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

Chapter 482 The Zheng Family's Defenses Are Breached
The Zheng family of the world originated from Xingyang.

The Zheng clan of Xingyang, one of the five major clans and seven prominent families in Guandong, was considered the leader of the gentry. Although the Cui clan of Qinghe and the Lu clan of Fanyang certainly did not acknowledge this, they both claimed to be the head of the five major clans.

When the Tang Dynasty replaced the Sui Dynasty, the Zheng family of Xingyang produced a Crown Princess of the Tang Dynasty. The Zheng family's influence among the Five Surnames and Seven Clans grew significantly, and they constantly proclaimed themselves as the leaders of the aristocratic clans.

As a result, Zheng Shanguo, the Duke of Xingyang, gave his daughter to Li Yi, a rising star in the court who was originally a Taoist priest, as a concubine. However, Li Yi demanded a million in compensation for the family. In the end, the result was even more unexpected: Zheng's daughter abandoned the Zheng family and eloped with Li Yi. For a time, the Zheng family of Xingyang became a laughing stock among scholars all over the country.

It is said that Zheng Shanguo, the patriarch of the Zheng clan, was so angry that he vomited blood and shouted that he would sever his father-daughter relationship with his daughter, Zheng Rouniang.

If they don't acknowledge their daughter, they naturally won't acknowledge their son-in-law either.

Li Yi was on his way to take up his post in Hebei. He passed through Luoyang and then Hulao Pass.

When he passed through Xingyang, he took the initiative to visit the Zheng family.

Li Yi led a large force straight to the Zheng family in Xingyang. He had a total of a thousand guards, including his personal attendants, those in their tents, and the imperial guards sent by the emperor.

Upon arriving at the Zheng family's gate, the entire army was specially dressed in armor and fully armed.

The four commanders—Liu Heizi, Liu Heita, Luo Dafu, and Su Dingfang—were clad in phoenix-layered helmets and gleaming armor, wielding eighteen-foot-long spears. Their imposing presence alone was enough to terrify the Zheng family from afar.

"Li Yi has arrived with his troops,"

"What is he going to do?"

Anyone who saw thousands of armored soldiers arrive would tremble with fear.

The Zheng family of Xingyang was a powerful aristocratic clan that relied on its family's classical studies and reputation. The Zheng family had students, friends, relatives and relatives all over the world, and the family was very large and prosperous. However, it was only average in terms of military strength.

Although Zheng Yuanzhu was knowledgeable in military affairs, the Zheng family was not a military family, and they had no elite family generals or soldiers.

Li Yi rode his horse to the Zheng family's gate.
The Zheng family's gate was tightly shut, and there was not a sound.

Li Yi dismounted and had his guards stop outside the gate. He walked to the carriage and helped Zheng Rou Niang down.

Zheng Rou Niang looked nervous.
When she left the Zheng family in Chang'an, she was mentally prepared that she would never be able to return. But this time, when she passed through Xingyang, her husband made a special trip to the Zheng family.

He said he was accompanying her back to her mother's home.

She eloped to the Li family in Chang'an without a wedding ceremony, carrying neither a dowry nor any attendants.
Of course, there was no three-day homecoming visit.

Now, a long time has passed, and when passing by the Zheng family in Xingyang, Li Yi took her back to her parents' home.

She didn't really want to go back, feeling that no one in the Zheng family would welcome her, especially since her parents and brothers were all in Chang'an, and this old home was only inhabited by some clansmen and relatives.

The head of the Zheng family in Xingyang was Zheng Shanyuan, the younger brother of Zheng Yuanzhu, the Duke of Xin. Although he did not serve in the Tang Dynasty, he still held the title of Duke of Guichang County.

Hearing that Li Yi had come and made such a big fuss gave him a headache.

Previously, when Li Yi was in Henan, he had dealt with Li Yi on behalf of the Zheng family of Xingyang. He had already deeply felt that although this man was young, he was not easy to deal with at all. He had been humiliated by Li Yi several times. Li Yi even used a minor general, Liang Jianfang, to take his position in public. In the end, he was forced to apologize to Liang Jianfang.

"Rou Niang has arrived as well," the steward reported.

"What do you think is the purpose of Li Yi's trip with Rou Niang?"

None of the Zheng family members understood.

Li Yi humiliated the Zheng family so badly in Chang'an that the two families should have never spoken to each other again. So why is he bringing Rou Niang here now?
"Since we're already here, we can't just refuse to see them," said one of the clan elders. After all, the sight of thousands of armored soldiers surrounding the Zheng residence was truly terrifying.

