The two of them had no intention of going back just yet, but from a distance they spotted Chen Hu standing outside the residence with a gloomy look on his face. Unable to enter, he waited at the gate and, when no one was passing by, viciously kicked the doors several times.
At this hour, An Ge’er was the only one in the house. Hearing Chen Hu’s voice, he reported that the master was not home and refused to open the door for him. No matter how Chen Hu cursed and pounded on the gate from outside, An Ge’er remained unmoved.
Chen Hu was so enraged that he nearly went mad, yet there was nothing he could do outside the gate except stew in his impotent fury.
Song Fengsui took Duan Yan by the arm and did not let him go over at once to expose Chen Hu’s embarrassed fit of anger. Instead, he quietly explained a few things to Duan Yan. Only after Chen Hu had calmed down somewhat did the two of them appear within his line of sight.
“Big Brother, where have you been? You’ve kept me waiting! That little fellow in the house is simply lawless—he wouldn’t even open the door! I was frantic with worry and thought something had happened to you.”
The moment Chen Hu caught sight of Duan Yan returning, he immediately put away his vicious expression. His face changed with remarkable speed, turning at once into one of deep concern and nervous worry.
Had they not seen him in advance while hiding nearby, they might truly have believed that he was deeply concerned for Duan Yan.
“I was the one who told An Ge’er to keep the doors shut. The city is in disorder these days, and I was afraid some petty thief might slip in.”
Duan Yan spoke in an unhurried manner. “Why have you come here?”
“Yesterday… I failed to handle the matter at Yan’er Village properly…”
Chen Hu lowered his head in feigned dejection. “The old master was furious and refused to give us even a single grain of rice. He cursed Big Brother terribly as well… I tried to persuade him, but that only made him angrier. He ordered the men from the estate to give the few of us a thorough beating.”
With that, he raised his head, making sure Duan Yan saw the injury on his forehead.
Song Fengsui remained silent, standing elegantly to one side as he watched the fool’s performance with cold eyes. This wretch certainly had a few tricks up his sleeve—he was nearly as skilled as someone from the inner household. No wonder he had managed to keep Duan Yan utterly under his thumb in the past.
After losing the storeroom key yesterday, Chen Hu must have been seething with resentment. Yet he had endured it until now before coming over. Even after seeing Duan Yan, he did not rush to ask a single word about the storeroom. Instead, he first admitted his fault and accepted punishment for failing to complete the task Duan Yan had assigned him.
After putting on such a performance, he had not only presented himself as a loyal man who had suffered injuries while wholeheartedly working for Duan Yan, but had also made it seem as though the brothers were truly close and had no reason to be concerned over something as “minor” as the storeroom key.
With all these calculations, it was little wonder that a straightforward, rough man would be deeply moved and consider him exceptionally good and reliable.
In truth, he had failed to carry out the assigned task properly and had taken the opportunity to drive a wedge between father and son.
If he had truly been utterly loyal, why would he have made a father and son turn against each other? Even if he could not persuade them, he should at least have kept his mouth shut.
It was fortunate that Duan Yan had learned his lesson the hard way. Otherwise, no matter how others tried to warn him, he would never have listened—and would instead have continued taking Chen Hu’s side.
“The sun is hot enough to kill a man. Who wants to stand here like a post listening to you ramble?”
Song Fengsui frowned and complained to Duan Yan. Then, with an air of utter imperiousness, he added, “In a moment, bring the medicine chest into the room for me. And wash those peaches with well water, peel them, remove the pits, cut them into pieces, and bring them inside as well.”
“Make it quick.”
“Of course. Go back inside and rest. I’ll be there shortly.”
Before Song Fengsui could call out for someone to open the gate, An Ge’er—who had been pressed against it, listening for movement outside—heard the voices of Duan Yan and Song Fengsui and immediately opened the door to welcome them in.
Song Fengsui did not even spare Chen Hu a proper glance. He simply swaggered into the residence.
