Chapter 7: Cheng Cangshi is Captured
“It’s you?” I said.
The person I saved that day turned out to be from the Eastern Depot.
No wonder his voice was so distinctive.
An indescribable softness and effeminacy.
He tucked his whisk away and said leisurely, “It is I. If not for Sister’s rescue, I would not have been able to return to the Capital City, and would have surely become a nameless ghost in this Yangzhou Prefecture. How could I be Feng Gao, serving His Majesty now?”
He took a step back and pulled a tiger tally from his embrace, on which were written several large characters: Imperial Envoy, Grand Supervisor of the Eastern Depot, Eunuch in Charge of Affairs.
It seemed that Feng Gao had gained favor after returning to the Capital.
His attire was completely different from before.
The Old Madam, the Eldest Young Mistress, and the rest of the people in the manor all showed expressions of surprise. They never imagined that I could have connections with such an important figure from the Eastern Depot.
The Old Madam said with a smile, “Since Eunuch Feng knows our daughter-in-law, he is one of us. Please come into the hall for a cup of tea.”
At this, I gave Steward Guan a look, signaling him to prepare silver notes.
Feng Gao waved his hand, “No need for tea. Feng Gao is here at the manor today for two reasons – first, to see Sister, and second, I have official business –”
He announced loudly, “The petition regarding the Cheng Family’s cargo ship carrying contraband has been presented to His Majesty. His Majesty has ordered a retrial of the case of the former Grain Supervisor, Lord Xun Jing, and has now ordered us to Yangzhou to investigate. We request the presence of the Canal Troops’ Fifth Rank Thousand Household Officer, Master Cheng Cangshi!”
The Eldest Young Master had just crossed the threshold, returning home.
The yamen was closed for the day, so he had taken some servant boys to the market to buy the Old Madam’s favorite preserved duck.
Several young eunuchs, quick as lightning, bound him.
The preserved duck fell to the ground.
Seeing this, the Eldest Young Mistress began to sob.
The Old Madam quickly said, “Eunuch Feng, is there some misunderstanding in this? My son has always been diligent…”
Feng Gao said sternly, “Is the Old Madam questioning His Majesty?”
The Old Madam bowed, “This old woman would never dare.”
Feng Gao said, “Rest assured, for Sister’s sake, this eunuch will ensure Master Cheng suffers less. Once the case is clarified, things will proceed as they should.”
He then walked towards me, took a small box from his sleeve, and handed it to me, giving a wicked smile. “Sister, I brought you rouge and cream from the Capital.”
After speaking, he left.
The small box was still warm in my palm.
It felt as if the sky had fallen on the Cheng Residence.
The Eldest Young Mistress collapsed to the ground, crying out to the figure walking away, “Cangshi, Cangshi…”
The Eastern Depot’s torture methods were renowned throughout the world.
There were as many as eighteen types of torture instruments alone. Things like the leg press, the skull clamp, the horse-fettering pole, the finger press… just hearing them sent shivers down one’s spine.
Officials who fell into the hands of the Eastern Depot rarely emerged intact.
The Old Madam twisted her prayer beads, murmuring, “The Second Child just died, and now the Eldest has run into trouble. Oh, Buddha, Buddha, what is happening to the Cheng Family?”
I wanted to step forward to comfort her.
The Old Madam’s body swayed, and she fainted.
Everyone rushed to carry her to the main room of the North Courtyard, some fetching water, others calling for a doctor.
I knelt by the bedside, attending to her.
The physician arrived and said it was due to extreme anger, prescribing several doses of medicine. The maidservant brewed the medicine, and I slowly fed it to the Old Madam spoonful by spoonful.
After a long while, the Old Madam weakly opened her eyes.
She looked at me by the bedside and called out, “Sang Yu—”
The Eldest Young Mistress, wiping her tears with a handkerchief, said, “Mother, you know that Cangshi is busy with his duties at the yamen and rarely handles business matters. He hasn’t been to the counter at all these past few days. Even if the Cheng Family’s cargo ship did carry contraband, it has nothing to do with Cangshi. Mother should ask Young Mistress Zhu and that Wu Bi about how they brought this disaster upon us…”
The Old Madam interrupted her, “Yuzhen, now is not the time for infighting. As a family, we must think about how to overcome this difficulty together.”
The Eldest Young Mistress fell silent, but her face was full of indignation.
The Old Madam sighed, “Sang Yu, you know Eunuch Feng. You must pay close attention to your elder brother’s matter. Our family cannot be without male heirs…”
As she spoke, the Old Madam began to cry.
She solemnly took out a black wooden box from under the bedding and opened it. Inside, two large pearls emitted a dazzling glow.
“This is the Cheng Family’s heirloom. Take it and give it to Eunuch Feng. Speak many soft words. If he wants money, no matter how much, find a way to gather it from the shop. At any time, people are more important than wealth.”
“Mother…”
“Take it,” the Old Madam’s voice carried authority.
