Entrepreneurship in the Late Tang Dynasty

Chapter 140 Ding Hui
Inside the military tent, the lamplight was dappled. Ding Hui, dressed in coarse linen clothes, sat awkwardly on a stool, his legs unconsciously tucked in, his body curled up involuntarily.

Across from him, Lao Mo was serving him tea. The tea was made to Zhao Huai'an's taste; it was simply made by frying the tea leaves until dry and then brewing them with hot water. It was simple, yet left a lingering fragrance in his mouth.

But it was clear that when Ding took the tea, he swallowed it subconsciously, then gurgled in his mouth before finally spitting it back into the teacup.

This baffled Old Mo, but he remained silent and left with the tea tray.

Then Ding grinned, secretly thinking that he had guessed correctly. He and his team had previously visited the homes of some wealthy tycoons to mourn, and he had heard that those big shots and tycoons would rinse their mouths directly before meals instead of drinking water.

So when the old man brought over the soup, he guessed that there was probably a banquet coming up, and now it seems he was indeed clever.

Ding Hui was making a fool of himself, while Lu Zhongyuan, Dou Pangzi, Fei Yanggu, and Guo Qi, who were sitting opposite him, looked at each other in bewilderment, wondering where this bumpkin came from. However, when they thought about how their own hometown was sometimes rustic, they felt that this person might really be a fellow villager of their hometown.

Of the people sitting with him, Fatty Bean was the most eloquent, so he called out:

"Brother, where in Shouzhou are you from? How did you and I meet?"

At this moment, Ding Hui was much more at ease. The fact that the glass of water had been served meant that there was a banquet to come. And if there was a banquet, didn't that mean that the governor of Guang Prefecture, Zhao Huai'an, was none other than their elder brother, Zhao Da?
Goodness, my brother went away to escape for four years and came back as the governor of Guang Prefecture?

I felt both envious and happy, and suddenly realized that good days had come for my brothers.

Zhao Dalang is known for his loyalty and filial piety; he's famous in their circle as "Filial and Righteous Zhao Dalang." He'll definitely treat us well when he sees us.

This time, Fatty Bean asked a question in refined language, which pleased Ding Hui. He himself often traveled with a band to the surrounding states to play funeral music, so he also spoke fluent refined language. This time, he replied loudly:
"We're brothers with Dalang; we first met while drinking. But who in Shouzhou doesn't know Dalang? He's famous for his 'filial piety and righteousness,' back in the day…"

Ding paused for a moment, then changed his words:

"Back then, we were kindred spirits and swore brotherhood. Besides me, there were many other brothers, but they all had their own jobs. We were just working nearby when we met Bao Yidu, and then we saw the sign with Zhao Dalang's name on it, so we decided to give it a try."

After saying that, Ding Hui couldn't help but chuckle. It was only because he was always bold that ordinary people would avoid such a military formation and would not take the initiative to come up and ask questions.

After all, if you, number one, come up to these warriors and say that you and your governor are brothers from the same hometown, just wait and see if these warriors will beat you up.

It was truly a stroke of luck that Ding met Zhao Huai'an, who was indeed his fellow villager and brother. The generals and warriors of Baoyidu also knew this, knowing that they all came from Shouzhou. So when they arrived in this area and heard that a fellow villager had come to see them, even if they didn't believe it, they had to pretend to believe it first.

However, these righteous generals weren't all fools. What if they recruited an assassin into their tent? Wouldn't that be like spilling soup in their pants? So, a few of the eloquent Dou Pangzi and others went into the tent to keep him company and probe him with their words. If they said anything wrong, they would take him down.

Upon hearing Ding Hui say that Zhao Dalang loves to drink, loves to make brothers, and is unparalleled in filial piety and righteousness, then there's no doubt that he must be our governor.

So, Fatty and the others exchanged glances, and then their tone became even more enthusiastic.

Just now, Lu Zhongyuan, having overheard that this Ding Hui was working nearby, casually brought up this topic:

"What kind of work does Brother Ding do around here?"

Ding Hui didn't mind at all after hearing this; in fact, he was quite proud.

"It's nothing much. It's just that a local official in Luzhou had a villa there. His wife had passed away, so he invited our troupe to perform. I had a bit of a speech, so I went along too."

Now, including Guo Qi, none of the righteous men doubted Ding Hui's identity anymore, simply because their governor really liked to befriend people like him.

