To claim “miraculous conception” before a spirit-medium was the height of carrying coals to Newcastle.
Even Zhang Xiangu knew that when someone came to have a daughter’s fortune told, the custom was always to say the daughter would be prosperous, so that the parents might do their best to keep the girl alive. And if the family truly could not manage, nothing could be done about it — the resentful spirit could hardly come knocking at her door in the middle of the night.
The Left Rectifier was not entirely without belief in ghosts and spirits — but he had seen far too much of such nonsense in interrogations over the years to take any of it seriously.
It was Bao the evaluating official who spoke first — striking the table with his hand. “You woman — how dare you invoke ghosts and spirits as cover for your shameless conduct! How you murdered your own husband and how this wretched offspring came to be — you had better confess every last detail!”
He had personally helped Zhù Ying bring back from Governor Dou’s office the two guards who were now sitting in the male ward just across the way — and here this woman was claiming “my late husband came to me in a dream”!
“Sir,” Bi Shi said, “my late husband did die from an overdose of arsenic medication. I have not concealed that. I truly do not understand why the officials are insisting on charging me with deliberate murder.”
Bao said, “And yet you were the one who gave him the medicine! And he still forgives you and comes to get you with child?”
Both Zhù Ying and the Left Rectifier felt secondhand embarrassment. The Left Rectifier said, “Little Bao, little Bao — take a walk outside for a moment.” If this continued, it would become a debate between Bao and Bi Shi — following the prisoner’s lead in an argument would lead nowhere good. It would only invite further embarrassment.
Bao had absolutely no desire to leave. He had been out in the dead of winter traveling for nearly a month! The entire time — the relay stations, the overnight riding — had been pure suffering. Zhù Ying had excellent prospects waiting for her; all that grueling travel would bring its reward. Bao was in a different position: whatever reward came his way would certainly not be proportionate to the ordeal. He had agreed too readily, and now regretted it.
On the return journey, though they had carts, Zhù Ying had still pressed them to keep up the pace. Zhù Ying had covered a thousand li in four days without complaint — so Bao had no grounds to say a single word of protest. He had arrived back in the capital and, without any rest, was now straight into interrogating prisoners. Worn and irritable, Bao’s temper had grown short.
He found himself wanting to strike a pregnant woman. Twenty blows of the paddle, and let us see if she still holds firm!
Conveniently, of the three of them, he held the lowest rank — so if someone was going to play the bad official, it would fall to him. And he had not yet finished venting his anger. Having someone to yell at when angry was actually quite satisfying.
The Left Rectifier played the kind official, saying to Bi Shi, “You are a young woman — why harden yourself in court like this? If you tell us honestly, it will save us all less trouble.”
Bi Shi thought: Only a fool would believe you. You do not trust me any more than I trust you — you simply want me to say what you want to hear. I refuse.
Bao’s temper had not yet cooled. He stared coldly at Bi Shi, trying to bear down on her with pressure, to frighten her.
“You do not trust her, and she does not trust you,” Zhù Ying said. “What is the point of facing off like this?” She had originally planned to use a slow, accumulative method of questioning — but Bi Shi had preempted everything with her “miraculous conception,” and Zhù Ying found she no longer had the desire to continue.
Moreover, she watched the way the female wardens and guards moved when escorting Bi Shi in — their manner could be called less “escort” and more “supporting.” Even hearing the words “miraculous conception,” some of them had visibly — imperceptibly — relaxed. Even Wu Xiang was not exempt.
“Being a holy mother is not so easily managed,” Zhù Ying said. “One must have everyone’s willingness to recognize it. Take her down.” She raised one finger to her lips.
Cui Jiacheng, more composed than the others at this moment, bowed and said, “Yes.”
Bao glared at Zhù Ying. She made a small gesture, and waited until Bi Shi and the others had been returned to their cells before saying to Bao, “This person cannot be saved.”
“Oh?”
The Left Rectifier also said, “Now there is a remarkable individual! Were she a man, one could not say she reaches the level of a bandit king — but she would have made a formidable outlaw. The kind Wang the Metropolitan Magistrate would strike down in the street. As things stand, having her like this in our hands is all too inconvenient.”
