Chapter 31

In the Li Family Dam, eight miles south of the city, mansions stood in rows, serving as the residence for various branches of the Li clan. Although the Li family had produced dozens of scholars and officials during the Ming Dynasty, including many high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants, whether in office or in business, each branch still maintained a residence here. Even after retiring, they would return to their roots.

Li Changgeng was writing in his study when the steward came in with a stack of invitations.

"The invitations to all the families in Macheng have been prepared. Should we send them out now?"

"Yes, send them to all the families, don't miss any," Li Changgeng nodded.

The old steward said, "It seems that Young Master Chunjiang is really serious about forming this cavalry team."

"That's a good thing."

"Master, how can this be a good thing? Young Master Chunjiang is a reincarnation of a literary star, destined to become a top scholar and a high-ranking official. He missed the last imperial examination due to sudden illness, which was a great pity. The next examination is only half a year away, and Young Master Chunjiang should be focusing on his studies. How can he waste time forming a cavalry team? As a scholar, it's really..."

Li Changgeng smiled and shook his head. "Times have changed. The world is in turmoil, and scholars can no longer study in peace. Even if he passes the imperial examination and becomes an official, things are not the same as before. The country is constantly at war. Although the Japanese pirates in the southeast have been somewhat subdued in recent years, the bandits in the northwest have risen again, causing widespread chaos. The Jurchens in the north are becoming stronger each year. There is no peace anywhere, and one cannot be an official without military knowledge. Gongji has a keen eye and a far-sighted vision."

"But this is still a disgrace to the scholarly tradition. Spending all day with a group of rough men, what does that look like?" The steward still held old views. "In my opinion, we have plenty of household servants. If Young Master Chunjiang wants to train, he could just train them. Why recruit a whole new group and make such a fuss?"

"Master, I heard that the deputy team leader Liu Jiye, whom Young Master Chunjiang chose, recruited forty people today, mostly hunters, dismissed postmen, and even eight monks. This..."

"You don't need to worry about these things. Even if it doesn't work out, it's fine. Young people need to gain experience through setbacks."

"If you say so, Master, then you should just let Young Master Chunjiang play. Why send out so many invitations and invite all the important people in the county to the banquet? Isn't it because Young Master Chunjiang is playing too big and needs a lot of money? You're spoiling Young Master Chunjiang. I think even if the families come, they won't be happy."

Li Changgeng smiled. "They will give me, Li Changgeng, some face, especially since Xintian is involved. This cavalry team is part of his local militia."

As night fell, Li Family Dam was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

In front of the Li family's courtyard, carriages lined up, and the invited families arrived one by one, bringing their young heirs. Each carriage was followed by a large group of household servants, making the area very noisy.

The Li family's stewards stood at the gate to welcome the guests.

Liu Jun also arrived with the newly recruited cavalry members. The forty new recruits, plus the twenty brothers of Li Chunjiang and ten logistics personnel, made a total of seventy people.

They had already bought new uniforms in the city in the afternoon, all wearing blue robes and black boots. They had also taken baths and trimmed their beards before coming, so the seventy well-dressed and well-groomed cavalry members attracted a lot of attention.

Li Chunjiang had been waiting at the gate and was surprised to see them.

"Very impressive, they already have the air of a well-trained unit," Li Chunjiang smiled and said to Liu Jun, "Come, let me introduce you to my uncle and the heads of the other families."

The cavalry members were arranged by Li Chunjiang's people, and Liu Jun followed Li Chunjiang into the main hall.

The main hall was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

Li Chunjiang led Liu Jun in and introduced him to everyone, "Let me introduce my deputy team leader, Liu Jun, also known as Liu Jiye, a martial student from Huangzhou, a young and talented man with both courage and strategy. He cleverly repelled the bandits when they suddenly attacked."

Some of the guests had heard of this, while others had not, but they all praised Liu Jun. After all, this young martial student was now closely associated with the Li family, and it was only right to show some respect.

Li Changgeng stood up, "Such a talented young man is a blessing for Macheng. Now that my nephew and Liu Jun are willing to contribute to the safety of our hometown by forming a cavalry team, I am very pleased. I have invited you all here today to ask for your support and assistance. After all, the cavalry team is for the protection of our hometown. They are putting in the effort, and we old folks can contribute some money to help them."

Li Changgeng waved, and the steward brought in four household servants.

"I will take the lead. I will contribute one thousand taels of silver, ten fine horses, and one hundred dan of grain!"

As he spoke, the four household servants lifted two trays, revealing twenty large silver ingots, each fifty taels.

One thousand taels of silver was a significant amount, and with ten horses and one hundred dan of grain, it was nearly another thousand taels. Many people were secretly impressed by Li Changgeng's generosity, but they also knew that this banquet would not be easy to leave without contributing something.