Now things are really messed up. The army already has a sixth brother, and we're most afraid of him playing the suona. Now we have another mourner. They're all craftsmen!
For a moment, both the usually talkative Fatty Dou and Lu Zhongyuan fell silent, and the atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

It was at this moment, before even seeing him, that Zhao Da's signature loud laughter could be heard.

A hearty laugh could be heard from outside the tent:

"Where is my brother Ding? Quick, take me there."

In an instant, all the Baoyi Army soldiers who were sitting on stools sprang up and turned toward the tent entrance.

Ding was startled by the simultaneous actions of the people opposite him and quickly stood up, looking towards the tent entrance.

Then, he saw a tall man, eight feet tall, dressed simply in a robe with a headband tied around his forehead, walk in, exuding an aura of majesty.

It really is Zhao Da! It really is him!

In an instant, Ding Hui's eyes reddened. He ran over, grabbed Zhao Huai'an's arm, and cried out:
"Big Brother, it really is you! It really is you! Waaah! Old Ding is so happy today! Waaah! If the brothers knew you were back, they'd be overjoyed!"

Then Ding Hui wiped away his tears and smiled:

“Good, eldest son, you’ve become a prefect. If Uncle Zhao were still alive, he would be overjoyed. He always said that you would have a great future. Now it seems that Uncle Zhao was the most insightful.”

Hearing this, Zhao Huai'an felt a lump in his throat. He patted Ding Hui's arm, pulled him to sit on the couch, and then instructed Lao Mo:

"Old Mo, go to the camp and see if there's any candied fruit. My brother here loves it. Get some. Also, call over all the brothers who aren't on duty tonight. Let them all come and see my old brothers, Zhao Da."

Ding Hui was completely relieved now. Feeling Zhao Da's warm hand, he felt at ease. When he heard that he wanted to get candied fruit, he pursed his lips and waved his hand.
"Forget it, forget it, it's too much trouble."

Zhao Huai'an ignored him and directly gestured for Lao Mo to fetch it.

Then he smiled at the group of Baoyi generals standing beside him:

"This is my brother Ding Hui. Back in our hometown, he was the closest person to me and helped me a lot!"

Upon hearing this, Ding Hui made a blurry gesture with his hands and hurriedly explained:

"You wouldn't dare say that. All the brothers know that Dalang has been incredibly kind to us. Take Jiulang for example, if it weren't for those twenty strings of cash back then, his father would have died five or six years earlier."

Zhao Huai'an patted Ding Hui on the shoulder, and then introduced the group of Baoyi generals to Ding Hui.

He didn't introduce them all at once, but rather introduced each one individually. He gave a separate introduction to Fatty Dou, another to Lu Zhongyuan, and yet another to Guo Qi. Even Lao Mo, who had just returned with candied fruit, was introduced by Zhao Huai'an with great ceremony.

Finally, he pointed to Zhao Liu beside him and said to Ding Hui:

“Old Ding, this is my brother Zhao Liu. He crawled out of the pile of dead bodies with us at the Dadu River. You can call him Brother Liu from now on.”

Ding Hui respectfully called out, "Sixth Brother."

Zhao Huai'an over there teased:
"Your sixth brother is also a skilled musician. Back in the days, he was the best suona player in the surrounding villages of Qishan. Old Ding, you also have a great singing voice. You two should get to know each other better, and then you can get some trendy military tunes to boost the morale of our Baoyidu!"

After bowing to so many righteous generals, Ding Hui's back was aching from bending over. He supported his back and said embarrassedly:

"Brother, I'm afraid my skill level isn't good enough to compose a piece. We'll have to find someone else to do it. I'm afraid I'll embarrass you."

Zhao Huai'an laughed heartily, said nothing, kept the matter in mind, and then asked everyone to sit down.

Ding Hui had just sat down when he sighed and said to Zhao Dadao:

"Big Brother, you have more and more brothers."

Zhao Huai'an said seriously:
“We’re all brothers, how can it be just me? Tonight you’ll sleep with me and tell me about your family over the years, or how your brothers have been doing.”

It would have been better if Zhao Huai'an hadn't brought this up, because Ding Hui felt uncomfortable as soon as he did.

He stammered and said:

"Everyone is well, except that your family has moved away from Xinghualing and now lives in a shantytown outside Huoxian County."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huai'an knew that something was amiss.

After seeing that all the team members who weren't on duty had come over, he introduced them to Ding Hui one by one, and then he addressed the group:

“Everyone has worked hard on the river during this time. When we get to Guangzhou, I will personally treat the brothers to roast lamb. But we cannot relax during this time. We must stay vigilant. Go back and tell the brothers that we will not stay in Luzhou. Tomorrow we will board the ship and head straight to Shouzhou. When we get there, take the brothers to visit my family.”

