Volume II, Big Summer Dynasty Chapter 6: Blood debt
By Xiao Xiang Dong'Er Translated and Arranged by Angel Chua
Edited by Angel Chua 01 June 2019
The night grew darker, and the cold wind blew, cutting like a knife.
Even though her entire body ached with pain from her wounds, Chu Qiao (formerly Jing Yu'er's child) forced herself to stand. She circled the small room, occasionally stopping to rub her skin to keep from freezing in the Chai room.
Ling Xi knocked three times, and a faint voice was heard. The child paused, surprised. She turned her head, anticipating who might be knocking outside the door.
Even though the window was high, it slowly opened, revealing a small head. A boy with bright eyes climbed carefully through the window into the Chai room, landing softly. He turned to face the ground where Chu Qiao stood. Flashing a smile, he greeted her, "Happy Huacai" (which means gorgeous, resplendent in color). He quickly raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
In the silence, they both heard the sound of marching outside, like troops approaching. The boy rushed forward, extending his arms to embrace Chu Qiao. She heard a trace of choking in his voice, but his words were firm and comforting: "We are not afraid, even if they are coming."
Ling Xi was very thin and younger in appearance, about eight or nine years old, dressed in soiled gray clothes that fit his small frame. He was slightly taller than Chu Qiao. His face had soft contours, but there was a trace of inexplicable tenacity. He clutched her tightly, patting her back and reassuring her repeatedly: "Don't be afraid; they are just troops passing by."
Suddenly, Chu Qiao's eyes filled with tears. His spontaneous reaction to comfort her was both painful and soothing. She couldn't control herself, and tears began to fall, wetting the boy's rough clothes.
The bright moonlight shone through the tiny window, illuminating the two children. The coldness of the night surrounded them, but the warmth in their chests brought them some comfort. The boy's small body felt like a sturdy mountain, trembling slightly but still strong as he held his sister tightly in his arms.
"Sister, are you hungry?" Ling Xi asked, gently wiping the tears from Chu Qiao's face. He smiled warmly, his voice filled with concern. "What would you like your brother to bring you?"
The boy took out a small cloth. They sat down together, and as he opened it, the scent of food filled the air. He looked at Chu Qiao, who remained standing, and asked, puzzled, "Won't you sit down?"
Ling Xi brought her a thick porcelain bowl with a faded blue and white edge. The bowl was filled with rice, topped with vegetables and leaves, and the aroma was incredibly fragrant. He handed her a pair of chopsticks and urged, "Hurry, eat."
Chu Qiao wiped her eyes and sat down. She picked up the chopsticks and put a bite into her mouth. Her tears mingled with the food, and she struggled to swallow, but eventually, she began to chew slowly. This was the first proper meal she'd had in a long time. Ling Xi watched her carefully, his narrow eyes filled with happiness as she managed to eat.
As she fiddled with the chopsticks, she found a piece of meat hidden in the middle of the bowl. She knew Ling Xi had placed it there to keep it warm. It was a thumb-sized piece of pork, half fat and half lean, and in the cold, dark night, it looked irresistibly delicious.
A loud gurgling sound came from the boy's stomach. Embarrassed, Ling Xi rubbed his belly and said, "Don't worry about me; I've already eaten. I'm not hungry."
Chu Qiao, noticing his discomfort, offered the meat to Ling Xi with her chopsticks, saying, "You should eat this."
Ling Xi shook his head. "My young master treats me well. I've had braised carp, sweet and sour pork ribs, vinegar-slippery ridge, white-board duck, and more. There's so much food that I even felt full, but you've had nothing to eat."
Chu Qiao insisted, "I don't eat fat."
Ling Xi was momentarily stunned, but he smiled, took the meat, and carefully bit off the fatty part before handing the lean portion back to her. His bright smile revealed his white teeth. "There, now you can eat."
The sour aroma of the pork filled Chu Qiao's nose, and she quickly lowered her head as more tears threatened to fall.
After a long silence, Chu Qiao raised her head and smiled painfully at the boy. As she chewed the meat, she forced a grin.
"Is it good?" Ling Xi's eyes sparkled like stars.
Chu Qiao nodded, her voice choked with emotion. "Brother, it's delicious. It's the best meal I've ever had."
"Fool," the boy replied, ruffling her hair gently. His expression turned slightly melancholic. "Didn't you know that life is short? We don't know what the future holds. When we were younger, we ate all sorts of delicacies, but now we can't remember them. Don't worry, one day, your fifth brother will make sure you have warm meals and all the best things in the world. You'll eat more than just this pork. You'll have ginseng, abalone, bird's nest, shark's fin—everything. By then, no one will dare bully us again. Do you believe in your little brother?"
