Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 10 Zhang Luonu's Audacity

The more Zhang Luo thought about it, the more excited he became, so much so that he couldn't help but beam with joy.

Later in his spare time, he also read some historical online novels. In these novels, the protagonists usually engage in a behavior, that is, plagiarism, and gain reputation, fame and satisfaction by copying famous poems and essays of the ancients.

Poetry was the primary subject of these literary plagiarisms. After all, poetry often embodies intense emotions, easily stirring emotions. Furthermore, it is a highly refined literary essence, easily transmitted and memorized. Therefore, Tang poetry and Song lyrics resonate across time and space, across dimensions, and even across different races.

But the treasures in the ancient cultural and literary treasure house are not limited to poetry. Other literary genres also have great potential that deserves further exploration.

Among these various literary genres, epitaphs, as a relatively special genre of applied writing, are relatively rare, yet possess immense value. This value is primarily reflected in historical scholarship in later generations, and in its ability to be realized in contemporary times.

At most, copying poetry and prose can give people emotional resonance, enhance social prestige, and perhaps indirectly benefit them. However, if one happens to meet an unrefined person like Emperor Yang of Sui, copying a line like "Empty beams and falling swallow mud" may even put one's life in danger.

The ability to monetize epitaphs was unparalleled in the ancient cultural industry. They relied on a simple exchange of money for the inscription, eliminating the need for intermediaries and allowing for direct transactions. Furthermore, the market for this business was enormous. After all, death is inevitable, and those with a bit of financial resources wanted to have their ancestors buried with honor and their glorious deeds passed down to future generations.

The profit margin of epitaphs is still very huge. The most famous one is Yao Chong, who was also a famous prime minister in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Before his death, he instructed his sons to display precious treasures in front of Zhang Shuo when he came to pay his respects, so as to tempt Zhang Shuo to write an epitaph for him.

Although in this story, Yao Chong still needed more political protection, it also shows that the labor cost in this industry is indeed not low, and it will not be possible to save money just because the owner has a high status.

Li Yong, another famous Tang Dynasty scholar, is the Li Beihai in Li Bai's poems. He is also a famous epitaph writer. History records that "although he was demoted and exiled, officials in the court and temples all over the country often sent him money and silk to ask for his works", so that "people at that time believed that since ancient times, no one had made money by selling works as well as Yong."

However, in the subject of epitaphs, in terms of the number of surviving epitaphs by Tang Dynasty writers, Li Yong still doesn't make the top three. The first is Han Yu, the leader of the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties, the second is Liu Gongquan, one of the Four Great Masters of Regular Script, and the third is Zhang Shuo, a great calligrapher of the High Tang Dynasty.

The number of Zhang Shuo's works is not as large as the former, not because of the difference in quality. Firstly, his time is older and the number of archaeological discoveries is limited. Secondly, Zhang Shuo's political status is higher than the former two. Especially after he became the prime minister, he would not easily write and sell his works. He mainly wrote for his deceased relatives and friends and in response to imperial edicts.

For example, Xu Shen, the military officer of Henan Prefecture, is willing to offer a hundred strings of cash, but he cannot even enter Zhang Shuo's house, so he cannot spend the money even if he wants to.

What really excited Zhang Luo was not the hundred strings of money handed to him by Xu Shen, but his realization that he could completely revive the sinking market that his grandfather Zhang Shuo had given up after he became successful. It would not just be about having a full meal, but about having a full meal every day!
This practice is certainly somewhat immoral, but from Zhang Luo's perspective, he has been excluded and treated coldly in the Zhang family and has suffered great emotional harm. Shouldn't he charge some interest?

As for those who ask for epitaphs to be written, they just hope to get works by famous artists to comfort the spirits of their ancestors, and of course, more importantly, to comfort themselves. As long as this matter is not exposed, they can always feel satisfied.

Are people without power and status not worthy of fulfilling their filial duties to their ancestors?
Zhang Luo absolutely disagrees. He believes that anyone who is sincere enough should get such an opportunity, and he is willing to do his best to meet the demands of these people!
He could even try to embed some later-generation textual tropes in the inscriptions, so that these inscriptions can become internet celebrities once they are released, and his family stories can be spread more widely, with much better results than those written by contemporary masters.

In a short period of time, Zhang Luo not only solidified his resolve to write epitaphs for others, but he even prepared himself mentally to counteract his guilt. While others were outlaws, enforcing justice on behalf of the people, he was about to become a righteous scholar, robbing the rich to help the poor. Both shouldered the responsibility of morality, and even thieves had their own code of conduct!
Zhou Liang and his son naturally had no idea about Zhang Luo's rich psychological activities. Seeing that his expression kept changing but he remained silent, Zhou Liang felt a little embarrassed.

The other party is a noble young man from a famous family. He is grateful and humble. He raised a small question, but I cannot give a satisfactory answer. It is really unacceptable.

So, after a moment's deliberation, Zhou Liang spoke again, "Right now, the government is prioritizing the maintenance of agriculture for the newly registered households. Sir, you can order the farmhands to gather the villagers in their villages and have them come to the government office to make a report. Once the government has recorded this, I can dispatch a team of soldiers to repair the canal and dam."

