Chapter 53 Hu Xiaoyan

From Liaoyang to Fengtian, swift horses blazed the trail and donkey-drawn carts rolled along the road. They had set off amidst swirling snow and were returning as spring buds began to sprout.

Gong Baonan had originally intended to lie flat on the donkey cart and sleep all the way to Fengtian, but Jiang Xiaodao’s driving skills were truly abysmal. After tossing and turning for a long time without managing to fall asleep, he had no choice but to prop his head on his crossed arms and stare blankly into space.

The little girl beside him had nothing to do, so she kept her head down, picking at a hangnail on her finger. Gong Baonan’s gaze involuntarily drifted downward. The little girl wasn't entirely legless; at least, everything from the knees up remained. She could sit upright, which made it convenient to beg for food.

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

"Hu Xiaoyan." The little girl sniffled, her voice small.

"Oh, I'm your Seventh Uncle."

Gong Baonan had been bored to tears the entire journey. Seeing that the girl could hold a conversation, he immediately struck up a chat with her to pass the time.

"See that old fellow right up front? That man is going to be your father from now on! The bald one is your Second Uncle, the one with the mustache who looks deceptively wicked is your Third Uncle, the short one is your Fourth Uncle, the tall one is your Fifth Uncle, and that fool over there is called Guan Wei."

How could Hu Xiaoyan possibly remember so many people all at once? After listening to the whole list, the only thing that stuck in her mind was that there was a fool in this group, so she looked over in the direction Gong Baonan was pointing.

Guan Wei had no idea that Number Seven was using him as the punchline of a joke. Caught completely off guard by the girl's sudden gaze, he felt quite embarrassed, so he waved his hand at her and flashed a toothy grin.

Hu Xiaoyan immediately lowered her head, too shy to look any further.

"Well? Looks pretty foolish, doesn't he?" Gong Baonan teased her.

The little girl pursed her lips and smiled.

Seeing her smile, Jiang Xiaodao grew displeased. He turned his face away and snapped, "Seventh Uncle, can you stop constantly talking to my wife?"

Gong Baonan smacked his lips and cursed, "You're just a kid, and your mind is narrower than a needle's eye, damn it! So you remember she's your wife, huh? We've been walking for ages, and you've just left her sitting here without even bothering to say a single word to her!"

"I've been busy driving the cart, haven't I? I'll talk to her in a minute, I'll talk to her in a minute!"

Just as they were speaking, Jiang Chenghai, who was leading the procession, suddenly raised his hand to signal the group to halt for a short rest. Those who needed to relieve themselves could do so, and those who needed water could drink.

A short while later, Jin Xiaoyi opened a bundle and began distributing dry rations to everyone. He walked over to the donkey cart, handed Jiang Xiaodao a steamed bun, and said, "Xiaodao, your dad wants you over there."

Jiang Xiaodao went over, munching on the bun. Jiang Chenghai was leaning against an old elm tree, not eating any rations, just drinking water.

"Dad, you looking for me?"

Jiang Chenghai beckoned to him. "Come here, tell me how things stand with Old Cui's end."

Jiang Xiaodao honestly repeated what Zhang Zongchang had said. At the end, he added, "Dad, Brother Zhang told me that the Russians and the Japanese are going to war this year."

"Utter nonsense!" Second Uncle Li Tianwei was the first to voice his opinion. "In all my years, I've never heard of Zhang San and Li Si having a row, only to run over to Wang Ermazi's house to throw punches!"

Sun Chengmo stroked his beard and pondered aloud, "This rumor has been floating around since last year. But the way I see it, even if those two do fight, it'll be out on the sea. What sense does it make for them to come and fight on our turf? Incompetent as the imperial court may be, the Three Eastern Provinces Generals here beyond the pass are still around. Surely we aren't just going to sit by and watch them fight on our doorstep!"

Jiang Chenghai frowned, not rushing to state his position. Instead, he asked, "Xiaodao, can that friend of yours be trusted?"

"He should be," Jiang Xiaodao said, not entirely sure himself. "Anyway, he speaks Russian, and I even learned a phrase from him."

Jiang Chenghai thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Third Brother, once we get back to Fengtian, remember to remind me to send word to Ninth Master Zhang, Mother Zhao, and Guihe in Liaoyang, letting them know that a war might break out. We owe a lot to their help with this job for the Longfeng Escort Agency. Regardless of whether this rumor is true or false, now that we know, we ought to give them a heads-up. If they ever need help, they can come to Fengtian to find me at any time."

Sun Chengmo nodded and made a mental note of it.

Seeing that everyone had finished speaking, Jiang Xiaodao chimed in, "Dad, do you know where Old Cui's house in Fengtian is?"

"Why are you asking about that?"

Jiang Xiaodao grinned impudently. "When Old Cui left, he said I could have his house to live in."

Jiang Chenghai glared at him. "What? Don't want to live with your old man?"

That remark struck right at the heart of Jiang Xiaodao's true feelings. Although his father treated him well, after all, taking people's handouts leaves you soft-spoken, and eating their food leaves you short-handed. Moreover, the boy had been running wild since he was small. The mere thought of being under his father's thumb every single day—inevitably strapped into a tight little harness—made his heart shudder at the prospect of the long days ahead.

