As the evening fell, she left home with a heavy heart, her footsteps dragging with the weight of "sorrow". Upon returning, however, she was humming a cheerful tune, her door-opening sound exuding happiness.
Her Adoptive Mother, worried about her daughter, stayed up late doing needlework while waiting for her return. Glancing at her, she asked curiously, "What great joy has befallen you? You look so happy."
Ying Xiaoman sat on the edge of the kang bed and said excitedly, "Mother, I've found a definite way to take revenge."
"Oh," her Adoptive Mother responded indifferently.
She had heard similar words dozens of times in the past two months and had grown numb to them, forgetting them as soon as they were uttered. "When are you planning to do it this time? Is Seventh Young Master going with you?"
"Seventh Young Master is busy lately. The opportunity for revenge is rare, so I won't wait for him," Ying Xiaoman's eyes sparkled, "I'll stake out tonight."
"How many times have you been in and out today?" her Adoptive Mother said, both annoyed and concerned, "And now you want to go out late at night. Aren't you tired at all, child?"
Not only was she not tired, she was bursting with energy.
She hummed a little tune as she prepared the items for tonight's stakeout.
Halfway through her preparations, she suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "Did Seventh Young Master come by tonight?"
Her Adoptive Mother shook her head.
The lively tune Ying Xiaoman was humming faltered for a moment as she muttered, "He really is busy."
Unable to sleep due to worry, her Adoptive Mother lit a lantern in the small courtyard and asked repeatedly, "Can you manage alone? Shouldn't you wait for Seventh Young Master to come and discuss such a big matter as revenge, to lend a hand?"
If someone could help with the stakeout and planning, that would certainly be better...
But Seventh Young Master was busy lately.
Ying Xiaoman said, "I can do it alone."
The weather in May was hot and dry, causing people to stay up late. Ying Xiaoman, too excited to sleep, decided to take out all the items for her ambush from the chests in her room.
A long rope for tripping horses, a small iron shovel for digging trap holes, over a dozen iron caltrops left by her adoptive father, a grappling hook polished to a shine, a thin willow-leaf knife for killing fish, and a twenty-jin iron door bolt brought from her old home.
She checked each item meticulously, packed them into a bundle, tied it securely, and slung it over her back.
"Mother, I'm going out for a while. I might be back late. Don't wait up for me."
Her Adoptive Mother, still worried, called after her, "Just stake out tonight! For the big task, wait for Seventh Young Master to help!"
Ying Xiaoman didn't respond and left with the bundle on her back.
Hunting in the mountains is all about timing. Miss one good opportunity, and the prey becomes alert, making you wait ten days or half a month for the next chance.
Revenge was much the same.
When Eighth Young Master Yan had whispered in her ear earlier, she knew instinctively—the opportunity had arrived.
The narrow alley by the side entrance on the west of the Ministry of Justice was so narrow that carriages could hardly pass through. Only one horse could enter at a time, and only two people could walk side by side. It was usually only used by the dogs from the kennel to enter and exit through the side door. Due to its proximity to government offices, civilians avoided it, making the alley rarely traversed.
Such a narrow alley, oddly enough, cut straight through to the main street near Changle Alley, saving the trouble of going around a big circle north along the inner West Gate Street and then east.
According to Eighth Young Master Yan, when Yan Rongshi worked late at the Ministry of Justice, he would occasionally order his carriage to wait at the end of the narrow alley, and he would cross the alley himself with a tall attendant.
She indeed only planned to stake out tonight.
If she happened to catch a good opportunity: taking action on the spot wasn't out of the question.
Ying Xiaoman left home with her bundle, full of energy.
She hadn't taken more than a few steps when she bumped into Shen Anu, who had just returned home, also carrying a bulging bundle, struggling to half-drag, half-carry it.
Seeing each other from a distance, the young man from the Shen family took the initiative to greet her, "Miss Ying, I successfully pawned two inkstones from home for ten strings of cash, and bought quite a few necessities." He lifted the cloth cover, revealing a string of zongzi and five jin of meat inside.
"Now that's how the pillar of the family should act," Ying Xiaoman praised.
She put her own bundle down by the roadside and helped carry the rice and flour.
