The next morning, when Song Fengsui woke, his whole body felt like a lump of paste.
He opened his eyes and stared blankly. It took a long while for the dazed look in them to gather into something resembling clarity before he could barely remember where he was. Yet as his senses, sealed away in deep sleep, gradually awakened with him, he discovered that waking up was anything but pleasant.
His arms, chest, waist, abdomen, and legs all seemed to possess a startlingly vivid existence of their own. The slightest movement brought such an ache that he felt as though he had swallowed an entire jar of vinegar. His body could hardly shift at all. His arms and legs were slender, without even two ounces of flesh on them, yet after one night they felt as heavy as a thousand catties.
After struggling several times without managing to get up, he simply lay flat on the bed, staring blankly at the canopy overhead and beginning to question his entire existence.
People always boasted that marriage and intimacy, the wedding night by candlelight, were joys worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. But after actually experiencing it, he discovered that it was…
Song Fengsui pursed his lips, though he could not exactly condemn the whole thing as nothing but suffering. It simply had not been as beautiful as people claimed.
He had always been honest with himself and never lied to deceive his own heart. The truth was merely that the experience was not quite so wonderful as people made it sound.
…Well, there had been some enjoyable parts. If he had not gone through it, he would never have known that Duan Yan—cough, more accurately, his husband—had such strength in that well-proportioned, muscular waist.
Song Fengsui’s face flushed.
When the moment had truly arrived, it had not hurt as much as the dream that had frightened him before. Precisely because of that, however, it had been all too easy to draw him into a rise and fall of pleasure, until neither of them had shown any restraint.
He did not even know when he had fallen asleep the previous night. His body was uncomfortable now, but it also felt clean and refreshed; he knew someone had taken care of the cleaning afterward. Yet he had always been a light sleeper, and he had not noticed when Duan Yan had cleaned him.
Who could have expected that all the discomfort would only emerge afterward?
Duan Yan entered the room carrying breakfast, evidently intending to check whether Song Fengsui had awakened. He reached out and lifted one corner of the bed curtain, leaving a narrow gap.
At once, his eyes met a pair of clear, lucid ones.
Song Fengsui had heard him come in long ago, but he had made no sound. He continued lying flat, merely turning his head in advance as he waited for Duan Yan to look at him.
“Awake?”
The person on the bed only gave a slight nod, looking very much like someone who was awake but utterly incapable of getting up.
Duan Yan found him unbearably adorable, though the three parts of reproach and two parts of guilt plainly visible in those phoenix eyes made him feel somewhat sheepish.
He bent down, slipped one arm around Song Fengsui’s shoulders and the other around his waist, and gently helped him sit up.
Song Fengsui seemed to melt into a soft lump of dough. He collapsed against Duan Yan and refused to move away.
But when his arms wrapped around Duan Yan’s neck and their chests and abdomens pressed together, a certain scene suddenly flashed through his mind.
The tips of his ears grew hot. He loosened his hold a little and murmured beside Duan Yan’s ear, “You brute.”
Duan Yan’s brows twitched. Turning his head to look at the young man draped over his shoulder, he readily admitted his fault.
“It was my first time, and I was too rough. That was my fault.”
“I’ll get some ointment later and help ease the soreness.”
Seeing that he had a good attitude, Song Fengsui did not continue settling accounts with him. He merely poked Duan Yan lightly on the tip of the nose. “For the next three to five days, there’s to be none of that.”
Duan Yan’s eyelids flickered. He neither agreed nor refused. Instead, he carried Song Fengsui over to the soft couch and washed his hands and face for him.
“After breakfast, the two of us should still go offer tea to Father and Mother. Once that’s done, we won’t do anything else today. We’ll stay home and rest properly.”
Song Fengsui glanced toward the window. The sky outside was already bright, clearly not just moments past dawn.
The sun had not yet appeared, but the rain had stopped as well. It was impossible to tell exactly what time it was.
Although he knew his parents-in-law were kind and easygoing people, the proper courtesies still had to be observed.
He hurriedly nodded and cooperated with Duan Yan as they washed and dressed. After eating a little bland breakfast, he braced his aching, weak body and went with Duan Yan to Old Man Duan’s side of the house.
The banquet held in town the day before had been organized with the help of Old Man Duan and Old Madam Duan, who had naturally stayed at the residence that night.
Early that morning, the servants had carried water to their room. Even from outside beneath the eaves, one could hear Old Man Duan humming a tune. The joy of celebrating the wedding had yet to fade.
After the older couple finished breakfast, they sat in their room chatting and did not hurry Duan Yan and Song Fengsui along.
Only when a servant reported that the newlyweds had arrived did they call for tea to be prepared.
“Father, Mother, please have some tea.”
Seeing the older couple’s glowing faces, Song Fengsui’s expression softened further. He followed the proper ritual and offered them the tea.
Old Man Duan repeatedly cried, “Good, good!” as he looked over the newlyweds. The handsome young man and beautiful young man were perfectly matched, a sight that truly pleased him.
His own son was one of the finest young men in the village, and already a handsome fellow. Yet today, no matter how he looked at him, Old Man Duan felt that Duan Yan seemed even more handsome than before. He simply could not say what exactly was different.
After pondering it secretly, Old Man Duan decided that the boy must have gained a married man’s air.
Old Madam Duan accepted the tea and placed a jade bracelet in Song Fengsui’s hand. Patting his hand, she said, “Seeing that you two good children have finally become husband and wife, your father and I can finally set aside one of the worries weighing on our hearts.”
“Though the times are troubled, now that you’re married, some things should still proceed as they ought to.”
Old Man Duan covertly urged them to have a child. In the past, he had waited too long before having a child himself and had suffered because of it, ending up with only one son. Life was better now, so there was no need to dwell on those unpleasant matters.
Duan Yan picked up the conversation. “That will depend on fate. We can’t force the issue. If such a fate comes to us, we’ll naturally cherish it dearly. If it doesn’t, there’s no use insisting.”
Old Man Duan cast him a sidelong glance. The young man was as strong as an ox and in the prime of life—how could he possibly lack that kind of fate?
Still, the two had only just married and were enjoying their happiness. There was no reason to start quarreling over the matter.
“As long as you know what you’re doing.”
After saying that, Old Man Duan and Old Madam Duan appeared to shoo them away, but in truth they were being considerate, giving the young couple the freedom to spend the day as they pleased.
“Everything is good now. If only these troubled times could end sooner, that would be even better.”
Old Man Duan sighed amid his happiness.
He gazed outside at the clouds parting and the sky growing ever brighter. Yet instead of the ease that usually followed a clearing rain, an indistinct restlessness stirred in him.
It was the keen instinct of an old farmer who had relied on the land for his entire life.
After the wedding rain in the latter part of early April, it was as though the heavens had driven away every cloud capable of producing rain. Clear skies continued for many days.
People said that in Qianzhou, the land was so uneven that there were not three level feet in all the region, and the sky never stayed clear for three days. Yet this year was strange—the rainfall had been scarce.
At first, the people living in the area were delighted. The mountains and fields were damp and miserable on rainy days, and neither working nor playing was convenient. The rain dragged on for so long that it seemed as though half the year was spent soaked in humidity, leaving people feeling as if they might grow mold.
With clear weather, the crops could bask in the sunlight and grow sturdy. Setting aside everything else, even simply relaxing in such weather was comfortable.
But when the fine weather lasted too long without rain, the sun grew harsher with each passing day, until people could only cry out that they could no longer endure it.
“Good heavens, it’s only May—how can it be this hot? If I weren’t counting the days on my fingers, I’d swear we were already in the dog days. This time last year, I still had to wear a vest against my chest in the mornings and evenings. Yet this year, at the same time of year, I don’t even feel cool wearing a summer shirt.”
“Who can say otherwise? The weather’s as if Heaven knocked over a brazier and couldn’t be bothered to clean it up.”
The farmers pulling weeds from the fields chattered among themselves about this year’s weather.
“The days are clear, and the nights bring no rain either. It’s our crops that are suffering.”
They had waited and waited, but no rain came. The seedlings could not survive without water, and the farmers could not simply stand by helplessly. They had no choice but to wait until the sun went down, then carry water from the river at night to irrigate the fields. That kept the seedlings alive, but it added a great deal to their workload.
The farmers were full of complaints. The world was in disorder, and the yamen was imposing heavy levies and corvée labor. Apart from those conscripted into the army, the remaining able-bodied men in each household had to take turns going to the town to work on the defenses.
The town wall had already been completed, but a drill ground was now being built inside it, while the defenses around the outer settlements still had to be strengthened. Lord Song had ordered trenches dug, with sharpened stakes installed at the bottom to prevent enemy cavalry from attacking the town.
