Misty Rain of the Old Times

The autumn wind blows suddenly, the blue waves wrinkle, and the leaves drift away like butterflies dancing in the wind.

The drizzle made the road muddy. The autumn rain already brought a hint of coolness, but it would be extremely hot on a sunny day.

A lonely restaurant sits on the roadside, with a few thatched huts that look quite old. Several tarpaulins are supported by bamboo poles, with a few simple tables and chairs placed underneath. In the breeze and drizzle, the words on the original white cloth shop banner can no longer be seen, and it droops wetly and sways weakly on the pillar.

The shopkeeper who was burning the fire at the stove looked into the distance with a worried frown, hoping that some customers would come. The smoke and steam mixed together and were blown away by the wind, as if he could not wait for the customers who were far away.

The three or two diners were not dressed very well, with layers of patches on their clothes. They ate the dry food they brought with them and asked for a pot of hot water from the store, with sadness in their eyes.

The autumn harvest has passed, the grain tax has been paid, and after a year of hard work, the poor families do not have much surplus. How can they supplement their family expenses and survive the next few months of cold winter?
People die in winter. If a hundred or so people die of freezing or starvation in a county, it is considered well-governed. Sometimes, the death of entire families is normal.

Being born is hard, living is even harder. While the rich can hear singing and dancing in their houses, one can hear the rumbling stomachs of hungry and cold people in the countryside.

There were many pedestrians hurrying on their way under the trees and beside the stone wall beside the restaurant. The rain soaked their clothes and hair. They were reluctant to spend money to ask the store owner for a pot of hot water, and they were embarrassed to go to take shelter from the rain and affect the store's business, which was already crowded. Even if the store owner took the initiative to invite them, they were afraid of dirtying the ground that the store owner had cleaned diligently.

"Firewood costs money. In this weather, I'm afraid I won't even be able to make back the money I spend on firewood," said the old shopkeeper with a worried look on his face.

Hearing the sound of horse hooves on the muddy road in the distance, the old shopkeeper looked up and saw someone leading a horse towards him. A glimmer of expectation flashed in his eyes. He thought that the person who could afford the horse must be a wealthy person. If he could rest here for a while, he could probably earn some money.

Soon his eyes grew dim, because the horse was too handsome, and the man leading the horse was too eye-catching, with gorgeous clothes. His small shop was simply not qualified to receive such a distinguished person.

He was still carrying a weapon, so he must be a wanderer. If we were to be negligent, we might get into trouble.

"Whose son is this? He's got a really good-looking face and good manners. He's not even fit to walk on that muddy road. It's a shame his fine deerskins are stained with mud and filth. He doesn't care for them at all. It's unbearable. He should have walked on a clean carpet. Is he a scholar with a good academic record?"

Not only the shop owner noticed the visitor, but also the diners and passers-by who were resting their heads noticed him. They looked at him carefully and then looked away, for fear of offending the important person who was obviously not to be offended.

After several days of traveling, Chen Xuan had already arrived at the territory of Jinxia County. He had been there several times before, all by water. This time he was not coming from the direction of Yang County, so he was not familiar with the surrounding road conditions.

I originally came here to see the scenery of Jinxia County and fulfill my long-cherished wish, but the horrible weather was not so good.

Perhaps because it was close to his 'childhood' memories, he did not ride the horse, but instead led the horse and slowed down his pace, letting the mud cover his shoes and clothes.

Looking at the simple food stall on the roadside ahead, he led his horse over and asked with a smile as the shopkeeper stood up nervously and said, "Do you have any food to fill your stomach?"

"Yes, yes, please take a seat, sir. I'm afraid the food is crude and crude, but please come and hold your horse, Xiaohu," the old shopkeeper greeted warmly, wiping the table and chairs with a rag and serving tea and water.

A teenager walked out of the house, dressed simply, with a gap in his mouth and a missing front tooth, and said honestly: "Here I come, wow, your horse is so handsome, I have never seen a better one."

After stomping his feet outside the food stall to shake off most of the mud, Chen Xuan handed the reins to the boy and said, "Excuse me, could you please feed me some fodder? We'll pay later."

The old shopkeeper hesitated and asked cautiously, "Sir, your horse must not be fed poorly. Would you mind feeding it some beans?"

"Okay, old man, don't call me a noble. I'm just a lazy guy, wandering around everywhere, and I don't deserve the title of noble." Chen Xuan sat down and leaned his sword against the side.

The old man smiled stiffly and said, "Excuse me, sir. What would you like to eat?"

"What's there to eat?" Chen Xuan asked casually, not being picky.

"Please drink a cup of hot water to warm yourself up first. We have steamed buns, pickles and mixed vegetables here. I hope you can forgive me that my son and daughter-in-law are back to their parents' home today, so I can't cook for them," the old man said nervously.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said: "Okay, as long as you can eat enough, five of them as well, and some mixed vegetables too."

"Please wait a moment, I will be there soon"

Passersby around them also heard their conversation and swallowed their saliva secretly. Those were made with fine grains and were very delicious. They couldn't bear to eat them.

The boy helped Chen Xuan feed the horse. He circled around the horse and became more and more curious about it. He wanted to touch it but didn't dare because it was not as tall as the horse.

The steaming hot food was served. Chen Xuan took a steamed bun and ate half of it in one bite. He smiled and said, "It's fragrant, soft and delicious. The old man's cooking skills are good."

"Thank you for your kindness. I've been making this for decades, and it's barely edible," he said stiffly as he returned to the stove.

Chen Xuan smiled and looked into the distance and said, "Excuse me, old man, how far is this place from Jinxia County?"

