Zhang Guozhu from Sichuan, ever since he was recognized as an adopted son by Wuhu Dao, and with his own generosity, he has ingratiated himself with everyone in the mansion. He speaks and acts smoothly and persuasively, and everyone respects him. He felt that the time was right, so he said, "The coffins of the old master and old lady have been here all this time; we need to come to a decision." He then discussed with three concubines about holding another funeral and sending the coffins back to their hometown. It would cost around ten thousand or so. He sent a telegram to his hometown in Sichuan to transfer the money, and when the money arrived, he would proceed with the matter. The three concubines had no objections.
After two days, there was still no reply to the telegram. Zhang Guozhu walked in with a worried expression, sighing, "I'm having the worst luck; not even letting me fulfill this bit of filial piety. What's the point of me being alive?" Everyone pressed him, "What did the telegram say?" He didn't say anything, just cried there. Everyone became anxious and probed him again. He finally said, "Recently, Sichuan received orders from above to cut back on the army this month. I had a replacement for this trip. I sent a telegram asking him to transfer seven or eight thousand yuan first, and then I would add a few thousand from here. This way, we could hold a decent funeral and send the old folks back home. But unexpectedly, this happened, and I really have no way out. I am so desperate!" The eldest concubine said, "When the old master was alive, he promoted many people. Now with you, the son, here, they wouldn't dare not recognize you. Write a few letters to them; ask for their help in raising some money; they should be willing to help." Zhang Guozhu said, "No! No! How can I trouble others with such an important matter of the old folks? Although I am temporarily out of work now, I still have some status. It's not appropriate for me to beg them. It's not that I am afraid they will suspect me, but I owe them a favor. The old folks have been gone for three years; we haven't been in touch. If they don't help, it's fine. Even if they are willing to help, even if each person gives twenty or thirty yuan, at most a hundred yuan, it's just a drop in the bucket to us, and we would be in their debt. It's not worth it. We'll figure it out ourselves."
The next day, Zhang Guozhu said again: "Although I have resigned from my position over there, I can't stay here for too long. Since there is not enough money, I can only 'make do.' Besides, I have already handled a funeral before, and it is not convenient to trouble others again. Let's quickly pick a day and send the coffin away within half a month. Except for those with very close relationships, we won't notify anyone else."
During this half month, he would go to the official's residence whenever he had time, showing great respect to the official. Later, he even worshipped the official as his master, saying, "Master, my father passed away early and I didn't receive much education. Now I worship you as my master, accept your teachings, and hope to learn some principles of being a good person." The official was delighted by this flattery. Knowing that Zhang Guozhu had lost his job in Sichuan and was currently in a difficult situation, he gave him two hundred yuan out of kindness, and even helped him write letters to various government offices to raise money. He managed to collect nearly two thousand yuan, all of which he gave to Zhang Guozhu. Zhang Guozhu was naturally very grateful.
As the day of departure approached, Zhang Guozhu held a funeral at the official's residence. All the officials below the official who received the funeral notice came to offer their condolences. Although there were not many guests, it wasn't a huge affair, but it looked the part. Zhang Guozhu wore mourning clothes and knelt down to kowtow to the guests with the help of two people, holding a ceremonial staff in his hand, crying and wailing, looking very much like a real mourner. Three concubines and the people in the mansion sighed and said, "Our military family is so lucky to have such a devoted son; he'll get his father home." However, a very good friend of Zhang's military family, a local gentry and aspiring magistrate, Liu Cunshu, didn't quite believe it. He whispered a few words behind Zhang's back, which were eventually reported to Zhang Guozhu. At that time, Zhang Guozhu didn't say anything, but a plan was already forming in his mind.
