Chapter 12: Xiao Ping and the Donkey
February 2nd, noon.
Shen Kuo supported Xiao Ping and walked slowly forward in the mountain, one step deep and one step shallow. His right foot was still so swollen that he couldn't even touch the ground.
In order to warm up the soaked Xiaoping, the two of them stood close together, with their faces almost touching, not caring about the strict rules between men and women, or the rule of no physical contact.
After walking for a long time, Xiao Ping gradually recovered and her face became rosier. She didn't seem to worry at all that her savage father-in-law would catch up with her. Shen Kuo was still thinking about the most bizarre part of the matter: how did Xiao Ping escape from the cage?
He knew that now was not the time to get to the bottom of it, but he could not hold back his doubts, so he finally asked, "Sister, how did you escape from that chained cage ?"
"I have some water ability and a bit of luck."
"What kind of good luck?" Shen Kuo asked.
"This luck doesn't come easily. Sir, do you really want to ask?"
"Sister, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine. But I'm most afraid of unanswered questions. This matter is like a cat's claws scratching my heart."
"Then tell me. Well, I can't pretend to be a virtuous lady anyway."
Xiaoping turned her head to the side, perhaps thinking about how to make up a story, or perhaps she was just worried that someone would see through her lie.
"I have the key to the cage lock," Xiao Ping freed one hand and fished out a key from her clothes and handed it to Shen Kuo, "I'm going to tell you the truth, there's my late husband's cousin among that group of people... He was close to me, and he couldn't bear to see me die, so he secretly tampered with the cage and gave me the key. But he's a bit sinister, and you need to be a bit brave to deal with him."
Xiaoping's answer was almost the only reasonable explanation. She refused to say it just now because it was obvious that this answer embarrassed her.
"I see. Damn it, I asked these questions that I shouldn't have asked..."
"I don't need to tell you, but you probably guessed about 70% of it. I really couldn't stand the loneliness at his farm. But if their family was upright, it wouldn't be like this. All the things that were exposed were consensual. How could one person do it?"
Shen Kuo secretly wanted to tell her to shut up. As the sage said: Don't listen to anything inappropriate. What shameless things is she talking about?
But once Xiao Ping started talking, she seemed to have aroused resentment and continued to chatter: "Think about it, the laws of our Great Song Dynasty don't say that raising a younger brother-in-law is a capital crime. Their family won't give me a divorce document, and they want me to stay alone in the memorial archway. I was originally a prostitute in the brothel, selling my looks, and their family knew this..."
"Sister, why didn't your father-in-law and his men come after us?"
Shen Kuo interrupted Xiao Ping and wanted to change the subject quickly.
"That old man often invites monks and Taoist priests to chant sutras. He is most afraid of ghosts and gods. Maybe it was suddenly dark today, so he probably thought that God had opened his eyes and saved me?"
"It's not that the sky suddenly darkened because God opened his eyes. It's that the moon's shadow blocked the sun in the sky."
"Oh, by the way, benefactor, I was just about to ask you about this, why did you know that it would be dark at that time?"
"Not only then, I knew it forty days ago." Shen Kuo couldn't help but feel a little proud.
"Isn't the benefactor a god?"
"I am not a deity. I was just enlightened by a master when I was young, and later I worked hard on astronomy."
"My benefactor is truly a great man. My late husband who died early also had achievements, but he did not understand these things and often could not keep track of the household accounts."
"Oh!" Shen Kuo sighed. Xiao Ping's words touched his heart, because he still had no fame and honor.
There was a soft ringing sound in the distance, and Xiao Ping suddenly laughed: "That's all right now."
"How is it?"
"Listen to the sound of the bell. Someone is coming here on a donkey or horse."
"So what?"
"Let's go buy some power. How long will it take us to get to Tokyo if you keep going like this?"
"But my money is all on the boat, and I only have a few hundred coins left."
"How can I take advantage of your money? I have some money of my own."
