The Tides Turn

Few young women would have been able to remain strong in the face of both a barrage of lewd and discriminatory words as well as the lecherous looks on so many men’s faces all at once.

But Song Caitang was no ordinary young lady.

Not only was she unafraid, but she even smiled. Her lips were slightly upturned and her eyes gleamed intelligently. It was as though she wasn’t facing a terrifying horde of monsters, but a bunch of overaged, disobedient children.

She walked toward the clerk first.

“So, within the Justice Department, all matters big and small, who gets which job, who gets which case, who can take charge, who is up to standard and who’s not, is not up to the court officials but a clerk in charge of watching the entrance?”

The clerk gasped and his eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. “What does a woman like you even kn—”

Before he could get the word “know” out, Song Caitang went on.

“I remember that there’s a law here that says that for anybody who goes around spreading rumors or slandering others, bullying other people or basically doing anything that could significantly influence others, the punishment is to get hit by the court official in minor cases, but in major cases, you could get sent to…” Song Caitang smiled at the clerk. “Would you prefer to get hit? Or do you prefer getting sent to some strange, freezing place to restart your career?”

“Oh, wait, that’s not right. You crossed the line and even made judgment on behalf of the higher ups. Saying that you’re merely spreading rumors is not enough for you, I’m afraid.”

After she said those words, not only was the clerk feeling too guilty to speak, but the entire crowd fell silent and didn’t dare to shout anymore. They definitely didn’t dare to say all those discriminatory or lewd things anymore.

“Why is everyone suddenly so quiet?” Song Caitang scanned the crowd and said in an even more stern voice, “So, it’s really a double standard we have when it comes to the government officials versus the people? It’s fine to punish the common people if they break the law, but the clerk gets away with it because he works for the government? Nobody’s going to speak out against him?”

Everyone gasped in unison.

This woman was really something! She wasn’t afraid of trouble and even dared to fight back. And she wasn’t satisfied with just giving the clerk a piece of her mind, but she was also pushing the rest to go against the clerk as well!

If they spoke out against him, that would be practicing double standards too, since they had just done the same thing. But if they didn’t, then… The clerk had indeed gone too far, after all. Everyone else had only dared to make a small commotion, but the clerk had been very bold by making things difficult and goading others to bully a young woman… That did sound like the clerk had gone too far.

“I’m just a young woman from the village who doesn’t know much, but there’s one thing I know. In Bianliang, the capital city of this country, the footstool of the emperor, the people are orderly, kind and have a strong sense of morals and justice.”

Song Caitang remained standing where she was and raised her head slightly as she spoke calmly, but her gaze burned intensely. “Evil people are spotted easily, wicked deeds cannot be hidden in Bianliang. All of you are supposed to be brave, upright, good men. Or… am I wrong?”

The crowd of men were all lowly commoners living in the city who were hardly complimented like this. A righteous fervor started burning in their hearts and they were on the verge of polishing their fists to prove to this pretty, young woman that they were the kind of men she thought they were!

The clerk instantly panicked and took two steps back as he waved his hands about, then pointed at Song Caitang, “Gentlemen! Look carefully! She’s a woman! Are all of you going to actually listen to a woman’s words and allow her to control you like that?!”

Everyone instantly froze.

Song Caitang raised an eyebrow. “Are women not fellow citizens of this country? Aren’t we the fairer race that you men promised loudly and confidently to protect? So, you’re fine with mocking women but when it’s time to actually protect them, you get scared and back down? That’s a real eye opener – I thought the men of Bianliang had more class than that.”

One ought to have fair standards!

Song Caitang had transmigrated to a society where everything was unfair and she was unable to change the way society was, she knew how to attack another person.

Using their own sword against their own shield was a sure way to win a fight.

And just as she expected, the men felt even more ashamed.

Blowing their own trumpet from time to time was a hobby that many men enjoyed, but most of them could not stand bullying someone weaker.

They had mocked Song Caitang only because they felt that they ought to shame her for doing something as inappropriate as revealing her face along the streets in broad daylight. But they didn’t mean to actually bully her or do anything untoward to her.

They were just rough men who did not realize that their actions were actually equivalent to ganging up against another weaker person. Song Caitang did not accuse them directly and only accused the clerk of being a bully who abused his position of power. But when they thought about it more carefully now, they realized that they were all stupid people!

