Chapter 22: Such Ambition Part Three
In this region, it was extremely cold half of the year. Without these three buildings, it was tough to live a great life.
Therefore, when people heard that Beckon of the Red Sleeve was leaving, they quickly went to Fang Jie, trying to ask him to change Aunt Xi’s mind, even if the residents got less dividends. After all, the people from the grassland spent the most money in Beckon of the Red Sleeve, and then it was Gold Essence Shop.
Without the golden phoenix, a wu-tong tree would be no different compared to a blade of grass.
At this moment, people realized that Fang Jie hadn’t shown up in several days. After asking around, they learned that Fang Jie had earned 21 counts of military merit, and he was permitted by the Ministry of War to participate in the entrance exam of the Martial Arts Academy in the Capital. Beckon of the Red Sleeve was leaving with Fang Jie.
People were shocked by this. Without Fang Jie, Fangu seemed to have lost a backbone that they overlooked before other than money and fun.
For several days, the people of Fangu gathered around Gold Essence Shop and wanted to see Fang Jie. However, Fang Jie who was always kind and friendly shut the door and refused to see anyone. Even those who were close to Fang Jie such as Aunt He were blocked by the guards of Gold Essence Shop when they begged.
Suddenly, some people thought of begging Major Li Xiaozong, but they realized that Li Xiaozong’s residence was closed as well when they got there.
Upon asking the guards, people learned that the Imperial Commissioner from Chang’an was killed near Fangu by the cavalrymen of Mongo-Yuan a few days ago, and Li Xiaozong was guilty of negligence. He had locked himself inside his residence and was waiting for Great General Li Yuanshan of Right Valiant Guard and the central government to charge him.
For a moment, the residents felt like Fangu’s city walls weren’t as indestructible as before.
Without Li Xiaozong, Fang Jie, and Beckon of the Red Sleeve, was Fangu still the same Fangu?
The residents felt anxious and even forgot that they initially wanted to beg Li Xiaozong to ask Fang Jie and Beckon of the Red Sleeve to stay so that their incomes wouldn’t reduce.
At this moment, the two people who the residents of Fangu were looking for were sitting across from each other in Li Xiaozong’s residence, having tea and chatting. It felt like their relationship was even closer than before.
The brazier was still blazing inside the room, and the tea was the top-tier tea from Yangtze-South that even Governor-General Yuan Chongwu of Mountain-East Circuit couldn’t drink that often.
The tea was transported here by the merchants. Although the new tea wasn’t new anymore after being transported for tens of thousands of kilometers, its flavor didn’t reduce. The leaders of the various clans on the grassland were willing to pay a lot to buy such tea to show their status. It was heard that the prince of a small clan used the great tea from Yangtze-South to wash his feet to show his wealth, and he was later almost beaten quadriplegic by his father.
A pot of lotus-heart could be sold for hundreds of silver taels.
All tea could be separated into nine levels. Lotus-heart was the name for the top-tier level 9 tea. Roughly a pound of lotus-heart had to have at least 12,000 tea leaves. It was heard that the wealthiest merchant, Wu Yidao, had drank a pot of lotus-heart that had 16,000 tea leaves, and it was worth 3,000 gold taels.
Wu Yidao was so rich it was heard that he could buy one of the 24 circuits of Great Sui. Also, Wu Yidao paid for the renovation and fixture of one of the four city walls of Chang’an, the firmest and toughest city in the world. Because of this, the Emperor gave him the title as Gold-Sharing Duke. With this title, he could avoid death penalties three times as long as he didn’t commit treason.
[TL Note: Here is the noble ranking as a reminder: Royal King, King of State, Duke of Feudal State, Duke of State, Marquis of State, Marquis of County, Marquis of Town, Count of County, Count of Town, Viscount of County, Viscount of Town, and Baron of Town.]
For a long time, people didn’t understand why the merit in renovating a city wall was bigger than the merit that generals obtained when battling in wars and expanding the territory of Great Sui.
