Chapter 1

As the early sun arose beyond the mountains the Li family were slowly beginning their normal day to day tasks starting with breakfast. The mother of the family; Xiulan was cooking the rice and tofu along with a mix of other freshly harvested vegetables from their farm.

The smell of their mother's cooking awoke all of the children as they sat at the table awaiting for breakfast to be ready.

The youngest child of the family; Bai Li who was 8 yawned "It's so early.." he mumbled

"Maki. After breakfast go to the paddies and collect the bamboo that has been fermenting and I want you and Cheng to strip the green from it before washing it" Xiulan ordered her two eldest sons. She was referring to the bamboo that they were going to make paper out of to sell to the upper class families once the paper making process was through.

Maki nodded "yes mother" he said as he was trying to keep Bai from falling asleep and slamming his face onto the porcelain bowl next to him.

After breakfast was made and the family had eaten. Maki and Cheng headed out onto the small paddy in which they were going to collect the bamboo. They both grabbed baskets and took some sharp knives with them to cut and strip the bamboo away from their joints.

As they headed to the paddy both Maki and Cheng were excited for the days workload being light. They talked to one another while they worked about the games they were playing and the adventures they had gone on.

"I hope mother will take us to the city once again when she and father go. I want to see all the beautiful woman with their powdered faces and slender frames" Cheng said before getting knocked down with the pile of soaked bamboo strips Maki threw at him.

"Firstly, women are much more than their frames. Secondly, what dream world are you residing inside of where you think those types of women would give a farm boy like you the time of day" Maki said.

"Why are you always such a stick in the mud Maki? Don't you ever have these thoughts where you dream about an exotic future where the world is full of opportunity and filled with beautiful women, not stuck in this farm, day after day farming with father?" Cheng said as he went back to collecting the bamboo, the sun beating down on his back.

"No Cheng because it's unrealistic. Besides why would you want to trade the higher life with walls and standards for everything. Out here we can do whatever we please and nobody gives a damn; it's true freedom out here rather then in the city" Maki said as he put the soaked bamboo in the wicker baskets making sure they were separated correctly.

"You're such a strange man Maki. We may have this freedom that you speak of here out on the farm but we will never have the prestige and wealth that those above have in the city" Cheng said as he put one of the baskets on his head with the other in his arms as he began to head back to the main house for a short break.

"Hey Cheng be careful balancing that heafty load on your head like that" Maki said cautiously not wanting his younger brother to trip with a large basket balance atop his head like it was as they walked home.

Once to the main house Maki and Cheng dumped the bamboo in the warm lye water that were in large ceramic pots. They washed each bundle of bamboo strips making sure they had that yellowish hue to it like it should in this stage of the process.

While Maki and Cheng went to wash the bamboo the rest of the family were inside the main house cooking lunch. Maki's father was playing a game of mahjong against another farmer by the name of Hu who often visited the family every so often for some friendly competition. "I wish that Maki and Cheng would hurry up with the bamboo" Xiulan mumbled while cooking.

"So how has the farming come along so far?" Hu asked. Some farms in the village were beginning to experience a small famine and most haven't been able to provide for their families like normal. Hu had hoped this hadn't become the case for his old friend and his family

"Unfortunately some of our crops such as the wheat and the turnips have began to rot before we've even had the chance to harvest them. And our masters of the Shi have demanded much more than we can give currently" Yu said.

"That is unfortunate, I have heard that this is a widespread issue among our neighbors as well. It seems that the heavens are not in our favor this year. I hope it improves" Hu said.

"What about the bamboo that Maki and Cheng are handling, how much does that bring in?" Xiulan asked from inside the kitchen.

"The paper we make from the bamboo is making us 1900 in copper coins but with our failing crops, the animals we must feed and more importantly our children we must feed we're still barely making it by right now. If we don't figure out some solution we'll succumb to the famine and debt" Yu said.

"1900 in copper coins that's quite a bit. Could the paper not be charged more?" Hu asked.

"It already costs twice the usual amount for paper. Charging any higher will cause customers to leave us and go buy from cheaper markets. And we would still not make enough to get a surplus. We already have debts to pay and mouths to feed. If we were to charge more for the paper we would certainly bring ruin upon our family" Yu said, a slight hint of desperation in his voice.

"You could sell your two eldest sons to the Shi in Beijing. It would be less mouths to feed" Hu suggested. Selling off the children in families were typically one of the more desperate attempts to save money by not having to worry about having too many people to feed or the families would send the sons to work as blacksmiths or shopkeepers in the cities in order to make more money.

"I would rather starve than sell my sons. Especially if it was to the higher Shi class. I would never be able to see them again" Xiulan said firmly while Yu nodded in agreement.

Selling off a child would only bring back little reward to the family as the Shi would only pay a small fee to take them. It was an option the family would never consider in a million years.

"What about sending them to the city?" Hu said "Would be cheaper to feed them and they could earn their own money."

Yu thought about the suggestion for a moment thinking long and hard about the options that they had. If they sent at least Maki to be a craftsman or to work for a merchant that could bring in money for the family especially with how good Maki was a craftsmanship "I suppose sending Maki off could make us a decent profit" he said finally coming to a decision.

Xiulan was relieved to hear her husband agreed to the decision. She knew if it was up to herself she would never consider it. But she had to understand this was the only decision they could make to bring more money to the family.

"I hope in the city Maki won't forget about us" Xiulan said. She wanted nothing but for the best for all of her children.

"Oh come now darling, Maki would never forget us no matter how far away he is from home. He may be a wild spirit like a 9 tailed kitsune but he is still a honorable son" Yu said proudly as he spoke about his first born who he was always so proud of.

"Yes I guess you are not wrong. I just worry that the city people will change him. That he will pick up their way of living. That he would want to stay in the city" Xiulan thought of her son going off to the city with an uneasy feeling in her heart but she had faith that her son would not give up on his family by choosing the city over them.

"Knowing how much Maki hates the rules and regulations of the city such as Beijing it will surprise me if you don't end up having to tie him to a mule and force him into the city" Hu joked "I'm sure he will live the life of a hermit if he becomes a merchant or a craftsman for the city"

Xiulan and Cheng burst into a fit of laughter "you know our son too well" Xiulan said her heart easing a bit with relief. She believed in her heart that her son would still hold a place in his heart for his family.

"It is decided. We shall send Maki to the city to work and hopefully gain more income for our family. We shall begin helping him pack his belongings as soon as possible" Yu thought out loud.