Chapter 5: Class
Before long, all the water carriers had gathered.
Instructor Lin let his arms hang down, standing silently outside the well shed in the spot closest to the shopkeeper.
Beside him stood several tall and burly men whose auras were a cut stronger than the other water carriers.
San Dezi stood beside Chen Shun’an, eyes fixed on his nose tip.
“Everyone should have heard about the recent matters.”
Under the well shed,
Shopkeeper Li stood up, eyes squinting with laughter, just like an old fox,
“The nine landlords from the county met at Tianlang Pavilion. We don’t know the specifics of what they discussed. Anyway, the gist is that if the sky falls, the landlords will hold it up. If the landlords can’t hold it, there are people above the landlords!”
“Our water station has always been the one bullying others; we don’t have the habit of letting others step on our faces and then wiping it off ourselves.”
After listening, Chen Shun’an understood the meaning behind Shopkeeper Li’s words.
Although currently, there was no direct evidence indicating that the successive water carrier falls into the well and deaths were done by the pounding house.
But the water station had lost such a big face, so they definitely had to get it back.
So…
This matter must have been done by the pounding house!
Chen Shun’an figured that the water station was already planning how to counterattack and retaliate.
“Starting from tomorrow, the night patrol and well guarding will be fixed to two nimble brothers; no need to deliver water during the day. Instructor Lin, you’ll take care of this.”
Shopkeeper Li looked at Instructor Lin, his tone seemingly inquiring but somewhat forceful.
Instructor Lin’s face was expressionless: “Good.”
“Alright, then hurry up and deliver water.”
Shopkeeper Li waved his hand, walked back into the shed, tucked the account book under his arm, and made as if to leave.
“Right.” Shopkeeper Li suddenly remembered something. “Starting today, except for those few major households, all other clients must settle the water fee on the spot; monthly packages are temporarily canceled.”
At these words, many water carriers exchanged glances.
How could the rules of so many years change just like that?
How to explain this to the old clients?
Instructor Lin’s expression didn’t change; clearly, he had known about this for a while.
He took the lead, kicked up his legs, bent at the waist, gripped the handles with both hands, and pushed the cart out of the alley.
Even Instructor Lin said no more, so the others naturally didn’t dare to speak up.
They all pushed their carts to deliver water.
…
“The ancestral foundation, how can it be lightly changed? My clumsy mouth is already dumb; how am I supposed to open it?”
“Exactly! This is even worse than killing me!”
“Has something happened up top? The landlords canceling the monthly package system— are they short on money?”
Beside Chen Shun’an, several water carriers lowered their voices in conversation.
The sky was slightly brightening, and the streets were gradually waking.
The shop assistants on both sides were unloading door panels, and street vendors were selling soybean milk, fried cakes, mutton offal soup, and various breakfast foods.
Seeing the water carriers, some of these people covered their faces and avoided them, some showed disdain in their eyes, and others actively chatted.
“Uncle Chen, is your illness better? I went home yesterday and didn’t run into you.”
A loud, resonant voice came.
A tall young man pushing a water cart caught up from behind and called out to Chen Shun’an.
This tall guy was called Ah Hua, in his early twenties, having skipped decades of detours to start pushing carts and delivering water early.
But unlike Chen Shun’an’s ‘real post,’ Ah Hua had a ‘provisional post,’ that is, a temporary worker.
Whether wages or other benefits, he couldn’t compare to Chen Shun’an and the others.
Chen Shun’an smiled: “Much better, thanks for your concern, Brother Ah Hua. This month’s day off, you must come to the Second Meat Shop in Hawthorn Alley for a drink.”
“Sure sure! Definitely coming!”
Ah Hua flashed a row of bright white teeth, then turned to deliver water.
Upon reaching the crossroads, the water carriers went their separate ways.
San Dezi saw the others had left but pulled Chen Shun’an into an alley.
The alley was remote and empty, with wastewater flowing everywhere and a stench of urine.
Chen Shun’an suspiciously glanced at the mysterious San Dezi, then silently shifted to stand near the alley entrance.
“Brother Chen! Do you know why the landlords are short on money?”
San Dezi lowered his voice, hoarse and carrying an excitement of sharing gossip…
Chen Shun’an’s brows furrowed slightly: “You know?”
San Dezi chuckled:
“Of course! There’s this overseas barbarian land called Qianning Country that sent a Qianning Envoy Mission to visit the Sacred Dynasty! They say they want to exchange goods and do free trade; of course, I don’t understand the specifics.”
