Old Residence

He pushed open the creaking cabin door.

The cramped cabin was steeped in the smell of damp wood, stale fish, and faint rice bran.

Madam Han hurried over at the sound. "A Qing, how did it go today...?"

Chen Qing shook his head, his voice low. "Those people at the Fish Market cut the price again... Luck was bad today too. One cast of the net, and it was nothing but tiny fish and shrimp. Altogether, they only sold for a few copper coins."

Fishing was, in the end, a trade that depended on the heavens.

It was common enough to cast a net and haul it back empty. No matter how skilled one was, there was nothing to be done.

Besides, the work wore out fishing nets. When all was said and done, they still had to watch the heavens' mood.

Madam Han sighed, tears welling in her eyes. "Ah... How are we supposed to live from now on...?"

She looked at the nearly empty sack of rice. "We can't even afford brown rice now. We can only chew rice bran... All we can do is pray that the Dragon King opens his eyes and grants this mother and son a mouthful of food to stay alive."

Staple foods were ranked, in order: white flour, or refined grain; brown rice and sorghum flour, or coarse grains; rice bran; and moldy rice.

Rice, steamed buns made with fine flour, and noodles were expensive on the market. Only wealthy households could afford to eat them every day.

Ordinary folk and fishermen ate brown rice, rice bran, river snails, and reed leaves all mixed together. Only a very few could regularly eat coarse grains without mixing in anything else.

But the Chen Family could scarcely find even coarse grain now. Rice bran had become their staple.

They almost never used oil, and even salt had to be used sparingly. Most of the time, they used chili peppers, wild scallions, and garlic to cover the foul taste.

As for the Dragon King's bounty Madam Han spoke of, it was nothing more than cold steamed buns cast into the river after sacrifices. By the time they were fished out, they had soaked and swollen like rotten flesh.

Madam Han let out a mournful sigh. "Your father went to dig a canal for the clan, and once he left, there was no news of him. He left behind this widow and orphan. We can't survive on fishing anymore..."

She looked at Chen Qing and bit her lip. "How can you manage without a skill to fall back on? I heard from Uncle Da Chun that Xiao Chun is going to Wanbao Hall as an apprentice... A Qing, you should find a way to learn a trade too, shouldn't you?"

To the people of Yazi Bay, being fishermen was ultimately a dead end. Their only hope of escaping this mire was to learn a trade on land, even if it was the lowliest apprentice work.

Chen Qing said quietly, "Learning a trade... must cost quite a bit of silver, right?"

The Chen Family had already been poor to begin with. Whatever little savings they had once possessed had long been plundered clean by the Golden River Gang.

This was an age where any ordinary person with money would be marked.

Old Zhang the Boat Tracker had stumbled into some copper coins by dumb luck. He showed off his wealth at the Floating Houses, only to be robbed that very night and have one of his legs broken.

The Floating Houses were boat-house gambling dens and secret brothels.

Then there was Old Qiu's Family, illiterate and hoodwinked into signing a Fish Scale Contract. Their daughter-in-law had been sold straight into the Floating Houses.

Such things were everywhere, too numerous to list.

Madam Han was silent for a long while before she said with difficulty, "If there's truly no other way, should we go to the Old Residence and borrow some from your grandfather?"

The Old Residence?

Chen Qing shook his head inwardly but said nothing.

After noon.

Mother and son got off the boat, crossed three long streets, and arrived at Firewood Fish Market.

The fishy stench left behind after the fishmongers closed their stalls had not yet faded. Compared to the lingering rot of Yazi Bay, this place actually seemed to have a little life to it.

Old Chen Family was located in this Firewood Fish Market, a general store.

Behind the shop was a dilapidated little courtyard, crowded with four or five rooms.

Old Master Chen had lost his wife early in life. Selling sundries alone, he had raised two sons and a daughter: his eldest daughter Chen Jinhua, eldest son Chen Wu—Chen Qing's father—and younger son Chen Wen.

At that moment, Old Master Chen was sitting in the main hall, puffing away at a dry tobacco pipe. A trace of joy and worry mingled between his brows.

Chen Wen's family gathered around him.

Chen Wen was the old master's most favored youngest son. He had inherited the old master's delicate, fair looks from his youth and had suffered little hardship from childhood to adulthood.

The old master had always intended for him to inherit the Old Residence and the shop. Yet Chen Wen had long grown accustomed to idleness. When free, he hauled goods now and then; when tired, he lay around at home. He could not endure hardship.

The old master doted on him, offering far more indulgence than rebuke.

To Chen Wen's left sat Second Aunt, her hair neatly coiled and pinned with a wooden hairpin. Her clothes were far more presentable than Madam Han's.

To his right was Chen Qing's cousin Chen Heng. Though five months younger than Chen Qing, he was broad and sturdy, with a touch of heroic spirit between his brows. He looked much livelier than before.

