Ying Xiaoman took a new route to the north of the city today.
She deliberately avoided the West Gate Inner Street section, the area of the Ministry of Justice.
In the early morning, with slanting wind and light rain, she donned a rain-shielding bamboo hat. Standing outside the imposing and majestic government office, she gazed intently, thinking silently to herself, "My father's enemy works here."
The two black lacquered iron doors were wide open, with officials and clerks constantly entering and exiting in the rain. For safety's sake, she didn't approach closely, but mingled with the crowd slowly walking out of West Gate Inner Street, occasionally glancing at the Ministry of Justice building.
The lease for the new house had already been signed, and these past couple of days she had been busy acquiring furnishings and preparing for the move.
Zhi was young and might not be used to moving to a new place, so today she planned to get all of Zhi's belongings ready first.
Walking in the long, quiet Seven Scholars Lane, before she even reached the door, she suddenly heard a commotion in the distance.
From the mouth of Changle Alley diagonally across, more than a dozen attendants escorted a rider on a tall horse out of the alley. The noble on horseback wore a purple robe covered by a rain cape. With escorts before and behind, his official authority was considerable, and the common people on the street hurriedly made way.
Ying Xiaoman hid in the shadow of the alley's wall.
Silent and still, she stood against the bluestone wall, like a quiet climbing vine in the light rain, only her eyes startlingly bright.
The official riding out of Changle Alley in the rain appeared to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He had narrow hawk-like eyes, wheat-colored skin, thick black eyebrows, and a dignified appearance. His gaze was somber, and he wore a resplendent purple robe with a jade belt, denoting his high rank. His eyes stared straight ahead at the roadside, lost in thought.
Ying Xiaoman's gaze followed him intently. After confirming she hadn't mistaken him, her breathing gradually quickened.
She had once caught a glimpse of this man from afar on an official boat of the Ministry of Justice.
It was a clear morning when the procuress had dragged her to the riverside, allowing the nobles on the boat to inspect her as if selecting fresh fish.
That day, he hadn't worn his official robes on the boat, but she remembered his appearance clearly. Now he appeared again at the entrance of Changle Alley, where the Yan family resided.
— It was him!
— The dog official of the Yan family who held the position of Junior Minister at the Ministry of Justice, her enemy, Yan Rongshi!
The purple-robed figure on horseback headed straight west along the main street, quickly disappearing into the drizzling rain.
From the quiet entrance of Seven Scholars Lane across the way, a slender figure in plain clothes and a cotton skirt emerged silently, wearing a rain-shielding bamboo hat, following behind.
The street was crowded, and the horse's pace was slow. The entourage, with escorts before and behind, turned into West Gate Inner Street, heading straight for the Ministry of Justice. Two low-ranking officials in blue robes came out to greet them, bowing respectfully and escorting the purple-robed dog official inside.
Ying Xiaoman watched from afar, blending into the crowd, her heart pounding. Three parts excitement, seven parts exhilaration.
Proximity brings advantage—before she had even officially moved in, she had already figured out her enemy's daily routine. The dog official went to the Ministry of Justice at the hour of Chen (7-9 am) to start his shift.
The fifty taels of silver for renting the house were well spent!
When she returned to Seven Scholars Lane, the property agent had been waiting half a day at the door.
Today, besides bringing the lease agreement in triplicate to the new residence, the agent also had to collect the official stamp tax on behalf of the government.
"I'd like to inform the young miss in advance that this half-string of coins for the rental tax is the government's routine levy. The lease agreement will be stamped once at the Shuntian Prefecture, and a fee will be collected. It doesn't end up in my hands."
Ying Xiaoman examined the vermilion square seal at the end of the contract a few times, then silently took out the warm half-string of coins from her bosom and handed them to the agent.
The two strings of coins she had gotten for the fan pendant were almost gone.
She touched the cold ivory fan in her sleeve.
Heeding the doctor's warning that day, she dared not take the ivory fan to a pawnshop. Pawnshops required contracts with names and fingerprints, and she feared being traced and reported to the authorities by the ill-intentioned Yan Erlang who had given her the fan.
