Great Tang Idyll

"Young Master, did they make a hole at the bottom of the boat and water got in?" Da Cong was confused and tried hard to find explanations.

"I think water got into your head. Didn't you just say that you were counting people? Why are you talking about water getting in now? Why would there be lesser people when water gets in? Idiot." This young man was also puzzled. Usually Da Cong and Xiao Cong were very smart, but for some reason, they kept losing track of those two kids.

Xiao Cong, who was standing on the side, also didn't understand. It was odd that they disappeared in a blink of an eye. Looking at the gloomy face of his young master, he whispered, "Young Master, I will definitely not lose them this time, I will go again."

"Go. Send everyone. Follow them. It doesn't matter if you lose track of them or not. What they want to do has been achieved long ago. Take a good look, and learn from them. Get someone to find Mister Song tomorrow. Go early in the morning, don't wait for him to come find us. Tell him that we are not malicious."

The young man gave up his plans of punishing these two people. He dismissively waved his hand like he was shooing away flies.

"If you are able to follow them, why wouldn't they be able to follow you? Just because you lost track of them, it doesn't mean they will lose track of you. Up until now, they have not gotten the bailiffs to go find us, so that means they are waiting. If they come tomorrow, that means I have lost by a far stretch."

"My Young Master is saying that they followed us too? I didn't see anyone. Da Cong and I have been careful. Why would the bailiffs come over? Would they dare to arrest us?" Xiao Cong was a bit unconvinced.

The Young Master laughed angrily, "Ha ha ha. They won't arrest you, but they will take you away so that you can get treated by a doctor. Do you know what kind of illness? For getting water into your brain. Hurry up and scram."

Da Cong and Xiao Cong ran out confused. They stood at the door of the house, and glanced around vigilantly.

"Da Cong. Did you see anyone following us?" Xiao Cong asked.

"No, but if the Young Master said so, then it must be so. Let's hurry up and go. Our Young Master is angry. Today, I'm going to follow them until night time, and I'll follow them tomorrow during the day. I refuse to believe that I will still lose them." Da Cong looked back at the house, trembled, and walked quickly towards the night market.

By the time the two people arrived at the night market, Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan had already finished eating their savory crepes. They were almost full and were currently eating shrimps. This time, the shrimps were small and each were about an inch in length. Live shrimps were taken out of the bucket, and grilled until they turned red. After pinching off the head, they were ready to eat--- they didn't even need to peel the shell.

"It would be better if they brushed on some salt water; the taste is a bit bland. Xiao'bao, here, have another one, and I'll have another one too. Once we're done eating these two, we should go. They're here."

Wang Juan burped from being full. After seeing that there were two shrimps left in front of her, she shared one with Zhang Xiao'bao. Zhang Xiao'bao was also full, but he was reluctant to throw the shrimp away. He grabbed it, peeled off the shell, and slowly chewed the shrimp in his mouth. He gave a meaningful look to the person next to him, and the person tossed down a few coins to pay for the shrimps.

"Let's go. Let's lose them, and then go rest at the inn over there." Zhang Xiao'bao wiped his hands, stood up and walked with Wang Juan to a stall.

"The two of them are wearing white clothes; that makes it easy to recognize them. Follow them." Da Cong watched Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan get up, and noted the colors of the two people's clothes. The two kids were also surrounded by their guards. This time, he will definitely not mistake others for these two.

Xiao Cong took a deep breath, clenched his fist again, and then began to follow them. What happened today was too embarrassing. He had to find back some of his pride.

In the night market, people were coming and going. Because it was near the wharf, small commodities imported from other places were bought by the small stall owners at the wharf. When night came, those stall owners would set up their stalls so that they could earn a few coins or trade for some goods and improve their lives. It was almost winter so it was hard to find work. If they didn't save some money, then during the event of an emergency, it would be difficult to borrow money from someone.

Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan strolled slowly in the night market, stopping to take a look from time to time, and occasionally buying one or two toys. After going around for a while, suddenly more people gathered up ahead. New cheap radishes arrived and were sold for a coin for three radishes.

The price was low, and could be eaten during the winter, or be made into pickles, and eaten bit by bit. Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan glanced at each other, then gestured to a person next to them, and the two squeezed their way into the crowd.

After a while, the group of guards squeezed out of the crowd with two young children dressed in white clothes, and the two children continued to walk in front of them.

Da Cong wiped the sweat off his forehead and complained, "I was almost crushed to death in there. We didn't lose them. Come, let's get closer."

"Aren't they afraid of the two kids getting crushed? If I was Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan's family, I would find new guards for the two of them." Xiao Cong also murmured.

After the two followed them into the crowd, and then made their way out. There were two children wearing grey clothes with white objects in their arms, squatting there picking radishes. Each of them was also holding a coin in their hand.

"Xiao'bao, I think this radish is good, buy it and stew it with beef. Tie it up for me. Actually, forget it, I'll wrap it with my robe. Here's the money, we want all six of these."

Wang Juan wrapped the three radishes in her clothes, reached out and tossed the money to the person. She got up with Zhang Xiao'bao and walked back. Two more guards came up to their side.

