Both Zhao Su and Gu Tong could be said to have had their fates changed upon meeting Zhù Ying, and both of them found that description fitting. As for Wang Xiaoniangzi, her ordeal was pitiable. Zhao Su and Gu Tong thought it over — she had been beaten and injured, but so be it. She was a distant relative of sorts, and who in their right mind would want to drive her to a dead end?

Both said, “Yes,” and prepared to take their leave and rest. However much sympathy they held for Wang Xiaoniangzi, they were still duty-bound to capture Lou Qi and bring him to justice. That Chang School Commandant from Sicheng County could forget about ever getting his hands on the man.

Gu Tong thought: He’s a criminal from our county — why would we hand him over to you? We’ll just sentence him to death right here in our own county and be done with it!

Zhao Su thought: Just kill him on the spot.

Both men resolved to perform well in the operation ahead. Their tracking skills couldn’t match Zhù Ying’s, but when it came time to put in real effort, they would have their chance.

The two cupped their hands and were about to speak when they caught a glimpse of Xiao Jiang out of the corner of their eyes. The comely woman’s expression seemed slightly unsettled. They glanced at Zhù Ying — she remained as placid as ever — and neither of them could quite read the situation.

Xiao Jiang noticed the young men’s gaze. She pressed her lips together and said, “My lord, may I borrow some paper and a brush?”

Zhù Ying gestured toward the table. “Help yourself. What are you writing?”

Zhao Su and Gu Tong slowed their departure, curious to see what she would do.

Xiao Jiang said, “Two prescriptions for that young lady.”

What’s the point of writing those? Both Zhao Su and Gu Tong had confusion in their eyes. Gu Tong, always the more familiar sort, said, “Xiao Jiang, her family will hire a physician to write her tonic prescriptions.”

Xiao Jiang ground the ink and sighed. “What I’m writing is not that kind. What I’m writing — it would be best if she never has to use it.”

The five fingertips of her left hand pressed hard against the paper. Her right hand gripped the brush as though it weighed a thousand catties, each stroke looking less like writing and more like carving into stone. She slowly completed the first sheet, set it aside to dry, and began the second, writing it slightly faster than the first.

When both sheets were done, she took one in each hand and presented them to Zhù Ying in turn. “If I go to their household alone, they may not receive a stranger like me. For what happened yesterday — if there’s still time, use this prescription. If it’s already too late, then use this one.”

Zhù Ying observed that though Xiao Jiang was keeping herself composed, her expression was subtly off, and her manner of speaking was slightly different from usual. Zhù Ying took one sheet in each hand and looked first at the one in her left. It was written in several sections. The first was “Purple Eggplant Blossom Decoction,” calling for dried and powdered purple eggplant flowers mixed with yellow rice wine. The second was “Rapeseed Broth” — rapeseed, white peony root, fresh rehmannia, angelica root, and Sichuan lovage, to be decocted and taken together. The third was “Persimmon Calyx Broth” — the persimmon calyxes were to be taken with their stems, dried and powdered, then taken with yellow rice wine. The fourth was “Schisandra Decoction” — schisandra berries, bur-reed rhizome, zedoary, angelica tail, and lepidium seeds in equal parts, with a small amount of ginseng.

The other sheet also listed several sections, including “Achyranthes Decoction” and others. At first glance, Zhù Ying noticed some blood-invigorating and stasis-dispelling medicines such as musk and safflower and did not think much of it, but as she read the latter half of that second sheet, she saw certain toxic plants listed among the ingredients — oleander among them.

Zhù Ying thought to herself: Xiao Jiang has no old grudge or new enmity with Wang Xiaoniangzi. She cannot be trying to poison her. So this is…

Gu Tong and Zhao Su saw that she had not moved, and simply stopped their departure altogether.

After a brief moment of thought, Zhù Ying understood. She said to Xiao Jiang, “You have been very thorough.”

Xiao Jiang gave a strained smile. “What is thorough about it? The second sheet — better left unused, it would do her body no good. Get it to her early; if you can still make use of the first prescription, use that one first.”

Zhù Ying said, “Come with me. And you two — why are you standing there gaping? Go rest already.”

She herself took Xiao Jiang with her and spoke to the Wang family servant waiting outside in attendance: “Lead the way ahead. I need to see Wang Weng and his wife.” The servant had not yet gone to sleep, and hurriedly lit a lantern. Not daring to ask why, he could only say, “This way, my lord. Mind your step.”

The servant walked ahead. Zhù Ying and Xiao Jiang followed behind. Xiao Wu and the others came rushing out as well, wanting to accompany her. Zhù Ying said, “There are still some things I need to ask them. I don’t need you — if you follow along, you’ll only frighten them and they won’t speak freely. Xiao Jiang is enough.”