Shen Anu was still trying to resist, "The rice and flour are heavy, I bought twenty jin! How can I let you—"
Ying Xiaoman effortlessly picked it up and started walking, leaving the young man dumbfounded behind her. A moment later, he caught up, carrying the smaller packages into the Shen family home.
Shen's Wife was too ill to get out of bed. Shen Anu brought the bundle into the room to show his mother.
The night breeze carried faint sounds of sobbing, "You had to sell your father's cherished inkstone, when he returns, he will surely blame you..."
Shen Anu's voice replied, "Let father blame me when he returns. Mother's health is more important..."
This Shen family 'wildcat' might be a bit muddle-headed, but he wasn't beyond hope. Ying Xiaoman walked towards the door with a sense of satisfaction.
A moment later, hurried footsteps came from behind. Shen Anu had chased after her out of his house and into the alley, "Miss Ying, it's getting dark, where are you going with such a heavy bundle? Let me carry it for you."
Ying Xiaoman repeatedly refused, "No need, no need! It's too heavy, you can't carry it, let me do it."
Shen Anu's face reddened at the phrase "you can't carry it". His blood rushed up, and he stubbornly insisted on carrying it.
With the intention of showing off in front of his crush, he imitated Ying Xiaoman's earlier actions, picking up the bundle from the ground and walking, "I can do it! —Ah!" Whatever was inside was as heavy as stone!
Ying Xiaoman followed beside him, troubled, "You said it's very heavy, just give it back to me."
Inside were a pair of grappling hooks weighing seven or eight jin, and a twenty-jin iron-clad door bolt. The other odds and ends hadn't even been counted yet.
Shen Anu gritted his teeth and stubbornly carried on, his face flushed red, trying to speak as if nothing was wrong.
"It's dangerous for a young lady to walk alone at night. Are you going to restock? I'll, huff, accompany you. If anything happens, I'll, huff, protect you. If you buy a sheep, huff, I'll carry it for you..."
Ying Xiaoman: "Really, there's no need. I'm not buying a sheep today..."
Shen Anu's spirits soared. Heaven was helping him, Miss Ying wasn't buying a sheep tonight! Just thirty-some jin on his shoulders, he, he could grit his teeth and endure it.
"Let's go," Shen Anu staggered forward, "Where are we going?"
"I..." Ying Xiaoman hesitated for a moment, then said haltingly,
"To... check on the new butcher shop we've opened."
Shen Anu insisted on carrying the stakeout tools, refusing to let go. They walked in silence to the Ying family butcher shop on Inner West Gate Street, where the young man collapsed spread-eagle on a wooden chair, unable to move anymore.
Ying Xiaoman stood in the shop, holding the bundle prepared for staking out and planning, wondering blankly: What was she doing in the shop late at night, carrying a door bolt, with Shen Anu in tow...
It was already dark. The small alley was quiet, with only a single lantern illuminating the unsigned storefront of "Ying Family Mutton Shop".
Shen Anu suddenly perked up again. He sprang to his feet, finding his chance to be useful.
"Your shop front still lacks a proper signboard," he volunteered, "I'll write the shop name for you!"
"We already have the characters, we're just waiting for the signboard to be made."
"Making a signboard takes three to five days, but I can write out the characters effortlessly, right now. Hang it for three to five days, then replace it when the signboard is ready."
Ying Xiaoman repeatedly refused: "Really, there's no need!"
"It's truly no trouble!" Shen Anu was already looking around for paper and writing materials.
He originally had a proper formal name, Junqing.
Shen Junqing vigorously rubbed his shoulders while expressing his gratitude.
"Thinking back on my mother's recent situation, I'm frightened and don't know how to properly thank you. If you need help in the future, like carrying sheep back home or something, we're neighbors, just say the word."
Ying Xiaoman thought to herself, if she asked him to help carry a sheep, it would probably escape halfway...
"If you really want to thank me, you could help keep an ear out for any commotion from my house." She mentioned that her adoptive mother hadn't been feeling well lately.
Shen Junqing patted his chest and agreed: "I'll be staying at home to look after my mother these next few days. If anything happens with Aunt Ying, just call out over the wall."
