Governor Zhù had many students — and a good many “mountain people” also claimed to be his students. Ordinary people couldn’t tell exactly how many good students the Governor had. Madam Meng and Wang Shi marveled briefly and let it go. But the Governor’s Residence had something of a pleasant surprise — after so many years, they had finally seen some real, substantial returns.

From the time Zhù Ying entered the Court of Judicial Review, it hadn’t taken long before she had worked her way into a position people courted. At first it was the minor clerks sending a chicken or fish here and there; later, more people gradually joined, and the gifts became all manner of things. After excavating a great deal from the Zheng Marquis’s household, the Zheng residence had also given her considerable benefits over the years. And from the time she was posted to an outside position, the subordinate officials and staff also followed custom in offering tributes during New Year and other festivals.

But those were not from “students”!

Gu Tong had become an official — a county deputy, to be sure, but he had sent a New Year’s gift from several hundred li away to his teacher!

Zhù Ying, now that the Governor’s Residence had closed for the holiday, was at a standstill on official matters. She was in the back residence with Zhang Xiangu discussing New Year arrangements.

Zhù Da, seeing Gu Tong had sent a gift, was reminded of Zhù Ying’s other “student” and said: “Still Gu family’s boy who is proper — not like that ungrateful wretch.”

That was rather tasteless, and Zhù Ying said: “Seeing him send gifts, you call him better?”

“Surely someone who doesn’t give you good things isn’t being good to you?” Zhù Da was greatly alarmed. “How can you think like that?”

Being a father for a hundred years, he still felt his daughter was too simple. He immediately said: “Not being willing to give you benefits — how is that being good to you?” A parent into old age, still worried the child would be taken advantage of. He cherished this daughter. What was wrong with her? Everything was fine, except she was too good to people! That couldn’t do. She’d end up losing out. Not knowing how to pull things to her own side — what was the point of grinding away?

Zhù Da, anxious for his daughter, proceeded to earnestly instruct her in the ways of the world, worried she might be taken advantage of. Zhù Da’s words weren’t entirely without basis: empty courtesies without real benefit, what good were they? Even the Zheng residence, which had received her “tribute” for over ten years, still showed up when it was time to intervene for her, didn’t it?

After Zhù Da had said quite a bit, she finally said: “Even so, one has to look at the person. He comes from a modest family, and Fulu County is a poor county. Even now that life has improved somewhat, it’s still not like the capital city. A minor wealthy household’s property doesn’t amount to much. And his grandfather had several sons, eight or nine grandchildren — what came down to him wasn’t much. He’s only just become an official with little savings. If he were to give me too much at once, I’d actually worry about the source of that money. Just starting out, and already having money of uncertain origin — that’s a hard path to walk straight afterward.”

Everyone in the room was pensive.

Zhang Xiangu quickly looked at the gift list. The writing was small; she held the paper at arm’s length with both hands, tilted her head back, squinted, and read — then said: “About the same as when we were in Fulu County and sending things to the capital?”

Zhù Ying said: “Yes, that’s about right.” Gu Tong was currently a county deputy — an awkward rank, but he had a slight advantage since the county magistrate had not yet arrived that year, which meant he could exercise more authority. And the county where Gu Tong was posted was slightly more prosperous. Back in the day, Fulu County had been a poverty-stricken mountain backwater, while Gu Tong’s current posting was a notch above.

Zhù Da said: “Then we can relax! So what about us this year?”

Zhù Zhe and Lang Rui had both gone back to the mountains. Zhù Zhe had wanted to spend the New Year in the lowlands, but Zhù Ying felt she needed more connection with the Asu family and had to go back from time to time. Lang Rui was the same, and at such a young age his mother and grandmother missed him terribly. Both children had returned to their home villages with their respective people before the New Year.

Xiang Le had sent word again — he would spend this New Year in the mountain stockades. Xiang An needed to take her nephew Xiang Yu home. Xiang Da and Xiang Le — one in the capital, one in the mountains — meant someone had to preside over the Xiang family this year. And Qiao’er was also going home for the New Year, not staying in the residence.

The back residence felt a touch of quiet and emptiness.

Fortunately, Hu Shijie had nowhere to go and remained in the residence.

