Chapter 126: Money That Cannot Be Spent

“Ah? I’m not a citizen of Cai Kingdom, so I can’t buy slaves? But I have the money,” Xu Wenshan said.

The junior official looked troubled and replied, “This isn’t about money. Since you’re not registered here, there’s nothing I can do…”

Nearby, Lei Laohu strode forward, grabbed the official by the collar, lifted him up, and shouted angrily, “Are you playing games with us?”

The official was shocked, not expecting a servant to dare threaten him. Glancing at Xu Wenshan, who made no move to stop him, he reluctantly tried to calm Lei Laohu by patting his sturdy arm and saying, “Please spare me! Put me down first, and we can talk this through…”

Xu Wenshan gestured for Lei Laohu to release him. The official wiped his sweat and said, “Young master, you must understand, the slave trade is the hottest business right now. Everyone wants a share. I’m just a minor clerk…”

“You’re a clerk?” Xu Wenshan asked suddenly.

“Yes, I am. Why?”

“Nothing, go on.”

For a moment, Xu Wenshan had mistaken him for a higher-up but soon realized this clerk was not like those in later eras.

“I’m only a clerk, acting as a messenger between higher-ups and the public. The real decisions come from above. Since you’re not registered here, no matter how much money you have, you can’t spend it.”

After some time, Xu Wenshan confirmed the man wasn’t trying to swindle him.

He had thought the slave trade was a new and untapped opportunity, only to find it already overdeveloped, to the point of saturation.

The local slave market, called the “Human Market,” was dominated by sellers with military backgrounds and had strict entry requirements. Outsiders, even wealthy gentlemen or officials’ sons, couldn’t enter. No matter how much silver they had, there was nowhere to spend it.

Even worse, commoner slaves were sold cheaply, while slaves from official and noble families were scarce and expensive. To buy them, one needed connections and status.

After learning this, Xu Wenshan asked the clerk, “Then how can I spend my money here?”

The clerk replied, “Well… I have two suggestions. One is to somehow acquire a plot of land here. The other is to spend more money, perhaps by donating for an official title or a rank. That might grant you access to the inner market.”

The inner market was the playground of local aristocrats and nobles, mostly officials’ sons who had been enslaved due to war. Compared to commoners, commanding these high-status slaves provided more amusement. Prices ranged from 800 to 1,000 strings of cash, depending on status.

“I have land already!” Xu Wenshan recalled that before returning home, he had bought a house in Shaxian County. This might come in handy.

The clerk’s eyes lit up. “Do you have the property and land deeds?”

Xu Wenshan readily produced them from his pocket. The clerk examined them and said, “These deeds are real, but they’re not from Cai Kingdom!”

Xu Wenshan frowned. “I bought them with Chen Kingdom money in Chen Kingdom. What does that have to do with Cai Kingdom?”

The clerk said, “Normally, it wouldn’t matter. But Shaxian has now come under Cai Kingdom’s control. Property deeds must be exchanged for Cai Kingdom-issued ones to be recognized.”

“Then let’s go exchange them,” Xu Wenshan said.

The clerk looked embarrassed. “The deadline set by the general has passed. All previous property deeds are now void.”

Xu Wenshan cursed loudly.

This was another way Cai Kingdom squeezed profits. After capturing a city, soldiers were allowed to loot for three days. When the soldiers were done, officials still wanted their share, inventing new ways to extract wealth from the conquered.

Some merchants who had gone out of town for business lost their property rights by failing to exchange deeds in time. To reclaim their lands, they had to pay hefty fees—a quicker way to make money than outright robbery.

Xu Wenshan was not a merchant, yet he had fallen into this trap.

He asked irritably, “Is there any way to buy slaves, preferably to get into the inner market?”

The clerk hesitated, “Unless you donate a noble title, there’s no other way…”

“Donate a title? Where do I do that?”

The clerk looked troubled. “Young master, obtaining a title isn’t easy. You need the endorsement of a duke or a lord with at least 1,000 koku. But there are only a few titles in our kingdom, and they’re rarely available. Besides, these lords are wealthy and comfortable; they don’t care for small sums…”

Xu Wenshan cut him off. “I recall there is a lord right here in Shaxian County?”

The clerk was surprised. “You’re well-informed. The acting city lord Yu is indeed a noble.”

“That settles it,” Xu Wenshan said. “As long as I meet him, things should be easier. For now…”

Seeing the clerk’s obsequious demeanor, Xu Wenshan slipped him some silver, then grabbed him by the collar. “I will pay you as agreed, but you’re coming with us.”

“This…” The clerk was bundled among Xu’s servants, lifted, and carried away.

Xu Wenshan had only intended to quickly secure slaves and leave Shaxian, avoiding unnecessary delays. But trouble found him wherever he went; it was rarely the other way around.

With two squads of servants, Xu Wenshan headed to his residence on the outskirts of Shaxian. Upon arrival, he found soldiers of Cai Kingdom occupying his house. What had been a clean home now looked chaotic from afar; up close, the walls were stained with urine.

Xu Wenshan realized his house was being used as a military garrison.

At least they only took an empty house. The brutality of war was not limited to the battlefield; it was fully manifested in the conqueror’s exploitation of the defeated.

Without international conventions or strict discipline like some elite armies, these soldiers plundered civilians worse than animals. In short: they lived in your home and disrespected everything.

Xu Wenshan glanced at the clerk, who understood the situation. Anyone whose home was treated this way would be upset. Helplessly held by several men, the clerk apologized, “Young master, let’s talk this through.”

Xu Wenshan told Lei Laohu and Li Dazhuang, “Find a way to get rid of this post.”

Both lit up with excitement, while the clerk turned pale.

“Young master, are you sure? If you fight these soldiers, I can’t protect you from the acting city lord! There are thousands of troops in Shaxian!”

Xu Wenshan shot him a glare. “They’re destroying my home! Shut up!”

When you’re unfamiliar with a place, caution is wise. But that doesn’t mean letting others trample over you.