A rooster crowed in the distance, signaling the start of a new day. Adults could be seen getting out of bed and fastening their work garments in place. Everyday was an early start to tend the rice fields and release the chickens from their pens. The sun was barely rising from the gaps between the nearest mountains and the tall waterfall east of the village still flowed an ultramarine water. Crickets chirped excessively as a rush of chickens ran to catch their first meal of the day and birds sang in the deep foliage surrounding the source of the Bai River uphill.
Nearly everyone in the Bai village was a farmer or retired from one. There were several artisans specializing in pottery and carpentry, roles necessary for an independent village. However, the community collectively agreed that a farmer’s duty was defined as the most important and the backbone for any settlement like theirs. As they seldom trade with the cities near the muddy plains, any mistake that resulted in delaying the harvest would be catastrophic for the livelihood of the villagers. Yet, the number of times that happened over a few generations could only be counted on one hand. That is mostly due to the efforts of all the village heads for the past centuries. They held significant contributions to effective crop placement, soil renourishment and constellation analysis. This was the secret for the successful lone survival of a relatively small village.
That day, the village head, Hui CaoFan, celebrated reaching 40 years of age. Despite this, the only change in his farmer's routine would be later in the evening. Opening the door which faced outwards towards his paddy field, he looked back inside to see Mei getting the kids ready for classes.
MeiYue, who was 34 by then, had aged a lot over the past few years ever since ReZhui was welcomed into the household. In addition to ReZhui, they had another 3 more boys to look after. They were their biological children. Her skin looked more coarse and larger wrinkles were slowly forming day after day. She cut her hair short to make doing the chores easier and her previously attractive dimples had disappeared.
CaoFan was on the same boat as well. His back had a more noticeable arc and his feet had become permanently black due to the countless hours in the paddy. His skin also roughened to the degree that it could be compared to buffalo hide. He also had an increasing number of white streaks of hair, further emphasizing his age. However, it was not only him that had this outcome. All farmers had the blackening of limbs and toughening of skin to a variety of severity but what CaoFan and the others had remained from their youth was their stamina. It was something they were proud of. Grabbing his straw hat and a large bundle of new, dry rice stalks, he started to head off to the fields, aiming to return before noon when the sun was at its highest.
“Hey Pa! Have a good day at work!”
Looking back at the opening he left at the door, he saw ReZhui in his formal outfit along with his 2 twin brothers. ReZhui wore a bright blue tunic, tightened with a leather strap and did his long hair tied into a bun, covered with a light cloth. The brothers wore similar outfits and they all carried a cloth bag, barely filled with books. The youngest was still a baby at 3 years old and was fast asleep near the fireplace. While the twins were still half asleep, ReZhui had eyes that sparkled. There was so much joy that was emitted by just his voice. Smiling, CaoFan waved back with a grin.
“Look forward to tonight’s feast. Dad’s gonna catch a big one before heading home. Study well during that time!”
“See you, Pa!” replied ReZhui as he grabbed hold of the twins and dragged them down the pathway to the entrance of their house. They proceeded down a flight of stairs to reach a junction. Turning left and heading straight, the 3 of them arrived in front of the main village street. It was a large dirt road that had a width of 3 horse wagons, sandwiched between a long plot of rice fields on either side and stretched as far as the downhill slope leading to the flood plains of other villages and a Castle City. While the village was located at a higher elevation, most of it still rested on the banks of the expanding river, nested between the gap between two mountain ranges, one way shorter than the other. Therefore, there was flat land suitable for crops. If there were hills in that large valley or farms placed near the mountains, the farmers used terracing to make use of the sloped land to grow more crops. CaoFan happened to own one of these terraced rice fields.
