The remarkable man Pei Mingli

Recently, the nobles and high officials in Chang’an have been fervently pursuing the new-style furniture designed by Li Zhi. At first, only Li Zhi’s workshop displayed and sold these pieces in the Eastern Market. Some wealthy merchants bought them and discovered their practicality, prompting lively discussions within their circles. A few days later, the furniture workshop in Li Tai’s estate also began supplying the market, spreading the word that the designs originated from the imperial palace. This news sent the entire upper class into a frenzy; nearly every household took pride in owning a set of such furniture.

In truth, the number of new-style furniture sets available on the market was still small—just a few dozen from both workshops combined. Li Tai’s workshop, buoyed by his reputation, sold even better. Li Zhi’s workshop, despite being the first to introduce the furniture, was less recognized among the elite due to a lack of aggressive promotion. Yet everything soon took a strange turn, thanks to a series of actions by Liu An.

The day after receiving Li Zhi’s instructions, Liu An arrived early at the Bureau of Lesser Treasury. After a secret conversation with Pei Feishu, he borrowed a master craftsman from the bureau. Then, Liu An sought out a broker he knew and asked him to recommend someone skilled in business. At the same time, Liu An had the broker spread the news about the furniture’s origins as instructed by Li Zhi.

By coincidence, just as Liu An made his request, the broker replied, “To tell you the truth, sir, there’s an extraordinary man right outside the Golden Light Gate.” Liu An frowned and said, “Don’t joke, young man. The land outside Golden Light Gate is barren—how could there be an extraordinary man there?” The broker laughed, “I wouldn’t dare make up stories. That man really has an estate there. If you don’t believe it, you may come with me and see for yourself.”

Intrigued, Liu An decided to follow the broker and find out who this remarkable man might be. On the way, the broker recounted the man’s past. His surname was also Pei, like Pei Feishu, and his name was Pei Mingli. He had made his fortune collecting discarded items, and the broker estimated Pei Mingli’s wealth to be at least a hundred thousand strings of cash.

The fact that Pei Mingli had amassed a fortune from scavenging was already astonishing to Liu An, but what the broker said next amazed him even more.

A few years prior, Pei Mingli had purchased a plot of barren land outside the Golden Light Gate, a place littered with rubble. After acquiring it at a very low price, he didn’t rush to hire laborers to clear it. Instead, he erected several wooden poles beside his land and hung bamboo baskets on them. He then offered rewards for anyone who could throw pieces of rubble into the baskets; whoever succeeded received payment.

The broker paused to sigh, “What I admire most is Pei’s ingenuity.” Liu An, still puzzled, asked, “Why is that?” The broker replied, “The land is quite large, and hiring people to clear it would have cost a fortune. But with this method, Pei’s expenses were negligible.” He continued, “Over a thousand people came to try, but since the baskets were hung so high, only a few earned rewards. The rest became free labor, helping him clear the rubble.”

At this, Liu An suddenly understood. “So that’s how it was.” The broker said, “Not only that, Pei’s next moves were just as remarkable.” Liu An, now fully captivated, urged, “Go on, tell me more.”

The story became even more fascinating. Once the rubble was cleared, Pei Mingli didn’t deal with the weeds immediately. Instead, he brought in cattle and sheep to graze. Their manure fertilized the land, and it soon became rich and productive. Pei then cultivated fruit trees, selling their harvest at the market for thousands in revenue. Next, he built a house, raised bees around the courtyard, and planted hollyhocks in the center. Thus, both honey and hollyhocks yielded bountiful crops.

Liu An marveled at the tale. “As you say, Pei truly is a remarkable man.” Yet, he felt a pang of uncertainty and asked, “Now that Pei is so wealthy, would he still agree to help my master with business?” The broker replied, “Why do you think I called him extraordinary? He thrives on new challenges.” Liu An asked, “What do you mean?” The broker explained, “Every so often, Pei takes on managing someone’s business. Every enterprise he touches prospers.”

This revelation made Liu An’s eyes light up. “Then my chances are good?” The broker said, “I can only make the introduction. Whether things work out depends on your conversation.” Liu An replied, “Meeting such a remarkable man today is a stroke of luck. Whether or not he agrees, I will offer generous thanks.” The broker quickly expressed his gratitude.

By the time they arrived at Pei Mingli’s residence, it was nearly noon. The broker announced their purpose to the gatekeeper, and Liu An soon met Pei Mingli, who appeared to be around thirty years old. After exchanging greetings, Liu An went straight to the point, explaining that the true patron was Prince Jin, Li Zhi.

Both the broker and Pei Mingli became somewhat anxious upon learning Liu An’s identity and that of his master. Liu An reassured them, “No need to worry. Though my master is young, he is a rare sage.” Pei Mingli, puzzled, asked, “Is what Chief Steward Liu says true? I’ve heard that His Highness Prince Jin is not yet three years old.” Liu An smiled, “If you are willing to accept the invitation, you will soon meet my master, and all questions will be answered then.”

Pei Mingli lowered his head in contemplation. In recent years, he had acted so boldly because he harbored a dream of gaining both wealth and fame. Now that he was wealthy enough, he no longer needed to chase profit. Yet his humble origins meant he still lacked recognition among the elite. Liu An’s arrival presented a timely opportunity. However, Li Zhi’s tender age made him hesitate, for the temperament of a child was always hard to grasp…