Chapter 028: A Chance Encounter with an Uncle

"Uncle, why have you grown such a long beard? I almost didn't recognize you."
Xue Rui failed to recognize Liu Ren at first; not only had the memories of the original owner faded, but his uncle's new beard had caught him off guard.
Liu Ren was delighted to see Xue Rui and paid no mind to his nephew's mistake, stepping forward to clap him on the shoulder with a hearty laugh. "What's this? Can't your uncle become a bearded gentleman?"
"Of course you can," Xue Rui replied with a smile, curiosity in his eyes. "But what brings you to the city, Uncle?"
Xue Rui's maternal grandfather, Liu Wenyao, held the rank of scholar and, over the years, had purchased several hundred acres in Shangyu Village northeast of Wanping County, making him a well-known local gentry.
Liu Ren and his two brothers hadn't succeeded much in their studies and had assisted Liu Wenyao in managing the land, dabbling in small business ventures as well. Life had treated them fairly well.
Liu Ren patted Xue Rui's head, feigning annoyance. "Have you forgotten? Our family runs a grain shop on Vegetable Market Street. I took you there before… Today, I came to deliver some grain for sale. But you—how did you end up here? Did your mother send you?"
At this, Xue Rui replied gloomily, "Uncle, something happened at home. Mother and I have moved outside the city."
"What? Moved outside the city?" Liu Ren exclaimed in surprise.
The Xue family mansion was located in Ming Shi Lane, inside the city. Though not exactly prime real estate, it was certainly better than anywhere outside the city.
Liu Ren remembered his sister's discord with her mother-in-law, Madam Li, and his anger flared. "Was it your biased grandmother who drove you both out? What about your father? Did he say nothing to smooth things over?"
"Please calm yourself, Uncle. Let me explain everything slowly. If you have time, why not visit Mother first?"
The bustling street was hardly the place for such conversation, and the Liu family had missed their relatives. Xue Rui decided on his own to invite his uncle home.
Liu Ren, believing his sister had suffered injustice, naturally wanted to see for himself. He turned to the carters behind him and said, "You all return to the village, and let my family know I've gone to my sister's house. Tell them not to worry."
"Yes, Master Liu."
With these instructions, the carters drove off.
On the way, Xue Rui recounted the events of the past days.
Upon hearing that Xue Yuanhao had been imprisoned in the Imperial Jail, Liu Ren's expression shifted repeatedly. Only after Xue Rui assured him that his teacher had intervened and his father was temporarily safe did he finally relax.
Shitou Alley.
Madam Liu was busy with Susu, trying to figure out how to sew a new shoe sole.

Lately, Xue Rui had been reporting for duty at the Bureau of Astronomy, walking long distances every day. His shoes were nearly worn through.
With nothing else to do, mistress and maid bought needle and thread, intending to make him a new pair.
Only then did Madam Liu regret not mastering needlework, and Susu, her maid, was equally clueless. The two fumbled for half the day, unable to figure out where to begin.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Recognizing the secret knock, Susu beamed, "The young master is home! I'll get the door."
Upon opening it, she found not only her young master but another unfamiliar figure.
Susu paused, but as she recognized the visitor, she quickly bowed, "Greetings, Uncle."
"Mm," Liu Ren stepped into the courtyard, surveying its shabby state and immediately realizing mother and son weren't faring well.
Madam Liu stood frozen, staring at her brother. He stepped forward, concern etched on his face. "Sister, these days must have been hard for you."
"Brother… wu…"
Hearing his words, Madam Liu broke down in tears.
Xue Rui hurried to comfort her, and it was some time before she could stop crying.
Susu brought tea for them; Madam Liu wiped her eyes, forcing a smile. "I'm not suffering, really. These days have been fine—it's Rui'er who's had it hard. Such a young age, yet he's had to manage the household. If not for his resourcefulness, I would have been at a loss."
Of all things, Madam Liu took solace in how her son had matured. He made all the decisions, leaving her little to worry about; now, with her brother visiting, she couldn't help but praise him.
Liu Ren nodded repeatedly, marveling at how much his nephew had grown in just a few months—almost unrecognizable.
After some idle talk, Liu Ren glanced at the sky and said to Madam Liu, "Sister, pack your things. Come back home with me tonight. Father has been asking after you. He'll be overjoyed if you return."
Madam Liu shook her head quickly. "No, Rui'er's father is still in the Imperial Jail, and we don't know when he'll be released. Until the matter is settled, we can't risk going back. If we drag the family into trouble, it would be disastrous."
"What's there to fear? Misfortune doesn't extend to wives and children. It's not as if he's committed treason; they can't confiscate our property or implicate the whole family," Liu Ren retorted.
But with Wang Zhen wielding such power, Madam Liu dared not gamble on whether that eunuch would punish the innocent. She kept shaking her head.
Seeing this, Xue Rui could only support his mother's decision. "Uncle, I can't go with you either. I've been conscripted into the Bureau of Astronomy and must report for duty every day. If I shirk my responsibilities, I'll be punished."

Liu Ren was silent for some time, finally sighing, "Ah, when it rains, it pours. In that case, I'll go home tomorrow and consult with your grandfather to see if he has any plans."
In the Liu family, Liu Wenyao made all the decisions. As he grew older, Liu Ren had begun to take more responsibility, but major issues still rested with his father.
The Xue family's predicament was tricky; he could only return and seek his father's advice for a solution.
As they talked, dusk gradually fell.
With the city gates closed, Liu Ren had no choice but to stay in Shitou Alley for the night with Xue Rui.
Under the oil lamp, Xue Rui reviewed his lessons, Susu rested her chin in her hands, gazing dreamily at her young master, while Liu Ren and his sister chatted about family matters.
After a while, Xue Rui suddenly looked up and interjected, "Uncle, you mentioned the family was buying grain. What's that about?"
Liu Ren turned to explain, "This year, the army is campaigning, and the Ministry of Revenue is requisitioning large quantities of grain. Prices in the capital have shot up. A few days ago, a big grain merchant came to our village to buy grain, offering over ten percent above the usual price. Your grandfather saw an opportunity and struck a deal with the merchant, using silver to purchase grain from nearby estates. We're now waiting for delivery."
"How much have you bought so far?"
Xue Rui forgot his studies entirely, rushing over to ask.
Liu Ren calculated, "Roughly one thousand eight hundred taels' worth—basically emptied our family's savings."
During the Zhengtong era, foreign silver hadn't yet flooded the market, so silver was valuable. A single tael could buy four shi of rice, and nearly a thousand taels would purchase five to six thousand shi of grain.
Xue Rui grew anxious, fixing his gaze on Liu Ren. "When will the transaction be completed? So much silver spent—nothing must go wrong."
"It should be soon. The grain merchant left a deposit of one hundred taels for us to start collecting. At most, it'll all be settled in ten days."
"Ten days?"
Xue Rui counted the days and felt a chill in his heart.
It was now the fifth day of the month—exactly ten days until the Tumubao disaster.
But delivering thousands of shi of grain was a complicated task. If there were any delays, and the grain wasn't shipped out in time, when news of the defeat reached the capital, it would be stuck in their hands.
By then, as the Oirat army arrived, the grain his grandfather had stockpiled would either be burned or seized—resulting in a total loss!