Miss Zhu Shi'an Talks Big

Chapter 12: What a Bold Thing to Say, Miss Zhu. Zhu Fengqin waited at the front gate, took the umbrella from Zhu Shi'an's hands, and asked with concern: 'Nothing serious happened, did it?

Changfang looked quite shaken when she came back just now.' Zhu Shi'an smiled. 'What serious thing could happen in a little place like ours?

Don't worry.' 'Ah, I knew it — you've inherited the old master's true teachings. What could there possibly be that you can't handle?' Zhu Fengqin lifted her chin, her voice ringing out.

Zhu Shi'an covered her mouth mid-yawn. 'All right, go to sleep. I'm dead tired.' 'Sleep, sleep. Tomorrow morning I won't rush you out of bed, and I won't let those children from the clan run around the courtyard making noise and waking you.' Zhu Fengqin walked alongside Zhu Shi'an, murmuring careful reminders: 'You must sleep properly.

If you don't rest well, your body never recovers, and every kind of illness comes knocking.' Zhu Shi'an nodded vaguely, whether she'd taken any of it in was anyone's guess. Zhu Fengqin walked her all the way to her bedroom door, pulled it shut for her, and only then returned to her own room to rest.

When the sounds outside finally stilled, He Zaiming and his wife, in the guest room at the front courtyard, finally lay down on the bed. Lü Wen sighed softly.

'So it wasn't that we wanted to buy the Zhu Clan's house at all — we just wanted to move out of that wretched place in the County Committee Compound. Who could have known we'd offend the Zhu Clan without even meaning to?

Now I've given up any thought of the house, and yet all I can think is how wonderful it would be if we could live in Sanqing Lane.' He Zaiming privately agreed. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes tonight, he never would have known that Sanqing Lane was such a blessed ground — not even a ghost could get in.

How reassuring it would be to live here. Lü Wen nudged her husband's shoulder. 'Hey, do you think we could possibly...' He Zaiming lay back on the pillow, his whole body loose.

'No. Don't even think about it. Even if we can't get close to the Zhu Clan, we mustn't make enemies of them either. Life is long — who knows what hardships still lie ahead.

Keep the Zhu Clan's goodwill; it'll serve us well one day.' 'I'm not trying to make enemies. We don't have the standing to make enemies of people like them.

I just want to ask the Zhu Clan — do you think it would work?' 'I know what you mean. It's not necessary. Don't do anything extra.' Lü Wen fell silent.

Neither of them could sleep. After a while, Lü Wen said: 'When we get back, have Xiangqian come and apologize to the Zhu Clan.

We can't let them feel even the slightest displeasure toward us.' 'That's right.' With anyone else, the worst that could happen was that you'd part ways and simply never deal with each other again — not really an offense, just a case of incompatible temperaments.

With the Zhu Clan, it was different. If the Zhu Clan harbored even a splinter of resentment, it didn't matter who was right or wrong — they would be the ones to suffer.

He Zaiming rolled over and felt his son's hands and feet, then pressed a hand to the boy's forehead to check his temperature. 'We still need to find a house.

Even if the County Committee Compound situation gets sorted out, we should move somewhere else.' Lü Wen felt the same. 'Somewhere with more people around.' More people meant more yang energy, and ghosts stayed away.

After what she'd been through tonight, Lü Wen was truly frightened. Then the thought of the County Committee Compound made her angry all over again.

She turned and punched her husband's arm. 'It's all your fault.' 'Fine, fine, it's all my fault. Now go to sleep — there's plenty to do tomorrow morning.

Turn off the light.' 'Don't turn it off. I'm scared of the dark.' He Zaiming wasn't entirely keen on turning it off either.

Fine. They'd sleep with the light on. The people of the Zhu Clan in Sanqing Lane lived under the shelter of their ancestors' blessing, accustomed to peaceful days, unaware of how precious that peace was — and equally unaware of how many times the bell had rung on Wangyun Mountain the night before.

He Zaiming remembered clearly: three times in the night. Half-asleep, he woke at seven in the morning to the fourth toll.

He Zaiming opened his eyes and instinctively reached for the child beside him — sleeping soundly, no fever, perfectly content. By now the Zhu Clan in Sanqing Lane was also up: some making breakfast, some rousing children from bed, smoke and the smell of food drifting from every kitchen, a scent that settled the heart.

Zhang Hui finished making breakfast and, finding that Zhu Changming still hadn't risen, went into the bedroom and pushed the window open. 'Come on, you'll be late for work.' Zhu Changming yawned himself upright, dressed, and came out — still cold today.

'Oh? Is the sun actually going to come out?' Zhang Hui laughed. 'When I got up to cook, the wind was blowing outside. Swept all the clouds and mist away.

Looks like it might clear up.' Zhu Changming stood in the courtyard, hands on his hips, turning a slow circle. With no mist to block the view, Yuntai Mountain behind Sanqing Lane stood out sharp and clear, and even a sliver of Wangyun Mountain was visible in the distance.

