Zhù Ying had said a great deal, and Zhang Xiangu was even less at ease than before — her questions only multiplied. But thinking that Zhù Ying had just returned today, what with the banquet and the meetings, and now it was deep into the night, she swallowed all her words and said, “You’ve been running wild all these days — get to sleep early! Don’t get up so early tomorrow — just sleep until you’ve rested.”

“I’m not dying tomorrow,” Zhù Ying said. “I need to…”

“Pah pah pah!” Zhang Xiangu was alarmed. “Nonsense!”

“I don’t mean anything else by it. I need to sort things out — if I don’t clearly mark the path, who would want to leap off a cliff with you? It’s also a reminder to everyone: if anything happens to me, they need to know what to do. There are more tiger fathers with dog sons in this world than you might think — even direct offspring may not be capable of carrying on. If one can’t build on the work and accomplish something, the ancestral graves won’t stay intact for long. I’m in a more precarious position than all of them, so only if descendants can follow my road will we be able to protect what comes after.”

Zhang Xiangu said, “Go to bed!”

“You get to sleep early too, Mother.”

Zhang Xiangu had no hope of sleeping well that night. She thought back over her whole life from beginning to end and found that from the very start the road had been destined, each step with no better alternative. She tossed and turned for a long while; by the time the roosters were nearly crowing she finally closed her eyes.

Zhù Ying, however, did not sleep in the next morning. She rose as usual, and as if nothing were out of the ordinary opened a morning meeting. The two sets of officials from the Prefectural Office and the county yamen did not disperse — they were to take turns giving Zhù Ying detailed reports on county and prefectural affairs over the past several months.

The autumn harvest had also begun. Zhao Su and the others had all been cutting their teeth working under Zhù Ying since Fulu County — they had practical experience from the previous year too. They moved with an easy familiarity: threshing grounds, draft animals, personnel, roads — all laid out with something resembling a proper plan.

The biggest change was with “the people.” Hou Wu was also seated in the hall. Lin Feng and the others looked to him, and he spoke on their behalf: “It’s harvest time — able-bodied workers are all busy bringing in the crop, so the troop drilling is suspended for now. We’ll start up again once things quiet down.”

He had opened the way, and Lin Feng, Su Sheng, and others chimed in: “We’re just sitting idle. I heard there’s trouble from some mountain bandits on the Gan County side. Grandma, we’ve got nothing to do here — let us go to Gan County to suppress the bandits!”

Lin Feng added, “It’s also been ages since Qingjun has been able to spend much time at home — this would be a good chance for me to go take over for her!”

“You’re just bored out of your mind and looking for something to do, aren’t you?” Zhù Ying said.

Lin Feng squeezed out a flattering smile.

Hou Wu said, “You’re almost going to be a father — how can you go running off?”

“It’s not like I’m the one giving birth!”

Hou Wu still shook his head: “No. My Lord, we have a rule in the ranks — when there’s action, those who have heirs go first; those who don’t stay behind.”

“I’ve already got a wife though — Qingjun doesn’t even have a husband, so I’m still ahead of her!”

Zhù Qingjun glanced at him. “I can come back safely.”

Lin Feng said, “What kind of thing is that to say?”

Su Sheng also looked eager to try, and Lu Danqing said, “Everyone just do the work assigned to you properly! One thing — you find it dull and toss it aside, half-finished and abandoned — nothing will ever get done that way. What great and glorious work in this world is actually fun? Nothing?”

“You’re lecturing me now too?”

“Enough!” Zhù Ying said.

The little gang settled down. “Each of you fulfill your duties,” Zhù Ying said. “Even if I were to reassign you, it would only be after you’d done your current work properly. No settling nature — today I move you somewhere, a while later there’s no fighting to be had and you want to come back? What do you think this is? Sit tight and temper your patience!”

Lin Feng muttered under his breath but dared not voice any more demands.

“That’s settled then,” Zhù Ying said. “Oh, by the way — on this trip I passed through some territory of the two peoples, and their local products include things we’re short of, especially iron. Xiang An, we should also be getting our own merchants organized to trade over there more — must use our own people. Hmm, the language barrier really is a problem — you think on it; we need to find people who speak Xika and Jima.”

