A man of the village had died — and one of his own brothers, at that. After returning home and asking to understand the full account of events, the Asu Cave Master went to his brother’s household to offer comfort to their grieving kin.
In this skirmish, lives had been lost — but the head had not been taken away. By their reckoning, it was not a defeat. Several of the attackers had also been captured. The Asu Cave Master kept some of them for himself and distributed a few prisoners to his brother’s family. The bereaved son wept and held onto him for a long moment, then turned and accepted the prisoners — selecting two who appeared of particularly fine quality to serve as human sacrifices, and keeping the rest to use as enslaved labor for his own household.
The Liji tribe severed the heads of old men; the Qixia tribe drew the blood of men in their prime. Both were considered the highest form of ritual offering in their respective tribes.
This was the village’s established custom. The Asu Cave Master said: “I still have guests. I will come again tomorrow.”
His nephew asked: “Are these the guests who retrieved father’s head today? I want to go and thank them.”
The Asu Cave Master said: “Yes.”
The family members, regardless of whether Zhù Ying was from the lowlands or not, all wished to go and express their thanks. Since the Asu Cave Master was trying to build good relations with the lowland government, he did not stop them, and instead intended to bring his nephew back with him to meet Zhù Ying. The group had barely stepped outside when they ran into Zhao Su coming their way.
The Asu Cave Master asked: “Where is your adoptive father? Why have you come alone?”
Zhao Su said: “Adoptive Father sent me ahead to ask about the customs — he is not familiar with funeral rites in the village, and worried that coming over unannounced might violate some taboo.”
The Asu Cave Master said: “He is always so careful.” He briefly explained the situation to his nephew.
This nephew had never had a particularly favorable impression of lowlanders, and his relationship with Zhao Su was one of surface civility — yet since these people had helped recover his father’s head, he was not inclined to be too particular about it. He said: “I will go personally to offer my thanks.” He was also puzzled: why was his uncle being so respectful to this person?
The whole group made their way to the Asu Cave Master’s home.
By now Zhù Ying had settled in. She had tidied herself up and sat composedly not far from the fire pit, lost in thought. When she saw Zhao Su return, with the Asu Cave Master behind him, she stood to receive them. The young man behind the Cave Master she did not recognize — he bore no resemblance to the Asu Cave Master, but his clothing and adornments indicated that his status was not low. Zhù Ying seemed to recall seeing him during the fighting.
The Asu Cave Master introduced the young man to Zhù Ying first. The young man was extremely direct — he gave Zhù Ying a deep bow the moment they met. Zhù Ying stepped forward to raise him up: “You have suffered a great loss — there is no need for such formality.”
She spoke in the Qixia tongue. The young man was startled, and after a pause said, tears in his voice: “You retrieved father’s head — you are my benefactor.”
Zhù Ying said: “Anyone would have done the same in the circumstances. How is your family holding up right now?” She asked about the burial arrangements and whether there was anything she could contribute.
The Asu Cave Master said: “Everything has been taken care of.”
The young man also invited her to come sit at the funeral, share a meal and a bowl of wine, so the whole family could properly thank her.
Zhù Ying looked toward the Asu Cave Master. He gave a single nod: “We will go together and pay our respects, then come back to my house.”
Zhù Ying said: “Very well.”
She also asked about any ritual customs or taboos to observe, tidied herself again, and brought out cloth and silk as a gift. She reminded her own attendants three times not to leave the Asu Cave Master’s house, then set out with Hou Wu. As she went out the door she asked: “Where is Da Lang?” Zhao Su flashed forward and took his place behind her. They went together to pay their respects at the funeral.
The Qixia tribe did not burn spirit money, but many of the deceased’s possessions were either burned or placed inside the coffin — a generous burial by any measure. There was no incense to offer and no weeping required as a formality. People removed their own valuable ornaments and placed them in the coffin. Zhù Ying also removed a jade pendant and added it.
The deceased’s wife and children cried aloud in grief.
Coming out of that house filled with wailing, they returned to the Asu Cave Master’s home. It was fully lit with lanterns and torches, a lavish banquet spread out in welcome for the distinguished guest, no trace inside or out of having just been through a battle.
Zhù Ying was the guest of honor, Hou Wu at her side. The others were all seated below, with attendants keeping them supplied with wine and meat. Cao Chang was a steady, obedient young man who did not drink, and under his watch Tong Bo and the others were practically drooling yet did not dare drink too much.
