What Uncle said sounded quite reasonable. Thinking it over, it was the kind of thing elders commonly said when entrusting someone to another’s care, yet Xiang Yu kept feeling there was something ever so slightly off about it. Before he could think it through more carefully, the horse beneath him pawed at the ground and gave him a jolt. Xiang Yu said, “The fog is coming in. Please watch your step on the road down — I must escort the imperial envoy off the mountain. My aunt is still in the city; take Fourth Young Lady and the others to see her first.”
Uncle said, “That was my thought as well.”
Fourth Young Lady had grown up, and there was no longer great intimacy between the siblings. Xiang Yu gave his cousin and the others a nod, and took the opportunity to glance over the rest of the group. One look, and he was taken aback — more people came emerging from the fog behind them. When they drew near enough to make out clearly, they turned out to be gentry from Fulu County! He hastily cupped his hands in greeting to the uncles and elders, and at the same time noticed there were a number of young girls mixed in among them — around the same age as Fourth Young Lady, some of them even a bit older.
The sixteenth day of the first month. Heavy fog. A group of people who had only recently paid their New Year visits all traveling into the mountains together? No matter how he looked at it, something felt wrong.
All of them were grown young women, not children the right age to start school. The sense of wrongness in his heart deepened. But since he was on official duty, he had no choice but to cut the exchange short, reasoning that Uncle would be meeting with Aunt first anyway, and with Aunt keeping watch, there should not be too much trouble.
He turned back to Leng Yun and Li Yanqing: “Please mind your footing, gentlemen. The fog has come in and the ground is slippery.”
Escorting the two of them down the mountain, that is enough said.
As for Xiang Yu’s uncle, he turned to his fellow townsman Elder Zhao and said, “Where do we go first?”
Elder Zhao said, “As we agreed — to Zhao Su’s house. We stop there first, then head over to your nephew’s aunt. They’re all family anyway; Zhao Su can hardly begrudge you visiting relatives, can he?”
They were all fellow townspeople from Fulu, of similar standing, and quite closely intermarried. Elder Zhao was of the same clan as Zhao Su’s family, close enough to be counted as a kinsman.
Xiang Yu’s uncle said, “Quite right — let us quicken our pace, then.”
Elder Zhao said, “Exactly.” He then called to Elder Wang, Elder Gu the Second — uncle of Gu Tong — and the others. They each checked that the daughters, nieces, and other young female relatives they had brought along had not fallen behind, and urged them: “Sit steady — the mountain road is rough going. From now on you must be careful when traveling in the mountains.”
In the hearts of the young women there was joy, worry, anxiety, excitement, and the sorrow of parting. The surrounding fog added an air of mystery, and all of these mingled together left an extraordinarily deep impression on the girls’ young hearts.
Two of them had once successfully begged their elders to take them into the mountains, yet even they were now completely unable to recognize the way. Elder Zhao’s daughter asked, “Father, this seems… not quite right, doesn’t it?”
The party stopped, and Elder Zhao scolded her: “Stop talking nonsense. Watch where you’re stepping.”
“I am watching.”
Elder Zhao said, “I meant the road itself. The official had this rebuilt last year. How many times have you come into the mountains? You think you know whether we’re going the right way or not?”
Xiang Yu’s uncle, watching another man scold his child, decided to play the kind role, and said to the young Miss Zhao, “The road we’re taking this time is different from before. The old way was a long detour; this way goes through the Narrow Pass. It’s much shorter. In years past the road was terrible, but now that the official has returned, look — it has been made good. So this is the route we’re taking: saves time, and we can arrive in a single day.”
Young Miss Zhao looked a little embarrassed and fell silent. Elder Zhao said, “Enough dawdling. Let’s go.”
Young Miss Zhao touched the charm hanging around her neck. Her elder sister had taken her to obtain it before the journey — their mother had died long ago, so her married elder sister had brought her to the temple to seek a protective talisman for safe travels.
