Chapter 24 - 1#
Mother - Meeting Mother, Xiao Cuan’s Major Breakdown#
Yanzhi was born in a remote and secluded small mountain village.
Most of the people in the village were surnamed “Yan,” so the village was called “Yanqi Village.”
Yanzhi’s father was a famous rogue and rascal in the village, idling around all day, either drinking or gambling.
The family’s fields were neglected, and they relied entirely on Yanzhi’s mother weaving cloth and spinning yarn to earn a bit of money to sustain their livelihood.
On the day Yanzhi was born, the family had no money to hire a doctor or a midwife; only kind-hearted women from the village who had given birth before came to help.
Fortunately, Yanzhi was well-behaved and considerate, not troubling his mother, and came out smoothly in less than half an hour.
But after he was born, when everyone crowded around to look, they couldn’t help but gasp.
The child was tiny, like a newborn bird, unable even to cry, and couldn’t even open his eyes.
His father took only one look at him and said he wouldn’t survive, telling people to throw him on the back mountain to feed the wolves.
After saying this, he took advantage of the fact that the mother couldn’t get up, took the last remaining money in the house, and went to the wine shop to drink.
The village women were kind-hearted, but after looking at Yanzhi for a long time, they could only sigh and accept fate, carefully telling the mother that the child probably wouldn’t make it and to let it go.
But the mother didn’t believe it.
Forcing herself to sit up, she had someone bring Yanzhi to her side and then asked someone trustworthy to take out her cherished embroidery from the bottom of a chest to hire a doctor from town.
She herself held the tiny Yanzhi, using one finger to gently press on his heart.
She had seen hunters do this on the mountain—pressing on the chest of nearly dead prey could keep them alive a bit longer; living creatures sold in town could fetch a better price.
At daybreak, just as the doctor arrived at the door, a small cry was heard.
Yanzhi survived just like that.
He opened his eyes and saw the most beautiful and gentle mother in the world.
His mother named him “Yanzhi”—“zhi” as in “branch” or “twig.”
She hoped he would grow up quickly like a branch, free from illness and disaster.
Yanzhi did not disappoint his mother’s expectations; he was very well-behaved from childhood and never fell ill again.
When he couldn’t even walk yet, while his mother spun and wove, little Yanzhi would lie in a nearby basket, playing with his own fingers.
When he could walk, he would clutch the little tiger his mother had sewn for him from scraps of cloth and follow her up and down, busy with chores.
As he grew older, he would carry a small bamboo basket or hamper and follow the older children from the village up the mountain to gather firewood and pick wild fruits.
Once, he got separated from his companions and was chased by a large dog. In his haste to escape, he fell into the river.
He clutched the small bamboo hamper tightly and kicked his little feet, floating downstream with the current.
It so happened that his mother was washing yarn by the river. Seeing him floating from afar, she hurriedly fished him out.
His mother could not only weave but also embroider. While embroidering, she would tell Yanzhi stories about the patterns, teaching him to repay kindness and the principles of being a good person.
When the cloth was woven and the embroidery finished, his mother would take him to town to exchange them for money and buy him sugar to eat.
His father still drank and gambled, not returning home for half a month at a time.
As long as he didn’t return, Yanzhi and his mother were happy.
But the good times didn’t last long. When Yanzhi was six years old, his mother passed away.
While she was still gravely ill, his father couldn’t wait to bring a widow into the house and take over the main room.
Before she left, his mother still wanted to leave some embroidery for Yanzhi to support himself, but she lacked the strength. In the end, she could only hold his hand and instruct him to eat less at home and work more; once he was grown and could work, he could leave.
After saying this, his mother passed away, leaving Yanzhi all alone.
His father married the widow, who brought along two sons. Both stepbrothers were taller and stronger than him and beat him like a little chick.
Yanzhi could only obediently follow his mother’s words: eat less, work more.
