Dream of the Red Chamber: The First Part - Muling Spring

Author: Gao Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: Upon waking from a midday nap, feeling utterly bored, although there were esteemed guests in the front hall and concubines waiting in the back hall, Li Xun preferred to sit alone in the water pavilion, repeatedly turning over his thoughts. His only concern was a significant deficit, meticulously recorded in an account book—this ledger from the chief accountant's office had been placed beside his pillow for five days, yet he had never mustered the courage to open it. In truth, even without looking at the accounts, he had a rough estimate: less than half a million, with four hundred thousand being a considerable amount. "How could I have just been appointed as the salt inspector again!" he thought, not needing much time, just two years. As the salt inspector of the Two Huai regions, he would receive an annual benefit of 555,000 taels of silver, which customarily supplemented the textile manufacturer with 210,000 taels, settled the outstanding official taxes owed by the "chief merchants" of the Two Huai regions by 120,000 to 130,000 taels, and still left 300,000 taels. Two years would bring 600,000 taels, after setting aside a portion for greasing the wheels of bureaucracy—perhaps 100,000 taels—enough would remain to cover the deficit.