Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 98 Surrounded by Wolves

Although Ximen Qing intended to keep Zheng Tu at his residence for drinks and conversation, he was currently busy with many tasks, including settling his newly arrived son-in-law and daughter, packing his belongings, and gathering information.

Zheng Tu was a sensible man, and seeing this, he didn't bother him any longer. After drinking three cups of sworn brotherhood wine, he bid farewell to Ximen Qing and left.

For several days in a row, the gates of the Ximen residence remained tightly shut, refusing all visitors. Even the servants inside were unusually cautious in their comings and goings. The usual bustling scene of carriages and horses was gone, replaced by a sense of quietude.

For a time, Qinghe County was calm and peaceful.

At first, everything was fine, but as time went on, Ximen's sudden decision to close his doors to guests made his enemies in Qinghe County sense something unusual.

In Qinghe County, who doesn't know that Ximen Qing is usually the most flamboyant? He spends his days either drinking and listening to music with Ying Bojue and other hangers-on, or wandering around the streets and alleys of brothels. He has never had such a secluded life.

The first to notice something amiss was not that cunning old fox.

On the contrary, Zhang Erguan, the pockmarked man who was ignorant and incompetent, was the kind of lecherous and playful fellow who often bumped into Ximen Qing or heard those beautiful women talk about Ximen Qing's romantic affairs.

These past few days, he has continued to frequent places like the Lichun Courtyard and Xiaoxiang Pavilion for entertainment. While joking with the courtesans, he casually asked:

"Why haven't we seen Master Ximen lately? Is he being kept under control by his wife at home?"

The girls all shook their heads: "It's strange, we haven't seen Uncle Ximen for quite some time. The other day, one of the girls was talking about how Uncle Ximen promised to give her a pair of bracelets, but we haven't seen him since."

Zhang Erguan frowned, a vague guess forming in his mind, yet he wasn't sure.

So it seems something big is about to happen, and it might just be an opportunity for the Zhang family!

After a short while, he shivered, and suddenly all other thoughts vanished from his mind.

He rode away from the brothel and headed straight for his uncle, Zhang the wealthy man's, residence.

Such an important matter must be discussed with the elders.

That Zhang family was one of the wealthiest men in Qinghe County, running a silk shop and possessing immense wealth.

He was over sixty years old, stingy by nature but lustful. Because his first wife, Madam Yu, was strong and domineering, he had never been able to remarry or take a concubine, and had no children to this day. Therefore, he treated his nephew, Zhang Erguan, as his own son.

There are even rumors circulating that Zhang Erguan is actually the illegitimate son of Zhang Dahu from his early years away.

This wealthy man had a long-standing grudge against Ximen Qing. As Ximen Qing's business grew bigger and bigger, he also extended his reach into the silk shop.

Both of them were in the silk business. Qinghe County was only so big; for every extra penny Ximen Qing earned, he earned one less.

In previous years, Zhang Da Hu tried several times to compete for customers and lower prices, but Ximen Qing suppressed him with his methods. At that time, Ximen Qing was at the height of his power and had connections in both the legal and illegal worlds. What kind of ability did he have?

Seeing that he couldn't win the argument, Zhang, the wealthy man, kept swallowing his anger.

Upon hearing his nephew mention that Ximen Qing had been staying indoors for days and had not been seen at the brothels, a glint of light flashed in Zhang the landlord's old eyes.

He stroked his beard and pondered for a long time. He was an old and shrewd man. Although he was not sure what had happened to Ximen Qing, there was no risk in taking this opportunity to spread some rumors and disrupt the other party's business. He could also take this opportunity to test the waters.

"Go ahead," Zhang the landlord instructed in a low voice. "Find a few gossips and spread the word in teahouses and taverns that... Ximen Qing has run into trouble and his family is about to be raided. Remember, don't say that we spread this; just say it's common gossip."

Zhang Erguan understood and immediately made arrangements.

This rumor spread like wildfire, and within two or three days, gossip about Ximen Qing's downfall spread throughout Qinghe County, causing quite a stir.

Although it was just a rumor, the weavers in the cloth shops, the customers of the pawnshops, and so on couldn't help but feel a little more apprehensive.

Business at Ximen Qing's shops suddenly became much quieter.

The other families who had grudges against Ximen Qing changed their tune and began to make moves in secret.

Someone secretly contacted the old manager of Ximen Qing's shop, offering them a large sum of money to secretly hide the goods and accounts, waiting for Ximen Qing to be too busy to take care of himself before they would seize his shop.

Those who had been overshadowed, taken advantage of, and sworn enemies by Ximen Qing in the past were now all harboring their own secrets. Some were secretly investigating, some were fanning the flames, and some were taking advantage of his misfortune.

The surface of this pool in Qinghe County may appear calm, but beneath it, turbulent currents are brewing.

..............................

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhushan, after being extorted by Lu Hua and Zhang Sheng, pawned his clinic and dismissed his apprentices, and lived a very impoverished life during this period.

The once high-ranking and respectable imperial physician is now reduced to carrying a medicine chest and becoming a wandering doctor who treats patients on the streets, walking alone through the alleys.

Those patients who had been neglected or mistreated by him, none of them had a pleasant look when they saw him; some even spat at him to his face.

As a result, business became increasingly bleak, and people often went hungry.

That day, Jiang Zhushan was walking dejectedly through a secluded alley when he suddenly heard hushed voices coming from inside the wall.

"I heard that Master Ximen is about to fall from power. I wonder if the promise he made to send us to work as servants last time still stands?"

Another person scoffed, "Is this something we should be worrying about? Thirty taels of silver isn't enough for your appetite?..."

Jiang Zhushan froze.

Though the voice was faint, he would remember it even if he turned to ashes!

It was none other than Lu Hua, the grass snake, and Zhang Sheng, the street rat, who had tried to extort money from him that day!

If it weren't for those two, how could I have ended up in this state today?

He pressed himself against the wall, barely daring to breathe, straining his ears to listen. The sounds from inside grew increasingly low and intermittent:

"...Second Uncle Zheng...Master Ximen ordered...to deal with that Physician Jiang...who told him to offend him..."

"...That prescription...the quack doctor misled people...he deserved it..."

Although Jiang Zhushan only heard the general outline, he had already pieced together the whole story.

I was so angry that my blood rushed to my head, and my hands and feet felt cold.

The extortion and beatings I suffered for no reason that day, the inexplicable loss of the lawsuit in the yamen... it turns out that it was all instigated by Ximen Qing behind the scenes!

The reason for all of this was that he had offended that man surnamed Zheng!

He quietly took a few steps back, and seeing that no one was around, he quickly left the alley.

He stopped after turning two street corners and finding a secluded spot, his face ashen, and said through gritted teeth, each word distinct:

"Well... well, what a scoundrel surnamed Zheng! Well, what a Ximen Qing! I, Jiang Zhushan, will never forgive you!"

Jiang Zhushan's chest heaved violently, his face filled with resentment and malice.

It is:

The news leaked out, and wolves lurked, eavesdropping in the bamboo grove, fueling their hatred.

A sinister plot was brewing in the shadows, and disasters were piling up one after another.

If you want to know what is going on, listen to the next breakdown.