Ying Xiaoman thanked him politely.
At first glance, the Shen family's Anu seemed like a simpleton, and she had thought all his book learning had gone to waste. But upon closer interaction, his true nature wasn't bad.
At the beginning of the hai hour (9-11 PM), there were still quite a few officials coming and going from the Ministry of Justice.
Several night food stalls were still open on the main street, with seven or eight customers dressed as constables sitting around, shouting and laughing, the aroma of meat wafting from afar.
Ying Xiaoman busied herself washing the chopping board, cleaning the shop, and then sat by the door, taking a whetstone to carefully sharpen the bone-chopping knife.
At the hai hour proper, night had fully set in.
The street noticeably emptied of pedestrians. The night food stalls were preparing to close.
Two old doorkeepers emerged from the government office, working together to close the wide-open double doors, leaving only a small side door for entry and exit. The pair of "Ministry of Justice" lanterns hanging above the office shone brightly.
Ying Xiaoman sat motionless in the shadows of her shop awning, gazing into the distance.
According to Eighth Young Master Yan, Yan Rongshi was handling a major case being jointly tried by three judicial departments. Recently, the trial had reached a critical stage, so he wouldn't be able to leave his office until late at night.
Two bailiffs appeared from a side gate, jointly carrying a wooden barricade to the narrow alley and placing it at the entrance.
The three-foot-long barricade immediately blocked the narrow alley entrance completely.
"Huh?" Ying Xiaoman stared in surprise at the barricade that had appeared at the alley entrance. It hadn't been there during the day!
A loud noise came from the main gate of the Ministry of Justice.
The two heavy black-lacquered doors, which had just been closed, swung open. Several blue-robed officials on duty escorted a purple-robed high-ranking official, with more than a dozen sword-carrying men guarding them on both sides, walking out imposingly.
A few constables who were still sitting around a late-night food stall nearby stood up abruptly, bowing from afar. Civilians walking on the street at night hurriedly stepped aside.
As an attendant led a horse over, he reported something in a low voice.
The purple-robed official, who was about to mount the horse and ride down the main street, suddenly pulled on the reins, turning to look back in the direction of the meat bun shop.
The lantern light at the office gate clearly illuminated the figure of the purple-robed official.
Ying Xiaoman was sharpening her knife while glancing towards the Ministry of Justice from afar. When she clearly saw the purple-robed official in the lantern light, her knife-sharpening motion suddenly stopped.
Narrow eyes, thick black eyebrows, wheat-colored skin, sturdy build...
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
The one coming out late at night was none other than her sworn enemy!
Her enemy stared at the meat bun shop diagonally across the street for a moment, then turned his horse and rode directly towards the shop.
Ying Xiaoman guessed that he was hungry and wanted to knock on the door to buy meat buns. She nimbly picked up her knife and hid in a dark spot.
Unexpectedly, her enemy didn't go to the meat bun shop on the main street. Instead, he pulled his horse's reins to the side and, surrounded by many guards, turned into the western alley, stopping in front of a dimly lit mutton shop. He raised his head and gazed at it for a moment.
"Is this the newly opened Ying family meat shop?" the enemy asked in a low voice.
Though his tone was clearly calm, for some reason, it seemed to carry a hint of melancholy. Ying Xiaoman, hiding in the darkness, felt goosebumps rise all over her body.
"It's a mutton shop that specializes in selling lamb, just opened this morning. I went over to join the crowd and take a look. The Ying family's young miss has impressive knife skills!" The attendant vividly described how the young miss of the meat shop could cut with a single stroke, not a fraction off in weight.
"So she really did open a meat shop..." the enemy continued in that dejected and low tone, with a touch of wistfulness:
"In the prime of her youth, with jade-like beauty. Exposing herself in public, bustling about in business. Is it not... like an orchid growing on a wild path, a beautiful jade fallen into a muddy ditch..."
The anger in Ying Xiaoman's stomach flared up like wildfire.
Don't think that just because she was well-educated, she couldn't understand.
Judging by his tone, one sentence after another, who was he criticizing!
