The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 131 Power Reaching the Heavens, the Official Acquires a Mountain of Gold
"It's rare that Yu'er doesn't mind and is willing to come and talk to me to relieve my boredom. I'd love for her to stay longer! I wish she wouldn't go back and could stay here with me forever! Don't worry, Lord Lin, Yu'er will feel right at home with me. I'll take good care of her and make sure she's even fatter than she is with you!"

Just as Mrs. Lin finished saying, "It would be best to stay here," a steady, yet somewhat carefree, footstep sounded outside the door. The curtain was lifted again, and it was none other than Master Ximen who entered.

The high-ranking official was deliberately dressed in a fine yet understated indigo robe, cinched at the waist with a jade belt. His gait was composed and unhurried, his demeanor exuding a deliberately cultivated elegance and poise.

When Mrs. Lin saw Mr. Ximen arrive, she immediately brought up her son's matter again, with a hint of helplessness and complaint: "My dear in-law, you've come at the right time! Your good adopted son is still lying in bed even though the sun is high in the sky! I think his bones have become loose again. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to take him back to your mansion and make him kneel in the ancestral hall for a couple of days to wake him up!"

After speaking, a subtle, alluring look flashed across her face as she gazed at the official.

Upon hearing this, the official smiled and said, "San Guan is young and inevitably a bit lazy. I will go and see him later. If he really neglects his studies, 'jade must be carved to become a useful object,' so he should really work on tempering his character."

Lin Ruhai saw this and understood. He said, "I originally planned to take my daughter for a walk today and go to Anfu Temple to offer incense. But man proposes, God disposes. The capital is pressing us hard, and we can't afford to delay. It's more important to hurry back to the capital."

He looked at Daiyu, his eyes filled with inquiry and reassurance: "Yu'er, let's set off back to the capital today. Your maternal grandmother must be anxiously waiting for us."

Lin Daiyu had no objection to her father's suggestion and nodded obediently: "It is entirely up to Father to decide."

Lin Ruhai then said to Ximen Qing, "I am very grateful for your kindness in guiding me and your hospitality. If I have the opportunity to visit Qinghe again in the future, I will be sure to trouble you again to experience the local scenery."

Ximen Qing bowed and said, "You flatter me, sir! This is my duty, how can it be considered hardship? The journey home is important, please take care of your health. I will see you and the young lady to the gate of the mansion."

Lin Ruhai glanced at him and nodded slightly: "Thank you for your trouble."

Mrs. Lin then held Daiyu's hand and repeatedly gave her instructions:

"Good child, take good care of yourself when you return to the capital! Remember to write to me as soon as possible and set a date to come over! My house is deserted and I'm just waiting for your visit!" The words were full of the elder's love and reluctance to part.

Lin Daiyu was deeply moved, curtsied, and softly replied, "Daiyu will remember."

The three arrived at the gate of Wang Zhaoxuan's residence. The scene outside surprised Ximen Qing; no wonder he was unwilling to stay any longer.

Outside the mansion gate, a dense, dark mass of people stood, their elaborate preparations quite intimidating! The Jia family's welcoming procession was truly befitting of a duke's mansion. Several carriages, adorned with gold and bearing the insignia of the Ning and Rong mansions, were lined up in a row, with a few brand-new blue silk sedan chairs waiting nearby.

Then look at the accompanying servants, young men, attendants, and guards. They all stood with their hands at their sides, holding their breath and remaining completely silent. There were at least fifty or sixty of them, rooted to the spot like stakes. Their overwhelming air of wealth made the land of Qinghe County seem to shrink by three inches.

While it's important to pay attention, with so many people following behind, who has the time or energy to revisit familiar places?

Lin Ruhai stopped and said to Ximen Qing, who was following closely behind, "My lord, let's leave it here."

Ximen Gongren cupped his hands and replied, "Yes, sir, have a safe journey! Miss Lin, take care."

Lin Ruhai did not immediately walk towards the carriage. Instead, he pondered for a moment and said to Ximen Qing, "Master Ximen, may I speak with you in private?"

