Chapter 53 — Standing Out Alone
When they first arrived in the provincial capital, although the family still had a few hundred silver coins, Grandma Kou didn’t want to sit around and eat her savings. With Xie Jing still on a two-day leave, the whole family gathered to discuss what small business they could start.
Li Yuan carried over a small stool and sat quietly to the side. He didn’t speak much and mostly just listened.
Grandma Kou was torn between opening a breakfast shop or a tailor shop. She felt she could do either. Opening a breakfast shop suited her skills, but it required getting up very early and was physically demanding. A tailor shop would be more leisurely, but at her age, her eyesight was gradually failing, making detailed work difficult. Still, making a few clothes for Xie Jing would be manageable; as a small source of income, it was acceptable.
Grandma Kou said, “Jing’er, I’ve thought about it. Both are possible, but how about I open the breakfast shop first? In a couple of years, when it’s too tiring, I can make clothes for people—just simple stitching, not too delicate…”
Xie Jing shook his head and said, “A small restaurant is fine. You don’t need to worry about fixed hours. There are plenty of people in the provincial capital. You can make some fresh snacks, open when it’s convenient, and close when you’re tired.”
Grandma Kou laughed, “You silly child! Business doesn’t work like taking a break whenever you feel like it. If you did that, customers would all leave.”
Xie Jing replied, “If they leave, they leave. I can earn money. I’ll support you.”
Grandma Kou patted his head, eyes full of laughter, murmuring “silly boy,” yet in a fond, indulgent way. She wasn’t upset at all. “Grandma hasn’t done business before, and neither have you. Naturally, it’s hard to feel confident.”
“It’s fine. Do you remember Uncle Zhang? He has so many guards under him. When he got tired of the mansion food, he’d always go out for a treat. Back in Qinghe, whatever you made, Uncle Zhang and the others loved it. Just do it the same way.”
“Will that work?”
“Of course! Whatever you make, Grandma, it tastes good.”
Xie Jing spoke earnestly, which pleased Grandma Kou. After a brief hesitation, she nodded. “Alright, I’ll follow your suggestion.”
Xie Jing rested at home for a day or two and arranged for a carpenter and a mason to work on the street-facing shop. The modifications were minimal: they widened the doors and windows, added thick cloth curtains, repaired the furnace outside the courtyard, cleaned out the ash, and restarted it. This allowed them to boil water and steam several baskets of buns. The stove would keep the small shop warm all day. Even without reading the sign, anyone seeing the steaming buns would know it was a food shop.
Li Yuan returned carrying a roll of thick red cloth and unrolled it to show Xie Jing the new banner. “Xie Jing, what should we call our shop?”
Xie Jing thought for a moment. “Go get ink and brush.”
Li Yuan agreed and returned with them. Xie Jing took the brush and wrote four characters: “Yi Zhi Du Xiu” (Standing Out Alone). The calligraphy was elegant and smooth. After two years learning under Lord Bai Jiu, Xie Jing’s strokes had gained strength. While he couldn’t replicate the full majesty of Lord Bai Jiu’s writing, which flowed like drifting clouds and dragons in motion, his own work carried the confident, unrestrained energy of youth.
Li Yuan, having studied characters with Grandma Kou and Xie Jing, read the sign aloud and frowned slightly. “Shouldn’t we write something like ‘restaurant’ or ‘eatery’? All the other shops do.”
Xie Jing blew on the ink. “No need. This is enough.”
Li Yuan hung the banner outside and looked at it happily. “Xie Jing, on my way here, I saw the other shops’ signs. Ours is definitely brighter and prettier.”
Xie Jing smiled and watched the banner flutter in the wind, giving the small shop an air of quiet prominence.
Though business hadn’t started, the shop already had a sense of presence.
After his two-day leave ended, Xie Jing instructed Li Yuan to supervise the shop modifications while he returned to serve Lord Bai Jiu.
