Jiang Zhi and Lan De neither of them moved.

Zhù Ying repeated herself. Jiang Zhi hurriedly glanced once more at Huang the Twelfth’s headless corpse, then nodded. He saw that Lan De had not yet come back to himself and called Lan De’s name. Lan De came to as if waking from a dream: “Oh! Oh! Back! Let’s go back and talk.”

A beheading — that had not frightened either of them to see. What had been beyond their expectations was Zhù Ying tearing down the Huang family estate until not a timber remained. And what had surprised them most of all was the people’s hatred. Or rather — they had anticipated the hatred, but had not anticipated it expressing itself with such ferocity. Jiang Zhi was educated; Lan De could read. Both knew from historical texts of certain reviled figures being dismembered by the populace after execution. But that was only words on a page. The capital had been decorous for many years now, and neither of them had ever witnessed anything like this in their lifetimes.

Both of them felt a certain tremor in their hearts.

Jiang Zhi remained composed, glanced at Zhù Ying, and thought to himself: Zhù Sanlang is a reliable person.

Lan De quietly pressed his hand to his chest, and stole a glance at Zhù Ying, thinking to himself: This one is a ruthless operator.

Both felt that Zhù Ying was steady and capable. Lan De in particular was filled with one thought: Why didn’t I think of any of that?!

His own ideas had been things like: execute all of Huang the Twelfth’s adult male relatives; exile the whole family; confiscate the estate; dig up Huang the Twelfth’s father’s grave; and so forth. Compared to what Zhù Ying had done, all of those felt rather “uninspired.”

Lan De could not help inwardly rapping himself on the head.

Zhù Ying raised her hand and gestured, and the attendants began taking down the high platform they had erected, and preparing horses and other things to escort the three of them back to the county seat.

This place had been left in a rather bare state; to receive these two guests in a too-sparse setting would be unbecoming once the urgency of the case was past. She worried less about Jiang Zhi’s reaction, but Lan De not being properly received and going back to say something careless would cause problems.

Zhù Ying said: “We have been rushing to handle the case and there have been oversights. Please forgive any shortcomings. Once we return to the county seat, the two of you will be able to rest properly. I have already notified Prefectural Governor Leng of our circuit regarding this matter — this case was his instruction to me to handle temporarily.”

Jiang Zhi glanced at her again and thought to himself: As if we don’t know what kind of person Leng Yun is. He was a living Buddha at the Court of Judicial Review — never got anything proper done.

Lan De felt a tiny surge of smugness, suppressed a smile: “Then shall we wait… no no, how would we dare have the Prefectural Governor come to see us?”

Zhù Ying said: “Then shall we first go back to the county seat?”

Lan De said: “Good.”

Jiang Zhi asked: “Now that Huang the Twelfth has been legally executed, the main culprit is dead. Will all the others just push everything onto the main culprit, and how will the remaining cases be decided? And yet the emperor and the political bureau both want you to handle the case carefully and leave no loose ends. Do watch out for your reputation — being labeled a harsh official would not be good.” He said this and glanced at Lan De.

Lan De also drew a breath and then tilted his chin up: “In any case, the emperor wanted Huang the Twelfth executed, and our mission is more than half complete! Magistrate Zhù, the emperor only asked me to observe.”

When speaking to Zhù Ying, he unconsciously lowered his voice and slowed his pace.

Zhù Ying still repeated the same line: “Back to the county seat before we talk.”

Along the way they would pass two relay stations. Zhù Ying planned to rest for the night at the first one and continue the next day, having lunch at the second relay station before arriving at the county seat in the afternoon. She explained this to both of them, and they both agreed it was very good. Jiang Zhi said: “That’s just like you.”

While resting, Lan De bathed and changed, then reclined on a couch and told a small eunuch to massage his legs. He asked: “Where are Governor Jiang and Magistrate Zhù?”

Another little eunuch said: “Playing chess in the pavilion over there.”

Lan De said: “Scholar types and their habits — insufferable.” Playing chess, of all things, instead of rolling dice — what a pretentious display!

……

Jiang Zhi was also somewhat tired but did not wish to appear lazy, and as he played he said idly: “Getting old — my energy is nowhere near what it once was.”

Zhù Ying said: “I don’t want to hear that. You are in your prime — only a few years older than me. If you say you’re old now, then a couple of years on I will be old too. I refuse to accept that.”

Jiang Zhi smiled, and his expression relaxed a little: “What comes after the case? Lan De only wanted to execute Huang the Twelfth to please the emperor. Once the man is killed, the mess that remains afterward is not his concern. Moreover, the emperor cares very much about this matter of the ‘private court of punishment’ — how do you intend to handle things going forward? You must be careful of public opinion — being labeled a harsh official would not be good.”

Zhù Ying said: “All the complaints have been sorted through. Wherever a proper hearing and evidence-gathering was needed, that has been done, and the cases will not be delayed. Nor will the autumn harvest be disrupted. Together with the winter wheat, Prefectural Governor Leng’s earlier visit was precisely for the purpose of the winter wheat matter. The important things will not be neglected. As for being a harsh official or not — that is a matter of interpretation. Brother Jiang, how has Grand Official Zheng been? I have heard little of him lately.”

“So you have only now thought to ask — I almost thought you were not going to!”

“If he had anything urgent to convey, you would have found a way to say it first without me asking. Since you said nothing, it cannot be too pressing. It’s better for me not to ask — first finish what the emperor wanted done, so there is no trace of it to give Grand Official Zheng trouble too. I am far away and only see the official documents; Grand Official Zheng is at court every day. An uncle scolding a nephew — and doing it in person — tsk.”

Jiang Zhi played another stone: “There’s no arguing with you. After I go back, I will most likely be leaving the Censorate. Zheng Yi will also be getting an external posting. Probably only Shao Shuxin and Wen Yue will remain inside the palace city.”

Zhù Ying said: “It has been many years — you have all indeed been due for a change, and sooner is better than later. Where will you be going?”

Jiang Zhi said: “Wanzhou, Deputy Governor.”

Zhù Ying thought for a moment: “Congratulations.”

“What is there to congratulate?”

“A promotion.”

Jiang Zhi shook his head, played another stone, and said: “How is Prefectural Governor Leng?”

“He is starting to find his footing. Every person has their own way, and as long as he can find his own, that is what matters. The same is true of you, Brother Jiang — the local posting also has its advantages. After spending a few years at the local level, the way you look at local affairs will become very interesting.”

Jiang Zhi smiled: “Then I’ll take your word for it. What I saw today with the people — I hadn’t anticipated it. Was there really so much hatred built up, and yet no one went to the authorities? Even if the county yamen was conducting itself improperly, what about the circuit? The prefecture? Was there no one to take charge?”

“They didn’t know,” Zhù Ying said. “They didn’t know that a private court of punishment was a capital offense. They didn’t know they could go to a yamen themselves to register their household. Paying rent and providing labor corvée was the same regardless — whether to the court or to a local magnate. They initially fled because of heavy military service and taxes imposed by the court, and fell into the hands of powerful households. As time went on, even when the court had reduced the rent and taxes, how would they have known? Until the powerful household squeezed them to the point of being unable to survive, and they fled again to somewhere else. How to register a household? They did not know. Many never even went to the county seat — there are plenty of people who never left the county in their entire lives. What use was a household registration to them? Reading books and taking the civil examinations…” she laughed: “A full granary and you know propriety. When you are starving, where is the time to read? And reading itself requires money to sustain. For a poor family, unless the talent is exceptional, reading is a very poor bargain. They have no need to take the civil examinations, so all those things you mentioned are completely useless to the poor. Even with the same rent and the same corvée, as an estate tenant or farmhand, you work right there on the estate. Doing corvée for the court, they might send you three thousand li away to guard the frontier. If you’re lucky enough not to die out there, you come home to find everyone long dead. The court — and the people who make up the court — is competing with local powerful households for people and land.”

It was like her own situation: she had not even had a household registration, and had still served as a divine doctor for over a decade. Life went on; there was food to eat. She was quick on the uptake — it was only when she thought of opening a small teahouse that she learned about the option to self-report and register a household. Her parents had been divine doctors for decades — those worked fine too. A household registration — what was that? Could you eat it? If there had been a household registration, someone like her father, an outsider, would have been among the first on the conscription list — and then there would have been no “afterward” at all.

Jiang Zhi exclaimed: “Are there really all these layers to it?”

Zhù Ying placed another stone: “For instance, filing a lawsuit — only registered citizens in good standing can file a lawsuit, isn’t that right? And ordinary people are not encouraged to litigate in the first place. This much you know.”

Jiang Zhi nodded — that much needed no elaboration. Look at the case of Huang the Twelfth: over decades, no one had managed to win a case against the Huang family.

“Hidden households are such a problem!” Zhù Ying said. “Which is why the court does not pursue how they fled — just being able to uncover them is enough.”

“There are far too many hidden households in Southern Prefecture.”

“Far fewer than there used to be. This whole area — Southern Prefecture, Yiyang Prefecture, and several surrounding prefectures — all bear the aftermath of the tribal uprisings. After things were pacified, the household registers became unreliable, and people say the registration records were burned in fires back then. Officials selected to come here — some were unwilling, some came and died of disease. Southern Prefecture has had no prefect for many years now. How do you do the work? But never mind that — does Grand Official Zheng actually have no message?”

Jiang Zhi said: “Nothing. He had me come to see how you were doing, and have a conversation with you. He said that although you are young, you have more experience in local governance than I do.”

