Taiheiki

Chapter 22 Lacquerware
"So that's how it is!" Wei Cong breathed a sigh of relief. Under the military system of the Han Dynasty, the central government dispatched troops to conquer the vast expanse. Their highest commanders (generals of various ranks) were appointed on a temporary basis and dismissed after the battles were over, making it difficult for them to establish close ties with the troops under their command. In such circumstances, it was crucial for a general to have a dedicated unit of trusted troops willing to fight bravely and spearhead the tough battles. Without such a unit, it was likely that even though the army was assembled, each unit would hesitate and wait, with no one joining. As a result, the army would drag on, becoming exhausted and defeated at the slightest challenge. With such a unit, the general would have the authority to issue orders, making it much easier to coordinate the various units. This is why later generations had guards, personal guards, and battalion battalions, all based on the same principle.

According to historical records, Feng Gun was likely a Qiang chieftain himself, though deeply assimilated into the Han culture, with several generations holding official positions of 2,000 stone. With his family background and connections, he could easily recruit large numbers of Qiang from his homeland. These soldiers were not only highly motivated but also better adapted to the climate and terrain of southern Jingzhou than the Eastern Han army, which was primarily composed of Han people from the north. With such an army, crushing the loosely organized Wuling Man rebellion was naturally a piece of cake.

"By the way, I haven't asked your name yet, where are you from?"

"Oh, my name is Wei Cong, courtesy name Mengde, and I'm from Yecheng, Hebei!"

"So you're a warrior from Hebei! No wonder you're so sturdy and have such an extraordinary appearance!" Deng Zhong said with a smile, "I've never heard of the method you just mentioned, the flying money and bills of exchange, but I think it's truly a brilliant idea. Could you please write down a summary of it? Of course, I wouldn't let you work in vain. I'll take care of exchanging the gold for you. As for the exchange rate, I'll say one pound of gold for thirteen thousand coins. How do you do that?"

Wei Cong's heart stirred when he heard Deng Zhong's words. This bill of exchange method was supposedly worth a fortune, but unless one had substantial capital and extensive business networks, even knowing it wouldn't be enough. Deng Zhong seemed quite impressive. The Xinye Deng family, descended from Deng Yu, was one of the six imperial clans of the Eastern Han Dynasty (Deng Yu, Geng Yan, Liang Tong, Dou Rong, Ma Yuan, and the Yin family (Yin Lu, Yin Shi)). They were powerful, and it would be a blessing for Wei Cong to establish a good relationship with them.

"Since you say so, I will dare to show off my skills!" Wei Cong said with a smile.

"Okay, okay! Someone, bring me some brush, ink, paper, and inkstone!" Deng Zhong was delighted to see Wei Cong agree. He summoned a maid to present them. Wei Cong picked up the brush, pondered for a moment, and then wrote down the bill of exchange system he remembered: Generally speaking, a bill of exchange is an unconditional payment order, formed by three parties: the drawer (the party issuing the bill of exchange), the drawee (the payee), and the payee. The drawee pays cash to the drawer and issues a bill of exchange. When the payee, holding the bill of exchange, approaches the drawer, the drawee is obliged to pay the amount as requested. This way, merchants avoid the risk and inconvenience of traveling with large sums of cash. The most important use of a bill of exchange isn't actually remittances, but rather the completion of non-cash settlements. That is, in long-distance trade, due to the lack of mutual trust between buyers and sellers and the long transaction time, buyers are afraid of paying but not receiving the goods, and sellers are afraid of shipping the goods but not receiving the payment. However, after the emergence of bills of exchange, buyers can pay the bills of exchange issued by the issuer, and after the sellers get the bills of exchange, as long as the goods are shipped, they can get the payment with the bills of exchange and the proof of shipment. This greatly reduces the cost of long-distance trade and makes the previously extremely difficult long-distance trade possible.

"Good handwriting!" Deng Zhong's eyes lit up when he saw Wei Cong put pen to paper, and he praised softly. But as Wei Cong wrote more and more, the expression on his face changed from praise to surprise, from surprise to shock, and from shock to ecstasy. When Wei Cong finished writing, he saw Deng Zhong standing beside him, with a humble look on his face, his hands on his knees, his upper body slightly bent, and a cautious look.

"I, Deng Zhong of Wancheng, am not very knowledgeable and didn't recognize you. I apologize for my rudeness just now!" Deng Zhong knelt on the ground, his left hand supporting his right, and bowed twice with his hands in front of his head. Wei Cong was startled and quickly reached out to support him: "Brother Deng, why are you so polite?"