The Bai family’s old mansion had strict rules. Xie Jing’s current duty was with the guard squad, under Zhang Huwei. Upon arrival, he first reported to Zhang Huwei, who was busy but walked him to the guard quarters while explaining:
“Lord Bai Jiu hasn’t rested since returning. Last night he went with the Old Master to General Bai’s place. That house has stricter rules—everyone is a soldier, all with difficult tempers. He told me to have you wait at home until he returns. At the latest, he’ll be back this afternoon.”
Xie Jing acknowledged.
Zhang Huwei touched his face. “Lucky you weren’t here the past two days. You wouldn’t believe how many people near Lord Bai Jiu got drunk.”
Xie Jing blinked. “Lord Bai Jiu drank that much too?”
Zhang Huwei nodded. “Of course. Lord Bai Jiu has been away for two years. Old friends naturally came to toast him, plus elders like General Bai. Before the new year, he wouldn’t get a rest. Lucky for us, Lord Bai Jiu never gets drunk; if it were anyone else, they’d have collapsed in a day. General Bai and his friends are a pack of wolves—no one to be trifled with. Drinking there meant smashing open sealed jars and drinking straight.”
Xie Jing vaguely remembered it was the same before. Lord Bai Jiu had exceptional tolerance; Xie Jing had only seen him drunk once, during the Mid-Autumn celebration.
Seeing Xie Jing silent, Zhang Huwei reassured him, “Don’t worry. I’ve never seen Lord Bai Jiu truly drunk. He was raised with wine by the Old Master. You have nothing to fear.”
Xie Jing thought: …I might have actually seen him drunk before.
Zhang Huwei had to deliver items to Lord Bai Jiu, so he hurriedly left Xie Jing in the tea room of the guard quarters.
The tea room was spacious, connected to the next room, furnished with tables and chairs, and a small stove in the center for boiling water and tea. Along the walls were weapons, well-used but polished, including soft whips, long sticks, and several numbered spears. A few guards were cleaning their weapons and looked curious when Xie Jing entered.
One glanced out the window and whispered, “Master is gone!”
Like a signal, all the other guards—muscular men, some with shaved heads, some with tattoos across chest and arms—crowded around. They were all tall enough to look down on Xie Jing.
Xie Jing stood a little stiffly and greeted them, “Hello, senior brothers.”
They sized him up, laughed, and soon Xie Jing couldn’t help but smile too.
The leader spoke, “You must be Little Xie, right? Our Master mentioned you’d be here. Didn’t expect you to be so handsome. We thought he brought back a young sister!”
Xie Jing corrected, “Senior brother, I’m male.”
“Of course, of course!” another hurried to add. “Wang Su said as soon as he got back from Qinghe. We prepared a small gift for you. Not worth much, but take it anyway.”
Having been in a theater troupe before, Xie Jing knew the rules of the world. He accepted graciously and thanked each one. “Senior brothers, come visit my house. Grandma opened a small restaurant; simple home cooking. I’ll treat you all.”
They were delighted and promised to support the new shop.
Xie Jing sat with them by the stove. They gave him the warmest spot and hot tea, along with roasted sweet potatoes. Soon he was sweating from the heat. He could not drink much tea, but the fragrant sweet potatoes whetted his appetite. He ate slowly while listening to their conversation.
The room was full of laughter. These were rough, martial brothers who had faced life and death together. Naturally, Xie Jing, as their junior brother, fit right in.
He noticed familiar faces—men loyal to Lord Bai Jiu—but at the time, he had been late entering the household and had tried escaping several times, so he hadn’t had this kind of relationship with the guards before.
He spotted the old tree near the rear courtyard wall—once used by him to climb and escape. He had run through three towns before being caught. Lord Bai Jiu had the tree cut down and planted Western crabapple and persimmon trees instead. While outsiders said the trees were planted for filial reasons (“five generations persimmon, same courtyard crabapple”), Xie Jing knew their branches were soft and low, designed to prevent escape.
