Outside Zheng Xi’s residence, the wind suddenly picked up.

The lanterns swayed and flickered in the gusts, and the great gates of the Zheng residence, along with the people standing at their sides, were alternately lit and shadowed.

Zhù Ying suddenly became aware that she had arrived at a point where she was discussing matters of state with Zheng Xi. In the past, Zheng Xi had been her teacher, the one who arranged her path. In all things, she had been careful never to show the faintest hint of her true feelings — following what he said, flattering him and managing him, and that had been enough.

Her innermost thoughts — she had shared them all with Huajie. Sometimes she could say a few things to her mother too. As for her aspirations regarding all under heaven, she had also been able to say a few words to Wang Yunhe.

Her mother and Huajie were a thousand li away. Wang Yunhe…

Can I truly discuss the affairs of the realm only with Zheng Qi now?

Zheng Chuan was still standing at the gate and had not gone back inside. Zhù Ying nodded to him and gave a small wave of her hand: “It’s cold out here — go back in. I’m leaving too.”

The Zheng residence was not too far from Zhù Ying’s new home. When she arrived back, the household was just sitting down to dinner. The news of Qi Tai’s passing had left the whole household feeling somewhat subdued. In his day, Qi Tai had not had much of a presence, but a great many of the household’s people had been taught arithmetic by him.

Part of this stemmed from a misunderstanding on Zhù Ying’s part at the outset. She had assumed that since Qi Tai could do accounts, all things involving calculation should be taught by him. The result was an entire group of people in a chaotic uproar, miserable and wishing they could flee. Qi Tai was not someone particularly skilled at reading people, and his students suffered without end.

Now that Qi Tai was gone, all of these experiences had transformed entirely into unforgettable memories. Many of them found they could not even enjoy their meals.

Zhù Ying said, “Let everyone take turns going to see him tomorrow.”

They all answered yes together.

Having lived alongside Qi Tai for nearly twenty years, now separated by life and death in an instant, Zhù Ying let out a quiet sigh. Lin Feng quietly stole a glance at her, only to see Zhù Ying regain her composure and continue eating her dinner quite normally.

Dinner done, Zhù Ying gave no more instructions. She quietly made her way to the study. Hu Shijie and the others moved to follow. Zhù Ying waved them off. They exchanged glances, then only carried in the charcoal basin, lit the candles, placed a pot of hot tea on the small side table, and softly withdrew, pulling the door shut behind them.

Zhù Ying was not as grief-stricken as they imagined. She first pulled out paper to draft a document for the Ministry of Personnel reporting the vacancy created by Qi Tai’s death. Then she opened the calling cards of today’s visitors. Since she had not seen them today, she would have to see them tomorrow — tomorrow’s schedule would be extremely tight. She also had to continue her bargaining sessions with the local officials tomorrow, and had to arrange people to go and verify the grain shipments. The morning briefing’s contents needed to be planned the evening before. She also went over the Ministry of Revenue’s affairs once more, to be ready in case the Emperor or the Council of State asked questions tomorrow.

Once all the official business was done, Zhù Ying rose and went out. Outside the door, she found Hu Shijie and Zhù Yin sitting under the eaves, clutching their hand warmers.

In the light of the lantern hanging under the eaves, Zhù Ying saw the tips of their noses had gone red with cold.

Zhù Ying said, “There’s no need to sit out here keeping watch. It’s cold.”

Hu Shijie raised her hand warmer a little higher. “We have these.”

Zhù Ying nodded and walked briskly to the small training ground. She took off her outer robe and practiced for a while. Zhù Yin quietly slipped away and before long came back with two attendants, who went around and lit more than a dozen torches at the edges of the training ground.

Hu Shijie said, “It’s dark out — mind your footing.” She set down her hand warmer to one side, her arms rising of their own accord, ready at any moment to catch Zhù Ying.

Zhù Ying moved across the training stakes, leaping and maneuvering. She threw a few boxing sets until a sheen of sweat rose from her body, then stopped. “Why are you all staring at me? Go rest. Having all of you watching makes me uncomfortable.”

Su Zhe leaned against one of the stakes and grumbled softly, “No one is staring — but you didn’t look at ease today even without anyone watching.”

Zhù Ying glanced at her. Su Zhe immediately stood perfectly straight.

Zhù Ying gave a slight smile. “It’s nothing. Rest now.”

With that, she led the way back inside, and everyone gradually dispersed.

Zhù Ying returned to her room, washed up, and seeing it was still early, slipped on her shoes, opened the cabinet, and took out a set of books. Wang Shuliang had given her this set of books as a final parting gift; opening the cover, there was a thin envelope inside. The letter held no warm or earnest words of parting instruction — only a name list.

