Chapter 39: From Violence and Bloodshed to Social Sophistication

A suspended sharp sword is often at its most terrifying when it is poised above one's head, threatening to fall at any moment.

For if the exact moment of its descent were known, one could make a resolute choice: either close one's eyes and await death, stage a stubborn resistance, or drag the enemy down together in mutual destruction.

Yet the sword hangs aloft, swaying precariously, leaving the lambs beneath uncertain of its intent. Every second of breathing that follows might bring the executioner's blade crashing down, or it might pass in quiet safety—refusing even the mercy of a swift death.

In short, it prevents people from abandoning their illusions and preparing for a fight.

That is what makes it truly agonizing.

At this very moment, the gentry and powerful clans gathered in the premier private dining room of the Drunken Immortal Tower were trapped in precisely this kind of torment. They resembled victims of psychological abuse at the hands of a manipulative magistrate, pacing about the room with heavy sighs, plagued by anxiety and uncertainty.

On the table, a feast of exquisite colors, aromas, and flavors remained completely untouched, not a single pair of chopsticks having been lifted.

"What on earth is the magistrate planning? Didn't they say the account books wouldn't be audited anymore? Then why are those soldiers still patrolling outside our estates day and night?"

"Hmph, who said the auditing stopped? I heard from reliable sources that on the night of the audit, a sorcerer sneered in and burned the ledgers. The magistrate flew into a rage and personally beheaded a clerk who had colluded with outsiders! Who's to say he won't bypass the audit entirely and confiscate our properties under the pretext of hunting down sorcerers?!"

"This... you brothers are certainly bold. Look at the outcome now—you've gone and thoroughly enraged the magistrate."

"What is Estate Holder Cheng implying? My Chen family are law-abiding subjects of the Great Zhou. When would we ever commit such capital crimes?"

"Heh, and who doesn't know about your Chen family? Model citizens indeed. I heard you secretly sent people to the Plum Blossom Courtyard last night to deliver gifts to the magistrate, and the funniest part is that you were rejected... It boggles my mind: if you're such model citizens, why haven't you paid up all the commercial taxes you evaded in the past? If you hold the magistrate in such high regard, why didn't you donate more during the last fundraising banquet instead of following everyone else's lead? Oh, I see—you lost your nerve, and now your front gate is patrolled by elite soldiers just like the rest of ours."

"You... you old fish-mongering scoundrel..."

"Enough!" Liu Ziwen, who had been sitting quietly by the table blowing gently on his tea, set his cup down with a sharp clatter.

The bickering in the private room ceased instantly. Everyone returned to their seats, sipping their tea in heavy silence, each harboring their own secret agendas.

A tall, round-faced young gentry member frowned and said, "Respected elders, please stop arguing. Let us not forget why we are here today."

Seated near the back, an elderly landowner wearing a traditional cloth cap and a face full of wrinkles spoke with a miserable expression:

"What if the magistrate fails to show up for this banquet of apology? Perhaps we should simply send the silver directly to the Plum Blossom Courtyard to offer a personal apology. The magistrate wants silver for disaster relief; we can pool some funds from each family and hand it over. Anything that can be solved with silver is no problem at all. I've said it all along, why antagonize the officials behind the scenes..."

The crestfallen old landowner's voice suddenly cut off because Liu Ziwen had stood up, picked up a teapot, and politely poured him a cup of tea. The head of the Liu family spoke in a gentle tone, yet the words he uttered were anything but gentle:

"Uncle Wu, in the past everyone favored our Liu family and unanimously pushed us forward to take the lead. We survived previous Magistrates of Longcheng the exact same way, and everyone witnessed the results later on and was quite satisfied. Back then, Uncle Wu didn't raise any objections. Now that we've hit a slight setback, Uncle Wu starts singing this tune. Isn't that rather inappropriate?"

"No... not appropriate." Uncle Wu forced a smile that looked far worse than crying, then hesitated and added, "But the magistrate holds troops..."

"Liu is well aware of that."

Liu Ziwen lowered his eyelids, gently pushed the cup of tea toward the old landowner, and patted his aged hand:

"All this maneuvering comes down to nothing more than the exchange of interests and the negotiation of terms. Since this Magistrate Ouyang didn't immediately bring in troops to overturn the table, it means there is still room for negotiation; it hasn't reached the point of mutual destruction. Aren't we hosting this banquet today to make amends and offer an apology? Beyond that, we shall donate a sum under the guise of repairing the yamen and see if this Magistrate Ouyang is satisfied."

