When people have something to look forward to, they can endure any hardship and bear any exhaustion. Fuluo County, from top to bottom, was in exactly that kind of spirit.

That Zhù Ying was a “good official” was beyond question — she was even a little better than “good.” Since her arrival, life throughout the whole county had genuinely improved, and that was a fact. Yet something had always felt subtly missing, like a particular flavor not quite there. Now that final missing flavor had been added. People up and down the county had begun to believe that this county magistrate was someone who could be “relied upon.” Before this, all they could say was that she “had ability.”

The constables shared this feeling. The county had sent them out to collect taxes in the countryside, so out to the countryside they went. They inevitably ate a chicken or two from rural households along the way, but they handled their duties with efficiency and did not deliberately make things difficult for anyone, nor did they extort or bully the common people beyond that. The tax collection this year went even more smoothly than the year before. Villagers paid more readily than in past years too. From every township and village, grain rent and taxes flowed steadily in, filling the county seat’s great granaries one by one.

Because of the upheaval caused by the fugitives, a dozen or so villages had had their autumn harvest disrupted. Villages that had been unaffected brought in a little more than last year, but the ones where incidents had occurred saw no growth — their yields were slightly down. Hexi Village had suffered the worst, with a household losing their home to fire. After the whole village paid their grain tax, the surplus remaining was limited, and many villagers would have to go on living hard lives for some time.

It was the equivalent of a small disaster.

Zhù Ying had given instructions that these villages, if they encountered difficulties, should record the situation and let her know. The constables sent to collect taxes agreed to the village heads’ requests, promising to relay their report to Zhù Ying on their behalf when they returned to the county seat.

A village head came in to escort grain carts to the county seat. There he found a random inn — inns in Fuluo County were few, and rooms were not plentiful either. The village head did not manage to get a private room and settled for a spot on a shared sleeping platform in a large room, waiting for news back from the constable.

This was a busy time for Zhù Ying. The county office was not only receiving grain but also handling various other matters, such as collecting the outstanding rental fees from the spring season for oxen and horses leased to farmers. The matter of wheat planting also needed to be put on the agenda. Zhù Ying personally oversaw the transport of grain to the circuit administration city. Back in the countryside, it would soon be time to plow again.

It was only the following day that a constable found a spare moment to report the Hexi Village situation to Zhù Ying. He conveyed the village’s difficulties and the village head’s request: “They want to ask you, my lord, to give them a little extra time on the spring rental fees for the oxen.”

Hexi Village had not had enough draft oxen for the spring plowing either. For the past two years, the county office had been advancing the rental fees on their behalf, with the indebted farmers repaying the loan at low interest from their harvest in autumn. Last year everything had gone smoothly. This year, trouble had struck.

Zhù Ying asked, “Is he already in the county seat?”

The constable said, “He is.”

“The grain tax was paid in full?”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying said, “Is he still in the county seat?”

“He is.”

Zhù Ying said, “Give him five hundred coins. Tell him to come back in half a month. He must not be late — if he is late, I won’t be responsible.”

The constable was genuinely happy for Hexi Village and said brightly, “Yes.” He set off at a quick pace and found the Hexi village head. “Here — these are a reward from the magistrate for you. She says to go home first and come back in half a month. Don’t forget — you cannot be late. If you’re late, the magistrate won’t deal with it.”

The village head took the five hundred coins, kept a small portion, and pressed the rest back into the constable’s hand. “Brother, do me a favor and find out — what does the magistrate mean by this?”

“How would I know? Why all the fuss? Who is the magistrate? She always has a plan for everything. Think about how much this whole county has on her plate — it’s not just your village. Look around — grain is being delivered to the county seat from all over. And the magistrate still has to coordinate with the prefecture and the circuit administration. Go home and come back a couple of days early next time — stay diligent, hang around the office gate.”

The village head had no other option. He looked at the lively street scene outside, knowing what the constable said was true — everyone was hauling grain carts to the county seat. Village heads would accompany the constables to escort the grain wagons, and those who had a few extra copper coins could bring their wives a few feet of cloth or buy the children some sweets. The county seat was full of a festive, bustling air.

Measured by the harvest itself, this year could not be called a bumper year. Measured by what the common people could actually pocket from what remained after all was settled — this was a year of plenty.

The village head said, “I’ll take your word for it, brother. I’ll head back now. Can I come looking for you again next time? Where do you live?”

