Zhù Ying still needed to be announced before entering the Prefectural Governor’s office, and all of that was handled by Xiao Wu, who ran inside first to speak with someone, then ran back out to ask Zhù Ying to step in and wait. While she waited, there was tea and a seat for her, and Xiao Wu even borrowed a large fan from a white-duty attendant of the Prefectural Governor’s office nearby and fanned Zhù Ying to keep her cool so she would not sweat through her clothes.

Before long, Zhù Ying heard footsteps and rose to her feet. She waved Xiao Wu off, and Xiao Wu had just set down the fan when a man came out from inside — Master Xue.

Master Xue came out to greet her with a cupped-fist bow: “How have you been keeping, Magistrate Zhù? My apologies — I could not get away, otherwise I should have called on you at the relay station first.”

“Not at all, your business comes first, and having Xiao Wu here was perfectly fine.”

Master Xue made a “please follow me” gesture. “This way, Magistrate Zhù.”

The two of them walked together, occasionally passing one or two people along the way. Master Xue complained in a low voice: “Another old schemer.” He then said a few words about how the people left behind by Prefectural Governor Lu were a terrible burden, as if to explain why he had been unable to get away.

Zhù Ying thought to herself: Spare me the nonsense. You simply feel that your own footing is already secure — that is why you were in no rush to see me. If the situation had been precarious, you would have sprouted wings and flown to Fulu County to find me yourself.

Who ever truly fails to think of things? In truth, they simply have no need to.

The Prefectural Governor’s office had changed considerably since she had last been there. The broad framework was the same, but the interior decorations were far more refined and elegant, and this alone revealed how different Leng Yun was from Prefectural Governor Lu. When Zhù Ying used to come to this office, she had only circulated through the two or three areas near the front — either for meetings, or to make reports — and on the rare occasion shared a meal with Prefectural Governor Lu. That had been the extent of it.

Now she had come to know many more parts of the compound. Leng Yun first received Zhù Ying in the area where he handled his day-to-day official affairs.

When she arrived, she saw that Leng Yun was wearing a formal robe, and although the room was filled with blocks of ice and a pageboy was fanning him, he was still able to stay in his clothes. He had gained a little weight since before — the flesh he had lost from the hardships of the road and from initially being unwell after arriving had all come back.

The moment he saw Zhù Ying, he laughed: “You finally came!”

Zhù Ying dutifully performed the full salute appropriate for greeting a superior official, and Leng Yun said: “Come now, come sit down.” He pointed to the chair closest to his right hand and had her sit there.

Zhù Ying sat to his left. Leng Yun rested his left elbow on the armrest and leaned his body toward her, asking: “Was the journey all right?”

Zhù Ying felt a small inward stir. The way Leng Yun was treating her was a degree warmer than the last time; he was no longer forcing himself to project the stern authority of a superior. She said: “Thank you for your concern, my lord. After several years here, I have already grown accustomed to it.”

Leng Yun let out a sigh: “I still don’t know when I’ll get used to it! Such heat!”

Zhù Ying said: “Heat has its advantages — the crops can get in an extra season.”

Leng Yun did not accuse her of dampening the mood. He seemed genuinely interested in “crops,” and said: “That is actually what I wanted to discuss! I read everything you wrote earlier, and I only wish winter would come sooner.”

“It will come soon enough,” Zhù Ying said with a smile. “If you cannot wait, my lord, why not come to my county in a day or two and take a look? Fulu County has more experience growing winter wheat. By the time autumn and winter arrive, you will need to keep watch over the winter wheat near the prefectural capital, and at the same time try to supervise the winter wheat across Southern Prefecture — that will be difficult to manage in two places at once. And the weather then will be cold and damp, unsuitable for travel, making it better to sit by the fire at the office. In the first year, you should first acclimatize to the local conditions.

Furthermore, although it looks on the surface like you gave instructions to your subordinate official to oversee the cultivation of winter wheat, actually coordinating and extending it across all of Southern Prefecture and indeed the entire circuit — how would a subordinate official like me be able to manage that on my own? You yourself must be central to it. And now that I have accumulated some experience, this would be just the right time to invite you to come and preside.”

Leng Yun said: “What would there be to see and do? The weather is still hot, and if I went now, what could I actually look at or accomplish?”

Zhù Ying said: “Look at the fields and the people. The circuit is so large, and the land in different counties is different — there are distinct differences from the land near the prefectural capital. Some places have many mountains, some have little land, and some have an abundance of landed gentry.”

“What about having an abundance of landed gentry?”

“Tax exemptions,” Zhù Ying said.

“Tsk!”

Zhù Ying asked: “Well, my lord? Will you come?”

Leng Yun thought it over. The weather was hot now, and it was not an ideal time for travel — but then again, after spending several months inside this compound, he did in fact feel like getting out and moving around. He looked at Zhù Ying, thinking that she always did things methodically; if she was inviting him to come, she would have everything arranged. He said: “All right.”

“My father and mother will certainly be delighted.”

“Is that so? I’ve missed them too. In a day or two, let us go together.” Leng Yun said. Then his tone shifted, and unlike Master Xue, he did not complain to her about the officials in the compound, but instead asked: “How did the former Prefectural Governor Lu usually run these assembly meetings?”

He had asked the Adjutant and others similar questions, and they had all replied vaguely: “He would ask about practical affairs for the first half of the year, plans for the second half, and any matters that could not be decided would also be reported upward.”

It sounded as though they had said quite a lot, but when his several aides broke it down, it was as if nothing had been said at all.

Zhù Ying said: “It is similar to the annual performance review submitted to the court by each circuit — things like tax grain, litigation, that sort of thing. You estimate how much can be done, report how much has been done, and how much remains unfinished. You also explain why things remain unfinished, and whether the reason seems reasonable.” She was worried that Leng Yun would ask confused questions and let the subordinates see that he was out of his depth, so she explained things to him in considerable detail. She then gave a specific example from one of the assembly meetings held during Prefectural Governor Lu’s time: what a given county had reported for its accounts, what it had completed, what the reasons were, how Prefectural Governor Lu had responded, what flaws he had pointed out, and how the difficulties had been resolved.

Leng Yun listened very carefully.

He had learned from experience — he genuinely did not understand the day-to-day administration of affairs, and after asking a few questions that revealed how little he knew, people had gradually seen through his real capabilities, and he had slowly lost his ability to get subordinates to do what he wanted. When aides tried to step in and speak on his behalf, officials would simply ignore them, treating the aide as if they did not exist — they would only respond if Leng Yun repeated the question himself, or if he sent a clerical official to repeat it. The Adjutant in particular was one who could take turns going to the capital for audit reviews along with the Governor; when the emperor asked questions, you could not just send an uncredentialed man to speak for you, so how could Leng Yun simply dispatch some pedantic scholar to question him? The Adjutant had started this pattern of non-cooperation, and others followed.

After two incidents of this kind, Leng Yun himself sensed something was off. On one hand, there were the subordinate officials showing him disrespect; on the other, there were the aides who wanted him to assert himself but who were inevitably overstepping. That would not do. He quickly formed a plan: since you are all capable people, go ahead and fight each other.

The subordinate officials and aides had clashed countless times, both openly and behind the scenes. Often Leng Yun, knowing nothing of practical affairs, could not even tell who had the better argument, exhausting his aides nearly to the point of coughing blood.

Both Zhù Ying and the county magistrate of Sicheng County were county magistrates — and those two had been able to drag a squabble on for a full month. An aide who held no official post was at a real disadvantage in that regard. This was the moment when Zhù Ying’s brilliance in having him meet first with the Ministry of Personnel showed itself: if Leng Yun had a good relationship with the Ministry of Personnel, he could now have one or two of the troublemaking officials transferred away, with his capable aides taking over those duties in their stead.

“Taking over duties” meant doing the work, not necessarily holding the official title. Because the subordinate officials at the Prefectural Governor’s office held fairly high ranks, it was not easy for someone without any post to step straight into those roles. But once one thorn was pulled, installing a person to manage affairs became much simpler.

Leng Yun’s problem was that the people left behind by Prefectural Governor Lu were all difficult to deal with, and replacing everyone at once was not realistic. Among his own aides, every single one wanted to be the one who got ahead — so who should he promote?

After grinding through it for several months, Leng Yun had only barely managed to take over the previous man’s operation, and even then it was not fully in his grasp — he was managing it by keeping several aides and subordinate officials locked in mutual competition, while still not being able to follow his aides entirely. From all of this, he had come to appreciate Zhù Ying’s ability, and today he received her with a particular gravity and courtesy, carrying in his manner a hint of esteem and care.

He could not keep all the figures straight from the example of the assembly meeting during Prefectural Governor Lu’s time that Zhù Ying had described, but that did not prevent him from grasping the general point. Then came the next difficulty: it was too specific! He was not the sort of person who could keep command of every last detail.

After listening, Leng Yun hesitated a moment, then asked: “This all happened several years ago, didn’t it? What about the most recent period — when it was still Prefectural Governor Lu at the end of last year?”

