Chapter 83: Provincial Graduate Yang

He had been traveling in haste ever since leaving home, and only now, at One-Eye Qi's place, could he settle his mind and think. Zhao Jin suddenly felt a bit uneasy. If things developed in the worst possible direction, then much of what he had done over these past few years would be for nothing, and he might even drag these warmhearted friends who had helped him into trouble.

Zhao Jin was also reproaching himself. Many of the things he had done yesterday had seemed perfectly complete to him, but in reality they were riddled with holes. Before and after the fight, his inexperience was to blame, but in the aftermath, he had kept analyzing and handling things using his past experience — yet his past experience simply could not be applied to the present.

By now it was broad daylight, and the yamen had already begun its official duties. The Prefect of Xuzhou, Tong Huaizu, was in his study in the rear hall, listening to his private secretary's report.

Generally speaking, officials who came up through the imperial examinations could read books and write essays well enough, but when it came to administration and practical affairs, they were a complete mess and often needed a private secretary to assist them. These private secretaries were trusted confidants and close aides.

"My patron, the total is one thousand taels of pure-fine silver. It has been counted and delivered to the madam's quarters," the private secretary reported with a smile.

Tong Huaizu nodded, his face wreathed in smiles. "Secretary Wang, go and speak with the legal department. This case is closed as it stands. Weren't they just a few kidnappers? Beating them to death is a cause for public celebration. If the chance arises, I myself will petition for a commendation for them."

Just as he finished speaking, Prefect Tong remembered another matter and asked, "Does Vice-Prefect Zhang and the other relevant parties all know about this?"

The private secretary bowed and said with a smile, "Please rest assured, my patron. Constable Chen, Constable Zhao, and the others handled everything thoroughly. The confessions are signed and sealed, and all the various offices have certainly been taken care of. We are only waiting for your nod of approval."

"Good, that's good. That boy from the Zhao family is truly fierce — daring to kill at his age, and even dragging that man from the Chen family into it. How interesting," Tong Huaizu remarked offhandedly.

The private secretary nodded with a smile but did not chime in. He had also received eighty taels of silver in benefits from this matter. Unlike the prefect, who sat high above, this private secretary dealt with the people in the yamen every day and understood the inner workings of these affairs perfectly well.

This morning, Chief Constable Chen Wu had stepped in to smooth things over, distributing over two thousand taels of silver in benefits. Everyone involved, from top to bottom, had gotten a share. Moreover, the private secretary could well guess exactly how those kidnappers in the jail cell last night had died of "suicide out of fear of punishment."

Several thousand taels of silver, the lives of a few kidnappers — so much trouble and effort expended, all for the purpose of covering up the case of Zhao Jin and Chen Sheng killing those men.

After all, those were six real human lives. If pursued, no matter how you calculated it, it would be a capital crime. But if everyone from top to bottom glossed it over, then it became a trivial matter not worth mentioning.

As he was thinking this, he heard someone outside announce: "My lord, Provincial Graduate Yang has come to pay a visit."

"Provincial Graduate Yang? What is he here for? Secretary Wang, go and welcome him in," Tong Huaizu said, puzzled, then instructed his secretary.

Secretary Wang hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment. That the prefect's private secretary was sent to receive him showed that this person held considerable status. Secretary Wang knew Provincial Graduate Yang's background. Yang Zhongping was a native of Xuzhou and held the rank of provincial graduate. Xuzhou was not a place where literary talent flourished, so holding the rank of provincial graduate was already quite remarkable.

However, what made the Prefect of Xuzhou take him seriously was not this provincial graduate rank, but the backing behind Provincial Graduate Yang. This Provincial Graduate Yang was a lay disciple of Cloud Mountain Temple. All matters in Xuzhou city concerning Cloud Mountain Temple were handled by this Provincial Graduate Yang.

A provincial graduate alone was not particularly important in the prefect's eyes, but a provincial graduate colluding with a powerful local magnate like Cloud Mountain Temple was a very different matter. And Cloud Mountain Temple itself had formidable backers behind it — some said it was a grand eunuch in Fengyang Prefecture, others said it was a great personage in Nanjing. No matter which way you looked at it, the prefect could not afford to offend them.

He went to the gate to welcome Provincial Graduate Yang. This Yang Zhongping was tall and thin, with a pallid complexion that vaguely suggested overindulgence in wine and women. He was extremely arrogant and cold in manner, merely nodding at Secretary Wang before striding straight in. Secretary Wang kept a smile on his face, but inwardly he was cursing. Everyone knew that Provincial Graduate Yang's reputation in Xuzhou was abysmal; he had committed many acts of bullying and debauchery. If not for Cloud Mountain Temple backing him from behind, he would have been arrested and punished long ago. Yet despite knowing his own ill repute, this Provincial Graduate Yang never showed the slightest restraint, always acting as if he held no one in regard.