She had read the name list, committed it to memory, and then burned it. Now she was reading through the books themselves, a few pages each day. Having finished today’s allotment, Zhù Ying put the books away, then picked up a candle stand and carried it to the dressing table. She looked at herself in the mirror.

One of her in the mirror, one of her outside it — two people who could speak to one another.

Though there was no need to speak aloud. Speaking in the heart was enough.

The two sat in silence for a while. Zhù Ying rose, blew out the candle, and went to sleep.

…——

The next morning, Zhù Ying rose, completed her morning practice, ate, and headed to court.

Before leaving, she said to Xiang Le, “First draw some money from the account and take it to Zhao Su.”

“Yes.”

Going to court, the day’s session was fairly uneventful. Shi Jixing was still investigating the Wang family case. Zhù Ying had looked over the evidence Jiang Zheng had brought to the capital and found no obvious inconsistencies. The Court of Judicial Review would therefore have to follow standard procedure from the beginning. First, the witnesses Jiang Zheng had brought to the capital would be examined; then the relevant parties in the place of origin would need to be summoned. At the fastest, a result could be expected in about a month.

After the session dispersed, the Emperor kept Dou Peng back to discuss other matters. Zhù Ying and the others each returned to their respective offices.

Zhù Ying returned to the Ministry of Revenue and opened the morning briefing. The first item was announcing the news of Qi Tai’s death.

Hearing of it so abruptly, Ye Deng said, “Then another person will need to be found. At any other time one could take care in the selection, but we’re short-handed at the moment.”

Zhù Ying said, “A document will go to the Ministry of Personnel — I’ve already spoken to Minister Yao about it.”

Ye Deng had no idea of Qi Tai’s background, and seeing there was already an arrangement in place, he dropped the matter. But among the Ministry’s scribes, several had complicated expressions on their faces.

Qi Tai had been a Ministry of Revenue scribe for twenty years now. The officials from those days were long since gone to who knew where; those who still remembered him were mostly the administrative staff from that era, who had since grown streaks of silver at their own temples. Each one mulled things over in their heart — when they heard Zhù Ying say sharply, “Everyone, gather your spirits! Let us begin!”

“Yes!” The clerks answered loudly.

Zhù Ying first sent a document to the Ministry of Personnel: one, to notify them of Qi Tai; and two, to request another transfer — Xiang Le. Since Xiang Le had not previously served in a formal yamen, his rank should not be too high; counting the merit he had accumulated while in the headquarters, Zhù Ying placed him as a Supernumerary Aide.

Then, as before, she met with a series of local officials in their arranged order. No need to describe each in detail.

Toward evening, a document arrived from the Ministry of Personnel: Zhao Su’s transfer order had come through. Minister Yao Zhen sent someone to inform the Ministry of Revenue and handed Zhù Ying the appointment certificate and everything else.

After the day’s end, Zhù Ying planned first to go offer incense for Qi Tai, and at the same time give Zhao Su the appointment certificate.

But on arriving home and changing clothes, Zhù Qingtian led her in an unexpected direction. Zhù Ying said, “Wrong way?”

Zhù Qingtian said, “It’s the right way. It isn’t being held at the residence. Xiao Qi Niangzi said that since they were only borrowing space at your residence, holding a large funeral ceremony there wouldn’t be proper. It was arranged to move to a temple.”

Zhù Ying said, “There’s another reason.”

Zhù Qingtian said: “Yes. Xiao Qi Niangzi is his only child and has no brothers. Bringing all the Qi family’s relatives to your residence — what would that look like? Zhao-da also suggested it. They found a small temple to lay the body in state and are also having Buddhist rites performed there.”

Zhù Ying arrived at the temple to find them borrowing one of the temple’s courtyards for the ceremonies. Xiao Qi Niangzi’s eyes were red and swollen from weeping. She came forward to bow to Zhù Ying: “I’ve troubled you to make this trip yet again.”

Behind her, several men were eager to come forward and speak. They appeared to be distant Qi family relatives. Zhù Ying gave them a nod, not waiting for them to speak, and said to Xiao Qi Niangzi instead, “Your father had only you — you must take good care of things.”

Then she offered incense, drew Zhao Su aside, and handed him the appointment certificate.

Zhao Su said with a wry smile, “I’m afraid I’ll need two days’ leave — I can’t quite leave this situation just yet. She’s an only child, and there’s some family business to sort out.”

“Oh?”

“I can handle it.”

