9. Twin Heroes of Yiling

In the morning, Meng Yao contrived a complicated escapade that required both Wei Ying and Lao Wang to go into town with him first thing in the morning. It was a little unnerving how completely convincing he was in the lie, but Yanli assumed it was a skill he picked up from the uncertain world of the brothel he grew up in. She was grateful, in any case.

A’Cheng was angry and confused at being left out until Yanli explained that she needed his help, specifically, around the house. He brightened up at the idea of spending time alone with her, and happily insulted Wei Ying as they walked away, Lao Wang bundled up into the little rickshaw pulled by Meng Yao. Wei Ying yelled an insult back at A’Cheng and Yanli quickly chivvied him inside the siheyuan before they decided it would be fun to wrestle in a ditch.

“What are we doing? Are we working on the main entrance?” He stood in the gateway looking over everything like a little lordling. Which he was…or used to be. “Wei Ying says we have to put a spirit wall here, at this angle, to block energies. How irresponsible of the owner to leave it like this!” He looked up over the roof to the looming, dark specter of the Burial Mounds with a frown.

“Yes, we can do that. Once we get some extra money coming in. First, though, I want to talk to you. Come have tea.”

He was immediately on his guard, and she couldn’t blame him. How many times had she admonished him for bad behavior over “a talk and some tea”? Quite a few times.

When they sat down, he promptly went about preparing the tea, looking at her once or twice to make sure he was doing it right. A’Yao’s words rang in her ears about how A’Cheng was not destined to be a member of the gentry, much less a sect leader, anymore. Yet even at eleven years old, he was mindful of etiquette and the subtleties of tea preparation, literally trained since birth to be aware of the social hierarchy around him and his role as a member of the elevated classes. His only path to such genteel society as a commoner would be to take the Imperial exams and become a bureaucrat, which he had the mind for but not the personality. He had spent too many years raised as The Heir of Yunmeng Jiang to tolerate being treated like a servant, and like their mother, he was short-tempered. Often she had acted more like a club than a whip in socially or politically fraught situations, and A’Cheng had inherited that tendency from her along with her sharp cheekbones and the shape of her eyes.

Yanli had heard servants say that the only thing A’Cheng got from his father was his wavy hair, and while that was probably true, it certainly had not meant what they all assumed it did. She thought it was ironic that A’Cheng and Ying’er had similar hair, and wondered if that was part of why so many people assumed Ying’er was Jiang Fengman’s bastard.

When he had poured cups for both of them and they were settled on the cushions, she folded all those thoughts away and smiled at him.

“A’Yao said that you are doing well with your math studies.”

He puffed up a little. “DaGe is very smart! He knows all the numbers already. He also showed me a money table, and how to use it with the abacus.”

Which meant that A’Yao had already planned to teach A’Cheng accounting before talking to her. She filed that away for future reference.

“I am very proud of you, A’Cheng.”

He did a valiant job of not wriggling in his seat.

“It is important, because we do not have much money now. It’s not like when we were at Lotus Pier, and Mother handled all the accounts. We won’t be getting allowances anymore.”

He nodded, a solemn expression coming over his face. “DaGe said he got a couple of clients for his accounting work. Will that be enough?”

“No.” She looked down at her tea.

“I can work! And Wei Ying! We can do…stuff! Maybe some farmers need help? Or…” He stopped, fishing around for ideas. She reached out and patted his hand.

“It eases my heart to hear you consider this. But, I think Meng Yao and I have an idea for me to do something that will make money, so I would prefer if you and Wei Ying continue focusing on your education.”

He frowned. “Why would you work outside of the house? You are Young Lady Jiang.”

“A’Cheng, I know we keep our own names in our hearts, but to the world outside, I am Miss Meng Jiayi, a simple commoner. To support our household, I need to earn money.”

“At what?” He looked genuinely insulted by the idea. “You shouldn’t have to work for money!”

