A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 447 Black Gold Pepper Three Hundred Stones

Home raiding is a good way to make up for the financial deficit.

But it is generally not used lightly, because this kind of behavior is very dangerous, even the emperor would not dare to mess around, it will make everyone feel in danger.

Of course, liquidating Pei Ji is an unspoken rule that everyone can understand.

Copying Pei Ji, Liu Yijie, and Sanjiejiao, the imperial court made a fortune.

More than 3000 hectares of land have been taken back. This is still only the one thousand hectares of land that Pei Jide bestowed, and the rest of Pei Ji has not been moved.

There are also many light goods such as gold, silver and pearls.

But there was one thing that Wu Huaiyu didn't expect, three hundred stones of pepper.

This thing was a hard currency in the Tang Dynasty. I think when he first came here, he was a guest at Li Jing’s house. The Yongkang government made Gulouzi for breakfast. The one-jin mutton pie was very delicious. There are six grains of black pepper. At that time, Chen Xing even specially collected the used pepper, and wanted to take it to the black market for money.

A used one is still worth ten taels of money, while an unused one is worth a tael of gold and a tael of pepper, and one grain is worth at least thirty dollars.

Now, although the Silk Road is smooth and peppers are constantly being shipped from the Western Regions, the price is still very expensive. It is no longer the peak price of one tael per ten thousand yuan, but at least one tael of gold per liter.

This stone pepper is worth a hundred taels of gold.

More than 300 stone peppers were found, worth 3 taels of gold.

This thing is extremely precious, known as black gold, Sogdian Hu, Persian Hu, etc. traded with Tang people, and sometimes used this directly as money.

In addition, a lot of dipterocarp and stalactites were also copied.

Dipterocarp is more expensive, three times as expensive as pepper, and costs more than 2 pennies per liter.

The reason why Pei Ji and the others have so much pepper, of course, is not that there is such a large demand. They just used their power to monopolize the pepper transported to Chang'an by Hu merchants from the Western Regions. Businessman, earn more money easily.

But now it's all owned by the emperor.

The happy emperor even rewarded the officials in the capital with some pepper.

Wu Huaiyu won a unique stone, completely realizing the freedom of pepper. In the future, stewing mutton or making ancient buildings will not need to be counted one by one.

When the messenger from the palace sent a stone of pepper to Duke Yi's mansion, he even attracted the whole mansion to watch.

After all, a liter of pepper is worth at least [-] yuan. Even though the price has dropped by more than ten times compared to the previous two years, it is still as expensive as gold. These are not peppercorns, but gold.

Fan Xuanfu asked people to immediately lock it into a separate warehouse in the inner warehouse, guard it carefully, and add a few more locks.

After all, if you grab a handful of them casually, you will grab a handful of gold.

"Runniang, Wuniang, you two each have a lock, the house needs pepper, you go get it yourself."

Chen Runniang immediately expressed that she would take good care of it. When she was in the Yongkang mansion, she also saw that Li Jing's house used pepper according to the number of grains. The mutton Gulouzi made for distinguished guests could only use six grains of pepper each.

Now that three hundred stones of pepper were copied out at once, and the emperor generously rewarded his courtiers, it is estimated that the price of pepper in Chang'an will fall for a period of time in the future.

However, today’s pepper is basically transported from the Western Regions via the Silk Road. The quantity is scarce and it is still very valuable. When the Silk Road on the Sea is unblocked, Arab merchants will start to rise, and pepper and other spices will be sold from the sea to Guangzhou and Quanzhou. Only then will the price actually fall.

Huaiyu remembered that in the Ming Dynasty, in the pepper producing areas of Sanfoqi and other countries in the South China Sea, a catty of pepper was only one renminbi, but when it was transported to Daming, it was sold for twelve taels a catty in the interior, and the price doubled by a hundred times. At that time, a liter of pepper still cost six qian.

Speaking of which, it's not even cheaper than it is now.

Can I do my own research, can I find a Malay island that goes directly to the pepper producing area, buy pepper directly from the natives, and when the time comes, wouldn’t it be a hundred times more profitable?
If you go to Sanfoqi from Guangzhou or Jiaozhou Port, it seems that it is still called Sri Buddha at this time. It is mainly located in Sumatra Island, which is not too far away. At least it is more reliable than Li Shimin’s plan to set up a visiting fleet to Haidong. After all, along the coast Just go south along the coastline until you reach the Strait of Malacca.

