Mo Sang – CH 200

Chapter 200. Old Friendships

Around lunchtime, Hei Ma and Xiao Lu rushed back to the post station.

The cause of Manager Zhao’s death was simple:

Manager Zhao’s mother could not bear to part with the newly acquired house, the newly built home. She insisted on staying, even at the cost of her life, to watch over her new home.

Manager Zhao stayed with his mother, and they were burned to death together in the new house.

“Those four brothers from the Zhao family, father and sons, are trying to seize our shop with one hand and file a lawsuit with the yamen with the other. Right now, they are suing Manager Zhao’s wife.

Eldest Master Zhao says Manager Zhao is his own brother, and since his brother died, the entire family property belongs to the Zhao family. They want Manager Zhao’s wife to return all the money and property to the Zhao family.

Manager Zhao’s wife insists she has no money. She says she used it all to buy a new house and has nothing left, and she even owes her family over ten taels of silver.

She says the house is right there; if they want it, let the Zhao family take it.”

Hei Ma sat on a small stool, sighing as he spoke.

He’d seen similar inheritance disputes everywhere along the way; almost every family was involved, and it was getting on his nerves.

“When was the lawsuit filed? Has the yamen heard it? Has it been concluded?” Li Sangrou asked, frowning.

“At the beginning of this month, the Liang Army attacked first, and everyone fled.

Later, as soon as they returned to Shanyang Prefecture, the Zhao father and son went to the yamen to file a complaint,” Xiao Lu immediately replied. “They said Prefect Jin was too busy, so Magistrate Qian was in charge of the trial. They’ve already tried once, just once, asking questions here and there, and it is still not over.

This is what the old gatekeeper of the yamen said.

The old gatekeeper also said that our courier, Manager Song, went to the yamen two or three times with Master Zhao to see Magistrate Qian.

The old gatekeeper sighed and said that Manager Song from Shunfeng is quite a figure. He said that, judging from the situation, the Zhao family, including Manager Zhao’s wife, would not be able to embezzle the Zhao family’s money. He concluded by saying that Manager Zhao is a good person and that his daughter is pitiful.

Manager Zhao only has one daughter, who just turned three.”

Li Sangrou’s face darkened as she listened. She hummed in agreement and said nothing more.

Shunfeng operated on a separate billing system for each line, with all horizontal transactions handled through the Jianle City headquarters. Accounts were usually settled quarterly, so Manager Song’s accounts were cleared quickly.

Zou Wang watched as the accounts were settled, then watched as Manager Song and his family were escorted out of the post office before entering the main hall with Zaohua.

“I heard from the post office clerk that Master Zhao and Manager Song first formed a distant marriage alliance, and then Master Zhao gave his youngest daughter to Manager Song as a concubine,” Zou Wang said, his face grim.

Li Sangrou hummed in agreement, paused for a moment, and then instructed, “After lunch, go to Shanyang Prefecture and find Magistrate Qian. Be polite and find out what Song Wang wanted from him and how he asked for his help.

Afterwards, go see Prefect Jin and kowtow to him on my behalf, apologizing for my failure to discipline my subordinates. I will clean up the mess,” Li Sangrou coldly ordered.

“Yes,” Zou Wang replied, bewildered, but quickly bowed in agreement. “Speak to Manager Zou about the case,” Li Sangrou instructed Xiao Lu, then gestured to Meng Yanqing, who was listening intently across the table.

Meng Yanqing quickly stood up.

“After lunch, go to Song Wang’s house and clarify two matters.

First, Song Wang’s request to the yamen regarding this matter, including the gifts he allegedly gave. What was the request? What were the gifts—silver or goods? Whose banknotes or other items were they? Where were they purchased? And who is involved? Find them, write their testimonies, and have them affix their fingerprints.

Second, the matter of the Zhao family sending their daughter to Song Wang as a concubine. Clarify everything clearly, including the witness testimonies.

After you’ve thoroughly investigated, break Song Wang’s legs, smash them, and send him, along with his confession, to the yamen. Ask Prefect Jin to punish him according to the law.”

“Yes,” Meng Yanqing bowed and lowered his hands.

“Write a notice and issue it to all the post stations and delivery stations in Shunfeng.

