Chapter 43: Memories and Rainy Days

Fusu poured all the wheat bran from his hands into the fish pond, then turned his gaze to the map.

The attention of the Qin Court had finally fallen upon the Hexi Corridor—though it was not yet called the Hexi Corridor by that name; people at this time simply spoke of it as a remarkably beautiful river valley.

Fusu found a specific location within this river valley, which would later be known as Yangguan Pass.

The pass had not yet been established, but its geographical position remained unchanged.

The men of Qin now merely cast a brief glance in that direction; once they perceived the fertility of the Hexi Corridor, they would naturally set their hearts upon it.

Tian An walked into the hall and reported, "Your Highness, the stove is heated."

Fusu nodded, rolled out the prepared dough, shaped it into individual flatbreads, and placed them into the stove to bake.

He then closed the lid and sat down beside the stove to warm himself and read a book while waiting for the flatbreads to bake.

Tian An stood to one side and remarked, "Jingye County is preparing for winter this year, and we have baked quite a few flatbreads to store as provisions."

Fusu nodded in acknowledgment.

When the lid was lifted once more, the rich aroma of baked flatbreads permeated the entire Gaoquan Palace.

Fusu took the flatbreads out of the stove, placed them into a basket, and instructed, "Take this basket of flatbreads to Gao, and tell him to distribute them among your younger brothers and sisters in the palace."

Tian An received the basket, put the lid back on, and handed it to an attendant standing nearby.

Fusu then took another basket of flatbreads from the stove and, while they were still warm, left the Gaoquan Palace.

Baking flatbreads was laborious work, and the Prince had spent half a day to produce them.

Walking all the way from Gaoquan Palace to the Office of the Chief史 (Censor-in-Chief), he found that, much like the bitter winter of the previous year, Xianyang Palace was largely deserted during the court recess.

Fusu arrived before the gates of the Censor's Office, carrying the basket as he stepped inside.

As it had been last year, Cheng Miao was seated right here.

Yet, besides Cheng Miao, there was another prominent figure present: the Right Chancellor, Feng Quji.

Seeing the Prince arrive, Feng Quji hastily bowed and greeted, "Your Highness."

Cheng Miao followed suit and offered a bow.

"I have come here to examine some official documents; I trust the Right Chancellor will not mind."

Feng Quji bowed again and replied, "Your Highness may freely examine any archives here."

Fusu glanced around the room and placed the basket before the Right Chancellor.

Before Feng Quji could reach for a flatbread from the basket, another hand had already stretched out. The owner of this hand was Cheng Miao.

Cheng Miao took a flatbread that still retained its warmth from the basket, returned to his seat on the opposite side of the room, tossed his long sidelocks back over his shoulders, and began to earnestly taste the flatbread provided by the Prince.

Feng Quji likewise took a flatbread from the basket and took a bite. Indeed, it was exceptionally fragrant.

The Censor's Office maintained a designated desk for Fusu. Because he frequently reviewed archives sent annually from various regions, his desk was positioned closest to the bookshelves and was also the largest.

Tian An lit a candle and placed it beside the Prince's desk.

Fusu took several volumes from the bookshelf and began to read them with intense focus.

Outside, the wind howled as before. Fusu perused the demographic shifts across various regions in recent years. With the northern migration of settlers to garrison the borders, household registrations had fluctuated considerably of late, particularly among the people of the former states of Yan, Zhao, and Qi, the majority of whom had registered their households in Shangjun Commandery.

Once the construction of the Jingye Canal was completed, there would be yet another large-scale relocation of citizens. Fusu noticed that the Chancellor’s resettlement policies were primarily aimed at the territories of Chu and Zhao, creating a distinct impression that these two regions were being deliberately emptied of their civilian households.

It was hardly surprising, given that the popular sentiment in Chu and Zhao had recently become the most complex in the realm.

Yet there was no alternative; whether it involved garrisoning the northern borders or launching campaigns to the south, the impact on Yan, Zhao, and Chu was by far the greatest.

