Although the relationship between Commander Hu and Old Zhou is not as good as before, there are still some things that need to be consulted with Old Zhou. Therefore, even though he is not happy in his heart, he still has to keep up appearances. Old Zhou feels the same way and doesn't say anything about it. One day, they received an official document from the province, stating that Commander Hu should leave some soldiers to guard against any remaining enemies, while the rest should be withdrawn to their respective defense zones. It also ordered Commander Hu to quickly handle the aftermath work and then return to the province together. After receiving the letter, Commander Hu didn't care about anything else, only thinking that getting his expenses reimbursed was the most important thing. This time, the costs included:
- uniforms
- weaponry
- rations
- compensation for casualties (both military and civilian)
- rewards for winning battles
- preparations for aftermath work
He first made a rough account. After thinking for a while, no one could help him with this, so he had to consult Old Zhou again. Old Zhou said, "It's easy, let the county magistrate and village heads handle some things, and we can estimate the rest ourselves. I will discuss with Huang Cheng, the grain official, later, inform the officers of each camp to report their expenses, and we can claim whatever we need. There's nothing we can't do." Commander Hu said, "Brother, to be honest with you, I've been sweating bullets over this. Although I received a commendation, it's not as good as it seems. I still need you to help me get out of this mess, and I will repay you in the future." Old Zhou said, "I'm only doing what the boss asked, and this is also what's coming to the boss." He said it, but his mind was already on the take.
After Lord Zhou retired, he cooked the books on various expenses, totaling something like six or seven hundred thousand taels of silver. He first showed them to Hu, the commander. Hu said, "This is too much; the bosses might reject it." Lord Zhou replied, "I can fool others, but not the big shots. Since taking office, I've already lost over ten thousand taels of silver. Now, thanks to the boss's generosity, I want to take this opportunity to make up for my previous losses and save up for a promotion; even if I get promoted, there might not be an immediate assignment in the province, and I could end up waiting two or three years to avoid getting into debt again—this is all because the boss is looking out for me. As for the bosses' matters, I'm eternally grateful and owe them everything. Although this can be hidden for a while, someone will eventually find out; once it's known, it’s bound to be talked about. It doesn’t matter if I ask for more or less. In the future, back at the office, among my colleagues, there will inevitably be places where expenses are necessary. So, I also need to discuss this with the magistrate, the township head, and Huang from accounts to get things done."
Hu, the boss could tell from his tone that, although he was trying to pin it on someone else, he was already thinking about splitting the money. He wasn't pleased. He quickly said, "Buddy, if you want to get promoted, I’ll lend you some money separately. As long as you help me with the current matters properly, I won’t forget it and will definitely repay you in the future. Even Huang Cheng and the village chief, I’ll help them too. We’ll have to figure out the reimbursement." Mr. Zhou understood that Hu didn’t want to share the money with him. Suddenly, he remembered when he arrived from the province, Dai Dali told him that Hu only responds to pressure. "I tried to discuss with him, and he actually refused. I’ve been working so hard for so long, and I haven’t even been able to secure a promotion. He looks at me as if it’s my fault for not helping him. Doing good deeds doesn’t always pay off; it seems there are limits to being a good guy. If I don’t take advantage of this opportunity to gain some benefits, what good can I expect in the future? As for what he said about helping in the future, it’s all just talk. People these days just ditch you once they’re done with you. Time to get tough. If we gotta cheat, we cheat together. Let’s see how he deals with me." With his plan set, he was about to act, but then he thought, "Wait, if I confront him directly and things turn sour, it’ll be difficult to handle in the future. There’s no one here who can mediate. I think I should handle this matter in a certain way to achieve my goals." As he was thinking it over, he agreed a few times and said, "I’ll remember what you said. I appreciate your help; I’ll do anything for you." Hu said, "That’s good, I will definitely repay you in the future." After Mr. Zhou finished speaking, he left and returned to his own boat. With his plan set, he had his attendants bring a letter and went into the city to visit Magistrate Shan. The magistrate here was named Shan Fengyu, and everyone called him Magistrate Shan. He had been in office for over twenty years. He was tight with the big shots because he was great at taking credit. He was smooth as silk, and everyone loved him.
In the city of Yanzhou, there aren't many prominent figures. The highest official is just a minor official who'd passed the imperial exams. As he grew older, he didn't go to the capital to serve as an official but stayed at home, getting along with the local officials, occasionally handling a few cases on the side, and scrabbling a living. Compared to the past when he was poor and destitute, things were night and day for him now. His name was Wei Qiao, or Wei Zhugang, as he was formally known, and he lived in the south of the city. Because his father-in-law Wang Benren (a famous tea merchant in Tunxi) was celebrating his birthday on October 12 this year, he went to Tunxi a month in advance to attend the birthday party, see his daughter, and line his pockets for the winter. Later, things were getting rough in Yanzhou, and his family urged him to return. His father-in-law said, "My dear son-in-law, things are a bit dicey right now, and you're getting on in years, so don't go taking any chances. I'll send someone to check things out; if the situation is bad, I'll bring you and your wife here. If all is well, you can come back later." Wei Zhugang listened to his father-in-law and waited it out. When Commander Hu led the troops to quell the bandits and his son sent a letter reporting his safety, the people sent by his father-in-law to Yanzhou also returned. Wei Zhugang was relieved. Although his father-in-law's birthday had passed, he stayed in Tunxi for a few more days before bidding farewell and returning home. His father-in-law gave him two hundred bucks, and his daughter also gave him two hundred in private money, totaling four hundred, enough to get through the winter. He was very happy. The winter river was shallow, making for a slow, bumpy trip. The trip back to Yanzhou took over ten days.
At this time, Hu, the commander, received a memo from the provincial government asking him to return and was discussing expenses with Mr. Zhou. Because Hu didn’t meet his requirements, Zhou knew that Magistrate Shan was capable, and since they had worked together before and had a good relationship, he specifically went to visit Shan to find a way to fix Hu. Shan understood his meaning and said, "This isn't something you should get involved in. It'll hurt your reputation, and if you two clash, nobody can smooth things over. I think it's better to find a middleman, let him handle it, reward him after the matter is done, he'll be the bad guy, and we'll be the good guys, lending a hand when needed, and keeping a low profile." Zhou said, "That's exactly what I mean, but it's hard to find someone like that." Shan recommended Wei Zhugang, saying he could get anything done, "He helps me a lot every year, and I help him too. Let him show up, it will definitely work. However, he went to Tunxi to attend his father-in-law's birthday two months ago, and I don't know if he has returned." After speaking, he told his attendant, "Take my card, go to the Wei Mansion at the south gate and ask if Wei has returned, and come back with an answer immediately." The attendant quickly returned and said, "Wei just got back last night; he caught a cold on the way back and is resting at home. He sent his best and said if you have any matters, please visit him." Shan nodded, and the attendant withdrew. Zhou urged him to go see Wei Zhugang immediately, "I need an answer tonight." Shan agreed.
After seeing off Old Zhou, Old Shan didn't take a sedan chair. He got himself ready and headed out with just a small follower, with his pipe in hand, and went straight to the Wei family. After reporting, Wei Zhugang received him in the study. Once inside, the two had a quick chinwag, and they were really hitting it off. After a few pleasantries, the conversation turned to banditry. Wei Zhugang, who was always sucking up to the officials, took the initiative to say, "This guy and I took the same exams years ago. His teacher was one of my examiners. We're practically brothers in arms. It’s not easy for him to come here to handle this matter. After I recover from my illness, I’ll visit him to catch up and show our appreciation on behalf of the local gentry. When he returns to the province, I’ll also give him a Wanmin umbrella to stay on his good side. In the future, when he’s back in the province, we can ask for his help. Look, we’re mates, I’ve laid it all out for you. What do you think of my idea?" Old Shan replied, "Sounds good, but you know how it is, people are fickle these days. When you need his help, he might not pay you any mind. I think it’s better to take advantage of the situation now and grab some benefits quickly. Once we’ve got what we want, then you can give the Wanmin umbrella, and everyone will be happy. It’s public funds anyway, so it doesn’t matter either way."
