From A Tale of Big Nur by Wang Zengqi

The older apprentices knew about the affair but kept it secret from the old tinsmith. They left the door unlatched for Eleventh Boy and oiled its hinges to muffle the squeaks. Eleventh Boy often did not come back before dawn. One day he pushed the door open as usual and was about to slip into bed, when the old tinsmith boomed, "Are you courting death?"

Affairs of that kind could not be concealed. The news finally reached the ears of the trumpet squad leader. In fact, nobody had to tell him. He knew it himself, for July Cloud was cold and detested the sight of him. They were not married, so it was nothing to him if they broke up. But it was a loss of face to let a young tinsmith steal her away from him. That was unprecedented! He could not swallow such an insult, nor could his colleagues, who liked to bully others. If they ignored this, what would happen next?

One day before dawn, Liu with several men kicked open July Cloud' s door, dragged the young tinsmith out from under her quilt and bound him up. They also tied up the girl and her father in case they summoned people to the rescue.

They dragged Eleventh Boy to the graveyard at the back of Taishan Temple and beat him up, wanting him to pack up and go back to his home in Xinghua.

The young tinsmith remained silent.

They ordered him not to enter Huang' s house or lay a finger on July Cloud again.

He still refused to say a word.

They tried to make him beg for mercy and apologize.

He gritted his teeth.

His toughness enraged them all the more. "See how stubborn he is!" one of them said. "Beat him to death!" Seven or eight sticks rained down on him again.

He was beaten almost to a pulp.

Hearing that Eleventh Boy had been kidnapped by the trumpeters, the other tinsmiths searched high and low for him until they finally came to the back of the temple.

Feeling there was still some life in him, his uncle hurriedly sent a man to fetch an old chamber pot. He knew that only the scaled inside the pot could save the life of a dying man in such a condition.

Eleventh Boy clenched his teeth so tightly that the liquid could not be poured down his throat.

July Cloud took over and whispered in his ear, "Eleventh Boy, drink it!"

Seeming to hear a faint voice, he opened his eyes. The girl poured it down.

There was no knowing why, but she herself also tasted it.

Then the tinsmiths took off a door, lay Eleventh Boy on it and carried him away.

They reached the east end of the nur and were about to move westward, when July Cloud stopped them and said, "Carry him to my home."

The old tinsmith nodded.

July Cloud took all her fishing nets and reed mats to sell in the market and bought medicine for Eleventh Boy's injuries.

Women killed their laying hens for him.

The tinsmiths pooled money to buy ginseng.

Porters, tinsmiths, women and girls came constantly to see him, expressing an affection and kindness they seldom showed in their hard, dull lives. They believed that what Eleventh Boy and July Cloud had done was correct and were proud that Big Nur had bred such a fine young pair. They felt as pleased as if they were celebrating the New Year.

Liu dared not show his face. His gang also barricaded themselves in their quarters with double sentries posted at the gate. Those "heroes" turned out to be cowards!

The tinsmiths held a meeting and submitted to the prefectural government a petition demanding that the trumpet squad leader be handed over to them.

The local government gave no reply.

Then tinsmiths took to the streets and demonstrated. It was a rare sight for there were no banners or slogans, just twenty men with their loads, parading slowly through the town. Silent and grave, they were dignified and determined.

The demonstration lasted for three days.

On the third day they sat in front of the screen wall facing the gate of the prefectural government. On each head was a wooden tray with incense burning in a burner. That was an ancient custom. When people had suffered grievous wrongs, and the officials concerned refused them redress, they could burn down the court with incense and go unpunished.

The tinsmiths never wavered. If they took action, the result would be serious. The prefectural magistrate invited the local gentry and merchants to talk the matter over and reached a consensus that the case could not be ignored any longer. So the head of the trade association invited an assistant as the representative of the prefectural magistrate, and adjutant of the troop, Eleventh Boy's uncle and two of the older tinsmiths, Huang Hailong for the porters, the spectacle seller from Baoying and the chopsticks peddler from Hangzhou to meet in a big teahouse to settle the matter.

Agreement was reached. All medical expenses should be borne by the troop (actually the trade association gave the money), and Trumpet Squad Leader Liu was to leave the area and sign his consent to this. The old tinsmith accepted the terms but insisted that Liu add one more point. If he set foot in their prefecture again, the old tinsmith would settle accounts with him.

Two days later Liu left, quietly escorted by two of his men holding a gun. He had been transferred to Sanduo Prefecture to work as a customs officer.

When Eleventh Boy was able to take some food and speak, July Cloud asked him, "They said they'd stop beating you if only you promised not to come to my home again. Why didn't you agree?"

"You would have liked me to?

"No."

"I knew you wouldn't."

"Was it worth it?"

"Yes, it was!"

"Oh, how wonderful you are! I love you! You must get well quickly."

"Kiss me and I'll recover soon."

"Yes, I will!"

There were three mouths to feed now and only one wage-earner. They had no savings, and nothing to sell or pawn. Making fishing nets or weaving mats did not bring in money right away. Eleventh Boy's injuries would not heal quickly. July Cloud took the two baskets her father had used, knocked away the dust and went to earn money immediately.

The local girls and women admired her. At first they were worried, but later they relaxed when they saw her carrying her loads with quick, steady steps. From then on, July Cloud worked as a woman porter, wearing a big red flower on one side of her hair. Her eyes were as bright as ever, but their expression was more profound. She had become a capable young wife.

Would Eleventh Boy recover?

Certainly!