Chapter 41: Zheng Sanniang
After A Sen left, Fu Tingyun discussed with Zhao Ling, "I'd like to see if that woman with the child is still there."
Zhao Ling was puzzled.
Fu Tingyun explained, "Since Mo Yi has been arranging our meals these days, we might as well give our steamed buns and water to someone else. It might just help them in their time of need."
Unstoppable mirth spilled from Zhao Ling's eyes.
He had thought that after what happened with her uncle, she would never trust others again or show compassion to the weak and helpless. Yet here she was...
"Alright!" He smiled at her, his gaze bright and radiant like precious jewels, leaving Fu Tingyun momentarily spellbound. "Just be careful not to be noticed. If people swarm you, you might get hurt in the scramble."
"Mm!" Fu Tingyun collected herself and nodded repeatedly. "I'll give it to her quietly, without drawing attention."
Zhao Ling still gave her a few more reminders before letting her go.
The woman was still in the same spot, sitting blankly on a straw mat with her child in her arms. The man who had scolded her earlier was nowhere to be seen.
Seizing an opportunity, Fu Tingyun approached the woman and signaled with her eyes for her to follow.
After hesitating briefly—perhaps because she had nothing left to lose—the woman eventually followed Fu Tingyun to the backyard of the shop where they were staying.
Making sure no one was around, Fu Tingyun handed her a pouch of water and two steamed buns. "This is all I have, but it might help you get by for now."
The woman stared at the food in her hands, taking a long moment to process what was happening. Tears streamed down her face as her lips trembled, at a loss for words. Clutching her child, she knelt before Fu Tingyun and kowtowed repeatedly.
Fu Tingyun hurriedly helped her up. "Please, don’t! This is all I can do for you. Hurry and give some to your child." She gently touched the listless child in the woman's arms, whose hair was sparse and yellowish. "The poor thing is weak from hunger."
The woman nodded fervently, murmuring endless thanks, and made to kneel again.
Fu Tingyun held her firmly, stopping her. Only then did the woman relent. She asked for a bowl and spoon, broke off a small piece of the dry bun, soaked it in water, and immediately sat on the doorstep to feed her child.
Fu Tingyun watched from the side.
Ever since her uncle's death, she had been pondering the misfortunes that befell his family.
They had done good deeds—so why had they ended up inviting wolves into their home, leading to ruin?
Was doing good actually wrong?
She had been raised with the teachings to "benefit the neighbors, show compassion to widows and orphans, and respect the elderly while caring for the young." Why was reality so starkly different from what she had been taught?
It wasn’t until she encountered the Sixteenth Master at the City God Temple that she began to understand. The shopkeeper-like man, holding silver in one hand and a sword in the other, had struck a chord in her.
Helping others without the means to protect oneself—flaunting wealth—would only invite greed and danger. Only when one had the ability to safeguard themselves could they truly extend compassion to the helpless and benefit their community.
This was the wisdom behind the saying: "To cultivate oneself when poor; to help all when prosperous."
Now, under Mo Yi's protection and with extra provisions to spare, she finally dared to offer aid to the woman.Despite this, she still didn't dare give all the food to the woman at once. She feared that after returning, the woman might attract envy from other migrant bandits and be robbed—or even lose her life—due to her inability to protect herself, turning a good deed into a tragedy. She also worried the woman might harbor ill intentions and scheme against her...
Seeing Fu Tingyun watching her, the woman shyly explained, "I need to feed my child. I'm afraid they might snatch the steamed buns away."
Fu Tingyun nodded with a smile to show her understanding, and only then did the woman relax.
The child, perhaps unaccustomed at first, held the food in his mouth for a long time without swallowing. After a few mouthfuls, once he tasted it, he began devouring it eagerly, bite after bite.
The mother's face lit up with joy, warming Fu Tingyun's heart as well.
She asked the woman, "How old is the child?"
"Ten months and five days!" the woman replied cheerfully. "Born on the first day of the eleventh month in the year of Xinwei. The fortune-teller said his Destiny is excellent." Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she hastily added, "How about making him your godson?" Before the words even settled, she realized her blunder and stood up in a fluster. "Miss, please forgive me—I was so happy I spoke without thinking... You're not married yet, are you? You saved his life... I just wanted to repay your kindness..."
In the countryside, it was customary to adopt godchildren in hopes of bearing one's own.
Understanding her good intentions, Fu Tingyun smiled without taking offense.
The woman repeatedly apologized until the child, dissatisfied at not being fed, began crying. Only then did she sit back down with an apologetic look and resume feeding him the softened bun paste.
Fu Tingyun softly reminded her, "Don't feed him too much. When someone in our household falls ill, we first fast for a few days, then only have thin porridge—just half a bowl at first... After starving for long, eating too much at once can make one uncomfortable."
The woman nodded and immediately set down the spoon as instructed.
But the child protested, bursting into loud wails.
The woman picked him up and paced around the courtyard to soothe him.
"Miss, you must be from a noble family, aren't you?" the woman chatted with Fu Tingyun.
A noble family's daughter?
Once, perhaps. But now... she was just like them—a person in distress, only fortunate enough to have met Zhao Ling.
