Speaking of Lan Xian's death, the next morning, when the matchmaker opened the door and went in, they were shocked and flustered. The boss lady found her daughter-in-law dead, wailing uncontrollably, and the matchmaker couldn't help. Moreover, the old matchmaker was deemed too frail to escape, so they didn't tie her up. The jailor watching the female prisoners knew that if the prisoner committed suicide, he couldn't conceal it, so he had to report to the county magistrate.
When Judge Zhuang heard that it was a matter of life and death, although he was a little panicked, he was an experienced magistrate and had a plan in mind. He immediately went to court and summoned the deceased's mother-in-law for questioning. The old woman just cried and claimed she was innocent. He ignored her and called the constable to ask, "Who testified that Lan Xian stole something?" The constable replied, "It was her mother-in-law who testified." The judge scolded, "Her mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law are in cahoots; how can you say she testified?" The constable explained, "The silver dollars lost by Master Wen all have the seal of the tripod. We found one on Lan Xian's bed, and the seal is exactly the same. Her mother didn't know where the money came from and even asked her about it." The judge didn't believe it and asked if it was the old woman on the boat.
He turned to the landlady, "Where did your daughter-in-law get these silver dollars?" She claimed ignorance. He replied, "I know you don't know. If you really knew, wouldn't you both be in cahoots and stealing?" She insisted, "Your Honor, I truly don't know!" The judge asked, "When the constable searched, did you see? Was it found on Lan Xian's bed or on yours and your other daughter's bed?" When the old woman heard this, fearing for her daughter Yuxian, she quickly said, "It was really Lan Xian who stole it; it was found on her bed." The judge asked, "Did you see it with your own eyes?" She confirmed, "I saw it with my own eyes." The judge said, "Your daughter-in-law is not good, but I am as clear as a mirror. Rest assured, I will not implicate you." The old woman replied, "It's really true, Your Honor!"
The master called the matchmaker again, banged his gavel, and scolded, "You bastard! I entrusted an important prisoner to your care, and you dared to torture her to death! You can't argue with me here. Today, I will beat you to death and avenge Lan Xian's death!" After speaking, he ordered the bailiffs to strip her clothes and fiercely whip her with a cane. The bailiffs agreed, and seven or eight fierce-looking people rushed up, stripped the matchmaker naked, leaving only an undergarment, kneeling on the ground shivering. The master shouted again, "Lay into her!" Someone grabbed her hair, two people held her arms, and one held a finger-thick cane, hitting her repeatedly. They took turns beating her five hundred times before stopping. The master asked the old woman on the boat, "Did the matchmaker kill your wife? If it was her, I will kill her immediately and avenge your wife!" The old woman knelt on the side, frightened by the scene of the master beating someone; she did not hear a word of what the master said, just staring blankly. The master pointed at the old woman and the matchmaker and said, "Her word is law. She says you live, you live; she says you die, you die. That's how it is." When the matchmaker heard this, she cried and begged the old woman, "Ma'am! It's plain as day! Your wife sought death on her own; it has nothing to do with me. If the master kills me, please speak the truth—did I cause her death? If it was me, I will die without complaint. Ma'am! My life is now in your hands. If you frame me, even if I become a ghost, I will not let you go!" The old woman originally hated the matchmaker, but seeing the master had already beaten her, she thought, "If I say anything else, the master will definitely kill her. Wouldn't that mean I caused her death? I ain't afraid of nothin', except her ghost comin' back to haunt me. This beating she received is enough, and besides, Lan Xian was not killed by her; why should I insist on her life?" So she said to the master, "Master, Lan Xian died on her own; it has nothing to do with her. Please spare her life!" The master said, "Since you are pleading for her, I will spare her life." The matchmaker bowed deeply to the old woman to thank her.
