CH 3

The haughty sun blazed down, and the bluestone tiles where water had been poured over earlier, were again scorching hot.

in the northwest corner of the great Courtyard, a tall Wutong tree [1] towered like a giant, and one could hear the sporadic chirping of the cicadas.

[1] wú tóng（梧桐）The Chinese Parasol Tree. Legends have it that this is the tree favored by the mythical Phoenix, thus it used to be planted by many courtyards in hopes of a phoenix to roost and bring good fortune to the family. 

In the cooling shade under the eaves, Yunqi was attired in a thin unlined robe, sitting in a bamboo chair with his feet up. He held a celadon bowl with both hands as he drank the iced sour plum soup.

The leaves of the Wutong tree rustle in the wind. The chirping of the cicadas cease.

It was unknown when the two children appeared; One was sprawled on top of the tree branches, curling his lip disdainfully from the tree; the other one looked up and was beside himself with anger as he shouted loudly. This was 10 years ago, the 7-year-old Yunqi and the 10-year-old Tuoba Feng.

Little Yunqi made a face,” If you have guts, then climb up!”

Little Tuoba Feng called out to him,” Don’t mess around! Come down!”

Xiao Yunqi responded like a rascal,” No.”

Little Tuoba Feng said,” I’ve already pleaded with Shifu [2] on your behalf! He won’t beat you!”

[2] shī fu (师父) means “teacher” or “master”. Tuoba Feng refers to himself as Shixiong (师兄) or Shi-ge (师哥), which both mean  Senior disciple brother since they studied under the same Shifu.

One of little Yunqi’s legs swung back and forth as he said,” I don’t believe it – Shifu is going to beat me to death with a bamboo plank!”

Little Tuoba Feng tugged at his jacket, baring his upper arm in all earnestness, revealing a feral wolf tattoo at his nape, its head lifted skywards as it howled.

Little Tuoba Feng rolled his shoulders before pulling his jacket back on. He said,” Come down! Shixiong [2] will guarantee that he won’t beat you up!”

Little Yunqi considered it for a moment,” Why? How did you convince Shifu?”

Little Tuoba Feng didn’t reply. A moment later, he kicked the large Wutong tree once, causing the tall tree to sway slightly. Little Yunqi was who holding onto the branches lost his grip and fell.

Little Tuoba Feng turned and caught Little Yunqi. He seized hold of Little Yunqi’s hand and dragged him away.

“Shi-ge [2] already took the beating on your behalf…So you’re not allowed to run around recklessly again…”

“Aiyah-yah!”

The sounds of the little children’s voices gradually faded away. Yunqi couldn’t keep from smiling. He put the porcelain bowl aside, before stretching lazily.

Ouch! Niang ah [3]!”

[2]  niáng (娘) Mother.

The wound on Yunqi’s back smacked into the backrest of the bamboo chair, and at that moment he was in so much pain that he wanted to die.

Tuoba Feng entered the courtyard like a gust of wind, asking,” What?”

Yunqi’s eyes brimmed with tears as he replied,” It’s nothing.”

Tuoba Feng looked at him for a moment, unconvinced. He then walked to stand in front of Yunqi and asked,” Where did the sour plum soup come from?”

After which he bent down to pick up the bowl of iced sour plum soup next to Yunqi. He took several large gulps, feeling extremely thirsty.

Yunqi looked Tuoba Feng up and down and noticed that Tuoba Feng was perspiring profusely, there was even a large sweat-soaked patch on his back, and the hair on his temples was plastered to the sides of his face. Yunqi blurted out,” My brother-in-law [4]  had someone bring it. The brothers have already shared it among themselves, but there’s still a chunk in the storeroom, should I get it for you?”

[4 ] jiě fū (姐夫) lit.”Older sister’s husband) This should be referring to Zhu Di, who married Xu Da’s eldest daughter. Zhu Di is the one who rescued the infant Tuoba Feng. 

