UCTOOT CH10

Shi Shu asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be organizing the scriptures in the library?”

Xie Wuchi replied, “I’ll be accompanying the young prince this afternoon. Might as well take the rest of the day off.”

Shi Shu: “You’re worried that I’ll be unsafe if I leave the temple?”

“Something like that. It’s best to keep a low profile these days and avoid drawing attention. Let’s go.”

As Xie Wuchi finished handing over his duties to the monk at the counter, he turned back. Shi Shu felt a wave of emotion surge in his heart. “Xie Wuchi, you really look after me. I’ll remember this.”

Xie Wuchi said calmly, “Right now, we’re the closest to each other. It’s only natural.”

Shi Shu nodded and was about to follow Xiaoshu when Xie Wuchi suddenly grabbed the collar of his robe, pulling him back. “Hold on. The customs in the Great Jing Dynasty are strict. Men and women walking together can easily lead to rumors and damage her reputation.”

“Oh right! Almost forgot about that!” Shi Shu slapped his forehead. “Old-fashioned society, obsessed with purity and all that.”

Xiaoshu had originally wanted to say something, but one glance at Xie Wuchi was enough to scare her into silence.

Leaving the bustling Xiangnan Temple and the market behind, the path became increasingly desolate. As they reached the end of the alley, Shi Shu noticed several familiar figures in the distance. He nudged Xie Wuchi’s shoulder, “Look, it’s them.”

The thugs from yesterday had gained a few new faces. This time, they weren’t harassing women on the street but were instead drinking and causing trouble at a tavern. The tavern owner stood to the side, looking anxious and helpless.

“Let’s get out of here before they spot us,” Shi Shu whispered.

“Mm.”

Xiaoshu covered her face and quickly ran ahead. Her nimble movements revealed the agility of a girl accustomed to hard labor. The further they went, the more the sounds of the bustling market faded, replaced by the crumbling, squalid housing around an old well.

Suddenly, a foul stench filled the air.

“What’s that smell? It’s like rotting meat that’s been left out in the summer heat for half a month.”

Xie Wuchi surveyed the surroundings. In front of them were rows of low, dilapidated houses, with two bare willow trees shedding withered leaves. A trench made of stones ran through the area, filled with black, stagnant water, rotting leaves, and discarded fruit peels.

“This is the drainage system of the Eastern Capital,” Xie Wuchi explained. “In a city of millions, there must be places to handle sewage and waste, or the city wouldn’t survive.”

Shi Shu fell silent.

Xiaoshu turned back and gave them an apologetic smile, her ears turning red with embarrassment.

Following the filthy, stinking path for a few more minutes, Shi Shu finally saw the familiar slum from yesterday. Dilapidated wooden shacks and crumbling houses lined the streets, while the ground was coated in layers of black grease. In the cracks of the pavement, one could occasionally spot the carcasses of dead rats and animal bones.

Flies buzzed around, and the air reeked of decay. Yet, in this wretched place, countless impoverished people eked out a living. From time to time, someone would step outside, empty a chamber pot, and then stand under the eaves to curiously watch the two strangers passing through.

The rose-tinted filter Shi Shu had for ancient cities was completely shattered. For a moment, the emaciated figures from late Qing Dynasty photographs flashed through his mind.

Xiaoshu pointed to one of the more intact houses. “This is my home.”

Just then, a lean, wiry man stepped out from under the eaves. He was tall, with a sharp, angular jaw, deep-set eyes, and thick body hair. His weathered face bore the marks of years of hardship.

Shi Shu clicked his tongue. “He looks a bit…”

Xiaoshu ran up to him and said, “Father, this is the monk who saved me yesterday. He was worried about me walking home alone, so he escorted me back.”

Shi Shu quickly added, “I’m not actually a monk…”

The man nodded stiffly, his voice rough and cautious. “Thank you. Our humble home is simple, but would you like to come in for some tea?”

Shi Shu’s eyes lit up. “Sure—”

Before he could step forward, Xie Wuchi grabbed his sleeve. “Wait.”

Shi Shu: “What’s wrong?”

Xie Wuchi raised his voice slightly. “Now that we’ve safely escorted your daughter home, we won’t disturb you further. We still have duties to attend to at the temple.”

The man didn’t insist and simply replied, “Alright then. Take care.”

As Xie Wuchi gave Shi Shu a pat on the back, urging him to leave, a gentle voice suddenly called out from inside the house.

“Is this the benefactor who helped our daughter?”

The man’s expression shifted slightly. He turned back, and from within the dimly lit house, another middle-aged man stepped out. He looked much thinner, with soft, delicate features and wore plain clothes.

“Please, do come in and rest for a while,” the man said warmly.

The wiry man immediately cut him off with a stiff tone, “They’ve already said they won’t stay.”

From behind, Xiaoshu peeked her head out and softly called, “Mother.”

“Mother???”

Shi Shu had assumed that the person coming out would be a woman, so he was already surprised to see a man. But when Xiaoshu called him “Mother,” the man simply patted her head and said, “Go boil some water and make tea for our guests.”

Shi Shu nearly choked: “W-Wait… A male mother?!”

Bro… what is this situation?

Xie Wuchi glanced around, his expression unreadable. After a moment of thought, he said, “It would be rude to refuse such hospitality. Let’s go in and sit for a while.”

The man said, “Yuan He, bring two chairs.”

The tall, muscular man from earlier, despite clearly being much stronger, lowered his head and obediently went inside to fetch the chairs without a word.

Shi Shu and Xie Wuchi stepped inside. The wooden floors were clean, with sunlight streaming through the cracks, illuminating the dust particles in the air. Despite the poverty, the house was tidy, with a few pots of flowers and plants adding a touch of life.

“My name is Yuan Guan. Please, have a seat. I’ll prepare something for lunch,” the frail-looking man said before turning toward the kitchen.

“So… they’re actually brothers,” Shi Shu let out a sigh of relief. But a sudden thought struck him, and he slammed his teacup down, staring at Xie Wuchi in shock.

“Wait… brothers?! They’re brothers?!”

Xie Wuchi calmly lowered his gaze to the tea, clearly of poor quality, yet carefully preserved for hosting guests. It was evident that this household had nothing better to offer. He took a sip and said, “Yes, brothers. What’s the issue?”

“One’s ‘Father,’ the other’s ‘Mother’…?”

Xie Wuchi raised an eyebrow. “Just say it. What, are the last two words too embarrassing?”

Shi Shu: “…”

At that moment, Xiaoshu approached from the doorway, standing a few meters away and curiously observing them with her innocent eyes.

Shi Shu awkwardly took another sip of tea. “Your water… tastes pretty good.”

Xie Wuchi put down his cup. “Your surname is also Yuan?”

Xiaoshu nodded eagerly. “I’m Yuan Xiaoshu.”

“Do all the people on this street have the surname Yuan?”

Xiaoshu shook her head. “No, besides Yuan, there’s also Min and Jin.”

Shi Shu glanced at Xie Wuchi, who raised an eyebrow. “Are your father and… mother… biological brothers?”

Xiaoshu replied, “No, they’re cousins.”

Shi Shu: “………………”

Xie Wuchi: “Then why do you call one ‘Father’ and the other ‘Mother’ instead of ‘Uncle’?”

Before Xiaoshu could answer, Yuan He’s towering figure appeared in the doorway. With a low cough, he said, “Xiaoshu, go stoke the fire.”

Xiaoshu pouted and scurried off. Yuan He stepped inside, and the cramped room suddenly felt even more suffocating with three people in it.

Shi Shu could sense that Yuan He was the type who disliked outsiders intruding into his territory.

Awkward silence filled the air.

Unable to sit still, Yuan He grabbed a hammer and began repairing a broken wooden beam. His muscles tensed as he worked, broad shoulders and powerful arms moving with practiced ease, like a man who had carried the weight of life on his back for years.

Suddenly, Xie Wuchi spoke, “I heard that the people of the Northern Yue Kingdom were tall, with deep-set eyes and sharp features, quite different from the southerners. Seeing you today confirms it.”

Yuan He’s hammer paused mid-air. “The Northern Yue Kingdom was destroyed two hundred years ago. There’s no difference now. We’re all citizens of the Great Jing Dynasty.”

Xie Wuchi replied, “We may share the same land, but the bloodline remains different. Life hasn’t been easy for your people, has it?”

Yuan He turned around, his eyes flashing with hostility.

Shi Shu, still sipping his tea, looked between the two, confused. “Wait, what are you guys talking about?”

Xie Wuchi placed his teacup down and stood up. “We’ve finished our tea. We won’t disturb you any longer. Just make sure your daughter stays indoors for the next few days to avoid any trouble.”

With that, he turned and walked out.

Shi Shu caught a whiff of the sweet aroma of brown sugar and eggs coming from the kitchen and reluctantly waved goodbye to Xiaoshu. “See you next time!”

