The children’s clothing for spring, summer, autumn, and winter, along with their toys and favorite small bowls, filled four trunks.
Duheng and Qin Xiaoman’s sets of clothing, each item enough for the children’s four or five changes, filled six more trunks.
Besides these clothes, there were various household items, Duheng’s books and writing implements…
For this posting, they brought along two servants and two household maids, plus Yiyan.
The household servants had few belongings, but they brought two more trunks. Yiyan only had a small bundle tied to his back.
Duheng reflected that being single was simpler—one person could eat and the family wouldn’t starve, and luggage was light.
Three carriages were loaded for the luggage, plus one carriage for people.
The procession stretched quite a distance.
By the early morning of the fifth day of the month, the air was exceptionally fresh, and the sky showed the first light of dawn. Outside the estate, everything was ready.
It was still early, and Chengyi had been roused from bed, dressed, washed, and eaten breakfast. He was still drowsy, leaning against Shuicai, struggling to keep his big eyes open to look at the uncles.
Dancai, on the other hand, was energetic, up early and restless in the adults’ arms. He seemed aware that something important was happening, curiously glancing left and right.
“Once we arrive in Qiuyang County, be sure to write to the family. If anything happens there, don’t hesitate to write. The family will do everything possible to help. Have a safe journey.”
“Of course. Though the post isn’t far from home, over these years away, there won’t be much time to return. The household will rely on Second Uncle and Uncle to take care of everything.”
“Don’t worry, you just go ahead. I’ll be sure to come by often to check on things.”
After another round of farewells, Qin Xiaoman finally led the two children onto the carriage. Chengyi poked his head out past the curtain and softly said to those seeing them off, “Goodbye, uncles.”
Seeing Chengyi like this, Dancai waved his chubby little arms in return.
Qin Zhiyan and Qin Xiong watched the two children, feeling a pang of tenderness. Kids grow so fast—if you blink, they’re like bamboo shoots on a spring hillside, suddenly shooting up tall.
This time apart, who knew how long it would be before they met again.
As the carriage wheels rolled over the cobblestones, Chengyi rested against Qin Xiaoman’s chest. Though sleepy, there was a quiet heaviness in the little boy’s heart.
He was only just over four, but had already experienced two moves in his short life.
The first move had come when he was still very small, barely able to notice or feel anything—just that the carriage carried him away from his home, full of fields and birds and small animals, into a large estate.
Over the past two years growing up in the county town, he had learned many things, eaten good food, and made friends with other children…
But now he was moving to a new place again. Though Father said they would return eventually, he still felt a pang of reluctance.
Little Daddy had told him that if he really couldn’t bear leaving the house, he and his brother could stay behind with Little Daddy, leaving only Father to go to an unfamiliar place to work as an official.
But he couldn’t bear the thought of Father being alone in a strange land for so long. Being with Father, Little Daddy, and his brother together was what mattered most.
Qin Xiaoman patted the little sweetling’s back. “Take a nap.”
Dancai, fidgeting in Duheng’s arms, saw his older brother purse his lips. He reached out and grabbed his hand. “Don’t cry.”
Just as the carriage turned the corner out of the alley, a loud shout came from the rear of the convoy: “Chengyi! Chengyi!”
Dancai’s ears were sharp. Hearing it, he hurriedly climbed to the carriage curtain, stepping on Duheng’s leg, and furrowed his brows at the people behind.
Chengyi sat up. “Who is it?”
Dancai barked fiercely, “A bad person!”
“Is it Yunduo?”
Every time Yunduo came over to play, Dancai would be unhappy. After a few words, he would insist on calling Yunduo a bad person.
He climbed to the curtain and looked back—it really was Yunduo.
Though the same age, the chubby boy was already over half a head taller than Chengyi. Because of his round shape, he didn’t look tall.
During summer, they had lain on mats, gazing at the sky. The white clouds drifted slowly, and Chengyi thought Yunduo was like those clouds—round and slow-moving.
But today, Yunduo was running fast behind the carriage, holding a jar with water sloshing out as he ran.
Chengyi worried he might fall and quickly called for the carriage to stop.
Panting heavily, the chubby boy finally caught up. He stood by the carriage window. “Chengyi, this is for you.”
Chengyi looked at the jar in his hands. Inside were two small, bright red koi, like the ones he had seen in Yunduo’s tank.
“Thank you,” he said carefully, taking it.
