IDWBE -Chapter 240 Acting on One’s Own

The blind man crouched down, patting the tabby dog gently all over, finally stopping at its joints. He smiled. “A fracture—no wonder it couldn’t get up. Seems this dog fight was pretty fierce.”

He pressed down with his hand, and with a crisp crack, the tabby let out a sharp, painful howl. Instinctively, it sprang to its feet, landing on all fours, looking bewildered at the two people in the room.

“Amitabha,” The monk pressed his hands together. “You’re skilled—it can walk now. Dog fighting really harms heaven’s balance. If my lord could forbid it, that would be best.”

“If it were banned, everyone with nothing better to do would fight, and humans would die instead of dogs. Between two harms, take the lesser; between two benefits, take the greater—you should understand this,” The blind man gestured to the tabby, which cautiously approached, tongue lolling as it licked his hand repeatedly.

He laughed. “Clever little thing. Stay smart, and you’ll get hit less in the future.”

The monk asked, “Why did you hit it?”

The blind man stroked its head, smiling. “My lord said, anything that doesn’t understand human speech must first be disciplined, so it remembers.”

The monk argued, “What my lord says isn’t necessarily right. Good and evil exist in the heart of man.”

“Talking to me about that is useless.”

The blind man turned to the monk. “If you have the ability, go tell that to the superintendent.”

“You know I wouldn’t dare.”

The monk lowered his head in frustration.

If the superintendent heard, he’d certainly consider the monk someone needing discipline—for daring not to understand the ‘human speech’ of my lord.

The blind man laughed. “You’re getting more muddled. Sometimes it’s fine to be blind in the eyes, but your heart cannot be blind. If your heart is blind, then you’re truly useless.”

“I understand,”

The monk reached for the tabby. “Let’s give it a name.”

The blind man thought for a moment. “Call it Xiaonian.”

The monk snapped, “How can it be called my name?”

His secular name was Han Nian.

“You’re attached to names again. All beings are equal. Just because you call it this, it cannot have the name?”

The blind man teased, “Besides, now you go by Ji Hai—who would even remember Han Nian?”

“That still won’t do,”

The monk said firmly. “Its stripes resemble a tiger, so call it Xiaohu—Little Tiger.”

The blind man nodded in approval, then added, “I cast a divination for you. You’ve recently got entangled with romance—quite the flirt.”

The monk blushed. “What do you mean by that?”

The blind man laughed. “Admiring another mountain while standing on this one—envy doesn’t help.”

He laughed heartily and left. The tabby glanced at the monk, then followed him out.

“You ungrateful thing! I saved your life, and now you run off with someone else.”

The monk shook his head, sighing.

Meanwhile, Jiang Kan endured long days in his new home.

Though the prince’s household had given him some settlement money, after one meal, only thirty-some copper coins remained.

Born into a wealthy family, used to comfort, Jiang Kan had never suffered hardships or learned careful budgeting. He spent the coins in half a day.

As night approached, hungry, he shamelessly went to the provincial administration office to find Shan Qi.

This was the first time in his life he asked someone to lend money!

Unexpectedly, Shan Qi only said that the office was tight on funds, but eventually lent him one or two taels of silver.

To get this small sum, he had to pass two checks and leave three fingerprints!

When he finally held the silver, he almost cried.

Damn!

Too difficult!

He had never felt so miserable in his life!

This time, he learned his lesson, always choosing the cheapest restaurants.

Unfortunately, in Baiyun City, even one or two taels only lasted five days.

When he went to Shan Qi again, Shan Qi could only sigh, helpless, but offered a suggestion.

Many wealthy families had fled from Southern Province to Baiyun City. Shan Qi suggested he visit them.

Jiang Kan agreed without hesitation.

Though now a prisoner in Sanhe, he had once been the naval superintendent; his prestige still lingered!

Using his last copper coins, he rented a carriage, bought two large loaves of bread wrapped in oiled paper, and headed straight for the Sang family.

Regrettably, the Sang family did not admire his courage. When he forced himself to ask, they only lent him five taels.

Back in the day, managing the Southern Province navy, these same people had begged to give him silver—and he might not have accepted!

Now he finally understood what “being forgotten when gone” meant.

With five taels, he had no courage to approach another family.

He asked Shan Qi to release the laborers from his ship. Though another mouth to feed at home, it was cheaper than dining out every day.

Thus began a barely sustainable life, eating one meal to have the next.

