Volume One: Song of the River City Chapter 10: The Fourth Master

The administrative offices of Greater Yue followed their own set regulations. At the main gate stood two pavilions specifically for posting public notices—one to praise virtue and the other to admonish vice. Beyond the gate, past the screen wall, rose the imposing main hall of the county office, the very seat of official proceedings. Yet, this hall was not for daily work; it was reserved for the monthly formal addresses by the county magistrate or for handling major cases.

The officials truly conducted their work in the secondary halls, reached by passing around the main hall and through an archway. Li Ling and his two companions followed the clerks through the gate into this area, where they saw a row of more than a dozen rooms—these were the offices where county clerks managed various affairs. The size and status of these offices varied according to rank. At the center, the most spacious was naturally the county magistrate’s official chamber. Flanking it were the offices of the chief clerk and assistant magistrate, while ordinary clerks and officers often had to share cramped quarters.

From what Li Ling could see, the office belonging to the local records keeper, known as the Fourth Master, was nearly as large and well-lit as the magistrate’s own. Waiting while the clerks reported their summons, Li Ling discreetly observed the official seated behind a writing desk, dressed in a green robe. He appeared to be just over forty, with pale skin and a slight beard, possessing a lean, dignified bearing.

However, when the official looked up and met Li Ling’s gaze, a shiver ran through him. The man’s eyes were sharp as blades, and the deep furrows on his forehead added a commanding aura that unsettled anyone who met his stare.

“Plaintiff, speak,” the records keeper said with a calm yet authoritative voice. Li Ling and his companions dared not delay and stepped briskly into the room. Gu Yuezi and the other companion knelt swiftly and bowed to the official, but Li Ling hesitated briefly. He was unaccustomed to such humble formalities. Soon, he persuaded himself to conform and knelt as well, saying, “Commoner Li Ling pays respects to the Fourth Master.”

“Raise your head,” the official commanded without allowing them to rise. After a quick glance at their faces, he said, “The complaint states that a thief broke in during the night, robbed you, and caused injury. Are all three of you from the same household?”

“Your honor, the victim of the robbery and injury is Master Li Ling. We, Gu Yuezi and Master Xu Cang, are here solely as witnesses since we were present at the time,” Gu Yuezi explained quickly, sensing Li Ling’s nervousness.

The records keeper interrupted sharply, “Since you two are merely witnesses, you may step aside. I only permit the injured party, the plaintiff, to respond.”

His strict adherence to protocol left Gu Yuezi speechless. After exchanging a cautious glance with Li Ling, they both withdrew to wait in the corridor, their expressions dazed.

The official scrutinized Li Ling once more before speaking: “Tell me carefully what happened last night. No detail may be omitted or exaggerated. If I find you lying, I will not spare you.”

Li Ling furrowed his brow; it was strange to be treated as if he were the suspect. But since the official insisted, he nodded and recounted the events of the robbery and injury in clear detail. Fortunately, he found the narration manageable, and the pressure from the official was something he could now withstand.

As Li Ling described the incident, the records keeper’s expression subtly shifted. When Li Ling mentioned nearly a hundred taels of silver stolen from his home, the official frowned and interrupted, “A hundred taels? Where does your family get so much silver? Do not try to deceive me with tall tales—you know the consequences, do you not?”

“Commoner dares not,” Li Ling replied earnestly. “I speak only the truth.”

“Then where did such silver come from? Don’t tell me it was inherited from your parents.”

“It is from my recent earnings, your honor—the royalties from writing serialized novels and running my bookstore.” Despite the official’s odd reaction, Li Ling candidly explained that he had written the “Investiture of the Gods.”

The records keeper finally nodded in understanding. “I see. That explains it. It appears your story is genuine. But since you could not identify the thief, I fear neither I nor the county office can pursue the matter.”

“But—”

He waved his hand, cutting Li Ling off. “Judging by what you say, the culprit is likely a wandering bandit who targeted you because your silver was exposed when you took it out. By now, that scoundrel has probably fled Jiangcheng City. Even if I dispatched county officers to scour the entire city, it would be futile. Moreover, without a description, finding him is impossible.”

