Chapter 118 City Streets 18

Chapter 118: Prefectural City 18

Shanghe Village had a cemetery hill where most of the deceased villagers were laid to rest, and the Qin family was no exception.

They went at night, where the mountain was overgrown with knee-high weeds, and the air was filled with the chirping of insects.

Qin Rongshi led the way with a lantern in hand, a long bamboo pole in his right hand, swatting it through the grass on either side of the path. In summer, wild snakes were common in the mountains and grass; this was to scare them away and prevent them from darting out to bite.

After just a few steps, they reached the graves.

The Qin family had earned some money over the past couple of years, so the graves of Qin Father and Qin Dalang had been renovated.

They used to be just two inconspicuous mounds of earth, with wooden plaques as tombstones that had faded and moldered from wind and rain.

But now they were grandly built, with stone tombstones engraved with names and bluestone grave markers.

They knelt before the graves, burned paper offerings, lit incense, and then laid out the prepared food offerings.

Cui Lanfang began to talk.

"Husband, you probably don't know yet, but our Second Brother has made something of himself now! He passed the imperial exams as a scholar, and he came in first! He's a capable one, bringing honor to our family!"

"And Gu Yu... this child is so clever, he developed some kind of fertilizer that doubled the harvest in the fields, even shocking the Magistrate above! They sent people down to deliver a plaque and reward us with silver! It's a pity our Da Lang never had the chance to know him..."

...

After speaking to her husband, she turned to her eldest son, first telling him about his brother's first-place exam result, then about Liu Geer's cleverness and how he received praise and rewards from the Prefect, as if she had endless things to say.

She talked for a long time before standing up, patting her two children on the shoulders, and saying tearfully, "Go, go kneel and kowtow to your father, say something to him."

Qin Rongshi and Qin Banban knelt down. As Cui Lanfang cried, Banban's eyes also reddened, and she repeated what her mother had said over and over.

Qin Rongshi wasn't good with words, so he simply kowtowed properly three times.

Liu Guyu crouched to the side, took out a drawstring pouch from his robe, and scooped a handful of soil from the grave into it.

Cui Lanfang was startled and quickly pulled him aside, asking, "Ah, what are you doing? Isn't this the drawstring pouch you used to carry money when you set up your stall? You treasured it so much, why are you using it to hold dirt now? It'll get dirty!"

Liu Guyu patted the soil off the outside of the drawstring pouch indifferently, then stood up and looked at Cui Lanfang, placing the pouch in her hand.

"If it gets dirty, I can buy another; it's not a big deal. We'll take a handful of soil from Father and Da Lang's graves to the prefecture city and scatter it in the garden at home. Whether we plant vegetables or flowers, it'll be like our family is still together!"

Cui Lanfang was moved to tears, both touched and overjoyed!

She knew Gu Yu hadn't grown up in their family and had no emotional connection to the deceased, especially Da Lang. Though they were once nominally married, they had never even met. Doing this was entirely for the sake of those still living.

Cui Lanfang happily repeated, "Good, good, good! You're such a thoughtful child!"

She looked at Qin Rongshi and Qin Banban; Banban had already stood up and was turned away, secretly wiping tears from the corners of her eyes, her eyes red and swollen.

Qin Rongshi was still kneeling before the tombstone, facing Qin Dalang's memorial grave.

With his back to the others, his eyes were fixed on the dim oil lamp hanging from a pine branch, its faint yellow light illuminating the stone tablet ahead.

Qin Rongshi seemed lost in thought, his head bowed low, his dark eyes blending into the deep night, almost merging with the surrounding darkness. The gloomy night seemed to weigh heavily on his shoulders.

Suddenly, he leaned forward and kowtowed three times toward the grave, each kowtow heavy and loud, startling Cui Lanfang, who turned to look at him.

"Ah, child, what are you doing now!"

Cui Lanfang helped Qin Rongshi up as he adjusted his robe, then brushed the dust off his clothes, said with mild reproach, "Why kowtow so hard? Afraid your big brother won't hear you? You didn't even say a word to him, suddenly making such a scene—he might think you're asking him for something!"

Qin Rongshi didn't speak, but his gaze unconsciously shifted to Liu Guyu beside him.

Cui Lanfang sighed, took the long bamboo pole, and walked ahead with the lantern.

Her voice low, she said, "Let's go, let's head back."

Banban immediately clung to her mother's arm, helping to carry the lantern as the two walked ahead.

Liu Guyu glanced at Qin Rongshi again, not quite understanding what he was up to, but when he saw the mud stain on Qin Rongshi's forehead, he couldn't help but find it amusing.

He laughed out loud, his eyes sparkling as if the most brilliant fireworks had suddenly burst within them.

While laughing, Liu Guyu used his sleeve to wipe the mud from Qin Rongshi's forehead.

"Alright, let's go!"

After doing so, he tugged at Qin Rongshi's sleeve and pulled him along to catch up.

