Chapter Forty-One: The Art of Making Money

“Gentlemen.”
Inside a tavern in Qingyang County, Chief Li raised a cup of wine, looking at the merchants before him, and spoke, “On behalf of the Anti-Bandit Squad, I offer you a toast.”
None were eager to rise and drink, but in the end, Master Zheng led by example, and the others, seeing this, honored Chief Li with their courtesy.
After draining his cup, Chief Li sighed and said, “I know why you’ve come to see me—it’s about the bandits, nothing more.”
“I am already working on suppressing them. Over twenty bandits from Black Crow Mountain have been thrown into the county jail. You may view them at your leisure.”
“Besides Black Crow Mountain, there are over a dozen bandit strongholds in Qingyang. The Anti-Bandit Squad numbers only so many; I cannot be everywhere at once. It is impossible to eliminate every nest in a short time.”
“You should know, I’ve just returned from outside the city, investigating and confirming the locations of their lairs.”
“Rest assured, the Anti-Bandit Squad has a plan: every month, we will destroy at least one stronghold. In time, not a single den will remain in Qingyang.”
At this, Chief Li’s voice soared with bravado, “Come, let’s drink to the full!”
Master Zheng and the others raised their cups, clinking them with Li Yun’s. The county’s wealthiest landlord then looked at Li Yun and sighed, “Chief Li, we know you’ve just returned, and you’ve truly been working for Qingyang. But as you said, there are nearly twenty strongholds…”
“And now the government has raised taxes, who knows how many new outlaws have sprung up?”
“If you go about suppression at the current pace, won’t it take two or three years to finish?”
Chief Li frowned, “The Anti-Bandit Squad is short-handed. What can I do? Perhaps you don’t know, even the last assault on Black Crow Mountain relied on recruiting local militia. Otherwise, we couldn’t even have taken Twin Duck Mountain, let alone others.”
Hu, a merchant dealing in medicinal herbs, looked at Li Yun and greeted him, “Chief Li, whether you suppress the bandits or not, that’s not the most urgent matter. All of us here do business vital to the people’s welfare—that’s what truly matters.”
Li Yun set down his cup, frowned, “And you are?”
“I am Hu, dealing in medicinal herbs.”
“What do you mean, Mr. Hu?”
Hu bit his lip, “What I mean is, Chief Li can postpone bandit suppression—it’s not urgent. But you must ensure our business is unaffected.”
“If we’re harassed by bandits for two years, unable to operate, if herbs, cloth, grain can’t enter the city, how will Qingyang’s people survive?”
Chief Li stroked his chin, pondering for a moment, then continued, “So, Mr. Hu, how do you expect me to ensure your business runs smoothly?”
“Chief Li must dispatch men to protect our goods along the way.”
Hu spoke gravely, “Only then will these petty thieves be deterred!”
“That’s an idea.”
Chief Li pondered seriously, then looked at the assembled merchants, his brows furrowed, “But today, there are five or six merchants here. In all of Qingyang County, there must be dozens of businesses. With so many, and so few officers, especially with men needed for bandit suppression, how can we guarantee the safety of everyone’s goods?”
Master Zheng spoke, “Food is life—the grain route is most important. Chief Li, you must assign men to protect the Zheng family’s grain carts!”
“Nonsense! Are the people of Qingyang to eat but not wear clothes?”
The cloth merchant retorted angrily.

