Smuggling

The Wang family mansion on Guyi Street in Tianjin.

"father!"

Fifteen-year-old Wang Chenglin, dressed in military uniform and armor, ran quickly into the courtyard and knelt on one knee before his father, Wang Fusheng.

"My precious son!"

Zhang Kun's uncle, Wang Fusheng, quickly stepped forward, helped his eldest son up, and looked him over with a broad smile:

"Wow, you've grown so tall in just six months! How's your brother...?"

After catching up on their long-awaited reunion, Wang Fusheng asked Wang Chenglin, "Where's your cousin? Is he coming over for lunch?"

"Kun said he'd be over for dinner."

Wang Chenglin brushed the dust off the hem of his armor and whispered to Wang Fusheng, "Brother Kun is out in the city arresting people!"

"Arrest people? Arrest whom?"

"We've seen the list of people smuggling tambak; there are dozens on it!"

"Uncle Fusheng?"

Sun Jing's fourth son, Sun Shouqian, hurried over from the neighboring Sun family mansion, his face full of anxiety, and said urgently:

"Is Commander Zhang here? I... I want to see him."

Behind him, besides several servants of the Sun family, was a beautiful young woman with tears streaming down her face.

"Master Kun is already a commander of a thousand households."

Wang Chenglin's smile vanished, and he adopted an official demeanor towards Sun Shouqian, coldly saying:

"Tell me first, what do you need to see Master Kun for?"

Wang Fusheng did not stop his son, but instead spoke gently to Sun Shouqian on his son's behalf:

"Nephew, my nephew is very busy. Tell me what's going on."

Even if he's too busy to see you, your uncle can still pass on the message for you, right?

"I...I have an uncle I know who was captured by Commander Zhang's soldiers."

Sun Shouqian turned to look at the woman, and stammered to Wang Fusheng and Wang Chenglin:

"We want to ask Commander Zhang...we want to ask Commander Zhang to release that uncle..."

A honey trap, is it?

Just as Wang Chenglin was about to mock Sun Shouqian, Wang Fusheng patted his son on the shoulder and instructed him:

"Cheng Lin, take Shou Qian to see your cousin."

Sun Shouqian, riding a mule, finally managed to catch up with Wang Chenglin, who was on horseback, and arrived at the large training ground near the Sanguan Temple.

Zhang Kun and his party borrowed this place from the Tianjin Governor's Office and camped here for the night.

Upon entering the martial arts hall of the main training ground, dozens of people, all dressed in luxurious clothes, knelt silently in the courtyard.

These are all businessmen involved in the smuggling of Tambaku, and they are major owners or managers.

Matsuura Anshin, who partnered with Zhang Kun in the Tongyang Shipping Company, had been operating in Tianjin for over twenty years and was very well-informed.

Upon learning of smuggling activities in Tianjin, Zhang Kun instructed Matsuura Yasunori not to report it to the authorities, but instead to gather intelligence first.

Now that Zhang Kun is leading a large force south, he can use the intelligence to arrest the smugglers and settle the score!

Sun Shouqian didn't even bother to find his lover's uncle; he just followed Wang Chenglin timidly.

Zhang Kun sat with his legs crossed at the entrance of the main hall, flipping through a book.

Beside him stood a young man who had just turned twenty this year.

Chen Jishi, the younger brother of Chen Jizong, who was the garrison commander of the river engineering camp, is still one of Zhang Kun's attendants.

Upon seeing Wang Chenglin, Chen Jishi nodded to him, his eyes conveying his purpose.

Wang Chenglin turned to look at Sun Shouqian, who froze, not daring to step forward.

The Orthodox Manual of Surgery by the renowned physician Chen Shigong.

The more Zhang Kun read this newly published book, the more astonished he became:

Unexpectedly, this renowned doctor had already invented many surgical instruments that were quite similar to those used in later medical systems.

Examples include copper wire sleeves for removing nasal polyps, thin sutures for anastomosing the trachea, and copper foil tubes for maintaining breathing during the process.

It also emphasizes that all surgical instruments should be treated with boiling water or flame, and wounds should be covered with boiled silk cloth.