She laughed. “Yes, I should! Just as you have to study hard and practice the six arts in order to become a strong cultivator.”

“Mn!” He nodded ferociously. “But what will you do then, JieJie? Oh I know! You can cook!”

“I thought of that too!” They smiled at each other. “But A’Yao convinced me of a better idea, something with less overhead. I will do fancy embroidery work and sell it at a high price. Sashes and fans and scarves.”

His eyes went wide. “Xie Furen had some beautiful aquamarine silk thread! And cadmium orange!” He looked thoughtful. “She had undyed linen thread too. We might be able to do some custom dying.”

How he even noticed any of that during their last trip into market, she had no idea. “You will be very helpful, DiDi! I’m very happy about this, I think it will bring in good money. What we cannot sell in Yiling, we can sell to the traders who come through.”

“Just not to anyone from Lotus Pier, though.” He scowled.

“A’Cheng! Don’t be petty!”

“No. They don’t deserve your work.” He folded his arms over his chest.

She sighed and refilled their cups. “Be that as it may, it brings me to the next topic I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Lotus Pier?” He dropped his arms and picked up the tea.

“Yes.” She took a deep breath. “I need you to understand that we have left that world behind, along with Lotus Pier. Even when you and Wei Ying become strong cultivators, you will never be able to join a sect.”

“What?”

“Because Father is who he is, no sect will take you in. They will be too scared of offending him.”

He still looked confused. She took another deep breath. “A’Cheng, I am telling you that you will never be a part of the gentry again. The cultivation world won’t have you. At best, you could be a rogue cultivator. I know you and Wei Ying pretend at that sometimes, but maybe—”

“No!” He slammed his cup down on the table.

“I’m sorry, A’Cheng. But it will never happen, because Mother—”

“No!” He repeated, his face going red and blotchy. “You don’t get it! I don’t want to be in a sect ever again!”

“What?”

“Wei Ying is right! Father ruined us! He destroyed our lives! For what? Because he had another fight with Mother?”

“Ah, well, it’s a bit more complicated than that.” She grimaced and tried to hide behind her teacup.

“I know what they say! But Father believed it! Did he even have proof? Did he?” He jumped to his feet, fists held at his sides.

“I don’t know, A’Cheng. I’m sure he had some proof.”

“I’m not! He hated her! Just like he hates me!” Tears started rolling down his cheeks. Yanli went to get up but he stomped around the room, yelling.

“They don’t deserve us! They don’t! Mother was always mean to you and Father didn’t like me and they fought all the time!” The tears streamed down his face, dripping onto his clothes. “He wanted to get rid of me, so he did! Is that what it means to be part of a cultivation sect? To be like they were? Liars and cheaters and betrayers? I won’t do it! I won’t!”

“You…you don’t want to be a cultivator? Because our parents fought?” She finally put down her cup, trying to figure out what he was saying.

“No!” He howled and curled over himself, his face in his hands, breathing heavily. “No!”

“A’Cheng, I don’t know what you are telling me. I don’t understand.”

He snapped up straight. “I don’t want to join any stupid sect! We can be cultivators right here, in Yiling!” He took a deep breath that was more of a sob. “Wei Ying and I have it all figured out! We’re going to become the strongest cultivators! And then we’re going to cleanse the Burial Mounds! We’ll fight all the yao and liberate all the fierce corpses and disperse all the resentful energy! We’re going to do it! And then no one can call us bastards anymore!” He broke down sobbing after shouting out the last declaration, collapsing to his knees. Yanli went over to take him in her arms.

“That a great idea, A’Cheng. It’s wonderful. I know you can do it!” She was, actually, extremely doubtful of that, but it was a discussion for a later time. A much, much later time.

Eventually, he rubbed his eyes and sat up straight, fierce and proud and looking more like their mother than he ever had before.

“Don’t worry about us, JieJie. Wei Ying and I are going to be okay. We don’t need the gentry! We don’t need their help! We’re going to be the Twin Heroes of Yiling!”