Han Ji

Chapter 115 A Different Zhang Fei

The supervising official hurriedly said, "Minister Zhang, the salt well production has decreased, and the prefectural government has allocated too little money; we simply cannot pay out..."

Why is production decreasing?

"The bandits are causing a ruckus..."

"The bandits are causing trouble, and you still can't pay their wages?" Zhang Fei stepped down from the salt stack and stood before Supervisor Gou. "Then what are you good for, Supervisor Gou?"

The supervising official was sweating profusely.

Zhang Fei ignored him and turned to the salt workers: "I'll report the matter of wages to the Commandant, and it will be resolved within ten days. But during these ten days, salt production must continue as usual. If the daily output of salt is less than fifty shi, everyone will be fined grain. If it exceeds sixty shi, for every shi exceeding sixty, I will personally give a reward of one hundred coins."

The salt workers were in an uproar.

The old salt worker knelt and kowtowed, "Sir, do you keep your word?"

"I, Zhang Yide, am a man of my word."

On that day, salt wells resumed operation.

Zhang Fei ordered his soldiers to help: the strong ones to draw brine, those skilled in carpentry to repair the well frames, and the rest to guard key points. The supervising official was invited to his tent to assist with official duties, but in reality, he was placed under house arrest.

At noon, Zhang Wu returned from his patrol of the mountain.

"Yide, there's a small path in the mountains to the east that leads to Xixiang. The hoofprints on the path are fresh; the bandits might be hiding there."

"Xiang..." Zhang Fei recalled Liu Bei's instructions, "Wang Chun, a powerful figure in Xixiang, is close to Su Gu."

"Should we search?"

"No rush." ​​Zhang Fei squatted on the ground, drawing a diagram with the tip of his spear. "The bandits robbed salt, but they didn't damage the salt carts; they only killed people. Why?"

Zhang Wu thought for a moment: "Don't you want to cut off the salt route?"

"That's right. If the salt wells stop producing salt, they won't have any salt to rob." Zhang Fei stood up. "So the bandits aren't real bandits, they're dogs kept by someone. The person keeping the dogs wants to cause trouble, but also wants the salt wells to continue producing salt, because he also gets a share of the profits from salt."

"Su Gu? I didn't expect you to be so clever, Yi De."

"Of course! It must be someone from the prefectural government." Zhang Fei looked west. "Let's protect the salt wells and stabilize production first. We'll wait until the dog owner can't hold back anymore and jumps out on his own."

Three days later, the daily output of the salt well recovered to 55 shi (a unit of dry measure).

Zhang Fei personally rewarded each person with 100 coins, distributing the money on the spot. The morale of the salt workers was greatly boosted, and some young and strong men volunteered to join the patrol team.

The supervisor was restless in his tent and tried several times to send a message out, but was politely stopped by the soldiers.

On the fifth day, people from the prefectural government arrived.

The clerk Zhao Lü led troops from twenty commanderies and carried the governor's order.

"Commander Zhang." Zhao Lü entered the tent with a beaming smile. "The Prefect heard of your meritorious service in protecting the salt and specially ordered me to come and reward the troops."

The soldiers then carried in ten jars of wine and five pigs.

Zhang Fei remained seated: "Zhao Gongcao has worked hard. Please accept the wine and meat, and convey my thanks to the Prefect."

Zhao Lu's smile remained unchanged: "In addition, the prefect said that the salt wells are an important area of ​​the prefecture, and the commander has worked hard to protect the salt. He should return to camp to rest. The defense can be handed over to the prefectural troops."

The tent was quiet.

Zhang Fei looked up at him: "Prefectural soldiers? Which batch of prefectural soldiers?"

"Naturally, it's the soldiers from Mianyang County, plus a detachment dispatched by the prefectural government..."

"Just those twenty outside?" Zhang Fei laughed. "Zhao Gongcao, the bandits come at a time with thirty riders, killing without blinking an eye. How many lives can your twenty men take?"

Zhao Lu's face stiffened: "Zhang Sima, this is the prefect's intention..."

"I understand what the Prefect means." Zhang Fei stood up and walked to Zhao Lü. "But the Commandant's order is: protect the salt and suppress bandits. Do not withdraw the defenses until the bandits are wiped out. If Zhao Gongcao feels this is inappropriate, he can go to Nanzheng to ask the Commandant."

The two looked at each other.

Zhao Lü was half a head shorter and had to look up at Zhang Fei. Zhang Fei's hand rested on the hilt of his spear, his gaze sharp as a knife.

After a long silence, Zhao Lü took a half step back: "Very well. I will return and report to the Prefect. However... since Supervisor Gou is an important official in the Salt Administration, shouldn't he be allowed to return to the prefectural government to report for duty?"

