Salted Fish Chapter 34

 Chapter 34

Utterly Ridiculous

What happened, you ask? Liu Jingxuan carefully recalled the events.

Years ago, he traveled by boat to Liangzhou, carrying the Emperor's trust and his family's expectations, with grand ambitions in his heart. In his imagination, everything was perfect.

But upon arrival, he found that everything was far more difficult than he had anticipated.

Liangzhou had four major merchant families: Zhao, Liu, Wang, and Yue. Their financial power was extraordinary. These families led the formation of the Liangzhou Chamber of Commerce, uniting the smaller merchants. The four families were intermarried, becoming in-laws, and their influence was deeply entrenched in Liangzhou. To move against one was to move against all four.

The prefectural office had long been bribed by these families. To the yamen* runners, changing the prefect was inconsequential. The money they received from the four families far exceeded their official salaries.

*was the administrative office or residence of a local bureaucrat or mandarin in imperial China, Korea, and Vietnam.

Initially, Liu Jingxuan was confident that he could change the situation. When the major merchants from the chamber invited him to dinners and performances, he refused outright without a second thought.

He had no desire to associate with these people and certainly did not want to give them any hope.

The merchants were not offended and simply said, "No problem, there's plenty of time."

Liu Jingxuan didn't regard these lowly merchants as worth his attention. However, he gradually realized that the yamen runners, who outwardly obeyed him, privately ignored his orders. The people he wanted to arrest were never caught, and his policies were obstructed at every turn, making it impossible to implement them.

Unbeknownst to him, his most trusted aide, Liu San, had been blinded and corrupted by money. After all, the amount of silver given to him casually by the merchants was more than Liu San had seen in his entire life.

With silver in hand and beauties by his side, Liu San's heart naturally strayed.

Liu Jingxuan had been a favored child since youth, always the object of others' flattery. He never imagined that doing his job in Liangzhou would be so difficult. After two months in Liangzhou with no accomplishments, he feared the Emperor would think him incompetent, and the frustration weighed heavily on his heart.

He dreamed of setting things right.

Liu San, aware of his master's distress, began to persuade Liu Jingxuan to meet with the merchants when they once again sent an invitation for a meal. He suggested that Liu Jingxuan at least see what the merchants wanted.

At that time, Liu Jingxuan trusted Liu San and thought his words made sense. How could he catch his opponents without understanding them first?

So, Liu Jingxuan agreed to the chamber's invitation.

Jiangnan was known for its beautiful scenery and many gentry.

That evening, at the most bustling restaurant in Liangzhou City, Liu Jingxuan met the four major merchant families and some learned gentry for the first time.

At this first meeting, the merchants all appeared kind and benevolent.

They knew that scholars had high spirits, so they had the gentry converse with Liu Jingxuan, discussing poetry and classical references to open up the conversation. Meanwhile, the merchants sat quietly on the side, adopting a very humble posture.

Whatever Liu Jingxuan said, they agreed with, even if he made some sarcastic remarks. They accepted everything with a cheerful demeanor.

That evening, after the meal, the merchants expressed that they merely wanted to get to know Liu Jingxuan and had no other intentions. After all, knowing each other made them friends.

That night, Liu Jingxuan watched them coldly, thinking he would see what tricks they were up to.

As it turned out, nothing happened that night. After that evening, no one sent Liu Jingxuan any silver, nor did anyone ask him for any favors.

On the contrary, the yamen runners began to execute his orders promptly.

His efficiency in handling affairs increased, his political achievements looked increasingly impressive, and his reputation grew, spreading from Liangzhou to the capital.

Both his father and the Emperor were very pleased, believing he was making significant progress in Liangzhou.

Seeing this, Liu Jingxuan realized that the merchants were trying to give him a warning, to show him whose territory Liangzhou really was. When he refused their dinner invitations, they made his work in Liangzhou difficult.

At that time, Liu San agreed with him, saying that the merchants were indeed doing this on purpose. They wanted to show that to maintain peace, Liu Jingxuan had to give them face.

What did Liu Jingxuan say at that time? He said, as a dignified prefect, why should he give face to a group of merchants?

Liu San didn't respond directly but advised him to soften his temper a bit, at least outwardly.

