Chapter Seventy: The Eight Great Imperial Merchants
At that moment, his men dragged the prisoners forward together. Xu Xianchun ordered that Fan Yongdou, whose wounds had already been bandaged, be brought out, then pointed at the huanghuali table and chairs and said, “Fan Yongdou, where did these huanghuali table and chairs come from?”
Fan Yongdou smiled. “I had them shipped up from Canton. I do not know why Your Honor asks.”
Xu Xianchun laughed, flipped the chair over, and pointed to the words carved on the inside. “What does ‘Liaodong Regional Military Command’ on here mean?”
Fan Yongdou kept smiling. “This chair had already been ordered by the Liaodong Regional Military Command. It had just been finished when Liaodong and Shenyang were lost, so I bought it cheaply and put it up for sale in my shop. I do not see how that violates the law.”
The smile froze at the corner of Xu Xianchun’s mouth. In fury he barked, “Damn it, beat him. Let us see whether his mouth is tougher or my whip is.”
Fan Yongdou smiled again. “Under torture, what is there that cannot be wrung out? Only, when the time comes, if some ministers do not believe the conclusion extracted by the Brocade Guards, it may not be very favorable for the Assistant Commissioner.”
At Fan Yongdou’s calm threat, Xu Xianchun could not help recalling the factory chief’s warning. He hesitated. If this really proved to be a wrongful accusation, it would be hard to conclude matters neatly afterward.
Then Wu Mengming stepped forward and said, “Fan Yongdou, no matter how glib your tongue may be, you cannot outmatch the Brocade Guards.”
Fan Yongdou smiled. “I am a law-abiding commoner. I have never thought to contend with the Brocade Guards. I said long ago that the Brocade Guards are skilled at manufacturing guilt. Whatever you say I am, that is naturally what I am.”
Wu Mengming also smiled. “You just said these tables and chairs were made this year, and that Liaodong and Shenyang had only just fallen when they were completed. Is that true?”
Xu Xianchun grew anxious and kept shooting Wu Mengming warning looks from the side, but Wu Mengming ignored him and stared at Fan Yongdou without blinking.
“That is exactly so,” Fan Yongdou said. “Please investigate carefully, Your Honor.”
Wu Mengming pressed on. “Then are the huanghuali pieces in your house also from this batch of tables and chairs ordered in Shenyang and Liaodong?”
Fan Yongdou answered, “No. The ones in my house were purchased by my father fourteen years ago.”
Wu Mengming’s smile widened. He drew his knife, split the chair with a single stroke, then took one of the chairs originally belonging to the Fan household and split that one as well. Setting the two shattered chairs before Fan Yongdou, he said, “Fan Yongdou, look closely. Is there any difference between them?”
Xu Xianchun still did not understand, but Fan Yongdou’s expression had already changed slightly. “Your Honor, there is no difference. What exactly are you trying to say?”
Wu Mengming laughed aloud. “How can the color inside a chair made two years ago be exactly the same as one made fourteen years ago? Who are you trying to fool?”
Fan Yongdou still tried to hold his ground. “Is huanghuali not all the same color? How could there be any difference?”
Wu Mengming said, “I will make you admit it willingly.” He lifted another chair and said, “This one I just took from the home of Mr. Li. It was not bought from your shop. It was a new chair shipped from Canton. Take a look at the color inside and then speak.”
With that, he split the chair in one blow, then set the pieces together. Xu Xianchun stepped up to examine them carefully. Delighted, he cried, “The new chair is clearly different. At first glance they seem about the same, but look closely and there is a distinction. Now your lie has been exposed, has it not?”
Fan Yongdou said, “Perhaps the seller originally used aged huanghuali, which is why the color matches the old one.”
Even Man Gui could tell something was wrong by then. “I have heard that this stuff is in such demand it cannot be supplied fast enough. Who would age it for more than ten years before making chairs and tables out of it?”
