Judge of the Song Dynasty

Time is money!

For Zhang Fei, every moment counted.

On the way back, Zhang Fei conveniently purchased a set of writing materials. Upon returning to the Xu residence, he locked himself in his room and didn’t come out again.

The next morning.

“Miss Qian, I heard from Uncle Rong that the light in Zhang San’s room didn’t go out all night. Even Li Si hasn’t left the room. I don’t know what the two of them are up to.”

Passing by Zhang Fei’s room, Qingmei suddenly whispered to Xu Zhiqian.

Xu Zhiqian raised her delicate eyebrows and snorted lightly, “He’s stubborn and doesn’t trust others. He acts suspiciously, secretly, and then faults others for being suspicious. This time, we won’t bother with him. Let him be.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

The young girl was puzzled, ” Miss Qian, you haven’t had breakfast yet.”

“I’m not hungry.” As evening approached, Zhang Fei finally left his room.

“Brother San, I told Qingmei that we won’t be eating at home tonight.” Li Si ran over, panting, and added, “But it seems like Qingmei is in a bad mood. She didn’t pay any attention to me.”

Zhang Fei hesitated for a moment, then straightened his clothes, “Check if I need any tidying up.”

Li Si took a look and shook his head.

“Alright.” Zhang Fei said, “Let’s go quickly; it’s almost time. We shouldn’t be late.”

The two hurriedly left the Xu residence and arrived on time at Ma Family Restaurant at the market. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novelFirｅ.net

“Brother Zhang San, you’re here.”

Ma Xiaoyi, who had been standing at the door, immediately greeted them.

Zhang Fei smiled, “Little Ma, I really appreciate your help this time.”

Ma Xiaoyi was puzzled, “Why are you thanking me?”

Zhang Fei chuckled, “I think if you hadn’t insisted strongly, your father might not have wanted to see me.”

Ma Xiaoyi exclaimed, “How did you know?”

“It’s just as I thought. At such a sensitive time, Ma Tianhao wouldn’t willingly meet me. It’s fine this way. At least he doesn’t have any ulterior motives. We’re just here to handle things casually.” Zhang Fei smiled and added, “When it comes to understanding people, your father is far above your level.”

Ma Xiaoyi suddenly beamed, excitedly saying, “Brother San, you’re truly amazing! Actually, although I’m still young, I have friends everywhere and from all walks of life.”

“I can tell,” Zhang Fei nodded with a smile. This young man was indeed warm-hearted and had a sense of justice. He said, “Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass you. After tonight, the Ma family will rise to greater heights.”

“Really?” Ma Xiaoyi exclaimed.

Zhang Fei nodded confidently and asked, “Has your father arrived?”

“Oh, my dad has been here for a while. Brother San, please come inside.”

He led Zhang Fei into the restaurant.

The restaurant was not large, and judging by the decor, it wasn’t particularly upscale. Instead, it seemed a bit worn-out, exuding a hint of a martial atmosphere. If you didn’t have calluses on your hands, a sweep along the railing might leave you with splinters.

At the moment, there was only one person sitting inside, around forty years old, with a square face. There was a tattoo on the left cheek, and he sported a dense moustache.

This person was Ma Tianhao, the middle-aged man Zhang Fei had encountered by the river that day.

One couldn’t deny that his presence matched the atmosphere of the tavern.

On the other hand, Zhang Fei looked a bit more formal.

Zhang Fei clasped his fist and said, “This junior Zhang Fei pays his respects to Mogul Ma.”

Ma Tianhao scrutinized Zhang Fei for a moment, without inviting him to sit. Instead, he asked, “Do you know why I chose to meet you at this time and place?”

Zhang Fei shook his head.

Ma Tianhao straightforwardly said, “Because I don’t want to get involved in unnecessary trouble.”

Ma Xiaoyi anxiously interjected, “Dad!”

Ma Tianhao gave him a stern look and continued, “Go outside and buy some wine.”

Ma Xiaoyi blinked, puzzled, “Dad, did you forget? This is a restaurant!”

Ma Tianhao said, “Today, I want to drink wine from the Coiling Inn.”

“Coiling Inn?”

Ma Xiaoyi widened his eyes, “That’s quite far!”

Ma Tianhao frowned, “Are you going or not? If not, I’ll go by myself.”

“I’ll go, I’ll go! I’ll go right away.”

Ma Xiaoyi nodded in frustration and turned to Zhang Fei, “Brother Zhang San, have a seat first. I’ll go buy the wine. Later, we’ll get my dad drunk together.”

With that, he rushed out, leaving Zhang Fei looking bewildered.

