Autumn in Lian Region.

    The weather was relentlessly rainy, and when it wasn't raining, thick clouds covered the sky. The roads turned into muddy dragon trails, disappearing into the curtain of rain, making the city of Han San appear gloomy. Due to nearly annual wars, the unity of the land was broken, and the capital suffered from food shortages. The royal command prohibited the sale of alcohol, and shops were silent, even tofu pudding shops remained closed. Only a few taverns hung dimly lit lanterns, casting a melancholic glow.

    Ma Jiang district, a small district far from the capital, served as a hub for transporting food and salt. Cargo ships often stopped here, and over time, it became a community. The surrounding area was cultivated for rice or used for farming. Now, trade was slow as people were drafted for war, leaving the remaining villagers to struggle in old, torn clothes, hardships in every patch of grass.

    Then, a troubling incident occurred in this small district. The rice fields, which the villagers had worked together to cultivate, were destroyed by an unknown perpetrator, exacerbating the famine. This case became a continuous headache, with farmers lodging daily complaints without end until a scholar of Xiucai[1] accused Old Man Su, who lived at the edge of the fields, of being the perpetrator.

    This case is truly disheartening. Old Man Su, who lost one arm due to war injuries and has no family or friends, has come to live out his final days in Ma Jiang district. He built a small shelter offering little protection, forcing him to sit in the rain shivering or to seek temporary refuge in a shrine. Wu Shihuang, the magistrate of this area, knew that Old Man Su was a dignified person, never begging or wanting to burden anyone. With his remaining arm, he did odd jobs such as carrying water or cleaning latrines, whatever work he could get. He was an honest man, not much of a talker, so it was a mystery how he could have displeased the well-dressed scholar Xiucai.

    "Court is now in session," Wu Shihuang announced from behind the judge's desk in the district office, instructing his officers. “Bring in the parties involved in the rice paddy destruction case.”

    The officials responded in turn, resonating loudly, and the atmosphere inside the courtroom instantly became serious. Jiu Jinfang, the scholar of Xiucai, entered elegantly, fanning himself with an expensive-looking fan, while the other, Old Man Su with his disabled arm, limped in hunched over, dressed in a prisoner’s garb, and knelt before the court. They announced their names to Wu Shihuang, with Jiu Jinfang standing arms crossed, arrogant.

    "Kneel!" commanded Wu Shihuang, banging his gavel loudly. No matter how much of a local rich man’s son Jiu Jinfang was, he had to kneel.

    The case was straightforward because Jiu Jinfang accused Old Man Su as the culprit. The evidence was the mud on his remaining hand when he was arrested, with several villagers as witnesses pointing directly at him. Magistrate Wu Shihuang knew Old Man Su's character well, that he was not reckless, and was worried but unsure how to help.

    "This case is not complicated at all. Several villagers, including Xiucai Jin Fang, witnessed you doing something suspicious at the rice paddy. Did you destroy the paddy?"

    Old Man Su, trembling, stuttered in his reply, trying to use his rough, wooden-like hand to bow. "Your Honor, I had no such intentions at all."

    "What were you doing there during the heavy rain? Xiucai Jin Fang claims that you deliberately destroyed the paddy so that the owners would hire you to repair it. Is that true?"

    "No, sir, it's not true. I am indeed poor, but I've never wronged the heavens. I'm old and when hungry, I'd go down to the paddy to catch fish to eat. Despite being poor and friendless, if someone hires me to carry water or clean toilets, I can just get by. I've been a farmer all my life, I know it's hard work, why would I destroy the paddy that the villagers have worked so hard on?"

    The young scholar listened for a while then scoffed at him.

    "Catching fish? What fish are there in the rice paddy for you to eat? I and other villagers clearly saw you, an old man with one arm, sticking your hand into the paddy. You know what you did. Don’t make excuses, old man. At this time, when the country is in crisis, every grain of rice is as precious as gold. His Majesty has ordered each district to collect rice tax to prepare for war. Ma Jiang is one of the most fertile rice-growing areas. Everyone in Ma Jiang district works together to feed the entire army, but you intentionally destroyed the rice paddy. This time, I, a dedicated scholar serving the land, will take the lead in holding you accountable!"

