It was said that Zhang Xianggu was a quick-witted woman — most who worked as spirit-mediums prided themselves on reading people and adapting to every circumstance.
Yet faced with the situation before her, Zhang Xianggu could no longer be quick about anything. She fell back sheepishly on the only excuse she could think of that might hold: “Her father still doesn’t know. For something this important, how could we not let the head of the household have a say? We have only this one child left — I’m just a woman, and I wouldn’t dare decide something like this on my own.” All the while she cursed the madam inwardly — she was no pushover!
The madam smiled. “How could your husband possibly object? I’m only borrowing Third to give me a grandchild — it’s not as if Third must be kept in my household for life.”
Zhang Xianggu steeled herself and thought: this is the Zhū family’s own mess — why should we go wading into this muddy water? Even if Third were truly a boy, taking on a burden like this would still be wrong. Better to go along with it for now, then slip away the moment she was through the door and take Third somewhere to lie low for a few days, inquire after her husband’s whereabouts along the way, and come back once things had settled.
The madam was nearly as sharp-eyed as Zhang Xianggu at reading people, and watching Zhang Xianggu’s eyes dart about, she knew at once that other calculations were underway. Her expression cooled. She had been pushed to this point against her will — she knew her own situation better than anyone, and though she appeared to be in a position of strength, she was in truth backed into a corner. The madam’s face fell, and she said coldly: “Don’t bother trying to deceive me with empty words. If it comes to it, we’ll all go down together!”
This was truly unreasonable. Zhang Xianggu had gone to all this trouble to placate her, and the madam still wasn’t satisfied. She was not going to be accommodating any longer. She lifted her chin and raised her head: “I have done nothing wrong — why should I go down with you? The clan elders are after your money, and they won’t bother with us! Working together with you is the one who would be boarding a thief’s boat! Let me ask around — does anyone think Zhang Xianggu is a fool?! Let it all come out into the open — we’ll see who goes down first!”
Two women, each one immovable, both with blades already pressed to their necks and no room left to retreat. Huajie’s heart was a tangle of confusion. She snuck a glance at “Sanlang.” She knew perfectly well there was no sense in pressing Zhang Xianggu like this, and she knew the situation both women were in. Words of persuasion rose to her lips — whether to speak them or leave them unspoken, she couldn’t decide either way.
The madam’s gaze had gone sharp as well. She stared coldly at Zhang Xianggu; Zhang Xianggu gave not an inch.
In the middle of their standoff, Third suddenly frowned and said: “Someone’s coming.” Huajie said: “It does sound like some commotion.”
The madam said: “Huajie, have Xiao Ya go look…”
Before the words were finished, the front gate was pounded with a fist.
From somewhere inside the house, they heard it faintly: “Zhang Xianggu! Old witch, come out and answer for this!” and “Give us back Sixth Brother’s life!”
The madam said: “This has nothing to do with me — even if I said nothing, you couldn’t remove yourself from this anymore. Huajie, bar the back gate, close every window in this room tight, lock the door — let’s go meet Si A’Weng!”
Zhang Xianggu was completely trapped. She was baffled, too — Zhū Liu had died. What did that have to do with her?
Si A’Weng’s arrival in such haste had its reasons. According to the boy he had set to watch the house, since Zhang Xianggu had entered the main house, not a sound had come from inside — and Si A’Weng, old and shrewd as he was, felt at once that something was wrong.
He was still hesitating when another piece of news reached him: the madam’s nephew, Yu Ping, who held a position at the county yamen, had received his aunt’s message and was bringing men to the Zhū family village.
That would not do at all! He could not let Yu Ping come and spoil things. He quickly found some pretext and led the clansmen to the main house. As for whatever befell Zhang Xianggu as a result, that was no concern of his.
What temple does not have a few souls who died wronged? Isn’t that right?
By the time the madam and the others reached the front hall, Si A’Weng had already settled himself in the seat of honor. The courtyard below was filled with Zhū clansmen brandishing hoes and clubs, with a scatter of women among them whispering and pointing.
