Chapter 266
Chapter 266
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 266
Chapter Title: Chapter 266 Family Affairs
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Chen Shi's heart was suddenly filled with sorrow and tenderness.
Since his revival, he had not seen his parents and had lived with his grandfather. After his grandfather passed, he and Blackie Pot had kept each other company.
Blackie Pot was sensible and always looked after him, keeping loneliness at bay. But at night, when the day's clamor faded and all sounds settled, he would miss his grandfather and imagine himself frolicking at his parents' knees, the family basking in warmth together.
But it was only imagination.
Now, he had finally seen his mother—not in a painting stored in a chest back home, but his mother in the real world.
Yet she was like someone trapped in that painting, sitting vacantly in her wheelchair. Chen Tang's calls had no effect. She still breathed, her heart still beat, but immense grief enveloped her, keeping her from waking.
Chen Shi came to her side and crouched down.
"What happened to her?"
Chen Tang's face darkened.
"Little Ten... after you died, she was probably too heartbroken. She went mad at first, searching everywhere for you. Then she just... went blank. No matter how we call, she won't wake."
The two of them seemed to have forgotten their earlier quarrel, their tones softening.
Chen Tang said, "I had Granny Sha take a look. She said the sorrow and pain in her mind were too much for her soul to bear. To escape the agony, her soul left her body and fled far away. It can't return."
Could a soul not endure sorrow and pain?
Chen Shi took his mother's hand. It was soft and thin, nothing but skin over bone, and it held no warmth, no strength. He fell silent for a moment.
"Where am I staying?"
Chen Tang paused slightly.
"I had the maids prepare a room for you a while back. One of them will show you soon."
"I have a cart and a dog. They need a room too."
Chen Tang said, "I'll have the maids clear out another one."
And so Chen Shi settled into the Chen residence.
He went with several maids to unload things from the wooden cart, then helped clean the rooms. Blackie Pot came over too, pitching in with the tidying.
The rooms Chen Tang assigned them had originally been a woodshed, later used for junk storage. Now Xijing favored coal for heating. A coal mine had been found nearby, underground, and every night around the third watch, carts hauled coal into the city. Servants from wealthy households would buy it up.
Those who were pickier burned wood charcoal, but that took money. Charcoal cost far more than coal.
Blackie Pot hauled a bucket of water to mop the floor. The maids chatted with it, laughing and joking. Then Blackie Pot seemed to sense something and glanced back—to see Chen Tang watching him.
Blackie Pot gave him a smile and a nod, then kept cleaning. It turned back again, puzzled, and eyed Chen Tang once more.
Chen Tang looked away and wheeled his wife out to catch some sun.
Blackie Pot stared at him more suspiciously, but Chen Tang didn't turn, as if oblivious to the gaze.
The wooden cart rolled in and out of the rooms. Basin-sized eyes sprouted from its sides and undercarriage, curiously scoping out the new home. But with the maids cleaning, it was getting in the way, blocking their paths.
Whenever that happened, the cart would sprout arms, fork a girl by the waist, and shift her from one side to the other. The maids weren't scared at all—they giggled, probably influenced by Blackie Pot.
Blackie Pot glanced toward Chen Tang again, just as Chen Tang looked away, avoiding eye contact.
At dinnertime, Chen Shi, Chen Tang, and Chen Shi's mother ate in the main hall. A maid fed Chen Shi's mother; she couldn't chew on her own, so the maid had to gently work her jaw, mashing the food bit by bit until it was soft enough to swallow. It was a delicate, patient process.
"Don't help her."
Chen Tang said to Chen Shi,
"Ping'er is patient and thorough. If you try, it'll choke her if it's not chewed enough. Sit and eat."
Chen Shi sat and pulled out a round stool for Blackie Pot.
Blackie Pot, dressed in human clothes, prepared to sit as well.
Chen Tang raised an eyebrow, his expression sour.
"Dogs don't sit at the table."
Chen Shi arched a brow, set down his chopsticks.
"Blackie Pot sits at the table. That's how we ate at the old Chen place in Huangpo Village!"
Chen Tang shot him a glance, his face darkening.
"I'm the head of this house. My rules. Here, dogs don't sit at the table!"
Chen Shi was about to slam the table when Blackie Pot placed a paw on his shoulder and shook its head, calming him.
Chen Shi pulled back his hand.
Blackie Pot picked up its rice bowl and chopsticks, walked to the corner, and squatted to eat.
Chen Shi stood, shoveled half the food from the table to another plate—leaving half for Chen Tang—then carried the plate and bowl to the corner. He squatted beside Blackie Pot and pushed half the food from his plate to Blackie Pot's.
Man and dog squatted in the corner, eating.
