Jiang Fu went to the account room to find out what was going on. His nephew stammered that the master promised to repay the money, but it would take a few more days. Besides, Jiang Fu's family was here, so they weren't going anywhere. The nephew was being evasive, actually not wanting to directly refuse Jiang Fu, afraid of causing a scene. However, Jiang Fu saw through his thoughts at a glance and coldly snorted, saying, "What's this? Kick someone out without paying? That's not right! Let's go to the magistrate's office and straighten this out!" The nephew quickly reassured him, "You'll get every penny." Jiang Fu shot back, "Try shortchanging me by a single penny!" After saying that, he left.
Jiang Fu had a very good relationship with a close friend who managed the documents at Guangxin Mansion, who was really well-connected and the prefect's right-hand man. Jiang Fu found him and said that Master Wang had not repaid the money and wanted to take the matter to the government office, asking for his help. His friend assured him, "No problem." That day, the document manager reported to the prefect, badmouthing Wang and saying how terrible he was. The prefect had a good relationship with Wang Mengmei. When he heard about this, he said, "This'll cause a scandal. Don't let him file a complaint." So he discussed it with the magistrate. The magistrate said, "You're right. I'll go talk to him and smooth things over." The prefect agreed, and the magistrate sent someone to invite Wang Mengmei to come and discuss.
When Wang Mengmei arrived, after a bit of small talk, the magistrate said that the prefect's intention was to keep things amicable and avoid a fuss. As long as Wang Mengmei repaid the money, other matters should not be pursued. Then he mentioned Jiang Fu wanting to file a complaint. Wang Mengmei's face went red; she knew she was busted. She complained about what a lowlife Jiang Fu was, saying that for the past three days, no one had paid the grain money, which made her upset. Therefore, even though she had the money, she wanted to make Jiang Fu uncomfortable for a few days, not intending to default on the payment. As for the matter of Jiang Fu wanting to file a complaint, there were many people in the city watching, the prefect was shrewd, and the magistrate treated him as a friend. Even if he was slightly in the wrong, he couldn't fool the prefect. And he certainly couldn't cross the magistrate.
The magistrate said, "Who's got time for this? I'm just talking casually. Just give him the money quickly and let him leave, and everyone can get back to being peaceful, right?" Wang Mengmei blushed again, saying that Jiang Fu was a friend’s introduction and that he was very reliable. He borrowed three thousand yuan in less than three days and asked her to help keep it. Even if he was short on cash, he shouldn't have used someone else's money. The magistrate replied, "Yeah." Wang Mengmei continued, "I think they just want a little interest, which is why they left the money. I put it in the estate for him." The magistrate said, "Whether you keep it or put it, just give it back to him quickly." Wang Mengmei hesitated for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll give you three thousand yuan tomorrow and leave it here for you. I need to check if he has any issues before I can let him go." The magistrate saw through her intentions; Wang Mengmei wanted to calm things down, so he said, "Okay, let's do that. If there really is a problem, I'll have to tell the magistrate and deal with him properly." Wang Mengmei took her leave. The next day, Wang Mengmei indeed sent a three thousand yuan promissory note. After the magistrate accepted it, he asked, "Did you give Jiang Fu a receipt before?" Wang Mengmei said, "There was an IOU." The magistrate said, "I'll give you a receipt. Bring it tomorrow to exchange for the IOU." That sorted things out; Jiang Fu didn't cause trouble again, and Wang Mengmei didn't embarrass herself. At the end of the year, the magistrate wrote a letter to Wang Mengmei asking to borrow five hundred taels for the New Year. Wang Mengmei gave him two hundred taels, and that was the end of that.