Three things: First, anyone who dares to use Shunfeng’s name to approach the government and make demands—Song Wang is a prime example.

Second, can just anyone take a concubine? Before anyone takes a concubine or adopts a mistress under the guise of a goddaughter or adopted daughter, etc., make them check the laws of the court.

Third, all the post stations and delivery stations in Shunfeng are supported by the combined efforts of the family. The wives or husbands of all the managers and shopkeepers work just as hard as you.

Half of the wages you managers and shopkeepers receive from Shunfeng goes to your wives or husbands.”

Zaohua was stunned, Zou Wang’s eyes widened, and Meng Yanqing’s eyebrows were raised high.

Li Sangrou pretended not to see anything.

“That makes perfect sense.” After a moment, Zaohua dusted off her clothes, raised her eyebrows, and smiled. “Take our family, for example. Everything, inside and out, is managed by Niu’er’s father. I see he works much harder than I do.”

“Boss, well, I did not mean anything by it. Half of our money goes to Da Sheng’s mother; I have no objection.

Our family’s money is all in Da Sheng’s mother’s hands. I did not mean anything by it; what I meant was…” Zou Wang frowned.

“I know what you mean, but everything has a beginning. Besides,” Li Sangrou trailed off, spreading her hands and smiling, “most of the managers in our Shunfeng are women, right? Is that not perfect?”

“Boss, what are you saying? Normally, the money a woman earns belongs to her man. Now that you mention it, well, I mean, anyway, I think it is pretty good,” Meng Yanqing reacted the fastest, bursting into laughter before even finishing his sentence.

Zaohua smiled, pursing her lips. Zou Wang sighed and spread his hands, saying, “That’s not what I meant. What I meant… the Boss already knows, so I will not say it.

The Boss is right. Everything has a beginning. Anyway, we are talking about our Shunfeng.”

……………………

In mid-eighth month, Wen Yanchao’s troops, who had been outside Yangzhou for nearly two months, took advantage of the exhausted Liang Army defending the city. They sneaked up at night and, after a day of fierce fighting, recaptured Yangzhou.

The news of the recapture of the entire Grand Canal rushed to Jianle City.

The court and its officials were quite indifferent to this news.

Since the sixth month, everyone had been quite certain that the recapture of the entire Grand Canal was only a matter of time.

After carefully reading Wen Yanchao’s memorial, Gu Jin slowly exhaled and handed it to Minister Wu. “Take a look,” he said. “It’s already the end of the eighth month, and the weather is getting colder every day. Relief efforts in the Yangzhou area must be expedited.”

“Yes,” came the reply. “General Wen has besieged Yangzhou for nearly two months, and everything is ready.”

“The letter we received last night said that they’ve begun recruiting labor. Once the battlefield is cleared, they will begin building the city walls, cleaning the streets, and dredging the waterways.”

“The Chief Physician has also gathered many sick and weak civilians who cannot care for themselves, and they are temporarily housed in empty residences.”

Minister Du quickly bowed in response.

“Hmm,” Gu Jin responded, watching the ministers pass around Wen Yanchao’s memorial. After a moment of silence, he picked up a few sheets of paper from the low table and handed them to Minister Wu. “Take a look at this.”

Prime Minister Wu took the papers, skimmed them quickly, paused for a moment, and then handed them to Prime Minister Pan, who was sitting next to him.

Gu Jin picked up his tea and sipped it with lowered eyes.

After everyone had read them, they handed the papers back to Prime Minister Wu, each one cautiously watching Gu Jin sipping his tea, holding their breath in silence.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“Prime Minister Wu, what do you think?” Gu Jin put down his cup.

“The first two clauses of this proclamation are perfectly appropriate, but the last one… I feel a little uneasy about it,” Prime Minister Wu replied cautiously.

“The first half of the first clause is perfectly appropriate, but the second half,” Gu Jin snorted, “the second clause is flawless, but the clause prohibiting commoners from taking concubines unless they are over forty and childless, like the clause prohibiting commoners from wearing brocade, is practically meaningless.”

“The clause prohibiting commoners from wearing brocade is not in the penal code.” Prime Minister Wu gave a dry laugh.