Zhù Ying said: “He is very good to us. Every place has its own customs, and Wanzhou has no prefecture under it, so you govern the counties directly, and each county has more people than the ones here. A person as sharp as you will certainly not apply methods rigidly by rote.”

“Still very much an education!”

The two chatted a bit more. Zhù Ying, seeing that Jiang Zhi was showing signs of weariness, looked at the board: “Good heavens!” She was not a practiced chess player; Jiang Zhi was accomplished in all the scholarly arts. It was plain that her position in this game was not good. She said: “I won’t play anymore — you’re tired too. Let’s go eat!”

Jiang Zhi laughed and tossed the stone he was holding back into the jar: “All right, let’s eat.”

……

After the meal, Jiang Zhi rested too, and Zhù Ying handled a round of miscellaneous business. Now that she had both the emperor’s edict and the political bureau’s official document, all the authorizations were complete and she could proceed freely. She also sent Leng Yun another document informing him of the two follow-up documents, and told Leng Yun — both imperial envoys were still in Sicheng County; please decide quickly how to proceed.

Then she set to writing her plans for redeeming the commitments made to the wronged parties.

She could now formally dispose of Huang the Twelfth’s assets. When she had done estate seizures at the Court of Judicial Review, she had always had to maneuver to extract a portion for her own purposes. Now, seizing this estate, she had to be very careful. Huang the Twelfth’s assets were considerable, but they could not withstand too heavy a drain.

The compensation for the wronged parties was a priority. Supplementary stipends for officials at all levels who had handled the case had to be issued properly. There were also expenses for troops who had been deployed. Under court regulations, anyone dispatched outside their assigned territory was entitled to a daily allowance for food, lodging, fodder, and the like — though how much actually reached their hands depended both on the superior official’s character and on how much money was available. There were also the costs for Leng Yun’s extended stay — all of these were to be calculated and drawn from this source. The circuit and prefecture yamen runners she had borrowed for a stretch had already been paid; that also had to be deducted here.

With everything else accounted for, the remaining cash and goods from the Huang family still left a considerable surplus.

Huang the Twelfth’s greatest wealth lay in his land. This portion was also “offset against years of unpaid rent and taxes on concealed holdings” — at current market prices for land, and Zhù Ying had swept it all back. She planned to distribute farmland to Huang’s landless tenant farmers, estate workers, and servants.

Strictly speaking, slaves, as part of Huang the Twelfth’s “assets,” should have been sold to offset debts — but Zhù Ying did not intend to do this. She was going to free them. The freed slaves would cultivate land for the county yamen for three years; those who failed to cultivate it properly would receive no land; those who cultivated it well and paid the required rent in accordance with the rules would, after three years, have that plot of land become their own.

Tenant farmers and estate workers who knew how to farm would each receive a small plot of land; after cultivating for the county yamen for three years, the land would become their own.

The land for freed slaves was slightly less than for tenant farmers and estate workers — Zhù Ying was unsure of their farming abilities and dared not readily give them too much good farmland.

The tenant farmers and estate workers numbered in the hundreds, the slaves in the dozens — still not enough to account for all of Huang the Twelfth’s land. The remainder: Zhù Ying allocated a portion to the public office fields. Another portion, minus the share to be reserved for Huang the Twelfth’s children, would be managed temporarily by the county yamen.

The previously uncovered concealed land and hidden households would also be handled similarly. All were distributed based on the number of adult males and females. Minors who had no parents among the slaves and the like would be placed under the county yamen’s temporary guardianship, to be dealt with when she had time later. There was still surplus land in any case.

From the seized assets, the larger part of what she was extracting was from the goods of Huang’s stewards and confidential servants. This was set aside and sorted for the gold and silver. She looked out the window — these two envoys and their retinue needed to be seen to. It should not be too little, but there was no need for too much. She also sealed a separate gift for Jiang Zhi as a congratulation on his promotion. She herself took almost nothing.

No matter — the autumn harvest was nearly here, and Sicheng County’s public office fields would yield their income for her.

This disposal of assets was more or less complete. For the miscellaneous details, she had enough room to manage; she was not worried about covering any gaps.

The second matter was formally selecting new yamen clerks in Sicheng County. She did not know Sicheng County as well as she had initially come to know Fulu County, and did not have time now for that kind of patient observation. But the greatest tumor had been removed, and the difficulty of getting things done was no longer so great.

Regarding Magistrate Qiu and the other officials, she had investigated and gathered complete evidence without using any torture. She was waiting for Leng Yun’s official document, and once it came, Leng Yun would pass judgment and send them to the capital. She was not going to touch that.

Of the county’s existing clerks and runners, she divided them into three categories. The first were those with major crimes, who had colluded with Huang the Twelfth and also committed their own illegal acts — such as buying and selling lives. For these: recover the ill-gotten gains, beat them first and then cangue them, then sentence them to death for review by the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice. The second were those with crimes, but not serious ones — also recover the ill-gotten gains, beat them and cangue them, and then strip them of their posts and sentence them to labor. The third were those who had simply gone along without actively committing evil: beat them, allow them to serve under a charge of misconduct and continue their duties.

