The Zhi Yun Trading Company was not difficult to find.
Its company flag, embroidered with the words “Zhi Yun,” flew high from the mainmast of its cargo ship, visible from far away.
The ship was moored on the inner side of the wharf. Several workers were busy leading oxen by their nose ropes and driving flatbed carts loaded with goods. The two-wheeled carts were piled high with bundled firewood and bulging hemp sacks, creaking noisily as they rolled along.
Yet faced with this bustling scene, Lin Wu felt somewhat at a loss. She was unfamiliar with the Zhi Yun Trading Company. After wandering around for a while, she still had no idea whom to approach. She could hardly grab any worker at random and announce that she wanted to see the owner.
Just as she was looking around for someone suitable to speak to, a voice suddenly came from behind her.
“Madam Lin?”
Lin Wu turned at the sound and saw Steward Zhou standing a few paces away with a ledger in hand.
She hurried over and bowed. “Greetings, Steward Zhou.”
“So it really is you?” Steward Zhou returned the salute with a mild smile. “Madam Lin, how was your journey to Chunzhou? Did everything go smoothly?”
Lin Wu sighed, her smile somewhat strained. “At least… we arrived safely.”
“If you are facing any difficulties, Madam, please feel free to tell me,” Steward Zhou said with concern, noticing the worry in her expression.
Lin Wu glanced at the flatbed carts coming and going. The Zhi Yun Trading Company evidently would not remain here for long, so she decided not to beat around the bush.
“There is a long story behind it. At present, I am indeed in a bit of trouble…”
She hesitated before continuing, “I followed the address I had been given to look for my elder brother. Though he has already started a family, his life is a difficult one. When he saw my son and me arrive, he looked troubled. As long as I knew he was safe, I was content. I truly did not wish to place another burden on him. As it happened, I have a travel permit for Huzhou, so I thought it might be better to go there and find somewhere to settle. When all is said and done, wherever we go, we are still wandering.”
Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, and the loneliness in it was impossible to hide.
Under the household registration regulations of the time, if Lin Wu and Lin Jing wished to stay temporarily in Chunzhou under the pretext of seeking refuge with relatives, her so-called elder brother would have to report to the local registrar that outside visitors had arrived at his home. Their names, native places, and other details would also have to be temporarily entered into his household registration record. If the bond between brother and sister was already weak, and he had a family of his own and was unwilling to take on such a responsibility, that was hardly unusual.
After hearing her out, Steward Zhou nodded. “You are always thinking of others, Madam. It cannot have been easy.”
“I am ashamed to say this, but I heard that the Zhi Yun Trading Company is about to return to Huzhou, so I came to ask, shameless as it may be…” Lin Wu lowered her eyes. “Would it be possible for my son and me to travel with you on the cargo ship? I know my way around a kitchen, and I can help with any chores aboard the ship.”
She then recounted how she and Lin Jing had encountered bandits aboard the passenger vessel, how Zhao Sheng had died, and how they had been held for questioning by the authorities for three days. The tale was enough to make anyone’s heart pound.
Steward Zhou was shocked as well. “Madam Lin, I never imagined you had boarded that very ship! Thank heavens you and your son came through unharmed. As for taking passage with us, please wait a moment. I shall report the matter to Old Master Shen and give you an answer.”
With that, he led Lin Wu to a long bench nearby where the workers rested, then turned and boarded the ship.
It was not long before Steward Zhou returned.
Lin Wu promptly rose to meet him, with Lin Jing following close behind.
Steward Zhou said, “I have reported the matter to our master. As it happens, the Eldest Young Master has taken quite a few men to South Cliff, so there is ample room aboard the ship. Taking the two of you along is merely a matter of traveling the same way; Madam Lin, you need not take it to heart. However, the cargo ship will depart at noon today, so time is rather short. You will have to hurry back and gather your belongings. When you are ready, simply come here and tell the workers that you are looking for Steward Zhou.”
Lin Wu thanked him repeatedly. “Many thanks to Old Master Shen for his thoughtfulness, and to you for taking the trouble to arrange this. We are staying at an inn nearby. We will return shortly.”
She took Lin Jing by the hand and hurried back to the inn. They had only collected their luggage from the passenger ship the day before and had not yet unpacked. Their bundles were still neatly stacked in the corner. They could simply pick them up and leave.
