Young Master Jia returned from the city and was planning to go to Fatty Huang's place to discuss matters at the Wenshu Monastery, but her letter arrived first. He opened it, and his face went through the wringer. After reading it, he stuffed the letter into his pocket without saying a word. That evening, he was all fidgety and down in the dumps. His little wife, seeing him like this, quickly asked what was wrong, but he remained silent.
The next morning, he got up early, got his carriage ready, and headed straight to Fatty Huang's shop. Upon entering, he had someone wake Huang Pang up. After meeting her, she asked why he was up so early. Young Master Jia said he had intended to come yesterday upon receiving the letter, knowing she was always busy after lunch. He asked where the news came from, as the word was already out, but the goods shouldn't have been sent out yet. Fatty Huang said she only heard about it from Kuiguan the night before, and even if they were to be sent out, it wouldn't be so soon. She wrote the letter to remind Young Master Jia to be careful, as friends should look out for each other, with no other intentions. Young Master Jia said, "It seems that Kuiguan's no good! I haven't seen much of him lately, and I didn't even see him with a second chit the other night. Turns out he's got a big shot backing him!"
Huang Pang Gu smiled and said, "Speaking of which, it's quite interesting. This Lu Geishi who inquired about your news was also a prominent figure in the high-class brothel five years ago. He was an official in Guangdong and had held many lucrative posts. Since he became a court official in the Hanlin Academy, he has been living it up, spending two hundred thousand taels of silver in three years! Kui Guan is the one he redeemed. When Kui Guan redeemed himself, he didn't play much anymore. Because he liked to watch famous Peking Opera performers, he took a liking to Kui Guan. But Kui Guan can have today thanks to this older gentleman's patronage. If it weren't for him, Kui Guan wouldn't know where he is now." Jia Dashao asked, "Why is he inquiring about me?" Huang Pang Gu said, "Don't worry, I'll tell you slowly. This Lu Geishi is named Lu Zhaobin, with the style name Zhihou, a Jinshi of the Guiwei year, and later stayed in the Hanlin Academy. In the year of the imperial examination, the emperor took a liking to him, and soon he was promoted to the position of censor. He has done well in recent years and was just promoted to the position of Geishi Zhong this year. He has a good relationship with Kui Guan, redeeming him, helping him marry a wife, buying a house for him, and managing his food and drink expenses. Kui Guan and his wife considered him family. Now that Kui Guan's wife has passed away, he has visited less. It happened to be Kui Guan's mother's birthday that day, and he went happily in the evening, coincidentally encountering you losing your temper there. After you left, he asked Kui Guan to tell him. Yesterday, Kui Guan came to apologize because he'd offended you and worried about causing me trouble. I asked Kui Guan who had visited him that day, and he mentioned Lu Zhihou. I asked him again, 'Does Mr. Jia know that Lu Geishi is aware?' He said, 'When Lu Geishi arrived, it was when Mr. Jia smashed the wine pot. He knew everything that happened afterwards.' I immediately blamed Kui Guan at the time, saying, 'Mr. Jia was recommending you, so why did you tell Lu Geishi about this?' Kui Guan said, 'When Mr. Jia was angry, I was with him all the time; I didn't tell Lu Geishi. Other people in the house also don't know who told him.' So after I got this news yesterday, I immediately wrote to tell you. You're about to go on vacation, and your reputation matters, so as friends, I had to let you know."
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Young Master Jia said, "I really appreciate your efforts! I think there shouldn't be any other issues, right?" Huang Panggu said, "It's not certain. Those censors always blow things out of proportion. The Emperor allows them to report casually, and even if they make mistakes, it's no sweat." Young Master Jia made a face when he heard this, lowered his head in contemplation, not knowing what to do. After a while, he said, "I shouldn't have done that. I got drunk the other day and raised hell at the place you recommended. I'm sorry! Man, I apologize to you." With that, he bowed. Huang Panggu returned the gesture and said, "Don't say that! Among brothers, who would blame you?" Young Master Jia said, "You have a wide network in the capital. Before the memorial is submitted, help me out; spending some money is fine." Huang Panggu was very happy to hear this, but feigned hesitation and said, "Although money is necessary in this matter, it also depends on who it's given to. You gotta spend it wisely; we gotta make sure it counts. Fortunately, the Duke has had a so-so relationship with the Chief Eunuch these past two years. If it was three years ago, you wouldn't have dared to mess with him! But the Duke comes from a wealthy family and has seen a lot of money. If you give him a few taels of silver, he might not even look at it. Unlike those greedy nobles who are all about the money, even if it's just a small amount, they would jump at the chance. We're cool, so let's be straight with each other. The incident the other day was also your uncle's carelessness. There are many busybodies in the capital, unlike the outside. As for Lu Zhihou, I can't say for sure if he'll go after you, but I can't promise you'll be safe. Since you trust me and don't treat me as an outsider, I will do my best to help you!" With that, Young Master Jia thanked him again and said, "Thanks, man."
