The Litchi Road

In the early spring of February, when the willows first turned green, the vast countryside east of Chang’an would be bathed in a vibrant shade of green. Long stretches of emerald ribbons hung delicately on both sides of the official road, forming a barrier that stretched for miles. The only exception to this picturesque scene was near the Ba Qiao Bridge.

Due to the prosperous era of Tianbao and the bustling influx of travelers, Chang’an City had a custom of saying goodbye with a willow branch. With so many people leaving every day, the willow trees at the bridgehead were quickly stripped of their branches. Subsequent travelers, unable to find branches, had no choice but to buy them from local children at the price of three copper coins per branch. After this transaction, which reeked of money, the faint melancholy of “In the past, I went away” disappeared, saving them from writing many sad poems.

When Li Shande left the city, he neither plucked a willow branch nor bought one. He didn’t feel like it. His only companions on his journey were a tall Hexi horse and a bulging saddlebag.

After he decided to leave for Lingnan that day, Han Cheng personally gave him some advice. The next day, Li Shande went to the Shanglin Office, where he changed his submissive attitude and told Liu Shuling to prepare thirty guan for traveling to Lingnan, as well as money for food on the way.

Liu Shuling became very angry and said that he was the lychee envoy! Either go to the Imperial Treasury and get the money, or go to the Ministry of Revenue and ask the deputy in charge for help. What does that have to do with the Shanglin Office?

However, Li Shande presented the imperial edict and pointed out the line that said, “By imperial edict, Li Shande is recommended as the supervisor of affairs. He said that the phrase “recommended” was written by Liu Shuling himself. So, of course, he should first get supplies and funds from the Shanglin Office, and then the Shanglin Office could ask for reimbursement from the Ministry of Revenue.

Liu Shuling continued to resist, but Li Shande told him not to delay the emperor’s mission. Upon hearing this, Liu Shuling immediately backed down and felt ashamed. He painfully withdrew thirty guan from the public office fund.

This official fund is the capital provided by the imperial court to various government departments for them to lend out, and the interest earned is used to maintain office expenses. Li Shande forcibly took away thirty guan, causing the quality of his colleagues’ meals to drop significantly. The entire Shanglin office was filled with complaints, which can be seen as his small act of revenge.

After leaving the Shanglin Office, Li Shande went to the Fubao Department and applied for a travel voucher in the name of the Litchi Envoy. With this voucher, he could enjoy free stays at various relay stations* along the official road, and the cost of feeding himself and his horse would be covered by the court.

*Relay stations were places established along official routes where messengers and travelers could rest, change horses, and receive other services. These stations were part of a network managed by the government to facilitate communication and transportation.

Little did his colleagues know that the “travel expenses” and “food expenses” provided by the Shanglin office were actually useless since there were provisions for lodging and meals during the trip. The beauty of the envoy position was that it was removed from the normal bureaucratic procedures. The Fubao Department would not reconcile its accounts with the Shanglin Office, and the latter needed a way to verify the reality of the expenses with the Ministry of Finance. These three agencies are not connected.

Li Shande used the money to buy a traveling horse and some supplies for the journey, leaving the rest for his family. Unfortunately, his official rank was too low to take advantage of the horses at the relay stations. Otherwise, he could have saved even the cost of renting a horse.

After running around, Li Shande finally understood why everyone was clamoring for envoy jobs. He hadn’t even used any underhanded tactics, just exploited loopholes in the system, yet he still managed to earn thirty guan. Han Cheng scolded these messengers as nothing more than runaway slaves who eat dog intestines, and his words struck a deep chord.

On the fifth day of the second month, Li Shande crossed the Ba Qiao Bridge, bidding farewell to Chang’an without the slightest hesitation, and hurried off to the east.

