Chapter 31: Striking the Mountain

Chen Ping'an, carrying his water buckets, passed the breakfast stalls in Apricot Blossom Lane on his way to the Iron Lock Well. His stomach grumbled in protest, but his purse was light. The boy steeled himself to wait in line. Three families stood before him. When his turn neared, Zhi Gui suddenly cut in line with a small pail, drawing immediate displeasure from those behind.

While no outright curses were uttered, the words were hardly kind. A hunched old woman, known as Granny Ma, was particularly vocal. Her two successful sons each owned a dragon kiln, albeit small and at the bottom of the thirty-odd kilns in the area. Still, in Apricot Blossom Lane, they were considered pillars of wealth. Yet, Granny Ma's relationship with her daughters-in-law was strained. Her sons and their wives had long since moved to Peach Leaf Lane, leaving the old woman alone in the ancestral home in Apricot Blossom Lane. To the generation of Chen Ping'an and Liu Xianyang, Granny Ma was a fearsome elder, quick with insults and notoriously stingy. She would even try to sweep the snow outside her gate into her own yard in the dead of winter. If children used the snow for snowball fights or broke off icicles from her eaves, she would chase them down the street with a broom, tirelessly scolding them.

Previously, in the western alleys of the town, only Gu Can's mother could hold Granny Ma's fiery temper in check. Now that the widow Gu had supposedly followed her late husband's distant relatives to their hometown, Granny Ma, who had softened slightly in recent years, was back in her element, finding fault with everyone. When Song Jixin's maid pulled such a stunt, Granny Ma immediately began to speak sarcastically. Her voice was soft, and her smile was insincere as she deliberately made small talk with the women around her, saying that some young ladies could finally have their faces shaved and powdered. After all, they could hardly keep their legs together when they walked. This was a joyous occasion, no longer a maid with the airs of a lady, but openly called a mistress.

Chen Ping'an's scalp tingled, but he couldn't chase away Zhi Gui, who was at fault, after all, they have been neighbors for so many years. After filling Liu Xianyang's two buckets, he quickly fetched her another bucket, hoping to leave the gossiping crones behind. Seeing that the Song family's little wench was pretending not to hear, Granny Ma grew even more enraged.

Such was the clash of experts: the worst thing was when the opponent didn't engage. You had a great martial art, but you had nowhere to apply it.

In the past, when the old woman argued with that vixen Gu, even if she lost, she felt that her skills had improved, and she would definitely win back the field in the next quarrel. How could this little hussy in the Mud Bottle Lane always deliberately keep her mouth shut? But every time the girl left, her eyes revealed a meaning that made the old woman extremely uncomfortable. It really made the old woman gnash her teeth. She wanted to grab her face and ruin her makeup, so that the teenagers and young and middle-aged men in the nearby alleys would not all want to hang their souls on the shameless maid's waist.

Especially her grandson. Although he had always been a fool in the eyes of outsiders, even she, the grandmother, felt that the child was really crazy recently. He was talking nonsense all day long, always saying that he would marry the maid of the Mud Bottle Lane home as his wife in the future, and then punch a hole in the sky with one punch.

Seeing that the hateful girl did not respond, Granny Ma turned her attention to the impoverished boy, tut-tutting, "Worthless piece of trash, you have the face to live in the world even after killing your parents. Knowing that you are destined to be unable to marry a wife, you shamelessly seduce other people's maids. You are a match made in heaven, a pair of dog men and women. You might as well be together. Anyway, the Mud Bottle Lane is the place where garbage and lowly species live. Maybe the children born in the future can be king and dominate in the Mud Bottle Lane."

Chen Ping'an thought for a while and bent over to put down the burden on his shoulders.

The maid, Zhi Gui, had already put down the bucket early and walked towards the old woman who had nothing to fear. The girl slapped Granny Ma without saying a word, causing Granny Ma to turn around in place, dizzy. She was supported by the women next to her before she fell. Zhi Gui did not wait for the old woman to recover, and stepped forward again, slapping her face down her head. The girl cursed: "Old immortal, I have endured you for a long time!"

The old woman shook her head, so angry that she smoked. She was about to fight back, but she did not know if it was an illusion. The support of the two women beside her was too attentive, making her unable to break free for a while. As a result, she suffered a third humiliation. The maid servant made a third move, bending her fingers and banging hard on the old woman's forehead, "If you dare to scold people again in the future, I will pull out your long-tongued woman's tongue. Every time you curse a word, I will stab you with a needle!"

The old woman was frightened and forgot to answer, let alone fight back.

The girl turned around and strode away, and found that her neighbor, a boy, had already helped her carry the bucket, smiled, and returned to Mud Bottle Lane with him.

Before Chen Ping'an could speak, the girl put her words to death, "Don't thank me, my scolding has nothing to do with you."

Chen Ping'an was speechless.

The girl with empty hands was muttering to herself over there, anyway, she never thought about taking the bucket back from the straw shoe boy.

Next to the Iron Lock Well's windlass, the old woman sat on the ground and howled, "A thousand cuts to the little cheap maid, you will be condemned by God... My life is so hard, God doesn't have eyes, why don't you split a thunder and kill this little hussy..."

The girl's steps were light, and her hands were raised to the sky one by one, a very strange gesture.

Fortunately, Chen Ping'an has been her neighbor for so many years and does not find it strange.

When the two passed by the breakfast shop, Chen Ping'an saw a familiar figure. She was not tall, dressed in cyan clothes, and was buying freshly baked meat buns, steaming hot, with the aroma wafting through the entire street.

Chen Ping'an

This morning, the scene was already a scene of low-hanging clouds, extraordinarily thick, like a rich man's large quilt, spread out there basking in the sun.

Rumble, a loud thunder shook the town.

