Chapter 25

The year 1864, the third year of the Tongzhi era, was about to end. Since the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, the city of Beijing had been immersed in a thick atmosphere of the New Year. This year, the festive mood was much stronger than in previous years. The reason was simple: the 13-year-long disaster caused by the Taiping rebels had finally come to an end. With the great fire in Nanjing, the curtain had been raised on the Tongzhi Restoration.

Children ran around the streets, and the shops and grain stores were crowded with people buying supplies. The characteristic cries of vendors from centuries ago were at their loudest, and the young apprentices competed to shout the loudest, knowing that if they wanted to earn a few extra coins at the end of the year, today was the day.

Life in Beijing was still as miserable as ever. The economy, ravaged by war, had not recovered, and the prices of rice and flour remained at wartime levels. But isn't life all about hope? Since the Qing Dynasty had thoroughly suppressed the Taiping rebels, shouldn't life be a bit better from now on?

In this illusory hope, people's numb faces actually showed a hint of a smile, and the incense burned in the temples for the Emperor's long life and the eternal prosperity of the Qing Dynasty was three times more abundant.

It was already the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month. As the saying goes, on the 26th, people go to buy meat; on the 27th, they slaughter the New Year's chicken; on the 28th and 29th, they make dough. This was almost the last major shopping spree before the New Year. And on this day, the long-delayed banner pay was finally distributed, and it was at an unprecedented 70% discount, not the 50% or 40% discount during the most severe times.

The entire city of banner people erupted in joy, shouting "Long live the Emperor" and "The Empress is wise." The sales of all shops in Beijing that day increased by 50%.

For over a decade, the Manchu people had suffered greatly. Four years ago, when the British and French entered Beijing, the banner people had to beg on the streets, and a bowl of coarse grain porridge was a luxury. The Emperor had never made up for the lost pay, and in the following years, even when the situation improved slightly, the monthly pay was still at 40% or 50% of the original amount.

The banner gentlemen had become much thinner in recent years. Just a few days ago, the banner people were still complaining about the delayed pay, saying they couldn't even celebrate the New Year. But unexpectedly, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager brought a big surprise just before the New Year, allowing them to have a prosperous New Year.

Amidst the city's joy, a group of people arrived in the capital, dusty and weary. They didn't have time to admire the bustling life of the imperial city; they spurred their horses and headed straight for Xianhua Alley in the western part of the city.

Xianhua Alley in the western part of Beijing had always been the gathering place of the Manchu nobility. In the depths of the alley, a dark and ancient courtyard was visible, with several ancient and sturdy trees poking out from the yard. The house looked old, with the horse-tethering stones at the gate worn smooth, a testament to its former glory.

This was the home of Fuqing. Qing San Ye had inherited this courtyard from his ancestors. Although it was only a secondary residence that Fukangan had built, the Fucha family's prosperity during the Qianlong era meant that even a secondary residence was exceptionally luxurious.

"Oh, you really are a bunch of pigs. I told you to buy the beef and mutton from Jubaoyuan in Niujie, and you still don't remember...," a Manchu lady was cracking sunflower seeds and giving orders at the entrance of the courtyard.

"Where is Manager Wang? He should have bought the firecrackers by now. Has he gone to the teahouse to listen to opera again? I'll break his legs when I get back..."

"Oh, my Fan family sister, why are you doing the work? You're a guest, and you shouldn't be doing this. Stay here with me, and we'll have hotpot for lunch. We Manchus don't have so many rules; women can sit at the table too..."

The girl who ran out of the courtyard was Hu Niu, the daughter of Fan Lian. After their trip to Yixian, the relationship between their families had grown even closer, and they often visited each other. The Manchu lady was Fuqing's elder sister, Fu Hui, who was 29 years old and would be 30 after the New Year.

Speaking of Fu Hui, she was a well-known figure among the Manchu ladies. At the age of 17, she married a commander of the Plain Blue Banner. Less than three years later, the commander died of illness. Manchu women did not follow the Han custom, and at the age of 22, she remarried to a banner officer of the Inlaid Blue Banner. Unfortunately, the officer died in the southern war after only two years of marriage.

The two unfortunate marriages did not break her. The strong Fu Hui began her third marriage, and in the fourth year, at the age of 25, she even married a Han official. Of course, a woman who had outlived two husbands was pitied, and people turned a blind eye to the ban on intermarriage between Manchus and Hans.

No one could have imagined that Fu Hui's fate was so bitter. In the same year of her marriage, the Anglo-French allied forces captured Beijing. During the escape, the Han official disappeared and was never found, dead or alive. No one knew what had happened to him.

After that, no one dared to propose to Fu Hui again. The Manchu lady was considered unmarriageable. The Han official's family was not a prominent clan, and they had no property in Beijing. Fu Hui had no choice but to return to her own family and live with her brother.

Although Fu Hui's fate was unfortunate, her personality was extremely cheerful. She was very skilled at managing the household and maintaining relationships within the Eight Banners. Whenever there was a problem, Fu Hui could always solve it. Gradually, she earned the nickname "Female Zhuge" in the city, and even the two Empresses Dowager sighed at her story.

To be honest, this time Fuqing's return to Beijing was largely due to his elder sister's efforts. Fuqing, an idealist, could not bring himself to seek favors from the powerful.

"Oh, my little girl, your hands are so cold. Someone, quickly make a bowl of ginger and brown sugar water. You're all so useless; I'll dock your pay... Ha ha ha, don't be offended, sister. My servants are just not good at serving; they get itchy if I don't scold them..."

