Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

The place Zhu Guoxiang inspected was later called Jintanling Reservoir, but now it is just a long and narrow river valley.

There is not much flat land on both sides of the strait, and paddy fields are extremely rare. Most of them are dry land at the foot of the mountains.

Huge Yuandang bamboo towers in the river valley, interspersed with some thatched houses made of bamboo clay.

After abandoning the ship and landing, and wandering around for a while, Zhu Guoxiang couldn't help but ask: "How come there are no rich households in the valley?"

Wen Luan, who was accompanying him, replied: "There are not many people in the valley, only about a hundred households, and they are all tenant farmers of Nianfo Temple."

"Nianfo Temple?" Zhu Guoxiang frowned.

Wen Xiaomei pointed to the mountains to the west: "One mile to the west is Nianfo Rock, and in the mountain is Lanruo Ming Nianfo Temple, which is the dojo of Fazhao, the fourth generation founder of the Pure Land Sect. Master Fazhao was once revered as a national teacher by the Tang Dynasty sect, and Nianfo Temple This is why it thrives to this day.”

Zhu Guoxiang continued to move forward and saw thick smoke on the other side of the river. He took a boat across the river to check and found that it was a bamboo charcoal burning workshop.

The charcoal burners were busy, but a monk was lying outside to bask in the sun.

Hearing the footsteps of everyone, the monk yawned and opened his eyes. Seeing that Zhu Guoxiang was so impressive and accompanied by many followers, he quickly stood up and clasped his hands together: "Amitabha, I don't know why the donor is here."

Zhu Guoxiang actually replied with a Taoist priest's salute: "I am a fourth-grade Taoist official in purple clothes, and I am here to enjoy the mountains and rivers."

The monk secretly complained in his heart that since Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty embraced Taoism, all the monks in the world had lost their glory. He even issued an order to encourage monks to become Taoist priests. The monk said: "The young monk knows that I have been ordered to manage the bamboo charcoal field here."

"All the bamboo charcoal here must be transported back to Nianfo Temple?" Zhu Guoxiang asked.

Monk Nianzhi said: "You only pay a fixed amount every month. If you have excess bamboo charcoal, you are allowed to take it to Yangzhou City and sell it."

Zhu Guoxiang asked again: "Will this place suffer from the spring drought this year?"

Monk Nianzhi said: "The drought is quite serious. Fortunately, the elders of the temple opened warehouses to help the people, so the people in the valley can tide over the difficulties."

"It's so compassionate." Zhu Guoxiang sighed.

Monk Nianzhi asked, "Does the Taoist priest want to visit Nianfo Temple?"

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I'm not going. I'm here to visit the Wen family and Yuandang Valley, and I'll stop by the valley to enjoy the beautiful scenery."

"That's it." Monk Nianzhi finally felt relieved that this Taoist priest was not here to cause trouble.

After bidding farewell to the bamboo charcoal farm and walking a little further, Zhu Guoxiang asked: "How does the temple behave?"

Wen Luan did not want to speak ill of the temple, and only replied tactfully: "My ancestors have been devoted to Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism all their lives, and so are our descendants. But in recent years, I have been disturbed by secular affairs and have not gone to Nianfo Temple to burn incense and worship Buddha." .”

The whole family believes in Buddhism, and the Nianfo Temple is just around the corner, but they never go to the temple to burn incense.

Why is this?

Of course I don’t like Nianfo Temple!

Wen Tong was truly honest throughout his life. He had presided over the repair of the city wall of Yangzhou City. He also presided over the expansion of the Xingyuan Mansion's school. Handling many projects and making some profit is enough for him to make a fortune.

However, many famous officials in the Northern Song Dynasty unanimously evaluated Wen Tong as "incorruptible" and "poor".

He had accumulated money for most of his life and could only buy a few hundred acres of land in Yuandang Valley (costing less than 1,500 guan). With the remaining money, he could even build a shabby house.

Wen Wuguang maintained this family tradition, being poor and happy with Taoism. He lived in seclusion in the valley all year round and rarely went to the city.

If you encounter a monk who is greedy for money and abuses the people, you will naturally disdain to associate with him.

Zhu Guoxiang turned to look at Miss Wen: "You can speak clearly, sister."

