Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 111

Li Sheng hurriedly bowed deeply on his horse, smiling as he said, "How can Erlang always pay? Let me treat you." Then, he anxiously asked, "Who else did you invite?"

Li Sheng defeated the Hu in Fengxiang, and Cui Guangyuan and Wei Lun, as promised, reported him for the greatest merit. Li Sheng has now been promoted to Left Imperial Guard General, a fifth-rank official, and is now entitled to wear a red robe. However, in recent years, prices in the capital have soared, while officials' salaries have remained largely unchanged. Unless one eats only rice at every meal, daring not to even have fresh fruits and vegetables with them, a fifth-rank official's salary is barely enough to support a family, let alone go out for drinks.

Li Sheng was a man of pride, and he felt bad about always taking advantage of Li Ji's hospitality. Feeling ashamed, he impulsively offered to treat everyone. However, Li Ji usually hosted banquets for at least six or seven military officers, and Li Sheng, short of money, simply couldn't afford it… So he quickly asked, "How many people have you invited today? If there are many, how about we lower the bar a bit?"

To everyone's surprise, Li Ji replied, "There was no one else, only Liangqi and I drinking together."

Upon hearing this, Li Sheng frowned slightly, then leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "If you have any instructions, please speak freely."

As far as I know, you always invite a large group of people when you have a meal, ranging from six or seven to dozens, but you rarely invite just a few people to drink with you. What's going on today? Actually, you have something to say to me, or perhaps you need my help with something, and you're using the invitation to have a meal as an excuse, right? We don't need to use that. Just say what you have to say.

Li Ji reached out and patted Li Sheng on the shoulder: "This meal is on me again. There is indeed something I need your help with."

There was an inn nearby in Xingdaofang that also served food and drink, so the two rode there side by side and sat down. One should speak plainly to a clever person and succinctly to a straightforward one, so Li Ji didn't beat around the bush. As soon as the food and drink were served and they shared a cup, he lowered his voice and asked, "I wish to see someone in the Dali Temple prison. I wonder if Liang Qi has any connections?"

Why did he come to Li Sheng? Because during Li Ji's time in Chang'an, he mainly dealt with military men; he didn't know many proper civil officials, and even fewer who he could entrust with important matters. Originally, Li Qiyun might have been able to help, but unfortunately, he had already been transferred to be the prefect of Shangzhou; Yan Zhuang was also an option, but he was trapped in prison.

The Dali Temple was located west of the Imperial City, inside Shunyi Gate. Theoretically, the Weiyuan Army, guarding the Imperial City, must have frequently interacted with low- and mid-level officials from various provinces, temples, censorates, and supervisory commissions. They might even have the ability to lure him into the Dali Temple prison to meet Kang Youwei. Among the Weiyuan Army, Li Ji was most familiar with Li Sheng, who was a loyal friend and a responsible hero—Wang Bo was definitely not an option—now in charge of half of the Weiyuan Army, who else could he turn to but him?

After hearing the request, Li Sheng pondered for a moment and then asked, "Second Brother, tell me the truth, who do you want to visit in the Dali Temple prison?" I need to find out who you want to see, what crime you have committed, and whether it is a big or small matter, before I can decide whether to lend a hand.

Li Ji did not deceive anyone and answered directly: "Does Liangqi know Kang Qian, the Minister of Ceremonies?"

Li Sheng nodded slowly, then asked, "The case that Kang Laohu is involved in is no small matter..." It might not have been a big deal originally, but now it has even implicated the Minister of Agriculture—"I wonder what kind of relationship you have with him, that you would want to see him in prison?"

Li Ji couldn't tell the truth, so he shook his head and smiled, "We don't have any relationship, it's just..." He lowered his voice again, "Someone asked me to pass on a few words to him."

This was clearly a deception, and Li Sheng indeed fell for it. While it wasn't common knowledge that Li Ji had a close relationship with the Prince of Fengjie, the Imperial Guard officers like Li Sheng, who frequently interacted with him, certainly knew. So, how many people could possibly sway Li Erlang for personal reasons? Even if it wasn't the Prince of Fengjie, it must have been an important figure in the Crown Prince's faction.