“I’ve already written the letter of recommendation to the Ministry of War for you.” Li Xiaozong pushed a piece of paper that he had stamped with his seal toward Fang Jie. “I wish you to shock everyone at the Martial Arts Academy and not bring shame to our Fangu. You are the first person from Fangu who is qualified to participate in the entrance exam of the Martial Arts Academy. One in dozens of years; it is rare. Don’t let others look down on you and Fangu that is about four square kilometers big.”
“What you said isn’t pleasant to the ears.” Fang Jie smiled and carefully put away the letter. “I traded for this opportunity with my life, so I will treasure it. As to bring shame to Fangu, Mr. General, do you still think that you can talk on behave of the residents of Fangu?”
“You were great before; clever and well-rounded. Now, your words are too sharp… Fangu is not Chang’an. When you get there, it is better to be low-key. Sometimes, you might offend influential figures with something you say casually and die before you know it.”
“Are words needed to offend the influential figures? You underestimate the magnates too much.” Fang Jie smiled and stood up, getting ready to leave.
“I hope that we can meet again later.” Li Xiaozong stood up and cupped his hands. “I still need to wait for the officials from Jibei State, Right Valiant Guard, and the central government to come here, so I can’t see you off. According to tradition, I need to travel with you for 15 kilometers and see you off there. We are acquaintances after all, and I hope you won’t blame me for not being polite.”
Fang Jie laughed and turned around to look at Li Xiaozong. “There is a pavilion 15 kilometers away. General, do you still remember it?”
“Falcon-Releasing Pavilion. It is more than 100 years old. The First Emperor of Great Sui obtained a precious gyrfalcon that was pure white, but he released it. It was heard that in the next 20 years, the gyrfalcon came back here every year on the day that it was released. After the First Emperor died, it no longer came back. Fangu is responsible for that pavilion, and it has to be maintained every year.”
Fang Jie turned around and left without saying anything else.
Li Xiaozong looked at Fang Jie and sighed before murmuring, “Young Man, such ambition.”
Therefore, when people heard that Beckon of the Red Sleeve was leaving, they quickly went to Fang Jie, trying to ask him to change Aunt Xi’s mind, even if the residents got less dividends. After all, the people from the grassland spent the most money in Beckon of the Red Sleeve, and then it was Gold Essence Shop.
Without the golden phoenix, a wu-tong tree would be no different compared to a blade of grass.
At this moment, people realized that Fang Jie hadn’t shown up in several days. After asking around, they learned that Fang Jie had earned 21 counts of military merit, and he was permitted by the Ministry of War to participate in the entrance exam of the Martial Arts Academy in the Capital. Beckon of the Red Sleeve was leaving with Fang Jie.
People were shocked by this. Without Fang Jie, Fangu seemed to have lost a backbone that they overlooked before other than money and fun.
For several days, the people of Fangu gathered around Gold Essence Shop and wanted to see Fang Jie. However, Fang Jie who was always kind and friendly shut the door and refused to see anyone. Even those who were close to Fang Jie such as Aunt He were blocked by the guards of Gold Essence Shop when they begged.
Suddenly, some people thought of begging Major Li Xiaozong, but they realized that Li Xiaozong’s residence was closed as well when they got there.
Upon asking the guards, people learned that the Imperial Commissioner from Chang’an was killed near Fangu by the cavalrymen of Mongo-Yuan a few days ago, and Li Xiaozong was guilty of negligence. He had locked himself inside his residence and was waiting for Great General Li Yuanshan of Right Valiant Guard and the central government to charge him.
For a moment, the residents felt like Fangu’s city walls weren’t as indestructible as before.
Without Li Xiaozong, Fang Jie, and Beckon of the Red Sleeve, was Fangu still the same Fangu?
The residents felt anxious and even forgot that they initially wanted to beg Li Xiaozong to ask Fang Jie and Beckon of the Red Sleeve to stay so that their incomes wouldn’t reduce.