But the capital was vast, and her family urgently needed money. Apart from pawnshops, there might be other options.
She inquired with the agent.
"If I have a valuable item and don't want to take it to a pawnshop, are there other places in the capital where I can trade it?"
The agent, indeed knowledgeable, chuckled. "Has the young miss not heard of the Ghost Market?"
In the southwest of the capital, near the city wall by Wazi Gate, there was a marketplace called the "Ghost Market."
"Before dawn and after dusk, when regular markets close, the Ghost Market by Wazi Gate opens. The transactions there are unregulated: they don't care about the origin of goods, the identities of buyers and sellers, or whether items are genuine or fake. If you find a bargain, it's your luck; if you're cheated, it's your lack of discernment."
Ying Xiaoman was shocked, "Unregulated? What if I sell something good and the buyer refuses to pay me!"
The agent was equally shocked, "The Ghost Market is no place for a young miss like you to sell things! It's absolutely off-limits! The Ghost Market has no rules, and a young miss like you would certainly get into trouble there. Forget I ever mentioned it."
When she pressed him about what kind of trouble she might encounter at the lawless Ghost Market, the agent showed a regretful expression and stammered, refusing to say more.
If the agent wouldn't tell her, there were other places to inquire.
Ying Xiaoman left Seven Scholars Lane and headed straight for the tea shop in the east of the city.
These days, as she traversed the southern and northern parts of the city, her routes varied, but she always returned along the Bian River that ran through the capital, passing Rendian Street, Dongming Bridge, and Anding Ward. The area around Anding Ward was extremely bustling and lively due to the presence of the Imperial Academy, with teahouses and restaurants lining the streets.
She went to a familiar teahouse, a street-side shop just below Dongming Bridge.
Of course, the teahouses around Dongming Bridge were quite expensive. When she said she was "familiar" with it, she meant that during the recent period of spring drizzle, she often stood under the awning to shelter from the rain and had become acquainted with the tea master.
"The Ghost Market? The one outside Wazi Gate, all local capital residents know about it."
Today was another day of continuous drizzle, and business at the teahouse was slow. The only two customers at a table were arguing in low voices, their faces red and necks swollen with anger.
With no one eager to join the unpleasant atmosphere, the tea master had plenty of free time. He was delighted to see Ying Xiaoman come by and brought over a plate of roasted pumpkin seeds. The two chatted casually.
"The young miss wants to sell something? Don't go by yourself, hire a few strong idlers to go for you! The Ghost Market has no rules, but fists are effective. Oh, and the authorities sweep through the Ghost Market every now and then. If you see patrol officers, don't panic, just remember to cover your face and run!"
Ying Xiaoman listened with her mouth twitching. What kind of place was this?
The rain pattered softly, and as she put on her bamboo hat, preparing to brave the rain and head home, the low arguing voices of the two customers at the neighboring table suddenly grew louder.
One of them shouted angrily, "The Yan family forcibly abducted a civilian girl in broad daylight! As a censorate official, it's my duty to report such incidents and submit a memorial impeaching the Yan family. What's wrong with that?"
The guest across the table made a gesture urging patience. "They say the Yan family forcibly abducted a commoner girl. But where is the abducted person? If the abducted person managed to escape by beating her way out with a door bolt, then the abduction was unsuccessful."
Ying Xiaoman thought to herself: "..." Yan family? Could it be...?
Forcible abduction, wielding a door bolt, beating her way out... It all sounded eerily familiar. Could they be talking about her recent encounter with Yan Erlang on the roadside?
The tea master whispered, "The capital has been quite lively lately. The legitimate son of the Xingning Marquis Mansion in the east of the city, Yan Erlang, is set to inherit the title! They say he's accomplished in both literary and martial arts, and quite handsome to boot. But for some reason, he seems to have lost his mind and forcibly abducted a beautiful young lady off the street into his mansion, causing quite a stir."
Ying Xiaoman: "..."
