Three Joys

Chapter 69

As soon as the boat arrived at the Yangsu ferry, the steward of the Zhuangzi estate came to greet me. They settled me comfortably in the estate, never inquiring about my whereabouts.

I spent several days in this place, and then the heavy rain began outside. One night, deep into the darkness, I experienced another nightmare, jolting awake afterward. The servants sleeping in the adjacent room heard the commotion and hurriedly brought a lamp.

"Mr Shen," he approached me, hesitating as he called my name. My chest was heaving, and it wasn't until he touched my shoulder that I fully woke up.

"Mr Shen, why... are you crying?" he inquired.

It was only then that I realized I had tears streaming down my face. I wiped them away along with the sweat on my brow, and after a while, the fear and sorrow that had lingered in my heart slowly faded. The servant stayed by my bedside, tucking me in and said, "Mr Shen, you've had restless nights for a few days, murmuring in your sleep."

I asked, "What did I say?"

The servant thought for a moment and replied
"I couldn't make out the words clearly, just vague mentions of 'Sir' and something about the wind."

I closed my eyes slowly, turned to my side, and softly said, "It's nothing, you may go."

During this northern campaign, the current emperor appointed the eldest son of the Xu family as the commander, granting him the imperial seal to lead the troops into battle against the Wu Xu invaders.

Despite being outnumbered, I heard that the Wu Xu warriors were all valiant and skilled in warfare. In particular, their newly crowned Khan was not only a brilliant military strategist but also cunning and crafty. It's said that he brought only ten thousand elite soldiers and managed to breach our northern defenses, conquering three cities.

I had a series of restless nights, and my spirit was a bit low. The servants brewed tonics to strengthen my health, and after a few days, they proved effective. I no longer tossed and turned in my sleep.

I no longer had nightmares, but the heavy rain didn't cease. Before long, I heard that the Yangsu River upstream had burst its banks, causing flooding in several areas.

The Yangsu River had experienced flooding every few years. The local authorities had always struggled to control it. During this period, I remained within the mansion, not venturing outside.

One reason was the flooding, and the other was due to the increasing number of beggars, making it challenging to maintain security. During these days, the streets of Yangsu were filled with beggars. As I walked around, I couldn't help but wonder how these destitute souls had come to such a state.

For several years, the Yang River had experienced periodic flooding, and the local authorities struggled to control it. During this time, I remained at the estate, refraining from traveling due to the constant threat of floods and the instability caused by banditry. In those days, Yangsu was plagued by beggars who could be seen everywhere.

On my way back to the estate, I encountered countless hungry children who didn't seek money but only a morsel to eat, willing to work as laborers, and they were ready to toil without complaint.

Upon my return to the estate, I discussed this matter with the steward. The steward sighed and said, "Mr Shen, you might not be aware of this, but those poor people selling their sons and daughters isn't the only issue. There's a severe food shortage in the south, so people are even resorting to eating tree bark. There are instances of parents resorting to cannibalism, and it's truly a tragic and inhumane situation."

I contemplated the situation and said, "I can see that our estate's granary is brimming with surplus grain, to the extent that it's been infested with pests. Would it not be a waste to leave it unused? Why not open the granary for charity?"