Chapter 49: Elder Sister
Among the three, Lin Qian was a fugitive household, Bai Langzai a Tanka person; both had identities that could not see the light of day. Only Zheng Zhilong had legitimate registration.
It’s still better to avoid government people a bit.
Su Kang went up to greet them and shooed his daughter to the backyard.
The little girl called Mei’er, worried about her father, did not go to the backyard and hid behind the curtain to peek.
Su Kang took out the money box from behind the counter and put several strings of copper coins into the sack.
But it seemed not enough; the yamen runners said a few words.
Su Kang poured all the money from the money box into the sack.
It still seemed insufficient; the yamen runners’ expressions grew increasingly impatient.
Zheng Zhilong gloated in a low voice: “This doctor has scraped together the donation money, but hasn’t paid enough regular fees. As the saying goes, a doctor cannot treat himself. There’s a good show to watch.”
Lin Qian had strolled around for a morning and knew that the Imperial Court, besides the artisan silver and gate stall tax, had newly set up a donation money, similar to the newly imposed Liaodong tribute tax on farmers—an extra levy under a new name.
But Lin Qian had not heard of the term regular fees.
Zheng Zhilong explained: “Regular fees are the money common people offer to the government: counter scale money, settlement money, ticket money, and shoe and sock money to honor the clerks.”
Lin Qian secretly clicked his tongue; bribery to the government had become routine, and if not enough was given, the government would reach out for it. Truly outrageous.
In his previous life, he had seen corrupt yamens, but they always acted with some reservations.
He had never seen Great Ming officials so brazenly demanding bribes.
No wonder during the morning chat, the common people spoke of the government with full contempt and resentment.
Seeing Su Kang unable to pay the regular fees, the yamen runners prepared to take medicinal materials to offset the debt.
Su Kang went to stop them and was instead pushed to the ground with a palm strike.
Mei’er, who had been watching from behind the curtain, saw her father beaten and could no longer hold back; she lifted the curtain to rush out.
She had just taken a step when her arm was grabbed, and then a strong force pulled her back.
She was startled and about to cry out when her mouth was tightly covered.
Looking closely, she saw Lin Qian making a silencing gesture to her, then he took out two taels of broken silver from his belt.
“For what the yamen runner asks, just say you found it at home, got it?” Lin Qian said in a low voice, then stuffed the broken silver into Mei’er’s hand.
Then he signaled with his eyes for Bai Langzai to let go.
Mei’er looked at Lin Qian with both doubt and gratitude, then took the silver to pay the tax.
Her family’s regular fees were still short one tael and six mace; the remaining four mace were just right for shoe and sock money.
This shoe and sock money was quite generous; the yamen runners beamed with joy, helped Su Kang up, put the medicinal materials back, and left politely.
Soon, the sound of gongs came from the street as they headed to the next house.
Su Kang, not minding himself, immediately asked his daughter: “Where did the silver come from?”
Mei’er pointed to Lin Qian sitting in the corner: “That scholar gave it.”
Su Kang straightened his clothes, came forward to kowtow in thanks, and inquired about Lin Qian’s name and address so he could repay later.
Two taels of silver were but a drop in the bucket for Lin Qian; paying tax for Su Kang was with the intent to win him over, so how could he let him repay? Thus, a round of refusals.
But Su Kang was stubborn and unyielding, insisting on getting Lin Qian’s address, as if giving two taels of silver had created an enmity.
Lin Qian, seeing this, said: “Then let those two taels of silver be the doctor’s fee.”
Su Kang thought to himself that two taels for a consultation was too much and was about to speak when Lin Qian stopped him.
“Not my consultation fee. In a few days, this one wants to hold a free clinic; at that time, please ask Mister Su to come treat.”
Su Kang’s brows relaxed, and he agreed: “If so, this one will await the scholar’s notice.”
After Lin Qian and the other two left, Su Kang immediately pulled Mei’er aside and scolded her, accusing her of not taking Lin Qian’s silver.
Mei’er was full of grievance: “I was afraid Father would be beaten…”
Su Kang grew angrier and flung his hand: “Even so, you can’t take others’ silver!”
“But I saw those three scholars are good people…” Mei’er argued softly.
“What good people!” Su Kang said angrily. “These three brothers address each other, spend lavishly, full of rivers-and-lakes aura—how could they be good people? Likely mountain bandits or sea bandits!”
“Ah?” Mei’er was slightly surprised, then said firmly: “Even if they are mountain bandits or sea bandits, they are still better than the masters in the yamen!”
“You!”
Su Kang was furious and raised his hand to hit, but seeing his daughter’s pitiful look, he could not bear it and slowly lowered his hand.
“Forget it. After one free clinic, the favor is repaid. If they entangle again, report to the officials then.” Su Kang thought to himself.
……
The next day, early morning.
On the Pearl River surface, a large number of small boats appeared.
These boats were the same size as ordinary fishing boats, but their awnings were huge, like a small house buckled on the boat, making them top-heavy and uncoordinated.
These were Tanka boats.
Lin Qian and the other two stood on the shore, gazing toward the approaching boats.
Bai Langzai was especially excited, standing in the water with both feet, looking into the distance.
As the Tanka boat drew near, Bai Langzai recognized the people on board and called and waved toward the side of the Tanka boat.
Soon, someone on the boat noticed him.
Someone said: “Bai Langzai? Is it Bai Langzai?”
Bai Langzai shouted loudly: “It’s me! It’s Bai Langzai!”
Then exclamations came from the Tanka people side: “Bai Langzai is back; he didn’t die…”
Then many people came to the bow to look at Bai Langzai, and many greeted him.
After a while, a small boat sailed out from the fleet, heading to the shore.
On the small boat, a thin, dark figure was sculling.
She did not seem to scull with much force, yet somehow maneuvered the boat like an arrow off the string, shooting straight to the shore.
“Elder Sister… Elder Sister!”
Bai Langzai shouted excitedly, then kept walking forward, half his body submerged in water; he simply dove in with a splash.
When he surfaced again, he was at the boat’s side; he held the gunwale, pushed off, and boarded fluidly, sending up a spray of water.
Bai Langzai’s Elder Sister set down the scull and stared at him closely, pinching his arms and face with her hands, afraid the person before her was an illusion.
“Elder Sister, I’m back.” Bai Langzai cried and laughed.
Tears welled in his Elder Sister’s eyes as she smiled: “Back is good; back is good.”
Elder Sister casually twisted the scull, and the small boat turned sharply like a living thing, rushing toward the fleet.
“Come on, wait till we return to the dock; Elder Sister will make you boat congee.”
Bai Langzai hurriedly said: “Elder Sister, don’t rush; Elder Brother Lin hasn’t boarded yet!”
“Elder Brother Lin?” Elder Sister was slightly stunned and, following Bai Langzai’s pointing finger, saw Lin Qian and Zheng Zhilong.
“Land people?” Elder Sister’s tone held wariness.
Tanka people had been discriminated against by land dwellers for generations and naturally distrusted “shore people.”
Bai Langzai explained: “I’ve sworn brotherhood with Elder Brother Lin; the other is Brother Zheng, Elder Brother Lin’s friend.”
Elder Sister relaxed: “Since they are your friends, they can board.”
With that, she twisted the scull again; the small boat nimbly turned in place, then with a few light sculls, steadily stopped at the shore.
Bai Langzai jumped down from the boat to introduce them to each other.
“Elder Sister, this is Elder Brother Lin; this is Brother Zheng Zhilong.”
“Elder Brother Lin, she is my Elder Sister, called Bai Qing.”
