Zhang Xiangu and Huajie took turns caring for Zhù Ying. Even in her own home, Huajie was careful not to let Du Dajie or Cao Chang notice anything amiss. Zhang Xiangu had moved all her bedding to Zhù Ying’s room and slept on the small couch; Huajie handled things during the day.

From the day Zhù Ying came home, starting the second day, a steady stream of visitors came to call. Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da received them in the room outside the bedroom and let them peer in through the door at her from a distance. Huajie would explain from the side: “Lost too much blood — still hasn’t woken.”

Blunt souls like Sixth Young Lord Yang asked: “Shouldn’t we call a good physician? I think I know an imperial physician.”

That was absolutely out of the question. Zhang Xiangu panicked and said: “It won’t work!”

“Oh?”

Huajie said: “She’s in no condition to see a physician in her current state — if a physician comes now, he’ll just be probing and poking, and I’m afraid the exertion…”

Zhang Xiangu rushed in: “Exactly — she’s just been sutured; if they pull and pick at it, I just can’t bear—”

Huajie said: “When there’s a genuine need, we’ll absolutely speak up. The worry is that by then…”

Sixth Young Lord Yang was not suspicious; he slapped his chest: “Whatever else I can’t promise, I’ll definitely come through on that.”

Warm-hearted individuals like Jin Daniangzi immediately sent her household cook over: “Dajie, Huajie — the way things are at your house, with both of you tending to Sanlang, Du Dajie alone can’t manage. Here — Sanlang always liked our braised pork trotters; our braised knuckles and pig’s head are excellent as well! A large pork knuckle replenishes vitality!” The cook had even brought her own bedroll.

Zhang Xiangu thanked her profusely; Jin Daniangzi said: “What is there to thank for? We’re all our own people; Sanlang took those injuries doing it for us! Our man, if he comes back from outside the city and finds out I didn’t look after Sanlang, he’ll be fighting with me. Tell Dajie — Seventh Young Lord’s temperament is one thing: he’ll never let our Sanlang come to grief for nothing.”

The Jin household had always had a deep, steadfast trust in Zheng Xi.

The nuns from Cihui Convent also sent medicinal herbs; two young novices came to pass word to Huajie: “Whatever you need — just say it.”

The Court of Judicial Review colleagues came somewhat later. By evening they arrived — Hu Lian, the Left Investigating Officer, and Evaluating Officer Bao — the three of them together. They looked in on Zhù Ying from a distance and then said: “Madam — please be at ease. There is an imperial edict; the Three Judicial Offices together with the Metropolitan Governor’s Office are jointly handling the case. We are going home now; we will definitely not let Sanlang’s injuries go unavenged!”

They also left behind pooled contributions; Zhang Xiangu demurred at great length, but they said: “If Little Zhù were her usual self, what she’s short of for food and drink would never matter. Now she’s lying there — where is she supposed to find money? She too is one who really ought to have saved a bit more at home.” They insisted on leaving it.

Slightly later than the Court of Judicial Review was a representative from Wang Yunhe’s household — his old steward, who brought a great many things. Since Zhù Ying was still asleep, the old steward took one look, set down the gifts, and took his leave. Before going he said: “The Lord Chief Minister says a physician will arrive shortly.”

Zhang Xiangu and Huajie hastily declined; Huajie said: “I am a physician myself; close attendance is more convenient than having someone from outside. “

The old steward went back to report, and Wang Yunhe, recalling Huajie’s background, said: “With her looking after things, that is far more reliable.” And so that was that.

By evening, Zhù Ying developed a fever. Huajie lit the lamp, and she and Zhang Xiangu hastily began cold-compressing her forehead, not daring to expose her whole body to the air.

Zhang Xiangu was so anxious she cried out several times at the bedside: “Old Three — Old Three!”

Huajie said: “This won’t do — she can’t pull through without some food.”

The two of them together helped her up and managed to pour half a bowl of the simmered ginseng chicken broth into her. Zhù Ying murmured faintly: “More.”

Zhang Xiangu was overjoyed: “You’re awake?!”

Huajie held out the remaining half bowl and tried to spoon-feed her; she shook her head slightly — no need for the spoon — and lifting the bowl in Huajie’s hands, she drained what was left from the rim herself. Zhang Xiangu laughed: “That’s better! As long as she can eat, nothing serious will come of this!”

