With all of Zhù Ying’s requests approved, she went off cheerfully to attend to her affairs, thinking that since things had gone so smoothly today, she might have a little time to read. She recalled that Leng Yun had apparently left a few more small books hidden at the Court of Judicial Review — she needed to go retrieve them!

Zheng Xi sat in thought.

He had not invested a small amount of effort in Zhù Ying, and the results had been very satisfying. But “a whiff of Wang Yunhe about her” had still left him somewhat unsettled. He had been a little quietly irritated the previous day. Today, returning to find that nothing seemed to faze her and she simply went about her business as usual, Zheng Xi nursed a quiet displeasure and decided he would have a proper talk with Zhù Ying later tonight!

Zhù Ying had no idea about any of this.

She first distributed the day’s tasks, then quietly pilfered Leng Yun’s hidden books, read through them, and then read half of a book from her own reading list. In the afternoon it occurred to her that Zheng Xi had told her to buy Liu Songnian’s collected works last time, and she took out Liu Songnian’s latest collection and read it carefully.

This new collection of Liu Songnian’s contained many forms — short prose, poetry, and also one long discursive essay. From it, Zhù Ying extracted phrases she did not recognize, which were likely classical allusions, and wrote them all down. Then she studied the sequence of his essays for a while without finding any particular pattern. She could only confirm that Liu Songnian was remarkably learned, had a fondness for expressing his feelings, and wrote a good number of poems reflecting on history and the past. He had apparently wandered extensively — one piece was set in the Jiangnan region, the next he had gone all the way to the northern steppe, and his writing was vivid, capturing a landscape in a few strokes so that the reader felt completely transported.

Zhù Ying drifted along in her imagination, thinking: someday, to be able to go and see all of that for myself would be wonderful.

Her moments of leisure were these, and nothing more. Starting the next day, she would need to plan the arrangements for the newly selected female guards. Since the female warden had not yet taken up her post, the guards had to be settled first.

The first thing was to choose two of the eight women as team leaders, to divide them into two shifts. When there were no female prisoners, the night shift could be dispensed with. Once there were female prisoners, the guards would work rotating shifts — one day and one night counted as one shift, with special circumstances handled separately. Of course, this arrangement would create a minor headache for the warden who had yet to arrive — she would step in to find the subordinates already forming their own bonds. But that was no longer Zhù Ying’s concern. Let them work it out on their own.

Then there was the question of the female guards’ treatment — she also needed to arrange a tailor. The wardens’ official attire was already modeled on the inner palace female official’s style — that had been settled. The guards’ uniforms had no established pattern. Zhù Ying needed to contact a tailor, first make a sample, and then use that as the model for all future uniforms. She planned to first take Huajie as a fitting model and have the tailor make a prototype.

Today she was bringing Huajie to be measured. If it worked out, this would be the look going forward.

Having a legitimate reason, she left the Court of Judicial Review without hesitation, and went to collect Huajie for the tailor’s appointment.

Along the way, Huajie was quite happy, saying: “I get to try on a uniform! Oh — and that Fu Xiaoniangzi?”

Zhù Ying said: “They need to be dressed properly before entering — they can’t come in wearing their own plain clothes. Once they’ve arranged things at home, there’s protocol to learn, and I’ve already arranged a venue for that. I’m not borrowing from the Ministry of Rites — I found a place at the Capital Prefecture. We can do the fitting there too.”

Whatever she said, Huajie listened enthusiastically: “Yes, yes!”

At the tailor’s shop, Du Dajie accompanied Huajie inside to change. A little while later she came back out. Not exactly becoming, but close-fitted, practical for movement, and not in any bright colors. Huajie said: “So smart.” Zhù Ying had her move around — walking, sitting, lying — all of it worked fine.

Zhù Ying said: “Add a small red border to the uniform — half a cun wide is enough.” She also ordered a set in her own measurements, and agreed with the tailor that in a few days the tailor would set aside time for her to bring the selected female guards for fitting.

The tailor would not hear of taking payment for Zhù Ying’s single set. Eight sets — that was a substantial order. Give one as a bonus for eight purchased. Zhù Ying smiled and paid anyway: “That much I have.”

Coming out of the tailor’s shop, Huajie cradled the clothes and chatted and laughed with Zhù Ying all the way home. Huajie went back to her room to put the clothes away. But Du Dajie, unexpectedly, went to the west wing.

Zhù Ying said: “I have nothing that needs tidying here.”

Du Dajie hesitated and stammered: “It’s… it’s about the Mistress. She — she finds it difficult to say herself.”

“What?”

Du Dajie hesitated a long time before steeling herself: “The Mistress is kind and goes to deliver medicine there. But lately there are people on Flower Street saying the Mistress is neither wife nor concubine — and yet she comes around keeping an eye on Sanlang’s kept woman.”

Zhù Ying was startled: “What? I have a kept woman? Oh — they’re talking about Xiao Jiang?”

