WSMTATMC C63

Chapter 63

This matter made Elder Liang even more anxious than Wang Ying. The wheat seeds had been sent to the capital; if their growth failed to be as reliable as promised, would it not unnecessarily delay the futures of those two young men?

He called Wang Ying over, asking him about every detail of preventing late spring frost damage. That very night, he wrote two letters: one dispatched to the capital, and the other sent to his son stationed in Changting County.

As a local county magistrate, matters of grain tax and poll tax were of utmost importance. He hoped that Wang Ying’s methods would allow the common folk in Changting to escape disaster, and that his son’s official career might have smoother sailing.

During this period, Wang Ying went into the fields daily to inspect. In only a few more days, it would be the twelfth lunar month.

There was a saying: “During the third nine-day period of winter, one can walk upon the river ice,” meaning it was the coldest time of the year. Yet this year the rivers had not frozen; only a thin layer of frost at the banks. Such warmth was most abnormal.

Wang Ying could almost be certain that a spring cold wave was bound to come. He immediately urged the villagers to begin irrigating the fields.

The principle behind irrigation was that water has a higher heat capacity than air or soil. By irrigating, the soil could store more thermal energy, raise its temperature, and reduce harm to wheat from sudden low temperatures.¹

The villagers did not understand these scientific principles, but they trusted that whatever their young master commanded was surely correct.

Those with fields near the river drew water directly to flood their land. Those farther afield fetched water manually. They labored until year’s end, and all three hundred mu of the village’s land were watered.²

Other nearby villages saw this and imitated them, though many fellow villagers mocked them.

“In the dead of winter, watering the fields like that will freeze the wheat straight into lumps of ice. How could they possibly sprout again come spring? Whoever came up with that idea must be lacking in virtue.”

Those laughed at were unsettled in their hearts, yet they remembered the Chen estate’s autumn harvest, so real and abundant, and how their millet blight had also been cured by their young master’s methods. Thus they decided to gamble on it.

Unexpectedly, their gamble proved right. Most villages lost their wheat to frost damage, except those households that had irrigated—their crops survived.

But that was after the fact. For now, a little more than ten days remained until the New Year. Liang Shuo had already sent people to escort his father for reunion in Changting County.

Everyone was somewhat reluctant to part. They had originally promised to take Elder Liang into town together for festivities.

Chen Qinghuai clutched his mentor’s sleeve. “Teacher, please return soon…”

“I understand. In the second month, the county examination comes; I must be back to accompany you there.”

Chen Qingyan added, “Please take care on the road, Elder.”

“Rest assured! And you three—don’t spend all your time idling in amusement. When I return and test your lessons, if someone cannot answer, see if I don’t swing my ruler upon you!”

The three boys nodded repeatedly, agreeing in fear, not daring to slack.

Wang Ying had all the New Year goods he prepared loaded onto the cart: baskets of fresh vegetables and fruits, and also local mountain products, wild pheasants, and rabbits gathered from villagers—enough to fill half the cart.

“Why send me off with so many things? We’ll never finish eating them, they’ll just spoil!”

“Take them to Brother Liang as a taste. Once there, such vegetables will be hard to come by.”

Elder Liang laughed as he mounted the carriage, waving gracefully to the young ones, and rode off at ease.

Elder Liang did not return until the Lantern Festival. In the meantime, Chen Qingyan locked up the courtyard and took everyone back to the town residence.

Their household had long ago prepared the Year’s supplies. With Madam Chen Rong helping this year, Madam Li was spared much effort. All food and necessities were complete. Even the children had two new sets of clothing each.

Just like the previous year, everyone gathered in Madam Li’s room to try on their new clothes. Because Wang Ying was pregnant, his outfit was especially loose. When worn, it looked a bit oversized.

Chen Rong pinched at the fabric. “Take it off so I can alter it. Your belly is seven months now, isn’t it?”

“Just turned seven months.”

Wang Ying’s belly was already evident, round like an upturned bowl. His figure grew more cumbersome.

Madam Li remarked, “This year’s lack of snow is fortunate; otherwise on slippery roads coming and going you could have easily stumbled.”

Mention of stumbling reminded Chen Rong of an old matter. “Elder sister-in-law, do you remember—when I was pregnant with Qingyan, it was winter and my belly was big. But my second sister-in-law deliberately poured water on our courtyard steps, making me slip.”