Huajie was about to send for more, but she shook her head slightly — no more needed. Zhù Ying’s forehead was still faintly warm; Huajie felt her pulse again — still not very encouraging.

Zhù Ying said: “I’ll be all right.”

Zhang Xiangu ran delightedly to serve her; the tray came back with not only the broth but the pork knuckle, a bowl of noodle soup beside it, and she said: “Come! Eat more!”

Huajie knew injured people needed nourishment and was also startled by this enormous tray: “This — this — this…”

Zhù Ying said: “Bring over the low table — I’ll eat.”

She proceeded to wolf down half a knuckle — skin and all — then a bowl of noodles, then sipped the chicken broth in small mouthfuls: “I feel better.”

Huajie murmured: “What kind of world is this…”

Zhang Xiangu cleared the bowls and plates away; Huajie wrung out a cloth and wiped Zhù Ying’s face and hands, then told her what had happened during the day. Zhù Ying said: “Three Judicial Offices? Ha — worth it.”

Having all three judicial offices handle a single case together was a very weighty thing!

In the Gong Jie treason case, it was only because the Emperor had had special considerations that the Court of Judicial Review had borne the main burden. If the Emperor had wished to proceed in the normal fashion at the time, all three judicial offices would have been the most that could be managed. Now the Metropolitan Governor’s Office had been added on top of that — things were quite significant indeed.

* * *

Things were of course very significant. Zhù Ying’s return on them more than Zheng Xi had.

As long as Zhù Ying had not died, Zheng Xi had won.

A killing carried out in front of the imperial city gates — whoever it was, they had gone too far.

Zheng Xi was in a towering rage when he first received the news — and tremendous shock as well. Four against one, Zhù Ying would most likely not survive! This could of course be turned to political advantage, but without evidence, suspicion was only suspicion — and one could only fight below the surface. Then the next message came, saying Zhù Ying was not dead; she had even gone after the fugitive while injured and caught him. Zheng Xi was instantly transported with delight!

And that was when Gan Ze’s message went to her.

Zheng Xi’s mind had already fixed on a suspect — Duan Zhi. Perhaps Duan Lin as well. Having someone killed looked crude and blunt with no skill whatsoever — and yet it had a certain quality of extreme cleverness in its simplicity. A dead person had nothing left. Now, with the person not dead, one captive taken, one could call it a miscalculation.

If it was not Duan Zhi, then there was still nothing wrong with that — catching a potential enemy was also very satisfactory.

There was also another possibility he had prepared for: that Zhù Ying had done something in private that brought vengeance down on her — and what was to be done in that case?

From the first time he had set eyes on Zhù Ying, he had always felt that she was a person who appeared courteous and had some human warmth — but that warmth was for “her own people.” For others, there was probably not so much feeling to spare; she might have done anything. If that was the case, how to cover it up was also a matter requiring some skill.

In the palace at the time, the Emperor was still there; the officials had not yet dispersed. The Emperor’s fury was immediate; he ordered the three judicial offices to investigate. Wang Yunhe saw the Metropolitan Governor Witch — now leading the department and looking at the current Governor with particular irritation — and said gravely: “When did the capital come to harbor this sort of criminal element?”

Governor Witch had been the type to avoid making trouble even when he was President of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Like Shi Kun, the fact that he had risen to this rank did not mean he was entirely soft. When truly provoked, he could turn ruthless every bit as quickly as anyone else. Governor Witch accepted the case on the spot, swearing: “I will make a thorough investigation and clear out this criminal element!”

Emperor and officials alike were all angry!

Governor Witch had in his hands the capital’s operations — the machinery Wang Yunhe had built up and run; the staff’s loyalties had not yet fully scattered. Squinting hard, this apparatus ran smoothly again along its ingrained tracks.

On the other side, Minister of Justice Shi and Censorate Chief Yang at this point also had no patience for any prior jostling among the three offices — both squared their eyes wide open. Inwardly both felt Duan Zhi was the likely suspect — and yet both also felt it somehow seemed too reckless. But thinking again — if it had not been caught, what would have been the loss? Suspect Duan family? Everyone in the room had suspicions hanging over them.