Xiao Wu and the others had no choice but to stop. Zhao Su and Gu Tong also had no business intruding into the inner quarters of someone else’s household. Xiao Jiang fell half a step behind Zhù Ying, walking in silence. Zhù Ying casually folded the two sheets of paper into two small rectangles and handed them back to her, saying, “You’ll be better at explaining these to her than I would.”

The servant knocked at the inner gate. From inside came the question, “Who is it?”

The servant answered, “It’s me! Wang Wu — serving the county magistrate. The magistrate has words for our master and mistress.”

The door cracked open slightly; in the light of the lantern, whoever was inside took a look, then hastily swung the door wide open. “My lord!”

Zhù Ying said, “No need to disturb anyone else. I have words for Wang Weng and his wife. Lead on.”

Wang Weng and his wife had no idea what was happening. The past two days had brought them far too much turmoil, and they had been speaking privately with each other — neither had gone to sleep yet. The two hurried out to receive her. Zhù Ying said, “Xiao Jiang.”

Xiao Jiang clutched the two small folded squares and stepped forward, giving Wang Weng’s wife a bow. “Lady, may I have a private word with you?”

Wang Weng’s wife looked back and forth between them. Wang Weng gave a nod, and only then did she say, “It’s a rural place, there are many mosquitoes outside. Please follow me, miss.”

The two women went into a side chamber, lit a lamp, and began to speak. Wang Weng stepped forward and cupped his hands. “My lord, I don’t know what…”

Zhù Ying waved her hand toward him and Wang Weng fell silent. Zhù Ying clasped her hands behind her back. The two of them stood there a while. Autumn had come and yet there were still real mosquitoes out to bite. Zhù Ying watched as one flew right in front of her face — then abruptly shot out her hand and caught it.

Wang Weng thought to himself: Surely the magistrate did not come here just to catch mosquitoes for sport?

Zhù Ying thought to herself: There really are a wretched lot of mosquitoes!

After another moment, Wang Weng’s wife and Xiao Jiang emerged from the side chamber one after the other. Neither had anything in their hands. Wang Weng looked to his wife with questioning eyes. She first paid no attention to him, then came before Zhù Ying and bowed three times, and gave Xiao Jiang a bow as well. “A grace and a kindness beyond measure.”

Zhù Ying gave a small nod and turned to leave. Xiao Jiang followed close behind.

The two walked out through the inner gate and back toward the guest rooms. Along the way, Xiao Jiang said quietly, “I… I didn’t mean to be heartless about taking a life. There are so many people who wish their own mothers had had a bowl of that broth when it counted.”

“Mm.”

A few more steps, and Gu Tong and Zhao Su were still there — neither had returned to their rooms, but stood halfway down the path with Xiao Wu and the others, waiting. Zhù Ying said, “Done asking questions. Tomorrow morning Wang Weng will find us a couple of locals to guide us. Having someone from the area lead the way when we make the arrest will be smoother.”

She waved her hand, and everyone gradually went back to their own rooms to rest. Before the door of Xiao Jiang’s room, the little black-haired maid was standing on tiptoe peering anxiously. When she saw Xiao Jiang, the girl broke into a smile. “My lady! You’re back!”

Xiao Jiang said, “What are you doing out here? Feeding the mosquitoes?”

“I brought a fan!”

Mistress and maid entered the room. Xiao Jiang said, “You want to learn how to investigate cases, don’t you?”

“Uh, heh heh.”

“I remember you said so,” Xiao Jiang continued. “Next time we come across a case, stay close to me, and when I move forward you follow along with the constables and listen carefully. From what I can tell of the magistrate’s intentions, she wants to educate them — she doesn’t keep things to herself. You can eavesdrop a little on her. If you can pick something up from it, then we’ll talk further. If you can’t make head or tail of it, then give up and just be my assistant.”

“I’ll learn both!”

“First get your characters learned properly!” said Xiao Jiang.

……

Zhù Ying slept well that night, waking bright and refreshed, and rose the next morning in high spirits. Among those who had traveled with her, some had also slept well — Zhao Su among them — while others had not — Xiao Jiang among them.

The moment Zhù Ying rose, everyone assembled.

Wang Weng again attended to his guests with great care; there was even meat at breakfast. Commandant Ding ate with furious appetite, and once finished, wiped his mouth and looked impatiently at Gu Tong and Zhao Su, who were still eating. Then his eyes went to Zhù Ying — she had already rinsed her mouth and wiped her face clean.

She had finished even faster than him! Commandant Ding felt a flicker of indignation.

