Chapter Ninety-Five: Young Chu

Thus, the county magistrate Li had long harbored a notion: to have Doukou marry Su Yang as a concubine. Though this young man held only a seventh-rank official title, he was but twenty years old this year. Surely, in time, he would rise to the sixth or fifth rank, and perhaps even higher. Moreover, Su Yang was a scholar. With the realm bound to stabilize sooner or later, his literary talent would likely secure him the title of a successful candidate in the provincial examination. Starting as a county magistrate was well within reach, and his prospects were boundless—indeed, he was somewhat of a prized catch. His daughter now depended greatly on him, and marrying her to Su Yang seemed the best choice.

Recently, when Su Yang came to accompany the daughter, neither he nor his wife interfered. The young lady’s maids were specifically instructed to grant the two young people some privacy.

…

In three days’ time, the outermost courtyard of the Su residence had been more than half completed. Built of sturdy large blue bricks, the walls were topped with black eaves, and the surfaces were whitewashed, resembling an ancient mansion in the misty Jiangnan region. The household’s stored grain was rapidly consumed, but the 400 dan of grain purchased by himself was more than sufficient to complete the construction of the Su residence.

“Master… please, let me work! I have strength; I can do anything… please, I beg you!” A disheveled beggar, clad in tattered clothes and filthy from head to toe, gripped the arm of a foreman pleadingly.

“No. With your skinny arms and legs, even if I let you in, how much work do you think you can do? What if the master sees you? He’ll think I’m betraying him by letting in someone like you who’s weak, yet paying the same wages.” The foreman wore an impatient expression as he hurriedly pushed the begging child aside. “Go on, find work elsewhere. Today, all workers must register one by one. Only those strong and capable will be accepted.”

The little beggar collapsed onto the ground, gazing despairingly upon the grand mansion before him. His filthy face revealed a trace of hopelessness as his frail little body curled up, quietly sobbing.

“Little beggar, do you want to work here?” someone asked.

“They don’t want me. I’m too small and weak; I’d only slow them down. I don’t want pay—just food is enough.”

“Do you want to work here or not?”

“I… I want to!”

“Chen, take this one in as labor. Let her eat a full meal before starting work.”

“Yes, yes, master!”

The middle-aged man responsible for registration nodded eagerly, helping the little beggar to her feet and leading her aside to register. The child looked back at Su Yang with wide, grateful eyes.

The day’s work ended swiftly. The little beggar worked diligently and ate heartily at noon and evening. When she received her wages, the day was considered done.

“Will you come again tomorrow?” Su Yang inquired.

“Yes. If the master is willing to employ me, I can come every day.” The little beggar nodded quickly, her eyes brightening as she gazed at the bag of grain in Su Yang’s hand.

“Here is your pay.”

Su Yang handed the bag of grain to her. The child’s heart leapt with joy as she eagerly accepted the cloth sack. A pulse of vitality surged from the bag into her arm and flowed throughout her body.

Bone quality rating: B

Only after the little beggar withdrew her hand did Su Yang realize that, by a casual test, this child’s innate bone quality was B-level—an unexpected revelation.

He examined her anew: a petite, delicate figure that could be held in one hand, tangled hair framing a dirt-smudged but exquisitely spirited face. Cleaned up, she would surely be a little beauty.

Yet with the rebel forces besieging the city and danger rife in Yanggu County, this girl had no choice but to disguise herself in shabby rags to avoid persecution by malicious parties.

“Master… are you all right?” The child clutched the modest pouch of grain, her clear eyes fixed on Su Yang.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“My name is Chu You’er.”

“A fine name indeed. It’s getting late; you should hurry home.”

“Thank you, master.”

The grimy Chu You’er nodded and hurried off toward a distant alleyway, clutching the grain tightly. Several hostile glances followed her departure.

Sure enough, a few men with ill intent trailed her.

