"Something big happened! Something big happened!"
Auntie Wang from next door came jogging back from the mouth of the alley, her ample waist swaying. Her voice arrived before she even entered the courtyard.
Several women squatting by their doors washing clothes and rinsing rice looked up.
"What happened?"
"A house on fire?"
"The authorities raising taxes again?"
"Neither!"
Auntie Wang braced both hands on her knees and took several panting breaths, her eyes shining with shock and delight. "It's Liu Laizi! Liu Laizi's dead!"
Lady Chen's hand jerked as she rinsed rice, and the coarse earthenware bowl fell to the ground with a clatter, breaking into three pieces.
She looked up, disbelief all over her face. "Who?"
"Liu Laizi! The Liu Laizi who collects the head tax!"
Spittle flew as Auntie Wang spoke. "He died last night. Zhao Quezi, the night-soil collector, only found him early this morning. He died in his own house, blood all over the floor and kang, his jaw smashed to pieces. You can't imagine how gruesome it was!"
"He fell to his death?"
"Exactly!" Auntie Wang slapped her thigh. "He committed so many sins that even Heaven couldn't stand watching anymore and took his life!"
The alley instantly boiled over.
"Heaven has eyes!"
A white-haired old woman pressed her palms together and bowed toward the sky, her eyes swimming with tears.
"Last winter, he broke two of my old man's ribs, leaving him bedridden for the whole winter. Heaven has avenged our family!"
"Serves him right!" another young wife said bitterly. "Last autumn harvest, he insisted my parents had underreported their acreage and fined them two taels of silver. My father was so furious he coughed up blood. That beast should have died long ago!"
"Just letting him fall to his death was far too easy on him!"
Someone still hadn't vented all their hatred. "What about those lackeys of his?"
"I heard the ones who drank with him last night all fled this morning, faster than rabbits, terrified the authorities would come knocking."
Auntie Wang gloated as she spoke. "They ought to think about it. They spent their days throwing their weight around under Liu Laizi. Now that he's fallen, who's going to protect them?"
"What did the yamen say, then?"
"What could they say? His brother, Constable Liu, did take some men over to look. They say his face turned livid, but it was a fatal fall. They can't just conjure up a murderer out of thin air, can they?"
Auntie Wang lowered her voice.
"Besides, people who hated Liu Laizi are everywhere in the surrounding villages. If they really investigated, half the town would probably have to make a trip to the yamen."
Everyone nodded in agreement, cursing to their hearts' content and wishing they could pour themselves a bowl of wine to celebrate.
Suddenly, someone said, "I don't think this looks like Heaven taking his life."
The alley fell silent for a moment.
"I saw Liu Laizi buying wine at the street corner last night. He was perfectly fine. How could one fall smash his jaw to pieces?"
"What do you know? That's what drinking does to you! You didn't see it-the blood covered the whole kang."
"Exactly! As the old saying goes, evil is repaid with evil, and good with good. Yet you still don't believe it!"
By the time Jiang Fa woke, the sun was already high.
He pushed open the door and stepped into the courtyard, squinting slightly against the piercing sunlight.
His mother was busy in the kitchen. The rhythmic sound of chopping meat drifted out, and the air carried the long-absent aroma of meat.
His father, Jiang Dashan, was propped against the head of the kang, slowly drinking a bowl of hot congee.
His face was still sallow, his eyes still sunken, and the bruises remained on his back, but his gaze held less of its usual oppressive lifelessness.
Last night had been his soundest sleep since the beating.
Jiang Fa walked over and sat on the edge of the kang.
"Father, rest after you eat. I'll go get you some medicine," Jiang Fa said, looking at Jiang Dashan's slightly improved complexion.
"No need. It's an old ailment. I'll tough it out."
"You can't keep toughing it out with your back."
Jiang Fa's voice was quiet, but his tone brooked no argument.
"You're not that old. Once you've recovered, there'll be plenty of things at home that need you to take charge."
Jiang Dashan fell silent.
He looked down at the congee in his bowl, then slowly nodded after a while.
"My son's made something of himself practicing martial arts. I'll listen to him." His voice trembled a little as he spoke.
Jiang Fa took a dozen or so taels of loose silver from inside his robe and set them on the table.
"Where... did this come from?"
Jiang Dashan's eyes widened at the silver before him.
"I took a job escorting a merchant caravan through the martial arts school. I earned it," Jiang Fa said casually.
"Have Mother buy you some nourishing foods. Keep the rest for household expenses, and pay off what we still owe Second Aunt while you're at it."
Jiang Dashan frowned. "There's no need for so much. A few days in bed will heal my injuries. You need silver more for your martial arts training away from home. Don't stint on yourself."
Jiang Fa said, "I still have some. If I tell you to keep it, keep it. Just make sure outsiders don't find out, or they'll come asking us for loans again."
"I know. At my age, do you think your father wouldn't understand even that?"
Jiang Fa glanced at the bowl still steaming on the table. "Since everything's all right at home, I'll head back to the martial arts school after dinner. Father, take good care of your injuries. I'll come see you again next time."
Jiang Dashan looked away from the silver.
"So soon?"
Jiang Fa nodded.
"Yes. Master only gave me two days off. I need to get back early. The road's hard to travel after dark."
Jiang Dashan looked at the trace of composure in his son's face that did not belong to someone his age.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end only nodded. "Be careful, then. Send word home when you have time. Once my injuries heal, I'll bring your mother and Xiao He to see you in town."
Jiang Fa nodded firmly. "I will."
Toward evening, Jiang Fa ate dinner, packed a few things, and prepared to head for the county town.
"Fa, take these two boiled eggs to eat on the road."
Lady Liu hurried out of the kitchen in a fluster and tucked the eggs into Jiang Fa's robe.
Looking at his parents standing in the doorway, Jiang Fa waved.
"Father, Mother, go back inside. I'm off."
Lady Liu's voice came from behind him. "Be careful on the road!" "Remember to send word when you arrive!" "Take care of yourself!"
He did not turn around, only raised an arm and waved without slowing his steps.
Dusk deepened, and his figure gradually blended into the dim light, growing farther and smaller until he finally disappeared at the end of the road.