As they were talking, an old man came out from the mountain ahead, leading a donkey with firewood on its back.
"Slow down, old man."
Xiaoping shouted loudly, and the old man on the other side heard the shout and stopped to watch.
"What's the matter, sis?"
The old man stopped and said.
"My husband and I were heading to Tokyo, but he broke his leg in the mountains and couldn't walk. I wanted to find a horse to help him walk."
Xiao Ping lies as easily as drinking water, and she easily fabricated a husband.
"Don't joke, big sister. I depend on this old donkey for my life. I treat it like my own son. I would not sell it even for a mountain of gold. I still have to rely on it to carry goods every day to make a living."
Xiaoping put Shen Kuo next to the tree and went over to pull out a golden hairpin from her head.
"Even if there is no gold in the mountain, I can at least exchange my gold hairpin for several dozen taels of silver at a money exchange shop. Is it more valuable than this old animal with no teeth?"
The old man took the hairpin, weighed it, and bit it. It was indeed pure gold. It seemed that even if it was his own son, it was worth selling. He hesitated again, probably because he hadn't bargained yet. He was really unwilling to give up.
"Sister, I'm only selling you the donkey. Are the two loads of firewood on the donkey still mine?"
"What a joke, old man. Why would I ask you to chop wood? You just take it away."
"One more thing, do you want this donkey to travel long distances?"
"It's only about a hundred miles to Tokyo."
"It's okay if you don't go far, but...if you get to Tokyo, don't sell it to the butcher and cook it. I've had this donkey for more than ten years, and it's like my own son," the old man said with tears in his eyes. "In fact, it's closer to me than my own son. It only pulls 17 or 18 times a month, and I won't ride it if it's carrying heavy loads. I'm really reluctant to say goodbye to it."
"Don't worry, father-in-law. My husband and I also burn incense, eat vegetarian food, do good deeds and recite scriptures." She glanced at Shen Kuo who was standing against the tree. Shen Kuo nodded quickly. "When you come to my house, you don't have to cook soup, pull the mill or carry firewood. You are worshipped as an ancestor."
"Then I'll be relieved."
The deal was done, the old man burst into laughter, quickly unloaded the firewood and carried it on his back, and walked so fast that he disappeared in the blink of an eye. He was probably afraid that Xiaoping would go back on her word.
Shen Kuo felt a little apologetic for a moment: "I am sorry that I have ruined your golden hairpin by buying this old donkey."
"Don't be so polite, benefactor." Xiao Ping helped Shen Kuo to the side of the donkey. "I'm a slave in Tokyo, doing a big business with no capital and huge profits. Gold and silver are blown in by the wind. How can this golden hairpin compare to the grace of saving my life?"
Shen Kuo nodded repeatedly, but he couldn't stand Xiao Ping's worldly words.
After saying this, Xiao Ping lifted Shen Kuo's butt with one hand and put him on the donkey's back, with surprisingly strong strength. Then she slapped the donkey's butt again, and the old donkey cried out and started walking on its own.
"My benefactor, please don't think I don't have any decent words to say. I am not a lady from a rich family. I was born in a music school and have been involved in entertainment. I rely on my beauty and talent to get by. The playboys in the capital are all my mercenaries. If they don't brag about me, they will smile behind their peach blossom fans. Some young men will give them lots of money."
Shen Kuo was speechless.
"But I also know gratitude." She paused and was silent for a while, "Young Master, you can help me when we meet by chance. This is something that a person like me cannot achieve in several lifetimes. What is a mere hairpin? If I had a sister from a good family, I would definitely marry her to you."
"No, no, you absolutely can't do that!" Shen Kuo tried to refuse quickly, not realizing that the other person was just giving a random example.
"What's wrong with that? If she won't do it, I'll beat her until she does."
There were figures at the pass ahead. Xiao Ping held the donkey, and the two of them looked carefully. They were a few officials in black clothes.