Fusu picked up another scroll of official documents originating from Handan Commandery. In earlier times, Handan had served as the capital of the State of Zhao; now, it had become Handan Commandery of the Great Qin.

Fusu caught sight of a familiar name within the documents: Wang Wan.

After leaving Xianyang, Wang Wan must have returned to his hometown.

However, the dispatches from Handan Commandery revealed that Wang Wan had been invited to stay as a guest in Handan and had taken up prolonged residence there.

That was not all. After Wang Wan's arrival in Handan, numerous former nobles of the Six States had gone to pay him visits.

Fusu frowned upon reading this news. The Governor of Handan had even recorded the names of the guests who had visited Wang Wan.

These names were easily investigated. By merely questioning the Handan Governor, one could unearth the background of every single guest who had visited Wang Wan—where they originally came from, their former social standing, and tracing their origins even further, one could discover how many family members they had and how many children remained at home.

Such was the rigorous nature of the Qin laws. Should any trouble arise concerning Wang Wan in the future—for instance, if he harbored intentions of raising an insurrection—complicit parties could readily be identified from among these visitors.

Nevertheless, Fusu found no names of particular consequence.

Moreover, even if those individuals harbored rebellious thoughts, they would not easily expose them.

Wang Wan was living away from home as a guest in another's estate, and people came to visit him almost every day.

No matter how strict Qin law might be, it could not prevent Wang Wan from closing the doors when receiving his guests to speak in private.

Fusu sighed with a trace of disappointment. He truly wished to know whether Wang Wan, after his retirement, was speaking ill of Great Qin, and precisely what disparaging remarks he had made.

"Your Highness, there will be a winter hunt tomorrow."

Fusu rolled up the bamboo slips on his desk, tied them securely with a cord, and slid them into a cloth sleeve.

"Where is the winter hunt taking place?"

"Replying to Your Highness, right beside the Zhengguo Canal."

"Splendid, I was just looking to go out and clear my mind."

Feng Quji bowed and said, "Tomorrow, your servant will arrange for someone to come and escort Your Highness."

Cheng Miao was still eating his flatbread in the corner.

Feng Quji cast a sideways glance at him, wondering how that man's stomach could possibly hold any more food. No wonder Cheng Miao had been so keen to spend the winter holed up in the Censor's Office—it turned out he could eat the Prince's flatbreads here, a secret Cheng Miao had managed to keep for two years.

Seeing that night was falling, Feng Quji looked back at the Prince, who was still reading.

On the Prince's desk lay an official document alongside another bundle of bamboo slips.

As Fusu read, he continuously jotted down notes on the second set of bamboo slips.

Noticing the Chancellor's gaze, Fusu lifted his writing brush and said, "The Right Chancellor must find this amusing. I have a habit of taking notes when I read."

Feng Quji simply walked behind the Prince, observing how Fusu classified his notes by year and location, accompanied by figures on household registrations. He nodded slightly and remarked, "Your servant has heard the Chancellor mention this matter before."

"Everyone has their own method of study. I lack a photographic memory, so taking notes allows me to cross-reference whenever the need arises."

Feng Quji’s expression cleared as he observed the Prince's study method, finding it quite sensible and instructive.

Fusu stood up and said, "It is getting late; I shall return first."

"Your servant should also be returning."

The four of them walked out of the Censor's Office, and Cheng Miao closed the heavy doors behind them.

Tian An carried the basket they had brought earlier; by now, it was completely empty.

In the chill of the night air, Fusu breathed in the crispness, glanced back at Cheng Miao trailing behind, and inquired, "The court is in recess, yet is Censor Cheng usually the one stationed here?"

Feng Quji replied, "He volunteers to guard the Censor's Office."

From the rear, Cheng Miao bowed and explained, "Your servant has recently been dedicating himself to the study of calligraphy; being alone in the Censor's Office suits me better."

Fusu observed, "Censor Cheng's calligraphy is truly exceptional."