Ximen Qing's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly replied, "Yes, sir, please." He followed Lin Ruhai a few steps to the side, avoiding the crowd.

Lin Ruhai stood with his hands behind his back, looking intently at the distinguished Ximen official before him. He spoke slowly, his voice deep and clear: "I observe that you are shrewd and capable in your dealings with others, meticulous in your thinking, and even more commendable... you know how to assess the situation and cultivate good relationships." "What a pity..." Lin Ruhai sighed softly, "It's a pity that your ambitions lie elsewhere."

Lin Ruhai continued, “My daughter Yu’er is frail and has a strong heart. Although the mansion in the capital is nice, it is still crowded and complicated. Wang Zhaoxuan’s mansion is quiet. If she comes here to stay for a while to relax in the future, I would like to ask you, sir, to pay more attention and make sure everything is taken care of.”

Ximen Qing immediately bowed respectfully and assured him firmly, "Rest assured, sir! I will do everything in my power to ensure Miss Lin's safety!"

Lin Ruhai nodded slightly, took out a tightly sealed letter that he had prepared beforehand from his sleeve, and handed it to Ximen Qing.

"I absolutely cannot let you spend any of my daughter's expenses here in the future." Lin Ruhai's tone was unquestionable, carrying the authority of a superior and the unyielding pride of a father. "It's all here."

Master Ximen instinctively took the thin letter with both hands. He was about to politely decline a few words when Lin Ruhai resolutely turned around, giving him no chance to speak, and strode towards the most luxurious carriage. Lin Daiyu, supported by servants, had already sat in an exquisite blue silk sedan chair next to her.

After Lin Ruhai and the others had gone far away.

The high-ranking official practically took three steps at a time, slipping behind the massive screen wall inside the gate of Wang Zhaoxuan's residence, completely blocking out any prying eyes from outside. In complete silence, he tore open the tightly sealed envelope!

There were no banknotes or bank notes as he had expected, only a neatly folded, stiff paper official document stamped with a bright red seal!
"Special Approval for Early Payment from the Salt Transport Commissioner of Lianghuai!"
Ximen Da Guanren's eyes, like those of a hungry wolf, seized those key words: "According to custom, three thousand salt permits have been prepared... Special permission has been granted to make an exception, and on the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month of this year, these permits may be used to redeem official salt at the designated salt fields..."

At the end of the document, the large vermilion seal of Lin Ruhai, the Salt Commissioner, was prominently displayed! The ink was bright and clear, penetrating the paper, exuding an imposing and unyielding official authority!
"Hiss..." Ximen Qing gasped sharply, his eyes flashing with intense light as he stared intently at the seemingly light yet incredibly heavy piece of paper! He had seen salt certificates before, but this "early redemption order" was something he had never heard of before!

The redemption of salt certificates by the imperial court is governed by ironclad rules! The opening and redemption of salt fields follow established regulations, which remain unchanged day and night! Wanting to get it done sooner? That's nothing but a pipe dream! Ordinary salt merchants can only hoard salt certificates, eagerly awaiting their turn.

As is customary, the normal redemption period for salt certificates is after January 20th of the following year!

And this exchange order is right in front of me.

It happened more than a month ahead of schedule! A full forty-five days and nights!

A surge of scalding heat rushed straight to the top of Ximen Qing's head, and the overwhelming joy in his heart surged like a tsunami, almost drowning him!

What does this mean?

This means that while other salt merchants were still waiting anxiously for the salt to be redeemed, watching the salt price on the market rise day by day but having no salt to sell, Ximen Qing's salt boats were already able to quietly, like ghosts, transport out the pure white official salt more than a month ahead of schedule!
This means he can transport salt to counties and prefectures that have long been out of stock and where salt prices have skyrocketed without anyone noticing!

This means he can get ahead of everyone else, stand out from the crowd, and sell at sky-high prices that are several times, or even ten times, higher than usual!

This thin piece of paper is clearly a flowing golden river, a surging silver sea!