Liu Jingxuan ignored Liu San's advice. He didn't want to be lenient with the merchants, and he was also unwilling to tarnish his reputation. So, he took this opportunity to reform the prefectural office, dismissing all the unruly yamen runners who had been disobedient from the start. He temporarily replaced them with people he had brought along and trusted.

These new recruits only followed his orders. In his spare time, Liu Jingxuan planned to find some impoverished but upright individuals to maintain the prefectural office's security.

He encountered no difficulties while making these changes.

Later, the chamber members invited him to several more dinners. Each time, the venues were exceptionally elegant, the music was the most enchanting, and the dances were the most graceful.

The people accompanying him were both beautiful and talented.

Scholars often have a taste for such refined pleasures, and Liu Jingxuan was no exception. However, he remained vigilant, waiting for this group to reveal their true intentions, so he never let his guard down. Yet, the group seemed to genuinely want to get to know him better, with no ulterior motives.

Liu San suggested that perhaps these people were deliberately testing them, looking for their weaknesses.

Liu Jingxuan thought this was very likely, so he remained constantly on guard. He never drank alcohol during these dinners, fearing it might lead to mistakes.

By the time he had reformed the yamen, news had already reached the capital about Liu Jingyi's potential marriage alliance with the Crown Prince. He had made up his mind to bring down these merchants and their chamber.

The merchants, having heard about the Liu family's impending alliance with the Crown Prince, invited him to the restaurant once more, their faces filled with fear, only there to beg for mercy.

Liu Jingxuan looked at them, feeling a sense of pride.

That night, he drank a cup of tea handed to him by Liu San, and soon after, he felt dizzy.

He felt himself being supported into a room filled with fragrant scents, aware of many things happening around him but unable to control himself.

The next day, he woke up in the largest brothel in Liangzhou, next to him lay a renowned courtesan of the establishment, known for selling her art but not her body, and by the bed were various IOUs bearing his fingerprints.

Soon after, a maid's scream echoed through the room, and many people came to know that the Prefect of Liangzhou had spent the night in a brothel. The laws of the Zhou dynasty strictly prohibit officials from the judiciary, supervision departments, and provincial offices from fraternizing with prostitutes.

By then, Liu Jingxuan realized he had fallen into a trap meticulously set by others.

When he returned to the yamen in a daze, Liu San, along with the household servants he had brought from the capital, knelt before him, weeping and begging for forgiveness, claiming they had failed to control themselves and had been caught in a compromising situation.

At that moment, if Liu Jingxuan had truly decided to fight to the end and sent a letter to the capital, he might have lost his position and the Emperor's trust, but he wouldn't have continued to be mired in this quagmire.

However, at that time, Liu Jingxuan neither wanted to lose his position nor dared to, because Liu Jingyi's marriage to the Crown Prince had just been arranged.

If something happened to him at that moment, it would bring disgrace to the family, and the marriage would certainly be called off. Not only would Liu Jingyi's reputation be damaged, making it difficult for her to find a better husband in the future, but his father would also be reprimanded by the Emperor for failing to raise his son properly, leading to the downfall of the Liu family.

Later, someone brought him the deed to a house and some IOUs bearing his fingerprints. The house was not far from the prefectural office, and the renowned courtesan had already moved in.

The messenger said nothing, leaving the choice to him.

Liu Jingxuan remained silent for a long time before accepting the deed and the IOUs. Later, the remaining IOUs were burned in front of him.

From that moment, he knew he couldn't change Liangzhou City. Even if change were possible, it would only come through compromising with those people, which fundamentally meant nothing had changed.

He became disheartened. His family had always been honest and frugal, and their expenditures were always accounted for.

But in Liangzhou, gradually, he got used to drinking wine that cost dozens of taels per pot, eating meals that cost hundreds of taels, and wearing the finest clothes.

Silver and various beauties were sent to him, and he accepted them.

Staying true to one's principles was difficult, but being assimilated happened quickly.

Indulgence was easy, and maintaining integrity was hard.

This was how he lived these past few years: the merchants sent him silver, and he provided them with protection.

Among the major merchant families, there was always someone who caused trouble. As long as he remained the prefect of Liangzhou City, it was easy to smooth things over.

