After the little rabbit had been out for three or four days, Jia Zhitai suddenly received an urgent letter from the magistrate of Qizhou. The letter stated that Jia Zhitai's cousin, Xiao, passed through Qizhou on a boat, and when he disembarked, he was surrounded by a crowd and accidentally had his money stolen by a pickpocket. He was now staying at the yamen and unable to leave, requesting instructions from Jia Zhitai.
It turned out that the little rabbit was looking around while on the boat and did not take care of his luggage properly, resulting in being targeted by a pickpocket. When he was unpacking to change clothes, he found that his money was gone, and he started causing a commotion, demanding that the people on the boat catch the thief. When the thief was not caught, he cried and demanded compensation from the ship's steward, and then insisted on going ashore to file a complaint. Before the boat left port, they simply sent his luggage ashore and told him to file a complaint. Upon learning that the shore belonged to Qizhou, the little rabbit quickly got on a carriage and ran to the yamen to file a complaint.
The magistrate of Qizhou, surnamed Qu, 字奉仁 (his courtesy name was Fengren), upon hearing that he was Jia Zhitai's cousin, did not dare to neglect the matter and promptly invited him to stay at the yamen while reporting to Jia Zhitai for instructions. The letter also stated: "The money was lost on the boat, which is managed by foreigners. I do not have the authority to handle this matter, so I ask you to investigate." Magistrate Qu's intention was to distance himself from the matter, claiming it had nothing to do with him. However, Jia Zhitai was not pleased with this and said, "Whether it's in the water or on land, as long as it's within the jurisdiction of Qizhou, if something is lost, it must be claimed from them. If my relatives are treated this way, let alone the common people!" After that, he wrote a stern official document reprimanding Magistrate Qu for not handling the matter properly, stating, "Recover both the thief and the stolen goods within three days, or face dismissal." Magistrate Fengren received the document and had no choice but to reach an understanding with the little rabbit, privately agreeing to compensate him for all his money, giving him an additional twenty-four taels of silver as compensation, buying him a boat ticket, and sending a servant and two constables to accompany him home. He then went to the provincial capital to report this matter to Jia Zhitai.
The county magistrate crossed the river to the provincial capital that same evening. When he arrived, he was worried that Jia Zhitai would be concerned about his cousin, so he hurried to see Jia Zhitai. Fortunately, Jia Zhitai was a night owl and always happy to see visitors, no matter the hour. The police officers at the yamen knew his temperament and dared not go home, taking turns waiting at the yamen gate. So even in the middle of the night, the yamen was buzzing with activity. When Qu Fengren arrived at the office, he saw that someone was already there. The person was lying diagonally on the kang where the county magistrate usually sat, dozing with his head down. No matter who walked past him, he didn't notice. The office was a three-room hall, with only a small candle lit, making it barely visible. Qu Fengren was a stranger in the provincial capital. Seeing the person sitting still, he did not go up to greet him. Suddenly, a north wind blew in October, causing the windows to rattle. The wind blew the candle, causing the wax to drip, and the candle was burning out quickly. Qu Fengren felt a shiver down his spine and was about to ask the steward for some clothes to wear when he saw the person on the kang letting out a surprised "Oof!" as he got up, stretching lazily before lying back down. He was bundled in an old cotton jacket, his feet sticking out of his boots. Qu Fengren was puzzled, wondering who this person was. "If he is an official, why is no one attending to him and he is sleeping here?" As he thought, he checked his watch; it was 11:15 when he arrived, and now it was 3:15 AM.
Looking at the clock, I suddenly heard a group of officials and their porters outside the window panting heavily, with a sound like someone slurping down a bowl of noodles. Qu Fengren heard it clearly and thought to himself, "It's so late, I'm also hungry. Why not ask them to buy a bowl of noodles as well? It can satisfy my hunger and keep me warm." With the idea set, he was about to go out and call someone, but he didn't expect the wind outside to be strong, cutting like a knife on his face. Before he could speak, the stewards had already seen him and hurried in to ask, "What can I do for you, sir?" Qu Fengren quickly retreated and sat down, took a breath, and mentioned wanting to buy noodles to eat. The steward said, "It's the middle of the night; there's nowhere to get noodles. They are just freezing and panting outside, not eating noodles. Maybe you just misheard them. If you want to eat noodles, I'll go out and buy some at the Yamen." Qu Fengren nodded. The steward went out to buy noodles, but after a while, he only brought back a bowl of porridge, saying it was almost four in the morning and there were no noodles left. Qu Fengren had to give up.
