The Bully of Chengyu Alley

Cool moonlight filtered through the oiled paper on the window, casting a little light into the room. The darkness was no longer frightening and fathomless, but instead stirred a peace that lulled one to sleep.

Ding Songyan pondered quietly for a while, then turned his head toward the screen and called softly:

"Little Sister."

There was no response. Only the long, faint breathing that could barely be heard if he held his breath and concentrated seemed to come and go.

She was asleep... Ding Songyan withdrew his gaze.

He had remembered that he had yet to ask what exactly was going on with the Zhen Residence, what position it held in Dingjiang Prefecture, and whether it had recently become entangled in any trouble.

Yes, he had begun to suspect that such a bizarre incident happening to his former self, an utterly ordinary storyteller, might truly be connected to the Zhen Residence.

Forget it, I'll ask tomorrow morning... Ding Songyan closed his eyes and tried to summon sleep, yet could not drift off for a long time.

He had worked for two years after graduation, then started businesses for many more. He had always stayed far from his hometown and returned no more than twice a year. There had been nights when silence lay deep and still, when he tossed and turned in lonely gloom, aching to go home. Yet most of the time, there was little softness in him, and he often mocked himself for having a heart of stone. But at this very moment, he was overcome by an inexpressible melancholy that could not be dispelled.

The ancients could still say, "May we live long, though a thousand miles apart, and share the beauty of the same moon." But for him, this moon was no longer that moon, and the moon of this day was even less the moon of another time.

Suddenly, Ding Qingyan mumbled from the other side of the screen:

"I want to learn martial arts..."

Her voice sank away, and there was nothing more.

Talking in her sleep... Ding Songyan opened his eyes and instinctively looked toward the crude screen.

After several breaths, he silently muttered to himself:

"Who doesn't want to learn martial arts?"

He turned his gaze back to the shadowy rafters.

Then Ding Qingyan mumbled another incoherent sentence:

"Mother, Second Brother, I won't let you be bullied anymore..."

Ding Songyan froze at the words, then let out a soundless, bitter laugh after a long while.

Amid the soft rustling of the girl turning over, his heart gradually settled, and sleepiness welled up along with it.

The next day, the arrival of the dung cart drove away the night and startled the morning awake.

Carrying his own chamber pot, Ding Songyan entered the small courtyard and saw his father, Ding Shengyi, opening the front gate.

The mosquitoes around the Chinese elm tree shot into the air, drawing a swarm of moths that had been hiding somewhere unknown.

After emptying the chamber pots into the dung cart one by one and watering the trees with the bucket-washing water, Ding Songyan heard Ding Shengyi, now wearing a square pacification kerchief, say to Mother Liu Yuzhao with great envy:

"That dung collector was wearing coarse cloth on the outside and silk underneath. They live more lavishly than even constables from the yamen.

"The dung trade really is a fine business!"

"Those who can seize that business are no ordinary people," Liu Yuzhao replied blandly.

"If you ask me, the Temple of Dang Kang is the living Buddha of all households. It can pray for blessings and speak of abundant harvests, harmonize the signs of heaven, and send its disciples across the countryside to teach farming skills and the art of composting. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, there have been bountiful harvests year after year, and dung prices have gradually risen." Ding Shengyi stood before the Chinese elm tree with a pig-bristle toothbrush, cleaning his mouth.

Thus, the morning light slowly slipped away amid the family's idle chatter and their plain congee and side dishes.

As Liu Yuzhao and the others cleared away the bowls, chopsticks, and square table, Ding Shengyi pulled Ding Songyan aside.

"You have something to do today. Don't shortchange yourself—take these two mace of silver." The middle-aged scholar glanced at Liu Yuzhao's retreating back, slipped a piece of broken silver into Ding Songyan's hand, and instructed him in a low voice, "This isn't money from the household fund. It's your father's private savings. Keep it for yourself."

Ding Songyan, who did not have a single coin on him, did not refuse.

Ding Shengyi fell silent for two breaths, then said in a low voice:

"Be careful today. Don't take risks just because the Zhen Residence has an Attendant."

With that, he patted Ding Songyan's elbow, picked up a folding fan, and left the courtyard.

Before Ding Songyan could return to the main room to help his mother and sister tidy up, Ding Daniu came over, scratching his head with a guilty expression.