Liu Jingxuan did do some good for the common people, but those actions were always in areas with minimal conflict with the merchants' interests. As long as there was no direct conflict of interest, the merchants wouldn't push him too hard.

The merchants mocked him behind his back for his false pretense of integrity, but they didn't dare to offend him openly.

A corrupt official could be ruthless and deadly when they chose to be.

Liu Jingxuan's appetite for silver grew larger, his excuses for accepting bribes became more absurd, and his behavior became increasingly wanton. Spending nights in brothels became a common occurrence. The merchants grew more confident in him. As long as Liu Jingxuan didn't go too far, they were all in the same boat, and everything could be negotiated.

Liu Jingxuan also used the silver to cultivate his own faction. As long as there was money, there would naturally be people willing to risk their lives for him, and the merchants didn't dare to completely fall out with him.

Thus, a delicate balance was maintained between them.

They both used and guarded against each other.

Until the beginning of this year, when these people set their sights on his father.

Liu Jingxuan always knew that they wanted to drag his father and the Crown Prince into their schemes. The position of a prefect couldn't compare to that of the head academician of the Hanlin Academy or the Crown Prince.

If they became one with the Crown Prince, and he ascended the throne in the future, they would not only have leverage over the Crown Prince but also the merit of supporting him, naturally gaining more benefits.

However, for the past two years, Liu Jingxuan had been blocking this connection. Now, seeing that he could no longer hold them off, he had to indicate to these people that he was willing, but he would take the lion's share of the benefits.

After stabilizing the situation with them, he quickly took action in private.

They dared to think it, but he dared not.

Over the past two years, some lower-ranking officials had reported his actions, but most of them were either bribed by the merchants or dealt with by Liu San and his men.

Liu Jingxuan always took the silver, but he never committed murder.

Since he wouldn't do it, those people had Liu San do it, and they would report back to him afterward. No matter what, he couldn't wash his hands clean of it.

County Magistrate Wang Xin of Su'an was an exception.

Wang Xin usually came across as timid and cowardly, and Su'an was not a wealthy place, so it didn't attract much attention.

Liu Jingxuan discovered by chance that Wang Xin could be useful, so this time he deliberately used Wang Xin to send a memorial to the capital. He knew that the First Prince, Xiao Rong, was always at odds with the Crown Prince, so he intentionally directed the memorial to Xiao Rong's residence. To prevent Wang Xin from leaking information and to protect his life, Liu Jingxuan had him captured and locked in a cellar.

Over the past two years, Liu Jingxuan had his own people, so Liu San didn't need to get involved in this matter, and the chamber of commerce was unaware of it.

Therefore, the whole affair went relatively smoothly.

When news of Wang Xin's accusations against him reached Liangzhou from the capital, Liu Jingxuan took the opportunity to scold the chamber of commerce members.

He demanded that they find Wang Xin immediately, but naturally, they couldn't find him.

Everyone said that Wang Xin had fled.

During this period, Liu Jingxuan had prepared for two possible outcomes. If the Emperor sent someone from the Crown Prince's faction to Liangzhou, he would openly present his crimes. If the Emperor sent someone else, he would write a confession to the Crown Prince before they arrived.

In any case, he knew he was not a good person, but he was also determined not to implicate his family or the Crown Princess.

Upon hearing that Xiao Shan was coming, he felt reassured. He had long heard from his father that Xiao Shan was very loyal to the Crown Prince. Using this as a reason, he stabilized the chamber of commerce, continuing his reckless behavior as before.

He knew he couldn't hide what he had done, and he no longer intended to. Now that things had reached this point, Liu Jingxuan just wanted to confess his crimes in person, at least to let the Crown Prince know that he never intended to harm him.

This would also be good for Liu Jingyi.

After hearing Liu Jingxuan's words, everyone fell silent.

Xiao Shan asked, "According to you, is this the general state of the Jiangnan officials?"

Liu Jingxuan nodded.

Xiao Shan continued, "What about Prefect Gu Yin of Jiangnan? Is he like you? Does he know about your crimes? Has he ever protected you?"

Gu Yin was the person Xiao Shan was most interested in.

Liu Jingxuan's crimes could still be attributed to him being the Crown Princess's brother, with little direct connection to the Crown Prince.

