Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 796 The Doctrine of Compromise
In the backyard, Old Ren led the donkey into the pen and added a few spoonfuls of bean feed to the trough. The donkey, which had been a bit stubborn, began to wag its tail gently as soon as it smelled the bean feed. Not far away, the mule cart came to a steady stop under the shed. After moving the last rattan box, Feng Lao Jiu and Feng Liu added some hay to the mule in the next shed. The mule pawed the ground a couple of times and began to chew happily.

As dusk settled completely, the lanterns under the eaves cast a warm yellow glow over the backyard.

In the front hall, Luo Yagu and Chef Jiang were already seated at the square table in the center, while three young men sat around the long benches beside the table, forming a semi-circle. At this moment, none of the main dishes had arrived, so everyone could only eat the salted soybeans that the innkeeper had given them, one by one, under the oil lamp while drinking tea.

Just as the two plates of soybeans were almost finished, a loud shout suddenly came from the kitchen: "Here it comes—the lamb ribs are ready!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the curtain leading to the kitchen was pushed open. Immediately afterwards, a man of medium build and an honest-looking face walked in carrying a large wooden platter. On the platter lay four roasted lamb ribs, glistening with oil, their dark brown skin radiating a fragrant aroma, and droplets of oil dripping down the bones. Even before they reached the table, the rich aroma of the meat, mingled with the scent of smoke, wafted over.

The waiter, Feng Xiaoliu, followed closely behind the man, carrying a slightly smaller ceramic plate with several sliced ​​flatbreads on it. The edges of the flatbreads were golden brown, and steam was rising from them. The aroma of wheat mixed with the fat of roasted lamb quickly whetted everyone's appetite.

The man approached the table, placed the wooden plate steadily in the center, and rubbed his hands on his apron. "Good meat is delicate; it's at its crispy on the outside and tender on the inside right now. Ladies and gentlemen, eat quickly, or the aroma will be reduced by at least half." As he spoke, he pulled a gleaming short knife from his waist. "Would you like me to cut the meat for you? That way, you won't have to get your hands dirty."

“No need to trouble yourself,” Master Jiang waved his hand, “We can do it ourselves.”

"Alright, please go ahead." The man immediately turned the knife tip towards himself, handed over the handle with both hands, and said with a simple smile, "The lamb leg is still roasting over the fire, it will take a while, you guys eat first."

"Thank you." Luo Yagu nodded with a smile. Master Jiang also thanked him as he took the knife.

"Don't mention it," the man replied cheerfully, turning to walk towards the kitchen. Feng Xiaoliu put the pancakes on the table and followed to help.

Just then, Manager Feng came over carrying five rough earthenware plates and placed them one by one in front of everyone. He noticed that the bean dishes on the table were almost empty, so he turned and took a ceramic jar from under the counter, bringing it to the square table. The jar's mouth was stuffed with a wad of burlap, which, when uncovered, still carried a slightly damp, cool air. He took a wooden spoon and scooped some in; with a "whoosh," the spoon was full. "These beans are all homegrown," he said. "Are they alright?"

"Not bad, very fresh." Luo Yagu picked up a bean from the plate and popped it into his mouth as if making a declaration. Having spent so much time in China, he was already quite adept at using these utensils called "zhu" or "kuaizi".

"Hehe." Shopkeeper Feng chuckled as he tapped the wooden spoon into the dish, filling it up instantly.

Two beans spilled out, and Manager Feng didn't stand on ceremony with the customer, picking them up and popping them into his mouth.

Master Jiang held the short knife but did not move first. Instead, he handed the knife to Luo Yagu and said, "Master Luo, please share the meat."

Luo Yagu smiled and didn't take the knife: "Master Jiang, you can cut it."

Master Jiang sheathed his knife, turned around, and pierced the two connected ribs through the middle, preparing to put them on Luo Yagu's plate.

"No, no, no, how can I eat two of them?" Luo Yagu waved her hands repeatedly when she saw this. "Besides, there will be lamb leg and chicken soup later."

Master Jiang then inserted the ribs back into the plate, split them in half, and picked out the piece with the thicker meat, placing it steadily on Luo Yagu's ceramic plate. The smaller piece was placed on his own plate.

Master Jiang turned to look at the two remaining connected ribs on the table. At that moment, the three young men were staring at them expectantly, their Adam's apples bobbing slightly. Master Jiang didn't cut the meat directly; instead, he first used a knife to carefully peel the meat off the ribs, then made two vertical cuts to divide the meat into three even pieces, placing them on the plates of the three young men: "Eat."

