Though small, a sparrow has all its organs; the county magistrate’s office is no different. Imitating the etiquette of the three provinces and six ministries, Bishan County has its own three gates and six divisions. Among the three gates, the Zao Gate is where clerks gather, hence the term “Zao Clerk.” As for the Xun Gate and the Bu Gate, the roots of the Beiliang Jin Yi You Qi lie in the Xun Gate, while the Bu Gate produces constables, a concept even three-year-olds in the alleys understand. Regarding the six divisions’ responsibilities, in Bishan County, County Magistrate Feng Guan monopolizes the Personnel, Household, Engineering, and Justice Divisions, leaving only a powerless Rites Division to the county deputy Zuo Jing. County Military Commissioner Bai Shangque at least obtained the lucrative Military Division. As for the three gates, Feng Guan has seized them all, treating them as his private domain, especially the Zao Gate, which follows Feng’s every command, much to Zuo Jing’s embarrassment. In fact, Xu Fengnian, as the county clerk, should originally have controlled the Zao Gate. However, Feng Guan’s ruthless suppression of Zuo Jing left no room for leniency, let alone consideration for Xu Fengnian’s face, especially since the latter’s position as a half-hearted clerk was merely nominal. Xu Fengnian’s true interest lay in observing the operations of the county office, and whether or not he held actual power was of little consequence.
Although Xu Fengnian, as a lowly clerk, had no interest in power struggles, he often wandered through the three gates and six divisions of the county office. The prison housed a dozen prisoners from various backgrounds—three teachings and nine streams, a mixed bag. There was an old man who, unable to support himself, deliberately caused trouble to get fed; a human trafficker; young hooligans involved in brawls; and even a petty flower thief caught stealing women’s undergarments. Among these dozen prisoners, only one elderly man wore heavy shackles weighing thirty-four catties. Xu Fengnian had specifically reviewed the prison records but found no clues. Eventually, after treating the head clerk to drinks, he learned that the old man surnamed Shen was a notorious bandit from Hezhou, involved in a major crime that led to a deadly betrayal in Youzhou’s Qing’an County last year. Wounded, he fled to Bishan and had been imprisoned for over half a year, originally scheduled for execution this spring. However, due to upheavals in Youzhou, the personnel in Bishan changed, delaying the execution. The reason for his absence from the prison records remained vague, even when the clerk was drunk.
With nothing better to do, Xu Fengnian frequently visited the prison, bringing a pot of green ant wine and some meat snacks, sitting on a chair in the corridor chatting with the prisoners. Eventually, all the prisoners, except the old bandit Shen, had begged Xu Fengnian for some wine, and he rarely refused. Over time, they became drinking companions. The old man Shen, however, remained aloof, occasionally opening his eyes with a sharp gaze. According to the prison guards, this old man had several murders on his hands, exuding a deadly aura.
The emaciated old man would occasionally sneer coldly at the young clerk outside the prison, as if he could pluck his head off his shoulders with one hand. At such moments, the middle-aged man in the adjacent cell, the only important prisoner in Bishan County, would look worried, though trying to hide it. His name was Wang, a simple farmer who had been ruined by a powerful local clan, losing his home and family, and thrown into prison. Twice in the past six months, the clan’s young men had visited, mocking him and sinisterly promising to take care of his wife and daughter. Even other prisoners felt his plight was too tragic, suggesting he should just die to end his suffering. With a drooping mustache, he seemed destined for hardship.
Today, Xu Fengnian sat in the prison chatting with the prisoners again. He had just received his salary yesterday, most of which was taken by Pei Nanwei, leaving only some loose change for a month’s wine. However, Feng Guan had recently delegated authority over the Works Division to Xu Fengnian, so Zuo Jing, the county deputy, often invited Xu Fengnian for drinks, making his finances less tight. However, the Works Division, responsible for land reclamation and water management in Bishan County, could only offer meager gains. What mattered was Feng Guan’s unprecedented gesture of goodwill toward Xu Fengnian, which earned him more respect from the county staff. However, during one of their drinking sessions, Zuo Jing hinted at Xu Fengnian, who was unaware of the underlying tensions, warning him that possessing something valuable could attract wolves. Xu Fengnian pretended to be oblivious, and Zuo Jing thought the young man was too naive to understand, waiting to see the joke unfold.
