Chapter 107: Meeting at Reed Pavilion

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The Magistrate’s Office of Duoyi County.
This was Wang Ge’s second visit, and she remained fascinated by the “eaves tiles” adorning the roofs. The pavilions on Feiliu Peak and the carpentry shops also had exquisitely crafted tiles, mostly featuring birds, beasts, and auspicious cloud patterns, with inscriptions rarely seen.
In the courtyard on the west side of the office, the tiles along the curved corridors on the east, north, and west sides were all carved with seal script, each one unique.
Having already drunk some ginger soup to warm herself, Xie Ju approached from under the corridor and said, “There are two hundred and twenty-three tiles here, all inscribed in the ancient seal script, with no character repeated. The entire Nanshan Pavilion villa has exactly two hundred and twenty-three seal script tiles. That’s because, whether from the Xie or Huan family, these are the only seal script characters we can confirm.”
“How could anyone bear to carve them on tiles? The wind and rain will wear them away… what if they scatter?”
“If they do scatter, whether buried underground or picked up by someone, a hundred or a thousand years later, there would still be a chance for them to be unearthed. Those who find them would treat them as treasures passed down to future generations. It’s better than being lost to the depths, especially since bamboo slips and silk are harder to preserve. Miss Ge, do you know where the largest collections of oracle bone inscriptions and seal script are kept?” Xie Ju folded his hands behind his back, and together they looked up to admire the tiles. Then he continued, “Not at the Imperial Academy, nor the Grand Academy, but at the Capital’s Department of Construction.”
Wang Ge was surprised and her yearning and curiosity for the Department of Construction deepened. This alone showed that the words of Master Zhang were no idle talk: the path of the craftsman is also a great way!
A truly great way!
This path was no less profound or noble than that of scholars. She resolved that in this life, she must go to the Department of Construction, even if only to glance from outside—she must go! Just as she had relentlessly pursued the carpentry examination, rushing toward the carpentry stone!
As Wang Ge was lost in thought, Xie Ju puckered his lips. When she looked up, he had resumed his dignified demeanor. “I promised Magistrate Huan I would stay here and wait for my father to come for me. Miss, since the noon sky is fair, you should set off quickly.”
“All right.” Wang Ge had anticipated this and her pack was already under the corridor. She shouldered it, lightly touched his shoulder, and said, “Huzi, when I return, I’ll bring you an interesting toy.”
“Is it as fun as the wheeled cart?”
“Not quite.”
“What wheeled cart?” Magistrate Huan approached with a smile and asked. Following him were two clerks, indicating that after half a year, he had nearly eradicated the influence of the previous magistrate.
Xie Ju frowned in a dilemma. If they could produce a large wheeled cart for irrigation, it would be a great boon to the country and people. It was not that he could not tell Magistrate Huan, but only after they had made their own wheeled cart!
Wang Ge did not dare linger any longer. She quickly bowed farewell, fearing further questions from Magistrate Huan. After she disappeared from sight, Xie Ju hurried along her path to catch up, then hid behind a wall, unwilling to let her go until she was completely out of view.
How much he longed to accompany her to Jiasha Village, to admire the naturally patterned “Longevity” character engraved on the massive stone, to gaze upon the wild mountains as beautiful as South Mountain, and then select the river-washed stones by the clear river at the foot of the mountain.
But his body was sensitive to cold; accompanying her would only be a burden.
One day later.

