Chapter 907 - 752: Hidden Among the Commoners

The Xu family’s large boat traveled downstream for twenty-one days continuously through day and night, only reaching Longjiang Pass outside Jinling at the beginning of March.

Longjiang Pass is the primary tax checkpoint on the Ning Dynasty’s waterways; only after passing Longjiang Pass can one travel freely upstream and downstream.

Zhang Xia stood at the bow of the ship, silently observing the wide and gentle river. The river was crowded with countless ships waiting to pass through Longjiang Pass, while others sailed out of the Jinling River System loaded with goods, heading north.

On the shore of Longjiang Pass, hundreds of officials in red and blue official robes knelt down upon seeing the red flag on the ship’s bow, performing the three-kowtow ritual.

Xiao Man sidled up to Zhang Xia and whispered, "Who are all these people?"

The river was vast, and the large boat was a hundred zhang away from the shore at Longjiang Pass, so Zhang Xia couldn’t make out the faces on the shore: "It should be the Governor of Ying Province leading the Shangyuan County Magistrate, Jiangning County Magistrate, and others to kneel before Official Xu."

Xiao Man hesitated, "I heard that Chen Liqin was promoted to Governor of Ying Province last year. Could it be him kneeling to us now?"

Zhang Xia calmly replied, "It is him."

At that moment, six fast boats drew near, and the people on them called out from afar, "By order of the Minister of Revenue, we are here to inspect the ship for taxes."

The six fast boats came alongside the Xu family’s large boat, ignoring the red flag on the bow, firmly grasping the edge of the boat with hooks and ropes. More than ten tax collectors built a long ladder between the ships and climbed aboard the deck.

Xiao Man wondered, "Minister of Revenue?"

Zhang Xia calmly explained, "It is ’Zhuang An,’ the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in the Capital. Jinling was our dynasty’s former capital, so many do not know that Jinling still retains the Six Ministries Office. The Minister of Revenue in Jinling is also a second-rank official like the one in the Imperial Capital, but he only manages issues related to Southern Zhili’s grain, Longjiang Pass tariffs, and Jiangnan revenues, with significantly less authority."

At this point, Zhang Zheng came onto the deck. Watching the tax collectors board one by one, he frowned and said, "Daring to board a ship with a red flag for tax inspection, this Minister of Revenue is certainly trying to serve a warning by imposing a heavy hand, albeit a bit too hastily."

A tax collector responded nonchalantly, "Reporting to this sir, the red flag holds no power to open channels or paths. We are inspecting for taxes out of concern someone might use Official Xu’s name to smuggle goods and evade taxes. It’s our duty, and we ask for your understanding."

Zhang Zheng was about to argue further when Mrs. Zhang slowly walked out from the aft deck: "Let them inspect."

More than ten tax collectors entered the ship’s cabin, shouting loudly, "All people from the cabin, come out to the deck for registration and road pass inspection!"

Zhang Zheng squinted his eyes, "The guts of this Minister of Revenue are a bit too large."

Zhang Xia recalled, "Zhuang An was the thirty-fifth year second-class scholar of the late Emperor. Early on, he had a chance to enter the Central Administration, but offended the Liu Family’s foreign relatives and was ’exiled’ to the south, wasting many decades. Now, if someone promised to return him to the Central Administration, he’d likely find it worth risking everything for... But neither Xu Chuanxi nor Xu Chuanyin have such capabilities, and the Qi family doesn’t have the resources either; it must be Official Hu and Official Chen."

"Not necessarily, this local Minister of Revenue has long colluded with the Jiangnan gentry, fearing the implementation of new policies in Jiangnan. Perhaps he’s just trying to protect his own lucrative position," Mrs. Zhang commented calmly, "Stay patient, the slow and painful knife of the Jiangnan gentry is just beginning."

Inside the cabin, the tax collectors did not conduct hands-on searches but rather wandered back and forth, unwilling to overlook any possible errors.

Time dragged on until evening, when they returned to the deck for registration and road pass inspection. The process lingered, slowly continuing until midnight, when the moon was high before they finally handed over their salutations and left. Throughout, no untoward behavior was noted, indicating their guidance by someone knowledgeable.

Zhang Zheng sighed, "No wonder Jiangnan is impregnable and resilient, with an obstruction at Longjiang Pass, then another at Jubao Gate, and difficulties even before entering Jinling City. Yet we can’t fault them. Once true reforms and land surveys are pursued, who knows what troubles the Jiangnan gentry might stir up."

Xiao Man murmured, "It’s too oppressive. If the young master were here, holding them off until a few of them dropped, they’d become compliant."

Zhang Zheng gave Xiao Man a thumbs-up, "Great minds think alike; I also believe they deserve to be punished."

At this moment, Mrs. Zhang waved her sleeve, signaling everyone, "Go and rest; we’ll stop the ship today and cross Longjiang Pass tomorrow morning."

However, Zhang Xia suddenly asserted, "We’ll leave the large boat and enter Jinling on our own."

Mrs. Zhang turned back, "Hmm?"

Zhang Xia called the Zhang family Death Soldiers, who, taking advantage of the night, placed a small raft into the river. "Upon first reaching Guyuan, the Chen family was marginalized by the Yulin Army and Guyuan Border Army, completely in the dark. At that time, Chen Ji chose to hide within the marketplace, staying at Dragon Gate Inn to observe the entire situation and find a solution. I often recall the events in Guyuan and believe that Chen Ji’s approach of hiding within the marketplace and overseeing the larger picture was the only way out."

She moved to the side of the boat and grabbed the rope ladder, looking back at Mrs. Zhang, "Let the large boat attract attention while we head into Jinling and see for ourselves."

