On this day, at dawn, the sound of rain echoed with “pitter-patter” on the ancient stone-paved streets.
Little Ah Jin poked her head out from the wooden door, reached out her hand to touch the raindrops falling from the sky, and called back into the house, “Master, it’s raining!”
Xu Yi walked out in his plain white robe. Ah Jin asked him if they should cover the small flower bed they’d opened up in the courtyard.
“No need. Letting them get rained on is beneficial,” Xu Yi said.
He didn’t like keeping chickens in the courtyard, so he’d thought to open up a planting area over half a meter wide in the corner of the wall to grow flowers, plants, and edible flowering herbs.
First he planted mint, then later white chrysanthemum, nine-story pagoda, jinyinhua… almost all dug up from the mountains.
The continuous drizzle of early autumn brought refreshing coolness.
Though it lacked the gentle moistening quality of spring rain, a rainfall could still bring considerable new growth.
At this moment, Ah Xu came back from the kitchen carrying a kettle of hot water. Seeing Xu Yi, he called out softly, “Master,” and asked, “Are Sister and I still practicing boxing today?”
Xu Yi nodded. “Boxing practice requires daily accumulation and cannot be neglected.”
However, today was special. Xu Yi told them they could rest after practicing the Five Animal Exercises for an hour.
After practicing and eating their morning meal, Xu Yi planned to take them both out.
The fine drizzle didn’t last long. By the time Xu Yi and the others went out, the sky had already cleared. To avoid getting wet, he had Ah Xu bring two oil-paper umbrellas.
Walking on the wet stone-paved streets, passing through the bustling marketplace, listening to the vendors’ eager calls, the two little ones remained full of interest in touring the county streets. They looked left and right all along the way, making sure to keep close to Xu Yi, afraid of getting lost.
Before long, Xu Yi led them into a pawnshop.
Pawnshops were actually called “Changshengku” in the Song Dynasty. Besides the usual gold, silver, pearls, jade, and money, people even pawned living things like servants and cattle or horses, as well as various household items from ordinary families. There were “live pawns” and “dead pawns”—if borrowed money wasn’t repaid when a live pawn’s loan came due, the pawned item would be confiscated.
After entering, there was a tall and concealed counter at the front. Those coming to pawn items lined up before the counter. If one was a bit short, only half their head would show above it.
Xu Yi hadn’t brought them here to pawn items. He was going to the trading area on the second floor.
There, one could find dead pawn items at prices cheaper than market rates. He’d brought Ah Xu and Ah Jin to let them see different kinds of places.
Upon ascending the second-floor stairs, they could see young men in uniforms waiting at the doorway on the second floor. When he saw someone coming up, he lifted the double curtain hanging at the entrance.
The second floor had a spacious hall with shelves arranged around it. Each shelf had several tiers, all displaying various pawned items.
On the other side was a platform with a clerk sitting behind it. The clerk was a pawnshop employee responsible for writing pawn tickets and registering the account ledgers.
All transactions on the second floor were recorded by him.
Besides this, there were several separated small rooms, each containing an appraiser called “chaofeng,” commonly addressed as “Second Uncle.” Unlike the chaofeng behind the high platform on the first floor, the second-floor chaofeng primarily received wealthy patrons seeking rare treasures or money goods.
When Xu Yi arrived, almost all of these small rooms were occupied.
He glanced around and led them to the shelves to see what they could purchase.
On the way, Xu Yi had already explained clearly to the two what kind of place they were going to. After Ah Xu and Ah Jin entered, they weren’t afraid. Both pairs of large eyes rolled around brightly, looking spiritedly at the new things before them.
“Master, what’s that? It looks like a pot?” Ah Jin saw something and asked Xu Yi curiously.
Xu Yi looked at the item she was pointing to, paused, and said, “It is a pot, but this is a lacquered chamber pot.”
Lacquered chamber pots were originally called “lacquered tiger pots,” but later, to avoid taboo, they were changed to “beast pots” or “horse pots.” They were essentially modern chamber pots, carved from a single piece of wood into the shape of a tiger. The craftsmanship looked exquisite, no wonder Ah Jin noticed it at a glance.
This item basically belonged to noble youths or wealthy merchants. Ordinary families would be fortunate to use wooden toilet buckets as chamber pots.
