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

Chapter 713 Going the opposite direction
The autumn wind is blowing.

At the head of Shenhe Plain, by the Yu River, under the privet tree,

Li Yi took the kids on a picnic and barbecue.

They roasted corn, roasted sweet potatoes, and even roasted edamame from the field.

The village head also cast a few nets into the Yu River, catching some small fish and shrimp. He then cut some willow branches, strung the fish and shrimp together, and grilled them by the fire.

The head of the village even wanted to roast the several nests of weasels that Li Hua had taken, but Li Yi firmly refused.

He was worried that these bold little guys wouldn't be able to handle it.

The headman dug up some potatoes and buried them in the charcoal fire to roast.

"Ah Lang, I'm going to kill a sheep to roast."

"No, please don't! I was just having some fun with them."

Li Shu was very bold; she not only helped skewer fish and shrimp, but also learned to use her skills to skewer and grill grasshoppers she caught.

Four-year-old Princess Li Wan of Yong'an County was much quieter, only daring to look with curiosity and timidity, and not daring to touch it.

The eldest son, Li Cong, wanted to roast the two little frogs he had caught, while the second son, Duke An Ding, Li Yan, had the most creative idea: to roast butterflies…

The tabby cat brought a bird from somewhere. Li Yi looked closely and it seemed to be a quail. He was so frightened that he trembled.

"Roast the bird, roast the bird!" Li Yan shouted the loudest.

The Li family was never short of food, and Li Yi wasn't particularly frugal; he was someone who enjoyed life and had high standards for food.

Unlike his senior brother Wei Zheng, who became prime minister and had a large courtyard in Chang'an, his house still had a thatched roof and he usually ate simple meals.

The Li family has a good diet, and the children are not picky eaters.

But today, out in the wild, they seemed more interested in these wild foods.

The conditions were simple; there was no oven or smokeless charcoal, so they used whatever was available, and the lack of seasonings didn't matter.

The advantage lies in the feeling of doing it yourself and participating personally.

Li Yu suggested that the quail be made into beggar's chicken: "Plucking the feathers, removing the internal organs, wrapping it in lotus leaves, then covering it with a layer of yellow mud, burying it in charcoal fire and roasting it until cooked, that's when it tastes the best."

Upon hearing this, Li Wan turned to look at her younger sister, who was about the same age as her, and asked, "Have you tried it?"

"Yes, I've eaten."

When Li Yu was fleeing famine with her parents in Jianghuai, her father once prepared this dish for her, a delicacy she could never forget.

Now, my parents' faces are gradually becoming blurry.
But the taste of that beggar's chicken and sparrow dish remains so vivid in my memory.

Little Fatty Li Yan immediately said, "Beggar's Chicken, Beggar's Chicken, Sister Yu, let's make beggar's chicken."

Li Yi looked at the trembling little quail in the cat's mouth. Even if it was plucked and roasted, it wouldn't be enough to fill a tooth gap.

But today's main focus is on having fun.

So he sent the head of the farm to pick some lotus leaves.

He quietly instructed him, "Take some men and catch a few more birds."

Old Tian, ​​the village head, said, "Young man, there are chickens in the village, big and small, roosters, hens, and capons. I'll kill them and bring them over."

"No, no chickens, go get some birds, or forget it."

Today's focus is on having fun and enjoying the outdoors.

"Didn't Father say that the most beautiful sight on Shenhe Plain is when the wheat fields roll in golden waves? Why don't I see any golden wheat fields?" Li Cong asked.

“Wheat ripens in summer, around the Dragon Boat Festival,” Li Yi instructed his son. “Wheat is planted around the Mid-Autumn Festival. As the old saying goes, ‘Plant early when it’s White Dew, plant late when it’s Cold Dew, and plant wheat right when it’s Autumn Equinox.’”

“In our Shenhe Plain in Chang’an, the traditional way is to grow wheat on the plateau and harvest it in summer. Rice is grown on the riverbank below the plateau and harvested in autumn. Soybeans and other crops are intercropped. These corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes are all newly introduced auspicious crops.”

Li Cong said, "I know. Mother said that corn and sweet potatoes are auspicious gifts from Father. They originally came from the Dongyi people overseas."

"Father, there is no fire."

A bunch of kids, who can carry a torch? They all look at each other.

"You can start a fire even without a source of tinder, like by rubbing sticks together to make fire." Li Yi actually made a simple fire drill.

"When using the drill-and-poke method, the selection of wood is very important..."

Back when Li Yi first arrived, he experienced making fire by rubbing sticks together. At that time, they moved to a thatched hut in the rice paddy, and according to custom, they needed to replace the fire with a new one.

His hands hurt from rubbing them so much that time.

Now, he can use a bow and drill to obtain fire.

The little ones watched with great interest.

Du Shiniang and Ji Lingyi stood far away, not bothering Li Yi as he played with the children. They didn't care whether the children were covered in mud or grime.
They admired the autumn scenery and discussed how much harvest and income the farm would have this year.