This is no simple matter. If I were to intervene rashly, I might very well get myself into trouble. But at the same time, since it is the Crown Prince's faction's intention, how could I dare to refuse? Moreover, judging from the current situation, the Emperor's illness is unlikely to be cured, and the Crown Prince will ascend the throne sooner or later. If I could gain merit for this, my future prospects would be more secure.

Therefore, after much deliberation, Li Sheng finally agreed to Li Ji's request: "I will be off duty the day after tomorrow. Erlang, please wait for me outside Shunyi Gate at the same time, dressed in plain clothes." He paused, then added, "Don't bring your mace."

As expected, at the appointed time, Li Sheng, also dressed in plain clothes, followed Li Ji and led him through a side gate into the Dali Temple, heading straight for the prison. A minor official in a blue robe was waiting at the prison gate. Upon seeing Li Sheng, he bowed first, then looked at Li Ji and asked, "And who is this?"

Li Ji readily registered: "My name is Li Ji, I am from Jingzhao, and I am the second son..."

The minor official was taken aback upon hearing this and hurriedly asked, "Are you Li Erlang, the commander of the Longyou Imperial Guard?"

Li Ji smiled and said, "I dare not covet such empty fame."

The clerk immediately became enthusiastic, praising him repeatedly. Li Ji waved his hand to stop the flattery and asked, "I've come here today to see that person. Could you please do me a favor?"

The clerk laughed and said, "He's just a probationary official, Erlang. Since you want to see him, come with me—but the smell down there is not good..." As he spoke, he looked at Li Sheng.

Li Sheng understood and waved his hand, saying, "I will wait here. You may lead Chief Secretary Li away."

The reason for saying "down" is that most of the prison is underground, with only a few small openings near the ground, resulting in extremely poor lighting and ventilation. Li Ji couldn't help but curse inwardly: This is supposed to be the prison of the Supreme Court of the country, can't it at least be made to look decent?

Well, the predecessor of the Court of Judicial Review was the Court of Justice. In the Han Dynasty, even the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers were sent directly to the Court of Justice prison if they committed a crime. According to historical records, once they were sent there, they would suffer greatly. No wonder nowadays, officials of the fifth rank and above are all imprisoned in the Secretariat.

After wandering around for a while, they arrived at a prison cell. The clerk pointed and said, "Old Hu is here. Erlang, please say a few words to him, but don't take too long."

Li Ji stared intently and was immediately enraged.

Chapter Fourteen, Xiang Bo's Sword Dance

Kang Qian's surname was derived from the name of his country. He was a pure Central Asian, with a high nose, deep-set eyes, and thick, curly hair, which was quite different from the appearance of people from the Central Plains.

—In those days, most Chinese people had never seen blond-haired, blue-eyed Western Europeans. At most, they had seen a few brown-skinned Indian natives, whom they called "Kunlun slaves." In comparison, Central Asians were not so strange.

Old Hu has been in business for many years and has a fortune of hundreds of millions. He has the money and time to take care of his appearance. He usually grows two mustaches on his lips, applies beard wax, and twists the tips of his mustaches high. Under his chin is a large, curly, fluffy white beard that is three feet long and almost hangs down past his belt.

However, now imprisoned, Li Ji stared intently in the dim light and saw that Old Hu was only wearing an undershirt, his body covered in whip marks, the undershirt torn into shreds and stuck to his blood-soaked skin. Moreover, his hair and beard were almost completely ripped off, his lips were split and his mouth was sunken, and he probably didn't have many teeth left...

Li Ji was furious and turned to ask the clerk, "Why is he being tortured so cruelly?!" No matter how serious Old Hu's crime was, you didn't need to use such severe torture. After all, he was accompanied by an examiner, who was over sixty years old.

The clerk tugged at Li Ji's sleeve: "Second Brother, let's take a step back and talk."

The two men were temporarily away from the cell when the clerk lowered his voice and explained, "To be honest, Erlang, it's not that we're cruel, it's just that this is an order from our superiors..."

"Which superior? The Chief Justice of Dali? The Assistant Chief Justice of Dali?"

The clerk pointed his index finger upwards, saying, "Second Master is not qualified to know." His meaning was clear: Zheng He Cheng was nothing compared to the others.

Li Ji thought to himself, could it be the intention of the Minister or Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review? But judging from the clerk's expression, it probably is... perhaps the pressure doesn't come from within the Court of Judicial Review at all!