After San Hebao and his brother reconciled, they did business in Jiujiang Prefecture and made a few hundred taels of silver. Altogether, they had well over ten thousand taels. During the Shanxi drought and flood, the court provided disaster relief. San Hebao pulled strings everywhere, brokering the sale of official positions to benefit from it. He used his connections to secure a magistrate position, and then a higher-ranking post, pending imperial selection. Luckily, he drew the first place. His brother Da Hebao had already returned to his post, so he settled the accounts and went to the capital to await selection. In the second month, the position of magistrate in Juzhou, Shandong was vacant, and it was his turn. However, he felt that this place was too remote, so he spent two thousand taels of silver to ask for help and paid a Grand Secretary to be his teacher. That day, he went in with a letter of introduction and a bank draft. After waiting for a long time, he was summoned. He kowtowed three times, and the Grand Secretary merely acknowledged the bow with a slight nod, asking when he arrived and when he would leave. San Hebao answered, and the Grand Secretary let him go. Dejected, San Hebao returned to his lodgings. The next day, the Grand Secretary sent a letter to the Shandong governor. After receiving the letter, San Hebao gave the messenger eight taels of silver, and the messenger left. That night, with nothing to do, San Hebao secretly opened the letter and found only a short note. He knew this was typical of official correspondence, so he sealed the letter again.
Two days later, he rushed from Beijing to Jinan without stopping and delivered the Minister of Military Affairs' letter to the Shandong Governor's Office. The next day, he was indeed summoned by the Governor. The Governor said, "The vacancy in Juzhou is not good. I have already spoken to the financial commissioner, but unfortunately, there was a vacancy in Jiaozhou yesterday. I will let you fill in temporarily. In the future, if there is a better vacancy, I will arrange it for you." He was incredibly grateful and then said, "I have limited knowledge, and there are still foreigners in Jiaozhou now. It won't be easy, so please give me more guidance." The Governor said, "I am about to leave the province for a provincial inspection tour. I will first go to the Eastern Three Prefectures, and I will probably arrive in Jiaozhou in less than a month. When the time comes, we can discuss matters face to face. Hurry up and take up your position." He nodded eagerly and left. That evening, the financial commissioner announced the appointment. He was thrilled, and after spending several days thanking officials, visiting friends, and saying his goodbyes, he finally set off for his new post, roughly coinciding with the Governor's departure.
When he arrived in Jiaozhou, he was swamped with tasks: worshipping at temples, receiving official seals, doing the morning roll call at the yamen, checking the warehouse, inspecting the city walls, visiting the prison, meeting colleagues and local gentry, and doing the handover with his predecessor. It took him more than twenty days to finish all these tasks. Afterwards, he received a document from his superiors informing him that the governor was coming from Laizhou Prefecture. Upon receiving this news, he felt troubled because it was his first time in office and he had to arrange everything from scratch. Now he had to prepare a proper welcome for the governor's imminent inspection. Even if he had the money, there wasn't enough time in the next few days! Before leaving Jinan, he went to various shops on credit—foreign goods shops, shops selling goods from the south, silk shops—and everyone was willing to extend credit to him because he was the current high-ranking official and a senior official of the Jiangxi Salt Road. Everyone trusted him, and he ended up owing thousands of taels in debt. However, getting everything ready for the governor's visit and doing it properly was a huge challenge, making him as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. So, he quickly discussed with the yamen's clerks.
There is a clever advisor in the yamen, named Ding Zijian, who is a scholar from Jiyang County. He used to study at Leyuan Academy in Jinan and consistently topped the class. Not only is he good at writing essays, but he is also proficient in poetry, calligraphy, and painting. He can be considered a versatile talent. When the governor was serving as a daotai in Jidong, Ding Zijian took several exams under his command and was considered his favorite student. Now, due to his parents' death, Ding Zijian is at home with nothing to do, so he found his old teacher and asked him to recommend a job. Fortunately, his old teacher is now the governor of Shandong, a powerful figure, so naturally, his word was law. Therefore, the teacher recommended him to San Hebao to be his advisor.
One day, seeing San Hebao frowning in preparation for the governor's inspection, and after asking everyone without any good ideas, Ding Zijian came up with a solution and said, "Boss, I have an idea for this matter." San Hebao hurriedly asked, "What idea?" Ding Zijian replied, "My teacher is honest and particular, like Yan Wenjie and Li Jiantang. When he was serving as a daotai, I stayed in his yamen for a few days. Although he has a small kitchen and the food is exquisite, when he entertains guests, he only serves four dishes and two bowls, along with some tofu and vegetables. His wife lives in luxury, but he himself lives simply, wearing a gray cloth robe and a light blue coat all year round, with patches and a hat picked up from an antique stall. He appears very incorruptible. In fact, although he does not accept gifts on the surface, he remembers them in his heart and treats people differently in the future. So, to please him, you must give gifts, but he will never ask for them. Now, to welcome his inspection, of course, it is best to be grand, but if that’s not possible, I think we can keep it simple on the surface while secretly showing him our sincerity. Anyway, since we have to spend money, we can save trouble, and he will also gain a good reputation; it kills two birds with one stone."
