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

Chapter 712 Leaving the Capital
In the sixth year of Wude,

Before the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate jointly submitted a memorial requesting a review of the case of Du Fuwei's treason, which was approved by the emperor.

After review by the three judicial departments and deliberation by the prime ministers of the State Council, Du Fuwei was exonerated and buried with the rites due to the Duke of Wu. His son inherited the title, and his general Dai Yi was put in charge of the funeral arrangements. Kan Leng was also exonerated.

This case involves Prince Zhao, Li Xiaogong. He had led his army to quell the rebellion of Fu Gongshi. Before Fu Gongshi was defeated and died, he falsely accused Kan Leng and Du Fuwei of plotting against him. Li Xiaogong then confiscated the property of Kan Leng and others in Danyang.

Kan Leng was the adopted son of Du Fuwei. He was skilled in using the Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) and had distinguished himself in battle. He followed Du Fuwei to the Tang Dynasty and was appointed Left General of the Imperial Guard and Governor of Yuezhou. After Fu Gongshi's rebellion, he followed the Tang army in campaigns and made many contributions. However, after the war, Li Xiaogong confiscated his property. Kan Leng went to Li Xiaogong to appeal, and the two had an argument.

Li Xiaogong then executed this fierce general on charges of treason.

Now that the court has exonerated Kan Leng, Li Xiaogong has also been implicated.

The emperor issued an edict, changing the title of Prince Zhao, Li Xiaogong, to Prince of Hejian and transferring him to the position of Prefect of Jinzhou.

This 33-year-old prince of the imperial clan was demoted and banished from Chang'an.

···
Prince Li Yi of Dai also left Chang'an by carriage.
He and Li Xiaogong happened to leave the capital on the same day. Li Xiaogong traveled lightly out of the East Gate to take up his post in Hedong, while Li Yi took his wives, concubines, and children back to Yusu countryside in large and small carts to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Once outside the south gate of Chang'an,

Li Yi didn't want to ride in a carriage; he wanted to ride a horse.

Du Shiniang pulled him along, "Can't you just relax for a moment?"

"I haven't tamed that Qinghai horse yet," Li Yi said. It was a good horse, but a bit wild.

"That horse has thrown off its owner; it's no longer rideable. Let's sell it." Du Shiniang wouldn't let her husband ride the Qinghai Dragon Steed anymore.

The little maid Li Shu said in the carriage, "Mother, what's so hard about taming a horse? You only need three things to tame a Qinghai horse."

"Oh, our little chili pepper is so young, yet she knows how to tame horses. What three items do you need to tame the Qinghai horse?" Li Yi asked with a smile, holding the little girl in his arms.

"That's easy. First, whip them with an iron whip. If they still don't submit, strike them on the head with an iron hammer. Then, stab them with a short dagger!"

"This girl," Du Shiniang tugged at her little ear, "Is this how you train horses? With iron whips, iron hammers, and short knives, are you training horses or killing them?"

The little girl raised her head, her chubby cheeks puffed out, and said seriously, "If you can't tame them, kill them. What's the point of keeping them alive?"

"Hahaha," Li Yi laughed, his words, though innocent and uttered, actually made some sense.

“Why does this child have such a murderous aura? This Qinghai horse is a fine steed. If it can’t be tamed, just sell it and get a new one. There’s no need to tame it,” Du Shiniang said.

Li Yi said to his wife, "From now on, let this girl learn more about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Don't let her always follow Ping An and Tai Ping around practicing swordsmanship. She's become too wild. If she gets married in the future, her son-in-law will be bullied."

"She really needs to rein in her temper. She's a dignified princess of Daning County. The husband she chooses in the future should either be from a prominent family or a family with meritorious service. She can't be too wild."

The carriage slowly traveled along the official road south of the city.

Because four of his wives and concubines were pregnant, and he was accompanied by more than a dozen children, the motorcade traveled extremely slowly. Fortunately, this was the Jingnan Avenue, which was very flat, so the ride was not bumpy.

"Many people have come to inquire about our Shuniang, wanting to arrange a marriage."

"Oh, which families want to marry our young lady?" Li Yi asked.

"The queues can stretch for miles."

Li Yi also knew that these families didn't really value Li Shu's virtue and kindness, since she was only five years old; they valued her family background more.

After all, Li Yi, while not exactly wielding absolute power, certainly enjoyed immense influence and favor.

Even if others know that Li Shu is Li Yi's adopted daughter, she is still the eldest daughter of the Li family and has the title of county princess bestowed by the royal family.

