Su Mingluan’s mother had not needed to come in person — she was living well at home. The reason she had been willing to travel three days of difficult mountain roads and stay for the better part of half a month in a city that was only beginning to take shape was because she had one pressing concern: her children.

Of her children who had survived, there were five sons and two daughters. But over the question of who would inherit the position of clan chief, the family had divided into two factions. Before his death, her late husband had made clear the situation within the family: it was the daughter who was more capable and more suited to be the clan chief. Su Mingluan’s mother’s first thought at the time had been: if that is the case, why not let the eldest be clan chief while the younger sister manages things? That way both interests could be served.

But the former Asu clan chief’s view was: it would not work. The eldest cannot keep up in his thinking; if the younger sister manages things and the eldest disagrees, who does the settlement listen to? Trouble will come sooner or later — it is better from the very start to hand over the position to the younger sister. As for the sons, the sooner they give up that hope, the less likely they are to develop ambitions. Trust them to the care of our younger brother in the lowlands — their lives will be preserved.

Su Mingluan’s mother’s response was: then why not let the eldest be clan chief, with the younger sister managing things, and if the two come into conflict, ask our lowland younger brother to mediate?

The former Asu clan chief’s answer: the simplest thing our lowland younger brother could do would be to marry the younger sister off to a place where she could manage a household and be a mistress. Then our family would be finished.

Su Mingluan’s mother had been persuaded by her husband. Su Mingluan had also done well — one could see from how she ran the settlement that she was considerably more capable than the eldest son. But as a mother, she did not want any of her children to come to harm. Watching the eldest son grow more and more despondent day by day, she too had become unable to sit still.

And so she requested to come with Su Mingluan to the Stone City to see Zhù Ying, and found an opportunity to speak to Zhù Ying about the eldest son’s difficulties. She asked her younger brother to look into it — how to stop the eldest son from being so dispirited. A grown man in his prime could not go on this way.

As for Zhù Ying’s side: Wuzhou was newly established, all its systems were just beginning to take shape, and capable people were still being gathered. The positions of Chief Administrator and Deputy Prefect in the prefecture were always meant to include tribal people. Even if Su Mingluan’s mother had never asked, this had already been Zhù Ying’s plan. Now was simply the right moment, and she had handled it as a convenience.

Su Mingluan’s mother was thoroughly satisfied, and came to express her gratitude.

As Zhù Ying walked her back to her room, she said: “Elder sister-in-law worries too much. He is such a grown man — could he not know himself what he should be doing? Elder sister-in-law, go home and tell him: pack his things, bring his family, and prepare to come down the mountain and serve as an official. The prefecture has residences allocated to officials. But this position rotates — he serves three years, and after the three years the rank he carries does not disappear. If in those three years he performs well, or other talents come to light, that is the path to something lasting.”

Su Mingluan’s mother asked in detail: “He will have to return to the mountains afterward? Then his rooms here will need to be kept.”

Zhù Ying smiled and said: “You are worried that afterward the siblings will fall out again? Look at this estate of mine — was it not also built on a wild patch of ground? There are ways to handle it — whatever happens, we now at least have three years’ time.”

Su Mingluan’s mother said: “Then you must teach him well!”

Zhù Ying nodded: “Just right — the children at home are also getting older and need to start school. I will open another small school, teaching language first.”

Her mind had already sketched out a whole plan: having everyone attend school was not really possible; those able to attend for now were only the children of some settlement wealthy families and a small number of clever children serving as companions to the wealthy families’ children.

These people would learn first — official language, reading, writing, arithmetic, just the basics — and then return to the settlement and they would be useful. First, let us get a rough picture of the household registers!

Su Mingluan’s mother, seeing a plan was in place, said: “Then everything is in little brother’s hands.”

“Of course. The memorial to the court needs a name for him — writing it purely by the sound, the characters will not look very nice; better to take a name based on the meaning. The younger sister is called ‘Mingluan’ — a name very close in meaning to her original name. How about it?”

Su Mingluan’s mother said: “All of you still bear the surname Su. Little brother, pick one as you see fit.”

“Su Feihu. What do you think of these three characters?”

