Zhù Ying’s party did not linger in Zhū Family Village. She had already lost a good deal of time on the road, and although she had managed to get an extra month and a half added back through her request to the court, arriving earlier was still better — the sooner she arrived, the sooner she could begin to take stock of the situation.

However, before leaving, there was another major piece of business she had to attend to — relocating the ancestral graves.

When the whole family had packed up without a meal’s certainty and fled to the capital, no one had thought of this. Now that they had returned, both Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu had it on their minds — Zhù Da especially. It mattered a great deal to him. Then there was also the reminder from Prime Minister Chen: she needed to make this visit and go through all the proper motions.

She had stolen a look earlier at the newly built “old homestead.” The house had been rebuilt, though it probably hadn’t been standing all that long. Constructed on the original foundation, it didn’t perfectly overlap with where the original had stood. A little to the side of the new house, she had spotted some traces of burning.

Needless to say: after the people of Zhū Family Village were released and returned home following the incident at the prefectural city, setting fire to her family’s house was the least one would expect of “Zhū Family Village.”

If before this she had thought of relocating the graves as something to do for appearances’ sake — a cenotaph would do just as well — then seeing the “old homestead” changed her mind. She would have the remains exhumed, cremated, and taken with her.

The Zhù family “ancestral graves” traced back only three generations at most; beyond that, no one knew where they were. There were also graves for Zhù Da’s first wife and the two sons she had borne him. As outsiders, they had never been incorporated into the Zhū clan’s burial grounds and had simply found a spot somewhere in the hills. Now those graves had to be located again.

Zhù Da had once known where the “ancestral graves” were, but after the better part of ten years away, and with Zhù Ying now twenty-one, searching for them again was going to be difficult. Zhang Xiangu had come to Zhù Da after all this and had even less familiarity with these things.

Zhù Ying sighed and said, “Bring me a geomancer’s compass. I’ll go look.”

In fact, she still had some memory of it. Zhù Da had taken her to sweep the graves on several occasions when she was small. Though nearly ten years had passed and the trees and undergrowth in the hills had grown another round, the general terrain was much the same. It was worth trying — she should be able to manage.

She cradled the compass, her fingers marking calculations, murmuring softly under her breath, and then turned the compass and headed into the hills. Zhù Da and the others all followed, as did Xiao Jiang and the little dark-haired girl, who were curious and trailed along at the back. After quite a while, Zhù Ying stopped at a certain spot and said, “There should be one here.”

Zhù Da said, “I remember now — it does seem right! That tree has grown so much bigger! And this scar on the trunk — that’s from when I accidentally hit it with something. But where is our family’s grave?”

Zhū Second Young Master said under his breath, “Old man, how many years has it been since you were last here?” Nearly ten years had passed. Graves got flattened by rain — and he still expected to find them?

The villagers of Zhū Family Village had come along carrying shovels and such. They dug down a short distance and sure enough turned up a rotted, thin wooden coffin. The body inside had dissolved into the soil, the bones too far decayed to be complete. Zhang Xiangu handed Zhù Da a cloth bag. Zhù Da wailed and wept, picking through the bones as he cried.

Zhù Ying raised the compass again and went searching for the second site. In one sweep she uncovered four or five barely visible grave mounds. Counting them up: great-grandparents, grandparents, Zhù Da’s first wife — her “Senior Mother” — and the two elder brothers born of the Senior Mother. All were recovered. Each set of remains was carefully placed in a bag, and the spots were filled back in.

The people of Zhū Family Village chewed their fingers. Some drifted to the back and whispered: “The spirit-medium husband and the fortune-telling wife were both just for show — who’d have thought the third one, the young one, actually has a touch of something uncanny.” “Shh… don’t say it.” “I know, I know.”

Zhù Ying suddenly turned around and said, “Everything that’s happened here — I know about it.”

The shock shut every mouth. No one dared say another word.

Zhù Ying casually tossed the compass into her bag and thought to herself: I don’t know what Prime Minister Chen and the others arranged, but with this on top of it, things should be well and truly settled.

She wasn’t afraid of anyone exposing her past — but if the exposure came too early, it would cause problems. The root of this identity and background of hers lay in Zhū Family Village, and having the villagers not speak carelessly was worth more than anything else. Prime Minister Chen and the others had done their part; now she would do hers. After this, she would have little further contact with Zhū Family Village, and the matter would fade on its own.

Back in the village, while the kindling was piled up to cremate the bones, Zhù Ying turned to the village elder and said, “Is there anything difficult about this year’s taxes for the village?”

“What?”

