The capital and its environs had always been treated as more consequential than anywhere else — though it was a county magistrate dealing with this in name, the officials he regularly encountered were all powerful figures of the capital. Still, any connection to the prime minister’s household was unexpected.
Wannian County said firmly: “Give honest testimony! Do not rashly implicate the prime minister’s household!”
Luo Deng’s servant was, however, perfectly confident — because they really had submitted the list to the Chen residence. He said: “We prepared it at the end of the year as a gift to celebrate Elder Young Master Chen’s return to the capital. You have only to ask the Chen residence and they will confirm it.”
The county magistrate felt the matter was becoming serious. He said: “This court must verify the physical evidence — adjournment for now! The complainant is also dismissed to return home and await summons.”
Zhù Ying had no way to argue with the county magistrate; since Jin Liang was also an official of the court, a sixth-rank officer, Madam Jin was entitled not to appear in person even as the complainant. It was Zhù Ying who had come with Lai Fu to respond to the complaint. Official matters involving actual officials were typically not put before a public hearing from the start. The room held only her, Lai Fu, Luo Deng’s servant, and the full Wannian County staff handling incoming cases.
She could not even confront the principal party in person.
She left herself a safeguard: when handing over the evidence, she insisted the county clerk write out a formal receipt — noting that Wannian County had received the following items and including brief descriptions of each: the identification token with its “Bing-yi” serial number, the inscription on the short knife, and the dimensions of the gold hairpin, and so on.
The clerk at first refused. Zhù Ying tucked the evidence back into her robe and said: “Not getting a receipt when you hand things over isn’t how proper business is conducted. If you won’t write one, I’ll find a yamen that will.”
The clerk was surprised: “You know quite a bit!”
Zhù Ying said: “I’ve seen how it’s done.”
She left with a written receipt from Wannian County.
Outside the county office, the neighbors crowded around asking: “What happened?”
Zhù Ying said: “I handed all the evidence to the county office. They need to verify it. Let me go back and check on Sister-in-law.”
The neighbors were not close with her, but having learned the latest development, they thought it best not to press further and said: “Go back then — don’t let Madam Jin worry.”
They all returned home together. Jin Liang had not yet come back; Madam Jin had already taken stock of the losses — aside from the firewood store, only a few things damaged in the firefighting. Nothing in the household had been stolen.
Jin Liang and Madam Jin had good relations with the neighbors; some male neighbors helped manage the constables or arrange for a mason to repair the damage; some women came to keep Madam Jin company as she waited for Jin Liang to come back. Zhù Shenhan and Zhang Xiangu, still recovering from their injuries and looking not quite presentable, couldn’t push to the front.
Zhang Xiangu had been worrying herself sick while her daughter was at the county office, and stood at the main gate waiting. When she saw Zhù Ying’s silhouette, she let out a long sigh: “Oh!”— the air went out of her like a deflating bag; her back curved into a shrimp, looking utterly relieved.
Zhù Ying walked in, smiled at Zhang Xiangu, then clasped her hands in a bow around to the neighbors: “We’ve disturbed the whole neighborhood today — it’s terribly sorry. When Elder Brother Jin comes home and this business is sorted out, we’ll invite everyone to have a drink.”
The neighbors did not know her well, but seeing her come out and take charge, and noting that she addressed Jin Liang as “Elder Brother,” they said: “Neighbors look out for one another.”
Zhù Ying said: “The case has been accepted by Wannian County — they are processing it now. It will take some time.”
Some neighbors said “no rush,” others asked what the county office had said. Zhù Ying replied: “We’ll have to wait for the county office to send word. Today we truly thank all of you, neighbors — the hour is also not early. I’m sorry to have kept you standing here. As soon as we have news, we’ll let everyone know.”
She saw the neighbors off one by one, all very courteously. Zhang Xiangu then grabbed her daughter’s arm: “How is the lawsuit going?”
“We were sent home to wait — the complaint is filed, but we still need Elder Brother Jin to get back before we can give them a proper account. I went over there today; they only sent a servant to deal with matters on the principal’s behalf — we didn’t see the actual parties, so nothing of real substance was said or done.”
Zhang Xiangu said: “Your sister-in-law Jin doesn’t dare stay in the rear courtyard anymore — she and her son have moved into the front reception hall. Nothing has gone missing.”
“I’ll go see Sister-in-law first.”
Madam Jin had more or less organized the household. She had bolted the rear gate shut and dropped the bar across it, then moved the family’s things from the original bedroom into the west inner room of the front-courtyard reception hall — three rooms in all, originally used for Jin Liang to receive important guests. She moved furniture, clothes, and effects there, and for now settled in with her son in the west inner room. She felt a bit unnerved.