Zhù Ying said: “Yes. The account records and archives from last year are all there, and you can consult them freely. The climate over the past two years has been much the same. For those who can explain their reasons, you can grant some leniency as you see fit. For those who cannot explain themselves, you can use this meeting as a way to put everyone on notice.”

Leng Yun nodded: “That makes sense.” He had been quite worried about the tax grain for this year, as things related to spring planting had been delayed, and Master Dong had brought it up several times.

He then asked about various other matters in the circuit, this time with far more specificity than during their last meeting. Finally he asked: “In your view, which people here in this compound are the most capable?”

Zhù Ying said: “It’s not really a matter of who is better or worse — it’s about who is suited for what, and who works well with you.”

Leng Yun nodded with satisfaction, rubbed his arm which had gone numb from leaning on it, and said: “Come on, let’s go eat!”

The midday meal was laid in the front office. Leng Yun did not summon his concubines, but instead called upon the officially registered courtesans of the locality to perform music in a proper setting. Only after the meal was finished did he let Zhù Ying go back. He then began reviewing the old archives, jotting down some figures — picking out only a few specific counties to note in detail, and rounding the rest to approximations. He had no intention of following last year’s figures exactly; instead, he marked out a baseline for himself and settled on a rough figure slightly lower than last year’s numbers.

The first year, falling short of his predecessor — he would accept that humbling! But with winter wheat, he should be able to manage the court’s inquiries.

With the long conversation with Zhù Ying behind him, Leng Yun’s assembly meeting went very smoothly. Because he had taken special care to memorize several specific figures from the previous year, he was able to deliver sharp challenges that surprised several officials, which pleased him considerably. And because he ultimately negotiated a reasonable overall figure with the local officials, the outcome of the meeting was likewise satisfying to all parties.

Afterward he held another meal for everyone. At the banquet, he displayed the full bearing of a young gentleman from the capital, and the impression he left made people feel he was not so disagreeable after all.

Once the meal was over, everyone went back to their relay stations, and from there began to make their way home one by one.

The county magistrate of Sicheng County, Magistrate Qiu, had been worried that Zhù Ying would file a complaint against him and allow the case of Huang the Twelfth to be taken out of his hands — and he would not be able to outmaneuver Zhù Ying in that fight. To his surprise, Zhù Ying never mentioned it at all, and neither did Leng Yun, so Magistrate Qiu thought to himself: let’s just keep grinding away at it then.

Magistrate Qiu was not worried about the winter wheat matter either. He wanted political achievements; if Zhù Ying, who was personally responsible for spreading the practice, did not want them too, then she was no one in particular. It was not a question of who was asking favors of whom — it was a question of how to cooperate.

Magistrate Qiu planned to linger in the prefectural capital for a few more days before leaving. Unexpectedly, Zhù Ying packed her things early and, after making a few simple purchases, was ready to set out. Magistrate Qiu saw her to the door: “Not staying a bit longer?”

“No, there are still things to do.”

At the time, Magistrate Qiu was still wondering what could be so urgent. Zhù Ying had barely gone before he saw horses being readied at the relay station — the Prefectural Governor himself was heading out!

Magistrate Qiu stood rooted to the spot.

……

Zhù Ying had agreed with Leng Yun to go to Fulu County, and a Prefectural Governor’s journey inevitably made something of a spectacle. Leng Yun left Master Xue behind to mind the compound, and set out himself with Master Dong and Steward Qian, along with Zhù Ying. In addition came pageboys, maidservants, a cook, a steward, and others; at the front was an advance party clearing the way, at the rear a party bringing up the rear. There were also twenty yamen runners and ten white-duty attendants.

These people would be provisioned at relay stations along the road according to Leng Yun’s rank, and on arrival in Fulu County, the county office would also need to set aside some funds to receive them. To receive this party without being able to recoup costs from elsewhere would mean a loss for the county office.

Zhù Ying was not concerned by this. She accompanied Leng Yun for five days, and they arrived in Fulu County from the prefectural capital. For Leng Yun, that counted as quite fast. All along the road, officials who had heard the news kept hurrying to catch up with the party. For instance, the supervising official of Southern Prefecture — once they entered Southern Prefecture territory, he joined the procession and traveled with them.

Leng Yun found this journey much more dignified than when he had first traveled to his posting. He arrived at each place to find local officials — who had only just come home — receiving him respectfully. These same men had given him trouble at the assembly meeting, but they put on an excellent show on the surface, and Leng Yun set aside his displeasure for the time being, enjoying a meal and listening to music.

