Before long, Uncle Tang brought over a woman wearing a brocade kerchief tied in a bun. She had bright red flowers pinned in her hair, painted eyebrows, powdered face, and rouge on her lips, wearing a brightly colored silk jacket and skirt.
Uncle Tang introduced her to Xu Yi. This woman specialized in selecting people for pleasure houses and arranging concubines for wealthy households. Her surname was Pan, and he could just call her Mother Pan.
For just a few coins as compensation, Mother Pan could make the trip for Xu Yi.
Xu Yi calmly invited them inside to talk.
He didn’t avoid Cow Dung, but had him come along to the main hall so he could personally explain the situation to Mother Pan.
Cow Dung was nervous at first, but as he spoke, he became less afraid.
Mother Pan was shrewd. Knowing this young master wanted to buy a girl not for other purposes but to do a good deed, she sweetly praised him several times.
“Young master, rest assured. As long as that child is still there, I’ll bring her here.” As Mother Pan smiled, the cheap powder on her face would fall off.
Under the light, it was like freely dancing dust motes.
Xu Yi said, “Thank you for making this trip, Mother Pan. Take these few coins first to buy yourself a drink. Once you bring the child here, I’ll treat you to wine.”
Seeing the ten wen, Mother Pan accepted without hesitation. She didn’t forget to take the opportunity to pinch and feel Xu Yi’s hand, saying with a smile, “How embarrassing. I know you’re anxious, so I won’t stay for tea and chat. Once I bring the person back, I’ll talk more with you, young master.”
Xu Yi withdrew his hand. “…” He wiped it on the back after putting it behind him.
Once she left, Xu Yi exchanged a few words with Uncle Tang and ran off to wash his hands.
Halfway through washing, Xu Yi felt clean water wasn’t enough and needed to use soap beans as well.
Cow Dung’s small figure shuffled over. “Young master, let me scoop water for you.”
Xu Yi: “No need. Go make tea for Uncle Tang.”
Cow Dung pressed his lips together and said softly with his head down, “Young master, I don’t know how to make tea.”
Xu Yi was startled. “…”
He’d forgotten that poor rural children wouldn’t have drunk tea, let alone know how to prepare it.
“It’s alright. I’ve finished washing my hands. I’ll go do it.” After speaking, Xu Yi felt this wasn’t appropriate and said to him, “We’ll eat the evening meal at home. Go wash two bamboo tubes of rice and cook it. Make it thick. If it’s too thin, it won’t be filling.”
Cow Dung regained his energy and ran off to cook the porridge.
Xu Yi watched his thin back, silently furrowing his brow slightly. Perhaps for this child, just being good to him without asking him to do anything would actually be a burden.
Returning to the main hall, Uncle Tang said he needed to go back.
Xu Yi gave him a jar of tea to take home. Uncle Tang had helped him greatly, and directly giving money wasn’t appropriate. This palm-sized jar of tea sold for twenty-eight wen at the teahouse and wasn’t cheap.
Compared to loose tea that cost a dozen wen per jin, it was more suitable as a gift.
…
The addition of a child to the Xu household couldn’t be hidden from neighbors Madam He and Madam Chen.
The two women didn’t often come over to sit idly in Xu Yi’s home, but Madam He couldn’t sit for long periods. She spent less time embroidering at home and went out more often. As soon as she stepped out of her courtyard, she saw an extra child in the neighboring Xu household’s yard.
Wearing Xu Yi’s clothes with rolled-up sleeves and pant legs, it was truly somewhat comical and amusing.
Madam He curiously raised her eyebrows to look and saw the child had injuries on his face and forehead. Even with medicine applied, they were still obvious.
“Child, whose family are you from? How come I’ve never seen you on South Street before?” Madam He leaned against the courtyard wall and asked Cow Dung.
Cow Dung was picking vegetables in the yard. Hearing the voice startled him greatly. He quickly got up to look around and finally spotted Madam He at the corner of the wall.
Madam He was in her thirties. Though from an ordinary family, she didn’t have to work in the fields. Her complexion was well-maintained. In her bun she wore a plum blossom silver hairpin and silk flowers. Even the prettiest woman in his village couldn’t compare.
Cow Dung immediately stammered nervously, “I… I belong to the young master’s household. The young master just bought me.”
Madam He was shocked. “?”
“Brother Yi bought you?”
Hearing this, Cow Dung nodded. His hands twisted together as his eyes looked toward the kitchen.
At that moment, Madam Chen on the other side came out to dump water. Seeing someone in the Xu household’s yard, she exclaimed “Oh!”
