It’s not frightening when confused people don’t understand, but rather when clear-minded people pretend to be confused. Both the Empress Dowager and the Empress were accommodating individuals. Seeing there was no more advantage to be gained, they said nothing further.

Whether in the palace or Changchun Garden, whenever a banquet was held, it couldn’t conclude before the hour of Hai. Everyone struggled to manage until things were nearly done. The Grand Emperor had grown tired and announced, “Everyone may return. Go rest well, and don’t miss tomorrow’s duties.” With his advanced age, though he still concerned himself with state affairs, his words had lost their edge, as if he had grown detached and cared more for his descendants around him.

The crowd accepted the decree and withdrew, performing their kowtows and offering blessings in an orderly fashion. They departed the garden the same way they had entered. Leading eunuchs carried lanterns ahead to light the path. The garden had many waterways and embankments; if the inebriated gentlemen fell into a ditch in the dark, that would be disastrous.

Upon reaching the Hall of Nine Classics and Three Affairs, everyone became amused. The Eleventh Prince stood formally in the hall with his Secondary Consort, his head hanging low and his face drooping like a wilted cucumber.

The Third Prince laughed, “Not to criticize you, but you should have chosen a better day. Everyone is here today, and the old master waited an hour for you.” As he spoke, he shook his head, “You shouldn’t be raising birds; you should apprentice as a jade craftsman. One hand holding the water stone, the other a file, you could spend half a day carving a groove in a petal. With such a slow temperament, you’ve developed a skill. It would be a waste not to open a jade workshop.”

While everyone had enjoyed the feast, the Eleventh Prince remained hungry! He didn’t argue but asked the servant about refreshments, “Are there any pastries? Send some over to tide me over. I’ve been hungry for ages. Even prisoners in jail are fed!”

Hong Ce glanced over from the side but said nothing, leaving through the main palace gate with Guan Zhaojing.

Once in the carriage, they relaxed, leaning against the carriage wall. As the horses began to move, the midnight capital’s main roads weren’t crowded like during the day. The bluestone road stretched forward, and under the bright moon, the road surface emitted a faint blue glow. Having drunk too much, they felt lightheaded. In one corner of the carriage sat an incense burner with star-shaped holes, where incense coils burned, sending wisps of smoke directly to their foreheads. They lifted the bamboo blinds to let in the cool breeze, which helped clear their minds.

The moonlight was bright, making everything within several zhangs visible. At this hour, logically, only night watchmen should be walking about, but at a glance, they saw two people leading a dog emerge from an alley, flashing briefly in the moonlight before disappearing.

From Dengshikou Avenue straight ahead, after turning a corner was Tongfu Lane. This lane was named after a general who once lived there, but after the general’s family declined, the area became commoners’ homes. The Forbidden City was densely populated; having a small courtyard house meant one’s circumstances were decent. Those without money or of lower status lived in shared courtyard houses. Ding Yi and her master’s group lived in such a place.

The large courtyard gate creaked open, and the two people and dog squeezed through the gap, heading silently toward the west room.

Late at night, Ding Yi and her household were still awake. These days they were preparing for a temple gathering to thank the gods. The temple was holding a Flaming Mouth ceremony, and they couldn’t go empty-handed—they needed to bring money and clothing as offerings. About half the residents here worked in government offices, dealing daily with murderers and arsonists, so they were especially superstitious. Led by Master Wu, everyone pooled money to attend the Miaofeng Mountain festival in a few days.

Everyone gathered to contribute money. Xia Zhi was like a monkey holding a lamp—he couldn’t help much so just added his presence. Restless in the heat, he kept fanning himself, shaking his head and looking around. Glancing out the window, something immediately caught his attention, and he quietly slipped out. Ding Yi sat beside her master helping count money, noticing Xia Zhi’s movements but paying little attention. After a while, he returned, sidling up to her and tugging her sleeve, whispering, “Something is interesting to see. Want to take a look?”

“What’s so interesting? I’m busy!” The money had to be wrapped in red silk packages, each with a name written on it. They couldn’t be mixed up—if confused, the Buddha wouldn’t know whose merit to credit.

Xia Zhi said secretively, “You’ll regret not seeing this. Do you know what ‘cap removal’ is? I’ll show you.”