Upon entering Prefect Tong's study in the rear hall, this Provincial Graduate Yang made a casual bow with clasped hands and, ignoring the prefect's furrowed brow, simply sat himself down.

Secretary Wang knew it was best to see as little of such awkward scenes as possible, so he immediately bowed and said, "My patron, this student will now go to see Magistrate Zhou."

This Magistrate Zhou was the Prefectural Judge of Xuzhou, in charge of criminal cases. The matter just discussed was precisely what he should be consulted about.

Prefect Tong nodded, his face grim. He was also very displeased with Provincial Graduate Yang's attitude, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Just as Secretary Wang was about to leave, he heard Provincial Graduate Yang say, "Your Excellency, this student learned early this morning that several masters from Cloud Mountain Temple met violent deaths east of the city. This student is deeply grieved and implores Your Excellency to rigorously investigate this case."

"Your information is certainly well-informed," Prefect Tong said flatly, then raised his voice and called out, "Secretary Wang, what is the meaning of this? It was clearly a case of kidnappers — how is it that people from Cloud Mountain Temple are involved?"

Secretary Wang hurriedly strode over and whispered an explanation in Prefect Tong's ear. After listening for a moment, Prefect Tong Huaizu shot Secretary Wang a glare, then turned and said, "I never imagined that the monks of Cloud Mountain Temple would actually be connected to kidnappers. Wasn't it said that the confessions were all signed and sealed..."

This entire matter was to be glossed over from top to bottom. Everyone would only say that the men Zhao Jin and the others killed were accomplices of the kidnappers, without mentioning their specific identities. Secretary Wang had taken his benefits, so naturally he had not brought this up when he came to report.

Provincial Graduate Yang completely ignored the sarcasm in the prefect's words and bluntly interrupted, "Cloud Mountain Temple has always strictly observed its monastic rules and would never harbor criminals. I fear someone is bearing false witness. I implore Your Excellency to rigorously investigate. If Your Excellency's office cannot uncover anything, Master Yuanxin will write to several of Cloud Mountain Temple's great benefactors and request their assistance."

Master Yuanxin was the abbot and head monk of Cloud Mountain Temple. As for the so-called "great benefactors," they were presumably the backers of Cloud Mountain Temple.

Prefect Tong furrowed his brow. He glanced at Secretary Wang beside him and said in a deep voice, "Go and tell Magistrate Zhou that this case must be rigorously investigated."

Hearing this, Secretary Wang grew anxious. If it could not be glossed over, wouldn't the benefits he had already pocketed have to be spit back out? He quickly leaned in and whispered, "My patron, what about all that?"

Prefect Tong shot Secretary Wang a vicious glare and raised his voice: "If the venerable and highly respected Master Yuanxin is so concerned, how can I treat this as an ordinary matter? Go and urge them on at once."

The meaning behind his words was also clear: he could not afford to offend Cloud Mountain Temple and its backers. Even the benefits and the goodwill within the yamen had to be set aside — an explanation had to be given.

Hearing this, a smug smile appeared on Provincial Graduate Yang's face. He nodded and said, "Your Excellency is wise. Those masters were cultivating in purity, yet they met with tragic misfortune. According to the law of the land, a life must be paid for with a life."

This was yet another condition being laid down. The expressions on both Prefect Tong Huaizu and Secretary Wang's faces turned rather ugly. If Zhao Jin really had to pay with his life, placating Zhao Zhentang would be no easy task. Offending these local powers below would cause major problems for the yamen's operations.

But after weighing the matter repeatedly, whether this official post was easy or hard to hold was one thing — whether he could continue to hold it at all was far more important. He would still have to act according to Cloud Mountain Temple's wishes.

Secretary Wang cursed inwardly, but he could only accept the order and go carry it out. Just as he bowed in acknowledgment, he heard another announcement from the front: "My lord, Steward Wang from Minister Wang's residence has come to pay a visit."

The only person in Xuzhou city who could be referred to as "Minister" in the prefect's presence was Wang Youshan. He had retired from office and returned to his hometown. Though he still held official rank, he had no actual post and was merely a man of leisure. Yet no one dared to slight him. For a local official like the Prefect of Xuzhou, a single letter from Wang Youshan to the capital could decide his promotion, demotion, life, or death.

As soon as he heard it was this person, Prefect Tong Huaizu hurriedly said to Secretary Wang, "Quickly, go welcome him. Quickly, go welcome him."

The arrogance on Provincial Graduate Yang's face also receded. He, too, was well aware of Wang Youshan's weight.

Secretary Wang returned very quickly. There was no guest behind him; instead, he held an envelope in his hand. Without waiting for the prefect to ask, he hastily handed the envelope over.