Short-sighted? That doesn’t exist!
The old boatman lowered his head and tapped his tobacco pouch twice against the edge of his shoe.
Even hearing such a colossal scandal of embezzlement, he showed no reaction.
—”Ordinary folks, illiterate, how could they harbor concerns for the nation and the people? Besides, life was somewhat better during the Chu dynasty, better to forget the Qi dynasty.”
In the court, matters are for the ministers to worry about. If the ministers are involved in such embezzlement cases, they naturally become an unshakable force, what use is there in making inconsequential remarks?
Moreover, in their hearts, these officials, none are free from corruption.
They mostly interact with low-level clerks, have had their fill of hardships, and always feel that among ten officials, only one has a conscience.
The embezzlement case excites the literati, but the laborers are disinterested. They can’t partake in the civil examinations, and neither can the men in their families, at most they listen to the buzz and sigh a few times.
The old boatman glanced at the people in the cabin, finding their origins increasingly opaque.
The young man posing as a coachman was almost unable to sit still with anger, while the other two merely frowned slightly, supposedly stoic, but their eyes told a different story.
Meng Qi tilted his head slightly, lips moving, as he whispered a secret message to Mo Li: “Concealing what is detrimental to oneself is human nature; Mr. Jinshui just said it’s a shameful matter, why expose it?”
Mo Li’s eyes darkened, then he nodded slightly.
—The embezzlement is real, the coercion to impersonate someone else in the exams is also real.
—There’s absolutely no way out, desperately struggling, seeking help everywhere in vain, constantly thinking of how to escape, that is a lie.
Mr. Jinshui’s sorrowful statement could only fool someone inexperienced like Lu Min.
If it were true as Mr. Jinshui said, that he alone could impersonate someone in the imperial examinations, then he would be a money tree, why wouldn’t they keep a close eye on him? Knowing the inside story, wouldn’t those people strictly monitor him?
They had visited his home asking for needles, and saw clearly, Mr. Jinshui’s place was a rented house, located in a complex maze of winding alleys; neighbors couldn’t even see each other, so much for surveillance.
If there was surveillance, and two peerless masters couldn’t detect it, why bother finding someone to impersonate, just sneak into the imperial examination hall in the capital and switch the papers unnoticed!
Mo Li sighed inwardly.
He saw all the changes in the scholar’s expressions, realizing their words weren’t entirely true, Mo Li started wondering what was really going on.
Observing and interpreting expressions wasn’t Mo Li’s strong suit, as a physician he only needed to guess hidden illnesses, not jockey with patients, thus he frowned and pondered long without understanding.
“He dresses poorly, comes from a destitute household, seems upright by nature, and becomes even more nervous and fearful after leaving the capital, not seeming like he’s in league with those involved in the examination fraud.”
“He said it himself, right? Resenting the Qi dynasty due to his ancestors’ deaths, he has no desire to serve as an official.”
“You mean—” Mo Li was initially shocked, then quickly understood Meng Qi’s implied meaning.
Mr. Jinshui being coerced into impersonating someone in the exams is true, his discontent and desire to break free from these people is true, but his attempts to seek help, hoping the examiners would notice and expose this major case, are false.
He knew well the dangers of examination fraud, but due to his resentment towards the new dynasty, he didn’t truly wish to expose it, and given the risks of exposing, he simply went with the flow, seeking only his own safety, even initially willing to take money for the impersonation.
Such thoughts were undoubtedly ludicrous.
Those behind the examination fraud weren’t doing it to “avenge” the Qi dynasty.
They wanted to control and use their pawns, pulling more people into the fray, weaving a vast web like spiders, anyone attempting to break this web would be devoured.
Mo Li saw Sir He’s uneasy and fearful demeanor, his heart even more sighed.
Just as Meng Qi said, everyone has their unspeakable secrets and shameful mistakes, as long as they harm no one, how should one delve deeply? Witnessing tragedy unfold, the person themselves would suffer immense torment.
On the side, Lu Min couldn’t wait to ask, “How many scholars have you known who died because they resisted or were accidentally exposed?”
Mr. Jinshui trembled upon hearing this, his guilt deepening, his voice quivering: “We seldom meet face to face, but there are exceptions, some tried to expose the truth, and before their complaints could even reach the imperial examination hall, they were intercepted, then this entire family vanished, neighbors say they moved back to their rural hometown, however… that day, we were all called to a place, and saw a bloody sight, a dozen people’s ears…”
Lu Min almost slammed the table, but there was no table in the cabin, and with a carriage, two horses, and five people, there was no space for such an outburst.
“This brazen arrogance, treating the imperial laws as nothing!”
Lu Min was naturally furious, considering the current emperor was his elder brother. Corrupting the bureaucracy was like sabotaging his elder brother’s household, adding trouble for him.
“Who are you?”
Mr. Jinshui looked at Lu Min with a complex expression, wondering if this person, who sounded so authoritative, was the son of a high official of the Qi dynasty or a member of the imperial secret police investigating this matter.
“Me?” Lu Min came back to his senses, realizing he was currently nothing, and even informing his elder brother was impossible.
Lu Min deflated like a balloon, listlessly waving his hand, “I’m just an insignificant passerby, capable only of shouting a few times when seeing injustice. Ah! The corruption of the lower bureaucracy, so this is the root of it.”
The old boatman scoffed with disbelief, saying, “The world is just like this; even if the court arrested all these people, the bad would remain bad, and it can’t be mended. The difference here is whether the common folk can survive or are left with no way out.”
“Old man, saying this while taking people on your boat to flee, it seems there’s no way out at the dock for you?” Meng Qi casually asked.
The old boatman’s face darkened, and he silently puffed on his tobacco pouch.
He Haozi popped his head in at the cabin door and interjected, “Sir, you are mistaken. At Taijing Dock, boats come and go, goods are frequently loaded and unloaded; how could those who sell their labor starve?”
“Based on skill alone, there’s certainly food to eat, but I fear the simple things become complicated, with gang influences deeply intertwined. To fight over territory, brawls happen every few days, and to curry favor with the dock officials hoping for their support, regular tributes must be given. Where does this money come from if not from the hard-earned cash of your gang members, am I right or not?”
Meng Qi was well-acquainted with these dark secrets, needing no further questioning to list them.
The old boatman paused in his actions.
He Haozi’s complexion changed, he rushed in, taking two steps at a time, paddle in hand, and stood guard in front of the old boatman, asking in a hostile tone, “Who exactly are you? How do you know all this?”
Meng Qi spread his hands, nonchalantly stating, “Is this some kind of secret?”
“Of course, this is…” He Haozi suddenly stopped speaking.
“Internal affairs of your Green Snake Gang?” Meng Qi retorted, not without a chuckle, “Throughout history, such things are not new; how can they be considered secrets? If you don’t believe me, I can say more.”
The old boatman stared intently at him, and He Haozi was visibly tense.
Naturally, Dragon Vein wasn’t omniscient, even Meng Qi had to speculate based on what he saw and experienced personally. After a brief contemplation, he said, “Whether it’s fighting over territory or paying off officials, you clench your teeth and get by, only by sticking together can you have food to eat, but alas, times change and human hearts are unpredictable.”
He Haozi’s eyes widened, and Lu Min looked on with admiration, not understanding how Meng Qi could see through so much.
Mo Li kept a straight face, unable to debunk Meng Qi, he simply remained silent.
On the other hand, Mr. Jinshui, being an outsider, began to suspect something. In this world, any accident could be explained away with ‘times change and human hearts are unpredictable’, couldn’t it?
Meng Qi wasn’t merely bluffing.
The dock outside Taijing City was ancient; during the prosperous times of the Chu dynasty, merchant caravans from all over rushed here, and the old docks were insufficient, hence they were specially renovated. In the last years of the Chen dynasty, the world was in chaos, many families were destroyed, even those with Taijing household registration had no farmland to subsist on, and the merchant caravans supported many inns and restaurants, as well as the laborers on the docks.
He Haozi and the old boatman both spoke with a distinct Taijing accent; if they weren’t from the capital, they had spent many years at the docks.
He Haozi might not admit it, but the old boatman surely had seen the prosperity and subsequent decline of the dock crossing.