Du Dajie said: “By rights I’m only a servant and shouldn’t speak of the master’s affairs. But having made up my mind to serve this household for the rest of my life, I had to say it. That one over there has already put on the look of a female Daoist — they all say she’s going to cultivate the Way. You have your own plans, so best sort this out sooner. They have cutting tongues, but they’re not wrong either. A woman who lives here and calls herself an elder sister — what is she really? Neither wife nor concubine!”

She had summoned all this courage, said her piece, and was so frightened her heart was thudding — then she ran away.

Zhù Ying murmured: “Why run? I’m not going to beat you.”

Huajie put away her clothes and came out. Seeing Du Dajie run back to her room, she also came to the west wing to ask: “What’s gotten into Du Dajie?”

Zhù Ying did not answer, but asked instead: “Dajie — do you want to take the warden examination? I’ll teach you how to prepare.”

“What?” Huajie was puzzled. “Why bring that up suddenly?”

“I remember you once said — when I became an official, it was as though you had become one too. Instead of watching others serve as officials, why not taste what it’s like yourself?”

Huajie’s eyes lit up for a moment, then settled again. Zhù Ying said nothing to hurry her, and also sat quietly, waiting for her to speak.

Huajie thought it through for a while, then slowly shook her head. She said: “Setting aside whether I could pass or not — I don’t want you opening the door for me in some convenient way. That brings gossip on you. And speaking of what’s actually at hand — once I become a warden, I’m at the Court of Judicial Review. You are going to fly high. Once you’ve been promoted and left, or been sent to an outside posting, would that not mean we’d have to part?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve never managed according to your plans, have I? Besides, why would I take an outside posting? Even if I moved to another office in the capital, I’d still be within the palace precinct.”

Huajie shook her head. She still did not want to be separated. The matter of official promotion was not something either of them could control — it depended on those above. So she would rather keep things as they were. Wherever Zhù Ying went, she would go there to practice medicine. If some day she chose to leave, it would be because she herself wanted to leave. For now, she felt that Zhù Ying’s household still needed her.

Zhù Ying’s affairs were her affairs. Zhù Ying’s career shone brightly ahead, but she was still only sixth rank, and there would certainly be many difficult moments to come. Huajie did not want to simply leave.

“Who says practicing medicine isn’t a great matter?” Huajie said. “Medicine is what I want. The warden position isn’t something that only I can fill — give it to someone who needs it more. When we look at the women who had to be turned away from the examination, who wept so bitterly — they have no other way out. I already have a way forward here. One more person saved is one more person saved. And practicing medicine — I’m already living very well as things are.”

Zhù Ying looked steadily at her. Huajie met her gaze without yielding. She said: “I’m no great Bodhisattva who gives everything up to save others while unable to save myself. I’m living well right now, and what I’m doing is a proper thing. If you think I ought to have my own business, then you should let me choose it myself. It’s not a matter of having everything arranged for me — you’re at the Court of Judicial Review, so I examine for warden; you go to the Office of Imperial Rites, and then what — arrange a female official for the Office of Imperial Rites? That’s hardly possible, is it? And even if it were, I’d have to sit another examination to follow you there? How can things work that way?”

Zhù Ying quickly apologized: “You’re right. I shouldn’t decide things for you. You’ve always been a person who knows her own mind.”

Huajie said: “Good — those were the right words. Each person has their own path. We walk together, but you can’t carry me on your back while running. The same goes for others. I’m not asking you to carry me — and I’ll be watching over you. I won’t let anyone attach themselves to you and drag you down.”

Zhù Ying smiled: “All right. Don’t pull such a serious face — the way you look right now, it’s as if something momentous has happened. How could I possibly be dragged down by anyone? I take advantage of people — no one takes advantage of me.”

Huajie said: “You always do this — you pick up the heaviest burdens yourself and then insist they’re light.”

Zhù Ying was mystified: “What burden? I don’t… you mean now? I’m actually in quite good spirits.”

Huajie laughed: “All right — I’m in quite good spirits too. Let’s be in good spirits together, shall we?”

Zhù Ying said: “We’ve always been in good spirits together. Oh — when you go to the back alley to deliver medicine, have they said anything unpleasant?”

Huajie, not having thought of it being Du Dajie who spoke, asked: “How did you know? I was wondering why you suddenly brought up the warden examination…”

Zhù Ying smiled: “Never mind. Since we’ve both said what needed to be said — let’s not worry about other people.”

“Not worry at all?”

“What would we do if we did? How? If it doesn’t affect us, there’s nothing to be done about it.”

Huajie said: “If we happen to come across her, we’ll lend a hand. If we don’t, we won’t seek her out. All right?”

Zhù Ying said: “Good!”

……——

Since Huajie had no wish to prepare for the examination, Zhù Ying stopped pushing the matter. She had plenty to do anyway — the female guards were due to report.

She had set her own rule about officials at the Court not meeting alone with the female guards. She had to practice what she preached, which meant she needed to bring along Evaluation Official Bao and Hu Lian — the three of them handling matters together. First she took the women to a room borrowed from the Capital Prefecture, brought in the tailor, and had their measurements taken for uniforms. Then she went through the regulations of the palace precinct with them and had them all memorize everything.