Xiao Jiang immediately stepped forward, speaking up with her prepared words: “Iron is a critical thing — we have to use our own people. Better yet, learn it ourselves. I can put together the sentences — learning them phrase by phrase is easier than memorizing word by word.”

Huajie also said, “The students at the school should learn some too.”

Xiang An suspected nothing, and agreed: “Indeed — these things need to be kept in our own hands. The iron goods coming in through trade with the outside are getting scarcer, and the prices are getting higher.”

Zhù Ying knew the court couldn’t possibly not be putting limits on her — not coming after her openly was already a face-saving gesture. She nodded. “That’s something to keep in mind. Keep your eye out for good blacksmiths too.”

“Yes.”

“Dismissed,” Zhù Ying said, then glanced toward the doorway. Zhù Biao was standing there making signals, and Zhù Ying gave him a nod.

Everyone else had left, and Zhù Biao stepped forward: “Gu Weng requests an audience.”

“Bring him in,” Zhù Ying said.

……

Gu Weng came full of hope. Zhao Su had already given Zhù Ying a preview of what he wanted to say. Both parties knew — “I know what you’re going to say,” “I know that you know what I’m going to say” — but Gu Weng still went through the motions and gave Zhù Ying a deep, formal bow.

Zhù Ying also had to put on a look of surprise. “What is this? Speak properly — quickly, help him up.”

After some back and forth, Gu Weng’s eyes grew moist as he said to Zhù Ying: “Right now only the Lord is the one we can all depend on! The children are out there — without your protection, they’re like children without a mother; anyone can trample them underfoot!”

“I’ve looked through the official dispatches and letters during this period,” Zhù Ying said. “I haven’t seen any of them being demoted or dismissed — how have they been trampled?”

Wasn’t it obvious? With no one above protecting them, things didn’t run smoothly! Without anyone to guide them, they didn’t know which way the path led; sitting in one place they couldn’t even feel settled. Gu Weng said, “It truly is degrading — please give them a clear road, so they can find their footing at court.”

“It’s already this late in the game — why still dreaming of soaring straight to the top?” Zhù Ying said. “Who can they compete with?”

Gu Weng argued: “We don’t dare hope to climb to the heights in a single leap — we only want to find stable footing.”

“All right, stop speaking to me in pleasantries,” Zhù Ying said. “If it’s really about stable footing — you can all come home. In your own place, do whatever you want as long as you don’t rebel — everyone can find stable footing. As for staying on at court — everyone has an ambition for fame and rank. But you also have to think about who’s sitting above you right now. Wearing red robes and green ones still isn’t enough? There are only so many posts to go around — if you hold one, others can’t; you’re fishing in a tiger’s mouth, and you have no mental preparation for getting hurt? No thought of having to pay a price?”

Zhù Ying understood very well that among these southern scholars, there was no shortage of clever people, yet none who were truly exceptional. Take Zhuo Yu, for example — capable of rising to prefect, he was at least above average in talent. But going up to the central court and the capital, he simply didn’t measure up. Those people at court, even if they were mediocre or corrupt at actually governing, were absolutely top-level experts at playing politics and scheming. And Zheng Xi and others had spent generation after generation building up their networks of influence — it was simply not something the southerners could match. Without some flash of “heaven-granted” brilliance, it was impossible to go toe-to-toe and compete for resources at court.

And now these southern scholars wanted her — sitting three thousand li away, holding no central court position — to cover and protect this entire great host of people from afar?

Even if she herself wanted to, it simply couldn’t be done.

Gu Weng kept weeping and pleading: “We’re afraid it’s dealing with a tiger — the tiger will eat people! And those who help the tiger also have no good end.”

“Isn’t that quite clear-sighted?” Zhù Ying said. “Still serving as the tiger’s helper? The tiger has plenty of lackeys already — it’s not short of a few of you.”

“Indeed, indeed. Please, in view of the old friendship between us…”

“I’ve noted this matter — I’ll make arrangements,” Zhù Ying said.

“Many thanks, My Lord!”