Zhù Ying waited for everyone to finish, then left behind those without horses or donkeys at Wang Weng’s house and rode out with the mounted party to search for and arrest the criminal. Xiao Jiang had promised the little black-haired maid she would help her learn by observation, and when she saw what was happening, she reached out to hold the girl back. “Now is not the time.”

But Zhù Ying turned her head and asked, “Can the two of you ride?”

Given what Lou Qi had just been accused of — not only killing but likely assaulting women — Zhù Ying intended to bring Xiao Jiang along. If there were any unexpected complications, Xiao Jiang would be more useful in gathering testimony.

Xiao Jiang said, “We can!”

The little maid chimed in, “If we can drive a cart, riding a horse is certainly no trouble.”

Wang Weng arranged two local guides for them and found a horse for Xiao Jiang. Xiao Jiang and the little maid shared a single mount and rode together, following Zhù Ying in pursuit.

Wang Weng had deliberately concealed a small detail earlier, but now with the guides accompanying Zhù Ying’s party, it saved Zhù Ying some trouble. From time to time she dismounted and crouched to examine the ground. When Lou Qi had fled the Wang estate, he had gone on foot, but he did not tend to take ordinary paths. Most people on the run, whether along main roads or back paths, follow a road of some kind. He, however, sometimes perversely chose to walk along the narrow earthen ridges between paddy fields instead.

During the rice harvest, countless people had walked those narrow ridges and even trampled sections of them flat. Tracking was difficult.

Zhù Ying had no choice but to widen her search, moving forward only when she spotted footprints again.

Gradually the trail led her to the next village. This village had no grand household like Wang Weng’s. Though the village head and ordinary well-off residents were busy with the autumn harvest, the anxiety of wanting to get back to it showed beneath their smiling faces, though their manner was otherwise quite normal. Zhù Ying said, “Go about your business.”

But how could the village head dare leave her unattended? He remained close, following Zhù Ying all the way to a grain storehouse.

The village head said, “Does my lord wish to inspect the grain? This is this year’s new harvest — just brought in. Over there — that one isn’t sealed yet.” He pointed toward another storehouse where people were still carrying grain inside. The one Zhù Ying was looking at, he said, was already full and had been sealed shut.

Zhù Ying gave Commandant Ding a nod. Commandant Ding made a signal, and some of his soldiers climbed atop the adjacent storehouse. From that vantage point they drew their bows and set arrows. Zhù Ying asked the village head, “Has anything strange happened in the village these past two days? Anything gone missing?”

The village head said, “Nothing like that.”

Zhù Ying said, “You have a fine storehouse here.” The village head was faintly pleased. “The grain tax is nearly due, so rather than collecting at the last moment, I had them gather this year’s quota all at once right when it was threshed, store it in the village granary, and haul the whole lot to the county seat when payment comes due. That saves the scramble of going door to door at the last minute. All thanks to you, my lord — we can live like this now. Before, we never could have dreamed of it. There were those who didn’t want to pay, and those who genuinely couldn’t, and seeing that, you couldn’t bear to push them…”

Zhù Ying listened quietly, thinking to herself: It might be better to establish a small granary in every village — storing a reserve of grain in good years so it could be drawn on to assist households in lean years or those struck by disaster, sparing people from ruin. Like the household in Hexi whose house burned down — if the village had a little reserve in store…

Zhao Su and Gu Tong watched as Commandant Ding’s men moved into position, their own eagerness building. They asked Zhù Ying quietly, “Is he in there? Can we go in?”

Zhù Ying said, “Be careful — he will likely be armed.” She assumed probably with a cleaver.

She ordered someone to fetch a ladder, nailed shut the ventilation windows of the storehouse first, and then had the main door thrown open.

Constables kicked the door panel with force. It swung halfway around and slammed hard against the wall! Inside was grain. The men moved forward carefully to search — and a black shadow burst out from the storehouse!

Lou Qi!

Lou Qi ran with astonishing speed. Even though the constables and soldiers had been braced for something, they were still startled for a moment and failed to act immediately. The direction Lou Qi bolted was cleverly calculated — he was trying to slip through the gap between the two groups. If he could run fast enough, he could leap into a small river nearby.

On top of both storehouses, soldiers shot arrows to cut off several of his escape routes. But fearing they might hit the constables below, they held their fire when Lou Qi ran close to the constables’ position — everyone ready to shoot him down with a volley of arrows if he managed to break free.

At that moment, Zhao Su drew his bow and loosed an arrow into Lou Qi’s left shoulder. Calmly and unhurriedly, he drew again — this shot landed squarely in the man’s buttock. Lou Qi’s stride began to stumble. Zhao Su sent a third arrow into his leg.