"Hey, I heard that young lady was quite formidable. After being taken into the Yan household, she wielded a door bolt and fought her way out through the crowd, disappearing without a trace. Yan Erlang was furious and sent his household guards to search for her, claiming they were 'pursuing a runaway maid.' That's how the news spread."
When Ying Xiaoman heard the words "runaway maid," she was stunned. "He's lying."
"The matter hasn't been settled yet. According to the Yan family's version, that beautiful young lady entered the mansion willingly. But after seeing the contract, she felt the money was insufficient and changed her mind, which is why she turned hostile and beat her way out."
"Nonsense!" Ying Xiaoman's anger flared. "It's all lies. Yan Erlang is no good."
The tea master hurriedly said, "Shh! He's still a young marquis, after all."
In the pitter-patter of rain, the tea master lowered his voice: "I see that you're quite beautiful yourself. You often come to Dongming Bridge; do you live near the east of the city? The Yan family is in Mogan Lane in the east. It's best not to go near their place these days. A young beauty like you, blossoming like a flower in spring, if you were to be taken into their mansion, you might not be able to fight your way out..."
The evening glow in the sky gradually faded.
In Tongluo Alley in the south of the city, the adoptive mother had just put Zhi to sleep and peeked out the door for the third time. A few stars twinkled in the night sky, but the entrance to Tongluo Alley was pitch black.
"Why hasn't this girl returned yet?" the adoptive mother muttered to herself.
She picked up an oil lamp, intending to wait at the alley entrance, but worried about Zhi sleeping inside. As she hesitated, the wooden window of the west room opened from within.
"Shall I go wait for Miss Xiaoman at the alley entrance?" the young master of the west room stood by the window.
"Don't go," the adoptive mother quickly stopped him. "If the neighbors see, it will ruin Xiaoman's reputation."
She hesitated for a moment, "There's no need to stand at the alley entrance. Every time Xiaoman comes back late, I wait with a lamp at the doorstep. The alley is dark, and the road is uneven; I'm afraid she might trip, so I light her way home. But now Zhi is sleeping inside, and I'm worried he might wake up scared if I'm not there... If I leave the lamp outside without watching it, I'm afraid some rascal might take it..."
The young master from the west room walked through the main room to the courtyard. "Madam, go inside and look after Zhi. I'll put the oil lamp outside the door and keep an eye on it from inside. If someone tries to take the lamp, I'll notice immediately."
"That's good," the adoptive mother sighed with relief. She placed the oil lamp on the ground outside and left the narrow door ajar.
The dim light of the oil lamp filtered through the crack into the small courtyard.
"With Zhi in the family now, and Xiaoman busy earning money and moving house, it's a blessing to have you helping out from time to time," the adoptive mother's brow relaxed. "Thank you."
The young master said, "It's nothing," and stood by the courtyard gate, keeping an eye on the oil lamp.
Now that they were more familiar with each other, the adoptive mother felt a bit embarrassed to keep calling him "the one from the west room" to his face:
"It's been so long, and I still don't know your surname or given name. Xiaoman has encountered quite a few bad people in the capital and has become very cautious, preventing me from asking too many questions. Back in our old village, it was unheard of to live together for over ten days without exchanging names."
The young master opened the courtyard gate slightly, peering through the crack at the shadowy alley outside.
"The capital is crowded, and there are indeed many wicked people. It's good for Miss Xiaoman to be cautious at her tender age. To be honest, for a precious young lady like your daughter to be out after dark is like a rare treasure walking the streets, inviting covetous eyes. Aren't you worried, madam?"
Hearing the concern in his voice, the adoptive mother immediately broke into a smile.
"If it were any other girl, I'd certainly be on pins and needles. But our Xiaoman, she's been hunting in the mountains with her father since she was eight. She could even take down a black bear if she encountered one."
The young master was greatly surprised. "...Take down a black bear?"
"Indeed. Xiaoman's late father was a hunter and taught her all sorts of skills. One autumn, they dragged a black bear out of the mountains. Her father said Xiaoman had trapped and killed it herself. Oh, by the way, when Xiaoman returns, don't call her by name, and don't call the little one 'Zhi' in front of her."
