Chapter 2293: Turning Hostile Ruthlessly
Which merchant would be suitable? Chang Qingyun suggested that rather than looking elsewhere, they should use Shopkeeper Jiang's Ruijintang Silk Shop—the same one that had bought the rice and cloth. It was a century-old establishment in Wuzhou, passed down through several generations, with both foundation and reputation. Depositing silver there would certainly be safe.
So the matter was settled. A few days later, Ruijintang sent several clerks who quietly transported the silver back, leaving behind three small ox-horn seals.
"After all that trouble, the silver just went in a circle and came back again." Liu Youwang gazed at the three seals with reluctance. "It didn't even have time to warm up."
Jiang Yougong, however, had no such sentimentality. He casually tucked his own seal and the one for Zhu Si into his sleeve. "Carrying silver around is asking for trouble. Keeping it in a reputable shop is actually safer..."
Liu Youwang watched him hide the seals away as though a piece of flesh had been torn from his body. He gave a few dry laughs, his belly full of resentment.
The more he thought about it, the more bitter he felt. He'd practically given away half his wealth to this man—yet he was the Camp Manager of Sanhezu, not Jiang Yougong! Even if he wanted to share some benefits, forty percent was outrageous. And taking a hundred taels this time was completely unreasonable—what did it matter which squadron guarded the camp? It had nothing to do with Jiang Yougong! Yet here they were, stuffing money into Zhu Si's pocket!
And that Zhu Si didn't look like a simple character either. Now that he knew there were profits to be had here, wouldn't he come sniffing around for his share whenever he pleased?
The more he dwelt on it, the more he felt Jiang Yougong was being "unfair," and his heart grew heavier. But right now, if he wanted to "make his fortune" in this camp, he couldn't do without this "strategist"...
Suddenly, a thought struck Liu Youwang: Speaking of strategists—wasn't Chang Qingyun a ready-made one? And in terms of ability, he was far superior to Jiang Yougong. A dignified juren who had even served on the Two Guangs Governor-General's staff! Wouldn't he understand official matters far better than a lowly whistle officer like Jiang Yougong?
And this Mister Chang, ever since the Qiaoniang incident had taught him a lesson, had become far more obedient than before. He was capable too. Most importantly, he was a captive—his life and death were entirely in Liu Youwang's hands. First, there was no need to share silver with him. Second, there was no fear of him talking out of turn. Third, if anything went wrong, killing him would leave no loose ends.
The more Liu Youwang calculated, the more pleased he was with his own cleverness. The only problem was that his collusion with Jiang Yougong had already grown deep. Removing him safely would be difficult...
Jiang Yougong had no idea that Liu Youwang was harboring murderous thoughts. Taking the seals, he eagerly went to see Zhu Si. After flattering the National Army battalion commander with a few choice words, he quietly pressed the small ox-horn seal into his hand.
"One hundred dan of white rice—a small token of respect."
Zhu Si understood the code. White rice meant silver; one hundred dan meant one hundred taels. A slight smile crossed his face. This Sanhezu really was dripping with oil! No wonder Jiang Yougong refused to rotate out and insisted on staying put.
It seemed he could squeeze the man further in the future. But now, with the grain transfer at such a critical juncture, better to keep him stable for the moment. He immediately beamed with smiles and "graciously accepted," speaking words of comfort and encouragement. He mentioned that the grain fleet would be arriving soon and reminded Jiang Yougong to maintain tight security at Sanhezu to prevent any mishaps.
Once Liu Youwang had conceived this notion, it itched at him constantly. He kept thinking of how to "safely" dispose of Jiang Yougong. Though his mind wasn't nimble, he could still understand that no matter what method he used to deal with this "brother," there was enormous risk of implicating himself. The best solution would be to silence him permanently so he could never speak again...
But such an intricate conspiracy was beyond his abilities. After racking his brain for half a day, he finally summoned Chang Qingyun.
"Old Chang, I have a friend with a problem, and I was hoping you could help him strategize..." Liu Youwang began awkwardly, his words hesitant.
"Please instruct me, Master." Chang Qingyun didn't immediately grasp what this was about.
"I have this friend, you see, who runs a business. Business isn't bad. But he's busy—so he hired a shopkeeper to help. This shopkeeper, though, he's got no ability and doesn't do any work; yet every year he wants half the profits..." Liu Youwang wasn't particularly articulate; his rambling had already grown muddled, and sweat beaded on his forehead. "...So tell me, how can he drive this shopkeeper away without leaving any hard feelings?"
Chang Qingyun was baffled. What was this about? He knew Liu Youwang's background roughly—he was a peasant from an impoverished family who had been captured by the Australians and made a "false hair." Where would such a person find a friend who ran a business? Besides, what Liu Youwang was describing made no logical sense...
His mind worked quickly. After a moment's confusion, understanding dawned: "I have a friend" meant "myself." Liu Youwang was talking about himself and Jiang Yougong!
Chang Qingyun's interest was piqued. He had always thought Jiang Yougong and Liu Youwang were "wearing the same pair of trousers." Now, from what Liu Youwang was saying, there was clearly a rift between them.
He was a shrewd man. Connecting the dots, he quickly deduced the truth: Liu Youwang resented Jiang Yougong taking too large a share of the Sanhezu profits. In other words, he wanted to "eat alone."
This was a common enough human failing. Chang Qingyun had seen plenty of it in his time. But for Liu Youwang to suddenly raise such thoughts at this critical juncture—could this somehow be exploited?
