The Great Zhou Dynasty: From Imperial Guards to Founding Dukes and Marquises

Chapter 15: I'll be a hero's wife, not be bothered by mediocre people.

With the addition of more people, the house became even more lively. Li Chang successfully led Li Tan and his two companions in training under Li Yuantu. Li Yuantu would serve as the head coach, and Li Chang as an assistant coach. They would begin by cultivating the discipline and skills of soldiers and warriors, starting with the fundamentals.

Training is expensive, and you can't raise elite troops by saving money. Li Xuan, along with Wang Xianqing, Pan De, and Fang Youfu, who were skilled in martial arts, continued their trading business. They would go out to sell salt when needed, but most of the time they would deliver the fish and turtles they caught to Guangling City to sell.

It wasn't that Li Xuan wanted to create a system of checks and balances among the mere six people, or deliberately draw up a small circle. Rather, the differences between the six people were too stark.

Li Tan and his two companions are literate but lack martial arts skills, while Wang Xianqing and his two companions are skilled in martial arts but illiterate. If these six individuals are mixed together, it would be difficult to teach any group. Just as some people are unfamiliar with martial arts while others have already mastered them, the same applies when learning to read.

To improve efficiency, we can only start by dividing them into groups and teaching them by category. For example, Wang Xianqing and the other two follow Li Xuan, and Li Xuan teaches them to read whenever he has free time.

At the Yingxun Bridge market, Li Xuan greeted the vendors on either side of him with practiced ease.

"Xuan Dalang, your family's struck it rich! You have so many new employees." A stall owner saw three burly young men following behind Li Xuan, each carrying a bucket or basin of fish, and looked at them as if he had discovered a new continent.

Li Xuan smiled and agreed, "We're all from the same village. There's not much of a future in the countryside, so I'm letting you come out with me to see the world. The waterways aren't safe these days, so I feel more at ease traveling with more people."

The stall owner agreed in a simple and honest manner: "Your journey is indeed quite long. It must have been hard work for you to row such a long way here by boat."

Li Xuan put down the large basin, looked up, and replied, "Who doesn't work hard to make a living? As long as the hard work can turn into money and food, it's worth it. Although our place is a bit far away, there are far more good fish and turtles in the rivers near Guangling. There are too many people here in Guangling, and all the good food and things that are easy to sell have been dug up. As long as you can endure this hardship, there's always a way to survive."

They were all hardworking people, and Li Xuan's words resonated with them.

Another stall owner immediately agreed: "Brother Xuan is absolutely right. I've been selling bamboo and straw mats in this market my whole life, and it's taken a lot of effort to build up a reputation. I have some regular customers who are willing to support me. I told them, 'Why don't you just stop messing around and quietly take over my job and continue selling straw mats?' But my good-for-nothing son insists on joining the army, yelling that he wants to find a way to make a living. He even says that the emperor is wise now, and that if you serve in the border town for seven or eight years, you can get land. This little rascal is really asking for trouble. Who knows who will be the emperor in seven or eight years?"

These words resonated with everyone. These days, ordinary people at the bottom of society have to find their own way to survive, instead of thinking about things that are completely unrealistic. Land redistribution? Let's not even talk about whether that policy will still exist in seven or eight years. Can you even survive in a border town for seven or eight years?

Li Xuan was unaware of the large-scale land reclamation scheme orchestrated by the Jinling court, so he simply bought a bucket of soy milk and meat buns to consult with the tax collector.

The tax collector, having nothing better to do at the market, started chatting with Li Xuan. It turned out that the imperial court wanted to expand the arable land and had issued an edict last year to mobilize the various armies along the Huai River to cultivate the land.

Officials also revealed that the various armies along the Huai River once rioted because they could not agree on whether the military farms belonged to the state or to private individuals, as well as the distribution of the harvested grains. The unrest gradually subsided after the New Year. It is said that the imperial court made concessions to the military men, providing them with money and labor to help them reclaim wasteland and become landlords on the spot.

Li Xuan asked in surprise, "So kind? That doesn't make sense. The cultivation, maintenance, and harvesting of a manor are extremely costly. Would the imperial court really offer such a large benefit to all military men?"

The tax collector, after finishing a bowl of soy milk, said smugly, "Brother Xuan, you're really clever. You should have gone to the city to see if you could get a government job. The imperial court certainly can't afford to fund all military officers to build estates. It only provides for some mid- to high-ranking officers. Most soldiers can only rely on their own savings to get by, cultivating as many acres as they can, at least having something to look forward to, right?"

So that's how it is. Li Xuan got the information he wanted, asked about other interesting things, and then took his leave. With the city gates opening, customers flocked out of the city towards the market. Li Xuan began his new day of business.

Li Xuan's setting up a stall at Yingxun Bridge was indeed purposeful. The area was easily accessible, with a large flow of people, resulting in a constant flow of information from various places. He could obtain official information by asking Li Hua in the city, and all the unofficial information could be gathered simply from the market.