Su Mingluan’s mother listened to her translation of the meaning and said: “Then let it be so!”

Zhù Ying saw her to the courtyard gate and did not go in, turning instead to look in on Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu to see how their packing was coming along. The two seemed very reluctant to leave the mountain “home” and were not willing to bring much back down. It was as if they had begun to think of the lowland Prefect’s residence as a kind of guesthouse.

Zhù Ying entered the courtyard and saw only a Jiang the Widow sweeping inside. Zhù Ying asked: “Where are they?”

Jiang the Widow smiled: “Old Master has taken the stone-boy and hammer-boy out for a stroll.”

“What is there to wander around at this hour? The market has already closed.”

Jiang the Widow said: “These days when my lord goes out of the city, they wander around the market. Sometimes they go into the residential blocks as well. I imagine they have gotten used to it and want to say goodbye to familiar faces. The mistress said that back in Fulu they often went out and about, but after coming to the prefectural city they go out much less. The Stone City reminds her of those earlier days.”

Zhù Ying said: “I see.”

She turned and went to find Huajie for a conversation, but heard a commotion outside and looked up to see Zhù Da and the others returning, also heading toward Huajie.

Zhù Da said: “You two, go to your room and pack your things. Third child’s mother, let us go see Huajie.”

Zhù Ying thought: what is this about? She stood where she was and waited. Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi came in, saw her, and greeted her politely. She asked: “Did you go to the market?”

Zhù Shi smiled and nodded vigorously: “Yes! My lord, look at what they gave me!” He was spinning a pinwheel, blowing on it. The hammer-boy held a wood carving in his hand.

Zhù Yan said: “We also went into the residential blocks. Grandfather and grandmother both didn’t want to leave, and toward the end grandfather stopped smiling.”

Zhù Ying said: “Go and pack.”

She went over to Huajie’s room as well, wanting to hear what the two elders had on their minds. But she had barely reached Huajie’s door when she heard Zhù Da asking: “Has she ever said anything to you?”

Huajie said: “Little Zhù perhaps has ideas of her own — I do not yet know them. She will arrange everything properly. You two elders need not worry!”

“How can we not worry? She is already thirty!”

Then the room went silent again. Zhù Ying walked into the courtyard and called out: “What is all this worrying about?”

Everyone came running out. Du Dajie also came out of the side room, and seeing it was her, went to fetch hot water.

Zhù Ying entered Huajie’s main room and sat down by the table: “Is there something that cannot be asked of me directly?”

Zhù Da fixed his eyes intently on his daughter and moved closer, dropping his voice to demand: “The little hammer-boy and stone-boy — are you not planning to raise them as your own sons?”

Zhù Ying was startled: “Where did you hear that? How could that possibly be?”

Zhù Da exhaled at length, and his expression eased: “Then that is fine, that is fine.”

“Where did you hear that? Was it from something someone said today when you were out?”

Zhù Da said: “It was nothing.”

Zhù Ying looked at him suspiciously. Zhang Xiangu quickly said: “It really was nothing. Today…” She watched Du Dajie come out of the small side kitchen, steam rising from the spout of a large iron kettle, and paused before continuing: “He just had an idle notion! Nothing else.”

Zhù Ying said: “Nothing really?”

Zhù Da also sighed: “Nothing, nothing. Ah!” He finally made up his mind and said to Zhù Ying: “This ‘estate’ of ours — doesn’t it have a proper name? You really should give it one. Letting people call it whatever they like is no good.”

Zhù Ying said: “What are people calling it?” She had always called it the estate herself.

Zhù Da said: “Never mind what it’s called — this place is our home. If we don’t give it a name, people will make one up. When a baby is born and the parents don’t name it, other people will call it Doggie or Bastard-born. It’s not right.”

Zhù Ying heard something off in his words and said: “Come, let us have a proper talk.” She reached over and picked up a tea tray, placed the teapot and cups on it, made a meaningful look at Du Dajie to have her step away. Du Dajie thought: I don’t know what the old master is fretting about now.

The four of them went to Zhù Ying’s room. Zhù Ying said: “Sit down and let’s talk slowly.”