San Hebao remarked, "Regardless of how simple this task is, it must comply with the rules." Ding Zijian replied, "This is easy. It is May now, the weather is hot, and overly luxurious arrangements will make people uncomfortable, so it is better to keep it light. It is best to set up a few Western rooms, as long as there are carpets and curtains; other tables, chairs, and decorations are not necessary. Then, arrange hundreds of pots of flowers, filling the room and courtyard. Only two meals a day are needed; there is no need for a grand feast, just serve him home-cooked meals. He has already eaten all kinds of delicacies on the way here, so a change of taste would be good. Also, with Western rooms, it will be convenient for foreign visitors to come and visit."
San Hebao thought it made sense but hesitated, saying, "Where can we get these Western items in such a short time?" Ding Zijian replied, "This is easy. I have a friend who has a good relationship with a German officer; I can ask him to borrow some. Even the knives, forks, plates for the main course, table decorations, and chefs can be borrowed for a few days. If there are not enough items, we can ask to borrow more; it will definitely be sufficient." San Hebao said, "If we borrow a chef, won't they be left without food?" Ding Zijian suggested, "For these few days, let those foreigners not cook; we will prepare the meals here and have the servants deliver them to them. They will also save money; it’s a perfect solution."
San Hebao said, "That sounds about right for the interior. What about the outside?" Ding Zijian replied, "Once the inside is arranged, the outside will be easy. But, which house should be used as the headquarters? We need a house to decorate." San Hebao asked, "Which place do you think is good?" Some advisors suggested borrowing the house of the Sun family outside the east gate, while others suggested the house of the Wang family inside the south gate. San Hebao was not satisfied with either, either because the entrance was not good-looking or the house was too small. Later, an experienced steward, Gao Er, remarked, "Both of these places are too far; it's better to vacate the academy. The road is close, the house is spacious, with a straight path from the main gate to the upper room, better than the Sun family and Wang family." San Hebao, upon hearing this, said repeatedly, "Yes..." Ding Zijian also hurriedly agreed, "Good."
Not provided.
San Hebao dumped the whole thing on Ding Shiye and the chief accountant, while he busied himself with other arrangements. They hired top-notch tent makers and painters. Ding Shiyue was responsible for borrowing supplies, organizing the kitchen, and decorating the rooms inside. With so many hands on deck, they worked day and night for five or six days and finally got it all done. Next, official documents from the county started pouring in, saying that the big cheese was due in two days. San Hebao hurried out to meet him with the staff from the camp office.
Jiaozhou's camp commander, Wang Bikui, was an archery whiz. But that camp was a mess. The soldiers were slackers, skimming off the top of the military budget, and generally causing trouble. Their only real panic was the bi-annual parade – they’d cram harder than a college kid before finals. When word came down that the Governor was inspecting in three months, he started sweating bullets. Fortunately, there was still some time, so he rounded up every officer from the top brass down and told them to get every last soldier in line – no room for screw-ups. These guys knew their careers were on the line, so they rounded up every bum and loafer they could find, signed them up, and cleaned up the town in the process.
As the day when the big boss is coming for inspection approaches, officers and soldiers are training on the drill ground every day. The big boss often drops by to check on them. It was five days of big drills and three days of small ones, with flags flying every day, drums beating loudly—what a sight! In fact, the Green Camp soldiers only have two skills: running and shouting. When the big boss arrives for inspection, the formation they arrange looks like running around in circles like headless chickens. They can line up in a long, snaking line, huddle together in a mess, or spread out in eight directions.
As for shouting, when the big boss's sedan chair comes into view, everyone drops to their knees. The top officer would yell something like, "So-and-so reporting!" The guards would shout "Rise!" and the troops would all respond in perfect unison, "Yessir!" before scrambling to their feet and rushing to the front. Running and shouting are their ancestral secrets that everyone must practice.