Feeling a chill, Chu You’er found an empty sauce jar before a house. Thankfully, her small frame allowed her to remain inside for half an hour. Only then did she emerge, bending low and clutching her grain as she cautiously left.

In a dilapidated courtyard housing perhaps four or five families, only Chu You’er’s remained. The others had likely perished long ago.

Inside, besides Chu You’er, lay an elderly man nearing his sixtieth year, feeble and barely alive on a worn bed, his body exuding a strong stench of sweat.

“Grandfather, today I worked for a wealthy family and earned a lot of grain. I’m going to cook porridge for you now.”

Chu You’er crouched by the window, placing the grain sack before the old man, a faint smile breaking through her dirt-smudged face.

“Mm.”

The old man nodded weakly, too tired to do more.

Chu You’er hurried to the kitchen, lit a fire, and boiled water in a pot. Initially, she intended to put in only a third of the rice, but soon added the rest. Tomorrow she could work again for new grain, so there was no need to be so frugal. Grandfather needed to eat well.

The porridge simmered thickly, filling the kitchen with a rich aroma. Chu You’er felt immense satisfaction.

“Bang!”

Suddenly, the door was kicked open. A burly man with a knife in hand entered, his face rough and scarred. He wore a hat bearing a plum blossom emblem—the mark of the Plum Blossom Sect, one of Yanggu County’s three major gangs.

“Boss Hong…!”

Chu You’er had just brought a large bowl of thick porridge from the kitchen. Meeting the man’s gaze, her smile froze into terror.

“Little beggar, living well, aren’t you? Even eating such thick porridge with your grandfather. What’s your secret?”

One of Boss Hong’s disciples eyed the porridge with anticipation.

“It’s all from my day’s work,” Chu You’er whispered, lowering her head to avoid his gaze.

“Day’s work? Who needs workers nowadays? Where did you get it? Stolen, perhaps?”

The disciple sneered.

“No, not stolen. The rich on Osmanthus Street needed laborers. I worked all day for this.”

“Osmanthus Street?” Boss Hong looked her over. “I heard folks like you earn three taels of rice daily there. Is it true?”

“True,” Chu You’er nodded solemnly. Otherwise, she couldn’t explain the thick porridge she held.

“You owe one dan of grain in taxes. Today, you’ll pay part of it.”

Boss Hong’s knife pressed cold against Chu You’er’s neck. He snatched the porridge from her hands, a cruel smile curling his lips. “I heard the Su family needs a month of work, three taels a day—that’s ninety taels, nine jin of grain—just enough for this month’s interest.”

“My grandfather is starving to death… Please, don’t take my porridge. Tomorrow, I’ll earn more and bring it to you personally, please, don’t take it. Grandfather is still waiting for help…”

Panic and desperation filled Chu You’er’s face. Seeing Boss Hong’s resolve, she clenched her teeth and swung a punch at him.

“Get lost!”

Boss Hong kicked her aside. The frail child was no match for the burly man and curled on the ground, clutching her stomach in pain.

“That dying old man deserves thick porridge?”

“Hmph. If you don’t work tomorrow, I’ll kill the old man.”

With that, Boss Hong left, carrying the porridge and a gleam of satisfaction on his lips.

It turned out the rich on Osmanthus Street really paid in grain. He had thought it was only meals, with grain pay announced to lure workers.

If so, he could make a tidy profit. There were perhaps four or five hundred people in his and the head official’s district. If all worked as laborers, paying two taels per three taels of rice, the rich would surely agree.

One person at two taels each, a hundred people would be twenty jin of grain!

Five hundred people would be a hundred jin—one dan!

Thirty days would mean thirty dan of grain!

Seventy percent of that would go to the Plum Blossom Sect, thirty percent split between the head and himself, leaving him half a share—a very decent haul.

These peasants owed large tax debts. Now that he could squeeze them, he would squeeze thoroughly. With these thoughts, Boss Hong hurried to consult the Plum Blossom Sect’s local lieutenant.