Shen Kuo could not help but be overjoyed: "Xiao Ping, look, it is clearly the yamen runners who blocked our way. This is good, you don't have to worry about your father-in-law chasing you, you can also report him to the authorities and have him arrested."
"But I'm afraid we can't report it to the authorities," Xiao Ping, who was leading the donkey, tried to stop them. "Reporting to the authorities will inevitably waste time, and a court hearing will cause a lot of trouble."
"My time here has already been delayed, why should I be afraid of him? If your father-in-law's stupid and barbaric habits are not punished, they will definitely harm people again in the future."
"My benefactor, please listen to me... I am considering my husband's fate and do not want to burden his foolish old parents with the lawsuit. If he is sentenced to exile at his age, he will die there and will not be able to return to the ancestral grave. That would be my fault. Let's not talk about it. From now on, I have nothing to do with them."
Shen Kuo could only nod his head and said, "I don't know why these officers set up a checkpoint in such a desolate mountain area?"
"My benefactor, I've thought over and over again and realized that you and I are not from here, so we shouldn't meddle in these trivial matters. If the officers ask us questions, don't make things complicated. Just greet each other as husband and wife and go ahead." Xiao Ping became alert for no reason.
"Okay, I'll listen to you."
The two men walked over slowly, and the policemen who were resting under the shade of the trees at the mountain pass on the other side also saw the people coming. They stood up and poured tea on them, and blocked their way with water and fire sticks.
"Stop! Where are you two coming from and where are you going?" the officer shouted.
"Sir, let's go to the inn ahead," Shen Kuo said.
"From your accent, you are not from here? The master has ordered that anyone with an accent from another place must be searched and questioned thoroughly."
As he was speaking, a bailiff came to pull Shen Kuo off the donkey.
"I haven't broken any law, why do you want to search me..."
"Master, please sign the ticket. Who dares to disobey? We are waiting here to watch the wind pass by. We will ask questions to those who pass by. How dare you question me?"
"Master, calm down," Xiao Ping said with a smile, "Why can't outsiders come here?"
The leading officer had noticed that the woman was pretty, and when he saw Xiao Ping coming over with a smile, his expression became much better.
"Sister-in-law, you do have a local accent, but you don't know that someone reported to the police yesterday that a group of thieves were seen here. The master ordered that they be arrested and not to let any of them go. We had no choice but to interrogate them more closely."
"Thief? What kind of thief?"
"They are the remnants of the Maitreya sect. Many of the Maitreya sect's male and female followers have swastika tattoos on their arms and backs, so if anyone suspicious passes by, they must remove their clothes and check their chests and backs. Sister-in-law, look at this matter. We don't want to do anything frivolous, but this is official business."
"It would be embarrassing for a woman like me to take off her clothes. Could you please give me some convenience?"
"We have been waiting here for half a day, but we have been waiting for nothing and have not seen any relief from God."
The official looked up at the sky.
Xiao Ping wanted to take out some money to pay off these extortionists, but her only gold hairpin had been traded for a donkey, and she had no money left.
"I only know that the Maitreya sect is all from Hebei. How can someone with a southern accent be a believer?" Shen Kuo interrupted at an inopportune time, still wanting to argue.
"You really don't know what is right and wrong. If you want to be reasonable, come with us to the hall to see the master. If you don't go, I will take off your robe first! I will investigate your wife later."
"How dare you tarnish my wife's innocence?"
"Wait a minute," Xiao Ping hurriedly stood in front of him, "My husband is honest and doesn't talk much, but we were in a hurry to go out and didn't bring any gifts."
"My lady, you have seen some of the world. Let me ask you, you seem to be a native of this place, but why does your husband have a southern accent?"
"Hi, I am indeed from Tokyo, and my husband is a son-in-law who married into the family."
"So he is a son-in-law who married into the family. How much food has he saved? Why do you still need to trouble me to lead the donkey and stir the stirrups? Why doesn't he come down to lead the donkey, and you sit on it?"