'Not bad. Good weather today.' Zhang Hui poured half a kettle of boiling water into the basin, ladled in a spoonful of cold water to temper it, wrung out a cloth, and wiped the face of their son Kangkang, talking as she worked: 'It's not the first or the fifteenth, no festival, nothing — why is Wangyun Temple ringing its bell so early in the morning?

That's never happened before.' 'How would I know? Probably some kind of ceremony at the temple.' 'Oh, right — last night I was so exhausted I forgot to ask.

It was pouring rain in the middle of the night. Who on earth came to the door for medical help?' 'The He family.' 'Who?' Zhang Hui couldn't place the name.

'The county's new magistrate — Magistrate He's family. His youngest son had a fever that wouldn't break. Injections didn't help.

They found their way to us, and I took them to the eldest miss.' 'The family that had their eye on the Zhu Clan's house?' Zhang Hui's expression soured. 'They have the nerve to come to us for medical help?' Zhang Hui, though she put her own household first, cared deeply about the Zhu Clan's interests as well.

When she'd heard that the magistrate's brother-in-law had been scheming after the Zhu Clan's property, she'd spent many days cursing him alongside the other women of the clan. 'When you get down to it, it wasn't such a big deal.

They apologized, and then they came asking for help. You can't really turn people away and let them die of illness. That child is barely over a year old — could you live with yourself if he died?' Zhang Hui couldn't, in her heart, but her mouth gave no quarter.

'That's the sin their parents made. What does it have to do with us?' 'All right, enough of that. Let's eat before the food gets cold.' Zhu Changming didn't bother fetching fresh water — he wiped his face with the basin his wife and son had already used, then went inside to eat.

While peeling an egg for Kangkang, Zhu Changming told his son: 'Kangkang, don't go to the main house to play today. The eldest miss probably won't have any free time — don't disturb her.' Zhang Hui immediately thought of the He family's visit and the strange fact that her husband had taken them straight to the eldest miss.

'If injections didn't work and they had to come to us — did they run into a ghost?' Zhu Changming nodded. 'Keep it to yourself.

Don't go spreading it around.' 'I'm not like Changfang, who can't keep anything in. That's got nothing to do with me — I won't say a word outside.' Though to be fair, even after the Gaokao and the gradual shift in social attitudes, talk of ghosts and spirits still needed to be kept quiet — no sense inviting trouble.

Not a word to outsiders. A bit of idle talk with family was another matter. Zhu Changming finished breakfast and headed off to the County Hospital for his shift.

Zhang Hui tidied the house and then went to Zhu Changfang's place. Zhu Changfang wasn't home. Zhang Hui followed the trail of questions all the way to the main house.

'Huijie, what are you doing standing at the door? Come in and warm yourself by the fire.' 'You've come at just the right time — I just got the fire going.' Four or five Zhu Clan women without outside work had gathered in the sitting room around the fire: one cutting shoe patterns, one pasting paper boxes, one mending clothes — all busy with something.

Zhang Hui came in, looked around, and asked: 'The eldest miss isn't here?' 'She's not. I only came because I saw her go out.' Zhu Changfang pulled a chair over for Zhang Hui.

Zhang Hui took Zhu Changfang's arm and turned to Zhu Fengqin. 'Feng-niang, what's the story with the He couple?' Zhu Fengqin had just come from the back courtyard carrying water to boil, and before she could open her mouth, Zhu Changfang jumped in: 'You lot didn't see it last night — our eldest miss kicked a ghost clean across the room.

Do you know who that ghost was?' 'Who?' 'The former magistrate's father. Lai Dahe.' 'Lord above — when did Lai Dahe die?

How come nobody said anything? And how did he end up in our Sanqing Lane?' 'I went and asked around first thing this morning.

Apparently he's been dead a few days — last night was his seventh day. As for getting into Sanqing Lane, he didn't manage it.

Our lane has the ancestors' protection; ghosts can't get in. He was stopped outside the Jinshi Archway.' 'How did the He family get tangled up in all this?' 'Now that's a long story.' While the Zhu Clan women were busy gossiping about the Lai and He families, Director Li at the County Hospital arrived at Zhu Changming's office first thing that morning, knocked, walked in, and asked straight away: 'Did Magistrate He come to you last night?

Did you manage to treat the child?' 'How did you know?' 'How could I not know? My home is on the same street as the County Committee Compound.

When I cycled in this morning I ran into the two of them carrying the child — the boy looked perfectly healthy. I rang my bell and the child laughed right at me.' Zhu Changming said: 'Speaking of which — why did you send them to me?' Director Li had a ready answer.

'One look at that child last night and I knew something was wrong. It was urgent — I couldn't let the child die in the hospital.

And besides...' Director Li glanced left and right. The examination room held only Zhu Changming and the two Zhu Clan apprentices he kept with him.

He closed the door, then lowered his voice. 'Besides, I'd seen it once before, when I was an apprentice following my own father.

That patient also had an inexplicable fever that wouldn't break — rolling around in bed, and covered in Dark Bruise marks all over, as if someone had beaten him. My father didn't hesitate for a moment.

He had me and a few others carry the patient to your family's Medical Hall. Your master put in one needle and the man went still — his mind cleared right up.

