The County Magistrate’s office.
Magistrate Song, who had taken office six months ago, was frowning in the courtyard. Baichuan County was notoriously impoverished, and now, it was suffering through a severe drought. If the dry spell continued, the common folk would not only struggle to put food on the table, but even finding water to drink would soon become an impossible challenge.
“My dear,” the Magistrate’s wife said, watching his troubled expression, “you really should eat something.”
“I can’t. I have no appetite.”
The Magistrate’s wife shook her head and signaled for the servants to clear the table. Watching her husband grow thinner by the day, she could only sigh in silence, feeling helpless as a woman to assist with the burdens of the state.
Just then, the head clerk approached, cupping his hands in a salute. “Magistrate, the village chiefs have all arrived.”
It was a new rule Magistrate Song had implemented upon taking office: on the first and fifteenth of every month, every village chief was required to report to the office to give an account of the situation in their respective villages. It helped him keep a pulse on the people’s livelihoods and resolve issues before they spiraled out of control.
…
The twenty-three village chiefs of Baichuan County were gathered together, whispering among themselves.
“The drought is so severe we can’t even sow the wheat seeds. What are we supposed to do next year?”
“Forget next year! My village has twelve wells, and half of them have already run dry.”
“Same in our village. If this continues, the villagers will have no choice but to flee.”
“Chief Wang,” someone suddenly asked, “I heard that the wells in He-wan Village went dry a while back. I assume they’re completely parched by now, aren’t they?”
In the past, Wang Jiafu would have joined in the heavy sighing. But today was different.
“Our village has plenty of water,” he replied.
“What? How is that possible?”
“He-wan Village sits on the highest ground! If the rest of us are running dry, how could you possibly have water?”
“Chief Wang, the Magistrate doesn’t take kindly to liars. You’d better think carefully before you speak.”
Wang Jiafu raised his chin. “Why would I need to lie? If you don’t believe me, why don’t you see for yourself?”
Magistrate Song, who had been pacing nearby, heard the exchange and quickened his steps.
“Wang Jiafu, what did you just say?”
“Magistrate, I said that we dug several new wells in He-wan Village, and now we have more well water than we can ever use.”
Magistrate Song was skeptical. In the last two meetings, Wang Jiafu had been the loudest one complaining that their wells were dry and that the whole village was struggling to survive. How, all of a sudden, did they have an endless supply?
“Tell me exactly what happened. Leave nothing out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Wang Jiafu recounted the entire process of the village digging the wells. He didn’t hide a single detail, giving all the credit for finding the water to Li Yao.
The others listened, finding it hard to believe.
The chief of Baiyun Village asked, “Don’t I know Li Yao from your village? She’s the town’s notorious shrew and fool. How on earth would she suddenly know how to find a spot to dig a well?”
“I… I’m not really sure myself.”
“You…” Magistrate Song was so frustrated he was momentarily speechless. “As a village chief, how can you not know anything?”
Wang Jiafu quickly added, “But every well in our village that is currently gushing water—it was she who pointed out the exact spots.”
“If she can find water in your village, could she do the same for others?” Magistrate Song asked.
“Well… I suppose she could,” Wang Jiafu replied. “She’s at the market today. Shall I go find her and ask?”
“Quickly, go! Tell her to come to the Magistrate’s office at once!”
…
Li Yao was tending to her braised food stall when a frantic Wang Jiafu caught up with her.
For a commoner, being summoned by the Magistrate was an immense honor—the kind of life-changing opportunity most people never saw in their entire lives. But before Wang Jiafu could even finish his pitch, Li Yao cut him off firmly.
“I’m not going.”
It wasn’t that Li Yao was afraid; she simply didn’t want to kowtow and kneel to anyone. In this world, that was the one thing she found particularly tiresome.
“Are you… how can you refuse?” Wang Jiafu stammered, incredulous. “Do you expect the Magistrate to come visit you instead?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Li Yao replied calmly. “Is it just a matter of digging a well? That’s easy. You can do it yourself, Chief.”
