“The weather is getting hotter and hotter — going out at a time like this is really suffering. Things have only just settled down, do you really have to go yourself?” Zhang Xiangu said, folding clothes, her mouth going nonstop.

Zhù Ying checked her sword, saying, “For future trips I can send others, but this one I need to see with my own eyes to have a clear picture in my mind.”

“I’ve heard that the Xika and Jima side are not easy to deal with — will you be safe?” Zhang Xiangu asked.

“Qingjun and Qingye will be with me,” Zhù Ying replied.

Zhang Xiangu ran the calculations in her head: Qingjun was capable in battle, and Qingye had spent no short time at Huajie’s side and could look after people — only then did she feel a slight loosening in her chest. Still muttering, she said, “You’ve only been home a few days! Ai, if something happens at home, what are we to do?”

“Zhao Su and the others are staying behind — it’ll be fine,” Zhù Ying replied.

Huajie walked in and set a large packet of herbal lozenges on the table, saying, “These are medicinal lozenges — take them with you.”

Zhù Ying glanced at them and said, “That’s not enough. I’m taking more people with me too. We’re disguised as merchants, and we’ll need porters and guards — this one packet won’t be enough.”

“I know,” Huajie said. “They have their own supply prepared separately. These are for you.”

“Oh.”

Zhang Xiangu stuffed the lozenges into a bundle, tucking them between layers of clothing, and let out a long sigh. “So when will you be coming back?”

“This trip I’ll be going around quite a bit — I’ll be away a good while,” Zhù Ying said. “But I’ll definitely be back before the autumn harvest.”

“That long?!” Zhang Xiangu and Huajie were both startled. Zhù Ying’s inspection tours had never taken this long before.

“Of course — there’s a great deal to take care of, and unlike before there’s nobody to escort us there and back. We’re going to unfamiliar places, so things will naturally be slower. And we’re doing mountain trade goods commerce, so we can’t move quickly.”

Zhang Xiangu’s heart was in her throat again. “Then you must take more people with you — oh goodness, this won’t do, this is too…”

Huajie gathered Zhang Xiangu into her arms to comfort her. “She has it all figured out. Running a household this big, the head of the family just has to work hard. Once she’s back this time, she won’t be running off like this anymore — isn’t that right, Xiao Zhù?”

She spoke while giving Zhù Ying a meaningful look. Zhù Ying said, “Of course! At the latest by the autumn harvest — and if everything goes smoothly, I might even be back earlier.”

“You come back earlier!” Zhang Xiangu urged.

“All right.”

Having soothed Zhang Xiangu, Zhù Ying then needed to properly arrange the affairs of Wuzhou — primarily those of the Mountain City. She summoned the various officials and clerks of the Prefectural Office and the county yamen, instructing them: “Each of you fulfill your duties. If anything unexpected arises, Zhao Su — you confer with A’Jie and Xiang An. When Zhù Lian returns, receive him first. He has experience managing affairs; matters can be entrusted to him freely — don’t let him sit idle. If the court sends official documents or messengers, say I’ve gone out hunting. If there is urgent business, dispatch a fast rider to send word to me. If you cannot reach me, you may invite the various chieftains over to deliberate matters together.”

Everyone acknowledged the order.

She then summoned the twenty newly selected people from the examination. Among these twenty were some from outside the mountains and some from within. Zhù Ying said, “All of you are talented people chosen through careful selection and ought to be put to use. As for ‘finding the right person,’ one must also look at what each person is skilled at. I will now distribute you to various posts so you can begin learning how to handle official duties. When I return, I will look at each person’s strengths and determine your assignments accordingly. After all, it’s always better to do work that you enjoy and that comes naturally to you.”

Among the twenty were some who had been underappreciated, some with problematic backgrounds, some women like Jiang Wan who had never intended to obtain an official post when they came, and some who had assumed that passing the examination would immediately give them an official position — all manner of circumstances, with minds going in different directions. But since Zhù Ying had made her arrangements and they were fairly acceptable, they bowed and expressed their thanks in a somewhat ragged chorus.

“Qingye, read it out,” Zhù Ying said.

Zhù Qingye produced two sheets of paper bearing each person’s name and their assigned duties — some assigned to help Xiang An, some to assist Zhao Su, and a quiet young woman like Jiang Wan was assigned to help under Wu Ren’s supervision. After Zhù Qingye finished reading, she also read the final line: “After two months, those who are unsuitable will be rotated out.”

