Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 259 0254 [A dignified man]

The economic base determines the superstructure and at the same time determines the status of the family.

Wen Tong was clean and honest throughout his life and did not leave much assets.

Fortunately, the eldest son and the second son were either Enyin or Scholars who were officials and could receive imperial salaries, so they all separated and moved to other places.The third son felt that the conditions in Yangzhou were too poor, so he also took his wife and children back to his hometown in Sichuan.

As the fourth son, Wen Wuguang has no official salary, only a few hundred acres of land, and more than half of it belongs to dry land, which is not even as good as the assets of the old white members.

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

However, there are many places where money is used. Wen Wuguang likes reading and painting. He buys pens, ink, paper and inkstones and books, and rents out more than half of the annual land.The collection of books is slowly increasing, but this thing can't be eaten!

But Su Zhe's father, Su Zhe, was an official to deputy prime minister, and brought more than 1000 dowry when he got married.

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

Among the servants brought by the Su family, there were a few who knew how to make wine, so they opened a wine making workshop to supply wine to restaurants and hotels in Yangzhou City.

Guess who's in charge in the family?

Wen Wuguang couldn't explain clearly to his wife, so he went straight to the study, and smiled outside the door: "Old people are also good at farming, so I ask Yuanzhang to give me some advice!"

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

Ever since, Wen Wuguang took Zhu Guoxiang to the field and asked him about agronomy.

The old man made a hindrance, and Wen Xiaomei was quite helpless about it, so she packed up the things on the table and went out.

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

Zhu Guoxiang observed carefully and said: "These eggplants are very well planted, and great care has been taken in raising seedlings, planting, and fertilizing. Now they have grown luxuriantly."

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

Zhu Guoxiang said: "Everything is too late, the old man grows eggplants too well."

Wen Wuguang wondered, "Is there anything wrong with planting well?"

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

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

After receiving the scissors, Zhu Guoxiang rolled up his sleeves, walked to the vegetable bed, grabbed the branches of the eggplant and trimmed them.

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

Zhu Guoxiang continued to prune, explaining: "Excessive branches and leaves of eggplant will lead to flower drop and rotten fruit. Not only will the yield be reduced, but the color of the fruit will also be poor."

"There is such a saying?" Wen Wuguang was surprised, and hurriedly stepped forward to check, forgetting about his daughter's personal affair.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "If you plant less, you can also artificially pollinate, and the yield can be higher. When pollinating, you must remove the eggplant flower buds and all the side branches below, so that the eggplant plants maintain bifurcated branches."

Wen Wuguang hurriedly asked about the details, and Zhu Guoxiang answered seriously.

First, he instructed Wen Wuguang to prune the branches and leaves, and at the same time told him the secret of fertilization, that is, to observe the growth of the eggplant to determine whether the fertilization was excessive.

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

Wen Wuguang forgot everything at this moment, immersed in the knowledge of growing vegetables, and said in admiration: "I have heard that Yuanzhang is good at farming, but I don't want to be so good at growing vegetables."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "Farmers generally don't fertilize too much eggplants. The old man is too caring and takes care of the eggplants too well. Growing vegetables is like educating children. It won't work if you don't teach them carefully, or spoil them too much."

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

Mrs. Su had already come over 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 what kind of person his wife is. If A jealous woman should give up her heart as soon as possible."

Wen Xiaomei blushed: "Mom, don't talk nonsense, my daughter is just asking questions."

"Duplicity," Su complained, and then began to complain, "My life is very hard. If I marry someone who does not seek to make progress, I will know how to draw bamboo and grow vegetables all day long. Your father is not good at learning, but he has Those who are knowledgeable still don’t even take the Juren exam. The family’s livelihood is also muddled, if I didn’t make wine and sell it for money, how would I live this day?”

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

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

In the middle of the afternoon, the county magistrate Xingdao came.

The county magistrate of Xingdao, named Fu Que, bowed to Zhu Guoxiang first, and then paid respects to Wen Wuguang and his wife.

Wen Wuguang smiled and said, "Come and see, Brother Shi, I learned how to grow eggplants today."

Brother?

Zhu Guoxiang looked at the county magistrate, he was only 40 years old at most, how could he be called "brother" by Wen Wuguang?
Wen Wuguang said: "Magistrate Fu is a disciple of Mr. Dongpo."

"I don't dare to be called a high-ranking student," Fu Que said hurriedly, "When my master was exiled to Danzhou, I was fortunate enough to listen to learning, and I was just a low-level disciple."

Fu is indeed the first Jinshi in the history of Hainan Island, a scholar who came out of a remote village, and was also implicated by Su Dongpo, so he got along very miserably in the officialdom.

