This was a small, simple, run-down little tavern, and one could see at a glance that business was poor.

From the look of the frontage, this kind of tiny wine shop was the sort of place ordinary folk would patronize in normal times — men of rank and status would not deign to drink here.

The proprietor was a young man — strikingly out of place with the decaying air already very apparent in this small tavern.

He was only about twenty years old, and set against the overall atmosphere of the tavern, he was like a tender green sprout hidden within a stand of withered, dead wood.

“Excuse me — do you have wine?”

Mister Yan asked upon entering.

The young man nodded eagerly: “We do.”

But seeing that both Mister Yan and the High Dean who followed him in were empty-handed, he grew a little embarrassed.

“My apologies, gentlemen — there are no dishes here to accompany the wine, and you have not brought your own vessels, so…”

He expressed this delicately: if you want to take wine away, we can do business; if you wish to sit and drink here, I have nothing to offer.

In a Daxing City this impoverished, even grain was not enough to eat — that this little tavern still had wine was already something. As for food to go with it, there was naturally not a thought of it.

At this time, even a dish of peanuts to drink to was the height of extravagance. The common people’s lives were extremely hard — at most two meals of thin gruel a day.

Mister Yan smiled: “We only wish to sit here and talk for a while. It does not matter if there are no dishes — or, whatever you can make will do.”

The young man grew even more embarrassed: “Truly there is nothing at all. You gentlemen might try elsewhere and perhaps find something.”

The High Dean asked: “What do you eat yourself, ordinarily?”

The young man replied: “Only some salted turnip peelings.”

The High Dean said: “Then bring out a little of your salted turnip peelings — we’ll drink and chat, just to have something in the mouth. We like the quiet here — don’t drive your customers away.”

The young man was all the more embarrassed: “But… those turnip peelings I picked up from outside a wealthy household.”

Mister Yan said: “What of it? As long as they are properly washed, there is no problem.”

The young man could say no more, and went to pick out some of his own salted turnip peelings from the crock.

He then carried over a small crock of wine, broke the seal, and the wine’s fragrance hit the nose at once — quite enticing.

The High Dean smiled: “Wine of this quality — forget turnip peelings, even tree bark would make fine accompaniment.”

He asked the young man: “When you haven’t enough to eat, how do you still have such fine wine?”

The young man replied: “The wine was brewed and then cellared — there is still some left. In the city now, who can still afford to buy wine? And those who can afford it look down on my establishment.”

Mister Yan made a sound of acknowledgment, placed a few taels of silver on the table, and said: “Here is payment for the wine in advance. You need not keep us company — go to sleep if you are tired.”

The young man quickly said: “There is no need for so much.”

Mister Yan found himself rather impressed by the young man’s character, and exchanged a glance with the High Dean, who also smiled warmly.

“Have you studied?”

Mister Yan asked.

The young man made a sound of affirmation: “I have — but to no use.”

The High Dean said: “There is no such thing as study that has no use. What you understand today, all of it lies within the characters you have learned.”

At this, the young man’s eyes lit up, and he bowed: “The gentleman is most insightful — this one is grateful for the teaching.”

Mister Yan gestured at the seat beside them: “Come, sit and chat for a while.”

The young man was not awkward about it, and sat down beside them, filling both their wine bowls.

Everything in the little tavern was old, but clean — even these worthless wine bowls showed not a trace of grime, and had been wiped to a bright sheen.

It was plain this young man was someone who kept clean and worked hard, and his speech was unpretentious and without fawning, so both the High Dean and Mister Yan took a liking to him at first sight.

“Where did you study?”

The High Dean asked.

The young man answered: “My grandfather taught me. When times were better, I also went to a private school — but by the time I was twelve or thirteen, there was no more money to keep me there. Fortunately my grandfather never thought me too dull, and taught me from childhood to the end.”

“Where is your grandfather now?”

“He passed away half a year ago.”

The High Dean said with regret: “I’m sorry.”

The young man said: “The gentleman is too kind. Grandfather lived to ninety and departed on his own terms. He said before he left: whoever wept was his grandson — this was not a funeral, for he was of a cheerful and open nature, and felt no sorrow himself.”

At this, the young man smiled: “I wept — after all, I have always been his grandson.”

The High Dean and Mister Yan both laughed at the same time.

Mister Yan asked: “I have not yet asked your name. What are you called?”

The young man answered: “Your servant is called Lu Chonglou.”

The High Dean nodded: “Chonglou — the herb chonglou is slightly cold in nature and carries a mild toxicity, yet it can clear heat and expel poison; it may be used both for snake and insect bites and for convulsions and tremors. To name you this — one meaning is self-preservation, the second is the preservation of others.”

Lu Chonglou bowed respectfully: “The gentleman has great insight.”

Mister Yan had grown interested in this young man, and asked: “Now that Ning Wang has entered the city and all under heaven is in transformation — since you have learning, have you thought of entering official service?”

Lu Chonglou said: “My grandfather passed away only half a year ago. I should observe the full three years of mourning before doing anything else.”

Mister Yan asked again: “It seems you do have the ambition to serve. Do you have a way into official service?”

Lu Chonglou replied: “With Ning Wang come, the path into service is thrown wide open for someone like me.”

The High Dean asked: “How so?”

Lu Chonglou answered: “I have heard that in the northern territories, Ning Wang long ago reopened the imperial examinations, selecting officials not by recommendation but by virtue of character and learning alone. Ning Wang has also said: heroes are not judged by their origins, and great talent is not bound by small habits.”