Holding his tea, he smiled quietly. The clear water reflected him as he was now, lips curling in satisfaction. Back then, they had been at odds, chasing and running from each other. Who could have imagined that years later, they would depend on each other completely? Lord Bai Jiu had dismissed everyone, leaving him alone at the bedside. He had been the one to see Lord Bai Jiu’s last journey. He alone survived.
A senior brother patted Xie Jing’s shoulder. Xie Jing looked up.
“No worries,” the brother said. “You’ve been lost in thought. Any troubles, tell us—we’ll help.”
Xie Jing shook his head. “Nothing, I just tend to be quiet. I’m listening to you all chat.”
In the lively tea room, the young boy’s solitary figure was reflected in ripples on the tea’s surface, soon disappearing.
Meanwhile, at the governor’s residence:
Lord Bai Jiu had drunk heavily and went out to the corridor for air. Unlike the Bai mansion, this place was fully exposed. Across the small garden were miniature rockeries; pine and cypress trees were everywhere, and guards patrolled every few steps. The air was fresh but cold.
Lord Bai Jiu paused, thinking of Xie Jing. He chuckled, realizing he had been too well cared for in the past two years and could not adapt if apart for even a moment.
By noon, the banquet ended. Returning home, he went to the East Court of the provincial residence. Servants greeted him along the way. He didn’t respond and went straight to the bedroom, shedding his cloak and washing his hands with warm water before entering.
Peeking under the canopy, the bed was neat and empty.
Frowning, he asked, “Where is Little Xie?”
A servant paused. “Who do you mean?”
Lord Bai Jiu asked again, “Didn’t Zhang Huwei send him this morning?”
The servant shook his head but quickly said, “I’ll fetch him. Freshly brewed tea with milk is ready. Drink a cup first; he’ll be brought to you after.”
Sure enough, in the time it took to sip the tea, Xie Jing was brought in, still holding half a roasted sweet potato. Seeing Lord Bai Jiu, he smiled. “Master, you’re back?”
Lord Bai Jiu set down his cup and asked calmly, “I am. Where have you been?”
Xie Jing replied, “To the guard quarters. Uncle Zhang said I’ll be stationed there from now on.”
Lord Bai Jiu chuckled. “Zhang Huwei was reckless. I told him to bring you; who said to leave you there?” He took a handkerchief and wiped the coal ash from Xie Jing’s hands. Xie Jing tried to retreat, but his hands were gently held. “Next time, come straight here. Stay by my side, no wandering around.”
Xie Jing nodded, feeling the slight itch at his fingertips when their hands touched, an impulse to pull back.
Lord Bai Jiu tickled his palm lightly. “Don’t move. You’ve been gone all morning, like a dirty little monkey.”
After milk tea was delivered, everyone left. Now the bedroom held only the two of them.
Xie Jing obediently let Lord Bai Jiu clean his hands and looked around. The familiar surroundings gave him a sense of security, as if truly returned to the East Court, back with Lord Bai Jiu.
Lord Bai Jiu, satisfied, led him to bed. Xie Jing helped him change and then slept with him for a nap. Lord Bai Jiu, having drunk heavily and slept poorly the night before, quickly fell asleep.
Xie Jing, expecting to remain awake, found himself lulled to sleep by Lord Bai Jiu’s even breathing. He slept until evening.
Upon waking, Lord Bai Jiu brought porridge and side dishes. Hearing that Xie Jing had written the small restaurant’s sign, he smiled. “Good name, but not flashy. Fewer people might come.”
Xie Jing scratched his nose. “It’s just for fun. Grandma’s health isn’t good. I just wanted a small business to occupy her time.”
Lord Bai Jiu nodded. “Fair enough. If you need anything, just tell me.”
Xie Jing drank two bowls and put down his chopsticks. Lord Bai Jiu noted he ate lightly. Xie Jing explained he had eaten a lot at noon. Lord Bai Jiu confirmed by touching his belly and instructed him to play in the yard before evening bookkeeping lessons.