But in the year he turned eight, a major drought occurred, leading to widespread famine.
Even though Yanzhi ate only one meal a day, and that meal was only half a bowl of coarse rice porridge, his father and stepmother still turned their attention toward him.
They originally planned to sell Yanzhi to a wealthy family in town for some money.
But the human trafficker saw that Yanzhi looked good; though he was thin to the bone, his eyes were still bright, so he thought of taking him to the capital to sell.
His father and stepmother, fearing the trafficker would sell him for a high price and they would lose out, followed along eagerly.
After a few days and passing through several hands, Yanzhi was eventually sold into the palace.
Later, Yanzhi became His Majesty’s personal attendant.
Once, returning from an expedition with His Majesty, they happened to pass near Yanqi Village.
Yanzhi hurriedly asked His Majesty for leave and, taking the spoils His Majesty had rewarded him with, went back.
Yanqi Village was too bitter; he didn’t want his mother to be trapped here after death, so he wanted to move her grave.
He even specifically wore armor, carried weapons, and was fully armed, intending to find his father’s house and give him a beating.
But only then did Yanzhi learn that his father and stepmother’s family had died long ago.
Years ago, just after his father and stepmother had sold him into the palace and returned home, before the silver had even warmed up, someone sneaked into the house and slit their throats. Even the silver from selling Yanzhi was taken.
It was said to be a bandit robbery, yet everyone else in the village was fine.
So the villagers said they had gone to the capital and offended someone powerful there.
Unable to beat them, Yanzhi gathered his courage and gave their graves two kicks, then gave some money to the villagers who had helped him and his mother as a thank-you, and finally moved his mother’s grave.
He found a place by the water and mountains on a neighboring peak to settle his mother and set up a longevity tablet for her in a Taoist temple on the mountain.
At that time, wearing his armor, he said to his mother—
“Mother, don’t worry about me. I’m a Great General in the army now!”
“His Majesty values me very much. I can eat whatever I want and drink whatever I want.”
“Following His Majesty on this expedition against the enemy state, His Majesty even rewarded me with a gold biscuit!”
He wasn’t a small attendant; he was a Great General!
—Thinking of all the bits and pieces of his time with his mother, Yanzhi lowered his head and couldn’t help but redden his eyes, shedding tears.
If only his mother were still here.
His mother had only taught him to repay kindness, but she hadn’t had time to teach him what to do if his benefactor was a bad person who always bullied him.
That’s why he had stayed by His Majesty’s side for so long and been bullied for so long.
Seeing him crying, Tanggao whimpered and approached, trying to lick his face.
Yanzhi sniffed and stroked its head: “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
He just missed his mother a bit.
Yanzhi pulled himself together and thought about what to do next.
Since he had already moved his mother’s grave, he naturally didn’t need to go back to Yanqi Village.
Time was tight; it was enough just to go to the Taoist temple and take his mother’s longevity tablet.
Yanzhi let out a long sigh and tugged at the rope around the little donkey’s neck.
“Here, go this way.”
He bypassed Yanqi Village and headed straight for the neighboring mountain peak.
*
Hoofbeats were chaotic, and dust rose everywhere.
When Xiao Cuan arrived at Yanqi Village with his personal guards, it was already afternoon.
Leading the way, Xiao Cuan rode into the village along the small path, looking menacing. The villagers fled in all directions, thinking bandits had come and this man was the bandit leader.
Without waiting for his guards, Xiao Cuan flipped off his horse and grabbed a villager, asking directly: “Has Yanzhi returned?!”
But the villager was terrified and couldn’t understand what he was saying at all.
Xiao Cuan frowned impatiently, raised his voice, and said sternly: “Official business! Where is the village chief of Yanqi Village?!”
Hearing “official business,” the crowd was skeptical but still took them to find the village chief.
A guard handed the official token to the village chief. After the chief and several respected elders had looked it over, they tremblingly bowed to Xiao Cuan: “Greetings, Officer.”
