Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 391 My Jieli, It Smells So Good!
When Wen He returned to the mansion with Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng, the sun was almost at noon.

At the gate of the mansion, the steward Zhou Fu and two servants were waiting there. When the carriage stopped, they quickly stepped forward and bowed.

"Welcome back to the young master's residence."

"Hmm." Wen He jumped out of the car, casually dusted off her clothes, and asked casually.

"Is there any news from the farm? The rice in Gejiazhuang should be ready for harvest by now; someone should be coming to report it."

Zhou Fu followed Wen He inside, replying as he spoke: "This old servant was also wondering about that, but the farmers from the Forbidden Garden sent someone over a couple of days ago. They said that although there was little rain this year, they had built irrigation canals in advance to divert water from the Wei River for irrigation. A few days ago, they harvested a mu of land as a trial. The best ones yielded a shi (a unit of dry measure), and the worst ones yielded eight dou (another unit of dry measure)."

Wen He nodded.

This year, there has been a severe drought in the Guannei area. The fact that Jinyuan Farm was able to achieve this yield is entirely due to the irrigation works that were built previously.

He paused, then said to Zhou Fu, "The rent for the Forbidden Garden will be waived this year. Have someone inform the farmers to keep more grain for the winter."

Zhou Fu frowned and said hesitantly, "Young master, I'm afraid this is not appropriate. A while ago you waived the rent and interest for other estates, and some people outside have already gonessiped that you were deliberately trying to win people over. Now, if you waive the rent for the Imperial Garden as well, firstly, it will make the tenants of other powerful families dissatisfied, and secondly... there are still the Imperial Estates."

He lowered his voice and added, "Her Majesty the Empress manages the imperial estates. You, a mere subject, have exempted the tenants from rent. If Your Majesty does not exempt them, it will give others grounds for criticism. If you do exempt them, how will the officials in the court conduct themselves? In the end, the blame will likely fall on you."

Wen He then realized the intricacies of the matter and sighed helplessly: "Then what do you suggest we do? We can't just watch the farmers work hard all year and then have to hand over most of their grain, can we?"

He wasn't exactly a good person.

But we can't just sit by and watch those people starve to death.

Zhou Fu heard this.

He sighed helplessly to himself.

'Young man, you are kind-hearted. If it were someone else, they wouldn't care about the lives of those farmers.'

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Why not accept the rent as usual, and then give it back double under the name of 'New Year's gift'? This way, we can set an example for outsiders, benefit the farmers, and avoid putting the Empress in a difficult position. It's a win-win-win situation."

After he finished speaking, Wen He pondered for a moment and looked at Meng Zhou and the others.

What do you think?

Meng Zhou was deep in thought.

Zhao Lei was also thinking about it.

Upon hearing this, Wu Sheng cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to you, sir, I believe that Steward Zhou's suggestion is feasible."

Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei then nodded in agreement with Zhou Fu's opinion.

Seeing that the three of them agreed, Wen He reluctantly nodded as well.

"Alright, we'll do it your way."

After saying that, he waved his hand and muttered to himself.

These days, if you want to do a good deed, you have to consider this and that.

It's like we're doing a good deed on our knees.

Wen He shook her head, putting the matter out of her mind, and led Meng Zhou and the others into the mansion.

As soon as they reached the entrance of the front hall, they heard light footsteps coming from inside.

Wenrou, dressed in a pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and with her hair styled in two buns, ran out like a little butterfly, followed by Li Ke, Li Tai, and Li You, the three little ones, as well as Li Yifu, who was standing under the eaves holding a book.

"Brothers! You're back!"

Wenrou ran up to Wenhe, tilting her little face up, her eyes sparkling.

"I heard from Adong that Brother Mengzhou, Brother Zhao, and Brother Wu received praise from His Majesty during the palace examination and were even granted official positions. Is that true?"

The news got back so quickly?

It seems that Li Shimin sent the message through people in the palace.

Wen He nodded calmly.

"it is true."

When Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng saw Wenrou, they couldn't help but smile.

