Great Tang Idyll

Chapter 109 Two Items, Thousands Strings Of Coins

Magistrate Jia was feeling impatient. He asked the bailiff to search the person's body. He didn't want to delay a single moment. Together, they entered the courtyard and found the study room. The two bailiffs stood guard at the door and the Magistrate sat a mountain distance away from the person. He asked, "Who is the Han manor?"

"My lord, the Han manor is the manor that belongs to the Cheng'yi official1, Han Feng. My master knows that it is difficult for my lord to make any moves in the San'shui County, so I was sent here to have a discussion with my lord. If my lord needs to make use of our manor in any way, please do not hesitate. Also, the people of the Yuan family will advance and retreat with the Han family.

If my lord encounters anything, my lord can send someone to find me. I have made a long-term rental for a courtyard here just so that I can wait for my lord. My name is Han Wang'zhu. As long as someone brings a letter with your seal on it, I will deliver it to my master."

The person talked about his reasons and introduced himself again. His voice was very quiet, so that the two bailiffs at the door would not hear his words.

"Okay, splendid." Han Wang'zhu finally felt happy. With the two manors helping him in the shadows, he believed that he would be able to knock over the Zhang and Wang families. By then, who else would dare move the money in the Administrative Office?

If he was able to knock over the two families, he could investigate them too. That way, he would be able to obtain their money and method for growing wood fungus and hatching chicks. With these two things, it would be difficult to not become rich. There was also the wharf at the Little Luo'shui, which was a place where buckets of gold could be earned everyday.

Han Wan'zhu waited for Magistrate Jia to stop laughing, and he took out something from his sleeves and gave it to Magistrate Jia. He said, "My lord, we know that you will have a hard time here, so my master ordered me to give you this item. At a place not far from your Administrative Office, there is a place that sells porcelain called Forever Blue. You can take this item to that place, and you will get five thousand strings of coins in return."

Magistrate Jia listened to the person speak while he looked at the item in front of himself. He rubbed his hands together excitedly. This was the first external source of fortune that he received ever since he arrived at the San'shui County. When he thought of this, he was boundlessly angry. There were so many merchants in the county, yet none of them gave him money, and none of them bothered to set up a welcoming banquet for him. All they did was take care of his daily expenditures.

How was that any different from raising livestock? The Han family was better. Just when he was about to say something, Han Wang'zhu took out another item from his sleeves, and he put it next to the other item. He said,

"My lord, the Yuan family told me to bring this item. Beside the Forever Blue Porcelain store, there is a pawn shop named Wu'feng. You can take this there, and you will receive eight thousand strings of coins in return."

"Okay, I will take good care of the two families' businesses. If there are other businesses coming here, once the location is chosen, I will also help out."

Magistrate Jia tried his best to keep his hands from shaking. He picked up the two items in front of him. He looked at the doorway, and carefully carried them in his arms. These two things were worth 13,000 strings of coins. If he only relied only on his tiny salary, he would never be able to save this much money in his entire life.

Damned Zhang manor. They only left that much money to be used as my salary. It is necessary for me to seek revenge. Yes, I must find an opportunity. What kind of opportunity?

When Magistrate Jia thought about this, he suddenly remembered that there were also the Han and Yuan families, so he asked, "I wonder if your two families have any good ways to...to make the Zhang manor take a further step?"

Han Wang'zhu smiled and nodded. "I understand what my lord intends. There is, but there is no need to be in a hurry right now. You should use this money to find someone to work for you. You can't always use others, can you? If I guess correctly, the news that you and I had a discussion today will travel to the ears of certain people, and those people should not be underestimated."

"Right, I need to look for my own people. Sigh~! Now, whatever I do will be passed on to other people's ears. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if they know. Once you are done making arrangements, I will help you." Magistrate Jia felt a little sad when he remembered that his every move was under the supervision of others, and his hatred grew stronger.

Han Wang'zhu stood up, "If this is the case, then I will go back first. I live in the sixth courtyard. If my lord needs something, you can send someone to me. You must send someone you trust."

"Okay, I'll take note of that. Take your time." Magistrate Jia got up to see him off. He waited outside the door, and looked at the two standing here and he snorted coldly. He waited until the person left before he turned around to say to the two bailiffs,"There is nothing else for you two to do, you all can find a place to rest."

The two bailiffs didn't say that they will stay. They told Majesty Jia to be more careful and then they both left. Now, Magistrate Jia was the only one left in the study. He took out the items from his robe and looked at them again. These two little things were worth 13,000 strings of coins.

Looking at it, Magistrate Jia felt that something was wrong again. Are the two families really spending this much money to deal with the Zhang and Wang manors? They must have an ulterior motive. Yes, there was also the chick hatching method and the wood fungus growing method.

I'm going to grow the fungus and the remaining two methods can be given to them. Yes, I should do it this way. I need to be wary of them when that time comes. I wonder what kind of plan they have to knock down the two Zhang and Wang manors?