"Thank you, Master Luo. Thank you, Master." The three young men first politely expressed their gratitude before they began to eat heartily.

The glistening lamb ribs, still warm from their oil, sat on the earthenware plate as three young men devoured them, oblivious to the oil splattered on their lips. Suddenly, a clattering sound came from behind the counter. Manager Feng emerged carrying a wine jar wrapped in old cotton wadding. The red cloth sealing the jar's mouth was slightly askew from the cotton, and a faint, sweet aroma of wine wafted from it.

"Please try this, everyone!" Manager Feng placed the wine jar on the corner of the table, and the cotton wadding slipped off to reveal the jar itself—it was a rough earthenware jar, and there seemed to be fingerprints left on the jar wall from when it was fired. He reached out to pull at the red cloth, but just as he touched the knot, Master Jiang raised his hand to stop him: "Manager Feng, no need, we said we don't want any wine."

Shopkeeper Feng's hand paused in mid-air, then he laughed: "Please don't be shy! This wine was brewed by my wife last year with glutinous rice. It's very mild, just enough to cleanse the greasiness of the mutton. I won't take a single penny; consider it my humble offering to you all!"

"We appreciate Manager Feng's kindness," Master Jiang said, waving his hand. "But it's our rule to not drink alcohol on the road."

"Oh dear, I'm no stranger to the ways of the world, but don't try to fool me." Manager Feng clicked his tongue and patted the wine jar. "I've been running this shop for decades and have seen my fair share of bodyguards. I know the rules of the escort business: no drinking while stopping for a meal, and three servings for the night. Now that you're all settled in, have a couple of drinks to warm up and have a good night's rest."

Master Jiang looked at Manager Feng, his eyes unwavering: "That's the rule of other escort agencies, not the rule of my Yuanwei Escort Agency." Master Jiang had barely finished speaking when he noticed the longing looks in the eyes of the three young men opposite him, staring at the wine jar, so he tapped the table. "Ahem."

The three young men quickly looked away and shrank back.

In reality, Yuanwei Escort Agency had no rule against drinking on the road. Master Jiang refused simply because it was his first time traversing the Jing-Tang route and his first time staying at this inn. Although the route was one the escort agency had planned well in advance, he remained extremely cautious.

Manager Feng's arm, which had been holding the wine jar, grew tired, so he slammed it down on the table. The bottom of the jar hit the table with a loud thud, making the soybeans in the dish jump. "This isn't right," he said. "Does the Yuanwei Escort Agency have this rule? I remember last time Master Wu..."

Manager Feng had intended to say that Master Wu had drunk wine here earlier, but then he remembered that Master Wu was no longer alive, so he swallowed his words and sadly changed his tune, saying, "That's true, every business has its own rules." Words spoken are like water spilled; Master Jiang had indeed heard Manager Feng's words. He lowered his head, his eyes dimming slightly.

“Master Jiang, why don’t you have a drink?” Just then, Luo Yagu put down his chopsticks: “As the saying goes, what’s done is done, but what’s to come can be made. Let’s have a couple of drinks, as a way of praying for Master Wu.”

Master Jiang's Adam's apple bobbed suddenly, and his eyes inexplicably stung. He slowly took a deep breath and turned to look at Luo Yagu: "Master Luo, can believing in your religion and reciting your scriptures really bring the dead back to life?"

Luo Yagu paused for a moment, his fingertips tracing the edge of the ceramic plate. As a theologian with a solid theological foundation, he knew very well that Christian doctrine did not contain the Buddhist concept of "rebirth in the afterlife."

The foundation of Christianity is "God's sovereignty," meaning the final resting place of the deceased is determined solely by their faith during their lifetime. After death, no action by the living can alter the deceased's destiny. Praying for the dead can only emphasize glory to God and offer comfort to the living.

However, after that coup, the Jesuit Chinese District, led by Nicolas Trigault and Guo Jijing, revived and emphasized the localized missionary approach left by Matteo Ricci, a crucial branch of which incorporated the concept of the afterlife. Luo Yagu recalled a line from the notebook Trigault was translating: "There is only one God in the world. He created and governs all things. He rewards good and punishes evil, and makes the soul immortal, especially in the afterlife."

