Chapter 653: Saving the Rebels, Part 2

Early morning.

Huaguang Street entrance, Juxian Teahouse, second floor.

Bao Shinan sat in a private booth partitioned off by screens, drinking his familiar tea.

As the Prison Warden of the Hanyang Prefectural Office, Bao Shinan appeared at a fixed place at a fixed time every day — it was not only habit, but also part of the job.

In the Ming Dynasty, because of the absurdly low official salary scale Zhu Baba set when he founded the state, everyone from high officials down to minor clerks had to use the power in their hands to find gray income.

Otherwise, relying on that meager salary alone, even a distinguished Two-list Presented Scholar could not cover his household's daily expenses.

Bao the Jailer, Bao Shinan, was no different.

He came to this teahouse every day precisely to make contact with people from all walks of life and discuss various "business deals," thereby finding a meal ticket for himself and his subordinates in the prison.

In terms of basic functions, the ancient prison system was not fundamentally different from later generations: detaining and interrogating prisoners, scheduled exercise periods, scheduled family visitation days, and so on.

However, limited by the era, humane management in the ancient prison system was basically nonexistent. Prisoners living inside not only endured harsh living conditions, but there were also no auxiliary management measures like labor, education, or study programs.

Unlike prison life in later generations, with full-body disinfection and regular bathing, ancient prisons simply did not have those sanitary conditions. Coupled with the jailers' deliberate or negligent lapses in management, the prisoners' living environment was usually extremely wretched.

Furthermore, the poor food easily led to malnutrition. So once prisoners spent a long time in jail, they often died from various complications... However, ancient times had no trending searches and didn't much care about human rights; if a prisoner died in jail, they just notified the family to collect the body, and the jailers bore no responsibility whatsoever.

In all these areas, there was plenty of room for manipulation. Among them, improving the prisoners' daily living environment was the jailers' primary source of gray income.

Most of the "business" Bao Shinan received while sitting daily in the teahouse was exactly this: prisoners' family members came to entreat him, both sides agreed on a sum, and then the prisoner would receive the corresponding level of treatment inside the jail.

Among the various petitioners he met every day, the ones Bao the Jailer liked most were, naturally, the stewards from wealthy households.

This mentality is the same in ancient and modern times.

Unlike those penny-pinching paupers, when a wealthy family's second, third, or fourth young master got into trouble, the steward who sought out Bao the Jailer would, more often than not, pull out large ingots of silver to buy the "top-tier package."

After that, the young masters in jail would get a clean single cell and bedding, along with food and wine delivered from restaurants... Bao the Jailer had even arranged for a girl dressed as a man to be brought in to serve a young master for a night. But that sort of thing was a major job; not only was it expensive, it also required picking the right moment and couldn't be done often.

Today, however, Bao the Jailer was disappointed. From the hour of Chen sitting in the teahouse until now, he had downed an entire pot of Lu'an Guapian tea, yet not a single petitioner had come.

It seemed today's pot of good tea was a loss... "Didn't we just take in two merchants the day before yesterday? How come there's no one here?"

Seeing the hour growing late, and though inwardly puzzled, since things were as they were, Bao Shinan could only mutter a couple of complaints and prepare to leave: "Waiter, wrap up two sesame flatbreads, put it on my tab."

The waiter, holding a tray and about to go down the stairs, heard this and, as usual, hollered toward the ground floor: "Two sesame flatbreads... one pot of Guapian... on Lord Bao's tab..."

Just as the waiter finished this shout and Bao the Jailer rose to leave, a voice came: "Hold on."

The next moment, a large, fair-complexioned head emerged from the stairway.

The owner of that large head was pale, plump, and short-limbed, with all his facial features crowded together. He wore a soft robe of earthen-yellow satin; even a short flight of stairs left him panting heavily, yet his face always wore a smiling expression: "Another pot of Guapian, and I'll settle it all in cash! Now that I, Lao Zheng, am here, how can I let Lord Bao put it on his tab?"

The waiter apparently knew this pale fat man and went downstairs with a grin upon hearing this.

Bao the Jailer, who had already risen, now also broke into a smile: "Lao Zheng, it's been a while!"

"Haha. You, a jailer — I can only bear seeing you once a month. Any more and I couldn't take it!"