This year there should be no great event like a crown prince’s death to worry about — they could have a proper New Year. Zhang Xiangu was quite happy: “Third Child doesn’t have to go to the prefecture capital this year — the dead of winter, good to rest a few extra days at home!”

As Governor herself, Zhù Ying no longer had to go and see another Governor. It was the magistrates of Fulu, Sicheng, and Nanping counties who came spontaneously to her to report a year’s work. Zhù Ying did not refuse this approach — it genuinely allowed the whole prefecture’s affairs to be coordinated. All three counties had seen tangible benefits, and each magistrate was radiantly cheerful. Without having to travel much further, without sitting cold in some other prefecture’s waiting room, they felt no loss whatsoever.

Zhang Xiangu felt the same. Only Zhù Ying had a small regret: “Pity — buying pearls is going to be more trouble.”

Previously she could use official trips as cover to go buy some. Now as the Governor of a neighboring prefecture, she couldn’t go purchase them herself. Her stock of pearls was dwindling, and in future, when she needed pearls for gifts and the like, she would have to send someone to buy them — and everyone knew, the more hands something passed through, the higher the cost.

Zhang Xiangu said: “That’s true! The one with the changed name is no good person — going to his territory would mean losing out! Oh well — what a pity about our guild hall.” Fulu County was the first place they had settled after coming south and always held a special place in their hearts. Hearing that the “Fulu” guild hall had been forced to take down its sign was a heavy, stifling feeling.

The mood cooled slightly. Huajie had finished receiving Madam Meng and Wang Shi and came back. Zhang Xiangu seized the chance to change the subject: “Du Dajie said you had visitors — what kind of people were they, that you didn’t even invite them in for tea?” Huajie had actually been going with Du Dajie to receive the gifts, and running into Madam Meng and Wang Shi, had let Du Dajie take the list inside while she received her students.

She smiled: “Two students from the tribal school.”

Zhang Xiangu said: “Haven’t the mountain girls all gone home? Are there still people coming down?”

Huajie said: “The ones I mentioned to Godmother before — the two ladies, surnamed Meng and Wang. Wang Madam’s family also has two daughters. They said they’d come back in a few days to pay New Year’s greetings.”

The elderly always liked bustle. Both Zhang Xiangu and Zhù Da said: “That would be wonderful indeed.”

Huajie had received her students’ New Year’s gifts — nothing comparable to Gu Tong’s carts, but her own students, a token of their hearts — and she was in good spirits.

This good mood sustained itself. Not many days later, the New Year arrived. This was the first New Year since Wuzhou’s elevation to prefecture status. Though no tributary county chieftains had come down the mountains to celebrate together and showcase this new prefecture’s distinctive character, all three counties had seen improvements in daily life this year, and the holiday atmosphere was quite robust.

New Year’s Eve, Zhù Ying held a great banquet at the Governor’s Residence. All the notable officials in the city attended. Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu found this New Year’s celebration livelier and more gratifying than the last. Their daughter — in a full crimson official’s robe, standing in the very center of a crowd of blue-green-robed officials — how striking! They themselves were also in full crimson robes.

They lit fireworks. After the first half of New Year’s Eve, the streets that had been nearly empty gradually filled with people again — setting off firecrackers at their own doorsteps.

Everyone laughed and chattered, pointing up at things. Children’s excited shrieks, adults’ exclamations of wonder. Fingers pointing up at the colors in the sky, remarking which display was the finest.

Bearing in mind that everyone should go home and observe the proper New Year’s Eve customs, the banquet was not drawn out too long. After all, the cooks and helpers for a residence banquet would have no rest. Zhù Ying broke up the gathering comparatively early. Everyone exchanged auspicious words, some on horseback, some on foot, slowly making their way out. This year the duty officer was a squad captain named Li Liu, who stood with eyes wide open counting heads, preparing to close the gate and set the night watch.

Only to hear the Old Mistress say: “You two, just the two of you — why not come to mine? Look — young Master Qi and his son don’t have other things on either. Let’s all of us be together.”

