Chapter 314: A Chance Encounter

Inside the cramped second hall of the small Embroidered Uniform Guard Centurion office in Jining Prefecture, Feng Yucheng, the grain-shipping Censor from the Censorate, was locked in a heated argument with Li Lie, the Embroidered Uniform Guard Chiliarch of Yanzhou Prefecture. Several captains standing outside the hall glared at Feng Yucheng with fury, as if they wished they could smash the man's sharp teeth with their sword scabbards.

The man had come to the guard station office a few days earlier, putting on an air of official business, exchanging a few words with the Chiliarch before taking his leave. No one expected him to return today and start a full-blown quarrel with the Chiliarch.

"This case was clearly uncovered by my mounted agents—when did it become the achievement of your Censorate? At present, all we need is to follow the thread and we can net many big fish without much effort. Dare I say your Censorate is nothing but a bunch of fruit-stealers?!"

Li Lie lounged lazily against the back of his chair, his feet propped up on a side table, glancing askance at Feng Yucheng seated below him as he spoke with a mocking tone.

He too came from a hereditary Embroidered Uniform Guard family. From his ancestors' generation down to his own entry into the Guard, he had never heard of anyone daring to come to the Guard's doorstep demanding an explanation. Even as he found it absurd and laughable, he still felt a measure of admiration for this young, reckless Censor.

"Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! It was I who discovered the clues long ago, and so a month past I followed in plain clothes. I encountered danger several times before finally unearthing a thread of evidence! And now the fruit-picker mocks the tree-planter, disregarding his toil and hardship—this is not blindness! This is pure black-heartedness!"

Feng Yucheng, dressed in a green robe with embroidered rank badge and a black gauze cap, sat bolt upright in his armchair, showing not the slightest fear before the pack of wolf-like Embroidered Uniform Guard officers on and off the hall.

Feng Yucheng, not yet thirty years of age, was a native of Xiangyang Prefecture in Huguang. Known in his youth for his cleverness throughout the countryside, his path through the civil examinations had been smooth enough—passing hurdle after hurdle until he earned his jinshi degree in the seventh year of Chongzhen and remained at the Censorate for observation. Because of his uprightness and willingness to speak frankly, he won the favor of Li Banghua, then Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. After his observation period ended, he was kept on staff and appointed Investigating Censor of the Guangdong Circuit.

In the latter half of the ninth year of Chongzhen, the former grain-shipping Censor Sun Jingmin was discovered and arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard's mounted agents for corruption and favoritism. Following the rule that crimes committed by Censors merit triple punishment, Sun Jingmin was sentenced to death pending execution, his property confiscated, and he was to be beheaded after the autumn of this year.

Because the grain-shipping Censor wielded enormous authority, if anyone else were to follow Sun Jingmin down that road of no return, it would be a devastating blow to the Censorate's reputation. After careful deliberation by several senior figures of the Censorate, Feng Yucheng, known for his fearless candor and selflessness, was selected by Li Banghua to take up the post of grain-shipping Censor.

Upon taking office, Feng Yucheng immediately conducted open and covert investigations into every link of the grain transport system. After more than half a year of inquiry, he gained a rough understanding of the grain transport operations. Returning to the grain-shipping Censor's office in Huai'an Prefecture, Feng Yucheng addressed several malpractices discovered in the grain transport by submitting a personal memorial to Zhu Youjian, detailing in secret memorial form the current state of grain transport and its defects.

After reading Feng Yucheng's memorial of several thousand characters, Zhu Youjian's fondness for this vigorous young Censor grew considerably. Though the young Censor's suggestions, lacking an overall perspective, were somewhat naive, the sharp spirit displayed in his memorial was admirable.

When Zhu Youjian received Feng Yucheng's memorial, Li Banghua and others had not yet left the capital. He therefore specially sent Wang Cheng'en on a trip to the Censorate, where he found Li Banghua and praised Feng Yucheng's conduct, expressing the hope that such talent would not be buried.

The meaning of these words was quite direct—since he must not be buried, then he certainly had to be promoted.

Li Banghua wrote to Feng Yucheng, two thousand li away, conveying the imperial intent, instructing him to guard against arrogance and impatience, and to be certain not to give anyone a handle on his personal conduct. As for official matters, he could freely roll up his sleeves and go all out. As long as problems were found, no matter who was involved, he should handle them impartially—all consequences would be borne by Li himself as the one who had recommended him.

