Romance of the Former Han Dynasty (2)

[CHUNG Yoon-Ngan <chungyn@mozart.collective.com.au>]

   Romance of the Former Han Dynasty (2)

   Lu3 Bu4 Wei was the most political minded businessman in the land.
When he was young he was a student of Gui3 Gu3 Zi3 who was a very learned
master. Lu3 Bu3 Wei2 learned from him the art of fortune telling. Lu3 Bu4
Wei2 was not a resident of the State of Zhao4. He was doing business in
Han Dan, the capital of Zhao4.

  As soon as he saw the face of Yi4 Ren2 he exclaimed that Yi4 Ren2 
was a strange commodity whom he was going to invest heavily. Yi4
Ren2 was at that time following General Zhao4 Qian2 through the
streets of Han Dan on the way to the General's resident.

Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 went home and asked his father:
"How much was the return if he were to invest in the farm?"
His father replied: 
"The return will be about ten times."
Lu3 Bu4 Wei2:
" To invest on jewellery?"
His father: 
"More than a hundred times."
Lu3 Bu4 Wei2:
"If I were to invest on someone who could became a King, later?"
His father: 
"The returns will be unlimited."

Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 told his father what he had thought of Yi4 Ren2 whom he 
believed he could become rich and noble man in future. He told his father 
that Yi4 Ren2, who was presently being held as a hostage in Zhao4, was the 
grandson of the ruler of Qin2. If he could get Yi4 Ren2 to return to Qin2 
he believed that he could become very rich. He also told his father that he 
had a plan of how to arrange to send Yi4 Ren2 back home. His father told 
him to be caution lest he could become bankrupt.

Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 wanted to be a friend of General Zhao4 Qian2, the custodian  
of Yi4 Ren2. He heard that there was a man named Ji4 Mo4, who lived in 
the east of the city, was the best friend of General Zhao4 Qian2. With a 
few present Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 went to see Ji4 Mo4 and told him that he as a 
businessman he would like to know a few officials especially General 
Zhao4 Qian2. Ji4 Mo4 was willing to introduce him to General Zhao4 and a 
meeting was arranged.   

 On the meeting day Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 gave General Zhao4 ten gold bullions and 
a pair of fine jade as a token of friendship. General Zhao4 was glad to 
be a friend of such a generous businessman like Lu3. From then on General 
Zhao4 and Lu3 became the good friends.

On the festival day of Duan Yang2 General Zhao4 invited Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 and 
Ji4 Mo4 for dinner. General Zhao4 also asked Yi4 Ren2 to come and join 
them. Pretending not to recognize Yi4 Ren2, Lu3 asked General Zhao4 
who was that strange man. General Zhao4 told him the history of Yi4 Ren2 
and introduced him to Lu3 who wanted to be sitted next to this noble man 
from Qin2.

The next day Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 went to see Yi4 Ren2. General Qian2 was not at 
home because he was having important discussions with Zhao4 Hui4 Wang2, 
the ruler of Zhao4, in the Palace.

Yi4 Ren2 told Lu3 that he was an unwanted man from Qin2 and Lu3 should 
not be bothered with him. However, since there was no one around, Lu3 
told Yi4 Ren2 that he intended to use his fortune to help him to escape 
and return to Qin2.  

Lu3 Bu4 Wei2 said:
"Qin2 Zhao Wang2, your grandfather, is very old. Your father, 
 An Guo2 Jun, the crown prince, although he has many wives he
 loves only Madam Hua2 Yang2 who has no son. You have more than 
 twenty brothers and you are not the eldest. The longer you stay 
 in Zhao the least chance you have for returning to Qin2. When Qin2 
 Zhao Wang2 dies and your father becomes the ruler of Qin2 you will 
 be forgotten and will die of old aged in Zhao4."       

After hearing this Yi4 Ren2 was very sad and asked Lu3 what to do.
Lu3 told him that he had a plan and was willing to spend his fortune 
to help him return to Qin2. He said that he would go to Qin2 to see 
his father and Madam Hua2 Yang2 and to tell them that he was a very 
filial piety and a patriotic son. He would ask Madam Hua2 Yang2 to adopt 
him as her son. He presumed that Madam Hua2 Yang2 would be very happy 
since she had no son. Later, if he could return to Qin2 Madam Hua2 Yang2 
would ask his father to make him the crown prince and he would become 
the future ruler of Qin2. 

Yi4 Ren2 was very happy to hear that. He told Lu3 that if he could help 
him to return to Qin2 he would share his wealth and nobility with Lu3. 
Finally Lu3 gave Yi4 Ren2 five hundred pieces of gold for his daily 
expenses and advised him to meet new friends. Yi4 Ren2 was very gladful.

Several days later Lu3 went to see General Zhao4 and told him that he was 
going away for business for two months. General Zhao4 gave him a dinner 
and said bon voyage.......... 

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan.