Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 378 If a pagoda is built, it will benefit one's children and grandchildren.
Upon entering the Wei family residence, one is immediately struck by the heavy, old-fashioned atmosphere. The courtyard is deep and spacious, the architecture is simple and ancient, and even the two old locust trees in the front yard are full of traces of time.

The Wei brothers led Zhang Dai directly into the guest room. The guest room was not large and did not have any ostentatious decorations with carved beams and painted rafters, but at first glance, it gave people a sense of antiquity and antiquity.

"The steps are a little slippery, please be careful when you step, Zhang Lang."

As they approached the hall, Wei Bin chuckled and offered a reminder.

Reminded by this, Zhang Dai treaded more firmly and looked down to find that the steps outside the guest hall were paved with Lantian jade. Over the years, people had walked on them, making the jade steps smooth and lustrous, like exquisite jade artifacts carefully polished by craftsmen.

The fact that the steps of the hall are made of jade and that the jade steps are worn smooth by footsteps undoubtedly reflects the profound heritage and long-standing tradition of the Wei family, which has been prosperous for hundreds of years. For centuries, the hall has been filled with banquets and every seat has been taken!
However, walking on these jade steps is really inconvenient; one could easily slip and fall. Fortunately, there are only a few steps at the bottom, and then there is a felt carpet laid out above.

As Zhang Dai stepped onto the thick felt carpet, he couldn't help but gain some new insights.

Given the wealth and status of the Wei family, it's not impossible that they could afford to cover the steps with a carpet. The reason they left those few steps was probably intentional, to remind the guests to behave properly, as being careless and rash would cause them to stumble and make a fool of themselves in front of everyone.

After entering the hall, the host and guests took their seats, and servants served some food and drink. Zhang Dai then chatted with the Wei brothers.

The Wei family's choice to receive Zhang Dai at this time was not out of deliberate arrogance.

Wei Zhi is currently serving as a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, the same position held by Yan Tingzhi, Zhang Dai's mentor, before he became a Censor.

This is also one of the most important mid-level positions in the court. The selection period has not yet ended, and the Ministry of Personnel has added subject-based selection to the regular selection process. Wei Zhi is naturally very busy. The fact that he was able to take half a day to receive Zhang Dai at home is already a great honor.

Compared to his brother, Wei Bin's career was slightly less successful. He served as a secretary in the Secretariat, a relatively undesirable position, but still a sixth-rank official.

Their father, Wei Anshi, was demoted to a remote prefecture due to the suppression of powerful officials in the early years of the Kaiyuan era and eventually died in despair. The two brothers stayed at home for eight years and are now only in their early thirties, yet they already hold official positions of the fifth or sixth rank. They cannot be said to have suffered setbacks in any way.

Zhang Dai was curious about the Ministry of Personnel's reaction after Pei Guangting proposed the selection of civil service examination subjects, so he briefly inquired about it with Wei Zhi.

"Alas, while Vice Minister Pei's suggestion is indeed a good plan that benefits the selection process and ensures its smooth progress, the selection process is already quite complicated, and now this important task has been added, inevitably causing my colleagues in the department to complain endlessly. Fortunately, Zhang Lang came to visit today; if it were another day, I really would have had difficulty taking the time to go home and entertain him..."

When it came to the current affairs of the Ministry of Personnel, even Wei Zhi, who was usually refined and mature, couldn't help but sigh with shame and look worried.

Zhang Dai had anticipated this, and upon hearing Wei Zhi's complaints, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

While the powerful figures at the top schemed against each other and vied for power, the lower-ranking officials were exhausted from running around. Even though the Ministry of Personnel was a coveted and prestigious position, without rising to a certain rank, one was nothing more than a burdened servant.

Wei Zhi was quite interested in this topic and talked a lot about the current chaotic personnel situation in the Ministry of Personnel.

But this was not Zhang Dai's main purpose in visiting. After patiently engaging in conversation for a while, he seized a break to quickly explain his purpose: "I have come to your door today with a request. The other day, while traveling in the south of the city, I saw a high hill that resembled a strange peak, towering on the eastern edge of Fanchuan. When I asked passersby, they all said that this was Xun Gongyuan. Does Doctor Wei have any impression of this plateau called Tapi?"

The Wei brothers were both taken aback upon hearing this, while a servant standing nearby quickly stepped forward and whispered a few words to Wei Zhi. After listening, Wei Zhi looked enlightened and then smiled and nodded, saying, "Tabei is indeed a garden estate passed down from our ancestors. Why do you ask about this, Zhang Lang?"

"A few friends and I are planning to start a business in the south of the city. We went to the south of the city to look for a site and found that we liked the terrain of Tapi. So we dared to ask Doctor Wei if he was willing to transfer the land?"

Knowing that many wealthy people in the Guanzhong Plain highly valued land assets and even considered selling their residences a sign of ruin, Zhang Dai quickly added, "I have no intention of being disrespectful in asking this question. It's just that this area of ​​the original hills of Tapi is quite suitable for the business I want to build, so I've come to inquire with sincerity. If Doctor Wei is willing to part with it, we will certainly offer a sincere and honest price!"

Although he spoke very politely, the Wei brothers' expressions changed noticeably after hearing his words, no longer as courteous and enthusiastic as when Zhang Dai first arrived.