Houses were built with no coordinated arrangement and were sparsely scattered all over the valley. Occasionally, some younger kids could be seen playing at the corner and ReZhui would wave back at them. Other times, the farmers tending the fields would stop to say a warm greeting to the 3 boys. As they reached halfway through the main road, the boys would rendezvous with several of their classmates. Together, the merry group of sleepy and chatty children walked the rest of the dirt road, headed down a steeper flight of stairs, trekked across a short patch of forest and descended a third set of stairs before reaching a relatively large logged bungalow. Despite its worn down appearance, the place gave out a sense of home. One reason was the constant burning of relaxing scented wood sticks throughout the premise and the other was the sole teacher of this place. This bungalow was the teacher’s home and schooling facility. Though only one grade was taught here which is comparable to today’s world primary school, the teacher himself was wise beyond the average scholar and lived on this hill to retire from the neverending conflicts in the Royal Court and the Legislation center of the nearest Castle City, Luo ChengShi. He reached the ripe age of 67 years old and had two youthful apprentices to aid teaching the students in exchange for lectures of more in-depth study.
As ReZhui and the others arrived at the front gate, another band of children assembled there as well. These children were from families of the other villages down the mountain and were the children of merchants and well-off farmers. Despite the excellent teaching services he provided, the school fees were relatively cheap for middle-class families. The children of Bai village were still accepted into the school as CaoFan and several farmers would regularly send food supplies to the old man’s home as payment. This worked for the teacher as he was too weak to walk down to get weekly groceries and he specifically liked the quality of the rice the Bai village made.
---
“Hey! How’s the homework assigned?”
“Really, there were extras?”
“I completed the additional vocabulary that Teacher gave. He would surely touch on those today.”
“We had to help Xuan’s father clean up the store for the whole afternoon. There was no time!”
“Me too! Me too! My older brother was sick yesterday and I had to replace him to put the seeds into the rice bags!”
“We are getting the cane for sure!”
“Totally”
“Quiet, the Teacher may here us”
“It appears the White Rabbits and Uphill Goats are pretty lively in the morning. Did anything exciting happened recently?”
The children turned their heads from their heated discussion to face one of the Teacher's apprentices.
“Older brother Wei, don’t call us White rabbits!”
“Just because we are from Bai Village doesn’t give you the need to nickname us as such!”
“Oh come on, he is just telling us that we are as cute as rabbits”
“Easy for you to say, you are just in love with him!
“Shut it”
“I am jealous! We are called goats and ‘uphill’ because goats climb up the mountain for grass. Brother Wei, this is unfair!”
“YEAH!”
“Aren’t we all supposed to tell him to not tell Teacher what we were discussing a few moments ago?”
The apprentice and the group of children bickered on for a length of time until the other apprentice stepped in to drag all of them inside. While all of that was happening, ReZhui realized he had a short period of time left before classes began and ran to the back of the bungalow to feed the tortoises next to the pond. It was also to meet up with a close friend he had befriended that was from another village. His first friend from another village.
“Hey ShiYan!”
He waved at the girl with flowy long black hair. She wore a knee-length Hanfu dress that was fastened with red cloth, tied with a cute bow at the back. ShiYan, who had been concentrating on the tortoises, looked to the direction of that voice.
“ReZhui, good morning to you!” she replied.
“How’s Nan today? He looks tired on his side of the pond.”
“Yh…the poor tortoise is slowly coming to the end of his life. But, as long as I am here, he will get as many veggies as he can eat.”
“...Oh yes, speaking that, I secretly brought some of Ma’s priced bok choy. Let’s split the piece among Nan and his sons and daughters.”
“Perfect! Could you help me grab the sickle in the back shed?”
“Sure thing!”
ReZhui did as he was told and handed her the bladed farm tool. She sliced the bok choy into sections, giving the leaves all to Nan. The stem was diced to be fed to his children. The whole procedure took 5 minutes in which the two of them chatted away about their daily activities while doing so.
“So your dad had a new medicine cabinet?”
“Yh, it really made getting the right herbs much faster.”
“Herbs surely are super powerful aren’t they?”