Then came the protocol.

Protocol turned out to be, as expected, the most troublesome part — because these women were women, and Zhù Ying and the others only knew men’s protocol. And in the palace precinct, there had never before been women in official service. The palace maids of the inner palace did not count as palace precinct personnel.

Hu Lian said: “What do we do about this?”

Zhù Ying said: “What do you mean, what do we do? We use ours! What distinction is there between men and women’s protocol? We deal in the distinction between inside and outside! These women are out here doing a job — that makes them the same as us. From now on they work the same way we do.”

Hu Lian said: “Well, that’s simple enough! With their rank, they’re not going to encounter any great figures. In ordinary circumstances no one is going to pick a fight with them about it!”

The protocol the guards needed to learn was straightforward: how to walk, which paths to take, how to yield to whom — anyone who held a rank, they yielded to. What a full formal bow looked like, and what a lesser formal bow looked like on the rare occasion they would need to appear before a superior. Not very much. Because the occasions requiring their presence were not many.

A few days was enough to learn it all. Their passes had come through. The uniforms had been fitted and made.

Before formally entering the palace precinct, Zhù Ying laid out what their treatment would be going forward:

There would be cloth allowances, of course — beginning with one autumn uniform right now, and then three months’ salary for the remainder of the year. Salary came in two forms, grain and money, not large, but equal to that of the male guards. In winter there would also be cloth allowances issued, and the women must make new winter garments — this was a matter of the Court of Judicial Review’s dignity. On top of that there were some additional Court subsidies at the major festivals, and the first one coming up was the start of winter, when there would be the newly added coal supplement.

Moreover, the Court of Judicial Review provided a fixed noon meal, and a good one. If on night duty, three meals for the full day and night were covered.

Finally, Zhù Ying said: “There are also various smaller items — once you’re inside the Court you’ll learn about them.”

Apart from Mrs. Wu, whose family had generations of service in this type of work, everyone was genuinely energized!

Fu Xiaoniangzi did the arithmetic: just renting one small room for herself and her son in the nunnery was two strings of cash a year! And there would be money left over! The grain salary would be more than enough to feed the two of them, with some to spare! She could take little one out for some meat to nourish him back to health! And there would be cloth! The little one hadn’t had new clothes in two years — and he was only three years old. It was heartbreaking.

And then she remembered — there was also coal and charcoal. Winter would be warm now. And other subsidies, and all the rice and money she could save. All at once she felt filled with hope for life.

Miss Che, on the other side, just openly burst out laughing and hugged her friend Xiao Gan: “Now things are finally looking up!”

Xiao Gan said: “Now I can finally stop worrying about you!”

There was also a young woman who looked as if she was constantly ready to spring into action — one who had already established herself as a named figure. She was called Zhou Wei, and her face was bursting with barely suppressed anticipation.

Then there was Mrs. Xu, the woman who had come in first in the run, whose expression was similar to Fu Xiaoniangzi’s. Beyond her there was another widow, Zhao Five Sister, and finally the butcher’s wife, Huo Second Sister.

Everyone was happy. Most of them had based their expectations on what they knew of the treatment in the Capital Prefecture and its subordinate counties. When they had first heard the Court’s rules earlier, they had gritted their teeth and endured. Each had her own difficulties and absolutely had to seize this opportunity. Difficult or not — it was still better than having no hope at all.

Now that they had heard the Court of Judicial Review’s actual treatment, they were genuinely pleasantly surprised.

Hu Lian and Evaluation Official Bao, watching how happy everyone was, felt a great surge of pride in the Court of Judicial Review. Hu Lian cleared his throat and said: “Since that’s the case — you may all go home for today! Tomorrow, no one is to be late!”

Evaluation Official Bao looked left and right, saw that he had the lowest rank among the three examiners, and decided he had to play the stern one: “And don’t be too pleased with yourselves! All of this belongs to you only if you can hold your place at the Court of Judicial Review! If you break the rules and are dismissed, none of this will have anything to do with you! Don’t forget — when you were selected, you saw how many others were waiting! You’d better keep your wits about you!”

The eight female guards answered together: “Yes!”

Zhù Ying said: “Good. That’s all for today.”

She also went back to the Court of Judicial Review with Hu Lian and Bao to do a final inspection of the women’s ward. The women’s ward also had living quarters for the wardens: two rooms, one for the warden and one for the guards. The warden had a private bed; the guards had a communal sleeping platform. These were in the outermost position of the entire prison block, the best-ventilated area.

Hu Lian said: “It’s worth a look — better make sure there are no mice. They’d frighten people.”

He said this and then remembered that Zhù Ying, that heartless creature, had apparently put mice in the dark room to test the candidates — anyone who was afraid of mice had scored poorly…

Hu Lian was at a loss for words. After a moment he said: “You actually… that makes a kind of sense.”

Zhù Ying said: “Of course — when have I ever been without reason?”