As a top scorer in the Imperial Examination and someone who placed great importance on data, Li Shande made a deliberate visit to the Position Bureau of the Ministry of Military Affairs before embarking on his journey. He obtained a copy of the “Imperial Tang Dynasty Map of the Nine Provinces” and the “Compendium of Relay Routes Across the Realm”, which gave him a visual understanding of transportation in the Great Tang Empire.

At that time, the Great Tang Dynasty extended six main roads from Chang’an, connecting the two capitals, Kaifeng, Youzhou, Taiyuan, Jiangling, Guangzhou, Yizhou, Yangzhou, and other places. The distance between each relay station was about thirty li. There were a total of 1,639 relay stations throughout the empire, with a total length of 49,170 li.

The distant Lingnan region he wanted to reach was a total of 5,447 li from Chang’an. Generally, one would enter the Shangzhou Road from Lantian, cross the Han River via Xiangzhou, cross the Jiang River via Ezhou, follow the current to Hongzhou, Jizhou, and Qianzhou, cross the Five Ridges, pass through Meiguan, and finally arrive at Shaoshan before reaching Guangzhou.

In the beginning, he could run 150 li a day, but soon his pace slowed down. Not to mention humans, even the fastest steed would lose weight from continuous running and its hooves would suffer. He had no choice but to slow down, and with a heavy heart, he dug into his own pocket to provide additional funds and urged the relay station to provide a few more dou* of bean cakes.

*Dou is an ancient China unit of measurement like ‘Li’ but for dry goods, such as beans and grains.

However, when he arrived in Ezhou, the horse couldn’t take it anymore and collapsed in the spring rain. Li Shande had no choice but to sell the horse and buy a sturdy Huai’an mule instead. The mule was strong, but it lacked speed. No matter how hard Li Shande pushed it, it could only cover forty li in a day. Fortunately, there were no notorious mountain bandits to contend with due to the prolonged peace throughout the empire. As a solo traveler, he encountered little danger along the way.

There were mountains and rivers all along the way, and the scenery was picturesque. If it were Du Fu who was taking a leisurely excursion, he would undoubtedly compose many magnificent poetic verses. However, Li Shande, with the weight of a guillotine hanging over his head, did not have the leisure to enjoy the scenery. During the day, he would run with determination, his gaze fixed forward. Even in the evenings at the taverns, he had no time to read the poems written on the walls because he was busy studying the materials from the Position Bureau and examining the terrain and distances along the way, hoping to find an opportunity in the midst of it.

It’s just that the more Li Shande studied the relay routes, the colder his heart grew. The determination that drove him to leave Chang’an with a do-or-die spirit was shattered as he faced the harsh realities of his research.

At that time, the Tang Dynasty’s relay stations were divided into four categories: the fastest was “Courier delivery,” which traveled a distance of 500 li per day; followed by “Relay delivery,” which traveled 350 li per day; “Pedestrian delivery,” which traveled 200 li per day on foot; and finally, the slowest was the routine circulation of official documents, with horses traveling 70 li per day, donkeys and pedestrians traveling 50 li per day, and carts traveling 30 li per day.

Even with the fastest “courier delivery”, it would still take over ten days to travel from Lingnan to the capital, and fresh lychees cannot be delivered.

The court has a special 800-li emergency dispatch, but it is reserved for the most urgent military intelligence transmissions. The records of the Position Bureau show that in the past twenty years, the only time a true eight-hundred-li relay speed was achieved was when Wang Zhongsi won a decisive victory over the Xi Nu Jie tribes on the Sanggan River. The messenger who delivered the victory report covered a distance of two thousand four hundred li and reached Chang’an in only three days.

Surely such examples are not relevant here. In the vast northern plains, a single horse can traverse the plains with ease. The water is scarce and the sand is firm, allowing the galloping riders to move quickly. However, once Li Shande crossed the river into the southern regions, he realized that the waterways crisscrossed the land, and the terrain was filled with continuous mountains. Not to mention, even if the Ministry of War granted you an 800-li emergency dispatch, you still wouldn’t be able to maintain such a speed.