Li Liu looked over and saw the Old Mistress speaking with the two women from the Bureau of Justice. He instinctively let his gaze slide past these two women, especially the one with the cane. Female coroner background… meeting one in the dark he just wanted to keep his distance.

Xiao Jiang said: “Then we’ll impose upon you.”

Li Liu mentally noted these two and thought: when counting heads in a moment, this can be ignored.

The crowd thinned. Zhù Da felt it was over too soon and said: “It’s already breaking up.”

Zhù Ying laughed: “There’s more tomorrow! When a whole heap of people come to pay New Year’s greetings — just don’t find that too much for you.”

“That could never happen!” Zhù Da said immediately — which drew a barely suppressed laugh from Zhang Xiangu. It was the New Year, one must say fortunate things and not be cutting.

Zhang Xiangu’s room was crowded full of people — men on one side, women on the other, men left women right. The three of the Zhù family sat at the head. Before everyone were many New Year’s delicacies and tea. People chatted and talked. Zhang Xiangu said to Jiang Shi and the others: “You all stop bustling — check the kitchen fire, make sure nothing catches, then come have a bit to eat. You’ve all been busy all year.”

Jiang Shi answered, and Du Dajie said: “Lin Guafu and I will go check.” Having taken on the female steward title, she was very diligent — she pressed Jiang Shi down, saying: “Need someone to watch the room, don’t we? I’ll go with Lin Guafu, and also bring back some sweets.” She didn’t send Zhao Shi either — Zhao Shi had been tending the stove fires all year, having her check the fire again wouldn’t do. The two went to the kitchen, looked around, took two food boxes of sweets from the steamer, then pulled out the firewood under the grate, leaving only a bit of embers. Bringing the sweets back, Ding Gui and the others came to take one: “Sisters, we’ll do it ourselves.”

At the table, all manner of things were being said, mostly hopeful imaginings for the coming year. Not many idle gossips. Some mentioned those not present — Xiao Wu said it was a pity Gu Tong wasn’t here. Hou Wu said: “Even if he didn’t go off to be an official in another place, he’d still be spending the New Year at home, not here with us.”

Huajie looked at Xiao Jiang and Jiang Zhou — the two of them had come when called, no child in sight. She thought: have they not found the right girl to adopt? So she said nothing of it, for fear of making anyone self-conscious.

Zhang Xiangu had always liked Jiang Zhou, and gave her candy: “In the blink of an eye you’ve grown this big! Ah — unmarried girls are still young girls; come, have some candy.”

The candy was from the Xiang family workshop — candy with a fruity fragrance, wrapped in paper printed with a small pattern. The paper was expensive, the candy expensive, and the labor to wrap it was actually the cheapest part. Jiang Zhou cupped her hands and received a fistful of candy and beamed: “Thank you!” She liked candy — who didn’t like candy? Sweet, and clean.

Zhù Da asked Zhù Ying: “What time are they coming tomorrow?”

Zhù Ying said: “Same as every year.”

Xiao Wu laughed: “Then we’ve got an advantage — being so close to My Lord.”

As midnight approached, the firecrackers outside grew louder. Zhù Da was first to say: “Almost time — let’s set off ours!” A string of firecrackers crackled through midnight, and the sounds within the residence merged with those outside into one continuous roar, then gradually faded. Everyone slowly dispersed to sleep.

Jiang Shi and the others still had to clear the table and sweep — so there would be no rush when the New Year’s visitors came in the morning. Zhang Xiangu, seeing it was late, invited the two Jiangs to stay the night. Xiao Jiang readily agreed, then noted that the room originally for Zhù Zhe — and she said: “She’s a young girl — even though she is small, it wouldn’t be right for me to casually sleep in her room.”

Huajie was about to invite her to stay in her own quarters when Hu Shijie was first to say: “I only have myself in my place — Ma’am, if you don’t mind, let’s keep each other company.”

Xiao Jiang looked at her with a hint of surprise, then nodded: “Alright — we’ll be imposing.”

“Don’t say that, Ma’am — we are both guests here.” Hu Shijie had her position clear: she saw herself as similar to the Xiang brothers and sister, all rather like ancient-style “retainers.” So it was perfectly suitable for her to receive Xiao Jiang.

Everyone rushed off to rest.

