Chapter Nine: How to Deal with Medical Disturbances

As Wang Zhifa had predicted, just after Zhao Dezhao had seen off his drunken uncle, the five temporary helpers who had worked for him in Pig Slaughter Alley came scrambling before him, bowing and swearing their loyalty, eager to serve him faithfully.

Zhao Dezhao, who was in need of such allies, was naturally pleased. Besides promising not to mistreat these five men, he allowed them to resign their posts and take up residence in his mansion as attendants, thus becoming his personal retinue.

The next morning, after attending a session at the Censorate, Zhao Dezhao found an excuse to leave and, accompanied by Wang Zhifa and the five new followers, made his way through the alleys to Lihong Lane, where the Brocade Institute was located.

Remarkably, these former helpers showed a knack for scoundrel work. Although none had ever been to the Brocade Institute before, a man named Ma Laifu, who led the way, had already inquired about the institute’s exact location and guided Zhao Dezhao directly to its gate.

To Zhao Dezhao’s surprise, the Brocade Institute was in chaos. The courtyard was filled with shouting and uproar as a large group of weavers and craftsmen gathered, venting their frustrations loudly. The institute’s watchmen stood tense and armed, wary of any outbreak of violence.

Amid the turmoil, a man who appeared to be an official was shouting at the top of his lungs, trying to persuade the workers to return to their duties, but to no avail—the crowd remained agitated, on the brink of rebellion.

Curious, Zhao Dezhao asked the gatekeeper, “What’s going on here? What are these weavers protesting?”

“Who are you?” the gatekeeper countered.

“I am a supervising censor from the Censorate.”

Zhao Dezhao did not reveal his true identity immediately, only stating his current official post. Hearing this, the gatekeeper’s face brightened. He hurried inside, shouting to the official trying to calm the crowd: “Director Dai, Director Dai, the supervising censor from the Censorate is here! The supervising censor is here!”

The man, addressed as Director Dai, was visibly relieved and shouted to the workers, “Weavers, please remain calm! The supervising censor from the Censorate has arrived! He is here to investigate official misconduct on behalf of the court. If you have grievances, tell him directly!”

He then stepped forward with great respect and bowed deeply to Zhao Dezhao. “I am Dai Chun, director of the Brocade Institute. Your timely arrival has saved us—if you had come any later, I might have lost control of the situation.”

“What does this mean?” Zhao Dezhao asked, puzzled by the sudden uproar.

The workers surged forward like a tide, shouting all at once, “Official, you’ve finally come! Please seek justice for us. That deputy director is a scoundrel—he treats us weavers like dirt!”

Seeing this, Zhao Dezhao had no choice but to raise his voice decisively: “Quiet! Quiet, all of you! If you want me to seek justice for you, then quiet down at once!”

His command worked swiftly. Gradually, the noisy crowd calmed. Zhao Dezhao then gestured to an older weaver and asked, “Tell me, why are you causing this disturbance?”

“Official, we didn’t mean to cause trouble!” the graying weaver protested. “But that deputy director is cruel. Just two days ago, he had five of our weavers beaten, and now he intends to strike all the weavers in the same workshop. We can’t endure such abuse anymore, so we ask for your help to seek justice.”

“Assaulting weavers at will?” Zhao Dezhao’s heart sank with foreboding, recalling his uncle’s introduction the day before. He turned to Director Dai: “Dai, which deputy director are they accusing?”

“Who else but Deputy Director Liang Zhouhan?” Dai replied grimly. “This morning, drunk as ever on duty, he heard that one workshop hadn’t delivered its silk on time and immediately ordered the guards to beat the workers. That’s why they’re in this state.” (Historically, this incident even alarmed Emperor Zhao Kuangyin.)

Frowning, Zhao Dezhao’s experience in hospital logistics and handling medical disputes in the twenty-first century gave him some insight. After a brief thought, he said loudly, “Weavers, don’t be anxious or fearful. I promise you will have justice. But please wait here while I speak with Deputy Director Liang to understand the situation fully before giving you an answer.”

Thanks to the early Song dynasty’s court credibility, the still unbroken workers agreed to wait, and Zhao Dezhao asked Director Dai to lead him to confront the instigator, Liang Zhouhan.

At Liang’s office, the moment Zhao Dezhao entered, he was hit by a strong smell of alcohol. A disheveled man in his thirties leaned against the desk, holding a wine jug, swaying and crooning bawdy tavern songs. Zhao Dezhao instantly recognized him as the infamous Liang Zhouhan, who had narrowly missed becoming the emperor’s secretary.

Director Dai, clearly harboring great resentment, was enraged to see Liang drinking on duty and shouted, “Liang Zhouhan, you have some nerve! Drinking alcohol in your office while on duty?”

Ignoring him, Liang took another swig. Dai’s fury grew, and he shouted, “Don’t think you have protection in the court! This is the supervising censor from the Censorate. You’re about to be impeached!”

“Hah,” Liang laughed, squinting drunkenly at Zhao Dezhao. “Such a young censor, so ambitious—envy-worthy indeed! But be careful not to misstep, or you’ll be lost forever.”

“Hey!” Dai was about to explode, but Zhao Dezhao stopped him gently. “Director Dai, please step outside. I have some things to discuss privately with Director Liang.”

Understanding the censor’s authority, Dai grudgingly left, leaving Zhao Dezhao alone with the drunken Liang.

Liang, unafraid, smiled and said, “Supervising censor, are you here to file a complaint against me? If so, don’t hesitate—go ahead! If you need evidence, just ask. I’ll answer anything.”

Calmly sitting opposite Liang, Zhao Dezhao smiled and said, “Cutting water with a knife only makes it flow faster; drowning sorrow in wine only deepens it. The poet Li Bai said centuries ago that trying to drown your sorrows in drink is futile. Brother Yuanbao, you are a man of great talent—why waste it in such useless ways?”

