Xu Huaixian coughed violently in the room for a long time, adamantly refusing to go out. "I'm too weak—better stay home to watch the house."
How could this be acceptable?
Chen Liejiu's attitude toward family had always been: hardships were his to bear, while joys were to be shared. In his view, this trip to the county town was precisely an opportunity to share happiness.
The countryside offered no entertainment—just endless green mountains and clear waters. No matter how much one loved nature, the unchanging scenery would eventually grow tiresome.
But the town was different. There were countless taverns and teahouses, bustling crowds, new happenings and new faces every day. If you didn't visit for a while, fresh shops would spring up everywhere. It all seemed so much more vibrant than the countryside.
Such a rare family outing would feel incomplete without Xu Huaixian. Moreover, it was already April—long past the season when the wind stung one's face. The weather was perfect for outings, neither too cold nor too hot. By May or June when summer heat set in, even if Xu Huaixian wanted to go out, Chen Liejiu wouldn't permit it.
But Xu Huaixian thought differently. He'd rather rot at home than parade his "saltless face" (completely plain appearance) through the streets to death.
Chen Liejiu nearly talked himself hoarse trying to persuade him. Finally, Wang Wanwan returned from weeding and noticed Xu Huaixian constantly rubbing his face. Taking off her straw hat, she had a sudden inspiration: "How about I make Second Brother a mili (a traditional veiled hat)? It drapes to the feet—can cover your face and block wind."
Xu Huaixian stopped refusing immediately and nodded: "Alright."
Chen Liejiu and Chen Xiaomei stood frozen in place as if struck by lightning, their expressions clearly saying: After all that arguing, this was what you were worried about?!
Wang Wanwan stayed up all night making the veil-hat and even quickly tailored a new outfit for Xu Huaixian. Due to time constraints, it was just a plain white robe without embellishments.
Xu Huaixian didn't mind. Though his body was thin, he was tall—estimated over 1.8 meters. Wearing the robe and veil-hat that concealed his face, paired with his slender, tall frame, he suddenly embodied the classical image of "radiant as sun and moon entering one's embrace, pure as jade trees facing the wind."
Indeed, the saying held true: To be strikingly elegant, wear mourning white.
(Of course, he wasn't actually wearing mourning clothes, but the analogy wasn't far off.)
Early the next morning, Chen Liejiu and the others waited patiently for Xu Huaixian to finish his preparations. By the time he strode out confidently in white, the sun was already high.
Chen Liejiu, who had borrowed an oxcart to transport the wolf carcasses, was nearly asleep leaning against it. Seeing Xu Huaixian completely veiled before him, he wiped drool from his mouth and asked groggily: "Can we go now?"
"Let's go." Xu Huaixian sighed.
All this effort felt like making eyes at a blind man—what was the point? It was all to avoid embarrassing Chen Liejiu.
Imagine—Chen Liejiu was so dazzlingly beautiful, like an unquenchable sun, while his husband was a pale, skeletal invalid. People would think Chen Liejiu was either foolish or had some hidden defect to choose such a spouse.
If Xu Huaixian were handsome, they'd say they were perfectly matched—a talented scholar and a beautiful partner. How nice that would be.
Alas, Chen Liejiu completely missed the point. But Xu Huaixian, extremely satisfied with his current outfit, didn't mind anymore.
Sitting upright in the oxcart, back straight, he thought: When we pass through the village, everyone will see this outfit and erase their impression of me as a sallow, emaciated figure!
Indeed, impressions were changed—just not as he'd imagined.
The villagers didn't understand concepts like "jade trees in wind" or "sun and moon in embrace." Yesterday after leaving the Chen courtyard, they'd been lamenting Xu Huaixian's sickly condition while stitching shoe soles at their doorsteps.
"Say what you will, that Xu Huaixian has some skills. None of us can read contracts, but he can read, write, and even offer advice."
"Of course—he's a Tongsheng after all. In Taoli Village, he could be a teacher."
Mian County was remote and poor, with few scholars. Of the five or six villages around Xinghua Village, only Taoli Village had a school.
The teacher there was a Tongsheng from the late Wei Dynasty who supposedly had strong potential to become a Xiucai. But when chaos engulfed the land and wars raged everywhere, imperial examinations ceased. By the Jin Dynasty's founding, he was too old to resume exams. During a national push for talent, he established a school in Taoli Village to console his unfulfilled ambitions.
Xu Huaixian had been that old teacher's student.
"What a pity he's so sickly—who knows how long he'll last? Otherwise he might have had prospects..."
No wonder they sighed this way. Yesterday, Xu Huaixian's measured, humble demeanor had left a deep impression.
In their memories, they'd never met someone like him—unless you counted estate managers or shopkeepers from wealthy families in town, who held brushes while smiling gracefully, clearly different from mud-strapped peasants.
Of course, village gossip always had naysayers. Before the praise finished, sour comments emerged: "Prospects? If he weren't sickly, would the Xu family have sent him to study?"
This held some truth. If Xu Huaixian had been healthy, he wouldn't have been named "Xu Huaixian" but simply "Xu Erlang," a farming peasant.
Then "Xu Erlang" passed by them, shrouded head-to-toe in white.
The shoe-stitching aunties nearly pricked their fingers in shock.