Zhù Ying had already learned the full story of that day’s battle. Now, looking again at the Asu Cave Master’s several sons, she began to read further between the lines. They were bold and generous — but not very crafty, and very much wanted to twist their little craftiness into something that looked like a lot of it. The result was that their roundabout scheming had only tangled themselves up in confusion.
Hearing the third son deliberately announce that “all three thousand fighting men should have wine to drink,” she was inwardly on the verge of laughing. But she let nothing show on her face, and instead said: “People who have worked through hardship deserve their reward.”
The Asu Cave Master shot his third son a sharp look: “Then why haven’t you gone to hurry up the wine? Get out!”
And that foolish boy was sent off.
Young women of the village began to sing and dance. Zhù Ying watched for a while and noticed the rhythm of their dances was quite interesting — somewhat reminiscent of shamanistic ritual. This suddenly reminded her of something, and she asked the Asu Cave Master: “Who leads the ritual ceremonies in the village? The Cave Master himself?”
From what she knew, mountain ritual specialists tended to double as the sort of healers who also performed shamanic medicine.
The Asu Cave Master said: “He has things to attend to at various households tonight.”
“Ah.” Zhù Ying said, guessing that he was likely overseeing the funeral rites.
With young women singing and dancing, even if host and guest stopped conversing the atmosphere would not turn cold. But the Cave Master’s second son apparently felt compelled to warm things up further. He came to Zhù Ying’s table carrying a jar of wine in one hand and a bowl in the other, and said: “Magistrate, a toast to you.”
Hou Wu paled with alarm. Zhao Su said: “Cousin, Adoptive Father does not drink wine…”
Zhù Ying, before this “second cousin” could glare at Zhao Su, said: “I told the Cave Master that I would drink when he is the host.”
She extended the empty bowl toward “second cousin.” He grinned: “Now that’s what I like to hear!” He accepted the empty bowl and filled it to the brim.
Hou Wu tried to step in and drink on her behalf, but Zhù Ying waved him off with a look. She took the wine bowl from “second cousin” and drank it in one go. She could hold her drink well enough, but having abstained for so long, one bowl sent a slight spinning sensation to her head. The Asu Cave Master was loudly berating his second son for being rash. Zhù Ying was already smiling as “second cousin” filled her bowl again, and she did not refuse — she drank it as well.
The eldest son, seeing this, came to offer a toast as well. Zhù Ying refused none of them.
The Asu Cave Master called out: “You are trying to get the guest drunk again!”
Zhù Ying said: “They are deliberately testing me!”
The eldest son said: “No, I am not! I truly admire you. Today you were nothing like a person from the lowlands — you were like one of our Asu family’s warriors.”
Zhù Ying said: “You did. You want to test my capacity for wine, and test my martial skill as well — you can barely contain the urge. And your brother also wanted to put me in my place and overawe me, though he tried to make it look like he didn’t.”
“Second cousin” flatly denied it: “I did no such thing!”
Zhù Ying said: “I am talking about you — displaying strength through wine. None of you understand your father. You believe he has grown timid in his old age. You do not actually wish to deal more with me, nor do you wish to trade with me…”
The Asu Cave Master’s expression changed drastically!
He could not say that a person growing wise with age is simply gaining experience, and that saying frank things after drinking is something that no doubt happens. But when this sort of reaction appeared in someone in the middle of negotiations, his inner instinct was suspicion. In this moment, whether the drunkenness was real or performed was beside the point — what mattered was what Zhù Ying was saying. That was a genuine unmasking.
And Zhù Ying had also said to “second cousin”: “None of you understand your father.”
Hou Wu’s face had also shifted. He quickly said to the Asu Cave Master: “Cave Master, my Lord is drunk.” He moved to pull Zhù Ying away to rest. The Asu Cave Master’s heart was torn — part of him wanted to pour a few more bowls in and see what else Zhù Ying might say; part of him worried that such behavior would be rude and might unravel the whole negotiation. He said: “My oversight.” He told Zhao Su to quickly see his adoptive father to rest.
As Zhù Ying was helped up by Hou Wu, she looked at the Asu Cave Master and said: “Your health is not well. That old injury — it has not fully healed, has it? You were willing to come down the mountain and seek me out because you are worried about your children.”
Hou Wu was half-sick with worry. Alone out here among these people, poking repeatedly at their host’s deepest wounds was not a good idea.