I remember you were there too. Have you forgotten?' Zhu Changming hadn't forgotten at all. He said: 'That was how many years ago?

My master is long gone, and I don't have that kind of ability. If you sent someone to me and I couldn't treat them, wouldn't that just delay things?' 'Ha — the Zhu Clan has a successor now, doesn't it?

Nothing to fear. And it's a good opportunity to open Magistrate He's eyes a little. Let him understand the situation — let him stop thinking the Zhu Clan is just an ordinary family in some backwater county that anyone can push around.' He Zaiming and his wife would never dare think that now.

What had happened last night felt like a dream — and it wasn't until Zhu Shi'an pried a paper talisman, folded into a triangle, from a crack in the brickwork that the two of them felt the reality of it settle in. Zhu Shi'an unfolded the talisman.

It was drawn in blood — no need to guess whose. Lai Dahe's. Zhu Shi'an smiled. So that was it. How could a newly dead ghost break free of the bonds of its place of death and travel so far?

It had been planned all along. Zhu Shi'an pinched the talisman lightly between forefinger and thumb and gave it a small twist.

The center of the paper darkened, smoke curled up, and in an instant it burned to ash. For some reason, once the talisman was gone, He Zaiming felt the temperature in the room rise by several degrees — not nearly so cold anymore.

Zhu Shi'an turned to He Zaiming and his wife. 'It's done.' He Zaiming thanked her again and again, then asked: 'Can people live here now?' 'You can live here.

But it's best to keep the doors and windows open for ventilation, let the sunlight in. Plenty of sunshine is good for people.' The child in Lü Wen's arms seemed to understand every word — he bounced in his mother's arms like a little river shrimp, grinning at Zhu Shi'an.

With the matter settled, Zhu Shi'an didn't linger. She turned and left. He Zaiming and his wife hurried after her with the child, seeing Zhu Shi'an to the door, saying they would certainly come to pay their respects properly once the household was in order.

Zhu Shi'an didn't take such things to heart. She left the County Committee Compound and walked north along Main Street, all the way to its far end — where she ran into a group of people she had both expected and not expected to meet.

One old man, three young ones. All four wore ordinary padded jackets and hats. Zhu Shi'an caught the faint scent of incense smoke and knew at once they were monks.

Zhu Shi'an studied the old monk; the old monk studied her. Grand Master Mingjue sighed inwardly. The lightness and clarity that radiated from this descendant of the Zhu Clan — effortless, innate, the mark of one truly favored by heaven.

Compared to someone like himself, who had cultivated his dao his entire life and remained so dull, the difference was like earth and sky. She was so young, and yet he could not see the bottom of her cultivation.

Zhu Shi'an gave a slight nod. 'Grand Master Mingjue. My thanks to Wangyun Temple for the bell last night.' Grand Master Mingjue was not surprised that Zhu Shi'an had recognized him.

He said: 'You are too kind. Wangyun Temple has long been looked after by the people of this county — it was the least we could do.

But our abilities are limited. We can treat the symptom, not the cause.' Zhu Shi'an was candid. 'A natural fengshui configuration isn't so easily changed.

Treating the symptom is still something. In a few years, treating the cause may not be out of reach.' In the old days, a problem like this would have been trivial for Zhu Shi'an — handled in passing.

Now it was less than trivial. In a few years, when her cultivation had grown, it would be trivial again. 'Then, young friend Zhu, you know how to resolve it?' Zhu Shi'an looked puzzled.

'Don't you? Level the yin cavity inside, break the Sweeping Wind Through Acupoint Sha completely — isn't that the solution?' Grand Master Mingjue was silent.

Of course he knew. If it were truly that simple to break, the problem would not have lingered unresolved to this day. Grand Master Mingjue asked respectfully: 'In your view, what should we do now?' Zhu Shi'an sighed with regret.

'Our strength isn't enough. For now, all we can do is patch-and-plaster work — first mend the Leaky And Drafty Magic Array and stop up the gaps.' Grand Master Mingjue smiled and nodded.

This descendant of the Zhu Clan spoke boldly, but her approach was sound. According to the hand-records of many Xuan Sect lineages that had not lost their transmission, every account that mentioned the Sweeping Wind Through Acupoint Sha of Zhenshan County also recorded the method for repairing the Dharma Array.

A pity — if only Li Qingfeng, the founding patriarch of Taiyi Sect who first discovered the problem here, had not died so young, had not fallen in that great battle before he could resolve it fully, his descendants would not have been burdened with this worry for a thousand years.

Without the power to solve it completely, they could only keep watch over this place: fearing that if the Formation Art left behind by Li Qingfeng broke and was not repaired in time, the people of Zhenshan County would pay with their lives; fearing too that some crooked path might slip in and use this ground to cultivate corpses and bring calamity upon the world.

Grand Master Mingjue worried that Zhu Shi'an might not know the full danger of this place, and explained it to her carefully. When she had heard it all, Zhu Shi'an had only one feeling: there was no one left to carry it on.

The Xuan Sect had truly declined — each generation worse than the last. Well. The trouble her master had left behind — it would have to be his disciple who saw it through to the end.