Chapter 41: Knowledge Beyond Books

Master Huang Sixth finally drew out Magistrate Wang as he had hoped, after lavishly tossing out five thousand taels of silver. This was, after all, one of his primary objectives in accepting the invitation to the county office. Regardless of how eloquently he might speak to others, it would be meaningless without the explicit approval of Magistrate Wang himself.

Thus, as soon as the Magistrate appeared, a sharp, piercing light flickered in the slits of Master Huang’s narrow eyes. The relaxed, composed demeanor he had maintained before Chen Ping vanished instantly, replaced by a fawning, obsequious posture as he bowed low to the ground. As a merchant, he was keenly aware of how little scholars regarded his kind; he was eager to feign refinement and leave a favorable impression on the Magistrate.

Chen Ping, standing beside the elderly Master Ye, felt quite discouraged. Although he had successfully sniffed out Master Huang’s schemes and avoided the traps laid for him—concluding the deal without handing over the tiger pelt—he knew full well that this was only because of his teacher’s warnings. Had Master Ye not prompted him, he likely would have been played in the palm of Master Huang’s hand without even realizing it.

Observing Chen Ping’s dejected spirits, Master Ye merely stroked his beard and smiled, appearing quite unperturbed. Was it not natural for a seven-year-old child to fall into the traps set by an old fox seasoned in the ways of the world? On the contrary, the fact that Chen Ping could grasp the situation after a mere hint left the old man quite satisfied. If Chen Ping had been able to handle someone like Master Huang with ease, Master Ye would have been the one feeling alarmed.

Master Ye smiled and comforted Chen Ping, saying, "If you wish to become capable of managing affairs on your own as soon as possible, you must seize every opportunity to learn. These two men before you—one is the chief official of the county, the other a wealthy merchant who built his fortune from nothing—are both outstanding figures in their respective fields. They are giving you a lesson right now."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping immediately gathered his thoughts and looked toward the main hall. Master Huang was behaving much like a sycophant, nodding in agreement with everything the Magistrate said, then weaving in subtle, probing remarks to test the extent of the power and profit he might secure. His words were saturated with flattery, praising the Magistrate’s unique insight and lack of petty concerns, elevating the act of inscribing a commemorative stele into an act of unparalleled wisdom. Even a man of integrity like Magistrate Wang could not help but feel a bit buoyed by the praise.

Ultimately, Master Huang confirmed once again that, regardless of how other merchant houses responded, his five thousand taels would be donated without fail. At this point, Magistrate Wang’s opinion began to shift rapidly, and he finally looked at Master Huang with genuine regard. Initially, he had only invited him because of his kinship with County Assistant Huang, a task he had performed with reluctance and held his nose to complete. It had been purely a matter of expediency.

Yet, he had not expected this man to be not only silver-tongued and adaptable but also capable of easing his own burdens. The man even took the initiative to handle matters before they were assigned. It was truly gratifying.

With a need for a figure to counterbalance County Assistant Huang, this Master Huang was undoubtedly the ideal choice for the moment. While he might not be able to topple the Assistant directly, in the ebb and flow of political maneuvering, how could he fail to come out on top?

Just as the two were deep in pleasant conversation and on the verge of the exchange of cold, hard cash, Master Huang, without any warning, dropped to his knees with a thud.

Magistrate Wang did not seem surprised; rather, he looked at him with a half-smile, as if he had expected it all along. "What is the meaning of this? If you continue to kneel at every turn, do not bother entering this door again, lest people say I am bullying the common folk."

The Magistrate’s deliberate use of the term "common folk" was meant to signal that this was a partnership for the public good, and that as for his own little schemes, he should take care not to go too far.

