Little Aunt

After driving off Zhang the Widow and her daughter, Zhao Feng casually ate some porridge, then carried a large bundle of roe deer meat along with two hides and the antlers. He boarded Old Ding's donkey cart, which belonged to the village peddler, and headed for the county market.

Besides him, five other villagers were traveling with them to attend the county market or take care of business. They were all fellow villagers, so each only needed to pay two copper coins for the ride.

"Ah Feng, I heard you're going to learn martial arts?" Old Ding asked on the road.

The moment he spoke, the other villagers all turned to look at Zhao Feng. Their eyes were full of doubt, as though they were looking at a madman. In truth, in the eyes of Jiazi Ravine Village's people, he was a madman.

"Uncle Ding, who did you hear that from?" Zhao Feng asked.

"You don't know? Your eldest aunt tells everyone about it every day as if it's some joke. She laughs so brightly, and she said..."

"She said that after falling into the water, you went mad and stupid, didn't know your own limits, and were indulging in wishful thinking." Another villager picked up the thread.

Zhao Feng's expression remained calm. "I do want to learn martial arts. Uncle Ding, I heard the tuition is ten taels of silver?"

"Ah Feng, martial arts schools in the county used to charge more or less ten taels of silver for tuition, but most have raised their prices now. And that only covers the first few months. When the time is up, you have to pay again," Old Ding said.

Zhao Feng was not surprised. It was much as he had expected. His father had thought ten taels of silver would cover everything, but there was no such good deal.

"Uncle Ding, you often travel to the county. Tell me, which martial arts schools are better?" As Zhao Feng spoke, he handed Old Ding a handful of chestnuts.

"The two martial arts schools with the biggest names in the county are Heaven Gathering Martial Arts School and Vast Sea Martial Arts School. I hear their masters are famed experts throughout the region, but their tuition is high too. It now costs fifteen taels of silver just to enroll," Old Ding said as he accepted the chestnuts.

"Then there are other schools like Zheng Clan Martial Hall, Dragon Tiger Martial Arts School, Triumphant Reach Martial Arts School, and so on. They all charge twelve taels of silver now."

"And none of that tuition includes lodging."

Zhao Feng frowned slightly at that. If lodging was not included, his home village was dozens of li from the county, and it was impossible for him to travel back and forth every day. He would have to rent a place too, which was another expense. That would make the burden even heavier.

"Oh, I just remembered. A martial arts master surnamed Huo retired from the prefectural city last year and opened a Huo Family Martial Arts School. His tuition may be lower. I can ask around for you," Old Ding said.

"Thank you, Uncle Ding."

After entering the county through its gates, the people on the donkey cart dispersed to attend to their own business. Some went to the market, some to the apothecary, and some to visit relatives. Old Ding's donkey cart would wait for everyone at the county gate at a quarter past the hour of the Monkey in the afternoon.

Zhao Feng first carried his bundle to his little aunt's home in the outer city.

Zhao Feng's grandfather had three children: his eldest son, Zhao Youfu; his second son, Zhao Youlin; and his youngest daughter, Zhao Youfang. Unlike his eldest uncle, his little aunt Zhao Youfang had cared deeply for Zhao Youlin since childhood. She was also very good to her two nephews, Zhao Shuo and Zhao Feng, always bringing them something to eat from her husband's family. The padded jacket Zhao Feng wore had been sewn by his little aunt.

As he walked along narrow streets strewn with rubbish, a damp, moldy stench mixed with an unknown foul odor drilled into his nostrils. On both sides stood shabby, low earthen houses, and quite a few families had patched holes in their drafty walls with broken roof tiles.

The people's clothes were covered in patches as well, scarcely any better than those in the village.

Zhao Feng knew that Big Stone County, like all other county towns, was divided into an outer city and an inner city. They were two different worlds. The inner city was home to wealthy households and officials' families. Not only was the environment far better, but public safety was more secure, free from the harassment of vagrants and bandits.

Every commoner in Big Stone County dreamed of living in the inner city.

