Chapter 6: Strive for It
Although there were some unexpected events on the road, Wang Jingfan and Song Duan quickly returned to the capital. The owner of Qiku Building was waiting at home, it seems that his customers were too big, otherwise, the two large North beads would not have been so expensive as to make him stay here without moving.
The twenty-one big North beads from Shi Zhi-cong had been pawned twice before, the owner of the Qiku Building only wanted two, but Wang Jing-fan easily let him have five big North beads without counting, and also added a manor called Li Chengzhuang near Zhengzhou and twenty gold cakes. Wang Jing-fan did not directly give the owner of the Qiku Building two big North beads to finish the deal, but instead selected seven big North beads that were almost identical in size, so the owner of the Qiku Building bought them all at a price of 5,000 yuan per bead without any hesitation, and also made up for the difference.
A one-inch-long big bead is already very rare, and nine beads of normal size are even more rarely seen, so the price naturally skyrocketed. Such a transaction would be very inconvenient with copper coins, and even with gold and silver it would be the same, so they agreed to use land deeds and gold biscuits instead. This Li Chengzhuang was confiscated by the government due to some matter and entrusted to the Warehouse Building for auction, previously estimated at 15,000 guan, but the owner of the Warehouse Building secretly contacted several wealthy people who had no intention of making a deal, so it was delayed until the imperial court lowered the price again before re-auctioning.
According to the new price, in addition to exchanging with big northern pearls, the warehouse owner also had to make up for a difference of 20,000 yuan. The warehouse owner tentatively mentioned Li Chengzhuang's matter, which coincided with Wang Jingfan's intention and immediately reached a deal. Wang Jingfan had never been to Li Chengzhuang, but the court described it in detail when auctioning off the estate: the estate was about 10 miles around, with rivers running through it, and came with over a hundred tenant households. Except for the rivers, tenant houses, and wasteland, the entire estate was roughly over 500 hectares.
Zhengzhou is adjacent to the capital, and in addition to convenient land transportation, there is also the Jinshui River connecting the two cities, and water transportation is also very developed. Lichengzhuang is located near the border of Zhengzhou and Kaifeng Prefecture, and it is also close to the Jinshui River. These wealthy households in the capital are really too greedy, and the court's valuation of Lichengzhuang is absolutely underestimated. Even so, they are unwilling to make a deal. The price of good land like Chiheyan and Huahedian along the Beijing-Kaifeng Road is around two guan per mu, while Lichengzhuang's situation is not that of top-grade land, but it is also a rare piece of farmland, which is absolutely no problem. However, such good land has been suppressed by them to over 200 wen per mu, truly a case of "the heart is never satisfied, like a snake swallowing an elephant!"
Beijing's wealthy households have lowered the price of the estate, but Wang Jingfan is unaware of this. He can swallow an entire manor, which he considers a rare opportunity. Although he knows that the owner of the Qilou Warehouse has quoted a price with a margin - the profit from operating industry is astonishing, but it's also easy to arouse jealousy. In contrast, collecting rent on land and houses carries much less risk. If he can buy an estate, Wang's real estate focus will shift from Hangzhou to Beijing, making management easier and providing stable income that can reliably support the academy.
"Sir, that Liu Piaoxiang should be from Panlou Street's Bimonthly Pavilion, also very famous in the capital, skilled at singing farewell songs..." Song Duan said.
Yu Wen Chuan asked in surprise: "Isn't that Yan Shu, also known as Yan Tongshu?"
Song Duan nodded: "It's indeed Yan Shu's lyrics, Liu Piaoxiang was famous for singing Yan's lyrics at the age of 14, and last year when Yan Tongshu passed away, she suspended her performances for a month to mourn..."
"This Liu Piaoxiang is a kind-hearted person..." Yu Wenchuan sighed and said, his most admired was Yan Shu, unfortunately Yan Shu was a famous prime minister and word person, although he was approachable, it wasn't possible for Yu Wenchuan to meet him easily, especially since Yan Shu had passed away before they arrived in Kaifeng. When Yu Wenchuan heard this news, he was still very saddened.
Wang Jingfan nodded and asked: "How's the case outside the city?"