    Jin Fang spoke grandiosely, his words lacking substance. As he spoke, he twisted his mouth left and right, his face full of arrogant satisfaction. As a Xiucai, his words carried much more weight than those of an old toilet cleaner like Su. Old Man Su, with tears in his eyes, bowed to scholar of Xiucai and Wu Shihuang, pleading his innocence. Wu Shihuang felt pity but had to judge based on the evidence.

    "I am at a loss. Are you willing to be fined or beaten?"

    The courtroom fell silent as Old Man Su bowed his head and cried, while Jiu Jin Fang secretly smiled, pleased with himself for capturing the criminal and boosting his own reputation. He had long wanted to get rid of Old Man Su, and now he seized the opportunity and wouldn’t let go. Old Man Su felt deeply wronged but had no way to fight back.

    "I... I have no money and am willing to be punished by flogging."

    "Alright, I will sentence you to twenty lashes... Officer,"

    Wu Shihuang sighed as he picked up the order plaque, but before he could throw it, Jiu Jin Fang quickly interjected with a tone of benevolence. "Your Honor, Old Man Su is too elderly to withstand flogging. I propose that he kowtow in apology instead. I, Jiu Jinfang, a Xiucai scholar of Ma Jiang, will represent the community and accept his apology. Then, we can put this matter to rest."

    Wu Shihuang shook his head. "How can you humiliate him in such a way?"

    "Let him choose. I am not forcing him. About a hundred villagers have filed the complaint. So, he can kowtow a hundred times," Jiu Jinfang fanned himself, waving it slowly. "What do you say, old man?"

    "I... I am old and cannot withstand flogging, and there is no one to care for me... I accept."

    "Your Honor, the accused has consented."

    "Ah, bring a chair for the Xiucai to receive the respect," Wu Shihuang reluctantly agreed. Legally, substituting a fine with kowtows was permissible, but Old Man Su, nearly seventy and a disabled veteran, should not be harassed by the younger generation in his twilight years. When the officers brought a chair for the young scholar, he sat down comfortably, swinging his feet leisurely.

    Old Man Su knelt at the scholar's feet, his body shaking. Just as the old man was about to bow his head, a young girl in a dirt-stained light pink dress rushed in. Although sweat beaded like mung beans on her forehead and she was panting heavily, her eyes and smile shone like a small sun. She knelt and bowed before the court.

    "Your Honor, my name is Wu Sanniang. I have brought the real culprit here. I have been chasing them since morning and am very tired."

    Wu Sanniang announced clearly. Her small stature and playful smile might look ordinary at first glance, but Wu Sanniang had a certain charm that made people take notice and admire her beauty. Her eyes and lush black hair, along with her youthful figure, could take one's breath away when the sunlight caressed her fair skin, reminiscent of a blooming lotus in spring.

    At sixteen, she had no suitors yet, possibly due to the negative rumors swirling around or perhaps because last year she had kicked a young man into the water, leading matchmakers to blacklist her.

    "Please consider this, Your Honor. The real culprit is here," Wu Sanniang wiped her muddy cheeks against her shoulder, her hair disheveled, her blouse sleeves rolled up to her slender arms. She brought a large basket filled with dirt and the children who had helped her catch them stood at the courtroom door, not daring to enter.

    "Where? Who is the so-called culprit?"

    When the young girl announced she had caught the culprit behind the damaged rice paddy, the court officials, Wu Shihuang, and Jin Fang all craned their necks to see. Wu Sanniang wiped her hands on her skirt and then lifted an eel from the basket, while the children who had helped catch the eels danced around outside the courtroom.

    "The culprit is here, Your Honor."

    "What are you doing? This isn't a place for you to cause trouble," Wu Shihuang frowned, gripping his gavel tightly. "Officer! Throw her out."

    "Wait a moment, father, I mean, Your Honor, I am not lying or causing trouble in the court. These eels actually caused the paddy to collapse. I went to Old Man Su's shelter behind the rice field, saw a fishing rod there, and upon closer inspection, noticed eels emerging from holes in the paddy," Wu Sanniang backed away, posing as if ready to battle a dragon.

    "Your Honor, I leaped into the rice paddy and observed closely. These eels were burrowing in and out along the paddy. Indeed, it was they who dug holes and caused the damage! I tried to capture the eels. They were slippery and long, and hard to catch. Finally, one got caught on a hook that Old Man Su had set by the hole entrance. Heaven! Old Man Su is truly skilled at getting rid of eels. He deserves a reward for this."