Because the sheep and horse fence not only tethered sheep and horses, but also served as a stop for caravans from various places to trade. Merchants would often take advantage of the cheap prices at the market to satisfy their appetites.

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While Li Xuan was selling fish outside Guangling City, his beloved Uncle Feng and Aunt Feng were finally reunited.

Last winter, without even celebrating the New Year, County Magistrate Feng Daoji sent his wife and daughter to a small town outside the city where his relatives lived. He stayed in Guangling City, keeping watch over their empty house. While keeping watch over their empty house, he was secretly glad that his son and daughter-in-law were living in Runzhou.

After Qingming Festival, spring plowing begins. Feng Daoji has a plot of land in the countryside waiting for the head of the household to preside over the plowing ceremony. Since the farming season cannot be missed, he specially took leave to meet his wife and daughter at their estate.

The landlord led the way in offering sacrifices, and all the men, women, and children of the villagers lined up neatly, bowing three times to the land god and the god of agriculture. Then they went to the Dragon King Temple to worship the Dragon King, asking him to bring rain when it was due and to grant them permission when it wasn't. They assured him that if this year brought a bountiful harvest, next year's offerings would be plentiful.

Despite the decline of social order, as long as you're still farming, you won't dare to skimp on these rituals. Regardless of wealth, not a single step can be omitted; the only difference might be the offerings. Everyone's attitude is identically devout. Even the emperor of Nanjing would choose a day during this period to put on a show at the imperial estate, staging a personal plowing ceremony to encourage farming throughout the land.

Feng Daoji returned home and changed out of his dirty clothes. Madam Feng quickly helped him change into new clothes and asked with concern, "My lord, you told me not to inquire about Xuan-ge. Qingming Festival has passed, and it's already April; more than a third of the year has gone by. Why haven't I heard you mention him?"

Feng Daoji looked at his daughter, who was still inside the house, and sighed with mixed feelings, saying, "I really don't know what to say."

Feng asked with some concern, "Could it be that Xuan-ge is going astray?"

Feng Daoji immediately denied it, saying, "That's not true, don't overthink it. I've already inquired with relatives and friends. Xuan-ge isn't a bad kid. He excels in the clan school and is a promising talent in the eyes of the Li clan's teacher. It's said that in Xuan-ge's class, only two boys were considered the hope of the Li clan: one was their grandson Li Jue, and the other was Xuan-ge. His teacher speaks highly of Xuan-ge, saying that he's always reading, has a deep understanding of his subjects, is kind to his classmates, respectful to his elders, and must have unique insights into his studies."

Madam Feng glanced at her daughter happily, then asked curiously, "Since Xuan-ge is so promising, we should hurry over and catch up. Why is my husband so slow?"

Feng Daoji sighed and said, "Xuan-ge is just too opinionated. I heard from his teacher that Xuan-ge is not optimistic about the politics in Jinling. He said that the emperor in Jinling has not yet restored the territory of the Great Yu Dynasty but has restored the enjoyment of the Great Yu Dynasty. He would rather be an old man in the countryside than go to Jinling to seek an official position."

Madam Feng said speechlessly, "That's just the view of a scholar. Xuan-ge is still a child, so naturally he has a childlike side. Who wouldn't want to find a wise and virtuous ruler, a monarch with wise ministers to rebuild the world? He has no choice. I think that once he gets married and has children, Xuan-ge will understand."

Feng Daoji said even more irritably, "You think Brother Xuan is an honest little thing? He's incredibly bold. The information I received in Lijia Town is that he's the one supplying all the salt in the town. He can even get his hands on some green salt from time to time."

This spring, the clan elders have already chosen three members of his own clan to serve as his retainers. This young man is busy in the countryside, raising his own retainers and amassing weapons; he's clearly preparing for a major undertaking. Tell me, how am I supposed to face him? How can I possibly entrust Niao Niao to marry such a restless young man?

Feng Niaoniao blushed deeply after being scolded by her father, and protested, "Father! You're talking nonsense again. We only agreed to invite Brother Xuan to come over for a visit and lend a hand."

Madam Feng gently nudged Feng Daoji, scolding, "Get rid of your old ideas. These are chaotic times; neither water nor land travel is safe. What's so strange about Xuan-ge keeping some retainers and personal guards in the countryside? And what about supplying salt to Lijia Town? Lijia Town only consumes a few catties of salt a year. Xuan-ge is lucky to earn ten strings of cash from Lijia Town each year; it's barely enough to make ends meet. What was the story behind your statement that Xuan-ge sold off ancestral property? Is it because he's keeping too many soldiers?"

