A Gallop on the Embankment with Spring Breeze

Chapter 8: Two Tigers Cannot Live in the Same Mountain

Translator: Zhou Yang

Proofread by Fu Tianying

It is a slightly warm morning with cool wind and rising sun. In the yard birds are twittering, and mixed fragrance of flowers and grass refreshes the mind and heart of people. Of course, Ma Tian’en does not notice that.

Ma Tian’en has racked her brains all night to write only three lines of a poem, and she could not come up with the last line. She has no choice but to take her unfinished poem to the study with the thought of “Early Depart, Early Revive”. However, she only went around a few times as she got to the study, daring not to get in. While the myna under the corridor shouted, “The young lord is coming! The young lord is coming!” Ma Tian’en tapped the myna on its head, and said angrily, “Long-tongued”.

Wu Zhong has been waiting for him with a book in his hand for reading. Seeing that Ma Tian’en entered in self-distrust, and took her poem in hands folded behind the back, he couldn’t help but smile.

“You finished the poem? Let me have a look.”

“Sort of finished,” Ma Tian’en showed the paper hidden behind her back, but she was unwilling to hand it over to Wu Zhong.

“Don’t worry. You haven’t learned composing a poem before, so I will not blame for your bad writing. At least you had the courage to play a start, which is a good beginning,” Wu Zhong encouraged him. Actually Ma Tian’en did not want to write a poem, but if he did so, his mother would blame him for skipping class again. Alas! What a mother good at nagging and fighting! He wondered why his father fell in love with her. Maybe he was forced to marry her.

Ma Tian’en went off into fancy for a while, and then bargained, “I wrote one, but completed only three lines… My mother asked me to show her my poem, and could you please say some good words for me?”

Then Ma Tian’en handed over the poem with her face full of smile. Wu Zhong actually had no expectation for his poem at all, but he found it composed of smooth lines, which was not a surprise but at least not a scare as he imagined. Though a little ugly, her handwriting was clear, which might be the result of efforts. Ma Tian’en deserved to be called a smart student. After listening to my explanation of some poems of lotus, he was able to imitate some lines, which proved that he could be taught.

On the paper is:

Lucid is the water of the lake and red are the lotus,

Wide are the lotus leaves and blocked are the fishermen.

Better to be in the water than enjoy the flowers…

Only three lines. Wu Thong guessed that Ma Tian’en really could not get any other ideas. Wu raised his head to look at him, whose eyes show dark circles. He must have stayed up late. He has always heard that Ma Tian’en is a toff, but after getting along with him, he found that he is a child who wants to be recognized by adults. He fakes being indifferent to everything all the time, but in fact he cares about others’ thoughts in his mind. So much trouble he invited him actually arose from his desire to be praised by others.

Thinking of that, Wu Thong laughed and said, “It is OK”. Then he put the paper on the table, and imitated Ma Tian’en’s handwriting to add a sentence behind. Finishing that, he handed it to her and said, “Go and show it to Mrs. Ma.”

Without any expectation that Wu Thong would add the last line for him, Ma Tian’en was seized by happiness. The moment he got the paper, she ran away toward the room of his parents rather than checked it first.

When Ma Tian’en came running, the servants just finished clearing after Mr. and Mrs. Ma had breakfast. She narrowly bumped into the servants as she opened the door.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” Mrs. Ma couldn’t help chattering. “Please be cautious to avoid falling and bumping.”

“I came to show Dad and Mom my poem,” said Ma Tian’en, and then he handed over the paper as if it was something treasured.

The couple looked at each other, because they didn’t expect that Ma Tian’en would hand in his poem so quickly though they told him yesterday.

Mrs. Ma was not literate, while Ma Chaosheng liked reading though he lived on water transport of grain to the capital. He took over the paper and read it out for Mrs. Ma.

Lucid is the water of the lake and red are the lotus,

Wide are the lotus leaves and blocked are the fishermen.

Better to be in the water than enjoy the flowers,

For lotus seeds as a gift for parents.

“My good baby! You wanted to pick up lotus seeds for us when you enjoy the beauty of lotus. The poem is good, and the handwriting is…not bad. It must be a revelation of our ancestors. You are enlightened at last,” Ma Chaosheng was gratified to look at his girl, while Mrs. Ma burst into tears.

“I have said my girl is no worse than those scholars. Look at the poem, what a masterpiece. Housekeeper, come and take it to be mounted and hung up.”

“It better not, because the last line was added by my teacher,” Ma Tian’en was a little shy. He had been beaten and scolded since he was a child, so he was accustomed to being praised in such a sudden manner.

“The last line would not be produced without the first three lines. All lines are good. All! We Ma Family has a scholar,” Ma Chaosheng was so deep in high spirits that he sent the housekeeper to get it mounted in the best calligraphy and painting shop.