She shook her head with a smile.
The woman didn't believe her. "Miss, if you have any laundry that needs washing, just call me!" she offered, then quickly added, fearing misunderstanding, "I don't want food—I just want to repay you for saving us." She laughed awkwardly afterward.
With even drinking water scarce, laundry was the least of their concerns.
"My husband always says I talk too clumsily," she mumbled in explanation. "Please don't mind me, Miss." She fell silent after that.
Fu Tingyun found the woman quite endearing. She asked, "What's your name?"
"My husband's surname is Zheng, and he's the third in his family," she hesitated before adding, "My surname is Tian, and since I was born in May, I'm called Wuyue."
She had shared her maiden name, a gesture reserved for close family or master-servant relationships.
Respect begets respect.
Fu Tingyun said, "Then I'll call you Zheng Sanniang!"
"Oh no, no!" the woman protested. "Please just call me Wuyue!"
Seeing her sincerity, Fu Tingyun didn't argue and changed the subject with a smile. "I thought you all had gone to Xi'an Prefecture?""We came from Xi'an Prefecture," Zheng Sanniang said. "Right now, Xi'an only lets people out but not in. Everyone's been driven to Nine Mile Gulch. My husband said if this continues, there might be a Seasonal Epidemic, so he brought us to Linchun Town..."
Fu Tingyun was surprised. She hadn't expected such insight from that rough-looking man.
As if sensing Fu Tingyun's unfavorable impression of Zheng San, Zheng Sanniang continued, "My husband used to be an armed escort for a security bureau. Later, seeing his fellow escorts either dead or maimed, he didn't want that life anymore. He saved up some money to buy farmland back in our village." Her eyes shone with pride for her husband. "Whether as an escort or a farmer, he's always been capable." Her expression gradually darkened. "It's these hard times that have made him what he is now." She took a deep breath and forced a bright smile. "But even so, he's been good to me and our child. He refused when others wanted to trade children with us during the famine on our way to Xi'an Prefecture..."
Fu Tingyun felt a pang in her heart, tears nearly falling.
Zheng Sanniang quickly comforted her: "It's alright, it's alright. Now we've met you, miss... Our child really does have good Destiny..."
Fu Tingyun smiled through her sniffles: "Where's your husband now?"
"He went outside town to see if he could find some tree bark and White Clay..." At this, Zheng Sanniang suddenly exclaimed and stood up hurriedly. "He told me to stay put, said he'd be back soon..." She glanced at the sky—it was nearly noon. "Miss, I should go back now. I'll come again later to kowtow to you." As she spoke, she tucked the remaining food into a corner of the backyard, somewhat embarrassed as she explained to Fu Tingyun, "Saving it for tomorrow!"
"But what about you..." Fu Tingyun looked at her in surprise.
"We adults can go hungry for days, but children can't," Zheng Sanniang said. The faint radiance on her sallow face outshone pearls and jade, leaving Fu Tingyun speechless for a long moment before she managed: "Don't worry, I'll get you more tomorrow. You should eat something now..."
Zheng Sanniang shook her head: "Thank you, miss!" Her gaze was sincere. "Times are hard for everyone. We're already endlessly grateful that you'd share your own rations with us. We couldn't possibly accept more..." After profuse thanks, she left with her child.
As she left, she carefully closed the courtyard gate.
Fu Tingyun stood in the yard for a long time before slowly turning to go upstairs.
"What's wrong?" Zhao Ling asked gently. "Your nose is red—did that woman upset you?" A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
Lost in thought, Fu Tingyun didn't notice. She shook her head lightly: "No..." and recounted what had happened.
Zhao Ling smiled, his expression serene: "It seems there are still good people in this world!"
Fu Tingyun nodded with a smile, then remembered that Zhao Ling had been lying in bed alone all morning without anyone to attend to him. She hurried to pour him some cool water: "What was Ninth Master doing this morning?"
"Nothing much," Zhao Ling replied as he drank. "Slept all morning."
How boring!Fu Tingyun: "If only I could find a book to pass the time!" Her eyes suddenly lit up. During a famine year, food was scarce, but books probably wouldn't be in demand!
"Wait here, I'll go look." She remembered there was an accounting office downstairs and, ignoring Zhao Ling's attempts to stop her, quickly descended the stairs.
Downstairs, Mo Yi was trying to light a fire at the stove.
Black smoke billowed everywhere, filling the room, yet the firewood remained unlit and the pot stayed cold.
Between coughs, he muttered curses under his breath.
Clearly, cooking was not his forte.
When he saw Fu Tingyun, his face lit up with relief. "Miss Fu, you must know how to cook, right?"
Miss Fu... Who told him her surname was Fu... This Mo Yi was really something.
Fu Tingyun huffed inwardly, widening her eyes with an innocent expression. "Me? Back home, it was always the kitchen maids who did the cooking!"
Mo Yi's mouth hung open in disbelief for a long moment.
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Tonight there's an unavoidable dinner engagement, so I rushed to write this chapter. Here's a draft for now—I'll correct any errors when I return.
For the bonus chapter, you can check back tomorrow morning!
PS: Still calling for pink votes... O(∩_∩)O~
(End of Chapter)
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