Tuoba Feng finished drinking the iced soup, and licked his lips, saying, “No need.” He lowered his body and nuzzled against Yunqi’s nape.

Yunqi said,” Don’t always try to take advantage of Laozi [5]!”

[5]  lǎo zi (老子) I (used jokingly or arrogantly) , or I, your father（used in anger or contempt). An informal way of saying father. A colloquial and slightly conceited (or self-deprecating, exaggerated)  form of self-address.

As he spoke, he quickly ducked in avoidance. Tuoba Feng’s lips pressed against the back of his ear, leaving behind a rather strange icy sensation. Tuoba Feng moved away immediately after the contact and turned to draw some well water. He drank several big mouthfuls of water. Yunqi asked,” What did you do?”

Tuoba Feng used his wet sleeve to wipe his sweat. He held the railing with both hands and curved his body to look toward the blazing sun. After spacing out for a while, he said,” Are the injuries on your back better?”

Yunqi was pleased as punch as he crowed,” Who told you to beat me so ruthlessly? Now when you need me, the wounds still haven’t healed. What will you do?”

Tuoba Feng let out a rare smile at this, replying,” Does it still hurt? Shixiong already apologized to you.”

Tuoba Feng turned his head and said,” Go change to feiyufu, and accompany me to investigate something.”

Yunqi rose to his feet and entered the room and casually asked,” What serious matter is it that warrants the Commander to investigate? If we don’t wear the black clothes, won’t that blathering Grand Tutor complain behind our backs if he catches sight of us?”

Tuoba Feng responded carelessly,” Let me handle that. Just change. Don’t bring the embroidered spring knife. The Emperor has ordered us to investigate a village outside the city – someone went missing in the middle of the night.”

Yunqi said,” The Emperor even concerns himself with apprehending human traffickers?”

Tuoba Feng said,” That little town lies on the road leading to the Imperial Mausoleum.”

Yunqi asked,” The Crown Prince’s coffin hasn’t left yet?”

Tuoba Feng shook his head slowly. A horse carriage had already been arranged just outside the palace gates. In consideration of Yunqi’s injuries, Tuoba Feng didn’t dare go on horseback. The two of them took a horse carriage out of Nanjing city. After a short while, they arrived at an open field. Tuoba Feng carefully helped Yunqi from the carriage.

It was afternoon. The glossy and green crops were dull and listless after being scorched in the hot sun, they drooped along the pathway between the fields. There in the distance, one could vaguely make out a few farmhouses, and the sound of dogs barking and chickens crowing. Tuoba Feng said,” I’ve already been here once and questioned several families, but didn’t find any clues.”

Yunqi followed behind Tuoba Feng, and asked,” What’s this village called?” He then reversed his grip to pull his embroidered spring knife from its sheath at his waist, and hacked at the plants along the side of the road, causing the tall sheaves of wheat to fall to the ground.

Tuoba Feng pushed the wheat aside and took the lead to blaze the trail,” The Li village. About half a month ago, there was a night when the moon was obscured by dark clouds. Someone in the village heard noises and got up to check it out.”

Tuoba Feng again restrained him,” Don’t hack at the crops. It’s not easy for the villagers in rural areas to grow food.”

Yunqi jeered,” With the lives of people at stake, what’re a few stalks of wheat?”

Tuoba Feng replied,” Be careful not to get cuts on your hand! The first person who went out to have a look went missing after a while. Other people followed later, carrying torches as they searched. But even after searching for half the night, they couldn’t find any trace of him.”

After a short walk, Yunqi passed the embroidered spring knife to Tuoba Feng, The two people stood in the middle of the fields.

Tuoba Feng said,” The next day, in this place, the villagers saw …”

He gestured with the sheathed knife, Yunqi noted the wheat fields were separated by a winding, crooked road leading towards the Northwest.

“He was dragged away?” Yunqi asked doubtfully.

Tuoba Feng nodded, and answered,” Earlier, I went to that hillside and examined it for a long time, but didn’t discover any anomalies.”

