Chapter 2: Bride Enters the House

Yang Qing obtained the marriage certificate, and along with him came back a young woman three years older than him.

He is twenty-two this year, and the young woman is twenty-five.

Yang Qing couldn't afford a wife because of his poor background and poverty, so he delayed marriage until now.

The young woman, due to her height, couldn't find a match, and in the end, fleeing the famine, she became a bargain for Yang Qing.

Yang Qing finally walked with his head held up; even as snowflakes desperately drilled into his neck, he refused to lower his head.

He hadn't held his head up as a person for too long; over these years, he almost forgot how to walk with his head up.

Warm droplets of water flowed from the corner of his eye, freezing into a line.

Chen Hong carried a bundle on her back and held in her arms the license for a martyr's family newly applied for by Aunt Wang.

She now had a home, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

She followed her man, walking and walking, when suddenly she felt that her man seemed a bit taller.

The top of his head rose from her chin to her mouth.

"Hey, is it still far?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Qing hastily wiped his face, then turned his head, forcing out a smile.

"It's not far; it's right ahead."

Chen Hong lifted her gaze; a bright building loomed faintly through the snow.

Layout diagram

It appeared to be a large manor, even bigger than the old estate of her family's landlord.

This was a wealthy household.

"You live here?"

Yang Qing nodded, looking at the building before him with deep emotion.

No. 95 Nanluogu Lane, a deep-gate mansion; the gate is very deep, called Guangliang Gate, with a pair of square gate piers at the entrance, carved with stone reliefs.

Anyone who understands siheyuan knows that this style signifies the residence of a first- or second-rank official.

The square stones at the gate indicate this is the home of a civil official.

In old Beijing, most of the Aisin Gioro held military posts, so they often used drum-shaped stones; whereas civil officials, mostly Han, used square stones.

This is the home of a Han official.

Over the years, this manor has endured the turmoil of the Republic of China, the Japanese invasion, and the grand residence has fallen into disarray.

Chen Hong never imagined that this man could actually live in such a place.

The man's attire is clearly unsuitable.

Not only Chen Hong thought so; others in the manor also felt that Yang Qing's presence was taking away their things, so the harsher they were toward him, the harsher they became.

By now, bullying Yang Qing has become a habit.

Upon reaching the gate, Yang Qing instinctively shrank his neck again.

Then he recalled something and lifted his head once more.

I want to live with my head held up; I want to live lifting my head.

This is quickly becoming his obsession.

Yang Qing spoke tremblingly.

"Come on, I'll take you home."

Chen Hong sensed Yang Qing's abnormality, said nothing more, and obediently followed him into the courtyard.

Upon entering the gate, there is a screen wall depicting blossoming wealth; inside the Moon Gate on the east side is a small courtyard, accompanied by a gatehouse.

Heading west, passing through a Moon Gate brings one before the hanging-flower gate.

The courtyard was empty; those who work have gone to work, and those not working are hiding indoors to stay warm.

Yang Qing nervously passed through the hanging-flower gate, not taking the covered walkway with hands clasped, but going through the central courtyard; he hurriedly led Chen Hong through the Moon Gate to the rear courtyard.

Here, he did not linger, but facing the snow, he went through the eastern passage to the rear wing.

The rear wing is dilapidated, with four rooms collapsed; the collapsed rooms are bare, and any usable building materials have been scavenged.

Only a pile of rubble and waist-high weeds remain, along with a heap of garbage half a person's height.

Yang Qing lives in the three rooms facing inward, which are separated by a Moon Gate into a small courtyard.

In the small courtyard, weeds grow thickly, as if no one has come for a long time.

Chen Hong followed Yang Qing through the Moon Gate and arrived at the courtyard.

Even the three rooms that didn't collapse are now in a sorry state.

The windows are full of holes everywhere, and the roof is littered with broken tiles.

Chen Hong frowned; this is his dwelling, even more dilapidated than a ruined temple.

Yang Qing also scratched his head embarrassedly.

"There's still one room that can be lived in."

Saying this, he opened the door.

The wooden door creaked, swaying as if it might fall at any moment.

Chen Hong said nothing, bent her waist and walked in, (can't help it, she's too tall.)

Upon entering the interior, it was even more bare walls.

The room was bare, with only a bed made of planks.

Although she had mentally prepared herself, Chen Hong still found it hard to accept how you could have lived like this.

Even her gaze toward Yang Qing was full of contempt.

Upon encountering Chen Hong's disdainful gaze, the sensitive Yang Qing immediately understood her meaning.

He hurriedly explained bitterly.

"I don't want it this way either; if not, I can't get by."

"If the house weren't broken, they'd have taken it; even now, in this dilapidated state, the people in the courtyard are still scheming to seize our ruined house and broken tiles."

"Those four rooms outside, you've seen them—bare and empty, with nothing left."

Speaking of this, he seemed to be reminiscing, muttering.

"Because of this house, our family has a deed, so they couldn't seize it; they demolished it and turned it into money."

"This is still good; previously, each family lived separately, so they had no mind to seize it by force, or perhaps the spoils weren't divided evenly, or maybe it was because Aunt Wang's intimidation kept them from daring."

"It might also be that they heard I wanted to give the house to the Jiedao Office to rent out; they wouldn't gain anything, and it would bring tenants to my place, so they dare not press too hard."

"In short, there could be many reasons; thus the house went from good to broken—tiles, windows, doors—ruined beyond recognition overnight; Aunt Wang could do nothing but scold them harshly, and the matter was left unsettled."

"Back then I was young and poor, with no money to repair, so I could only leave it as is; now you see, nothing remains but a pile of trash."

"The remaining three rooms are still standing only because Aunt Wang put in desperate effort to preserve them; otherwise they would have collapsed as well."

Chen Hong listened, her eyes turning red.

"Are these people all beasts?"

"Beasts? Sometimes humans are worse than beasts."

Yang Qing countered.

"Is there no such thing as exterminating a household where you are?"

Chen Hong stared, startled: "Exterminate a household?"

"Yes, he understood Yang Qing's meaning; this is a custom, they've always been like that; even though the government has been working hard these years to eradicate this harmful practice, some still consider it natural."

"Just like Yang Qing's house, they think these things should belong to them, that Yang Qing has taken what is theirs."

"They don't want Yang Qing to fare well, nor do they want him to marry and have children, because once he has a family, these matters truly have nothing to do with them."

"Especially now that everyone's children have grown up, their other thoughts have resurfaced."

"Beasts!"

Chen Hong could only mutter a curse.

Yang Qing hadn't spoken properly with anyone in a long time; once he started, he could hardly stop.

He pointed at the two other rooms that had become dangerous structures, and continued speaking to Chen Hong.

"It's just such a house; a few days ago, the Jia Family's two-courtyard residence came over to have a look several times."

"Their family has more children now, and the wife is pregnant again, so they've set their sights on this place."

"If it weren't for the high renovation cost, I'm afraid this house would already have been taken by someone."