After eating the porridge and feeling a bit warmer, he asked, "Why hasn't he been summoned yet?" The steward replied, "I heard he is still talking to the chief governor. The chief governor arrived when the lights were on and went straight to the signing room. The governor invited him for dinner, talked about calligraphy and painting, and they are still talking now. Jianghanguan Dao (the rank of the official) arrived at two in the afternoon and still hasn't been seen. This gentleman only gets along with the chief governor; some officials and governors are not comparable to him." Qu Fengren said, "The chief governor and the chief secretary were brothers." The steward said, "I heard that he has now taken the chief secretary as his master and no longer recognizes their brotherhood. Throughout Wuchang, only he can enter the signing room; others can only wait outside." Qu Fengren said, "In that case, I wonder when I will be able to see him?" The steward said, "I just asked the bailiffs; he might be able to see you soon, or it could take ten days, a couple of weeks, or he might just forget about you altogether." Qu Fengren said, "I have urgent matters to discuss; I need to see him and clarify things. I have to go back. How can I be delayed by him like this?" The steward said, "Yeah, that's why everyone's complaining around here."
The two of them were jawing away when suddenly the guy wrapped in a cotton jacket on the kang shot up, rubbed his eyes, pushed the jacket aside, and bowed, saying, "Hey, sorry to keep you waiting! You’ve only been here a bit, and I’ve been here for almost a month!" Qu Fengren's jaw dropped at this, and he quickly stood up to ask for his name. The guy got up too and replied, "My surname is Qu, my courtesy name is Nai'an." The name "Qu Nai'an" rang a bell with Qu Fengren, but after thinking for a while, he still couldn’t place it.
After Qu Nai'an took office in Xingguo Prefecture, the old man and Qu Nai'an didn't see eye to eye. Because Qu Nai'an didn’t satisfy his demands, the previous accountant changed all the account books handed over by his predecessors. He'd change a hundred taels of silver to a hundred cash; what should have been recorded as one hundred wen, he changed to fifty wen. Even Qu Nai'an's sharp wife fell for it and didn’t suspect a thing. As a result, he was unlucky! He bribed everyone, but got nowhere, and had no idea why he had offended so many people. That accountant was a real snake in the grass!
Back when he was in Hubei, Qu Nai'an rode his son-in-law Dai Shichang's coattails, and those superiors who knew his background didn’t bother with him. So even if he gave less money to his superiors, it was fine. But when Dai Shichang fell out of favor, Qu Nai'an, this "fake son-in-law," was toast. When the new magistrate Jia took office, someone immediately reported him. At first, Jia let it slide and didn’t remove him from his position right away. But more complaints piled up, and even his wife's shady dealings came out. Then the higher-ups got involved, and that was the end of Jia.
After Qu Nai'an was dismissed and sent back to his home province, he went to the governor's office for three consecutive days but did not see the governor. Later, because he needed to screen a group of people, the governor suddenly remembered him and summoned him over. Qu Nai'an received the notification and rushed to the governor's office in a real hurry, not even taking a sedan. The messenger arrived at twelve-fifteen; he hadn't even had lunch and reached the office before twelve-thirty, waiting endlessly. However, despite waiting and waiting, he was not called in, and he didn't dare to leave. Starving, he bought some snacks to eat. When it got dark, he finally found a patrolman he knew and asked for help. The patrolman said, "You don't know how unpredictable the governor is! He could keep you waiting all day, all week, all month! If he wants to see you at 3 AM, you'll be here at 3 AM. And if you dare leave, you'll regret it!" It turned out that the patrolman had previously taken less money from Qu Nai'an and was not happy, so he deliberately scared him. Qu Nai'an was a weak man, dominated by his wife, and without any powerful connections. Terrified, he meekly went back to wait. As a result, he was not called in even by midnight, and he didn't get a wink of sleep all night.