"He was fine yesterday—why covered up today?"
"Must be worse—can't even bear wind now."
"Aiya, that brute Chen Liejiu can't take care of anyone. Yesterday we all saw—he's fierce enough to kill wolves. Can such a man be gentle?"
Remembering Chen Liejiu dragging wolves from the mountains sent chills down their spines. After a silence, someone said:
"That invalid was already living on borrowed time. Now he's covered up—should we prepare for funeral feasts soon?"
The Chen home was at the village's eastern edge near the mountains, while newer households spread westward. This meant leaving the village required circling through it.
Unaware he was now rumored to be dying, Xu Huaixian happily assumed everyone admired his ethereal outfit. Leaving the village, he even had Chen Liejiu stop the oxcart outside the main Xu family's home.
Seeing their pale, terrified faces at the sight of snarling wolf carcasses, Xu Huaixian finally felt satisfied and had Chen Liejiu drive to town.
The original host had attempted suicide after the main Xu family mortgaged him to Chen Liejiu for debts, abandoning him. While Xu Huaixian wouldn't seek revenge, he gladly made them suffer a little.
After a night's delay, Chen Liejiu drove straight to a fur trader in town.
Such shops bought pelts and sometimes mountain goods. For rare catches like Chen Liejiu's wolves, they took both fur and meat.
The trader readily offered five taels per wolf.
At settlement, Xu Huaixian suddenly asked: "Is five taels for just the pelts, or including meat?"
"Just pelts," the trader said. "The meat's stale after a night."
Xu Huaixian nodded: "Then please skin them and return the meat." He didn't want man-eating wolf meat, but thought the bones might have medicinal value for wine.
The trader stared incredulously—this noble-looking man was so stingy?
Xu Huaixian ignored the look behind his veil: "If you want the meat too, raise your price. We're poor—must budget carefully."
The trader eyed the group—a man in white, another in red, followed by two girls (one graceful, one lively)—and thought: Poor? Hardly.
But wolves were rare in Mian County. Everyone knew they lurked in mountains, but few hunters risked hunting them. Reluctantly, he added one tael per wolf.
Six wolves originally worth thirty taels became thirty-six—six extra taels from three sentences!
Emerging from the shop, Chen Liejiu, Xiaomei and Wang Wanwan gazed at Xu Huaixian worshipfully.
Confused, he asked: "You never negotiated prices before?"
All three nodded.
"You didn't even bargain?"
Wang Wanwen explained: "When buying, we can pick and bargain. When selling, buyers dictate terms—we're lucky to sell at all."
Xu Huaixian understood—this household needed him.
"From now on, consult me before selling anything."
They nodded vigorously—three sentences earned six extra taels!
The heavy thirty-six taels were left with Chen Liejiu, whose radiant face bloomed with smiles. Swinging his arm grandly, he declared: "Now to the money house! Today I'm treating everyone!"
Remembering household funds were now Xu Huaixian's domain, he added: "If that's alright?"
In this rare happy moment, Xu Huaixian indulged him: "Of course."
Compared to modern standards, Mian County was a remote poverty-stricken town. But to Xinghua villagers, it was paradise.
Six streets ran east-west, six north-south. At one end stood an impressive yamen with a vast stone-paved square—empty, as commoners avoided it.
Nearby were wealthy residences—few in number. Opposite were commoners' homes—a chaotic mix of mud, brick and stone buildings crammed together, visually oppressive.
Shengyuan Money House was the county's largest. Chen Liejiu said the magistrate owned it.
The magistrate was a Jinshi—ambitious but ineffective at governance. However, he didn't oppress or corrupt—often visiting academies to discuss with scholars, hoping local exam successes would boost his career.
This benign neglect allowed Chen Liejiu's debt-collection business to thrive. A stricter magistrate would have forced him to change trades.
The manager, familiar with Chen Liejiu's exceptional (for a ger) collection skills, immediately invited them back upon hearing their proposal.
"The magistrate's too kind—hence this money house helping the poor. But some shamelessly exploit this, refusing repayment unless pressured."
"A ruthless official would just seize their families for sale. But our magistrate keeps extending deadlines—the money house may collapse!"
Xu Huaixian's installment plan was timely—monthly payments were easier than lump sums. If cash was lacking, poultry or produce could offset debts—better than forcing land or family sales.
While Xu Huaixian discussed details, Chen Liejiu grew dizzy from terms like "principal" and "interest." Standing abruptly, he said: "You talk—I'll stroll outside."
Xu Huaixian let him go—he wasn't one to sit still anyway, and the girls needed watching.
After thorough explanations, the manager marveled: "Master Xu, your financial acumen is remarkable—you'll go far."
Xu Huaixian coughed violently into a handkerchief behind his veil, voice hoarse: "Achievements matter little...I just hope this helps you and the magistrate...and funds my medicine."
Realizing why Xu Huaixian kept veiled, the manager—touched by his efforts despite poor health—gifted fifty taels and a medicine case.
Xu Huaixian modestly accepted.
Finding Chen Liejiu later, he was squatting with the girls near the oxcart—now loaded with medicine boxes.
"Where'd these come from?" Xu Huaixian asked.
"Bought them," Chen Liejiu said proudly, then handed him an empty purse.
Xu Huaixian: "????"