Chapter 6: The Warm Mattress

The afternoon river surface looked like a painting filled with fragmented reflections of light. A small boat drifted along the ripples on the water, its oarboard, slightly larger than the oar, tossing back and forth underwater like a fish’s tail.

Before boarding the boat, Chu Chaoyun habitually checked the oar ropes. The ropes were all made of very sturdy coarse hemp and rarely broke. However, since Chu Chaoyun was still a novice, she had to be cautious. Especially after hearing the story that “a boatwoman once died by falling into the river because her oar rope snapped,” she made sure to be extra careful.

Because she was new, Manager Zhong, who had arranged other matters, immediately stood beside her. Seeing Chu Chaoyun holding onto the oar rope and examining it closely, Manager Zhong snorted lightly through her nose and said, “What’s wrong? Scared?”

Chu Chaoyun giggled and looked back at her, whispering, “Yeah, I cherish my life.”

Upon hearing this, Manager Zhong rolled her eyes.

At that moment, Chu Chaoyun rowed the oar steadily and methodically, neither hastily nor sluggishly. Although it was a bit laborious for the small boat carrying three people, her calm expression made her look like an experienced rower.

Of course, Chu Chaoyun was pretending.

Rowing was quite difficult for her; she had not forgotten how during her first assessment at Manager Zhong’s place, the oar blade repeatedly slipped off the oarlock, causing the small boat to spin in place several times, which made Manager Zhong nauseous and endlessly scold her.

To her, this was a failure of natural talent. Chu Chaoyun only had patience and endurance. She worked hard to learn how to row well.

Everyone working on the boats lived in a state of oppression.

Chu Chaoyun often lamented her misfortune. To avoid losing her mind, she gradually learned to find joy amid hardship.

Under her control, the small boat gradually improved. Chu Chaoyun carried the old gentleman and Chun Ye through the water near the shore like a swimming fish. Chun Ye reached out to touch a tall, straight lotus leaf, then glanced at a tender pink lotus flower growing among them, finally showing a faint smile.

Their boat journey was aimless but not completely without some plan. Taking the opportunity, Chu Chaoyun rowed the boat further and further, passing through a lotus cluster, then turned toward the center of the river.

She actually wanted to go further out, preferably farther from the dock. Though she couldn’t swim far by diving, she wanted to know what else was beyond the Rui River.

After rowing far enough, Chu Chaoyun glanced back. The Flower Boat at the dock was barely visible, meaning they had completely left the Managers’ sight.

At the same time, both she and Chun Ye seemed to breathe out simultaneously, feeling that the air here was especially fresh.

Chu Chaoyun looked back several times at the Flower Boat. When she turned back, she realized they were about to collide with a boat coming from the opposite side.

The newcomer was also a river passenger, but though Chu Chaoyun recognized the boatwoman rowing, she could not recall her name. It seemed she lived somewhat far away from her.

The boatwoman’s face turned pale with fright as the two boats grew closer.

Her rowing skills were only average; usually, she preferred to do more miscellaneous tasks rather than rowing. She wouldn’t have come here if the guests hadn’t asked to go far.

So she rowed in a hurry, following a “quick strike” strategy, both rushed and fast.

Chu Chaoyun was also afraid something might go wrong. In her panic, she recalled the instructor’s advice on how much force to use in “pushing” and “pulling” the oar.

Gripping the oar tightly, sweat beads formed at her temples. Based on feel and guesswork, she tried to relax the “push” stroke while exerting full strength on the “pull” stroke. After a few attempts, she surprisingly managed to avoid a collision by a narrow margin.

The other boatwoman’s complexion improved and she gratefully looked at Chu Chaoyun.

To prevent their panic from being noticed and possibly reported by the passengers, Chu Chaoyun deliberately broke the tension by greeting the other: “Is the scenery nice over there?”

The boatwoman blinked, understanding the intention, and quickly replied, “There’s a reed bed, really beautiful!”

“I’ve never seen a reed bed before!”

Chu Chaoyun feigned great surprise and tilted her head to look at the old gentleman for his opinion. Though he wore luxurious silks, he didn’t show the arrogance of looking down on others.

Merchants are usually shrewd. The old gentleman understood her meaning, waved his hand, and said, “Then let’s go have a look.”

Chu Chaoyun responded enthusiastically, inadvertently rowing with more force.

Since she learned she would have to row, she had this intention—to cut some reeds to bring back. So before setting out, she had taken a sickle from the warehouse in advance.

During the journey, her eyes kept searching for clusters of reeds along the Rui River. Unexpectedly, the casual comment turned into a pleasant surprise.

The fluffy reeds were light and smooth like white velvet. When one couldn’t afford a quilt, these could at least ease the urgent coldness.

Following the boatwoman’s directions, they turned at a fork in the river, and soon spotted a large patch of reed beds close to the riverbank.

Golden reeds swayed in the wind, with several birds perched on them, singing loudly.

This area was touched by a slightly chilly breeze. Chu Chaoyun felt the wind blowing straight into the soles of her feet as she stood on the boat’s deck.

She slowly stopped, looked at the old gentleman and Chun Ye, and said, “Sir, the wind here is strong. Even if we return now, your feet will suffer. How about I cut some reeds to lay on the deck? You can step on them to keep warm, and the return trip will be more comfortable.”