Zhù Ying waved her hand; Gu Weng withdrew carefully. Zhù Ying had Zhù Biao summon Zhao Su and Zhù Lian again. “Do either of you still have contact with those of your fellow southerners who are serving as officials outside?”

Both said they did — Zhao Su because his family was in Fulu County, and Zhù Lian because he had only just returned and had been in contact with many of them before. Zhù Ying said, “Pass the word: keep their heads down and don’t cause trouble. If something happens, I’ll step in. Those who go out and stir up their own messes can bear their own consequences.”

The two acknowledged this.

Zhao Su said, “You’ve given Gu Weng no face on two occasions now — I’m afraid there’s resentment building among them. A small kindness breeds gratitude, a large one breeds entitlement, and entitlement can turn to spite. If the goodwill of twenty years turns to resentment, that’s truly a shame. Moreover, we are now planning to push westward — it’s not advisable to have enemies on our eastern flank as well, lest we face threats from both sides.”

Zhù Ying shook her head. “That is precisely why I must do it this way. I am no all-purpose wish-granting deity — and even deities require votive offerings in return. Let them think on it — when they’re busy thinking about their own affairs, they won’t have time to go prying into our western advance.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying then arranged for Zhù Lian to go to the capital this year as her envoy, to escort grain and supplies, and meet with Gu Tong and others.

Finally she summoned Lin Feng and told him to settle down and train his troops: “However many qualified soldiers you train, that many soldiers you’ll command in the future! You’ve already started a family — you need to be the man of the house. Before, when you went out on campaign, it was your father who entrusted you to me; I had no right to let you take risks. Now that you’re home, you have to fight for yourself!”

Lin Feng had been somewhat coddled. Lu Danqing and the others were different — even though Zhù Ying had protected them too, girls always faced greater pressure, and all manner of difficulties had tempered them. Lin Feng, by contrast, had enjoyed a smooth and easy life, and Zhù Ying had no intention of continuing to coddle him.

Lin Feng was quite pleased at hearing this: “I’m not afraid! That’s what you said — you’ll let me command troops! I’ll train as many as I can and command as many as I get!”

“Good, off with you,” Zhù Ying said.

Lin Feng ran off happily.

Finally Zhù Ying had some peace and quiet. She didn’t go to the school — the students there were mostly beyond her level to teach; better to wait until a few particularly outstanding ones emerged and bring them to her side to instruct personally.

For now she had another matter to attend to — sorting out certain officials’ private misconduct and illegal affairs, to have Zhù Lian carry to the capital on his trip and discreetly reveal to Gu Tong and others, at his own discretion.

……

When Zhù Lian left Wuzhou, the weather had already grown quite pleasant. Zhù Ying handed him a sheaf of papers: “Once you reach the capital, use your judgment as you give these out.”

Zhù Lian took them and saw the first page read: “Such-and-such official, in such-and-such year, month, and day, committed such-and-such offense.” Startled, he said, “These — to be given to Gu Tong? Isn’t this…?”

These were all leverage — properly used, they could accomplish a great many things.

“That’s why I said use your judgment,” Zhù Ying replied. “Also, give the court some things to occupy themselves with — if there are people who suddenly remember we exist, they’ll disrupt my plans.”

“I understand,” Zhù Lian said.

Zhù Ying produced another sheaf of letters, asking him to carry them to the capital. She knew many people there, and most hadn’t fallen out with her openly. Even to Xian Jing, who had criticized her, she wrote a letter of greeting — hoping only that Minister Xian wouldn’t be even more displeased.

Zhù Lian took on this task, made the trip to the capital, and returned the following spring. By then, Wuzhou looked entirely different from when he had left — the changes in these few months seemed greater than all the changes in the ten years before he had come back!

Those ten years: the population had grown, the buildings had increased, more land had been opened for cultivation, and the people living here dressed much better. This time returning: not much more population, not many more new buildings, but the look on everyone’s face seemed to carry a trace of small but keen excitement!

Zhù Lian dared not delay and ran straight back to the Prefectural Office. At the gate he ran into Zhù Biao, and asked him first: “Is there some big event going on here?”

“No, there isn’t!”

“That can’t be right — why does everyone on the street look off to me? Look, one by one…”

Zhù Biao glanced at the street, thought about it, and smiled: “Oh! That! It was — there was a battle with the Xika people’s Sangli family!”