Li Shande knew he was embarking on an impossible mission, but he had no choice. In order to save his family and his own destiny, Li Shande could only do his best to find a glimmer of hope in the numbers. He hoped that even if he ultimately failed, it wouldn’t be due to his own laziness.

After crossing Poyang Lake, he made a new discovery. It turned out that the big river near Xunyang was connected to Poyang Lake, and Poyang Lake was connected to the Gan River, which led directly to Qianzhou. Although traveling by boat was not as fast as riding a fast horse, it had the advantage of smooth water, which allowed continuous travel day and night. He calculated that a light boat could travel more than 150 miles day and night, which was much more efficient than using mules or horses. He decided to sell the mule and embarked on the lighter boat. He was willing to spend extra money to save time.

After passing through Qianzhou, Li Shande saw a majestic mountain range ahead of him, towering and steep, like a green barrier between heaven and earth. This was the Wuling Mountain Range, a natural boundary between Lingnan and the western part of Jiangxi Province. These five mountains were extremely rugged, with only a narrow passage known as the Meiguan Road between the Dayu Mountains allowing passage to Shaozhou.

As Li Shande passed through the mountain pass, he remembered a story he had heard in Chang’an about a historical event at the court. In the fourth year of the Kaiyuan Period, Zhang Jiuling resigned from his official position and returned to his hometown in Lingnan. Concerned about the transportation difficulties, he petitioned the emperor to open a “wide and straight road with five lanes connecting the four directions” in the Dayu Mountains. Since then, goods such as teeth, leather, feathers, fish, salt, and shellfish have been flowing from Lingnan to the Central Plains.

What surprised Li Shande, even more, was that beyond the Wuling Mountains, there was a continuous river called the Zhong River, which flowed south and joined the Qin River. The Qin River, in turn, flowed into the Pearl River, allowing unhindered navigation to the outskirts of Guangzhou.

On the tenth day of the third month, after more than a month of arduous travel, a weary Li Shande finally entered the city of Guangzhou. The horse’s saddlebags, once full and bulging, now hung empty over his right shoulder, looking shriveled and lifeless. As for his short robe of dusty millet color and the silk sash around his waist, they had long since been soiled to show their true colors.

After calculating the speed, his initial glimmer of hope was immediately dashed. At this speed, even if it were three times faster, it would still be impossible to transport fresh lychees.

The climate in Guangzhou was hot, similar to the months of May and June in Chang’an. When Li Shande entered the city, he felt sweat dripping from his body, as if ants were crawling on him. Especially around his neck, the collar was soaked with sweat and stuck to his skin. Even the slightest movement caused discomfort and pain due to the friction.

The scenery in Guangzhou was quite different from Chang’an. The walls were covered with climbing vines, coconut trees stood on the rooftops, and banyan trees extended their branches from the walls. Every empty space along the streets was filled with kapok flowers, purple orchids, gardenias, camellias, and various unnamed flowers. Almost half of the city was covered with flowers and plants.

He found a government inn and checked in. Upon inquiry, he found out that the accommodation was free with his voucher, but the hot spring bath required an additional fee. Considering that he would soon be paying a visit to the five provincial governors and military commanders of Lingnan, he felt it necessary to maintain a respectable appearance. Reluctantly, he dug into his pocket and pulled out the last bit of money, rented a hot tub, and handed his dirty clothes to the laundress for cleaning, intending to use them again tomorrow.

The cuisine at the inn in Guangzhou was very different from that of the Central Plains. There were no wheat-based noodles; instead, fine rice was served. Lamb was scarce, but there was an abundance of chicken soup and preserved duck. What stood out most was the rich variety of fruits and melons: loquats, sweet melons, white olives, Lu oranges, apples…. They were piled high on a large plate, accompanied by a slice of peeled sugar cane sprinkled with a pinch of yellow salt. Such a feast would befit a high-ranking noble in Chang’an City.

He casually asked if they had lychees, and the waiter replied that they were not in season yet, probably not until April.