Suddenly, a young man's voice called out from inside the dimly lit shop, "Miss Ying! The shop's name has been written. I hope I haven't let you down. Where are you..."
The enemy outside, who was about to leave, suddenly pulled on his reins and looked back in surprise when he heard this call.
His searching gaze unexpectedly met with bright eyes from the darkness.
Beautiful, black round eyes shining with anger.
"Who goes there!" The guard at the front sharply sensed something amiss and shouted. More than ten sturdy, sword-carrying men immediately surrounded the enemy, encircling him in the center.
"Stand down!"
The enemy seemed to have suddenly discovered something. His wheat-colored skin unexpectedly flushed red with embarrassment as he blurted out, "Miss Ying? Forgive my careless words! I... I didn't know you were here!"
All around was quiet, with no response.
The guards rushed in following Shen Anu's voice. After searching the meat shop thoroughly, they only found a young scholar holding a brush.
Shen Junqing held up a large red paper with still-wet ink characters, looking confused.
"Me? I'm a student from the Imperial Academy, Miss Ying's neighbor. What am I doing here? Can't you see I'm writing the sign for the Ying family's meat shop?" Shen Junqing said indignantly. "You can't find her, so why ask me! She was just here, she must have been frightened by you all and hid—"
"How dare you!" everyone shouted in unison.
At this point, the enemy dismounted and entered the meat shop, waving his hand to signal the guards to release the Shen scholar.
Looking around, the shop was empty, with no trace of the beauty.
His mood was complicated, with no outlet for his regret at his careless words.
Taking a deep breath, he said to the ownerless meat shop, "Does the Ying family meat shop need help writing its name? Bring paper and brush, I'll write it for you."
Ying Xiaoman: ...?
The sound of horse hooves arose, and the figure of the enemy, surrounded by many guards, gradually disappeared into the night. Shen Junqing, young and fearless, angrily chased after them and cursed by the roadside.
Ying Xiaoman emerged from her hiding place and stood by the table, inexplicably holding a newly written sign with wet ink.
She had secretly tracked her enemy for several months without ever exposing herself. Logically, her enemy shouldn't recognize her, let alone know about her plan to seek revenge.
If that's the case — did he purely pass by, causing trouble for no reason, seeking to humiliate her, a "publicly exposed" young woman running a meat shop?
"How can someone be so terrible!" she said angrily, crumpling up the character scroll written by her enemy and throwing it into a corner.
No matter how well it's written, she won't use it!
Compared to this character scroll from her enemy who deliberately came to cause trouble, the scroll carefully gifted by Seventh Young Master stood out with a particularly different sentiment.
She made her decision.
She put away the new characters written by Shen Junqing in the cupboard and took out the cherished scroll from Seventh Young Master, spreading it out neatly on the table.
She gave Shen Junqing an apologetic smile, "I actually already had someone write the shop name. Thinking about it, today is the first day of opening, and I only want to hang his writing. I'm really sorry I can't use yours."
Shen Junqing repeatedly said "It's alright," holding up a long pole as Ying Xiaoman carefully hung Seventh Young Master's scroll on it.
Seventh Young Master's calligraphy was indeed good. Among the three scrolls, his particularly stood out with vigorous brush strokes and a soaring spirit.
Shen Junqing couldn't help but exclaim, "What excellent running script! I wonder which talented scholar helped write it? I must pay a visit to learn from them."
"It's nice, isn't it?" Ying Xiaoman said proudly. "Seventh Young Master wrote it."
Shen Junqing immediately fell silent.
After a moment, he asked, "...Who is Seventh Young Master?"
Ying Xiaoman didn't answer directly, just looked up at the calligraphy hanging under the lamp. The more she looked, the more beautiful it seemed, and she smiled with pursed lips.
"He's my Seventh Young Master."
"..."
Before the battle is won, the general dies; it long makes heroes shed tears.
The fairy-like neighbor girl already had a Seventh Young Master.
Shen Junqing, the young scholar who dared to chase after and curse at the high-ranking purple-robed official, lost all his youthful spirit. His shoulders slumped dejectedly as he mumbled a few words and bid a sorrowful farewell.
