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

Chapter 249: Protector of the Township

In the spring of the second year of Wude,
It is still chilly in Guanzhong in spring, with slanting wind and drizzle but no sun.

Li Yi rode his horse to the general's camp.

The road along the Shenheyuan was muddy and slippery. The hem of Li Yi's purple robe was covered with mud. His followers helped push the carriage forward. The carriage was filled with a lot of food, medicine, meat and vegetables.

Luo San came to greet him from afar.

"This year, there are two springs and a leap February. As the old saying goes, it's rare to see a leap February in ten years, and even rarer to see two springs in a year. This year, both of these have happened at the same time. It's said that there will be a cold spring and a drought in autumn.
It's almost the spring equinox, and the cold snaps are still coming one after another. It's the perfect time for spring plowing, but now we can't even plow."

Last autumn, many young wheat seedlings were frozen to death by several cold snaps.

Fortunately, Wuyi, you invited the agricultural officials from the Sino-Agricultural Temple to come and give us guidance. They taught us how to suppress the vigorous seedlings and irrigate the crops before the temperature drops. We had never thought that irrigating the crops could prevent freezing."

Li Yi saw that many of the young seedlings in the wheat field had indeed withered. "Irrigation can't prevent frost, but it can stabilize the ground temperature." He bent down to check the wheat.

Many of the above-ground parts were frozen and withered, but some branches were still alive.

"Yesterday I met Wu Gong, the Junior Minister of Agriculture, and he reminded me that the situation of our wheat isn't too bad. With timely watering and topdressing, we can still promote tillering and ear formation, and ultimately maintain some yield."

Wu Shiling is an experienced landlord. He now serves as the Shaoqing of the Ministry of Agriculture. He has many agricultural officials and craftsmen under him and is very professional in farming.

Lao Wu reminded him that this year's late spring cold snap was severe and frost damage was severe, but watering was effective.

Many wheat seedlings in Li Yi's field were frozen to death, but not the tillers. There were still small tiller buds that could grow into tillers and ears. The key was watering and applying fertilizer.

As long as timely remedial measures are taken, some harvest can still be guaranteed this year, but a reduction in production is certain, it just depends on how much the reduction will be.

"We are short of fertilizer. We have just started raising pigs and don't have that much pig manure yet. It seems we have to go to Chang'an quickly to collect manure," Luo San suggested again.

Li Yi also knew that the manure in Chang'an City was actually divided among different people.
But he still supported Luo San and his team in organizing people to go to Chang'an to collect manure, whether it was free cleaning or giving some vegetables, fruits or other benefits, let them do it.

"How are the wounded?"

"You called a doctor and arranged for someone to take care of them. They are recovering well."

General Camp,
After more than half a year, the Li family has now run a manor here.
Last year, we just got the land and attracted a group of disaster victims. We barely settled them there by digging some earthen caves and building some straw sheds.

And after a winter and spring,

Now there is a large courtyard surrounded by Huji, and many Huji houses with earthen walls and yellow grass have been built. There are also several workshops here, making tofu, bean curd sheets, persimmon wine, straw weaving, wood weaving, and cloth weaving.
Those soldiers and tenants also had work to do during the slack season, so their income naturally increased a lot.

As more than a hundred wounded soldiers followed Li Yi here after being discharged from the army, a new hospital was built here.

There is already a Wuji Medical Clinic in Yusu Township.
With the support of Wu Shiling, Li Jing, Qiu Shenyan, Ji Sigong and others, several doctors were invited here, and then medicinal materials and pharmacists were brought in to open a new clinic.

They not only process and sell medicinal materials, but also run a clinic to treat illnesses.

While treating the more than one hundred wounded soldiers, he also served the villagers near the general's camp.

The clinic is located in the courtyard.

Li Yi came in and saw Song Yi weaving straw sandals. This loyal soldier who had defended his master in Pingkangfang on the first morning of the new year could not move one of his legs, but his hands were very dexterous as he sat there.