On the other side, Eldest Aunt Chen Jinhua and Cousin Yang Huiniang were picking and washing vegetables.

Yang Huiniang was seventeen. Her features were not particularly exquisite, but the more one looked, the more pleasing they became. Her wheat-colored skin shone with health, and her watery eyes were startlingly bright.

Chen Qing took all this in. Old Master Chen greatly favored Second Uncle's family, tightening his own belt and scrimping on food and drink so that all the good things could be saved for Second Uncle's family.

He was especially fond of the clever and quick-witted Chen Heng.

Yet Chen Qing, as the eldest grandson, received treatment as different from Chen Heng as heaven was from earth.

"Father!"

"Grandfather!"

Mother and son entered the courtyard. Chen Qing gave Old Master Chen a deep bow.

Old Master Chen was the patriarch of a feudal household. His status and position were, after all, different.

Second Aunt immediately leaned forward, her tone rising with deliberate surprise and mockery. "Oh? What brings Eldest Sister-in-law here today? You actually have time to spare?"

There was something else beneath her words.

Madam Han curled her lip and ignored her sister-in-law.

Eldest Aunt Chen Jinhua glanced up, too lazy to pay either of them any mind, then lowered her head and continued picking vegetables in silence.

Only Yang Huiniang's eyes brightened slightly when she saw Chen Qing. "A Qing!"

Chen Qing answered with a smile. "Cousin."

In his memory, Eldest Aunt was shrewd and snobbish, while his cousin was gentle and kind.

He and his cousin had been very close since childhood.

Now that his cousin was seventeen, she had worked at a clothing shop for three years. By now, she could independently sew and embroider handkerchiefs for sale.

"Eldest's wife, sit down."

Old Master Chen put down his pipe and greeted her.

After exchanging a few idle words, Old Master Chen looked at Chen Qing and sighed. "A Qing, you must strive too."

He shook his head inwardly.

Chen Wu had been honest and simple-minded from childhood, and Chen Qing likewise seemed dull and slow. In these harsh times, simply filling one's belly was difficult enough. How could they speak of rising above the rest?

Though Chen Qing had shown little promise, he was still his grandson.

"While you're young and strong, hurry and find yourself a means of livelihood."

Second Uncle Chen Wen put on the airs of an elder, his voice carrying a stern edge. "You can't make your mother worry about everything."

Chen Qing glanced at his Second Uncle, feeling somewhat speechless.

This man who lived at home leeching off his father had the nerve to lecture him?

"Father, A Qing is still young."

Madam Han hurriedly spoke, getting to the point. "That is why I want him to learn a trade to make a living."

Old Master Chen nodded upon hearing this. "Learning a trade is a good thing. If he can master one, then at least he will have enough to fill his belly in these times."

Seeing Old Master Chen's approval, Madam Han's eyes lit up. She hurriedly said, "Learning a trade requires an Apprenticeship Fee. This mother and son truly have no money to spare."

Though she did not finish, her meaning was clear.

Old Master Chen's eyelids twitched, and he fell silent.

When Chen Wu had split from the family, aside from a few basic daily necessities, he had taken almost nothing with him.

All these years, he had felt guilty toward his eldest son's family.

Especially since his eldest son had gone to dig the canal in place of his second son, and there had been no word of him to this day.

The moment Second Aunt heard this, she became alert. "Father, Xiao Heng is Learning Martial Arts at a martial arts school. The expenses are enormous. This cannot be delayed."

Chen Heng was Learning Martial Arts at a martial arts school!?

Chen Qing's heart stirred at this.

A martial arts school was a place where one could learn martial arts, but the tuition was extremely expensive. Most disciples came from wealthy households in the county town.

Chen Jinhua could no longer sit still. "Father, when did Xiao Heng start learning martial arts? How did I not know?"

There was some displeasure in Eldest Aunt's tone.

Old Master Chen tapped his pipe bowl and said slowly, "I haven't had the chance to tell you all yet. Xiao Heng began Learning Martial Arts at Guangchang Martial Arts School three months ago, and he has made considerable progress. If all goes smoothly, he can take the Martial Arts Examination next year."

By the end, the corners of Old Master Chen's eyes were crinkled with a smile.

A Martial Scholar in Yan Kingdom held recognized scholarly rank and could reduce the household's taxes, which was a considerable expense.

If he could continue through the examinations and pass as a Martial Champion, then he would soar into the heavens in a single leap, bringing glory to his ancestors. For an ordinary family, it would be like green smoke rising from their ancestral graves.

Second Aunt was as proud as a rooster, saying smugly, "When Xiao Heng practiced his fistwork this morning, Instructor Liu at the martial arts school praised him as a promising talent!"

As she spoke, she took out a silk handkerchief. "Feel this silk. It was bestowed by Master Liu's wife from the martial arts school."

Chen Qing watched his grandfather's gaunt fingers stroke the silk, a gleam appearing in his clouded eyes.

He knew that was fabric found only in the Inner City.