Ashes to Crown

Chapter 231: Chapter 52: Going Forth

Labor in the Border County was arduous—reinforcing city walls, watchtowers, and repairing roads. It was especially grueling after war broke out. It seemed as if the walls, watchtowers, and main roads were constantly in a state of disrepair, and the government officials everywhere wished the convicts would work day and night.

But the war also meant their work was frequently interrupted. After a smoke signal alarm sent them back to the watchtower in the afternoon, they didn’t go out again for the rest of the day.

From the highest point of the tower, they could see the distant glow of fire, and the cold wind carried the faint sounds of battle. Soon, both the light and the noise vanished.

A short while later, the all-clear signal was given.

”Those damned Western Liang bandits,” the Village Chief cursed. Then he sighed. ”Still, the men of our Great Xia are truly formidable.”

He turned and saw the convicts squatting nearby, and his irritation returned. ’It’s already dark. The alarm has been lifted, but we can’t light torches to work for safety reasons—’

”Get lost, you criminals!” the Village Chief snapped.

The convicts scattered. A tongue-lashing was nothing. They’d barely worked all day, which was cause for celebration. But with the Village Chief in a foul mood, they were bound to suffer for it. For instance, the hearty meat and vegetable soup they were supposed to have for dinner was replaced with watery porridge.

”All of Yunzhong County is fighting the enemy! Soldiers are sacrificing their lives! You criminals are lucky to be alive with anything to eat at all!” the Village Chief raged.

His underlings cheered in response, ”The Village Chief is mighty!”

”The old bastard,” one of the brothers muttered, holding his bowl of watery gruel. ”What’s so mighty about throwing his weight around with us? If he’s so tough, he should go kill the enemy himself.”

Liang Qiang nudged him with his elbow, giving him a look that said to keep quiet. He glanced around warily. The laborers were all convicts, of every sort imaginable—

’If they were reported for another crime, they could die here, and no one would ever know.’

The man fell silent and began to slurp his porridge. When they returned to their quarters, however, a surprise was waiting for them: Second Master Liang was back.

Not everyone was assigned to hard labor. The young and able-bodied were, but the older gentlemen of the Liang Family were given other tasks, like sweeping the government offices.

Not only was Second Master Liang back, but he had also brought two roast chickens. In the tiny mud hut, you could practically hear mouths watering.

”Father, did Uncle give you these?” Liang Qiang asked. He ignored the tempting roast chickens and pressed on, ”Has he found a way to get us out of here?”

Liang Siqing’s crime had implicated the entire family. But after being exiled, he hadn’t been forced into hard labor or ordered about like the rest of them. This wasn’t because of any lingering prestige, but because as soon as he arrived in the Border County, Liang Siqing had given his daughter to an old, local gentleman in exchange for a comfortable residence in the city.

One of the brothers, who was still eyeing the chickens, nodded in agreement. ”That’s right! Tell Uncle to find a few more families. We have a sister we can give away, too.”

Liang Qiang glanced toward the corner where his mother was holding his little sister. The child, exhausted and cold, was fast asleep; even the aroma of roast chicken hadn’t woken her. Her little mouth twitched from time to time, as if she were eating something delicious in her dreams.

”By the time she’s grown, we’ll all be dead from overwork,” he said grimly, looking at his father. ”Father, if we can’t offer a daughter, does that mean Uncle won’t help us anymore?”

Mr. Liang quickly replied, ”No, no, he’s helping. Your uncle spoke to his son-in-law. I no longer have to do sweeping—I’m a Clerk now.”

’A Clerk. That meant he was a scholar again.’

The brother from before clapped his hands in delight. ”Wonderful! Father has escaped! In the future, when our sister is old enough, we can arrange a good marriage for her, and our family can finally be free from this forced labor.”

Mr. Liang smiled and nodded. After their fall from grace, daughters had become more useful than sons. A son with a criminal record couldn’t marry into a powerful family, but a daughter could. She could be a second wife to a widower or a concubine, hidden away in the inner chambers, unknown to the public, yet yielding considerable benefits.

’It was just a shame he’d taken too few concubines and fathered too few daughters,’ he thought.

He gestured to the young men. ”These were a gift from the gentlemen at the county office.”

In truth, the gentlemen at the county office had intended to reward some soldiers today, but the soldiers never showed up. The food couldn’t go to waste, so he’d shamelessly pushed his way to the front. The County Magistrate saw him and tossed him the two chickens.

In a small border town like this, the roast chickens were crudely prepared, but to young men who hadn’t seen meat in months, they were a delicacy. They surged forward, tearing at the food with their bare hands.

Liang Qiang didn’t join the fray. Instead, he walked out and returned to his own small, cold hut. From under his pillow, he pulled out a tattered government notice.

It announced the passing of the late Emperor, the ascension of the new emperor, and the installment of the new empress.

The Chu Family’s Daughter, Chu Zhao.

Liang Qiang’s gaze swept over that line of text.