Zhang Xiangu looked around to the left and right, then remembered: there were no servants in Zhù Ying’s room. The Zhù family had never had many servants, and Zhù Ying’s own situation was somewhat unusual; much of the sweeping and cleaning was done by Zhang Xiangu and Huajie themselves. In these five main rooms, there was not a single servant.

Zhang Xiangu sighed: “Today, someone outside called this place Stone City, and this old fool went and made a fuss about it.”

Zhù Da said: “You understand nothing.”

—[Flashback]—

The day was nearly done, and though the old couple was very reluctant to leave, they still had to pack and follow along — if there was no one to keep an eye on the back quarters of the prefectural residence while Zhù Ying was away, things would be inconvenient.

While Zhù Ying had been out of the city for all those days, the two of them had been thoroughly bored in the large residence — the house was even more empty of people than the back quarters of the prefectural residence in the city. Empty and idle, they left the main residence to wander around the city. Though some people did not recognize them, and some couldn’t communicate well due to language differences, their clothing alone made it obvious they were no ordinary people — and those who did recognize them praised them and flattered them. So it was quite lively and enjoyable.

In just a few days they had become familiar with various people. They did not accept gifts from merchants or residents, but just to wander around and think to themselves that this entire city belonged to their family — that made them feel very satisfied.

The day they were leaving, they took Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi with them for one final stroll and a round of farewells.

That stroll produced an unexpected turn of events.

At first everything was fine — people greeted them warmly. The familiar merchants bowed with clasped hands. Some residents who were shy or new and did not recognize them were informed by their neighbors and gave a start! Parents of the city master! That was the Old Master and Mistress! Some even kowtowed, and the old couple rushed to help them up, projecting an approachable and affable manner that earned them considerable praise. Some people also saw Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi following at their sides, dressed neatly and young in years, and seeing how Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da normally treated them like grandchildren, assumed these were “young masters.” Some people even bowed and kowtowed to the two of them.

The old couple quickly said: “That is not necessary.” And rushed to help them up.

Up to this point, all was still well.

Along the way, they ran into a small child holding a pinwheel toy. Zhù Shi stared at it a little too long, and the child’s mother took the pinwheel from the child and offered it to the “young master” as a gift. The child cried. The mother slapped the child several times; the child cried even louder. Zhang Xiangu paid money to buy the pinwheel, but the child’s mother wouldn’t accept payment. Zhang Xiangu forced it into her hands.

By this point, Zhang Xiangu was feeling a little uncomfortable inside. Zhù Da was still fairly fine with it, taking the pinwheel and giving it to Zhù Shi: “There, now it is settled — take it and play with it.”

Zhù Shi said: “He… he was crying.”

The child’s mother hurriedly said: “Never mind, we can make another one. We made it at home ourselves.”

Zhù Shi took the pinwheel and played with it the rest of the way.

If they had gone home at this point, nothing further would have happened. Unfortunately, Zhù Da had not had his fill of wandering. They strolled a while longer, and it was their misfortune to encounter something that soured Zhù Da’s mood.

They ran into several merchants sitting and chatting in a teahouse. Their goods were sold, their mountain products purchased — they were sitting and waiting to leave. Three adults and one child, the child being about ten years old, looking like the spitting image of one of the merchants.

One merchant said: “The trading is all done. I wonder why we are still not leaving.”

Another said: “If you want to leave, go by yourself.”

“I mean my lord.”

“My lord leaves whenever my lord leaves — do you give the orders?”

“That is not what I meant at all! It is simply safer to travel with my lord, rather than by ourselves.”

Someone else agreed: “Exactly! If you travel on your own coming in, the city gate checks your identity and limits how many people and how much cargo you can bring. Coming in with my lord, you can bring as many people as you like and still have a place to stay. I would rather wait and travel with my lord together. Far and wide, everyone knows — the Stone City is safe!”

Zhù Da had just heard them say “Stone City” and was quite pleased on his daughter’s behalf, so he tried to join in: “You all call this place Stone City, do you?”

He had been wandering about for all these days, and one merchant recognized him, bowing and offering a seat. Zhù Da was very proud of this new estate of his family’s, and brought up the Stone City.