Perhaps thanks to the charm’s protection, the journey went smoothly. The Narrow Pass was indeed a place that made one’s heart go cold.
Once past that checkpoint, they arrived at the county town just before the gates closed at nightfall. The group, following their plan, went first to Zhao Su’s house.
Elder Zhao produced a letter written by Zhao Su’s father. Zhao Su received them courteously. Zhao Su sat in the seat of honor — this moved Elder Zhao and the others deeply. He had reached the fourth rank! He had become an Assistant Governor!
Zhao Su read his father’s letter and quickly understood its meaning. This was a brilliant idea the lowland gentry had worked out among themselves over the New Year period. In the past, when Zhù Ying had been in Fulu County, she had sought students from each family, established the county school, taken students along to handle affairs, and arranged official positions for her students. She had secured the futures of her students’ entire families.
Back then, she was still he — the local parent official, teaching male students, covering everything: instruction, board, lodging, and career prospects for both students and their families. But now she was she. So send your daughters!
The idea of women in official positions — looking at another family’s woman, it was a bit transgressive. But if it was one’s own daughter, it was not entirely unacceptable.
Zhao Su, however, was a thoroughly contrary man. He said to Elder Zhao: “Can you really bear to part your young daughters from their parents?”
Xiang Yu’s uncle said, “My nephew, when he went to the prefectural city, was even younger than these girls. What Xiang Yu can do, they can too. Besides, fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girls — is there any safer place in this world than at the official’s side?”
Placing them with a female elder — not marrying them off as concubines to some aged male prefect! Safe. Nothing to worry about. Come to think of it, people had been whispering behind Xiang An’s back for all these years for nothing.
Zhao Su’s words grew more cutting still. He smiled with cold amusement: “If it’s safe for daughters, then it isn’t safe for sons? How very considerate. The sons of your households are holding offices, attending school — and you send your daughters into the mountains?”
Elder Zhang spoke up quickly: “Those boys are appointed officials — they can’t just run back. If they all came back, the court might suspect the official of something. Worthy nephew, honest men speak honestly: our families and property and wives and children are all down in the lowlands, with the entire clan, old and young, to look after. If we had no heads on our shoulders, we would never have merited the official’s attention to begin with.”
Young Miss Zhao said, “Official, we came of our own will.”
Zhao Su looked at her. Young Miss Zhao flushed scarlet, but did not back down. When her father tried to send her away she still did not move, continuing to address Zhao Su: “I don’t understand why it is only our uncles and brothers that would count as sincerity. Are the young women of Fulu inferior to anyone in any matter?”
Zhao Su smiled: “You truly don’t understand? Are you and your brother truly the same? If you were truly the same, it wouldn’t be only girls who came today!” He gave special weight to the word “only.”
Of course there was no being the same — the girl might see herself as no worse than anyone, but sons and daughters were still different.
Young Miss Zhao’s neck flushed red too, and she said: “Once I’m with the official, I will not be inferior.”
Zhao Su nodded: “That’s spirit. But who doesn’t have dreams? You’ll need to produce real results.”
Elder Zhao hurried to smooth things over for his daughter, steering the conversation elsewhere, saying, “In Fulu, of course sons and daughters are loved the same.”
Though he said so, his own face reddened a little.
This round of New Year visits, Zhù Ying had only said that if there were difficulties they could come to her — she had made no explicit promises. Zhao Su’s family had nothing to worry about, naturally: Zhao Niangzi had sent her daughter-in-law and grandchildren up the mountain, and they were thoroughly committed to that great tree, with full confidence. Even if they ended up living as mountain barbarians forever, they would be barbarians in red robes.
The lowland gentry, however, had no such foundation. Even banded together they were a force, but a weak one, and without direction. They still inclined toward Zhù Ying. After all, this woman had never done anything that anyone predicted — yet everything she did came true and was handled with perfect care.
