I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 180 Old Hunter Fuman

In the afternoon, Lin Shisan and Sun Yue followed Manager Xu to the gate of Xingde Commercial Bank.

There is a lot of traffic here.

Dozens of carts loaded with grain were parked in front of the gate, and strong workers were sweating profusely as they carried the grain.

Lin Shisan took a closer look and saw that many of the sacks had "Military rations, Liao. Ming Dynasty Ministry of Revenue Tongzhou Warehouse, month and year" clearly written on them.

It is obvious at a glance that these military rations were transported from Tongzhou warehouse to Liaodong and were directly unloaded at Xingde Trading Company.

A group of men dressed in foreign clothes came from a distance. They were probably Jurchens. They were leading horses with many animal skins on their backs.

Shopkeeper Xu raised his hand and pointed at the Jurchens: "Lin Chuanfeng, please look, those are the Tartars who supply us with furs."

The Han people in Liaodong called Tatars, Oirat and Jurchens "Tartars", except for Wuliangha, because Wuliangha followed Chengzu to the south to quell the disaster.

Soon, the Jurchen cavalry arrived in front of Manager Xu.

The leading old Jurchen hunter was named Fuman, who was in his sixties and carried a bow on his back.

Fuman took off his fur hat and kowtowed respectfully to Shopkeeper Xu: "Master Xu, this time we brought three bear skins, five tiger skins, eight wolf skins, fifty musk skins, sixty fox skins, and two hundred rabbit skins."

Shopkeeper Xu stroked his beard and said, "As per the old rules, each bear skin, wolf skin, and tiger skin is worth ten taels of silver in fishing and hunting taxes at the Council of Government Offices. A total of one hundred and sixty taels of silver in taxes."

"I'll give you a total price for the musk, fox, and rabbit skins: two hundred taels of silver or the equivalent in grain."

Lin Shisan was surprised: just these one hundred and sixty taels of bear skin, tiger skin and wolf skin could bring the company a huge profit of two to three thousand silver coins.

Old Man Fuman kept kowtowing: "Master Xu, please have mercy on us. This is the hunting trophy for our Jiagu tribe for the whole winter. More than 500 people in the entire tribe depend on this business for their livelihood."

Shopkeeper Xu laughed and scolded, "You old man, you come to challenge me every year. Well, I'll give you a higher number, three hundred taels. That's it anyway."

Old man Fuman had no choice but to agree.

Lin Shisan asked: "Old man, where is your tribe?"

Old Man Fuman replied: "It is on the western foot of the dangerous mountain."

Lin Shisan was surprised: "West foot of Xianshan Mountain? Have you heard of the Baihuaxian wine brewed by the black bears of Xianshan Mountain?"

Old Man Fuman frowned: "The Hundred Flowers Fairy Wine was not brewed by the black bear. It was brewed by the black bear spirit!"

Lin Shisan was puzzled: "Black bear spirit?"

Old Man Fuman said: "Black bears in the dangerous mountains can only live for 25 years. The one who can brew Baihuaxian wine is an old black bear spirit who has lived for more than a hundred years!"

Seeing that Old Man Fuman was in dire need of money, Lin Shisan offered a high price: "I am going to go hunting in the dangerous mountains soon. I will give you 500 taels of silver. Are you willing to bring your tribesmen to be my helpers?"

"I can say hello to the government office, and the five hundred taels will be yours. I will stop the government office from collecting fishing and hunting taxes."

Old Man Fuman looked incredulous: "Are you telling the truth?"

Shopkeeper Xu scolded, "Fuman, you don't recognize the real man! This is the imperial envoy Lin Chuanfeng. Even our councillor is his godson."

"He always keeps his word!"

Old Man Fuman nodded hurriedly: "If the master can really give 500 taels of silver, and we don't have to pay taxes, my whole family is willing to obey your orders."