“Your honor, may I report something? The thief had a tattoo on his wrist, resembling some kind of floral leaf pattern. If I could see it again, I am certain I could identify him.”

Li Ling recalled the tattoo glimpsed when the thief’s sleeve lifted as he struck. He believed this was a crucial clue.

Yet the records keeper dismissed it with a chuckle. “A tattoo? Do you know how many people in Jiangcheng bear tattoos? Hundreds at least. And beyond the city, they are as numerous as fish in the river. Do you think the county office will invest months or years chasing a criminal based on a mere tattoo?”

After a pause, he waved dismissively. “The office will accept the case, but when or whether we catch the thief and recover your silver depends entirely on fate. Now, I have other matters to attend to. You may leave.”

Li Ling felt utterly dismayed. After wasting half a day at the county office, this was the response he received. A case of robbery and assault—was that not serious? If anything, it was an attempt on life and property. Yet this records keeper, beyond putting on airs, appeared ready to brush it aside.

Unable to voice his frustration, Li Ling rose sullenly and retreated outside. Gu Yuezi and Xu Cang, equally troubled, followed him out the way they came.

Once some distance from the offices, Xu Cang vented his anger. “Those county officials are too corrupt! Not only openly demanding bribes, they even neglect cases like this. Are these really officials of Greater Yue? How can we ordinary people expect any protection?”

Gu Yuezi gave a bitter smile. “That’s why I tried to dissuade you from reporting this yesterday. It’s mostly useless and just costs more money. This time, at least it wasn’t worse. If we had angered them, we plaintiffs might have been treated as defendants and suffered even more.”

“Unbelievable!” Xu Cang fumed, unable to accept such darkness inside the county office.

“Who can blame them? We are just commoners. If someone rich and powerful went to report, that would be a different story.”

“Like Zhuang Qiang?” Li Ling asked offhand, pondering.

“He’s the most special case. The Fourth Master is his elder brother. Anyone with even a minor scholarly rank who reports can expect to be taken seriously.”

Li Ling was stunned. “Old Boss Gu, you mean Zhuang Qiang and the records keeper are brothers?”

“Yes. The Fourth Master’s name is Zhuang Hong, Zhuang Qiang’s elder brother. Because he wields power in the county office, Zhuang Qiang rules Jiangcheng with impunity. Everyone fears him.”

This revelation offered a vague answer to one of Li Ling’s questions. Yet, the matter was too delicate to discuss further even with these friends, so he stored it away in his mind. Changing the subject, he asked, “Even so, it seems strange that the officials ignore such a case. Aren’t they worried about the scandal and trouble it might bring?”

Gu Yuezi chuckled. “Why would they worry? Even if the higher-ups reprimand them, it won’t fall on the records keeper alone. Our county has had no magistrate for half a year. Any problems fall to the new magistrate. Besides, the Zhuang family is deeply rooted in the city—more powerful than the other three officials combined. Naturally, they are fearless.”

As a local businessman, Gu Yuezi understood the inner workings of the officialdom. Thanks to his explanation, Li Ling and Xu Cang grasped the strange dynamics at the county office. Though the chief clerk and assistant magistrate outranked the Fourth Master in title, they were outsiders who would be transferred in three to nine years. The records keeper, a minor official, held his post for life and could pass it down hereditarily. Thus, his power far exceeded theirs.

In some ways, this Fourth Master, holding the fourth highest seat, rivaled even the county magistrate. It was said that the previous magistrate resigned suddenly due to illness under pressure from Zhuang Hong.

Understanding all this, Li Ling and Xu Cang were at a loss for words. Li Ling especially felt the weight of owing Zhuang Qiang so much, knowing the formidable backing behind him.

Finally, Gu Yuezi concluded, “So, it seems impossible to get the officials to help catch the thief and recover your silver. You’ll have to find another way to make up those hundred taels, Master Li.”

Li Ling had to admit that he must find other means to earn the money.