Chapter 40: Wealth Is but Dirt and Dust

People in ancient times were obsessed with erecting monuments to immortalize their names, hoping to leave a legacy for generations to come. Most of them, however, were merely short-sighted individuals of no particular consequence.

Yet, there was certainly no merchant who would oppose Magistrate Wang’s ingenious idea. This was because, unlike the forced "donations" of the past, this contribution toward road construction was less of a levy and more of a transaction between the Magistrate and the merchants. In this deal, they were only expected to donate money and supplies voluntarily—and it was to be truly "voluntary." In exchange, Magistrate Wang offered not just the hollow vanity of a name on a stone tablet, but the weight of his official authority and prestige as the local governor.

Merchants are driven by profit. Their previous collective posturing was not born of genuine enmity, but rather a response to circumstance and being misled. These old associates were all adept at reading the situation, and Sixth Master Huang was certain that once the matter was clarified, they would not refuse to strike this deal with the county office. By gaining the reputation of a benevolent merchant who actively funded road construction, they could spare their businesses a great deal of trouble. Those haughty scholars would finally look upon them with a measure of respect, and the city guards, who checked them at the gates every time they entered, would no longer dare to make things difficult. While it might not be a path to universal convenience, the benefits were substantial. This was the source of Sixth Master Huang’s confidence in persuading his old friends to contribute.

Seeing that Sixth Master Huang not only knew when to stop but was also incredibly cooperative—showing no hesitation and appearing completely unconcerned about the potential reaction from Vice Magistrate Huang—he even took full responsibility, assuming the air of one who regarded the welfare of the people as his own bounden duty. Chen Ping suddenly found himself unable to read this man's intentions. Could it be that a rift had long since formed between Vice Magistrate Huang and this Sixth Master, reaching the point of an inevitable falling out?

Just as Chen Ping was about to yield to the man's suggestion and appoint him to persuade the other merchants on the Magistrate's behalf, a few soft coughs emanated from the back hall. They were not loud, but sharp and urgent, as if to urge him on or sound an alarm. It was Elder Ye’s voice!

Chen Ping realized in an instant that something was wrong. Since Elder Ye had agreed to let him meet this man, it was never simply about welcoming him; he was using this as a test of Chen Ping’s mettle. If the situation were not critical, the Elder would never have offered a hint. It could only mean that this Sixth Master Huang—who smiled with the gentle, harmless benevolence of a Maitreya Buddha—had already silently woven a trap for him. There was surely an ulterior motive.

Chen Ping closed his eyes slightly, ignoring the puzzled looks from Sixth Master Huang and Zhao Jin, and re-evaluated every word and action that had just transpired. Sixth Master Huang definitely had suspicious intentions! But where exactly the anomaly lay, and where the trap was set, Chen Ping could not immediately fathom. In his previous life, he had never dealt with such cunning people; he truly lacked experience in such strategic maneuvering. However, this was not an unsolvable flaw, for as long as one was not foolish, careful deliberation would always reveal the hidden malice. Recalling Sixth Master Huang’s movements and demeanor, Chen Ping was suddenly struck by a realization.

It was wrong—he was simply too enthusiastic! While trading wealth for prestige was indeed a delightful windfall for Sixth Master Huang, it did not warrant such extreme zeal; after all, it was merely a transaction. The most anomalous point was Sixth Master Huang’s proactive offer to act as the Magistrate’s errand boy to persuade others to donate. He was suspiciously eager about this. Even if he truly possessed the ability to convince the other merchants to open their purses, what benefit would it bring him? Was it worth publicly turning against Vice Magistrate Huang? Was it worth personally running around to lobby everywhere? Was it worth lowering himself to visit every household for negotiations? He was no idler; he was the proprietor of the Fuding Restaurant.

As Chen Ping’s thoughts clarified, the petty schemes of Sixth Master Huang were laid bare before him. "Well played, Sixth Master Huang, your plotting runs deep indeed."

Chen Ping curled his lip slightly and bowed, declining the offer: "I appreciate your kindness, Sixth Master, but the Magistrate has his own arrangements for persuading the other merchants. If I were to let you lower yourself to handle such trivial matters, wouldn't you become nothing more than a common messenger running errands for the Magistrate? I think it is better to leave such coarse tasks to others; for instance, Proprietor Lan of the Fuqing Restaurant would be quite suitable."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Sixth Master Huang’s mouth stiffened, and most of the smile on his face evaporated, leaving only a complex, forced expression. *Could this boy really be some kind of monster?* Such deeply hidden intentions had been pierced through by a mere child in the blink of an eye.