Zhù Shi was beside him, and Zhù Da had always treated him with particular warmth. Seeing Zhù Da talking, Zhù Shi chimed in with a line: “My name is Stone.”

The child who had not been speaking, finding a peer, looked curiously at the pinwheel in his hand and remarked casually: “Did my lord name the city after the young master? My lord must really love you.” Was it not because the city was built of stone? Could this chubby dumb-looking rich boy really be my lord’s young master? Was what they said about him earlier in the day really true?

Zhù Da’s expression had changed on the spot.

He lost all interest in showing off to the merchants and managed only to say to them: “We leave tomorrow. Everyone pack up your things.”

Zhang Xiangu saw his face change and said: “What is the matter with you now?”

Zhù Da saw people coming and going and said: “Leaving is making me sad — is that not allowed?”

Then he wanted to go home. Back at home, he first sent Zhù Yan and Zhù Shi off to pack. Once the two children were gone, Zhù Da finally said to Zhang Xiangu: “It’s our family’s — how can it be called the ‘Stone’ City? This will not do! Let us ask Huajie!”

—[End flashback]—

Only now did Huajie understand why the old couple was asking this question.

She had originally thought the two elders were seeing a “home” and once again thinking of Zhù Ying still being alone — a topic they had raised before. She had been thinking it was the same as those other times, and was preparing to gently talk them out of it. Right now was the most critical moment, and this truly was not a good time. Zhù Ying was a woman — to have a child of her own meant having one of her own flesh and blood. It simply would not do.

Next year would be Zhù Ying’s turn to go up to the capital.

Besides, who would be worthy?

Zhù Da had also asked her a question: “Huajie, in the books you’ve read — has there ever been a case of someone being raised as a son by another person, changing their surname, and afterward not returning to their original surname, being disrespectful to their own parents?”

Huajie truly could not think of any such person off the top of her head and could only shake her head: “I do not know. Ask little Zhù in a moment — she has read far more than I have; she may be able to name one.”

So this was where it had all been heading!

She had no idea what expression to wear and could only look at Zhù Ying.

Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu also looked at Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying said: “There is no such thing. As for not giving it a name — I have not really wanted the name to spread. Now is not the right time to be drawing attention. It is not appropriate.”

Zhang Xiangu, hearing her daughter give the reassurance, said: “Well then, that is fine. Your father was worrying over nothing. I think the children are both good children — don’t grow distant from them. Are we leaving tomorrow? Are all your affairs settled?”

“Yes, leaving tomorrow. Things are mostly in order — everyone has a general idea of what is happening. Su Zhe’s elder maternal uncle will be Wuzhou’s Chief Administrator; after I go back down, I will write the memorial, and next year he will be able to receive his credentials. Going forward, treat the relationship with his family as relatives visiting.”

“Oh my, him too?”

“Yes. His mother entrusted him to me — said the son is getting on in years with nothing proper to do at home. She’s afraid he and his sister will quarrel.”

Zhù Da suddenly made a sarcastic remark: “Someone else’s affairs are sorted out, what about our own family’s affairs? Even if we are not going to make him a son — no, even if he has no parents left, and we have taken him in, he still needs to know whose home this is! Even if we don’t announce it with drums and gongs, this is still our family estate, isn’t it? It needs to be called the Zhù Family Manor! Even if when he grows up he wants to go back to his birth surname! This place cannot be occupied by someone who does not bear the name Zhù!”

“…” Zhù Ying fell silent for a moment.

Zhang Xiangu said: “You old fool! You are talking nonsense again! If those words got out, how would they stay in this family? Both those children have no parents. Where would you have them go? Do you have any conscience at all?”

Zhù Da said in a low angry voice: “I never said to chase them away! They must be over ten years old now? When the third child was that age, she was already earning her own way! Nothing but plain rice and wild vegetables was lucky enough for a full belly, and a whiff of meat only at New Year! Her clothes were patches on top of patches! Today I give them meat every day, new clothes every season — several sets to rotate through! They have never washed a piece of clothing themselves! And I pay for their schooling! Like the children of rich estate owners — even rich estate owners don’t live this well! What? I am supposed to kneel before the Young Masters and beg them to leave me a scrap of leftover rice, and not give me, an old beggar, a slap across the face?!

