Chapter 130 - 115: How Is This Possible?
「More than ten days later, in Xiahe County Town.」
In an ordinary two-courtyard residence not far from the Government Office.
"Lord County Magistrate, you see, this Fang Yue used despicable means to steal my family’s Tea Garden! A Tea Garden worth over a hundred thousand taels of silver, and he only gave me a little over one thousand taels. This is outright robbery! Lord County Magistrate, you must seek justice for this humble citizen!"
After Huang Yuangu of the Huang Family finished speaking, he stood respectfully with his head lowered, not daring to look directly at Liu Zheng, the County Magistrate of Xiahe County, who was seated before him.
Liu Zheng’s face was expressionless, and it was impossible to tell whether or not he had heard Huang Yuangu. He was simply focused on brewing his tea.
County Magistrate Liu impassively placed the lid on the cup, put the tea leaves into the pot, and brought the water to a boil for a while. Once it was bubbling, he added a pinch of salt and a few spices.
Only then did he slowly arrange the tea set. He picked up his cup and gently blew on the surface of the liquid.
Then, unhurriedly, he raised the teacup and took a small sip.
The tea was freshly brewed and would have been scalding for an ordinary person, but he drank it with perfect comfort.
"Mm, not bad. A fine tea. But I’ve heard that the best tea in Xiahe County, perhaps even in all of Shanyang Prefecture, is now called Biyou Spring Tea."
Liu Zheng nodded, his tone showing a flicker of interest.
Huang Yuangu’s face lit up. He had been afraid Lord Liu wouldn’t engage. Now that he had mentioned the new Biyou Spring Tea...
’It seems this Lord Liu is paying attention to the matter of the Tea Garden after all.’
"Your Lordship is truly perceptive. That Biyou Spring Tea is produced in the very Tea Garden that was stolen from my family. Otherwise, I would have surely presented you with several boxes as a token of my respect, Lord County Magistrate."
As he said this, Huang Yuangu’s face filled with sorrow, like a resentful woman who’d been cheated of her virtue.
He carefully glanced at Liu Zheng. Seeing no change in the other man’s expression, he continued:
"Unfortunately, in a moment of carelessness, I was tricked by that Fang Wuju and lost my family’s ancestral business."
Liu Zheng gently stoked the fire under the tea kettle, making the water bubble more fiercely. Only then did he speak.
"What I heard was that you misappropriated Fang Yue’s stipend and Bone Forging Secret Medicine, and this was merely compensation."
County Magistrate Liu’s words were delivered casually, as if it were an idle question. But across from him, the bowing Huang Yuangu instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
The next moment, he dropped to his knees.
"My lord, you must understand! That Fang Wuju was a cripple! Given the urgency of the disaster, the stipend and Secret Medicine issued by the imperial court were converted into grain and distributed to the afflicted areas of our county."
Huang Yuangu hurriedly recited the excuse he had concocted with his second uncle.
"At the time, the disaster throughout the county was severe. Life was hard in every township, town, and village. We were fortunate that Your Lordship took pity on the victims and donated your own stipend for grain relief. Many in the county followed your lead! I’m sure that if Fang Yue had known, he would have been willing as well. The situation was desperate, so this subordinate took the liberty of making the decision for him."
The more Huang Yuangu spoke, the more agitated he became, tears streaming down his face. It was a truly convincing performance.
The event he was describing had indeed occurred, but the reality was that very few had answered the call for donations. In other words, not many were willing to contribute.
After ten days of effort, they had only raised a little over three thousand taels of silver, enough to buy just over six thousand catties of grain. For Xiahe County at the time, it was a drop in the ocean.
However, hearing it from Huang Yuangu now, it was twisted into one of Liu Zheng’s great achievements.
"But who would have thought that Fang Wuju would fail to appreciate Your Lordship’s noble intentions? Once the disaster had passed, he actually came to the Government Office to demand that silver.
"And that is what led to everything that followed."
After finishing his story, Huang Yuangu heaved a long sigh.
His eyes were red-rimmed, truly feeling the sting of having sold the Tea Garden at such a tremendous loss.
An immense fortune worth over a hundred thousand taels of silver, and he had sold it for less than two thousand.
’No, I didn’t sell it. It was extorted from me by that Fang Yue.’
’This is simply going too far!’
By the end of his own tale, even Huang Yuangu couldn’t help but believe that he had been bullied by Fang Yue—that he was the true victim.
"If Your Lordship can punish this scoundrel and help me get the Tea Garden back, I am willing to offer you thirty percent—no, sixty percent!—of its yield as a tribute!"
Having said this, he prostrated himself, bowing his head deeply to the floor.
This was his true objective: to reclaim the Tea Garden.
’Even though I would only be left with forty percent of the profits, and more than half of that would have to go to Liu Zheng...’
’...after all, that forty percent alone is estimated to be worth several ten thousand taels of silver.’
’And that’s just for one year. Even when the other Tea Gardens recover next year...’
’...the income will still be substantial.’
’Calculated this way, forget forty percent—even with just ten percent, I’d still be making a fortune.’
’Besides, my second uncle’s bottom line for this visit was to keep just twenty percent of the profits.’
Meanwhile, Liu Zheng had heard him out.
The teacup in his hand paused for a moment. His eyes narrowed slightly before returning to normal. He took a small sip of tea and said in a level voice:
"Yes, I understand. You may go home for now."
* * *
「Half an hour later, at the Huang residence.」
After returning home, Huang Yuangu told his second uncle, Huang Lie, everything that had happened at Liu Zheng’s residence. He ended with a sigh, "Second Uncle, isn’t Liu Zheng going to help? Why didn’t he give a clear answer? What did he mean by that?"
But upon hearing this, a look of delight appeared on Huang Lie’s face. "It’s a done deal."
Huang Yuangu frowned, his expression full of disbelief. ’Liu Zheng didn’t say anything. How can it be a done deal?’
"Heh. Back in the day, Liu Zheng and I became Martial Scholars in the same year. He looks all stiff and proper, but he’s never soft when it comes to taking what’s his. Why do you think he supported the White Tiger Tea House before? Because the White Tiger Tea House offered him a bigger cut."