From over where the cells were, Cui Jiacheng’s voice carried back: “Enough of that talk! If ‘miraculous conception’ were to be believed, it would be the Daoist Registry’s matter to adjudicate, not the Court of Judicial Review!”
These words found a ready echo in Bao, who said, “Exactly!” The Left Rectifier could not help but smile.
Cui and Wu, seeing the officials had not gone far, hurried over to apologize to Zhù Ying for failing to keep better control of their staff.
“No matter,” Zhù Ying said. “The same rule applies as before — no word of exchange with any of the prisoners. No passing of any objects!”
“Yes.”
The three officials left the Court prison. The Left Rectifier said, “We have got nothing out of questioning — how do we account for this to the superiors?”
“She brought up ‘miraculous conception’ herself,” Zhù Ying said. “What more accounting is needed?”
“True! She sealed her own fate.”
Zhù Ying herself harbored no personal animosity toward Bi Shi — but from the moment the pregnancy had come to light, the matter could no longer be papered over. If one were to continue following Bi Shi’s own narrative, where would it end? The senior officials would not accept it, and with no one willing to continue covering for it, covering it became impossible.
Now it was an open confrontation. Both sides had made their distrust explicit — there was nothing left to paper over.
The Left Rectifier, too, felt a trace of regret. Even Bao, after venting his anger, gave a nod. “Her fate was not kind.”
“Let us go see Chief Zheng,” Zhù Ying said.
——
Leng Yun and Pei Qing were already with Zheng Xi. The moment Leng Yun heard Zhù Ying had returned, he went and sat himself right down in front of Zheng Xi — plainly intent on watching the entertainment unfold.
When the three officials entered, before the bow was even complete, Leng Yun said, “Never mind all that ceremony! Tell us quickly — how did it go?”
He could get away with such forwardness in the presence of his superior because he ordinarily caused little trouble or inconvenience for those above him, and so the superior tolerated a small degree of informal behavior. Zheng Xi said, “Let him catch his breath first.” The last part was addressed to Zhù Ying.
“Even my upper and lower eyelids were at war just now,” Zhù Ying said. “One sentence from Bi Shi and I am wide awake.”
“What did she say? What did she say? Did she confess? Who is the lover?” Leng Yun demanded.
Zhù Ying, perfectly composed, gave a name: “Li Zang.”
“Pff — cough, cough, cough! Li, Li, Li, Li…” Even Leng Yun was taken aback.
Zheng Xi and Pei Qing exchanged a glance. Their expressions remained largely unchanged, though a faint look of displeasure crossed both their faces. “Her first words to me were that she had a ‘miraculous conception.'” Zhù Ying then produced the written record of the session and presented it to the two men.
Zheng Xi said, “Hmm. If not for Governor Dou, she would already have made her escape. Is she confirmed as the culprit? Are there any hidden complications?”
“Governor Dou is at least a capable official when it comes to case-solving,” Zhù Ying said.
Leng Yun asked, “Truly no hidden complications? What of the sons? The grandson?”
Zhù Ying spread her hands. “If there were, it would actually be better. A young woman in her prime, spending every day holding a memorial tablet — I would also prefer for her to be innocent. That way, the old gentleman’s face would be preserved as well. As it stands, a wife murdering her husband — that is a true calamity.”
“No, no — I mean the inside story! Was there a lover?”
This man’s mind continued to drift in unusual directions. Zheng Xi cast him a look, and Leng Yun sat back quietly. Zheng Xi said, “Continue.”
“The Li household has none,” Zhù Ying said. “There are two people in custody — both written up in the case files. Governor Dou personally arrested them; I conducted a follow-up review, questioning them separately, and their testimonies corroborate each other. Only Bi Shi’s testimony has not yet been obtained…”
“Why not question her?”
Zheng Xi fixed Leng Yun with a look. Leng Yun said nothing more. Zheng Xi said, “Speak.”
“With ‘miraculous conception’ already on the record…”
Her eyes met Zheng Xi’s directly, signaling him wordlessly: I am a spirit-medium by trade — do you honestly think I believe it?
“The homicide?” Zheng Xi asked.
