About to go

Spring has arrived in the blink of an eye, and the dry, cold winds of the north carry the dampness of melting ice and snow.

Willow branches swayed along the riverbank, and a few wild ducks landed on the river.

When the common people heard that the land confiscated by wealthy merchants could be bought, sold, or leased, they lined up early in the morning at the gate of the Xi'an Prefecture government office.

Wang Erzhu had saved up some money by guarding a nobleman's fields for two months last year, so he hurriedly came to the government office with his good brother Zhao Wu.

"Sir, I want to buy two acres of land." Wang Erzhu saw the person in front standing to one side, so he quickly stepped forward and held up his index and middle fingers to make a two.

"The best field costs five taels and five mace of silver, the middle field costs four taels and two mace of silver, and the worst field costs two taels and eight mace of silver." The clerk holding the pen looked up at him and continued, "If you try planting the local taro seeds provided by the government in the fields, each mu will be eight mace cheaper, but you will have to hand over 10% of the harvest to the government."

Wang Erzhu was a little confused. At this price, he could only afford two mu of farmland.

He recognized taro; it was a grain grown by that nobleman, and it not only tasted delicious but also yielded a high harvest.

Unexpectedly, the benefactor was willing to provide them with seeds to grow; it seems like he's the one who's profiting.

"I want to buy two acres of land to grow taro. Here is the money, sir."

Wang Dazhu took out the silver coins he had been counting in his hand several times.

Another accountant with an abacus took the silver, counted it, and asked for his name and address, telling him to go with the government officials to distribute the land later.

Wang Erzhu was overjoyed to realize that he actually owned his own land.

Zhao Wu made the same decision as him.

They had all seen taro and had the good fortune to taste it, while most others had never even heard of it and naturally dared not plant it.

However, some people are greedy for small gains and choose to sign the contract in order to save some money.

It wasn't until half a month later, after the land was allocated, that Wang Erzhu truly felt the reality of his land being divided. Standing in front of his own plot, he finally understood what was happening.

He lay prone on the grayish-brown earth where the frost had just melted, his eyes stinging. "Hahaha, I have land now..."

He was crying and laughing at the same time, and he was very excited.

However, it took almost a month for the government to send someone to inform him to collect the taro seeds after the weather had warmed up considerably.

Wang Erzhu had grown this kind of grain before, and he had also heard the explanation from a minor official in the government office, so he didn't have any difficulty.

The government also said that if they couldn't eat all the harvest themselves, they would buy it all.

This gradually calmed his uneasy heart, and the harvest from his two acres of meager land was enough for him to live on.

Zhao Wu's family also includes his parents and younger sister. In addition to buying two mu of land, he also rented another two mu of land.

Originally, he and Zhao Wu were both tenant farmers in a gentry family surnamed Zhao. One of their ancestors had been an official and had amassed hundreds of acres of fertile land.

However, now that the Land Administration Office of Xi'an Prefecture has been established, many tenant farmers, including him, have chosen government land with lower rents, leaving a lot of land belonging to gentry and local officials who own large tracts of land to lie fallow.

Once the land was abandoned, they had to pay fines to the government, so they joined together to petition the government, saying that the government was profiting at the expense of the people.

The gentry and local officials were a major problem, and Xu Qiu was well aware of this, so he had already come up with a solution.

These people are united by their interests. Even if the Embroidered Uniform Guard is here and the emperor has the order, they will not be completely eliminated, otherwise it will surely incite a popular uprising, and even the ministers in the court will have to unite to protest.

These people should be divided and divided. Those with good reputations who benefit the local people and are willing to listen should be given appropriate benefits so that they can taste some sweetness. Those who cause trouble in the village and are disobedient should be directly suppressed and killed if they are found guilty. Those who are disobedient but do not cause trouble should be suppressed so that they will be made difficult in their work.

This also leads to conflicts within the gentry groups. They get caught up in internal strife and lose the will to fight against the government.

Xu Qiu and Liang Lingfeng went to the prefectural school together and spoke to the students, who were sharp-tongued and fond of pointing fingers at current affairs, about the well-being of the people. They explained that to ensure the implementation of this system, it was necessary to consider the successors.

After completing all these tasks, the Land Administration Office of Xi'an Prefecture finally began to take shape.

The deployment of official land was also a great benefit to the government offices, and the salaries of officials in Xi'an Prefecture were increased significantly.

Compared to officials outside Xi'an Prefecture, their salaries were already twice that of their counterparts at the same rank, and everyone on duty had a smile on their face.

The reason why Xi'an Prefecture is relatively stable now is because the Embroidered Uniform Guard is stationed here. If the guards leave, the deterrent power and the authority of the government will be greatly reduced.

Liang Lingfeng is trying his best to fill the loopholes in the current system and, incidentally, train some of his own people.

Local land officials still need to have members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard on their hands to ensure that no one dares to shake the foundation they have laid.

He discussed the matter with Xu Qiu and Li Shiqin for a long time, and finally agreed that Lu Shi would take two people to stay in Xi'an Prefecture until the entire Shaanxi Plain began to change.