The third child has suffered so much, and we dared not even raise our voices — all for what? The Zhu family’s sons and grandsons were raised with great care because they were flesh and blood — and only offered a bowl of rice after the old man’s death! These two have their own parents alive somewhere, and yet I have to eat their leftovers?!

If they are thinking of their real parents, let their real parents raise them — I am not going to feed a whole family just to make offerings to dead ancestors on their behalf.

This is the Zhù family. It must bear the Zhù family name! There cannot be even a thread of anything else attached to it! Even if you want to raise them as sons, it still cannot be ‘Stone’ City — it must be Zhù Family Manor. Even if they are going to receive this family estate, they must know who it came from! Who gave it to them!”

Zhang Xiangu found his entire speech deeply uncomfortable to hear: “What is the point of this long speech? Say it nicely. You quite like the stone-boy yourself…”

Zhù Da bristled at the word “stone,” and Zhang Xiangu quickly changed course: “They are both children with conscience, who understand reason and know what is good. Raise them well and they will turn out fine. Even if you don’t want to treat them as family, don’t say such hurtful things.”

“Tch,” Zhù Da let out a sound of contempt. “Why did the girl-child’s grandmother send her elder uncle down to the third child? A grown man, can’t even string a sentence together — what is he doing coming down here? If he stays at home, the girl-child’s mother cannot hold her seat steady! I’m not going to explain this to a foolish woman like you!” He normally called Su Zhe “the little girl-child.”

“You old fool, I’m talking about our family’s affairs — why bring up other people?”

“No,” Zhù Ying said quietly. “This time, father has a point.”

Zhù Da may not have expressed himself entirely clearly, but Zhù Ying understood what he was getting at — and was thinking of even more beyond what he had said.

Zhù Da said: “Right?”

Zhù Ying said: “Father cannot treat them as though they were enemies, either. When we took them in, there were reasons for it. You have always been fond of the stone-boy.”

“Not that kind of fond!” Zhù Da immediately said.

Zhù Ying said: “I understand. Let us now make things clear. I have not casually picked up a random boy and decided to pass on the family estate to him. If someone has developed that kind of misunderstanding, we must slowly set it right — and you cannot start pulling a face at the child right away. The child knows nothing — and it is also we who are raising them. To suddenly turn on a child for a passing thought and discard him is not right. The child must first be helped down from the high place and be able to walk on his own two feet. You have been feeding him well, dressing him well, giving him spending money — spoiling him first and then telling him he doesn’t deserve any of it is like pulling away the ladder after helping someone up the wall. Pull away the ladder only after they are down and can walk themselves.”

Taking them in originally was never in order to raise a son to be an heir. First, at the time, they had no parents and were being bullied — taking them in gave them a way to survive. Second, because they were from an ethnic minority, raising them was also a way of expressing a stance of goodwill. And third, one must admit that given the first two conditions, Zhù Shi had come as a bonus along with Zhù Yan.

Zhù Yan had shown impressive talent. Regardless of the child’s background — what tribe, whether male or female, slave or free — she would have tried to get to know this child. Zhù Yan’s situation had ultimately led her to decide to keep him in her household. At Zhù Yan’s request, he had also been given a formal name.

At present, the only children bearing the Zhù surname in her home were these two boys. In a household with very few servants, with them placed before the old couple to be raised, people would naturally form an impression. If enough people formed this impression, or if someone had ulterior motives, trouble could arise at any moment. Under the kinship system, boys inherently had rights to inherit family property, and these two happened to be small boys who had taken her surname.

If it were not for this, they would have had no basis for ending up equals to Su Zhe at the prefectural residence and having quarrels there with her as schoolmates. They had, of course, every right to be Su Zhe’s rivals — but their origins might have originally kept them entirely outside the prefectural residence, unable to be classmates with Su Zhe at all. It was she who had created this situation.

