Journey to the West: The Immortal Clan Begins by Feeding Monkeys at Five Elements Mountain

Chapter 89 Land and Housing: Real Rewards and Gains

Once Jiang Yi received confirmation, he didn't bother to turn the land over anymore.

He had barely swallowed a few bites of lunch when he took an old hen from the coop and strolled leisurely along the village road toward Master Cen's house.

This old scholar has been having trouble walking lately, but his complexion is still quite good.

He was basking in the sun on a bamboo chair in the courtyard, with a faded old blanket covering his knees and a small pot of warm wine in his arms.

Seeing Jiang Yi arrive with a chicken, his eyes lit up immediately, and he called out into the house, "Guests have arrived!"

Before long, Cen's daughter-in-law brought out a small square stool.

Jiang Yi handed over the chicken, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then sat down.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Yi brought up the official document with the red border.

Speaking of his youngest son receiving the title of Grand Master, he also took the opportunity to thank his teacher for facilitating the connection years ago.

Master Cen chuckled and said that he had only mentioned it casually, but his son had really lived up to his reputation.

Jiang Yi smiled and waved his hand before changing his tone and asking how the land and houses should be handled after receiving the title.

Master Cen chuckled upon hearing this, and after a long pause, he slowly spoke:
"Five acres of official land, five acres of residential land... that's written in the law. In the first few years after the establishment of the dynasty, the principle was 'what is said is law,' so if your family received a certain amount of land, you would actually receive that amount. But now..."

He shook his head, but there was little emotion in his eyes; it was more like he was talking about something commonplace.
"These days, land is scarce and houses are hard to find. Ordinary families are already considered lucky if they can acquire 30% of the land they own."

At this point, as if suddenly remembering something, his eyes darted around, and a teasing smile appeared on his lips:

"However, your family's land and property... that's another story."

He paused, then added slowly and deliberately, in a relaxed tone:
"It's not necessarily true that you need to go to all the trouble of arranging things. Which plot of land, which house, whether it suits your taste... someone has probably already taken care of that for you."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi was taken aback at first, but then he realized what he meant.

The affair between my son and the Li family's daughter had been rumored for years.

Now that a title has been bestowed, the news has undoubtedly spread past Longshan.

In addition, there's Li's uncle, who now holds the position of county magistrate. He's very familiar with the procedures for allocating land and designating residences.

Jiang Yi understood the situation, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and humbly said, "I have learned a lot."

Seeing that Master Cen was in good spirits, he started talking again.

So he decided not to leave immediately, sat back down, and asked about the etiquette and rules of the city.

He asked about everything he could think of, from proposing marriage and betrothal to exchanging gifts, welcoming the bride, and settling into the new home.

Master Cen has had few opportunities to speak lately, so today someone is listening to him and asking detailed questions, which has piqued his interest.

Before we knew it, the sun was about to set, and a breeze was blowing outside the courtyard, bringing a touch of evening coolness.

The next morning, before dawn, the sound of people fetching water to wash their faces could be heard in the Jiang family's courtyard.

Jiang Yi got up early, tidied himself up, tucked the document into his pocket, and straightened his clothes, making him look exceptionally neat and tidy.

Outside the courtyard gate, Grandpa Yu's oxcart was already waiting.

That ox was just replaced this spring; it's nimble and can pull the old cart with some speed.

With Jiang Yi's current robust physique and abundant energy, if he were to truly use that movement technique, he could travel from the village entrance to the market in a single breath with just a flick of his toes.

But this trip to the city is one I have to meet people, and I can't be covered in dust and look unkempt and lose face.

Upon arriving at Liangshanji, they hired a whole horse-drawn carriage.

They wandered along the official road for half a day, and finally, just before noon, they entered the city gate of Longshan County.

Jiang Yi jumped out of the car, casually straightened his robes, shook his sleeves to remove the creases from sitting, and walked with a more steady gait.

The sun was shining brightly on the street, and more and more pedestrians were appearing.

As he walked, he pondered to himself. Although Liangjie Village was a good place, it would take up most of the day to get to the county, and the round trip was too much of a hassle.

If I need to make this trip often in the future, I'll probably have to figure out a way to save my energy.

The first thing to do is to go to the county magistrate's office and meet with Instructor Lin.

Although Jiang Yi now has the official document issued by the government, he doesn't have a single proper household registration document.

Someone has to step in and say something to help push things forward.

When the two met, they exchanged pleasantries, with one offering congratulations and the other expressing gratitude. They didn't say much, but every word was polite and appropriate.

After the formalities were completed, Instructor Lin didn't linger. He gathered his sleeves, led him through the alleyways in the west of the city, turned around twice, and headed towards the county magistrate's office.

According to the regulations of the imperial court.

Those newly granted titles must first have their identities verified at the county commandant's office, then select their land and residence at the capital official's office, and finally have the county magistrate personally approve and issue the title before it is valid.

However, the Jiang family's title came from an unusual source, and naturally, they also obtained it through an unusual means.

Upon reaching the back of the county magistrate's office, Instructor Lin, without stopping, familiarly approached the official and whispered a few words to him.

The official looked young, dressed in a proper court robe, but his demeanor was not pretentious.

He simply nodded after listening, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes, and then turned and sat back down behind his desk.

Seeing this, Jiang Yi didn't say anything more, but simply took out the disc from his pocket and presented it with both hands.

There was no other evidence either.

The official took the document, glanced at it briefly, and verified the seal.

Without uttering a word, he turned and went to the back, where he pulled out several scrolls of maps from a locked wooden cabinet.

The scrolls were spread out, one by one, on the table. He raised his chin, indicating that he could choose for himself.

Jiang Yi went closer to take a look.

as predicted.

Most of them are marginal and dilapidated land, either next to ditches and puddles or collapsed and barren hills, which are disheartening to look at.

But among those few ravines and nooks, there was a fresh-colored map with clear boundaries, marked in great detail, with even the measurement points written clearly.

That piece of land was located just a short distance from the west gate of the county town.

The terrain is flat and even, a whole five hectares without missing a single piece, with a stream flowing around the feet in front and no mountains pressing down on the back.

Jiang Yi's expression remained unchanged. He slowly pulled out one of the pictures from the others, shook the corner, handed it back, and said:

"This terrain is pleasing to the eye, so I'll trouble you, sir."

The official didn't even raise his head, his pen scribbling incessantly, as if he had prepared a draft in advance, the writing both hasty and meticulous.

Then, he pulled out another stack of house maps from the shelf next to him and spread them out.

The regulations remained the same as those of the early dynasty: five houses covering forty-five acres, exactly as they were.

Jiang Yi glanced at him and pointed his finger:
"This place is not far from the fields, so it's easy to get there."

The official remained silent, only adding two more strokes. With a flick of his finger, a clerk behind him approached, whispered a few words in his ear, and then disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The subsequent documents flowed smoothly and efficiently, with all the necessary procedures in place, making it both fast and stable, leaving no room for criticism.

Before long, everything was settled.

However, it was not handed over on the spot. It was said that the title would only be effective after the person who received the title returned to his hometown to sign and affix his seal.

The land cannot be moved, but since the site for the house has been decided, it is not a problem to build the house and raise the beams.

(End of this chapter)