Chapter 32

When Zhang Han and his group set out, it was already the 19th day of the twelfth lunar month. They traveled an average of fifty li per day. During the journey, they encountered a snowy day, on which they only managed to travel less than ten li before stopping for rest. After seven days on the road, they finally arrived at Datong Town.

Along the way, they had four group fights. Fortunately, the numbers were even each time, and the Lahu fighters were invincible, severely beating the mule and foot travel shops.

Datong Town was the largest city Zhang Han had seen so far in the Ming Dynasty. It was initially built by General Xu Da in the early Ming period and later expanded and renovated, eventually becoming a city with a circumference of over thirteen li. The city had four gates, with three passes on the northeast and south sides. The city walls were fourteen meters high, the tallest among the border cities at the time. Each gate was equipped with a barbican and corner towers, and outside the city were moats, horse barriers, arrow towers, and numerous defensive facilities such as deer antlers. When Zhang Han and his group entered the city through the West Gate (Qingyuan Gate), he noticed many arrow holes in the bricks and stones of the city walls. Initially, Datong Town faced severe threats from the northern invaders and was the most critical military town before the mid-Ming period, with a defense line stretching over a thousand li from the northwest Pian Pass to Juyong Pass. The town had the most armored soldiers and horses among the nine border regions, making it far more important than the Jizhou and Liaodong regions.

With the changing times, Datong's importance had diminished, now being less significant than Xuanfu and Jizhou, and even less than Liaodong. However, the town still stood majestically, with 85,000 soldiers and 35,000 horses, making it one of the strongest among the nine border regions.

"Mr. Li, you're back."

At the West Gate, an officer was waiting at the city gate, with several soldiers holding horses on one side. Seeing Du Shenming from a distance, he came forward to greet him. Du Shenming dismounted, a smile on his face.

Du Shenming first exchanged pleasantries with the officer and then introduced Zhang Han: "This is Captain Ma, the younger brother of the general."

Captain Ma, around forty years old, wore an official robe with a bear patch on his chest. Seeing Zhang Han's youth, he couldn't help but look down on him.

Du Shenming, being very considerate, said earnestly, "Captain Ma, this journey went smoothly thanks to Young Master Zhang. Moreover, many future matters will require the assistance of Young Master Zhang and the Heyu Sheng business."

"Since Mr. Li says so, I trust him."

Captain Ma bowed to Zhang Han, and the look of disdain on his face disappeared. They all rode into the West Gate together, with the convoy and the guards Captain Ma brought following. A captain led the convoy, and the gate guards and tax collectors did not dare to cause any trouble, allowing them to pass directly.

Du Shenming and Zhang Han rode side by side. Captain Ma was more interested in the goods and, after talking with them for a while, rode ahead to watch over the convoy, not bothering them further.

"I actually work in the general's office, but I didn't mention it earlier, for which I apologize."

Zhang Han had always found this scholar to be free of pretension, knowledgeable, and decisive in his actions. Indeed, Du Shenming was no ordinary person.

In general, officials at all levels would have their own advisors, from county magistrates to provincial governors and governors-general, who would hire advisors to assist them.

The founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, was very frugal. In the past, during the Qin and Han dynasties, officials could recruit their own subordinates, grant them positions and salaries, and the central government would recognize them. In the Tang and Song dynasties, local administrative staff were well-funded. However, in the Ming Dynasty, local finances were almost depleted, leaving local governments impoverished. Officials had to resort to irregular means to raise funds for their work. If they wanted to maintain a clean reputation, they could not replenish the treasury, and public works such as water conservancy, bridge building, and road repair could not be carried out. Over time, local governments became inactive, which paradoxically earned them a good reputation. As a result, the central government's control over local areas and infrastructure development was a mess. To be frank, the level of road maintenance in the Ming Dynasty was based on the foundation laid in the early Ming period, and for the next two hundred years, it was just patchwork.

With insufficient local finances and low official salaries, the number of clerks was minimal. Officials had to use gray income to hire advisors, which is why advisors were prevalent during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

However, Zhang Han was unsure about Du Shenming. He didn't seem like a typical advisor. Advisors were usually divided into categories such as finance, criminal law, and correspondence, each with specific roles. Few literati were willing to serve as advisors to military officers, and only those at the level of generals or deputy generals had the means to hire them. Moreover, advisors were usually scholars, not juren (imperial examination graduates). Du Shenming was shrewd, bold, and meticulous, not like an ordinary advisor.

"I have some small businesses at home. In the general's office, I help the general manage business affairs."

Indeed, Zhang Han nodded slightly.

Du Shenming leaned in and whispered to Zhang Han, "If Young Master Zhang sets up a store in Datong, having the support of the general's office would make it much easier."

Zhang Han looked at him and smiled, "I have the same idea."

"Perhaps you need to offer a share of the profits to the general."