The official said to the old woman, "I know that Lan Xian was the one who did the thing on the boat yesterday; it has nothing to do with you. I was planning to let you go. Since that's the case, you quickly go down and write a statement, and take your daughter-in-law's body for burial." The old woman was eager for the official to let her go, so she immediately went down to write the statement, which basically said, "My daughter-in-law took her own life out of shame; there was no abuse involved." After writing it, she handed it to the official for review and then drew a cross herself as a mark of finality. After everything was settled, the official called the ship's owner, crew, and others, and said, "Mr. Wen's missing belongings have been investigated; Lan Xian stole them and hid them in the bed. Her mother-in-law saw it with her own eyes, and the constables found it. Now that Lan Xian has died by her own hand, all the blame is on her. As for the remaining items, I will go plead with the wealthy merchant Wen on your behalf, asking him not to pursue the matter further." Everyone was grateful. The official ordered these people to be taken back, and after reporting to the magistrate, they would be released after the coroner's examination. Everyone thanked him and left. The official immediately went to the magistrate's office, reported the matter, and requested a coroner's examination. The magistrate's office handled such matters routinely.
Zhuang rushed back to the boat to plead with Wenqi: "I'll compensate for the lost items. The person who stole them has already committed suicide to avoid implicating their family." Wenqi hurriedly asked, "Who stole them?" Zhuang said, "It was our star performer, Lan Xian." Wenqi was very surprised to hear this. He originally wanted to ask more questions, but since Zhuang was a good friend, he knew Zhuang wanted to cover his tracks, and it wouldn't be nice to make things difficult for him in front of his colleagues, so he had to agree. Wenqi said, "If things are lost, they're lost. The thief is dead, so there's no reason for you to compensate." Zhuang replied, "Old friend, how could I mention compensation? But I know you need money right now, brother, I understand. I'll send it over in a bit." Seeing him say this, Wenqi couldn't say anything more. They chatted a bit more before parting company. When they reached the bow of the boat, Zhuang quietly asked Wenqi to say a few nice words in front of the leader. Wenqi agreed. After Zhuang returned, he sent three hundred taels to Wenqi that same evening. The next day, after the autopsy and the family members signed the statement, with no issues, Zhuang released everyone. These people were grateful that the county magistrate did not investigate further. He'd gotten away with murder; that's how things worked in the old bureaucracy.
When Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Wen were talking, Zhao Buli heard it. Hearing that Lan Xian had stolen something, he was shocked. Later, he heard that Lan Xian had committed suicide, which alarmed him even more! Thinking of his good relationship with Lan Xian, he wept uncontrollably. He thought Lan Xian was a thief, but he didn't expect that his fifty foreign coins had caused his death. He didn't sleep all night. After everyone on the ship was released, Lan Xian was buried. He usually liked to write, so he took the time to compose a eulogy and secretly ran to a secluded spot on the shore to mourn. Back on the ship, he didn't sleep all night again, writing a short biography for Lan Xian and composing several four-line poems. He thought to himself, "In the future, I will engrave this in my writing to ensure his name is remembered, and it can be considered as repaying a friend." Luckily, Mr. Wen was busy with official business and away from the ship for the past couple of days, leaving Zhao to work undisturbed.
As for Commander Hu, after the ship docked and all the city bigwigs came to pay their respects, he listened to Zhou's strategy and was determined to blow this out of proportion. Early the next morning, he lined up his troops, sat in his fancy green sedan chair, and went into the city to visit the officials. The county had prepared a mansion for him, but he was unwilling to leave the Dragon Pearl, saying, "It's easier for me to work from the ship, save you all the bother." So he never went to that mansion. He had lunch at the government office that day. While eating, he told the officials from the government and the camp, "In my opinion, the bandits must have heard that the soldiers are coming, so they have all fled, probably hiding in the nearby mountains. Once the soldiers leave, they'll come out to cause trouble again. You have to nip this in the bud; if we don't finish them off properly, they'll grow back like weeds. I came here to absolutely not tolerate evil; I must completely eradicate them. Tonight, please gather your troops outside the city; I have a plan." The camp officials agreed one after another, not daring to disobey. The county magistrate also wanted to take credit, so he reported again, "The bandits were very rampant at first, but later I and the soldiers fought two victorious battles against them, chasing them away in all directions. Now there’s no sign of any thieves; don’t you worry." Commander Hu said, "Your government has merit in suppressing the bandits; I’ve heard of it. But I always fear that if they are not completely eliminated, they will return in the future. At that time, not only will I be unable to explain to my superiors, but it will also not look good for you, as if we were just slacking off." The county magistrate blushed at these words.
