Jin Liang’s house was not far from the inn. The capital’s layout was even more regular than the prefectural city’s, and by counting the main streets, Zhù Ying could roughly calculate any location. They arrived, and Gan Ze rapped on the door knocker.

Zhù Ying looked around — the neighborhood Jin Liang lived in was quite respectable, with most of the houses similar in quality to his, the gateposts tall and clean.

A young servant came and opened the door. “Coming, coming — who is it? Oh! Gan Dalang! Please come in! And who is this?”

Gan Ze said, “You and your talking — this is Young Master Zhù San. You’ll see him often enough from now on. Quick, go tell Elder Brother Jin: I’ve brought Sanlang over to eat pork trotters!”

The young servant latched the gate and disappeared like a puff of smoke, shouting as he ran, “Guests arriving! Gan Dalang brought someone!”

Before long, Jin Liang came striding out at a quick pace. “Let me have a look! Ha ha, Sanlang! You’re here!”

Gan Ze said, “What about me? What about me?”

“I see you, I see you — come on in!” Jin Liang, like all fathers in this world, had to have his son meet someone he had decided was exceptional and superior to the boy — so the boy could learn something from the encounter.

Jin Liang’s son was called Jin Biao. He was a round-faced, sturdy-looking boy, currently in the courtyard playing in the snow. Being interrupted was already irritating him, and then to be lectured on top of that by his father — Zhù Ying could see this was heading in the wrong direction and quickly said, “He was playing so nicely — why interrupt him?”

Jin Liang glared. Zhù Ying rolled her eyes. “I came to eat pork trotters — I’m not here to be used as a target! Where are the trotters?”

Jin Liang dropped the matter of his son, told his wife, “Quick, have them heat up that pot of trotters and bring it out. And bring some wine!”

Gan Ze hastened to address Jin Liang’s wife as “Sister-in-Law.” Jin Liang made introductions, and Zhù Ying also addressed her respectfully as Sister-in-Law, then produced a long rectangular box from her sleeve. “It is nothing valuable — just something not often seen here in the capital. Please do not think less of it.” She had bought quite a lot when she had been playing peddler, and had quietly slipped some along on the way out.

Gan Ze said, “You little — bringing gifts, making me look like I don’t know how to conduct myself!”

Zhù Ying said, “You two are old friends — coming here with you and being welcomed straight in is the kind of closeness for old acquaintances. Me, it’s my first time here — I can’t have Sister-in-Law saying ‘that freeloader.’ Better to at least earn the title of ‘pauper.'”

Jin Liang’s wife beamed. “This child is good at this! Your Elder Brother Jin was saying — clever, and sensible too! Let’s see what this is…” She actually opened it. Inside lay two silk flowers, made to look just like the real thing — the workmanship was exquisite.

Jin Liang said, “I’ve given her gold and silver and never got a word of praise for it!”

Jin Liang’s wife said, “What do you know! Even counting the ones made in the palace, nothing outside the palace matches these. On the outside, this wouldn’t be much cheaper than your gold and silver ones. You went away on a trip and somehow managed not to bring back a single one of these?”

Jin Liang scolded Zhù Ying. “Why didn’t you remind me?”

Zhù Ying said, “I thought with all your wealth you wouldn’t care for such things. Southern craftsmanship — they’re good at this sort of work. As long as Sister-in-Law doesn’t dislike them.”

Jin Liang’s wife raised her hand and pinned one of the flowers in her hair right away. She laughed. “Wait — your family also has your parents? Such snowy weather makes for rough roads. Wait for it to clear and then invite them over. Today you eat here, and I’ll have someone send some back for them. And if you’re drinking here, send someone to let them know so they won’t worry.”

She had it all arranged before anyone else could say a word. Jin Liang pulled Gan Ze and Zhù Ying to the front room, leaving Jin Biao staring after them with furious incomprehension. Had these people come all this way just to interrupt his playtime? Adults were such a nuisance!