“The body has been examined — arsenic, without question. Li Zang died suddenly, with none of his children present; Governor Dou, as the local official, attended the funeral and happened to observe something amiss. So Bi Shi — despite having packed up her valuables — had no time to flee. The new testimony from the maidservants is on the page below: she had packed up her valuables.
The pharmacy ledgers have been reviewed. The maids also gave testimony confirming that they had made the purchases and handed everything over to Bi Shi — yet the arsenic is gone. Bi Shi has not been subjected to torture at any point, so no claim of confession under duress can be made.
Li Zang — and the Li family as a whole — did not lack for enemies, but those with whom he had genuine dealings and who had genuine reason to harbor grievance numbered only one: this young wife of his. She herself cannot even put forward another credible suspect.
As matters stand, it comes down to accidental death or deliberate murder.”
Pei Qing said, “If there were another party, then her admission of ‘accidental overdose’ would not make sense. The murderer must still be her.”
Leng Yun also became serious for a moment, and said something worth saying: “Without Bi Shi’s own testimony, the Ministry of Justice may refuse to proceed, may they not? What if she goes to the Ministry and retracts everything? Someone might put pressure on her — she could simply point at someone like Li Ze, and I have noticed that Li Ze seems very eager to clear her name! And that grandson of Li Ze’s is the same age as her…”
This man was still unable to resist turning matters in peculiar directions. Zheng Xi looked at him with resignation, but acknowledged that Leng Yun’s point was not entirely groundless — and told Zhù Ying to make this aspect of the case airtight, to leave no loopholes.
Zhù Ying said quietly, “If you do not wish this case to drag in too many people, then do not allow her to say things that cannot be controlled.”
Pei Qing drew a sharp breath. Even Leng Yun understood: “Right! But what if…”
“In truth, everyone knows,” Zhù Ying said. “Her entire family — by blood and by marriage — all together, every single one of them has lived a tranquil and good life, wrung from her blood and tears. Everyone except her. Having lived such a life for several years, what she might have become — I would find nothing surprising.
The person who suffered the most is the one who bears the greatest suspicion. Truly, it is pitiless and absurd.”
Leng Yun muttered, “But they did ask her whether she agreed. If she did not want to, why did she not say so?”
Zhù Ying felt a slight ache in her head. “Vice Prefect, are you willing to attend court audiences every morning — standing at attention through the whole session — or are you willing to attend court audiences every morning — standing at attention through the whole session — or are you willing to attend court audiences every morning — standing at attention through the whole session? That was her situation.”
Zheng Xi frowned slightly. “That is not a comparable analogy.”
Zhù Ying immediately shifted course. “Chief — might I have a word with her?”
“Hmm?”
“Just a conversation. No one else may be present.”
Zheng Xi had already made up his mind. “Hmm… someone — go and invite Chancellor Chen, Minister Shi, and Censor Yang.”
“Oh?”
He first had the three men summoned for a private meeting, and showed them the official document Governor Dou had sent over. “The two guards who were negligent in their duty have been placed under arrest and escorted to the capital.”
Neither Chancellor Chen nor Minister Shi took this particularly seriously — they felt Zheng Xi was making much of very little. Chancellor Chen said, “You handle it.” Minister Shi also said, “Yuanguang, your approach here is not ideal — you should finish your review first and then pass it to me. Old Yang, is that not so?”
Censor Yang took Zheng Xi’s side, since his own Censorate still relied on the Court of Judicial Review’s prison. He said, “Yuanguang always has his reasons.”
Zheng Xi gave him face in return, and produced another statement. “Walking a dark road long enough, one finally meets a ghost — Bi Shi says she dreamed of sleeping with Li Zang, and has conceived by supernatural means.”
The three men — all well past middle age — at hearing this, showed unmistakably unpleasant expressions. Chancellor Chen said, “This woman truly knows how to stir up trouble!” Minister Shi said, “I believe she has gone mad!” Censor Yang frowned as well. “This woman — she is clearly not meek and compliant by nature. She is capable of murdering her own husband!”
Zheng Xi said, “Then… shall we settle the matter?”
Minister Shi said, “Without a confession from her own lips, it remains imperfect.”