Back in the shabby courtyard, Chu You’er finally rose from the ground, supporting her weak body as she shuffled indoors.

Then, a loud wail filled the house.

While Chu You’er was lighting the fire and cooking, the old man had already passed away. Even if Boss Hong hadn’t seized the porridge, the old man’s fate was sealed. Yet Chu You’er seethed with hatred for Boss Hong and the Plum Blossom Sect, vowing to remember every grievance.

An incense stick later, the crying gradually subsided. Su Yang stepped inside, the air thick with a faint stench. The old man lay on the bed, emaciated to less than two jin of flesh, his eyes closed forever.

“Do you wish to kill him?” Su Yang asked.

Chu You’er said nothing, kneeling by the old man’s side, tears streaming as she clenched her fists.

“I can help you kill him.”

“Master, do you truly mean it?” Chu You’er slowly turned, her face filled with boundless sorrow and hatred as she looked up at Su Yang.

“Truly.”

Su Yang nodded. “But from now on, your life belongs to me.”

“If you help me avenge, my life shall be yours.” Chu You’er knelt solemnly before Su Yang, her voice trembling with tears, bowing deeply three times.

From that moment, Chu You’er’s fate began to shift drastically.

Su Yang took her to the street to buy a coffin, placed her grandfather inside, and buried him in a site with favorable feng shui. After finishing, it was late at night, so he took her home.

“Go wash up first.”

Su Yang instructed the maids to prepare a bath, to thoroughly cleanse the grime from her body. Chu You’er, holding new clothes, was led by two maids to an inner chamber where they carefully washed away the filth.

Half an hour later, the bathwater was changed once more. Chu You’er emerged dressed in a white undergarment, her slender, delicate frame barely reaching 1.47 meters, hair loose, eyes sparkling with spirit—a pure, innocent little fairy.

Her bare feet peeked from beneath the long underpants, pale and smooth, the curves graceful and dainty enough to be cupped in one hand.

Seeing her clean and transformed, Su Yang’s eyes brightened instantly, sleepiness swept away, replaced by a rising surge of vitality.

“Master.”

Chu You’er, barefoot on the carpet, lowered her head shyly, standing before Su Yang with a modest but well-developed bosom.

“Do you know how to read?” Su Yang asked abruptly after several appraisals.

“Ah…” Chu You’er hesitated, then shook her head. “I’ve never attended a private school. No tutor at home, so I cannot read.”

“Oh, you can’t read.”

“Then I’ll speak, and you’ll practice!” Su Yang pondered and concluded this was the only way.

Bone quality: B!

He believed her comprehension would be strong. In a few days, she would grasp the essentials of this method. He would have her and the ladies of the house teach her literacy and characters.

The night passed quickly.

Chu You’er’s body was still frail. In the world of cultivation, all methods emphasized nurturing blood through martial arts, entering the path via martial postures and forms.

Like the incense division’s techniques, Su Yang’s was likely the only such method.

He had his men prepare a pot of ninth-grade elixir and gave some to Chu You’er to strengthen her, allowing her to endure longer.

The next day.

As the first rays of sunlight poured in, Chu You’er slept quietly, her complexion fairer and more refined than the day before. Long eyelashes framed her beautiful eyes.

Her petite body was such that Su Yang could easily conceal her in his embrace.

The rooster’s crow pierced the morning air. Chu You’er awoke slowly, seeing Su Yang still burning the midnight oil with his lamp, reading. She sat up quickly.

“Master… I just fell asleep…”

“No matter.”

“You’ve never exerted yourself like this before; it’s normal to tire and fall asleep.”

“Hurry and get dressed. I’ll take you out.”

Su Yang sat on a chair by the bed, holding a richly illustrated secret history of the inner chambers.

“Ah!” Chu You’er responded promptly, obediently donning the clothes by the bed, now a charming little beauty, far removed from the ragged beggar of yesterday.