Originally, it was said that after the funeral was over, he would set off, but it has been delayed for seven or eight days and he still hasn't left. Wu Hu Dao asked him, "Why haven't you set off yet?" He hesitated and couldn't speak. Wu Hu Dao understood his meaning, knowing that he must be short of money, so he asked if that was the case. Zhang Guozhu had no choice but to tell the truth. Wu Hu Dao said, "You can't put out a fire with a drop of water. Even if we help again, at most we can scrape together a few hundred more, which won't be enough. Besides, the trip home is a long one. Even if you return home for the burial, you still have to handle the funeral expenses, notify friends; all of which require money. Before, I wanted you to mortgage your house for twenty thousand, but your elder brother disagreed. Now I think this is the only solution. Your elder brother must not be stubborn. Follow my advice, go back and discuss with your several concubines. Fortunately, there are only three concubines left now, so there is no need to live in such a big house. Even if it's delayed for two more years, when your elder brother has money, he can redeem it back." Zhang Guozhu was very happy in his heart, but deliberately hesitated for a while and said, "You're absolutely right, Teacher. I will go back to discuss with my concubines and report back. However, there is one more thing. The old man served in the army for many years, holding a post for a considerable time. Now that he has passed away, his funeral expenses haven't been settled. I would like to ask the teacher for help, to petition the authorities, or to provide generous compensation according to the example of illness incurred during his service. If this can be done, I will die without regrets!" With that, he knocked his head on the ground. Wu Hu Dao said, "This is your filial piety; I'll do what I can. Not to mention anything else, just considering the time the old man spent leading troops in Anhui was not short. You mortgage the house, send the coffin back home, and I will help you with this matter. It'll take at least a few months." Zhang Guozhu knocked his head again in gratitude.
That day, Mr. Wu invited Zhang Guozhu to dinner, saying he had invited a few bigwigs to discuss some matters, so he asked Zhang Guozhu to join them. When Zhang Guozhu heard this, he stayed. After a while, the guests arrived, and unexpectedly, Liu Cunshu, who suspected him, was also there. Zhang Guozhu looked and immediately instructed the servant, "Go back to my room and bring me the leather bag from the head of the bed." As he sat down, the steward had already brought the bag. Zhang Guozhu took it, opened it, pulled out a piece of paper, and said, "Today everyone’s here, and I have something I want you all to see." With that, he handed the paper to Liu Cunshu. Liu Cunshu looked and saw an official document stating that the imperial minister appointed Zhang Guozhu to lead the camp, with all the official titles clearly written. Everyone was puzzled and passed it around to read. Zhang Guozhu continued, "Before my father passed away, due to financial troubles, all our family assets were mortgaged, and we had nothing left. I came all the way back to handle the aftermath; not only did I suffer, but I also had to pay money. Our teacher knew the real story; he understood what I was going through. But some people were spreading lies, saying I wasn't doing my job properly and that my official position was fake. So today, I brought this out to make everything clear." After saying this, he put the document away, sent the servant off, and got back to entertaining the guests.
After everyone finished reading the official document, no one said anything. Only Wu Hu Dao felt that Zhang Guozhu was an upright person and pointed at him, saying, "His old man was supposedly well-off after retirement – so how come he's suddenly penniless? Only this older brother of his is truly filial and thinks of the bigger picture. And after he came back, not only did he not profit from his old man, he actually lost thousands of taels – that's rare! Now he wants to transport his father's coffin back, but he has no money. What should he do? I suggested he remortgage his house, but he wouldn't hear of it. A son like that is a rare find!" Everyone naturally agreed with him. But there was this old scholar from the yamen, at the banquet, saw right through it all but kept mum. After the banquet, he said to his colleagues, "I've been in the civil service for decades, I've seen it all! Official documents use red and black ink; I've never seen a date written in black ink on one before. There's always a red dot over the 'zha', a dot and hook by the name, and the date's gotta be in red ink. Plus, there should be an internal number stamp on the back. His document? No red ink, no internal number. I might not know much, but I learned something new today." His colleague said, "No way, the official seal's genuine." The old scholar replied, "Yeah, but couldn't they just pre-print blanks? He's Huang Junmen's nephew, followed him around Sichuan, and even stayed on at the camp after Junmen died. What couldn't he do at this point? We're being kind, we won't call him out on it. Let it be."
