Chapter Eighteen: The Beauty Fades into Mist, Success Achieved and Departure

Facing Du Thirteen, Du Shiyi made a gesture and stood up. He walked forward and opened the door, and under the starlight, standing outside was none other than the upright and straightforward village chief, Song Eighteen. Du Shiyi couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

"Village Chief Song, what brings you here..."

Usually frank and outspoken, Song Eighteen now wore an expression of hesitation, rubbing his hands uneasily for a long moment before finally forcing a smile and saying, "Young Master Du, I must apologize—several travelers have arrived outside, seeking lodging. There are no inns here; whenever strangers pass through, it's customary for the village chief to inquire and then let them stay in our homes. Tonight, you and Young Master Cui are already guests, but if the newcomers were only men, it would be easier. However, among them, besides the men, there are... two ladies as well..."

The roundabout explanation, ending with that crucial revelation, left Du Shiyi momentarily stunned; he then asked in surprise, "Women traveling at night?"

Though the customs of the Great Tang were open, as Cui Jianxuan had said, noblewomen in the capitals of Chang'an and Luoyang sometimes went out boldly, riding without veils or hats, but always accompanied by servants. As for ordinary women, even if they weren't shy about showing their faces, they wouldn't dare walk at night, not even with men to escort them. After all, highway robbers were not unheard of by day, let alone after dark.

Song Eighteen nodded quickly, then stepped closer and lowered his voice, "At first, I thought just as you did, Young Master Du, so I questioned them further. The men claimed to be musicians and showed me their pipa. One of the ladies removed her veil, revealing a sword strapped to her back! She said they were returning from a musical performance in the Eastern Capital, heading to Yan City. My house is crowded with my sons; the men can be accommodated, but finding space for the ladies is beyond me. I wonder, Young Master Du, if you could..."

Song Eighteen faltered, and Du Shiyi understood perfectly well. Yet, in his two rooms, aside from a drunkard and Du Thirteen, he himself was a man—it would be awkward to let two women stay. He was about to reply when Song Eighteen, still smiling, added, "I've explained our situation to the lady; when she learned who was lodging here, she said that both the Cui and Du families are illustrious. Since Young Master Cui is already drunk and shouldn't be disturbed, she believes Young Master Du must be of noble character, not unlike Liu Xiahui of old. She asks for your help."

What an exquisite compliment! To be likened to Liu Xiahui—if he refused or harbored ill intentions, it would be a stain on his reputation!

Du Shiyi was momentarily speechless, so he simply nodded, closed the door lightly, and returned to sit on his bamboo mat. Du Thirteen, who had been listening intently outside, quickly sat up and whispered to her brother, "Brother, what about us..."

"We sleep as we always do!" Du Shiyi pressed her down without argument, pulled up the thin blanket over her, and lay down himself, closing his eyes. Soon he heard footsteps at the door, followed by the creak of it opening. Song Eighteen, outside, seemed to give polite instructions, and a woman's voice answered—pleasant, yet with a hint of chilly indifference. As the door was locked once more, Du Shiyi sensed two figures, one after another, passing quietly in front of his mat, their flowing robes stirring a breeze.

After some rustling, a voice younger and more innocent than the first reached his ears: "Master, they're all asleep!"

"Yes, after a day's journey, we should sleep early too." The melodious voice replied casually, then seemed to spread out a mat—whether borrowed from the Song family or brought themselves—and lay down without undressing. But the young apprentice couldn't fall asleep so quickly; she tossed and turned, then couldn't help but call out, "Master..."

"Careful not to wake the others!" The low rebuke made the apprentice sound aggrieved, her voice subdued, "But... Master, why don't we stay in the Eastern Capital? It's prosperous there, and what we earn from one performance is many times what we make elsewhere. Besides, with locust plagues everywhere, the roads are unsafe—we could only lodge here tonight. In the Eastern Capital, the Duke of Zhao, the Cui family, earnestly requested your instruction..."

"Enough!" The melodious voice, suddenly cold, interrupted sharply, then spoke with deliberate clarity, "Fifth Daughter, remember—we are not dancing girls! If we sell our skills merely for profit, then to nobles and officials, we become servants, at their beck and call. At that point, we would never know a moment of freedom!"