Jin Liang’s house had not only pork trotters but also wine, roast goose, and pastries. Jin Liang’s wife brought out some fine fruit for Zhù Ying as well, saying, “They’re all roughnecks. You drink well, don’t you? I’ll get you good tea and fruit.”

Gan Ze and Jin Liang both said, “She never drank in the first place!”

Jin Liang’s wife was reassured. “I thought as much — a refined young master like this is nothing like those two! I’ll go check on the trotters.”

Jin Liang and Gan Ze poured out the wine. Gan Ze showed great respect to Jin Liang in manner — though they joked freely together in conversation, when it came to drinking, Gan Ze never let Jin Liang pour for him. Each time Jin Liang held the flask over, Gan Ze stood and received it with both hands. They clinked cups, and Gan Ze drained it in one go.

Zhù Ying paid no particular attention to this. She did not drink, and Jin Liang had two cups before saying, “It was put on to simmer yesterday — just needs to be heated today. If you just showed up with nothing to eat, what could we have done?” He also asked Zhù Ying how things were going.

Zhù Ying told him. Jin Liang said, “Mm. Good. Seventh Young Master, though he’ll be getting a few days off, has some things to take care of. That case — the Chen Prime Minister’s family matter, you know about it.” He drank his wine slowly and explained the hidden workings of it.

This matter touched on the Prime Minister’s family scandal, and then there was also the fact that people had connected it to a couple of grave-robbing cases in the capital. On one side, Prime Minister Chen wanted the case closed quickly. On the other side, certain parties wanted to press the grave-robbers and dig into old cases.

There would be a bit of difficulty in all of this, requiring some of Zheng Xi’s input.

At the same time, Zheng Xi had a large extended family network in the capital — from paying his respects to his grandmother and explaining matters to his father, to colorfully entertaining his grandmother at his mother’s side on his maternal grandparents’ side, as well as a visit to his father-in-law’s household.

Beyond all that, Zheng Xi had to prepare to take on the Court of Judicial Review — though there was internal word about the appointment already, it would not be issued the moment he returned to the city, and it might take a few more days. Zheng Xi also had other arrangements to make, of which Zhù Ying was only one part.

Zhù Ying said, “Good timing — I haven’t found a house to settle into yet. I am also not familiar with this part of the city, and without knowing a place well, you cannot do anything right in it. Even if I were called over right now, I would still need to ask for a few days’ grace to walk around the capital and get to know it before I’d feel settled.”

Jin Liang said, “That’s someone who means to get things done! Here it comes!”

The trotters had been stewed very soft and smelled extremely fragrant. Zhù Ying sniffed appreciatively. “What excellent cooking!” — fragrant enough she wanted to gnaw the dish itself.

Jin Liang said, “Still a child!” He and Gan Ze drank and occasionally ate a bite or two. Zhù Ying hugged a trotter and gnawed away happily. They continued talking about the state of the capital, idle gossip from various households, and Zhù Ying listened along. The meal stretched out until late afternoon, after the snow had stopped, before they were done.

Jin Liang had gotten some drink in him by now and said, “Sanlang, I’ll tell you — working for our residence, you won’t lose out! You have picked the right person! Look around this whole capital — even a Prime Minister’s grandchild, starting out, what do they get, a sixth-rank post? The lucky ones, the favored ones, might get a fifth? Then what? These families — carrying empty titles, splitting off into branches, losing their share of the ancestral property, squandering a little on their own — when the capable patriarch dies, some of them live no better than I do! Look at me! Look at me! A wife, a child, a house, some land.”

Gan Ze had drunk a fair amount and said, “Absolutely! If I could someday be like Elder Brother Jin, I’d count this life well-lived!”

Jin Liang went on: “The capital is full of people who look magnificent on the outside but are hollow within. You see all these neighborhoods of powerful, influential people — each one seeming to have connections reaching all the way up, which is both true and not true. Some of them are distant branches — they have no real power at all. In the whole capital, the ones who are truly capable are just a countable few. But here is the thing — some of these people, though they cannot help you succeed, are very skilled at ruining you. Take an old brother’s advice: stick with Seventh Young Master, and stay the course.”

