By the time the dark-faced middle-aged man walked over, Zhù Ying had already noticed him. When he spoke up she naturally stopped, and smiled: “Master Huang, how do you do.”

The middle-aged man said: “Young gentleman, you are truly doing very well.”

“Business has been good for you these past few days, I trust?”

The man’s cheek twitched: “Thanks to your grace, thanks to your grace. Please be generous with me, young gentleman. I will go redeem the pawn right away.”

Zhù Ying said: “There’s no rush — don’t let me interrupt your proper business.”

The man said: “Redeeming the pawn is my proper business.”

Zhù Ying stopped sparring with him and said: “Then I’ll go back and wait.”

“Please go safely. Watch your step.”

Zhù Ying looked around — the old thief-master had long since vanished. She walked slowly back to the inn, stopping along the way to buy a packet of sweets.

The moment she was gone, the dark-faced man called to his subordinates: “All of you get back here! Have two hundred strings of cash packed into a box, then put another twenty strings separately into a pouch and put them both in the box together.”

After she left, the old thief-master whom she had been looking for slipped around behind the dark-faced man, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed at the mouth of the alley where she had disappeared: “Old Wang, that’s some steep interest you’re paying!”

The dark-faced man, Old Wang, shot the old thief-master a sinister sideways glance and said coldly: “You don’t burn some paper money when you’re sending off your gods?”

The old thief-master chuckled: “You’ve made enough on this round — close up shop and lie low for a while.”

The two of them were acquainted. The old thief-master knew that the reason Old Wang the swindler hadn’t fled after making off with two hundred strings of cash was because many of the clerks arrested by the imperial envoy were still coming in, and Old Wang had wanted to swindle a few more households. Otherwise, having made his gain, he would have taken the money and vanished at once — and tracking them down in the city in the near term would have been impossible.

“Hmph!” Old Wang gave no answer. The old thief-master didn’t take offense, and sauntered away.

On the other side, Old Wang’s subordinates had also loaded up the cart. Old Wang looked at it once, then looked away in pained resignation: “Let’s go.”

The party arrived at the inn. The inn attendant came to greet them and was taken aback: “Guests — my, you…”

Old Wang waved his hand irritably: “Go, go.”

The attendant hunched his shoulders and slipped to one side. Old Wang had been here before and knew the way, going straight to knock on the gate of the courtyard where Zhù Ying was staying. Inside the courtyard, everyone gathered around Zhù Ying was astonished: “Who has come knocking again?”

They had truly been frightened by the sound of knocking on doors these days!

Though Zhù Ying claimed she hadn’t set anyone to watch the women, Yu Miaomiao and the others had lost any desire to go out — not that they didn’t want to, but they simply didn’t know what to do out there. The real Mr. Huang was certainly not available to meet with them now, and they had not a single acquaintance in the prefectural city. Yu Miaomiao had sent A’Wang out, who came back to report that Yu Ping was no longer being put on public display and was now being held in the campaign headquarters — not sent to a proper prison cell.

A’Wang also brought back another piece of news — the county magistrate was returning home!

The county magistrate had come to see the imperial envoy and received a thorough tongue-lashing. After several days of running about trying to pull strings, he had finally been permitted to leave. There was still official business waiting for him in the county. The imperial envoy had given him a full dressing-down and ordered him back to put the household registers in order — if there were any more cases of unregistered individuals like Zhū Shenhan, the magistrate would answer for it.

The county magistrate dared not delay. He went to pack his things right after the scolding and prepared to set out early the next morning. He had made no plea on behalf of Yu Ping and the others — leaving them all to be dealt with as the imperial envoy saw fit.

Yu Miaomiao, hearing A’Wang’s report, wanted to follow along with the county magistrate’s convoy back home to raise funds — that way, at least the journey would be safe. The moment Zhù Ying returned, she raised the matter again. Zhang Xiangu, however, did not want to leave, and said: “Since the great Madam has a way to get back, we two are no longer an imposition — but our man of the household is still in prison. There is no reason to have Old Three abandon her own father!”

The two women had entirely different plans, and Zhù Ying sat in a chair without uttering a single word, while poor Huajie was caught in the middle trying to mediate — too gentle and neither side listened, too firm and it only made things worse!

Until the door was knocked.

When someone announced at the door that “a caller has come to redeem a pawn for the young gentleman,” the argument inside finally stopped. Zhang Xiangu asked: “What did you pawn? And where did the money come from to redeem it?”

