On the sixth day of the New Year, the Yun family closed their gates tightly, declining all visits. Early in the morning, Xinyue, along with the heavily pregnant Li Anlan, bustled about attending to matters. Just yesterday, the last batch of caravans returning from the grasslands had safely entered the estate. During the New Year celebrations, the marketplace also closed for three days, and during these three days, the Yun family received no outsiders.
Correcting the maids again and again to hang the large gate lanterns straight, Xinyue’s forehead was already covered with fine beads of sweat. She dared not slacken today. After checking the great hall, she still had to go inspect the kitchen. All the cooks from both the city mansion and the estate had been summoned home to prepare today’s banquet. Every three years, the Yun family recalled all stewards and household warriors stationed elsewhere to report on three years of business performance, while also making detailed records of local customs and conditions. Last time Yun Ye wasn’t present, and Old Grandmother had thanked them for three years of hard work on behalf of the family head. Although it was lively, those stewards still felt some regret—after all, the family head wasn’t there.
This year was different. The family head didn’t need to go on campaign and was waiting at home early for everyone to return. Whether one could become a family retainer still required the Marquis to speak. When a man gave his word, it was more binding than a woman’s written contract.
Steward Liu Degong from Lingnan was currently speaking with the Marquis in the study. Liu Jinbao stood guard outside the door. Old Jiang sat on the roof with a powerful crossbow, dozing, his entire body buried in a thick old sheepskin coat. Though he appeared slack, both ears were alertly listening to movements around him.
“Old Liu, these years I’ve left you to endure hardship in that remote place in Lingnan. You’ve suffered. I never imagined that your hard work in Lingnan these years would bring such great profits to the family—truly beyond my expectations.”
“Marquis, this is what this old servant should do. The family hasn’t shortchanged this old servant in the slightest, so how dare I not exert myself to the death?”
“You’re also a great steward who commands respect in your region. Your slave registration was removed long ago. Why do you still call yourself ‘old servant’ with every breath? It gives listeners goosebumps.” What he disliked most was this habit of theirs. They were perfectly fine free citizens, yet insisted on becoming slaves. Not only did they make themselves servants, but their greatest wish was for their sons to also become household retainers of the Yun family like themselves.
“Marquis, this old servant has absolutely no relatives in Chang’an. In my household, there’s only my old wife and weak son. Young Qing’er’s nature is timid. Without the family backing him up, even if this old servant earned him ten thousand strings of wealth, he couldn’t keep it—it might even be the root of disaster. Please take pity on this old servant’s only flesh and blood and take him in.”
“Fine, fine. The family doesn’t lack one more mouth to feed. But with his soft nature, he can’t do anything. Send him to work as a shop assistant and he’ll be scolded to tears by the women buying goods. I truly don’t know how someone as strong as you produced such a timid son. Never mind, just let him stay at home and tend the flower house. I’ll tell Xiao Ya and the others not to bully Qing’er.”
Old Liu was overjoyed and was about to kneel in thanks, but Yun Ye pulled him up. After taking his seat, Yun Ye suddenly remembered something and couldn’t help asking: “Old Liu, was it your idea to establish a transfer station on that sand island at the mouth of the Yangtze River?”
“Marquis, this old servant was just about to mention this matter. That’s truly a fine place! The first time this old servant passed through there, that island was only ten zhang in circumference—it couldn’t be called an island, just a sandbar. But when this old servant passed through the second time, that island was already a hundred zhang long. This time returning, this old servant made a special trip to look at that island again and discovered it had grown considerably larger. Marquis, this is a treasure! In four years, its area has increased more than tenfold. If it keeps growing like this, who knows how large it will be in a hundred years?”
“Marquis, go request a favor from His Majesty now and claim that small island, make it our family’s property. Anyway, that place is terribly desolate—there are only reeds on the island. With the Marquis’s connections, claiming it won’t be difficult. By the time Young Master Baobao grows up, that island can serve as a maritime shipping dock without problem. Most importantly, the location is excellent—it’s right at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Saying it earns gold by the bushel would be an understatement.”
Yun Ye listened in a daze. Was this really a Tang Dynasty person? The Yun family’s second wave of industrial development—they were already preparing for it. Who understood better than him what Chongming Island was? Over a thousand years, it would become an island as large as an entire county, praised as the “Gateway to the Yangtze, Eastern Sea Paradise Island.” It was the world’s largest river delta alluvial island, the world’s largest sand island. The entire island had flat terrain, fertile soil, lush forests, and abundant resources—a famous land of fish and rice. Should he act now? Brand this island with a huge Yun character?
But Old Liu was thinking too simply. Acting now wasn’t too late—it was too early. The side facing the river current would constantly erode, with sand eventually carried by the water flow to the back. Though the island appeared to be growing, its position was constantly changing, continuously running into the sea. Build a house in the island’s center this year, and next year it would become a dangerous structure. If you didn’t flee, the house would fall into the sea along with the sand. No, no—moving house every year wasn’t a good idea.
But thinking about the continuously growing land, Yun Ye suddenly felt that Chongming Island could perhaps be put to use. That Four Seas Company was always opposing him—why must he fight to the death with them in Yue Prefecture?
Seeing the Marquis fall into contemplation, Old Liu smiled and set down his teacup, walked out of the room, and told Liu Jinbao that the Marquis was thinking about matters and shouldn’t be disturbed without being summoned.