Zhù Ying saw the night was late and did not read any further.

New Year’s calls meant basically getting out the door the moment you woke up — though since everyone had kept vigil the night before, people tended not to wake too early. For the Zhù household, with visitors coming, they had to be up; New Year’s Day lying in to sleep late was something not even the Emperor could do.

New Year’s Day — no one could sleep in. Zhù Ying first led the whole household to offer New Year’s greetings to Zhù Da and Zhang Xiangu, then received everyone else’s greetings. They also had to give out red packets — this day, everyone in the household got one. Zhang Xiangu pressed one into Zhù Ying’s hand too: “Here — this is from me and your father.”

Zhù Ying smiled as she accepted it: “Fortune smiles on us!”

Du Dajie and the others all smiled and said: “Congratulations.”

Lin Guafu went to the kitchen and warmed up the pre-prepared food. The servants hurried to bring it out to eat quickly — the New Year’s visitors were about to arrive!

First came the officials. Their first order of business on the New Year was to run to the Governor’s Residence and offer Zhù Ying their greetings — this absolutely could not be delayed. Because Zhù Ying still had to lead them in setting out incense tables and offerings, and face the direction of the capital to bow in reverence to the Emperor from afar.

Then came their own activities. The officials gathered in the front hall; naturally a banquet had to be laid on. Zhù Ying ordered the food served — every person’s table was sure to have a plate of Fulu tangerines.

The Governor’s Residence’s entertainments were always rather sparse. My Lord was a person of good tastes, but she simply had no taste for music and dancing, and so the wine was dull. Though there was no prohibition on drinking games and toasts. There was also a target set up for archery competitions with prizes, and various other performances with prizes as well.

All these activities made up for the lack of entertainments. Everyone took the opportunity to be upright gentlemen for a day.

Magistrate Wang said: “What a lively time we’re having here — what a pity the Deputy Governor missed it!”

Magistrate Li said: “He’s in the capital — only more lively for him! My Lord, when you reach the capital next year, it will be just as splendid — don’t forget us then!”

Everyone found Magistrate Li’s words very well put, and all cheered at once!

Huajie and Xiao Jiang sat together as the only two female officials; two more female servants accompanied them, and none of the men pressed them to drink. Xiao Jiang noticed Huajie looking somewhat restless and was curious — this was unlike her. She asked: “Is something the matter in the back residence? Just tell My Lord and go — it’s not as if we have to drink with the men.” Xiao Jiang had also not enjoyed drinking with men much, but recently things had improved. She could now ignore her colleagues’ drinking table entirely. At banquets Zhù Ying presided over, it was rare to see entertainers — which made Xiao Jiang very comfortable. In good spirits, she was a little warmer toward Huajie.

Huajie felt somewhat sheepish and said distractedly: “It’s — it’s nothing important.”

Zhù Ying had noticed the situation at their table and asked: “What’s the matter?”

Huajie said: “I’ll go check the house.”

Zhù Ying found Huajie’s manner quite entertaining and said: “Go ahead.”

Huajie coughed a few times, tilted her chin, and walked away rapidly. Zhù Ying laughed behind her. Hu Shijie said: “My Lord, shall I go and see?”

Zhù Ying said: “Go ahead.”

Hu Shijie went and came back, saying to Zhù Ying: “It’s the Madam Doctor’s two students who’ve come.”

Zhù Ying laughed: “I thought as much — she’s been distracted since last night’s dinner. Her students — red packets are in order.”

Hu Shijie said: “The two ladies’ children are all quite grown, Madam Meng already has a grandchild — who would take a red packet from them? Madam Doctor just gave them to the children.”

Zhù Ying said: “That’s fine too.”

Madam Meng and Wang Shi were both nervous when they first entered the Governor’s Residence. Last time they had only sat briefly in Huajie’s room before going out; this time they had also planned simply to see Huajie and then leave. On the New Year, the Governor’s Residence would be receiving an untold number of officials and gentry — they knew they didn’t count for much.

Indeed — the two of them, trailing their family members, arrived at the Governor’s Residence and found carriages and horses flowing like a stream outside. Nearly every official in the city had come, and gentry were still arriving. Among them was an Old Master Jing, a well-known local figure. They had both seen the Jing family put on a show of influence.

