The Great Zhou Dynasty: From Imperial Guards to Founding Dukes and Marquises

Chapter 19 The Court Procurement: More Valuable Than Gold

At the end of October, everything begins to wither, the autumn harvest is over, and everyone's life begins to move towards winter dormancy.

Dressed simply and plainly, Feng Niaoniao, the newly appointed eldest daughter-in-law of the Li family, was intently creating a Buddhist story on paper at home. Li Xuan was quietly mixing various pigments beside her, ensuring that the color of each pigment was correct.

If any pigments have hardened, he must gently stir them to restore their fluidity and adhesion. Only in this way can the finished painting be evenly colored, uniformly bright, and withstand the scrutiny of experts.

A standard square lantern requires painting on all four sides. Twelve lanterns would require forty-eight sides, and with focused creation, time is limited. Although there are still three months until the Lantern Festival, the weather is getting colder, and in this era of scarce medical resources, winter is not a time for long-distance travel. Therefore, the suitable window for transportation is closing.

In order to save time, Feng Niaoniao could only gather a few of the most skilled craftspeople to practice with cheap materials first, and then make the lanterns that Feng Niaoniao created after they had achieved a very high success rate.

Whenever his wife finished her painting and the paint on the paper dried, Li Xuan would use a fine brush to add a few strokes of Buddhist sutra phrases. These phrases were not only full of Buddhist nature and principles, but were also made of gold paint, making them look shimmering and very noble.

Like his wife, Li Xuan also practiced repeatedly on blank paper with a brush that was not dipped in ink. Only after thousands of practice sessions did he begin to copy with ink.

After practicing the ink drawing over a hundred times until it became second nature, he began to carefully use gold paint to write on the paper his wife had prepared. Adding the inscription was the final step; a mistake would ruin everything.

The previous Great Yu Dynasty revered Taoism, so logically the Southern Yu Kingdom should have done the same. However, Buddhism had been more influential in the Jiangnan region for centuries, so while the Southern Yu court outwardly revered Taoism, it was actually more Buddhist, making Buddhist stories more appealing. Although the Lantern Festival actually evolved from Persian religious customs and has little to do with Buddhism or Taoism.

As the saying goes, hard work pays off. After a month of hard work, the couple finally created a set of twelve Buddhist-themed lamps celebrating longevity. With this flagship product in hand, Li Xuan and Li Chang rowed directly to Guazhou Ferry. From there, they hired a boat and carefully transported the cargo across the Yangtze River to Jingkou in Runzhou.

The November river was turbulent with wind and waves. Li Xuan stood at the bow of the boat, gazing at the route from Guazhou to Jingkou. From north to south, the mighty river had flowed eastward since ancient times, burying countless heroic tales. Standing alone in the middle of the great river, reflecting on figures of the past and present, a sense of melancholy arose in Li Xuan's heart. Had his life truly been spent in mediocrity?

Although Li Xuan made solemn vows to the clan chief and the Master, when will the hero who will pacify the world and the enlightened ruler who will restore order to the land appear? Who can guarantee that? Jiang Ziya was seventy years old when he met King Wen. Where is my King Wen and when will he appear?

The river was vast, especially the lower reaches, where one felt an almost boundless sense of expanse. With the river breeze blowing, Li Xuan's thoughts drifted and wandered. Unconsciously, he began to ponder how, if he were to lead an army south, he could capture Nanjing from Yangzhou and how he could break through Jingkou.

Lost in thought, he chuckled to himself, the cold river wind dispelling his thoughts. He was nothing more than an insignificant commoner, yet he dreamed of the imperial court in Jinling buying his lanterns. To think of someone buying your goods while simultaneously plotting to destroy their kingdom—how utterly impolite!

The north wind howled in November, but the half-sailed riverboat still moved quickly, arriving at Jingkou in less than half an hour. Li Chang disembarked and specifically sought out the guild leader at the dock, paying double the amount of copper coins and instructing them to handle the boat with care.

The dockworkers were all experienced, and the guild leader was a veteran worker himself, intimately familiar with the unloading requirements for all kinds of goods coming and going. Li Chang reported his connections as per the rules, and the guild leader, after checking the full amount of money in his hand, readily nodded and agreed: "Rest assured, sir, I know what I'm doing. Even the lightest goods won't be damaged in the slightest."

Jingkou was a border port of the Yu Kingdom, and everyone entering through Jingkou had to undergo identity and purpose registration. Indeed, although most of the Huai River basin north of the Yangtze River was under the control of the Yu Kingdom, after moving its capital to Jinling, the Yu Kingdom still established checkpoints in places like Caishiji and Jingkou to strictly inspect people coming from the north.

Li Xuan reported his accompanying goods. The official, seeing that they were goods prepared for the Lantern Festival, had no suspicions, registered them in a stroke of his pen, and issued Li Xuan a permit to travel to Jinling.

Li Xuan scoffed inwardly. If lanterns weren't so fragile and couldn't be handled carelessly, he would have already blended into the private ports near Nanjing on the banks of the Yangtze River, just like he did selling salt.

After changing vehicles and traveling for two more days, Li Xuan arrived at the residence of a high-ranking official's son, a relative of a salt merchant in Jinling City.

This young master lacked talent and did not enter officialdom, but he was righteous and shrewd, so he simply stayed in Jinling to handle the family business and do some inconvenient things for his father. Li Xuan was able to get in touch with him thanks to his friends on the salt route.

After hearing Li Xuan's purpose, the young master followed Li Xuan to examine the twelve lamps that had been delivered. He praised the exquisite design, but couldn't discern the craftsmanship. However, in this world, as long as there is a foundation, the rest is just a matter of whether the connections are in place.

Two days later, the eunuch in charge of purchasing Lantern Festival items for the palace was summoned to a high-class restaurant.

Perhaps it was the aura of a newly established dynasty, or perhaps it was simply a matter of choosing the right intermediary. The eunuch did not look down on the commoner Li Xuan, but instead greeted him warmly and proactively: "Oh, this must be Young Master Li! You are truly a man of imposing stature and the countenance of a hero. I am fortunate to have been granted the surname Li by the Emperor. I can barely manage to reminisce with Young Master Li about a connection from five hundred years ago."

Li Xuan stood up and exchanged pleasantries: "You flatter me, Your Excellency. You truly possess the spirit of a dragon and a horse, and your noble bearing is awe-inspiring. To be granted a surname by the Emperor is something that ordinary people can only dream of. I am extremely honored and delighted to share the same surname as Your Excellency."

Seeing that Li Xuan flattered him without batting an eye, Eunuch Li secretly praised the young man as a promising talent, far from being one of those uneducated bumpkins. Only then did he graciously accept Li Xuan's invitation to sit in the main seat.

After several rounds of toasts from Li Xuan, the eunuch Li finally brought up the subject: "I haven't yet asked what kind of business Brother Xuan does at home?"

Li Xuan took a wooden box from the other side of the table and pushed it in front of Eunuch Li, saying with a smile, "I do some lowly work in the countryside of Guangling. I happen to have some fellow villagers who are good at making palace lanterns and flower lanterns. They heard that the Holy Emperor has the virtue of sharing joy and peace with the people, so they brought some finished products across the river to congratulate the Emperor on his virtue."

Eunuch Li took the box, felt its weight, and knew its value. He then opened the box, revealing ten gold bars lying inside. The room was well-lit, and the gold bars reflected an alluring light, making Eunuch Li beam with delight.

The moment the gold was presented, the effect was immediate. Eunuch Li expertly closed the box and accepted it, his attitude becoming even more amiable, and his address further enhanced:

"What are you doing, my dear brother? We hit it off immediately, but that's too much. You mentioned making lanterns at home? What a coincidence! I was just worrying about this year's lantern festival. The Emperor is such a noble person. When the Emperor holds a ceremony, the whole world rejoices. How could I dare to be negligent in the slightest? Don't you know that my diligent burning of incense and worship of Buddha has moved the Buddha to bestow this karmic connection between us?"

Li Xuan said happily, "I am honored that you, my esteemed brother, do not deign to accept this honor. There is an old saying that when the ruler is distressed, the minister is disgraced; when the ruler is disgraced, the minister dies. The Holy Emperor shares joy with the people, and his virtue spreads far and wide. Even in my hometown of Guangling, I am inspired and yearn to contribute to the beauty of the Holy Emperor's rule. I never imagined that Heaven would be so kind as to grant me the opportunity to meet such a heroic figure as you, my esteemed brother. How fortunate I am!"

Eunuch Li and Li Xuan chatted for a while longer. Only after they had eaten and drunk their fill did they remember to come and check out the goods.

Looking at the lanterns presented by Li Xuan, Eunuch Li breathed a sigh of relief. They were indeed well-made, and the accompanying illustrations and inscriptions had a Buddhist feel to them, making them presentable even in the palace. Seeing the sheer number and weight of the gold bars in that box earlier, he had assumed the lanterns themselves were of inferior quality. Even more remarkable was that the twelve linked lanterns were sold as a set; the gimmick was strong, allowing for a larger price range. This Li Dalang was truly a lucky star.

The eunuch Li smiled and asked, "It is indeed a masterpiece, a rare and exquisite piece. I have served in the palace for ten years and handled tens of thousands of palace lanterns, but this is the first time I have seen one with such meticulous craftsmanship. You have put your heart into it, my worthy brother. Scholars are indeed different; they are more thoughtful and capable than those crude craftsmen. What they made ten years ago, they make ten years later, without ever changing their designs. With your help, this year's lantern festival will surely be lively. But how do you plan to sell them, my worthy brother?"

"How to sell" doesn't refer to the price or the method of transaction. It's about the core of the transaction: profit distribution.

Li Xuan didn't speak immediately. He carefully took out three lamps and said, "The procurement of lamps in the palace is a solemn affair, attracting much attention and undergoing rigorous checks. My esteemed brother doesn't mind my humble origins, and I'm not heartless. From now on, in the lamp trade, I'll take three, and you'll take nine. What do you think, esteemed brother?"

Of the twelve lamps, Li Xuan wanted three, and the eunuch Li got nine, so it was a 1:3 split, meaning the eunuch Li got three-quarters.

Upon hearing the profit-sharing ratio, Eunuch Li's opinion of Li Xuan rose again. He stared intently at the lamp for a while, and the atmosphere became so tense that Li Xuan's breathing quickened.

Only then did Eunuch Li nod and say, "Excellent, excellent, this lamp is truly remarkable. I'm afraid it will be difficult to obtain a better lamp this year. Hmm, since it's a set sale, let's price it at five thousand strings of cash. My dear brother, besides these, do you have any other lamps? We should keep in touch often in the future."

Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied, "I still have over a hundred cups at home, but they are not as exquisite as these and can only be used for decoration. I wouldn't dare to bring them to offend your eyes, my esteemed brother."

Eunuch Li laughed heartily: "No problem, no problem. As the sage said, one can see the big picture from small details. Although I don't have the sage's abilities, just by looking at these lamps, I can tell that the craftsmen in your family are highly skilled and that they must all be of good quality. How about this, those hundred-odd lamps will be priced at two thousand strings of cash. That's settled then. Now that winter is approaching, it's inconvenient to travel by carriage or boat, so I hope you can send them over as soon as possible, so as not to cause me any trouble."

Li Xuan was overjoyed and pulled out another box from the carriage. "These are just small items, local specialties. I only wish you, my esteemed brother, continued success and boundless prospects in Nanjing. May I, in my humble village, also gain some recognition."

The eunuch praised Li Xuan for his tact and happily got into his carriage and left. On the way back, the eunuch opened the box; inside was a large, round pearl, worth a hundred strings of cash.

That's the rule: gifts should be given in pairs, from beginning to end. In order to make connections, Li Xuan prepared 700 strings of cash worth of gifts, almost squandering all his savings.

With such heavy bets, the rewards were naturally gratifying. One Lantern Festival order was worth seven thousand strings of cash, and he could take away a full one thousand seven hundred and fifty strings.

After deducting the cost of purchasing raw materials and the wages agreed upon with the villagers, the profit was approximately one thousand strings of cash. Feng Niaoniao's lantern-selling business earned far more than Li Xuan's annual salt sales, proving that the people in the palace were indeed quite shrewd in terms of wealth.

Paying money and giving generous gifts makes all the difference.

The next day, Li Xuan's subordinates took him to the palace for the handover. Li Xuan not only received all the payment in advance, but also obtained the palace's purchasing badge and documents, thus becoming a supplier to the Yu Kingdom's royal family. From then on, virtually no one would dare to cause him any trouble when traveling throughout the country.

You have to do the job once you've been paid. Li Xuan and Li Chang immediately packed their things and went home. This time, with their new identities, things were very different. He took a boat directly from Jinling Wharf to Guangling.

With a flood of orders, even the harsh river wind seemed gentle and welcoming. Gazing at the receding Yangtze River's south bank and watching the ships pass by the sandbars in the river, the vastness of the world amidst the endless waters made one feel utterly insignificant.

Thinking about how he had been groveling before an eunuch these past two days, and how a tiny bit of the power spilling over from a powerful family in Nanjing could solve his big problems and provide employment opportunities for his fellow villagers.

Li Xuan suddenly felt an urge to roar to the heavens. So what if Heaven didn't give him a distinguished background? One day, people all over the country would know his name, and know that he had existed in this world: Li Xuan, Li Ziyu.

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On the same day Li Xuan left by boat, an official ship from Jiangbei docked at Jinling Wharf. A little girl, accompanied by an old nanny, slowly disembarked and was soon taken away by a carriage from the palace.

The little girl is the current emperor's sixth daughter and has not yet received an official title. When the emperor was still the crown prince, a fortune teller said that the royal ancestral land would face a calamity, and that only by having a child of a close royal relative cultivate in the ancestral land could the calamity be overcome.

According to the fortune teller's calculations, the sixth daughter of the Crown Prince was the most suitable according to her birth date and time. Therefore, when the child was very young, she returned with her mother to Chuzhou, the birthplace of the Emperor's grandfather. In the countryside of Chuzhou, she followed her mother to practice Taoism and Buddhism, and wholeheartedly prayed for the royal family to be blessed and to ward off disasters.

This year, the concubine passed away due to illness. When the news reached the palace, Emperor Li Jing suddenly discovered that he had a daughter who was living alone and destitute. Back when he was still the Crown Prince, there was only one Crown Princess and two concubines in the Eastern Palace. The family of several people lived a simple, harmonious, and happy life.

Now that he has become emperor, his harem is increasingly full, but the warmth of the past is gone. Overwhelmed with tears, Li Jing misses his deceased concubines and no longer cares about praying for blessings and warding off disasters. He immediately orders that his sixth daughter be brought back to the palace, determined not to let her wander outside the palace and suffer scorn again.

When the sixth princess left the palace, she was very young and had no memory of the capital. Looking at the imposing palace walls around her, she timidly asked her nanny, "Does my father really live here?"

The old woman nodded in confirmation; "Indeed, the princess's father is waiting for you in the palace."