Chapter 25: Wang Erlang Returns Home

Wang Ge didn't even spare the other a glance and said, "Grandmother, the days are getting hotter and carrying meals back and forth is truly a hardship." Yao and Little Jia both held their breath, their eyes fixed on Jun Gu.

Old Madam Jia said, "Then from tomorrow, we'll change it." The two sisters-in-law were overjoyed, exchanging a quick look.

When dusk fell and they returned home, Old Madam Jia took Little Jia, Wang Ge, and Wang He to pay a visit to Old Madam Ge's house. The mourning canopy was set up on the eastern side of the courtyard wall, but Wang Ge dared not draw close.

The Ge family was the poorest in the village. Their earthen courtyard was of the most primitive mud construction, mixed with straw. Opposite the mourning canopy, heaps of random items were piled up haphazardly, nearly overtopping the wall. The main house gave away nothing, but the window-covering mat of the side dwelling hung down, a large patch rotted away. Weeds covered the ground along the yard's perimeter.

Wang He, noticing Wang Ge lost in thought, quietly stepped back and gave her left shoulder a sharp slap, then darted to her right.

Wang Ge turned her head to the right at once.

Wang He grunted, disappointed not to have startled her. How boring!

As this wasn't a formal condolence call, Old Madam Jia offered a few words of comfort to Old Madam Ge, politely inquiring if there was any need for help, and then took Wang Ge and the others away.

Some families rejoiced, others worried. Upon their return, they found that Second Brother Wang had just gotten home as well.

Old Madam Jia was finally free of cares; she laughed and cried, beating her son's shoulders, while Wang He, seldom so well-behaved, ran up to him, calling out coquettishly, "Father!"

Little Jia watched her husband from across their children, and as he finally walked toward her, she found herself both wanting to speak and too shy to do so.

But Second Brother Wang bypassed her and, excited, said to Wang Ge, "A-Ge! You really brought credit to your second uncle! You have no idea—when the township officials told me I could come home early, all the other servants were so envious. The way they all looked at me—tsk, tsk, tsk! Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk!" His pride mounted with each click of his tongue. Had he a tail, he might have wagged it to the sky!

Little Jia snorted, "If it wasn't for your niece, you'd be almost done with your service anyway!"

Second Brother Wang, deflated, shot her a glare, which made her visibly shiver. "I—I’ll help Sister-in-law serve the meal," she stammered as she fled.

Wang Ge and Second Brother Wang followed Old Madam Jia toward the main house. Wang Ge said, "Good thing Second Uncle’s back. We're nearly out of lard for Grandfather’s medicine. Uncle, please go to the township tomorrow and buy three sheng of it."

Second Brother Wang nearly stumbled: What on earth had happened?

Three sheng of lard? Had the family eaten that much lard in all these years combined?

Soon after, Old Madam Jia snatched back that string of coins from Second Brother Wang and tucked it into the bottom of the chest once again.

"A whole string... it really is a whole string of coins!" Second Brother Wang sniffed the lingering scent of money on his hands, so dizzy he felt it must be a dream. "Was that really a reward for A-Ge from the township?"

"Of course not! It's a reward for you!" Old Wang glared at his second son’s lack of ambition.

Wang Xing, nestled by her grandfather's side, burst into giggles and hid her face in his shoulder.

Eldest Brother Wang, listening in, smiled a little more broadly.

Embarrassed, Second Brother Wang hurried to change the subject: "I'll head to the township first thing in the morning. I'll be sure to get back before dark."

Wang Ge said, "Let's ask around first, see who might be driving a cart to town tomorrow. That way, you won't have to walk."

"What's wrong with walking? I'm used to it. Even if there’s a cart, I won't take it!"

Old Madam Jia offered a suggestion, "How about I ask Zhang’s household? Their boy, Ah Cang, is learning the craft from A-Ge. If you ride their ox cart without any cargo, would they dare charge for the ride?"