After Zhang Guozhu returned home, he said that he intended to report to the court on behalf of his father to request a funeral allowance. However, that'd cost at least forty or fifty thousand taels to grease the wheels. All three concubines said, "Although this matter should be handled, where can we get so much money all of a sudden?" Zhang Guozhu said, "This is about giving Dad a proper send-off; it's a matter of respect. No matter what, even if I have to endure hardship and raise money everywhere, I must make it happen." So, naturally, they got around to talking about mortgaging the house, but this was suggested by the three concubines, not him. At this point, he immediately changed his attitude and said, "If it was just getting the coffin back, I wouldn't even think about the house. But now, the amount for my father's funeral allowance is too large, so I have to sell the house." The next day, he asked a friend in the accounting office to help and mortgaged the house for fifty thousand taels of silver. Wuhu Dao heard about it and actually gave him a pat on the back, saying, "The old man's gone, leaving behind three concubines and no kids. That big house is just sitting empty, so it makes sense to get some money from it." Later, when he met Zhang Guozhu, he said, "I heard that you have resigned from your job in Sichuan. In the future, the three concubines will rely on you for support. Without a job, how can you afford to support them? We're mates, so I gotta help you out." Zhang Guozhu hurriedly thanked Wuhu Dao for his guidance. Wuhu Dao said, "You get the coffin back, and I'll see what I can do. I'm going to the provincial capital now. You'll have some good news when you get back."
Zhang Guozhu took the silver and, together with three concubines, sent the remains of Zhang Junmen and his wife back to their hometown for burial. We'll leave that aside for the moment. Two days after passing through Wuhu, he went to the provincial capital for other matters and, incidentally, sought condolences for Zhang Junmen and sought a job for himself. He took a boat and arrived quickly. After disembarking, he first went to the mansion prepared by his subordinates to rest. Then he went to the yamen, specifically to the office of his superior, the provincial governor. Upon entering the office, he found that someone was already sitting there. The man didn’t look like a local junior official, so they asked each other for their names. Wuhu Dao first introduced himself. The man hurriedly said, "Taigongzu" (a respectful form of address), introducing himself as Yin, with the style name Zichong, from Luzhou. He worked as a Langzhong in the capital and lived in the home of Xu Dajunji. Wuhu Dao understood that he was Xu Dajunji's son-in-law. So he asked him, "What brings you to the capital?" Yin Zichong, not wanting to discuss personal matters since it was their first meeting, simply said, "I have a small matter to discuss with the High Minister, nothing major." Then he asked Wuhu Dao, "Are there any good mines in your jurisdiction?" Wuhu Dao understood his intention and guessed that he was there to handle mining affairs, so he dismissed him with a few polite words.
Wuhu Dao returned and reported on the arrangements for Zhang Junmen's funeral and also asked the governor to help arrange a position for Zhang Junmen's son. He mentioned that Zhang Junmen had a son from a concubine, around forty years old, who used to follow Huang Zhen in the Sichuan garrison and had risen to the rank of deputy colonel. Although he was a military officer, he was well-educated and efficient. Now that the Sichuan garrison has been disbanded, he is out of a job and wants the governor's help in finding a new position. The governor had a good relationship with Zhang Junmen in the past, so upon hearing this, he immediately expressed his delight at the news that Zhang Junmen had another son, especially since he was the son of an old friend. He must be promoted. Tong Qingcai is returning to the capital soon, leaving several battalion commander positions vacant. These battalion commanders were all recruited by Zhang Junmen in the past, so it was decided to temporarily assign one of these positions to his son. The governor instructed Wuhu Dao to write a letter to inform Zhang Deputy Colonel to come quickly after the funeral is over. As for the official compensation, they would discuss it when he arrived.
Wuhu Dao got right on it, sending a telegram to Zhang Yujifa. Zhang Guozhu (son of Zhang Junmen) later led a dozen or so battalions, and everyone knew he was Zhang Junmen's son. When he returned to his hometown to bury his father, he had already settled his father's three widows, had $50,000 in hand, lived very comfortably, and everything went smoothly. After leading battalions in Anhui for several years, he sold the house in Wuhu and made tens of thousands of dollars. As for his father's widows, relying on some connections, they pestered him a few times, and he gave them a few thousand dollars, after which there were no more issues.