"It's still ten miles away. May I ask if you are here to enjoy the scenery?" The old man asked curiously because he saw that Chen Xuan was easy to talk to.

He nodded and said, "Yes, the old man has good eyesight."

"How can I have such good eyesight? There are so many people coming to see the scenery recently. I just wonder why you don't take the main road but come to this secluded path," he wondered with a smile.

"Take the shortcut and go faster." Chen Xuan felt a little embarrassed. He would not say that he had taken the wrong road. He was not a directionally challenged person, but he was really unfamiliar with the surrounding area. The old man did not think much about it and just said, "The weather is bad today. It is not a good time to view the scenery."

Looking at the mountains in the distance, one can see bright yellow leaves all over the mountains in the mist and rain. If it were a sunny day, it would surely be so golden that one would linger. Chen Xuan smiled and said, "It's okay. I think the weather will be clear tomorrow."

"It's obvious that you are a learned man, so I think you must be good," the old man said after looking at the sky. No matter how he looked at it, it didn't look like it would be clear in the near future, but he still said so in accordance with Chen Xuan's wishes.

Chen Xuan didn't comment, but changed the subject and asked, "Excuse me, old man. I came from out of town and wanted to see the scenery of the golden clouds covering the mountains, but the weather is not good. What entertainment is there in the county? I'd like to kill some time."

"You are joking, sir. How would we know where to have fun? We don't even know which way the door opens," said the old man with a smile.

That’s right, Chen Xuan didn’t ask any more questions and concentrated on eating.

The old man hesitated and said, "But I heard from passersby that there was a big event in the county these past two days. It's really something special. If you're interested, you can go and see it."

"Oh? If the old man is not busy, please tell me what you have to say," Chen Xuan asked curiously. He was free anyway.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "The Zhang family in the county have had three children in a row and finally had a son. The baby is about to be one month old and they offered a reward of 100 taels to seek fame. Many people came to them hoping to win a prize, but none of them could satisfy them..."

At this point, the old man immediately changed his words in panic and said, "Just listen to it, my lord, don't worry about it."

He felt a little regretful. This young man looked extraordinary, so why would he care about a mere hundred taels? If he offended him, disaster would befall him.

Chen Xuan understood his mentality, but he didn't care. He laughed and said, "The Zhang family must be very wealthy. I think the offer of a hundred taels for the name is not a pretense, but a show-off for the son. Otherwise, how could they not be satisfied with the talented people in the county?"

In this era, people value the continuation of the family line. If someone gives birth to a son after three children, they have to show off a lot.

The old man smiled and said no more, nor did he respond to Chen Xuan's words. A family like his could not afford to suffer any hardship. Chen Xuan could joke and tease him at will, but he didn't dare. If he said something wrong and it got to the Zhang family's ears, they would come and smash his stall, and he would have nowhere to cry.

Knowing well how difficult it is for people at the bottom of society, Chen Xuan didn't say anything more.

He didn't care about the Zhang family or the Li family. He was just too bored to be alone and wanted a place to sit and talk.

After eating and drinking his fill, and feeding the horse, he paid the bill and left in the drizzle. He paid twice as much, a total of three big coins, which was very cheap. He said the extra was a thank you fee, which made the store owner smile.

Heading towards Jinxia County, the muddy road was like the uncertain future Chen Xuan faced when he was sold to Jinxia County.

After thirteen years, I finally came here again.

It was already afternoon when we entered the city. On a rainy day, the entire Jinxia County seemed to have little vitality. Pedestrians on the street were hurrying, and vendors were huddled in the corners of the eaves to avoid the rain, looking at the rainy day with a worried look on their faces.

Chen Xuan strolled in the city. The rain had soaked his clothes, but he didn't care.

I tried hard to find the scene in my memory, but everything was the same. More than ten years had passed, and it seemed that Jinxia County had not changed at all.

Soaked all over, he left the street unknowingly at the turning point of his life, under the strange gazes of many people.

Standing at the street corner, the old archway is still there, like a lonely and old man, but the guards on duty under the archway are no longer the same people as before.

After a short pause, he led the horse into the street. The wooden cages on both sides were still there, with skinny children locked inside. They huddled in the cages in the rain with numb expressions. Chen Xuan seemed to see his former self.

As he walked, he stopped and saw the cage where he was originally locked up. More than ten years had passed, and it was still there. However, the child locked up in it was no longer him. He didn't know how many times it had been changed.

"Just like back then, nothing has changed. County Magistrate Cao killed a bunch of them, but they kept popping up again. There are things that can't be done with force. Some things can only be solved at the root, otherwise it's just drinking poison to quench thirst..."

With this thought flashing through his mind, Chen Xuan glanced in the direction of the capital and thought to himself, Xiao Gao, it's up to you, just go for it, no matter how big the resistance is, I'll cover for you!
"This gentleman has taken a fancy to the child inside?"

While Chen Xuan was standing there for a moment, the guard beside the cage came forward and asked expectantly, thinking that business had arrived.

Shaking his head, Chen Xuan answered irrelevantly: "Be nice to them, don't beat or scold them, and try to make sure they have enough to eat. They are so pitiful."

After saying this, he turned around, took the horse and left, leaving the street.

The man who thought he was approached by a business person cursed inwardly, "What bad luck are you trying to make fun of me? If I didn't think you were too powerful to deal with, I would have said a few words to provoke you. Why are you pretending to be a good person?"

But he didn't know that he would not be able to see the sun tomorrow.

"Next time I come, I hope they are no longer just commodities in the cages, or at least no longer commodities like animals in the eyes of others!"

Looking back and leaving the street, Chen Xuan turned and slowly left in the rain... (End of this chapter)