2. Disaster Strikes: The Young Master’s Engagement Is Broken Off

How shameless can Zhang Zhongchun be? No, rather, how much more shameless can he still become?

During the three years that this young master had fallen on hard times, Xia Lin and he had stolen salted fish from others, tricked children out of their New Year’s red envelopes, done odd jobs, and worked as tenant farmers. Xia Lin fed pigs while Zhang Zhongchun tended sheep; they used every means to survive, no matter how low they had to stoop. Surely, there could be no limit to how shameless they could get.

Yet when Xia Lin learned of the young master’s plan, he was truly stunned. He never expected that a person who had studied the classics would harbor such filth in his heart—more vile than a dog eating filth.

“Your wisdom is no less than mine. When the time comes, just play your part. I’ll cooperate with you.”

“Isn’t this plan a bit too big?”

“Big?” Zhang Zhongchun scooped several large spoonfuls of folded straw into his bowl and devoured it in one gulp. Wiping his mouth, he said, “They never intended to give us a chance to live anyway. Do you still want to take the exam or not?”

Xia Lin thought for a moment. “Alright! Then we’ll do just that tomorrow.”

In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived. Xia Lin got up early and first went to the nearby butcher Liu’s place to get a piece of rotten meat. How rotten was it? It smelled like festering pus. The moment Xia Lin took it out of the barrel, the stench nearly knocked him over.

Pinching his nose, he brought the rotten meat back inside. Zhang Zhongchun, freshening himself up, immediately gagged at the smell, holding his nose in disgust. “Are you out of your mind? This meat is inedible.”

“You’re crazy! Who would eat this?” Xia Lin stepped aside, pulled out some old gauze, wrapped the rotten meat inside, then detached a door panel from the wall. “You, lie down on this.”

“Huh? What are you planning?”

“I thought about it last night. Your act is too fake. Saying you’re seriously ill and urgently need a travel permit to seek treatment is nothing compared to you lying there, reeking of rot, outside their door.” Xia Lin folded his arms and appraised Zhang Zhongchun from head to toe. “Go change into those clothes you haven’t washed yet.”

“Come on… Dao Sheng, you know our young master is frail and can’t endure this kind of torment…”

“Cut the nonsense,” Xia Lin spat. “Hurry up, don’t waste time. You ate six pills overnight just yesterday, and you’re still ‘frail’? Lie down!”

Just then, Chunhua from next door was walking past the window on her way to the river to wash clothes. Xia Lin quickly called out to her, “Chunhua, lend me some white rouge, please.”

Chunhua turned with a look of disdain. “A few days ago, you asked me for some undergarments, saying you wanted to paint on them. When you returned, they were all stiff and crusty. Do you think I don’t know what you two filthy ghosts were up to? No way, no way.”

“Chunhua sister~”

Xia Lin, a young man just entering his prime, with fresh teeth and bright eyes, though not yet adorned in fine clothes or full of ambition, smiled like the radiant spring sun in March.

Chunhua was a courtesan who had bought her own freedom, married, and been widowed within a few years. She was not used to boys calling her “sister” in such a delicate tone.

“Ah, you troublemaker, I really have no choice with you.”

After a while, Chunhua gave him half a box of leftover rouge. After much sisterly chiding, she left satisfied to wash her clothes. Meanwhile, Xia Lin used the rouge and Zhang Zhongchun’s own makeup to paint him into a corpse-like figure. Then he tied the rotten meat inside the young master’s trouser leg, grabbed some rope, and carried the foul-smelling Zhang Zhongchun all the way to the house of Zhang’s “father-in-law.”

Speaking of this father-in-law, he was naturally a man who judged others by their fortune. When Zhang Zhongchun first passed the provincial exams, he fawned over him, calling him an excellent son-in-law at every turn. But when the Zhang family fell into ruin, this “father-in-law” turned his back on them. Last New Year, when Xia Lin followed old Zhang to borrow money, this villain even locked them in a dog cage.

Yet fatefully, this father-in-law was a local magistrate who issued travel permits. To leave for Yangzhou, they had to pass through his jurisdiction.

When Xia Lin and old Zhang arrived at the father-in-law’s door, the servants immediately tried to drive them away, treating them like vagrants. Old Zhang was filthy and reeked horribly, his face as pale as a corpse. If he died at the doorstep, it would ruin the auspicious day of the young lady’s engagement to the Gao family of Luoyang. No one could afford to be blamed.

“Go away! Don’t you see where this is? This isn’t a place for you lowly dogs to beg! Scram! Or don’t blame me for being rude.”

The guards surrounded them with sticks. Xia Lin shouted loudly, “Please, master of the house, spare our young master’s life! At worst, he is your daughter’s betrothed. They say a married couple’s bond deepens over time. Though he has done no great favor, he has endured hardships. You cannot just watch him die!”

