Big Moneybags Shen

"Li Dawang sold it to me for three hundred thousand taels. He needed silver and was eager to get it off his hands, so he sold it at half price.

"But I have no intention of reselling it.

"If someone really wanted it, I wouldn't sell for less than six hundred thousand." Tang Wen shook his head.

"Lord Tang, you bought it for three hundred thousand taels, and now you want six hundred thousand to sell it to the court? You're extorting the court. Aren't you afraid I'll hold you accountable?" Kang Qingfeng sneered.

"That's what land beside the Thousand-Leaf Workshop costs. How is that extorting the court?" Tang Wen sneered back.

"Forget it. Let's say no more. Lord Zhang, I still have to go back and interrogate Qiao Xiao tonight. I'll end my meal here." Kang Qingfeng stood up.

"You can interrogate him. You can even slap some trumped-up charge on him and kill him. That's within your power.

"Although my title of Count is only a title, with neither authority nor strength behind it,

"the Tang family easily dealt with seventy-two murderous, vicious pirates who killed and plundered. Would dealing with one or two people really take much effort?

"Lord Kang, Lord Zhang invited us to this meal.

"If you won't give him face, that's your choice. We'll part ways here." Tang Wen stood up, turned, and walked away, even more decisively than Kang Qingfeng.

"Ah, young people have such fiery tempers. It seems his blood is running hot." Zhang Hongjiang shook his head. "Lord Kang, let's sit down and keep drinking. Pay him no mind.

"Once you've eaten and drunk your fill, you'll be hearing Qiao Xiao's case. But Yang Yun, didn't you say last time that they only had fifty or sixty estate guards on Su Mei Island?

"Yet they managed to kill seventy-two pirates. I heard there were even eighth-rank experts among those pirates, and they were killed too.

"Now that he's been promoted to Third-Rank Earl, he can establish a Personal Guard Army of two hundred.

"When that happens, even two hundred pirates coming ashore would probably have a rough time of it.

"I certainly hope he kills more pirates and cuts those cancers out of our Yanling Commandery."

"Never mind two hundred pirates-even three or four hundred would struggle to break through his fortified camp. From what I've learned, there were several eighth-rank martial artists among those pirates," Yang Yun said.

"Is he really that strong?" Kang Qingfeng didn't believe a word of it.

"Why not visit the island and have a look when you have time, Lord Kang?" Yang Yun said.

"What is there to see on a barren island? Lord Zhang, I'll take my leave!" Kang Qingfeng flicked his sleeve and left.

"He's gone too far! That's outright robbery!" Once Kang Qingfeng had left, Yang Yun cursed furiously.

"He wants to rob the man blind without even giving him enough military merit in return. That's driving someone to his death. Even a clay figure has a spark of temper. It's only natural that Tang Wen treated him that way," Zhang Hongjiang said.

"I'm just afraid Kang Qingfeng will retaliate and finish Qiao Xiao off tonight.

"If that happens, the feud between them will be set in stone.

"Lord Zhang, I think Tang Wen is a clever man, and Su Mei Island has a promising future.

"Once the farmland on the island has been reclaimed, our commandery will be able to collect a good deal of grain tax.

"If Kang Qingfeng ruins everything and Tang Wen returns to Liangzhou in a fit of anger, our losses will be enormous," Yang Yun said worriedly.

"Don't worry! He wouldn't dare." Zhang Hongjiang smiled.

"What wouldn't he dare do? For the Six Fan Gate, how is crushing a commoner any different from stepping on an ant?" Yang Yun said.

"Didn't Tang Wen just throw out a threat of his own? The Tang family now has nearly a thousand servants. Kang Qingfeng has to consider the consequences.

"Besides, although Tang Wen's title of Count is currently an empty one, who can guarantee he won't get his hands on real authority in the future?

"How difficult could it be for a count to obtain an official post?

"With the Northwestern War so pressing, it wouldn't be hard for His Lordship to secure a position.

"Then he could finish Kang Qingfeng off in turn. Kang understands that. He won't dare act recklessly, so set your mind completely at ease.

"Still, we should take precautions. Go back and keep an eye on Qiao Xiao. Don't let Kang Qingfeng spoil this good opportunity for us," Zhang Hongjiang said.

"He's infuriated the hell out of me!" Once outside, Kang Qingfeng exhaled fiercely and cursed.

"Will you be interrogating Qiao Xiao tonight, my lord?" Yu Hong asked.

"Interrogate him, my ass. We're going back to the guesthouse to sleep," Kang Qingfeng snapped.

"Surely you aren't afraid of him, my lord? He may be a count, but he's merely an idle man with an empty title.

"He's also holed up on a barren island where even birds won't shit. What could he possibly have?

"If you don't interrogate him, won't Zhang Hongjiang and the others laugh at you?" Yu Hong said.

"That's true. As if I'd be afraid of him! Come on, let's interrogate him. We'll give that brat a taste of pain first. But we mustn't beat him to death." Kang Qingfeng nodded.

