Tang Jun

"Of course. They came from the Western Lands. Very expensive." Tang Wen opened his mouth and blew several smoke rings in succession.

Li Dawang's face lit up at the sight. He was probably fantasizing about blowing smoke rings himself.

"By the way, I hear you owe the workshop artisans quite a bit of silver?" Tang Wen asked.

"A hundred thousand taels or so. Otherwise, I wouldn't be selling my workshop so cheaply. Damn it, someone actually tried to beat the price down to a hundred and eighty thousand taels. My workshop isn't a pile of rubbish!" Li Dawang said indignantly.

"Who was it?" Tang Wen took out another cigarette and handed it over, asking casually.

"Fang Qiang, Liu Hesen, and their lot," Li Dawang said.

"The workshop may be run-down, but it occupies a sizable plot. Three hundred thousand taels really isn't expensive. You're an honest businessman, Shopkeeper Li," Tang Wen said.

"Of course. If I weren't in a hurry to sell, I'd want at least four or five hundred thousand taels," Li Dawang said.

"I won't beat around the bush. I'll take your workshop. But I can't produce three hundred thousand taels all at once," Tang Wen said.

"Well, I need the silver. No credit, under any circumstances," Li Dawang said, hastily shaking his head.

"Last time, that troublemaker Tang Jun brought several hundred people to surround the master's residence. If they aren't paid their wages, they'll cause trouble again. That's why we can't offer credit," the adviser explained.

"Squire Li, how about this? I'll take on all the former workers of the Thousand-Leaf Workshop. Don't you owe them over a hundred thousand taels? I'll assume that debt and pay you only the balance," Tang Wen said.

"Would they agree?" Li Dawang asked after some thought.

"I'll sort things out with them. If they refuse, I'll give you the silver," Tang Wen said.

"Then you'll have to settle matters with them first," Li Dawang said.

"Deal!" Tang Wen nodded. "Gather them at the Thousand-Leaf Workshop, and I'll handle it."

"I could summon them before, but ever since they surrounded my residence, they haven't listened to me." Li Dawang shook his head.

"All right, I'll handle that." Tang Wen nodded, then said to Ge Ziyun, "Bring the goods up."

Ge Ziyun nodded and brought over some mirrors, lipstick, and perfume, setting them on the table.

"Did you buy these from Miss Lin Qian'er at the Floating Fragrance House too?" Li Dawang blurted out.

"How much did Lin Qian'er charge you per item?" Tang Wen asked.

"Well..." Li Dawang hesitated.

"Heh, she may have fleeced you." Tang Wen smiled.

"That bitch charged one tael and five mace of gold for each mirror, and one tael of gold apiece for lipstick and perfume.

"I took them back to my shop and charged two taels of gold for a mirror and one tael for lipstick or perfume, but people actually complained they were too expensive.

"Am I, Li Dawang, supposed to make no profit and give them away for nothing?

"Still, it doesn't matter if they think they're expensive. There's no stock left anywhere now," Li Dawang cursed.

"How many do you want?" Tang Wen asked, smiling at him.

"You still have stock?" Li Dawang froze in surprise.

"Two taels of gold for a mirror is expensive, of course, and makes them hard to sell. If you charged one tael and five mace per mirror instead, wouldn't they sell much better?" Tang Wen asked.

"Of course." Li Dawang nodded.

"My mirrors cost one tael and two mace apiece. Lipstick and perfume cost seven mace of gold each. Tell me how many you want," Tang Wen said.

"You really have stock?" Li Dawang's eyes widened.

"It just arrived. Not much, but I do have eight hundred to a thousand items," Tang Wen said.

"All right. I'll take half," Li Dawang said.

"You'll have to pay the gold up front. Money in one hand, goods in the other," Tang Wen said.

"Agreed!" Li Dawang turned to his adviser. "Ning Ping, go back and fetch the gold at once."

"Master, we don't know how much to bring yet. Let's calculate it before I go," Ning Ping said.

"Two hundred mirrors comes to two hundred and forty taels. Five hundred items of lipstick and perfume comes to three hundred taels. That's five hundred and ninety taels altogether," Tang Wen calculated for him.

"When and where will you deliver the goods?" Li Dawang asked.

"Right here. My goods are in the carriage. We can make the exchange immediately if you like," Tang Wen said.

"Ning Ping, hurry back and ask the mistress for the gold," Li Dawang said.

Ning Ping nodded and hurried off.

When Tang Wen walked out of the River View House, he had over five hundred more taels of gold in his pocket.

Naturally, Li Dawang had happily taken away the lighter and a pack of cigarettes as complimentary gifts.

That afternoon, Tang Wen went to the government office, where Yang Yun had Constable Liu escort him into the jail.