But the Asu Cave Master showed a rare candor, and said: “Everything you say is correct.”
“Of course — I do not deceive people.”
Hou Wu dared not delay any further. He said “Excuse me” and firmly carried Zhù Ying back to the guest room. Zhao Su also hurried in after them and closed the door, leaving the assembled host family looking at one another in bewilderment.
The Cave Master’s wife said: “What was all that about?”
The Asu Cave Master said: “The wine went to his head.”
——
The wine-fueled performance continued into the guest room, but now it was only Zhù Ying’s own people present. As Hou Wu saw Zhù Ying raise her eyes and look at him, he involuntarily gave a start. He heard Zhù Ying say: “Hou Wu, you have stopped speaking ill of me behind my back.”
Hou Wu said with a pained expression: “Yes, I have corrected that habit of mine.”
“You have not. You still speak ill of them behind their backs — I heard it all.”
Hou Wu was thoroughly dejected, muttered something, and did not dare respond.
Zhao Su, seeing the state of things, sidled off to one corner — regardless of whether this drunkenness was genuine, he had no desire to have Zhù Ying turn her gaze on him right now.
Zhù Ying took the cloth towel and wiped her face, tossed it into the basin, and then looked directly at him. Zhao Su felt his heart give a lurch — and then heard Zhù Ying say: “Awkward to the core, and yet still considers himself a perceptive person. You know the original manuscript is in Liu Songnian’s hand, and you have been secretly practicing your calligraphy by copying the character-inscription stele. In private you sought out Zhao Zhen and worked through the prefectural school examination papers again on your own.”
Cao Chang heard the voices and walked over, first saying: “How was my Lord allowed to drink wine?” Then he quickly pulled Zhao Su aside, and together with Hou Wu the two of them helped Zhù Ying into the inner room, got her onto the bed. Zhù Ying kicked her shoes off, pulled the bedding over herself, and paid them no further attention. The three of them fled the room as though granted a pardon.
Cao Chang let out a long breath: “Good thing I ran fast enough — I wasn’t spotted.”
Hou Wu gestured with his eyes: go!
All three slipped away quietly, none of them breathing a word about the other people’s secrets they had just overheard.
The moment they were gone, Zhù Ying sat up from the bed. She unhurriedly poured herself a bowl of tea and muttered under her breath: “What a poor showing — I barely ate anything.”
She washed her face again, sat on the bed, and turned over in her mind everything she had seen and heard over these past few days.
Given the scale of the mountain village, assembling three thousand fighting men was possible — but a single village like this could never sustain three thousand fighting men on a daily basis. Still, along the road she had stopped at two small villages, and had also caught glimpses of other small villages on the mountainsides along the way. If they were all under the Asu family’s command, adding them all up, ten thousand fighting men or more was also within reach.
Zhù Ying estimated the scale of the Asu family. It was not small, but not particularly large either. Better that the tribal group was not too large — if it were too large, who would be master and who subordinate? This scale suited her purposes perfectly. The territory and population were a little larger than what was under her hand, but she still held the advantage. Fuluo County, for instance, had a much larger area than Wannian County, yet lagged behind in every other respect. The Asu family was the same kind of situation.
These several sons of the Asu Cave Master — they truly were enough to cause anyone worry. Though she did not yet know what the Liji family or the Suoning family were like, so long as even one person matched the Asu Cave Master in ability, dealing with the Cave Master’s sons would be more than sufficient, and the Asu family would come off badly. No wonder the Asu Cave Master had adopted the attitude toward her that he had.
She had also witnessed today’s fighting between the two sides. She did not know much about military matters, but the capital’s imperial guards were considerable in number, and Jin Liang was of military background — she had observed and heard some things over time. Judging by today’s engagement, neither side could be called a trained army. Better than a common brawl by a measure, and somewhat superior to village clan feuds — but only somewhat.
She planned to set out early the next morning and make rounds through the village and the surrounding mountains, to look at the farming, the tea cultivation, the fishing and hunting activities.
She was just settling down to sleep when she heard footsteps. Zhù Ying frowned slightly. The footsteps were familiar to her — Su Minyuan.