Chen Hu stared blankly as Song Fengsui ordered Duan Yan around like a dog, behaving every inch like a local emperor. Yet Duan Yan remained perfectly agreeable, cheerfully arranging this and that to serve him. If he had truly been a dog, his tail would probably have been wagging hard enough to fan someone with a breeze.
Chen Hu had originally been somewhat skeptical about the matter of Song Fengsui splitting the lock and opening the warehouse the previous day. But seeing this, he realized that not a single word of it had been exaggerated.
Just thinking about how Song Fengsui had brazenly forced him to split the lock and open the warehouse in exchange for a new key yesterday made Chen Hu grit his teeth with anger. But seeing how indulgent Duan Yan was toward him, and how he never left Song Fengsui’s side, Chen Hu knew that he could not do anything to him for the time being.
And that gatekeeper, too! The little fellow had clearly been standing right by the main gate the entire time, yet had pretended to be deaf and ignored Chen Hu no matter how long he shouted.
Suppressing the anger boiling in his stomach, Chen Hu put on a calm expression. “Big Brother, where did you go before coming back?”
Chen Hu’s ears pricked up when he heard something about a medicine chest. Turning his head, he saw the box tucked beneath Duan Yan’s arm.
“I haven’t had a chance to tell you yet. Little Song says he knows how to treat illnesses, so yesterday I brought him all the medicines from the warehouse to work with. This morning, I accompanied him out to buy gauze, surgical scissors, silver needles, and the like.”
A smile hung at the corners of Duan Yan’s eyes. “He’s happy, so I’m happy.”
Looking at the foolish, lovestruck expression on his face—if anything, even more ridiculous than the way he had once doted on He-ge—Chen Hu found him utterly hopeless.
Still, when he heard that Song Fengsui knew medicine, his heart tightened. After all, when Chen Hu had gone to the estate to ask for help, Song Fengsui had requested medicinal herbs to treat his grandfather and had even shamelessly claimed that he could cure the epidemic.
If Chen Hu had believed such nonsense, he would never have risen to his current position. Naturally, he had ignored Song Fengsui and taken the medicine for his own use.
Now, seeing Duan Yan looking so full of energy, Chen Hu cautiously sounded him out. “Big Brother, is Song really that skilled at medicine?”
“Who knows about him? In any case, I’ve never heard of some young master from a wealthy, noble family—someone who’s never had to worry about food or clothing—learning how to treat illnesses. Since he likes tinkering with it, just let him tinker. That way, he won’t make a fuss about going back to his village and cause me more trouble.”
Duan Yan spoke with complete indifference. Then he looked at Chen Hu and said, “Do you have anything else? If not, go back to the shop. I need to wash these peaches and take them to him, or he’ll throw another fit in a little while.”
“……”
Chen Hu fell silent for a moment. But when he saw how utterly beyond saving Duan Yan was, his heart relaxed considerably. He had been about to mention what was happening over at Liu Village, but swallowed the words instead.
Since his big brother had devoted himself entirely to a young master and clearly had no attention left to spare for his brothers or his businesses, there was no need to tell him about it.
“Then I won’t trouble you any longer, Big Brother. Before I go, I’ll offer one more word of advice. I know you think highly of Song, but you should still keep your wits about you. Don’t let him make a fool of you—”
“Men from prestigious households like these have the most schemes of all. Sometimes they put on an obedient front, while secretly stirring up trouble and waiting for a chance to retaliate.”
Duan Yan lifted his eyes and glanced at Chen Hu, his expression unreadable. This fellow certainly knew how to sow discord.
He showed a hint of displeasure, while otherwise appearing to accept Chen Hu’s good intentions. “I understand.”
Only then did Chen Hu take his leave.
Once he had left the alley where the Duan residence stood and reached the main street, Biaozi came to meet him.
Biaozi and Hanzi had both been brought under Duan Yan’s command by Chen Hu, and were, in truth, his men.
“Brother Hu, did you get the storeroom key back?”
“I didn’t bring it up.”