They had lived in the Wen family mansion for more than half a year and had long regarded this junior nun as their own sister.

She was gentle and lively, and treated them with great affection, often bringing them homemade snacks.

Meng Zhou nodded with a smile, his tone filled with gratitude.

"We are able to be where we are today thanks to your teachings."

Li Tai also joined in, saying, "What's so great about that? I want to go to the frontier in the future and lead troops into battle like Father! When that time comes, I'll settle the accounts of grain and fodder and make you look at me with new eyes!"

"Oh?" Wen He raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing him.

"Then let me ask you, if there are 3,000 immigrant households in Shuofang County, and each household is given an ox, and each ox needs five catties of fodder per day, how much fodder would be needed in a month? Can you calculate it?"

Upon hearing this, Li Tai immediately frowned and began to think seriously.

He counted on his fingers and muttered, "Three thousand households means three thousand cattle, five catties a day, and thirty days a month... Three thousand times five is fifteen thousand, fifteen thousand times thirty is four hundred and fifty thousand! Hehe, four hundred and fifty thousand catties, right?"

Li Tai snorted lightly, his face full of smugness.

Wen He smiled and patted his head: "You calculated it well, so your studies haven't been in vain. But leading troops into battle involves more than just calculating supplies; you also have to consider troop deployment and marching distances. You still need to study harder."

Li Tai didn't take it seriously and gave Meng Zhou and the other two a smug look.

"This is nothing. When I grow up to be as old as them, I will definitely be better than them."

Li You, standing to the side, was not to be outdone: "I've also memorized what you told me about the effects of force and the three elements of force."

These two are probably showing off on purpose.

After all, they were among the first to learn the art compared to Meng Zhou and the others.

As a result, Meng Zhou and the others went to the palace examination today and were even given official positions. These two lads must be dissatisfied.

So I came here specifically to show it to the three of them.

This means that if we hadn't participated in the imperial examinations, we would definitely be better than you.

"Good, good, you two are great."

Wen He smiled, but it was only slightly perfunctory.

Li Yifu, standing under the eaves, looked at Meng Zhou and his companions with envy in his eyes.

He was different from Li Tai and others. Although his father was a prefect, he still had to rely on himself to get a government position.

Now he's just a minor official in the Ministry of Personnel.

Moreover, he had entered the sect before Meng Zhou and the others.

Wen He noticed Li Yifu's expression, walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

“Yifu, there’s no need to rush. Mengzhou and the others are pursuing the civil service through the imperial examinations. The path you will take in the future is different from theirs. You have good writing skills and a meticulous mind, which makes you suitable for handling government affairs in the central government. When you are two years older, I will introduce you to someone. What you need to do now is to be patient and learn and practice more.”

Li Yifu's talent is definitely greater than Meng Zhou's and the others.

He was, after all, a prime minister someday.

Wen He now wants to temper his temperament.

If a great villain can be transformed into a great loyal minister, that would be the greatest good.

Upon hearing this, Li Yifu immediately bowed and said firmly, "Thank you for your guidance, sir! I will certainly live up to your expectations and study documents and arithmetic every day. In the future, I will definitely serve you and the Tang Dynasty!"

Upon seeing this, Meng Zhou and the others bowed in unison: "We will not fail your teachings, sir, and will certainly do our best to live up to your reputation!"

Wen He smiled and waved her hand: "Get up, everyone. Today is a joyous occasion, let's have a good lunch, let's have a whole pig feast! It's just the right time for Li Tai's old Jieli pigs to be released."

Li Tai's face fell instantly, tears welled up in his eyes, and he grabbed Wen He's sleeve, wailing, "No! Sir, please don't! My Jieli can't be eaten! They're still so small!"

Wen He looked at him helplessly.

Those pigs had been raised for more than half a year, and they were all fat and round, swaying as they walked. How could they be small?
Seeing this, Li Ke and Li You quickly stepped forward to pull Li Tai away, one grabbing his arm and the other tugging at his clothes, afraid that his tantrum would anger Wen He.

"Why are you crying?"

Wen He raised her hand and gave Li Tai a light flick on the forehead, her tone stern.