Yunqi stood motionless and contemplated the matter for a moment, before replying,” Let’s go to the village and draw a bucket of water.”

Tuoba Feng did as he bid, and brought the bucket of water, avoiding Yunqi’s outstretched hand as the latter tried to accept the bucket. The former said,” You just tell me what to do.”

Yunqi immediately pointed out a location, and said,” Pour out half the bucket.”

A bucket of water was splashed out in that area, forming a puddle of water.

Yunqi directly pointed to the ground beneath their feet,” Pour out the rest of it here.”

As the remaining water soaked into the ground between them, it was absorbed completely.

Tuoba Feng flung the bucket away and sprinted away to get a hoe. When he returned, he immediately immersed himself in digging.

Yunqi grinned and retreated a few steps, he said,” What seems to be an illusion is real, what seems to be real is merely an illusion [6]. You’ve studied so many books on the Art of War, why didn’t you apply what you’ve learned?”

[6] xū zhě shí zhī, shí zhě xū zhī (虚者实之，实者虚之) Where there is nothingness, it will naturally be enriched. Where there is plenty, will naturally become emptiness. E.g. if one is weak, one must pretend to be strong in order to deceive the opponent and prevent him from attacking. If one is strong, then one can deliberately pretend to be weak to lure in the opponent.

From 《草庐经略·虚实》

Tuoba Feng showed a gentle smile filled with sincere admiration. In a moment, he’d dug up a male corpse, as he squatted down to examine it.

“There are no knife or sword wounds.”

Yunqi said,” Turn him over and look at the back of the skull.

“Blunt instrument.” Tuoba Feng concluded,” Killed with one blow, the mush of his brains flowed out.”

Yunqi said,” The hammer used for chiseling stone tablets is something that shouldn’t appear in the village. Have his relatives come over to bring the body back…”

Tuoba Feng discarded the hoe and used his sleeve to wipe the sweat off Yunqi’s face. The two of them had been standing under the blazing sun for a long time. Yunqi’s face had a red sunburn that extended from the bridge of his nose to beneath his eyes.

Tuoba Feng asked,” Search the village?”

Yunqi said,” It’s just the two of us, how do we search?”

Tuoba Feng planned to return and summon some of the official messengers [7], but Yunqi held him back. Yunqi smiled and said,” There’s no hurry. Let’s ask around first to see if anyone has a grudge against this man?”  

[7] guān chāi (官差) Public servants, Government workers, official messengers, and people who run errands for a government office.

Tuoba Feng called over the Village Head. Yunqi sat on the empty area which was used to dry grain. The deceased man’s wife and children knelt by the corpse, lamenting loudly and knocking their heads on the ground in anguish. Once the villagers saw that the corpse had been found, they surrounded the location, gesticulating wildly as they gossiped.

Tuoba Feng made the query to the Village Head. The latter replied,” Guan-ye [8], this man was called Li Xi’Er, and was a member of this village. A few days ago he had a disagreement with our village’s Wang Hu. They were disputing a tract of farmland. No one would have thought that he’d commit such a crime against human life!”

[8] guān yé (官爷）Lord Official or Sir Official. guān (官) means official, yé (爷) means Grandfather, but it also refers to someone of a higher social status than you (since age = seniority). It is also used to refer to aristocrats and is an honorary title for older men.

Upon hearing this, Yunqi shouted from a distance,” Let’s go to his house and courtyard to have a look.”

Tuoba Feng yelled back,” Wang Hu fled a few days ago!”

Yunqi said,” Just go. Look around for flies.”

Tuoba Feng left for a moment and returned with a stone hammer in his hand, the hammerhead was still stained with blood. He said,” It’s this.”

Yunqi questioned,” What about the chisel?”

Tuoba Feng froze for a moment at the question, before he frowned slightly and shook his head,” Didn’t find it.”