"May I ask, Zhang Lang, what business do you intend to undertake in purchasing this place? If I remember correctly, the slopes and streams at Tapi are steep and difficult to navigate, making it challenging to work there," Wei Zhi asked Zhang Dai after a moment of silence.

"We intend to clear this land and cultivate it to plant tea trees and create a tea garden, which won't require much irrigation. The Xin'an Wang family will be working with us..."

To show his sincerity, Zhang Dai explained his plan and the details of his partners, adding, "If this area of ​​land could be transformed into a tea plantation, it could accommodate several hundred tea farmers. However, it takes several years for the tea trees to mature, so the exact revenue is difficult to estimate at the moment. I know that it's a family business that's hard to give up, so we could rent it first and then buy it..."

He didn't intend to take advantage of the other party in the land purchase. He was worried that the Wei brothers might hesitate to sell because they were not clear about the economic benefits of the land. So he suggested that they could rent and cultivate the land first, and then discuss the specific selling price after the benefits stabilized.

This undoubtedly puts Zhang Dai in a very unfavorable position. After all, as landlords, the Wei brothers are not responsible for the initial investment in land reclamation, and after seeing the good returns, they may refuse to sell and directly reap the benefits.

However, the Wei brothers had a good reputation and were not wicked or greedy. In addition, Zhang Dai himself was determined to acquire this land, which is why he offered such a generous proposal to them.

"Zhang Lang's intention is to improve the livelihood of the people of Guanzhong and alleviate the disease, rather than just seeking personal gain. This dedication is truly commendable. Although I only heard about it briefly at the event, I was deeply moved and hope to be able to help."

Wei Zhi first sighed, then said apologetically, "However, my late father once said that a fortune teller had warned him not to give up this estate in Tapi, and that building a pagoda on it would benefit his descendants..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai's heart sank. He hadn't expected that this desolate mountain range would be involved in the continuation of the Wei family's fortune. This was indeed a difficult situation. After all, the Wei family was not short of money. No matter how much money and benefits he offered, could they compare to the future succession of their family?
Even if he had prepared other excuses, he couldn't bring himself to say them when faced with Wei Zhi's reason for refusal. To him, it was just about buying a desolate hill, but to Wei Zhi, it sounded like he hoped for the decline of the Wei family and the desolation of their descendants.
The atmosphere in the hall became somewhat somber for a moment. After a brief silence, Wei Bin became more interested in Zhang Dai's plan to build a tea garden and asked some related questions. Although Zhang Dai was disappointed, he still patiently answered them.

Just then, another servant of the Wei family came to report that a guest had arrived. It was Wei Tao, the cousin of the Wei brothers and Zhang Dai's superior, who was also the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai simply got up to take his leave, but Wei Zhi quickly said, "It's rare for Zhang Lang to visit, and you're in such a hurry. Why don't you stay for a meal?"

Although the chef of the Xun family was renowned, the tea garden matter was a major plan that Zhang Dai had been planning for a long time. He was already feeling disappointed after being turned down by the Wei family and needed to think things through further. He had no mood to stay for dinner and did not accept Wei Zhi's offer to stay, so he firmly declined and left.

So the Wei brothers saw Zhang Dai off again. When they reached the front courtyard, they encountered Wei Tao, who was traveling from out of town. Accompanying Wei Tao was a middle-aged man. Zhang Dai thought the man looked somewhat familiar, but for a moment he couldn't remember who he was. He simply greeted Wei Tao and exchanged a few pleasantries, then asked the Wei brothers to stay there before leaving the Wei family.

When Zhang Dai returned to the street, he remembered that the middle-aged man he had just seen seemed to be a retainer of the Xue family. Now he was entering the Wei family with Wei Tao. What did this mean?
His mind raced, and he glanced back at the Wei family's gate with a complicated expression. He had no more interest in visiting the county magistrate and waved his hand, leading his entourage away from the area.

"What brings Zhang Zongzhi here?"

After Wei Tao entered the hall and took his seat, he first asked the Wei brothers with some curiosity.

"Just some trivial matters."

Wei Zhi simply gave a casual reply, then smiled and said to the middle-aged man who had come with Wei Tao, "It's a rare treat for Lord Xue to visit us. Please allow me to keep you here today and let my brother entertain you!"

After the banquet ended and the night was quite late, Wei Zhi returned to the hall after arranging for his cousin and the Xue Guoling to stay in their guest rooms. He then ordered a servant to serve him some dairy milk, which he sipped while closing his eyes to rest.

"Brother, are you really going to arrange a marriage alliance with the Xue family?"

Wei Bin returned to his seat and looked at Wei Zhi with a hesitant and unwilling expression, asking questions. Although the brothers were only a few years apart in age, Wei Bin had been used to obeying his elder brother's arrangements since childhood.

“You are now thirty years old, yet you are still unmarried. If no arrangements are made, how can I, your elder brother, face the world? Alas, in the past, I stubbornly stayed at home, but I never imagined that I would cause you to miss out on many good marriages.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhi sighed deeply: "I thought Zhang Zongzhi's visit today was because his grandfather had regained power and was recruiting people, so I could use this opportunity to get you a scarlet robe and make your marriage prospects easier. But I didn't expect this guy to be all talk and no action. He only played some trivial tricks, and I wasted half a day of my time entertaining him!"

(End of this chapter)