Chu Qiao was stunned, unsure of what the boy was talking about, but she nodded. She had finished all her rice, even though it tasted bitter. Ling Xi said:
"Sister, don't be afraid." He removed his coat and placed it gently on her shoulders. His voice was tender but firm as he added, "Fifth brother will protect you. I'm here with you. Don't be afraid."
As the moonlight filtered through the gaps in the Chai room, the cold whiteness resembled frost. The two children huddled together, their warmth comforting each other throughout the night.
In the distance, lights flickered. Feathers, silk, and bamboo music played, while the taste of wine and meat filled the air. The lavish banquet at Huang Cheng finally reached its grand conclusion. Amid the brilliance, no one remembered that on today's hunting field, the only survivor was a girl. The cold wind howled as the flames of summer flickered with the melodies of flutes.
The next day, the boy left early, leaving behind a note for Chu Qiao. In small, neat writing, it read: "Fifth brother will come again tonight. Under the firewood, there is steamed bread."
Chu Qiao found the bread wrapped in foil under the dead branches. She held it, looking calm, as her eyes slowly opened.
For three days, Ling Xi came to the Chai room to share meals with her, leaving quietly each time. On the third day, a Zhuge servant barged into the room, discovering the child still alive. Zhu Shun frowned deeply, realizing the girl's fate was about to change.
Chu Qiao paused at the doorway, taking one last look at the old house before deciding to turn back and retrieve her notes from the ground.
Zhu Shun, Zhuge, Little Prince, Mu, Jue, Zhao, Yan...
The child closed her eyes slowly, lifting her face toward the sky. The sun shone on her forehead, creating a golden halo, reminiscent of a flying phoenix.
Zhu Shun's voice echoed, "At six, you can come back."
As Chu Qiao moved forward, she saw numerous dilapidated houses. Everywhere, children were carefully hiding among the branches of the corridor, glancing at her in secret. She walked to a small courtyard just as the steward left. Suddenly, a large group of children rushed forward and surrounded her.
"Xiao Liu, we thought you wouldn't come back."
"Xiao Liu, woo..."
The children cried as they clung to her. Chu Qiao was stunned, momentarily unable to respond, and she endured the sight of their teary faces and runny noses.
"Well, don't cry."
A firm male voice commanded the children to return. He shouted happily, "Troops!"
A boy came running from the outside, carrying a cloth bag. After taking two steps, he stumbled, spilling the contents of the bag—melon seeds—all over the ground. The children cheered in delight, and Ling Xi joined in the excitement. Chu Qiao rushed over to him.
"Don't grab—there's enough for everyone," the boy said, adopting an adult-like tone. "The child just died, and she was seriously injured. Let's not quarrel with her these days. We have to help her."
All the children nodded in agreement. A little girl with two pigtails, raising her white, tender face, smiled and said, "Troop, don't worry, we will help Xiao Liu."
The boy asked, "Xiao Liu, are you still in pain? How did you manage to get out of bed?"
"Fifth brother, I'm fine." Chu Qiao smiled at him. As she looked up, she noticed his sleeves were rolled up, revealing purple whip marks, with some wounds still not fully healed. Another child, Xiao Qi, smiled and said, "I brought medicine that works really well. Let's apply it to the painful areas. Yesterday, the horse was blown by the wind, and it hurt his waist, so I helped him."
"Come on, come in; I have something to tell you." A little girl, about seven years old, stepped forward and pulled the boy by the hand.
The boy looked back at Chu Qiao and said, "All of you kids standing outside in the wind, come in."
Inside the shabby little room, there was a large kang (a heated bed mat), neatly lined with over 10 sets of bedding. The boy called out, "Fifth brother, what happened?"
A youngster, no older than ten, gathered them together. Squatting down, she opened a dark hole in the kang, took out a small box, and said, "Jingjia's annual bid day is in five days, and the door will be open. Do you want us to secretly prepare incense and paper money? We're all ready."
He nodded his head. "Be careful, and don't get caught."
"Rest assured, no one will come to our side. Did you know the four young generals were here the day before yesterday? I also saw a dress that looked like the fourth young master's, and they killed two companions in the room. The old master isn't home, and neither is the young master. There's more and more unrest in the Zhuge Huai household. Last month, the old master killed more than 20 young slaves, and since we were bought by the Du family, I've been worried that one day, it will happen to us."
