The March of Civilization

"A painting, but the technique was different from the ones used in our country. Its style was unusual and quite marvelous.

Unfortunately, there was a fire one year, and the painting burned.

The commandery governor's father was wracked with grief. He has been bedridden ever since, behaving like a madman and bursting into bitter tears from time to time.

Lord Zhang has racked his brains over this and summoned dozens of physicians, but none of them have been any help," Yang Yun said.

"What sort of painting could drive Lord Zhang's father to such madness?" Tang Wen asked.

"While the painting was still around, Liu Yuanzong, a master painter of our Great Chu Kingdom, made a copy.

Later, Lord Zhang bought it for a hefty sum. But although Liu Yuanzong's brushwork was divine, the techniques and pigments used in Western Lands paintings were different. In the end, he couldn't capture their essence.

I've seen that copy. It depicted a handsome man, with something like 'Apollo' written above him.

Master Liu guessed it might be the handsome man's name or a signature," Yang Yun said, shaking his head with a sigh.

Apollo?

Holy crap! Wasn't that Apollo, God of the Sun, one of the twelve Olympian gods of ancient Greece?

Tang Wen was startled. How could legends of Apollo exist in this world?

Could ancient European civilization have also appeared during this world's ancient history?

The Great Eastern Republic was a parallel world resembling modern China. Could this world be a parallel world resembling ancient China?

"Junru, bring me the painting hanging on the east wall of my room," Tang Wen said.

This was an opportunity to build a friendship with Governor Zhang.

Junru nodded, went into the adjoining bedroom, and returned carrying the European oil painting.

Of course, this oil painting depicted Athena, the goddess of wisdom and one of the twelve Olympian gods.

Yang Yun glanced at it and froze. Pointing at the letters spelling "Athena," he said, "How strange. Why does your painting have a similar name on it? And its style resembles Master Liu's copy."

"This painting of mine came from the Western Lands too," Tang Wen said with a smile.

"You truly are a man of refined taste, my lord Baron, to have acquired such a treasure," Yang Yun said, stroking his beard in admiration.

"Heh, an ancestor of mine earned military honors and was made Count of Liangzhou by the imperial family. This painting was part of his reward."

Sadly, each generation of the Tang family has fallen further than the last.

The painting, at least, has been passed down. It's a Tang family heirloom," Tang Wen said, lying through his teeth.

"Forgive my discourtesy!" Yang Yun rose and bowed to Tang Wen before continuing, "I showed you some disrespect earlier, my lord. However, humble though my accomplishments are, I am also a Martial Jinshi."

"Not at all. I was the one who was discourteous," Tang Wen said, shaking his head. At last, he understood.

Yang Yun had not knelt before him earlier because he held an examination qualification.

The imperial family of Great Chu decreed that anyone holding such a qualification need not kneel when meeting an official.

A slight cupped-hand salute or nod was enough. Even a xiucai enjoyed this privilege.

But Yang Yun was a fully qualified Martial Jinshi and had spent so many years making his way in the world.

How had he fallen so low as to become a mere constable captain in Yanling Commandery? He should at least have been a seventh-rank official.

"Bu Feng just took me to see the pirates' bodies. Those men were wicked beyond measure, daring to rob you of your property, my lord.

As for this matter, I, Yang Yun, will investigate it thoroughly and give you a satisfactory account.

Still, you managed to wipe out more than seventy pirates, displaying the might of our Great Chu.

And not a single man on your side died. You have my deepest admiration!" Yang Yun said, repeatedly cupping his hands.

"That was a fortunate coincidence. They colluded with servants of the Tang family, but we uncovered their scheme and invited them straight into our trap.

Otherwise, Constable Yang, you might have found nothing but my corpse, Tang Wen's.

No, not just mine, but hundreds of corpses belonging to the Tang household," Tang Wen said.

"Alas... our Yanling Commandery is rather remote, and Su Mei Island is more remote still.

Years of war, followed by famine and disaster, have claimed many lives.

The pirates along the coast have grown even more rampant. The court has little choice but to pull its troops back and hold a few strategic strongholds.

Most of the navy is stationed at the checkpoints, leaving it no time to look after places like Su Mei Island.

Especially lately, with our dynasty fighting a major war against Great Qin, the Sun Kingdom across the sea to the east has begun stirring restlessly.

The admiral has little choice either. He has withdrawn the navy further, positioning all its forces off the eastern side of the provincial capital, with defending the capital as his priority.

Otherwise, if those villains from the Sun Kingdom break through our eastern defenses and the provincial capital falls, Linghai will be in danger, and so will the country.

As a result, the court has no strength left to deal with the pirates, so they have grown increasingly brazen and savage.

Just last month, they even committed the atrocity of slaughtering an entire island. Their sins tower to the heavens.