The twenty people’s response was still not particularly unified.

“In a moment, have Xiang An arrange lodgings for you,” Zhù Ying said. “Staying at the guesthouse permanently won’t do. The office will provisionally pay you at the ninth-rank salary level.”

This time the response was a bit louder.

“Xiang An, arrange their lodgings first. Once settled, each of you go find a mentor to train under. Dismissed.”

Everyone replied with a great rumble, and Xiang An led the twenty people away. Those with families, like Jiang Wan, couldn’t very well share lodgings with unmarried young women like Si Niang. Beyond that, people’s circumstances also differed in wealth; some had come alone, others had brought servants. All of this needed to be carefully arranged. In this way, the vacant rooms available in the Mountain City’s Prefectural Office dwindled considerably, and Xiang An noted the matter to report to Zhù Ying and ask how to resolve it upon her return from the inspection tour.

Zhù Ying then specifically summoned Xiao Jiang. Xiao Jiang thought about it and assumed she was being asked to help look after Zhang Xiangu. She was similar to Huajie in that regard, and Huajie’s energy was no longer what it was in her youth — one person alone might not be able to manage. Xiao Jiang had already been quietly lending a hand even before Zhù Ying’s return, and she figured this time would be much the same.

She had even thought out what to say in response, but Zhù Ying’s first question was: “How is Zhou Wei doing these days?”

Xiao Jiang blinked. “She’s… she’s doing quite well? It’s rare to find someone with such a strong backbone.”

“I’m just afraid she’s too sharp-edged,” Zhù Ying said. “After I leave, help me keep an eye on her — don’t let her go speaking all those opinions of hers openly, or go rolling her eyes at every man she sees. There’s no point telling her directly — it’s her nature, and her temperament in itself isn’t good or bad, it’s just not quite fitting for the present moment.”

“Why?” Xiao Jiang asked. “And why must everyone be smooth and accommodating?”

“She tends to see things in black and white,” Zhù Ying said. “A strong backbone is a good thing, but stubbornness and prickliness can sometimes cause trouble too. And her prickliness isn’t even something she brought upon herself. Having her around can also spur on those who have no drive to advance — but if the prickling is too sharp it can easily draw resentment her way. You help calibrate the right measure for her.”

Xiao Jiang thought it over and said, “All right.”

Zhù Ying then had a long private conversation with Zhao Su, discussing in detail the things that couldn’t be said openly — such as what to do if there were sudden developments at court, and what to do if something changed in the lowlands, and so forth.

Finally, Zhù Ying asked Zhao Su to keep an eye out for skilled blacksmiths and coppersmiths — specifically anyone who knew how to make casting molds and forms.

“Are you looking to cast weapons?” Zhao Su asked. “Our stockpile is still sufficient, but the outside world no longer dares to trade with us in large quantities. Craftsmen are even more strictly controlled — it’ll probably take time to track them down.”

“Not just that — I want someone who can cast coins,” Zhù Ying said.

Zhao Su suddenly remembered, his expression sharpening. “Of course! That’s exactly what we should do. But such craftsmen are even rarer and harder to find.”

“There’s no rush — just keep watch.”

“Yes.”

“After I leave — tight on the inside, relaxed on the outside.”

“Yes.”

Finally, Zhù Ying went to Hou Wu’s lodgings. Hou Wu had grown even quieter of late. In the old days he and Zhù Da had been drinking companions — after the drinks, swapping boasts was quite satisfying. Zhù Da was dead now, and Zhù Ying turned out to be a woman; Hou Wu didn’t know how to manage in this absurd world, and since he didn’t know, he simply drifted along with it. Even his habit of speaking ill of people behind their backs had disappeared.

Seeing Zhù Ying, Hou Wu steadied himself on his crutch and stood: “My Lord!”

Zhù Ying hurried forward and invited him to sit down. “Why stand on ceremony with me? I’m going out for a while — please look after things at home. I’m taking Danqing with me; the other few will stay behind to continue training the troops. Keep a supervisory eye on them.”

Hou Wu was quiet for a moment, then spoke in the slow, deliberate cadence of an old man: “My Lord, are we about to go to war?” He was someone who had spent many years in the ranks; he had some experience. This kind of rotating training and troop drilling cost money, and he didn’t believe Zhù Ying had no other plan behind it.