The Zheng family of Xingyang, the Li family of Zhao County, the Cui family of Qinghe, and other five surnames and seven families all wanted to form a marriage alliance. Choosing a son from a prominent family to marry into the Li Yi family would be quite a good idea.

The nobles of Guanzhong and the newly rich from the military also wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Li family.

Looking at his adorable daughter in his arms, Li Yi treated her as his own, even though she had been abandoned at his doorstep by villagers. He had raised her little by little over the years.

"No rush, no rush."

He has only formed a marriage alliance with Changsun Wuji; his eldest son, Ping Anlang, is engaged to Changsun Wuji's eldest daughter.

"Shuniang, when you grow up, you can choose a handsome young man yourself, how about it?"

Li Shu smiled and said, "Does growing up mean you have to get married?"

"Yes, when we grow up, we get married, have children, become parents, and life continues."

Li Shu pouted and thought about it seriously, "Then I want to find a husband like my father in the future."

"Hahaha," Li Yi laughed, very happy.

Shi Niang said, "That's difficult. There aren't many men in the world as capable as your father. They're as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns."

They chatted all the way.
"My second sister-in-law is also pregnant, and she jokingly said that she wants to arrange a betrothal between them since they were children."

The second sister-in-law mentioned by Du Shiniang is Lady Cai, the wife of Du Ruhui, the current Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Li Yi frowned upon hearing this.

People in the Tang Dynasty liked to arrange marriages between close relatives, even betrothing children to their unborn children.

Since the Northern and Southern Dynasties, aristocratic families have favored betrothal since childhood. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the betrothal between the Lu and Wang families was even presided over by Cui Hao, the Minister of Works at the time.

Two pregnant women enter into a contract in the womb, but the contract is only valid if the babies are born a boy and a girl.

The Du family wanted to strengthen their ties through marriage.
Li Yi, however, was against it.

"You and Kemin are cousins ​​from the same grandfather. The two children are very closely related by blood. If they get married and have children, there is a high probability that they will be born with birth defects or abnormalities."

"If the Du family wants to form a marriage alliance with our family, I won't object. It can be our illegitimate son marrying their illegitimate daughter, or their illegitimate son marrying our illegitimate daughter, but it absolutely cannot be a marriage between them and your child," Li Yi told his wife solemnly.

Seeing her husband so serious, Shi Niang
Somewhat puzzled.

"I only know that people with the same surname should not marry, but I didn't know that close relatives should not marry. Will children born from close relatives really be deformed?"

"There's a high probability that you and Kemin are cousins, too closely related by blood. Your children shouldn't get married."

Li Yi was adamant: a marriage between the Li and Du families was acceptable, but Du Shiniang's child could not marry into the Du family.

Shi Niang remained silent.

“I’m doing this for the good of both families,” Li Yi said, gently patting his wife’s hand.

Shi Niang said, "Since ancient times, there have been so many marriages between cousins, making the family even closer. The rule is that people with the same surname cannot marry, but cousins ​​are considered very close relatives."

Li Yi patiently persuaded him.

People in ancient times did not fully understand the dangers of consanguineous marriage. Even today, without consanguineous marriage, the probability of having a baby with deformities, congenital disabilities, or intellectual disabilities is still quite high.
Miscarriage and premature death are also very common.

That's all too common. And the infant survival rate is low.

This also means that deformities caused by consanguineous marriage are not so prominent, and even these deformed or disabled infants may not survive or may be abandoned.

After all, not all children born from consanguineous marriages are mentally challenged or disabled; some are normal, and there is even a small probability that they will be smarter or more outstanding.

Therefore, many people only see the benefits and not the drawbacks.

The carriage traveled twenty li and arrived at the general's camp at the head of Shenhe Plain.

In autumn, the Shenhe Plain is covered with fiery red leaves, which contrast beautifully with the emerald green river.

Along the banks of the Yu River, the Shuibin Forest stands like rows of guards.

Li Yi stepped out of the carriage.
The autumn wind blows in gusts, swirling up fallen leaves and withered grass.

"It looks like it's going to rain."

The stewards and managers of General Li's camp arrived early to wait.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the corn in the General's Camp fields was just entering harvest season.

In the fields, adults and children alike pitched in, carrying baskets to pluck corn. One ear after another was broken off, filling basket after basket.

Young children also sat on the ground, helping to peel the corn husks.

The golden corn kernels were revealed, bringing joy to everyone's face.

With the autumn rains approaching, everyone is busy harvesting. Harvesting corn is hard work; a family of four or five may not be able to harvest an acre of corn in a day.

But everyone remained highly motivated.