“Goodbye, Chengyi,” the chubby boy said softly.
“Goodbye, Yunduo.”
Dancai, still in Duheng’s arms, called, “Go, go, go!”
As the carriage moved again, the chubby boy shouted “Goodbye, Chengyi!” three more times until the carriage disappeared from sight.
…
The road was reasonably smooth, and the dry weather made for easier travel. They went cautiously, not wanting the children to be jostled during the long journey.
At noon, when the sun was hot, they sought shade or a tea stall to rest.
The first day out of the county, most of the scenery was familiar, nothing remarkable. But on the second day, as the road stretched farther, rolling hills and steep mountains opened the mind and lifted the spirits.
Duheng stopped at a roadside tea stall to rest the family and feed the oxen and horses.
They were now only half a day from entering Qiuyang County. As Duheng sipped his coarse tea, the closer they drew, the more complex feelings arose in his heart.
Over the years, he hadn’t learned much about Qiuyang County, but the name always reached his ears.
In past years, disasters had forced many villagers to sell their children and seek livelihoods elsewhere. During the imperial exams, among six counties under the prefecture, only seven or eight candidates passed, at most ten, except Qiuyang County, which uniquely produced five successful examinees.
During wartime, the prefect would inspect, and each county worked hard to stock grain and maintain order. Qiuyang County had been criticized for failing to contribute enough supplies.
Even ordinary people would shake their heads at the mention of Qiuyang, instantly thinking of poverty.
Duheng’s new appointment was undoubtedly a hot potato.
His family felt both joy and worry.
As he set off, Duheng recalled his first job, fresh and inexperienced, entering the mountains with ambition and encountering simple earthen homes and backward conditions—he had felt both excitement and apprehension.
He wanted to make a big impact but feared his own limited abilities, worrying about mismanaging the land.
Once in office, he slept little, rose early, and hurried to every village under his administration, never allowing himself to slack.
Looking back now, it seemed like a decade had passed, almost a lifetime.
Now, returning to office, he again inherited a poor and neglected region, but his mindset was calmer and more serene than before.
Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through his thoughts.
“This tea! It’s bitter and harsh, impossible to drink!”
“Darling, these roadside tea stalls run small businesses. The tea is inferior, only meant to provide travelers a place to rest and water their horses. It’s not meant to compare to the tea houses in town.”
“I see what you’re doing—using this no-man’s land, nowhere near a village or a shop, to cheat people with bad tea.”
Qin Xiaoman heard the sharp, familiar voice and instinctively looked over.
A glance was enough to sour his mood.
“Do you know him?” Duheng asked, noticing the change in expression.
“That’s the bad uncle,” Chengyi said, still nibbling on his sweet bun. Hearing the voice, he peeked and quickly hid in Duheng’s arms.
“His surname is Yun,” Qin Xiaoman explained briefly to Duheng, recounting how the man had made children cry with his meddling.
Duheng frowned, holding Chengyi close. “Such ill manners… judging by that sly face, he’s capable of just about anything.”
Qin Xiaoman waved it off. “Forget him. Let’s keep moving. The kids don’t need to see this.”
Duheng nodded and returned to the carriage with both children.
But barely had the carriage started when another horse-drawn vehicle caught up and slowed alongside them. The driver lifted the curtain: “Are you traveling to Qiuyang County? If so, perhaps we can travel together, keep each other company.”
Qin Xiaoman pressed Duheng down and leaned out the curtain, meeting Yun Qingwen’s gaze. “You want to come with us? Fine, my tongue’s going to get sore chatting all the way anyway.”
“So it’s you!” Yun Qingwen, seeing the caravan’s massive convoy with armed retainers in front, thought it must be some wealthy household. But upon recognizing the faces, his mood soured immediately.
“And if not me, who else?” Qin Xiaoman retorted.
Yun Qingwen snorted coldly. “Move your dog out of the way.”
With that, she dropped the curtain and shouted to the driver to speed up, quickly moving ahead of the Qin family’s caravan.
Duheng asked, “She’s from Qiuyang County?”
“From what neighbors said, she was originally from our county. Later, she married a scholar in Qiuyang County and has been coming back fairly often these past two years.”
Duheng was surprised. “Her family home was also on Fujixi Alley. Not next door, but how could she not know we were heading to Qiuyang County to take office?”
“She’s always arrogant. The neighbors don’t bother talking to her. It’s not surprising she didn’t know about our plans.”