Just as everyone was thinking about how much to contribute, a voice came from outside.

"Master Mei from Shen Zhuang has arrived!"

A white-haired but spirited old man entered the hall, followed by several people.

"Sorry for being late."

Liu Jun recognized the old man immediately. He was the same old man he had met on the road to Liu's birthday celebration, the one who had given him a valuable painting by Dong Qichang without mentioning its worth.

"So, he is Mei Zhihuan!" Liu Jun was surprised. He had guessed that the old man was not an ordinary villager, especially with the veterans he had with him. But he never imagined that the old man would be Mei Zhihuan.

The current head of the Mei family of Qili Gang, one of the four major families in Macheng, and the former governor of Gansu, Mei Zhihuan, was a man who truly held the reins of power in Macheng.

"Old friend, we meet again," Mei Zhihuan walked past the crowd and warmly greeted Liu Jun.

Liu Jun, still surprised, quickly bowed. "Nephew greets Master Mei. I didn't realize you were Master Mei. Please forgive my lack of recognition. Also, thank you for the painting you gave me. I didn't know it was so valuable at the time. Such a precious item should be returned, but after giving it away, it was too late to take it back. I am truly sorry."

"Ha ha ha!" Mei Zhihuan laughed heartily. "It's just a painting. Since I gave it to you, you can give it to anyone. I heard you and Gongji are forming a cavalry team, which is excellent. However, this cavalry team will be under my local militia, and you will be under my command."

"Being able to learn from Master Mei is an honor."

"Don't be so formal with an old man like me. Didn't you call me Uncle the other day? Keep calling me that."

This intimate interaction surprised many guests.

Some whispered to each other, "Who is this Liu Jun? He seems close to both the Li family and Master Mei. Could he be a relative of the Li and Mei families?"

"Relative of the Li and Mei families and surnamed Liu? It could be the Liu family. But at the old master's birthday, I didn't see any young Liu family members like him."

"Probably not from the Liu family. Look, several branches of the Liu family are here today, but no one has greeted Liu Jun."

"Then who is he?"

"Indeed, it's strange. Could he be from the capital or the provincial city, a noble's son?"

Mei Zhihuan, meanwhile, warmly took Liu Jun's hand and led him to the main table. "You and Gongji should sit with me and chat."

"That's not appropriate, I am just a junior."

Li Changgeng smiled. "It's rare for Master Mei to like a young man so much. You should give him this face." He looked at Mei Zhihuan. "Of course, just saying you appreciate young people is not enough. Now that Jiye and Gongji are forming a cavalry team for the hometown, and it's under your local militia, you should show your support."

"I understand, I understand," Mei Zhihuan smiled. "Of course, I will show my support. Since you, Yuxing, are an elder, whatever you contribute, I will match it."

"That's what you said," Li Changgeng laughed. "I have already contributed one thousand taels of silver, ten fine horses, and one hundred dan of grain."

"Oh, I didn't expect you to contribute so much. Fine, I will match it. One thousand taels of silver, ten fine horses, and one hundred dan of grain." He called his attendant, "Write down what I promised them, and prepare it for them tomorrow."

"Yes, Master." Two thousand taels of silver could buy hundreds of acres of land, but for the Mei family, it was nothing. Mei Zhihuan and his sons were all scholars, and his four uncles were all scholars, three in literature and one in martial arts. In his generation, his cousins were all scholars or martial scholars. Additionally, the Mei family's in-laws, such as the Li, Liu, and Chen families, were all prominent families, influential both politically and economically, both in the capital and in the regions. The Mei family was a prominent clan not just in Macheng but in the entire Huguang province and even the Ming Dynasty.

A family that produced over a dozen scholars and officials in three generations, including several vice-ministers and governors, was rare in the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, the local militia Mei Zhihuan had formed was much larger than Liu Jun's cavalry team, with hundreds of members, two camps of regular and mobile troops, and a cavalry unit. It also had a fire weapon unit with hundreds of cannons and muskets. Compared to the expenses of maintaining such a large militia, contributing a few thousand taels to Liu Jun was insignificant, like a drop in the ocean. Besides, the cavalry team was nominally part of his militia.

Liu Weiqi, the second son of Liu Chengqi, represented his father today and knew Liu Jun's identity as a member of the Liu family. Seeing Liu Jun so favored by the heads of the Li and Mei families, he felt a mix of complex emotions.

"Since Master Mei and Master Li are supporting, we should support as well. On behalf of the Liu family of Suokou River, we will support the cavalry team with five hundred taels of silver and ten fine horses."

"Liu Shixiong is right. We should support. The Geng family of Tiantai will support three hundred taels of silver."

"The Qiu family will support one hundred taels."

"The Dong family will support one hundred taels."

"The Qian family will support one hundred taels."

"......"