Resumen del episodio 1 de The Justice
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Cheng Yizhi, a young man from a humble background, worked diligently as a clerk at Chu's Dried Food Shop on Sima Road. He yearned to earn a fortune to change his circumstances. His boss, Mr. Chu, was so preoccupied with horse racing that he entrusted Cheng Yizhi with all the shop's affairs, from wholesale purchases and accounting to cleaning and handling transactions.
Cheng Yizhi demonstrated a keen understanding of the business, listing best-selling items like watermelon and sunflower seeds, preserved kumquats, and haw flakes, as well as less popular items like areca palm (due to health reports), and high-profit goods such as Almond Strip with Salty Cream from the French Firm. One day, after collecting debts, Cheng Yizhi stopped by his friend Xiaolingdang's clothing shop to pick up his mended clothes and thank her with some newly arrived haw cake.
Back at Chu's, Mr. Chu eagerly searched him, taking all the collected money for gambling. Unbeknownst to his boss, Cheng Yizhi had secretly saved an initial silver dollar, gradually accumulating a total of 200 yuan, dreaming of expanding the shop by leasing the adjacent vacant space. Driven by ambition beyond being a mere clerk, he spent his free time at Yaen University's library, copying economics textbooks.
During one of his library visits, a security guard urged Cheng Yizhi to leave, suggesting his efforts to copy books were futile for a dried food seller. Cheng Yizhi, however, firmly believed in the power of knowledge, stating that "in the book, there is a house of gold." Drawn by a beautiful piano melody, he approached an adjacent room and was mistakenly accused of being a thief by Wu Lizi, a university student.
She believed he was responsible for recent thefts of wallets, leather cases, and money from students. After she inadvertently knocked his bag to the floor, revealing only his diligently copied notes, Wu Lizi realized her error and apologized. Impressed by his neat handwriting and interest in economics, she advised him to attend Professor Lu Caifu's lectures and gave him an economics textbook, asking him to complete two 200-word essays by 5 PM the next day.
Wu Lizi introduced herself by her full name, explaining that "Lizi" represented magnificence and heroism. Wu Lizi’s father, Wu Zhifu, a bank director, often missed her piano performances due to his demanding work. He met her at a movie theater, apologizing for not being able to spend more time with her over the years. Wu Lizi brushed off his apologies, content to watch the film, unaware of her father's underlying anxieties.
Back at his shop, Cheng Yizhi, having finally accumulated 200 yuan, tried to persuade Mr. Chu to take over the neighboring shop. Mr. Chu was initially reluctant, preferring a life of leisure over expansion and chiding Cheng Yizhi for secretly saving money. However, faced with Cheng Yizhi's threat to quit if the business didn't improve, Mr. Chu reluctantly agreed. Just then, a debt collector, Mr. Qiu, arrived, demanding immediate payment.
Mr. Chu, desperate, handed over Cheng Yizhi's 200 yuan but still owed 200 yuan in interest. As Mr. Qiu threatened violence, Cheng Yizhi stepped forward, promising to secure the remaining amount within an hour, on the condition that Mr. Chu vow to stop gambling. Mr. Chu readily agreed. Cheng Yizhi declined financial help from his friends, telling them their combined small sums wouldn't be enough. To obtain the money, Cheng Yizhi went to Longying Private Bank.
Knowing that a direct loan without collateral would be difficult, he applied as an apprentice to earn Mr. Xu's trust. During his interview, Cheng Yizhi demonstrated exceptional mental arithmetic, accurately calculating complex sums involving various silver currencies like Suzhou Silver, Hangzhou Silver, and Zhenjiang Silver. He impressed Mr. Xu with his comprehensive knowledge of market dynamics and business details. He explained his unusual approach, emphasizing Longying Private Bank's esteemed reputation and the Jing'an Branch's success under Mr. Xu's management.
Cheng Yizhi offered to work as an apprentice, deducting half of his monthly salary of 20 yuan to repay the 200 yuan loan within two years, confidently asserting he could clear the debt in half a year if promoted to assistant manager. Impressed by Cheng Yizhi’s talent and determination, Mr. Xu agreed to the terms, lending him the 200 yuan, with the stipulation that if Cheng Yizhi were dismissed, the remaining debt would incur high daily interest.
Having successfully secured the loan, Cheng Yizhi returned and paid off Mr. Chu's debt. He then informed Mr. Chu of his decision to leave and join Longying Private Bank. Mr. Chu, devastated, pleaded with him to stay, but Cheng Yizhi's mind was made up.