Fortunately, one captive had already been taken — taken by Zhù Ying herself. But at the time she had not enough Court of Judicial Review staff on hand; it had temporarily been handed to Magistrate Liu. The guards of Captain Li were also there; he too wanted a share of the credit for the arrest. The Left Investigating Officer and others arrived shortly after, feeling the prisoner ought to be held by the Court of Judicial Review. All parties argued over it for a round; Magistrate Liu, invoking “I’ve already written a receipt,” stubbornly held onto the prisoner. Then the three offices sent for the prisoner in writing; only when the interrogation began did they learn why the Metropolitan Governor’s Office had been so ready to hand him over — there had been not four prisoners but five! The Metropolitan Governor’s Office had gone to arrest another one; that was how they had so readily handed over the one they had already interrogated to its full extent.

All three offices were furious and insisted on going along to arrest the remaining prisoner as well.

* * *

While the three offices and the Metropolitan Governor were frantically busy, Zhù Ying at home was recuperating in considerable discomfort.

She was running a low fever for several days; her movement was greatly restricted. Huajie forbade her from doing anything, saying: “Stay still and let the wound heal; once you’re better, what is there you can’t do?”

Zhù Ying said: “Am I just supposed to stay like this?”

It was not that she was being contrary with Huajie; having spent so much time together with Huajie and Old Yang, the coroner, she had picked up at least a rough working knowledge of medicine. She was not going to work against her own body. But she was lying face-down right now — that was genuinely unbearable!

Not just lying down — being dosed three meals a day plus medicinal soups — bitter beyond bearing. Still feverish and a little hazy; that feeling was the thing that most put Zhù Ying out of sorts.

While they were talking, Zhang Xiangu brought in yet another large bowl of tonic soup: “Hey — Second Young Lord Lu just brought this over; it’s from the household. They’ve also sent gold-wound medicine; he says their household’s gold-wound medicine has all been tested — the best kind!”

Two women hovering around her; Du Dajie and Jin Daniangzi’s cook in the kitchen below, day and night, simmering and cooking without stop.

Visitors came now and then in the middle of everything; the two women were reluctant to have them see Zhù Ying in her current state — if she could not keep up her composure it might give something away. But Zhù Ying insisted on seeing anyone who came from the Court of Judicial Review or the Metropolitan Governor’s Office, wanting to ask after developments in the case.

The Left Investigating Officer brought news: “Those three at the gate — two dead and one critically injured. The throat-cut one died on the spot. The trampled one appeared to be seriously injured but vomited blood when picked up and died. Only the eviscerated one held on longer; he pointed to the one whose throat had been cut as the mastermind. Now he’s lying there — we will pry his mouth open! Everyone is doing their utmost on the case; don’t worry, just rest and recover. We will not let Sanlang take this lying down!”

Zhù Ying kept feeling that something was off; before she could think it through, Zhang Xiangu, afraid she would wear herself out, refused to let her see any more outside visitors.

When visitors came to the door, it was Zhù Da who received them. He saw someone in constable uniform and was startled: “The criminal has been caught?”

The visitor was Head Constable Zhang: he cupped his fists: “Elder sir — we’ve been ordered to provide protection.”

Zhù Da was bewildered but received him anyway, invited them in for tea; but they would not come in — and instead stood guard outside the Zhù household’s several gates, and had others patrolling the courtyard walls. Zhù Da rushed back to the inner court and, seeing Zhù Ying awake, told her in a low voice.

Zhù Ying said: “Something’s wrong. Is there still a danger?” Otherwise why deploy people to stand guard? She dearly wanted to go and investigate this case herself; she knew perfectly well that it was not her turn — the case was beyond her reach, and her body was not going to allow it. She could only hope that Zheng Xi would, as he had always done, not disappoint her.

Zheng Xi’s heart had already fixed on his suspect — or rather, he was hoping it was Duan Zhi; so he was pressing day and night for “the mastermind.”

While his mind’s chosen “mastermind” was at home going mad.

Duan Zhi could not imagine how four men had resulted in only leaving Zhù Ying injured! Still had a live prisoner! He paced frantically about the house, glancing at his household steward — Yu Si — from time to time.

Yu Si’s heart clenched; he said quietly: “How about — I go hide out at the farm estate? Can they really search as far as the farm?”

The master and servant were still conferring when there was a report from outside: “The Lord President has arrived.”

Duan Zhi scowled: “What does he want?”