"Your Highness's calligraphy has grown far superior to what it once was."

Conversing thus, they arrived at the palace gates, where Fusu saw the two men off.

Tian An murmured, "Your Highness, rumor has it that the Right Chancellor is a man of great steadiness."

Fusu replied, "It is evident."

This was plain to see in Feng Quji's words and actions; every move and utterance was governed by a strict sense of propriety.

Unlike the sharp, unyielding Chancellor, Li Si.

Judging by Feng Quji's speech, he spoke only what ought to be spoken. Such a man was loyal—though perhaps exclusively loyal to the First Emperor.

The following day, the Right Chancellor had carriages prepared early in the morning to welcome Prince Fusu at the palace gates.

Xianyang was bustling with activity following the court recess; indeed, Xianyang was always lively at this time of year.

Since the completion of the Xianyang Bridge, an even greater number of merchants and travelers had thronged into the city.

Tian An followed behind Prince Fusu all the way to the palace gates, chattering as they walked: "This winter hunt was organized at the Chancellor's behest. He has invited quite a few people, even including General Wang Ben."

Fusu nodded slightly.

The people of Qin revered martial prowess and loved the hunt. At that moment, beside the Zhengguo Canal, Wang Ben spurred his horse forward and loosed an arrow from afar, striking a straw target with pinpoint precision.

Li Si, holding a bowl of wine, shouted loudly, "General Wang, marvelous archery!"

"Hahaha!"

Wang Ben laughed heartily.

(1/3)

Further in the distance, another horseman galloped forward and loosed an arrow from an even greater distance, striking the straw target with equally immaculate accuracy.

Wang Ben’s laughter cut off abruptly, as if his throat had been seized by a hand. His face flushed slightly, and he swept his gaze across the surroundings, shouting, "Whose arrow was that!"

A general holding a bow slowly emerged from the ranks.

Li Si raised his wine bowl with a smile and called out, "General Zhao Tuo, what magnificent archery! This official toasts the General."

Ignoring Wang Ben, Zhao Tuo walked straight forward, received the wine bowl, and bowed, "My thanks to the Chancellor for the wine."

The host of this winter hunt was Chancellor Li Si, and everyone treated him with utmost courtesy.

Moreover, the Chancellor had brought along an abundance of fine wine.

"General Zhao Tuo possesses remarkable archery."

Another voice drifted over from a different direction. Wang Ben turned his head and spotted Right Chancellor Feng Quji and Prince Fusu approaching.

Seeing that Prince Fusu had arrived, everyone hurriedly bowed in salute.

"The Right Chancellor mentioned that a winter hunt was taking place here today, so Fusu came to have a look. I had no wish to disturb everyone's refined leisure..."

Li Si hastily straightened up, opened his arms, and declared, "There is no need for such elaborate courtesy!"

Fusu caught sight of Wang Ben, whom he had not seen in a long time. The hair at Wang Ben's temples had turned white; he could hardly believe such a drastic change could occur in a mere year.

"General Wang has white hair now."

Wang Ben replied, "Though this subordinate has white hair, this archery of mine... how could it ever lose to that young pup Zhao Tuo!"

Zhao Tuo bowed and said, "Please, General, test your skills whenever you wish."

With that, the two men prepared to resume their archery competition.

Li Si invited Fusu to sit beside him and watch the generals compete, his spirits high with wine.

Fusu said, "Teacher, while examining official documents yesterday, I came across matters concerning Wang Wan."

Li Si kept his eyes fixed on the cluster of boisterous generals and lowered his voice. "What of Wang Wan?"

"Wang Wan is in Handan, and many former nobles of the Six States have gone to visit him."

Li Si remarked dismissively, "Your Highness need pay him no mind. Aside from venting the bitterness in his heart, what else can Wang Wan do? Those former nobles of the Six States who go to visit Wang Wan are of the exact same ilk as him; they are not worth mentioning."

Tian An was already roasting meat nearby. Ever since the construction of the Xianyang Bridge, the old man had mastered the fine art of roasting mutton.

