Chapter 101: Most of the Righteous Are Found Among the Humble

After returning to Boluo Alley, Su Mei saw Shuizhu sniffling and immediately gave her a sound thrashing. Once done, she leaned against a small tree in the courtyard, retching violently as if she were at death’s door. This greatly alarmed the two matrons who had remained in the alley instead of going to the Imperial Clan Court. Upon hearing the young maid explain what had happened, they felt slightly more at ease.

Exchanging glances, they decided it was time to have a serious talk with Su Mei. For a young woman and a man to spend so much time together in private was bound to lead to trouble; the young mistress could no longer be so willful.

After hearing Tie Xinyuan recount the events at the Imperial Clan Court, Xiao Qiao sighed deeply. "It was my oversight. Wooden barrels naturally deform when soaked in hot water for a long time, and the oil inside will inevitably seep out. If that oil couldn't flow out all at once, it wouldn't cause any major catastrophe. After all, eight hundred catties of oil is still quite a small amount."

Tie Xinyuan shook his head. "Eight hundred catties is not insignificant. Burning down the Imperial Clan Court was my own flight of fancy, attempted prematurely when the conditions weren't yet ripe. Failure was only to be expected."

Xiao Qiao patted Tie Xinyuan on the shoulder and smiled. "We are just too young, and I am too useless. The craft of mechanisms and intelligence is so profound it seems endless. The failure was mostly due to my clumsy workmanship; your plan was excellent. Let's take it slowly; we will grow up eventually."

Tie Xinyuan felt the current atmosphere was quite pleasant. He did not know why, but looking into Xiao Qiao’s pure eyes, his restless heart gradually calmed. He felt that waiting quietly to grow into adulthood was a rare pleasure in itself. As long as he did not ask too much of this world, he should be able to live a happy and peaceful life.

When he returned to Zaozhong Alley, his mother was very busy. She was collecting money from all the major taverns in the capital city. They came to pay tribute to her in exchange for a promise: that the "Manufacturing License" held by the Tie Family Noodle Shop would be used only for their own private brewing, for sale within their own shop or as gifts for friends and relatives, and would never be used to brew on a large scale to harm the business of other taverns.

When Wang Rouhua sat with Master Deng, she did not lose a shred of authority. Even though the Sun Sheep Tavern was vastly larger than the Tie Family Noodle Shop, his mother dealt with Master Deng with ease. Born into a prominent family, his mother had seen countless powerful figures in her youth, including his own late father.

"The Tie family were originally blacksmiths in Kaifeng County, a family that valued farming and study. As long as there is food in the mouth, clothes on the back, and a roof overhead, that is enough. Though not wealthy, the Tie family does not prize money above all else. The generous gifts you have brought today are truly more than our family can accept. However, if I do not accept them, I suppose you will not be at ease. Therefore, this widow dares to accept your gifts. A simple matter can be handled simply, so there is no need to complicate it.

"I will say this clearly, so please listen well: the Tie family’s Manufacturing License was a special grant from His Majesty, who pitied a widow and her son in their hardship. One must not be too greedy, nor lose sight of the intent behind His Majesty’s grace. The right to brew alcohol concerns the nation’s tax revenue; the Tie family will certainly not open a crack here that allows the national treasury to flow into our coffers, causing disappointment to His Majesty and the people of the world."

Hearing Wang Rouhua constantly invoke the Emperor and the country, Master Deng tried several times to refute her, wanting to bring up the rules of business, but he could find no flaw in her words. In the end, he could only bow in submission.

While his mother spoke, Tie Xinyuan stood behind her with his hands behind his back, a gentle smile always on his face. Whenever his mother reached a passionate point, he would nod with a smile, showing his approval and support. The merchants looked at this stubborn mother and son as if they were fools, hoping only that they would continue to live such a rigid, simple life forever.

There were twelve major taverns in the capital, and only these twelve were permitted to brew various fine wines. There was little to be said about this; no matter how hard the government workshops tried to research new spirits, for years, the Twelve Taverns had produced an endless stream of fine wines, while the government workshops could only brew the poorest quality yellow swill. Even if one or two decent drinks appeared, they would soon vanish.

This was a highly lucrative industry. From the very beginning, Tie Xinyuan and his mother never intended to jump into this business to rake in money; it was a profession that invited too much hatred.

At the end of the year, Censor Wang Jiusheng had submitted a memorial accusing the Twelve Taverns of greed, claiming they had bribed officials to obtain the recipes for fine wines from the government workshops, causing the state to lose at least seven hundred thousand strings of cash annually. For some reason, the Emperor kept the memorial and did not act on it. Wang Jiusheng, usually a man who hated evil, seemed to have forgotten the matter and turned his attention to the floods in Chenzhou, where a minor deluge had displaced seventy or eighty thousand people, and it was said that the old and weak were starving to death.

