Chapter One: A Remarkable Woman

Da Liang.

Zhuohe Village, outside Anping County, under the jurisdiction of Lu'an Prefecture.

The wind in December swept across the withered reeds of Zhuohe Village, swirling up fine snowflakes that drifted down people's necks.

The old, crooked locust tree at the village entrance was bare, with only a few crows huddled up, occasionally letting out a hoarse cry, adding to the chill of the approaching year-end.

As the New Year approaches, farmers who have worked hard all year will finally put their meager savings to the test on the stove.

To pay respects to ancestors, entertain guests, and reward oneself after a year of hunger pangs, it's inevitable to cure some bacon and smoke some sausages.

Pigs became the most sought-after commodity during the cold winter months.

Zhang the butcher and his only daughter Zhang Liuyi became the busiest people at this critical juncture.

Xiong Zixiang stepped onto the frozen, hard dirt road, his feet making a crunching sound.

He was tall and wore a slightly worn indigo blue official uniform with a thick cotton vest over it, and a standard iron ruler was slung at his waist.

Broad shoulders and a thick back, with bulging muscles that made his clothes look bulging.

He had a face with sharp features, thick eyebrows that pressed down on his eyes, a straight nose, and lips that were habitually pursed into a line. When he wasn't smiling, he exuded a menacing aura that kept strangers at bay.

He was the head constable of Anping County, in charge of apprehending thieves and criminals. He had more than a dozen constables under his command and was a notorious ruthless figure in the county. Ordinary thugs and ruffians would turn their legs three times before they saw him.

In Zhuohe Village, when the unruly children cried incessantly, the adults would immediately stop them with a single sentence: "If you cry again, we'll have Officer Xiong arrest you."

At this moment, this notorious figure was in a dilemma because of a pig.

As a New Year's reward, the yamen gave the constable a lively, half-grown fat pig as a token of appreciation for his hard work throughout the year.

It's respectable to give a gift, but once the creature gets home, it becomes a hot potato.

Xiong Zixiang could take down two strong men with his bare hands and chase after notorious bandits for three days and three nights without sleep, but he was completely helpless when it came to the delicate task of slaughtering pigs, bleeding them, and gutting them.

If a pig isn't slaughtered properly, the meat will have a foul smell; only a professional butcher can do it.

His father, Old Man Xiong, and his mother, Madam Song, were both honest, simple farmers, and there was no way to rely on them.

At the end of the year, butchers are in high demand.

Xiong Zixiang went to look for Butcher Zhang yesterday, but the gate was locked. The neighbors said that Old Zhang had been invited by the Wang family in the neighboring village to slaughter the New Year's pig and would not be back until noon.

He had no choice but to tie the pig up in his backyard and feed it some leftover food and bran.

Around noon today, Xiong Zixiang headed to Zhang's house at the east end of the village, figuring it was about time.

When they arrived at the Zhang family's courtyard gate, it was still locked up tight.

The small courtyard was fairly clean, with some chopped firewood piled in the corner and a large pot placed on a simple stove.

The room was fully equipped with a wooden basin, scraper, whetstone, and other items, and a faint, indescribable fishy smell lingered in the air.

The courtyard was deserted, with only a few withered leaves swirling on the ground in the cold wind.

Xiong Zixiang's thick eyebrows furrowed even more.

He hadn't expected that Zhang the butcher would be so sought after that he wouldn't be there at noon, and he had come up empty-handed.

Looking at his own hands, large and calloused, unable to handle a beast of burden awaiting slaughter.

He muttered under his breath, with a hint of annoyance and self-mockery: "Tsk, if only I had learned to slaughter pigs back then, it would have been better than this. I have all this strength, but I can't even get a bite of meat."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a clear, crisp female voice, tinged with a hint of mocking laughter, came from behind the woodpile beside him.

"Oh? Officer Xiong wants to learn how to slaughter pigs? That's great! When my father comes back, I'll ask him if he'll take you on as an apprentice."

Upon hearing the sound, Xiong Zixiang turned around abruptly.

A woman wearing a worn-out gray thick cotton-padded coat and matching cotton-padded trousers emerged from behind the woodpile.

She was tall and sturdier than the average woman. Her jet-black hair was tied into a simple and neat bun at the back of her head and secured with a wooden hairpin, revealing her smooth and full forehead.