Gan Ze said, “Exactly! Some people, you watch them riding high, and then one day they’re just… gone.”

Zhù Ying listened quietly, thinking to herself: you two have spent so long around someone as formidable as Zheng Xi that your standards have risen very high — but even these people without ability that you mention could still give me plenty of headaches.

Still, she noted down what they said about certain people — Jin Liang had pointed out a few of the capital’s worthless scions of powerful fathers and grandfathers. These were the most troublesome kind. Compared to them, even Zhou You was a decent enough person.

The noise and cheer in the room brought Jin Liang’s wife out to survey the scene. Seeing that the two of them had drunk enough, she said, “Both of you, ease up on the wine — I’ve had them make sobering soup. Gan Dalang, finish yours before you go.” She also had someone bring out two large earthenware dishes — one for Gan Ze to bring back to the residence and share, one for Zhù Ying to bring back for her parents, and had someone carry it.

Zhù Ying said, “I can walk back — no need to send anyone. It is Gan Elder Brother who has drunk himself into this state — if he goes back to the residence like this, it will look bad. Keep him here a little longer to sober up before he goes. Even if no one in the residence minds, stumbling in the road in that condition and spilling all the food would be a waste.”

Jin Liang’s wife said, “Good point — I’ll keep them here. I’ll have Xiao Wu see you out.”

She kept Gan Ze and Jin Liang to sober up while the maidservants helped them rest. The young servant who had opened the door — called Lai Fu — carried the wrapped-up earthenware dish and followed Zhù Ying back to the inn. Just a few steps’ worth of distance, and Zhù Ying had already found out his name and age, and that he was Jin Liang’s own personal servant rather than one belonging to the Zheng Marquis’s residence. Jin Liang’s wife was the daughter of a comrade-in-arms of Jin Liang from his military days — and that comrade had also served under the Zheng Marquis. And so on.

The inn came up quickly. Lai Fu delivered Zhù Ying safely to the small courtyard. At that moment, Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu were going at each other, having nothing to do but quarrel. Zhù Da was going on about the lawsuit and Daoist Xu, and Zhang Xiangu was scolding him for bringing trouble onto the family.

Outside the courtyard gate they could already hear the voices. Zhù Ying called through the door, “I’m back!”

Both of them fell quiet.

Zhang Xiangu ran to open the gate, saw the young servant Lai Fu in his uniform, and asked, “What is this?”

Lai Fu said, “I am Lai Fu, from Elder Brother Jin’s household. He sent me to see Young Master back. Our Madam says these are made at home — if you like them, Young Master, you need only send word and she’ll send more over.”

Zhang Xiangu said, “Oh, that’s Elder Brother Jin’s household! Oh goodness — we haven’t even prepared a gift for them!” She quickly said, “Come in!”

Lai Fu brought the earthenware dish to the front room and set it on the table, then made to leave. Zhù Ying handed him a small bundle of coins. “It is cold — have a hot bowl of soup to warm up.”

Lai Fu pushed back a couple of times, then smiled and tucked it away, saying, “Madam, Young Master, our Madam was given two silk flowers and she’s absolutely delighted! Just this morning she was talking to her elder aunt about flowers — her elder aunt’s were better than hers, and she came home feeling put out about it. Young Master, the timing of those gifts was just right! Heh heh.”

He laughed and ran off.

Zhang Xiangu heard all this and felt a weight leave her mind, quite pleased. “Elder Brother Jin’s wife seems a very nice woman too — not fussy at all. Give her something that suits her and she’s happy.”

Zhù Ying shook her head. “We’ll still need to put together a more substantial gift and send it properly.”

Zhù Da said, “No need for that.”

Zhù Ying said, “She is just not disliking it — she has not truly taken a strong liking to it. Two silk flowers in exchange for eating all of that — would you be happy with that, put in her position? Once or twice is fine, but a third time and it gets tiresome.”