On the fifth day they entered Fulu County, and Leng Yun and his party felt that things were quite different here. With Zhù Ying at his side, the welcoming scene was still very much in order. Assistant Magistrate Guan and the others came out to meet them in a proper line, and even their faces genuinely showed what appeared to be real warmth and anticipation. There were also ordinary people gathered to watch, and they called out enthusiastic greetings — the feeling was entirely unlike the one in other places where village elders had been arranged in advance to present cups of wine. It was clear that the people of Fulu County had not been coached on what to say; they spoke entirely from their own hearts, which meant that occasionally someone said something a little off and was pulled back by the people around them. For instance, one person called out “What a pretty pale-faced fellow!”

The common people were not afraid of Zhù Ying either. After paying their respects to Leng Yun, they all greeted Zhù Ying warmly, asking whether she was tired from the journey back. Some chatted with her casually — saying it had rained two days ago, so mind the road, don’t let the horses slip on their hooves.

Leng Yun’s spirits lifted along with the mood around him, and he only wished he were better at the local dialect, so he could understand more than just the general gist. The only phrases in dialect he knew were things like: “Come, bring something to eat for the elder,” and a handful of others.

Once inside Fulu County proper, they traveled another day before reaching the county office, and all along the way there were onlookers and people calling out greetings. One bold woman called out to Zhù Ying: “Got guests?”

Zhù Ying said to Leng Yun: “This is an elderly woman who often talks with my mother.” Then she said to the old woman: “This is no ordinary guest.”

Zhù Ying also introduced him to the townspeople, and when they heard who he was, they were all rather awed, their bows uneven and scattered. But seeing him and Zhù Ying laughing and chatting, they gradually relaxed, and wished him well too. Leng Yun waved to them in return.

At the gate of the county office, runners were already lined up and ready, and Zhù Ying’s father and Zhang Xiangu, old familiar faces both, stood at the center of a small crowd to welcome him.

Leng Yun was in high spirits, having temporarily forgotten all the troubles at the Prefectural Governor’s office. He dismounted and came before Zhù Ying’s father and Zhang Xiangu, saying: “How is it you both came out?”

Zhù Ying’s father said: “When an honored guest deigns to visit our humble place, how could we not come out to meet him?”

Zhang Xiangu said: “All these years, and you’re the only great official who has ever come to see us!”

Zhù Ying said: “Everyone stop standing around in the doorway — let’s invite the lord inside to change his clothes.” It was hot, and Leng Yun was slightly delicate in constitution, easily breaking into a sweat.

The county office had long since prepared accommodations. Hou Wu led Leng Yun to change his clothes, then guided him to the main hall to sit, where the officials and clerks of the county came to pay their respects. Zhù Ying introduced each one to him in order of rank, seating the male and female jail supervisors together, arranging Xiang Le and Xiang An side by side, and having Xiao Jiang present alongside the county coroner. She gave special mention to Xiao Jiang: “She is from the capital and has been residing here. The county has her to thank for its proficiency in standard Mandarin.”

Leng Yun was in an excellent mood and nodded approvingly even at minor clerks and white-duty attendants: “Very good, very good.”

The local officials had received Prefectural Governor Lu once before, and Assistant Magistrate Guan had not arranged for everyone to be presented to the governor at that time. Not expecting that this time everyone would have a turn, they were all quite pleased in their hearts — I have seen the Prefectural Governor! And Prefectural Governor Leng is quite handsome too.

Next was Captain Ding, who as the commander of the local garrison was one of the county’s prominent figures. Leng Yun remembered him too, and said: “Ah, you! I know you” — the one whose subordinates had loose lips!

Then came the county’s local gentry. Huang the Twelfth was arranged behind Lin Weng. Only at this moment did he feel that all the difficulties he had gone through since moving to Fulu County had been worth it. He only regretted not having moved here sooner. Among the several people Zhù Ying was now giving special introductions, there was the Widow Chang — introduced as someone who was very capable in business, which was no easy accomplishment — and Zhao Ze, whose son Zhao Su was now a student at the Imperial Academy and had contributed greatly to maintaining the trade market. Then there was Gu Weng, who had been the first gentry member to respond to the proposal for renting out draft oxen.

The gentry members had not expected Zhù Ying to have remembered all of their contributions, and many were moved and gratified. Wang Weng was so overwhelmed with nerves that he fainted and missed the rest of the proceedings. Huang the Twelfth, for his part, had little to distinguish himself and could only stand in the background. He tried to push forward and get off a flattering remark, but was immediately sandwiched between the people on either side and warned to behave himself, so he reluctantly held back for now. He thought to himself: I wonder what it is the county magistrate and the Prefectural Governor both like?

Zhù Ying finally brought a young man and young woman before Leng Yun: “My lord, these two are children of the Ying people.” Su Mingluan was still up in the mountains; these two were representatives from among the boarding students, and also called Zhù Ying their teacher.

