Chapter 41 Section 40

When Zhenghongqi Manchuria Printing Counselor Enzhi and Cabinet Attendant Runchang took the first-class train to Tianjin, they were greeted by an alternate magistrate sent by the Beiyang Yamen.This man's name is Shishou, and he is a friend of Runchang Tongqi.Because of Enzhi and Runchang, they were appointed by Wang Zaifeng of Fengchun and Sun Jianai, a scholar, to visit Tianjin privately.In order to cover people's eyes and ears, it is inconvenient to openly greet and see off from the capital or the first county, so Zhong Shishou was specially selected to take the overall responsibility for the reception.

After getting off the train and getting on the carriage, I was taken to a western-style hotel in the British Concession called "Astor", where I lived in a special suite with a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom, which cost 16 yuan a day.When you open the window, you will see the park, which is open and bright, and it is much better than the old-style inn. But Enzhi couldn't get used to it, "Brother Shi," he said, "two people occupy six rooms, it's too bad, besides, I'm not used to this foreign toilet that sits and pulls. You have to go to the latrine and squat there. What’s the matter, Brother Shi, why don’t you go to another family?”

Shishou and Runchang both laughed and laughed at it, but there was no reason to say that the only way to settle down was to change to the Leli House on Xu Street in the Japanese Concession. "Brother Shi," Enzhi said again: "I have a list here, please write down the address and send a servant to lead me and Erye Run's family to check tomorrow." This made Shishou and Runchang more surprised than he did not want to live in Shunde. The two looked at each other, unable to speak for a long time. "What's the matter? Second Master Run," Enzhi asked, "Is what I said wrong?"

"There, there!" Runchang argued hastily: "Let's have dinner first." When we got out of the restaurant, we saw that Runchang kept persuading Enzhi to drink. Shishou knew it in his heart and helped Yinqin persuade him, after all, he got drunk.When I was sent back to the hotel, I was already snoring loudly, and I couldn't even wake up from the thunder. "Come and sit in my room!" Shishou followed into Runchang's room, cooking tea for each other, Shishou frowned and pointed to the wall in a low voice: "Why did you send such an ignorant person here?"

"There is a master like Xiaojun Wang, and there is a servant like 'that'. Let's ignore him, tell me, what should we do with this business?" "Second brother Run, this trip is a good errand. To tell you the truth, I have been greatly honored by you. As soon as this case is settled, the superiors promised to send me an errand that the Tongyuan Bureau will handle. So, second brother Run If you have something to say, just say it, and I will do my best to do it for you.” "Tell me! I'm not an ugly person." Shishou pondered for a while and replied: "The disaster was caused by Duan Xiangyan. He is willing to take 10,000 silver, and Marshal Yuan will also give Cheng Yi. I heard that it is 400 taels. Brother Run, I have a lot of money." Now, it’s an old friend again, and I will return nothing to the public.”

"That's not necessary! Friendship is friendship, and doing things is doing things. Everyone follows the rules, and you must get a 28 bucks. However, buying a kiln sister is 12,000 taels. Could it be that the two of us are not even worth this amount?" "I need to add two thousand taels, probably..." "No, no! I'm making an analogy." "Then, Second Master Run, make an offer! "It's hard to say! Look at your face, come here!" Saying this, Runchang stretched out two fingers. "He has it too?" Shishou pointed to the compartment.

"You don't have to worry about him, it's up to me to speak." "Yes! Yes!" Shishou said with a smile: "Second brother Run, I can't refute your old face, how about this, I will save my 28 bucks, and you will bring 16,000 silver back to Beijing tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Jianbi That one is up to you to arrange, and I won't say a word." Runchang thought about it, and replied generously: "Okay, Third Master Shi, I'll just say that for your sake. You don't have to give me 16,000, 15,000 will do! Ordinarily, I'm from Beijing, I should bring some more for you to eat and use, just because you are in a hurry and don’t have time to prepare, the one thousand silver will be considered dry. As for whether you wear a hat or not, it’s all up to you.”

"I don't wear a hat, I don't wear a hat, I still want to stay behind in my own affairs, so who am I?" Shishou said immediately: "What about business? What is Second Brother Run going to do?" "Anything is fine. However, I have to tell you clearly that those who are related to the case have to go to Beijing in two days." Shishou was taken aback, "What?" He asked, "I still have to go to court?" "What interrogation? Chun Wang and Sun Zhongtang will meet with everyone and ask a few words casually. Don't panic. Anyway, everything is up to me."