——
The door had been pulled shut from outside when Hou Wu and the others left. There was no bolt drawn on the inside. Su Minyuan pushed and the door swung open. She was carrying an oil lamp in her hand. She held the lamp and entered, then turned and fastened the door from the inside. The door to the inner room had been opened by Zhù Ying earlier, and through it Su Minyuan’s movements were visible. She turned to look into the inner room and by the dim lamplight saw someone sitting up on the bed. She gave a start.
“Who is there!”
Zhù Ying said nothing.
Su Minyuan lifted the lamp and shone it inside. Seeing Zhù Ying, a faint petulant expression crossed her face: “So you’ve sobered up and didn’t say anything.” She carried the lamp into the inner room and set it on a small table. She stood in the lamplight, tilting her head and looking at Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying also looked at her — a beauty by lamplight, with a special kind of charm.
Su Minyuan had drunk a little wine that evening, and came to Zhù Ying’s room with a touch of that wine’s boldness.
Seeing that Zhù Ying did not move, she said with a note of pout: “What are you looking at?”
Zhù Ying still did not move. Su Minyuan came forward and sat beside her, draping one arm across Zhù Ying’s shoulder: “You don’t want to sleep?”
Zhù Ying turned her head and looked at her. Su Minyuan’s heart beat rapidly. She thought: what will he say? What kind of truth will he say to me? Will he say what is in my heart?
Zhù Ying stood up and walked toward the door instead. Su Minyuan nearly fell sideways into the bed. She did not grow angry, and still with that faint pout said: “Stop right there! A grown man like this, don’t you know why I came? Don’t you understand what it means that I came here?”
Zhù Ying really did stop. Su Minyuan walked over to her with heavy deliberate steps, and said: “When we want to be on good terms with someone, we form a marriage alliance! If he is not willing to marry, then give him a child!”
Zhù Ying tilted her head and looked at her, still saying nothing. Su Minyuan drew a deep breath and leaned very close: “You are the most formidable person I have ever seen. Stay here — will you stay? If you stay, I am yours. And from then on, this village will answer to you — every village around it will answer to you!”
Zhù Ying raised her hand. Su Minyuan’s heart gave a jump. She felt Zhù Ying extend one index finger and press it against Su Minyuan’s forehead — which had drawn very close — and finally opened her mouth to speak: “My mother told me not to play with fools.”
Su Minyuan’s eyes went wide: “You—”
Zhù Ying slowly used that single finger to push her back a foot’s distance and said: “Little fool.”
Though there was a “little” in the word, the whole phrase held not a trace of warmth. She said: “I got a look at all your brothers today. Your fourth brother, though he said very little, is much like the rest. I have seen them all, and I know what you and your father are troubled by.”
She lowered her pointing finger through the air, then raised her other hand and tidied Su Minyuan’s slightly gaping collar, and said: “I once asked you whether ‘you could be in charge.’ You should understand what that meant. Any woman can bear a child — that is no special ability, and it is certainly nothing rare or precious. I am someone who can be in charge of things, and I only speak seriously with others who can likewise be in charge. I do not discuss any matters of substance with your aunt — she is only a messenger. And you? Your ability is not lacking — you are the kind of person qualified to be the next head of this household. If your eyes are only fixed on what your own body can produce, then you and I have nothing to discuss.”
Su Minyuan’s heart was beating faster and faster: “You don’t want a son?”
Zhù Ying said: “Your several brothers are all your father’s sons as well.”
Zhù Ying withdrew her hand and said: “A person qualified to lead the household resorting to trading away her body to produce a child as a bargaining chip — truly a fool. Tomorrow I will speak properly with the person who can be in charge.”
Seeing that Su Minyuan had still not moved, she reached out, took hold of the fabric at Su Minyuan’s shoulder, carried her to the doorway, and with one hand opened the door — only to run directly into Hou Wu, who had come back around on his night patrol: “My Lord’s light is on? Are you thirsty?”
Cao Chang said: “I’ll go pour some water…”
After the two of them made out the figures in the doorway, their mouths fell open wide enough to put a bowl inside.
Their voices then roused Zhao Su, who had just lain down next door. He slid the door open and came over: “What is it?”
Zhù Ying, her expression unchanged, continued to carry Su Minyuan out the door and shut it behind her. Hou Wu and Cao Chang did not dare make a sound. Su Minyuan held her head high and walked past them. Zhao Su broke into a stride and followed!
Su Minyuan walked without speaking. In just a few steps she was at her own door. Zhao Su said: “Stop!”
Su Minyuan turned and looked at him: “What?”
“Where have you just been?”