The two exchanged a laugh. Zhù Ying had Young Tao lock the door.

That day, returning home, Zhù Ying asked Huajie: “You went to Cihui Nunnery again?”

Huajie said: “Mm! I wanted to check on Fu Xiaoniangzi — she reports to the Court tomorrow.”

“What’s there to check?”

Huajie said with a slight smile: “Plenty to check! You won’t guess what I heard.”

“I won’t guess — just tell me.”

“You have their name slips and consent forms, but those only tell you a few lines about each person on paper. What you don’t know is that every single one of them has a story. I found all of it out from Fu Xiaoniangzi!”

Zhù Ying thought: I gave each of them two hundred cash, and suggested they gather and celebrate together. You think I don’t know why she knows so much?

Huajie said without waiting for Zhù Ying to ask: “You know about Fu Xiaoniangzi already. The truth is, few among these women have had easy lives — they’ve all had hardships that drove them to come out and seek a livelihood.”

“Except for Xiao Gan, who has a family that loves her, came partly to accompany Miss Che, and partly because she genuinely felt she was no less capable than anyone else and wanted to give it a try. Her parents supported her and personally sent her. Then there’s Mrs. Wu, Tao’s wife — her family and her in-laws have both been in this line of work for generations. The rest are different, though. Several have family difficulties.”

“Miss Che’s father and mother are both gone. With her family gone, she can’t hold the martial arts school together on her own — it’s not that she lacks skill or willingness to teach, but hardly anyone will learn from her. She can’t pay to train students out of her own pocket, so she had to find another way. Her master’s fellow disciples — after helping bury the master, the bonds of that relationship ran thin. Either she would marry one of them, or she would close the school, or she would need a husband whose presence could give her master’s fellow disciples someone to nominally treat as a brother-in-law. But the kind of people her father had known in life were not the kind of reliable people one could entrust a daughter to.”

Zhù Ying thought: Che Meng and the people he knew — their sense of honor did include things like marrying his daughter or finding her a husband, but it absolutely did not include working under his daughter.

She said: “Now that she has a position, she can fix up the house her father left her.”

“How did you know about that?”

Zhù Ying said: “I don’t know about the others, but her family’s martial arts school — I’ve walked past it when going out. It was already falling into disrepair. Parts of the roof had collapsed, and so the price kept getting driven down when people tried to buy it, and it hadn’t sold. If renting, who would rent a roof that leaked? Now things are better. Fix the roof, rent out the unused rooms, and there’s another source of income. She can live comfortably.”

Huajie said: “So that’s why you wanted to buy her house? Her area isn’t very good — too far from the palace precinct for your needs.”

Zhù Ying let that slide by and asked: “What about the others?”

“Mrs. Xu is already married, and has a husband, but the husband is bedridden with illness, and she alone earns money for the family — all five mouths, including the mother-in-law, son, and daughter, are all fed by her. An unbearable hardship. She ran the whole race weeping, wiping her tears as she ran, and finished first.”

Zhù Ying said: “I remember her.” Mrs. Xu, like Zhù Ying herself in the old days, had not so much as blinked looking at the corpse. Poor people were not afraid of ghosts. Mrs. Xu was clearly very poor.

Huajie said: “Fortunately, the family all listen to her. Not like some households where the husband and mother-in-law are kept alive by the daughter-in-law’s labor and still manage to bully and mistreat her.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“That Zhou girl — her family was freed from servitude one generation back. Freed servants still perform servant-like courtesies when they encounter their old masters. She has a proud spirit.”

Zhù Ying thought: I’ll be keeping an eye on her then.

“Zhao Five Sister is also a widow — she didn’t want to remarry, and when she saw the opportunity, she came. And Huo Second Sister is the wife of a butcher. She used to help her husband in the trade. Now the younger brother-in-law has grown old enough to help, and her son is about seven or eight and old enough to pitch in, so she came out to work.”

Huo Second Sister was thirty this year, and her build was genuinely on the stout side.

Zhù Ying said: “Miss Gan and Miss Che are quite the talkers.”

Huajie smiled: “Isn’t that a good thing?”

Zhù Ying thought: These eight who made it through — at least they have some natural aptitude. Whether their characters are genuinely good is harder to say. But then, I’m not selecting saints — as long as they’re willing to endure hardship and get things done, that’s all I need.

……——

Having gotten a fairly good read on these women’s backgrounds, Zhù Ying was far more at ease when she met up with them the next morning outside the palace precinct.

All eight female guards were dressed in their formal uniforms, each looking full of spirit. People passing by were pointing and commenting, but none of the women paid them any mind.

Zhù Ying said: “Follow me in. Get into a line — no crowding together like you’re going to a market. Don’t go thinking the palace precinct is somewhere you can wander around as you please. Let’s go.”

She was like a mother duck leading a flock of ducklings. When the group reached the gate, Zhù Ying first went through identity verification with Sergeant Li. Sergeant Li was in the middle of making a knowing expression when he stopped midway, opened his eyes wide, and looked again. He pulled Zhù Ying aside and said: “These are the ones you selected? You picked yourself a flock of she-devils?! You really want to be King Yama?!”

