The Succession Struggle in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 145 On the Desires of Officials: Good Officials Are Hard to Find

These Japanese slaves were actually invited the night before Magistrate Tian arrived.

In other words, the salt workers' uprising was premeditated, and Prefect Tian was merely a pretext for their rebellion.

Thinking of this, Tu Chengyu suddenly remembered the unfortunate Prefect Tian.

He asked, "After you captured the county town, did you capture Prefect Tian?"

Without hesitation, Six Fingers said, "We only captured the county magistrate, not the prefect."

Tu Chengyu asked, "Where is the county magistrate located?"

Six Fingers said, "The county magistrate has been imprisoned by the Japanese pirates."

Prefect Tian, ​​who was thought to have been arrested, was not caught. Instead, the county magistrate was imprisoned in his own cell.

Hearing this, Tu Chengyu called Su Xuanbao in and said to him:

"Send someone to the county jail to bring the magistrate here. Also, tell Quan Xu to inquire whether he can find Magistrate Tian in the city."

Su Xuanbao accepted the order and went to carry it out, while Tu Chengyu continued to manipulate his six fingers.

Do you know where these Japanese devils came from?

Six Fingers shook his head and said, "These younger ones don't know."

Tu Chengyu asked in confusion, "Since you don't know, how can you say they were invited?"

Hearing Tu Chengyu's unfriendly tone, Six Fingers quickly explained, "Because I happened to be in front of Uncle Zhong the day they came."

“I remember it was getting dark when Manager Wu led them to the salt field. Manager Wu and Uncle Zhong talked for a while, and then Uncle Zhong told everyone that he had invited these people to help them.”

Tu Chengyu pressed further, "Did Old Man Zhong say what kind of help they were invited to?"

Six Fingers didn't answer the question immediately. He hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Tu Chengyu and said:

"They said they were invited to help us save the salt fields."

Six Fingers didn't say what came next, but Tu Chengyu could guess it.

It was simply a rumor that Prince Su wanted to seize other people's salt fields, so the salt workers asked someone to help them protect their salt fields.

Unfortunately for them, the people they invited this time turned out to be Japanese.

However, Tu Chengyu is still unsure whether the people he invited to help are Japanese, something Old Man Zhong was unaware of beforehand.

If he knew, then it was this old man Zhong who was causing trouble.

If he didn't know, it means this was a trap set for them by someone else.

Judging from the series of events that followed, it is most likely that they were set up by someone.

Therefore, the shopkeeper Wu that Six Fingers just mentioned is worth investigating.

Tu Chengyu asked, "Tell me, who is this Manager Wu you just mentioned?"

Six Fingers replied, "Manager Wu is Uncle Zhong's friend. He helped us buy many things from outside the saltworks."

His answer was very clear, but when he spoke just now, Six Fingers' eyes flickered, and his expression was not as natural as when he answered the question before.

Having witnessed all of this, Tu Chengyu knew that there was likely something he was hiding in his answer.

This Manager Wu is definitely not someone who simply helps them buy things, as he claims.

So she threatened him: "It's come to this point, and you still want to hide it? If you don't want to die, tell me the truth."

Judging from Liu Zhi's timid and cowardly nature just now, Tu Chengyu thought that if he threatened him like this, he would obediently tell the truth.

Unexpectedly, he miscalculated this time.

Although Six Fingers was still somewhat frightened, he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a single word.

The more he acted this way, the more Tu Chengyu felt that there was something wrong with Manager Wu.

But judging from Six Fingers' appearance, he won't speak up so easily about this matter concerning Manager Wu.

Tu Chengyu thought for a moment and said to Quan Wenwei beside him, "Mr. Quan, this Six-Fingers is yours. Take him away and pry his mouth open first."

Quan Wenwei had been by Tu Chengyu's side the whole time, so he naturally knew what Tu Chengyu wanted to ask.

Without saying a word, he took Six Fingers and went downstairs.

After they left, Tu Chengyu had the other salt workers brought in one by one for interrogation.

Unlike the timid Six Fingers, the other four remained tight-lipped during Tu Chengyu's interrogation.

Even though Tu Chengyu explained the facts and reasoned with them, these people didn't reveal anything about this Manager Wu.

Even though they knew that this turmoil was likely caused by Manager Wu using them.

These salt workers also did not intend to reveal anything.

Faced with this situation, Tu Chengyu was somewhat helpless.

Just when Tu Chengyu thought he wouldn't be able to find Manager Wu for the time being.

