A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 248: Poaching for the King of Qin
In front of the two of them, Li Yi wrote a letter of recommendation to Li Shimin, and included Feng Deyi's secret plan in it, and asked someone to deliver it to the King of Qin.

After drinking a pot of tea,

Feng Deyi and the other two took their leave, and Li Yi did not keep them any longer.

After seeing the two off, Li Yi returned to the front hall of the main courtyard and chatted with the villagers of Luojiabao.

At dusk,

The sumptuous welcoming meal has been served. Eight dishes were prepared today: stewed cured pig's trotters with kelp, steamed sausages, fried bacon with garlic sprouts, stewed lamb, fried air-dried chicken, stewed tofu with sauerkraut, fried bean sprouts, and a braised fish.

There was one big table for the men and another big table for the women.

We were all from the same village, so there weren't so many etiquette rules. We just sat on the kang in the living room in the front yard, eating, drinking and chatting.

Dagui envied his second brother Dafu very much. He ordered the soldiers to go to the battlefield and immediately made merits and received awards. Luo San was relatively calm. He chose to stay and not order the soldiers, and he no longer regretted it.

Now, seeing my wife's belly growing bigger and my children surrounding me, I am actually very satisfied.

"Alang, we are planning to set up a few more workshops after the spring. One is a straw weaving workshop, where we can make straw hats, straw mats, straw bags, and straw sandals. I've thought about it. It doesn't require much capital, and during the slack season, we can even have the manor servants, tenants, and fellow villagers work together.

The demand is huge, and although the profit isn't high, you can still make some money over the year, and it can also make use of idle labor and even help fellow villagers make some money."

In addition to straw weaving workshops, there are also workshops that weave bamboo products, weave wicker wooden products, etc.

Luo San even thought of building more public toilets on several official horse roads from Chang'an to Nanshan, cleaning them regularly, and providing toilet tokens, so that he could obtain a lot of manure. He even planned to march into Chang'an, as Chang'an had such a large population and a lot of manure and urine.

"Nowadays, most of the people in Chang'an City don't have toilets. Many people pour their feces into toilets, then into seepage wells, or wait for people to come and collect them. I have inquired and found out that those who come to collect feces and clean toilets now charge money.

In fact, if we organize some laborers to regularly pull carts to collect and help clean the toilets, we can not only collect and clean for free, but also send them some seasonal vegetables or something, which are not worth much in the countryside anyway.

But the manure can be taken back and made into fertilizer, which is a treasure. It can increase production if used by yourself, and it is very valuable if sold.

Although this business may be a bit dirty and may have a bad reputation, if it is really done, it is a business that is guaranteed to make money."

Luo San now helps Li Yi with his work, often goes out, and has broadened his horizons.

He also suggested setting up a carriage and horse inn to transport goods, buying some mules, donkeys, camels, and carts to transport goods. This was the capital, and the demand for freight was huge.

Luo Er, Da Gui, and even San Niang also made many suggestions.
When they have a strong new rich as their backer, they find that they can do a lot of profitable business, and no local officials or government officials will bother them, and no one will dare to take bribes.

Ordinary powerful landlords in the countryside did not dare to provoke him easily.

There are many businesses that can be done and can make money.

Li Yi really doesn't care about those small profits now. In his eyes, straw weaving, bamboo weaving, strip weaving, bamboo and wooden workshops, even carriage inns, freight fleets, etc., are all small businesses that do not make money, not to mention the rice field business.

But he still has set up many workshops, such as oil press workshop, wooden furniture workshop, plow workshop, and even rice noodle and dried noodle workshop.

What really makes money is persimmon wine, and the soap workshop has not yet been established.

Tofu skin workshops are not very profitable either.

but,

Although these small workshops cannot make a lot of money, they are still making stable profits. The most important thing is that these workshops have absorbed many people and provided them with an opportunity to make money.

Now Li Yi not only has many fields, many tenants, and slaves, but also many villagers who work for him or take part-time jobs in their spare time.

It is no exaggeration to say that many people in Yusu Township now depend on Li Yi for food and clothing.

So many people work for Li Yi and rely on Li Yi to pay their wages, so his influence is so great.

Why did those aristocratic families have such great influence in the local area? Even after the Northern Zhou Dynasty destroyed Qi and the Sui Dynasty destroyed Chen, those old aristocratic and powerful people of Qi and Chen, who were politically frustrated, still had such strong power in the local area.