Su Minyuan said: “Talking.”
Zhao Su said: “Late at night, a man and a woman alone—”
“We don’t stand on ceremony like that!”
“Then you two — did you—” For some reason Zhao Su could not quite explain, he still felt compelled to ask.
Su Minyuan said, annoyed: “What do you think?”
Zhao Su was not easily put off and pressed on: “I want to hear you say it.”
“Nothing happened! Insufferable nuisance! What business is it of yours anyway?”
Zhao Su suddenly recovered his politeness, stepped back three paces, and said: “The wind is strong at night — go in and rest early.”
Su Minyuan said: “What is wrong with you?!”
But Zhao Su went off to sleep in remarkably good spirits.
——
The following morning, Zhù Ying rose very early. She had slept quite well that night. Zhao Su was also up early and standing guard at her door.
Both of them were full of energy. Hou Wu and Cao Chang, however, were sporting four black-ringed eyes between them. They dared not ask and did not dare even discuss it among themselves, for fear that Tong Bo and the others would overhear. The two of them considered themselves Zhù Ying’s trusted inner circle, different from the Fuluo County officers — they would never think of sharing what they had seen the night before. It had nearly choked them to death keeping it in!
After washing and dressing, Zhù Ying sat with Zhao Su in her room and ate breakfast. The breakfast was made by the Asu Cave Master’s household cook — mountain village fare, with eggs, smoked fish, cured pork, and a great deal else besides, along with a pot of rice wine.
Zhao Su ate a couple of spoonfuls of porridge, then said in a low voice: “The Qixia tribe, at some point, seems to have adopted something of a free-and-easy way regarding young men and women choosing their own partners in marriage.”
He had barely finished speaking before Zhù Ying laughed aloud. Zhù Ying leaned over and poured Zhao Su a bowl of rice wine: “To have managed to say that — you deserve a drink.”
Zhao Su looked at her with faint puzzlement. Zhù Ying said: “As long as there is choice, there will be gradations of worth. Eat up and come walk around with me?”
“Yes.”
Zhù Ying said no more. The two finished eating, then went to look in on the Asu Cave Master, who had to attend his brother’s funeral that day. Zhù Ying asked Zhao Su: “Are you not going?”
Zhao Su said: “They don’t necessarily wish to see me.”
Zhù Ying said: “Come, I will go with you — we cannot let ourselves be faulted for improper courtesy.”
The two made another round at the funeral. This time there was no more placing of valuables into the coffin. It was here that Zhù Ying encountered the village’s ritual healer — an elderly man with white-streaked hair and beard. He was singing incantations difficult to comprehend, and Zhù Ying listened with genuine interest from beginning to end, finding it fascinating.
So the ritual songs of shamanic practice, wherever you went in the world, all said more or less the same things.
She suddenly found herself missing her parents.
After watching for a while, the Asu Cave Master came over and said: “Magistrate, you’ve come again! I was just about to go find you.”
Zhù Ying said: “The deceased must be honored above all else — do not let the funeral rites be neglected.”
The two exchanged pleasantries, and the Asu Cave Master invited Zhù Ying back to his home. He was not the sort to attend every relative’s funeral from beginning to end. On the way, Zhù Ying said: “Would the Cave Master like to look in on the other households?”
The Asu Cave Master said: “I visited them this morning already.”
Neither spoke further. They reached the Asu Cave Master’s home, and he invited Zhù Ying to sit beside the fire pit in the main hall. A small table had been set out with tea and some dried meat. He took out a small knife and slowly sliced the meat, pushing a plateful over to Zhù Ying, then sliced some for himself — it looked as though a long conversation was intended.
Zhao Su bowed slightly and took a few steps back to withdraw. He suddenly felt someone bump into his back. He turned around to find Su Minyuan walking in with complete composure. Zhù Ying said: “Da Lang — either leave or sit down. Choose and commit; no changing your mind.”
Su Minyuan sat at the Asu Cave Master’s side, and Zhao Su sat at Zhù Ying’s side. Zhù Ying chewed her strip of cured meat and looked at Su Minyuan: “Cave Master, you have kept her — she is someone who can be in charge?”
The Asu Cave Master looked at his daughter, conflicted. Zhù Ying said: “Your daughter is very capable. But however capable a household manager may be, I have no wish to conclude agreements with a household manager. However capable a household manager may be, she is not the master. Talking to a household manager accomplishes nothing. Da Lang is here because I know he can speak for himself and his household.”