They “bore the Zhù surname,” “lived in the residence,” and “were raised by the elders” — there was indeed a problem here. It was not their fault, but objectively it would cause trouble. Just as Zhù Da had said — at Su Zhe’s elder uncle’s father’s funeral, there had been no particular active troublemaking on his part, yet Ahun had been able to use his identity to stir things up. And that was even with the former Asu clan chief’s dying instructions in place.

The present situation — having allowed people to develop this misunderstanding — was her own negligence. She needed to quickly give them a clear identity and make a clear public statement; otherwise, with things this ambiguous between master and servant, their status was awkward and the children themselves would not know where they stood.

And the identity she had decided on for them was — students. Moreover, going forward she intended to personally cultivate many more “students” from a young age, and to take a stance toward students of “the capable advance, the mediocre step back.” If Zhù Shi could not have his strengths discovered and developed, Zhù Ying could only give up investing further attention in him.

Zhù Ying said: “I understand what father means. Tomorrow before we leave, we will hang a proper plaque and go.”

Zhù Da confirmed nervously: “Zhù Family Manor?”

“We will plant some more bamboo and call it the Bamboo-Shaded Estate.”

Zhù Da sat down on the floor: “No!”

He absolutely had to have it called “Zhù Family Manor” — or if not that, something else with the character “Zhù” in it. At minimum, it had to be noted that this was the Zhù family’s. Otherwise he would truly die.

Zhù Ying, in a rare moment, gave way: “Very well.”

Huajie had been watching silently the whole time. When Zhù Ying agreed, she moved to help Zhù Da up; Zhù Da had already clambered to his feet on his own.

Huajie stared.

Once up, Zhù Da’s speech went back to normal: “Third child, those grand affairs of yours we don’t understand and can’t ask about. You want to bring people onside, raise some children — fine, your mother and I will raise them for you. Look — we haven’t done badly by the little girl-child either. It’s just this business with the children — you must take it seriously! If you are not careful, he will walk off with your family estate, revert to his birth surname, and make offerings to his own parents. He will be a filial son to his own ancestors on our account! We will have fed and raised his entire family! And when we die, not even a bowl of rice will be offered to us!

Third child has suffered so much, and we didn’t dare raise our voices — all for this? The Zhu family’s sons and grandsons were raised with love because they were blood. After the old man’s death they were only given a bowl of rice. These two have their own parents, yet I have to eat what they leave behind?!

This is my Zhù family. It must be given the Zhù family name! No trace of anything else can be permitted! Even if you want to raise him as a son, it cannot be ‘Stone’ City — it must be Zhù Family Manor. Even if they receive this family estate, they must know who gave it to them! Who it came from!”

—

After Zhù Da made his scene, it was late afternoon. Zhù Ying called in Xiang Le and asked him to find someone to commission a plaque.

Xiang Le asked: “Where will it be hung? What size should it be?”

Zhù Ying said: “Over the city gate. Zhù Family Manor.”

Xiang Le understood immediately and smiled: “That is right and proper! It really should have a name. I will see to it at once!”

He ran off quickly and found Neighborhood Head Huang, who happened to be a carpenter. In Xiang Le’s plans, the wooden plaque was also a temporary solution — Neighborhood Head Huang just needed to make it straight and level. After Zhù Ying went down the mountain, he would find a stonemason to carve a proper stone version.

Right, and there were also boundary markers. The precise boundaries of the estate had not been fully determined yet, but the land that had already been broken needed to be marked off with boundary steles. With stone steles set up, there would be a fixed point of reference.

Neighborhood Head Huang was glad to take the work. Once Xiang Le explained it, he immediately set to it. There was still plenty of brick, stone, and timber from when the estate had been built, and Neighborhood Head Huang had his tools ready. He already had several planks cut to size. He quickly cut the correct dimensions — the length was easily achieved; the width was slightly narrow, so he spliced two planks together and framed the edges with strips of wood.

The rough shape of a plaque was done.

Then came the finishing work: sanding, carving some light decorative borders, applying lacquer, and tracing out the three large characters “Zhù Family Manor.” Very quickly, a large wooden plaque was completed and set aside to dry, a small brazier placed nearby to help it along.

He said: “A stone version will be needed later — this one is just for now. There is no need to worry about the lacquer cracking. I will send it to the residence first thing tomorrow morning.”