“I’m heading back to the county shortly and still have to travel on to my posting — but I’ll be seeing the county magistrate again. If the village is genuinely in difficulty over anything, I’ll mention it to him. Whether anything comes of it or not, it’s a token of my concern.”

The elder’s mouth fell open. He drew a long breath. “I always said, Sanlang had the makings of a great person even as a child!”

Zhū Family Village still owed a bit of land tax. In the past, Yu Miaomiao’s family had connections reaching into the county offices. With Yu Miaomiao dead and Yu Ping gone too, the village had genuinely fallen on hard times. Once the county began passing down its levies, Zhū Family Village — which had previously been spared or levied lightly — was now subject to them.

Zhù Ying said, “Good. I understand.”

The people of Zhū Family Village instantly became Zhù Ying’s “fellow villagers and elders.” Families rummaged through their trunks and chests to come up with funeral urns for the ashes. The elder said with much reluctance, “Why not leave the elder’s ashes here? We’ll build a proper grave — plenty of people to tend it.”

Zhù Ying said, “Then what would we do with our time? We still have to farm. All these people of mine — eventually they’ll be taken to the capital. I still have fields there, more than enough to bury them properly.”

After that she held a banquet in the village as a send-off for the grave relocation, had people cart in wine and meat from the county seat, and treated everyone to another large feast.

The village elders and fellow villagers saw the party off from the village with tears in their eyes. An old man called out, “Come back often!”

“Whenever there’s a chance,” Zhù Ying said. “I’ll leave my adoptive mother and Second Young Master in everyone’s care.”

They all said, “Don’t worry, don’t worry! Second Young Master doesn’t say much, but he’s a solid, home-keeping sort.”

Zhù Ying laughed, gripped the saddle, and mounted her horse, leading her family away.

A few li from Zhū Family Village, Zhang Xiangu called her to the side of the cart and demanded, “Are you really going to put in a word for them?!” Zhang Xiangu had never had warm feelings for Zhū Family Village — she had suffered enough there in her younger years and nursed that grudge to this day. She had held her tongue earlier only for the sake of the grave relocation and her daughter’s “background records.”

Zhù Ying said, “A person has to keep their word! And we still need them to look after the graves and the house. When we really do pass through again, we’ll have to come and offer a bowl of rice to my adoptive mother.”

Zhang Xiangu grumbled, “This one time then. Don’t keep it in mind forever. I look at you and worry you’re going to turn into a pushover.”

Zhù Ying said, “Do I seem like someone who doesn’t hold grudges?”

Back in the county town, she mentioned the village’s difficulties to the magistrate. The magistrate said, “Ah, this year has been somewhat hard.”

Zhù Ying knew the harvest this year had not been particularly poor — “hard” simply meant there was still room for negotiation. She said, “This junior’s departure from the capital was not a matter concerning only this junior — if your honor looks through the gazette, how many people left the capital around the same time as I did?”

“Hmm?”

“The Council of State still hopes that local officials will take care not to wear down the people’s strength.” Zhù Ying knew, without needing to be a county magistrate, that this county was still adding its own informal levies on top of the regular taxes. Furthermore, wealthy households that had good relations with the county office — while not holding official positions and still required to pay taxes — could have their taxes reduced and exempted if they greased the right palms. But the county still needed to remit taxes to the court, so a portion of the burden fell on ordinary people.

She made her point and said no more, then took her leave of the magistrate.

The magistrate tried to detain her, but Zhù Ying said, “This junior still has a deadline for reporting to my post and dare not linger. When an opportunity comes again, I’ll pay another visit.”

Only then did the magistrate present travel money and see her out of the county town.

……

Xiao Jiang and the little dark-haired girl’s cart followed at neither too close nor too far a distance behind Zhù Ying’s convoy.

Zhang Xiangu always felt unsettled about it. She had no fondness for Zhū Family Village, and once she had left, she put it firmly from her mind. There was only one thing on her mind now — why had that woman followed them?

At the roadside tea stall, when the cart was stuck, Zhang Xiangu had thought Zhù Ying was quite right to help. After it was done, she felt something was off. Throughout the time in Zhū Family Village, she had kept an eye on Xiao Jiang. The villagers assumed Zhù Ying had brought along a female Daoist to perform a ceremony, raising no suspicions, and Xiao Jiang had played her part and paid proper respects at the rites.

Leaving Zhū Family Village, Zhang Xiangu found Xiao Jiang was still following them. In the county town, Xiao Jiang was no longer keeping pace with the convoy — she breathed a quiet sigh of relief and told herself: No wonder, given that background. She needed to resolve something in her heart. It was just coincidence.