The generals all acknowledged the order and then left the military tent in turn.

Dou Pangzi and the others wanted to stay and talk some more, but Zhao Liu, who had been silent all along, led the group away, leaving Zhao Huai'an and Ding Hui behind. Sitting on the couch, dappled sunlight fell on Zhao Huai'an's face, and he softly asked:
"What happened at home? Tell me."

Only then did Ding Hui realize the imposing presence of Zhao Dalang. He knelt on the ground with a thud and cried out:

"Ever since you killed Liu San and the other six, his brother Liu Xingquan has been relentless. You know, his brother-in-law Wang Xu is a big local tycoon in Shouzhou. No butcher in the city doesn't listen to him, so he quickly cut off your family's wine business. Later, a new prefect arrived, named Shi Yanzhang. I don't know how Liu Xingquan colluded with one of his advisors, and then seized all your family's land in Taohualing, saying that they were going to build a tea supervision office there. Now your aunt and all your relatives are living outside Huoxian City."

Zhao Huai'an, his face grim, stared intently at Ding Hui and said calmly:

"Oh? What about my brothers? Didn't they help my family at all?"

Ding Hui hurriedly looked up and explained:
“Brother, since you took the lead, we have been no match for Liu Erlang and his gang. Now that they have colluded with the government, we are even more powerless. But don’t worry, your brothers have not let your family suffer any injustice. All the money we have earned over the years has been used to support your mother. Your three younger brothers have grown up, and your family has over a hundred able-bodied men. Although we can’t fight the government, Liu Xingquan can’t do anything to us.”

Zhao Huai'an looked at Ding Hui, then bowed deeply to him, his expression solemn:

“Old Ding, I, Zhao Da, will remember all the kindness you have shown my family. From now on, we will live a good life together. So, I won’t keep you here tonight. You go back to Huo County now, call all the brothers, and ask them if they are willing to come back to Guangzhou with me. If I, Zhao Da, have a bite to eat, you will all have a bite to eat.”

Ding Hui blushed and suddenly asked:

"Ha, Dalang, Huoxian is not near the Feishui River. Why don't we take your aunt and your clansmen to Shouzhou and meet up with you there?"

Zhao Huai'an waved his hand, half of his body disappearing into the shadows:

"It's alright. Just wait for me in Huo County. We'll settle any scores and avenge any wrongs you may have."

Ding Hui instinctively wanted to offer some advice, but then he suddenly thought of Zhao Dadu, who had become a governor with so many soldiers under his command, all of them fierce and capable. If it were him, he would also want to settle scores and seek revenge.

So Ding Hui nodded and prepared to take his leave.

Suddenly, Zhao Huai'an called out to him, and then Zhao Da stuffed something into his arms.

Ding Hui was stunned for a moment, then bowed and left.

Only after he walked out did he take the object out of his pocket; it was a whole piece of candied fruit wrapped in a handkerchief.

Ding Hui chuckled, and then saw Liu Xin leading more than twenty riders to greet him. Upon seeing him, Liu Xin asked:

Can you ride a horse?

Nading would thump his chest and shout:

"We men of Huaixi are all heroes, how could we not ride horses?"

After saying that, he immediately chose the largest horse, mounted it, and skillfully maneuvered it with superb riding skills.

Liu Xin nodded silently. It seemed that Huaixi was indeed full of heroes.

So Liu Xin said to Ding Hui:

"The magistrate instructed me to return to Huo County with you first. Once there, protect the old lady and the others, and then wait for the magistrate and his party to arrive."

Ding Hui looked at the twenty-odd strong and fierce knights and felt proud.

We, the people of Shouzhou, must be this impressive from now on!
And so, Ding Hui led Liu Xin and other cavalrymen straight to Huo County in the southwest.

……

The following day, Zheng Qi, the governor of Luzhou, returned to Luzhou City with a convoy of more than a dozen carriages and courtesans after three days and three nights of revelry.

As soon as I entered, I saw my chief secretary, Youfu, running over, and I was greatly alarmed:
"My lord, before dawn, the newly appointed governor of Guang Prefecture, Zhao Huai'an, left with his troops."

Zheng Qi sat on the edge of a folding chair, his shirt open, revealing his round belly, fanning himself as if nothing was amiss.
"It's good that they left. Otherwise, it would have cost a lot of rice in Luzhou, which is grown by the hard work of the people of Luzhou. We should save where we can."