Su Minyuan watched her father with a taut expression, wanting to express her loyalty to him, yet unable to open her mouth. She understood — the moment she said “I am fully devoted to the Asu family and will support my brothers,” Zhù Ying would immediately turn to make contact with those brothers.
The Asu Cave Master sighed deeply: “Magistrate, you came up the mountain wanting to look over my household as well, I suspect. My several children — the magistrate has already seen them all. Though I have many sons, not one of them equals this daughter of mine in wisdom and good sense. Yet how can a daughter take over the household? I am not long for this world, and my household cannot go with me into death. I want to have things properly arranged before I die.”
Zhù Ying said: “I came up here on account of the trading market. I said that I need to take a look before I can plan properly. Opening a trading market is for the purpose of lasting trade — it is not a one-off transaction. If the Cave Master’s household cannot sustain itself, this is something I cannot agree to. The Cave Master’s family affairs are not mine to meddle in, and I have no wish to meddle — but I want to ask the Cave Master one thing: how do you intend to guarantee continuity?”
The Asu Cave Master said: “What I am doing right now is precisely that.”
Zhù Ying said: “That is not very stable. Opening a trading market is not something sorted out in a single conversation. Selecting a site, selecting officials to manage it, setting rules, from surveying the land and building the marketplace through to gathering merchants, setting prices, supplying goods — and so on. Before the building on this side is even finished, someone over there has a change of heart. One version of things today, a new person comes tomorrow and changes everything. The responsibility I would be taking on would be enormous.”
The Asu Cave Master said: “I give you my oath — I will never go back on my word.”
Zhù Ying shook her head: “I do not want to see what happens when someone goes back on their word. I only hope to ensure that no one goes back on their word in the first place.”
The Asu Cave Master finally let a little of the truth show: “If Little Sister takes charge, that can be guaranteed.”
Zhù Ying said: “The Cave Master is worried she cannot hold onto your seat securely.”
“Indeed.”
Zhù Ying asked: “The Cave Master believes that if this seat were passed to whom, they could hold it securely?”
The Asu Cave Master fell silent.
Zhù Ying did not press him. The fact that the Asu Cave Master had invited her up the mountain, and had repeatedly sent his daughter down the mountain on important matters rather than simply marrying her off as he had done with his sister — that was already a statement in itself. And her behavior toward Su Minyuan the night before had also been a statement.
Finally the Asu Cave Master said in a low voice: “Can the magistrate help my daughter sit securely on this seat?”
Zhù Ying sipped her tea and said quietly: “Has the Cave Master not already begun making arrangements? Let us be frank with each other — it is in my interest as well for the Asu family to prosper and remain united. If your household falls into disorder, there will inevitably be those who turn to banditry and plundering, and my own territory will not be at peace. I do not wish anything to go wrong with your household.”
The Asu Cave Master was greatly pleased: “Excellent! Then the trading market—”
Zhù Ying said: “I have already formed some ideas. Of course it can be opened — I have a plan for persuading the court. As for how to open it and what rules to set, I ask that the Cave Master let me look around the village and chat with the people there, and then look at what the village produces and how it might be arranged.”
The Asu Cave Master said: “Of course. What will you say to your court — what do you need me to do?”
Zhù Ying smiled: “The Cave Master is a clear-sighted person — of course a formal petition will need to be submitted. Da Lang will write it, as before.”
She had already planned it out: still in the Asu Cave Master’s name, requesting the opening of a marketplace for long-term trade, citing the inconvenience of the village being too far from the county town for transactions. This would of course include the obligatory praise of the Emperor, along with expressions of admiration for the abundant products of the great realm, and the like. Then Zhù Ying would write her own memorial, explaining the local situation in detail, and requesting more detailed information from the Asu Cave Master about the Qixia tribe and the Asu family’s circumstances — she would need to provide a full account.
“Your large numbers and territory are precisely what makes a trading market worth setting up. With only three or five people, a dedicated market would not be worthwhile.”
The Asu Cave Master listened carefully, then said hesitantly: “Everything about my household?”
Zhù Ying said: “Not everything. You have many enemies and many needs — drawing a little closer to the court is no bad thing.”
The Asu Cave Master said with a smile: “That is the truth. Very well — it is settled!”
Zhù Ying said: “Good.”