Wei Zhugang was surprised and said, "What's the upside? You're not pulling a fast one on me, are ya? Something fishy's going on here, right?" Mr. Shan replied, "Of course there is. You almost missed it. I know you’ve worked hard coming back from Tunxi, so I’ve prepared a big ol' welcome-back present for you." Wei Zhugang was curious and asked, "What gives?" Mr. Shan said, "You've been away for two months and haven't been out, so it's no wonder you don't know. Let me fill you in." Then he explained the whole situation in detail. He said, "There were no bandits at all, just two theft cases in the city. The local officials exaggerated and reported it to the province. The higher-ups got hoodwinked and sent Hu to lead the operation. At that time, everything was peaceful in the area, but this Hu leader was hungry for glory and decided to make a big show of things by searching the countryside. They didn't nab a single bandit, but the folks got the short end of the stick. This leader thought he had made a great achievement and actually reported it as a huge success to get a reward. Now he has his subordinates submit expenses, and it's said that they have falsely reported over a million! Not only did they screw over the people, but they also ripped off the Emperor! Such a person, you still consider him a fellow student and want to thank him!" Wei Zhugang said, "So, what you're saying is, this is a load of crap! He harassed the common people in the countryside, causing them suffering. Why didn't they file complaints?" Mr. Shan said, "Our county magistrate swept it under the rug. The common people initially filed complaints, but somehow they all obediently returned home, and there was no further action." Wei Zhugang said, "I don't believe this. I want to go ask him. A local official that brazen, just kissing up to the higher-ups and not giving a damn about the people? That's a whole lotta wrong!" Then he jumped up, went to his desk, grabbed some paper and ink, and fired off a letter to the county magistrate.
Old Man Dan advised him not to write, but he insisted on it. In the letter, he tactfully questioned his bungling of the job, covering for his boss instead of helping the people. "Hey brother, I just got back from Tunxi, and a bunch of folks are crying foul, all wanting to go to the provincial capital to complain. I've been holding them back for now. So what's the deal with this whole thing? Give me the full story." He sent the letter right away, promising a quick reply. At the same time, he also discussed with Old Man Dan the method of shaking them down.
In no time, the reply from the magistrate of Zhuang County arrived. Wei Zhugang opened it and was surprised to find it was a real stinker, laying it on thick: "If anyone's got a gripe, why haven't they come forward despite the numerous notices posted in this county? Sure, a few folks have come forward, but they were all victims of bandit harassment, not official soldiers. Their cases are closed, end of story. Plus, the victims have already been compensated by this county, with receipts available for verification. We're here for the people, always looking out for them. So where's the problem? Lay it on me." Wei Zhugang finished reading and stuck out his tongue, saying, "Wow! He's really laying it on thick." Master Shan said, "This county magistrate is a tough nut to crack. I advise you not to argue with him and instead think about how to deal with your fellow Hu leader." Wei Zhugang hesitated and said, "To be honest, I'm used to shaking down the small fry. The villagers are scared of me; they do what I say. People call me a bully, but thinking about it, it suits me fine. I've never dealt with the big shots, though, so I need to think of a way." Master Shan said, "As long as you are skilled at using it, once you strike, it could be tens of thousands – maybe even eighteen thousand – it all depends. If you're going to strike, strike big! Don't be like now, talking about lawsuits today and rice transportation tomorrow. Those little bits of change are a lot of hassle for nothing, and it makes you look bad! I suggest you not hit these small bamboo sticks. If you want to do it, do it big! Even if they call us extortionists, so what? I earned it fair and square, what can they do? And if they trash my reputation, who cares?" Wei Zhugang was delighted to hear this, stroking his beard and smiling broadly. After laughing for a while, he said, "I don't want tens of thousands; I'll just go for eighteen thousand, use it to earn interest, enough to support me in my old age, and I'll be satisfied. So, what's the plan? Write a letter, or go see him in person?" Master Shan thought for a moment and said, "A face-to-face meeting could get ugly, so a letter's safer. Keep it official; he won't snitch. I've got a guy on the inside who'll keep me posted. Play it smart, and we'll nail it."
