20 Complicity

The village headman and Shen Qingyue had long been eagerly awaiting Jiang Zhu and the others. The headman had already asked the questions he wanted to, but he felt awkward making too much small talk with Shen Qingyue. What if Shen Qingyue no longer had any family? It would be insensitive to pry into such matters.

They worried that changing the subject might spark Shen Qingyue’s curiosity and lead him back to earlier topics. So, they settled on discussing the local customs and products. As they talked, Shen Qingyue gradually grasped the general location of Jiangjia Village.

The mountain where Jiang Zhu’s family lived, along with the mountain behind it, was called Fumang Mountain. Further inward lay Woniu Mountain, followed by Qiangshan and Bijia Mountain. These peaks linked together to form the sprawling Pingfeng Ridge mountain range, stretching over a hundred miles, marking the southernmost and highest natural barrier of the Yu Kingdom.

To cross the Pingfeng Ridge into the heartland of Yu, one could either take the Tianmen Pass to the west—a natural narrow gorge between two peaks with a winding trail—or go east, circumventing the entire ridge through open plains to the north.

Jiangjia Village was located in Baofeng County, in the middle section of Pingfeng Ridge. To the north were the great mountains; to the south flowed the Qingchuan River. The area was mountainous with little farmland, nestled between water and hills.

With the mountain at their back and water in front, the feng shui was favorable, and life was relatively stable. As for local products, Shen Qingyue gathered that the region was neither fully southern nor northern in character.

The headman mentioned their pears were particularly delicious. Shen Qingyue guessed that geographically, the area leaned towards the north, but thanks to the abundant river systems, water was plentiful, allowing for rice cultivation.

He had no access to maps and could only speculate, unsure if the terrain resembled anything from the Earth he knew. Nevertheless, he wasn’t overly concerned. He understood that this was neither a bustling metropolis nor a strategically contested zone—just a quiet place to live peacefully.

The headman had plenty to say about the outside world. It was clear that Shen Qingyue was completely unfamiliar with Yu’s landscapes and major cities. He hadn’t even heard of Tianmen Pass. His curiosity was mostly about trivial matters—local foods, the harshness of winter, the heat of summer. The more they talked, the less the headman suspected he was an enemy spy.

This young man, despite hailing from a noble family in a neighboring country, seemed to be a frivolous and unstudious playboy. If such a person were tasked with gathering intelligence about Yu, their own country would likely be doomed.

When Jiang Zhu and the others returned, Shen Qingyue still looked somewhat reluctant to leave. Seeing Shen Qingyue and the headman deep in cheerful conversation, Jiang Zhu felt both surprised and understanding—Shen Qingyue seemed to get along with everyone.

But there was no time to dwell on that now, as the two clans down the mountain had started quarreling again. The journey had been awkward for them all, but they had climbed quickly. Upon seeing the group, Jiang Jiajun couldn’t hold back: “Grandfather headman, you better hurry down! Second Young Master Jiang of the Jiang clan is picking a fight again—things are about to get violent!”

Hearing this, the headman paid no mind to verifying Shen Qingyue’s origins and cursed, “Nonsense!” before rushing down the mountain. The others, having finished unloading, also hurried down.

Shen Qingyue watched in disbelief. “Aren’t you going to see what’s happening?”

“No need,” Jiang Zhu shook his head and even resumed working the millstone.

Shen Qingyue was speechless.

After a moment’s reflection, he chuckled, “Your village’s culture is quite unique—always lively.”

Jiang Zhu calmly replied, “They won’t fight.”

“Why not?”

“The Jiang family is small, ours is large. They’re better hunters, stronger, and no one can easily win. Both sides have been fighting for years, and everyone knows the shouting is fierce but it rarely escalates to blows.”

Shen Qingyue was silent for a moment before asking the key question he’d been pondering: “The Jiang family is small, yours is large, but you’re also Jiang, right? Jiang?”

Jiang Zhu nodded. “Their ancestors are native here. Ours came as refugees at the end of the previous dynasty.”

Shen Qingyue looked intrigued. “So they’re locals… Wait, isn’t the headman your clan leader?”

Jiang Zhu nodded again. “Yes.”

Now that was interesting.

Shen Qingyue blinked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. “They’re the natives, you’re the newcomers, and your clan leader is the village headman?”

Jiang Zhu hesitated but nodded, a bit embarrassed, explaining, “We… have more people.”

Shen Qingyue laughed in amusement. “So they’ve taken over the nest, huh? No wonder they fight.”

Jiang Zhu didn’t fully understand but guessed the gist, then added, “It’s not just because of that.”

“Another reason?”

Jiang Zhu’s tone grew solemn. “Jiangjia Village is actually our Jiang, the same Jiang.”

Shen Qingyue was silent, stunned.

This was truly remarkable.

His curiosity was boundless. “How did you manage that?”

Jiang Zhu scratched his head nervously. “Many years ago, the county’s government warehouse caught fire. All the villages in this area had to be re-registered. Apparently, the official who came to register recognized our ancestor. When he saw the name Jiangjia Village, he assumed it was the Jiang family village and wrote it down incorrectly. By the time tax season came in autumn, it was too late to change.”

Enlightened, Shen Qingyue asked, “So the kids stealing your vegetables all have that Jiang surname?”

Jiang Zhu nodded.

Shen Qingyue sighed sympathetically. “You were dragged into this, weren’t you?”

Jiang Zhu was silent.

Shen Qingyue patted him gently. “Poor kid. They don’t dare mess with the larger family, so they bully you. They sneak into your garden when you’re not home…”

No wonder the headman didn’t want to explain the reason. There was a long-standing feud between the two clans.

If they bullied others, the elders would intervene. But if they bullied an orphan, there was no one to stand up for him.

