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

Chapter 271 Golden Body
"Li Yi spent seven million yuan to buy the former Yu Shiji's house in the northwest corner of Shengyefang."

In Jingshanfang, in the royal temple Daxingshan Temple which occupied an entire area, the Eternal Bad Commander Zhao Chang was reporting to Qian Jiulong who was sitting at the top.

Qian Jiulong, dressed in white, listened attentively. Although he was in his forties and had been promoted to General of the Left Guard a few days ago, he still served as the emperor's eyes and ears, secretly monitoring all officials. Li Yi was someone the emperor had personally instructed to pay more attention to.

"Wang Yi, the official in charge of the Ministry of Works, was willing to help Li Yi acquire the mansion and the golf course for four million coins, on the condition that Li Yi give him another one and a half million coins, for a total of five and a half million coins, originally priced at seven million. However, Li Yi refused, even saying he had no shortage of money."

Qian Jiulong smiled slightly.

It surprised him a little, but not that much.

"This kid certainly isn't short of money. During the Chinese New Year, Du Yan's son attempted to assassinate him. Afterwards, the sage transferred all of Du Yan and his son's assets to Li Yi. It's said to be worth over ten million. He also has quite a few workshops, and I hear they're quite profitable too."

He used to sell golden potatoes for auspiciousness, selling one for fifteen taels of gold, and now he has sold hundreds of taels of gold."

Zhao Chang is known as the Living Devil in Wannian County. He leads a group of bad guys and is good at catching thieves, especially in criminal investigation and interrogation.

But in front of this former emperor's slave, now the Jinzi Guanglu Doctor and the Left Guard General, Zhao Chang was as respectful and docile as a dog.

"You would rather spend an extra 1.5 million yuan. You are really willful." Zhao Chang, who had a long scar on his face, said. He remembered that when he first met Li Yi last year, he came to Wannian County Government to report a case. A family in his village was missing. At that time, Li Yi gave him one or two taels of gold. He was a generous person.

I just didn't expect that he is so generous now that he doesn't even look down on 1.5 million yuan.

"That's because he's smart. Do you think he's so young and yet he's been promoted all the way to Silver and Green Guanglu Doctor and Founding Duke of Qianshui County in less than a year? He's just lucky. This young man is so impeccable in everything he does."

"You should investigate that Wang Yi thoroughly. He's quite courageous. He dares to ask for 1.5 million right out of the blue. Isn't he afraid of choking to death?"

Zhao Chang smiled and said, "Wang Yi is just a small official in the Ministry of Works, an official outside the official ranks. How could he be so bold? He was just making an appearance for someone. There are many people who need to share this 1.5 million."

"That's your business, check it out carefully."

After Qian Jiulong finished speaking, he stood up and left.

Strolling in Daxingshan Temple, outside the red walls is the prosperity of the capital, and inside the red walls are the lingering Buddhist music and the morning bells and evening drums.

However, Qian Jiulong knew very well that this place was not as simple as the Buddhist holy land it appeared to be.

The history of Daxingshan Temple can be traced back to the time of Emperor Wu of Jin Dynasty, which is 500 years ago. When Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty built Daxing City, he specially built Daxingshan Temple and Xuandu Temple on the Jiuwu Hill, next to Zhuquemen Street. Daxingshan Temple was the original Zunshan Temple moved there and renamed.

During the Kaihuang period, many famous monks from India arrived in Chang'an and translated Buddhist scriptures and spread the Dharma. Today, this place has become the ancestral home of Tantric Buddhism.

Sui destroyed Tang and rose.

The Daxingshan Temple still has a majestic mountain gate like a city tower. The entire temple covers a vast area, occupying more than 500 acres of land and a thousand monks' quarters.

Qian Jiulong was also very clear that Daxingshan Temple not only occupied a large area and had a large number of monks, but also had many maids and tenants, countless fields and workshops, and was the largest moneylender in Chang'an.

The emperor came to the temple to worship Buddha today.
At this time, in front of the stupa, this six-sided, five-story brick tower has a Buddhist niche on each side of each floor.

Qian Jiulong came to the emperor and accompanied him on a tour.

At noon, we had a vegetarian meal in the temple.

The dish is very light, with vegetarian chicken, bean curd sheets, tofu, and wild vegetables.

During the banquet, Qian Jiulong reported that Li Yi had spent seven million to buy a house.