“That will come shortly,” Zheng Xi said. “The questioning is ongoing right now.” He had also chosen not to invite the three men to observe directly, worried that Bi Shi might do something erratic — instead he had stationed clerks to take notes, and arranged for the female wardens and guards to listen from the adjacent room, along with Pei Qing and a few others.
——
Zhù Ying was deeply uncomfortable. She had actually wanted Li Zang to simply go to his grave with the matter unresolved.
She let out a sigh and went to Bi Shi’s cell, ordered several more oil lamps to be lit, and brought writing materials with her.
Bi Shi, watching her enter alone, could only find it amusing. She admitted to herself that this young official was more perceptive than anyone else she had encountered — this person had seen through the mutual distrust between them. Given that they no longer trusted each other, why come at all? To get her to write a self-confession? Ridiculous! She intended to live.
She closed her eyes.
“What is your name?” Zhù Ying asked.
Bi Shi thought: Truly laughable — a frivolous young man, small talk falling so easily from his lips. Odious.
Zhù Ying sat down across from her. “I have just come back from the Li household.”
Bi Shi’s eyelids stirred, almost imperceptibly.
“Li Zang was buried well. His ivory tablet was interred with him — the body has not fully decomposed.”
Bi Shi opened her eyes. Zhù Ying said, “Arsenic has a preserving effect on remains.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Zhù Ying tilted her chin toward Bi Shi’s abdomen. “How long do you plan to keep it before it is born? A full year? Fourteen months? Three years and six months?”
Bi Shi’s color shifted slightly. Zhù Ying understood at once. “Indeed. The mother of a divine child is not a role easily assumed — it requires everyone’s willingness to accept it. Bring them in.”
Two male prisoners were dragged in from outside. At the sight of them, Bi Shi drew a sharp breath — but did not avert her face. “These children are not mine!” Her hands, however, clenched tightly over her lower abdomen.
The two men began to weep and curse. One cried “viper” and the other cursed “the vile woman seduced me!” Zhù Ying said, “Take them away. Twenty more strikes each.”
Bi Shi glared at Zhù Ying, iron-faced. “You have prepared everything. What more do you need from me?! You would still charge me with murder whether I said it was accidental or not! And now, now you even…”
“The Li family’s reputation — very genuine, and very cleverly cultivated,” Zhù Ying said. “Not everyone speaks well of them, but people who genuinely benefited from their kindness are those whose voices carry the farthest. The tenant farmers — as long as they fall short of outright rebellion, their words can never reach those in power. But those with a little property of their own, who might know a little literacy — those people are heard. Li Zang: lobbying the court on behalf of the local people for disaster relief, for reduced levies — a great man indeed.
The departed first wife: selfless and devoted to her husband and household until her very last breath. She even suppressed jealousy, arranging a successor wife on her own deathbed. And she showed such respect for that future ‘sister-in-law’ — consulting your entire family’s wishes in advance.
Li Ze’s children — truly the model of virtue! They did not quarrel over the estate; what they contested was only how best to look after their family. The children sought justice for their father’s death — what filial devotion! And on the other side, the eldest son was preserving family honor, still working on your behalf even now — he could not be more blameless. They were all good people.
The household servants, dragged into trouble through no fault of their own, subjected to punishment — yet still honest, still refusing to slander their mistress.
Your mother: she asked for your opinion in advance. She wished to do right by your father’s memory. She brought her children to seek refuge with the most reliable people she knew. Your brother, burning the midnight oil to restore the family’s fortunes.
Governor Dou: shrewd and capable, a fine official.”
“What are you trying to say?!” Bi Shi’s voice rose, sharp and high.
Zhù Ying said, “I have traversed every corner of this case — I even opened a coffin and faced the dead. And yet I find one thing missing: your voice.”
“You…”
“Have everything ready?” Zhù Ying smiled. “What is left to prepare? Your own purchase of the arsenic? Your own admission of ‘accidental overdose’? Or the living evidence you carry with you now? You know that a pregnant woman will not face extreme punishment — which shows you know a thing or two. Then you should also know: with the current evidence, enough already exists to convict you. There is no need to prepare anything more.”
“Hah!”
