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

Chapter 355 Crown Prince, what do you think?

A year later, Li Yi finally returned to Chang'an.

In early summer, when there is a shortage of fresh produce.

The wheat in the fields was still green and unripe, and most people had run out of grain and could only survive by borrowing grain and gathering wild vegetables.

Although the imperial court won the Battle of Hedong, the lives of the people in Guanzhong became even more difficult. In the lean months of spring, when food was scarce, famine struck in early summer and April.

Along the roads, one could see refugees fleeing from Hedong, Henan, and Shannan to Guanzhong in search of food. One could also see corpses of starving people lying dead from time to time. Near the outskirts of Chang'an, large numbers of refugees had gathered in camps.

When a dynasty prospers, the people suffer; when a dynasty falls, the people suffer even more.

In prosperous times, people can still be treated like cattle and horses, but in chaotic times, they are worse than pigs and dogs.

Li Yi felt heavy-hearted. His wife, Shi Niang, said that this year the family had taken in many more migrant tenants and settled them in various farms and workshops.

Luo San Niang said that more and more people were borrowing grain after the start of spring.

"We can only lend to our fellow villagers for now. Ah Lang wrote to us several times before that those who borrow rice only need to repay the original price. If one shi (a unit of dry measure) is borrowed, five sheng (another unit of dry measure) should be returned each month. That's how it's been lent out."

A monthly interest rate of five percent is relatively low. Compared to those who borrow in spring and repay in autumn, borrow one and repay two, or even demand to repay fines for coarse loans, and various tricks involving small amounts of money and large amounts of money, as well as borrowing grain and repaying money and repaying grain with interest, the Li family's interest rate is much better.

However, the Li family didn't lend money to just anyone; they tried to lend only to their fellow villagers.

"I don't know when this day will end."

"Our family planted 30 mu of sweet potatoes this spring, and we expect to harvest 100,000 jin," Third Aunt said excitedly. Sweet potatoes are not picky about the soil, but with good water and fertilizer, fertile soil, and careful cultivation, the yield is high, with one mu producing two to three thousand jin.

“The pig farming business is thriving now. We raise sows to give birth on various farms. The bran from our mill and the cake from our oil mill are perfect for feeding the pigs. The pig manure fertilizes the fields, which greatly increases the yield.”

Last year, the Li family's pig farming business was on track. They raised a large number of pigs on their own farm and also provided piglets to tenant farmers and villagers for cooperative breeding. Pig farming was quite profitable, especially since the manure significantly increased crop yields.

Li Mansion in Shengyefang
The gate to the Wutou family mansion is now higher, and the gate to the mansion is now deeper.

Fourteen halberds stood guard inside the gate, displaying its imposing presence.

After Li Yi returned, he went around visiting people.

When I came back from outside, I saw Laifu and Wangcai playing in the front yard. Laifu, a Tibetan mastiff, was as strong as a pig and had a dedicated dog servant who took good care of it. Its long fur was well-groomed and it was quite clean and odorless.

"silly dog."

Li Yi called to it with a smile, and it seemed to remember its master, Li Yi, tilting its head to look at him.

Wangcai, on the other hand, this mongrel weighed about forty pounds. Although it was quite strong for a mongrel, it looked very thin compared to the Qiang mastiff Laifu. It wagged its tail and stuck out its tongue at Li Yi, then came over to sniff and lick his shoes, acting like a complete sycophant.

Looking at these two dogs reminded me of when I bought them at the market. Back then, it was a litter of Qiang dogs, which I bought with Cunxiao and the others. There were seven dogs in the litter, one for each of the four Qiang generals, one for Cunxiao and the others, one for Cunli, one for Heizi, and one for Li Yi.

Now even the servant Cunxiao has risen to the rank of General of Chariots and Cavalry, and Liu Heizi has become a General of the Flying Cavalry.

Only the merchant Zicunli has been in charge of the Li family's business and commerce, and is now the head manager.

Although the Qiang dog Laifu was fond of causing trouble and ate a lot, the household still assigned people to take care of it and raised it with great care, after all, it was the master's dog.

To be honest, this dog eats better than many people.

"Where's Zhaocai? Does he still fight with Laifu all the time?" Li Yi stroked Wangcai's head; the mongrel's ears were quite soft.

"Our tabby cat Zhaocai has grown to about ten pounds now and is getting more and more ferocious. Although Laifu is over a hundred pounds, Zhaocai still beats him up all the time." The dog owner felt quite sorry for Laifu.

Li Yi entered the inner courtyard but did not see Zhao Cai. The maid said that Zhao Cai was rarely seen these days.

"Let it be. Tabby cats are wild by nature; that's just how they are."

More than a year later,

The house seems to be the same as always.