If they wanted to cooperate, they had to show sincerity. Sending sons into the mountains had its awkwardness; the sons themselves were hesitant. Admiring an official — a “Minister” — was easy for any ordinary person to accept, but not every gentry household could accept a female superior without reservation. As neighbors and business partners, they had no particular objection, and they hoped Zhù Ying would be safe — but to stake their entire fortune on her was quite unnecessary.
They had analyzed the situation: present-day Wuzhou was a protectorate, with those several counties self-governing and official positions held by the indigenous clan members. The offices Zhù Ying could offer were very limited, and those had already been distributed. What would these sons accomplish by entering Wuzhou? Could Zhù Ying still arrange positions for them across the whole realm as she had done before?
By comparison, daughters seemed far more suitable. At worst, they could learn skills from Huajie and not waste their time. For those with ability — there was no need to mention Huajie or the Jiang sisters: were Xiang An, Zhù Qingjun, or Wu Ren any less capable?
The gentry families fancied their own lineage superior to those three, and believed their daughters should not be inferior to a merchant woman, a former slave, or a minor landlord’s daughter. Through their daughters they could gauge whether Zhù Ying still had the abilities of old, and then send their sons into the mountains to seek their fortunes.
So they had selected several girls of pleasing appearance and considerable intelligence and wit, and sent them along.
Zhao Su had grasped their thinking and ceased being cutting. He said quietly: “The Elder has always been kind-hearted, but never soft. Generous and tolerant, she will never suffer being treated with contempt. I mean to say: what is given is given generously; but when it comes to collecting what is owed, I will come myself. Think carefully — don’t play games of taking and then spitting back out.”
Elder Zhao said, “We would never!”
Zhao Su said, “It’s already late today. I’ll arrange lodgings at the guest house, and first thing tomorrow morning I’ll make my report to the Elder.”
“Very good.”
——
The group arrived at the guest house but did not rest. Instead, Xiang Yu’s uncle and Elder Zhang served as representatives and called on Xiang An’s home, explaining their purpose.
The Xiang family was also closely bound to Zhù Ying, and Xiang An could see that these people had their calculations. She said, “I cannot make decisions for you either — I can only ask that you keep your conscience clear.”
Xiang Yu’s uncle quickly thumped his chest: “Rest assured.”
Xiang An said, “I say this for your benefit.”
If you have no conscience, the official will not show restraint in dealing with you.
Xiang Yu’s uncle pressed on, appealing to their connection as relatives and laying out their difficulties: “If Wuzhou were still the old Wuzhou, and Fulu County still under the official’s governance, we wouldn’t need to think about anything — we’d just follow the official wholeheartedly, doing whatever she does. But now… there’s a superior to answer to. Travel passes, road permits, one’s entire identity — all of it is in the court’s hands. What can we do?”
Xiang An said, “It’s difficult for everyone. Still, once the children come, I will look after them well. You are Xiang Yu’s uncle, and I am his aunt. I should also remind you of one thing — for those who follow the official, the earlier the better. The more wholehearted, the better. Our family is not one that aided her in desperate times; rather, we are ones who received the official’s grace and barely managed to share her hardships — and thus we may share in her prosperity. The later one comes, the more people there are, the less one stands out, and the more one ends up trailing behind others.”
Xiang Yu’s uncle assented meekly.
Xiang An, seeing his reaction, said nothing more. But noticing that young Miss Zhao and Fourth Young Lady had bright, eager eyes, she felt a small measure of interest. She said, “I am always here. As long as the official takes you in, if you have any matter, you may come and speak to me.”
Everyone’s hearts lifted with joy.
The next day, Zhù Ying received them. Before her stood six young women of similar age, varying in height and build, all speaking something close to the official tongue, all making their bows in an acceptably standard manner.
Zhù Ying said, “What is this?”
