A piece of information that would have made most people unable to suppress their shock or urgent questions barely made a ripple in Zhù Ying. She said to Zheng Xi: “The Capital Governor’s constables — I still need them a while longer.”
Zheng Xi’s gaze rested quietly on her: “Fine.”
Zhù Ying said: “Then I’ll go to the Four Barbarians’ Hostel.”
Zheng Xi rose and walked out alongside her. He said: “Are you free tomorrow? Come to my home again — the old lord has something to say to you.”
“Oh?”
Zheng Xi spread both hands: “I know nothing of it either.”
Zhù Ying said: “Very well.”
She left the Capital Governor’s office and went about tending to her own affairs. Lin Feng had been in the capital for some days now. He was a native of the mountains of Wuzhou, and had once had an audience with the Emperor. At the ceremonial New Year audience, when all the various tribal envoys were present, the Court of Dependencies needed to consider whether to include him in the proceedings, and after that, how to place him.
As a “permanently stationed” tribal envoy in the capital, this would be a bit of an overstatement, and it was also inconvenient. Keeping him at her own home would invite a little suspicion. Lin Feng was not old, and Zhù Ying was willing to cultivate him — yet this “cultivation” itself required careful wording, and this matter needed to be reported.
Barring anything unforeseen, Su Zhe would also be coming to the capital before long, and Zhù Ying was looking forward to that young woman even more. Her situation was somewhat more particular than Lin Feng’s, and Lin Feng was essentially paving the way for her.
Zhù Ying thus paid another visit to Princess Yongping’s residence. The doormen received her with even more warmth than before; the household steward dispatched someone inward, and Shi Yin came jogging out to escort her in: “The Chamberlain only just came back — he was just now talking about the Lesser Chamberlain.”
Shi Yin admired this young person deeply at heart. With one of Zhù Ying’s visits, a great and thorny problem had been resolved — and what was more, they had come away with unexpected additional gains. Shi Yin did not mention aloud that “the young Prince Qiyang and his wife had benefited considerably,” but inwardly he had already decided: the next time Zhù Ying came, if he could manage to be there and observe, he would watch and see how she operated.
He escorted her all the way to Luo Sheng and Princess Yongping, and Luo Sheng took her arm: “No need for formalities when you come to see me — back and forth with all the ceremony gets quite tiresome. Come, sit.”
Shi Yin quietly stood by to observe, and then heard Princess Yongping follow Luo Sheng in switching how she addressed Zhù Ying — no longer using the official title “Lesser Chamberlain” but instead calling her “Zichang.”
Luo Sheng asked: “Has the Seventh Prince agreed?”
Zhù Ying kept her courtesy even while forgoing full ceremony: “Yes — it has been settled, and I am borrowing them for a few more days. By my estimate, once all the envoys have departed, this whole matter will no longer seem very significant. The Capital Governor also understands this — he was speaking in jest. There is, however, another matter related to this one that I need to report to you.”
Luo Sheng said: “Whatever it is, just go ahead and handle it.”
Zhù Ying said: “But you are the Chamberlain. I work to spare my superior of burdens, but I cannot fail to report and seek instructions. Here is the thing: Lin Feng is the youngest son of the County Magistrate of Dun County. He has previously stayed at the Four Barbarians’ Hostel before — does the honored official recall?”
“Vaguely.” Luo Sheng had no real memory of him. The influence of the five counties, viewed against the broader context of imperial court affairs, was not particularly significant — they had not caught his attention. The only ones he had any impression of were Su Mingluan and Su Zhe, mother and daughter, because they were women.
Zhù Ying gave a brief account of Lin Feng’s situation, then asked: “First — should he participate in the New Year audience? If he participates, we will need to determine his placement and have him rehearse the ceremonial forms. Second — how should he be settled afterward? Having a young person staying long-term at the Four Barbarians’ Hostel seems not quite appropriate; putting him outside is not safe. Putting him at my home raises a few eyebrows.”
Luo Sheng said: “We just need things to be stable — as long as nothing blows up, any arrangement is fine. What do you think?”