Zhù Ying said: “It isn’t us redeeming something — someone has come to redeem something from us. Godmother, where is that painting? Bring it out for them. A’Wang, open the door.”

A’Wang dashed over and pulled the door open. Outside stood a middle-aged man with a dark-purplish complexion, two assistants behind him, carrying a large wooden chest between them. Catching sight of Zhù Ying through the door, he clasped his hands: “Young gentleman, I have come specifically to redeem the pawn. Please inspect and verify.”

Zhang Xiangu studied him for a moment, then recognized him: “So it’s you! You — you swindl—”

“Mother!” Zhù Ying called out decisively, pressed her firmly back down, and turned to Yu Miaomiao: “Godmother, where is the painting?”

As someone whose money had been stolen from her, Yu Miaomiao had almost torn the painting to shreds in her fury at the time — she had ripped it halfway before stopping herself. She had wanted to keep it as material evidence in case the criminals could ever be caught.

Now Yu Miaomiao’s heart surged with shock and then with delight! She answered loudly: “Yes! Huajie, come — let’s go get the painting!” This was truly wonderful news. There was no need to go back home — she could stay in the prefectural city and wait for Yu Ping’s case to be concluded! There was no need for a quarrel with Zhù Ying and her mother over whether to stay or go! Money is a person’s courage — Yu Miaomiao’s spirit came rushing back.

Zhang Xiangu was thunderstruck: “A pawn redemption?”

Huajie quickly came out with the painting box alongside Yu Miaomiao. Yu Miaomiao said: “Here it is.” Huajie handed the long box to Zhù Ying. Yu Miaomiao reached into her sleeve and produced a receipt — she had actually taken a receipt when she bought the painting. Zhù Ying thought to herself: impressive.

Zhù Ying took both items and presented them to Old Wang: “Please verify, sir.”

Old Wang received both without glancing at either, tossed the painting onto the cart, tucked the receipt into his sleeve, and raised his hand: “Young gentleman, please inspect the payment.”

The assistants opened the chest. Since Zhù Ying and Zhang Xiangu had not been present when it was packed, and to avoid any suspicion, they did not know what was inside. When the payment was to be counted, she simply called: “Godmother.”

Yu Miaomiao said: “You count it — why call us womenfolk for something like this?”

Zhù Ying stepped back a pace. Yu Miaomiao kept deferring, and finally she and Zhang Xiangu went to count the money together. Yu Miaomiao had been the one who packed the chest — one glance and she said: “This… isn’t this too much?”

Old Wang said: “Great Madam must be joking — it’s a pawn redemption, of course there is interest to be paid.” He lifted the pouch: “This is twenty strings of interest money.”

Twenty strings — a sum just over the threshold at which Zhū Shenhan would be left to fend for himself. Zhang Xiangu choked on her breath. Yu Miaomiao was also deeply startled: “That much?”

Yu Miaomiao knew the going rate at pawn shops. By a pawn shop’s typical ruthless reckoning, if something was pawned for two hundred strings, interest after a month would only be about twenty strings. And they were paying twenty strings in fewer than five days?

Old Wang thought to himself: these two women have truly never seen the world! He called out “young gentleman” — only then did Yu Miaomiao come back to her senses: how have I been so muddled these past few days? First I was swindled, and now I’m actually treating this man as though he really came here to redeem a pawn? This is clearly Sanlang’s own doing!

She quickly opened the box to check that the gold jewelry was still inside, then checked the money — it was indeed properly cast official copper coinage, not inferior privately cast clip coins used to pass off bad money as good. She said to Zhù Ying: “Sanlang, shall we accept it?”

Old Wang said: “You accepting it is what puts my mind at ease!”

Zhù Ying smiled: “I entrusted the message to that Elder for you earlier because we truly are just passing through on business and have no wish to stir up further complications. The same goes for you, sir. We both benefit from knowing when to stop — what do you say?”

Old Wang forced a smile: “Young gentleman will surely not remain an ordinary person in the future.”

“That would make me a demon, wouldn’t it? That won’t do. Sir — it would be best if you stopped your activities for a while.”

Old Wang said: “I take your kind words to heart.”

Seeing that he had his own plans, Zhù Ying ceased playing the well-meaning advisor and said: “Sir, is it possible you don’t actually have the surname Huang?”

The man said resignedly: “My surname is Wang.”

“Good. Master Wang — I’ll remember that.”