The Asu Cave Master said: “I can do as you say. Will you help me deal with the Liji tribe? I supply the fighting force; you bring weapons, grain and provisions, and strategy. Together we defeat them, and there will be more people and more land — and greater credit to you.”
Zhù Ying smiled: “Win over one side to strike at the other? That is playing games with scheming. In which case, I could just as easily promise to help you first, and then — when you have beaten them half to pieces — turn around and prop them back up, making you trade enslaved people for rice, salt, and iron, letting both sides keep bleeding, while I continuously harvest their population. Would that not be even more advantageous to me? I only want everyone to be able to live a little better. I have no desire to play that kind of scheme. I understand intrigue — but I do not want to use it on people like you.”
The Asu Cave Master stared hard at Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying sat there composedly, entirely unmoved.
The Asu Cave Master said: “The magistrate has done so much for me — I cannot fail to make a pledge in return. I am willing to swear brotherhood with you!”
Zhù Ying said without hesitation: “Agreed!”
Zhao Su was so startled he nearly fell backward.
——
Swearing brotherhood was both a common and a not-entirely-ordinary thing.
What made it common was this: so long as two people found each other kindred in spirit, slaughtering a chicken and burning yellow paper on the spot was enough to count them as sworn brothers. What made it not-entirely-ordinary was this: after swearing brotherhood, the two became something just a step short of blood brothers — their households’ seniority would intertwine, and they would be considered as one extended family for all formalities. Particularly given the identities of the two involved here, with the Asu Cave Master being a “tribal chieftain of the frontier peoples” and Zhù Ying being an “official of the court,” the whole thing was rather unusual.
But since it was a private relationship — much like Zhù Ying having taken Zhao Su as an adopted son — it could not exactly be said to be against any law.
The Asu Cave Master made arrangements on the spot. In the broad open square in front of his home, the Asu Cave Master called for the ritual healer to serve as officiant and sent word through the village that people were invited to witness the ceremony the following day.
The entire Asu Cave Master household did not know why a blood-brotherhood was suddenly being sworn. The four sons looked at Zhù Ying, who was a good deal younger than themselves and would henceforth be called “Uncle,” and had no idea what to say.
But the Asu Cave Master paid no heed to their opinions and kept issuing orders for the preparations.
The next day, with one brother still not yet buried, this other brotherhood was being sworn.
Zhù Ying dressed properly and went with the Asu Cave Master to the square. The square was filled with people, the crowd spilling down the roads below — a dense, dark mass of faces.
A man in his prime years led out a bull and a horse. A gleaming blade was drawn across the bull’s neck and its blood released into a large basin; the bull let out a long bellow of pain. Then the horse — treated the same way. After that, a silver bowl was used to scoop blood from the basin. The ritual healer received it and held it before the two men.
Each took blood and touched it to their lips, then knelt and made their oath to heaven in the Qixia tongue: “We two swear brotherhood. From this day forward we are family. We shall help each other and never betray each other. If there is betrayal, let all their blood be drained as an offering to heaven and earth.”
A great cheer rose from mountain and lowland alike.
The Asu Cave Master then had the whole household come and address Zhù Ying by the new terms of relation. Zhù Ying called the Cave Master’s wife “Elder Sister-in-law” entirely naturally. The Asu Cave Master’s sons swallowed hard and managed: “Uncle.”
Su Minyuan opened her mouth without any hesitation: “Uncle.”
The Asu Cave Master then proceeded to set out a flowing banquet to celebrate having gained a new brother. Zhù Ying watched carefully and noticed that this banquet was no worse than the flowing feast at Elder Zhao’s birthday celebration — his own household ate well, and those seated at the outer tables were also given their fill.
Since Zhù Ying spoke Qixia, she had no trouble speaking with people of all ranks, and before long she had grown familiar with many of them. The ritual healer in particular: she said to him: “My elder sister also studies medicine. She is working on a medical formula.” The healer said: “Has it come to anything?” Zhù Ying said: “More or less — when it is ready, shall I send some along for you?” The healer gave a reserved nod, and then mentioned that he also had very good wound medicine. Zhù Ying asked for a little, and mentioned that she also had a bruise-and-injury medicine to share.
The Asu Cave Master said quietly to his wife: “The ritual healer is not usually one who likes to speak with people.”
The Cave Master’s wife said: “He really is a very likable person, isn’t he.”
