After lunch, Tang Xianling cleared the bowls. Seeing the water barrel nearly empty, he went to fetch more water.

“Wu-ger, rest a bit.”

“It’s fine. I’ll fetch it so you have enough for the afternoon,” Tang Xianling replied.

Jiang Yun was timid by nature. Though their family had some silver and Old Tang was bedridden, even living on the main street with crowds passing by in broad daylight, she still felt uneasy when he went out in the afternoon. If they were short on water, she wouldn’t dare leave to fetch it herself and would just endure the thirst.

After he made a few trips and fetched the water, he could finally leave with peace of mind.

Tang Xianling stepped out of the shop and took a detour to fetch water. At the well, he encountered the Li family’s matriarch again. Seeing him, she smiled warmly and said, “Wu-ger, you’re here to fetch water? You go first.”

“Auntie, you were here first. You go ahead. I’ll wait a bit,” Tang Xianling said, stepping back to wait in line.

Instead of drawing water immediately, Madam Li struck up a conversation, asking Wu-ger if he’d eaten yet, how his father’s health was, and so on. 

Tang Xianling: …

“Auntie, haven’t you eaten yet?” Instead of answering, Tang Xianling countered. Having waited in line, he now approached with his bucket and said with a smile, “Auntie, if you don’t fetch water, I’ll go first. My father wet the bed, and I need to fetch water to clean it up.”

I hope that disgusts you!

Madam Li’s face twisted for a moment, then quickly turned concerned. “Your father isn’t well?”

“Not really. Same as always.” Without another word, Tang Xianling turned his back to her and focused on drawing water.

A moment passed.

“Auntie, I’m done. You can go now.”

Tang Xianling hoisted the water bucket onto his shoulder and slowly made his way back. Madam Li stood where she was for a moment. Only after Tang Xianling’s figure disappeared from view did she say, “That widowed husband of the Tang family… sometimes he seems dull and doesn’t speak, other times he’s just… odd.”

Upon returning to her home courtyard, she asked her daughter-in-law, “Any commotion up front?”

“Up front” referred to the front half of the courtyard where Tang Xianling lived.

Her daughter-in-law shook her head. “I haven’t heard any cursing. It’s been days. Is Master Tang near his end?”

“He’s been bedridden for over half a year now, just a burden on the children. If you ask me, why bother with treatment? It’d be cleaner to bury him sooner,” Madam Li sighed repeatedly. She was still waiting for the Tang family to vacate the space.

Those two front shops were prime real estate.

Then one could be for her cousin’s oil shop, and the other for our malted sweet cakes, paired with sweet fermented rice drinks—all ventures that bring in money. The courtyard is spacious too. Once they tear down this dividing wall in the middle, it’ll be like two separate courtyards again. They’re all family, helping each other out, putting down roots right here in Fengyuan City.

Hearing this, the daughter-in-law said, “Mother, I see business is booming at the shop up front. I hear they sell out everything early. Even if Mr. Tang passes away, the young master will take over and won’t let us—”

“Don’t worry about that,” Madam Li had already inquired. “My cousin’s son has been peddling oil through the alleys and lanes in this neighborhood for years. The Tang family has no real foundation. Old Mr. Tang was once a displaced person; his ancestral home was flooded, and all his relatives perished. His wife’s family background isn’t clear, but they haven’t visited in years, showing they’re not the kind with deep roots who could offer support.”

“The couple had three daughters and one ger. All three daughters are married off—the younger two even to counties further down the road. Only the eldest is still nearby. But once married into another village, they become part of someone else’s family. They’d never lift a finger to help their birth family with the shop.”

Pick the softest persimmon to squeeze.

Madam Li understood perfectly. “You mean Brother Tang wants to keep selling breakfast to carry on the family line? Even if he can manage it now, that’s only because trouble hasn’t come knocking yet.”

“Mother, are you saying we should go cause a scene when the time comes—”

“Stop talking nonsense. What would we make a fuss about? Little Tang’s husband’s family is right there. Besides, though Juren Hu is dead, the Hu family hasn’t issued the divorce papers yet. Little Tang isn’t legally part of the Tang family now. He’s the Hu family’s son-in-law, so the money he earns should naturally go to support his mother-in-law.” Madam Li guided her daughter-in-law.