The constable said, “Just come to the county office and ask for me.”

The village head sighed and tucked both handfuls of coins back into his pouch. The constable hesitated a moment, glanced meaningfully at the coins that had been returned to him, pursed his lips, and said, “Aren’t you going to put those away? Forget the polite gestures. Get moving.” And with that, as if afraid he might change his mind, he sprinted off.

The Hexi village head specially confirmed the date with the innkeeper, then carefully counted on his fingers — ten days. He thought: I’ll set out in ten days. It takes a day or two on the road. I’ll be there in time, and won’t be so early I’m just sitting and waiting. I certainly won’t arrive late and miss everything.

……

Setting aside the Hexi village head and his finger-counting, Zhù Ying’s days were growing more full and substantial with each passing one. Verifying the grain taxes, overseeing the rental fees — that went without saying. There were also second-round replies from the prefecture and circuit administration.

Whether from the prefecture or the circuit, the replies were startlingly unanimous on this matter — killed? So they’re dead. Good work, handled properly. Now go ahead and reassure the common people.

Since the fault lay nowhere with her, both the prefecture and the circuit had reprimanded Sicheng County. County Magistrate Qiu of Sicheng found himself sitting in his own office one day when blame came crashing down from the sky. He did have some responsibility, but the primary blame lay with Commandant Chang. The prefecture and circuit also faulted him for “failing to break the case in time, allowing criminals to roam freely.” County Magistrate Qiu’s heart was more bitter than yellow lotus root. He was plainly the wronged party — criminals had killed people in his jurisdiction, but someone still had to come and file a complaint with him before he could even know it had happened!

It was fortunate that Commandant Chang had also captured two of the five criminals, so at least no one could say they had been entirely without action. But when County Magistrate Qiu went to Commandant Chang to demand those two criminals be handed over, Commandant Chang refused to release them.

Commandant Chang by now was at a complete loss as to his future prospects. Handing over the criminals — that was simply impossible. He was currently teetering on the edge of being charged with “dereliction of duty,” and the two prisoners he had captured were his proof that he had not been derelict. He absolutely could not hand them to County Magistrate Qiu.

If he didn’t hand them over, County Magistrate Qiu couldn’t settle his own account either, and he wasn’t willing to. The two sides were locked in a standoff, with no idea how it would resolve. The impasse had also held up various routine affairs in Sicheng County, and County Magistrate Qiu was deeply displeased. He very much wished he could say, as Zhù Ying had, “If a dragon has come, let it coil for me; if a tiger has come, let it lie for me” — but he didn’t dare. He could only go on dancing around Commandant Chang in an endless, exhausting waltz.

His head was nearly scratched bare.

Zhù Ying had none of County Magistrate Qiu’s agonies. She had killed all three criminals herself, avoiding precisely that predicament. After ten years in officialdom, Zhù Ying had witnessed endless squabbles over jurisdiction. Which matter fell under whose authority determined who held the power, and power inevitably brought advantage — so it was always worth fighting over, leaving infinite room for maneuvering. If all three men had been alive, there would have been no end of squabbling. As it stood, her situation was actually the cleanest of all. They were dead. Argue away. The bodies can sit there on display; my business is not disrupted.

Wealthy households had also yielded more land to be registered on the official rolls. The grain tax Fuluo County collected this year exceeded last year’s. The county office’s own draft oxen also brought in rental income, along with various other revenues and arrangements. After the harvest, those who were not planting wheat would owe labor service and continue road repairs; in winter, all who were registered would be called up for water management projects and so on. She needed a rough overall plan in place now, calculating the labor needs for each period, to prevent chaos later.

In the span of about ten days, the grain had been paid in and stored. Zhù Ying was proceeding smoothly on all fronts.

Timing it carefully, Zhù Ying summoned the county’s gentry. At the same time, the Hexi village head had arrived as well. He came to the county office to inquire and was also called in by Zhù Ying.

The village head was not destitute, but standing before the county gentry, he looked impoverished and out of place. Where the gentry wore silk and brocade, he wore plain cloth; where they had wide robes and long sleeves, he wore a narrow-sleeved short jacket — though he was better off than most, with no patches on his clothes. There were several others in the room dressed similarly to him. The two groups took one look at each other and the difference was obvious. No one knew what they had all been called here together for at the same time.

