In the tavern courtyard at night, the sky is still gloomy with the promise of rain yet to fall, and mist shrouds the heads of all present.
But the festive atmosphere of the banquet seems unaffected, and the damp mist is easily dispersed by the clamor and high spirits.
Jiu Niangzi: ...
Citizen I: Oh, Jiǔ Niángzǐ, you are welcoming us at the door this year.
Jiu Niangzi: Because Lǐzhèng said ... Oh, welcome, guys! You're all here.
Citizen I: What's going on? You seem absent-minded.
Citizen I: Here, Zhúyè flower seeds. I know this is the only flower you would use to make liquor.
Citizen I: And here are two festoons with auspicious deer patterns. Not a fancy kind, but I made the pattern myself. Put it on the wall if you want. It would look as lovely as the horse paper-cutouts you gave me last year.
Jiu Niangzi: Oh, dear, this is too much. I'll hang them up right away!
Jiu Niangzi: Thank you so much!
Citizen I: Don't worry! To be honest, I didn't see that you would be welcoming us at the door. I thought I could sneak in and empty the jars before you showed up.
Most had intended to spend the festival at home, but now they gather here at the generous invitation of Jiǔ Niángzǐ. The golden colors of the courtyard displayed for all to see, punctuated by the delicacies and fine liquor on offer.
Almost every corner is filled with people, who scattered about like sand in the desert, with status and age set aside and all notions of formality cast to the wind.
Jiu Niangzi: One, two, three, four ...
Lizheng: Jiǔ Niángzǐ.
Jiu Niangzi: Seven, eight, nine ... Huh, hmm?
Lizheng: Everyone is here.
Jiu Niangzi: I'm not sure about that. I haven't counted them up yet.
Lizheng: That might be Fǎcáo. His family is here, without him.
Jiu Niangzi: Is he still patrolling? This late? Is he still looking for the foreign ladies?
Lizheng: Perhaps. But it is not polite to keep other guests waiting.
Jiu Niangzi: I see ... Then, let's start the party first. I'll save him his liquor.
Lizheng: Alright, everyone!
Lizheng: The hostess has a toast to make. Please pay attention.
Jiu Niangzi: Thank you.
Jiǔ Niángzǐ stands up above the crowd, hoping that everyone can see her.
Although her mind begins blank, some heartfelt words bubble up, brought to the fore by the encouraging gazes below.
Jiu Niangzi: A-ahem! Everyone here knows that I can't read and can't say some sweet words like toasting ...
Citizen V: Just say whatever you want!
Citizen IV: Don't interrupt her, you imbecile!
Jiu Niangzi: Oh, alright? Well, haha, where was I ...
Lizheng: A toast.
Jiu Niangzi: Right. A toast! But I can't do it myself, so I copied a line from the book at the place where I work now. I like how it sounds!
Jiu Niangzi: "I bid thee all to drink and be merry, do not stay thy hand from thine cup."
Jiu Niangzi: Hope I didn't pronounce it wrong. It means ... people should drink, and drink more, so you shouldn't say no to it!
Citizen III: Is that so?
Jiu Niangzi: Well, whatever! Anyhow ...
Without waiting for everyone present to react, she looks up and drinks her bowl dry in a single gulp.
Her bowl is now slightly tilted, indicating that it has been emptied. Jiǔ Niángzǐ's gaze glides over each face, one by one, and finally she laughs with glee.
Jiu Niangzi: Bottoms up, and fill your cups. Cheers!
Soon, the cry of "cheers" begins to echo through the courtyard, one after another, rising wave by wave, until even the festoons on the eaves are shaking.
Crowd: Cheers!
Jiu Niangzi: You've always been nice and warm to me since I came here. I can't do anything in return but host this feast.
Jiu Niangzi: Hope you enjoy the liquor and the dinner. I wish you a Peaceful New Year's Eve. May all of your wishes come true in the coming Shuòrì.
Jiu Niangzi: Er, Lǐzhèng, do you have anything else to say?
Lizheng: A "Peaceful New Year's Eve" would be enough.
Citizen V: Peaceful New Year's Eve ...
Citizen II: Peaceful New Year's Eve!
Citizen III: Peaceful New Year's Eve.
Lǐzhèng sits among them, like a kindly old man from their neighborhood, rather than an imposing governor.
The crowd loosens up once again shortly after he finishes speaking, the sound of clinking cups and tapping chopsticks continuing to rise and fall.
Citizen IV: You did a good job with the toast, Jiǔ Niángzǐ. Looks like you've learned something from those love poems. You must have read them unconsciously after you stuck them on the wall ...
Citizen I: Oh, please, that custom is no longer popular in our neighborhood!
Citizen I: I'd rather transfer the poem onto a kerchief and make a purse out of it, just like Jiǔ Niángzǐ did. It draws so much attention on the street!
Jiu Niangzi: Actually, I still can't read what they write on the purse. But the characters seem beautiful!