Now, let's talk about Yin Zichong, who met Wuhu Dao at the magistrate's office. After Wuhu Dao left, the magistrate invited Yin Zichong in. The magistrate frowned when he saw him, complaining to the constable that Yin Zichong always came here. Isn't he just Xu Dajun's son-in-law? He always played the Xu Dajun card, and he wasn't exactly known for his efficiency. After Yin Zichong came in, he gave the magistrate the usual kowtow. Although the magistrate didn't like him, he had to be polite because of his father-in-law.
Yin Zichong said his father-in-law wrote a letter asking him to quickly handle things here and return to Beijing; he had to make his ancestral offerings for the New Year, and there was also the Longevity Festival in the second half of the year, which he couldn't miss. The magistrate asked him if there was anything else besides the mining affairs, and Yin Zichong said Shanxiang Company was giving him a headache. He founded this company, raised $60,000 in capital, and had already collected half of it. Even though it wasn't his money, he had put in a lot of effort, and his father-in-law had also helped by writing letters, which led to the current situation. Thirty thousand dollars had already been used up, and the other investors were dragging their feet. The magistrate said as long as the mine was good, the company would definitely prosper in the future, coupled with the reputation of Mr. Xu and Yin Zichong's abilities; it's a sure thing to succeed. Just send them a nudge to contribute the remaining shares; they'd get interest, plus a share of the profits. What's not to like?
Yin Zichong said the problem was that he was too honest, frugal in everything. From starting the company until now, he hadn't taken any share of the earnings, saying he would make it up after the company became profitable, but the shareholders were unwilling, and they also blocked further investment. The provincial governor was very surprised and asked Yin Zichong what he planned to do. Yin Zichong said his father-in-law had written to ask him to return to Beijing, and he didn't want to deal with this matter anymore. In addition, in the past two months, the initial capital had been used up, and the remaining funds couldn't be raised. He had already advanced a fortune, so he wanted to get out quickly. The governor asked him what he planned to do, and Yin Zichong said he would go back to discuss with the shareholders.
The governor had nothing more to say and sent him off. After seeing off Yin Zichong, the governor complained again that Chinese people were not capable of handling things. They boasted at the beginning, were active during the stock offering, spent money recklessly once they got it, didn't give any interest, messed things up, and then didn't want to take responsibility. He’d had enough and wouldn’t see him again.
Yin Zichong went to see the governor this time, intending to discuss something, but he was stonewalled by the governor and returned to Shanxiang Company with his tail between his legs. His colleagues immediately surrounded him and asked, "Did you talk to the governor? That foreigner came again; he insists that he must get the governor's approval first before he can mine peacefully, and we can cooperate more." Yin Zichong angrily said, "What a stubborn jerk! He doesn't trust me and insists on the governor's approval before buying? This is unacceptable! Tell him, this company was founded by my Yin family, and my family's matters will be handled by Mr. Xu (his father-in-law)! What can the governor do? If he doesn't agree, let him talk to my father-in-law! That mine's sold! As for his fear that the governor will hinder him and dare not protect him, hmph, does he think he's got nine lives?"
Yin Zichong was beaming. The mine buyer had come again, followed by an interpreter. Yin Zichong was so frightened that he blanched, quickly jumped up, all smiles, invited them to sit down, and had his men bring out the good stuff: liquor, soda, snacks, and cigars. After exchanging a few words with the interpreter, the foreigner asked Yin Zichong, "Have you talked to the provincial governor about this?" Yin Zichong replied, "This mine is owned by my Yin family; it's none of his business! Besides, my father-in-law, Mr. Xu, is also involved. Once you're in charge, you can open a mine wherever you want in the province. Don't worry about him protecting you; he wouldn't dare! Just go ahead boldly! Anything at all, just let me know, I'll talk to my father-in-law, and we'll sort it out!" The interpreter translated this to the foreigner, who muttered again. The interpreter said to Yin Zichong, "Our boss means that although the company was founded by you, Mr. Yin, you're just a trader, and our boss is also a businessman. Although you are willing, the mainland is different from the concessions; Chinese traders cannot trade privately with foreign traders. Mining should be conducted in the mainland; foreign traders are not allowed to open stores there, so how can they be allowed to open mines? Moreover, even in the concessions, if Chinese traders transfer transactions to foreign traders or use their signs, they must register at the consulate. Now that our boss is here to trade with you in the mainland, how can it be done without the consent of both officials? You Chinese often complain that foreigners are unreasonable and don't always follow the rules; in this matter, our boss insists that both officials must sign before he will take over."