Then recruit new runners. Expecting literacy was out of the question. Same as in Fulu County: members of local gentry families within three degrees of direct lineage were excluded because of the rule against “hindering access to civil office.” Those of middling families who were literate could handle some simple clerical document work. Vacant official posts would simply have to wait for the Ministry of Personnel to fill.

Zhù Ying also took out the draft she had previously prepared recommending officials and revised it. For Xiao Wu and Gu Tong and the others she was recommending the ninth rank as a titular post rather than an active appointment, because these were reward-for-merit recommendations and would be easier to approve. Once someone had the rank of “official,” it would be easier to then request an active appointment. She thought it over and added Hou Wu, Zhong Tai, and Cao Chang to the list as well — each also recommended for the lowest ninth-rank titular post. These people had all done real work. Whether it came through or not, she would write their names down. She also did not write Xiang Le’s name, since he had only just taken up his post; instead she listed him alongside the other county school students under the category of meritorious acts to be rewarded. Xiao Jiang and the others were also listed under rewards at the end, no official post available, but all to be named on the record.

She also added Master Dong’s name. Master Dong was “on loan” from elsewhere, but had not given her too much extra trouble, had helped review accounts for a few days, and deserved to be mentioned. She would not write herself as recommending Master Dong for office — but she wrote that Master Dong had some merit. The matter of recommending Master Dong for a post would be left for Leng Yun to write.

Zhù Ying worked through half the night getting all of this done. The finances and the personnel selections were things that needed to be acted on the very next day upon returning to the county seat; the recommendation for merit would wait until everything was finished and be sent to the capital along with a summary report.

The next morning, Lan De and Jiang Zhi were in much better spirits. The three of them set out together for the county seat. They arrived before sunset. The county seat was already bustling — word had gotten out that compensation was about to be distributed.

In their whole lives they had never seen the county yamen giving out money for no reason!

Even in a disaster, when relief money and grain came down from above, it still got skimmed on the way! When had they ever seen a great magnate brought down, and the county magistrate — instead of first stuffing his own pockets — distributing money to the common people?

The sound of cries of gratitude was everywhere.

Zhù Ying had people beat the drums and announced first: “These two are imperial envoys sent on the emperor’s command.” Grand Official Zheng had taught her: always put the emperor at the front. Whatever work you did, a word of praise had to come first.

Then came the execution of the plan.

The wronged parties each had their numbered token, and they brought their tokens to be called and given a receipt slip, then went to exchange the slip for money and grain. A long row of tables was set up, and Zhong Tai, Xiang Le, Xiang An, Gu Tong, and the others sat in a line writing out the receipt slips. The people with tokens swarmed forward; even the drum-beating runners could not hold them back, which made the runners want to pull out a stick and start beating people.

Zhù Ying took a bronze gong from Tong Li’s hand, jumped up onto a table, and struck it twice: “Listen to me!”

The crowd quickly quieted. Zhù Ying said: “Form a line. Men go to the men’s table, women to the women’s table here. No cutting the queue, no breaking order. Anyone who cuts the line goes to the back.”

And the people actually listened: “Yes.” Some called out loudly: “Everyone do as the magistrate says!” and similar things.

The queue gradually took shape. On Xiang An’s side the line of women was particularly long. Zhù Ying would not allow men to queue at Xiang An’s table. Xiao Jiang (Jiang Teng), seeing this, volunteered: “Magistrate, I can write too — I can give Xiang An a hand. I promise not to make mistakes.”

Jiang Zhi said: “Very good — separating men and women like this, there is no awkwardness. You managed to find a few women who can read and do arithmetic — very thoughtful.”

Zhù Ying said: “These are all yamen staff. Having female officers is genuinely more convenient for some things.”

Jiang Zhi stepped around behind Xiang An to observe her writing from two feet away. Lan De, seeing this, also went over to look.

Xiao Jiang, seeing that this was all right, said happily to a girl behind her: “Cuixiang, come on!” Zhù Ying scanned Cuixiang. Xiao Jiang quickly said: “Magistrate, this is a student I’ve taken on. She’s literate.”

Cuixiang shrank back behind Xiao Jiang a little, looking timid. Xiao Jiang explained: “She’s learning to be a coroner’s assistant.”

“Oh?” Zhù Ying found this rather interesting. She was very glad to see this kind of thing. She looked at Cuixiang again and said: “That’s not at all a bad thing. What are your plans for the future? How are you getting by at the moment?”

The second question was addressed to Cuixiang. A county could only have so many coroners — and how many female coroners could it accommodate? Learning a skill was a good thing, but there had to be a use for it and a way to live.