Zhang Xiangu asked, “What did you bring back?”

“Pork trotters — very good. I’ve already eaten. One each, good eating today!” She said.

Zhang Xiangu unwrapped the bundle and took a deep sniff. “Fragrant! One each — good eating today! Along with the inn’s regular meal, it should be enough — the inn’s food, from what I’ve seen, is just about average on portions and taste anyway.”

Zhù Ying said, “Fine. Tomorrow I’ll go out again and look around a little more, and pick up some gifts to give. Is there anything you need?”

Zhang Xiangu, frugal to the bone, said she needed nothing. Zhù Da said, “The wine at the inn is too dear — when you go out, bring back some wine from outside. And if you can find out anything about the case, find out. The sooner it’s closed, the sooner we can get on with proper work. What about the house?”

“Already found a broker — I’ve left instructions with them to keep their eye out. I want a place with a little courtyard. The nicer ones are expensive, so I’m looking for somewhere more out-of-the-way.”

Zhù Da said, “Out-of-the-way is fine — just needs a courtyard.”

Zhang Xiangu took a large bowl and pulled out three trotters. “Take these to be heated in the kitchen. The rest is still enough for another meal. Oh, and when you go out tomorrow — do you need to prepare a gift for Imperial Censor Zheng? He’s going to be your superior in future. And Huajie — should you be going to see her? Oh, I wonder how she’s getting on…”

…

Huajie was also wondering about Zhù Ying: I wonder how things are going for Sanlang right now.

Huajie had entered the city a day before Zhù Ying. Madam Feng’s people had come to receive her. On the road, Wu An and Nanny Li told her about the household.

Huajie’s father — the late Feng Shilang — had been only forty when Huajie was born, yet already held the rank of Vice Minister, a man of exceptional ability for his age. It was that very exceptional ability that had drawn him into a certain incident of that era, which ended in the ruin of his family and the partial ruin of the family of his wife’s parents.

Things had now been set right, but unfortunately Huajie’s brothers and sisters had all perished in the interim, and the Feng family’s members had dwindled greatly — which was why they had brought in a collateral clan member as an heir. Madam Feng now had only Huajie as her own flesh and blood, which explained the urgency to see her.

As for Madam Feng’s maternal family — the Sheng family — they too had been entangled in the incident at the time, but had come through it, though several aunts and uncles had died along the way. Huajie’s maternal grandmother was still alive. The one currently heading the household was Sheng Ying, who was already married, with two sons and a daughter. Chen Meng was the son of the eldest aunt, who was already deceased. The second aunt had died in youth. There was still one younger aunt, currently living in a distant place with her husband — whose official career had suffered because of the old incident, though it seemed to be turning around now.

Huajie made an effort to remember all of this and felt deep compassion for the mother she had not yet met: widowed, no sons, relying on an adopted heir.

On that day, she returned to the capital and they did not go directly to the Feng estate — because Madam Feng was spending these days at her mother’s family home. Huajie’s maternal grandmother and the others were all gathered there, waiting for Huajie and Sheng Ying to return.

Nanny Li said, “Madam has been waiting eagerly for her daughter and son-in-law. This young master-in-law, though…”

Huajie said nothing. In her own mind, she still felt that Zhù Ying’s choice was not wrong. She said, “If he were some wealthy, unoccupied young man of a powerful family, he could afford to go wherever he pleased, and would not care about establishing himself first by coming to settle in his wife’s family home. Precisely because he has nothing, he cannot simply follow me here.”

Nanny Li said, “Young Mistress, when you see the Madam, it’s best not to say this. Just say the young master-in-law has business to attend to.”

Huajie said, “All right.”

At the Sheng residence, Huajie was first brought to the back hall. An old woman with all-white hair, draped in gold and silver jewelry, sat in the center. To her left sat a woman wearing a veil. To her right stood a properly-dressed matron in embroidered garments. Several young matrons and a small girl were also there, with others standing.