Fusu countered, "Will he rebel against Qin?"

Li Si waved a hand dismissively. "He will likely speak of rebelling against Qin in words, but he himself will do no such thing. Aside from standing in Handan and cursing Xianyang, this man can never stir up any storms."

Fusu thought to himself that Teacher was right. If Wang Wan had truly been capable of stirring up storms, he would have done so when he was stripped of the chancellorship.

If Wang Wan had genuinely posed a hidden danger, given the methods Li Si employed back then... would he have allowed him to leave Hangu Pass alive?

Zhao Tuo loosed yet another precise arrow, drawing cheers from the surrounding soldiers.

Li Si raised his wine bowl and laughed aloud, "Hahaha! General Wang is no match for Zhao Tuo. He is growing old, truly growing old..."

Wang Ben flushed with embarrassment, pointed at Zhao Tuo, and bellowed, "Again!"

Fusu drew a piece of grey silk from his sleeve and raised it with both hands. "Teacher, this is a letter sent by Li You."

Still wearing a smile, Li Si took the silk cloth handed to him by the Prince. The contents spoke of the geography, customs, and sentiments of the Sichuan region, boasting that if they manufactured fine brocades on a large scale in Sichuan and sold them to the Western Regions, they could make a fortune.

As for the rest... it detailed the situation he had investigated while heading south, but from beginning to end, there was not a single mention of his aging father.

Li Si checked repeatedly to see if this brat Li You had forgotten who his father was.

Although their father-son relationship was far from warm, Li Si figured that even if the boy failed to send word home out of stubborn pride, he would surely send a letter to the Prince, making indirect inquiries about his old father's condition.

Never had he imagined that this ungrateful wretch would omit him entirely.

Fusu had not read into it so deeply; he had simply assumed the Chancellor would be pleased to receive a letter from Li You.

Seeing that the Chancellor was smiling, Fusu added, "Li You is doing well in Sichuan. He is even pondering how to bring prosperity to the people there."

Li Si nodded and drank another cup of wine.

The contest between General Wang Ben and General Zhao Tuo had just drawn to a temporary close.

Having conceded Zhao Tuo's skill, Wang Ben plucked several commandants from the ranks of the generals and bade them spar with Zhao Tuo together.

The men immediately began to brawl in the snow.

With a roar, Zhao Tuo lifted one opponent around the waist and hurled him straight into the nearby stream.

Facing an assault by multiple opponents, he did not cede the slightest advantage.

"Ha!" Li Si raised his wine bowl joyfully and proclaimed, "General Zhao Tuo is a fierce warrior of our Great Qin!"

Wang Ben walked over with a hearty laugh. Though he had lost the match, he chuckled, "I have made a laughingstock of myself before Your Highness."

Just then, Tian An finished roasting the mutton and brought the platters forward.

Fusu called out, "General! Eat meat and drink wine!"

"My thanks, Your Highness."

As the company drank and ate heartily amidst much laughter, Fusu glanced sideways and noticed that Feng Quji, who had brought him here, was no longer among them.

An attendant whispered a few words into Feng Quji's ear, whereupon the Right Chancellor hurriedly departed.

The messenger noticed the Prince's gaze, bowed deeply, and swiftly took his leave as well.

Fusu continued chewing on his mutton, looking back toward the clearing where Zhao Tuo had single-handedly overthrown all five of his opponents onto the snowy ground.

Li Si commanded, "Pour wine! Pour fine wine."

Zhao Tuo bowed. "My thanks to the Chancellor."

The fierce warrior accepted the wine and sat to the side, drinking with hearty satisfaction.

Wang Ben lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness may not know this, but General Zhao Tuo is under thirty years of age. Aside from his martial prowess, his grasp of military strategy and scholarship is extraordinary."

Li Si echoed, "Haha! The one thing Great Qin never lacks is fierce generals."

Looking at the assembled generals, Fusu too felt the ferocity of the Qin people. If Great Qin lacked anything, it would never be fierce generals.