Duheng acknowledged this.
The matter quickly explained itself. Yun Qingwen, originally ahead of them, had fallen behind again. Being raised in wealth and luxury, she couldn’t endure even an hour in the carriage without needing a rest, and whenever she passed a tea stall, she had to stop. At this pace, it might take her ten or more days to reach Qiuyang County.
Duheng knew the Yun family was a wealthy merchant household. Their residence on Fujixi Alley was the largest, nearly four courtyards deep. The elders stayed home while the children ran the business.
Such a family never lacked money or leisure. Yet Yun Qingwen had married and, somehow, still caused such a fuss on the road.
Duheng thought briefly and dismissed it; other people’s matters were not his concern.
The caravan soon entered Qiuyang County. Though the mountains remained, the closer they drew, the more visibly desolate the land became.
Villages and houses along the road were few, and black-tiled homes were rare; most were simple mud-and-thatch huts.
It was May, when crops were lush and green, yet the fields were overgrown with weeds, and properly cultivated farmland was scarce.
Occasional passersby along the official road wore tattered clothes. Even Qin Xiaoman, who had seen many hard lives, furrowed his brows.
Both Duheng and Qin Xiaoman felt heavy at heart.
The carriage moved slowly. By the fourth day, they reached Qiuyang County.
Chengyi had been dozing, barely eating over the past two days, looking listless. Dancai, however, was full of energy, babbling and urging Yiyan, riding alongside, to let him ride the horse.
The county gate of Qiuyang was similarly tall and imposing as in Luoxia County, but inside, it was immediately apparent that the two towns differed.
It was the morning when business should be lively, yet the main street inside the gate was nearly deserted. Vendors were few, and many shops along the street were closed.
It resembled the quiet of Luoxia County’s market on a non-market day, near evening when merchants were heading home.
There were few people doing business, but plenty of beggars stood along the streets with bamboo sticks, rough and unkempt, holding broken bowls.
Seeing the hardships of farmers along the way, Duheng and Qin Xiaoman’s hearts sank further.
As the carriage moved along, a sudden dull crash interrupted their thoughts.
“Pay the toll today, or not at all?”
Duheng looked ahead. A few burly men were gathered outside a tofu shop, eyes menacing.
“Please, Second Master Yong, have mercy, allow a few more days. Business today hasn’t gone well, we’ve barely opened. As soon as there’s profit, I’ll pay you immediately,” the merchant pleaded, bowing in apology.
But the man called Second Master Yong would not hear it. He grabbed the merchant by the collar.
“Don’t give me that! Three days grace, then three more—do you think I’m a roadside dog you can fool?”
The young daughter of the tofu shop owner, hearing the commotion from the backyard, rushed out. Startled by the scene, she hurried forward to protect her father.
“Second Master Yong, you have a keen eye for business in this county, but my father never meant to delay payment. If you beat him, won’t it just make business worse and postpone the fee even longer?”
Yong Er looked at the young woman stepping forward to plead, flicked the merchant aside, and leered: “Oh? So Boss Jiao really does have a daughter as lovely as a flower. A merchant household, indeed. And this young lady knows her accounts.”
He curved his lips in a lewd smile and reached to hook her chin. The girl shrank back in fear.
“This young lady’s touch is truly… enticing,” Yong Er muttered, still rubbing his hand where he had just touched her. “Boss Jiao, since you’re short on cash, I won’t make it difficult for you—just give me your daughter. Such a delicate little girl, stuck working in the tofu shop… wouldn’t life be better with me, enjoying comfort and plenty?”
The tofu shop owner immediately shielded his daughter, panicked: “Never! My daughter is still young—how could she leave her family? You may take whatever in the shop pleases you, but not my daughter!”
“Impudent!” Yong Er kicked over a stool in the shop. “You haggle and hesitate, refuse this and that—I see you do not take me seriously!”
Raising his hand, he shouted: “These greedy merchants, thinking only of fattening their pockets… if they do not show respect, I’ll smash their shops to pieces! Let’s see how you do business now!”
The burly men leapt into the shop, hitting and smashing.
Bystanders glanced once, shrugged, and hurried away. Such chaos was evidently common—they wanted no trouble.
“Father!” the girl cried, struggling: “Let go of me!”
Duheng could no longer stand the lawlessness. He signaled Qin Xiaoman to watch the children and rushed down from the carriage: “Stop this at once!”
“Smashing shops in public, abducting women—do you have no regard for law and order?”