Yin Zichong was cheesed off after hearing this. The translator had already told the Yank about his difficulties, and with his anxious look, even if the translator didn't say anything, the foreigner would have figured it out. The Yank knew that if this matter went through the governor, unless the governor and Yin Zichong were on the same side, he wouldn't sell the province's mineral resources to foreigners, allowing them to exploit them without any interference from Chinese officials. If the governor had a conscience and considered sovereignty and interests, he would definitely not agree. As long as the governor didn't agree, the matter would be doomed. Therefore, the Yank repeatedly requested Yin Zichong to grease some wheels before agreeing to take over. Although Yin Zichong was the son-in-law of Mr. Xu, the province's mineral resources were vital to the province's interests. The governor was the big cheese, and it was a matter of national importance. If the governor resolutely disagreed, even the Minister of War couldn't do anything about it. Yin Zichong had just listened to a few words from the governor and knew that this matter was hopeless, but he couldn't lose face, so he had to brown-nose his father-in-law, asking the Yank not to listen to the governor, but to talk to him directly if there was an issue, and he would then speak to his father-in-law. Unexpectedly, the Yank was very shrewd and refused to agree. Yin Zichong was afraid of messing things up. The company was small potatoes, but selling it to the foreigners was the big deal, at least making two million taels of silver. After deducting the money owed to the shareholders, he could also rake in the cash. So he refused to give up at all costs.
At that time, the Yank understood Yin Zichong's difficulties and was chuffed, thinking to himself, "Even if the company's a no-go, we can still bleed him dry. With a relative who is a Minister of War, who would hesitate to raise funds for him?" So he smiled and was about to leave. Yin Zichong desperately held him back, insisting on discussing it properly. The Yank got a brainwave and sat down to listen to him. Yin Zichong stuck to his old ways, patting his chest and saying, "What's with the jitters? You need the governor's okay first? My father-in-law makes and breaks him! Not to brag, but if he dares to say 'no' to what we do, do you think he would dare to make a sound? If he even breathes a word, I'll have his job! Who would be afraid to take his place?"
The interpreter remained silent, while the businessman just smiled. Yin Zichong urged the interpreter to ask the businessman again. After inquiring, the interpreter returned and reported, "As long as your father-in-law Mr. Xu is willing to sign, that will suffice." Yin Zichong said, "I'll handle the signature!" The businessman replied, "In that case, Mr. Yin, when will you go to Beijing? Let's hold off on going to Beijing together. If Mr. Xu refuses to sign, not only will you be responsible for my travel expenses to Beijing, but also for my expenses from Shanghai to Anhui, as well as all my costs during my stay in Anhui." The interpreter translated sentence by sentence, and Yin Zichong responded in kind. Since the businessman mentioned "going to Beijing together," Yin Zichong said, "I'll go to Beijing first, convince my father-in-law, then I'll telegram you. It’s not too late for you to go afterward. However, if things don't work out, I'll bear all the expenses. If things work out and you change your mind, who should I turn to?" The businessman said, "We are conducting business in good faith; there is no reason to deceive anyone." Yin Zichong replied, "That's true, but we need something in writing to reassure everyone." After thinking for a moment, the businessman asked, "How much? If I change my mind, the deposit will be forfeited. If you change your mind or can't get things done, how will you be penalized?" Yin Zichong said, "I will absolutely not change my mind!" The businessman said, "Although you say that, we still need to clearly outline the terms to avoid disputes later on." Yin Zichong agreed, "Yes, yes, yes." They discussed for a while, and Yin Zichong first requested the businessman to pay a 20% deposit, saying, "For all the province's mines, a total of 2.4 million taels, I've already compromised significantly. A 20% deposit is 480,000 taels." The businessman thought it was too much; they negotiated back and forth and finally agreed on a total price of 2 million taels for all the province's mineral resources, with an initial 20% payment of 400,000 taels. The businessman was only willing to pay 50,000 taels, which is half of that amount, but eventually fell for Yin Zichong's charm and agreed to pay 100,000 taels as an initial payment, completing the deal that same day. Yin Zichong signed as proof, with a deadline of five months to complete the transaction. If Yin Zichong failed to complete the deal or backed out, he'd have to return the 100,000 taels deposit and pay a penalty three times that amount.
