After staying in You Province City for another day, Zhang Tie boarded an airship on January 7 and returned to Golden Light City.
He had arrived empty-handed, but when he left, the airship was packed to the brim with gifts presented by guests from every quarter when "Old Master Jiang" washed his hands in a golden basin.
There were nearly a thousand gifts—large and small parcels, large and small boxes, great chests and little chests—stuffing the entire cargo hold of the airship.
For the ceremony of a Grand craftsman washing his hands in a golden basin, none of those who came, nor any of the gifts they gave, could be called shabby. Even those seated at the ordinary tables, if they could not offer a fine gift, would at least contribute ten or eight gold coins as congratulatory money.
Many of these gifts had been sent over still unopened, while others that had not been properly wrapped had been repackaged in boxes. A glance at the gift list alone was enough to make one dizzy: pearls and gemstones, rune equipment, a dazzling array of Great Xia curios and treasures, premium crystals, tea, pills and medicinal potions, python silkworm silk and all manner of rare fabrics, expensive tools and equipment for Rune Refiners, calligraphy and paintings, antiques—everything one could think of was there.
It made Zhang Tie look as though he had robbed an exhibition of luxury goods and rare treasures.
As for the more than forty million gold coins, banknotes, and other cash Old Master Jiang had accumulated, Zhang Tie had the Judicial Office distribute them. Nearly a million people under the You Province Judicial Office who had participated in this operation—the Xiezhi Battalion forces from the various prefectures and counties, constables, Judicial Office officials at every level, even the