Huajie struggled to distinguish everyone’s status — not because she was dim, but because, like Zhù Ying, she still lacked a certain familiarity with wealth and high standing. The maids of noble households could have appearances and clothing finer than those of good families and minor wealthy folk in the countryside. But seating positions, at least, were legible.

Nanny Li eagerly made the introductions. Maidservants laid out a kneeling mat. Huajie’s heart had already flown to her birth mother. Based on her guesses, clothing she might not identify, but seat position was easy to read — that veiled figure must be her mother.

Indeed — after bowing to her maternal grandmother, she had not even wiped her eyes before she was bowing before her birth mother. Mother and daughter embraced in tears. Into that embrace Huajie poured everything — all the longing of these years, all the fright and uncertainty of these past months, all the hardship of the journey. Madam Feng, too, wept and wept, and in her sorrow, her veil grew damp against her face.

The old Lady Sheng said, “You are back — you are back! Come, let us meet your aunt as well.” This was Sheng Ying’s wife, whose eyes seemed to carry an endless sorrow, and who was thin and slight. Then there was Sheng Ying’s five-year-old daughter. Madam Feng pointed to a young matron and said, “This is your sister-in-law.” This was Madam Feng’s adopted son Feng Ao’s wife — her surname was Zhao.

Huajie met them all, one by one. The old Lady Sheng said, “You are back and that is what matters. Everyone go and change. Today we women will have a proper time together. And you should also prepare for sweeping the graves and paying respects to the ancestors. Let your uncle know when he is home to arrange all of it.”

Nanny Li led Huajie to Madam Feng’s rooms to change her clothes. Once inside, Madam Feng removed the veil, revealing a face criss-crossed with scars. Huajie was startled, and reached out to gently touch her mother’s face. “It must have hurt so much.” Madam Feng pressed her daughter’s hand, and they wept together again.

Nanny Li drew them back from tears, helped with the dressing, and escorted them back to the old Lady Sheng. Huajie declined the brightly-colored clothing: “Mother, I am still in mourning.”

Madam Feng, her face newly washed, said, “Ah. Before your maternal grandmother, don’t mention too many of those things — her health is not good, and we do not want to sadden her further.”

“Yes.”

In the end, Huajie changed into a pale, quiet-colored garment, and Madam Feng took a pearl-headed hairpin and fastened it to her hair. “Wear this one.”

Everyone was still so new to one another that the meal was not particularly lively. For one thing, Huajie was still in mourning. For another, Sheng Ying’s wife always looked unhappy. And for a third, Feng Ao’s wife also felt ill at ease with everyone.

The old Lady Sheng, worn down from the hardships of exile, was not in very good health. After eating, she retired, saying there was still tomorrow to wait for Sheng Ying. Madam Feng dismissed her daughter-in-law to rest and kept her daughter with her, sharing a room that night.

At last, mother and daughter could speak properly — about the years that had passed, and about the arrangements ahead. Madam Feng said first that things had been very rushed at the time: “I had no way to know whether he was truly reliable. Your father had already been imprisoned, and there was no one on either side of the family to take charge of things. Getting you away was better than leaving you behind. Heaven was merciful — he proved to be reliable!”

Huajie said, “Father…” The “Father” she said was still referring to Xu Youfang. She knew even as the word left her lips that it was not quite right — she had only said one character before stopping.

Madam Feng said, “Your father was a gentleman.” She meant her own husband now.

Huajie listened quietly to many things from the past, then said, “They were all very good to me. It is only a pity that they are all gone now — the Xu family, and my mother-in-law.”

Madam Feng then asked, “How is it that she had you transferred to another husband again? Such a good child — how did she have the nerve to treat you like that?”

Huajie said, “The clan members were pressing hard at the time.”

“Ah. And if this husband of yours is good, all may be forgiven. It is a strange person she has found for you. How did she come across someone like that?”

Huajie said, “Things were urgent and called for expedience. They both cared for me very much.”