The Xu family’s privy had a toilet bucket. Every day, night soil collectors would come to collect the waste. During normal use, deodorizing incense would be lit in the privy, making it look quite clean and hygienic.
Common people used simple incense without expensive spices, like cloves, patchouli, or lemongrass.
After transmigrating, Xu Yi had obediently become an “incense person.” After all, compared to various body odors, being a “fragrant” person was easier for him to accept.
Soon, they spotted an incense cake on the shelves.
The young man attending to Xu Yi said this incense cake had been pawned by an incense seller. Because she couldn’t repay the overdue loan, the incense was confiscated and put up for trade.
It was made with fairly good spices and had an elegant floral and fruity fragrance. The incense seller hadn’t specified exactly what spices were used, but Song Dynasty people loved incense, and good incense wouldn’t lack buyers.
This incense wasn’t particularly precious, yet one box cost seven qian of silver.
Xu Yi haggled with the young man and finally bought it for six qian and twenty-eight wen.
After he paid and had it registered at the clerk’s desk, the box of incense was his.
Next, he bought two secondhand ceramic jars, three lacquered wooden plates, and a wooden chopping board at prices lower than marketplace rates. The ceramic jars could be used to store medicinal herbs, the lacquered wooden plates to hold ground medicine powder, and the wooden chopping board to cut medicinal materials.
The wooden chopping board was quite thick, so Xu Yi carried it himself. Seeing more and more people arriving, he decided it was about time to go back.
He’d mainly brought the two little ones to see if there were any bargains to be found. He couldn’t compete for those rare treasures and fine goods.
Both Ah Xu and Ah Jin were very excited. Ah Xu held the ceramic jars, Ah Jin carried the incense and plates, and they followed Xu Yi closely with small steps.
After leaving the pawnshop, they went to a blacksmith’s shop.
Xu Yi pulled out a diagram he’d prepared from his breast and handed it to the master blacksmith. “Master, can you help me forge a blade like this?”
The diagram showed an old-style medicine-cutting knife. The handle was wooden. Besides the blade, there were two supporting legs, but it lacked the bench below to stabilize the knife, only the upper iron portion was shown.
The master blacksmith opened the diagram and looked at it for a moment. After thinking, he said, “I can forge it, but I’ve never seen a blade styled like this before.”
Xu Yi smiled and said nothing.
Traditional Chinese medicine had many various tools in its preparation process. However, before the Ming Dynasty, Chinese medicine’s tools for cutting medicinal materials weren’t advanced enough. The tools for cutting medicine at this time were generally machetes or mortars for crushing. After this period of preparing medicinal materials, Xu Yi felt he still lacked a medicine-cutting knife.
With a medicine-cutting knife, the efficiency of cutting medicinal materials would increase, and Xu Yi could arrange the extra time for other matters.
Xu Yi had made detailed modifications to the support structure of the medicine-cutting knife. Two holes needed to be forged into it.
These two holes would be used to secure it to the wooden chopping board. Combined together, the medicine-cutting knife would be complete.
After confirming the master blacksmith could make it, Xu Yi asked him what price such a blade would cost.
The master blacksmith quoted a price and told Xu Yi it would take ten days to complete.
The time wasn’t short, but Xu Yi still agreed.
…
The next day, Xu Yi was making medicine pills at home as usual.
Ah Xu sorted medicinal materials at his side. Now, under Xu Yi’s guidance, he could recognize many more herbs.
Xu Yi entrusted him with handling some easily recognizable medicinal materials.
First, he washed the mud from the roots of the herbs dug up, then cleared away the withered yellow leaves. For medicinal materials where the entire plant could be used, he had to distinguish whether each part had different effects. If different, the roots and stems had to be separated and couldn’t be dried together.
Approaching early autumn, the sunlight wasn’t so intense, but drying medicinal materials couldn’t be delayed.
Ah Xu finished sorting some of the medicinal materials and spread them on winnowing baskets, then carried them to the kitchen to ask Xu Yi.
“Master, I’ve sorted all these medicinal materials. Please take a look,” Ah Xu said.
Each time he finished processing medicinal materials, they still needed to be confirmed by Xu Yi to prevent errors or omissions.
After Xu Yi checked and found no problems, he could place the winnowing baskets on the shelf in the courtyard to let them dry naturally.
