Courtyard House: Rebirth of a Shopkeeper in 1937

Before dawn, after the village roosters had crowed twice, Xingbao was gently picked up by his father. Still half asleep, he followed his father to the backyard, where his father placed him on a wheelbarrow—the back of the cart was lined with several layers of burlap sacks, which were soft to the touch and didn't feel uncomfortable.

Mother had already finished her work in the kitchen. She held rice balls carefully wrapped in oil paper in her hands, and also carried two water jugs filled with water. She stuffed them into the gaps in the burlap sack and instructed, "Eat rice balls if you get hungry on the road, and don't let Xingbao get thirsty. When you get to Yongfeng City, remember to go to the grain store as soon as possible." Father nodded in agreement and then gently told Mother, "Be sure to take good care of yourself at home." He then pushed the wheelbarrow toward the door.

At this moment, the eldest brother Yanbang and the second brother Yanguo had just finished practicing their boxing in the backyard, their short shirts soaked with sweat. Seeing their father about to set off, the two hurried to the side gate to help the travelers who were setting off early to lead their mules and horses. Just then, three travelers were heading towards Yongfeng. Seeing their father pushing the cart, they greeted him with smiles: "Brother Dawei, you'll be perfect to travel with us. It'll be good to have someone to look after you on the road!" Their father agreed and pushed the wheelbarrow behind the travelers. The group chatted as they walked, their conversation ranging from the growth of the crops to the latest happenings in town, making the journey anything but dull.

Xingbao nestled on the burlap sack, listening to the adults' conversation. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and he drifted off to sleep again. They walked for an unknown amount of time, until they reached Tiger Slope, when the sky began to lighten with the first light of dawn. His father gently patted his arm: "Xingbao, wake up, look, we've reached Tiger Slope." Xingbao rubbed his sleepy eyes and peered down the hillside. He saw only tall weeds growing on the slope, but no sign of a tiger. Disappointed, he muttered, "Why isn't there a tiger?" His father smiled and explained, "The weeds are hiding the tiger. You can only see it from the opposite hillside." Xingbao nodded and leaned back against the burlap sack, falling asleep again.

As the sun rose and golden rays bathed the field ridges, the group finally arrived near the township government. At the entrance of a small inn not far from the government building, the travelers suggested resting and having a meal, so Father stopped the cart. There were three inns side-by-side, all considerably larger than their own. Several mules and horses were tied up at the entrance, and the inns were already full of customers, bustling with shouts and laughter. Father took out rice balls and a water bottle from a sack, handing Xingbao a rice ball: "Eat quickly, and we'll continue our journey after you've finished."

Xingbao, munching on his rice ball, glanced towards the township government building not far away—his older brother's old school was right next to it, and the sound of students reciting their lessons could be heard, clear and orderly. In the rice paddies beside the road, the heavy, golden ears of rice bent the stalks low; a gentle breeze rippled through the fields, creating waves of golden grain—a sure sign of a bountiful harvest. But this joy was short-lived. Xingbao saw a group of people emerge from the township government building, notebooks in hand, checking the rice growth along the paddy field ridges. Leading the group was none other than Township Head Liu! His heart sank, and he instantly lost his appetite—this wasn't a check on the rice's growth; it was clearly preparation for the subsequent grain requisition!

The father also saw the group of people. The smile on his face gradually faded. He said nothing, but simply quickened his pace of eating. After finishing, he quickly tidied up the oil paper and water bottle, and said to the travelers, "Let's continue on our way. The sooner we get to Yongfeng City, the more time we'll have to get things done."

The travelers asked no further questions, nodded in acknowledgment, then led their mules and horses, shouldered their packs, and set off again. They hadn't gone far from the inn when the road began to level out, the winding mountain path gradually widening. After a short while, they had fully entered the territory of Xiangxiang County.