Ma Tianhao sneered, “With your drinking capacity, even after ten more years, you won’t outdrink your old man.”

They were definitely father and son, so alike. Suddenly, Zhang Fei coughed and asked Ma Tianhao, “If that’s the case, why did you, sir, come to see me?”

“I never intended to see you,” Ma Tianhao said. Just then, a rapid sound of horse hooves came from outside. Ma Tianhao couldn’t help but call out, “Ride slower, boy!”

“Okay!”

Followed by a series of urgent and rapid horse hoofbeats.

“That brat!” Ma Tianhao cursed. After a moment, he glanced at Zhang Fei, somewhat absent-mindedly saying, “It’s all because Xiaoyi keeps praising you endlessly, insisting that I must come and meet you.”

Initially, at Ma Xiaoyi’s request, he had agreed to meet Zhang Fei. Considering the frequent interactions between the Ma family and legal professionals, it wouldn’t hurt to get to know each other.

However, subsequent events caused Ma Tianhao to change his mind. But Ma Xiaoyi insisted that he meet Zhang Fei, adamant that refusing would mean Ma Xiaoyi would have broken his word. In the end, Ma Tianhao came up with this compromise.

Zhang Fei extended his hand, “Congratulations, Mogul Ma.”

Ma Tianhao was puzzled, “Why should you congratulate me?”

Zhang Fei smiled, “Because your son has surpassed you in understanding people. For a father, isn’t that a joyous occasion?”

Ma Tianhao said expressionlessly, “Are you praising yourself?”

Zhang Fei chuckled, “Do I need to praise myself?”

Ma Tianhao laughed, “Indeed, not many ordinary people can attract the hatred of the entire imperial court. You’re the first.”

Changing the topic, he continued, “So I think there’s no need for me to meet you. It will only bring me trouble.”

Zhang Fei said, “Mogul Ma, you underestimate me. While I may not be able to litigate at the moment, do you actually need a pen-in-cap to litigate on your behalf?”

Ma Tianhao nodded, “You’re right. I don’t need one. Hence, I never intended to meet you.”

Zhang Fei shook his head, “If that’s what you think, Mogul Ma, then you are gravely mistaken.”

Ma Tianhao nodded, “What do you mean?”

Zhang Fei said, “For ordinary people, there’s very little chance they’ll get involved in legal disputes. Many have never even seen the gates of a government office. But for a gentleman like you, it’s different. Take the pawnshop business, for example. Disputes are inevitable in daily transactions. However, if it reaches the point of litigation, it’s actually a form of failure.”

Ma Tianhao finally gave Zhang Fei a closer look, then gestured towards the seat opposite him, saying, “Please, have a seat.”

“Thank you!”

Zhang Fei sat down and continued, “With your strength and status, you shouldn’t be entangled in legal battles. You have the ability to nip these lawsuits in the bud. Therefore, you need someone well-versed in the law to help you navigate these challenges.”

Ma Tianhao nodded, “You make sense. But in your current situation, why should I ask for your help?”

Zhang Fei said, “Because, other than me, no one can help you avoid these legal troubles.”

Ma Tianhao chuckled, “You’re a bit too arrogant.”

Zhang Fei said, “Although you’re the head of the pawnshop, in my opinion, your lending methods are crude and lack finesse. Just a slight misstep and you might drive someone to his deaths. I remember that day by the river; you mentioned whether borrowers had considered if they could repay the money before borrowing. While that’s true, a life is priceless. If someone dies, regardless of your reasons, you might attract legal trouble. You should be grateful you haven’t encountered me in court. Otherwise, you might have a real legal battle on your hands.”

Ma Tianhao frowned slightly. He was proud of himself for building his business from scratch, and now, being belittled by an outsider like Zhang Fei was certainly displeasing. He asked calmly, “Then I’d like to hear from you, what are your sophisticated methods of lending?”

Zhang Fei said, “First, minimize the risks. This is crucial. Ensuring this point guarantees a steady profit without losses. Second, make people grateful, not resentful. Only then can you have a continuous and harmonious relationship. Third, avoid killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Nowadays, most lending practices do this, including yours. However, it’s a crude method. People can create profits only when they’re alive. The truly sophisticated approach is to let them unwittingly repay interest with a lifetime of labor until the moment they are laid to rest.”

Ma Tianhao shook his head, “You speak of sophistication, but that’s simply impossible to achieve.”

“Says who?” Zhang Fei smiled.

Ma Tianhao said, “I’d like to hear your insights, then.”

Zhang Fei chuckled and asked, “I wonder, Mogul Ma, what do you think about property prices in Bianjing?”