But Gu Yin was different. Gu Yin was Xiao Jin's maternal cousin and the Prefect of Jiangnan. If he committed any crimes, it would easily lead to speculation that the Gu family in the capital was behind it, implicating the Crown Prince.

In Jiangnan, Liu Jingxuan might not be significant to the Crown Prince, but Gu Yin was crucial.

Xiao Shan could choose not to ask, but Zong Qing would investigate. If Gu Yin had any issues, Zong Qing would report them, no matter how difficult it might be. It was better to ask directly and be prepared.

Liu Jingxuan replied, "Lord Gu is different from me. He comes from a prestigious family with deep roots, and no one can sway him with money. His decisive methods ensure that no one dares to target him. My crimes stem from my lack of experience and unstable heart. I cannot be compared to Lord Gu."

Xiao Shan lowered his eyes and said nothing more.

Zong Qing also breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Liu Jingxuan might suddenly say that Gu Yin was the same. If that happened, he wouldn't know how to report it to the Emperor.

Although he was loyal to the Emperor, personally cutting off the Crown Prince's support was something he had to consider carefully.

It was best if there was no such issue.

"A few merchants can manipulate a court official—truly laughable," Xiao Shan said, standing up and brushing off imaginary dust from his clothes. "Since that's the case, Lord Liu, convey a message to those so-called major merchant families. Arrange for His Highness and Lord Zong to meet them and witness firsthand how they monitor and manipulate officials."

"Lord Liu, I want to see the grand spectacle of Liangzhou. Have them prepare well over the next few days. Tell them not to disappoint me. As for how to convey the message, think it through carefully."

Liu Jingxuan naturally did not dare to refuse.

***

The Liangzhou Chamber of Commerce had rotated the presidency among the major families over the years, and this year it was the Zhao family's turn.

Upon hearing that someone had visited the prefectural office and that Liu Jingxuan had rushed out to greet them without even properly dressing, President Zhao immediately notified the others to gather at the chamber. They all sat down to discuss the matter.

Before they even got comfortable, they began to speak, offering various speculations. The most common guess was that Liu Jingxuan had greeted an imperial envoy from the capital, and more specifically, that the visitor was Xiao Shan.

The members of the four major families were most eager to understand why Xiao Shan had entered Liangzhou separately from the imperial envoy's entourage. Was he planning to investigate Liu Jingxuan privately, or was he coming early to help Liu Jingxuan clean up the mess?

Some leaned towards the former, but most believed it was the latter.

In their eyes, Xiao Shan was aligned with the Crown Prince and would naturally not move against Liu Jingxuan, the Crown Prince's brother-in-law, unless Xiao Shan harbored disloyalty towards the Crown Prince.

However, before they could reach a conclusion, Liu Jingxuan's sedan chair arrived at the chamber's entrance.

Hearing that Liu Jingxuan had come in person, President Zhao and the others were somewhat surprised.

Liu Jingxuan was the epitome of hypocrisy. He greedily took silver, indulged in beauties, and secretly cultivated his own faction to compete with them. Over the years, they had many dealings, but Liu Jingxuan always maintained the pretense of being a scholar, never setting foot in their chamber, claiming it reeked of money. Today, for some unknown reason, he had come in person.

Regardless of what they thought, they promptly welcomed Liu Jingxuan inside.

Liu Jingxuan entered and took the main seat, then looked at everyone and said, "Prince Li has arrived at my office."

President Zhao and the others were not surprised, as they had just discussed this possibility.

Seeing their calm expressions, Liu Jingxuan let out a cold laugh and then said in a low voice, "The Prince arrested Liu San as soon as he arrived."

Everyone was taken aback. President Zhao couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean by this, my lord? Did Liu San offend the Prince?" He originally wanted to directly question whether Liu Jingxuan was bluffing, suggesting that Xiao Shan had no good relationship with him and had cut off Liu San, his right-hand man, as soon as he arrived.

If that were the case, they would need to consider other options.

Liu Jingxuan shot him a glare, his face filled with resentment. "If you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't be so angry. Liu San used to be so sharp when he followed me, but now, after being influenced by you, he's become foolish, with a vision as narrow as four fingers. I had him collect some landing fees, and instead of just taking what he could, he collected so much that it reached the Prince's ears. Worse, he had the audacity to boast that he would teach the Prince a lesson on behalf of the Prince's father. And who is the Prince's father? The current Emperor! Is that someone he dares to represent?"

