Chapter Twenty-One: Married Couples Hold No Grudges Overnight

About fifteen or sixteen miles from Qishan’s Thousand Households Office lies Zhang Village. Qi Dazhi led a hundred armed men overnight to Zhang Village to attend Zhang Chen’s wedding banquet. His main purpose was to coordinate with the Zhang Village militia in the campaign to eradicate the bandit gang led by Guangtou Qiang of Cishan.

“Commander Qi, the gang led by Guangtou Qiang must be wiped out. Last night, the Zhang Village militia suffered heavy casualties. It’s not feasible now, but within a month, our militia will definitely launch an attack,” Zhang Chen said.

“Better to face a godlike enemy than a team of fools,” Zhang Chen thought. He wanted to fight alongside the official troops. Raising his cup, he said to Qi Dazhi, “Brother Qi, your office can just cheer on our Zhang Village militia from the sidelines.”

“Afraid our Thousand Households Office will be a drag? Brother Zhang, you underestimate Qishan’s office!” Qi Dazhi felt insulted, his face flushing red with anger.

“Misunderstanding, Brother Qi, you’ve misunderstood me,” Zhang Chen smiled. “The Guangtou Qiang bandits won’t spare Zhang Village. We must strike first. Within a month, our militia will launch a surprise attack against them. When we do, there won’t be time to notify you.”

“Brother Zhang, striking first is courting death. Well then, let’s drink,” Qi Dazhi clinked cups with Zhang Chen. Not familiar enough with Zhang Chen to dissuade him, Qi Dazhi kept his doubts to himself.

Bandits aren’t easily eliminated, and the Guangtou Qiang gang of Cishan is even tougher. Zhang Chen was foolish to want to act alone and launch a preemptive strike against them. Abandoning the idea of a joint operation with the Zhang Village militia, Qi Dazhi cursed Zhang Chen silently, thinking he’d learn the bandits’ true strength only after a serious setback.

After a few more drinks with Qi Dazhi, Zhang Chen moved to another table to drink with Ma Liwen, heir to the wealthy landlord Ma Laojin from Ma Village, and other notable men from nearby villages.

Last night, Zhang Chen led over eight hundred able-bodied men from Zhang Village to kill nearly three hundred fierce bandits, including Wu Datou, the chief of Guangtou Qiang’s gang, and drove off nearly a thousand others.

Today, Zhang Chen recruited another eight hundred strong men, so the militia’s strength remained undiminished, even increased.

Tonight, Zhang Chen would take a concubine.

The Zhang Village militia was formidable, and befriending Zhang Chen brought no harm.

Therefore, the gentry and landlords from nearby villages like Ma Village, Yang Family Hamlet, and Yeqiao all sent their sons overnight to Zhang Village with hundreds of taels of silver as gifts to celebrate Zhang Chen’s wedding banquet.

Many villagers from Zhang Village came uninvited to drink at Zhang Chen’s home, each contributing a few taels of silver.

Including the two thousand taels from Qi Dazhi, Zhang Chen collected over four thousand taels of silver in gifts.

In high spirits, Zhang Chen booked several restaurants on the street, hosting over twenty tables to entertain his comrades.

At the fourth quarter of the hour of Xu (about 7:30 PM), Xu Zize and Ma Tingyu arrived on horseback at Zhang Village, protected by dozens of guards.

“Brother Xu, Brother Ma, what a surprise to see you both come to my wedding banquet overnight. I’m quite touched,” Zhang Chen rubbed his hands. Xu Zize and Ma Tingyu had each given him at least a hundred taels of silver—a generous gift.

“After being near death this afternoon and lively enough to ride a horse tonight, Old Xu is showing off his good health,” Ma Tingyu joked. Having become familiar with Xu Zize, he teased him before nudging Zhang Chen and handing over a silver note worth a hundred taels. “Xu insisted on coming overnight; I had no choice but to accompany him.”