Li Shande didn’t want to ask too much either. He had eaten dry rations on the road and needed a good meal to replenish himself. He opened his mouth wide and devoured the food like a whirlwind. After quenching his hunger and thirst with wine, the bath barrel was already filled with hot water. The people of Lingnan certainly knew how to enjoy themselves. There were crushed agarwood chips on the bottom of the tub, and a piece of kapok soap on a banana leaf nearby.

As soon as Li Shande soaked himself, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Ah! The steam enveloped him, and the fatigue gradually disappeared from his limbs. It mingled with the slippery sweat and fell off his body, floating to the surface of the water. For that brief moment, he completely forgot about the troubles of the lychees and wished to melt into the tub and never come out again.

A good night’s sleep. Li Shande woke up and called the laundrywoman to get his clothes. However, she looked at him as if he were a fool. Li Shande became angry, thinking that she was coveting his official attire. The laundress grumbled in the local dialect which he couldn’t understand. They struggled for a while until the laundress dragged Li Shande to the clothesline, where he embarrassingly discovered the truth. It turned out that the climate in Lingnan was very different from Chang’an – it was humid and hot, so it took several days for the clothes to dry properly.

Without a spare official robe and no extra money to buy one, Li Shande had no choice but to take off a Turkic dagger he had been carrying—a dagger given to him by Du Fu, which he used for self-defense during his time in Suzhou. He exchanged it at a pawnshop for an ill-fitting old silk robe.

Dressed in this strange robe, Li Shande awkwardly made his way to the Lingnan Governor’s office. There were no guards or banners at the entrance to the office, only two large banana trees, their remarkably large green leaves resembling imperial folding screens, providing shade over the grand entrance. With the imperial decree in his hand, Li Shande was allowed to enter the main hall without any obstruction from the gatekeeper.

As soon as Li Shande saw He Luguang, the Governor-General of Lingnan, his vision darkened. The esteemed commander was sitting cross-legged in the hall, munching on a long sugarcane. He wore only a white linen undershirt on his upper body, while his lower body was covered in bamboo split-crotch pants, revealing his hairy legs from time to time.

Had he known that everyone dressed like this, he wouldn’t have bothered to waste his money on an expensive official robe. While feeling sorry for himself, Li Shande respectfully handed over the imperial edict.

He Luguang had a dark complexion, and his forehead was bulging like a venerable elder. He was from Zhu Ya Jun, a jurisdiction located on an island even further south than Zhang Jiuling. It was quite remarkable for someone of Liao descent to rise to the rank of one of the ten military commanders in the Tianbao era, making him an extraordinary figure in the imperial court. Six years ago, he led ten mighty armies and quickly captured the fortified city of Nanzhao, restoring the bronze pillar* erected by Ma Yuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Such an extravagant character could easily crush him like crushing an ant.

*May refer to a symbol or metaphor that represents the authority or influence of Ma Yuan.

He Luguang took a bite of the sugarcane, chewed a few mouthfuls, and spat it out on the ground with a contemptuous “ptoo”. Then he lazily unfolded the imperial edict and said, “The Lychee Envoy? What do you do?”

He Luguang slammed the imperial edict on the ground and sternly said, “Guards, drag this impostor out and throw him into the Zhujiang River!” Immediately, two soldiers approached like ferocious wolves, ready to drag Li Shande away. Frightened, he rushed forward, swift as an ape, and clung tightly to the sugarcane in his hands, pleading, “General, General!”

He Luguang tried to snatch back the half-eaten sugarcane, but he was surprised to find that despite his frail appearance, the man possessed an unexpected strength. He stubbornly held onto the sugarcane and refused to let go, no matter how the two soldiers tried to pry it from his grasp. Eventually, He Luguang’s grip was loosened, causing Li Shande to fall to the ground, still clutching the sugarcane, while the soldiers fell next to him, their legs in the air.