His features weren't the delicate and petite type that most men prefer, but rather broad and clear eyes, a straight nose, and slightly full lips, which together exuded a sense of grandeur and vitality.

What's most eye-catching is that she's carrying a thick-backed, thin-bladed, gleaming pig-slaughtering knife steadily on her shoulder.

The knife was longer than her forearm, with a thick, wide blade and a gleaming edge, yet it felt as light as a feather on her shoulder.

Standing ramrod straight, meeting Xiong Zixiang's scrutinizing gaze, she showed no fear whatsoever, but rather a frank and open look, a faint smile playing on her lips. She was like a sturdy blade of grass stretching in the wind, free and easy.

Xiong Zixiang recognized her.

Zhang Liuyi, the only daughter of Zhang the butcher in Zhuohe Village.

I've seen her a few times in the village, mostly from afar when I see her carrying her tools and walking briskly, or helping her father sell meat at the market.

Xiong Zixiang had heard a lot of rumors about her.

The most famous one was last winter.

Butcher Zhang went to a neighboring village to help a family surnamed Li slaughter a pig. After the pig was slaughtered and the meat was divided, the family refused to pay him his wages and, relying on the fact that they had many brothers, said some outrageous things like, "You're a headless head, with no sons to support you. Who will hire you to slaughter pigs in the future?"

Enraged, Butcher Zhang jumped up and down at the entrance of his village, cursing for a long time until his voice was hoarse, but he couldn't do anything about the rogue.

Zhang Xiaoyi, who had just turned seventeen at the time, turned around and went back into the house without saying a word. When he came out, he was carrying a heavy bone-sharpening knife, which was specially used for deboning and separating meat.

A man braved the cold wind and walked three miles to block the entrance of the Li family's courtyard.

She didn't force her way in, but instead stood in the courtyard, leaning on her gleaming bone-sharpening knife. In a calm and methodical voice, she recounted in front of the entire village how the family had defaulted on their debts, insulted her father, and acted untrustworthy, detailing their actions from beginning to end.

He spoke from noon until the sun began to set, every word he uttered resoundingly, so much so that the family was too ashamed to leave their house.

Finally, the old woman who was in charge of the household couldn't stand the pointing and whispering looks from the villagers any longer. She slipped the money through the crack in the door and said a few soft words.

After receiving the money, Zhang Yili weighed it in his hand to confirm it was correct. Only then did he carry the knife and, amidst the admiring or fearful gazes of the crowd, return to Zhuohe Village with his head held high.

Since then, the girl's reputation has spread far and wide.

When the women of Zhuohe Village mentioned her, they mostly pursed their lips and shook their heads: "Oh dear, that Zhang family's daughter is such a shrew!"

"Tsk tsk, a young woman, holding a butcher knife and blocking someone's door, cursing for ages, what kind of behavior is that!"

"Who would dare marry her? She's scarier than a tigress when she gets angry!"

Even some of Xiong Zixiang's young, unmarried constables would often joke about her when they drank in private, saying that whoever married this shrew would probably have to kneel on a washboard every day.

But seeing him so close today, Xiong Zixiang's hearsay impressions were instantly washed away by the vivid person in front of him.

Based on his years of experience in apprehending criminals and catching thieves, and his keen eye for people, this girl had clear, bright eyes, a clear distinction between right and wrong, and was open and honest, without any impurities.

The sharp and decisive look in her eyes hardly screams "tigress."

She is clearly a forthright and spirited woman.

Seeing that Xiong Zixiang was just staring at him without saying a word, and that his deep eyes revealed no emotion, Zhang Liu raised his chin and spoke up, his voice clear and crisp.

"Captain Xiong wants my family to butcher a pig? My dad went to Xiahe Village and probably won't be back until dark. But I do know how to butcher pigs. If you trust my skills, you can come with me now. If not..."

She shrugged, and the knife on her shoulder swayed.

"Then I'll have to trouble you to wait for my father a little longer."

Xiong Zixiang came to his senses and said in a deep voice, "The young lady has such abilities? I was wrong to have misjudged her."

He spoke sincerely, without a trace of sarcasm.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liuyi's smile became more genuine, and he said cheerfully.