Xiao Jiang answered on Cuixiang’s behalf: “I don’t want to keep teaching people to sing. It’s not that I’m unwilling to take that assignment — I can teach more than just singing. She, she — she’s very good. And it wasn’t easy for her. She does odd jobs now, and also mends clothes for people. She, she — she’s my neighbor. First let her learn the skills, and then there will be something to look forward to. Life needs something to look forward to.”

“That’s Xiao Wang, isn’t it? Her emancipation document has my signature on it. Very good. Both of you, get to work.” Zhù Ying said. The emancipation document.

Cuixiang stood there blankly. Xiao Jiang gave her a strong tug: “Come on! Let’s go to work.”

……

Distributing compensation was done openly and above board. But distributing the supplementary stipends to the runners and soldiers was not done in front of the imperial envoys. In case they or their retinue said something extra and the higher-ups heard about it, it would only bring more trouble.

What was most tiresome was when those above could not see the difficulties below and would simply say: “You eat the emperor’s salary — it is your duty to work hard.” Technically correct in every syllable, yet utterly devoid of any human warmth — or rather, too full of a desire to make others into saints.

Zhù Ying handled this quietly. Even Jiang Zhi came to say something about it: “I look at that young fellow — Gu Tong, is it? His eyes are sunken right in. You really should not push people so hard.”

Lan De also said: “That Xiao Wu, goodness, he’s spinning around like a top faster than palace service. And that peculiar Master Qi? He keeps his eyes half-shut — did he get himself into this strange state from being overworked?”

Zhù Ying said: “Don’t worry, it’s all under control.”

Once the slips were all written, people had to be assigned to maintain order at the distribution points, gradually spreading out the crowd over time to avoid a rush and a crush.

While the slips were being written and the compensation was slowly being distributed, Leng Yun arrived as well — with Master Xue — both of them dusty from the road.

Leng Yun had had no idea that the imperial envoys had gone directly to Sicheng County. He had pushed himself as hard as he could to get here, with the gifts he was bringing hidden somewhere in the rolling clouds of dust behind him.

The moment he crossed into the county’s territory, someone came sprinting to tell Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying met him at the city gate with the edict in hand, and the moment she saw him said: “My lord, what took you so long? The emperor is furious!”

Back at the Prefectural Governor’s office, Master Xue had been a little suspicious — worried that Zhù Ying might have engineered all of this deliberately to push Leng Yun out to the margins. He had watched over the years as Zhù Ying had sidelined Prefectural Governor Lu, simply letting him sit on the shelf for three years until the man ran out of patience on his own.

Leng Yun had said: “Sanlang is not that kind of person.” Nonetheless Master Xue kept bringing it up, and with two urgent documents from Zhù Ying arriving, he had finally made the journey under the arrangements of Master Xue and others, bringing the envoys’ gifts along.

The line hit Leng Yun full in the face. He was a bit confused: “What?”

Zhù Ying said: “There is an edict.”

Leng Yun quickly knelt as well. Zhù Ying said: “My lord, please rise. Please read this, my lord.”

Leng Yun drew in a sharp breath — a hand edict. He recognized the form from having seen many. He then read the other two.

Zhù Ying said: “Look at the dates. The hand edict has none — it was certainly written in a moment of great anger, and it only says to execute immediately. The second edict also speaks mainly of the case with no further arrangements. Only the political bureau’s document actually arranges the other matters. Who is in the political bureau? Would a single matter require a follow-up document? This was correction and supplementation. The inner-court eunuch could not wait even a moment — he pushed for the execution right away. Once the man was dead, the Censorate official only then asked: what about the rest of the case?”

Leng Yun said: “Lucky we handled it neatly.”

Zhù Ying said: “What I want to say is not that. When you respond to the envoys, and when you write your memorial, do not by any means overlook the matter of ‘private court of punishment.’ Write that first, then write everything else. The emperor regards this very seriously.”

Leng Yun laughed: “You didn’t need to tell me that. What do you think, Master Xue?”

He said: “Already drafted, my lord.”

The two walked and talked, and by the time they reached the county yamen the story was aligned. Leng Yun also learned that Zhù Ying had put in a good word for Master Dong, and Zhù Ying also told Leng Yun it might be worth adding a merit citation for Master Dong — whether or not it came through, write it first. She also glanced at Master Xue, and Leng Yun said: “Old Xue, how should this be written?”

Master Xue’s forehead broke into a light sweat.

Zhù Ying sized up Master Xue: “Master Xue is accomplished in penal law matters. He can help out from here, can’t he?”

Leng Yun said: “I’ll leave him to your arrangements then!”

Arranging things was something Zhù Ying did more thoroughly than any of the people around him combined. He went back to the Prefectural Governor’s office with his people, and Master Xue pointed out that after being away from the prefectural capital for over a month, the runners were likely tired and due for rest days. To his surprise, the runners were all in excellent spirits, faces carrying smiles, not a trace of impatience. Even Master Xue was puzzled. Master Dong said: “Money, of course, means energy.”

