Chapter 32: Isn't This Like a Tinderbox Waiting for a Spark?
The contract was drawn up in two copies.
Yang Xuan and Han Ying sat side by side at the table. Han Ying picked up the brush to sign her name.
“Here.”
Yang Xuan took the still-warm brush from her and signed his own name in one swift motion.
“Wonderful, wonderful!” Wang Shun applauded at the side. “From now on, we’re family!”
“Wait.” Yang Xuan stopped Han Ying as she was about to rise, handing her his own copy of the contract.
“What for?”
“To exchange.”
In the blink of an eye, Yang Xuan became a partner in the noodle shop.
“By the way, what is this called?” Han Ying still yearned for that bowl of unconventional yet delicious noodles.
“Lan... Yuanzhou Lamian.”
Yang Xuan wished he could sew his own lips shut.
“Good, Wang Shun, make a signboard for it. I’m ready for a grand venture!”
…
“Sir.”
Returning home, Yang Xuan saw Cao Ying carrying a cloth banner, preparing to go out. Five characters were written upon it:
—Divining fortune and misfortune by observing the aura.
“You... observing aura? You can even determine one’s fortune or calamity?”
Yang Xuan snatched the cloth banner, crumpled it into a ball, and handed it to Yi Niang. “Wash this clean, and later make me some socks with it.”
Yi Niang covered her mouth, trembling. “Yes, sir.”
Cao Ying spoke gently, “Sir, I am skilled in observing aura…”
“Did you foresee the fortune or misfortune of the late Emperor years ago?” Yang Xuan entered the house.
He was probing.
Yi Niang was easy to read, being a woman, but Yang Xuan could not discern Cao Ying’s background, so he seized this opportunity to test him.
If Cao Ying flared up, argued, or even went further, then he could not be kept.
He was also waiting.
If Cao Ying came forward, it would still count as respectful. If he ignored it, then his respect was nothing but hypocrisy.
Footsteps sounded behind him.
“What you say is very true, sir,” Cao Ying’s voice remained gentle, “but… I am incapable, unable to till the land and provide for you.”
He did not see Yang Xuan, who turned his back, raise his eyebrow.
“No need for you to provide for me,” Yang Xuan turned back, “I can provide for you.”
Cao Ying bowed his head. “Yes.”
Turning, he sought out Yi Niang. “Sir said he can provide for us. Besides, he is not of a violent temperament; just now, he was testing me.”
“Isn’t that good?” Yi Niang rolled her eyes.
Cao Ying sighed, “Next time sir wants to stab me, to test my loyalty…”
Yi Niang looked up, smiling slyly.
“I’ll hand him the knife.”
The next day, Yang Xuan went to the Imperial Academy. Before leaving, he said, “If you have nothing to do, go check on that noodle shop, see if they’re secretly taking out copper coins. Remember.”
The two were bewildered.
Yang Xuan walked out the door, then suddenly halted. “Oh, right, they’ve changed the name.”
The two exchanged glances.
“What has sir done now?”
They quietly made their way to the noodle shop two lanes away.
The alley was tranquil, with creeping vines trailing along the walls. A bird dozed atop the wall, startled by their footsteps, stared blankly at them, then flew away.
Not yet at the shop, they heard a hubbub through the wall.
“Why are these noodles so delicious?”
“They’re called Yuanzhou Lamian.”
“So fresh and tasty.”
“Even the soup is delicious.”
Stepping out of the alley, they saw the noodle shop packed with people. Every table was full, others squatted or stood, clutching large bowls, eating until sweat poured from their foreheads.
“This…” Cao Ying looked up and saw the signboard with four large characters: “Yuanzhou Lamian.”
Inside, noise echoed, though the purpose was unclear. Wang Shun was alert, not allowing anyone near.
Even though they had just eaten breakfast, the two each had a bowl.
“Delicious.”
“The taste is oddly familiar.”
Yi Niang put down her chopsticks and ran home.
