Chapter 509: Hearts Blood (1/2)
The village was beautiful. There were several houses scattered on the slope covered in gra.s.s. There were several rows of grapevines on the gra.s.sy slope. There was a river not far away that had a house built from stone beside it.
The farmer's home was at the entrance of the village. The roof was covered with light gray gra.s.s. It looked heavy, perhaps due to the denseness of it. The walls of the house were a light earthy color while the door was painted red with juice and tree sap. The home looked especially welcoming with verdant gra.s.s before it and a blue fence surrounding it.
The furnis.h.i.+ngs in the house were ordinary. Ning Que's eyes, that had feasted on the idyllic scenery could finally rest for a while. The farmer called enthusiastically for them to sit and explained that his wife and child had gone to the forest behind the mountain to pick wild fruit. Then, he took out some simple dishes made by his wife. He washed some fruit and fresh vegetables by the well and brought them to the table along with saucers and a wine jug.
Ning Que made himself at home and began to drink with some garlic-sauced dishes and pig's trotters. He had always been fond of wine, but his alcohol tolerance was terrible. He drank two bowls of wine before giving the bowl to Sangsang since they still had to travel afterwards.
Sangsang's eyes brightened as she drank. The farmer's homemade brew was not as strong or tasty as the Nine-river double-distilled wine. However, she was fond of all kinds of wine. The farmer watched as the girl in handmaiden costume drank and was transported back to his youth in the military camp. He began to compete in drinking with her.
There wasn't anyone who could be a match against Sangsang in the art of drinking. There never was and there never would be. Ning Que wasn't, Prince Long Qing wasn't, and the farmer naturally wasn't a match for her. Shortly after, the farmer's tanned face glowed red as his breath grew heavy with alcohol and he began to slur.
Then, the sound of footsteps rang from the courtyard accompanied by the sounds of frantic knocking and someone calling out for the farmer to hurry.
Ning Que had heard them long before they arrived. He thought to himself, that only in stories, would officials meet simple-minded bandits during a simple meal. Could this happen to him today?
He did not know that Chao Xiaoshu had experienced having his home being intruded in the village of Great River Kingdom. He had not completely wrapped his mind around the fact that his position as a visiting professor at the Imperial Center Administration, his status as honorary chief of the secret guards as well as his ident.i.ty as a core disciple of the Headmaster would outrank the official in the story. He just felt that what was happening was rather unreasonable, so he did not move.
He didn't need to move though. When the farmer heard the voice coming from the outside, he staggered as he stood up, indicating for Ning Que to sit. He pushed the door open and began yelling at the people who knocked on his door.
”What do you mean I haven't worked? Everyone knows that I, Yang Erxi, contributed the most last year in repairing the watershed last winter. I also helped in building the village public school. You can't make me pay for the paint out of my own pocket.”
”Yang Erxi, who's asking you to pay? Who did?! You're just finding excuses to earn more money. I'm telling you, this is the price fixed by the county government!”
”Bulls.h.i.+t! Our village's public school is twice the size of schools in other villages. How much do you think paint would cost? The price fixed by the county government is wrong. Do you want me to do it at a loss?”
”You're being ludicrous! Don't think that I won't dare to hit you because you retired from the military! I'll sue you and have the county governer punish you!”
”I went to the law teacher at the public school and asked about this. There is no such article in the law of the Tang Empire. As a retired military man, I only have to contribute half. You guys don't pay enough, so don't expect me to lift a finger!”
”Screw your grandmother!”
”Screw your great-grandmother!”
”Screw your great-great-grandmother!” (h.o.m.onym for Taizu, Founder of the Tang Dynasty)
”How dare you disrespect Taizu! I will go to Chang'an and complain to the imperial court about you!”
The squabble interspersed with cussing ended uneventfully. Li Zheng, the man outside the fence, was incensed and cursed at Yang Erxi's ancestors, but did not enter his property.
Yang Erxi entered the house bl.u.s.tering. He waved his hands as he spoke to Ning Que and Sangsang, ”Don't concern yourselves with such petty things. Let us continue drinking. No, young lady, you and I shall continue drinking.”
Ning Que could vaguely guess the cause of the loud argument, so he asked about it casually. Yang Erxi explained, ”Since they are enlisting our help, they should at least pay us enough for it. Otherwise, I can't be bothered. I haven't even finished painting my own pig pen... But you don't have to worry for me. The law teacher at the public school found me that article in the law of the Tang Empire. I am in the right. The county magistrate can't do anything to me, not to mention Li Zheng.”
Ning Que said, ”Aren't you afraid Li Zheng would try to hurt you on the sly? If you offend the county government, they can just charge you with a false crime and hurt you.”
Yang Erxi was a little tipsy, and he laughed when he heard that. He turned around and brought out a boxwood bow from the cabinet. He pounded on his hard chest and said proudly, ”What's there to be afraid of? Who hasn't been to the military? If they force me, would I not retaliate?”
Ning Que shook his head with a smile.
There was no real injustice in what had happened, so Ning Que did not have to punish any corrupt officials. He did not have to bring in his supporters, start a storm and begin a political battle in the capital.
After eating and drinking, Ning Que bade Yang Erxi farewell. Yang Erxi was a straightforward man. He did not ask the pair to stay after being satiated by the wine. He filled their water pouches and gave them some fruit before sending them off.
The black horse carriage continued down to the south. It traveled through the quiet paths accompanied by the setting sun in the picturesque countryside. They saw many wildflowers and green fields on their journey.
Ning Que sat by the window and looked out at the fertile countryside in the southern Tang. He thought about what he had seen and heard at the farmer's house, and about how he probably would never see the farmer again and lamented. Then, he understood why the Academy and his Eldest Brother had always respected the laws of the Tang Empire so much.