"Okay, okay! Please." Shishou thought for a while and said, "Tomorrow morning, I will send a car to pick him up. Please ask Second Master Run to come alone." On the second day of arrival, Enzhi was unable to get up because of his unresolved pain, and Runchang happened to go to the appointment alone. The meeting place was in a restaurant.The waiter lifted the curtain, and saw there was a stranger inside besides the owner. After being introduced by Shishou, he realized that it was Wang Xiying. Wang Xiying's face is full of spring breeze, and when she smiles, there are two deep crow's feet in the corners of her eyes, which is a lucky face.Of course, he flattered Runchang in every possible way, but his words were not righteous, and Shishou waited until he excused himself to leave before talking about business.

"Second Brother Run, order some!" Shishou put a bulging red envelope in front of Runchang, and added, "You're welcome, just order some!" This is a large sum of money that Bi Runchang has never handled before, so it is natural to check it.There are fifteen silver bills in total, one thousand taels each, not bad at all. "If there is anything else, please take a look at it, Brother Run." Runchang took it over and took a look, and it said: "After the humble job arrives in Tianjin, I will visit Yang Cuixi, a singing girl..." "It turned out that it was planned for us, the official business of reinstatement."

"By the way, if there is something wrong, let's discuss it again." So, Runchang concentrated his attention on it, read it softly while reading: "At that time, people in Tianjin said that Yang Cuixi bought it for Wang Yisun. Immediately interviewed Wang Yisun, named Wang Xiying, and he was an alternate doctor of the Ministry of War. He bought it on Rong Street, Tianjin on the tenth day of February. Yang Li's adopted daughter named Cuixi is a servant girl, the price is 3,500 yuan, and there is written evidence. After repeated questioning, according to Wang Xiying, she is currently serving at home..." After reading this, Runchang raised his eyes and asked, "Is Yang Cuixi really in the Wang family?" "Yes, at Wang's house!" Shishou replied, "Wang Yisun took advantage of it." "That……." "Second Brother Run," Shishou hurriedly stopped him, "Wang Yisun is not a person who is not enlightened, he has already told me, and there is another little meaning. Second Brother Run, take care of me." Runchang fell silent, and then looked down: "According to Yang Cuixi, he sang an opera in the Tianxian tea garden first, and in early February, after the consent of Furen Liang Ersheng's parents, he sold himself to Wang Yisun named Xiying to serve as a maid. According to Yang Cuixi's parents and Fu Furen Liang Er and others, Yang Cuixi, the adopted daughter of Yi, is in the house of Wang Yisun Ming Xiying, and is now acting as a maid, etc." "Yeah, yum!" Run Chang pondered for a while and said: "They must remember this clearly, otherwise, they will show their feet when they arrive in Beijing." "Of course, of course!" "You still have to let me see you." "Should, should. Brother Run, read on." This manuscript is divided into two sections, the first section is to cleanse Zaizhen of his romantic crimes, and the second section is to clarify the matter of accepting a bribe of 100,000 gold for Yikuang.Before Runchang left Beijing, he had been instructed by Sun Jianai that the father and son were involved in the same case, but the severity was different, and whether there was any bribery should be investigated carefully.So he felt that he couldn't just rely on Shishou to send such a manuscript and reply it easily. "I have no other intentions, just to get things done." Runchang explained eagerly: "I have already told my brother that the witnesses in the case will be brought to Beijing for interrogation. Yang Cuixi and her adoptive mother, The higher-ups don't ask too many questions, and if they ask, what they say is not quite right, and it doesn't matter. As for King Qing's important public case, the situation is different. They will definitely ask very carefully, and even though he is a businessman, he is still an official. One sentence is one sentence, one word does not match, and there is a big discrepancy! Therefore, I think the form must still be done." The so-called "the form must be done" means that the relevant witnesses must be found and questioned.This is just a little more troublesome, and it doesn't matter much. It's just that there is one thing that I have to figure out. "Second Master Run, do you need someone to ask, one person or two?" "How about one person asking? How about two people asking?" "If Er Master Run is asking you alone, then you have nothing to say. If you ask En Canling together, I'm afraid he won't be on the way and we won't be able to get close to each other. Wouldn't it be bad?" "It's nothing!" Runchang replied: "First, he didn't ask the question on the way. As long as the answerer has a certain opinion, he will answer if he is sure. , 'I don't know', it's all right!" Shishou listened to his words carefully, fully understood, nodded and said, "Okay! I will arrange it." "Secondly, you can rest assured that you can't close it. Where can En Canling pick up a pen? I will submit it in the future. It is my main manuscript. Of course I will ask it to be closed. Besides, you have a ready-made manuscript here. Here, I only ask questions according to what you wrote above, and if the answer is good, I will use this manuscript to copy and send it up, why can't it be closed?" "That's it!" Shishou happily asked, "When do you think they will come?" "Tomorrow morning! Today I have to work hard on Encanling. If I can convince him, it would be the best if I just listen and don't speak."