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Ch27 - Action
Craftsman Wu crawled out of bed in the early hours of the morning, having slept like a baby. The seamstress who’d attended to him last night, and hadn’t left yet, obeisantly got him dressed and freshened up – one of the clothworks’ many perks. The other workshops had subordinates too, but the clothworks had the most women of the four. There were countless young ladies who only wished they could be in the clothworks, either as seamstresses or mulberry gardeners, perfect for him to take advantage of.
“I’m not wearin’ that today. Go fetch a patched-up hemp robe,” Craftsman Wu demanded impatiently when he saw the clothes that ah-Ling had brought him. Wouldn’t it be funny if he was too well-dressed when he went to bemoan his poverty?
He put on the raggedy old hemp robe, cuddled mawkishly with ah-Ling for a while, wolfed down some cold breakfast, then went off to the main residence, debt contract in hand.
By that time, the sun was high in the sky, and there wasn’t a dust cloud in sight. Looked like those bumbling yokels had already finished for the day. Craftsman Wu snorted scornfully; he wouldn’t have nearly so many annoyances to deal with if the master hadn’t gotten it into his bored head to train some stinkin’ militia. Out of all the workshops, the clothworks was the one biggest one, in terms of budget. The estate spent an unimaginable amount on silks, satins, and damasks every year. A couple years later, when the master finally got a new wife, then the clothworks would really get rich. He sure wasn’t going to let the muddleheaded master divert any more of the money that should be rightly going to the clothworks.
He strutted his duck waddle all the way up to the gates of the main residence, fixed his expression, then simpered at the gatekeeper, “So it’s you on duty today, ah-Fang. Would you mind passing on word that Craftsman Wu is here to see the master?”
He slid a few coppers into ah-Fang’s hand. The man looked at him expressionlessly, then turned and went inside. A few moments later, he came back out and said to Craftsman Wu, “The master’s in the study. Follow me.”
He was up in his study at this time of morning? Wasn’t he bedridden with illness? Craftsman Wu didn’t dare follow that train of thought. He hurriedly followed him to the study. Ah-Fang knocked lightly on the door; he obviously didn’t have the authority to enter. Shortly after, a young maid opened the door and, after giving Craftsman Wu a once-over, said crisply, “Come in then.”
Craftsman Wu, the promiscuous lecher, stared at LĂźzhu salaciously. This little girl was sure to be a looker once she grew up. He wondered if the master was already using her. But he swiftly pushed aside his vulgar thoughts and adjusted his attitude as he entered the study.
The pungent scent of medicine was the first thing he noticed when he entered. Even though the room was filled with bookshelves, tables, and painted screens, his gaze was instantly pulled to the man sitting elegantly behind the desk. That servant girl’s looks were utterly bland when compared to the master’s. Craftsman Wu had obviously met the master before, seeing as he was the head of the clothworks, but he hadn’t been so hauntingly beautiful before. The aura of sickness that lingered about him had only made him seem more vivid and intense. He wasn’t nearly so stiff and deadpan as he used to be.
Too afraid to look at him any longer, he scurried up to the desk and snivelingly prostrated himself, “Master! Truly, I’m useless, the clothworks can hardly go on any longer!”
This was called “getting the first word.” Regardless of whether the clothworks really were having problems, the master would be put off balance. This way, it’d be easier for him to direct the conversation.
Strangely though, he didn’t hear any splash after throwing his stone in the well. Getting nervous, he immediately kowtowed again and cried, “Master, because of the drought, this year’s mulberry harvest is a total bust! The leaves are all yellow and dry, the silk makers wouldn’t take it even if we paid them! Now, the clothworks aren’t gonna get this year’s batch of silk! The young master’s still growing, if we don’t have silk this year, how’re we gonna make new clothes for him?”
Fearing that Liang Feng wouldn’t recognize the seriousness of a silk shortage, he’d even dragged Liang Rong into it. Children his age had four growth spurts a year; it’d be a huge loss of face if he didn’t have newly tailored clothes!
