Chapter 78 Fengtian Prefecture

Chapter 78: Fengtian Prefecture

By the time Meng Wan returned after delivering the silver, Chang Jinhua was still pulling the boy aside and peppering him with questions. She had lived to such an age and once dreamed that if her son ever became successful, they might buy a few servants—who would have thought her daughter-in-law would be the one to make it happen first.

Meng Wan had been out for so long and dared not drink from any outside source. He was dying of thirst. "Mother, is there any tea left in the pot?"

Gou'er's eyes darted to the teapot on the stone table in the courtyard. He walked over with quick, short steps, picked it up, and shook it. "Mas... Master, there is still some inside."

The matching teacups next to the teapot were not the usual delicate cups but several small porcelain bowls of different patterns. He didn't dare touch them without permission.

Meng Wan picked up a bluish-white bowl with a floral print, poured half a bowl, and drank it first. Gou'er flusteredly grabbed the teapot and refilled it for him.

Meng Wan downed it all in one breath, finally quenching his thirst.

He looked at Gou'er, fairly satisfied. "Pretty good. Did the woman at the slave market find you those clothes?"

Gou'er nodded. "Yes, those of us who were more obedient were taken to the front courtyard, where the food and lodging were better than in the back."

These slave dealers had their own methods of breaking people in, but not every one of them needed training. Most who ended up at the slave market were bought within a few days.

Meng Wan said to Chang Jinhua, "Mother, who knows off whose back those clothes from the market were stripped. Find him one of my old outfits."

"Alright, I'll dig one out. He can change after he washes up."

With that, Meng Wan went into his room alone. He needed to write the family letter as quickly as possible—two copies: one for the courier station and one for the Qi family slave market, to be delivered early.

Otherwise, the slave market's carriages set off before dawn, and he wouldn't make it in time tomorrow morning.

He sat at his desk, grinding ink while thinking about what to write to Song Tingzhou.

For Zhou Lang's personal opening:

Twelfth day of the eighth month. Long time no see. Are you well?

...I can't write all my thoughts; the rest will wait for another time.

He wrote two letters: one to Song Tingzhou, long and full of every detail, covering several sheets of paper; the other, to be given to the slave market, was also addressed to Song Tingzhou but subtly mentioned Prefect Wu's mistress—intended for Wu Zhaoyuan's eyes.

After finishing, Meng Wan went out again while it was still light, hired a cart, and personally delivered the letters to the slave market and the courier station.

After all the hustle, his legs ached and he was exhausted. He had done everything within his power to help; the rest was up to the fate of this kept mistress.

"Mother, I'm not hungry. Is there any porridge left? I'll just have a bowl." Meng Wan slumped onto a small stool in the courtyard, pounding his thighs with his fists.

If only Song Tingzhou were here—he had just the right strength for a massage, and it was always comfortable.

Chang Jinhua saw his pale lips and frowned with a pang of heartache. "Eating porridge every day won't do. Is there anything else you'd like? I'll make it for you."

Meng Wan forced a smile. "Mom, it's fine. I was just tired from all that; I'll recover after resting a bit. For the Mid-Autumn Festival, let's make a proper feast and invite Huang Zheng over for a reunion dinner."

Chang Jinhua had no choice but to serve him a bowl of porridge.

Meng Wan held his porridge bowl, gazing at the half-green, half-yellow leaves on the tree, and heaved a long sigh. Ah... he should have arrived by now. I wonder when he'll see my letter.

—

The North—Fengtian Prefecture.

The provincial exam was set for the eighteenth day of the eighth month, and Song Tingzhou's party arrived in Fengtian city on the tenth.

"As expected of the largest prefectural city in the North—much more prosperous than Changping." Zhu Zening's bones were rattled from the journey; as soon as they entered the city, he jumped out of the carriage to stretch his legs.

Their party, travel-worn and with many carriages and horses, should have drawn attention on the street.

But the triennial provincial exam had gathered a huge number of northern scholars in Fengtian; families more illustrious than the Zhus were at least as numerous. So they didn't stand out among them.

Not counting the examination hall in Shangjing, the North and South each had two major examination halls. Fengtian, as the most prosperous and renowned prefectural city in the North, housed one of them. Many scholars from the North had to return to Fengtian to take the exam.

During the inspection at the city gate, the three of them had gotten into the frontmost carriage together. Wu Zhaoyuan lifted the carriage curtain, gazed at the city scene, and couldn't help sighing, "Carriages stream like water, horses gallop like dragons."

Song Tingzhou, still in the carriage, made a few corrections on a piece of letter paper, filled in the date, and carefully sealed it into an envelope. He said, "I wonder how much longer until we reach the courtyard arranged by Brother Zhu's family."

This trip, traveling with Zhu Zening, all lodging and transport along the way had been handled by the escort agency, which had indeed been worry-free and convenient.