Since this had not been a beauty pageant, the result was something like: Huo Second Sister was strapping, Miss Che was quite dark-skinned, Mrs. Xu had a sallow complexion. Xiao Gan and Miss Che were close friends with similar personalities — Xiao Gan also looked the quick and agile type. Fu Xiaoniangzi, though her husband had wanted to sell her, had been chosen for bearing children rather than for beauty — she had the face of a virtuous woman who would breed well, all softness, with no prettiness about it. The others were much the same. By contrast, Zhou Wei, simply because she was fair-skinned, came off as the most presentable — and even she was merely average-looking.

Zhù Ying said: “They’re guarding a prison — what were you expecting?”

Sergeant Li was thoroughly impressed, giving her a full thumbs-up: “Little Zhù — you’re something else.”

Zhù Ying taught them how to go through identity verification, and then reminded them not to carry prohibited items: “The Imperial Guards are men, so they won’t be searching your persons — that’s a form of respect. If any prohibited items are discovered on you, you don’t need me to tell you the consequences. You will rotate this duty — one person each day will serve as the search officer. Once the warden is in place, the wardens will take turns doing the searches.”

Sergeant Li waved a hand: “Don’t make it sound so terrifying.”

Once through the gate, no one came to greet Zhù Ying — not unusual, since Yang the Sixth, despite himself, sidled over and said: “What if we asked the eunuchs?” His own uncle was a high-ranking palace eunuch, so this was entirely feasible.

Zhù Ying said: “Fine! I’ll go back and find Grand Judge Zheng about it.” A formal request from the Court of Judicial Review would work just as well.

Yang the Sixth thumped his chest: “I’ll go ask!”

Zhù Ying thought: you are truly naive. But getting the Court of Judicial Review connected to the palace eunuchs was actually not a bad thing. Once there’s an opening, I can make friends of them!

When Zhù Ying brought the column of female guards to the Court of Judicial Review, Zheng Xi had not yet returned from court. She called over Hu Lian: “Come — it’s still us two taking them on the tour.”

She explained the Court’s layout, described the “neighbors,” then took them to the prison block. Zhù Ying pointed to the men’s ward and said: “That side is the men’s ward. You will be in the women’s ward. There are two gates between you. Each of you will use your own gate! Except in special circumstances, crossing that boundary is not permitted!”

She took them to meet the men’s ward personnel with brief mutual introductions, then took them to look at the duty room: “Anyone on night shift — the outer gate is locked, and the keys stay with you. Each shift must have at least two people. Night shifts are not required for now. Bedding is not your own to bring — the Court provides bedding in the duty room. That’s all you need to know for now. Everywhere else is off-limits for wandering! Clear?”

She had drawn boundaries for these female guards right from the start. Since they had just come in, it was like introducing a duck into a chicken coop — unclear what the outcome would be, and Zhù Ying could only keep close watch herself.

“Yes!”

Zhù Ying said: “Good. The senior officials are about to return from court. Go and meet your superiors. Then collect your equipment, and you can settle in.”

“Yes!”

Back in the main hall of the Court of Judicial Review, the three senior officials had returned and spotted the female guards without giving any particular sign of having done so. They first distributed the day’s work with the usual single word: “Same as usual.” Only then did Zhù Ying bring the female guards to meet the three senior officials of Zheng Xi, Leng Yun, and Pei Qing.

Not exactly beauties — Leng Yun yawned. Pei Qing’s expression remained composed as usual. Zheng Xi, just as with newly arrived male clerks, said: “Since you have entered the Court of Judicial Review, follow the Court’s rules. You work hard, the Court will not treat you poorly. For any matter, go by Sanlang’s rules.”

Zhù Ying said: “My Lord — you just said ‘go by my rules.’ So if any of the three of you should need to summon them in the future, also go by my rules. No private meetings. When speaking, the doors must be kept open — at minimum a window.”

Zheng Xi laughed and scolded: “You and your endless rules! Are you still here? Get going!”

Leng Yun laughed: “Well, well — the son is now managing the father!” He had been so thoroughly comfortable under Zhù Ying’s management of the Court that he was now speaking complete nonsense. Zhù Ying glanced at him. He touched his nose and looked away, whistling.

Pei Qing said: “Cough, cough — though you are women, you have now entered official service. That is different from women outside. Treasure this.”

Leng Yun said: “Quite right — the Court of Judicial Review didn’t go to small trouble over this.”

Among all the guards, Mrs. Wu had the most experience of the world and would normally have been the most nervous. But she thought: I’m the most worldly one here. Her courage naturally grew, and she said: “Yes! We will do our utmost to serve faithfully!”

Leng Yun, finding her phrasing oddly stilted, waved a hand: “Off you go!”

Zhù Ying looked at Zheng Xi, who nodded.

