When Zhù Ying arrived before Zheng Xi, she saw him just as composed as always — not an ounce heavier or lighter, not showing the slightest sign of someone worn down by endless labor and worry.

Zhù Ying made her bow to Zheng Xi, and seeing that he didn’t look as if he intended to call her to account, she asked, as she would on any ordinary day, “My lord — you summoned me. What is your instruction?”

She knew Assessor Su had been poisoning the well with Zheng Xi on her account, but Zheng Xi had countless reasons to summon her; it wasn’t necessarily because of that at all. Nor was Zheng Xi the kind of “upright gentleman” like Wang Yunhe who stuck to personal conduct as a measuring stick for everything. And Left Assessor might have added his own interpretation when recounting the story. For all these reasons, Zhù Ying remained perfectly composed.

Zheng Xi studied her carefully for several long looks, then slowly nodded. “You’ve grown taller.”

“…”

Zhù Ying was still at the age where height surges forward. Over the past two or three years she’d been shooting upward without stopping, and especially this year — well-fed, well-clothed, well-housed, with little to worry about — her growth had sprinted ahead throughout the better part of a year. Come the ninth month, when people changed into lined autumn clothing, the winter garments from last year no longer fit her at all.

This was visible to anyone at a glance.

Zhù Ying said, “It’s the right age for it.”

“Mm — you’ve grown up.”

Zheng Xi’s summons was not a momentary impulse, nor was it solely because Assessor Su had happened to express concern — in an offhand way — for this junior colleague before him. Zhù Ying’s honorary rank had risen to the seventh grade; her substantive post was still an eighth-grade assessor, and her seniority was still shallow — yet her energy was limitless, she was diligent and ambitious, and her natural abilities were also very good.

The review work had entered its second half, and Zheng Xi was already giving thought to how to arrange things for Zhù Ying next.

He said, “Have you finished reviewing all the case files assigned to you?”

“Yes.”

“Good — wrap up the handover today. Starting tomorrow, go to Hu Lian’s side. Watch how he works and learn from it. No hands-on involvement yet — just observe and take it in.”

Hu Lian — Court of Judicial Review Senior Official — was roughly seven or eight grades above Zhù Ying, and one of the old-timers at the court.

Zhù Ying said, “Yes.” She made a careful and earnest bow, sincerely grateful for Zheng Xi’s cultivation. Given her seniority, she hadn’t even been at this office a full year — being arranged to go to Hu Lian’s side to learn was a privilege Zheng Xi was granting her. It was Zheng Xi’s kindness.

Zheng Xi asked with a smile, “Can you hold up?”

Zhù Ying’s face broke into a brilliant smile. “Perfectly suited — I’m not tired at all!”

Zheng Xi laughed and scolded her, “What a waste of that intelligent face! Has no one ever taught you that when your superior asks if you’re tired, you’re supposed to say: ‘Though it is somewhat taxing, whatever you ask me to do — a mountain of blades or a cauldron of boiling oil — I would still go through with it.'”

Zhù Ying’s smile shifted to a sardonic one. “If I said that to you, the only thing I’d have left would be an intelligent face.”

Zheng Xi laughed loudly. “I see you’re truly tireless — but still pace yourself! You’re young and full of energy, but don’t take your body for granted just because of your youth; by the time you regret it in old age, it will be too late.”

Zhù Ying muttered, “You sound so old-fashioned — honestly, at your age, it’s not even time yet for such an old-fashioned thing to say.”

“Pah!” Zheng Xi laughed and scolded her, “If you truly have that much energy, put it into proper work! Judicial examination was never as prestigious as the classics examination — if you want to rise at the same pace as those who came up the classical path, you’ll have to put in far more effort on substantive matters.”

Zhù Ying smiled. “Don’t worry — I will never do anything to bring you trouble or shame you.”

Zheng Xi waved his hand and she went out. She went to square things away with Left Assessor and the others first, and then went to report to Hu Lian.

Left Assessor accepted the brush, drew his mark on the sheet — acknowledging receipt — and as he did so jerked his chin to ask, “How did it go?”