Duan Lin was already there. His expression was very poor — it was obvious enough: right now Duan Zhi was the primary suspect! He came in and first sent Yu Si away: “I have something to say — all of you, withdraw!”

Duan Zhi said: “You—!”

Duan Lin’s face had gone dark; Duan Zhi choked to a stop. Duan Lin sent every servant away, then said: “Elder brother — the three judicial offices are handling this case. Zhù Ying has one captive in hand; money was found at the scene. A contracted killing. Right now the suspicion against you is greatest. I need the truth from you.”

“You suspect your own brother?!”

Duan Lin said calmly: “The whole world suspects my brother; why would I be the exception? Either you look at this honestly yourself, or you tell me the truth and I’ll find a way. Zheng Xi is practically knocking down the door; you don’t still think you can handle him yourself, do you?”

“Ha…”

“Now. Do you have any evidence? To those who have already made up their minds about you — no amount of arguing will change anything. If not, tell me the truth. I’ll work something out. His contracted killer was a hired man off the street; this much at least hasn’t come back on you personally. If your name is not in it — then this is just suspicion; without evidence you can’t be touched. But there’s a live captive. And the people who were there are already pointing to the wound-dead as their leader; this won’t hold. There’s still a possible window. How close is this contractor to you?”

Zhù Ying muttered in a tone of distaste.

Zheng Xi’s expression went cold: “What’s done is done. And there’s more — the captive hasn’t clotted; our people are still doing everything to pry the mouth open.”

“Is it really him?”

Zheng Xi nodded: “The Metropolitan Governor’s Office caught the one with the injured hand; he and the one you brought down were confronted — confirmed that the one with the eviscerated belly was the actual ringleader.”

Huajie still had several pages of papers; she quickly flipped open to the next for Zhù Ying to see. The remaining pages were testimony from the others; once it was confirmed the eviscerated one was the ringleader, the three offices pressed harder; before he died he named the go-between who had approached them — Duan Zhi’s second steward, Yu Si. The bandits did not wait around to be painted a portrait — they had followed Yu Si around and confirmed his identity, no need for anything so complicated as a description and a sketch.

The next page was the three offices’ record: they requested Yu Si from Duan Zhi; Duan Zhi said he was also looking for Yu Si, who had apparently gone missing. But that very afternoon, Yu Si’s family members appeared weeping at the yamen’s gate saying Yu Si had left a letter and killed himself. The final page was the transcribed content of Yu Si’s parting letter: When the lord suffers, the servant is shamed; when the lord is humiliated, the servant dies… Zhù Ying had behaved improperly toward his master Duan Zhi; as his servant he could not stand by and watch; he had masterminded the entire affair. He was now choosing to die, begging that his master Duan Zhi be spared from implications. In the letter he cursed Zhù Ying with abandon and also wished her an early death.

Zhù Ying finished reading and smiled. She said: “Now there was a loyal servant.”

Huajie was deeply repulsed by the entire notion of “loyal servant” or “devoted servant” and could not hold herself back: “Was it truly willing, or was it coerced?”

Zheng Xi glanced at her — agreeing. He said: “Then it comes down to the court’s own judgment. He claims it was his own servant — a one-man operation. Does anyone think that eliminates Duan Zhi? Duan Zhi is no fool, and is the whole court full of fools?”

“The dead cannot testify,” Zhù Ying said.

Zheng Xi smiled: “Then it becomes a matter of presumptive judgment. Rest — don’t think too much. Get better. When you’re well, we can drink wine together.”

“Oh? Oh…”

Zheng Xi smiled, stood, and left.

Huajie and Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da nervously accompanied Zheng Xi, wanting to see him out. He was very gracious and also asked after Zhù Ying’s condition. Huajie answered all his questions; Zheng Xi said: “I see she still has a slight fever.” Zhang Xiangu was terrified he would send another physician; she hastily said: “She has a strong constitution — country-born, tough, she’ll get through it.”

Zheng Xi’s smile widened: “She’ll have good fortune later in life.”

“Oh, yes!”

* * *

Besides bringing news, Zheng Xi had also brought many fine things: wound medicines and tonics went without saying; there was also quite a bit of silk and gold, plus a selection of books. He was clearly content to have her rest and recover.