Cao Ying returned to find Yi Niang standing outside the kitchen, holding a bowl, lost in thought.
“What is it?”
Yi Niang handed over the bowl. “This is the soup left by sir yesterday. I covered it with a bowl and didn’t touch it, but now there’s a fragrant aroma. Smell it.”
Cao Ying leaned down to sniff.
“Isn’t this the taste of Yuanzhou Lamian?”
“So sir made it?”
…
Arriving at the Imperial Academy, Yang Xuan felt a sense of dejection in the air.
He sought out Bao Dong for news.
“Sigh!” Bao Dong lamented. “They say they’re cutting our food and money by half. Isn’t that going to starve us?”
Yang Xuan glanced at Qiao Huiyan.
“Bao Dong, spreading rumors again?” Qiao Huiyan snorted coldly, then lifted her chin slightly to gaze at Yang Xuan. “The Ministry of Revenue says the Academy is idle and wasteful, so they’ve cut funding by twenty percent. If things don’t improve, more will be cut.”
Bao Dong coughed. “I saw the people buying for the dining hall this morning, all with gloomy faces. Looks like our meals will become tasteless.”
Sure enough, at lunch, the quality of food dropped, with less meat and oil, though staple foods were still unlimited.
To Yang Xuan, this treatment was already excellent.
He ate his fill, but the Dean of the Imperial Academy, Ning Yayun, and others had little appetite.
The staff room was packed with professors and assistants.
Ning Yayun smiled gently, her eyes free of any wrinkles. “Gentlemen.”
Everyone flicked their dusters in response. Ning Yayun smiled bitterly inwardly, wondering if the founder who set the path of cultivation ever imagined such a predicament.
“The Ministry of Revenue says the Academy is idle and wasteful…”
Professors and assistants below were indignant, criticizing the Ministry’s foolishness.
When it came to eloquence, who could rival the Imperial Academy?
Experts in rhetoric for a thousand years, peerless in debate!
Zhengzheng!
The sound of a zither rang out. The group, perhaps not having argued enough, flicked their dusters in annoyance.
Ning Yayun gazed at them, somewhat despondent. “Go think of a solution, all of you. Go!”
He waved his hand, and everyone, as if pardoned, hurried out.
Only An Ziyu remained.
“No striving, no striving—now it’s become apathy,” An Ziyu said angrily. “It’s all your fault!”
Ning Yayun raised his cup, speaking calmly. “After cultivating the metaphysical arts, one’s temperament gradually changes. Otherwise, how do you think those predecessors could meditate in the mountains for decades?”
An Ziyu spun her ruler in her fingers, whistling through the air, displeased. “What does the Ministry of Revenue mean by this?”
A flush appeared on Ning Yayun’s jade-like face. “It’s not the Ministry’s doing. Someone wants to place their people in the Academy.”
“Dream on!” An Ziyu stood up abruptly. “So that’s it, scoundrels!”
She looked at Ning Yayun. “Dean, whose idea is it?”
Ning Yayun raised his cup to his lips, sipping calmly. He set it down, walked to the window.
“Four great families—and the Supreme One.”
An Ziyu was stunned. Then she saw the famously impeccable Dean step back and, with contempt, curse out the window.
“Damn you!”
A gust of wind blew in, stirring his hair. It swept across the table, gently rustling the cup.
On the table, a pile of porcelain powder and a puddle of tea appeared silently.
…
Walking through the streets, watching carriages pass slowly, Yang Xuan couldn’t help but feel envy.
Before ten, he could ride in an ox cart; after ten, he could only watch other children ride by, laughing at him.
He was dejected at first, but gradually grew numb. If it’s not yours, why envy? Better to hunt in the mountains and save some private money.
A long stretch of the right-side wall was broken, behind a row of stalls mostly stood women and elders.
“Come buy! The tastiest fruits!”
“Rice cakes from Yuanzhou!”
A young girl was calling out.
“How much?”
The rice cakes were firm, with the right color.
“A coin for ten.”