As for this murder case, it seemed like the truth had already been revealed. The Village Head left to report the case to the authorities. In a short while, the official messengers arrived to take over the case, as well as to issue the warrant of arrest. Upon seeing that Yunqi and Tuoba Feng were also present, they were extremely flustered and frightened as they stepped forward.

The Jinyiwei’s status was transcendent, far above that of all the constables in the country. Those official messengers didn’t know the Emperor’s favored ministers; Seeing Yunqi dressed in the Jinyiwei uniform as he relaxed and enjoyed the breeze, and Tuoba Feng standing by the side in his black uniform, whilst covered in sweat, they couldn’t help but go over to flatter Yunqi, eagerly attentive as they went on and on about Guan-ye this and Guan-ye that.

Yunqi offered a small polite smile,” The case has been solved, let’s go.” 

Tuoba Feng still gripped the stone hammer in one hand as he escorted Yunqi back to the carriage to return to the Capital. Yunqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Why are you in a daze? And what’s the point of bringing that thing back?”

Yunqi took it from him and hurled it out of the carriage. However, Tuoba Feng said,” Hang on.”

Tuoba Feng suddenly declared,” The case hasn’t been solved.”

Yunqi frowned slightly,” It’s solved.”

Tuoba Feng articulated,” It’s not.”

Yunqi proclaimed,” I say that it’s solved, so it’s solved!”

Tuoba Feng pinched Yunqi’s ear with his fingers. Yunqi cried out in pain and evaded him. Tuoba Feng stated derisively,” Listen to Shixiong, I said that it’s not solved, so it’s not solved.”

The horse carriage stopped in an alley. There was a stone shop there, and the character for Jade, “玉 [9]” was written in large script.

[9] yù (玉) Jade. 

The Jinyiwei stood at the entrance of the stone shop. Yunqi couldn’t help but ask,” Is there anything else worth investigating? The villager’s death was due to a vendetta. The  body has been found, and so has the evidence…”

Even before he’d finished talking, a man darted out from the stone shop.

A copper foot basin came flying out behind the man with a loud clatter. The proprietress’s hands were planted firmly on her waist as she chased him into the alley, screaming,” Rake your ears, [10]  Go home and sort out tigress [11] you have at home before you come to look for laoniang!”

[10] pā’ěr duo (耙耳朵) This is Sichuan slang for a man who is afraid of his wife. The imagery is of the wife pulling her husband’s ear. I.e. a henpecked man. Since if your ears are soft, you’re afraid of them getting pulled.

[11] mǔ lǎo hǔ (母老虎) Tigress. It is used to refer to women who behave like like a shrew/termagant.  Derogatory.

That man had wanted to take a concubine but had been rejected, departing the alley with his tail between his legs. Yunqi couldn’t resist doubling over with laughter.

“What’s ‘rake your ears’?” Yunqi asked.

Tuoba Feng explained,” His ears are soft – he’s afraid of his wife.”

Yunqi laughed so hard that he stumbled. Tuoba Feng smiled and said,” Wait for me at the alley entrance.”

Tuoba Feng brought the stone hammer inside with him. The proprietress was a widow, and upon seeing such a talented and heroic guardsman, she immediately welcomed him into the shop.

Yunqi wandered about aimlessly. He saw an old man sitting at the entrance of the alley. The old man hugged a large wooden casket, with five or six children sitting in front of him. Yunqi couldn’t rein in his curiosity and strolled forward. 

That box in the old man’s arms contained a curio that had arrived via the Silk Road. It was named ‘The Western Lens [12]’. Inside the box was a series of pictures that were pulled by hand, and when viewed through the glass lens in front, looked extremely colorful and dazzling. It was paired with a vivid verbal narration of the story – but, it was the tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl.[13] 

[12] xī yáng jìng (西洋镜) An optical toy, it is also called a Diorama, Peep box, or Raree Show. It is a box with pictures inside, with a magnifying glass placed outside the hole. Here’s a video in Chinese showing how it works.