Zhù Ying said, “Very well. Once the first seven days’ mourning is done, come in. She can manage the everyday affairs — but for something like this, she can’t hold her ground against the family’s relatives. You need to stay and keep things steady.”

Zhao Su made no objection. Xiao Qi Niangzi was skilled at running a household, but she was not the kind of woman that Su Mingluan or Su Zhe were. When faced with a truly major crisis, she knew who to seek out, but she could not handle it herself.

Zhù Ying said, “I still have things at home — I won’t stay.”

Zhao Su escorted her out of the temple. Along the way, they happened to encounter the temple’s abbot. The abbot had a benevolent and kindly appearance, and upon seeing her, first pronounced a Buddhist invocation. Zhù Ying also paused, greeted him in return, and said, “I’ve been an imposition.” She then instructed that twenty strings of cash be given to the abbot.

The abbot pronounced another invocation and personally escorted Zhù Ying to the gate.

Spinning like a top, Zhù Ying returned home to find yet more visitors waiting to see her. She had to receive them as well. In the midst of everything, she pulled aside the time to have Xiang Le deliver a calling card to Xian Jing: “I’ll visit him tomorrow — ask if he’s free. If not, we’ll arrange another time.”

“Yes.”

The local officials who came to the Zhù residence had all brought considerable gifts. Zhù Ying did not stand on her dignity — a regional governor’s rank was only marginally lower than hers, after all. The gifts she accepted; proper courtesy was also due in return.

Governor Yang came from the closest of the northern territory regions to the capital, so he was the earliest to arrive. The northern territories’ tax levies for the current year had been reduced, and Governor Yang had come first to say a word to Zhù Ying, to avoid being troubled by the Ministry of Revenue’s subordinates later.

For each of the local officials who came to the door, Zhù Ying asked the same thing: the actual figures on population and land.

When the five visits were done, Xiang Le came forward to report: “Counselor Xian says he will clear his schedule to receive you tomorrow.”

Zhù Ying said, “Tomorrow, don’t go out. Stay home and wait.”

Since the Xiang family had also obtained a property in the capital, though the siblings still lodged at the Zhù residence, Xiang Le asked, “Is there something for me to do at home?”

“You’ll know when the time comes.”

“Yes.”

The next afternoon, Xiang Le was at home when Niu Jin brought him his appointment certificate and other documents. Su Zhe was still at the temple helping her uncle. Lin Feng and the others all urged Xiang Le to treat them to a celebration. Xiang Yu also chimed in: “Second Uncle, you’re rich! Three days of celebration! Good food!”

“Out you go,” Xiang Le said. “Elder Qi’s affairs are not finished yet — wait at least two days before making merry. As if there’d ever be a shortage of food for your mouth. Go — take money from the account and ask Nanny Li to slaughter a pig and a lamb. Tonight we add a dish for everyone.”

He also spent money to order a banquet from outside, to present Zhù Ying with a fine meal that evening.

No one in the household made any further fuss, all saying, “Enjoy it today — in a couple of days we’ll drink to your wedding.”

Xiang Yu tagged along after Xiang Le. Xiang Le said, “I’m going to write home. Why are you following me? Go write your own letter — we’ll send them together.”

Xiang Yu said, “Second Uncle, how come you don’t look happy?”

“Elder Qi was innocent and pure-hearted and could have spent his remaining days in the residence. Now that I have a real official post, it is no longer appropriate for me to shamelessly stay in my superior’s home. When your aunt and I began following our lord, we never imagined we’d see a day like this. Back then, we thought we’d be servants, household managers. Now it’s truly not suitable to stay here anymore.”

“Our family has a property in the capital too, just not as big as this…”

Xiang Le shot him a look. Xiang Yu said, “Then… could I stay a little longer? Being far from our lord doesn’t feel right.”

Xiang Le said, “Our lord’s kindness to our family is as deep as the ocean. If I’m no longer living in this residence, of course you still need to remain here and serve our lord. Remember — you’re not here to be a young master.”

“Yes.”

Uncle and nephew exchanged a few more words, until Zhù Ying returned. The two dared not be lax — together they came forward, bowing, to receive her into the residence.

In the main hall, Xiang Le knelt directly on the floor: “My lord’s grace to me is as if I were given new life.” Xiang Yu knelt behind him in kind.

Zhù Ying said, “Enough of the talk. Get yourself ready — tomorrow morning report to the Ministry of Revenue. There is no shortage of work.”

Xiang Le raised his head. Seeing that Zhù Ying’s expression was its usual unchanged self, he broke into a smile. “Yes!”