Cow Dung turned to look and was stunned.
Madam Chen looked him up and down and asked with a smile, “Whose child are you?”
Cow Dung had no choice but to repeat what he’d just said.
Madam Chen: “…” This didn’t seem like Xu Yi’s style.
“What happened to the injury on your head? Could it be someone bullied you?” she asked again.
After asking, she noticed that across the courtyard wall, Madam He was also watching this side. Their eyes met, and they instantly understood each other’s meaning. They left their own courtyards and came to the Xu household looking for Xu Yi.
What was Xu Yi doing?
He was in the kitchen making digestive pills. Making digestive pills had become an indispensable part of his recent life.
He was moving the steamed medicinal ingredients down from the steamer when he suddenly heard the door opening. He walked out to see what was happening.
Just as he stepped out of the kitchen door, Madam He called him over.
“Brother Yi, where did you buy this child? He’s quite well-behaved, but how does he have so many wounds on his body? When I asked who bullied him, he wouldn’t answer.” Madam He said somewhat angrily.
What kind of wicked person could beat a child like this? It was truly detestable.
Madam Chen chimed in from the side, “He said you kindly bought him. I imagine Brother Yi knows something about this.”
Listening to them, Xu Yi could guess most of the situation.
Looking at Cow Dung, who was the subject of discussion, he hung his head slightly, not daring to look at his eyes. He must be afraid of being criticized and beaten again.
Xu Yi sighed inwardly but kept his expression unchanged. “There were some circumstances. I’d encountered this child before. He’s a good child. Now he’s suffered misfortune and was being taken to be sold. When I encountered him, I brought him back.”
After speaking, he told Cow Dung to continue with his tasks while he entertained Madam He and Madam Chen.
There were many families who couldn’t make ends meet and sold their children. Neither Madam He nor Madam Chen thought much of it, assuming Xu Yi had encountered a broker on the road and bought him.
They didn’t continue asking about this but instead asked Xu Yi if he had any plans for the child.
“You’re alone at home with no one to help with food and daily needs. This child looks capable of doing some work. It’s good to keep him as a servant.”
“That’s right. Staying with Brother Yi is more than just a little better than being sold elsewhere.” Madam Chen looked outside at the child’s thin back, seemingly thinking of something, and said with emotion, “This child is fortunate.”
Regardless of the reasons, at least Cow Dung was now staying in the Xu household.
That evening, Xu Yi cleaned out his parents’ room and had Cow Dung stay there temporarily.
Fortunately, when repairing the house before, Xu Yi had the master craftsman fix up his parents’ room. When Cow Dung’s sister arrived, they could hang a curtain to divide the space, and the two could live separately in the room.
For now, while the siblings were still young, it was fine to live like this, but in a couple of years it probably wouldn’t work.
Ancient times emphasized the separation between men and women. Even blood siblings needed to avoid each other at a certain age. Rural people didn’t have many rooms to separate males and females, but they would use curtains to divide spaces.
Thinking of this, Xu Yi took bedding for Cow Dung and had him make his own bed.
Cow Dung held the bedding that smelled of soap beans, feeling how soft it was. Tears fell uncontrollably. “Thank you, young master.”
Xu Yi was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Why was this child still such a crybaby?
…
The next day.
At dawn, sounds came from the Xu household’s kitchen.
Cow Dung, with rolled-up sleeves, crouched on a wooden stool tending the fire. After cooking the rice porridge, he went to scoop water from the water vat and used a bamboo brush to scrub the ceramic jars Xu Yi had left unwashed in the kitchen after making digestive pills the day before.
Xu Yi drowsily rolled over in his sleep, then suddenly opened his eyes the next moment.
He hadn’t yet adapted to having another person in the house. The sudden additional sounds made him instinctively alert.
He got up, dressed, and opened the door to see Cow Dung bustling about in the kitchen. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
Seeing him up, Cow Dung ran over happily while wiping his hands and called out, “Young master, I’ve cooked the porridge. It’s keeping warm in the pot. Do you need to brush your teeth, young master? I’ll pour water for you to brush your teeth and wash your face.”
Xu Yi: “…”
“No need.” He quickly grabbed him, helplessly pinching the bridge of his nose, and asked, “When did you wake up?”
Cow Dung shook his head, saying he didn’t know the time, then added, “I woke up when I heard the gong beating, but it was too dark, so I stayed in the room for a while before coming out.”
Xu Yi looked at him and said slowly, “From now on, you don’t need to wake up so early. I’ll give you some money later. If you wake early, call for an idle man outside and give him a couple of coins to have him bring three portions of breakfast.”
