Chapter 90: Dong Zhu

As night fell, the lights in the mountain village twinkled faintly, sparse and scattered. Over by the pond, a group of children were running around, playing and chasing each other, while the old farmers sitting nearby chatted leisurely, their hands holding dried tobacco pipes, occasionally tapping the blue stone steps beside them. Dong Zhu and Guard Geng also sat under a large tree by the pond for a while, exchanging small talk.

"…At first, I thought this son-in-law was the kind of weak-willed man people talk about, but the more I observed him, the more I felt something was off. He is, of course, still a scholar, but that's exactly the way it should be. Now, in Jiangning City, who doesn't know the son-in-law's name, Ning Liheng? My boy is studying at the academy now, and last year, he was praised by Governor Song Mao. Tsk… my old Geng family has never been literate. If it weren't for the Su family, how could that boy have had the opportunity to learn to read and write? And if it weren't for the son-in-law, how could he have been praised by someone like Governor Song?"

In the distance, the funeral hall was lively with noise. Guard Geng slapped his thigh and began talking to the coachman named Dong Zhu.

"You don't know. This son-in-law, he's really a gentle and humble person. He doesn't seek the spotlight. He never goes out with those literary scholars who seek fame, drinking and visiting courtesans. As for the second young miss, he treats her really well. Just look at the people he associates with—Li Ping and Li Dexin, they're true scholars. How does he teach in class? Never loses his temper, never speaks harshly. The kids, though, some of them lack manners, but they still study hard. And their studies are much better than the students of the past…"

"At first, I thought the teacher was strict, and my boy was praised by Governor Song last year, so I was happy. But then, one day, my boy came back and told me about what happened in class, and I started to feel something was off. The teacher is kind, and he doesn't argue with your boys, but you boys need to be more self-aware. If you don't, you'll get a beating, and the son-in-law even came to tell me about it, saying it wasn't necessary. That's the attitude of a big man—gaining respect with virtue and learning…"

"In the past, the teacher was strict, and the kids would just nod their heads as they studied, but it was useless. Now, the kids may make a ruckus, but they really respect the son-in-law. They're always talking about what the teacher said, what our teacher said, ha-ha. A few times, my boy came to me and said things like that. Tsk, thinking about it, it really makes sense. You see, when he came to this village, visiting one family after another, handling things with composure, responding appropriately—he's no worse than the eldest patriarch. At first, you couldn't tell, but after a while, you realize this is what the learning brings. In this household, there's no one who can compare to the son-in-law…"

Geng Lie was a bold and fierce man on the outside but gentle with his own people. He spoke slowly, one sentence at a time. Dong Zhu, sitting beside him, appeared to be his younger relative. He fell silent for a moment before speaking up.

"I heard that when the son-in-law first entered the family, someone hit him, right?"

"Mm, that guy, Xue Jin from the Xue family, probably took advantage of the fact that no one was around and hit him with a brick... damn it, if I had caught him then, even if he was from the Xue family, I'd have beaten him half to death and reported him to the authorities. But later, the son-in-law humiliated him thoroughly, ha-ha… Oh right, you should have been in the family by then, right?"

"Mm," Dong Zhu nodded. "I joined the family not long after that. I heard about it, but I'm not clear on the details. But… Uncle Geng, if the son-in-law is so capable, why did he agree to marry in?"

Geng Lie thought for a moment. "Well, this is a bit complicated. First, there was an agreement between the old patriarch and the son-in-law's grandfather. Second, the Su family is solid now, and the second young miss is capable with a strong personality. I'm not sure how they discussed it, but one likely reason is… hehe, before they got married, the second young miss secretly went to see the son-in-law. The second young miss is top-notch in both looks and temperament… I'm not sure what happened between them, but anyway, the son-in-law agreed… Speaking of the second young miss, just look at the maids around her. Chan'er is so thoughtful, Juan'er is lively, and Xing'er, that girl… she's beautiful too, but she's too fiery…"

Of the three maids, Chan'er was thoughtful, Juan'er lively, and Xing'er, the eldest by a year, would sometimes argue with others. She had even quarreled with Geng Lie a few times, but neither of them took it to heart. Still, it was somewhat amusing and vexing to think about. As Geng Lie continued, he patted Dong Zhu's shoulder.

