find a way to properly settle things.”

Tang Tang opened his mouth but swallowed his words back down.

Just as the city gates came into view, the child suddenly grabbed the corner of his clothes and looked up with the uninjured side of his face. “Uncle, can I stay at your house?”

Zhao Mengcheng stroked his hair but did not speak.

Tang Tang grew anxious. “I’ll help with the work and won’t be a burden to the family. Please don’t throw me away, okay?”

Zhao Mengcheng only asked one question. “Tang Tang, I cannot take in someone of unknown origin. That would bring trouble to the Zhao Family.”

“Or are you willing to tell me about your background now?”

From the day the child first woke up, Zhao Mengcheng knew he was hiding many secrets. Since the boy was unwilling to talk, he had no interest in listening.

But keeping the child was another matter entirely. Zhao Mengcheng only wanted to look after his own small family and live a peaceful life. He had no desire to get involved in any complications or bring trouble upon himself for no reason.

Stung by his gaze, Tang Tang abruptly lowered his head and stopped speaking.

Zhao Mengcheng couldn’t say whether he felt disappointed or relieved. He simply urged the donkey forward and passed through the city gates.

The donkey cart headed straight for the County Yamen. Magistrate Huang clearly still remembered him. Seeing that he had brought New Year gifts, the magistrate was quite polite and even met with him in person.

Zhao Mengcheng exchanged a few New Year greetings before bringing up the child he had found.

Magistrate Huang frowned slightly but still said, “Leave him here for now. You can send him to the Jici Courtyard later.”

The Jici Courtyard was originally an orphanage established by the imperial court to house homeless children and the elderly, providing them with a bowl of food so they wouldn’t starve to death.

But as time passed, the Jici Courtyard became a shadow of its former self. Now it was just a dilapidated courtyard, overseen by an old woman at most. As for anything else, that depended on the local officials.

Magistrate Huang was considered one of the better ones. At least in Shanghe Town, no one had ever starved to death in the Jici Courtyard.

Tang Tang listened as they decided his fate in a few short sentences. His head hung even lower, and his fists clenched slightly.

Magistrate Huang waved his hand, signaling for someone to take the child away.

Zhao Mengcheng pressed the child’s shoulder and tucked a small pouch into his hand. It contained some money, enough for the boy to use in an emergency. His kindness was limited to this, and he would offer no more.

Tang Tang looked back with every few steps as he left, but in the end, he said nothing.

Seeing this, Magistrate Huang offered a word of praise. “You are indeed a kind-hearted man.”

“I fall far short of you, Lord Huang. If it weren’t for your leadership, Shanghe Town would likely have fallen into chaos long ago,” Zhao Mengcheng said.

Hearing this, Magistrate Huang let out a long sigh. “I can only do so much. I fear I will end up with the foul reputation of someone who exploits the people.”

Zhao Mengcheng’s eyes flickered. “Is your lordship worried about the birthday gift?”

Magistrate Huang looked at him. “You know about that as well?”

“The town is abuzz with the news, so I have heard a bit about it.” Zhao Mengcheng suspected that Magistrate Huang had spread the word himself to let the people know that it wasn’t the magistrate demanding money, but the Emperor.

Thinking of it this way, Magistrate Huang did not seem like a man of blind loyalty, or he wouldn’t have done such a thing.

Magistrate Huang said flatly, “I would have liked to just send a few local specialties to fulfill the requirement, but unfortunately, even if I were brave enough to risk my official post, such items would never even reach the Emperor’s presence.”

“Your lordship is wise to consider the big picture. If you were to offend your superiors and lose your position, who would the people of Shanghe Town have left to depend on?” Zhao Mengcheng did not mention Lord Huang’s personal motives.

Hearing this, Magistrate Huang’s expression softened, though his brow remained clouded with worry. “I can sacrifice my reputation, but I cannot abandon the people of this region. This matter is truly a dilemma.”

The most difficult part was that even if he were willing to exploit the people, the current Shanghe Town had nothing decent to offer.

Zhao Mengcheng suddenly spoke up. “Lord Huang, I have a clever solution that would neither burden the people nor drain the treasury, yet would leave everyone satisfied.”

Magistrate Huang quickly pressed him, “Tell me, quickly.”

Translator’s Notes