"Don't worry, Brother Song. My servant said we'll arrive in another half hour," Zhu Zening said as he jumped back onto the carriage.

Sure enough, after another half hour on the main road, the convoy turned into a long alley.

The alley was long, but only had two gatehouses. The one at the far end was the courtyard that Third Master Zhu had prepared for his son—a three-courtyard mansion, whether bought or rented, though given the Zhu family's wealth, it was more likely they were renting.

Because of all the belongings, the servants removed the threshold of the main gate, and the carriages drove directly into the courtyard. There was a ready-made stable in the back.

The escort agency men, despite finishing their task, did not leave immediately but settled in the front courtyard.

They were men of Fourth Master Zhu and were to escort Zhu Zening back to Changping after the exam.

The Zhu family had brought many people: not counting the twenty-plus escort guards, there were over a dozen servants and pages. Fortunately, the courtyard was large enough to accommodate them all.

Compared to the Zhu family's grand setup, Wu Zhaoyuan and Song Tingzhou were much more modest. Wu Zhaoyuan had his book boy Qiu Ying, and Song Tingzhou had Xue Sheng.

Since the entire party was male—not a single woman—the three of them simply stayed in the main courtyard, where they could discuss their studies during the day.

Zhu Zening had brought so many things—even his usual teacups and incense burner all the way to Fengtian. The courtyard was bustling with people sorting things out. The Zhu servants first attended to Zhu Zening and had no time for them just yet.

Xue Sheng began moving their own belongings from the cart to the main courtyard. Song Tingzhou called him over, "Xue Sheng, I'll move the things into the room myself. Go out and ask around for the nearest courier station. Spend a bit more silver for express delivery to send this letter back to Changping."

"Yes, Master." Xue Sheng carefully tucked the letter away and ran off to find the station.

Song Tingzhou and Wu Zhaoyuan each occupied one of the side rooms in the main courtyard. The rooms were spacious—a reception area with a soft couch upon entering, and a bedroom further in.

Song Tingzhou moved all his luggage into the room and organized it. The bulkiest items were his bedding and clothes, but the room came with bedding. He first moved the provided bedding to the soft couch outside, then carefully spread his own.

The stitches on the mattress were a bit crooked but rather dense—sewn by Meng Wan's own hands. A tender smile appeared in Song Tingzhou's eyes. I wonder how Wan'er is doing, whether he misses me.

He'd heard that many merchants traveled to and from Fengtian. After the exam, he should look for some rare trinkets to bring back for him.

By dusk, Xue Sheng finally returned. "Master, the letter has been entrusted to the postal courier."

Song Tingzhou, relieved that one task was done, relaxed his brow. "Good, thank you. Things are different here from home. Go find Brother Wu's book boy and go down for dinner."

Xue Sheng, though not trained in the etiquette of great households, was steady and reliable. On the road, he had spoken with the servants of both families, and Wu Zhaoyuan's book boy Qiu Ying especially liked to chat with him. Now Qiu Ying was waiting for him to go to the front courtyard for dinner.

With so many people, the rooms were too cramped to seat everyone, and carrying meals room by room was troublesome. The servants were easy, but the escort guards were hired and had to be entertained properly.

The steward therefore ordered tables set up along the corridor in the front courtyard. The kitchen quickly prepared several tables of food.

With only the three masters—Song, Wu, and Zhu—in the rear, the servants naturally set their meals in Zhu Zening's room.

As pages to guests, Xue Sheng and Qiu Ying were given a small table with food as well. The steward had thoughtfully included wine, but Xue Sheng didn't touch a drop.

"Brother Xuesheng, why don't you have a drink or two?" Qiu Ying asked, puzzled. His own master lived frugally, and he rarely got to eat good food or drink fine wine, so even though he wasn't a heavy drinker, he would still want to have a couple of cups when the opportunity came up.

Xue Sheng just focused on eating. On the journey, though they hadn't exactly been sleeping in the open, it was mostly dry pancakes with water, and he had just spent a good while searching for the courier station, so his stomach was completely empty.

After eating a bit to ease his hunger, he put down his bowl and said to Qiu Ying, "My master's husband said that when traveling, one must be cautious and avoid alcohol if possible."

"Huh?" Qiu Ying didn't understand. Why would the master’s household care about such things? His own mother had never given him such instructions.

For this provincial examination, Third Master Zhu had sent his most capable steward to accompany his son. After they settled in Fengtian Prefecture, the steward arranged the residence impeccably, with the servants each assigned their duties and careful not to disturb the young masters' studies.

Zhu Zening was younger and more lively in temperament than Song Tingzhou and Wu Zhaoyuan. If not for his anxiety at seeing both of his friends taking the provincial examination, he should have waited another three years to better prepare himself.

"Brother Song, Zhao Yuan, we've been in Fengtian for a while now. Staying cooped up at home like young ladies in the inner chambers isn't fun. How about we go out today and see the sights?"