After a few steps, Liu Guyu faintly heard Qin Rongshi say something, his voice so soft it seemed carried away by the wind. Liu Guyu didn't catch it at all.

"What did you say? I didn't hear... Ah, stop murmuring secretly, let's go quickly. Mother and Banban are already ahead."

*

In two more days, it was time to pack. Qin Rongshi went to town to visit his teacher, listened to a half-day of advice before departure, and received that letter of recommendation.

In the afternoon, he met up with his two good friends, Xie Baozhu and Li Anyuan. They came to find Qin Rongshi after school, and they had a good meal at a restaurant. Both Qin Rongshi and Li Anyuan were men of few words, so Xie Baozhu did most of the talking.

"Qin Rongshi! You're really something! Topping the exam! I can walk with my head held high in the academy now!"

"It's a shame you're moving to the prefecture city! Who knows when we'll meet again! Don't forget about us!"

"Remember to write letters! Letters! Don't send me any more books or problems!"

"Letters! I want letters! I want letters!"

...

At the table, the three drank some wine, and Qin Rongshi returned home smelling of alcohol.

As soon as he entered, Lucky jumped on him, and when passing the mule shed, the blue-and-white mule tugged at his clothes with its mouth, braying and pulling him toward the shed.

Qin Rongshi looked down and saw that the stone trough was out of food. He pulled some hay for the mule and poured water, then went inside. In the main room, he saw a large trunk on the table—Liu Guyu and Qin Banban were packing, working together to move the third one out.

"Second Brother? You're back?"

Qin Rongshi didn't answer immediately but quickly stepped over to take the trunk and set it on the table.

After moving it, he asked, "Why didn't you wait for me to come back to move these? How many are left?"

Liu Guyu hurriedly said, "There's one more in my room, and yours hasn't been packed yet. You can take care of that when you get back!"

Qin Rongshi nodded and was about to speak when Cui Lanfang returned from outside—she had just gone to see Lin Xingniang across the way.

Coming in, she also said, "Second Brother, you're back?"

"I just went to your Aunt Lin's! I left the house keys with her and asked her to keep an eye on the place when she has time. Otherwise, after we're gone for several months and only return for New Year's, the house might be too dirty to even stand in!"

"Since you're back, hurry to your room and pack! Oh... right! Did you rent the cart? We're setting off for the prefecture city tomorrow."

Qin Rongshi replied immediately, “It’s all rented—don’t worry.”

Cui Lanfang nodded, then raised her hand to rub her aching shoulders as she walked into the house.

Qin Rongshi followed Liu Guyu into the room. Liu Guyu had been busy all morning and was utterly exhausted, sprawled across the bed in a lopsided “Da” shape.

He even kicked his legs a few times, tilted his head to look at Qin Rongshi, and pointed at the table, ordering, “Move that thing off the table!”

Qin Rongshi nodded, rolled up his sleeves, and carried the rattan trunk outside.

The rattan trunk was an old item left behind by Qin’s father. As Qin Rongshi lifted it, he noticed a small hole in its base—and something had fallen out.

He first placed the trunk on the table, then bent down to pick up the object from the floor.

It looked like a letter—but the envelope bore no writing, and had yellowed with age.

This belonged to Liu Guyu. Qin Rongshi had no intention of reading it—yet the moment he picked it up, he realized the envelope wasn’t sealed, and the letter slipped out, fluttering back to the ground.

The first thing that caught his eye were three large characters: *Fang Qi Shu*—“Letter of Divorce.”

Qin Rongshi’s eyes widened sharply. His hand moved faster than his thoughts—he snatched it up and unfolded it instantly. In that moment, all propriety and restraint vanished.

He skimmed the letter quickly.

It was indeed a Letter of Divorce, written in Cui Lanfang’s name, stating that the eldest son and his husband shared no affection and thus were to part ways. The date indicated it had been penned shortly after they learned of his elder brother’s death.

Qin Rongshi’s hands trembled as he held the letter. His gaze involuntarily shifted toward Liu Guyu’s room. From this angle, he couldn’t see Liu Guyu lying inside—only a half-open door.

Yet even that door held his stare, intense and unblinking, as if he wished to burn straight through it.

Those long-suppressed, immoral, and unacceptable rebellious thoughts surged forth in that instant—clamoring to burst free from his chest. Thoughts that should never have existed—the most despicable, vile impulses, ones that ought to be excised and destroyed—now saw the light of day, no longer concealable, no longer suppressible.

…Greed is like fire—if unchecked, it spreads wildly. Desire is like water—if unchecked, it floods the heavens.

Qin Rongshi’s eyes reddened—and suddenly, he burst into laughter, clutching the page.

Laughing, he carefully refolded the letter, slid it back into the envelope, and tucked it deep into his robe.

Just then, Cui Lanfang emerged again. Seeing Qin Rongshi still standing in the main hall, she urged, “Why are you standing here grinning like a fool? Get inside and start packing! Don’t drag it out too late.”