Lin Shisan took out a two-hundred-liang silver note from his sleeve and said, "This is the deposit. Find an inn in Liaoyang City and stay there first. Take me to the dangerous mountains in a few days."

Old Man Fuman took the banknote and looked a little overwhelmed: "This paper. Four years ago, the company gave us ten pieces of paper, saying that they could be exchanged for copper coins. But it says one hundred strings of cash, but in reality, it can only be exchanged for a few hundred coins."

It was obvious that the old man Fuman was talking about the treasure banknotes. That thing was as valuable as toilet paper.

Shopkeeper Xu laughed and scolded, "You are such an old country bumpkin. This is a silver note, which is more valuable than silver! If you are worried, give me the silver note. I will exchange it for 200 taels of silver."

Shopkeeper Xu exchanged silver for old man Fuman, who thanked him profusely and left to find an inn in the city to stay temporarily.

Afterwards, Lin Shisan and Sun Yue followed Manager Xu into the company.

Liang Wude and Lu Xing called Lin Shisan "adoptive father". Shopkeeper Xu naturally regarded Lin Shisan as his master and was not shy about treating him.

Shopkeeper Xu led them into the accounting office. He took out an account book and handed it to Lin Shisan: "This is the detailed account of the fur business in the past three months. Please take a look, Lin Chuanfeng."

Lin Shisan pretended to flip through it, then said, "I didn't expect the fur business to be so easy to do."

Shopkeeper Xu poured a cup of tea for Lin Shisan and Sun Yue respectively. "Those Jianzhou Jurchen hunters are all idiots who have never seen money. In addition, the government office oppresses them with fishing and hunting taxes."

"It costs us almost nothing to buy the goods. Once we ship them to the capital, we can easily sell them at a high price."

Lin Shisan glanced at the wooden shelves around him. The wooden shelves were filled with account books.

He walked to the wooden shelf, pulled out an account book and flipped through it. "Huh? This is the account book for grain sales. I pulled the wrong one. Do you still have the fur account books from previous years? Let me take a look."

Lin Shisan said "I got the wrong one", but he was ecstatic in his heart: This is really a case of searching for something without any effort. The account book for reselling military rations was clearly placed here.

Perhaps Liang Wude, Lu Xing and Manager Xu were too confident and thought that no one could check their accounts. These account books were placed in the accounting office without any cover.

Lin Shisan chatted with Shopkeeper Xu for a while. He said, "How about this. When I return to the capital, I will ask my father to send someone to your company to discuss the details of the fur business."

Manager Xu said, "Your father only needs to send an accountant. Liang Canzheng and Lu Langzhong have already given instructions. You don't need to trouble your father with the purchase, transportation, and sales of goods."

"Your father will receive 20% of my bank's shares as dividends every year from now on."

From ancient times to the present, businessmen have used effective methods to win over and corrupt officials and give shares to officials' families.

Lin Shisan smiled and said, "Then I will respectfully obey your command."

Lin Shisan pretended to be greedy. Sun Yue was no less eager: "Hey, Manager Xu, can you sell me a few dozen fox skins at a low price?"

"I have six concubines at home. When I return to Beijing, I must buy a fox fur scarf for each of them to wear."

Shopkeeper Xu said generously: "What are you buying? You are the deputy envoy of the imperial envoy. I will give you fifty pieces of top-quality fox skins."

In the evening, the two men came out of the store, discussing things as they walked.

Lin Shisan said, "Did you see that? The evidence of corrupt officials reselling military rations and embezzling military pay is all in the accounting office."

Sun Yue, the fat fellow, had worked with Lin Shisan for several years, but his intelligence had not improved: "I will go back and bring my fellow Jinyiwei to raid the account office."

Lin Shisan said, "Stupid. If we raid the account office, won't the Yan family become suspicious of me? How can I survive in the officialdom when I return to the capital?"

Sun Yue was puzzled: "Those two corrupt officials opened this business without any cover or hindrance. Why didn't Governor Hu Zongming raid the business and report the crime to the court?"