Jiang Zhu opened his mouth to explain but ultimately said nothing.

He was targeted not only because of his surname but because the Jiang clan didn’t recognize him as one of their own.

He was found and taken in, not a true Jiang. To everyone, he was an outsider. Even though his father went so far as to record his name in the genealogy, only his eldest uncle and eldest cousin’s family acknowledged him.

He was an unwanted wild child.

Thrown out shortly after birth, his fate was worse than those sold as servants. At least those children had some known origin.

Wild children like him were seldom accepted even as servants; most became beggars or, if lucky, were taken in by kind monks as novices. He, by sheer fortune, was adopted and raised as a true son by his father.

When others bullied Jiang clan members, neighbors often came to help. But when they bullied him, only his eldest cousin’s family stood up for him.

Yet, he couldn’t always rely on them.

His father saved and raised him; his uncle’s family supported him; his eldest cousin’s wife nursed him for a year. They didn’t owe him anything—it was he who owed them. How could he keep causing trouble for them?

He wanted to explain this to Shen Qingyue, knowing he was reasonable and wouldn’t scorn him for his origins. Yet, he was still afraid of hearing the word “bastard” from him.

Lowering his head, Jiang Zhu silently scooped water to wash the millstone clean, then placed it neatly.

“Want me to help?”

“No, it’s not heavy.” He bent to lift the millstone onto the wooden rack he had prepared, fitting a wooden handle through the hole for turning.

Shen Qingyue, unaware of his inner thoughts, saw his downcast expression and regretted probing so deeply.

Who wants to be reminded of being an orphan?

Even he, with parents, disliked being asked why they didn’t pick him up from school.

Shen Qingyue sighed quietly, leaning on his cane as he approached and wrapped an arm around Jiang Zhu’s shoulders from behind.

The wooden saw he held immediately tilted at an angle.

Shen Qingyue gently said, “It’s no big deal. If anyone insults you, insult them back. If anyone picks a fight, fight back. I’m here now—they can go home to their parents, and you can come to me.”

Jiang Zhu turned and looked at him steadily.

Shen Qingyue smiled. “I’m one against many. From now on, I’ll stand up for you. I’ll watch over you. Don’t be upset.”

Jiang Zhu’s eyes suddenly filled with tears.

Shen Qingyue was taken aback; it felt like something struck his heart. His expression softened as he wiped the corner of Jiang Zhu’s eyes with his knuckles.

The child’s eyes were fixed entirely on him.

So this is what it feels like to be watched so intently.

He almost said, “You’re alone, I’m alone—let’s rely on each other.”

But thinking of his uncertain lifespan, he held back.

Instead, he smiled and ruffled Jiang Zhu’s hair. “Feel free to come to me with complaints.”

Jiang Zhu shyly moved away and resumed sawing wood. “I’m grown now, not a kid. Who still complains?”

Shen Qingyue said, “Well, that’s fine. I’m still a kid.”

“?”

Jiang Zhu straightened up, staring at him in disbelief.

Shen Qingyue explained, “You take care of me, and if I get bullied, I’ll come to you.”

Jiang Zhu paused, then smiled. “Okay.”

Shen Qingyue patted him. “Alright, family head, now let’s discuss... what shall we eat tonight?”

That evening, they used the newly purchased stone mill to grind flour.

The stone mill wasn’t too dry, so the dough was a bit moist at first. Jiang Zhu rolled it into noodles for soup. He stir-fried a dish of bamboo shoots with the little preserved meat he had left, and another of bok choy. The noodle soup had eggs and a small handful of wild greens. By Jiang Zhu’s cooking standards, the meal was colorful, fragrant, flavorful, and quite ample.

Shen Qingyue, having stayed a few days, adapted well. He ate slowly but heartily.

Jiang Zhu was at an age where he could eat well and, encouraged by Shen Qingyue’s appetite, finished the entire pot of noodles, even drinking the vegetable broth at the end.

Afterwards, he felt a bit too full and rubbed his stomach, thinking to himself how much better eating together was than alone.

Rain fell during the night.

Hearing the rain, Jiang Zhu worried and got up to check on Shen Qingyue. He took the “magical artifact” lamp from the rack and went into Shen Qingyue’s room.

Shen Qingyue was still sound asleep, buried under his quilt—a light, floral one—covered by two thin covers belonging to Jiang Zhu. His exposed face looked peaceful and cozy.

Jiang Zhu stood quietly, reaching out to touch the warm skin of Shen Qingyue’s cheek with his fingertip.

He was warm and should not be cold.

Jiang Zhu recalled what Shen Qingyue had said during the day and smiled. He straightened Shen Qingyue’s quilt just as his father used to tuck him in, then thought about making a thicker quilt for him to survive the mountain winters.

Satisfied that Shen Qingyue was comfortable and not about to wake, Jiang Zhu quietly inspected the room, ensuring the windows were closed and the roof didn’t leak. Then he tiptoed out.

He crossed the corridor to the front yard, closing the windows of the drying shed where bamboo shoots were hung.

Luckily, he had brought in most of the bamboo shoots before bedtime, fearing the thickening clouds. Only one basket near the window was wet from the rain.

Jiang Zhu separated the dry shoots and the wet ones into two baskets to deal with in the morning.

On his way back, he lingered outside Shen Qingyue’s door, listening. Hearing no movement inside, he felt reassured and returned to bed.

He wiped the raindrops from the lamp and marveled at how useful it was—not afraid of wind or rain and only needing sunlight to dry.

Though he still didn’t quite believe Shen Qingyue was a deity, he was certain he was a gift from the gods. Next time he went down the mountain, he resolved to offer more sacrifices to the Mountain Spirit.