"The second young miss and the son-in-law really are a perfect match. In the future, the Su family will be handed over to her. You're still young, so work hard. If you can manage things well, perhaps one day you'll be in charge of some matters…"

Dong Zhu nodded in agreement. Not long after, night fully descended, and the crowd at the funeral hall continued to come and go. The farmers who had no other business gathered and became more lively. As time passed, the crowd gradually thinned. Dong Zhu occasionally checked in on the hall. The girl named Chan'er was inside, and sometimes the son-in-law was there, sometimes not.

Dong Zhu had only entered the Su family last year. Coming from the countryside, he found it quite overwhelming to join a noble family like this. Everything he saw felt "impressive and new."

Each courtyard, each set of rules, the stewards who seemed to know everything, and everyone, regardless of age, seemed very capable. Occasionally, he would hear people mention various notable individuals, and the stories of talented scholars in the city. Everything seemed so far out of his reach.

He often heard people in the family say that the second young miss was the most powerful person in the household—of course, after a few of the elders. He never had the chance to meet the formidable second young miss, but he had seen her maids a few times.

The one who always wore a smile and looked very graceful when reprimanding people was Chan'er. Although she seemed younger than him, he still had to call her "Little Chan'er," which was only natural given how capable she was. Juan'er, when giving orders, appeared quiet and serious, rarely smiling, but when angry, her face would darken and become quite intimidating. Xing'er, when giving orders, was often gentle, but when she had disputes with others, she could be terrifying. Dong Zhu once witnessed her arguing with a steward from the third house, speaking firmly without yielding. Despite being a maid, she dared to argue with such a capable steward and ended up winning the argument. This made Dong Zhu think she was truly remarkable.

What really caught Dong Zhu's attention, however, was Little Chan'er. He hadn't really spoken to her much, but a few times when she gave him orders, she would leave after. He often saw her around the mansion, sometimes stretching lazily while muttering something to herself, other times running around, and occasionally following the son-in-law, skipping happily. He thought… Little Chan'er really had a beautiful smile, but other than that, he didn't think much more of it.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, he drove the cart to take her out but didn't have the chance to say much. He only told her his name. Later, she even remembered it, and a few times when they met in the mansion, she greeted him, calling him "Dong Zhu Ge." He had never responded properly, and afterward, he felt very regretful.

There were also some servants in the household pursuing certain maids, but Dong Zhu didn't think about such matters. The three maids of the second young miss had statuses almost equal to that of stewards. Dong Zhu hadn't yet adjusted to the idea of "pursuing" someone and didn't think it was his place. Of course, when Little Chan'er was going back to the family, he was assigned to drive the cart. That morning, he had wanted to say a few comforting words, but he was tongue-tied and ended up not saying anything before they left.

In the days spent at Nanting Village, Dong Zhu couldn't help feeling a certain emptiness. His duties were simple: feeding the horse, maintaining the carriage, and occasionally accompanying the Master on visits to various households with the guard, Geng.

The Master was truly impressive. If it were Dong Zhu, he would never be able to say such things. The words sounded so straightforward, yet they felt natural and compelling. As Geng had said, a learned person commands respect, as they should.

It seemed that Sister Xiao Chan liked the Master. This was only natural, and Dong Zhu found nothing wrong with it. But the emptiness in his heart remained stubbornly difficult to suppress.

Night fell, and when Dong Zhu checked the mourning hall, neither the Master nor Xiao Chan was there. On his way back to his quarters, he passed by the courtyard where the Master was staying and saw light through the window. The Master's silhouette was visible, seated, likely writing something. Xiao Chan's figure, however, was absent.