Granny Ma at the Iron Lock Well stood up nimbly and hurried home, her small bucket swaying and spilling well water along the way. It was estimated that after arriving home, she would not have half a bucket of water left.

It was probably because the old woman knew very well that if God really opened her eyes, the first thunder would most likely fall on her head.

After hearing the thunder, Chen Ping'an raised his head and looked up, a little puzzled, it didn't look like it was going to rain.

The girl smiled and said: "My young master said that he saw it in a book. It is rumored that every year in early spring, the heavenly gods will be clad in golden armor, drumming in the sky, bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, and deterring all evils to herald the New Year."Chen Pingan nodded, "Your young master is indeed well-read."

The girl sighed, "My young master is good in every way, just a bit lazy, and he likes to curse at the heavens. I don't think that's good."

Chen Pingan didn't have the habit of speaking ill of others behind their backs, so he didn't say anything. His neighbor, Song Jixin, had a strange habit he'd maintained for many years: cursing the heavens, just like Granny Ma, cursing the heavens for being blind and unfair. But scholars also had their own rules. During snowy nights, thunderstorms, or when the sky was full of colorful clouds, Song Jixin wouldn't curse. He said he wanted to take advantage of the heavens dozing off to curse them, so the heavens wouldn't hear and wouldn't get angry, and he, Song Jixin, could vent his anger and feel better, killing two birds with one stone.

Seeing that Chen Pingan wasn't responding, Zhigui said seemingly casually, "You didn't go home last night. Did you go to Liu Xianyang's place?"

Chen Pingan nodded, "There were guests at home, it wasn't convenient."

She suddenly asked, "By the way, did Mr. Qi meet with you and say anything?"

Chen Pingan asked back, "Why do you ask?"

She smiled innocently, "Just asking. Because when I went out to fetch water this morning, I happened to run into Mr. Qi, who said he was taking a morning stroll. He asked me if you were home, and I answered truthfully."

Chen Pingan smiled, "I accidentally ran into Mr. Qi before, and he said a few casual words to me, mainly that I should have gone to the school with Liu Xianyang to study back then. I could only say that my family was poor, and there was nothing I could do about it. Otherwise, I would have been willing to study too."

Zhigui looked doubtful, "Is that so?"

Chen Pingan looked into her eyes and asked with a smile, "Or what did you think?"

She dismissed it with a smile.

The two parted at the street corner. Zhigui took the water buckets to Mud Bottle Lane, and Chen Pingan returned to Liu Xianyang's house. After that, he had to go to the east gate to collect letters, one copper coin per letter. If he had had this business earlier, with Chen Pingan's ability to run all over the surrounding mountains, he estimated that he would have saved enough for a bride price.

At the entrance of Mud Bottle Lane, Zhigui saw her young master standing there, yawning.

She hurried over and asked curiously, "Young master, why did you come out?"

Song Jixin slowly stretched his body, saying lazily, "I was bored staying inside."

She asked in a low voice, "Young master, when is the new Director of Construction returning to the small town? After that, will we be able to go to the capital?"

Song Jixin thought for a moment, "It should be within ten days."

Zhigui hesitated, the small water bucket in her hand swaying.

Song Jixin asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"

She said timidly, "Young master, can I borrow that local county gazetteer to take a look? Just for one or two nights, so I can learn to read, so I won't be looked down upon when we get to the capital, and embarrass you."

Song Jixin burst out laughing, after thinking for a moment, "What's there to be embarrassed about? But remember to wash your hands clean before turning the pages, don't get dirt on the pages, and be careful not to drip candle wax on it. Other than that, there's nothing else to worry about. It's just a worthless book that tells you so much."

Zhigui smiled brightly, "This servant thanks you, young master!"

Song Jixin chuckled, and laughed heartily: "Come, come, young master will help you carry the water."

Zhigui dodged, and said seriously: "Young master! Didn't we agree that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen? How could young master touch these chores? If word gets out, I'll be criticized by the neighbors!"

Song Jixin said mockingly: "Rules, reason, and etiquette are just for fooling and scaring other people, but young master..."

Speaking to this point, this scholar seed growing in a humble alley, did not continue.

She asked curiously: "Young master is what?"

Song Jixin restored his cynical smile, and pointed to himself, "Young master, I am actually a farmer. I divide a piece of land into ridges and rows, and then let people sow seeds and irrigate it. I just sit and wait for the harvest, year after year, just like that!"

She was confused.

Song Jixin laughed heartily.

The youth suddenly restrained his smile, and said solemnly: "Zhigui, did the Chen fellow help you carry the water bucket all the way?"

The maid nodded, her eyes innocent.

The youth said earnestly: "A sage once said, that it is wrong to regard the slight kindness of strangers as precious treasures, but to take all the efforts of close relatives as a matter of course, and to ignore them."

The maid was even more puzzled, "Ah?"

The youth rubbed his chin, and muttered to himself: "She didn't even understand what I meant. How can I continue? Should I get a smarter, more understanding, prettier little maid in the capital?"

The maid couldn't help but laugh, not taking her young master's threat seriously, and revealing the truth: "Young master actually wanted me to ask, who is the sage with such great learning? Young master, I know, it's you!"

Song Jixin laughed heartily, "It is Zhigui who knows me!"

Inside the academy's study, the middle-aged scholar sat upright. All the black and white chess pieces on the chessboard in front of him had turned into dust in the sound of spring thunder.

The children in the small town were catching stone slab fish in the creek. One method was to hold an iron hammer and strike the stones in the creek. The fish hiding under the stones would be stunned and float to the surface.

It was similar to the so-called "striking the mountain to shock the tiger" in books.

But if one wanted to warn a saint, not to go against the heavens and violate the principles of the Great Dao.

Then the most powerful weapon in the world that matched his status was probably the mighty thunder.