Zhù Ying took the female guards to the supply room. The keeper of the supply room saw her coming and came over to bow: “Little Magistrate Zhù!”

“Come — collecting equipment!”

The man sized up the female guards with the same expression as Sergeant Li had worn, then said, very properly: “Each person: one bedding set, two basins, one hand towel, one comb, one basin stand, one stool! Four cabinets in total — as per Little Magistrate Zhù’s instructions, each cabinet is divided into two sections with separate locks. Here — eight locks, two keys each, each person’s things go in their own cabinet section. Ten needles, one box of thread.”

The women murmured quietly among themselves. A single cough made them stop. They each received their equipment. Zhù Ying said: “When you get back, either tie a strip of cloth or write your name on your things — so they don’t get mixed up. Large furniture will be carried over shortly. Take the small items first.”

Then it was the passes: “Take this — use it to collect your grain, your money — these come from the government.”

“Yes!”

“Quiet!”

Zhù Ying said: “Line up — one person at a time!”

The women lined up again and collected their things in small, quick steps. They didn’t need to be taught — they tucked the salary passes safely away in their clothing, bundled small items into a box and secured them. Then they rolled their bedding into bundles and lifted them onto their backs — all of them clearly practiced workers. Xiao Gan and Miss Che were a little slower, and Fu Xiaoniangzi and Mrs. Xu helped them tie their bedding rolls.

Zhù Ying said: “Good. Today that’s all. Tomorrow come on your own, and collect your coal supplement.”

The supply keeper produced an account book: “Come, sign your names — verify your items, make sure the count is right, no mistakes…”

Hu Lian had been watching with interest at first, but was now mimicking swatting mosquitoes. Zhù Ying watched the women finish collecting, then said: “Right — bring them back to the women’s ward and we’re done.”

But arriving at the women’s ward, that was not the end either. Zhù Ying didn’t have them settle in right away. Instead she said: “Come — it’s time for the communal meal.”

……——

The communal meal was everyone eating together. But some important positions couldn’t be left unattended — like the prison cells. For the women’s ward, since there were no prisoners at the moment, the door could be locked and everyone could go together.

Officials and clerks ate in separate areas — just as junior officials didn’t eat with senior officials. Zhù Ying didn’t wait on Zheng Xi and the others at meals — she ate with her colleagues. Having added female guards, she had arranged a table for them in advance, a lone table set apart from the male clerks’ tables by one zhang. The food was the same as the male clerks’ food.

Zhù Ying checked the food first that day before going back to eat at her own table.

Hu Lian teased her: “Leng the Deputy Chief Justice said that Grand Judge Zheng treats you like a son — I see you treating these women like daughters. You’re young yourself, mind you, and looking quite boyish. Several of them are older than you — some could be your mother — and you’re looking after them like this.”

“I’m the one who recruited them.”

Zhù Ying ate quickly. When she was nearly full, she heard some noise from that direction and went over to take a look. The trouble had started with the women encountering, for the first time, something that could not quite be called a direct provocation.

Every person had their own allotted food, but in the Court of Judicial Review under Zhù Ying there was a rule: eat your fill. Vegetables were not unlimited, but staple food — as much as one wanted. The difference in cost was made up from the Court’s fund. Officials generally did not need much more, but this provision mainly benefited the minor clerks.

At the women’s table, someone asked for more food. Not far away, a man who noticed this said in astonishment: “Women can eat that much? Surely their stomachs can’t be that large?”

They meant it as “quiet whispering,” but unfortunately the female guards all heard. The female guards were not pleased. Zhou Wei, unable to hold back, said: “Mind your own bowl! What gives you the right to say we can eat less than you? We’re all here working at the Court of Judicial Review — who outranks whom?”

Someone retorted, and since he couldn’t silence her decisively, some of the more impish ones took an interest. Some sensible older hands tried to mediate, but didn’t try too hard.

The scene immediately became lively.

Zhù Ying was sauntering over when something else happened.

Mrs. Xu’s family had many mouths to feed and rarely got enough of even ordinary staple food. She had taken a cloth to quietly wrap up a couple of steamed buns to take home. She had been discreet — she had only said a word to the others at her own table — but the commotion nearby drew everyone’s attention. And then someone spoke: “You’re not allowed to take food home!”

Mrs. Xu went red in the face. Fu Xiaoniangzi, who had also had the thought but had been a moment too slow, quickly said: “We’ll eat a little less here — save a little to bring back.”

“That doesn’t seem right either.”

Mrs. Wu, whose father and husband were both stationed here, quickly told her colleagues: “The rule is really like this — put it down. The money and grain will be more than enough to eat with. Why embarrass yourself? Their mouths aren’t kind.” Then she said to the men nearby: “We’re all here serving at the same post! Uncles, brothers — please, everyone eat your own food! It’s the same work — so the same meal.”

Most people gave her face. But one who still stung from not having managed to establish authority over the newly arrived women was not satisfied, and insisted: “We should take this up with Little Magistrate Zhù — the food budget has a fixed allowance per person!”