The old donkey suddenly raised his head and shouted twice, as if he agreed to let Shen Kuo come down.
"My husband is going to take the exam and become the top scholar! How can I let him walk?"
"Oh, so you want to be a master? No wonder you are so arrogant. We have misjudged you. Sorry for your rudeness." Chai Bo laughed, and the others also laughed.
"Brother, please let us go..." She turned around and tugged at Shen Kuo's collar, "Sir, don't you still have a few hundred coins?"
"We haven't broken any law, so why should we pay bribes?"
"Then as your wife I can only take off my clothes in front of them?" Xiao Ping looked displeased.
He had no choice but to reluctantly take out the last three hundred coins from his side and give them to Xiaoping, who readily gave them all to Chaibo.
The officer weighed the money and waved his hand for the others to move aside.
They could still hear laughter from behind even from a long distance away. Those people were pointing and talking, probably saying how could this poor guy have such a beautiful and sensible wife.
After walking a little further, Shen Kuo finally couldn't hold back his anger anymore.
"This place is not far from the capital, how can there be such bad officials? How are they different from bandits?"
"Hey, you are also well-educated and knowledgeable, but you don't know the world as well as a prostitute like me."
"How can you not know?"
"There are often strong men on Jingdong Road, and most of the police officers are former bandits."
"Is there such a thing?"
"Have you ever heard people in the market say: If you want to be an official , you have to kill people and set fires and then be recruited?"
“Never.”
"My husband, you are also lucky. You have high expectations and great luck. You don't know that the world is difficult and people are treacherous."
"Now I don't have the money to stay in a hotel or take a boat."
"It's only a few dozen miles away. With this donkey, we'll be there tomorrow."
"I don't even have money to stay in a hotel at night."
"My benefactor, you probably didn't suffer any hardship when you were young. You won't set off on your journey unless you stay at an inn?"
"Does the Maitreya they want to capture really have a swastika tattooed on his body?"
"You have stumped me. I have never been inside a bathhouse, but I think the government officials are right."
"I heard that the Maitreya sect in Beizhou rebelled and was suppressed by the co-prime minister Wen Lugong two years ago."
"I am just a woman and I don't know about these big things."
"I have something to tell you, but it involves some court secrets. If you hear it, you must not tell anyone else."
"Since this is a secret of the imperial court, please wait, sir. I dare not listen any more."
"It's okay to tell you. This time I came to the capital because of Lord Wenlu's request." Shen Kuo lowered his voice, "He said that I was going to investigate the remnants of Wang Ze in Beizhou. I didn't expect to hear about it here before I even arrived in the capital."
"Oh? Is it such a big deal?" Xiao Ping also lowered her voice to agree with him, "I guess the Maitreya Sect has not been wiped out yet."
"Perhaps."
"Isn't Maitreya the big-bellied Buddha? How did he become the leader of the rebels?"
"I just obey. Maitreya is also known as the Future Religion, which originated from Empress Zetian of the Tang Dynasty."
"Empress Zetian, could it be Wu Zetian?"
The donkey raised its head and brayed twice for no reason, as if to congratulate Xiaoping for getting the answer right.
"That's right. Empress Zetian once claimed to be the reincarnation of the future Buddha, and she almost destroyed the foundation of the Tang Dynasty."
"Alas, as a woman, this is what you should do."
The two men walked all the way to the canal, and then headed north along the canal. They had no money to stay overnight, so they had to walk along the river until dark. They found a dilapidated temple, found a corner that could shelter from the wind, tied the donkey's reins in the temple, and each found a haystack left by a beggar to sleep on.
It snowed at night, and the cold wind blew into the temple, making Shen Kuo shiver. His hands and feet were cold, and he had to endure for a long time before he could fall asleep. As soon as he fell into the ice hole, he finally climbed out of the icy water, but a warm little fox came into his arms, warming him up a lot.