After the feast, the next day Zhù Ying sought out the Asu Cave Master again and went to the funeral of the brother who had died. By virtue of her new relationship with the Asu Cave Master, the deceased now counted as her brother as well.
The Asu Cave Master said: “Didn’t you want to look around the village?”
Zhù Ying said: “The looking is still to be done. But family matters cannot be neglected either.” And she genuinely went to the bereaved household.
Qixia tribe customs differed somewhat from those in the lowlands. There was no requirement to keep the body laid out for a long time. That very day was the burial. People carried the coffin to another mountain, and placed it in a cave near the summit. The cave was set fairly high — close to the mountaintop — and inside at various levels were many coffins already placed. After the coffin was carried in, it was not buried in a pit but simply set down. The ritual healer took up double duty as officiant outside, leading several people in song and dance. When the singing and dancing were done, the funeral was considered complete.
Zhù Ying walked in the procession, moving on foot. She walked alongside the Asu Cave Master and listened as he introduced the mountain region’s various products — there was tea, rice, timber, and more.
Zhù Ying said: “I asked at the tea shop. Spring and autumn are both good for tea, spring especially so. The tea you gave me — I brought it for the shop owner to examine. He said the processing was poor.”
The Asu Cave Master said: “You need skilled craftsmen — and we can never obtain them.” Raiding for them was one option, but the problem was there was no one nearby to raid for this skill. Skilled tea craftsmen were simply not available in the surrounding area.
Zhù Ying said: “When the autumn tea comes down, I will try to find one.”
The Asu Cave Master said: “That would be wonderful.”
The two talked all the way back home about how to manage the mountain village’s affairs. The Asu Cave Master did not feel tired at all until the evening, when he sat down to rest and discovered his legs had swollen.
After that, Zhù Ying went roaming freely all over the mountains and villages. She occasionally even carved a pretty wooden hairpin on the spot and gave it to a solitary old woman she came across.
She also saw the enslaved people — they wore shackles and had to carry heavy loads on their backs. Zhù Ying said quietly: “Without the shackles they could carry more.”
The villagers all laughed and said: “Without shackles they would run.”
Zhù Ying noted this in her mind.
She also visited the paddy fields in the mountains, the tea hills, and several of the nearby smaller villages. She did not see many villages — her time was limited.
As the day of departure drew near, Zhù Ying went that evening to take her leave of the Asu Cave Master.
The Asu Cave Master was deeply reluctant to part, and said: “The days have passed so quickly!”
Zhù Ying said: “I still need to go back and attend to our business. The trading market — I already have a clear sense of what to do. I will write the memorial when I return.”
The Asu Cave Master sighed: “I never imagined things would actually come together.”
Zhù Ying said: “As long as there is the will to make it happen, it can always be done. There is one other matter — now that we have sworn brotherhood, your family’s affairs are my affairs. If I am transferred away and cannot leave you and your household stranded halfway up the mountain with nowhere to go, I must plan ahead for you as well. I only hope you will not read any other motive into it.”
“Brother, speak freely.”
Zhù Ying said: “You are right to be worried. A woman in charge will certainly be questioned by others. But if there is an imperial appointment, that is an entirely different matter.”
The Asu Cave Master suddenly went quiet. Zhù Ying said: “Do not be alarmed — it is not about placing you under the court’s control. If the court grants you an official title, that title can be passed on to your children, and they to theirs, in perpetuity. You still govern your own territory. Beyond having an official title, nothing else changes. What do you think?”
The Asu Cave Master’s expression opened up into a radiant brightness!
Zhù Ying said: “You acknowledge the court as your sovereign — but the court does not send officials to take over your mountain village. You pay a modest tribute each year, the amount to be negotiated, and you will be one of them. Salt and iron trade will no longer be as difficult as now, and the trading market will be all the easier to establish. Of course, let us not discuss this with the court yet. We take things one step at a time. Population figures will not all be reported — first, because your side has no written records and the numbers would not be precise anyway; second, because reporting too many creates complications with taxation. This year we can hold off. We wait until next year, or until there is a suitable occasion to report.
I have no wish to resort to warfare, but if you are attacked, I also want to see you kept safe. With an imperial appointment, if others attack you and you seek assistance from the court, the claim is entirely legitimate — it is an open and above-board arrangement.”
When the Asu Cave Master heard that last line, he said: “Good brother — you are very good! You are truly thinking on my behalf. Then I will follow your lead.”