Zhù Ying reached the main hall. Madam Jin came to meet her: “Well? What happened?”
Zhù Ying looked around; the neighbors had all gone. She said: “First let’s get all the doors properly shut. Aside from when Elder Brother Jin comes home, no one is to say anything about this — something is wrong. I may have brought trouble to Elder Brother and Sister-in-law.”
Madam Jin was startled: “What do you mean by that?”
Zhù Ying glanced at Lai Fu, who gave a rough summary of what had happened at Wannian County; for the parts he remembered less clearly, Zhù Ying filled in: “That’s the full account. Luo Deng’s family says it was a gift for Young Master Chen. I suspect it’s true. This matter today — it’s still my trouble that brought this down on you. I’m sorry. Sister-in-law — give me one day. I’ll explain everything to Elder Brother when he comes back, then pack up my room and move out. I cannot keep bringing disaster to you and Elder Brother.”
She stood and made a long bow to Madam Jin.
Madam Jin had no solution for the moment either. She truly had no wish to be embroiled in all this — her heart was pounding. But with Zhù Ying proposing to leave of her own accord, Madam Jin felt half-willing and half-ashamed, and said: “Wait for your Elder Brother to come back and let’s talk it through slowly, all right? My mind is all over the place right now — I don’t have an answer either.”
She also could not simply rely on the Zheng Marquis manor every time something came up. And she had no resources of her own to disentangle cleanly from something that touched the prime minister’s household. She said haltingly: “Wait until your Elder Brother gets back.”
Zhù Ying said: “The firewood and charcoal are probably all soaked now and unusable. I’ll go get some more.”
Madam Jin’s mind was still unsettled: “The neighbors brought some — enough for two or three days. No need to rush.”
Before long, a neighbor again sent over a noon meal. Madam Jin had no heart to eat. Jin Biao started making noise; Madam Jin, cold-faced, pulled him over and gave his backside several sharp slaps. Jin Biao opened his mouth wide to cry. Slapping a child in front of guests — in any social circle — was an indication that guests were unwelcome. Zhang Xiangu was deeply uncomfortable; Zhù Shenhan also stood up.
Just then Jin Liang came home at noon, and walked in to find his wife beating the child with guests standing awkwardly to one side.
——
Jin Liang had only been back in camp for a few days. He had distributed some gifts and re-established warm relations with his comrades, and was happily enjoying the leisurely peace of the well-governed era. A neighbor had come personally to find him at camp and told him that his house had caught fire and the firewood store had been burned.
Jin Liang immediately applied for leave. His superiors and colleagues, hearing that his house had caught fire, didn’t mind him “leaving again” and all said: “Go quickly — take one of the better horses.”
Jin Liang rode at full gallop with the neighbor. From experience, those who came to deliver bad news tended to minimize it — which made him fearful that the house was far more damaged than reported. Was it just the firewood store? Surely not.
He arrived home to find his house still substantially intact. Jin Liang tilted his face to the sky and let out a long breath, and then, with a clear head, turned to thank the neighbor. The neighbor, who had been hauled at a gallop the whole way, eyes glazed and nearly frothing at the mouth, braced his knees and waved him off: “Never mind me — I’m going home.”
Jin Liang strode inside in large steps: “What happened?!”
Madam Jin now had someone to lean on: “You’re finally back! I still don’t understand how it all happened! Something about five in the morning, before we’d even woken up, Xiao Ya and the others said the firewood store was on fire — and then firefighting. Nothing’s gone missing; Sanlang says something is wrong.”
Zhù Ying picked up the account and described finding the evidence and going to Wannian County, then showed Jin Liang the receipt: “They wrote a receipt. Luo Deng says it was sent as a gift to Young Master Chen; I thought something was wrong.”
Jin Liang said: “Of course something’s wrong! Fooling a half-wit might work, but not us! Even if I’m a simple man, I’m not falling for this! Young Master Chen is a man of schemes — why would he act with his own hands? And send a trusted aide, but with his own knife? There’s definitely something fishy here.”
Zhù Shenhan and Zhang Xiangu, fearing their family had brought trouble to the Jin household, hastily asked: “What? Is it not him?”
Jin Liang said: “Something was planted here to frame someone. I may be crude, but I’m not that easily tricked! Chen Da-lang wouldn’t do something this obvious.”
Zhù Shenhan and Zhang Xiangu both relaxed a little — if it wasn’t Chen Meng, then it wasn’t because of the dissolved marriage — and if that was the case, it wasn’t their fault! Zhù Shenhan was already regretting it: the marriage should not have been dissolved that way.