"Since everyone thinks highly of Liu, Liu will naturally consider the collective interests of you all and handle things thoroughly. However..." Liu Ziwen's tone shifted abruptly, "there will be no crawling and surrendering like Uncle Wu just suggested. That not only harms the interests of the Liu family, but also harms the interests of everyone present."

"V... very well."

Liu Ziwen flashed a relaxed smile toward the others, maintaining an air of complete control, which caused the rest of them to visibly relax.

Yet inside, Liu Ziwen felt far from relaxed. Moreover, the bickering just now had made him acutely aware of the spineless nature of these wealthy landowners, as well as their duplicity.

Had he known the term "idiotic teammate," he undoubtedly would have stamped it across the foreheads of everyone in the room.

The private room fell silent once more. Liu Ziwen drank his tea with a calm demeanor, and seeing this, the others recovered a sliver of confidence.

Even so, Liu Ziwen's mood remained somewhat heavy.

He had no idea what the outcome of yesterday's incident at the east storehouse had been, nor whether the pawn he had sent had successfully burned the incriminating ledgers.

Liu Ziwen's people had only managed to find out today that on that night, after Xie Lingjiang went in pursuit of the Qi practitioner who had broken in, Magistrate Ouyang had arrived promptly at the east storehouse. He had emerged carrying the head of an elderly clerk, hung it from the city wall at dawn, and immediately locked down the east storehouse with a heavy military cordon, seemingly halting the audit altogether. Yet, as soon as day broke, he had rewarded the soldiers of the Prefecture Garrison, as if preparing for some major operation.

Over the past two days, the formidable Commander had led garrison troops patrolling the streets and alleys of Longcheng, apparently searching for the Qi practitioner who had broken in that night, or perhaps preparing to raid private residences at any moment. They paid particular attention to the gentry and wealthy clans within the city, throwing everyone into a state of panic.

Had the mission succeeded that night? What on earth was Ouyang Lianghan up to?

Liu Ziwen frowned inwardly; the creeping sensation that the situation was slipping out of his control made him deeply uneasy.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoing up the stairs drifted in from outside.

Liu Ziwen and the various gentry and wealthy patrons immediately set down their tea cups and stood up to head toward the door to welcome their guest.

However, when the room attendant pushed the door open, the figure standing outside was not the young magistrate, but rather a young bailiff dressed in blue.

"Little Yan Bailiff? Why have you come alone? Where is the magistrate?" someone asked in confusion.

Yan Liulang strode into the room swaggering, looking straight ahead. Reaching the center of the private room, he offered a casual, perfunctory cupped-hand salute to the crowd and said:

"The Magistrate is busy with official duties and has no time to come. He sent me to convey a few words on his behalf."

Liu Ziwen and the others instantly let out a collective sigh of relief. Although the man himself hadn't shown up, as long as the door wasn't completely shut, having a message relayed meant that terms could be negotiated, and where there was negotiation, there was room for maneuver.

"Little Yan Bailiff, please take a seat. Someone, serve tea."

"No need, there aren't many words to pass along. I'll leave as soon as I'm done," Yan Liulang shook his head.

"Won't you sit down and discuss things?"

"The Magistrate said these matters are not up for discussion, and furthermore, you will certainly agree to them." The blue-robed bailiff cast a meaningful glance at the puzzled and curious gentry and wealthy patrons within the room.

Liu Ziwen exchanged glances with those behind him, and together they turned and bowed:

"Whatever orders the magistrate has, please speak, Bailiff!"

Yan Liulang first raised two fingers, then lowered one:

"First matter. The seven hundred and eighty strings of cash raised at the previous fundraising banquet, plus the amount you intended to donate for this banquet of apology... roughly how much was it again?"

Liu Ziwen answered, "We heard long ago that the magistrate's rear residence was washed out by floods and is uninhabitable. Out of concern for our local parent official, we decided on one hundred strings of cash per family, totaling one thousand three hundred strings of cash, to be donated to the yamen for the repair of the official residence. We hope the magistrate will graciously accept..."