At that moment, Chun Ye was pulling her skirt down to protect her feet. Upon hearing this, she cheered, “That’s a great idea!”

She looked to the old gentleman’s attitude. Though he’d sent her as a companion, he had not spoken a word on the journey, and Chun Ye, who disliked pretending and flattering, also feigned daydreaming and refused to speak aloud.

They waited for the old gentleman to make a decision, and his expression seemed indifferent, but he raised his chin slightly, signaling them to decide for themselves.

Chu Chaoyun and Chun Ye exchanged smiles. Chun Ye stood, ready to help, but Chu Chaoyun, fearing that two of them moving about might rock the boat, took the sickle herself.

“Miss Chun Ye, just sit tight. Weren’t you not too well recently? I can do this alone.”

Chun Ye was surprised but felt a little warmth toward Chu Chaoyun.

As fellow women, Chu Chaoyun wanted to be kind to them. However, she did remember her Third Aunt’s grudge. If one day she escaped and returned home, she would rip off Third Aunt’s skin.

The sickle was sharpened and well-maintained by designated people. Chu Chaoyun handled it smoothly. Her first few strokes were a bit awkward, but she gradually adapted.

Reeds were cut in patches, only the softest parts taken. In no time, they were laid out thickly like a carpet.

Chun Ye couldn’t wait to step on them. Because they were thick enough, her feet felt springier with each step.

Her expression brightened as she smiled happily, “Really comfortable!”

The old gentleman, seeing these two women laughing non-stop, was also infected by their mood. He put his feet on the reeds and surprisingly commented, “That really is an interesting idea.”

Chu Chaoyun didn’t have reeds under her feet, as that would impede exerting strength while rowing, but she still felt an inexplicable happiness. After all, back on the Flower Boat, these reeds would all belong to her.

Because it was comfortable to step on, the old gentleman wasn’t in a hurry to return. He instructed Chu Chaoyun to row toward the center of the water for a while longer, before saying, “We’ve seen enough. Let’s head back to West Wharf.”

West Wharf?

Because the plaque above that dock faced away from the Flower Boat and towards the river’s mouth, and Chu Chaoyun was escorted aboard that day, she hadn’t had the chance to see the plaque.

Now she knew—the name of this dock where the Flower Boat was moored was “Rui River West Wharf.”

If there was a West Wharf, there must probably be a North Wharf, a South Wharf, and an East Wharf as well.

Chu Chaoyun amused herself imagining these, but after thinking, she felt a bit scared.

Having been on the boat for half a month, Chu Chaoyun realized that this West Wharf seemed to be monopolized by the Flower Boat’s Managers. The Flower Boat business was livelier than ordinary restaurants — besides the girls serving guests, offering delicacies and entertainment, occasionally it invited opera troupes or storytellers for performances.

Besides this exquisite and lucrative Flower Boat business, there were only small boats moored nearby for river tours.

In other words, this group had a monopoly on the trade.

She remembered Old Lady Li saying one day, “Here in Ruizhou, the mountains are high and the emperor far away.” Given how rampant these people were, could it be—

Chu Chaoyun didn’t dare to think further, only glad that during her earlier clever but self-injuring act, Old Lady Li hadn’t taken her life out of anger.

After returning, Chu Chaoyun reported to Manager Zhong, then happily carried the reeds back to her small room. The room still smelled bad, but it didn’t affect her good mood at all.

Humming an unknown tune, she laid the reeds trodden by the old gentleman at the bottom layer, then piled reed upon reed.

She had to admit she had cut a good amount of reeds. The bed board was piled high with them, and there were still some left with nowhere to place, so she stuffed them under the footstool.

Once the reed mattress was thick enough, she could add more on top.

Chu Chaoyun was very good at calculations. After finishing her small bed, she immediately lay down to try it out. “Just as Chun Ye said, it is indeed quite comfortable,” she murmured contentedly with her eyes closed.

Footsteps slowly sounded in the narrow corridor, scraping the wooden floor. Chu Chaoyun recognized it was Mrs. Diao and got up to peek outside.

The first time she met Mrs. Diao, her legs were fine. Chu Chaoyun found it puzzling how Mrs. Diao’s walking had gradually become difficult.

Mrs. Diao came in carrying some scrap cloth, seemingly about to enter her own room.

Seeing Chu Chaoyun looking at her, she smiled and said after checking that the outer room was empty, “My leg is an old ailment. It should be better by next spring.”

Chu Chaoyun had heard of some chronic illnesses that easily flare up in autumn.

She invited Mrs. Diao to sit on the bed and smiled brightly, “How does it feel? I still have some reeds left. Would you like to take some to make your bed warmer?”

Mrs. Diao smiled wryly, “No need, I have quilts and bedding.”

Chu Chaoyun suddenly realized this and thought herself foolish. Mrs. Diao had voluntarily come aboard. The Managers must treat her better than other boatwomen. Since Mrs. Diao had been there a long time and had shore leave, she must have had her necessities prepared long ago.

As they talked, from outside came a startled shout from the boatwoman cleaning the boats: “Oh my God, such a scary slug!”

Chu Chaoyun was shocked and puzzled: Where would a slug come from in the water bucket??