After dinner, Hu Tongling returned to the ship. The orderlies went back to deliver orders. Before dark, the troops from the three armies had all assembled, with flags flying and horns blowing; a group of deputy officers rode horses, wore swords, like they were welcoming a VIP. Outside the city, a campsite was chosen. The commander's aide reported to the commander on the ship. At this time, the commander looked every inch the general. He sat in the middle of the ship, with two ships on each side, which were the ships of three advisors and two scholars. In addition, there were ships for families, supplies, and staff, as well as a band ship prepared by the county. Three meals a day, accompanied by music three times. When the commander returned, he would also set off firecrackers. At night, from the first watch to the second watch, firecrackers were set off until dawn, drums were beaten on the ship, and the guards' horns blared; it sounded magnificent. After the firecrackers were set off, there would be another round of music according to the rules. In addition to the band ship, there were the warships brought by the commander, including the army and navy. The navy sat on gunboats, with white-bordered red flags hanging on the masts, displaying the name of a company and a post; the captain's surname was written in the middle of the flag. Colorful flags were inserted at the bow and stern of the ship, some painted with Bagua symbols, some painted with dragons. The vibrant colors reflected in the water, creating a dazzling spectacle.
After Commander Hu finished dinner, he discussed the matter of deploying troops with Advisor Zhou. Zhou walked over and whispered in Commander Hu's ear for a while. Commander Hu repeatedly thanked him, quickly lay down to smoke, and had more than twenty pipefuls. After satisfying his craving, he got up and ordered the troops to march. By this time, it was almost the middle of the night. The generals, guards, commanders, and officers on the shore, as well as the camp leaders and patrol officers on the boat, all waited quietly. Commander Hu sat in the middle cabin, and the messengers lined up in two neat lines. Lights were on both sides, and a rack held twelve arrows representing the Earthly Branches and small flags made of yellow silk. Commander Hu took out an arrow, called the general to come forward, and asked him to lead five hundred men as the vanguard to overcome any obstacles. The general replied, "Right!" He then called the guards to come forward, asking them to lead five hundred men to support. One commander and one officer, each leading three hundred men as the guard. Everyone replied, "Right!" holding the arrow as they stood to the side. Alright, folks, you should know that in military operations, at most, only seventy percent of the troops are deployed, sometimes only thirty or forty percent, never deploying all the troops at once. Commander Hu knew there were no bandits this time, so he deliberately set up a large formation, deploying all the troops just to make it look lively. More on that later.
He still couldn't find a map, incredibly detailed, and couldn't see it clearly even under the light for a long time. Fortunately, the assistant handed him a pair of specs. After putting them on, he looked at it for a long time with his head tilted, and according to Mr. Zhou's instructions, he explained where to attack, where to retreat, where to set up camp, and where to ambush. The officers all nodded repeatedly and said, "We will follow the orders!" Just as they were about to set off, two buglers on the shore had already blown the bugle, "Forward! Forward!" The bugle kept blowing. Some soldiers carried large flags, some carried foreign guns, some carried a type of knife known as the "Nanyang Technique," some carried long spears made of white wax, which were more than eight feet long, some carried horse knives wrapped in red cloth, and some carried rattan shields while wearing tiger-striped uniforms. The torchlight shone as bright as day. They were just waiting for the officers to come down and show the direction, and they could set off separately.
At this moment, a sergeant named Bai Tongshi staggered over and said, "The attack point I just mentioned, my boat has shaken before. I've checked the area thoroughly, and there was no movement at all." Commander Hu was feeling proud, but he was suddenly interrupted by him. He was furious and shouted loudly, "I am here making battle plans, and you dare to talk rubbish and undermine morale! I should have you beheaded, but considering your service, I'll let you off lightly!" He shouted, "Take him away! Give him a good thrashing!" Four guards pounced on Bai Tongshi like wolves, pressed him to the ground, raised their military sticks, and with a yell, the stick fell on Bai Tongshi. After a brutal beating, Commander Hu did not stop, and the beating became more severe. Bai Tongshi couldn't take it anymore. So all the officials, from the highest-ranking officers to the lowest, knelt down to plead for mercy. The cabin was full, and even the shore was filled with people kneeling. Commander Hu gave them a dressing down before ordering Bai Tongshi to be released and driving away all the officials.