Bao the Jailer paid no mind to this blatant mockery about the bad luck clinging to him — unlike the tall and shining image of police and coroners constantly portrayed as protagonists in later generations' films and TV dramas, in medieval traditional society, yamen runners and coroners were both base professions, the lowest of the low. Even if they had gray income and money to buy houses, they were still at the bottom of the social ladder.

Having been collectively demeaned for thousands of years, those in the lowest trades usually couldn't afford to take jibes from other professions seriously. So when Bao the Jailer heard the pale fat man's teasing, he just laughed heartily, pulled out a chair, and gestured for the visitor to take a seat.

In fact, two people had come up the stairs. The short, plump Zheng the Fat was one; behind him followed a young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six, with a round face and thick eyebrows.

The short, fat Lao Zheng was an old acquaintance of Bao the Jailer. He was a commercial goods broker, a licensed broker with an official permit, who spent all year at the docks outside the city brokering deals, familiar with people from all walks of life.

Because of his wide contacts, Lao Zheng would occasionally refer "clients" to Bao the Jailer. This was because the prisoners thrown into the Prefectural Yamen's jail were not all locals; many were outsiders who had committed offenses here. Zheng the Fat, always hanging around the docks, could be the first to encounter prisoners' family members coming to pull strings.

After Zheng the Fat plopped himself down unceremoniously, Bao Shinan just as politely invited the young man to sit.

A man who could have a broker accompany him, and who wore a similarly expensive Songjiang Cotton Cloth Robe — an old hand like Bao Shinan could not afford to slight him.

Once host and guests were seated, the nimble-handed waiter promptly brought fresh tea.

The next moment, Zheng the Fat, with the ease of familiarity, picked up the Shaoxing Red Clay Teapot and filled the celadon cups before the three of them with emerald-green tea.

At the same time, Zheng the Fat smilingly introduced the guest.

This round-faced young man, according to Lao Zheng, was "Xiao Guan" from the Horse and Mule Market.

Xiao Guan was also a broker, mainly dealing in horse and mule trading. However, he was a junior in this line of work, with a small business volume, and was a private broker without an official permit.

This time, Xiao Guan had sought out the industry big shot Lao Zheng because he needed Lao Zheng to make an introduction to Bao the Jailer, to discuss the treatment of his distant relative in the Prefectural Yamen jail.

Everything Lao Zheng said was exactly what Bao Shinan expected. This routine was one he encountered almost daily, a template he was all too familiar with.

After a few brief sentences introducing Xiao Guan's background, Lao Zheng raised his cup to touch tea, then stood up, excused himself on the pretext of busy business, cupped his hands, and took his leave.

This was also the normal routine. For a broker like Lao Zheng, once the introduction was made, his task was complete. Bao the Jailer would naturally remember the favor and would make it up to Lao Zheng during holidays and festivals.

Bao Shinan therefore rose and cupped his hands from a distance.

Next, it was time to get down to business.

After sitting down again, Bao Shinan first sized up Xiao Guan seriously with his old eyes, and only then did he smile and open his mouth to ask: "I wonder, Brother Xiao Guan, which member of your household is in prison?"

Usually, prisoners' family members were commoners from humble households. In such situations, facing an official in uniform, many would tremble with fear, unable to speak coherently.

Today, however, this Xiao Guan was a broker by trade after all. Hearing the question, Xiao Guan's slightly sallow round face showed not the slightest nervousness; instead, he grinned, squinted, cupped his hands, and said in very authentic Hanyang local dialect: "To be honest with you, Bao the Jailer, I, your brother here, am also here on someone else's behalf... I have a distant relative in Luoyang. I received a letter a few days ago stating that two fellow villagers have been put in the Prefectural Yamen jail, so they entrusted me to look after them a bit."

Yet today this Xiao Guan was a land broker by trade after all. Hearing the question, Xiao Guan's slightly sallow round face showed not the slightest nervousness; instead, grinning, he narrowed his eyes, cupped his hands, and said in very authentic Hanyang local speech: "No need to hide it from you, Bao the Jailer — truth is, this brother here has also come at another's request... I have a distant relative in Luoyang. A few days ago I received a letter stating clearly that two men from my home village are locked up in the Prefectural Yamen, and so they asked me to look after them a bit."

Hearing this, Bao Shinan nodded repeatedly, putting on the look of a considerate and generous uncle: "When fellow villagers are jailed, one should entrust local friends and relatives to look after them a bit... it's a matter of friendship."