Deng Zhong bowed again and said in a deep voice, "Sir, your talent is as vast as the universe. You have not regarded me as dull and ignorant, and have blessed me with knowledge. Such a great kindness is something I would sacrifice my life for, let alone bow my head. From now on, I will serve you as a teacher. I only hope that you will not regard me as dull and ignorant and ignore me."

"This..." Wei Cong had no choice but to help Deng Zhong up. "Your Excellency is truly too polite. This method of using bills of exchange is not something that ordinary people can use. I have told others about it before, and they didn't think it was so wonderful. But you heard it today and it's like you've found a treasure. It's obvious that this method is destined to be yours. There's no need to thank me!"

"I dare not!" Deng Zhong took two steps back: "The exchange of gold will take another day. Please allow me to entertain you a few times to show my gratitude!" After saying that, he walked to the door and bowed to invite people like a servant.

"Okay, sorry to bother you!" Wei Cong also knew that such a large exchange could not be completed in one go. As the saying goes, it's hard to refuse a kind offer, so he had no choice but to accept it.

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In the courtyard, the maids leading the way exuded the sweet aroma of lemon, angelica, magnolia, and other spices. They were led into a side room on the right. The murals on the corridor walls depicted the master watching the maids dance and going hunting. Oil lamps burned continuously on the walls, illuminating the room. The maids arranged for them to sit down one by one behind the tables and asked them to wait a moment, as the food and wine would be served later. Everyone present was stunned by this gesture and could only nod stiffly.

As the maid left the room, everyone let out a long sigh. No one liked the tense feeling. Wang Ge casually picked up a bowl on the table in front of him and suddenly exclaimed, "It's a lacquer bowl! They gave us lacquer bowls!"

"Are you seeing things?" Wang Shou snorted coldly. He picked up the bowl in front of him and examined it carefully. He exclaimed in surprise, "It really is a lacquer bowl. What kind of family is this? They actually use lacquer bowls to entertain people like us!"

Upon hearing the commotion, the remaining people also picked up the utensils on the table in front of them. They were surprised to find that they were all lacquerware, the rims of the lacquer bowls protected and decorated with copper hoops. It should be noted that during the Han Dynasty, the upper class often used lacquerware rather than ceramics (porcelain was still immature during the Han Dynasty). Examples included tripods, pots, jars, bowls, cups, plates, boxes, tables, desks, and screens. The most common items were eating utensils. Because lacquerware is rust-resistant and easier to paint with ornate patterns, it was much more common than bronzeware in the Han Dynasty courts. However, lacquerware is more prone to decay, so few pieces survive today.

Because lacquerware requires complex craftsmanship, it's significantly more expensive than pottery or wooden vessels for the same purpose. Even middle-class families who could afford a set of lacquerware would carefully preserve it, using it only for ancestral worship or when honored guests arrived. People like Zhao Yannian and Wang Shou likely only used lacquerware for food and drink a few times in their lives.

"This family is unbelievable..." Diwu Deng was about to say something when he heard footsteps in the corridor, and he quickly shut up. Several maids filed in from outside, setting food and wine on the tables in front of the crowd like a stream. They then stood behind the group, apparently awaiting their orders. This scene bewildered everyone. Even Diwu Deng and Wang Shou, who were usually the loudest, only dared to lower their heads and eat, refusing to utter a word.

Zhao Yannian picked up the wine glass, then put it down again and asked in a deep voice, "Where is my husband now?"

"Are you asking about Young Master Wei?" The leading maid smiled and said, "He and my master are drinking in the back hall. Look!" She pointed, and Zhao Yannian poked his head out. He could vaguely see the main hall at the back of the courtyard, brightly lit and filled with the sounds of music and dancing. He breathed a sigh of relief and asked carefully, "May I ask where your master is going?"

The maid looked at Zhao Yannian in surprise and said with a smile, "My master's surname is Deng, and I am the owner of the Deng Mansion."

"Deng?" Zhao Yannian asked cautiously, "May I ask what your master and Marquis Dingyang address you?"

"They're from the same family. So, my master is the cousin of the Marquis of Dingyang!" No wonder, Zhao Yannian lowered his head, suppressing his surprise. The current emperor had three empresses. The first was surnamed Liang; the second was surnamed Deng, Mengnu. Her biological father, Deng Xiang, had died when she became empress. Following custom, the emperor posthumously conferred the title of General of Chariots and Cavalry, Marquis of Dingyang. In other words, the master of this family and the previous empress were cousins, effectively relatives by marriage. Although the previous empress had not borne the emperor children and had passed away, the situation hadn't escalated to the point of extermination of the entire clan, as had Empress Liang. Furthermore, the Deng family, descended from Deng Yu, a relative of the founding father of the Eastern Han Dynasty, had intermarried with the imperial family for generations, and their roots were deep and thriving in Nanyang.

