The wide endless blue sky began to shift to gold. The lonely carriage rode forward next to a clear stream.
Chu Danlu glanced at their sleeping customers and then at his father. “It’s rare for requests to Lan Prefecture. Are we taking the road we usually use when we go to Xiannan?”
“Yeah, yeah, same road. The usual inn and teahouse are up ahead. Wake our customers up.”
“Why don’t you do it?”
“Unfilial thing, I’ll knock your head if you speak that way in front of the customers. This is why Manager Yao dislikes me.”
“Face it, Manager Yao won’t like you no matter what you do. Your loud voice will probably wake them up.”
“He’s right,” a light voice said.
Chu Su and Danlu saw the white-clothed youth open his eyes through the front screen of the carriage. Except for the open eyes, the boy was no different than when he was asleep.
Xiyun gave the weight beside him a nudge and was returned with a harder and painful jab to his side. As he reaffirmed the unfairness of the world, Yeon woke up.
“Hello.” Yeon stretched her arms, causing Xiyun to discreetly move his head away. She climbed out the front of the carriage and jumped onto the ground, landing her sandals lightly.
“Miss, is there a problem?” Chu Su said.
“I’ll jog along with the horses. I need to maintain my form.”
The man took her word.
“When do we pay?” Xiyun suddenly asked Chu Su.
Yeon raised an eyebrow.
“Young Patrons can pay anytime before leaving.”
“How much?” the boy asked.
“Eighty hard coins.”
Xiyun fidgeted even if it was not obvious. He reached in his bag behind his robe. “How many of these?”
He pulled out another gold sycee, causing the father and son pair’s mouths to drop.
“I don’t think you can use that,” Chu Su mouthed.
“Is it decoration?” Xiyun said.
Chu Su felt his tongue tie. “Well, no. But um- it is too much.”
“Dad! What are you doing?” Danlu pulled at his father’s shirt. He swayed the thin man back and forth.
“Idiot, you want to give that to Manager Yao?”
“Ahh! Why do you have to be right!” The boy cried.
In the midst of the father and son’s bickering, Xiyun shared a glance with Yeon.
“Those steamed pork buns were the best pork buns I have ever had,” Yeon remarked.
Danlu caught onto the meaning of her words and stared incredulously. Are these family scions really that ridiculously wealthy and sheltered Heck, shouldn’t they own their own carriage and driver?
Xiyun knew that was the first time she ever ate steamed pork buns.
“Does Brother and Sister have a name?” Danlu inquired sincerely. His slouch became visibly more relaxed since their ride began.
Before Chu Su could reprimand his rudeness, Yeon answered freely. “Han Yeon. A bodyguard.”
Chu Su recognized the tongue from the Peninsula, and Danlu enthusiastically turned towards Xiyun next.
“Is Danlu written as ‘cinnabar deer’?” Xiyun said.
The boy glared at his father.
“Your mother chose that name. Disrespecting her in her grave?” Chu Su chewed.
Danlu lowered his head in submission before turning back to the white-clothed boy.
Xiyun used the time he gained to think up a proper title. “Xiyun. A hermit.”
A bell-like laugh rang around them before Yeon stifled herself. “I am supposed to be guarding a hermit? Ha!” She began laughing again.
Chu Su shook his head and sighed. “The inn is here. Danlu, take our young patrons to the teahouse and teach them about money. I will join you three after I am done here.”
They were at the edge of a town where the occasional farmer was seen returning home. Most of the homes were made of stone and white plaster below the clay roofs, but the inn was a rare two-story wood building.
Danlu dismounted. The tunic wearing boy had a tan and donned short unkempt hair. When he smiled, his white teeth and crescent eyes showed. He met eyes with Xiyun and Yeon. “Let’s go.”
The teahouse was a large pavilion next to the stream. In the middle of the pavilion was an operating kitchen, so the teahouse could also serve a small selection of dishes. There were plenty of open seats, but also plenty of people.
The three youths passed a table of gossiping women to sit by the railing.
“For four!” Danlu yelled.
They were given four cups and served a pot of green tea.
Xiyun took his cup and stared out at the stream. Yeon could only wonder what he was thinking about.
Danlu, at this time, flipped a silver-colored coin out of his pocket. “This is an Epoch coin that the government mints. Ten coins are worth one silver tael, plenty for a month’s worth of rice to feed a family. Our meal with dishes will cost one good coin.” Danlu pulled out a handful of copper coins. “We still have plenty of old copper pieces around. You need at least a hundred copper pieces to cover a hard coin, but they’re useful as change.” The boy was having a lot of fun being given a chance to explain this. “A silver or gold ingot, like a sycee, can weigh any amount of taels, commonly one or five. Right now, someone will only trade you one gold tael for at least thirty silver taels. So, a gold sycee is worth a minimum of three hundred coins. Given that these Epoch coins are declining in worth, gold should be worth even more.”
