Chapter 32: Elder Brother

Outside the southern gate training ground of Anlu County, Heifu's elder brother, the Gongshi Zhong, stood waiting.

Zhong had just turned thirty, stood over seven chi tall, and bore some resemblance to Heifu. A brown headscarf marking his Gongshi rank was wrapped around his crown, a sparse short mustache sat above his lip, and he wore a coarse brown hemp robe that did little to keep out the cold.

Strangely, though he clearly held a thick, newly sewn winter coat in his hands, he would rather shiver and tremble in the tenth-month chill wind than put it on.

His family held the Gongshi rank and owned a hundred mu of land, but because they had held a funeral for their late father the year before last and then paid to treat Zhong's leg injury last year, they had nearly exhausted all their money and cloth; now they lived very frugally.

Come winter, even the winter coat had to be worn by the three brothers in turn — whoever went out got to wear it. Every stitch of this coat had been sewn by their mother's own hand, but no matter how cold Zhong got, he could not bear to put it on. He feared that the dust kicked up along his journey would soil the garment. A new coat — better to let his younger brother wear it.

At this moment, Zhong stood rubbing his hands and blowing warm air into them, growing increasingly uneasy under the pointing, whispering scrutiny of the two county soldiers at the gate…

Zhong was an honest, simple farmer, always unwilling to stir up trouble or become the center of attention.

Fortunately, the man who had gone in to pass word did not keep him waiting long. Before much time had passed, Zhong spotted a figure inside the training ground sprinting out at a run, waving at him from far off and shouting, "Elder Brother!"

"Elder Brother" was the term for the eldest brother of the family. Heifu came jogging up just like that, stopped before Zhong, and bowed with clasped hands. "Elder Brother, what brings you here?"

"On Mother's orders, of course — to bring you your winter coat. Mother has been sewing day and night these past days, afraid you would freeze."

Seeing his younger brother, Zhong broke into a smile. His eyes swept over Heifu and discovered that he was already wearing a thick coat; looking further up, Heifu's hair bun also bore the brown headscarf marking the Gongshi rank. It seemed the rumors were not unfounded after all…

"Ah, I should have sent a letter back long ago to tell Mother and Elder Brother." Heifu smacked his own forehead, somewhat vexed, and explained:

"A lot has happened these past days. I came into some money and have already bought a full set of clothes. There was no need for Elder Brother to travel all this way to deliver clothes — your leg is not well…"

Heifu felt deeply ashamed. Zhong had sustained a leg injury during his military service last year, and it still had not healed. Even daily farm work was a struggle for him. From Cloud Dream Village to Anlu County seat was fifty or sixty li — Heifu could hardly imagine how he had managed to walk all the way here.

"You could have just sent Jing. Elder Brother should have stayed home and looked after Mother properly."

As he spoke, Heifu pulled off the coat that his own body had already warmed and, brooking no argument, draped it over Zhong. Then he took the winter coat Zhong had carried all this way, put it on, and beamed with delight.

"A coat made by Mother is still the warmest!"

Zhong drew his hands into his sleeves, feeling the warmth, and smiled with relief. "Jing is young and rash by nature. I feared he would mess things up. Besides…"

He glanced cautiously at the two county soldiers standing guard at the training ground's outer gate, pulled Heifu aside, and asked in a low voice, "Even if it weren't to deliver the coat, I would have made a special trip to the county seat. Heifu, tell your elder brother honestly — what exactly has happened these past days? How on earth did you come by this Gongshi rank?"

As it turned out, ever since Heifu had left home, Zhong had been hearing rumors every couple of days.

At first, someone returned to Sunset Ward saying they had seen Heifu arrested by a village chief and taken to the county jail — that he was going to face charges!

This terrible news frightened the whole family badly, but Mother refused to believe it. Without even lifting her head, she worked the shuttle in her hands and said, "Our Heifu is an honest boy; he would never break the law." She remained seated on the couch, mending Heifu's winter coat.

The next day, however, the ward chief, who had a grudge against Zhong, came storming to their door in a fury, jeering and mocking them with a torrent of words that plunged the whole family into an icy abyss.

The ward chief said the county jail had already sent an official inquiry to the ward, asking whether Heifu's place of origin and identity were genuine and whether he had any prior criminal record. The ward chief's implication was plain: Heifu was already in jail, his life was as good as over, and Zhong's family had only a few good days left — soon they would all be punished under collective liability!

At this, even Mother, who had trusted Heifu the most, grew frantic with worry and fell ill outright. Zhong's wife spent her days clutching their child and weeping. In the dead of night, the third brother, Jing, suddenly woke Zhong, saying everyone in the ward was spreading word that Second Brother had committed a crime and been arrested. What if they were sentenced under collective liability? Should the whole family flee overnight…?