Gu Tong slapped his wrist in admiration. “Your shooting is something else! You never stood out particularly at the county school!”

Zhao Su smiled with quiet composure. The county school was all flash and ceremony — ornamental. Shooting a target was considered high martial skill there. From childhood, he had shot at far livelier targets than that.

The constables swarmed forward. Four burly men flew in and piled onto him — two seized his arms from either side, each wrenching one arm behind his back in a press-and-pin hold. One planted a foot on his lower back, grabbed his hair, and yanked his head back so he faced the sky.

The last drove a short broadsword up against his throat.

Zhù Ying strolled over. “Lou Qi?”

“Wh-what?” the ordinary-looking man said with complete bewilderment on his face, nearly sobbing. “Sp-spare me! My lord, I’m just a laborer — I was exhausted from hauling grain and fell asleep in there.”

The constables were startled themselves, thinking for a moment they had the wrong man — the person in their hands seemed in no way ferocious or vicious, just an extremely ordinary, run-of-the-mill man. They very nearly wanted to pull out the wanted likeness right then to confirm his identity.

Zhù Ying barked, “Hold him!” The constables tightened their grip a notch.

Zhù Ying beckoned the village head. He came jogging over, also astonished — how had a stranger gotten into the sealed granary? He looked carefully and said, “This man is not from our village!”

Gu Tong bellowed, “Lou Qi! You’re still playing innocent?! Teacher — look at his hand!”

The constable gripping Lou Qi’s arm shifted slightly, pulling his wrist out a little further.

On Lou Qi’s wrist was a gold bangle that had been bent out of shape. The band’s circumference was slender — it was a woman’s piece — and squeezed onto his thick arm, it could barely fit. Gu Tong wasn’t certain it was Wang Xiaoniangzi’s, but to his eye, only a wealthy household in the county could have afforded something like that. It even had pearls set into it.

Lou Qi stopped his sobbing. The ordinary face hardened into a numb, vicious expression. He had not expected anyone to search the granary. New grain had just been stored; a storehouse already packed full would not be entered again for close inspection anytime soon.

Now that he had been found out, he was not afraid. It was merely being taken in for questioning. Between interrogation and judgment, there were sometimes opportunities to escape custody.

Zhù Ying asked, “You are Lou Qi?”

“I’m your grandfather Lou Qi!”

Every constable and soldier showed a flash of fury. Zhù Ying gave a contemptuous snort and asked, “Was the fire in Hexi Village your doing?”

“Of course.”

Zhù Ying pointed at the gold bangle on his wrist. “And this — stolen as well?”

Lou Qi smiled in a way that was both lewd and unsettling. The judicial officer bellowed, “The incident at the Wang Family Estate — did you commit it? Speak!”

“That little woman,” Lou Qi said with a smile, looking toward Xiao Jiang at Zhù Ying’s side. He stuck his tongue out long, quickly and obscenely licking a full circle around his upper and lower lips, making a smacking sound.

Zhù Ying’s brow furrowed. Reaching over with her hand, she drew the judicial officer’s belt sword, and with a quick in-and-turn of the blade, thrust it into Lou Qi’s mouth and yanked it out.

Lou Qi let out a ghastly muffled shriek.

Zhù Ying handed the sword hilt back to the judicial officer. “Take men and search the storehouse.” She looked down at her hand briefly.

The village head hurried forward. “I’ll call people to help — I’ll be right back, right back!” He sprinted off and rounded up several people. “Quick! Come with me! A decent harvest for once — letting this bunch rummage everything will ruin the grain!”

The villagers heard this and grew anxious as well. They all came running. With the villagers doing the work, the constables were also not idle and searched on their own. Seeing that the constables were not carelessly spilling grain about, the villagers gradually relaxed.

Suddenly a villager shouted, “What is this thing?!”

Another said, “I’ve got something over here too!”

They dug around, and the second villager turned up a basket containing some half-eaten food. A young man nearby said, “Isn’t that our family’s basket? Just now we said food had gone missing — thought it had already been sent to the field. He stole it, did he?”

The first villager had already started cursing, “You thunderstruck beast! May you come to a terrible end!”

Constables crowded around asking, “What happened?”

“The beast relieved himself in the granary and I got a handful of it!”

An ordinary villager not knowing what specifically to search for, he had noticed a loose pile of grain on the ground that seemed out of place. He nudged it with his foot — it yielded soft, like wet mud. He crouched and touched it with his hand. It was excrement.

The constables were furious too. “He truly is worthless!”

The villagers quickly raked away the surrounding grain, checked the good grain nearby, brought out winnowing baskets to clear away the filth, and some ran off to report to the village head. As they talked, one spat viciously at Lou Qi. The village head was so enraged he moved to strike Lou Qi.