As Cheng Yizhi prepared to leave, Wu Zhifu suddenly appeared, handing him a copper box and urgently instructing him to keep it safe, not to open it, and promising to retrieve it by the end of the following week. Moments later, secret agents swiftly apprehended Wu Zhifu outside the shop. Cheng Yizhi bade farewell to Xiaolingdang and his friends, reminding them to take care of themselves and each other.
The next day, Wu Lizi waited at the school gate for Cheng Yizhi, but was unexpectedly picked up by a car. Cheng Yizhi arrived to deliver her homework but found her gone. He then proceeded to Longying Private Bank, where he was assigned to the Jing'an Branch. There, a senior clerk named Tan immediately asserted his authority over the new apprentices, including Cheng Yizhi and a young man named Pang Feng, whom Tan nicknamed "Lianguazi."
Tan assigned them menial tasks like cleaning and strictly warned them against handling money, threatening immediate dismissal and salary confiscation for any violation. While going about his duties, Cheng Yizhi noticed a newspaper headline reporting that "Banker Wu Zhifu Committed Suicide for Fear of Punishment," leaving him deeply concerned about the mysterious copper box.
During his lunch break, Cheng Yizhi revisited his old neighborhood and learned from his friend Lyu that Mr. Chu had sold the dried food shop immediately after his departure. Back at the bank, Tan began inspecting the apprentices' belongings. He discovered the copper box in Cheng Yizhi’s bag and tried to take it.
Cheng Yizhi, having returned just in time, quickly intervened, concocting a story that a fortune teller had sealed a "Ghost of Poverty" inside the brass box, which had caused his recent misfortunes. He warned that opening the box or giving it away would bring dire consequences and retribution, successfully scaring Tan away. Tan continued to verbally abuse the apprentices, prompting Pang Feng (Lianguazi) to argue with him, accidentally spilling Tan's soybean pudding. The commotion drew Mr. Xu's attention.
Seizing the opportunity, Cheng Yizhi subtly exposed Tan's ignorance of market conditions, correcting his erroneous statements about the exchange rate for silver coins (Yangli) and the comparative values of various silver currencies like Shanghai's Guiyuan, Beijing's Gongfa Silver, Yangzhou's Yangcaoping Silver, and Tianjin's Xinghuaping Silver. Cheng Yizhi confidently demonstrated his accurate knowledge, even calculating the precise exchange rate between Yangzhou's Yangcaoping Silver and Tianjin's Xinghuaping Silver.
Impressed by Cheng Yizhi's intelligence and quick thinking, Mr. Xu immediately promoted him to a regular clerk responsible for customer inquiries and assigned him to oversee the other apprentices. The other apprentices, now convinced of Cheng Yizhi's capabilities, started calling him "Bro Cheng" and expressed their admiration. He explained complex concepts like "fictional silver" (Guiyuan, Yangli, Xinghua) as units of measurement, emphasizing the importance of understanding the intricate exchange rates between real and fictional currencies.
Cheng Yizhi also astutely observed that Mr. Xu suffered from asthma, noticing his daily medicine intake and coughs in dusty environments, an opportunity he felt Tan had missed. To further curry favor with Mr. Xu, Cheng Yizhi offered to buy his hard-to-find asthma medicine, insisting his time was "worthless." Just then, the bank's powerful owner, Huang Ruhong, arrived for an inspection.
Mr. Xu and Tan immediately showed extreme deference, with other apprentices marveling at Huang Ruhong's legendary status as the man who single-handedly challenged the "Eight Brokers" of government debt, leading Longying Private Bank to overnight wealth, and whose wife was the daughter of Commander Liao, a Shanxi warlord. While his colleagues were busy observing Huang Ruhong, Cheng Yizhi discreetly visited his old friend Lyu at the Great Stage.
He discussed popular snacks like chocolates and hazelnut candy, and current opera performances, asking Lyu to reserve two box seat tickets for him. Later, Cheng Yizhi used these coveted theater tickets to easily acquire Mr. Xu's rare asthma medicine from a pharmacist, an interaction witnessed by Wu Lizi, who recognized him and smiled. Meanwhile, Mr. Xu worried about how to reconcile the accounts before Huang Ruhong's next inspection. Cheng Yizhi's colleagues remarked that Mr. Xu seemed upset after Huang Ruhong left.
