Chapter 18

Xiao Letian spent half a day to finally convince the suspicious Qing San Ye. He spoke very convincingly, reducing the number of bandits on Mount Taihang to less than 200 and giving them tragic backstories similar to those in the Water Margin.

"They are all outlaws who have suffered greatly at the hands of the government. If they had food, how could they turn to banditry? As for the archers and crossbowmen, you know that with the chaos in the south, such weapons are plentiful among the people. It’s easy to gather a hundred or so sets if one is determined..."

"The most important thing is that there are only a hundred or so of them. What else can they do besides earning a living? Don’t think of them as too terrifying. I’ve already decided to open a trading company in Tianjin and do some small business with foreigners. You know, foreigners are not easy to deal with. If I don’t have some tough guys, the foreigners will eat me alive..."

After much effort, Xiao Letian finally played his trump card, "Qing San Ye, even if you don’t listen to anything else, you must consider the face of the Emperor and the two Empresses."

Fu Qing was stunned, "What did you say? The Emperor’s face! And the Empresses’ faces?"

"Isn’t it obvious? After Nanjing was captured in July, the Emperor and the Empresses were so delighted that they held a banquet, inviting not only all the officials but also the foreign envoys from Dongjiaomin Alley. They had a great time. Now it’s the end of the year, and it’s said that Zeng Guofan will return to the capital to report to the Emperor. On such a joyous occasion, do you really want to ruin it by stirring up trouble?"

This woke Qing San Ye up. As a Manchu, he understood the intricacies of the court very well. It was almost the New Year, and if he insisted on fighting the bandits, he would only be causing trouble for the Emperor and the Empresses.

"Oh, I’m so foolish. No wonder Lian Er refused to send troops. The root of the problem is here. He’s thinking about the court’s face! If I make a big fuss, the Emperor and the Empresses will be so upset during the holiday," Qing San Ye lamented, pounding his chest.

At this moment, Xiao Letian added, "Exactly. If the foreigners hear that we can’t even protect a place like Xiling, that bandits have emerged, they will laugh at us. We can’t lose face for the Qing Dynasty... Besides, I promise you, by the Spring Festival at the latest, I will move into the inner city. You can watch me with your own eyes to see if I will let these brothers rebel."

Xiao Letian explained repeatedly, eventually dispelling Qing San Ye’s doubts. Qing San Ye hesitated and looked at Xiao Letian, "You really want to open a trading company? And really have them as bodyguards?"

"Oh, my dear San Ye, you will have a share in the trading company, and you can watch over it every day, okay?" This finally put Qing San Ye at ease. He patted the dust off his clothes and shouted, "Someone, prepare the noon banquet. I want to drink until I’m drunk..."

Just then, a low voice came from outside the room, "Young Master, the Chief Manager is sending more troops to the city. This time, he has surrounded Guangde Number, and it looks like he’s going to take action against Manager Fan Lian."

"Damn, that old lecher, he’s really going to make a move on Hu Nü. That girl is so pitiful..." Qing San Ye shook his head in anger.

Xiao Letian looked at Fu Qing with a strange expression and suddenly asked, "Are you just going to sigh? Aren’t you going to help? Don’t you care about the bond of shared adversity?"

"I, I, I... What can I do? It’s a legal marriage arranged by his uncle. It’s not illegal, and if I interfere, what will people say..."

"Bullshit! Hu Nü is the woman I’ve set my eyes on. Anyone who tries to take her will have to deal with me. Fu Qing, you should think about it. Letting Hu Nü marry an old man on the verge of death, and you just stand by and watch?"

Xiao Letian’s good mood was ruined, and he spat at Fu Qing. Fu Qing’s face turned red, and he realized his thinking couldn’t keep up with Xiao Letian’s. Were foreigners really this different? How could they be so different from people in the Qing Dynasty?

Even Hu Nü’s own father hasn’t raised a fuss, so why should we, outsiders, interfere? Besides, Hu Nü is a daughter of a concubine, and her status in the family is only slightly higher than a steward. Often, such daughters are treated like maids, and their marriages are arranged for the family’s benefit.

Marriage to a sixty-year-old man is common, and even a posthumous marriage to a dead man is not unusual. What’s there to be upset about? Why is Xiao Letian so angry? Does he really have feelings for Hu Nü?

"Calm down, brother, calm down. It’s fine if you scold me, but don’t go causing trouble at someone else’s house! If you ruin Hu Nü’s reputation, the poor girl won’t be able to live..."

"Damn..." Xiao Letian was speechless. He was defeated by the ancient mindset. Helping Hu Nü escape feudal shackles had become a sin. He grabbed Fu Qing’s arm and said, "I don’t care. Hu Nü is my woman, and no one can stop us. If it comes to it, I’ll give up writing and open a trading company. I’ll even cause a ruckus like in Water Margin..."