"Does he have a grudge against Lao Hu? Why such cruelty?"

The clerk replied, "What does Old Hu own? It's nothing more than his family fortune. But the old man is stubbornly refusing to reveal anything. The higher-ups are pressing him hard, and we have no choice..."

Li Ji shook his head: "As far as I know, as soon as the Kang father and son were imprisoned, their maids, concubines and servants absconded with their money. The Kang family is truly ruined, and he really can't confess anything."

The clerk chuckled, "Second Brother is an honest man, unable to see through this cunning, unlike us. We've encountered countless treacherous and cunning people; what can escape our notice? Second Brother, think about it: with Old Hu's wealth, especially during times of turmoil, how could he not have prepared a way out in case of emergency? If he were so useless, he would have been ruined as soon as he was imprisoned. When the rebel army entered Chang'an, or when the government troops later restored the city, he would have been penniless!"

Li Ji thought about it carefully and realized that this made sense. So he sighed and said, "Family wealth is just an external thing after all. Why should he be so tight-lipped?" The clerk hurriedly said, "Since you know Old Hu, why don't you go and persuade him to tell the truth sooner? That way, we can all be at ease, and he can suffer less."

Is there any chance of survival?

The clerk shook his head: "This is beyond my knowledge... However, based on my experience of judging cases for decades, Old Hu is most likely doomed this time. But, a quick death is better than being whipped by us again."

Li Ji let out a long breath and could only approach the prison cell again, squatting down and calling out, "Kang Jun, do you still remember me?"

Kang Laohu, who had been lying face up on the withered grass, his brows furrowed and eyes closed, breathing heavily, gritted his teeth and perked up upon hearing the words. He slightly turned his head to glance outside, then his whole body trembled. He struggled to crawl over, using his elbows to support himself—Li Ji estimated that both of his legs were probably broken—and cried out in a hoarse voice, "Erlang, Erlang, save me!"

Li Ji felt a pang of pity, yet was also filled with anger. He immediately questioned, "Kang Jun, you're already in such a state, how can you still be so greedy for your family's wealth? You and your son are both in prison, so even if you hide the money, who will you leave it to?"

Looking at Kang Qian's expression, it seemed like he was both crying and laughing: "Where would I get any family wealth?"

Before Li Ji could refute, he continued, "Sending wine to Erlang every month, if it were my own money, how could I bear to part with it!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ji was stunned.

Kang Qian, as if afraid he still didn't understand, added, "That money, ever since the court recovered Chang'an, has long since no longer belonged to the Kang family..."

Li Ji understood—although Kang Qian appeared to be wealthy and powerful, merchants held a low social status in those days. Being a non-Han Chinese with a tainted past, he was easily confiscated by the authorities. To avoid ruin, his only option was to offer his wealth as a bribe, using his vast fortune to secure a powerful patron. The problem was, those who offered protection were ultimately after his money; the Kang family would thus transform from wealthy tycoons into professional managers…

In other words, the money was nominally owned by the Kang family, but in reality, it belonged to the powerful backers behind them. The Kang family was merely responsible for operating and generating profits. Under such circumstances, how could they dare to easily reveal all their assets?

So who exactly is Kang Qian's backer? Yan Zhuang? He's probably not qualified...

Li Ji then left Kang Qian and returned to the minor official's side, instructing him, "Stop torturing him. Give me one day, and come back tomorrow. He will most likely tell the truth."

The official cupped his hands and smiled, "Second Brother's words are of the highest order, so we will be lenient with him for one day and await your good news."

Li Ji left the Dali Temple, bid farewell to Li Sheng, and returned home. He immediately instructed the old gatekeeper to pass on a message to Li Shi, hoping that Li Shi would come to meet him that evening. However, after waiting and waiting, all he received was a note from the gatekeeper.

Li Ji examined the text carefully under the lamp. The text was brief, but it essentially said: I know why you came to me, but I cannot get involved, and you must not get involved.

But at the end, an extra sentence was added, which is quite intriguing:

"Xiang Bo's sword dance was aimed at Liu Hou."

Li Ji stared at these eight characters for a long time, completely baffled.

The proper story should be "Xiang Zhuang's sword dance was aimed at Liu Bang." If it were those eight characters, the imprisonment of the Kang family father and son, which then implicated Yan Zhuang, would give us a glimpse into the inside story.