Amid the heated arguments, Chief Li coughed, pressing his hands down to quiet the crowd, and spoke in a deep voice, “Gentlemen, the Anti-Bandit Squad must suppress the bandits, and the remaining officers must maintain order. Our manpower is limited. Here’s what we’ll do: each business will stagger their shipments, and submit a written notice to me, specifying which day, which business, and from where goods will come to Qingyang.”
“I will arrange for officers to protect your shipments as best I can.”
The merchants nodded, praising the plan, “That’s a good idea. Chief Li truly gets things done!”
Chief Li smiled, then continued, “There’s another matter. Since we must assign men to protect your goods, the existing staff will not suffice. I hope each of you can contribute some money, so I can temporarily hire local militia for the Anti-Bandit Squad.”
“In this way, manpower will be sufficient, at least for now.”
Master Zheng patted his chest and declared loudly, “Rest assured, Chief Li! Since this is for Qingyang, we Qingyang people will help. I’ll contribute one hundred strings of cash!”
“I’ll give fifty!”
Hu added his pledge.
Li Yun glanced at Master Zheng with a sly smile and said, “Master Zheng, perhaps you don’t know—the Anti-Bandit Squad was established with funds from the Gu family. They’re from Shidai, and for Qingyang’s sake, they contributed a thousand strings of cash.”
“You’re the richest man in Qingyang, so…”
He smiled, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Master Zheng blushed, unable to save face, and could only declare loudly, “As long as Chief Li ensures my grain carts remain safe, I’m willing to give five hundred!”
“Well done, Master Zheng!”
Li Yun clapped, laughing. “But isn’t your household full of farmhands? Why haven’t they been put to use?”
“Don’t mention it.”
Master Zheng’s face darkened, gritting his teeth, “A bunch of useless fools!”
In recent days, Zheng’s grain carts were robbed twice. On the second occasion, he sent nearly twenty farmhands as escorts, only for the ruthless bandits to kill or injure nearly ten in a single encounter.
Naturally, the grain cart was lost.
This infuriated Master Zheng.
A playful smile appeared on Chief Li’s face.
He himself had led the raid on Zheng’s grain carts!
After a while, Chief Li coughed, restoring order, “Alright, gentlemen, those willing to donate for bandit suppression, come write your pledges.”
A merchant timidly asked, “Chief Li, is it alright not to donate?”
“Of course.”
Chief Li smiled kindly, “Entirely voluntary, entirely voluntary!”
…

After half a day, Chief Li left with several pledges and the merchants’ rotating shipment schedule, accompanied by Zhang Hu and Li Zheng, heading toward the county office.
Li Zheng curiously took the schedule.
He saw that it detailed which business would bring goods to Qingyang, from where, and on which day—even specifying the routes.
Li Zheng, though barely literate, grasped the gist, swallowed nervously, and looked up at Li Yun, asking, “Second Brother, is this…”
“Is this a list for us to rob?”
Chief Li was stunned by the question, snatched the schedule back, and scolded with a laugh, “Don’t talk nonsense!”
“This is the list of those we must protect!”
Li Yun glanced over the schedule, speaking coolly, “But two stingy ones didn’t pay.”
The straightforward Zhang Hu grinned, “Then we won’t protect them.”
As they reached the county office, Li Yun glared at the pair, took the list inside, and made his way to Magistrate Xue’s study. He handed the list over and said, “Magistrate, nearly two thousand strings of cash.”
“Order to halve the recent tax increase.”
Magistrate Xue looked over the pledges, then glanced at Li Yun, “I thought you’d bring back five thousand.”
“Perhaps I could, but not now. Besides, if all taxes were collected, you’d be in a tough spot.”
The old magistrate grunted, “What do I have to worry about?”
Li Yun asked, surprised, “Doesn’t the imperial court care?”
The court demands taxes, but you, a county magistrate, not only fail to collect, you pay for the people yourself—instantly beloved by all!
So what is your intention as an official?
The old magistrate paused, then shook his head and sighed, “If it were before, perhaps the court would care, but now, it no longer bothers.”
Corruption has ruined the bureaucracy.
Li Yun nodded silently, “At any rate, this is all I could get for now.”
He patted his chest, smiling.
“Next month, I’ll lead the Anti-Bandit Squad to destroy another stronghold, so you can be pleased, Magistrate.”
The old magistrate glared at him, then sighed deeply.
“If you don’t cause trouble, I’ll thank heaven and earth!”