"You've all heard of Prince Li's reputation. Is he someone who can tolerate such insolence? What is Liu San compared to him? In front of the Prince, he's nothing. Because of this incident, the Prince was furious and stayed hidden for days, ready to let me fend for myself. It was only when the imperial envoy's entourage was about to arrive that the Prince showed himself. If it weren't for the Crown Prince's sake, just for Liu San's few words, the Prince could have had both Liu San and me executed."

Liu San's actions at the dock could be easily investigated, and Liu Jingxuan wasn't afraid of them looking into it.

Seeing Liu Jingxuan's flushed face and angry demeanor, everyone silently cursed Liu San for becoming too arrogant and reckless over the years, daring to say anything.

Seeing that they had all quieted down, Liu Jingxuan continued, "The Prince has seen much in the capital, and it's not easy for him to come to Liangzhou. Find a place and make sure the Prince enjoys himself."

Upon hearing this, President Zhao asked, "What do you mean, my lord?"

Liu Jingxuan shot him a glare. "This is the Prince's wish. You must find a way to serve him well, prepare the best of everything. In a couple of days, I will introduce you to the Prince. But let me make it clear: if anyone dares to slip up in front of the Prince, don't blame me for not showing any leniency."

President Zhao and the others quickly agreed.

They thought to themselves, meeting Xiao Shan meant they would be working for the Crown Prince. This indicated that they were about to be on the same side as the Crown Prince. How could such a prospect not excite them?

***

A few days later, when the entourage reached the outskirts of the city, Xiao Shan immediately instructed part of the group to head to the capital that day, while the rest were to enter the city the next day as originally planned. After the two thousand guards had entered the city in small groups, Xiao Shan and Zong Qing finally expressed their desire to meet the merchants.

That evening, when they went to the banquet, Xie Zhui, disguised as a guard, followed beside Xiao Shan.

Originally, President Zhao and the others had arranged for the meeting to take place on the largest pleasure boat in Liangzhou, which had two levels.

The pleasure boats of Liangzhou were quite renowned. On these boats, one could watch dances, listen to music, drink, and enjoy fireworks, all while being surrounded by beautiful women and handsome young men.

As soon as Xiao Shan received the message, he scolded Liu Jingxuan. He had never had any luck with boats in his life, and anyone who wanted to go to the pleasure boat could go, but he wouldn't.

Liu Jingxuan turned around and scolded the chamber members, berating them for their lack of insight. "Do you think a prince hasn't seen a boat before? The imperial garden's lake in the palace has boats!"

Although President Zhao and the others were scolded, they didn't get angry. It didn't matter if Xiao Shan was difficult to please; as long as they had the opportunity to serve him, everything would be fine. After much deliberation, they finally chose a private residence with small bridges and flowing water, a place where the scenery was perfectly harmonious.

The furnishings throughout the residence were very elegant.

Their intention was that if Xiao Shan liked it, they could offer it to him as a resting place.

When Xiao Shan, Xie Zhui, and Zong Qing arrived, Zong Qing looked at the residence and marveled inwardly. Such a courtyard would be hard to find even in the capital.

Xiao Shan raised an eyebrow, showing a hint of interest.

However, this interest was solely directed at the courtyard. As for President Zhao and the others, he didn't even spare them a glance.

President Zhao and his colleagues had encountered many officials of various ranks, but this was their first time meeting a prince.

They tolerated Xiao Shan's arrogant attitude, just as they had initially tolerated Liu Jingxuan. After all, once they were on the same boat, today's patience would become tomorrow's leverage.

They sat in a pavilion within the courtyard, surrounded on three sides by water, with only a wooden corridor leading to the resting area.

The water beneath the pavilion was flowing, creating a gentle, murmuring sound.

Across from them, the lights around the artificial hill cast a soft glow. Next to the hill, standing in the water, was a performance stage, elegantly decorated.

Among the group, only Liu Jingxuan could speak directly to Xiao Shan. After they were seated, Liu Jingxuan offered a toast to Xiao Shan.

Xiao Shan lazily took a sip and said, "Didn't you say there were good performances prepared? I want to see something impressive."

