Don’t Be a Kept Man

re, and I’ve already passed that impulsive age.
Perhaps I might have felt regret before, but now I don’t.
Who doesn’t want world peace in their lifetime? Even generals that were born to battle wouldn’t be an exception.”

Xie Yu Zhi said as he retracted his gaze from the window, and he turned to look at Chen Miao Ping, eyes full of laughter.
He lightly said, 

“To die on the battlefield has never been what I wanted as my final resting place……”

How he was now, it was very good.
His leg was crippled, so he can never step on the battlefield again.
But that means that the Emperor would not be so wary of Chang Guo Gong and his estate.
The next emperor would come out of the Empress’s womb and so their lineage was protected.

“Your best resting place is to die with me from old age, and then get buried together.”

The wind and snow was growing in intensity outside.
Chen Miao Ping grabbed Xie Yu Zhi by the waist and lifted him in a princess hold from the window side.
The maids on guard by the courtyard immediately and lightly closed the window as they got a glimpse, blocking most of the cold outside.

Xie Yu Zhi glared at him, 

“Didn’t you say before that I was too heavy, and you can’t hold me?”

Chen Miao Ping chuckled lightly, 

“If I said you were heavy, you became heavy? Then if I said you became dumb, have you become dumb?”

A few days later, the snow storm was still going strong, and perhaps getting even stronger still.
Wealthy families were fine, but those from poor families were freezing to death.
The Imperial Palace had started to pop up congee stands, standing on each of the cardinal sections to give out congee.
This duty was managed by the Chief Surveillance Bureau and so everyday after Chen Miao Ping finished patrolling the streets, he would go help out.

“Thank you Da-Ren, thank you Da-Ren.”

Many suffering commoners were lined up in a long, long line, holding congee bowls in their hands.
They took two steamed buns and then quickly crouched nearby to eat.
Chen Miao Ping swirled the congee pot to make the already miniscule amount of rice float back up before continuing to ladle more into bowls.

There were people cleaning off the snow from the roads, and not far away there were two men carrying a covered carriage without wheels heading over.
They stopped right beside the congee stand where Chen Miao Ping was just taking a break.
He gave a few glances over, wondering why would anyone still come out on such a cold day.

The curtain cover was lifted up by a slender hand and out came a woman with a fox fur coat and a veil over her face.
Although he could not see who it was very clearly, her body was elegant and curved, so it must be a beautiful woman.
The other stepped off her carriage and walked straight towards Chen Miao Ping which made him question what was going on.

“Chen Da-Ren, it has been a while.
Do you still remember Xue Yi?”

The girl did a courtesy bow and that was when Chen Miao Ping recognized her.
He stood up and said, 

“So it was Lady Xue Yi.
Is there anything this official can help you with?”

“There was no purpose to disturb Da-Ren, but Xue Yi has heard that the Imperial Palace was here, dispensing congee for the people.
Although Xue Yi is just a girl, but she thinks she could help out just a miniscule amount to the best of her ability.
Xue Yi hopes that Da-Ren will not reject this help.”

Xue Yi said as she rustled her sleeves.
Chen Miao Ping only realized now she had been holding a box and the lock was just slightly opened, revealing a few banknotes that, at a glance, could be seen as not a small amount, and some scattered jewelry and gold.
It all looked very expensive.

Chen Miao Ping paused, 

“This……”

Xue Yi passed the box without hesitation to him, 

“This is for the people who are suffering in this city.
Xue Yi requests that Da-Ren not reject it, and use these items to continue to dispense food and clothes for the people.”

Chen Miao Ping immediately rejected it, 

“No, that can’t be possible.
This official cannot accept this.
A woman surviving on her own is already not an easy task, so Lady Xue Yi, please save it for yourself.”

Xue Yi shook her head, 

“Da-ren, please don’t worry.
These things are not just Xue Yi’s.
There are items in here that are from the sisters at Chun Xiao House.
They heard that Chen Da-ren has been passing out congee everyday, and they wanted to help out.
We all individually gathered some from our savings and that is why there is this much.”

Seeing that Chen Miao Ping was still hesitating, Xue Yi chuckled lightly, 

“Da-Ren is a good official, and I will be very direct.
If it was someone else here today that was passing out congee, we would absolutely not have cared.
If these items were passed on, who knows whose pockets they would fall into.
The sisters from the house have come from many poor backgrounds to have landed where they are now, and they have felt the same and have experienced the same as these commoners.
Xue Yi originally wanted to donate by herself, but once they heard that this was managed by Da-Ren, everyone donated some.”

Chen Miao Ping was a little bewildered, 

“This official has not browsed around the entertainment houses, how…… how could they……”

Xue Yi didn’t continue to explain.
A girl living in these kinds of environments, every one of them had a clear understanding.
That day when the fifth prince of the Liao Empire was causing trouble at Chun Xiao House, even though it was Xie Yu Zhi who came to save the day, perhaps other people were not clear, but how could she not know? It must have been Chen Miao Ping who privately requested Xie Yue Zhi to do it as otherwise why would General Xie come personally?

Besides, although Chen Miao Ping, this city warden inspector, didn’t look like much, if any citizen was met with trouble, he has never not cared.
When you speak of his name, everyone you ask will say that he’s good.

“You and General Xie are good people.
The citizens of this city can see that from the bottom of their hearts.
Xue Yi will not overstay her welcome here and will take her leave first.”

Xue Yi snuggled against her fur coat, and then in the frosty and windy snow, went back up on the carriage.
That carriage was lifted up by the two men and they carried it further and further away, very quickly disappearing into the whiteness.

Chen Miao Ping watched her leave, feeling very complicated inside.
At long last, he tucked that box in his clothes and decided to go to a pawn shop after his shift to exchange them for rice and warm clothing.

There was some sniffling that attracted his attention and he saw a child in torn clothing huddled against the corner of a building to hide from the wind.
He took two hot steamed buns from the basket and ladled up a bowl of hot congee before heading towards the child.
He asked, 

“Little one, why didn’t you go line up?”

The child sniffed a few more times, his cheeks burning red from the cold.
Seeing Chen Miao Ping in his official’s outfit, with rich tones of color and expensive items, he felt like he was seeing a messenger from heaven. 

“One person can only receive once…… I…… I already received them once…… But my mother is sick…… She couldn’t come……”

Chen Miao Ping thought that this child was very honest, and he passed the two steamed buns over to him before smiling as he said, 

“No worries.
When you go line up for congee, tell them the reason and they will give you two shares.”

The congee stand had not packed up yet and since he had nothing else to do, Chen Miao Ping crouched by the corner of the wall and started a conversation with the child, 

“How old are you?”

The child was slurping away at the congee and, hearing him, lifted up his head and said, 

“I’m twelve years old now.”

“Have you read or studied before?”

“My mother knows some words and she taught me.
But my family can’t afford to buy books and scrolls.
In the future, I want to take the examinations to become a high ranking official and then buy my parents a very very big house for all that they have given me.” 

The child said as his dark eyes became enthusiastic and energetic.
If he was not holding the bowl of congee in his hands, he probably would be flying and dancing, trying to explain his dreams.

Paper was very expensive in the ancient eras, and books were even harder to come by.
Only big wealthy families could have hidden scrolls and libraries.
Chen Miao Ping ruffled the child’s hair, thinking, if this child lived in his time, he should just be graduating from elementary school.
But in Da Jin, many children were like him, in this kind of situation.

Chen Miao Ping patted his knees and stood up.
He said, 

“Little one, go back home early.
It is quite cold outside, so don’t make your mother worry for you.”