They perform many surgeries, such as abscess incision and drainage, emphasizing that the incision must be large enough to drain the pus as quickly as possible.

For example, paracentesis was used to drain fluid from the abdominal cavity, and the prototype of the drainage strip was invented.

For example, in open amputation, emphasis is placed on preserving enough skin flaps to cover the stump and padding it with soft material to prevent pressure injury.

Other procedures include removing foreign objects from the throat, anal reconstruction for impaired anus, and removal of hemorrhoids and fistulas...

Emphasis was placed on removing necrotic tissue and bone, splinting fractures and dislocations, outlining postoperative dietary restrictions and providing psychological support...

That's amazing, really amazing!

Modern medicine is not as backward as Zhang Kun imagined; it has developed many achievements through practice and experience!

"Successor Teacher,"

Zhang Kun called over Chen Jishi, who was standing beside him, and pointed to the surgical righteousness in his hand, saying:

"Do you remember which bookstore I bought this book from? Or which street?"

"Sir, sir,"

A trembling voice came from the courtyard. Zhang Kun turned his head and saw one of the smugglers smiling obsequiously:

"In Tianjin, that book was only sold in small sizes. Do you see the words 'Jishetang' on the cover?"

"You did a great job."

Zhang Kun closed the surgical pamphlet; the cover indeed bore the words "Jishetang." He smiled at the businessman and said:

"This book is incredibly useful; it can save many lives. You should stock up on it and sell it in large quantities!"

"yes!"

The owner of Jishetang nodded repeatedly to Zhang Kun, "I will definitely buy more and sell more!"

"Gentlemen,"

Zhang Kun stood up, placed the surgical justice on his seat, and shouted loudly to the smugglers kneeling in the courtyard:

"I will give you two options. The first option is to pay a fine of ten taels of silver for every pound of smuggled goods!"

The second rule is to pay a fine of five catties of smuggled Tambaku mushrooms!

Reaching out from Xu Xin, he took the roster and continued loudly:

"If you don't have enough money or tampons, you need to get the red deeds for your house, shop, or land."

Or you can offer jewelry, silk, calligraphy, or paintings as collateral. If you have nothing to offer as collateral, then you'll go to jail!

For every hundred taels of silver owed, one month of sitting punishment will be imposed; even if the amount owed is less than one hundred taels, one month of sitting punishment will still be imposed!

The fine in silver has a one-month deadline, and the fine in goods has a one-year deadline! If the fines are not paid in full by the deadline, this official will confiscate the goods you have pledged!

"For every hundred taels of silver owed, the offender will be punished with a year of imprisonment!"

He flipped through the roster, randomly pointed to a name, and loudly commanded, "Lu Jizu of the Tongji Ship? Hands up!"

"The little one is here!"

Upon hearing his name called, Lu Jizu paused for a moment, then quickly raised his hand, his face beaming with a smile.

"My agents have already discovered that your Tongji ship smuggled 742 catties of tampons, let's say 800 catties!"

Zhang Kun pointed to the roster and said sternly to Lu Jizu:

"Do you want a fine of eight thousand taels of silver, or a fine of four thousand catties of goods?!"

"ah!?"

Lu Jizu was startled again, and after realizing what was happening, he hurriedly cried out to Zhang Kun:

"Your Honor, I'm innocent! Please see the truth! I've only been doing this for a few days, and I've only sold a little over 300 jin!"

"Really? I don't believe it!"

Zhang Kun closed the register and sneered at Lu Jizu:

"The Songjiang cloth sold by your Tongji ship owner is one of the best businesses in Tianjin."

With so much capital at their disposal, how could they have only smuggled 300 jin?

Then, looking at the other smugglers kneeling in the courtyard, he shouted:

"Listen up, you all. I will not investigate how much you have smuggled, nor will I investigate it thoroughly."

That would require a lot of manpower, wasting the court's money and resources, and also delaying my work.

Therefore, I will start the fine from 500 catties, and even if it is less than 500 catties, the fine will still be 500 catties!

The longer you stay, the bigger your fortune becomes, and the more I'll calculate for you! And next time you're caught, the fine will start at one thousand catties!