Chapter 2806 Rare Moments Of Ignorance

Tan Shuangxi continued: "Everything was chaos during the night raid. We were all firing toward the bandits. All we heard was him cry out, just once—'Ouch.' By the time we found him, he was already gone."

"Did he bleed much?" Her voice was hoarse.

"Not much. A feathered arrow struck his chest, almost directly over the heart. We gathered around him. He gasped for a moment, and then he was gone. He didn't suffer." As if straining to offer some comfort, Tan Shuangxi added, "Although his service wasn't long, he fought with great bravery. He received two Second Class Courage Medals and one Second Class Distinguished Service Medal. The South China Army commended him in general orders..."

"But he's gone," she said. "He's never coming back."

No one could speak. Tan Shuangxi looked helplessly at the medal box on the table. Yes, he was never coming back. What good did it do to give his wife more medals? These medals would never be worn on their owner's chest, never displayed as proof of his bravery and distinguished service...

"Please take care of yourself in your grief." Tan Shuangxi rose and saluted again. "We are leaving."

After they emerged from Tan Haonan's house, the Paijia invited them to eat. Tan Shuangxi declined—this was a town where restaurants were as numerous as hairs on an ox, unlike the countryside where they had to rely on the village head to arrange meals.

"Let's find a place to have a drink," Tan Shuangxi said.

"That woman..." Zhang Laicai said with barely concealed impatience. "Shameless!" His voice came out louder than intended. He glanced around quickly to make sure he hadn't disturbed anyone, then continued indignantly: "There were men's things in her room!"

Tan Shuangxi said nothing. After a long pause, he finally spoke: "A man's hat doesn't prove anything..."

"A hat really doesn't prove anything, but did you see what was in the kitchen sink?" Zhang Laicai's anger was rising. "Bowls, chopsticks, spoons, cups—all in pairs! Why would a woman living alone wash tableware for two? And the unfinished food in the kitchen was all carefully prepared—don't tell me the man who visited was a relative... even if he was a relative..."

He trailed off. Intermarriage between cousins wasn't rare.

"Even if a man visited, it doesn't prove anything, does it?" Tan Shuangxi offered. "The Great Ming Law requires catching adulterers together in the act. You only saw a few clues—you can't prove a thing."

"That man was upstairs!" Zhang Laicai insisted. "Didn't you hear the floorboards creaking?"

"I'm hungry. Let's find somewhere to eat." Tan Shuangxi cut short his grumbling and pulled him into a small restaurant along the street.

It wasn't yet lunchtime, and the shop was empty. The owner perked up at the sight of two soldiers entering—lately, many returning veterans had been coming through, and they all shared one trait: they spent freely and generously. Good customers. He hurried over to greet them.

"Comrades, what will you have?"

"Do you have a private room?" Tan Shuangxi knew Zhang Laicai was brimming with anger and needed to vent somewhere safe.

"Yes, yes, though the conditions are modest. Please forgive us—we're just a small establishment, nothing fancy..."

"As long as you have one, save the excuses."

The owner quickly ordered the shop assistant to show them to a private room in the back. The conditions were indeed modest; apart from being a separate space, it was no different from the main dining area. But Tan Shuangxi was satisfied. "This will do."

"What will you gentlemen eat..."

"Bring four cold dishes to go with the wine, and half a dozen bottles of 'Wenlan River' beer." Tan Shuangxi ordered four appetizers—salted peanuts, marinated jellyfish, and the like—then asked, "I noticed you have a sign outside for Dongshan Mutton. Is it authentic?"

"Look at you, comrade," the owner replied, slipping into his local dialect. "I'm from Wanning. Would I serve anything less than authentic? Everything's raised by my family back home! Shipped here alive to Lingao, slaughtered fresh just yesterday!"

"Bring two jin of boiled sliced mutton, skin on," Tan Shuangxi said. "And a plate of stir-fried lamb tripe."

"Right away, right away," the owner nodded eagerly, then leaned in and whispered, "The shop has fresh sheep testicles—yangbao. Would you gentlemen like a portion? Guaranteed to do you good."

"Is there any gamey smell?"

"We have a secret recipe. Absolutely no gamey smell."

"Bring a portion," Tan Shuangxi said.

"Coming right up!"

Zhang Laicai waved his hands in protest. "Brother Shuangxi! You don't have a woman at home—why order that? No, no."

"I don't need it, but you do. Aren't you going to meet your lover after we finish delivering the letters?"

"What lover? I have absolutely no interest now." Zhang Laicai sighed heavily. "After seeing how things ended for Brother Haonan, my heart's gone cold..."

As they talked, the waiter's shouts rang out from the front. Soon the wine and dishes were all laid out before them.

"The sheep testicles are still stewing in the pot—they'll be ready shortly," the owner informed them. "Will you want rice or noodles?"

"Not yet." Tan Shuangxi waved him away. The moment they were alone, Zhang Laicai burst out: "Brother Shuangxi! I don't understand—why did you want to protect her? She's carrying on with another man! The adulterer was upstairs! With the Paijia representative as our witness, we should have charged up there and caught them in the act!"