"I never expected Ah Lang to be so patient with the kids."

"Yes, this is a rare sight indeed."

"If only Ah Lang could spend more time with us like this."

The ever-victorious general who could command thousands of troops on the battlefield could also lead these little kids so well.

"Don't even mention it, none of us women are as good at taking care of her as he is."

"Yes, look how much those kids like him."

"It's been so long, and not a single one has come back to look for us."

“I can’t bear to part with a one- or two-year-old child.”

Li Yi took the children to make fire by rubbing sticks together, dug a stove out of the ground, arranged for them to collect firewood, and taught them how to grill skewers.

How to roast sweet potatoes and potatoes by burying them in a fire.

And how to make beggar's chicken using yellow mud and water.

There were about ten children, ranging from four or five years old to one or two years old, all listening and learning with great attention.

The autumn breeze is cool.

Neither hot nor cold

It's perfect for an autumn picnic.

After working for half a day,

Li Yi even took out paper and pen and began to sketch and paint the scene of the day onto the paper scroll.

"Wow, this is the eldest sister!" Little Fatty Li Yan exclaimed. The eldest sister's braids were the most distinctive feature, and she was also leading a raccoon named Ahua, who only recognized the eldest sister.

“This is our second brother, the fattest one among us,” Li Cong said, pointing to a chubby little boy in the painting.

Li Yan quickly defended herself, "I'm not fat, I'm just sturdy."

A picture of an autumn picnic is finished.

The food was almost ready. The grilled fish and shrimp were already emitting a wonderful aroma, although some were burnt or charred.

But the little ones couldn't wait to start eating.

They can roast corn and edamame without getting burned.

"Be careful when eating fish, there might be bones."

Li Yi looked at the younger ones and gave instructions to the older ones.

The wives and concubines over there came after smelling the fragrance.

Seeing the child with hands and mouth covered in black food, almost unrecognizable as their own, all they could do was smile wryly and help.

Pick out the fish fillets, carefully remove the bones and thorns, and help peel off the charred edamame shells.
The sweet potatoes, potatoes, and beggar's chicken roasted over charcoal are also ready.

"You should try some too. It tastes especially delicious when eaten in nature," Li Yi said with a smile to his wives and concubines.

Most of these noblewomen from Chang'an came from prestigious families and had certainly experienced picnics before, but this was their first time ever.

The corn was a bit old and burnt, so it didn't taste very good and it made my hands, mouth, and teeth dirty.

The fish and shrimp were all small, miscellaneous fish, with little meat and many bones, and they had a muddy taste. Most of them were burnt, and some were even charred.

It didn't have any seasonings and wasn't marinated beforehand, so the taste was just average.

The roasted sweet potatoes were very fragrant.

That beggar's chicken is actually just roasted quail and sparrow; they're too small, so there's not much meat.

But the little ones ate with great relish.
Even the toddlers who are a little over a year old and still breastfeeding keep eating and keep asking for more.

Du Shiniang ate while laughing and said, "I must say, it's quite interesting."

Li Shu brought a string of roasted grasshoppers to her stepmother as a token of respect, insisting that she try some, which left her both amused and exasperated.

She couldn't avoid it, so she symbolically broke off one leg.

Jin Yushu was terrified by the string of roasted grasshoppers. Li Shu had been raised by her since childhood, and even after Jin Yushu gave birth to Liu Lang, Li Shu still spent most of her time with her.

Du Shiniang and the others watched as Li Shu insisted on showing filial piety to Jin Shi, with the mother and daughter running and chasing each other, laughing from ear to ear.

This picnic,

Everyone enjoyed the meal very much.
Everyone's hands, mouth, and teeth were all blackened.
The children played for half a day,
Some eventually ran out of power, shut down, and fell asleep.

They were each carried back to their rooms in the manor by their respective nannies and went to sleep.

Luo Sanniang pointed to the Yu River in front of her, "We used to have a millstone on this Yu River, which could grind rice and flour, and the annual income was quite good. But with just one word from Ah Lang, the millstone would affect the irrigation of the people on both sides of the river, and it was demolished without warning."

“We originally had about 5,000 mu of land here, but with just one word from Alang, we sold off only 2,000 mu.”

Li Yi smiled, looking at the beautiful scenery.
"Building weirs, embankments, and millstones on the Yu River can indeed generate substantial and continuous profits, but it's also true that it impacts irrigation. Every year during irrigation season, countless disputes and conflicts arise over water, causing numerous complaints from the people."
Sometimes, the two villages would even fight over a little water, resulting in deaths and injuries.

Dismantling this millstone would be a good deed that brings us merit.

Besides, even if we don't have a water mill, we can build a large windmill. We've already consulted with the craftsmen, and construction can begin soon.
The efficiency won't be much worse than this water conservancy project, and it won't affect the people's water supply, so we won't be criticized by the people behind our backs.

