Chapter Seven: Red Cloth

The first light of dawn.

Xiong Zixiang woke up when the rooster crowed for the second time.

He got up silently and nimbly, without disturbing his parents in the next room.

He put on thick cotton trousers and a padded jacket, pushed open the door, and a blast of biting cold air immediately hit him, invigorating him.

The courtyard was quiet, with only the cold wind whistling through the bare branches of the jujube tree.

The ground was covered with a layer of white frost, and it made a slight crunching sound when stepped on.

He went straight to the woodshed.

There were many round logs piled up in the woodshed, which he and his father had cut down and prepared before winter.

Xiong Zixiang took a deep breath, picked up his axe, chose a sturdy wooden stump, and got into position.

The crisp scent of pine wood instantly filled the cold air.

He moved without stopping, steady and powerful, his waist and stance in perfect harmony, his arms swinging, and in no time, a small pile of firewood, enough to last the family for two or three days, was neatly stacked on the open ground in front of the kitchen.

After chopping firewood, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Xiong Zixiang did not immediately go to the kitchen to get hot water to wash up.

He walked to the woodpile, looked around warily, and confirmed that his parents were not at the door, only a few sparrows were hopping on the courtyard wall.

He reached into the inconspicuous crevice deep within the woodpile, his fingertips touching the soft cotton fabric, and carefully pulled it out.

He quickly rolled up the red cloth tightly and stuffed it into his thick cotton robe, close to his undergarment.

From the kitchen, the soft clattering of pots and pans and Song's suppressed cough could be heard.

Through the curtain, Xiong Zixiang's voice was somewhat muffled: "Mother, I've gone on a business trip."

"Hey? Xiangzi! Breakfast is almost ready! The rice porridge is bubbling, and there's also the pickled vegetable that was delivered yesterday, chop it up and mix it with sesame oil..."

Song's voice, carrying the warmth of the stove fire, came from behind the curtain.

"I can't eat anymore, there's an urgent matter at the government office."

Xiong Zixiang gave a vague reply, and without stopping, he almost fled as he opened the courtyard gate, his tall figure quickly disappearing into the gray, chilly morning mist outside.

Anping County Government Office, early morning.

The tall, black-lacquered gates of the county government office had just been opened.

Instead of going directly into the main gate to report for duty, Xiong Zixiang turned into a quiet alley behind the county government office, familiar with the area.

At the end of the alley, a small shop with a wooden plaque that reads "Skilled Fabric Shop" had just taken down its door panels.

The shopkeeper, surnamed Sun, was a lean and capable old man in his fifties. He was using a feather duster to casually dust off the surface of the counter.

Seeing Xiong Zixiang enter, radiating cold, Manager Sun quickly put down the duster and put on a familiar smile:

"Hey! Officer Xiong! You're here early today! Come in and warm up! It's so cold..."

Manager Sun rubbed his hands together and beckoned him to walk towards the brazier in the inner room.

Xiong Zixiang waved his hand, indicating that it was not necessary.

He walked directly to the counter, took out the carefully protected red cloth from his pocket, and placed it steadily on the counter.

A corner of the fabric was spread out, and its bright red color stood out conspicuously in the slightly dim shop.

He said in a deep voice, "Manager Sun, I'd like to trouble you to make a wedding dress for a woman based on this fabric. The size... for a medium build, slightly... slightly loose."

He recalled Zhang Yili's nimble skill in slaughtering pigs and felt that his clothes shouldn't be too tight.

Shopkeeper Sun's eyes lit up. He picked up the material, carefully examined it, and praised it highly.

"Good material. The color is perfect, and the weave is dense. Officer Xiong has a good eye."

He looked up, a mischievous yet knowing smile on his face.

"Is this for...for the future bride? Making a wedding dress at the end of the year, you're having double happiness!"

Xiong Zixiang's face was expressionless, but his ears were slightly burning.

He didn't reply, but took out a neatly folded piece of coarse yellow paper from his pocket and carefully unfolded it next to the red cloth.

The paper contained a design he had drawn last night under the oil lamp using burnt willow twigs and charcoal.

A few simple, strong, and resilient dry grass stalks are drawn, and at the top of the stalks, a small, round, five-petaled flower is clumsily drawn, with the petals even trying to appear somewhat open.

“The pattern… we’ll embroider it this way.”

Xiong Zixiang gave the shopkeeper the design, but his eyes slightly avoided the shopkeeper's probing gaze as he added.

“Tell the embroiderer that the grass stalks should be…straight, and the little flowers…should be embroidered…delicately.”

Manager Sun leaned closer to examine the thoughtfully designed pattern, then looked at Xiong Zixiang's embarrassed expression, and his smile widened as he couldn't help but tease him.

"Oh my, my dear Chief Xiong, your mind is truly meticulous. Withered grass paired with small flowers, it looks simple, but the meaning is... wonderful! A perfect blend of strength and gentleness! This bride must be a kind-hearted and independent young lady. You've embroidered her character into her wedding dress, haven't you? Tsk tsk, I've been running this cloth shop for decades and this is the first time I've ever seen such a doting husband."

Manager Sun patted the counter, grinning from ear to ear.

Xiong Zixiang was embarrassed by what he said, and his coldness completely crumbled. He could only mumble a "hmm" and count out a few heavy pieces of silver from his money bag and put them on the counter.

"Deposit. As soon as possible." He emphasized again.