Zhao Su said, “The official school in the lowlands does not accept female students; and even the ethnic school has fallen idle. These are all the treasured daughters of their parents. Not wishing them to lose the chance at an education, they have come to seek learning.”
He had filled in the whole explanation on everyone’s behalf, and a good part of Elder Zhao’s earlier resentment toward Zhao Su faded away.
Zhù Ying said, “The school here requires an entrance examination.”
Young Miss Zhao said, “We are willing.” She had already become a small leader among this group.
Zhù Ying looked over each of the six young women in turn. Young Miss Zhao struggled to stand straight, her back damp with perspiration. Zhù Ying was a figure who existed only in “legend” for them — people sealed their deals and made their oaths in her name, because it was said that no wrongdoing, however secret, could escape her eye, and no wrongdoer could flee far enough to escape her pursuit and capture.
Around her neck hung a protective talisman sought at a temple — a temple that was her living shrine. She was reputed to be extremely good to young women, cherishing and protecting them.
The temple statue had previously been sculpted in male form, but now that everyone knew she was a woman, young Miss Zhao’s inner image of that purple-robed, sword-bearing imposing figure had shifted to a gracious beauty adorned with flower hairpins and wide sleeves. She surely had slender brows and phoenix eyes, a straight nose and cherry lips, with skin like white jade.
Yet the person before her, though not unpleasant-looking, had only the fair skin that was any match for the imagined figure. She wore a neat, close-sleeved robe, her hair bound in a crown, a short blade at her side. She was handsomer than the statue, yet bore no resemblance whatsoever to the divine temple goddess of imagination.
She was simply an elder, teacher, and superior, testing you. Whatever form you imagined her to take, it made not the slightest difference to the actual person.
Zhù Ying suddenly asked, “You six — you all know each other? You get along?”
Young Miss Zhao said, “Yes. We were classmates.”
Twenty years ago, their families had been resettled by Zhù Ying into the county town. While this made it easier for Zhù Ying to manage the gentry, it also brought the gentry into closer contact with one another, and young people on both sides found it easy to grow familiar. Unable to attend the official school, yet in keeping with Fulu’s custom — wealthy families not infrequently educated their daughters — relatives by marriage would pool together and hire a female tutor for the girls, which fostered an especially warm and close kind of relationship.
Students, of course, had all manner of temperaments: Fourth Young Lady and young Miss Zhao were both quite pleased to be entering the mountains, and had quietly emerged as small leaders among the group.
Zhù Ying said, “Very well. Zhù Jin, take them to see Big Sister and prepare for the examination.”
Zhù Jin was a young woman whom Zhù Ying, after returning to the prefecture, had newly selected to supplement her attendants. She was sixteen, short in stature, with a pair of bright, lively large eyes. She smiled at the young women and said, “Please follow me.”
Zhù Ying said to Elder Zhao and the others, “The examination will take no more than two or three days. Once they have their results, you can go home with peace of mind.”
“Yes.”
While exchanging pleasantries, Big Sister Du came running from the back: “Official, the old man is gravely ill!”
Zhù Ying said, “Please excuse me.”
Elder Zhao and the others hurried to say, “Please go, Official.” Their hearts were uneasy.
Zhù Ying ordered Zhao Su: “Stay and keep them company on my behalf. Zhù Biao, go and ask Big Sister here, and have Xiao Jiang accompany the young ladies at the school.”
“Yes.”
Zhù Da had long since grown cold. Zhù Ying was only putting on a performance. She waited another two days, until Xiang Yu returned to report that Leng Yun had set off, and only then made the death public.
The Zhù household began the funeral rites, and death notices were sent to the several counties.
Elder Zhao and the others were deeply uneasy. They felt this was truly a bad omen, and as a result the young women grew even more anxious during their examination, not knowing whether they might be sent back. Several pairs of fathers and daughters fretted in circles in the guest house. Elder Zhao prepared condolence gifts on one hand and pushed Xiang Yu’s uncle to go gather information on the other.