This old man has only been a county magistrate for many years, and he will only be a magistrate by the time he dies.

Wen Wuguang said: "My younger brother is also quite talented, but I have been unable to display my ambitions."

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

Fu Que was overjoyed when he heard the words, and hurriedly said: "I don't ask for high officials and rich salary, but I only want to seek food for the people."

Zhu Guoxiang said: "The monks in 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. And in Guo Yangzhou, I have no control over everything. I can only try not to disturb the people."

"There are government documents for granting land, but this time I can make the decision." Zhu Guoxiang laughed.

It was too late, and I took a rest at Wen's house that night.Early the next morning, Fu Que set off with the yamen servant, and he wanted to behave 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 Yuanzhang had come, Master Jingxuan, the abbot of Nianfo Temple, personally took all the monks out to greet him.

Fu did not show any good looks, and directly took out the granting document and said: "The government grants the land, this place is suitable for Mr. Zhu to practice."

Master Jingxu's expression changed instantly, thinking that Zhu Guoxiang was going to rob his temple, he hurriedly said: "The Nianfo Temple started in the Tang Dynasty, and it has been hundreds of years since then. ah."

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

Master Jinghuang seemed to have escaped from hell, he let out a long sigh of relief, and said, "Please tell me what your husband likes."

"Let's go and draw the boundaries." Zhu Guoxiang said.

Master Jingwang led the monks and set off following 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 given by the government. How about it?"

Master Jingwang was dumbfounded when he heard that, Zhu Guoxiang said lightly, and even the mountains and valleys were allocated a large area of ​​land.

The land taken away occupies one-third of the land of Nianfo Temple and one-fifth of the land of Nianfo Temple.

"How?" Fu Que asked urgently.

The arm couldn't twist the thigh, and Fu Que came with documents and yamen servants. How dare Master Jingwang object?

Master Jingwang put his palms together and said: "Amitabha, Lord Yuanzhang is admired by the villagers, and the poor monk is willing to donate the land and population."

Zhu Guoxiang added: "Those tenants in the valley must still owe some debts to Nianfo Temple. The Buddhist family is merciful, so they probably won't pursue it anymore?"

"All debts will be canceled at one stroke." Master Jing Wang wanted to cry but could only admit that he was unlucky.

Zhu Guoxiang took Fu Que to take over the site. He not only wanted the site of the temple, but also the river valley to the north.

All the population on the land was occupied by Zhu Guoxiang, and they became customers under the name of Zhu's family, and the county magistrate personally registered them.There is not 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 corvee.

Hundreds of farmers were called to resettle in Fuque.

They were apprehensive and somewhat expectant.Because being a tenant in a temple is already miserable enough, and it would be the same if changing the owner's house. Can you still drive them to death?

Maybe life can get better.

In ancient times, land rents were rarely divided into rents, and they were all fixed land rents. No matter how much or how little was collected, even if there was no harvest, the full rent must be paid to the landlord.

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

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

Zhu Guoxiang promised in public: "When I confirm the land, I will reset the rent for you. Compared with Nianfo Temple, the rent in the future will definitely become lower. In addition, I will open a paper mill, and you can cut it down." Bamboo makes paper to earn wages. This year's autumn grain, field rent is free!"

"The gentleman is benevolent and righteous!" Everyone was overjoyed, kneeling and kowtowing one after another.

There is a drought this year, and the autumn grain is also affected, and many of them are replanted.

Farmers were doomed to poor harvests and could not pay a few rents, so Zhu Guoxiang simply waived it.

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

Everyone was overjoyed, it felt like a dream today, and they only hated Duke Yuan Zhang, why didn't he come earlier?

To be generous to others, to accept the hearts of tenants, this is a world where only Master Jingwang is hurt.

After the subordinate officials finished compiling the books, Zhu Guoxiang cupped his hands and said, "Thank you magistrate Fu for your help."

Fu Que cupped his hands in return: "Some trivial things are not enough to worry about."

"The magistrate of Fu County loves the people like a son, and I will play to the officials of the Ming Dynasty." Zhu Guoxiang said with a smile.

Fu was so moved that he wanted to cry, he was 42 years old, and he was just a county magistrate, and now someone finally came to help him.

Zhu Guoxiang once promised the emperor to return to Tokyo before winter.

He didn't want to go back to Beijing. He had just opened up the second base, and it took a lot of thought to manage it.When the time comes, get a novelty and send someone to send it to Song Huizong, saying that his wife is pregnant and can't leave, so he recommends Fu Que to the emperor to return the favor.

(End of this chapter)