Her daughter-in-law understood immediately, her heart sinking back into her chest. Among all the shops on the main street of the Baxing District, the Tang family’s shop was the most suitable for business. She had originally thought of renting it, but now she saw that her mother-in-law intended to buy it.

“Mother, you really have the best ideas. I was worried earlier. That shop up ahead really does have great breakfast business. I reckon it could earn over four hundred wen in the morning alone.”

“Let it thrive for now. It won’t last long. Young Tang has brought in helpers. Once we take over, business will surely flourish.” Madam Li remained calm and composed, confident that the Tang family would be forced to sell the shop.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law whispered in the courtyard. Just as Tang Xianling arrived at the doorstep with his carrying pole, Jiang Yun reached for a bucket. Tang Xianling stopped her. He could balance two buckets on his shoulders and walk steadily, but if Jiang Yun took one, he’d lose his balance.

“Just a few steps. Mother, lock the door. I’ll pour the water into the cistern.” Tang Xianling maintained the balance of the carrying pole, hurrying all the way to the kitchen. After emptying both buckets into the cistern, he finally set down the pole and breathed a sigh of relief. “Finally done.”

Jiang Yun stood at the kitchen door. “You’ve worked hard.” She added, “The house still needs a man.”

Tang Xianling: “…”

Jiang Yun saw that Wu-ger disliked such talk and stammered, unsure how to respond.

“Once we have money, we’ll reclaim the back half of the courtyard. That’ll make fetching water much easier.” Tang Xianling spoke earnestly, then smiled brightly as an idea struck him: “Tieniu must be really good at fetching water.”

After all, he carried a deer for so long without breaking a sweat.

Now Jiang Yun was even more at a loss for words. She couldn’t very well say that during her Wu-ger’s widowhood, the groom hadn’t hired a matchmaker either, and now he felt no shame about wanting a man at home—she simply couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“Alright, I’ll change clothes and head out.” Tang Xianling clapped her hands, wasting no time. She went to the west room, rummaged through the wardrobe, and found a relatively new outfit to change into.

“Mother, I’m leaving.”

Jiang Yun responded, following Wu-ger to the front shop. Once he departed, he locked the shop door and returned to the back courtyard. Tang Xianling exited the main street and hailed a rickshaw. “To Jude Lane and Fuzheng Lane—are they close?”

The driver replied, “Close. You can go to Fuzheng Lane first, then walk over afterward.”

“Then let’s go to Fuzheng Lane first.” Tang Xianling paid three wen and climbed in.

Along the way, he lifted the curtain to look out. Horses galloped swiftly down the wide main street. After passing the West Market Street intersection and traveling north through two more lane entrances, they reached Fuzheng Lane.

Fuzheng District lies slightly north of the center of Fengyuan City. The entire district lacked surrounding walls, giving it an austere air. Within stood a large government office facing south toward the main street. Its doors were open, guarded by constables, with district clerks coming and going frequently.

Drums stood on either side below the steps.

It looked almost exactly like what you’d see on TV.

The administrative offices within Fuzheng Ward were equivalent to a ‘municipal’ level, while the offices in Buzheng Ward functioned as ‘provincial’ units. These two areas primarily handled clerical and wen administrative duties. Jianzhen Ward was more diverse, handling urban construction, taxation, and other practical tasks, and it also housed the prison.

Tang Xianling had come merely to observe. Without prepared materials and still in the dark about the process, he certainly couldn’t beat the drum—he’d heard rumors that filing a baseless complaint would earn five lashes before seeing the magistrate, though he didn’t know if that was true.

The Virtue-Residence Ward lay to the east, separated by an official ward in between. Those were all government officials’ residences, but the streets remained open to pedestrians and weren’t cleared.