Xia Lin’s desperate cry drew a curious crowd. Upon closer look, the man lying on the door panel was none other than Zhang Shu, Zhang Zhongchun, once a celebrated talent in Luoyang.

“What’s going on here? Is this some kind of scam?”

“Who dares scam this magistrate? You’re from out of town, you don’t know. This man on the door panel was once a famous talent in Luoyang: outstanding in poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting. But he offended the officials in the capital with his arrogance and was stripped of his title and demoted to a commoner. Back then, this magistrate fawned over him, even marrying his daughter to him. But after he fell on hard times, the magistrate turned his back on him…”

A light laugh said it all. Most gathered were young scholars, somewhat arrogant, and hearing about the downfall of such a talent and his current plight stirred quite a commotion.

The gossip soon reached the inner courtyard. The steward of the Chen household, anxious and stammering, reported to the master, “Master… that Zhang Zhongchun has come again.”

“Again?” Chen the magistrate slammed down his teacup. “Tell him today is Miss Wanqing’s engagement day. If he is sensible, fine. If not, don’t blame me for turning my back on him.”

“But master… Zhang Zhongchun is lying on a door panel outside, smelling foul and looking pale. His little servant is kneeling at the gate, begging us to spare him. Master, today is the engagement banquet. If the guests see this, it will be a big problem.”

“Rascals!” Chen the magistrate slammed the table. “That little servant is up to tricks again. Go question him carefully. If it doesn’t work, just give them some money to send them away. If the governor sees this, who knows what trouble we’d be in.”

“Understood, master. I’ll inquire.”

The steward hurried to the front gate. Opening the door, he saw Xia Lin kneeling there, with the stench-filled Zhang Zhongchun lying on the door board behind him. Before he could speak, Xia Lin lunged forward and grabbed the steward’s leg.

“Steward Chen! Please spare our young master! He’s near death and only asks for a travel permit to go to Yangzhou for treatment.”

The steward tried to shake him off, but Xia Lin clung tightly. Clearing his throat, he said, “Your young master is ill. What good does it do to make a scene here? Go see a doctor.”

“No! A few days ago, my young master went to gather herbs in the mountains to make a living. There, he inadvertently witnessed a duel between two famed martial doctors: He Taixu, the Valley Demon Doctor, and Dugu Can, the Western Poison Saint. Both are renowned experts. The sky darkened as they fought, and my young master, powerless, was poisoned by the Western Saint. He Taixu said even he couldn’t cure it, that only the Three Sons of West Lake in Yangzhou could save him. But we have no travel permit, no money! Please tell the master to have mercy. My young master is after all the Chen household’s son-in-law. This matter getting out would be shameful.”

The steward’s head buzzed. The boy spoke rapidly and without pause. He’d never heard of the Valley Poison Saint or the Three Sons of West Lake. But the travel permit and money were what caught his attention.

He pushed Xia Lin aside. “Wait here.”

Just then, old Zhang tugged at Xia Lin’s sleeve. Xia Lin turned and bent down, appearing to listen.

Old Zhang said, “You fool, West Lake is in Hangzhou, what does it have to do with Yangzhou?”

“You’re just too kind-hearted, young master! I know how you’ve been these years. A few days ago, you gave all the family’s grain to the children at the charity home. I even saw you sneaking to eat scraps from Qingchun Restaurant at midnight… Now the dogs there are your sworn enemies. Why are you still so kind?” Xia Lin wiped away a tear. “I beg them because I want you to live. I know you don’t blame their snobbery or the young lady’s coldness. I just want you to live.”

Their seamless performance, honed by three years of scheming, made their act impeccable. Though the words were jumbled—scraps from Qingchun Restaurant, sworn enemies, and such—their loyalty and righteousness shone through.

Young scholars nearby wanted to intervene, but the stench drove them back. At that moment, a handsome young man with a clear, stern face in fine clothes approached. He crouched beside old Zhang and asked Xia Lin, “Is everything you said true?”

“Of course! If you don’t believe me, I’ll take you to my home. The scraps bucket is still by the stove.” Xia Lin’s answer was airtight. “Who would eat scraps if they had other options?”

“I didn’t ask about that. I asked if the relationship between Miss Chen and your young master is true.”

“Don’t you know?” Xia Lin pointed to the surrounding young men. “Ask them.”

At that moment, the steward rushed out, tossing two stamped travel permits and a small pouch of money at Xia Lin’s feet, his face full of disgust. “Go! Don’t delay our important matters!”

Xia Lin picked up the scattered items quickly and tucked them into his arms, pulling old Zhang away. Pride? At a time like this, pride was worthless.

The young man who had just spoken looked dark and cold. He turned to glance back at the Chen household, sneered, and then turned away from the crowd.