Xiang Yu’s uncle went to find his nephew.
Xiang Yu said, “Don’t go just yet. The Old Madam has been stricken with grief and taken to bed, and the Young Madam is currently speaking privately with the official. When those two are having heart-to-heart talks, ordinary people dare not disturb them. But with the Young Madam there, the official’s mood will improve considerably. Among everyone here, only she is best at comforting the official. Wait until the two of them have finished talking, then seek an audience — things will go more smoothly.”
“Very well, I’ll wait for your word. Oh, but your sister and the others — the examination…”
Xiang Yu said, “What time do you think this is? You’re still worrying about that? They’ll only be staying a few days — wait until after things have settled down and the Young Madam has a moment to breathe, then ask.”
“All right, all right!” Uncle agreed, while privately thinking about sending word through a merchant down the mountain to inform their fellow townspeople that they too ought to send condolence offerings.
He could only hope the Young Madam would manage to comfort the official well, and that no further complications would arise.
Over on the other side, Zhù Ying sat cross-legged on a rush cushion beside the coffin, while Huajie knelt to burn paper offerings.
Zhù Ying said, “Don’t fuss with that — I’ll burn paper ingots for him in a moment.”
Huajie said, “If you’re grieving, let yourself cry.”
Zhù Ying shook her head. “The moment has passed. There are no tears left.”
Huajie asked carefully, “In his last days he was confused in his old age. Please don’t take what he said to heart.”
Zhù Ying said, “I don’t bear a grudge against him for it, nor do I need to force tears. He wasn’t confused, actually — there was some truth in what he said…”
“You—!” Huajie was somewhat startled.
Zhù Ying continued, “It is something I need to think over — when I am gone, to what sort of person should I entrust this foundation I’ve built? I need to start looking for such a person now. I take the first step without being able to foresee where the second will fall, and I certainly can’t control how others step after me — no one can blame me for that. But still, I must choose someone who has legs and is willing to walk. Don’t you think?”
“What?” In an instant Huajie’s emotions soared and plummeted wildly. For a moment she forgot to respond. Somewhat angry, somewhat wanting to strike someone, she ended by heaving a reproachful sigh: “You’ve already thought it all through — how could it be wrong?”
Zhù Ying reached for a handful of paper money and tossed it into the fire basin to burn: “I haven’t thought it through at all.”
“Ah?” Huajie grew worried again. “What difficulty is there? Are Zhao Da’lang or Qingjun not suitable? Da’lang is your adopted son, loyal and affectionate, and you made him your Assistant Governor. You haven’t considered entrusting it to him? Among all these people, he is the deepest in strategem. And a place like this cannot be kept without deep strategem.
If Da’lang’s age is too close to yours — that he’s not suitable. Then there’s Qingjun. She… actually she might be more suitable than Da’lang. You watched her grow up from small, she is a good person, and she resembles you a little when you were young.
If neither of them will do, then you…”
Zhù Ying said, “I’m not talking about which particular person.”
“Hmm?”
Zhù Ying said, “Think about it — what did Father say before he died? He understood clearly in his heart. Everyone knows what ‘leaving a successor’ means. Even if the line breaks in the middle, it must be continued again. The main line and the branch lines, sons’ sons and grandsons’ grandsons, the bonds of human relationships and moral order. There is never any need to worry about the succession after one’s death — it is already laid down. Without anyone saying it aloud, everyone knows how things should proceed. There are always those who will ‘uphold justice.’
What about me? When I die, who inherits? By what rules? The next generation, and the generation after that — will later people change course? Overturn the rules I have set? It is very difficult for later people to be like me. The things that could not constrain me are capable of constraining others — why is it so difficult?”
Huajie murmured, “The way of the world.”
“So you see — there is good reason that the Duke of Zhou and Confucius are revered as sages. Establishing rites and composing music — that is something truly formidable…”