Everyone was assigned to their posts. Then came the order: "Get breakfast ready by the fifth watch, we leave at dawn." Hu was bringing up the rear, urging the team to move forward. Only the two old gentlemen and Magistrate Huang stayed behind on the big boat, while Zhou and Wen went along. The orders were given; it was nearly four in the morning. Hu quickly hit the sack and knocked back twenty-four pipes of opium. Once he'd gotten his fix, he ordered breakfast to be prepared. In the meantime, Zhou and Wen got back to their boat to get ready.
The camp commander was ordered to gather the troops and was preparing to set off when an old general under his command came to report: "The boss wants you to lead the advance party, but there isn't a single bandit in sight. What exactly are we going to do?" This reminder prompted the camp commander to consider going to ask Hu, the leader, about his intentions. However, he remembered the scene of the magistrate being beaten earlier and worried about angering Hu, so he hesitated. Fortunately, the old general was clever and suggested, "It's not a good idea to ask the leader directly. The officials have already disembarked, why don't you go to their ship and ask them?" The camp commander was at a loss, but upon hearing this suggestion, he was overjoyed. He immediately sent word to visit Wen. Wen, upon seeing the message, said, "We're about to leave, no time for visitors." Zhou said, "Never mind him, let him in. If you're busy, I'll accompany him." He instructed his men to "please hurry." The camp commander entered the cabin and greeted everyone respectfully. After sitting down, Zhou directly asked him, "What brings you out so late?" The camp commander approached and explained his purpose: "What's the boss's plan? There are no bandits here, so what are we going to do by bringing troops over?" Zhou smiled and did not answer. The camp commander insisted on getting a clear answer. Zhou said, "You have to ask the leader to know. We're just following orders, that's all." The camp commander became anxious and thought he must ask Wen about this matter. Wen, who had not slept well in the past few days and had just returned from duty on the leader's ship, wanted to take a nap before departing. Unexpectedly, the camp commander kept insisting on seeing him. Helpless, he had to get up to accompany him. The camp commander pulled him aside and explained the situation in detail, asking if there was any way to avoid angering the leader. Wen, who was usually easy-going, was at a loss for words. Seeing that Wen couldn't answer, Zhou suddenly came up with an idea. He told the camp commander that only the leader's follower, Cao, would know about this matter. The camp commander asked, "Where can I find him?" Zhou said, "It's easy!" He immediately called his steward and asked him to check if Cao was busy on the leader's ship, and if not, to invite him over. Cao arrived shortly, standing at the bow of the ship and refusing to enter. Zhou went out to talk to him for a while, then returned and said that they were accompanying the leader on this trip and it was very difficult, hoping that the camp commander could take care of them. The camp commander understood immediately and knew that money was necessary for this matter. He immediately promised to give one hundred taels of silver. He also said, "The tasks of our brothers are notoriously difficult, and you all know that. This little money is just a token of appreciation. Please have a cup of tea." Zhou went back to speak to Cao at the bow of the ship. Cao thought it was too little and insisted on five hundred taels. Zhou ran back and forth between the cabin and the outside of the ship several times. After much negotiation, they settled on three hundred taels of silver. One hundred taels would be paid the next day, and the remaining two hundred taels would be settled before the lord departed. Worried about having no proof, Zhou, who had a good relationship with Wen, insisted on having Wen guarantee the agreement. Seeing Zhou asking for money from the camp commander, Wen was already unhappy. Later, seeing him involved in all this cloak-and-dagger stuff, he looked down on him even more. However, Zhou remained oblivious and earnestly explained the leader's intentions - "It's just a show of strength to gain rewards in the future" - to the camp commander. The camp commander suddenly realized. He left, went ashore, and got ready for the troops' departure.
They got it all sorted in a flash. With a command from the leader on the ship, the troops set off. The second-in-command rode a horse, leading the bulk of the army, following the map provided by the leader, and set off with a mighty flourish. After the main force had left, it was already dark outside, and they started catering to General Hu. General Hu sat in his green sedan chair, with a red umbrella held in front of him, and sixteen bodyguards holding sharp weapons, guarding him on both sides. Leading the way was the guy who brought him his toilet on the ship, decked out in his best five-rank official gear, riding his horse like a boss. Following him were the central army troops, with colorful flags fluttering in the wind, and their fancy uniforms shining in the sunlight. Luckily, both Zhou and Wen were from a military background and could ride horses, so they didn't need to ride in sedan chairs.
