Ink Burns

Chapter 175 The Fisherman's Summer
The Grand Canal, like a dragon's claw, stretches far and wide, running east to west and dominating the land.

Since the Sui Dynasty, successive dynasties have invested human, financial and material resources in the repair, widening, rerouting and maintenance of the Grand Canal, hoping that the gains from trade and transportation along the canal would far exceed the investment.

Since the founding of the Great Wei Dynasty by Emperor Taizong, all five emperors have attached great importance to the Grand Canal. This giant dragon has always been obedient and docile, except for one time during the reign of Emperor Zhaode of the previous dynasty—the "Duzhou Dike Breach Case," in which more than 10,000 people died or were injured along both banks of the river. The entire Su family, who built the dike, was filled into a pit, which also implicated many officials from six prefectures and twelve counties before the matter was finally settled.

The small tributaries outside the eastern suburbs of the capital are all waterways after the branching of the Grand Canal. Some of these waterways are wide and flat, nourishing thousands of people; while others are narrow and shallow, quietly hidden among the lush and vigorous trees and shrubs.

This type of river is frequented by fishermen, anglers, and those who use boats and nets, with anglers being particularly numerous. At the crack of dawn, twenty or thirty old men would already be along the riverbank, carrying small stools, to claim prime fishing spots.

One after another, they were densely packed together, one fishing rod after another, casting their lines and creating a lively ripple on the water's surface.

Only one section of the river was quiet and peaceful. Although it was not enclosed by fences, everyone tacitly kept a distance of about five zhang (approximately 10 meters) from this section. This section of the river was the best. The stones had been cleared and were clean. The path down from the embankment was paved with large stones. There was hardly a clump of weeds to be seen where one could stand. The trees around it were tall and close together. The river was a bend where the water flowed out, and the water was hot and cold. It was the place where the fish were most active.

A carriage stopped by the roadside. Xue Chen got off the carriage with a pole and walked towards the riverbank with practiced ease. Before long, a minor official in black clothes furtively turned around and beckoned to two colleagues to move a large mahogany armchair, a sunshade oil-paper umbrella, and two small side tables onto a flat stone.

Xue Chen tossed two silver coins and glanced at them: "Didn't I tell Magistrate Gong a long time ago not to do these things? It's too conspicuous—I don't even have an official title yet. If I do this, people will only say that my Xue family is arrogant and domineering."

The minor official in black swooped down and hid the silver coin in his pocket, replying with a grin, "Look at what you're saying! Master Xue, you're still so arrogant! If it were any other nobleman, he probably wouldn't have uttered a single word to me!"

This is true.

If it were Chang Yusu, let alone getting close, this minor official would probably get whipped twice as soon as he took a step toward him.

All things considered, among the descendants of powerful and influential people in the capital, he was truly the most approachable.

Xue Chen liked the nickname and smiled.

The minor official even wanted to help cast the fishing rod, but Xue Chen stopped him.

"Don't try to steal my thunder—fishing is all about the fun of casting the line." Xue Chen said as he cast the line outwards, and the empty bamboo float swirled on the surface of the river before standing upright in no time.

The rest is up to time and luck.

Xue Chen took a seat, holding a bamboo pole: "It's much more relaxed here than in the manor. When my mother was alive, she forced me to study every day, nagging me constantly until my ears were practically calloused! In the days following my mother's death, I was filled with anxiety, fearing that the Xue family would disown me because of my mother's background and send me back to Zhenjiang. Later, my father became paralyzed, and I had no relatives to rely on. I was so afraid that I would tremble under the covers at night. After that, my mother was buried, and Xue Xiao was in mourning. Everything seemed to ease up a bit. The Chang family even came to acknowledge us with a marriage certificate, which made me feel relieved and like I had come back to life."

Xue Chen stared at the fishing float.

I don't know if it's possible for Madam Liu to ask for her mother's dowry. If not, I'll have to ask Madam Zhou from the Chang family to give her a talking-to.

And the Chang family
Tsk.

Her hair was blonde, unlike others' black hair, and paired with her white face, it looked like a garlic clove sprouting yellow shoots.

The fishing float bobbed up and down with the current.

Seeing that Xue Chen remained silent, the clerk quickly bowed and served tea: "Master Xue, you are a busy man and haven't been fishing in Qingdong for some time. Our Lord Gong asked about you yesterday. He originally wanted to go to the capital to pay his respects to the Lady, but he was afraid that you would be too busy, so he left a bag of silver ingots at the door without a signature, just a drawing of a 'fish'."

"Oh—" Xue Chen came to his senses, as if waking from a dream: "Was it left by Magistrate Gong?" The official in black bowed again: "Yes, yes, yes."

Xue Chen glanced at the clerk and said, "Your Excellency is very kind. I will personally pay him a visit in a couple of days."

The clerk was immediately overjoyed: "You're too kind! If you come again tomorrow, Lord Gong will definitely come and fish with you! Otherwise, don't go back to your residence today, let's fish here tonight—"

The clerk turned around and waved quickly. Several men carrying a heavy wooden frame covered with tarpaulin jogged over.

"Let's set up a shed here, light a bonfire, and if you catch some green trevally, we adults will grill them for you; if you catch some mandarin fish, we can grill or braise them, and then we can go to the wild mountains over there to pick some wild mint and wild onions. Tsk tsk tsk, it smells so good!"

Xue Chen didn't even turn her head, her face revealing neither joy nor anger.

The official quickly lowered his hand and made a gesture to retreat. The man carrying the wooden frame dared not turn around and could only retreat straight back quickly.

Just as the clerk was about to speak, he heard a "whoosh" sound coming from about ten feet away.

It was the sound of the outer weeds being trampled down by someone being dragged.

"Ugh—ugh—Sir, spare me! Sir, spare me! I won't fish here anymore! I'll never dare to again! Ugh—plop—"

The muffled voice gradually faded away.

Immediately following, a faint smell of blood lingered around the tip of my nose.

Xue Chen turned her head to look at the sound.

The clerk hurriedly smiled obsequiously and bowed: "A new face, a clueless new face, didn't know this area was your fishing spot?"

Xue Chen turned her head back.

The clerk waited for the muffled sounds of banging to dissipate, and was about to speak when he heard a clear, melodious female voice behind him: "Eh—are people not allowed to fish here?"

Interrupted repeatedly, the minor official grew somewhat annoyed. He forced a smile and apologized to Xue Chen, saying, "You've been gone for so long, these commoners have become quite disrespectful. Please wait a moment, I'll go and set some rules—"

The clerk turned around and his face fell. He saw a tall, slender girl with round eyes standing in the reeds not far away.

The outer perimeter was guarded by county officials, and the young woman grew anxious as she couldn't get in. She leaned out to peer inside, her slender, delicate finger pointing crisply forward: "There—isn't there a fisherman sitting there! Why won't he let us in!? Does this bend in the river belong to him!?"

This girl is probably a bit slow-witted; seeing that he's from the government office, she still dares to ask questions!
"What are you yelling about!" the clerk raised his voice. "Go away—you're a girl, I won't use force! Get out of here! Don't make me slap you!"

"You slapped me?!" The little girl suddenly became agitated: "I am a seventh-rank female official appointed by the imperial court! How dare you slap me!"

Xue Chen's ears twitched, he dropped the fishing rod, stood up and looked back.