Given the old boatman’s age, his prime years coincided with the prosperity of the Chu dynasty, a time when people without land and unable to find shop work flocked to the docks for sustenance. Perhaps conflicts over jobs were fewer then; the caravans earned money and weren’t stingy about hiring people. Boats came and went incessantly, there was only a shortage of hands, not a lack of food, but what about now?
Meng Qi’s smile faded, turning serious as he asked, “About that guiding fee, how much do you have to hand over? Is it that the more you extort from clueless foreign merchants, the more you get to keep, otherwise it’s a wasted trip? I imagine, it’s not a small amount, could it be twenty wen per trip?”
Twenty wen was the amount Mr. Jinshui had given He Haozi, and they had even argued over the price for a while.
Meng Qi guessed casually, seeing He Haozi’s expression, he felt it was quite a coincidence.
“Really twenty wen? Sir, you previously said ten wen would do; it seems the one taking your money has grown greedier.” Meng Qi mused, leading the way to “earn” money was naturally quicker and much easier than rowing across the river or unloading cargo.
Could it be that He Haozi is dissatisfied, unwilling to take this money, to endure this exploitation?
—No, as the old boatman said, “Live off the land or water, if you can get by, who would want to change?” Making a living is most important, even if one knows their actions are dishonorable.
Mo Li tested the waters with a whispered question, “Brother Meng, could it be an internal issue within their gang…”
“Doctor, we see eye to eye.”
Meng Qi did not wait for Mo Li to respond, and declared directly: “It seems not only the officials are greedy, but also your gang leader.”
He Haozi almost couldn’t hold onto his oar anymore, looking at Meng Qi as if he were a ghost.
The Green Snake Gang was rotting through and through. Besides the gang leader, the various elders and leaders wore silk and brocade, merely covering them with coarse cloth when going out. Each one retained the old visages but had become unrecognizable to the old boatman.
Initially banded together for self-protection, after years of turf battles, they had become true local powers. No longer sharing weal and woe, they had split into two classes of people.
One group continued to toil in wind and rain at the docks, while the other bought fields, built houses, wore fur coats, drank fine wines, kept concubines, and lived in a perpetual drunken stupor, constantly squeezing more money from their subordinates.
Members of the gang deeply envied the latter’s lifestyle, eager to climb the ranks and eventually laze at home with women and money flowing in.
At the docks, not only were there fees for leading the way, but also for tea, and for washing and cleaning the boats.
The so-called boat washing was just splashing some water; without paying for tea, no cargo would be moved. The fee for leading the way involved directing larger ferries to different berthing spots, and without a guide, access to the boats was denied, a clear case of extortion.
And yet, the greed was insatiable, with prices continuously rising.
He Haozi wasn’t a good person; although he had to hand over most of the money, he did pocket some. Seeing these miscellaneous and increasingly costly charges, He Haozi was truly panicked.
If this continued, the Green Snake Gang was finished. He couldn’t enjoy the money, but disaster was sure to catch up to him.
Fortunately, He Haozi wasn’t the only smart one in the Green Snake Gang. Eventually, Old Yang decided it was time to take a chance and slip away. Initially, some disagreed, but just a few days later, rumors of a prince usurping the emperor and locking down the city gates spread.
What more was there to say? Wasn’t it time to run?
He Haozi held his oar, annoyed. Everything had been calculated perfectly, so how had this Inspector and his mysterious, perceptive companions suddenly appeared?
“Pop.”
The old boatman gave He Haozi a smack on the head.
—It was this guy’s greed that got them into trouble. On their way to the dock, he still thought of making a quick buck with a “leading fee,” which led to their entanglement with the inspector and the scheme to trap the scholar.
Author’s Note:
Neither Mr. Jinshui nor He Haozi are good men with a sense of justice.
Mr. Jinshui was too narrow-minded at first, so he cooperated. When he realized things were not as simple as he thought, he regretted it and wanted to flee.
He Haozi is the type to take any money he can get, righteous or not. But he’s not foolish; sensing something wrong, he would not be blinded by money.
—
This is a ship, and everyone aboard wants to escape Taijing.
The extras knocked out in sacks: ? ? ? ?
Lu Min: No, actually, I don’t want to leave.
Mo Li: I want to see the mountains outside.
Meng Qi: Indifferent, determined to never concede defeat even if it means climbing to the top of Shangyun Mountain.