As for playing with spears and sticks, those who perform at temple fairs are also invited to the drill ground. They put on a show while banging drums and gongs, better than a monkey show, and they call this "playing pairs." The big boss got bored after a couple of inspections, so he had the deputy commander go in his place.
In their spare time, these officers practice archery themselves, fearing that if they miss a shot when the big boss comes, they could lose their positions. The older ones who have fought and been injured switch to practicing shooting. They shoot arrows at targets for foot archery, use triangular leather balls for horse archery, and fire at gray packs for Western guns. When the bullet pierces the gray pack, dust flies out, which looks quite impressive.
Civil and military officials alike were working themselves to the bone.
One day, an urgent official document arrived, saying that the boss had already reached the advance post. San Hebao hurried out to greet Wang Xietai and then rushed to the camp to see the boss. The boss briefed him and dismissed him. Next, he went to greet Deputy Magistrate Hong, along with the other officials and patrol officers who had come along. These folks were colleagues of San Hebao, so there was no need to bring gifts; just presenting the calling card and visiting them one by one was enough. After the visits, in the evening, when it was found out that the boss had gone to bed, Officer Lu came down. San Hebao knew Lu from the provincial office and wanted him to say a few good words in front of the boss. When they met, San Hebao was very enthusiastic, saying he had just taken office and didn’t understand many things, relying on Lu for help. Officer Lu readily agreed, saying, “Don’t worry, leave everything to me. Even the people around the boss know we’re good friends and won’t make things difficult for you.” San Hebao expressed his gratitude.
Meanwhile, the folks handling affairs outside and those in charge of the kitchen in the state went to negotiate with the chef brought by the boss. The chef quoted a price of three hundred cash a day, only providing two meals and two snacks for the boss. After some back-and-forth, they settled on one hundred and fifty cash a day, with each day counted separately. The chef even told the kitchen manager, “Our boss is easy to please; no need to spend too much money or whip up fancy dishes. Four dishes and two soups will do. He even feels bad about the expenses. Just make some pork and leeks, scrambled eggs, a cucumber salad in summer, a mixed salad, a steamed cake, and add extra sesame oil to the tofu soup—he’ll love it. For breakfast, two baked cakes and a bowl of porridge; for afternoon tea, two steamed buns—he won’t complain.” The kitchen manager thanked him profusely. They parted ways, and the kitchen manager went back to make arrangements, while San Hebao went to consult with Officer Lu about various matters.
When the governor arrived, he first had a meal. At about two o'clock in the afternoon, the imperial envoy arrived outside the east city gate, and the whole city was abuzz with excitement, with everyone turning out to watch. After a while, a procession of soldiers, carrying flags, weapons, and other ceremonial items, cleared the way. Behind them were the attendants of the imperial envoy, with pairs of soldiers carrying ceremonial flags, gongs, and weapons, along with executioners and other officials, marching before him. The governor arrived in an impressive palanquin, wearing glasses, stroking his beard with one hand, and waving a fan with the other; his arrival was quite a spectacle. Shortly after, three cannons fired, signaling his arrival at the governor's temporary residence, with music playing on both sides. The governor's palanquin was carried by attendants until he got off inside. Officials of all ranks stood waiting in formation. The governor nodded to everyone, then went inside surrounded by the crowd. The officials then began reporting their work one by one. The governor called in San Hebao and Wang Xietai, asked about local governance and the situation with foreigners. He then said, "It's already four o'clock. Meet me at the training grounds tomorrow morning." Wang Xietai agreed.
