Chapter Seven: The Rogue Wang Xiao'er

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The Zhao woman helped Yun Hao up, disregarding her own injuries. She carefully examined Yun Hao from head to toe, and, finding nothing amiss, finally relaxed. She tapped Yun Hao’s forehead and said, “If you ever encounter such things again, don’t worry about your mother. I am an adult; I don’t need you, a child, to save me. Just run for yourself, and once I get away, I’ll come find you.”

Yun Hao felt helpless; it was obvious she was putting on a brave face, pretending to be stronger than she was. Yet he could not expose her in front of everyone. He simply nodded in agreement, noticing the trace of blood at the corner of his mother’s mouth. Yun Hao knew that kick she endured was no light blow. Seeing the three thugs unconscious on the ground, he sprinted over, his little legs moving fast, leapt up, and with the momentum of his descent, stomped hard on the smiling tiger’s crotch.

The onlookers gasped again, thinking the child was unusually ruthless. Such a fierce stomp—even from a child—would surely be excruciating. Many men instinctively tightened their trousers.

“Mother, your health isn’t good. Let’s find somewhere to stay,” Yun Hao said, grabbing his mother’s sleeve as she tried to stop him.

Zhao nodded; that kick had left her breathless. Besides, it was getting late, and they did need to find an inn to rest.

Mother and son entered the city, and soon found an inn called “Taiyuan Wang’s Inn.” As soon as the innkeeper saw guests arriving, he hurried out to greet them with a smile. “Are you two looking for a room?”

“We need a clean room. My mother isn’t feeling well,” Yun Hao replied, stepping forward like a little adult since Zhao was injured.

“My, a young guest! Our rooms are the cleanest. You’ve chosen wisely!” With that, the innkeeper ushered Zhao and Yun Hao inside.

This innkeeper was a chatterbox, talking nonstop as they walked. “Madam, my name is Wang Shi. My business is small, so I’m innkeeper and servant all in one. People split my name and call me Wang Xiao’er. Madam, just call me Wang Xiao’er. I’ll have someone bring you some hot water shortly.”

Yun Hao thought the innkeeper wasn’t bad; in these times, hot water was a rare luxury. He suspected Wang Xiao’er had mistaken Zhao for a woman needing special care. The mother and son remained silent, following Wang Xiao’er to the backyard.

“That room up front is the clean suite, only twenty copper coins a night. In Lu Zhou City, that's quite reasonable,” Wang Xiao’er said with a broad grin, especially after Yun Hao handed him a stack of coins. His smile bloomed like a chrysanthemum, every wrinkle stretched in delight.

Yun Hao supported Zhao into the room. There was a large bed against the wall, a table and four chairs in the center. He touched the blanket—still warm from the sun—and sniffed it; it still carried a hint of sunlight. Clearly, it had been aired out during the day! Though the furnishings were simple, the room was very clean. Yun Hao was quite satisfied—compared to the roadside inns they’d stayed in, Taiyuan Wang’s Inn was truly a cut above.

After settling Zhao on the bed, a woman of about thirty came in with a clay basin and a pot of hot water. “Guests, the wooden tubs are all being used for laundry. Sorry to trouble you with a clay basin instead.”

“Travelers can’t be too picky, madam, you’re too courteous.”

As the two exchanged niceties, a thunderous roar sounded from outside. “Wang Xiao’er!”

But Wang Xiao’er replied unhurriedly, “Master, it’s not that I meant to offend. Today, a guest arrived, dealing in gold and jewels. Very odd fellow, insisted on having your room alone. If I’d known, I would’ve locked the door, and none of this would’ve happened. I argued with him, but he said, ‘Innkeeper, just take my money; whether Zhang or Li stays, it’s all the same. I’ll pay extra.’ Folks like us, when money’s mentioned, we’re scared to lose a good customer.”

He paused a moment. “These people went in and wouldn’t come out. I worried about your luggage, so I moved it to a quiet place in the back. Master Qin, you’ve stayed with us so long, you’re like family. I wanted to earn more from these guests, so I had to compromise. Please don’t take offense; I know you’re generous.”

Yun Hao listened closely; the voice sounded familiar. He stepped out and indeed saw a yellow-faced burly man leading a yellow bay horse. Remembering Wang Xiao’er called him Master Qin, Yun Hao thought: It’s really him. He hadn’t expected to meet this hero so soon after arriving in the Tang Dynasty. With that in mind, he stepped outside and followed Wang Xiao’er and Master Qin toward the backyard.

Wang Xiao’er lit a lantern to guide the way, and Master Qin followed. They wound around to the back. Wang Xiao’er looked uneasy along the way. When they reached the spot, he pointed and said, “This is it.” Master Qin looked closely—it was not a guest room, but a shabby hut by the kitchen, half open to the sky, piled with straw. His luggage was stacked on top. Part of the floor was covered with hay, the wind blowing through all sides, with no place to hang a lamp, so they set it down on the ground. A piece of broken pottery was wedged in the wall to block the wind. Wang Xiao’er said, “Master Qin, you’ll have to make do here for a few days. When those guests leave, you can move back to your old room.”

Yun Hao followed and saw everything clearly. He felt they were really bullying him; even a hero could be humbled by a lack of money. A fallen phoenix is not even as good as a chicken. This was no place for a person to live—barely better than a pigsty.

“You…!” Master Qin’s sallow face darkened with anger, but he could do nothing to Wang Xiao’er. After all, he owed the inn for food and lodging; a broke hero simply couldn’t argue.

“Master Qin, I advise you to sell that horse. Twenty taels of silver isn’t too much, fifteen isn’t too little. If you keep owing for food, I can’t keep feeding your horse good fodder at a loss. If it dies one day, it’ll just end up with Butcher Zhang for meat. Nobody likes horse meat, so it won’t fetch a good price anyway.”

“You…!” Wang Xiao’er’s collar was suddenly grabbed, Master Qin clenching his massive fist. His eyes, like copper bells, glared fiercely at Wang Xiao’er, as if he might devour him alive.

“Master Qin! You’re a government officer; commoners don’t fight officials, I know that. But if you owe money and beat people, wherever you go, you’re in the wrong. If I go to the Lu Zhou courthouse and bang the drum for justice, it’s you who’ll be in trouble!”

Unexpectedly, Wang Xiao’er was a rascal, shaking his head and squaring up to Master Qin.

“It’s just your unpaid bill, isn’t it? I’ll pay it. Move Master Qin’s luggage back into the suite at once!”

Master Qin turned abruptly, and by the lantern’s light, saw the newcomer clearly. He exclaimed in surprise, “It’s you…!”