An age of turmoil?

Jia Heng was not annoyed. He smiled faintly and said, "Our forebears' glory is long past. Though I have little talent, I would still follow in their footsteps. I hear you have considerable expertise in archery, Brother Xie. If you would be willing, perhaps you could offer me a few pointers. Should I make any progress, I would be deeply grateful for your instruction."

Captain Xie considered this, then chuckled. "Take this saber. See that wooden post over there? If you can cut through it, I'll teach you everything I know about archery. If you can't, don't say Old Xie showed you no consideration."

As he spoke, he handed the saber over.

Cai Quan said quietly, "Brother Dong, didn't you say this would be easy... Why's he testing him now?"

Dong Qian frowned. "I don't know either. Let's watch first."

Jia Heng lightly hefted the goose-quill saber. Its steel had been refined and extra weight added, bringing it to a little over ten jin-roughly two and a half kilograms by Han measures. Had the body's former owner not built up some strength, even lifting it would have been a struggle.

He swung it, tracing a flourish with the blade.

That single movement made Captain Xie narrow his eyes in silent wonder. The descendants of the Ningrong Dukes had long since ceased to amount to much. Who would have thought there was still someone like this among them?

Jia Heng closed the distance in two strides, raised the saber, and leaped into a downward slash. The blade flashed like a rainbow as it swept toward the wooden post.

Crack!

The post, as thick as a large bowl, was severed through the middle. The cut surface was smooth as a mirror, bright enough to reflect a face.

"What a fine saber!"

The praise slipped from Jia Heng's lips. His arm felt sore; he regularly practiced with a sword but seldom used a saber, and the two weapons required quite different ways of applying force.

Captain Xie rose with a smile. "Fine skills! Old Xie misjudged you."

Dong Qian laughed. "Brother Xie, don't underestimate Brother Jia here. I watched him practicing his sword at home earlier. His blade flashed like a rainbow, so tightly that neither wind nor rain could get through."

A smile also appeared on Captain Xie's face. "That post was made of oak. It's harder to split than an ordinary post to begin with, yet Brother Jia cut it through in one stroke. That's no small feat. He knows how to handle a blade."

It was not merely strength, but technique as well. The moment an expert made a move, one knew whether he had the goods.

Cai Quan smiled too, helping warm the mood. "Come on, it's nearly noon. Let's eat first."

Jia Heng nodded and followed Captain Xie inside.

Captain Xie lived in a three-room tiled-roof house. Inside was a woman in a plain cloth skirt with a simple hairpin, around thirty years old. Her complexion was poor, and she wore the weary look of someone worn down by years of toil. Several children stood beside her.

A sturdy little boy stared at the strangers, his eyes darting about. They brightened when they landed on the gift boxes and books Cai Quan and Jia Heng carried. Behind him, two little girls with braided hair timidly studied the visitors.

"Go warm this wine." As soon as Captain Xie entered the side room, he climbed onto the heated brick bed and gave his wife the order.

The woman answered, and Cai Quan and Jia Heng handed over the wine and meat.

Before long, they were drinking and talking.

Captain Xie sighed. "Why do the Jurchens raid the north year after year? Because mounted archery has fallen into neglect. Back in Taizu's day, the Capital Camp could still chase down fleeing enemies and drive them north. How many years has it been? And how many men in the army still know how to ride and shoot?"

Since Chen Han had succeeded the Ming, it naturally faced the same problems as its predecessor: threats from the steppe beyond its borders, and within them, land annexation by the landlord class and an enormous civil bureaucracy that spoke for the gentry.

Jia Heng pondered for a moment. "What's the situation in the Nine Frontier Commands now?"

"What else could it be? The Eastern Barbarians have grown too powerful to contain. The commander of Ji Town hides in his shell and refuses to come out. Beiping Prefecture is plundered year after year, and the people on the frontier suffer beyond endurance," Captain Xie said indignantly.

A thoughtful look crossed Jia Heng's face. In its later stages, the world of Dream of the Red Chamber was undoubtedly one of turmoil and dynastic upheaval. As the "Song of Good Things" put it, "Train them well, yet who can guarantee they will not someday become brigands?" That referred to Liu Xianglian and others like him. What sort of age would drive such men to become brigands?