“That is an overstatement. Sure, they can heal headaches, fevers and burning internal blisters, but we still had a considerable amount of people that died at our store or even after my father prescribed them the herbs to consume.”
“I am sorry.”
“Oh…it’s fine really, ReZhui. I am actually starting to grow accustomed to this kind of situation. I…I plan to become an Imperial doctor!”
“Wait…Imperial? Doesn’t that mean you will be going to the Royal Gardens? That’s awesome!”
ShiYan blushed at his enthusiasm.
“Well…well, even I know that is a dream too high to achieve! Realistically, it is already a dream come true that I will be inheriting my father’s medicine shop. Since the beginning, when my father introduced me to this field, I have always had this desire to save lives. Nonetheless..it's better to start small than expand too quickly is one that Uncle Sei always used to say.”
“You mean that rising merchant who was said to have vanished after he scammed a noble of a…that…”
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“You mean Castle City? Yes, that’s right. It appears the news reached your village as well didn’t it?”
ReZhui nodded.
“But…ShiYan, no matter what you do, I can feel your sincerity to your wishes. As long as everyone is happy with what you are going to do, I will support you the entire way.”
ShiYan felt a skip in her heartbeat.
“ReZhui…”
“I…I have nothing that I want to do right now. All I want now is to play with friends, study to make Pa and Ma happy and feed the tortoises with you everyday. So…until I find something, I will help those around me. You…are my first.”
“...”
Startled by her silence, he quickly started to fumble his words.
“Ehhh…well…Wait, I…”
“ReZhui”
“Yes, ShiYan?”
“Thank you.”
He saw a smile. A smile that was reminiscent of one made by Pa before heading to the fields or when he helped Ma cook dinner for the first time. A genuine smile. He loved it and desired it to be plastered on all the faces he came across. Yet…what could he do to make everyone smile? Nothing came to mind. All he concluded from his thoughts was that if he maintained the status quo, more people would begin to show the results he wanted. He wanted to live in the village. He wanted to help more in the village. He wanted more smiles in the village. So, he will remain in the village. That was his passion.
‘Pa may have spent a large amount of effort to send me to school for a brighter future than a farmer, but now, all I want to be is a farmer. A farmer to assist Pa and all the other uncles and aunties. This is the selfish wish of your son that will keep it for himself until the time is right’
As he was deep in thought, ShiYan closed the back shed and locked the rusted iron handle. While doing so, she overheard the commotion between Brother Wei and the others. It started to die down as Sister Tian came into the scene.
“Wei! What’s the meaning of this? The children are gonna be late for class!”
“Ah my dear Tian, please let me say my part…Ah,AH! It hurts!”
“Students, come into the classroom now otherwise the cane is released,” Tian warned as she pulled Wei’s hair and entered the door to the classroom. The students followed behind her.
Quickly rushing to ReZhui, ShiYan shook his shoulders, bringing back his attention.
“Hurry ReZhui, let’s get going! We're gonna be late for class!”
He looked up at her, his reflection shown in her eyes. ReZhui spoke.
“ShiYan, I also want to thank you for…”
“Come on man! There is no time left!”
ShiYan got him off the ground and pulled him to the backdoor for the classroom.
Class was in session for the day.
---
Entering the classroom, the two of them were halted in their tracks as the Teacher appeared in front of the backdoor. Behind him were the students, already in their seats, and the apprentices who sat next to the Teacher’s desk, facing the students as well. In his hand, the Teacher held a thick bamboo cane. His old frame did not match the pressure he was exerting on the duo.
'I've got to do something,' he screamed in his thoughts.
ReZhui quickly went in between ShiYan and the Teacher, his back facing the cane.
“I dozed off in thought near the pond while we were feeding the tortoises, delaying ShiYan’s arrival to the class. I will take the punishment in place for her and myself!”
With his excuse, the Teacher reconsidered.
“Ms Shu, please take your seat.”
‘It worked’, thought ReZhui.