Leng Yun looked at them with curiosity and said: “If you hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have been able to see anything unusual about them.” Compared to the impoverished commoners of Fulu County, these two — in their appearance, dress, and bearing — were actually more what Leng Yun was accustomed to seeing.

Once everyone had been presented, Zhù Ying said: “The banquet is ready, my lord, please.”

The banquet was not set in the county office but by the riverside, in a building constructed of emerald bamboo that looked delightfully cool just to behold. At the center hung a plaque inscribed with “Qingfeng Tower — the Tower of Fresh Breezes.” Leng Yun said: “Excellent!”

Zhù Ying assigned people to see to Leng Yun’s retinue and said to Leng Yun: “This is the place. It also has sleeping quarters — if you like it, you’re welcome to stay here. What do you think?”

Leng Yun climbed to the third floor and had the entire county town spread out before him. He said: “Excellent!”

Zhù Ying pointed to the buildings below: “All of those can accommodate guests.” She also described the resting areas on the third floor itself. Compared to what Leng Yun was accustomed to, this bamboo building could only be described as fairly modest, though it had the advantage of being quite novel. The banquet table was laid with the usual chicken, duck, fish, and meat, as well as Fulu County’s signature oranges and mountain produce. Because of the excellent relationship with the A-Su family, Fulu County had an abundance of mountain goods that were rarely seen elsewhere, and there was also tea grown by the A-Su family. Though it may not have pleased Leng Yun’s palate, the attendants and runners among his retinue found it quite good.

Leng Yun sat in the high seat and let out all the gloom that had been weighing on him: “It’s still you who treats me best.”

Zhù Ying thought to herself: If I let him stay here many more days, he will start to find it shabby and me boring.

Can’t let him stay too long!

Zhù Ying timed things carefully. The next morning she did not call on Leng Yun until close to noon, by which time he had only just gotten out of bed. After traveling for days, he was genuinely a little worn out. Seeing that Zhù Ying was not wearing her official robes, he chose not to wear his either, and asked: “Is there something to show me?”

Zhù Ying said: “There is.”

She first took him to the storehouse, where they sat among a pile of oranges and ate some — a very different experience from the banquet. Leng Yun ate two in a row. Then Zhù Ying took him to see the place where the wheat seed was kept, scooped up some seed, and explained to him what good seed looks like.

For lunch, she invited him to her own home for a homestyle meal, prepared by Lady Qi.

After eating, in the rear quarters, Zhù Ying invited Leng Yun to change into something even simpler, then brought him out to the market. The most entertaining part of the market was a cluster of crude signs with characters that were missing strokes, and some charming homophone mistakes that produced unintentional puns.

Leng Yun watched Zhù Ying crouch down in front of a stall and chat with the vendor, and he imitated her and crouched down too. Vendor after vendor came over bearing little trinkets and knickknacks — some put things down and walked away, others put things down and stood watching, all seemingly at ease and unintimidated. Leng Yun laughed: “Is this what you’re like every day?”

Zhù Ying said: “Mm. What would be the point if everyone kept their distance? My father and mother can’t stay still at home either — they love a bit of liveliness, and when I’m busy I have no way to keep them company, so they come out and have people to talk to.”

“That can’t be easy.”

The two of them crouched in front of the vendor stalls chatting until Master Dong, the supervising official of Southern Prefecture, and others came looking for them, at which point they finally stood up and stomped their legs — they had gone numb.

That evening there was another dinner, again featuring Fulu County’s various local specialties, and Zhù Ying also introduced merchants — such as the Xiang family, who dealt in mountain produce. She deliberately had people wrap up packages near the bamboo tower, making sure the retinue staff saw her preparing specialty gifts to take back for everyone.

The second day, Zhù Ying finished her arrangements at the county office and then went to the bamboo tower. Leng Yun had again only just gotten out of bed. He saw her and said: “Don’t you need to handle official business? Go ahead and get on with it.”

Zhù Ying said: “No rush, no rush. It’s not yet harvest time, and everything else goes quickly.”

As the two of them were talking, Xiao Wu slipped in and hid in a corner, gesturing to Zhù Ying. The bamboo floor creaked at every step, and Leng Yun had already noticed. He asked what the matter was.

Xiao Wu ducked his neck in. Leng Yun said: “You little scoundrel! When you’re here with him, you stop answering to me?”

Xiao Wu quickly knelt: “My lord, I did not wish to trouble you — it is only a case matter.”

Leng Yun was amused: “A case? Sanlang, we know something about those! Let’s have a look!”

Xiao Wu raised a document over his head.