Huang Panggu thought for a moment and said, "We've known Zhi Hou for so many years; it wouldn't be cool to approach him directly. What if we hit a snag? That'd be a drag! I suggest you just spend a bit more money, take the right path, and things will naturally work out, how about that?" Young Master Jia looked puzzled and didn't say anything. Huang Panggu continued, "Actually, you won't lose out. You originally wanted to make connections here, and now you can get two things done at once—it's more convenient! Those priestesses and priests are taking the wrong path, so don’t go that way! You should make connections with some big shots in the government; nothing can get done without them. Even if you have connections, after things are done, they still need to approve. Otherwise, Black Big Brother's uncle is the manager in there, a real big shot—his word is law, and his relationship with the high-ranking officials is solid! If you know his uncle, not to mention one local magistrate, even ten of them can't touch you! Why? They just need to put in a good word; before waiting for approval from above, they'll help you get things done. Those priestesses, even if they can help you, still have to ask the higher-ups, and in the end, they’ll still need to ask Black Big Brother's uncle and those people. Some folks have lower status than his uncle and still need to ask him. You think there's only one person involved in this, not spending a lot of money? It’s better to let Big Brother take you directly to see his uncle; it’ll be much more convenient! The day before yesterday, I saw you eagerly go to see that priestess; I didn't say nothin', after all, we're brothers. If there's a shortcut, how could I let you take a detour?" Young Master Jia said, "I originally wanted to tell you that I went to great lengths to ask Old Man Shi for the address of that priestess, but when I got there, it wasn't her at all! There's an even funnier thing!" Huang Panggu asked, "What's the funny thing?" Young Master Jia repeated what the coachman said about the priestess not being decent. Huang Panggu said, "These people are no good to begin with; why would you go find her? But, little brother, let me advise you again: things are tense right now, so it's best to avoid such places! If even a minor official can't handle it, why would you dare to provoke the priestess? If it gets to Lord Du's ears, it’ll just make things worse!"
Jia was so happy that he couldn't speak, so he just held it in and talked business, smiling and saying, "You're right, Brother. Great advice! I rely on you for everything—I'll do whatever you say. But when it comes to taking that path, I still need your guidance." Huang Panggu said, "Don't worry, Black Eighth Brother invited you to Zhi Meizhai today, and Liu Houshou will definitely be there. When you get there, you two can have a good chat. First, you need to appease him, and I'll talk to him privately about the conditions for you. Do you know what kind of person Houshou is?" Jia replied, "He's the owner of an antique shop." Huang Panggu let out a dry chuckle and said, "The owner of an antique shop? You're underestimating him! You just got to the capital, so it's normal you don't know. Do you know who owns this antique shop?" Jia sensed there was more to it and stayed silent. Huang Panggu continued, "It's the money of his master, Hua Zhongtang!" Jia said, "With such a powerful master behind him, no wonder he can run such a large antique shop." Huang Panggu said, "You really don't get it! You still see him as just the owner of an antique shop; you're missing the big picture!" Jia was very surprised and insisted on asking. Huang Panggu said, "You don't need to ask me. Since you see him as the owner of an antique shop, you should take care of him. At least twenty thousand taels of silver—the more, the better. Whatever junk he wants, if he asks for ten thousand, give him ten thousand; if he asks for eight thousand, give him eight thousand—don't haggle. Buy his stuff, and he'll help you out."
Jia became more confused, thinking to himself, "He must have bought his antiques before he was willing to speak up for me in front of Huazhong Tang." He asked Huang, "Is that so?" Huang replied, "That's a secret I can't tell you. You'll find out soon enough." Jia was half-believing and half-doubting, thinking that his idea was probably correct, so he didn't ask further. After a while, he said, "We need to get Huazhong Tang on our side. Are there others? When will Black Eight's uncle go to see him?" Huang said, "Don't worry about the cost; it'll be worth it. We have to see Huazhong Tang. There are other important people we need to visit as well." Jia said, "Thanks, I appreciate your help. I think I've got it all." Huang added, "Let's go today. You sit here for a while; I have a couple of errands to run, and at one o'clock we’ll head to Zhimei Zhai together." Jia replied, "Since you have something to do, I won't disturb you. I'll go somewhere else and come back to find you at twelve o'clock." After saying this, he bid farewell with a bow.
Huang indeed helped with several errands, fixing things with officials, writing letters, sending telegrams, and more. There were over a dozen tasks in total, truly showing that she's a hard worker. However, she made a living from this and did not feel it was hard work. After finishing the tasks, it was exactly twelve o'clock. Jia had already arrived, and they went together to meet Black Eight's appointment, then headed to Liu Houshou's shop to buy antiques. And with that, they hopped in the car and drove off.