“A Jing, we’re going to Huzhou,” Lin Wu said as she tied her bundle to her back. She carefully helped Lin Jing fasten his small bundle and drawstring bag as well.
Lin Jing obediently raised his arms and let her arrange everything. “Mm. I know about Huzhou.”
He suddenly remembered how, long ago, at the mouth of the mountain cave, A Wu had used a small stick to draw and write in the dirt. The line had ended at Huzhou—the destination they had chosen at the very beginning.
Despite all the twists and turns along the way, they were still heading in the same direction they had set out toward, moving forward one step at a time.
Before long, they returned to the Zhi Yun Trading Company’s mooring.
The cargo ship before them appeared taller and sturdier than the passenger vessel they had previously taken. Its hull was broad and deep, riding low in the water. Sheets of oilcloth, evidently meant to protect the cargo from rain and water, were piled on the deck. The ship was clearly intended mainly for transporting goods, with only a few passenger cabins set aside in the rear.
Steward Zhou was already waiting beside the ship. When he saw them arrive, he raised a hand in greeting.
There were indeed few people aboard—around ten workers were arranging the mooring ropes, while several tall, broad-shouldered men in fitted clothing and carrying swords stood along the rail. They were presumably the guards traveling with the ship.
Steward Zhou led them down the wooden steps to a small private cabin. Opening the door, he said, “Most of the people aboard are rough men who make their living on the water. It will be more convenient if the two of you have a room to yourselves. The cabin is rather plain, so I hope you will not mind, Madam.”
Lin Wu looked inside. Calling it “plain” was far too modest. Though the room was small, it was clean and orderly. A woven reed mat had been laid along the wall, and a small window had been set into the wooden paneling, allowing in both light and fresh air. It was a rare comfort.
“This is already more than considerate. Thank you for taking the trouble to arrange it, Steward Zhou.”
Steward Zhou then pointed toward the end of the passage. “The galley is at the back. Every day at the mao, noon, and shen hours, the cook will light the stove and prepare some food and hot water. If you need to use the stove or fetch hot water, you may go there at those times.”
Lin Wu acknowledged each point and thanked him once more.
Steward Zhou waved a hand. “You are too polite, Madam. The ship will be departing shortly, so the two of you should rest for now. I still have some chores to attend to and will not disturb you any longer.”
“Take care, Steward.”
Lin Wu saw him to the door, then gently closed it.
She put away their luggage, took out the quilts from one of the bundles, and spread them over the reed mat.
As she gazed at the patch of light falling through the small window, Lin Wu lowered her eyes in thought. She had not seen Old Master Shen in person this entire time, and she did not know whether he was honoring his old ties with the Gu family or had merely offered them a small convenience on a whim. In any case, the Shen family had helped arrange the travel permits and household registration documents for both her and Lin Jing. Allowing them to travel on this ship as well was hardly a great favor. The Shen family had probably already learned the details of their background, so there was no need for further worry.
The journey to Huzhou would be a long one. Sooner or later, they would encounter each other aboard the ship. For now, the most important thing was to settle in.
Meanwhile, Shen Zhongming slowly took a sip of tea.
What a twist of fate. The Zhi Yun Trading Company had delayed its departure by three days, yet they had still managed to cross paths. When he had seen how firmly she had resolved to take the child to Chunzhou alone, Guanting had not invited her to join the group returning to Huzhou. Chunzhou was only five or six days away by water, after all, and there was no harm in going their separate ways.
Who could have imagined that Huzhou would ultimately be her destination?
That was good.
Shen Zhongming gently blew on the tea, lost in thought. Steward Zhou had just reported what had happened to the two of them aboard the passenger vessel. The danger and chaos they had endured were enough to make anyone’s heart clench with worry.
At that moment, he found himself understanding the words Guanting had spoken earlier.
When the Shen family traveled outside their home territory, they always had merchants and servants by the dozen, with guards accompanying them—all strong, grown men who had long since grown accustomed to life on the road. But that was entirely different from women and children traveling alone. The two of them had no one to rely on, and every step was difficult. They were also far too conspicuous.
Shen Zhongming took a sheet of stationery from a nearby wooden box, ground the ink, and began to write.
When Shen Guanting received his grandfather’s letter, the fleet of Zhi Yun Trading Company had just docked at a county-town wharf.
The fleet had been traveling south at an unhurried pace, stopping whenever it encountered a dock and entering every market town along the way. The purpose of this Young Master Shen’s apprenticeship could not have been more obvious.