Sri Buddha Room not only has pepper, but also cloves, cardamom, sandalwood, agarwood, sumac, frankincense, dipterocarp and so on.

Wu Huaiyu was thinking about this matter when Changsun Wuji came.

Uncle Chubby Xiong brought a box of good tea.

After the meeting, Changsun Wuji said directly that Huaiyu was the only one who won the holy family. The emperor rewarded the ministers with pepper. Only those who are under the highest grade are rewarded with pepper, and the rest are not.

Only Wu Huaiyu has the size of a stone.

"I also have to thank Erlang for recommending me in front of the saint."

In the courtyard, there are still a few peach trees blooming in late spring.

Huaiyu congratulated him.

Changsun Wuji shook his head, "Your Majesty called me into the palace yesterday and had a long talk with me,"

The emperor did not appoint the eldest grandson Wuji to judge Duzhi, let alone give him a title of worship. The emperor had tea and chatted with his brother-in-law, and talked a lot, but he had no intention of letting him come back, even if it was just to judge Duzhi.

The emperor kept saying that he was treated and trusted like his own son, but he insisted on not giving him any official position.

After a long chat with the emperor, Changsun Wuji went to visit his sister.

Empress Changsun has a big belly now, and she will give birth in two months. Changsun Wuji wonders why the emperor doesn't let him come back, but Empress Changsun hopes that the brothers can be more patient.

When Li Shimin's palace was the most violent and dangerous, Zhangsun Wuji and Gao Shilian rushed to the front. When the emperor succeeded to the throne, their nephew and uncle also paid homage to each other.

But they didn't stay in the aspect for long, and they quit one after another.

One is dismissed and demoted, and the other is dismissed.

Changsun Wuji couldn't figure it out, but although Empress Changsun didn't care much about political affairs, she could see very clearly that they did contribute a lot and made great contributions before, but after the new emperor came to the throne, things were not peaceful, and the new emperor and the Supreme Emperor were still in secret wrestling,

Although the new emperor cut off the wings of the Supreme Emperor step by step and swept away the court, this force is still not small. They have been looking for opportunities to counterattack. Gao Shilian and Changsun Wuji have been impeached repeatedly, and there are even many bad rumors among the people.

The emperor's treatment of Gao Shilian and grandson Wuji also meant to protect them.

Even on the battlefield, there is no one general who keeps charging, and has to take turns to rest.

Of course, there must be some meaning here, such as beating the father's relatives with the opportunity.

Of course the main thing is protection.

After coming out from the Queen's sister, Changsun Wuji spent a night at home thinking calmly, and he had already figured out a lot.

When I came to Wu Huaiyu today, I still wanted to thank him and the emperor for recommending me to come back. Although I didn't succeed, I had to remember that even if it was a relationship between in-laws and brother-in-law, I had to express it.

Of course, at their level, they don't need any gold or silver as gifts, that's too vulgar.

A box of tea tribute from the queen, dragon and phoenix cake, specially given to Huaiyu who is good at tea.

"I'm also thinking about it now. In the early years, I followed His Majesty to fight here and there, and I had almost no time to spare. Now I am only in my early thirties, and my health is not very good. Now I will take a good rest and recuperate. I will ask Erlang to give me some time later." Open a prescription."

Although he failed to return to his post, as long as the queen is still there, as long as he and the emperor have no suspicions, then even if he has no official position, he can still go to and from the palace often, he can serve the imperial court, and he can still give advice on military and state affairs .

He is still young, only in his early thirties, even if he is idle for another ten years, he is not in a hurry.

Besides, the prince is his own nephew.

"I thought Uncle Guo could accept Duzhi."

"You are young and strong, and it is time to do great things for His Majesty. I am old and tired, and I just come down to rest." Changsun Wuji laughed.

Brew a pot of this year's new tea.

This year, the tea production of the Wu family has increased greatly, and a lot of tea has been added this year. From Bashu to Jianghuai, and then to Jiangxi, the tea gardens have increased greatly, and the varieties of tea trees have also increased a lot.