...

...

The night was tranquil, with only the gentle sound of oars stirring the river’s waters.

Zhang Xia and Xiao Man paddled the raft, one on each side, steering it through Longjiang Pass and into the Jinling Ring River System, eventually stopped in front of Sanshan Gate.

Beyond Jinling City’s Sanshan Gate, the waterways were packed with cargo ships waiting to unload, the docks brilliantly lit, with thousands of dock workers busy loading and unloading goods, perspiring heavily.

Cargo ships unloaded and departed without pause, day and night.

Zhang Zheng watched the illuminated docks from afar and marveled, "No wonder it’s called the Central of the World. In one day, the cargo throughput in Jinling might exceed that of the Imperial Capital in half a month. Nonetheless, from a fiscal and taxation standpoint, no one would expect such bustling activity outside Jinling City."

Zhang Xia rowed the raft to the riverbank, "Abandon the vessel; enter the city."

Five people entered the Sanshan Gate under the cover of night. They had originally prepared household registration, road permits, and excuses, only to find that the gates of Jinling City did not close at night, even skipping the inspection of household registration and road permits.

As soon as they entered the city gates, they heard a commotion from both sides of the cobblestone road. The taverns along the street were surprisingly still open, bustling with activity.

Zhang Zheng was about to turn into one of the taverns when Mrs. Zhang, grabbing his collar, pulled him back: "Let’s find an inn to settle down first."

Zhang Xia suddenly spoke: "Mother, right now there must be people in Jinling City keeping an eye on every inn. As soon as someone from the Imperial Capital checks in, the innkeeper will immediately report our whereabouts."

Mrs. Zhang pondered for a moment: "Then let’s find a temple or a nunnery to stay at."

Zhang Xia shook his head: "I have my own place to go."

Mrs. Zhang was first puzzled, then she guessed Zhang Xia’s intention, frowned, and asked: "Do you plan to stay at the mansion given by the landlord from Lamp?"

Zhang Xia asserted: "Exactly."

Mrs. Zhang spoke intently: "Do you know the background of that landlord? In the Imperial Capital, who can hide their identity and still possess vast wealth, who among them is easy to deal with?"

Zhang Xia softly replied: "She is Chen Ji’s mother."

Mrs. Zhang remained silent.

Zhang Xia looked at her: "Mother, you must also have guessed that no one else but her could have helped Chen Ji with the thirty-six-table betrothal gifts besides you."

Mrs. Zhang sighed: "That woman’s background is not clean, it’s better not to associate with her."

Zhang Xia smiled: "Mother, as long as she is sincere to Chen Ji, the rest doesn’t matter. Chen Ji is not a son-in-law of the Zhang family, isn’t it rightful for me to live in the house gifted by the in-laws?"

Xiao Man murmured under his breath: "You just said during the day not to mention the young master."

Zhang Xia glanced at Xiao Man: "Two different things."

Mrs. Zhang thought for a moment: "Do you still remember where that house is?"

"I remember."

Zhang Xia led everyone asking for directions as they headed towards the Yingtian Prefecture Office. After finding the office, they kept walking until they stopped in front of a "Qing Mansion."

Mrs. Zhang looked around the threshold and suddenly sighed: "This mansion is probably as big as the Xu family’s Zhen Garden in the Imperial Capital. To buy such a spacious mansion in this area, what exactly does that woman do?"

Zhang Xia smiled gently and stepped forward to knock on the copper ring.

Moments later, the door creaked open, and a young servant cautiously peered outside: "Who are you?"

Zhang Xia calmly responded: "Imperial Capital, Zhang Xia."

The servant’s expression first showed confusion, then shock: "How did you come here? Please come in, please come in!"

He pulled open the door, revealing three other servants dozing under the porch pillars. Before Zhang Xia and the others entered, he went up and kicked the sleeping servants awake: "Still sleeping, the master has arrived!"

The three servants groggily got up, bowed slightly to Zhang Xia and the others, then turned and ran into the depths of the mansion: "Everyone up, the master has arrived, the master has arrived! Thirty-seven, go inform the kitchen to prepare meals, thirty-nine, go prepare hot water!"

In just fifteen minutes, the vast mansion seemed to come alive; lanterns were hung under the eaves, lighting up the once dark courtyard, and judging by the number of servants alone, there must be at least a hundred of them.

Zhang Xia exchanged a glance with Mrs. Zhang.

Mrs. Zhang hesitated: "What exactly does Lamp do?"

Zhang Xia held her arm as they walked inside, eyes brimming with laughter: "Mother, let’s talk inside."

The servant who had first opened the door followed beside them, speaking softly: "In Lamp, my alias is ’Thirty-two.’ You can just call me San’er. The master instructed us early on that if the master’s family arrived, we are all at your service."

Zhang Xia suddenly asked: "Has there been any major event in Jinling recently?"

San’er recalled carefully: "Nothing much, it’s the same as usual, except earlier this year when Chen Liqin, Mr. Chen, was promoted to the Governor of Yingtian Prefecture, stirring up a lot of excitement with banquets everywhere... Oh right, there was indeed a strange incident in Jinling a few days ago."

"What kind of strange incident?"

San’er replied with a smile: "There’s talk that a ghost ship drifted from the misty area near Golden Mountain. When tax collectors from the Ministry of Revenue boarded the ship to inspect, they found no living person aboard, only a ship full of corpses, scaring the wits out of two tax collectors."

At this point, San’er lowered his voice: "It’s said that all those dead on that ship were Japanese, and they died a gruesome death!"