Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 588 - 586: Bestowing Title, Land, and Servants
Lin Wanwan quickly got news about the follow-up on horse shoes from the fresh gossip circulating in Kaihua Square.
The Duke Song Mansion of Xiao Yu and the residence of Xiao Deyan are both in Kaihua Square, so news naturally spreads quickly between them.
Xiao Chong rode the divine steed newly equipped with horse shoes, traveling seven hundred miles per day from Luoyang back to Chang’an City, proving the effectiveness of horse shoes, and immediately submitted his card to enter the palace.
The next morning, following the end of court, he was summoned into the palace and was invited to stay for a meal. After leaving the palace, the decree of rewards followed.
Due to the contributions of the new gunpowder weapons and horse shoes, Xiao Chong was conferred the title of County Baron, Secondary Fifth Rank nobility, granted food income from three hundred households, awarded five qing of permanent land, and given twenty servants.
Actually, when Xiao Chong presented the horse shoes, he had already explained to Li Shimin that he did not create them but had encountered a reclusive hermit who gave him the idea. On this hasty journey, he recalled this treasure by chance.
But to Li Shimin, since the hermit who proposed the horse shoes wanders the world and does not wish to be part of society, nor did he leave a name, then the credit for creating and offering them to the court undoubtedly goes to Xiao Chong of Lanling.
Who thought of it is not important; who publicizes it to benefit Great Tang is what matters.
Xiao Chong’s newly obtained nobility has raised the Xiao Family’s wealth even higher. A family with two noble titles, even if one is a Duke and the other merely a County Baron, it is already extraordinary, not to mention a princess overseeing matters.
Truthfully, Xiao Chong’s conferment is somewhat related to his Lanling Xiao lineage and the fact that his grandfather Xiao Yu was removed from office.
Li Shimin still holds great regard for the Xiao Family, and "Lanling Xiao" has notable historical significance tied to the rise and fall of Tang, which is also a form of recompense for the Xiao Family.
On that night, Lin Wanwan received a letter delivered by Xiao Chong’s servant, inviting her to meet at Tonghua Gate the next day.
Since Lin Wanwan and Xiao Chong have been granted marriage by the Emperor, already having passed two ceremonial steps on the day the decree came, they are considered legitimate betrothed, so arranging a meeting is no big deal.
The Great Tang customs are still open, and now during the Zhenguan era, every year sees the environment becoming more relaxed and open. Noble ladies’ veils that cover the whole body are almost completely replaced by veiled hats only covering the head.
Early the next day, Lin Wanwan brought Sun Chuyao and Hong Yan, Ji Yue by carriage to Tonghua Gate.
Already waiting there, Xiao Chong and his servants saw Lin Wanwan’s carriage arrive, and silently took them out of Chang’an City, heading eastward.
The terrain of Chang’an is lower in the west and higher in the east, and there are many mountainous areas on the eastern side.
After the carriage left the city, following Xiao Chong’s crimson horse, they traveled for nearly half an hour before stopping.
The place where Xiao Chong brought Lin Wanwan is precisely the five qing of permanent land he was just awarded.
The surrounding countryside of Chang’an City naturally belongs to narrow lands; even with the equal field system’s existence, actually most of the fertile lands are still divided by imperial nobility.
The location of Xiao Chong’s permanent land has a small river running through it, with rows of houses along the riverbank, inhabited by the original tenants of these lands, who naturally became Xiao Chong’s tenants.
Xiao Chong rode his horse up to the window of Lin Wanwan’s carriage, stuffed several land titles into Lin Wanwan’s hands, and said calmly, "Cousin, these lands were awarded because of horse shoes, and should belong to you. I’ll leave them to you, use them as you wish."
Lin Wanwan replied, "Cousin researched gunpowder bombs, which deserved rewards, yet it was stopped because of me.
You were implicated because of me, now I redeem it with horse shoes. How can you say the credit is mine? No no no, I cannot accept these permanent land titles, what kind of person would that make me?"
Xiao Chong replied indifferently, "I am heading to Mao County today. These land titles, instead of entering the Princess Mansion, might as well give them to Cousin. Doesn’t Cousin like farming? Here’s a big piece of fertile land, spring cultivation is about to start, it won’t be easy to revisit leisurely."
"I... I don’t have time to play farming here." Lin Wanwan mumbled softly.
Whether Xiao Chong heard or not was unclear, he continued on his own, "There are also the twenty servants newly awarded, all palace maid origin from Yeting Palace. If Cousin needs them, you may take them. I’ve kept them at the Xiao Mansion, not assigning any tasks."
Ultimately Lin Wanwan was persuaded by Xiao Chong, having completed his task, Xiao Chong directly turned his horse southward.
After staying in Chang’an for two more days, he hurried back to Mao County. He could have taken his time, but Xiao Chong felt there was no reason left to stay in Chang’an City.
Having been rejected by a "liked, but not marrying" refusal, every encounter with Lin Wanwan was a torment to his heart. It was better to stay far away.
Perhaps a few months later when Lin Wanwan returns to Mao County, he will be able to face his nominal "fiancée" calmly.
Turning away, words unsaid. Love between sea birds and fish is just an accident.
Lin Wanwan squeezed the stack of land titles in her hand; these are lands right next to Chang’an City, now hers, yet she didn’t feel much happiness, which didn’t suit her greedy character at all.
She exited the carriage, gazing at the shimmering river, and the broken mud-clay houses across from the river. The continuous green hills behind the village were like a natural green barrier under the dawn.
The riverbanks visible here are all her lands now.
Ignoring the thin, yellow-faced figures weaving through the mud-clay houses, the scenery could be considered picturesque.
There are mountains and water; houses and fields.
But the people in front are hard to ignore. My God, are these the lowest level manor guests of the capital region?
They hardly look any different from African refugees; Lin Wanwan suspected they had never eaten a full meal.
Oh, it’s already the fifth year of Zhenguan, and the lowest level of commoners are still like this, what prosperity is this! Is it being safe and joyful without starving?
Nearby Lin Family Manor’s Lu Family Manor and Dafeng Village are not this miserable anymore.
Thanks to her high-yield potatoes and sweet potatoes, and Grandpa Yuan Longping’s hybrid rice seeds, along with her cotton, even last year’s Dafeng Village, which didn’t plant cotton, was not as miserable as the people in front.
Didn’t Xiao Chong present potatoes and sweet potatoes to the court? Hybrid rice might not be enough in Mao County, but potatoes and sweet potatoes haven’t spread here yet? Potatoes are so suitable for this region’s soil.
Also, didn’t history books say that rice in Chang’an City is five coins per dou? That’s much lower than Tang Gaozong Li Zhi’s rate of seventy or eighty coins per dou, even accounting for inflation, the difference is too vast.
Why are the lower-class people still like this?
Lin Wanwan decided to visit the grain stores in the east and west markets of Chang’an City to investigate the actual prices.
Oh! Now she owns land, she can provide land for the soap workshop!
Set it up here, on this land!
Lin Wanwan absolutely will not allow starving people showing their bones on her land!
She is determined to lead everyone out of poverty and to prosperity, at least to achieve basic sustenance!
