Chapter 025: Madam Hong’s Request (2/2)

The wind was growing ever fiercer.

That little cloud on the horizon had thickened into a dense mass, spreading across the sky. The wind howled and the blizzard raged on… The dark heavens merged with the sea of snow, rendering everything invisible.

At the southern ferry crossing, a ferryboat was moored.

A tall pole stood at the prow, a lantern swaying in the wind, its light flickering uncertainly.

A carriage approached slowly from afar, coming to a stop at the crossing.

Zhang Wanzhen stepped down from the carriage, boarding the ferry with Steward Zhang. The coachman, braving the snowflakes, drove the carriage onto the boat. Several boatmen hurried over to help, and for a while the ferry landing bustled with noise, the neighing of horses echoing ceaselessly.

“Uncle Zhang, why do you suppose there are two water troughs beside the Cao family’s iron smelting furnace?”

Standing at the cabin door, Zhang Wanzhen watched the slightly chaotic scene at the ferry and suddenly asked in a soft voice.

Steward Zhang paused, then shook his head with a wry smile, “Miss, how could I possibly fathom such mysteries? A talent like you can’t see through it—how could I? Still, I think having two troughs is nothing out of the ordinary; perhaps they’ll find use for them in the future?”

She giggled, “Two troughs used at the same time—how could that be for future planning? And besides, what’s in the troughs certainly isn’t water… Though I can’t guess the secret, I’m sure it has something to do with Cao Peng.

Uncle Zhang, haven’t you noticed that Cao Peng is different from ordinary people? He has all sorts of strange ideas—he’s quite an interesting fellow. Right now, I just want to figure out what exactly is in those troughs? Why are they there? And what special purpose do they serve?”

The wind was strong, the snow thick…

Yet nothing could conceal the hunger for knowledge shining in the young girl’s eyes.

Steward Zhang couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly.

Ah, this young mistress—she truly was unlike other girls. Always delving into curious things, her mind teeming with wild ideas. And her father, of all people, actually let her be… He was a renowned scholar in Jingxiang, yet raised such a daughter?

Of course, these were just his private thoughts.

He wouldn’t dare say them out loud… In fact, not even his clan leader would dare meddle in such affairs.

Though the Zhang family was well-known in Nanyang Commandery, their strength was worlds apart from the family behind this young lady.

So be it—if she’s interested, let her be!

If her father says nothing, why should I play the villain?

With this, Steward Zhang felt much relieved. “Miss, didn’t you say you wanted to learn boxing from that Cao Peng? Ask him then.”

With a proud tilt of her delicate nose, the girl gave a little humph.

“That fellow is sly—if there’s a secret, he may not tell me. But that’s fine. If he won’t say, I’ll find out on my own… Oh, and one more thing. When we return, please arrange a courtyard for me, Uncle Zhang—I’d like to make a few things. But don’t let my father know, or he’ll start nagging me again…”

“That, I understand,” Steward Zhang replied with a smile and a nod.

“Miss, the boat’s about to set off. You’d best go inside lest you catch a chill.”

“Uncle Zhang, it won’t be long. I’ll just watch the snow from here. You go about your business, there’s no need to fuss over me.”

She was young, but perhaps due to her upbringing, her words carried an irresistible authority.

Steward Zhang thought it over and found her reasoning sound, so he said no more. He went to the stern and shouted, “Hurry up, move quickly! The snow’s getting heavier—we can’t afford more delay. Park the carriage well… Mind the horse, we’re setting off!”

The ferry slowly drifted from the landing, heading for the opposite bank.

The girl gazed at the snowy scene, but her mind was occupied with another question: what secret did those water troughs conceal?

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The next day, Cao Peng woke at dawn.

Throwing on a robe, he stepped outside to a world blanketed in white, a sense of clarity washing over him. He did a few chest-expanding exercises, then stretched his legs and arms. Rinsing his mouth with green salt, he drew a basin of tepid well water and washed his face.

It seemed he’d need to figure out how to make a toothbrush. Rinsing with green salt was fine, but not as habitual as brushing.

“Ah Fu, let’s go!”

Deng Ji called his name from the gate.

Cao Ji had gone to bed late, but before Cao Peng slept, he’d asked him to buy some charcoal from the county town.

Before long, this household would fall to Cao Peng to manage. Some things he needed to learn to handle. Wang Meng had offered to go, but Cao Ji refused. After all this time in Jiyang, it was time for Cao Peng to get familiar with his surroundings…

Strange, really!