Fu spoke while looking around, saying repeatedly, "Wow, this is fancy! Brother He, before I left the province, I had someone send a letter to you not to be too extravagant. Why is it still so troublesome?" It turned out that Fu was now standing in the reception room. The reception room was arranged according to the rules of Chinese officialdom, all draped in fancy silk, so Fu felt it was too much. In fact, he had not seen the Western rooms behind, so he did not know. San Hebao replied, "This is the reception room. We've got a few Western-style rooms prepared for you behind; they're more comfortable to stay in during the summer, and there aren't many decorations there." When Fu heard they were Western rooms, he immediately said to San Hebao, "Let's go check it out." So he left Wang Xietai behind, letting San Hebao show him in. There was a sea of flowers in the courtyard, and Fu exclaimed, "Great!" After entering the room, he looked around and kept saying, "So refreshing..." He then asked San Hebao, "This stuff must have cost a fortune, huh?" San Hebao, not daring to admit they were borrowed, replied, "Oh, nothing much, really." He took the opportunity to say, "I know the lord likes it refreshing in the summer, so I prepared Western food." When Fu heard about Western food, he was stunned for a moment and said, "Western food's mostly beef and lamb, and our family hasn't eaten beef for seven generations. I only want home-cooked dishes. You don't have to bother; I'm not used to eating those." San Hebao said, "Both Western and Chinese dishes are prepared; we can make the Western dishes without beef." Fu replied, "Since there are Chinese dishes, I'll eat those. Keep the Western dishes for another day to treat foreigners." After hearing this, San Hebao immediately signaled to the servants to inform the chef to prepare quickly. After a bit of business talk, San Hebao finally left to check in with the others. Fu finished his dinner, and local officials came to report, along with the patrolmen who came to ensure everything was safe. After San Hebao left, Fu rested. It was all done exactly as Patrolman Lu said, so Fu was happy as a clam.
Forget the small stuff. Let's talk about that night; San Hebao barely slept a wink, fearing he would delay the task. Early the next morning, it was said that the official had already gotten up, and the kitchen brought in prepared porridge, pancakes, and snacks. It was already past midnight. Next, the officials all came to report their work, and the patrol came to report, "Everyone's dismissed; we'll meet at the drill grounds later." Before he finished speaking, the third watch had rung. The official came out to his sedan chair, and all the officials in the city stood ramrod straight to see him off. That governor was a real down-to-earth guy, walking out and smiling, nodding to them, while they stood like statues. It wasn't until he boarded the sedan chair and arched his hands inside that they all bowed together and sent the imperial envoy out of the yamen gate.
The officials took shortcuts to get to the drill grounds before the governor. They hightailed it to the drill grounds. There was another waiting room where everyone could rest. Suddenly, three cannon shots rang out, and the governor's attendants arrived outside the camp gate. Wang Xie Tai walked at the forefront, leading all the brass, all wearing armor and swords, kneeling to greet. Wang Xie Tai sent a runner ahead to announce his arrival, while the other officers held their name cards, kneeling on the ground and loudly shouting their names. After shouting, the governor's guards yelled "At ease!" and the soldiers responded with a "Yes sir!" The sedan chair, surrounded by a throng, sped towards the martial arts hall. The drill grounds were outside the east gate – plenty of room. The main building was the martial arts hall. To the east was the general's platform, and to the west was the horse track. Behind the martial arts hall were three more rooms prepared for the governor to eat and rest. On the east and west sides of the martial arts hall were several tents: one side for officials to rest or change clothes, and the other for the camp staff to watch archery. Desks were set up everywhere.
So, Fu Yuan arrived at the drill grounds in a sedan chair, where a large group of officials were waiting. After getting off the sedan chair, Fu first went to the rest room to take a break. Hong accompanied him inside and chatted for a bit. After drinking some tea, Fu was asked to take his seat. At this time, three cannon blasts boomed out, followed by the band striking up.
After Fu sat down, his attendants, local officials, and Wang Xietai went on stage together to pay their respects, bowing three times. Fu bowed back. Then, a group of police came to pay their respects, and Fu just nodded. After the ceremony, everyone stood on both sides. Wang Xietai, all decked out in his finest uniform, sword and bow at his side, took a flag from beside the drill grounds, walked up to Fu, knelt down on one knee, and loudly said, "Order up, sir!" Fu instructed them to first watch the foreign exercises, then the formation diagram, followed by cannon drills, and finally shield work and other martial arts displays. Wang Xietai agreed, walked up the steps of the drill grounds, and handed the flag to the army commander. The army commander took the flag, waved it twice to the south, and some Western music began playing on stage. In the distance, several squads of foreign troops could be seen, led by instructors, yelling out their orders in a foreign tongue as they marched in formation. The army commander knelt down again and reported, "The foreign troops are here, sir!" He then stood aside. Then the foreign troops put on a gunnery display, firing several volleys before their instructors marched them off.