When a scholar encounters a soldier, reason is useless. They had long been aware of Li Yi's methods and dared not offend him.

"Open the door and welcome them," Zheng Shanyuan said helplessly.

Li Yi entered the room with a big smile on his face.

After meeting, he took the initiative to greet the Zheng family members and said that he was accompanying Rou Niang on her return visit after her wedding.

Zheng Shanyuan thought to himself, "What kind of nonsense is this? If you're going to go back, you should go back from Chang'an. Besides, it's been so long."

The Zheng family welcomed Li Yi into the main hall and served him fine tea.

“When I returned to Mingzhou, Hebei to take up my post, I passed through Xingyang and accompanied Rou Niang to sit for a while.”

Zheng Shanyuan couldn't figure out Li Yi's intentions, so she just kept smiling and saying polite things like, "Was the journey smooth?" and "The weather is really nice."

Li Yi picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then put it down.

"This tea cake was made with spices, many of which were very expensive, but it ruined the good tea leaves. It's undrinkable. It only looks pretty on the outside, what a pity."

Zheng Shanyuan didn't respond; it would be impolite to comment on the host's tea in person.

"Lord Zheng, now that Rou Niang is with me, we are relatives. I had some conflicts with the Zheng family of Xingyang before, and I originally didn't want to get married again, but Rou Niang is willing to be with me, and I can't let her down."
In short, no matter what, I am now a son-in-law of the Zheng family in Xingyang.

You always say that the Zheng family comes from Xingyang, and that the Zheng family is the leader of the Shandong gentry, who are most particular about etiquette and tradition. So today I am passing by and have come to visit you, and I would also like to talk about etiquette.

Rou Niang has entered my Li family, but your Zheng family's dowry has not yet been delivered.

Also, you still owe me one million in compensation for the house demolition; that can't be reduced either.

Zheng Shanyuan's face turned bright red, and the elders behind him couldn't help but start to reprimand Li Yi.

"What, trying to renege on your debt?" Li Yi sneered.

The entire Zheng family, young and old, were so angry they wanted to tear Li Yi to pieces.

"You, one of the Five Clans and Seven Sects, should not renege on your dowry and compensation money. Don't you dare lose face for the Five Clans."

"Of course, there's another matter I've come for today. I know that your Zheng family of Xingyang, and many of your relatives, own numerous properties under the jurisdiction of my Mingzhou Grand General's Office, including farmland, manors, shops, workshops, and merchant caravans."
The business is quite large.
I don't care how you did business with Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong, and others before, but from now on, you'll have to follow my rules.

The Grand General's Office of Mingzhou is now preparing to issue bonds to borrow money from powerful and wealthy families to provide relief to the people and revitalize production.

"Your Zheng family needs to set an example, and I'm giving you this heads-up today." Zheng Shanyuan said with a dark face.
When Li Yi was in Henan, the Zheng family borrowed a lot of money and grain from him, and the Zheng family was also forced to donate a lot.

I didn't expect it to come again now.

"Your Majesty, when you pacified Henan at the beginning of the year, my Zheng family of Xingyang borrowed and donated money repeatedly, contributing nearly ten thousand shi of grain and tens of thousands of strings of cash and silk. The year is not even over yet."

"Your Majesty governs Mingzhou in Hebei, so why are you borrowing money from the Zheng family again? We, the Zheng family, wouldn't create something out of nothing. Crops grow in the fields, and you can only harvest one crop a year."

Li Yi smiled slightly.

"I'm here to accompany Rou Niang on her return visit to her parents' home. Today, I mainly want to inform you to make up for Rou Niang's dowry and to make up for the financial loss incurred during the wedding."

As for the rest, I'm just letting you know in passing.

This is a notification, not a discussion.

This attitude broke the Zheng family's collective defenses.

They are the Zheng family of Xingyang, one of the five surnames and seven clans. The Emperor of Chang'an and the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace treated the Zheng family with great courtesy. How come Li Yi looked down on the Zheng family so much?

"Actually, you shouldn't be upset. Borrowing money from you is also a way of taking care of you. Others may not have such an opportunity."

An elder couldn't help but ask, "How much does Prince Wu'an want to borrow this time, and will the interest rate be the same as before?"

"No, this time is different from the past. This time it's issuing bonds with an annual interest rate of five percent."