Zhù Ying looked at him. “Just preparedness and vigilance. In the past the court served as a deterrent, so our neighbors were better behaved. Now we have to rely on ourselves — the remnants of Yi Gan’s people, the Xika, the Jima — none of them are easy to deal with.”

“Whatever you say, my Lord. I know the rules — matters decided by those above are not for those below to question needlessly.”

“There’s nothing that can’t be asked,” Zhù Ying said. “It really is just to guard against them. Please take care — and don’t exhaust yourself. People matter more than affairs.”

Hou Wu gave a somewhat awkward smile. “I’m old, no use anymore — an old wreck, just glad to have a meal on the table. Never imagined I’d still be living such a good life as this.”

“It will only get better going forward,” Zhù Ying said.

“Yes~”

……

After all of Zhù Ying’s instructions were given, she changed into plain clothes and, accompanied by Hu Shijie, Lu Danqing, and others, along with twenty attendants from the official residence, set out from the Mountain City. She first made a circuit around the salt works. The salt works were still managed by Kongque; the two young women, Minzhu and Mingyue, had both gotten a bit darker than before, and when they saw Zhù Ying they were noticeably excited — though it was genuinely satisfying to have real work to do, life at the salt works was a bit monotonous.

Zhù Ying did not go to inspect the warehouses or the salt fields, but instead said, “I came to see how you are, and also to pick up some salt. I’ll write a note for it.”

“I’ll go prepare it right away — how much do you need?” Kongque said quickly.

“Ten loads,” Zhù Ying said.

Here at the salt works, one load was one hundred and twenty jin, so ten loads came to twelve hundred jin of salt — not a large amount by the salt works’ standards. Kongque didn’t ask about the purpose, and prepared ten loads. “All finest refined salt.”

“No need for such good quality — one load of refined salt will be enough. Change the rest to coarse salt,” Zhù Ying said.

“Ah? Oh, very well!” Kongque asked no questions but invited Zhù Ying to inspect the warehouses and salt fields in person.

“I trust your work,” Zhù Ying said. “What is there to inspect?”

Kongque still smiled and urged her to go look, and Zhù Ying said, “All right.” She assumed Kongque must have prepared the warehouses meticulously, ready for inspection — and indeed, upon arrival, everything was exactly as she had imagined: the salt was stacked in neat, orderly packages, and out in the salt fields, small mountains of salt were piled up, gleaming blindingly in the sun.

“Organized and clear — very good,” Zhù Ying praised.

“Before, I went so long without seeing you, and felt unmoored — I grew slack and negligent,” Kongque said. “Now that there’s a central pillar to lean on, I can’t be drifting along as I used to.”

“Keep up the good work — more good things are ahead,” Zhù Ying said.

Seeing the slight smile on her face, Kongque felt she had probably passed muster — and could also give Su Mingluan a satisfactory account. She let out a great sigh of relief.

However, when Kongque’s message reached Asu County, Su Mingluan had sent someone out to receive Zhù Ying — but found no one. Su Mingluan couldn’t help feeling puzzled: where had she gone?

“Let me go take a look at the office,” Su Zhe said.

While mother and daughter were discussing the matter, Zhù Ying had already linked up with Zhù Qingjun. She had changed into blue cloth clothing and called herself a merchant from Fulu County; together with several dozen of Zhù Qingjun’s people, they set off toward Xika territory.

Lu Danqing, Zhù Qingye, and Zhù Qingjun saw each other and embraced warmly, laughing and slapping each other on the back with obvious affection. Lu Danqing asked, “Grandma, this doesn’t look like we’re going hunting!”

“Doesn’t it?” Zhù Ying replied.

“No, it doesn’t!”

They had brought salt, along with some sugar, small handicraft novelties produced in the Mountain City’s workshops, and had also picked up some tea bricks produced by the Asu family along the way. They claimed to be going hunting but were also calling themselves merchants — whichever way you looked at it, there was more going on beneath the surface. Moreover, the party had also brought along a great quantity of paper and writing supplies, which made no sense at all! The mountain peoples had no writing system, so these items had little use! Paper and brushes might serve for illustration purposes, but the quantity needed wouldn’t be large.

Lu Danqing was a chieftain’s daughter herself, and if one didn’t study the official language and writing, the only use for paper and brush might be to sketch out a design. The quantity needed would be very small.