The emperor picked up a piece of bean curd and ate it with great satisfaction. "I'm not surprised by anything this kid does now. He's so determined at such a young age. He refused to take advantage of 1.5 million coins. I feel more at ease if I let him be the minter and mint new coins."

"I have already sent someone to investigate the official from the Ministry of Works."

Li Yuan nodded and picked up another piece of dried tofu mixed with water spinach with chopsticks.

"Gui Zhang, what do you think of Daxingshan Temple?"

“Magnificent and imposing.”

"You've understated the money. Look at this temple, it's filled with bronze statues and gold bodies. Li Yi said there was a shortage of copper for minting new coins, but this temple is filled with bronze Buddha statues and bronze ritual implements. Take the three giant Buddha statues in the main hall. The abbot said each one is two feet tall and weighs 36,000 kilograms of copper, and hundreds of taels of gold were used for gilding..."

Li Yuan's words were full of amazement.

The three giant Buddha statues alone required more than 100,000 kilograms of copper and 300 taels of gold.

"Li Yi said that when casting the new Kaiyuan Tongbao coins, one guan of copper coins contained 85% copper and consumed 11% of the copper. The actual copper used in one guan of coins was about six kilograms. The copper from these three large Buddha statues could be used to cast more than 20,000 guan of new coins."

Qian Jiulong didn't respond.
This is Daxingshan Temple, one of the Buddhist sects. Although it is not as powerful as the Three Stages Sect, the Miscellaneous Sect is very influential.

Who dares to take the golden body of the bronze statue in Daxingshan Temple?
Even the emperor wouldn't dare.

Li Yuan was eating the vegetarian meal carefully prepared by the monks, but he was saying something that would make the monks shudder.
"Li Yi said that copperware is now valuable, and many unscrupulous merchants, and even some temples, directly melt copper coins to obtain copper, and then cast copperware to sell, or cast copper Buddha statues and copper instruments for their own use.

Do you know how much profit can be made from melting coins and casting tools? Generally, copperware can reach 600 coins per catty, so the profit from melting coins and casting tools is at least three times that.

Temples like Daxingshan Temple accepted donations, lent money and used pawnshops as collateral, and a large amount of copper coins flowed into the temples.
But they melted the money to make copper, which they used to cast bronze statues, ritual instruments, or bronze mirrors, incense burners, spittoons, copper cauldrons, stirrups, pitchers, copper plates, etc., which they sold.”

"There's a money shortage in the world, and these monks are largely responsible."

Qian Jiulong listened quietly. He had followed the emperor for many years and knew that sometimes the emperor was just talking to himself, not asking him questions. "Li Yi said that to solve the money shortage, new coins must be minted, old coins must be gradually abolished, counterfeit coins must be cracked down on, private minting must be regulated, and even the hoarding of coins must be banned, the destruction of coin casting tools must be banned, and even the casting and use of copper objects other than bronze mirrors must be directly banned. Temples must also be prohibited from using copper to cast Buddha statues and ritual instruments. Instead, they must use lead, tin, wood, and clay to make Buddha statues and ritual instruments.

It is also necessary to encourage the mining of copper, lead, tin and other minerals, and at the same time limit the price of copper mirrors and other copper products. The price of copper products should not exceed 160 coins per catty. This will reduce the practice of melting coins and casting objects for profit.

Don't you think this guy is a bit fanciful? Are there any of the things he said that he can easily do?"

"Forget it. It's a good thing for young people to be motivated. Let him try."

After dinner, the emperor strolled in the temple, looking at the golden Buddha statues everywhere, as if he saw countless newly minted Kaiyuan Tongbao coins.

"Spending two million to buy a polo field, does Li Yi want to play polo too? Then give him a set of polo moon staffs."

Shengyefang.

Li Yihao spent seven million to buy the 48-acre old residence of Yu Shiji and the 24-acre polo field next door, monopolizing a corner of Shengyefang.

"Next, Sanniang, you bring people to clean and decorate the place, then pick an auspicious day and have Shiniang bring everyone to move in."

You can actually move in right here, as all the furniture and household needs are complete.

Luo Sanniang nodded and said "hmm".

"I'll be back to Yishou Palace soon. Please help take care of the family."

Back to Pingkangfang,
Li Yi gave the house deed to Du Shiniang for safekeeping.
Although he wanted to stay at home more, the task of minting coins was urgent, and he also had the task of comforting the refugees in Nanshan.