Gu Jin glanced at Prime Minister Wu and continued, “As for the third point, I thought about it half the night yesterday and could not figure out which law or decree was violated. Perhaps it could be considered separate property and separate residence? Even if we include it, it is extremely far off.

She only said that half of the wages belonged to the wife or husband.

But you all feel that this third point seems rather inappropriate, do you not?”

“That’s what I think,” Prime Minister Wu said, bowing slightly.

“That’s what I think too,” Prime Minister Du and Prime Minister Pan, among others, also quickly bowed in response.

Gu Jin looked at the extremely cautious expressions of the group, remained silent for a moment, then looked at Prime Minister Pan and instructed, “Prime Minister Pan, write a letter and tell the Boss that breaking a leg is a form of vigilante justice. To write it down so openly and announce it to the world is absurd!” “

Minister Pan hurriedly bowed in agreement. Gu Jin then looked at Minister Wu and said, “As for the second point, you, along with the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review, should find some experts in criminal law to discuss the forty-year rule regarding concubines. Also, check how many other similar, ineffective laws exist in the penal code. Discuss them first.”

“Yes,” Minister Wu bowed in agreement.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Gu Jin to mention the third point, but Gu Jin glanced sideways at the papers and remained silent.

After a long silence, Gu Jin reached out and pushed aside the papers, calmly saying, “Let’s continue the discussion.”

……………………

The day after Wen Yanchao captured Yangzhou, Li Sangrou and her entourage arrived at the city walls.

About ten li from Yangzhou, all that could be seen was scorched earth and desolation.

Li Sangrou, mounted on her horse, surveyed the surroundings and sighed softly.

This was what a city, a place, truly looked like. What a scene it must have been in those days, when not a rooster crowed for a thousand li!

Four or five li from the city, Meng Yanchao led the way, presenting his travel permit to the soldiers who were checking them.

Below Yangzhou, the Northern Qi Army was still busily searching for and collecting corpses, cleaning away bloodstains.

Li Sangrou dismounted, leading her horse through the still-wet blood-stained city gate.

Emerging from the gate, Li Sangrou stopped, gazing at the city of Yangzhou before her, her expression somber.

Looking around, Li Sangrou saw nothing intact; everywhere were patches of scorched earth, old and new ruins.

Numb soldiers moved in and out of the ruins of the streets and alleys, dragging, carrying, and tossing corpses and pieces of flesh onto carts.

“Alas, our Yangzhou City,” Hei Ma said sadly, standing beside Li Sangrou, looking at the endless piles of rubble.

“General Wen pursued the remnants of the Southern Liang Army to Jiangkou and is now stationed there,” Meng Yanqing reported to Li Sangrou, running up quickly. “General Huang is in the city, temporarily staying at the yamen, not far ahead.”

“Let’s go see him,” Li Sangrou said, stepping forward.

She had been to Yangzhou City many times. She knew where the yamen was. She recognized many places in this city, even though they were now ruins.

General Huang was furious, busy arranging how many people were needed to clean the streets, how many to spray pesticides, how many to check the city’s wells, and the surviving civilians found in the city—they needed food and water, needed to be checked, and had nowhere to stay…

He was incredibly annoyed by these tedious and laborious tasks.

“General, a group of people has arrived outside. They want to see you, saying they have something to discuss.” A guard rushed in to report.

“What group of people? Where did this group of people come from? Something to discuss? Who does not have something to discuss? Anyone who comes here has nothing to discuss!” General Huang grumbled.

“Do you even know how to do your job? A group of people? What do you mean by a group of people? Who? What are their surnames? What are their names? Do you even know how to report? Do you even know how to do your job?”

“I have not finished yet. The leader is a young woman; she says her surname is Li, and next to her is a man, this tall, like an iron tower…”

“And there’s a dark-faced one?” General Huang’s eyes widened.

“Dark-faced? Their faces are all quite dark.” The guard thought for a moment; the men surrounding the young woman all had rather dark faces.

“You son of a bitch! I am going to take a look!” General Huang turned and ran outside.

The imperial physician, the Ministry of Revenue official, and the various clerks and officials in the yamen who were surrounding him, demanding the woman, hurriedly followed.