The arrival of such a large trading convoy was a rare opportunity for all the small towns and villages along the route. Farmers and artisans came carrying local specialties, while Zhi Yun Trading Company unloaded some of the unusual goods it had brought from the larger cities. Whenever they stopped, the docks became bustling with activity, and both sides seemed to profit from the lively exchange.
On the second day of the fleet’s stay, the convoy of exiles entered the town as well, once again undergoing the customary parade through the streets for public display.
After several such occasions, neither the guards nor the prisoners felt much of anything anymore. All they hoped for was to finish the procession quickly and reach the outskirts of town, where they could rest their legs, which were nearly numb with exhaustion.
It had been almost half a month since the convoy had set out from Lingzhou. After traveling over mountains and across rivers, enduring wind and sun, the small amount of strength they had managed to build up before departing had long since been worn away.
Once the convoy left the town, it made camp in a barren stretch of land outside the city. In places like these small towns and villages, few wealthy households were willing to provide aid to such a massive group of exiles. There were simply too many people to feed, and most were afraid of inviting trouble. As a result, life grew more difficult with each passing day. Their stores of dry rations had been limited to begin with, and the longer they traveled, the more they consumed.
The camp was hastily put together, with several earthen stoves built up here and there. As usual, the local authorities sent over some millet, mixed beans, and hard, tough flatbreads, but the portions were barely enough to fill half a stomach.
The guards did not give them even a single flatbread. Each person received only a bowl of thin gruel, with so few grains and beans that they could be counted at a glance. They had exhausted themselves walking all day, yet all they had to show for it was a bowl of watery, flavorless gruel. Their empty bellies twisted painfully with hunger.
Madam Liang stirred her bowl with bamboo chopsticks, searching again and again for the few precious grains and beans so she could put them into Gu Qing and Gu Jue’s bowls.
Gu Qing hurriedly raised a hand to shield his own bowl and his younger brother’s, shaking his head. “Mother, eat it yourself.”
“You’re both still growing, while your mother is old. I can’t digest too much anyway.” Madam Liang tried to push Gu Qing’s hand aside as she spoke.
“Mother, we have to take care of our health,” Gu Jue added from beside them. “If we go hungry and suffer until we fall ill on the road, then we’ll truly become a burden.”
Gu Qing lifted his own bowl of thin gruel, clear enough to reflect a face, and drained it in several gulps. Wiping his mouth, he said, “A-Jue is right. I’ll speak with the guards later and see if they’ll let me search around the edge of the nearby woods for something edible.”
Madam Liang looked at the increasingly threadbare, flimsy clothes hanging from her children’s bodies. Her throat tightened, but in the end, she said nothing more and lowered her head to drink the bowl of gruel in silence.
The days were growing colder and harsher. How were they supposed to endure the road ahead?
Elsewhere, Chen Wang returned from the stream carrying a bucket of water. At nineteen, he was the oldest among the children, yet he received no more food than anyone else. After half a month, he had lost an entire layer of flesh. His once-gentle face now showed slightly prominent cheekbones and an increasingly defined jawline. His old clothes hung loosely from his body, making him look painfully gaunt.
When he reached the camp, he saw that his mother, Madam Yang, was quietly using her bamboo chopsticks to transfer the pitiful amount of rice and beans from her own bowl into his.
“Mother.” Chen Wang set down the wooden bucket and gently pressed down on Madam Yang’s wrist. “The road ahead is still long. As long as you’re well, Wang can rest easy.”
“Just look at yourself! I can feel your bones when I touch you. You’ve only just begun to recover. If you collapse again, no amount of gruel will be enough to restore you!” Madam Yang’s voice was filled with worry.
Chen Wang merely gave a soft laugh. “Whether Wang’s health improves or worsens isn’t something a few grains and beans can decide. Things have already come to this. We can only leave it to fate.”
“You…” Old Madam Zhou shook her head and sighed from the side. Turning to Madam Yang, she said, “Wang is right. Don’t concern yourself only with the children. If you, their mother, collapse first, their hearts will be empty too, and they won’t make it far.”
“Yes.” Madam Yang lowered her head and wiped the corners of her eyes.
Everyone endured another night with their stomachs gnawing with hunger.
The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, someone noticed that a large, neat tent had suddenly appeared not far away. It looked strangely familiar.
Before long, a young man dressed in a blue-gray tunic emerged carrying a gong.