Zhù Ying said: “Then… it is better to have him participate in the audience. Given the unpleasant scene over there recently, it would not be good to make him feel snubbed. As for accommodation — he can stay at my home temporarily for now. I have people from Wuzhou at home who speak the same language. Once the Wuzhou situation has a clearer resolution, we can discuss his situation again.”
Luo Sheng said: “So be it.”
“For placement and ceremonial forms, we will probably need to inform the Ministry of Rites.”
“Agreed.”
“Furthermore — with the agreements reached with the northern tribal envoy and the Western Frontier, there will be more merchant traffic coming through. I intend to acquire a property here to lease to them for lodging and commerce. If the honored official has no objection, I will have Assistant Chamberlain Wang and the others take this over…”
Zhù Ying presented matters one by one; Luo Sheng agreed one by one. When most things had been said, Zhù Ying said: “The household must be very busy these days — I will not disturb you any further.”
Princess Yongping said: “What is there left to be busy about? That great matter has passed, and now that our minds can rest, other things begin to occur to us. Prince Chengyi’s household is also taking a wife — they are a widow and orphaned son, with people keeping their distance from them on top of it all. But he is still my nephew, in the end. Zichang — do you have any thoughts?”
Princess Yongping was a royal daughter. The Emperor would not have equipped her with anything resembling a strategic advisor. By the court’s institutional design, a royal prince’s household had a full set of junior offices modeled after the Eastern Palace; a princess’s household had only functionaries like “household stewards,” with little connection to court governance. Unless this princess was particularly capable and had her own independent network of influence, she would be like Princess Yongping — as she was. She genuinely had no “chief strategist,” a problem many princesses faced. Everyday household matters, matchmaking, acquiring property by force — such things she could discuss with her sisters, attendants, and relatives. Although her own household’s particular circumstances were unusual, these common matters still applied. For ordinary affairs, she managed perfectly well.
Prince Chengyi’s case was rather more particular, and Princess Yongping had come to realize she could not approach it with her usual habits of mind.
Hence the question.
Luo Sheng also cared considerably about this. When the late Crown Prince was alive, he had treated Luo Sheng and his wife well. Rejoicing over his daughter’s good fortune, he still felt a complicated mixture of feelings about Prince Chengyi.
Zhù Ying was not someone particularly skilled in domestic affairs. But this matter was not only about family feeling, and she thought for a moment. “His position has been formally determined — just follow the position.”
“The position…” Princess Yongping mused with feeling. “The position has changed.”
Zhù Ying said: “Change can be for better or worse — no one can predict. What people can do is to live fully in the present and cherish what is before them.”
Princess Yongping slowly nodded. Zhù Ying did not linger further and bid farewell to the married couple before heading back to the Court of Dependencies.
At the Court of Dependencies, both Assistant Chamberlains Wang and Ruan had been hoping for her to return. In comparison to dealing with Shen Ying, both felt far more at ease with Zhù Ying. When Zhù Ying told Assistant Chamberlain Wang about the plan to acquire property, his delight grew even more pronounced. Acquiring property in the capital normally posed one particular problem — maintaining a good relationship with the Capital Governor’s office. Everyone knew that Zhù Ying’s relationship with the Capital Governor’s office was conspicuously good. Assistant Chamberlain Wang thought with immediate relief of not having to deal with the Capital Governor’s office himself, and his spirits lifted considerably.
The Capital Governor’s office extended its relatively peaceful treatment to only a limited number of people; when faced with others, the Capital Governor’s office’s arrogance was reliably impressive.
Zhù Ying settled matters with Assistant Chamberlain Wang, then began writing official documents herself. Since she had already sought instructions from Luo Sheng, once she had written them she dispatched them to the Ministry of Rites and the Council of State directly. The document to the Ministry of Rites concerned Lin Feng’s participation in the New Year audience; the document to the Council of State sought instructions regarding Lin Feng’s placement. Before the offices closed for the day, the Ministry of Rites had not yet replied, but the Council of State called her over first.