Huo Second Sister said: “Exactly! The fixed allowance is the same for everyone! If a woman’s stomach is smaller and she doesn’t eat as much as a man, then she’s not spending as much of the allowance. You take it in your stomach, we take it in our bag — what’s wrong with that?”

“If you eat less, you shouldn’t get the same share!”

Zhù Ying swallowed her bun and thought: interesting.

On the other side, Miss Che stood up to back up Huo Second Sister: “We’ll have a contest — whoever eats more gets the bigger share! If we can out-eat you, we get the full portion!”

Mrs. Wu’s father, seeing that things were getting properly out of hand and wanting to protect his daughter, stepped forward and said: “Gentlemen, please — one word from me! We’re all colleagues! There’s no call for men to get this serious with a woman about these things! This isn’t how the Court of Judicial Review does things…”

Mrs. Wu, however, hadn’t had time to feel proud of her father. She quickly pulled Miss Che back down to her seat. Miss Che asked: “Why?”

“It’s your time of the month!”

Miss Che twisted to look, and her new uniform had a spreading red stain on the back. She was instantly paralyzed with mortification — this was worse than being mocked in front of everyone. Xiao Gan immediately stood behind her and said: “Quick — never mind them. Let’s stay put. Wait for everyone else to leave, or be the very last to go, and slip out quietly!”

The situation was acutely embarrassing.

Zhù Ying sauntered over and said: “Oh.”

The clerks didn’t dare speak. Old Wu clasped his hands toward her: “Little Magistrate Zhù.”

“Enjoying yourselves, are you? I spent a full month in arguments with various ministries so that you’d have entertainment? All this energy to spare? Then let’s all skip the communal meal from now on — I’ll cut the whole thing.”

The clerks didn’t dare breathe: “No, no, please, no.”

Some were grinning sheepishly and begging for mercy: “We wouldn’t dare, Your Honor. Please have mercy — spare us our meals!”

Zhù Ying also looked at Miss Che and said: “A food-eating contest? I hired stomachs?”

Miss Che was usually bold, but today’s situation was particularly special. She was nearly in tears. Zhù Ying looked at the back of her uniform and said: “I was careless. Going forward, you women eat here — no taking food out. But we’ll calculate at eight-tenths of the male portion.”

Old Huang pushed his way over: “Little Magistrate Zhù…”

Zhù Ying said: “Each month deduct one hundred cash from their food portion.”

The clerks exchanged meaningful glances. Zhù Ying continued without a change of expression: “That one hundred cash will be issued to them directly, to buy things women need — grass paper, monthly cloths, and the like. All right, everyone eat. As for you,” she pointed at the clerks in question, “you’ve shamed me. Do you think you’re full? Then don’t eat. Next month’s supplementary allowance, all of you, docked.”

Cries of complaint rose from behind her. Old Huang said: “It was just a few mouthy ones — not all of them said anything.”

Zhù Ying said: “And the rest of you were watching? Quite entertaining, was it? The Court of Judicial Review needs harmony — men in harmony, and with the women in it must be the same. No taking advantage. Everyone remember. All right, go back to eating.” Then casually: “Of the female guards, two per shift — let it be Huo Second Sister and Little Wu as team leaders.”

Done, she turned and walked away, thinking she might still be able to catch a bowl of hot soup.

Old Huang watched her go, then said: “You really thought Little Magistrate Zhù had a soft temper?! Do you know how many households that one has dismantled?! You asked for it!”

Others grumbled at the mouthy ones: “Little Magistrate Zhù was the one who got these women in here — clearly they weren’t brought here for entertainment. And then you go and mock them. Now you’ve gotten us all roped in.”

Zhou Wei still wanted to say something, but Fu Xiaoniangzi pulled her back: “They started trouble and got punished for it. If you go out there now, you’re starting trouble — and then we’ll be the ones getting punished. Tomorrow we’re collecting the coal supplement — do you want that or not? The rules are right there! Don’t take a loss the very first day.”

Mrs. Xu went red in the face: “It’s all my fault.”

Huo Second Sister said: “Nothing to do with you. Those ghosts were the disagreeable ones.”

Zhao Five Sister also said: “It’s not your fault. Those ghosts — they look like proper people, but their hearts aren’t necessarily right.” She was a widow, and widows lived with more than their share of gossip — for every genuinely kind-hearted person, there was always a group of idle men ready to make up unsavory stories.

Miss Che quietly thanked Xiao Gan and Mrs. Wu. Mrs. Wu said: “They’re not usually like this — it was just a few with big mouths. They see each other every day and can’t afford to make real enemies. Once everyone gets used to each other, it’ll be fine. We’re newcomers right now — that’s always when people test you. Give it time and things will settle.”

The women murmured among themselves. The men on the other side had quieted down too, buzzing in low voices about how to grovel and get their supplementary allowances back. When everyone had finished eating, Miss Che wrapped someone’s removed outer garment around herself and ran home to change and wash her uniform.