Old Mistress Jing, accompanied by several daughters-in-law, was passing a card in at the gate. Witnessing this, Wang Shi’s heart fluttered a bit. Madam Meng gave a determined cough to summon her courage and also passed in a card.

A man with a few silver threads among his whiskers came over to receive it, glanced at them, and said: “Oh! Weren’t you two here before to see our Madam Doctor?”

Madam Meng said: “Indeed we were. We’ve come to wish Doctor Zhū a happy new year.”

Hou Wu glanced again at the people behind them: “Who are these?”

Madam Meng said: “My son and daughter-in-law and their baby, who came along as escort. This is her children and husband — her husband’s over there with the carriage — can’t get it through, he’s watching it there.”

Hou Wu said: “Right then, Ma’am, wait a moment. Xiao Liu, take this to Du Dajie — this one is for the Madam Doctor, make sure you note it.”

Madam Meng quickly said: “If Doctor is busy, we’ll just offer our greetings and kowtow and leave. We wouldn’t dare take up too much of anyone’s time.”

Hou Wu said: “Not at all — the Madam Doctor’s students are not ordinary.”

As he said so, Du Dajie was already hurrying over, smiling: “Madam Meng, Madam Wang? Quick, come inside! These are the two young Madam Wu sisters? The Madam Doctor says to bring everyone in. The two gentlemen over there — please come this way for tea.”

Hou Wu said: “There’s also one watching the carriage.”

Du Dajie said: “Then Fifth Uncle, will you have someone take some tea and snacks over to him?”

Wang Shi hurried to say: “There’s no need…”

Hou Wu had already arranged it.

Doctor Zhū’s students had such standing! Madam Meng and Wang Shi both stood a little straighter.

The two of them, together with Madam He, Wu Ren, and Wu Xin, went to Huajie’s quarters. The younger generation was led in for kowtowing. Huajie asked them to sit and gave red packets to the three younger women, and also placed one in the baby’s swaddling clothes. Madam He spoke well, coaxing her son to say thank you. The child was not yet at an age to speak — but it was a kind of joy all the same.

Huajie then looked at Wu Ren and Wu Xin, the two sisters. Both were pleasantly featured. The elder sister was quiet, her mouth pressed more tightly shut than a clamshell, while the younger was frank and easy. Huajie asked her age and similar questions; she said: “Doctor, in answer: I am ten years old this year. My brothers and sisters studied, and I studied along with them. Later they stopped going to school, and now I go along to hear lessons a few times at a neighbor’s. I’ve learned a bit of everything — but I’m not as good as Elder Sister at sums.”

Huajie then looked at Wu Ren. Seeing that she wasn’t inclined to speak, Huajie didn’t press her — a girl being a little shy was perfectly normal; forcing someone to talk more would be coercive. People who didn’t talk always had a slightly harder time of it — Wu Ren saying nothing made her whole presence shrink. Huajie would not force her.

Wu Ren gave a polite smile and looked like she wanted to slip behind her mother.

Wang Shi said: “Tell the Madam Doctor how old you are…”

“Chirp chirp chirp —” the clamor outside suddenly grew louder, drifting from outside into the room. Wu Ren let out a tiny sigh of relief and also looked toward the door.

A middle-aged woman walked quickly over: “Madam Doctor.”

Huajie stood up: “What is it?”

On a day this festive in the residence, something like this was strange — what had happened?

Jiang Shi said: “There’s someone outside crying injustice. The Old Mistress has asked you to come see.”

Huajie said: “My Lord is in the residence right now, Magistrate Li and all the others are here too — what need is there for me? What is it?”

Jiang Shi said: “Let me say this more clearly. Outside, someone first went to the front yamen entrance and cried injustice — saying… saying a son-in-law killed a daughter, then went to their home and set fire to it.”

Madam Meng, Wang Shi, and the others all stood up at once!

On New Year’s Day! A murder case! And touching on human ethics!

No wine would be drunk today — time to get to work.

Huajie said: “Then Madam Jiang would be busy — has anyone else been injured?”