……
Zhù Ying gauged the sun slowly sinking in the west and quickened her steps. Arriving at the Council of State, she made her bow, sat down, and everything was as placid as ever. Her seat had barely warmed when Wang Yunhe said out of nowhere: “Luo Sheng — that was you coaching him, wasn’t it?”
Zhù Ying settled deeply into her chair, then immediately straightened her back: “The residence matter? I did not say much.”
Which meant she had said something.
Wang Yunhe gave a quiet “oh” and did not follow up. It took him no time at all to think it through, if it had once taken him any time at all. The Eastern Palace had no strategic advisor, but Luo Sheng had a deputy.
Shi Kun asked: “Does Lin Feng harbor any grievances against the imperial court?”
Zhù Ying said: “None so far. He has had little dealings with the imperial court directly — the officials he has encountered have mostly been at the prefecture level.”
Wang Yunhe said: “And that is precisely where the local administrator’s importance lies!”
The two men had called Zhù Ying over on account of Lin Feng’s accommodation during his time in the capital. For the past several days Lin Feng had been staying at Zhù Ying’s home — something they had already tacitly permitted. Lin Feng had come to file a formal complaint. The words in the memorial, though fine in writing, were not so fine to hear aloud. If he were to be placed in the Four Barbarians’ Hostel and were to casually let slip one line from the memorial for others to overhear, the foreign envoys from the four directions would immediately pick up material to stir up disaffection.
Lin Feng also spoke the official tongue. He did not need the Four Barbarians’ Hostel’s translators — the personal translators brought by the foreign envoys would be able to translate what he said directly to them.
That would be trouble.
Both men said: “Keep him settled with you, until the Wuzhou matter is fully resolved.”
This matched exactly what she had in mind. Zhù Ying said: “Yes.”
Wang Yunhe also asked about Kun Da Chi’s activities over the past few days. Shi Kun said: “So that is the northern tribal prime minister? What a pity — I still have not met him.”
Zhù Ying smiled: “The expressions on all your faces when you gentlemen met him — this official remembers them most vividly!”
Wang Yunhe shot her a look. Zhù Ying tucked her neck in slightly: “I did not say anything wrong — you all wore the very same expression, cast from the same mold.”
Wang Yunhe laughed and scolded: “That mouth of yours needs to be properly managed.”
Zhù Ying said: “Yes.” She gave her assent, then pressed her lips firmly together and said nothing more.
Shi Kun watched with delight, and laughed as well. The Qiyang Prince’s residence matter had been resolved; both men were in considerably lighter spirits today. Seeing that the hour was growing late, Wang Yunhe said in a generous mood: “The seal holiday is nearly here — if there is anything pressing, finish it quickly.”
“Yes.” Zhù Ying rose and took her leave. Lin Feng’s staying at her home was now official, above board. “Temporary lodging” — a day counted as temporary, a year counted as temporary too, did it not?
She left the imperial city. Rather than returning to the residence to tell Lin Feng the news, she went directly to the Zheng Marquis’s household. Though Zheng Xi had said tomorrow, the tone of his words suggested that the Marquis’s wish to see her was not something that needed to be precisely timed to tomorrow. With something to attend to, sooner was better than later — it showed due regard, and also showed closeness.
……
Zhù Ying arrived at the Zheng Marquis’s residence. These days most of the visitors to this household came to see Zheng Xi; the Marquis himself was comparatively free to enjoy his leisure. Guests were also divided by rank: some had to wait until the masters had finished dinner before being received; others were invited to eat dinner together with the masters and continue talking afterward.
Zhù Ying belonged to the latter category. And not only she — even her attendants were received with a meal on the side.
Sitting down to dinner with the Zheng household, Zheng Xi placed her seat ahead of Zheng Chuan’s. Zheng Chuan smiled and deferred his seat to her: “Third Elder Brother is older than me, so this is where you should sit.” Zhù Ying glanced at him, and from the corner of her eye caught sight of the Zheng family’s second daughter seated below him.