After traversing one quarter, Tang Xianling reached Jude Quarter’s main street. This thoroughfare differed little from the Baxing District’s main street—both were equally wide, though here, horse-drawn carriages and mules were more common. Pedestrians and diners wore more proper attire. Men mostly wore robes with wide sleeves, while ladies wore veiled hats—though some went without. Shops included eateries, jewelry stores, cosmetics boutiques, and teahouses.

Baxing District’s main street lacked this variety, focusing more on daily necessities.

Tang Xianling sat down at a teahouse and ordered a cup of tea—five wen per cup, with free refills. Buying a pot came with complimentary peanuts. 

Tang Xianling: …

His five-wen pot-sticker pancake was a bargain, and the breakfast shop owner was a decent fellow.

But Tang Xianling reconsidered—such comparisons weren’t fair. It was like modern times: pancakes with egg and sausage cost seven yuan near university gates, while chain coffee shops charged over thirty yuan per cup. Naturally, this small teahouse wasn’t in the “thirty-plus coffee” league—it was more like the “ten-yuan coffee” tier.

“I’ll just sit a bit, ask about things, then leave. No need for a pot.” Tang Xianling stated plainly.

The teahouse wasn’t crowded, and the waiter immediately understood the customer’s meaning. He didn’t leave right away but smiled and said, ”You look unfamiliar to me. I doubt you’re from our neighborhood. What kind of information are you looking for?“

”I’m looking for a litigation lawyer. Could you kindly ask how to hire one?”

The waiter chuckled, “Since you’ve made your way to Jude Lane, someone must have mentioned it to you. But they didn’t explain clearly. We have litigators here—four of them, actually. As for the exact price, I don’t know. If you want to hire one, you’ll either need to find someone to act as an intermediary…”

Tang Xianling listened to the waiter’s explanation but couldn’t get a specific price. Just like modern lawyers, their fees varied widely. The top-tier ones require an intermediary to introduce you. The waiter mentioned one who was available—meaning he wasn’t too busy, and ordinary folks could afford him. He gave Tang Xianling the address and told him to go try his luck.

If he wasn’t satisfied, he could head up to Ningde Lane. Ningde Lane had even more—a full six litigators. The residents there were mostly advisors, lane officials, and the like.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Tang Xianling bought some pastries on this main street and followed the waiter’s directions into the alley. The residential area here was noticeably less crowded than the Baxing District, with courtyards that were more open and spacious—typical quadrangle courtyards. In fact, the Tang residence was also a ‘quadrangle courtyard’. Old Master Tang had expanded the shop by purchasing the adjacent courtyard along with the front storefront.

Tang Xianling smoothed his robes and raised his hand to knock. Soon, a voice came from behind the door: “Who are you looking for?”

“Excuse me, I’m Tang Xianling. I’ve come to hire a litigation lawyer,” Tang Xianling replied.

“Hold on, I’ll check with my master.”

Tang Xianling waited by the door. After a moment, it opened. A plump auntie, dressed plainly but cleanly, invited him in. Tang Xianling apologized again for the disturbance before stepping inside.

“Please wait a moment.”

“Very well.” Tang Xianling was led into a side room off the western wing. After sitting and waiting a while, he heard footsteps approach the door. He looked up to see an elderly man in a navy-blue robe, gray-streaked beard, a stern face gaunt to the point of harshness.

It wasn’t that Tang Xianling judged by appearances, but the man’s scrutinizing gaze carried a hint of disdain. He surmised this visit might be in vain—the litigation lawyer likely didn’t take a liking to him. Still, it didn’t matter; nothing ever went smoothly without a hitch.

He could at least ask about the lawyer’s fees, the steps of litigation, and pay for a consultation.

At that moment, Tang Xianling was still thinking positively, trying to reassure himself.

He never imagined that within the span of a stick of incense, he would be locked in battle with this old man.

After brief introductions, he got straight to the point, explaining the situation.