Not provided.
At this point, his servant came up to invite him to eat. Wei Zhugang did not agree; he seemed intent on finishing his letter before eating. He walked to the desk and sat down, opened the ink box, picked up a piece of paper, touched it with one hand, picked up a pen with the other, put the pen tip in his mouth, and closed his eyes in contemplation. Unexpectedly, Mr. Shan had been sitting since the afternoon, and his stomach was already hungry. Not wanting to eat alone, he had to urge Wei Zhugang to finish eating before writing. Only then did Wei Zhugang realize that the guest had not eaten yet, and he quickly ordered the servant, "We have a guest today; the food is rather simple, quickly add a dish." The servant took a long time to bring out a small plate of scrambled eggs. After arranging the bowls and chopsticks, the two sat down to eat together. Mr. Shan looked at the table, which had a total of three plates and one bowl: one plate of stir-fried beans, one plate of fermented tofu, one plate of the scrambled eggs that had just been added, and a bowl of shrimp soy sauce soup. The rice was plain rice soaked in boiling water. Wei Zhugang picked up his chopsticks and let Mr. Shan eat first, modestly saying, "We don't have much food." Mr. Shan replied, "It's just a simple meal; no need to be polite." While eating, Wei Zhugang picked up a small piece of fermented tofu and put it in Mr. Shan's bowl with his chopsticks, saying, "My wife made this, Brother. Give it a try!" Mr. Shan repeatedly said, "Good..."
As they talked, Wei Zhugang had already eaten three bowls of rice, while Mr. Shan had not finished one bowl. He simply said, "Dig in!" and got up to walk to the desk to pick up the pen to write the letter. Having passed the imperial examination and spent years practicing law, writing a letter was no trouble for him. By the time Mr. Shan finished eating and came over to look, he had already written three or four sheets.
As he wrote the letter, Old Dan followed along. By the time he finished writing, Old Dan had also finished reading. The letter started with a heap of flattery, then turned modest, and finally got to the point: "There are no bandits causing trouble in our city at all. Previously, it was just a few petty thieves who robbed a couple of pawnshops and banks. Robberies have been happening one after another in the city, and the local officials should have faced punishment. But those officials, in order to evade consequences, deliberately exaggerated the situation, claiming that bandits were rebelling and they couldn't handle it, hoping to escape punishment. The bigwigs didn’t investigate carefully and sent a large number of troops to crack down on the bandits. Everyone says that since you’ve arrived, you should first check the situation and reassure the people. But you believed the lies of the local officials and used the excuse of searching for bandits to let your subordinates run roughshod over the city, looting, burning, killing, and raping, committing all sorts of evil deeds. The entire city's people have been wronged; even God couldn't stand it. Now the common people are preparing to petition the province. Fortunately, we are close friends, and I know that these are all the misdeeds of those scumbag officers; you must not have known. I heard that the petition has already been drafted, with a total of eight charges, though I’m not clear on the specifics. Since we are old friends, I must tell you the truth. What do you think we should do about this? Hit me back." Old Dan finished reading and gave a hearty clap.
Wei Zhugang said, "I'll just sound him out and see what he says." Shan Ta Ye replied, "I heard from a friend that he’s done bad things like cheating his bosses and cooking the books. Why not include that in the letter?" Wei Zhugang pointed to the four words "a total of eight items" on the letter and said, "Let's throw it all in there and see what he makes of it. When he comes to ask me, I’ll tell him one by one. This letter's just to feel him out; no need to embarrass him. I'm using other people's words, not my own, but he'll get the message." Shan Ta Ye was very impressed and said, "Wow, Mr. Zhuweng, that's brilliant! Crystal clear... I’m not much of a scholar, but I've got plenty of ideas. Trouble is, I can't put them down on paper without giving myself away." Wei Zhugang replied, "Can't blame you for that. If you were a better writer, you'd be climbing the ladder, not stuck here as a county magistrate." With that, he sealed the letter, worried that he hadn’t written it well, and handed it to Shan Ta Ye's servant to deliver immediately. He told him to go to the ship, say he's from the Weis, wait for an answer, and don't mention you work for Shan Ta Ye. After about two hours, the servant returned with a receipt, saying, "A letter's coming tomorrow." Wei Zhugang said, "This isn't the kind of letter you answer quickly. He'll have to give it some thought. Let's see what he says tomorrow before we do anything else. If we don't hear back, your friend inside can check things out. Or we can write again, or try something else." Shan Ta Ye agreed, exchanged a few more words, and then left.