“But without the key, how are we supposed to sell the grain while things are in such turmoil?” Biaozi asked.
“What’s the rush? The epidemic is growing worse by the day, the villages are in complete disarray, and the town overseer is so anxious that he’s practically breaking out in blisters. The longer this goes on, the more valuable the grain will become.”
Chen Hu said, “It’s better to let him keep the key for now. Once he’s dead, that will be the perfect time to open the storeroom. If I ask him for it now, I might arouse his suspicions. These are troubled times—we need to be cautious.”
“Brother Hu really has thought this through,” Biaozi said.
“What are we going to do about Liucun Manor?” Biaozi continued. “Word has come that three or four people there have already collapsed. Everyone’s frightened and counting on Brother Hu to come up with a solution.”
Chen Hu furrowed his brows, annoyed. “I’m not a physician. What can I do? Even that barefoot doctor, Old Hu, hasn’t managed to come up with a prescription for the epidemic. Do you expect me to conjure up some medicine that will cure them?”
“They have food and drink at the manor. What are they panicking about? They want to come out, but never mind that Qian Laosan has already taken men there to help the constables guard the village—the security is tight, and we can’t get anyone out. Even if we could, once they left, who would watch over the manor? And if those wretched commoners raided the grain inside, who would take responsibility?”
Biaozi fell silent for a while, but still couldn’t bear not to speak up for the people at the estate. “The epidemic really does kill people. It’s only natural for those at the manor to be frightened and worried… If they all truly become infected and die, won’t we be losing a great many hands?”
Yet Chen Hu merely sneered. “Once Duan Yan goes down, won’t there be plenty of properties and workers left? The Ironworks, Tianshui Manor, even the estate in Yan’er Village. If you and I rush off to worry about Liucun and end up catching the disease ourselves, then we really will be left without a way out!”
Seeing his attitude, Biaozi felt a chill in his heart. “Then what should we tell the brothers at the manor?”
“You fool. Just tell them I’m working on a solution and that they shouldn’t panic. Tell them to guard the manor properly.”
His eyes shifted, and he added, “You should also mention that I went to great lengths to gather the medicinal herbs that are in short supply. I was going to find a way to send them in, but their good master took them all away to curry favor with that Song fellow.”
Biaozi acknowledged this with a grunt.
Chen Hu glanced back toward the Duan residence. Although he felt that his probing had been entirely one-sided and believed Duan Yan still knew nothing about the poisoning, he couldn’t be certain.
After all, with a mind no sharper than Tie Da’s or Tie Er’s, Duan Yan could never have spoken with him so calmly if he knew the truth.
Still, to avoid complications later, it would be best to finish him off as soon as possible.
“Song Fengsui, that ger... Just wait until he falls into my hands and see whether he can still be as smug as he was today!”
Duan Yan had just stepped into the residence when he nearly ran straight into Song Fengsui, who was standing behind the door with his hands clasped behind his back.
He relaxed his stiff expression and waved his hands hurriedly. “Don’t make me act out that ‘king lighting beacon fires for a beauty’ scene again. My face is practically frozen from all that grinning. I wonder whether that boy even believed me...”
Song Fengsui lowered his eyes and gave a soft laugh. He thought to himself that when Duan Yan had not been told to put on an act, his genuine feelings had come across even more convincingly than any performance. Yet now that he had actually been asked to act, he had started complaining.
He arched his brows. “Wasn’t having someone blinded by beauty convincing enough?”
At that, Duan Yan glanced at Song Fengsui and cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. It was true—there was hardly anyone else who could have made the act more convincing.
Seeing that Duan Yan looked embarrassed at being seen through, Song Fengsui found it rather amusing and continued, “You complain that acting blinded by beauty is difficult, as though it were any easier for me to act spoiled and imperious. From the looks of it, you really do think I’m the sort of person with that kind of temper.”
“I really don’t.”
Seeing that Song Fengsui had seized on the matter again, Duan Yan hurriedly said, “I only said those things to Chen Hu just now because you wanted me to. Even if you weren’t acting, I wouldn’t consider you ill-tempered.”