"Second Brother, I don't have much money on me. I gave it all to Mother. If you can't find anything to eat at noon, come find me at the docks, and I'll share some of my food with you."

"Alright," Ding Songyan agreed.

Once Ding Daniu had gone out, Liu Yuzhao had already finished tidying up. Carrying a black gauze veil hat, she came before Ding Songyan.

"I'm going to copy Buddhist scriptures today. Here are two mace of silver." Her tone was calm, as though she did not want Ding Songyan to feel too nervous. "If you're merely wandering around the Temple of Dang Kang today, it'll draw too much suspicion. Eat what you like, buy what you want."

Having another piece of broken silver pressed into his hand, Ding Songyan did not even know what to say.

After watching his mother leave the courtyard and close the gate behind her, Ding Qingyan, her hair arranged into twin snail buns, walked to the main room's doorway and beckoned Ding Songyan with a sly grin.

"Second Brother, come here. Come here."

Ding Songyan walked over and laughed.

"I wouldn't dare take your nest-egg money."

The girl pouted.

"You look down on me, don't you? You don't treat me as your sister, do you?"

She put on an expression as though tears were about to fall.

Seeing that Ding Songyan was completely unmoved, she huffed:

"I just want to give you some copper coins. You're going to the Temple of Dang Kang today, so you'll definitely go listen to storytellers—hear tales from ancient times, hear tales from the martial world. Would you really bear to use silver to tip them?"

She really did read people accurately... Ding Songyan had indeed intended to listen to storytellers today in order to gain a preliminary understanding of this world.

He thought for a moment.

"Alright. Give me some."

Ding Qingyan immediately beamed. With a faintly skipping gait, she returned to the west wing and brought out an embroidered money pouch with a dark fragrance.

Inside were several small silver ingots and many scattered copper coins.

"These were given by Sister Nuansheng, and these are the rewards you gave me every time you came back from storytelling. You told me to save up a little nest-egg money myself and not rely only on Father and Mother. There's still quite a lot in the box..." Ding Qingyan said as she counted out the copper coins, chattering away.

As she spoke, she slowly fell silent.

Once Ding Songyan accepted the copper coins, Ding Qingyan smiled again and pumped a fist.

"Second Brother, even if you've forgotten these things, I haven't!"

Ding Songyan sighed quietly and could only say perfunctorily:

"Perhaps one day I'll remember."

He examined the coins and found that there were mainly two kinds. One was "Xingping Heavy Treasure," marked "Value Five," while the other was "Jianwu Circulating Treasure," adding up to around fifty cash.

The characters were in regular script, traditional characters... He could recognize them, but could barely write them... After changing into a light-colored straight robe, Ding Songyan tucked the two pieces of broken silver into the pocket sewn inside his sleeves behind the elbows, while placing the copper coins in the money pouch at his waist.

He then asked:

"Mother believes in Buddhism?"

"No." Ding Qingyan shook her head. "Mother is going to work. To show their devotion, many wealthy households copy large quantities of Buddhist scriptures or Daoist texts themselves and hire others to do so as well. Since most womenfolk enjoy doing that sort of thing, they like to hire literate women from ordinary families like Mother. When I come of age, I can do it too."

"Does Mother usually earn silver by copying Buddhist scriptures and Daoist texts?" Ding Songyan understood now, and confirmed that this world had both Daoism and Buddhism.

"There isn't much of that work. Usually, it only comes around during Buddhist birthday festivals or when some old madam's birthday is approaching." Ding Qingyan lifted the rather heavy money pouch. "Mother is usually a hairdresser. She goes into inner residences to help the womenfolk arrange their intricate ornamental hairstyles, and also does face threading, ear cleaning, and so on, and so on. If there's no work, she stays home with me to wash clothes and prepare food."

Ding Songyan first nodded, then looked at Ding Qingyan with some concern.

"So you're home alone quite often?"

Ding Qingyan burst out laughing.

"Second Brother, don't let your imagination run wild. There are five watchtowers here, and the techniques of the Xiaoming Sect and the Yi Clan are good at seeing far into the distance. No one will bully me."

"Besides, I'm amazing. Every boy and girl in all of Chengyu Alley listens to me."

As she spoke, the girl waved her fist again.

"I'm the bully of Chengyu Alley!"