Lin Shisan smiled slightly: "Although Hu Zongming, Liang Wude and Lu Xing look down on each other and are on the verge of a war, Hu Zongming does not want to openly tear his face with the Yan family father and son."

"Because Hu Zongming's backer Yang Bo has not yet torn his relationship with the Yan family father and son."

Sun Yue suddenly realized: "That's what happened. What should we do? We can't copy the evidence, so can we still do our job?"

Lin Shisan said, "We must do it. But it won't be done by our people. Let's go find Elder Fuman first. We'll set off for the dangerous mountain tomorrow."

Lin Shisan's plan was to first go to the dangerous mountains and enter the mountains in a big way to look for Baihuaxian wine. Then he told Li Chengliang to send border troops to pretend to be Tatars and sneak into Liaoyang City to "rob" Xingde Trading Company. The "Tatars" robbed the trading company, took away the account books, and set it on fire. Lin Shisan was in the dangerous mountains at that time. Liang Wude and Lu Xing suspected that no one could suspect their "adoptive father".

There were only four or five inns in Liaoyang City. Soon, the two found old man Fuman in one of the inns.

Lin Shisan ordered a pot of wine, two pounds of braised pork, and a few side dishes, and started chatting with old man Fuman.

This old man Fuman was the leader of the Jiagu tribe of the Jianzhou Jurchens. He had been hunting in the dangerous mountains for fifty years and was an old hunter with extraordinary hunting skills.

The Jiagu tribe was a small tribe among the Jianzhou Jurchens, with no more than 500 people, including men, women, old and young.

This time when old man Fuman came to Liaoyang City, he also brought his 20-year-old son, whose name was Juechang'an.

Lin Shisan asked: "Old man, you said that the Hundred Flowers Immortal Wine is hard to find. Why is it so difficult?"

Elder Fuman said, "It's not that the wine is hard to find, but the black bear monster is too difficult to deal with. The hundred-year-old black bear monster is huge, and even dozens of hunters together may not be able to defeat it."

"And it's very cunning. It's hard to find its trail. Even if you find it, the hunters can't do anything to it."

Lin Shisan said, "Dozens of hunters can't deal with it? As far as I know, humans are stronger than beasts, not because of their size, speed, or strength. Instead, they are stronger because they can use tools."

"Hunters have bows and arrows, iron spears, and knives. Can it be that they are still no match for a black bear?"

Old Man Fuman replied: "The Black Bear Demon loves to roll around in the sand and gravel. He does this to sharpen his skin. His skin is rough and his flesh is thick. Even a three-stone bow cannot penetrate his skin."

“It’s almost invulnerable.”

Lin Shisan laughed and said, "Invulnerable to swords and guns? What if I mobilize the local garrison troops and use Portuguese artillery to bombard it?"

Old Man Fuman knelt down and kowtowed: "Please don't do this, Master Lin. The Black Bear is the guardian god of the dangerous mountains!"

"If I kill it with cannon fire, Lord Cuhazhan will surely bring down a great disaster and punish my tribe."

"Cuohazhan Ye is the most honorable god of us Jurchens."

The Jurchens believe in Shamanism, and Cuhazhanye is the god of Changbai Mountain.

Lin Shisan was surprised: "Is there such a thing?"

Old Man Fuman added: "It is said that the Black Bear Spirit picks hundreds of flowers from the mountains every autumn to make Hundred Flower Fairy Wine, but he does not drink it himself. Instead, he offers it to Master Cuhazhan."

"You said before that you would give us five hundred taels to accompany you hunting."

"If what you mean by 'hunting' is to kill the black bear demon and steal the Hundred Flowers Fairy Wine, I would rather not have the money."

Lin Shisan said, "How about this. You take us to the dangerous mountains first. Once we get there, I'll figure out what prey to hunt and bring to the palace."

