Holding the heroic mindset that he might die at the Yun family estate, the young censor Huang Yu sent in his name card, preparing to meet the villain face to face. With arms clasped, he waited outside the gate. The gatekeeper enthusiastically invited him in to drink a bowl of tea, but he refused with a smile. The battle had already begun from this moment. His teacher had said: A scholar has three things not to contest—don’t contest fame with gentlemen, don’t contest profit with petty men, don’t contest cleverness with heaven and earth.
Yun Ye had the reputation of a gentleman, the label of a petty man, and the acclaim of a skilled craftsman. He had already violated all the precepts of the three prohibitions. Only now did he comprehend the helpless meaning in his teacher’s words—he couldn’t overcome his own yearning for justice, couldn’t overcome his own compassion for the common people, and even more couldn’t overcome his own faith in defending the reputation of ancient sages.
The clamorous voices on the street seemed to disappear. Huang Yu focused his mind and held his breath, preparing to meet the greatest challenge of his life. In the empty side gate, clouds and mist seemed to churn, as if at the next moment a fierce tiger would roar out.
A young man who couldn’t be called handsome but was reasonably refined walked out from the gate. One could see his body was rather weak, his steps somewhat unsteady. In his hand, he waved a gold-painted folding fan—something Huang Yu also wanted, but the high price of two strings of cash kept refined scholars like him excluded.
“Censor Huang, I’ve long admired your name. I’ve heard the censor supervises the people’s welfare in Chang’an. What brings you to my Yushan? Here the people are peaceful, merchants prosper, and all trades flourish. I really can’t think of anything that requires Censor Huang’s efforts.”
Yun Ye actually very much didn’t want to come out. Waking up this morning, his legs were still sore and weak. Last night he’d punished Xinyue too severely—he was exhausted to death. He slept until the sun was setting westward before getting up. Having just eaten a meal and preparing to nap again in the afternoon in the tree shade in the courtyard to restore his spirits, the gatekeeper delivered a card from some unknown censor. With nothing else to do, meeting him was fine. If the person was annoying, he could send him away and sleep afterward.
“I’ve long heard the Yun family estate was prosperous. This official, having received His Majesty’s selection, supervises land rent collection in Chang’an’s three counties. Arriving at Yushan, I prepared to properly learn from Marquis Yun about the art of enrichment. I beg Marquis Yun to oblige.”
Looking at the respectful, courteous, and dignified censor, then looking at his simply mended robe, he felt favorable impressions. This was a diligent person. He himself always sleeping wasn’t proper either—moving around would be good too.
“Censor Huang flatters me. Since you bear the imperial command and wish to observe the Yun family’s rent collection process, naturally you may. Seeing you travel-worn, why not enter the residence to drink some water, rest briefly, and dispel the heat—then observe?”
Huang Yu didn’t want to give Yun Ye any opportunity to prepare. Clasping his hands, he said, “This official still has two counties left to observe. At the Yun residence I can only take a quick look. I truly don’t have the fortune to rest. Shall we begin now?”
Having seen many such diligent officials, Yun Ye found it unremarkable. He led Huang Yu toward the rear courtyard. All the Yun family’s rent was collected there.
Arriving at the rear courtyard, the first thing Huang Yu saw was a huge shed. Inside sat several old men in fresh clothing, drinking tea and eating snacks. One side of the shed was filled with various colored snacks—some even he had never seen. The shed was filled with sweet fragrance, making people feel comfortable. At noon, he’d only gnawed one dry cake. Now smelling the food’s aroma, his stomach involuntarily rumbled, making Huang Yu very embarrassed.
“Being hungry is normal—nothing to be embarrassed about. You rush about all day, presumably with no time for meals. This is your pride—why be ashamed? Have some snacks with water. After you finish inspecting, I’ll get you a bowl of noodles with minced meat sauce. That’s the good stuff for filling your belly, far better than any banquet.”
He couldn’t see heart-wrenching wails, couldn’t see fierce thugs—everything was completed in calm. He watched a child throw a bag of money on the table, sign his name, then jump over to the shed, take a basket, and fill it himself with snacks he liked. Osmanthus cake was directly ignored. After hesitating over mung bean cake for a while, he took two pieces. Passing jujube cake, he covered his nose. Clearly the sweet jujube fragrance, yet that child acted as if smelling something foul, dodging away.
Yun Ye slapped the child’s head: “Perfectly good jujube cake—why are you covering your nose, you brat?”
The child actually wasn’t afraid of this legendary demon. Helplessly releasing his nose, he said, “Second Aunt in the school hall is always steaming jujube cake, and she puts in more dates than rice. Now when I smell it I want to vomit. Marquis, it’s no problem if I take more egg cake, right?”
“Just eating a few days of full meals and now children feel like vomiting smelling jujube cake? Good heavens, back in the day to eat one bite of jujube cake, this old man was beaten countless times by his parents. Even in dreams he could smell that fragrance, always thinking how wonderful if one day he could eat his fill of it. Today’s children don’t know how to cherish their blessings.” An old man in hemp clothing, waving a cattail fan, finished speaking and swatted the child’s bottom once, smiling as he watched the child greedily take egg cakes from the wooden box.
Yun Ye used tongs to take out a piece of egg cake, placed it on a plate, and handed it to Huang Yu. He also let his attendants help themselves. The large barrel contained boiled tea. Using bamboo tongs, he fished out a teacup and also handed it to Huang Yu.