Xu Fengnian invited two prison guards he had become close with, and the three of them drank and ate meat together. If any prisoners were envious, he would have the guards pass them some wine and meat. When a young nobleman in fine clothes entered the prison, covering his nose with a sachet, he was somewhat surprised. In the corridor sat three men drinking and eating, while most prisoners sat near the wooden bars of their cells, chatting and laughing. The nobleman frowned. Xu Fengnian picked up a wine cup, wiped it with his sleeve, and smiled, offering the nobleman a drink of green ant wine. The nobleman glanced sideways and ignored him. The two guards, knowing the situation well, secretly exchanged glances with Xu Fengnian and pointed at the prisoner named Wang. Xu Fengnian understood and nodded.
The young nobleman walked directly to the cell where the farmer Wang was held and was about to speak, intending to pour salt on Wang’s wounds. At that moment, four burly constables brought in two prisoners of vastly different ages. The older one had a shifty-eyed appearance, while the younger one, though ragged, had a pair of bold eyebrows that made him stand out despite his dirty face. However, his steps were slightly slow, and he was punched in the back by a constable, nearly falling to the ground. The older accomplice hurried to support him, smiling apologetically at the constables. Xu Fengnian asked with a smile, “What crime did they commit?”
The four constables were close to County Magistrate Feng Guan and County Military Commissioner Bai Shangque, and they generally looked down on this clerk. However, they had accumulated some experience in officialdom. The leader of the constables forced a half-hearted smile and replied, “Your Honor, these are two insignificant thieves who dared to steal from Old Lady Zhu’s house. They’re lucky they weren’t killed on the spot.”
After speaking, the constable quickly approached the nobleman who was using a sachet to mask the stench of the prison, and with a respectful smile, he said, “Isn’t this Master Song from the county town? We’re honored by your presence! Master Song can rest assured; that blind fool will be taken care of by us brothers. We’ll make sure he wishes he were dead…”
The nobleman, with a delicate and effeminate demeanor, took out a silk pouch and casually tossed it to the constable leader, saying softly, “Don’t kill him outright. It’s not a big deal, just a hassle. I’m not afraid of trouble, just afraid of the hassle.”
The constable, who had just received a windfall, chuckled and said, “We brothers know what to do. Every time we beat him, we’ll pad him with two or three layers of cloth so there are no visible injuries—just internal damage.”
The nobleman looked around, and his gaze finally settled on the farmer named Wang. He pointed and said with a smile, “Why don’t we throw these two thieves in here?”
The constable replied without hesitation, “That’s easy enough.”
The nobleman turned to the two thieves and smiled, saying, “Once you’re inside, take good care of that old resident. Take good care of him, and naturally, you’ll have plenty of wine and meat.”
The older thief, with a face like a monkey’s, swallowed hard, glanced at the clerk’s small wine table, and timidly asked, “Sir, could we have a few sips of wine first? I promise, as soon as I move in, I’ll get along well with the Young Master’s old acquaintance.”
The nobleman looked at Xu Fengnian, thinking this was a minor matter that a lowly county clerk wouldn’t dare refuse. Even a newcomer to Bishan County should know the name of the Song family from Yanzhi County. However, he soon raised his eyebrows, a dark and cruel look appearing on his face. The young clerk had actually reached out and gently covered the wine cup, clearly refusing to give him face! The older thief, who likely wouldn’t get to drink, secretly rejoiced. Since he had inadvertently fanned the flames once, causing a government official and a powerful young nobleman to clash, it wasn’t bad compared to drinking heartily. Song Yu, the Song family’s son, sniffed the fragrance of the sachet and smiled coldly, “Good, I didn’t expect there to be someone in Bishan County who I, Song Yu, couldn’t impress. I’ll remember this.”
The middle-aged man named Wang, who had never spoken to Xu Fengnian before, looked up and smiled gratefully at the clerk who showed no interest in the ways of officialdom.
Song Yu, a member of the Song family from Yanzhi County, walked straight out of the prison. The constables pushed the two thieves into the cell and also left in large strides, not even bothering to say goodbye to Xu Fengnian, their subordinate.