Zhù Ying gave the tray on the table a slight push toward her.
Bi Shi still would not surrender. “I carry my late husband’s child.”
“From where you entered, walk a hundred and fifty steps forward, turn left, and walk another fifty steps — that is where the Office of Sacred Rites is housed. Only the gods recognized by the court are real gods; anything else is a wicked spirit and illicit worship. In this place, divine visions recognized by no official charter hold no weight. Miraculous conceptions belong only to the founding Emperor and the Taizong Emperor.
The materials are here. If you want to speak your mind, write it down. If you want to fabricate more, you have already tried that.” She gestured toward Bi Shi’s abdomen.
She turned and walked out without looking back. Bi Shi sat perfectly still for a moment — then swept everything on the table violently to the floor.
As Zhù Ying emerged, Pei Qing came out too. They had barely begun to move away when Pei Qing said, “Sanlang — this woman is stubbornly unyielding.”
“It was always only a test,” Zhù Ying said.
They were on the verge of leaving when a shout came from inside. Wu Xiang hurried in herself to check, then came back and said, “She wishes to see you.”
Pei Qing said, “Strange…”
Zhù Ying thought: What is strange about that? Is she not permitted to speak?
She returned to the cell. Bi Shi’s expression was still grim. She asked, “How many days do I have left?”
“I do not know. You have your own reckoning — with ‘miraculous conception’ already on the table, where does ordinary reasoning still apply?”
Bi Shi said, “Let us make a deal. Since death is unavoidable, I will die — but I will not die carrying this wretched offspring. If the child is lost, I will tell you everything you want to know, and let you close this case in satisfaction.”
Zhù Ying said, “That is something I cannot promise. And to close the case in a satisfying manner is already something we can manage quite well.”
Bi Shi looked at her. Zhù Ying said, “Ask around.”
Bi Shi said, “I will only speak with you!”
“While you are alive I cannot guarantee it. Once you are dead, I can.”
“Since I can remember, my father gave money to people every year.”
“…”
“To officials above him — annual tributes. You do the same, don’t you?”
Zhù Ying thought for a moment. “Me? I… every year… I take money from my own superiors…”
“That sounds like your father to me.”
“My real father has no money.”
Bi Shi looked at her coldly. Zhù Ying looked back at her calmly.
She said, “After my father took his own life, the whole family was left without support. We had no choice but to throw ourselves on Li Zang’s mercy. You were not wrong about anything — a whole household of ‘good people.’ The old Madam was as kind as my own grandmother! Husband and wife, devoted to each other — I thought to myself: if I could live like this when I am old, how wonderful that would be. Ha! How she worried about her husband! How pitiful her final appearance — pulling at my hands and weeping! She gave my mother money. She arranged for my brother to study! Ha! The son of a condemned official — wanting to pursue a career as an official!
They prepared my wedding clothes for me as if they were dressing me for my coffin. Do you understand? It was like being in a vast and frozen field with no clothing at all — and they offer you a coffin. You go in, and at least you are out of the cold.
If you were nursing your own grandfather through illness, most people could endure it. But a grandfather would not do those things to you.
You think that once he died, you were free — but when you understood that even after his death, you could not crawl out of this coffin, what would you do? I refused to resign myself to my fate any longer. The arsenic — I used it. What a useful thing it is! I had my bags packed, but then the Governor turned up…
I said the wrong thing. If I had another chance, I would say I knew nothing! I never imagined it would be investigated so thoroughly.
I was escorted to the capital. I did not want to die… I refused to die… and so I could only… only…”
Zhù Ying listened to her in silence until she finished, then asked, “Do you want paper and brush?”
“I wanted to, once,” Bi Shi said. “Now that it is spoken — I no longer do. I never intended to say any of it either. But having said it, at least someone will remember. To have harmed me — there is a price to be paid!”
Zhù Ying bent slightly at the waist. “I take my leave.”
“Do not forget what you promised me!”
Zhù Ying gave a nod. The door to the cell closed behind her.
From inside, Bi Shi’s voice came: “Qing — my name is Bi Qing.”
——
Outside, the clerk had already recorded everything she said.
“Some manner of account has been rendered,” Pei Qing said.