The village head gravitated toward the plainly dressed group, and found that everyone there was roughly of the village head type. He who was ordinarily quite a figure in his own village and among neighboring ones felt a flicker of timidity at this moment. He asked quietly to the village head beside him, “What have we been called here for?”

The other replied, “I don’t know either. Do you see that man over there in the blue silk gown with the small knife at his belt? That’s our Wang Weng. If Wang Weng and his kind are here, it probably isn’t a bad thing.”

The village head looked over. Among the silk-and-brocade crowd, nearly every single one of them had a small knife at the belt. Fuluo County was out of the way, and its folk had a touch of ruggedness to them. Wealthy people sometimes wore belt knives, mostly decorative. The knives they wore now were much the same, though the shape was slightly different from before — the blades were notably long and narrow.

The gentry, on seeing the village heads, nodded to those they recognized in greeting, and briefly looked over those they didn’t before paying them no further mind. The gentry clearly knew why they had been summoned, and there was a small air of excitement on their faces.

Once everyone had gathered, before long an official-looking figure appeared and said, “Silence. The magistrate is coming.”

This man the Hexi village head recognized — it was Magistrate Guan, who had been in charge of the county before.

Quickly, the county magistrate walked in from outside.

The gentry rose immediately to their feet; the village heads also straightened and stood at attention, then all bowed together.

Zhù Ying took the seat at the head of the room. Cao Chang came out with a small chest and stood at her side. Magistrate Guan stood to her lower right, and beside Magistrate Guan a table had been set out, at which Qi Tai had quietly seated himself — brush, ink, paper, and inkstone before him, along with two small chests.

Zhù Ying swept her gaze over the room. The numbers were right; the faces matched who she had expected. She said, “Everyone knows what today is about, I assume?”

His son was occupied elsewhere, so Zhao Feng himself had come to the county seat. At this moment he took the initiative and stepped forward with a bow. “My lord — is it about wheat planting?”

Zhù Ying nodded. “The rice harvest is in. It is time to plant wheat.”

The Hexi village head was at a complete loss: What does any of this have to do with me? It seems I heard the magistrate planted some wheat — but how does that concern us? And what does it have to do with the outstanding rent on the draft oxen?

Zhù Ying said, “Last year was a trial planting, and the timing was a little tight. This year we need to start somewhat earlier. I have already noted down the acreage totals you each reported, and I will distribute wheat seed to you in accordance with your respective holdings.”

She did not need to negotiate with each of these gentry individually about how much seed each would receive. She presumed they would also rather not have her publicly announce each person’s landholdings in front of everyone and then declare how many catties of wheat seed a given person was receiving.

Over to one side, Magistrate Guan tapped Qi Tai’s table and said, “Those whose names are called, please come over here to sign and press your seal.”

He took a slip of paper from one of the chests, glanced at it, and announced the name: “Zhao Feng.”

Zhao Feng gave his collar a tug and stepped forward. He bowed to Zhù Ying and then to Magistrate Guan, and stood before the table. Before him were two small chests — one empty, one full — and the full one was stacked with written slips, the topmost bearing his name.

Qi Tai drew out that slip. “Please look it over. If it is correct, press your seal.”

Zhao Feng read: “Received today — such-and-such amount of wheat seed. County office to provide instruction in planting. After harvest, Zhao Feng to return the original quantity of seed. All remaining yield beyond that amount is entirely at his own disposal.”

He pressed his seal, carefully stored his copy of the contract, and bowed again to Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying gave a nod. From the other side, Xiao Wu drew a slip from the chest that Cao Chang was holding and passed it to Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying checked the name and quantity against it — correct. She extended it forward. Zhao Feng stepped up and received it. It read: “Such-and-such acreage of land — authorized to receive such-and-such weight of wheat seed.” Stamped in bright vermilion. Take this slip to the county granary to collect the wheat seed.

With his example set, the others receiving wheat seed followed suit without difficulty, and the process went smoothly. After receiving his, Zhao Feng did not leave, but stayed quietly to one side, sensing there were likely further arrangements to come.

The Hexi village head, watching all this, was even more puzzled — what did any of it have to do with him?

Zhù Ying said, “I treat the common people without regard for rich or poor. I cannot let wealth or poverty determine who receives. So since the wealthy households have received theirs, the poorer households shall as well. Now — those whose names are called, come forward.”