“Yes. A farmhouse, a haystack beside it — once lit, isn’t it the wind that fans the flames? Several nearby houses were also burned. Not a proper New Year for any of them. Just last night. Today in the early morning they ran over to report it. The man was caught too — beaten half to death first, and now being dragged to the front yamen.”

“Isn’t there a medical doctor-scholar for that?” Huajie said. The medical doctor-scholar in question was the one in the official school — from teachers to students, all male. If an accused person had been beaten and needed examining, that was the male doctor-scholar’s domain. She remembered that doctor-scholar had been at the banquet a moment ago.

Jiang Shi sighed: “This man is also crying injustice, saying that his wife… went off to work in the city and fell into bad ways, got tangled up with the owner of a sugar workshop, made him a cuckold. Came home for New Year and wouldn’t behave herself either, ran back to her parents’ home on New Year’s Eve — and then the man came with a crowd and killed her, burned everything down. The sugar workshop in question belongs to the Yang family. And Yang Madam is right now with Old Mistress Jing, talking with our Old Mistress.”

The Yang family was also kin of the Jing family — in this place, as long as you sought a suitable match, everyone was related to everyone. The Yang family’s sugar workshop was a latecomer. The method hadn’t come from Zhù Ying directly, and they always felt a little inferior about it, thinking that not being close enough to the Governor’s Residence must be why their workshop wasn’t earning as much. They had brought generous New Year’s gifts and come early this morning, accompanying the Jing family.

Huajie understood the situation and wanted to apologize to Madam Meng and Wang Shi and ask them to go home first. Before she could open her mouth, she caught something on both women’s faces. Madam Meng said: “A man having caused such shameless trouble, making a woman smooth it over outside.”

Wang Shi said: “Doctor has things to attend to — we’ll just head back then, Doctor don’t worry.”

Most remarkable of all was Wu Ren — Huajie plainly saw her, while Jiang Shi was describing the scene, purse her lips, eyes sliding upward at an angle. When she looked again, Wu Ren was once again the picture of composure, more well-behaved than Du Dajie at her most proper.

Huajie said: “Safe journey home.”

Huajie walked out of the courtyard with them and had Jiang Shi see them out. Jiang Zhou was coming through that very doorway. Seeing her, she said: “Madam Doctor, My Lord orders you to come look at the burns.”

“What happened?”

Jiang Zhou said: “That beast! Quarreling with your wife is one thing — why set fire to things? So many people got burns. The wounds are on women.”

Madam Meng said: “Doctor, why not first see about the Old Mistress’s situation? The two of us have at least studied a bit — we haven’t learned to cure illness yet, but giving water to drink and wiping down a body we can do. The two of us will go first, and you can follow after you’ve said a word to the Old Mistress.”

Jiang Zhou glanced at them and said: “Having someone come along is naturally better — there are quite a few injured. The burn ointment — Magistrate Wang’s doctor has it and is already attending to them.”

Madam Meng then told her daughter-in-law to take the baby and go home with her son; Wang Shi also sent her daughters home. Wu Xin said: “I’ll help Mama too.”

Huajie said: “Alright — you all go ahead, I’ll be right there.”

She quickly went to the back and steered things: she asked Yang Madam to please go home first. “Something like this — Master Yang will need to appear in court. Your household can’t be without someone to hold things together at home. You go back first, make sure the house doesn’t fall into disorder — don’t let people stir up trouble by taking advantage of the situation.” This neatly removed a person who would go crying to Zhang Xiangu for help from the scene, keeping the Governor’s Residence clear.

Then she told Old Mistress Jing and the others: “My Lord will certainly handle the matter impartially.” Subtly hinting to them not to go through Zhang Xiangu to interfere.

Finally, she had the kitchen prepare fresh tea, then hurried to the front office herself.

Huajie’s estimate was that, since Jiang Zhou had said so, the injured parties had already been brought into the city. This was a common technique in litigation — loading the injured, the sick, and the corpses onto flat-bed carts and hauling them to the county yamen entrance. The more refined approach was to spread out mats on the ground before the gate. The less refined approach was simply to line the flat-bed carts up in front of the yamen. The whole family in mourning clothes, kneeling at the gate wailing of injustice. Dragging corpses and stirring up the yamen was in many cases far more effective than a lone person coming to beat the drum and submit a complaint.

