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

Chapter 54 Acquiring a Luxury Shop in the City Center
"Reporting to Your Excellency!" Li Zaoli licked his dry lips: "Among the lawsuits against Zhang the Master, which are piled up in the main hall, this 'silk case' is particularly murky! The aggrieved party is suing Zhang the Master for more than just superficial matters like passing off inferior goods as superior ones! This Zhang the Master, his... his shop is simply hell on earth!"

He swallowed hard, his voice lower and tinged with fear: "The aggrieved party who filed the complaint is a poor man from out of town, with his two sisters, both around sixteen years old and fairly decent-looking. At the beginning of the year, their hometown suffered a disaster and they could no longer survive. They were tricked by a slave trader who said that a wealthy man named Zhang in Qinghe County was recruiting 'weaving girls' for his silk shop, with food, lodging and wages provided."

"The brother and sister believed it, signed the documents, and the two girls went to the shop's back workshop, working day and night... and then... then they both died in an accident."

Li Zaoli spoke of the five words 'they all died in an accident' in a very casual way, but Ximen Da Guanren, upon hearing this, naturally knew that it was not that simple.

Even Yue Niang understood, and with her eyes closed and prayer beads in hand, she said, "Amitabha. Aren't these people afraid of karma and going to Avici Hell?"

"Hell? Karma?" Master Ximen shook his head and sneered, "I've heard that even the Buddha of the Western Paradise only needs gold to pave the ground. The Ten Courts of the Underworld also require paper money to make demands. According to this logic, as long as one uses all one's wealth to do good deeds, even if one rapes Chang'e, commits adultery with the Weaver Girl, abducts Xu Feiqiong, or steals the Queen Mother's daughter, it won't diminish one's immense wealth, let alone something like this."

The Moon Goddess dared not speak, and uttered again, "Amitabha."

Li Zaoli smiled obsequiously: "You're right, sir. Cause and effect alone won't frighten those criminals; only the yamen's cruel torture will suffice. Ha! This woman's death is naturally inextricably linked to Zhang the Master's silk shop."

"...The evidence is irrefutable, sir! This case is now a murder case with no doubt about it! The victim's petition is written in blood and tears and is currently sitting on the magistrate's desk in the main hall. That cannibalistic silk shop has already been shut down!"

Ximen Da Guanren finally knew what the second main topic was.

Compensation and disposal of stolen goods.

Since this magistrate Li has offended me in person and now asks for my help, I must offer something in return.

Unexpectedly, no sooner had Zhang the wealthy man died than Magistrate Li showed no mercy and immediately shut down Zhang the wealthy man's silk shop.

This wealthy family's silk shop is one of the two best cloth shops in Qinghe County, no worse than those in the capital, and even better.

It was all too fast; the body was still warm when they shut down his shop.

Just a few days ago, this county magistrate even issued a plaque with the four characters "Yumin Fengcang" (meaning "Abundant People and Prosperous Granaries") on it. How ironic!

It's clear that in this cannibalistic world, there's no such thing as genuine friendship or camaraderie; everyone's just taking advantage of others' misfortunes!

"Oh? I wonder how Your Excellency intends to deal with this shop?" Master Ximen asked with a smile.

Li Zaoli immediately chimed in: "In reply to your question, sir, the old master was the most impartial enforcer of the law and loved the people like his own children! According to the regulations of the yamen, the property left behind by such a heinous criminal should be confiscated, appraised, and sold. The proceeds should be used to repay the victims' blood debts, and the remainder should be confiscated by the public! This is the only right thing to do!"

He changed the subject abruptly, revealing an extremely troubled expression: "But... this morning, the master personally led people to that shop to 'inspect' it, and after seeing it... alas!"

He sighed heavily, as if heartbroken: "That Zhang family is truly utterly devoid of conscience! The old master said that the shop looks impressive on the outside, but inside it's been in disrepair for years, with rotten beams and pillars!"

"What's even more hateful is that the so-called 'superior silks' piled up in the warehouse—such as the brocade from Jiangning, the shimmering satin from Suzhou and Hangzhou, and the ice silk from Sichuan—were found by the old experts invited by the government to be mostly inferior fakes that Zhang the landlord bought!"

"Either hemp is passed off as silk, or the dye is of inferior quality that fades when wet, or even worse, it's mixed with rotten cotton and old yarn! These 'goods' are clearly meant to cheat, swindle, and exploit the villagers! Now that Zhang the landlord is dead, these 'goods' have become worthless junk that nobody wants!"

Ximen Da Guanren's expression turned strange upon hearing this.