The next morning, he washed his face and had some snacks at the yamen. After a while, all the officials arrived, and the place was crowded with people. After meeting with a few people, everyone else left, leaving only him behind. He didn't dare go home, so he had his steward bring him some food and tea. He waited another whole day, but still no summons. He went to ask the patrol officer, who became angry and said, "You're a real pest! I told you, the boss is impossible to please. You're stuck here, so why keep bothering me?" Qu Nai'an was too scared to say anything and returned to the yamen. That night was different from the previous one; exhausted from the previous night's sleeplessness, he unknowingly fell asleep on the steps. He slept soundly until sunrise. Then more people arrived at the yamen, and he greeted acquaintances as if he were there to socialize. After a while, the officials dispersed, and he had someone from home bring him food and tea. It wasn't too cold, so his robe was enough.
After a few more days passed, he still didn't return to the mansion. His wife became suspicious and said, "Could it be that the master has been charmed by another woman in Hankou and that's why he hasn't come back?" She secretly crossed the river to find out. By chance, she discovered that the family he had fought with last time was indeed the family of his kept mistress. The woman's name was Aizhu, and she was from the brothels of Hankou. At that time, she had been deceived by Magistrate Ma of Xiakou for some reason. Later, when Qu Nai'an took office, he gave her a lot of money. But Qu Nai'an was very afraid of his wife and never dared to bring her to his post. Aizhu also came from a brothel background and was known for her promiscuity. Fortunately, Magistrate Ma considered their friendship and wrote a letter to Qu Nai'an, saying how Aizhu was not good, "I'm afraid she will cause you trouble in the future, so I've gotten rid of her." After Qu Nai'an received the letter, he had no choice but to give up on the idea. Now his wife knew all about this, and she was first angry, but then calmed down when she found out the woman had been dismissed. Having failed to find her husband in Hankou, she crossed the river back to the province. Afraid that her family members' words were unreliable, she sent her trusted old mother to the local government offices to check. Sure enough, she saw the master sitting alone there, and only then did she feel at ease. She sent people to bring food and clothes to the master every day. After a few days, when the weather turned cold, she couldn't bear it at night because there were no bedding, so she sent a cotton robe and a woolen blanket for him to keep warm.
Returning to the main topic, Qu Fengren carefully examined him before remembering that someone had said he was the "adopted son-in-law" of the former magistrate. He's not at all what I expected; how did he end up in this situation today? He asked roughly. Qu Nai'an was an honest man and explained in detail how he obtained his official position, how he was dismissed, how he repeatedly sought an audience with the magistrate but was ignored until he was suddenly summoned, and how the constables prevented him from leaving.
Qu Fengren listened, feeling anxious for Qu Nai'an while also worried about delaying his official duties. He furrowed his brow and said, "My brother's waiting for a position in the provincial government, so it's fine if he doesn't come. But I've got a real job, and I can't afford to be away this long. I was bored anyway, and now that you're here, we can chat and I can learn from you." He added, "Don't make fun of me! Not meeting up isn't a big deal. I only brought light cotton-padded clothes this time, planning to head back after finishing my business. Now I have to send someone back to get my warm clothes." Qu Nai'an replied, "We probably won't see him today. Take off your coat; let's sleep on this kang together. Even if we can't sleep, we can at least chat while lying down. It's late, and it's cold—two people sleeping here is better than being outside. I have a blanket, so cover your feet, and I have a clock, but we don't need it." At first, Qu Fengren was polite and reluctant to sleep on the kang. However, with no movement inside, the cold night, and the wind whistling through the broken window, he couldn't stand it any longer. After Qu Nai'an urged him three times, he finally climbed onto the kang to sleep. They each used one of the kang's pillows.