As the adoptive mother went inside, she added, "If she finds out you know her name, she'll surely scold me."
The young master was still immersed in the astonishing mental image of Miss Xiaoman taking down a black bear. It took him a while to come back to his senses.
"Even if Miss Xiaoman has extraordinary skills, there are many wicked people in the capital. It's easy to dodge a spear you can see, but hard to avoid an arrow in the dark. It's best not to let her wander alone at night."
He looked at his heavily bandaged left hand and carefully said, "To be honest, my injuries are no longer serious. I must confess to Madam Ying that I'm a local of the capital and know a few people in various government offices. I can put in a good word if needed. If your family has any difficulties, please don't hesitate to tell me. I might be able to help..."
The adoptive mother, who had been listening with amusement from inside, suddenly became alert when she heard the latter part:
"You're a local of the capital? And you know many officials in government offices? Your family... they're not officials, are they?" Her voice trembled towards the end.
The young master from the west room: "Umm..."
He raised his injured hand slightly. "What do you think, Madam Ying?"
Seeing his unhealed serious injury, the adoptive mother remembered how this young man had nearly lost his life in the water, and her tense expression immediately relaxed.
"Of course, you've been harmed by bad people yourself, so you couldn't possibly be from an official's family. Alright, our family doesn't need any help, please don't go looking for people in government offices. There are too many corrupt officials in the capital; the less we're involved, the better. Just pay off the debt Xiaoman wrote down on the oiled paper, that's all."
The young master's eyes flickered slightly, pondering the adoptive mother's strange reaction.
He spoke reassuringly, without betraying his thoughts, "Being cautious is a good habit. Madam, please continue to address me as 'the one from the west room.' When Miss Xiaoman is willing to inquire, I'll formally introduce myself and my background."
Outside, the oil lamp cast a faint glow.
The young master in the west room took out a piece of oiled paper used for wrapping medicine. He retrieved the writing brush and ink that Ying Xiaoman had left in the west room and, by the dim light of an oil lamp, pondered as he began to write.
This time, he had been ambushed after a banquet. The assailant had planned it meticulously, making every aspect appear like an "accident."
The banquet had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. The wine served, of course, had been freshly bought from a nearby tavern.
The wine was the problem.
The attendants and horses that accompanied him to the banquet were also problematic.
The attendants who followed him to the banquet were longtime family servants. On the way back, there was an unexpected incident with a startled horse. Someone suggested buying sobering soup, and finally, two people supported his drunken form to the riverside to clear his head in the wind. A carriage had been waiting in a dark alley. Each link in the chain was precisely arranged, hiding an intimate familiarity and understanding.
He couldn't believe that no one in the family was involved in this plot.
There must be collusion between insiders and outsiders.
Who exactly wanted him dead?
The night wind rustled the oiled paper in his hand.
The orange light outside the door flickered. It seemed as if a gentle breeze had passed by, or perhaps a shadow had covered it.
The young master in the west room snapped out of his deep thoughts, the cold sharpness in his eyes receding. He looked up at the swaying lamp shadow outside the door, his gaze softening.
The Ying mother and daughter were new to the capital, and their life might be difficult. They likely held considerable prejudice against local residents of the capital, especially officials. Xiaoman would occasionally mutter things like "There are many bad people in the capital" or "The nobles in these grand mansions are worse than each other." Mrs. Ying had once blurted out the phrase "those dog officials of the capital"...
The Yan family had produced officials for five consecutive generations. He himself, as the eldest legitimate son of the Yan family, was born and raised in the capital and had entered court service at eighteen. In every way, he violated the Ying family's taboos.
It would be better to continue concealing his name and interact with them for some time, quietly offering support and gradually changing their unfavorable impressions. After all, time reveals a person's true nature.
The young master in the west room thought as he wrote, having made up his mind. He had just finished writing briefly on the oiled paper and added his personal seal at the end. Then, in a flowing hand, he signed his name:
— Yan Rongshi.