Back at the Prefectural Governor’s compound, the runners were easier to direct than before, which left even the Adjutant scratching his head in bewilderment. Leng Yun thought it over and was thoroughly cheered.

That’s how it’s done! No wonder when the seventh young lord had everything going smoothly back then — it was all because someone had organized it all in advance.

Zhù Ying then took Master Xue in hand: “First let me take you to meet the imperial envoys, and then you and I can have a proper talk.”

Leng Yun and Jiang Zhi were acquainted, though Jiang Zhi had never thought highly of Leng Yun. There was also Lan De beside him — Leng Yun had only met him a few times — and he asked: “How has Senior Eunuch Lan been?”

Zhù Ying asked: “Is this by any chance Senior Eunuch Lan’s son?”

Leng Yun said: “Did you not know? He’s Senior Eunuch Lan’s adopted son.” Eunuchs adopted other eunuchs as sons — all one family.

Zhù Ying said: “Then we’re all practically acquainted. Please.”

Leng Yun and Lan De fell into easy conversation — from what had changed in the capital’s food and entertainment to the humidity of the south. Zhù Ying and Jiang Zhi chatted on one side with Master Xue for a bit; Master Xue did not speak ill of the Adjutant, only said that Leng Yun was managing everything all right.

Leng Yun then spoke a bit with Lan De and Jiang Zhi, and said: “The case has been formally submitted. When it is closed I will submit another memorial. I wonder what the two of you plan to do next?”

Lan De quickly said: “The emperor instructed the two of us to come and observe. But I have one small thought — should the county seat’s estate also be torn down? And where are Huang’s family members? What has been done with them?” He went on in this vein rattling off many items — all the “uninspired” methods plus the new things he had learned — and feeling genuinely regretful that he had not come up with the new approaches himself.

Zhù Ying said: “Lin Shi, Huang the Twelfth’s wife, filed for divorce on the grounds that her husband struck her father. The father-in-law submitted the complaint and the divorce has been granted. She and her children have returned to her family. The children are under seven years old.”

“Under seven years old — what of it? Why were they allowed to be taken away?”

Jiang Zhi said: “Because of their age, they cannot be sentenced.”

Lan De said: “How can they not be sentenced?! What do you plan to do with them?”

Zhù Ying said: “According to law, Lin Shi raises them — the marriage is dissolved, but the children remain.”

Lan De was absolutely not satisfied and insisted that these three children be made government slaves. Zhù Ying said: “This is how it is per the law.”

Lan De said: “I see that you handled Huang the Twelfth very nimbly — how is it that now you have suddenly become thick-headed? This is what the emperor needs to see!” He announced this loudly, then seemed to remember something, and in a gentler tone said to Zhù Ying: “Magistrate Zhù, this affair started out very well, and a good ending is needed too.”

“The emperor’s hand edict was to execute Huang the Twelfth immediately — it made no arrangements for anyone else. And the case has been handled very carefully.”

The two of them went back and forth a few times. Jiang Zhi said: “Per the law, it should indeed be thus.”

Lan De shot back: “And if the emperor asks about it?”

Jiang Zhi said: “Tell the truth, and argue on the basis of principle!”

Lan De said: “Huang the Twelfth was practically treasonous — must we really wait for the emperor to issue another hand edict before we can act severely?”

Leng Yun said: “Do as you say!” He pointed at Lan De. Then he made a significant look at Zhù Ying and Jiang Zhi. Both of them looked away.

Lan De said: “You won’t listen to good advice!”

Leng Yun said: “It is done! Where are the prisoners now?”

Lin Shi had originally been brought back to Sicheng County by her father, but after Huang the Twelfth was executed — his head sent to the capital, his body still remaining, deposited in a thin coffin — the estate was gone and there was nothing to return to, so he had been taken to the wasteland cemetery outside the county seat and buried there. Lin Balang had privately burned some spirit money and had a message quietly sent home.

Lin Shi was living in the residence Huang the Twelfth had kept in the county seat. Everyone knew that a woman who returns to her family in these circumstances would have a hard life. Especially with eight brothers and no great wealth — one residence crammed with people would not fit. Zhù Ying had divided this property into several small courtyards, had the others sold off, and left one small courtyard for Lin Shi and her children to live in.

Lin Shi, in her little courtyard, had received word and was bringing her children to Sicheng County to conduct a burial service for Huang the Twelfth. A grand affair was out of the question, but the children at least had to put on mourning clothes and kowtow at their father’s grave. Lin Weng did not want his daughter making this trip, but Lin Shi had her own household now, and she came with her children and one maidservant, hitched a cart, and set off for Sicheng County.

She was there now.