Now that Ah Xu had work to do, the task of feeding Little Huang and taking it for walks fell to Ah Jin.
When Ah Jin took Little Huang out, she would first circle around Stone Well Lane, then go to nearby familiar alleys. The neighbors all recognized Ah Jin now. When they saw her, those who liked children would tease and play with her for a bit.
“Little dear, would you like some cakes?” An old woman saw her and suddenly called her over.
Ah Jin froze. Seeing this old woman was a stranger, she shook her head warily.
The old woman carried a basket in her hand, covered with a cloth, making it unclear what was inside.
She reached one hand into the basket while waving her other arm at Ah Jin. Her wrinkled face smiled as she said, “Don’t be afraid, little dear. I live right on South Street, in Water Well Lane next door. I just made too many cakes and wanted to ask if anyone wants to buy some to eat.”
Ah Jin tensed her shoulders and pressed her lips together without speaking.
Seeing the old woman finish speaking and still wanting to come closer, she quickly pulled the rope she was holding.
Little Huang seemed to sense something and suddenly started barking “woof woof woof” at the old woman.
“Aiyou, this dog is so fierce.” The old woman was frightened back two steps and patted her chest uncomfortably, saying, “I just thought you were a good little dear and wanted to give you a free cake. How can you have your dog scare an old woman?”
After speaking, she stared at Ah Jin with an accusing expression.
Ah Jin immediately explained after hearing this, “I didn’t make Little Huang do it. You got too, too close.”
The old woman sighed. “I’m not a kidnapper. If you don’t believe me, you can follow me to my home and see if I really live on South Street.”
She also said her dear granddaughter was about Ah Jin’s age but unfortunately had a thin fate, she got sick and died.
Ah Jin had been fairly alert, but hearing this, she asked, “What illness did she have? Why didn’t you call a doctor?”
The old woman: …
She covered her mouth and coughed twice. “The child burned up with fever. Even after a doctor came to look, there was no improvement. She was gone in a couple of days.”
Ah Jin’s brows furrowed. This old woman’s granddaughter was so pitiful.
If she had met her master, she definitely wouldn’t have died from illness.
“Granny, don’t be sad. The dead cannot return. Please accept my condolences,” she said softly.
After hearing this, the old woman’s expression became strange. “…”
This little child looked only seven or eight years old yet could say such words.
Looking at the clothes she wore, they were just ordinary family attire. Could she have actually studied? If she’d really studied, that would be something, she couldn’t be sold as an ordinary maid and could fetch an even higher price.
Thinking this, the smile on her face deepened. She repeatedly praised Ah Jin as a sensible, good child.
Then she started getting familiar, asking Ah Jin’s name.
After learning Ah Jin’s name, she became even more certain this child was different. To be given such a nice name, she must surely be a child from a scholarly family.
Though South Street had many poor people, there were also some fallen scholarly families and some farming-reading households settled here.
Children from such families sold better than crude children from the countryside. Quite a few households with some silver preferred to buy such children to train as companion maids, or bought them as child brides or concubines.
Old Woman Li had kidnapped quite a few children over the years. Having seen much, she took a liking to Ah Jin at first glance.
She couldn’t wait to abduct her right away!
Old Woman Li said, “Little Jin, I know you don’t lack food, but the cakes I made today are different. They have sugar filling. I thought you were well-behaved, so I’m happy to let you taste them. Others don’t get any.”
No child could refuse sweets. She didn’t believe this child wouldn’t want to eat it.
However, Ah Jin shook her head and said, “Thank you, granny, but I’m not hungry.”
Old Woman Li’s breath caught. She quickly said, “This sugar cake isn’t for filling your stomach. Eating one piece won’t hurt anything.”
As she spoke, she pulled out an egg-sized cake from the bamboo basket and forcibly stuffed it into Ah Jin’s hand.
With the cake stuffed into her hand, Ah Jin’s grip on the rope loosened and it fell with a “thud.”
Little Huang, crouching at her feet, saw this and anxiously whimpered a few times, rubbing against her leg uneasily.
Ah Jin smiled and reached out to pat its head, calling out, “Good Little Huang. I know I can’t eat things from strangers. I won’t eat it.”
After speaking, she wanted to return the cake in her hand to Old Woman Li.
Seeing this, Old Woman Li’s face immediately darkened. She said through gritted teeth to Ah Jin, “My little dear, why are you so disobedient? I told you to eat but you won’t. You’re really making me angry.”