After falling asleep, Qu Nai'an said again, "To be honest, I remember very clearly which rafters in these three rooms, how many bricks on each rafter, and how many floor tiles on the floor are good or bad." Qu Fengren thought it was weird and quickly asked for the reason. Qu Nai'an explained, "I'm not sure when I'll see my superior, so I stay here every day to keep an eye on things for them. Everyone else has left, leaving only me. With nothing to do and no one to talk to, I can only count bricks." Qu Fengren felt sorry for him. Qu Nai'an said again, "Let's get some sleep. When it's daylight and people come to work again, it will delay things." Qu Fengren was also tired and fell asleep drowsily. The next morning, they were just getting dressed when the other workers arrived. They waited another day, but no one showed up. In the evening, they slept on blankets in the office.
The next day, Qu Fengren couldn't hold on any longer. Luckily, he still held his position, usually well-behaved in the government office, with good relationships. He found a fixer at the prefecture, gave him a thousand taels of silver, and asked him to help. The guy said it'd be no problem. Coincidentally, that day someone wanted to see the government office, and the bailiff submitted Qu Fengren's request. Jia Zhitai said, "Please come in." When he entered, he was so nervous that his palms were sweating, afraid of displeasing the official. The official went down the line, asking everyone questions, and when it was his turn, he only said a few words. "When did you arrive?" Qu Fengren respectfully said, "I came the day before yesterday." The official said, "There are many bandits along the Yangtze River. When the boat arrives, we need to send more people to maintain order." Qu Fengren readily agreed. The official offered him tea and then showed him out. Qu Fengren finally breathed a sigh of relief. After standing up, he bowed again and said, "If that's all, I'll be heading back tonight." Jia Zhitai nodded, "Get going." After that, he escorted them to the door, bowed, and then went inside.
Then Qu Fengren went to the provincial governor's and judicial commissioner's offices. After leaving the offices, he returned to his residence and packed his luggage. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly saw a messenger coming over with a note in his hand, saying, "The newly appointed Qizhou official, Suifengzhan, is here to pay his respects." Qu Fengren took a look and saw the words "Fifth Rank Blue Feather, newly appointed Qizhou official, Suifengzhan" written on the note, and said, "I'm about to leave the city and cross the river; I don't have time to see him." The messenger replied, "As soon as the master arrived, he went to the Zhitai office to inquire, and rushed over that same day. The master has not returned home, and he has come several times. He said the master is his direct superior and should come to serve him every day." Seeing the messenger's respectful attitude, Qu Fengren said, "Please." The messenger went out.
After a while, Suifengzhan arrived, wearing a fifth-rank official uniform, with a python robe and court beads. Before entering the door, he rolled up his sleeves. After entering, he respectfully knelt down and bowed deeply three times, then got up and paid his respects, taking out his credentials from his sleeve and offering them with both hands, bowing again. Qu Fengren, seeing that he was a subordinate, was more casual in his demeanor, accepted the credentials, and returned the gesture. Suifengzhan bowed again, and Qu Fengren simply raised his hand and nodded, considering it a return of respect. After they sat down, Qu Fengren flipped through the credentials, but because he didn't recognize many characters, he didn't look closely. After reading it, he asked, "Sir, are you from Shandong?" Suifengzhan replied, "I am from Anhui, Luzhou Prefecture." Qu Fengren was very surprised, "Why does the document say you're from Shandong?" Upon closer inspection, he realized his mistake: the man had bought his position in Shandong. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he casually asked a few questions, "When did you arrive? When did you take office?" Suifengzhan answered each question. Then, like sending off a Zhitai, Qu Fengren accompanied Suifengzhan for a while, nodded, and entered the house. Suifengzhan hurried out of the city to report, omitting any mention of Qu Fengren's return.
After waiting for more than ten days, Suifeng was anxious because he hadn’t received any orders from the Governor to report to his new position, and he was freaking out. He knew people in Wuchang Prefecture, so he went to the prefecture every day to wait for news. The first time he went, the prefect called him in for a chat and promised to put in a good word for him. After that, he waited in line with other low-level officials. One day, the prefect met the Governor and pulled some strings for him, and the Governor agreed. When the prefect returned and saw Suifeng still standing there, he asked the attendant to invite him in.