The constables moved to stop him. The village head angrily withdrew his hand, fuming inwardly with a bitter helplessness: “Now we’ll have to turn the whole lot over again — how much grain will be ruined!”

Lou Qi’s mouth was full of blood; his face twitched with pain. His tongue was only half-attached at the root — Zhù Ying’s blade always drew blood when it was meant to. She gave the constables a look; they loosened their hold, and Lou Qi tried to bolt again.

Zhù Ying turned to the village head. “Go. Take the thief.”

The village head’s eyes lit up. The villagers who had gone to fetch winnowing baskets returned and, without hesitation, rained blows down on Lou Qi. More villagers came running out; seeing that Zhù Ying made no move to stop them, they all piled in and joined the beating.

Zhù Ying watched for a moment, then said to the judicial officer, “In a little while, parade this one through the streets. Then issue proclamations to all the surrounding villages. There is still a Mao Liu who has fled — anyone who is a stranger, pay close attention. Note — I said stranger. I don’t care whether the person is good or bad; any stranger at all, I want them to take notice and report.”

“Yes. My… my lord…”

“Mm?”

“He’s… he’s almost beaten to death.”

Zhù Ying smiled. “Stop.”

Only then did the constables step in to pull the villagers back. Lou Qi’s face was already drenched in blood. Zhù Ying said, “All right. Let’s go.” The party escorted Lou Qi back to Wang Weng’s house.

Wang Weng’s guide sprinted ahead to deliver the news. Wang Weng came out with his son to meet them. “My lord!”

“Is this him?”

The Wang father and son were first startled by Lou Qi’s battered state, but on closer examination their expressions turned to indignant fury. “It is this beast!” They were already reaching for their knives to kill Lou Qi.

Zhù Ying said, “Since it is him, that is enough. No private punishment.”

Lou Qi made gurgling sounds in his throat. Commandant Ding had not had a chance to perform the most distinguished role in this operation and was feeling vexed about it. Hearing that sound stirred an unease in him; he raised his fist and unleashed a volley of blows. “Stop playing dead!”

Zhù Ying said, “All right, enough. It’s not worth the bother.”

Commandant Ding thought about it and agreed — indeed not worth the bother. He lowered his fist and stepped back a few paces. Then Zhù Ying slowly drew her long sword. An instant later, white light flashed — like a thin bolt of lightning striking the side of Lou Qi’s neck.

The judicial officer and Wang Weng were both splattered head to toe with blood.

Zhù Ying used the sword scabbard to poke the judicial officer. The judicial officer leapt in alarm! Zhù Ying said, “Drag the body. Parade it through the streets.” She glanced at her sword blade. Xiao Wu, ever perceptive, went to ask Wang Weng for water to clean the blade.

Wang Weng drew several deep breaths. “Many thanks to my lord for ridding us of this scourge.”

“Oh — a fugitive resisting arrest. It was the right thing to do.”

Zhù Ying had the sword washed, then washed her own hands. She paid no further attention to Wang Weng’s invitation to stay and asked no further questions of Wang Weng’s household. She took her party back to the fork in the road where Lou Qi and Mao Liu had parted ways, and went in pursuit of Mao Liu.

……

Mao Liu was far easier to catch than either Wang Dahu or Lou Qi — even Zhù Ying had not expected Mao Liu’s capture to come about so easily.

Fuluo County lay close to the mountains, and within the county were also some smaller hills and hillocks, with gullies and ditches here and there. Not far from any village, one might see wild pheasants and the like, along with various wildlife scampering about. The clever folk of the villages would set snares or dig pits to catch game, which could be sold for some coin.

Mao Liu had not chosen his route wisely. After fleeing he was not paying attention, and stepped into the void and fell into a trap pit, snapping his leg. It was the height of the autumn harvest, and nobody had the time or inclination to check that particular pit. After he fell in, his injury left him unable to climb out. By the time Zhù Ying found him, he had gone three days without food.

Zhù Ying lowered a rope from above. He grabbed it and hauled himself up. Once out, he said, “A grace and kindness beyond measure. I will repay it like the grass that ties itself in knots to catch a foot.”

Gu Tong held up the wanted likeness and compared it to the man before him. “Mao Liu!”

Mao Liu, like Lou Qi, also had no desire to admit it. Zhù Ying kicked something lying on the ground. “Take this with us as well.” It was a steel pitchfork — one of the missing items listed from the Hexi village theft.

The constables treated it like a windfall. They looped an iron chain around Mao Liu’s neck and began raining blows on his head. “You thief! Where did this come from?”