However, since Cow Dung had cooked rice porridge today, he wouldn’t have the idle man bring breakfast. He cooked three eggs instead; one each for two people and one dog.
After peeling the eggs, Xu Yi placed one in Cow Dung’s bowl and ordered him, “Sit down and eat.”
Having someone stand beside him watching him eat made it impossible for him to eat.
After finishing breakfast, Xu Yi went to the well and fetched two buckets of water. He ground the dried saltpeter into powder, dissolved it in the water, and planned to make another jar of ice water using the crystallized frost method.
Making ice took time. He still had to go to the brokerage today for the transaction and couldn’t wait for Mother Pan to bring the child. He instructed Cow Dung to guard the house. If he saw Mother Pan arrive with his sister, he should go to Uncle Tang’s house and ask someone to come over.
After speaking, he took out a string of over a hundred wen coins and gave them to Cow Dung.
“Keep this money. If Uncle Tang isn’t home, count out twenty coins to give Mother Pan as compensation.” Xu Yi said, then asked him, “Can you count?”
Holding one hundred wen, Cow Dung was stunned. Hearing Xu Yi’s question, he quickly nodded and said, “I can count to fifty.”
He’d learned this from selling medicinal herbs for over a year.
Knowing he could count, Xu Yi felt much more at ease. Without further instructions, he went out to call Little Huang over, fed him a piece of dried meat, and told him to stay home and protect Cow Dung.
Little Huang: “Woof woof woof!”
…
At the brokerage, Broker Huang waited anxiously, afraid the servant wouldn’t come today.
Fortunately, after waiting a short while, that refined-looking servant arrived and brought the piece of agarwood weighing over half a jin.
Weighing it on the scale, they discovered the agarwood weighed five taels and three qian. The entire piece was of extremely high quality. Just smelling it gave off a refreshing, subtle fragrance.
Broker Huang exclaimed “Good!” three times and immediately had his subordinates follow him to the Xing residence.
It wasn’t convenient for Xu Yi to follow, so he waited at the brokerage for his return.
About one shichen later, Broker Huang returned beaming. Without asking, one could tell the transaction went smoothly. Master Xing was wealthy and generous. After seeing the agarwood, not only did he reward Broker Huang one string of cash, he also rounded up the transaction amount and gave Broker Huang eighty taels of silver.
Eighty taels of silver. Ten percent went to Broker Huang, leaving seventy-two taels for Xu Yi.
The silver looked good; bright and shiny new money with a nice texture. After handling it for a while, Xu Yi had Broker Huang exchange it for paper notes.
Xu Yi: “I’ll have to trouble Broker Huang to exchange it for one twenty-tael note, ten five-tael notes, and give me the remainder in broken silver so I can take it back to report.”
Broker Huang said no problem. Before long, he exchanged the money for paper notes and gave them to Xu Yi.
Having obtained the money, Xu Yi didn’t linger. He cupped his hands in farewell.
Broker Huang held him back, saying with a smile, “Take care, young brother. If your master has any other fine goods to sell in the future, come find me. I’m trustworthy and keep my mouth shut tight.”
Xu Yi naturally agreed. This Broker Huang acted quickly and could help him resolve matters where he couldn’t appear in person. Especially since his commission fee was high but he was trustworthy and kept secrets. During these past few days going to the brokerage, Xu Yi hadn’t noticed anyone following him.
He remained cautious. After leaving the brokerage, he headed toward East Street.
After making a circuit, Xu Yi emerged from the East Street marketplace, bought two portions of food, and brought them back to South Street.
The Xu household.
Cow Dung, home alone, paced back and forth in the house anxiously.
After Xu Yi left, he’d found plenty of tasks to do. First he wiped down the furniture in the main hall, then swept the floor, washed and hung clothes. Seeing medicinal herbs drying on the wooden rack, he even moved over a stool to stand on and flip the drying herbs…
After finishing all this, he found Xu Yi still hadn’t returned, and Mother Pan whom he’d seen yesterday hadn’t come either.
He felt uneasy, worried Mother Pan hadn’t bought his sister, and fearfully wondered what to do if his sister had already been sold away.
Finally hearing sounds approaching, he rushed to look. It was a peddler carrying a shoulder pole, calling out to sell needles, thread, and other small items.
Cow Dung shook his head, saying he wasn’t buying anything. The peddler carried his load away.
Just as the sun in the sky moved overhead, Xu Yi returned carrying food wrapped in oil paper and opened the courtyard gate.
Cow Dung quickly ran over to take the items from his hands.