[13] (牛郎织女) A classic romantic Chinese myth that tells of the Weaver Girl (the star Vega), and the Cowherd (the star Altair). Their love was forbidden, hence they were banished to different ends of the Milky Way, and can only reunite on the 7th day of the 7th Lunar Month after the magpies form a bridge allowing them to meet, thus becoming the Chinese Valentine’s day or Qixi.

“…Later the Queen Mother of the West separated the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl  on different sides of the Milky Way.” The old man smiled as he told the children,” Only on the night of Qixi [12], will the magpies will form a bridge…”

He’d already heard the tale innumerable times, but he’d only very rarely caught sight of the Western Lens. Yunqi was fascinated by the wooden casket, but he only smiled without speaking. Tuoba Feng concluded his affairs, and exited the Jade shop, both hands carrying two jade pendants that he’d purchased from the shop.

The Jade pendants were in the shape of the mythological Qilin [14], one piece was the male ‘Qi’ and the second piece was the female ‘Lin’. They were separated into two halves, but both sides fit together as a whole, and each had their own decorative lanyard; They were men’s waist pendants. Tuoba Feng kept mulling over them and weighing them in his hands as his eyes glanced over at Yunqi.

[14] qí lín (麒麟) The Qilin is a traditional mythological auspicious beast. The male is qí (麒) and the female is lín (麟) 

The corners of Yunqi’s lips were curled up slightly, as he viewed the Western Lens with great pleasure. Tuoba Feng, however, was also entranced by just looking at Yunqi.

Moments later, Yunqi turned his head. Tuoba Feng was startled at this and hurriedly stuffed the jade pendants back in his bosom.

Yunqi asked,” What did you buy?”

Tuoba Feng said,” Nothing. I got the answers.”

With that, Tuoba Feng raised a hand to squeeze his own ear. He pinched it to one side, then let it straighten.

Yunqi found his actions baffling,” What answers did you get?”

Tuoba Feng and Yunqi walked out of the alley, shoulders side by side. The former spoke seriously,” You may be very intelligent, but you don’t know how to read the Emperor’s intentions [15].”

[15] shèng yì (圣意) lit. “saintly/sacred intent”, this refers to the Emperor’s intentions/wishes.

Yunqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry,” Yes, yes, yes. You’re the one who best understands the Emperor’s intentions.”

Tuoba Feng spoke in a self-deprecating manner,” Dogs’ sense of smell is much more acute than that of humans. The Emperor having me investigate this matter must have some profound meaning behind it. Of course, it wouldn’t merely be so simple as a murder for revenge.”

Yunqi sneered contemptuously as he scrutinized Tuoba Feng for a moment, before asking,” Received money for a bribe? Who do you want me to pin this crime on, just say it. It will be easier if I help you falsify the evidence, and we won’t have to run around willy-nilly.”

Tuoba Feng raged,” Don’t speak nonsense! I never take bribes.”

Yunqi replied,” Yo! Who was it last time who accepted the Remonstrance official’s three taels of silver…”

Tuoba Feng replied,” If I tell you that I didn’t, would you believe it? It was just that I pitied his wife and children – they knelt outside the great courtyard for 2 full shichen [16].”

[16] 4 hours. Each shichen represents a 2-hour period.

Yunqi said,” Then why did you say…”

Tuoba Feng replied,” If I hadn’t said that I’d taken the money, would you have shown leniency?”

“You didn’t take the money? Then where did the pieces of broken silver beneath my pillow come from?”

“My salary.”

Yunqi felt extremely awkward at this time, different emotions flashed across his face. He couldn’t resist making a face behind Tuoba Feng’s back. Presently, the two men arrived at the Capital’s Ministry of Revenue. No one dared to stop them, and the guards at the door hastily went to notify the Minister of Revenue.

Tuoba Feng entered the Great Hall and asked Yunqi to seat himself on the Minister of Revenue’s grand chair. He picked up a brush, and flung it at the copper Gong at the entrance, resulting in a crashing noise.