Yin Zichong was desperate to succeed and wanted the money right then and there. He followed every word this foreigner said, put everything in writing, and signed it. He couldn't wait a single day, so he signed the papers on the spot and wanted to get the money immediately. The foreigner said, "Look, my money's all in the Shanghai bank. I promised you, you'll get it. We're all set, nothing more for me to do here. I'm heading back to Shanghai tomorrow. You can send someone with me to pick it up." Hearing this, Yin Zichong felt disappointed but temporarily endured it, keeping the signed documents. He asked his employees, "Who will go to Shanghai to get the money?" No one was available, so he had to go himself. He then discussed with the foreigner and agreed to go to Shanghai in two days to collect the deposit and then immediately head to Beijing. The foreigner agreed and went back to his residence. He didn't bother telling the shareholders and dismissed all the company's employees, shutting down the business. He also returned the rented house, found a small place, and just kept up appearances. He left a trusted employee to handle the rest so he could leave immediately.
Before he knew it, two days had passed, and he was in Shanghai, receiving the foreigner's money and handing over the signed documents. The foreigner took him to see the consul, and they talked. By then, all Yin Zichong cared about was getting the money. He'd do anything. He was already a wealthy person, and after receiving this ill-gotten money, he blew through tens of thousands of taels in days. Let's just leave it at that.
He arrived in mid-May, and now it is early June. He planned to spend the summer in Shanghai and then go to Beijing when it cools down in the fall, but actually, he just wanted to have fun in Shanghai. He fell in with a bad crowd, and they played cards and drank together every day. They saw that he had a lot of money, so they were always looking to sponge off him. So he didn't want to leave, and his friends didn't want him to leave either. Later, he saw in the newspaper that his father-in-law, Mr. Xu, was said to be ill due to a disagreement with other military ministers. Since he arrived in Shanghai, he'd been too busy enjoying himself to check his mail and didn't know if his father-in-law's illness was true or false. He calculated that he still had over three months left, so there was still time. But if his father-in-law was really sick, then the whole thing would fall apart. He thought about sending a telegram to ask about the situation at home, but since he hadn't written to his father-in-law since arriving in Shanghai, sending a sudden telegram would seem strange. He was in a real bind. Later, one of his friends suggested that he send a telegram only asking about his father-in-law's health, without mentioning anything else. He did as suggested. The next day, he received a telegram from his uncle, which just said, "Dad's got dysentery." Yin Zichong realized that his father-in-law was old and addicted to opium, so dysentery would be too much for him. It was then that he panicked, putting aside the matter of taking a concubine, and hurriedly took a boat to Beijing overnight. He left half his money in Shanghai, sent a fifth home, blew a fifth in Shanghai, and took the rest to Beijing. He hightailed it back to Beijing.
Fortunately, his father-in-law pulled through. After taking two doses of medicine, he got over his dysentery. Yin Zichong finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, his father-in-law had a total of three sons-in-law; the other two were both well-educated, while he had bought an official position and had not read many books due to his wealthy upbringing. His handwriting was terrible. Therefore, Xu didn’t like him very much. When he saw his father-in-law, he was half scared and half ashamed, not daring to say a word. Earlier, in order to sell the mine, he had boasted in front of the foreigners that he would have his father-in-law sign after returning to Beijing, asking for his help and making grand promises. Little did he know that after arriving in the capital, he had spent two months living with his in-laws, not daring to say a word.