He had also inquired about matters in Tongzhou, and the situation regarding the smuggling of salt was much better than before.

Liang Lingfeng thought that even in the darkness of night, he could still show a calm smile.

If things go smoothly for Wei Cong, it means that the salt administration system advocated by Sun Gu will be abolished.

He disliked Sun Gu intensely, not because Sun Gu had a low ranking in the imperial examinations but had become the Grand Secretary, but because Sun Gu had forgotten his roots.

Once one reaches a position second only to the emperor, one's mind is only on wielding power, amassing wealth, forming cliques, and eliminating dissidents, showing no regard for the people under one's command.

He knew that it would be difficult to extend the land administration to other prefectures and states, but for the first time, he felt determined to do it despite the difficulties. Perhaps he was inspired by these new young people.

The officials who passed the imperial examinations in the same batch as Xu Qiu have not yet been corrupted by fame and fortune in officialdom. We should try to win over as many of them as possible, and not let the system of the Land Administration Office be confined to Xi'an Prefecture.

With that in mind, he took the list of officials who had been transferred last year and began writing letters one by one.

The next day, when Xu Qiu and Qian Chengbi were discussing matters with him, Liang Lingfeng brought up the matter.

Xu Qiu nodded upon hearing this, "Lord Liang's consideration is very thoughtful. We will proceed according to your wishes."

Liang Lingfeng sensed something from his attitude and asked, "Is Magistrate Xu leaving?"

"I have almost finished my business here and must return to Shengjing to report for duty. Lord Liang, the affairs of the Land Administration Bureau will be handed over to you from now on."

Xu Qiu stood up and bowed respectfully, his tone solemn.

In principle, officials transferred by the central government are required to serve a full three-year term before returning to Beijing to participate in the Ministry of Personnel's selection examination and evaluation, which will determine whether they remain in their original positions or are transferred for promotion.

However, Xu Qiu and Wei Cong came from different backgrounds. The emperor personally drafted the edict, making them close advisors among the emperor's disciples.

Xu Qiu should now have other appointments to hold.

Liang Lingfeng sighed, "Indeed, staying in this small Xi'an Prefecture all the time is not conducive to one's career. Prefect Xu, I wonder if I should address you respectfully as Lord Xu when we meet again."

"You flatter me, sir. If you do a good job with the Land Administration, you might be the one to be promoted first." He smiled faintly, which made Liang Lingfeng's heart tremble.

Liang Lingfeng was not a fool; he understood the true meaning behind Xu Qiu's words.

“Well… Prefect Wei is leaving too, and I can’t take over his salt administration.” Liang Lingfeng said with some worry.

"No, Lord Wei will serve his full three-year term. His next move will depend on the Emperor's arrangements."

Liang Lingfeng immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "When will Magistrate Xu depart? Chengbi and I will definitely see you off. You are a great benefactor to us."

"On the eighth day of the ninth month, I would like to see the autumn harvest here before I leave. It seems that there will be no more natural disasters this year, and it will surely be a bumper harvest."

Xu Qiu looked out the window; in early summer, the hibiscus flowers were in full bloom.

He thought that Gu Yu must be tinkering with the vegetable garden in the yard. She didn't like flowers, or rather, she didn't like useless things, but he still wanted to pick a flower for her to take home.

"Hahaha..." Liang Lingfeng stroked his beard and laughed, "Then I'll take your good wishes. I also want to see a bountiful harvest. I haven't seen one in many years."

"Lord Liang, I might pick one of the flowers in the courtyard to take back with me and give to the lady."

"As you see fit, Magistrate Xu. These are my wife's favorite flowers; it's alright to pick one."

Xu Qiu smiled, for seeing flowers always reminded him of her.

It's not just flowers; seeing willow branches swaying in the wind by the river, seeing the bright moon at night, seeing the white snow in winter, all remind me of her.

"By the way, this morning some people brought a plaque to the government office with the words 'Parents who provide food and clothing' written on it. I think it should be a gift for your wife."

"The taro brought by Madam Xu has yielded an excellent harvest. It was planted in March and had a bumper harvest by mid-May. Now, another crop will be planted in May or June, and who knows, it might have another bumper harvest before the autumn harvest."

"They were extremely grateful, but they didn't know who had done it, so they could only send it to the government office."

Xu Qiu said, “Then tell them that I am Xu Qiu’s wife, Gu Yu, the daughter of the current General Zhenguo, and that she brought the grain seeds.”

“Very well. I was not sure about the harvest of the taro before, but now I am certain that it is a divine product. I will definitely submit a memorial to the Emperor to request an imperial decree for your wife.”

"Thank you, sir."

The group chatted for a few more minutes.

"Then, Lord Liang, Lord Qian, I'll head back to my residence now. My wife is waiting for me to have dinner." Xu Qiu stood up, bowed, and took his leave.

Before leaving, she didn't forget to pick a hibiscus flower and tuck it into her bosom to take with her.

