Section 10, selling oneself

Zhang Wen then saw that there was something behind, which was a corpse wrapped in a straw mat. The straw mat was tattered and only covered a little more than half of the body, leaving the stiff lower legs exposed, with only a pair of worn-out straw sandals on the feet, truly a scene of desolation

Zhang turned back and said to his follower: "Take her back to sign the contract of servitude, and help arrange to sell her father first, so he can be buried peacefully"

Wu adjusted the strands of hair that had fallen on her forehead and said in a serious tone: "Dalang, the common people are already saying you are an incompetent official. Why not reconsider and stop wandering around?"

Zhang Wen took off the loose silver-embroidered official belt hanging from his belly and said without looking back: "A dim-witted official is still better than having no official position at all. Stepmother, you may not know, but at the end of this year, there will be an inspector coming to the local area for an inspection. I offended someone in the capital back then..."

Zhang Wen entered the Fengyuelou amidst the throngs of his followers, and the madam hurriedly approached, saying, "My lord, what is your intention?"

A group of people was engaged in lively discussion, while a girl lowered her head. A middle-aged man in a long coat squatted down, tilted his head to look at the girl's face, observed for a while, and then asked: "How much silver do you want?"

The madam wore a face of sorrow, her brow furrowed, as powdery substances fell down in a flurry. "Oh dear, my lord, we wouldn't dare to harbor a royal offender even if we had the courage of a leopard. The brothel's rouge money has been settled promptly every year, and we have also paid our due respects. We have always operated in accordance with the law and maintained good relations. My lord, what is this..."

Wu bit her lip and said with a troubled expression: "As long as you, my dear, are a good person, the days will pass by. But you must not exploit the common people, do you understand... dear, do you want to change that blue cloth garment?"

The girl then saw Zhang Wen and hurriedly bowed, saying: "I, as a servant, thank the young master on behalf of my deceased father"

Wu's Proper Color said: "As a woman, how can I casually go out? You should return early. Tomorrow after the court session, won't you be home for dinner? Then I will cook less rice."

Even without that note, the design by Feng Gui would still call in the inspectors to embarrass Zhang Wen, so Zhang Wen has no need to argue with these followers. There is no point in arguing, as he only has one insider, the steward Cao An, and he still has other important matters to attend to

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wen felt a spark of inspiration and murmured to himself: "The pests are all eating the rotten pears from the inside..." A plan gradually took shape in his mind

Under the guidance of Gao Sheng, the horseman found Zhang Wen, dismounted, and knelt on one knee, saying: "I pay my respects to the Hall Master."

At this moment, Gao Sheng whispered beside him: "The corpse in that straw mat is the beggar who was hired to be beaten today and died as a result of comparison; this woman is his daughter"

Gao Sheng hurriedly moved his bottom off the bench, stood up with a whoosh, ran in front of Zhang Wen, and said while bending over: "I grew up in this city since I was young, and there is no corner of this street or alley that I am not familiar with."

Wu said to Zhang, taking off his belt, biting his lower lip, and with a serious expression said: "Young Master, quickly go behind the screen!"

Zhang Wen and two of his followers settled their accounts and left the teahouse. Before long, the square-faced constable Ma, exuding an air of righteousness, rode in on horseback, his left hand resting on his sword, occasionally shouting "Get out of the way" as he galloped forward. Behind him followed a hundred or so constables in black uniforms, some wielding swords, others carrying bows, along with a dozen or so swift horsemen. The scene was quite formidable.

Zhang Wenyi slapped his thigh and immediately said: "Prepare the writing materials!"

The attendant brought over a cart, lifting the corpse onto it for transport, and the onlookers finally dispersed, satisfied. The man in the long coat and the *illustration* examined Zhang and asked, shaking his head, "With twenty taels, one can only select a moderately decent one... That plain girl could only serve as a maid for heavy labor."

Zhang Wen smiled and said, "Alright, the bragging is deafening. Let me quiz you on something: who is the owner of the Fengyue Building at the back?"

Gao Sheng widened his eyes and said: "The Shen family, Shen Yunshan, everyone in Shangyu County knows about him. Boss Shen is quite remarkable; there is not a single business in Shangyu County—be it brothels, pawnshops, silk, grain, or medicinal materials—that he does not have a hand in..."

Wu said with a hint of melancholy: "It is better to avoid idle gossip; it will pass with time. Once the eldest son... marries, there will be plenty to talk about."

Gao Sheng tilted his head and pondered for a moment, then said: "Hiss... this, I haven't heard of it. Their family has been engaged in commerce for several generations, and they own quite a bit of land in Shangyu County, but I haven't heard of any generation having held an official position."

Zhang Wen smiled faintly, neither affirming nor denying.

The vendor said: "Five wen, and it comes sweet. The pears are of the finest quality, with not a single bad one among them"

The passerby said: "The insects are all eating the rotten pears from the inside, and they cannot be seen."

The girl lowered her head and said: "There is no graveyard; I have inquired, and the land and coffin together will cost at least 15 taels."

At this moment, Zhang Wen walked out from inside, wearing a long blue cloth robe and a square scarf on his head. Wu said, "You just wore that blue outfit yesterday; don't wear it today. Take it off, and your stepmother will wash it for you shortly."

The man in the long robe widened his eyes and clicked his tongue, saying: "Tsk tsk, so expensive? Usually, a servant would cost around 8 taels. Your little face looks quite ordinary, and your body is rather thin... Even if you are not very old, at most you would be worth 10 to 12 taels. In that case, 12 taels would be enough to buy a coffin.

Zhang Wen touched his body and found about twenty taels of silver. A wave of sympathy arose in his heart as he thought of helping this girl from the bookstore. At the same time, the inner residence was also in need of a maid, and bringing her back to assist his stepmother with some household chores would be acceptable. He also recalled that his own and his father's deaths were not unrelated, and his hand, which was tucked into his sleeve pocket, remained there for a long time without being withdrawn.