The view opened up as if a curtain had been suddenly drawn back—no longer were the typical rolling hills of Jieling Township, but only a few scattered low mounds, tightly surrounded by endless rice paddies. Golden ears of rice, heavy with grain, bent the stalks low; a gentle breeze rippled through them, creating waves of rice that stretched from his feet to the horizon, the air filled with the faint fragrance of rice blossoms. Xingbao couldn't help but look back; the path he had come from was now hidden among the distant mountains, those undulating peaks forming a natural barrier, clearly separating Jieling Township from Xiangxiang. No wonder everyone said, "Jieling Township, with its mountains as the boundary, is the eastern gateway to Shaoyang"—now, seeing it with his own eyes, he knew this was truly apt!

The sun grew increasingly scorching, and both Father and Xingbao put on straw hats for shade. The rice paddies along the roadside grew denser, while the small hills receded into the distance and became lower. In the distance, the village below the hills was enveloped by vast rice paddies, its blue-tiled roofs and earthen walls appearing and disappearing amidst the green waves of rice. The road leading to the village became wider and straighter, but several groups of workers were prying up the stone slabs that had been paving the road and piling them up by the roadside, making the road uneven and extremely difficult to push a cart. Father had no choice but to push the wheelbarrow to the edge of the paddy field and slowly walk forward, the wheels leaving two shallow tracks in the mud.

"Xiangxiang is such a flat place, unlike our village, where you have to go around a mountain every three steps." Uncle Li, one of the travelers, reined in his mule and sighed with a smile, "Last year when I came here to deliver cloth, I could tell it was good land just by looking at these rice paddies; this year, judging from the harvest, it's even better than last year!" The father, pushing the wheelbarrow, glanced at the rice paddies in front of him and nodded, "Indeed, such a good harvest, it would be great if more of it could be kept by the farmers." Hearing his father's words, Xingbao recalled the way Township Head Liu had inspected the rice paddies earlier, and quietly tightened his grip on the rope of the burlap sack.

As the sun rose higher and higher, its heat intensified, making our skin feel hot. The rice paddies along the roadside grew denser, and the hills receded into the distance, becoming lower and lower. Occasionally, we could see villagers walking along the paddy field ridges, like tiny black dots in the waves of rice.

Xingbao clutched the edge of the sack, gazing at the boundless rice paddies before him, and asked curiously, "Dad, with so many fields here, are we almost at Yongfeng City?" His father stopped, wiped the sweat from his brow, and pointed to a village with wisps of smoke rising from its chimneys not far ahead: "We've only gone halfway. This is Qingshuping. After we pass this village, the road ahead will be much easier."

"Dad, is Qingshuping the place you mentioned before, the place where General Bai Chongxi stationed his troops?" Xingbao's eyes lit up, and he asked again, "You also said that the well water there is sweet and cool, much better than the well water in our village. When we pass by a well later, can we rest and drink some well water?" His father looked at his expectant face and nodded with a smile, "Okay, we'll stop when we see a well and you can taste the well water here."

Although the road leading to Qingshuping was wider and straighter, it was riddled with potholes from the construction workers. Several groups of men, dressed in shorts and with their trousers rolled up, were using crowbars to pry up the stone slabs on the ground. The soil beneath the slabs was soft and wet, and with each effort, clumps of mud would be turned up, piling up like small mounds by the roadside. Father tried pushing the wheelbarrow, but as soon as the wheels hit the potholes, the cart wobbled violently, so he had to go around to the edge of the field and walk slowly. The wheels left two shallow tracks in the soft mud of the edge of the field, and the rice ears on both sides swayed gently from the cart shaft, muddy water dripping down the wooden pole and splashing onto Xingbao's trouser legs.

Xingbao sat on the sack, gripping the rope tightly with both hands, afraid that even the slightest movement would cause the cart to lose its balance. "Dad, let me get down and walk for a bit," he whispered. His father replied softly, "No need, hold on tight. The edge of the paddy field is slippery, don't fall. I'll need your help when we come back later."

