Chapter 3: Rewarding the Loyal Gentleman

Li Chang’an was overcome by social anxiety.

The poor people of the Song Dynasty were overly enthusiastic—despite the obvious trap of employment loans, they cried and pleaded to get on board.

His moneylending shop was blocked at the door, and the blockade lasted for three days.

A huge crowd gathered, their prayers, wails, and complaints blending together, some even kowtowing and burning incense. He didn’t dare step outside even a single step.

What was he to do? The commoners’ demands for loans to find work were too overwhelming.

Just as he felt utterly helpless, the Kaifeng Prefecture officials arrived.

Right beneath the emperor’s feet, at the foot of the imperial city wall—was this a public demonstration?

The chief constable came with twenty or thirty subordinates to suppress the crowd, but upon seeing the throng, he was dumbfounded. There were far too many people; his men were insufficient.

He left some to keep watch and hurried back to request reinforcements.

Half an hour later, the Imperial City Guard, fully armed, surrounded Maqian Street and began issuing warnings.

“Is there anyone in charge? You have one hour and forty-five minutes to surrender, or don’t blame us if blades and swords show no mercy!”

Ordinarily, the poor would cower and yield before the imperial troops, but today, as if possessed, no one would step back.

Forced to act, the constable seized a young man for questioning.

“Sir Constable, please, let Master Li open the door! We want loans, we want to study, we want a way to live!”

Every person who was caught said the same.

The constable understood: it was all because of this “Master Li.”

Drawing his sword, he pushed through the crowd and approached the door, smashing it.

“What Master Li? No such thing! Come out now to be shackled and tried! Delay even a moment, and I guarantee your head will roll!”

Hearing this, the desperate crowd surged forward and stripped the constable down to his undergarments.

“Rebellion! Rebellion! General Zhao, quickly suppress them! These are rebels!”

Just as the Imperial City Guard prepared to act, a hand extended from behind, brandishing a large internal court badge. “Disperse the crowd! No reckless use of weapons!”

After much effort, the guards managed to persuade the crowd to disperse.

Zhao Xu approached the door of Huimin Moneylending Shop, hesitated, then retreated and sent a eunuch to call for entry.

Li Chang’an and Guangxiao inside saw this and hurriedly opened the door.

“The government asks: what is the reason for gathering the people and disturbing the peace of Kaifeng?”

Li Chang’an felt wronged; who would have thought the people of the Song were so eager, rushing forward to be taken advantage of?

Now he understood why Confucius had chosen education as a path for establishing a career—the market was severely lacking.

“The classrooms are too cramped, the teachers limited; we simply cannot accommodate so many at once. I have expedited printing of rosters, trying to arrange shifts and study plans for everyone. The people are too enthusiastic, and the small shop is too humble to handle it properly.”

The eunuch fully grasped the situation before retreating back into the ranks of the guards.

He whispered to Zhao Xu, explaining that the good deeds had been overdone, the people eager but not stepping out of line.

Zhao Xu felt that today’s scene was not suitable for revealing his identity, so he ordered the eunuch to instruct the Imperial City Guard and Kaifeng Prefecture to each maintain a troop to keep order—just in case.

He also learned that some people even competed to be runners for the loan payments, kneeling and kowtowing for a meager wage.

Consider that his imperial guardsmen earned three strings of cash monthly, and the border troops even more with additional allowances and battlefield rewards, totaling over ten strings per man.

With 1.7 million soldiers, the Song Dynasty’s military consumed the bulk of the state treasury.

Yet here were people so destitute they would bow and plead for a single string of cash, begging others for loans.

Cao Rui investigated further, finally explaining the whole situation in exhaustive detail.

“Sire, I believe this fellow is not a good man—he must have a hidden agenda!”

Zhao Xu rolled his eyes, flipping through the case file before laying it down gently.

This was good governance. Since his ascension, the court had been hampered at every turn; the Green Seedling Law was still widely criticized.

Look at Li Chang’an, a mere commoner, yet he managed to lend money as if he were a saint—that was hardly strange.

He decided to consult Wang Anshi and Sima Guang—both self-proclaimed geniuses—wondering how they could not even match a merchant at lending money.

With free security now provided, Huimin Moneylending Shop finally dared to resume operations.

They accepted registrations without limit, arranged schooling in batches, and queued employment. Those impatient could withdraw anytime without paying a single fee.

For half a month straight, the shop never paused for even a quarter of an hour during the day.

In the end, even excluding frivolous registrations, at least five thousand forms had been filled. The southern and inner city areas had yet to open, which might increase the number tenfold.

Though the situation had escalated, there was a silver lining: no need for advertising. The influential and wealthy had already heard about the “Cook’s School.”

The guild of tooth doctors was under pressure; no one wanted beginner cooks anymore.

Moreover, many people used connections to send their cooks for training. No loans were needed—payment was immediate, even if the fees were higher.

Five hundred students, not yet out of school, already had over a thousand reservations lined up.

News of this caused those waiting to study to grow anxious.

If the early arrivals occupied the best spots, the latecomers would only find places at the middling households, missing out on rewards.

Huimin Moneylending Shop now had a fictitious balance of fifty thousand strings of cash, spending less than thirty strings daily on teaching.

If all students were employed, the shop could earn thirty thousand strings just this round.

Li Chang’an’s grandfather had saved frugally all his life, even begrudgingly eating salted vegetables in the morning, accumulating only over three thousand strings in more than forty years.

Li Chang’an studied the accounts quietly, realizing the numbers needed to be turned into real cash.

According to economic history, the earliest form of factoring was invented by Roman maritime merchants. He wondered if the Song Dynasty had such a business.

If he could turn fifty thousand strings into forty percent cash flow, he could build a real vocational college.

With a vocational college brand, he could attract talent and launch a commercial weekly project.

But since financing was unfamiliar to him, he had to find partner Qian Weiming. After all, Qian was a descendant of the Qian family of Wuyue and more experienced with money matters.

Just as he was pondering this, a series of drumbeats outside startled him—he thought a fire had broken out and rushed to see.

At the door stood a group of eunuchs in black gauze hats and red official robes, led by a young scholar with a badge.

“Summon Li Chang’an to receive an imperial decree!”

“That’s me!”

“Set up the incense altar!”

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Between heaven and earth, morality comes first; within family and state, virtue is the foundation. Our dynasty values order and ethics... You have always been frugal and generous, aiding neighbors in hardship without seeking reward, praised by all; moreover, you have been public-spirited, eagerly participating in all beneficial affairs for your hometown, striving wholeheartedly. Such good deeds shine like stars, illuminating the world, fostering upright governance and simple folk customs. Upon reviewing your conduct, you are a model of righteousness. Therefore, you are granted the title ‘Lang of Upholding Righteousness’ to honor your virtue and inspire the court and people. May you receive this decree, continue your efforts, promote virtue, and live up to my great expectations as a model for the world. Gratefully accepted, so commanded!”

He did not kowtow but listened attentively until the decree was read. The scholar rolled up the imperial edict, placed it in a box, and set it on the incense altar.

“The sovereign says to do well; if you can bring a new atmosphere to Dongguo, he will come to see you again!”

With that, the group refused tea and rewards, then departed with their usual clatter.

Guanghe reached out to open the decree and scratched his fingernail along it to check for gold threads.

“Young master, how high of an official is ‘Lang of Upholding Righteousness’? I must report back to the master—maybe I can get a string of cash as a reward!”

Watching Guanghe’s retreating figure, Li Chang’an muttered, “In your dreams. That old miser wouldn’t even give you a copper coin.”

How could the emperor notice someone like him? Was this really a promotion on par with the Marshal of Horses or the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?