Liu Jingxuan quickly clapped his hands.

The lights across the way brightened, the curtain on the stage slowly opened, and the sound of silk and bamboo instruments filled the air as the dancers gracefully entered in a line.

The melody of silk and bamboo was pleasing to the ear, and the dance movements were enchanting, truly a refined song and elegant dance, a visual delight.

Midway through the dance, the sound of a pipa suddenly emerged, and a woman veiled with a soft, thin silk slowly stepped forward. Under the lights, her features were partially obscured, yet it was clear she was a woman of stunning beauty.

As the pipa played, the performance stage began to move.

Only then did everyone realize that it was not merely a stage for performances but a two-tiered pleasure boat, cleverly disguised as a stage.

As the boat started moving, it created an illusion as if the beauty was about to be embraced.

President Zhao looked at Xiao Shan with a broad smile.

Xiao Shan, with a smile on his face, quietly watched the pleasure boat as it sailed towards the pavilion.

As the pipa's notes grew sharper, the dancers' movements became even more graceful and alluring.

Just as the boat reached the pavilion, everything suddenly came to a halt.

The performers on the boat stood up and bowed, their voices clear and melodious.

Everyone turned their gaze to Xiao Shan.

Xiao Shan raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at Liu Jingxuan, then said with a faint smile, "Lord Liu, is this the surprise you prepared for me?"

There was no trace of surprise or delight in his tone.

Zong Qing sat quietly on the side, not saying a word, while Xie Zhui found the pleasure boat glaringly offensive and felt an urge to destroy it.

To be honest, Liu Jingxuan genuinely believed that the pipa performance was exceptional.

The music was beautiful, and the dance was equally captivating, making it a truly delightful and refreshing experience.

However, since Xiao Shan had spoken in such a manner, Liu Jingxuan could only stand up and apologize. As he apologized, President Zhao and the others had to follow suit, feeling equally alarmed.

Xiao Shan sneered, "Lord Liu, when you say these are surprises for me, are you trying to insult me intentionally?"

Liu Jingxuan hurriedly denied any such intention.

Xiao Shan scoffed, "How can you say you dare not? You know well that since my youth, I have never cared for poetry or music, and yet you stage this performance for me. Are you deliberately trying to displease me? If you really wanted to make me happy, why not arrange a cricket fight instead?"

Everyone: "…"

President Zhao and the others thought to themselves, how could Prince Li say such a thing? His words seemed vulgar. Wasn't he telling everyone that he lacked education and sophistication, only caring about cricket fighting?

As a prince, wasn't he afraid of embarrassing himself?

Xiao Shan had no time to pay attention to their thoughts. He raised his chin towards the group of merchants and asked, "Who is he?"

Liu Jingxuan followed his gaze and replied, "He is President Zhao of the Liangzhou Chamber of Commerce."

"Arrest him," Xiao Shan said coldly.

Liu Jingxuan was taken aback by the sudden command, his face showing confusion. "What?"

Xiao Shan replied indifferently, "He has neither official rank nor noble title, just a mere merchant, yet he is dressed beyond his station."

Merchants held a low status, and even their attire was regulated. Yet, President Zhao was conspicuously dressed in luxurious silk and satin.

Liu Jingxuan blinked, and Xiao Shan glanced at the others. "From what I see, all of these people have issues with their attire. Arrest them all."

No one in the pavilion moved. Zong Qing clapped his hands, and Xie Zhui stepped in front of Xiao Shan.

Before long, soldiers filed in one after another.

Someone reported that the guards of those outside had already been apprehended.

Amid the chaos, Xiao Shan said to Liu Jingxuan, "I thought the person who dragged you down must have extraordinary abilities, but now I see they are nothing special. I truly don't know if you have read yourself into stupidity or if you were born lacking intelligence. You couldn't even get a hold of a group of merchants, yet you let yourself fall into such a predicament, being thoroughly used by others. It's utterly laughable."

"No matter what excuses you make, it all comes down to your own willingness to indulge in pleasure."

"The smartest thing you've done in your life is realizing your own foolishness and not dragging the Crown Prince down with you. Otherwise, even the extermination of your entire Liu family wouldn't be enough."

Previous Chapter | ToC | Next Chapter