If it had been before, Cao Ji would never have objected. But ever since that fight with Ma Yu, Cao Ji had begun to change. He started making his own decisions, began learning to say ‘no’ to others. In the past, this would have been unimaginable. His somewhat timid, overly kind nature had kept him forever on the reactive side of things. Now, though, he was proactively changing—a definite boon for the whole family. After all, Cao Ji was now the head of the household…

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Charcoal had to be bought early.

Cao Peng led the piebald horse and walked out with Deng Ji.

“Ah Fu, wait for me!”

Wang Mai hurried after them, grinning. “I’ll come with you.”

“You’re not going to practice today?”

“Practicing alone is dull. I’ll buy charcoal with you, then we can practice together when we get back.”

Cao Peng didn’t mind and nodded, leading the horse alongside Deng Ji.

“Brother-in-law, are you busy these days?”

Deng Ji rubbed his red nose, breathing out a cloud of mist, and laughed, “County Magistrate Kuai has gone back to Xiangyang—it’ll be after the fifteenth before he returns. There’s not much to do at the office these days, just some simple affairs, really nothing at all.”

“Heh, I suppose things will get busy after the New Year.”

“Probably…”

Deng Ji was a man of action, not one for scheming.

But thanks to his connection to Cao Peng, Kuai Zheng took good care of him.

Deng Cai had been exiled to a village and hadn’t returned; Ma Yu was still in prison, his case unresolved.

It was likely that when Kuai Zheng returned from Xiangyang, the matter would be settled… Cao Peng, for his part, was unconcerned and at ease.

Chatting as they walked, they soon reached the outskirts of Jiyang County.

“Shusun, I was just looking for you.”

Before they entered the town, a middle-aged man ran up to them.

Cao Peng had seen him before, vaguely remembering he was from Deng Village and, in terms of seniority, Deng Ji’s uncle. As for his name, Cao Peng couldn’t quite recall, but he greeted the man respectfully.

The man returned the gesture and tugged at Deng Ji’s sleeve, “Hurry up—Magistrate Kuai returned last night and has called everyone together early this morning. He says there’s something important to discuss.”

“Magistrate Kuai is back?”

“Yes, returned in the thick of last night’s snow… Come on, he’s waiting for us.”

Deng Ji hurriedly agreed, then turned to Cao Peng and Wang Mai, “Ah Fu, Tiger Head, just follow this road. When you see three old pagoda trees, turn right—about a li’s distance is Che'er Gully. Look for a man named Wei Lan—he makes the best charcoal.”

“Got it!”

Not daring to delay, Deng Ji hurried into town with the old clerk.

Cao Peng and Wang Mai exchanged a glance, then led the horse along the route as instructed.

As they walked, Cao Peng pondered. By rights, Kuai Zheng should have remained home until the ancestral rites after New Year’s. In these times, New Year’s rites were a major affair; without special reason, no one would miss them—unless he was being sidelined by family or punished.

But that seemed unlikely. If Kuai Zheng was in trouble, he wouldn’t still be serving as county magistrate.

Something major must have happened!

Cao Peng wracked his brains, then suddenly stopped and muttered, “Could it be that Cao Cao is about to attack Wancheng?”

In The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao, threatened by Zhang Xiu’s occupation of Wancheng and his alliance with Liu Biao, ended the campaign in Xuzhou and rushed back to attack Zhang Xiu. But the exact timing eluded Cao Peng—he only remembered it was the second year of Jian’an.

It was now the end of the first year of Jian’an, and Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao had already allied!

If the timeline was right, Cao Cao should soon march on Nanyang Commandery after the New Year.

“Ah Fu, what did you just say?”

“Uh… nothing!”

Cao Peng smiled and said to Wang Mai, “Come on, let’s buy the charcoal quickly and then get back to our practice.”

“Alright!”

Wang Mai didn’t care in the least, happily leading the horse on.

Cao Cao is going to attack Wancheng? In that first campaign, Cao Cao won early but lost heavily in the end, suffering grievous losses. What benefit could he get from this situation? Try as he might, Cao Peng realized he was but a bystander, able only to watch events unfold.

Should he rush to tell Cao Cao, “Zhang Xiu is going to rebel, and your son, your nephew, and your great general will all die”?

Even if he could meet Cao Cao, saying such things to his face would surely cost him his life…

Was there nothing to be done but watch?

Cao Peng found it rather regretful!

Damn—without fame or power, it really was a bitter thing…

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Che'er Gully was a small village of twenty-eight households.

Every family made a living by burning charcoal, and winter was the busiest season.