After speaking, she tried to force Ah Jin to eat the sugar cake.
She changed too suddenly, frightening Ah Jin.
Ah Jin froze for two seconds, then looked at Little Huang who had bristled up. She immediately realized this old woman was a bad person!
She immediately lifted her two little legs and tried to run toward home.
Old Woman Li had waited so long, how could she let Ah Jin run away? Just then, she quickly pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth.
They were too close. Though Old Woman Li was old, her movements were agile. She grabbed Ah Jin’s arm in one motion, preventing her escape, while her other hand holding the handkerchief was about to cover her face.
Suddenly, a yellow figure lunged over.
It was Little Huang!
Old Woman Li: “!”
She’d already been wary of this dog. She lifted her leg and kicked toward Little Huang’s belly.
Ah Jin nervously shouted, “Little Huang, run!”
After shouting, she turned her head and bit down hard on the hand gripping her arm.
“Ahhh—”
Old Woman Li released her grip in pain.
At this moment, Little Huang also reacted, lunging at her pant leg and biting down without letting go.
Old Woman Li didn’t have time to check her bitten arm. She kicked Little Huang away, then still wanted to grab Ah Jin. This time Ah Jin was prepared and nimbly dodged when she reached over.
This person must be the bad person her master spoke of!
Ah Jin’s chest thumped nervously. These days, Xu Yi had been teaching her boxing, and Ah Xu had also practiced sparring with her.
But she’d never fought for real, and she was facing someone much taller and older than herself.
Even though this person was an old woman in her sixties or seventies, she still looked very frightening. But Ah Jin still stared wide-eyed at Old Woman Li, not wanting to let her escape.
No matter how slow she was, she realized now that this person was the child kidnapper her master had spoken of.
When her master spoke of kidnappers, his face showed disgust and anger. She couldn’t let this old woman get away.
Ah Jin clenched her fists and shouted loudly at Little Huang, “Little Huang, bite her! Don’t let her run away!”
Old Woman Li was shocked. She hadn’t expected this child to have such spirit, daring to turn around and catch her. Seeing the little yellow dog lunging at her with bared teeth, she immediately swung her basket to drive it away.
She didn’t dare stay on South Street any longer, afraid the commotion would get too big and attract nearby neighbors. Then it would be hard to escape.
Old Woman Li cursed loudly, “Damned little wretch! I kindly wanted to give you cakes, but you set your dog on me. What a vicious heart!”
Ah Jin saw her turning things around and angrily retorted, “You weren’t being kind! You tried to cover my mouth with a handkerchief and wouldn’t let me go. You’re the kidnapper Master talked about.”
“Bah bah bah, such ugly words! Who’s a kidnapper! This old woman’s good intentions have all been ruined by you, you worthless thing!” After cursing, Old Woman Li saw someone coming and wanted to run. “I’m not going to argue with you. If your dog bites me, wouldn’t that be a great loss?”
After speaking, she took off running.
Ah Jin wouldn’t let her escape, but for a moment couldn’t find words to keep her there.
She stamped her feet anxiously and reached out to grab the person.
Old Woman Li raised her arm to hit her. Ah Jin’s body reflexively raised her hand to block, and after blocking, she threw a punch.
By coincidence, it hit right in her abdomen.
Old Woman Li clutched her stomach in pain. “Aiyou!!!”
Ah Jin froze: …
She’d hurt someone.
…
Soon, someone from the neighborhood came out to see what was happening. Seeing it was Ah Jin with an unfamiliar old woman, the person came over to ask what had occurred.
Old Woman Li saw someone coming and, clutching her aching stomach, tried to run. But before she’d taken two steps, a yellow dog started barking at her madly.
The neighbor sensed something wrong and immediately shouted loudly several times, then blocked her from leaving.
“You old woman, where are you from? Why did you come to our South Street to bully a child? Are you some kind of kidnapper?”
After hearing this, Old Woman Li quickly shook her head in denial. “How am I any kidnapper? I just happened to walk here and saw that child, which reminded me of my poor granddaughter. I wanted to give her a sugar cake to eat. But she turned it around on me, saying I’m an old woman, and even hit me and set her dog on me. I couldn’t handle it and was afraid, so I wanted to leave.”