“I would very much prefer you forgot me.”

Zhù Ying said: “Very well. I’ll forget you for now.”

Old Wang had absolutely no desire to keep tangling with this young brat any longer. His own son was older than this brat, and young people this age were always the sort who had no idea how vast the sky was, treating themselves as someone of great importance. No matter what kind of hero or warrior you were, a young brat would look at you and see only a middle-aged fatty. Especially this particular brat, with a belly full of cunning — having just gained the upper hand, naturally they thought even more of themselves and wanted to put the whole world to rights.

Old Wang left without looking back, telling himself: We’ll see about this.

——

“We’ll see about this” could only be said in his heart as an empty threat. In truth, Old Wang wouldn’t claim he could do anything to Zhù Ying — he couldn’t quite see the full depth of her, and the situation in the prefectural city was now somewhat turbulent, with the imperial envoy having a rather harsh temperament and the prefect also holding back his anger and waiting for someone to make an example of. He dared not stir up trouble at a time like this.

Yu Miaomiao, Zhang Xiangu, and the others were in an entirely different state. They had expected to lose two hundred strings of cash outright, and now not only had the money come back — it had come back with interest! They were all rather excited.

Yu Miaomiao was purely delighted; Zhang Xiangu was mixed with some worry. Yu Miaomiao took her own money back, then refused to keep the “interest money,” and pushed it toward Zhang Xiangu to keep. Zhang Xiangu, however, was deeply worried, frightened that her daughter had truly gone down a crooked path, and had no heart for money-envy at all. She pushed it away in a distracted, reluctant fashion, her eyes fixed on Zhù Ying.

Zhù Ying glanced at the two of them, and both fell quiet.

Zhang Xiangu could not hold in her words any longer: “He was that easy to deal with? He just gave it back? You didn’t do anything, did you?”

Zhù Ying said: “I found his place, and he came to return the money. Don’t worry.”

Yu Miaomiao said happily: “So all this time you were going out, you were looking for him? Didn’t you run into any trouble?”

Zhù Ying said: “A person who follows the code behaves like this — once they’ve been exposed, they accept the loss. Mother, I didn’t do anything. This swindling scheme was quite large — I couldn’t have pulled together that many people and that ideal a set of circumstances on my own.”

Zhang Xiangu sighed. She had a mother’s intuition — this daughter had grown up, and she herself could no longer manage her. So be it. I will watch over her for every day I live — and if it comes to it, I’ll walk into knives and boiling oil alongside her.

Zhù Ying said: “Keep the money secured. Lose it a second time and it won’t be coming back.”

Everyone answered together. Yu Miaomiao went even further, telling A’Wang and Xiao Ya: “Keep your mouths sewn shut! Don’t let any more thieves set their sights on us!” Then she asked Zhù Ying: “Then — shall we go pay a visit to Mr. Huang? The real Mr. Huang.”

Ordinarily, she ought to have sat down with Zhù Ying for a proper talk to smooth over any lingering tension — but matters would not wait. If she didn’t send some money to the real Mr. Huang, she would be uneasy, worried that he might forget about Yu Ping.

Zhù Ying said: “All right.”

Yu Miaomiao asked: “How much do you think would be appropriate to bring?”

Zhù Ying said: “Whatever Godmother thinks is best.”

Yu Miaomiao had no choice but to pack fifty strings of cash into a large bamboo basket herself, then place some vegetables on top to conceal it, and send A’Wang out to find out where Mr. Huang lived. Zhù Ying had already learned the address during her days of wandering the city, but said nothing, and waited until Yu Miaomiao had made all the arrangements before accompanying her out to Mr. Huang’s home.

Along the way, Yu Miaomiao wanted to have a word with Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying rode on top of the large blue mule, but showed no inclination to talk.

When they arrived at Mr. Huang’s place, Mr. Huang was not at home. Huang Niangzi said: “There are matters at the prefectural office, and I dare not call him back midway.” Yu Miaomiao said: “Then I’ll wait a while.” Huang Niangzi had no choice but to sit and keep her company. Yu Miaomiao’s household had suffered a disaster, and Mr. Huang had the imperial envoy hanging over his head — there was no mood for pleasantries on either side, so Huang Niangzi could only speak of the local customs and scenery of the prefecture. Yu Miaomiao saw that Zhù Ying seemed interested, so she settled in and chimed in with a sentence here and there, letting Huang Niangzi continue.