There are just more people now.

Du Shiniang said that her family had bought some more servants, including some Silla servants and Kunlun servants. They even bought Persian and Sogdian girls to form a family music and dance troupe, who could play all kinds of instruments, sing, dance, and play music.

These servants, singers, and dancers cost a considerable amount.

Shi Niang said this is the dignity of the nobility. Li Yi is now a top-tier new nobleman and a member of the royal family. He should have the dignity he deserves.

"The family also bought polo players and maids, and acquired a men's polo team and a women's polo team."

They're all money-burning gadgets.
But that's how nobles are; employing Silla maids and Kunlun slaves is standard practice, and they need to travel in fine horses and luxurious carriages.

If nobles don't enjoy life, what are you going to do with all that money, property, and assets?

Dugu Huaien's family fortune was no less than 30 million, all of which went to Li Yi's family. Third Sister said that there were few gold and silver items and gold ingots. Li Yi knew that there must be something fishy going on. Whether Dugu Huaien hoarded them, or the Dugu family took them elsewhere, or the officials who handled them embezzled them, it was all normal. The Li family should be satisfied with getting 30 million.

Top nobles and wealthy families all have hoards; even a cunning rabbit has three burrows.

Li Yi didn't need the secret cellar.
He placed valuable items such as gold and silverware directly into his consciousness space.

Now, he has accumulated three thousand taels of gold, more than three hundred pieces of goldware, and more than one thousand pieces of silverware. There is also a lot of pepper and frosting sugar in his space, all of which are hard currencies. These alone are worth tens of thousands of strings of cash.

Li Yi now lives a life of luxury, with servants at his beck and call, fine cars and horses, and mansions and villas, yet his wealth only seems to grow. It must be said that in this era, those with power and status accumulate wealth rapidly.

Li Yi now owns tens of thousands of acres of fertile land and many estates. These estates are used for planting, raising livestock, and processing such as textiles and manufacturing. They not only make money, but also allow the Li family to support a large number of servants, retainers, and tenant farmers.

More than two thousand private retainers were dependent on the Li family. These people were formerly disaster victims and starving refugees, selected and recruited by the Li family, and were completely dependent on them.

There are over two thousand companies now.

This alone is astonishing. They are not registered households of the imperial court, so naturally they do not need to pay taxes or perform corvée labor for the court. They cultivate the land of the Li family and pay rent to the Li family. During the off-season, they work in the Li family's manor and workshops, and obey the orders of the Li family. No wonder dynasties throughout history have been wary of and suppressed these powerful families. If Li Yi were to stand from the perspective of the imperial court, he would also feel that suppression was necessary.

Everyone secretly curses the five surnames and seven families of Shandong, and the six families of Guanzhong, but in reality, everyone wants to be like them. The newly rich in the court and the powerful local families are all learning from the five surnames and seven families, wanting to become a family that will last for thousands of years.

The saying "where you sit determines where you think" is absolutely true.

From Du Shiniang to Luo Sanniang, from the steward Fu'an to the accountant Ping'an to the head manager Cunli, and then to Li Yi's subordinates Song Yi and Chen Lingjiao, everyone in the Li family is moving towards becoming a prominent family.

"My lord, the Crown Prince has sent some fresh yellow plums and bayberries. He said that Prince Wu, Li Fuwei, sent them to Chang'an by fast horse, and the Crown Prince specially sent some to you."

The ripe, yellow plums and the deep red bayberries, still with their branches and leaves attached, are incredibly fresh.

At this time, it is the plum rain season in Jiangnan, so these things are just in time.

Looking at the plum blossoms, Li Yi thought of the Crown Prince. Since his return, the Crown Prince had sent him several gifts, but Li Yi had not yet paid his respects to the Crown Prince and was still leisurely enjoying his vacation.

He was somewhat troubled by Jiancheng's situation.

Daibei.

Liu Wuzhou was defeated and returned to Mayi with only a few riders. He then embraced Yuan Junzhang and wept bitterly.

"I regret not listening to you."

Yuan Junzhang comforted his brother-in-law, "Even if we retreat to Daibei, where we are allied with the Turks to the north, we can still achieve something."

"I plan to go to the Turks to find the Great Khan Chuluo and ask him to send troops. Li Shimin has already withdrawn his troops, so we can launch a surprise attack."

Yuan Junzhang tried to persuade him, but Liu Wuzhou was blinded by defeat and could not accept it.

With a hundred riders, they headed straight for the Khan's court in Baidaochuan.

Chuluo Khan summoned the nobles to a banquet at the Golden Wolf Tent.

