Chapter 50: Negotiation

Su Shi sent people to make inquiries in both counties, yet there was still not a single trace to be found.

In broad daylight, the two heads of the Zhang family had simply been taken away and then vanished without a trace?

When Li Chang'an hurried back home, the remaining three women were weeping in a cluster. Upon seeing him return, they finally felt they had found their backbone.

Naturally, there was another round of tearful wailing, yet they were still unable to provide any further information.

They only said that bailiffs had arrived early in the morning and, after asking a few questions, had taken the two men away without leaving any official warrant or arrest documentation.

This was rather strange. Could it be that some chief bailiff was short of money recently and had hauled the Zhang family father and son away to squeeze them for grease?

Judging by past precedents, one shouldn't pick plump sheep right inside the city.

Just as everyone was at their wits' end, a message came from the gatehouse that someone had delivered a letter.

Upon opening it, he saw it was from his old adversary, Cao Rui.

"If you wish to know the reason, gather at the Star-Meeting Tower in Qingle Lane!"

After the commotion, everyone was exhausted in spirit. They only wished the men could return safely, and parting with a bit of silver was of no concern.

After offering a few words of comfort to his family, Li Chang'an had Guanghe notify Su Shi, and he hurried to the location alone.

The Star-Meeting Tower was an establishment that catered to traveling merchants. Located right by the Bian River, it was quite spacious, with pedestrians coming and going.

Stepping inside and casting a glance around, he found Lord Cao the Elder on the ground floor, holding a roasted chicken and devouring it with gusto.

This fellow had been grounded for a month and had eaten plain food for thirty days. Ever since his official position was restored, he couldn't do without meat at every single meal.

Li Chang'an ordered some leeks, opened another table, and sat down opposite him.

In the middle of devouring his chicken, Cao Rui lowered his gaze for a brief look, then continued to eat and chew with total unconcern until the bones were gnawed clean and the wine in his cup was drained. He let out a long burp.

He got up, walked over slowly, shifted a stool with a loud *clatter* of his foot, and sat down with a commanding air.

"Let's make a deal. Hand over the plan to break the deadlock in the Northwest to me, and you'll find peace from now on. Let's wipe the slate clean of all past grievances."

The dishes on the table were shredded cold greens on one side and boiled mutton with radishes on the other. Li Chang'an ate with great relish, acting as if he hadn't heard a thing.

"You are a commoner, and I am an official. Fighting me—do you have the capability?"

After the surge of agitation, one loses the appetite for food in the short term. He barely managed to eat a few bites to line his stomach. After wiping his mouth and rinsing it, he finally looked at Cao Rui.

"Care to guess why Cao Rixiu would rather go to the front lines to court death than adopt you as a son?"

***

This remark was utterly choking, a direct slap to the face of a man who could not father a son and whom no one was willing to be adopted by.

Cao Rui clenched his fists so tightly that if the Young Chancellor hadn't made arrangements for today, he would have beaten Li Chang'an up right on the spot.

"Do not push people too far!"

"How about changing the condition? For instance, I can put in a good word for you with Cao Rixiu, at least writing a confession that will win him rapid promotion. That way, his trip to the Northwest won't cause you to lose face, and the younger generation of the Cao family won't follow his bad example in the future."

Cao Rui was infuriated to the point of ascending to the heavens. He twisted his foot, bumping the table with a jolt that splattered broth and water all over the surface.

"The Zhang father and son bribed officials and illegally cornered one thousand guan of the Green Sprouts Money, and they have already been taken into custody by the Three Offices. You might as well just wait at home for good news!"

With that, he intentionally kicked the table again. Fortunately, Li Chang'an dodged promptly, avoiding the fate of being drenched like a drowned chicken.

The Three Offices?

A top-tier institution of the Great Song court would bother with a minor case involving a thousand guan? Did everyone have nothing proper to do?

Upon returning to the Kaifeng Prefecture, Su Shi had also dispatched people to inquire and had gathered a rough idea of the situation.

The word was that someone had filed a report accusing Zhang Wenbin and his son of borrowing one thousand guan of Green Sprouts Money on account of its low interest rate, and then lending it out at an exorbitant monthly interest of thirty percent to customers of their pawnshop.

This fell squarely under the acts of sabotaging the Green Sprouts Law specifically pointed out by Wang Anshi, and it was likely intended as making an example of a chicken to frighten the monkeys.

"Have you offended anyone recently?"