……——

When Miss Che had finished everything, she lay down on her bed and did not want to get up. She thought: no cooking dinner tonight — either skip it or go buy something. At least I have money now!

The house was still a bit of a wreck, but she felt differently about it now than she had before.

She wanted to walk the right path. She was done with waking up in the middle of the night to heat water and clean wounds for people who came back from street fights. And done with being pawed at by those types! Her old mother’s dear, there was nothing worth pawing at anyway!

She was genuinely grateful to Zhù Ying: Little Magistrate Zhù is a good person.

The next day, Miss Che arrived at the palace precinct full of energy and high spirits. Yes, yesterday had been embarrassing, but she needed this job.

At the women’s ward, everyone was just about assembled. Since she had arrived last, she was assigned the spot at the far edge — she didn’t mind. She settled her things, and asked: “What are we doing?”

Mrs. Wu smiled: “Nothing much for now — just sweep up and check for any damage to report. We won’t have real work until there are prisoners.”

They all complained about the mouthy male clerks from the day before, and all agreed: “Little Magistrate Zhù is a good person — nothing like other men.”

Zhao Five Sister then said to Zhou Wei: “You’ll need to keep that temper of yours in check. Don’t go causing trouble for Little Magistrate Zhù.”

Zhou Wei gave a cold sniff.

Mrs. Xu said: “Let’s go collect the coal supplement!”

They went in a group and collected it. After the incident the day before, no one today gave them a hard time, and no one talked much to them either.

Coming back with the coal supplement, Mrs. Wu said: “We have nothing to do now, but let’s not just sit idle either — they might say we’re collecting a free salary. Come — let’s study some characters, learn some of the law codes.”

Zhou Wei asked: “What do you have there?”

Mrs. Wu smiled: “It’s the regulations for this Court of Judicial Review’s prison. I had someone copy them for me. Let’s go. We can’t wait for Little Magistrate Zhù to arrange everything for us.”

Everyone said: “Exactly right. This is how a proper post should be handled!”

……——

After getting the women’s ward settled, Zhù Ying stopped keeping close watch on them. She had her own work to attend to — the Capital Prefecture needed to borrow her help in selecting female guards.

Zheng Xi kept his expression unreadable and said to Zhù Ying: “Since he has invited you, go.”

Zhù Ying said: “What do you mean ‘invited’?”

Zheng Xi said: “Still here? Go. Come back when you’re done — I have something to say.”

Zhù Ying said: “There’s still almost ten days until then! Aren’t we going to do our own work in the meantime?”

“What do you think is on your agenda?”

Zhù Ying said: “Look — the coal supplement has been issued, and our own coal needs to be arranged too. The petitions from various localities have also come in — this is the time to issue the sentence orders. The preparations must be made well in advance or there’ll be confusion at the time of execution. And the deadline for warden applications has passed — we should be preparing the examination. How would I have time?”

Zheng Xi said: “The Prefecture has sent formal correspondence — you have to go. Spare two days, go have a look. And you still need to borrow their venue for the warden examination!”

“Ha — they’ve already called me the King Yama. I should go back? I won’t go take any more scolding.”

“What’s all this talking back?”

Zhù Ying finally went to the Capital Prefecture for one visit. This time she sat and observed as Wang Yunhe made his selections.

Some of those she had turned away had genuinely come back for numbered tokens. Others had only just heard the news and come for the first time. Everyone felt that Wang Yunhe was an upright official, surely he would be more lenient than the little King Yama from the Court of Judicial Review.

And indeed — Wang Yunhe did not take everyone to see a corpse. He really was a kind man!

Wang Yunhe selected ten women, because the Capital Prefecture regularly arrested minor female offenders and female suspects, so female prisoners were actually more frequent there than at the Court. As for the warden, he had also submitted a memorial at the time requesting one, and decided to simply tag along with the Court of Judicial Review’s examination as a convenience. If none of those coming to sit the Court’s exam suited him, he could also promote one or two of the female guards who proved diligent and thorough in their work to serve as warden.

Wang Yunhe was a candid person. While conducting the guard selection, he was already seeking to finalize the arrangement of riding along with the Court’s examination.

Zhù Ying said: “Are you serious?”

Wang Yunhe said: “Of course!”

Zhù Ying said: “How could I ask you to take my leftovers? But if I don’t select the best ones, I can’t explain myself either…”

Wang Yunhe said: “Enough talk.”

Zhù Ying said: “No — it’s different. This time is setting precedent for all future times. You’re selecting female guards too — surely you don’t just take everyone who was ranked below ninth on my list? You’ll conduct your own round of testing, won’t you? Perhaps set a date close to the Court’s exam?”

Wang Yunhe nodded: “That’s right. Mm — unfortunately with so few candidates it won’t establish a firm precedent. Otherwise it would be wonderful to have the examination go through multiple levels, like the imperial examinations.”

Zhù Ying let him muse aloud, while thinking she needed to meet with Director Yin and settle the examination questions, then send formal notice asking the Ministry of Rites to send someone to supervise. The female warden — the sooner that was done, the better!