Zhang Wen walked into the screen and continued, "When the censor arrives at the magistrate of Shangyu County and sees the two characters 'Zhang Wen', he will snort and make a big cross. Then we can pack up and leave, and end up burdened with debts, worrying about daily necessities. The only solution is to make some money now, so that when the time comes, we can fill that official's pocket and continue to hold our positions."

The subordinate received the order! The head of the patrol stood up, waved his hand, and shouted: "Brothers, surround them!" The crowd of constables surged forward, while the patrons and the prostitutes at the entrance of the Fengyue Building scattered in all directions, their screams echoing. Additionally, the street vendors selling snacks and trinkets at the entrance were thrown into chaos, with chickens flying and dogs barking, as dates and fruits were scattered all over the ground, creating a scene of utter disorder

Indeed, I must go out in disguise to see if there are any methods that do not exploit the common people while still allowing for the collection of tribute. I am not willing to sit idly by... This group of scoundrels in the county office is united as one; if I remain here all day, I will accomplish nothing.

The girl spoke in a voice as delicate as the fluttering of a mosquito's wings: "Fifteen taels."

A group of people arrived at the entrance of the Fengyue Building, and Gao Sheng said, "Does the esteemed guest wish to enter and have some fun?"

Gao Sheng looked around and then whispered, "This Boss Shen has only one daughter, named Shen Biyao. It is said that she is extraordinarily beautiful, and just hearing her voice makes people lose their senses..."

Zhang Wen had not tasted the flavor of the tea in this teahouse. Looking at the bustling and prosperous Fengyuelou, he had already instructed Cao An to investigate, and it turned out that Fengyuelou was indeed a property of the Shen family. It would be bold to poke the tiger's butt, so he decided to first make a move.

The girl, blushing, softly said: "I have not yet been married." The man in the long robe was still hesitating

Zhang Wen could only see one person walk out. The few osmanthus trees at the moon gate had already bloomed. Gao Sheng and several other followers had changed their clothes and hurried over, with Gao Sheng bowing and saying: "Esteemed one, although I am illiterate, I never intended to give that ticket to Feng Gui. It was Feng Gui who stopped us; we were merely errand runners..."

Zhang Wen glanced at the teahouse across the street and said, "Let us go over there to have some tea and talk further"

"It is settled," Zhang said, "This official will no longer hold that matter against you"

The dim official ... Zhang Wen cursed inwardly at the despicable methods of the court clerk Feng Gui. After cursing Feng Gui, he picked up the large, wide blue cloth robe from the chair, preparing to change his clothes

I have received a tip-off that there is a wanted criminal in this building, therefore I am bringing people to conduct a search. If the wanted criminal is found, you will be guilty of harboring a criminal and will face severe consequences.

A few people walked out of the county office, and outside was County Office Street. This street was adorned with lanterns, but there were few shops, and the passersby were mostly travelers. To the east was the City God Temple, which could be reached by crossing County Office Street. Walking west to the end of County Office Street, there stood an archway.

Gao Sheng hurriedly ran to find the one in charge of the ink and brushes. Zhang Wen wrote on the paper: "Zhang Ma, immediately bring Kuai Shou to Yanjiang Fang." After finishing, he handed it to Gao Sheng and said: "Take this back to Zhang Ma."

Zhang Wen sighed, "The stepmother need not stay cooped up at home all day; going out to buy some clothes or browsing the shops would be good as well. That little expenditure is not a problem."

At this moment, Zhang Wen noticed that a large crowd had gathered ahead, and he couldn't help but join in to take a look. Among the crowd, there was a frail girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old, kneeling on the ground, with a grass sign beside her that read: Selling myself to bury my father

"Gao Sheng, come here... How long have you been hanging around in Shangyu County?" Zhang asked, beckoning with his hand.

I will take care of this right away

Gao Sheng introduced: "In our Shangyu County, there are a total of three memorial arches. At the entrance of the county government, there is a Zhonglian Arch, and at each end of the county government street, there is another arch."

The tall man pondered for a moment and then asked, "Is your body damaged?"

Zhang Wen took out the silver and directly tossed it onto the straw mat, saying: "Twenty taels, I will buy it, and ensure your father is buried properly"

Zhang Wen walked aimlessly, turning south, and unknowingly arrived at Yanjiang Fang, where the Fengyue Tower was located. At this moment, night had just fallen, and the shops on both sides of the Cao'e River were adorned with lanterns, creating a bright and bustling scene. In the middle of the river, painted boats drifted by, accompanied by the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments, presenting a scene of joyous singing and dancing.

The Pure Maiden

What is your name

Zhang Wen deliberately asked: "It seems that Shen Yunshan is a wealthy man. Does the Shen family have someone in the court?"

A passerby asked: "How much is it per pound?"

I have received intelligence that a court-designated criminal is hiding in this brothel, conduct a search for me

It is not very dirty, and since I have already put it on, I am too lazy to take it off. Stepmother, you should change your clothes as well and go out for a walk together. Don't just stay cooped up in this courtyard all day. When I was in the front hall, you didn't even have anyone to talk to.

He glanced at Laifu beside him, then looked at the pitiful girl whose father he had killed. These two just happened to provide him with leverage against the Shen family. ... If the Shen family had their own leverage over me, they would probably feel more at ease in using me ...

Several people went up to the second floor, and the waiter greeted them to take their seats. Zhang Wen chose a window-side position, while Gao Sheng and others sat at a nearby table, not daring to share a table with the esteemed guest

At this moment, a vendor carrying a shoulder pole noticed the crowd and approached, calling out: "Selling pears, delicious pears, pears..."