Wu family's tea, especially black tea and green tea, is still very popular nowadays. Of course, the Wu family's export of black tea bricks from Turkic, Tuyuhun, and Western Regions is becoming more and more popular.

However, compared with the box of dragon and phoenix cakes given by the queen brought by Changsun Wuji, there is still a big gap in the quality of Wujia tea. The nobles of the Tang Dynasty still prefer tea cakes and the method of frying tea.

Each has its own favorite.

Aristocrats like tea cakes and sencha, not necessarily because they really think this kind of tea tastes better, but it's just a nobleman's conservatism, a superior attitude.

They like to draw boundaries and prevent others from easily stepping into their class and circle.

The more cumbersome and complicated they are, the more classy and stylish they will feel, and the more they will show their identity.

It doesn't matter if it tastes good or not.

What you drink is not tea, but status and taste.

This is like the diet of aristocrats. Not only do they eat mutton with pepper, they even put pepper in other dishes. Putting pepper represents status and strength.

Just like those barbarians, one of the ways for their tribal leaders to show their strength is to display porcelain from the Middle-earth Tang Dynasty in their homes.

Exquisite Yuezhou celadon, Xingzhou white porcelain, or copper pots, iron pots, and exquisite silk on wives and daughters, these are the best displays, compared with those who will only have more cattle and sheep, and whose family has more servants more advanced.

Wu Huaiyu doesn't like drinking tea too complicated.

Even when you are not entertaining guests, you don’t need a special tea girl to serve you, and you don’t need any complicated tea art performances, a pot of hot water, a box of tea leaves, a simple tea set, brewing and drinking, that’s all.

"It's a bit cheap, Pei Ji." Changsun Wuji sipped the tea in the cup, felt that the taste was a little weak, and suddenly said something nonsensical.

Huaiyu just smiled, they all knew that Pei Ji's settlement had not yet come to an end.

From seizing the official position, cutting half of the food, and now taking back the largest gift of a thousand hectares given to him by the Supreme Emperor, as well as confiscating his imperial money casting furnace, private casting workshop, and illegally occupied fields , water mills built in violation of regulations, income from illegal high-interest lending, etc.,

It's not over yet.

"Your Majesty intends to use troops against Jie next year,"

"Then at least we have to wait until next autumn when the horses are fat."

Changsun Wuji looked at Huaiyu and laughed loudly, "It seems that His Majesty asked you to take charge of the country's finances. You really used the right people. It used to be said that it would take at least five years to fight back, but now you can do it in less than three years." be prepared."

"Uncle Miao praised, it is the Holy Son of Heaven who is on the throne, and all the sages are helping."

"By the way, Ma Sanbao is dead. On my way to your house just now, I passed by his house and saw his son going to report the funeral." Changsun Wuji said casually.

Huaiyu was stunned for a moment, the last time he had a consultation with Ma Sanbao, he was indeed exhausted, but after all, a few days ago, he worked side by side to kill the third class teacher and Pei Ji, unexpectedly he left suddenly .

In Changsun Wuji's eyes, Ma Sanbao might just be a dog of Chai Shao's family, who helped the emperor before his death, and now he is dead, not worth mentioning.

Ma Sanbao is quite young, just 45 this year, and died young.

The next day, the emperor issued an edict to posthumously bestow Ma Sanbao as the governor of Qizhou and Minister of the Ministry of War. His posthumous title was Zhong. He received the same posthumous title as Qu Tutong. No reduction in households.

Ma Sanbao is not the old subordinate of the King of Qin, and he did not support the new emperor, but this old slave of the Chai family, at the end of his life, still helped Li Shimin get into Pei Ji's side, which also helped him The Ma family won a favor.

As long as his son doesn't mess up, at least he doesn't have to worry about wealth in this life.

At this moment, perhaps Chai Shao, who was far away in Huazhou, was in a heavy heart. His brother committed suicide in prison, his eldest son was exiled at the border, and now his loyal old servant died before him, let alone his wife, Princess Pingyang, who left halfway.

Feng Deyi Qu Tutong Pei Juma Three Treasures, many veterans and veterans are leaving the stage one after another, Wu Huaiyu, who only debuted in the ninth year of Wude, has become an upstart in the court.

(End of this chapter)