Zhen Shouqiu (Zhen Ge Xue) discussed with Shen Zhongtang how to deal with those new Hanlin scholars and decided not to see them at all, nor let them come to socialize. After everyone discussed and agreed, they worked together, and those new Hanlin scholars were constantly rebuffed, and none of them could be seen. Later, they realized that they couldn't get by in the capital, so they all left and looked for work elsewhere. People in the capital heard that they had left and praised Zhen Ge Xue for his brilliant plan, and Zhen Ge Xue was quite proud of himself.
One day, Zhen Ge Xue set up three tables of wine at home and invited his classmates to enjoy the chrysanthemums and drink. When Shen Zhongtang heard about it, he said, "What a lovely way to spend an afternoon – appreciating chrysanthemums and drinking wine! Why didn't you invite an old fellow like me?" Someone passed on the message to Zhen Ge Xue, and he hurriedly went to explain in person, saying, "I would have loved to invite you, but the house is too small, and there are too many guests; I'm afraid of neglecting you, so I didn't dare invite." Shen Zhongtang said, "I'm very happy! When I come that day, there's no need to spend money; I can't eat much anyway, just manage." Zhen Ge Xue was, of course, happy. Because Shen Zhongtang was coming, even though he said there was no need to spend money, Zhen Ge Xue threw in another table of food and ordered a few dishes that Shen Zhongtang loved. It was agreed to start at two o'clock that day, but before one o'clock, Shen Zhongtang came beaming. Seeing that all the guests were his students, he was even happier.
After all the guests arrived, Shen Zhongtang suggested that everyone write chrysanthemum poems. "I've forgotten all about different poetic forms," Shen Zhongtang said. "Let's just write five-character quatrains, like an exam paper; just shorten it to four lines. Although it's been a long time since I last wrote a poem, my hand is a bit rusty, but I can manage." Seeing Shen Zhongtang so enthusiastic, everyone eagerly got to work on their poems. After about an hour, Shen Zhongtang was the first to finish. Everyone rushed to read it, and indeed it was a five-character quatrain. Then the others also finished one after another, with twenty-seven poems in total, and three more promised. After the collection of poems was complete, Zhen Ge Xue asked Shen Zhongtang to review them. Among them, there were only two seven-character quatrains, one seven-character poem, nine five-character quatrains, and fifteen five-character quatrains. Why is that? Because five-character quatrains are easier to write than seven-character quatrains; they have simpler rhyming schemes, so everyone chose to write five-character quatrains. Shen Zhongtang was very pleased to see this and said, "Tomorrow, let Shouqiu draw a grid, divide the poems properly, and each person transcribe a copy, writing their names beneath the title 'Han Yuan Fen Shu Chrysanthemum Poems.' We'll send them to the Liuli Factory for printing and sale. Those calligraphers would surely snap them up!" Everyone was very impressed when they heard this.
During the banquet, Zhen Ge Xue stood up and after a while, took out two poems and handed them to Shen Zhongtang, saying, "These are poems by my two sons. Think they'll amount to anything?" Shen Zhongtang replied, "Alright, let me take a look." They were poems on the theme of chrysanthemums, with the words "Respectfully submitted to Master Zhongtang for his critique" written on top, and signed by "Zhen Xuezong and Zhen Xuexiao". Shen Zhongtang first looked at the names and said, "Great names! A man who remembers 'loyalty and filial piety' – what more needs to be said?" Then he looked at the poems and praised them repeatedly, "Impressive! The two brothers will definitely go far in the future; they are my students, and they will also 'shine in the court'. I really want to meet them." Zhen Ge Xue was overjoyed and quickly called his two sons out. Shen Zhongtang took a look; the older son, probably in his forties, wore a blue-topped hat; the younger, in his twenties, wore a golden one. Both were in official robes. They kowtowed to Shen Zhongtang, who allowed them to bow halfway and then asked them to sit down. Shen Zhongtang saw that Zhen Xuezong was wearing the official uniform of a fourth-ranking official, knowing that he was already an official, he asked, "In which department are you serving?" Zhen Ge Xue hurriedly answered, "He originally held a minor position in the capital, but now he has been transferred to Zhili Prefecture." Shen