He Luguang was both angry and amused. He shouted, “You little monkey, you dare to deceive me in my own home? Do you not fear death?” Li Shande, who was lying on the ground, shouted with all his might, “I am not a deceiver! I have received a legitimate imperial edict from Chang’an!”

“Stop talking nonsense. Sending fresh lychees to Chang’an? Which fool would come up with such an idea?”

“It was the emperor…..”

He Luguang became furious and lifted his big foot to stomp on his face. “You dare to slander even the emperor, such a daring fox!” As he spoke, he suddenly felt something strange. The temperament of the emperor was completely different from before. Over the past few years, he had asked Lingnan to do many strange and unusual things, deviating from the norm. It was hard to tell if he would really ask for fresh lychees this time…..

He lifted his foot slightly, bent down to pick up the decree, brushed off the sugar cane residue, and examined it again. He exclaimed, “Impressive craftsmanship! This could easily be sold outside Danfeng Gate.”

Li Shande grabbed the red soil with both hands and shouted in a moment of inspiration, “This decree has also been circulated among the officials in Lingnan. Once the general investigate, the truth will be revealed!” 

He Luguang ordered a servant to come over, gave some instructions, and then dragged a Hu bed to sit opposite him. Continuing to nibble on the sugarcane, he said:

“Whether this decree of yours is true or false, pfft, it doesn’t really matter. If it’s fake, it’ll be thrown into the Zhujiang River; if it’s real, I still won’t be able to send fresh lychees to Chang’an, so I’ll have to get rid of you.”

Li Shande had not expected him to be so blunt. At first, he trembled with fear, but then he became surprisingly calm. On the way, he had witnessed the arduous journey, and he knew that the idea of delivering fresh lychees was completely impossible. Rather than go back and face punishment, he thought it might be better to be killed here. At least he would die for the sake of the royal mission and wouldn’t bring trouble to his family.

With this thought in mind, he erased all thoughts of defense, lowered his forehead to the ground, and awaited his execution.

As he knelt before him, He Luguang became suspicious instead. He scrutinized the swindler in front of him, his mouth chewing the sugarcane flesh incessantly, but he made no move. Soon after, a fair-faced scholar rushed over and said to He Luguang, “I have found out that in early February, the imperial court indeed issued a blank document requesting fresh lychees. This document was given to the officials in charge in Lingnan, but they did not dare to take any unauthorized action and sent it to the Ministry of Agriculture.”

The Lingnan envoy stationed in the capital was He Luguang’s eyes and ears, with swift riders traveling back and forth every month to report the latest developments. This information had just been delivered.

He Luguang looked at Li Shande and suddenly kicked him, hitting him right in the ribs and causing him to roll several times in the sugar cane residue. “Bah! I almost fell for your trick. If I were to kill you here, wouldn’t I be held responsible for the fresh lychee matter? You northerners are truly cunning.”

Li Shande endured the pain and felt deeply wronged. He had already bowed his head and accepted his fate, yet he was accused of having a cunning mind…. The scholar whispered a few words into He Luguang’s ear, causing him to furrow his brow in disgust. He threw the remaining sugarcane on the ground and walked away.

The scholar approached and helped Li Shande up, brushing off the red soil from his robe. He then spoke softly, “I am Zhao Xinning, the Chief Scribe under the Lingnan Commander’s office. Ambassador Li, please accept my invitation to a banquet tonight, where we can dispel the dust of the road.” Li Shande was taken aback. He had just been trampled on and insulted. How could he speak such words without a change in expression?

“Ambassador, please don’t be upset. There is a local saying that goes, ‘The most important thing in life is to be happy; it is the way to maintain good health.’”

“You…..”

However, Li Shande knew that although the Chief Scribe was only an eighth-rank official, he had considerable influence under the military commander. It was unwise to offend him so easily, so Li Shande had to swallow his anger and respectfully clasp his hands and say, “There is no need for the banquet. As the emperor’s edict commands, I must fulfill my duties for the royal affairs and hurry the handling of the local tribute.”