Feng Yucheng was beside himself with excitement upon receiving the letter. He never imagined that his hot-blooded, rash memorial would actually receive the Emperor's approval. Though many of his suggestions had not received explicit responses, at least his conduct had been clearly affirmed.

From then on, Feng Yucheng was like a man injected with stimulant, throwing himself into his duties with even greater vigor.

Just last month, while on patrol in plain clothes, Feng Yucheng was drinking alone in a small tavern in Suqian County town when he happened to overhear someone at a nearby table mention the words "grain tribute." This immediately put him on alert, given his extreme sensitivity to grain transport matters.

Seated at the table drinking were two sturdy men in short jackets. From their conversation and the exposed colors of their clothing, Feng Yucheng judged them to be two grain boatmen. This must be a fleet that had stopped to rest while passing through Linqing, and these two friends had come to the tavern for a drink and some amusement. Their speech sounded like it carried an accent from the Shandong area.

"Third Brother, have you ever been to that Fang girl's place in Li Family Alley at the north end of Suqian town? I heard from Scarhead that he also stopped at Suqian last month when he was on a boat. He heard about this Fang girl and went looking for her. Scarhead comes back bragging to everyone, saying that Fang girl is pretty, and her white skin is so smooth you can't keep a grip on it! Heh heh! How about we two brothers go take a look later? Heh heh heh heh!"

A man with a long horse face said in a low, lewd chuckle.

"Bullshit! Don't listen to that Scarhead's nonsense. I've pissed alongside him—with that little thing of his, he's got the nerve to brag? Hahaha! He probably couldn't even find the door and made some excuse to run off!"

A burly man chewing on a piece of soy-braised beef sneered.

With a "pfft," the horse-faced man sprayed his rice wine all over the floor, doubling over with laughter. Several customers dressed as merchants at another table frowned at the pair, their eyes filled with deep contempt.

The burly man paid no heed to the others' strange looks. After swallowing the food in his mouth, he raised his cup and tossed it back in one gulp, his expression one of great contentment.

The horse-faced man straightened up, wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes, picked up the wine pot to refill his companion's cup, then poured his own. Shaking the pot in his hand, he said, "Third Brother, there's only about an ounce or so left in this pot. Should we get another one? Today this brother of yours is treating—thanks for always looking out for me!"

"Looking out, my ass! What's worth you treating me? I, Zhao Laosan, lost my parents early—a bachelor with no ties and no worries. I earn my silver and spend it all, and that's that! Liu Zi, you're not like me—you've got a whole family depending on you for their meals! Your silver has a purpose! This round's on me! Don't argue with me! I don't like people being formal with me!"

The burly man waved the hand holding his chopsticks impatiently, then raised his cup with the other and drank it down in one go.

"Third Brother, sometimes when I sit quietly and think about it, I owe you too many favors—I can never repay them in this lifetime! Let me say this now: from today on, whatever you need, I, Xu Liuzi, will do it even if it costs me my life!"

The horse-faced man, perhaps due to the wine going to his head, spoke with a sob in his voice. Though Feng Yucheng wasn't looking directly at him, he could guess that this boatman named Xu Liuzi probably had tears in his eyes.

Though the two men were crude and rude in speech and manner, Feng Yucheng could tell they were both loyal and righteous men at heart. This Zhao Laosan seemed to look after Xu Liuzi quite well, his words carrying the affection of an elder brother toward a younger one.

But the two never brought up the topic of grain tribute again, which made Feng Yucheng feel a surge of anxiety. He was alone without guards—if he hurried back to the office to fetch men, they would have long since left. Grain boats traveled in fleets of a hundred or more, plus all sorts of merchant vessels. Even if he brought people to the dock, setting aside whether the boats would have departed, how would he find anyone among so many ships? And even if he found them, what then? He couldn't just arrest them without cause and beat a confession out of them, could he?

Before he could think of a plan, a low-spoken sentence from Zhao Laosan drew his attention back.

"When we dock at Jining Prefecture later, I'll call for you at night. Don't let anyone else know. If this business succeeds, we should each get about three taels of silver!"