4

Zhou Chuyu said:

"Mr. Nie, I have to share the cost. Please tell me how much I have to give you."

Nie Huanzhang glanced at Zhou Chuyu and said:

"How much money do you plan to give me?"

"I don't know but I think it should be divided equally all of the cost."

"How much do you plan to pay to me for riding on my horse and sleeping in my arms?"

"I…I don't know how to count for these." 

With that, Zhou Chuyu took out one silver from the small pocket in his undergarment and continued to say:

"Is it one silver that is enough for the cost ?"

"You are so young. How do you dare to travel alone?"

"I didn't intend to travel alone. What I wanted is to follow my elder brother but now I can't find him."

"Aren't you afraid that I will rob you of your money? If I do, it is impossible for you to find your elder brother, what will your plan do then?"

Zhou Chuyu held his money in his hand, unsure of how to respond. Nie Huanzhang just looked at him struggle. After a while, Zhou Chuyu hesitantly asked:

"Are you going to plan to rob me of my money?"

Nie Huanzhang was stunned for a moment then burst into laughter and said:

"I didn't expect you to be quite clever. Actually your question has left me at a loss for how to answer."

"Because if you really wanted to rob me of my money, you would have done so already. You wouldn't have brought me to a place where the people live."

"You should keep your money safe. I want to ask what your next plan is."

"I don't know. Maybe I continue chasing and finding my elder brother tomorrow."

"Is your elder brother traveling by horse-drawn carriage?" 

Zhou Chuyu said nothing but nodded. Nie Huanzhang continued to say:

"So could you tell me how you intend to catch up with your elder brother?"

Nie Huanzhang looked at Zhou Chuyu, who had his head down, shook his head, sighed, then said:

"I think it is better for you to go home. Where do you live? You're just a child, with little experience and life skills for traveling. It is too dangerous for you to travel alone."

"I live in Yucheng county. I just want to go out and see around the world."

"I didn't expect you to be quite daring. But how did you end up on this road to Xin'an town. How old are you?"

"I'm 14-year-old." Zhou Chuyu replied then asked with a bit anxiously," What? Did I take the wrong path? I was told this way was the right way leading to Xin'an."

"It does lead to Xin'an town but you've taken a detour onto a different path. And there is the fork ahead on the road, which it is easy to deviate from the direction of Xin'an if you go the wrong way." 

Nie Huanzhang looked at Zhou Chuyu's surprised expression and felt a bit trouble. Nie Huanzhang shook his head again and said:

"I think you are from a rich family from your speech and attire. Don't you go to school? Or you don't enjoy studying?"

"I've learned everything my teacher has taught me, and I've already passed the county test and district test. Actually I would attend the academic examination and provincial examination but the teacher, though he believes I'm capable, thinks I am too young so he suggests me it is better for me to attend these examinations next year. So I don't know what to do during this year. That is the reason that I want to take this chance to see around the world during this year. It is known that a saying: Traveling ten thousand miles is like reading ten thousand books."

Nie Huanzhang looked at Zhou Chuyu in surprise, not expecting this boy, who seemed like a refined scholar, to be so accomplished. He asked Zhou Chuyu again:

"How long have you been out on you own? Aren't your worried about your family being anxious since you left with permission?"

"Half a day and I left the note to them."

"And how long has your elder brother been traveled?"

"One day."

"So that means that your elder brother has traveled half a day ahead of you and he even took a carriage. Tell me, how do you plan to catch up with your elder brother? "

He stared at Zhou Chuyu's handsome face and Zhou Chuyu looked at Nie Huanzhang in a way that left him unsure how to respond so he silently lowered his head. Nie Huanzhang continued to say:

"Since your elder brother left so much earlier and possibly took a different path with you, it is better for you to sleep tonight. Tomorrow morning just go back home and don't try to catch up with your elder brother. Consider the exposure to the outside world. Your goal to watch around the world is finished."

He didn't wait for Zhou Chuyu to say anything and lay down on a pile of grain. Now Zhou Chuyu felt conflicted once again, unsure of what to do. Should he just go back home like this? Even if he didn't get to experience the world outside, his elder sister Zhou Xiang would surely mock and ridicule him. He sighed, lying on the kang and thinking. Finally he spoke up:

"Ge, this kang is too hard and so uncomfortable. And my legs hurts."

("ge" in Chinese means elder brother. In China you can call every man "ge", who is older than you. And the girl also can call her lover "ge" for expressing her love.)

Nie Huanzhang fell silent and he didn't plan to respond to Zhou Chuyu, but he seemed to hear a faint sob. However, it didn't last long before a soft snoring sound filled the air. 

Early the next morning, after thanking the farmer, Nie Huanzhang said Zhou Chuyu:

"Go back home, don't go any further. It is too dangerous for a child like you."

Zhou Chuyu replied:

"Thanks a lot. You are a good guy."

Nie Huanzhang patted Chuyu on the head, smiled, mounted his horse and bid a "Goodbye" and left.

However, Nie Huanzhang couldn't shake off his unease. His instincts told him that this boy wouldn't be obedient so he sighed and reluctantly turned his horse around and rode back. As expected, he saw Zhou Chuyu, swaying unsteadily, had already walked out of the small village. When Zhou Chuyu noticed him coming back, he seemed surprised. Nie Huanzhang asked:

"Why aren't you obedient? Didn't I tell you to go back home?" 