She didn’t know that Xiao Jiang and the little dark-haired girl weren’t staying with Zhù Ying’s convoy in the county town. They had arrived earlier and found an inn to stay in, wandering around the county town to see the sights. The moment Zhù Ying started moving, Xiao Jiang was true to her word — she settled her room bill, drove her cart out, and fell back in behind the convoy.

She made no effort to close the gap, but she didn’t leave either.

Once they left the county town and returned to the official road, back on the great highway toward the posting, at an evening stop at a post station, Zhang Xiangu jumped down from the cart, stamped her feet, and felt some relief. She looked back sharply and saw a female Daoist push open the door of a nearby room and step inside for the night!

Zhang Xiangu thought her eyes were playing tricks.

The next day on the road, she called out to Nanny Du: “Go and see whether that little dark-haired girl and her mistress are following us.”

Nanny Du was a straightforward woman. She went to look and reported: “Both of them are following. They’re driving a mule cart, sitting on the footboard, laughing and chatting.”

Zhang Xiangu went faint. With Nanny Du right there, she couldn’t make a scene. She held it in until they stopped for the night again, then summoned Zhù Ying to her room.

Zhù Ying came in and said, “Mother? You called for me?”

Zhang Xiangu darted over and bolted the door, then closed the windows tightly.

Zhù Ying asked, “What’s the matter?”

Zhang Xiangu lowered her voice and demanded, “That one — the one following our cart — what exactly is going on?”

“Which one?!”

Zhang Xiangu said, “Don’t play dumb with me! The one — the one whose cart you helped push! You always manage everything so well, you can arrange anything, we’re of no use to you. Fine, we defer to you in everything. But you can’t make this kind of arrangement! What are you now? What does it mean to have her along? What are you thinking?”

“I didn’t arrange it. If I were arranging things, I wouldn’t arrange for her to follow along. This is entirely her own idea.”

Ever since Zhù Ying had become an official, Zhang Xiangu had naturally stopped hitting her daughter — even casual scolding had grown rare. Now she was truly alarmed, and she swung her hand back to strike her: “I already told you — don’t entangle yourself with people!”

“I didn’t!” Zhù Ying caught her hand. “It has nothing to do with me. She even went and repaired that grave of the Xu family in the prefectural city.”

Zhang Xiangu was uneasy and said, “She repaired the grave and still didn’t go home? What is she doing this for? You don’t suppose she’s got her eye on the two of you — you and Huajie? Yes — Huajie. You don’t understand: it’s not the thief who steals that worries you, it’s the one who keeps thinking about stealing. With what you’re dealing with — you can’t have someone keeping their eye on you. Understand?”

Zhù Ying said, “Her legs are her own. She’s not traveling with us. I can handle it. If you’re really worried, do you want me to make her leave?”

Zhang Xiangu snapped, “Two girls alone on the road, and one of them is lame! Where exactly would you send her?”

Zhù Ying saw that Zhang Xiangu was deeply worried about her, and even though she wasn’t afraid of Xiao Jiang, she couldn’t disregard her mother. She said, “Then let’s do this — she came out here to clear her head, and once she finds it dull she’ll leave on her own. We won’t engage with her. Can we do that?

Everyone has to walk their own road.

We’re on the official road. If she veers off at some point, I can’t abandon my post and chase after her to look after her. If she decides to leave at some point, I won’t interfere. If she follows us all the way to the end and then wants to go back, I’ll write her a travel pass and let her use it to return to the capital. If she stays and settles somewhere, I’ll treat her the way I would any wandering female Daoist passing through my jurisdiction.

And if she truly has bad intentions, I won’t indulge her. What do you say?”

“She passed word to warn you — what bad intentions could she have?” Zhang Xiangu said. “Just don’t provoke her into actually turning hostile!”

“Fine.”

“Sigh. She’s had a hard lot in life too. You absolutely must not tease a person with a hard lot! Better to offend them cleanly early on than to keep them dangling!”

“I understand.”

From then on throughout the journey, Zhù Ying was true to her word and made no move to seek Xiao Jiang out. Xiao Jiang continued to trail behind the convoy, easy and unhurried.

Changes, however, came to the traveling merchant caravan. Most of the merchants weren’t following Zhù Ying all the way to her final destination — when they had set out, Zhù Ying had negotiated with each group to carry one cartload of her goods. When a merchant group departed, it took its carts and drivers with it, meaning Zhù Ying had to hire new carts to carry her things onward.

Fortunately, having already traveled quite a long distance by now, finding hired carts to take her to her posting was no longer especially difficult. When one merchant convoy left, Zhù Ying would hire a new cart.