Zhongtang said, "Why didn't he pass the imperial examination?" Zhen Ge Xue said, "He's taken the exam ten times, he's not getting any younger, and since the regular route didn't work, he's been sent out to get some experience." Shen Zhongtang said, "Such a shame! With his talent, instead of waiting for the exams and a proper appointment, he bought an office and went off to the sticks. A real waste!" He then picked up their poems again, read them two or three times, and exclaimed, "What you say reflects what you feel," and this phrase is absolutely correct. The elder son's poem is good, but it's a bit whiny – a sure sign of repeated setbacks. Fortunately, he is bold, and in the future, he will also achieve something in an outside position. The younger son's poem is magnificent; needless to say, he will definitely become a high-ranking court official in the future." He then asked Zhen Xuezong, "When will you take office? Which province were you assigned to?" Zhen Xuezong replied, "I will go through the introduction procedures this month and have been assigned to Shandong." Shen Zhongtang said, "A good place! The Governor of Shandong is also my student; I'll write you a letter of introduction." Zhen Ge Xue originally wanted to ask Shen Zhongtang for help, but he was hesitant to ask. Now that Shen Zhongtang took the initiative to offer, he was immensely grateful, and quickly let his sons kowtow to thank Shen Zhongtang for his guidance. Shen Zhongtang was very happy; everyone drank and discussed literature until late before dispersing. The next day, Zhen sent his sons to thank Shen Zhongtang again, and once his papers came through, he went to take his leave. When they met, Shen Zhongtang solemnly handed him a personal letter to bring to the Governor of Shandong.
Stay tuned!
Zhen Xuezhong's father, Zhen Gexue, was worried about his son going to Shandong alone for his new job, so he invited his father-in-law, Uncle Yu, to help take care of him. This uncle, who became a widower two years ago, came to Beijing to live with his sister, eating her food. Zhen Gexue was a frugal man, and the extra mouth to feed strained his household budget. He thought about sending Uncle Yu away several times, but he was old, and it was difficult to arrange. This time, it worked out perfectly for Uncle Yu to go to Shandong with his son. Although Uncle Yu was still spry and efficient, with his help, Zhen Xuezhong didn't have a care in the world. Uncle Yu was diligent and took care of everything himself, especially concerned about his nephew's affairs. The household staff, cooped up in Beijing, saw the trip as a chance to line their pockets. But Uncle Yu put a stop to that. They couldn't make a dime, let alone hire a carriage or find a decent inn. So they all hated the old man's guts and badmouthed him to Zhen Xuezhong.
He got to Jinan, Shandong, sorted out the paperwork, met a few people, and that was that. The Shandong governor got a letter from Shen Zhongtang, and knew he was supposed to look after Zhen Xuezong, so he gave him the once-over. There happened to be some river work going on, so the governor got Zhang Daotai, the chief manager, to help out. Zhang Daotai wrote to the governor, singing Zhen Xuezong's praises – said he was a whiz, they were short-handed, and could really use him on the river project. The governor agreed right away – they were clearly on the same page. Zhen Xuezong got the papers and went to thank the governor. The governor, in front of everyone, told him to do a good job, saying he hadn't planned on giving him a job so soon, but Zhang Daotai had put in a good word. People started whispering that he was in with Zhang Daotai, and started asking questions. Zhen Xuezong said he'd never met the guy, but nobody believed him – they thought he was keeping something under his hat. Zhen Xuezong was baffled, and just let them talk. He got to the river project, met Zhang Daotai, who was really nice, and the next day Zhen Xuezong was put in charge of buying supplies. He thanked Zhang Daotai, but worried about those guys being dodgy, so he wrote to his uncles. Uncle Tai was thrilled his nephew had a real job. He knew that buying supplies was a big deal – involved the national treasury, the people, even the officials' performance reviews. If nobody watched them, those guys would definitely steal everything. So he rushed right over. With Uncle Tai keeping an eye on things – they called him 'the hawk' – Xiao Xinxi, Pan Shifei, and the rest of the crew didn't dare to pull any funny business. Everyone hated his guts, naturally.