This portion was not distributed household by household but was written up with several households from one village listed together on a single slip, showing how many households were to plant and how many catties each would receive. The village head would collect on their behalf, under the same conditions. The village heads looked over the names listed — in every village, they were the more populous and stable households, people who were managing to get by. The village heads themselves were mostly included on the list as well. They each pressed their seals and collected their slips.

Zhù Ying said, “Someone will accompany you when you go to collect and distribute the wheat seed.”

The village heads said, “Yes.”

The Hexi village head thought to himself: Wheat planting? Is there something in this for us as well?

Zhù Ying set apart him and eight or nine other village heads at the end. “You are the ones who suffered losses this year. You will also receive some wheat seed, and someone will come to teach you how to plant it.”

Exempting the draft ox rental fee? Deferring it to some unknown future date? That would be no different from how things had been in Fuluo County before she arrived — new debt piled onto old. Don’t even dream of it. Better to just farm quietly. If they had no draft oxen for the wheat planting, the county could continue lending them for use. Wheat planting had not yet been widely promoted, and at this point the county’s draft oxen were in plentiful supply.

Zhù Ying said, “Take your slips and collect your wheat seed — there will be someone there to teach you how to plant it. One slip covers two people.” This was in fact the reason the village heads collected on behalf of multiple households: for every certain number of acres, two experienced and practiced farmers who had gone through the planting before would be assigned to teach the method. Apart from people like Shan Ba, when Zhù Ying had planted wheat on the public land fields last year she had also made use of some tenant farmers who now also knew the techniques.

This year, she intended to pair veterans with newcomers and use them together.

The Hexi village head thought to himself: If we plant one more season of wheat and bring in even one shih, that will cover the rental fees. And once I’ve repaid the seed loan after harvest, there’ll even be a little wheat seed left over — next year we could plant on our own.

Very much worth it!

He ventured carefully, “My lord — and the tax?”

Zhù Ying said, “We will not be collecting wheat tax from you this year.”

The gentry had already known ahead of time that tax would not be collected this year, but hearing her say it openly and formally, a great weight finally lifted from their hearts. They all praised Zhù Ying for truly loving the people as her own children.

Zhù Ying said, “Plant well, and the year after, none shall be collected either.” She did not make a blanket promise for five years outright — after the first two years, she still intended to collect a portion of wheat as seed stock. If things went smoothly, she would need to supply the seed wheat for the entire Southern Prefecture. This matter would have to be firmly in hand before she could proceed — Xian Jing truly was a crafty schemer!

This condition was acceptable to both gentry and village heads alike. They bowed to Zhù Ying in unison. Zhù Ying said, “All of you, go and attend to your business.”

She would also have to oversee the transport of the autumn grain to be submitted.

……

This was the third time Zhù Ying had traveled this grain transport route, and no one worried she would make any mistakes along the way.

Before setting out, she said to Zhao Su, “Wait for me to return, then you head to the capital. I still have matters to assign to you.”

Zhao Su also very much wanted to wait a while longer, for her to return, and also for Su Mingluan to finish the mountain affairs and come down. The mountain harvest was done now down below, but up in the mountains work was still underway. After that would come the wheat planting. He still wanted, before leaving, to make one final effort to build connections on his maternal family’s behalf — it would not be for nothing that he had occupied the identity of “son of a Ying woman” and gained some advantage from it.

He said, “I will stay right here in the county seat and go nowhere. My family affairs are in my father’s hands; no need for me to go back.”

Zhù Ying said, “Good.”

On this trip to the circuit administration city, she also wanted to purchase some goods. With the autumn taxes collected, her purse was full again. It occurred to her that Zheng Furen and Yue Miaojun had surely already given birth by now. Aside from what A’Jie and Zhang Xiangu had made — some patchwork layered baby clothes and the like — if she also prepared a few pieces of jewelry and valuables, her hands would be empty of anything to give as gifts in an emergency. She needed to buy some more.

As in the previous year, she went first to the prefecture city. Her superior received her with considerably more courtesy this time around, and asked with concern, “Has the populace been properly reassured?”

Zhù Ying said, “All is well. After finally making some progress, we certainly cannot let a few escaped convicts plunge them back into hardship. Give them a way to eat, let them get through this one season, and by next year they’ll be back on their feet.”

Her superior said, “Will it truly work out? If there are real difficulties, you must say so.”