When he was gone, Huajie and Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da all came to see Zhù Ying. Zhang Xiangu asked: “Is it really him? Shouldn’t he be arrested then?”

Huajie asked: “What about Duan Lin?”

Zhù Da asked: “How long will Head Constable Zhang and his men have to stand outside our house?”

Zhù Ying said: “No need to arrest him — there are other ways. Duan Lin — that’s up to his own ability. Head Constable Zhang? Once the case is wrapped up, they’ll go.”

Huajie said: “Just make sure you come home early from now on.”

Zhù Ying said to Huajie: “With the kind of Metropolitan Governor who used to give me corridor passes, there were so few criminals. Now there’s no one like him anymore — what am I supposed to use to get past the night curfew?”

Huajie said: “If that kind of person were still Metropolitan Governor, there wouldn’t be this many criminals in the first place.”

The whole family was very sad; Zhù Da grumbled: “Assaulting an official in broad daylight — how does that not count as treason?”

Zhù Ying said: “If that counted as treason, then someone who kills his way into the palace with a blade — what would that be? Even when everyone is furious, the accounts still can’t be settled that way.”

Huajie had no way to understand why Duan Zhi had done what he did; Zhù Ying said: “What he wanted to do no longer matters. He’s finished.”

The Emperor was angry; the Chief Ministers were angry; none more so than Shi Kun. He did not want any serious incidents occurring during his tenure as Chief Minister. He could overlook Zhù Ying being presumptuous and stirring up trouble — that was just a young person being troublesome. But Duan Zhi, without the stomach for it, had instructed his household servants to buy hired men to assassinate a court official in broad daylight — that challenged Shi Kun’s bottom line!

The other two needed no elaboration.

The whole court had known about Zhù Ying’s fake beard stunt; their opinion of her before the assassination attempt had not been very high — most saw her as no more than a capable advance rider for Zheng Xi. After the assassination incident, this reputation shifted again. Those who did not like her called her “violent and cunning” or “treacherous and devious”; those who appreciated her spoke of her “iron will,” “clear head,” and “quick reflexes.” People like Wang Yunhe felt even greater regret: with this kind of talent, what good work could she not have done? Instead she had to be consumed fighting Zheng Xi and Duan’s old grudge.

The ordinary people of the capital cared nothing for any of that. The fake beard — they found it amusing; Zhù Ying fighting back against the assassins and then chasing fugitives through the whole city, finally turning the prisoner over to the authorities and going home to quietly recover while the outside world tore itself apart, herself never coming forward — what a legend! What did it matter why she’d done it?

Among the people of the capital who knew Zhù Ying, everyone agreed she was a good person. A person who was merely a “good person” was easily taken for granted and exploited; but if in addition to goodness there were stories somewhat in the vein of a hero-errant, then that was a person worth talking about.

Moreover — because of this affair, Governor Witch finally squared his eyes and cracked down hard, beating ten violent criminal elements to death. The capital’s public order improved again!

Yes — even angrier than Shi Kun was Governor Witch. He freely admitted he was not Wang Yunhe’s equal; if he had to govern as well as Wang Yunhe to earn a good reputation, that was just too exhausting! He wanted to govern by doing as little as possible — let him stay quiet, and let others stay quiet too; everyone peacefully coexisting.

Someone was not letting him rest!

And Yu Si even killed himself? And reported it to the yamen?

Governor Witch’s face immediately hardened; he challenged the Duan household on the spot: “If I don’t believe it, does the household’s servant intend to do a ‘servant who dies to protect his master’ for me next?”

He immediately ordered the arrest of Yu Si’s entire family. The Duan household’s servant — so what? They were family members of a criminal; one never knew what they might know! The Metropolitan Governor’s Office constables descended on Duan Zhi’s gate and stood there waiting for people — taking them one by one by headcount. What Head Constable He conducted interrogations on was the first thing he did: beating. Governor Witch had gone hard; arrested the whole family, not one left out — leaning on a cane or suckling at the breast, everyone was taken straight to jail.

Torture of Yu Si’s brothers, sons, and fathers came first; his wife and others came next. The servants could not speak to what they did not know; they had not been told the particulars. What they knew was only: “Upstairs handed down an assignment; I happened to be padding an account there — made another twenty guan on the side.” What the specific assignment was — they were not told.

