Chapter 33: Days Getting Better and Better

Zhong jumped in surprise and hurriedly helped the person up — since when did he have another younger brother?

Heifu also asked with a laugh, "Ji Ying, what are you doing?"

Ji Ying raised his head and grinned. "Heifu's elder brother is my elder brother — the courtesy of a younger brother greeting an elder must be observed!"

As he spoke, he waved a hand, and the men of the Gui squad all came walking over.

"That's right — the squad leader's elder brother is our elder brother too."

Led by Dongmen Bao, aside from the older Chao Bo, the other younger men — Xiao Tao, Zhi, and the rest — all imitated Ji Ying, bowing with clasped hands to Zhong and calling him "Elder Brother"...

"This... I truly don't deserve it."

Zhong was at a loss, but Heifu knew his elder brother disliked being the center of attention and quickly stopped the crowd's overly enthusiastic welcome, inviting Zhong inside.

Yet from this simple greeting, Heifu's prestige within the squad was plain to see.

"Elder Brother, you've come at just the right time — we were about to put meat into the pot!"

Surrounded by the crowd, Zhong followed them to the back of the thatched hut, where Chao Bo, Ping, and three or four others were squatting and sitting.

In the crude earthen stove, the firewood blazed fiercely. Mu, tall and heavyset, crouched beside it, puffing out his cheeks and blowing hard on the flames. A pottery cauldron sat on top, the broth inside already boiling.

Chao Bo had Ping use a short sword to slice dried meat and slowly drop it into the cauldron, while directing the brothers Ke and Buke to add golden-yellow millet. He himself narrowed his eyes and, with great solemnity, drew a small packet of salt from his bosom, sprinkling it as carefully as scattering millet seeds to season the soup...

"Since we started cooking for ourselves a few days ago, we've learned that Chao Bo once served as a cook in the army — we're in for a real treat."

Heifu spoke as he invited Zhong to sit down.

They were all of humble origins, so there was no need to imitate the kneeling-sitting and deferential courtesies of the nobility. After exchanging bows, they sat cross-legged, holding earthenware bowls that were dusty gray on the outside but washed clean with stream water on the inside, as Chao Bo ladled out the meat porridge with a wooden dipper.

Because they were reluctant to add more salt, the porridge tasted a little bland, but the dried meat carried its own saltiness and was fragrant in the mouth. At the very least, Heifu thought, it was far tastier than the millet-and-meat stew he had eaten that day at the street food stall in Anlu County.

But Chao Bo seemed dissatisfied with his own handiwork. After tasting a mouthful, he smacked his lips and said that if only winter hadn't arrived yet, he could have gone out to find some mallow greens to add to the soup — it would have been even more delicious.

Even so, the men already treated this as a rare delicacy and slurped it down noisily. Mu and Ji Ying, those two fellows reincarnated from starving ghosts, finished first and immediately, with shameless grins, stretched out their arms and thrust their pottery bowls before Chao Bo: "Another bowl!"

Zhong was not as brash as them. He ate the meat porridge in small mouthfuls. At home, their mother often sighed and fretted, thinking her second son would suffer while serving his labor duty. Now it seemed that not only was he not suffering, but his days were quite comfortable — no worry of cold or hunger, and he could even eat meat! Now he could set his mind at ease.

At that moment, Chao Bo also came over to greet him. The two were of similar age, both from Yunmeng Township, and each found the other somewhat familiar. Upon asking, it turned out they had once served military duty together and had even fought in the same campaign, just not in the same battalion.

"My younger brother is serving for the first time. These days, I must thank you, Chao Bo, for looking after him." Zhong was an honest and humble man, and he immediately expressed his gratitude to Chao Bo.

Chao Bo hastily caught his arms to stop him. "Not at all, not at all! It's clearly the squad leader who is guiding and helping us. Otherwise, we wouldn't be living these days with meat porridge to eat — in over a dozen past labor duties, never once! Isn't that right, everyone?"

"Right! It's all thanks to Squad Leader Heifu that we have this today!"

Everyone agreed with Chao Bo's words, and then, starting with Ji Ying, one after another they recounted Heifu's heroic deeds over the past half month and more.

From encountering bandits near Huyang Pavilion and fighting one against three, to cleverly clearing himself of charges in the county prison court; from being harassed by Centurion Bin during the conscript labor service, to winning first place in the ten-day grand competition, settling scores, his fame soaring, earning the County Commandant's praise, and filling his pockets...

With Ji Ying's gift of gab, these events were recounted in flowing detail, and baked by the warm stove fire, they fermented into a soul-stirring tale!

Zhong had forgotten he was still holding his pottery bowl. His eyes went wide — he could hardly believe that these things had been done by his younger brother, the one who had always been quiet, wooden, and honest since childhood.

"Second Brother, is this really true?" After a long moment, Zhong finally closed his mouth and looked at Heifu.

"These days, Heifu has felt as if in a dream as well. I was also blessed with rather good luck, and with our father's spirit protecting me from above, though I encountered some obstacles, in the end all was well."

