Tie Ci returned the cleaver to the cook and very politely apologized for taking it without asking. That cook, with a dreamy expression on his face, hugged the knife and went back, even forgetting to take the bones and meat.
Tie Ci then familiararly toured around the county office, finally selecting an empty room in front of the second gate, saying: “Jixian Street is too far, inconvenient for work. I’ll just live here.”
The clerk finally caught his breath at this moment, his face pale as he said in a flat tone: “Since the noble person doesn’t mind, then please do as you wish.”
Then he led his people out in a panic, presumably to report to the county magistrate.
Tie Ci personally led the two maids to tidy up the room. Just this one empty room, no choice. After entering, they discovered there was only a bare bed board inside, not even a table, let alone the floor which was full of pits and holes without even bricks laid.
No one came to help clean the room, and no one brought anything over – presumably they still hoped Tie Ci would retreat in the face of difficulties.
But in the eyes of these three people, there was nothing difficult. Dan Shuang immediately went to the market to buy bedding, tables, chairs and other items, while Chi Xue went somewhere unknown. After a while she returned, dragging a sack. When she dumped out its contents, it turned out to be decorative bricks.
“Where did these come from?”
“Dismantled from the second gate’s perimeter wall.”
Chi Xue, who had dismantled the decorative bricks from someone else’s wall, asked Tie Ci to go outside. Like performing magic, she dragged out chairs and small tables from who knows where, brewed the tea they had brought, and had Tie Ci sit comfortably outside drinking tea while she worked inside leveling the ground and laying bricks.
Tie Ci was completely at ease with the omni-capable Chi Xue. Squinting her eyes, she sipped the light, exquisite Tanshan Green Robe Rain Needle tea and admired the decidedly unpleasant scenery of the county office.
Suddenly there was a muffled sound beside her, and a bundle appeared.
She picked it up and opened it – inside was actually a clean mattress. Though it was ordinary cotton cloth, it was very new.
She remained composed and placed the mattress under her bottom. She had just been finding the chair painfully hard on her bones.
Behind the flowering tree, someone seemed to draw a breath.
After a while, there was another soft thud.
Tie Ci opened her eyes and saw another box on the ground. Opening it revealed bowls, chopsticks, cups and such – though somewhat crude, they were clean and brand new.
She then used them to pour a full bowl of tea, gulping down the tea leaves worth one or two thousand gold coins like crude wine.
After pouring two cups, she pushed the other one outward.
There was no movement, and she said nothing either, smiling as she drank her tea. The tea bowl’s hot steam curled upward, wreathing around her curved eyebrows and eyes.
After quite a while, she said: “The tea is getting cold.”
The flowering tree shook, and a person emerged – a pale face with very black hair but light eyebrows, the whole person seeming to lack ink. Only a pair of not-large eyes were very deep and bright.
It was that lowly apprentice student who had been behind Old Liu.
Tie Ci stared at him, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity, but didn’t ask more questions. She simply pulled over a stool, indicating for him to sit across from her.
The young man was stunned, as if he had never imagined he could have the privilege of sitting across from a noble youth from the capital. But he didn’t cower either. After thinking, he smiled and came over, first performing proper courtesies with full etiquette, then sat on half the chair. Then he skillfully picked up the teapot to pour tea for Tie Ci, respectfully offering it to her, then used his sleeve to wipe the water stains from the table clean. This series of actions was very smooth, clearly someone accustomed to serving others.
Tie Ci accepted the tea, her gaze falling on his fingers. His fingers were slender, but the joints bore many scars and traces of frostbite.
His clothing was worn, with patches at the sleeves, but the patches were carefully done – you couldn’t tell without looking closely.
She drank her tea without changing expression, while the young man smiled obsequiously: “This humble person is Shen Mi, paying respects to the noble one. In this county office and indeed all of Ziyang County, this humble person is familiar with all matters. Should the noble one have any need to command…”
His expression was somewhat uneasy. Compelled by necessity to come offer his services, he couldn’t be certain whether the person before him was willing to acknowledge him.
He was not someone without worldly experience – he had once been noble and reserved. But years of hardship and struggle had long since trained him in the ability to shamelessly ingratiate himself with anyone. Yet today, before this person, all his slickness and probing could not be deployed. The temperament of the youth before him was both intimate and lofty, like a hundred flowers blooming across the world earning universal praise, yet in the blink of an eye one sees glass flowers blooming on a white jade platform, beautiful enough to steal one’s breath, leaving one unable to speak.
But Tie Ci asked no questions at all, simply pushed her teacup forward and smiled: “Excellent, I’ll put you to work right away. Come, take me to arrest the county magistrate.”
“…”
Half an hour later, on a secluded small street, Shen Mi pointed at a wine shop’s banner in the distance: “Magistrate Tao is in there.”
Tie Ci didn’t approach. After a long while, she saw a middle-aged man with several attendants, half-covering his face, emerge drunkenly and board a carriage. Tie Ci inquired with her eyes to Shen Mi, who nodded. Tie Ci saw that the carriage wasn’t heading toward the county office and questioned Shen Mi again. Shen Mi said: “Oh, he’s going to the next venue.”
Tie Ci: “…”
Under her solitary rule, there was actually such a diligent magistrate – how fortunate indeed.
The carriage came toward Tie Ci. Shen Mi quickly dodged to the roadside, but Tie Ci didn’t move. As the carriage passed beside her, she suddenly reached out and grabbed the horse’s reins.
The cart horse neighed loudly, rearing up with its muscles rippling all over, yet could not advance another step.
The coachman was also drunk and hadn’t reacted yet when Tie Ci’s other hand had already lifted the curtain, questioning the drunkard inside.
“Today is not a rest day. The magistrate neither holds court nor handles official business – what are you doing here?”
The Magistrate Tao inside obviously hadn’t reacted to someone stopping his carriage on the street to ask him such a boring question. He stared straight at Tie Ci, and after a long while let out a wine belch. A wave of foul, turbid air hit her face. Tie Ci turned her face slightly and heard the magistrate say with hiccups: “…None of your… damn business.”
Tie Ci released her grip. The horse had originally been straining against her for control of the carriage. With her sudden release, unable to check its momentum, it charged forward violently. With a crash, the carriage hit the street corner. There was a bang from inside, hitting who knows what, followed by a cry of pain.
Tie Ci dusted off her hands and walked away. Shen Mi followed behind her, constantly stealing glances at her, his eyes turning as he pondered who knows what.
Tie Ci suddenly said leisurely: “What are you thinking? That in the blink of an eye I’ve offended two local big shots, probably won’t last long before being driven away. Considering whether I’m still worth following?”
Shen Mi’s spine stiffened.
“Or are you thinking of following me for a few more days, finding my weaknesses, then going back to offer counsel to the county magistrate, giving him good ways to deal with me properly, hoping to win his favor and maybe become a proper coroner?”
Sweat beaded on Shen Mi’s forehead.
Tie Ci turned around. In the sunlight, those eyes sparkled crystal clear, as if nothing in the world could hide before her.
She looked at Shen Mi, smiling slightly, gathering her sleeves, and said in a casual tone: “Brother Shen, no matter how bitter and deep your background grievances, no matter how much you’re lying low biding your time, no matter who you want to use as a stepping stone to climb up. Today you’ve seen me, approached me – that is your fortune. I advise you to honestly grasp this fortune, because what you’ll be able to obtain in the future will definitely be more than just a coroner position.”
More than a coroner – could that mean becoming a county magistrate? Shen Mi thought blankly at the time.