Upon returning from the Wang family, Nan Zhi bustled about frantically, preparing supplies for the road.
It was just past noon, and Nan Dazhuang was still busy working at the pork shop.
Nan Yi had not returned from the yamen either, so only the mother and daughter, Chen Jingui and Nan Ye, were at home.
In the room where Nan Zhi stayed, clothes, shoes, and socks covered the entire bed.
On the table, freshly baked pancakes gave off an appetizing aroma, still piping hot.
A water gourd, a fire striker, and flint were placed together, and Chen Jingui had even dug out Nan Dazhuang’s straw raincoat.
“Eldest Sister, I don’t know how long you’ll be gone, so I packed two extra sets of thicker clothes for you. If it gets cold, layering them will keep you warm. If they get torn or worn out, just bring them back, and I’ll sew them up for you.”
Nan Ye pulled out a wrapping cloth and folded the spare clothes she had prepared for Nan Zhi into it:
“Also, this Demon Suppression Division uniform of yours has been washed and starched. I even sewed an extra pocket inside the sash so it’s easy for you to hide silver in here...”
Nan Zhi turned open the sash of the garment and indeed found a tightly stitched, highly concealed pocket.
“Sister Ye is truly the perfect helper for home and travel. If I weren’t in such a rush, I’d really love to pack you up and take you along.”
She pinched Nan Ye’s cheek and smiled brightly:
“Once I finish the official business at hand, I’ll return as soon as possible to make up for your hair-pinning ceremony properly.”
“Eldest Sister, I’m talking about serious matters with you, yet you tease me! I’m not talking to you anymore.”
Nan Ye stamped her foot and turned back to pack the luggage.
Women of the Song Dynasty held their hair-pinning ceremony at fifteen, using a hairpin to bundle their long hair, signaling that they had come of age.
For noble daughters in prominent households, on the day of the ceremony, not only did they invite a ceremonial presider, but they also hired a specialized hair-styling lady to pin their hair.
There was an entire ritual involved, complete with the first capping, cleansing, bowing in gratitude, and bestowing a courtesy name.
—The importance of a hair-pinning ceremony for a woman was in no way inferior to a man’s capping ceremony.
In the past, although the Nan family was not wealthy, when their two daughters came of age, they had celebrated with a lively meal.
Nan Zhi had bought a hairpin for Nan Ye earlier, yet she rarely saw her wear it.
Only after asking did she learn that neither Nan Ye nor Chen Jingui knew how to style elaborate hairstyles.
Furthermore, Nan Ye was pretty, and ever since word spread that Nan Zhi had joined the Demon Suppression Division, matchmakers had visited their door in droves every day.
That was why Nan Zhi resolved to hold a proper hair-pinning ceremony for Nan Ye.
This was also equivalent to announcing to the neighborhood that the daughter of their family was precious; if anyone wished to propose marriage, it had to be of her own willingness.
Knowing that Nan Zhi placed great importance on her younger sister, unsuitable families would back off in the face of difficulty and stop harassing them at their door.
Chen Jingui sat by the bed, hugging a mattress and sighing:
“Oh, Heavens... Thinking back to when you were born, Sister Zhi, you were so tiny, just like a little kitten. Even your breathing was fainter than other babies’... Your father and I were terrified every single day. We didn’t even dare close our eyes at night, terrified that when we woke up, you would have stopped breathing.
“Later, as you grew a bit older, though you didn’t understand much, you were remarkably well-behaved. Every day when I went out to work, you would sit in front of the pork shop. So little, not making a sound, wearing a straw hat on your head, sitting in the sun for an entire afternoon. Others said you were foolish, but I felt my Sister Zhi was the most caring girl in the world, your mother’s precious darling...”
As she helped pack the luggage, she wiped her tears and continued rambling endlessly:
“Now you’re all grown up and capable. But who knew that just a few days after joining this Demon Suppression Division or whatever, you’d be spinning around like a top, so busy your feet barely touch the ground? Just a little while ago, you rushed into Wenshan and killed a huge tiger, nearly losing your life, and now you’re about to go on a long journey. Even the donkey at Qiao Niangzi’s tofu shop isn’t driven this hard...”