Unintentionally making an enemy, Xu Fengnian stood up, preparing to leave the prison. Suddenly, the heavily shackled old prisoner smiled and said, “Young man surnamed Xu, you’re an interesting official. I’ll drink a few cups from you, not minding that it’s dirty. Come on, give me some wine.”
Xu Fengnian remained unmoved and left the wine and food for the prison guards.
The old man muttered curses, but his eyes met those of his two new neighbors, and they nodded at each other.
It was a clear night with a bright moon and sparse stars. Xu Fengnian was on duty in the Works Division. The Works Division was in the same category as the Justice Division but placed further back, closer to the prison. Don’t underestimate Bishan County as a minor county; the Xun Gate and Bu Gate, along with the Justice Division attendants, were all skilled individuals. This was because Bishan County had a large jurisdiction with many disputes, and the number of staff in the Yamen (yamen) was limited. Without real skills, the “toilet” would have been ruined by criminals long ago. The previous batch of officials in the Yamen (yamen) still understood the importance of handling serious cases, as too many unresolved murder and arson cases would not just be a matter of face (face).
The Works Division had only Xu Fengnian. Suddenly, he stood up, poured a cup of wine, and walked out of the house with it. By “coincidence,” he encountered four people walking out of the prison in a leisurely manner. They were all dressed in ill-fitting prison guard uniforms, looking somewhat comical. Xu Fengnian “stood there in confusion,” about to speak, when the heavily shackled old prisoner, who had just been freed, rushed forward like thunder and punched him in the forehead. The clerk flew backward, and before he hit the ground, the suddenly acting bandit quickly caught up, placed his foot on Xu’s back, and gently removed the force, allowing the clerk to land silently. The old man’s dry fingers interlocked and twisted as he chuckled, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a good stretch. I almost messed up the Great Event (big plan) of Shedding the Golden Cicada Shell (golden cicada shedding its shell).”
Behind the old man were two thieves and the pitiful farmer named Wang. When the latter saw this scene, he felt somewhat reluctant, while the first two looked indifferent. The younger one stepped forward, glanced at the fallen clerk, and said softly, “Master Shen, this man is an official. Why not take him as a hostage? The night patrols in Bishan County are always strict, which is quite troublesome. If something goes wrong along the way, we can have a kind of insurance. We can kill him once we reach the mountains.”
The old man thought for a moment, then gestured to the farmer, saying, “Wang Shiming, you still have some strength. Carry this man and follow me into the mountains. In the future, when you want to take revenge on the Song family’s son, it will be easy.”
The farmer, who always looked miserable, remained silent and picked up the unconscious clerk.
The four, along with the unconscious clerk, moved with familiarity. The young man who had broken into the prison led the way, stopping and hiding when they heard any noise. When they couldn’t avoid detection, they would leap onto the rooftops, showing remarkable martial arts skills. Wang Shiming, however, had only brute strength and no martial arts skills. He was always grabbed by the shoulder by the old man and carried over walls two or three zhang high. This was probably what ordinary people called flying over rooftops.
The group left the Yamen (yamen) without any major incidents. Bishan County had no deep moats or high walls, and they didn’t encounter any patrolling soldiers that night. They easily escaped to a quiet path where three black-clothed riders were waiting, bringing three horses without riders. The old man lightly stepped and landed on a horse’s back. With no one else around, he laughed loudly, “Liu Yu, you and Wang Shiming will ride together. Go ahead and kill the clerk, then throw his body into the wilderness. Consider it a parting gift from me to Bishan County!”
The farmer bravely said, “This clerk is not a bad person. Old master, can’t you show some mercy?”
The old man sneered, “Whether he’s good or not is hard to say, but if he’s a good official, he should die! Wang Shiming, where did you get this woman’s mercy? A dog can’t change its nature! You deserve it for letting your wife and daughter be humiliated by that weakling from a powerful family! If it were me, even without these skills, I could kill that sissy with the sachet today!”
The farmer remained silent, hesitating. Seeing the young man named Liu Yu, whom the old man had called, approaching, he gritted his teeth, moved his feet back a few steps, seemingly determined to protect the young official on his back.
