Chapter 5: Harming Others Does Not Benefit Oneself

  "The humble subject has seen the great king," Song Jiu, being a scholar, did not need to perform the ritual of kneeling, but facing this infamous and sinister Emperor Taizong of Song in history, he was filled with trepidation and respectfully paid his respects with a deep bow.

  Zhao Kuangyi looked at the platform in puzzlement and asked: "Song Jiu, why did you build it?"

  "I report to Your Majesty, my parents passed away early, and my three sisters married one after another. I am the only one left in the family, and due to studying, I have no time to take care of other things. The life at home is declining day by day. Confucius said that cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world, starting from the small to the big, if one cannot even regulate their own family, how can they govern the country? If I pass the imperial examination in such a way, I will only become an official who is good at reading books. Therefore, I built this tower to lift and move goods with it, and use it to make a living."

  Zhao Kuangyi was overjoyed.

  Song Jiuzhen was defending himself, but it can't be said that he didn't make sense. The imperial examination system was set up to select talents for the country, but some scholars took the exam just for the sake of taking the exam, without regard for their families, studying desperately, not farming or cultivating, and often failing to achieve success, causing their entire family to suffer greatly. This became a serious flaw in the imperial examination system.

  "How does it lift and move goods?"

  "There is still something unfinished; once it's done, Your Majesty will understand."

  Zhao Kuangyi didn't seem to care, but suddenly his face turned stern: "Song Jiu, do you know your crime?"

  Song Jiuzi was somewhat bewildered: "Your Majesty, what crime have your subjects committed and where did it come from?"

  "Isn't the trouble in front of your own door caused by you?"

  "Your Majesty, it's a miscarriage of justice. I saw the people from the Zhu family knock over Old Man Gu's tofu cart. His family is very poor and he just spoke some fair words. The Zhu family, relying on their wealth and power, refused to apologize or compensate for the loss, but instead extorted money from Old Man Gu. When the neighbors tried to reason with them, they started beating people up, which led to the dispute and pushing. I have nothing to do with it."

  Would rather die than admit it.

  But Song Jiu was not convinced in his heart, the capital also has counties, northwest is Xuanji, southeast is Kaifeng, generally major cases or those involving powerful people would be handed over to the Kaifeng Prefecture, such as the group fight of the laborers from the two rivers, Zhao Kuangyi wouldn't come down personally either, but would have the suspects arrested and taken to the Kaifeng Prefecture for interrogation and handling.

  Is it worth your while to personally take action for such a trivial matter like the Jiuxi Alley incident? This isn't about using an ox knife to kill a chicken, but rather using Guan Yu's Green Dragon Crescent Blade to behead a chicken.

  Zhao Kuangyi stared coldly at the small crossbow at Song Jiu's waist.

  "Don't cheat the poor young man, the official was delighted to hear that. A gentleman loves wealth, but gets it in a proper way; a gentleman makes his ambitions known, but gets them with virtue; a gentleman seeks knowledge, but gets it with diligence. The official dislikes dishonest children."

  The whole thing can be said to be a coincidence.

  The Zhu family was at fault in the first place, and they had cheated people too much. Song Jiuren could not bear it any longer, so he climbed up to the big pagoda tree on the west side of the Zhu's courtyard and hid among the branches, using his slingshot to shoot at Third Uncle Zhu. He did not expect what happened next - unintentionally startling the horse under Third Uncle Zhu. Just then, Old Han was pushing his tofu cart out, and the horse collided with the silk fabric on the carrying pole, causing a whole basket of beautiful silk fabrics to be splattered with tofu. The Zhu family grabbed hold of Old Han and demanded compensation. Song Jiuren came out and intentionally stirred up trouble, leading to a group fight that resulted in more than half of the Zhu family's betrothal gifts being ruined.

  Apart from Song Jiu, others found it hard to restore the real truth.

  However, clever people can still find clues, and this slightly short and chubby young man is one of them.

  Song Jiu was speechless again, what a big deal, how did he attract this great god?

  He wasn't afraid, everything has to be based on evidence, there were many people at the scene, even if Song Ci came, he could find some suspicious points, but most likely couldn't find any definitive evidence. He let out a hearty laugh and said: "Your Majesty, this morning I was at home preparing to shoot a few birds, planning to stir-fry them for dinner, didn't expect the Zhu family's people to come to my door causing trouble, not only did they intentionally take the betrothal gifts through the bitter well alley, lingering in front of my house for two or three tea times, if it weren't for the old man Gu's matter, they would have stayed for another hour before leaving. Your Majesty, what the common people say is true."

  "You're just a mixed-up bird!"

  Song Jiu replied too cunningly, not mentioning whether he used a slingshot to hit people or horses, but only talking about the mistakes of the Zhu family. He said that even if he did use a slingshot to hit someone, it was still the fault of the Zhu family. Zhao Kuangyi couldn't help but curse loudly.

  Song Jiuyi did not dare to make a sound, and could only nod repeatedly.

  Zhao Kuangyi looked at the Zhu family members who had followed him and said, "Song Jiu, this official sentences you to compensate the Zhu family for 100 taels of silver in losses, and also compensate Old Man Gu for 20 taels of silver in losses. The two of you should disperse from here and not cause any more trouble. Otherwise, this official will have you both dragged to the Kaifeng Prefecture to await punishment with a large stick!"

  Zhu's family was shocked, this disturbance has caused losses of no less than 100,000 yuan, and even 500,000 yuan. Zhu Dalang knelt on the ground and said: "Your Majesty, my family's dowry is worth tens of thousands of yuan."

  "Tens of thousands of taels of silver are also what you brought upon yourself. This official asks you, your family's betrothal gifts, why were they sent to Kuaijing Alley?"

  Song Jiu is what kind of person, as soon as he heard it, he rubbed his nose and face, then bowed again: "Your Majesty, the people are not convinced, besides, my father has been dead for many years, our family is extremely poor, where can we get 120 yuan to pay compensation?"

  "It doesn't matter if you can't afford it, I'll send someone to pawn your house to compensate. Zhao Kuangyi stared at the slingshot on Song Jiu's waist again."

  Staring at Song Jiuyi made his hair stand on end.

  Zhao Kuangyi handled it this way, which can be said to be the most wise handling. Civil disputes can only be made smaller and smaller. Both parties were punished with 50 big boards, dissolving the dispute, and that's it. Otherwise, what else could be done?

  In Kaifeng, Zhao Kuangyin is Heaven and Zhao Kuangyi is Earth.

  The two stared at each other, neither daring to make a sound.

  Zhao Kuangyi looked at this platform again, and didn't know what it had to do with transporting goods. After looking for a while, he still didn't understand, so he gloomily went back.

  The two families were more depressed than him, one hundred yuan was not a small number for Song Jiu, he had prepared one hundred yuan, this high platform was built to death, and the actual cost did not exceed eighty yuan.

  The price of this tone is too high, Song Jiu was suffocated to death. Seventh brother-in-law came over and asked: "Xiao Jiu, what's going on?"

  "Don't mention it, don't mention it."

  Zhu Jia and Liu Jia's engagement ceremony was disrupted by Xiao Liulang, who suddenly rushed over, grabbed Song Jiu's clothes, and menacingly said: "Hand over the 100 taels of silver."

  Song Jiuxian was a rascal in his past life, and this life he got lucky with a good body, big and strong. With just one push, he sent Zhu Qilang flying onto his back, flat on the ground. Song Jiuxian had a belly full of anger with nowhere to vent it, so he stood over Zhu Qilang, looking down at him and said: "Yes, the magistrate did sentence me to pay your family 100 taels of silver, but when did he say I have to pay? This year? Next year? Or in 100 years?"

  Kui Alley followed the common people who had come over and collapsed. This can still be done a hundred years later, but then to whom should it be asked?

  Song Jiu said again: "Xiao Qi, remember this, whoever owes money is a big brother, and I am your big brother."

  These are just words to vent anger, can't you really not compensate? It should be said that Zhao Kuangyi gave himself face today, otherwise, if he continued to pursue it, he would have to bear even greater responsibility. He was secretly worried, no wonder even Zhao Kuangyin could be killed by the master, and it's not easy to deceive him.

