"I'll see what I can do about this. I'll let you know when there's news," Zhang Hongjiang said after some thought.
Perhaps because he had recognized Tang Wen's usefulness, Zhang Hongjiang immediately drafted an official request for Tang Wen's promotion in noble rank and dispatched a runner to the provincial capital by eight-hundred-li express.
Of course, even the provincial governor's office had no authority to approve a promotion in noble rank. That was the business of Great Chu's Imperial Clan Court.
The Imperial Clan Court was the Great Chu Kingdom's highest institution for administering the imperial family and its relatives, and was headed by a prince.
However, the Chu Kingdom's imperial family had also established four regional clan halls outside the capital: the Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern Halls.
Linghai Province fell under the Southern Hall, which administered the Great Chu Kingdom's six southern provinces.
The hall was based in Sea Saint City, the largest city in the south, two thousand li from Linghai Province's capital. A prince of the Imperial Clan personally oversaw it.
A title such as count was not particularly high. Once the provincial governor's office cleared the application, it would be sent to Sea Saint City. After the Sea Saint King approved it, it only needed to be submitted to the Imperial Clan Court in the capital for registration.
A marquisate, however, required the Imperial Clan Court's personal review and the emperor's approval.
After all, a marquis was a regional overlord. Such matters could not be treated carelessly.
"Yang Yun, what's your impression of Tang Wen?" Zhang Hongjiang asked after Tang Wen had left.
"I haven't had much contact with him. The first time was when I went to Su Mei Island on official business. This was only our second meeting.
"He may be young, but I feel he's very clever.
"If we can give him manpower, once Su Mei Island's wasteland is brought under cultivation, he'll be able to hand over a large quantity of grain next year," Yang Yun said.
"Beneath that youthful face, he seems to harbor a mature heart," Zhou Tong, the adviser standing nearby, interjected.
"What makes you say that?" Zhang Hongjiang looked at Zhou Tong.
"As the saying goes, the crying child gets the milk. I don't think his real aim is how much grain tax he pays. But I haven't figured out exactly what he has in mind," Zhou Tong said.
"Heh, his target is manpower." Zhang Hongjiang stroked his chin and smiled.
"Manpower? Why would it be manpower?" Yang Yun asked, puzzled.
"Hasn't he kept saying he's short of people? We'll give him people. If he can't deliver the grain when the time comes, I'll hold him accountable," Zhang Hongjiang said.
"My lord, people aren't easy for us to find either. Though large numbers of disaster refugees have poured into Yanling, they won't agree to go reclaim wasteland on an island," Yang Yun said.
"Oh, you! Don't you have plenty of people locked up in your jail?" Zhang Hongjiang said.
"But they're criminals. Why would he want them?
"What if they cause trouble after we send them to Su Mei Island?
"Besides, we can't shoulder the responsibility for privately releasing criminals." Yang Yun was immediately alarmed.
"I'm not telling you to release criminals illegally. Over the past year or so, large numbers of disaster refugees have poured into Yanling, creating endless threats to public order in this commandery.
"Look, people are killed every day, and even more are injured in fights. The jail is already overflowing.
"The authorities have to allocate considerable silver every year to feed them. It's such a waste.
"So pick out those who've committed petty theft, gotten into minor fights, or disturbed the peace.
"Just send Su Mei Island the refugees who would have been released after ten-odd days in jail anyway.
"And if he needs even more people in the future, you can choose from among the refugees.
"Arrest the disobedient ones and find a reason to send them over.
"First, it'll help keep order in Yanling City. Second, it'll put out the fire burning at his brows.
"Third, once we've given him manpower, we can raise his taxes.
"If he can't pay, I'll have grounds to punish him," Zhang Hongjiang said.
"An excellent idea." Yang Yun smiled.
"What about Kang Qingfeng at the Six Fan Gate? That fellow isn't easy to talk around," Zhou Tong said.
"Give it a few days. I used the eight-hundred-li express this time, so his title of count should be approved very soon.
"We'll bring this up again after his promotion. Then I'll have grounds to put in a word for him.
"Also, quietly find out why Kang Qingfeng arrested Qiao Xiao," Zhang Hongjiang said.
"Understood." Yang Yun nodded.
"There's something fishy about this, my lord. Think about it-how could a simple fight involving Qiao Xiao draw in the Six Fan Gate?" Ge Ziyun said once they returned to their rooms.
"You mean someone's plotting against him?" Tang Wen asked.
"Didn't you mention it yourself, my lord? It might have something to do with forcing down the Thousand-Leaf Workshop's price," Ge Ziyun said.
"They want to ruin our deal with the Thousand-Leaf Workshop so they can buy it cheaply," Bu Feng said.
