Chapter 17: 017: Strict and Imposing Ritual Order

The Fei clan of Yanshan originally had three main branches: the Henglin Fei, the Fanwu Fei, and the Feidun Fei.

During the Xuande reign, the Henglin Fei rose through commerce, and before they ever set foot in officialdom, their business already reached Zhejiang and Fujian.

The party passed through Hukou County, tarried two days in Jiujiang, then crossed Lake Poyang into the Xin River, traveling by boat all the way to Hekou Town in Yanshan County.

Though Jiangxi's economy lags in modern times, in antiquity it was hailed as the thoroughfare of eight provinces, as the saying goes: "Goods never run out at Hankou; boats never finish loading at Hekou."

Hekou Town was the territory of the Yanshan Fei clan, the very foundation upon which their forebears rose to prominence!

From here, eastward one could reach Zhejiang, and southeastward, Fujian. Returning to Lake Poyang, southward led to Guangdong, westward to Huguang, and northward to the Yangtze. Every route was threaded with rivers and lakes, linked by official highways — the trade bustled to a staggering degree.

Passing through Hekou Town, Zhao Han was simply dumbstruck; never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that a "remote little town" could flourish to such an extent.

Jingdezhen's porcelain and tea, if bound for Fujian, inevitably passed through Hekou Town. If one wanted to ship them quickly to Zhejiang, one could also take the Xin River, then follow the official highway straight to Jinhua — and Hekou Town was still the unavoidable waypoint.

In the Ming dynasty, porcelain was exported as far as Europe. Of Jingdezhen's porcelain alone, at least more than half was shipped through Hekou Town to the coastal ports.

No wonder the Fei clan is so formidable, no wonder Fei Yinghuan spends so freely — they have monopolized this prime location for two hundred years.

Between the town and the Henglin Fei ancestral residence, a broad flagstone avenue was laid, and a string of memorial archways loomed in the distance: Top Scholar Arch, Third Place Scholar Arch, Presented Scholar Arch, Grand Secretary Arch, Minister Arch...

The small boat slowly sailed past Hekou Town and continued up the Xin River. Wei Jianxiong explained, "The young master's family lives at the foot of Ehu Mountain; they branched off from the Henglin main line many years ago."

To put it more bluntly, the branch to which Fei Yinghuan belongs, though unable to lay a finger on Hekou Town, controls the shortest commercial waterway from Jiangxi to Zhejiang!

The Xin River, renamed the Xinjiang in the Qing dynasty — Zhao Han had truly never been here before.

Drinking in the waterside scenery the whole way, they soon arrived at Ehu Town. Though not as prosperous as Hekou Town, it was still a major commercial hub; countless loads of Jingdezhen tea and porcelain were shipped east from here to every part of Zhejiang.

More than half the shops in Ehu Town belonged to Fei Yinghuan's family.

Of the land around Ehu Town, a good portion also belonged to Fei Yinghuan's family.

"The eldest young master is back! The eldest young master is back!"

The moment Fei Yinghuan stepped out of the cabin, the dockworkers recognized him and immediately began shouting at the top of their lungs.

Then the cries rose one after another, carrying all the way from the dock into the streets.

Soon, several young lads went dashing toward Ehu Mountain, racing each other as if in a footrace. Whoever reached the Fei household first to announce the news would get the biggest reward — how could anyone let such a plum opportunity slip by?

"Eldest young master!"

"Eldest young master!"

All along the way, everyone they met stopped to offer greetings.

Fei Yinghuan walked with head high and chest out, a smile fixed on his face the whole time, like a great star reviewing his admirers.

In Zhao Han's mind, the young master Fei's image underwent a drastic transformation at that moment, perfectly incarnating... the idiot son of a landlord.

Observing these common folk closely, Zhao Han found their spirits reasonably good; clearly, for the time being, their modest lives were still sustainable.

Beyond the town lay crisscrossing fields.

Many peasants were at work among the paddies; the autumn grain seedlings were lush and green — it looked to be another bumper harvest this year.

Judging by appearances alone, one might think the entire region had already marched into a moderately prosperous society!

After walking a while, a group of people came hurrying toward them.

Two sedan-chair bearers rushed up to Fei Yinghuan, set down the mountain litter, and said respectfully, "Eldest young master, please mount the sedan-chair."

Fei Yinghuan said nothing further and seated himself as a matter of course.

"Raise the sedan-chair, hold the parasol!" shouted a middle-aged household slave — the very page who had grown up alongside Fei Yinghuan, now serving as a mid-level steward in the Fei household.

The bearers carried the mountain litter forward, while a sturdy servant held a sunshade aloft to spare the eldest young master Fei from the sun.

Household slaves cleared the way ahead of the litter, guarding against any stray person or beast that might suddenly rush out and jostle the eldest young master.