At this moment, the two people who the residents of Fangu were looking for were sitting across from each other in Li Xiaozong’s residence, having tea and chatting. It felt like their relationship was even closer than before.
The brazier was still blazing inside the room, and the tea was the top-tier tea from Yangtze-South that even Governor-General Yuan Chongwu of Mountain-East Circuit couldn’t drink that often.
The tea was transported here by the merchants. Although the new tea wasn’t new anymore after being transported for tens of thousands of kilometers, its flavor didn’t reduce. The leaders of the various clans on the grassland were willing to pay a lot to buy such tea to show their status. It was heard that the prince of a small clan used the great tea from Yangtze-South to wash his feet to show his wealth, and he was later almost beaten quadriplegic by his father.
A pot of lotus-heart could be sold for hundreds of silver taels.
All tea could be separated into nine levels. Lotus-heart was the name for the top-tier level 9 tea. Roughly a pound of lotus-heart had to have at least 12,000 tea leaves. It was heard that the wealthiest merchant, Wu Yidao, had drank a pot of lotus-heart that had 16,000 tea leaves, and it was worth 3,000 gold taels.
Wu Yidao was so rich it was heard that he could buy one of the 24 circuits of Great Sui. Also, Wu Yidao paid for the renovation and fixture of one of the four city walls of Chang’an, the firmest and toughest city in the world. Because of this, the Emperor gave him the title as Gold-Sharing Duke. With this title, he could avoid death penalties three times as long as he didn’t commit treason.
[TL Note: Here is the noble ranking as a reminder: Royal King, King of State, Duke of Feudal State, Duke of State, Marquis of State, Marquis of County, Marquis of Town, Count of County, Count of Town, Viscount of County, Viscount of Town, and Baron of Town.]
For a long time, people didn’t understand why the merit in renovating a city wall was bigger than the merit that generals obtained when battling in wars and expanding the territory of Great Sui.
“I’ve already written the letter of recommendation to the Ministry of War for you.” Li Xiaozong pushed a piece of paper that he had stamped with his seal toward Fang Jie. “I wish you to shock everyone at the Martial Arts Academy and not bring shame to our Fangu. You are the first person from Fangu who is qualified to participate in the entrance exam of the Martial Arts Academy. One in dozens of years; it is rare. Don’t let others look down on you and Fangu that is about four square kilometers big.”
“What you said isn’t pleasant to the ears.” Fang Jie smiled and carefully put away the letter. “I traded for this opportunity with my life, so I will treasure it. As to bring shame to Fangu, Mr. General, do you still think that you can talk on behave of the residents of Fangu?”
“You were great before; clever and well-rounded. Now, your words are too sharp… Fangu is not Chang’an. When you get there, it is better to be low-key. Sometimes, you might offend influential figures with something you say casually and die before you know it.”
“Are words needed to offend the influential figures? You underestimate the magnates too much.” Fang Jie smiled and stood up, getting ready to leave.
“I hope that we can meet again later.” Li Xiaozong stood up and cupped his hands. “I still need to wait for the officials from Jibei State, Right Valiant Guard, and the central government to come here, so I can’t see you off. According to tradition, I need to travel with you for 15 kilometers and see you off there. We are acquaintances after all, and I hope you won’t blame me for not being polite.”
Fang Jie laughed and turned around to look at Li Xiaozong. “There is a pavilion 15 kilometers away. General, do you still remember it?”
“Falcon-Releasing Pavilion. It is more than 100 years old. The First Emperor of Great Sui obtained a precious gyrfalcon that was pure white, but he released it. It was heard that in the next 20 years, the gyrfalcon came back here every year on the day that it was released. After the First Emperor died, it no longer came back. Fangu is responsible for that pavilion, and it has to be maintained every year.”
Fang Jie turned around and left without saying anything else.
Li Xiaozong looked at Fang Jie and sighed before murmuring, “Young Man, such ambition.”
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