At a banquet, Liu Wuzhou toasted Chuluo Khan, requesting an army. Chuluo Khan remained sullen throughout. Previously, when Liu Wuzhou had come to request troops, the nobles had all refused, but Chuluo Khan had insisted on going his own way and sent his own elite troops south.
As it turned out, everything went down the drain, resulting in heavy losses.
This also greatly damaged Chuluo Khan's prestige.

Seeing that Liu Wuzhou still dared to mention borrowing troops to march south, Chuluo sneered a few times: "If you hadn't come, I would have been looking for you anyway."

Chu Luo threw the leftover bones on the ground and said, "Hold him down."

Several of the Wolf Guards stepped forward and pinned Liu Wuzhou down, rendering him unable to move no matter how hard he struggled.

"You have caused the deaths of countless Turkic warriors in the Central Plains, and you have failed to fulfill any of your promises. What use is a piece of trash like you to me?"

Chu Luo stepped forward and used a meat-eating knife to cut off Liu Wuzhou's ear.

His subordinate then cut off Liu Wuzhou's head.

"Send this head to Mayi first, and tell Yuan Junzhang that the Sui King has appointed him as the Grand Marshal of Shuofang Road, to lead the remaining forces of Liu Wuzhou, and to pledge allegiance to the Sui King of Dingxiang."

Tell my son Yushe that if Yuan Junzhang disobeys, cut off his head and replace him with a more obedient one.

"If Yuan Junzhang is sensible, then he should send Liu Wuzhou's head to Chang'an and tell Li Yuan that he will exchange Liu Wuzhou's head for one of his own."

Changan.

Liu Wuzhou's head was brought to us.

Although it was pickled with lime and preserved with ice along the way, it still went bad.

"Whose head does Chuluo Khan want to exchange for Liu Wuzhou's head?" Li Yuan personally examined Liu Wuzhou's head and waved for it to be hung on the gate of Chang'an for public display.

The envoy from Chuluo replied, "My Khan has sent me back with the head of Daman."

Daman,

Nijuchuluo Khan of the Western Turks, son of Nili Khan, was born to a woman from the Central Plains named Xiang. He was known for his cruelty and oppressive treatment of the various tribes. In the first year of the Daye era, he massacred hundreds of Tiele tribal leaders, inciting a rebellion. He also disrespected the Daye Emperor, and was thus targeted by Emperor Yang Guang, who, through Pei Shiju's scheme, supported the attack on the young Khan Shekui.

After his defeat, he was summoned by Yang Guang and then detained. Later, he accompanied Yang Guang on a campaign against Goguryeo and was given the title of Hesana Khan by Yang Guang, who also gave him Princess Xinyi as his wife. After the Eastern Capital Incident, he came to Chang'an, submitted to Li Yuan, and was granted the title of Prince Guiyi.

The Eastern Turkic Khan Chuluo wanted to kill the Western Turkic Khan Niju Chuluo, who had fled to the Central Plains during internal strife. The two seemed unrelated, but in fact they were not.

Firstly, when Daman was in power, he killed many Tiele people. Now, many Tiele tribes have migrated eastward and submitted to the Eastern Turks. If Chuluo Khan kills Daman, he can naturally win over these Tiele tribes in the northern desert.

Furthermore, the Shekui Khan who was supported by the Sui Dynasty back then has died, and his younger brother Tongyagu succeeded him last year. In terms of seniority, Tongyagu Khan is actually Daman's uncle. He is as brave as his brother, courageous and resourceful, good at warfare, and has conquered the Tiele in the north and resisted the Persians in the west. He commands hundreds of thousands of archers and dominates the Western Regions.

Most importantly, as soon as this Tongyagu Khan ascended to the throne, he sent a envoy to the Tang Dynasty to pay tribute and join forces with the Tang Dynasty to deal with the Eastern Turks.

This was something that Chuluo Khan could not possibly allow.

Therefore, forcing Li Yuan to kill Daman was intended to break the alliance between Tang and the Western Turks. Daman, after all, was a former Khan of the Western Turks, still had many former followers in the Western Regions, and was also a member of the Tongyabgu clan.

Li Yuan did not agree and waved for the messenger to leave.

Pei Ji advised, "Your Majesty, if we do not give it to them now, we will save one person but lose a country, which will surely cause trouble in the future. Now, Chuluo Khan has taken the initiative to kill Liu Wuzhou and send his head, which is precisely because he intends to make peace. We must not let Daman cause any changes."

Li Yuan sighed, "It would be unjust to kill people who come to me in poverty."

"Your Majesty, please prioritize the affairs of state," Pei Ji and others advised.

Li Yuan looked at Jiancheng and asked, "Crown Prince, what is your opinion on this matter?"

"Your Majesty, I believe we should not sacrifice the greater good for the sake of the lesser good."

(End of this chapter)