A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 227: Digging Out the Guo Family Treasure
afternoon.

Li Yi, escorted by a team of Yu Lin and Lu Ben, came to Wubenfang with a group of servants to formally take over the former Du Yan residence bestowed upon him by the emperor.

Guo’s cellar is in this house.

The Yulin and Luben guarded outside, while the household servants protected inside.

Li Yi took his three trusted aides, Luo San, Liu Heizi and Li Cunli, and headed straight for the Beiyuan residence.

Du Yan's house and garden covers an area of 17 mu, and the north garden covers only 7 mu. The house is not very big, with two entrances and two spans of corridors.

There is a hall in the inner courtyard.

Guo's cellar was not in the inner courtyard of the main house, but in an inconspicuous corner next to the stable in the side yard.

After finding the location she mentioned, Li Yi led his men to start digging.

Although Luo San and the others were curious, they didn't ask too many questions and just started digging with their hoes.

After digging about one meter deep, we found bluestone slabs underneath.

"This is it, keep digging." Li Yi jumped into the pit and took a look, confirming that this was the place.

The bluestone slabs are lifted up,
There is no secret room below, it is still soil.

After digging a few feet deeper, when Li Yi thought Guo was deceiving him, he found the jar.

Two ceramic jars about 60 centimeters high were found, and a 30-centimeter-high silver pot was also dug next to them.

Two ceramic jars and a silver pot, all quite heavy.

Li Yi and three others dug them out together, carried them to the ground, and then refilled them with soil and bluestone slabs.

Two jars and one pot were moved to the inner courtyard hall.

Liu Heizi and the other two knew that there must be good stuff here, but they were still tactful enough to take the initiative to go out and guard it.

Li Yi was the only one left in the room.

Li Yi opened the first pottery jar,
On the top is a layer of silver residue, and inside are gold and silver objects, jade objects, and coins.

I didn't expect it to be true.

He poured out the contents of the two jars and one can, sorted them into different categories, and counted them carefully.

Finally, a total of 271 gold and silver utensils, 8 silver ingots, 22 silver cakes, 60 silver plates, and hundreds of gold, silver, and copper coins were found.
There are three agate items, one glass item, one crystal item, ten jade belts, a pair of jade arm rings, thirteen gold ornaments, as well as gold foil, jade materials, gems, etc.

Agate cup with animal head, gold bowl with mandarin duck and lotus petal pattern, silver pot with imitation leather bag and gilt dancing horse holding cup pattern, silver jar with handle and gilt parrot pattern, silver plate with double peach shape and red gold dragon pattern, double fox pattern, etc.

There are more than one hundred pieces of gold and silver utensils such as bowls, plates, cups, pots, etc., and more than forty pieces of gold and silver jewelry such as hairpins, bracelets, bells, etc.
This batch of things has a characteristic,

Most of them are small, exquisite and valuable things.
Guo said that the gold and silver objects weighed three hundred taels of gold, and the silver objects weighed more than three thousand seven hundred taels, which should be correct. There were also many Persian gold and silver coins, gold ingots and silver cakes, etc.

Worth a fortune, absolutely.

Even these gold and silver wares are actually quite exquisite, and even in the present day, they are extraordinary. If they were put into the future, many of them would even be called national treasures.

If we only consider the gold and silver wares as gold and silver materials and convert them into money, they are worth tens of thousands of strings of cash. In reality, the value of this batch of gold and silver wares should be even higher.

Guo really has hidden a lot of good things.
It is estimated that this batch of things were left behind by the Fengxiang Marquis Mansion, and may also include Guo’s dowry.

Two jars and one can do not take up much space and can be buried anywhere, but it is not easy to find them.

Even if there is a change of dynasty or other major disasters,

These gold and silver items can be considered as a backup plan.

Guo is really willing to give up.
Tens of millions of dollars in storage, just to save my grandson.

Du Jingai looked so sickly and was almost dead. There was no point in saving him.

Li Yi put hundreds of gold and silver items, jade, agate, glass, and crystal into the space house, leaving behind some silver slag, silver cakes, silver ingots, gold ingots, gold and silver coins, and took out dozens of copper coins from his own space.

The weight is about the same as before.

He called Luo San and the others over, pointed at those things and said,
"Du Jingai told me to hide some money, but I didn't expect there was actually quite a bit."

Li Yi gave each of the three people a five-liang silver cake.
"Thank you for your help. Anyone who sees it will get a share. Remember to keep it a secret for me."