He had consulted with Han Cheng beforehand. Every year, various types of local tributes were sent from Lingnan to the capital by the Chief Envoy. If they could somehow categorize fresh lychees as a type of “local tribute”, then the Chief Military Office would be forced to cooperate.

How could Zhao Xinning jump into this pit willingly, he replied with a smile, “Let me enlighten you, Ambassador. In the 14th year of the Kaiyuan era, the wise ruler issued a decree exempting the Five Provinces of Lingnan from the obligations of the Chief Envoy’s mission. You see, our difficult mountainous routes make it impossible for us to meet the strict deadlines. So, you see, when it comes to these local tributes, Lingnan simply cannot deliver.”

“I understand that transporting fresh lychees is indeed a challenge. However, as loyal subjects, it is our duty to cooperate sincerely and make every effort to fulfill the wishes of the wise emperor and the esteemed consort. Only in this way can we ensure the successful completion of this task.”

Zhao Xinning immediately agreed and said, “This is a given! I will have the General issue a travel permit for the ambassador. With this document, you will have unrestricted access to the Five Provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Guangzhou, Rongzhou, and Jiaozhou under the jurisdiction of Lingnan. The ambassador will be able to showcase your skills to the fullest.”

Li Shande let out a short “Ah” and suddenly didn’t know what to say next.

Before he left, Han Cheng had helped him speculate on several possibilities. “Local tribute” was just a ruse. If the commander didn’t fall for it, Li Shande could have taken advantage of the situation by mentioning the Holy Emperor and the Noble Consort, urging them to provide funds. He had always had a plan in mind, but it required substantial financial support.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Xinning was quite slippery and deftly evaded the crucial point. While appearing generous, he willingly issued the passes for the Five Provinces but conveniently avoided the most critical aspect: funding. In plain terms, they provided him with convenience, allowing him to wander freely in Lingnan appearing without fault in the presence of the Holy Emperor. However, when it came to the matter of fresh lychees, they wouldn’t give him a single penny. He was left to fend for himself.

Li Shande was not adept at dealing with unexpected situations, nor was his tongue quick-witted. When he was disrupted by Zhao Xinning in this way, he completely forgot his well-prepared plans and stood in place, sweating profusely. Further down the corridor, He Luguang stood with his arms crossed and a cold sneer on his face. This northerner was as stupid as a Qingyuan chicken, yet he dared to involve the Provincial Governor’s office in the matter of fresh lychees?

He Luguang’s thoughts stopped at this point. For a Provincial Military Governor to give even a moment’s thought to a low-ranking official like him was already a great honor.

Li Shande returned to the government inn with a sullen expression, staring blankly at the coconut trees outside the window. Zhao Xinning, on the other hand, kept his word. Half an hour later, he sent over a completed pass, accompanied by two pieces of sandalwood, which he claimed were personal gifts from Secretary Zhao.

He tapped on the two pieces of wood and inhaled the faint, refreshing fragrance, but his heart remained congested with no outlet. Just as Du Fu had encouraged him to make a way in dire circumstances, Li Shande had also come up with a plan. However, now that the Lingnan Governor had refused to provide support, even if Li Shande was willing to fight to the death, he had no weapons in his hands.

“Let it be. This mission was already impossible from the beginning. Do you still have expectations?”

Li Shande spread out the scroll on the desk. He decided to follow Han Cheng’s advice after all, understanding that abandoning the sinking ship was the wisest choice. But first, he had to finish writing the farewell letter to his wife. As he wrote, tears welled up in his eyes and he finally fell asleep, still leaning over the desk.

The next day, Li Shande woke up to find the paper soaked with saliva. As he was about to wipe it with his sleeve, he suddenly noticed a brownish cockroach scurrying past at lightning speed. This cockroach was unusually large, almost the size of a young mouse, unlike the ones he had seen back in Chang’an’s kitchen. A wave of coldness surged up Li Shande’s spine, and he was filled with horror. He quickly recoiled and moved away from it.