"Since Seventh Young Master's masterpiece is already here, there's no need for me to embarrass myself. Ah, I'll take my leave..."
"Take care on your way."
"..."
Ying Xiaoman sent him off with just four words, instantly forgetting about her neighbor Shen Anu. Her gaze focused, faintly excited, as she stared intently at the narrow alley on the west side of the government office.
Although she had inexplicably received a scroll from her enemy on this trip, Eighth Young Master Yan hadn't lied to her. Yan Rongshi indeed had a big case, and he had truly been leaving the office late every night recently.
At the end of the 9-11 pm period. The lantern of the Ying family meat shop went out.
The shop owner put on a conical hat, stepped into the starlight, carrying a bulging bundle on her shoulder, and walked along the street towards the narrow alley entrance on the west side of the government office.
As soon as she approached the barricade, an on-duty official appeared to stop her.
"This way is closed. Young miss, please take another route."
Ying Xiaoman deliberately asked, "I often walk through this alley during the day to get to my home. Why is it suddenly blocked off at night for no reason?"
The official didn't buy it at all, "You can walk through during the day, but not at night. Young miss, avoid walking at night, go around on the main street!"
Can walk through during the day, but not at night...
Ying Xiaoman peered into the pitch-black alley.
The narrow alley was dark, and there had been incidents of Ministry of Justice officials being robbed and killed by bandits when taking shortcuts. After nightfall, they blocked the alley entrance with a barricade and had officials guarding both ends for safety. Eighth Young Master Yan's words were entirely accurate!
She pressed her conical hat down and slowly turned to leave.
The black eyes under the hat flickered brightly in the darkness, and a thrilling scene gradually formed in her mind—
On a dark and windy night, a young woman in all-black night-walking clothes nimbly jumps over the barricade, a door bolt tucked in her belt, silently crouching by the alley wall.
The corrupt official takes a shortcut home to rest late at night, the narrow alley only wide enough for one horse to pass. As the sound of hooves approaches, she silently drops the door bolt, and in the ensuing chaos, her flying hook leaves...
*
Stars twinkled in the night sky.
At the beginning of the Zi hour (11 PM - 1 AM), the tightly closed black-lacquered gates of the Ministry of Justice opened once again.
The clerks on duty escorted the slightly weary chief official in his vermilion robe out of the government office.
"Young Master Yan, it's late and you must be tired. Watch your step," the elderly gatekeeper said, bowing as he handed over a lantern.
The warm yellow light illuminated Yan Seventh Young Master's elegant features. He thanked the gatekeeper in a gentle voice and took the lantern.
Sui Miao approached, leading a horse. "My lord, it's getting late. Shall we take the shortcut back to Changle Alley?"
"No hurry," Yan Seventh Young Master replied.
He habitually walked towards the direction diagonally across from the main street. As he turned past the western alley by the steamed bun shop, his steps faltered slightly. Looking at the red remnants of firecrackers scattered all over the ground, he chuckled:
"Ying Xiaoman couldn't wait; the butcher shop has opened."
After glancing around for a moment, he raised his gaze to look at the five large characters newly hung on a big red paper high above:
[Ying Family Lamb Shop]
"Hmm?"
Sui Miao, who had delivered his lord's handwritten letter, also exclaimed in surprise, "Why did they hang up the characters directly instead of making a proper signboard?"
Yan Seventh Young Master raised the lantern higher, examining the carefully pasted edges of the paper, the intricate bow tied at the bottom of the long pole, and the extended awning to protect from rain.
As he looked, a smile gradually spread across his face.
"Ying Xiaoman loves my calligraphy and couldn't wait for a formal signboard to be made before the opening day. I'm quite pleased."
He looked up at the starry sky of the Zi hour and let out a light sigh. "Official duties have exhausted me. In the next day or two, I must leave the office early to keep my appointment with Ying Xiaoman. Let's go."
The two men turned back towards the narrow alley on the west side of the government office.
The two guards watching over the wooden barrier bowed respectfully and worked together to move the three-foot barrier aside.
Sui Miao held the lantern in front, lighting the way, while Yan Seventh Young Master held the reins and walked slowly. Man and horse gradually disappeared into the dark alley of the deep night.