A voice suddenly directed towards Danlu. “If even kids spout that nonsense about the value of coins, it’s no wonder prices are increasing.”
At a nearby table, a couple sat across from a young man. The agitated man accompanying the woman was the one who spoke.
Danlu turned around and stuck his tongue out. “Yeah, do you have something to say to me?” If you were smart, you would barter with grain.
“Of course not. I didn’t say anything about some brats,” the man said tersely.
“Nevermind then, I respect my elders, especially if they’re senile.”
“Wait here! In fact, I do- Ouch!”
“Don’t start arguing with children!” the woman hissed as she pinched the man’s side.
The young man sitting across the couple, who had his hair tied together in a neat knot and possessed fair slim features, joined in. “Don’t mind him, my small friends. He is simply troubled right now.”
The woman patted her partner’s back. “Husband, Cousin Qin is Luoyi’s best barrister. There’s nothing he can’t solve.”
“Sister Shi jests. There are so many great lawyers in Zhao,” Cousin Qin said, not denying the claim. “And let it be clarified to the people of this fine establishment that I would never help someone solve illegal matters.”
“So you would never defend a criminal?” Yeon was unfamiliar with the Zhao legal system, or Seonryeo’s for that matter.
“My clients are of course all innocent,” Cousin Qin replied.
“If they are found guilty in court, is the court wrong or are you?” Yeon said.
Danlu butted in. “If he always wins his cases, then by definition he never defends a criminal.”
Cousin Qin laughed lightly. “Imperfect people can make mistakes even in a perfect system. Only the Emperor’s decree is perfect,” Cousin Qin glibbed. “But your young friend is right, it is a good thing I have yet to lose a case.”
“Fine, you win.” Yeon fell back.
“It is always my pleasure to meet young folk. I am Qin Raomin.”
“I’m Chu Danlu.”
“Han Yeon.”
Xiyun nodded when Qin Raomin’s eyes passed him and returned to looking outside.
The man, lost in viewing the pleasantries between his wife, cousin-in-law, and three strange kids, realized he needed to get the conversation back on track. “Roamin, you’re prattling again! We need to help my father!”
“Right, Sister Shi, where did your story leave off?”
“It was when Father-in-Law remembered the Chen Family collecting Seal coins to use in their businesses. After leaving the Prefecture Government Office, he went and struck a deal with the Chen Family. He proceeded to borrow the Seal coins from the office so he could trade them with the Chen Family for Epoch coins. He had Magistrate Zhang confirm the contract and witness the deal.”
On the side, Yeon leaned over to Danlu. “Seal coins? I thought you said there were only copper pieces and these Epoch coins.”
“A year ago, the government began minting new Seal coins that are worth ten Epoch Coins, basically an entire silver tael. It’s having trouble catching on with the common folk, but since the government is encouraging them, they are useful in trades with government connections.”
Yeon tilted her head slightly. “What makes the new coin worth ten times the other? Do they have ten times the silver?”
“No coins are made with actual silver. Since the Palace declared that they are worth one tael, then obviously they are worth one tael.”
“Really?” Yeon’s voice drifted, still confused.
However, Danlu wanted to hear more of the story.
The husband interjected. “During the trade, the Epoch coins were counted using the same boxes that the government usually uses to ship its newly minted coins. It was the trading of one box of Seal coins for twelve boxes of Epoch coins. When Father returned to the Prefecture Government Office, he realized he had been had! There were not enough coins in the boxes he got from the Chen Family to pay back what he borrowed, let alone get his reward. Magistrate Zhang would not help him, there was no way he wasn’t helping the Chen Family as an exchange of favors. Father is so
stubborn, he chooses to remain detained and plead justice rather than accept a debt.”
Although Yeon did not know the full story, her lips creased and saw Qin Raomin with a matching expression. She glanced at Danlu who also shrugged, so she gave Xiyun a nudge. When there was no reply, she nudged him again.
“There are two ways to arrange circular shapes,” Xiyun said. Instead of explaining more, he moved the copper pieces in front of Danlu. He arranged some of the coins together in a grid pattern and the rest in a honeycomb pattern.
Qin Raomin saw the display and finally realized the issue.
Danlu’s eyes brightened. “Classic! The old box trick. I have only heard stories of other merchants doing this type of stuff centuries ago. This trick has been done to death. How can someone today still fall for this?”
“Father is an honest man, and you merchants are despicable. Great Zhao! Corrupt officials on one end, and sordid merchants on the other! The Chen steward even dared to pretend to be sincere and did not ask to open the box Father gave, so Father couldn’t notice the difference,” the man said with a glare. Yet, deciding to stop arguing with Danlu, he stuffed his mouth full with goose meat to let off steam.
The woman smiled wryly and began to massage the man’s back with her free hand.
Qin Roamin shook his head. “He shouldn’t have made Magistrate Zhang alone be the witness. And if the contract only stated ‘full box’ then it can be argued to be valid unless Magistrate Zhang interprets otherwise.