Blackie Pot rolled its eyes toward Chen Tang, signaling Chen Shi to go back and eat, to avoid a fight. Chen Shi shook his head, insisting on sharing the hardship. Chen Tang gripped his chopsticks tight, then relaxed and ate on his own.
—There weren't many tables left in the house. His monthly salary was modest to begin with; smash another, and he'd be squatting to eat like Chen Shi and the dog. Chen Shi's mother sat at the table's edge. She seemed to sense the father-son spat, her right fingers trembling anxiously.
Chen Tang was startled and pleased—but soon the trembling stopped.
"Come eat."
After a moment's thought, Chen Tang said,
"Blackie Pot sits across from you. Don't face me directly."
Chen Shi stood, tugged Blackie Pot to the table, and they sat.
Chen Tang picked up some food and placed it in Chen Shi's bowl.
"There are experts everywhere in Xijing. Don't smash things at the drop of a hat—it'll draw attention to how unusual you are. Not even with family."
He picked up more food and placed it in Blackie Pot's bowl.
"You're from my father's side, so half family. I won't ask your origins or if you're some evil spirit. I'll treat you as family."
Blackie Pot nodded and wagged the tail behind its chair.
"But that cart."
Chen Tang nodded toward the wooden cart.
"I can't afford it. It eats too much. My salary won't cover it. You'll have to figure something out."
At his words, even Chen Shi felt troubled.
The cart ate big—one meal took over ten catties of spirit beast meat, or evils would do, but prices in Xijing were high. Spirit beast meat wasn't one tael of silver per catty anymore; it was three. And there were no evils in the city.
Feeding the cart each month was no small expense.
Chen Shi couldn't quite believe it.
"You didn't skim a little?"
Chen Tang gripped his chopsticks, then eased up.
"A gentleman stays poor but upright—no taking what's not yours."
"Grandpa taught you that, huh?"
Chen Shi grinned.
"Grandpa also said not to take dead men's money, or the dead would come for you at night. I used to believe it. Then I took some...."
He trailed off abruptly, not finishing.
He was still a good kid, just a bit rebellious—nearly let it slip.
Chen Tang seemed not to catch it and continued on his own.
"I'm a third-rank official now, thirty-five dan salary per month. One dan of rice is five qian silver—that's seventeen and a half taels a month. Your cart eats that in a day. I can't afford it."
Chen Shi, puzzled, said, "With six maids and servants, how do you feed them?"
Chen Tang shook his head.
"I didn't hire them—others shoved them on me. The maids and servants get paid by other houses each month; it costs me nothing. My salary just covers household basics."
He truly governed with scrupulous integrity.
Blackie Pot pulled out a hundred-tael banknote and set it on the table, sliding it gently toward him. Chen Tang's eye twitched. He shook his head.
"I can't take it."
Chen Shi said, "That's Blackie Pot's pocket money from me. It lives frugally, didn't spend it all. If you're short, take it for now."
Chen Tang still shook his head.
Chen Shi pulled out a few ingots of gold.
"This is what I earned on the road. Use it first."
Blue veins bulged on Chen Tang's forehead. After a moment, he said, "What I'm saying is, don't plan on being a playboy son. Find an honest livelihood. You're a juren now—the court should assign you a post. Someone in Xijing's probably worried you'll stir trouble and will offer you an official role. Don't turn it down."
Chen Shi laughed. "I'd love to be a playboy son. You just won't let me."
Chen Tang snapped his chopsticks and finished dinner with the half he had left.
Chen Shi's entry into Xijing for the exams caused a bigger stir than Chen Tang had imagined.
Word of Child Scholar's death and revival, rushing to the capital for the metropolitan exam, spread like wildfire that very night. From the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers down to common folk, everyone was talking.
"After so many years dead, he revives and heads to the capital—what for?"
"Revenge? Or the exams for fame and glory?"
"His innate dao embryo was cut out and transplanted to someone else. What makes him think he can make a comeback?"
"Xijing's crawling with his enemies—how dare he come?"
"They say a demon lives in him, leaving death in his wake wherever he goes."
"His grandfather killed plenty of ours back then. Xijing's talents were nearly wiped out, or how could Jin Hongying and those other young generals and officials have risen?"
"I hear he's at odds with the young master. How dare he offend him?"
Former Chief Grand Secretary Yan Xizhi was frowning slightly. Just then, several cabinet ministers came to visit, crowding into the teahouse at the Yan residence. They took seats and chattered about Child Scholar entering the capital, saying it had huge implications and asking how he planned to handle it.
Of the thirteen cabinet ministers, only Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Fuzheng hadn't come soliciting his view—clearly, he had his own judgment.
Unlike usual, Eunuch Feng, who always rushed over first, hadn't shown either. Who knew what he was scheming.
The thirteen great houses were divided, but many felt Child Scholar had been wronged back then and deserved compensation—no need to let him suffer more.
Yan Xizhi watched them, merely sneering. He knew they were just scared of the demon lurking in Chen Shi's brow exploding.
Who wasn't afraid of death?
But solving the problem was the hard part.
Chen Shi entering the capital—a mere juren. How much trouble could one man cause?
Xijing had plenty of ways to crush him!
Plenty of ways to win him over!
"Xijing's too vast, full of capable people. Toss in one Child Scholar, and it's like a stone in a still pond—ripples rise, then fade quick."
Yan Xizhi waited till they finished, then spoke leisurely.
"Life's about eat, drink, play, pleasure, merit, fame, power, influence—the eight pursuits. Satisfy his eating, drinking, playing, and pleasure, and he'll crave merit, fame, power, influence. He's in the capital now, returned to his clan, has a home—that's attachment. Give him an official post, and he knows rank. Give him a woman, and he has worries. Give him a child, and he has reluctance."
He lifted his teacup, took a light sip, furrowed his brow slightly, and murmured,
"Even iron-clad men turn to tender fingers."
His words drew laughs from the other twelve cabinet ministers.
Someone chuckled, "In Journey to the West, how tough was Sun Wukong? Still couldn't escape the Buddha's palm! Give him an office, a woman—let her bear him a child to wear him down!"
By the midnight hour, Chen Tang was already up, donning his robes, gathering documents, eating a bit to tide him over. Dressed properly, he set off on foot for the imperial city. Many inner-city officials were stirring too, emerging from their compounds—some boarding carriages or sedans, others walking.
At the third watch, with sky still dark, they waited at the Meridian Gate. At the fifth watch, they passed through, crossed the Golden Water Bridge, and stood quietly in the plaza before the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
When the cabinet ministers arrived and a bell tolled, they filed in for court.
On the dais, the True King's throne had stood empty for millennia, yet the civil and military officials still kowtowed to the vacant seat in salute.
Then came deliberations. The thirteen cabinet ministers ran through the agenda items. The cabinet usually had decisions ready, merely informing the assembly of outcomes and soliciting views. Most had none.
Reports came in: demonic outbreaks or floods in some province on such-and-such date, requesting the court dispatch handlers.
Next, impeachments—ministers accusing each other of corruption, kin taking bribes. Fights would break out on the floor, but no killing blows.
Millennia of the same—no surprise there.
Chen Tang handled his duties. If he spoke, it was on treasury note and gunpowder logistics for the fifty provinces.
Court adjourned as dawn broke. Chen Tang, starving, exchanged pleasantries with fellow officials, then walked out of the inner city to the outer.
Soon he reached a shop called Fragrant Bean and sat.
"One hot soy milk, no sugar. Two steamers of pork-and-scallion buns."
Chen Tang told the waiter.
"And pack six more steamers. I'll take them after."
The waiter bustled off.
Moments later, soy milk arrived, along with two steamers of steaming buns.
Chen Tang reached for his chopsticks when he spotted, across the street, a scholar who resembled him somewhat but was younger—arms crossed, leaning against the wall, grinning at him.
"Got you cornered!"
The scholar stood on one leg, the other bent against the wall. Far off, yet his voice rang right in Chen Tang's ear.
Chen Tang ignored him, sipping soy milk and eating buns. Two steamers gone, bowl scraped clean—then he rose, paid at the counter. The waiter had the rest packed; Chen Tang grabbed them and left Fragrant Bean.
The scholar across the way straightened and fell in step beside him.
Chen Tang didn't look, heading back to the inner city on his own.
"Heard you got hurt. Bad."
Chen Tang said flatly, "You dare come out—aren't you scared someone'll take the chance to off you?"
Creation Little Five laughed. "Who'd touch me? This injury wasn't for nothing. The Li family ancestor agreed to tell me who got Little Ten's divine embryo. Wanna know who?"
Chen Tang said, "I do. But the Li ancestor won't tell you."
Creation Little Five laughed. "Depends on my methods."
He shifted tack. "Brother Tang, heard Little Ten's in the capital, at your place."
Chen Tang halted. "None of your business."
Creation Little Five stopped too, earnest. "He's suffered a lot. Be good to him for me. Don't let him hurt anymore."
Chen Tang tamped down his anger. "He's Chen family. Not your son!"
Creation Little Five walked on, chuckling. "If you can't raise him right, give up the son to me. He's called me daddy. I can be his Fifth Dad."
Chen Tang trembled, teeth clenched, and unleashed his fury.
"You always steal from me! You stole my dad, my teacher, the fatherly love I deserved—and now my son! You steal everything of mine!"