"Shut up, or I'll kill all those Jieli."

Li Tai was stunned by the flick on the forehead, his crying stopped instantly, and he muttered softly, "But...but it's my pet..."

Even though that's what they said, they didn't dare to argue further.

Wen He ignored him and called out to the door, "A Dong, go to the backyard and call the Xuanjia Guards to bring the pigs out of the pigpen."

Before long, three guards dressed in black armor followed A Dong to the backyard.

But as soon as the pigpen door was opened, the fattest Jieli rushed out, snorting and crashing into the Xuanjia Guard, its fangs bared.

Three Xuanjia guards rushed forward to stop it. One grabbed the pig's trotters, another held down the pig's back, and the third pulled on the pig's ears. It took a lot of effort to finally pin the pig to the ground.

Wow! This pig is so brave!

Li You stared wide-eyed, unable to help but exclaim in surprise.

Three black lines suddenly appeared on Wen He's forehead.

Is this how the word "brave" is used?
Li Ke had no interest in watching the pigs. His gaze swept around and he saw Wenrou standing under the eaves, curiously peeking out. He quickly went over, silently stood in front of her, and protected her behind him.

He knew that slaughtering a pig would involve bloodshed and was afraid of frightening her.

Wenrou hid behind Li Ke, her little hands gently clutching his sleeve. She only peeked out with her head, her round eyes curiously staring at the pig that was being held down. Instead of being afraid, her face was full of anticipation.

"Brother, this pig is huge! Will the meat be delicious? Even better than the roast suckling pig we had last time?"

Wen He looked around for Wen Rou's figure and saw her hiding behind Li Ke. She quickly said, "This bloody scene is not suitable for children. You should leave here first."

"No, brother, I want to see it."

She pouted her little lips gently.

“No, she’ll have nightmares tonight. Li Ke, take her away,” Wen He said.

Li Ke nodded silently, turned around and stood in front of Wenrou, then whispered, "Be good, I'll buy you a sugar figurine later, okay?"

She gazed at him tenderly, pondered for a moment, nodded, and smiled, "Okay."

'When did Li Ke learn to charm girls?' Wen He wondered, a hint of suspicion in her eyes.

He felt that Li Tai and Li You were not very safe, which is why he let Li Ke take Wenrou with him.

After all, what girl would like a cold, unapproachable guy?

With Li Ke's personality, he's definitely not the type of guy who would attract girls.

But just now...

As Wen He was pondering, he saw Li Ke turn around and bow to him expressionlessly.

"Student resigned."

As soon as he finished speaking, he left with gentle words.

Wenrou tried to reach out and hold his hand, but he refused with a cold face. He put his hands behind his back and deliberately kept a distance of about half a body length from Wenrou.

This clearly indicates a desire to distance oneself.

'It seems I was overthinking it. Aside from his younger sister Li Lizhi, Li Ke doesn't show any kindness to other girls at all.'

Wen He shook her head, no longer dwelling on it, and turned to look at the courtyard.

The Xuanjia Guards had already started slaughtering pigs, and servants were catching the blood in wooden basins; the scene was indeed quite bloody.

The freshly slaughtered pig needs to be bled to remove the gamey smell, so lunch was a little later than usual.

Wen He decided to cook herself, putting on an apron and getting busy in the kitchen.

He had learned a few dishes at a farmhouse restaurant in his previous life, and now they came in handy.

The kitchen was filled with enticing aromas, drawing Li Tai, Li You, and several servants to peek in from the doorway. Li Tai, having long forgotten his painful memories of Jieli, swallowed hard and asked, "Sir, when can we eat? It smells so good!"

"Aren't you sad about your Jieli anymore?" Wen He teased deliberately.

Li Tai subconsciously swallowed and chuckled twice: "Who can blame me for your excellent cooking skills? My Jieli is so delicious."

Wen He smiled and said, "Wait another half an hour, and the stir-fried intestines will be ready, then we can eat."

Upon hearing the name "stir-fried pork intestines," Li Tai's smile faltered, and he took a step back.