Before Ding Songyan could respond, she blinked, and her smiling face suddenly blossomed like a flower.

"But I'm very happy that you care about me.

"It shows that even if you've forgotten what happened before, the bond between us as brother and sister is still there!"

Bang, bang, bang. The courtyard gate was pounded on at that moment.

"Second Brother Ding, time to head out!" A voice like a drake's called from outside.

Ding Songyan looked toward Ding Qingyan. Only after seeing his sister nod slightly did he stride to the gate.

Outside stood a young man in a blue narrow-sleeved robe, his hair bound beneath a strip of black cloth. By Ding Songyan's estimate, he was under one meter seventy. His features were clearly proper, yet he looked timid and furtive, with a somewhat shifty air.

"Oh, Little Sister Qingyan is here too." The young man's gaze passed over Ding Songyan, and he greeted Ding Qingyan in the courtyard first.

Where else would my sister be if not at home? Ding Songyan raised an eyebrow at the young man.

The young man shrank back slightly and gave an embarrassed smile.

"Second Brother Ding, we should head to the Temple of Dang Kang. I heard something happened to you yesterday?"

At that moment, Ding Qingyan called from several paces away:

"Xu Chang'an, wait a moment. I have a few things to say to my Second Brother."

"Alright, Little Sister Qingyan." Xu Chang'an nodded rapidly and waved at Ding Qingyan.

Ding Songyan returned to Ding Qingyan's side, signaling that she could speak.

The girl pulled Ding Songyan back into the main room and lowered her voice.

"That person is called Xu Chang'an. He also lives in our Chengyu Alley, over by the well. You used to like going to the Temple of Dang Kang with him.

"He... he's a thief."

"A thief?" Ding Songyan anxiously touched the elbow of his sleeve.

Ding Qingyan immediately laughed.

"He wouldn't dare steal from you. Otherwise, this bully of Chengyu Alley would make him regret it!

"Mm, help me pick out a gift today. I'll give it to Third Brother Qu afterward. Sorry for the trouble yesterday—we should show our appreciation. We can't owe too many favors, because if we owe too much, they'll be hard to repay. Remember, he likes mechanical playthings. I'll give you the silver this evening."

That really was how it should be... Ding Songyan approved of his sister's approach.

The girl gave him several more instructions and briefly explained the situation of the Zhen Residence before allowing Ding Songyan and Xu Chang'an to leave Chengyu Alley.

"Second Brother Ding, what happened to you yesterday?" Xu Chang'an asked along the way, unable to hide his curiosity.

Of course, he truly was concerned about Ding Songyan as well. After all, this was his future brother-in-law in his mind.

Ding Songyan remained as composed as an old hand and answered with a question instead.

"When did you leave the Temple of Dang Kang yesterday?"

"After the evening market. I came looking for you, but you'd already left." Xu Chang'an answered without any suspicion.

His former self's behavior yesterday really had been somewhat strange... Ding Songyan did not answer Xu Chang'an's question, only used his words to draw him out and learn more about the situation.

Laughing and chatting, the two walked to the Temple of Dang Kang on the eastern side of the prefectural city.

Outside the temple lay an enormous market. People streamed through it in an endless tide, shoulder to shoulder. There were vendors selling fruits, vegetables, dried meat, jeweled ornaments, knives and spears, painted fans and sugar fish; performers displaying fireworks and Daoist arts, cuju and assorted skills, playing instruments, singing, dancing, and clapping; people tempting others with gambling games and pitch-pot, or swindling them with miracle medicines and licorice. The place was full of it all.

Amid the countless cries of hawkers, Ding Songyan and Xu Chang'an came to a storyteller's stall.

"Last time, we spoke of Jin Shaochong, a true disciple of the Changliu School of Gan State, who wished to test his sword against the world. Who would have thought that before reaching New Yu, before arriving in our Great Zhao, he would be defeated on Five Hills Mountain in Gan State by Su Yunzhang, the fourth disciple of the current generation of the Heavenly Maiden School? She used the 'Twelve Paths of the Great Void' to break his 'Seven Killings Sword Art,' and declared that his weakness was 'an unsteady killing intent.'"

"Thus Su Yunzhang's name shook the world. Those fond of such things placed her on the Martial World Jade Tree Rankings, with the appraisal: 'Clear and handsome, free and elegant; dashing and romantic.'"