Mister Yan laughed heartily: “Excellent.”

He picked up a piece of turnip peeling and chewed it slowly — the first taste was bitter, and then came a faint sweetness.

“Ning Wang is now seeking talent and must cast the net wide. Though you are in mourning, if the affairs of the people urgently need someone like you to help Ning Wang govern, would you be willing?”

The High Dean asked him.

The young man did not answer immediately, as though he was hesitating.

Mister Yan said: “Let us not speak of that for now. Tell us your thoughts on how to settle the people — right now the citizens of Daxing City are also uneasy in their hearts, and the scholars trained in the old learning are even more uneasy.”

Lu Chonglou said: “To settle the hearts of the common people — especially those in the Jiangnan provinces — is actually not too difficult. Ning Wang can issue a decree exempting all common people from taxation for three consecutive years. All surplus grain the people store in those three years to be purchased at official prices. In this way, with grain and with money, the people need not wait three full years — Jiangnan rice fields produce two harvests a year. One season will be enough for self-sufficiency, and the second can be exchanged for money. The hearts of the people will thus be at peace.”

The High Dean asked: “And where does the money come from?”

He looked at Lu Chonglou and said: “The war is not yet over, the remnant forces still remain, and the campaigns will likely continue for several more years. The consumption of money and provisions is enormous. The Jiangnan provinces are abundantly productive, but if we purchase official grain in full for three years as you propose, I fear it would be very difficult to accomplish.”

Lu Chonglou smiled and said three words: “Mint new currency.”

The High Dean and Mister Yan looked at each other, and both their mouths curved slightly upward at the corners without their even noticing.

The High Dean said: “Elaborate.”

Lu Chonglou said: “Ning Wang’s enthronement must not be rushed — but the minting of new currency cannot wait a single day.

“Promote the new currency, using the purchase of official grain as a vehicle, and with three years as the timeframe, spread it rapidly through the entire central plain.

“By then, even territories that may be difficult to take by force — because their currency circulation is disrupted and they cannot trade freely with other regions — may be pacified without soldiers.

“Furthermore, the remaining difficult territories are not in Jiangnan — they are in Shuzhou and Yongzhou.

“Shuzhou is the greatest producer in all under heaven, yet Shuzhou has no mineral deposits. It is nearly impossible for Shuzhou to mint its own currency. Yongzhou has mineral deposits, but no produce.”

Lu Chonglou continued: “The former must trade its produce for money and must trade with the outside world. The latter must acquire produce and also must trade. With new currency in circulation, both Shuzhou and Yongzhou will find their throats seized. They may not be able to hold out long, and will surrender of their own accord.”

The High Dean burst out laughing: “Well said, well said!”

He raised his wine bowl and drained it in one go.

Lu Chonglou quickly bowed his thanks, and continued: “After the new currency is issued, strictly control prices, centrally destroy old currency, be lenient in governing the people, but be strict in upholding the law.

“By my estimation, within two years the new currency will be circulating through the central plain and the hearts of the people will already be at rest.”

He looked at the High Dean: “Use severe law to punish those who hoard and manipulate goods; use benevolent humanity toward those who abide by the law and respect order.”

Mister Yan raised his wine bowl: “I drink to you.”

Lu Chonglou quickly raised his own bowl with both hands, and drank with Mister Yan in one go.

Mister Yan asked him: “How can this be implemented swiftly?”

Lu Chonglou said: “Within the northern territories, there are many officials with experience in governing the people — they can be transferred to Jiangnan to serve. But do not rely entirely on officials from the north. Recruit widely from Jiangnan itself and use them as supporting administrators.”

He looked at Mister Yan and said: “This is the second issue the two gentlemen just raised — how to make the scholars of the old learning feel at ease, and feel willing.”

He said earnestly: “The scholars of Jiangnan are largely proud by nature. The senior officials brought from the north must be figures of great renown and standing — men who can command respect even from the arrogant.

“Who among Ning Wang’s northern officials, in your view, could serve as such a figure?”

Mister Yan asked with a smile.

Lu Chonglou said: “The old Dean of the Four Leaves Academy of Jizhou — that would be High Dean Gao. The High Dean need not exert himself personally — he need only be present, and the scholars of Jiangnan will be won over without a word.”

He continued: “I respectfully ask the High Dean to condescend to establish a new academy, to which all eager students may come to seek instruction. Once they have completed their studies, there will no longer be any question of their belonging to the old learning.”

The High Dean shook his head: “That old fellow has been away from Jiangnan for many years — whatever influence he once had is surely gone.”

Lu Chonglou immediately grew serious: “The High Dean’s learning and character are without peer under heaven. Your servant cannot agree with your words. In my estimation, if the High Dean were willing to undertake this matter for Ning Wang, one call from on high would bring willing servants flocking in without end.”

The High Dean said: “If that old fellow were truly willing to do this — and called you to help — would you go?”

Lu Chonglou said: “The gentleman should show more respect to the High Dean.”

He had seen that both Mister Yan and the High Dean were dressed in fine brocade robes, and so addressed them as “gentlemen.”

The High Dean said: “Answer me first, then I will speak.”

Lu Chonglou said: “If it were truly the High Dean’s summons, I would be willing to ride ahead as his vanguard — and I would be willing to give my share of effort for the sake of the common people under heaven.”

The High Dean removed a seal from his person and placed it on the table: “Then you can’t get away now.”

Mister Yan laughed heartily: “Indeed — you can’t get away now.”

—