With a loud crash, the desk overturned, scattering papers, ink and brush all over the floor. The letter to his wife was soaked in ink and completely ruined. Li Shande was overwhelmed with grief and felt that his fate was truly miserable. He thought that everything was going against him, and he even considered asking the innkeeper where the Zhujiang River was so that he could just throw himself into its waters and be done with it.

Unexpectedly, just as he was putting on his robe, his stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he had not yet eaten breakfast. Li Shande hesitated for a moment but finally decided that it was better to feast like a glutton. He adjusted his headgear and made his way to the dining area of the inn.

Lingnan was indeed a land of plenty, both on land and in the water. Even their breakfast surpassed that of other places. A bowl of perfectly cooked corn and pork porridge, mixed with crushed almonds and sweetened with cane sugar. Three plates of pickled vegetables drizzled with duck oil. Steamed white fruit with a chicken egg on top. And a cup of seaweed wine. As for the fruit, it was simply piled up at the entrance to the dining room for everyone to enjoy at their leisure.

Sitting at the table, Li Shande savored every bite. It was supposed to be his last meal in life, so he deserved to enjoy it to the fullest. However, since he was in Lingnan, there was no lamb available. How wonderful it would be if he could return to Chang’an one last time and taste a bite of the tower-style lamb pastry made by the Sun family in Buzheng District.

As soon as he thought of Chang’an, his nose began to tingle. At that moment, someone from across the table suddenly said, “Sir, are you from the north?” 

Li Shande looked over and saw a thin old man with a high nose, deep-set eyes, and three strands of yellow beard on his chin. He was wearing a three-striped robe, surprisingly a Hui merchant*. Judging from the way he carried a pouch around his waist and wore jade rings, it was obvious that he possessed considerable wealth.

*One of the famous merchant groups hailed from the six counties of She, Xuining, Qimen, Yixian, Jixi, and Wuyuan. They were Chinese-speaking Muslims who were primarily of East Asian and Central Asian origin, with some Middle Eastern ethnic groups like Arabs and Iranians.

Li Shande let out a “hmm” and started to peel the boiled egg in his hand. Little did he know, the Hui merchant was quite friendly and sociable. From time to time, he would come over to offer a drink or help peel a melon, showing great enthusiasm that made Li Shande feel a little embarrassed.

At that time, Guangzhou was also a major trading port of the Great Tang Empire, connecting with thirty-six countries across the vast oceans. Its prosperity was no less than that of Yangzhou, attracting many foreign merchants to the city. This Hui merchant, who spoke fluent Tang, introduced himself as Su Liang, originally from Persia. He had been in the Tang Empire for several decades, working in the spice trade in Guangzhou.

“If you have any difficulties, you can share them with this humble one. We are all away from home, and perhaps we can help each other. There is a local saying that the most important thing in life is happiness.”

“How can you Lingnan people always come up with this approach?” Li Shande couldn’t help but complain. Su Liang suddenly pressed his chopsticks with his jade-adorned hand and asked, “Sir… Are you in need of money?”

These words struck a chord in Li Shande’s heart. He paused for a moment and replied, “Your words are not wrong, but what I need is not a small amount, but a large amount of money. Are you willing to lend me some?”

The best way to send off a guest in the world is to mention the words “borrow money”. However, Su Liang didn’t show any hesitation, instead, he smiled and said, “It doesn’t matter if it’s a large sum of money, even if it’s a seafaring ship, I can make the decision to lend it. As long as you offer something in exchange, whatever you have with you.” Li Shande’s raised chopsticks froze in mid-air-this fellow had indeed approached him with a purpose!

In Chang’an, he had heard that the overseas Hui people were the best at appraising treasures, and they could always find something valuable. Today, it seemed that this person had probably misjudged the situation and approached a penniless old official who was at the end of his rope—what treasures could I possibly have on me?

