Mo Sang – CH 333

Chapter 333. The First Teacher

Everyone in the hall left, even General Sun Xuezhi, who looked back several times before reluctantly leaving the inn.

Li Sangrou stood up and let out a long sigh.

Gu Xi raised an eyebrow at Li Sangrou.

Li Sangrou turned and walked towards the backyard, smiling. “Let’s have hot pot for the meal. Chuantiao and the others went fishing.”

“Want to kill another sheep?” Gu Xi followed Li Sangrou into the backyard.

“Alright,” Li Sangrou replied with a smile, pausing as she considered whether to choose a sheep herself when a guard entered to report: someone had come to apply for a position as a teacher at the charity school.

“Please come in; I will introduce you,” Gu Xi called out before Li Sangrou could speak.

“Then sit a little further away; do not frighten them.” Li Sangrou pointed to a slightly shady spot under the eaves, dragging two chairs over and placing them under the camphor tree in the middle of the courtyard.

Li Sangrou had just placed the chairs when a guard led in a woman covered in filth, carrying one child on her back and another in her arms.

Li Sangrou scrutinized the woman.

The woman’s clothes were tattered and dirty, her hair disheveled, her face sallow, her cheeks sunken in, and her eyes frighteningly large.

“Sit down.” Li Sangrou gestured for the woman to sit, then called out. “Bring her a bowl of food, something like cheese would be best.”

The woman plopped down on the bamboo chair, placing the child in her arms on her lap. Li Sangrou stepped forward, drew her narrow sword, and swiftly cut open the cloth straps carrying the children, lifting them down.

The child in the woman’s arms was extremely small, probably just born, while the child on her back was only about a year old, their hands and faces filthy and sticky.

“Do you have any breast milk?” Li Sangrou asked, holding the older child.

“A little, I…” The woman glanced around instinctively.

“See if you can find fresh goat’s milk or cow’s milk, boil it, and bring it over. Have Da Chang cook a bowl of chicken noodle soup, add two poached eggs and a handful of spinach, and hurry up,” Li Sangrou instructed Ru-Yi, who was bringing the soup and food, then gestured to the woman. “You eat something first.”

“Thank you,” the woman said, her eyes lowered, as she reached for the bowl of suola and ate it very quickly.

The older child in Li Sangrou’s arms stared at the pastries on the table, reaching out to grab them.

“Bring some warm water,” Li Sangrou ordered.

A moment later, a servant brought over a warm towel, and Li Sangrou, holding the child, carefully washed her hands and face.

“Thank you,” the woman said softly, watching Li Sangrou carefully wash the child’s hands and face after finishing the bowl of suola.

“You just gave birth? How many days? Is your lochia still there?” Li Sangrou asked, carefully wiping the child’s thin, yellow face.

“This morning.”

Li Sangrou smelled the strong scent of blood on the woman, but she had not expected that the child had just been born that morning. Her hand, which was wiping the baby’s face, paused slightly, and she could not help but take a deep breath.

“I…” The woman heard Li Sangrou’s inhale and immediately panicked.

“Do not speak yet. You and the child need to wash thoroughly, take some medicine, and get a good night’s sleep. Do not worry about anything else; your and the child’s lives are the most important.” Li Sangrou gestured to the woman, then raised her voice again, instructing Da Chang to bring the medicine bag, boil water to make a medicinal bath, and buy some clothes…

Ru-Yi, Da Chang, and the others busied themselves, washing the mother and her two children from head to toe, soaking them in the medicinal bath, changing them into clean clothes, and then taking them to a newly prepared empty room.

Li Sangrou followed her in, first glancing at the sleeping older child, then at the woman breastfeeding the younger one. She smiled and said, “You should get some sleep first. Whatever it is, we will talk about it after you wake up. Do not worry; whatever you encounter, I will definitely help you. I can definitely help you.”

“Alright,” the woman choked out.

Li Sangrou watched the woman lie down with the child in her arms, then left the room, closing the door behind her.

Gu Xi stood at the courtyard gate. Seeing Li Sangrou come out, he took a few steps forward, pointed to the woman’s guest room, and whispered, “I asked. They said they saw someone accompany her. It’s about an intersection away from our inn, so they let her come alone. They said it looked like an old woman, but they couldn’t see her clearly.

I sent people to look for the old woman, but they could not find her.”

“Ask her tomorrow,” Li Sangrou sighed.

Having just given birth, carrying one child on her back and holding another in her arms, fleeing all the way to her place, what could possibly have happened?

“I will go see if we can pick out a sheep and make soup with the bones first,” Li Sangrou said with a smile, changing the subject.