The attendant spread the word, and Suifeng immediately beamed and followed the attendant in, grinning from ear to ear as he straightened his hat and adjusted his clothes. The prefect relayed the good news. After Suifeng thanked him, the prefect showed him out. When Suifeng came out, his colleagues swamped him, asking what the prefect wanted with him. Suifeng proudly refused to tell the truth, only saying, "The prefect offered me two jobs I didn't want; he also asked me to recommend a few people, but I'm drawing a blank, so I promised to give him an answer tomorrow." When everyone heard that the prefect had tasks for them, twenty or thirty people crowded around, surrounding Suifeng.
These people are all down-on-their-luck minor officials, capable of anything. It was the dead of winter at the time, with some people only wearing thin outer coats, and some even wearing cheap cotton shirts with yellow thread patches sewn on, some of which had fallen off. Most of the boots were pointed, with some having "eyes" (decorations on the tips of the shoes). Two people were wearing sturdy boots, which was considered relatively good. Some wore fur hats, others worn felt ones; occasionally, there were one or two fur hats that were also bald. In the hall, a group of people crowded together, their eyes and noses red with cold. Some of the men with beards had tears and snot streaming down their beards, using rags to wipe them away. It was said that the top man had recommended Sui Fengzhan, and everyone thought that Sui Fengzhan must have powerful connections, so they all crowded around him to ask for his name.
One of the better-dressed men walked to the back of the hall where it was warmer and saw an umbrella stand with a large ceremonial umbrella. He moved it over and leaned it against the wall, inviting Sui Fengzhan to sit down and talk. Sui Fengzhan saw that there were no chairs and didn't want to refuse, so he sat down with him and asked for his name. The man introduced himself as Shen Shouyao, a small official from the local finance office, who began his career as a probationary official at the age of twenty-four and is now sixty-eight. He first served as a historian in Henan for several years before being transferred to Weihui Prefecture. Once, while patrolling with his men at night, he encountered a drunken man blocking the road and cursing at people. In his youthful arrogance, he directly gave the man fifty strokes. It was only after he finished that he realized the man was a scholar, and those with scholar positions could not be punished without first being stripped of their titles. Helpless, he had to let the man go. The next day, all the scholars in the city came to cause trouble, accusing him of punishing someone with a title. He was terrified, packed up, and ran. Later, the man who had been beaten, fearing for his reputation, privately begged for mercy, and the matter was resolved. The Prefecture knew he had run away to avoid punishment, so they were happy to pass his duties on to someone else. Losing a historian wasn't a big deal, and no one really noticed one less historian. Because of this incident, he could no longer stay in Henan.
Funny thing is, his brother used to pay for a patrolman's position, and after he died, he took over his brother's name, spent some money to skip the exam, and was on the waiting list for a post in Hubei. Later, while repairing the embankment, he made significant contributions, was recommended to skip the waiting list, and directly became a district magistrate. Over time, he often told others about his past, bragged about his experiences, and even said, "Don't underestimate me! Even though my position is small, I've beaten all the government students!" After hearing this too many times, everyone thought he was boasting and ignored him. This time, he started chatting with Sui Fengzhan, and opened up while sitting on the umbrella stand.
Those low-ranking officials were shallow-minded. Seeing Shen Shouyao and Sui Fengzhan chatting so warmly, they assumed they must have a connection and worried that the appointments mentioned by the governor might be snatched away by Shen Shouyao. Some with little insight eavesdropped outside the private room. Others, being a bit sly, muttered to the side, "They have connections and can get themselves good jobs; even if there are a hundred positions, it won't be our turn. Let's go, we don't want to annoy anyone." Some said, "I refuse! I want to hear what they're talking about, what secrets they might have, sneaking around like this?"
A group of people was arguing non-stop when suddenly, a young man in a relatively new robe walked over from the side, bowed deeply to an old man, and said, "Uncle Mei, long time no see! I came to visit your house yesterday when I returned, and it was your mother who personally opened the door and insisted that I come in and sit down. I asked for you and saw your mother wearing just a thin cotton robe, her hair uncombed, cooking, so I came out again. Today, I happen to meet you here and want to chat with you."
