chapter 19

The successive discovery of dismembered corpses threw the palace into a state of panic, and for a time, all sorts of rumors were rampant.

I was unusually distracted while scraping fish scales and ended up cutting my finger. The cook on duty, Yintao, asked, “Guanqi, what’s wrong with you?”

Yintao was gifted; she only half-understood my sign language, yet she could always keep up a lively conversation with me.

Once, my back was itching and I wanted to ask her to scratch it. She watched me gesturing and suddenly exclaimed, “You’re a monkey, and you want to eat peaches?”

She gave me a peach. I felt indebted, so sometimes I became Yintao’s confidant; she shared her secrets, and I listened.

Yintao had someone she liked, and it troubled her. I couldn’t understand her worries, because I am someone with very few troubles.

But now I have worries too. I’m afraid the hyenas will sniff out what I’ve done and then eat my hands.

I huddled by the charcoal stove, smoking cured fish, feeling glum. Yintao squeezed over and touched my hand, clicking her tongue, “Oh! It’s like an ice block!”

To cheer me up, she brought me a big peach. I didn’t want a big peach; I wanted a big axe.

If I had a big axe, I could use it to smash everything I hate-chop the hyenas, chop the corrupt officials, chop the Foolish Emperor.