Chapter 55

"Um, I heard you and Deputy Zheng are uncle and nephew?"

Zhang Wuchang’s eyes darted around, and he began to inquire.

Once Zhang Quanchang left, the Zhang family’s influence in Datong greatly diminished. If Zheng Guochang indeed took up the position of military commissioner, the power of the chief and deputy would be vastly different. Thinking of this, Zhang Wuchang forced a smile.

"I am indeed from the Puzhou Zhang family. My great-uncle once served as a magistrate, and Deputy Zheng was a scholar he selected..."

"I see."

Zhang Wuchang said, "Since we have this connection, the branch of Heyu Sheng in our city will naturally be under my care. Please rest assured, Mr. Zhang."

"How could I not be reassured with your words?" Zhang Han stood up and smiled, "I plan to form an association, the Tiancheng Wei Grain Purchase and Sales Association. Why don’t you take a share? At the end of the year, you will have silver to collect."

Zhang Wuchang, being from a military family, said without hesitation, "Of course, but how much is it?"

Zhang Han replied, "More than a thousand taels."

This made Zhang Wuchang extremely pleased, and he stood up, saying, "From now on, the affairs of this association will be my responsibility!"

...

A new room was prepared in the silver vault. Zhang Han and Zhang Chun waited in the east room. It was already June, and the weather was getting hot. After dark, the silver vault only allowed entry but no exit, except when Zhang Han was personally present.

The outer wall was heightened and thickened in April. Now, the silver vault covered nearly three acres, with the outer wall much higher than ordinary courtyard walls. Four corner towers were added, and armed guards watched from them day and night. The walls were very thick, about twice as thick as ordinary walls, all built with blue bricks. The interior, from the courtyard to each warehouse, was plastered with bricks to prevent fires. There were no plants or trees, and people entering felt an emptiness, with cold eyes staring at them, making their backs chill. Whenever they came to the silver vault, the porters were always in a hurry, finishing their tasks and leaving quickly.

On the other side, the grain warehouse had more rooms and a larger area. Every day, it was bustling with people, with laughter, play, and the shouts of workers unloading grain bags never ceasing... Since May, tens of thousands of stones of grain were collected daily from various places, most of which were inspected and stored in Xinping Fort. Over a thousand houses in the northern part of the street had been bought by Heyu Sheng, causing the housing prices in the fort to rise sharply, leading to many complaints from merchants planning to buy houses.

Under the high walls, close to the northern wall near the city wall, and under the four corner towers, three rows of houses were built, each row with five rooms, spaced far apart. The houses were all built with stone foundations and blue brick walls, with no windows. They were separated from the silver vault by a wall, with a small door in between. No other doors were opened outward. This was where the guards lived and cooked.

The middle row was already occupied by Yang Qiu and his subordinates. Most of the people he chose were cold and meticulous. Other guards dared not come near, and the sound of beatings every day made people even more afraid to approach.

Under the dim light, Yang Qiu’s hands and face were splattered with blood, and even some flesh clung to his body. Liu Dequan and two other guards were tightly bound. The other two were already beaten to a pulp, lying on the ground and moaning. Liu Dequan, however, was very tough, with his body covered in whip marks, but he only gritted his teeth and said nothing.

Yang Qiu and his men were tired from the beating, and they were angry at the contempt and fury in Liu Dequan’s eyes.

On the way back from Tiancheng Wei, Yang Qiu had already reported Liu Dequan’s suspicious behavior to Zhang Han. After returning to the fort, Zhang Han ordered Yang Qiu to secretly follow him. Indeed, Liu Dequan was found to have secret contact with Li Mingda from the Fan family’s branch. Every evening, he would sneak to the Fan family’s branch under the pretext of drinking. Two days ago, Zhang Han ordered him to be secretly captured, put in a sack, and brought to this secret place for interrogation.

This was, of course, an illegal act, but with the support of the general and the deputy commissioner, and with the silver lining, plus the location being sufficiently hidden, there was no fear of outsiders hearing and causing trouble. They could do as they pleased. Yang Qiu and his men fully unleashed their imagination in torturing, but they could not make Liu Dequan confess.

"What the hell, Yang Qiu, what kind of potion did Zhang Han give you?" As soon as the cloth was pulled out of his mouth, Liu Dequan’s anger erupted: "Fan Dongzhu is the one with a large family and business. You see Heyu Sheng is doing well now, but how many people are waiting to take Zhang Han’s life? You will end up dying on the street sooner or later."

Yang Qiu wiped the saliva from Liu Dequan’s face, still smiling. Liu Dequan shivered involuntarily at his smile.