"What else can be done? The Kaifeng Prefecture has been busy for several days, but there is no result. Now nobody mentions it anymore, and after a while, it will just fade away." Song Duan smiled slightly and replied.
"If you see Liu Piaoxiang again, remember not to talk too much. These singing girls are most skilled at listening and if they can tell us apart, it won't be a big deal but it will still be troublesome..." Wang Jingfan reminded Song Duan.
This was also what Wang Jingfan thought of earlier. At that time, because it was dark, even if he slightly covered his face, the immortal wouldn't be able to recognize him. Not to mention Liu Piaoxiang and her three women, Wang Jingfan himself could only roughly make out Liu Piaoxiang's appearance, but he felt that this woman's voice was extremely pleasant to listen to. However, when he truly confirmed Liu Piaoxiang's identity, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful in his heart. People like Liu Piaoxiang were all carefully selected and nurtured from a young age by human traffickers, if he wasn't careful, one day he would be standing opposite her, and as soon as he opened his mouth, the other party would probably recognize him.
"At that time, when rescuing them, it was really not the right moment to speak out!" Wang Jingfan felt a little regret in his heart, but since things had come to this point, regretting was of no great use. He could only be more careful in the future and avoid running into Liu Piaoxiang again.
Wang Jingfan was probing the bottom of Liu Piaoxiang's affairs, while Liu Piaoxiang also wanted to know who had saved her that day. Unfortunately, the other party did not reveal their name, and there was no contact afterwards. However, from the news coming from Kaifeng Prefecture, it was clear that the two people who had saved her were quite skilled. The one who used a short sword to kill was not worth mentioning, but the two ruffians who had previously shown off in front of Liu Piaoxiang were simply pinched by that person's hand, and their neck bones were all crushed. Fortunately, this was a case of saving someone, and Kaifeng Prefecture also realized from the ruffians' corpses that they should not be trifled with. In the end, it was best to let the matter pass quietly - Kaifeng Prefecture would soon have a new governor, who would want to look for trouble at this juncture?
Kaifeng Prefecture wanted to calm down the matter, also out of helplessness. There is a saying that "three lives are unlucky, knowing the county attached to the city; three lives are evil, attached to the neighboring province; evil is full, attached to the capital city". This Kaifeng Prefecture looks glorious but is also a big fire pit, because almost all the nobles and rich merchants of the Great Song Dynasty are concentrated here. For hundreds of years, the connections between relatives have been intertwined, although after the late Tang Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms wars, the power of the aristocratic families has long since surpassed that of the Han and Jin dynasties.
Liu Piaoxiang debuted at the age of 14, although she was a lowly song girl, but because of her talent and fame, as well as some patronage over the years, it wouldn't be difficult to find someone with a name. However, finding someone who is only known by their voice in the city of Kaifeng with a population of one million is like looking for a needle in the ocean. At first, she still had her heart set on finding Wang Jingfan, but ultimately, there was no lead and it ended up being just like the case of the Kaifeng prefecture - nothing came of it.
After purchasing Li Chengzhuang from Qu Cunlou, the biggest problem Wang Jingfan faced was that he didn't have anyone to manage this estate. Li Chengzhuang covered an area of ten miles, and even with enough oxen for farming, more than 100 tenant farmers were not sufficient for over 500 hectares of land. Obviously, more manpower was needed - not only tenant farmers for farming but also people who could manage the farm. At this time, it can be seen that a family's foundation is deep or shallow. Wang Jingfan was alone, and although his father had the heart to operate the business, he had never achieved great results. Now, Wang Jingfan had no choice but to think of other ways.
Although the acquisition of Lichengzhuang was unexpected, Wang Jingfan had a different idea about this farm. This farm is very close to the capital and has convenient transportation. If managed carefully, it can leave a way out for future generations. Although he is not yet twenty years old, his father's legacy is to cultivate talent from later generations, defend against foreign humiliation, and become a prosperous family. The old home in Zhenzhou is too remote and desolate, the land is poor, and it is impossible to accumulate family wealth unless by exploiting the peasants. This Lichengzhuang farm has met almost all of Wang Jingfan's conditions, and he will not give these over 100 tenant farmers their freedom as before.
