Volume One: Menial Servant in Changshui County Chapter Seventeen: Recording Gift Contributions

March 10th.

Renyin, Jiachen, Guisi.

Auspicious for burials, travel, and moving into a new house; inauspicious for business transactions and market openings.

Early in the morning, Zhao Chan'er hopped cheerfully into Lu Jiuzhang's home.

She was saddened by the death of Brother Lu, but the chance to see Lu Jiuzhang still made the girl happy.

“Second Brother Lu, my mother said there would be many guests today, so she sent me over to help,” Zhao Chan'er said with a smile.

“Go boil some hot water in the kitchen first, then head out to buy some tea,” Lu Jiuzhang instructed. “I’ve left the money on the table—take it and go when you’re ready.”

Tea was not cheap; a single jin cost several hundred copper coins. Changshui County was situated too far north to produce tea, so all the tea here had to be brought in from elsewhere. Even the coarsest and most poorly made tea was still beyond the means of ordinary families.

“If you see anything you like on the way, you may buy it,” Lu Jiuzhang added.

He couldn’t ask the girl to run errands without offering some benefit.

“Second Brother Lu, you’re the best!”

Zhao Chan'er rushed over and wrapped her arms around Lu Jiuzhang’s neck, trying to kiss him.

“Wait… don’t move! You’re not a child anymore—watch your manners!” Lu Jiuzhang panicked instantly.

He remembered how, when they were young, Zhao Chan'er had always liked to kiss him like this; back then, they were too little for it to matter. Now that they were both older, such intimacy was no longer appropriate.

“It’s fine, Second Brother Lu. There’s no one else here to see us,” Zhao Chan'er said, unconcerned.

“It just feels strange. Go boil the water, quickly,” Lu Jiuzhang said, gently pushing her away.

He finally let out a long breath when he saw her pout and head for the kitchen.

This girl truly didn’t see herself as an outsider.

As the old saying goes, only a fool refuses a windfall.

But when it came to Zhao Chan'er, Lu Jiuzhang genuinely didn’t want to take advantage—not in his heart, at least. They simply belonged to different worlds, and getting too close would do neither of them any good.

Besides, as a man from another world, Lu Jiuzhang had no interest in the neighbor’s little sister trope.

It was a pity, though, that this world had no beautiful women in black stockings. If there were, matched with ancient-style clothing, that would be truly perfect.

To be honest, black stockings are eternal! If not, white ones would do, or even sheer ones in a pinch!

…

“Brother Lu!” Just as Lu Jiuzhang was lost in thought, Wang Yunshan’s voice sounded from outside the courtyard.

He strolled in, carrying a jar of wine and a piece of cured meat. “Brother Lu, you know how tight money is for me. I haven’t repaid the money I borrowed from you for listening to music at the brothel a few days ago! You know what my wife’s like—getting money from her is harder than scaling the heavens!”

“How about this: next time, I’ll treat you to another night at the brothel!”

Wang Yunshan’s meaning was clear—he was only bringing these things today, no cash gift, and would make up for it by inviting Lu Jiuzhang to the Red Orchid House next time.

“I’ll remember that, Brother Wang!” Lu Jiuzhang replied, pulling out a ledger and making a note—Wang Yunshan: one jar of wine (value unknown), one piece of cured meat (worth fifty coins), and a promise to treat Lu Jiuzhang to a night at the brothel.

“What are you…?”

“Brother Lu, why are you writing all that down?” Wang Yunshan asked, puzzled.

He wasn’t sure if places like Anxi Prefecture had gift ledgers, but in Changshui County, there was no such tradition. The place was too small and the people too honest—keeping a record like that was pointless.

“This way, if you ever have an event at your house, I know what to return!” Lu Jiuzhang explained with a smile. “Recording it saves me from forgetting.”

There were too many colleagues in the Demon-Slaying Bureau; without notes, he really might forget. Other people in Changshui County didn’t have such worries—most had few relatives, and it was easy to remember.

“But if you keep a record, can others see it?” Wang Yunshan asked, leaning in.

“Of course. That’s the point—everyone can see what’s been given and received,” Lu Jiuzhang laughed.

“Brother Lu, I was only joking just now!” Wang Yunshan’s face twisted in pain. “Your eldest brother Lu Huaigu was a good friend of mine. The wine and meat are just extras—this tael of silver is my real token of respect.”

There were still many colleagues from the Demon-Slaying Bureau to come; if they saw he’d only brought this, he’d be laughed out of the hall.

As he finished his gift, Wang Yunshan’s heart bled. That was a whole tael of silver! The last time seven or eight of them went to the brothel, they’d only spent that much. If he had gone alone, he could have visited several times—maybe even spent the night with a girl if he was in the mood.

Before long, another colleague from the Demon-Slaying Bureau arrived. This one was none other than Demon-Slaying Guard Zhou Cheng, with whom Lu Jiuzhang was quite familiar—after all, they’d fought side by side in a village before.

“What’s this?” Zhou Cheng asked, noticing Lu Jiuzhang sitting at a table by the door, pen and book in hand.

“Lord Zhou, this is a gift ledger,” Lu Jiuzhang explained. “It records what people bring as gifts, so I can return the favor in the future.”

Zhou Cheng nodded, fumbled in his pockets, and found a handful of copper coins. Just as he was about to take them out, he noticed someone else’s name already recorded in the ledger—Wang Yunshan, also from the Demon-Slaying Bureau, and a mere menial worker at that.

If even a menial worker had given a tael of silver, how could Zhou Cheng, a superior, offer any less?

“Put me down for two taels of silver!” Zhou Cheng decided after a moment’s thought. “I don’t have that much on me, so I’ll leave my sword here as collateral. I’ll send someone over with the money later!”

With that, Zhou Cheng placed his Demon-Slaying Bureau sword with a clang on the table.

Well, this was awkward.

How could a ranked martial officer not have even a little money on him?

And leaving his sword as collateral made Lu Jiuzhang feel a bit embarrassed.

“Just record it. Tomorrow, bring the sword to the Bureau, and I’ll give you the money there,” Zhou Cheng added.

So Lu Jiuzhang wrote in the ledger: Lord Zhou Cheng of the Demon-Slaying Guard, gift of two taels of silver.

“Be sure to note the sword as collateral,” Zhou Cheng reminded him.

Lu Jiuzhang had no choice but to add: personal sword temporarily held as security.

After saying this, Zhou Cheng went over to Wang Yunshan.

The two exchanged awkward glances. Wang Yunshan would have preferred to avoid Zhou Cheng, but there was no choice—Zhou Cheng was his direct superior. Lu Huaigu had been under Zhou’s command; that was the only reason Zhou Cheng attended the funeral at all.

Both men felt an unspeakable discomfort—the silver was gone, just like that. If they had at least spent it, it would have been easier to accept, but to see it pass from their own pockets into someone else’s, unused, left their hearts sore.