The old man said, "Gosh, I'm so sorry. There's no decent place in my house to entertain guests. If someone a little fancier comes, my wife will have to go wait outside for a while so the guest can come in and sit on the bed. Eating, sleeping, and meeting guests all happen on this bed. You came, but I'm not at home, it's really disrespectful!" The young man said, "Pops, I'm one of your own, don't say that!" The old man asked, "How did your task go this time?" The young man said, "I remembered your teachings and didn't slack off on what needed to be done. So even though this task was hard, apart from expenses, I still have $8 left." The old man said, "You really didn't do so well! Young people are inexperienced and useless!" The young man grumbled, "Even younger guys are careful with their money. Besides, we go out to work to earn money; ain't nobody gonna work for nothin'." The old man said, "Don't be upset. How many places did you go to?" The young man said, "I went to a total of five places with my official documents; it took over half a month to finish." The old man said, "Well, look at this! Only $8 left after going to five places, is that much? I don't believe you couldn't even get $2 or $3 from one place. In the end, you only earned $1.60 per place. We're old and washed up; we don't make much all year. A young fella like you, you get a job, and you mess it up like that? That's a shame!" The young man asked, "Pops, what do you think we should do?" The old man said, "At least get $3 from one place, so that you have $15 left after going to five places!" The young man said, "Some places give $3 or $4, but you also have to spend some money yourself. After receiving this money, you still have to give them a tip."
The old man pursed his lips and said, "Hey, you’re loaded, kid! Your grandpa rewards them! They usually deal with big shots like the county magistrate. Which of them doesn’t have a bulging wallet? Would they care about this pittance? As for me, I’m not shy about inviting guests to sit down, pouring them a cup of tea, and being polite—it doesn’t cost me a thing. When it comes to hard work fees, I just give them less; I won’t be polite about it either. They’ll feel too awkward to take it even if I offer. This way, I save money and can stretch it out for a few more days. As for the spending money you mentioned, there’s no limit to that. If you want to enjoy yourself, no amount is enough for a day. If you think it’s too hard, you might as well not do this job." The old man droned on and on, and the young man was getting fed up.
At this time, Qi Qiao and Shen Shouyao came out from behind the private room after finishing their chat. Shen Shouyao recognized the two people and asked the young man, "What'd you and old man Mei talk about?" The young man was about to reply, but the old man butted in and repeated what had just happened, complaining about the kid not knowing how to live or make a buck. The young man was ticked off and argued back. Shen Shouyao jumped in and said, "Old Mei's got a point there. The places you’ve been to are pretty high up. Those big shots can make twenty or thirty thousand a year. Us small folks, even if we socialize more, it's just peanuts. So, every time I go on a business trip, after they hand over the routine money, I politely turn it down a couple of times, not because I think it's too little, but because I say, 'We're such good friends, I really can't take this. I've been waiting for a position in the provincial capital for years, and money's been tight. I could really use a loan.' Saying this, they usually cough up a bit extra. Some guys are even more generous and lend you more than they offer." The young man asked, "How much should I ask for?" Shen Shouyao said, "There's no set amount, just ask and you'll get something." The young man asked, "Should I write him a note?" Shen Shouyao said, "Are you kidding me? Once the money's in your pocket, who needs an IOU? If you write an IOU everywhere, you'd be writing IOUs forever! It's just a formality. Besides, for a few bucks, no one wants an IOU. Just say thanks and everyone's happy."