Song Tingzhou sat steadily in his chair holding a book, and replied without looking up, "The provincial examination is imminent. It's better to be cautious. After the exams, we'll have plenty of time to explore."

Wu Zhaoyuan agreed, "Brother Song is right. The closer the examination, the more we must keep our minds steady and not be restless."

With two out of three opposed, Zhu Zening dropped the idea. Somewhat disgruntled, he picked up his book and began reading the boring texts, but gradually he got absorbed in the content.

The steward was peeking through the window and nodded with satisfaction. The Third Master was right; Mr. Song was indeed steady and reliable.

"Uncle Yi, what are you doing?"

Uncle Yi's heart pounded rapidly with fright. He clutched his chest and turned to Xue Sheng, saying, "I came to see if the young masters had any orders. They are studying diligently, so I didn't dare disturb them. You shouldn't go in either."

Xue Sheng ignored his words, continuing inward with an envelope in his hand, "A letter has arrived from home. My master will definitely want to see it."

Ever since arriving in the prefectural city, Xue Sheng had gone to the courier station every day to inquire. The station staff all recognized him. Today, he finally got news and hurried back to report.

"Master, a letter has arrived from Changping."

Song Tingzhou immediately put down his book and stood up, "Give it to me."

Xue Sheng quickly handed him the letter. Song Tingzhou was about to open it immediately, but then, as if remembering something, he clutched the letter and returned to his own side room.

Zhu Zening was dumbfounded. "We've only been away from Changping for half a month. Is this really necessary?"

Wu Zhaoyuan, for once in a good mood, teased him, "Haven’t you heard the saying, ‘A day apart feels like three years’?"

Song Tingzhou's emotions were stirred. He entered the side room, closed the door, and carefully opened the envelope, then read the letter from Meng Wan word by word.

After a moment, his expression shifted from longing to an uncontrollable gentle smile. Later, when he read about Meng Wan's accidental discovery of Prefect Wu's mistress, he looked surprised and thoughtful.

He read those pages over and over for a good while, until Xue Sheng called him to dine with Zhu Zening. Only then did he realize it was already late.

Song Tingzhou found a wooden box, carefully stored the letter, and went to the main hall for dinner.

During the meal, the three sat at the same table, but he did not mention the matter of Wu Zhaoyuan's mother. Although Wu Zhaoyuan appeared steady, he was actually sensitive in nature. Having known Zhu Zening for many years, he only gradually accepted Zhu's goodwill after Song Tingzhou's arrival.

In the past, he would rather have hired a cart to come to Fengtian himself than accept a free ride from the Zhu family.

At this point, telling Wu Zhaoyuan about the messy family affairs would likely ruin his examination. He had worked so hard, and if he missed this triennial provincial examination or lost his focus, he would regret it for life.

Song Tingzhou thought for a long time that night. Changping Prefecture was north of Fengtian Prefecture. If the broker's men escorted Prefect Wu's mistress into the city, they would definitely enter through the North Gate.

But in Fengtian he only had Xue Sheng as a trusted aide. Relying solely on Xue Sheng to watch the North Gate would inevitably lead to mistakes. Moreover, after receiving the person, he would need to discreetly settle her, and he couldn't be in two places at once.

"Xue Sheng, go and summon Uncle Yi."

Now he could only trust this steward of Third Master Zhu’s. Although he had never met Third Master Zhu, a concubine's son who could carve out a fortune from under the powerful Second Master Zhu must be a formidable figure, and the steward he trusted would also be capable.

It was already late at night. Uncle Yi followed Xue Sheng to the side room, wondering to himself, until he heard what Song Tingzhou had to say.

Uncle Yi pondered for a moment, "Then what does Mr. Song mean?"

Song Tingzhou said, "This matter must absolutely not be told to Brother Wu, and we should also try to keep it from Brother Zhu, so as not to affect their examinations."

Uncle Yi nodded in agreement, "Please rest assured, Mr. Song, I will definitely not let it slip."

Song Tingzhou continued, "According to the letter, the broker's convoy should arrive in Fengtian on the twenty-third of August. Please have someone watch the North Gate, and when the convoy enters the city, handle the handover carefully."

Uncle Yi understood his meaning, "I understand Mr. Song's intention. Tomorrow I will prepare a small courtyard and send someone in advance to watch the North Gate. If the person is received, she will be discreetly settled in the courtyard. Everything can wait until after your provincial examination."

Song Tingzhou clasped his hands and bowed in thanks, "Then I'll trouble Uncle Yi."

Uncle Yi, claiming to be a servant, dared not accept his bow. He quickly stepped aside, "Mr. Song flatters me. You are acting out of righteousness for Master Wu's future. I am only doing my small part."

Seeing Uncle Yi off, Song Tingzhou felt he had dealt with a major issue. Next, he would devote himself entirely to preparing for the examination, hoping to pass it in one go.