………………………………

The next morning, when Li Sangrou got up, Gu Xi had already finished his training and had just returned. Approaching Li Sangrou, he gestured towards the direction of the woman’s house outside the courtyard, “They said she got up before dawn, took the baby’s diapers, and wanted to find a foot basin to use. She said she’d already washed them and was drying them inside.”

Li Sangrou looked Gu Xi up and down several times.

Li Sangrou ate breakfast with Gu Xi before having someone invite the woman over.

Gu Xi sat in the shade of the corridor, while Li Sangrou sat under the camphor tree as she had yesterday. The woman followed the servant in and curtsied to Li Sangrou.

Li Sangrou carefully examined her complexion; she looked better; at least her lips had some color.

“Sit down; is the child asleep?” Li Sangrou gestured for the woman.

“The child is asleep; a young man is watching over him,” the woman replied, sitting down.

“Are you here to apply for the position of schoolteacher?” Li Sangrou continued.

“Yes,” the woman answered, slightly holding her breath.

“Then tell me about yourself,” Li Sangrou said gently.

“My surname is Song.” The woman’s throat tightened when she said her surname, and after a moment, she continued, “My name is Yinshu. My home is in Wangyuan Town outside Yangzhou City.” My father, Song Zhiming, was a scholar who made a living as a teacher.

“Before Yangzhou fell, my father sent my eldest brother with my mother, my two younger brothers, and me north to seek refuge, while he stayed home to oversee the school.

We left late. Just after passing Zhenwu Town, chaos broke out. People stole our horses and carts. My eldest brother was beaten to death, and my youngest brother fell from the cart and was trampled to death by the crowd.”

Song Yinshu’s voice choked for a moment before continuing, “My mother, my eldest brother, and I fled in the crowd. As darkness fell, I slipped and fell into a ditch, becoming separated from my mother and brothers.”

Song Yinshu paused, closing her eyes briefly. “Later, I was taken to Xia’an Village in Longtou Town and sold to Wu Daniu.

Two years ago, I gave birth to my eldest daughter. Old Lady Wu said she did not want a girl and wanted to throw her away, but I protected her, saying I’d keep her to raise her younger brother and that she could help him get a dowry when he grew up.

Yesterday I gave birth to my second child, another daughter. I made an excuse to bury her behind the village, but when I saw the notice posted at the village entrance, I brought her here.”

“Who helped you come?” Li Sangrou asked, looking at Song Yinshu.

“I did it myself!” Song Yinshu answered very quickly.

“Longtou Town is sixty or seventy li from here. You could not have come by yourself, so someone brought you here,” Li Sangrou continued.

“No…”

“Tell the truth,” Li Sangrou interrupted Song Yinshu.

“I did it myself!” Song Yinshu said through gritted teeth.

“Let’s not talk about that now, since you are afraid of implicating her.

You escaped. What if the Wu family comes looking for you? Xia’an Village is only sixty or seventy li from here; they will find you quickly,” Li Sangrou asked, looking at Song Yinshu.

“I can compose poetry and write essays for the imperial examinations. I’ve read many books. The tutors you are hiring cannot all be homeless,” Song Yinshu said nervously, clutching her clothes.

“Even those with families should have their families’ approval. You, coming to my door, what do you plan to do?” Li Sangrou asked, looking at Song Yinshu.

Song Yinshu pursed her lips tightly. After a moment, she looked directly at Li Sangrou and said, “I have no marriage certificate or indenture with him. I am not a member of the Wu family.”

“Hmm, what about your two children?” Li Sangrou continued.

“The children are mine. They take my surname, Song. They are my children!” Song Yinshu said protectively, like a mother protecting her chicks.

“You are raising two young children alone. It will be easier to find a place in the county town. Just attend the local private school there for a few days and rest well. Once everyone’s enrolled, you can go to the school.”

Li Sangrou’s decisiveness stunned Song Yinshu. “You?”

“I will have someone send a message to the Wu family later, asking them to come over.

Before I leave, it would be best if the authorities could sever this tie between you and the Wu family,” Li Sangrou continued.

“You…” Song Yinshu slid down from her chair and knelt.

“Get up. Not only are men’s knees precious, but women’s are too. Do not kneel so easily,” Li Sangrou said, reaching out and pulling Song Yinshu up. “You just gave birth; go home and rest. Take care of yourself for the next few days.”

“Your great kindness…” Song Yinshu’s eyes welled with tears.

“They all call me ‘Grand Boss,’ but this is nothing. You helped yourself; I am just helping you out. Go home and rest.” Li Sangrou smiled.