“My lord, none of us three can write. This old woman can only scrawl her own name like a dog’s crawl. But we could dictate, and if you’d kindly arrange for someone to write a letter for us, I’ll sign my name at the end. My tone and speech habits, along with my handwritten name, will be instantly recognisable to that rebellious son of mine,” Wang Zhi’s mother, Madam Wang, volunteered earnestly.
“Please, my lord, arrange for someone to write a letter for me too. I’ll dictate to him. Back in the village, Wang Zhi was a notorious rogue—no one would act as a matchmaker for him. When I married him, he said his ancestors’ graves were smoking with fortune. He cherished me for years, and there are things I say that he’ll know are from me the moment he hears them. Also, though I can’t write, I can draw. Every time I reply to him, I draw an orchid. When he sees the orchid, he’ll know it’s my letter,” Wang Zhi’s wife, Lady Wang Zhang, added.
Both women deeply valued the chance to secure Wang Zhi’s pardon, fearing he might miss Zhu Ping’an’s kindness and sincerity, thus ruining everything.
For women in this feudal era, their highest aspirations were to gain honour through their sons or husbands. This was an opportunity they couldn’t refuse, one they might never get again, and they were determined to seize it.
“A brilliant idea. With personal letters from Madam and Lady Wang, Wang Zhi will surely see my kindness and sincerity,” Zhu Ping’an said, praising their suggestion.
“As long as it works, as long as it works,” Wang Zhi’s mother and wife said, unable to hold back their smiles.
“It’s getting late, so I won’t disturb you further. Have your dinner and rest early. We’ll set out for southern Zhejiang early tomorrow morning. Don’t worry, Madam—the reason I’m bringing you along isn’t to pressure Wang Zhi or to use you as a sacrifice. If the opportunity arises, I’ll arrange for you to meet him. But if the timing isn’t right, we’ll have to wait for another chance in the future.”
Zhu Ping’an rose to take his leave, urging them to rest early as they’d be travelling at dawn.
To ease their worries, Zhu Ping’an paused before leaving, calling for paper, ink, brush, and inkstone.
At the table, he swiftly wrote an edict of special pardon.
**Edict of Extrajudicial Residence**
In recognition of the special contributions of Wang Wang Shi, Wang Zhang Shi, and Wang Qiong toward the recruitment of Wang Zhi, and to uphold the principle of clear rewards and punishments, the three are granted the privilege of extrajudicial residence. During this period, they may not leave the city without permission and must report to the Zhejiang Governor’s Office on the 15th and last day of each month.
Signed, Zhu Ping’an, Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and Governor of Zhejiang.
He dated it, affixed his bright red Zhejiang Governor’s seal, and the edict was complete.
Zhu Ping’an read the edict aloud, handed it to Wang Zhi’s mother with both hands, and instructed her to keep it safe.
“Thank you, my lord, thank you!” Wang Zhi’s mother and wife, pulling little Wang Qiong along, knelt in gratitude, reassured by the edict.
“Please rise, Madam. After this trip to southern Zhejiang, regardless of Wang Zhi’s response, I will petition the Emperor to commend your contributions to his recruitment, requesting leniency and exemption from the death penalty,” Zhu Ping’an said, helping Wang Zhi’s mother up and making this promise.
“Thank you, my lord, thank you!” they repeated, overcome with gratitude.
“Very well, Madam, I’ll take my leave. Rest well after dinner. Goodbye, little Wang Qiong—see you tomorrow.”
Zhu Ping’an bid farewell to Wang Zhi’s mother and Wang Qiong, turning to leave.
“My lord, please wait,” Wang Zhi’s mother called out just as he reached the door.
“Does Madam have further instructions?” Zhu Ping’an turned and asked.
“My lord, I was thinking—besides our dictated letters, would adding a token make it even more convincing for Wang Zhi?” she asked.
“Adding a token would indeed be better to gain his trust,” Zhu Ping’an nodded.
“It’s like this, my lord. When we were imprisoned, we didn’t bring any tokens with us. But back at our ancestral home, behind the clan hall’s plaque, there’s a hidden metal figurine with the words ‘Wealth Can Reach the Heavens’ engraved on its back. If the messenger brings this figurine, Wang Zhi will have no doubts,” Wang Zhi’s mother said, holding little Wang Qiong close.
“What’s special about this metal figurine?” Zhu Ping’an asked.
“It’s a long story. Though it’s just a brass figurine, it’s very special to Wang Zhi—a secret between us mother and son. When he was thirteen or fourteen, Wang Zhi was a restless boy. He hated studying and writing, preferring to roam as a wandering hero or dabble in trade. His father forbade him from trading and forced him to study the Four Books and Five Classics to become a scholar.”
“But Wang Zhi wasn’t cut out for studying and often skipped school. This metal figurine came from one such escapade. He stole a tael of silver from home and traded it in the mountains for a basket of cured meat, which he sold in the county for a profit. A wealthy man bought his meat, praising its quality, and said he urgently needed more to sell to overseas merchants at a high price. He gave Wang Zhi a small figurine, claiming it was pure gold, telling him to keep the extra money and buy more high-quality meat from the mountains, promising to buy it at a 30% premium in ten days.”
“Wang Zhi was thrilled, accepting the figurine and promising to deliver better meat in ten days without disappointing the man. The man smiled, said, ‘A promising lad,’ and left with the meat.”
“The figurine had ‘Wealth Can Reach the Heavens’ engraved on its back, and Wang Zhi loved it—it became his motto. But to fund his trade, he reluctantly took it to a gold shop to exchange for silver.”
“At the shop, the clerk shook his head, saying it wasn’t gold—just bronze coated with brass, worth less than ten coppers, let alone a tael of silver. Wang Zhi didn’t believe him, thinking he was being cheated, and tried several other shops, only to accept the truth: it wasn’t gold, just bronze with a brass coating.”
“This hit Wang Zhi hard. Worse, his truancy had been reported to his father by his teacher. If his father found out he’d stolen a tael of silver to trade and got swindled, he’d be beaten to death.”
“Wang Zhi was scared and furious, crying at home for hours. When I learned the truth, I used my dowry hairpin to exchange for a tael of silver to cover his loss, saving him from his father’s wrath.”
“To avoid suspicion, we hid the figurine behind the clan hall’s plaque. Every time Wang Zhi went to pay respects at the ancestral hall, he’d hold the figurine, reminding himself to learn from the experience,” Wang Zhi’s mother recounted slowly.