“God rewards good and punishes evil. As long as you sincerely convert, trust in God, and do good deeds, God will make the best arrangements.” After thinking for a moment, Luo Yagu decided to adopt a compromise and vague statement: “If Master Wu did good and had good thoughts in his life, which was in accordance with God’s will, he will surely be able to ascend to heaven and enjoy peace.”

Master Jiang was just a bodyguard, so of course he couldn't have imagined so many twists and turns. He simply took it as a positive answer from "Master Luo". He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly: "Thank you for your guidance, Master Luo".

Luo Yagu smiled and shook his head: "May I ask Master Wu's name?"

"Yongping," Master Jiang said, his voice choked with emotion, "Wu Yongping."

Luo Yagu clasped his hands together in front of him, adopting an extremely solemn posture, and recited a prayer: "Almighty God, we thank you for the grace of giving Wu Yongping life. You personally shaped his breath and guided him through the path of life. Today, although we are saddened by his loss, we firmly believe that your love far exceeds our understanding."

“You promised in the scriptures, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled, for in my Father’s house are many rooms. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me. Where I am, there you also may be.’ We believe that although Wu Yongping did not know your name, he had believed in you and relied on you. Now he is resting in your eternal dwelling place, free from pain, tears, and death.”

"We entrust his soul into your hands. We ask that you comfort those of us who remain, and that even in our grief we may look to your promises and be certain that death is not the end, but the beginning of eternal life. May your Holy Spirit surround us, granting us unexpected peace and rest for our souls. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Luo Yagu's prayer was very approachable; apart from the middle section which was a direct translation of the original classical text, Master Jiang understood almost everything. His eyes flickered, but he didn't respond or speak; he simply silently echoed in his heart, "Namo Amitabha."

Just as the two were praying, Manager Feng had already brought over the wine bowls and laid them out. He used his fingernail to pry open the knot in the red cloth, and the sweet aroma of wine immediately wafted out, making the three young men swallow hard.

Manager Feng scooped a spoonful of wine into a bowl. The wine was clear and yellowish, with a few white bubbles floating on top. He handed the bowl to Luo Yagu and asked curiously, "Master Luo, what are you going to Beitang for?"

Luo Yagu took the wine bowl and said frankly, "I'm going to Beitang to deliver a message to a friend and ask them to mail a letter for me."

"Sending a letter to a friend?" Manager Feng asked, following up on the conversation. "Are there people like you from the 'Ouluobo Zhouyi Daliya Kingdom' over in Beitang?" The name of this foreign land was too long; it was practically making Manager Feng's tongue tied in knots.

Luo Yagu took a sip of wine, the sweet aroma immediately spreading in his mouth: "Those merchant ships that came to trade grain at the behest of the imperial court should have stopped at Tanggu Port for a while now. You just said that it's only a two-day journey from Beitang to here, you must have heard of them by now, right?"

Shopkeeper Feng blinked blankly, the spoon in his hand hovering in mid-air. He was quite certain that he had never seen a foreigner with Luo Yagu's appearance before, but the other party's confident demeanor still made Shopkeeper Feng fall into deep thought.

"Hiss." While pondering, Manager Feng had already poured out the second bowl of wine: "I seem to have heard someone say that some foreign merchants have come to the coast. Are those foreign merchants also people from your 'Ou Kingdom'?" He found the previous address too convoluted, so he simply omitted the middle part.

“Not entirely.” Luo Yagu took a bite of meat while drinking. “Some are Italians, some are Portuguese, and some are French and Dutch, but if we have to generalize, they are indeed Atlantics or Europeans.”

"I see." Manager Feng nodded thoughtfully, then handed the second bowl of wine he had ladled out to Master Jiang.

This time, Master Jiang did not refuse, but after taking the wine, he only touched the liquid to his lips lightly and did not actually drink it.

Under the dim light, Manager Feng didn't see Master Jiang's subtle movements clearly, assuming he had genuinely drunk the wine, and was therefore quite pleased. While continuing to pour wine for the three young men, Manager Feng asked Master Jiang, "Master Jiang, how's this wine? It should be delicious, right?"

Master Jiang gave a mumbled "hmm" and said, "Not bad. It's mellow but not pungent; it's truly excellent craftsmanship."

"Hehe, I knew it." Manager Feng chuckled, then turned and handed a bowl of wine to the young man closest to him. "Hey, young master, here you go."

The young man took the wine bowl, and before he could thank Manager Feng, Master Jiang immediately instructed, "Drink less, we have to travel tomorrow."

"Understood, Master." The young man nodded quickly.

(End of this chapter)