"I watched my dad slaughter pigs since I was little, and I learned how by watching. To be honest, when my dad is too busy, I often help out. Don't worry, Officer Xiong, I'll make sure it's done neatly for you, so you can have meat tonight."

She patted the knife on her shoulder.

"I brought all my gear, shall we go?"

"Thank you for your trouble, young lady." Xiong Zixiang said no more, stepped aside to let Zhang Yili go first.

Zhang Yi didn't stand on ceremony; he shouldered his knife and strode away.

She took large, steady steps, the hem of her gray cotton-padded coat swaying slightly with each step, giving her a rather imposing and powerful aura.

Xiong Zixiang followed half a step behind, his gaze involuntarily falling on her straight back and the heavy pig-slaughtering knife on her shoulder. The annoyance he felt about the pig inexplicably dissipated.

The Xiong family lived at the west end of the village, not too far from the Zhang family.

The two walked in silence, one in front of the other.

Occasionally, villagers would peek out and see Xiong Zixiang and Zhang Yili carrying a pig-slaughtering knife in front of him. They would show a surprised yet knowing look, and then quickly shrink back.

Zhang Liuyi didn't care at all, and Xiong Zixiang didn't even glance at him.

We arrived at the Xiong family's backyard.

The half-grown fat pig was tied to a wooden stake in the corner, grunting uneasily, as if it sensed something was wrong.

A tattered straw mat had been laid out on the ground, with a large wooden basin and several empty wooden buckets placed next to it to catch the blood.

"This is it?"

Zhang Liuyi put down the knife on his shoulder and glanced at the pig.

"Yes." Xiong Zixiang nodded.

"become."

Zhang Yili deftly rolled up his sleeves, all the way up to his elbows, revealing two strong, healthy-looking forearms.

She first walked over to the pig and skillfully pressed and kneaded its body a few times, seemingly checking its fatness and the position of its joints.

Then, she picked up the thick-backed, sharp knife and rubbed it on the whetstone a few more times.

Then, she picked up another, shorter but heavier boning knife and held it in her left hand.

She walked to the pig's side, her gaze focused.

The pig seemed to sense danger and began to struggle and squeal anxiously.

Zhang Yili seemed not to hear her, and deftly twirled the dagger between her fingers with his right hand.

The next instant, her eyes narrowed, and without the slightest hesitation, she lowered her wrist and precisely pierced a specific spot below the pig's neck with the sharp knife in her right hand. With a skillful twist and pull of her wrist, she delivered the knife!

A sharp, short scream suddenly rang out, then abruptly stopped.

Zhang Liuli reacted quickly, already pushing the large wooden basin used to collect blood downwards.

Warm, pungent pig's blood gushed into the basin.

She half-squatted, steadily supporting the pig's head with one hand, adjusting the angle to allow the blood to flow more smoothly.

Xiong Zixiang stood aside, watching Zhang Xiaoyi's hands, stained with a few specks of crimson but still steady, and his focused profile.

This girl is truly... an extraordinary woman.

An ordinary woman, let alone slaughtering a pig, would probably be terrified at the sight of this scene.

But she was quick, accurate, and ruthless in her actions, and her mind was as steady as a rock.

He couldn't help but murmur in admiration, "Such nimble skills! This young lady is truly... a woman who is just as capable as any man." These words came from the bottom of his heart.

After the pig's blood had drained, Zhang Yili released his grip and stood up.

She casually wiped the blood-stained dagger on a bundle of grass beside her, then picked up the boning knife and walked over to the pig carcass.

Take a deep breath, grip the knife handle with both hands, concentrate your strength, and cleave straight down the pig's belly.

The blade cuts through the skin, flesh, and fascia; this step is to castrate the pig, so the pork won't have a fishy smell.

One step is missing; the pig bristles haven't been removed.

That's right, after bleeding the pig, you should immediately soak it in boiling water to scrape off the hair. Then you can take it out and gut it.

There are too many common-sense errors in the pig slaughtering process. Even a strong man in our village can't hold down a pig, so how could the woman possibly get close enough to stab and kill it so easily? Also, a pig will struggle violently when stabbed, requiring several people to hold it down. Meanwhile, boiling water should be readily available. Once the pig stops breathing, it should be immediately placed in a large oval-shaped wooden tub and submerged in boiling water to remove its hair. Removing the hair alone takes a long time; villagers wouldn't gut a pig before removing the hair.