Zhù Ying said, “He’s sending me to Lord Hu’s side to observe — told me not to get my hands into things yet, just to watch and learn.”

Left Assessor swayed his head with the air of long experience. “And he didn’t punish you? Still — be careful.”

Zhù Ying said quietly, “I just keep my hands in the work I have in front of me. Hard, solid work in hand gives you the footing to negotiate with people.”

Left Assessor said, “Little Zhù truly understands how it all works. When you rise high in the future, don’t forget us old fellows.”

Zhù Ying was torn between laughing and sighing. “I’ve barely been here a year — and who knows what this year’s review will bring. Please don’t flatter me like that. There’s still so much I need to learn; if you didn’t tell me half of what you’ve told me, I wouldn’t even have been able to find the door. Let me ask you something — that last thing you told me today: someone in this world needs to know two things and guard against two things — what were they? Being raised up with false praise, and being struck down with false blame.”

“Thank you.”

The next day, Zhù Ying went to Hu Lian’s side to “observe.”

Hu Lian had no dislike for her either, and Zheng Xi had already spoken to him well in advance. Hu Lian was genuinely of an age that was more than twice Zhù Ying’s; he had married and had children in the natural course of things, and his eldest child was about the same age as Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying had, in her earlier days when she didn’t quite understand the rules of officialdom, gone over his head to speak directly with Zheng Xi and the others; later, once she understood, she had placed him in exactly the right position. Hu Lian found himself thinking that Zhù Ying was something of a teachable young person.

He received her with a smile. “Come — sit here. These are the ones I’ve reviewed; start by looking them over.”

Zhù Ying took her place at the small writing table below his, and began reading slowly. After a while, someone came in from outside to report to Hu Lian, “Master Zhū of Court Official rank has just concluded a case.”

Hu Lian said, “Bring it.”

Zhù Ying knew: this was because the Court of Judicial Review had six Senior Officials, and when one of them concluded a case, the others had to look it over and add their own signatures.

Hu Lian signed his name and handed it back to the man who had brought it. The man glanced at Zhù Ying; Zhù Ying gave him a nod.

The day passed just like that.

For this whole day Zhù Ying only “observed” and did nothing else. She noticed: the work Hu Lian was doing now involved “fresh” cases.

When the time came, she went home, changed clothes, and went out again for her walk around the city. By now she had been to nearly all the nunneries; she took turns visiting Taoist monasteries and making her way to the Yang and Zhang households. She always made it back just before the curfew bell.

Zhang Xiangu had already grown accustomed to her routine. When Zhù Ying came back that day, Zhang Xiangu was sitting on a stool in front of the door, a shallow basket at her side, a piece of clothing in her hand, sewing. The Zhù family lived considerably better than before, but in the capital they still could not be considered well-off, and they still had to be careful and make do. Zhang Xiangu refused to let her official daughter be seen in shabby clothes, and so she cut back on herself and Zhù Da instead. Each season they made one set of presentable clothes to wear when going out on formal occasions; at home they wore whatever they could manage. Right now she was taking apart a set of Zhù Ying’s old winter clothes that Zhù Ying had grown out of, piece by piece, and splicing in some additional fabric at the joints, at the cuffs, and at the hem, then refitting them for Zhù Da to wear around the house.

Seeing Zhù Ying come back, she set down her sewing and said, “You’re back? The food is ready, sitting in the pot — come, let’s eat!” She went on chattering: “From now on, days are getting shorter — come home earlier, or we’ll be lighting the lamp just to eat, and lamp oil costs money!”

Zhù Ying said, “A little lamp oil — it doesn’t cost that much.”

“One day it’s not much, but over a year it adds up!”

Mother and daughter talked back and forth as they ate, and then Zhang Xiangu finally brought it out: “I’ve still got to save money to raise a grandchild.”

Zhù Da wasn’t pleased. “What nonsense! What grandchild? A child who takes the name Zhù is my family’s grandchild — a proper one.”

