"You're a good one, Yang-er," Zhao Gao said, his voice trembling with excitement. Ten taels of silver!
Just as Chen Jiuyang and Zhao Gao were about to turn and leave, a stern, middle-aged voice called out from behind them, "Young man, stay your steps."
Chen Jiuyang turned his head. He saw that the many powerful figures who had been seated moments ago were now standing by the doorway, their gazes fixed on him.
Zhao Gao looked at the middle-aged man at the forefront, his body instantly tensing with apprehension. "Lord City Lord..."
He was about to prostrate himself, begging for mercy, but Chen Jiuyang stopped him with a hand.
Chen Jiuyang slowly cupped his fists in a salute. "This humble beggar, Chen Jiuyang, greets the Lord City Lord and all honored guests!"
City Lord Kun Qingyu, a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, held a seventh-rank position. He was exceptionally well-preserved and exuded immense authority.
Chen Jiuyang's composure, his ability to remain unfazed and neither humble nor arrogant in the presence of such esteemed individuals, touched many.
"I have long heard of a beggar in the city who is unlike others, one who is learned, polite, and quite intelligent," Kun Qingyu said, a smile appearing on his stern face, which paradoxically intensified his imposing aura. "Was that poem you just recited yours?"
"This humble beggar's family is poor, and my younger siblings need to eat. I was invited by someone and had no choice," Chen Jiuyang replied, cupping his fists in a salute. "It was a generous offer to sell a poem for the exorbitant price of ten taels of silver."
Kun Qingyu nodded slightly, his smile widening. He stroked his beard and looked at Chen Jiuyang, then spoke a shocking proposal: "Such raw jade is too precious to be discarded. Would you be willing to recognize me as your father?"
A gasp!
The wealthy merchants and powerful officials were stunned. For the City Lord to take a beggar as his son, if this young man were to achieve greatness in the future, it would surely be a tale for the ages.
Chen Jiuyang immediately bowed, and amidst everyone's expectant gazes, he uttered words that astonished them:
"This humble beggar cannot accept the benevolent offer from the heavens. A child does not speak of a father, but there is one who is like a father to me, one who saved and raised me: Jin Zhong, an old soldier from Qingcheng Prison!"
"Like a father, Jin Zhong has served the nation diligently. For forty years, he has worked tirelessly in the prison without a single mistake. Towards his children, he asks for no reward, yet he has taken in ten of us, my siblings and me."
"Though we do not share a father-son bond by blood, we share it in deed. The sage said, 'Filial piety is the foremost of all virtues.'"
"Therefore, both in sentiment and in reason, this humble beggar cannot accept the heavens' benevolent offer."
The assembled literati and gentlemen were pleased. Although he was a beggar, he quoted the sage and demonstrated his understanding of propriety. This, when spread, would be another beautiful tale, and a testament to City Lord Kun Qingyu's merit.
At the same time, Chen Jiuyang had also averted the potential trouble of selling a poem that might have disrupted the noblemen's enjoyment of beautiful women.
City Lord Kun Qingyu and the other refined dignitaries boarded their carriages and departed.
...
Chen Jiuyang and Zhao Gao returned home with ten taels of silver, and Chen Jiuyang continued to prepare fish.
By lunchtime, Old Man Jin Zhong, dressed in his soldier's uniform, returned home. His face was beaming with joy. He walked into the kitchen and lavished praise on Chen Jiuyang. "Yang-er, this fish is very plump today! I could smell its fragrance from my doorstep."
Chen Jiuyang blinked in surprise. "It's only noon, Old Man. Are you off work already?"
"Hahahaha!" Jin Zhong laughed heartily. "Your actions today have spread throughout the city. The Warden has granted me half a day off, and the matter of household registration has finally found a resolution."
"It costs fifty taels of silver for one household registration. If we can save four hundred and fifty taels, you children will be able to get registered. Then you can marry and have children. This old man can finally rest easy."
"Five hundred taels."
"Ah?"