Even so, he couldn't say that out loud.

"Hehe, Dad, it's not that I don't want to live with you, but I've got a wife now, you see! That's the city of Fengtian we're talking about, not some little farmhouse; living together wouldn't be convenient. Besides, I'm a grown man now; I can't just rely on you every single day!"

Jiang Chenghai smiled faintly and said, "That sounds very pretty, but it's still a no! That girl can go live in Old Cui's house, but you can't."

For the very first time, Jiang Chenghai rejected Xiaodao's request.

"Why?"

"Son, Fengtian isn't like Liaoyang; the martial world runs deep. With a temper like yours, you'd be stirring up trouble every other day. If I don't keep you tethered, your uncles here wouldn't have a single day to do anything else except clean up your messes!"

"No way! I'll definitely be obedient!"

Yet, no matter how much Jiang Xiaodao wheedled and coaxed, his old man stubbornly refused to budge.

Not only that, but Jin Xiaoyi even added fuel to the fire from the sidelines. "Big Brother, Xiaodao is still too young and hasn't honed his skills yet. His marriage would be better postponed. He's already entering the trade halfway through, and if he drains his vital essence too early, he'll never amount to anything."

"Hey! Fourth Uncle, if you love being a bachelor, you can stay one yourself! Why are you stirring up trouble and trying to ruin my chances?"

Everyone burst into laughter. Jiang Chenghai asked, "Xiaodao, do you really fancy that girl that much?"

Jiang Xiaodao thought about it. "I don't really know, but I've already given my word! Dad, you taught me that a man must honor his word! Besides, if it doesn't work out, I can just marry someone else! Look at all those wealthy landowners—don't they all have three wives and four concubines?"

The rest of the group chorused in scolding him, "Stinking rascal!"

Jiang Chenghai pulled Xiaodao closer and said, "Son, as a real man, don't waste your mind on women. One wife is quite enough. Whether you fancy her or not doesn't matter much, and it doesn't matter if she's disabled—you're not a peasant farmer relying on her to do farm work. The crucial question is: can you trust her?"

Jiang Xiaodao curled his lip. "Pfft! Isn't it just about a woman managing the money? What's so hard about that?"

Jiang Chenghai shook his head. "If you have true skills to rely on, money can always be earned back. Only a woman to whom you can entrust your life can truly be your wife."

"Then I wouldn't dare! I only have one life, and I feel safer keeping a tight grip on it myself."

Jiang Chenghai offered no comment on that, merely saying, "Son, if you really want to marry that girl, you should go ask her if she's willing. Don't ask her right now, though—if you asked her right now, the poor girl would probably be terrified that if she said no, you'd just dump her by the roadside!"

Jiang Xiaodao was full of confidence. "Why wouldn't she be willing? It's already generous of me not to be picky about her!"

The crowd jeered, "Alright then, instead of standing here blowing hot air, you'd better go find your wife and have a chat!"

"I'm going, I'm going!"

Jiang Xiaodao swung his arms and walked back to the donkey cart. He sat down beside the little girl and gave Gong Baonan a kick.

"Seventh Uncle, go find somewhere else to lie down! I need to have a chat with my wife!"

Gong Baonan stubbornly stayed put on the cart, groaning, "I can't move right now. If you can carry me down, I'll leave."

With no other choice, Jiang Xiaodao cursed under his breath, then sat down next to the little girl. He wanted to cozy up to her, but he had no idea what to say—after all, he hadn't spoken to many girls growing up.

"Uhm... Your name is Hu Xiaoyan, right? I'm Jiang Xiaodao!"

Leaving no opening for a reply, the little girl simply nodded, having no idea what to say either.

The two of them stared at each other with big eyes and small eyes, the silence growing more awkward by the second.

Jiang Xiaodao scratched his head in agitation, completely at his wits' end. Finally, pointing directly at Hu Xiaoyan's legs, he blurted out bluntly, "Does this... hurt?"

When Gong Baonan heard that, he almost passed out. "Xiaodao, if you don't know how to make small talk, then don't talk at all!"

"What's wrong with asking?" Jiang Xiaodao retorted defensively. "What else am I supposed to talk about?"

Gong Baonan tilted his head, jutting his chin outward. "You're so dense! Didn't both of you make a living by begging? You're in the same trade!"

Jiang Xiaodao was suddenly enlightened. He immediately nudged Hu Xiaoyan with his elbow and asked, "Hey! On the fifth day of the first lunar month, the day of the temple fair, how much did you rake in?"

Hu Xiaoyan thought for a moment, her expression dimming. "Not much. That place wasn't any good, and besides, everyone was rushing to the temple fair that day."

"Ah! There's a restaurant by the White Pagoda. The owner there is kind-hearted and always gives away a little something every time."

"Mm, Manager Liu on West Street is nice, too."

"Right, right, right! There's also a landowner on West Street who doesn't give anything else, just food. What was his surname again..."

"Surname Gao..."

The two of you chimed in, back and forth.

See? Weren't they chatting away now?

Gong Baonan groaned and buried his head, utterly exasperated.