Heifu spread his hands, somewhat annoyed at the others for talking too much. In his impression, his elder brother was someone who disliked stirring up trouble and preferred a quiet, peaceful life. That glib-tongued Ji Ying — why deliberately make things sound so tortuous and perilous? He was asking for a beating!

Unexpectedly, after a long silence, Zhong suddenly stood up, clapped Heifu on the shoulder, and burst into loud laughter.

"My second brother has grown up and made something of himself! As your elder brother, I'm truly happy for you!"

Although conscripts were allowed to have relatives deliver clothes and money, overnight stays were forbidden. After finishing the meal and chatting a while, Zhong had to leave before dark. He planned to make do at a county guesthouse for the night and slowly head home the next morning.

Heifu dismissed the others and accompanied Zhong out alone. Seeing no one around, he pulled a heavy cloth pouch from his bosom and pressed it into Zhong's hand...

Zhong's right hand was already carrying the five strips of dried meat Heifu had set aside for the family. When his left hand took the pouch, it was immediately heavy — a single touch told him it was full of coins, and he jumped in shock.

"Second Brother, this is..."

"This is the money obtained from that Yuan Bai."

Heifu smiled. "There were originally four thousand. I shared some with the squad, and this fifteen hundred fell to me. Added to the earlier reward for catching the bandits, it's two thousand coins in total, all in there. I still have half a month of labor duty to serve, so keeping it with me is useless — better to give it to Elder Brother to take home."

"Then what if you need to spend money?"

"I still have three or four hundred left — that's enough."

Zhong hesitated, but Heifu set his mind at ease and went on, chattering his instructions: "With Heifu away from home and Jing still naughty and senseless, Mother will have to rely on Elder Brother and Sister-in-Law to look after her. Mother's health is poor — as soon as winter comes, her legs fear the cold. Elder Brother can look around the market tomorrow morning and buy a sheepskin blanket for Mother to cover her legs and ward off the chill."

"The farming tools at home are old or broken — spring plowing must not be delayed. Elder Brother, buy some tools on the way back. Remember to get iron ones; they're better."

"Sister-in-Law has been married to Elder Brother for seven years. The family has had one trouble after another and grown poorer and poorer. She can't even add a new garment all year long. The money and cloth she earns weaving day and night all goes to fill the bellies of two big rice buckets like me and Jing."

"Heifu was senseless before, but now I understand Elder Brother and Sister-in-Law's hardships. Please, Elder Brother, look for suitable silk or cloth at the market and buy some to bring back for Sister-in-Law, and for my nephew and niece to make clothes. They have hardly anything to wear — my nephew is so bare-bottomed that when guests come he can only hide inside the house. Just thinking of it makes my heart ache..."

As he spoke, waves of sorrow rose in Heifu's heart. His family were at least gongshi rank, no longer the poorest in the hamlet, yet to ensure everyone in the household had enough food and clothing was still so terribly hard.

His elder brother was the pillar of the family — an elder brother is like a father. For the past few years he had gritted his teeth and held on, just so Heifu and Jing wouldn't go hungry. As a result, though still young, worry had already streaked his temples with white hairs, and his back was slightly stooped. Life in this age was truly not easy.

So the debt of gratitude he had to repay was not only to his mother, but also to his elder brother.

Heifu finished, "As for Jing, tell him to settle his heart and serve Mother well, and to look after my nephew and niece properly. When I return, I'll pick out a good short sword for him!"

"Second Brother, at this rate, five or six hundred coins will be spent just like that..."

Zhong looked at his second brother, unsure whether to feel comforted or helpless. Spending money like this showed no sense of how to live. In his view, all this money should be handed over to Mother to stash under the bed and save, waiting for Heifu to build a new house and take a wife when he split off his own household.

Heifu, however, smiled dismissively. "Elder Brother, don't worry. Heifu makes this vow: from now on, our family's days will get better and better! A thousand gold pieces scattered will all come back again!"

"A thousand gold pieces scattered will all come back again..."

Zhong repeated the line, feeling a little alarmed. He scolded, "You've only just gotten your hands on two or three thousand coins, and you're already talking about a thousand gold pieces. You..."

Zhong didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but his heart was warm. For his younger brother to have such ambition was a good thing. He didn't want his two younger brothers to end up like him — achieving nothing, muddling through half a lifetime in a daze.

Time was getting late. The two bowed and bid farewell. As Zhong carefully stowed the money and limped away, Heifu called out again from behind.

"Elder Brother!"

Zhong turned his head and saw Heifu bowing to him. "Elder Brother, your leg is inconvenient, and you have many things to buy. On the way back, don't walk — rent an ox cart going your way to ride! Remember, remember! Whatever you do, don't begrudge the expense!"

"The same to you, Heifu! I will pass on your words to Mother. See you in half a month!"

Zhong helplessly waved him off, telling Heifu to hurry back. It seemed he himself would have no choice but to splurge a little and take a carriage home.

"Our family's days will get better and better..."

He turned his head, gazing at the gradually setting sun, and revealed a gratified smile. "Let us hope so!"

(End of chapter)