He had just heard from the servant that the dish was made with pig intestines, and he felt uneasy about it and couldn't muster any interest in it. He even muttered to Li You, "I don't want to eat it."

Li You said curiously, "The dishes you make must be delicious, sir. Maybe this large intestine is delicious too."

Li Tai stubbornly replied, "I won't try it! Unless you eat first, sir!"

Half an hour later, the food was finally served.

Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, Wu Sheng, and Li Yifu were all waiting for Wen He to arrive, and they couldn't help but swallow their saliva when they smelled the aroma.

But when they saw the stir-fried large intestine, they were all stunned and no one dared to touch it.

In their view, pig intestines are filthy and should not be eaten at all.

Seeing this, Wen He smiled, picked up a piece of stir-fried pork intestine with her chopsticks, put it in her mouth, chewed it, and said, "Don't just look at it, this stir-fried pork intestine is a good thing, tender and flavorful, fatty but not greasy, try it."

Meng Zhou hesitated for a moment, then picked up a small piece and put it in his mouth.

The moment it entered his mouth, the smooth texture and rich aroma made his eyes light up, and he couldn't help but nod: "Sir is right, this dish is indeed delicious!"

When Zhao Lei and Wu Sheng heard Meng Zhou say that, they also tried it and immediately praised it highly.

Only Li Tai was still holding on, until Li You picked up a piece and held it to his mouth: "Brother, you have to try it, it's really delicious! It's even better than sweet and sour pork ribs!"

Li Tai curled his lip, looking at the large intestine with a look of disgust.

I won't eat it, I'd rather die than eat it.

Wen He glanced at him, then continued eating her meal.

Eat as much as you like.

Li Ke and Wenrou hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose to give up.

After eating until she was almost full, Wen He finally remembered Li Shimin.

He looked up at Zhou Fu and said, "Uncle Zhou, have someone divide the dishes on the table into portions and send them to the palace for His Majesty and the Empress to try."

Zhou Fu readily agreed, and had the food packed in a food box, then sent two reliable servants to deliver it to the palace.

Inside the Taiji Hall, Li Shimin was frowning as he looked at a pile of memorials.

Documents from the Shuofang immigrants, reports on drought from various states, and a memorial from the Ministry of Civil Affairs requesting the promotion of new rice varieties filled the table.

Gao Yue carried in freshly warmed tea and said softly, "Your Majesty, it's past 11 PM. You haven't eaten yet. Would you like me to serve you a meal?"

Li Shimin waved his hand: "Wait a little longer, let's finish reading these memorials first. Wen Jiaying hasn't sent over the rice seed promotion plan yet, I still have to wait for her approval."

Just then, a eunuch announced from outside the door: "Your Majesty, someone from the residence of the Prince of Gaoyang has sent a meal."

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, and he put down his vermilion brush: "Oh? Wen Jiaying knows how to time things! Bring her in quickly!"

Soon, servants carried food boxes into the hall and placed the dishes on the imperial table.

Li Shimin looked at the dishes on the table, smelled the enticing aroma, and couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

'These people from the future certainly know how to enjoy life; how lucky future generations will be!'

He picked up his chopsticks, first taking a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs. The sweet and sour taste instantly spread in his mouth, and he couldn't help but nod.

"Not bad, it suits my taste even better than what the imperial kitchen makes."

Next, he tried twice-cooked pork, stir-fried pork liver, and stewed pork heart, praising each dish as he tasted it. Finally, his gaze fell on the plate of stir-fried pork intestines.

He had never seen this dish before. It looked glossy and smooth, so he couldn't resist picking up a piece with his chopsticks and putting it in his mouth.

"Hmm? This dish is soft, tender, and chewy, and it tastes so good!"

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, and he picked up another piece.

"What kind of meat is this made of? How come I've never eaten it before?"

Gao Yue quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, this servant will go and ask the person who delivered the vegetables."

Gao Yue received Li Shimin's instructions and quickly walked out of the Taiji Hall. She grabbed the servant from the Wen family who was delivering the dishes and asked him about the ingredients for the stir-fried intestines.