This young girl was also one of the reasons she had chosen to come this evening. The girl was not old, much the same age as Luo Sheng’s daughter, and the two were casual friends from their circles. Having been unaware of any arrangement between the Zheng household and the Crown Prince, the Emperor giving Luo’s daughter to Prince Qiyang amounted to a kind of ambush on the Zheng household’s reserved territory. And now she herself had smoothed things over for the Eastern Palace and the Princess — one could not rule out whether the Zheng household might feel some quiet discontent.
This whole thing was just incredibly ill-timed!
So she had not waited for tomorrow. Even just showing up without a word was a kind of explanation.
The entire Zheng household made no further mention of this matter. The Marquis said: “Just sit down!”
The household ate and conversed together. What the Marquis wanted to say was nothing of great significance: “Last time I saw you riding over — that horse is far too old! Riding an old horse into the new year — doesn’t look the part!”
The horse Zhù Ying rode was still the one the Marquis had given her more than ten years ago, and it had indeed grown elderly by now. Zhù Ying had noticed the issue herself, but her original plan had been to acquire fine horses through the new trade dealings with the Western Frontier and the northern tribes. So close to the source — why not make use of it? She didn’t have to appear herself — Su Jiaming, Xiang Le, Xiang An, and the others could see to it.
And yet the Marquis had noticed!
Zhù Ying’s expression showed a moment of mild surprise, and she was quietly still for a brief moment before saying: “Yes.”
The Marquis said happily: “You have been working hard outside the capital for over a decade. Now that you are back in the capital, you need to pay attention to your own life! Even Chief Minister Wang — he maintains his proper dignity when it is called for. Do not wear yourself into the ground.”
“Yes.” Zhù Ying answered with proper respect.
The mood afterward was warm and comfortable. Everyone talked of the coming new year; the Commandery Princess and others asked after Zhù Ying’s household. Zhù Ying said: “This year my parents are not with me — I cannot help worrying. As for myself, I have plenty of people around. And Lin Feng is staying at my home now — he will come along with me to pay his new year respects.”
After dinner was finished, the Marquis had no further special instructions, simply dragging her off to look at horses. It turned out the Marquis’s wish to see her had been precisely in order to give her this. Zhù Ying said: “How could I accept this? Taking your food and your gifts both…”
The Marquis said: “Hmm — you are at the Court of Dependencies now, dealing with those northern tribal people, and you still expect to manage without a good horse? From now on if you want one, I won’t give you one. This is for the sake of proper appearance at the new year.”
“Yes.”
Zhù Ying accepted the fine horse the Marquis gave her without ceremony, and made a mental note that the new year’s gifts to the Zheng household would need to be considerably more generous. Fortunate that Zhù Qingjun had brought her a sizeable sum of money, or else life in the capital would have been uncomfortably tight.
She was already looking forward to the beginning of the trade dealings with the Western Frontier and the northern tribes!
Leaving the Zheng Marquis’s residence, Zhù Ying mounted her new horse and made her way home at a leisurely pace. Back home, she pulled out some southern goods and added them to the new year’s gifts she was preparing for the Zheng household. Among the new year’s gifts she had received, a portion had been sent to her through the guild hall’s channels by the Wuzhou people — including pearls, which she no longer purchased as she once had.
This year, she also had a new household to add to her gift list — Princess Yongping’s residence, which meant preparing a gift for each of the couple. Beyond that, Shen Ying was her colleague, so a formal name card and the standard four-item gift set popular in the capital was in order. Minister Dou and others she now dealt with more frequently also required gifts. Briefly turning things over in her mind — she could not forget the household of Yao Chen, the Minister of Personnel. And old friends like Wen Yue who were still in the capital, as well as the Jin Liang household with whom contact had grown considerably less frequent — the gifts could only grow, never shrink.