"I still want to find my elder brother. Even though I might not catch up with him, I know he's heading to Xin'an town."

"To reach Xin'an town with your current route, it will take at least half a month, assuming you find the right path. Not to mention the potential dangers along the way. Look at your delicate appearance, can you endure it? Are your legs not hurting anymore?"

Zhou Chuyu looked at him somewhat aggrievedly, speaking in a soft, slightly nasal voice:

"They are hurting and numbing, but even if I go back home, my legs still hurt. Besides, if I go home like this, my elder sister, Xiang, will mock me."

Nie Huanzhang was completely baffled by what this boy was thinking. He felt the urge to give him a good scolding, no concern for the dangers ahead, yet so delicate, and now afraid of mockery from his elder sister. Nie Huanzhang decided to remain silent, giving Zhou Chuyu a disapproving look and shaking his head. He didn't know what to do. He had urgent matters to handle without delay, but leaving this boy alone here made him unease. However, Nie Huanzhang didn't like to meddle in others' business but now he didn't understand why this boy had the power to make him pause and focus on whether this boy was safe or not so that he couldn't let go of this boy. Nie Huanzhang sighed and said:

"I'm heading to Feizai town, not towards Xin'an town. If you're willing, come with me there first, and I'll then guide you onto the main road to Xin'an town. Does that work for you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chuyu smiled immediately and said:

"Okay."

"Give me your belongings."

Nie Huanzhang dismounted, secured Zhou Chuyu's belongings to the saddle, and mounted the horse again. He reached out and pulled the shaky Zhou Chuyu onto the horse. Once on the horse, Zhou Chuyu clung tightly to Nie Huanzhang's waist, becoming a person in Nie Huanzhang's embrace. Nie Huanzhang looked at him helplessly, chuckled, shook his head and then spurred his horse to gallop away. 

Two of them rushed all the way, making a brief stop in a small town for some food and drink, and didn't reach Feizai town until the late afternoon. Then they went directly to a household where white cloth was hung at the door, indicating a funeral (ancient Chinese funeral customs). Obviously someone died in this family. Nie Huanzhang dismounted and knocked on the door. Soon, an elderly man opened the door. As soon as he saw Nie Huanzhang, he was crying immediately and said:

"Sir, my master he … he is gone."

"Uncle Guan, I rushed here as soon as I received the news. Did the burial have taken place?"

"Not yet, Mr. Feng said you would definitely come so he asked me to wait another day or two before the burial."

"let me go and see my eldest brother first." 

(In China especial in ancient China the best friends can become brothers.)

After speaking, Nie Huanzhang unfastened his sword, tied on a white mourning ribbon and followed Uncle Guan into the room. Zhou Chuyu also followed them. Inside, they saw a coffin in the hall, with a memorial tablet inscribed with "Father, Guan Yuheng" Kneeling beneath were an elderly woman dressed as a servant and a girl, six or seven years old, both in mourning attire. The elderly woman was a nanny of this girl, Uncle Guan's wife. 

Nie Huanzhang lit incense, prostrated on the ground and stayed there for a long time. Alongside him, Zhou Chuyu observed Nie Huanzhang's visibly trembling shoulder, realizing he was crying. After a while, Uncle Guan stood up first, helping Nie Huanzhang to his feet. Nie Huanzhang wiped his face with the hand covering it but then heard Zhou Chuyu's saying: 

"Mr. Guan, I am Zhou Chuyu. You don't know me and I don't know you either but I know Mr. Nie. He is a good person so his friend must also be a good person. Please accept my worship."

After speaking, he kowtowed three times. While Zhou Chuyu was kowtowing there, Nie Huanzhang found his previously very sorrowful mood lifted somewhat by this unexpected display of words and actions. He couldn't help but glance at Zhou Chuyu. At that moment, the little girl came over and called out:

"Uncle Nie."

Nie Huanzhang said:

"Yue, don't be sad, I am here to help you."

He hugged Guan Yue in his arms and asked Uncle Guan:

"Where is my elder brother, Mr Feng Yuan?"

"Mr. Feng has been here for a whole day, helped us and comforted my younger lady. Now he went to the graveyard, saying if you didn't arrive in the next couple of days, we would proceed with the burial. Luckily, you made it in time so the funeral will be held tomorrow. What do you think?"

"That's great. Is Mrs Guan's grave protected well?"

"Don't worry, it is in a good condition."

Nie Huanzhang turned to Zhou Chuyu and said:

"Hey, boy, I might be delayed here for a day or two. Help out with the arrangements if you have nothing else to do."

Zhou Chuyu asked:

"No problem, but what do you want me to do?" 

"Take care of this girl. Come here, Yue, this is Zhou Chuyu. You can call him..."

Suddenly Nie Huanzhang felt something wasn't right, so he turned to Zhou Chuyu and said:

"Well, did you call me wrong? You should be calling me uncle, not Ge, Shouldn't you?"

Zhou Chuyu looked at him and said:

"You don't look older than my eldest brother. How can I call you uncle?"

Nie Huanzhang didn't care about who was younger and who was elder. He looked at Zhou Chuyu then at Yue and asked Yue:

"Yue, what do you want to call him?"

"Ge."

Nie Huanzhang said to Zhou Chuyu:

"You see, she calls you Ge and calls me uncle so you have to call me uncle too."