"Old Song, why don't you just lie down and rest instead of weaving straw sandals?"

Song Yi looked up and saw Li Yi coming and wanted to get up.

"Don't move, you need to take care of your leg."

"Ah Lang, my legs are pretty good now. I have good food and drink every day. Look, I have grown fat. I feel really bad about it. I'm afraid I'll get sick from being idle. I'll find some work to do. Weaving straw sandals is not difficult and doesn't require any work on my legs."

Song Yi spent two months recovering from his injury, and he actually gained weight.

Li Yi specifically instructed that Song Yi, his savior, must be provided with nutritious meals three times a day while recuperating in the General Camp Hospital. He even wrote the menu himself.

It’s either egg custard or meat pie soup, and every few days they ask for some chicken soup or fish soup.

Song Yi had been used to hardship since he was a child and had never lived such a good life. Not only him, but also his wife and children had improved their lives.

"Just take good care of yourself. A broken bone takes a hundred days to heal. Your leg will need at least six months to heal."

Li Yi had previously rewarded Song Yi with 100 pieces of silk and 10 dan of rice, a cow, and built him three cave dwellings. He even agreed to exempt Song Yi from rent for five years on his family's 50 mu (approximately 16 acres) of land and promoted him to head of the guards. Even now, while recovering from his injuries, he was still paid the monthly salary of two dan of rice.

There must be rewards, and they must be heavy rewards, so that the servants will be willing to fight for their lives when encountering problems in the future.

Loyalty is rewarded.

Become a model.

Anyway, who among the Li family's followers and tenants is not envious of Song Yi's current treatment? Many people regretted not rushing forward to stop the assassin. Not to mention that a broken leg can be healed, even if he lost a leg, the reward is very worthwhile.

Everyone envied Song Yi's treatment and admired Li Yi's generosity even more.

Only by following a boss like this can you have a future.

"Just take good care of yourself. If you feel bored, read some books and learn some words. You are the captain of the guards now, so knowing more words will be useful."

Entered the sanatorium.
Everyone who was receiving treatment here hurried to greet him.

They were once soldiers, but were later abandoned.

Fortunately, Li Yi did not abandon them and brought them to Guanzhong. Now they are Li Yi's subordinates.

Many people were disabled, some were missing limbs, and some were even blind and deaf. Li Yi did not despise them. He treated them here first, and after they recovered, he arranged them to work in manors and workshops to do things within his ability.

"Old rub,"

Li Yi greeted them along the way and found Chen Lingjiao.

"County Lord."

"Why are you being so polite?"

Li Yi summoned the doctor and inquired about Chen Lingjiao's injuries. "The leg is healing well. He may limp a little, but it won't affect his walking or running much. His left eye is gone, so he'll have to make a prosthetic eye out of bone."

"Can you make an artificial eye out of bone?"

"Well, bone artificial eyes have been around for more than a hundred years," the doctor said. He knew someone in Chang'an who specialized in making artificial eyes. The best material was ivory, but ordinary materials like cow bones would also work.

"Okay, help Lao Lu contact a craftsman to make a better artificial eye."

I talked to the doctor about the situation of the clinic in the general camp.

Although it is still in its initial construction, Li Yi has sought help from more than a dozen powerful families. With their help, doctors, medicinal materials, pharmacists, etc. were quickly in place.

Li Yi's positioning of this clinic is different from the current model of most drug stores.

He divided the clinic into several sections: outpatient clinic, pharmacy, wards, and a medicine shop. The front section of the pharmacy housed an outpatient clinic where doctors consulted and prescribed medicines, while the pharmacy dispensed and even prepared decoctions for patients. In the back, there was a medicine processing workshop where medicinal materials were prepared.

There is also a ward area for hospitalization and nursing.

Li Yi is quite ambitious and plans to enter the medical field and create his own brand.

So his clinic was not called a pharmacy or a drug store, but Qianjintang.

Wuji Medical Clinic is owned by the society, while Qianjintang belongs to the Li family. The two take different routes, one trying to be as affordable as possible, while the other is preparing to provide more high-end medical care.