“…You’re stubbornly obstinate. When someone dies, the old saying holds that the deceased takes precedence. As his husband, you should have observed chastity and filial piety, serving his mother while she lived—”

“May I ask, sir, if you have daughters or ger? Have they married? If their in-laws harbored wolfish ambitions, were heartless and treacherous, scheming to seize your family’s wealth? When they needed money, they’d call you ‘father,’ make all sorts of promises, only to renege once they gained power? We’re law-abiding common folk. My father lies paralyzed in bed now. How could I not seek justice?” Tang Xianling brandished Old Tang’s name as his banner.

The old man shook his head, stroking his beard as he insisted on his own principles. “He was wrong, but the man is dead. Shouldn’t we just let it rest? Why must you press your case to the point of being unreasonable and take it to the magistrate’s office?”

Damn it!

Tang Xianling swallowed the curse.

“Go now. Out of respect for your father’s illness, I won’t press further. I won’t take this case.” The old man added, “The Juren is dead. You have only your word. Even if it’s true, you should show foresight and magnanimity. Don’t dwell on petty gains and losses. You ought to honor your in-laws and raise the blood relatives the Juren left behind—”

“I’ll raise your grandfather!” Tang Xianling couldn’t hold back. He slammed his fist on the table and erupted, ” You old fool! After failing the exams time and again, with no hope left in officialdom, you’ve turned to pimping lawsuits? You’re the lowest of the low; no one even wants your services. You know why? Your heart’s as black as Hu Kang’s, full of twisted schemes. You care nothing for the common folk’s suffering and grievances! You started protecting the Juren before you even passed the exams!”

“He got his just deserts, dying young. Heaven has eyes after all—it’s the fairest judge.”

“Two taels of silver? I wouldn’t hire you for two wen to guard my dog!”

“You… you…” The old man was stunned by the abuse, never having encountered such a vulgar street ruffian.

“With that tongue of yours, a lawyer? Pah! Change your trade now, or you’ll starve to death. I’m telling you this for your own good.”

The old man’s face turned ashen. His dignity prevented him from resorting to vulgar insults, so he merely had his servant escort the guest out.

“No need to see me out. I’ll walk myself.” Tang Xianling carried his pastries to the alley entrance. After a moment’s thought, he decided he couldn’t let it end like this. He turned back toward the teahouse on the main street, his eyes reddened, his expression feigning deep sorrow and grievance.

The teahouse attendant spotted him and asked, “Why have you returned?”

“That gentleman looked down on me,” Tang Xianling said pitifully. “He berated me, and I couldn’t help but speak back. I’m still young and can’t bear such injustice.”

Curious patrons asked what had happened. Seeing the customer only frown without speaking, the waiter explained the situation. The man then remarked, “Is it the one at the end of Fourth Alley? Oh dear, that lawyer is the most rigid. He won’t take cases for merchants or defend women’s husbands.”

The waiter sheepishly replied, “I only remembered he charges the least, so I referred this customer to him. My bad.”

“Of course it’s not your fault. I’ll keep searching slowly.” Tang Xianling put on a show here, wiping nonexistent tears from his eyes before rising to leave, sighing repeatedly as he departed.

Inside the teahouse.

“Master Elm must have really put his foot in it.”

“The man came calling as a guest, even brought pastries. How could that blockhead be so rude, practically shooing the guest out with his manners?”

“He’s the most rigid and aloof. You wouldn’t hire him even if his fees were rock-bottom.”

“I heard someone hired him before, but they couldn’t agree and nearly came to blows.”

“He did get punched once, years back. You probably never heard about it.”

Tang Xianling hailed a carriage on Main Street to return home. Once seated, his anger subsided—he’d already vented his fury with a sharp retort. With no lingering resentment, he recalled the altercation: the old man across the street had turned ashen with rage, stammering “You… you…” before letting him escape.

The other party must be seething now.

This thought brought Tang Xianling satisfaction. As for whether cursing the old man would bring trouble, he wasn’t worried. The old man was just a litigant; they were both ordinary folk.

Reporting to the authorities to have someone arrested also followed basic principles.

Just as that woman in the carriage had said: in the lives of ordinary folk, when friction arises, you either swallow it or vent by cursing back. If you take such trifling matters to the magistrate, the judge would beat you with five heavy strokes himself.