The addition of unfamiliar drivers brought a fresh complication to Zhù Ying’s convoy — the language barrier.

In those times, arriving in a strange place, you could identify a fellow townsman simply by his accent. Open your mouth and you knew immediately if someone was from your side. Zhù Ying’s hometown was already quite a distance from the capital, and the language had already diverged somewhat from the capital’s speech. Most people’s official speech was not particularly pure. Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu had been remarked upon for their accents when they first came to the capital. But as long as one spoke slowly, communication between them was still mostly manageable.

Unfortunately, traveling south from their hometown, they had not gone very far before Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu began to find the local dialect incomprehensible. Xiao Wu, Cao Chang, Hou Wu, Nanny Du, and even Qi Tai and his daughter had it even worse — they were all capital people through and through, who had never in their lives needed to understand anyone else’s regional dialect.

The family of the master could get away with not understanding the local dialect — they generally didn’t have much direct contact with hired drivers anyway. People like Xiao Wu were a different matter: they still needed to communicate with the drivers on various matters. This was especially true of the drivers whom Zheng Yi had dispatched to take the cart south — all of them were drivers, and they had to discuss things like how to proceed on the road and how to care for the animals.

They were reduced to a mix of speaking and gesturing. But they were all people who had spent time away from home, and certain shared experiences were relatable enough that they managed to get by for a few days.

Zhù Ying suddenly realized something, and quickly summoned the heads of the last two merchant groups whose destination was the seat of the prefectural governor where Zhù Ying was to be posted.

The two were unsure what the matter was and came with inward trepidation, afraid she was going to squeeze more money out of them at the last minute. Instead, Zhù Ying asked straightaway, “You’re going to trade goods there — do you understand the local dialect? If not, how do you manage your buying and selling?”

The two visibly relaxed, and said, “We know a little.”

Zhù Ying said, “I was hoping to learn from you.”

“We wouldn’t dare presume.”

Zhù Ying said, “You needn’t be afraid. I’m not sending you away, and I’m not squeezing more money out of you. There are things you can tell me that are worth more than money or silk — you travel these routes north and south regularly, and you often go to those parts. I’m heading there to take up my post and have no desire to arrive blind. Tell me about the local customs, and teach me a few useful phrases in the local dialect.”

Both men said, “That’s easy enough.”

“We only move in the area around the prefectural seat — we don’t know the outlying areas — but the prefectural seat is a prosperous place. Everything from the South passes through there, and wealthy people are plentiful. We’ve heard that the countryside nearby is poorer, but we haven’t seen it ourselves. Your concern is well-founded, my lord — the dialect there is quite difficult to understand. You’ve been traveling the official roads and staying at post stations all the way here, so you may not have noticed yet, but once you try to talk with the locals, you’ll feel how bad it really is.”

“When I first came, some thirty years ago, following my master, we couldn’t understand a word without hiring a local guide.”

“Then there are the Liao people nearby — they speak yet another language entirely. The Liao have several branches, and their leaders are called Cavern Chiefs. One doesn’t lightly cross them.”

“The prefect is fairly honest and upright.”

Zhù Ying listened as they described the situation. Of the specific county she was about to take up, they knew relatively little — only that it was “poorer.” How poor exactly, they didn’t know. But they did mention: “The climate is hot and humid. Away from the towns, in places where the mountains are steep and the forests dense, there is miasma.”

Zhù Ying also asked them about local prices. They said, “It’s not as prosperous as the capital, but it’s not terrible either. Southern goods are cheap — you’ll be able to eat lychee to your heart’s content! Northern goods cost much more. Sea products are plentiful and cheap. Sea pearls and exotic rare goods from beyond the seas, if you can get your hands on them and carry them to the capital, are worth ten times what you paid. The roads, however, are not easy.”

The reason merchants liked to travel with an official’s convoy wasn’t only to avoid taxes — it was also for safety. If a consignment of large pearls was robbed, the loss could be enough to drive an ordinary small merchant’s entire family to ruin.

When they had said enough, Zhù Ying asked them to teach her a bit of the local dialect. She first took out a rhyme-table book and had them recite from it in the dialect, marking the patterns of sound shifts as they read. This gave her material to study independently later. Then she asked them about common everyday expressions and idioms — those she simply memorized directly.

Later, comparing what she had learned against actual usage, and then listening to people’s conversations and talking with them in the streets and alleys, she expected to be able to communicate with people fairly quickly.

Zhù Ying spent several more days learning the local dialect idioms from them — half-familiar, half-awkward — and then the prefectural seat arrived.