Wang Ge said, "Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, Second Uncle, there’s something I need to say. Previously, I taught whoever came to learn the craft because I was anxious for materials to practice with, but I can't keep doing that. If the village children follow me for a year or two and still can't pass the artisan’s exam, or can't even compete for a craftsman's spot, won’t they end up resenting us instead of being grateful?"

Grandfather Wang understood at once and cautioned Old Madam Jia, "From now on, don't boast about A-Ge outside! If anyone comes to learn, no matter what gifts they bring, we mustn't be greedy. Make it clear to them from the start: it's not easy to pass the craftsman’s exam. Even A-Ge’s success was a matter of luck."

He hesitated a moment and added, "The Zhangs are close neighbors—if we can’t refuse, so be it. But until A-Ge becomes a full craftsman, no more taking on apprentices!"

Wang Ge nodded. "Grandfather’s right—that's exactly what I mean. If someone genuinely wants to learn, they must bring their own materials. We won’t drive them away, but we won’t accept gifts either. That way, if they fail, they can’t blame us, accuse us of boasting or misleading them into learning the craft."

Old Madam Jia was riled up, envisioning already someone blaming her family, "We’re only being kind! If their hands are clumsy, is that our fault? Where’s the justice in this?"

Suddenly, both elders and Wang Ge all looked at Second Brother Wang, who, mortified, quickly promised, "I’ll keep my wife’s mouth in check! I’ll explain it clearly to Third Brother too!"

It wasn’t that Wang Ge was overly suspicious of people, but under the circumstances in Jia Village, the average farming family simply couldn't walk the artisan’s path!

Just look at the hundred apprentice slots in the carpenter’s division this year. Among the craftsmen, only one in seven made it! Once past the age of ten, if you hadn’t succeeded, that road was closed.

How could the villagers not complain then?

They only saw Wang Ge’s success and assumed the craftsman’s exam was easy, not knowing she was born with the skill.

So teaching was one thing, but the family must never accept gifts.

The next day, Second Brother Wang left home with thirty coins, fretting the whole way—every rustle in the grass made him fear a robber would leap out. Little did he realize that his furtive manner made him look more like a thief to others.

Those thirty coins had been taken by Old Madam Jia from the five hundred she’d saved. The old folks had peculiar notions: they believed a string of coins should remain whole—spend even one, and it would never be whole again, even if you replaced it later.

On the way, Grandmother muttered her reasoning, and Wang Ge agreed, "That string of coins must never be broken. It should be kept to buy an ox!"

"Exactly, exactly!"

It was only now that Yao realized the uncle’s medicine required lard. The more she heard, the more her heart ached, as if being cut by a knife. Thirty coins! All to be spent on lard for medicine! Heaven help—why was there no justice?

The Zhang family caught up, and the two households traveled together for a while.

Zhang Cai asked Wang Ge in a low voice, "You’ve passed the craftsman’s exam—why are you still working the fields?"

"These days I haven’t had time to go to the mountains for bamboo, and the work in the fields can’t wait. Of course I have to help."

"True enough. Sigh, my mother says I’m lazy. From now on, I’ll have to work the fields every day too."

As if anyone needed to call you lazy, Wang Ge thought, unwilling to be alone with him, and kept close to Grandmother.

Zhang Cai’s mother, Mrs. Sun, was also from Shatun. She motioned Yao aside and asked, "Does your sister-in-law have any intention of arranging a match for her niece?"

Yao was still brooding over the thirty coins and responded irritably, "My aunt favors the eldest branch. I wouldn’t dare ask!"

"She’s motherless, and you’re her aunt—surely it’s only natural to inquire? By the way, I’ll be heading to Shatun in a few days. If you want to send anything back to your family, just let me know."

Yao’s frown turned to smiles as she began to plan in secret.

Old Madam Jia and Zhang Cai’s grandmother, Mrs. Wei, were discussing when to pay their respects at Old Madam Ge’s. Before long, they wandered off topic, whispering about how Jia Huai’s young widow would surely remarry, and how Old Madam Ge’s fiery temper might lead to a scene.

Wang Ge listened to the gossip with relish, regretting only that their fields weren’t adjacent, and soon their ways parted.