Mao Liu said, “I found it.”

Zhù Ying said, “Wang Dahu and Lou Qi have already faced justice.”

The expression on Mao Liu’s face told everyone present that this man was indeed Mao Liu.

Commandant Ding burst out laughing. “Obtained without effort! Magistrate Zhù, my congratulations!”

Zhù Ying said, “You’ve worked hard these past days, Brother Ding.”

“Not hard at all, not hard at all — it is as it should be! To protect the peace of one’s jurisdiction — that is our duty as well!”

The two exchanged pleasantries. The constables saw that Mao Liu could not walk and arranged a donkey for him to ride. Zhù Ying raised no objection, saying only, “Go to Hexi.”

Mao Liu’s expression changed. Ignoring his broken leg, he struggled to bolt — fell from the donkey and seized with pain, he writhed — yet stubbornly kept up the pretense of being dead. Zhù Ying said, “Bind him and bring him.”

The constables, infuriated by his unruliness, tied him up with hemp rope in a trussed bundle, then ran a thick pole through the binding and carried him like a dead pig being hoisted to market. Hexi Village was already quite near. Zhù Ying’s party returned to Hexi Village, where the rice had been nearly all harvested. The household holding funeral rites was in the process of taking down the funeral banners — the weather was still warm, and they had already buried their dead.

Seeing Zhù Ying return, the village head of Hexi could only come out again to receive her. Zhù Ying pointed toward Mao Liu with her saddle and said, “Take a look. Is he one of them?”

The corpses of Wang Dahu and Lou Qi had been taken off to be paraded through the streets — their final destination being the county seat. Mao Liu was living, and so it was fitting to bring him here to offer some solace to the dead.

The constables pulled out the thick carrying pole, and Mao Liu dropped to the ground. The village head called people over; a young man carried an elderly person with a walking stick and came running fast. The whole village crowded around. The old man said, “He is one of them! He is the one who harmed the child — and two others!” He raised his walking stick to strike.

The constables made a token show of stopping him. The villagers surged forward and beat Mao Liu to death.

Zhù Ying said, “All right. Bring him back. Ah — and when you are done, come to the county seat to see the sight.”

The village head did not understand what Zhù Ying meant by that, but the criminals had all been caught, and the county magistrate truly was a good official who cared for the common people. The village head said, “We’re nearly done with the harvest — we’ll head to the city right away.”

Zhù Ying said, “No rush. Get the village settled first.”

Only then did she take Mao Liu’s body and return to the county office.

……——

From Hexi Village to the county seat, a swift horse could make it in a day, but hauling a corpse slowed things considerably. Zhù Ying simply planned for two days’ travel, and at any village or town along the way, they stopped to put the body on display.

On the second day, she returned to the county seat.

Outside the city gate, in the open space, a three-foot earthen platform had been erected, upon which three tall thick wooden stakes stood. One had Wang Dahu’s body hung on an iron hook, another had Lou Qi’s. With Mao Liu’s body brought back, all three stakes were filled.

Magistrate Guan was in a terrible fluster, and came out with people to receive Zhù Ying. Behind him were Gu Weng and several other local gentry — many of the gentry had returned to their estates to oversee the autumn harvest, and only Gu Weng and those whose fields were nearby still resided in the county seat.

Magistrate Guan led with: “My lord, you have labored greatly!”

Zhù Ying said, “Hang them up.”

Then she asked Magistrate Guan, “Is everything in the county in order?”

Magistrate Guan hastily replied, “Yes, yes, all is well. The official dispatches have been sent. The replies should be on their way. These… all three…”

“Yes! To prevent them from causing further harm, they were killed on the spot. You’ve come just in time — there are things I need you to handle.”

Magistrate Guan trotted along behind Zhù Ying. “At your command, my lord.”

Zhù Ying said, “Several matters. First, issue proclamations throughout the county announcing that the criminals have been punished. Let everyone settle their minds and get on with the autumn harvest. Second, the tax collection should begin…”

She went through several matters, beginning with the regular business of the harvest season, then specifically mentioning the villages that had been disrupted by the three fugitives. Their autumn harvest had certainly been affected. If any of those villages faced difficulties with their tax reporting, she said, do not be in a hurry to press them — document the situation and report it to her, and she would make decisions from there.

Magistrate Guan said, “Understood.”

He was being very well-behaved these days, and the gentry standing behind him, including Gu Weng, were the same.

Zhù Ying continued: “Also issue a proclamation to the entire county — the household registries need another round of revision. In a situation like this one, with criminals on the loose, the response was still far too slow. Communication between townships, villages, the community units, and the local watch must be kept clear. Whether orders from above going down or reports from below going up, there must be no blockages.”

