Chapter 39: So Worth It

"Go? Of course I must go!"

Master Huang the Sixth no longer dared to hesitate, agreeing without a second thought. He knew full well that rushing to the county office to meet Magistrate Wang would inevitably displease Assistant Magistrate Huang. It might even offend those fellow merchants whom he had only just persuaded to go and "voice their grievances" to the higher-ups. Yet, when a magistrate issues a formal invitation, who would dare refuse?

Master Huang immediately set about preparing. He shed his fine Sichuan silk robe for a more modest, understated garment, swapped his brocade cloud-toed shoes for a pair of common brown leather boots, and even removed the scented sachet he usually wore, stripping away all traces of his habitual opulence. He then personally packed a gift that was exquisite yet not overly ostentatious.

Watching these actions, Zhao Jin could not help but marvel to himself: *As expected of Master Huang, he is truly, damnably shrewd!*

Dressing plainly and choosing a gift that was thoughtful rather than extravagant was not just to avoid appearing like a fool with money to burn; it was a calculated move to cater to the self-respecting integrity typical of scholars like Magistrate Wang. If a merchant draped in finery arrived at the office with a lavish, expensive gift, rumors would inevitably circulate; yet, arriving empty-handed would be a breach of etiquette. This preparation, however, successfully crafted the image of a man who was both knowledgeable and tactful.

In less than a quarter of an hour, Master Huang arrived at the county office with Zhao Jin. Although this was not his first time here, and he had mentally prepared himself—even drafting a mental script on the way to ensure his flattery was subtle and well-worded—his legs went weak the moment he reached the gate, and his mind went blank.

It was only when the side door opened and a young boy dressed as a scholar, accompanied by several servants, stepped out to greet them that Master Huang regained his composure. *At least the Magistrate himself isn't here to welcome me!* He thought. *Excessive courtesy from a superior always implies a hidden agenda; too much formality is a harbinger of trouble.*

Upon first seeing Chen Ping, Master Huang feared it might be the Magistrate's son, which left him feeling quite anxious. But a closer look instantly dismissed that notion. Chen Ping’s attire was far too simple. Even if a magistrate were notoriously frugal, he would still have to maintain the basic dignity of an official household; he would never allow his son to greet guests dressed in such plain, coarse cloth. It would be a scandal.

Since he was not the Magistrate's son, who could he be? What was his relationship to the Magistrate that he could stand in for him to welcome guests?

Harboring such questions, Master Huang did not wait for Chen Ping to speak. He plastered a fawning smile on his face, hurried forward, bowed low, and said ingratiatingly, "I, Huang Fu, proprietor of Fuding Restaurant, pay my respects to the young master!"

Chen Ping found Master Huang, whose smile seemed to overflow from his face, quite curious. He had encountered a few merchants in Qingsong Town some time ago, but those men operated, at most, a shop or two, with assets only slightly exceeding those of an ordinary family. Furthermore, they had never left the county, spending their entire lives circling a radius of a hundred miles; they lacked travel experience and external trade, and were truly provincial.

The man before him, however, was quite different. According to Zhao Jin, this man had not only built the largest restaurant in Yongshun County, Fuding Restaurant, but also owned no fewer than twenty shops across the county and its surrounding towns. He held thousands of acres of fertile farmland in the countryside, not to mention private mines whose locations even Zhao Jin could not pinpoint. It was rumored that many smugglers of salt and iron were inextricably linked to him. With such wealth, he stood head and shoulders above the rest in the small enclosure of Yongshun County. Even the century-old clans of the county could hardly compare to Master Huang in terms of liquid wealth.

How did a descendant of a minor branch of the Huang clan, with a name but no family backing, reach such heights? Not only was Chen Ping fascinated, but many others inside and outside Yongshun County had investigated this as well. Unfortunately, no one had ever uncovered the specific path to his success. It was only known that when he was just plain Huang Fu, he had gone north alone to seek his fortune. By the time he returned to Yongshun, he was already a merchant of considerable means. Thereafter, his wealth expanded rapidly. Within a few years, the towering Fuding Restaurant rose from the ground, attracting a constant stream of officials and nobility, which became his primary means of amassing wealth. From then on, this "Master Huang" appeared on the list of Yongshun County’s elite merchants.

Under Chen Ping’s gaze, Master Huang felt a chill run through him. Those eyes, sharp as swords, did not belong to a seven or eight-year-old child. Seeing the man’s nervousness, Chen Ping immediately replied with a warm, friendly smile.

"The Magistrate is currently tied up with urgent official business, so he asked me to greet you on his behalf. Please forgive the lack of a proper welcome, Master Huang."

Master Huang waved his hands repeatedly. "Not at all, not at all! To be able to see such a brilliant young talent as yourself is a great honor for me."

"Might I ask, what instructions does the Magistrate have for calling me here? If there is anything I can do, I shall spare no effort and overcome any obstacle to serve him."

Master Huang dared not use overly convoluted language with this mysterious child, fearing the boy might not understand, and also because he was truly unsettled—if he didn't get to the bottom of this, he would likely die of fright sooner or later.

Chen Ping smiled but did not answer immediately. Instead, he warmly led Master Huang and Zhao Jin into the main hall of the inner office. Once everyone was seated, Chen Ping slowly broached the subject of donating funds to repair the roads.

As Master Huang listened, his eyes grew wider and wider. The shock in his heart was beyond measure, his hands clutching the corners of his clothes beneath the table. When he finally heard that they would be erecting monuments to honor the donors, he could no longer contain himself.

*Thwack!*

Master Huang slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "That Huang the Third is going too far!"

Everyone was stunned by Master Huang's sudden outburst. Zhao Jin even placed a hand on his waist, nearly drawing his iron ruler, and the minor officials nearby tensed, ready to move in for an arrest. Under Chen Ping’s puzzled gaze, Master Huang turned his head toward a certain direction of the county office with a look that was half-laugh, half-cry.

He let out a long, light sigh, a sigh as long and fragile as his own turbulent life. He offered an apology, sat back down, and within a few breaths, regained his composure. He cupped his hands toward Chen Ping and said with a gentle smile, "The Magistrate has initiated such a grand undertaking; we merchants must, of course, support it with all our might. Otherwise, would we not truly become mere misers?"

"I, Huang Fu, am willing to personally lobby the proprietors of the other shops in the county. I guarantee I will raise enough money and grain for the Magistrate."

In just a few sentences, he had changed his mode of address, signaling that he had distanced himself from Assistant Magistrate Huang and was turning over a new leaf. This was a heaven-sent opportunity that Master Huang had never dared to imagine. Simply by donating money and grain, he could have the Magistrate himself erect a monument in his honor, and he would no longer have to suffer the harassment and exploitation of those petty officials.

It was worth it!