“Me? No, no, I don’t have that kind of talent!” Wang Jiafu shook his head as if he were a rattle-drum. “Dazhuang’s mother, I’ve already given my word. You must come with me, one way or another. Otherwise, I won’t know how to answer the Magistrate.”
Li Yao thought for a moment and glanced at Wang Er, who was busy portioning out food.
Wang Er had ambitions to sit for the imperial exams and earn a title. Having him make a good impression on the Magistrate early on certainly wouldn’t hurt. She called the boy over and briefly explained the principles behind locating water.
“Just remember what I told you,” she said.
“Understood,” Wang Er nodded.
Feeling anxious, Wang Er followed Wang Jiafu to the Magistrate’s office. Magistrate Song, a man of meticulous nature, didn’t immediately send the boy to another village to dig. Instead, he started by asking a series of probing questions about how to locate groundwater.
Seeing that Wang Er not only answered fluently but also described the various layers of soil and their distinct characteristics, the Magistrate was genuinely astonished.
“I never imagined a young lad from a mountain village would possess such insight.”
Upon receiving the praise, Wang Er dared not take the credit for himself. “This is all thanks to my mother’s teachings.”
“Splendid, simply splendid,” Magistrate Song said. “Officer Wu, dispatch two men to accompany him to Bajiao Village first. If he can truly strike water there, we will proceed to the other villages.”
“Yes, sir!”
Wang Er set off for Bajiao Village accompanied by the two bailiffs, with Wang Jiafu following close behind. After a long and grueling day, Magistrate Song finally let out a long, relieved sigh.
Ever since taking office, he had felt completely helpless in the face of the county’s dire situation. If this endeavor could solve the villagers’ water shortage, he would finally have achieved something of substance.
The stall had been closed for the few days they were busy digging wells, so business was exceptionally good upon their return; the entire pot of braised food was sold out well before noon.
After finishing some errands alone, Li Yao ran into Dazhuang, who was pulling the cart.
“Wang Er went to Bajiao Village and probably won’t be back for a few days. Let’s head home first.”
“Mother,” Dazhuang said, his face clouding over. “My grandmother came to find me just as I was closing up the stall.”
“Oh? And what did she want?”
“She said that Wang Er injured my uncle and demands compensation,” Dazhuang replied. “She said we have to pay five taels of silver for his medical expenses by noon tomorrow.”
Li Yao chuckled inwardly. So, Li Xian really did run home to complain.
The mother of her original self was truly a piece of work. Demanding compensation? She must have heard that the braised food stall was making money and decided to ask for five taels right out of the gate. Her greed was larger than a lion’s maw.
Seeing her lack of reaction, Dazhuang stammered nervously, “She said if we don’t pay, she will… she will…”
“Go on. What will she do?”
“She said she would bring people to our house to demand justice,” Dazhuang said, his voice heavy with worry. “Mother, what should we do?”
Dazhuang’s fear was justified. In Li Village, the Li family was a powerful clan. Because the villagers believed that Li Xian was destined for greatness, it would be no trouble at all for them to summon twenty or thirty able-bodied men. If they truly came to cause trouble, the family would have no way to defend themselves.
“I’ll go tomorrow,” Li Yao said.
The children felt a fleeting sense of relief, but they were deeply indignant. Yet, against such odds, what could they do? They could only grit their teeth and endure it.
“This is today’s earnings,” Dazhuang said, pulling out the money box. “But since we haven’t been open for a few days, we certainly don’t have five taels. Mother, you should tell Grandmother that we can gather the rest in a few days. She should agree to that.”
Wang San squeezed his fists, his face flushed with righteous anger. “A man knows when to bow and when to stand tall. Let them revel in their triumph for now. When I grow up to be a Great General, I’ll make them pay!”
Wang Xiaosi chimed in, “Yes! When the Second Brother becomes a high official, we’ll make them pay!”
Li Yao was speechless as she watched the children. What are they all thinking?
“I am going tomorrow, indeed,” she said. “But I’m not going to apologize or pay them a single copper.”
“Huh?” The children stared at her, bewildered.
“Mother,” Wang Xiaosi asked, “then what are you going for?”
“I’m going to get our old hen back!”
It was high time she finally put an end to the matters regarding her original family.