Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Tang Clan of Shu

In the center of Luoxia Village stood the threshing ground, a wide open space where villagers dried their rice after the autumn harvest. Around its edges willow trees grew in abundance, providing welcome shade. During idle times, the villagers liked to gather beneath these willows to chat, while children delighted in playing on the threshing ground itself.

After breakfast, Madam Zhou, as was her daily habit, made her way to the threshing ground to gossip with the other elderly women. She led a leisurely life, regardless of whether it was the busy or slack season in the fields. Her children were all grown and settled, with families of their own. The outside chores were handled by the family’s steward, Tian Caishen, who directed her sons and grandsons; the housework she assigned to her daughters-in-law, granddaughters-in-law, and granddaughters. Thus, Madam Zhou was the most carefree person in the Tian household.

As usual, the group of old women chattered idly, the conversation drifting to how Tian Dabao’s family had hunted another bear last night. Old Madam Wang mentioned that her son and more than a dozen strong fellows from the village had all feasted on bear meat at Tian Dabao’s home the previous evening.

Hearing this, Madam Zhou immediately stood up, fuming inwardly. That unfilial Tian Dabao! Inviting people to eat bear meat at his house, yet not even thinking to invite his own parents, nor sending any bear meat over for them to try. In her whole life, she’d never tasted bear meat…

“Oh, I just remembered the pigs at home still haven’t been fed. I must head back,” Madam Zhou announced, turning on her heel.

“Aren’t the pigs at her house always fed by her daughters-in-law? Since when does she take care of them herself?” Old Madam Wang wondered aloud.

“Exactly, exactly…” the other old women chimed in.

But Madam Zhou headed straight for Tian Dabao’s house at the west end of the village.

Last time, she’d snatched seventeen taels of silver from Tian Dabao’s family and had been overjoyed for days. This time, she resolved not to leave empty-handed. She meant to seize as much bear meat as possible, enough to last several days. If there was no bear meat, hadn’t she seen a pile of new clothes and bedding in their house last time? She could just as well help herself to some of those.

With these schemes running through her mind, she strode into the courtyard. As she walked forward, a sharp voice rang out: “Stop right there!”

Startled, Madam Zhou noticed that Tian Dabao’s courtyard now had a straw shelter that hadn’t been there before. Its door stood open, the straw curtain that usually hung there set aside. Looking in, she saw a strikingly well-dressed young woman seated on the bed inside, though her leg was clamped between two boards—apparently she’d injured her calf.

At that moment, Tang Yunzhi glared fiercely at Madam Zhou. How greedy could this old woman be? Just yesterday she’d received silver and the Ding family hadn’t pursued the matter, yet here she was again only a day later. Xiao Ding had told her to teach this woman a lesson, lest her greed go unchecked. Did she really need to unleash a full display of her skills?

“Who are you? Why are you in my son’s house?” Madam Zhou demanded rudely.

“That’s none of your concern. I suggest you leave the Tian household immediately, or you’ll regret it!” Tang Yunzhi warned, brandishing a throwing knife. No one noticed how the blade had appeared in her hand.

“Hmph, what business of yours is it if I come to my son’s house…” Madam Zhou sneered, lifting her foot to walk past.

Suddenly, a flash of silver streaked through the air with a “thud”—a throwing knife embedded itself in the ground right in front of her foot. Had she taken another step, the knife would have struck her squarely.

“Hey—oh my! What do you think you’re doing…” Madam Zhou shrieked, halting in terror.

“I told you to leave immediately. Otherwise, the next blade will find your foot, and that won’t feel pleasant…” Tang Yunzhi said coolly. She somehow produced three more throwing knives, twirling them deftly before suddenly flicking her wrist. The three knives whistled through the air in quick succession.

Madam Zhou squeezed her eyes shut in fright. She heard three sharp “thuds” and, daring to look, saw the three knives stabbed into the earth in front of her, forming a half-arc with the first blade, only inches from her toes.

Before she could recover, another flash of white light shot past. With more “thud”s, five more knives stabbed into the ground, again forming a half-arc barrier in front of her, blocking her way forward.

“Dear heavens!” Madam Zhou screamed, whirling around and fleeing. What sort of wild girl was this, she thought, playing with knives instead of learning proper womanly skills?

As she ran, she heard more whistling sounds behind her. Glancing back, she was so frightened she nearly lost her soul. Along the path she’d just run, a line of throwing knives, darts, and sleeve arrows was embedded in the ground, tracking her every step. If she’d been a moment slower, she’d surely have been struck.

Seeing this, Madam Zhou dared not hesitate, but ran even faster out of the courtyard.

Inside, Tang Yunzhi pressed her lips together in a soft smile. The entire Tian Dabao family, young and old, stood frozen, mouths hanging open in astonishment.

After a moment, little Zhu’er was the first to recover. She scampered into the straw shelter, exclaiming, “Sister Tang, Sister Tang, will you teach me how to throw knives?”

Xiao’e and Xiao Fu hurried over as well, clamoring to learn Tang Yunzhi’s throwing knife techniques.

“Well… could you help me pick up all those hidden weapons first?” Tang Yunzhi asked.

The children helped her gather all the blades. Xiao Fu examined the throwing knife in his hand over and over before finally handing it back.

“This technique with hidden weapons is a secret skill passed down in my family. I can only teach it to members of the Tang clan or disciples of the Tang Sect—never to outsiders. But I do have some basic martial arts techniques I could show you, if you’re interested,” Tang Yunzhi said, looking at the three children.

They were a bit disappointed at not being able to learn the hidden weapon arts, but upon hearing they could study beginner techniques, they accepted this compromise.

“Miss Tang, I never expected you to be so skilled in martial arts…” Madam Li said, having finally recovered from her shock and entered the straw shelter.

“Yes, I was born into a martial family, so I naturally had to study martial arts from a young age,” Tang Yunzhi replied.

So the group chatted in the straw shelter, and before they knew it, midday had come. When Xiao Ding returned home, Zhu’er was the first to rush over, excitedly recounting all that had happened that morning. In her description, she was endlessly admiring of Tang Yunzhi.

With everyone adding their own details, Xiao Ding soon understood what had transpired. He glanced at Tang Yunzhi, giving her a discreet nod.

Of course, Xiao Ding knew Tang Yunzhi had only meant to frighten Madam Zhou; had she truly intended harm, Madam Zhou would have ended up like a pincushion. Skilled with hidden weapons, expert in poisons, surnamed Tang, hailing from Shu…? Looking at Tang Yunzhi, Xiao Ding suddenly thought of the Tang Sect from Sichuan, so often mentioned in martial arts novels. Could such a legendary clan truly exist in real life?

“Miss Tang, are you by any chance from the Tang Sect of Sichuan?” Xiao Ding ventured.

“Oh? You’ve heard of our Tang Sect?” Tang Yunzhi was surprised, tacitly admitting her origins.

“I don’t know much, only heard a mention in a tavern in the county town,” Xiao Ding replied, fabricating a story—he certainly couldn’t admit he’d learned of it from martial arts novels.

“I see,” Tang Yunzhi said, for some reason feeling a twinge of disappointment. Did she actually hope Xiao Ding was also a member of the martial world?

Just then, Tian Dabao hopped on one leg over to the straw shelter, leaning on his crutch.

Because Tang Yunzhi was injured and a girl besides, Tian Dabao usually stayed away from this side of the yard, and he’d even told Xiao Fu to do the same—after all, even if Xiao Fu was young, he was still a boy.

“How much did you get for the bear meat today?” Tian Dabao asked Xiao Ding. At last Xiao Ding understood the real reason for his visit.