The madam came forward to face Si A’Weng and said: “Uncle, even among family, barging into my home like this is improper, isn’t it? You take advantage of a widow with no one to stand up for her — my husband is dead, my parents are dead, my brothers are gone, so naturally I’m easy to bully. You think my nephew won’t come and take my side, is that it?”
Si A’Weng said: “I’m not here for you — it’s this demon!” With that, he pointed at Zhang Xianggu. The Zhū clansmen raised their implements and moved toward her.
Zhang Xianggu was already furious, and thought: I’m not staying in this wretched place one moment longer — might as well make a scene and use the chaos to get out of here and find her father with Third. She fixed her eyes on Si A’Weng and snapped: “Bah! Who’s the demon here?! When you begged me to send off the spirit of your daughter-in-law who hanged herself, you didn’t call me a demon then! Why did your daughter-in-law hang herself, hmm?! You dirty old man!”
Si A’Weng, seeing she was about to drag out even more unseemly secrets, cut her off at once and bellowed: “Nonsense! Nonsense! Nonsense! Ninth, you speak!”
Zhū Jiu shuffled forward trembling and said: “Last night, Sixth Brother and I went to Xianggu’s house…”
The madam saw straight through it all. Her son’s body was lying in the back courtyard, and Si A’Weng had installed himself in the front hall to play judge — but where was the grandnephew who would normally come to pay respects to his great-uncle? This had nothing to do with Zhang Xianggu. He had come for her.
She stepped forward and said: “If Si A’Weng wants to hear a case, there is no need to do it in my home. I’ll send word to my nephew at the yamen — have them make a proper report to the authorities. And how exactly did Sixth Brother die? Wasn’t it that he slipped in the dark and fell on a tree branch?”
Si A’Weng’s face darkened: “I have nothing to say to a woman! Tell your family’s young master to come out and speak!”
Those below chimed in: “Yes, where is the young master? Why is he hiding away?” “That’s right! He should be the one to speak for the household!” “When men handle business, what business is it of women to talk?”
The madam understood more clearly than ever — this was aimed at her.
Zhang Xianggu felt a flicker of secret satisfaction: serves you right for trying to trap me! She caught her daughter’s eye and gestured — they should use the confusion to get away.
On the other side of the room, Si A’Weng and the madam locked eyes, and each understood what the other was thinking.
The madam signaled to her two hired workers to shield her own four people, then raised her voice: “If you cause a scene in my home, are you rebelling?! See if I spare a single one of you! Has anyone gotten away with offending me in twenty years?!”
Si A’Weng was shouting too: “Don’t let the demon escape! Surround the madam and protect her from the demon’s harm!”
Just as several grasping hands like iron rakes were about to close on Zhang Xianggu, a series of sharp cries rang out — long slashes of blood appeared across the backs of those hands, wounds so deep the bone showed.
The room went still for a moment. Zhū Jiu rolled and scrambled to the wall’s corner, shrieking in a hoarse voice: “I said not to come, I said not to come — this little beast will kill people!”
Third weighed the axe in hand.
Si A’Weng stomped his foot and screamed: “Outrageous! Outrageous! The little bastard dares to draw blood!”
The Zhū clansmen were roused to fury, raising hoes and clubs and shouting: “Beat that little beast to death!”
Si A’Weng was just about to direct the crowd forward when a hand shot out and yanked him sideways. He was furious and about to unleash a torrent of curses — when he swallowed every last word. A bloody axe blade was resting against his throat.
A dead silence fell over the room.
Third said, slowly and quietly: “Now. Say something reasonable.” The voice still carried the soft roundness of youth, and the fair, fine-featured face was still youthful too. But now, everyone who looked at Third felt a thread of fear.
Si A’Weng was strangled speechless. Third pressed him: “Speak. Something reasonable.”
Zhū Jiu clutched his head and bolted out of the room at a run.
It was the madam who had seen enough of the world to keep herself steady. Inwardly she was astounded beyond measure, but she managed to maintain composure on her face. She said to Third: “Sanlang, keep your hand steady — don’t lose your temper.” Then she gave Third a slight shake of the head, signaling not to lower the axe. She turned to Si A’Weng: “Have them all stand down. I won’t pursue this matter. When my nephew arrives, he can serve as a middleman to settle things between you two. Si A’Weng can offer an apology for wrongly accusing Xianggu, and Sanlang can say a few conciliatory words. My nephew should be here soon. Sanlang — how does that sound?”
