Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 785 Paying Homage and Receiving
As soon as the two sat down, Commander Chen put down his teacup and asked bluntly, "Old Lü, why are you back so soon? Didn't I tell you to stay at Pillow Moon Pavilion for a few days and keep an eye on that Qi Biaojia, to see who he associates with?"

“There’s no need,” Old Lu sat up slightly, his face showing a hint of certainty. “I’ve already investigated Qi Biaojia’s identity, and it seems there’s no fabrication on his part.”

"Oh?" Commander Chen raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Did you directly question the manager of Pillow Moon Pavilion? Or did you manage to see Qi Biaojia's travel permit?"

"I didn't speak to the shopkeeper, nor did I see his travel permit or official document," Old Lu said with a faint smile. "I just sat in the main hall for dinner and found out what I needed to investigate."

General Chen's expression darkened, and his tone became more serious: "You haven't been in contact with that Qi Biaojia, have you?"

"How could that be? Wouldn't that alert them?" Old Lu quickly shook his head. "I really just had a meal. At most, I chatted with a few porters at the table, and that's all I heard and saw."

"Hey! What are you keeping me in suspense for?" Commander Chen gave Old Lü a light glare.

"Hey. Didn't you keep asking?" Old Lu scoffed. "I was just answering what you said."

"Fuck!" Commander Chen cursed with a laugh, urging, "Tell me what happened quickly."

"Well, how should I put it?" Old Lu cleared his throat, recalling the scene at the time, and slowly said, "I think that this afternoon, Qi Biaojia should have gone to the Governor's Office to deliver his visiting card. While I was eating noodles, the Governor's Office sent a yamen runner named Zhao Fengnian to report that he should accompany Governor Sun to a banquet at Jinmen Tower in three days." Old Lu paused, then added, "I think this information should be enough to prove Qi Biaojia's identity, so I came back directly to report."

Commander Chen nodded slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of his armchair. "But you didn't do anything, so how do you know the names of the constables and the content of their replies so clearly?"

“They didn’t hide anything when they were talking,” Old Lu chuckled. “Zhao Fengnian called out to Qi Biaojia right there in the lobby, and several tables of guests around heard it. Oh, and there’s something else—your brother Chen San’er was there too, so he definitely heard it more clearly than I did.”

"San'er? What's he doing at Pillow Moon Pavilion?" Commander Chen was taken aback. "Delivering books?"

"Probably," Old Lu nodded. "I saw him carrying a book basket and following behind Qi Biaojia. But he probably didn't see me."

"Hmm," Commander Chen nodded, having a general idea of ​​what was going on, and waved his hand: "Alright, I understand. Your mission is done, go back and rest."

"Alright." Old Lü didn't leave immediately. Instead, he took out a cloth bag from his pocket. Inside was a pile of loose silver coins, weighing about an ounce. This was the investigation fund that Commander Chen had given Old Lü, originally intended for him to stay at the Pillow Moon Pavilion.

Old Lu unfolded the cloth bag, pressed down the edges, and pushed it in front of Commander Chen: "I didn't use a single penny, I'm returning it all to you."

General Chen glanced at the loose silver on the table, picked out a silver ingot weighing about one qian (approximately 3.5 grams), and handed it back to Old Lü. "Take this money as a reward for your hard work today."

"Thank you, Commander Chen! Then I won't stand on ceremony!" Old Lu accepted the silver ingot, feeling both pleased and envious. He slowly tucked the silver ingot into his pocket, and remembering the silk merchant he had seen in the main room earlier, he couldn't help but ask, "By the way, Commander Chen, that Mr. Wang who was just talking business with you, did he really rent the warehouse at the dock?"

"The intention is settled, but there are still some minor details to discuss." Chief Chen took out the public funds bag he was carrying and carefully put the remaining silver into it, one by one.

"How much is the rent?" Old Lu leaned even closer.

"Hehe." Commander Chen raised an eyebrow and chuckled, stuffing the last piece of silver into the bag, then tying the knot and hanging it on his waist. "His silk and cloth shop wants to rent two warehouses by the river, one for storing cotton and linen, and the other for storing silk. Each warehouse costs ten taels of silver a month, so two warehouses would cost twenty taels. The contract is for six months at a time, and three months' rent is paid upfront as a deposit."

"Twenty taels a month?" Old Lu's eyes widened, and he started counting on his fingers. "That's one hundred and twenty taels for half a year, and two hundred and forty taels a year! My goodness, that's too much of a profit!"

“That’s not all,” General Manager Chen said excitedly. “His silk and cloth business transports goods from the south, so he needs to hire workers to carry them, right? In the future, if he wants to expand his sales channels, he’ll need to find local merchants to cooperate with, right? Our brokerage can help him with all these things, and we can also take a commission. That’s another source of income.”

Old Lu felt a surge of envy; the jealousy he had suppressed earlier resurfaced. He tried his best to hold back, but couldn't help asking the question he hadn't been able to get cleared up in the main room earlier: "So, in the end, won't all the rent and commission have to be handed over to the authorities?"