The county magistrate, whom Tu Chengyu had just brought from the county jail, gave him a pleasant surprise.

When the magistrate named Zhu Xingwen came in, Tu Chengyu thought that since he was the local official in charge of the salt workers, he might know something about the situation.

With nothing to lose, I casually asked:
"Do you know that there is a manager named Wu who often associates with the salt workers here?"

This casual question yielded a surprising answer.

Zhu Xingwen said, "Although Xia Guan doesn't know much about Manager Wu, he does know who understands him."

Tu Chengyu asked urgently, "Who are you talking about?"

Zhu Xingwen said, "This man is Cui Da, the head constable of the local clapper talk show."

Tu Chengyu asked, "Where is this Cui Da now?"

Zhu Xingwen said, "He is also in prison."

Tu Chengyu immediately ordered Su Xuanbao to send someone to bring Cui Da from the prison.

After Su Xuanbao left, Tu Chengyu wanted to ask Magistrate Zhu some more questions.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Xingwen spoke first: "Your Highness, I have something to report, and I request Your Highness's permission."

Tu Chengyu didn't know what he was going to say, but he still agreed: "Just tell me what's on your mind."

As soon as Tu Chengyu finished speaking, Zhu Xingwen suddenly bowed deeply and said:

"I dare to request Your Highness to be lenient with the salt workers."

Tu Chengyu brought his troops here to save these salt workers, and he had no intention of punishing them excessively.

Now that Tu Chengyu has heard Zhu Xingwen make such a request, he is eager to hear his reasons.

So he asked, "Why should I let them off so easily?"

Zhu Xingwen was unaware of Tu Chengyu's true thoughts. When he heard Tu Chengyu ask this question, he assumed that Tu Chengyu was going to punish them severely. So he said very seriously, "Your Highness, these salt workers were forced to do what they did."

He was the local magistrate, and perhaps what he said was true, but Tu Chengyu still wanted to hear how the salt workers were forced into this situation.

To get Zhu Xingwen to reveal more, Tu Chengyu deliberately asked, "They've already breached the county seat and imprisoned you, the county magistrate, and you still say they were forced into it?"

Zhu Xingwen said, "It is precisely because the county town has been breached that I will inevitably lose my position as magistrate, which is why I dared to tell the truth."

Tu Chengyu asked, "What is the truth you're telling me?"

Zhu Xingwen said, "The truth is that the salt workers couldn't survive, so they did this."

Tu Chengyu was looking into the situation of the salt workers, and upon seeing this, he asked:
"Tell me, why can't the salt workers survive?"

Zhu Xingwen said without hesitation, "The exploitation by salt merchants and the exorbitant taxes are the reasons why they can't survive."

Perhaps feeling that he had been too vague, he continued after saying that:

"Your Highness may not know, but the salt workers in Lianghuai live a miserable life, like a living hell."

"Your Highness, have you ever seen a family of more than ten people who can't even afford a complete set of clothes? Regardless of age or gender, they can only cover their bodies with reeds and straw clothing."

"Has Your Highness ever seen the tens of thousands of people who have no roof over their heads and only a reed hut to live in?"

"Does Your Highness know that most of the salt workers here only live to be in their twenties?"

"Does Your Highness know that of the children born here, only one in ten survives?"

"Does Your Highness know that any girl here with even a little bit of beauty will be bought and raised as a 'skinny horse'?"

"Your Highness may not know, but the salt workers in Jianghuai are already overburdened and could riot at any moment."

The guy's voice grew louder and louder, as if he regarded Tu Chengyu as the mastermind behind all this, questioning him with all his might.

Hearing this guy yelling and shouting in front of him, Tu Chengyu couldn't suppress his anger.

However, he was not in the mood to care about Zhu Xingwen's insolence at the moment; all his attention was focused on what Zhu Xingwen had said.

Is Zhu Xingwen exaggerating, or is the situation of the salt workers really that bad?

Tu Chengyu asked, "You haven't lied to me?"

Zhu Xingwen said loudly, "This humble official would not dare to deceive Your Highness. Whether what I say is true or false, Your Highness will know once you go to the salt field."

Tu Chengyu said, "I will naturally investigate. If you dare to deceive me, be careful with your head."

Upon hearing Tu Chengyu's words, Zhu Xingwen showed no fear whatsoever; on the contrary, he seemed somewhat excited.

He said, "If Your Highness can go and see for yourself, I would have no regrets even if it cost me my head."