Just as Hu Niu was serving the hot ginger and brown sugar water, a dense sound of hooves suddenly echoed on the long street. Soon, a familiar figure appeared before her, and her eyes misted over. Her hand trembled, and the teacup fell to the ground with a clatter.

"What happened? Did you burn yourself...?" Hu Niu paid no attention to what Fu Hui was saying. She stood up and stared at the distant figure, the man who had haunted her dreams, who had actually kept his promise and arrived in Beijing before the New Year.

Now, with Xiao Letian here, no one would dare to bully her anymore, not even her uncle.

"What are you looking at, little sister? Who are these people, so ostentatious... Oh, is that a young actor? What a handsome face..." Fu Hui's heart skipped a beat, feeling a mix of emotions.

"Ha ha ha, Hu Niu, you're hard to find. I went to your home in the southern part of the city, but the manager told me you were here. I thought Fuqing wasn't a stranger, so I came as an uninvited guest..." Xiao Letian dismounted, his figure as handsome as ever.

Xiao Letian was no longer the ragged man from the mountains. In just over two months, he had developed an air of authority, his eyes full of confidence.

When Xiao Letian saw Fu Hui, he was surprised. "Good heavens, isn't this a real-life Wang Xifeng?" The mature woman's unique charm was unforgettable. However, he had no time to admire her beauty. He nodded politely and then grabbed Hu Niu's hand and rushed inside.

"Fuqing... Qing San Ye... An uninvited guest has arrived, and you need to provide food..." He barged in as if it were his own home. The servants in the gatehouse were stunned; they had never seen such a guest before. Without an invitation or a gift, he called out the master's name and barged in. Qing San Ye, who held a fourth-rank title, was treated with such disrespect.

"Oh, my lady, what are you saying..." The manager slapped his thigh and wanted to chase after them, but they heard Qing San Ye's hearty laughter from the back courtyard.

"Xiao brother, you've finally arrived. Today, we'll drink until we're drunk. Fan Lian is here too..." The manager shrank back. "Heavens, he's Xiao Letian? The Mr. Xiao that San Ye talks about all day?"

Fu Hui's eyes lit up. "Indeed, he's a remarkable person. No wonder my brother, who is so picky, is so fond of him. Regardless of his talent, his appearance alone is a sign of great fortune." She then saw the several burly men standing at the gate and quickly smiled, instructing the manager to prepare food and drinks.

The sky had turned dark without notice. As the large copper hotpot began to boil at noon, snowflakes started to fall, quickly covering the entire courtyard in white.

"Delightful, truly delightful. Enjoying the snow while gathered around the hotpot, and with Mr. Xiao's wonderful stories to accompany the wine, what a joy! What a joy!" Qing San Ye was already drunk after just three cups. He and Fan Lian were vying to read the manuscript Xiao Letian had brought, raising a cup of wine at the exciting parts. The ancients said that the Book of Han could be enjoyed with wine, and it was indeed true.

The Manchu banquet had none of the formalities of the Han. Three men and two women drank and ate hotpot together, making Xiao Letian feel very warm, especially when he could chat and clink glasses with the two beautiful women, and enjoy the truly authentic mutton slices. A sense of happiness from a century ago enveloped him.

Xiao Letian looked at Fuqing with disdain. This guy was so unsophisticated. Wasn't it just the story of the Spanish Armada? How could it make him so excited that he drank three cups in a row? And Fan Lian, a typical old miser, his eyes lit up at the mention of the treasure ships that sank in the Atlantic. If given a treasure-hunting ship, the old man would be the first to jump on board.

Hu Niu was exceptionally virtuous today. After two cups of wine, her cheeks were already flushed. She didn't speak or play tricks; her chopsticks were solely devoted to serving Xiao Letian. In no time, she figured out his favorite degree of doneness for the meat and noticed that he preferred more garlic sprouts in the sauce. She took care of Xiao Letian so well that he felt extremely pampered.

How touching, how touching. In the era when Xiao Letian grew up, where could one find such a virtuous girl? She didn't eat herself but focused on her beloved, her eyes full of adoration.

"Excellent writing, truly excellent!" As Xiao Letian enjoyed himself, Fan Lian slapped the table. "It can't be stopped. I can't put this book down. I'll arrange for people tonight. I'll double the reward to get Mr. Xiao's book published as soon as possible!"

"But Mr. Xiao, your book isn't finished yet. What about the rise of Britain, France, and the Netherlands? Isn't it better to finish it before publishing?"

Xiao Letian laughed. "Ha ha ha, Mr. Fan, you don't understand. This is called serialization, a new form of publishing. These 150,000 words are enough for one book. The story is enough to keep readers engaged for a whole night."

"With these words as a foundation, the readers will be hooked. Then I won't publish anymore. I'll post each chapter on the streets for free, making the readers who are waiting for updates desperate. Ha ha ha..."

Fuqing rolled his eyes in anger. "Shameless, shameless. As a scholar, how can you be so shameless? You're too unscrupulous. The scholars of the world will curse you to death..."

"Shameless? San Ye, you've discovered my strengths so quickly! Thank you, thank you... You truly have a keen eye..." The half-drunk Xiao Letian lunged forward to shake Fuqing's hand.

Fu Hui couldn't hold back anymore. She covered her mouth and burst out laughing. In this dull Qing Dynasty, where could one find such an interesting young man? He had a kind of charm that was truly addictive.

"Flower-like smile!" The only word that flashed through Xiao Letian's mind was this. At that moment, he saw Fu Hui more and more like Wang Xifeng from the 1984 TV series of *Dream of the Red Chamber*. Her demeanor and charm were almost identical. The half-drunk Xiao Letian felt as if he had swallowed a large mouthful of saliva, making a loud gulping sound.