Zhù Ying felt a headache beginning. “Barely,” she said. “Originally it was supposed to…”
“They are waiting,” Pei Qing said.
But when the confession record reached Zheng Xi, none of those present were willing to issue the order permitting Bi Shi to abort, yet all of them wished to see the case through its proper procedure — from the Court of Judicial Review to the Ministry of Justice for final review. Under the normal timeline, formal execution would be scheduled for after the autumn. However, Chancellor Chen and others could petition the Emperor on Li Zang’s behalf, requesting that Bi Shi be permitted to take her own life in custody.
No one wanted the child to become their responsibility.
In the final verdict that Zheng Xi himself drafted, he did not overturn Governor Dou’s conclusion — but he could not help softening the portrayal of Li Zang. Li Zang remained a benevolent elderly man, a figure of contribution to his home region, who had merely made the misfortune of taking an ill-matched second wife in his later years — a union without harmony, which had led to this tragedy.
As for the two guards Governor Dou had sent — they were sentenced to the harshest penalty. No leniency was afforded to them. Where was this “seduction”? It was nothing but predatory desire!
Minister Shi had no idea that Bi Shi was the daughter of Bi Luo, a convicted official from the Gong case — he assumed Bi Shi was simply some penniless young woman chosen as a second wife for an elderly man. Understandable, for an old man’s second wife! And this young woman had been a great nuisance — even the “miraculous conception” nonsense had come from her. Minister Shi had no wish to have a prisoner die on his watch either; he was happy to do Chancellor Chen a favor and the Li family a favor, and to have Bi Shi permitted to take her own life swiftly.
As for the two guards — in his view, their matter was even less worth entangling himself in.
The prisoner was brought out from the Court prison. The verdict was swiftly rendered.
All parties were relieved to have a troublesome matter resolved. They reported to the Emperor that it was simply an ignorant woman making desperate fabrications in hopes of saving herself, and that there had been no “miraculous conception.” The Emperor, however, expressed a trace of personal disappointment, murmuring to himself, “Not a divine omen, then.”
Upon hearing this, Chancellor Chen understood that preparations must begin.
Meanwhile, Zhù Ying had been occupied with the case throughout and had not been home at all — now, at last, she was free to go home and rest properly. Zheng Xi gave her three days of leave to manage household affairs and recuperate, and told her to return afterward — there were still things before the New Year that required her attention.
But before that, she had to go to the Ministry of Justice to claim Bi Shi’s body. She would have it cremated at Cihui Temple, the ashes placed in an urn and buried there. Bi Shi had family — but her mother and brother were not in the capital. Li Ze was here, but since Bi Shi had confessed and been convicted of murdering her husband, she could no longer be counted as a member of the Li family. Zhù Ying intended to exploit this loophole, petition the Ministry of Justice for custody of the body, and see to its proper burial.
Before she could even set out for the Ministry, however, Wu Xiang and Cui Jiacheng arrived together.
Zhù Ying paused and asked, “What is it?”
Cui Jiacheng presented an official document. “This is the performance evaluation for last month’s female prison guards.”
“Oh?”
“The promotions and demotions of Court clerks and staff are governed by evaluations. Previously, there was no work to assess. Now, with duties assigned and the year drawing to a close, the evaluation should be drafted and submitted for your review, so that rewards and penalties for the year may be determined.”
Zhù Ying looked it over. The ratings showed some variation. Wu Shi had received the highest grade; Zhou Mei had received a middle grade; and the lowest, surprisingly, was Gan Xiao Niangzi, who had received a grade of “middle-lower” — narrowly avoiding the bottom tier. Gan Xiao Niangzi’s “middle-lower” came with reasons attached: during the first session of questioning Bi Qing, she had not waited for the officials to leave before cheerfully declaring, “If she conceived miraculously, doesn’t that mean Bi Xiao Niangzi was wrongly accused? Her husband has forgiven her!” — and had been reprimanded by Cui Jiacheng.
“Good,” Zhù Ying said. “Going forward, both of you are to submit a monthly performance evaluation — grading each person and signing it jointly. Accumulate three ‘lower’ grades, and the following month’s supplementary allowance is halved; accumulate five, and the person is dismissed. A single major lapse — even one — results in immediate dismissal. Begin counting from now. All past matters are forgiven and forgotten.”