Old Man Zhou bid farewell to Old Man Dan and left the city, returning to the ship. He had a guilty conscience and became even more attentive when he saw Hu. Hu was a carefree person and didn't pay much attention. After dinner that evening, a letter arrived at the bow of the ship, saying it was written by Master Wei in the city. Hu was very surprised, quickly took it, and read it. It said "Private and Confidential – For Hu" at the top, with only the two words "Wei Jian" written below, and four small words "Awaiting your response." As he opened the letter, he thought to himself, "I don't know this person; where did this come from?" Inside the letter was a business card with the words "Wei Qiao" engraved on it, followed by eight red words: "A courtesy call; no other business"; and with a pen, it added, "known as Zhugang, a former student of Mr. So-and-So, who served in the Ministry of War." Hu understood, "He's letting me know we're old schoolmates. It seems he's trying to butter me up." So he didn't pay much attention and slowly read the letter. Halfway through, when it mentioned "no bandits at all," he started to panic. Moreover, the letter really chewed him out, making him very uncomfortable. In the end, the letter mentioned that they were old schoolmates, so he came to remind him specially, and said things like "waiting for a reply." He read it twice in silence. Nobody knew what was going on. Although Old Man Zhou had already guessed the situation, he could only pretend not to know. He asked, "Where did this letter come from? What's the matter?" Hu didn't say anything, handed the letter to Old Man Zhou, and said, "Take a look," then lay down to smoke. Old Man Zhou took the letter, read it from start to finish, and already understood in his heart but didn't say anything. He only remarked, "It's really strange! It seems like he has a good relationship with you, so he came to remind you." Hu said, "Although we are old schoolmates, I don't know him. If he has a good relationship with you, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a good intention!" Old Man Zhou replied, "It's not certain. If he's not your schoolmate, then it's hard to say. Since he is a schoolmate, trying to establish a relationship through this is possible. But he clearly wrote in the letter to wait for a reply; how do we reply now?" Hu said, "Give him a receipt, have someone take it back first, investigate the situation tomorrow, and then send the reply back to him." They gave the messenger the card and sent him off.
Hu Tongling took a few puffs of smoke without saying a word. After finishing, he sat up and said to Zhou Lao Ye, "This doesn't look good to me. Fortunately, they're all in on it. If this blows up in our faces, it won't end well. We gotta figure something out, and fast. The longer we wait, the more expensive it'll get. When I initially sought this job, Wang the Military Advisor's nephew helped me, and it was a breeze. He told me to give a gift of three thousand taels of silver to secure the job. I thought that was highway robbery, so I told him to shove it. Later, I had someone spend five thousand, and still had to give a gift to the intermediary, totaling six thousand, which delayed things for half a year. We're all old hands at this, and I understand these tricks. So, what do you guys think?"
Wen Qiyi interjected, "Don't worry, boss! You're covered. They'll back you up no matter what. They ain't gonna throw you under the bus; besides, we've got plenty of evidence from those country bumpkins. How dare they complain? Just ignore 'em." Before Hu Tongling could speak, Zhou Lao Ye said, "We're not scared, but it'll look bad if things get out of hand. These guys are just lowlifes. Winning's not pretty, and losing is even worse. Good thinking, boss. Better to be safe than sorry." Wen Qiyi said, "If we're in the right, what's there to worry about?" Hu Tongling said, "I'd rather settle this quietly. A little grease is worth it. Let's send someone to feel them out first, then we'll move."
