I Am Immortal in Great Yu

"That’s exactly why I rushed my family over here to take refuge..."

He didn’t hide the fact that he had killed Lai Liliu. Jiang Ping’an wasn’t the type to be bothered by such things. Besides, as a governmental officer, he had seen plenty of this sort of business and was far more accepting of it than the average person.

"It’s a small matter. If Lai Liliu is dead, he’s dead. He was just a local ruffian. No one will care."

As expected, Jiang Ping’an’s view was the same as Fang Rui’s. "However, Brother Fang, your worries are justified. If you had stayed in Willow Alley, the upcoming military conscription might have caused some trouble..."

"Of course, now that you’ve moved here, I’ll handle everything for you."

"Thank you, Brother Jiang!" Fang Rui raised his bowl.

CLANG!

Jiang Ping’an clinked his bowl with Fang Rui’s. "It’s good that you moved! We brothers can look out for each other..."

He was a man of discretion and didn’t ask about the origin of the courtyard Fang Rui had moved into. ’This is a friendship, not raising a pet. You don’t need to control every aspect of the other person’s life. It’s right to give both yourself and your friend some space.’

"Brother Jiang, isn’t it interesting how in this day and age, even local thugs can become ’Lord Imperial Envoys’ for the Government Office!"

Fang Rui smiled. "My guess is: this has something to do with the attack by the Taiping Bandits’ spies this afternoon?"

"Yes, Brother Fang, you guessed correctly."

Jiang Ping’an elaborated on the matter. "The county’s forces have been defeated twice, and the accompanying masters have perished, severely weakening the Government Office’s high-level martial strength. Then there was the attack on the governmental officers and the Chief Constable this afternoon... The real Officials are avoiding danger and slacking off. What else can be done but hire local thugs?"

"No, it’s not exactly hiring. To be more precise, those thugs used their connections and paid some money to ’contract’ the right to carry out this military conscription. To put it nicely, it’s a contract. To put it bluntly, it’s selling official posts..."

He couldn’t stand this sort of thing either, but he didn’t dare interfere, nor could he.

"So that’s how it is."

Fang Rui frowned. "With this arrangement, anyone in the county with a bit of power can easily avoid it. The ones who are actually dragged away will be mostly commoners. There’s no time to train them. Even if you put them on the city walls, they’ll just be a disorganized mob..."

"And what’s more, their ranks are likely filled with spies from the Taiping Bandits..."

"Aren’t the old masters in charge afraid of this blowing up in their faces?"

After all, if the city fell and the Taiping Bandits got in, the wealthy families would be the first to suffer. There was no other reason than that the common folk had been squeezed too dry. They had basically nothing worth looting; their pockets were cleaner than their faces. If the bandits didn’t target the big households, where would they find any profit?

"Brother Fang, there’s something you don’t know. This is a measure of last resort."

Jiang Ping’an sighed. "The masters above know perfectly well that the best solution would be to ask the great families to send men to help defend the city. But these families aren’t stupid. They’re afraid of losing too much of their strength, so they’re unwilling to send too many people."

From the perspective of those great families: if the city fell, they would certainly suffer, but they might not be completely ruined. However, if they lost too much of their strength defending the city, they’d be left powerless, like fish on a chopping block.

"So, the only option is to conscript commoners and have the men sent by the great families keep an eye on them... They know it’s a risky plan, but it has to be done. Having a plan is better than having no plan, isn’t it?"

"That’s just..."

Fang Rui shook his head. "If those great families worked together, with some contributing men and others contributing resources, they’d have a hope of defending the city with the help of the walls. But now, they’re afraid of the city falling, yet they don’t want to lose their strength. They’re completely indecisive..."

It was just like the Late Ming Donglin Faction, who were unwilling to see the dynasty change and lose their power, but also refused to give up their own interests and make sacrifices.

"Indeed! I’m afraid Changshan City is..."

Jiang Ping’an was just as pessimistic. He waved his hand dismissively. "Enough, let’s not talk about this. Brother Fang, let’s drink! Let’s drink!"

As they drank and toasted, the atmosphere gradually grew more lively.

Fang Rui kept Jiang Ping’an company and drank a fair amount himself, but his eyes remained clear. ’It’s a good thing it’s Jiang Ping’an. Anyone else might not have known this information, and even if they did, they probably wouldn’t have been willing to talk about it.’