Ding Yi felt torn, wanting to go but unable to leave her task. She looked at her master’s expression. Her master was generous, his eyelids drooping as he said, “Go ahead, but don’t cause trouble.” The two apprentices quickly acknowledged and slipped out along the wall.

What was “cap removal”? It wasn’t removing a hat from one’s head but hunter’s jargon for badger catching. Common people needed to earn money and would utilize anything—birds in the sky or animals on the ground. Catching badgers was a profession, but people alone weren’t enough; two legs couldn’t outrun four, so dogs were needed as helpers. The more good dogs, the better. They would scout during the day, targeting dogs raised by others, then steal them at night. After stealing them, they wouldn’t immediately put them to work but would condition them first. Fearing the dogs’ ears would catch the wind and make noise when running, they would cut off the drooping upper half, making them stand upright. As for the tails, they would chop off the curved section, as a straight tail was required. Only after improving these features would a dog qualify as a badger-hunting dog. This process of cutting ears and chopping tails was called “cap removal.”

The two moistened the window paper with saliva, poked a hole, and peered inside. The room was dimly lit by an oil lamp. They saw one person holding the dog’s muzzle while another cut with a knife. After cutting, they cauterized the wound with a red-hot iron. The dog, in pain but unable to bark, gasped heavily.

Ding Yi covered her ears, “Oh my, that must be so painful! These two are so cruel.”

Xia Zhi said, “They don’t do this every day. Once healed, the dog can serve for several years. Poor people have no choice; they need to find ways to make a living. Unlike banner families and imperial clansmen who receive monthly stipends from the Imperial Clan Court and never go hungry even while lying down.”

Ding Yi scratched her scalp, “Are there so many badgers to catch?”

“Of course! In watermelon fields, around tomb areas—badger dens are everywhere. This time of year, male badgers seek females, wandering outside all night. These dogs with ‘removed caps’ are fiercer than ordinary ones, attacking with bloodshot eyes. They can catch four or five in one night.” Xia Zhi pulled her to discuss under a crooked tree, “Let’s do some calculations. Both the fur and meat are marketable, and badger oil can treat burns. Even without selling to medicine shops, setting up a stall under Tianqiao Bridge would guarantee sales. It’s all money! One badger sells for at least three qian. One night’s work earns more than our knife-carrying job. We can’t keep going with a single-minded approach. We’re not young anymore, with weak foundations. Finding a wife in the future costs money, and money doesn’t fall from the sky—we must earn it ourselves. Catching badgers is so easy, requiring no capital—just one dog, two steel forks, and two baskets. Let’s try it! If we catch nothing, we’ve just spent a night outside for fun; if we do, it’s unexpected wealth. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Ding Yi gave him a sideways glance, “Such character, always thinking about finding a wife!”

Xia Zhi scoffed, “You’re not a girl. If you were a girl who married me, I wouldn’t worry.”

“Alright, enough nonsense.” She casually waved her hand, then thought about her money troubles. Traveling to Changbai Mountain required funds, and her wet nurse’s husband occasionally came to the city demanding money, claiming he couldn’t afford food. If she didn’t pay? He’d reveal her background! “You’re Wen Lu’s child, your father committed a capital crime, and you’re pretending to be a law-abiding citizen working in a government office?” It was either the fish died or the net broke, so she had to give him hush money to prevent him from ruining her livelihood—being an executioner was at least a legitimate profession.

A penny can kill a hero. This was an opportunity, but she worried: where would they find a dog?

“We won’t steal. Let’s go to the bird market and find a stall selling dogs. We’ll just buy one.”

Xia Zhi crossed his arms behind his back, his fan slapping loudly against his spine, “Those places sell dogs for nobles’ enjoyment—Pekingese, Chow Chows, Tibetan Mastiffs… Can you afford that? Even selling yourself wouldn’t cover the cost. Catching rabbits or badgers doesn’t require pedigree dogs, just those mongrels that run excitedly all over for a piece of meat—easy to raise and manage.”

“Must we steal?” She still hesitated, “That doesn’t seem right.”

“When everyone steals, it’s not stealing anymore, and getting away with it is your skill.” Xia Zhi reasoned with her, “A watchdog that can’t even protect itself isn’t valued by its owners anymore. How stupid is that, right? They can ask someone for a puppy and raise a replacement in a few months.”

Ding Yi couldn’t argue with him. Living in the marketplace for a long, who didn’t have some small schemes for earning money? Fine, they would steal just this once, and she would never do it again.