As Ximen Da Guanren's wave of ecstasy subsided slightly, a deeper and heavier chill gripped him more violently than the excitement he had just felt, sending a chill down his spine!
Power! That's the power of power!
They can turn their hands to make clouds, and their hands to make rain!
Ximen Qing was quite a figure in Qinghe County. He ran a herbal medicine shop, lent money to officials, handled lawsuits, colluded with the government, and painstakingly schemed. After deducting bribes and social obligations, he could earn more than a thousand taels of silver a year, which was an extraordinary fortune that was hard for ordinary people to achieve!

But what about Lin Ruhai? The Salt Inspector! A high-ranking official of the imperial court! With just a piece of paper and an official seal, he could give Ximen Qing a fulcrum to leverage mountains of gold and silver! He could get those three thousand lots of salt redeemed ahead of time, transport them to salt-scarce areas, and then sell them off at exorbitant prices…

The profits involved are far more than ten thousand taels of silver! It's practically turning lead into gold!

As the saying goes: When power is absolute, even ironclad rules can be broken; when the seal falls, mountains of gold crumble!
But it was only now that Ximen Qing truly understood what it meant to be a money tree of power and a treasure trove of official prestige.

Power that reaches to the heavens!

With just a simple official seal, mountains of gold and seas of silver will pour in, chasing the shadow of power and wealth!
Everyone in the world is just like me, scheming and plotting! At this moment, my little bit of scheming is like an ant trying to shake a tree in front of a powerful figure like Lin Ruhai, utterly laughable!

Ximen Da Guanren leaned against the cold screen wall, his chest heaving violently. A mix of emotions—ecstasy, awe, and a lingering fear—wrote across his face. He lowered his head, gazing once more at the document, at the crimson seal symbolizing supreme power. His eyes burned with an intense, complex intensity.

He seemed to see mountains of silver, and he felt the terrifying power represented by the great seal.

Ximen Qing pressed the document containing mountains of gold and seas of silver tightly against his heart through his silk shirt, took a deep breath, and forcefully suppressed the overwhelming joy and a chill that was rising within him.

Although what lay before him was a sea of ​​gold and silver, an abundance of wealth, the "eight hundred taels" of his heart that had been brutally ripped out of his body felt like a poisoned steel needle, driven straight into his chest! How could he, the great Master Ximen, have ever suffered such a humiliating loss in Qinghe County!

He straightened his brand-new silk robe and rode his chrysanthemum-green horse straight to the Qinghe County militia headquarters.

The Qinghe County militia headquarters was less a military stronghold and more a dilapidated, half-collapsed establishment. The stone lions at the gate were covered in dust, one ear long since smashed off by some mischievous child. The two wooden doors, their vermilion paint faded and riddled with wormholes, were ajar, their hinges creaking loudly, a sound that pierced the ears. An old soldier, clutching a long, rusted spear, was dozing against the doorframe, drool dripping down his back. Startled by the sound of boots, he stumbled, rubbing his sleepy eyes. When he saw the newcomer, dressed in fine clothes, with an imposing air, and especially his face—a face recognized by everyone in Qinghe County—his spine immediately stiffened.

"Oh...oh dear! Master Ximen!" The old soldier hurriedly crossed his arms and bowed, his waist bent like a ripe shrimp.

"Hmm." Ximen Qing snorted, too lazy to even lift his eyelids, and barged inside without even bothering to announce his arrival. In this dilapidated place, his face was a golden token.

The moment they stepped into the training ground, which was so spacious that horses could run across it and so uneven that fish could be raised there, someone darted into the duty room like a rabbit to deliver the message.

"Oh my! Sir! It is an honor to have your humble abode graced us with your presence! It is an honor to have your humble abode graced us with your presence!" Before Zhang Tuanlian even arrived, his voice, brimming with enthusiasm, burst forth.

He was dressed in a blue satin military uniform, with a loosely tied leather belt around his waist, revealing a faded undershirt underneath. His face was full of smiles as he rushed out of the duty room. In that smile, seven parts were obsequiousness, and three parts were barely concealed guilt.

"How come you have time today, sir, to condescend to my humble abode? Aren't you accompanying Imperial Censor Lin? How come you have time to visit such a desolate place? Please come in! Please come inside! Serve tea! Serve the best tea!" He rubbed his large palm-leaf fan-like hands together, turned sideways, and bowed slightly as he eagerly led the way.