“Understood.”

“And a notice must be posted — a warning to the entire county.”

They talked as they walked back into the city, and the townspeople were not afraid of her — they smiled and greeted her. Zhù Ying rode her horse, nodding in all directions.

Back at the county office, she set aside everything else and drafted a public notice first. It concerned convicts on penal exile and those who had absconded. The first section set out the provisions of imperial law: after reaching their place of exile, convicts were to perform penal labor, but those exiled three thousand li, after three years of service, could apply to settle into normal life at their place of exile — that is, to live much like ordinary people, register with the local rolls, pay grain tax, and from that point on become local inhabitants. Although they had committed crimes, they still had the opportunity to reform; the notice urged exiled convicts not to squander that chance.

The second section simply stated that Fuluo County was a county governed by law and order, and would absolutely not tolerate convicts from other places coming to commit crimes here. All must abide by law and discipline — violators would be “punished without leniency.”

The notice was written with great clarity. The first section took up four-fifths of the text and set out the court’s legal provisions in thorough detail. The second section was mentioned only briefly.

After Magistrate Guan received it, he said, “I will have this copied out and posted immediately! And announced and explained throughout the county by proclamation!”

Zhù Ying said, “Go. The official correspondence regarding the three criminals Wang Dahu and the others — I’ll handle that myself.”

She still had to write a report to the capital. These were serious criminals; the sentences should have been death by official judgment. But now the men were dead, and an account was needed. With the criminals now brought to justice, she would need to lay out the full sequence of events clearly. She also had no intention of concealing anything on behalf of Commandant Chang. He could look out for himself.

Beyond that, she needed to send a closing-case report to the Southern Prefecture and the circuit administration, informing them that the criminals had been dealt with and that everyone could rest easy and get on with the harvest. At the same time, she would file a complaint noting that her own county’s autumn harvest had been somewhat disrupted, and that she was “working hard to make up for the loss.”

In all such things, she had long since become thoroughly practiced.

In her mind she was also turning over plans for wheat planting, and the need to consult again with Su Mingluan and the Asu Cave Master about planting wheat in the mountains. She intended to teach them the methods, and at the same time make a point to the court: the Ying people were not blind — seeing wheat promoted down in the valley, would they not be curious? Would they not imitate?

This was something that could not be stopped. Better to seize the opportunity and make it a gesture of goodwill and a demonstration of the civilizing influence.

Turning this over in her mind, Zhù Ying said to Gu Weng, “Gu Tong is quite well — no need to worry.”

Gu Weng said honestly, “In your lordship’s hands, this old man has not one worry among ten thousand.”

Zhù Ying looked at him, then at the other gentry nearby, and thought to herself: This deference came about rather strangely. She said to Gu Tong, “Spend some time with your grandfather — don’t let him keep worrying.” She then took the opportunity to dismiss everyone.

Zhao Su and the others dispersed as well. Zhù Ying called him back. “Your belongings are only half-packed. The day for Mingluan to come down the mountain has also been thrown off by the harvest. Just leave it for this month and do nothing else. Get your things properly sorted — once the autumn grain is collected, you’ll need to set out.”

“Understood.”

Only then did Zhù Ying dispatch Xiao Wu. “Go out and ask around — everyone seems a little off today.”

Xiao Wu asked, puzzled, “Off? How? I haven’t noticed anything.”

“The way they’re looking at me is a little odd. Go find out.”

Xiao Wu, thoroughly baffled, went out and spent a good few days making inquiries before anything came to light. Compared to that lengthy first section of the public notice — written out in careful detail about the treatment of exiled convicts and what their future life could look like and how to return to normality — what the townspeople were far more relish in talking about was one line: “If a dragon has come, let it coil for me; if a tiger has come, let it lie for me.”

Zhù Ying had had Gao Shan and the others string up the bodies for public display. Her intention had been to reassure the common people and deter criminals, making would-be offenders too afraid to commit crimes in Fuluo County.

What she had not anticipated was that the displayed corpses drew all eyes, and Gao Shan and the others’ florid and impassioned account of events made the whole thing sound like a tale of a wandering swordsman from a story book. The common people had little entertainment in their daily lives — exhausted to the bone by the harvest, hearing a gripping story was genuinely invigorating.

Utterly satisfying.

Beyond the exhilarating story, Gu Weng and the others had arrived at a certain extra insight of their own, and were being even more cooperative and well-behaved than before.

By now Zhù Ying had finished sending out her official documents, and had received the replies to the first batch. Both the Southern Prefecture and Inspector Lu’s office said they understood, told her to continue reporting as things developed, and urged her that if the case encountered difficulties, she should speak up promptly and not let things blow up into something big and hard to manage that would further disrupt the harvest. The county magistrate of Sicheng County had sent a letter of apology, expressing that he would have a good talk with Commandant Chang.

