aside the Taotai, who dare neglect to fondle Chang's hand if he
publicly offered it to him for that purpose.

It was at the most illustrious point of his existence--at the time,
indeed, when after purchasing without money the renowned and
proficient charm-water Ho-Ko for a million taels, he had sold it again
for ten--that Chang was informed by his brother of the circumstances
connected with Ling. After becoming specially assured that the matter
was indeed such as it was represented to be, Chang at once discerned
that the venture was of too certain and profitable a nature to be put
before those who entrusted their money to him in ordinary and doubtful
cases. He accordingly called together certain persons whom he was
desirous of obliging, and informing them privately and apart from
business terms that the opportunity was one of exceptional
attractiveness, he placed the facts before them. After displaying a
number of diagrams bearing upon the mater, he proposed that they
should form an enterprise to be called "The Ling (After Death) Without
Much Risk Assembly." The manner of conducting this undertaking he
explained to be as follows: The body of Ling, whenever the spirit left
it, should become as theirs to be used for profit. For this benefit
they would pay Ling fifty thousand taels when the understanding was
definitely arrived at, five thousand taels each year until the matter
ended, and when that period arrived another fifty thousand taels to
persons depending upon him during his life. Having stated the figure
business, Chang-ch'un put down his written papers, and causing his
face to assume the look of irrepressible but dignified satisfaction
which it was his custom to wear on most occasions, and especially when
he had what appeared at first sight to be evil news to communicate to
public assemblages of those who had entrusted money to his ventures,
he proceeded to disclose the advantages of such a system. At the