Zhù Ying rolled her eyes — this conversation made no sense to her whatsoever. She let the two of them be and focused on eating her meal. Until Zhang Xiangu pulled her back into it: “Tell me — to properly keep a household, will the money be enough?”

Zhù Ying said, “I’ll work hard, and there will always be money.”

Zhang Xiangu said, “You’re going to get promoted again?!”

She knew nothing of officialdom, but as a mother she always believed her own child to be the very best; and besides, Zhù Ying really was smart — hadn’t she gotten promoted in under a year? That was the truth of the matter, wasn’t it?

Zhù Ying was torn between laughing and crying. “Where did you get that from? Things don’t move that fast.”

Zhang Xiangu said, “Still — still need to save!”

Zhù Ying fell silent, letting Zhang Xiangu go on about saving money, while she rifled through her own private funds for a round figure. Jin Liang and the others wanted to invite her out for food and drink — it wasn’t good to always let others treat, so she planned to host them once in return.

——

On Jin Liang’s next rest day when he returned from outside the city, this group of people who had connections to the Zheng Marquis household and Zheng Xi all got together again, and this time it was Zhù Ying’s treat.

Jin Liang and the others knew she didn’t drink wine, but that was fine — Zhù Ying would eat while they drank, and they could have a ballad singer and a storyteller too. It was all quite merry.

Moreover, this time Jin Liang and the others hadn’t come for the drinking.

They sat down, got the pleasantries out of the way, and stopped treating each other as strangers. Zhù Ying asked, “Where’s Lu Er?”

Jin Liang said, “Foolish question — he and Gan Da have to take turns, and one of them always has to be at the Master’s side. Sending him back a box of food and wine with Gan Da is all it takes.”

“All right.”

Zhù Ying substituted tea for wine, clinked cups with them, and said, “Never mind the polite words — just the fact that we can all gather here is already a pleasure.”

Gan Ze said, “No — there’s something that needs to be said, and I should say it before I’m drunk: does your Court of Judicial Review have someone by the name of Su Kuang?”

“Mm — that’s right.”

Gan Ze said, “Did you offend him? Or are you blocking his way?”

Zhù Ying laughed. “Where does that come from? He’s eight years older than me, entered the Court of Judicial Review five years before me — truly accomplished for his age. The way I see it, he’s nearly ready to be promoted to Master Secretary. With Lord Zheng’s current undertakings, and if he rides this wind in his favor, it’s not unimaginable he’d be made a Court Inspector within two more years. Before thirty and already sixth grade — his future is excellent.”

Jin Liang said, “Everyone says you’re clever, but at this kind of thing in officialdom, I’d say you’re not very clever at all! Gan Da — you tell her!”

Gan Ze said, “He came to offer himself when the Seventh Young Master first took over at the Court of Judicial Review. When the Seventh Young Master first entered the court, he had few people he could rely on, and it was quite a mess — not to mention the Gong Jie case, and the fact that the two Junior Court Presidents were not wholeheartedly helping the Seventh Young Master, each with their own calculations. The Seventh Young Master had some intention of making use of him. Sanlang put it right — he’s on track for a promotion. However, I’ve noticed he seems to have a few words of criticism for you and likes to give you a bad name.”

Zhù Ying said, “Heaven is my witness — I never did anything to offend him!”

Gan Ze shook his head. “You work harder than him and never skimp, and even in handling affairs with people like us servants you never cut corners — just on that single point your relations with people are better than his. You’re younger than him — how can anyone say your future is worse than his? He is very wary of you in his heart.”

Jin Liang said, “Could you just get to the point? Sanlang — even among household servants, even family-born servants with generations of closeness, people will undercut each other to compete for the rank of top-tier monthly allowance. Let alone officialdom. You think you have no conflict with him, but he finds you an eyesore. He wants to be the Seventh Young Master’s most favored person.”

Zhù Ying laughed until she nearly collapsed on the table. “Most favored person? In the household, that has to be Gan and Lu; on the official side, out and about there’s you; even in the court itself, I don’t even rank in the running, and Su Kuang can’t beat me by much. If Lord Zheng could only pick his most favored person from among two eighth-grade assessors, he wouldn’t deserve to be heading the Court of Judicial Review!”

