Chapter 38: Old Tales of Qinghe

"Pan of the water-flooded fields. You seem surprised, Benefactor?"

Seeing Ren Yuan’s startled expression, Pan Jinlian felt a bit puzzled. She was certain she did not know this benefactor.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just reminded of an old acquaintance of my master." Ren Yuan quickly fabricated an excuse, as the others nearby were also looking on with curiosity.

"Then why were they trying to seize you?" Sun An asked, stepping in to relieve his leader, sensing that his brother seemed flustered by the presence of these two women.

"I lost my father at a young age and lived with my mother. To make ends meet, I had no choice but to sell myself as a servant to the Wang family. The master of the Wang household was a kind man; he made me a lady's maid for his daughter and even allowed me to study alongside her. This continued until a few months ago, when the master fell ill and passed away. Before he died, he rescinded my slave status and restored my standing as a commoner." Pan Jinlian recounted her background slowly.

Ren Yuan nodded to himself. It was indeed as she said; when Pan Jinlian was first sold as a servant, she was fortunate to have a kind master. She had served as a personal maid to the young lady of the house, had been allowed to study, and even had her status restored after the master’s death. In the Song Dynasty, servants of prominent families were required to sign contracts that were registered with the authorities. Once signed, one held slave status for life unless the master voluntarily released them or they could afford to buy their own freedom. This Master Wang had been a truly decent man to grant her that freedom on his deathbed.

"This Master Wang was indeed a good man," Zhu Wu sighed. As a scholar, he understood the gravity of such matters better than most. It was rare for a landlord to voluntarily restore a servant to commoner status; many maids, even those bearing their master's children, often spent their entire lives in bondage.

"Pan, you don't need to use such formal language with us. Just refer to yourself as 'I'," Ren Yuan said, signaling for her to relax. She was, after all, still just a young girl.

"I... after I left the Wang estate, I returned to my mother, who was frail and sickly. We lived together for a month, but we had no way to survive. When my mother fell ill and needed medicine, I had no choice but to sell myself again to the household of this Master Zhang to serve as a maid."

"Master Zhang had originally agreed to buy me for fifty strings of cash, which would have been enough for my mother's medicine. But in the end, they only offered five. My mother, incensed, went to their home to demand an explanation, but she was beaten by their servants and passed away shortly after returning home. I tried to report them to the local magistrate, but I couldn't even get through the front door. Then, those servants came to my house, intending to drag me away by force. If I hadn't run into Sister Hua, I... I would be..." Pan Jinlian’s eyes reddened again, and tears began to well up.

Hua Yun quickly pulled her into a warm embrace, offering soft words of comfort.

"What kind of logic is that? How can they act so brazenly! This Master Zhang deserves to be killed!" Sun An slammed his hand against the table in fury. He came from a wealthy family himself and had once owned servants, but he had never engaged in such thuggery.

"Such is the state of the world, while the Imperial Court pretends to be oblivious, wallowing in songs and dances. Heh..." Zhu Wu simply shook his head.

"Outrageous!" Ren Yuan didn't say much, but he felt nothing but contempt for the Zhang household. It was no wonder that later, this man would force Pan Jinlian to become a concubine; he was a rotten person to the core.

"So that's how it is. Hua Yun did the right thing; that is how a true hero should act."

"See? I told you I was a hero!" Hua Yun beamed, clearly pleased to be praised.

"Yes, but Hero Hua, next time you save someone, consider the consequences. Otherwise, you might end up in trouble yourself without having succeeded," Ren Yuan said with a helpless sigh. Despite her noble upbringing, Hua Yun remained naive and romantic, unaware of the dangers lurking in the world.

"Miss Pan, what do you plan to do from here on?" Zhu Wu asked.

"I... I don't know." Although she remained composed, it was clear she was now homeless. With both parents gone, how could a fragile woman survive in such a cutthroat society?

"Sister, don't worry! Come back to Qingfeng Stronghold with me! From now on, you are my own sister!" To everyone's surprise, Hua Yun offered to swear an oath of sisterhood, providing Pan Jinlian with a place to go.

"Sister Hua... *sob*..." Pan Jinlian finally broke down, burying her face in Hua Yun’s chest and weeping openly. At only fifteen or sixteen, having lost her parents, it was a miracle she had held on this long. It was for the best; by staying with Hua Yun, she would be spared the heart-wrenching fate that would have otherwise awaited her. Let the version of Pan Jinlian that would be reviled by history remain forever buried in the past.

"Shi Qian, take this letter and the token, and go to Qingfeng Stronghold immediately. Remember, be fast!" Ren Yuan sealed the letter carefully, handed it to Shi Qian, and urged him once more.

"Brother, rest assured. I am off!" Shi Qian took the items, walked to the window, and vaulted out.

"Does Brother Shi always leave like that?" Hua Yun asked, stunned.

"Don't learn from him. He has mastered lightness skills and is just used to climbing through windows," Ren Yuan replied, too embarrassed to admit that it was actually a habit born from a life of thievery.

Unexpectedly, this offhand comment set everyone into a fit of laughter. Many years later, when historians recorded the biographies of the founding heroes, this moment was preserved: "When the Emperor and Empress first met, Commander Shi departed through the window. The Emperor, surprised, later remarked: 'It is fine, he is simply used to it.' — *Biographies of the Meritorious: The Marquis of Shadow*."

After Shi Qian left, the group continued to chat and drink, and the atmosphere grew more relaxed. However, just as everyone was enjoying themselves, a commotion erupted downstairs.

"What’s going on?" Ren Yuan was puzzled. Was this not the official inn of Qinghe County? Who would dare cause trouble here?

"Report! Brother, there are seventy or eighty men from the Zhang family blocking the entrance, demanding that we hand over the girl! Brothers Chen Da and Yang Chun are currently holding them off!"

"What?" The group was shocked. This Zhang family was arrogant enough to bring a mob to their doorstep?

"How dare they! Brother, don't worry, I'll go down!" Sun An stood up, furious that the Zhang family would show such blatant disrespect. Even without flying the Liangshan banner, they were traveling under the protection of Lord Chai Jin. Where did these people find the audacity to challenge them?

"Let’s go down and see." Ren Yuan’s expression darkened. If he couldn't handle this incident properly, how would he ever make a name for himself in the world of heroes? He truly wanted to see what kind of person this Master Zhang was to be so bold. He was the first person in years to show no fear toward the influence of Chai Jin, the man who held the "Face-Giving Fruit" of the world of *Water Margin*.