Soon, they arrived at ZhiMei Zhai, and guests started arriving, mostly the same crowd as yesterday, but Qian Wang was missing, along with a new probationary magistrate. The magistrate, Shi Xiaoren, was from Shanxi and was distantly related to Young Master Jia. Young Master Jia went out of his way to impress Liu Houshou and Hei Bage at the banquet. Liu Houshou, having listened to Aunt Huang's advice beforehand, was much friendlier than he'd been two days before. After the banquet, Liu Houshou wanted to return to the shop, so Young Master Jia and Aunt Huang left together. Mr. Pu invited them again to dinner at Shunquan's house that night. Young Master Jia, worried about what happened with Kui Guan, hadn't answered yet, but Aunt Huang said, "Just come along, as long as you don't get drunk and cause a ruckus." Young Master Jia, being a bit of a party animal, agreed. Everyone piled into their carriages and headed home.
Aunt Huang and Young Master Jia went to Liu Houshou's antique shop in Dashilan. Liu Houshou had been waiting there for a while and warmly invited them to sit down and have tea. For his first visit, Young Master Jia made a lot of polite small talk. Although Liu Houshou was also polite, he acted a little superior, making Young Master Jia even more respectful. Aunt Huang explained why they were there, saying they wanted to buy some antiques to present to Lord Huazhongtang. Liu Houshou looked around and said, "Pick whatever you like."
Young Master Jia picked out a pair of snuff bottles, a large tripod, a jade chime, and sixteen pearl-and-jade curtains. Liu Houshou said, "Wow, great pick on the snuff bottle! The Old Master doesn't care much for anything else, but he loves to collect these. He even has a catalog specifically recording snuff bottles. At the end of last month, we counted a total of eight thousand and sixty-three, and every single one's a beauty! If you give him this, he'll surely love it." Young Master Jia was thrilled to hear this. Liu Houshou continued, "I understand the Old Master's temperament. He hates it when people give him money. If you give him money, he'd be furious and say, 'I'm not in need of money, do you think so little of me?' A big shot like him, he's not short of cash! Giving money implies that he is greedy, and he will definitely not be happy. So, giving him antiques is best."
Young Master Jia asked Miss Huang to inquire about the prices. Liu Houshou said, "The water pipe is two thousand taels, the large tripod is three thousand six hundred taels, the jade chime is one thousand three hundred taels, the hanging screen is three thousand two hundred taels, making a total of ten thousand one hundred taels." Young Master Jia felt it was a bit expensive and wanted to negotiate. Miss Huang quickly pulled his clothes, signaling him not to negotiate with Liu Houshou. Before Young Master Jia could react, Liu Houshou had already fallen silent, looking elsewhere. Miss Huang quickly intervened, "We're all old friends; would Liu Houshou ask for more money from you?" Young Master Jia understood and said, "In that case, please help me keep track of the accounts, brother." Liu Houshou said, "If it weren't for Miss Huang's face, I wouldn't sell this water pipe for any price. I have a sworn brother in Henan, who wrote to me last year saying he wanted to join the high official and asked me to help him with gifts. I originally wanted to keep these water pipes for him, but now I'm selling them to Master Jia. The elder statesman will surely like them, but I feel sorry for my brother." Miss Huang and Young Master Jia thanked him repeatedly. Miss Huang added, "If Houshou is willing to say a few good words, his words are worth more than ten thousand taels; what are a few antiques! In the future, we will still rely on Houshou's help for Run Sun's affairs!" Liu Houshou said, "What's a few words! Miss Huang, you know, I have also become an official now and don't go to the high official often, feeling a bit unfamiliar. Being an official comes with many rules, not as casual as before. However, I have been getting along with the elder statesman for many years, and our relationship is still good. He has treated me well. I'm not bragging; I haven't let him down over the years. So occasionally saying a few words or putting in a good word, he still believes in me and gives face." Miss Huang said, "It's not easy to make the elder statesman believe in you! It's rare to find someone like you, mature and cherishing your reputation." Liu Houshou, pleased with the compliment, sat in his chair, restlessly shifting in his seat, and remained silent.
After resting for a while, Huang said, "The items have been purchased, so let's settle the payment later. How about asking Old Hou to help us deliver them to the Governor's Mansion?" Liu Houshou hesitated and replied, "This matter needs to be discussed properly. Since my promotion, I haven't been involved much in the affairs of the mansion, and they have assigned someone else at the entrance. If we don't go through them, although we can still see Master Zhongtang, we can't bypass them in the future. If I were to approach them, as an official, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to discuss these matters with them, for fear of losing face. I think you should ask someone else to handle this." Huang said, "I understand your situation. I'm not asking you to negotiate the price with them. As long as you give an order, will they dare not listen?" Liu Houshou replied, "I've helped others with their tasks over the years, and I'm tired of it. You specifically came to me for help. There's no way I can refuse; it's a matter of brotherhood." Huang quickly got up to thank him, and Young Master Jia also followed suit.