Zhù Ying, however, did not see it that way. She said: “You’re back — that’s what matters. Today at Wannian County, Luo Deng only sent a servant; the prime minister’s household would certainly not let Young Master Chen appear in court. I was useless there. I’ll pack my bags now and move out within the next two days…”
Jin Liang said: “Move what? Move where?”
Zhù Ying said: “We both know — you and Young Master Chen have no real grievance. Any grievance goes to me.”
Zhù Shenhan asked: “How did Young Master Chen come into this again?”
Zhù Ying said: “Even if it’s a frame-up, why frame things at Elder Brother’s house? It has to be because we are lodging here. Elder Brother and Sister-in-law have been kind enough to take us in — we cannot keep bringing disaster to your household.”
“Nonsense!” Jin Liang said. “You stay right here! Even if there was no connection between us before, there is now. They burned down my house — am I supposed to just let that go?! You stay here. If they come again, we’ll catch them in the act!”
Madam Jin did not actually dislike the Zhù family; but she had a son and a household to protect, and truly did not welcome this kind of trouble. But Jin Liang had come home and made the decision, so she could only say: “Then… let’s all move back to the rear courtyard.”
Jin Liang said: “Right! I’m going to look at the firewood store.”
Zhù Ying had noticed Madam Jin’s hesitation. She said: “I’ll come with you — there were a few things I didn’t tell Wannian County.”
“What things?”
Zhù Ying said: “I don’t know what kind of person the Wannian County magistrate is, and you weren’t back yet. How could I show them everything before you came home?”
The two of them headed to the rear courtyard. Zhù Shenhan also sensed Madam Jin’s unease, and said: “I’ll go have a look too.” He signaled Zhang Xiangu to follow.
Zhang Xiangu thought: if everyone goes, won’t Madam Jin be even more displeased? I need to stay and keep her company. Even if she hits me or scolds me, I’ll take it — just don’t make us leave. At least this is an official’s home; they still have to mind their reputation here. If we go back to our own place — I’m afraid they’d come after us without restraint. Sanlang was carted off to prison like that just last year. I can’t let that happen!
She was frightened. She steeled herself and stayed in front of Madam Jin, acting servile. Madam Jin was also awkward; she couldn’t very well explain her feelings to Zhang Xiangu, and the two of them made uncomfortable small talk about things like “need to buy more firewood and charcoal.” Zhang Xiangu grabbed the maidservant’s job and went to pour tea for Madam Jin. Madam Jin said: “Sister-in-law, sit down. We’re two women with no answers between us. Let’s wait and see what they say.”
——
Zhù Ying took Jin Liang to the rear courtyard and showed him the firewood sticks that had been soaked in oil, then pointed inside the store: “Here — the fire started from this spot. Someone stood here and poured the oil. This spot was trampled by the neighbors when they came to fight the fire — but over here you can still see it clearly. The person stood here for some time.”
Outside the firewood store, she pointed out several circles she had marked: “These footprints are oriented the wrong way and the prints themselves are wrong. The neighbors who came to fight the fire — the direction their feet pointed and the way their weight bore down were like this; where the balls of their feet dug in, the impressions run deep at the front. These few here are different.”
She brought Jin Liang to the base of the wall, erected a ladder, and pointed to a spot: “This is what I didn’t tell them — see here on the top of the wall: there’s a handprint. Someone scaled the wall and needed to push off for grip. Your wall has dust settled on it; the hand left an impression. I didn’t tell the others because the ground was already all trampled — I was afraid they’d mess up the wall too. You’ve seen it now; you decide how to proceed, and what to report upward.”
She also showed Jin Liang the escape route she had identified — all the way out to the drainage channel at the edge of the main road.
Jin Liang looked at it all and said: “You’re something, you know that? The Seventh Young Master was right to set his eye on you for the Court of Judicial Review.”
Zhù Shenhan, inserting himself, said to Jin Liang: “Brother Jin — what about asking Lord Zheng? Could you ask him for his help?”
Neither Jin Liang nor Zhù Ying wanted to keep troubling Zheng Xi, and both said no. Zhù Shenhan said: “But the prime minister’s household…”
“Father — don’t worry about that. At worst, I’ll go out and find the culprit myself.”
Jin Liang said: “What do you think you’re saying? You’re meant to be studying! What use can you be right now? Better to study and pass the examination — once you’re an official you’ll actually be useful. I’ll go to Wannian County!” He might be only a sixth-rank officer, but with someone setting fire to a court official’s home in the capital — and the prime minister’s son mixed up in it on top of everything — Wannian County would have no choice but to give him an answer.