“Young master, you’re finally back.”
Xu Yi hummed in acknowledgment. Seeing the house was quiet, he knew Mother Pan hadn’t arrived yet and told Cow Dung to go wash his hands.
Last time, the “candy” Xin Shengyuan gave him tasted good. Xu Yi thought the child at home probably hadn’t eaten this type of snack, so he bought some to bring back.
However, what he bought wasn’t “candy” but something made by shaping dough and rice flour into little figures and deep-frying them in oil. It was a snack called “oil-fried hui.”
In modern terms, it was like fried dough sticks.
Serving two bowls of rice porridge left over from the morning to go with it was also a pleasure.
Cow Dung had never eaten “oil-fried hui.” Smelling the aroma, he couldn’t help swallowing and murmured, “Young master, may I eat this?”
Xu Yi smiled. “Yes, but since the wounds on your body aren’t fully healed, you can only eat one to satisfy your craving.”
Cow Dung said gratefully, “Thank you, young master!”
This “oil-fried hui” was truly too delicious for him. Biting into it was fragrant and crispy, and he could taste the sesame oil in his mouth, making him unable to stop wanting another bite.
However, he still remembered what Xu Yi said. After finishing, he didn’t touch the fried dough again.
Song Dynasty sweet treats could be divided into several categories including cakes, buns, pastries, crisps, and dumplings. Within each category were countless different subcategories, which could be further subdivided. It was truly a dazzling array.
Though Yanting County was just a small county town, because it was a famous silk-producing area in the Shu region, many traveling merchants came and went, and quite a few ranked as wealthy landlords. Therefore, when it came to food, even if it couldn’t compare to the streets of Bianjing, there were still many good things to eat.
Especially since traveling merchants would bring popular novelties and delicacies from elsewhere. Xu Yi’s days here weren’t bad at all. Except for the lack of technological products, other aspects even exceeded his previous life.
After all, in modern times, there weren’t so many wild medicinal herbs for people to dig up. Oh right, and if you dug some up, you might even be invited for tea.
Xu Yi said with a smile that when there was a chance in the future, he’d take Cow Dung around to various places to try more new things.
Cow Dung’s eyes immediately filled with longing. It was so good to stay by the young master’s side.
No hunger, no beatings, and good clothes to wear.
As he thought about this, he thought of his sister again. His eyes eagerly looked toward outside the courtyard, praying in his heart for Mother Pan to come quickly.
At that moment, a servant hurriedly arrived outside the Xu household and knocked on the door.
Cow Dung ran to open it, looking at the person warily and asking, “Who are you looking for?”
Seeing a strange child open the door, the servant wasn’t puzzled. He said with a smile, “I’m Young Master Sheng’s book boy. I’m here looking for Young Master Xu. Is Young Master Xu home?”
“He is. Wait a moment, I’ll go ask the young master.” Cow Dung didn’t take it upon himself to let the person in but warily ran to find Xu Yi.
Hearing it was Xin Shengyuan’s book boy who’d come, Xu Yi had Cow Dung invite him inside.
The book boy entered the house and bowed to Xu Yi. “Young Master Xu, my master sent me to ask if the Mint Loquat Drink you agreed to make is ready. He told me to come fetch it.”
That day after Xin Shengyuan had tasted the Mint Loquat Drink Xu Yi made, he’d been thinking about it constantly. He didn’t want any other delicious beverages. He just wanted what Xu Yi made.
A few days ago, he’d sent his book boy with a calling card to ask. Xu Yi replied telling him to come fetch it four days later.
After all, saltpeter could only be used again after drying.
In the hot summer, it took at least two or three days for saltpeter water to dry. Otherwise, Xu Yi wouldn’t have gotten up today to fetch well water to make ice drinks.
Xu Yi said, “Wait just a moment. I’m almost finished here.”
He returned to the kitchen and poured out the beverage from the ceramic jar to divide into portions. Thinking the errand boy had worked up a sweat running over, he poured half a bowl and had Cow Dung take it to him to drink.
The book boy never imagined he’d get to drink the beverage his master longed for. After tasting it, he thought to himself, no wonder his master loved drinking it. After this beverage went down, one’s whole spirit was refreshed.
After sending off Xin Shengyuan’s errand boy, Mother Pan arrived late, bringing a thin and small girl.
“Young Master Xu, I’ve brought the person~” Mother Pan knocked on the door with a smile like a flower, claiming credit as she said, “Young Master Xu, you don’t know how shameless this household was. For such a small child, they dared ask me for three taels of silver. I talked and talked, bluffed them good, and only paid two taels and three qian to buy her.”