Third showed neither agreement nor objection, and didn’t move a single inch, apparently still waiting for Si A’Weng to say something reasonable. Zhang Xianggu had already sidled over, straightened her clothes, and hoisted the satchel onto her back. “Have this shameless old man escort us out, and then we’ll be on our way! You are not to follow us!” The Zhū clansmen dared neither to move nor to disperse.
Both sides had reached a deadlock.
As darkness fell, another commotion came rolling in from the village gate —
Yu Ping had arrived at last.
Yu Ping was a shrewd, capable man of around thirty, broad-faced, with a squad of men behind him dressed in yamen runner’s attire — some wore swords at their belts, some carried iron chains, some shouldered freshly lacquered water-and-fire staffs, all radiating the authority of official power.
The villagers of the Zhū clan rushed toward them as though salvation had arrived: “Come and arrest the criminal!”
The madam, Yu Shi, broke into a smile — a smile of genuine relief, nothing like the smile she had given Zhang Xianggu and Third. She walked forward gracefully and exchanged a few quiet words with Yu Ping, aunt and nephew speaking privately.
Yu Ping turned to Si A’Weng with a broad grin. “Good day to you, Elder. I’ve been told the full situation — you’ve been misled, old sir, and wrongly blamed a good person. Shall I mediate between you?”
Si A’Weng knew that two months of careful scheming were about to come to nothing. He was both disappointed and furious, and hated Yu Ping above all: you could at least tell the little beast to put down the axe!
But Yu Ping did not tell Third to lower the axe. Instead he said to the Zhū clansmen: “You may all go home. Once everything is settled, I will personally see the elder home. With all of you still here, it’s harder for me to mediate.” His squad of runners then started making noise: “Anyone still not listening will be locked up and dragged to jail!”
Yu Ping said to Si A’Weng: “Would you care to say the word, Elder?”
With the situation as it was, Si A’Weng had no choice but to wave the clansmen back: “I’m fine — go home, heat some water, and wait for me to come soak my feet.”
The Zhū clansmen slowly withdrew from the main house, but didn’t disperse — they gathered outside.
The madam ordered the main gate shut: “Bar it! No one is to open it without my word!”
Yu Ping said: “There’s no need to be so careful — I’m here now, what is there to worry about? Little Brother — take a rest?”
Third finally put away the axe.
Yu Ping smiled pleasantly: “Elder, you must be tired. Please sit down and have some tea. I’ll have someone keep you company, and once I’ve spoken with my little cousin, I’ll come back to drink with you.”
Si A’Weng gave a stiff nod, then shot Third a venomous glare — only to see the little beast pull out the axe again, which so alarmed Si A’Weng that he nearly tumbled from his chair, giving Zhang Xianggu a moment of genuine laughter.
The madam invited her nephew Yu Ping, Zhang Xianggu, and Third: “Come to the back to talk.” Then she told Xiao Ya to prepare tea and food for the runners.
Zhang Xianggu said: “Your family’s business has nothing to do with us outsiders — we’ll be on our way.”
Yu Ping glanced at his aunt and said amiably: “No need to rush, Madam. It’s dark now, the roads are bad, and there are rowdy people everywhere outside. Even if you must go, wait until morning — I’ll get my aunt’s household settled first and then see you home properly, won’t that be better?”
Zhang Xianggu was reminded by this that the Zhū clansmen were all still outside. Third was only a half-grown child, hardly a match for all those hostile people. She had no choice but to take Third with her and follow the others to the back courtyard.
Huajie walked ahead with a lantern. By the firelight, the madam reached up and touched Yu Ping’s left cheek. Yu Ping quickly covered his face with his hand: “A cat — a cat did it!”
Zhang Xianggu gave a muffled laugh. Third glanced at her, and the laugh died away — Zhang Xianggu grew worried again. Yu Ping was a proper official, which made him far more difficult to deal with than the madam. He had come to help his aunt — but how was she going to convince him to let this marriage arrangement go?