Madam Feng stroked her back and said, “My child, you have suffered. Your temperament is too gentle. When a person is too gentle, others will push their luck. If you uphold ritual propriety firmly, people dare not overstep. You look at what men have to do — founding careers and building names, difficult, isn’t it? Stabilizing the realm and easing hardship, difficult, isn’t it? Even to excel at a single craft, to surpass all others, that too is difficult. And for women — to be a woman of great literary talent, difficult, isn’t it? And to say nothing of things like personally avenging one’s father. But if you hold faithfully to the rules and propriety, that in itself becomes a commendable virtue. Enough to hold your head high before your peers. Wherever others fall short, you are fully within your rights to point it out.”

Huajie thought of her own experience — had she not wanted to follow propriety? It was Si A’Weng who had not permitted it.

But looking at her mother’s face, she fell silent. She asked softly, “I heard that back then a girl was exchanged in my place — what became of her? Her parents…”

Madam Feng’s expression became uncomfortable. She sighed. “They were separated and scattered. Our own family had fallen into disaster — how could we possibly keep servants at our sides? Each was sent their own way. The other day we were saying, a loyal servant of that kind is truly rare. Those who shared hardship with us — when we find them, I have no wish to give them to your brother. I would want to keep them for you as your dowry attendants.”

“Has… she not been found yet?”

Madam Feng said, “After I returned, your uncle arranged to have someone investigate the old case files. Those who were registered as confiscated property would have some record of their transfers. It has just been too long — searching is not easy.”

Someone like Madam Feng, a named adult with relatives actively seeking her, had been found quickly. The girl Madam Feng had left behind had been young at the time, and was then forcibly separated from Madam Feng as she grew older. In the case of someone whose status had been reduced to that of a bondservant, she had no say in the matter, and Madam Feng could not have intervened. With that change of hands, finding her again had become all the more difficult — for such a person could be assigned and transferred by official decree. That one loyal couple of servants had also been confiscated as household slaves, likely sold or dispersed, and tracking them down was equally difficult. They were not blood of the Feng or Sheng families, and naturally no one would exert themselves as they had for Madam Feng and Huajie — the search proceeded more slowly.

Sheng Ying had been willing to leave the capital himself for the sake of his niece and nephew — he was certainly not going to make that effort for household servants. It was not that he lacked the will — he simply did not apply himself to it.

Madam Feng said, “Don’t think about these things any more — they are already looking.”

Huajie heard in Madam Feng’s tone an unwillingness to dwell on old matters, and let it go, though her heart was still quietly asking: What were their names? Even if they are dead, I want to set up a spirit tablet for them, and hold a proper ceremony.

The following day, Sheng Ying returned home, and the whole household spent a day in joyful reunion. Huajie could only stay with them, managing to play along with being shy, not laughing along with the others.

Madam Feng had many questions to ask her brother, and finally found a moment before she returned home to ask Sheng Ying: “And what of this splendid son-in-law you spoke of?”

Sheng Ying said, “Don’t ask! Obstinate fool! No sense of occasion…”

“Oh?”

“He still wants to follow Zheng Xi’s lead.”

“What kind of reasoning is that?” Madam Feng’s face darkened. “How can anyone willingly debase themselves to the level of a clerk? Is this what you called so very fine?”

“Fine he certainly is,” Sheng Ying said in a drawn-out tone. “Let him try to fly.”

“Fifth Young Master!”

Sheng Ying said, “Leave him be — let us see if he hits a wall. Once he does, he will come around.”

Madam Feng said, “Very well. Though I see that Guanqun is looking a little out of sorts.”

“She has been through a great deal in a short time, sister — don’t manage her too strictly.”

“How could I?”

That day they returned to the Feng estate, where Huajie was introduced to her new brother. This brother looked to be much the same sort of person as Yu Ping. That evening, Huajie took up residence in her own courtyard at the estate. The place was spacious enough, with many servants — Huajie had an entire courtyard to herself, far better than anything in Zhu Family Village. But Huajie felt unsettled at heart.