Xiao Cuan didn’t want to waste words and only asked: “Is Yanzhi here?”
“Yanzhi?” Several people frowned, exchanging a puzzled look.
“Yanzhi is…”
Suddenly, someone had a flash of inspiration and remembered.
“Officer, are you talking about Yan Shan’s son, Yanzhi? The one who entered the palace years ago?”
“That’s him.”
“This…” the village chief said, “Young Master Yanzhi entered the palace, and we haven’t seen him for many years.”
“He hasn’t returned?”
“Naturally not.”
Xiao Cuan frowned, appearing puzzled.
Yanzhi had entered the palace at age eight.
Before age eight, he was here with his mother.
After age eight, he had always been in the Daliang Palace.
Even when following him on campaigns, he only lived in military tents.
Yanzhi was timid and not good at dealing with people. Going to an unfamiliar place made him like a startled rabbit, unable to eat or sleep.
Xiao Cuan thought that upon leaving the Daliang Palace, he wouldn’t dare go elsewhere and would only dare return to a place he knew.
And the only place he knew was here.
Yanzhi always missed his mother and always talked to him about his days in Yanqi Village with her.
How could he not be here?
Could it be… Yanzhi’s pace was slow, and he had arrived ahead of him?
Xiao Cuan made up his mind to wait here for a while, like waiting for a rabbit by a tree.
Xiao Cuan looked up at the village chief and asked again: “Where did Yanzhi live before?”
“This way.” The village chief hurriedly bowed. “Officer, follow me.”
The village chief led him to an earthen house that had half-collapsed.
“Officer, please understand. Yan Shan’s family had their throats slit one night years ago. Everyone in the village was terrified, so…”
“I—” Xiao Cuan paused. “I know.”
He knew. Just after Yanzhi had been sold into the palace, his father and stepmother’s entire family had died.
Because the person who killed their family was sent by him.
At that time, Yanzhi had just entered the palace and always had nightmares while keeping watch. His favorability was also just one point away from being full.
Xiao Cuan thought of killing his father and stepmother to avenge him, then telling him the good news to make him happy and increase his favorability.
By the way, he could also take back the silver from selling Yanzhi, which had come from the palace.
Three birds with one stone.
He was truly clever.
But later, the guards finished the task and returned to report.
Looking at Yanzhi’s silly appearance, Xiao Cuan ultimately didn’t tell him about the killings.
He was already silly; wouldn’t being frightened by a bloody scene make him even sillier?
As for that missing bit of favorability, the next day he gave Yanzhi a puff, and it rose.
Xiao Cuan knew of Yanqi Village but had never been here.
He looked at the collapsed house, the weed-choked yard, and the half-broken water vat in the yard.
Thinking of a tiny Yanzhi stepping on a small stool, standing on tiptoe and leaning over the vat to get water, Xiao Cuan couldn’t help but curl his lips and smile.
If he were here then, he would surely kick away the stool under Yanzhi’s feet, leaving him dangling there.
But now, he didn’t even know where Yanzhi actually was.
Xiao Cuan withdrew his smile, turned, and asked the village chief again: “Where are the graves of Yan Shan’s family?”
“Here, Officer, this way.”
The village chief led the way, and the group came to the back mountain.
Several mounds of earth, with no tablets or headstones.
Because no one looked after them, they were covered in weeds, the mounds almost merging with the hillside.
Anyone passing by without knowing would likely step right on them.
Xiao Cuan strode forward and kicked a mound, sending a patch of weeds flying.
In all the world, only he could bully Yanzhi; no one else could.
Xiao Cuan stepped on an earth mound, turned, and suddenly saw white smoke rising slowly from a neighboring peak.
Xiao Cuan frowned, looked closely, and asked as if casually: “Is there a temple on that mountain?”
The village chief hurriedly said: “Officer, it’s not a temple; it’s a Taoist temple.”