At the Feast at Hongmen that day, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang met, their camps opposing each other. Compared to today, Liu Bang should refer to Crown Prince Li Yu, or Li Shi, who was secretly colluding with Li Yu in the outer court; then who was Xiang Yu? Besides Empress Zhang, who else was there?

Taking advantage of the denunciation of the Kang family, Empress Zhang instructed someone—possibly Liu Yan—to relentlessly pressure Kang Qian and implicate Yan Zhuang. In reality, the target of her attack was the Crown Prince's faction, and even Li Yu and Li Shi themselves. This explanation makes sense why a minor case escalated into a major incident, and why Yan Zhuang, who seemingly had no powerful backing, couldn't be easily demoted but instead faced imprisonment first.

Getting Kang Qian to reveal his hidden assets would be impossible if Lao Hu remained tight-lipped; however, using him to implicate Yan Zhuang, and then from Yan Zhuang to implicate Li Yu and his son, wouldn't be difficult. Firstly, under torture, any crime could be confessed; secondly, in political struggles, trials don't actually require concrete evidence.

For example, is there any evidence that Fifth Qi was falsely accused of accepting a bribe of two hundred taels of gold? Or is it that simply stating, "If there is solid evidence, please punish him according to the law," is considered a confession?

For example, at the beginning of this year, a major case broke out. General Xing Ji of the Golden Guard reported that Zhu Rong, the general of Changsai Town, and Dou Rubin, the general of the Left Guard, were plotting to support Prince Li Zhen of Qi in a rebellion. After interrogation, Li Zhen was demoted to a commoner, and Zhu Rong, Dou Rubin, and nine others were sentenced to beheading. Chen Hong, the chief secretary of Prince Chen's Palace, and six others, including Li Qi of the imperial clan, were also executed. Xue Lüqian, the imperial son-in-law, was forced to commit suicide.

The problem is that Zhang Hao, the Left Attendant Gentleman of the Palace who had only recently returned to the capital, was also implicated in the case and demoted to Military Advisor of Chenzhou. What was Zhang Hao's crime? He had once purchased Li Zhen's former residence, so there was suspicion that he had colluded with him privately...

Is empirical evidence needed? Is even a plausible charge required?

However, returning to the point, the eight characters Li Shi passed on to Li Ji were precisely—"Xiang Bo's sword dance was aimed at Liu Hou." What does this mean?

Aren't Xiang Bo and Zhang Liang, the Marquis of Liu, both members of Liu Bang's faction? Could this be an internal power struggle within the Crown Prince's faction? Therefore, Li Shi couldn't interfere and also told Li Ji not to meddle, to let things develop as they would...

What kind of riddle are you playing, little guy?!

Although Li Ji and Kang Qian had drunk together a few times, they didn't have a deep friendship; they were just acquaintances at best. In reality, Kang Qian was merely an ATM that someone else had directed to him, or rather, a middleman for transferring money. Li Ji really had no need to get involved in this matter.

But seeing Kang Laohu being tortured so horribly in prison, he couldn't help but feel a pang of pity. In this case, the Kang father and son were entirely responsible for their own downfall, and it was clear that their backers had abandoned them; there was little chance of saving them—even if Li Ji wanted to help, he lacked the power to do so. However, he couldn't bear to stand idly by and hoped to persuade Kang Laohu to stop suffering.

You're already a discarded pawn, yet you're still protecting someone else's property—isn't that foolish?

Therefore, he ignored Li Shi's advice and went to the Dali Temple again the next day. This time, he didn't need Li Sheng's guidance; he went directly to the minor official and said, "Let me try to persuade Old Hu again."

The minor official led him into the cell. Li Ji examined him closely and found that Old Hu's condition was no worse than yesterday. It seemed that the officials and jailers had indeed kept their promise and had not subjected him to further torture. So, leaning on the unplaned wooden prison post, he called out, "Kang Jun, I've come to see you again."

Kang Qian struggled, supporting himself with his hands, and straightened his upper body, facing Li Ji, and said with a slight bitter smile: "Thank you for coming to see me, Erlang, but... there's no need for you to say anything more, it's useless."

Li Ji, with a stern face, slowly reminded him: "Kang Jun is imprisoned, and he probably doesn't know it yet—the Minister of Agriculture has also been arrested, and his residence has been searched."