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“Phew… so cold, so cold.” Wang Ge looked up at the road, then buried her head and walked a long stretch. The wind was fierce, always head-on, making her eyelids ache.
She soon reached the Reed Pavilion, but it was still an hour before dusk. Should she risk traveling after dark to stay at the Waterfront Pavilion, or settle for a night in the wild reeds beside the Reed Pavilion?
She knew she shouldn’t be greedy. She should have stopped traveling at the last wild pavilion, or taken a detour to find a village inn. But the closer to home, the deeper the longing. If she rested at the previous pavilion, wouldn’t all that time be wasted?
“Sigh, Second Uncle, didn’t you think your niece would come back today? Hiss!” She muttered this, blowing away the warmth from her breath.
“Hiss…” Wang Erlang stamped his feet by the Reed Pavilion, shivering and pacing, then hurried back to the thatched hut.
Here were three thatched huts: two for living, one for cooking. Though newly built and not as sturdy as rammed earth, they offered protection from wind and snow. Besides, Huan Zhen was wealthy; though simple outside, the interiors were warm.
Both living huts were covered with three layers of rush mats, the bedding new, with two layers of mattress and two quilts, made of thick hemp cloth stuffed with dense cotton.
The kitchen hut was remarkable, with two new large ceramic stoves, each having three stove openings—more than the pavilion attendants.
Currently, the Reed Pavilion had only three attendants: Huan Zhen (the pavilion chief), Lu Wu (the thief catcher), and Shi Su (the drum attendant).
Upon seeing Wang Erlang return, Huan Zhen said, “Second Erlang, sit here and warm yourself, I’ll come over.”
“N-no need to trouble you…”
Huan Zhen stepped out before he could finish.
Lu Wu and Shi Su were cutting grass, pulling out roots; Tie Feng and Tie Lei were nearby on the open ground, setting up wooden wedges. Once completed, the pavilion drum would be hung tonight.
The pavilion was missing only one side room; once completed, the four corners would be enclosed, defining the area for land reclamation. Within the Reed Pavilion’s boundary, twenty households were permitted to register. These twenty households, chosen from refugees in Xunxi Township, could reclaim land exempt from rent for five years.
Huan Zhen’s only gain was selecting two honest and capable families to be tenants for the Wang family.
It was terribly cold. Huan Zhen reached the fork in the road, the warmth from his body already blown away.
“Clack, clack…” Wang Ge, frozen to the point of numbness, uncontrollably shivered. From afar, she spotted a figure standing in the middle of the road, head bowed. Instinct made her wary.
The man was not her Second Uncle, and was shorter. Why was he standing there?
She still carried over two hundred coins. Should she find a place to bury them first?
Huan Zhen smiled. What a coincidence! Second Erlang had waited so long in the cold without Wang Ge arriving, and Huan Zhen had just come out when she appeared.

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Suddenly, Wang Ge darted into the nearby reeds.
Huan Zhen awkwardly turned his back, wondering if she hadn’t seen him. Probably not; otherwise, she wouldn’t have done that.
Just as Huan Zhen considered having Tie Feng and the others build a latrine, Wang Ge returned to the road.
She kept her head down, walking close to the grass edge. Occasionally she glanced up, and Huan Zhen approached.
“Master Huan?” Wang Ge, having just been chilled to the bone, called out happily.
“Give me the basket. Your Second Uncle is just ahead.”
“Wait a moment.” Wang Ge turned and ran back to dig up the pouch where she’d buried her money.
Huan Zhen followed, nearly laughing himself silly. So she hadn’t failed to see him—she had thought he was a bandit.
Wang Ge dusted off the pouch with an embarrassed expression and explained, “I didn’t see clearly before. I thought you were a highway robber.”
Huan Zhen looked at her flushed face and feigned disdain with a low “hmph.” Fortunately, the cold made her look ugly; real bandits would only want to rob money anyway.
Wang Erlang still worried and came out. Upon seeing him, Wang Ge’s eyes immediately reddened. She knew her spirit was that of an adult, so she always told herself to be strong. But at this moment, after eleven years, she had truly become Wang Ge.
“Second Uncle!” She ran over, tears welling, her lips trembling as her voice broke, “Second Uncle… I’m back.”
“You’re back, back home…” Wang Erlang wiped his tears, his voice cracking, “Your great aunt, your aunt… even the bones, I knew you’d come back…”
“Pfft!” Tie Lei burst out laughing.

Seal script: refers to the large seal script characters. Named after the “Shizhoupian,” a character dictionary where these characters were recorded.

(The End of This Chapter)