Cao Peng and Wang Mai quickly found Wei Lan’s home, purchased two large baskets of charcoal, and started back. Prices in the late Eastern Han were high, especially after Dong Zhuo’s devastation of the land and his issuance of “coin without inscription,” which sent prices soaring. A single hu of grain could cost hundreds of thousands of coins—many people could not afford a shi of grain even after saving for a lifetime, eventually resorting to cannibalism to survive.

However, things had improved somewhat after Dong Zhuo’s death. Liu Biao was no great statesman, but he was capable in governance. He abolished Dong Zhuo’s “coin without inscription” (small coins from Dong Zhuo’s era, 1.2-1.5 cm in diameter, 0.5-1g in weight, bearing the five-zhu inscription but with blurred characters, hence the nickname “coin without inscription”), and returned to full-value five-zhu coins, quickly stabilizing prices. He then joined with the gentry of Jingxiang, encouraged farming, and repaired irrigation works, gradually restoring stability to Jingzhou.

In this, Liu Biao had done well enough.

Cao Ji had only asked for one basket of charcoal, but with war looming, Cao Peng bought an extra basket.

It seemed wise to buy more grain for storage as well…

Cao Peng thought to himself: once war breaks out, Jiyang will surely be affected. Prices will soar, and trouble will follow.

Returning home, they unloaded the charcoal, and Wang Mai took the horse to the stable.

Cao Peng was just about to discuss stockpiling grain with Cao Ji when he heard laughter coming from the main hall.

Visitors!

And familiar ones too—Madam Hong.

Since the incident with Ma Yu, Madam Hong had grown close to the Cao family. Though she was not learned, she was sharp and perceptive. She could tell that the Deng family had a promising future, so she was always ready to help the Cao family whenever needed. In time, through her deliberate efforts, she became ever closer to Madam Zhang and Cao Nan.

“Oh, the young master is back!”

Madam Hong greeted Cao Peng warmly.

“My dear brother, you’re really too much… Sending the young master out in such cold weather! Next time, just tell me. My son Juye has nothing to do; let him go instead. Come, sit down, you must be tired from your errand…”

Her beaming smile left Cao Peng a little at a loss.

After exchanging greetings, Cao Peng was about to call Cao Ji outside to discuss things, but Madam Zhang asked, “Peng’er, sit down a moment, I have something to ask you.”

“Mother, what is it?”

“I’ve heard that every morning you and Tiger Head play by the riverbank behind the house. What do you do there?”

Cao Peng was momentarily taken aback. “Nothing much, really…”

“Are you practicing martial arts?”

“…Yes!”

There was no hiding it, nor did Cao Peng intend to. He hadn’t told anyone he was teaching Wang Mai boxing, so everyone—Cao Ji and Madam Zhang included—thought it was Cao Peng who was learning from Wang Mai.

Wang Meng had his suspicions, but since Wang Mai said nothing, he didn’t pry…

He could sense that since Wang Mai started practicing with Cao Peng, he’d improved rapidly. He knew his own son’s abilities and that what he’d taught him did not yield such results. Perhaps Cao Peng had been giving him pointers? It sounded odd, but Wang Meng felt no surprise. After all, Cao Peng had studied under a Taoist; who knew if that Taoist had some great powers and taught Cao Peng some immortal arts?

Madam Zhang smiled, “Peng’er, here’s the thing.

Since we came to Deng Village, your Aunt Hong has helped us a great deal. She has a son—Deng Fan, you should know him… He’s about your age. Your aunt came to me today to ask if Deng Fan could join you two in your training.”

Madam Hong’s face showed a trace of embarrassment.

“Young master, I know this is a bit presumptuous.

But my boy is growing up, and he spends his days idling and getting into trouble. He won’t learn a trade from his father—says it’s beneath him; he can’t read either. I’ve heard you two young masters have real skills, so I thought he might learn something from you… In these troubled times, learning some martial arts might just give him a place in the world…”

Cao Peng was stunned.

“We should ask Uncle Wang’s opinion on this,” said Cao Ji. “He said to go by your wishes… If you’re willing, he has no objections.

Peng’er, your aunt has done us a great service; when our family was in trouble, your sister was cared for thanks to her. It’s up to you to decide.”

Great, “up to me,” is it?

With the old man putting it that way, what could he do?

Cao Peng did know Deng Fan, but had little impression of him. After a moment’s thought, he said to Madam Hong, “Auntie, if Brother Deng is willing, he’s welcome to join us!”

The smile on Madam Hong’s face grew even brighter.

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With gratitude—please recommend!