She laughed helplessly. If he truly wanted the most favored person, wouldn’t Zheng Xi have been pressing her to study the classics and sit the main examination? Sometimes tolerance also represented not placing too many expectations.

Jin Liang said seriously, “This time it’s different. You think he just undercut you once and that was it? What comes next will be even more troublesome. The Seventh Young Master — as long as someone is useful to him, he can’t easily dismiss a court-appointed official just like that. The Seventh Young Master does want to protect you, but you also have to carry yourself properly.”

“What have I done that isn’t proper?”

Gan Ze said, “Are you on very close terms with the eldest young master of Chancellor Chen’s family?”

“What? We’re acquainted — that’s all. How did that become ‘very close’?”

Jin Liang and Gan Ze exchanged a look. Jin Liang said with full seriousness, “Other things are fine — a fondness for nuns isn’t that terrible a flaw, and being a little careful about your health when you venture into pleasure quarters is fine too. But if you change allegiances, I will be the first one to settle that account with you!”

Gan Ze added, “You may not have that intention — but you still need to find an opportunity to make things clear to the Seventh Young Master. Us saying good things for you before him alone isn’t going to be enough.”

Jin Liang said, “What’s the use of just talking? Oaths and vows mean nothing — what matters is showing it in action.”

Zhù Ying said, “First Young Master and I are from the same hometown — that’s all. He also brought in a few other fellow townspeople. I can’t just ignore them, can I? How did this turn into me pledging allegiance to him?”

Jin Liang’s expression softened. Gan Ze explained further, “What Su Kuang said. A couple of days ago he came to the residence to see the Seventh Young Master, and while discussing the Gong Jie case, he offhandedly brought you up, saying it very earnestly and very much acting for your own good: ‘Little Zhù is young and doesn’t realize the danger. Young Zhù has wide social connections, and it may be possible to get some information about Gong Jie through Chancellor Chen. After all, Chancellor Chen and Gong Jie sat together in the Council of State for many years and must know a great deal.’ Ha! That man!”

Zhù Ying said, “I understand now. Am I not working hard enough at the Court of Judicial Review?”

Jin Liang said sternly, “Also be careful — you’re out there learning this and learning that all the time! In life one still needs to concentrate on something. Pick one or two things, settle your mind into them, and truly master them to the highest level — that’s what matters! This Su Kuang — he’s devoted all his concentration to working out all these schemes and underhand moves!”

Zhù Ying said, “For now he’s still on Lord Zheng’s side. You should be a little gentler with him for appearances’ sake. As for me — you both know where I came from. To have the life I have now, why would I not be grateful, and why would I not seize the chance to learn as much as possible?”

The two of them grew very anxious and lectured her at length. Zhù Ying agreed somewhat vaguely, and only then did they shake their heads, half reassured and half worried, and went back to their drinking.

Both Jin Liang and Gan Ze believed Zhù Ying to be a loyal person, but watching her today she still had an air of youthful naivety about her — too trusting! Going back separately, each of them spoke a word in her favor to Zheng Xi, saying they believed Zhù Ying to be reliable.

Zheng Xi listened to what they said and made no expression at all in that moment. He had his own arrangements for Zhù Ying; he hadn’t staked everything on any single person, yet Zhù Ying continued to give him more and more the feeling of being a pity — he really should have pressed this one’s head down and made her sit the classical examination.

But there was no hurry; he still had other methods.

Once Zhù Ying had gotten familiar with Hu Lian, it would be just the right time to catch the tail end of the Gong Jie case — which could add a line to Zhù Ying’s record, and Zhù Ying might even give him a pleasant surprise.

After that, the arrangement would be to send Zhù Ying out of the capital to take part in some local cases, to gain real experience out in the world. Then coming back again — with the experience of local officialdom already on the ledger while still young, whether posted again to a local position to govern a territory, or staying at the center in any given office — either way, the path upward from there would be solid and steady.