Mr. Zhou said, "Yes, let's first feel him out. If it looks good, we can get friendly with him. Assign him some official duties, like investigating the locals affected by bandits, and pay him a salary for it. That'll work. If he has other intentions, - Sir, I have to be honest with you, he definitely wants to shake us down. But for now, let's start with writing a letter. We should be able to smooth things over, Sir, you don't need to worry. This sheriff named Shan, I've known him for over ten years. I heard he has a good relationship with the locals, so I'll ask him for help. Once it's done, Sir, you can put in a good word for him on the big case." Commander Hu said, "This is a good way to save money and get things done; I'm all for it! However, when you see Sheriff Shan, just say you're asking for his help, don't mention me. We're on the same page." Mr. Zhou agreed, "I'll head into the city early tomorrow. Let's get this done fast – ideally, by tomorrow." Commander Hu said, "Okay, I won't keep you. Head back to the boat and get some rest; we'll get things done tomorrow." So they all said goodbye and left.
The next day, Zhou got up early and took a sedan chair into the city to meet Dan. He explained the situation from last night and realized there was a chance. Dan helped grease the wheels, and Zhou wanted to recommend him. It was a good deal, and he was thrilled. He kept saying, "If I can get promoted because of this, it's all thanks to your support, Sir." As for the money, as long as it's needed, I'll do my best, and all the benefits will go to you. Regarding Mr. Wei, if a brother goes to talk to him, anywhere from one or two thousand to three or five thousand, all according to your instructions. How can he have so much money sitting at home? What's the point of giving him extra?" Zhou was naturally very happy after hearing this. The two of them discussed further, and Zhou went out of the city to meet the leader again, mentioning Wei Zhugang: "According to Dan, this guy is no good! Plus, he's cousins with Zhang Changyan, an official from the capital, so he's really arrogant around here. Local officials look the other way on some things because of his cousin, and they don't want to argue with him. Although Dan has a good relationship with him, he knows he's greedy and can only feel him out with some words. In short, he definitely wants to shake down a lot of cash." Commander Hu hesitated and said, "Let's not throw money away; if he asks for too much, we can only go along with it." Zhou said, "According to Dan, his starting price is definitely not low!" Hu was surprised and asked, "How'd Dan know he's trying to rip me off?" Zhou quickly explained, "How could he know! It's just gossip; he heard about the recommendation and went snooping."
Old Zhou was chatting with Boss Hu when suddenly someone shouted from the bow of the ship, "Someone from the neighboring ship is looking for Old Zhou!" Old Zhou said, "It's probably the county magistrate coming to ask about the news." Boss Hu said, "Could be him, go check it out." Old Zhou bid farewell to Boss Hu, returned to his own ship, and sure enough, it was the county magistrate. With so many people around, it was inconvenient to talk, so he took him to a small room, and the two whispered away for ages. After sending the county magistrate off, Old Zhou returned to Boss Hu's ship. As soon as he entered, he shouted, "I can't believe this! The nerve of that guy! Why the extortion racket?" Boss Hu hurriedly asked, "What's going on?" Old Zhou, ignoring everything else, said, "He wanted a fortune, and I had no choice but to cough up. Let's see what the magistrate says, and then we'll figure something out." Boss Hu asked, "How much does he want in the end?" Old Zhou replied, "What do you think he wants?" Boss Hu said, "Five grand tops, three grand minimum." Old Zhou said, "Three thousand? Multiply that by a hundred!" Boss Hu was stunned, sticking out his tongue, "A hundred times?! What the heck?!" Old Zhou said, "He demanded three hundred thousand upfront, isn't that a hundred times?" Boss Hu exclaimed, "The guy's a real shark! All that hard work for nothing? He wants to bleed us dry! What are we going to do?" Old Zhou said, "Dealing with him is a gamble. I figured it was better to settle, so I negotiated without making a fuss." Boss Hu asked, "How much did you negotiate with him in the end?" Old Zhou said, "He was asking for the moon, so I just gave him thirty thousand." Boss Hu listened in silence for a while and then asked, "You gave him thirty thousand, did he agree?" Old Zhou replied, "He wanted three hundred thousand, as the magistrate conveyed, I only gave him a part, I don't know if he agreed or not." Boss Hu shook his head and said, "If they keep this up, three grand a pop, thirty grand for ten guys... I'll be broke, and they'll still be shaking people down! I'm done! You deal with him, use whatever you've got, I'm out of money and patience!"
