Zhao Hanzhang handed the money to Fan Ying and Zeng Yue, instructing them, “Assist Master Ming in sending them away. In two more days it’s the Heaven Worship Ceremony. They must be sent away before the ceremony.”
Zeng Yue and Fan Ying responded in unison.
Zhao Hanzhang turned to leave but hesitated, calling the two back. “If possible, redeem Zheng Mingzhu and have their family leave together.”
Fan Ying’s eyes moistened slightly as he quietly agreed, then went with Zeng Yue to find Ming Yu.
Hearing Zhao Hanzhang’s request, Ming Yu considered briefly before saying, “They can’t leave together. I’ll first make arrangements so they can leave today. As for Zheng Mingzhu, if she’s fortunate, I’ll redeem her and send her away.”
Fan Ying asked, “Is it very difficult to redeem her?”
Ming Yu sighed, “The Great General values rules extremely and governs subordinates strictly. Zheng Mingzhu is no longer a concubine, but people in the general’s mansion have every word and action constrained, with basically no possibility of redemption. So even with some influence, it’s very difficult to redeem her.”
Fan Ying pursed his lips, “We’ll do our best.”
Ming Yu nodded and planned the route for sending them away with the two.
Ming Yu didn’t plan to appear personally. He went to find General Pei.
The Emperor was worshipping Heaven, so Gou Xi’s subordinate generals also had to attend. General Pei had arrived two days earlier.
For this old friend’s request, General Pei asked about Tan Shen and Zheng Xiao’s identities before agreeing.
Ming Yu also quietly asked him, “Have you thought about leaving Yanzhou?”
General Pei looked at him deeply, “I only fear there’s no way.”
Ming Yu poured him a cup of wine and said quietly, “I am your way.”
General Pei was somewhat excited and nervous, asking in a low voice, “When?”
“My lord has no intention of contending with the Great General now. The current great enemies are still Liu Yuan and Shi Le. Only after defeating them badly can we act internally. Otherwise, as soon as we move, they’ll invade—very troublesome.” Ming Yu said, “She says we must prioritize the realm and value the common people.”
General Pei listened with shining eyes, then felt somewhat dejected. “Such a pity. If Sir Yan were still here and knew he could meet such a worthy lord, he would be so happy.”
Ming Yu felt bad hearing him mention Yan Heng.
He looked out the window at the bustling street. Gou Xi and Gou Chun should have known he returned to Yuncheng long ago, right?
Yet they did nothing. Yesterday they even properly entertained Zhao Hanzhang. Truly bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
“General Pei, is the Jiang family still the one providing treasures to the Great General’s mansion?”
“Yes,” General Pei looked down on the Jiang family with disdain. “The Great General was corrupted by their seduction.”
Ming Yu smiled without responding, knowing General Pei held deep prejudice against the Jiang family, so he didn’t explain.
However, General Pei didn’t know the inside story. As Gou Xi’s former staff member, he and Yan Heng had authority to review account books. The Jiang family might not like Gou Xi that much.
The Jiang family were gentry of Yuncheng, and major merchants. When the Emperor moved the capital here, it was their family who provided a garden for the Emperor to use as the palace.
The Jiang family therefore had people enter court as officials.
But compared to Gou Xi’s position, the Jiang family was just a basin of water beside a great river. So the Jiang family ingratiated themselves with Gou Xi.
The first gifts and treasures sent were only to establish good relations between the families. Who could know Gou Xi would latch onto the Jiang family from then on, with many items in the Great General’s mansion purchased from the Jiang family?
But Gou Xi was clearly not a good customer. Due to lack of money, he haggled on many items. The Jiang family couldn’t afford to offend him, so basically sold things to him at a loss.
The Jiang family had things—as long as he took a liking, the Jiang family had to sell to him at low prices. If they didn’t sell, the Jiang family members serving in court would be made difficult.
What the Jiang family didn’t have, they still had to find. When Ming Yu left, the Jiang family had learned to make excuses. Of ten items Gou Xi requested, seven or eight couldn’t be found or bought. The remaining two or three would have prices raised, then wait for Gou Xi to haggle.
Even so, Gou Xi was a bottomless pit.
Outsiders only knew that the Emperor’s and national treasury’s money flowed continuously to the Great General’s mansion, then to the Jiang family, treating the Jiang family as profiteers and despising them from the heart, not knowing the Jiang family was also overwhelmed.
If the Jiang family could convert these financial losses into political resources it would be acceptable, but Gou Xi basically didn’t manage court affairs except matters involving his own interests, leaving little for the Jiang family to exploit.
Moreover, the Jiang family were locals, extremely concerned with reputation and relations with local people, unable to act recklessly.
This left the Jiang family in a dilemma.
After meeting General Pei, Ming Yu didn’t cancel the private room, having someone pose as him to remain there while he quietly went with someone to the tavern’s rear courtyard. Oh right, this tavern belonged to the Jiang family.
Ming Yu met the Jiang family’s eldest young master in the rear courtyard. Clearly, the Jiang family valued this meeting. They received the message less than an hour ago yet immediately came to fulfill the appointment.
Jiang Chong saw Ming Yu and immediately rose to bow, lowering his voice. “I pay respects to Master Ming.”
Ming Yu returned the courtesy. “Young Master Jiang need not be so polite.”
The two sat separately. Ming Yu was also direct, speaking quietly about the reason for inviting him. “I ask Young Master Jiang to help redeem Zheng Mingzhu.”
Jiang Chong’s eyes flickered as he said, “I naturally wish to help you, Master. However, redeeming someone from the Great General’s mansion requires my Jiang family to be somewhat cautious. So I want to confirm—who is this Zheng Mingzhu? Is Master redeeming her, or is Governor Zhao redeeming her?”
“I am redeeming her,” Ming Yu said. “After Zheng Mingzhu entered the mansion, she once showed me kindness. Originally if she were favored as before, I wouldn’t think of redeeming her. But I heard she’s lost favor and her days in the mansion are difficult. A drop of water’s kindness should be repaid with a spring. I naturally cannot let my benefactor suffer in the general’s mansion for nothing.”
Hearing this, Jiang Chong felt somewhat disappointed but still rallied his spirits. “Very well, I’ll redeem her for you, Master.”
He hesitated, unsure how to broach the topic with Ming Yu. After all, in outsiders’ eyes, their Jiang family were the Great General’s mansion’s running dogs.
Ming Yu seemed to know what he was thinking and said quietly, “Tomorrow, officials from various places observing the ceremony will basically all arrive in Yuncheng. My governor is interested in officials and generals she’s never met. I heard Young Master Jiang’s family tavern has the best location, so she wants to reserve a private room…”
Jiang Chong immediately responded, “Then I’ll reserve Taoli Manhuai for Governor Zhao. That room faces the street, is large, has the best view. Anyone passing by on the main street can be seen from the room.”
It would also be easiest to visit.
Ming Yu smiled and agreed.
Jiang Chong breathed a great sigh of relief, smiling. “Please introduce me then, Master Ming.”
Ming Yu also agreed.
Jiang Chong didn’t dare neglect Ming Yu’s request. That very day he began working on it. Of course, such matters weren’t for him to handle directly. Jiang Chong handed the matter to a clan brother and a steward.
That evening, the Jiang clan brother and steward took the Great General’s mansion’s procurement steward out drinking.
Their family was most familiar with the Great General’s mansion’s stewards.