It was more or less as she had guessed.

In front of the yamen, the formerly bustling procession of carriages and horses had been cleared of a large open space to watch this group’s spectacle. Before the yamen entrance, several flat-bed carts had already been emptied. Still a few people with grief-stricken faces stood there wiping tears. And one quick-mouthed person was telling the bystanders: “You listen to that dog’s nonsense! Our Wang family’s daughter is the finest! Both hardworking and capable! Those years we were blind — said yes to that Li surname! A man who’s lazy and good for nothing, angered his own parents to death, sold everything in the house that could be sold. Our girl had no choice, had to go out and work! The whole family is being kept by our girl! Which family has a wife support the household? Father, mother, neighbors — tell me is this the act of a man?”

More people came out from inside: “You, there — you have something to say, come in and say it to My Lord, what are you babbling outside?” the runners yelled, full of fire.

Because Zhù Ying was in the Governor’s Residence, the response was very prompt. The corpse and the injured had all been brought in. Xiao Jiang examined the female corpse; the male coroner of the Governor’s Residence examined the male corpse. One old man from the village who had been too slow to run out and had been burned to death — his son, hauling the body, had also come; the whole family was weeping and fainting, and were also brought into the yamen.

The serious cases were dealt with first; later arrivals and witnesses were also pulled inside. In an instant the space in front of the Governor’s Residence was cleared.

New Year’s Day! A homicide case! And one involving human ethics!

No more feasting — time to work.

The banquet table was cleared. Zhù Ying sat at the head. Magistrate Li assisted, and Magistrate Wang, not daring to be negligent, sat to listen as well. Magistrate Guo also rushed over — he had the bad luck of this incident occurring within his jurisdiction, and the aggrieved had gone straight to the Governor’s Residence without going through him first. Given the timing and nature of the case, it was not easy for the Governor to pass it down to him to handle.

Everyone was still wearing their new year’s new clothes as they opened a murder case.

First, the plaintiff Wang family’s account was heard. Wang family’s statement: “Son-in-law surnamed Li — lazy, good-for-nothing — the daughter, with no choice, tearfully left her young son in the family’s care and went to the city to work. On New Year’s Eve, the son-in-law beat the daughter, who had no choice but to flee home to her parents. Who would have thought this beast truly meant it — he gathered a crowd, killed the daughter, then said he would kill the whole family. We thought it was drunken bluster — not so! This beast meant every word!”

Zhù Ying then had the defendant, Li, brought up. Li’s face was swollen from the beating, covered in blood, and his clothes were ripped and torn. Bare skin visible at the neck showed scratches. He looked half-dead. Once brought to the hall he started “ow-ow-ow” moaning. Zhù Ying struck the gavel; Li went rigid and stopped moaning, then said loudly and confusedly: “Injustice! The Wang family raised a — a promiscuous woman, abandoned her husband and ran off, and you say I’m in the wrong? Those two are a matching pair of shameless ones! I was upholding moral order! My Lord — that loose woman, how much money did she secretly give the Wang family! Of course they’d say I’m no good!”

Zhù Ying had the doctor treat his wounds, and also ordered treatment for the injured. She then asked: “You say ‘gathered a crowd to come’ — where are the others?”

The others had run off. On New Year’s Day, beating someone at their own door, then burning half the village down — once Wang Village’s people had him firmly in hand, where would the others run? If it weren’t for the neighborhood headman saying: “We must report to the authorities and let it fall on all of them to pay for our houses” — there might not have been even half a life left in him.

Wang Village people originally had little faith he could pay for the houses — but weren’t there accomplices too? There must be some among them who could pay! So the plan was to get official help to arrest them all. Whatever needed to be prepared was prepared, an advance guard of stout young men driving the carts, a few women who could cry well selected to weep and lodge the complaint, and witnesses and others to follow. All prepared, they had set off before daybreak.

Zhù Ying then questioned all those who had come to the yamen entrance. Every Wang Village person said nothing good about Li.