Short-sighted? That doesn’t exist!
The old boatman lowered his head and tapped his tobacco pouch twice against the edge of his shoe.
Even hearing such a colossal scandal of embezzlement, he showed no reaction.
—”Ordinary folks, illiterate, how could they harbor concerns for the nation and the people? Besides, life was somewhat better during the Chu dynasty, better to forget the Qi dynasty.”
In the court, matters are for the ministers to worry about. If the ministers are involved in such embezzlement cases, they naturally become an unshakable force, what use is there in making inconsequential remarks?
Moreover, in their hearts, these officials, none are free from corruption.
They mostly interact with low-level clerks, have had their fill of hardships, and always feel that among ten officials, only one has a conscience.
The embezzlement case excites the literati, but the laborers are disinterested. They can’t partake in the civil examinations, and neither can the men in their families, at most they listen to the buzz and sigh a few times.
The old boatman glanced at the people in the cabin, finding their origins increasingly opaque.
The young man posing as a coachman was almost unable to sit still with anger, while the other two merely frowned slightly, supposedly stoic, but their eyes told a different story.
Meng Qi tilted his head slightly, lips moving, as he whispered a secret message to Mo Li: “Concealing what is detrimental to oneself is human nature; Mr. Jinshui just said it’s a shameful matter, why expose it?”
Mo Li’s eyes darkened, then he nodded slightly.
—The embezzlement is real, the coercion to impersonate someone else in the exams is also real.
—There’s absolutely no way out, desperately struggling, seeking help everywhere in vain, constantly thinking of how to escape, that is a lie.
Mr. Jinshui’s sorrowful statement could only fool someone inexperienced like Lu Min.
If it were true as Mr. Jinshui said, that he alone could impersonate someone in the imperial examinations, then he would be a money tree, why wouldn’t they keep a close eye on him? Knowing the inside story, wouldn’t those people strictly monitor him?
They had visited his home asking for needles, and saw clearly, Mr. Jinshui’s place was a rented house, located in a complex maze of winding alleys; neighbors couldn’t even see each other, so much for surveillance.
If there was surveillance, and two peerless masters couldn’t detect it, why bother finding someone to impersonate, just sneak into the imperial examination hall in the capital and switch the papers unnoticed!
Mo Li sighed inwardly.
He saw all the changes in the scholar’s expressions, realizing their words weren’t entirely true, Mo Li started wondering what was really going on.
Observing and interpreting expressions wasn’t Mo Li’s strong suit, as a physician he only needed to guess hidden illnesses, not jockey with patients, thus he frowned and pondered long without understanding.
“He dresses poorly, comes from a destitute household, seems upright by nature, and becomes even more nervous and fearful after leaving the capital, not seeming like he’s in league with those involved in the examination fraud.”
“He said it himself, right? Resenting the Qi dynasty due to his ancestors’ deaths, he has no desire to serve as an official.”
“You mean—” Mo Li was initially shocked, then quickly understood Meng Qi’s implied meaning.
Mr. Jinshui being coerced into impersonating someone in the exams is true, his discontent and desire to break free from these people is true, but his attempts to seek help, hoping the examiners would notice and expose this major case, are false.
He knew well the dangers of examination fraud, but due to his resentment towards the new dynasty, he didn’t truly wish to expose it, and given the risks of exposing, he simply went with the flow, seeking only his own safety, even initially willing to take money for the impersonation.
Such thoughts were undoubtedly ludicrous.
Those behind the examination fraud weren’t doing it to “avenge” the Qi dynasty.
They wanted to control and use their pawns, pulling more people into the fray, weaving a vast web like spiders, anyone attempting to break this web would be devoured.
Mo Li saw Sir He’s uneasy and fearful demeanor, his heart even more sighed.
Just as Meng Qi said, everyone has their unspeakable secrets and shameful mistakes, as long as they harm no one, how should one delve deeply? Witnessing tragedy unfold, the person themselves would suffer immense torment.
On the side, Lu Min couldn’t wait to ask, “How many scholars have you known who died because they resisted or were accidentally exposed?”