In the final analysis, it is not just about fame and money, but another very important point is that they control the means of production. They own a large amount of land and various workshops. Countless people in the local area depend on them for their livelihood, so naturally their influence is strong.

No matter who the court sends to be an official, it will not change this fact in the short term.

Without their cooperation, this official will not be able to hold his position steadily.

Now Li Yi already has such influence in Yusu Township. Although he is not as influential as the Du family in Duqu and the Wei family in Weiqiao, in Yusuchuan and Wujibao Li family, he is already the king in the eyes of most people.

If there was anything, they would go to Wujibao. Luo San and other officials of Li Yi's rank were more effective than the officials in the township and county. Whether the people had conflicts or needed help in any urgent matters, Wujibao was the most useful place to go.

As long as you don't lose money, you can do those small businesses.

How much money you make is not that important, it's just a side benefit.

"Uncle San, you guys can make the decisions on these matters. They are all trivial matters." Li Yi said with a smile.

Du Shiniang likes to buy land, while Li Yi intends to integrate these lands and develop a manor economy. In addition to farming, there are also supporting slavery, breeding, textiles, grain and oil processing, as well as some wine making, sauce making and other processing.

The manor economy is the most efficient.

Slavery is also the most cost-effective.

However, absorbing the villagers, providing them with employment and money-making opportunities, and letting them rely on the Li family is actually a very good way of development.

"This year's late spring cold snap is quite severe, so it shouldn't affect spring plowing, right?"

"This year, it's a leap February, and the weather warms up late, so it's no big deal."

"Come, everyone, eat some food."

early in the morning,
Li Yi rode his horse out of the city and arrived at Shenheyuan.

The construction site of Changning Palace was in full swing. Li Shimin invited him to consult on the construction, but in fact, he just wanted to find an excuse for everyone to get together.

Beside the King of Qin, the iron triangle of Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui and Changsun Wuji were all there, as well as the three personal bodyguards Xu Luoren, Hou Jun Ji and Qiao Gui.

Today, there are five new Shandong generals who have joined the King of Qin: Luo Shixin, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Wu Heita and Niu Jinda.

In addition, there are Duan Zhixuan and Zhai Changsun, whom I met during the Battle of Jingzhou.

"Yuwen Shiji and Feng Deyi will be here soon," Li Shimin said, waving to him with a smile. "You recommended these two to me. How did they find you?"

Li Yi did not hide it: "These two people are very capable. Now they have just come to surrender. The Saint intends to leave them alone. As a result, they can't sit still and run to me. I guess they want to surrender to the Eastern Palace.

I intercepted the man for the king."

"I've read Feng Deyi's Ten Strategies for Peaceful Underworld with Xuanling, Keming, Fuji, and others. It's really well written. Feng Deyi's abilities are undeniable, but his reputation isn't very good."

Feng Deyi initially joined Yang Su and assisted him in the construction of the Renshou Palace. To curry favor with Emperor Wen, he rushed the work, pushing grain and filling pits, which resulted in the death of tens of thousands of laborers. Their remains formed the foundation of the Renshou Palace. In just two years, the palace was completed, a magnificent and extravagant structure.

Li Shimin said, "I heard that Feng Deyi later attached himself to Yu Shiji and fawned over the Emperor Yang, flattering him wholeheartedly. As a secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, he withheld all memorials that went against the Emperor's will. He also suppressed talented individuals and was a complete traitor. Although such a person has talent, I do not want to use him."

Li Yi was not surprised by this, he just smiled and said: "Your Majesty, I think Feng Deyi has some problems with his character, and he is always trying to please the emperor, but it is precisely this kind of character that makes him flatter the Sui Dynasty and loyal to the Tang Dynasty.

If he serves under the king, he will surely be loyal and upright."

"Why?" Li Shimin was somewhat shocked by his remarks.

"Because people like Feng Deyi, to put it bluntly, have no real principles and only cater to the wishes of their superiors. When he follows Yang Su, he can show that he is very capable and efficient, because Yang Su is a very efficient person.

Later, he attached himself to Yu Shiji. Yu Shiji flattered and deceived the emperor, and Feng Deyi followed suit.