    "Getting rid of eels? How did he do it?"

    "Your Honor... by eating them," Wu Sanniang clapped her hands three times, and an officer brought in a plate of steaming, fragrant food and then retreated. "I cooked this dish myself. Old Man Su had sliced the eel into pieces and dried them behind his shack. So, I tried cooking the eels myself. The meat is soft and deliciously sweet, everyone who tastes it loves it. Please, Your Honor, feel free to try it."

    "Eels swimming around in the paddy are edible?"

    "Yes, indeed. Old Man Su is still strong in his old age because he eats these eels."

    Wu Sanniang continued to boast. Back then, no one knew eels were edible, so nobody dared to try them. But the scent of the eels stir-fried with ginger and Chinese liquor was so enticing that the court officials swallowed their saliva loudly. Old Man Su, impoverished and with nothing else to eat, caught the eels he saw swimming around, grilled some, battered and fried others, and stir-fried them with ginger and green onions. Even Jiu Jin Fang found the golden, glossy, crispy yet tender eel meat irresistible and had to hold back his desire to eat. Once everyone in the court tasted the eel, they all agreed it was exceptionally delicious and planned to go eel fishing together.

    Wu Shihuang picked up his chopsticks and tried a piece of the ginger stir-fried eel, chewed, and nodded continuously. "I didn't expect it to taste this good. The meat is sweet with no fishy smell at all. Old Man Su... why didn't you share such a good thing?"

    "I did mention it, but no one believed that eels were edible."

    "With food shortages nowadays, these eels in the paddy are what will fill everyone's stomachs. They're delicious to eat, and if everyone starts eating eel, it will help the farmers too, right, Your Honor?" Wu Sanniang winked at her father. Her manners still needed much improvement, which reminded her father of his late wife and made him repeatedly apologize for raising his daughter to be such a tomboy.

    "Old Man Su, you are not at fault. Please stand up."

    "Thank you, thank you so much."

    Jiu Jinfang cleared his throat noisily, bowed, and then prepared to leave, prompting Wu Sanniang to call out with a loud voice that reached the courtroom entrance, "Where are you going, esteemed Xiucai? You can't leave just yet."

    "What guidance do you have, Miss Wu?"

    "You falsely accused a good man, causing Old Man Su to suffer in jail for three days. How will you, a Xiucai of Ma Jiang District, compensate for this debt?"

    Court officials and villagers who had gathered to watch the trial looked at each other and began to chuckle. Jiu Jinfang looked around in surprise, and as realization dawned, his face turned dark red with anger. The young madcap was suggesting he kowtow to apologize to a common latrine cleaner!

    "All of a sudden, a respected Xiucai like you pressures an old, defenseless man like this... why ever would you do such a thing?" Wu Sanniang tapped her temple thoughtfully before pounding her fist into her palm as if putting on a dramatic act. "Ah, at the beginning of the month, Old Man Su went to fetch water and clean latrines at your house. Or perhaps, Old Man Su saw something unseemly at your esteemed Xiucai's home, hmm?"

    "You! You speak nonsense!"

    Jiu Jinfang, furious almost to the point of explosion, stood still, his face as red as liver. Known among the locals for having an affair with his own stepmother, Jiu Jinfang found himself in a delicate position, unable to act rashly. The incident of accusing Old Man Su of a crime and intentionally disgracing him to undermine his credibility had whipped up quite the scandal among the villagers already sensitive to gossip.

    "He's not young anymore, and yet as a Xiucai, he bullies an old man who can't defend himself."

    "Exactly, think about it. Old Master Jiu died at the end of last year, and suddenly the young Furen gave birth the following year, more than ten months later... Eh, could it be..."

    The young scholar lives in a bubble, seeing only a sliver of the sky, yet thinks he knows everything. Just hearing whispers can knock him off balance.

    "Jiu Jinfang, kneel down and apologize to Old Man Su, and then we can consider this matter settled," Wu Shi Huang said curtly. Jiu Jin Fang, a son of a wealthy man, had spent three thousand taels to bribe the examiners to earn his Xiucai's cap. He was highly respected in Ma Jiang, but kneeling to a latrine cleaner—where would he put his face?

    "Invite Old Man Su to sit and receive the respects from the Xiucai."

    "Damn it! I am the first Xiucai of Ma Jiang, even one of my shoes is worth more than your monthly salary. This ungrateful wretch! Didn't my father lend him money to treat your wife? Don't you remember?"

