Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

The economic base determines the superstructure and also determines the status of the family.

Wen Tong lived a clean life and did not leave many assets behind.

Fortunately, the eldest son and the second son either became officials because of Enyin or became Jinshi officials, and they had the salary from the court, but they all separated their families and moved to other places. The third son felt that the conditions here in Yangzhou were too poor, so he took his wife and children back to his hometown in central Sichuan.

As the fourth son, Wen Wuguang had no official salary and only a few hundred acres of land, most of which was dry land. This was not even as good as the assets of Lao Bai, a member of the Communist Party of China.

He doesn't know how to do business. He usually only relies on farm rent to live, and he can't bear to charge too much rent.

However, there are many places to spend money. Wenwu only likes reading and painting. He only spends half of the annual land rent to buy pens, inks, paper, inkstones and books. The collection of books is gradually increasing, but this thing is inedible!

Su Zhe, Su's father, rose to the rank of deputy prime minister and brought more than a thousand dowries with him when he got married.

It is equivalent to saying that Su's dowry is worth the entire family property of Wen Wuguang.

The Su family brought several servants who knew how to make wine, so they opened a brewing workshop to supply wine to restaurants and hotels in Yangzhou City.

Guess who has the final say in the family?

Wen Wuguang couldn't explain it to his wife, so he simply went straight to the study. He smiled and said while he was still outside the door: "I am also good at farming. Please give me some advice from Yuan Zhang!"

Zhu Guoxiang was learning the basics of painting, so when he heard this, he had to put down his pen to greet him.

As a result, Wen Wuguang took Zhu Guoxiang to the fields and asked him about agricultural issues.

Dad was causing trouble, and Little Sister Wen was quite helpless, so she packed up the things on the table and followed him out.

When he came to a vegetable patch next to the house, Wen Wuguang pointed to the vegetable patch and said, "I planted these with my own hands. What does Yuan Zhang think?"

Zhu Guoxiang observed carefully and said: "These eggplants have been planted very well. They have been very careful in raising seedlings, planting and fertilizing. Now they have grown into luxuriant branches and leaves."

"In addition to bamboo shoots, I also like to eat eggplants. I have been growing eggplants for many years." Wen Wuguang stroked his beard proudly.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "Everything is too much, and the old man planted eggplants very well."

Wen Wuguang asked doubtfully: "Is there anything wrong with planting well?"

"Borrow the scissors." Zhu Guoxiang turned to Miss Wen and said.

Miss Wen immediately ran back into the house and came out with a pair of sewing scissors.

Taking the scissors, Zhu Guoxiang rolled up his sleeves, walked to the vegetable patch, and trimmed the eggplant branches one by one.

Wen Wuguang suddenly became anxious: "Stop it quickly, don't hurt my eggplant!"

Zhu Guoxiang continued pruning and explained: "If the eggplant branches and leaves are too strong, it will cause the flowers to fall and the fruits to rot. Not only will the yield be reduced, but the color of the fruits will also be poor."

"Is there such a thing?" Wen Wuguang said in surprise. He quickly stepped forward to check, forgetting about his daughter's affair.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "If you plant a small amount, you can also pollinate manually, and the yield can be higher. During pollination, you must remove the eggplant flower buds and all side branches below them, so that the eggplant plant can maintain two-branched branches."

Wen Wuguang was busy asking about the details, and Zhu Guoxiang answered seriously.

First, the clerk was instructed to prune the branches and leaves, and at the same time he was told the tips on fertilization, that is, to observe the growth of eggplants to determine whether excessive fertilization was applied.

After completing the church, Zhu Guoxiang left the vegetable patch again, picked up stones and drew eggplant flowers, and introduced how to remove flower buds and artificial pollination.

Wen Wuguang forgot everything at the moment and was immersed in the knowledge of growing vegetables. He said in wonder: "I have heard for a long time that Yuan Zhang is good at farming, but he didn't expect to be so good at growing vegetables."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "Farmers generally don't apply too much fertilizer when growing eggplants. The old man is too caring and takes good care of the eggplants. Growing vegetables is like educating children. It won't work if you don't teach them carefully, and it won't work if you pamper them too much."