Yang Qiu said calmly, "You don’t need to worry about the future of the Dongzhu. You don’t know how strong his backing is. The Fan family, no matter how capable, is still just that. Their connections are not as strong as ours. Moreover, the Dongzhu is very generous to his subordinates. How do you think the Fan family treats their people? They use you now and promise you benefits, but when they no longer need you, you will be like a chamber pot under the bed, quickly discarded... Will you speak or not? If not, there are many more ways to make you talk."

Liu Dequan’s eyes darted, and he said, "Untie me, and I will speak."

"Fine, who contacted whom first, and what exactly did you plan to do? What is the conspiracy against Heyu Sheng and the Dongzhu?"

"It was the Fan family who contacted me first..."

"Old Liu, you are truly a fool..."

Yang Qiu saw Liu Dequan’s left eye move first, his eyes looking up, and sighed, "At this point, you are still lying. This is your fault, not mine."

There are many subtle ways to distinguish truth from lies. Zhang Han hadn’t studied them in detail, but he had learned some from a famous American TV series. The right brain is the memory area, and the left brain is the creative area. If recalling facts, the right eye usually moves first. If the left eye moves first, it means they are lying.

Of course, this can sometimes be inaccurate, but the possibility is very small. At least after Zhang Han taught Yang Qiu, he tried it on many people, and it was mostly accurate.

Even if there were a few inaccuracies, it was not a big deal. Who doesn’t have a few innocent souls under their belt...

Yang Qiu shook his head and sighed, showing a look of pity. Liu Dequan became nervous, and when he saw Yang Qiu take out a sharp, gleaming knife, he even showed a look of disdain.

Fear of death is a universal human trait, but Liu Dequan was a tough character. Among the ruffians, there were always people like him. Even when the knife was on his body, he would not flinch. Liu Dequan’s right hand and left hand were missing fingers, which he had cut off himself in a “sign” game. Two gangs fighting over territory would not necessarily engage in a full-scale battle. Instead, they would send representatives to draw lots. If they drew the lot, they would cut off their fingers. If they showed any hesitation or fear, they would be forced to leave the business and farm.

Would someone who had played the “sign” game be afraid of a small knife?

"Old Liu, I know you are not afraid of knives," Yang Qiu said solemnly. "This is what the Dongzhu ordered. Don’t blame me."

The cold blade moved downward, and two more people stripped Liu Dequan’s pants, exposing his private parts. Liu Dequan felt the danger and shouted, "Yang Qiu, what are you going to do?"

Yang Qiu said calmly, "The Dongzhu said you are a lazy person. Ordinary methods may not work on you. Here’s the deal: if you speak honestly, I will give you a quick death. If you don’t, I will cut off your private parts first, then slice you piece by piece. Outside, a small fire is simmering with ginseng soup to keep you alive. I won’t stop until you are cut for three days and three nights... Think about it, Old Liu. If you are mutilated, you will be incomplete and despised in the afterlife. Is it worth it for the benefits they offer you?"

Feeling the knife on his private parts, Liu Dequan’s spirit finally broke, and he began to cry and confess.

This method, learned from Tiancheng Wei, proved to be quite effective.

In those days, eunuchs were either war captives or from poor families near the capital. Outside the capital, no one was willing to enter the palace. Even if they became eunuchs, they were always incomplete, and their severed parts were buried with them to ensure peace in the afterlife.

In Tiancheng Wei, Zhang Han used this to scare Ma Chao, and it worked. Now, he used it on Liu Dequan, and it was equally effective.

After settling Liu Dequan, Yang Qiu excitedly went to find Zhang Han.

As he approached the east room, Yang Qiu’s face was calm. He knocked lightly, and Zhang Han’s voice from inside invited him in.

Hearing Zhang Han’s calm and composed voice, Yang Qiu was secretly impressed.

He had decided to follow Zhang Han not just for the reasons he told Liu Dequan. Yang Qiu was used to a relaxed lifestyle and did not like being constrained. When Heyu Sheng first recruited guards, the rules were loose, and the treatment was good. Even Liu Dequan had no intention of leaving. Later, with Wang Changfu, the training became strict, and the guards were exhausted. The rules were also stricter. For example, once assigned to guard the silver vault, they could not leave for two months, and no outsiders were allowed in. Gambling was forbidden, and they were encouraged to read books and learn to write. If these ruffians were so eager to improve, they wouldn’t have joined the ruffians in the first place. If not for the high salary and good treatment, and the fact that the training and guarding were on a rotation, allowing them to work outside with more freedom, most of the ruffians would have left by now.

Yang Qiu saw more in Zhang Han’s abilities and future. Zhang Han’s cunning and decisiveness, as well as his calm and ruthless decision-making, were well-known to Yang Qiu. In his view, the Dongzhu would surely be an extraordinary person, at least another Fan Yongdou, but more generous. Following the Dongzhu, he believed he would have the opportunity to achieve something great. After more than half a year, Yang Qiu was firmly convinced of this.