"Alang, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has sent someone to invite you to the East Palace for a meeting."

Upon hearing the news, Li Yi had no choice but to rush back to Chang'an.

On the way,

Zhao Yongan was a little puzzled as to why Li Yi wanted to bring those wounded soldiers back to Guanzhong and spend money on their medical treatment.

"Those people spend a lot of money on medical treatment and medicine, and they also provide food and drink. But even if these people recover from their injuries, most of them will be disabled, right?"

Zhao Yongan felt that Li Yi was too kind-hearted.

"They were all soldiers under my command, fighting side by side with me. Now they are injured and disabled, with nowhere to go. I will help them if I can."

Li Yi took them in and treated them, and he didn't think he was being too nice. He thought it was an investment, and he didn't think he would lose money on it.

Even though the more than one hundred people under Chen Lingjiao were disabled, they were all veterans.

They became Li Yi's followers, and after their injuries recovered, they were still able to arrange things to do and did not need to be fully supported by Li Yi.

As long as they are arranged reasonably, they can create a lot of value for Li Yi, not to mention a group of veterans. If they are well-maintained, they can become a group of warriors who are ready to risk their lives at any time.

I was fooled by Du Yan several times.

Now his status is getting higher and higher, but unlike those prominent families, he does not have so many relatives and relatives available to him. He can only win over and train more of them himself.

A group of disabled veterans who survived the battlefield.

If used well, it would be amazing.

That’s all, no need to say it out loud.

Money is money only if it can be spent.

If you store them in the cellar, they will all be dead.

East Palace.

Jiancheng smiled and asked Li Yi to sit down.

Li Yi has actually always been quite unfamiliar with this Crown Prince.

In the eyes of others, Li Jiancheng is the crown prince and the heir to the throne. The 29-year-old Crown Prince Jiancheng may be considered by many to have performed well in all aspects.

The emperor is in his fifties, and Crown Prince Jiancheng will definitely become the emperor in the future. He may even inherit the throne in about ten years.

But Li Yi already knew the future.

He is like a prophet, knowing what will happen 3,500 years in the past and 1,500 years in the future.

He knew that although Li Jiancheng had been the crown prince for nine years, he ultimately failed to ascend the throne. He also knew that the King of Qin, who was only twenty years old now, would become the emperor in the future.

He had no respect for the emperor, and was even less tempted by the Crown Prince Jiancheng's attempts to win him over.

In fact, Jiancheng has always been nice to him, although he has been trying to win him over a bit, but he is the crown prince. It is amazing that he can put aside his airs and win you over. Most people don't have this opportunity.

Li Yiting was unwilling to have anything to do with the Eastern Palace.
But now he is an official of the Eastern Palace who is the Inspector of the Prince's Left Guard.

As soon as he sat down,

Li Jiancheng smiled and handed him a certificate.

Li Yi took it with some doubts, but found that it was the appointment letter of the Prince's Left Guard.

"Today I accompanied the Saint on a boat trip in the North Sea, and specifically asked for this certificate from the Saint."

From Inspector of the Left Guard of the Crown Prince to the Left Guard of the Crown Prince, this is the attitude of the Crown Prince.

"I'm leaving for the battle tomorrow. Is everything settled at home?" Li Jiancheng asked again. "The sage also said that you are a lucky general. This time, I have to rely on your blessing to go to Hexi and defeat Li Gui."

"This time, you will be the commander of the central army, and the right rear army will be handed over to others."

The right rear army has 2,600 men, while the central army has 4,000 men. The prince's trust in him is obvious.

The Crown Prince's household servant came in and said, "Your Highness, there's a bandit uprising in the Sizhu Garden of Zhouzhi County. The leader, Zhu Shanhai, calls himself the Protector of the Township. He has gathered over a thousand bandits and is attacking the county. Your Majesty has summoned the Crown Prince to discuss the matter."

(End of this chapter)