Wen Xiaomei said: "When my ancestors were still alive, Nianfo Temple was still kind. In recent years, the emperor worshiped Taoism and suppressed Buddhism, and state officials no longer came to burn incense. Even folk believers went to Taoist temples to worship. Nianfo Temple lacked a lot of incense. For money, they exploited the people nearby. Even in years of famine, they no longer gave porridge to the people. Instead, they took the opportunity to borrow money and annex nearby land. The area four or five miles around Nianfo Rock has become a temple property, and the rent is extremely high. ."

In the Song Dynasty, taxes were collected equally.

Temples also have to pay land taxes, but they are not responsible for exorbitant taxes and corvees.

The exorbitant taxes and corvees are often several times, or even ten times, the regular taxes. This is the reason why the temple can grow and why the ultimatum can be used as a negotiable security.

Generally speaking, in places with heavy levies and miscellaneous taxes, farmers are willing to donate their fields to temples as tenants.

It makes the Wen family feel disgusted, which shows that the land rent of Nianfo Temple is extremely heavy, and farmers are dependent on the temple, and their lives are almost as if they are being exploited by the government.

Zhu Guoxiang smiled and said: "How about I collect this grain?"

Miss Wen pursed her lips and smiled: "I'm afraid I'll piss those bald donkeys to death."

Different from Shen Yourong's plump and charming figure, Wen Xiaomei's figure is slender and graceful, with a strong bookish aura. At this moment, the smile bloomed, just like an orchid blooming, and Zhu Guoxiang was stunned for a few seconds.

Miss Wen's cheeks suddenly turned red when he stared at him, but she didn't turn her head to avoid him, but looked back with a smile.

Fatty Zheng suddenly felt something was wrong in the atmosphere and subconsciously looked towards Zhao Fengji.

Zhao Fengji had turned around and admired the beautiful scenery in the valley, as if he didn't know anything. He had long noticed that Zhu Guoxiang and Wen Xiaomei were getting closer and closer to each other while chatting.

"Ahem!"

Wen Luan coughed twice, breaking the ambiguous atmosphere.

His girl once married in Huzhou, and because she had not had a son or a daughter for many years, she was extremely unhappy with her mother-in-law. Due to the kindness of the Wen family, they did not dare to divorce their wives and took in several concubines one after another.

But those concubines couldn't give birth to children, so it was obvious that there was something wrong with the man.

The mother-in-law doesn't care about all these things, she just depends on Miss Wen. Although he was not beaten or scolded, he was kept in a bad mood all day long, making the family atmosphere extremely depressing.

If things went on like this, Miss Wen couldn't bear the feeling of being cowardly, so she took the initiative to file for divorce. I also asked my aunt and uncle for help and forced a divorce. Last autumn, I returned to my parents' home in Yangzhou.

If Zhu Guoxiang has not renewed their relationship, Wen Luan will naturally be happy to see good things happen, and neither of them will be wronged since it is considered a second marriage.

But Zhu Guoxiang has already renewed his relationship. Should he marry the girl as a concubine?

The Wen family can’t afford to lose that person!

Looking at his uncle... uh, no, looking at Mr. Wen, Zhu Guoxiang blushed and continued to explore the situation.

Until they were extremely hungry, everyone finally returned to Yuandang Valley.

After dinner, Zhu Guoxiang took out the document of land grant from the emperor, handed it to Zheng Hong and said: "I'd like to trouble Erlang to go and take this document to see the Xingdao County magistrate. He said that the emperor gave land to me, and I took a fancy to the valley east of Nianfo Temple. , I plan to occupy even the mountains and valleys, and let the county government send subordinate officials to delineate the boundaries of the land and resettle the nearby people."

"Yes!" Fatty Zheng ran away with the land grant document, full of energy.

When the emperor granted land, he often gave it to people and land, directly giving the people on the land to be customers.

Totally unreasonable!

Zhu Guoxiang did not feel guilty. It was better for him to take over the land and people than to be occupied by the temple. Moreover, he treated the people leniently, and the farmers in the valley would definitely be more willing to live with him than continue to endure the exploitation of the monks.

As soon as Zheng Hong left, Miss Wen said, "I still have some questions about scriptures, and I would like to ask sir for advice."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "I also want to ask my little sister for advice on painting skills."

