Chapter 22: Sophisticated Diplomacy and Rectifying the Family Code

Butcher Hu had initially been frantic with anxiety, but upon seeing Fan Jin’s calm confidence, he immediately felt at ease and settled into a state of composure.

His son-in-law was no ordinary man! Ever since passing the provincial examination, countless respectable figures had come to pay their respects, addressing him as a brother. Every one of those peers—men whom he once could not even dream of currying favor with—were now treating his son-in-law as an equal. If even his son-in-law could not resolve this matter, then there was no point in seeking help anywhere else for Monk Hui.

Fan Jin, unaware of the unprecedented faith his father-in-law placed in him, said slowly, "The crux of this matter lies with the Zhang family. If the Zhangs do not pursue it, the magistrate will likely not push the case to the end..."

The principle that "if the people do not lodge a complaint, the officials do not investigate" never goes out of style. Without delay, Fan Jin ordered his steward to prepare two calling cards: one for the magistrate and the other for the Zhang family.

At the Nanhai County Yamen, the magistrate was currently in the back courtyard, playing mahjong with his wives and concubines, laughing and frolicking in high spirits. Mahjong originated in the Ming Dynasty and became an instant sensation upon its debut. Legend has it that when Zheng He set sail for the Western Oceans, the soldiers on board lacked entertainment and resorted to gambling with dice to pass the time. During the long voyages, the men grew weary and homesick, with some even plotting mutiny to kill Zheng He and return home. To stabilize the morale of the troops, Zheng He went to great lengths to invent mahjong.

Using playing cards, ivory tiles, and dominoes as inspiration, he crafted over a hundred small wooden tiles. He used the fleet's organization to carve tiles from one to nine in the "Bamboos" suit, and based on the number of water barrels on the ships, he carved one to nine in the "Dots" suit. Based on wind directions, he carved the four winds—East, South, West, and North—and used the allure of wealth to carve one to nine in the "Characters" suit. Adopting the slogan "Great China shining its military might in foreign lands," he carved the red "Center" tile and added four seasonal flower tiles. For the final tile, not knowing what to carve, he left it blank—the "White Dragon" or "White Board." When they first played, it was Zheng He, his deputy commander, the grand general, and Zheng He’s wife who played together. Once the rules were finalized, the entire fleet began to play. There was a general named Ma who was particularly adept at the game, so Zheng He named it "General Ma's Tiles," which later generations came to know as "Mahjong."

A runner, having received the report, rushed to the back courtyard of the yamen. The magistrate, seeing the man’s anxious expression and being a perceptive person, made an excuse to step away.

"Your Honor, the Zhang family has come to report a crime!" The runner proceeded to recount the events. The Nanhai magistrate’s expression shifted, and he paced back and forth, muttering, "This involves the Zhang family; it is not easily handled!"

The Zhang family had been entrenched in Nanhai County for over two hundred years. Their roots were deep and their influence tangled; to disturb them was to trigger a chain reaction. Furthermore, Zhang Jingzhai had once served as a magistrate himself and still possessed connections in the officialdom. If they were to have a falling out, both sides would inevitably suffer. As local titans, it was unclear what the Zhangs might do, but if they were determined to stir up trouble, whether the magistrate could finish his term in peace was another question entirely.

The magistrate felt a wave of irritation. Frowning, he asked, "Have they brought the people to the yamen?" His complexion was grim. Such an occurrence under his governance suggested a failure in moral instruction. Unlike later eras where economics took precedence, moral instruction was a key indicator in the performance evaluations of feudal dynasties—far easier to achieve than hard metrics like population or acreage growth. Generally, if talented scholars continuously emerged from one's jurisdiction to achieve success in the imperial examinations, the magistrate’s record would look excellent. Of course, moral instruction encompassed more than just that; local customs and public morality mattered too. In an era where the separation of the sexes was strictly guarded, an affair, once publicized, would become a stain on his legacy. While it might not lead to an official inquiry from the imperial court, it would certainly make his path to promotion treacherous.

Though the magistrate was fifty-two years old, he was still deeply attached to power and pleasure, obsessed with climbing the ladder and amassing wealth. To block a man’s path to wealth was akin to killing his parents; whoever stood in his way was his enemy.

The runner hesitated, then stammered, "That has not been done. The monk has fled in fear of punishment, while the woman is being held under the stage in front of the Guandi Temple, waiting for your personal judgment..."

Hearing this, the magistrate relaxed slightly. "Have my sedan chair prepared, and notify my legal advisor that we are going outside the city to hear the case." It seemed the Zhang family still understood the bigger picture and had no intention of turning against him.

Otherwise, if the relationship soured, neither would benefit. The magistrate prepared to order his official robes, hat, boots, and sash, intending to travel discreetly to the city outskirts rather than holding court at the yamen. Just as he finished speaking, a young servant approached with a calling card and a letter, shouting, "Your Honor, Provincial Graduate Fan has sent a calling card and a personal letter!"

The magistrate took the items, read them briefly, and fell into thought. After a moment, he told the runner, "There is no need to hold a trial. Release everyone immediately. Act as if this incident never occurred." With that, he handed back his official attire. Soon after, the sounds of the magistrate frolicking with his wives and concubines echoed in the courtyard once more.

In contrast to the lively atmosphere at the yamen, the Zhang residence was in total chaos. Upon receiving Fan Jin’s card and letter, the Elder of the Zhang family turned pale, then red. He roared, "Bring that beast to me! And go to the ancestral hall and fetch my bamboo whip! If I don't teach him a lesson today, that wretch will surely bring ruin upon us all!"

Beside him, his wife was aghast, her hairpins trembling as she exclaimed, "Master, even if Chunsheng made a mistake, you can just discipline him. Why must you be so cruel!"

The Zhang elder, in a fit of rage, shoved her aside. "A woman's perspective! That wretch spends his days bullying the innocent and oppressing the locals. If I don't discipline him, the reputation of our Zhang family will be utterly destroyed!"

Discipline? Had he not disciplined that wretch before?

The woman looked unconvinced. "So what if Chunsheng has done wrong? Does the magistrate dare to give our Zhang family a hard time? In Nanhai County, who doesn't give us a bit of face?"

*Slap!*

The Zhang elder struck her across the face. Then, through gritted teeth, he hissed, "Do you think I fear that Nanhai magistrate? It is that Provincial Graduate Fan whom we cannot afford to offend!"