Su Liang noticed that this person was a bit clueless, so he decided to be straightforward. “Yesterday, while I was at the inn, I happened to see Secretary Zhao from the Governor General’s Office paying a visit. He brought the official Five Provinces travel permit for you. Is this true?”

“What– what does this have to do with you?”

“Having been in business for several decades, I can read people’s faces as if I’m reading their hearts. You are currently facing tremendous trouble and in desperate need of a large sum of money, isn’t that right?”

“…..En.”

“A wise person does not engage in shady business. Whatever amount of money and provisions you need, I can provide it without hesitation. All I ask is that you lend me the Five Prefectures Travel Permit so that I can take care of my own business. Let’s make a fair deal. What do you think?”

It turned out that what he had his eyes on was actually this…

To avoid any suspicion, the travel permit that Zhao Xinning gave Li Shande was of a remarkably high rank. Su Liang’s eyes were sharp and discerning, and he could recognize it from afar. If a merchant convoy possessed this permit, all tax checkpoints, customs, weirs, wharves, and other places within the five provinces would be unimpeded. Goods could pass freely without inspection or taxation. It was truly a magical treasure-gathering pass.

At first, Li Shande wanted to refuse outright. After all, it was a serious crime punishable by death to lend someone else a travel permit for impersonation. However, upon further reflection, he realized that he was already at a dead end. Adding another crime wouldn’t make much difference. How many times could his head be chopped off?

Seeing that Li Shande was still struggling internally, Su Liang extended three wrinkled fingers and said, “I understand that there are some risks involved in this matter from an official point of view, so I won’t let you suffer. Name your price and I’ll add thirty percent to it.”

Li Shande, well aware of the other party’s ambitious intentions, found himself unable to refuse. He quickly calculated the cost of his plan in his mind and blurted out, “766 guan!”

The combination of zero and whole numbers in the given amount amused the Hui merchant. It seemed that there really were such down-to-earth people who treated their budget as the final settlement.

“Deal!”

The old Hui merchant agreed without hesitation. Li Shande immediately felt regret, realizing that he had underestimated the potential value of the travel pass to the merchant. Judging from the merchant’s enthusiasm, it seemed that even if he had offered 1,500 guan, the merchant would have accepted it without hesitation.

“I am pleased to do business with you, sir. The Tang people uphold honesty as their foundation, three cups seal the deal, and even the Five Sacred Mountains pale in comparison”. To block Li Shande’s retreat, Su Lang brought in Li Bai, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty.

“I, I…” Li Shande stammered for a few moments but finally didn’t dare to back out. This old Hui merchant was his only lifeline. If he got angry and left, Li Shande would truly be without hope.

“Hehe, you’re an honest person, sir, and I won’t take advantage of you. 766 guan, plus the promised thirty percent increase, rounded up, makes a total of 1000 guan for you. How does that sound?”

“766 guan plus a thirty percent increase 996 guan….”

Su Liang was stunned. This person really doesn’t know how to negotiate. I voluntarily added a little extra, and he’s still nitpicking over these numbers? However, the old Hui merchant showed no emotion as he laughed heartily and said, “Alright, 996 guan it is. May I ask, sir, do you want cash? Light goods? Or grain?”

During the currency shortage of the Great Tang, large transactions like this were usually not settled in cash. Instead, they were converted into various goods. After thinking for a moment, Li Shande said, “There’s no need to give me the money. I want to buy some local goods in Guangzhou. Can I ask you to help me buy them?” Su Liang readily agreed and said, “That’s easy. What do you need?”

“Wait a moment, I’ll make a list,” Li Shande replied. Then he added, “If I go through your channels, can I get a discount?”

“Of course, of course,” Su Liang smoothed his beard, unsure how to evaluate this talented person.

Translator ramblings^^

hmm.. i wanna see his family… honestly while i don’t think this person is that shady, but the repercussions of this transaction could be quite nasty…