"Oh, brother, you have a temper like gunpowder. Why are you so quick to lose control? Come back here..." Qing San Ye held onto Xiao Letian and promised, "I’ll take care of it. But tell me, do you really have a chance with Hu Nü, or are you just infatuated?"

Xiao Letian smiled, "To be honest, even Hu Nü’s father doesn’t oppose it now. Is it one-sided or mutual?"

Qing San Ye was thoroughly defeated by Xiao Letian. He thought, "In just one day and night, you’ve won Hu Nü’s heart. You foreigners are really different."

If there was one person in Yixian County who wasn’t afraid of Lian Er, it was Fu Qing. Despite being young and a subordinate of Lian Er, Fu Qing was a noble of the Bordered Yellow Banner, inheriting a fifth-rank Cloud Cavalry Captain title from birth. Although his family wasn’t as prosperous as before, he could still connect with princes if he lowered his pride.

As for Lian Er, he was just a Han Chinese who was raised early in the Qing Dynasty, relying on flattery and seniority to reach his current position. He was important if you gave him face, but nothing if you didn’t.

"Stop, stop, stop... Whose carriage is this? Can’t you see? Guangde Number isn’t doing business today..."

"Blind dog, how dare you stop the carriage of Qing San Ye..." Fu Qing lifted the curtain, his face full of anger, staring at the guard.

"Oh, my, greetings to San Ye..." The guard’s expression changed instantly, performing the most respectful bow of the inner city.

"Enough, enough. Who told you to block the door? Don’t you know that Manager Fan is my friend?"

"Oh, San Ye, how could we offend Manager Fan? This is an order from Lian Er. We are just messengers, and we have to follow orders. You understand, right..."

Xiao Letian witnessed the eloquence of the late Qing Banner guards. The bow, the smile, and the respect were impeccable, reminding him of the old version of "Teahouse." He never realized that the old Beijing people could be so courteous.

However, the surface respect couldn’t hide the underlying hostility. A few words planted seeds of suspicion between Fu Qing and Lian Er, and the guard subtly hinted at using their influence. "You, Qing San Ye, are so powerful, but I’ll just pass the buck to Lian Er. If you want to fight, go ahead, but don’t take it out on us messengers. That wouldn’t be proper, would it?"

Xiao Letian almost applauded the guard’s skill. He thought, "If my former assistant had such a silver tongue, I wouldn’t have worked so hard." But his gaze fell on the noodle vendor at the alley entrance, who was already kneeling in fear. The guard’s eyes were full of terror, clearly having been bullied.

Sighing, Xiao Letian thought, "Flattery to superiors and bullying inferiors, this is the real life of late Qing."

"Enough, don’t play games with your San Ye. Go and settle the noodle vendor’s bill. It’s cold, and he’s a poor man..." A silver coin flew into the guard’s hand.

"Thank you, San Ye..." The guard bowed repeatedly, delighted. But he then turned to the vendor with a cold face, tossing the coin.

"Look, look, look, be careful it doesn’t stick in your eye! Even if I give it to you, can you make change?" The vendor shook his head in fear.

Xiao Letian scolded Fu Qing in the carriage, "You’re rewarding this kind of person? I bet he’ll go straight to Lian Er to report."

Fu Qing sighed, "Brother, do you think I don’t know what they’re like? I grew up with these people. The silver I gave him is to buy his silence for a while. This will delay his report by at least an hour. These guys are smart."

The black carriage was no longer stopped and drove straight into Guangde Number. Before Xiao Letian could get out, ten guards with muskets, looking fierce, surrounded him, protecting him from all sides.

"Oh! You’re Luo Huo, you’re Chu Zhao, you’re Lu Ying..." Xiao Letian’s memory was excellent. He remembered the names of the ten musketeers he had trained in the temple.

The ten simple guards were moved to tears when their master called their names. They whispered, "Master, rest assured. We will protect you. Anyone who disrespects you will face our guns." Luo Huo, the tall one, patted his bulging powder bag.

Xiao Letian was surprised by their respect. They treated him like a precious gem, escorting him to the inner quarters. Along the way, he saw many familiar faces from the caravan, who bowed and knelt, tears in their eyes, welcoming their savior.

The manager of Guangde Number and his staff were stunned. They felt a change in the atmosphere, especially from the ten musketeers, who looked at them like they were dead men. They didn’t know what it was, but they sensed something bad was about to happen.

Fu Qing and Xiao Letian entered the inner quarters, and the ten musketeers and loyal staff surrounded the study, not even a fly could get in. The manager tried to bring in some snacks and tea but was stopped by Luo Huo.

"Manager, please tend to the front counter. We will take care of the inner quarters." The cold tone left the manager speechless.