I took it and thought for a moment, then said, “Mother, do not worry. We do not yet know if this is a blessing or a curse. Think about it, Lord Xun was beheaded, and now His Majesty has ordered a retrial. Isn’t that to overturn the verdict? It means His Majesty suspects Lord Xun was wronged. If it is proven to be so, the person who submitted the petition will not only be innocent but will have performed a meritorious deed.”
The Old Madam said, “You know nothing of the ways of officialdom. Black and white can change in an instant. How many people have been wrongly killed by the Eastern Depot? Lord Xun’s case is not that simple. The retrial is likely just a formality. Too many people are involved.”
A shadow flashed through my heart.
If this time, justice is still not served. Cheng Huaishi may never be able to return openly… and his life may be in danger…
Dark clouds had loomed for half the day.
Winter rain arrived slowly.
Raindrops pattered against the tiles, pitter-patter.
The Old Madam said, “Illness strikes like a mountain. Sang Yu, once I am bedridden, I do not know when I will recover. This household, for the time being, I entrust to you and your elder sister-in-law. You two must work together.”
She closed her eyes.
I bowed and took my leave, saying, “Mother, please rest well. Your daughter-in-law will take her leave now.”
Stepping out from under the eaves, He Hua silently held up an umbrella for me.
The Eldest Young Mistress, with several house guards, hurried out.
I wondered what she was going to do.
Not long after I returned to the West Courtyard, a servant boy came to report, “Second Young Mistress, the Eldest Young Mistress has ordered Shopkeeper Wu to be tied up. She says that because the Eldest Young Master was taken away by the Eastern Depot, it is all his fault, and she intends to send him for punishment.”
With a “bang,” the water basin in He Hua’s hands fell to the ground.
Water splashed everywhere.
This was the first time I had seen the usually stoic He Hua lose her composure.
She hastily picked up the basin and wiped the floor, not uttering a word.
I stood up and said to the servant boy, “Go and see.”
In the rain, the Eldest Young Mistress was leading Wu Bi, who was bound, towards the yamen.
I shouted, “Stop!”
The Eldest Young Mistress said with a half-smile, “What? Am I not allowed to punish a servant?”
“Mother just said not to have infighting. Is Eldest Sister-in-law going to strike our own family first? Even if you want to punish Shopkeeper Wu, you should have informed Mother first.”
She ignored my words and continued to walk forward.
I pondered for a moment and said, “Eldest Sister-in-law, what is the use of you rashly sending Shopkeeper Wu to the yamen? Will they agree to let you exchange a shop assistant for my elder brother? Why don’t I take him to find Eunuch Feng privately to plead for mercy? Shopkeeper Wu knows everything about the shop’s affairs. Perhaps we can explain things clearly to Eunuch Feng.”
The Eldest Young Mistress stopped. “Really?”
I nodded heavily.
Wu Bi was then released.
He looked at me gratefully.
I glanced at He Hua beside me. Her face was impassive, but her tightly clenched hand had visibly relaxed.
She had not looked at Wu Bi at all from beginning to end.
Like a still pond, undisturbed by any great wind.
I took Wu Bi to the shop on East Street.
Several shop assistants told me, “Second Young Mistress, the several carts of goods sent to Taixing today have not received any silver notes. The other party somehow heard the news that our Eldest Young Master is in trouble and has been taken away by the Eastern Depot… In the past, with the Eldest Young Master around, everyone gave the Cheng Family some face, and no one ever delayed payment for large shipments of goods…”
As I was contemplating what to do, a crowd of people rushed noisily to the shop entrance.
“Bring the money!”
Those people shouted.
He Hua stood in front of me, blocking them, and watched the group warily.
Wu Bi whispered to me, “This is from Red Cloud Restaurant, that one is from the Fireworks Pavilion, and the one at the far end is from Flower Dream Pavilion… these are all places the Eldest Young Master frequented.”
All places of pleasure and indulgence.
I understood.
When a wall falls, everyone pushes.
Normally, for a major customer like the Eldest Young Master, he could charge it and settle the accounts during the New Year Festival.
Today, they assumed the Cheng Family was finished. Fearing they would be too late to collect their money, they had hastily gathered to demand payment.
I said to Wu Bi, “Check with them. If these are indeed the Eldest Young Master’s accounts, then settle them.”
Wu Bi looked troubled and whispered in my ear, “Second Young Mistress, you may not know, but a few days ago, the Second Master withdrew a large sum of silver from me for some activities. There isn’t much liquid capital left. I thought I could collect some money from Taixing today, but then this happened… The Eldest Young Master’s expenses were unknown to the Old Madam. In the past, he would find his own way to cover the deficits. Now…”
I looked at the crowd.
They say that debts of pleasure are the most ignoble.
No matter what, I could not let them leave in such a triumphant manner.
I lowered my head, hesitating whether to pawn the pearls the Old Madam had given me today to get some emergency funds, when a thick stack of silver notes appeared before my eyes.
Qin Mingxu had entered at some point.
He handed the silver notes to me.
I refused to take them.
He pressed them into my hand and said, “You can repay me whenever you want. As long as I am here, as long as I have it.”
