gnovel Chapter 28 Counterattack
Chapter 28 Counterattack
According to Wang Huadu, after Yu Yuan returned home, he asked his elder brother Yu Chu to inquire about the matter at the yamen.
Yu Chu initially refused, but eventually agreed, whether out of consideration for his younger brother or for the five strings of cash. But that didn't matter. According to Yu Chu's inquiries, someone had already bribed someone ten days earlier to report Shao Shuyi, a seafarer from Zhangjing East Second Capital, for owing a certain amount of taxes.
Perhaps because they had been bribed, the government was very efficient. Within a few days, they sent a letter to the transport commissioner, asking them to send people to assist in the arrest and to send the summer transport fleet to do hard labor.
However, the document went unnoticed after it reached the canal administration office, as if it had been suppressed.
That's the gist of it; it's not complicated, but it gets straight to the point.
After hearing this, Shao Shuyi knew that the Caofu government hadn't actively pursued the matter out of respect for the Zheng family, but he was still somewhat annoyed and said, "It really is them!"
"Little Tiger—" Wang Huadu said with a hint of apology after finishing his meat pie, "Actually, I should have been more decisive and finished them off sooner."
Shao Shuyi raised his hand to stop him from saying anything more, saying, "That's enough. If you really hurt someone, it will only make things worse. The world hasn't completely collapsed yet, and the government will definitely intervene. It won't be difficult to find out who did it. In that case, neither of us will be able to escape responsibility, so it's not worth it."
Wang Huadu paid no attention to the others, but was very interested in Shao Shuyi's mention of the collapse of order, so he asked, "Little Tiger, are you saying that the world will descend into chaos?"
Shao Shuyi hummed in agreement and said vaguely, "This is just my guess, it may not be accurate."
"I see signs of this already emerging." Wang Huadu picked up his teacup, took a large gulp, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and spoke with a hint of excitement. He continued, "I've heard from the elders that thirty years ago, everyone wanted to be a village head, chief, corner head, or neighborhood head because they could exploit the villagers and reap the benefits. Now, nobody wants to be one anymore because of the compensation they have to pay, which even wealthy households can't afford. As for the station households, they're actually like you seafarers; if one person is employed, the whole family is exempt from miscellaneous corvée labor, and the family members can receive salt and grain monthly. Now, they can't avoid the miscellaneous corvée labor, and the grain isn't being distributed, so more and more people are fleeing. And then there's the patrol inspectorate; in previous years, someone would donate 500 shi of grain to get a patrol inspector position, but now…"
Shao Shuyi once again refreshed his understanding of Wang Huadu.
He may lack formal education, official sources, and knowledge of historical trends, but he is keenly observant and possesses a strong ability to summarize and generalize. He was able to draw inferences from small details and articulate these logically consistent statements.
"You're right," Shao Shuyi exclaimed. "Even though the imperial court is declining year by year, its tiger skin hasn't been torn yet, and the government is still managing to suppress the local areas. If a rebellion breaks out, they can still mobilize troops to quell it, although they are increasingly powerless. Given the situation, it's best if we both be careful. However—"
At this point, his expression turned serious, and he said, "I will not offend others unless they offend me. If they offend me, I will retaliate. Since they don't want to live a good life, I won't give them any face."
Wang Huadu nodded excitedly and said, "For those who are blind to reason, we have to teach them a lesson. What are you planning to do?"
Shao Shuyi pondered for a moment, then asked, "How much would it cost to rent a small courtyard outside?"
Wang Huadu paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "It won't cost much. Many of the houses belonging to seafarers, station owners, and ordinary people who fled with their families are now empty. Before leaving, they often ask neighbors or relatives to look after them, and a few strings of cash will suffice. They're just a bit dilapidated, and being empty for a long time makes them feel lifeless and uncomfortable to live in."
After saying that, he seemed to realize something, abruptly stood up, and said, "Little Tiger, could it be that someone wants to harm you?"
Shao Shuyi shook his head and said, "It's just being prepared. There's something else more important right now. Come closer and listen to me."
Wang Huadu leaned closer and listened carefully.
After listening, he hesitated for a moment, then asked in confusion, "Little Tiger, your plan is decisive enough, but it could actually be even more ruthless. For example, if those two are remnants of the White Lotus Cult, the government would definitely send troops to arrest them. Why not do that?"
Shao Shuyi remained silent for a long time, finally sighing, "I can't get over this. Forget it. Maybe I can in many years, but not now."
"You're such a kind person," Wang Huadu couldn't help but remark.
Shao Shuyi shook his head.
He didn't consider himself a good person, but he wasn't a particularly evil one either.
Humans are complex and cannot be simply judged as good or evil. Most of the time, they are actually gray, meaning they have both good and evil aspects.
While the chances of successfully framing the old man and the young man as remnants of the White Lotus Cult are slim, they are not impossible.
However, it would definitely inadvertently harm the neighboring family, since the old man was a true follower of the White Lotus sect. At this critical juncture, the authorities would most likely not distinguish between their innocence and their crimes, but would arrest them all and punish them for harboring bandits.
Perhaps Shao Shuyi will be able to be heartless in the future, but he really can't do it now; he can't bear to.
"Go ahead, be careful," Shao Shuyi patted Wang Huadu on the shoulder and said in a low voice.
Wang Huadu did not hesitate and got up to leave.
As I was leaving, I saw Cao Tong carrying a large teapot in the distance, so I nodded to him and even smiled.
Cao Tong was startled and subconsciously lowered his head, looking extremely guilty.
After leaving, Wang Huadu did not continue on foot. Instead, he waited for half an hour, and after much persuasion, he gave Wang Huadu twenty coins and boarded a boat to return to Zhangjing.
After spending the night at the Shao family's old house, he went straight to the boat shop early on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year to meet Li Zhuang.
******
Since late June, the weather has been unbearably hot and humid, making people uncomfortable and the crops in the fields almost unable to withstand it.
The relatively dry north was suddenly hit by torrential rains, with many places experiencing rain for a month straight. The Yellow River at Baimaokou breached its banks, causing countless disaster victims.
The usually humid south has become dry and rainless. Although it is not yet a severe drought, people can still manage by fetching water from the river to irrigate their fields, but a reduction in grain production is certain.
Most seafarers and artisans have no land, yet they are inevitably affected because grain prices are bound to rise, and have even begun to rise slightly—the latest price: one shi of coarse rice costs 33 guan and 500 wen.
When Wang Huadu met Li Zhuang, the latter looked worried and was discussing the soaring prices with his apprentices. His expression changed when Wang Huadu identified himself and mentioned that Shao Shuyi needed to speak with him.
"Did Xiaohu offend someone there?" Li Zhuang asked with a frown and some concern.
Wang Huadu didn't know what to say, so he just looked around.
Li Zhuang seemed to understand something. After instructing everyone to continue working, he pulled Wang Huadu to a ship that was almost finished being built.
Wang Huadu stroked the hull with some surprise; it was probably several times his height.
"Tell me, what happened?" Li Zhuang asked while inspecting the cable.
Wang Huadu then recounted the whole story.
After listening, Li Zhuang remained silent for a long time.
"That's all," Wang Huadu said. "Xiao Hu sent me to see you, so he must trust you. He wants to see Master Zheng now; I wonder if he'll be able to?"
"Master Zheng has gone to Gaoyou," Li Zhuang said, still looking somewhat worried.
"Gaoyou?" Wang Huadu asked, somewhat surprised. "When can you return?"
"He just left." Li Zhuang sighed and said, "He went to Suzhou first and only returned the day before yesterday. Yesterday he went to Gaoyou again, and it will be difficult for him to return within half a month."
"What should we do?" Wang Huadu was getting impatient.
He witnessed the entire conflict between Shao Shuyi and the group from the Qingqi Shop, and was even deeply involved in it, so he knew all too well what a delicate situation they were in now.
"What does Xiaohu want to do?" Li Zhuang asked.
Wang Huadu shook his head and said, "I don't know either. He just wants to see Master Zheng."
Li Zhuang glanced at him suspiciously. He wasn't stupid; he knew, of course, that Governor Wang Hua was holding back and not telling the truth. But he wouldn't ask further, only saying, "If you want to see Master Zheng, you'll have to come back at the end of the month."
Wang Huadu was somewhat unwilling and said, "These ships in front of us were originally built under the supervision of Master Zheng, weren't they? Now that he's gone, who will take over?"
"Three rooms," Li Zhuang replied.
Wang Huadu was taken aback.
"That is Zheng Guozhen, the third son of the old prime minister and the clerk of the grain transport office. Zheng Song, the official, is his cousin," Li Zhuang explained.
"Wouldn't that mean his words carry more weight than those of Lord Zheng?" Wang Huadu's eyes lit up.
Li Zhuang smiled and said, "Zheng Zhaomo is called the 'Young Master' and the 'Old Master's Son,' what do you say?"
Wang Huadu's eyes darted around, and he asked, "Since Master Zheng is not here, could we perhaps meet this young gentleman?"
Li Zhuang hesitated for a moment.
Seeing this, Wang Huadu stamped his foot and said, "Why is the master craftsman hesitating? We don't need you to do anything. Just point it out when the young master comes to inspect the shipyard. You don't need to worry about anything else."
Li Zhuang sighed slightly and said, "Well, anyway, many people here know the young master, so even if I don't say anything—oh well, I'll just help Xiao Hu out."
"That's more like it." Wang Huadu laughed heartily.
Li Zhuang smiled and said, "Xiao Hu is well-liked. It's his good fortune to have your help."
Wang Huadu's smile vanished, and he said seriously, "I'm the kind of person who does things entirely on a whim. I'd usually be too lazy to help most people, but Xiao Hu is a righteous person, and he's to my liking, so why not help him?"
"That's true." Li Zhuang raised his head, looking at the rows of houses in the distance, and said, "He's worldly-wise, shrewd, and knowledgeable, so naturally people are willing to help him."