After lunch, he said goodbye to his wife and children and went out.
Luo Sanniang reluctantly sent him to the street and wanted to go with Li Yi.

When Li Yi came back last night, he didn't stay at her place, but stayed at the Silla maid's place. This made Luo Sanniang very disappointed. He just came back and left again, and she didn't know when they would meet again.

"Spring plowing has begun, and all the farms are busy. If the managers, village heads, and shopkeepers need to come to withdraw money and grain, you should be more concerned."

Riding back to Yishou Palace,

Along the way, we saw many people busy with spring plowing in the Guanzhong plains.

In spring, people are busy planting millet, broomcorn millet and other crops, most of which are rotated crops.

It was already evening when we returned to Yishou Palace.

The head craftsman Zhao Feng hurried over to ask whether the sample money had been approved.

"Well, the Saint is very impressed with the ivory coin you carved. He will carve the ancestral coin based on it. You should lead the craftsmen to start carving immediately. After the carving is completed, it must be submitted to the Saint for his review and approval."

Li Yi called all the coin minters over.
"From now on, Zhao Feng, the Inspector of the Yishou Treasury, will be granted the eighth rank."

Zhao Feng, with gray hair and beard, stepped forward and accepted Li Yi's appointment.

Li Yi then selected four veteran craftsmen, appointed them to inspect and supervise the work, and awarded them the ninth rank.

Furnace masters, team leaders, etc. were also appointed.

While letting Zhao Feng and others carve ancestral coins, he also prepared the preliminary work for minting coins.

"Each furnace requires 36 craftsmen. According to the county magistrate's arrangement, using large crucibles, 20,000 coins can be minted per day. If the mother coin casting method is mastered, the output can be further increased."

A complete coin casting process involves many steps, from smelting the alloy, to making the sand box, pounding the sand, filling the sand, scraping the sand, and shaping the coin, to removing the mold, closing the box, filling the mold, and opening the box.
After unpacking, I got the money tree, which was just a rough part, with a pouring sprue and a cast handle. It also needed to go through the subsequent filing, rolling, grinding, and washing of the eyes, and finally, the dust and sand were removed and strung into a string.

More than thirty people worked in one furnace and could cast twenty to thirty thousand coins a day, which was already amazing. In the past, they could only cast ten thousand coins a day at most.

"I also ask the county magistrate to send more copper, lead, and tin. We also need a lot of charcoal. These thirty-six furnaces cannot stop producing charcoal, and the consumption is huge."

The coin casting furnace is ready-made.
Craftsmen are also ready,
There is no shortage of workers. There are refugees everywhere waiting for resettlement. As long as they are offered work in exchange for relief, two meals a day, and one or two liters of grain as daily wages, there are many people rushing to work.

This can also help the refugees to deal with the aftermath.

"We are in the mountains, and there are so many refugees. We can just arrange for people to chop wood and make charcoal. This will kill two birds with one stone. It will not only solve the charcoal problem but also reduce costs. Secondly, we can also provide some shelter for the refugees."

"Also, now that spring has arrived, we can organize the refugees and the imperial guards stationed here to reclaim wasteland and cultivate land together. By then, we can be self-sufficient and save money."

The wives, children and elders of those coin minters and charcoal burners can organize themselves to open up wasteland and form production mutual aid groups. Li Yi will lend them food, seeds, farm tools, etc. in the name of the Money Supervisor, so that the workers of the Money Supervisor will have no worries.

After discussing with Zhao Feng and others,
It was initially agreed that the foreman of the coin minters and the foreman of the shift would receive two meals a day and an additional five liters of millet per day. The artisans would receive food and three liters of millet per day.

Ordinary coin minters and charcoal burners were provided with food and received an additional wage of two liters of corn per day.

Others who are responsible for miscellaneous work such as transportation are provided with two meals and one liter of millet per day as wages.

The wages are already very low, only some millet is given, no money.

But for those refugees, this is already exciting good news. What they lack most now is food, and no one is willing to give them money.

As soon as the news came out, countless people rushed to sign up. No matter whether it was minting coins, burning charcoal, or carrying things, as long as they had a job and could eat, and could get some millet as wages, they would be satisfied. At least in this season of lean harvest, they would no longer have to worry about starving to death.

(End of this chapter)