"Very well, one thousand three hundred strings of cash, correct?" Yan Liulang interrupted, continuing with his instructions: "You will convert all of this money into grain and deliver it to the disaster relief camp on the outskirts of the city. Furthermore, it must be calculated at the normal pre-flood market price of ten cash per dou."

"This..."

Liu Ziwen, Estate Holder Cheng, Clan Head Chen, Uncle Wu, and the others could not help but begin murmuring among themselves. Grain in the post-disaster period was a truly scarce commodity; ten cash per dou was enough to make men sigh and women weep. Their expressions turned hesitant until Yan Liulang casually upped the ante:

"The Prefecture Garrison soldiers came to Longcheng this time under the orders of Inspecting Envoy Lord Shen to assist in investigating the corruption case involving the Jiming Granary. The investigation is nearly concluded, and the Magistrate will soon send them back to Jiangzhou to report."

Liu Ziwen made his decision on the spot: "Acceptable. Two thousand and eighty strings of cash—I shall personally cover the remainder to convert it into grain at the rate of ten cash per dou. It will be delivered to the suburban disaster relief camp by tomorrow morning, and I hope this relieves the magistrate's worries."

Yan Liulang nodded, looking completely unsurprised as he lowered his final finger:

"Second matter. The Magistrate says that the Dragon Boat Festival is fast approaching, which is a major custom of our old Yue lands. In past years, it has always involved dragon boat races, eating zongjiu, hanging mugwort, and honoring Qu Yuan. Although there is a flood this year, it cannot be made an exception."

"But the surrounding counties seem to be canceling celebrations..." Estate Holder Cheng hesitated.

"The other counties in Jiangzhou may not hold them, but Longcheng must. Furthermore, we must host the grandest and finest celebration so that everyone can properly observe the Dragon Boat Festival."

Liu Ziwen and the others were momentarily stunned, followed immediately by a surge of vigilance. "The magistrate isn't going to ask us to donate festival funds again, is he?"

Yan Liulang shook his head and continued:

"There is no need for donations from everyone. The Magistrate says that since he is newly arrived in Longcheng, he cannot solely focus on the refugees; he must also show some care for you gentry, landowners, and wealthy townsfolk. He cannot favor one over the other. This Dragon Boat Festival grand event is meant for all the common folk of the county to participate in together. The Longcheng yamen will actively organize it and share the joy with the people."

Liu Ziwen and the others exchanged glances. No one spoke up immediately, presumably wondering what kind of medicine was hidden in the young magistrate's gourd.

It wasn't until Yan Liulang nodded and added the word "However" that the old foxes in the room thought to themselves, *Here it comes.*

"However, for this Dragon Boat Festival grand event, our county intends to make it the largest and liveliest celebration in all of Jiangzhou, attracting merchants and tourists from all directions to celebrate the holiday. Longcheng already possesses a well-connected water transport network; as long as the word gets out, it will certainly draw massive crowds."

Yan Liulang pointed in the direction of Butterfly Creek:

"Before holding the grand event, however, we must properly renovate Longcheng County city, both banks of Butterfly Creek, and Penglang Ferry, wouldn't you all agree? Moreover, given the recent floods, many of you must have experienced collapsed old houses or damaged boats; all of those can be repaired at the same time."

Liu Ziwen probed cautiously: "Repairs must be done, of course, but how do you propose we go about them?"

"Naturally, we won't ask you to donate money for free repairs. The Magistrate has decided to allow the able-bodied men from the outer disaster relief camp to enter the city and assist in repairing these facilities. However, since these are your respective family estates and pavilions, the yamen will not foot the bill; each family will pay its own labor wages, while the yamen assists and organizes the workforce.

"Additionally, during the Dragon Boat Festival, if any of you wish to host events or banquets, you may apply to the yamen for able-bodied men from among the refugees, provided their labor wages are paid in full."

Upon hearing this, Liu Ziwen and the other gentry and wealthy patrons fell into a brief silence.

In truth, the plan proposed by Magistrate Ouyang had a rather obvious purpose that he hadn't bothered to conceal. Everyone in the private room was a seasoned veteran; they saw right through it. Wasn't this simply "relief through work"—the rich providing grain, the poor contributing labor, and the officials providing credibility—a mutually beneficial arrangement?