Wang Ben continued, "He has repeatedly petitioned to join the southern campaigns, yet he was omitted from the roster of southern commanders."

Fusu asked doubtfully, "Why?"

Even as he spoke, Fusu realized he was asking the obvious; the commanders for the southern campaigns had been personally chosen by the First Emperor.

Li Si chewed a piece of mutton, picked up another skewer, and remarked, "This mutton is truly fine."

"Indeed, it is delicious," agreed Wang Ben.

Hearing this, Tian An, who was still tending the fire and roasting meat, smiled contentedly and tossed a clove of garlic into his mouth.

Ever since partaking of garlic by the Xianyang Bridge, Tian An had been unable to live without it, prompting him to cultivate a patch of it in Gaoquan Palace as well.

Seizing the moment, Tian An offered a bulb of garlic.

Fusu broke the garlic apart, distributed cloves to the Chancellor and General Wang, and said, "You may eat it paired with this garlic."

Wang Ben popped a clove into his mouth. Initially frowning at the pungent spice, his expression soon smoothed out, and his chewing accelerated rapidly.

Li Si ate at a more measured pace, evidently still unaccustomed to it.

Fusu instructed Tian An to give a bulb of garlic to Zhao Tuo as well.

Zhao Tuo stood and saluted, "My thanks for the Prince's bounty!"

Fusu cupped his fists in return. "General Zhao, please be seated."

Zhao Tuo resumed his meal and wine. By now, the generals in the winter camp were scattered in small groups, eating and drinking.

The commandants who had been trounced by Zhao Tuo were sitting together, nursing their bruises and partaking of the food and drink.

None of the men had brought troops with them on this outing; a dozen or so generals had simply gathered for a winter hunt, taking advantage of the court recess when there was nothing pressing to do.

Fortunately, the supply of garlic brought along was modest; otherwise, if everyone had been given a full bulb, the entire camp would have reeked of it.

Li Si observed, "At first taste, this thing bites the tongue with spice, but the more one eats, the better it becomes."

Fusu explained, "It was purchased from merchants of the Western Regions."

Before the wine table, Tian An wore a gentle, tranquil smile as he turned the mutton, tossed another clove of garlic into his mouth, and dusted the meat with a mixture of salt and ground pepper.

Fusu elaborated, "What Tian An is sprinkling over it is called spiced salt—a seasoning made by blending pepper and salt."

Tian An finally chimed in to explain, "It uses salt from Sichuan, garlic from Wusun, and pepper from the Yuezhi."

"Wusun?"

Fusu clarified, "The Yuezhi obtained the garlic from merchants of Wusun, and I had Tian An purchase it from them."

Li Si remained silent. Over the years, Great Qin had been preoccupied with campaigns north and south, leaving little inclination to ponder affairs of the Western Regions.

Fusu let the matter drop and continued eating his meat while asking, "I heard General Wang Ben went to trade for warhorses with the Xirong?"

(2/3)

Wang Ben replied, "We traded twenty carts of rhinoceros hide for three thousand warhorses. The Xirong intend to use the rhinoceros hide to fight the Xiongnu."

At the mention of rhinoceros hides, Fusu nodded in sudden understanding and uttered an affirmative hum.

How should he put it? Rhinoceros hides were surely the one commodity the households of General Wang Ben and General Wang Jian possessed in abundance.

Their family wealth was such that rhinoceros hides were carted over in droves. With the wealth of the Six States pouring into Qin, it appeared a vast amount of treasure had found its way into the pockets of Generals Wang Jian and Wang Ben.

Wang Jian was an old fox, exceptionally shrewd.

Such was Fusu's impression of Wang Jian.

Wang Ben naturally possessed plenty of rhinoceros hides as well, so trading them for several thousand warhorses posed no difficulty for him.

Besides, those several thousand warhorses were all destined for Meng Tian in Shangjun to hold off the Xiongnu.

Fusu asked, "Has General Wang laid eyes on the river valleys of the Xirong?"

"Aye," Wang Ben nodded. "The water and pastures are lush, livestock is beyond counting, and warhorses roam in massive herds."

Fusu probed further, "Are the Xirong people difficult to deal with?"

Wang Ben slowly shook his head.

Did that mean they were neither particularly difficult nor particularly easy to deal with?

"Such a wealthy tract of land—since we can perceive its value, the Xiongnu cannot fail to see it."

Li Si had just swallowed a mouthful of meat and sat in deep contemplation, staring at the garlic before him.

Wang Ben likewise lapsed into silence.

Neither offered a definitive answer, likely because they truly lacked the bandwidth to spare for it at present.

Tian An, still tending the fire and roasting meat, wore his customary serene expression. Raising his head slightly, he noticed water overflowing from a small cauldron by the stove.

It was bubbling with a boil. Using a piece of cloth to protect his hand, Tian An grasped the handle of the clay pot, lifted it away, and poured out a bowl of crystal-clear hot water.

Steam rose from the water, swirling in the bowl. Tian An set the clay pot aside, placing it a safe distance from the flames.

Noticing that the Prince, the Chancellor, and General Wang had all fallen silent, had they said everything there was to say?

Puzzled, Tian An cast another glance their way. Then, a good-natured smile creaking across his weathered face, he drew a small cloth pouch from his sleeve, shook out some almonds, and distributed them to the Chancellor and the General.

Finally, Tian An placed the remainder of the almonds before the Prince, followed by the bowl of hot water that had been left to cool for a moment.

Tian An returned to his post by the stove, absorbed in roasting the mutton. He propped the lamb ribs upright against the flames, turning them at regular intervals.

Fusu cracked the almonds and sipped the hot water.

Whether it was back when they went to welcome the old general or at the present moment, Fusu felt that Tian An's culinary skills were growing ever more refined.

No matter where he went, this Prince of Qin always fared well and ate his fill.

By the river, he could feast on fish and fresh river delicacies; in the palace, he could pull noodles and bake flatbreads; in Jingye County, he could always forage for plenty of bitter greens.

Here, he could roast the trimmed lamb ribs to absolute perfection.

Tian An possessed a singular talent: he could always maximize the utility of food under the most limited conditions.

Having eaten his fill, Wang Ben stretched his limbs, invited Zhao Tuo along, and set off for a hunt.

Only then did Fusu lower his voice to ask his teacher, "Does General Wang have something weighing on his mind?"

Li Si sighed and recounted a past event.

The story touched upon the complex dynamics between Wang Jian, his son Wang Ben, and his grandson Wang Li. Wang Ben had been reluctant to send his son Wang Li to Shangjun, yet Wang Jian had insisted upon dispatching his grandson to build the Great Wall.

Though outsiders all believed General Wang Jian was living the life of an immortal in Puyang County, the truth was that the relationship between Wang Jian and Wang Ben was far from harmonious.

Each of the generals attending this winter hunt harbored their own unspoken ambitions and burdens.

Once sated with food and wine, Li Si fell asleep inside the carriage.

Fusu walked along the banks of the Zhengguo Canal, constructed by Zheng Guo, and paused to scoop up a handful of its water.

This canal had likewise altered the destiny of the Qin people.

In time, the Jingye Canal would change the fates of countless others, lifting them from poverty to prosperity.

Tian An inquired, "Your Highness, shall we return to the palace?"

Fusu shook his head. Just then, he caught sight of Zhao Tuo returning with his quarry—a massive wild boar.

The surrounding generals greeted the sight with uproarious cheers.

For now, neither his teacher nor General Wang Ben had spared a thought for the Western Regions.

Yet that mattered little. Xunzi had once taught: Though the way is close, one will never reach it without walking; though a task is small, it will never be accomplished without doing it.

This meant that the greatest peril in human endeavor lay in merely speaking of things without putting them into practice.

Xunzi believed that every undertaking, regardless of scale, required a steadfast, down-to-earth approach, accumulating progress bit by bit to achieve greatness.