Then, we can only hope the Prefect would overturn the decision. Even if the boxes made counting simple, we still need to be careful to check over these details.”
Sister Shi spoke. “Is there anything you can do?”
Qin Roamin frowned. “I will look for precedents and look over Section Nine of the Code tonight. There may be a way to argue a case on the basis of counterfeit and forgery.”
She sighed. “Fine, it’s not often you visit, let’s save this for later.”
A young server arrived to ask if Danlu wanted food, which distracted his attention from the other table. Danlu looked at Yeon.
“Something with meat,” she answered.
He turned towards Xiyun.
“Some boiled vegetables and something in broth,” Xiyun said.
Danlu gave up and just ordered a small dish of every type.
Eventually, Chu Su came in as the rice and dishes were being served. “Perfect timing.”
There was rice, slices of chicken, salted fish, boiled vegetables, long beans, and soybean broth.
Chu Su was eventually introduced to the neighboring table. Qin Roamin took a keen interest in asking Chu Su of cities he’s traveled to. There were different discussions all around, as was the way of teahouses, however when Xiyun was asked something he shook his head.
The trio from the other table had gotten up at some point.
Qin Raomin said his farewell and returned to his room at the inn first. “See you, my young friends, another day.”
Xiyun picked up a thin white slice of chicken and dipped it into the green ginger scallion sauce. After a bite, he stared all around him.
There was a red horizon, and the sounds from the busy teahouse continued.
…
At the inn, Xiyun and Yeon found their room. It was empty with the exception of a small wooden bed and another tile mat bed on the floor.
Xiyun saw his travel box already placed next to the single bed, so he climbed on top of it.
Yeon looked at the hard bamboo tiles of the mat and compared it to the layer of cotton on top of the wooden bed. “Shouldn’t I get the bed?”
Xiyun stared at her for a moment before laying down, not bothering to argue with her.
Discontent, Yeon left the room with her bag’s change of clothes to at least clean. When she returned, she saw the white-clothed youth reading a book under the moonlight and dim candles. The majority of the space in the boy’s box carried books. Then, she noticed a metal cylinder-shaped object and realized that it was a tied string of coins. So there were coins the entire time!
Thinking of something else, she spoke to Xiyun again. “What did you think about the problem that Qin Raoran is helping his relatives solve?”
“Nothing,” Xiyun said resolutely.
“Can we help them?”
“They have nothing to do with us. Whether it’s gratitude or spite, neither is something a person needs.”
“When the eyes perceive injustice, how can the mind leave it be? As a person of the world, it is our responsibility to help people in need,” Yeon quoted her master.
“I don’t see how that’s true.”
“We all live in the world.”
“If someone chooses not to?”
“So, can we help them?” Yeon repeated.
“We don’t even know the entire story.”
“So, can we help them?”
Xiyun did not answer.
“You should go wash at the outer yard as well,” Yeon finally said.
Xiyun nodded and climbed off the bed. He took out his change of clothes and left the room for the outer yard. When he returned, the youth realized his mistake. Yeon laid on the bed with her back towards the boy.
He took a glance at the mat on the ground which seemed awfully cold.
After a span of silence, the boy spoke. “Did you know? It is not the first time the Palace has tried issuing a new coin. Zhao tried before, and deemed the coin worthless the next year.”
The sheets shifted.
“More than half of the dynasties during the Millennium of Instability have tried issuing overvalued coins to recede a declining economy, and all of them failed. Zhao already failed once, if nothing has changed, why wouldn’t it fail again?” Xiyun said.
“How does this help in any way?”
“Nothing much. It might make the father feel better.”
Yeon snarled.
“If they eventually enter negotiations with the Magistrate. More information couldn’t hurt.” He grasped at straws.
There was no reply.
“Why do you care?” Xiyun whispered.
“I’m making friends.”
The boy sighed. “The boxes were both government-issued ones used by the Treasury. It is common regulation to have records of even the smallest details such as the boxes’ size and how much coins each box should hold. Since the trade was witnessed in the capacity of a magistrate, why can’t it be assumed under law that such standards should apply for the trade of currency?”
Yeon shifted. “Can that work?”
“I don’t know if there are any precedents, so probably not. But, if this Qin Raomin is as good as he says he is, I’m sure he can find a way.”
A white sheet was thrown over Yeon’s shoulders.
Xiyun flopped down onto the tile mat and bundled his body in the white sheet. He stared into the darkness and saw the faces of every person he met today. The world around him was changing too quickly. How many more days?
…
In the morning, Xiyun did not ask Yeon where she went at dawn.
The party gathered and they rode off.
On the road during the day, and in inns during the night, the days passed like so. If Yeon saw something interesting, she would ask Danlu. Chu Su let the young folk converse while Xiyun read. If they met someone on the road or during rest, Danlu and Yeon would take the initiative to talk while Xiyun remained silent. It was in this manner that they would arrive in Lanzhou.
Qin Raomin 秦饶民