Tang Jun was 1.76 meters tall, with a lean build and bright, piercing eyes. He was young, looking no more than twenty-three or twenty-four.

"Tang Jun, this is Count Tang Wen," Constable Liu introduced him after opening the cell.

"What brings Your Lordship's noble person to this filthy, stinking prison to seek out a mere commoner like me?" Tang Jun asked coldly, sitting on a heap of straw and leaning against the wooden bars.

"You led the artisans to demand their wages from Li Dawang. That shows you have a sense of justice. You're a brave man!" Tang Wen said, looking at him.

"I wouldn't call myself brave. I only wanted to recover my own hard-earned wages," Tang Jun snorted.

"As you should!" Tang Wen nodded.

"As I should? Then why did I end up here? Ask them. Is there anywhere left in this world where reason counts?" Tang Jun demanded, pointing at Constable Liu.

"If you wanted your wages, you should have asked for your wages. You couldn't lead a mob to besiege Squire Li's residence.

"Squire Li accused you of attacking his private residence and provoking trouble.

"We're constables of Yanling Prefecture. Of course we had to arrest you," Constable Liu snorted.

"You're the rich men's dogs. Of course you'd help them," Tang Jun snorted.

"Who are you calling a dog?" Constable Liu flew into a rage and raised his whip to strike.

"Enough." Tang Wen gave a low grunt, and Constable Liu's whip hand froze in midair.

"See? His Lordship lets out a fart, and you don't dare strike. What are you if not their dog?" Tang Jun mocked.

"I'll beat you to death, you bastard!" Constable Liu roared, lashing out with his whip.

Tang Wen blocked him, however, sending him stumbling sideways. He tossed him a tael of silver and said, "Go outside and wait."

Constable Liu caught the silver and glared. "For His Lordship's sake, I'll spare you today."

"No need! I don't know him. Just beat me to death," Tang Jun sneered. Constable Liu's face flushed scarlet with anger, and he raised his whip again.

"What, do I need to call Chief Constable Yang over?" Tang Wen asked coldly.

Crack!

Constable Liu lashed his whip viciously against the wood, then stormed out.

"Your influence may have spared me a beating.

"But don't bother pleading for that beast Li Dawang. I, Tang Jun, won't owe you that favor.

"I've only got this worthless life. Beat me or kill me, as you please," Tang Jun said coldly.

"Him? He isn't worth my coming here to plead for him," Tang Wen said coldly.

"Then what are you here for? Apart from this worthless life, I have nothing," Tang Jun said.

"I want to buy that worthless life of yours," Tang Wen said.

"Oh? Hahaha! Someone actually wants to buy my life? How funny. How very funny!" Tang Jun froze, then burst out laughing.

"Since you're eager to uphold justice and stand up for your hundreds of brothers and sisters, why give up halfway?" Tang Wen asked.

"Did I give up halfway? Those beasts arrested me!" Tang Jun shouted heatedly.

"Can pride solve your problems? Does shouting and yelling help? I call that stupidity!" Tang Wen said.

"I'm useless, and you're useful. Then tell me, how will you get those hundreds of people their wages back?" Tang Jun sneered.

"Work for me, and I'll pay your wages," Tang Wen said.

"Doing what?" Tang Jun asked.

"Have you heard of Su Mei Island?" Tang Wen asked.

"Of course. It's just a deserted island. Besides, pirates run rampant there. It's a complete mess," Tang Jun said.

"That island is mine," Tang Wen said.

"Yours...?" Tang Jun froze and stared blankly at Tang Wen.

"I need workers to reclaim the wasteland and build irrigation works.

"In the future, I also intend to turn Su Mei Island into a happy island where everyone has food to eat.

"Where everyone has clothes to wear, and children have schools to attend," Tang Wen said.

"Would you really be so kind? Heh, you just want to squeeze us dry working for you," Tang Jun sneered.

"Anyone who wants a full belly and warm clothes without working is a layabout, and I, Tang Wen, don't keep layabouts. Happiness is something you must win with your own two hands, not by dreaming all day and expecting pies to fall from the sky," Tang Wen said.

"What exactly do you want us to do?" Tang Jun was taken aback. After a moment's thought, he asked.

"Simple. Sell yourselves into the Tang household's service. We'll build Su Mei Island together and make our dreams come true.

"I want to buy the Thousand-Leaf Workshop, and take you all on along with it.

"When the time comes, I'll deduct your unpaid wages from what I pay Li Dawang for the Thousand-Leaf Workshop.

"That way, you'll recover your wages.

"But the condition is that you must sell yourselves into the Tang household's service and go work on Su Mei Island," Tang Wen said.