Wu Mengming gave a sly grin. “Fan Yongdou, do you want to speak now, or would you rather wait until the beating makes you unable to endure it?”
Fan Yongdou was stubborn to the end. “In any case, death is all the same. What difference does it make whether I speak or not?”
Xu Xianchun said, “The difference is huge. Your son is only eight years old. Do you want him beheaded with you, or do you want him to be able to live on safely? That all depends on a single thought of yours. His Majesty has said it: confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be dealt with severely. Think it over yourself.”
A gleam came into Fan Yongdou’s eyes. After long reflection, he said, “If Your Honor can spare my son’s life, then I will save Your Honor much trouble. Only, how do you intend for me to believe you?”
Xu Xianchun said, “I swear here and now: if Fan Yongdou will honestly confess and can implicate others in their crimes, I guarantee that Fan Yongdou’s son will live as an ordinary man and will absolutely not be drawn into this case. If I break this oath, may I, Xu Xianchun, die a miserable death.”
Fan Yongdou immediately said, “Thank you, Your Honor. I am willing to confess.” In those days, no one dared swear lightly, so once Xu Xianchun made that oath, he believed him at once.
Xu Xianchun said, “Then speak. Explain everything one by one. Wu Mengming, take a pen and write it all down carefully.”
Then he turned to Man Gui and said, “Captain, you may go.”
Man Gui knew he could not remain to listen, so he took Xu Xianchun by the hand and tried to lead him outside together. Xu Xianchun shook him off. “You great strapping fellow, what are you doing holding my hand for?”
Man Gui motioned for him to come out. Xu Xianchun had no choice but to step through the door, then asked, “Spit it out quickly. I have other matters.”
Man Gui asked in a low voice, “Your Honor said you would pardon his son. Can that really be counted on?”
Xu Xianchun said impatiently, “I have already sworn an oath. What more do you want? I have no wish to die a horrible death.”
Man Gui went on, “You may be high in rank and powerful, but this matter in the Fan household is tantamount to rebellion. It calls for the extermination of three clans.”
Xu Xianchun laughed. “So that is what worries you. His Majesty has said that, if exterminating a clan can be avoided, then it should be avoided, especially where children are concerned. They are innocent. Even if Fan Yongdou has been secretly colluding with the Jurchens, his son will not be implicated.”
Man Gui stood rigid and unmoving. Xu Xianchun looked at him in puzzlement. Seeing that he still did not move, he gave him a push. Only then did Man Gui come back to himself. He stared at Xu Xianchun and said, “I do not want money anymore. I want merit. Is that all right?” With that, he took out his money pouch and handed it to Xu Xianchun.
“Well, well, so you have finally thought it through. My earnest words were not wasted after all. That is the spirit. Becoming an official is far better than taking money. Once you have an office, will not your salary be higher as well?”
Man Gui said with a bitter smile, “It is not because of that...”
At that moment Wu Mengming ran out and said, “Your Honor, there are Jurchen spies in Liyuan Fort, and there are also some people in Zhangjiakou Fort doing the same sort of business as Fan Yongdou.”
Xu Xianchun was instantly galvanized. He said to Man Gui, “Wait and speak with me later. Now the chance to earn merit has come. Go and assemble your men. Once I have everything clear, I will come out.” With that, he went back inside together with Wu Mengming.
It turned out that Fan Yongdou was not the only one secretly colluding with the Later Jin. In Zhangjiakou there were eight merchant houses all in league with the Later Jin. They transported urgently needed goods, such as ironware, into Liaodong, then carried back the valuables plundered by the Later Jin to be fenced within the realm. They also sheltered Later Jin spies entering the passes, and even gathered intelligence themselves before passing it on to the Later Jin.
Just a few days earlier, three Later Jin spies had followed Fan Yongdou’s caravan to Liyuan Fort, preparing to travel from Xuanfu to the capital. Fan Yongdou was indeed formidable: once he began speaking, he said everything at once, hoping that the Brocade Guards would, for the sake of his cooperation, give his son a better fate.