Chapter 10 The Ways of the World

It is late winter but Lin Yuan still wears a cotton coat as the weather has yet to warm. He sneezes and rubs his hands together. Si Niang is on the side burning the charcoal, it would take awhile before the room warms.

The price of charcoal is not cheap so Lin Yuan did not buy much. Once the last few pieces are burned then the only choice left is burning firewood.

Poor families even had to save on the burning of firewood.

There’s no help for it, the people going up the mountains to cut wood has decreased because if you’re not careful you could come down with a cold.

A fever in the winter, death will not be far along.

People will obviously choose their life over being comfortable.

Before winter ends, Lin Yuan practically never left the house. Even with a cotton coat it was still not warm enough. Walking outside in this weather, before long you would not be able to take it. Er Liang was in a similar situation as Lin Yuan. The north may also be cold but the south is wet and cold. No matter how much you wear the cold wet air still seeps in.

Lin Yuan hugs a tangpozi in his hands, asks Er Liang:”Where are Si Niang and the others?”

Er Liang rubs his hands:”Si Niang is kneading dough, we will have noodles tonight.”

No fresh vegetables, only some pickled vegetables.

Although there are greenhouses, but Wu city has none, the entire winter is only pickled vegetables.

Er Liang looks out the window, sighing:”Wonder where brother Chen is.”

This topic Lin Yuan never spoke about with Er Liang. The two words brother Chen is like taboo words.

That loyal and upright young man, perhaps has already lost his life. Only Lin Yuan and Er Liang hopes he has survived instead.

“Young master.” Er Liang says, “brother Chen knows we will come here. If next year he still doesn’t show up we should set up a cenotaph.”

Lin Yuan did not refuse, nodding:”Alright.”

Winter for people like Lin Yuan who has modest wealth can be considered comfortable. He doesn’t have to go out and can stay indoors curled up in the warmth. Every three days he visits the oil plant, every week he checks the accounts but normally he hibernates. But for the common people, it is a bitter experience. This winter a lot of beggars freeze to death on the streets. Most of the beggars have long term ailments or illness, living day by day. Once winter comes very few can make it pass.

The past few years the circumstances have not been good, even the city’s wealthy families no longer provide charity by setting up free porridge. The streets are empty and vendors also no longer show up.

Lin Yuan also does not dare to go out in the streets. He may not be a good person but he does have sympathy. He is afraid that once he goes out he will not be able to resist in bringing those people who are close to freezing to death back to his home.

But he currently has no money left, all of it taken to hire people.

Er Liang doesn’t dare to go out either. Last time he went to buy meat he came back crying.

Only Si Niang and Gou zi goes out. These two fled here from famine back home and has seen all kinds of tragedies. They have already become numb.

But they still have lingering fears because they know, if not for Lin Yuan they would be no different from the people who froze to death.

Gou zi is still young so Lin Yuan did not give him any heavy work. There’s actually not any heavy work to be done so Gou zi does some random chores such as sweeping the yard and watching the house.

Er Liang does all the delicate work such as taking care of Lin Yuan’s needs. He never slacks in his work, a habit raised while living with the Lin family.

His parents are family servants and have taught him from young to be diligent.

Er Liang still remembers his dad’s words:”You must be capable! Otherwise, old Liu’s son will take your place. That you are able to serve young master, it is your good fortune accumulated over many lifetimes!”

After serving at young master’s side, Er Liang finally understands his dad’s meaning.

Serving young master means he doesn’t need to farm or do hard manual labor. He can even learn to read and write.

Young master is also a good person and never hits or scolds the servants. He has a very good temperament.

Even now that he has followed young master in his travel away from their hometown, Er Liang does not need to worry about anything. Young master is too capable, can take care of everything. He just needs to stay at young master’s side and look after his needs.

Er Liang chats with Gou zi.

“Gou zi, when you were on your way here, did a lot of people die?” Er Liang asks.

Gou zi chews on a fried breadstick with an expression of contentment and says:”A lot. From starvation, their stomach bloated high but their arms and legs like sticks. They said it is from being too hungry, only drinking water, drinking themselves to death.”