The clerk had made use of them and they had allowed him to do that!

If they didn’t stand up for the young woman, then they weren’t worthy to be called a kind and upright man of Bianliang who stood up against immoral acts and injustice!

They immediately started marching toward the clerk.

Song Caitang’s lips curled upward a little more as she said in a clear voice, “A clerk like you doesn’t get any say in the matters of the Justice Department. If you have issues with me, get the court official in charge to speak to me.”

Things got a little violent after that. Song Caitang didn’t need to say anything and the men around him immediately started beating the clerk up.

Song Caitang was satisfied with that and turned around. She finally had the time to deal with the beady eyed man.

The beady eyed man saw the smile on her face and couldn’t help but feel his throat tighten as he took two steps backward.

“Forcing someone to repay a favor is a pretty sweet deal, but if you only have big eyes and a small stomach, then your stomach might burst and you could die if you ate too much. That’s not worth it.” Song Caitang turned slightly to make her skirt ripple. “Would you like to think about this a little more carefully?”

She had learned this action from Guan Qing. It was a way to show how confident she was.

She was proving to be of a higher social standing than the other person, so even if her clothing did not look expensive, she wasn’t from the lower rungs of society. As long as the other person was not stupid, he would definitely reconsider whether he could really afford to go against her or not.

“I, Song Caitang, have never treated anybody who has been genuinely kind to me badly.”

She said these words slowly, making sure he heard what she was implying.

And she was very sure he understood what she was driving at.

The beady eyed man’s eyes shifted wildly and he started stammering, “I, W-wang Liu, will not fall for your tricks!”

Song Caitang lowered her gaze slightly.

So, this man’s name was Wang Liu, and he wasn’t willing to change his stance to butter her up instead.

Why?

Wasn’t he someone who would do anything for money?

“You should think about it.”

Before Song Caitang was done, someone stopped the men from continuing to beat up the clerk.

“What are all of you doing! All of you tired of living or something?” The man’s voice was stern and filled with the authority of an official. “I’ll see who dares to make trouble in front of the Justice Department!”

The men were pretty much done with the clerk, so they quickly moved aside when they were yelled at.

The clerk stood up with great effort. He wasn’t really badly hurt, just that his hair and clothes were a complete mess and there was dirt and bruises on his face. But he hadn’t lost a drop of blood.

The men had made sure they didn’t end up killing the guy.

But the clerk felt that this whole matter was ridiculous and he had been badly humiliated. He pointed a trembling finger at Song Caitang and gnashed his teeth, “Mr. Zuo! Look, it’s this woman! She’s creating all the trouble! She’s ignoring the authority of the Justice Department and dreams of interfering with the investigation of a murder case! You’re the vice-commissioner of the Census Bureau, so you’re someone of high standing who wields great power in the land – you can’t allow her to just do whatever she wants like that!”

The vice-commissioner of the Census Bureau? Mr. Zuo?

Song Caitang quickly realized that this man must be Zuo Xiuwen, the court official who had also been at the scene of the crime.

Besides him, his wife and daughter had been at the temple at that time too.

Zuo Xiuwen was dressed in official robes. He had an air of authority around him and his gaze was sharp as he glared fiercely at Song Caitang. “Young lady, this is not a place for you to have fun.”

Meanwhile, the anxious and impatient young woman in the Zuos’ carriage pointed at the window. “Mother, look! It’s Father!”

The older woman took a glance out and lowered her gaze. “Shanshan, behave yourself.”

Song Caitang quickly took notes on Zuo Xiuwen.

His brows were thick, his eyes were large, he kept a beard and looked like a person in authority. But perhaps he was a little too imposing, so he resembled a domineering gangster of sorts. That contradicted the image of the scholarly court official.

This man clearly despised her and was trying to push her into a corner.

It was good timing. She thought that she wouldn’t have a chance. But since a high ranking official had come to interfere with this matter, perhaps she could inch her way into the case.

She paused to think, then smiled confidently, “Ah, it’s you, Mr. Zuo.”

She purposely paused right there and threw him a meaningful glance.

Zuo Xiuwen couldn’t help but frown at the insinuating way she had just spoken to him. “You know me?”

It wasn’t strange for anyone here to know who he was, but what he found strange was the way she was staring at him. It was as though she knew a secret about him.

