Chapter Seventeen: Heaven as the Horse, Earth as the Ox

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County Magistrate Li Yi cast a long, thoughtful glance at Gu Zhengchen in the courtyard before turning to leave. The advisor Yan Bin, seeing this, had no choice but to follow closely behind.

Li Yi walked with his hands clasped behind his back, his steps forming a deliberate figure-eight pattern, and spoke leisurely, “Who would have thought that such a trivial matter would stir nearly half of Teng County? This scholar Gu is no ordinary man.”

Yan Bin was puzzled and asked with suspicion, “It’s understandable that the Liang family would support him, but Sun Bing is famously shrewd and stingy…”

Li Yi looked up at the sun hanging low in the southern sky and said gravely, “For Sun Bing to personally come all the way to Dayan Village on foot means that Gu Zhengchen offers him considerable benefit. What kind of benefit? We need not guess; once the water recedes, the rocks will appear. As for Gu Zhengchen himself, he is unfathomable—like a deep abyss with no bottom.”

Seeing Li Yi’s appreciation for talent, Yan Bin quickened his pace and asked, “County Lord, are you considering to foster this promising youth?”

Li Yi’s expression grew serious. After walking a hundred paces, he spoke, “Gu Zhengchen is adept at exploiting loopholes in the law. Whether it’s how he pressured Wang Youcheng or redeemed his sentence, he always uses legal technicalities to reduce or evade punishment. Such a man entering officialdom may not be a good thing. If someone offers him wealth to intercede, he might use the law to help wealthy gentry escape consequences, harming common folk.”

Yan Bin nodded in agreement, then worriedly added, “But County Lord, Gu Zhengchen is cunning and resourceful, always calm and composed. If his heart is pure and devoted to the people, he might dare to act and govern peacefully, leaving a good legacy. Emperor Hongwu has already decreed that local officials must recommend talents to the court. I heard that in Zou County to the north, nine people were recommended at once, but Teng County has been silent for a long time, which doesn’t bode well for you…”

The imperial examinations had been suspended, blocking the traditional path for scholars to enter officialdom. Since the founding of the Ming dynasty was relatively recent, the bureaucracy was short-staffed. Without the exams, they had to rely on local recommendations.

If county governments failed to recommend talents, leading to severe staff shortages and governance difficulties, Emperor Hongwu might punish the local authorities in anger.

Li Yi clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, “Zou County recommended nine people, eight of whom are wealthy or from wealthy families, with only one scholar among them. A group of cunning and sly men entering the court—are they truly serving the people or just the wealthy gentry? Serving the court or selfish interests?”

Yan Bin sighed deeply, “The emperor wants talents, but if we don’t recommend, or recommend too few…”

Li Yi understood Yan Bin’s concerns and pondered silently as they approached the outskirts of the city. About a mile out, they saw Wang’s accountant walking ahead, followed by two men herding an ox.

At the Gu family residence, the crowd had not dispersed.

Wang Fugui looked grim but was stuck there.

Liang Fengyang wanted to coax from Sun Caizhu the reason why he was helping Gu Zhengchen, but the stout man kept tight-lipped, not uttering a word.

Sun Bing sat on a stool, fanning himself lazily with a palm leaf fan.

Gu Zhengchen noticed Liang Fengyang approaching again and quietly asked, “Master Liang, do you know Li Shanmei?”

“Li Shanmei?” Liang frowned and shook his head. “Who is that?”

Gu Zhengchen was surprised that Liang Fengyang did not know him.

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That bold, inquisitive tail who dared to mock old Zhu, with an unusual manner of speech, was no ordinary nobody. Could he be an outsider who happened to pass by?

No—it couldn’t be. He knew too much to be a newcomer.

“The ox is coming! The ox is coming!” a villager shouted as he ran in.

The people of Dayan Village instantly grew excited, rushing out to see.

They had heard of wealthy families seizing oxen, fields, and people, but never witnessed anyone reclaiming oxen and land from the wealthy. This was a big deal!

Gu Zhengchen looked as the old yellow ox slowly came forward. The Gu family had already stepped out, stroking the ox’s head with joy and tears. Gu Qingqing placed her hand on the ox’s neck and sobbed softly.

Many in later generations fail to understand the importance of the ox in ancient times.

The Book of Changes states:

“The movement of heaven is strong and vigorous; the gentleman should strive unremittingly. The earth’s condition is receptive devotion; the gentleman should hold the outer world with broad virtue.”

“To the utmost, Kun is the origin of all things. By conforming to heaven, Kun generously carries all things; virtue is boundless.”

The commentary of the Book of Changes explains: Qian represents the horse, Kun the ox. The ox bears heavy loads and is docile, like the earth that nourishes all things.

This shows how vital the ox’s status was!

In fact, ancient dynasties always upheld the consensus: “The ox is the foundation of farming and the reliance of the common people; it is the greatest asset and a measure of the state’s strength.”

In short, the ox symbolized national power!

All dynasties enacted laws to protect oxen, strictly forbidding the slaughter of plow oxen, whether in Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, or Ming.

Private slaughter of oxen was punishable by fines and corporal punishment; severe cases led to imprisonment or exile. During the Later Tang of the Five Dynasties, the penalty was more severe, equating the crime of killing an ox with murder—killing an ox was as serious as killing a person.

Although old Zhu once killed an ox as a boy to gain experience and advance in rank, after becoming emperor, he still banned slaughtering plow oxen. Maliciously killing another’s ox was punished with seventy lashes and eighteen months’ imprisonment; killing one’s own ox privately meant a hundred lashes.

Those who have read Water Margin and often hear “Waiter, two pounds of beef” are mistaken. In earlier plays and novels before Water Margin, heroes like Li Kui would order two pounds of mutton at taverns.

The ox was an invaluable asset and the greatest labor force for common households.

The Gu family was overjoyed that their old yellow ox had not been wronged and had returned safely.

Gu Qingqing led the ox to the grass shed on the west side, occasionally scratching the old ox’s itches.

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Wang’s accountant Wang Quan produced the land deed. Sun Caizhu glanced at it and immediately smiled. It was a mortgage deed; the land could be redeemed with money. It was not a permanent sale, nor did it require official seals—only a trusted intermediary’s guarantee and witness.

Wang Fugui felt a pang of pain. The yellow ox had been fed for two months!

And those ten acres of land—they had spent three days irrigating with a waterwheel, arranged for weeding, and the wheat was growing well. In about twenty more days it would be ready for harvest, yet the Gu family had taken it back!

Infuriating—truly infuriating!

With no choice, Wang Fugui signed the deed, returning the land to the Gu family.

Gu Zhengchen looked at the resentful Wang Fugui and said sternly, “I have reclaimed the land. I do not want to see anyone from the Wang family on Gu property again.”

Wang Fugui threw off his sleeve, “Master Gu, you’re ruthless. Let’s go!”

Gu Zhengchen replied coldly, “No seeing you off.”

Sun Caizhu, seeing the matter settled, shouted to the onlookers, “Nothing more to see, everyone disperse.”

Zhang Shiping watched Wang Fugui and his group leave, then turned to Zhao Ya’er. Seeing her gazing dreamily at Gu Zhengchen with a flicker of disgust in her eyes, he said to Zhao Yaowen, “Brother Zhao, I just remembered something. I’ll leave first.”

Zhao Yaowen wanted to stop him, but Zhang Shiping strode off.

Aunt Zhang tugged on Zhao Ya’er’s sleeve, bringing her back to reality. Zhao Ya’er looked toward Gu Zhengchen laughing and chatting not far away, but in her mind echoed Gu Zhengchen’s resolute words from that day:

“Remember this: it wasn’t your Song family who broke the engagement. It was I, Gu Zhengchen, who don’t want you anymore. I’d rather endure fifty lashes than have you!”

Zhao Ya’er raised her hand to clutch her chest, lowered her head in sorrow, tears glistening in her eyes.

Was I wrong?

Before, she had only heard her father say how talentless and incompetent Gu Zhengchen was, and that he would never become an official. But reality was different—both the Liang and Sun families came to curry favor with him, and the Wang family lost to him!

But what of it? It was irreversible, beyond remedy.

Zhao Ya’er lifted her head, bit her pale lips, and took a step forward to grasp the fence. She was about to speak when Zhao Yaowen pulled her back fiercely, whispering angrily, “Are you crazy? Don’t forget father is negotiating your marriage with the Zhang family. How can you talk to Gu Zhengchen now? Come home with me!”