Extensively acquiring properties

At the welcoming banquet, Luan Miao mentioned to Zhu Ying, Sun Ru, and the others that he intended to establish a factory in Licheng to produce a batch of incense sticks, and hoped they could help find buyers for some of them.

Hearing this, Luan Yi silently applauded his father, thinking to himself that despite his honest and simple appearance, his father was cunning to the core. After living for more than thirty years, he hadn’t wasted his time! Previously, when Luan Miao claimed he was coming to Jinan to open a furniture factory, it was to lull Wang Ying and his associates into a false sense of security. But now, by openly sharing his incense-making plans with them, Luan Miao was, in effect, soliciting a bribe.

His meaning could not have been clearer: “I know all about the supernatural goings-on you’re orchestrating in Jinan. But don’t worry—though I’m aware of your dealings, I won’t cause you any trouble. In fact, if problems arise, I might even use my limited authority to lend you a hand. However, for me to turn a blind eye and offer assistance comes at a price. It’s not exorbitant, nor is it complicated to pay—just buy the incense my family produces!”

Zhu Ying and his companions quickly grasped the implication, delighting inwardly. Though Licheng’s magistrate wasn’t a high official, he was still magistrate of Jinan’s foremost county, and with Luan Yi’s formidable connections, if they truly made him an enemy, things could get difficult. Now, with Luan Miao subtly asking for money, and with their payment, he would be bound to their cause. One less enemy and one more ally—what was not to rejoice?

The Daoist Yang Mou was quick to respond, letting out a laugh: “What a coincidence! There are many temples in Jinan, and I’m in dire need of a large supply of incense. Magistrate Luan, you’re solving my urgent problem!” He paused, then added, “Magistrate Luan, how about this: from now on, I’ll prepare five thousand coins for you each month as a token of appreciation?”

“A token?” Luan Miao hiccupped, shaking his head to correct him, “Not a token. It’s the money for the incense! You pay five thousand coins, and I’ll sell you incense worth five thousand coins.”

Yang Mou feigned embarrassment, slapping his own cheek and suddenly realizing, “Yes, yes, five thousand coins for the incense—payment for the incense!”

Yet little did Wang Ying and the others realize that transforming a bribe into payment for incense was precisely Luan Miao’s most brilliant maneuver. Zhu Ying and his group believed that by accepting their bribe, Luan Miao was now inextricably tied to them. However, should an investigation arise, those monthly five thousand coins would be justified as business revenue. According to Han law, this would not constitute bribery at all. At most, the crime would be dereliction of duty—punishable perhaps by removal from office, but nothing more.

Once the “business” was concluded, the banquet grew even more lively, lasting well into the night. Afterward, Wang Ying stood on the steps outside the restaurant, watching the drunken Luan father and son stagger away. He turned to Sun Ru behind him and remarked, “These two are businessmen at heart—profit-seeking and fond of wealth. As long as they’re willing to take money, things will go smoothly!”

Sun Ru raised his brows with a hint of worry and said, “Sir, I feel things are not as simple as they appear. I have heard the Luan family in Yingchuan are immensely wealthy—five thousand coins is nothing to them. This suggests their motive is not mere profit. In my view, there are likely two reasons for their monthly demand: first, a strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. As newcomers, they dare not and do not wish to oppose us, so they collect these payments to play along and protect themselves. Second, they have other plans; their actions today are all an act, meant to lull us into complacency, waiting for the right moment to strike and take our lives.”

“Oh?” Zhu Ying’s eyes, usually half-closed, suddenly snapped open as he gave a cold snort.

Sun Ru continued, “If the Luan father and son belong to the first category, it’s not so bad—Jinan will remain peaceful. If it’s the latter…” His face grew stern. “Sir, as the saying goes, ‘A barking dog doesn’t bite, but a biting dog doesn’t bark.’ It’s not the openly antagonistic enemies that are most dangerous, but those who wear one face and harbor another.”

“He dares bite us!” Yang Mou burst out angrily. “If he causes us trouble, I’ll have him and his lot arrested immediately and dragged in front of the county office to be burned, just like the last magistrate, Li Tong.”

“Absolutely not!” Zhu Ying waved his hands repeatedly. “Who is Luan Yi? He’s a renowned scholar, with Cai Yong, the Imperial College Rector, and Zhonglang Wang Yun as his future fathers-in-law. Treating them as we did that tactless Li Tong would lead to disaster. Moreover, I’ve heard that although Luan Yi is young, he possesses extraordinary strength, able to lift a tripodal cauldron. The ugly giant traveling with them is named Dian Wei, a warrior fierce enough to slay bears. Dealing with them is no simple matter!”

After some thought, Zhu Ying added, “But then again, the idea that the Luan father and son would oppose us is just Sun Ru’s unfounded speculation. Perhaps they genuinely wish to befriend us, and there will be no hidden conflict.”

“Sir!” Sun Ru advised, “One can never be too cautious!”

Zhu Ying nodded, “You’re right—better safe than sorry. In that case, let’s assign more men to keep the Luan family under surveillance. I’d like to see what tricks they can play under our noses in Jinan!”