A pair of lovebirds go to the study room without caring about the opinions of others.

Wen Luan hurriedly ran to see his father: "Dad, my little sister seems to be interested in Mr. Zhu."

Wen Wuguang was slightly surprised and asked: "This Zhu Yuanzhang should have a real wife, right?"

Wen Luan said: "My child has inquired about it. Mr. Zhu's first wife passed away and he remarried two years ago."

"Absurd!" Wen Wuguang was very angry, "Call your mother."

Not long after, Ms. Su walked into the room and Wen Wuguang explained the situation: "I need to find another marriage for my little sister."

Su said angrily: "If she wants to marry, she can choose any of the young talents from Yangzhou. But in the past six months, she has been looking for several, but she still refuses to nod. Can she still find an in-law and tie her up to get married?" "

Although Wen Xiaomei is a divorced woman, she is beautiful and talented, and she is the granddaughter of Wen Tong and Su Che. It is really easy to choose in this Yangzhou area.

Not to mention anything else, just the Min family.

Once Miss Wen nods, the Min family will definitely hire her immediately, and let the eldest son of the sect be married to a matchmaker, without caring about her identity as a divorced woman.

After hearing what his wife said, Wen Wuguang was very troubled and cursed: "Zhu Yuanzhang is extremely famous, but he didn't expect to be such a prodigal. I kindly stayed here as a guest, but he seduced my beloved daughter!"

Su smiled and said: "What are you upset about? My little sister has been depressed in Huzhou for many years, so what if she becomes the wife of a prominent family? Will she live a happy life one day? When she returned to her parents' home last year, she was completely thin and disfigured. She will be raised It took half a year for her complexion to improve. In my opinion, as long as she is happy in her heart, being a wife or a concubine will be the same."

"Confused," Wen Wuguang said, "not to mention the humiliation, if you marry as a concubine, you will be difficult and humiliated by the wife. How can you be happy?"

Su's smile faded, she slammed the table and said, "Let's see who dares to make things difficult!"

Wen Wuguang complained: "My little sister has been criticized in Huzhou for many years, and you have never come forward to support her."

Su Shi said: "That's because I didn't know, otherwise I would have killed her in Huzhou long ago. I have the final say on this matter. As long as the little sister is happy, the parents should leave it alone."

"The Wen family has been innocent for generations, how can any daughter take someone as a concubine?" Wen Wuguang's face instantly dropped.

Su asked: "Who has the final say in this family?"

The clerk was speechless and looked towards his son with a guilty conscience, only to see that his son had already slipped away.

Wen Wuguang refused to admit that his wife had the final say, and he did not dare to quarrel with her, so he could only sit there and sulk.

Su said: "This Mr. Zhu, although he is not young, is handsome and upright. He is also good at practicing Taoism and keeping in good health. He has no wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and his skin is as smooth as a teenager. Even I looked at such a handsome man. I also like it, how could my little sister not be tempted? Let’s talk about talent and learning, who doesn’t know that he is good at farming? "Zhu’s Agricultural Book" has been spread to Xingyuan Mansion. "Zhu’s Suan Jing" is even an edict from the emperor, ordering all states to All students have to learn.”

Wen Wuguang wanted to roll his eyes when he heard this.

Su continued with a smile on her face, completely praising her son-in-law: "His son Zhu Chenggong was a young prodigy, and even the officials praised him. I heard that Zhu Chenggong's knowledge was all passed down from his father. This Zhu Chenggong The husband must be full of knowledge. Where can I find such a talented and beautiful husband if I miss him? My daughter has a much better vision than you."

Wen Wuguang couldn't bear it anymore: "No matter how good he is, he is not a good match. He already has a wife!"

Su still said the same thing: "Who has the final say in the family?"

"I have the final say!" Wen Wuguang roared bravely, then quickly stood up and walked away.

"Stop!" Su shouted.

Wen Wuguang trembled when he heard this, but he did not stop walking and continued to walk outside at a faster pace, not wanting to see the woman again.

(If you find that there is a lack of punctuation, it is a problem with the display of the starting point. Commas are often placed, but they cannot be displayed, causing the two paragraphs to be joined together.)