Five taels of silver can now be exchanged for eight thousand Kaihuang five-zhu coins, or one tael of gold. Even though prices are high nowadays, this is still a lot of money.

"Wuyi, I can't accept this silver cake. We just helped dig some soil. This house is a reward from His Majesty, and the things we dug out are naturally yours." Luo San handed back the silver cake.

Liu Heizi was a little reluctant, but he still handed it back, "That's right, just digging a few hoes and you can get five taels of silver cakes. There is no such good thing in the world. We can't take advantage of this."

Young Li Cunli quickly handed it back and said, "I can't have it."

"Take it. You three are the people I trust most. This silver cake isn't just payment for digging, it's a reward for your continued service. I'll be relying on you even more in the future. His Majesty just bestowed upon me the Du family's multi-million-dollar fortune, which includes numerous fields, workshops, and shops. You'll need their management, too. Take it. Why are you being so polite to me?"

The three of them declined for a long time.

In the end, Li Yi asked him to accept it.

He still trusted the three people, but he put away all the gold and silver just now. It was not entirely because he did not trust them, but because money could attract people's attention.
If a treasure worth millions is placed in front of you, it will really test your human nature.

It’s better not to stimulate or test them, there’s no need for that.

Like now,
Li Yi displayed things worth hundreds of strings of cash, giving each person eight strings of cash and silver cakes, which was just right.

Put away your things,

Li Yi took the three of them to visit the house and garden.
It is indeed very nice. There are not many houses, but the scenery is excellent, full of the flavor of Jiangnan water town, and it is a waterscape garden.

Especially the South Garden, which is ten acres, has a seven-acre pond, the winding West Creek, and various pavilions and terraces full of Jiangnan style.
There are many bridges.

There is even a pavilion on the bridge.

This is not available in the North.

Compared to the eight-acre house that Li Yi bought in Pingkangfang for eight hundred thousand coins, this one is indeed more elegant and tasteful.
The pond is frozen. If it were summer, the pond would be full of green lotus leaves reaching the sky, the willow trees on the bank, the three islands in the pond, the pavilions on the islands, the winding corridors by the water, and the bridges would be so beautiful.

Returning to the carriage at Pingkangfang,
Li Yi was thinking about what to do next. Since he was paid to do a job, he still had to be honest.

Of course, it wasn't that he could be so generous as to let Du Jingai go, but since he already knew that Du Jingai was seriously ill and would not live for more than a hundred days,
There's nothing wrong with reusing his waste.

Exchanging Du Jingai and Du Yan for Du Chuke would be a great favor to Du Ruhui, and it might even appease Du Yan, preventing Guo and Du Yan from becoming so angry that they would fight him to the death.

even,

Perhaps we can make use of this incident to create a reputation for Li Yi as someone who complains with virtue and is loyal and righteous.

Reputation is a thing,

It can't be seen or touched, but sometimes it is more valuable than gold, silver and jewelry, especially for people like Li Yi.
Without a distinguished family background or the support of a powerful family, but having already entered the court and even gained a little status and wealth, one will need something to protect oneself even more.

A good reputation is sometimes a talisman.

Even wealthy rural landlords know that spending money on building bridges and roads, or helping the orphans, isn't just throwing money away; it's money that pays off. They might exploit their tenants and charge high interest on loans, but it's essential to set aside some money each year for charitable causes.

Guo Erlang didn't quite understand these things, so he could only be the village chief of Guozhuang forever.

Dong Xiucai was also a rural landlord, but he had long since stepped out of that class.

Li Yi went to the palace to meet the emperor.

"You want to plead for Du Jingai?" Li Yuan was a little surprised.

"Du Jingai deserves death, and I dare not bend the law for him. However, Du Yan killed Du Ruhui's brother, and now he is still imprisoning his brother.

It is said that Du Yan had previously followed Wang Shichong's orders to arrest many Luoyang officials who had secret dealings with Chang'an, killed some of them, and imprisoned some others.

Among them were the wives and children of Dugu Wudu and Dugu Ji,

Dugu Wudu and Dugu Ji were both sons of your majesty's uncle. Now their plan to return to Chang'an was exposed and they were killed. How could your majesty bear to see their wives and children suffer?
It would be better to exchange Du Jingai with Wang Shichong and Du Yan to get back Du Chuke, Dugu Xiu De, Dugu Shi Ren and others.

I heard that Dugu Wudu's son, Shi Ren, who is only three years old, has also been imprisoned. If he is not rescued, he will be killed sooner or later."