The people inside and outside the town understood that these measures were for everyone’s protection, and they cooperated, taking turns going into town to perform the hard labor.
But this month, the weather was sweltering and farm work was especially demanding. Since they could barely keep up with their regular work, it was inevitable that some resentment would build.
That was why Duan Yan had summoned the headmen from all the villages for a meeting. When the headmen heard the yamen’s latest plans, every one of them wore a troubled expression.
They all felt the work was unnecessary and did not want to do it. Yet, intimidated by Duan Yan’s authority, none dared speak. They sat in sullen silence, which was even more aggravating than open opposition.
When Duan Yan asked again, “Does anyone have any objections? If not, we’ll arrange everything accordingly,”
it was Old Man Qian who finally spoke. His Third Son Qian had earned some favor at the yamen, giving him more standing than the other headmen and allowing him to be bolder. Seeing everyone else wearing gloomy faces and refusing to speak, he decided to become the “bird that sticks its head out.”
“It’s certainly a good thing for the yamen to begin clearing the waterways and use waterwheels to irrigate the crops,” he said. “But when you calculate it all out, this project won’t be any smaller than building walls and digging trenches, will it?”
“For so many years, folks around here haven’t had any habit of using waterwheels. The area around Rock Town has never lacked summer rain.”
Old Man Qian continued, “We aren’t deliberately refusing to obey the yamen’s arrangements, but manpower is tight right now, and the yamen knows that perfectly well. There are few people in the whole town and too many things to be done. We only have so many able-bodied men. If we’re also expected to clear waterways and build waterwheels, I’m afraid we won’t be able to get anyone to do it.”
The other headmen nodded repeatedly and chimed in.
“That’s exactly right. The weather’s hot, and the villagers are already on edge. If things turn ugly, it won’t end well.”
Their meaning was simple: Rock Town had never suffered from a lack of rain, and forcing people to undertake such projects during the busy farming season was truly unnecessary.
Clearing waterways and building waterwheels was not like repairing walls and constructing fortifications. Those were things that absolutely had to be done in troubled times. The farmers were willing to endure any hardship for them. But if something was not especially urgent, why waste the effort?
Duan Yan’s brows drew together. He was constantly traveling between the countryside and the town, so he naturally understood how busy the villages were with farm work.
If he had had a choice, he would never have pushed people so hard while asking them to take on yet another construction project.
When unrest had begun the previous year, the townspeople had worked day and night to build the defenses. Although the work was not yet completely finished, the fortifications were already capable of providing substantial protection.
Duan Yan had also wanted to complete the defenses properly before slowly making plans to develop the villages and countryside. But Heaven had not given them even a moment to catch their breath. Since the beginning of spring, the weather had already begun behaving strangely.
Disaster did not usually arrive all at once. More often, it came gradually—like boiling a frog in warm water. A series of small abnormalities would eventually turn into a great calamity.
If they did not make arrangements early, then by the time the saying “no three clear days in a row” had turned into “no three rainy days in a row,” it would already be too late to make amends.
Duan Yan went straight to the heart of the matter.
“Everyone knows how heavy the farm work is this year. You also know that it isn’t only the disorder in the world making things difficult. The town’s need for labor to build its defenses has taken away many hands as well. Since early April, when we had that heavy rain, have any of you seen another decent rainfall in the past twenty-odd days?
“It’s been nearly a month. There have been only two light showers, each lasting less than half an hour. They stopped before the fields were even properly moistened. The crops can only be watered by carrying buckets, and that is precisely why the farm work has increased so much. If we had waterwheels, would the farmers in the villages be frantic now?”
Old Man Qian was silenced by Duan Yan’s retort and had no answer for a while.
Headman Qiao cast a covert glance at Old Man Qian. Seeing that the latter had fallen silent, he lowered his voice and said, “Seeing strange weather once every three or five years is nothing unusual. The rain has been scarce lately, and having waterwheels would indeed ease the burden.
“But even looking back over the past several decades, there hasn’t been a single year when we truly lacked water. This year only looks poor for the moment. No one knows what the rest of the season will bring.
“To summon so many people for such a massive project at the slightest sign of trouble…”
Headman Qiao muttered, “The villagers could say all sorts of unpleasant things.”
“Headman Qiao is an elder who has weathered many storms,” Duan Yan said. “I’ll mention a few signs I’ve observed, and you can judge whether the rest of this year looks promising.”