There are also the people in the Administrative Office. I need to look for a few obedient ones. There are so many bailiffs; I doubt that they were all bought out. It would be worth it even if I had to use 2000 strings of coins. Once the Zhang and Wang's families collapse, I will have as much money as I want.

While Magistrate Jia was thinking about this, he drifted to sleep. A slight snoring sound traveled out. For the first time in the past few days, he had a good night's sleep. For the first time, he did not dream of being driven out of the San'shui County by someone from the Zhang manor and leaving the place in a ruggedy state.

*

Just like what Han Wang'zhu said, the news that Magistrate Jia met with someone from the Han family and exchanged a few words spread to the Zhang manor. Zhang Xiao'bao and Wang Juan were sleeping so Housekeeper Zhang waited for the two of them to wake up to study before he came to report to them.

"It seems like Han Yong'yao himself doesn't want to deal with us. The people in his family also want to take our good things. And there's also that Yuan family. They aren't even in the San'shui County, yet they still want to come here to cause trouble. The geography and manpower is not favorable for them, and I don't think they would be able to find the right timing."

Wang Juan was grinding the ink stick, and she spoke after hearing about the incident.

"Yeah, and they even gave 13,000 strings of coins to Magistrate Jia. That's a lot of money. In that case, then let's keep the money. We will organize a traveling event tomorrow morning. He wants money? Dream on. Once he gains a bit, he will want more. We need to make some arrangements for the bailiffs so that he has the opportunity to fight with us.

Humph, did he not take a look at whose territory this is? He didn't even think about checking that study room. If we weren't worried about causing trouble for the restaurant, we could have just taken those two items from him. Sleep, let him sleep. Let him get a good night's sleep. "

Zhang Xiao'bao spread out the paper while muttering there. He was used to fighting, but he didn't want to spend more energy on other things before his father took the imperial examination. What made him feel relieved was that he gave Magistrate Jia some excuses.

Wang Juan placed the inkstone between herself and Zhang Xiao'bao. She grabbed a copybook, and started to copy the characters in it. At the same time, she said, "Should we get Magistrate Jia to leave, or should we continue to restrict him and let him do nothing." ?"

"Let's not make him leave yet. We should wait until the Han and Yuan families finish making their move. Once he becomes scared of us, then we will make him leave. If he keeps staying here, the San'shui County's rate of development will slow down. A lot of the projects that rely on the support of the government can't be launched. So annoying."

After Zhang Xiao'bao finished speaking, he took a few deep breaths to calm his mind, and picked up a brush to practice calligraphy. He didn't think about other things for the time being, and devoted himself to writing.

*

The next day, the sky was much clearer than the previous two days, and the clouds could even be seen swaying leisurely. The sound of reading aloud could be heard coming from the school. All the snow in the Zhang manor was pushed into the fields, letting it slowly melt..

The water in the small artificial lake where the Between The Water And Clouds was located had increased, and it hasn't frozen yet. The people of Ge manor are also clearing the snow. They only needed to clear the road and they didn't need to clear the snow in the fields. This way, when spring comes and the snow melts, they wouldn't have to worry that the soil will be dry.

Magistrate Jia got up early in the morning and a servant helped him freshen up. He ate breakfast and when he was about to leave, there was a sudden sound of firecrackers coming from the small lake.

Magistrate Jia opened the window curiously and looked out. A cold wind blew in first, making him shiver. He exhaled and after he got used to the temperature a little bit, he looked at the small lake again.

He saw a few people in the small pavilion in the center. The firecrackers were still sounding. The corridor connecting the pavilions was not fully constructed yet and there was a lot of snow accumulated on the pavilion. There was light reflecting from a spot, which was probably frozen over, next to the pavilion. This was odd since there was no ice in other places. Why was there ice there?

"Waiter, come in and tell me, what is going on over there?" Magistrate Jia did not understand, so he called for the waiter.

As soon as he finished speaking, the waiter immediately came inside. He looked down and said to Magistrate Jia, "My lord, the people there are fishing. They say that they want to ‘fish alone in the frigid river'2. The daughters and sons of the other families are there too. They have no choice. They are scared that they will fall ill from the cold, but Young Master Li is there, so they have to accompany him."

"Good, good line. ‘Fishing alone in the frigid river'. It does seem like it's an interesting experience to fish there. Young Master Li? Which Young Master Li?" Magistrate Jia appreciated this line and complimented it. He then suddenly asked about that Young Master Li.

"Ah? It's him, oh, okay. I want to go down there to fish too. How do I get there?" Magistrate Jia now knew who he was. This was a good opportunity, so how could he not go. At the same time, he also thought about how he was ready to leave after eating. Why didn't he think of visiting the Li manor?

The waiter spoke in a troubled tone, "My lord, it's cold outside."

Translator's Notes

1. Cheng'yi Official 承议郎 (cheng yi lang)

This is a government official with a proper sixth ranking.

2. Fishing alone in the frigid river. 独钓寒江雪

This is a line from the poem "River Snow" （江雪) written by the Tang dynasty poet, Liu Zong'yuan 柳宗元.