Chapter 3: Leaving Home

After Chen Yuan finished chopping the firewood, Chen Tiezhu brought up the matter of wanting to send him to the county seat to be an apprentice.

Chen Yuan had been mentally prepared for this and agreed in a very sensible manner.

The next morning, Chen Tiezhu invited Chen Lao’er, who had not yet returned to the county, to their home to finalize the arrangements.

Chen Lao’er was thin and gaunt, in his thirties, with a shrewd look on his face.

Perhaps because he had received twenty wen from Chen Tiezhu, his attitude was quite enthusiastic

"Brother Tiezhu, I’ve watched Erniu grow up. He’s a good lad—honest, hardworking, and strong. I’ve thought it over; taking him to the Bai Bing Tang (Hundred Weapons Hall) is just right. You can rest easy..."

Chen Tiezhu asked

"What kind of shop is this Bai Bing Tang?"

Chen Lao’er explained

"Bai Bing Tang is the largest blacksmith shop in the county. They have over a hundred blacksmiths and recruit thirty or forty apprentices every year. Even the county garrison buys their weapons from Bai Bing Tang. Erniu is strong; as long as he works hard and learns the craft, he’ll surely make something of himself."

Only then did Chen Tiezhu feel at ease. He said to Chen Yuan, who was standing to the side

"Erniu, follow your Uncle Erhua to the county tomorrow. Be obedient on the road and don't cause any trouble for him."

Chen Yuan smiled naively

"Uncle Erhua, I’ll do whatever you tell me to."

Chen Lao’er nodded with a smile and reached out to squeeze Chen Yuan’s arm

"Good lad. I haven't seen you in a few years, and you’ve grown so sturdy. Bai Bing Tang loves recruiting strong apprentices; you’ll definitely be fine!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuan’s eyes flickered slightly, though he maintained his naive, honest smile.

...

After Chen Lao’er and Chen Tiezhu agreed on the time to pick up Chen Yuan the next day, he left.

Chen Li-shi packed Chen Yuan’s luggage, preparing a set of linen clothes to change into, a pair of coarse cloth shoes, and three coarse flour cakes.

Perhaps finding these things too meager, Chen Li-shi quietly slipped thirty wen into Chen Yuan’s hand.

Chen Yuan refused

"Mother, I can’t take this money."

Chen Li-shi forced the copper coins into Chen Yuan’s hand

"You have a big appetite. If you aren't full at your master's shop, buy two more coarse flour cakes. Don't buy the white flour ones; they’re too expensive..."

Chen Li-shi rambled on and on.

Chen Yuan did not show the slightest impatience; he listened quietly, a sense of warmth rising in his heart.

...

That evening, Chen Yuan’s older brother, Chen Daniu, also returned home.

Chen Daniu was sixteen this year. Since last year, he had been working as a long-term laborer for Chen Rongcai, the only landlord in Chen Village, and usually lived on his estate.

Chen Tiezhu had gone to notify him today about Chen Yuan going to the city to be an apprentice, which was why he had asked for leave to come home.

When Chen Rongcai heard the news, he not only agreed to let Chen Daniu go home but also had him bring back a box of stir-fried vegetables and two white flour cakes as a farewell gift for Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan only ate one white flour cake, and the stir-fried vegetables mostly ended up in his little sister’s stomach.

In Chen Yuan’s previous life, these were the lowliest foods sold at street stalls, but now, they were delicacies that the Chen family rarely got to eat more than a few times a year.

Before going to sleep, Chen Daniu quietly slipped one hundred wen into Chen Yuan’s hand

"Erniu, this is what I’ve saved this year. Take it and use it."

Chen Yuan refused

"Big Brother, you need to save money to build a house and get a wife. I can’t take this."

Chen Daniu forced the money into Chen Yuan’s hand and said

"When I asked for leave today, Master Chen told me that a poor family needs a rich road. I think that makes sense. You’re going out into the world, and you’ll have many expenses. I have my food and lodging provided by the master, so I don't spend much. Just take it..."

Chen Yuan stopped refusing and accepted the heavy stack of one hundred copper coins.

Chen Daniu smiled naively

"Go to sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow to hit the road."

With that, he closed his eyes and lay down. Before long, he was snoring like thunder.

Chen Yuan lay on the bed, but he didn't feel the slightest bit sleepy. He stared at the old wooden beams above, sighed softly, and then slowly closed his eyes.

...

The next morning, Chen Yuan woke up early. For the first time in his life, he ate three coarse flour cakes. He tucked the cloth bag containing the jade pendant close to his body, shouldered his simple luggage, and waited for Chen Lao’er to arrive.

His little sister only learned this morning that her beloved second brother was going to the county to be an apprentice and wouldn't be back for a long time. The joy she had felt yesterday from the white flour cakes and stir-fried vegetables vanished completely, and her face was streaked with tears.

"Second Brother, please don't go, okay? Wuu wuu, I don't want you to leave..."

Chen Yuan crouched down, stroked his little sister’s head, and said softly

"Be good, little sister. Second Brother is going to earn big money. When I come back, I’ll buy you white flour cakes, pork belly, and white cakes to eat, okay?"

His little sister clutched the corner of Chen Yuan’s shirt tightly, sniffing, and asked

"Really?"

"Really. When has Second Brother ever lied to you?"

His little sister pouted and said

"Then you can't stay too long. When I miss you, you have to come back and tell me stories to help me sleep..."

Chen Yuan said softly

"Alright, Second Brother will listen to you. You be good at home and listen to Father and Mother."

His little sister slowly let go

"Mm, I’ll be very obedient. You have to bring back white flour cakes, pork belly, and white cakes..."

After Chen Yuan comforted his little sister, Chen Lao’er arrived. He walked through the open courtyard gate and called out

"Erniu, let’s go! Brother Tiezhu, Sister-in-law, it’s a long way to the county, so we’re heading out now."