He continued, “Everyone has eyes and can see that we’ve had this long stretch of rainless sunshine, so I won’t dwell on it.
“Recently, while repairing the trenches, the militia went into the mountains to cut bamboo and timber for sharpened stakes as part of their training. Once they reached the hills, they found entire patches of young mountain bamboo flowering. In the forest, mist lay over the low ground and refused to disperse. It had turned gray, and the air carried a bitter, earthy stench.”
“I didn’t let the militiamen spread these things around indiscriminately. The people are already uneasy because of the troubled times, and I was afraid it would cause a panic.”
The headmen’s expressions tightened. They were all old farmers and knew that bamboo and trees flowering out of season were not a good sign. They rarely went into the mountains and had known nothing about what was happening there.
Even in the villages, though, they had noticed that ants and rats were scurrying about much more actively than in previous years.
Still, they had not taken it too seriously. These were merely small, unpleasant omens. People said that if you believed in such things, they existed; if you did not, they did not.
But after hearing about the conditions in the mountains, they could not help feeling somewhat uneasy.
Duan Yan said, “The yamen didn’t come up with this plan on a whim, nor are we trying to make everyone do thankless work just to pad our achievements. To put it bluntly, in these times, there isn’t even an opportunity for official inspections anymore. The yamen has no reason to beg everyone to undertake something so exhausting and unpopular.”
His words caused the headmen to waver. If a natural disaster came and they had not prepared in advance, then even if they built the town wall into a fortress of solid bronze, it would all be useless if there was no food inside when war raged beyond it.
After a long silence, Old Man Qian finally spoke again.
“Very well. We’ll follow the yamen’s arrangements and go back to inform every household first. But if the villagers grow resentful and refuse to do the work, the yamen will have to lend us a hand and help us think of a solution.”
They did not have the ability to persuade an entire village of exhausted farmers to take on yet another round of hard labor. There would be no wages, after all, and the project might not even prove useful in the future.
Duan Yan had gotten the headmen to agree for the time being. Though they were clearly reluctant, he still said, “When the time comes, the town’s corvée duties will be reduced, and the people serving in the town will be assigned to assist with clearing the channels and setting up the waterwheel. Make sure you inform everyone properly first. If that still doesn’t work, the yamen will think of another solution.”
After the meeting dispersed, Duan Yan composed himself and went to see Song Xuemu. He had already discussed the matter of digging channels, diverting water, and preventing drought with Second Uncle Song beforehand, but the planning of the project would still have to rely on Song Xuemu.
Second Uncle Song was bent over his desk. The long writing table was covered with blueprints, every one of them densely marked. Anyone could tell at a glance how much effort had gone into them.
When Song Xuemu saw Duan Yan arrive, he paused his brushwork and rotated his already stiff, aching wrist. Even his eyes were a little blurred from exhaustion as he looked up. “You’re here. How are things below?”
“The headmen have agreed for now, but whether we can push it through smoothly remains to be seen.”
Song Xuemu nodded. “Don’t be in a hurry. Matters have to be handled one at a time.”
With that, he beckoned Duan Yan over. “Come and take a look. Besides connecting the existing channels in the town, I’m planning to open another underground channel and bring water over from the mountains. If a real drought strikes, the water from the villages alone probably won’t be enough.”
Duan Yan studied the extraordinarily detailed blueprints, his heart filled with complicated emotions.
He had merely mentioned once to Second Uncle Song that the weather was unfavorable and that water-control projects should be built to guard against drought. Song Xuemu had immediately begun drawing up the plans without pressing him for any further explanation.
“Let’s do as you say, Second Uncle.”
Once they had finished discussing official business, Duan Yan invited Song Xuemu to come to the residence for a meal after work.
“Third Son Qian said one of the oxen on his estate had accidentally fallen and died, and he’s giving me half a side of beef. I’ll go back first and cook a few dishes for this evening. You’ve spent quite a bit of energy drawing these plans, Second Uncle.”
“This isn’t just for your sake. It concerns the long-term interests of the entire town. Why are you being so polite with me?”
Still, the prospect of fresh beef was rare enough to make him look forward to it. “Go back and start cooking. I’ll finish a few more strokes here. For the sake of that beef, I won’t delay even a quarter of an hour past the end of the workday.”
Duan Yan smiled. “All right.”
When he reached the doorway, Song Xuemu asked again, “Have you told Eldest Brother? Should I call him over?”
“I’ll go tell Father now.”