……

It needed no guessing — this was the case in which Li Da had brought charges against Huang the Twelfth.

The document was the one that had previously been sent over from Sicheng County. Zhù Ying had already seen it, but she feigned urgency about going to see Leng Yun as though she had not yet read it. Xiao Wu pretended he had only just returned from the Prefectural Governor’s office and discovered it while sorting through the documents.

The document did not say “private court of punishment” — it listed only “abduction of a woman,” “tyrannizing the locality,” and several similar charges. Leng Yun said: “Clearly a minor matter. But what does it have to do with Sicheng County?”

Zhù Ying said: “He was originally from Sicheng County and only moved here recently. The complainants followed him here from Sicheng County. I sent an official communication to Sicheng County, and they said the matter falls under their jurisdiction.”

Leng Yun had been worn down by endless turf battles during his time at the Prefectural Governor’s compound, and this infuriated him now more than anything else. He said: “What on earth is Sicheng County quibbling about?! Having you handle it is better than having anyone else handle it!”

Zhù Ying said: “It is not entirely unreasonable on their part. But now that it has fallen into my hands, I want to see it handled properly. Xiao Wu, have Gu Tong draft an official communication stating that this matter should fall under our jurisdiction.”

Leng Yun said: “Why bother with a communication? Tell them to send the parties involved here!”

Zhù Ying said: “Both the plaintiff and the defendant are already here. The only thing missing is witness testimony and physical evidence — and the Huang family is still over there. When you go on your inspection tour later, if you happen to go to his place, don’t raise this matter — this is between me and Magistrate Qiu, and if you get involved, it will look as though I went to you to file a complaint, which isn’t worth it.”

“Oh.” Leng Yun thought about it and agreed, and so let the matter go.

After finishing the meal that day, Zhù Ying again took Leng Yun out for a stroll.

Leng Yun said: “You just wander around?”

“Wandering around is how you get to know people’s livelihoods!” Zhù Ying said. “Once they all know me, they won’t think I’m a swindler when I tell them something.”

Just then, a woman burst out from around a corner, and upon seeing Leng Yun kowtowed at his feet: “My lord, I beg you to uphold justice!”

Leng Yun said: “Who are you?”

It was Li Fujie’s own mother who had come. The whole family had been kept in the jail and had gained about two pounds each, yet Leng Yun still found her looking frail and thin. Leng Yun understood a bit of the dialect, and the old woman begged him for justice: “My lord, we’ve been bringing this case for years and still haven’t gotten my daughter back. Later we heard that Magistrate Zhù was willing to stand up for common people, so we came running here. Who could have known that our own hometown would refuse to take pity on us? They all said your rank is higher, and that you seem willing to come out and talk to folks like us, so you must be a good person — please stand up for us!”

Zhù Ying said: “Get up. What I have promised you, I will deliver.”

Leng Yun saw that there were many onlookers all around and could not easily say he would not handle it, so he said: “Is what you are saying the truth?”

Zhù Ying said: “My lord, even asking about the case properly requires going back to the office first.”

Leng Yun said: “Very well.”

Zhù Ying casually beckoned a couple of women to help support the old woman and escort her to the county office, then accompanied Leng Yun back. Leng Yun said: “Let’s change our clothes.”

The casual street clothes were not suitable for hearing a case, so the two of them each went to change. While Leng Yun was changing, Master Dong said: “My lord, could this case be a little too much of a coincidence? Could it be that she’s using it to… get you to help her stage a confrontation?”

Leng Yun stood with his arms spread for the servants to dress him and flatly denied it: “Sanlang is not that kind of person! He always does things thoroughly, and he trusts in his own ability to do them well. When he really does need his superior to step in, he says so directly — he has always been completely above board. Don’t compare him to those other characters!”

Once dressed, the two of them came to the county office and sat down; Zhù Ying had the Li family ready and waiting.

Leng Yun asked his question, and the person was brought in. The main speaker was Li Fujie — she had seen more of the world than her family members, and she gave a clear, well-organized account.

Leng Yun asked: “How could this be? You’re truly saying you were seized by force?”

Li Fujie answered firmly: “Yes.”

Zhù Ying said: “The defendant has a different version of events. Unfortunately, Sicheng County refuses to produce the physical evidence from the time.”

Huang the Twelfth was then summoned, and the two parties confronted each other in the hall. Leng Yun listened to what Huang the Twelfth had to say and found it apparently reasonable too, and then heard that there was a contract deed as evidence. Leng Yun said: “Take the defendant into custody. I will make my inquiry first before reaching a judgment.”

Very well — the defendant was locked up. Everyone who had any part in handling this case had to suppress the urge to smile.