An hour later, Da Cong and Xiao Cong were a little annoyed. They squeezed their way through places to places, wondering why the two children were shopping endlessly. When the two children arrived at a place that sold all kinds of wooden trinkets, the two children squatted down to pick. The guards around them simultaneously dispersed, as if they didn't care about the two children anymore.

Da Cong and Xiao Cong were confused again. They got closer and heard the girl say to the boy, "Brother, the people of Zhang and Wang families are really nice; they gave us some clothes and bought us a lot of things and we even have all of these guards protecting us. Later, when we get home, we have to show our mother. I even got five chi1 of fabric for mother."

"Little sister, they also gave me ten coins. I'll get our father some wine; two coins' worth." The boy pitched in happily.

"You two... why are you wearing white clothes?" Xiao Cong swallowed and asked with disbelief.

"What we wear is none of your business. Our house is nearby. If you dare try to mess with us, it will be over for you. Bailiff uncles, someone wants to kidnap us." The little girl looked at Da Cong and Xiao Cong warily, and said a few words. Coincidentally, the bailiffs on patrol happened to pass by during this moment and the little girl saw them, so she yelled out to them loudly.

The patrolling bailiffs carried swords on them, and as soon as they heard the shout, they placed their hands on the hilt of their swords and ran over. There were two bailiffs, and each of them focused their attention on one person.

"We're not, we're not trying to kidnap them. We're just asking them some random questions. We also plan to buy them things. We even have the money ready, look." Da Cong was clever this time; he took out a small string of coins and stuffed it into the little girl's hands, while trying to appear harmless.

"Thank you, bailiff uncles. Brother, let's go home. Let's not buy anymore for now." The little girl held onto the money; she didn't look like she intended to return it back to him. She thanked them and followed her brother to the direction behind the stall, which led to their house.

"Let's go. In the future, don't go around asking random questions." The bailiffs looked at Da Cong and Xiao Cong and warned them before letting them off. They didn't believe that people would try to trick children at the night market. A few people who were once jobless switched over to running small businesses, and they would definitely try to help the people in the county, otherwise if Young Master Zhou finds out that they stood watching on the side without helping, he would not spare them.

In the study of the mansion next to the Administrative Office, a person was writing something with a brush in his hand. Suddenly, light footsteps approached the door.

"Who is there?" He placed down his brush and asked.

"Young Master, Da Cong and I are back." Xiao Cong's voice sounded.

"Mmm, come in." The young man uttered a nasally sound, permitting them to come in.

Da Cong and Xiao Cong opened the door, walked in and stood side by side in front of the Young Master while bowing their heads in silence.

The Young Master swept his eyes up and down the two of them, and said, "Lost track of them again?"

"Our Young Master can read the future like a deity." Da Cong showered him with flattery.

"Predict what matters? It's because I know you two are idiots. Three times. Within one day, you lost track of them three times. You have made me lose my face. This must be intentional. They must be doing this intentionally. They are trying to give me a warning. They must be laughing now at how my subordinates are so incompetent yet I still dare to send them out to do work。 This is what they want to convey to me."

The young man said these words, smiled bitterly, and then continued, "I don't blame you. I was the one who underestimated them. Come and take a look. There are a few drawings here. You will understand how you lost track of them once you see this."

The young man took a few sheets of paper from the table and tossed them in front of the two's feet.

"Our Young Master is so great. You figured out how they hid from us." Xiao Cong flattered him while picking up the paper.

"Those were sent to the door of the house. Since you're here, don't go out anymore today. Just stay in the house."

"Entering is permitted, but leaving is not. The place has been surrounded by bailiffs; we can't send information out and the people outside will not dare to fight against the bailiffs. Hurry and look at what it means to use tactics." The young man said helplessly.

Now Da Cong and Xiao Cong understood. They looked down at the paintings on the paper. According to chronological order, they rode the carriage, were on the boat, and were in the night market. The eyes of the two of them widened as they examined the drawings.

"Xiao Cong, aiya, if we knew ahead of time, we should have hired the remaining two carriages too. They even got people to stand on top of each other on the boat; that's kind of interesting. I will remember this from now on." Da Cong seemed to have learned a lot and he spoke happily.

Xiao Cong also nodded sharply, "Mmm, during the night market, they wore an extra piece of clothing on the outside, and found two similar children. When we squeezed through the crowd, their guards misled us into believing that those two children were them. Young Master, do not worry. Next time when they ride a carriage, ride a boat, or swap people at the night market ,Da Cong and I will definitely not lose track of them."

"Twenty whips for each of you. Go receive your punishment. Next time? Next time, they will use a different trick. You two have been idiots for the entire day." The young man didn't blame them for being unable to keep up with the kids since their methods were too amazing, but Da Cong and Xiao Cong were being such idiots that he finally couldn't hold back anymore.

Translator's Notes

1. 尺 chi

Chi is a length of measurement. During the Tang Dynasty, one chi is equal to 30.7 cm.