Yun Ye didn’t remain in a daze for long. When he came to his senses, he saw lanterns already hung in the courtyard. Xinyue was accompanying Old Grandmother, constantly greeting the other stewards. When everyone saw Yun Ye emerge, they came forward one after another to pay respects, every movement precise and extremely proper.
After everyone was seated, Yun Ye stood up and looked at the Yun family’s fourteen great stewards. Adding Old Qian and Old Fang made sixteen prominent head managers, sitting around a large round table, waiting for Yun Ye to speak and instruct them.
“There’s nothing much to say. Every one of you is excellent, exhausting yourselves to support me, this famous wastrel of Chang’an’s streets. Nothing more to say—Lingnan’s profits ranked first. This time, Old Liu, Liu Degong, took first place. The family has only five of these jade pendants. One was given to Old Zhuang, and this is the second. Next time, whoever wants one just needs to surpass Old Liu.”
Yun Ye spoke lightly, but his face was completely solemn. Seeing Yun Ye take out the cloud-patterned white jade pendant and bow as he presented it with both hands to Old Liu, Liu Degong’s lips trembled violently. He rubbed his hands hard on his clothes twice before receiving it, raising it high to display it to everyone. Afterward, Xinyue personally fastened it to his waist, and Old Grandmother also bowed to thank Liu Degong for three years of hard work.
After distributing the jade pendant, Yun Ye clapped his hands and said: “Your things are much better than Old Liu’s—all gold. These are gold coins I specially exchanged from the Ministry of Revenue. These are the first batch of gold coins from the Zhenguan reign, exquisitely crafted—not like Old Liu’s jade pendant that I carved myself when I had nothing to do. It’s worthless.”
Old Liu also said with a glowing face: “Indeed, honored elder brothers, this year this younger brother took first place. Three years of effort exchanged for a jade pendant worth five strings of cash. Look at yours—tsk tsk tsk, a full hundred gold coins!”
“Damn Old Liu, got a good deal and still acts modest. I’ll trade you one hundred gold coins plus five hundred strings of cash for it. Will you do it or not?” Old Cui from Goryeo was terribly envious and pretended to grab the jade pendant at Old Liu’s waist. Old Liu clutched the jade pendant and dodged far away, causing everyone to laugh heartily.
Old Li, who went to the Western Regions, kept his head down drinking glumly without a word, cup after cup until he was nearly drunk. Yun Ye wobbled over to his side, patted his shoulder, and asked: “Why aren’t you happy on such a joyous day?”
Old Li raised his head with a bitter smile and said: “Marquis, this old servant looked at others’ account books and was ashamed beyond words. Whether those taking the Gan-Liang route, the Lingnan route, or the Liaodong route—every single one earned their bowls full. Only this old servant taking the Western Regions route has no face to meet the family’s old and young. The family equipped this old servant with the best personnel and strongest guards, yet this old servant’s profits these years don’t even reach twenty percent of Old Liu’s. Not only does the Marquis not blame me, but offers gentle encouragement—it truly shames one to death.”
“Sending you to the Western Regions wasn’t for making money. Every time I ask you to clear out half your camel caravan to transport books—being able to maintain no losses already shows your capabilities, Old Li. Do you know that compared to books, those trade goods count for nothing? Moreover, I’m always assigning you other tasks, which also holds you back. Otherwise, with your abilities, your profits wouldn’t be much less than Old Liu’s. Finding the ancient city of Loulan was a major discovery. Master Jin Zhu and the others are about to set out with you to investigate ancient Loulan. When an enormous empire disappears into the desert, we must find the reason. Learning from the past to guide the future—if we encounter such a disaster, we can be prepared. This is extremely profound scholarship. Don’t measure it with money. Come, let’s drink one.”
Old Li was finally cheered up by Yun Ye’s words. He downed a large bowl of wine with Yun Ye and quickly merged into the joyful crowd. Old Grandmother was extremely happy and unprecedentedly drank two cups of wine, drawing continuous cheers from everyone.
After finishing with the stewards, Yun Ye washed his face and went directly to the wine workshop. Upon arriving at the wine workshop, it was also filled with joyful sounds. However, seeing Old Jiang accompanying Yun Ye as he entered, everyone immediately knelt on one knee to welcome the family head.
Tearing off a chicken leg from the long table and slapping the table to make everyone sit, things were easier here—all were household retainers, the closest people outside of blood relations. Nothing needed to be said. Old Jiang dragged out an iron-banded chest from the room filled entirely with gold coins. Flipping it bottom-up, the gold coins were dumped onto the table. After finishing the chicken leg, Yun Ye pointed at the gold coins with the chicken bone and said: “Everyone gets a share. Who gets more or less, you figure it out yourselves. If it’s not enough, ask me for more. We’re all family—no need for polite words. In short, as long as the Yun family has one bite to eat, you won’t go hungry. In this world, without banding together, one can’t survive. Our family doesn’t hope for any higher status, only that everyone lives out this lifetime safely and prosperously.”
Old Jiang knelt in the pile of gold coins and said loudly: “We will certainly defend the family estate unto death, never retreating!”
Warriors had no flowery thoughts. What the estate master rewarded, they took. No one counted—you grab a handful, I grab a handful. In the end, many remained. Old Jiang led by grabbing another handful, and only then did the others divide up these gold coins completely. Dividing gold with a large scale, drinking wine from large bowls—this was what they liked. After Yun Ye downed three bowls in succession, he fell backward onto the ground, vomit from his mouth spraying more than a foot high.