Lan De asked loudly, and someone outside replied: “At the wasteland cemetery! Quite a few people went to see her.”

Lan De had finally found something he could take charge of and went to have the three children seized and declared government slaves. Leng Yun felt this was rather unfeeling and said openly at the county yamen hall: “How can we make it look this bad?”

“The sight of a criminal’s children wailing and weeping is exactly what is needed to deter others!” Lan De believed his idea made perfect sense.

Both Zhù Ying and Jiang Zhi said: “Huang the Twelfth alone was quite sufficient!”

Officials and eunuchs in open argument was not something one often witnessed. For all that Sicheng County had been bubbling with activity for a long while, there were still people slipping in to observe. Gu Tong sprinted off to find Lin Balang: “Quickly, tell your father — something has happened!”

Lin Balang said: “I already heard.”

“Still send word. Have a response ready. Even if they end up as government slaves, once the envoys leave they can be redeemed — it’s not too hard.”

Lin Balang said: “I’ll go back right away…”

Before he could finish, his sister came running over. Gu Tong said: “You’re divorced — this has nothing to do with you. Please go back! We’re here.”

Lin Shi said: “My children are inside — how can you say it has nothing to do with me?”

Lin Balang urged her to go back too, and Gu Tong urged as well, repeating the point that she was better positioned outside to negotiate a redemption later. Lin Shi looked at her younger brother: “Redeem with what?” Lin Balang said: “Didn’t you get back a lot…” Lin Shi let out a cold laugh.

A few of the students who knew her also fell silent and stopped trying to persuade her; they didn’t want to argue with “an ignorant woman.” But it was hard to watch — everything they had been doing in these past days, all the cases they had been looking at…

The runners were even more displeased. Xiao Wu jumped up: “Of all the maidservants and young attendants waiting on you in that house, how many were snatched from their parents the same way? You were the mistress of that house — do you not know?”

Gu Tong and the others fell into an even deeper silence. What had they been busy with all this time? What kind of cases had they been looking at?

Lin Balang also shouted: “Sister!” Gu Tong pushed Lin Balang: “You go! Stop wasting time.” Lin Balang rushed off in a panic to find people to send word to Lin Weng. Lin Weng, hearing his daughter had gone to Sicheng County, had been following close behind, so the message saved him the trouble of going separately.

Lin Weng had barely arrived at the county yamen when he found Lin Shi saying: “If you won’t release my children, then take me away too!”

Inside, Zhù Ying and Jiang Zhi were still arguing with Lan De. The three children were crying. Lan De shouted: “Slap them!” A little eunuch came forward and gave each of the three pampered children two slaps across the face, shocking them into silence. The noise inside quieted. Lan De heard Xiao Wu wailing and shouting outside and said with satisfaction: “Who is that? They make quite a good argument! You officials, give a little more care and sympathy to those poor suffering people.”

This creature had taken her bribes without the slightest hesitation, and now stood here lecturing her about compassion? Where did the bribes come from — did he have no idea in his own heart? Had he shown any compassion for the suffering people when he was pocketing that money?

Leng Yun and Jiang Zhi each grabbed one of Zhù Ying’s arms and pulled her back. Leng Yun was furious enough to curse her: “Idiot!” — proof of how angry he was.

Chief Clerk Mo was peeking out from a side room with his head stuck out: “Young woman, you’re divorced — please don’t meddle in affairs that no longer concern you.”

Lin Shi, subjected to their reproaches and hearing her children crying, was frantic with worry. She said: “It was not I! It was their doing! My husband wronged others, not my family! They one and all — seeing he had lost his power, they conspired with that official to bring him down…”

Heavens above. Lin Weng raised his hand and slapped her across the face: “Have you lost your mind?!”

Lan De swept out with a grand air: “Who is making all this noise?”

Lin Shi said: “Take me with you then!”

The students tried along with Lin Weng and Lin Balang to hold her back by any means possible. She thrashed like someone deranged: “I have not divorced him! My father has no injury on him! Take me and my children together!”

Zhù Ying said to Leng Yun: “Let it go — there’s nothing to be done.” If she could not be managed, there was no point wasting more effort. Lin Weng had the official complaint on record, the grounds for “severing the bond” were met, and Zhù Ying had done what she could to extricate herself from it.

Lan De was delighted: “Is that right? Then take her in too!”

Lin Shi kowtowed: “Thank you, my lord.” The three children saw her and rushed over calling “Mother!” Lin Shi looked at the fresh red slap marks on the children’s faces: “What happened to them? Who did this?”

The children pointed at Lan De. Lin Shi went from gratitude to fury: “You! You even beat children — you are not human!”

Lan De raged: “Slap her mouth!”

The students said: “Don’t — don’t beat women, isn’t that beneath a man’s —” Gu Tong spread his arms and blocked the students.

A man who was neither man nor woman beating a woman — what could you say? What could possibly be said?

