Chapter 121 — Extortion
The Huang family’s guards left at the command, and Li Chunlin instructed his men to return to the carriage and continue the journey.
Meanwhile, Xu Jun had already brought Xie Jing to the salt fields.
The salt field was unusually quiet that day. The buildings in this area were low, and while the reception hall was a bit wider, it had no high ceilings, allowing one to see everything inside at a glance.
Two groups of people stood in stark opposition. A salt vat had been broken, and half-liquid salt that hadn’t completely dried spilled across the ground. Many salt workers stood behind the old steward, holding sticks and glaring angrily. The opposing group was equally defiant, shouting, “The Xie family’s salt was mixed with sand! Now that it’s being returned, are you still going to deny it?!”
A young, strong salt worker rushed forward. “You’re talking nonsense—”
The old steward stopped him, bowing slightly as he explained: “We do need to investigate this carefully, but our salt fields have never had anything like this in decades.”
The man across from him folded his arms and sneered: “Well, then check thoroughly!” He shouted to his men behind him. Seven or eight burly men drew knives from their sleeves and slashed at the salt bags prepared for transport. Snow-white salt spilled across the ground in an instant!
The old steward was heartbroken, repeatedly trying to stop them. The other men grabbed handfuls of salt and shoved the salt field workers aside. “Still say there’s no sand? What is this if not sand?!”
The old steward tried to argue, but one of the men slapped him.
Just then, Xu Jun arrived and saw the old steward shielding his face. The man opposite was about to strike again. Xu Jun roared: “Stop!”
Even faster than his voice, Xie Jing’s whip lashed out. The black whip wrapped around the man’s wrist, pulling him to the ground. With a crack, the whip struck, leaving his face and wrist red and swollen. He screamed in pain!
The other burly men rushed forward but were quickly subdued by Wang Su and the other guards, their hands cuffed behind their backs, forced to kneel.
Xu Jun approached to check on the old steward. The old man had worked hard all his life and had always been fair, never treated this way before. Tears welled up as he quavered, “Second Master, these are people from the Huang family. They say the last batch of salt we sold to the pots was bad, mixed with sand. Our salt fields have never done anything dishonest in decades…”
Xu Jun had a doctor called and helped the old man sit. “I know. I’ll handle this.”
The man whipped by Xie Jing was still cursing, likely used to bullying others in the lower city. He had never been struck before, and the curses were filthy.
Xie Jing stepped forward, wordlessly twisted his jaw. The man howled in pain.
Xie Jing crouched, tapping the man’s face with a knife, coldly warning, “I’m a calm person. If you make a sound again, I’ll cut out your tongue. Don’t believe me? Try me.”
The man’s eyes widened, cold sweat dripping, but he dared not make a sound. He had never seen someone so unreasonable—unlike Xie Siquan, who would always interrogate first, this boy acted immediately, without a word!
Xu Jun examined the low-quality salt and the surrounding scene. “Most likely, this was Huang Wanxing sending people deliberately to cause trouble.”
Xie Jing stood. “I think so too. Second Master, let me bring someone who can talk sense.”
Li Chunlin’s carriage hadn’t even left two alleys before being intercepted by Wang Su and others on horseback. Though the Huang family guards were fierce, they could not match the lethal presence of Xie family bodyguards from the north. Ten or so guns pointed at their heads, and even the respectable Li Chunlin dared not defy them.
When brought to the salt field, Li Chunlin forced himself to remain composed, bowing politely: “Second Master Xu, what is the meaning of this?”
Xu Jun’s face darkened: “Nothing else. I just want to discuss the previous business with Steward Wang.”
Li Chunlin saw his men pinned to the ground, anger flaring: “Last month our Huang family bought plenty of salt from your field. Business aside, morality matters. You injured my Huang family comprador for no reason—I must protest!” He tried to advance but was struck at his feet by Xie Jing’s whip, leaving a deep mark in the stone. Li Chunlin was dumbfounded.
Xie Jing stood before Xu Jun and said coldly: “This is fair. Your men assaulted my steward. That’s unjust.”
Li Chunlin’s eyelids twitched. Before he could speak, Xie Jing grabbed Huang’s comprador. In moments, the man’s wrists were twisted until the bones cracked. When he was thrown back at Li Chunlin’s feet, he could barely close his mouth, tears and snot streaming, hiding behind Li Chunlin, terrified.
Xie Jing said flatly: “This is justice.”
Humiliated, Li Chunlin’s face was red and pale. “Who are you? I’m speaking to Second Master Xu!”
Xie Jing remained silent. Xu Jun added coldly: “This is the Xie family’s young master, co-owner of Fuquan Manor. Think you get to speak?”
Li Chunlin squinted: “Second Master Xu is determined to confront the Huang family?”
Xu Jun: “Your Huang family recklessly acts on Xie territory.”
Li Chunlin warned: “I advise restraint. Aren’t you afraid of mutual destruction?”
Xu Jun sneered: “Only equals can destroy each other. Your family isn’t worthy.”
Li Chunlin had suffered a major loss at the salt field, turning to leave. At the entrance, he was stopped. The tall guards who had brought him bound him and the other Huang men with hemp rope, leaving none free. Li Chunlin panicked, struggling: “What—what are you doing?! Let go!”
Xu Jun hadn’t expected this. He looked at Xie Jing, who explained: “Second Master, don’t panic. In the north, we’re used to capturing criminals and sending them to the police. These people are provocateurs, actually attempting extortion. We cannot tolerate it.”
Sabotage among Sichuan salt merchants was common but usually minor. People rarely involved officials. Xu Jun had never seen such measures before.
Next, Xie Jing demonstrated another tactic.
After the Huang family men were taken to the police, Xie Jing sent someone on horseback to find a reporter. Sichuan had theaters and teahouses but no newspaper; it took nearly a day to reach one. The reporter arrived, photographed, interviewed, and wrote an article the same day. Within three days, the first wave of public opinion appeared.
The Rongcheng Daily headlines were shocking:
“Huang Wanxing’s Servants Imprisoned, Family Hides Immense Wealth”
“Huang Family Manager Beats Seventy-Year-Old Man”
“Sichuan Huang Family: ‘Inferior’ Salt Swapped, Profits in the Millions”
The city buzzed with discussion. The newspapers mentioned the Xie family briefly, mostly reporting victims’ complaints. The Huang family had bought good salt from the Xie, mixed it with sand, and sold it for profit.
Xie Jing distributed newspapers to newsboys to sell on the streets and gave small bribes to storytellers in teahouses. One or two silver dollars had them telling the story all day!
In three days, the Huang family’s reputation collapsed.
Public gossip also focused on Manager Li Chunlin. A photo of his mansion was published: grand gates, sturdy bronze doors, luxurious decorations, including a pair of stone lions from a former government office. The newspaper noted the lions alone cost nearly 20,000 silvers!
Li Chunlin, just a manager with a limited annual salary, had no way to afford such objects. While he was imprisoned, three small robberies occurred at his home.
Huang Wanxing paid bribes to free him but was displeased. Reading the newspaper, he suspected his steward had embezzled, despite trusting him for years.
Huang Wanxing, around fifty, was thin and short, less impressive than his name suggested. In his slightly worn robe, he looked less imposing than Li Chunlin just released from jail.
Li Chunlin initially complained, but seeing Huang Wanxing unmoved, he quieted, kneeling low. The newspapers weren’t wrong: he had been a family servant, slowly building his status through the master’s trust.
Author’s Note:
Xie Jing: “I follow Buddhism. I cannot see blood.”
Huang family comprador: “??”
Li Chunlin: “??”