“But the key is, since there’s an envoy mission visiting the Sacred Dynasty, there naturally need to be people to receive them! From guest reception banquets and road repairs to officials receiving them, tribute items to the capital… there’s a lot of profit in this!”
San Dezi tried hard to recall, speaking methodically:
“I heard that the Court of Colonial Affairs has already set up the Court of Colonial Affairs for Qianning, responsible for Qianning Country’s diplomatic affairs, and also established the Hall of Translations to translate imperial edicts.”
Hearing this, Chen Shun’an immediately understood.
When the Changbai Sacred Dynasty was first established, there were more pits than radishes.
Now, there were more radishes than pits.
Any position with profit required buying a post and waiting in line provisionally.
So now suddenly so many pit positions like the Court of Colonial Affairs for Qianning and the Hall of Translations popped up; naturally, plenty of people wanted to hike up their robes and shuffle quickly to squat in them.
Could it be that the landlords also wanted to quickly make a fortune and buy a post?
One could imagine that many in the capital city were having similar thoughts.
Chen Shun’an wanted to too!
But he didn’t even qualify to spend money buying a post, let alone have connections!
Wait!
Chen Shun’an narrowed his eyes:
“This matter is so important… you spent money to buy this intel?”
San Dezi rolled his eyes: “Nonsense! Who tells you this without money?”
“How much did you spend?”
San Dezi blurted out: “Spent it all.”
“Spent it all?!”
Chen Shun’an’s pitch suddenly rose.
“Yeah, even my wife’s savings are all spent.”
San Dezi was matter-of-fact.
Chen Shun’an looked him up and down as if seeing San Dezi for the first time.
Others spend twenty taels of silver on great medicine, and you spend your entire fortune on intel?
Chen Shun’an said in astonishment:
“Then what do you eat?”
San Dezi said seriously:
“Hey! Isn’t there still you, Elder Brother Chen! We’re brothers; no need to say that! If you have food, won’t you take pity on your brother?”
Chen Shun’an had a bit of a headache, thought for a moment, and took out two taels of broken silver from his pocket:
“Like this: I’ve heard the intel too, count it as my share. If you really can’t afford food…”
At these words, San Dezi’s face immediately tightened, his bronze bell eyes glared, and he got angry.
“Brother, are you looking down on me, San Dezi? I was happy to tell you this intel; for anyone else, even ten thousand taels of gold, I wouldn’t care!”
Just after saying this, there wasn’t a trace of anger on San Dezi’s face anymore; he squinted and chuckled:
“Brother, I was joking with you. Your illness isn’t fully cured yet; how could I, San Dezi, mooch off your meals? Brother has his own ways!”
Chen Shun’an keenly noticed that San Dezi’s attitude toward him had become much more friendly.
After all, some money San Dezi could refuse.
But Chen Shun’an couldn’t not give.
…
Sweat poured like molten metal, the faint breeze like soup.
Just after the start of summer this year, the weather was getting hotter; after delivering two carts of water, Chen Shun’an hid in the locust tree’s shade to cool off.
Chen Shun’an was drenched all over, not a dry spot, and his water pouch was empty.
Even so, Chen Shun’an didn’t take off his short shirt, just rolled up his sleeves.
Water carriers must not expose their arms, lest they scare women and children.
This was one of the water station’s rules.
Wiping his face and eyes with a towel, Chen Shun’an carefully took out ginger candy wrapped in oiled paper from his pocket and popped a piece in his mouth.
The ginger candy was thin as a cicada’s wing, coated with a layer of fine white sugar frosting.
It melted finely in the mouth, not purely sweet like honey, but after the initial sweetness, a thread of ginger spiciness would surge.
This ginger candy was a specialty from Lotus Harbor in Nanhai Prefecture, once a court tribute exclusively procured by the imperial kitchen.
But now, it had spread to the marketplace, becoming a not-uncommon snack.
Even so, this ginger candy wasn’t cheap.
Just a small jar cost nearly half a string of cash.
Chen Shun’an only allowed himself one small piece a day; not only did it restore energy, but it also reminded him of that pair of clear, bright eyes staring straight at him.
Lunch was eaten at the Second Meat Shop in Hawthorn Alley.
By the time Chen Shun’an arrived, two tables of water carriers were already seated inside.
The shop wasn’t big, two storefronts: outside was the hall and stove, inside a single room separated by a curtain.
Varnished elm wood tables, benches with the tung oil paint worn off, several jars of wine placed on the counter, looking somewhat aged.
The two tables of water carriers saw Chen Shun’an; though they didn’t stand, they greeted him warmly, complaining about the damn weather getting more grueling.