It is no wonder that such a family could be so extravagant as to use lacquerware to entertain guests' entourage and guards, but the problem is that their standards and vision are also extremely high. How could they treat Wei Cong like a guest of honor?
While Zhao Yannian was pondering, the steward entered the room, accompanied by servants holding small tables. The steward bowed to Zhao Yannian and the others and said with a smile, "This is a small gift from my humble master. Please accept it!" He nodded, and the servants placed the small table in front of everyone. On it were placed clothes, hats, leather boots, and a short sword for self-defense. The room immediately erupted in chaos.

"Is this for us?"

"It's made of Houti (an orange-red silk fabric, commonly worn by warriors and knights during the Han Dynasty). I haven't worn such fine clothes in years!"

"And boots, made of cowhide. They're really good stuff, but I don't know if they'll fit me."

"Don't mention it, this knife is also a fine piece of stuff, with a deer antler handle, a leather sheath, and is made of top-grade fine iron. The craftsman is also very skilled. It will cost at least five hundred coins if you sell it!"

"Five hundred coins, do you think this is something from the market? This is something you can only buy in the shops in the East and West Markets, it costs at least a thousand coins!"

Seeing the visitor happily examining the gifts he had just received, the steward's face couldn't help but show a hint of disdain. Zhao Yannian noticed this, coughed, and scolded, "You put it all down. What a mess!" Then he stood up and bowed deeply to the steward. "Thank you very much, your master, for your generous gift. However, I have heard that riding in someone else's carriage carries someone else's troubles, wearing someone else's clothes carries someone else's worries, and eating someone else's food kills someone else. We have come here with you, accepted the wine and food, and been treated by your master. We are already extremely ashamed. How dare we accept a gift without any merit?"

Hearing Zhao Yannian's words, the steward's disdain quickly disappeared, and turned into a look of surprise tinged with admiration. He hurriedly said, "This is my master's order. If you don't accept it, I won't be able to go back and explain to my humble master!"

"Those who eat other people's food do not own the body. How can I accept generous gifts from others without informing my master? I must first report to you about your master's generous gift!" After saying this, Zhao Yannian stood up and walked out, and the steward hurried to follow him.

"Uncle Shou, what does Zhao Yannian mean? Why doesn't he want such a good thing?" Wang Ge still looked confused and asked in confusion.

"You are a useless idiot! Forget it, let this guy get there first this time!" Wang Shou cursed, quickly stood up and followed him out.

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In the Yan Hall, four dancers, divided into two teams, danced opposite each other. Among them was a beautiful woman in a gorgeous attire, with long sleeves and wide skirts, a high crown, and plucked eyebrows. Her dance was like a crane, a fairy-like figure. Even though Wei Cong had learned a lot online before his time travel, this was his first experience of five long-legged beauties dancing so close to him. He couldn't help but be entranced. Deng Zhong, watching from the side, smiled with satisfaction.

"Mr. Wei!"

"Ah!" Wei Cong came back to his senses and saw Deng Zhong looking at him, leaning forward slightly with a meaningful smile. He felt his face flush a little and forced a smile, "This dance is wonderful. I was just mesmerized by it."

"If you like, sir, you can take these five away tomorrow!"

"This, how can this be! A gentleman does not take away what others like!" Wei Cong was shocked. These were not things, but five lively people. Besides, he was living under someone else's roof and was about to run away. Where could he find room to accommodate these five beauties?
"Why not? Sir, you have done me a favor today. Don't say these are just a few ordinary concubines. Even if they are truly my favorites, how could I be so stingy as to refuse to give them up?" Deng Zhong shouted, "Come here!"

"Here!" replied the steward next to him.

"Have the five of them pack their belongings and deliver them to Mr. Wei tomorrow!"

"Yes!" the steward replied.

"Wait, wait!" Wei Cong didn't expect Deng Zhong to be serious, and hurriedly called out, "I won't hide it from you. I have a long journey ahead of me, and I don't have anywhere to put these five beauties if you give them to me! Forget it!"

"So, sir, you are going on a long journey. I was not considerate enough!" Deng Zhong nodded.

(End of this chapter)