In the county government office, Su Vice Magistrate and the others were anxiously waiting. Seeing Young Master Dou and his companions arrive, they immediately stood up: "Young Master Dou, you’ve finally come! Made us wait."

Turning to Gu Jin’an: "First Place Gu, you’ve worked hard. The Lord Magistrate is gratified upon learning of your deeds. If only all scholars were like you, Great Chu would be at ease."

Gu Jin’an respectfully saluted Su Vice Magistrate, bowing his head: "I merely assist the bank in accounting, dare not to take credit. The greatest contributor is Young Master Dou. Moreover, this task could only be accomplished thanks to the esteemed gentlemen in the prefecture and county. Without their support, we students would have been wiped out."

Young Master Dou twitched his face upon hearing this. Gu Jin’an, are you possessed? Is this really you? Where did your cold pride go? Seems you can act well indeed. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Su Vice Magistrate, adept at acting too, laughed: "Oh, we merely provide some protection, nothing more, First Place Gu is too modest."

Young Master Dou: "..."

Just knowing you’ve done nothing is good enough, so have some shame, and don’t propose excessive demands, or I’ll explode in front of you!

Gu Jin’an understood Su Vice Magistrate’s intention in praising him, without needing his signal, he said to Young Master Dou: "Brother Dou, Lord Su has traveled arduously. We should quickly proceed inside, see how we can assist Lord Su."

"Assist" - a well-chosen word, making Su Vice Magistrate pleased.

Young Master Dou was very upset, glaring at Gu Jin’an, but he knew this trip was unavoidable. To gain the most advantage, he lamented upon entering the room, then delivered a blow to Su Vice Magistrate: "Lord Su, do you know we’re running out of silver, here to deliver us some?"

Su Vice Magistrate was confused: "What, no silver left?"

Came to ask you for silver, not to deliver you money!

Young Master Dou nodded: "Yes, almost depleted. Farmers from nearby counties came borrowing, garrison soldiers sent money home, the bank silver flows out in waves, nearing exhaustion."

Su Vice Magistrate, not as experienced as Magistrate Gu, heard Young Master Dou mention the soldiers, and previously aware of Liu Chief Commander’s sedition with nearly a hundred soldiers fleeing, dared not act anymore, pleading: "Young Master Dou, He’an Prefecture must stay calm, if chaos ensues, we’re all doomed... about silver don’t worry, Lord Magistrate has summoned merchants in the prefecture, they will contribute funds."

Young Master Dou asked: "Only merchants? What about noble families and local aristocrats? They are the ones wealthy and influential, capable of altering the bank’s essence."

Then said: "They already sent silver wanting shares in the bank, but demands were excessive, I refused. They won’t let it go, will try again, even establishing their own bank. Then they’ll raise interest, lending lavishly to farmers, seizing their properties as debt repayment."

Young Master Dou looked at Su Vice Magistrate, coldly smiled: "Lord Su knows fully well, if lands fall to them, the government collects less grain tax, people sell themselves, even head tax can’t be collected. By then Great Chu grows impoverished...."

Young Master Dou didn’t finish but grinned, chilling Su Vice Magistrate.

"I’ll report to the Lord Magistrate, surely he suppresses them." Su Vice Magistrate weakly said.

"Keep dreaming, scared of a Magistrate?" Young Master Dou retorted unkindly, then frustratedly slapped his forehead.

The hell with it, said no bank, no help, failing to pay tax means beheading, now caught between disaster, exhausted but must finish the job.

Su Vice Magistrate was afraid, hearing Young Master Dou hadn’t slept well since planning the new bank, always burning the midnight oil, hollowing his eye sockets.

Feared Young Master Dou, young, crumbling under pressure, reassured promptly: "Young Master Dou, don’t worry, they..."

With a crash, Young Master Dou kicked over a chair, stood: "Damn it, come on, I fear you not!"

Then turned to speechless Su Vice Magistrate: "Lord Su, wait half a day, before nightfall, we’ll head to the prefecture, crush those bastards!"

He said, beckoning Gu Jin’an, and strode out.

Su Vice Magistrate quickly grabbed Gu Jin’an, fearfully said: "First Place Gu, is Young Master Dou driven mad by pressure?"

Looks unlike a sane person.

Gu Jin’an smiled: "Rest assured, Young Master Dou’s fine, just sleep-deprived, temper flared."

This temper flaring? Seen him, feels like murder is imminent.

"Gu Jin’an, are you coming? Waiting to hatch eggs? You’re not a hen!" Young Master Dou saw Gu Jin’an lagging, yelled back, frightening Su Vice Magistrate.

Driven insane, so pitiable.

"Coming." Gu Jin’an bowed to Su Vice Magistrate and silent County Magistrate Zheng, hurried out.

...

Returning to Dou Ou Bank, Gu Jin’an and Young Master Dou summoned everyone, arranged upcoming affairs.

"Farmers in Tianfu County and nearby three counties almost borrowed silver, leave thirty percent in the bank, rest to Luchang County, silver on the road bypass He’an Prefecture, straight to Hushan Prefecture Bagu County."

Young Master Dou handed two letters to Manager Dou: "Take Shadow Guards and half workers to Bagu County, upon arrival, meet County Magistrate, discuss setting up a new bank. We need Bagu County as a barrier, quickly open a bank there, prevent silver taken by other prefecture’s people."

This trip to the prefecture, other Jianghuai Magistrates surely present.

Further instructed Dou Zhi: "Familiar with bank operations, oversee it, if anything goes wrong, jump a well to end life."

"Yes." Dou Zhi replied, relying on his skills, plus the Shadow Guard, government office staff, military office men, managing bank poses little difficulty.

Young Master Dou after arranging inquired: "Is Old Ouyang here yet?"

Gu Jin’an: "Master Ouyang still handling household matters, at earliest arrives in four hours."

Magistrate Gu couldn’t suppress noble families, only Master Ouyang could steady them.

With a thud, Young Master Dou kicked a stool: "Too slow, previously discussed, could the old man be quicker!"

Dou Zhi silently righted the stool, recently Young Master grows irritable, perhaps finding beauties to relieve his stress?

But considering Young Master exhausted for half a month, weak to the point of floating walks, better hold off beauties, lest an excitement leads to untimely demise in bed.