Zhù Qingjun hooked an arm around her neck and said, “Come along with me — walk a bit and you’ll find out!”

Zhù Qingjun was thoroughly familiar with all of Gan County; with her leading the way, the party made excellent progress. At a point not far from Xika territory, Zhù Qingjun and her people also changed into coarse blue-black cloth clothing, wound their hair up, and transformed into the most ordinary-looking mountain trading caravan imaginable.

Lu Danqing asked, “Aren’t we going to see Xiang Erlang?”

Zhù Ying shook her head. “No need — we’re just here to hunt.”

Lu Danqing was puzzled, for deep in the mountains, even a local expert would have difficulty finding a specific person quickly and accurately. And the deep mountains were genuinely dangerous — without contacting Xiang Le in advance, if something happened there would be no one to call for help.

It was Zhù Qingjun who pulled her aside and explained the situation in full. Lu Danqing grew excited. “We’re going to move?! Why didn’t you say so earlier! Our village also has people who run trade routes — they go farther afield than the merchants at the villa settlement. That settlement market mostly handles trade with outsiders. Our village trades with both mountain and lowland people. I can also find some tribal members from those few families…”

“It’s not advisable to spread it around,” Zhù Qingjun said. “Otherwise the other side will be prepared.”

“Our own people… ah, my father likes to go around announcing things everywhere to show off his authority — we really should keep it from him.”

Zhù Qingjun shook her head and asked seriously, “Do you want your father to be involved? Like last time we fought the Yi Gan family — use his troops? Then collect your reward from his hands?”

“He… I…”

“You’re different from me — my life was saved by Grandma, so I simply follow Grandma’s orders, and Grandma will not treat me unfairly. You’re also different from Little Sister — everything in Little Sister’s family will one day belong to her. What about you? Don’t end up giving everything only to receive just a roof over your head — stuck in the middle, neither high nor low, just drifting along, with an even worse outcome than mine.”

What Zhù Qingjun said was something Lu Danqing had already turned over in her mind countless times these past days, and she had also thought through many possible responses. She stared directly into Zhù Qingjun’s eyes and said, “This touches on my life and livelihood — can I trust you?”

“Of course.”

“I want to stay by Grandma’s side always,” Lu Danqing said, “but I’m not the only one before Grandma, and neither are you. The office has all kinds of people — those from outside the mountains, children of various families who couldn’t become chieftains, retainers who have followed Grandma all along… The difference from life in the village is that Grandma is there to be fair. But I don’t entirely dare trust the others. Which side are you on?”

“I’m on Grandma’s side — I have nothing to do with anyone else. And you?” Zhù Qingjun asked in return.

“Without Grandma, I am nothing! All right then — it’s decided!”

Having said so, she walked before Zhù Ying and knelt on the spot. “Grandma! Please take me in!”

“Haven’t you been by my side all along?” Zhù Ying said.

Lu Danqing looked up. “I… I’m afraid I won’t be able to go back to my father’s village anymore. You must give me a place to belong.”

She spoke boldly, but Zhù Ying wasn’t angry. She helped Lu Danqing up and asked Zhù Qingjun, “What did you two say to each other — why so intense?”

“Since Grandma has brought me along and not someone else,” Lu Danqing said, “that means you trust me, and I should repay that trust.”

“It’s not that I have no suspicions of you,” Zhù Ying said, “but rather that you have no way out. This road of mine is not easy, but it is a road. Are you willing to walk it with me?”

Lu Danqing knelt and kowtowed three times. “I am willing!”

Zhù Ying helped her up again and said, “This trip of ours — keep it secret when we return. We just went hunting.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t speak of it to anyone — including Little Sister.”

“Yes.” After agreeing, a hint of hesitation showed on Lu Danqing’s face.

“Don’t put them in a difficult position,” Zhù Ying said.

“Yes.”

“Let’s go.”

……

The party traveled at a neither fast nor slow pace, carrying goods that were in high demand — salt and sugar above all, then tea leaves, and some embroidery needles, colored threads, and silk, all of which carried good profit margins.

As they traveled, they were also drawing maps, recording the mountain and river geography, marking the locations of mineral deposits, the direction of mountain ranges, the paths through forests, and so on. Wherever Zhù Ying arrived, she would chat with the village elders; as the weather was hot, she would begin with the weather, asking about the local climate throughout the four seasons — how cold did it get in winter, what season brought rainstorms that blocked the roads, how far would the river waters rise at their peak flood…

After traveling about in this manner for two months, she had made a roughly complete circuit of “Xika territory.” “Xika territory” was in fact the “Xika tribe,” which had no fewer than seven major chieftains beneath it.