After General Hu got into the sedan chair, he just slept the whole time. As they moved further away from the city, occasionally passing through villages, he would get off the sedan chair to check for bandits. The villagers, scared stiff, either hid or ran for their lives, leaving the villages deserted. After passing through several villages, General Hu didn't see anyone and suspected they were all bandits. When the bulk of the army arrived, they all fled, and he even wanted to burn their houses down. This information spread, and many soldiers rushed into people's homes to search, dragging women and children out from under the beds. General Hu also wanted to punish them. Fortunately, Zhou stepped in and stopped him, persuading General Hu to order them to be taken back to the city for questioning. Just then, the next village was already ablaze. Before long, the vanguard troops also found out, and the soldiers went wild, looting, burning, and raping. General Hu wanted to give orders to stop them, but it was already too late. And that's how the army ended up making a huge mess of the countryside.
Commander Hu saw that no one came out to resist, so he thought he had won the battle and triumphantly returned to the city. As he approached the city gate, he ordered the soldiers to line up to the accompaniment of gongs and drums and enter the city in a triumphant procession. When he was ten miles away from the city, the local officials received the news of his victory and came out to greet him. Commander Hu was very proud, feeling even prouder than Zeng Guofan must have felt taking Nanjing. Upon meeting the local officials, he got out of his sedan chair, walked to the reception pavilion, and briefly talked about his military achievements. The county magistrate wanted to host a banquet to celebrate Commander Hu's victory, but he insisted on returning to his ship. The magistrate had no choice but to accompany him for a walk and see him off at the shore. All the troops lined up along the shore for miles. When Commander Hu's sedan chair arrived, everyone knelt down and yelled, "Huzzah!" Then they set off fireworks to celebrate and sent Commander Hu off on his ship. Officials from both civil and military branches came to pay their respects. After seeing off the guests, Commander Hu smoked a cigarette. He wired the governor, saying the bandits were wiped out, paving the way for development and peace. After sending the telegram and finishing his cigarette, an incense altar was set up on the shore. Commander Hu, dressed in military uniform, led his soldiers to bow before a makeshift shrine, giving thanks before heading back to his boat to receive congratulations.
Everything is arranged. The word went out: "Each soldier is rewarded with a sheep, a pig, a couple of jugs of wine, and one hundred steamed buns." The soldiers, led by their sergeants, prostrated themselves in thanks. A banquet was laid out on each boat, all arranged by the county. Twelve "Jiangshan boats" set up twelve tables. Commander Hu's boat is in the middle, with the attendants and scholars' boats on the sides; all others were arranged by the county. Night had fallen, and the boats were blazing with light, illuminated like daylight. The windows of the "Jiangshan boats" can be opened, so all twelve boats were visible to one another, creating a dazzling display of lights. Then, the word was given, and the magistrate and the general donned their finery, entered the cabin to toast Commander Hu. Music was played on the boat. Commander Hu, with a modest bow, said, "This victory is all thanks to the Emperor's grace; we should celebrate properly. Besides, you're all my guests on my boat, so it's my turn to toast you." The magistrate replied, "This is a celebration in your honor, Commander; you should sit at the head table." Commander Hu firmly refused, letting everyone sit freely, and they had no choice but to comply. Two scholars were also invited. Each table was set for five, but Commander Hu invited Mr. Zhou, saying that his success was all thanks to him, so he must sit at the head table. Seeing the magistrate, Mr. Zhou didn't dare take the top seat and took the fifth seat instead, while Mr. Huang and his two attendants were seated on a neighboring boat. In short order, all twelve boats were filled to capacity.