Feng Daoji then realized there was a problem with his account, as he hadn't mentioned Li Xuan's experiences over the years: "Not exactly. Xuan-ge only started raising soldiers this year. Before that, it was all small-scale operations, with him and his companion Chang-ge secretly earning a little extra money to supplement their household income. I checked the transaction records and also asked the elders of the Li family. Xuan-ge sold the shops in the city because Yangzhou suffered from disasters for two years, and the family's farmland couldn't produce enough. The imperial court hadn't waived taxes, so he had to sell his ancestral property to compensate the government."

Feng's eyes reddened, and she complained with great reluctance, "Damn God, can't you give us a way to survive? No wonder Xuan-ge had to become a salt merchant. If we don't find another way to make a living, we'll be ruined by farming sooner or later."

Feng Daoji opened his mouth but didn't refute it; this was an undeniable fact. If farmers could live happily, would it still be a chaotic world?

He sighed and added, "Xuan-ge also took in his cousin Li Ji. Li Ji's parents have also passed away. Mei Shi's father only had two sons, and each son left behind a son. That's Xuan-ge and Ji-ge. It's said that Ji-ge spent all his family's wealth to treat his mother's illness, and having nowhere to go at such a young age, he had no choice but to seek refuge with Xuan-ge. Now the two brothers are living together on Mei Shi's estate. Even in this situation, he still refuses to take up an official post. That boy is truly stubborn."

Feng Niaoniao corrected him, "Father, Brother Xuan clearly has great ambitions and is unwilling to waste his life. You probably don't know, but he's not just teaching Brother Chang to read now. At the market, Aunt Wang saw Brother Xuan teaching three new retainers to read. If it were just about doing business and smuggling salt, why would he need to educate his subordinates like this? This is Brother Xuan accumulating talent in preparation for making a name for himself."

Feng Daoji asked in surprise, "Does he intend to make all his retainers literate?"

Feng Niaoniao shook her head and said, "According to the information Aunt Wang gathered, Xuan-ge's requirement for his retainers is that they be literate and arithmetic-skilled. I suspect that Xuan-ge is wholeheartedly cultivating these literate and arithmetic-skilled retainers so that one day, when the opportunity arises, these people can quickly establish a shogunate. Even a small shogunate would have no difficulty governing a prefecture or county. If they were in the army, they would certainly be able to pacify a region. Father, Xuan-ge earns wealth not for his own enjoyment, but solely to support his cousin and train his retainers. He himself is also very frugal and diligent. He is a talent for great things; how can he be measured by the talents of a minor official?"

Madam Feng sensed something amiss and looked at her daughter in surprise, asking, "Niao Niao, what do you mean? You think Xuan-ge is very good?"

Feng Niaoniao blushed and said, "In this chaotic world, only heroes can protect our wives and children. Xuan-ge, judging the situation carefully, did not become arrogant because of his talent, but instead went to the countryside to accumulate power and wait for a wise ruler. I think this is a wise move. If I have a good man to choose, am I going to choose those mediocre ones?"

Madam Feng's brows relaxed as she said to Feng Daoji, "My lord, since Xuan-ge is such a good boy, we should go and fulfill our promise to Mr. and Mrs. Mei Shi."

Feng Daoji sat on the couch, struggling for a moment before calming down and giving a bitter smile: "Silly daughter, being a hero's wife is not easy."

Feng Niaoniao said calmly, "Father, in this world, is it easy to be a mediocre wife? All living beings suffer. I only wish to witness the storms of this sea of ​​suffering. Even if I am battered by the waves, I will have no regrets. In any case, I will have to get married in the next year or two. Who knows, if the clan elders find out, I might be arranged to marry into another family, or even encounter a cruel ruler like Prince Qi. Compared to others, at least Xuan-ge is someone I can rely on."

Madam Feng said with reluctance, "Niao Niao, you'll suffer in this way. Not only will you have to manage Xuan's family, but you'll also have to support your brother-in-law. When Ji gets married, you and Xuan will both have to provide for his betrothal gifts, build a house, and establish a family business for him. If no wise ruler appears, you'll be a countrywoman for the rest of your life."

Feng Niaoniao asked her father slyly, "Will Father want his daughter to be a country bumpkin for the rest of her life?"

Feng Daoji said speechlessly, "Fine, fine, as you wish. I'll go talk to Xuan-ge right now. I should have agreed to Brother Meishi's marriage proposal back then, so I wouldn't be being toyed with by my daughter today."

Li Xuan's parents were on good terms with Feng Daoji and his wife, and they had jokingly discussed the marriage arrangement. Although it was a joke, it was actually a test. Feng Daoji and his wife liked Li Xuan very much at the time, and their lack of rejection meant their tacit approval.

Fearing the child's death, the two families originally planned to discuss the matter again when the child was older. However, due to the chaos of the world and unforeseen circumstances, they were separated by death when they reunited.

That's why Feng Daoji and his wife were conflicted. As scholars, they believed that once they had given their consent, fulfilling the agreement was paramount, even without a marriage certificate. However, Li Xuan seemed to be under immense pressure, and their daughter might suffer in the future, causing Feng Daoji and Feng Shi further distress.