Zhù Ying said, “The poor cannot afford mishaps — the moment something goes wrong, it all falls apart. As long as, when a mishap does occur, someone is there to catch them and lend a hand, they can get through that moment and go on living much as before. Until the next mishap.”

Her superior nodded, showing he understood, and said, “Why not stay in the prefecture for a couple of days?”

Zhù Ying said in surprise, “Why?”

Her superior said, “The prefecture’s autumn grain hasn’t all come in yet. Well, you’ve arrived early this year.”

Zhù Ying offered no argument and said, “A fine opportunity, then — I’ve been wanting to see a bit of the prefecture city’s life.”

Her superior said, “The Fuluo County common hall is doing well. In the fifth and sixth month, there were actually fresh mandarin oranges on offer.”

Zhù Ying said, “Those were from last year’s harvest. The new season’s crop isn’t ready yet. Once they come in, I’ll have some sent for you to try. I posted a bounty of one hundred guan, seeking the finest seedlings, varieties, and fruit growers — the sweetest kind, not necessarily for winter ripening; if they could bear fruit in spring, that would be even better.”

Her superior said, “You are quite willing to spend!”

Zhù Ying said, “When they bear fruit, I get to enjoy the first taste too — why not?”

The two chatted a while. Her superior looked not at all like a sick man. Zhù Ying said, “A person in good cheer has a healthy glow. You look well — has something good happened?”

Her superior cleared his throat, wanted to smile but held it back, and lowered his voice. “You need to read the room. I know you have connections in the capital, but — if Inspector Lu ends up promoted to the capital, openly offending him will only make things hard for yourself. You’ve already given him quite enough of a headache. Don’t pour more oil on the fire. If he fines you before he leaves, leaving you stuck here in embarrassment, that would hardly be ideal.”

Zhù Ying said, “From the sound of what you’re saying — is he being promoted to a higher post?”

Her superior immediately regretted that he had let her know, worried she might cook up some scheme and cause unnecessary trouble. “Don’t read too much into it. He has served out his term and will be leaving, that’s all.”

Zhù Ying said, “My lord gives me far too much credit. What ability do I have to influence the appointment or removal of an inspector?”

Her superior thought about it — true enough. At Inspector Lu’s rank, an official’s promotion and transfer would never be subject to any unforeseen circumstances because of a mere county magistrate.

He said, “In any case — we deliver the grain, he escorts it to the capital. By year’s end, when the new inspector arrives to take up the post, we report to whoever that is. If the new inspector hasn’t come yet, the vice-administrator or chief secretary will go to the capital to present the year-end accounts in his place. None of that involves us.”

Zhù Ying said, “Are you certain of your news, my lord?”

Her superior said, “Just wait and see. Why — you don’t believe me?”

Zhù Ying said, “Of course I believe you. I was just thinking — now we’ll need to win over a new superior.”

“And since when did you worry about superiors?”

Zhù Ying said, “I do worry. I want to make a good impression too. But sometimes it’s too much work and I really can’t manage it, so I give up.”

Her superior coughed several times, thinking: You can just say whatever you like, can’t you!

……——

From her superior, Zhù Ying gleaned a piece of news. Her mood was neither particularly good nor bad. She still invited Zhao Zhen and Zhen Qi to dinner. Zhao Zhen showed up as usual; Zhen Qi did not, as usual. She still prepared two sets of gifts for Zhao Zhen to bring back; Zhao Zhen also took them as usual. The gifts — Zhen Qi would still accept them, but throughout the year Zhao Zhen could never quite tell when Zhen Qi actually used any of them.

Such a small matter, Zhao Zhen simply kept from Zhù Ying, to spare her the vexation.

Zhù Ying also made a circuit of the prefecture city, and saw that the Fuluo County common hall was considerably livelier than last year. She passed by, and was surrounded by onlookers again. Without warning, a burst of wind came from behind her and a small embroidered pouch grazed the edge of her sleeve and fell to the ground ahead of her. From not far away came the laughter of a few young women.

Zhù Ying: ……

The people of the common hall hurried out, also calling to those outside, “Don’t make trouble.”

Everyone was laughing and joking. Some said, “Impressive reflexes! No wonder she can catch criminals!”

Zhù Ying went into the common hall and sat down. “Quite lively.”