"Is there really such a wonderful thing?"

"Yes, the construction and maintenance costs are a bit higher, but not by much. The advantage is that it doesn't have many restrictions on its use."

Chang'an, especially the capital region, had a large number of noble families, wealthy clans, and temples, many of whom were major landowners.

They built dikes, dams, and millstones on these canals in the capital region for profit, but this affected irrigation. The more water was scarce, the less they were willing to release water in order to keep the millstones running.

This is similar to a later generation where someone leased a rural reservoir to raise fish. When the dry season came, the farmers wanted to release water to protect their crops, but the person who leased the reservoir wanted to protect the fish and refused to release water. Neither of them would give in easily, and in the end, the fish were saved, but the crops died of drought.

The owners of these mills in the capital region were all people of status and influence, so whenever conflicts arose, it was always the common people who suffered.

"The General's Camp is only twenty li away from Chang'an. This land is so precious." Luo Sanniang still felt regretful.

"What's the big deal? We still have two thousand acres of the best land left, all of it connected together as one large plot."

The other, smaller, less desirable plots of land were sold off, and besides, they were prioritized for our relatives, friends, employees, and tenants.

"Ah Lang also said that when this land was sold to his own employees and tenants, the payments were made in installments by contract, and no one actually paid for the land out of their own pocket." Luo San Niang felt that Li Yi was too good to his employees, farmhands, and tenants.

Without spending a single penny, one can buy ten, twenty, or even thirty acres of land.

"You women are all talk and no action. Let me put it simply: a poor family rents our land and lives solely on it. They have to pay rent, and even rent oxen and farm tools, barely making ends meet at the end of the year. If they encounter any disaster or unexpected event, they might not be able to survive."

If we lease the land to them and something serious happens to them, it will affect our land rent.

If we sell some of our land to them, so they have their own piece of land and can then lease another portion, their ability to withstand risks will be greatly enhanced.
They can farm the land peacefully, and our rental income from the land will also be stable.

Besides, even though we let them pay for the land in installments, we still charge interest. Even if the interest is very low, there is still a return, isn't there?

The money from selling the land will be recovered sooner or later, plus interest, and you'll have more stable tenants and rent. Don't you think that's a good thing?

“What you say makes sense, my lord. I just feel that there’s no such good thing anywhere else in the world,” said Luo San Niang.

"You'll understand later. Landlords can't keep all their land for slaves to cultivate. Most of it has to be rented out. Only stable tenants can guarantee the income from the land."

“Generally, small landlords only rent their land to their relatives, who must have a certain amount of wealth and credit, and they may even have to pay a deposit before renting the land.”

"We have plenty of land, so this method won't work. It's perfect that we're giving away some land and selling some to them."

Selling land can make money, and buying land in installments can earn interest. Moreover, once the family's employees, farmhands, and tenants have some land, they can be more stable.

In short, it's a win-win situation.

If the tenant is exploited to the point of running away or unable to repay debts, then the debt becomes a dead debt or bad debt. If the land is left uncultivated or there is no intention to cultivate it, resulting in a poor harvest, the landlord will also suffer considerable losses.

Stability is the foundation.

This applies to a landlord's family, and it also applies to a country.

"But, if the principal and interest are to be repaid in installments over ten years for ten mu of land, twenty mu for twenty years, and the maximum for thirty mu, it can even be repaid in installments over thirty years, isn't that too long?" Luo San Niang asked.

"It's better to wait longer, so the principal and interest repayment won't be too heavy," Li Yi said with a smile.

Another key aspect of the long installment period is that it binds them to the Li family before repayment. Furthermore, this long-term debt is also a financial product; the longer the term, the higher the interest.

Even if the interest rate is very low compared to other companies, it is still a financial product that continuously earns interest.

Of course, Li Yi also allowed them to pay off their debts early, so Li Yi wouldn't lose out no matter what.

In fact, many rural landlords did not primarily earn income from land rent, but from lending money and collecting interest. They were ruthless, using methods such as "nine out of thirteen" and "borrow one and repay three." They forced people to sell their fields, houses, livestock, wives, and daughters at rock-bottom prices, thus both acquiring land and making extra money.

Land rent was only the capital they used to operate lending businesses and run small workshops, but their main source of income was lending, which meant they were exploiting the local people.

Li Yi didn't follow that approach. He also lent money and grain, but at lower interest rates, yet still managed to generate decent returns. While focusing on his own development, he also encouraged those around him to join him, which ensured stability.

The benefits of stability are often unnoticed by small landowners.

Some people only know how to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs and drain the pond to catch all the fish, but Li Yi wants to build ponds and chicken farms, and feed the fish in the ponds and the chickens in the farms, so that he will have an inexhaustible supply of fish and eggs.

Third Sister sighed, "They are truly fortunate to have met a master like Ah Lang!"

(End of this chapter)