As they moved forward, a bearded man among the workers nearby spotted the father pushing the cart. He stopped what he was doing and called out, "Brother, the road ahead is even more difficult to walk on. Why don't we wait a bit while we move the stone slabs aside?" The father stopped, wiped the sweat from his brow, and bowed, thanking him, "Thank you for your kindness, brother, but we're just trying to get to town as soon as possible, so we don't want to keep you from working." The bearded man grinned, "Look how careful you are! This road is going to be widened, making it easier for carts to pass later. It's just that we're rushing to meet the deadline, so we apologize for the inconvenience for those of you passing by." As he spoke, he pointed to the end of the field ridge, "Walk another half mile, and you'll be off the ridge. The road over there is all finished, and it will be much easier to walk on then."

Father thanked them repeatedly and slowly pushed the cart forward. They hadn't gone far when they saw another construction team repairing the road ahead. A dozen or so workers, wielding hoes and shovels, were pushing heavy stone rollers back and forth, compacting the surface. Piles of gravel and sand lay along the roadside, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth. Father pushed the cart around to the back of the construction site. Sure enough, the road there was already finished—though not as wide as the highways of later generations, it was wide enough for two trucks to drive side-by-side. The surface was smooth and even, without a single pothole, making pushing the cart much easier.

Xingbao's gaze fell on the smooth, newly paved road beneath his feet, and he pondered to himself, "This road is being built so quickly. Judging from the situation, the section in Xiangxiang should be completely finished after the harvest season. At this rate, it should be our Jieling's turn to start road construction next. It will save a lot of trouble getting to Yongfeng City, and there will definitely be more pedestrians. It seems I should start planning to build houses too. Plans never keep up with changes! But I can't help but worry: will they need to conscript many laborers for the road construction? Besides, the road conditions in Jieling are already complicated, making road construction much more difficult than here. It's been more than half a month since they cut down the banyan tree, and even the land acquisition hasn't been completed, let alone the more laborious work of clearing mountains and building bridges! Moreover, as the war continues, building the Hunan-Guizhou road will inevitably become an urgent national policy. The pace and requirements for road construction will probably be completely different then!"

Xingbao quietly glanced at his father's back and saw that his father's brows were slightly furrowed and he seemed to be thinking about something. So he didn't say anything more and just sat obediently on the sack in the car, letting the car drive steadily along the new road.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Qingshuping Village, a large well consisting of three interconnected square pools immediately comes into view. This well has a plentiful water output; judging by actual conditions, even during peak agricultural water usage periods, it can provide enough water to irrigate five or six acres of paddy fields. This well with such a large water output is not the only one in the village—such abundant water resources are sufficient to confirm the existence of an underground river; and the ancient legends about "Pig Mountain" are likely not entirely unfounded!

Turning our gaze into the distance, a wide pond sits in the low-lying area, with crisscrossing ditches extending like veins, dividing the continuous rice paddies into neat square plots. At this time, the rice is nearing maturity, and the fields are no longer filled with water; moreover, due to the frequent thunderstorms in summer, all the sluice gates are currently open to ensure that rainwater can be drained in time and to prevent flooding.

Looking at the dense network of waterways before him, Xingbao couldn't help but recall his grandmother's old saying: "Three years of drought and you'll have enough to eat; one year of water shortage and you'll starve!" He pondered to himself that Shaoyang County was mountainous with little arable land, so its grain yield was not high to begin with; while Xiangxiang County, also under the jurisdiction of Baoqing Prefecture, was a well-known grain-producing area. Just by looking at the abundant water resources, one could see the difference in farming conditions between the two places.

The father stopped at the crossroads near the well, lifted Xingbao from the car, and then took out a water bottle and a washcloth, leading Xingbao to the central pool—which connected to the pool below. The father said to Xingbao, "Wash your hands here; the water in the pool above is too cold, be careful not to hurt yourself." He then soaked the washcloth and first wiped Xingbao's face. The cool, refreshing touch instantly dispelled the summer heat, and Xingbao sat down at the connection point between the pools, took off his shoes, and immersed his hands and feet in the water, quietly enjoying the coolness. Several uncles who had been traveling with them also came forward to wash their faces and drink water from the well.