The old man noticed this, frowned, and said, “Wang Shiming, I took you out of prison because I felt sorry for you, but don’t push your luck. My temper is much better than when I was young, but the nickname ‘Guixin Shou’ (the heart-ripping hand) given by my peers in the martial world still stands. If you don’t put down the clerk, Liu Yu will kill you along with him, and I won’t care. Besides, if you want a seat in the Xiangui Cave, you must kill someone as a token of loyalty. I’ll give you one last chance: either go to the underworld with that damn clerk or personally kill the young man behind you and proudly enter the Fulu Mountain. I have some connections with the mountain masters, and I can say a few good words for you. Otherwise, even if you reach the mountain, no one will consider you important. Think carefully!”
The honest farmer was torn between his conscience and his desire for revenge, hesitating.
The incident in the Bishan County prison quickly alarmed the county magistrate and deputy magistrate, who had just gotten out of bed. Feng Guan’s face was dark, while the second-in-command, county deputy Zuo Jing, remained expressionless, secretly delighted. Let Feng Guan, who held all the power, deal with the escape of the important prisoner Shen. After all, Shen had not been recorded in the first place, so there was still a chance to make amends. But Wang, who was targeted by the Song family’s son from the county town, was a different matter. Otherwise, why would they spend money to move him from the county jail to the small Bishan County? If Feng Guan couldn’t even handle such a small matter, how could he hope to be promoted to the Yanzhi County town? Even if he managed to get there by luck, wouldn’t the Song family make things difficult for him? Just as the leaky roof was hit by rain, a servant reported that Song Yu had come to the county office in the middle of the night. Zuo Jing slightly turned his head, staring at the thick red candle as thick as a baby’s arm on the table, unable to hide his joy.
However, Zuo Jing’s smile soon faded. The high-born Song Yu requested the dismissal of the county office staff after entering, leaving only the county magistrate Feng Guan and the county deputy Zuo Jing. He then put aside his arrogant demeanor and bowed, saying, “Song Yu previously offended the two officials and hopes for your forgiveness. The notorious bandit Shen Li, known as ‘Guixin Yanwang’ (the heart-ripping Yama), has been on the run in Youzhou for many years. Song Yu once held a position in the Yanzhi County criminal court. Wang Shiming was the head constable of Qing’an County. The entire plan was to deliberately release the tiger back to the mountain to find out the old nest of the Fulu Mountain. Besides Wang, there is also County Military Commissioner Bai. Elite scouts from the Ruojang Garrison and a hundred light cavalry have been invited. At that time, it was only necessary to cooperate with Wang from within and without…”
At this moment, a woman carrying a food box entered the Yamen (yamen) hall to deliver a late-night snack.
Song Yu was somewhat surprised. This woman’s beauty was rare in his life, but why could she enter the heavily guarded Yamen (yamen) directly? Even if she were a family member of an official, she shouldn’t be so reckless.
County Magistrate Feng Guan and County Deputy Zuo Jing’s moods improved simultaneously. Feng Guan secretly smoothed the corners of his mouth that had just risen, and with a worried expression, he said, “Madam Xu, the clerk Xu Fengnian was kidnapped by the prison raiders and his life and death are temporarily unknown, but I beg Madam to rest assured that the Bishan County Yamen (yamen) will do everything possible to rescue him…”
Before the county magistrate could finish, the woman simply said, “Oh,” and turned to leave.
Zuo Jing smiled with a slight nod of his beard, wondering if this woman, whose beauty could be described as causing national calamities, was actually at odds with the fortunate Xu Fengnian? Zuo Jing glanced at the county magistrate, whose eyes were shining with excitement, and sneered inwardly. Xu Fengnian, even if he didn’t die at the hands of the bandits, would surely die at the hands of the county magistrate.
Do you remember an ancient saying from the Spring and Autumn period? Zuo Jing soon recalled: “Brother, rest in peace; I will take care of your wife.”
At this moment, Zuo Jing was thinking only about how to beg the county magistrate for a share of the leftovers. Otherwise, he would withdraw the already prepared plans, stop the fierce competition, and sincerely assist this proud county magistrate. At most, they could become brothers-in-law in a harmonious partnership?
Pei Nanwei walked out of the county office, walking on the quiet street, looking at the night sky, and softly said, “Not coming home tonight? Still not tired of sleeping on the floor?”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage