Chapter Twenty-Six: Wealth Moves the Heart

"Huang An, you dog, where are you? Get your backside out here right now!"

Before the speaker had even appeared, the boisterous, rough-hewn voice of a middle-aged woman echoed throughout the courtyard.

"Quick, quick, stop her! Tell her I have urgent official business to attend to!" Commissioner Huang stammered, his right hand trembling so violently that the lid of his teacup rattled against the rim with a frantic clattering sound.

His personal guard scrambled to obey, rushing toward the entrance.

"Get out of my way!"

A sharp rebuke cut through the air, followed by a loud *bang* as the main hall doors were kicked wide open.

Commissioner Huang leaped up from his grand armchair, forcing a sycophantic smile onto his face. "My dear, why have you come? Whatever the matter is, let us discuss it once I return to the inner courtyard."

Madame Huang marched straight up to the Commissioner, grabbed him by the ear, and hauled him upward. "Fine, Huang An, you dare to sneak around behind my back and consort with some little vixen? Tell me, where have you hidden her?"

"Ow, ow, ow! Easy, my dear, it hurts!" The Commissioner tilted his head, his ear stretched painfully high, causing him to grimace and hiss. "Please, have some mercy! Let us go to the back quarters to talk. I truly have pressing official matters here."

"To hell with your official business! Tell me, where is that little harlot?" Madame Huang did not release her grip.

As the Commissioner continued to plead for mercy, the steward, She, standing to the side, bowed low with his hands clasped. "This old servant pays his respects to the Eldest Miss."

Hearing a familiar voice behind her, Madame Huang turned around in surprise. Seeing that it was She Fu, the steward who served her father, her brows knitted together. "She Fu, why are you not by my father's side? Why have you come to the Tiancheng Garrison? And how is my father?"

As she spoke, she finally released her grip on the Commissioner's ear. The Commissioner, his ear now bright red, rubbed it gently.

Steward She replied, "Eldest Miss, the Master is gravely ill and can no longer leave his bed."

"Oh... my poor father! How could he suddenly fall so ill? I haven't even returned to see him one last time!" Madame Huang began to wail, slapping her thigh and wiping away tears as she wept.

"Eldest Miss, please, Eldest Miss," the steward said, raising his voice. "The Master is not in any real danger. He was simply so enraged that he took to his bed. The physician says it is a sickness of the heart; he will recover once his anger subsides."

The Madame’s crying stopped instantly. She wiped the corners of her eyes with her handkerchief. "You mean my father is fine?"

"The Master is indeed not in any mortal danger," the steward confirmed.

"That is a relief," she said, tucking away her handkerchief. "You said he was sick with rage. Who angered him? Have they been caught?"

Commissioner Huang, who had been silent for a moment, interjected, "My dear, this is a matter for the gentlemen. You should return to the back quarters and rest."

Madame Huang shot him a glare. "Get lost! I will deal with you later."

The Commissioner shrank back, daring not to utter another word.

"Tell me," she said, turning back to the steward. "What exactly happened?"

"Half a month ago, the Zheng family estate was raided by a band of roving bandits. Most of the family's liquid assets were plundered. The Master was so incensed he fell ill, and he hasn't been able to leave his bed for over two weeks."

"My poor father. He has always treated his wealth as his lifeblood. To have it stolen by bandits—how could he not be heartbroken? His chest must be aching again, isn't it?" she asked the steward.

"Indeed, Eldest Miss. The Master complains of chest pains daily."

Madame Huang wiped her eyes again. "My father needs you now more than ever. Why have you come to the Tiancheng Garrison?"

"Eldest Miss, you may not know," the steward began, "but these bandits have now reached the borders of Datong. Before long, they will be passing through the Tiancheng Garrison."

"You want my husband to lead troops to suppress them?" She frowned.

Commissioner Huang chimed in, "My dear, I cannot decide on military expeditions alone. It requires the approval of the Commander-in-Chief and the two Deputy Commanders."

Madame Huang nodded slightly and looked at the steward. "She Fu, you heard him. It is not that we do not want to help, but this requires an order from the superiors. My husband is only a Garrison Commissioner; he cannot make such a big decision on his own."

The Commissioner added, "You heard her. It is not that I, your humble official, refuse to act; I am simply powerless."

"Eldest Miss, if you do not help, then no one can! I beg you, for the sake of the many years the Master spent raising you, please save him!" Steward She knelt before her.

The Commissioner’s face darkened. "She Fu, what is the meaning of this? Are you threatening us?"

"This old servant would not dare," the steward said while still on his knees. "These bandits stole over five thousand taels of silver and at least five hundred taels of gold from our home. I hear they have been burning and looting all along their path, and many wealthy families have suffered. A group of such heinous, vicious bandits—and my Master's son-in-law is such a fine official—surely you must act to rid the people of this scourge!"

"They really stole that much?" The Commissioner’s eyes darted around. "Utterly vicious! Such a band of outlaws must be numerous, or they couldn't have raided so many estates." He looked at the steward.

Steward She quickly added, "I secretly bribed one of the bandits. He told me that while they claim to have two thousand men, there are only seven or eight hundred actual brigands; the rest are just displaced refugees they have coerced."

"Is this intelligence accurate?" the Commissioner asked, still hesitant.

"Absolutely true," said the steward. "All the bandits I bribed said the same thing."

The Commissioner pondered for a moment. "She Fu, go and rest for now. Let me consider this. After all, we have the Commander-in-Chief and the two Deputies above us; I cannot decide this alone."

"Then, Son-in-law, Eldest Miss, this old servant shall withdraw." Steward She rose and backed out of the hall.

Once the doors were closed, Madame Huang said, "Are you really going to go after those bandits? If She Fu is right, there are nearly two thousand of them. The few men in your battalion wouldn't even be enough to whet their appetites."

"What does a woman like you know?" the Commissioner retorted. "Of course I won't do this alone; the Commander-in-Chief must be involved. If we succeed, I’ll at least pocket a thousand or two in silver, and perhaps even move up in rank."

"But what if you get crushed by these bandits?" she asked, knitting her brows.

"Again, you know nothing," he said. "Bandits are nothing but a disorganized mob. The only reason no one has wiped them out is because there was no profit in it. Now it’s different. These bandits are carrying at least ten thousand taels of gold and silver. Once our Commander-in-Chief hears of this, he won't let such a fortune slip through his fingers."

"Pah! I don't know anything, but you do? First, tell me what this business about the 'little vixen' is!" She placed one hand on her hip and reached for his ear with the other.

The Commissioner dodged her hand. "What vixen? I know nothing of that. You go to the back quarters; I have to go see the Commander-in-Chief."

With that, he hurried out of the hall and vanished into the courtyard.

"Fine, Huang An! You can run today, but you can't run forever! If you don't explain that little vixen, this isn't over!" Madame Huang stamped her feet and cursed loudly in the empty room.