The master, as if he’d finally realized how important this was, finally opened his mouth, “In that case, what needs to be done?”
Craftsman Wu was just waiting for him to ask, “I’m afraid we’ll have to request some silver from the main estate so we can pay the silk makers to leave some raw silk for us. I know a few small-time silk makers, I can get a twenty percent discount if I buy from them, and if we rent the mulberry fields to them, I’m sure we can get it even cheaper!”
“How much money do you need?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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He dug out the debt contract and cautiously handed it over, “It’s all there in the contract, and it’s in last year’s ledgers too. Please take a look, master.”
Craftsman Wu knew that Tian Chang, who’d been in the estate for decades already, would have no problem balancing out the books. He had nothing to fear even if the master really did carry out an audit. Truth be told, he was almost hoping that the foolish wastrel would take a closer look and see just how much money the clothworks raked in each year. Unlike the other workshops, they didn’t need to be subsidized by the estate. On a good year, they could bring in thirty to fifty thousand coins. And those were just the numbers left after he’d already scraped his share!
Craftsman Wu waited with anticipation for Liang Feng to check the ledgers, but contrary to his expectations, he did no such thing. Instead, he asked bluntly, “Last year, how much silver did the clothworks receive from the estate in total?”
Caught off guard for a moment, he hastily answered, “A total of sixty thousand, but it was all used to buy brocade and raw silk. Goods from the south have gotten really expensive these past few years….”
Liang Feng gestured and cut him off, “In total, how much hemp and silk did you sell?”
“Twenty thousand.” Craftsman Wu swallowed, “It’s only a bit low cause growing conditions were bad last year, so there wasn’t any income from hemp…”
“Last year, you withdrew sixty thousand from the estate, accrued twenty thousand in outstanding debt, and only made twenty thousand in profit. Lüzhu, what’s the market price for one roll of cloth?” Liang Feng asked.
Lüzhu took a step forward and answered, “The hemp that servants use is about five hundred coins per roll. The silks that you use, master, are much more costly – three to four thousand at the very least.”
“Sixty thousand. How many rolls of cloth could you buy, how many sets of clothes could you make?” Liang Feng icily asked Craftsman Wu.
Craftsman Wu’s head was instantly beaded with cold sweat as he stammered, “But that, that’s just following precedent! Everyone’s clothes in the estate is made in-house, how could we buy from others? It’d be beneath us!”
“Even if the five households in the clothworks farmed, fished, or hunted, they could make a profit of ten thousand a year. Since the only thing you seem to know is how to lose money, what purpose is there in keeping the clothworks around?”
“But master, the young master’s clothes… the estate really needs the clothworks!” Craftsman Wu spluttered desperately.
“It doesn’t take a whole workshop to do the work of a single seamstress. Zhaoyu!”
At his command, a woman entered from the inner room from behind a painted screen. It just so happened to be Liang Rong’s nursemaid, Zhaoyu. She kneeled respectfully before the desk and saluted, “Present.”
“Do you know how to sew and cut cloth?” Liang Feng asked.
“I am skilled in needlework and know how to tailor various types of clothes.” Zhaoyu’s voice was gentle and reminiscent. Since she’d been able to become Liang Rong’s nursemaid, of course it meant her capabilities were exceptional.
“Excellent.” Liang Feng nodded in satisfaction, “Pick a few seamstresses and find a workroom. Use the materials produced in the estate if there’s enough; if not, then purchase them according to seasonal availability.”
That was the reason he’d summoned Zhaoyu so early in the morning. Was he really supposed to set aside a woman who had a good head on her shoulders, close ties to the Liang Estate, and competence in mathematics, to use the likes of Craftsman Wu? Liang Rong would be starting formal education in a couple of years anyway; it was about time for him to leave his nursemaid’s embrace and study under an actual teacher.