Elder Fuman placed his right hand on his left chest and bowed to Lin Shisan: "Yes, Master Lin."

Lin Shisan left the inn and returned to the Council of Government with Sun Yue.

Liang Wude and Lu Xing had already prepared a night banquet, waiting for their return.

Lin Shisan smiled and said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting for a long time."

Liang Wude smiled and said, "It is only natural for a son to wait for his godfather before eating. Godfather, tonight, according to your instructions, the meal will be simpler. Let's eat charcoal-grilled roe deer meat."

"But it's rare to have something to eat with a meal."

Lin Shisan asked: "Oh? What is it?"

Liang Wude said: "The Chaoyuyang girls are dancing the skirt-lifting dance, and the Jurchen women are dancing the hip-twisting dance."

Lin Shisan laughed heartily: "You always come up with something new for me."

Liang Wude smiled and said, "Although Liaodong is a bitter and cold place, it has a geographical advantage and borders Chaoyuyang."

"Father is a court official, so he should know that our vassal state, Chaoyuyang, doesn't have any special products to show off, except for beautiful women."

"Since the Hongwu Dynasty, the Yuyang people have been sending beautiful women to our Ming Dynasty as tribute."

"As for Jurchen women, although they are not as fair-skinned and beautiful as Chao Yuyang women, they have a kind of wild beauty."

Sun Yue almost drooled when he heard this. He looked impatient and said, "Then let's get the beauties up here to help us!"

Liang Wude clapped his hands, and six girls from Chaoyuyang came up first. These girls were called "Gisaeng", which was equivalent to the skinny horses in Yangzhou of the Ming Dynasty.

The six prostitutes were beautiful with cleavage and cleavage, and their skirt-lifting dance was vulgar yet enchanting, like waves upon waves, one higher than the other.

Sun Yue's nose was bleeding as he watched.

Sun Yue said, "I'm talking to Liang Canzheng. Are they goldfish or wooden fish?"

This is the jargon used in the brothels of Beijing. Goldfish can only be looked at, not struck. Wooden fish can be both looked at and struck.

Liang Wude smiled and said, "Of course it's the wooden fish. Brother Sun, if you like any of them, just bring them back to your room later."

Sun Yue restrained his smile and made a gesture of invitation: "Master, you choose first."

Lin Shisan said, "I haven't slept with all the concubines my adopted son offered me. You choose."

Sun Yue chose the gisaeng in the middle, with an impatient expression on his face: "I'm full."

Liang Wude smiled and said, "Brother Sun is a man with a strong build and a healthy body. He must have a big appetite. If the upper body is full, the lower body cannot be hungry."

"Well, take her downstairs to rest first."

Sun Yue rubbed his hands excitedly: "Hey, then I won't be polite!"

After saying this, he took the prostitute's hand and left the dining room.

Lin Shisan said with a smile: "This is the character of my disciple. He looks like he has never seen a woman before. Please don't laugh at me."

Lu Xing said: "I will let the prostitute go and let the Jurchen woman come up to perform the hip-twisting dance?"

Lin Shisan said, "Forget it. Let's get down to business. I will set off for the dangerous mountain tomorrow."

Liang Wude was surprised: "Why are you in such a hurry? I want to honor my adoptive father for a few more days."

Lin Shisan said: "Well, it's not me who is anxious, but Zhao Wenhua from the capital who is anxious."

"He is almost drooling over the minister's chair. He is eagerly waiting for the Baihuaxian wine, a specialty of Xianshan, to please our minister."

"He and I are like half-brothers, how can I not help him wholeheartedly?"

Liang Canzheng hurriedly flattered him: "Ministers of the ministries and agencies all rely on the help of my adoptive father to be promoted to cabinet members. My adoptive father is really a well-known person in the court."

Lin Shisan said, "Don't say that. I'm just a small figure in the Jinyiwei."

"It's settled. Tomorrow morning, I'll head straight for the dangerous mountain."

(End of this chapter)