Most crucially, that old man was obsessed with appearances. If he had any guts, he should go tell the neighbors what insults Tang Xianling hurled at him.

Tang Xianling was certain the old man couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Not even inviting a dog to his funeral—if word got out, his reputation as a litigant would be ruined, and he’d be laughed at.

Tang Xianling pushed the matter from his mind, focusing instead on the lawsuit for Wu-ger. Whether it was Baxing District or this old man, public opinion showed that while neighbors mostly sympathized with him and the Tang family, Hu Kang was dead—

And in this age, the dead truly held sway.

With death, all past grievances and enmities were wiped clean.

Public opinion wouldn’t overwhelmingly favor him. Had Old Tang died, the situation might have been different—standing on the moral high ground of filial piety, reporting the matter to the authorities for justice would have been perfectly natural, even earning him praise as a dutiful son.

Then there was the matter of evidence.

The old man was right about this: empty accusations needed proof that Hu Kang had come to be a son-in-law. Hu Kang had written a guarantee before, but after becoming a juren and returning, he had coaxed Old Tang into tearing it up.

Tang Xianling pondered the entire journey. Today wasn’t entirely wasted—at least he learned litigation fees start low at two taels of silver, rising based on case complexity. Naturally, he couldn’t even knock on the door of a skilled lawyer.

Another matter: litigation requires patience. Money is one thing, but public opinion is another. He couldn’t let the Hu family, with their black hearts and shameless faces, win every round.

Returning to the main street of Baxing District, Tang Xianling picked up some groceries. He’d craved chicken since yesterday, so he bought a live one, along with peanuts and cucumbers. Spotting a vendor selling greens—some wilted, resembling small leafy vegetables with serrated edges—he couldn’t identify them but guessed they were local.

Tang Xianling bought a handful, intending to cook it and test its flavor. If it tasted good, he could order more from this vendor to make preserved vegetables.

“Wu-ger bought a chicken!” someone greeted him.

Tang Xianling didn’t recognize him either, but since they were all neighbors, he smiled and replied, “Yes, my father has been craving chicken soup lately. I was too busy at noon to simmer it, but now I have time, so I bought a chicken to make soup.”

“How wonderful.”

Tang Xianling carried his purchases home.

Jiang Yun opened the door. Seeing Wu-ger carrying so much, she took the chicken first and said, “We had chicken soup and wontons for lunch. Chicken again this afternoon?”

Tang Xianling hummed in response and asked, “Has Father woken up yet?” Though he wished Old Tang dead, he wouldn’t go so far as to poison him. Even though he’d seen death often in the apocalypse, killing—

He only knew how to kill chickens, and even that was forced upon him by the apocalypse.

Back in college, he wouldn’t even kill a chicken—he’d scream and squeal at the sight of a mouse.

“He woke up a bit over an hour ago, but he was still groggy and didn’t feel hungry. I fed him some wonton soup, and he fell back asleep.“ Seeing Wu-ger frown, Jiang Yun thought he was worried about his father and suggested, ”Maybe we should ask the doctor to come tomorrow? The medicine is almost gone.”

Tang Xianling: …

“The medicine is gone, but my father needs to wake up for us to ask for money to buy more herbs. Our earnings aren’t enough, and I have many things to buy tomorrow.”

“One more thing, Mother. That bastard Hu Kang signed a contract to become a son-in-law. I know Father destroyed it—did he really? Did he burn it or tear it up? Not a single shred left?”

Wu-ger was much smarter. Hu Kang had written a divorce letter, and Wu-ger had kept it all along, tucked away in his trunk. After finishing dinner, he pulled it out to inspect it.

Jiang Yun thought for a moment and said, “I think he tore it—”

Tang Xianling’s brow lifted in hope. If it was torn, there might still be scraps to piece together.

“Your father handled these matters, never letting me interfere. He said that if our son-in-law passed the Juren exams, this contract would serve as proof. He feared that after becoming an official, others might grow jealous and harm him. If that happened and he couldn’t hold office, he tore it up.”

Tang Xianling: …he was speechless.

