Chapter 13

The man on the ground finally noticed them and lifted his head.
His face was smeared with blood, swollen with purple bruises. Zhao Wanwan gave a sharp cry and stepped back.
Li Qinghe really recognized him, of course it was Xu Changjie. In a previous life, who knew how many nights they'd shared a bed? She had often watched his sleeping face by moonlight. Even now, filthy with blood, he was unmistakably Xu Changjie.
"Sister, who is that?" Zhao Wanwan stood a few paces away, glanced around, then edged closer, gripping Li Qinghe's arm. "Can we go home?"
A hoarse young man's voice rasped, "Help me…"
"How do you want us to help you?" Li Qinghe kept her composure.
He gasped a few times. "Find… a doctor…"
"This puts me in a bind; I have things to do," Li Qinghe said, looking at the sky. "Why don't I go fetch your family, the Xus?"
Xu Changjie was silent for a long moment, then said, "Thank you."
So the two girls turned and headed back to the village. Luckily they hadn't gone far; moving quickly, within fifteen minutes they were at the Xu family's gate. They knocked, and soon a woman's voice called, "Who's there?"
Mother Xu wrapped a robe around herself and came to the door; it was still before dawn. Squinting, she saw two slight young women at the gate. "So early, what's the matter?"
Li Qinghe immediately said, “Aunt, just now my sister and I saw someone injured outside the village who couldn't get up. When we got closer, it turned out to be Young Master Xu. Please go and see right away.”
After she finished speaking she turned to leave. Mother Xu flung open the courtyard gate. “Qinghe? What did you say? Say it again!”
Li Qinghe turned back and said earnestly, “Young Master Xu is injured, out in the ravine outside the village. He sent me back to fetch you. My sister and I were supposed to go into town to work; if we don't leave we'll be late, so we'll go on ahead.”
The Xu family moved quickly. In the time it took her to speak those few words, Father Xu had already dressed and was rushing her out the door, “Hurry.”
The married couple started running, surprisingly faster than Li Qinghe and her sister, and soon vanished from the village entrance.
The two sisters hesitated for a moment, then quickened their pace. When they reached the ravine again they found Xu Changjie was gone; a little further ahead, Father Xu was carrying him on his back and hurrying toward town.
They followed at that not-too-close, not-too-far pace all the way into town. The sisters hurried to the bun shop; the bun-woman was still selling buns. Seeing them she smiled brightly, “I thought you two weren't coming.”
“We were delayed by something.” Li Qinghe stepped forward. “Do you need any help?”
The woman was surprised, then quickly recovered. “No need. The Sun family is expecting us. I'll take you there.”
Luoyue Town's East Street was hardly frequented by ordinary folk. Throughout the walk Zhao Wanwan clutched her arm nervously. The bun-woman led them swiftly through the Sun family's back gate, and servants then took them on to the main kitchen.
It was just dawn, and the main kitchen was already a hive of activity. Spotting the three of them, a plump steward in his forties asked, “What can you do?”
The bun-woman answered, and he promptly assigned Li Qinghe and the bun-woman to cut meat while Zhao Wanwan was sent to wash vegetables.
Then piles upon piles of meat were set before them. The bun-woman moved quickly; seeing how neat Li Qinghe's handling was, she kept up a steady chatter, “That's my cousin, he often helps the cook find extra hands. If you're willing, I'll bring you here again.”
Li Qinghe smiled and thanked her. The bun-woman went on, naming every household she knew in town; from the sound of it, she was familiar enough to be recognized by most people.
Li Qinghe perked up and asked, “Do you know the fish seller, the man?”
“Of course.” The bun-woman replied offhand. “He lives in Liu Village. On market days he goes to the county seat; he only sells fish on market days. Don't be fooled by what he does, it's actually profitable, but most people don't have that kind of capital. Also, transporting fish takes know-how, if they all die in transit, you're ruined.”
She meant the trade is tricky, if you don't know how to transport fish, they can die. Li Qinghe pondered and asked, “Can I ask him to sell me fingerlings?”
“You want to raise fish?” The bun-woman looked astonished. “That stuff is hard to keep. If they die, you'll lose money.”
As a trader, she couldn't go three sentences without mentioning loss.
“I want to try.” Li Qinghe looked at her and said earnestly, “Can you introduce me to him?”
“Yes.” The bun-woman sized her up. “A young woman wanting to raise fish, do your family agree?”
“They agree.” Li Qinghe smiled. “Do you know the Zhang family's cloth shop, Auntie? My mother's surname is Xu.”
Many people knew about Master Zhang and Madam Xu, after all, taking a wet nurse into the household as a concubine was still an oddity even nearly ten years on. The bun-woman was taken aback, then quickly recovered. “Poor thing. How do your father and stepmother treat you?”
Li Qinghe answered offhand, “They don't pay much attention to me.” In truth, they couldn't control her.
“All right, consider it on me. When the fish are raised, remember to give me one.” The last line was entirely in a joking tone.
From morning until afternoon, aside from mealtimes, they were cutting all manner of meats and vegetables. By the time they finished, Li Qinghe's arms were so sore she could hardly lift them. They couldn't go home that night, either, because there was a banquet at noon the next day and they'd have to get up at midnight to work. The pay for the job was fairly good, but it was exhausting. When they left the Sun household the next afternoon, Li Qinghe couldn't lift her hands at all; Zhao Wanwan's hands were blanching from being soaked, and clutching the purse at her waist she was excited, “Sister, I want to buy a bun.”
The bun-woman laughed at this. “No need to buy one, I'll give you one.”
Zhao Wanwan was overjoyed and thanked her profusely.
After arranging the time with the bun-woman, the sisters prepared to return home. At the town gate they came across the Xu family, who had fetched an ox cart to bring Xu Changjie back. Yang Lanrou was supported by a maid, her eyes rimmed red; she kept wiping tears while looking at Xu Changjie on the cart.
They really weren't at all discreet.
Mother Xu saw the sisters but behaved as if she hadn't. Li Qinghe had no intention of approaching; she led Zhao Wanwan and went on ahead.
Zhao Wanwan whispered, “Young Master Xu seems badly hurt, it's been two days and he still can't get up. I wonder whom he crossed. Have they reported it to the authorities? This road is dangerous. If we come again, we must be very careful.” She paused, then added, “That girl must be in love with Young Master Xu, he's hurt and she still won't leave him.”
She was usually quiet; such chattering meant she'd probably made some money.
They hadn't gone far when an ox cart came up from behind and stopped beside them. Mother Xu, looking haggard, said to the two, “Get on, let us give you a lift. The cart's faster.”
Xu Changjie's eyes were closed on the cart; bruises and purple marks peppered his face, leaving little trace of his former good looks.
“No thank you,” Li Qinghe replied at once.