Song Fengsui saw that if he said much more, Duan Yan would probably become flustered. He let the matter drop. “I’ll take your word for it—for now.”
“All right, all right. You’ve been out seeing patients and walking around for quite a while. Go back to your room and rest. I’ll wash the peaches and bring them to you.”
“You’re really going to wash them?”
Song Fengsui’s eyes fell on the basket in Duan Yan’s hand.
“They’re fresh. Since I brought them all the way back, I can’t very well throw them away.”
Song Fengsui pressed his lips together. Duan Yan really did have a talent for talking about one thing while answering another.
He gave a quiet assent and turned back to his room first.
About an hour later, Song Fengsui was eating fruit on the cool couch in his room when he heard An Ge’er say that Gou San’er had returned. He quickly set down the fork and spoon he had been using to eat peach slices and went over to Duan Yan.
“Perhaps the constables were lax in their watch earlier, and someone managed to enter or leave the village. Several cases of the epidemic have now appeared in the surrounding villages as well.
“The town inspector has set up camp in the countryside with several physicians. They’ve handed out quite a few prescriptions for the infected farmers, but so far, none of them has shown any effect. Things were already urgent enough, and now the neighboring villages have started breaking out as well. Naturally, the officials are even more furious.”
Gou San’er said helplessly, “The town office doesn’t have enough men, so Magistrate Kong assigned Qian Saner to take people along and help seal off the villages, tightening the watch.”
Hearing this, Song Fengsui immediately asked, “You mean no one can enter the village now?!”
Gou San’er wiped the sweat from his brow and patiently explained to Song Fengsui, “If they had merely increased the guards, and those guards were still government men, there might have been room for negotiation. Unfortunately, Qian Saner is the one helping handle the matter.”
Song Fengsui was puzzled. “What sort of person is this Qian Saner?”
Gou San’er found it difficult to say and could only look toward Duan Yan.
“He’s a butcher, but he’s taken control of the meat trade throughout this area of Yanzhen and has quite a few connections and tricks up his sleeve. He and I were originally from the same hometown, but now... we’re rivals.”
Duan Yan did not hide the truth from him.
Song Fengsui understood a little more and asked, “Just how far has this rivalry gone?”
Duan Yan cleared his throat. “There’s quite a history between us. Xiaoyaner Village has two wealthy families—one surnamed Duan and the other Qian. Ever since our grandfathers’ generation, the two families have been openly and covertly vying for the position of village chief.
“There’s no need to say much about those two households. As for my family and Qian Saner’s, my father was injured and had to step down from his post, and the position ended up in their hands. Our ancestors had been secretly competing with each other for years, so Qian Saner and I grew up immersed in that rivalry. Since childhood, we’ve both wished nothing more than to see the other suffer.”
As he spoke, Duan Yan added, “And Ji He, who grew up with us in the village, married him.”
Song Fengsui had been deep in thought, but at those words, he suddenly lifted his eyes.
He glanced at Duan Yan, thinking that this truly was a bitter grudge.
Duan Yan continued, “In other words, even if I were willing to swallow my pride and ask him for a favor, his sarcasm and ridicule would be the least of it. He might seize on our vulnerability and refuse to let go, making matters even worse.”
After all, Qian Saner was no good man. He had taken advantage of the chaos caused by the epidemic to raise the price of meat and profit from it. It was entirely possible that he would do something like this.
Song Fengsui understood Duan Yan’s predicament and softened his voice. “I was only asking. I’m not trying to force you to go to him for help. Circumstances have changed, and that isn’t something anyone can control.”
“Given the situation, it may be easier if I find another way without using your name.”
“No.” Alarm bells went off in Duan Yan’s mind. He was afraid Song Fengsui would act alone and end up like a lamb in someone else’s hands. Since they had agreed to help each other, he naturally had to keep him safe. “Don’t rush. I’ll definitely find a way to get you back home. If you can’t return openly by the proper route, we’ll just have to spend more effort trying the smaller paths. The countryside isn’t like the towns, with walls and gates built around it. It’s not as easy to seal off, and there will always be gaps.”