Sadly, despite all my martial skills, I, Yang Yun, lack the power to wipe out these villains and restore peace to Linghai," Constable Yang said, shaking his head with a sigh.

"That is why I have no choice but to drill my Personal Guard Army every day to keep Su Mei Island in Yanling safe.

I also wish to protect the surrounding waters from pirates and do my part for the court.

Unfortunately, the court has only authorized me to maintain sixty personal guards.

If the pirates attack again, and Yanling Commandery is too far away to reach us in time,

I fear the island will be destroyed and its people killed, with blood flowing in rivers and corpses strewn across the land," Tang Wen said.

"The court has its own difficulties," Yang Yun said.

"You also have countless affairs to attend to, Lord Yang. Lately, refugees and disaster victims from other provinces have been flooding in.

Once their hunger becomes unbearable, they are bound to turn to robbery and even murder. That must be a terrible headache for you as well.

I am deeply grateful that you could spare the time to visit Su Mei Island in person.

But willing though I am, I lack the strength to help.

If the court would authorize me to recruit more men, I could build a stronger Personal Guard Army.

Then I could fight the pirates and defend the islands, helping resolve some of Yanling Commandery's troubles," Tang Wen said.

"There happens to be an opportunity this time," Yang Yun suddenly said after some thought.

"Oh?" Tang Wen feigned surprise and looked at Yang Yun.

"The fighting in the northwest has grown desperate lately, and grain, fodder, and horses are all in short supply.

Great Qin has sent eighty divisions into battle, hoping to seize our Great Chu's three Northwest provinces.

So the court has issued an emergency wartime proclamation.

Nobles of the Chu Kingdom who wish to advance their titles may do so through military merit," Yang Yun said.

"Of course I know about that. But I am merely a scholar. Though I aspire to serve my country, I haven't even the strength to truss a chicken," Tang Wen said.

"Heh, it's different this time. You can donate money and grain. That, too, is an indirect way of supporting the fight against Great Qin," Yang Yun said, smiling and shaking his head.

"Donations of money and grain count as military merit?" Tang Wen was surprised. Buying official posts through donations had hardly been uncommon in ancient times.

Of course, posts purchased through donations were usually idle positions with titles but no real authority, useful only for keeping up appearances.

"Of course!" Yang Yun said.

"How exactly do donations convert into military merit?" Tang Wen asked.

"One hundred taels of silver buys one point of military merit. For barons like you, advancing from Third-Rank Baron to Second-Rank Baron requires fifty points earned through donations," Yang Yun said.

"That would be five thousand taels of silver," Tang Wen said with a nod.

"Correct! Or the equivalent in grain and fodder. But if you wish to become a First-Rank Baron, you will need ten thousand taels of fine silver," Yang Yun said.

"That doesn't sound cheap. With war and chaos everywhere, cries of suffering fill the land, and countless disaster victims and refugees are starving to death. Making any money is difficult enough, let alone ten thousand taels. Isn't that far too difficult?" Tang Wen deliberately shook his head and sighed.

"Of course. But think about it, my lord. Without this opportunity, how difficult would it be to advance your title by even one rank?

If you joined the army and led troops into battle, killing one enemy would earn you only one point of military merit.

Even to become a Second-Rank Baron, you would have to kill fifty enemies.

For the first rank, you would need to kill a hundred. You would surely have to brave death a hundred times to earn that promotion.

And compared to donating silver, one careless moment could cost you your life on the battlefield, whereas donating silver is perfectly safe," Yang Yun said with a nod.

"Indeed, neither is easy. But what if I wanted to become a viscount?" Tang Wen asked, nodding.

"Fifteen thousand taels for a Third-Rank Viscount, twenty thousand for the second rank, and twenty-five thousand for the first," Yang Yun said.

"By that reckoning, wouldn't becoming a Count cost thirty thousand taels?" Tang Wen asked.

"A Count is different. Advancing from viscount to Count takes at least a hundred thousand taels, and that only makes you a Third-Rank Earl," Yang Yun said, shaking his head.

Tang Wen began calculating. A hundred thousand taels was no great matter to him. Buying himself a Count's title through donations would be worthwhile.

Under Great Chu's laws, a Third-Rank Earl could expand his Personal Guard Army to three hundred men.

Then he would have enough strength to protect Su Mei Island.

Of course, he did not have many men at present. Even if he donated enough to become a Third-Rank Earl, he could not spare three hundred men to form a Personal Guard Army.

This was a plan for the future. Tang Wen worried that once the war ended,

advancement through donations of money and grain would be suspended, and he would lose the opportunity.

"I am certainly interested," Tang Wen said.

He noticed Yang Yun's eyes suddenly brighten. "Then we must act quickly. If you are interested, my lord, I will report this to the governor as soon as I return."

"Very well!" Tang Wen said with a nod.

"Master, the meal is almost ready," Li Quan announced as he entered.