Then there were various formations practiced, such as the Single Serpent Formation, the Two-Instrument Formation, the Three Talents Formation, the Four-Sided Ambush Formation, the Five Routes Attack Formation, as well as variations like the Single Serpent Formation turning into the Snail Formation and the Snail Formation turning into the Eight Trigrams Formation, among other changes. The two armies faced off for a while, engaging in combat, and it was a real hootenanny! Suddenly, several cannons roared deafeningly, and the soldiers quickly returned to their respective teams. A tent was set up under the back wall, with a large flag reading "Commander-in-Chief" hanging above it. Next came a display of shields and various martial arts skills, including somersaults and pole climbing, all very exciting. The victory drums rolled out from the platform, and all the teams marched around the drill ground, and that was a wrap. The Central Army Commander then handed the flag to Wang Xietai, who knelt down to report to the Governor: "Right you are, sir!" The Governor then retired to have a meal, while the officials rested.
After finishing lunch, Governor Fu sat back down. Once the formalities were over, they began to watch the military officers' archery skills. This was an important military review. Although Wang Xietai was a high-ranking official, he still had to stand by with his bow at this time. Generally, if Fu was more lenient, he would let them off the archery. Moreover, this Governor Fu was a military graduate selected personally by the emperor. Even if he only served as a participating general, which was one rank lower than Xietai, he would usually be exempted. Although Fu was gentle by nature, he felt uncomfortable when he saw Xietai looking unhappy. When asked about the affairs of the camp, he always dodged the question, making Fu even more uneasy. When it was time for the roll call, the patrol officer shouted, "General Wang!" Wang Bikuai responded with a "Here," took his bow, looked up, and hoped that he would be exempted from shooting arrows, saving face. But nobody said anything from above. After waiting for a while, everyone was surprised that nothing happened. Xietai blew up! He had to pick up the arrow, string the bow, and without even aiming, shot five arrows, but none hit the target. After shooting, he knelt to report, as usual. Fu saw this and knew that Xietai was trying to humiliate him, which made him furious. When Xietai came up to report, Fu erupted, saying, "The military and political affairs of the past three years are important matters of the court. You must not be partial! If you disrespect this court, you disrespect the court! As a role model for a camp, if you are so unfamiliar with archery, one can imagine your abilities in other areas! I've got no choice but to report this and have you impeached to rectify military discipline!" After speaking, he had someone remove Xietai's feathered hat and sent him down for trial. Xietai, originally impulsive because Fu had embarrassed him, now regretted his actions. He knelt on the ground, unwilling to get up. Fu ignored him and proceeded to call other military officers to shoot arrows in turn. He felt that the target was too close and called for a trusted officer and two guards to measure the distance accurately. Little did he know that these patrol officers and guards had taken money from Xietai. No matter how carefully Fu measured, the bows kept falling to the ground. Finally, the target was set up, and one by one, they shot arrows. In the shed to the west, Lord Hong was helping to supervise to keep things moving. Seeing that Fu was angry, everyone was cautious and did not dare to be negligent.
It was finally over, but Wang Xietai remained kneeling. After Governor Fu left the hall and rested for a while, he let Wang Xietai get up and return to the camp. They gave him the usual send-off.
Governor Fu returned to the military camp, summoned Governor Hong, and said, "Wang Xietai is inexperienced and the soldiers are not well-trained. Get rid of him immediately and let the deputy commander who came with him take over. We'll report him when we get back." Governor Hong agreed. Wang Xietai, hat askew, his eyes red and swollen from crying, found Governor Hong with a local official and begged for help. Governor Hong scolded him, saying, "Why'd you fall out with him? Now I can't do anything either. Resign and come with me to the capital; we'll sort it out there." With no choice, Wang Xietai left. Later, after Governor Fu returned to the capital, Wang Xietai went to beg Governor Hong again. Governor Hong asked for six thousand taels of silver, promising not to strip him of his official position. Poor guy, a military officer, where was he going to find that kind of money? After struggling to gather two thousand taels, he sent it over, but Hong refused. Governor Fu wanted to accuse him and dismiss him from his position, but Governor Hong pretended to be kind and helped him plead for mercy, so Wang Xietai was demoted one level and became a deputy.
Getting sacked is easier to fix than being demoted; demotion means climbing back up the ladder slowly. That was Hong's little trick. More to come! What happened after Fu watched the training? Find out next time!