The smile on General Chen's face faded slightly, and he sighed with a hint of helplessness: "Of course we have to pay. In the words of Manager Bai of Zhijing Hall, although this shop doesn't openly display its name, it's a legitimate imperial shop. The warehouse we just rented out was all the property of corrupt officials that was confiscated before, and it's under the management of the inner court. To put it bluntly, we're just managing the shop for the higher-ups; how could we keep the profits for ourselves?"

Old Lu felt inexplicably better, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips. If the profits just stayed in the shop, he would be green with envy. He leaned forward again and asked casually, "So, who will this money be given to? Will it be given directly to the head office? Or some other government agency? Like a bank?"

“I’m not entirely sure about that either,” Chen Zongqi shook his head. “Our brokerage firm isn’t like a weaving workshop, which has a clear superior like a weaving factory. The warehouse rental deal we just finalized is the first major deal we’ve made since the firm was established, and there are many things we don’t understand. I’m thinking of whether I should write a report and submit it to ask where this money should be paid.”

Old Lu's eyes darted around, and a thought suddenly popped into his head. With a hint of encouragement, he asked, "So, you haven't thought about keeping this silver for yourself? Anyway, the rules haven't been set yet, and nobody knows the exact amount." As he spoke, Old Lu even made a gesture of stuffing something into his pocket.

"Are you crazy! How dare you say such a thing?" Commander Chen immediately interrupted him, his face darkening. "Just because there are no regulations now doesn't mean there won't be in the future! The higher-ups know how much stuff the brokerage firms have and roughly how much it's worth. Ordinary managers who steal their masters' property are punished by family law, but people like us who are dishonest are just asking for death." He paused, his voice lowering further. "Today, Auditor Pang from the Imperial Household Department, Inspector Fang from the Western Depot, and Director Gao from the General Administration of Customs all came. What do you think they're here for? Aren't they here to cause trouble for those official brokerage firms?"

"They've already arrived?" Old Lu's mouth gaped open, clearly unaware of this.

"We'll stay at the inn this afternoon," Commander Chen nodded.

"Should we keep an eye on them?" Old Lu asked. "Keep an eye on them? Let's stay away. The post station will be watching." Commander Chen stood up and nodded toward the door. "By the way, you should also avoid the area around the post station these days, especially that Fang Zhenghua. I heard he's a stubborn kid, so don't run into him."

"Understood." Old Lu put away his little scheme, grabbed the basket at his feet, and followed Commander Chen toward the main room.

--------

The next morning, the sunlight had dispelled the morning chill and spilled onto the roof of the government office, adding a touch of majesty to the mythical beasts adorning the roof.

On the street outside the yamen, a series of orderly footsteps, accompanied by the crisp sound of ceremonial drums, approached from afar. Three vermilion palanquins, each carried by four men, came to a steady stop in front of the main gate, led and followed by a group of soldiers dressed in blue post station uniforms. The curtains on the palanquins were embroidered with subtle patterns, and the newly replaced bronze ornaments on the palanquin roofs gleamed warmly in the sunlight, clearly indicating that this was the protocol for travel within the palace.

Qian, the clerk in the gatehouse, had already heard the commotion outside. He put down his teacup, stood up and straightened his blue cloth robe. He quickly walked to the door and instructed the yamen runner who was standing guard, "Go quickly to the signing room and inform Vice Minister Sun and the temporary magistrate that the three eunuchs from the palace have arrived." After saying that, he took small steps to go out and greet them.

As Qian Shuban stepped out of the gate, a courier beside the sedan chair stepped forward and lifted the curtain. Three men dressed in the robes of eunuchs of different ranks alighted one after another. The one in the lead wore a dark-colored eunuch's casual robe with a rhinoceros horn belt around his waist and a gentle smile on his face. The next man wore a dark blue eunuch's casual robe and looked so young that he seemed out of place here. The last man wore a dark blue eunuch's casual robe. He was slightly overweight and looked somewhat haggard, as if he hadn't slept well.

Having worked in various government offices for over twenty years, Qian, the clerk, was most familiar with the etiquette and manners of officialdom. Seeing that the three eunuchs had just alighted from their sedan chairs, he deliberately slowed his pace, waiting until the three had gathered together and even lined up in order before quickly stepping forward, bowing deeply: "I am Qian Duanguo, a clerk under the Governor's Office. Greetings, Your Excellencies."

“No need for such formalities, Secretary Qian.” Gao Shiming, who was in the lead, nodded slightly, raised his hand in a gesture of support, and casually tossed out a prelude for others to start a conversation: “We have come uninvited, and we are not sure if our timing is right?”

"You three have arrived at just the right time!" Qian Shuban hurriedly replied with a smile, "The Censor has been up since early this morning, and the Shenzhanshu (a local official) has been waiting in the yamen, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the three eunuchs!" As he spoke, he stepped aside and waved his hand towards the yamen, "Please come in, gentlemen, I will lead the way."