Song Xuemu waved him away, signaling for him to go.
When Duan Yan returned to the residence, the fresh beef had already been delivered.
Song Fengsui had just come back from outside with a small medical case. Hearing that Duan Yan had returned home so early, he handed the case to a servant and hurried off to find him.
“Where did all this beef come from?”
Song Fengsui found him in the back kitchen. He had not even had time to ask why Duan Yan had returned so early before the meat caught his eye.
Duan Yan was dividing it up, and he smiled as he explained where it had come from.
The beef was delicious, but oxen were vital for farming, so the imperial court forbade people from slaughtering them privately and selling the meat.
Still, the capital was prosperous, and with the right connections, it was possible to get some. Even so, it was a rare delicacy that was expensive and difficult to obtain.
“Are you tired? I’m planning to braise a whole pot, stir-fry some with cilantro, and make some into spiced soy-braised beef as well.”
Duan Yan said, “I’ll need you to prepare a small packet of spices for me.”
Song Fengsui immediately replied, “I’ll go to the apothecary and prepare it for you!”
There was quite a lot of meat. Though the weather was not yet particularly hot, it still would not keep for long.
Duan Yan planned to use some for the entire family, then send a few portions to Old Man Duan and Old Madam Duan at the estate. He would also divide a portion among each of the brothers who served as his stewards, so they could take it home and have a taste.
He worked quickly. By the time Song Fengsui returned with the spices, he had already cut up the meat and arranged everything that needed arranging.
After washing the beef shanks that were to be braised, Song Fengsui begged him to add some crisp bamboo shoots and lotus-root strips to the pot as well.
Duan Yan could only agree.
The two of them tied on aprons and busied themselves together by the stove.
As the water in the pot boiled, the spice packet wrapped in cloth released its color into the broth. The fragrant liquid seeped into the beef, and before long, the kitchen was filled with its rich aroma.
Song Fengsui could not resist reaching over with his chopsticks to poke at it.
Duan Yan found him amusing. Afraid that he was hungry and unable to wait for the meat to finish cooking, he sliced off a little tender beef, used mushrooms to make a quick soup, and served it to him to fill his stomach.
Song Fengsui sat down at the small table to one side and ate with a spoon. He blew on the steam, fed a spoonful to Master Duan first, and only then began eating himself.
“You’ve been busy running around lately. How did you manage to come home so early and cook in person today?”
Duan Yan looked at his husband, whose cheeks had puffed up slightly as he slowly chewed the meat. “We happened to have some good beef. Besides, I saw that Second Uncle has stayed up several nights working on the waterworks. I thought I’d make something nourishing for him.”
At that, Song Fengsui said, “The matter of calling up the villagers isn’t going smoothly?”
“It’s too soon to say that it isn’t going smoothly. It’s just that the headmen weren’t very supportive during the meeting. Once this is passed down, I expect the opposition will be even stronger.”
Song Fengsui reached out and covered the back of Duan Yan’s hand with his own. “The weather has indeed been hotter than in previous years, and there has been less rain, but it hasn’t caused anyone real hardship yet.
“It’s like a war outside. If no battle has actually begun, people don’t realize how tense the situation is. If the bandits haven’t entered the villages, people don’t understand how frightening it could be. This is much like when you bore the pressure and stockpiled supplies back then. Try to set your mind at ease, and think things through.”
Duan Yan asked, “Then do you trust my judgment that famine will come later?”
“I’d like not to trust you. The world is already chaotic enough. If famine breaks out as well, what will become of this realm?”
Song Fengsui sighed before continuing, “But if disaster truly is coming, then making preparations in advance would be the best possible outcome.”
He lifted his eyes to look at Duan Yan. “When I’ve gone out to treat patients, I’ve heard the elders say that this year’s weather feels strange, but they don’t seem alarmed to that extent. Why are you so certain that a great disaster will strike?”
“To be honest, I can’t explain it myself.”
Duan Yan knew why everyone in the family respected one another. Second Uncle Song supported him wholeheartedly because he genuinely enjoyed matters like these. But Father and Grandfather Song had not been entirely convinced this time. Both elders still believed their main efforts should be focused on defense.
Yet although Grandfather Song and Song Wushen did not particularly support the waterworks, they had carefully explained the advantages and disadvantages to him, asked him to think it through, and, when he ultimately chose to persist, refrained from interfering.
He gently patted Song Fengsui’s hand. “Just eat your meal properly.”