“After nightfall, I’ll go scout out one of those paths.”
At once, Song Fengsui said, “I’ll go with you!”
“The paths through the hills and wilderness are difficult enough to walk in daylight, let alone at night, when snakes, insects, rats, and ants are everywhere. How could you go in your condition?”
Duan Yan’s brows drew tightly together. “Besides, I don’t even know whether the path I’m familiar with has been cut off as well. I can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to enter the village tonight.”
There was a coaxing note in his voice. “Once I’ve found a route and checked that it’s passable, I’ll come right back for you. I won’t keep you waiting long.”
“I know I’m much weaker than you. If I go along, I may only hinder you.”
Song Fengsui said, “But if I go with you now, and there is a passable route, we can get in tonight. If we wait for you to find a way and then come back for me, not only will you have to make the trip twice, but the route might be blocked in the meantime.”
“I’ve already spent some time in the countryside, so I know there are plenty of insects and snakes on the paths during the summer months. Before we leave, I’ll prepare some packets of medicine to repel snakes and ward off insects. They’ll be useful to you as well.”
Gou San’er was silent for a while. Taking advantage of the lull in Duan Yan’s silence, he finally said, “Boss, what Young Master Song said isn’t wrong. If the epidemic continues without being resolved, the village’s guards will only become stricter. The sooner we get inside, the better.”
Hearing this, Duan Yan glanced again at Song Fengsui, who was clearly determined to go with them no matter what, and let out a faint sigh. In the end, he could only agree.
Now that they had decided to search for a way in after nightfall, Song Fengsui hurriedly took the prepared medicinal ingredients and basic medical supplies from his medicine chest and packed them into a convenient bundle.
He also selected several more herbs. One portion was to be boiled together with the water An Ge’er would heat later, to be used for bathing. The herbs would drive away insects and snakes, “marinating” his body in their scent and forming a protective barrier. Another herb was meant to be decocted and taken orally, as a precaution against the epidemic.
Although they would be acting at night, once all the various odds and ends had been taken care of, the sky soon darkened.
An Ge’er came into the room and asked, “Madam Li has returned to the residence. She told Young Master Xie that she found the medicine, and the child is already much better after taking it. She’s asking what you would like to have for dinner tonight.”
“It’s good that the child is all right.”
Song Fengsui was happy to hear that the medicine had been found and the child’s condition had eased. Thinking of dinner, he did not have much of an appetite at present, but they still had important business to attend to that night, so he had to eat at least a little.
After a pause, he said, “There should still be plenty of food left from lunch. Tell Madam Li not to trouble herself—just heat it up and serve it.”
If everything went smoothly, once he returned to the village, he probably would not have another chance to eat food prepared by Duan Yan.
The thought left him faintly melancholy.
Perhaps it really was difficult to find two cooks whose skills suited his taste so perfectly…
An Ge’er knew that the midday meal had been made by Duan Yan. Hearing Song Fengsui’s instructions, he pressed his lips together with a smile and left.
Later, it was Duan Yan who carried the meal in.
“Have you finished packing?”
“Mm.”
Song Fengsui pointed at the bundle. Duan Yan set down the tray, then went over and lifted it. It was surprisingly light.
“I didn’t pack much.”
Song Fengsui finished speaking and turned to look at the bowl of small wontons on the table. “Didn’t I ask An Ge’er to heat up the dishes left from lunch? Why did you make this as well?”
“You’re not well. You should eat something fresh whenever possible.”
Looking at the arm that was still wrapped in bandages, Duan Yan could hardly bear to let him go out to handle business after eating only a few bites of leftovers. “Don’t just make do because you have something to do. It’s precisely because you have important business that you need to eat properly.”