“Do you know what you’ll be doing?”

“Yes. And what I don’t know, I can always go and ask Zhao Zhen and the others.”

That day Zhù Ying had commitments and would not see outside visitors. On returning, she changed her clothes and headed to Xian Jing’s home. Xiang Le did not stay at the residence — he ran out and held Zhù Ying’s horse.

Zhù Ying said, “Stay home and prepare. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be plenty busy.”

“Yes.” Xiang Le made no further attempt to follow. He caught Xiang Yu by the arm and told him to go along with Zhù Ying.

…

As for Xian Jing — when he received Zhù Ying’s calling card, he became quite anxious for a moment. He considered Zhù Ying something like a half-ally; otherwise, she would not have stepped forward to advocate for Wang Yunhe’s posthumous title. At the very least, there was a bond of shared past between them.

But the matter of “drawing Zhù Ying closer” had put him in difficulty again. Zhù Ying’s relationship with the Eastern Palace had always been lukewarm and noncommittal; Xian Jing himself had no confidence in his ability to sway her. He also wanted to convey to Zhù Ying that sooner or later, a choice would have to be made.

With Zhù Ying coming of her own accord, Xian Jing attached considerable importance to the occasion.

Early that morning, before going out, he gave orders to have the house thoroughly swept clean, asked his wife to prepare a dinner menu, pushed aside all other engagements, and simply stayed home to wait for Zhù Ying.

The moment Zhù Ying appeared at the gate, he came striding quickly out to receive her — warmly welcoming her, escorting her into the main hall. He had not invited any companion guests; in Zhù Ying’s presence, having certain guests was worse than having none at all. Zhù Ying did not care for music and dancing entertainment, so he had not made elaborate arrangements for that either — only a few musicians placed behind the curtain to provide gentle background atmosphere.

Xian Jing said, “Such an honor! Since you moved, we’ve seen so little of each other.”

“Whenever one wants, one can always find a way to meet,” Zhù Ying said.

Host and guest settled into their seats. Xian Jing said, “With the Ministry of Revenue so busy, and you still taking time to come — I should have been the one to go to you.”

Zhù Ying said, “I have come with something to ask, so how could I have you make the trip?”

Servants brought in the dishes. Xian Jing finished the courteous formalities and then asked, “What is it?”

Zhù Ying said, “Haggling with the regional governors unavoidably means going back through old records — I’ve been looking at some of the archives from when you and Prime Minister Dou were in charge of the Ministry of Revenue.”

Xian Jing said nostalgically, “Those days…”

Zhù Ying said, “Yes — those days, how fine they were. Good weather and harvests, all foreign peoples at peace, ruler and ministers in harmony, and the court not so riven with strife.”

Xian Jing recognized “strife” as the crux of things, and followed the thread: “Who wouldn’t want peace and contentment? I miss those days too — not needing to think so much, just concentrating on doing the work. The worrying was all left to our teacher! Now our teacher is gone. How can one bear to let a lifetime of our teacher’s efforts go to waste? Zizhang, our teacher thought most highly of you when he was alive.”

Zhù Ying waved her hand. “I haven’t read much — I’m not one for verbal sparring. Back then when we fought each other tooth and nail over seed grain, we always spoke plainly.”

Xian Jing said, “Then speak plainly.”

Zhù Ying said, “The court cannot fall into disorder. Things are also not as good now as they were under the late Emperor, and there is much to attend to. You mentioned Wang Prime Minister yourself — Wang Prime Minister would not want to see things as they are now. You were once a person who dealt in practical realities, yet ever since you became Eastern Palace Counselor, you’ve grown fond of abstractions.”

Xian Jing said, “If I don’t stand at the front holding the line, what could those people — Zheng and the rest — accomplish? You know this without my needing to tell you. Suppressing land encroachment — where is the error in that? Every dynasty that failed to suppress encroachment brought about its own ruin. And isn’t it also the case that you yourself most want to select officials through the examination system?”

He proceeded to enumerate the items in Wang Yunhe’s posthumous memorial, saying, “If one prepares in advance, one is prepared; if one fails to plan, one is defeated. If our teacher had laid out this blueprint sooner, and we had followed it…”

“Followed it to do what? Encroach on land alongside the rest?” Zhù Ying said. “Or drive people to their deaths? Those matters I investigated when I was at the Court of Judicial Review — they were not falsely charged. And in the northern territories, when Yu Qingquan came to seek me out and asked me to turn a blind eye — if they are gentlemen, how can they on one hand denounce others, and on the other hand tolerate those who do precisely the same thing?”