Old Man Zhou jumped, thinking to himself, "What gives? That ain't like him." But the words were out, so he just said, "I was just following orders, so I haggled a bit. We can still afford it." When Leader Hu heard this, he understood that Old Man Zhou was rubbing salt in the wound, which made him even angrier. It was almost Little Cold; he was in a dark red robe, no belt, no jacket, just a fur hat and thin-soled Beijing boots. His eyes were bothering him, so he wore big round sunglasses, holding a tobacco pipe in one hand and stroking his beard with the other, sitting on the bed rocking back and forth. The lamp was lit on the bed, and his face was ashen, sitting silently for a long time. Old Man Zhou could only remain silent. After a while, he said, "I did all that for them, and now they're shaking me down!" He added, "I'll go out and talk to them; it will definitely get resolved." Leader Hu replied, "Forget it! That thirty thousand silver could buy thousands of those umbrellas. I don't care about the glory anymore." Old Man Zhou kept hitting dead ends, feeling very uncomfortable, but he just clammed up. According to Leader Hu, he was still refusing to give the thirty thousand silver. He couldn't say anything else, so he left with a few casual remarks. Back on his own ship, pacing back and forth, he couldn't think of a solution for a while. After thinking for a long time, he suddenly remembered a certain Mr. Zhuang in Jiande County, who had a good relationship with the leader, so he knew what to do. He went to visit Mr. Zhuang, explaining his intentions, saying, "Things are getting ugly, and even though we have proof, a big stink isn't good. That Wei Zhugang's a real scumbag; let's just pay him off and keep it quiet."
Zhuang thought to himself after hearing this, "Although I helped handle the villagers' problem last time, it may cause issues in the future if I don't satisfy my superiors. It would be better to have them contribute some money so that I can also avoid any trouble." He then repeatedly said, "Yes..." and added, "I understand the temper of Hu, the boss. I'll go talk to him, and he should agree." Zhou left, deeply grateful.
Not long after, Zhuang arrived. After chatting with Hu for a while, he slowly brought up the matter. But Hu firmly refused and even launched into a tirade, blaming Zhou for helping outsiders. He said, "This task is a difficult one; everyone knows about it. Zhou's always trying to bleed us dry – what's his game? Your brother is the one who can really get things done." Zhuang put in a good word for Zhou, then leaned in and conspiratorially whispered to Hu for a while. At first, Hu frowned and shook his head. But gradually, he started to smile and nodded, finally saying loudly, "I'll agree to this for your brother's sake. If it were someone else, I definitely wouldn't agree." Zhuang thanked him again and headed off.
Hu agreed to give Wei Zhugang thirty thousand taels of silver, but he didn't want to give it directly to Zhou. He didn't trust Zhou an inch, so he had Zhuang handle it. Zhuang knew that Zhou could benefit from this and didn't want to offend anyone, so he agreed to let Zhou manage it. However, Hu dragged his feet on the approval and didn't release the funds for several days. Zhou was anxious but couldn't push too hard. Later, Hu played sick and avoided meeting with anyone, claiming to have no money and asking Zhou to pay first and be reimbursed later. Zhou was speechless with anger, but in the end, he held back his words, feeling more and more frustrated, tossing and turning all night, fuming.
The next morning, Old Shan came to visit Old Zhou. Old Zhou thought this was a good opportunity, so he told Old Shan the whole story. He complained to Old Shan about Supervisor Hu's shenanigans, saying that Supervisor Hu now wanted to default on the money. After listening, Old Shan asked Old Zhou what he planned to do. Old Zhou said that since Supervisor Hu was being so difficult, he'd take him on. Old Shan asked if Old Zhou had any other ideas. Old Zhou said that just complaining wouldn't be enough, and it would be best to take him down from the inside. Old Zhou suddenly remembered that Old Shan had mentioned before that Imperial Censor Zhang Changyan and Wei Zhugang were cousins.