Madam Li also recalled it, spitting in anger. “That family is truly black-hearted. At the time, father-in-law was planning to divide the household. The second branch’s eldest was only six months old, and she wished me to miscarry so the second branch would hold the only grandson and win more in the division.”

“Fortunately, that winter was bitterly cold. As the elder sister, you dressed thickly. That fall caused you no harm, and by the third month you delivered Qingyan safe and sound.”

Madam Li clasped Wang Ying’s hand. “By calculation, your child will also be born around the second or third month. May he arrive in safety.”

Wang Ying rubbed his belly gently. As his pregnancy progressed, his emotions grew more anxious. With concern, he murmured, “I worry—what if the child is not healthy?”

“How do you mean?” Both Madam Li and Madam Chen Rong asked together.

“What if he’s missing limbs? What could we do?”

In his past life, Wang Ying had seen countless stories on his phone of children born with congenital defects—even celebrities were not spared—cleft palate, deaf-mutism, Down syndrome, and more. Just imagining it filled him with dread.

Childbirth is always a gamble. If truly a disabled child were born, how could the family endure it?

“Don’t be anxious. Look at how healthy you both are. Nothing will happen to the child.”

Madam Li added that Qingyan’s father had been the same. Before Qingyan’s birth, he worried endlessly, sleepless for nights.

Likely so—it is the lot of all parents. From the time a child is unborn, they worry; in infancy, they fear sickness; in youth, they fear their child will be bullied; in adulthood, they fear an unsteady career; in old age, they fear the child will suffer hardship. Parents never find rest.

Wang Ying said, “After the New Year, I want to visit a temple.” Normally an atheist, yet for this little one, he suddenly understood his mother-in-law: to worship gods and Buddhas was not about them but about peace of heart.

“Alright, when the weather warms a little, I’ll take you there.”

“Any word from Autumn-brother recently?”

“Yes, he sent word. He was to return by the second day of the New Year, but—” Madam Chen Rong chuckled, “He became pregnant, and the term is too early for jolting travel.”

Wang Ying exclaimed, “Those two surely waste no time!”

Sitting nearby, Chen Qingyan glanced over at him. He thought to himself: Had we come together sooner, our child would already have been born by now.

“I’m thinking, after the New Year, to take Lin Sui into the county town to stay awhile until after her confinement, and then return.”

“That’s just right. Then you can go together with your cousin.”

After all, Chen Qinghuai must go to the county town early to prepare for the examination. Every year on the second of the second month, the county exam began. After a long journey, one must rest some days in the county to regain good condition.

Mention of the county exam made Madam Li glance cautiously at her eldest son. Seeing Chen Qingyan calm as usual, she then relaxed.

It seemed the hardships of the past year had not been for nothing—her son had matured a great deal.

The sound of firecrackers drove out the old year; the warm spring breeze accompanied the New Year’s wine.

In a blink it was New Year’s Eve. At dawn, the sky was dim and overcast, and by afternoon, tiny snowflakes began to fall. This was both the first and the last snow of the year.

Chen Qingyan stamped his feet as he entered the house. “We thought it would not snow this year, yet fittingly it comes today! I wonder how the courtyard is. Before leaving, I told Dashun to go feed the cats and dogs.”

Wang Ying frowned slightly, worrying about their wheat fields in the village. “If only it would snow heavily now. Then, once spring truly comes, there’d be no need.”

“Stop overthinking. Mother says to come to the front courtyard and keep the vigil with her.”

“Yes.”

Together they went to the front courtyard. Inside, Madam Chen Rong was playing leaf cards³ with the three children. When Wang Ying entered, she immediately rose. “You’ve come at the right time, play with the children in my place! I’ll go chat with Mother.”

Wang Ying handed his coat to Chen Qingyan. “Why isn’t Qinghuai playing?”

“Cousin is preparing for the county exam, he has no mind for games.”

Wang Ying sat down to play with the three children. Leaf cards were much like mahjong: they had suits of strings, coins, and tens; one could “eat” or “pong.”

The children played more and more excitedly, until they brought out their New Year money to gamble for real.

So, Wang Ying thought, I shall win these little rascals until they cry.