“Mom, what are you saying? Why compare me to a donkey?”
Hearing this, Nan Zhi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, quickly comforting her:
“Since I have joined the Demon Suppression Division, I must fulfill my duties properly. This case is truly troublesome and requires me to head over as soon as possible. Besides, I am traveling with companions, so we can look out for one another along the way. There is no need for the family to worry excessively.”
“That may be true, but leaving so hurriedly means we haven’t even had time to prepare many things you need for the journey.”
Chen Jingui’s hands slowed down, filled with reluctance:
“How about waiting until evening when Brother Yi and your father return home? We can enjoy a family reunion dinner together and feed the horse well. Tomorrow morning, your father can personally drive the carriage to see you off outside the city, and my mind will be somewhat at ease.”
“No, this is an urgent assignment; I must leave today. I probably won’t be able to wait for Father and Brother Yi to return.”
Nan Zhi shook her head decisively:
“I don’t know when I will return, but it will take at least three months. After I leave, if anyone asks, just say I went to stay at my maternal grandparents’ for a while. If that doesn’t fool them, say I chased the Wang family’s ghost out of town. As for where I went, just say you don’t know. In any case, push everything onto me.
“I have some friends in this county, and Brother Yi is working at the yamen now, so tell him to watch over the family while I’m away. If something truly happens, have Brother Yi seek out Constable Zhang—he will certainly be willing to help.
“As for those gifts the Wang family sent, return them soon. If people from the Wang family come, say the evil spirit at their residence was too formidable for me to subdue, so I am too ashamed to accept their gifts. And one more thing...”
Nan Zhi paused, her tone turning strange:
“That wine is no good thing. Don’t let Father drink it anymore. Those jars of ‘Immortal Brew’ at home are harmful to the body. Find a deserted spot and dump them out. I’ve left three hundred taels in banknotes at home, so don’t pinch pennies. Eat and drink well as usual, and just wait peacefully for my return.”
Although Nan Zhi did not explicitly state where she was going, Chen Jingui vaguely guessed it had something to do with the Wang family.
Seeing how cautious and hurried Nan Zhi was, Chen Jingui understood the gravity of the situation.
Early this morning, the Wang residence had been in an uproar, with people running in and out claiming they had seen ghosts. Just a moment ago, someone had rushed to the County Yamen to report that Master Wang was dead, and both the young master and the manager had vanished...
A major catastrophe had likely occurred.
“In that case, get out of the city quickly.”
As a woman who had long mingled in the marketplace, she reacted immediately. Abandoning her previous reluctance, she swiftly helped load the luggage into the carriage:
“Don’t worry about things at home. I will manage matters large and small. If worse comes to worst, there are still Sister Ye and Brother Yi. In three months, winter will arrive. If you run into heavy snow and can’t travel, just stay out there a while longer. There is only one thing: once you finish your business, send a letter home so the family knows you are safe and sound.”
Nan Zhi naturally agreed readily.
...
Driving a carriage was a skill.
Fortunately, Nan Zhi had watched others drive before. After fumbling around for a while, she managed to find the knack and set off in the wobbling carriage.
As she exited the entrance of Lingbai Alley, she caught sight of Zhang Long leading a group of men toward the Wang residence in the distance.
Wanniang had not harmed Old Lady Wang and Ma Chunxiang.
Those hair snakes had merely plunged them and their servants into a drunken stupor.
Once they awoke to find Wang Fugui hanged and Wang Chen and Manager Wang missing, their first reaction was naturally to report it to the authorities.
If the government investigated Wang Fugui’s death, they would inevitably seek out Nan Zhi for questioning.
However, she had prepared for this long ago.
—Shen Luohe and Hua Xijian would be staying here for some time, and the two of them would find a way to stall for time on her behalf.
Rate on N.U.