She spoke as if weeping, tears falling with a patter.
Hearing her words, the neighbor immediately felt the old woman had a point.
He somewhat reproachfully said to Ah Jin, “This old woman was just being kind. Ah Jin, how can you be so rude?”
Ah Jin’s eyes widened. She pressed her lips together and said, “It wasn’t like that…”
Old Woman Li, seeing hope, immediately clutched her stomach shouting “aiyou aiyou” about the pain, saying her stomach hurt terribly and she was afraid she wouldn’t make it.
The neighbor, hearing this, was alarmed and quickly wanted to take her to find Xu Yi.
“Doctor Xu has excellent medical skills. Let him take a look at you, make sure you haven’t injured your bones.”
Old Woman Li’s stomach pain had long subsided. She was only pretending now to escape. How would she dare actually see this Doctor Xu? She said she’d be fine lying down at home and didn’t need to see any doctor.
“No need, no need. You’re a kind young man. This old woman thanks you for your good intentions. It’s just that this child bit me…”
Old Woman Li spoke meaningfully. Since she couldn’t abduct anyone, she didn’t want the other party to have it easy either. She had to get something out of it.
“You have to compensate me some money, or else I’ll report to the authorities and say your child set a dog on this old woman!”
Speaking of this, seeing Ah Jin’s face turn pale in a flash, she became spirited again.
Who would believe what this child said? As long as she made it sound serious enough, she wasn’t afraid the child’s elders wouldn’t obediently compensate her with money.
The neighbor was also stunned, not expecting this old woman’s face to change so quickly.
Just as he didn’t know what to do, footsteps came toward them.
Suddenly, the dog crouching beside the little girl ran over.
It was Xu Yi.
Xu Yi felt uneasy when Ah Jin hadn’t returned after walking the dog for so long, so he came out to find her.
He happened upon the scene of Old Woman Li extorting money.
“Master.” Seeing him, Ah Jin instantly had a backbone. She left Old Woman Li behind and ran to Xu Yi.
Xu Yi saw she wasn’t injured, and his worried heart settled back into place. Then he asked her what had happened.
Ah Jin didn’t hide anything or add anything. She told Xu Yi everything that had just occurred without missing a word.
After finishing, she stared intently at Xu Yi with somewhat innocent eyes, saying, “Master, I felt this old woman was the kidnapper you spoke of, so I wanted to keep her here. But she cursed at me and was going to hit me, so I punched her once.”
Xu Yi patted her head and said softly that he understood.
Then he came before Old Woman Li and asked calmly, “Old woman, you say you live in Water Well Lane on South Street. I wonder which household?”
Old Woman Li froze. After recovering for a moment, she said, “What, is this young master planning to chase me all the way to my home?”
The neighbor beside them immediately explained, “Old woman, you misunderstood. This young master is the Doctor Xu I mentioned to you. Ah Jin is a servant in Doctor Xu’s household. If you want justice, you can speak directly with Doctor Xu.”
Old Woman Li: “…”
Xu Yi’s gaze looked at her blandly as he continued, “Ah Jin said you just tried to cover her mouth with a handkerchief. In story books, knockout drugs are made from datura flower or aconite ground into powder and applied to a handkerchief. If drugs are found on this handkerchief, old woman, what would you say?”
“You…” Old Woman Li was shocked by him. Her heart panicked for several beats, but having done evil deeds habitually, her courage wasn’t easily frightened. She quickly calmed down. “Young master, without proof or evidence, you want to slander this old woman like this? I’m not happy about it!”
After speaking, she put on a resigned expression. “Never mind, never mind. I won’t ask you to compensate me with silver. Just have that girl apologize to me, and I won’t press the matter further.”
Old Woman Li knew this man surnamed Xu wasn’t easy to deal with, so she planned to retreat in order to advance.
But…
How could Xu Yi possibly let her go?
Thinking that Ah Jin had nearly been kidnapped by such an evil person and sold off somewhere, coldness slowly rose in Xu Yi’s eyes.
His gaze swept around the surroundings. In the corner, he spotted that handkerchief.
He walked over indifferently, pulled out a clean handkerchief from his breast, and used it as a barrier to pick up that dirty handkerchief, holding it up before Old Woman Li.
Xu Yi said, “Old woman, since you’ve suffered such grievance, how can you just leave like this?”