Volume One: Flames on the Frontier Chapter Six: A Beauty's Smile

After speaking, he helped Han Dahuo up from the ground and headed down the mountain. Once the two were far enough away, the woodcutters who had gathered for the spectacle clapped and cheered. Some even expressed regret that He Yu hadn’t dealt with the two men more harshly.

He Yu had felled a large tree, enough for at least four cartloads of firewood—there was no chance they would finish hauling it all today. He Yu's impressive skills filled Lin Su’s face with pride; he clasped his hands in thanks to the crowd. “There’s plenty of firewood here. My grandson and I can’t carry it all. Please, help yourselves.” The others thanked him and began to collect the firewood scattered across the ground.

Grandfather and grandson sawed the tree trunk into several pieces, loaded their cart to the brim, and drove their ox cart back to Chen Family Fort.

On the way, Lin Su couldn’t help but ask, “Yu’er, I couldn’t tell you had such strength at your age. What did your family do before?”

He Yu thought for a moment and made up a story. “My father and elder brother both came from the Northern Army and taught me a few things.”

“No wonder! The Northern Army’s elite soldiers are unbeaten under heaven. Eighty thousand against a million—Fujian’s troops were defeated like a mountain collapsing. Their reputation is well deserved.” Lin Su shook his head in admiration.

He Yu, worried Lin Su might ask more questions that would require further lies, quickly changed the subject by offering a compliment, “Grandfather, you’re not old at all! Wrestling Han Dahuo at your age and not losing an inch—you made us both proud today.”

Lin Su raised his thick eyebrows, his voice full of spirit, “A scar on the head is no bigger than a bowl. Our family has been soldiers for generations—who do we fear?” Then he sighed, his face turning mournful, “But pity my three sons and seven grandsons—all died on the battlefield. Only this old man is left alive. The life of a soldier is truly bitter.”

As they walked beside the ox cart, He Yu looked out over the snowy fields. The land lay fallow, crops sparse, and among the withered grass, human bones lay scattered. Few travelers and carts passed by, all in a hurry. White bones exposed to the wild, a thousand miles without the crow of a rooster. Houses stood empty, fields untended—a scene of chaos and war.

When grandfather and grandson returned home with their firewood and arrived at the kiln, Lin Deng'er came out to greet them. Seeing so much firewood, she couldn’t hide her joy, and when she heard He Yu had driven off the Yanmen Tigers, she was proud of him, despite her lingering worries.

With He Yu’s youth and strength, firewood and charcoal production increased. Not only could they supply the fort’s needs, but they still had surplus. In less than half a month, they had accumulated two ox-cart loads of charcoal, something unheard of in previous winters when demand was high and there was never any left over.

One day, Lin Deng’er had the day off. Lin Su harnessed two ox carts, and together with He Yu, set off to the county town to sell charcoal. After these days of work, He Yu had become an adept charcoal burner.

Guangwu County was a fair distance away. Setting out at midnight and hurrying all the way, they arrived just as the sun was high. The charcoal sold smoothly—they earned eight hundred coins, handed over four hundred to the fort, and kept four hundred for themselves. (During the Eastern Jin, Han five-zhu coins were commonly used, but official coinage was rare, with private mints producing coins of varying quality, leading to chaotic currency values. Due to frequent wars and a devastated economy, bartering for goods had also returned in many places. The ancient world was far less idyllic than we imagine.)

Guangwu County was small but, being near the Yan and Wei borders, its market was lively enough. It was He Yu’s first time shopping in ancient times, and he was quite fascinated. After some bargaining, the three of them bought the following:

A bucket of wine for thirty coins. Lin Su loved to drink, but being poor, he usually only dared to sip a little to moisten his throat.

A lambskin jacket and a striped skirt for one hundred twenty coins—Lin Deng’er had long wanted a lambskin jacket, so this fulfilled her wish.

Two pairs of lambskin boots for eighty coins—one pair each for Lin Su and He Yu.

The remaining one hundred seventy coins bought them eight bushels of beans and wheat. (During the Eastern Jin, grain was precious and prices fluctuated wildly. In good years, a bushel might cost a few dozen coins; in bad years, hundreds; in wartime, even tens of thousands. Human life was cheap, and people starved in droves.)

On the way home, Lin Deng’er sat on the ox cart, beaming with happiness.

He Yu thought to himself, “Some things never change—no matter the era, money is a good thing. With it, life improves, and so does the mood.”

That evening, Lin Deng’er braved the cold to bathe with hot water, then used crushed willow twigs dipped in green salt to brush her teeth. (Ancient people used dental tools for oral hygiene. The earliest evidence can be seen in late Tang murals. Coming from modern times, He Yu knew of the ancient custom of ‘chewing tooth wood’ in the morning and taught it to Deng’er.)

Lin Deng’er cleaned herself up and changed into her new lambskin jacket and striped pleated skirt, cinched at the waist with a silk sash. She spun once under the lamp, her figure graceful and charming, leaving He Yu momentarily entranced. Ancient girls matured early; at fifteen, Deng’er’s figure was already blossoming into womanhood.

She smiled and asked, “Brother Yu, how do I look in these clothes?”