"Alright." Zhang Fei nodded. "Let him go with you."

If the supervising official were granted a general amnesty, he would pack his things and try to escape.

"Wait," Zhang Fei called out to him. "Leave the salt well accounts, the treasury keys, and the roster of laborers."

"this..."

"If you take it away, the salt wells will be in chaos. Who will be responsible then?"

The supervising official looked at Zhao Lu.

Zhao Lu gritted his teeth: "Give it to him."

After the account books were handed over, Zhao Lü left with Supervisor Gou.

Zhang Wu leaned closer: "Yide, let him go. Aren't you afraid he'll talk nonsense?"

"Let him talk." Zhang Fei watched the group leave the well site. "The more nonsense he spouts, the more anxious Su Gu will become. Only when he's anxious will he make a foolish move."

That night, Zhang Fei wrote a letter to Liu Bei.

The letter contained only eight characters: "The salt wells are under control; we await the bandits to fall into the trap." Zhang Wu, who was standing nearby, thought to himself, "Good heavens, it's in cursive script! Zhang Fei's handwriting is really quite good."

When the messenger left the well site, the moonlight was bright.

From the mountains and forests to the east, one could faintly hear the neighing of horses.

Supervisor Gou followed Zhao Lü out of the salt well and rode back to Nanzheng.

Halfway there, Zhao Lü reined in his horse: "Supervisor Gou, has the salt well production truly recovered to fifty-five shi?"

Supervisor Gou wiped his sweat: "Yes, yes... That scoundrel Zhang Fei, with his rewards and urging for faster work, made the salt workers work like their lives depended on it."

"A reward? Where did he get the money?"

"He paid for it out of his own pocket, saying it was seized during the bandit suppression..."

Zhao Lu's face darkened.

With the recovery of salt well production, his smuggled salt trade lost its supply. Su Gu held 50% of the shares, while Zhao Lu held 10%, meaning he had already lost millions of dollars in the past half month.

"Go back to the prefectural government and tell them that Zhang Fei abused his power, seized the account books, and placed the supervising officials under house arrest," Zhao Lu said. "I'll go to Xixiang."

"Xiang? Wangjiazhuang..."

Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask.

Zhao Lu, accompanied by two close attendants, turned onto the westward path.

As the supervisor watched his retreating figure, Gou spat and said, "Pah, you'll make me take the blame when things go wrong."

Wangjiazhuang in Xixiang is 30 li away from Mianyang.

The manor was nestled against the mountain and faced the water, with walls two zhang high and arrow towers at each of the four corners. The manor owner, Wang Chun, was about fifty years old, wealthy, and dressed in a silk robe, embracing his beautiful concubine as they listened to music.

A servant came to report: "My lord, Zhao Gongcao from the prefectural government has arrived."

Wang Chun pushed aside the beautiful concubine: "Please come in quickly."

Zhao Lu entered the hall, did not sit down, and said directly: "The salt wells have been controlled by Liu Bei's men, and Zhang Fei has stationed troops there. The daily output is fifty-five shi (a unit of dry measure)."

Wang Chun's smile froze: "This... then our salt..."

"It's over." Zhao Lu sat down and poured himself some tea. "With Zhang Fei around, the salt can't be produced. Even if it is, it'll be government salt, and we won't get any."

Wang Chun rubbed his hands: "Zhao Gongcao, what should we do? I still have three thousand shi of smuggled salt stored in my salt warehouse, just waiting for the price to rise..."

"We can't sell them." Zhao Lu put down his teacup. "If Zhang Fei doesn't die, Yanjing will never return."

Wang Chun's eyes darted around: "What Zhao Gongcao means is..."

"Don't you keep some guards in your manor?" Zhao Lu lowered his voice. "Have them pretend to be bandits and rob the salt carts again. This time, don't kill anyone, just burn all the salt carts. Once the salt route is cut off, and Zhang Fei is seen as ineffective in protecting the salt, the prefect will have a reason to replace him."

"But Zhang Fei has three hundred soldiers..."

"Three hundred soldiers, scattered across the ten-mile well area, how many can you gather?" Zhao Lu sneered. "You send fifty guards, and I'll transfer twenty archers from the county troops. That's enough."

Wang Chun hesitated.

He owns 10% of the smuggled salt business, but he's also made a considerable amount of money over the years from the nursing home, bribing officials, and giving bribes to Su Gu and Zhao Lu. If things go wrong...

"Your Highness," Zhao Lu stood up, "don't forget, your son is an official in the prefectural government, and your niece is married to the nephew of Prefect Chen. We're all in the same boat."

Wang Chun gritted his teeth: "Fine! When do we make our move?"

"Three days later, at midnight."