Chen Ji followed barefoot behind the company commander, passing through a clangor of hammering and smithing sounds.
Curious, he asked, “How much silver for one ear?”
Without turning his head, the company commander said, “One ear at Chongli Pass is worth ten taels of silver. I'll sell it to you for a hundred taels; everyone's happy. Three ears guarantee promotion to battalion commander, ten ears guarantee promotion to company commander.”
Chen Ji pondered, “What about regiment commander?”
The company commander answered casually, “Want to be a regiment commander? It’s something you can encounter but can’t really seek. There won’t be any big battles soon. There’s no chance for breaking enemy lines, capturing flags, storming forward, or slaying generals. To get promoted, you have to kill two ‘live-capture officers’ from the Jing Dynasty.”
“Live-capture officers?”
The company commander’s voice grew serious. “They’re like the Night Collectors in our Ning Dynasty. If you’re out logging or clearing mountains, it’s best to kneel and kowtow to the Bodhisattva beforehand, praying you don’t run into them.”
Chen Ji gave a thoughtful “Hmm.” “But if you buy military merits so straightforwardly, doesn’t the court care?”