Years of prosperity, especially in the past decades, had kept prices in the Great Tang very low.
Ten rice cakes was a lot; a cloth bag cost extra.
“I’ll return the bag tomorrow.” Yang Xuan disliked buying useless things. The girl argued with him for a while, panting as she stared at him, feeling like she’d met her match. At last, she nodded. “I’ve never seen anyone so stingy!”
Yang Xuan went home first, putting down the rice cakes. Yi Niang and Cao Ying were not there.
He arrived at Wannian County. The gatekeeper finally stopped obstructing him, though still somewhat sullen.
Yang Xuan merely smiled.
Before ten, life was good—visiting families in the village, even their guard dogs wagged their tails. After ten, things changed; the dogs barked fiercely at him.
He didn’t blame the dogs, knowing their owners’ attitudes had changed.
Just as he wouldn’t blame the gatekeeper now.
In the staff room, Tang Xiaonian scratched his head. Wen Xinshu spoke worriedly, “Commander Tang, your hair…”
Bang!
Tang Xiaonian looked at the dozens of long hairs fallen onto the map and sighed toward the heavens, giving Wen Xinshu a slap.
Sometimes, don’t point out people’s flaws. You mean well, but others may become embarrassed and angry.
Tang Xiaonian glanced at Zhao Guolin, then asked, “Old Zhao, is my hair thinning?”
Zhao Guolin, lost in thought with his lance, looked up and replied calmly, “It’s fine, still a ways from becoming a monk.”
Tang Xiaonian froze. Just then Yang Xuan entered, and he dropped the subject.
The four sat down.
“The Jinwu Guard questioned thoroughly. We also asked around the neighborhood, confirming the fingerprint was already there. But why were the spies so concerned?”
Tang Xiaonian scratched his head, stopping midway and complaining, “Damn, now it itches when I don’t scratch.”
Zhao Guolin rarely spoke, now silent as he looked at the map.
Wen Xinshu offered several ideas, each met with another slap.
“Yang Xuan, what do you think?”
Tang Xiaonian was amiable, making Wen Xinshu a bit melancholy. But Yang Xuan had saved him, so even if Tang Xiaonian married his daughter to Yang Xuan, Wen Xinshu would have to offer sincere blessings.
Yang Xuan had been pondering this matter, and had an idea.
“Was there a problem with that family? Otherwise, how could someone bury more than ten chests of valuables in their house without them knowing?”
Tang Xiaonian nodded. “They’ve been arrested. We questioned them; the women and children weren’t home that night and know nothing. The head of the household, Wang Erlang, insists he’s innocent.”
Wen Xinshu said, “He’s a tough man.”
Zhao Guolin commented, “If he confesses, he dies, and his whole family is exiled. If he doesn’t confess, only he dies.”
Tang Xiaonian sighed, “The most troublesome part… Vice Commander Zhou of the Jinwu Guard pulled some strings, saying they’re willing to take over the case.”
Wen Xinshu said bitterly, “They’re trying to seize the opportunity for revenge!”
Zhao Guolin said, “A mountain bearing down—unstoppable.”
“We need to pry open Wang Erlang’s mouth!”
Tang Xiaonian stood up, “I refuse to believe it.”
A clerk arrived with instructions from Huang Wenzun.
“The magistrate says this matter is of great importance. If you can’t solve it, hand it over to the Jinwu Guard.”
Tang Xiaonian became like an ant on a hot pan.
His hair slowly fell as Wen Xinshu worried about his future father-in-law becoming bald.
“That Wang Erlang fears nothing—how do we get him to confess?”
Even Zhao Guolin frowned deeply.
Amid the gloom, Yang Xuan said, “Perhaps I can think of a way.”
“What way?”
The three stood up abruptly.
“The Imperial Academy.” Yang Xuan remembered Bao Dong muttering that Professor Zhong had some method for extracting confessions, so being his student was risky—telling lies would easily be uncovered.
And the Imperial Academy was now seeking achievements. Wasn’t this... dry tinder meeting a spark?