All of this, alongside the writing of calling cards, was a task in itself. For the more casual acquaintances, a gift might not be necessary, but a name card was still required. For example, among the governors who had come to the capital this year and with whom she was on familiar terms — Chen Meng had not come this year, but the Wu Governor she had met at the Chen household had indeed come. The various prefectures were graded upper, middle, and lower, and the official positions attached to them differed slightly: an upper prefecture had a governor trailed by a Deputy Administrator, Chief Administrator, and Military Supervisor; a lower prefecture had a governor with only a Deputy Administrator and Military Supervisor, without a Chief Administrator. The rotation cycles also varied.
Zhù Lian had barely returned from the Zheng family school before he was pressed into writing calling cards. Fan and Zhang had just been appointed to office and had not been granted leave to return home; now that they had a holiday, Zhù Ying said to them: “You are far from home. Come spend this new year with me.”
The two were delighted — and were promptly conscripted into writing calling cards.
Zhù Qingjun was also not spared. The Buddhist nun and others were old acquaintances of Zhù Ying, and including Wu Xiang, Cui Jiacheng, and the rest, calling cards were needed for all of them.
Among the household attendants, some wrote well and some did not. Those who wrote poorly were put on gate duty; those who wrote well were also pressed into service, following the standard format and copying.
The whole household, high and low, copied away for several days before the calling cards were at last finished.
On New Year’s Eve, Assistant Chamberlain Ruan showed his good judgment and did not assign Zhù Ying to the duty roster. Zhù Ying spent the evening at home, laying out the New Year’s Eve dinner, sealing the gates, and gathering everyone in the main hall — a number of people far greater than in any previous year. Not only those who lived permanently in the residence, but also the Wang couple from the guild hall, Su Jiaming from the shop outside, Wuxing who had come as a messenger and not yet returned, and Lin Feng who intended a long stay.
Zhù Wen and Zhù Yin, as heads of the male and female attendants respectively, led the servants in toasting their “wine.” Cook Li and her daughter, who had been keeping several of their own favorite dishes steaming in the pot for themselves, planning to slip off to the kitchen the moment the main table’s food was served and enjoy the new year quietly between themselves — were pulled over by Zhù Yin. She said: “The kitchen still needs someone to keep watch,” but in her mouth.
And then there was the feeling that people of their station could not properly sit and dine with the master’s household.
Zhù Yin said: “You don’t know — our honored official’s rules are different from other households. All this liveliness. Go eat your fill here first, drink your fill — then you can go back to the kitchen.”
Zhù Qingjun also came over carrying a wine jug, smiling: “The honored official always says — all year long, there ought to be at least one peaceful moment. Come along.”
Cook Li was startled and followed them forward. She saw that Zhù Ying raised no objection, and even urged her: “If you feel uncomfortable, you may go to your own room to eat — whatever makes you feel at ease.”
Cook Li had long known that Zhù Ying kept strict rules but was exceptionally kind to those below her and extraordinarily considerate, yet she had not had many occasions to interact with Zhù Ying directly, and her heart still fluttered a little. Once she had offered the toast and returned to her seat, the people around her were in high spirits. Gradually someone started a dice game; then someone began singing in a drawn-out melody in a language she couldn’t understand. She took her daughter and retreated to the kitchen.
Back in the kitchen, firecrackers began going off outside. They could not sleep, and now felt a little regret: they should have stayed and joined in the fun.
Thinking that the mistress herself was present, another small hesitation arose.
It was not until Zhù Ying, needing to rise early the next morning to pay court respects to the Emperor, called an end to the evening and everyone dispersed to sleep, that Cook Li’s heart finally settled — though not completely, and she lay tossing and turning. Which prompted her daughter to tease her: “I said we should stay, and Mother insisted otherwise — and now here you are, tossing and turning unable to sleep.”
Cook Li’s foot kicked out under the blankets and nudged her daughter: “Go on!”
Her daughter drew the blanket tighter and huddled closer to the small warming pot inside: “Don’t move — cold air is getting in.”
——…——
The ceremonial matters of the New Year’s Day audience followed established rites and need not be described in detail. Zhù Ying kept one eye watching the foreign envoys, and so on, until the ceremony concluded without incident — only then did she relax.