Looking at Zhu Xingwen's fearless expression, Tu Chengyu couldn't help but sneer:

"Since Lord Zhu is so fearless of death and loves the people like his own children, why has he never reported the salt workers' plight to the court for so many years, instead watching them struggle in this hell?"

Tu Chengyu's words seemed to have hit Zhu Xingwen's weak spot, instantly calming the county magistrate who had been somewhat manic.

He looked embarrassed and ashamed and said, "I am ashamed and do not deserve the words 'fearless in the face of death and loving the people like one's own children'."

Tu Chengyu sneered and said, "But this is how you behave in front of me. Do you think I wouldn't dare to touch you?"

Zhu Xingwen knew very well that his series of questions must have displeased the prince, and that the prince might be looking for trouble now.

But he had already said it, and there was no way he could take it back.

He could only bite the bullet and explain, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I did not mean to offend you. It is just that I believe Your Highness is capable of standing up for the salt workers, which is why I dared to say these words."

Tu Chengyu did not agree with his explanation, saying, "What you said is utterly ridiculous. I do not believe that anyone in the entire court, except myself, would stand up for the salt workers."

"You haven't even submitted a memorial to the court to report the salt workers' problem, so how dare you say that no one is in charge?"

Zhu Xingwen's face turned pale and then red after Tu Chengyu's words, so ashamed that he almost wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.

It took him a long time to recover, and he said with difficulty, "Your Highness is right. I did not have the courage to mention this matter to the court before."

"I come from a humble background and only managed to pass the imperial examination and become an official after much difficulty. My parents, relatives and friends all have high hopes for me."

"I bear the expectations of so many people, so I dare not easily lose this official position."

"Therefore, after seeing the miserable lives of the salt workers, although I felt sorry for them, I dared not touch their interests at will."

"But even though I have been so careful in my official duties, I still cannot escape the injustice of fate, which has made me the magistrate of this lost city."

At this point, Zhu Xingwen's voice choked with emotion, and he was on the verge of tears.

This is yet another person who is firmly bound by this official robe. Now that he is about to lose this robe, his mentality begins to become unbalanced.

This might explain why a mere county magistrate like him was shouting and yelling in front of Prince Tu Chengyu.

He choked up twice and continued, "After this ordeal, I have seen through the ways of this world."

"Rather than living cautiously and enduring the mistreatment of a lowly official, wouldn't it be better to live an upright life? Even if it means losing this position or even my life, it wouldn't be a wasted life."

He spoke with great passion, as if he truly understood the ways of the world.

However, in Tu Chengyu's view, this family probably knew that he could no longer become an official, so they were just putting on a show in front of Tu Chengyu out of desperation.

Or perhaps there's another reason: he deliberately acted this way in an attempt to leave a good impression on Tu Chengyu and see if he could find another opportunity to become an official under Tu Chengyu's guidance.

Tu Chengyu didn't hesitate to use the darkest of thoughts to speculate about these people.

He often assumes that others have ulterior motives when they do things. He can also see the darkness that others cannot see.

Therefore, he was no longer surprised by these things. He even felt a certain amount of sympathy for Zhu Xingwen, a man obsessed with officialdom.

Therefore, instead of directly revealing Zhu Xingwen's thoughts, he asked:

"Since you understand the salt workers here and can't bear to see them being exploited like this, then if I were to ask you to help me reorganize the salt administration, would you dare to do it?"

The reason Tu Chengyu didn't teach this guy who was yelling at him a lesson, but instead gave him a chance.

The reason is just as he said: Zhu Xingwen is more familiar with the situation here, and it will be easier to get things done with him.

Another point is that this family is now in dire straits and will basically face being stripped of their official positions and punished.

Now that Tu Chengyu has given him a chance, as long as he still has any ambition, he will definitely seize this opportunity with all his might.

In that case, he will definitely work hard to help Tu Chengyu.

Sure enough, upon hearing Tu Chengyu give him a chance, Zhu Xingwen's previously mournful face revealed an ugly smile.

He quickly replied, "Your Highness, I am willing to do it. Whatever Your Highness commands, I will do it."

When asked about his statement in person, Tu Chengyu neither confirmed nor denied it, only saying:
"Don't worry about other things for now. Go and calm the people in the county town down, and at the same time, take stock of the casualties and losses this time."

Upon hearing Tu Chengyu's instructions, Zhu Xingwen naturally agreed quickly and then hurried off to carry out the task.

After he left, Su Xuanbao came in again to report that the county constable had been brought over.

(End of this chapter)