When Dong Zhu reached the small courtyard allocated to him and Geng, he noticed some movement near the carriage. Curious, he approached and saw Xiao Chan in her white mourning clothes climbing out, holding something in her hands. She noticed him and nodded.

"Brother Dong Zhu."

"Oh, Sister Xiao Chan... Ha, I thought it was someone else..."

"The Master hasn't been eating well these days. I prepared some food earlier and brought it over for him," Xiao Chan explained with a smile, showing the items in her hands—some durable pastries and dried fruits. She handed him one. "Are you hungry, Brother Dong Zhu? Have one."

"Uh, I... I..."

"Take it." Xiao Chan placed the pastry in his hand with a smile, then waved. "I'll head back to my room now. See you tomorrow, and I'll trouble you again then."

"N-no... no trouble at all..."

Dong Zhu held the pastry, countless words swirling in his heart, but none came out. He could only watch as Xiao Chan's figure walked towards the Master's courtyard.

She didn't seem as cheerful as usual; her figure carried a trace of sorrow. Yet, when she reached the door, she paused and forced a smile before pushing it open and stepping inside.

Inside, the silhouettes of two people moved. Dong Zhu stood there for a long time, staring at the pastry in his hand. He took a small bite. Normally, this would have been a rare treat, but tonight, it tasted different. He gazed at the glowing room opposite, caught in a faint but lingering emotion—a budding and bewildered infatuation, lost amidst the summer night.

Inside the room, Ning Yi sighed, dividing the pastries and dried fruits on the table.

"Eating secretly at midnight because you don't like the meals people kindly prepare for you—this is exactly what a spoiled landlord would do."

Xiao Chan giggled. "It's not a problem if people find out. The Master is amazing, really. Even if he doesn't like the food, he still sits there and eats it."

"Uh, is it that obvious I don't like it?"

"Xiao Chan can tell. Others probably can't."

Used to the cuisine of big cities, Ning Yi found the local food in Jiangning unsatisfying. Returning to this mountain village, even with the best cooks in the area preparing meals, he still couldn't adjust. Xiao Chan had taken it upon herself to bring him alternative snacks every day.

"No matter how it tastes, I still force myself to eat. Since you brought these, it's your responsibility to help finish them. No wasting."

"I'll only take a little."

Xiao Chan picked up some pastries and dried fruits to give to him, but Ning Yi shook his head.

"No, no, you brought too much. Now I'm losing out. Let's divide it proportionally—split into five parts. Xiao Chan, you have to take at least two..."

"This one's too big; it counts as two pieces!" Xiao Chan protested, holding up a large piece.

"I have another solution."

"What... hmmph..."

Before she could react, Ning Yi tossed the large piece into her mouth.

"Alright, now the big one's gone. That makes things easier to divide."

"Mmph! Bu' you can' jus'… I ate i'!" Xiao Chan struggled to chew while protesting.

"If you ate it, then it's gone. And you're not even speaking clearly now. How can you argue while eating? Anyway, from now on, your opinions are noted but will only be considered as suggestions..."

With nothing else to do, they entertained themselves by bantering over the snacks. In the end, when they finished dividing and eating everything, Xiao Chan realized she had eaten most of it. She, usually a sharp and capable maid, found herself no match for Ning Yi. Pouting and muttering about being bullied, she reluctantly left the room, returning to her quarters to sleep.

By the fifth day in the village, most of the visits and errands had been completed. Two more days remained until the burial on the morning of the seventh day.

The following morning, after the burial, the villagers hosted a simple feast. But with the ongoing floods and refugees in Jiangning, Ning Yi and his group decided to leave early, bidding farewell after the ceremonies.

As the sun grew hotter, the carriage departed Nanting Village, taking the mountain road back to Jiangning. The humid weather grew oppressive, and soon, dark clouds began gathering in the distance...