He had already made his decision promptly and cleanly, Craftsman Wu, on the other hand, was still dumbstruck. How had things turned out this way? Could he really just go against his ancestors’ precedent on a whim and not even give any prior warning? His jowls quivered as he begged bitterly, “Master you can’t! My family’s managed the clothworks for generations already, hardworking and never slacking off. It’s not much, but it’s honest work, how could you get rid of the clothworks just like that, master? I, I….”
Liang Feng’s lip curled in a mocking sneer at Craftsman Wu’s hysterics, “Of course I’m not getting rid of the clothworks ‘just like that.’ Isn’t that right, Jiang Xin?”
Craftsman Jiang staggered out from behind the paper screen as if he’d been whipped. He’d ruminated on all the ways the master might teach Craftsman Wu a lesson, but he hadn’t imagined that he’d end the clothworks so mercilessly! In the space of a few words, he’d changed the status quo passed down by his ancestors, and done so in a way no one could find fault with!
Thank goodness he’d come last night! Craftsman Jiang didn’t dare to even raise his head. He said meekly, “Last night, I saw Craftsman Wu and Tian Chang conspiring to steal the Liang Estate’s wealth with my own two eyes. That debt contract is fake, Tian Chang cooked it up all by himself. The mulberry harvest last year wasn’t nearly that bad, they made it all up!”
Craftsman Wu nearly fainted from Craftsman Jiang’s sudden betrayal. No wonder the situation had been so strange today; the master had already been prepared for him!
Unable to hold out any longer, Craftsman Wu started bawling, “Spare me, master! It was all Tian Chang, that despicable rat. I’m loyal to the estate, I’ve never done anything wrong, and that knave Jiang Xin isn’t some good guy either, he sells pottery in the city under his own name, I’ve got proof!”
Blindsided by that son of a bitch’s sudden accusation, Craftsman Jiang instantly raised his head, “You shameless scoundrel! How many of the women in the clothworks have you laid your hands on, and how much silk have you stolen from the clothworks? Who knows how much money you filch each year? You’ve even got a second house in the commandery capital! Master, master don’t be fooled by this wretch!”
Though the two looked like they were about to come to blows, Liang Feng ignored their antics and asked tonelessly, “In that case, I’ll find out the answer one way or another. Servants, drag Wu Quan out and cane him. You can stop whenever he confesses.”
Craftsman Wu’s face was nearly green with fright, “Master! Master, you cant!”
The servants waiting on him outside instantly hauled Craftsman Wu out the door. There was no way a fatty who indulged in wine and women all day could struggle free. The people inside heard as his wails grew fainter with distance until it was replaced by the smacking of wood against flesh and the squealing of a butchered pig.
Craftsman Jiang’s legs were shaking with terror as he sat limply on the ground. But it hadn’t ended yet, they heard more yelling from outside, “Insolence! How dare you arrest me, Jie slave? I, Tian Chang, have served the Liang Estate with utmost loyalty for decades; you lot haven’t got the right to do anything to me! Ah… Wu, Craftsman Wu, why’re you…”
Who knew that the first thing that Tian Chang would see after he was plucked out of his home by the newly-arrived Jie slaves and manhandled all the way to the main residence was the sight of Craftsman Wu being beaten to within an inch of his life. His tirade instantly froze to ice in his throat. The people beside him hadn’t stopped; they shoved and corralled him into the study. When he saw Craftsman Jiang kneeling as well, he finally realized that his plot had been exposed.
Tian Chang immediately wiped the fury off his face, fixed his mussed-up robes, and sat primly across from Liang Feng, “Is there anything in particular you summoned me for, master?”
He sure looked composed, though his hand was still trembling rather obviously. Liang Feng smiled insincerely, “I never knew you were such a schemer, Retainer Tian.”
Retainer Tian flicked his sleeve, “I was acting with the welfare of the estate in mind! Reestablishing the militia is foolishness, master! The Liang family has gone two generations without producing any officials! Without any salary, how will you cover the expenses of the estate! I can hardly sit by and watch as you go down a path of ruin.”