Xian Jing said, “Doing something always involves compromise. I know there are mediocrities among them — it’s a case of buying a horse’s bone for a thousand gold, even if it is just a skeleton. Anything to show people the resolve to bring about change. The real thoroughbred horses — where are they?”

“More than a thousand gold was spent, and what was obtained were several misshapen, peculiar bones. Where are the thoroughbreds?” Zhù Ying asked. “I didn’t see any. All I saw was that you reared a stable of large braying donkeys! With a herd of donkeys you exhausted the real thoroughbreds to death. Exhausted them to death and still couldn’t earn any gratitude.”

Xian Jing’s eyes reddened. He set down his wine cup.

Zhù Ying said, “I was in the northern territories. I witnessed too many scenes of war and loss. Have you ever seen a whole village in mourning? I have. I walked into a household — the old grandmother’s son was dead, her daughter-in-law had been abducted. She had cooked a pot of porridge — coarse rice, dried beans, and wilted greens — and plunged the ladle to the very bottom of the pot to scoop me out the thickest portion, then pinched a small measure of salt into my bowl.”

Zhù Ying set down her cup. With her right thumb and forefinger she made two gentle rubbing motions together.

“The suffering of the common people is something to be mourned. The army’s accumulated corruption ran too deep — reform should have come long ago. The Loyal and Martial Army had too little time. And so the people suffered at the hands of foreign invaders.

External turmoil is turmoil; internal turmoil is also turmoil. Encroachment that drives people from their homes is an act of evil. Suppressing encroachment is good — but making the tallying numbers look good by driving people to their deaths, forcing them from their homes, that too is an act of evil. When one’s energies are spent on infighting, how much is left to govern the realm? Tolerate cruelty and brutality, and internal turmoil will be at the door; foreign enemies will seize on the weakness to invade. How many more will have to die?

People speak of cycles of order and chaos — in times of chaos, I personally might survive better. Yet many more will suffer terribly — a hundredfold harder than now. I ate her meal, and I cannot let her only remaining grandchild be buried in a ditch.”

Xian Jing wept openly, tears streaming. He said, “I would rather the rivers run clear and the seas stay calm! Who would not want to be the worthy minister who opens a glorious age?! But why won’t you say these things to Zheng Xi?

Them! The encroachment! The seizures! Yes, internal turmoil is turmoil — driving people to their deaths compared with barbarians directly cutting off a person’s head, which is more savage?! You are conflating those who commit evil with the mistakes made while imperfectly trying to stop it!

I too want to do real things — but if I don’t come out and fight for it, the methods they use behind the scenes will corrupt every good deed before it can be done and harm the gentlemen who speak for the people!”

“Because I hold no expectations of him whatsoever — and he has never claimed to be a gentleman himself. But you are different,” Zhù Ying said. “Since I took charge of the Ministry of Revenue, I have come to understand how difficult it is to hold this post. You did very well when it was in your hands. You are Wang Yunhe’s student. You should not measure yourself against Zheng Xi.

And I — I want to make one more attempt. Even toward Zheng Xi, I say: there must be no disorder. A great tree has dead branches — then prune the dead branches. Xian Gong — may I try once more?”

“Haven’t I tolerated those who hold offices without doing their duties enough already?”

“In the northern territories, as you know, I raised a new army, similar to the Loyal and Martial. Wen Yue leads them, and leads them well. It was a new Wen Yue who replaced the old Wen Yue — can you accept that kind of change?”

Xian Jing shook his head. “He will help Zheng Xi. And besides, how many dead branches are there? What if the very root has rotted? ‘The lofty pine at the valley’s floor, the small seedling on the mountain slope.'”

Zhù Ying said, “The scholar from a humble family is still a scholar. Pine or seedling — both are far above lowly dust in worth.

Not everyone is willing to put their best years into debate. There are still many people willing to do a little practical work.

Sometimes fairness will harm some people. When you stand on the left, the person standing in the middle stands to your right. Would you treat the person standing in the middle as if they belonged on the right? Then they will become your enemy too.

Strike down the person who is repairing the house, and the house collapses — no one inside survives. Fight all you want, but don’t tear down the house. Can you do that?”

Xian Jing’s expression was unsettled. He looked at Zhù Ying, and Zhù Ying’s expression was genuinely sincere. It was difficult to imagine: someone with such deep reserves of cunning, still capable of retaining something pure.

Within him there rose a thin thread of envy, admiration, and a reluctant sense of inadequacy. He said, “I will do my best.”

“Then it is agreed.”

Xian Jing nodded.