So, as soon as the six people sat on the boat, Hu couldn't wait to say, "Let's all have some fun!" The people from the government and the camp echoed, "Yeah, yeah." Hu looked at Zhao Buliao, knowing he was a young firecracker, and wanted him to liven up the atmosphere. But Zhao Buliao was feeling down. Although he was drinking with the host, he was thinking about Lan Xian. Thinking about how unjustly Lan Xian was killed made him feel extremely uncomfortable, and he thought to himself, "If Lan Xian were here, drinking openly with the host, how much fun it would have been! But she died!" With that thought, he couldn't help but shed tears. Scared someone would notice, he pretended there was sand in his eyes and kept rubbing them. Luckily, nobody noticed.
Hu shouted for a while, but no one responded, getting nowhere. Clever old Mr. Zhou noticed and quietly pulled Old Huang aside. Because he was old and shameless, they got him to speak first. Old Huang indeed understood. Just as he was about to speak, Longzhu called for the crew to serve food at the cabin door, so Old Huang seized the opportunity to say, "Miss Longzhu is the best pipa player on the Qiantang River." Hu said, "Yes, Old Master, you love listening to the pipa." Old Huang replied, "Everyone loves a good pipa. Today's situation is different; we should loosen up a bit. Let's have Miss Longzhu play a few more songs to cheer the Commander up." Hu said, "Today, let's all have some fun. I'll take the lead; please have Miss Longzhu come up and play a few songs for everyone." Longzhu was thrilled and quickly came over to sit down. Fengzhu also followed in.
Hu Tǒnglǐng insisted on having everyone bring their favorite girl to accompany them. Those in the mansion and the generals all brought their lovers. Master Zhou brought that little actress, Zhaodi. Zhao Buliao didn't bring a girl. When Hu Tǒnglǐng asked him who he wanted to bring, Zhao Buliao said he didn't want to bring anyone. Hu Tǒnglǐng was not happy with this and thought to himself, "He's so holier-than-thou. The guy's a hypocrite. Shouldn't have even invited him." Feeling this way, his expression turned sour. Little did he know that Zhao Buliao was feeling upset inside and had no intention of bringing anyone. So Hu Tǒnglǐng ignored him and busied himself inviting Mr. Wenqi and the others from the neighboring ship to join them. Lan Xian was dead by now, while Yu Xian was fine and continued with his business. Mr. Wenqi then called for Yu Xian. Zhao Buliao saw Yu Xian through the window and thought of his sister, making him feel even more upset. Soon, everyone was present, toasting, and Long Zhu came over with his pipa, asking what song to play. The boss spoke up, saying, "Today, with the triumphant return of the leader, we should play some auspicious tunes." Everyone agreed. The boss chose "The General's Orders" and "Unarm and Crown the King." Hu Tǒnglǐng was indeed very happy.
Once the music finished, the generals all stood, raising their cups. "Sir, with your armor off, promotion's next!" Hu Tǒnglǐng replied, "Let's all be happy together. After I return, I will definitely recommend those who have worked hard today to the Deputy Minister. Everyone has worked hard for so many days and should be promoted." Hearing that, they all bowed low. "Thanks for the boost, sir!"
Let's only talk about happy things, but we didn't notice that on the boat with Old Wen, Magistrate Zhuang was drinking. He saw the officials of the prefecture on the big boat standing up one by one to toast the Commander, and he wanted to curry favor as well. Just as he was about to go over with a few people at his table to toast, he saw a runner from the yamen running over, panting and sweating profusely. He jumped onto the boat and exclaimed to Zhuang, "Sir, there's trouble!" Zhuang was startled and asked in a hurry, "What happened to my wife?" The runner replied, "It's not about your wife. Many people have come from the northwest countryside—men and women—some were bloody and had head wounds; others, women, were being carried in, asking you to get justice for them." Zhuang said, "What's going on? Did bandits rob them again?" The runner explained, "It's not bandits. It's the soldiers brought by the Commander; I don't know which lord led them. They killed people, looted, raped women, and burned houses. That's why they came to file a complaint." Zhuang found this a real mess. His wife had just given birth these past two days, so when he saw the runner running over, he thought something had happened to her. Later, when he found out it wasn't, he breathed a sigh of relief. But with so many people coming from the countryside, what should he do? The Commander was in high spirits, and it wasn't the time to bring bad news. After all, he was an old county official, experienced and knowledgeable, so he knew what he had to do. He asked the runner, "How many people came in total?" The runner said, "It looks like about forty or fifty." Zhuang said, "You go back first and tell them I know about their grievances. I will speak to the Commander and make sure they see justice. Tell them to be patient." The runner left, and Zhuang went with Old Wen to the Commander's boat to toast. Commander Hu made some pleasantries, and Zhuang agreed, thanked him, and returned to his own boat. But he didn't tell Commander Hu what the runner had said.
