Chapter 652 Li Shiyang and his group in Lijiatun
Andong, Jinzhou, Sanshan County, Lijiatun.
Another year of Qingming Festival is approaching. A light rain is falling, and a chilly wind is blowing through the mist, making people instinctively hunch their shoulders.
Lijiatun remains unchanged. Since Li Shiyue left Lijiatun, no new buildings have been added to the area.
This time, only Li Shiyang returned to pay respects to his ancestors and sweep their graves.
Logically speaking, he should at least have brought his eldest son back with him.
The only problem was that his mother-in-law was unwell, so his wife took the children back to take care of her.
However, the weather changed these past few days, and his eldest son caught a cold from the cold wind. His fever subsided just the day before yesterday, and he is currently recuperating at his maternal grandparents' house.
Therefore, Li Shiyang did not allow his eldest son to come to Lijiatun with him.
Returning alone, he did not take a carriage, but instead rode a horse on his own.
When he descended the official road into the wind and rain and headed towards Lijiatun, he saw a horse-drawn carriage not far ahead.
Li Shiyang didn't care. After all, the houses and inns built at the entrance and exit of Lijiatun village in the early years under Li Shiyue's leadership still attracted many caravans to Lijiatun after all these years.
It's important to know that the "Wool Plan" was proposed by Li Shiyue to the old town's North King (Liu Cong) more than a decade ago, and now its power has finally been revealed!
Because of the wool trade, the sheep flocks raised by the Turks grew larger and larger each year.
After all, there's no need to mount a horse and wield a knife; it's just dismounting to herd sheep, and the earnings are no less than those from robbing with a knife. Plus, the money earned from selling wool can be used to buy good goods brought by Han Chinese caravans.
This deal, of course, must be done.
As a result, the number of sheep raised increased, making it increasingly difficult to raise horses on the grasslands.
With so few horses, how can we possibly build a cavalry unit?
Without cavalry, how could the grasslands possibly have the capability to once again march south and plunder and kill the Han people?
On the contrary, it was because of the wool trade that the Turks were held hostage by Han Chinese merchants, who controlled the price of their wool.
Back when Li Shiyue lived in Lijiatun, a medium-sized wool sweater and trousers cost fifteen taels of silver!
Now, it only costs eight taels of silver!
The price has dropped by almost half!
Why?
This naturally reduces costs.
The Turks raised a large number of sheep, and the price of wool was set very low by Han merchants from Dalong, which naturally lowered the price of finished wool clothing.
Therefore, even without Li Shiyue, Lijiatun could still make a living by relying on this trade route to the Turks.
However, Lijiatun today is no longer what it was when Li Shiyue was there.
Li Shiyang dismounted and headed towards the large inn at the village entrance.
He had just stepped onto the steps in front of the inn when someone called out to him.
Li Wangshui, with his back hunched and a wooden crutch in his right hand, called out to Li Shiyang.
"Uncle Wangshui!"
"Hey, Shiyang, you've come back to pay respects to your ancestors?"
The uncle and nephew had only exchanged a few words when someone shouted at them from a distance.
"Oh dear, isn't it my nephew Shiyang who's back?"
With his hands in his sleeves, Li Wangjin spotted the horse tied to the stone pillar at the entrance of the inn from afar.
It's important to understand that this is not the time when merchants come to buy wool to sell in the Turkic Khaganate;
The only people who could still come to Lijiatun alone were members of the Li family who had returned to pay respects to their ancestors.
Ever since that year, when Li Wangjin refused to leave Lijiatun with Wang Xiangxing and Huzi and followed Sun Xiaoliu, who came to pick up Zheng Meiniang, to Jian'an, his life has truly become worse year by year.
Although Lijiatun was considered a good place in the surrounding area back then;
However, the families who were willing to marry their daughters into Lijiatun back then were all drawn to Li Shiyue's ability to make his word.
People believe that not only will the daughter-in-law have a good life after marrying into the family, but she can also help her own family out.
But Li Shiyue is gone.
Even with Li Shiyang, the clan chief who held a minor official position in Sanshan County, what use was it to Lijiatun afterwards?
After all, many of Li Shiyang's ideas were different from Li Shiyue's.
Li Wangjin searched for a long time but still couldn't find a woman willing to live with him and have children.
A few years ago, a widow with two sons was introduced to him for a marriage proposal, which gave Li Wangjin the opportunity to remarry.
Back then, Li Shiyue made a statement: the women of Lijiatun would not marry out of the village, but would only take in sons-in-law.
This rule, after Li Shiyue left, was indeed not successfully implemented.
At that moment, Li Wangshui was talking to Li Shiyang about his daughter's wedding.
"...It's Xiao Zhuang's family. They found a family in town with two brothers. Shi Yang, you must come and have a drink at their wedding."
Li Shiyang replied with "Okay, I will definitely go," but how could he actually go?
At that time, all we'll need to do is send a monetary gift.
Standing at the entrance of the inn, Li Shiyang talked with Li Wangshui and Li Wangjin for a while before parting ways.
As for why Li Shiyang didn't go home but stayed at an inn,
That's because he lives in Sanshan County most of the year, and his house has been uninhabited for a long time. Whenever he returns to Lijiatun, he stays at this big inn because it's cheaper.
After ordering hot water and soaking his feet to get rid of the chill from riding in the rain, Li Shiyang sat cross-legged on the bed, holding a cup of steaming hot tea and blowing on it as he drank.
Suddenly, he let out a long sigh.
He thought of his own little girl, who had now passed the age of marriage. In a few more years, he would probably have to find her a husband and marry her off, just like the little granddaughter that Li Wangshui had mentioned today.
"...If I had meticulously followed the rules she set back then, then..."
There is no "what if" in this world; no matter how much Li Shiyang thinks about it, it is impossible.
Thinking of Li Shiyue, Li Shiyang couldn't help but ponder things more deeply.
"...She actually managed to establish a country in Japan!"
She...she really is...
Who would have thought that the little girl who followed me around back then would be able to do this!
Back then, if it were me...
Regardless of what Li Shiyang thought, he still got up early the next day.
Carrying the incense and offerings in the basket, Li Shiyang walked towards the end of the village. From there, he went up the mountain and turned a corner, which led to the burial ground of the Li clan.
It rained yesterday, so the road up the mountain is very difficult to walk on.
However, Li Shiyang had only reached halfway up the mountain when he saw a figure in front of him, also dressed in a long robe.
"Wang Ming?"
Li Wangming turned his head in surprise and saw Li Shiyang standing a few feet away from him.
Yes, Li Wangming has also returned to Lijiatun.
The two, who were uncle and nephew in terms of seniority but brothers in terms of actual age, looked at each other with surprise and understanding in their eyes.
Li Shiyang lifted the basket in his hand slightly and said to Li Wangming, "I've come to burn paper money for my grandfather."
Seeing that Li Wangming was also carrying a basket of incense and candles, Li Shiyang asked, "What are you doing here... to give...?"
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