……

It was indeed, as the merchants had said, a fairly prosperous place.

Zhù Ying also needed to call on the prefectural governor here, then go to the circuit prefecture, and finally reach her ultimate destination — the county town.

The two merchant groups bade Zhù Ying farewell. Both men found the journey on the whole satisfactory. Aside from the delays during the first half, the second half had gone smoothly — perhaps because of Zhù Ying’s reputation, or perhaps because they had traveled the official roads, but not a single robber or casual petty thief had troubled them.

Zhù Ying said, “Arriving safely is what matters. If I’d known there would be delays on the road, I wouldn’t have gotten involved in that business — it cost you time too.”

Both men — streetwise individuals who had traveled the world — said in unison, “My lord is too considerate. Traveling under your lord’s protection, our passage was completely unimpeded — we actually saved a great deal of time.”

Each then presented a tray of gifts: “A small token — unworthy of your notice.”

At a moment like this, a steward or accountant should have stepped forward to handle things on the master’s behalf, either politely declining or accepting on her behalf. But Qi Tai had long since disappeared, and it was Xiao Wu who was quick enough — he caught Zhù Ying’s eye and said, “What is the meaning of this, gentlemen?”

The two spoke over each other: “No, no, please don’t misunderstand.” “It’s merely our sincerity.” “We travel this route selling southern goods to the capital all year — we’ll be coming through often.”

Zhù Ying, though arriving as county magistrate, was far removed from the prefectural seat. Still, since their association had been a pleasant one, there was no harm in leaving a good impression. If she needed a favor next time, it would be easier to come and ask.

Zhù Ying said, “You haven’t even finished your buying and selling yet, and you’re already spending money? What if you run short of funds? Keep these. Next time you come through, if you still remember me, come and see me. Perhaps by then I’ll have something to ask of you.”

The two looked at each other, bewildered.

Zhù Ying said, “Take them back.”

They exchanged another glance. The gifts they had sent couldn’t simply be taken back — they set down the trays and turned to leave. Zhù Ying gave a small signal, and Hou Wu, whose mouth was poor but whose hands were quick, stepped aside and blocked both of them. Zhù Ying said, “I keep my word. If anyone changes their mind, it can only be me. Take these with you and go.”

Only when they saw this did the two men take up their trays and leave.

Zhù Ying said, “Xiao Wu, tell Eldest Sister to add twenty percent to the gift we’re sending the prefect.”

Xiao Wu darted off to the back of the convoy. Huajie busied herself adding to the gifts. Since these weren’t money — one hundred strings of coins plus another twenty — but goods, everything had to be considered carefully: items in matching pairs, items with auspicious meaning, items with provenance. She and Zhang Xiangu opened chests and cases, working busily for half a day before the gift was properly assembled.

Zhù Ying reviewed the gifts again, wrote out a gift list, took her own calling card, and went in person to call on the prefect.

Arriving at the prefect’s residence, the gate staff saw her official robes and, noting that her rank was not particularly low, treated her with reasonable friendliness. He smiled and asked, “The official is an unfamiliar face — from which direction do you come?”

He spoke official speech, though imperfectly. Zhù Ying said, “New county magistrate of Fulu County, Zhù Ying, here to pay my respects to the Prefect.”

“Oh——” the gatekeeper said, “What bad timing — my lord is away on a circuit inspection.”

Xiao Wu slipped the gatekeeper a gratuity, and Zhù Ying pretended not to see, asking, “When does my lord return?”

“Can’t say for certain, but probably in the next day or two.”

Zhù Ying said, “Then I’ll come back in two days.” She handed over the gift list for the gatekeeper to present on her behalf.

The gatekeeper smiled. “Rest assured — it will be delivered.”

Zhù Ying took Xiao Wu and Cao Chang and left the prefect’s residence, returning to the post station. At this point the only ones still remaining at the post station from those who had traveled with her all this way were her own family, the several drivers dispatched by Zheng Yi — who would be heading back after delivering Zhù Ying to Fulu County — and Xiao Jiang and the little dark-haired girl.

Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da had both been anxiously awaiting her return. The moment they saw her, they asked, “How did it go? What did the Prefect say?”

“Didn’t see him. He’s apparently away on something. Let’s eat. After dinner I’ll go and ask around.”

That evening after dinner, while there was still no curfew, Zhù Ying went out for a walk. The weather here was already extremely hot. Though she had changed into summer clothes, she still felt uncomfortable. Her garments were in the capital’s style, which differed a little from local fashion. Fanning herself with her folding waist fan, she looked here and there, and noticed something the two merchants hadn’t mentioned — the streets of this town were not laid out on a north-south grid.

Because the city had been built along a river, and natural waterways didn’t run conveniently straight, the entire city was irregular. When asking for directions, people would say east, west, south, and north, but those weren’t true compass directions — one had to recalibrate mentally.

Zhù Ying also listened to people speak, her own pronunciation still not entirely accurate, but communication between them wasn’t a major problem. She spoke with people as she went, correcting her speech. Along the way she also bought a handful of lychees and peeled one to taste right there on the road. This was a fruit she had never seen either in her hometown or in the capital. In fact, she had only first heard of lychees after reaching the capital, and had never tasted one.

The flavor was indeed excellent. She half-closed her eyes and bought a whole basket. While she was at it, she caught the street vendor’s hand: “Keep the scales straight, will you.”

The vendor grinned. “An expert, this one.”

Zhù Ying thought to herself: I’ve barely got a few coins left — what makes you think you can shortchange me?

Carrying the lychees, she strolled to the front of the prefect’s residence and stood watching the coming and going at the gate. If the prefect were in residence, visitors calling on him would be numerous, regardless of whether he was receiving them. She watched for a while — everyone was being turned away. The prefect seemed to be truly absent.

She strolled back to the post station.

At the post station, Zhang Xiangu and the others were eating fruit, all agreeing it was delicious. Zhù Ying handed over the basket. “Everyone take some.” She had some set aside for the drivers as well.

The next day she went to the prefect’s residence again, and again was told the prefect hadn’t returned. She didn’t press further and went back to wandering the streets. At midday she went to ask once more — still not back. Zhù Ying noticed that today there were already people who had submitted calling cards sitting waiting in the gatehouse. She didn’t expose the situation.

On the third day she came again, and this time the gatekeeper said, “My lord has returned, but is presently dealing with official matters. You’ll probably have to come back in the afternoon.”

Zhù Ying said, “That’s fine.”

She timed her return to the moment after the noon rest period was over. She waited without pressing. Cao Chang was getting impatient watching and wanted to step forward and say something, but Xiao Wu stepped hard on his shoe. Cao Chang looked at Xiao Wu, who said under his breath, “The Prefect is putting on airs. Even if you know it, you have to wait.”

Zhù Ying waited through the better part of an afternoon. People came and went; she sat composedly in a shady spot, fanning herself.

The sun blazed down in white heat. An official runner came out and said, “My lord invites Lord Zhù of Fulu County to speak.”

The invitation was phrased with great courtesy. Zhù Ying followed him in to meet the prefect with equal courtesy.

The prefect was a long-bearded man of around fifty, looking like a figure from a “meritorious official portrait.” Such portraits, by convention, typically depicted the subject with a large belly, puffy eyes, elongated gaze, and a fleshy face full of dignified authority. Regardless of the actual subject’s age, such portraits always made them look over fifty, with a quality of kindly benevolence that came precisely from that apparent age.

Zhù Ying formally saluted. He returned a half-bow and laughed pleasantly. “Ah — I was away the other day and you had already arrived. You must have been eager!”

Zhù Ying said, “I was indeed looking forward to your guidance.”

The prefect gave a genial chuckle. “You young people are so capable these days — we old ones have nothing to teach. We’ve worked together before, haven’t we — that case sent to the Court of Judicial Review: you reviewed it. The Zhang and Wang clan brawl of two years ago, delivered to the capital in the fifth month.”

“The matter from the fifth month two years ago? At that time I was young and my work was inevitably somewhat lacking in care. I ask your forgiveness, my lord.” That case — she had found the sentencing too light and had increased it by one degree.

The prefect’s smile dimmed by a fraction; his expression became slightly more formal. “What do you mean? If your work were lacking, would the Council of State have sent you here? Young man, don’t underestimate yourself! Your future achievements will be great.”

Zhù Ying said, “You flatter me. I dare not think about the future — I only want to do what is in front of me, and not embarrass you. I can’t let people say that under your oversight there was still someone who made mistakes in handling affairs — that is a subordinate’s duty.”

The prefect laughed heartily and asked, “You’ve been here two days now — how do you find it?”

“The lychees are good. The speech is a little hard to follow, so I’ve been quietly listening.”

“You’ll know it after living here a while. In ordinary times, there’s no need to deal much with the locals! When speech is absolutely necessary, the constables always have someone who understands.”

“That is a good approach. I was just wondering how to sort this out — with your word, the first thing I need to do is find a constable who can understand and interpret.”