Watching his departing figure, Liang Lingfeng sighed, "This young man is no ordinary person. In a few years, he may very well surpass Sun Gu."

Not inferior to Sun Gu?

Qian Chengbi thought for a moment and realized that if he wanted to be in a higher position than Sun Gu, he would have to bring Sun Gu down.

"I hope I don't become the second Lord Sun."

"The Emperor allows Sun Gu to act arrogantly and domineeringly simply because he values ​​Sun Gu's ability to amass wealth. Look at how the common people are blaming Sun Gu. The Emperor is still a wise ruler who is deceived by treacherous people. There are some things that the Emperor does not approve of, but I do not believe that Sun Gu would dare to do them."

"Xu Qiu is also good at accumulating wealth, but he doesn't target ordinary people. I admire him for that, but I'm also a little worried about him. If he touches the interests of those powerful and wealthy people, they would even dare to steal the emperor's wine."

"Xu Qiu is still safe and sound now only because he has the Duke of Yingguo and the Emperor as his backers. If one day they find out who the real culprit is, they will definitely make Xu Qiu pay the price."

Qian Chengbi respectfully asked, "So, what does Your Excellency mean?"

"Being in charge of the land administration is no easy job. If so many people hadn't died before, we would be the ones who are dead. And it's fortunate that so many people died before..."

He wasn't afraid of dying, but he was afraid that after he died, no one would do this job.

“Chengbi, if you’re scared, go home now. It’s human nature to be afraid of death; there’s nothing shameful about it.”

Qian Chengbi and Liang Lingfeng worked together for ten years. Although there were times when he felt sorry for Liang's misfortune and angry at his lack of ambition, he did not dislike him because he knew that the other officials were no better.

"My lord, I am not afraid. Please allow me to continue to be in charge of this matter."

"Good, good, good." He laughed and recited a poem: "The roc rises with the wind in a single day, soaring straight up ninety thousand miles. Even if the wind stops and it comes down, it can still stir up the vast ocean."

A gentle breeze of early summer brushed past, and the hibiscus tree in the courtyard swayed incessantly, though it was not yet time for the flowers to fall; it was merely trembling.

*

Gu Yu picked some seasonal vegetables and asked Qiu Ju to take them to the kitchen to stir-fry. She then washed her hands by the trickling stream that flowed from north to south through the courtyard.

Just then, there was a knock on the door of the courtyard.

She went to open the door herself.

The mansion that Xu Qiu rented was not a large courtyard with three courtyards and three exits, but just an ordinary small courtyard surrounded by high walls.

So whether it's the front door or the back door, you can hear anyone knocking.

Gu Yu thought to herself, it shouldn't be Xu Qiu who arrived first, he usually wouldn't come back this early, it must be their guests who have arrived.

She opened the door and saw Wei Cong standing in the wind. "Lord Wei, please come in."

Wei Cong somehow learned that she and Xu Qiu were about to leave, and wrote a letter inviting them to a gathering, saying that he wanted to see them off.

However, after thinking it over, Gu Yu realized that Xu Qiu, now that she had received an imperial decree, would certainly not have a peaceful time if they went out on the street, so she arranged to meet at the small courtyard.

When Wei Cong first came here, he looked up and glanced at the furnishings in the courtyard. He saw a vegetable garden and a stream that had been diverted from the north, with dark green lotus leaves and blooming lotus flowers floating on it.

"Miss Gu's courtyard is very interesting to maintain. It can be used for both sightseeing and harvesting."

"It's not just for two purposes; it can also be used to entertain friends and earn praise," Gu Yu said with a smile.

Wei Cong smiled upon hearing this, found a seat, and sat down. The main seat facing the entrance was still reserved for Xu Qiu.

“I heard from my husband that your new salt tax policy is progressing very smoothly and has even won the Emperor’s praise.”

The stone table where they sat was under the shade of the trees and was not hot, and there were also some copper basins filled with ice in the courtyard.

"I don't care about empty fame. I just want to see that the people under my rule can afford government-supplied salt and don't have to be afraid to buy and sell private salt."

"The people are the foundation of the nation; only when the people are safe and secure can the country prosper," Wei Cong said.

Gu Yu nodded. "Lord Wei, I still remember the poem you wrote at Zuixin Tower."

"So? Now you can say you've gotten what you wanted?"

Wei Cong also recalled the past at Zuixinlou. Back then, he was full of vigor and ambition. It had only been a little over a year since then. Although his original intention remained unchanged, he had lost that youthful spirit.

"Yes, Miss Gu has a good memory. But she is no longer a young girl, and now she is inevitably hesitant and timid when composing poetry."

He had also forgotten how long it had been since he last wrote poetry; buried in the trivialities of his work, he had lost his poetic spirit.

Gu Yu smiled but remained silent, took a sip of tea, and quietly watched the fish swimming in the stream and the green lotus and pink flowers on the water.

Once you've taken a life, how can you possibly relax? She also doesn't dare to think back to her youth.