Hu Kang’s scheme to deceive fools—Old Tang would rather trust a bloodless outsider than leave his Wu-ger any safeguards. Even if safeguards weren’t the point, where was his brain? After all these years in business, did he really have none?

“Forget it. Let’s eat first. After dinner, I’ll search.” Tang Xianling didn’t pin his hopes on Old Tang regaining consciousness. Questioning him was pointless; better to rummage through his belongings.

Jiang Yun cautiously asked, “Is it hard to find a litigation lawyer for Wu-ger, or is the lawsuit itself difficult? Or is it just that—”

“Don’t say it’s just that,” Tang Xianling shot back. “If life meant giving up at the first sign of trouble, just muddling through in a haze—that’d be utterly pointless.”

Small matters didn’t matter, but certain principles had to be upheld.

Jiang Yun nodded, startled. She stood frozen for a moment before heading to the east room.

Tang Xianling boiled water in the kitchen, slaughtered a chicken, and plucked its feathers while contemplating Plan B. For instance, if Old Tang’s health kept improving, he couldn’t bear to think about it. If that happened, he’d hire a carpenter to build a pushcart and start his own stall from scratch.

If Jiang Yun was willing, he’d live with her. If she wanted to stay here, he’d go it alone—

No, not exactly alone. He could always seek out his fellow, Huangfu Tieniu.

Heh heh.

He could become a hunter himself! Catch a chicken today and have roast chicken tonight. Catch a fish, and have grilled fish. In autumn, climb trees like a monkey to gather wild fruits and chestnuts. In summer, with mountain streams babbling, he could even have water fights. Heh heh heh.

After daydreaming about such fun, his thoughts turned serious again. If all else failed, he’d go down fighting like a commoner—first pay a troupe to spread the word about Hu Kang’s atrocities, then risk everything to sue them. Lord Li would give both sides five lashes each.

He was young and sturdy enough to endure it—Hu Kang’s old mother certainly wouldn’t!

In the kitchen, the chopping board clattered as he prepared chicken. Tang Xianling planned to fry half and stir-fry the other half with Kung Pao chicken. He shelled peanuts and tossed them into the iron wok. A light pinch, a puff of breath—the skins scattered, revealing clean, white peanut kernels.

Peeling garlic, slicing cucumbers—

Outside the window, Jiang Yun called, “Wu-ger, Wu-ger! Come see—are these the book vouchers you mentioned?”

Tang Xianling didn’t catch it at first. When Jiang Yun repeated herself, he snapped to attention, set down the cleaver, wiped his hands, and stepped out of the kitchen. Jiang Yun held a box in her hands—the wooden lid missing, revealing notebooks and deeds inside, somewhat disorganized.

“Take a look. Your father never lets me touch these.”

Wu-ger was illiterate. As his biological mother, Jiang Yun knew this well. Now that she had found these papers, she brought them to Tang Xianling first. Deep down, she understood she was merely avoiding the issue by feigning ignorance. But she knew one thing—

The Wu-ger before her was a good man. He was a kind soul who cherished and cared for her child. He was the kind of person Wu-ger could entrust his child to, the kind of person he could leave behind with peace of mind.

Tang Xianling, unaware of Jiang Yun’s thoughts, took the box. He wiped it on his robe hem, then opened it with great solemnity. Old Master Tang’s handwriting was childishly neat and clear. The notebook had originally been used for bookkeeping, with only the first few pages remaining.

The rest were records of expenditures: money spent on Hu Kang, item by item.

Ink, paper, brushes, examination fees, outings with other Xiucai to discuss wen and socialize, bribes to smooth things over with the examination hall officials, buying books, gifts for the master, social exchanges…

Page after page, with dates and totals, the final sum reached a staggering four hundred and twenty-eight taels of silver.

Damn it, that dead bastard Hu Kang practically cleaned out the Tang family.

As he flipped through the notes, scattered scraps of paper fell out. The torn fragments bore another person’s handwriting: words like ‘son-in-law by marriage,’ ‘child to bear the Tang surname,‘ and ‘sworn solemn oath.’