Zhen Xuezong arrived in the provincial capital and landed such a good job in less than a month. His cousin-in-law, a guy known as Second-hand Huang, came to visit. His wife is from Hubei, and Second-hand Huang is his eldest cousin. Coincidentally, that year he was working as a tax collector in Weixian, Shandong. When he heard that his brother-in-law got a job in the river engineering department, he planned to visit the provincial capital to mooch off his sister and brother-in-law. He took a two and a half month leave from his employer, brought the money and a servant given by his employer, and set off. When he arrived in the provincial capital, to save money, he refused to stay in a hotel. Since he hadn't seen his sister for a long time, he was afraid she wouldn't recognize him and had never met her husband, so he stayed with a friend first. After lunch, he changed into a slightly more decent outfit—a patched silk gown and an old sky-blue satin jacket, wore a big hat, smart boots, and dressed neatly. However, he was worried about what kind of visiting card to use to meet his brother-in-law. His friend suggested a simple "Dear Brother-in-law," but he felt it was too casual and wanted to write a visiting card with just his name on it. When asked what position his brother-in-law held, he said his brother-in-law was a high-up in the Ministry of Revenue and was going to be promoted to the governor of Zhili Province. His father-in-law was a very high-ranking official, and besides the Grand Academician of the Cabinet, he held the highest official position in the capital. His friend said, "Even if it's a family thing, I've never heard of that between brothers-in-law!" Second-hand Huang insisted that this was the rule of the officialdom. Since he was going to work in the river engineering department and would be working under his brother-in-law in the future, not writing a visiting card would seem informal. Even if he was going to see his sister, he had to present a card first. Seeing him so stubborn, his friend just sighed and told him to hurry up.
Huang Er Mazzi hurried out, asking around, and finally found his brother-in-law's mansion. He handed over his calling card, and the gatekeeper gave him the once-over and said, "The master's at work. Please go back." Huang Er Mazzi said, "If the master is not here, please help me tell the madam that this Huang has come to visit." When the gatekeeper heard that he wanted to see the madam, he took a good look at him and asked, "Are you family?" Huang Er Mazzi then explained, "The madam is my sister." The gatekeeper's demeanor changed and he asked, "Are you her brother?" Huang Er Mazzi replied, "We're related, though distantly." When the gatekeeper realized he was not a close relative of the madam, his expression changed. But considering that he was family on the madam's side, he couldn't afford to offend him, so he said, "Please wait a moment, I will inform the madam." Huang Er Mazzi thanked him repeatedly. After a while, the gatekeeper came back to invite him to see the madam. The madam came out in casual clothes and was about to bow, but Huang Er Mazzi had already knelt down. He kowtowed, got up, bowed again, and said, "I have been working away from home for these years and missed serving my auntie." The madam said, "Oh, please!" Then she warmly exchanged pleasantries with him. Huang Er Mazzi was very respectful, always addressing her as "Auntie" and "Ma'am," without mentioning "brother-in-law" or "sister." He then explained his purpose, wanting to find a job in the city. The madam said, "Family should stick together, but these matters are up to your brother-in-law to decide; it's not my place to interfere. Where are you staying since you came from so far away?" Huang Er Mazzi said, "I am temporarily staying at a friend's house and have not found a permanent residence yet." The madam said, "Okay, come and stay at the mansion for a few days. Your brother-in-law often comes to the city, so when he comes, we will figure something out." Huang Er Mazzi felt anxious after hearing the first half of the sentence, but when he heard he could stay at the mansion, he became happy. He expressed his gratitude to the madam again and then took his leave.
The family knew the wife had invited him to stay at the mansion, and because she'd asked, they were all very attentive to him, calling him uncle. Huang Er Mazzi was also very polite to them, saying, "I'm here looking for a job, hoping the boss will give me a chance. Let's help each other out, and please don't keep calling me 'Uncle'!" Everyone found him easy to get along with and liked him very much.
After a few days, Zhen Xuezong did not return due to official business, so he sent his uncle, Uncle Yu, to the provincial capital to handle affairs. Huang Er Mazzi had already inquired about this. As soon as Uncle Yu got off the car, Huang Er Mazzi sent a calling card that said "Nephew by Marriage" to pay a visit. After meeting, he addressed Uncle Yu as "Uncle Yu" and called himself "your nephew," explaining his intentions and requesting help from Uncle Yu. Uncle Yu was an honest man, and seeing him behaving properly, he thought he was a good person. The next day, after he'd finished his business, Uncle Yu was ready to go. Zhen Xuezong's wife asked him to take care of her brother, so Uncle Yu had to agree. As soon as Uncle Yu left, the family started gossiping about him. Huang Er Mazzi thought to himself, "He's not very popular—perfect!" He would often visit his sister-in-law in the main room pretending to pay his respects, but in reality, he was getting close to his sister-in-law. Coincidentally, the wife enjoyed chatting, and with this family member accompanying her, she didn't have to worry about gossip. So Huang Er Mazzi was highly valued in front of his sister-in-law, and family members also flattered him. This lasted about two weeks.