Zhù Qingjun was extremely careful, because the family nearest to Gan County had an infuriating person who was always fixedly staring at her — so she changed into men’s clothing, darkened her face, and spent seven days playing the role of a mute coachman.

Zhù Ying and Lu Danqing were often received in audience by chieftains; Zhù Ying each time carried her bow and arrows and wore her sword. Some chieftains didn’t mind, interested only in seeing the silk and jewels.

There were also those who noticed her blade and bow and asked about them.

Zhù Ying saw that this chieftain was of unusually imposing stature, with a full beard and a voice like a great bell, and knew he wouldn’t be easy to deal with. She wasted no words: she strung the bow, drew, and released, shooting an arrow straight into a flag pole in the distance. The pole was more than ten zhang away; Zhù Ying fired three arrows in quick succession, and the three arrows stood in a row on the wooden pole.

The chieftain cried out in admiration! Then he asked about the sword.

Zhù Ying drew her long blade and in a single slash through the air cut off the lower half of a hanging curtain!

“That’s still not enough,” the chieftain said. “I want to test it further.” He gave orders to bring a slave forward. Zhù Ying’s expression shifted slightly; the chieftain’s face remained impassive as he pointed to the slave and said to Zhù Ying, “Use him to test it!”

Lu Danqing frowned. “That’s not a good idea,” she said. She had seen this kind of thing done by chieftains’ children before, but she also knew Zhù Ying didn’t like it — so she spoke up first.

“This is mine — I won’t make you pay for him,” the chieftain said.

“Getting blood on it makes it hard to clean, and can damage the blade,” Zhù Ying said. “Use something else.” And with a lightning-fast motion, she sliced the armrest off a chair!

The chieftain stroked his chin. “It appears to be a fine blade. What would you take for it?”

“Just this one piece — I still need it for self-defense,” Zhù Ying said. “This trip I’m just bringing a bit of goods to scout out the routes. If you’re truly interested, I’ll bring several more pieces next time I come — but you’ll need to pay a deposit.”

The chieftain was about to take offense, but hearing there would be more to come, and seeing her trader’s manner, he said, “Very well. How many do you have?”

“How many do you want?”

The two bargained back and forth, and the chieftain asked for ten bows and ten long swords. Zhù Ying unhesitatingly collected his deposit. Lu Danqing kept her head down throughout, not daring to look at Zhù Ying’s expression.

When they departed from Xika tribe’s territory, they had already sold off more than half their goods. One chieftain said regretfully to Zhù Ying, “I’ll take everything you’ve got — I’ll pay you in gold at the same price you gave the Jima family. What do you say?”

“I’m scouting the routes,” Zhù Ying replied. “If I didn’t bring some goods, they wouldn’t see me as a trader — they’d think I was some kind of outlaw, and the roads would be harder to travel. Whatever you want, however much of it — I’ve noted it all down. Next time, certainly.”

This chieftain, however, was unwilling to pay a deposit; he said he wanted salt, then said he wanted a great deal of sugar, and was not interested in paper and such things. But he did offer a friendly piece of information: “Your ‘paper’ — foreign peoples sometimes use it. You might as well sell it to them.”

“Foreign peoples also trade with you?” Zhù Ying asked.

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying then inquired about the foreign peoples — were they merchants, how many, how often did they come. The chieftain suddenly grew displeased. “How would I know all that? You won’t even sell me your goods!”

Zhù Ying showed no discomfort and took her leave from him at a measured pace.

Before long, they left Xika tribal territory and entered Jima tribal territory. The Jima tribe was also divided into several families; they were near both Xika and the western foreigners, and the climate was somewhat cooler than other places.

Zhù Ying stood on a mountainside and looked down at a great plain below. “Three sides enclosed by mountains, one side bordering water — and yet there’s such a vast stretch of good land here! I’ve finally found it!”

“Found what?” Zhù Qingye asked curiously.

“A fine piece of land!” Zhù Ying said. “Quick — the map! Mark this spot!”

Zhù Qingye brought out the map, and Zhù Ying casually made a couple of marks on it, drawing a square. “We’ll build a new city here in the future.”