“And so you decided to take matters into your own hands.” Liang Feng’s smile deepened, “The Liang Estate isn’t what it once was, I’m afraid we’re too humble to accept your services, Retainer Tian.”
He wanted to drive him off? Unlike serfs, servants, and slaves the master could hardly even castigate him, let alone flog him, without risking his good reputation. If he didn’t have evidence, then even if he reported him to the county office, all it’d do was make a laughingstock out of the Liang Estate. Thus, Tian Chang hadn’t believed that Liang Feng really would banish him from the estate! The Liang Estate was massive; it had hundreds of households, and besides the workshops, the farmers, fishers, hunters, and arborists all needed someone to manage them as well. With Yan Sheng dead and him dismissed, could the estate even function anymore?
Tian Chang took a deep breath and mellowed his tone, “Though I may have acted inappropriately, I’m more familiar with anyone about the workings of the estate. It’s not so easy to govern so many serfs, so I implore you, master, not to behave willfully.”
Liang Feng privately shook his head at Tian Chang’s righteous airs. He could not be used. Putting aside his lust for power, if he’d shown even the slightest bit of remorse when all his dirty deeds had come to light then he wouldn’t have been beyond hope. But not only was he utterly unrepentant, he was even holding the estate hostage in a blatant attempt at seizing control.
With no competence, no loyalty, and not even basic professional integrity, why keep him?
Liang Feng’s smile gradually disappeared. He said to Yiyan, “Help Retainer Tian pack his bags, and have him escorted away by sunset.”
Resentment flashed in Tian Chang’s eyes, but he didn’t say anything more. He got up and left. The sound of caning had ended already, probably because Craftsman Wu had cracked. Before, when he’d been a cop, Liang Feng had disdained those who tortured suspects behind closed doors. But now, it was considered benevolence to let someone off with their life after a mere beating or two. His position had changed too drastically, and he had no choice but to become accustomed to it. If he didn’t lay down the law, how could he command the people of the estate?
Liang Feng looked at Craftsman Jiang who was still shivering, off by the side, and said, “Jiang Xin, when you get back, you’ll have to sort out the clayworks. I want you to report to me each potterer’s responsibilities and which shops they sell to most often. It’s also time to calculate just how much surplus profit you’ve been making these last few years.”
He was giving him a chance to make up for his mistakes, that, Craftsman Jiang understood. He kowtowed flusteredly and said, “Thank you for your kindness, master! I’ll put the clayworks into order at once; I dare not keep anything from you, master!”
Yet Liang Feng shook his head, “I’ll count the surplus silver as an investment in the clayworks. Use it to research how to make porcelain. As long as you’re able to produce porcelain, I’ll give you a ten percent share of all the profits.”
Craftsman Jiang abruptly looked up. Ten percent?! If they could make porcelain, they could get a ten percent share? Porcelain was worth more than its weight in gold, ten percent was several times more than what they made from secretly selling earthenware! What family would be so generous to their serfs? He was clearly giving them the same kind of treatment a retainer would receive; nay, they were nearly being treated as trusted subordinates!
Craftsman Jiang bowed, a whole mess of feelings whirling about in his chest. But this time, fear wasn’t the only thing he felt towards the master.
Liang Feng rubbed his temple. A whole morning of dealing with plots and verbal battles had exhausted quite a bit of his strength. Although, after he’d applied the stick and hung up the carrot, the rest should fall into line. As for the future… he sighed. For now, he’d militarize the estate’s administration. Ah-Liang would temporarily handle the main residence’s affairs. Once Zhaoyu’s two uncles arrived, he’d let the accounts office help him out. All in all, the Liang Estate only had a battalion’s worth of people, so it wasn’t too troublesome to handle. He had the time to carefully choose a suitable butler.
“You’re dismissed.“ Liang Feng waved Craftsman Jiang and Zhaoyu away, then shut his eyes exhaustedly. That mild inquietude festering in his heart hadn’t lessened yet. He wondered how long it’d take before these withdrawal symptoms finally ended…