The little girl behind her heard this and shrank back in fear, not daring to look up.
Cow Dung ran out quickly. Seeing it was his sister, he happily called out, “Sister!”
The little girl looked up in surprise. Seeing it really was her brother, she burst into tears with a “waa,” broke free from Mother Pan’s hand, and ran over to crash into Cow Dung’s embrace.
On the road, Mother Pan had been in a hurry and hadn’t said anything to the little girl. The little girl had been locked in the woodshed yesterday. Finally getting out, she was immediately sold and transferred.
The woman who bought her had been critical of her, pressing down her price again and again. Afterward, her father had cursed her as a jinx who couldn’t be sold for a good price and shoved her into this woman’s hands.
Being brought all this way, she’d been so afraid, terrified she’d never see her brother again in this lifetime.
Now seeing her brother, all the accumulated emotions finally couldn’t be controlled. She hid in his embrace, crying loudly.
Cow Dung was flustered, quickly comforting her. “Sister, don’t cry. Sister, don’t cry. The young master is here. From now on, we won’t be separated.”
“Young… master?” The little girl sobbed and looked up, not quite understanding.
Cow Dung nodded vigorously at her and carefully explained, “It’s the young master who bought us. The young master is a very good person and also a doctor. When he learned you were going to be sold, he had Mother Pan buy you back.”
On the other side, Xu Yi invited Mother Pan inside to talk.
Having brought the person, the compensation naturally had to be given. This time, Xu Yi placed the money on the table and said to her, “Take these coins to buy wine, Mother Pan. I hope you won’t think it’s too little.”
Seeing his generous hand, Mother Pan said with a smile, “How could I think it’s too little? If there are more good deeds like this in the future, call on me again. I guarantee my work will satisfy you, young master.”
Xu Yi: “…”
Experiencing this kind of thing once was enough.
Mother Pan wanted to sit and ask for a cup of tea. The tea leaves in this young master’s home were good tea, costing over twenty coins per jar. Although she did this business, the money she earned all went to her wastrel son. She herself couldn’t afford anything good, though she dressed presentably enough to make some people envious.
Who would have thought this young master wasn’t as hospitable as imagined? After she’d drunk just one bowl of his tea, he stood up saying he’d see her out.
Mother Pan covered her face with her handkerchief and pouted, reluctantly getting up to leave.
…
In the courtyard, the siblings were talking quietly. Seeing Mother Pan come out, Cow Dung brought his sister to thank her.
Mother Pan waved her hand. Without the courtesy she’d shown Xu Yi, she said coldly, “What are you thanking me for? I’m just taking money to do a job.”
After speaking, she left. Cow Dung watched her departing figure and brought his sister to the main hall to see Xu Yi.
After entering, he had his sister kneel down with him to kowtow thanks to Xu Yi for his great kindness.
This way, the two siblings would both stay in the Xu household and become the Xu family’s servants.
Xu Yi helplessly corrected them. “You’re not servants. It’s just that your indenture contracts are in my hands. Whenever you want to leave, come find me and take your contracts back.”
The reason it wasn’t now was that these two were too young. Having the contracts on them wouldn’t be safe.
Being older, Cow Dung could understand more. After grasping Xu Yi’s good intentions, he nodded solemnly, secretly making a decision in his heart.
Xu Yi gave a few more instructions, telling them they could be more casual at home.
Then he called the sister forward and told her to extend her hand.
The little girl timidly glanced at her brother before stepping forward. She had eyes identical to Cow Dung’s, completely different from that young man’s slanted eyes.
Xu Yi thought about this meaningfully, grasped the little girl’s hand, and placed two fingers on her pulse to take it.
The pulse was weak and deficient with some blockages, but not serious. Her physical condition was quite poor. She’d been beaten many times before, and chronic malnutrition had caused problems. With a few good meals and gradual dietary adjustment, there should be no major issues.
Xu Yi asked gently, “What’s your name?”
The little girl: “I’m called Big Girl.”
Xu Yi: “…”
He paused and said, “Since you’re staying here, you shouldn’t use your old names anymore. Let me give you new names.”
Whether it was Cow Dung or Big Girl, neither was a nice name. He couldn’t bring himself to say them.
Xu Yi said to Cow Dung, “From now on, you’ll be called Ah Xu.”
Then looking at the little girl, he continued, “You’ll be called Ah Jin.”
As for surnames, they could follow his surname.
This way, did it count as having new family members in the Northern Song Dynasty?
Oh thank god, those names were terrible. But also, wouldn’t this make the boy Xu Xu? XD