The two gradually fell into easy conversation. The prefect carried himself with the dignity of an elder, saying, “This prefecture is in a remote area, and life is hard here — it needs young people like you. Even though you’ve come to a faraway place, don’t be despondent. And don’t lose touch with the capital. Write letters regularly. If you don’t keep yourself in people’s thoughts, how will they think of you?”

“I actually rather dread writing letters. On the road I wrote some, and Scholar Liu in particular said about my letters, ‘She is an insult to the very concept of literary merit.’ It was quite intimidating.”

“Oh!” The prefect said with some surprise. “You mean the titan of letters in the realm?”

“If he weren’t so accomplished, he wouldn’t be so demanding.”

“Being demanding is for your benefit. People who don’t bother with you have no eye for you.”

“That’s true. Consider what I just said, then — can you take it as a bit of pouting on my part?”

Both laughed.

The prefect was congenial from start to finish and even invited Zhù Ying to stay for dinner. Zhù Ying sensed his heart wasn’t truly in the invitation, and besides, glancing at the time, the sun still hung in the sky, so she said, “I dare not disturb you. You’ve only just returned, and no doubt there is a great deal awaiting your attention. That you could spare this time to advise me is already more than enough, and I am deeply grateful.”

The prefect indeed made no further effort to keep her, saying, “Don’t forget to visit your circuit prefecture. Even though the prefect is absent, don’t be neglectful toward the other superiors.”

“Yes.” Zhù Ying played the model student perfectly.

The prefect personally walked her out to the entrance and watched her from under the eaves. Zhù Ying took three paces backward before turning and slowly walking away.

……——

Out of the prefect’s residence, Xiao Wu and Cao Chang were both waiting outside. Cao Chang brought her horse. Xiao Wu studied Zhù Ying’s face — not a flicker of change, completely unreadable — and asked, “My lord, shall we return to the post station? Or walk around a bit more?”

Zhù Ying said, “Back to the station. There are still others to call on.”

Paying courtesy calls had its protocols. She still had the deputy regional governor, the regional chief secretary, and other superiors to visit. Then there were all the various department heads and section chiefs at the circuit level — she would very likely need to deal with them in the future, and it was better to meet them now. Their ranks might not be as high as hers, but a person you have to go through is more important than your nominal superior. Coming to them with an urgent need and no prior relationship would be awkward.

There was a proper order to paying calls. Without first seeing the prefect, none of the others could be approached. It was best to rank them by their official grade and the importance of their duties.

If there were special circumstances — old acquaintances, relatives, or other close ties — those could be visited earlier. If one was too impoverished to afford gifts, one could only find another way or play dead.

Zhù Ying hurried back and reorganized her gifts with Huajie, cross-checking against the name list. Then she delivered calling cards one by one, beginning with the deputy regional governor and moving on to the regional chief secretary. Senior officials she had to actually meet in person; for those of lower rank than herself, if she happened to miss them, she would leave gifts and calling cards. She planned to call again once before departing — meeting face to face was ideal, just to be recognized.

After finishing this entire round of calls, she had spent half of the money she had prepared for the journey. Fortunately there were fewer people to attend to in the circuit prefecture city, and she would still have some funds left to arrive in the county — otherwise someone might say a beggar had come pretending to be a county magistrate.

Zhang Xiangu said, “Good! Let’s leave quickly!”

Zhù Ying said, puzzled, “What’s wrong? Is it not agreeable here?”

Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu had been itching to leave! This wretched place — the language was incomprehensible, the food disagreeable. Only the fruit was worthwhile.

When Zhù Ying went out to pay her calls, she had asked the post station manager to find a local person to accompany and interpret for the old couple as they walked around the city.

The two had initially been pleased enough seeing the prefectural seat. People elsewhere said this place was remote, miasmic, prone to illness, and lacking in local products… and so on — all terrible. But actually seeing it, aside from not understanding the speech and the heat and humidity, everything else was rather good! And there were so many delicious fruits they had never even heard of before.

The two happily set out to explore the streets. Then little by little it started to feel wrong.

Zhang Xiangu complained, “I’d assumed a backwater place would surely have cheap goods — thought a string of coins from the capital would go as far as three or five strings here, so I’d be able to buy quite a bit and stock up the county office. But it turns out lychees are cheap and everything else is about as expensive as in the capital. Never mind three or five strings’ worth — some of the northern goods we’re used to don’t even go as far as a single string!”

Zhù Da too said, “Weren’t they supposed to be very poor three thousand li away?!”

Zhù Ying listened to the two of them and couldn’t help laughing. “All right, all right — it’s all my fault. Come on, let’s set out.”