Upon hearing this, Kang Qian shuddered, lowered his head, and remained silent for a long time.

Li Ji continued, "This case was originally not a big deal, but since it has become increasingly widespread, I'm afraid your father and son will not be able to escape it. In that case, why grit your teeth and endure the cruel torture for nothing? Confessing sooner will bring you a quick end."

After pondering for a while, Kang Qian suddenly slammed his head down and kowtowed to Li Ji.

Li Ji was taken aback and reached his right hand between the prison pillars, but he was too short to help Kang Qian up. He said, "What do you mean by this, Lord Kang? Get up quickly... I'm afraid I can't save your life."

He assumed that Lao Hu's grand gesture was a plea for his help, but Li Ji knew that with his limited influence, he couldn't possibly affect the Dali Temple. Besides, the mastermind behind this case might be outside the Dali Temple. He could have relied on the power of Li Shi and other members of the Crown Prince's faction, but Li Shi had already made it clear that he wouldn't get involved. So, what could Li Ji possibly do alone?

After kowtowing, Kang Qian dragged himself forward on his legs, crawling towards the cell door. Li Ji quickly reached out and pulled him up from the ground, sitting with his body half-leaning against a cell pillar. The two were so close that they could hear each other breathing.

Kang Qian, panting, said, "I had originally held onto a sliver of hope, since he was the Minister of Agriculture... But alas, it seems neither my son nor I can escape this prison..."

Taking the opportunity, Li Ji urged again: "Why don't you confess? I can tell the prison guards not to torture you further."

Kang Qian shook his head with a bitter smile: "Whether I die or be beaten to death, or have a knife to my neck, what difference does it make?" He then looked at Li Ji: "I only regret that my whole family is dead and my bloodline is cut off... Erlang is famous all over the world and his word is law. If you are willing to agree to save my child and preserve a bit of the Kang family’s bloodline, I will confess."

"what do you mean?"

"I implore you, Erlang, to pull some strings and rescue my youngest son, Kanglian, from his imprisonment and place him in your household..."

Li Ji frowned: "Kang Lian has always been unlearned and immoral. If he wants to preserve his bloodline, why not entrust it to his eldest son?"

Kang Qian replied in a low voice, "It is precisely because he is uneducated and immoral that perhaps those people are willing to let him go... I have always placed high hopes on my eldest son, second son, and third son, but instead they have brought this disaster upon themselves. They have only themselves to blame..." As he spoke, he grabbed Li Ji's wrist, "I do not ask Kang Lian to revive the family business. I only ask that he become a slave in Erlang's household, so that he may survive. If he bears a son or daughter in the future, he may take my Kang surname. I humbly request Erlang's permission!"

Li Ji gently pried Kang Qian's hand away and said, "Please wait quietly and allow me to think about it for a moment."

Turning to the clerk who had led him in, Li Ji asked, "Kang Qian is willing to confess, but he begs to live." The clerk shook his head, "I'm afraid that won't be possible." Li Ji continued, "Then, of the four men, can one of them be spared? The youngest son, Kang Lian, is known throughout the neighborhood for his idleness. No matter how serious the crimes the Kang father and sons have committed, Kang Lian certainly wasn't involved. Why must we kill them all? If you're willing to hand Kang Lian over to me, Kang Qian will definitely confess."

The clerk hesitated for a moment, then clasped his hands and said, "This matter is not something I, your servant, can decide. Please wait a moment, Second Master, while I report to you." After saying this, he turned around and strode away.

The journey took almost half a day. Li Ji was forced to endure the foul air mixed with the stench of blood and excrement as he squatted in front of the cell, holding Kang Qian's hand to comfort him. However, when he tried to take the opportunity to ask Kang Qian for details, Kang Qian remained tight-lipped and refused to utter a single word. He said, "The less Erlang knows, the safer he will be... If my son can seek refuge with Erlang, he can at least survive."

Finally, the minor official returned—based on this, Li Ji concluded that the person who could make the decision was not in the Dali Temple, and might not even be in the capital—and immediately ordered the prison guards watching over him: "Go, bring Kang Lian here."