Hearing those resolute words—especially the mention of freedom—Du Shiyi felt his heart stir. He opened his eyes and looked toward the pair. His gaze met the penetrating look of the woman, who stared back unflinchingly. He smiled faintly, closed his eyes again, and rolled over. Yet the image of her serene beauty was etched in his mind.

She wore no makeup, but her pure, clean face shone with an arresting radiance in the dim room, her eyes unforgettable. Rather than the classic beauty of sunken fish and fallen geese, it was a unique, delicate charm that moved the heart.

Turning his back to the beauty, fatigue finally took hold. Hearing the steady breathing of Du Thirteen beside him, Du Shiyi gradually drifted to sleep. When he was awakened by the crowing of roosters in the village and turned over, he found that the corner where the master and apprentice had lain was now empty—as if the vivid scene of last night were but a dream.

The matter of lodging the women that night was never mentioned by Song Eighteen, nor did Du Thirteen speak of it, and Du Shiyi was not one to gossip; thus, Cui Jianxuan remained oblivious to what transpired while he was sleeping off his drunkenness. After washing and breakfast, he lazily followed Du Shiyi to the fields.

After wandering a while, Du Shiyi saw a county bailiff rushing toward him. On arrival, the bailiff greeted him with a broad smile, "Young Master Du, the county treasurer has arrived and asks to see you!"

The so-called County Treasurer was Qian Lü, the county official in charge of tax collection. He had not taken office until after last year's locust plague, so when this year's disaster struck, he was caught unprepared. He feared punishment for either acting against heaven or neglecting duty, and had been observing the situation. Unexpectedly, the county magistrate, Cui Weizhi, had heeded the advice of a mere youth, appointing him to lead the locust eradication effort. Seeing a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old boy walking over with the bailiff, Qian Lü knew this was the one who had volunteered for the task and motivated the villagers—the young Du Shiyi from Du Ling of the Capital District. He hurried forward with a beaming smile, not waiting for Du Shiyi to bow deeply before reaching out to help him up.

"Young Master Du, you are too gracious. Without your tireless efforts, the locust plague would surely have worsened beyond control!" Qian Lü grasped Du Shiyi's arm firmly, cheeks thin yet rounded from his smile. "I heard you were just recovering from illness—if you keep working so hard, neither the magistrate nor we subordinates can bear it. Your body is a gift from your parents; since you recovered thanks to your late father's blessing, you should cherish it even more."

His words combined praise and admonition, as deft as could be. Du Shiyi was not so young as to miss the subtext; he smiled and replied, "You are right, County Treasurer. I merely followed the magistrate's instructions, doing what little I could. These days, I do feel a lack of energy and was thinking of asking leave to rest."

"Ah, if you're not feeling well, you should indeed rest," Qian Lü said, visibly relieved, his smile broadening. "I'll have someone drive you home by carriage. Also, rice and flour are scarce in the market now—I’ll see you get several loads. If you ever need anything, just let me know at the county office."

"Thank you very much, County Treasurer!"

The carriage provided by Qian Lü was spacious and comfortable, with smooth, cool bamboo mats in the center—enough for three or four to sit or lie down. At this moment, Du Shiyi lay back contentedly, listening to the creak and rumble of the wheels and soon yawning. Catching sight of Du Thirteen beside him, her face full of indignation, he laughed and asked, "Thirteen, who are you angry with?"

"Brother, the locust plague is nearly under control, and you're clearly well enough. Why claim you're too weak to work and need to rest? Is County Treasurer Qian here to steal your credit?"

Du Shiyi couldn’t help but laugh. Seeing Thirteen biting her lip, her anger not yet abated, he thought how sharp she was for her age and sat up, "Silly girl, I just told you—I don't care about credit, so I don’t mind if others take it. Sometimes, humility is far better than loudly boasting. Last time I refused the rare medicine and borrowed villa from Songyang Temple because I had done nothing to deserve it; but this time, whatever we receive is rightfully ours. I won’t let you live on coarse tea and rough meals in a grass hut anymore."

Du Thirteen was silent for a moment, then asked softly, "Brother, since you’re not going to fight locusts, when will you visit Lord Lu at Xuanlian Peak, as Master Sima suggested?"

"I need to think about it," Du Shiyi replied, habitually stroking her head. When she frowned and moved away, then stared at him persistently, he smiled and said, "This concerns our future—I must consider it carefully."