Ten days passed.

He finally reunited with his parents, wife, concubine, children, and his brother Jiang Pei, who had been captured in Qingyuan City.

The family reunion brought happiness, but only for a couple of days.

They were out of rice again.

Why hadn’t the rumored “monthly allowance” arrived yet?

Worried, he was summoned by Shan Qi to the administration office.

There he saw the elderly, white-haired Wulin.

He felt Wulin had aged even more!

Each took 300 taels of silver and was instructed to attend school in Baiyun City starting the next day.

Thus began formal lessons with his two young sons.

On the first day of autumn, He and Wulin completed their studies.

After kowtowing to the prince, Wulin returned to Qingyuan City by land, while Jiang Kan went by water to Fangniao Island, boarded his ship, and reclaimed command of the Southern Province navy.

Ji Zhuo and Jiang Zhen personally welcomed Wulin at the southern gate.

Returning to familiar grounds, Wulin was full of emotion but showed no friendliness to Ji Zhuo or Jiang Zhen, only snorted coldly. “What are you standing there for? Back to the office.”

Neither the coachmen nor the laborers or soldiers moved; no one obeyed him.

Wulin’s steward shouted, “Are you all deaf? Can’t you hear the master speak?”

Still, no one moved.

Wulin’s face turned dark.

Ji Zhuo smiled, waved, and said, “Since Master Wulin wants to rest at the office, let him go.”

At that, Wulin’s carriage slowly moved.

After the carriage passed, Ji Zhuo snorted. “Clearly, they are deliberately uncooperative; might as well be decorations.”

Jiang Zhen said, “I don’t understand. If so, why not keep him in Baiyun City and avoid trouble? Is anyone worse than him?”

“Status!”

Ji Zhuo said calmly, “If the prince had brought old gentlemen like Xie Zan or Chen Desheng, it would be a face-off with the court. Secretly doesn’t matter, but if face is lost, it’s hard to regain.”

Jiang Zhen asked, “Is status really that important?”

Ji Zhuo smiled. “More than you imagine. From now on, I won’t visit the administration office. Arrange guards to secure both sides—no one lets this lord in freely.”

Jiang Zhen nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll watch carefully. Where will you go if not at the guard post?”

Ji Zhuo nodded. “The Yong’an guards are too weak. Huang Sifang and Zhao Lichun broke through easily. The border of Southern Province and Yong’an must be unstable. I’ll take 2,000 men to inspect. The remaining 1,000 are yours. Remember, never be careless. Wulin is a cunning fox.”

Jiang Zhen happily clasped hands. “Thank you, General Ji.”

Ji Zhuo continued, “Do you know Wei Yishan?”

Jiang Zhen smiled. “Grew up on the same street. Of course I know him.”

Ji Zhuo said, “I suggest recruiting him as your assistant. He’s clever and would help reduce your troubles at the office.”

Jiang Zhen shook his head. “Constables earn little. How could he agree?”

Ji Zhuo said, “That depends on your skill. At the office, you’ll save a lot of trouble.”

With that, he rode off slowly to follow Wulin’s convoy.

Sanhe grew cooler. With the curfew lifted, the square became livelier: opera, storytelling, all day, sometimes into late night.

Lin Yi was pleased to see a bit of nightlife.

Yet he rarely went.

Everywhere he went, people would kneel before him, making it boring and killing others’ excitement.

“Celebrating with the people” didn’t exist!

Of course, he could still visit the Chunxiang Pavilion, but now poor, he avoided anything that might cost him a cent.

Sitting in the courtyard, gazing at stars and moon seemed nice; long nights weren’t so hard to bear.

Hong Ying kindly suggested, “My lord, do you want to continue learning foreign languages?”

Lin Yi glanced around and whispered, “And the two girls?”

Hong Ying smiled. “The Fangniao Island middle school will be completed tomorrow. Mingyue and Zixia went there to prepare.”

“Really?”

Lin Yi nearly screamed with joy. “Good! I will study properly.”

Xiao Xizi, without any cue from Hong Ying, quickly ran out, then back, looking dejected.

“My lord.”

“Where are the others?”

Lin Yi looked behind Xiao Xizi and saw only him, curious.

Xiao Xizi laughed awkwardly. “Mingyue and Zixia took the four foreign ladies to Fangniao Island. They’ve learned the official language and can serve as interpreters there.”

Lin Yi said, “They acted on their own again, without telling me.”