"Since the master has already bought Li Chengzhuang, why not give Feng Han a letter to see who is willing to come over from Zhangzhou. Although these people are not familiar with farm management, at least they are trustworthy. In case something happens on the farm in the future, we won't be kept in the dark..." Yu Ye saw the hesitation in Wang Jingfan's heart.
"In Hangzhou, the only three people who can be considered as talented enough to be cultivated are Gao Fenghan, Zhang Han and Qian Qi. However, among these three, except for Gao Fenghan who is eleven years old, Zhang Han and Qian Qi are only nine years old, isn't that a bit..." Yu Wentong said.
"Wen Chuan, tomorrow you will set out to return to Zhenzhou. The land in Zhenzhou has already been distributed in advance, and the excess can be sold at a low price. As for the land that belongs to you, it will also be sold together. At that time, I will provide you with the same compensation from the vicinity of Jingqi Road... Finally, bring Gao Fenghan and the others to Li Chengzhuang to settle down. Although they are still young, staying in Zhenzhou is not beneficial for their studies. Zhengzhou may not be comparable to the capital, but it is also a place where talents gather."
"Sir, the students don't need this land deed, why not let Wen Chuan take it and sell it together? Sir is in need of money at the moment, it's a bit of a supplement..." Yu Ye said.
Wang Jingfan smiled and waved his hand, saying: "Don't you know my family's situation? More or less of yours doesn't make a difference to me. Besides the academy, it's just adding a few mouths to eat, which is not enough for me to sell paintings on the street..."
"It would be better for the student to stay in Lizhuang after returning from Hangzhou and help Mr. Dai with farm affairs, although the student is not good at this, it's still better than nothing..."
"No need, you and Yu Ye are different from Feng Han and the others. They are still young and don't show the talent to participate in the Imperial Examination like Yan Shu. Gradually increasing knowledge is the right way. Your learning and experience have already made some progress, and after two months, scholars from all over the Song Dynasty will gather in the capital, which is a good opportunity for you to make connections and broaden your horizons, laying a foundation for the future..." Wang Jingfan refused Yu Wen's request.
Compared to the farm, Yu Wentong's future is obviously more important. "A good man with three helpers" was my father's original intention in taking them in and nurturing them. If Wang Jingfan didn't have outstanding talent, he would just be a spare piece on the board. In fact, fairly speaking, Yu Wentong and Yu Yuezhang are also quite capable, but in Wang Jingfan's eyes, they are still not enough. The only thing that is worthy of praise is that after they take the imperial examination, they can become a reliable political ally, and if they fail, they can be his staff and confidants, and he will have a powerful executor by his side.
Yu Yu and Yu Wenxuan wanted to enter the official career through the imperial examination, but it was very difficult. However, Wang Jingfan would try his best to provide them with the best conditions, and the final result still depended on the two men's luck. Ouyang Xiu would force the literary style of the Western Kunlun Mountains to change through the imperial examination, and in the next decade or so, not only Yu Yu and Yu Wenxuan but also Gao Fenghan and others would have the opportunity to take the imperial examination. Although Wang Jingfan did not know the test questions for future imperial examinations, at least he knew a general direction, which might be their chance.
In the beginning of May, Kaifeng, the capital city, suddenly welcomed a heavy rain without any warning. At first, it was just a light drizzle that didn't attract much attention from people. However, after two or three days, it turned into a torrential downpour. The residents and officials of the capital watched as the heavy rain poured down, and their hearts gradually became gloomy. Although the water level in Kaifeng was not enough to overflow and flood the city, Wang Jingfan had already moved to live in the house he built at Baisha Academy. The academy's house was not as good as those in Kaifeng, but it didn't have the worry of being flooded, which Wang had considered when selecting the site for the academy.
The White Sand Academy, with sufficient financial support from Wang Jingfan and assistance from the Cai family, was built at a rapid pace. According to Wang's requirements, the academy resembled a large inn. To meet his demands, he invested heavily in it, although it seemed somewhat extravagant. However, the effects were immediate - despite the imperial court's preparations, everything seemed powerless against the rising water levels. On the 18th day, the water level rose to the point where the Anshang Gate burst open, flooding almost the entire city of Kaifeng, with over 10,000 official and private buildings destroyed, and people had to use wooden rafts to navigate the streets.