Leng Yun moved to issue an official communication, but Zhù Ying stopped him and said: “Wait! Li Fujie, the last time you presented your case, you made no mention of any other capital crimes involving Huang’s family.”

Li Fujie understood what she was doing: “In reply to my lord: the last time, it was my elder brother who came on my behalf to bring the charge. Now my whole family has come forward, and I will tell my lord everything I know.”

Leng Yun said: “That makes sense.” And again he moved to issue a communication.

But Zhù Ying jumped in first and said: “Take them into custody as well.” Then she gave Leng Yun a significant look, and the two of them withdrew from the hall.

They stepped into the record room. Leng Yun sat down and said: “I’ve seen how efficient you are at the Court of Judicial Review — what is going on here?”

“It’s not right. Li Fujie never told me that Huang the Twelfth has other criminal matters. Now she’s about to drag in more cases, which calls for careful handling. Besides, my lord, don’t you sense something odd?”

“What would be odd? Could this be a case of poor people trying to extort the wealthy? We’ve encountered that before.”

“No,” Zhù Ying said. “I had Xiang Le make inquiries, and Huang the Twelfth has a bad reputation and has indeed mistreated people. But the villagers are uneducated and cannot clearly describe the exact nature of what was done. Even if it’s not fully established, there’s probably at least a fifty-fifty chance there’s something to it. I haven’t witnessed it personally, so I can’t say outright — I can only speculate, and without confirmation I don’t dare raise it with you.”

“Still speculating? I’ll issue the order and you go handle it!”

Zhù Ying said: “In that case, I would ask you to lend me some men. I will take them and ride fast to confirm my suspicion; once confirmed, I will make arrests immediately. And I ask that you stay alert — if I call for support, please send people promptly.”

“What is so serious about this?”

“The charge is serious — I cannot say it aloud until it is confirmed. If I say it and I’m wrong, that harms people.”

“Is it treason?”

“That… it’s not quite that either.”

Leng Yun said: “How swift you were solving cases at the Court of Judicial Review! Has your touch left you now that you’re here? Do I have to roll up my sleeves myself?”

“I would not presume. Besides, I am accustomed to running errands — I will be faster. This matter requires speed.”

Leng Yun was growing slightly impatient and said coldly: “All this mystery!”

Zhù Ying said: “Then shall we go together and make quick work of it? Experience it firsthand? Once it is confirmed, you will understand the reason.”

“Fine.”

“Please change into something as light as possible, and get the best horses. I’ll go find Captain Ding! You will need reliable soldiers, and also proof of your authority.”

Hearing Zhù Ying’s arrangements, Leng Yun felt his curiosity piqued. Just as he had said — Zhù Ying was not a reckless person. His impatience gave way to something more serious.

The two of them made their arrangements at lightning speed. Lin Weng had barely registered the news that his son-in-law was under arrest before Zhù Ying and Leng Yun were already riding out of the city with several dozen men to rendezvous with Captain Ding!

Captain Ding had been idle for a stretch since the last incident, and for a soldier, excessive idleness does not lead to promotion. He had been hoping for something to do, and when Zhù Ying told him she needed his help, he only wished he had more men under his command so he could send a larger force to accompany her.

He first paid respects to Leng Yun, who said: “I know nothing — ask him!”

Zhù Ying said: “Move! Sicheng County! Li Da, lead the way. Xiang Le, stay with him.”

Xiang Le and Li Da shared a horse and burst into the lead; Zhù Ying and Captain Ding followed closely behind, with Leng Yun behind them. Leng Yun’s riding was not exceptional, but his horse was excellent — he was accustomed to riding every day as he owned his own horses, which more than made up for technique with familiarity. In a single day, the party came thundering up to the outer walls of the Huang family estate, and everyone hastily fashioned some torches and lit them.

Leng Yun felt as though every bone in his body was about to shake loose, but he gritted his teeth and held himself together, refusing to say so.

Xiang Le said in a low voice: “This is it!”

Faced with a private dwelling in the darkness, Leng Yun had no idea how to proceed — he had never personally handled such a case. He asked Zhù Ying: “What do we do?”

Zhù Ying said: “Xiang Le!”

Xiang Le said: “My lord, please, have Captain Ding’s men follow me.”

Zhù Ying said: “Wait — everyone, seal the gates for me first!”

She had done more than her share of estate seizures in her time. First block the exits, then advance through the compound section by section, courtyard by courtyard. One team was sent directly to search for account books and the like; another drove straight into the main reception hall. Since the head of the Huang household had already moved away, the team going to the main hall was redirected. Instead, Xiang Le dragged Li Da along and made straight for the “imitation official hall.” After clearing one courtyard, all the people found in the compound were consolidated and placed under guard.

