Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 45: I'll Show You the Way

Seeing that Zheng Tu, though feigning composure, had a glint of interest in his eyes, Wang Po chuckled inwardly, "This man is indeed a greenhorn, not one of those cunning and seasoned江湖油子 (jianghu yóu zǐ, a term referring to seasoned and shrewd江湖江湖子, often implying a cunning and shrewd person). This deal seems likely to go through!"

He cleared his throat, adopted a sincere and open demeanor, and said to Zheng Tu in a serious tone:

"Sir, you are from out of town and have no roots here. If you want to settle down and make a living in Qinghe County, there are only two paths: one is to use money to acquire capital and open a shop to do business; the other is to work hard, plowing fields, planting rice seedlings, or working as a waiter or maid."

She paused, sized up Zheng Tu, and continued, "But as you know, doing business involves both profits and losses, and carries considerable risk, requiring capital. Judging from your appearance, sir..."

She glanced at Zheng Tu's waist bag and thought, "He seems to be short of money; this route is probably not a good one."

Zheng Tu remained noncommittal, took a sip of tea, and did not reply.

Granny Wang continued, "The second path, plowing, transplanting rice seedlings, running errands, and doing menial tasks—these are trivial matters. A man of your stature, a man of great stature, wouldn't earn much silver a year if he did those petty jobs. It would be a disgrace to such fine talent! Wouldn't that be like casting pearls before swine, a complete waste?"

At this point, she paused deliberately, picked up the teapot and poured Zheng Tu a cup of tea, remaining silent and only glancing at Zheng Tu to see his reaction.

Wang Po's analysis was quite logical and reasonable.

Zheng Tu, his appetite whetted by Wang Po's cunning, knew she had ulterior motives, but couldn't help asking, "Since you say so, master, you must have some brilliant ideas. If you can offer some guidance, I will certainly repay you handsomely after the matter is settled!"

Seeing that the time was right, Granny Wang's smile deepened, and she said in a gentle tone, "Sir, please don't be impatient. With such excellent material as yours, if I'm going to give you guidance, I'll naturally point you to the right path."

She leaned forward and lowered her voice: "As the old saying goes, a wall without a foundation will surely collapse, and a person without a backer will be unstable. If you want to gain a foothold in Qinghe County, and even live a comfortable life in the future, you will inevitably need to find a solid backer! With a backer, everything will go smoothly and you will have a bright future!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tu frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "This old hag, she's just spouting empty platitudes!"

Before he could speak, Granny Wang seemed to have read his mind and continued, "Sir, please don't find me long-winded. Do you know that there's a very important person in our Qinghe County?"

Zheng Tu's heart skipped a beat; he knew the important part was coming.

He feigned ignorance and shook his head, saying, "I'm new here and don't know anything."

Granny Wang described him vividly: "This Mr. Ximen is a truly dashing and wealthy man! His surname is Ximen, and his given name is Qing. He is about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with a robust appearance and a refined demeanor. His father, Mr. Ximen Da, used to travel to Sichuan and Guangdong to sell medicinal herbs. He owned a large herbal medicine shop with five storefronts in front of our county."

By the time the estate came into his possession, it now housed a grand mansion with five storefronts and seven courtyards, staffed with servants and surrounded by mules and horses—making it one of the wealthiest households in the county! Furthermore, he had connections in the county government, specializing in mediating disputes and settling lawsuits for money, thus earning him the respect of everyone in the county. Because he was the eldest son, everyone respectfully called him "Master Ximen!"

Zheng Tu feigned surprise: "Ah! In that case, he is indeed a remarkable person! Could it be that the master is acquainted with him and could introduce me to him?"

Wang Po shook her head and sighed, "How could an old woman like me, a tea seller, be worthy of the great Master Ximen? But..." She changed the subject, a hint of smugness flashing in her eyes.

"But I have other connections. This Master Ximen has a group of sworn brothers, among whom the closest is named Earl Ying."

Seeing that Zheng Tu was listening intently, she spoke in detail:

"This Earl Ying, courtesy name Guanghou, was originally the second son of the Ying family, who owned a silk shop. Later, the business failed and the family fell into decline. He then frequented the three brothels of his company (note: referring to places such as brothels and gambling dens), acting as a go-between and providing sexual services to people. As a result, he earned the nickname 'Ying the Beggar'."

Although this man was down on his luck, he possessed remarkable skills: he was an excellent balloon kicker, proficient in backgammon and chess, and also quick-witted and perceptive, thus winning the favor of the wealthy Ximen Qing.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tu had a vague idea of ​​what was going on, but he still asked, "This Earl Ying and the master..."

Granny Wang smiled and said, "He often comes to my place for tea, and sometimes he asks me to do some chores. A few days ago, when he came, he told me some news."

Seeing that Wang Po was keeping him in suspense again, Zheng Tu grew impatient.

Unable to resist asking, "Master, you've said so much just now. Do you mean to point out a way out, like introducing me to a job and recommending me to work under that Master Ximen? If it's just being a bodyguard or a hanger-on, what's the difference between that and the second path I mentioned earlier, where you work hard to make a living? It's just being bossed around in a different place."

"Oh dear, what have you been thinking, sir!"

Granny Wang waved her hands repeatedly, a mysterious smile on her face.

"Please don't be impatient, sir. It's not like that at all. If it were just about being an ordinary bodyguard or hanger-on, there are plenty of places out there where I couldn't do it. It's not worth all this trouble and effort from me, and I certainly don't deserve the words 'pointing the way'!"

She looked around and, seeing no one else in the teahouse, lowered her voice and leaned closer to Zheng Tu, saying:

"That Master Ximen is a man who loves excitement and fun. The third day of every month is his gathering with his gang of brothers. On that day, he always sets up two tables of lavish food and drink, invites two young ladies who can sing and play instruments, and enjoys a day of revelry with his brothers. This is the usual routine, but this time is a little different..."

Zheng Tu knew the key moment had arrived, so he listened intently.

Granny Wang continued, "It's because one of his ten brothers, Bu Zhidao, died of a sudden illness a few days ago. Now that his ten brothers are missing one, the number is gone, so naturally Master Ximen is very uneasy."

She paused, lowering her voice even further, almost inaudibly: "And the other day, when that Master Ximen was drinking with Earl Ying, he let slip that he wanted to find a temple, write a formal letter, and become sworn brothers. He said it was so that we could 'support each other and have someone to rely on.'"

"But think about it, sir. You've become sworn brothers with that Master Ximen, and he's always been the one looking after you and helping you. Why should you be the one supporting him? At that time, let alone settling down in Qinghe County, even getting whatever you want will be just a matter of a word from Master Ximen!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tu was filled with turmoil.

Sworn brothers?!

He had previously become sworn brothers with Ximen Qing in a muddle-headed manner, only to end up beheaded. Now that he has been reborn, what will he do?!