Xunzi's teachings were always so accessible and profound; the old master invariably drew upon fascinating and easily understood examples for his analogies.

It mattered not. Fusu felt there was no grave obstacle. There remained countless tasks that demanded practical, down-to-earth execution, and there was still ample time.

Fusu gazed at the Zhengguo Canal, its distant winding course vanishing beyond the limit of his vision.

Did not the men of Qin of old rely on their bare hands and rudimentary tools, digging inch by inch, to carve out this very Zhengguo Canal?

Therefore, when Wang Ben and Li Si partook of garlic yet refrained from discussing westward expansion, Fusu felt no disappointment.

Having spent the entire day abroad without joining the hunt, Fusu and Tian An returned to Zhangtai Palace as the generals continued roasting meat into the night.

Feng Quji had originally intended to join the winter hunt that day, but had departed abruptly due to unforeseen circumstances.

After listening to the accounts of several attendants, Tian An learned that Feng Quji had rushed off yet again to coordinate grain supplies for shipment to Shangjun.

The next day, rain began to fall over Guanzhong. This winter, much like the autumn, was marked by incessant rain.

Tian An personally drove the carriage out of Xianyang city, escorted by the veteran general Xin Sheng.

Fusu had seen this old general before when he was stationed at Hangu Pass.

Looking out the carriage window, Fusu observed villages and hamlets, thin wisps of cooking smoke curling upward from chimneys as people prepared their meals.

The fine, misty rain fell upon rooftops still dusted with snow; when the bitter cold returned by nightfall, the accumulated puddles from this drizzle would freeze over once more.

The carriage proceeded at a measured pace, Fusu wishing to take in more of the rustic scenery.

The convoy escorted him all the way to Jingye County, where the carriage finally came to a halt. Fusu still felt a lingering reluctance, wishing to gaze longer upon the scenery veiled in rain.

He recalled memories from his previous life.

Back then, he had been a child in the mountains, despising rainy days because they prevented him from playing outside.

Later, a volunteer teacher named Teacher Xu gave him an umbrella.

Teacher Xu’s umbrella was large and heavy, and Fusu, still a small child, had to grip the handle with both hands just to hold it steady.

From then on, whenever it rained, he would walk through the fields and along the muddy paths beneath that umbrella.

Before he had an umbrella, he loathed the rain.

Only after he had an umbrella did he discover how deeply he loved rainy days.

Fragmentary memories flashed through his mind. Later, he walked out of the mountains, and Teacher Xu told him he could pass the university entrance examinations.

And indeed, he had passed, becoming one of the children who walked out of the mountains.

Now, standing in the rain, Fusu recalled those past events.

He realized that even now, though he held no umbrella in his hands, he still loved the rain just as dearly.

Entering Jingye County, Fusu spotted someone laboring in the downpour.

Catching sight of the Prince's armed escort, the laborer hurried along the raised path between the fields and bowed, "Your Highness."

It was Zhang Han, who had since been promoted to Commandant and was personally engaging in farm work.

Fusu handed him three boiled duck eggs, saying, "I boiled too many, and General Xin Sheng is getting on in years; he cannot manage so many boiled duck eggs."

Zhang Han accepted the duck eggs, bowed hastily, and said, "My thanks, Your Highness."

Fusu continued his walk into the village.

As he walked, Zhang Han carefully peeled a duck egg, stripped away the shell to reveal the white, and bit into it, a morsel slipping from the corner of his mouth. He chewed vigorously as he walked, casting occasional glances at Prince Fusu leading the way ahead.

True to expectation, the hillside of Shangyan Mountain was planted with a vast expanse of celery, dense and lush. Despite the bitter winter, Fusu caught sight of a few stray stalks.

Tian An spotted them too and murmured, "In the dead of winter, celery can grow this well, yet the plum blossoms before the palace have yet to bloom."

Fusu also noticed the mulberry trees; though stripped of leaves, they had already grown half a man's height.