Ximen Qing's face also showed that reserved smile that comes with a sense of worldliness, and he gave a perfunctory bow: "Commander Zhang, you are too polite. I just happened to be passing by today, and since we haven't seen each other for a long time, I came to ask for a cup of tea and catch up."

His gaze casually swept across the empty training ground, where he saw several rusty swords, spears, and halberds haphazardly piled in a corner, covered in a thick layer of dust, while a few weeds grew vigorously. A dozen or so rascals sat in a corner, shirtless, arguing; they certainly looked like intellectuals, but they certainly didn't look like bandits.

The official took out a gold-flecked fan and opened it with a whoosh.

How dare this scoundrel rob me? I simply don't believe it!

The two entered the rather shabby guard room and took their seats as host and guest. A thin soldier wearing a patched-up uniform nervously presented two rough porcelain teacups, the rims of which were chipped in several places.

Zhang Tuanlian was somewhat embarrassed and said with an awkward smile, "Please don't take offense, sir... Our yamen is poor, and we really... really can't afford anything decent to entertain our guests..."

Ximen Qing picked up his teacup, touched it to his lips briefly, and then put it down. As if chatting casually, he asked, "I just passed by the training ground. Why is it so deserted? Aren't the militia brothers practicing their archery and horsemanship? Military preparedness is the foundation of the court and cannot be taken lightly."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tuanlian's smile froze instantly, turning into a bitter expression that seemed to drip with sorrow: "Oh dear! My lord! You only know one side of the story! It's not that I'm lazy and unwilling to put in the effort, it's just that... even a skilled cook can't cook without rice!"

He slapped his thigh, his voice filled with bitterness, even more bitter than gall: "Of the meager pay allocated by the imperial court, if even three out of ten portions actually reach our poor militia, we're lucky! And they're always late, year after year! Brothers... sigh! Look at you, you're all so thin and pale, your wives and kids are practically dying!"

"Take another look at this militia headquarters, these weapons... every single one of them cost a fortune. To be honest, who knows which son of a bitch hoarded those cleavers and burned them as firewood in his own room."

"The higher-ups aren't providing any money or provisions. I'm just a low-ranking official in a government office, and even if I had extraordinary abilities, what could I possibly produce? There's nothing I can do! There's nothing I can do! I have no choice but to tighten my belts and find some food to eat to barely make ends meet!"

"It is entirely thanks to you, such a kind and generous benefactor, that we have been able to keep this militia afloat and prevent it from falling apart! You are like a second parent to all the hundreds of people in this camp!"

As he spoke, he kept glancing at Ximen Qing's expression.

Ximen Qing's sharp eyes scanned the duty room, but apart from a few dilapidated pieces of furniture and cobwebs in the corner, he couldn't find what he was looking for. He grew somewhat impatient, but still maintained a slight smile on his face. He casually reached into his pocket, pulled out a few loose silver coins, and tossed them onto the greasy, tattered elmwood table.

With a few crisp clinking sounds, the few pieces of silver bounced a few times on the table, rolled into a pile, and reflected the dim light from the window, they shone with a few tempting bright spots.

"Zhang Tuanlian, buy the brothers a drink!" Ximen Qing dusted off non-existent dust from his sleeves, his tone light and casual, as if he were tossing down a few copper coins. He stood up and with a whoosh, his fan, seemingly spitting out a whimper, scatters gold dust.
"My silk shop is opening tomorrow, it'll be very lively. I'll invite all the women in your household to come and visit, and buy a few feet of fresh, patterned fabric to make some bright clothes for them. Consider it a gift from me to the women; they're always stuck in this filthy place, they don't want to be tainted by bad luck."

Zhang Tuanlian's eyes were already glued to those few pieces of silver! Upon hearing this, the feigned distress on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an expression of overwhelming gratitude and flattery. He bowed so low his back almost touched the ground, repeatedly nodding his head like a chicken pecking at rice.
"Oh my! My lord! You are truly... truly a living bodhisattva! A second parent! A second father and mother! I thank you on behalf of that yellow-faced old woman in the house! You know, people talk about beautiful wives and concubines, but if you don't have money, those beautiful wives and concubines are all tigresses. As for me, I will stay back as late as possible."