Mr. Jinshui trembled upon hearing this, his guilt deepening, his voice quivering: “We seldom meet face to face, but there are exceptions, some tried to expose the truth, and before their complaints could even reach the imperial examination hall, they were intercepted, then this entire family vanished, neighbors say they moved back to their rural hometown, however… that day, we were all called to a place, and saw a bloody sight, a dozen people’s ears…”
Lu Min almost slammed the table, but there was no table in the cabin, and with a carriage, two horses, and five people, there was no space for such an outburst.
“This brazen arrogance, treating the imperial laws as nothing!”
Lu Min was naturally furious, considering the current emperor was his elder brother. Corrupting the bureaucracy was like sabotaging his elder brother’s household, adding trouble for him.
“Who are you?”
Mr. Jinshui looked at Lu Min with a complex expression, wondering if this person, who sounded so authoritative, was the son of a high official of the Qi dynasty or a member of the imperial secret police investigating this matter.
“Me?” Lu Min came back to his senses, realizing he was currently nothing, and even informing his elder brother was impossible.
Lu Min deflated like a balloon, listlessly waving his hand, “I’m just an insignificant passerby, capable only of shouting a few times when seeing injustice. Ah! The corruption of the lower bureaucracy, so this is the root of it.”
The old boatman scoffed with disbelief, saying, “The world is just like this; even if the court arrested all these people, the bad would remain bad, and it can’t be mended. The difference here is whether the common folk can survive or are left with no way out.”
“Old man, saying this while taking people on your boat to flee, it seems there’s no way out at the dock for you?” Meng Qi casually asked.
The old boatman’s face darkened, and he silently puffed on his tobacco pouch.
He Haozi popped his head in at the cabin door and interjected, “Sir, you are mistaken. At Taijing Dock, boats come and go, goods are frequently loaded and unloaded; how could those who sell their labor starve?”
“Based on skill alone, there’s certainly food to eat, but I fear the simple things become complicated, with gang influences deeply intertwined. To fight over territory, brawls happen every few days, and to curry favor with the dock officials hoping for their support, regular tributes must be given. Where does this money come from if not from the hard-earned cash of your gang members, am I right or not?”
Meng Qi was well-acquainted with these dark secrets, needing no further questioning to list them.
The old boatman paused in his actions.
He Haozi’s complexion changed, he rushed in, taking two steps at a time, paddle in hand, and stood guard in front of the old boatman, asking in a hostile tone, “Who exactly are you? How do you know all this?”
Meng Qi spread his hands, nonchalantly stating, “Is this some kind of secret?”
“Of course, this is…” He Haozi suddenly stopped speaking.
“Internal affairs of your Green Snake Gang?” Meng Qi retorted, not without a chuckle, “Throughout history, such things are not new; how can they be considered secrets? If you don’t believe me, I can say more.”
The old boatman stared intently at him, and He Haozi was visibly tense.
Naturally, Dragon Vein wasn’t omniscient, even Meng Qi had to speculate based on what he saw and experienced personally. After a brief contemplation, he said, “Whether it’s fighting over territory or paying off officials, you clench your teeth and get by, only by sticking together can you have food to eat, but alas, times change and human hearts are unpredictable.”
He Haozi’s eyes widened, and Lu Min looked on with admiration, not understanding how Meng Qi could see through so much.
Mo Li kept a straight face, unable to debunk Meng Qi, he simply remained silent.
On the other hand, Mr. Jinshui, being an outsider, began to suspect something. In this world, any accident could be explained away with ‘times change and human hearts are unpredictable’, couldn’t it?
Meng Qi wasn’t merely bluffing.
The dock outside Taijing City was ancient; during the prosperous times of the Chu dynasty, merchant caravans from all over rushed here, and the old docks were insufficient, hence they were specially renovated. In the last years of the Chen dynasty, the world was in chaos, many families were destroyed, even those with Taijing household registration had no farmland to subsist on, and the merchant caravans supported many inns and restaurants, as well as the laborers on the docks.
He Haozi and the old boatman both spoke with a distinct Taijing accent; if they weren’t from the capital, they had spent many years at the docks.
He Haozi might not admit it, but the old boatman surely had seen the prosperity and subsequent decline of the dock crossing.
Given the old boatman’s age, his prime years coincided with the prosperity of the Chu dynasty, a time when people without land and unable to find shop work flocked to the docks for sustenance. Perhaps conflicts over jobs were fewer then; the caravans earned money and weren’t stingy about hiring people. Boats came and went incessantly, there was only a shortage of hands, not a lack of food, but what about now?
Meng Qi’s smile faded, turning serious as he asked, “About that guiding fee, how much do you have to hand over? Is it that the more you extort from clueless foreign merchants, the more you get to keep, otherwise it’s a wasted trip? I imagine, it’s not a small amount, could it be twenty wen per trip?”
Twenty wen was the amount Mr. Jinshui had given He Haozi, and they had even argued over the price for a while.
Meng Qi guessed casually, seeing He Haozi’s expression, he felt it was quite a coincidence.
“Really twenty wen? Sir, you previously said ten wen would do; it seems the one taking your money has grown greedier.” Meng Qi mused, leading the way to “earn” money was naturally quicker and much easier than rowing across the river or unloading cargo.
Could it be that He Haozi is dissatisfied, unwilling to take this money, to endure this exploitation?
—No, as the old boatman said, “Live off the land or water, if you can get by, who would want to change?” Making a living is most important, even if one knows their actions are dishonorable.
Mo Li tested the waters with a whispered question, “Brother Meng, could it be an internal issue within their gang…”
“Doctor, we see eye to eye.”
Meng Qi did not wait for Mo Li to respond, and declared directly: “It seems not only the officials are greedy, but also your gang leader.”
He Haozi almost couldn’t hold onto his oar anymore, looking at Meng Qi as if he were a ghost.
The Green Snake Gang was rotting through and through. Besides the gang leader, the various elders and leaders wore silk and brocade, merely covering them with coarse cloth when going out. Each one retained the old visages but had become unrecognizable to the old boatman.
Initially banded together for self-protection, after years of turf battles, they had become true local powers. No longer sharing weal and woe, they had split into two classes of people.
One group continued to toil in wind and rain at the docks, while the other bought fields, built houses, wore fur coats, drank fine wines, kept concubines, and lived in a perpetual drunken stupor, constantly squeezing more money from their subordinates.
Members of the gang deeply envied the latter’s lifestyle, eager to climb the ranks and eventually laze at home with women and money flowing in.
At the docks, not only were there fees for leading the way, but also for tea, and for washing and cleaning the boats.
The so-called boat washing was just splashing some water; without paying for tea, no cargo would be moved. The fee for leading the way involved directing larger ferries to different berthing spots, and without a guide, access to the boats was denied, a clear case of extortion.
And yet, the greed was insatiable, with prices continuously rising.
He Haozi wasn’t a good person; although he had to hand over most of the money, he did pocket some. Seeing these miscellaneous and increasingly costly charges, He Haozi was truly panicked.
If this continued, the Green Snake Gang was finished. He couldn’t enjoy the money, but disaster was sure to catch up to him.
Fortunately, He Haozi wasn’t the only smart one in the Green Snake Gang. Eventually, Old Yang decided it was time to take a chance and slip away. Initially, some disagreed, but just a few days later, rumors of a prince usurping the emperor and locking down the city gates spread.
What more was there to say? Wasn’t it time to run?
He Haozi held his oar, annoyed. Everything had been calculated perfectly, so how had this Inspector and his mysterious, perceptive companions suddenly appeared?
“Pop.”
The old boatman gave He Haozi a smack on the head.
—It was this guy’s greed that got them into trouble. On their way to the dock, he still thought of making a quick buck with a “leading fee,” which led to their entanglement with the inspector and the scheme to trap the scholar.
Author’s Note:
Neither Mr. Jinshui nor He Haozi are good men with a sense of justice.
Mr. Jinshui was too narrow-minded at first, so he cooperated. When he realized things were not as simple as he thought, he regretted it and wanted to flee.
He Haozi is the type to take any money he can get, righteous or not. But he’s not foolish; sensing something wrong, he would not be blinded by money.
—
This is a ship, and everyone aboard wants to escape Taijing.
The extras knocked out in sacks: ? ? ? ?
Lu Min: No, actually, I don’t want to leave.
Mo Li: I want to see the mountains outside.
Meng Qi: Indifferent, determined to never concede defeat even if it means climbing to the top of Shangyun Mountain.