This is all grain.

Even though grain prices plummeted after the summer harvest this year, with a bushel of millet costing only ten or so yuan, people still cherish their food.

It is said that low grain prices hurt farmers, but when grain prices are high, even life cannot be saved.

They kept breaking off ears of corn, until all ten fingers were covered in thorns, which not only hurt but also bled, but no one would stop.

The elderly and children all pitched in to ensure the harvest was collected as soon as possible.

The corn stalks, which resembled a green curtain, were also tinged with yellow.
Li Yi had been traveling by carriage for half a day.

Instead of resting at the manor, they went straight down to the fields to watch everyone busy with the autumn harvest.

Let's share in the joy of the autumn harvest.

"This year's corn yield is good. Our General's Camp estate planted a lot of corn and had a good harvest."

Corn is a whole grain, but for ordinary people, the distinction between whole grains and refined grains is not important; what matters is which has a higher yield so that they can fill their stomachs more.

Li Yi's estate in the general's camp had two thousand acres of land. Wheat was planted on the plateau, rice was planted along the Yu River below the plateau, and corn, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and other crops were planted on the slopes of the plateau.

The estate also has pig farms, cattle farms, and chicken and duck farms.

There were also many workshops such as tofu workshops and oil mills.

Li Yi carefully observed the working people and noticed that, compared to when he first acquired this land a few years ago, the people here looked pale and sickly, as if they might be blown away by the wind at any moment.
Although people's clothes are still patched, they are at least not so emaciated, their faces are no longer numb, and their eyes are full of joy and hope, making them very energetic.

Walking on the fields of hope,

The air was filled with the joy of a bountiful harvest.

Behind Li Yi followed a long tail, with the eldest sister, Li Shu, leading a group of her younger brothers and sisters.

They were filled with curiosity about everything in the countryside.

If you see a grasshopper, you'll chase it; if you see a butterfly, you'll shoo it away.
They weren't afraid of the frogs at all; on the contrary, they excitedly chased and pounced on them.
quickly,

This group of minor nobles, holding titles such as county princess, duke, prefectural duke, county marquis, and county baron, soon found their brocade robes and embroidered garments covered in dust, as were their faces and hands.

Li Yi ignored them and let them run wild.

These little guys, one holding a frog, the other catching a grasshopper, are excitedly squeaking and chattering.

Li Shu also brought back the tabby cat, Zhaocai.
The tabby cat returning to the fields is like a king returning to patrol his territory.
A rat darted out from the edge of the field.

The tabby cat swiftly pounced, catching the fat, white-bellied weasel. But it didn't kill it immediately, nor did it eat it right away.
Instead, it carried the weasel to its young master's side, threw it in front of Li Shu, and showed off its spoils.

Li Shu and her companions had never seen such a large yellow rat on the plateau before, even in Chang'an. Curious, they gathered around to watch. The rat pretended to be dead for a while.

Seeing the big cat watching the butterflies fluttering about, it quickly got up and ran away.

Li Shu and the others yelled, "Ahua, catch it quickly! The big yellow rat is about to escape!"

The tabby cat remained calm and let the weasel run for a while before pouncing on it, capturing it, and throwing it back in front of its young master.

The weasel continued to play dead.

He tried to escape again after a while, but was arrested again.
After this happened several times, the weasel lay down in despair.

One of the village foremen accompanying Li Yi kept his eyes fixed on the large yellow rat; it was huge and extremely fat.
Roasting rice straw and then stewing it makes for an absolutely delicious dish.

Seeing that he was practically drooling, Li Yi laughed and called out, "Zhao Cai, if you're going to eat, then eat; if you're not going to, then don't mess with him."

Zhao Cai turned its head away, seemingly disliking the old name given to it by its former master, Li Yi.

"If you're not going to eat it, then I'll give it away."

Li Yi said to the head of the village, "This weasel is your extra meal for tonight!"

"Thank you for the generous gift, Master." The headman was overjoyed. This weasel must weigh over a pound; it would make a delicious dish.

Li Shu watched as the head of the village laughed and picked up the weasel.
"Ah Huang, go and catch a few more big yellow rats."

Looking at the corn cobs in the field, Li Yi smiled and said to the children, "Let's go pick corn and dig up sweet potatoes, then we'll make a fire here and roast the corn and sweet potatoes, how about that?"

"Yeah."

"Roasted corn, roasted sweet potatoes!"

A group of children were jumping and skipping with great joy!

The tabby cat glanced at them disdainfully, then disappeared into the cornfield, where it spotted the big yellow rat.

(End of this chapter)