His little aunt's home was in the western part of the outer city, a rundown courtyard. His little uncle, Tao Qing, was a local of the county who made a living through small business. He had an elder brother and an elder sister above him. Tao Qing and his brother had not yet divided the household, and still lived with their parents.

The memories of the original owner recalled that because his little aunt had not borne a son, she was treated very poorly in this household.

When Zhao Feng arrived at his little aunt's home, she and his cousin Qiao'er were washing clothes in the courtyard. His little aunt showed surprise upon seeing him, while twelve-year-old Qiao'er, her face sallow from poor nourishment, hid behind her mother.

"Xiao Feng, why have you come? You must be tired!" His little aunt wiped her hands and greeted him.

Seeing that three large buckets brimming with clothes were being washed by his little aunt and cousin in the dead of winter, their hands frozen bright red in the cold water, Zhao Feng could not help frowning.

Just then, his little uncle Tao Qing came out of the main room. "Little Uncle," Zhao Feng greeted him. Tao Qing acted as though he had not seen him, went straight back inside, and slammed the door shut with a bang.

As for the other members of the Tao family, none came out, and no one greeted him.

"Xiao Feng, come inside and sit," Zhao Youfang said somewhat awkwardly.

"Little Aunt, I won't go in. I'll just sit in the courtyard." Zhao Feng knew they did not welcome him, so naturally he would not go looking to make a fool of himself.

"Xiao Feng, when something happened to you last time, I went to see you. At the time, you were still suffering from that madness. It's good that you're all right now. You mustn't fool around anymore." As Zhao Youfang spoke, she began wiping away tears.

"Little Aunt, don't worry. I won't be reckless again."

"This is roe deer I hunted. I brought you some meat." As Zhao Feng spoke, he took out a piece of roe deer meat weighing about two jin.

Zhao Youfang hurriedly refused. "Xiao Feng, how could I take this? It could sell for quite a bit of money. I can't take it."

"Little Aunt, ever since I was young, you watched me grow up and treated me like your own son. What does this little bit of meat amount to? I know how to hunt now. I'll bring you meat again in the future." Zhao Feng insisted that she take it.

Zhao Youfang felt deeply gratified. Delighted, she put away the meat and headed for the kitchen. As she walked, she deliberately called toward the main room, "My nephew brought me roe deer meat—there's a full two jin of it!" Her face was full of pride. She wanted the whole family to know.

"Cousin, I still have business to handle, and I have to hurry back this afternoon. I'll be going now. Help me say goodbye to Little Uncle." After speaking to Qiao'er, Zhao Feng left.

He had only just stepped out the front gate when Zhao Youfang chased after him.

"Feng'er, why don't you stay for lunch before you go?" she asked anxiously.

Seeing that Zhao Feng was determined to leave, she hurriedly grabbed hold of him.

"Feng'er, I heard from your eldest aunt that you want to learn martial arts. No matter what, Little Aunt supports you." Changing the subject, she quietly took out some loose silver from her pouch.

"I saved this up by doing mending work myself. You must learn martial arts well, so you can have a way to make a living in the future."

Altogether, it came to nearly one tael of silver. She forcibly stuffed it into Zhao Feng's hand.

"Little Aunt, this won't do. How can I take your money?" Zhao Feng tried to refuse.

"Feng'er, consider it a loan from me. You must make something of yourself in martial arts and win back some pride for your father, mother, and all of us," Zhao Youfang said earnestly.

"Okay!" Zhao Feng drew a deep breath.

This one tael of loose silver was very light in weight, yet in his heart, it felt leaden. So very heavy.

After leaving his little aunt's home, Zhao Feng headed toward the market. Just as he was nearing it, cries of killing and startled screams suddenly rang out behind him. He turned around.

Two burly men dressed in black, their bodies covered in blood and steel sabers in hand, darted out of the alley behind him. Chaotic footsteps sounded behind them, as though several people were in pursuit.

"Move aside!"

"Get out of the way!" One of the men in black roared wildly as he swung his saber at Zhao Feng, who stood in front of them.