Chapter 128: Chapter Fifty‑seven【Striking Darkly】（Part 1）

Hu Xiaotian returned to the Fulai Inn and only then remembered that he had promised the inn owner Su Guangju to look at a house, but because he had been out all day he forgot about it. It was only when he saw Liang Da Zhuang that he learned Liang had already followed Su Guangju to see the house that afternoon. The house was nearby on San De Xiang, and as Su Guangju said, its conditions were quite good in every respect. The landlord asked twenty taels of gold, but hearing that the newly appointed County Secretary Sir wanted to buy it, he voluntarily lowered the price to eighteen taels.

Hu Xiaotian had Liang Da Zhuang decide this matter for him; as for the two taels of favor, it was unnecessary, because given his status he did not want people to say he was bullying others with his influence.

Night fell and lanterns were lit. Liang Da Zhuang readied a carriage and took Hu Xiaotian to the county Government Office. It was said that tonight's cooks were all invited from the Hongyan Lou, the most famous restaurant in Qingyun Xian. Whenever the county Government Office had a major event or needed to receive important guests, they either went to Hongyan Lou or invited its chefs over. As they passed Hongyan Lou, Hu Xiaotian paid special attention and indeed saw many carriages and horses parked outside. One of them had a familiar figure alight—it was Wan Bo Ping, the patriarch of the Wan family. Seeing that his second son Wan Ting Sheng's condition had stabilized, Wan Bo Ping's mood had improved and he had gone out to eat. Because Hu Xiaotian had business, he did not go over to greet him, but kept his eyes on Liang Da Zhuang, urging him to pass quickly.

The carriage went around to the back gate of the county Government Office, where they found many carriages and horses parked as well. Qingyun Xian was a lower‑rank county, so the clerks' salaries were meager; owning a carriage and horses was already difficult, let alone luxurious. Even the chief clerk Guo Shouguang's carriage was very old, with several patches on its canopy. Placed next to Hu Xiaotian's newly bought carriage, it looked shabby by comparison.

Guo Shouguang held a considerable position in the Qingyun county Government Office, organizing both major and minor affairs, facilitating communication between departments, and relaying orders up and down the chain—his presence could be seen everywhere.

As Hu Xiaotian got off the carriage, Guo Shouguang came forward, clasped his hands and smiled: "Sir Hu, you've come late; everyone's been waiting for you."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "This makes me feel truly humbled; why such formality?"

Guo Shouguang said: "Sir, you are the guest of honor tonight."

"Is that so? Hahahaha!" This fellow laughed a bit too gleefully.

Following Guo Shouguang into the back garden, they saw a table set up in the pavilion. Those qualified to sit here were the County Magistrate, the County Secretary, the County Chief, the chief clerk, and the various office heads; the other attendants and constables were arranged at two other tables, more than ten zhang away from the pavilion.

Guo Shouguang led Hu Xiaotian into the pavilion, where County Magistrate Xu Qinglian sat upright at the head seat, motionless. The others also remained seated. Xu Qinglian said: "Sir Hu has arrived. Please take a seat."

Everyone said, "Please sit, Sir Hu."

Hu Xiaotian noticed the seat left for him was not beside Xu Qinglian but opposite him. That's not right! Logically, as the deputy head of Qingyun Xian and tonight's guest of honor, Xu Qinglian should have placed me on his left. Although it's a round table, his seat is the place of honor; sitting opposite me would be the lowest seat. I say, this old Xu is being a bit underhanded, playing tricks in front of all these colleagues to step on me? Damn it! This is a blatant show of power—looks like tonight is a Hongmen banquet.

Hu Xiaotian did not flare up over a mere seating order. He smiled, took the empty seat, and glanced at the dishes on the table. The food was fairly abundant, but the food and wine had already been moved; I thought they'd wait for me, but after all this fuss they'd already started eating. These bastards are also terribly rude, knowing nothing about hospitality.

Just as Hu Xiaotian sat down, County Magistrate Xu Qinglian said: "Sir Hu, you're late; by rule you must drink three cups as penalty."

Hu Xiaotian smiled: "Sorry, there was a traffic jam on the road." A reason commonplace in modern times, but utterly feeble in this era. Although Qingyun Xian's roads aren't wide, there are hardly any carriages running inside the city—talk of a traffic jam? Only a fool would believe it.

Before his chopsticks even moved, three large cups of wine were placed before Hu Xiaotian—three large cups, truly speaking not cups but tea bowls, each holding more than two taels. At a glance he understood: this was clearly a trap. Old Xu, that sly fox, wanted to humiliate him in front of all his colleagues, dampen his spirit, and let everyone know he was the undisputed boss of Qingyun.

Hu Xiaotian cursed silently: "You're messing with me! If I down these three big cups I'll really be knocked flat; in front of all these people I'd make a fool of myself?" He smiled and said: "I can't hold my liquor; I've never drunk before."

Xu Qinglian laughed: "Everything needs rules; at the wine table as in officialdom, rules must not be broken." This remark clearly carried a veiled warning to Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian stared at this old fool who didn't recognize Mount Tai and wished he could splash a cup of wine in his face, but remembering his father's parting advice before departure—that it was best not to reveal this identity lightly—he instead said: "How about just one cup? Sir Xu, you don't want me to pass out drunk right here, do you?"

Xu Qinglian said: "No drunk, no return; tonight you're the guest of honor, only if you drink well can everyone be happy."