"Tomorrow! I'll definitely be there tomorrow! I must share in the joy of your new shop, sir! I'll buy! I'll definitely buy! I'll buy several feet of the best fabric! Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

Ximen Qing grunted an "Mmm" in agreement, not bothering to look at the dilapidated government office again, and turned to leave. Zhang Tuanlian, bowing and scraping, thanked him profusely, respectfully seeing this wealthy man off through the creaking, broken gate. Only after watching the lavish figure disappear around the street corner did he straighten up, let out a long sigh, and the fawning smile on his face vanished like smoke in the wind.

He turned around, clutching the few pieces of silver still warm from his body, and was about to put them in his pocket when he suddenly felt two burning gazes directed at him. Turning his head, he saw it was the skinny soldier who had served him tea and another pale-faced man leaning against the wall. Their eyes were wide open, staring intently at the few shiny pieces of silver in his hand, their Adam's apples bobbing up and down. Their expressions were like those of wild dogs that hadn't eaten for three days seeing a bone!

Zhang Tuanlian felt a surge of irritation, mixed with a bittersweet sense of shared misfortune. He sighed heavily, as if expelling all his pent-up frustration. His fingers lingered on the few pieces of silver for a moment before he gritted his teeth and shoved them forcefully into his undershirt. Then, he slowly pulled a dozen or so worn-out copper coins from a well-worn purse at his waist and handed them to the two men with a curt expression.
"Here! Half for each of us! Be careful with your money! Damn it, I've given you all my savings for my funeral!"

The two men were stunned at first, then their faces lit up with wild joy, like someone who had just opened a general store. They hurriedly stretched out their rough, chapped hands and carefully took the loose change, clutching it tightly in their palms as if it were their lifeblood. They bowed and grinned foolishly at Zhang Tuanlian, saying, "Thank you, Tuanlian! Thank you for the reward, Tuanlian! Tuanlian is so kind!"

Looking at their pathetic state, Zhang Tuanlian's annoyance somehow transformed into a helpless smile. He gave them a playful kick and laughed, "Get the hell out of here! Stop making a racket! You're all excited about a few copper coins! You good-for-nothings!"

The two laughed and chuckled, shrinking their necks to avoid the danger, but they didn't actually leave. They just counted the few copper coins over and over again, then stuffed them into their pockets and pressed them down.

Zhang Tuanlian stared at the empty drill ground, his smile quickly fading into a deeper, more somber gray. Leaning against the doorframe, he gazed in the direction Ximen Qing had disappeared, muttering to himself, his voice filled with resentment and longing: "Ah... that Ximen Qing... if only he could come a few more times..."

The skinny soldier next to him, who had just received his money, was perhaps blinded by joy, or perhaps he felt the militia commander's earlier scolding was too affectionate, and blurted out a remark in a voice that drifted just into the militia commander's ears: "Hey... Militia Commander, you're dreaming! Why would that Master Ximen keep coming here? This isn't... a brothel... not some den of prostitutes in a brothel, where they can sing and warm your bed, and bewitch the master's soul..."

These words were like a thunderclap! Zhang Tuanlian's already ashen face suddenly turned a deep purplish-red! A surge of anger shot straight to the top of his head! He whirled around, his eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead, and slammed his hand hard on the doorframe, sending the rotten wood splintering!
"Bullshit!!!" This shout was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, startling the skinny soldier and the man next to him. They almost dropped the copper coins in their hands, their faces turned pale, thinking that the militia leader was going to punish them seriously, and their legs started to cramp.

But then Zhang, the militia leader, his chest heaving violently, pointed at the soldier's nose, his finger trembling. His voice suddenly rose, filled with a desperate rage and self-mockery, as he burst into a tirade: "Prostitute?! Prostitute?! Damn it!! You…you make it sound so easy! Today I finally understand what's going on in this world! This damn militia leader! Wearing this dog-skin uniform! And holding this tiny, insignificant official hat!!"