This County Magistrate Li is ruthless in eradicating every family member!
Everyone knows how luxuriously this wealthy man's silk shop is decorated!
Those two main beams alone are made of ironwood that takes two people to hug. They are the first thing you see when you enter the door, and they are truly majestic and imposing!
Not to mention, the fabric inside is all top-quality material, how could it be a fake!
Li Zaoli glanced at Ximen Qing's expression, lowered his voice, and spoke faster:
"My lord is heartbroken! He says that this place, which harbors filth and endangers lives, along with the counterfeit and shoddy fabrics inside, if 'appraised and sold' according to the usual procedures:"

"Firstly, I fear no one will be willing to buy such a haunted house and worthless property; secondly, even if it is sold with difficulty, the proceeds will be meager, probably not even enough to cover the 'meager' compensation for the aggrieved parties, let alone repay the unjust debts of those who died unjustly! Wouldn't this be a waste of government funds and manpower, only to chill the hearts of the aggrieved parties and leave the wronged souls restless?"

He leaned closer, his voice barely audible: "So, after much deliberation, the Grand Master came up with a solution that satisfies both the people and the court's laws and authority!"

"Instead of wasting time and resources on the cumbersome 'official sale' process, which may ultimately result in the item failing to sell or being sold at a low price to unrelated individuals, creating unnecessary complications..."

"Why not find a respected, wealthy, and powerful sage who is also compassionate and willing to share the burdens of the local people, and have him completely take over the root of this scourge? Of course, the aggrieved parties should also be compensated!" Master Ximen said with a smile, "Then the candidate is naturally..."

“Of course it’s Uncle Ximen!” Li Zaoli clapped his hands and chimed in, “There’s no need for you to say it, sir. Even I know it’s none other than you, sir!”

"The old master slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed: 'Looking throughout Qinghe County, in terms of foundation, methods, and this sense of responsibility to share the burdens of the government and eliminate evil for the local people—no one but Master Ximen is worthy of this title!'"

"The magistrate instructed: Only you, sir, can take over this mess and cut the Gordian knot! Thoroughly renovate and rebuild that harmful place, burn all those 'fake goods and rags,' appease those who need appeasement, and dismiss those who need dismissal! In this way, the aggrieved will get their wishes fulfilled, the wronged souls will be comforted, the county magistrate will be at ease, the laws of the court will be upheld, local hidden dangers will be eradicated, and the dignity of the government will be preserved—achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop! Isn't this a great merit?"

Master Ximen nodded.

What more is there to say?
Everyone here is a smart man, so Magistrate Li naturally knew that he would be satisfied with this compensation.

This passage, though seemingly eloquent, is actually a self-admonition from the county magistrate.

Complete renovation: The shop needs a makeover!
Burn it all: destroy all evidence!
The victim got what he wanted: some money to shut him up!

The county magistrate was relieved: Don't forget his share!

That old fox is cunning and shrewd! He leaves no trace of his actions!
A high hat that says "deeply trusted by the people and helps them solve their problems"!
A brilliant excuse: "It's old and in disrepair, and the goods are counterfeit!"

With just a few words, the prime shop, worth thousands of taels of silver, along with its land, was reduced to a dilapidated wreck!
Then find a sensible white glove to wipe this enormous, filthy mess clean!

All he had to do was sit back and relax, enjoying the money flowing into his own coffers!

Ximen Qing cupped his hands in greeting: "Alas! Your Excellency is so kind and cares so much for the people. I, Ximen Qing... know that this matter is difficult and I am afraid of attracting criticism... but in order to repay Your Excellency's trust, I can only do my best!"

“Go back and tell the magistrate that I, Ximen Qing, have taken on the task of ‘cleaning up’ this place! I will certainly live up to the magistrate’s expectations and completely eradicate this ‘malignant tumor’ from Qinghe County!”

"How noble! You are truly a living Buddha to all the families of Qinghe County!" Li Zaoli was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly.

The official smiled slightly: "Of course! As for Censor Wang, since Your Excellency is so busy, I, Ximen Qing, will certainly do my best to entertain Lord Wang well!"

Li Zaoli laughed and said, "I knew that the friendship between you and my master was higher than the sky!"

Master Ximen stood up: "Moon Lady, give some tea money to Master Li to drink!"

Moon Lady stood up: "Master Li, come with me!"

Li Zaoli quickly bowed and said, "Oh dear, no, no, you're too kind. Please take care, ma'am, I'll follow you!"

As Ximen Qing watched Li Zaoli leave, he wondered why Xue Pan hadn't come looking for him yet. Had he miscalculated?

As he walked towards the main room, Jin Lian'er was still staying in her own room because of her hip injury.

Now, let's talk about how the high-ranking official Ximen and the county magistrate Li respected each other and restored their old friendship.

The luxury silk shop in the bustling city center, worth thousands of taels of silver, was acquired without further ado.

Meanwhile, in the capital, Lai Bao, along with Dai An, also pried open the door to Zhai Qian's head steward's house.

(End of this chapter)