Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Troubles of Happiness

When everyone had nearly finished eating, Chu Yun approached the burly man who had lifted the jar and handed him ten knife coins.

The man hurriedly waved his hand. “Doctor Chu, you treated us to soft risen bread, soy milk, tofu pudding, tofu, as well as lamb and chicken. I didn’t do much to help, just lifted the jar for you—how could I possibly accept your money? If others saw this, they’d think you’re playing favorites, giving me money and not them. That’d be terrible for your reputation.”

Chu Yun sighed inwardly at the man’s honesty and asked, “What’s your name?”

The man grinned. “Doctor Chu, my surname isn’t Chu. I came here to escape the war. My surname is Huang, and my name is Huang Daniu.”

Chu Yun found the name amusing. He said, “Take the coins. I’ll need your help lifting the jar again.”

“Alright!” Huang Daniu responded, but he didn’t take the coins. He simply ran off, brought the jar over, and stood it on the table in the chief’s courtyard.

Chu Yun smiled, withdrew the coins, and climbed up onto the table. By now, most people had finished eating, and women and children were washing bowls and tidying up. Seeing Chu Yun climb onto the table, they sensed he had something to say, so they paused, quietly turning their attention to him.

Chu Yun spoke into the jar to amplify his voice: “Today’s meal was not only to teach everyone how to make soft risen bread and tofu, but there’s something far more important.”

The crowd listened even more intently. Though civilization here was backward, the people were honest. Having eaten Chu Yun’s food, they felt indebted and wanted to help him in some way.

Seeing this, Chu Yun got straight to the point: “This time in the royal city, I treated Prince Qi’s illness. The King of Qi granted me the title of Count, and my fief lies to the west, less than two hundred li from the battlefield. Because it’s so close to the war, it’s sparsely populated. I hope some of you will come with me.”

Everyone was astonished. They hadn’t expected that Chu Yun’s trip to the royal city was to cure Prince Qi, nor that he had been enfeoffed as a count. Even more surprising, he wanted them to join him in his fief, which lay dangerously close to the front lines.

Recovering from their shock, people began murmuring among themselves. Many thought that Chu Yun, who had dreamed of immortals and learned many things from them—not only medicine but also how to make soft risen bread, fried dough sticks, and tofu—would surely lead them to a better life if they followed him.

Yet others felt his fief was too near the battlefield, plagued by bandits, and utterly unsafe; following him would be tantamount to courting death. Chu Yun’s enemies seized the moment, stepping forward to say, “Don’t go to Chu Yun’s fief! He’s treating us to this meal just to lure us into being cannon fodder for him.”

With these words, those who had been tempted spoke up, declaring they no longer wished to go.

Chu Yun frowned and continued, “Although my fief is close to the battlefield, it borders rivers and has fertile land. Unlike Chu Family Town, surrounded by mountains and starved of resources.”

“Because my land is near the war, the King of Qi has promised not to levy tribute for thirty years. As your lord, I will exempt you from taxes for thirty years as well.”

“Everything you earn there will belong to you. The land is mine in name, but in truth, it will be yours.”

“And I’ll use the things the immortals taught me to make your lives better.”

“It’s true that the proximity to the battlefield brings danger, but fortune favors the bold. Whether you wish to follow me, I ask you to consider carefully.”

“But I must add: if my fief prospers and becomes wealthy, and your lives improve, then if you come later, I won’t exempt you from taxes.”

Many were tempted once again. In Chu Family Town, their labor barely earned them enough for two meals a day—with occasional meat and a bit of money left over for warm clothing. But with heavy taxes, many now managed only one meal daily, sometimes not even that, let alone buying clothes for warmth.

Seeing people wavering, Chu Yun’s enemies pressed, “Chu Yun, you say you won’t collect taxes, but then what kind of lord are you? How will you support yourself?”

He swept his gaze over the crowd. “Don’t believe Chu Yun. He says no taxes here, but once we’re in his fief and can’t return, he’ll start taxing us.”

The crowd turned to Chu Yun, waiting for his reply.

Chu Yun said, “I practice medicine. I gained the title of count and my fief through healing, so naturally, I can use medicine to earn money from other lords.”

“I also know many things. Take this soft risen bread, fried dough sticks, and tofu—delicacies taught to me by the immortals. If I open a tavern, I can support many people, can’t I?”

“Moreover, what I know goes far beyond these.”

“As for concerns about my honesty regarding taxes, I can sign a contract with everyone.”

Huang Daniu, hearing this, pressed the jar to his chest, stuck his head inside, and said, “I came to Chu Family Town to escape the war, and I fear death more than anything. But I still want to follow Count Chu west. Because I believe Count Chu can protect us and give us a better life.”

As an outsider, the land Huang Daniu farmed was remote and infertile, yet the taxes demanded by the authorities were never reduced. Despite working desperately at various jobs, he barely scraped by. So he was ready to take his chances with Chu Yun.

Huang Daniu’s words seemed to carry a special power, and many other war refugees at once declared their willingness to follow Chu Yun west.

For a moment, Chu Yun’s enemies were silenced.

Chu Yun then had Huang Daniu hold up the jar again and spoke through it: “There’s another reason I want you to come with me. Last night, I killed a member of the Witch Doctor Sect. I fear they’ll seek revenge and implicate you all. So Chu Family Town is not especially safe now, either.”

Hearing this, even more people couldn’t resist the urge to leave with Chu Yun, voicing their intent to follow him.

In the end, more than half said they would go west.

After all, life in Chu Family Town was hard, and now it had become unsafe. Naturally, they didn’t want to stay.

Yet Chu Yun felt a headache coming on. He wanted companions for the journey west, but not so many. It was more than he’d expected.

A happy trouble indeed!

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Chapter Seventy-Seven: A Happy Trouble.