Ju Ying gazed out the window while Xing Yan secretly swallowed his saliva. For a time, neither spoke, and both fell silent.
After a short wait that seemed endless to the eagerly anticipating boy, the waiter finally brought up the first dish, Poyang Lake lion's head meatballs. Immediately afterward, however, he apologetically told them:
"I'm terribly sorry. Master Cao in the kitchen says we've run out of shad today, so we really must apologize about the white reed shad! Would you like to choose another dish?"
Xing Yan inwardly cried out in disappointment. Who knew in what year of the monkey or month of the horse he would get another chance to eat at Lakeview Tower?
Ju Ying was disappointed too. She casually ordered a snow cabbage and whitebait soup instead, and the two bent their heads over their meal.
Just as Xing Yan was wholeheartedly savoring the rich but not greasy meatballs, a sudden uproar arose in the street below. Amid the clamor, he could clearly distinguish overbearing shouts and a young woman's sorrowful sobbing.
The sudden disturbance interrupted the boy's leisurely chewing. Ju Ying also put down her chopsticks, and they rose together, heading to a diamond-latticed window on the other side of Lakeview Tower that faced Watching Lake Street to see what had happened. The diners around them likewise set down their bowls and chopsticks and crowded to the windows to watch.
Looking through the lattice, they saw a row of small stalls beside the bluestone-paved road, not far from Lakeview Tower's frontage on Watching Lake Street. A group of yamen runners had surrounded one stall and were arguing and shoving. The curses and cries came from there.
"Come on, let's take a look! It sounds like a girl crying!"
The impatient girl immediately tugged Xing Yan out through the crowd of diners, and they went downstairs to investigate. As they descended, Xing Yan did not forget to turn and call to the waiter:
"Waiter! Don't touch those meatballs-we haven't finished them. Bring the remaining dishes after we get back, so they don't go cold!"
His voice traveled downward as he spoke, and the last words came from the ground floor.
By then, a few idlers had gathered in twos and threes before the troubled stall to watch. Since officials were conducting their business, no one dared approach too closely, which instead allowed Xing Yan to shield the girl and slip effortlessly to the front.
Four or five yamen runners stood before a medicinal herb stall. Two were tugging at a young girl dressed as a village maiden, trying to drag her away. From the hushed whispers around him, Xingyan learned that the honest-looking, sorrow-faced middle-aged man was her father. He clung desperately to his daughter's hand, refusing to let the runners take her, while pleading bitterly with them. An average-built officer dressed as their headman loudly cursed the imploring man, ordering him to show some sense and let go.
After listening for a while, Xing Yan roughly understood. The father and daughter were herb gatherers from nearby Great Solitary Mountain. Having heard how prosperous Poyang County was, they had brought the herbs they gathered to sell on Watching Lake Street. But when the headman arrived with his men to collect the stall tax, their entire morning's earnings barely covered the fee. Then, after they painfully handed over the money, the officers declared that they also owed a "street cleanliness tax." The poor pair had never even heard of such a tax, and they truly had no money left. Even if they wanted to pay, they could not. Thus, the headman intended to detain the daughter as security for the tax.
"Constable Chen's probably taken a fancy to that girl. I've never seen anyone make trouble like this."
A spectator nearby murmured the remark.
Hearing this, Xing Yan took a closer look at the girl. Although her clothes were coarse, she was indeed rather pretty upon examination. Another glance at the way Constable Chen stared at her told him the spectator's guess was not far off.
While Xing Yan hesitated over whether to explain this hidden motive to the indignant Ju Ying beside him, the situation changed. Seeing that the man still clung to his daughter and refused to let go, Constable Chen lost patience. With a vicious grin, he barked at the two idle subordinates standing nearby:
"Very well! Since this unruly commoner won't let go, take him too!"
The runners roared their assent and advanced together, brandishing iron chains and iron rulers. How could the poor father and daughter resist these wolfish, tigerish officers? Like chicks seized by hawks, they were clapped in chains and hauled away toward the county yamen.
"How can these officers behave so lawlessly in broad daylight?"
Ju Ying's delicate face flushed red with anger. Seeing this, an old man beside her kindly cautioned:
"Keep your voice down, miss. If Constable Chen hears you, you might be arrested too!"
The old man then sighed:
"Alas, that girl probably won't escape Chen Kui's tiger jaws. Her father likely won't be coming back either."
Hearing this, Xing Yan hurriedly asked the old man what he meant.
From his explanation, Xingyan learned that the head runner was named Chen Kui. A lecher and gambler, whenever he saw a poor girl with some beauty, he would devise ways to seize her for himself. He was also skilled at flattery and enjoyed the favor of County Magistrate Lü Chonghuang. Thus, although Magistrate Lü saw Chen Kui's misdeeds, he merely kept one eye open and the other shut. The victims generally had nowhere to seek justice and could only swallow their anger in silence. This had emboldened Chen Kui to behave ever more recklessly.
As for Magistrate Lü himself, he was no decent fellow either. Greedy and cruel, he adored money and devised every possible means of squeezing out profit. The people of Poyang County had plenty of grievances against him, and, playing on the sound of his name, called him "Lü the Locust."
At the old man's words, a burly fellow with thick brows and large eyes angrily shouted:
"Under this bright sun and clear sky, is there no law left? Whatever happens, we brothers must do something about this!"
Quite a few visitors to Poyang Lake stood among the spectators, including rough-looking men of the martial world with sabers and swords at their waists.
"Do something?"
Hearing the burly man's bold declaration, the old man sneered:
"Are you from out of town, brave fellow? Everyone knows that once you enter Poyang County's prison, you get an intimidation beating before anyone bothers to distinguish right from wrong. And afterward, unless you have twenty or thirty taels of silver, don't expect Lord Lü to release you!"
At the mention of twenty or thirty taels, the heroes eager to right a wrong immediately fell silent. Times were lean in the martial world too. Who did not have a couple of patches on his undershirt? When the purse at the end of a traveler's staff ran dry, even a hero's courage ran short!
The old man's words chilled the atmosphere before the herb stall. The stalwarts whose blood had just been boiling now cooled down, reminding themselves that men of the martial world ought to uphold its foremost rule: "Commoners do not contend with officials." Thinking of that spine-chilling "intimidation beating" made them shudder all the more-blades cutting into other people did not hurt them, but if those blows landed on their own bodies, it would cease to be amusing. Going their separate ways remained the wisest course.
And so the spectators dispersed in twos and threes.
After hearing the old man's remarks, Ju Ying showed a trace of hesitation in her eyes. One glance told Xing Yan that compassion had stirred in her and that she wanted to spend money to avert disaster for the father and daughter.
This girl really must have plenty of silver on her!
As he pondered this, a short-limbed, slightly built man suddenly sidled up to them and said with a mysterious expression:
"Do you two wish to save that father and daughter? I happen to have an excellent plan!"
The thin man before them looked decidedly shifty. Seeing that he had aroused their interest, he continued:
"This young lady seems deeply sympathetic to that father and daughter's plight. In truth, so am I. I have a way to relieve their suffering without spending thirty taels of silver!"
Apparently, the shifty fellow had immediately judged from their clothing which of them he should address—not because his eye was exceptionally sharp, but because Xing Yan's coarse cloth outfit really did make him look like a servant or attendant.
His obliging words immediately caught Ju Ying's interest, and she eagerly asked:
"You have a good idea? Let's hear it!"
"Don't be impatient, young lady. Actually, that old man wasn't entirely wrong. Once you enter Lord Lü's prison, you really won't get out without spending several dozen taels of silver... however-"
At this point, noticing the girl's displeased expression, the shifty man hastily changed tack:
"However, when Lord Lü interrogates prisoners in court, those without influential connections or much ransom money generally receive an intimidation beating before questioning! There's no need to worry about the young girl. Lord Chen Kui naturally cherishes delicate flowers, and Lord Lü won't spoil his fun. Her father, though-well, that goes without saying. He probably won't escape that beating!"
"Ah! What can we do, then?"
Alarmed by his frightening account, Ju Ying covered her mouth and exclaimed. The aging fellow continued:
"That's precisely what I wanted to discuss. Do you know I have a nickname, miss? They call me 'Wang Dai Zhang'!"
"What? Taoist Master Wang?"
Xing Yan had misheard, though he was rather sensitive to the words "Taoist master."
"You heard wrong, young fellow. My humble name is Wang Er, and my nickname is 'Wang-Dai-Zhang': Wang who takes beatings in others' place. All I ask is that the victim's family or friends give me a little money for medicinal wine."
"Hm? You can take someone else's beating in court?"
Ju Ying found this novel and was very curious. Seeing her puzzled look, Wang Er, the substitute-beating man, smiled across his wrinkled face and said:
"You two aren't local either, are you? Everyone knows Lord Lü only cares about collecting ransom money. Why would he care whose body the blows actually land on?"
As it turned out, Poyang's Magistrate Lü was corrupt and extraordinarily fond of money, and so the occupation of "substitute beating" had come into being. Some impoverished residents of Poyang County town made their living this way, accepting silver to endure beatings in other people's stead.
Naturally, a portion of the beating fee had to be set aside for Lord Lü, Constable Chen, and the runner administering the blows. Giving the runner a share was, of course, meant to lessen the pain. Once paid, he would raise the paddle high and bring it down gently. Although spectators heard sharp cracks and the recipient's shrieks shook heaven and earth, filling the courtroom with noisy chaos, the sound actually came from the bamboo paddle striking the sheepskin tucked inside his trousers.
Even with this hidden protective lining, however, the money for the paddle-wielding runner could not be spared. If someone coveted those few bits of silver and failed to grease his palm, the runner would secretly play dirty, replacing the dry old bamboo strip with a huge, freshly cut length of moso bamboo. A crueler one would imitate those unscrupulous butchers who sold water-injected meat and soak the already heavy bamboo overnight, making it dead weight with the power of a Buddhist demon-subduing pestle; one swing would send a streak of green light flashing past. Then, in court, he would muster every ounce of strength and beat the victim within an inch of his life. Such a thrashing was no joke. Though the spectacle looked no different, this performance was real. After one vicious session like that, could the substitute-beating business expect another engagement?
This was the first time either Ju Ying or Xingyan had heard of "substitute beating," however, and Wang Er's fluent explanation left them staring in astonishment.
Seeing their speechless expressions, Wang Er sensed an opening. These youngsters seem inexperienced, and this young lady is overflowing with compassion. Perhaps this business, which had no foundation at all, might actually materialize if I keep talking! His professional experience told him to strike while the iron was hot, hastily adding fuel to the fire until the deal was nailed fast:
"You've never seen our Poyang County yamen's intimidation beating, have you, miss? Those club-wielding runners get practical experience practically every day. Their mastery of the cudgel wasn't acquired overnight. In Raozhou's martial arts circles, they rank among the very best and are renowned far and wide! Even the sect master of Qimen County's Divine Charlatan Sect once traveled all the way here in person to observe and learn!"
"You saw for yourself! With that herb seller's constitution, he probably couldn't survive ten strokes. He could easily lose his life-how tragic! Just think: his daughter would lose her loving father and be left alone without support, while his eighty-year-old mother would be forced onto the streets to beg for a living...
You ask what can be done? Come to me! My substitute-beating service has an excellent reputation, and my rates are fair compared with others in the trade. The starting price is one tael of silver for twelve strokes; each additional stroke in court costs another five mace. The deposit is one tael of fine silver, with any excess refunded and any shortfall paid afterward. If the beating falls short of the minimum, the balance can automatically be carried over to the next court appearance, with a twenty-percent discount."
"My reputation? Just look at me-you can tell at a glance that I'm honest and loyal. I would never cheat either child or elder! Ask around if you don't believe me. Aren't my rates the lowest in Poyang County? If they aren't, I won't take a penny! Surely you can hand over the money with confidence now, miss?"
While Wang Er, the substitute-beating man, sprayed spittle as he promoted his business, solemnly proclaiming prices that seemed fair and reasonable but concealed hidden traps, the boy-who had visited this place several times yet never paid attention to such matters-finally came to his senses. Seeing Ju Ying poised to act, he hurriedly broke in to ask Wang Er:
"That doesn't sound right, uncle. With your build, I doubt you could even survive five strokes!"
Having said this, he pulled away the girl, who had been thoroughly bewildered by Wang Dai Zhang's sales pitch, and left.
Only then did Wang Er, who had been carefully watching the girl's expression and thought this deal as easy to grasp as a cooked duck, suddenly realize something was amiss:
The country boy beside her, who had scarcely spoken, might not merely be her little attendant.
At that moment, a strange scene seemed to flash before Wang Er's eyes:
Several cooked ducks on the chopping board of the braised-food shop at the street corner flapped their gleaming, oily wings and soared away...
Meanwhile, Xing Yan pulled Ju Ying aside and explained:
"That man speaks like a practiced wanderer. You can't believe everything he says. Besides, hiring him to take the beating only treats the symptoms, not the root. Even if the herb seller escapes this beating, his daughter still won't escape Chen Kui's claws, and he still won't get out of prison. If he has a wife and children at home, they might be extorted until nothing remains but four bare walls. We need another, foolproof plan."
"Hm? That's true!"
Ju Ying was no foolish girl. Xing Yan's reminder brought her back to her senses.
As he considered how to save them, an idea stirred in Xingyan's mind, and he immediately formed a plan. He walked over to Wang Er, who was still standing in the corner reviewing where things had gone wrong, and loudly blustered at him:
"You think my young lady is an easy mark? Those two unruly commoners deserved to be arrested if they couldn't pay their taxes. My young lady is only a girl and felt a moment's pity. Yet you dared try to swindle her silver? We came all the way from Sui Prefecture to tour the lake, only to encounter something like this. What rotten luck!"
Xing Yan had suddenly remembered that he was, after all, from nearby. Since he had decided to find a way to free the father and daughter, some clash with the authorities might be unavoidable. Thus, he resolved that, at least from this moment onward, he would do his utmost to erase every clue that might let someone piece things together afterward.
Although the boy sometimes seemed foolish and dazed in Ju Ying's presence, once he decided to undertake something of consequence, his mind began working at full speed and his thoughts grew meticulous.
Wang Er, meanwhile, had been wallowing in self-reproach and painfully pondering the reason for his failure. Xingyan's words suddenly enlightened him, and rather than becoming angry, he was delighted:
So that was it! It wasn't that I spoke poorly, nor that I misjudged the boy's status. The master and servant never intended to stand up for those people in the first place. Apparently, there's nothing wrong with my abilities!
Still, that brat is far too hateful. He actually dared doubt I could withstand five strokes! Questioning my professional competence is the gravest insult to the renowned Wang Er, the Substitute Beating man. I must make that brat apologize!
Having resolved to demand an accounting, Wang Er discovered that the boy had already finished speaking and left. He could only swallow his words.
And so our dedicated Wang Er, the Substitute Beating man, stood there on Watching Lake Street, facing the sun on the horizon, and vigorously waved an arm only slightly thicker than a reed stalk as he declared indignantly:
"Am I still not strong enough?!"
Before you continue