A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 1252: Re-enfeoffment of the State of Chu

As expected, dinner included braised spring bamboo shoots and steamed bamboo shoots with braised pork.

Both dishes were cooked to Wu Huaiyu's taste very well. The half-lean and half-fat braised pork, paired with yellow mud bamboo shoots, was really delicious.

"This yellow mud-bone spring bamboo shoot is so fresh and tender. I will make you a dish of pickled pork with preserved vegetables tomorrow."

Fan Xuanfu smiled and said, "Ah Lang has made this dish before. It is indeed salty and fresh. It is cooked with spring bamboo shoots, fresh pork, bacon, ham, and bean curd. The soup is thick and white, the meat is crispy and fat, and the bamboo shoots are fragrant, crispy and tender, with a strong fresh flavor."

Li Qing and others all smiled and said they must try it.

Chengsi finished his meal and put down his chopsticks. "Father, I have something to report to my father. Today, the saint asked me to talk to him and asked if I was willing to go to Luoyang to be the county magistrate."

"How did you answer?"

Wu Huaiyu had discussed with Chengsi about letting him go to Luoyang to be the county magistrate. When the emperor came to visit today, he raised this request to the emperor in person.

Li Shimin was quite satisfied with his son-in-law Chengsi, especially after the emergence of three rebellious sons-in-law Du He, Chai Ling and Wu Fang Yiai, Li Shimin liked Chengsi even more.

"My son is willing to serve as the magistrate of Luoyang."

Wu Huaiyu nodded, "This is a good opportunity, you should do your best."

Huaiyu's original plan was for Chengsi to get married this year and go to Luoyang to serve as a county magistrate next year. But now Li Shimin wants Chengsi to serve directly as the magistrate of Luoyang, and then return to Chang'an to get married when the wedding date comes. After the marriage, he will also bring Princess Lanling to Luoyang to live with him.

The fifth-rank Luoyang magistrate,
Luoyang is about to be upgraded to the Eastern Capital. The two counties of Luoyang and Henan have been upgraded to Jing counties in advance, and the county magistrate is a fifth-rank official.

Both the Du Shui Envoy and the Luoyang Magistrate are fifth-rank officials, but their significances are completely different. Chengsi's current Du Shui Envoy is at most a nominal position and he does not actually manage the affairs of the Du Shui Supervisor. However, it is different for the Luoyang Magistrate.

For Chengsi, this is both a training and a challenge.

However, Wu Huaiyu will definitely make arrangements for his son, protect him, and select and equip him with an excellent team of staff.

The eldest brother was appointed as the magistrate of Luoyang.
The second one took over as the commander of the Hundred Riders of the Imperial Guard and the commander of the North Gate.

"Father is accompanying the Emperor on his eastern tour. When I get married, will Father return to Beijing?" Chengsi asked.

"Of course. The two capitals are only eight or nine hundred miles apart. Even if the carriages and horses are slow, ten days or half a month will be enough."

"Will my uncle also accompany me on the tour?"

"Ah."

There are more than a dozen prime ministers in the Council of State, and this time they are divided into two groups.

Fang Xuanling, Wu Huaiyu, Wei Zheng, Ma Zhou and Xiao Yu, the Four Heavenly Kings accompanied the emperor on his eastern tour.

The left and right ministers, the minister of the Secretariat, the attendant and the chief censor all left the capital.

The remaining prime ministers were Gao Shilian and Li Ji, both of whom were third-rank officials in the Secretariat.
Changsun Wuji, the Imperial Inspector,

As well as the Minister of Personnel Yang Shidao, the Minister of Punishments Zhang Liang, the Imperial Court Assistant Minister Chu Suiliang, the Secretariat Assistant Minister Cen Wenben, and the Palace Attendant Liu Li, who participated in government affairs.

There were also eight prime ministers who remained in Beijing to assist the crown prince in governing the country.

Officials from the Eastern Palace such as Yu Zhining, Cui Xu, Zhang Xingcheng, Gao Jifu, and Li Daliang assisted the ministers in assisting the crown prince.

"My brother-in-law is in poor health, but he has been refusing to rest. This time he can relax."

Wu Huaiyu did not have any additional speculations about the emperor taking five prime ministers in important positions on the eastern tour.

This incident was indeed a big blow to the emperor.

His younger brother, son, brother-in-law, son-in-law, and trusted generals all wanted to rebel against him, especially Xue Wanche and Li Anyan, who were once close confidants of Jiancheng Yuanji. He was really magnanimous to them, but ended up with such a result.

Zhang Sun Wuji is really in high spirits now.
This shocking case also made him extremely famous.

Perhaps, the emperor took away Huaiyu and the other five prime ministers to give Zhangsun Wuji more opportunities to show his abilities?
"Who of you wants to go out and play with me?"

Huaiyu asked his wives and concubines,
As a result, everyone wanted to go.

On the contrary, Fan Xuanfu said he would not go. "Da Lang's wedding is coming soon, so I will stay in the capital to help with the preparations. After Da Lang's wedding is ready, we also need to prepare for Er Lang, San Lang, and the eldest and second wives. There are also many young men and women in our family who are going to get married this year.
There has to be someone in charge at home.”

This made Wu Huaiyu feel a little guilty. Several of his children are getting married this year, but he, as a father, has to go out and travel.

"Then I won't go either," said Erlang's mother Gao Huian.

The mother of the eldest lady Yingluo, Fan Jiuniang, also had to say that she would stay at home. The second lady Liuli's mother Irina, the fourth lady's mother Duan Wan, the fifth lady's mother Fan Wuniang, the sixth lady's mother Qiu Derou, the third lady's mother Fan Shiyi Niang and the fourth lady's mother Gao Yanzhi,
In fact, they all wanted to travel with Wu Huaiyu,

But now the mistress of the house said that she would stay to arrange the weddings for her children. Their children were all going to get married this year. How could she just let the mistress take care of it while she went out to play? So they all agreed to stay.

Ten children in the Wu family are getting married this year.

Scheduled from March to November.

Six sons and four daughters, it was definitely a very busy year.

"Well, Madam, you can go with me to the Lishan Hot Spring Palace for a vacation first. Stay there for a month or so, and then you can come back and we can all go."

It is the end of the month now, and Mount Li is very close to Chang'an, so it won't be a big deal to stay there for a month or so.

Wu Huaiyu persuaded him.
Chengsi also persuaded his mother to live in Mount Li for a while. "The hot spring palace in Mount Li has been well renovated in the past two years. The hot spring there is very good. Soaking in it more often can improve your health and prolong your life."

He has been serving the emperor in recent years and has been to Mount Li several times.

"Okay then, I'll listen to my husband." Seeing that her husband and son were persuading her like this, Xuanfu agreed.

The next day,

Wu Huaiyu rarely got up early, so he changed into a purple robe and jade belt and went to court.

In front of the palace gate,
Changsun Wuji, the emperor's uncle who was in charge of the Secretariat and the Imperial Court, came to greet him from afar.
"Is Erlang feeling better?" "Thank you for your concern, I am much better now."

Zhang Sun Wuji's face was flushed, and his big belly was bulging. "Everyone is hoping that you can recover soon, Erlang. The Shangshu Province is still waiting for you to take charge of the overall situation, and the Political Affairs Hall also needs you."

"The poison in my body has not been completely cleared yet, so I can't come out to work for a while. I'll have to trouble you to work harder, uncle."

Zhangsun Wuji invited Huaiyu to the prime minister's lounge.

"Fortunately, we found out that Xue Wanche, Hou Junji, Li Anyan, Zheng Renji, and Zheng Xuanxu were the real murderers who murdered Erlang.

Otherwise, I don’t know how long I will have to bear this blame. I was wrongly accused before and felt very upset, but I didn’t dare to come to see Erlang and couldn’t explain. Now I can finally get rid of this blame. "

Wu Huaiyu sat down and said while warming himself by the fire, "I never believed that this matter had anything to do with the emperor's uncle. We are in-laws and have been friends for many years. How could the emperor's uncle harm me?"

"Hahaha,"

The two of them laughed out loud, which also dispelled all the false rumors that had been circulating in the market after the assassination in Luoyang.

But Wu Huaiyu knew in his heart that
He and Changsun Wuji will never be able to return to the close cooperation they had before. Changsun had been suppressed before and had no real power in the court. He and Wu Huaiyu formed an alliance, which was a win-win situation. But now it is different. Changsun Wuji has returned to the position of prime minister, and Wu Huaiyu has become his opponent for power.

Xuanzheng Hall,
The emperor officially asked the prince to stay and supervise the country.
Prime Minister Liu Li was also nominated by the emperor to accompany him on the eastern tour. This brought the number of prime ministers accompanying him on the eastern tour to six: Fang Xuanling, Wu Huaiyu, Ma Zhou, Wei Zheng, Xiao Yu, and Liu Li.
There were seven prime ministers left behind, namely Zhangsun Wuji, Li Ji, Gao Shilian, Cen Wenben, Chu Suiliang, Zhang Liang and Yang Shidao.

Zhangsun Wuji was in charge of the affairs of the two ministries, Zhongshu and Menxia, ​​and was also in charge of the affairs of the Eastern Palace together with the third-rank official of Zhongshu and Menxia, ​​the Minister of War, and the Prince's Secretary.

Arrange the left-behind affairs.
The emperor issued another decree.

Wu Huaiyu, the Grand Marshal, Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Shangshu You Pushe, and Duke of Song, was renamed Duke of Chu, while the rest of his honorary titles remained the same.

Wu Huaiyu thanked the emperor for his kindness and accepted the order.
After he was promoted to Duke, his title was changed several times, from Duke of Yi at the beginning, to Duke of Jin, then to Duke of Song, and now to Duke of Chu. In total, he has changed his title four times.

Immediately afterwards, the emperor issued another decree.

It is related to all the meritorious officials who were actually granted titles.
"Under the old system, if a household had more than three male adults, one part of the rent and taxes would go to the state, and two parts would go to the family of the fief. Now the system has been revised, with a limit of three male adults, and all the rent and taxes will go to the family of the fief..."

Wu Huaiyu knelt there.
This new policy on fiefdoms is a big change. In the past, the fiefdoms of meritorious officials were granted land by the court, and the households were selected, with a limit of three to seven male adults. Depending on the meritorious officials' achievements and the degree of their favor, they could obtain different households with different populations.

The vassal officials would try their best to select households with more people so that they could obtain more rent and tax income.

The fiefdoms were supposed to pay rent and labor service to the imperial court. In addition to the labor service, one-tenth of the rent and labor service was given to the imperial court and two-tenths to the vassal. When collecting rent and labor service, the vassal had to send his own officials to the fiefdom to collect the rent and labor service together with the local officials. After the rent and labor service was divided, the officials would escort the rent to the capital. Because of the transportation, the fiefdoms were often required to pay an additional fee for transportation.

Since the Zhenguan period, the system of fiefdoms has been revised several times.

Now Li Shimin revised it again.

The new system of food and real fiefdom changed to a unified system of three adult males per household, and all the original rent and tax were paid to the vassal. The court no longer implemented the rent and labor tax system but the two-tax system.
Therefore, nowadays each household is calculated to provide two shi of millet, two zhang of silk, and three liang of cotton per adult male per year. The actual amount of land allocated to a household is six shi of millet, one and a half pieces of silk, and nine liang of cotton per year.

And there is no need for vassal to send officials to the local areas to collect taxes.
Instead, it was uniformly distributed from the national treasury along with salaries.
Wu Huaiyu understood that after this reform, no matter what the title was, there was no real fiefdom or household in the true sense.

All they had left was an annual income of six shi of millet, one and a half pieces of silk, and nine liang of cotton per household.

This is just like the court's reform of official land rent in recent years. Many officials now can no longer see where their official land is, nor do they need to rent it out or collect rent themselves. They just give you grain directly based on the number of acres.

There are benefits to doing this. For example, in the past, the Feng family would collect rent and taxes from their own households, and would also require additional living expenses, etc. These households might even have to do other labor for the Feng family.

Wu Huaiyu had 2,800 households under his fiefdom. According to the new system, he had a fixed rent and taxes of 8,400 men, which amounted to 16,800 shi of millet, 4,200 pieces of silk, and 1,575 kilograms of cotton per year.

Only economic benefits remain, and fiefdoms and household registration have become completely meaningless.

There is no need to send people to the fiefdom to collect rent and taxes from the fiefdom households. This not only reduces the trouble for the fiefdom families, but also reduces the problem of the fiefdom households being exploited by their vassal officials.

From now on, the number of households to be granted a fief is actually just a number. There will be no actual count of the households to be granted a fief. The court will simply allocate money and grain from the national treasury according to the number of households to be granted a fief.

The actual profit is still good.

It was announced that there are currently 63 households under lockdown, with a total of more than 10,000 households.

Wu Huaiyu was the one who had the highest actual fiefdom, occupying 2,800 households. Changsun Wuji, who ranked second, had 1,800 households. The next highest were 1,300, 1,200, 1,000, 900, 700, 600, 400, and 300 households.

The prince's title can be increased from 800 to 1,000, and the princess's title can be increased from 300 to 600. However, the prince can only be granted the title after he reaches adulthood and is enfeoffed in his own country, and the princess can only be granted the title after she gets married.

In the past, because the number of male adults in a fiefdom ranged from three to seven, the actual income from the fiefdom of a princess with 300 households and a meritorious official with the same 300 households could be more than twice as much.

The sixty-three fiefdoms included princes who had been enfeoffed and princesses who had been married.

Compared with the beginning of Zhenguan period, the number of actual feudal families is gradually decreasing.

There were more than 10,000 households receiving fiefs, and the rent and taxes of more than 30,000 men were transferred to these 63 fiefdoms.

The Tang Dynasty now has several million households, more than 20 million people, and more than 30,000 tax payers, which is not too exaggerated.

In general, this adjustment of the actual fiefdom system will be beneficial to the imperial court and the people in the long run. It will also save trouble for the fiefdom families, and the income from the fiefdom will be more secure. It will be a truly ironclad harvest that is guaranteed to be harvested regardless of drought or flood.

The actual fiefdom was 300 households, and the annual grain production was 1,800 dan.

The annual salary of a first-rank official was only 700 dan.

But compared with the real fiefdoms and household registrations in the past, it is actually very different.

However, compared with the later Song Dynasty, which paid 25 coins per household per month along with salary, it was still much better. In the Song Dynasty, the actual enfeoffment per household was only 300 coins per year, while in the Tang Dynasty, the annual enfeoffment per household was 6 shi of millet, 1.5 pi of silk and 9 liang of cotton.

Wu Huaiyu is quite content.

He doesn't rely on this for a living anyway.

In his Luzon Islands, the number of Han immigrants has now exceeded 200,000. Together with the barbarians and natives of the conquered islands and slaves bought from various places, Luzon will soon have a population of one million.

The court had sixty-three fiefdoms, and their fiefs added up to only tens of thousands, far less than Luzon.

(End of this chapter)