After dark, Mr. Huang finally returned. Though only a few days had passed since their last meeting, he looked noticeably haggard, his eyes sunken deep into their sockets.

Brief greetings were exchanged. Huang Niangzi whispered a few words in his ear, and Mr. Huang said: “You’re a widow managing on your own — why are you putting together money and joining in the trouble? They’re going to be released soon. Go back and wait.”

He didn’t even ask how much they’d brought.

Yu Miaomiao quickly asked: “They’re going to be released so soon?”

Mr. Huang gave a cold laugh: “Don’t any of you celebrate too early! They’re being released to work off their punishment! Even I am the same — it’s just that I haven’t been beaten. I’m helping the imperial envoy with the case. If we handle it well, our penalties are reduced; if we handle it poorly, we’re punished alongside the rest!”

Zhù Ying stepped forward and clasped her hands: “Many thanks to you, sir.”

Mr. Huang caught his breath, softened slightly, and said: “I haven’t been of much help. Your county has a man named Zhū Shenhan, doesn’t it? If you know anything, get the details of his background together quickly — that would count as meritorious service!”

Yu Miaomiao and Zhù Ying were both startled: “What is it? What could he possibly be involved in?”

“Not just him — the full background of a dozen or more people must be thoroughly investigated! Your county magistrate was chased back today specifically for this purpose. If he can’t sort it out clearly, watch who comes to punish him! A county magistrate — how much can he uncover on his own? It’ll fall to people like us to do the actual work. Tell Yu Ping to keep his head down — whoever can uncover something useful will be rewarded by the imperial envoy.”

Zhù Ying said: “Please be a little more specific, so we know how best to help. Are we investigating one particular person or conducting an equally thorough investigation of everyone? And how is it that they would investigate monks and Taoists without touching the master of the household? I would think the person who calls the shots is the master of the household — strike a snake at its vital point; what good does it do to poke at the tail end?”

Mr. Huang said: “You, young man, talk far too much — don’t carry on like this with your elders in the future. Were it not for the fact that I too have my own doubts, you would already have been sent out the door for saying so much. The Chen family — do you think we are in a position to investigate them? That is already being handled directly by the imperial envoy! Go on now. Go tomorrow and receive Yu Ping, let him tend to his wounds and do his investigating. I can see you have some cleverness about you — help see this matter through, and I’ll see about arranging a position for you.”

Yu Miaomiao’s mind was churning with many thoughts. Zhù Ying simply asked: “Those monks, Taoists, and spirit-callers — not many of them were actually beaten to death?”

Mr. Huang said: “Strange as it sounds — truly not a single one!” Among his colleagues, quite a number had been dealt with — and there was no reason monks and Taoists should be tougher or more precious than they. He couldn’t make head or tail of it…

Zhù Ying said: “Godmother, let’s go back.”

No one mentioned the money at all. The bamboo basket simply remained behind, sitting quietly.

On returning to the inn, Zhang Xiangu came to meet them and asked: “How did it go?” Zhù Ying said: “Official Yu will be released tomorrow. Father is still alive.” Zhang Xiangu murmured a prayer of gratitude: “Good, good. Then your father should also be out soon.” Yu Miaomiao opened her mouth to speak. Zhang Xiangu noticed and asked: “Great Madam, is something the matter?”

Yu Miaomiao gave a strained smile and thought: let her son tell her. She answered: “I was thinking about how to help A’Ping tend his wounds.”

With that, the two parties separated, each going off to talk privately. The mother and daughter-in-law discussed how Zhù Ying had been of great help on this trip and how they could not do anything ungrateful — they must find a way to persuade Yu Ping not to get involved in Zhū Shenhan’s affairs. If the county magistrate couldn’t fulfill his duties, what was that to Yu Ping? And if that county magistrate was actually dismissed, it might even become Yu Ping’s opportunity under the next one.

The other mother-daughter pair was discussing an entirely different matter — once Yu Ping returned, they would help him make arrangements to get home, and the moment the Yu family set out on the road, the two of them would part ways. The mother and daughter would remain in the prefecture. They absolutely could not walk away from Zhū Shenhan’s situation at a time like this.

Zhù Ying had a feeling the matter was not so straightforward. But they now had a little money in hand. If the two of them found cheaper lodgings, they could manage to wait it out for some time. Given that Zhū Shenhan was being investigated back in the county, it was truly inadvisable to return there.

Both sides had made up their minds, yet both held their tongues, silently waiting until Yu Ping was brought back.