Snow had fallen thickly again by the time she went to pay her morning respects to Madam Feng, who smiled and said, “Ah, you are here. Once the snow stops, we will go sweep your father’s tomb. Then we will open the ancestral hall for the ceremonial welcome — to bring you properly into the family records. And we must also sweep the tombs on your grandfather and the others’ side.”

All neatly arranged — yet not a word about Zhù Ying.

Huajie ventured cautiously, “Then… Sanlang should also come with us…”

Madam Feng said, “Your uncle says he has official matters — best not disturb him. He is only your son-in-law — he is not a Feng by birth. You just settle in and make yourself comfortable.”

Huajie asked, “Has he not come by?”

Madam Feng said, “Was he coming?”

Though she was talking with her mother, Huajie could already sense the shift in tone, and stopped herself in time, thinking: Sanlang — what are you up to right now?

…

Zhù Ying was wandering around the streets. She had a guiding principle: if you want to do anything well, you must prepare beforehand. If doing fortune-telling, you need to practice working the crowd to put on a good show. If telling fortunes and deceiving people, you need sharp eyes and good information to fool anyone convincingly. If you want to establish yourself in the capital, you need to know the capital — even if the plan were only to do fortune-telling here, you’d still need to know the layout of the place: where the poor lived, where the rich lived, what trades and what characteristics went with which people…

Once the snow stopped — it was still cold — she tucked some coins in her clothes and slipped out of the inn. Gan Ze and Jin Liang both had their own business, and Zhù Ying did not trouble them. She walked and watched and asked around, bought a few of the standard gifts for calling on people in the capital, then added a locally fashionable rouge cream and some small toys that children in the capital liked. She went to Jin Liang’s house — a formal visit this time.

Jin Liang was not home today — the whole family had gone to his in-laws. Lai Fu accepted Zhù Ying’s gifts and asked, “Young Master, shall I take a calling card?”

The calling card — that had been explained to her back during the fake Master Huang swindle in the prefectural city, explained by Yu Miaomiao herself. A heaviness settled briefly in Zhù Ying’s chest. She fished out a calling card and handed it over.

Leaving Jin Liang’s house, she had nowhere particular to go and just wandered through the capital streets. She had been hoping to consult Jin Liang about what gifts would be appropriate to bring when calling on a household like the Sheng family. With Jin Liang out, she did not stay.

The next day, Jin Liang came to the inn to find her. “You were looking for me? Good timing that today is my last day free — back to it tomorrow.”

Zhù Ying asked her question. Jin Liang said, “If you go call on them now, you’ll get a face full of disdain! Tell you what — I’ll come with you!”

The two went to the Sheng residence, but the gate servant said Madam Feng had already gone home. They went on to the Feng estate, where the gate servant said, “They’ve gone out to sweep the graves. They’ll be a while before they’re back!”

Jin Liang frowned. “I completely forgot! With the young mistress found and returned, of course they’d sweep the graves and honor the ancestors. But why haven’t they invited you along?”

Zhù Ying sighed. “Let’s go back. It’s fine — the house hasn’t been sorted out yet either.”

Jin Liang said to the gate servant, “Tell them the young master-in-law came by. Since they were out, he’ll come back when he has a free moment!” He hauled Zhù Ying away.

On the road, he counseled her: “This family is really quite unreasonable! You just concentrate on working hard for Seventh Young Master — the day will come when they’ll be sorry and come begging you! You’ll see!”

Zhù Ying asked, “Is Imperial Censor Zheng still busy?”

Jin Liang said, “Oh — forgot to tell you. Now that the commission has been handed in, you can’t call him ‘Imperial Censor’ anymore. It should be ‘Sir’ or whatever title he receives in his new post. Anyway, take these few days to relax and have a good look around the capital. Is that not better?”

Zhù Ying also asked about the case. Jin Liang said, “Won’t drag on too long. Prime Minister Chen won’t allow it.”

