Chapter Eleven: A Contest of Acting

“Poor child,” the old grandmother gently clasped her small hand and patted it reassuringly, her voice full of pity. “Your father is not home; no matter how many grievances you bear, no one is there to stand up for you. Your stepmother is so cruel—sending you alone on such a long journey from Kaifeng to Daming. How can you return empty-handed and expect things to go well?”

Her eyes softened with kindness, yet sorrow clouded her face. “I may be old and unlearned, but I have traveled many roads and met many people. Such cruel stepmothers always find excuses to sell off the little girls in the household…”

Pan Yun trembled in her grasp, her expression filled with terror. The old woman tightened her hold and spoke tenderly, “Good child, why not wait a while longer before going back? When your father returns, you can go home then. No matter how angry your stepmother is, she won’t dare mistreat you when your father is around.”

Pan Yun’s eyes brightened with hope, but after a moment of hesitation, she shook her head, troubled. “But this time, my uncle who lent the money is very angry. He definitely won’t take me in. I… I don’t know where to go…”

The old grandmother knew well that her uncle wouldn’t accept her. Any relative with a shred of conscience wouldn’t just send a child out alone like that. This was deliberately sending her into harm’s way. Now that the girl had come to her doorstep, if she refused to take her in, wouldn’t that be against heaven’s will?

So she gently patted Pan Yun’s hand again. “Good child, if you don’t mind, come with me. Stay at my home for a few days. When I hear your father has returned, you can go back home then.”

Pan Yun’s eyes flickered with light, about to nod, but something held her back and she shook her head again. “No, I can’t. My stepmother has a cousin who works as a minor official at the Kaifeng dock. He was the one who put me on the boat. If I return to Kaifeng but don’t go home, I’m afraid I’ll never be able to face anyone again. Our family moved from the capital to Kaifeng. My stepmother knows many people there, but I don’t know a single one…”

The old grandmother’s last doubts melted away. She was about to ask why the girl spoke the capital’s dialect despite claiming to be from Kaifeng, but in her heart, she pieced together the girl’s background: her mother had died, her father moved the family for business, remarried locally in Kaifeng, and left the daughter with the new wife—who could not tolerate the father’s firstborn.

The grandmother smiled brightly and softly patted Pan Yun’s hand. “Good child, don’t worry. We won’t go all the way to Zhuxian Town; we’ll stop at Jiaozhang Port nearby.”

Pan Yun looked puzzled. “Where is that?”

The grandmother explained, “It’s a ferry crossing in Zhangde Prefecture, not far from Anyang. My home is in Anyang. You can stay with me for a while. When your father returns, my son will escort you back. It’s very convenient.”

Pan Yun asked, “Can the boat stop at Jiaozhang Port midway?”

“Of course. Not only can it stop, but passengers can also board there. I’ll speak to the boatmen soon. Just follow me,” the grandmother assured her.

Pan Yun nodded trustingly, her eyes shining with gratitude. Such a kind person.

The old grandmother’s eyes glowed warmly as well. Such a good girl.

After a long journey, the boat began to draw near a tiny dock made of wood. Five or six people stood on the shore, waving to the boat.

As the boat approached, a boatman threw a rope upward, quickly securing the vessel. A plank was lowered, and those on shore immediately loaded goods onto the boat. Some boarded to continue the journey, others just left their goods and departed.

Seeing Pan Yun watching intently, the grandmother explained, “Everyone has to earn a living. Boatmen’s wages are low, so they supplement their income this way. It’s also convenient for poor people like us.”

Pan Yun smiled silently; while others were poor, the old grandmother beside her was not.

---

Her gaze swept over a tall man across from her, a faint smile curling her lips as she gently stroked the black cat in her lap.

The cat shivered in her hands but settled calmly, its glassy eyes full of sympathy scanning the old grandmother.

The grandmother glanced at the cat but paid it no mind. Though it was odd to bring a cat along, the girl was young, and the cat seemed very familiar to her. It wasn’t surprising given the girl’s background.

Likely, she feared her stepmother would abuse her pet if left behind, so she brought it along.

Along the way, the boatmen stopped whenever someone waved. Most stops were official ferry points; some had no docks at all, only small rowboats ferrying goods and passengers to the big boat.

Pan Yun had figured out that those who did not buy official tickets or pay at the starting dock had to pay fees that went to the boatmen and possibly to officials.

This boat belonged to the Daming prefecture office, meant for merchants and travelers. It only stopped at four official ports, collecting fees only up to those points.

Jiaozhang Port was not one of those four.

It wasn’t until noon the next day that the boat reached Jiaozhang Port.