Chapter Fifteen, A Bizarre Case

Before long, a jailer brought Kang Lian, covered in filth and trembling, to his father's cell. Seeing his father's pitiful state, Kang Lian rushed over, grabbed the cell pillar, and burst into tears. The jailer whispered to Li Ji, "We know Kang Lian is a dissolute scoundrel and must know nothing, so we haven't tortured him much."

Li Ji thought to himself, "The fact that they deliberately added the words 'exerted effort' means they still went too far..."

Then, the father and son embraced and wept bitterly. At the same time, Kang Qian seemed to whisper something in Kang Lian's ear. Then he beckoned to Li Ji: "Second Brother, please come here." Li Ji took two steps forward, and Kang Qian ordered Kang Lian to kowtow to Li Ji.

Li Ji hurriedly reached out to help him up, but Kang Qian said, "Second Brother, don't help him up. From now on, he will be your servant... But this child is spoiled and pampered. He can't lift a finger or carry a load. He has no talent in literature or martial arts. Instead, we'll have to trouble you to take care of him."

Li Ji nodded and said, "Since I've promised you, I will certainly not fail in my duty." Actually, even without Kang Qian mentioning it, he knew that although Kang Lian liked to dress like a scholar, he was actually just a street urchin with no ability to survive independently. His claim of being his slave was really an invitation for him to take care of Kang Lian, essentially carrying a heavy burden. However, they were still acquaintances, and in this life-or-death situation, he was entrusted with the care of Kang Lian's orphan. Could he really bear to refuse?

If I refuse, not only will the Kang family be exterminated, but Old Hu will also grit his teeth and refuse to tell the truth, and may even be beaten to death in the end... Since I have decided to relieve his suffering, how can I refuse his last request?

Having agreed, Li Ji, given his personality, would absolutely not go back on his word.

After Kang Qian had his son kowtow to Li Ji, he said, "Second Brother, you may leave now, and Lian'er, you may also leave. There is no need to see me on my deathbed." Li Ji glanced sideways at the clerk, who lowered his voice and said, "Second Brother, keep Kang Lian at home and do not let him go, otherwise you will be setting me up."

Li Ji understood what he meant—if Kang Qian still refused to confess after sending away his young son, they would definitely bring Kang Lian back.

Now we know what the old man is so protective of. You just love your youngest son, right? You refused to save any of the three older ones, and only begged Li Ji to take your youngest son away. If you break your promise, we will use your youngest son as leverage—we'll beat him to death in front of you first, and then deal with you. Even if we still don't get the Kang family's wealth in the end, killing your whole family will at least be some kind of explanation to the higher-ups.

Li Ji had no intention of letting Kang Lian go. Firstly, the boy was destitute and probably couldn't survive. Secondly... while he was in the Dali Temple, there was nothing he could do. But once he entered my household, you wouldn't be able to take him back without a valid reason! If you really pushed me too far, I'd dare to lead the Yingwu Army to surround the Dali Temple! As for you, and even those behind you, you might not dare to risk provoking a mutiny by the Northern Imperial Guards.

So he took Kang Lian home, ordered the servants to boil water for him to bathe and change him into clean clothes, and then asked Qingluan to prepare some food for him. Fortunately, Kang Lian, having listened to his father's advice and instructions, although he always had a gloomy face and occasionally shed tears, did not do anything excessive like threatening to die.

Li Ji patted his shoulder: "Your father and brother may be blessed with good fortune and still be able to find a glimmer of hope. Even if they don't, you must pull yourself together—a real man cannot spend his whole life hiding under the wings of his family."

Kang Lian lowered his head and said in a trembling voice, "I understand... Second... Young Master, rest assured, I will be your servant from now on. Although I have no skills, I will never cause you any trouble..."

Qingluan was puzzled but dared not ask directly. She waited until Kang Lian was settled in before approaching Li Ji and questioning him in a low voice. Li Ji replied, "Old Hu is probably doomed, so he entrusted his young son to me. To outsiders, just say he is a servant, but to inside... do not mistreat him, treat him as my nephew."

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The outcome of Kang Qian's case was unexpected by everyone.

The Kang family, father and son, were of low status and could not escape punishment. They were soon executed for secretly colluding with Shi Chaoyi, and their property was confiscated. However, no one knew how much of it actually went into the official treasury or what percentage of their property it represented. It was probably just some houses, shops and other real estate.