She only knew that when someone died, their family was supposed to receive compensation. But it came in grain, not money, and there was no guarantee they would even get it.
The authorities would pay money for an injury on the job? It was the first time she had ever heard of such a thing.
"Of course, they generally wouldn't, but I managed to get it approved for Uncle Hou."
Wu Shuangren pressed the money pouch into her hand.
Jiang Rong opened it, half believing him and half doubting him, only to be startled. "How could there be so much?"
The pouch was filled with pieces of silver, at least a dozen taels in all.
Jiang Rong had never seen so much money in her life!
Startled, she tried to return the pouch to Wu Shuangren, but he refused to take it. "Some of it was also contributed by the brothers at the constables' office. Everyone heard what happened to Uncle Hou, and each of them was willing to give some money to his family. It was all exchanged for silver in the end, and this was the total."
He spoke with a perfectly straight face, his gaze sincere.
In fact, he had taken the silver from Wei Laohei's corpse, and he felt it was only right to give it to Hou Huai's family.
If he hadn't been afraid of frightening Jiang Rong, he would have added more.
"This... this is too much."
Jiang Rong was utterly dazed.
"Take it. Think of it as being for the child."
That was what Wu Shuangren told her.
Those words finally convinced Jiang Rong.
She put the pouch away and dropped to her knees before Wu Shuangren with a thud.
"Aunt Jiang!"
Wu Shuangren hurried to help her up.
Jiang Rong stopped him and said, choking back sobs, "I know you must have gone to great trouble to get this money. Let me borrow it from you. Once Ping'an grows up, we'll pay you back bit by bit!"
Wu Shuangren had wanted to say there was no need, but seeing the look in her eyes, he nodded. "All right. Consider it a loan."
Only then did Jiang Rong relax. She stood up, wiping her tears again and again.
Finally, Wu Shuangren stood by Hou Huai's bed for a while and silently said a few words in his heart before leaving the room.
The banquet at Moxian Tower should have ended by now, so he planned to pay the Mo Family a visit.
He would see where the Mo Family stood.
42: Confiscating the Household's Property
The Mo Family residence.
In the main hall, Wu Shuangren sat across from Mo Zhenglin and Mo Zhengxing.
"Militia Commander Wu, please have some tea."
Mo Zhengxing spoke to Wu Shuangren.
A day ago, Third Master Mo would never have treated a young man of only seventeen so courteously.
Wu Shuangren picked up his teacup, took a sip, and set it down. Looking at the two men in charge of the Mo Family, he got straight to the point. "Hong Fan and the Mo Family have a blood feud. He's now locked up in prison. How does the Mo Family intend to deal with him?"
"..."
Mo Zhenglin and Mo Zhengxing exchanged a glance.
"The younger generation is truly formidable."
Mo Zhenglin spoke with feeling.
Instead of answering Wu Shuangren, he asked, "Militia Commander Wu, you killed two of Mist Hidden Temple's top experts and captured Chief Steward Hong's own nephew. How do you intend to deal with Mist Hidden Temple's coming retaliation?"
"When soldiers come, we'll send a general to block them; when water comes, we'll pile up earth to hold it back."
Wu Shuangren calmly met Mo Zhenglin's gaze. "They can't openly send people into the city in large numbers to kill. If they send only a few experts, I'll make sure none of them leave!"
His words brimmed with domineering confidence, leaving Mo Zhenglin and Mo Zhengxing silent once more.
"Militia Commander Wu is a young hero. I admire you."
Mo Zhengxing cupped his hands. "But two fists are no match for four hands. Aren't you underestimating Mist Hidden Temple, Militia Commander Wu?"
Wu Shuangren said, "It's precisely because I don't underestimate Mist Hidden Temple that I'm sitting here having tea with you both. Is the Mo Family willing to join forces with me against our enemy?"
Mo Zhengxing said, "And if the Mo Family joins forces with you, we'll be able to deal with Mist Hidden Temple?"
Wu Shuangren looked at him. "In this world, victories are won by fighting, not by begging. What do you think, Third Master Mo?"
"..."
Mo Zhengxing was at a loss for words.
"Well said!"
Beside him, Mo Zhenglin clapped his hands and looked at Wu Shuangren with admiration. "The Mo Family is willing to join forces with you, Militia Commander Wu!"
"Big brother?"
Mo Zhengxing looked at him in surprise.
A smile appeared on Wu Shuangren's face. "Then please come with me to the prison, both of you."
Mo Zhenglin said, "Please go on ahead, Militia Commander Wu. We'll follow shortly."
"All right."
Wu Shuangren wasted no more words. He rose, bowed, and left.
Mo Zhenglin and Mo Zhengxing stood and saw him out of the main hall.
"Big brother, are we really going to take this step? If it's the wrong move, the Mo Family could be doomed beyond redemption!"
After Wu Shuangren left, Mo Zhengxing spoke with a grave expression.
Mo Zhenglin looked at him. "Do you think we still hold the initiative? Even if we don't agree, Wu Shuangren can still kill Hong Fan and pin it on us. When that happens, what do you think Mist Hidden Temple will think of the Mo Family?"
A vicious look entered Mo Zhengxing's eyes. "It's not as though we have no choice. As long as..."
"Enough!"
Mo Zhenglin cut his third brother off.
Looking at the darkening sky beyond the hall, he said in a low voice, "The Mo Family has already knelt once. If we do it a second time, our bones will break, and sooner or later, this family will fall apart!"
Wu Shuangren walked out through the gates of the Mo residence.
Wu Dongrong and Liao Yu were waiting for him around the corner, with dozens of constables and runners nearby.
The Mo Family had not been without a choice, forced to accept passively.
They could also have seized Wu Shuangren and handed him over to Mist Hidden Temple, thereby clearing themselves of suspicion.
He had gone to meet Mo Zhenglin and Mo Zhengxing alone to show his confidence and sincerity.
But he had to leave himself a way out, so Wu Shuangren had not come alone.
"How did it go?"
Liao Yu asked.
Wu Shuangren said, "Mo Zhenglin said he'd bring some people to the prison shortly."
Liao Yu breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. It seems the Mo Family still has some backbone!"
"Where to next?"
Wu Dongrong looked at Wu Shuangren.
Without quite realizing it, this father had come to follow his son's lead in everything.
Wu Shuangren swept his gaze over the constables and runners around him and smiled. "Sorry for making you brothers run around twice today. We can't let you go home empty-handed."
"Oh?"
"Next, we're going to confiscate a household's property!"
That was what Wu Shuangren said.
Outside Hong Fan's residence, dozens of constables and runners surrounded the courtyard, their sabers already drawn.
"Hong Fan colluded with horse bandits and slaughtered the people of Bo County! All those involved are to be arrested in accordance with the law!"
Liao Yu circulated his Internal Skill and shouted from outside the gate.
After Hong Fan was captured, the dozen or so subordinates he had brought with him were all seized outside Moxian Tower.
With Hong Fan in custody, they had not dared resist and could only surrender without a fight.
Now, only a few maids and servants remained in the residence where Hong Fan lived.
After shouting, Liao Yu gathered his strength and kicked the gate open.
Bang!
The gate flew open, and the men filed inside.
They encountered no resistance or mishaps in the process that followed. The pack of constables, fierce as wolves and tigers, ransacked Hong Fan's residence from inside to out.
All the money and valuables were piled in the courtyard. Naturally, some people pilfered a little along the way.
Neither Wu Shuangren nor Liao Yu paid it any mind, however.
These constables and runners were not their private soldiers to begin with. They had made them run around twice today; if they showed no appreciation at all, who would help them in the future?
Wu Shuangren made a rough count. The most valuable find was a chest of copper coins, all strung together, totaling a little over fifty strings.
The money was probably what Hong Fan had used to pay the militia.
Liao Yu had everything they had found loaded onto handcarts prepared in advance, then left with the men and carts.
The maids and servants were taken back as well.
Wu Shuangren had no intention of making things difficult for them, though. He only wanted to ask them a few questions.
"Uncle Liao, of what we seized this time, please send a portion to the four officials for me, and give another portion to the Mo Family."
Wu Shuangren spoke to Liao Yu after they returned to the county yamen.
The money was spoils of war. Once everyone had accepted a share, they would all be on the same side.
Liao Yu laughed. "You brat, you know quite a bit about how things work."
Wu Shuangren said, "It's a pity we found less money than I expected."
Without Hong Fan's support, the money needed to maintain the militia would be a major problem from here on.
If Wu Shuangren wanted to be a commander in more than name, he had to be able to support a regiment himself.
If he had the Mo Family pay for it, the militia would still belong to the Mo Family.
Wu Shuangren had thought he could find enough money in Hong Fan's residence that he would not have to worry about funds for at least the next six months or a year.
He had not expected there to be only a little over fifty strings.
The militia had recruited sixty-eight men so far. At 120 copper coins per person, their monthly wages alone would come to more than eight strings.
On top of that, they had to be fed two meals a day, and the food couldn't be too poor, or they wouldn't have the strength to train.
All told, food would cost at least four strings a month.
In other words, even if Wu Shuangren recruited no more men, he would need at least twelve strings a month to maintain the militia.
That was without counting clothing, equipment, training grounds, medicine for injuries, and other expenses.
Even though the Wu Clan was well-off, it could not afford to let Wu Shuangren maintain a militia.