Xiang Le looked it over and praised it lavishly: “What craftsmanship — extraordinary!”

Neighborhood Head Huang smiled: “You are too kind, sir.”

“I am not any kind of sir.”

“The way I see it, my lord intends it for you — your future is certain.”

Xiang Le just kept shaking his head. He was the son of a merchant family — that made things difficult.

Neighborhood Head Huang also said: “If a new one is made to replace this old one — can you give me this old one?”

Xiang Le asked: “What do you want it for? Firewood?”

“I want to keep it and look at it myself — this is also my craftsmanship.”

Xiang Le said: “I will go back and ask my lord.”

Xiang Le went back to report to Zhù Ying.

Zhù Ying said: “How thoughtful of you. Fine — tell him I agreed. This time when I go back, it will be next year before I bring a large party back up. You will have to hold things here a while longer.”

“Yes.”

“Tell Neighborhood Head Huang: since he has carpentry skills, he should not sit idle — make plows and harrows and such things. Materials are on my account; his wages can be offset against it. I saw it in Asu County too — farming tools in the mountains differ slightly from those in the lowlands. He should look and modify accordingly. If ironwork is needed, make a record of it, send word down, and we will arrange for it.”

“Yes.”

“Take a look — if anyone is still idle, have them build a small school. Right here.” Zhù Ying unrolled a map and pointed to a spot: “A settlement where people cannot understand each other’s language — that won’t do. They need to learn to speak, learn to write — people who can keep accounts would be even better. Furthermore, I do not look down on merchants or craftsmen here, so those who wish to learn a trade should also be given a space. Calculate the total corvée labor required for the year, and conscript those who have not yet fulfilled their quota for this work. If they have already fulfilled it, do not conscript them. If there is truly a shortage of hands, hire people and pay wages.”

The street names of Zhù Family Manor were also very simple. Horizontal roads were called “weft” roads; vertical roads were called “warp” roads; going from north to south and east to west, they were numbered consecutively one, two, three, four, five. The one running directly north-south from the south gate and the one running directly east-west from the east gate were not numbered but were instead called “Main Street” and “Long Street.”

To find a location, one simply counted the grid squares.

Xiang Le said: “Yes.”

Zhù Ying counted off several grid squares on the map and told Xiang Le: “Also leave enough room for the manor’s workshops — right here. Close to the market is more convenient.” She was also planning to explore the area around Zhù Family Manor further next year. The water supply inside the city was only sufficient for daily household use. For water-powered facilities — such as grinding mills, sugar workshops, and paper mills — it would likely be necessary to stake out some land outside the city walls to build the workshops. As for unexpected events that might arise in Zhù Family Manor while she was away, she had no concerns. She trusted Xiang Le with this work completely. As with the plaque — she had said to find Neighborhood Head Huang, and Xiang Le had already thought of the follow-up step of ordering a stone plaque.

If not for the accident that was Ahun — which had cost the three siblings their father ahead of time and delayed their development — the three Xiang siblings, combined with their father Xiang’s coordinating presence, would have been a thriving and growing merchant family of considerable size.

The next day, Xiang Le even procured a great string of firecrackers to set off. To the sound of the firecrackers, several people lifted the plaque, still wrapped in red cloth, and hung it over the city gate!

Among the merchants there were somewhat more literate people; among the residents most could not read, and some were asking neighbors: “What does it say?” The answer came back: “Zhù Family Manor.”

To the ears of the mountain folk, it was hard to say which name was more rustic — “Zhù Family Manor” or “Stone City” — but both were easy enough to remember. Since the master said it was Zhù Family Manor, then Zhù Family Manor it was. And it also made clear who the master was. The city’s residents had one thought: in the future, when traveling outside, they could say they were from Zhù Family Manor — it meant having someone to shelter under.

Zhù Ying went on her way without concern.

Zhù Da had resolved a pressing concern of his heart, and moreover his daughter had accepted his suggestion — he was satisfied and made no more fuss.

The party traveled smoothly. Passing through Xijin’s settlement, she stopped for two more days, had a look around the area of Xijin’s main settlement, and took the opportunity to inspect the copper mine and such things.