At midnight, Tang Wen received a letter from Yang Yun saying that Kang Qingfeng had interrogated Qiao Xiao that night and left after giving him a brutal beating. Yang Yun also said he would continue keeping watch.

"This Kang Qingfeng is utterly despicable," Ge Ziyun said after reading the letter.

"We have to think of something quickly. Otherwise, Kang Qingfeng will beat Qiao Xiao to death in prison." Tang Jun was growing anxious.

"The fact that he gave Qiao Xiao a brutal beating tonight is actually a good thing," Tang Wen said, shaking his head.

"How can a brutal beating be a good thing?" Tang Jun was puzzled.

"He beat him for us to see, and for Zhang Hongjiang and Yang Yun to see. It was nothing more than a way to save face.

"But why didn't he dare kill him outright?

"That means what I said to him had an effect," Tang Wen said.

"You threw out a harsh threat, my lord, and it gave him something to fear.

"So his next move will probably be to send people to Su Mei Island to investigate you in secret.

"If you have considerable influence and plenty of men, Kang Qingfeng will naturally be wary.

"Even if he wants to move against you, he'll have to make thorough preparations first.

"If you don't amount to much, Qiao Xiao is as good as dead.

"But Kang Qingfeng wants the Thousand-Leaf Workshop's property, so he won't kill Qiao Xiao just yet.

"He intends to wear you down. It will come down to who can outlast whom.

"If you weaken and compromise, the Thousand-Leaf Workshop will become Kang Qingfeng's," Ge Ziyun said with a nod.

"Bu Feng, stay in close contact with Constable Yang, and send people to keep watch at the prison too. We'll return to the island and find ways to recruit more people and strengthen the Tang family," Tang Wen instructed.

However, just as they were preparing to leave that morning, Li Chun'er sent someone with a message saying that an honored guest wished to meet Master Tang.

Tang Wen sent a reply, and Li Chun'er arranged to meet him at the River-View Tower at noon.

Meanwhile, Tang Wen told Tang Jun to ride a fast horse straight back to Su Mei Island and bring all the remaining mirrors, lipstick, and other goods to the Thousand-Leaf Workshop.

At noon, Tang Wen arrived at the River-View Tower.

He found that besides Li Chun'er, a middle-aged man was seated in the private room. The man wore a green jade thumb ring, an openwork gentleman's cap woven from celestial silkworm silk, and expensive blue-patterned silk clothing.

When Tang Wen pushed open the door and entered, the man looked up and hurriedly rose along with Li Chun'er, bowing slightly in greeting.

"Greetings, my lord Count."

"No need for ceremony. You must be Proprietor Shen?" Tang Wen waved a hand and sat down, looking at Shen Xihe as he spoke.

"I am Shen Xihe. The Many-Treasure Studio in Jiangzhou City is owned by my Shen family," Shen Xihe said.

"My lord, the Shen family owns more than just the Many-Treasure Studio. They also operate restaurants, inns, and other businesses on a large scale. They're well known even in the provincial capital, Jiangzhou. Many people there know the Stilt House Shen family," Li Chun'er said.

"I've long heard of you!" Tang Wen cupped his hands.

"Whenever Proprietor Shen comes to Yanling Commandery, he visits me to listen to my songs. We've known each other for several years.

"This time, he saw the goods from the Western Lands displayed in my room and took quite an interest in them.

"He would like to buy a batch from you to take back to the provincial capital and try selling. If he can establish sales channels, he'll purchase in bulk in the future," Li Chun'er said.

"What goods would you like, Proprietor Shen?" Tang Wen asked.

"I'd like to see what goods you've imported from the Western Lands first," Shen Xihe said.

"Li Quan, bring the trunk in," Tang Wen called to Li Quan outside. A moment later, two of Bu Feng's men carried in a large trunk.

"I expect you've already seen the mirrors, lipstick, and perfume at Li Chun'er's place, Proprietor Shen.

"But I also have some newly arrived goods from the Western Lands. For example, this is called a disposable lighter. It's windproof too.

"This is a Silver Crown. I expect women will be very fond of it.

"And these cigarettes are made with special aromatics. They're much better to smoke than local tobacco." Tang Wen laid out the items one by one and demonstrated them.

Li Chun'er snatched up the Silver Crown and tried it on, adjusting it on her head, so delighted that she could hardly bear to put it down.

Shen Xihe, meanwhile, was quite interested in the lighter and cigarettes. He flicked the lighter alight and began smoking.

"Proprietor Shen, do I look beautiful?" Li Chun'er asked, wearing the Silver Crown with a blush on her cheeks.

"Beautiful. You're the queen of flowers," Shen Xihe said with a smile.

"My lord, how much is a Silver Crown?" Li Chun'er asked, overjoyed.

"Five hundred taels," Tang Wen replied.

"I learned the prices of the mirrors, lipstick, and perfume from Li Chun'er. But how much is a pack of cigarettes? And how much is one of these lighters?" Shen Xihe asked.

"Ten taels of silver per lighter, and five taels per pack of cigarettes," Tang Wen replied.

"I'd like a hundred thousand taels' worth of goods. Can you give me twenty percent off everything?" Shen Xihe asked.