The autumn wind grew cooler, and yellow leaves carpeted the ground. The streets of the capital, both large and small, remained bustling with people. Neither the recent earthquake nor the debauchery of the nobles added much more than gossip material for the common folk busy with their livelihoods. Life continued as usual.
A young woman in her early twenties stood motionless on a busy street corner. Passersby cast curious glances her way.
After an indeterminate time, she suddenly stopped a pedestrian and asked, “Brother, how do I get to the Shuntian Prefecture office?”
The man she stopped appeared to be in his twenties as well, with a shrewd look that suggested he wasn’t entirely straightforward.
Noticing that the person who had stopped him was a young woman of passable beauty, the man’s enthusiasm was immediately piqued. He pointed and said, “Go straight ahead, turn left at the intersection, then walk west for two blocks and turn left again. You’ll be there.”
The woman looked bewildered.
Seeing this, the man smiled and said, “Why don’t I just take you there? I’m not in a hurry anyway.”
Beautiful women were always popular, and while this woman might not be considered a great beauty to someone who had seen the capital’s finest, she was quite attractive, especially with her fair and delicate skin that inspired tenderness in those who saw her.
The man was happy to lend a hand, not expecting anything in return, but enjoying the chance for conversation.
The woman nodded and followed him.
Those who noticed this scene thought to themselves: Tsk tsk, this young wife must be from out of town. How reckless to follow a stranger like that. She might get kidnapped.
We should follow and keep an eye on them. There might be some excitement to watch.
Quite a few people who weren’t in a hurry had similar thoughts and followed in small groups.
On the way, the man asked, “Sister, you’re not from around here, are you?”
The woman pressed her lips together and remained silent.
“Did you come to the capital alone?” the man asked again.
The woman still didn’t respond.
“What business do you have at the Shuntian Prefecture office?”
The woman continued to say nothing.
The man stroked his chin, thinking to himself: What a waste.
Fortunately, the Shuntian Prefecture office wasn’t far. After a short walk, the man pointed and said, “Sister, look, we’ve arrived at the Shuntian Prefecture office.”
“Thank you, Brother,” the woman finally spoke, expressing her gratitude as she walked step by step towards the entrance.
The man who had led her there didn’t leave.
Joking aside, it would be an even bigger waste to leave without seeing how things unfolded.
The woman lingered at the entrance for a moment, then walked to the large drum and picked up the drumstick, striking it forcefully.
Dong dong dong—
The deep sound of the drum broke the monotony of the prefecture office.
Zhen Shicheng put down the case files on his desk, immediately energized.
The beating of the drum to report an injustice meant there was work to be done.
Soon, Zhen Shicheng saw the young woman who had struck the drum. He tapped his judge’s mallet and inquired about the reason for her visit.
The woman gently caressed her belly, and her first words stunned everyone in the hall.
“This humble woman has heard that Magistrate Zhen is dedicated to serving the people. I have come to the capital to ask the great magistrate to help find the father of the child in my womb.”
Find the father?
Many of the yamen runners exchanged glances, already imagining countless possibilities.
This young woman was fair-skinned and pretty, quite attractive. Could it be that she had been taken advantage of by some young nobleman and then abandoned?
The young woman was from out of town, so perhaps her husband had come to the capital first to make a living, and after becoming successful, had taken new wives and concubines.
The most boring possibility was that she had simply been separated from her husband and had come to the yamen for help in finding him.
Compared to the curiosity of the yamen runners, Zhen Shicheng was much calmer. He asked gently, “Where are you from?”
“This humble woman is from Jinli Town in Qianhe County.”
Upon hearing that the woman was from Jinli Town, Zhen Shicheng unconsciously frowned, feeling a sense of foreboding.
“Do you have your travel documents?”
The woman produced her travel documents and handed them to a yamen runner to present to Zhen Shicheng for verification.
After confirming the woman’s place of origin, Zhen Shicheng continued, “Tell me about the specific circumstances of your search for your husband in the capital.”
The woman spoke loudly, “Your Honor, I am not looking for my husband, but for the father of the child in my womb, because that man is not my husband!”
With these words, the yamen runners who had been speculating along these lines became excited.
Zhen Shicheng’s expression turned cold.
There had been an earthquake in Qianhe County several months ago, and many people had been sent from the capital for disaster relief. Could the man this woman was looking for be someone from the imperial court?
Of course, protecting fellow officials wasn’t Zhen Shicheng’s style.
“Continue,” he said.
“That man asked me to accompany him for several days. Unexpectedly, more than a month later, I discovered I was with a child. With nowhere else to turn, I could only come to find him…”