Since Duan Zhi was also a court official, without evidence, he could not be imprisoned.

Zheng Xi just lightly mentioned to Minister of Justice Shi and Censorate Chief Yang one sentence: “The servant had quite a bit of money on him.”

With all parties unanimously inclined, on the thirteenth day of the seventh month Zhù Ying was ambushed; by the twentieth the facts of the case were clear. Yu Si, even in death, was decapitated and his head displayed; his family was exiled three thousand li away. The direct perpetrators received the death penalty; the one with the injured hand also received exile.

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, Duan Zhi was impeached.

The censorate officials had found a new target: Duan Zhi had failed to govern his household, which led his servants to buy hired men to assassinate a court official.

The Duan family wanted to put forward a “loyal servant” Yu Si — which only worked if everyone was prepared to accept that Yu Si was indeed a “loyal servant.” In an earlier era, the nobles had actively encouraged the idea of servants sacrificing themselves for their masters, because it meant everyone wanted many more such self-sacrificing servants. Now, their determination to develop new uses for these “human resources” was not firm; having such servants themselves was all very well — but if the other side also had many such servants, things became rather complicated.

With all other considerations aside, in broad daylight an official was killed in the streets of the capital: the court could not let that pass.

It was a very sharp proposition. Duan Zhi, arguing and counter-arguing, almost talked himself into being the one who had personally ordered it. Duan Zhi was dismissed from office and reduced to a commoner; his descendants were also stripped of their ranks in turn.

Zheng Xi was not finished with him; he directed censorate officials to find another proposition: Duan Zhi had passed his son to be adopted by his second brother Duan Hong, with the intention of appropriating Duan Hong’s hereditary positions and property.

In the eighth month, the Duan family had no choice but to return Duan Zhi’s son to his own birth family and have a younger son from the fourth brother’s line adopted into Duan Hong’s instead.

By this time, Huajie had just managed to remove the sutures from Zhù Ying’s body. Zhù Ying could still only walk briefly with a staff; Huajie allowed her only a brief spell on the corridor outside.

* * *

Zhù Ying stood under the eaves with her staff, looking at the osmanthus tree. The trunk was a tiny bit thicker; the leaves were green and full; the flowers would be opening soon. Huajie came with a garment to drape over her shoulders. Zhù Ying said: “It’s not even Mid-Autumn yet — what do I need that for? I’m not made of paper.”

“Stop talking nonsense.” Huajie draped it over her anyway, then asked: “Is it all over?”

Zhù Ying said: “I’m afraid it is only a beginning.”

Huajie asked this because Head Constable Zhang’s men had already pulled out, and the only person left who was still there was Jin Daniangzi’s cook, shamelessly staying on to help — Zhang Xiangu and Huajie had decided to keep her on a little longer with a straight face, until Zhù Ying’s wound was well healed, when they would prepare a generous gift and send her home.

Huajie was somewhat worried: “Then…”

Zhù Ying said: “Having stepped foot into this arena of profit and fame — how does one simply walk out when one wishes to?”

Huajie sighed: “Just walking away — that would be so reluctant. Why should we have to?”

The two of them looked at each other and smiled.

The outer gate was knocked; the dog barked; Cao Chang went to open it. The young man had been gnawed by guilt every one of these days — his donkey had come back safe and sound; Zhù Ying was injured. Her horse was gone as well. A horse once its leg was wounded was very difficult to keep alive any longer. A perfectly good horse, gone just like that; Cao Chang had secretly wiped his tears for two days.

Head Constable Zhang had only just withdrawn when someone knocked; Cao Chang leaped up warily: “Who is it?!”

A young girl’s voice: “I — I’m looking for Deputy Justice Zhù.”

Cao Chang heard it was a girl’s voice, relaxed his guard, pulled the door open — it was Xiao Ya. He asked: “What is it?”

“That — Deputy Justice Zhù — is doing well?”

She had a bundle in her arms. Cao Chang brought her to the inner gate and called in: “Du Dajie — there’s a visitor.”

Zhù Ying was on the corridor looking at the inner gate; she said: “I’m right here — why call her?”

Zhang Xiangu had heard from the west side-room and came running: “Oh! I think I know you — you look familiar to me!”

