On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, Luting County, which had seen continuous rain and snow, saw the sun for the first time in a while.
The clean and radiant sunlight, that seemed almost to distill gold, generously filled the entire county town. Many people moved their chores under the sun, comfortably basking in its warmth. There was a sense of ease and joy as if the pervasive damp and mold of one’s heart had dried up and scattered...
Fang Ke, who intentionally waited until after the mealtime to leave the Yamen in the upper right of the town, was dressed in a richly hued dark red fur overcoat resembling an affluent man of status. He sauntered towards Yuelai Inn, twirling a bright green jade thumb ring on his thumb.
Before he reached the doors of the Yuelai Inn, he saw the old shopkeeper wrapped up snugly, holding onto his cane, sitting by the doorway beside a brazier, his head tilted back, eyes squinting, comfortably soaking up the sun.
A smile crept onto his face as he quickened his pace and leaned forward to warmly greet the old man, "Shopkeeper, taking a break I see!"
The old man opened his eyes, which initially sparked with surprise and hopeful anticipation upon seeing Fang Ke, but as soon as he recognized Fang’s face, his eyes dimmed again, and he managed a weak smile with a courteous bow, "Taking a break, indeed! This old body just can’t take the cold... You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Please, come inside. Er Niu, Er Niu..."
He attempted to rise, propped up on his cane.
Fang Ke quickly extended his hands in a supporting gesture, gently pressing him back into his chair, "Oh, there’s no need for such formality with me, I’m practically family. Just rest, and let Er Niu tend to me!"
Unable to argue, the old man could only apologize with a smile, "I have been impolite."
Fang Ke feigned offense, "See, you still don’t consider me as one of your own."
The old man, feeling uncomfortable about it, repeatedly bowed and insisted, "Nothing of the kind, I’ve never treated you as an outsider. But in the business of welcoming guests, we must maintain proper etiquette. Please, do not take it to heart."
Fang Ke waved a hand and said with a laugh, "Alright, alright. We’re all family here... By the way, the medicine I brought over last time, has your sister-in-law cooked it for you yet? Catching a cold can be a minor or serious issue, one must not neglect one’s own health!"
The old man nodded vigorously, "I’ve taken it, I’ve taken it. Look at this vigor, do I seem like someone suffering from a cold?"
Fang Ke looked him over carefully for a moment, then nodded, "As long as you’re fine. Next time you have even a minor ailment, you mustn’t hesitate to tell me. Luting has many good qualities, but the local doctors are somewhat lacking. We have resources and shouldn’t waste time with them..."
As he spoke, he added to himself, "Those Imperial Physicians from the capital are at the yamen every day."
The old man continued nodding in agreement, "Yes, yes, I’ll surely come to you if there’s any trouble."
In his heart, however, the shopkeeper muttered, ’I should remind Zhang Er Niu again not to gabber away all day...’
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How could a man as astute as Fang Ke not guess what the old shopkeeper was thinking?
But he said nothing more. After all, the Liu family’s vicinity was under the watchful eyes of his Embroidered Uniform Guard agents. If the shopkeeper were to fall ill, Fang Ke would be the first to know.
He bent down and carefully tucked in the old man’s coat, "Alright then, enjoy the sun a bit longer, I’ll go and handle some business..."
As he was about to walk into the inn, the old man suddenly called out to him in a low voice, "Fang."
Fang Ke turned around, patiently making a gesture of respect, "Do you have any instructions for me?"
The old man waved his hands disclaiming, "Not at all, not at all... I was just wondering, has there been any news of our young master?"
Fang Ke hesitated slightly, then promptly replied, "What’s the matter? Do you have something urgent that requires his attention? Even if he’s not here, you can tell me, it’s the same."
"No, nothing at all."
The old man waved his hands again and then let out a worried sigh, "It’s just... as the New Year approaches, if he doesn’t return, he’ll have to spend it away from home."
Fang Ke was momentarily stunned, feeling a bit heavy-hearted himself, but he quickly cheered up and said with a relaxed smile, "Of course, there is news, although it’s all official business. He’s probably busy at the moment and might not be able to return until after the spring of next year. You just take care of yourself, and when he comes back next year, you can give him a talking-to... We wouldn’t dare to lecture him, but you, you surely can chide him a bit, and he’d still listen with a smile."
All he knew was about the expedition to Dongying; as for what Yang Ge and his men did after they arrived in Dongying, he was utterly unaware... The information sent back to the capital by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Western Depot’s agents from Dongying went straight to the capital, bypassing the office he was in charge of, so he had no clue.
But through the constant stream of agents the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Western Depot sent into Chaimen Street, as well as the continuous delivery of nourishing supplements and medicines especially arranged for the old shopkeeper by the imperial palace, he could infer that their master must not only be alive and well, but must also have achieved something extraordinary in Dongying... something even the emperor on the dragon throne felt wary of!
Upon hearing this, the old man felt even more disappointed, but still he managed a smile, clenching his cane tightly and said, "Alright, I will take good care of myself, waiting for his return..."
"Ah, then you rest. I’m off to get something to eat. I’ve been so busy since this morning that I haven’t eaten a thing, and now I’m so hungry my stomach is sticking to my back!"
Fang Ke exaggeratedly clutched his belly in discomfort, and seeing him like this, the concern in the old man’s eyes dissipated somewhat, and his smile became more genuine, "Look at my poor eyesight... Er Niu, Er Niu, come quickly and lead Fang into the private room."