Upon hearing the words "pig intestines," his pupils constricted, and his face was filled with shock.

Having spent many years in the palace, he had seen countless delicacies, but he never imagined that anyone would make pig intestines into a dish and dare to present it to the emperor.

He composed himself and hurriedly returned to the palace, but he lacked his usual decisiveness. He stood hesitantly by the imperial desk, clutching the hem of his robe with both hands, and did not dare to speak for a long time.

Li Shimin was savoring a piece of stir-fried pork liver when he saw Gao Yue return, looking hesitant and stammering. His brows furrowed, and he put down his chopsticks, saying in a deep voice, "Why are you dawdling like this? Just tell me what the ingredients of that dish are, don't beat around the bush!"

Overwhelmed by the emperor's majesty, Gao Yue quickly bowed and lowered her head, forcing a smile as she replied, "Your Majesty, the dish is called stir-fried large intestine, and it is... cooked with pig large intestine."

"Pfft!" The tea that Li Shimin had just taken a sip of instantly sprayed onto the memorials on his desk. He slammed down the teacup, his knuckles turning white from the force, and his face turned ashen at a visible speed.

Pig intestines are filthy things, and ordinary people would not even touch them. It is absurd that Wen Jiaying dared to send such a thing into the palace!

He took a deep breath, about to reprimand her sternly, when Gao Yue quickly crawled half a step on her knees and said urgently.

"Your Majesty, please calm down! The servant who delivered the dish said that this stir-fried pork intestines is the favorite dish of the magistrate of Gaoyang County, and he specially asked for an extra portion to be made today, saying that he wanted Your Majesty to try something new!"

"His favorite dish?"

Li Shimin's anger suddenly caught in his throat, and his livid face gradually softened, replaced by a look of bewilderment.

He stared at the empty plate.

This young man always manages to do unexpected things. First, there was composting and high-yield rice seeds, and now he's treating pig intestines like treasures. He really has an unconventional personality.

Or is it that people in later generations all have such heavy tastes?
Heart and liver are one thing, but to think that even this stuff can be eaten is another.

He remained silent for a moment, then finally waved his hand, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Alright, just remove this leftover dish from the table. Don't let it get in the way."

After the servant took the empty plate away, Li Shimin picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs and put it in his mouth, chewing and muttering to himself.

"That brat, he'd rather eat this filthy stuff than the perfectly good chicken, duck, and fish... But then again, the taste was actually better than many of the dishes in the imperial kitchen."

As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze swept over the remaining twice-cooked pork and stewed pig's heart on the table. Remembering that Empress Changsun was still handling palace affairs in Wanchun Palace and probably hadn't eaten yet, he gave instructions to Gao Yue.

"Divide a portion of the remaining dishes on the table and send it to the Empress in Wanchun Palace. Tell her that I specially saved it for her so that she can also taste this brat's cooking."

Gao Yue quickly bowed and replied, "This servant obeys the decree!"

He then turned around and instructed the palace servants to carefully pack the dishes into new food boxes and send them to Wanchun Palace.

……

The afternoon sun filtered through the branches and leaves of the locust tree, casting dappled light and shadow in the courtyard of the Wen family mansion.

Wen He lay on the rattan chair, holding a palm-leaf fan in her hand, her eyes closed, slowly swaying it. The sounds of cicadas chirping and the wind rustling through the leaves filled her ears, making her feel quite content.

"This old servant has something to report to the young master."

Zhou Fu's voice came from the courtyard gate. Wen He opened her eyes and saw a man dressed in coarse cloth shorts following behind Zhou Fu.

It was Feng Dahu, the manager of Gejiazhuang, holding a cloth bag in his hand, looking somewhat uneasy. Wen He sat up, smiling and waving.

"Manager Feng is here. Please have a seat. Uncle Zhou, pour Manager Feng a bowl of cool tea."

Feng Dahu hurriedly stepped forward, awkwardly rubbed his hands, and bowed to Wen He, his voice carrying a hint of apology.