He grew angrier and angrier as he spoke, spitting as he spoke: "Bah! I'm not even as good as a prostitute in a brothel! At least a prostitute can earn a few taels of silver by spreading her legs!"

"What about me?! I spend all day facing this junk, facing you bunch of starving bastards! I have to act like a grandson to my superiors, and even more so to powerful figures like Ximen Qing! I've been smiling until my face is stiff and my tongue is numb from licking my lips! And all I get in return is this pittance that's barely enough to fill a tooth gap! And I have to share it with you bunch of debt collectors!!"

He spat out a mouthful of phlegm: "Prostitutes sell their flesh, with a price tag! What am I selling?! Selling this warm face to fawn over someone's cold ass! Selling this official skin to be made a fool of! In the end, I'm not even as good as a prostitute! At least a prostitute can save some money on the side! I... I can barely even afford a full meal! What kind of world is this! What kind of damn official is this!!!"

"Pah! I hate that my parents didn't give me good looks. Otherwise, I'd sell my ass. Wouldn't that be better than staying here drinking coarse tea?"

Ximen Qing lifted his robe and stepped out of the creaking threshold of the dilapidated yamen gate. The daylight outside was blinding, and he squinted, as if trying to leave the bad luck behind. Just as he stood on the steps, several figures suddenly darted out from the side!
It was a few local ruffians, basking in the sun and gossiping idly by the wall outside the yamen! These men wore greasy, patched-up uniforms, their faces bearing the peculiar mix of laziness and obsequiousness typical of street thugs. Upon seeing Ximen Qing emerge, they swarmed towards his tall, magnificent horse, tethered to the crooked old locust tree, like flies drawn to blood. They at least had a modicum of decorum, quickly covering their tattooed bodies with their clothes.

"My lord! I'll fetch your horse!" "Get out of the way! I saw it first!" "My lord! I'll help you mount the saddle!"

The men shoved and jostled each other, tripping and cursing under their breath. Their struggle for the reins was nothing like that of soldiers on a government paycheck; they were more like porters vying for customers in the marketplace or laborers fighting for a living at the docks!

These people, though called civilians, actually had different identities. They were merely people assigned by the militia headquarters to fill quotas and collect government rations.

Ximen Qing watched the farce with cold indifference, a hint of undisguised contempt playing on his lips. He ignored them, simply waving his hand to silence their clamor. Then, without even looking, he reached into his robes, pulled out a handful of copper coins, and tossed them to one of the men who appeared to be the leader.

The soldiers who had been shoving and jostling just moments before now had bloodshot eyes! All notions of dignity and camaraderie vanished! Like hungry hawks pouncing on their prey, several men pounced on the coins in unison! Pushing and shoving, using hands and feet, some even rolling on the ground, all for a few mud-covered copper coins! Dust flew, foul language swirled, and a scene of utter disgrace unfolded – a veritable carnage of beggars fighting over food!

Ximen Qing stood on the steps, looking down at the tumbling mass of "soldiers" who had torn each other apart over a few copper coins. His brows were furrowed, and the last vestiges of doubt in his heart vanished completely.

Not even bothering to glance at the group of filthy scrambling and fighting in the mud, Ximen Qing lifted the hem of his robe and walked straight to his horse. The ruffian who had been fighting the fiercest moments before, however, was quick-witted and agile. Seeing the master approaching, he didn't even care about the few copper coins he'd only managed to grab. He hurriedly scrambled down, wiped his filthy sleeve haphazardly on Ximen Qing's boots, and fawned, "Master, please mount your horse! Please mount your horse!"

Ximen Qing didn't even glance at him, as if he were merely a stepping stone. He deftly stepped into the stirrups, flipped over, and landed steadily on the carved saddle. The steed seemed to find the place unsightly, and snorted impatiently.

"drive!"

Ximen Qing flicked the reins, his boot heel lightly tapping the horse's belly. The steed reared up, kicking up a cloud of dust as it galloped towards its silk shop.

(End of this chapter)