The Emperor was also very satisfied. Lin Feng, among all the tributary envoys, was ranked at the back. By the time his turn came, the Emperor was already somewhat weary. But upon hearing “Wuzhou Mao tribal envoy,” he swallowed his yawn back down!
Lin Feng spoke in official tongue clear enough to be understood, offering a round of praise for the Emperor’s glory. Lin Feng did not personally like the Emperor — but that was no obstacle to Zhù Ying having had him memorize a passage of about one hundred characters.
The Emperor cast an approving look in Zhù Ying’s direction, but could not quite make her out clearly. He raised his hand and rubbed his eye, then quickly lowered it again. He thought: I am getting old.
Beyond that, all was well.
From the main hall they moved to the Eastern Palace, which seemed smaller than the main hall. The guests were received in groups; the Court of Dependencies and the Ministry of Rites each sent one person to accompany the tributary envoys inside.
Then came the Emperor’s banquet and the like.
After the new year came the Lantern Festival. Following the Lantern Festival, the various foreign envoys gradually departed the capital. Luo Sheng’s household affairs were pressing — since there was no longer any need to prepare a new residence, the wedding date was set for the third month, and he had already been operating on reduced involvement. Now he handed all remaining matters to Zhù Ying to manage. She did not disappoint him; he needed only to appear on time for certain send-off ceremonies, with none of the miscellaneous affairs requiring his attention.
Zhù Ying also did as she had said before, reducing the frequency of her visits to the Princess’s residence — she was keeping a close watch on news from the direction of Wuzhou.
Wuxing and the other three routes — four people in total — were all sent back by her after the first month ended. Zhù Ying had Wuxing carry another letter to Su Mingluan. Rather than refusing Su Zhe’s visit to the capital, the letter contained a list of things for Su Mingluan to prepare before sending her daughter to the capital.
By her calculation, Xiang An should have reached Wuzhou by now. She could only hope that Xiang An had not fallen ill or been injured on the road.
……
Zhù Ying’s calculation proved accurate. Just as she was thinking of her, Xiang An arrived in Wuzhou.
Upon arriving in Wuzhou, Xiang An made no announcement of her presence. She left the servants who had traveled south with her outside the city. She herself entered the city and found Huajie, staying quietly with her, then made rounds through her own workshop and shop, and walked about the streets for a look. After that, she posed as one of Huajie’s servants and accompanied Huajie on her rounds of medical calls and charitable consultations.
This particular round of Huajie’s charitable consultations was unlike any before. In the past she would select a suitable room — perhaps borrowing a pharmacy’s space, or using the border studies school — clean it out, and have patients come to her. The method was efficient, the visits quick to complete, and the preparation of medicine convenient.
This time she was making house calls. Xiang An followed Huajie to many households. Local gentry households — none were omitted. Huajie also took the opportunity to look in on former students of hers like Wang Fuqu and Meng Niangzi.
Then Huajie entered the mountains. Xiang An went with her, first to Fulu County, then through Asu County, staying several days at the estate before returning by way of Talang County. When they returned, only Huajie remained, along with several of her female students. Xiang An had quietly stayed behind in the main village of the Talang family. She waited one full day after Huajie’s departure before setting out herself, taking a small mountain path to cut across to the main road, rejoining the servants once reunited, and arriving at a post station in the guise of a traveler just returned from the north.
From the post station, she made her way back to Wuzhou.
By the beginning of the third month, when the Censor arrived in Wuzhou, Xiang An and Huajie had already woven their way through the whole of Wuzhou. Only the new provincial governor and his people did not know it — the pit had already been dug and was ready for them.
That day, the new provincial governor led his subordinates out to welcome the Censor. The Censor had traveled a dusty road and was weary; both sides exchanged ceremonial pleasantries.
When the pleasantries were done, the provincial governor said: “The Censor has come from so far away — please, come inside and rest over some tea…”
Before the words had finished, a middle-aged woman came rushing out from one side and flung herself to her knees before the Censor, her face streaked with tears: “Good heavens! The skies! I have finally found someone to see justice done! Kind sir, I beg you to redress my wrong! He! They! Drove my daughter to her death!”