"That makes sense." Wen Wuguang smiled and nodded.

Mrs. Su had already come to watch and called her daughter aside: "I know you like it in your heart, but don't be so eager, otherwise you will be despised by others. In addition, you must first find out how his eldest wife behaves. If so A jealous and evil woman should give up her heart as soon as possible."

Wen Xiaomei's cheeks turned red: "Mom, don't talk nonsense. My daughter is just asking for advice."

"Duplicity," Mrs. Su complained, and then started to complain, "I have a very hard life. I married someone who didn't expect to make progress, and I only know how to draw bamboos and grow vegetables all day long. It's just that your father is not very knowledgeable, but he has As for those who are knowledgeable, they haven’t even taken the exam so far. I can only make a living at home. If I didn’t make money by making wine and selling it, how would I be able to live my life like this?”

Wen Xiaomei said: "Dad is a reclusive scholar, so he can't see it with ordinary eyes."

"A hermit also needs to eat, and he also likes to buy books, which makes his family poor," said Su. "Mr. Zhu is not bad. He knows how to farm and plans to open a paper mill. Even if he does not become an official in the future, he will not worry about his family's livelihood. . If you like it, go to daddy and I will persuade you."

In the middle of the afternoon, the Xingdao County Magistrate arrived.

The magistrate of Xingdao County, named Fu Que, first bowed to Zhu Guoxiang, and then met with Wen Wuguang and his wife.

Wen Wuguang smiled and said, "Brother, come and see, I learned the secret of growing eggplants today."

Shidi?

Zhu Guoxiang looked at the county magistrate. He was only forty years old at most. How could he be called "Shidi" by Wen Wuguang?

Wen Wuguang introduced: "Magistrate Fu is a disciple of Mr. Dongpo."

"I don't dare to be called a high disciple," Fu Que said hurriedly. "When Mr. Xi was exiled to Danzhou, I had the honor to listen to the scholar, and he was the only disciple who didn't join the mainstream."

Fu Chue was the first Jinshi in the history of Hainan Island. He was a scholar who came out of a remote village. Moreover, he was implicated by Su Dongpo and had a miserable life in the officialdom.

This old man had only been appointed as a county magistrate for many years, and he would only be the governor of the state until his death.

Wen Wuguang said: "My younger brother is also very talented, but he has been unable to realize his ambition."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "If this is the case, I will definitely recommend him to the imperial court."

Fu Que was delighted when he heard this and said hurriedly: "I don't ask for high-ranking officials and big salaries, I just want to make food for the people."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "The monks of Nianfo Temple annexed land everywhere and used the people like cattle and horses."

Fu Que said: "I have heard about it, but I have no right to interfere. Moreover, I have no control over everything in Guo Yangzhou, so I can only try not to disturb the people."

"There is an official document granting land, but this time he can make the decision." Zhu Guoxiang said with a smile.

It was already late, so I rested at Wen's house that night. Early the next morning, Fu Que set off with his yamen servants. He wanted to perform well in front of Zhu Guoxiang.

Everyone went straight to Nianfo Temple, and Zhu Guoxiang also revealed his identity.

Hearing that the county magistrate and Duke Yuan Zhang were coming, Master Jingwang, the host of Nianfo Temple, personally led the monks out to greet them.

Fu Zhen didn't give a good look, and directly took out the land grant document and said: "The official gave me the land, and this place is suitable for Mr. Zhu to practice."

Master Jingwang's expression suddenly changed, thinking that Zhu Guoxiang was trying to rob his temple, and said hurriedly: "Nianfo Temple started in the Tang Dynasty and has been for hundreds of years. It is an important Taoist temple of the Pure Land Sect. This, this, this... this must not be changed into a Taoist temple. ah."

Zhu Guoxiang smiled and said: "Abbott, don't panic, I don't want your temple, I just want some land."

Master Jingwang seemed to have escaped from hell. He breathed a long sigh of relief and said, "Please tell me clearly what you are interested in."

"Let's delimit the land." Zhu Guoxiang said.

Master Jingwang led the monks and set off with Zhu Guoxiang and Fu Que.

Walking to the mountains to the east, Zhu Guoxiang said: "The west of the ridge belongs to Nianfo Temple. The east of the ridge is land granted to officials. How about it?"

Master Jingwang was dumbfounded when he heard this. With just one word, Zhu Guoxiang cleared away a large area of ​​land including mountains and valleys.

The area that was taken away accounted for one-third of the land of Nianbutsu Temple and one-fifth of Nianbutsu Temple's land.

"How?" Fu Que pressed.

His arms couldn't twist his thighs, and Fu Chue came with documents and government servants. How could Master Jing Wang dare to object?

Master Jingwang put his hands together and said: "Amitabha and Duke Yuanzhang are respected by the villagers, and the poor monks are willing to donate their land and population."

Zhu Guoxiang added: "Those tenants in the river valley must still owe some debts to Nianfo Temple. The Buddhists are compassionate and will not pursue any further debts, right?"

"All debts will be written off at once." Master Jingwang was about to cry but could only admit that he was unlucky.

Zhu Guoxiang took Fu Que to take over the land. He not only wanted the temple's land, but also the valley area to the north.

All the people on the land were occupied by Zhu Guoxiang and became customers of the Zhu family, and were registered by the county magistrate himself. There isn't much arable land here, so it doesn't matter if you pay the land tax in full. Anyway, you don't have to pay exorbitant taxes and corvees.

Hundreds of farmers were called and resettled in Fu Que.

They were anxious and anxious. Because being a tenant in a temple is already a miserable life, but if someone changes the owner, it will be just like that. How can they be forced to death?

Maybe, life can get better.

In ancient times, land rents rarely had divided rents. They were all fixed-rate land rents. No matter how much or how little was collected, or even if no grain was collected, the full amount of rent had to be paid to the landlord.

Landowners will not force tenants to death. In times of famine, they are usually willing to borrow grain, but it is difficult to repay the borrowed grain.

The details are more complicated, and the land rent amount must be determined according to the quality of the land.

Zhu Guoxiang promised in public: "When I confirm the land level, I will reset the rent for you. In the future, the rent will definitely be lower than that of Nianfo Temple. In addition, I will also open a paper mill, and you can cut it Make money by making bamboo paper. This year’s autumn grain, the field rent is free!”

"You are fair and righteous!" Everyone was overjoyed and knelt down to kowtow.

There was a drought this year, and autumn crops were also affected, so many crops had to be replanted.

The farmers were destined to have a bad harvest and couldn't pay much rent, so Zhu Guoxiang simply waived it.

Zhu Guoxiang added: "The money and food you owe to Nianfo Temple will also be forgiven. You don't have to pay it back."

Everyone was even more overjoyed. They felt like they were in a dream today. They just hated Duke Yuan Zhang for not coming earlier.

Be generous to others and accept the hearts of tenants. This is a world where only Master Jingwang is hurt.

After the list of subordinate officials was completed, Zhu Guoxiang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you so much, Magistrate Fu, for your help."

Fu Que cupped his hands and returned the greeting: "It's just such a small thing, it's nothing to worry about."

"Fu County Magistrate loves the people like his own son, I will play the role of Ming Guanjia." Zhu Guoxiang said with a smile.

Fu Que was so moved that he wanted to cry. He was already forty-two years old and he was just a county magistrate. Now someone finally came to help him.

Zhu Guoxiang once promised the emperor to rush back to Tokyo before winter.

He didn't want to return to Beijing. He had just opened a second base and had to put a lot of effort into running it. When the time comes, I will get a novelty and send someone to deliver it to Song Huizong. He will tell me that his wife is pregnant and cannot leave, and I will recommend Fu Que to the emperor as a favor.