Surprise flickered across Liang’s face. He squinted harder, recognizing something familiar, then asked, “Who are you? Do we know each other?”

“I hear you’re only in your thirties, half the age of the seventy-year-old sage Jiang Ziya who still fishes by the Wei River,” Zhao Dezhao said slowly. “That old man, even at seventy, harbored grand ambitions and helped the Zhou king achieve greatness. Why, then, have you, a mere thirty-something, given up on yourself and wasted your talents?”

Looking Zhao Dezhao over more carefully, Liang suddenly remembered something and asked, “Who is the current ruler to you?”

“He is my father,” Zhao Dezhao answered plainly. “I am Zhao Dezhao, his eldest legitimate son, currently serving as supervising censor.”

Liang showed no great surprise, just straightened up and asked, “Your Highness, what brings you here?”

“To visit a worthy talent,” Zhao Dezhao responded directly. “I have just taken office and lack advisors. I’ve heard of your great abilities to manage the state and wish to invite you to join my staff to help me accomplish something significant.”

Liang, still drunk, smiled faintly. “Your Highness, you jest. I am but a humble man, unworthy to serve in your court.”

“Is that a lie or sarcasm?” Zhao Dezhao smiled. “You actually look down on me. My current rank is not enough to attract a talent like you. To have you serve me, at least my father, the emperor, or my royal uncle would have to summon you.”

Liang smiled arrogantly but said nothing. Zhao Dezhao continued, “But have you considered that if you were to take a different path now, rise up to assist me, your name would be recorded alongside the greats in history?”

He paused, then added, “Jiang Ziya, of course, Zhang Liang and Chen Ping who restored the Han, Zhuge Liang of the late Han, Yin Yi of the Shang, and perhaps Xiao He—beyond them, who else? Even the likes of Fang Mou and Du Duan don’t compare. They are far beneath them.”

Liang pondered and realized the truth in Zhao Dezhao’s words. Though his current status was low, the potential was limitless. If he aligned himself correctly, he could leave a lasting mark in history. This thought stirred something in the once despondent Liang, slowly rekindling his ambition.

Seeing Liang’s contemplative expression, Zhao Dezhao pressed on: “Brother Yuanbao, a true man should persevere and seek eternal fame, not give in to despair. As the saying goes, when heaven is about to confer a great responsibility, it first tests a man’s strength and patience. Your past hardships may well be such a trial. One thought can lead to enlightenment or ruin. Choose wisely.”

After this counsel, Zhao Dezhao stood. “I will handle the disturbance outside for you. If you still harbor ambition and refuse to sink into ruin, come to Jingming Lane tomorrow. I promise you another chance at the opportunities you missed.”

With that, Zhao Dezhao left the office, leaving Liang staring blankly at the wine jug, motionless for a long while.

The matter was far from over. Upon returning to the Brocade Institute courtyard, the workers immediately surrounded Zhao Dezhao, demanding a response. He had prepared for this and declared loudly, “Rest assured, I have spoken with Deputy Director Liang. By the end of today, he will compensate each injured weaver with one hundred strings of coins for medicine! In exchange, you must forgive him.”

“One hundred strings?!” The crowd erupted in disbelief, some shouting, “Official, are you joking? One hundred strings for each injured weaver? Really?”

“Not a joke!” Zhao Dezhao, experienced with such disputes, replied firmly. “If Deputy Director Liang does not pay by today, I will cover the cost myself tomorrow.”

“Really? Official, will you keep that promise?”

The workers were incredulous. Zhao Dezhao turned to Wang Zhifa and commanded, “Zhifa, tell them who I am!”

“Are you blind?” Wang Zhifa shouted. “Look carefully! This is the crown prince, the eldest son of the emperor! If he says it, it’s a solemn promise!”

Proudly, Wang Zhifa even pulled down his trousers publicly, lifted his shirt, and spread his legs, boasting, “This palace eunuch serves in the imperial household! Who else but royalty could have us eunuchs attend to them?”

As Wang Zhifa’s display inspired awe, the workers clamored eagerly, “One hundred strings for medicine? Even if they broke my legs, I’d be willing! This time, Zhang Xiaoyi and the others must buy us drinks. Without our complaint, how else could they have gotten such compensation?”

“One hundred strings! Why didn’t the deputy director hit me? That’s a hundred thousand coins! Breaking two legs would be worth it!”

Thanks to the lure of money, Zhao Dezhao easily calmed the unrest among the Brocade Institute workers. Yet, back at home, he could not help but fret, thinking, “If this fails, I’m in trouble. Compensating a dozen injured weavers over a thousand strings is no small sum.”

Fortunately, the next morning, while Zhao Dezhao still slept, Wang Zhifa shook him awake urgently: “Your Highness, Liang Zhouhan, that Liang Zhouhan from yesterday, has come! He wants to see you immediately!”

Without a word, Zhao Dezhao jumped out of bed and rushed barefoot to his front gate, where a neatly dressed Liang Zhouhan was waiting. Upon meeting, Liang bowed and said, “Your Highness, I have already paid the weavers’ medicine fees out of my own pocket. I also reported falsely to the Brocade Institute. I have plenty of free time now. If Your Highness requires anything, I will serve you faithfully, through fire and water.”

Grasping Liang’s hands, Zhao Dezhao said solemnly, “Thank you, Brother Yuanbao. You treat me as a statesman, and I shall repay you in kind.”

A voiceover softly intoned: On March 29, the first year of the Kai Bao era of the Song dynasty, the scheming Crown Prince Zhao Dezhao and the notorious villain Liang Zhouhan found common cause and became close allies, beginning their nefarious collusion...