…

As they stepped out onto the grimy street, Shi Shu couldn’t hold back anymore. “What the hell was that? He was about to punch you!”

Xie Wuchi raised his hand and pointed to the left. “Look over there.”

Shi Shu turned his head and saw an old stone boundary marker. The carved words were weathered and faded by time, but a few characters were still faintly visible: “Northern Slaves.”

Xie Wuchi explained, “This entire district houses the descendants of the Northern Yue people. Two hundred years ago, the Great Jing Emperor led a campaign to conquer the Northern Yue Kingdom. After the victory, he brought tens of thousands of captives to the Eastern Capital as a display of triumph.

“But once the glory faded, no one knew what to do with these captives. They were cast aside, registered as ‘slaves’ in the imperial records, and stripped of their status as free citizens.

“The women were sold into wealthy households as servants. The men became laborers, doing the dirtiest and hardest work — cleaning latrines, collecting garbage. The ‘Northern Slaves’ were forbidden from receiving an education or taking the imperial examination.

“No matter how learned a man like Yuan Guan might be, he’ll never be more than a slave in the eyes of this empire.”

Shi Shu froze in place, stunned.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

“There are still groups like this in the Eastern Capital?”

“There are all kinds of people in this world,” Xie Wuchi replied. “Earlier, you asked why two cousins — one is ‘Father’ and the other ‘Mother.’ Do you know the reason?”

Shi Shu: “You tell me.”

Xie Wuchi: “About twenty years ago, during the reign of the previous emperor, Emperor Ai, he once disguised himself and rode through the streets of the capital. By chance, he was accidentally bumped into by a Northern Slave who had slipped out of the slums. Only then did Emperor Ai remember the existence of this forgotten group of ‘Northern Slaves.’

However, during those years, the northern frontier of Great Jing was under constant harassment from rising nomadic tribes. These tribes had even captured several critical border states. Among them were the descendants of the fallen Northern Yue Kingdom.

Out of rage and fear of future rebellion, Emperor Ai issued a decree: From that day forward, Northern Slaves were forbidden from marrying and having children. This was a policy of forced extinction — to make the Northern Slaves gradually disappear from this world.”

Shi Shu felt a chill run down his spine. “And then?”

“You want to know whether those two cousins are involved in… that kind of relationship? The answer is, of course, yes. S3xual desire is an instinct, beyond human willpower. For the past twenty years, Northern Slaves have been forbidden from falling in love, marrying, or having children. If discovered, they would be reported to the authorities and exiled to remote and harsh regions.

In such an environment, the Northern Slaves adapted. Women lived with women, and men with men. It became… a survival strategy.”

“Can human desires really be forcibly altered?”

“Of course,” Xie Wuchi’s eyes darkened. “Sometimes, what you think is your own choice is merely the world pushing you in that direction.”

Shi Shu remained silent for a long time before squeezing out a single word: “Terrifying.”

Xie Wuchi said, “Let’s leave this place as soon as possible. Being seen associating with them will only bring trouble.”

Shi Shu remained quiet for a long while before asking, “How do you know all this?”

Xie Wuchi: “From books. There’s no limit to what you can learn from them.”

…

At noon, the sunlight poured over the stone-paved streets of the Eastern Capital.

Xie Wuchi walked ahead, while Shi Shu trailed behind, feeling lightheaded and unsettled.

Shi Shu pressed a hand against his chest, feeling suffocated.

“I feel… uncomfortable.”

“Don’t think too much,” Xie Wuchi said. “The people of Great Jing who died at the hands of those northern tribes beyond the Yin Mountains didn’t have it any easier than the Northern Slaves. Thinking too much about these things will only weigh you down. Forget it. Even if you feel uncomfortable, you can’t change anything.”

“…”

Shi Shu walked several more steps before lifting his head. “What about you? Can you change anything?”

The stone-paved road stretched endlessly beneath the bright sunlight. The soft fuzz on Shi Shu’s pale face glistened under the light, and his eyes reflected a sincere, almost naive determination.

He looked like someone who had lived too long in fairness and kindness, completely unprepared for the cruelty and chaos of the world.

Xie Wuchi’s dark eyes swept over him. He clasped his hands behind his back and seemed to smile faintly.

“—I can.”

In that moment, Shi Shu’s heart skipped a beat.

He caught a glimpse of something wild and ruthless flashing beneath Xie Wuchi’s eyes — ambition, cold and sharp, like a blade drawn from its sheath.

It was only an instant, but it vanished without a trace.

Xie Wuchi simply stood there, calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.