She was now waiting for the second round of replies from the various offices.

When Xiao Wu returned and told her the whole story, Zhù Ying said, “So that’s what it was.”

Xiao Wu said, “My lord, you really do have too gentle a temperament. If you ever showed just a little bit of your true self, it would be enough to open their eyes!”

Zhù Ying said, “It’s not so simple as that. I’m here to farm the land and earn money, not here to kill people.”

Xiao Wu was at a loss for words, thinking to himself: My lord is truly too benevolent!

Tong Bo came in carrying the official gazette. “My lord, today’s gazette. A’Wu, what are you standing there for? Struck dumb?”

Xiao Wu laughed and cursed, “Get lost!”

Zhù Ying scanned the gazette and said, “Go get Xiao Jiang for me.”

Xiao Wu “got lost” as instructed. “Yes.”

Zhù Ying then instructed Tong Bo, “Go call the judicial officer and the others as well — everyone assemble in the front courtyard.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Jiang was right there in the county office and came quickly. Zhù Ying held the gazette out toward her. “Have a look.”

Xiao Jiang hesitated and glanced over. Zhù Ying pointed to two particular lines, and she found the passage to read — the Court of Judicial Review had established the position of female examiner of bodies, and had recommended that every prefecture and circuit with the capacity to do so also appoint one female examiner.

“This… what does this mean?”

Zhù Ying said, “In future, there will be many more people doing what you do — and not just at the county level. You could go to the prefecture or the circuit.”

Xiao Jiang started to say that those places had people with connections, but then she stopped and thought — so what?

She said, “This must have been your idea, my lord!”

“I have no authority over the Court of Judicial Review anymore.”

Xiao Jiang smiled inwardly: I don’t believe that for a moment.

Zhù Ying said, “You want to take Xiao Ya under your wing?”

Xiao Jiang ventured carefully, “Would you agree to that?”

Zhù Ying said, “Whether I agree or not — haven’t you already been doing it? Hauling her right up to the front to listen in. If you want to learn, stand up straight and listen properly. Stop hunching around like a thief!”

“Yes!” Xiao Jiang answered clearly and quickly. Then she asked, “I heard that wheat planting is coming, and teaching of farming methods — will there be songs composed for it?”

Zhù Ying said, “Not this year. Let the gentry plant first and see if any adjustments are needed. Next year, once the text is finalized, we can set it to song.”

“Wonderful!” Xiao Jiang said. “I’ll go tell Xiao Ya.”

“What is her proper given name?”

“She doesn’t have one,” Xiao Jiang said. “A rough maid sold from place to place — no proper name.”

“What family name does she carry? Let’s give her one.”

“Her surname’s changed so many times it never settled anywhere. Nothing fixed.”

“Then we’ll fix one now. Once it’s decided, let me know and I’ll put it on record.”

Xiao Jiang asked in earnest, “You always have a reason for what you do. What is this for?”

“We have a female examiner now, female wardens now. Female constables can exist as well,” Zhù Ying said. “They’ll need proper names on record.”

“Then I’ll ask her what she’d like to be called.”

The little black-haired maid didn’t know what would suit her and left it entirely to Xiao Jiang. She said, “I’ll follow whatever name you give, my lady! My lady, what is your full given name?”

Xiao Jiang had never given herself a proper given name either. Would it do if she were called Elder Lady and the girl were Second Lady? That didn’t quite feel right. She thought for a moment and said, “I’d like to be called ‘Shi.'”

“Huh?”

“Oh — said together it does sound a bit odd.”

In the end she simply opened a book, pointed to a character at random, and gave herself the name Jiang Teng. The little maid said, “That’s much too careless. I don’t want one like that.”

“Then what do you want to be called?”

The little maid couldn’t think of anything either, and said with a pout, “I don’t know. I don’t want just any random name.”

“Jiang Zhou, then.”

“Porridge?”

“It means a boat.”

“Mm, all right!”

And just like that, the names of both of them were settled.

Xiao Jiang went quickly to report to Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying added the two of them to the group of those allowed to sit in and observe — informing everyone that once the grain had been delivered and stored and the wheat seeds sown, they would all be learning investigative methods together.

The judicial officer and the others were overjoyed. Even learning half — no, no, even two or three parts — of that skill would be more than enough!

Zhù Ying said, “Hold your celebration. If your duties are not handled well, you will not be permitted to learn.”

The constables said, “My lord, rest assured — this year’s autumn tax will be collected in full!”