Seeing Sixth Master Huang’s sudden change in complexion, Chen Ping felt as sweet as if he had drunk honey water. Just as he had guessed, what Sixth Master Huang wanted was not merely to have his name carved onto a stone tablet. His ambition went far beyond that. He intended to borrow the tiger’s skin of Magistrate Wang to intimidate others.

*A sheep in tiger’s clothing is content only when it finds grass.* If Sixth Master Huang were to leave the county office and immediately go to persuade other merchants, claiming it was "by the Magistrate’s order," he could take advantage of the unstable situation to secure benefits for himself while simultaneously suppressing his rivals. A man of his already considerable means could, with a few clever moves, seize the position of the foremost merchant in Yongshun County. Merchants are driven by profit; they would not harbor too much resentment toward him, and if they were in his position, they would surely do the same. The stain of "using power to bully others" would naturally be cast upon Magistrate Wang. As long as the Magistrate did not personally come out to explain, he would be seen by everyone as Sixth Master Huang’s patron. In the future, whenever trouble arose, a single word from the Sixth Master would force other merchants to grant favors out of fear of the Magistrate’s authority.

And this was only aimed at the merchants; more importantly, Sixth Master Huang wanted to use the Magistrate’s name to cow Vice Magistrate Huang. Once the Vice Magistrate was intimidated, the Sixth Master’s security would be guaranteed, and he could even reduce the tributes he paid to the Vice Magistrate. It was a move that would resolve a long-standing grievance.

Could a man of such deep scheming as Vice Magistrate Huang be fooled by the Sixth Master’s bluff? Chen Ping thought it highly likely! It was not that the Vice Magistrate was simple-minded, but that he would have no way to verify the truth and certainly could not confront Magistrate Wang directly. Moreover, if they were indeed colluding in secret, the Magistrate would never openly admit it. With Sixth Master Huang having served the Magistrate and worked tirelessly for the road construction, who would dare question his status as the Magistrate’s man?

This web of intrigue was so intricate that Chen Ping had only been able to unspool it by following Elder Ye’s prompt and using deductive reasoning based on the premise of guilt. Yet, this Sixth Master Huang had been able to dig such a massive pit in such a short time, with a sense of smell for opportunity so keen it was truly chilling.

At this moment, Sixth Master Huang was even more horrified. He looked at Chen Ping with newfound gravity, no longer viewing him as a wet-behind-the-ears junior. Unexpectedly, Sixth Master Huang did not dwell on the matter or push for it further; he simply brushed it aside. Without waiting for Chen Ping to ask, he announced the amount he intended to donate.

"I am willing to donate five thousand taels of silver!"

When this figure was uttered, not only was Chen Ping stunned, but sounds of coughing also drifted from the back hall. Five thousand taels was by no means a small sum. Not long ago, the various petty officials had colluded to embezzle less than two thousand taels in total! Now, just to have his name on a stone tablet, he was ready to hand over five thousand taels of silver. Chen Ping did not believe for a second that Sixth Master Huang was so vain as to go to such lengths. In Yongshun County, five thousand taels exceeded the entire net worth of an average merchant. If used to educate family members for the imperial examinations, it would likely be enough to produce several scholars, and if a particularly gifted youth were found, this sum could even pave the way for a provincial graduate!

Faced with Sixth Master Huang’s lavish display of wealth, before Chen Ping could even consider how to respond, Magistrate Wang and Elder Ye both walked out into the front hall. The Magistrate could no longer sit still. For years he had labored, pleading with everyone he could think of, yet he had failed to raise sufficient funds for the road. If a single Sixth Master Huang could produce five thousand taels, how much could the entire merchant class of Yongshun County contribute? Could this solve the budget deficit in one fell swoop? Magistrate Wang’s face was flushed, even more agitated and excited than when he had passed the imperial examinations. It was truly like a long drought finally meeting a gentle rain.

Sixth Master Huang remained smiling and cheerful, as if those five thousand taels of silver were nothing more than mere dirt.