The grandmother had spoken to the boatmen in advance, and as the boat turned into the port, she tightly grasped Pan Yun’s hand and led her ashore. Behind them followed a burly man in his thirties.

Pan Yun looked confused as she was pulled off the boat. After walking a short distance, she noticed the man behind them, his eyes gleaming with a ferocious light. She timidly hid behind the grandmother and asked, “Who is this?”

The grandmother smiled soothingly. “This is my son. Don’t be fooled by his fierce looks; he’s actually a good man.”

The burly man forced a smile, which only made him look more intimidating.

Pan Yun seemed unfazed and relaxed, obediently greeting, “Hello, uncle.”

“Alright, alright, let’s hurry,” the grandmother said. “It’s still a long way to Anyang. We need to move quickly or we won’t make it to the inn by nightfall.”

Outside Jiaozhang Port was a small town. The two led Pan Yun beyond the town, and as they left the houses behind, people became sparse. The main road soon turned into narrow country paths, flanked only by trees and wild grass.

Noticing Pan Yun’s nervous glances, the grandmother estimated the remaining distance and decided to soothe her while walking. “Taking the small path is shorter. We’ll reach the inn outside Anyang before sunset.”

Pan Yun nodded quietly but, seeing the dense forest and no one around, leaned close and whispered, “Grandmother, I… need to relieve myself.”

The grandmother smiled gently, “Good child, no need to be so shy. I’ll go with you.”

She threw her bundle to the burly man waiting by the roadside, then took Pan Yun into the woods.

Pan Yun placed the cat on her shoulder, cheeks flushed as she looked at the grandmother.

The grandmother understood; girls were shy, so she respectfully turned her back.

Pan Yun was too obedient, too well-behaved. She did as she was told without suspicion, and given her youthful appearance, the grandmother let down her guard. Had it been someone else, she wouldn’t have risked turning her back.

---

The moment the grandmother turned, Pan Yun’s smile vanished. In her hand appeared an embroidered spring knife, still sheathed. She gripped it with both hands and struck hard at the back of the grandmother’s head…

The grandmother barely had time to turn around and steady herself. Her mind went blank. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the side.

Pan Yun caught her gently and laid her down carefully. Still uneasy, she turned the grandmother over and struck her neck several times with her hand. Even the black cat winced at the cruelty.

Seeing such ruthlessness, the black cat settled obediently on her shoulder, unmoving.

Cradling the knife, Pan Yun silently slipped away, approaching the burly man, who stood with his back to them. She raised the knife sheath and struck down hard.

This time, she showed no mercy, striking three times with loud thuds. The man didn’t even blink before he collapsed with a heavy thud.

Pan Yun kicked him, seeing no reaction. She then struck his neck and head several more times with the sheath until he was thoroughly unconscious. Only then did she sheath the blade and begin to search him.

One bore a kind but sly expression, with fox-like eyes and a horizontal wrinkle across his nose—clearly cunning and scheming, his gaze fixed on her. She wasn’t about to trust him.

The other had triangular eyes and a black mark between his brows. Even without skill in physiognomy, it was obvious he was no good—his aura was thick with bloodshed, and his hands likely stained with innocent lives.

She emptied their pockets but found little more than a few strings of copper coins and some silver scraps.

Displeased with their tattered clothes, she dragged them to a secluded spot and stripped them down, leaving only their undergarments.

With the dagger taken from the man, she sliced his arm to draw blood, then used his finger to dip in the blood and write five large characters on the grandmother’s undergarment: “I am a human trafficker.”

When the blood began to dry, she cut his arm again, dipped his finger in the fresh blood, and wrote four more characters on his undergarment: “I have killed.”

Satisfied with her handiwork, Pan Yun nodded approvingly.

Fortunately, there were two of them. Had it been only one, she would have had to use her own finger, which would have been too much of a contamination.

She tied the two men to a tree with tight knots, then gathered their remaining belongings and left without looking back.

Once on the main road, Pan Yun carefully checked the sun and time to determine directions, then chose a path leading north.

As night fell, she gathered some firewood. Using her spiritual energy, she traced a fire talisman in the air, igniting the wood.

With fire, she had warmth and a sense of safety.

Exhaling deeply, she broke off large leafy branches to lay on the ground, then sat cross-legged to meditate and cultivate.

The black cat moved closer, lying obediently beside her legs, half-tilting its head toward the moon. It absorbed the moonlight while subtly drawing in the spiritual energy she attracted.

Since it had fled its original form from her dantian, the carefree days of freely drawing spiritual power were gone. Now, it could only sneak small amounts.

It missed its true form—missed her head dearly.