“We won?!”

“Yes! Qingjun won it! How could the Xika people be a match for Qingjun?”

Zhù Lian relaxed. His steps were light as he walked on. He ran into Lin Feng coming to lodge a protest — he had also wanted to go, but this battle had been fought and finished by Qingjun before he knew it, and he was very unhappy about it!

“Wasn’t it agreed I’d have battles to fight too?”

Lu Danqing’s voice came from behind: “What are you in such a hurry for? Get your troops properly trained and then we’ll talk! Fool!”

“You’re the fool! A’Lian!”

“I’m not a fool,” Zhù Lian said.

Lu Danqing stifled a laugh: “You talk to him then — I can’t get through to him.”

Zhù Lian also couldn’t quite get through to a fool, but he understood: “These next two years will probably not be peaceful either.”

“Small skirmishes, manageable,” Zhù Ying said, walking out. “These two years I won’t start trouble, but I’m not afraid of it either.”

Lin Feng darted off. Lu Danqing clasped her hands in a salute and strode away, leaving Zhù Lian to call out “Teacher” and report to Zhù Ying on what he had seen and heard in the capital. The capital’s changes were both large and small. The larger ones: personnel had shifted; Dou Peng had passed away. The smaller: beneath the changes the root remained the same — the entrenched elite families, as sticky as ever.

The pedantic Confucian officials at court still criticized Zhù Ying as a woman behaving outrageously, but not a single one of the Six Ministries and Nine Courts had made things difficult for Zhù Lian — as if they had tacitly accepted the situation.

“Both Minister Zheng and Minister Chen asked how you were getting on in Wuzhou and how Wuzhou’s development was going. I said the people of Wuzhou lived in peace and contentment, the people above and below were in harmony. Minister Zheng also asked about your appointment of female officials, and said…”

“Oh? What did he say?”

Zheng Xi’s exact words were: “If she’s going to make trouble, let her hurry up and make it. She’ll never let me have any peace! If she wants an imperial edict of appointment, ask for it — but don’t make private appointments! At least keep up appearances.”

His tone was not very gracious, but the meaning was clear enough. Zhù Lian didn’t dare use the exact words and rephrased them diplomatically.

Zhù Ying smiled: “He would never phrase it that politely — but he actually hit on it exactly. I am going to make some appointments. Come with me.”

Zhù Lian accompanied her to the study, where Zhù Ying had already taken out a list of names. “Choose from here whichever ones you want, take them to Gan County, and have Xiang Le switch places with you.”

“Xiang Erlang isn’t already…”

“I have something else for him to do,” Zhù Ying said.

The appointments given by the court were just rank and title — within Wuzhou, how they were used and what they did was up to her arrangement.

After the spring planting that year, Zhù Lian and Xiang Le changed places. Xiang Le returned to the Mountain City with an uneasy heart, only to receive a new assignment — assisting Zhao Su in war preparations. Grain, weapons, armor, equipment, tools — provisioned to the number of ten thousand troops for one year. For the material resources of two counties, this was an enormously heavy burden.

Xiang Le’s heart beat fast. He answered loudly: “Yes!”

Zhù Ying, with the resources of two counties, could conscript one able-bodied man per household and have five thousand men; if urgently needed, two men per household would give ten thousand. Two years of continual rotating training had produced troops that, while somewhat behind the court’s new armies, were more than adequate for dealing with the Xika tribe…

After receiving the assignment, Xiang Le first reported to Zhao Su, and second sent a letter home — summoning his wife and children to come to the Mountain City to be reunited with him.

Having sent the family letter, Xiang Le let out a long breath and threw himself into the preparations. The work required as much secrecy as possible — not a single slip could be allowed. Apart from that, it wasn’t too difficult. He had spent two years in Gan County and knew the Xika tribe — especially the Sangli family — very well. If they pushed west, it was their family they’d be fighting!

This was advantageous for him!

Yet what Xiang Le had not anticipated was that after a full year of preparation, what arrived was not Zhù Ying’s order to find a pretext and go to war with the Sangli family — but the Jima tribe attacking them first!