Chen Yuan hugged his little sister, slowly straightened up, and swept his gaze over his family one by one

"Father, Mother, Big Brother, I’m leaving. Don't worry about me. If there’s anything in the future, I’ll ask Uncle Erhua to bring a message back."

Chen Lao’er was stunned, then nodded

"That’s the way of it."

Chen Yuan took one last lingering look at his little sister, his gaze turning resolute, and followed Chen Lao’er to the donkey cart.

"Hee-haw—"

The driver cracked his whip, the grey donkey let out a long bray, and with the clatter of hooves, they headed into the distance.

Behind him, his family stretched their necks, gazing at the direction the donkey cart was disappearing into.

As the cart moved further and further away, Chen Yuan’s figure grew smaller and smaller.

His little sister suddenly broke free from Chen Daniu’s hand and ran after the cart, crying loudly

"Second Brother, don't go..."

The sound of her crying drifted over on the breeze. Chen Yuan’s body trembled, and he waved his hand, but he never looked back.

...

The country dirt road was difficult to travel. The donkey cart journeyed for six hours, and it was nearly noon when they reached the county seat.

Looking at the bustling streets filled with people, Chen Yuan felt as if he were in another lifetime.

In three years, he had never left Chen Village; this was his first time in the city.

Although the prosperity before him was not worth mentioning in Chen Yuan’s eyes, to avoid making Chen Lao’er suspicious, he pretended to be a naive country boy who had never seen the world, acting as if everything he saw was a novelty.

On the way to the county, he had chatted with Chen Lao’er the whole time, finally gaining some understanding of the world outside Chen Village.

Before this, he only knew that the mountain range near Chen Village was called the Chimang Mountain Range, which was infested with mountain bandits, and that this county was called Leping County.

Today, he learned from Chen Lao’er that the Chimang Mountain Range stretched for over ten thousand miles, spanning most of the Qi Kingdom. There were only eight mountain passes that could be traversed, and every year, a large number of merchant caravans passed through, which also supported a large number of mountain bandits.

Leping County belonged to Xinan Commandery in Yu Province and was adjacent to the Yuanping Pass, one of the eight passes of Chimang. It connected Yu Province and Qing Province and had been a hub for merchants and travelers since ancient times, making it quite prosperous.

Chen Lao’er introduced apprentices to shops in Leping County every year and was long accustomed to Chen Yuan’s behavior. He introduced the shops along the street as they walked

"This is Fengle Tower, the best restaurant in the county. Their Golden Thread Tripe Soup is famous far and wide... This is Xinsheng Firm, the largest cloth shop in Leping County..."

Chen Yuan cooperated by exclaiming in wonder, which further stimulated Chen Lao’er’s desire to talk, allowing Chen Yuan to gain a deeper understanding of Leping County.

Halfway there, Chen Lao’er spent six copper coins at a street stall to buy three meat pies and handed them to Chen Yuan

"There will be a test when Bai Bing Tang recruits apprentices later. It takes a lot of strength, so fill your stomach first."

Chen Yuan took the pies and smiled naively

"Thank you, Uncle Erhua."

A smile appeared on Chen Lao’er’s face as he patted Chen Yuan’s head

"Good lad. Once you’re in Bai Bing Tang, you must be just as sensible. Be careful in your work and don't anger the master..."

Chen Yuan listened carefully to Chen Lao’er’s advice on being an apprentice while eating the meat pie.

When Chen Yuan finished the pie, the two arrived at a sprawling complex of courtyards in the east of the city. Facing the street was a massive storefront with three characters written on a plaque, and inside were all kinds of ironware.

Chen Yuan couldn't read, but he knew this must be Bai Bing Tang.

Chen Lao’er led Chen Yuan through a side gate, expertly turned into an alley, and arrived in front of a courtyard.

Several youths of sixteen or seventeen, wearing uniform grey linen short shirts, stood guard on either side of the courtyard gate.

A dozen or so middlemen like Chen Lao’er were standing in a line in the alley, a dozen steps away from the gate, each leading a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, entering the courtyard one by one.

A moment later, some middlemen would walk out alone, holding a coarse cloth bag with an excited look on their faces, while others would lead the boys back out with ugly expressions.

But whether they succeeded or failed, everyone remained quiet; no one dared to make a scene.

Gradually, the number of boys waiting for the test dwindled. Chen Lao’er leaned over and whispered in Chen Yuan’s ear

"Erniu, the test later is to move iron ore. Move as much as you can, you hear me?"

Chen Yuan nodded gently

"I understand, Uncle Erhua."

After waiting a while longer, it was finally their turn. Chen Lao’er offered a fawning smile to the youths guarding the gate and led Chen Yuan into the courtyard.

The courtyard was vast. On the left, a small mountain of black iron ore was piled up. The main hall door was wide open, with no threshold, and the inside was also packed with iron ore.

On the right side of the courtyard sat a man in his thirties on a grand armchair. He was thin and tall, with a goatee, dressed in silk, wearing a ring on his left hand, and looking quite dignified.

Standing beside the man were two youths in yellow fine-linen short shirts, standing with their hands at their sides.

To the right of the grand armchair sat an accountant with a small table in front of him, writing in a register.

After entering, Chen Lao’er immediately pulled Chen Yuan to bow deeply to the man in silk, saying respectfully

"This humble one, Chen Erhua, greets Manager Li!"

Manager Li nodded slightly without speaking, merely waving his right hand.

The tall, grim-looking youth in yellow on his right immediately said to Chen Yuan

"You have one quarter of an hour to move the iron ore into the warehouse. As long as you can move three pieces, you will be an apprentice of Bai Bing Tang from now on!"