Though the stakes were not large, each round still involved three to five copper cash. Soon, Chen Qingsong, the first to propose betting, lost heavily.

That year he had received one hundred and thirty copper cash as New Year’s money, intending to buy two new brushes after the festival. But after one hour he was down to a mere dozen.

He cried out, “I quit, I quit.”

But Wang Ying caught him by the sleeve. “No quitting. At least finish this round.”

Resigned, Chen Qingsong kept playing. By the end, he had only two coins left, while Lin Sui lost six, and Qingyun lost three. Only Wang Ying emerged the winner.

Looking at the children’s miserable faces, Wang Ying jingled the pouch in his hand. “Remember this: gambling nine times out of ten, you will lose. Never touch it again in future.”

“Yes…” Seeing Chen Qingsong nearly in tears, Wang Ying relented, returning all his winnings and even giving each of them five copper coins as lucky money.

The children instantly turned joyous again. From then on, Chen Qingsong truly never touched leaf cards.

Perhaps because the uncle felt that leaving his son here caused his sister-in-law much burden, this year’s New Year gift arrived earlier, on the first day itself.

The gifts were abundant, filling a cart: besides Shanzhou specialties of sheep-milk pastries, also bolts of fine sheep’s wool cloth, softened sheepskins and cowhides, and implements and spices traded with Hu merchants.⁴

The wool cloth was undyed, creamy blanco in color. Whatever dye one preferred, it could later be taken to a workshop.

The only flaw was the faint mutton smell. But nothing could be done—herdsmen of this time had not yet learned how to remove it. One could only wait for warm weather to air it out.

Madam Chen Rong stroked the cloth, praising repeatedly. “This is excellent! Soft and warm. Perfect for making clothes for the child!”

Madam Li said, “Take two bolts, make some for little Autumn’s child as well. These two babies will be born in the same season, a time of cold. They will make good use of it.”

Madam Chen Rong grinned in delight. “Then I shall shamelessly claim that benefit.” She herself needed none, but for a grandson she would humble her face gladly.

The last letter from Chen Jing (Chen family eldest uncle) had already informed them a nephew was on the way; he also sent a silver longevity lock.

The lock was the size of a child’s palm, exquisitely crafted. On the front were carved clouds; on the back, the characters for “long life over a hundred years.” Dangling beneath were twelve tiny zodiac animals, vivid and lively, clearly precious.

Madam Li wrapped it carefully in a handkerchief and handed it to Wang Ying. “Keep it. When your child is born, have him wear it.”

Along with the New Year gift came a long family letter.

Most of it spoke of his official affairs since his appointment. In the eighth month, Chen Jing had commanded the suppression of the largest bandit camp in Shanzhou, reopening a stretch of the Longxi official road, which quickly attracted merchants to the city.

Pastoral peoples brought their livestock products to barter, commercial taxes rose markedly compared to the previous year.

He reminded his son to study diligently, urged him not to disgrace the family name at the county exam, asked about Madam Li and Madam Chen Rong’s health, and expressed a hope to return for ancestral rites.

Of course, that was mere hope. Shanzhou lay more than two thousand li from Jizhou; a round trip took over two months. As governor of the prefecture, he could not move lightly.

Just as they finished reading the letter, the gatekeeper came in to report that a visitor had arrived.

Madam Chen Rong rose. “On New Year’s Day, who could it be?”

Everyone went out to greet the guest, who was a stranger. Bowing politely, he said: “This humble one is Li Cai, steward to Master Li. Sent at the command of the Elder Lord Li, I bring word: your father, the Elder Lord Li, is unwell, and wishes to see you.”

Hearing this, Madam Li’s face instantly turned ashen. “Father… is unwell?”

notes:

1. Irrigation for frost prevention: Because water changes temperature more slowly than soil or air, irrigated fields retain warmth overnight, preventing frost from killing seedlings. 
2. Mu (亩): A traditional Chinese unit of land area. One mu ≈ 666.7 m² (about 1/6 acre). 
3. Leaf cards (叶子牌): A form of card game in China, ancestral to mahjong, with suits and mechanics of sets like “eat” (sequences) or “pong” (triples). 
4. Hu贸易 (Hu trade): Refers here to merchants from Central Asian or northern nomadic tribes, who bartered items like hides, wool, spices, etc.