Shen Quan struck it several times—clang, clang, clang. His expression was blank, and his voice was equally devoid of emotion, yet it rang out clearly.
“Zhi Yun Trading Company is purchasing goods here. Mountain products, medicinal herbs, and local specialties are all accepted. Payment will be made in cash or millet and polished rice.”
Anyone who did not know better might have thought some traveling peddler had come to buy goods in the countryside.
Hearing the announcement, farmers from the nearby villages gathered in twos and threes, surrounding him and peppering him with questions.
“Will you buy anything from the mountains?”
“It has to be something native to this area. For example, polygonatum, poria, or dogwood fruit. Dried mushrooms and wild chestnuts are fine too.”
“How do you calculate the exchange?”
“Bring it over for inspection. The price will depend on the quality.”
…
Gu Qing only glanced over from a distance before immediately hurrying to one of the guards. In a respectful voice, she said, “Sir, may we go gather some mountain products nearby and exchange them for grain? There are so many people in the convoy. If we can supplement our supplies, it will help conserve the government rations.”
The guard lifted his eyelids. “Fine. Same rules as always. You may only move around the low hill east of the camp. You are not to cross the stream. Only one person may go at a time, your shackles cannot be removed, and you have half an hour.”
“Thank you, sir!”
Gu Qing turned and ran back at once.
Gu Jue’s face lit up as well. Lowering his voice, he said, “Sister, we gathered some medicinal herbs along the way earlier and have kept them with us. I wonder if they’ll accept them.”
“Let’s go ask.”
Gu Qing clenched their shabby cloth bundle and walked with her brother toward Shen Quan.
“Manager, would you take a look and see if these can be exchanged?” Gu Qing asked, opening the bundle directly in front of him.
Shen Quan knew nothing about mountain goods or medicinal herbs. He looked up at the two of them, then lowered his eyes and pretended to examine the contents with great expertise, prodding them a few times.
“Not bad. They’re good quality and have been cleaned carefully. These herbs are fairly rare too. I can give you one dou of rice.”
One dou of rice!
Gu Jue’s eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth rose despite himself. He quickly said, “Thank you, Manager! Thank you!”
Shen Quan waved a hand, signaling the workers to measure out the rice. Before long, a small but heavy sack of rice was placed in Gu Qing’s hands. The solid weight of it made her fingertips tremble slightly.
The siblings hugged the sack tightly and nearly ran all the way back to the corner where their family had settled.
When Madam Liang saw the sack they had brought back, she froze. Then she cast a distant glance toward the tent of Zhi Yun Trading Company. Her eyes reddened, and her lips moved faintly, but in the end, she said nothing.
“Brother Wang.” Gu Jue quietly edged a few steps toward the Chen family’s group. “I remember you also saved up quite a few medicinal herbs. You should hurry and take them over to exchange. If everyone goes later, you may not get such a good price.”
Chen Wang raised a hand and patted him on the shoulder. “Thank you for reminding me, Jue. You’re right. I’ll go now.”
Inside the temporary tent set up by the Zhiyun Trading House, Shen Guanting sealed the reply he had written to his grandfather and set it beside the desk.
His gaze returned to his grandfather’s letter. He picked it up and unfolded it once more.
He skimmed past the old man’s self-satisfied passage:
“That Madam Lin came looking for us of her own accord this time, hoping to join our fleet back to Huzhou. Clearly, when she refused to travel with you before, it was not because she was unwilling to rely on a merchant convoy. She simply had some personal objections to you. Guanting, perhaps you should reflect on yourself. Could it be that this tongue of yours has offended someone again?”
Shen Guanting’s gaze moved down to the passage mentioning Lin Wu’s ordeal aboard the passenger ship. He recalled those calm, steady eyes and fell into thought.
Zhao Sheng was a man from the palace, and one of that consort’s subordinates. A petty thief had boarded the ship and stolen the belongings of both the shipowner and Zhao Sheng—but Zhao Sheng alone had died.
Whether this was merely a coincidence, or whether someone had been secretly maneuvering things from behind the scenes…
Forget it.
Shen Guanting shook his head. Then he took out another sheet of plain paper and dipped his brush in ink.
“On this journey south, I encountered an old acquaintance along the way. Though the trip has been tiring and beset by troubles, thankfully all is well. May the road ahead grow broader.”
When he had finished writing, he set down his brush. Once the ink had dried, he placed the letter in another envelope.