The banquet was over, and the officials came one by one to thank for the wine. A thousand or so minor officials stood at the bow of the ship to bow, while the two old gentlemen only bowed. Hu, the commander, sent off the guests, returned to the cabin, and saw his personal servant, Cao Er, walking over and recounting the complaint from the villagers. Hu said, "What's there to fear! If it's important, the county magistrate is not a fool. Why didn't he say anything just now? You guys are making a fuss for nothing!" Cao Er was rebuffed and dared not speak, so he walked away. At this time, Master Zhou had already returned to his own boat. Hu had someone invite him over and told him what Cao Er had said earlier. Master Zhou understood in his heart and was very worried after hearing this, but he dared not speak.
Hu wanted to discuss with Master Zhou the list of recommendations for official positions, which people were considered "ordinary," which were considered "extraordinary," which could be recommended through a summary recommendation, and which needed a full recommendation. It needed careful consideration before reporting to the Censor. Master Zhou, of course, first humbly said, "These appointments come from above; I wouldn't dare interfere." Hu said, "Of course, you are considered 'extraordinary' and must be formally recommended to the Censor, that goes without saying. What about the others?" Seeing how highly Hu regarded him, Master Zhou quickly expressed his gratitude, and it was not good to refuse any further. After some consideration, he recommended the prefect, the deputy general, the county magistrate, the assistant magistrate, the chief of civil affairs, Supervisor Zhao, and Leader Lu, all of whom were said to have achieved great success.
Commander Hu looked at the names of others and felt a bit uncomfortable when it came to mentioning Old Man Wen (Wen Ling). He said, "My own men all claim to have extraordinary merit, fearing criticism. I see that Wen Ling is young and inexperienced, so let him be considered 'ordinary.' The local officials have not made much effort, so why should they all be considered 'exceptional'?" Mr. Zhou's relationship with Wen Ling was originally average. After hearing the commander's words, he just responded with a "yes." Later, seeing Commander Hu planning to exclude all the local officials, Mr. Zhou offered a suggestion, "Boss, this matter cannot be hidden from them. They are not as easy to deal with as Wen Ling. You have to give them face and shut their mouths. This is for the greater good!" Commander Hu thought it made sense and said, "Old brother is right, let's do it this way. Having these few accompanying the report is enough. Those accompanying the report are different and should not be too many. If we report it and get rejected by the Chief Secretary, it would be meaningless, so we have to think carefully." Mr. Zhou agreed repeatedly. He continued, "I dare not guarantee for others, but those two old scholars went through a lot, so it's a good opportunity to give them some recognition. How to handle this, please make the decision; I dare not speak out of turn. And the several capable stewards by your side, I have asked them; they have contributions and awards. This time, let's give them a minor official post as a reward for your promotion." Commander Hu said, "We'll talk about the old scholars' matters later. As for those under my command, even with recommendations, they can only be reported together with the major cases. I am busy now, old brother. You will stay on my ship today, draft the list of recommended personnel, and we will carefully consider it tomorrow." After finishing speaking, Long Zhu came over to light an opium pipe for the commander.
Old Man Zhou returned to the cabin, took out his writing materials, and sat alone under the lamp writing a list. As he wrote, he thought to himself that he still had a brother and a brother-in-law. His brother had already paid his way into becoming a county magistrate, but his brother-in-law hadn't even contributed. He thought he could take this opportunity to recommend his brother-in-law as well, and Hu should agree. As long as he agreed, even if his brother-in-law had not done anything, he could quickly go through the procedures and fabricate a resume—a simple enough task. Just then, Longzhu, noticing the commander was asleep and smoking, quietly slipped into the cabin and, seeing Old Man Zhou writing, poured him a cup of tea.