One day, Zhen Xuezong returned to the province due to official business and heard about what Uncle Yu had said before, filling him in. After meeting, Huang Er Mazzi was very humble, and Zhen Xuezong liked him, so Zhen Xuezong agreed to get him a job at the factory.
Huang Erma arrived at work and found that his brother-in-law was quite the big shot. Although he was just a purchasing agent, he had plenty of subordinates, and he was responsible for procuring all the materials at the site. Naturally, he had a lot of people kissing up to him. Although he was a committee member, in reality, he was just like the general manager. At that time, it was Yu Taifu who managed the money; even the recommended Xiao Xinxi and Pan Shifei held important positions in the general office. When Huang Erma first arrived, everyone went to visit him. At first, he didn't dare to call his brother-in-law directly and still referred to him as "our master"; later, seeing everyone calling him "boss," he also changed to calling him "boss." After two days, the boss asked him to check the materials, but he had no clue how to do it. Usually, he didn't dare to talk much with the boss and Yu Taifu, but he had a good relationship with Xiao Xinxi and Pan Shifei. The two of them knew he was the master's uncle, so they were closer to him than others. Huang Erma stayed at work for two days, then made an excuse to return to the provincial capital, saying he missed his sister-in-law. Everyone saw him heading to the provincial capital often, so they suspected his relationship with her was more than ordinary. They couldn't say certain things to the brother-in-law directly, so they used him as their go-between. As long as he mentioned something in front of his sister-in-law, the brother-in-law would know. After a few times, Huang Erma realized that someone was relying on him, so he began to get a bit full of himself, boasting to Xiao, Pan, and others about what snacks his sister-in-law treated him to that day and what dishes she added for him. He even pointed to an old fur coat and said, "This was given by my sister-in-law." Everyone took a look, and the coat was an old, re-dyed silk number—ancient, really. Pan Shifei loved to joke and said, "Your sister-in-law is too stingy. Why did she give you an old coat instead of a new one?" Huang Erma blushed and thought for a moment before saying, "She originally wanted to give me a new one, but I refused and wanted this old one." Everyone asked, "Why do you want an old one instead of a new one?" Huang Erma said, "We run around the construction site every day, with strong winds and a lot of dust. A new one would be ruined in a few days—such a waste! So I only want old ones to wear casually. Don't you get it?"
The next day, the butler brought the boss his grub and also sent a chunk of salted meat and a plate of buns to Uncle Tai and Huang the Second. Uncle Tai usually ate alone, so nobody ever knew about this. Huang the Second, on the other hand, was over the moon and told everyone, "Our missus is really thoughtful! She knows we work hard at the construction site, so she specially sent us food. I used to have two sisters—my older sister was a tightwad, married some schoolteacher, and popped her clogs not long after. But my younger sister, she was always a generous soul, not like the rest. That's why she's a lady now, see? I ain't lyin'!"
Next day, lunchtime, Huang the Second steamed a little piece of the missus's salted meat, sliced it paper-thin with a small knife, and laid it out on a little plate. At dinner, he gave everyone a sliver, saying, "This is from our missus, everyone try it." Then he tucked in, praising it all the while. After finishing, there were three slices left, so he told the lad to save the rest for later.