Master Huang remained on his knees, pleading, "I beg the Magistrate’s indulgence. This lowly one does indeed have an unbidden request, and I pray the Magistrate will grant it." He glanced up fearfully, and seeing that the Magistrate was not angry, he found the courage to wail, "The Magistrate may not know, but while my Fuding Pavilion is the largest restaurant in the county, the flow of customers has dwindled recently. Otherwise, I would not have been able to offer only these five thousand taels." The implication was that without this change of fortune, he might have contributed even more. "It is only because that old fool from the Lan family, out of jealousy, has opened a new restaurant, the Fuqing Pavilion, directly across from mine. Your Honor, just listen to the name—is it not clearly intended to provoke me?"

This matter was known not only to the Magistrate but even to Chen Ping, who had just arrived in the county. The Lan family was another prominent gentry clan in Yongshun County, with family members serving as officials elsewhere. Though their positions were not high and their reach was limited, they were enough to maintain the family’s prestige. For such a family to open a new restaurant right across from Fuding Pavilion, and even go so far as to spare no expense in poaching the head chef from Master Huang, was clearly a grand gesture. Who could believe the Lan family wasn't deliberately targeting him?

Chen Ping’s eyes narrowed, wondering if Master Huang was attempting to use this opportunity to drive a wolf into a tiger’s den. He could not help but whisper, "Is Master Huang trying to get Magistrate Wang to suppress the Fuqing Pavilion for him?" He added, "That is far too whimsical. How could the Magistrate commit such an evil deed for the sake of mere coin?"

Five thousand taels was a significant sum—large enough to move even the Magistrate. But to think that five thousand taels could force the county office to serve his own interests was truly delusional. Master Ye frowned and shook his head. "Absolutely impossible. How could Master Huang be so foolish? That would be a way to offend the Magistrate to the point of no return!"

Indeed, the Magistrate’s expression turned icy, and he remained silent. Master Huang, feeling the weight of that gaze, hurriedly added, "Therefore, I implore the Magistrate to allow the sign of my Fuding Pavilion to appear on the donation stele. As long as the three characters 'Fuding Pavilion' are carved in a prominent place, I shall immediately send men to prepare the silver and have it delivered to the office today. If other merchant houses are not proactive in their donations, I am willing to persuade them privately, and I will never use the Magistrate’s name to bully others."

Hearing this, the Magistrate, who had been on the verge of ordering the man out, paused in surprise. He had expected some outrageous request, not merely the carving of a few extra characters on a stone. What were a few extra carvings in exchange for five thousand taels? If not for his understanding that scarcity drives value, the Magistrate might have wanted to erect even more steles to line both sides of the road, hoping each could be exchanged for ten thousand taels of gold, and pave the county roads to be as wide and smooth as those in the capital.

The Magistrate’s face softened back into a smile, and he reached out to help Master Huang up. He said softly, "If all the merchants in Yongshun County were as sensible, understanding, and law-abiding as you, Master Huang, the road construction would surely have been completed long ago. I grant your request. Not only shall the characters 'Fuding Pavilion' be carved, but they shall also be filled with red lacquer. I want everyone to see that those who contribute to the welfare of the people will never suffer a loss—and that includes merchants!"

The intentional emphasis on the word "merchant" left the Magistrate’s intentions clear. Listening to these sincere-sounding words, not only was Master Huang moved to tears, but Chen Ping also felt a surge of emotion.

Indeed, those who emerge from the imperial examinations—even if they have never been to the Academy of Worthies or the Hanlin Academy and may be somewhat unversed in practical affairs—are never ignorant of human nature. Most of them are, in fact, masters of calculating the human heart. Magistrate Wang was truly a good official who wished to accomplish real work and possessed the spirit to plead for the people. But if anyone were foolish enough to mistake him for a pushover who could be easily deceived, they would be making a grave mistake.

In any case, this encounter, unfolding right before his eyes, taught Chen Ping a great deal. He now truly sensed the sorrow of being a merchant in this world. No matter how skilled Master Huang was at calculation, he dared not use it against Magistrate Wang. He was forced to retreat and concede, all for the sake of catching a single favorable look from an official.