    "Ridiculous!" Wu Shi Huang slammed his gavel resoundingly and threw down the placard. "You're just a Xiucai, but act like a petty tyrant in court, raging and insulting freely, disrespecting the nobility. Officers! Remove his cap, strip him of his Xiucai's position, and give him twenty lashes."

    "Try it if you dare! I'm related to the Grand Minister Guang. If you're not afraid of losing your head, come at me."

    "Hah! Even if you were royalty, I'd still strike you. Officers!!"

    "At your command!" The officers, who had witnessed Jiu Jinfang's arrogance from youth, rushed in to restrain him. They removed his Xiucai's cap and pinned him down, administering a harsh beating that broke his legs before dragging him to apologize to Old Man Su by knocking his head on the ground. Thus, the case was considered closed.

    Old Man Su bowed his thanks to the magistrate, sobbing with relief that Wu Sanniang had protected his dignity.

    Wu Sanniang laughed heartily, leading the children by the hands. Everyone was glad they had managed to help Old Man Su in time. The young girl was ready to lead the children to catch eels in the paddy again, but they had barely stepped out of the courthouse when Wu Shihuang's voice thundered, shaking the courthouse,

    "You dare to run off and play again! All you do is fish and catch crickets all day, turning more and more into a spirit."

    Wu Sanniang wasn't fazed, bowing with a placating smile, "Father, don't scold yet. I got muddy today because I was helping people, saving lives is more meritorious than building seven pagodas."

    "Don't try to sweet-talk me. Tell me, you secretly added cottonseed oil to Grandma Jia Chun's chicken feed as an act of merit, didn't you?"

    Ah... Wu Sanniang's smile faltered. Grandma Jia Chun liked to let her geese chase the children, so Wu Sanniang retaliated by adding cottonseed oil to her chicken feed. The oil causes sterility, and the chickens stop laying eggs. She hadn't expected her father to find out.

    "Father... I know I am unruly, but overly clear water harbors no fish[1]. Ever since I was young, I've had to wake up at Rabbit Hour[2], sweep, mop, and do the housework, carry clothes to the river to wash, prepare food, light incense for my mother and chant prayers. After that, I study the scriptures, practice writing characters, and recite a poem a day. During the Dragon Hour[3], I weave, sew, and embroider. In the Goat Hour[4], I practice manners at Master Chen's house and then hurry back home…”

    "Don't change the subject! Every daughter is responsible for household chores! Did you see the complaint letters on my desk?" Wu Shihuang banged the table and scolded fiercely.

    "I... I just wanted to say that I wish I could go out and play sometimes."

    "And don't you already go out and play every day?!! More than half of these documents are complaints about your behavior! Oh... and didn't you sneak into the Zhuang family's garden yesterday to steal plums? I am the magistrate responsible for upholding the law. If you break the law and violate others without thinking, then argue that you are not at fault, who will respect the law then?"

    She was scolded by her father until she was utterly disheartened.

    "Father... I was wrong..."

    "Go, bring a new hen to Grandma Jia Chun as compensation, and kneel before your mother's memorial tablet until I say you can get up. And the rest of you, if you don't hurry home now and dare show your face again, I will have you thrown in jail. Go!"

    After being scolded so harshly, the children who were with Wu Sanniang scattered in fear, while the court officials remained indifferent as they were used to the magistrate scolding his daughter daily. No matter how mischievous Wu Sanniang was, when her father became angry enough to grab the cane, it could correct her behavior for a few days. When Wu Sanniang saw her father place the cane on the table, she dropped her head and walked back inside her residence reluctantly, yet still pleaded,

    "Father please... may I eat first?"

    A cane flew towards her before she could finish speaking, causing Wu Sanniang to flee quickly. She thought, if not eating then no need to be angry.

[2] Too strict regulations make life difficult and suffocating for people.

[3] Mao Shi, or Rabbit Hour, refers to the time between 05:00-07:00 AM.

[4] Chen Shi, or Dragon Hour, refers to the time between 07:00-09:00 AM.

[5] Wei Shi, or Goat Hour, refers to the time between 01:00-03:00 PM.

[6] The attendees at the exam aim to become noblemen. If they pass the district level examination, they are called ‘Xiucai’ and become eligible to take the provincial level examination next.