Chapter 2630: Surprise Inspection
After two hours (one shichen) of kneeling at the Patriarch's home, Guan Youde could barely stand. He didn't understand—he'd been this way for years. Why was the Patriarch suddenly so angry? He complained to Guan Richang as they walked away: "Branch Head, why make such a fuss over something so small? Every family has its share of troubles."
Guan Richang was furious. He slapped Guan Youde across the face. "Still no remorse?"
Guan Youde held his cheek, sulking in silence.
"Go find your wife," Guan Richang said. "Speak to her gently. If you can keep this out of Public Court, do so—and treat her properly from now on. No more incidents. But if this goes to court, you'll be stricken from the Clan Register."
Following Zhang Xiao's instructions, Mo Yu first arranged for several Tanka boys to covertly monitor Qiaonan Village. They observed that boats carrying silkworm feces still entered the village every few days, though the frequency had dropped significantly. Small quantities of goods were also shipped out daily. Upon inspection, these proved to be nothing more than manure-like soil—residue, they were told, from the season's nearly depleted patent medicine production.
The only useful discovery was confirming the location of the Zhu clan's patent medicine workshop. With no other leads, and Qiaonan Village proving impenetrable to outside inquiry, Mo Yu decided to visit personally with two Resident Police officers.
Large local villages were designed with obvious military defense in mind. Fish ponds and natural waterways formed moat-like barriers around their perimeters. All buildings along the village edge faced inward, with their doors and windows opening away from the outside. The gaps between structures were filled with enclosing walls, fences, and arrow towers. Only a few fixed entrances permitted access—closed at night and guarded during the day.
Mo Yu and Le Ziren could only enter through the main gate. Whether by coincidence or prior arrangement, they encountered Zhu clan's Old Butler the moment they arrived.
Zhu Butler greeted them with a smile. "Master Mo! A rare guest indeed. What brings you here today?"
Mo Yu glanced around casually. "Nothing special. Just making the rounds. Chief Zhang has been touring the countryside to understand conditions on the ground. I need to show I'm earning my keep—otherwise I'll get an earful."
The Butler nodded knowingly. "Master Mo is too modest. With you overseeing this township, all the troublemakers fled long ago."
"Well, since I'm already here," Mo Yu said lightly, "won't you invite me in for a visit?"
Zhu Butler hesitated briefly, then recovered. "Ah, forgive this old fool's manners! Please, come in. I'll make arrangements right away."
Before they reached the Zhu Residence, Le Ziren caught a foul stench drifting through the air. He covered his nose involuntarily. Zhu Butler smiled apologetically. "Please don't mind it, Masters. This is country living—we make our living from fish and mulberry, so we use plenty of manure. It stinks, certainly, but it's what we farmers value most."
"No harm done," Mo Yu replied. "Our new Chief Zhang is thorough. He wants to know everything—how fish are caught, how fry are raised, where the fertilizer comes from. He's been putting a lot of pressure on us lately. Why don't you show me your composting operation? Tell us how it's done. That way I can prove to Chief Zhang we're serving the Senate wholeheartedly."
Zhu Butler looked uncomfortable. "That filthy place would offend your eyes, Master. If my Master learned I'd taken you there, he'd punish me. Please, let me escort you to the main hall instead. I'll serve you our finest Limu Mountain Oolong Tea."
Mo Yu insisted. Left with no choice, Zhu Butler led them to a composting site. It was exactly what it appeared to be—an ordinary farmyard composting operation, nothing unusual. Mo Yu asked detailed questions about the process, and the Butler answered each one.
Le Ziren knew where the workshop was located. From where they stood, its roof was visible in the distance. He pointed toward it. "Zhu Butler, what goes on over there? There's a strange smell coming from that direction too. It doesn't look like a composting site."
Zhu Butler's heart tightened, though his face remained composed. "That's my Master's newly established Patent Medicine Workshop."
"Patent Medicine?" Mo Yu feigned curiosity.
The Butler had no choice but to elaborate. "Some years ago, my Sixth Master obtained a medicinal formula from an expert. He saw how fellow villagers Chen Tiquan and Li Shengzuo jointly ran Chen Li Ji Hall, making medicines to help people, beloved by all the villagers. He was inspired with a desire to practice medicine and help the world (Huan Hu Ji Shi). So he had the formula made into Patent Medicine—a way of accumulating virtue for his descendants."
"Ah, Patent Medicine," Mo Yu nodded. "Our Chief Zhang is well-versed in pharmaceutical arts. People call him 'the Pharmacist.' We've been wondering how to get into his good graces. If you could explain the process to us, we can report back in detail. If the Chief is pleased, our futures are secured—and we won't forget your kindness, Zhu Butler."
The Butler looked pained. "Masters, you put me in a difficult position. Every family guards its unique skills. If I reveal how our Patent Medicine is made, I'll bear the consequences."
Le Ziren spoke up. "A healer has a benevolent heart. If the goal is to help the world, shouldn't more people know how to make this medicine? If your Master blames you for that, he's nothing but a hypocrite fishing for fame. You'd be better off finding a worthier employer."
"Don't mind him, Zhu Butler," Mo Yu intervened, playing the good cop. "My colleague here is a rough fellow—speaks his mind without thinking. Don't take his words to heart." He sighed. "You know how it is. We're all simple men who barely know our letters. We can't manage the fine work your Master does. But our new Magistrate insists on handling everything personally—even the smallest matters. The pressure has been unbearable lately. We need to bring back something substantial to satisfy him."
"If you're so reluctant," Le Ziren added, "maybe there's something here you'd rather we not see." Without waiting for a response, he strode toward the workshop.
Zhu Butler wanted to block him but didn't dare use force. He could only walk backward ahead of them, pleading loudly as he went. Other Zhu clan members gathered around, surrounding the police officers. Just as a confrontation seemed inevitable, Zhu Shilian's voice rang out from behind the crowd: "What's all this commotion?"
"Sixth Master, a misunderstanding," Zhu Butler hurried to his side and said respectfully. "Master Mo of the Market Police Station is here today. He wishes to see the Patent Medicine Workshop. I wasn't authorized to permit it, which offended our guests. I'm prepared to accept my punishment."
"Such a small matter," Zhu Shilian said dismissively. "Yes, you should be punished. Ten fen will be deducted from this month's wages. Everyone, disperse."
After Zhu Butler withdrew and the crowd scattered, Zhu Shilian smiled at Mo Yu. "If Master Mo is so curious, I'll personally accompany you. Would that be acceptable?"
Inside the workshop, Zhu Shilian explained the function of each piece of equipment—how materials were fed in, processed, and ultimately packaged as finished products. The air still carried a fecal odor. Noticing the officers' discomfort, he said, "This medicine of mine is extracted from silkworm feces, so some smell during processing is unavoidable. But it's excellent medicine—cures deficiency of Qi and Blood, dizziness and tinnitus, heart palpitations and shortness of breath, mental fatigue and exhaustion. Gentlemen who dine on wind and sleep on dew, working hard through day and night, inevitably suffer from inadequate Qi and Blood. I'll have my Butler prepare a few boxes for each of you—a small token of my appreciation."
Though Mo Yu had served in the retired Fubo Army Navy, he was ultimately of Tanka origin. He lacked the education that younger soldiers received through formal schooling. His naval service had given him some exposure to steam engine operation and a basic understanding of mechanical processes, but concepts like enthalpy and entropy might as well have been written in a heavenly script. He regarded electricity and engineering mechanics as divine knowledge—the exclusive domain of Senators. His understanding of chemistry was a complete blank, let alone the distinction between raw and patent medicines.
Seeing that Zhu Shilian had welcomed them openly and concealed nothing, and finding no irregularities he could identify, Mo Yu offered a few compliments and apologized for the disturbance. When they returned to the village entrance, Zhu Butler presented each officer with several boxes of Patent Medicine.
"Sixth Master, they didn't discover anything, did they?" Watching the False Kuns recede into the distance, Zhu Butler asked Zhu Shilian.
"You did well. Good thing you held them up earlier." Zhu Shilian exhaled with relief. "Fortunately, Brother Shimin moved quickly. It was a close call."
Outside Jiujiang Great Market, in the Marching Camp, Zhang Jiayu was helping Huang Shi write her complaint. He had volunteered for the task that day, and his Pin-Flower Small Kai Script (Zan Hua Xiao Kai) was exquisite—so beautiful it made Zhao Hening drool with envy. Even Huang Xiyin, who possessed exceptional calligraphic skill, praised it unreservedly. When the document was complete, Huang Shi pressed her handprint onto it. Still uneasy, she sought out Yuchi Gang of the Circuit Court for consultation.
Yuchi Gang was in his mid-thirties, a native of Gaomi in Laizhou Prefecture, Shandong. He came from a declining middle-peasant family and had arrived in Lingao working with engine operations. After joining the Fubo Army, he distinguished himself—brave in battle, both courageous and strategic. He was wounded and disabled during the Mainland Offensive and retired from active service. Elected to attend Lingao Judge College for further study, he passed the Judge Qualification Exam and was sent to East Guangdong as a basic-level judge. Known for his upright and unbending character and strong principles, he applied legal articles somewhat rigidly, believing in "Absolute Justice." His direct approach occasionally caused misunderstandings due to differences in language and local custom. Eventually, Yuchi Gang was appointed Judge of the Guangzhou Circuit Court, responsible for handling appeal cases across the Guangzhou Grand Region.
"Lord, what can I do if he refuses to divorce?" Huang Shi asked anxiously.
Yuchi Gang was not one to mince words. "If there was domestic violence, if he's at fault, if your marital bond has broken beyond repair, if you cannot live together and mediation has failed—then divorce should be granted."
Huang Shi hesitated. "I'm not worried about most things. But his illness... if I divorce him, people will gossip. And the Clan Elders may not approve."
Another voice interjected: "Sister, what you're describing are moral concerns. You feel guilty because you think he'll struggle without you. That's your personal sense of compassion. But the Marriage Law implemented by the Senate is essentially Contract Law. A contract is an agreement—do you understand? It emphasizes that both parties are equal, voluntary, and acting legally. Marriage and the Marriage Law are two different things. What does the Marriage Law protect? To use the technical term: legal rights and interests arising from the marriage relationship. Strip away the unnecessary modifiers, and what remains is rights and interests. In other words—benefits."
(End of Chapter)