"You need to be more careful."

After saying that, without waiting for Manager Sun to make any more jokes, she turned around almost as if she were fleeing, and strode away from the cloth shop, leaving Manager Sun's hearty laughter behind her.

Back at the county office, it was 7:45 AM.

Zhao Xiaoliu, a young constable who was on night shift, was dozing off against the cold doorpost, his neck hunched over, clutching his waist knife. Hearing familiar, steady, and powerful footsteps approaching from afar, he jumped up and straightened up, trying to open his bloodshot eyes.

"Boss! You've arrived!"

Xiong Zixiang walked up to him, his tall figure blocking some of the cold wind.

He nodded, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Xiaoliu's bluish-purple cheeks and the frost on his eyebrows.

"Hmm. You've worked hard on the night watch. Is everything alright?"

"Peaceful! Very peaceful, boss!"

Zhao Xiaoliu quickly straightened his back, his voice hoarse with excitement.

"Not even a mouse made a fuss! I patrolled twice, and there wasn't a soul on the street; they were all huddled in bed! It's just... it's just a bit too cold..."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but shrink his neck again.

"It's good that nothing's wrong."

Xiong Zixiang raised his hand and patted his stiff, frozen shoulder hard, sending a little warmth through him.

"Go back quickly, drink a bowl of hot ginger soup, cover yourself with a blanket and get a good night's sleep. Be careful not to catch a cold."

"Hey! Thanks, boss!"

Zhao Xiaoliu grinned, quickly grabbed the knife and ran away, his steps becoming much lighter.

Xiong Zixiang pushed open the heavy gate of the county government office and entered the office.

Mr. Qian, the registrar, was wrapped in an old, shiny cotton robe, slumped in a round-backed chair like a lump of mud, holding a brass hand warmer in his arms, his head nodding off, drool almost dripping onto his beard.

Upon hearing Xiong Zixiang's footsteps, Qian Zhubu sat up abruptly, hurriedly wiping his mouth with his sleeve, forcing a fawning yet sleepy smile onto his face.

"Hey! Officer Xiong! Good morning! It's really cold today!"

He rubbed his hands together, trying to shake off the last bit of sleepiness.

"I heard...I heard you have great news! I overheard people gossiping the other day that you got engaged? Congratulations! That's wonderful news!"

Xiong Zixiang walked to his desk, which was piled with files and covered in a thin layer of dust. On the corner of the desk was a blue-covered attendance roster and a box of dried vermilion ink.

He picked up the roster, turned to today's page, pressed his thumb firmly into the inkpad, and then left a clear, bright red fingerprint next to the three characters "Xiong Zixiang".

The movements were swift and decisive.

"Yes, it's settled."

He closed the register.

Qian, the registrar, immediately perked up, shifted his position forward, leaned closer, lowered his voice, and looked on with a gossipy expression.

"Oh my! That Miss Zhang... she's quite a formidable character. But that's fine too, she's a perfect match for your position as a constable! When you get married, you absolutely must invite me to your wedding banquet! As the registrar, I'm someone from the yamen, I'll lend you my support!"

Xiong Zixiang looked up.

"If I have the time, I will invite the registrar to attend my wedding."

That was said with a hint of politeness.

After saying that, he ignored the registrar's attempt to continue the conversation and called out loudly towards the door.

"Zhao Cheng! Wang Wu!"

"Yes, sir!"

Two young constables, both dressed in thick cotton-padded coats and with single-edged swords at their waists, entered in response to the call and stood ramrod straight.

These two were trained by Xiong Zixiang, and they are quite reliable.

Xiong Zixiang picked up the roster, selected two people to be on night duty that night, and then gave them instructions in a deep voice.

"With the year-end approaching, even thieves want to celebrate. Keep your eyes peeled while patrolling the streets, focusing on the shops in the East and West Markets, as well as the back alleys of pawnshops and money exchanges. Check all the water in the fire tanks to make sure they're not frozen solid. If you encounter any trouble, sound the gong to warn others immediately, and don't try to be brave."

"Yes, boss! Understood!" the two replied in unison.

"Go."

Xiong Zixiang waved.

As the head constable, his responsibilities mainly involve overall planning, responding to sudden major cases, and coordinating all parties.

He doesn't really need to personally patrol the streets or stand guard at night unless there are special circumstances or major cases.

Watching Zhao Cheng and Wang Wu leave to carry out their orders, Xiong Zixiang also got up and left the government office, which was filled with foul air.

There was no urgent business at the yamen today, so he planned to go home early.

The thin winter sunlight finally pierced through the clouds and shone on the stone-paved streets of Anping Town, bringing a faint warmth.

As the year draws to a close, the small market that spontaneously formed at the west end of the town is busier than usual.

The roadside was crowded with vendors, mostly selling frozen river fish and bundles of dried green beans and dried mushrooms.

There are also some trendy peach wood charms and New Year pictures, and homespun cloth hair ornaments.

The air in the market was filled with a mixture of fishy smells, dusty smells, and the occasional sweet aroma of fried rice cakes.

The sounds of vendors hawking their wares and haggling filled the air, creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere.

Xiong Zixiang walked with his eyes straight ahead, his tall figure standing out somewhat from the crowd.

He habitually scanned the street, glancing past the crowded stalls and hurried passersby.

Suddenly, he stopped in an extremely inconspicuous corner.