"Young master, I am truly sorry. I should have come to deliver the message a few days earlier, but I have been busy organizing the store's ledgers these past few days. I am illiterate, so I had to ask the village schoolteacher for help. As a result, I was delayed. I hope you will not be offended."

"It's alright,"

Wen He waved her hand, her gaze falling on the cloth bag in his hand.

"How's the convenience store? Is it convenient for the people in the village to use?"

The moment the convenience store was mentioned, Feng Dahu's awkwardness vanished, a genuine smile appeared on his face, and his tone became light and cheerful.

"So convenient! So incredibly convenient! Before, if people in the village wanted to sell eggs or cloth, they had to rush to Chang'an early in the morning, and it would take half a day for them to go back and forth. If it was windy or rainy, they would suffer from cold and hunger. Now that we have a small shop, we can buy everyday items like salt, needles and thread, and farm tools right here in the village. If we want to sell something, we don't have to go far. We can just deliver it to the shop and get paid on the spot. It's so much more convenient! It's all thanks to the young master!"

As he was about to bow, Wen He quickly raised her hand to stop him.

"It's all in the best interest of everyone; it's good to make things more convenient for everyone. By the way, how's the rice in the village? Isn't it time for the autumn harvest?"

"A bumper harvest! It's definitely a bumper harvest!"

Feng Dahu's eyes lit up, his tone full of joy.

"This year, thanks to the composting method taught by the young master, and the high-yield rice seeds, the rice ears are much fuller than in previous years, so heavy that they bend the stalks! We tried harvesting a few acres these past few days, and after drying them, we weighed them and found that one acre yielded more than one shi (a unit of dry measure)! Several surrounding villages have suffered from drought and reduced yields, but our village is a golden expanse, which is a delightful sight!"

Wen He smiled as she listened: "This harvest is the result of everyone's hard work."

"It's not just the hard work, it's mainly because the young master's method is excellent!"

Feng Dahu quickly said, then hesitated for a moment before asking with a hint of anticipation.

“Young master, if you have some free time tomorrow, the people in the village would like to invite you back to harvest the first crop of rice together. Everyone says that this good harvest is thanks to you, and they want you to see it for yourself and share in your good fortune.”

Wen He pondered for a moment, then nodded and replied, "Alright, I'll go back with you tomorrow. By the way, Minister Dou of the Ministry of Revenue will also be going. He wants to personally inspect the rice harvest so that he can formulate a plan for its promotion."

"Minister Dou?"

Feng Dahu's smile froze instantly, his eyes widened, and his voice trembled slightly.

"The Minister?"

Although I don't know which minister it is.

But as long as one is a Minister, that's an extremely high-ranking official position.

Seeing his tense expression, Wen He smiled and reassured him.

"Don't be afraid. He's just going to check on the harvest and get some information. He won't make things difficult for anyone. Don't rush back to the manor tonight. Stay here at the manor, and we'll set off together early tomorrow morning."

Feng Dahu breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he was still somewhat reserved.

The highest-ranking official he had ever met in his life was a county magistrate. Now that he was about to meet the Minister, he couldn't help but feel intimidated.

No, the young master's official rank seems quite high as well.

Moreover, it was a county that was founded during the founding of the nation.

How can a mere minister compare to a young master?

The young man will become a prime minister someday.

"Oh! Thank you, young master! I will follow your arrangements!"

Zhou Fu said with a smile.

"Don't worry, Steward Feng, there are empty rooms in the manor. I'll take you there to settle in right away. I'll have the kitchen prepare a couple more dishes tonight so you can try the manor's cooking."

Feng Dahu quickly thanked him and followed Zhou Fu to the backyard, though his steps were still a little unsteady.

The smile on his face didn't fade.

Wen He pondered for a moment, then fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan.

A moment later, he stood up and called out, "Adong."

Soon after, A-Dong rushed in.

"Young master, please give your orders," A-Dong said, bowing.

Wen He asked him to stand up and then said.

“Go to the residence of Minister Dou of the Ministry of Revenue in person and tell him that I have invited him to go outside the city tomorrow to harvest rice.”

(End of this chapter)