Qin Rongshi’s expression remained perfectly composed. He nodded calmly—but didn’t go in right away. Instead, he went outside, fetched a bundle of hemp rope, and tightly bound Liu Guyu’s trunk—sealing the hole securely.

Once finished, he returned to his room to begin packing—clothes, books, brushes, inkstones…

Staying busy left no room for other thoughts—but by the time he finished, it was deep into the night. The two neighboring rooms had gone dark; their occupants were clearly already asleep.

Qin Rongshi tiptoed out, circled around to the bath shelter, and drew water for a shower. He didn’t heat it—just filled a bucket with cold water from the vat and poured it over himself.

After washing, he lay down—but couldn’t sleep. Turning left, three words appeared in his mind: *Fang Qi Shu*. Turning right—the same three words reappeared.

He suddenly opened his eyes. Darkness enveloped him—but he was drenched in sweat. Though he’d just showered, he still felt feverish, as if the afternoon’s alcohol had finally taken full effect—warming him, making him sweat as though he’d stood in the rain all night.

He rose and poured another bucket of cold water over himself.

Morning light filtered through the window, casting a hazy glow into the courtyard, accompanied by the crowing of neighbors’ chickens. The household gradually stirred awake.

Cui Lanfang was the first to emerge, rubbing her eyes as she stepped over the threshold, still groggy.

“Huh?”

She suddenly noticed a large, neatly stacked pile of firewood in the corner.

“What’s going on?”

Her drowsiness vanished instantly. She hurried outside—only to find two large vats beside the drain brimming with clear water, obviously drawn early that morning.

Cui Lanfang: “???”

It struck her as strange—as if she’d stumbled upon the legendary Snail Maiden from Guyu’s folktales!

Just as she puzzled over it, someone entered the yard—Qin Rongshi, carrying a basket of fresh green grass on his back.

Cui Lanfang froze, staring for a long while before asking, “Son, what have you been doing all morning?”

Qin Rongshi replied calmly, “Cutting grass for Cuihua.”

Hmm—even the name “Cuihua” rolled off his tongue with such flat, unruffled composure that it somehow became oddly amusing.

Cui Lanfang pressed further: “Did you chop the firewood? Did you draw the water too?”

Qin Rongshi nodded.

Cui Lanfang grew even more bewildered and continued, “We’re leaving today. No one will be here to use the firewood or water. Why did you chop so much?”

Qin Rongshi: “We still need to make breakfast.”

Cui Lanfang let out two dry chuckles.

“Breakfast, huh? Breakfast is good. This firewood and water… could feed an entire village.”

Well—she simply couldn’t fathom a scholar’s logic.

Just then, Liu Guyu also stepped out. He’d overheard their conversation from inside and, emerging, spotted the two piles of firewood in the corner.

Turning to Qin Rongshi, he noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes—clearly from a sleepless night.

Liu Guyu felt he’d uncovered the key—and laughed heartily: “You couldn’t sleep last night, could you? Hehe—excited about moving to a new home, right? I didn’t sleep well either—I dreamed I struck it rich in Jiangzhou Prefecture! Opened an eight-story restaurant!”

He was animated and ebullient, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, as if fortune had already crowned him.

Qin Rongshi glanced at him sidelong—but said nothing, feeling utterly drained.

Forget it.

“Whatever!”

Cui Lanfang sighed too, then called out to Banban, who had just appeared: “Banban, start the fire and make breakfast. I’m heading to Aunt Lin’s—I’ll ask her to take the firewood from our yard when she has time, so it doesn’t go to waste!”

With that, she turned and crossed the street, while Banban nodded and headed into the kitchen to cook.

Breakfast was noodles—four generous bowls of chicken-broth noodles, served with boiled eggs. They ate their fill before setting off.

They rented a cart in town, and with their own mule, the group rode in the rented ox cart while the mule-drawn cart carried their luggage—rocking gently onward toward Jiangzhou Prefecture.

At the village entrance, many families came to see them off—causing yet another delay.

Mai’er hugged Banban and wept, begging her not to forget her.

They traveled for several days, entering Jiangzhou Prefecture just before dusk on the final day.

Jiangzhou Prefecture seemed freshly rained upon. Streets and alleys hung in a misty haze; shop signs glistened damply; bluestone paving stones gleamed wet and newly washed.

Life would be new from now on.

-----------------------

Author’s Note: Why a *Fang Qi Shu* (“Letter of Divorce”)? Mainly because *Fang Fu Shu* (“Letter of Release from the Husband”) sounded awkward and read poorly…

I’ve also been wondering how dogs were kept in ancient cities. In historical dramas, no one walks dogs in the city—but confining a dog to the yard all day would be dull, especially for a free-spirited dog like Lucky, who grew up in the village. Yet since we raised him from a puppy, he absolutely had to come along.