After wiping his face and quickly drying his body, the father drank the remaining water in the kettle and went to the pool above to fetch more. Xingbao hurriedly followed, shoes in hand, one hand holding the edge of the pool, the other tentatively reaching into the water. "Hiss—" A bone-chilling cold instantly spread from his spine to his brain, goosebumps rising on Xingbao's skin, and he involuntarily shivered, quickly withdrawing his hand. Several uncles nearby, witnessing this, burst into laughter. After fetching the water, the father reluctantly picked up Xingbao and placed him back on the wheelbarrow. Under his father's cover, Xingbao secretly drank some of the spring water, secretly worried: such a drastic change in temperature might make him sick. It seemed the water was too cold; he'd have to drink it later!

Qingshuping Village is small in size, but it is located at a major transportation hub, at the border of two townships, with a constant stream of people coming and going. The group did not linger any longer and continued to head towards Yongfeng Town with the flow of people.

After passing the construction section at Qingshuping, the road conditions improved significantly, and traffic became much smoother. The wheels rolled over the smooth, newly paved road with only a slight "rolling" sound. Compared to the previous bumpy ride on the stone slab road and field ridges, not only was driving effort greatly reduced, but the speed also increased noticeably. Passing a well by a stream, the father stopped again to draw water and fill two kettles. Xingbao took the opportunity to drink a few sips, finding the well water sweet and refreshing, with a cool sensation as it slid down his throat, dispelling much of the summer heat—definitely much better than the well water at home. At this time, pedestrians were already using handcarts on the road; judging from their appearance, the handcarts were probably newly purchased. As noon approached, the temperature became even more humid. Xingbao sat up straight, hiding under his straw hat, using the breeze from the road to ward off the heat. His previous drowsy state vanished, and his eyes brightened as he focused on the road ahead. As the number of houses along the way gradually increased, the outline of Yongfeng Town became clearly visible, almost in sight. The number of pedestrians on the road also gradually increased: there were farm women carrying vegetables on shoulder poles, merchants carrying cloth bags on their backs, and several children in school uniforms, skipping and jumping towards the town.

Looking at the children, Xingbao vaguely recalled his older brother Yanbang's school days and couldn't help but turn to his father and ask, "Dad, is the school in Yongfeng Town bigger than the school in our village?"

The father gently patted Xingbao's head and replied in a gentle tone, "I heard from others that there are indeed several schools in Yongfeng Town. The most famous of them is Shuangfeng Academy in Yongfeng City. After we finish what we need to do this time, if there is a chance, I will take you there to have a look."

As they traveled, overhearing snippets of conversation among passersby, Xingbao couldn't help but ask his father again, "Dad, I remember you used to call this place Yongfeng City, but now it's called Yongfeng Town. Just now, I heard passersby mention Yongfeng District and Yongfeng Township! Which one is the current administrative level of this place?"

After a moment's thought, the father slowly began, "During the Qing Dynasty, the Xiangxiang County Magistrate's Office was located in Yongfeng, governing sixteen districts. At that time, merchants gathered here, gradually forming a settlement with the scale of a city, hence the name 'Yongfeng City.' After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, this place was officially established as a town-level administrative unit, namely Yongfeng Town. A few years ago, its administrative level was upgraded to a district, called Yongfeng District; and this year, it was adjusted back to a township-level administrative unit, becoming Yongfeng Township. However, in areas farther away, people still habitually refer to it as Yongfeng." The city. Resources were plentiful here, and most kinds of goods could be purchased. Aside from lacking city walls and having an administrative level lower than a county seat, it wasn't significantly different from a typical county seat. Of course, it still fell short compared to the real Xiangxiang county seat, and couldn't compare to the former Baoqing Prefecture capital, Shaoyang. However, both Xiangxiang and Shaoyang were quite far from here, so people from further away would still refer to this place as "entering the city," and the name "Yongfeng City" remained.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, they reached a fork in the road. "Finally here!" Father breathed a sigh of relief, stopped the wheelbarrow, and bowed to the travelers, saying, "Gentlemen, we need to go to the general store to buy some things, so we won't be traveling with you any longer. Thank you for taking care of us along the way, brothers. If there's a chance later, let's get together again." After saying goodbye to the travelers, Father pushed the wheelbarrow slowly towards Zhang's General Store.