Old Zhou wanted Old Shan to help contact Zhang Changyan and spring a surprise on Wei Zhugang in the capital. Old Shan hesitated, worried that things could blow up and be bad for both sides. However, Old Zhou insisted on getting even, saying that even if he had to spend some money to bribe Zhang Changyan, he'd do whatever it takes.
When Old Shan heard that Wei Zhugang was willing to help with money, he got an idea. After bidding farewell to Wei Zhugang, he quickly went to find him. When they met, Wei Zhugang was furious that things had not been resolved and let Supervisor Hu have it. He immediately wanted to go to the provincial capital to file a complaint, threatening to take Supervisor Hu down. Old Shan said, "Now that the county's got the evidence, they're acting all high and mighty. Hu was sent down from the province, and the bigwigs there'll protect him. You won't win; you'll just waste your time and make a fool of yourself." Wei Zhugang said, "If the province won't do anything, we'll go to the capital!" Old Shan said, "You gonna spend all your time and money on a lawsuit that you'll lose?" Wei Zhugang heard this reasonable argument and fell silent for half a day. Old Shan said, "Your cousin's a big shot in the capital; can't you get him to help?"
Wei Zhugang said, "Don't mention my cousin! Since he became an official, he often writes to ask me to get him a deal. This time in Tunxi, I fixed a deal for him, and they gave me five hundred taels of silver. I originally didn't want to take his money; I wanted to discuss with him and take two hundred taels from it, but he flat-out refused in his reply. He said there are many things to deal with by the end of the year and asked me to quickly send the money to him. He also said, 'If your cousin has any troubles in the future, I will definitely help with all my might. Originally, I should have given you one hundred taels, but I'm giving you half as a compromise.' Sir, think about it; my cousin won't help for free. The guy's a real money-grubber!" Mr. Shan said, "Whether he's greedy or not, it's all about the money. This is the money they should be collecting. Otherwise, in the capital, should we let them go hungry?" Wei Zhugang said, "Enough talk; I'll write to entrust him now. But saying it won't make it happen; I'm afraid he won't take it seriously. I have to give him some benefits." Mr. Shan said, "It shouldn't be in vain. As for how much to give, I can't guarantee." Wei Zhugang asked, "How much money should I offer to buy his favor?" Mr. Shan said, "It's the end of the year now; just a little something to show our appreciation."
Wei Zhugang said, "How much grease do you need to get this done? Whether it's 18,000 or 35, it doesn't matter. Just let me know the exact amount so I can arrange it for you. You don't know, these officials sell memorials to others for submission, just like doing business. A bribe of a tael gets you a tael's worth of action; ten taels buys you ten. It's all above board, or so they claim, so everyone trusts them and is willing to spend money to have them handle things. This affects us, and I bet you're being pressured too. Tell them it'll cost 500 taels, and I'll handle it." Old Man Shan said, "500 taels is too much, right?" Wei Zhugang replied, "Five grand wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket for this. Firstly, it's your older brother asking me, and secondly, it's easy to talk to my cousin. Once we get Hu Tongling, there'll be plenty of payback. Our money is just a lead; the real benefits will come later, so we don't need to give him too much. You won't even cough up a pittance? That's a shame!" Old Man Shan said, "This isn't my money. Let me discuss with the other side first before I tell you." Wei Zhugang said, "Let me know ASAP if you want me to write the letter." Old Man Shan said, "Of course." After saying that, he left.
That night, Old Man Shan left the city and found Old Man Zhou, saying, "Wei said it'd be a thousand taels for the letter." Zhou balked at the price. So after discussing with Old Man Shan repeatedly, he only agreed to provide 600 taels of silver. Old Man Shan had no choice but to take 300 taels of silver to find Wei Zhugang, saying, "They can't cough up any more. This matter must come to a conclusion. Give me a break on this one, and I'll make it up to you later." Wei Zhugang initially refused, but Shan wore him down, so he finally agreed. After Old Man Shan left, Wei Zhugang wrote a letter, giving only 50 taels of silver to his cousin to submit. As for the future, we'll talk about it next time.