Behind the litter followed three young boys, all of them Fei Yinghuan's personal servant-lads.

The book-box Wei Jianxiong had been carrying, and the traveling bundle in Zhao Han's hands, were likewise taken over by other household slaves.

The steward who had begun as a page kept pace beside the litter, calling out all the way: "The eldest young master is home, the eldest young master is home!"

What the hell!

Zhao Han stared, utterly dumbfounded. A mere juren coming home, and the pomp was fit for a grand minister of the realm on an inspection tour.

The most absurd thing was those three boys trailing right behind the litter — mere servant-lads, yet every one of them was dressed in silk.

The gentry of this realm truly deserve to die!

A peasant carrying buckets of night soil spotted them from afar and veered off to avoid them, retreating dozens of paces away, terrified that the stench of manure might offend the eldest young master Fei.

Now do you see why the Yanshan Fei clan has produced no jinshi for two generations running, and why this generation has only a single, sole-heir juren?

The family ethos has rotted!

When Fei Hong and Fei Cai were alive, the Fei clan was forbidden from dividing the family and splitting the property; brothers and sisters had to remain united and affectionate. Fei descendants were not allowed to sink into pleasure-seeking. Even those who held juren rank had their number of servants strictly capped, and ordinarily could take only one or two when going out.

But now, the clan rule forbidding the division of the family has long been utterly demolished, splintering into countless minor branches.

Far from pulling together, the various branches compete against and swallow one another, some even colluding in secret with outsiders.

Clansmen sent to Fujian and Zhejiang to do business simply set up their own households in those other provinces, and the vast clan power was dismembered into innumerable fragments.

Hearts have scattered; they can no longer be gathered.

The Fei descendants, too, have gradually lost all heart for the examinations, indulging in pleasure at will. Once they pass the xiucai exam, they can purchase some minor miscellaneous official post. If even passing the xiucai exam is a struggle, they cheat where they can, and where they cannot, they live off the family till the end of their days.

A short while later, a complex of buildings set against the mountain came into Zhao Han's view, covering at least two or three hundred mu.

Over a hundred clansmen and household slaves stood at the gate, awaiting the eldest young master's return.

At their head was Fei Yinghuan's second brother, Fei Yingqi, and next to him, the third brother, Fei Yingke.

"Elder brother!" The two brothers stepped forward to salute.

The mountain litter touched the ground, and at once household slaves helped Fei Yinghuan down.

The eldest young master Fei returned the salute with clasped hands and asked, "Where is fourth brother?"

Fei Yingqi answered, "Fourth brother is never home these days; who knows where he's run off to raise hell. Elder brother, come in quickly — both our parents are at home waiting for you."

Across the threshold of the main gate, a fire pan had been placed.

Fei Yinghuan stepped over the fire basin, to dispel any ill fortune picked up along the way.

As for Zhao Han and his sister, along with Wei Jianxiong and the other household slaves, they could only take a detour and enter through a side gate.

The rigid rules of ritual propriety were instantly laid bare.

No matter how close Fei Yinghuan and Wei Jianxiong were, even if they were as close as brothers, master was master and slave was slave — the chasm of status could not be crossed.

Zhao Han, holding his little sister's hand, followed Wei Jianxiong through the side gate, winding this way and that until they reached a courtyard.

Wei Jianxiong explained, "This is the young master's Jingxing Court. The twenty-odd rooms nearby are all the young master's private domain. Without being summoned, you must not trespass into the third courtyard."

"Many thanks for the guidance, Uncle Wei." Zhao Han cupped his fists.

The three of them went to Wei Jianxiong's room and waited to hear their disposition.

After a short wait, Fei Yinghuan had not yet returned from paying respects to his parents, but the study attendant who had grown up with him arrived instead.

Wei Jianxiong made the introduction: "This is Mr. Fei Lin, the head steward of Jingxing Court."

Zhao Han immediately pulled his sister over to make their greetings: "This humble one greets Steward Fei."

"Brother Wei, well met," Fei Lin first exchanged pleasantries with Wei Jianxiong, then turned expressionless to Zhao Han. "You are the boy the eldest young master brought back?"

Zhao Han could only salute again: "This humble one, Zhao Han, greets Steward Fei."

Fei Lin at once summoned a maidservant and instructed, "Ink Fragrance, take these two to the Loyal Diligence Court and pick out a good room for them."

Before Zhao Han could leave, Fei Lin was all smiles again, throwing an arm around Wei Jianxiong's shoulder: "Brother Wei, it's been over half a year — let's go have a couple of drinks."

Under the rules of ritual and family discipline, even servants were divided into many ranks.

Fei Yinghuan might be relatively easy to deal with, but this steward Fei Lin had to be served with care.

To hell with these rules!

(End of chapter)