The next day, after returning from duty at the office, they first washed clothes, hung them to dry, and Xia Zhi prepared the meal. The master and two apprentices sat down to eat, but the apprentices barely touched the dishes, shoveling rice into their mouths. Wu Changgeng watched with puzzlement, “What’s going on? Eat slowly, don’t choke. Have some soup…”

They were eager to go find a dog—who had time for soup?

“Master, when are you leaving for the festival?” Ding Yi asked steadily, “Going to Miaofeng Mountain takes four days. In this hot weather, where will you stay? What about food? How will you manage?”

Wu Changgeng picked up some vegetables, spotted a small piece of meat, and moved it to her bowl, slowly saying, “I’ve taken a few days off and am leaving today. The carts are ready outside. We’ll leave before the city gates close and travel at night when it’s cooler. After midnight, we’ll find a place to set up canopies. Any place works for staying. As for food, there are free porridge stations on the way, free steamed bun stations, and if you want something cool, even mung bean soup waiting for you!” After finishing, he pointed his chopsticks at them, “While I’m gone, both of you behave yourselves and don’t cause trouble. Xia Zhi, as the senior apprentice, takes care of Little Shu and serves your duties well. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be held responsible, understand?”

Being a master wasn’t easy. Both apprentices had been with him since they were around ten years old, and he had raised them like a parent. Despite being a rough man, he could be quite meticulous. Not only that, but he was also protective—anyone who dared trouble his apprentices would face his wrath. Sometimes Ding Yi and Xia Zhi found him nagging, but they kept him in their hearts. With countless reminders, they said, “Don’t worry about us. Take care of yourself. Don’t run in the hot sun—this year is exceptionally hot. Coming back from the festival exhausted would be unacceptable.”

“I won’t die.” He put down his chopsticks, hearing someone calling outside. He took a straw hat from the wall, wore it, hung a mud-yellow bag on his shoulder, and left.

The two apprentices saw him off to the door. What a sight! Large carts connected front to back, with four mules harnessed at the front. Men, and women, old, and young filled the carts, all making space for Wu Changgeng. As the leader, he sat at the very front to give orders. Once everyone was settled, the driver raised his whip with a “De’er!” and the cart departed from Tongfu Lane.

With the restraint gone, the two apprentices were elated. They hurried back to tidy up, not even washing the bowls, just soaking them in a bucket. They took a length of rope and a piece of meat laced with knockout drug. While it was still light, they would scout the streets for suitable dogs, then strike after nightfall.

The Great Qing was different from before. Throughout history, there had always been night curfews, but not in the Great Qing. Once the inner and outer city gates were closed, as long as one didn’t leave the city, one could roam freely within the walls.

Beijing had many temple fairs. In weather like this, vendors wouldn’t set up stalls under the scorching sun but would wait for the evening to earn their living. Areas like Tianqiao Bridge and the Temple of the Sun remained busy. Come evening, all sorts of people emerged, moving in packs like wolves and dogs. There were wrestling rings, vendors selling peanuts and bean drinks, and others selling incense and birds… If you could think of it, you could buy it.

Ding Yi followed Xia Zhi, wandering outside, moving from one alley to another. Though they heard dogs barking, many were leashed, making them difficult targets. Walking until tired, their initial enthusiasm waned. She said lazily, “Brother, let’s rest at a tea stall. Have some tea, listen to a drum story, and then go home.”

Xia Zhi persisted, “The meat will spoil by tomorrow. We must use it tonight.”

Such stubbornness! No choice but to follow. Looking here and there, they passed through the Temple of the Sun area where street vendors were tossing food in woks with a clanging sound. They patiently continued toward Fragrant Grass Ground. Just as they turned a corner, they saw a dog squatting by the doorstop of a tripe restaurant. The dog was lean with four thin, long legs. In the heat, it panted heavily, mouth open and tongue out, drooling while staring intensely at people. They had never seen such a fierce-looking dog.

Ding Yi felt somewhat afraid, “What is this thing? A relative of the Howling Celestial Dog?”

Xia Zhi, however, was exceptionally excited, “Hey, our luck is good! We’ve found premium stock! This is a Greyhound, an expert rabbit catcher. No leash around its neck—maybe it’s lost from someone’s home. Lucky us!” Without further deliberation, he threw the meat, then found a place to hide, just waiting for the dog to lie down.