Transmigrating to the Qi Family - Chapter 144

“Where are those two people now?” Pei Che asks. Using the prefect’s name to ruin his reputation is something he can’t let go of, no matter what.

Zhou Xu replies, “They say they can’t get used to staying at the Cangzhou main office, so I arrange for two rooms at the largest inn in Cangzhou for them. They should still be there now.” His face is full of regret; in hindsight, he should send a letter to verify their claims instead of panicking upon hearing they are from Liangjing and letting two swindlers fool him.

Wait a minute! Those two are frauds, but this person in front of him has only shown an official seal and documents. How is he any different from them? 

Zhou Xu’s expression turns suspicious as he scrutinizes Pei Che and Jiang Miao with a hint of doubt.

Pei Che immediately grasps Zhou Xu’s suspicion and asks, “Is Lord Zhou questioning my identity?”

Zhou Xu freezes, then gives an awkward laugh. “I wouldn’t dare, but aside from the appointment documents and the official seal, do the two of you have anything else to confirm your identities?”

“Do you recognize this?” Pei Che pulls out an antique jade pendant engraved with the words “Duke of Zhongguo’s Residence.”

Years ago, Zhou Xu had gone to Liangjing for the imperial exams and was well aware of the Duke of Zhongguo. In fact, over a decade ago, he had even briefly met the Duke’s heir. He glances at the jade pendant and then at Pei Che, realizing that the face before him does indeed resemble the one in his memory.

“Lord Zhou, please dispatch some men to accompany me to the inn so we can capture those two,” Pei Che says.

Zhou Xu dares not hesitate any longer. He quickly arranges for a group to accompany Pei Che and heads with them to the Yingbin Inn.

The Yingbin Inn is the largest tavern and inn in Cangzhou. The first two floors serve as a tavern, while the rows of rooms at the back are for guests to stay. 

Since those two claim to be close aides of the Prefect, Zhou Xu and the others do not dare to slight them, booking them two top-tier rooms.

When the yamen runners arrive, the sound of indulgent revelry fills the air. It turns out the two men have summoned a few courtesans for drinks, creating a nauseating atmosphere of debauchery in the rooms.

The two impostors are already heavily intoxicated, sobering up only slightly after being hauled to the yamen. One of them, seeing the scene before him, shouts angrily, “Zhou Xu, how dare you!”

Zhou Xu slams the gavel and reprimands, “How dare you address this official by name! Do you admit your guilt?”

“Haha, confess to what crime? I am a close aide of the Prefect! How dare you offend me? I’ll be sure to report your disrespect to the Prefect, and you’ll be punished!” Though his heart pounds with fear, he still puts on an arrogant facade.

Zhou Xu sneers. “You must have your brain clouded with lard! You keep shouting about the Prefect, so open your dog eyes wide and take a good look at who is in front of you!”

The two impostors follow his direction and see a young man with a strikingly handsome face sitting below. When this man lifts his gaze to them, his eyes are devoid of warmth, and the cold, commanding presence emanating from him makes their knees weak.

“I don’t care who he is! You’d better release us immediately, or when the Prefect arrives, you’ll all be sorry!” one of them blusters, trying to appear tough while anxiously watching Zhou Xu for any sign of hesitation.

“You two are really blind. The Prefect is standing right in front of you—don’t you recognize him?” Zhou Xu’s voice drips with sarcasm. Having spent the past month flattering these frauds, the humiliation of being deceived floods his heart, and he wishes he could make them pay dearly.

“What… What nonsense are you spouting? He’s not the Prefect! We have the Prefect’s official appointment documents and seal to prove it—he’s an imposter!”

Zhou Xu, seeing that they remain defiant, orders their documents and seal to be presented. At a casual glance, the forgeries look convincing, but when compared side-by-side with the real ones, their flaws become obvious.

“It seems you won’t confess without some persuasion. Guards, rough them up a bit,” Zhou Xu declares, now feeling fully confident. He pulls out a stick and throws it down.

The guards seize the two men, pin them down, and each receives five strikes.

Jiang Miao watches curiously and asks, “How do they know to hit exactly five times? Is there some kind of understanding?”

“See those stick containers?” Pei Che quietly explains. “There are four containers labeled with the words ‘justice and severity.’ The enforcement stick is for making arrests, while the white, black, and red sticks each represent one strike, five strikes, and ten strikes, respectively. So when a stick is thrown, the guards know what to do.”

Jiang Miao suddenly understands. “Ah, so that’s why a stick is thrown every time a case is judged! I thought it was just for dramatic effect.”