The heavy rain caused the water to overflow in Kaifeng, causing everyone to suffer heavy losses. At this time, whether rich or poor, even the emperor himself could not escape - the palace was also flooded. Unlike Wang Jingfan, who calmly moved his residence from the capital to the suburbs, wealthy families had no choice but to find a relatively high place within the city that had not been flooded as a temporary shelter. The loss of the pavilions and buildings along the Bian River, which stretched for tens of miles, was even more severe.
"Fourth brother, the Temple of the Minister has not been flooded. I gave that monk 2,000 coins and he sincerely invited our whole family to take temporary refuge at the Temple of the Minister since he knows Father's name. Let's quickly pack up and go now!" A plainly dressed young man said as he hurriedly walked through the knee-deep water.
In the courtyard, a man who looked like a scholar was directing the house servants to move some water-sensitive items to higher places. However, where could they find a room in this mansion that hadn't been flooded? He directed the servants around in circles, but it had no effect. With the arrival of the floodwaters, the entire household was thrown into chaos, and not even a hot meal could be eaten.
"Wen Shi turned around and said hastily, 'What's there to hesitate about? Quickly inform Father, we'll move to Xiang Guo Temple right away!' At this moment, Wen Shi no longer had the elegant and refined image of a scholar. He looked more like a martial artist dressed in scholar's attire, his words laced with an air of authority."
"Hey! Hey! Who are you?" a servant caught up and asked.
A young man in black handed over a visiting card and asked with a smile: "Excuse me, brother, is this the home of Mr. Di?"
The servant took the visiting card and replied, "Indeed, what brings you here?" The servant was clearly very perceptive, and although the young man was not very old, he had a certain air about him. Having often seen several young masters practicing martial arts and reading books in the courtyard, the servant felt that this young man had a similar quality to them, and someone who could command such a person must be no ordinary person. The servant's tone was three parts more polite than before.
"My master has an important matter to discuss with Master Di, please trouble you, young fellow, to go and inform him as soon as possible..." As he spoke, the black-clad youth secretly handed a small bag from his sleeve to the servant.
The housekeeper took the money bag without hesitation and put it in his sleeve, also weighing it roughly to be about one or two more scattered beads of good fortune. If placed in the eyes of other two officials' gatekeepers, it wouldn't be considered a small amount either. Unfortunately, his master was Lord Di. Although Di Qing was a high-ranking official as the Imperial Envoy, he wasn't from a civil servant background. As a military officer who rose through the ranks by accumulating military achievements to become an Imperial Envoy, he was the first of his kind. The scholars and officials in the court were very wary of him, not to mention that they rarely visited his house. The usual benefits for high-ranking officials' gatekeepers were extremely rare for the lower-ranking servants of the Di household.
Although the gatekeeper rarely receives small favors from visitors, as a qualified gatekeeper, he is still very familiar with the most basic "skills". With two fingers pinched in his sleeve, he can tell that it's a handful of scattered beads, about one or two taels, which when exchanged for cash would be three thousand coins - this is more than what he would have earned in three months working at the Di Manor!
Jia Ding weighed the other party's weight from his hands to his heart, then smiled and said: "Young brother is being polite, I'm just a messenger who can only run errands. Just now, Fifth Master was saying that the whole family wants to go to Dasheng Temple to avoid the flood, it's quite busy upstairs and downstairs. Whether or not Lord Di wants to meet with your master depends on Lord Di's own intentions..."
The young man in black saw that Qian Chuan had understood and didn't mind the family affairs, so he was about to urge him a couple of times when he heard a voice behind him: "Is Lord Di going out?"
A young man in a green robe lifted the curtain of the ox cart and stood on the shaft, it was Wang Jingfan. The black-clad youth was Song Duan. The family servant hesitated for a moment, knowing that this must be the real master, and replied very politely: "Just now, the fifth young master and the fourth young master were discussing this matter, you also saw that there is no way to live here, Lord Di is probably going to avoid the flood at Xiangguo Temple..."
"Sir, is there anything wrong?" Song Duan asked respectfully.
Wang Jingfan furrowed his brow and waved his hand at the servant, saying: "You quickly go in, don't let your master Di leave the house, otherwise there will be great disaster. If you don't believe me, have him take a look at what he's wearing to see if anything is amiss. At that time, he will certainly see me..."
