Chapter 41

(Seeking recommendations, Three Rivers votes, and additional updates...)

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Chen Ke had no particular destination in mind, just strolling leisurely with his two younger brothers. They watched groups of people gather to play games and listen to storytelling, saw young boys chasing and playing on the street, and observed shops and stores blooming like spring flowers, each vying to outdo the others. The cries of vendors sounded like the songs of orioles, while the scent of sugar wafted from the candy shops.

Doing nothing, just walking, listening, and watching, made him feel as if he were sipping a refreshing drink, utterly at ease.

Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard someone call out, "Sanlang!"

Chen Ke turned to see the wine merchant Li Jian, followed by two servants carrying gifts.

"It's Uncle Li. Where are you going on such a festive day?" Chen Ke smiled and greeted him with a bow.

"To your place," Li Jian tried to smile but couldn't. "I just happened to run into you."

"Is there something wrong?"

"First, it's been a while since we last met, and I wanted to see you. Second, sigh..." Li Jian sighed. "Let's talk at your place."

Chen Ke nodded. Seeing that Liulang was still enjoying himself, he asked Wulang to keep an eye on him and then led Li Jian home.

At home, he invited Li Jian to sit in the front hall but couldn't find Aunt Zhang. Chen Ke had to pour the tea himself.

"No need to trouble yourself," Li Jian stopped him. "I'm burning with anxiety; I have no mood for tea."

"The more reason to calm down," Chen Ke said, though he didn't know how to make Song Dynasty tea. He brought Li Jian a glass of water instead. "Drink up and we'll talk."

"Ah..." Li Jian drank the water in one gulp and sighed heavily. "Sanlang, we're in deep trouble."

"..." Chen Ke frowned, waiting for him to continue.

"Yesterday, I was summoned by the magistrate. He told me that Huangjiao Wine has been added to the list of tribute items for Yizhou Prefecture!" Li Jian's face was full of bitterness. "Starting this year, every September, we need to supply one hundred barrels of original wine to Yizhou Prefecture for purchase." The term 'purchase' here means that the government would set the quantity and price and force the purchase of goods.

"How much is the government paying?" Chen Ke asked.

"Five guan."

"Five guan?!" Chen Ke's eyes widened. "A barrel of original wine weighs six hundred catties, and the cost alone is fourteen guan! We would lose nine hundred guan on one hundred barrels, not to mention how much wine we can produce in a year?"

"Last year, we produced seventy thousand catties..." Li Jian said bitterly. "We can't keep up."

"Didn't you explain this to the magistrate?" Chen Ke stared at him. "This isn't just a demand for wine; it's a death sentence!"

"Of course I did," Li Jian said dejectedly. "But the magistrate said this was an imperial order, and there was no room for negotiation..."

"Bring it here..." Chen Ke held out his hand.

"What?" Li Jian looked up with tearful eyes.

"The official document!" Chen Ke glared at him. "You need to let me see it to be sure."

"There is no document. The magistrate told me orally," Li Jian shook his head. "He said to prepare and that the official document would come before the shipment."

"Hey..." Chen Ke rubbed his smooth chin. "That's really strange..." He asked, "What else did the magistrate say?"

"Nothing, he dismissed me after that..." Li Jian said helplessly.

"You just came back obediently?" Chen Ke was incredulous.

"What could I do? If it were Magistrate Chen, I would have argued until the end," Li Jian said gloomily. "But Magistrate Song took office at the beginning of the year and has a cold, distant demeanor. I haven't had the chance to build any connections yet."

Thanks to the rapid development of Qingshen County, the former magistrate Chen, due to his outstanding performance, was promoted before his term was up. A new magistrate surnamed Song took over at the beginning of the year.

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Seeing Chen Ke silent for a long time, Li Jian finally couldn't hold back his tears. "I always thought that such tributes were far away from us, how did this happen to us?"

"Fame and success can be dangerous. Once you're noticed, someone will come to take advantage," Chen Ke said calmly. "This isn't surprising, but I didn't expect it to happen in the Song Dynasty."

"Ah, I always thought I was someone important, but when something happens, I realize I'm nothing," Li Jian wiped his tears. "I'm completely in the dark, just waiting to be slaughtered."

"Don't panic," Chen Ke comforted him. "There are still a few months until September. We can think of something."

"What can we do?" Li Jian was extremely discouraged. "Besides, we have to ship ten thousand catties this month. Should we ship it or not?"

"..." Chen Ke thought for a moment and asked, "How many more orders do you have?"

"At least a hundred thousand catties, all the way to the year after next," Li Jian thought for a moment. "Just for the shipments due by September, we have fifty thousand catties, all paid in full."

"I told you to only take deposits, but you didn't listen," Chen Ke glared at him. "Now you're in a bind, aren't you?"

"Sanlang, it's no use talking about that now. Come up with a plan quickly!" Li Jian pleaded.

"Ship it. A man without integrity is nothing. We have a written contract; why shouldn't we ship?" Chen Ke thought for a while and said firmly. "Don't take any new orders, but fulfill the existing ones on time."

"What about the one hundred barrels for the government purchase?" Li Jian's eyes widened.

"Can't you see? If we follow the government's terms, we're doomed," Chen Ke said calmly. "Whether we fulfill the existing orders or not, we're just dying faster or slower. If we're going to die anyway, why let others point fingers at us..."