Indeed — Zhù Ying spent another ten or so days wandering the streets before news gradually started to come through. First: Chen Wei had taken his own life. This information was closely held, but Gan Ze and Lu Chao knew of it — they were taking turns in attendance on Zheng Xi and relayed this to Zhù Ying when they came to find her.

Then came the publicly announced verdict: several of the grave robbers were sentenced to death, several others to exile. Daoist Xu received twenty strokes of the cane and was released.

Zhù Ying brought this news to Zhù Da, who said, “Oh, poor soul — here in this city with not a soul to depend on.”

Zhang Xiangu went at him again. “Is he your father? You care that much? Bring him home to your tender loving care, and isn’t it your wife and daughter left doing all the work? You can’t even wash your own clothes — and you think you’re going to look after him? Have you thought about all the work falling on your wife and child?”

Zhù Da said, “Now that the case is wrapped up, can I say my two words?”

Zhù Ying said, “Stop quarreling — if you’re worried, just hire a cart and go bring him in.”

Zhang Xiangu said, “Bring him here and keep him? This… Ah, we can’t just watch him die either, but we haven’t got ourselves settled yet. What about a doctor, medicine — how would we manage?”

Zhù Ying said, “It’s fine. The capital has plenty of monasteries and Daoist temples, and people do rent rooms in them. Find a Daoist temple, rent him a room, and pay two months’ rent in advance. Cheaper than an inn or renting a place. It’s a Daoist temple, they’ll have spirit water and herbs — if he recovers, good; if he doesn’t, that is his fate. This way there’s no burden on you, Mother, and Father won’t have to worry either.”

Zhù Da was still hesitating. Zhang Xiangu said, “Want to go live with him yourself? You go keep him company, and the two of us mothers and daughters go our own way. I mean it — this money is what the child earned going with Imperial Censor Zheng. You want to nurse your new father, you pay for it yourself! Let’s part ways!”

She simply could not fathom Zhù Da’s growing attachment to this Daoist Xu. She had no particular ill feeling toward Daoist Xu — even had some sympathy for him — but her husband’s attitude was maddening. Caring more for outsiders than for his own wife and child — really quite insufferable!

Zhù Ying made the decision. “Settled — that is what we will do!”

Zhù Da grumbled a bit and finally agreed. Zhang Xiangu said, “Old Third — come here. Give the money to your father in front of him, so he knows whose hands it comes from, whose work it was. Don’t let him think it fell from the sky or washed in with the tide, his to flash around as he pleases!”

Zhù Da finally behaved himself. Zhù Ying said, “I’ll go with Father.” They hired a cart, found Daoist Xu on the street, and had him settled in a quiet Daoist temple, a single room rented for him, with money left behind. Only then they returned.

Seeing Daoist Xu, Zhù Ying found him truly in a sorry state, and left him two extra strings of coins: “Grandpa Xu, keep these — you may have need of them.”

Daoist Xu managed a labored nod.

Zhù Da looked back two, three times as they left, shaking his head and sighing. On the road he said to Zhù Ying, “With Imperial Censor Zheng, how is that going? We should rent the house and move in sooner — it would be cheaper. I could also come check on Old Xu.”

Zhù Ying said, “The case has been decided — it should be fine now.”

No sooner had she said the words than they returned to the inn to find that Jin Liang had left a message — the Emperor had assigned Zheng Xi yet another mission, and he was leaving the capital again, which meant the appointment to the Court of Judicial Review had not yet come through, and thus Zhù Ying’s own post had no news either. Jin Liang was also going along, naturally. He asked Zhù Ying not to worry, to rent the house and move in, get settled, and wait patiently. Once she had moved in, if he was still not back, she should go leave her address at his house, and the moment he returned he would come looking for her.

With that, Zhù Da no longer even mentioned “going to check on Old Xu,” and sat quietly in the private courtyard staring at Zhang Xiangu, the two of them at a complete loss.