Chapter 17: Huiniang

The next day, a light rain fell in late spring.

Mist drifted over the bluestone streets, and fine threads of rain wove a hazy curtain beneath the eaves.

Carrying two salted fish, Chen Qing stepped along the damp stone path toward the Yang family home in Hundred Flowers Alley.

*Knock, knock!*

"Who is it?" a sharp female voice called from inside.

The wooden door creaked open, revealing a dark, gaunt face.

"What are you here for, kid!?"

Chen Jinhua squinted at Chen Qing, her brow furrowed into a knot.

In the past, whenever Chen Qing's family visited, it was rarely for anything good; most of the time, they came to borrow money.

Chen Qing said, "Aunt, my mother made two salted fish."

At the mention of salted fish, the tension in Chen Jinhua's face softened slightly, and she stepped aside to leave a gap. "Come in."

Inside, Yang Tiezhu was hunched over, adding firewood to the stove. Seeing Chen Qing enter, he hurriedly wiped a bench with his sleeve. "Ah Qing is here? Sit for a moment."

In contrast to Chen Jinhua's harshness and sharpness, Yang Tiezhu was a very honest and easygoing man.

"Here, have some water." Yang Tiezhu picked up a chipped earthenware pot from beside the stove.

As Chen Qing took the pot, he noticed bruises on Yang Tiezhu's face and couldn't help but ask, "Uncle, your face..."

Yang Tiezhu averted his gaze evasively and muttered, "...I just fell accidentally a while ago. It's nothing."

Those marks were clearly the result of blows. Chen Qing's heart stirred—could it be that his aunt had done it?

Since Yang Tiezhu was unwilling to discuss it, Chen Qing did not press further and quickly changed the subject. "Is Sister Huiniang not home?"

Chen Jinhua snorted. "That girl went to the cloth workshop early this morning. She's busy from dawn till dusk every day, yet her wages are..."

She suddenly stopped, her eyes sweeping over Chen Qing. "Why are you asking about that?"

"Don't think I don't know. Last time, I caught you giving her wages to me."

Chen Jinhua sneered. "That girl, always looking outward instead of toward her own family."

She deliberately emphasized the words "looking outward."

Footsteps sounded outside the window, followed by the thud of a wooden basin hitting the ground.

Chen Qing turned to see Yang Huiniang standing in the courtyard, bending over to pick up scattered laundry.

She was thinner than the last time they had met, her wrists so slender that the bone joints were visible. Water droplets still dripped from the ends of her hair; she had clearly just returned from washing clothes.

"Mother, I'm back..."

Yang Huiniang looked up and saw Chen Qing. Her eyes brightened for a moment before dimming again.

She walked quickly into the room, stepping between Chen Qing and Chen Jinhua. "Auntie Wang said she wanted to borrow our rice sieve..."

Chen Jinhua grabbed Yang Huiniang's arm. "What are you hiding for? He came specifically to see you!"

She glanced sideways at Chen Qing. "Ah Qing, isn't that right?"

Chen Qing said, "Aunt, I just..."

"Just what?" His aunt's voice suddenly rose. "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking!"

She snatched the salted fish from the table. "How much is two stinking fish worth? A few taels of silver?"

"Mother!" Yang Huiniang interrupted suddenly, her voice trembling. "That is my dowry. I will give it to whomever I wish."

*Smack!*

His aunt slammed the fish onto the ground, coating it in dust.

"You brat!" She frowned. "Have you forgotten who raised you this much?"

As Yang Huiniang knelt to pick them up, Chen Qing pressed a hand on her shoulder.

He slowly bent down, picking up the fish one by one and gently brushing off the dust.

"Aunt." He straightened up, his voice calm. "These fish were salted using the fattest carp from Qinghe Mouth. My mother said this is your favorite."

Hearing this, Chen Jinhua's expression froze.

Chen Qing repacked the fish, placed them gently on the stove, and then departed.

"Ah Qing!"

Yang Huiniang hurried after him.