In the Ming Dynasty, the general and the governor were referred to differently. The governor was called "Zhenye," the general was called "Zongye," and the inspector was called "Daolong." The current general of Datong, Ma Cheng'en, was the nephew of the famous general Ma Gui. His father, Ma Jin, was a deputy general, and his grandfather, Ma Lu, was also a deputy general. Ma Jin's eldest son, Ma Chengzhi, was a vice-general in Liaodong, and Ma Gui's sons were either vice-generals or deputy generals. The Ma family had over a dozen members holding significant military positions. In terms of power, the Ma family had surpassed the Li family, who had lost their influence after the deaths of Li Chengliang and Li Ruzong.

"If Brother Du can arrange an introduction, I will certainly offer a share of the profits."

Zhang Han's understanding and willingness pleased Du Shenming. Although the Ma family had many generals, they were not the most powerful in Datong. The most powerful were the Dai Wang family, who owned the most fertile land and the most profitable businesses in Datong. They also had businesses in Beijing and Nanjing, and even private tax checkpoints on the Grand Canal. The imperial family often engaged in such activities, and no one dared to interfere. Additionally, there were the Xuan-Da Governor-General and the governor, as well as various military officials and local gentry, all of whom were ruthless and greedy. The Ma family, being a military family, did not keep all their earnings, as they had to support their retainers and troops. This was true for all major military families, and the decline of the Li family was due to the heavy casualties among their retainers in the Battle of Byeokje Pavilion. Over the past twenty years, the once-proud Li family had lost many of their elite troops, and the Ma family's strength had also waned. Recently, Ma Cheng'en had been deeply concerned about the lack of funds and the decreasing number of retainers, which threatened the family's future. Du Shenming, skilled in diplomacy, was a trusted advisor to Ma Cheng'en, tasked with expanding the family's wealth and maintaining relationships. While Zhang Han and Heyu Sheng's strength was not enough to impress Du Shenming, his insight, demeanor, and business acumen had earned Du Shenming's admiration, leading to his current attitude.

"Please look, Young Master Zhang. These money shops are owned by the Dai Wang family and other imperial relatives. This one is run by a relative of the governor, and this one is a business of several major merchants, supported by nobles in Beijing..."

Datong was not a developed commercial city. The city had four main streets, eight secondary streets, and numerous alleys, commonly described as "four main streets, eight small alleys, and seventy-two winding alleys."

Each main street had a bell tower, drum tower, Taiping Tower, and Kuixing Tower, collectively known as the Four Towers. The Dai Wang Palace was located in the eastern part of the city, occupying a vast area with the Imperial City, East Hua Gate, West Hua Gate, and the main gate, Duanli Gate. Most of the other princely residences were also in the east, while the west was centered around the general's office. The city's population had not been accurately counted for many years, but based on its density and size, it was estimated to be around 200,000, making it a large city in the northwest but only a medium-sized city in the Jiangnan region.

The city gates were lined with taverns and shops. The large money shops Du Shenming pointed out were not something ordinary people could open. In Beijing, especially outside the Chongwen Gate and in Tianjin, many were run by nobles and imperial relatives. The Ming currency system was chaotic, and money shops could mint their own coins without regulation. The coins became lighter and contained more lead and less copper, making it a highly profitable business. Some money shops also lent money at high interest rates, further increasing their profits.

This was a lucrative business, and Du Shenming's implicit warning was that Zhang Han should not even think about it.

"Those pawnshops are mostly owned by the Dai Wang family. This one is the general's business, and I often come to check on it."

Money shops and pawnshops both lent money, and other profitable businesses included grain stores and salt shops. Grain, salt, cloth, pawnshops, and money shops were all closely related to the daily lives of the people. In Datong, over 90% of these businesses were run by imperial relatives, military families, and officials, making it impossible for ordinary people to enter these markets without being completely squeezed out.

"Here we are, the general's office." Du Shenming stopped his horse in front of a large mansion. After dismounting, someone tied the horses to the hitching posts. Several sedan chairs and dozens of horses were parked in the middle, and many attendants, sedan bearers, and soldiers were gathered, chatting idly. The entire convoy drew curious glances from many people.

Due to Du Shenming's relationship, Ma Cheng'en received Zhang Han in a small reception hall. It was the end of the year, and there was no official business. Datong had been peaceful for years, and the border was secure, so Ma Cheng'en was quite relaxed. He was dressed casually and not in his official attire, with a friendly expression.

Upon entering, Zhang Han knelt and bowed, but Du Shenming did not kneel, only smiling and bowing.

After the formalities, Du Shenming said to Ma Cheng'en, "General, this is Young Master Zhang. The goods were very valuable and difficult to transport, but thanks to Young Master Zhang's mule and cart business and the protection he provided, we returned safely with the capital and goods intact, fulfilling your trust."

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