The thugs hesitated, glancing at Yong Er, who had been reaching for the girl.
Yong Er was infuriated at being interrupted, gritting his gold-inlaid teeth: “Who’s this insolent brat, sticking his nose in? Are you her lover, or are you trying to play hero?”
Passersby, curious at someone finally standing up to the street chaos, paused to watch.
“Will you release her or not?” Duheng demanded.
Yong Er, now interested, sneered: “If I don’t, what can you do? In Qiuyang County, what I say carries as much weight as half the county magistrate!”
“So arrogant… I suppose you must be the county magistrate, then,” Duheng said coldly. “Yiyan, grab him. Since we’re heading to the county office, take him along.”
“A mere boy—”
Yong Er hadn’t finished when Yiyan’s flying kick struck his mouth. A tooth flew out immediately.
The men froze, shocked at the ferocity.
“Fool! Idiot!” Yong Er shouted through the pain, holding his bleeding mouth. “Get up! Get up!”
The other men rushed forward, only to scatter in panic within moments.
Yiyan twisted Yong Er’s arms behind his back, bound him to a horse, and secured him quickly.
The onlookers erupted in thunderous applause at the sight of Yong Er, bleeding and subdued.
“Thank you, kind sir! I am forever grateful for your help with my daughter,” the merchant said, bowing with his daughter. “Thank you, thank you, sir!”
“Do not kneel,” Duheng quickly helped them up. “Who is this man, to act so brazenly? Why does the county not have patrol officers?”
Boss Jiao said grimly: “The previous county magistrate was transferred a month ago. Now the office is unoccupied. Yong Er has long bullied people here, taking advantage of no magistrate in town. Every few days he comes to collect his fees, and the common folk dare not open their shops.”
Duheng frowned. “The magistrate’s transfers follow imperial edict. Even if there is temporarily no chief, the county office should still be staffed with instructors, supervisors, and patrol officers.”
Boss Jiao opened his mouth, then hesitated, saying only: “Today, sir, you intervened righteously… the common folk might have inadvertently provoked trouble.”
Duheng replied calmly: “I am not afraid of him.”
He turned to the assembled townspeople. “I have arrived to assume office as magistrate of Qiuyang County. From now on, I will restore order. If any of you have grievances, come to the office to seek justice. You may conduct your business without worry—county patrols will be strengthened, and illegal fees will be banned.”
The villagers exchanged glances, pondering the words. Duheng was young, and while he spoke as an official, he carried the demeanor of a gentle scholar. Though his words were pleasing, the people remained cautious.
“Magistrate Duheng! I was late to meet you—please forgive me!”
From the main street, Qiuyang County patrol officer Ma Yingfan arrived with county officials in haste. Seeing Duheng, he knelt immediately.
“Welcome, Magistrate Duheng.”
The villagers did not recognize Duheng, but they knew Ma Yingfan. Seeing him and the officials kneel, they quickly followed suit: “Greetings, Magistrate!”
Duheng called them to rise. He had deliberately not informed the county office ahead of time, avoiding pomp or staged displays.
Having observed upper officials before, he knew the theatrics of local authorities.
Arriving quietly allowed him the clearest view of Qiuyang County’s current state. And indeed, it was quite a dramatic first impression—a gift arrived the moment he entered the city.
Only Qin Zhifeng’s father-in-law had received the letter earlier and so had some awareness of the situation.
Qin Xiaoman leaned out of the carriage to glance at Ma Yingfan. His young sister-in-law shared some resemblance with the man before them—it was clear they were father and daughter.
Yong Er, tied behind Yiyan’s horse, realized he had run straight into trouble. His once arrogant, fearless expression faded, replaced by growing fear. He could only hope someone behind him would come to his rescue.
The caravan moved forward again, cutting an imposing figure through the empty, desolate streets.
The townsfolk murmured among themselves: “This new Magistrate Du is far too young—a delicate scholar come to govern such a poor, wild county. Will he be able to maintain order?”
“I just hope that with him in charge, the city enforces some regulation; otherwise, no one can do business, and half the shops might close.”
“I saw the magistrate just now teach Yong Er a lesson and encourage trade—maybe the county will improve.”
“These officials always know how to save face. The real test is when Yong Er is released—then we’ll see if his words to the people were sincere.”
The market buzzed with conversation, and without any official announcement, news of the young Magistrate Du’s arrival spread quickly through the county.