Song Fengsui pursed his lips. Something fresh that didn’t suit his taste was still inferior to leftovers he actually liked~
But thinking of the important task they would be carrying out later, he said nothing and obediently sat down beside the table.
He picked up a spoon and scooped a plump, round wonton into his mouth. The little wontons gave off hardly any aroma, but once they entered his mouth, their wrappers proved thin and smooth, while the filling was fresh and firm.
Song Fengsui’s eyes widened slightly. He turned his head toward Duan Yan. “You made these?”
Duan Yan did not deny it, but then, remembering certain matters, he immediately explained warily, “You don’t care for Madam Li’s cooking. If she made them, she probably would have tried to brush you off again.”
“If you’re not going to eat, then get out. Not only will your body fail to take it, but if you can even find your way back to the village tonight, your family will see how poorly you look and might think I mistreated you........”
He was perceptive by nature. He figured that this was meant to criticize him for being picky, frail, and constantly causing trouble. Surely, if he thought Duan Yan disliked him, he wouldn’t read too much into it.
Song Fengsui’s heart warmed at those words. Duan Yan really had thought everything through, and he was kindhearted as well. Though he knew Song Fengsui was picky, weak, and prone to making a fuss, he still humored him in every way. He even worried that Song Fengsui’s family might become concerned if they saw him looking unwell.
Song Fengsui lowered his head and finished the small wontons one bite at a time, drinking some of the broth as well before finally stopping.
Though he could not return Duan Yan’s feelings, eating all the food Duan Yan had made could at least be considered a way of not letting his efforts go to waste.
~
Night fell, and the moon emerged in the sky. Two figures dressed in dark clothing slipped out of the town under cover of darkness, taking a winding path toward Liucun.
It was a summer night, with a bright moon and sparse stars. Even without deliberately lighting the way, one could still see the road clearly enough.
Duan Yan was well versed in traveling by night. He quietly led Song Fengsui to the vicinity of Liucun, but from a distance, they could already see the village glowing red with firelight. The people standing guard around its outskirts had actually lit torches to keep watch over the village.
As a result, the road—which had already been faintly illuminated by the moonlight—was made even brighter by the torches.
Duan Yan’s brows drew tightly together. It seemed the epidemic really was in a dire state. Otherwise, why would they light so many fires on a dry summer night? A moment’s carelessness could easily start a blaze, and the consequences would be disastrous.
“They’re guarding the village so tightly. Can we really get inside?”
Song Fengsui had been walking for quite some time and was breathing slightly hard. Seeing the firelight in the distance, he couldn’t help feeling worried.
“Don’t rush. Let’s scout the area first.”
Duan Yan reassured him, then led Song Fengsui toward a narrow path he remembered. It was a trail used by hunters in the mountains. During the slack seasons, the original owner would occasionally call for able-bodied men to go hunting in the hills, and that was how he had learned of this hidden route into the village.
The path strayed far from the main road into the village, with weeds growing everywhere. Duan Yan moved soundlessly at the front, not even disturbing the tall grasses, so naturally there was no danger of exposing them.
Yet the farther he went, the more something felt wrong. This path was already an extremely secluded one, and apart from the more seasoned locals, hardly anyone in the village knew about it.
Few people knew of it, which meant there should have been very few signs of anyone passing through. But with his keen powers of observation, Duan Yan noticed that something was off. Every so often, he spotted broken branches and snapped stalks of grass, and the traces became more numerous the deeper they went.
Most peculiar of all, the signs of trampling appeared to have been deliberately restored afterward.
Song Fengsui, following behind, had been concentrating entirely on stepping in Duan Yan’s footprints. When the man in front suddenly stopped, Song Fengsui failed to notice and crashed headfirst into Duan Yan’s solid back with a muffled thud, leaving the tip of his nose aching.
Before he could even raise a hand to rub it, a sudden rustling sound came from nearby. Three or four figures abruptly sprang out of the grass.
“Hahaha! Tianzi, that trick of yours really is the best. Look—we’ve caught another pair of fat pigs!”