"It's five hundred taels, Old Man. When I was fishing by the river today, I brought a sister back..."
"Ah?" Jin Zhong's smiling, wrinkled face froze for a moment. He turned and walked out of the kitchen, only to return a moment later, his face now filled with a kindly smile. "Good, good, she's a fine girl."
"Has she woken up yet?" Chen Jiuyang asked.
Jin Zhong nodded, smiling. "This girl, Mu Xi, has been through a lot, but she's getting along well with your brothers and sisters."
"That's good." Only Chen Jiuyang knew that Mu Xi's background was likely extraordinary, and he had been worried she might not adapt to this impoverished environment. But it seemed he had worried unnecessarily.
"It's the right time, the fish is ready. Old Man, Big Brother, let's each take a basin out."
For their large family of eleven, the amount of food consumed was considerable.
The old man carried a wooden basin out. "Children, time to eat!"
The round table, pieced together from birch wood, was barely large enough to accommodate eleven people.
Mu Xi, her appearance disguised by magic, looked malnourished. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of tender white fish, and put it into her mouth. Her beautiful eyes immediately lit up.
After the meal, the children divided the chores: some washed the dishes, others did their work, taking on laundry, mending clothes, and running errands.
"Yang-ge, is it okay to call you that?" Mu Xi's voice was as clear and melodious as jade beads, pleasant to hear. Facing Chen Jiuyang, she felt an indescribable sense of closeness.
"Of course, it is. Now that we are under one roof, we are family," Chen Jiuyang said. "Do you know your situation?"
Mu Xi looked at him. "Actually, I haven't been asleep at all."
Chen Jiuyang was silent for a moment, then asked, "You know about what happened by the river?"
Mu Xi nodded slowly.
Chen Jiuyang smiled. "I won't ask about your past. You can live here with peace of mind."
Mu Xi hesitated, then said, "The crucible... don't waste it... you should focus on practicing martial arts from now on..."
"Talent is nurtured by wealth, martial arts by poverty," Chen Jiuyang slowly shook his head. "The family is very poor. So poor that we can't even afford the five hundred taels for household registration. There's no extra money for martial arts practice."
"As for this 'crucible' you mentioned, what is it?"
Mu Xi replied, "When you start practicing martial arts, you'll naturally understand its benefits."
Just as Chen Jiuyang was about to press for more information, the old man, holding yellow paper and offerings, called out to him, "Yang-er, come with me."
Jin Zhong took Chen Jiuyang away from Qingcheng and up the upper reaches of the turbulent Qing River. Here, the water was not calm or clear, but turbid.
Upon arriving, Jin Zhong, his face etched with wrinkles, knelt on the sandy soil and cried out to the surging river with all his might, "Si Niang—"
His cries were swallowed by the roar of the waves, unheard by anyone.
Tears streamed down Jin Zhong's aged face as he began to offer incense and burn paper, talking incessantly to Chen Jiuyang.
Mu Xi, watching from the shadows, could clearly hear everything they said. Fifteen years ago, Jin Zhong's wife, Si Niang, who was pregnant, had died here. His love for her was so deep that no one could replace her, which was why he had not remarried all these years, only adopting children.
And today, Chen Jiuyang's actions had shown him that his efforts over the years had not been in vain, allowing him to finally find peace and feel proud of Chen Jiuyang.
Mu Xi could not fully comprehend the emotions of ordinary people, but she could sense the profound sorrow emanating from Jin Zhong.
Was this his way of commemorating his love?
Unaccountably, she finally felt truly at ease, able to live here without worry. "My last bit of magical power was not wasted here. I must go home before my consciousness fades..."
A few more hours passed. Chen Jiuyang, with Jin Zhong, poured all the offerings into the river, then used mud and sand to cover the incense sticks and ashes. He stood up, a genuine smile of joy on his face.
"Yang-er, let's go home."
After dinner, Jin Zhong went to the prison to work for a few hours, not returning home until midnight.