“No Teacher! It is unjust if he only received the punishment. I was the one who introduced him to feeding the tortoises and led the conversation to where he procrastinated.”
“ShiYan! …Really?”
“I am not leaving you alone in this, ReZhui.”
“But…”
“ENOUGH!” screamed the Teacher
“...”
“...”
“Instead of 10 strikes, it will be 5 each. Stick out your behinds.”
The sound of the cane moving through the air was loud and clear. Both of them didn't scream. The two held hands as they groaned in pain. Shortly after, they were allowed to take their seats and that’s when class truly began.
---
School ended and the students made their way home. ReZhui and ShiYan were asked to stay back with the Teacher.
“Hey brother, we will be heading home first.”
“Don’t be late for dinner!”
ReZhui sent off the twins first to inform Pa that he may return home late. They also wanted to go home as soon as possible.
Arriving at the classroom, the Teacher and ShiYan looked at him. He gulped, and went closer to the Teacher. The apprentices sat at the back seats looking at this scene like a theater play. The time was 14:00 on the sundial and the room smelt of burned wood. The Teacher wasted no time and started talking.
“I…I would like to inform you that Nan died a few hours ago and that I thank you for being in his final moments," declared the Teacher.
The children made no reply or any reaction. Seeing this, the Teacher continued, "My age has made me unable to move about much and taking care of the tortoises daily is a hard chore in this body of mine. But, I still do love that tortoise. It’s as old as I am, even older maybe.”
“...”
“Teacher…”
“Regarding your punishment, I do not regret giving it to you. Being punctual is an important practice as you respect the person that you are about to meet and leave a good impression on said individual. Yet, the fact that the both of you stood up for one another and being selfless about it impressed me. You admitted your faults and settled for an agreement to share the pain. Don’t compare it with children your age, that is something even adults I know had trouble doing, let alone accept any correct criticism. For that reason, I still want to apologize about your beatings.”
“...”
“...”
“Thank you for your time. You two are dismissed.”
As the two were about to leave, the Teacher called for ReZhui again.
“Oh yes, gracious me, I forgot. ReZhui, I saw leftovers of a good quality bok choy on the ground. It was similar to the ones your father gave me monthly as payment for your tuition. I recently received a delivery from the Castle City. It is a good several bottles of wine. Take one from the kitchen and give it to your father. It’s my reward to him for raising such a gentleman child.”
ReZhui’s face lightened up as he saw a smile appear on Teacher’s face. A sincere one.
“Yes Teacher, thank you very much!”
---
Outside the school gates, two 9 year-old children could be seen holding a large bottle of wine, decorated with detailed floral patterns and dragon illustrations.
“It would be better if Elder brother Wei and Elder sister Tian could help us carry this,” complained ReZhui.
“They are now taking a mock practice of the Imperial exam,” ShiYan informed. She reasoned that it was an insanely hard exam so they must not be disturbed at all cost. Their bodies had to be in good shape.
“Oh…alright. Anyways, today is coincidently Pa’s birthday! Want to attend the feast we are having?”
“Well…my father is quite used to my frequent disappearances. Then, I would usually come home the next day with my friend’s parents to prove that I stayed at their house. Therefore, I decided that I want go! Plus, ugh…this thing is too heavy for just you to carry up to the village.”
“We can do this together, ShiYan! Move on count of 3. One, two, three!”
The duo reached the village by evening. Despite their bodies being exhausted and covered in sweat, they were just in time for the feast to begin.
---
Fire torches lit the house and the surroundings against the dark night in the absence of the setting sun. The main dirt road was unbelievably black with no sight of the end in the dark. The villagers gathered around the area of the luminated domain, dancing to the musical performances of the talented farmer musicians and drinking their worries away, welcoming the celebration that is their beloved Head’s birthday. At the centre of the front yard, food was laid on a large round table, draped with a red table cloth. Several large steamed fish, numerous chicken thighs and a huge pot of pig stew were placed on the table which was now covered with spills, sauces and bones. Beer was located next to the door and they prepared 6 large barrels for the entire village.