Zhù Ying said slowly: “A village woman who dares to curse an inner-court official — she truly has lost her mind.”

Lan De, seeing that she was no longer arguing, was about to feel smug — then met her calm expression, and remembered the methods she had used on Huang the Twelfth, the same expression on her face when she had said “tear it down.” His smugness evaporated. He said: “Then she’s mad, I suppose.”

He told his people to drag the children away: “These I must take to be sold as slaves. Hmph — this madwoman has gotten off easy.”

Lin Weng and Lin Balang quickly dragged Lin Shi to one side. Lin Shi, having been slapped repeatedly, was dizzy with stars in her eyes and two streams of blood running from her nose. She finally fell quiet.

Zhù Ying said: “Disperse.”

Leng Yun glared at her. Zhù Ying said: “I know what I’m doing.”

Leng Yun said “hmph” and said: “You watch yourself! I’ll go talk to Lan De!” And he went off to find Lan De.

The county school students’ excitement of recent days gradually faded. They thought: what the books say about eunuchs being no good is absolutely true.

Gu Tong hesitated, wanting to go forward and say something consoling, but saw that Huajie and Xiao Jiang had heard the news and come running over. He thought for a moment, walked to Huajie and said: “Elder sister, please console our teacher.”

Huajie said: “Mm.”

Zhù Ying turned and saw Huajie and Xiao Jiang standing side by side. She nodded, said nothing.

……

The next day, she went to oversee the distribution of farmland to the tenant farmers, estate workers, and freed slaves. Jiang Zhi did not want to be in Lan De’s company and also came to watch. While watching, he suddenly asked: “Women receive land too?”

“Mm.”

“Why are they given it individually? Why not by household?”

Zhù Ying said: “Some of them are alone — best to set them up as a female-headed household. I’ll collect the taxes from them the same as from anyone else, without reduction. When I eat, I don’t sort which grains were grown by men and which by women — I just need them all to pay their taxes.”

“That doesn’t seem right,” Jiang Zhi said. “What about cloth and silk? ‘Men till, women weave.'”

“Growing mulberry and hemp requires land too. If a woman happens to be an excellent farmer but a poor weaver, and the man happens to be the opposite — would you give the land to the one who can’t farm? Brother Jiang, first make sure the total grain and taxes submitted to the court adds up. Then talk about the rest.”

Jiang Zhi was a little hesitant: “As for civilizing and instructing…”

Zhù Ying said: “Brother Jiang — a full granary and you know propriety. Look at this pile I’ve been handed to sort out. Let’s get people fed first. A starving person will cause trouble.”

Jiang Zhi said: “Very well.” And thought to himself: if I were doing this, I should not apply her methods too rigidly.

On the other side, Leng Yun had given Lan De the gifts, and asked him to send his best regards to Senior Eunuch Lan. Lan De said: “It’s still Prefectural Governor Leng who looks after us. Magistrate Zhù — clever as he is in handling matters — had a strange lapse there, didn’t he?”

Leng Yun said: “That fellow has a single-minded streak. What you see as cleverness isn’t really cleverness — it’s just ‘doing the job right.’ Without someone telling him what to do, he just follows a fixed principle in his head.” He tapped his temple: “No flexibility. That’s also why Prime Minister Wang has always gotten along with him.”

“That explains it!” Lan De suddenly understood.

Leng Yun then invited Lan De to visit the Prefectural Governor’s compound. Lan De said: “I would not dare — I still have imperial orders to carry out. We must be getting back to report.”

Leng Yun said: “I’ll see you off.”

The case was now concluded in Sicheng County — the main culprit had been executed, the remaining defendants sentenced to death were pending review, and those with non-capital sentences whose cases required review would have theirs finalized later; beatings had been administered long since. Compensation had been distributed. Land had been granted. Magistrate Qiu was no longer her matter to deal with. Now even Lan De and Jiang Zhi were preparing to leave.

Zhù Ying seemed unaffected by what had happened with Lin Shi. She finished writing the memorial, together with a detailed account of the case. Leng Yun was not satisfied and insisted on reviewing it. Zhù Ying blocked the surrounding portions and only let him read one section: the three children were under seven years old, but because Huang the Twelfth’s conduct had been especially vicious, they had been declared government slaves.

Leng Yun said: “That’s a perfectly good judgment, isn’t it?”

Zhù Ying said: “Freeing slaves on one hand and creating new slaves on the other — it seems rather pointless.”

Leng Yun laughed: “Why are you being suddenly naive? How could there be no slaves? Free those who should be freed, punish those who should be punished — only when there are both rewards and punishments can things keep moving.”

Zhù Ying shook her head with a slight smile: “My lord — the autumn harvest is about to begin! I looked on the road back here, and it was already time to start cutting.”

Leng Yun jumped to his feet: “We cannot have that!”