Bao Shinan nodded repeatedly at this, the very picture of an understanding, generous elder: "When men from your home village are jailed, of course you must ask local friends and kin to look after them a bit... it's a matter of sentiment, after all."

Xiao Guan then held back his sleeve, reached out to pick up the teapot and pour tea for Bao the Jailer, while saying: "And so this trouble has come to your doorstep, Bao the Jailer... I do hope you can accommodate us!"

At this, Xiao Guan gently set down the teapot, a confident smile appearing on his face, and spoke the words someone was most looking forward to: "As long as Bao the Jailer is willing to help, as for the matter of silver... we can easily discuss it."

At this point, Xiao Guan gently set down the teapot, a confident, assured smile spreading across his face, and spoke the words a certain someone most longed to hear: "So long as Bao the Jailer is willing to offer his assistance, as for the matter of silver... we can certainly come to an arrangement."

Now that the conversation had reached this point, Bao Shinan was utterly satisfied... doing business with brokers was so straightforward; everything could be settled in just a few words.

Since he was satisfied, it was time to proceed to the next step. What Bao Shinan needed to do first was to learn the names of the prisoners Xiao Guan mentioned, so he could then quote a price based on factors like the prisoners' sentences.

So Bao the Jailer picked up his teacup and, while blowing on the tea leaves, casually asked: "After all this talk, I still don't know which two individuals in the jail are Brother Xiao Guan's distant relatives?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Guan nodded slightly, opened his mouth, and quietly uttered two words: "Tian Da, Tian San."

At those words, Xiao Guan nodded slightly, opened his mouth, and quietly uttered two words: "Tian Da, Tian San."

The moment he heard the convicts' tabooed names, Bao Shinan held the sweet, clear tea in his mouth while his mind instantly ran through every prisoner currently held in the Prefectural Yamen's jail... As the Jailer-in-Chief, knowing every inmate's file inside out was a basic skill essential when negotiating prices.

In a flash, after pulling up two prisoners' backgrounds, "Pfft—" Bao Shinan sprayed out his tea and simultaneously slammed the Tea Bowl onto the table.

Watching Bao the Jailer bent over in a coughing fit, Xiao Guan, as if utterly oblivious to what had just happened, solicitously picked up the white-bellied hand towel from the tea tray and handed it over. Then he asked softly, "Did the tea go down the wrong pipe? Bao the Jailer, are you alright?"

"It's nothing, nothing... it's... cough cough... went down wrong."

In the time it took to cough a few times, Bao Shinan had more or less collected himself. Taking the towel and wiping his mouth, he drew a few deep, heaving breaths to suppress the coughing, then made a show of lifting his Tea Bowl again and lowering his head to sip the tea in tiny, careful sips...

Just like that, after about half a cup of tea's worth of time, perhaps having drunk his fill? Bao Shinan suddenly raised his head. This time, not only had his normal complexion returned to his face, but there was also an added, probing Expression.

Leaning forward slightly, Bao the Jailer fixed his eyes on Xiao Guan's and asked, "Brother Xiao Guan, are you aware that those two, Tian Da and Tian San, are on Death Row for the capital crime of rebellion and plotting treason, and are currently locked in the Death Row cells?"

"This matter, Xiao Guan is already aware of."

Xiao Guan, his demeanor relaxed, seemed to have anticipated this question all along. While nodding in acknowledgment, he likewise lifted his Tea Bowl, took a Leisurely sip, and then, his expression utterly calm, countered, "Bao the Jailer, which article in the entire Great Ming Code says that the Family Members of rebels are forbidden from visiting them in prison?"

"Heh heh."

Bao Shinan let out a string of sinister, chilling laughs. "Those two rebels, Tian Da and Tian San, ate the gall of a bear and the heart of a leopard—daring to run all the way from Luoyang to Huguang to purchase grain... Heh heh, heh heh... The Great Ming Code does permit family visits, but the Great Ming Code also has a clause for rebellion, extermination of..."

Yet today was truly baffling.

Right when he reached this point in his speech, Bao Shinan, the usually eloquent and sharp-tongued Bao the Jailer, suddenly choked up again.

His Expression went blank, his eyes stared at the ceiling, his mouth hung open, and he kept murmuring the word "purchase grain" under his breath, as if Desperately trying to recall something.

Another half cup of tea's worth of time passed, and Bao the Jailer finally came back to life.