Prompted by Su Shi's question, Li Chang'an began to consider other possibilities. After all, life had been far too smooth lately; playing high-ranking officials in the palm of his hand had long made him arrogant enough to look down upon all heroes under heaven.

Whom had he offended? It seemed there was really no one.

If he truly had to count someone, Sima Kang might qualify, but it hadn't reached this extent—the two of them were still at the stage of superficial harmony with hidden discord.

Could it really be Wang Yuanze? That hardly seemed likely; the prime minister's belly could ferry a boat, and the Young Chancellor surely wouldn't resort to such base tactics, as it beneath his dignity.

"I honestly can't think of anyone right now. You know me—I've always been accustomed to being kind to others!"

Faced with this shameless visage, even Su Shi felt an urge to throw punches.

Treating others as tools every single day, yet having the gall to gild his own face.

"If I really have to name someone, I suspect it might be the Young Chancellor. He is the only one who ever demanded something from me, and I refused to give it to him."

Recalling Wang Pang's caustic temperament, Su Shi figured this matter was eight or nine parts out of ten his doing. However, since the other party was now employing the law, they had to respect the rules and continue maneuvering within this framework. Resorting to direct power would simply leave leverage in the hands of adversaries.

"Alright, go back home and continue with your work. Under the jurisdiction of Kaifeng Prefecture, I can intervene in any case. Leave the rest to me!"

***

Leaving the Kaifeng Prefecture, Li Chang'an returned home to comfort the three women before slipping away directly to the Grand Duke's Estate.

The matter regarding Cao Rixiu needed to be explained; otherwise, being constantly harassed would never be a viable solution.

He had called upon the estate abruptly without a formal calling card, standing in the gatehouse acting like a stone guardian for half a day.

The master of the Grand Duke's Estate at this time was Cao Yi, the prototype of Imperial Uncle Cao and the biological younger brother of the reigning Empress Dowager.

He currently held no substantive official post, merely carrying nominal titles as the Military Commissioner of Baojing and Baoping, along with the concurrent posts of Co-manager of the Secretariat-Chancellery and Comptroller of the Jingling Palace.

In terms of rank, he belonged to the same tier as Wen Banbo, Wang Anshi, and Fu Bi, except that he held no administrative responsibilities—his status was lofty, but his power was light.

Such maternal relatives served as the ballast stones of the Zhao Song imperial family, kept on standby at all times to deal with the civil scholar-officials from the outer court and prevent the emergence of over-mighty ministers.

The old House of Zhao was timid; the appearance of a Kou Zhun and a Fan Zhongwen had already frightened them into a state of extreme paranoia, where every tree and bush looked like an enemy soldier.

In the second year of Xining, Cao Yi, as the eldest grandson of the founding meritorious official Cao Bin, still held no peerage.

The Zhao family regulations stipulated that, barring an imperial decree granting hereditary succession, even members of the Zhao Song imperial family could not directly inherit titles of nobility. Therefore, this mansion was the Grand Duke's Estate left behind by Cao Bin, and outsiders addressed Cao Yi as Grand Duke Cao, yet he was strictly not a grand duke.

He would have to wait until the Emperor officially assumed personal rule before he could inherit his grandfather's peerage as the Prince of Jiyang, thus fulfilling the lord-vassal relationship with the new Emperor.

Hearing that the rapidly rising, renowned master scholar had come to pay a visit, Grand Duke Cao hurriedly ordered his men to throw open the central gates and strike up the drums and music.

Since he currently wielded no power and could only enter the palace as an advisor, if he were to befriend such a youthful figure, the status of the Grand Duke's Estate would naturally rise once again.

Li Chang'an had not intended to make a commotion, yet he had unexpectedly found himself treated as a prized horse bone to attract other talent.

"This brings radiance to my humble dwelling, true radiance!"

Good grief, a residence in the capital second only to the imperial palace itself, and he dared to call it a humble dwelling. Besides, I was currently living in your estate anyway.

"My young friend has not visited for a long time. Could it be that you found my humble estate too cramped and felt mistreated?"

Very well, a textbook example of Song-dynasty bragging.

After exchanging formal greetings and inquiries through a round of pleasantries, the two walked arm-in-arm into the interior, arriving at the Welcome Tower, which was specifically designated by the Grand Duke's Estate to host distinguished guests.

That's right, within the inch-of-land-an-inch-of-gold Bianjing, the Grand Duke's Estate actually housed a five-story tower specifically built to receive talented individuals.

"Lord Grand Duke, spare yourself the busyness. My visit today is truly because I have an urgent matter to beg of you!"