Chen Shun’an always smiled amiably, sometimes chiming in, sometimes playing deaf and mute, just drinking tea without speaking.
Wan Niang worked as a helper at this Second Meat Shop.
Seeing Chen Shun’an now, she emerged from behind the stove and handed him an embroidered handkerchief washed clean with soap pods to wipe his sweat.
“Elder Brother Chen still lives the easy life; wherever he goes, someone serves him!”
“Exactly! Wan Niang, I’ve sweated buckets too; got any personal handkerchiefs left? Lend me one to wipe?”
“Hahaha… you rascal, watch your mouth, or Elder Brother Chen might break your legs!”
“Oh, sorry sorry, Elder Brother Chen, I’m straight-talking; don’t take it to heart!”
From the other table, a burly man with thick brows and big eyes clasped his hands toward Chen Shun’an with a fawning smile.
His eyeballs darted slyly, gleaming with restlessness.
Chen Shun’an smiled.
Just as everyone was eating heartily, several figures walked in the shop door.
The water carriers who had been holding bowls of rice immediately set down their bowls and chopsticks; many even stood up, expressions eager:
“Instructor Lin is here?”
“Instructor Lin is a bit late today; did he run into some pretty young lady?”
Instructor Lin just casually exchanged greetings with everyone, then led the several burly men closest to him straight into the curtained single room.
The Second Meat Shop shopkeeper hurried over with a full face of smiles, personally taking orders for Instructor Lin and the others.
In the hall,
Chen Shun’an, eating pork offal, soon saw various big fish and meats, rib medicinal supplements, served into the single room like flowing water.
Many water carriers showed envy in their eyes.
Instructor Lin and the burly men beside him were all second-rate warriors, the face of Weihang Street Water Station.
Not only did they have fewer delivery errands, only responsible for several major households and turbid water supply to shops and restaurants on Weihang Street.
Every day they could come to the Second Meat Shop for dietary supplements, big fish and meats, reimbursed by the water station.
Chen Shun’an heard that the landlords had additionally offered some benefits to make Instructor Lin serve them.
It was a real lucrative post!
While old-timers like Chen Shun’an, or formal employees with third-rate perfection strength, handled slightly farther clients, needing to go around several streets.
They got half a string of cash monthly for meal and housing allowances, and could come to the Second Meat Shop daily for a feast; not bad.
As for temporary workers or those with shallow strength, their delivery areas were even farther and more tiring!
Like Ah Hua.
One day at most two or three round trips, fully responsible for their own food, clothing, housing, and transport.
They rarely came to the Second Meat Shop, instead eating staring food—clamp a chopstickful counts as one copper coin, have to stare wide-eyed to pick from boiling water and hot pots!
In a month, though they earned more than marketplace vendors, it was extremely hard.
Order was uneven, with distinctions of status and hierarchy.
Even among this group of seemingly united and harmonious water carriers, it was faintly visible.
“Ouch! Why is my soup so salty? My tongue’s gone bitter!”
A sharp voice rang out.
It was that thick-browed, big-eyed burly man, face twisted ferociously, hissing as he hurriedly stood to find herbal tea.
Only to find the teapots empty.
Wan Niang then unhurriedly brought out a pot of tea.
Wan Niang smiled: “My fault, I knocked over the salt jar. Brother Fu Sheng, salt’s a scarce item; you actually got a good deal!!”
“Hahaha, Wan Niang’s right!”
“Yeah, don’t waste it; swallow it quick!”
The shop immediately filled with cheerful laughter.
The Second Meat Shop shopkeeper stood at the stove, glanced at the burly man, then at Chen Shun’an.
Seeing Chen Shun’an expressionless, he then raised the corners of his mouth, smiled silently, and lowered his head again.
…
Nightfall, sky dim.
Dusty and weary Chen Shun’an, carrying a hunched Tiao Bao Fish, clutching lotus leaf, cinnabar, yellow paper and other items in his arms, hurriedly returned home.
Even for the monthly package cancellation, Chen Shun’an had to talk a lot to barely suppress the clients’ dissatisfaction.
Bang!
Door tightly locked, windows shut.
Chen Shun’an stood in the bedroom, took another Gold Foil Cow Bezoar Pill; as the medicinal effect spread, the yin chill in his body mostly dissipated.
Then looking at the items needed for deity descent before him, his heart, calm for so long, grew hot.
Mínghòng Shàngyuān Shuǐyuán Great Emperor would welcome back His first portion of authority today.
Starting from the small Qing Ji!
