Hot flashes

Zhou Heng sat in the backyard of the school for the entire night.

The fire in the charcoal brazier had long since gone out, and he hadn't asked anyone to add more. He just sat there, watching the light outside the window gradually brighten.

When Chen Shen came in at dawn, he was startled to see him still in the same position.

"Young master, you haven't slept all night?"

Zhou Heng raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, but they were brighter than ever before.

"Go and call Lao Bi over."

Old Bi arrived quickly, rubbing his hands as he entered, seemingly wondering what had happened. Zhou Heng asked him to sit down and then asked him a question.

Which is the largest money exchange in Jiangling City?

Old Bi paused for a moment, then said, "Guangjuhao in the south of the city, owned by the Xie family."

Zhou Heng nodded.

"You've worked in the printing business for forty years. Do you have any connections with people in money shops?"

Old Bi thought for a moment and said, "There's an accountant named Feng who often comes to me to buy printed account books. We've gotten to know each other over time."

Zhou Heng looked at him.

"Can we arrange to meet him? Without anyone knowing?"

Lao Bi's heart skipped a beat.

"Sir," Old Bi lowered his voice, "what do you want to do?"

Zhou Heng did not answer.

He simply said, "Don't worry, I won't put you at risk. Just arrange to meet him, and I'll take care of the rest."

Old Bi remained silent for a while.

Then he nodded.

"I'll give it a try."

Accountant Feng was a middle-aged man in his forties, tall and thin, with a goatee; he looked like a shrewd fellow. Old Bi invited him to a small tavern outside the city, saying he wanted to catch up and have a couple of drinks.

Accountant Feng arrived, sat down, drank a couple of cups, and started talking non-stop. Just as they were getting into a good time, the curtain was lifted, and someone entered.

Zhou Heng.

Accountant Feng paused for a moment, then stood up to leave. Old Bi grabbed him, but Zhou Heng had already sat down opposite him.

"Mr. Feng," Zhou Heng said, "I'm not here to make things difficult for you. Sit down, say a few words, and then leave."

Accountant Feng stood there, looking at him, his expression changing several times.

Zhou Heng waited.

After a while, Accountant Feng slowly sat down.

Zhou Heng spoke.

"How's business at Guangjuhao lately?"

Accountant Feng chuckled dryly, "Thanks to your kindness, sir, it's alright."

Zhou Heng nodded.

"That's not what I'm asking," he said. "I'm asking how much silver you have in your bank's vault right now?"

Accountant Feng's expression changed.

Zhou Heng looked at him.

"No need to answer," he said. "I'll tell you. Guangjuhao has been operating in Jiangling for thirty years, and of the loans it has made, thirty percent are uncollectible."

In recent years, the Xie family's operations in the capital have become too large, and they ran out of money, so they transferred 200,000 taels from Guangju Bank. That 200,000 taels is still outstanding in the accounts, but the treasury is long empty.

Sweat beaded on Feng's forehead.

Zhou Heng continued speaking.

"How many of the silver notes you issued are circulating in Jiangling City? Fifty thousand taels? Eighty thousand taels? If all those people who received the silver notes suddenly came to redeem them, would you be able to do so?"

Accountant Feng's lips trembled.

Zhou Heng looked at him.

"Mr. Feng," he said, "I'm not here to scare you. I'm here to save you."

Accountant Feng was stunned.

Zhou Heng said, "If Guangju Bank collapses, the first to suffer will be the ordinary people who have deposited their money there. The second will be you accounting staff. The Xie family is rich and powerful; they can get back on their feet even if they fall. What about you?"

Accountant Feng remained silent.

Zhou Heng stood up.

"I'll give you three days," he said. "If you've thought it through in three days, you can come find me. If you don't want to come, just pretend you never saw me today."

He turned and walked out.

As I reached the door, Feng the accountant's voice came from behind me.

"grown ups."

Zhou Heng stopped in his tracks.

Accountant Feng stood there, his expression complex.

"Sir," he said, "what you've said is true. But what am I supposed to do? What can a mere accountant do?"

Zhou Heng turned around and looked at him.

"You can do much more," he said. "Every single account of Guangjuhao is in your head. You know better than I what should be known and what shouldn't be known."

Accountant Feng remained silent.

Zhou Heng didn't say anything more and went out.

Three days later, Accountant Feng arrived.

He stood at the school gate, dressed in ordinary clothes, head bowed, like an ordinary citizen who had come to register. Chen Shen led him inside and brought him to Zhou Heng.

Accountant Feng stood there, his face grim.

Zhou Heng had someone pour him tea and asked him to sit down.

Accountant Feng sat down, holding a cup of tea, but didn't drink it for a long time.

Zhou Heng waited.

Finally, Accountant Feng spoke.

"Sir," he said, "I've thought about what you said the other day. You're right, if Guangju goes under, we'll be the first to die."

Zhou Heng nodded.

Accountant Feng looked up at him.

"But what do you want me to do? If I help you, and the Xie family finds out, my whole family will be doomed."

Zhou Heng looked at him.

"Do you think the Xie family doesn't know?" he said. "What's the situation with Guangju Bank's accounts? Doesn't Xie Xun know? He just doesn't want to, and can't. When the bank really collapses, someone has to take the blame. Who do you think that person will be?"

Accountant Feng's face turned even paler.

Zhou Heng continued speaking.

"I'm not asking you to report the Xie family. I'm just asking you to let the right people know the right things at the right time."

Accountant Feng looked at him.

"What is it?"

Zhou Heng said, "For example, there isn't much cash left in Guangju Bank's treasury. For example, the Xie family took 200,000 taels from the money shop and hasn't returned it yet. For example, those silver notes, you have to give them advance notice if you want to cash them."

Accountant Feng was stunned for a long time.

"that's all?"

Zhou Heng nodded.

"that's all."

Accountant Feng remained silent for a while.

"Then...who are those people?"

Zhou Heng said, "The storytellers in the teahouses, the customers in the restaurants, the street vendors, and—those who deposited money in Guangjuhao."

Accountant Feng understood.

rumor.

What Zhou Heng wanted was for these things to become rumors and spread throughout Jiangling City.

Once the news spread, those who had deposited money would become afraid. Fear would drive them to redeem their silver. With so many people redeeming their silver, Guangjuhang would be unable to sustain itself.

If they can't hold on any longer, the Xie family will have to step in. And if they do, they'll have leverage over the situation.

Looking at him, Feng, the accountant, suddenly felt that this young man was no less capable than Xie Xun.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhou Heng continued, "Don't worry. If things go well, the Xie family won't bother to cause you any trouble. If things don't go well—you haven't done anything, and nobody will know you were here."

Accountant Feng remained silent for a long time.

Then he stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and turned to leave.

In December, Jiangling City is more lively at night than during the day.

The teahouses and taverns were packed with people, some listening to stories, some drinking, and some chatting, staying until the wee hours of the morning. The storytellers Zhou Heng had found were all famous in the city, their mouths capable of talking both the dead and the living.

Zhou Heng didn't go on the first day the storyteller started performing. He sat in the schoolroom, listening to Chen Shen's men return with news.

"What did you talk about tonight?"

"It's the same old story, the Three Kingdoms."

Zhou Heng nodded without saying anything.