After Father passed away, Zhong was the head of the household; he could not afford to lose his composure. With great effort, he steadied his terrified, uneasy family and told them to stay calm for the time being.

During those days, the ward chief spread the matter everywhere in the ward, so that the neighbors began looking at Zhong's family with strange eyes. Zhong had wanted to go to the county seat himself to inquire, but men armed with farm tools stopped him at the ward gate, afraid he would run…

After the whole family had been watched like thieves for several days, at the start of the tenth month, people returning from the county market brought back completely opposite news.

"Have you all heard? Zhong's second brother, Heifu, fought three men alone at Huyang Village and captured bandits!"

"That's right — the whole county seat is talking about it. Heifu cut off a bandit's head and performed a great deed!"

"I wonder what reward this lad will receive."

"Zhong's family's luck has finally turned this time."

Just as Zhong's head was spinning from these true-or-false reports and he resolved to go to the county seat no matter what to ask Heifu in person, the ward chief and the field clerk — the minor ward official in charge of supervising farming — came to his door again.

The ward chief's old face was dark, but the field clerk was all smiles. He said the county had issued a document: for his merit in capturing bandits, Heifu had been appointed a Gongshi. The paperwork on the county side was already complete, and they had come on orders to demarcate one hundred mu of farmland and a plot of empty land for Heifu's family, to be used later when Heifu built his own house…

Only then did the stone in every family member's heart finally drop. Mother picked up her needle and thread again. Jing began boasting about Heifu's exploits to everyone his age. Zhong's wife smiled once more. The neighbors' gazes toward them shifted from guarded loathing to envy…

Two Gongshi in one family — this was a cause for celebration. It meant that overnight, the Zhong family's land had doubled!

So for the next several days, Zhong was busy dealing with the ward chief and the field clerk, trying to secure a good plot of land for Heifu and a house site as close to their old family home as possible. By the time all this was settled, it was already mid-tenth month.

Only then did Zhong hastily set out with the winter coat Mother had made, limping along the road. He walked for three full days before reaching the county seat.

Although the matter was now clear, Zhong was a cautious man and still felt as if it were all a dream. He had to ask Heifu himself before he could set his mind at ease.

After Heifu heard Zhong's full account, he asked anxiously, "Mother fell ill? Is it serious? Elder Brother, with you away from home, who is looking after the old lady?"

Though he had not hesitated these past days to use his good-for-nothing father as a shield, toward his mother, Heifu felt genuine love and respect from the bottom of his heart. He had also secretly sworn to honor her properly, on behalf of the original "Heifu" as well.

Zhong reassured him: "Mother fell ill only from worrying about you. Once she learned you were fine, she has largely recovered. Besides, Jing and your sister-in-law are at her side looking after her, and your elder sister has returned too. You needn't worry."

Only then did Heifu's heart settle. Just then, another cold gust blew past, and even wrapped in their winter coats, the two brothers still shivered.

He tugged at Zhong and said, "Elder Brother, this is a long story. Don't stand out here — let's go inside to the barracks and talk."

Zhong, who had also served in the military, looked hesitant. "It's probably not proper for an outsider to enter the training ground."

"No problem. I've already spoken with Commander Chen. He said the conscripts have a half-day rest today, and Elder Brother may enter as he pleases, so long as he doesn't stay too long."

With that, Heifu pulled Zhong along inside, exchanging a familiar greeting with the two county soldiers at the gate as they passed.

Zhong was even more astonished. In his memory, Heifu was a dull, taciturn younger brother with nothing but brute strength. That he had subdued bandits, Zhong could believe — but how could Heifu be on speaking terms with a commander?

The deeper they went into the training ground, the greater Zhong's amazement grew, because every county soldier and conscript inside the ground who saw Heifu would stop, bow with clasped hands, and greet him. Heifu returned every salute. It was plain to see that his younger brother commanded great prestige here.

Zhong did not yet know what had happened a few days earlier. Now, inside the training ground, the only person who still wore a stony face at the sight of Heifu was Yuan Bai of Jia Squad…

Filled with astonishment, Zhong followed Heifu toward the barracks where the conscripts lived. Just as they reached the door, a skinny young man with a sharp mouth and monkey-like cheeks came striding over.

"Your younger brother Ji Ying pays his respects to Elder Brother!"

The scrawny monkey shouted this at Zhong, and then, heedless of the mud and mire on the ground, dropped stiffly to his knees in a deep kowtow…

(End of chapter)