He Yu grinned and praised, “There are thousands of beauties in the world, but none as lovely as you.”

She giggled, then put on a serious face. “That’s because you haven’t seen Lady Qingyun. Now she’s truly beautiful.”

He Yu shook his head in disbelief. He’d been in the fort for over two months and had visited many places, but never the inner fortress on the lake where the fort master’s family lived. Busy earning a living, he hadn’t the leisure to wander, and had never even seen Fort Master Chen Jing or his sister, Chen Qingyun.

The two young people joked and teased each other, while old Lin Su sipped his wine, genuinely happy.

Even in plain clothes and a homespun skirt, Deng’er’s beauty shone through. A touch of rouge and a few ornaments, and she would be a true goddess.

Coming from the twenty-first century, He Yu had the tastes and habits of a modern man. Thinking of this, he set himself a little goal. With half a month left before the New Year, he would work even harder to make more charcoal and buy Deng’er some rouge, powder, and a piece of jewelry as a New Year’s gift. Girls love to be beautiful by nature—she was sure to like it.

He kept this romantic idea to himself and worked from dawn till dark gathering wood and making charcoal. Even the neighbors envied the Lin family for picking up such a treasure—so smart and hardworking.

With He Yu’s extra effort, by the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, they had accumulated three cartloads of charcoal. Lin Su and He Yu hitched up the ox carts and went to the county town to sell them; Lin Deng’er had to stay behind for her duties. As it was the end of the year and cold, charcoal prices had risen. The three cartloads sold for eighteen hundred coins, netting nine hundred for themselves.

He Yu bought the old man two buckets of wine in one go, two carp, two pounds of mutton, and four pounds of dog meat, spending three hundred coins. (In ancient times, dog meat was widely eaten. Compared to grain, meat was relatively cheaper than in later ages, with fish and meat even more so. The reason was simple: grain was a necessity; meat was a luxury.)

While Lin Su wasn’t looking, He Yu secretly bought Deng’er a box of rouge, a box of face powder (not just women, but men in the Eastern Jin also powdered their faces—a taste for femininity in aesthetics), a buyao hairpin (a type of women's jewelry), and a thin bronze mirror.

The remaining three hundred coins were just spent. The best buyao was made of gold, but gold was expensive and nine hundred coins was far from enough, so He Yu bought a bronze one instead. In ancient times, bronze was used as currency, so a bronze ornament wasn’t cheap.

Lin Deng’er was overjoyed at all the delicious things bought. “Hee hee, thanks to Brother Yu, this year our family can keep up with the fort master’s family.”

Then she scolded, “But you can’t buy so much at once—we should save some. I’ve heard that the great families in the South can spend ten thousand coins on a single meal, and have nowhere to put their chopsticks. Isn’t that scary, Brother Yu, is it really like that?”

He Yu laughed aloud. “Deng’er, you want to eat well but are afraid of spending money—there’s no such thing as having it both ways. Don’t worry, after the New Year, Grandfather and I will sell more charcoal, save up and rent some land to farm. Life will get better, and then we can eat meat every day.”

Old Lin Su stroked his white hair and added, “I thought it was a bit extravagant, but Yu insisted.”

Deng’er pouted. “Hmph, I don’t believe you. You two definitely planned this—you bought two buckets of wine for yourself, Grandfather!” Their playful bickering filled He Yu with amusement.

With a few days left before the New Year, Deng’er cut only a little meat to eat, insisting on saving the rest for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

He Yu thought they should eat the best today, while it was fresh and appetizing—after all, they had eaten nothing but cabbage, radish, and pickled vegetable soup for days. But seeing how earnest Deng’er was, he could only smile and agree.

As the New Year approached, the fort distributed malt sugar (made from sprouted grains, very sticky—like modern maltose) and Tusu wine to every household as festival gifts. He Yu mused, “In these troubled times, the fort master still gives out year-end bonuses. He must be a good man.” He’d never met the fort master, but his image in He Yu’s mind grew much taller.

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Eve. Deng’er bustled about, cleaning the house until it sparkled, busy every moment. He Yu tried to help, but Deng’er hurriedly stopped him. “Brother Yu, these things aren’t for men to do. I’ll manage.”

He Yu realized, in ancient times, men handled outside affairs and women the housework. It was improper for a man to do chores. His thoughts wandered—what a shame such a fine tradition hadn’t been passed down. Back in school, he’d always fetched food and washed dishes for his crush, acting like a loyal puppy.

He had little interest in cleaning, so he took the opportunity to slip out, wandering around the fort to wish acquaintances a happy new year.

At mealtime, He Yu returned home. The courtyard was spotless, new images of Shentu and Yulei gods posted on the door, and the ancestors had already been honored. Lunch was a sumptuous feast, the table heaped with delicious food. The three sat together, eating in harmony. Since losing his sons and grandsons, Lin Su had never been so happy—he drank himself merry.

Lin Deng’er also had some wine. Not used to drinking, her cheeks flushed, making her look even lovelier.

That afternoon, He Yu continued to stroll around the fort. Unconsciously, he had adapted to this life through time, treating Chen Family Fort as his own home.

After the New Year’s Eve meal, the sound of firecrackers—crackling and popping—rose here and there throughout the fort.