Chapter 16: The Lamb

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Although Old Cui was no scholar, his years of experience as a beggar made him quite certain this was not poetry. The spirit was there, but there was no literary grace. Jiang Xiaodao, however, clapped repeatedly and shouted, “Wonderful poem! Wonderful poem!” The man was slightly taken aback, then walked over with measured steps and asked, “Brother, do you understand poetry too?” Jiang Xiaodao shook his head: “I don’t know much about poetry, but when you said you’d reduce that Bodhisattva to dust, that sounded like a good poem!” The man laughed heartily and asked again, “What? Do you have a grudge against the Bodhisattva?” Jiang Xiaodao glanced up at the man, who looked to be about twenty, tall with long legs. “I don’t really have a grudge. It’s just that if he were truly divine, the world wouldn’t be like this!” “Well said! I think the same!” The man lowered his head and asked, “Brother, what’s your name?” “Jiang Xiaodao.” “Ha le shao! I’m Zhang Zongchang!” Jiang Xiaodao looked puzzled. “What does ‘Ha le shao’ mean?” “It’s Russian for ‘hello’!” Zhang Zongchang said proudly, patting his belly. “Brother, what are you doing here?” “Can’t you tell? Begging.” “Why beg when you can eat at a table? Come with me to fix the railroad for the Russians! I can vouch for you and get you a job!” “Thanks for the offer,” Jiang Xiaodao clasped his fists, then gestured to Old Cui. “But I can’t go. My father wants me to learn a trade with him.” Zhang Zongchang looked at Old Cui and bluntly said, “What trade can he teach? He’s just a stinking beggar!” Old Cui said nothing, only forced a smile. Jiang Xiaodao replied, “That’s not quite true. I heard from a scholar that even emperors have come from the beggar’s trade.” Zhang Zongchang, hearing this, did not press further. “Alright, everyone has their own path. I won’t push. But I think we’re kindred spirits. Think it over, and if you want to work on the railroad, come find me!” With that, Zhang Zongchang turned and walked toward the railway construction site. Old Cui squatted in place, stunned for a moment before finally laughing, “This kid’s quite interesting.” Jiang Xiaodao suddenly stood, dusting the dirt off his pants. “Old Cui, it’s about time. We should head back, right?” His expression was stern, almost harsh, as if he had made a firm decision. “You’re going home?”

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Jiang Xiaodao stretched his neck and replied coldly, “Home? I haven’t finished learning my trade yet. Still have to go to Old Madam Feng’s!” Old Cui cautioned, “You can go, but make sure you don’t run off again.” Jiang Xiaodao acknowledged, and the two took a different route, begging along the street as they made their way to Madam Feng’s inn. Today they had earned little, so he had to make do with the two steamed buns he’d eaten earlier. Jiang Xiaodao ate a bowl of rice then immediately fell asleep. Midnight was at its peak, the moon high and cold. Jiang Xiaodao opened his eyes and softly called, “Old Cui?” No response. The large shared bed in the room was filled with snoring. Quietly, Jiang Xiaodao slipped off the platform bed, put on his shoes, and silently pushed open the door. Outside, the snow reflected the cold moonlight, the courtyard brighter than inside the room. Hesitating for a moment, Jiang Xiaodao tiptoed to the corner of the east wing. Upon closer inspection, the main door had only a latch, no lock. Thinking of his own background, Jiang Xiaodao resolutely lifted the latch. The door creaked open, and a vile stench immediately hit him. Moonlight spilled into the courtyard, and a rustling stirred inside. In the dimness, several children huddled in a corner, their faces uneasy and their eyes filled with fear and confusion. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here to save you,” Jiang Xiaodao whispered, but none of the children dared respond. No joy, no excitement, no hope—only unease remained. Ignoring everything else, Jiang Xiaodao stepped inside and approached an older girl, untying the hemp rope around her neck. After freeing one, he moved on to the second, then the third... Yet all those freed sat motionless, like statues, seemingly indifferent. “What are you waiting for?” Jiang Xiaodao urged the older girl anxiously. “Run!” As soon as the words left his mouth, regret washed over him. Looking down, he saw that the girl’s legs below the knees were missing.

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Jiang Xiaodao’s heart twisted—not because he fancied himself a hero, but because these children were close to his own age, and some were orphans like himself, making it impossible not to think of his own plight. Seeing them so cruelly abused and reduced to mere tools for Old Madam Feng’s profit, he simply could not stand by. He glanced back at the movement behind him, then squatted before the girl. “Get on! I’ll carry you out!” But the girl shook her head frantically, resolute and unwilling to leave. Suddenly, a disfigured little boy in the corner cried out wildly: “Mom! Mom! Mom!” Jiang Xiaodao’s heart tightened. He rushed over, grabbed the boy by the throat, and hissed, “Are you crazy? I’m here to rescue you!” The boy immediately clawed at him like an enemy. To Jiang Xiaodao’s shock, the other children pounced like mad dogs, biting his arms fiercely. Pitying their misfortune, angry at their despair, Jiang Xiaodao cursed, “Are you all mad?” With things at this point, he no longer hesitated. He would save as many as he could. Shaking off the attacking children, he turned to the older girl—the only one who had not attacked him. “I’ll save you. Come with me!” Tears welled up in the girl’s eyes. Jiang Xiaodao urged, “No time for tears—get on now!” Just then, a flicker of flame appeared at the doorway, accompanied by a voice cold as ice: “Oh? Where are you going so late?” Jiang Xiaodao’s heart sank, sweat instantly soaking his back. Looking up, he saw Old Madam Feng and Hook standing at the door, their faces as cold and unyielding as stone statues. The boys who had just viciously bitten Jiang Xiaodao now crawled to Old Madam Feng’s feet like dogs, snarling and pointing accusingly at him: “Mom! Bad man! Mom! Bad man!”