"You think this man was waiting naked in bed for us to catch him?" Tan Shuangxi replied evenly.

"Even fully clothed—a lone man and widow under one roof, plus evidence of eating and drinking together—if that's not adultery, what is it?" Zhang Laicai's voice rose with indignation. "We should have seized him and beaten him half to death first! Even if the police station couldn't convict him, at least we'd have vented our anger for Brother Haonan!"

"You said it yourself—you can't convict him." Tan Shuangxi's tone remained calm. "Yes, you beat the man, you feel satisfied. But then Tan Haonan's disgrace would be set in stone—not only real but known to everyone in Bairen. Besides, what if there's nothing going on at all? Maybe it was a relative, maybe a neighbor, or maybe just a messenger she invited in for conversation. She's a woman, not a prisoner."

Zhang Laicai considered this. It was true enough. But he still couldn't swallow his anger and said resentfully: "I've seen officials wear that hat. No matter how wealthy Tan Haonan's family might be, he would never buy something like that! This adulterer must come from money. Brother Haonan was fighting at the front while she carried on with someone in the rear! She certainly knows how to pick them..."

"I can't say whether she carried on with anyone or not, but her feelings for Brother Haonan were genuine. I could see that."

"When did you become such an expert on women?" Zhang Laicai muttered sullenly.

"You're right—what would I understand?" Tan Shuangxi thought to himself in silence. Better not to think about marriage before leaving the army. He didn't want the day to come when his woman would be left crying over a piece of paper. A man shouldn't live like that.

"Brother Haonan is already gone. Do you want him to become idle gossip now?" Seeing Zhang Laicai still brooding, Tan Shuangxi tried to persuade him.

"True," Zhang Laicai deflated. "Making a scene would only be ugly."

Tan Shuangxi picked up a piece of jellyfish and put it in his mouth. "In the end, Brother Haonan knows nothing anymore. The living have to go on living. I spent more time with Brother Haonan, so I know something about their marriage. She treated Haonan well—it wasn't an act..."

He remembered Tan Haonan mentioning that almost all his wages went toward buying books, newspapers, and stationery. The postage alone for submitting articles and corresponding with literary friends cost a considerable sum each month, yet his wife never complained.

"...The key is, she understands me. Do you know what I mean? She knows what I'm thinking, what I want. Being with her, there's a tacit understanding between us—I feel completely at ease..."

Recalling these words of Tan Haonan's, Tan Shuangxi couldn't quite grasp what "she understands me" really meant, but he could understand his brother's feelings.

Had she really been unfaithful? He didn't want to believe it, but what Zhang Laicai had pointed out was hard to refute. If they had been so devoted to each other, why would another man have come between them...

Zhang Laicai gulped down his wine. "I don't care whether the affection was real or fake. I just... I just feel Brother Haonan was so wronged!" As he spoke, he tore open the front of his uniform. "Just thinking about it for his sake makes my chest feel tight."

"Stop dwelling on it. There's plenty in this world you'll never figure out. If you tried to think through everything, you'd only suffocate yourself."

As they spoke, the waiter announced himself and brought in a steaming clay pot. He whispered, "The stewed sheep testicles. You two enjoy them while they're hot."

Lifting the lid, they found a rich white broth sprinkled with green garlic leaves. The translucent testicles quivered in the simmering soup. Just as the owner had promised, there was no gamey smell at all—only a deep, savory aroma.

"Come on, eat up. Then go see your lover tonight," Tan Shuangxi said, trying to lift the mood. "If you're tired, get a good night's sleep. There's more work to do tomorrow."

Suddenly, the sound of military music drifted in from outside—flutes and drums—accompanied by the boisterous cheers of a crowd. The two men exchanged glances. Tan Shuangxi called to the waiter: "What's happening out there?"

"The local jia is sending off new recruits!"

They set down their cups and went outside to watch. On the street, a military band was playing the "Farewell March" on drums and flutes. Amid the rousing music, a crowd surrounded several young men wearing the "Year One Pattern" military uniforms—without rank or branch insignia. Someone held aloft a banner reading: "Farewell to East Gate Town 17th Jia 3rd Pai..." followed by what were probably the recruits' names.

Beneath the banner walked three young men with bashful smiles—they had probably never experienced such glory in their lives. Flags flew above their heads. The street's prominent figures had all come to see them off: the president of the Paijia chamber of commerce, the Pai head and Jia head, the president of the Paijia women's association. People waving flowers and small flags cheered for them. Police cleared the way ahead. Passersby called out encouragement; some threw confetti. The three recruits did their best to appear brave and fearless as they marched in step with the music.

When they spotted the two Fubo Army soldiers standing by the street, the three young men stopped together and raised uneven salutes. Tan Shuangxi and Zhang Laicai quickly returned the gesture in unison.

"Serve the Senate and the People!" "Restore China!" The slogans rang out, the music swelled again, and the farewell procession marched on.

(End of Chapter)