As soon as she finished, a sharp exclamation was heard outside. A voice shouted, "You cheap slaves dare to steal things! Do you still value your lives?!"
The boy frowned and moved to run out, but Zhi Xiang pulled him back, whispering, "Go out the back! We can't let them see you here—the fourth young master will kill you."
"I..."
But before he could continue, Zhi Xiang cut him off.
"Come and see this!" she said coldly.
They paused at the back door, but Zhi Xiang grabbed Chu Qiao's arm, coldly warning, "Whatever happens, don't come out." Then she rushed outside.
Screams and the sound of whips filled the air. Aunt Song, a fat stewardess, swung her whip ferociously and shouted, "Isn't this Jingjia's bid day, ladies? How will you cover up your stowaway plan now? I'll send your sisters to the flower hall to do cheap, dirty work while you steal and become thieves! You really are a worthless nest of embryos," she sneered.
"Aunt Song, we know we were wrong, and we won't do it again," Zhi Xiang said as she shielded the other children. Aunt Song whipped her face, drawing blood. Zhi Xiang knelt, clutching the woman's skirt, begging loudly, "We won't dare do it again."
"I don't think you understand—after I whip all of you, you'll never dare again!"
Aunt Song lashed the children, leaving marks on their bodies. She grabbed Zhi Xiang's two braids, delivering several more whips until the girl's eyes dimmed, and she fainted. The children cried loudly as Aunt Song, drunk with power, raised her whip to strike again.
Without a sound or a scream, Chu Qiao stepped forward. Aunt Song looked down and saw the small girl standing before her, her thin body trembling, but her eyes cold and determined. Chu Qiao's hands clutched the whip tightly as she muttered, "Enough."
Aunt Song, furious, spat, "Dead girl, haven't you learned your lesson yet?"
"Chu Qiao, let go of her!" Zhi Xiang, kneeling nearby, desperately tried to pull Chu Qiao's clothes. "Aunt Song, please don't whip her anymore."
But Chu Qiao didn't move. She continued to stare coldly at the woman and said in a chilling voice, "If you try to hit them again, you'll regret it."
Aunt Song raised an eyebrow and shouted, "If I don't hit them, I'll hit you!"
She lifted the whip high, intending to strike Chu Qiao with all her strength. But Chu Qiao seized the whip mid-swing, tugged sharply, and yanked the woman's belt, causing Aunt Song to lose her balance and fall to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Kill the pig!" some of the children shouted.
Chu Qiao slowly approached the woman, bent down, and whispered, "I told you—you'll regret it."
Aunt Song scrambled to her feet, shouting, "You'll pay for this!" She stormed out of the yard.
Zhi Xiang, trembling with tears, anxiously exclaimed, "Ladies and children, you've created a disaster. How will I fix this?"
"You take care of them," Chu Qiao said firmly, then turned and followed the woman outside.
As she walked through the two corridors, she spotted Aunt Song running toward a stone bridge. The woman was panting, struggling to catch her breath after only a short distance. Chu Qiao squatted in the bushes, carefully surveying her surroundings to ensure no one was watching. She picked up a stone, half-squinting as she focused on Aunt Song's ankle. With precision, she launched the stone into the air.
"Snap!" The stone struck Aunt Song's ankle, causing the woman to scream in pain as she slipped and fell onto the bridge.
It was nearly winter, and the lake was covered with a thick layer of ice. Aunt Song landed on the ice instead of the water, but she was stuck, unable to move.
Chu Qiao stood up from the bushes and slowly approached the stone bridge. Looking down at the woman, she asked in a mocking tone, "Should I call someone to help you?"
The woman groaned in pain, "Good girl, go and help your aunt. It hurts."
Chu Qiao smiled, picked up a large stone, and held it over her head. The woman's eyes widened in fear as she cried out, "What are you doing?!"
Chu Qiao let the stone drop onto the ice, shattering it. The woman screamed as the ice began to crack around her.
Standing on the bridge, Chu Qiao watched calmly, showing no trace of hesitation or remorse.
This is a world where people want to eat, want to live, but you only want to be the first to eat, like a greedy beast who devours everything and leaves nothing for others.
Without a backward glance, Chu Qiao turned and walked back to the yard. The children, huddled together, were still trembling and crying. She knelt down, gently waking a seven-year-old child from their shock. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "Don't be afraid. Everything's all right now."
The Zhuge household's lowest slaves lived in this yard, where pigs and dogs were kept. These little slaves were the lowest of the low, their only response to hardship was bursting into tears.