“Madam!” Xiao Ya said happily. She had been sent by Xiao Jiang to come and see how things were; she had been relieved now that the constables were gone and had at last found an opportunity to come. “Originally what was prepared was already past its time. This — will you take it?”

Zhù Ying asked: “What is it?”

“That — a cloak. I heard you were injured; the days are getting cold, and if you catch a chill, things get worse.”

Zhang Xiangu and Huajie both felt a certain awkward unease; Zhù Ying was magnanimous and said: “Give her my thanks. Tell her — look after her own life well.”

“Yes!” Xiao Ya brightened: “Then Madam won’t need to sell the house.”

Zhù Ying started; the child had already run off. Zhù Ying shook her head, walked back, and saw Zhang Xiangu still talking with what sounded like “the Feng family.”

Zhang Xiangu said: “Oh, it’s that little young woman — a good person, just an unlucky one.”

Zhang Xiangu was only making a passing observation; right now her greatest concern was still Zhù Ying. She turned around and spoke to her: “A young woman sending you clothes is no good thing! Keep your distance from her! Don’t flirt with her!”

“Oh…”

Zhang Xiangu went on: “Official business not enough to keep you busy?”

“Official business? I’d quite like to have more rest!” Zhù Ying ran into unavoidable situations where she had to push hard — but whenever conditions allowed, she was quite careful with her life. Zheng Xi was not pressing her; she just recuperated. Wounds and bruised bones took a hundred days to heal; though her bones and tendons were more or less intact, two months’ recovery should be perfectly reasonable.

She stayed home resting and news was not cut off; visitors came regularly, and seeing her improve from day to day, everyone was cheered. Jin Daniangzi brought another piece of gossip: “All over the capital people are keeping dogs and building up their walls, putting broken porcelain tiles on top. Your trick is really effective — stops quite a lot of thieves.”

Zhù Ying was speechless.

Jin Liang also asked her: “When will you be back to work and drop these leave papers?”

Zhù Ying said: “Why?”

Jin Liang said: “The horse!”

Zhù Ying said: “Stop — you’ve come into money again, have you?”

“Pfft!” Jin Liang said. “It’s from the household.”

Zhù Ying’s fighting back and adaptability had brought Marquis Zheng considerable satisfaction; when he heard the horse was gone, he said he would give her another one. Zhù Ying said: “Look at me limping along — hardly presentable. I’ll wait till the scar heals and I can move freely before going out to be seen.”

Jin Liang said: “Don’t forget then.”

Zhù Ying said: “I won’t forget! Say — how do you find the time to come by?”

“You’re not better yet? Seventh Young Lord says there may be people watching you lately; he asked me to come and go more often.”

* * *

Zheng Xi’s prediction was not wrong — Zhù Ying had indeed become the focus of many eyes; people talking about her were not few.

Among them: the Duan father and son.

Duan Lin and Duan Ying suffered greatly from Duan Zhi’s involvement. Duan Lin gritted his teeth and held on without resigning; he submitted a carefully worded memorial begging pardon on his elder brother’s behalf, saying his brother was old and therefore unable to manage his servants well. He as the younger brother would certainly be sure to counsel him well, and so on. Duan Ying, who should have been receiving his official appointment, was still waiting, indefinitely.

The censorate had not impeached Duan Lin only because Duan Lin had preempted them by going in person to speak privately with the Emperor. Some words that could not be set down in a memorial could be spoken face to face. For instance: that the old grudge against the Zheng family was twenty years old, and he was not without a brain — how could he have chosen the very moment of his return to the capital to start a conflict? His elder brother had been left spinning his wheels for twenty years; it was understandable that he had some pent-up feeling. And besides, as the younger brother, there were limits to how firmly he could manage the elder brother; managing too firmly invited its own criticisms. He had done his best. Duan Lin wept like a drowning man; inwardly he knew he was navigating an extremely precarious pass. In truth, his losses were heavy; and this kind of loss would continue — many plans for official assignments and promotions could not be carried out in the short term.

This elder brother — truly his creditor from a previous life! His elder brother’s son had been adopted out to the second brother’s line; now he had been returned, and the fourth brother’s youngest was being adopted in instead. More trouble to come from that alone in the future. Duan Lin’s head was already aching.

He returned home and summoned his son Duan Ying: “Has Li Ze come back?”

Duan Ying said: “His mourning period is done.”

“Go see him.”

“Understood.”