The deadline was approaching, and the foreigners sent a telegram urging him to come to Beijing. Now he was pacing the floor, not knowing what to do, and this went on for more than ten days. The foreign buyers of the mine had also arrived, staying in a hotel waiting specifically for him. If the deal didn't go through, they would be able to collect fines from him, making him even more anxious, like an ant on a hot plate. As the saying goes, "Desperate times, desperate measures." Normally, when he saw his father-in-law painting, he barely paid attention, never asking about the content. Although Yin Zichong was not very knowledgeable, he was still clever. He immediately understood that his father-in-law was getting old and tired. This was something he could exploit. Fortunately, among his uncles, there were two who his father-in-law didn’t give money to spend. Everyone knew his father-in-law was loaded, so they all came hat in hand. So, although Yin Zichong was not well-received by his father-in-law, those uncles who had borrowed money from him were quite grateful to him, so their relationship was still good. Yin Zichong had also discussed the sale of the mine with his uncles, and they all wanted him to succeed, hoping to cash in. Now that everyone knew Yin Zichong was being pressured by the foreigners, they all came to help him come up with ideas.
Later, thanks to his youngest uncle (who was only nineteen years old at the time and, although young, was full of clever schemes), relying on the fact that his father, Mr. Xu, liked him, he came up with a scheming plan and promised to reward him after the matter was settled. Yin Zichong naturally agreed. He first laid the groundwork, then went back to find his father-in-law. He knew that his father-in-law had a good relationship with a monk from a temple outside the front door and frequently visited the temple. The abbot of that temple could write poetry and paint, and also facilitated introductions. He became good friends with Mr. Xu, and those hoping to curry favor with Mr. Xu would instead court the monk. Moreover, this monk helped people make connections, leaving no trace of his involvement. Because Mr. Xu believed in him, always saying he was a compassionate soul, he always granted the monk's requests. While the monk fooled his father, he didn't fool Mr. Xu's son. Fortunately, this monk was very polite to Mr. Xu's son and even helped him with other matters to please him. Although Mr. Xu's son knew about his actions, he did not expose him in front of his father, given the monk's generally respectful demeanor. This time, Yin Zichong's uncle's plan hinged on this old monk.
The old monk knew that Xu's son had entrusted him with a task and did not dare to neglect it. He chose a day off, prepared a simple vegetarian meal, and personally went to the mansion in advance to invite Xu to the banquet. Xu naturally agreed immediately. That day, when Xu returned from court, he had nothing to do, so he got on a carriage and went straight to the temple. He talked about poetry and painting with the monk, very elegantly. Just as they were chatting happily, Yin Zichong and his uncle arrived at the temple first, saying they were there to serve the old master. Xu didn't mind. The monk, seeing this, made a point of including them, saying, "I prepared a vegetarian meal, originally thought there would be few people. Now that you two have come, accompanying the old master would be even better." They both murmured their agreement. The old monk left the two of them and continued chatting with Xu. Just as they were talking, they suddenly heard the sound of a piano behind the window. The monk had sharp ears and asked the young novice, "Who's playing that?" The young novice said, "It's the foreign prince who came the day before yesterday." The monk said, "Have someone else accompany him, don't leave him hanging. I'm here with Xu and don't have time to greet him, just say I'm not at home." The young novice agreed and went out. At this time, Yin Zichong and his uncle also went out. Xu asked, "What kind of person is this foreign prince?" The monk said, "He's a good person, also doing missionary work. His teachings are similar to our Buddhism, both aiming for goodness. Since he arrived in the capital, he has been living in their embassy; he came to the temple once before, and I accompanied him. Although I don't understand their language, with a translator's help, it's the same. This person plays the piano well and can also write foreign poetry. There is a collection of foreign poems, with many of his poems selected, but unfortunately they are in foreign characters, which we can't read. It would be amazing to swap poems with him!" Xu said, "Since you say he's so good, why not invite him to meet?" The monk said, "Diplomatically speaking, since he's here, I should personally go and greet him. Moreover, he's really important. But it's rare that you have time today, and we were just thinking of taking this opportunity to chat, so letting them accompany him is also the same." Xu said, "We will be eating here later; it would be awkward if he just walked in. I think it's better to invite him to meet. If he hasn't eaten yet, let him join the vegetarian meal with us; we should be polite." The monk was glad to hear that, immediately leaving Xu and going to invite him himself.