While Ma Family was in great harmony, Tian Family was in violent storm.

Tian Fugui was sneaking out to find Ma Tian’en, while a cold sound came through as he got to the gate: “Stop! Where are you going?”

The moment Tian Fugui heard it he knew that was his older brother. Since he could not get out, he turned back without any hesitation and said ingratiatingly: “I want to walk around and get familiar with the wharf to prepare myself for the future when I can help you, my bro!”

“Who is your brother?”

“Ah, of course you. My bro, are you amnesic?”

“Damn it! I didn’t think that you know I am your brother, because I thought you were a member of Ma Family. Just follow me.” Tian Ronghua said with anger and then he walked toward his room. Tian Fugui followed up quickly since he noticed that his brother was angry.

“My dear brother, why did you say that? You are my only older brother, and I am of course the member of Tian Family. Honestly, Tian’en is a good person, but you have not known him well. So I want to ask him out for drinking with us, and then you will like him.

“You think I don’t like him so I prevent you from meeting him, right? So in your heart, I am a person who control my brother’s making friends just out of my own feelings, right? You don’t know your brother at all. I don’t allow you to meet Ma Tian’en just because he is surnamed Ma. Among all five dams, Ma Family is the only one who can contend with us. We have always been fighting with them secretly, but now the state is amidst the winds of change, so the water transport of grain to the capital is going to have changes, too. Then the fight between us and Ma Family may be open, and what are you going to do at that time?” Queried Tian Ronghua in a severe tone.

Tian Fugui bent down his head and murmured, “Why do we have to fight it out? Can’t we just get along?”

“How stupid you are! Two tigers cannot live in the same mountain, which means that only one can govern all five dams, either us or Ma Family. Without Li Dafu of Luo faction, Ma Family had no chance to rise. Since there is chaos inside the Datong Gangs, Li Dafu may lose the leadership. As long as he falls from power, the open competition between us and Ma Family will officially start. You have been not that healthy since a little boy. It is my fault that I have taken care of you too much to let you know what the responsibility of our family is.” Seated in the chair, Tian Ronghua had a deep sigh after saying that.

Tactful enough, Tian Fugui poured a cup of tea for his elder brother. “My bro, I know you did everything because you thought it is good for me. Since the death of our father, it was you who supported the whole Tian Family, so I respected you from the bottom of my heart. I also know what you said to me, but I think Tian’en’s words are also reasonable. He often says that Datong River belongs to everyone, and we all are fed by the same source of water. So why not make money together?”

“What does he know? He is just a black sheep, who is arrogant basking in his parents’ backing. One day, when his father dies, he will be eaten up by his own people even without our intervention. Speaking of Ma Tian’en, I heard that you met Wu Zhong in street that day, and it was you who suggested him to invite Wu Zhong to be his master?You were so nice to him. You know Mr. Hu wants to cope with him, but you still helped Ma Tian’en to get him into his family, what the hell did you think about?”

“I, I didn’t think too much. I just realized that since Mr. Hu feared Wu Zhong who must be of abundant knowledge, I just follow the words…”

“You……I really don’t know whether you are smart or stupid. Come on, family rules.” Hearing family rules, Tian Fugui’s face turned pale. The family rules of Tian Family mean using a whip made of steel core. Once whipped, the skin would be red and swollen. The pain will be too unbearable for him to get out of bed.

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Tian Fugui knelt down right away to hug his brother and cried,”Don’t hit me. I am wrong and I will follow whatever you say from now on. I am not afraid of pain because I will say nothing if you want to beat me, but our mother is in poor health, so if I could not say hello and pay respect to her because of the pain, she would be sad. And if she knows that I get hurt, she will cry.”

The unique skill of Tian Fugui is speaking of their mother, Mrs. Tian because Tian Ronghua is a dutiful son. Their father died early, and Tian Ronghua had to deal with the external business while Mrs. Tian had to cope with the internal affairs, so she suffered a lot. Therefore, Tian Ronghua is very filial to his mother, and Mrs. Tian dotes on Tian Fugui, her three-year-old little son who lost his father, so much that she would help him out each time when he got into trouble and freed him of punishment. In addition, it would be the birthday of Mrs. Tian several days later, so it would be better not to disturb her mood.

Well, Ma Tian’en was not the material for learning, so it would be useless to get Wu Zhong. And in the final analysis, Tian Family wanted to fight Wu Zhong just for the acquiantance with Mr. Hu, and they were not real enemies. Thinking about this, Tian Ronghua stared at the disappointing brother, “I will let you off this time, but remember that if you break my business once again, I would whip you even harder.”

Tian Fugui breathed a sigh of relief, “Take it easy, my bro, I will never let you worry anymore.” While in his heart, he added, “as long as you don’t hurt Ma Tian’en.”