Pei Che chuckles. From Jiang Miao’s tone, it’s clear he has witnessed many trials, yet Pei Che knows Jiang Miao doesn’t even know the layout of the Liangjing courthouse. Jiang Miao has many secrets, and every time Pei Che uncovers one, he feels like he’s getting closer to the real Jiang Miao.

While the two whisper to each other, the impostors wail in pain from the punishment. When Zhou Xu moves as if to grab another stick, they quickly begin confessing everything.

…

According to their confession, they are indeed swindlers. One specializes in mimicking handwriting, while the other is skilled at replicating seals. Together, they form a deceitful partnership, often forging famous calligraphy works to sell.

In the beginning, their forgeries aren’t very convincing and are frequently exposed, forcing them to flee to other regions. Over time, their skills improve significantly, with a success rate of seven or eight out of ten times. Still, they remain cautious, leaving each place after a few successful scams and moving on to another city to continue deceiving people. They spend their ill-gotten gains on extravagant pleasures.

However, as the saying goes, walking in the dark too often, one is bound to encounter trouble. Their latest scam targets an unremarkable, chubby young master. The young man is not well-educated, so when he hears that the works are by renowned calligraphers from previous dynasties, he eagerly pays for them. Not only that, but he also asks if there are more pieces available, wanting to buy them all.

The conmen can’t resist such an opportunity and claim there are additional pieces, which will be ready in a few days. The young master leaves delighted, but within two days, a group of people surrounds the place where the swindlers are staying. It turns out the young master has shown off the calligraphy only to have someone recognize it as a fake, since the genuine works are actually in that person’s collection.

Humiliated, the young master seeks revenge. Though he lacks education, he has plenty of family wealth to rely on.

The swindlers barely manage to escape the first time, but their pursuers continue to chase them relentlessly. Exhausted and constantly on the run, they soon deplete their funds and avoid bustling cities, traveling only on deserted paths.

One day two months ago, they took refuge in an old, dilapidated temple. Suddenly, heavy rain pours down, and a carriage also pulls up to the temple to seek shelter. Fearing trouble, the two hide.

To their surprise, the newcomers are He Ming, the former Prefect of Cangzhou, and his entourage.

He Ming complains bitterly about Cangzhou, saying he is grateful to have finally used his connections to secure a transfer; otherwise, he would be stuck there for life. Someone traveling with He Ming expresses concern, wondering if Cangzhou, left without proper leadership after their early departure, will descend into chaos.

He Ming scoffs, “Anyone with ambition wouldn’t come to a place like Cangzhou. If we wait for the imperial officials to arrive before leaving, who knows when that will be—probably not until the end of time.”

The conversation continues, but that one remark sparks an idea in the minds of the swindlers. Rather than live their lives as fugitives, always running and hiding, why not attempt a grand con?

Taking advantage of the rain, they secretly add sleeping smoke to the group’s campfire, putting them to sleep. Then, they rummage through the travelers’ belongings, find the official documents and seal, and begin replicating them. Once their forgeries are complete, they carefully return everything, not daring to harm He Ming and his companions.

After getting their hands on the items, the two swindlers pose as trusted aides of the prefect and begin to act high and mighty in the city, using the opportunity to amass a fortune, hoping to make enough money in one go to live comfortably for the rest of their lives in hiding. Of course, they remain vigilant, planning to flee with their loot as soon as any news of the incoming officials reaches them.

A few days ago, when they hear that the officials sent by the imperial court are arriving soon, they become anxious and prepare to leave. Unfortunately, a landslide occurs near the main road, blocking it completely and trapping everyone inside.

Relieved by this unexpected turn of events, they even instruct Zhou Xu not to send anyone to clear the road. 

But what they don’t expect is that the newly appointed prefect will use his own money to hire local citizens to clear the roads. They plan to wait until this side can no longer hold them off and then sneak away during the road clearing.

…

The entire story is now laid bare, and the two conmen will soon be sent to Liangjing to face justice. Their crimes are so egregious that only a harsh punishment will satisfy public outrage. The money they have extorted, aside from what they have already spent, will be returned to the wronged townspeople, including funds the government has collected, which will also be redistributed to the people.

The citizens rejoice, and even the officers who have been tasked with indiscriminately fining and arresting people breathe a sigh of relief. They don’t want to enforce such measures; Cangzhou has few outsiders, so the ones getting fined and punished are their own neighbors and relatives. Ever since that order was issued, they have been pointed at and cursed whenever they go out, with some people even secretly dumping sewage in front of their doors.

But the higher-ups have given each of them quotas, and failing to meet them means severe consequences. If they don’t comply, they risk fines at best or losing their jobs as constables at worst. With no choice but to make a living and feed their families, they reluctantly carry out the orders, fining every cart and person they come across.