Zhù Ying said calmly: “Since he’s so bad — how did you come to give your daughter to him in the first place?” This Li was currently still quite young — perhaps in his twenties. If they had already had a child, he must have been even younger when he married. It couldn’t be the case that the man “seemed alright when young, and has gradually gone downhill.” He was young now.

So how had the match been made? Surely they hadn’t just sold their daughter for a high bride-price, had they?

On this topic, Wang’s father-in-law also had a bellyful of grievances: “When I was young, his father and I drove pigs together for a season — close as brothers, and we agreed: if I have a daughter I’ll marry her to his son; if I have a son, I’ll take his daughter in marriage. If we both had sons they’d be sworn brothers; if both daughters, sworn sisters. We exchanged tokens — I gave him a silver hairpin, he gave me a pair of jade pendants. As ill luck would have it, I had a daughter. His family came with the hairpin asking for her hand. I had given my word — so I gave my daughter in marriage. But who knew the little wretch would turn out so badly! First angered his parents to death, then spent the family down to nothing. And now he has killed my daughter!”

The more he spoke the more distraught he became, and Wang’s father-in-law collapsed weeping on the floor, tears and snot flowing. Not only had his daughter died — his house had been burned down, and even his neighbors’ houses. How was any of this to be resolved?

Li was not to be outdone. The doctor was halfway through bandaging his wounds when he said: “You’re lying! What kind of good daughter is that? No desire to stay home! Ran off to that godforsaken workshop, earned wages and didn’t bring them home, spent them however she liked! My Lord — the loose woman even gave money to them! It was for medicine for her mother, they say? What mother? What kind of business is it, someone else’s wife giving you money to treat your wife’s illness? She had a lover and dared say she didn’t want her own husband anymore! Who gave her the gall?! I put out twenty guan of bride-price! The loose woman got herself a man and decided she didn’t need her husband anymore — who gave her the audacity?!”

Wang’s father-in-law said: “My Lord, our grandchild is being cared for by us.”

“Pfft! My son — since when do you look after him? Your good-for-nothing daughter gave you the money, then you fed dry rice to yours and thin gruel to my son? That loose woman gave you her money to fatten up your family’s bastard and starve my son?”

At once the hall erupted into chaos!

Zhù Ying struck the gavel again; the runners snapped back in anger. The two parties went quiet again.

Zhù Ying then ordered the Yang workshop master brought in. The workshop master was a man of around thirty — well-fed enough that he looked younger, slightly portly. He had come to the Governor’s Residence to pay New Year’s greetings today. In the front, the officials were gathered drinking; in the back, his wife had already reached Zhang Xiangu. He had just passed in his card in the gatehouse, still waiting in the queue to be received, when from that direction the carts bearing the injured and the corpse had arrived.

He had actually been watching the excitement from the gatehouse! And now he was implicated!

The workshop master had dressed very finely for the occasion, wearing an exquisitely tailored silk robe, new boots and hat, with a new-style accessory at the waist brought by a merchant who had come to buy goods from out of town. He was not exactly a “merchant” — the sugar workshop was his capital, but he had managers running it. He himself remained in standing a “rural gentry” — five years ago he had even been a student at the southern prefecture’s official school!

And now he was kneeling in the hall to make a statement.

The workshop master looked confused: “My Lord! I don’t know anyone called Li or Wang!”

He could barely tell his own servants apart — he only knew them because they were under his own roof and he saw them morning and evening. The sugar workshop — he went only to look at the sugar, who looked at people?!

Zhù Ying then had the workshop’s manager brought forward. The manager saw Li at once and said: “Why is it you again? My Lord, he’s a man who never works, lives off his wife. His wife was working here and he’d stand at the gate to collect her wages. I took pity on the woman, thought if she couldn’t earn two coins her son would starve, so I barely agreed to keep her on. How is he making trouble again?”

Li flew into rage: “Who made trouble? Why is everyone else paid a hundred coins but she gets only seventy? Did you pocket the difference, or did she take thirty coins to pay for her man on the side? A good woman keeps home and tends to the children — what’s she doing going out and showing her face? Even the wages are less — either the money was embezzled, or she’s using it to debase herself! Women shouldn’t have money in their hands!”

In an instant the hall was utter chaos!