Chapter Thirteen: The Suffering of the Common People
“Xiumei, go find out which village this mountain belongs to,” Wei Ruo instructed.
“Alright.”
Xiumei ran off toward the direction where people could be seen. Most of those working in the nearby fields were locals, so asking them would easily yield the answer Wei Ruo wanted.
Soon enough, Xiumei returned and informed Wei Ruo that the mountain was called Xiaoyang Mountain, and it belonged to a nearby village named Yueying. Due to its steep terrain, the cost of developing terraced fields was too high, so the land remained uncultivated, and the villagers only went there to gather firewood.
“Did you ask if they’d be willing to sell?” Wei Ruo asked.
“Of course I did.” Xiumei, having been by Wei Ruo’s side for so many years, understood her intentions perfectly.
“The person I spoke with isn’t from Yueying Village, but he said that as long as the price was right, the villagers would definitely agree. The people of Xing Shan County have had a tough time in recent years because of the pirates, and Yueying Village is especially suffering. Other villages still have a few acres of tillable land, but Yueying only has these untamed mountains.”
“I see.”
Madam Zhang, listening to the exchange between master and servant, couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Miss, you’re not thinking of buying Xiaoyang Mountain, are you?”
“I’m just asking, trying to understand the situation,” Wei Ruo replied casually.
“It’s fine to ask, but as for actually buying the mountain, you’d better keep that idea to yourself. Our Commandant’s Residence only purchased Mantou Mountain after living in Xing Shan County for three years. Even now, when the people’s days are hard, the price of a mountain won’t be low—don’t even dream about it for less than a thousand taels of silver.”
“A thousand taels… That’s quite a sum,” Wei Ruo murmured, her expression thoughtful.
“Miss, as long as you understand. If you’re feeling nostalgic for country life, then take a walk around Mantou Mountain, visit our own fields. But don’t go getting your hands dirty like before—if the hired hands see you, they’ll laugh!”
Planting vegetables in the residence was one thing; only the household knew about it, and it was a private embarrassment. If she couldn’t resist doing the same outside, then she’d become the laughingstock of the entire Xing Shan County.
“Alright.”
This time, Wei Ruo didn’t contradict Madam Zhang, turning back toward Mantou Mountain as suggested. After wandering near the foot of the mountain for a while, she returned home.
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In the Commandant’s Residence, Wei Qingwan was supervising Wei Yilin as he copied passages from “Learning.”
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Wei Yilin had always been lively and playful, not suited to studying. Today, after causing trouble at the academy, his teacher sent him home. Upon hearing this, Lady Yun was furious and punished him by making him copy “Learning,” with Wei Qingwan overseeing the task.
Wei Yilin pouted, thoroughly unwilling, barely writing a few words before his eyes wandered restlessly.
“Yilin, hurry up and write. If you don’t finish before nightfall, you won’t get dinner and will go to bed hungry,” Wei Qingwan said with genuine concern.
“Three times is too much! Sister, my dear sister, help me copy them, won’t you? You can imitate my handwriting—Mother won’t notice the difference.”
Wei Yilin pleaded, trying to win Wei Qingwan’s sympathy.
“I can’t…” Wei Qingwan hesitated, troubled.
“Sister! My only good sister! You’re the only one I have!”
Hearing the word “only,” Wei Qingwan’s heart softened. In this family, her little brother was the only one truly devoted to her, and she didn’t want to lose his affection and trust.
“All right then,” she relented, “but I’ll only help you copy one time. The other two, you have to do yourself.”
“No problem!” Wei Yilin beamed, “I knew you’d help me. You’re so much better than that newcomer, who never seems to do anything useful, and today even begged Mother to let her go out again.”
“She went out? Where to?” Wei Qingwan asked, surprised.
“To the north of the city—said she was going to look at farmland. Isn’t she strange? If she likes farming so much, she should stay in the countryside. Why bother coming back here?” Wei Yilin said disdainfully.
“Did Mother go with her?” Wei Qingwan pressed.
“She went alone. Mother’s so busy, with all the household matters to worry about. She’d never have time to accompany her for such things!”
“I see…” Wei Qingwan mused, a hint of melancholy in her expression.
Noticing his sister’s sadness, Wei Yilin hurried to comfort her: “Don’t worry, Sister. Even though Mother treats her well, I’m sure Mother loves you much more than Wei Ruo!”
Wei Qingwan shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. She’s suffered in the countryside all these years; Father and Mother should treat her kindly. I owe her. How could she ask Father and Mother to treat me better than her?”
“Sister, you worry too much about others,” Wei Yilin replied, pouting in resignation.
“We’re a family. It’s right to think of everyone. Yilin, you’re not little anymore; you should try to consider Father and Mother’s feelings and stop making trouble.”
“I know, I know,” he answered, though he had no intention of actually listening.
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On her way back from the northern outskirts, Wei Ruo gazed at the scenery through the carriage window.
She saw many beggars along the streets—far more than in any place she’d visited before. The town was nothing like the bustling county seat she had imagined; it wasn’t even as lively as Huaibei Town.
She asked Madam Zhang about it and learned that many of them were local fishermen, forced into begging because the pirates had made it impossible to fish and they’d lost their livelihoods. In addition, the weather in recent years had been poor—unpredictable winds and rain had drastically reduced rice yields, so farmers lacking reserves had also been driven to beg for survival.
Understanding the reasons, Wei Ruo looked again at those ragged, emaciated beggars, and her mood dimmed. Especially when their gaze met hers—a wealthy young lady, elegantly dressed, riding in a carriage attended by servants. The soul within her, transplanted from the modern world, trembled slightly.
Their eyes held no light; when they looked at Wei Ruo, their eyes were hollow and numb, devoid of envy or hatred, as if they had already accepted this life of suffering.
After traveling a bit further, Wei Ruo spotted a street vendor selling seafood.
Upon inquiry, she learned that the fishermen had braved danger from the pirates to go out at night and catch the seafood. Yet, since everyone’s circumstances were dire, business was poor and a large basketful remained unsold.
Wei Ruo saw that the seafood was fresh and told Xiumei to buy it all.
When Wei Ruo announced her intention, Madam Zhang, who was accompanying her, widened her eyes in astonishment and then tried to gently caution her, “Miss, seafood is expensive these days. With so few sellers, prices have gone up. This basket will cost at least two taels of silver!”
Where would Wei Ruo get money to buy so much?
If she took the goods without paying, it would disgrace the Commandant’s Residence. Otherwise, she could have them deliver the goods and collect payment at the Residence, but then the household would have to cover her impulsive actions.
“I know. I’ll use my own private funds,” Wei Ruo said, understanding Madam Zhang’s concerns.
Private funds? Where could she have gotten those?