Liu Houshou said, "I agree to this, but don't haggle with me over the price." Young Master Jia was still hesitant, and Huang patted her chest, saying, "Just tell me what you think; I'll listen!" Liu Houshou explained, "There's no need to spend money on the higher-ups, but it's not easy for the lower-level people. In my opinion, ten thousand taels of silver is enough for this bribe. Since we are all insiders, I won't let them ask for more; let's split it 50/50." Huang looked at Young Master Jia, and Young Master Jia looked back at Huang. He asked, "How much is half?" Huang replied, "Don't you, as an observant gentleman, know what 'split it 50/50' means? The gift you're giving is worth ten thousand taels on the surface, and these miscellaneous expenses also amount to ten thousand taels." Young Master Jia thought it was too much. Huang persuaded him back and forth. Liu Houshou then started playing coy, saying, "I don't have time to deal with these matters for others!" But unable to resist Huang's repeated requests, he finally agreed to accept the "facilitation fee" of eight thousand taels. They agreed to deliver everything that night, with Young Master Jia's visit scheduled for the following afternoon.
After finishing up with Miss Huang, Young Master Jia left. In the evening, she attended a party thrown by Pu. After the party, Miss Huang hurried over to Jia's house, acting as his advocate, urging him to cough up several thousand dollars. She explained that the War Office didn't just have Hua Zhongtang; there were three others as well, and other places needed some attention too. Jia thought she made sense and agreed. He entrusted all the matters to Miss Huang, who jumped right in without hesitation. They decided to first visit Hua Zhongtang tomorrow, then go to the other three homes in turn. After visiting all four, Hei Ba ge would take him to see his uncle. First, Hei Ba ge was to negotiate the price with his uncle. Miss Huang was in charge of everything. Jia gave her a few hundred dollars to grease the palms of those broke officials, so they wouldn't talk nonsense. He especially reminded her to give some to the old man Kui Guan Dou Lu. Miss Huang noted everything down and promised one by one. Since she handled the big stuff, he didn't skimp on the small expenses. Jia waited until Miss Huang left before resting. After a night passed, the next morning, Jia was impatient; he didn't wait for the afternoon and rushed off to visit Hua Zhongtang. When he arrived at Hua Zhongtang's door, Liu Hou Shou had everything set up. At that time, Zhongtang hadn't returned from the morning court session, so he was asked to wait in the gatehouse.
After waiting until noon with great difficulty, Minister Hua returned from the Grand Council, and several officials from various departments followed to receive instructions from him. After finishing official business, his family hurried to report back to him. They had to wait for Minister Hua to finish his meal before they could meet him. Young Master Jia knew that Minister Hua was the most powerful person in the Grand Council and now had the favor of the emperor. He didn't know how formal he should be for the meeting, and he was very nervous. Unexpectedly, after the meeting began, Minister Hua was very humble. Young Master Jia prostrated himself before him, and he returned the gesture. Because Young Master Jia brought four gifts, which were considered as a courtesy for the visit, Minister Hua continued to call him "young sir." After sitting down, Minister Hua first asked, "When did you arrive in Beijing?" Then he asked, "Is your father in good health?" He also inquired, "Will you be able to secure an introduction this month?" Young Master Jia answered each question. Finally, Minister Hua said, "I've been busy since midnight, never a moment of rest. I'm getting old and a bit overwhelmed. I want to call in sick, but the court won't allow it." Young Master Jia replied, "Minister Hua is a pillar of the court; how can you claim illness?" Minister Hua said, "What's the use of keeping me! It's just like the saying goes, 'just putting in the hours.' Even if I work my hardest, I can't fix the current situation." Young Master Jia was afraid of saying the wrong thing when he mentioned national affairs, so he didn't dare to say much. Seeing that he had nothing more to say, Minister Hua picked up the tea and sent him off.
After Young Master Jia left, he hurried to visit the second household. This military minister's surname was Huang, and he was newly appointed. He filled the vacancy left by Minister Hua. Minister Hua had recommended a member of the Reform Party, which the court did not favor, so he reported that he was ill and requested to resign from all positions. Considering his many years of service, they agreed to his request and allowed him to work in the cabinet. Although he was not removed from the position of Grand Secretary, his status was definitely much lower than before. In short, although this Minister Huang had little experience, he was very skilled at his job. When he met Young Master Jia, he first asked about his age. Young Master Jia replied, "Thirty-five." Minister Huang said, "Great things come from young men; my friend, you will surely prosper in the future." After saying that, he also saw the guest off.