After everyone had left, Wang Rouhua took Tie Xinyuan into their storeroom and began to count the money with great joy. The mother and son felt not a shred of guilt for taking this money; instead, they found it immensely satisfying.

Tie Xinyuan struggled to pull two enormous silver ingots from a chest and smiled at his mother. "These people are truly wealthy."

Wang Rouhua held up a small piece of red coral, smiling until her eyes narrowed. She rubbed her eyes before setting it down. "This money is nothing in their eyes. Don't be fooled by their kindly, benevolent appearance. Hmph, if our license hadn't been granted by His Majesty himself, but obtained directly from the local yamen, you would see how these people would treat us. Compared to them, the people at the Imperial Clan Court are practically saints."

At this, Wang Rouhua sighed and set down the red coral. "Good people never seem to have much luck. Do you know that Old Dan, the man by the West Water Gate who likes to sharpen knives, is in trouble?"

Tie Xinyuan’s heart tightened. In recent days, to distance himself from the Fushou Cave incident, he had been focused on unraveling the secrets of the ropes and hadn't visited the old man, unaware that something had happened to him.

Wang Rouhua lost her interest in counting money. Sitting in her chair, she smiled bitterly. "A pedantic old man who insisted on being a Good Samaritan—it’s a miracle he didn’t lose his life in Fushou Cave. Why he had to pick up that wretched Butcher Cui’s money pouch, I’ll never know. If he’d kept it and spent it, no one would have been the wiser. But no, he had to go and use it to redeem someone at Fushou Cave..."

"Did he succeed?"

Wang Rouhua nodded. "He did. He redeemed a four-year-old child, the third son of Zhang Yushu, who had gone missing during the New Year."

Tie Xinyuan felt a heavy weight lift from his chest, but then remembered his mother saying the old man had nearly died. He quickly asked, "How is he?"

"He was beaten so badly his features are barely recognizable. Fortunately, he’s a tough old bird; covered in wounds, he carried that child out of Fushou Cave step by step. He’s home recovering now. The doctor across the street says he has two broken ribs and won't be out of bed for at least half a year."

"Does Mother mean for us to take some money and visit him?"

Wang Rouhua nodded. "You go. It will be dark soon, and it isn't appropriate for me to visit a widower. You are the best one to go. Take two strings of cash; any more and he won't accept it. Take that ginseng, too. We don't need it."

Tie Xinyuan prepared two strings of cash as instructed—fine, high-quality coins. He lifted them and found he could barely move them.

Wang Rouhua tapped him on the forehead. "They weigh nearly thirty pounds. Did you think they were smaller coins? I’ve called Baozi; he should be here soon. Let him accompany you, and I’ll feel more at ease."

Tie Xinyuan chuckled and patted his own head. Whenever he grew anxious, he would forget the actual age of this body.

The mother and son carried the bag of money to the front of the shop. Sure enough, Baozi’s massive figure appeared. Seeing Tie Xinyuan, Baozi grinned widely, habitually hoisted him onto his shoulders, grabbed the bag of coins, and then looked at Wang Rouhua with eyes as innocent as a puppy’s, waiting for instructions.

Wang Rouhua laughed and scolded, "Silly but shrewd." She took ten large coins from her sleeve and pressed them into Baozi’s hand. "Take good care of Young Master Yuan, and I’ll give you five more tomorrow."

With money in hand, Baozi was happy to do anything. He gave Wang Rouhua a foolish grin and then sprinted in the direction Tie Xinyuan indicated, causing Wang Rouhua to chase after them, shouting for them to slow down.

Despite his size, Baozi was remarkably agile. Ever since he had nearly hurt Tie Xinyuan last time, he had become very careful, running faster than a horse while deftly avoiding every signpost.

Tie Xinyuan still could not understand Old Dan’s thinking. Taking a money pouch into Fushou Cave was nothing short of a death wish.

Baozi soon delivered Tie Xinyuan to the old man’s home. Tie Xinyuan stood at the door for a long time before pushing open the brushwood gate.

Suppressed coughing came from the inner room, and the courtyard was filled with the heavy scent of medicinal herbs. It was empty, as the neighbors had likely returned to their homes for dinner.

Baozi pushed open the door and peered inside curiously. He heard Old Dan say laboriously, "Baozi, you lad, why are you here? Mind your head when you come in."

Baozi chuckled and ducked into the room, dropping the heavy bag of coins on the table. Old Dan froze, knowing Baozi couldn't possibly have that much money, and then saw Tie Xinyuan walk in.

The old man and the young boy looked at each other for a long while. Old Dan managed a smile, one even more painful than a frown. "If I hadn't gone, Zhang’s third son would have lost his life... They say that righteousness is often found among the butcher-dog crowd. Though I have never butchered a dog, in my twilight years, I wanted to be one of them for once."

Tie Xinyuan replied softly, "Your actions command my deepest respect, but it is not something I can learn to do."