“Miss Qingyuan, what kind of story does the gentleman want?”
Chen Wenyuan asked.
“It’s like this…”
Qingyuan then recounted the matter of the cavalry besieging the city and branding the faces of the common people.
She went on to explain Jin Feng’s requirements for the story.
“Now many girls are seeking death. My gentleman hopes that the young master can write a story for our dance troupe to perform, to encourage the sisters to forget their unbearable past and look forward to a better life in the future.”
“Those damned cavalry!”
Chen Wenyuan gnashed his teeth as he listened, his heart filled with even greater respect for Jin Feng.
He almost blurted out that he would not take any silver and would write the story for Jin Feng for free.
But then he thought of his beloved still struggling in hardship, and forcibly held back those words.
“Mr Jin is a man of high virtue. In principle, I should not accept silver, but… but my situation, Miss Qingyuan also knows…”
Even a hero feels discouraged without money. Chen Wenyuan, who was usually eloquent, now stammered.
“What is the young master saying?”
Qingyuan replied, “My gentleman often says that labour rendered should receive recompense. If you feel grateful to him in your heart, then simply try to write the story as well as possible and do not let down my gentleman’s expectations.”
“This humble scholar will certainly do his utmost!”
Chen Wenyuan quickly promised, then asked, “When does Mr Jin need it?”
“The sooner the better, naturally!” Qingyuan said. “The girls outside the city are in poor spirits at the moment. Recently, more and more are attempting suicide.”
Some girls, due to physical reasons or being too young, had failed the first round of screening by the Zhenyuan Army.
This had once again extinguished the flame of hope that had only just ignited in them.
Many girls took their own lives after returning home.
This was something Jin Feng had not anticipated, and it was the reason for his urgency.
Although these girls had not died because of him, he still felt uneasy in his heart.
Yet he had already promised to establish a textile factory and guarantee work for all the girls. Since they remained unable to accept this, Jin Feng had no better solution for the moment. He could only hope to commission someone to write some stories, which might perhaps change their thinking.
At first he had intended to write one himself, but he knew his own ideas differed greatly from traditional Da Kang thought, and he could not guarantee that what he wrote would be suitable.
What is suitable is best.
If the story he wrote not only failed to inspire the girls but actually upset them further, the loss would outweigh the gain.
So in the end he decided to spend some silver to have others write them.
Then he would select from among those.
“This humble scholar understands. I shall return at once to prepare brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, fill the lamp with oil, and begin writing today.”
Chen Wenyuan also felt some impatience.
“Here is one tael of silver. Young master, take it for now. If the story you write is chosen by my gentleman, the remainder will be paid then!”
Qingyuan took out a small ingot of silver and handed it to Chen Wenyuan.
“Miss Qingyuan, there is no need for so much. One hundred wen as a deposit would suffice for me to buy paper, ink, and lamp oil.”
Chen Wenyuan waved his hand.
He felt even more ashamed in his heart.
Not to mention the later payment, this one tael of silver as a deposit alone was already enough to commission him to write a story.
Yet just earlier he had been doubting whether Jin Feng might deliberately withhold payment…
“Young master, just take it!”
Qingyuan pressed the silver into Chen Wenyuan’s hand.
Chen Wenyuan could not refuse further and had to accept it.
Paper, ink, and lamp oil were not cheap. At present he had only a few copper coins in his pocket, and he truly needed the money.
After seeing Chen Wenyuan off, the madam helped Qingyuan find several other impoverished scholars.
With one tael of silver as a foundation, these scholars were highly motivated. They gave up visiting brothels and immediately returned home to write furiously.
Stimulated by the silver, almost all the scholars worked through the night. Early the next morning, Qingyuan, waiting at the Hanxiang Building, began to receive several manuscripts one after another.
By midday, the last scholar also submitted his manuscript.
Qingyuan did not dare delay and immediately took the manuscripts back to Big Python Slope.
Jin Feng had stayed up late the previous night reviewing the case files and marking dozens of death-row prisoners.
He had only just woken up and was preparing to eat.
Upon hearing that Qingyuan was seeking him, he roused himself and had Big Liu bring her into the tent.
“Miss Qingyuan, have you eaten?” Jin Feng asked with a yawn. “Shall we eat a little together?”
“No… no need!” Qingyuan quickly waved her hand.
But her stomach betrayed her with an untimely growl.
There was no helping it. She had hurried back to report and had not had time for lunch. Upon seeing food, her stomach could not help protesting.
Qingyuan’s small face instantly turned bright red. Her toes nearly dug a hole through the sole of her shoe.
“There are no outsiders here. Why be so polite?”
Jin Feng smiled and passed her a pair of chopsticks. “Eating alone is no fun. Consider it doing me the favour of keeping me company for a bite.”
Since Jin Feng had put it that way, Qingyuan had no choice but to sit opposite him.
After sitting down, she quickly stood up again and took the bundle from her back. “Sir, these are the stories I collected.”
“Well done!”
Jin Feng took the manuscripts, smiling as he placed several pieces of spare rib in her bowl. “I must say, Miss Qingyuan, you are truly fortunate. I rarely sneak a private meal like this, and you happened to arrive just in time. Try the sweet-and-sour spare ribs. I guarantee you have never tasted anything like them elsewhere.”
Normally, Jin Feng ate large-pot meals with the escorts, but today he had overslept and missed the meal time. Big Liu had therefore asked the cook to prepare a small separate stove for him.
Though not as authentic as those made by Runniang or Guan Xiaorou, for Qingyuan who had only ever eaten stews, it was already astonishing enough.
She had originally intended only to eat a few symbolic mouthfuls, but after the first piece she was completely won over.
Seeing Jin Feng lower his head to read the manuscripts, she could not resist taking another piece.
The ribs, coated in flour and fried, were perfectly sweet and sour, neither oily nor greasy. Once started, she could not stop.
After finishing the second piece, Qingyuan’s appetite was thoroughly aroused.
“Just one more piece, just one more!”
Seeing that Jin Feng was still absorbed in reading, she cautiously took another piece.
Then another, and another…
By the time Qingyuan finally felt satisfied, the dish was completely empty…
She quietly let out a satisfied burp, glanced around, and looked for a crack in the ground to crawl into.
She had only meant to eat a few pieces. How had she failed to hold back?
Now the entire dish was gone, and Jin Feng had not even eaten yet.
Jin Feng had just finished the first manuscript, scooped a mouthful of rice, and was about to take some food when he discovered the dish was empty.
“Sir… this was too delicious. I… I could not hold back…”
Qingyuan kept her head lowered, her hands gripping the table so hard she nearly scratched through it.
Her face was so red it seemed blood might drip from it.
“Hahaha, it’s fine. Just have the kitchen stir-fry another portion. I happen to have little appetite anyway. I’ll look at the manuscripts first.”
Jin Feng laughed and called Big Liu to instruct the cooking team to prepare two more dishes.
Qingyuan wanted to leave, but fearing Jin Feng might have questions and not find her, she stayed.
She did not sit idly either. She took the teapot from the small stove and brewed a cup of tea for Jin Feng.
Jin Feng did not stop her. He sipped the tea while reading the manuscripts.
Neither spoke, and the atmosphere felt peaceful and harmonious.
Qingyuan suddenly thought that if it could remain this quiet forever, it would be wonderful.
Unfortunately, the moment the thought arose, the tranquillity was broken by Jin Feng.
“Qingyuan, who wrote this story?”