Er Liang was both surprised and scared:”Then how did you two survive?”

Gou zi swallows the breadstick:”My mama had me eat the tree bark.”

Er Liang asks curiously:”Does tree bark taste good?”

Gou zi nods:”It’s alright. I don’t know what kind of tree it was, it’s dry but still chewable. Taste better than dry tree bark.”

“There was also a kind of grass root.” Gou zi says excitedly, “I haven’t seen it before in my hometown, once you pull it up on the bottom of the roots there is a tumor (TN: that is the literal translation. I didn’t know there are tumors on grass roots??? Can someone explain???) which is also edible. Roasting it makes it soft but not much flavor.”

Er Liang listened seriously, but he knows that if he switch places with Gou zi he would have died long ago. He cannot endure the hardship, so Er Liang pretends to be mature and pats Gou zi’s shoulder:”Gou zi, you don’t have it easy.”

Gou zi smiled:”It is in the past. Now I have food and drink, a bed to sleep and a cotton blanket! I have never used a cotton blanket before!”

Gou zi says quietly:”Young master also gives me eggs to eat. I haven’t eaten eggs this many times my whole life.”

Er Liang looks shocked:”You didn’t raise chickens in your old home?”

Gou zi:”We do but mama takes them all to sell on market days. Then we can buy salt and other things home. How can we eat it ourselves.”

Gou zi says excitedly:”When I grow older and have children, it would be great if young master can give my son eggs to eat as well.”

Er Liang:”……” Young man, you might be getting a little ahead of yourself.

Gou zi rubs his nose, chuckling:”My mama no longer have cold hands and feet. Mama says this is because we are eating well.”

Gou zi asks Er Liang:”Brother Er Liang, you have always served at young master’s side?”

Er Liang proudly puffs up his chest:”My parents are both Lin family servants, I followed young master when I was eight.”

Gou zi was a bit envious:”Then you must often eat eggs?”

Er Liang says:”Young master always had me eat with him, whatever young master eats I will also eat. Everyday there is meat to eat!”

Eat meat everyday, that is practically the life of gods and immortals. Gou zi was envious to the point he could only swallow profusely.

“Brother Er Liang, you have such a good life.” Gou zi says, “I must work harder, young master will also give me meat to eat.”

Er Liang encourages:”You can do it!”

Gou zi grins at Er Liang.

Their chat was completely overheard by Lin Yuan who was sitting next to the window.

The ways of the world currently is worse than he has thought.

Then a few years later, when war breaks out, what will the world turn into?

Right now he has only started establishing his property. Once the field is ready to harvest next year and the farmstead is built, he will have someone send a message to original owner’s family to have them come over. He has received original owner’s body, even if it is after original owner’s death, but he is still in debt to the original owner. Moreover, it is thanks to the original owner’s legal mother’s money that he was able to survive.

His consicence has yet to feed the dogs so he cannot disregard original owner’s family.

Lin Yuan took a sip of tea, letting out a soundless sigh.

TN1: Not much happening in this chapter but it does foreshadow how the situation will worsen in Yuan dynasty China and Lin Yuan is forced to finally make a decision.

TN2: So I got my first review on NU! I was kind of surprised that they thought this is a dark and serious story. It is definitely serious with a lot of characters and world building and plot but I wouldn’t consider it dark. The MC is also pretty relatable even if he comes into his role of leader and eventually emperor. But isn’t it more satisfying this way where everything was bad before MC comes along and makes changes? Everyone must have had a hero dream before right? And this hero doesn’t need to self-sacrifice in order to save the world. It’s quite interesting reading about the backgrounds of side characters and how they have been victims of the times and how they face the ‘radical’ changes Lin Yuan brings.

But it’s true that this is not a fluffy brainless story. If not for its BL characteristics I think guys would enjoy reading it more than gals who are looking for some romantic fluff. There’s a lot of wars and empire building and world dominating going on here. Just curious, are there any guy readers of this story?