Old Man Zhou saw Longzhu and knew she was the beloved of the leader, so he quickly stood up and said, "Aw, shucks, ma'am, you're too kind!" Longzhu smiled and asked, "Old Man Zhou, why are you still up so late? What are you writing?" Old Man Zhou took the opportunity to show off, "I'm writing the records of all the officials and big shots; their achievements all have to go through me." Longzhu asked, "Why do they all have to go through you?" Old Man Zhou said, "Today the leader came to crack down on the bandits; these officials followed together to fight in the expedition. Now that the bandits are all wiped out, we must recommend them together." Longzhu asked, "What are bandits?" Old Man Zhou said, "The same as the 'long hairs' (rebels) before." Longzhu said, "We didn't encounter any 'long hairs' on the road, did we?" Old Man Zhou said, "No way! They're all hiding in the caves. If we don't get rid of them, when we leave, they'll definitely come out to cause mayhem." Longzhu believed it to be true and asked again, "Aren't those guys already officials? Do they need more promotions?" Old Man Zhou said, "They work their way up the ranks: from county to prefecture, from prefecture to circuit intendant. Once they become circuit intendants, they're the same as the leader." Longzhu said, "I heard you telling the gentlemen just now that Mr. Cao also wants to become an official. What kind of official does he want to be?" Old Man Zhou said, "There are no high-ranking positions for these people, so they'll be given some minor official gigs." Longzhu said, "Don't underestimate the deputy gigs; although they're small, they are still officials of the emperor with great power. When we were by the river, one night, Deputy Lu from the waiting tide gate came on board to drink, didn't pay a dime, complained about the food, and made sure my dad got hauled into town. Later, everyone on our boat knelt down to beg him, and he only calmed down after my sister Fengzhu accompanied him for two days. Officials are really powerful!"
Master Zhou said, "The Boss has always said that Fengzhu is someone with a spotless reputation. By what you're saying, she doesn't seem very reliable, does she?" Longzhu replied, "To be honest, in our line of work, there are no truly clean people! When I was fifteen, I went to Shanghai with my mother once, and people called me a courtesan. I secretly laughed to myself. I feel that women like us are just like you officials." Master Zhou was surprised and said, "Are you saying that officials like us are the same as courtesans like you? You are really insulting us officials!" Longzhu continued, "Master Zhou, don't be angry, I haven't finished yet, listen to me. Last August, Qian from Jiangshan County hired our boat to take him and his wife to their new post. I heard that Qian had been waiting for a vacancy in Hangzhou for over twenty years; he was dead broke and had done all sorts of jobs. Finally, he managed to take up the post. He only had one wife, two sons, but had nine daughters. The eldest son was over thirty years old and still unmarried. When they left Hangzhou, the family's luggage did not exceed five bags, and the suitcases were very light. By August this year, when he wrote to us in advance to pick them up and return to Hangzhou, the number of red suitcases had increased by over fifty, not to mention the others! When they took up the post, the wife wore fancy hairpins, but when they returned, even the nanny of the youngest son was wearing blingy earrings. On the day Qian left, people showered him with gifts, including several ceremonial umbrellas. Everyone said he was a paragon of virtue, not greedy at all, which is why they gave him these things. I found it amusing; an official who is not greedy for money, where did all these boxes come from? Can I not see the difference between when they arrived and when they left? Officials get money, yet still claim to be honest officials, just like people in our line of work insist on calling themselves courtesans, it's all the same, you know? Master Zhou, I used Qian as an example, not to offend you, please don't be angry!"
After Old Man Zhou listened to her words, he was so angry that he couldn't speak. Instead, he smiled at her and said after a while, "Not a bad analogy, that." Longzhu asked again, "Old Man Zhou, you have to review the official ranks of these people, and I have a favor to ask of you. This job ain't doing my dad any good. I want to ask you to help slip my dad's name in there, just like they did for Old Man Cao. Once Dad's a deputy and that Lu fella from the city gate comes by our boat, I won't be afraid of him anymore." Old Man Zhou couldn't help but laugh and frown again after hearing this. Longzhu pressed him, "So, will you do it?" Old Man Zhou jerked his thumb towards the cabin, meaning talk to the Captain. Before Longzhu could answer, he heard Hu coughing continuously in the cabin, so Longzhu hurried in. Find out what happens next time!