“The Commander of the Jinyiwei, Tuoba Feng. The Deputy Commander, Xu Yunqi. Are here to investigate a case!”

The Ministry of Revenue’s staff immediately felt terrified, from the highest level- the Minister of Revenue, all the way to the lowest – the Secretaries of Revenue. Near a hundred people flocked outside, forming a dense mass of black kneeling on the ground outside the hall.

The Minister of Revenue, Zhang Yuan’s knees shook and his steps trembled. He didn’t know why the Jinyiwei had been summoned over. It was as if he had seen the mountain of bones and seas of blood that was the Imperial prison beckoning at him.  He lost his footing and decided that he might as well kneel with the rest.

“These two…Daren [17], why did you come here?”

[17] dà rén (大人) is an honorific title for those in senior positions, such as gentry and aristocracy. Your Excellency.

Yunqi smiled and replied,” Every one of these Daren, please get up. There is no need for such a formal obeisance.”

Tuoba Feng said,” Bring out the household register for the Li Village. I need to investigate a person.”

Zhang Yuan felt like he’d escaped with his life, thus he personally sprinted to the Room of Records. He sped back, both hands holding the household registry book as he presented it extremely respectfully.

Yunqi flipped through it apathetically, asking,” Is it a holiday today?” 

Tuoba Feng paid no attention to the Minister of Revenue, answering,” Qixi, shall we go out and eat something tonight?”

Zhang Yuan hastily smiled,” It is the Qixi Festival. This humble one’s family will be hosting a banquet. If these two daren have completed their investigations, would you be willing to favor me by coming to my house for a drink?”

Yunqi said,” Let’s go to Shifu’s.

Tuoba Feng nodded.

Zhang Yuan had been snubbed in front of over a hundred of his subordinates, but his hide was thicker than the palace walls. He smiled obsequiously and said,” But of course, the Commander and Deputy Commander are none other than Jiang-daren’s favored protégés [18]…”

[18] dé yì mén shēng (得意门生) Students that their teachers are the proudest of, and most satisfied with. 

Zhang Yuan sighed in admiration,” Venerating one’s teachers and valuing their teachings, how nostalgic!”

Such bootlicking words, Yunqi didn’t know how many times he’d heard similar flattery. He merely took it to be a gust of wind passing by his ears. He flipped to the last page of the name register, and frowned slightly,” It’s not here？”

Tuoba Feng reached out to take the name register.

Yunqi pressed it down with one hand, and said,” There’s no need to look at it again. There’s no person named Wang Hu.” He sank into a contemplative state.

Zhang Yuan exclaimed in astonishment,” Such great ability! The Li village in the last 25 years, has over a thousand people’s names in it. Xu-daren can actually flip through it once and recall everything that he has seen…”

The hundreds of officials from the Ministry of Finance who stood there whispered to one another in succession, praising his talent in unison.

“Shut your mouths!” Yunqi and Tuoba Feng rebuked them simultaneously.

The group of government officials cowered quietly like cicadas in the late autumn, deeply afraid of making even the slightest sound.

Yunqi narrowed his eyes, the considerations in his head moving at lightning speed. It was at this time that he finally realized that something wasn’t right.

After waiting for some time, Tuoba Feng didn’t hear Yunqi speak. A tacit understanding dawned upon Tuoba Feng, he looked towards Zhang Yan, and said,” Go fetch the capital city’s name register.”

Yunqi slapped the table and cried out,” Tuoba Feng! In the twenty-five years since the Hongwu Imperial dynasty was founded, there are nearly five million names – do you want laozi to vomit blood and die?”

Translator Note:

In relation to footnote [10]

1. Yunqi is afraid of having his ear pinched

2. After coming out of the shop with the friendly widow, Tuoba Feng pinched his own ear – to confirm that it’s also soft. 

And someone didn’t dare give Yunqi the Qixi (Chinese Valentine’s day) presents… Awwww. He got them couple pendants too!