This was courtesy—to speak unkindly, this was Marquis Yun treating a scholar with courtesy. Huang Yu had no qualification to refuse. Dazed, he accepted them. He really couldn’t imagine Yun Ye would have such a carefree manner. Even if he were stern and overbearing toward himself, it would be more comfortable for him than this current approachable demeanor.
Setting down the food in his hands, he said seriously to Yun Ye, “Marquis Yun, this official’s belly is not hungry. It’s not too late to eat after examining the account books.” He decided first to understand clearly why Yun Ye’s character and his actions went to two extremes—even small children could speak casually with him, so why was he so vicious toward those tenant farmers?
The accountant brought over the ledger and pointed out each entry to Huang Yu. The writing was clear, the accounts clean, each entry had its origin and destination. Only Huang Yu didn’t understand—the Yun family enforced a one-fifth rent, already the lightest in Great Tang. So why were the numbers on the accounts frighteningly large?
A gloomy-faced middle-aged man also came to pay rent. Seeing others were all children, he wanted to run. After walking two steps, he helplessly returned, dejectedly lining up among the children waiting for the accountant to call him.
Huang Yu had seen this person early on. He felt this person should have a story. If there was a breakthrough today, it should be opened from this person.
“Jiao Lao Ya, your turn.” With the accountant’s call, the scene erupted in laughter. Mischievous children sweetly called “Uncle Lao Ya” repeatedly. The middle-aged man who wanted to get angry trembled his lips a few times, then helplessly lowered his head and like a thief threw the burlap bag on the table, saying in a low voice, “This year my family pays rent of three strings and seven. The fruit hasn’t grown yet—we’ll settle in autumn.”
The accountant said with a smile, “Brother Lao Ya, from your rent payment I can see your harvest is good this year. After autumn when you sell the fruit, it’ll be another large income. You made dried fruit so well—why didn’t you make it this year?”
The big man said irritably, “Enough to eat and use is fine. What’s the point of saving so much money and grain? Four daughters at home—just leave them some dowry. Not bothering with that effort.”
Huang Yu couldn’t figure out even if his head broke that this big man wasn’t unhappy because he paid too much rent, but because he had no sons and couldn’t get over it, sulking alone.
The man wasn’t happy, and others had no need to mock his shortcoming. Only the accountant pointed at his nose and said, “Useless appearance—having four daughters beautiful as flowers and jade is a blessing others can’t even hope for, and you’re still complaining. No sons—that’s heaven not giving them to you. If you have the ability, curse heaven. I even heard the other day you’re preparing to buy a Goguryeo woman to bear you children. Stop creating such sins. Our estate can’t tolerate a Goguryeo brat—dare to ruin the estate’s feng shui, and your ancestors for eight generations will be ashamed. Properly raise your daughters. When the time comes, recruit a live-in son-in-law—that’s proper. Stop with these crooked ways.”
The big man wanted to speak but stopped, nodded, pressed his handprint on the ledger, and left dejectedly. His lifetime’s accumulated family property going to an outsider—it just wasn’t comfortable.
“Marquis Yun, please forgive this official’s bluntness. Can you explain to this official why the tenant farmers on your estate must pay so much rent? Look—Zhang Quan pays rent of six strings and three, Zhang Yuan pays rent of nine strings and five, this He Dachang actually paid forty-seven strings and six. This official has reviewed the Ministry of Revenue’s account books and has never heard of such numbers. How does Marquis Yun instruct me?”
Yun Ye couldn’t help laughing. The Yun family’s account books would indeed make people suspicious. In this era of generally low productivity, the Yun family’s diversified operations appeared extremely conspicuous. That the censor could wait until now to ask showed he was someone with steady composure. One must know Wei Zheng, with nothing else to do, always liked to come to the Yun family estate and had nothing to say about the Yun family. Every time Zhangsun came, she would very impolitely examine the Yun family’s account books, and every time would fly into a rage, saying the Yun family was fat with excess, intending to bring all the world’s wealth back to fill graves.
Since the Yun family was this great river flowing freely and expansively, the tenant farmers’ small streams were naturally also full. Convenient Workshop’s vegetables, grain and oil, poultry, eggs, meat, and various snacks and seasonings—especially chili peppers—this thing made the Yun family’s tenant farmers earn abundantly. Other families could only stare with watering mouths. The tenant farmers never gave seeds to outsiders. When Yun Ye gave some to the Cheng family, Niu family, Qin family, and Yuchi family, he was scolded behind his back by the tenant farmers as a spendthrift for several years.
An old man drinking tea under the shed stood up and said, “This official sir, this old man is He Dachang. The one who paid forty-seven strings and six in rent this year is me. Originally wanted to pay eighty strings in one go, but unfortunately the master’s family wouldn’t agree. Sitting here grinding down Accountant Liu, waiting for ages and he still won’t agree. You also feel this old man paid too little. Look—I’ve brought the money. You speak with Accountant Liu—let me pay him a full eighty strings this year.”
Before Huang Yu could react, Accountant Liu was already jumping and cursing, “Damned He Dachang, dream on! Taking advantage of the master’s family—there’s no such way to take advantage. You pay your money early and clear, next year that pastry shop you’ll occupy forty percent of the shares. Next year if you pay a bit more, won’t it exceed fifty percent? In three to five years, you’ll get a thriving good shop for nothing. The shop earns more money each year. You want to use this year’s shares to cover next year’s shares, want to get benefits from this old man—give up that thought!”