Tea was delivered, and Xie Jing explored the courtyard. Snow weighed down two crabapple trees. He cleared the snow, imagining the future sweetness of the fruit. Back in the East Court, he had never tasted one out of spite. Now, he could savor it—or even make candied crabapple skewers with rock sugar.
Returning for lessons, he noticed the household’s warmth toward him. Servants were unusually kind, offering milk and sugar, attentive and gentle, a stark contrast to before.
Xie Jing finished a page of exercises and received a piece of Sachima as a reward. The East Court felt both familiar and new—this was truly different.
When “Standing Out Alone” officially opened, Lord Bai Jiu had five-thousand-shot firecrackers set off, shaking the entire street.
On opening day, Zhang Huwei and the guard squad almost took over the shop, placing small tables in the courtyard and having a lively meal together.
Grandma Kou insisted on feeding them. They brought dozens of sacks of rice and flour and wild rabbits and pheasants for the kitchen.
Li Yuan acted as waiter, memorizing orders and dietary restrictions. With Xie Jing assisting Grandma Kou, dishes were prepared quickly, the aroma eliciting praise.
The meal ended in joy. Though the sign wasn’t meant to attract many, Li Yuan calculated costs carefully. Grandma Kou steamed plenty of buns daily. By month’s end, they earned ten silver coins—Grandma Kou rewarded Li Yuan with three.
Xie Jing asked Li Yuan if he was tired. Li Yuan shook his head energetically, boasting he could handle anything. Grandma Kou nodded in agreement. She told Li Yuan he would manage the accounts when Xie Jing ran the shop, emphasizing the need for a skill to stand on.
Grandma Kou smiled at Xie Jing. “Jing’er, now I can rest easy. In a couple of years, when you leave the mansion, you’ll at least have a roof over your head—a fallback.”
Before Xie Jing could reply, someone at the shop called out. Business had arrived.
Grandma Kou and Li Yuan rushed to attend. Xie Jing, amused at being left behind for the first time, smiled and returned early to the Bai mansion.
Just as he left, several guards came to the shop, greeted Li Yuan, and inquired about Xie Jing. Li Yuan replied calmly, already unafraid of outsiders: “He’s inside. Shall I fetch him?”
They waved it off. One tossed him peanuts, joking that the junior brother was far more sensible and always punctual.
They were taking a short break, enjoying side dishes and wine, when three unruly young men—around twenty, semi-long hair, new robes ill-fitting—entered. One, in silk, chewed a straw and mocked the shop’s name, “‘Standing Out Alone’—so delicate! Let’s see what’s so ‘outstanding’ here.” He shouted, “Where’s the shopkeeper?!”
Li Yuan approached politely. “What would you like to eat? Plenty of seats here.”
The man sneered, “I see with my own eyes.” He sat, asked Li Yuan to sing the dish names. Li Yuan, with theater experience, complied. After a bit, the man dismissed him and ordered braised wild rabbit.
Li Yuan glanced at the guards near the window and went to fetch the dish. Grandma Kou had prepared the braised rabbit earlier; reheating was quick.
The three ate, asked for more wine, and Li Yuan, wary of trouble, warned that today’s wine was mostly gone. The three waved him off.
Soon, they began shouting and accusing the shop of serving rotten rabbit. Li Yuan checked—they had nearly finished it—and patiently explained that the meat was fresh, with still-soft skin from the morning delivery.
The rogue slammed a bowl down, yelling it was rotten, claiming it was old and tough.
Before he could finish, the guards at the window slammed the table with their fists and stood up.
The three assumed their usual intimidation would work. They were used to scaring small restaurants away, and if other customers got angry, owners would appease them. They thought this shop was no different.
Just as they gloated, the guards approached. One grabbed the silk-robed man by the arm, reeking of wine, and scolded: “Kid, what nonsense are you talking? What’s wrong with the rabbit?!” He slapped the man’s face twice, turning it red. “Speak louder! Tell me—what’s wrong?!”
The man being lifted: “…”