He cleared his throat lightly. "Driving someone out depends on what kind of 'driving' is intended. Does the gentleman want a civil removal or a martial one?"
Seeing that Chang Qingyun seemed to have a plan at the ready, Liu Youwang was delighted. He smiled and said, "You scholar types certainly have your ways! What's a 'civil removal,' and what's a 'martial removal'?"
"A civil removal is treating people with courtesy—leave a line in all dealings so you may meet again in the future. Treat him to wine. At the banquet, speak some soft words. Simply say the shop is too small for such a great Buddha as himself, and ask him to seek higher employment elsewhere. Then send him off with a generous sum of money—buy yourself some peace and harmony."
"That means paying out another sum of money. No good, no good! What about martial removal?"
Chang Qingyun deliberately assumed a solemn expression. "Martial removal is easy; it just depends on whether the shop owner has power..."
"How so?" Liu Youwang was intrigued.
"Martial removal means tearing off all pretense of civility. But there are different ways to do that. One way is when the shop owner has great wealth and power—he simply tells the shopkeeper to pack his bedroll and get out. Even if the shopkeeper is unwilling, he wouldn't dare offend such a man; he can only leave obediently."
"Hmm, that sounds reasonable. But I'm afraid this shop owner doesn't have that kind of power."
"Another way is when the shop owner lacks power. When the shopkeeper has his income cut off, he'll naturally hold a grudge and inevitably scheme for revenge." Chang Qingyun deliberately paused to whet his appetite. "There's an old saying: One can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days. If the shopkeeper bites back, the shop owner might not be able to withstand it..."
Liu Youwang was hanging on every word. He pressed anxiously, "Then what should be done?"
"That depends on whether the shop owner dares to take ruthless action."
"Oh? What kind of ruthless action?" Liu Youwang asked eagerly.
"There are a thousand and one ways to be ruthless. The simplest is to frame him by planting stolen goods." Chang Qingyun explained, "Falsely accuse him of embezzling from the till and catch him red-handed. He'll have no defense and will be forced to write a confession and pack his bags himself. But one point is crucial: you absolutely must not involve the authorities. Once officialdom gets entangled, the shop owner will lose money too."
"Mm, yes. But this isn't safe either. The shopkeeper didn't really embezzle, so naturally he'll assume the shop owner framed him. Won't he hold a grudge?"
Chang Qingyun thought to himself that this Liu Youwang truly had a cruel heart! He deliberately said:
"With a confession in hand, an ordinary person wouldn't dare cause trouble. That could keep things peaceful for a long time. But the grudge will certainly be planted. If he ever gets the upper hand, it's hard to say what might happen..."
"And if I want no future troubles at all?"
"To truly eliminate future troubles, one must not only take ruthless action but heavy-handed action." Chang Qingyun said, "It depends on whether the shop owner has that kind of resolve."
Liu Youwang didn't ask what "heavy-handed action" meant. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "I know this shop owner. He even has the resolve to kill."
"Just daring to kill isn't enough. If the authorities find out, it's both life and fortune lost."
Liu Youwang fell silent for a long moment and didn't press further. Finally, he said, "Advisor Chang, you handle things reliably. You come from an advisor background yourself. There are many matters in the camp that I'll need your help with in the future."
Chang Qingyun saw a cold glint flash in his eyes and knew this man had already resolved to kill. His heart trembled involuntarily, and he hastily bowed. "Many thanks for the Master's favor. This student will certainly do his utmost."
"This Liu Youwang is planning to move against Jiang Yougong," Yi Haoran muttered. "That adds quite a few variables."
"Yes, that's why I rushed to see you. I'm not sure if this will affect things..." Chang Qingyun said.
If Liu Youwang succeeded in his ruthless scheme, whether Jiang Yougong was dismissed or transferred, Sanhezu would still need a squadron to guard it. If Liu Youwang failed, he himself would certainly be removed from office and punished.
But whether any of this could help their operation was hard to say. Yi Haoran couldn't immediately judge. However, a camp manager plotting to harm the captain of the National Army squadron responsible for security—this could certainly work to their advantage. How to exploit it, though, was another question.
"Did he say anything else to you afterward?"
"Nothing," Chang Qingyun said.
"Any changes?"
"Actually, he's given me quite a few duties to manage and oversee, and he wants me to check the accounts and inventory frequently," Chang Qingyun smiled bitterly. "I'm quite busy now—I'm a person of some standing in the camp. I assume he has some intention of 'entrusting me with heavy responsibilities.'"
Yi Haoran paced a few circles, then said suddenly, "I understand—Liu Youwang is testing you!"
"Testing me?!"
"Yes." Yi Haoran nodded. "You told me last time that Jiang Yougong and he are deeply entangled."
"That's right. Without Jiang Yougong, he couldn't have netted so much silver." Chang Qingyun had previously recounted the collusion between Jiang Yougong and Liu Youwang.
"So it follows: he wants to see if you can replace Jiang Yougong." Yi Haoran smiled. "If you can replace him, Liu Youwang will take ruthless action."
"I see now!" Chang Qingyun suddenly understood. Thinking of how this crude-looking Liu Youwang could act so ruthlessly when he made his move, he couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
"This is indeed an opportunity to exploit. It's just that, for the moment, I can't think of how to make use of it," Yi Haoran said, somewhat troubled.
Next Update: Volume 7 - Guangzhou Governance Part 497 (End of Chapter)