Cui and Wu were overjoyed, and tried to contain their pleasure. They also said, “Then shall Gan Shi’s current evaluation be adjusted to middle grade?”
“That is acceptable,” Zhù Ying said. “But hear this — one may be slow-witted, but one must not lack in perception! Why are you needed here? If a woman in a prison could become pregnant through dreams and supernatural means alone, what would be the point of maintaining separation between men and women? Could you catch ghosts?”
“Old Zuo — do me a favor and come along.”
She had set down the rule herself, and now she had to have someone accompany her to the female ward to announce the new regulations. The Left Rectifier had just finished a major case and had nothing pressing, so he said, “Of course.”
Cui and Wu relaxed visibly. Managing the female ward had become considerably smoother since the earlier days — even the most prickly of them, Zhou Mei, had calmed down noticeably. People were people — the moment Zhù Ying left the capital, they all felt the difference from the very next day. Even Wu Shi was heard to curse, “Those little devils! Deliberately making things difficult again! One task — and they send you running eight times!”
Of all of them, Gan Xiao Niangzi showed a certain incompatibility with the others. The rest all had pressing reasons — one kind or another — for needing to support themselves and their families. Gan Xiao Niangzi was different. Her family was warm and stable, not wealthy, but not in want either. This meant that after the questioning of Bi Qing, when everyone else felt sympathy for Bi Qing but said nothing, Gan Xiao Niangzi was the one who opened her mouth.
Cui and Wu had no real leverage over Gan Xiao Niangzi. The female ward had little to do and few incidents, and Gan Xiao Niangzi genuinely did not care much about the position — she had taken it largely to accompany friends. Without the authorization Zhù Ying had just granted, the two women had essentially no means of managing someone who had connections, did not need the money, and had little actual work.
Now they did!
The two women gave each other a silent word of encouragement.
Zhù Ying and the Left Rectifier went to the female ward and assembled everyone. Zhù Ying announced the decision publicly and reaffirmed: “All this begins from now. Past matters are forgiven and forgotten.”
The guards bowed their heads in silence. “Yes.”
Zhù Ying asked the Left Rectifier if he had anything further to say; he waved his hand. “Dismissed, then,” Zhù Ying said.
She and the Left Rectifier walked out, and Zhou Mei and Nanny Xu were to be seen walking out holding quilts. The Left Rectifier asked, “Where are you going with those?”
Nanny Xu said, “The quilt Bi Xiao Niangzi used before — today there is good sunshine, we thought to air it out and keep it ready for the next time it is needed. Ah — a person should not walk crooked paths…”
She sympathized — but the matter of harming another person’s life, Nanny Xu felt, was simply not right.
Zhù Ying said, “Walking the straight road is a luxury in and of itself. What opportunities I can offer — I will do my best. How much of it you can seize is up to you.”
The Left Rectifier shook his head. “Born to worry.”
“I have more worrying ahead of me still!”
The Left Rectifier laughed along with her as they walked. Once they were a little further away, he said, “Just like just now — that is what is needed! You have been too soft with them! You let them think that at the Court of Judicial Review they could play the pampered young ladies, acting as they pleased and still be paid and looked after! In the dead of winter, you rode four days and a thousand li, brought back prisoners who are sitting right across the way — and they dared to sit there playing bodhisattvas with their tongues! Without your protection over them, there are plenty of people who would straighten out those high-and-mighty little attitudes!”
“Fine, fine — you are right,” Zhù Ying said. “Ah — and I still have that worry to take care of.”
The worry she referred to was the promise she had made to Bi Qing — to properly attend to the body. Where anyone else would never have taken on such a thing, she had promised and was now going to follow through. She went to the Ministry of Justice to complete the paperwork, arranged a cart to transport the body to Cihui Temple, and on the way out, a Ministry official said, “Sanlang — are you not going home?”
“I am,” Zhù Ying said.
She was afraid to go home.
——
Zhù Ying had been away from home for days and yet was afraid to return. She felt that she had handled the Bi Qing case very badly.