But this Second Master was a greedy guts and secretly took a piece to eat, mumbling, "They said it was so good, what does it taste like? I should try it too." The taste was really good, and he couldn't get enough, thinking to himself, "Since I've already eaten some, might as well eat it all. If Old Man Huang doesn't ask, no sweat. If he does, I'll blame the cat." After making up his mind, during dinner that evening, the food-snatching Second Master was nervous, hoping Huang Ermazi would forget about those three pieces of meat. However, Huang Ermazi couldn't forget about the three pieces of meat, and as soon as he sat down, he asked, "Where's my salted meat?" The food-snatching Second Master hurriedly asked the kitchen to bring another bowl of meat. Huang Ermazi said, "I didn't ask for more meat, I'm talking about the meat Auntie Gu gave me at noon, there were three pieces left, I asked you to keep them for me." The Second Master knew he couldn't hide it anymore, he stammered an explanation, then blurted, "Gone!" Huang Ermazi slammed his chopsticks on the table with a CLANG! and asked, "Where did it go?" The Second Master said, "Probably a stray cat got it." Huang Ermazi blew his top, letting rip a string of curses and demanding payment. The Second Master remained silent at first, but eventually couldn't take it anymore, grumbling under his breath outside the door, "Is it worth all this fuss over a bit of pork?" But Huang Ermazi overheard him and chased after the Second Master, threatening to tell the master and have him flogged if he didn't confess.
Other servants saw that things were getting out of hand and felt that the second master was wrong. They shouldn't run their mouths: "Your uncle is Madam's brother. If he hears you talking out of line, wouldn't he be angry? If he tells Master, do you want to keep your job?" The second master regretted it and was taken by others to bow and apologize to Huang Erma Zi, begging him not to tell Madam. Huang Erma Zi pretended not to agree at first, but finally relented under everyone's pleas. The second master ate crow in gratitude, and that settled the matter.
After this, Huang Erma Zi curried favor with everyone, and naturally, everyone treated him well. He thought to himself, "Except for Aunt Master and my uncle, no one dares to push me around." From then on, his status grew, and the servants flattered him, with some even expecting him to help speak on their behalf and having to please him.
Uncle fell ill for ten days, and it was usually Zhen Xuezong who helped handle things. But now he was extremely busy and annoyed after just two days. Huang Erma Zi seized the opportunity, being especially attentive in front of Zhen Xuezong, eager to work and starting to handle some matters. Huang Erma Zi popped in on his uncle several times a day, showing concern and attending to his every need. Uncle Master also liked him very much and praised him. Unfortunately, Uncle Master's illness worsened, and despite Zhen Xuezong inviting many famous doctors, it was of no use. Knowing his time was short, Uncle Master called Zhen Xuezong to his bedside, with Huang Erma Zi also present. Uncle Master held Zhen Xuezong's hand and said, "Nephew! After your mother passed away, you took care of me all this time. Now that I am old, I can no longer help you, and there's nothing I can do. After I die, you will manage the household's money yourself. Remember this: you can't trust anyone, not even family." Uncle Master was already struggling to breathe, and sweat poured down his face like rain. Zhen Xuezong, thinking of Uncle Master's kindness, couldn't help but cry, quickly offering him some ginseng soup and urging him to rest and not speak.
After a while, the old man regained his strength and struggled to say, "Not only do you have to manage your money yourself, but you also need to be careful when buying land and materials. While I was alive, I took care of these things for you, to save you the trouble. Even if others scold me or hate me, I don't blame them. I'm old now, and I don't expect anything in return. Besides me, no one is willing to do these thankless chores. Huang is very capable..." Before he could finish speaking, the old man couldn't catch his breath. Zhen Xuezong helped him lie down to rest, but the old man talked too much and suddenly passed away. Zhen Xuezong cried, arranged the old man's funeral, temporarily placed the coffin in the temple, and later sent it back to his hometown.
Huang Erma clearly heard what the old man said before he passed away. "You can't trust anyone, not even family." This made him feel uneasy, and he secretly cursed the old man, "Old man! I served you so well, yet you want to screw me over! Luckily, you didn't name names." Later, the old man said, "Huang is very capable..." Huang Erma thought that the old man might still have some dissatisfaction, but fortunately, he died before finishing his sentence. Zhen Xuezong only heard half of it and mistakenly thought that the old man was recommending Huang Erma to help him, so he praised him for being capable. After the old man's death, Zhen Xuezong handed over all the family affairs to Huang Erma. Huang Erma didn't expect to take over so easily and was overjoyed! He immediately started checking the old man's accounts, hoping to find some faults to retaliate.