At this age, with this energy — it was truly too fitting!

Fondness for nuns — well, that wasn’t much of a blemish. As for what Assessor Su was thinking, Zheng Xi also understood it perfectly, and he was happy enough to let the people under him compete. He had his own arrangements for Assessor Su as well.

Seeing that his face showed nothing in particular, both Gan Ze and Jin Liang worried for Zhù Ying. Both were, after all, loyal servants of the Zheng household, and all they hoped was for Zhù Ying to serve Zheng Xi well, so Zheng Xi wouldn’t be swayed by Assessor Su’s words.

——

Perhaps Gan Ze and Jin Liang had prayed sincerely enough, because within two days an opportunity for Zhù Ying to prove herself arrived.

That day, Zheng Xi had someone inform Zhù Ying: “You need not go home today — Lord Zheng has an arrangement.”

Zhù Ying had made plans that day to meet with Coroner Yang, and could only stand Coroner Yang up.

Gan Ze was accompanying the carriage. He first placed a stool by the carriage door, helped Zheng Xi up, then signaled for Zhù Ying to climb in, and quietly said to her, “This is your opportunity. Whatever happens, don’t let it go to your head. Keep it contained.”

Zhù Ying had no idea what was going on, but she wasn’t particularly worried. She took a corner seat in the carriage and waited obediently for Zheng Xi to speak.

Zheng Xi finally said, slowly, “You’ve been serving as an official in the capital for some time now. The skill of reading people and tracing tracks — have you let it go rusty?”

Zhù Ying’s heart settled back into its proper place, and she said with quite a bit of confidence, “That’s a skill for putting food on the table — couldn’t let that go rusty.”

Zheng Xi said, “In the past the subjects of your attention were peddlers and petty traders, and at most a few local wealthy men. Now you’ll be asked to observe something different, people different. How confident are you?”

Zhù Ying spoke honestly, “These days I’ve also been moving about in the palace, and it’s broadened my view a little. Even if I don’t know what the matter is or who the people are, I’m not completely in the dark.”

Zheng Xi said, “Very good. Once we arrive, watch closely and speak little. If you have questions, you may ask them — a royal residence has been burgled.”

“What?”

Zheng Xi said, “Just a few days ago. The prince’s household checked things themselves and found no leads, so they entrusted the matter to me.”

The burgled household was, it turned out, the residence of the Prince of Dai — Zheng Xi’s maternal grandmother’s family. Zheng Xi’s mother was a commandery princess; her father, the old Prince of Dai, had died, but his mother — the old Dowager Consort — was still in the residence, living with her son, the Prince of Gaoyuan. The royal household had been robbed, but they weren’t particularly alarmed — nor did they go calling on the Capital Prefecture to investigate.

Zhù Ying said, “That’s the Capital Prefecture’s jurisdiction.”

Zheng Xi said evenly, “Any other governor of the Capital Prefecture would be one thing, but Wang Yunhe is a thorough man. Having him bring his people into a royal household to arrest and interrogate people would be unbecoming.”

The royal household also had its own attendant officials and guards they could use, and so they decided to investigate themselves. They looked first for inside betrayers, then for outside thieves; in the course of their searching they turned up a great deal of embezzlement and profiteering by the household staff, but got nowhere at all on the burglary. It was a complete dead end.

Zheng Xi’s mother — the Commandery Princess — couldn’t sit still. She thought: isn’t my son running the Court of Judicial Review? Court officials also investigate and solve cases, don’t they? My son is perfectly capable. I’m not dealing with this anymore — I’m handing it to you.

The Court of Judicial Review doesn’t handle burglaries in the capital; when it does take a case it’s for reviewing important matters, or for offenders who hold a fifth-grade rank or above. But the Commandery Princess didn’t concern herself with such technicalities — she handed it to her son. Like a tuhao parent who’d had her son tutored by a teacher for three days and then expected him to write essays for her.

Zheng Xi asked, “Do you have any confidence?”