Emperor Yang was stubborn and self-willed, and would not accept advice. Feng Deyi knew that Emperor Yang could not be dissuaded and would not listen to honest advice that was unpleasant to his ears. He was afraid that the disaster would affect him, as Zhang Heng and Gao Ying had been executed before, so he only flattered and did not dare to disobey his will.

"The king is willing to accept advice, is pragmatic, and upright. Feng Deyi will be a minister who actively offers advice, is pragmatic, and upright."

Li Shimin was thoughtful.

Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Zhangsun Wuji all clapped their hands in praise, "Wuyi's words are truly unique, but they do make a lot of sense."

"Whatever the superior likes, the subordinates will follow it even more. Some officials have no principles and are just trying to please others."

"Then can such a person still be used?"

"Of course they can be used. Yuwen Shiji and Feng Deyi are both talented prime ministers. If the king can make good use of them, they will be of great help." Li Yi said.

Li Shimin smiled at Fang Du and Zhang Sun and asked, "What are their talents?"

"Of course he is also a great talent as a prime minister, and he is definitely above Yuwen Shiji and Feng Deyi."

Li Shimin laughed.

"Well, what kind of job do you think I should assign to them?"

"It can't be too low, but it shouldn't be too high either. You can arrange for a position as a doctor in the Grand Secretariat, which is also a fifth-rank official."

"Okay, I'll meet with them and talk to them in detail. If they are indeed as you say, I will recommend them to the Saint as the Minister of Finance and the Minister of State Reception in the Eastern Shaanxi Province."

Soon, Yuwen Shiji and Feng Deyi arrived. Li Shimin called them aside for a detailed chat, while Li Yi went aside with Qin Qiong and other generals to shoot arrows and chat.

"Are you used to living in Chang'an?"

"I've been staying in the chaotic Guandong for so long, and suddenly coming to such a stable place like Guanzhong, I'm a little uncomfortable for a while." Cheng Yaojin said with a smile.

"Do you like the house?"

"I'm looking at them now. The King of Qin sent people to pick some for us to see. They are all very good." Li Shimin was very generous to the five Shandong generals who were assigned to his command. He said that he would give each of them a house in Chang'an and a manor in the suburbs of Beijing.

Qin Qiong was now the Third Commander-in-Chief of the Right Army of the Prince of Qin's Palace, and concurrently the Chief of the Cavalry. Cheng Yaojin was the Third Commander-in-Chief of the Left Army, and concurrently the Chief of the Cavalry.

The two generals, Zhai Changsun and Duan Zhixuan, were the second commander-in-chief of the left and right respectively, and both served as the chief commanders of the cavalry.

In fact, these four people commanded the two thousand most elite black-armored cavalry under Li Shimin.

Generals Wu Heita and Niu Jinda are now Generals of the Cavalry in the Prince of Qin's Palace, each commanding a cavalry force of a thousand men.

Luo Shixin was the governor of Jiangzhou and also served under the command of the Grand Chancellor of Shanzhou, but he also served as the deputy commander of the Prince's Left Guard and was Li Yi's deputy.

"Whether it's buying a house or land, or even buying slaves or hiring servants, if you need anything, just send someone to tell me."

Old Cheng said, "I know you're rich, Wuyi, but my brothers also have some wealth. Buying land, slaves, and maids isn't a problem. But their families are still in the hands of Wang Shichong in Luoyang."

Li Yi had no good solution: "Perhaps we can try to contact Luoyang and offer money to buy him back, or exchange him for Zheng prisoners later."

"This is the only way," Qin Qiong and others said helplessly.

"When will you join the Crown Prince on his Western Expedition?"

"We have to leave early tomorrow morning." Now it was Li Yi's turn to feel helpless. He had just returned to the capital, and now he was about to go on another western expedition. He had known for a long time that this expedition would basically be a waste of time, but the prince insisted on it, and as the commander of the right rear army of the camp, he had to go with him.

Even though everyone knew that Li Gui was deserted by his friends and relatives and that there would be no tough battle, and that Hexi could be pacified without a war even if the prince went there, it was obvious that the prince still wanted to lead his army westward in order to take the credit for pacifying Hexi.

Li Gui usurped the throne and proclaimed himself emperor. Killing him would be the same achievement as killing Xue Ju.

(End of this chapter)