After searching for a long time, he found nothing except a vacant room where thousands of copper coins were often stacked. Huang Erma went to Zhen Xuezong and flattered him, "It's not safe to keep so much money at home. It's better to deposit it in a money shop, which can earn interest and give you peace of mind. The old man is old, and there are things he may not have thought of." Zhen Xuezong said, "Don't speak ill of him like that. We need money at home at all times. How can we manage without some preparation?" Huang Erma hit a wall, felt unhappy, said a few complaints, and left, muttering angrily in his room, "Who cares about his handouts? What a rip-off!"
Huang Er was in a foul mood when the kitchen manager came to collect the food expenses. The kitchen manager knew Huang Er was his wife's uncle and had just taken over the household chores, so he didn't dare to slight him. He first greeted him, then took out the account book, smiling as he said, "Uncle, gotta trouble you with this." Huang Er grunted, "What's this then?" The kitchen manager smiled and handed over the account book. Huang Er had been a clerk in the county government office before and knew the kitchen always skimmed a bit off the top. He picked up the abacus and calculated that he should pay ninety-six cash in five days, deducting four cash and eight hundred wen, leaving a total of ninety-one cash and two hundred wen. The kitchen manager took the money, too scared to argue, and said with a smile, "Uncle, how'd you figure that? I'm a bit lost." Huang Er thought the kitchen manager was deliberately making things difficult for him, slapped the table, and scolded, "What's this nonsense? Think you can pull one over on me? Think I'm a fool? It's the same in every office! Today is my first day doing accounts, is it your first day in the kitchen too? If you think it's too little, then don't take it, leave the money here!" The kitchen manager hit a wall, took the money, and left. Huang Er continued to curse, "The lot of them are no good!"
The next day, the kitchen manager specially sent a ham to Huang Er, along with two dishes: braised pork elbow and stewed duck. He respectfully said, "I thought you might enjoy this, Uncle." Huang Er initially refused with a stern face. After repeated pleas from the kitchen manager, he finally relented slightly.
After the cook left, that evening he found the accountant, invited him for a drink, and asked him to put in a good word with Huang Er Mazi: "That 95% commission was supposed to be ours. It's just that Huang, in order to save money for the master, let us keep our accounts clean—the food expenses and banquet costs were all calculated less, not even giving us a commission. After you arrived, the people below are also willing to give you this money. But speaking of it, you can't get blood from a stone; isn't it still taking the master's money to make up for Huang? You are so clever, do you want us to ruin ourselves? So I have to ask you to speak on behalf of Huang in front of the master. Right now, rice, grain, firewood, and even vegetables are expensive. According to the previous amount, we really can't afford it. Can you cut us some slack? Starting from next month, add ten cents to each person's food expenses? That way I won't lose money, and you will benefit too. As for the master spending a few hundred more a day, small money doesn't matter, but for the big money, just massage the numbers a little more from the material expenses. This shouldn't be difficult to fudge, right?" The accountant drank and ate, so he naturally had to help, repeatedly agreeing.
In the evening, the accountant told Huang Er Mazi about this matter. Huang Er Mazi frowned and thought for a long time, saying, "Why didn't you say so earlier! I already told the master that he can't continue and recommended someone else to take his place. What am I supposed to do now? Go back and ask the master to let him come back? That's not going to fly!" The accountant was also startled when he heard this and quickly said, "This matter still needs you to get Huang to reconsider!" After a moment of silence, Huang Er Mazi said, "Fine, I can still explain to the master. I'll just say that the person taking over has something going on at home and can't come to work temporarily, so let the original person continue. We'll keep an eye out and hire someone else later. But I already told the new guy he starts tomorrow. You guys work it out with him. If he's cool, great. If not, whatever. I can't back out now."
Old Zhang, the accountant, came out and told the chef about this. The chef understood and said, "He just wants more money, right? I'll give him twenty copper coins and tell him not to come tomorrow. But if the guys working under us try to persuade him, he definitely won't agree. We still need to ask for the old man's help; you have to personally give him the money for it to be right." Old Zhang went to find Huang Er, that rascal, who said twenty copper coins probably won't cut it. After adding another ten coins, Huang Er finally agreed.
After this incident, everyone knew the old man was after money. Anyone who wanted to curry favor with his brother-in-law sent him cash. When his brother-in-law's job was relieved, he cleaned up nicely. And that's not all, folks!