The person currently presiding over the hall was the younger brother of Zhang Weng from the county. He smiled and said, “All credit to your lordship. Your name has spread widely in the prefecture city recently! Our association draws more visitors now.”

“Oh?”

It turned out the townspeople of the prefecture city also loved a satisfying story, and by the time the tale reached them it had changed shape entirely. They were now saying she could commune with ghosts and spirits, and that a wronged soul had appeared to her in a dream and guided her to the truth.

Zhù Ying let that pass with a smile.

A few more days, and she finally set out together with her superior for the circuit administration city. The journey was as smooth as ever. All the autumn grain from the Southern Prefecture was successfully delivered into the treasury stores. They received their written receipt slips. Now came time to pay their respects to Inspector Lu.

It was not the sixth month or the twelfth, so fewer officials had arrived at the inspectorate simultaneously. Zhù Ying accompanied her superior and the others to pay their respects to Inspector Lu. Inspector Lu was unexpectedly cordial. When he spoke to Zhù Ying, he brought a degree of sincerity: “Anyone of real ability invariably has a temper of some kind. Some people’s tempers show on the surface; some people’s do not. Young people don’t know it, but those of us who are older were once young — we have all been through what you are going through.”

Zhù Ying listened attentively and said, “You must have been a person of great vigor and spirit in your younger years, my lord.”

Inspector Lu said, “By the time you reach my age, your accomplishments may not fall short of mine. The young are to be regarded with awe.”

Those who heard were astonished. Inspector Lu had been giving the county magistrate Zhù a cold shoulder for nearly three years now — they had never gotten along. How had he come out with such words?

Only Zhù Ying and her superior knew: Inspector Lu was preparing to leave.

She still played the part of not knowing, letting Inspector Lu perceive, amid her composure, just the faintest trace of surprise. Inspector Lu gave a slight nod. Inspector Lu could roughly calculate his own term of service and knew it was about time for him to move along — but in which direction, and who would succeed him, were things he could not confirm with precision from his own sources. So he said nothing of this to those not particularly close to him, only allowing the faintest reassurance to color his words.

For his “own people,” Inspector Lu of course had private arrangements, which were not something to be broadcast.

The group left the inspectorate. County Magistrate Wang said, “What has come over Inspector Lu?”

Her superior coughed once and said, “Don’t go guessing about your superiors’ affairs!”

County Magistrate Wang promptly stopped guessing. He turned and walked alongside Zhù Ying, talking as they went — pestering her with questions about the wheat seed. Zhù Ying said, “I had already distributed it before I came. It will be planted any day now, and the result won’t be known until next year at the earliest.”

County Magistrate Wang said, a little awkwardly, “Oh, I see — I am too impatient.”

Zhù Ying, seeing that he too cared about agriculture, formed a better impression of him. The two walked slowly, discussing practical affairs, while her superior couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Her superior understood practical matters well enough, but his mind was occupied with the question of who the new inspector would be, and he had no desire to discuss farming.

After fretting around in circles, his mind turned yet again to Zhù Ying. A county magistrate couldn’t determine who the inspector would be, but Zhù Ying had connections in the capital — surely she could find out?

He glared at County Magistrate Wang several times. County Magistrate Wang didn’t notice in the slightest. County Magistrate Qiu from the other side also drifted over and asked about the wheat seed. After nearly three years, Zhù Ying had finally begun to feel a faint impression of actually being colleagues with these people.

She held nothing back, saying, “The Ministry of Revenue intends for me to plant it first. If it can be successfully cultivated, they will expand the push. Don’t worry — once it can be grown, I will certainly share seed with all of you. But at the moment the result is still uncertain, so I wouldn’t dare promise anything in advance.”

County Magistrate Qiu said, “Whether it works or not, let us make preliminary arrangements now! Otherwise, when the time comes and we have to negotiate everything on the spot, how will there be time? Isn’t that right, my lord?” The last question was directed abruptly at her superior, who had been lost in thought. “Hm? Oh. Mm?”

Zhù Ying said, “Even to discuss planting wheat throughout the whole prefecture, it would need to be presided over by you, my lord.”

Her superior said, “Hmm, hmm — you know more about it, you know more. Take a first look at how to handle it.”

With that word from him, another county magistrate squeezed in as well. “Count me in too!”

Seeing this, Zhù Ying asked her superior to preside over a brief session at the post station, where she would outline her approach. Her superior grudgingly agreed. “Very well.”