Citizen V: What about the one you recited during the toast? You sounded really fluent. Who taught that to you?
Jiu Niangzi: Oh, haha, that's from the former Zhílǐ, the one who went back to her hometown. She taught me that.
Citizen III: Speaking of her, is she going to come back?
Jiu Niangzi: I didn't know any better ... But by now, she should be at home, having New Year's Eve dinner.
Citizen I: Did you hear from her? If she doesn't come back, you'll have to work as the official Zhílǐ. Who will take care of the tavern by then?
Citizen I: The tavern has never had a reliable owner before you. It would have still been run down if you hadn't taken over it.
Lizheng: Jiǔ Niángzǐ is kind and warm-hearted. Such a girl of integrity can perform well in both running a tavern and being a Zhílǐ.
Citizen I: You have a high regard for her, Lǐzhèng. Are you telling the truth or showing partiality?
Lizheng: The truth, of course. What she said in the Zhící a few hours ago is still vivid in my mind.
Lizheng: I once again realized that it's never too late to learn.
Jiu Niangzi: No, no, no, I'm not as good as you say.
Citizen I: What did she say?
Lizheng: Things like "One can remove the footsteps, but not the path one walketh on," "Act not against the nature of thy flesh, for through it all things were made." ... She made it sound easy.
The crowd erupts in a series of alarmed cries.
Citizen V: Really?
Lizheng: Absolutely. She is indeed illiterate, but she keeps learning and interprets the classic sayings in her own way.
Lizheng: Even if there were other scholars, they would be convinced by her powerful speech. Sadly, the one she confronted was not a human but a Yāo.
Citizen I: Confronted a Yāo in the Zhící ... Was that the feather man?
Lizheng: She thought the feather man was Xiángruì and asked him some questions.
Citizen V: You actually asked him questions?! He could have turned you into another striped horse!
Jiu Niangzi: Um, I didn't think of that back then ... This is the first time I've ever been so close to a Yāo. He looks so similar to the ones in the books! So I ...
Facao: Jiǔ Niángzǐ ...
Facao: Jiǔ Niángzǐ, where are you?
The rapid sound of footsteps approaches, and their leader's figure steps into the tavern in several broad and forceful steps.
The abrupt sound severs the excitement in the courtyard.
Jiu Niangzi: Wh-what happened?
Citizen I: What is ...?
Facao: Where is Jiǔ Niángzǐ?
Jiu Niangzi: Here, I'm here! What's happening?
Facao: Turns out those foreign ladies have been in league with Gětiān the whole time. They helped him break out of jail and hid themselves in the wild with their arcane skills.
Facao: I'm sure it will rain again soon and it will be dangerous to stay in the wild. By then, they will come to you.
Facao: Because you are the feather man's target.
In the courtyard, the crowd's gaze follows Fǎcáo closely, while Fǎcáo's own eyes are fixed on Jiǔ Niángzǐ. They realize now that some word of resistance is on her tongue.
Lizheng: What ... Jiǔ Niángzǐ, you ...
Lizheng: You must leave here. You can't stay in the tavern.
Jiu Niangzi: But it's-it's my tavern! Why am I leaving my own place?
Facao: You are in danger. Since Gětiān was able to break out of jail, he'll for sure be able to break into the Zhící. For your safety, I will have my soldiers escort you to the government office.
Facao: That's the only safe place now.
Jiu Niangzi: No, I'm not leaving. He is neither a Xiángruì nor a strong Yāo ...
Jiu Niangzi: Why are we afraid of him?
The sound of wings cutting through the air overlaps the end of Jiǔ Niángzǐ's question.
The new arrival spreads his wings, like a dark cloud blanketing the courtyard's colorful decorations and dazzling lights.
Citizen III: Watch out!
Citizen I: Waaah!
Getian: She's right.
Getian: You need not fear me. This lady owner of the tavern is the bigger concern here.
Facao: Formation One!
The well-trained guards surround the tavern, and the sound of running, trampling feet echoes through the courtyard.
Facao: I knew you would come for her.
Facao: Where are your accomplices? Are you the vanguard of the team?
Getian: Jiǔ Niángzǐ, it's not too late for you to stop.
Getian: No more turning people into a Lùshǔ. Too many people have gone missing because of you.
This information, unknown present, hits like a stone cast into water.
Questions and whispers begin to circulate through the crowd like ripples in a pond.
Citizen V: Turn people into a Lùshǔ? But the wanted poster says those are striped horses.
Citizen IV: What is he talking about?
Jiǔ Niángzǐ looks up into the air and stares straight at the looming figure of Gětiān above her.
Jiu Niangzi: What are you talking about?
Jiu Niangzi: You know nothing about Lùshǔs. Besides, what do I have to do with the missing people?
Citizen I: He's talking nonsense, right, Jiǔ Niángzǐ?
Facao: Save the talk.
Facao: Catch him first.