“That settles it!” Jin Liang said. “Everyone go eat. I’ll handle what’s outside. You all stay put and read!”
With the head of the household having decided, the mess in the firewood store had to be cleared up. Madam Jin had to arrange to buy more firewood and charcoal, repair the kitchen and the floor soaked by the fire brigade, and get daily life back on track. The Zhù family returned to the front courtyard, and Zhù Ying went back to her books. The whole household, except for Jin Liang, had something weighing on their minds.
Jin Liang went to Wannian County — but before he had been there long, a group of people arrived at the Jin house gate, claiming to be from the prime minister’s Chen residence. Their clothing was unmistakably fine: the lead figure, who appeared to be a steward, wore silk; the few men behind him, though in plain cloth, were all turned out in complete matching sets that showed no sign of wear. They had also brought a carriage.
The lead figure first presented a calling card, then said: “We request an audience with the master of the household.”
Inside the Jin house, Madam Jin was already uneasy. She had never dealt with servants from the prime minister’s household and had no way of telling if they were genuine. Zhù Shenhan and Zhang Xiangu were even more at a loss.
Zhù Ying came out to receive them, saying: “We do not know the prime minister’s household staff and have no way to verify who you are. Please wait until my Elder Brother comes home.”
The prime minister’s servants kept their manner polite but their attitude firm: “Please don’t make things difficult for us servants — the prime minister truly requests your presence.”
Madam Jin and the others were all afraid of offending these people, and at the same time had no idea how to handle them. Madam Jin said: “My husband has gone to the Zheng Marquis manor — if you have business, wait for him to come back. I’m just a woman and understand nothing.”
The steward said: “Madam is too modest. Since we have come to request, there is naturally a reason.”
Madam Jin had no more responses; Zhù Shenhan and Zhang Xiangu had none of the courage they had shown at Madam Feng’s gate. Everyone was a little cowed.
Zhù Ying said: “Lai Fu — close the gate! See the guests out!”
The steward said in surprise: “Young gentleman — what are you doing?”
“Making things difficult for you.” Zhù Ying said expressionlessly.
The steward knew he had met a hard case. He hastily put on a smile: “It is I who have been improper — please forgive me, young gentleman.”
Zhù Ying said: “You are perfectly proper. I’m the improper one. There’s no need for you to speak to an improper person like me.” She told Lai Fu to close the gate, and told them to wait outside wherever they liked.
The steward had never encountered anyone who so thoroughly refused to give face. This little one was remarkably difficult to deal with — all the younger they were, the more fearless!
He was just about to resort to taking them away by force when a squad of constables appeared at the gate: “Capital Prefecture business! All bystanders disperse!”
Everyone inside the Jin house breathed with relief; those who claimed to be from the prime minister’s residence grew tense. Everyone present knew that the capital prefecture was now under Wang Yunhe’s authority — and if his men had come, things would have to proceed as Wang Yunhe saw fit.
Madam Jin asked: “Wasn’t it Wannian County? My husband went to Wannian County!”
A constable replied politely: “Originally it was Wannian County’s case — but setting fire to property in the capital, in defiance of all law, His Honor Wang considered it serious and has taken charge of the case.”
Zhang Xiangu, emboldened, said: “And these people?”
The constable asked the steward who he was; the steward had no choice but to identify himself. The constable said: “Very good — the complainant is here, and the suspect is here too. You’ll come along with us to the prefecture as well!”
Madam Jin was an official’s wife and could not very well walk side by side with constables — to avoid gossip, she ended up riding in the carriage brought by the prime minister’s household, and Zhù Ying drove the carriage herself. The prime minister’s people accompanied on foot beside the carriage; the steward signaled a glance to a young attendant, who instantly stood on his toes and slipped away running back to report to the residence.
On the road, Zhù Ying gave a constable a small amount of money and asked: “The whole family is frightened and doesn’t know what has happened with the case — could you tell us?”
The constable said: “You’re the complainants — what do you have to be afraid of? Just tell the truth.”
——
Before long, Zhù Ying was face to face with Wang Yunhe again.
With the capital prefect summoning, even a woman with the title of an official’s wife like Madam Jin had appeared, and even a young gentleman like Chen Meng had arrived, and Jin Liang had come rushing back from Wannian County. Chen Meng stood there looking deeply aggrieved, and Zhù Ying still greeted him: “Young Master Chen, good day.”
As the matter involved officials, the capital prefect had not held a public hearing; he had the two parties seated in the main hall of the capital prefecture and asked both sides to speak plainly.