This Time, his revival was rather dramatic... His complexion shifted several times, his eyeballs darted wildly, his mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to speak but stopped himself... This was the sort of thing that, in Later Generations, would get you sent to the ENT department for a check-up.

Throughout this entire process, Xiao Guan, whose Expression had long since turned placid, just watched Bao the Jailer put on his act in silence, not uttering a single word.

"Ha ha ha."

After a long while, the Jailer-in-Chief, finally done with his Expression gift pack, first threw his head back and let out three hearty laughs, then, his face wreathed in smiles, said, "Brother, your elder brother here was overthinking things just now. To be honest, in our line of work as jailers, as long as you grease the wheels with enough silver, even if he's a rebel, we still have to serve the client well! Isn't that the truth of it!"

"Exactly!" Xiao Guan's Expression now became animated as well. He slapped his own thigh hard. "Heaven is great, earth is great, but silver is the greatest. Every trade has its rules, and in all matters one must be worthy of the client's trust—you can't go breaking the rules, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Bao Shinan now slapped his own head forcefully, half in self-mockery, half in... "Look at me, worrying about things that are none of my business, nearly breaking the rules. Your elder brother has made a fool of himself in front of you today, brother."

"It's nothing, nothing. As long as Bao the Jailer is willing to offer his Assistance, we are all good brothers!"

"Mm..."

Having smoothed things over to this point, Bao Shinan probably felt it was about enough, so his Expression turned sincere as he began to discuss the real business. "Getting back to the point, Brother Xiao Guan, to look after those two, Tian Da and the other... the price... will be expensive...!"

"Easy to discuss, easy to discuss. As long as the Jailer-in-Chief is willing to help, silver is no worry."

As Xiao Guan spoke, he reached out and gently patted the back of Bao Shinan's hand on the tabletop.

Then, as Xiao Guan's robe sleeve slowly withdrew, two ingots of gleaming, snow-white fine silver were left behind on the tabletop. "Starting tomorrow, I will be entering the prison to visit them. This is only the expense money for the current month; there will be more next month."

In the next moment, Bao Shinan's robe sleeve slowly covered the silver ingots... Two faces sharing an unspoken understanding struck a deal across the table. "Deal! Tomorrow, brother, just come on over..."

——————————————————————————

By the time Bao the Jailer arrived at the yamen for work, the sun was already five poles high in the sky.

Fortunately, today was not the Great Magistrate's day for opening court and accepting complaints, so Bao the Jailer strolled all the One Road right into the gates of the prefectural jail.

Passing all the One Road through the narrow, gloomy alleyways, inspecting the rows of cells on either side, and exchanging a word with each of the subordinate Yamen Runners on duty to get them on the same page, Bao Shinan then made a Circle through Death Row. After that, he singled out his most quick-witted apprentice, Gu San, and the two of them went to the Jailer-in-Chief's private office.

Once inside, Bao Shinan shut the door, pulled Gu San close, and with a face full of grave solemnity, said to his apprentice in a low voice, "There is One Item of urgent business I need you for."

"Master, just give your orders!"

"Listen carefully. Change your clothes right now, then go to the Horse and Mule Market and ask around about a Land Broker called Xiao Guan... I want every scrap of information on this person. Find out as much as you can—his home, his old acquaintances, even the tiniest thing, I want you to ask about it all."

"A trifling matter like this? Master, just watch me handle it."

"You scoundrel!"

Seeing Gu San's eager, raring-to-go look, Bao Shinan's Expression twisted into a snarl, and he fiercely gave his apprentice a "hair wash" slap... "Keep your wits about you, and whatever you do, don't let word leak out... That man is a desperado. If word gets out, I'll make sure you're sent to the river to feed the fish!"

At this moment, Gu San's face turned pale... He understood the gravity of this matter... and he also understood his master's meaning: if word leaked, even if the desperado didn't kill him, his master would send him to feed the fish.

Just as Bao Shinan was watching his apprentice leave the yamen, Xiao Guan, his own expression somewhat strained, was likewise reporting the situation inside a room. "... And so... just like that... I'm afraid that Jailer-in-Chief has gotten ideas... He plans to squeeze me for silver first, then report me to claim the credit..."

"Excellent, excellent! Xiao Guan, you've done excellently... Him wanting to squeeze silver first is exactly what we want! What we're fighting for right now is precisely this bit of time!"