The Head, CaoFan, sat on a log in the middle of the crowd. The twins and children ran around the premises while the adults had their own fun with beer. He chatted with lifelong friends and took a lot of glances at his wife, Mei, imagining her in her youth. Despite his tolerance for beer, for Mei alone, whenever he drank, the image of the beautiful woman in her youth would replace her old appearance. He then watched his twin boys. Unlike their morning selfs, they were more active in the moonlight, awakened by the loud music and delicious food. They played with sticks, imagining themselves as ancient warriors of great skill. The baby was nestled right by his side in his cradle, staring at the stars with joy. His adopted son, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found.
‘He couldn’t have been lost in the forests, would he?’ CaoFan questioned as he drank another cup of beer. Fortunately, just when he did so, a distinctive voice called his name. It belonged to his adopted but most beloved son, ReZhui. Turning his head, he noticed the boy carrying a large bottle, following behind him, was a beautiful and cute girl for his age.
‘He got one at this age. Nice going, boy!’
“Pa, Hey Pa! I brought a gift.”
“Good evening sir. I am Shu ShiYan, a close friend from the village down the hill. It is a pleasure to meet you and the family.”
CaoFan stared at the two of them and then at ReZhui’s present. It was a beautifully decorated ceramic wine bottle.
“Happy Birthday!” the both of them wished the man.
Grabbing the vase gently, he opened the cap and sniffed it. It had a strong smell. So strong that all the adults and children around drew their attention to the Head, still holding his nose near the bottle.
After smelling it, he asked ReZhui.
“Where did you get such high quality wine?”
“Ah…I was a good boy at school so Teacher wanted to reward you with this bottle for bringing me up well-”
“How about your reward?”
The crowd stiffened at CaoFan’s question. ShiYan also realized that the gift was aimed not at ReZhui but his father.
‘What will be his response?’ thought all of them.
Without a gap of hesitation, ReZhui confidently and happily answered back.
“His smile was genuine! That was my reward. When he told me about the bottle, he gave off a smile as bright as yours in the morning or when I helped Ma with the cooking for the first time.”
The answer left everyone speechless and…
CaoFan laughed instead. He let out a hearty laugh unlike any other when the feast began. Tears began to form in his eyes and his voice weakened.
“That old geezer sure has a way with things. Even playing with my emotions using my own child…Fuck man! I am not cut out for this!”
Getting up, he embraced the two of them in a tight hug.
“I am glad that he chose my household…Thank you, ReZhui. The real present was not the wine bottle in my opinion. It was your response to my question that made my day and would have bested any material gift you could find in this world.”
“Pa…”
Releasing the two of them, he continued speaking.
“Little ShiYan, I hope you will continue to be best friends with my son. Thank you.”
Before she could reply, CaoFan spoke again.
“I love the village and I love you, ReZhui. Again, thank you.”
In ReZhui’s eyes, he saw his father barely smiling, with tears running uncontrollably down his face. His cheeks blushed and he was still sober. Yet, his watery eyes were something different. Most different to any smile he had ever seen. It showed all the emotion that CaoFan felt. Gratitude, happiness and pride swirled within those eyes of his, forming a unique blend of emotion ReZhui could never describe.
‘Wow’
That was the only thought ReZhui could come up with. The sight of his father’s face was that beautiful.
“Dear Pa, I too love you very much…from the bottom of my heart. And…I am sure that everyone in the village does as well. I LOVE THIS VILLAGE! EVERYONE! Very, very…much…”
As ReZhui said those words, he fell into a deep sleep. A moment later, the same occurred for ShiYan.
Yet, everyone didn’t seem to panic.
CaoFan slowly picked the two of them up and headed for ReZhui’s bedroom.
‘Get a good night’s rest, the both of you. Carrying that large bottle up the mountain must have been exhausting for two youngsters like yourself.’