Furthermore, Longcheng County's developed transportation connecting Yunmeng Marsh to the Yangtze River also formed part of the commercial lifeline belonging to these very gentry and wealthy patrons. Using a Dragon Boat Festival grand event to attract merchants and tourists from all directions would indeed mitigate the adverse effects of the flood and stimulate commerce along Butterfly Creek, which was beneficial to them.

Liu Ziwen, Estate Holder Cheng, Clan Head Chen, and Uncle Wu were all quite astonished. They had not expected that the formidable new magistrate, who had been threatening to overturn tables and confiscate properties just a day prior, would suddenly toss out a moderate plan that thoroughly accommodated all parties' interests.

This... was a conceptual leap spanning straight from bloody suppression to sophisticated interpersonal diplomacy.

Could this really be the work of the same person?

A few of the gentry members inwardly marveled at the thought.

Yet, whether they had been frightened into submission by Ouyang Rang, feared hidden traps, or found that their family businesses simply did not intersect with this particular sector of interests,

Liu Ziwen and the others did not give an immediate reply.

Yan Liulang was in no hurry either. With his hands behind his back, he paced around the luxurious private room of the Yuanming Pavilion, occasionally glancing at the expressions of Liu Ziwen and the others with an air of nonchalance...

Well, this was actually something he had recently learned from the magistrate. In the magistrate's own words... to get these people to take the bait, one had to appear lighthearted and project an aura of effortless mastery, letting them fill in the blanks and reinforce the trap themselves.

Seeing that the time was right, Yan Liulang turned and asked, "How have you all considered it?"

Liu Ziwen remained silent, quietly appraising the expressions of Yan Liulang and the others. In truth, he held little interest in this Dragon Boat Festival grand event; the Liu family did not rely on water transport and commerce for their profits, and the Ancient Yue Sword Shop would sell its fine blades just as before—floods in Longcheng or not, their market remained steady.

Yet, while it brought no particular gains, it carried no harms either; it was a matter of indifference.

For the moment, however, Liu Ziwen needed to appease the new magistrate who wielded actual military force while awaiting reinforcements from afar... So what harm was there in granting a favor? Besides, the other gentry and powerful clans in the room seemed quite tempted by the proposal. Although the Liu family acted as the leader, they could not block their followers' path to wealth, and it was better to go with the flow.

Liu Ziwen took a calm sip of tea. Estate Holder Cheng, Clan Head Chen, Uncle Wu, and the others took the initiative to speak up, asking a few technical questions about avoiding pitfalls. Yan Liulang answered them one by one, adhering strictly to the instructions given by the young magistrate, and the two sides conversed cordially.

Seeing that everyone else's attitude was largely supportive, Liu Ziwen put down his teacup and took the lead in making the final decision:

"The magistrate loves the people as his own children; a proposal so beneficial to Longcheng is, naturally, completely acceptable."

"Very well, I shall return to report to the Magistrate. Subsequent matters will be handled by Magistrate Diao and other colleagues liaising with you all."

"Walk carefully, Little Yan Bailiff." Relieved, the crowd stood up to see him off.

Yan Liulang nodded and turned to leave. Just as he reached the door, as if suddenly remembering something, the blue-robed bailiff paused and looked back:

"Oh, right, there is one minor matter I forgot to mention. The Magistrate said that if things go well with you gentlemen today, as a small token of his sincerity, he can lift the price ceiling on grain throughout the county."

Liu Ziwen paused slightly, wondering if his ears had deceived him. "What do you mean?"

"Precisely what I said. Starting today, the official government will no longer restrict grain prices in Longcheng County. Once you return, you may freely raise prices and sell as you please."

A tall, round-faced young gentry member covered his mouth and coughed, "Ahem, these are all market rates, not manipulated by us; prices are driven entirely by supply and demand in the market. The bailiff speaks in jest, hahaha."

Imitating the expression the magistrate had worn when giving these instructions, Yan Liulang offered a faint smile. "Very well, let us place our mutual trust in the market. Farewell, gentlemen."

He strode briskly down the stairs and departed.

Leaving the crowd of gentry and landowners standing in place, staring at each other in blank dismay, seemingly still suspended in the surreal astonishment of a pie falling from the sky.