"Thank you for your help, Secretary Qian." Gao Shiming smiled and nodded, leading Pang, Fang, and some eunuchs of official rank into the yamen.

Qian Shuban led the way, but he had his own plans. He knew that Sun Zhongcheng would definitely be waiting for him outside the ceremonial gate. If he walked too fast, the Zhongcheng might not have time to prepare. So he deliberately slowed his pace, and every few steps he would secretly look back to control his speed.

Gao Shiming was incredibly astute. Seeing Qian Shuban's slow pace, he immediately guessed Sun Chengzong's plan. He didn't urge him but led the group to follow at a leisurely pace. Fang Zhenghua and Pang Tianshou behind him also understood the situation tacitly and walked at Gao Shiming's pace, neither too fast nor too slow.

As soon as the group reached the middle of the passageway, they saw a group of people coming towards them.

Walking in the very center was none other than Sun Chengzong, the Governor of Tianjin. He wore an official hat, a scarlet robe with a cloud and goose motif, and a gold belt around his waist. Although he wore a smile, the deep lines of his face still betrayed his lingering weariness.

Beside Sun Chengzong stood a military officer dressed in a scarlet robe adorned with tiger and leopard emblems and a long sword at his waist. This was none other than Shen Zhengping, the recently promoted Vice Commander of the Tianjin Central Guard. Behind them were seven or eight assistant officials, dressed in their respective official robes and arranged in order of rank.

Seeing this, Qian Shuban immediately quickened his pace, taking two quick steps towards the ceremonial gate. Gao Shiming and the others also sped up, and the two sides soon met in front of the ceremonial gate.

Gao Shiming stopped about two steps away from Sun Chengzong and bowed first: "I, Gao Shiming, pay my respects to Minister Sun. I apologize for disturbing you and for troubling you with taking the time to meet me." Fang Zhenghua, Pang Tianshou and the other eunuchs behind Gao Shiming also bowed. Although they did not speak, they showed great respect.

Sun Chengzong quickly led Shen Zhengping and a group of civil and military officials to return the greeting with clasped hands: "Eunuch Gao, there is no need for such formalities! The three eunuchs have come from afar, and it is already impolite of me not to greet them properly. Now, I have made the eunuchs wait outside the door. I hope you will forgive me."

Gao Shiming straightened up and bowed to Sun Chengzong again. Then he turned to the side and raised his hand to Fang Zhenghua beside him, saying, "Minister Sun, please allow me to introduce you. This is Fang Zhenghua, an inspector from the Western Depot's External Investigation Division."

Fang Zhenghua immediately stepped forward and bowed with a hint of restraint: "Student Fang Zhenghua greets Vice Minister Sun. I have long admired your illustrious reputation, and today I have the honor of meeting you. Indeed, your extraordinary bearing is well-deserved."

Sun Chengzong returned the greeting with a smile of approval: "Inspector Fang, you flatter me. I have long heard of a promising young inspector in the Western Depot. Meeting you today, I can see that you are indeed a young talent, a promising young man indeed."

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency is too kind. I dare not accept such praise." Fang Zhenghua blushed and bowed again.

Gao Shiming then turned to the other side and introduced Pang Tianshou: "Minister Sun. This is Pang Tianshou, the deputy director of the Audit Bureau of the Imperial Household Department."

Pang Tianshou stepped forward half a step: "I am Pang Tianshou, paying my respects to Vice Minister Sun. I have long admired your deeds, and it is a great honor to meet you today."

“Deputy Director Pang, you flatter me.” Sun Chengzong returned the greeting with a cupped hand. “I have long heard of a talented man surnamed Pang in the inner court who remains pure even in a corrupt environment. Meeting him today, I can confirm that he is indeed an extraordinary person.”

The compliment, "remaining pure even amidst turbid currents," struck a chord with Pang Tianshou. He immediately bowed deeply, his face beaming, and said, "You flatter me, Your Excellency. I was merely fulfilling my duty and dare not accept such praise."

After the three eunuchs finished their introductions, Sun Chengzong stepped aside and waved to Shen Zhengping beside him, introducing him to the three men: “Gentlemen, this is Shen Zhengping, the acting commander of the Central Guard, who is temporarily in charge of the seal and affairs of the guard. Recently, the various affairs of the Central Guard in Tianjin have been handled by Commander Shen with the assistance of the governor.”

Shen Zhengping immediately stepped forward and bowed to Gao Shiming, Fang Zhenghua, and Pang Tianshou in turn: "I am Shen Zhengping. I pay my respects to Director Gao, Inspector Fang, and Deputy Director Pang. I hope you three will give me your guidance in the future if there are any matters related to the Guard."

After exchanging pleasantries, Sun Chengzong gestured towards the main hall of the yamen, a gentle smile on his face: "The three eunuchs have had a long journey. The sun is getting stronger outside, so let's go to the main hall for tea first. We can talk about whatever we need to do while we're seated."

(End of this chapter)