But Lang Youfu showed none of the magnanimity of his own prefect. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he said:

"Prefect Zhao is leading over four hundred cavalrymen straight towards Huo County, while the fleet is heading straight for Shouzhou. This is clearly a sign of impending disaster!"

Zheng Qi shook his head, glanced at his family patriarch's flustered appearance, and chuckled:
"Oh, isn't Zhao Da from Huo County? It's perfectly normal for him to go there and take his relatives to Guang Prefecture. As for the fleet going to Shou Prefecture first, that makes sense too. After all, when you get to Shou Prefecture, you eat Shou Prefecture rice. How could a Shou Prefecture native have the nerve to come and eat my Lu Prefecture rice?"

Lang Youfu was extremely anxious. His own prefect was completely oblivious to the seriousness of the situation and didn't understand anything about it. But he couldn't say anything, so he could only add:
"Has the governor forgotten what was discovered in Xinghua Village?"

Zheng Qi's smile froze. He suddenly remembered what the military governor of Huainan had told him before, and stood up abruptly, but the next moment, he sat down again.

Zheng Qi pondered for a moment, then said to Lang Youfu:
"This matter cannot be made public. Go select a few capable junior officials and send them to Huo County. Remember, they should not do anything, but simply report back what they see."

Lang Youfu nodded, acknowledging that his governor had at least accomplished something, and then added:

"Let Curry distribute some money first, as a reward for those who did the work."

Unexpectedly, Zheng Qi frowned and reprimanded him:
"The dynasty has deteriorated to this extent because of the corruption in your local areas. You're handing out money before even getting anything done? If you have to pay for even the smallest things today, what will you give these people in the future if you want them to risk their lives? No way! It's only right that we take the government's rice and do the government's work."

After saying that, he waved for Lang Youfu to take care of it.

……

After being discharged from the hospital, Lang Youfu glanced back at the prefect above him and cursed:

"Those from Chang'an are ignorant of the situation. Besides, everyone here eats Luzhou rice. When did we start eating rice from your imperial court?"

After saying that, he went out cursing, then turned around and saw Liu Wei standing in the yard holding a sign, and his eyes lit up.

Then he stood down in the courtyard and called Liu Wei over.

Liu Wei planted the sign in the ground, rushed over, bowed, and asked:
"What does the Chief Secretary want with me?"

Lang Youfu stroked his beard and laughed:
"There is something I need you to do. Go and call on Tai Meng and Tian Yun, who are people you know well, to go to Huo County on official business. Buy a batch of yellow tea leaves from there. Pay for it yourself first, and I'll reimburse you when we get back."

When Liu Wei heard that he had to pay upfront, he was about to refuse, but Lang Youfu said the next thing:
"Governor Zhao has led several hundred soldiers on horseback straight to Mount Huo today. Don't you want to go and see how impressive it is to return home in glory?"

Liu Wei chuckled and added:

"Can I bring one more person? Let's all go and see Governor Zhao's prowess."

Seeing that he agreed, how could Lang Youfu refuse? He said:

"Then hurry up, don't go to Huo County, Governor Zhao has already left. By the way, what's the name of the person you're taking? Is he from our institute?"

Liu Wei shook his head:

“He’s a good man, and he’s incredibly strong. He can walk 300 li a day. With him around, we’ll definitely make it in time.”

Lang Youfu chuckled, casually flicked his wrist, and mocked:

"You bunch of soldiers, do you even know how much three hundred li is? Never mind, I won't argue with you anymore, let's set off now."

Liu Wei chuckled, handed the sign to a familiar colleague, and then turned and ran to the military academy next door, where several of his friends, Li Yu, Tai Meng, and Tian Jun, worked.

Before long, upon hearing that they could go see the excitement at public expense, the crowd excitedly left the city and ran to a village in the southeast, where they called Yang Xingmin and Tao Ya, who were working there, to join them.

The reason Tao Ya was also invited was because all of them were poor and had no money to buy Huoxian Huangya tea. Only Tao Ya, a local tycoon, could afford to pay for it first.

Tao Ya did not hesitate at all; he had long admired the filial and righteous Zhao Dalang.

So the six men didn't delay any longer, got six mules from the village, and headed towards Huo County.

　Chapter Two will be posted a little later. I've been writing until 2 or 3 AM lately, and I'm really exhausted. I'm going to bed at midnight tonight to get some rest; I'm afraid I'll collapse from exhaustion.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)