The group proceeded to the post station and gathered in her superior’s quarters. Everyone sat down, and Zhù Ying laid out her method. County Magistrate Wang said, “Shouldn’t we start with the poorer households? The poor are hard-pressed — given an opportunity, they will cherish it.”

Zhù Ying said, “And what will they plant with? Do they have draft oxen? How much land do they have? Who’s to say someone won’t come and pull up their crop?”

County Magistrate Qiu said, “Exactly. And small folk are naturally imitative — whatever the gentry take up, they follow. As long as the larger households plant first, the poor will see it and copy the example.”

The officials pressed Zhù Ying to pre-commit seed quantities for them as well. Zhù Ying said, “The Ministry of Revenue hasn’t given me a deadline yet. At the very minimum it will need another two growing seasons to see whether the yield is stable.”

The officials argued back and forth. Her superior suddenly thought to himself: The inspector is leaving. Which means I won’t be going anywhere soon either! I still have two years on my term — why not use this time to push for wider adoption?

That would count as a real achievement.

He joined in as well.

Zhù Ying held out both hands. “The Ministry of Revenue did not give me that much seed. This batch has to be planted out and saved as seed stock first. And not every grain of wheat is suitable for use as seed.” At minimum, it would take two full growing cycles before she had a proper surplus of suitable seed. Her superior said gravely, “None of you should press her on this — have you never heard that haste makes waste? Since the court intends it and Magistrate Zhù is committed to it, everyone will have what they want in time. Nothing must be rushed.”

One word from him quieted everyone down. Her superior said, “All right, let’s be done with this. Those who want to look around the city, go ahead. Those who don’t, head back.”

Zhù Ying was among those who wanted to look around. She went and bought some things as usual. Pearl prices had still not come down, so she didn’t force the matter — she weighed out fewer pearls this time, but picked up some round beads. Then a few gemstones. She also found some suitable hawksbill tortoiseshell, and managed to obtain some giant clam shell as well — all at the favorable prices one could only get so close to the source.

Purchases made, she returned to the post station to find that her superior had still not departed. He had pushed past his illness and wandered out to tour the circuit administration city himself. Zhù Ying packed her things and went to bid him farewell.

Her superior was looking at a small box, inside which lay twelve large pearls. He said with evident delight, “Have a look — how are these?”

Zhù Ying said, “A quality I would only allow myself to buy at the New Year.”

Her superior frowned. “Is that any way to think? Here — take them.”

“No, no, no.”

“Take them,” her superior said. “You handled the fugitive affair correctly. If Commandant Chang had actually gotten his hands on those men, it would have dragged on into endless bureaucratic wrangling. And striking genuine fear into criminals is the only lasting solution. You don’t know the kind of criminal scum these people are — every single one of them feels no shame at having broken the law, but rather prizes being sentenced to something severe. The one who has harmed more innocent people is actually looked up to, treated as senior among them.”

Zhù Ying said, “At the time I wasn’t thinking that far ahead. I only saw he wasn’t going to get his hands on them, and standing there watching it was truly maddening.”

Her superior smiled. “Now let him sort out his own mess. He failed in his duty — I have already filed an impeachment against him. He will be dismissed from his post before long.”

Her superior said this with some confidence. Commandant Chang’s negligence this time had been fairly serious. A few escaped convicts — not a huge matter. Convicts killing someone — also not enormous on its own. But killing three or more — that was very grave indeed. That was why the court did not fault Zhù Ying for acting decisively, and why her superior and Inspector Lu both considered she had handled it correctly.

The two exchanged courtesies. Her superior snapped the box lid shut with a sharp click and pressed it into her hands. “Take it if I tell you to take it! Why all the hem-and-haw?”

Zhù Ying stood there holding the box, thinking of giving it back. Three years — her superior had never given her anything. Now he was giving her something valuable. There had to be an ulterior motive!

And sure enough, her superior continued: “I can see that you handled the criminals decisively but remain painstaking about practical affairs. That matter of the wheat seed…”

Zhù Ying said, “Your subordinate still feels it is better to proceed with care. I will give it thorough thought when I return.”

Her superior said, “Quite right — it concerns the people’s livelihood. No recklessness. This way — next year I’ll plant some in the prefecture city as well, also using the public land fields.”

Zhù Ying tucked the box into her sleeve and said, “How does my lord intend to plant? And how many acres do you have in mind?”