In truth, over the next three months, Luan Miao and Luan Yi did indeed play a few tricks, though in Zhu Ying’s eyes, none seemed threatening.

Since taking office as magistrate of Licheng, Luan Miao had not spent a single day in the government office. He delegated all official duties to Sun Ru and, together with his wife, spent his days touring scenic spots—San Gu Shui, Jin Xian Spring, Pearl Spring: they visited every famed spring; Daming Lake, Lotus Lake: they enjoyed themselves thoroughly; from Mount Li to Mount Bao, Mount Hua Bu Zhu, Mount Que, and back to Mount Bao, they climbed every mountain except Tai Mountain in Tai Mountain County.

Those assigned by Wang Ying to tail the magistrate and his wife could only follow on foot while the old couple traveled by carriage, running circles around Jinan all day and nearly wearing out their legs.

Meanwhile, Luan Yi, Mao Jie, Dian Wei, and others were busy to the point of exhaustion. They acquired five properties in Licheng and Pingling counties: one became the Jinan branch of the Rising Phoenix Pavilion; another, the Le Yi Xuan general store, sold an array of Luan family printed books, as well as furniture, folding fans, wooden toys, and other trinkets. The remaining three included: a silk and satin shop selling fine textiles from the southwest and locally woven cloth, and producing various garments, shoes, and hats; a jewelry shop featuring designs personally overseen by Mao Jie; and a pharmacy, for which Luan Yi specially hired three local physicians at the high monthly salary of 1,500 coins each to provide consultations.

In addition, Luan Yi purchased over a hundred acres of fertile land at the southern edge of Licheng, at the foot of Mount Li. Forty acres were fenced off, where craftsmen from Yingchuan, traveling with them, constructed a large building. Outwardly, it was claimed that one part of this land would house a factory, and the other a scenic private estate.

To this, Zhu Ying made a point of personally inspecting the construction, finding only ordinary buildings with nothing unusual, and so harbored no suspicions.

What he did not realize was that while the exterior might appear ordinary, what would soon be inside was enough to bring about a revolution in Jinan.

First, the factory area: high walls encircled it, three meters tall and a meter thick, resembling a small town’s fortifications. Sixteen watchtowers dotted the walls, each capable of accommodating two guards at a time, with low walls inside for archers to shoot outward.

Within the factory, there were four courtyards: south, east, west, and central. The southern courtyard was a carpentry workshop, producing high-end furniture such as tables, chairs, screens, and large beds, as well as folding fans and other wooden goods—the Luan family’s main products in Jinan.

The western courtyard served as a gold and silver jewelry workshop, with over thirty craftsmen working simultaneously. The smelting furnaces roared with activity, filling the air with smoke and bustle.

The central courtyard, the largest of all, was actually a courtyard within a courtyard. Upon entering, two verdant cypress trees stood on either side. Beneath the left tree was Luan Yi and Mao Jie’s office; beneath the right, the manager Mr. Pang and his team of accountants managed the books—an office Luan Yi, borrowing modern terminology, dubbed the “finance department.” Separated by a wall from the finance office was a vast warehouse, stacked with goods produced by the factory. Symmetrical to this was another courtyard housing the research and development department.

As a man from the twenty-first century, Luan Yi deeply understood the importance of innovation to the Luan family and to the entire Han dynasty. Thus, upon arriving in Jinan, he gathered a team of experienced craftsmen, the most renowned among them being Zheng Hun.

Zheng Hun was a native of Kaifeng in Yuzhou, a famous artisan of the Eastern Han, especially skilled in carpentry. He had a disciple named Pu Yuan who, according to the historical record, served as Xicao Yuan in Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms, overseeing the employment of the prime minister’s staff. He was also a master swordsmith. The Song dynasty’s “Taiping Imperial Reader” records that Pu Yuan forged three thousand swords for Zhuge Liang at Xie Valley; his blades could split a bamboo tube filled with iron pellets and were hailed as divine weapons.

By chance, Luan Yi learned that this master and apprentice were traveling through Yanzhou. Upon hearing Pu Yuan’s name, he rushed to seek them out without delay.

At first, Zheng Hun was reluctant to follow Luan Yi to Jinan. Luan Yi coaxed him with earnest words and vowed on his honor that, should Zheng Hun agree to join him, he would provide ample funds for research and the creation of innovations beneficial to the Han dynasty.

In this, Luan Yi had precisely grasped Zheng Hun’s desires. The more talented the craftsman, the stronger the urge to invent new things. Yet, in the Han, craftsmen were of low status, most from poor families, unable to afford the costs of failed experiments. Thus, many artisans’ lifelong dreams remained just that—sketches hung on the wall, dreamt over again and again, but never realized for lack of resources.

Luan Yi’s arrival remedied this problem. The Luan family was willing to fund Zheng Hun’s ambitions, and once realized, the resulting products would bring profit to the Luans—a perfect, mutually beneficial partnership.

Zheng Hun immediately agreed to join Luan Yi in Jinan, thus becoming the head of the research and development department.