He’d rather be someone who understood the situation than muddle through in ignorance like most people.

Flushed with wine, Jiang Ping’an grabbed Fang Rui’s wrist and said earnestly, "I’ve been thinking, hiding like this can work for a while, but not forever... not unless I give up this official’s uniform!"

"Who knows, in a couple of days I might have to patrol the streets, maybe even go up on the city walls. Please, Brother Fang, look after my family..."

"Don’t worry! In the past, Brother Jiang, you looked after my family. Now that the tables have turned, I certainly won’t refuse."

CLANG!

Their wine bowls clinked, and they both drained them in one gulp.

They drank for a while longer until Jiang Ping’an was half-drunk and had to be helped to wash up by Sister-in-law Jiang. Only then did Fang Rui take his leave from the Jiang Family.

He stepped out the door, and his slightly tipsy demeanor vanished instantly. Bathed in the moonlight, he headed toward Third Sister’s courtyard in Sweet Water Well Alley.

In a world like this, the safety of Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, Fang Ling, Third Sister, and Nannan all rested on his shoulders alone. He simply couldn’t get drunk, he didn’t dare get drunk.

...

"Brother Rui, you’re back?"

It was Third Sister who opened the door. Her nose twitched. "You reek of alcohol. Should I go make some sobering soup?"

"I had a few drinks, but I’m not really drunk. No need to trouble yourself."

Fang Rui asked, "Third Sister, where are the two little girls?"

"Oh, them? They were saying they’d wait for you to come back and tell them a story. But after playing for a while, they fell asleep. They must be exhausted from the move today."

Third Sister paused, then added, "Auntie has also gone to her room to sleep."

Actually, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family had wanted to wait up for Fang Rui, but then she thought better of it. Now that they were in a more spacious place, she figured the two of them might want some privacy, so she had gone back to her room to give them space.

It was only just now, when she heard Fang Rui’s voice outside, that she finally relaxed. Sleepiness washed over her, and she prepared to drift off.

"Brother Rui, there’s hot water in the pot. Go wash up."

Third Sister brought the hot water, squatted down, and naturally moved to take off Fang Rui’s shoes and socks to wash his feet.

"No, Third Sister, I can do it myself."

Fang Rui insisted, refusing her help. After he finished washing his feet, while he was drying them, Third Sister proactively picked up the wooden basin to go dump out the water.

She did it naturally, as if it were a matter of course, a part of her duties, without the slightest hint of feeling wronged.

’Women from this era are really the best!’

Fang Rui sighed inwardly. When Third Sister returned, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, lowered his head to rest his chin on her shoulder, and inhaled the orchid-like fragrance that wafted to his nose. "Third Sister, have you thought about it?"

"Brother Rui!"

Third Sister’s voice was melodious. That soft, murmured call seemed to carry several twists and turns, like the lingering sound of a chime stone echoing around the rafters, reverberating in his heart.

Alluring, captivating.

Fang Rui was utterly smitten and hugged Third Sister tightly.

Fang Rui scooped up Third Sister and strode towards the room at the very end of the hall.

...

The night was cold, the dew heavy.

The wind tonight was exceptionally boisterous.

...

「The next morning.」

Breakfast: Sorghum flour paste, sorghum flour buns, a large bowl of stir-fried bean sprouts, and a boiled egg for each person.

—After moving, to conserve their fine grains, their staple food had changed from cornmeal to sorghum flour.

Third Sister sat by the window. The golden morning sun streamed in, casting dappled light that illuminated her fair skin, seeming to envelop her in a hazy halo.

"Mommy, you look so pretty today!" Nannan said, blinking her eyes.

"Pretty!" Fang Ling nodded in agreement.

A faint blush appeared on Third Sister’s face. "It’s probably because I slept well last night..."

"Young girls like our Third Lass sleep well. I, on the other hand, can’t say the same."

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family had faint dark circles under her eyes. As she reached for some food with her chopsticks, she shot Fang Rui an annoyed glare.

"Ahem!"

Fang Rui coughed awkwardly and lowered his head.

...

Just after breakfast, Jiang Ping’an rushed over with earth-shattering news: The Taiping Bandits were besieging the city!

...