It could only be an age of turmoil.

The first chapter of Dream of the Red Chamber recorded that after Zhen Shiyin's home burned to the ground, he sought refuge on his farm. The book said, "As ill luck would have it, floods and drought ruined the harvest that year, bandits rose like swarming bees, and government troops were sent to hunt them down..."

Chapter fifty-three also recorded Wu Jinxiao's report: "This year's harvest was truly poor. The rain began in the third month and continued right through the eighth; we never had five clear days in a row. Then, in the ninth month, hailstones the size of bowls fell..."

At that thought, Jia Heng could not help feeling a chill of apprehension.

Could this be the Little Ice Age of the late Ming?

If so, passing the imperial examinations and entering official service alone would not be enough to secure a place in this world. I would need military power in my hands to live well here.

While they talked, the warmed wine and dishes were brought to the table. The conversation continued over the meal, moving from experiences in the army to everyday affairs in the capital.

The gathering left hosts and guests alike content, and only ended in the early afternoon, during the hour of the Goat.

Jia Heng arranged a time to study riding and archery with Xie Zaiyi, then helped support Dong Qian and Cai Quan, whose cheeks were flushed from drink, as they headed home together.

On their return, they naturally received a round of reproaches from Cai. Jia Heng went into the inner room to sleep and did not wake until dusk.

He prepared some warm water, washed away the smell of wine, and changed into clean clothes.

He was about to go to the study to read when he suddenly noticed Cai standing at the threshold, looking as though she wanted to speak but hesitated.

Jia Heng smiled. "Do you have something to tell me, Aunt Cai?"

There were three people in Cai's household. Though his own family was poor, they still owned ten or twenty mu of land, which Cai's husband and Brother Cai's family of three cultivated.

Cai said, "There are indeed a few things I need to tell you, Heng."

With that, she came into the room.

Jia Heng smiled, picked up the teapot beside him, and poured her a cup. Turning back, he said, "Have some tea, Aunt Cai."

Cai sat by the table and smiled. "You're becoming more and more of a grown man."

Jia Heng smiled. "Children from poor families have to take charge early, that's all. You've watched me grow up, Aunt Cai."

Cradling the tea, Cai smiled wistfully. "If my young mistress were still here, how comforted she would be."

Jia Heng sighed. "Mother toiled all her life, and never enjoyed a single day of comfort with Father and me. Ah..."

Cai fell silent. After a moment, she suddenly said, "My young mistress only hoped you would study and make progress in your schooling. Before she passed away, she actually arranged a marriage for you."

Jia Heng was startled. "A marriage?"

Cai said, "Here is the marriage contract. It was settled long ago."

As she spoke, she took a wooden box from her sleeve. The pearwood box was finely crafted, with a phoenix pattern carved into its surface.

Jia Heng's expression briefly froze. He reached out to take it, opened it, and began to read. His face grew solemn.

"Qin Ye's daughter? Qin Keqing?" A peculiar look came over Jia Heng's face.

Wasn't Qin Keqing supposed to marry Jia Rong?

Then again, Jia Rong was only sixteen now. He probably wasn't married yet.

But given that I'm now a penniless scholar, Qin Ye may well break off the engagement. Am I going to have to make some three-year challenge of it? Jia Heng gazed at the marriage contract, lost in thought.

Of course, even if Qin Ye honored the arrangement, without some ability of his own, Jia Heng would never be able to protect a breathtaking beauty like Qin Keqing.

That beauty could bring disaster was no empty saying.

Yet if he ignored the matter and Qin Keqing married Jia Rong as she did in the original novel, only for that old bastard Jia Zhen to bed his daughter-in-law... the thought was rather sickening.

"I had your uncle buy some gifts this afternoon. Tomorrow, go to the Qin family and settle the wedding date with them," Cai said.

Jia Heng considered this, then said, "Aunt Cai, we know our own circumstances. With our family in this state, the Qins will most likely want to go back on their word. Wouldn't we just be asking for a rebuff by going there?"

Cai smiled. "There's something you don't know, Heng. Qin Ye gave his word back then. How could he go back on it? Just go tomorrow. Things will be settled then."

Jia Heng did not know why Cai was so certain, but seeing the hopeful look on her face, he agreed for the time being.