Dugu Wudu, Li Yuan's cousin, served as the commander of Heyang at the end of the Daye period. He was born to the eldest son of Li Yuan's maternal grandfather Dugu Xin. He had previously joined Li Mi along with Yuwen Rutong, the son of Yuwen Kai, the chief architect, Liu Xu, the governor of Henan, and Liu Xie, the magistrate of Henei.

After Li Mi was defeated by Wang Shichong, Dugu Wudu entered Luoyang and served as the commander-in-chief of the cavalry.

Not long ago, Dugu Wudu's fourth uncle's son, Sili doctor Dugu Ji, and Yubu Langzhong Yang Gongshen, Bohai County Chief Clerk Sun Shixiao, Infantry General Liu Xiaoyuan and others secretly planned to return to Guanzhong Chang'an and surrender to Li Yuan.

They planned to send someone to find an opportunity to leave Luoyang and take a small road to contact the governor of Guzhou, Duke Guan Guo Ren Gui, and ask him to send troops to support them when the time comes.

At first I just wanted to run.
But later Cui Xiaoren said that a man like Wang Shichong would never be able to accomplish great things. According to the prophecy, the world should belong to the Li family.

Who in the world can match him now?

Ren Gui is now in Xin'an, and he's an old friend of ours. If we can secretly recruit him and have them come to Luoyang at night, and we can all act as an insider and let him in, that would be a great achievement. When we return to Chang'an, wouldn't it be easier to escape like this?"

This group of people are all from famous families. Dugu Wu and Dugu Ji are both grandsons of Dugu Xin. Yang Gongshen is the son of Yang Da, the prime minister of the Sui Dynasty.
Several people want to do something big,

As a result, despite the various efforts, there was no response from Ren Gui. As time went by, the matter was leaked to Wang Shichong.

Wang Shichong killed them all.
Their wives and children were also imprisoned. Dugu Wudu's son Shi Ren, who was only three years old, was also imprisoned.

Li Yi now brought up Dugu Xiu De and Dugu Shi Ren, two of Li Yuan's nephews, and made Li Yuan fall into deep thought.

"Lord Dugu and the others were killed when their plans to return to Chang'an were leaked. If the court can bring their wives and children back, it will also allow the people of the world to see your majesty's kindness and will surely win the hearts of the people. In the future, wherever my Tang army goes, who will not want to submit?"

"That makes sense," Li Yuan nodded.

"I agree to use Du Jingai in exchange for the bodies of Dugu Wudu and his men, as well as their wives and children."

Dugu Wudu and his men had just been killed, and Chang'an had not yet responded. Li Yi reminded him, and Li Yuan issued an edict that same day, posthumously conferring the titles of Duke of Shu and Shang Zhuguo on Dugu Wudu, with the posthumous title of Dao. Dugu Ji was also conferred Shang Zhuguo and Duke of Teng, and Yang Gongshen, Cui Shiren, and others were also posthumously conferred titles.

He also ordered an envoy to go to Luoyang to discuss with Wang Shichong the matter of exchanging the wives and children of several people.

Li Yi offered good advice and was rewarded with a hundred pieces of silk.

After leaving the palace, he went directly to Du Ruhui's house in Anminfang and told Du Ruhui the good news.

"I don't know how to thank you enough."

"Why should we be so polite to each other as a family? Second brother, pick a few loyal people to follow you to Luoyang."

Li Yi chatted with him for a while and then went to see Guo.

"Did you dig anything up?" Guo asked.

"I dug it up. It's just as the old lady said."

"Then please hurry up and do what I asked you to do."

"Don't worry, I, Li Yi, keep my word, and I have already accomplished the task."

When Li Yi told him that the emperor had issued an order to use Du Jingai to go to Luoyang to exchange for a few people, Guo was incredulous.

"I've said before, I always keep my word, and I don't like to procrastinate."

"This is real?"

"Old Madam, you can ask my second brother, or send someone to the Guo or Wei families or other relatives to ask them to help inquire, and then you will know. I am not lying to you with my red mouth and white teeth."

Guo called out to Du San loudly, and excitedly asked him to go and find out whether what Li Yi said was true.

Li Yi laughed and didn't take it seriously.

"I have already finished my business. I have guests coming to visit, so I will go back first. Madam, please take care of yourself. Perhaps you can still wait until my father-in-law and his family return to Chang'an to reunite with us.

I believe that their return is not far away. The Luoyang court will not be able to hold out for much longer."

Some color returned to Guo's face, and she looked at him with a complicated expression, "Go slowly, and treat Shi Niang well."

(End of this chapter)