Although Zhang Luo already had a plan to handle Xu's request, he was still curious about Zhou Liang's proposed workaround, so he couldn't help but ask, "Why is this? Does that mean those old registered households no longer need to farm?"

"That's not the case. It's just that the imperial court has been pushing for land and household confiscation in recent years. While Henan Prefecture is fine with expanding households, confiscation of land hasn't been very effective. Newly confiscated households have no land to grant, and many of the existing households are protected by powerful families and exempt from taxes. While newly registered households are temporarily exempt from rent and taxes, they still receive a share of the Ding tax. If they lose their jobs, even this share might be lost..."

Hearing Zhou Liang's explanation, Zhang Luo recalled the situation of the people in his hometown, and a gradual understanding began to dawn on him. To expand tax revenue, the imperial court implemented the household registration and land registration system. To lure fugitives back to their homeland, they offered relatively favorable terms: several years of rent exemption, with an annual tax of 1,500 coins per adult. While this was certainly a favorable condition, it presupposed that the land was granted along with the household registration.

Henan Prefecture was densely populated, and while the work of enrolling households was highly successful, enrolling land was a challenge. Because many powerful individuals in the vicinity of Luoyang controlled vast tracts of land, the resistance to enrolling land was immense. Enrolling so many households but lacking the corresponding land to grant was a naturally awkward situation.

Take Zhang Luo's own family, for example. His farmland was granted during the reign of Emperor Wu, but it had since disappeared from official records. The imperial court could collect no rent from the two hundred acres of land. Although his family members had become registered citizens, the government had no land to grant, so they could only continue to rent and cultivate their farmland. The original tenant-rent relationship remained unchanged, except that the registered households had to pay taxes in addition to the rent.

Now the government is trying every possible way to retain this part of the new taxpayers. Once this part of the taxpayers is lost again, the court will naturally investigate and punish them severely.

After understanding this situation, Zhang Luo couldn't help but sigh. Even during the prosperous Kaiyuan period, local administration had already suffered from many problems. The situation would inevitably become even more difficult during the even more chaotic Tianbao period and the subsequent An Lushan Rebellion.

However, at present he was powerless and even faced many difficulties that he himself could not solve, so he could only sigh a few times.

The three of them had finished their breakfast and were chatting in the courtyard when suddenly a burst of rapid coughing was heard in the room. Zhou Liang and his son quickly apologized and rushed back to the room.

After a long while, Zhou Liangcai walked out of the room again, looking somewhat gloomy and worried. Zhang Luo couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with Madam Zhou? Have you called a doctor for a diagnosis?"

"My wife has been suffering from rheumatism for several years now. Despite her treatment, the underlying condition is incurable and she can only recuperate at home. Due to my duties at the government office, I work extensively outside the home, earning a meager salary to support myself. My son works as a domestic servant, so I can be close by and take care of his mother."

When talking about his wife's illness, Zhou Liang couldn't help but sigh, his eyes slightly red. It was obvious that the couple had a sincere relationship. He was heartbroken that his wife was suffering from the disease, and ashamed that he could only provide such a poor life for his family.

Zhang Luo remained silent upon hearing this. Rheumatism was a broad category of illness in ancient times, not just cardiovascular disease. Even a noble emperor would find it difficult to cure. For example, Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, even entrusted government to women, sparking the Wu Zhou Revolution. Families like Zhou Liang's could only endure this agony and wait for death.

Zhou Lang was carrying a clay pot outside the yard to boil some medicine for his mother when a young girl's sweet voice suddenly rang out: "You're not preparing the medicine the right way. It won't boost its effectiveness."

Zhang Luo walked out of the yard upon hearing the noise. He saw Ah Ying, dressed in a cloth skirt, standing outside the yard. She was pointing at the herbs in the earthenware jar and talking to Zhou Lang. He quickly said, "Ah Ying, don't talk nonsense. Madam Zhou is still in the room waiting to take her medicine!"

"Alang..."

One day after they separated, Ah Ying's face lit up when she saw Ah Lang. However, when she heard the scolding, she pouted again and whispered, "But this is wrong. Take this out, crush it, soak it in rice water for half an hour, and then boil it and drink it. The medicinal power will definitely be better!"

Hearing Ah Ying's confident words, Zhang Luo couldn't help but feel a little suspicious, but Zhou Lang preferred to believe it and tried it. After filtering out the medicine and giving it to his mother to take, Mrs. Zhou's complexion was indeed much better than usual.

Zhang Luo was still waiting anxiously in the yard. When Zhou Lang came out excitedly to tell him the results, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to look at A Ying and said, "You really have some skills?"

"I learned this at the Nanshi Pharmacy before. How could I not be diligent in making medicine for A-Lang? Even the doctor of medicine at the pharmacy praised my talent!"

After receiving Ah Lang's praise, Ah Ying immediately showed a proud smile and asked, "My mother asked me to ask if Ah Lang is coming home today?"

Zhang Luo had nothing else to do, so he agreed with Zhou Liang to visit again in two days. He would then deliver the epitaph Xu Shen had requested, and as for the money and silk Xu Shen had given him, he would leave it at Zhou's house for the time being. He did not dare to take this large amount of money, which came from unknown sources, directly back to the Zhang family mansion.

(End of this chapter)