In a jiffy, the monk led the way, the foreigner in the middle, with Young Master Xu and Mr. Yin following behind. There was also a person beside the foreigner, probably a translator. After entering the room, Old Man Xu stood up first to shake hands with him, and the foreigner quickly took off his hat. Seeing his son and son-in-law behind him, Old Man Xu said, "So you've already met?" The monk quickly intervened, saying, "Thank goodness he was invited in. He just saw Young Master Xu and Mr. Yin and was so happy, discussing coming together to see the old man." Then everyone settled in.
After a few pleasantries, the monk, worried about messing up, quickly went out to set up tables and chairs and urged everyone to sit down. When Old Man Xu used to eat at the temple, there was only a square table, with him sitting opposite the monk. Now with four more people, six people sat facing each other, and the square table was enough. Or they could just add a round table; plenty of room. Unexpectedly, the monk had other ideas, saying to the Buddha statue, "Old Man Xu often comes, but the foreigner is here for the first time. We may not have vegetarian dishes ready for a while, so serving Chinese dishes may not be very respectful. I have an idea: you go to the West Study and bring over that large table and chairs, and use the large tableware to eat Chinese dishes. That way, he'll be happy as a clam." After a while, everything was set up and everyone was invited to sit down. Old Man Xu saw that a long table was set up. The monk said, "Old Man Xu, today we are combining Chinese and Western styles. You sit at the head of the table, with Young Master Xu and Mr. Yin accompanying you. This is the main seat; Mr. Tessa sits on your right, and Mr. Liu, who came with him, sits on your left. The right-hand seat is the place of honor for Westerners, so you don't need to be polite with him." After everyone was seated, the monk served spirits and water. The foreigner couldn't use chopsticks, so the monk changed them to a knife and fork. Everyone just chatted, making small talk. Old Man Xu made great efforts to entertain, with Young Master Xu and Mr. Yin helping with translation, and they barely made it through.
After eating most of the meal, Old Man Xu seemed a little tired. After a brief exchange between the foreigner and the translator, the translator said to Xu, "This fella really admires you, sir. Before coming to China, he often heard others mention your name. He's been picking up Chinese and even knows quite a few characters." The monk quickly added, "Once you know Chinese characters, you'll be writing poetry in no time! It's just that we don't know any foreign languages and can't understand his poems. I'm really sorry." No one paid attention to the monk. Mr. Liu, the interpreter, said, "He wants you to write your name on a piece of paper for him to see." Xu was very happy when he heard this and immediately asked someone to bring pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. The foreigner rummaged through his belongings for a long time and pulled out a thick stack of colorful foreign paper covered in characters that were completely indecipherable. The interpreter handed the paper to Xu and said, "He thinks Chinese paper's a bit flimsy. It tears as soon as you crumple it. Please write on this kind of paper." Without saying a word, Xu put on his reading glasses, picked up the pen, and wrote his name seriously. The interpreter showed it to the foreigner, who mumbled a bit. The interpreter then tore off a few more sheets of paper, handed them back to Xu, and said, "He wants you to write it again. The first sheet he wants to keep as a treasure, and the second one he wants to take back to his country to print in his book." The monk quickly intervened, saying, "He probably wants to put your name in his poem, to make you famous back home!" While the monk was speaking, Xu had finished writing and handed it to the foreigner. The foreigner accepted it and continued drinking and eating. Once that was sorted, the monk nodded to the young monk, who hurried to the kitchen. After a while, the feast was done. The young man and Mr. Yin accompanied the foreigner to the study room to drink tea, while the monk stayed with Xu. Xu sat for a bit, had some tea, then took his carriage home.
Right then, the monk finally got to the study and saw the young master there showing off. What happens next? Find out next time!