"If we buy the Thousand-Leaf Workshop as swiftly as thunder striking before anyone can cover their ears, they'll lose interest. Then they should stop targeting Qiao Xiao," Tang Wen said.
"Of course, but we don't have that much silver," Ge Ziyun said.
"We may not have silver, but we have other things. There's no rush. Tomorrow morning, we'll meet Li Dawang, the owner of the Thousand-Leaf Workshop," Tang Wen said, shaking his head.
At nine the following morning, Tang Wen brought Ge Ziyun and the others to the River-View Tower, where Li Dawang had arranged to meet them.
Li Dawang certainly looked prosperous: a bulging belly, a fat head, and large ears.
Though he wore expensive silk robes, he looked vulgar no matter how one viewed him.
The fellow was also a tobacco fiend. As soon as he sat down at the table, he clamped a gold pipe between his teeth and began puffing out clouds of smoke.
Of course, the Chu Kingdom only had local tobacco-the sort of leaves whose smoke could choke you to death.
Yet Li Dawang made quite a show of himself, behaving as though no one else were there. His face was full of arrogance, and he paid Tang Wen no regard whatsoever.
After sitting down, Tang Wen ignored him too. He simply took out a pack of Phoenix Cigarettes, pressed the box, and popped out a cigarette.
Then he took out a Windproof Lighter with a gold-plated casing. With a faint click, he lit the cigarette.
Li Dawang froze, staring blankly at Tang Wen.
"Brother, what's that you have?" Unable to contain himself, Li Dawang raised a hand and pointed at Tang Wen's cigarette and lighter, his finger almost poking the cigarette's tip.
"How dare you!" Bu Feng's expression suddenly hardened as he snapped.
"Brat, what the hell are you shouting for? Got a death wish?" Li Dawang slammed the table and pointed at Bu Feng as he cursed.
"This is our Lord Tang! He only just left the Commandery Governor's Office yesterday, and his title of count is about to be approved," Ge Ziyun, standing behind him, said in a pointedly flat tone.
"A count? Aren't you a baron? How did you suddenly become a count?" Li Dawang stared, unconvinced.
"You think I'm lying to you? Go on, Li Dawang. Send someone to the government office right now and ask Head Constable Yang Yun. Then you'll know!" Tang Wen slammed the table, bristling with authority.
"Li Dawang pays his respects to Your Lordship." At those words, Li Dawang's swagger immediately wilted. He hurriedly stood, bowed, and cupped his hands.
"Our employer also holds the title of honorary official, so please forgive him for not kneeling, Count," explained an adviser-like middle-aged man standing behind Li Dawang, looking rather smug.
For commoners in the Great Chu Kingdom, gaining an official career and distinction through wealth was impossible. Scholars held an unrivaled position; allowing people to buy offices freely would have sullied those posts.
Later, some wealthy people also wanted power and sought to donate money to purchase an office. But officials had to pass the imperial examinations, which they had no means of taking.
Thus, Great Chu's court established the sinecure of "honorary official."
Since honorary officials had no real authority anyway, why wouldn't the court take the chance to rake in some silver?
Although honorary officials had no administrative powers, they could use their status to manage rural communities.
They could serve as grain overseers and village heads, using grain to control and restrain the populace.
Moreover, with this status, they were like licentiates: they did not have to kneel when meeting officials.
It was also a mark of status, something many wealthy people spoke of with great relish.
But Tang Wen was a count, a noble of the Chu Kingdom. Though his was also an idle title with no real authority, his standing left Li Dawang more than a dozen streets behind.
"Want a taste?" Tang Wen asked.
"Yes, yes." Li Dawang watched the smoking Phoenix Cigarettes and inhaled its aroma, almost drooling.
"Here, try one." Tang Wen popped out a cigarette and gave it to him.
"That thing of yours..." After putting the cigarette between his lips, Li Dawang fixed his eyes on Tang Wen's lighter.
"You use it like this..." Tang Wen handed it over. Li Dawang tried it. There was a click, but he saw no flame.
Yet when he brought it to the cigarette, it actually lit. Startled, his hand shook, and the lighter fell to the floor with a crisp clink.
"This gadget from the Western Lands is very expensive, Honorary Official Li," Tang Wen said, putting on a stern face and pretending to be furious.
"I... I'll pay for it! I'll pay!" Li Dawang hurriedly picked up the lighter with an apologetic smile.
"Never mind. It isn't broken, so there's no need." Tang Wen waved a hand, took the lighter, and slipped it into his pocket. Li Dawang kept staring at that pocket.
After all, this lighter, paired with these cigarettes, made showing off in another world a truly classy affair.
"Well? Is it fragrant?" Tang Wen asked again.
"Fragrant. So fragrant!" Li Dawang nodded.
"Does it feel good?" Tang Wen asked again.
"Good. So good!" Li Dawang nodded repeatedly.
Before you continue