Zhang Xiangu remembered something and pulled Zhù Ying aside, pointed at Xiao Jiang’s room, and asked, “And… her?”

Zhù Ying said, “Didn’t we agree? Leave her be. I’m done worrying about her. How did she end up on your mind?”

Zhang Xiangu said, “How do I persuade her to go back? This place — people can’t even understand each other…”

Zhù Ying said, “Worried about her safety?”

“Obviously! Even if she’s a nuisance, you can’t just watch someone come to harm!”

“I caught a stray bit of listening — she picks up languages fast.”

“What?”

The convoy set off toward the circuit prefecture city. To everyone’s surprise, Xiao Jiang did not follow this time. Zhang Xiangu began to worry about her safety again. But she said nothing, still privately hoping Xiao Jiang would safely return to the capital and stop following her family. Zhang Xiangu watched Zhù Ying, whose face showed absolutely nothing, as they arrived calmly at the circuit prefecture city.

Entering the circuit prefecture city, Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da both felt a subtle unease — the circuit prefecture city was considerably less prosperous than the prefectural seat. It could scarcely even be called prosperous.

Zhù Ying gave no sign of her feelings and continued going through the proper steps. Presenting the calling card, preparing for the courtesy call.

As with calling on the prefect, Xiao Wu again slipped a gratuity to the gatekeeper, and Zhù Ying again asked the question. This gatekeeper was more plainspoken than the one at the prefect’s residence and said, “My lord is ill — unable to receive guests. Probably two more days before he recovers.”

The position of circuit prefect was vacant — she had already known this. The previous one had died in office and no suitable replacement had yet been appointed. The deputy currently filling in for the role had now, as it happened, fallen ill today too. That timing felt rather too convenient.

Zhù Ying asked the gatekeeper, “You say that with such confidence?”

“Ha! Our lord is just like that — well for two days, unwell for three. You’ll understand after you’ve been here a while. You came one day late — he was fine yesterday. Count from today: come on the third day and he’s sure to be better!”

“…Well then, that’s fine.”

Zhù Ying stepped down from the stairs and thought: This man is quite the character.

She and Xiao Wu and Cao Chang returned to the post station. The family was again waiting for her to come back. Again they gathered round her asking, “How did it go?”

“He’s ill. I’ll go again in a few days.”

Zhang Xiangu, hearing again that the superior hadn’t been seen, said, “These officials — why are they so hard to see? Back in the capital, who was there we couldn’t see? It’s true what they say — easier to see the King of Hell than his little demons.”

Zhù Da said, “When is this going to end?”

Just as they were speaking, someone outside delivered a calling card: “The former county magistrate Lord Wang of Fulu County sends this person to pay respects to Lord Zhù and requests Lord Zhù to come for a visit at your convenience.”

Lord Wang was the outgoing county magistrate of Fulu County, waiting for Zhù Ying to complete the handover so he could leave.

Zhù Ying said, “Why has Lord Wang come all the way to the circuit prefecture city?”

The messenger replied, “My lord resides in the circuit prefecture city.”

“But Fulu County is not in the circuit prefecture city.”

“That is so, but my lord lives here.”

Zhù Ying asked, “How is that?”

“Because my lord has a residence here — and this way it’s convenient for you and my lord to meet. When would be a good time?”

Zhù Ying said, “After I have paid my respects to my superiors, I think. Otherwise Lord Wang may find it hard to depart at ease.”

The messenger, seeing this, had no choice but to say, “Then I’ll go back and report to my lord.”

“Tell Lord Wang I’ll go see him as soon as I’m done with my courtesy calls.”

“Yes.”

……——

Zhù Ying muttered to herself privately that something was off with this County Magistrate Wang — he looked very much like someone desperate to flee. She was genuinely worried: had this Wang gotten himself into some kind of trouble in the county? Was the treasury empty, or had the local population turned unruly? Wasn’t all the mess going to land in her hands to clean up?

With such thoughts about someone else’s problems running through her head, and dinner not yet on the table, County Magistrate Wang arrived in person!

Zhù Ying had no choice but to go out to greet him, and while walking to the door she thought: He must really have a story to tell!

Her rank was the same as the acting superior she was about to visit. Her supplementary official rank had already reached the highest level below the fifth rank — the only thing left was to gamble on luck and work her way up to a red-robed fifth rank.

County Magistrate Wang’s rank was lower than hers, so it was perfectly appropriate for him to come to her. But a county magistrate waiting for the handover not residing in his own county, instead running to the circuit prefecture city to meet her, and then rushing ahead to see her first — that was simply too strange!

Zhù Ying was full of questions.