Three people were chatting happily when suddenly Sui Fengzhan, who had been listening on the side, interjected, "Old Shouweng's right, but it depends; you gotta play it by ear, no hard and fast rules." His sudden interruption threw them. Nobody knew who he was. Shen Shouyao quickly introduced him to the other two, saying, "This is the newly appointed Right Hall of Qizhou, named Sui Fengzhan. His career is going smoothly, and he will take office soon. Moreover, he is experienced and astute, a big shot in our little group." The older and younger guys bowed, all impressed. Shen Shouyao then introduced the other two by name, pointing to the older one, "This is Qin Meishi, he's a magistrate, just like his brother." Pointing to the younger one, he said, "This is Xue Huai, who passed the exam just last autumn. He's related to the Tai family's second daughter, and she's really looked after him. He has already handled several tasks in the provincial capital in less than half a year." Sui Fengzhan also expressed his admiration and said, "I've heard great things about you guys, and your ideas were really insightful!" Qin Meishi replied, "Where, where! Someone like you, about to be a big shot, is a different kettle of fish from us office drones." Sui Fengzhan humbly said, "No way! I've always bought my positions, never had to wait around in the provincial capital. However, I have heard my father mention the ins and outs of this before, so I have some understanding." Everyone eagerly asked, "How'd your dad get so successful?" Sui Fengzhan replied, "My family's been in Shandong government for generations. My dad passed the exams and came to the capital, but I got promoted straight away—lucky to skip all that hassle. Although we all serve as auxiliaries, my family can be considered three generations of officials." Everyone praised him, "You're even better than your old man! Did your father have any tricks that you can share with us?" Shen Shouyao interjected, "Hold your horses, let him tell his story. Older guys have different experiences."
Sui Fengzhan said, "My father used to be a temporary official in Shandong. One year, he received an official document from the government office instructing him to look into a case in various counties. I remember it very clearly. When he arrived at the second stop, it was Changqing County. Changqing County is considered a nice place in Shandong, and the county magistrate had some acquaintance with my father. Upon arriving in Changqing, after their meeting, the county magistrate asked my father to stay at the yamen. My father thought that staying at an inn would cost money, so he brought his bedding to the yamen. After all, there were plenty of empty rooms there. The room he stayed in was next to the accounting office. After settling in, the county magistrate sent someone to invite him, saying, 'Please have dinner with the accountant.' The food in the yamen's kitchen was not great, but the accountant was very nice and even added two extra dishes. My father enjoyed the meal. He had no idea that the next day, the county magistrate went to inspect the countryside. It was over a hundred miles away, taking three to four days for the round trip. Before leaving, he told my father, 'Brother, feel free to stay a few more days. If you have to leave, I’ve already talked to the accountant.' My father thought that since he had talked to them, there should be no problem. On the third day, my father felt it was wrong to stay for free, so he discussed leaving with the accountant. They agreed. My father went back to his room to pack his things. After a while, someone from the accounting office brought two strings of cash, saying it was for my father's travel expenses. My father originally wanted more, but they only brought two strings, leaving him speechless!" Shen Shouyao said, "Two strings of cash are worth a lot now. Nowadays, one foreign coin is worth over eight hundred wén." Sui Fengzhan said, "Oh my! In the north, five hundred wén make one string, two strings make one tael, so two strings are only one thousand wén, worth less than a dollar and a half." Shen Shouyao said, "That's too little." Sui Fengzhan replied, "Exactly! So my father was really angry at the time and told the guy who brought the money, 'The relationship between me and your master isn’t about money. I can’t accept this.' At first, the guy refused to take it back, but later, seeing my father's determination, he took it back. The accountant next door overheard. The guy went back and told the accountant. The accountant stayed silent for a moment and then said, 'If he refuses two strings, then add another one. This money isn’t mine; I can’t just give it away.' When my father heard the conversation next door, he knew things were getting tricky. When the money was brought the second time, it became difficult. If he didn’t accept it, it would look like he was arguing over one string, which wouldn’t look good. He had no choice but to politely decline. Naturally, the guy refused to take it back. My father then said, 'In theory, I shouldn’t accept this money. But since the master isn’t home, if I don’t accept it, it’ll put your accountant in a tough spot. I’ll take it, and please thank the master for me.' Everyone, think about it—if my father still refused to accept the money at that point, they might have just taken it back and not sent it again. What would you do? So, all these things depend on judgment and street smarts. This is what we call reading the room. These are the things my father often taught me."
"What do you all think?" Everyone nodded approvingly. "The wisdom of the old-timer is our golden rule!"
Just as he was speaking happily, a scrawny old nanny suddenly appeared and said to Shen Shouyao, "Master, is the matter finished? Let me have your clothes; I need to take them back. We haven't eaten all day, so the missus sent me for some rice." Shen Shouyao didn't pay attention at first, but when he heard this, he thought she was being cheeky, so he slapped her, sending her sprawling. What happens next? Find out next time!