Hu Xiaotian gave a sly cold laugh: "If I get drunk, you lot will be even happier. Drink then—three cups, thinking you can really stump me?" He picked up his cup and gulped it down, gul‑gul. He had only recently discovered his alcohol tolerance was extraordinary; his drinking ability stemmed from his sworn elder brother Shi Xuedong's enlightenment. Speaking of Shi Xuedong, he's no good either—deeply scheming, with the four vices of lust, wealth, liquor, and anger. Through him Hu Xiaotian acquired two of those vices: drink and lust, the latter manifested in three treasures: the Chun/Hua picture, the Chun/Gong picture, and the San Bian pill. On the surface it looks like brotherly love, but in fact he's been nursing a grudge from the beating he took at the Yan Yun Lou, trying to corrupt Hu Xiaotian by any means. Still, everything has two sides: if not for Shi Xuedong's Chun/Hua picture, Hu Xiaotian wouldn't have so smoothly reunited with Liang Da Zhuang after the calamity and recovered his official seal and documents; if not for this fellow plying him with three bowls of wine at the Chang Ting, Hu Xiaotian wouldn't have known he possessed such a fine tolerance for alcohol.

As Hu Xiaotian finished his first cup, chief clerk Guo Shouguang came over, promptly lifted Hu Xiaotian's second cup, and Hu Xiaotian cursed inwardly: "Who didn't tie their trousers tight, letting this ugly thing hang out? Damn it! Joining Xu Qinglian in scheming against me—I'll settle accounts with you later."

Xu Qinglian gave a glance; everyone shouted in unison, creating momentum to make Hu Xiaotian unable to back down. By now Hu Xiaotian couldn't let these people look down on him; since he could hold his liquor, what did he have to fear? He downed three cups in one go.

After those three cups, the atmosphere instantly livened. Xu Qinglian raised his cup before him and said: "Sir Hu, your capacity is great; on behalf of all Qingyun Xian colleagues I welcome you, and I'll drink first as a sign of respect."

Before Hu Xiaotian could stop him, this fellow had already drunk his cup—clearly posturing to trap Hu Xiaotian. Hu Xiaotian hadn't even taken a bite of food yet. Meanwhile Guo Shouguang had already refilled Hu Xiaotian's cup; they had previously reached a tacit agreement: first penalize three cups, then take turns pressing the attack, making sure Hu Xiaotian gets drunk tonight and makes a fool of himself.

Hu Xiaotian nodded, didn't refuse, drank two cups with Xu Qinglian, smiled, sat down, picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of vegetable. Before he could recover, Guo Shouguang lifted his wine cup again: "Sir Hu, I respect you with two cups."

Hu Xiaotian hehe‑laughed: "Sir Guo, let's drink later; I need to urinate."

Hearing this, the crowd burst into laughter. Hu Xiaotian rose to go to the privy, intending to relieve himself a bit, but Guo Shouguang followed him like a shadow, smiling: "Sir Hu, the night is dark and the road slippery; let me accompany you." He wasn't concerned for Hu Xiaotian's welfare—he feared Hu Xiaotian might seize the chance to escape.

Hu Xiaotian grin‑widely said: "That would be best." His steps were light and unsteady, his gait staggered—clearly the look of someone who'd drunk too much.

Someone behind whispered: "Sir Hu seems to have drunk too much…"

Guo Shouguang supported Hu Xiaotian to the privy entrance and whispered: "Sir Hu, we're here."

Hu Xiaotian responded, politely gesturing: "Sir Guo, please go first."

Guo Shouguang said: "Or should you go first, Sir?" They entered the privy one after another; Hu Xiaotian lifted his long robe, saw Guo Shouguang staring at him, smiling, and reminded: "Sir Guo, you have your own, no need to keep staring at my treasure."

Guo Shouguang burst out laughing, hastily turned his head away, and said: "Sir Hu, later I'll have to respect you with three big cups—you can't refuse me face, okay!"

Hu Xiaotian already disliked him; hearing this, he knew it was clearly a move to trip him up and knock him down. If Hu Xiaotian still had some misgivings toward his superior Xu Qinglian, toward this subordinate official Guo Shouguang he felt nothing but contempt. Thinking of such a petty man daring to borrow the tiger's might to provoke him, anger welled up from his heart. "Damn it! The good are bullied, the meek are ridden—today I won't let you old bastard get away with a light taste; you don't know my strength, giving you face? Still treating yourself as someone important?" He lifted his foot and kicked Guo Shouguang squarely in the buttocks.

Guo Shouguang never imagined the newly appointed County Secretary would dare strike him; caught off guard, Hu Xiaotian's kick sent him sprawling, losing balance and tumbling straight into the urine pool.

Guo Shouguang reacted fairly quickly, shouting: "Someone help—" Before he finished, a large foot came flying at his face; Hu Xiaotian kicked him squarely in the visage, gritting his teeth: "You love drinking so much—then drink your fill!"

Guo Shouguang wailed: "I'm going to sue—"

"With witnesses? With evidence? Hahaha…" Hu Xiaotian gloated, "Official rank one level higher crushes people; I'll torment you just like that." Then he turned and strode out of the privy, shouting loudly: "Quick, someone come—Sir Guo has fallen in!"

The Government Office runners reacted first, dragging Guo Shouguang out from inside; he was a sorry sight, wanting to cry but no tears, unable to fathom why Hu Xiaotian would suddenly strike him—did he not fear being sued? Had he lost all sense of law? Guo Shouguang trembled with rage, his voice shaking: "It was him who pushed me down…"