  Still owing 120 taels of debt, Song Jiu's mood was terrible and he didn't care about the people from Zhu's family anymore. He continued working in despair.

  Under his guidance, Li Tiejiang brought his apprentices to cast another layer of pig iron on the flat surface of the high platform, in a wavy shape. It had to be made of iron to make it wear-resistant, but it also had to maintain its wavy shape to reduce friction. After casting this layer of pig iron, Song Jiu bought a thick wooden stick and drilled a hole in the middle position that matched the size of the iron axle. The entire wooden stick, including this hole, was wrapped with a layer of pig iron to make it strong. What's left is to take the wooden stick back home, keep it secret and mysterious forever, once opened, it would be just that.

  At this time, a group of uncles and aunts from Kuji Alley came over with laughter. The injured party didn't take it seriously, just some pushing and shoving, in this poor place by the river, no one had ever quarreled or fought before. This little pushing and shoving was nothing, anyway they didn't have to spend a single penny. On the contrary, today's big destruction greatly satisfied their resentment towards the rich. But the more excited they were, the more depressed Song Jiu became, as for Zhu's family, they had long since fled in a hurry. Fortunately, they escaped quickly, those who left before them, and Big Sister arrived after hearing the news, rushing to Kaifeng Prefecture, refusing to give up, so many people fought, my brother spoke fairly, what was wrong? How was this case judged?!

  Let Song Jiuyi hold on to it, this Song Taizong must not be provoked, if he is annoyed, let himself compensate for all the losses of the Zhu family, and then he will be miserable. Said: "Sister, don't worry, it's made well, one hundred or so taels of silver can be earned quickly."

  "Is this thing?"

  Yes.

  "You've gone mad!" her elder sister said angrily.

  She looked at Qi Ye and blamed him: "He's crazy, you're all grown-ups, but you're also going crazy with him."

  One is a highly respected big aunt, the other is the only precious big uncle, Seventh Brother-in-law is an honest man, neither of them dares to offend, can only nod.

  "Don't worry, big sister," Song Jiu said, and let Qi Ge, Zhang Si Lang, He Er Lang and several others work together to carry the heavy wooden beam wrapped in iron back home. It was really heavy, six or seven people working together to carry it, and they still had to shout slogans.

  The elder sister sighed and said, "I don't care about you guys anymore."

  He wanted to leave, but turned back and said: "Jiuer, you go to my house immediately, I'll lend you 120 taels of silver."

  "Big sister, no need, with this, the money will come quickly," Song Jiu patted the big wooden beam and said. Seventh Brother-in-law and the others were carrying it with sweat dripping down like rain, but he was strolling behind them with his hands behind his back.

  This sum of money can be taken out by Elder Sister's family, but it is not a small number. After taking it out and adding the 100 yuan from before, Elder Brother-in-law will definitely not be happy.

  "Hu Lao Da shouted from behind: 'Xiao Jiu, you just wait and see yourself being paraded through the streets with a sign of shame!'"

  He didn't dare say it in front of his elder sister, firstly because she was the boss's wife and a straightforward person who spoke her mind, secondly because she was respected by everyone on the street for being kind to those above and below her, and even Hu Lao Da had some fear of her.

  "What did he say about writing characters on the street?"

  "Sister, don't interfere," Song Jiu turned his head to say to Hu Lao Da: "Hu Xing Tou, it's not me who wants to write characters and parade through the streets, but you who want to prepare to sing songs."

  The elder sister still didn't know about the bet, so she asked Seventh Brother-in-law. Seventh Brother-in-law didn't dare to hide it and answered truthfully. The elder sister then angrily pinched Song Jiu's ear: "You're getting more and more out of line, actually daring to make a bet using Father!"

  Song Jiu was dizzy, he had some feelings with several sisters, as for his parents underground, what did they have to do with him?

  But this gamble attracted the attention of many people, including some big shots hiding in the dark. Ordinary cargo was unloaded from the ship and carried by laborers on their shoulders, with poles, or on their backs. Some special goods would also be assisted by mechanical tools to pry, pull, and drag. However, Zhao Kuangyin still didn't understand what the connection was between building a high platform and unloading goods.