Zhù Ying said, “It’s probably an outside thief who found an inside accomplice. Since Lord Wang’s crackdown, the capital’s streets have been much cleaner — many of the old gang leaders have been arrested, fled, or scattered, and those left have all quietly laid low. Even more so now — no one dares cause trouble. Small-scale petty theft still happens, but the boldness required for something of this scale is no longer in evidence.”

Zheng Xi said, “I thought the same, which is why you need to be especially attentive. The household’s own affairs…”

“Family shame must not be spread abroad,” Zhù Ying finished the sentence.

Zheng Xi smiled. “Very good.”

The royal residence was not far from the palace. Before they had finished talking, they had arrived. Zhù Ying was quick to jump down from the carriage first and stood to one side with her hands at her sides, waiting for Zheng Xi to descend. Zheng Xi adjusted his garments and said, “In we go.”

Zhù Ying followed behind him into the royal residence. The household’s entire staff received Zheng Xi with warm familiarity colored by reverence, calling to one another: “The Seventh Young Master has come!” The calls passed one by one, delivering him all the way to his maternal uncle and maternal grandmother.

——

Zheng Xi’s maternal uncle wore a beard; his maternal grandmother’s hair was all silver threads. Both were in fine spirits. After he completed his kneeling bow, the old Dowager Consort said, “My dear — come here quickly!”

Zhù Ying bit hard on her lower lip, watching Zheng Xi — nearly thirty, steady and reserved — being pulled into an embrace by the old woman and treated exactly like a small child, having his face pinched and his back patted. The Dowager Consort patted Zheng Xi’s back and said at the same time, “It’s your mother and your uncle who are the ones making trouble. As if you weren’t busy enough! They had to go and drag you here too!” Then she scolded her son: “The last time a censor impeached him, you didn’t go and beat that censor’s mouth for him, and now you have the gall to make the child come?”

Then she called for people to make Zheng Xi’s favorite foods, and had fruit brought out for him.

It was all Zhù Ying could do to keep herself from shaking with suppressed laughter. Then she heard Zheng Xi say, “Grandmother — it was I who wanted to come and pay my respects to Grandmother. As for catching the thief, there will be people to handle that. Sanlang — come here.”

Only then did Zhù Ying come forward. A maidservant brought out a new kneeling mat for her, and she knelt to pay her respects to these two elders.

The Dowager Consort, with her treasured grandson still in her arms, looked up. She said to Zheng Xi, “Very good, very good — a tidy child! Come, come — let me get a proper look.”

Zhù Ying had no choice but to step forward. The Dowager Consort, with relative restraint, only pinched her cheek and said, “So handsome! Very well! When you’ve found me the thief, I’ll have something good to give you both.”

Zhù Ying was at that moment bent slightly forward, face tilted just within reach of the old lady’s hand. She glanced down and saw that Zheng Xi was pressed close to the Dowager Consort’s side, even lower than herself, and found she had no grounds to complain. She could only say to Zheng Xi, “Then… shall we go look at the scene first?”

Zheng Xi’s expression remained entirely unruffled. “As you like. Grandmother — I’ll come back and keep Grandmother company in a little while.”

The Dowager Consort was quite reluctant to release her grandson. “Is it really such an important matter? Just drag them here and beat the truth out of them — and that would be that!”

Zheng Xi said, “But we still need to recover what was taken — we can’t just let our family’s things disappear. Having them floating about elsewhere wouldn’t be seemly.”

The Dowager Consort said, “True enough. Dalang ah…”

The one sitting to the side — Zheng Xi’s maternal uncle — said, “I’ve arranged for the Chief Steward and the household managers to take them through. The banquet is also laid out.”

The Dowager Consort said, satisfied, “Very good.”

Zhù Ying followed behind Zheng Xi again as they were led by the Chief Steward and the palace eunuchs toward the robbed treasury. As they walked, they exchanged words; Zheng Xi gave a light roll of his neck, and Zhù Ying straightened her back.

Zhù Ying’s heart was full of excitement — for this challenge ahead of her, never faced before.