The Zhù family of three were ordinary citizens and had no seats. Zhù Ying stood in front of her parents.
Wang Yunhe still remembered her. He asked: “Who are you? How did you also end up in this case?”
Zhù Ying replied: “I’ve been lodging at Elder Brother Jin’s household, and happened to be there when the fire broke out. Elder Brother Jin was at camp in the morning, so I ran the errand for him.”
Wang Yunhe asked about her identity and native place, clearly determined to establish exactly who she was — she was lodging at Jin Liang’s house without being in want herself, yet she refused to study properly?
Zhù Ying answered honestly: she had just arrived in the capital and had no property.
Wang Yunhe also asked whether she and Chen Meng were acquainted, how they had come to know each other, and what their relationship was. Zhù Ying did not mention Huajie; she simply said she and Chen Meng were from the same region and had traveled to the capital together. Wang Yunhe also asked what relationship Jin Liang had with Chen Meng. Jin Liang said: “The new Grand Court of Review’s Lord Zheng the Seventh is my former master’s young son. Last year he led an assignment south of the capital and happened to dispatch me to accompany him — that is how the acquaintance was made. That was back when Lord Zhong the Imperial Envoy was handling the case, when he discovered that the second young master of the Chen prime ministerial family had been performing curses against the first young master.”
Wang Yunhe suddenly pointed at Zhù Shenhan and Zhang Xiangu: “Your faces — what happened?”
The bearing of this family’s child and her parents was so strikingly different; both parents’ faces still bore marks of injury. Wang Yunhe suspected they might have run into some trouble — Zhù Ying had been in prison; had the parents also encountered something?
Zhù Shenhan and Zhang Xiangu were timid and tongue-tied before Wang Yunhe, and their answers came out halting and incomplete: “We got beaten.”
Wang Yunhe would not tolerate bad public order in the capital and pressed them on what had happened. Zhù Shenhan buckled under the pressure — the moment he walked into an official court, his mind went blank and his tongue went stiff: “It was the in-laws — the Feng family. The Young Master’s big aunt!”
Chen Meng, seeing the situation, simply answered on his behalf: “It was a misunderstanding. Sanlang was originally my cousin’s husband. The Feng family cousin had been separated from the family and was living away from home; when they all came to the capital together, she chose to seek her own future and did not move in with Madam Feng. So neither side knew the other. Due to a misunderstanding, and then the marriage was dissolved.”
He also put forward his own defense: “Even with this misunderstanding, we bore no grudge. As for the identification token in Your Honor’s possession — there are many tokens in our residence, and some do get lost. The short knife — I have never set eyes on it. It is on the gift list but was taken into storage, never used. As for the hairpin — that also went missing.”
This was lost, that was also lost. Zhang Xiangu let out a sound of cold contempt and cast a sideways glance at him.
Wang Yunhe, however, knew that what Chen Meng said might well be the truth. A household as large as the prime minister’s — not keeping close track of such items was perfectly normal. Wang Yunhe did not form judgments based on inference or personal preference alone. He turned to Jin Liang: “Is there any other evidence?”
Jin Liang said: “There are still traces at the house. Sanlang — you speak.”
Zhù Ying repeated to Wang Yunhe what she had told Jin Liang. Wang Yunhe listened carefully and asked: “You determined all of this yourself?”
Zhù Ying said: “Yes.”
Wang Yunhe said: “Take me to see it.”
Jin Liang said with surprise: “Your Honor intends to go in person?” As a general rule, even county magistrates rarely visited crime scenes personally — usually constables were dispatched to gather evidence, and the magistrate would then rule based on that evidence.
Wang Yunhe said: “Of course.”
Wang Yunhe had not worn his official robes — he had gone to the rear residence and changed into plain clothing, looking like a middle-aged scholar. He came out and said: “Let’s go.”
Madam Jin and Jin Liang both rose to accompany him. Chen Meng very much wished to come along, but Wang Yunhe said: “You are not permitted to go yet. Sit here and wait…”
Before he could finish, a constable came running in: “Your Honor — the prime minister has sent someone with a card requesting that the Young Master be brought home!”
Chen Meng hastily said: “I am quite content to remain!”
Zhù Ying’s eyes shifted. She found this strange. She knew well enough that as a general rule, officials and wealthy men refused to appear in court themselves and sent stewards and servants instead. The prime minister coming to take his son home — that she understood. But Chen Meng not wanting to go home — that she did not understand.
What had happened at the prime minister’s residence?
She had not yet worked it out when another constable came sprinting in — even faster than the first, stumbling over the threshold and sprawling on the floor: “Your Honor — the prime minister himself has come to take the Young Master home!”