Chapter 119: Setbacks

Qin Huiyin boarded the ox cart and handed him a basket containing five jars of seasoning sauce.

"Eat these first; I'll bring more next time."

Tang Yichen took the basket, and as he lowered his gaze, he inadvertently caught sight of another basket sitting nearby, which held ten jars of sauce. The ceramic jars in that basket were twice the size of the ones meant for sale. This meant that even if one were to eat the sauce heartily at every meal, a single jar would last for ten days.

Tang Yichen had a fair idea of who those jars were intended for. It was precisely because he knew that a thought crossed his mind: his sister clearly favored the other brother more. If that were not the case, why would she have prepared larger and more numerous portions for him?

Sensing that Tang Yichen was lost in thought, Qin Huiyin followed his gaze and saw the second basket she had prepared.

"Brother Ruize has several friends with very large appetites. I had to prepare more, or there wouldn't be enough for them."

"That is only right," Tang Yichen replied with a smile. "After all, our brother has so many fellow students. If they all came to share, no amount would be enough. You are very thoughtful, sister."

Qin Huiyin: "..."

It was her oversight. Her elder brother had just arrived at the academy; in modern terms, he would be a transfer student. Such students often found themselves in an awkward position, as their old friends were absent and new classmates might not be eager to welcome an outsider.

She took three jars out and placed them into his basket, saying, "Seven jars will be enough for them to eat for a few days; I'll bring more next time. Brother, don't be stingy. If someone wants to try it, just let them have a taste."

"Would that be too extravagant? Better not. Leave them for Song Ruize. It is rare for him to make friends, so it might help him maintain those relationships."

"No, you keep them," Qin Huiyin said firmly. "Alright, we must be going. You should head inside now so you don't fall behind in your studies."

After Qin Huiyin left, Tang Yichen looked at the ceramic jars in his basket, his eyes filled with delight. He had eight jars, while Song Ruize only had seven. That was quite satisfactory.

However... all seven of Song Ruize's jars were the large ones.

Tang Yichen sighed softly. "Not every scholar has the appetite of a bird; I can eat quite a bit myself. It seems my sister doesn't fully understand this new brother of hers yet. Next time, I shall make sure she does."

Uncle Tang flicked his whip and said to Qin Huiyin beside him, "Usually, it is the brothers who dote on their sister, but you—you take such good care of your two brothers."

"I take care of them when they need it, and when I need care, they will take care of me. There is no such thing as a free emotion in this world; it is always mutual."

"You’re quite a girl, thinking so clearly. Are you truly only twelve years old?"

"Great-uncle, although I am young, I have seen much. Never underestimate any young person."

At the dam entrance, Qin Huiyin mentioned she wanted to find Song Ruize. The bailiff, who had been quite friendly before, stopped her this time, refusing to let her enter or help her find him.

"Big Brother, has something happened to my brother?" Qin Huiyin asked, worried.

"Nothing is wrong. It's just that there is more and more construction going on inside, and the superiors have issued strict orders forbidding any outsiders from entering. Don't make things difficult for us."

"I won't go in. Can I just see him here?" Qin Huiyin pleaded. "Please, Big Brother."

"Wait here." Having accepted gifts from her before, the bailiff found it difficult to refuse her entirely. He spoke to another guard and went inside to find him.

Meanwhile, Song Ruize lay prone on a bed, his back a mass of raw, bloody flesh. Jiang Qibin and a few others stood guard, filled with anxiety, lamenting that they couldn't even call a doctor for such severe injuries until the superiors issued an order.

"It is my fault," Jiang Qingnan said, filled with guilt. "Yesterday, while you were in the provincial capital, Er Zhu, Jinyuan, and I were left on duty, but we failed to keep watch. Some shameless thieves snuck in and stole so much ironware. We should be the ones receiving the lashes. Brother Ze, why are you so foolish to take the punishment for us?"

"You are my men. If you make a mistake, it is my mistake. Rather than everyone being beaten, it is better that I bear it alone. Besides, with your small frames, how many lashes could you even endure?"

"I could take it! You shouldn't have stopped me," Chen Yong said, patting his sturdy chest.

"You didn't do anything wrong, so why should you be punished? You might be tough, but how could an elder brother let his younger brothers take the fall? Those who are under my wing, I will protect."

"What do we do now?" Jiang Qibin asked. "We can't just swallow this injustice. We must find this shameless person."

"Finding them won't be difficult. Whoever was deliberately causing trouble yesterday to distract you is the one who knew. But we must decide what to do once we find them. Either do nothing at all, or if you strike, strike hard."

The bailiff walked in and said to the prone Song Ruize, "Manager Song, your sister is here again. I was worried she might find out about your injuries, so I held her back."

"Thank you," Song Ruize said weakly. He looked at Jiang Qibin. "You have met her a few times, and you are good with words. Go see her and tell her I was called away by the dam foreman and won't be back soon. If she gives you anything, accept it, and then give her my wages for this month."

"All of it?"

"Yes."

"Brother Ze, you are injured and need treatment! Foreman Tong had you beaten and won't allow a doctor. When Foreman Qian returns, we can tell him the whole story, and he will surely help you. You should keep the money to pay for a doctor!"

"No need. Whoever inflicted these wounds will pay for the treatment. The rivalry between the foremen means that by hitting me, he wasn't just attacking me—he was slapping Foreman Qian's face. Foreman Qian will certainly conduct a thorough investigation."

"Then I’m really taking it!"

"Stop blathering."

Qin Huiyin paced at the entrance.

Uncle Tang felt dizzy watching her and said, "Girl, don't be anxious. Didn't that man just say it was an order from above, barring outsiders? Besides, they never allowed outsiders in the first place; you only managed to get in a few times by being clever. Now that their rules are stricter, it’s normal that they can't let you through."

"It's not that," Qin Huiyin said. "I have a premonition that something has happened to him."

"Sister, sorry to keep you waiting..." Jiang Qibin jogged over, wearing his usual smile.

Qin Huiyin looked him over, puzzled. "Why is it you?"

"What is that supposed to mean? Am I that annoying?" Jiang Qibin feigned disappointment. "I heard you had come, so I dropped my work and rushed over to see you."

"Where is my brother?"

"He is a manager now; he has so much to do. He was just called away by the foreman," Jiang Qibin said. "However, he has something for you."

Jiang Qibin handed over a string of copper coins. "Your brother said that since he has eaten so much of your food, he couldn't just keep taking it for nothing. This is his wage; he told me to give it all to you."

"All of it?" Qin Huiyin estimated it to be at least five hundred coins.

"Yes, all of it. By the way, I still owe you money, so I'm paying you back as well," Jiang Qibin said sheepishly. "If it weren't for you last time, I might not have survived my illness."