“General! General, do not go!”

“General! This is a matter of life and death! General!”

“General! General!”

…

Li Sangrou stood with her hands behind her back at the entrance of the yamen, surveying the dilapidated state of the place.

Even the eight-character wall was half collapsed, but fortunately, the screen wall was intact, separating the inside from the outside of the yamen into two separate ruins.

“Hey!”

General Huang rushed past the screen wall, saw Li Sangrou, let out a loud “Hey!” and quickly rushed forward.

“It really is the Boss! As soon as I heard her surname was Li and that she was a woman… I knew it had to be the Boss!

I’d heard the Boss had come along the Grand Canal, but I never expected it to be her.

Greetings, Boss!”

General Huang rushed to Li Sangrou, his voice growing softer and his manner more refined.

“You flatter me, General Huang,” Li Sangrou quickly returned the greeting.

“If I did not know the Boss’s temper, I’d practically kowtow to her. The Boss is my savior.

Please come in, Boss.

Why have you come, Boss? Yangzhou was only captured last night, and it was not until this morning that things were truly peaceful. And here you are!

Please come in, Boss.”

General Huang stepped aside to let Li Sangrou in.

“General Huang is busy, so I will not disturb him any longer,” Li Sangrou said with a smile, gesturing to the crowd gathered around the wall. “I’ve come to see General Huang because I have a favor to ask.”

“Just say it, Boss. There’s no need for a roundabout approach. I would not dare accept that. Just say what you need!” General Huang glanced at the group of people beside the wall.

“The Southern Liang general guarding Yangzhou, named Su Qing?” Li Sangrou’s voice lowered.

“Yes. Dead. A ruthless one.” General Huang nodded.

“Hmm, has Su Qing’s body been found?” Seeing General Huang nod, Li Sangrou continued, “I have some old acquaintance with Su Qing, and I owe him many favors in the past. Could General Huang please give me his body?

I want to give him a proper burial and settle this old debt.”

General Huang was momentarily stunned. Before he could speak, Li Sangrou continued with a smile, “Back in Xiangyang, I mentioned my old friendship with Su Qing to the Commander-in-Chief and asked for his help, which he agreed to.

I also wrote to the Commander-in-Chief before coming to Yangzhou.”

“You are too kind, Boss. I just did not expect you to know Su Qing. This is a small matter, but I can handle it. I will have someone take you to retrieve Su Qing’s body right away,” General Huang readily agreed.

“Thank you, General Huang. I will not bother you any longer.” Li Sangrou bowed in thanks, took a few steps back, watched General Huang instruct his guards, then took her leave and followed the guards to retrieve Su Qing’s body.

Su Qing’s body lay a little distance from the pile of Southern Liang soldiers’ corpses; his armor was dirty and tattered, but his expression was peaceful.

Li Sangrou stared at him for a moment, then gestured to Hei Ma and Xiao Lu to lift Su Qing onto the cart.

“Hei Ma, come with me to bury Su Qing. You two stay here.”

Watching Hei Ma and Xiao Lu place the body, Li Sangrou gave instructions to Da Chang and Meng Yanqing.

“Regarding the shop, Zou Wang and Zaohua have arrived; they will manage it. You do not need to worry about it.

You all need to quickly take inventory of our houses, mark them, and start finding people to rebuild them now.

If anyone can arrange landscaping and courtyards, invite them over and let them oversee the repairs.

Also, check all the farms outside the city one by one. If the tenants are still alive, provide them with relief, replenish their seeds and farming tools, and get them ready for autumn planting.

If they are gone, quickly hire people to cultivate the land.”

“Yes,” Da Chang replied in a muffled voice, glancing at Su Qing on the cart, his brows furrowed, and he asked worriedly, “Where does the boss plan to bury him?”

“Jiangning City. There’s a small hill there; you can see Jiangdu City clearly across the way. Do not worry,” Li Sangrou replied gently, looking at Da Chang.

Da Chang hummed in agreement, his brows relaxing, and said nothing more.

Meng Yanqing took a mat and blanket and covered Su Qing with them. Hei Ma drove the cart, and Li Sangrou rode her horse, heading straight for Jiangning City.