Worried that the men from the Prefectural Governor’s office might not obey her orders, she assigned them to guard the gates and prevent anyone from fleeing, while her own people and Captain Ding’s men conducted the search. Xiang Le reached the “imitation official hall” and then abandoned Li Da and came running back out: “My lord! Inside there is a…”

“A private court of punishment,” Zhù Ying said.

Leng Yun said: “How can this be?!”

Zhù Ying said: “I guessed at some of it. Li Fujie mentioned five or six incidents she had witnessed personally — what about those she had not witnessed?” She laid out her earlier line of reasoning.

Leng Yun said: “If you guessed it, why didn’t you say so earlier? This should have been wiped out long ago!”

Zhù Ying said: “What if I had been wrong…”

She had not finished speaking when torchlight appeared outside, and a crowd of dark heads, carrying hoes, clubs, and the like, along with several men brandishing short swords, closed in around them — they were the Huang family’s estate workers.

Leng Yun said: “They’re revolting!”

Zhù Ying said: “My lord, you cannot use those words carelessly. They may have been deceived. Come, bring the estate foreman forward.”

Xiang Le recognized the junior steward and put a blade to his throat: “Tell them to put down their weapons!”

“I’m just an errand runner — they won’t listen to me.”

Captain Ding said: “I’ll handle this.” He grabbed the head steward of the estate and ordered him to call out to the crowd. The head steward still wanted to argue, so Captain Ding drove a blade into his abdomen and kept pressing him. The head steward took three stabs and died without cooperating. Captain Ding’s battle lust was rising, and he grabbed the second steward.

Leng Yun said: “Enough talking — act!”

Zhù Ying, sensing things were going badly, said: “Someone — shout that Huang the Twelfth is dead!”

Whether he was actually dead or not — if the head had fallen, surely not all of these men were devoted to him. Captain Ding severed the head steward’s head and held it up: “The head is here.”

In the darkness, most people could not clearly make out whether it was truly Huang the Twelfth’s head, but they took it to mean he was dead. The crowd scattered in a rush. Leng Yun was drenched in cold sweat and raged: “This scoundrel maintained a private army — he truly was planning a revolt!”

Zhù Ying said: “Clear the compound. We will stay here tonight. Send official communications — I believe this falls under Captain Chang’s jurisdiction? Best to leave him out of it. No need for him. My lord, the local yamen runners cannot be trusted here; please transfer yamen runners from Southern Prefecture to assist with the case. Also, we must report to the court.”

What had begun as coming along with Zhù Ying to get a taste of handling a case and enjoy a little excitement had turned into a genuine major case landing right in front of him. Leng Yun said: “You arrange it.”

Zhù Ying said: “Yes, my lord.”

Master Dong was elderly and had not been able to keep up, so Leng Yun had only Zhù Ying before him now. The two of them felt a faint echo of their days back at the Court of Judicial Review.

Zhù Ying directed the estate seizure with complete confidence. Although her current subordinates had little experience with this, she parceled out the work and kept everyone steady. She then said: “This is a big case. No one is to pocket any gold or silver privately. Work diligently, and I will not shortchange you.”

Whether runners or soldiers, everyone trusted her word. Though tempted, they mostly managed to restrain themselves; even those who couldn’t quite hold back dared not take much.

The runners dragged several barely-human shapes out of the underground jail. Leng Yun took one look and felt all his fatigue vanish — replaced by something else entirely. He would not be sleeping tonight — it was the shock. He peered into the underground jail once, then went back to the main room and sat down, saying: “That wretched local landowner — how utterly outrageous! Punish him thoroughly for me!”

Zhù Ying said: “Yes, my lord.” She flipped through the account books: “Congratulations, my lord.”

“What is there to congratulate about?”

“Concealed land and concealed households.”

When Zhù Ying had helped with the handover at the Prefectural Governor’s office, she had seen some of the archives, and she knew the figures for Sicheng County. If the acreage and registered population in Huang the Twelfth’s own ledgers were accurate, Sicheng County had no land belonging to anyone else besides him. He had been concealing a great deal of farmland and a great number of households. Uncovering all of this would count as a major achievement.

Leng Yun began to curse Magistrate Qiu: “A do-nothing holding down a post!”

Zhù Ying felt not a shred of sympathy for this colleague. With so many people suffering under Huang the Twelfth, with so much concealed land — and Magistrate Qiu had never moved against Huang the Twelfth. Was that man made of stone?

The case had not yet been officially decided, so it could not yet be called a “seizure.” The people doing the work were inexperienced, and they worked straight through until dawn.