Song Caitang continued smiling. “In the 18th year of independence, a flood hit the state of Qingze. A storehouse guard with the surname Guo lost his life protecting the supplies. You gave the man a posthumous honor and status, plus compensated his family. That good deed helped your career greatly and you continued rising the ranks after that. Mr. Zuo is a man with great capabilities and good luck. Of course I would know you.”

When Old Madam Li had mentioned Zuo Xiuwen, Song Caitang had asked a few questions about him, in case he might have anything to do with this murder case. Old Madam Li was familiar with Bianliang and all its officials over the years, so even if she didn’t know them personally, she knew a thing or two about their history. Old Madam Li had told Song Caitang in detail about Zuo Xiuwen’s journey to becoming such a high ranking official.

And by coincidence, the Guans’ biggest business was the grain business. Qingze was close to Luanze, and when Guan Qing was done with business for the day, she would sometimes tell Guan Wan and Song Caitang about things that happened in the past to teach them about the real world.

Zuo Xiuwen’s department oversaw food supplies, and Song Caitang knew that such a thing happened in this year and in this place. His career had suddenly taken a turn for the better at this point and he rose very quickly.

The main point and direction of Old Madam Li and Guan Qing’s recounting was different, but they were connected. Song Caitang was no mind reader and she couldn’t have known the truth behind this matter based on so little information, but she felt that there must be something fishy about this incident, so she used it to test Zuo Xiuwen.

And the results proved that she had made the right bet.

Zuo Xiuwen suddenly stiffened up and his glare grew more frosty. It wasn’t easy to see that he was more nervous, but it was enough for Song Caitang.

She breathed a sigh of relief inside.

This man had a guilty conscience. And it was easier to get things done if he had one.

His heart pounded loudly and while he didn’t dare to show any of his nervousness on his face, he started staring at Song Caitang quizzically. Where did this woman come from and how did she know about this matter?

Had she been… watching him for a long time?

Was she trying to blackmail him or something?

Anyone who could make it this far as a court official couldn’t possibly have absolutely no shit on their pants. He was instantly on high alert and narrowed his eyes. “You…”

Song Caitang was confident, so she smiled brightly at him and said, “Regardless of whether I can become part of the investigation or whether I’m good enough to do the job, a clerk at the door can’t possibly make any decision on that. Mr. Zuo, you’re not in charge of this place either, so you can’t make any decision on this either, correct?”

Zuo Xiuwen’s forehead began to glisten with perspiration.

Both his instinct and his rationality were telling him that he must not continue engaging with her.

Everyone watching was surprised. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

They started staring at Song Caitang with great admiration.

This was when Zhao Zhi arrived.

He had a horse whip in his hand and walked as he said in a sarcastic voice, “The sun’s high in the sky, but instead of doing honest work, you’re focused on jamming up the roads and disturbing the people? Why, are you tired of peaceful days? Or you’re afraid you have nothing to boast about if you don’t visit the jail at least once? Men! Invite all these men back to the jail for two days of fun!”

Well-disciplined soldiers instantly arrived to arrest the crowd.

Of course, the men didn’t dare to fight back or stick around. They didn’t want to die. They immediately scattered like frightened bids.

This time, they had really run for it, not like how they had just moved aside when Zuo Xiuwen yelled at them. Earlier on, they still wanted to stick around to watch the show. But now, they were really scared and had run out of sight. The road was no longer blocked.

The horse carriages could start moving again.

The carriage with the mark of the Ping Consort did not move forward, however. It even parked itself to one side so that all the carriages behind it could move along.

Inside, the young woman’s voice was as gentle as the rain in spring, “Aunt, Zhi-gege has come.”

The older woman glanced out of the window and stared a little harder when she saw Zhao Zhi’s tall figure, but did not say anything and just nodded.

After a long time, she finally frowned and said, “Xiaoxue, go out and take a look. If your cousin goes too far, do something to stop him.”

The young woman bowed, revealing her high and pretty neck. “Alright.”

Zhao Zhi only stopped when he got to Zuo Xiuwen. “What do you think, Mr. Zuo?”

Zuo Xiuwen didn’t know what he was talking about and just stared back blankly.

Zhao Zhi pointed at Song Caitang with a twinkle in his eye, his voice insinuating, “About what Miss Song said.”