Yang Tiezhu whispered, "Ah Qing is a good kid. Even if he doesn't have much skill, he is very obedient and filial..."

"Do you think I'm blinded by money?"

Chen Jinhua's eyes suddenly reddened, her voice sounding as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper. "Do you think I'm greedy for a few taels of silver?"

She grabbed one of Huiniang's coarse cloth clothes hanging on the line; the fabric had been washed until it was white.

"Sigh!"

Yang Tiezhu's hunched back seemed to bend even further. He silently picked up the fire tongs that had fallen to the ground, the dying embers in the stove casting mottled shadows across his face.

Outside the alley.

Yang Huiniang grabbed Chen Qing's arm. Her fingertips were slightly cold, but her voice was urgent. "Ah Qing, my mother was just talking nonsense out of anger. Don't take it to heart..."

Chen Qing turned his face, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Don't worry, I didn't take it to heart."

Chen Jinhua clearly believed he had swindled Yang Huiniang's money.

Yang Huiniang looked up at him, her brow still furrowed. "Really?"

"Really."

He nodded, his tone steady.

Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, the corners of her eyes curving slightly. "That's good, then."

Chen Qing's gaze shifted down to her interlaced hands. Her knuckles were red and swollen, and the fine cracks in her skin looked like a dried riverbed, some even seeping with blood.

He frowned. "Are your hands any better?"

Yang Huiniang instinctively pulled her hands into her sleeves and smiled. "Much better. Once spring comes and it gets warmer, they'll be fine naturally."

"I have some silver here." Chen Qing pulled several pieces of broken silver from his robe and pressed them into her palm without allowing her to refuse.

"Ah Qing!" She hurriedly tried to push them back. "You have so many expenses ahead of you. How can I take yours?"

But Chen Qing held her wrist with a grip that brooked no argument. "I told you, I will pay you back with interest."

Her nose tingled with emotion. She gripped the silver tightly and whispered, "...The interest won't be that high. I'll save it for you first. When you need money for your marriage, I'll give it back to you."

Chen Qing was silent for a moment, then suddenly gave a light laugh. "Alright."

"Ah Qing, there is still work at home. I have to go back and get busy."

Yang Huiniang said softly, "It's a bit cold tonight. Remember to dress warmly."

With that, she walked quickly back toward her house.

Chen Qing took a deep breath and headed toward the Qinghe Pier.

Just as he entered the backyard of the River Bureau, cheers were erupting from the martial arts training ground.

Following the sound, he saw over a dozen patrol guards forming a semicircle. In the center, two figures were moving and dodging, their punches and kicks kicking up clouds of dust.

Cheng Ming stood with his arms crossed, watching with great interest.

"Boss!"

Chen Qing walked over. "What's going on here?"

"These two are sparring. I'm just watching the excitement."

Cheng Ming smiled and explained, "The one on the left is Wang Cheng from the First Patrol Squad. He studied martial arts at a gym and practices the Twelve Routes of Seven Star Kicks. The one on the right, practicing the Sea-Breaking Fist, is Zhu Ming. It's a family martial art. He used to work as a guard for the Li family, but after offending the masters, he came to the River Bureau to make a living."

Chen Qing watched intently. The two men's moves were incredibly sharp, and their strikes produced heavy, dull thuds upon impact.

This was different from the controlled sparring of the Zhou Academy disciples; these two fought with a ferocity born of real combat. It was clear they had both experienced life-and-death struggles.

Suddenly, a dull boom erupted in the center. Zhu Ming's "Surging Waves Crashing the Shore" found a gap in Wang Cheng's defense, forcing him back several steps.

The watching guards immediately erupted into cheers.

Cheng Ming nodded slightly. "As expected of a guard from the Li Estate. That Sea-Breaking Fist has some real skill to it."

A young guard nearby whispered, "I heard the monthly pay at the Li Estate is more than five times that of ordinary guards..."

"You still need real talent for that. Last year, when the Li family was recruiting guards, they only took two out of more than thirty applicants..."

(End of Chapter)