“Do you have anyone experienced?”

Zhù Ying said, “I wouldn’t call them experienced — they only just started trying this year. As long as next year’s harvest is decent and no blight or crop failure appears, after the autumn grain tax is collected, I’ll send someone over. How does that sound?”

Her superior smiled. “That’s a settled promise.”

Zhù Ying said, “The wheat seed that County Magistrate Wang and County Magistrate Qiu want — would you not also contribute a portion, my lord?”

This was precisely in keeping with her superior’s own intentions. He said, “Naturally — I can’t have you shouldering all the work alone.”

The two reached an agreement. Zhù Ying did not wait for her superior any further, and took her leave of him at that moment, tucking the large pearls into her person and heading back to Fuluo County.

……

Back in Fuluo County, some of the more eager had already begun turning over their fields. Their methods of composting were varied — some who could afford the fuel burned the crop stalks; some gathered green manure; some collected and fermented various kinds of manure. They also plowed and turned the fertilizer into the soil.

Returning to the county seat, the townspeople saw her come back and smiled out a greeting, then went right back to what they had been doing.

Up in the mountains, the harvest had now concluded. Su Mingluan came down the mountain to discuss the wheat planting arrangements. Su Mingluan had a clear head about what she wanted — to take something away from Zhù Ying, she had to bring something with her.

Zhù Ying, for her part, had her own calculation: give everything away for free, and it all becomes worthless. Once the habit of getting things for nothing sets in, giving even a hair less than expected will be taken as stinginess. Even if Su Mingluan herself was sensible, there were quite a few people in the mountains. People like A’Hun — and he was even a relative of the Asu Cave Master. Give things to him for free? Try it and see.

Su Mingluan had turned her attention once again to the idea of an “auspicious omen.” This time she had brought two white-feathered wild pheasants down with her.

The two pheasants were wrapped in cloth with only their heads showing, placed side by side on Zhù Ying’s desk. Zhù Ying said, “What is this for?”

Su Mingluan said, quite seriously, “What if we say they were captured when they came down the mountain to eat the grain? What do you think?”

Zhù Ying gave a loud cough. “What is the need?”

Su Mingluan said, “I brought them down already anyway.”

Zhù Ying said, “What did Sanlang say?”

Su Mingluan smiled as well. “He was always the worrying sort, even as a child. He may not say anything, but his mind is always turning. This time I think he was right — I cannot always be taking advantage of Uncle’s goodwill toward us without regard for anything else.”

“It’s not really taking advantage. You do well, and everyone can do well together. But how much I give you, how you are to plant, and how you repay me — all of that needs to be worked out clearly.”

Zhù Ying did not raise again the matter of imperial patents or the submission of maps and registers. Su Mingluan brought none of it up at this point either. She and her father had already discussed and settled on a course: given the sorry state of the court at present, getting them to officially recognize a woman in authority was far more difficult than accepting a daughter at the head of a clan back home. Zhù Ying was already remarkable enough — at least she would negotiate with you. If you got some other insufferable court official, you’d get nothing but a flat “no,” and you’d be caught between enemies on all sides.

And so father and daughter had decided: Su Mingluan would submit maps and registration documents in exchange for court recognition, using the court as a backer — even if that backer was not always reliable. But it was more than enough to stand against the Liji Clan and the Suoning family with the court behind her.

Zhù Ying also had her plan: start with the farmland. As long as the mountains and the valley had more and more contact, what came after would follow — she had ways, even without authority, to carry out her designs.

Both parties left the meeting quite satisfied.

Zhù Ying said, “As it happens — I intend to send Sanlang to the capital. You could travel together.”

Su Mingluan was pleased as well. Zhao Su was still her cousin, after all, and having him in the capital meant he could pass along news.

Both prepared their respective things. Zhù Ying also sent Xiao Wu to accompany Zhao Su. Zhao Su brought along his own household manager, a personal attendant, and two travel servants. Zhao Feng had packed two cartloads of luggage for him. Zhù Ying’s side, supervised by Xiao Wu, had fully three carts’ worth of goods. Zhao Su found a cage and settled the two white-feathered pheasants inside. As he did, a wave of feeling washed over him — his first meeting with his adoptive father had been in circumstances much like these.

And in the blink of an eye, he was being sent off to the capital.

Zhao Su was full of anticipation.