"I don't want to die..." Li Jian sobbed. "Sanlang, is there no other way?"

"Calm down, go home and rest, then come back to me," Chen Ke said sternly. "We need to figure out the whole situation before we can come up with a plan."

After sending off Li Jian, who looked like he had lost a loved one, Chen Ke felt very heavy-hearted. He stood in the courtyard, lost in thought.

He had thought that in this Song Dynasty, officials didn't interfere with the people, and the social atmosphere was simple and honest. As long as he didn't break the law or cause trouble, he could live a happy and prosperous life. It seemed that this wasn't a carefree utopia, and he couldn't remain carefree forever.

At this moment, Aunt Zhang returned from outside, holding a small bag of roasted sunflower seeds. Seeing Chen Ke's gloomy face, she thought he was angry because she had gone to chat with the neighbors.

Chen Ke had no mood to scold her. He knew that servants might take advantage of the lack of a female head of the household, but he just gave her a cold look and turned to go inside.

Sitting in the room for a while, he thought about the entire situation, feeling that something was off, but he couldn't pinpoint what. Troubled, he lay down on the bed, half-asleep, when he heard someone knock on the door.

"Come in," Chen Ke sat up, thinking it was Aunt Zhang coming to apologize. When the door opened, he saw his second brother, Chen Chen, and a tall, thin youth. The youth, though anxious, remained calm and composed, bowing to Chen Ke.

Chen Ke, still half-asleep, mumbled, "Who is this?"

"Sanlang, this is the third son of Uncle Su, named Tongsu."

"Uh, Tongsu... brother." Chen Ke squinted at the youth, thinking, 'Are you trying to take advantage of me?' "From Meishan?"

"There are a few Uncles Su," Chen Chen, who usually chattered a lot, was unusually concise. "Father sent Tongsu to deliver a letter, asking us to go to Meishan."

"Is something wrong with Father?" Chen Ke immediately became alert.

"Don't worry, Uncle Chen is fine," the tall youth said, his voice calm but anxious. "It's a family member who is ill, and they want you to come and treat them."

"I don't know any medical skills," Chen Ke said. "Isn't Uncle Song with you? Have you asked him?"

"It was Uncle Song's idea," Tongsu said.

Regardless, it was a matter of life and death, and they needed to go quickly. Chen Ke closed the door, gave Aunt Zhang some instructions, and headed out.

On the way out, Tongsu walked in front, and the Chen brothers followed a bit behind. Chen Ke looked at Erlang and whispered, "What are you doing here?"

"Are we brothers?" Erlang, who looked like an adult but was somewhat thin, blushed. "If we're brothers, don't ask questions."

"Hey..." Chen Ke smiled ambiguously, though he didn't understand either.

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When they reached the dock, the boat to Meishan had already left. Tongsu was dejected. "I don't know when the next boat will be!"

"We can call it back," Chen Ke said.

"How can we make them listen to us?" Tongsu thought, perhaps someone could call back a boat, but that would be a respected local official, not just some young boys.

"Hey, Uncle Qiu, can't you do us a favor?!" Before he could finish, Chen Ke's loud voice rang out.

The sudden shout drew the attention of everyone at the dock. Tongsu wished he could find a hole to hide in, thinking, 'This Chen Sanlang is as unpredictable as my second brother...'

He thought others would mock them, but to his surprise, the people around them started shouting, "Hey, Uncle Qiu, come back!"

To his amazement, the flat-bottomed boat, which had already sailed several dozen zhang, slowly stopped and then reversed back. After a while, it docked, and the boat captain lowered the rope and gangplank, then stood up and smiled at Chen Ke. "What good fortune to have the honor of carrying Sanlang!"

'This, this, the people of Qingshen County are so warm-hearted?' Tongsu's expression was a mix of surprise and admiration.

Unable to let him suffer, Chen Chen explained quietly, "He's our former landlord, and we have some connection." This boat captain, Uncle Qiu, was the one who had brought the Chen family to the county and rented them a house. Chen Ke had convinced him to rent the house at a very low price, and he was scolded by his wife for a long time. But when the Chen family moved out, the yard was completely renovated, even more impressive than when it was new, and it was rented out for one guan a month.

His wife was overjoyed and decided not to rent it out anymore, moving back to live in it. Whenever Uncle Qiu wasn't running the boat, he would also stay there, no longer resenting Chen Ke for the low rent, but always thinking of ways to repay him.

The boat left the county again. Chen Ke and Uncle Qiu exchanged a few words of thanks, and then he and Tongsu exchanged greetings. It turned out that Tongsu was a year older. Chen Ke was curious and asked, "Tongsu, how many brothers do you have?"

"Only one older brother," Tongsu said considerately. "We are named Zhong and Tongsu because we had an older brother who passed away early."

"I'm sorry," Chen Ke said apologetically.

"It's fine," the youth, though cold-faced, was gentle once familiar. "I also feel that my name is a bit problematic and have asked my father to change it."

"Oh, may I ask..." Chen Ke couldn't hold back. "Is your full name... Su Zhe?"

"Yes, I am Su Zhe," the youth nodded lightly, not surprised.

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I have to go out tonight, so I'm posting early. Seeking recommendations, Three Rivers votes, and additional updates...