Everyone above and below was satisfied — except for Li Ze, but that was of little consequence, for this man was obligated to remain at home and continue his mourning period.
The more satisfied they all were, the more clearly it showed what a bleak and sorry fate Bi Qing had suffered.
Zhù Ying saw to Bi Qing’s funeral arrangements. The attending nun also said, “Hua Jie did not come today — she has been busy with matters at your household. Now that Sanlang is back, that is a relief.”
Zhù Ying gave a vague sound in response, waited until the body was cremated, collected the ashes into an urn and handed them to the nun for burial — by then curfew had long since passed — and only then went home.
Outside her door, she knocked. Nanny Du’s voice called from inside, “Who is it?”
“It is me,” Zhù Ying said.
Nanny Du called out in a loud voice, “Eldest Madam, Little Madam — Sanlang is back!” She swung the door open.
A rush of footsteps from inside, and Zhang Xiangu, Hua Jie, and Zhù Da all came out to look. Zhù Da asked, “All done?”
Zhang Xiangu said, “You child — you come back and still do not come home, just staying in that place! How are we supposed to feel easy?”
“I count the days,” Zhù Ying said. “See — I am back.”
Hua Jie said softly, “Wash up first, change your clothes, eat something.”
“Yes, yes!” Zhang Xiangu agreed.
The house was busy with New Year preparations; things were piled everywhere. They all gathered around Zhù Ying asking questions, asking what she wanted to eat. Nanny Du set to heating water so Zhù Ying could wash her face and hair. Zhang Xiangu worried about Zhù Ying getting cold: “Midwinter — just wash your face and soak your feet for now. On the twenty-eighth or twenty-ninth we will heat more water, block up the windows tight, hang an oilpaper curtain inside the room, and have a proper wash.”
“Very well,” Zhù Ying said.
They surrounded her while she changed clothes, washed her face, and ate dinner. After dinner she wanted to rest, but Zhang Xiangu hesitated as though she wanted to say something; Zhù Ying said, “The case is closed.”
“Good. That is good.”
But she could see that Hua Jie had something on her mind. She quietly pressed Hua Jie’s hand, and once Hua Jie had stayed behind, asked, “Is something wrong? Tell me.”
Hua Jie said, “Nothing! You rest well.”
“Then I have something to say.”
“Hmm?”
“Bi Qing should not have died,” Zhù Ying said, closing her eyes, speaking somewhat indistinctly. “I do not care about a case or a prisoner — but she… the testimony was something I drew out of her. I do not believe she did wrong, and yet I was the one who pushed a person I do not believe did wrong onto the road to death. I do not think this law is right in every respect. I just cremated her.”
“She also did something wrong,” Hua Jie said.
Zhù Ying said, “I want to write it down. Her story, her words. I cannot tell how much of what she said to me was true, but I want to record it. At least — this person came into the world. The testimony in the official record differs from what she said to me privately; much was cut. “
“Mmm — if you want to write it, then write it. Put it on paper; do not carry it only in your mind. Sleep now…”
“A’Jie — you have something on your mind.”
“No…”
“You do.”
Hua Jie lowered her voice. “I found out everything!”
“Hmm?” Zhù Ying opened her eyes.
A flash of anger crossed Hua Jie’s face. “How could they behave this way? They were admitted to the Court of Judicial Review on their own merit — it has nothing to do with you, does it?”
Zhù Ying closed her eyes again. “I had thought it was something else. But it is true — they did get in on their own merit. What has come over you now?”
“You should not have kept it from me. I was even advising you to look out for them as best you could — they are all women, after all; none of them had ever been in service before… I…” The more Hua Jie thought, the angrier she grew.
Zhù Ying patted her back vaguely. “It is nothing — everything is fine now.”
Hua Jie was about to say something more, when the door was knocked upon again. By now it was well past curfew — who could possibly be coming at this hour?
Nanny Du, wary, called out, “Who is it?”
A woman’s voice from outside: “I… I… I need to see Chief Zhù.”
Zhù Ying sprang up, wiped her face, pushed her feet into her shoes, and went to the door. From outside: “I… I truly have something to say.”
Zhou Mei!