When she reached the foot of the mountain, it was already mid-eleventh month.

The staff of the Prefect’s residence had been watching and waiting, and at last had their Prefect back. Without the Prefect, the residence always felt like it lacked an anchor.

Zhù Ying had the attendants and others go home to their own households, while her family returned to the back quarters. She went first to see the residence staff. As she did, she heard Zhù Da saying: “Don’t jump — the carriage is high; you’ll sprain your ankle.”

Zhù Ying looked over from horseback and saw Zhù Shi jumping down from the carriage to the ground, smiling back into the carriage: “It’s fine! I’ve been training with my shifu!”

Zhù Ying said: “Mother, elder sister, I am entrusting little sister to your care.”

She stepped into the main hall of the Prefect’s residence.

There were quite a few matters in the Prefect’s residence. Beyond the accumulated routine documents, each person also had individual reports to give.

First was Wang Sigong, who reported on the matter of recruiting clerks for the Prefect’s residence — all had sponsors and were from three generations of commoners, and so on. He had kept twice the needed number, planning for Zhù Ying to return and make the final list.

Zhù Ying reviewed it and asked: “Were no female clerks recruited? Is there nobody willing? That cannot be right…”

Wang Sigong scratched his head and said quietly: “It is not that nobody is willing — there are far too many!”

The Prefect’s residence offered good treatment, and Zhù Ying also forbade harassment of female clerks. Many people were willing to come. And some had come through connections with local wealthy families, which had given Wang Sigong a headache as soon as a wealthy family recommended a female clerk.

Zhù Ying said: “What is there to fear? Bring them all to the school — have them take an examination!”

Wang Sigong said: “Yes.”

Xiao Wu and the others then reported: “Today’s gazette just arrived. The new Xinnan Prefecture Administrator has been confirmed and should be on his way by now.”

Zhù Ying said: “I see… then prepare accordingly. If he needs to handle any handover of matters, we must not be discourteous.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying also asked the prefectural school’s academic doctor: “I recall there are students from Hedong County in the former prefectural school?”

“Yes.”

“Compile a list of names — I will write letters of recommendation for them. Better than nothing.”

At the time, Xinnan Prefecture had had no administrator, and the prefecture had no leader, to say nothing of a prefectural school. So Zhù Ying had temporarily retained the students of Hedong County origin from the former prefectural school at the Wuzhou state school, to await the appointment of a new Xinnan administrator before sending them back. Now that Xinnan had a new administrator, these students needed to return and wait for the new administrator.

The vacated student places in Wuzhou needed to prepare for a new round of enrollment examinations. Conveniently, it was already the eleventh month — after the examinations and rankings were settled, school could begin again in the first month of the new year.

The academic doctor said: “This official has already compiled the list.”

Zhù Ying then wrote the letters of recommendation on the spot. She did not know what kind of person the new Xinnan administrator was or whether he would have issues with people from Hedong County, so she wrote only standard official language: a certain person, age and native place, was selected through examination as a prefectural school student, and due to administrative restructuring could no longer study in Wuzhou, and so regretfully must hand over this great talent and return this person to the administrator’s care.

All the letters were written in similar fashion, with slight variations in the praise of each student according to his individual circumstances.

Among the forty prefectural school students, ten were from Hedong County, including two who had been nominated directly. Scanning the list of names, Zhù Ying saw Zhen Qi. He was nearly thirty now — she did not know whether he would still have a chance to serve in an official capacity once he returned to Xinnan.

Zhù Ying wrote “diligent and hardworking” as his evaluation.

After finishing all the letters of recommendation, Zhù Ying said: “All the items issued to them over the years, let them take with them. Each person gets an additional one guan for travel expenses. Tomorrow I will see them off.”

After these routine affairs were settled, Zhù Ying thought about making a tour of the sugar workshop and paper mill, then finding a woodblock printer, and after that catching up with Commander Mei. The year-end matters would be just about done.

Compared to the stone city estate — building from nothing, the Covenant producing difficulties at every step, and order still an empty concept — being a Prefect was genuinely easy!

Zhù Ying was deeply moved.