“I mainly wanted to show off your excellent medical skills. I didn’t expect you’d really cure the poisonous sores—and so effectively. Brother Zhang, your kindness leaves me speechless,” Xu Zize patted Zhang Chen’s shoulder and handed him a silver note worth a thousand taels.

“That’s unnecessary. You pay, I treat—you and I are doctor and patient. It’s just like buying goods at a shop: you give the shopkeeper a tael of silver, and he gives you a hundred jin of rice. Fair trade. Neither of us needs to thank the other,” Zhang Chen explained.

Stretching his neck to look behind Xu Zize and Ma Tingyu’s group, Zhang Chen suspected someone was absent—what a pity.

“Doctors have a parental heart. Can healing be the same as buying rice? Brother Zhang, what are you looking at?” Xu Zize scolded him. “You’re not after my sister Xiaohan, are you? You bastard, you really have your eye on my sister!”

“A graceful lady is a gentleman’s match. Love is free. I have every right to pursue Xu Zihan. There’s nothing wrong with courting her. Well…” Zhang Chen smiled. “Brothers Xu and Ma, the drinks are on me tonight.”

At the fourth quarter of the hour of Xu, Zhang Chen’s wedding banquet with Xia Hua concluded successfully. After bidding farewell, the guests returned home to their families.

Behind Zhang Chen’s house were three small courtyards. The largest courtyard belonged to Zhang Chen and his legitimate wife.

Though Tian Yachun was unlikely to come to Zhang Village, Xia Hua dared not stay in the largest courtyard.

After consulting with Zhang Chen, Xia Hua chose to live in the eastern courtyard, where seven or eight maids and servants purchased by Zheng Shizhen today served her.

Xia Hua’s bedroom in the small courtyard was also the bridal chamber she shared with Zhang Chen.

At dusk, Zhang Chen urged Xia Hua to live in the largest courtyard. “That courtyard is exquisitely furnished. Not living there would be such a waste—and waste is shameful!”

“Master, laws govern the state, and rules govern the family,” Xia Hua blushed, holding Zhang Chen’s hand. “Husband, I know you love me dearly, but I cannot indulge in favoritism and spoil the family rules.”

Entering Xia Hua’s small courtyard, Zhang Chen went straight into the bridal chamber. This was his Xia Hua’s true place—willing to share the bridal chamber with him.

“Xu Zize and Ma Tingyu gave a total of eleven hundred taels in gifts,” Zhang Chen handed the silver notes to Xia Hua. “Wife, let’s go to bed.”

With a soft hum, Xia Hua put away the silver notes.

At that moment, Zhang Xianghua approached. “Master, Tian Yachun—uh, madam is here…” Zhang Xianghua was Zhang Chen’s first hired maid; her initial task was to help Xia Hua cook. After taking Xia Hua as his concubine, Xia Hua adopted Zhang Xianghua and another girl named Lihua as her personal maids.

“What is she here for? The banquet’s long over; she’s several steps late and won’t even get a warm meal.” Zhang Chen cursed Tian Yachun silently and went to the front parlor.

Earlier, Tian Yachun came to Zhang Village, accompanied by her most trusted maid and bodyguard, Dong Mei, and protected by a hundred fully armed house guards.

“Little Tian, here to drink at my and Xia Hua’s wedding banquet? How much gift money are you bringing?” Zhang Chen shot Tian Yachun a flirtatious glance. “One tael isn’t too little, and even ten thousand taels wouldn’t be too much.”

“Master, uh, sir, harmony is precious,” Zheng Shizhen said as she left. The Tian family woman had come to Zhang Village to make amends. If the young master could someday shed the status of a son-in-law, she would make a suitable legitimate wife. “Sir, no couple harbors grudges overnight…”

“We have spare daily necessities at home, madam. I’ll have someone prepare the largest courtyard in the backyard for you…” Zheng Shizhen left the parlor, her back straight. Harmony in the family leads to prosperity. Sir and madam suit each other well; live happily together.