"5% annual interest?"

"Yes, lend 100 strings of cash, with an annual interest of 5 strings of cash."

The Zheng family erupted in uproar again. What a joke! They thought a monthly interest rate of 5% was too low, but an annual interest rate of 5%?

"Such a low interest rate is impossible," one of the young men exclaimed.

Li Yi didn't even glance at him.

"After I return to Mingzhou, I will begin a comprehensive investigation of the registered population, remeasure the land, and conduct a general survey of manors, workshops, mines, and caravans," he said, only saying half of his sentence.

However, Zheng Shanyuan still sensed the threat in the words.

A top-tier aristocratic family like the Zheng family of Xingyang has businesses that extend far beyond Xingyang, reaching every corner and even every industry.

If Li Yi really comes to investigate, it will definitely cause a lot of trouble for the Zheng family.

But how could the Zheng family be threatened by Li Yi like this?
"By the way, although I, Li Yi, was the one who first came up with the idea of ​​this bond, I have already reached a preliminary agreement with the governors of Xiangzhou, Huaizhou, Weizhou, and Luozhou, and we will all try this method out," Li Yi said slowly.

Zheng Shanyuan's heart skipped a beat.
This expands to more than a dozen prefectures. If they all come to investigate the Zheng family of Xingyang, it will be very troublesome.

"Why does the Prince of Wu'an insist on causing trouble for my Zheng family?"

“No, it’s not about causing trouble for the Zheng family. It’s an opportunity. I’m also a son-in-law of the Zheng family in Xingyang. When something good happens, the Zheng family is the first one I think of.”

Zheng Shanyuan's face was gloomy. What kind of good thing was this?
Forcing the Zheng family to borrow money with only a five percent annual interest rate, threatening to investigate them if they don't lend it—what kind of good thing is that?
Li Yi sat for a while, then got up and left.

He said the tea at the Zheng family's house was not good, and the Zheng family did not want to serve him meals anymore.

Li Yi left with Zheng Rou Niang.
The Zheng family members, young and old, began to hurl insults at Li Yi, and some even cursed Rou Niang, using all sorts of vile language. It was almost like a shrew cursing in the street, showing no semblance of the demeanor of a noble family leader.

"We must send someone to Chang'an immediately to tell the Duke that Li Yi has gone too far!"

"He must be impeached. This man is far too arrogant and domineering. How can we, the five surnames and seven clans, allow him to insult us like this?"

A steward entered.

“My lord, there is someone outside who claims to be Yun Dingxing, the Duke of Guide, and wants to visit you.”

Upon hearing the name Yun Dingxing, Zheng Shanyuan frowned. This man had previously been appointed Grand Commandant by Wang Shichong in Luoyang and was the first to lead the support for Wang Shichong, forcing Emperor Tai to abdicate.

After Wang Shichong surrendered, this guy was still able to obtain the official titles of Duke of Guide and Friend of the Prince of Wu'an in the Tang Dynasty.

"please!"

After a moment's thought, he realized that Yun Dingxing must have come on behalf of Li Yi.

Perhaps there are some things Li Yi can't say, so let him say them?
After all, Yun Dingxing is now an official in the Prince Li Yi's Wu'an Palace.

Yun Dingxing was a businessman with exceptional insight and a silver tongue.

He entered the Zheng residence and spoke privately with Zheng Shanyuan for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Yun Dingxing neither drank the Zheng family's tea nor stayed for a meal. When he left, Zheng Shanyuan personally saw him off at the gate.

He left the Zheng family home to find Li Yi.

"It's settled. The Zheng family of Xingyang intends to subscribe to 5,000 strings of cash in bonds, with a three-year term, an annual interest rate of five percent, and 250 strings of cash in interest per year."

Two hundred and fifty strings of cash a year—that's quite an unusual number.

"What did you promise them?" Li Yi asked with a smile.

"They are permitted to continue operating salt, iron, tea, and wine businesses in Ming, Xiang, Huai, Wei, Luo, and other places, and are allowed to mine minerals..."

Yun Dingxing's negotiation skills are quite impressive. Of course, it was also because Li Yi first came to put pressure on him, and then he went to negotiate the terms, which is why he achieved such a good result.

This time, a general agreement has been reached; the specifics will be finalized later.

"As soon as the King took action, the Zheng family of Xingyang immediately lent him five thousand strings of cash. What a resounding victory!"

(End of this chapter)