Chen Caozhi and his two beloved wives Lu and Xie returned to their hometown to pay homage to their ancestors. Two uncles, Chen Xian and Chen Man, the fifth aunt from the east building, his sister-in-law Ding Youwei and her son, as well as Chen Chang, Chen Tan and other Chen family members returned to Chen.
In Jiawu, the congratulators from Kuaiji and Wu counties originally wanted to return with them, but considering that there were too many people and it was inconvenient to stay on the road, the congratulators from Kuaiji and Wu counties agreed to wait a few days before leaving the capital and follow Chen Cao back.
In Qiantang, only father and son Ding Yi and his brother Feng Lingbo were left, while Xu Miao, Xie Xuan, Zhang Xuan and others returned to Jingzhou, Ran Sheng, and Lai De returned to their respective aunts.
Lu Weirui and 80 of the 120 maidservants who were married to Xie Daoyun followed back to Chenjiawu this time. Chenzhai by the Qinhuai River does not need so many idle maidservants, and Chenjiawu needs manpower to raise silkworms and weave cloth.
Picking tea, planting trees, there are many things you can do——
The autumn air was crisp and the journey was smooth. On August 23, a group of people arrived at Gu's Manor in Jinling. After resting for a night, they took a boat in the east of Taihu Lake as last time and arrived at the northwest shore of Taihu Lake in the evening of the next day.
The canopy boat went along the Bailong River to the county town of Wu County. It entered Wu County from Panmen at midnight and rested in the Lu Mansion. There were people from the Lu family looking after them all the way——
The three newlyweds met Lu Shi in the Lu Mansion. It had only been a year since he was demoted, and Lu Shi had become much older. Now, in addition to reading and writing, he also went to the manor. This pastoral life was originally comfortable, but Lu Shi did not have the ability to take things as they come.
With broad-minded feelings and often melancholy, the land bird was hit the hardest. He had to retire to the forest when he was more than 20 years old. When he heard that Chen Cao was coming, he had no face to see him and fled to Huating -
Chen Caozhi did not stay long in Wu County and returned to Qiantang via Jiaxing the next day. The Lu family's sixty-hectare manor in Xitang, Jiaxing has now been given to the Chen family as Lu Weirui's dowry.
The household was also signed a citizenship deed by Lu Na himself, and was assigned to the Chen family. The rest of the houses, farm tools, and tenant farmers all belonged to the Chen family——
Although Xitang Manor is not as grand as Chenjiawu, it is still quiet and lovely. There are many camphor trees and pomegranate trees. The 60 hectares of farmland are close to Xitang, which is very easy to irrigate. Even the severe drought last year had little impact. It can be said that the Lu family's ten
Although it is the smallest among the remaining manors, it is also the best. Chen Man, the farmer, was so happy that he laughed in his sleep. Not to mention the other benefits of marrying a powerful man, the dowry alone is astonishingly rich. This manor is worth it.
Hundreds of millions of dollars, and it is only 150 miles away from Qiantang, so management is quite convenient. He has discussed with his sixteen nephews that next year the entire Xitang manor will be planted with two crops of rice and one season of wheat, and mulberry trees will be planted throughout.
Silkworms reeled silk and built this place into the largest textile shop in Wu County——
In Jiankang, Chen Caozhi talked with Xie An and Lu Na. Xie An and Lu Na were very interested in the fact that one acre of Chen's land could grow two crops of rice and one crop of wheat. In other words, one acre of land was equal to
The output of one and a half acres of land has a huge impact on a family. Xie An and Lu Na have respectively ordered the stewards of their respective estates and the manager in charge of farming to go to Chenjiawu to learn how to grow two crops of rice——
Chen Caozhi wanted the Lu family and the Xie family to understand that marrying with the Chen family of Qiantang would never wrong these two powerful families. It was mutually beneficial and mutually beneficial. Chen Caozhi also suggested to Xie An and Lu Na that the three
The surnames jointly went to Xin'an (today's northeastern Jiangxi) and Shaowu (today's northwest Fujian) to open up wasteland. The Sanwu land has basically been developed and occupied, but there are still a large number of unowned wastelands to the south. Whoever occupies them belongs to them.
The Shanha barbarians living in those places are still practicing slash-and-burn farming, and they can be coerced and coerced. Xie An and Lu Na are senior officials with real power. They should be able to use their influence to get the court to issue a decree to encourage land reclamation. They will be exempted from taxes for the first three years and for the next five years.
The annual tax is halved. In this way, the family property can be rapidly expanded, which can increase tax revenue for the court. This is a long-term plan that is beneficial to both the country and the family——
Xie An and Lu Na greatly admired Chen Caozhi's foresight, but the Northern Expedition was imminent, and the reclamation of wasteland in the south could be postponed. Chen Caozhi also meant the same. It was not easy to fight for land with the Shanha barbarians. Private soldiers must be organized.
Go for protection, but you might as well make preparations ahead of time. You can send people to visit Xin'an and Shaowu in advance to find the open land next to the river——
On the fifth day of September, Chen Caozhi returned to Chenjiawu with his two beautiful wives. He did not return to his hometown with wealth and wealth, but walked around at night like embroidered clothes. Who knew? Chen Caozhi married two wealthy ladies from the north and the south, and now he has returned in glory.
At the age of fifteen, he bid farewell to his mother and took Laide and Xiaosheng to study in Wu County. At that time, Chen Caozhi was still facing the difficulty of serving as a corvee. His widow and sister-in-law were almost forced to remarry. The Chu family of the third-class gentry and
The Lu family in the county wanted to invade and expropriate their land... Six years later, he was promoted from a poor scholar to the state Sima and General Ying Yang. The Chen family of Qiantang also became a noble family, and the family status soared, becoming a
Following the four surnames of Wu County and the four surnames of Kuaiji, the family's land property has suddenly increased from a mere 30 hectares of thin farmland six years ago to more than 400 hectares. At that time, the Chu family and the Lu family were reduced to military households.
How is the rise and fall different from the vicissitudes of life?
On the sixth day of the lunar month, on the day of Renzi, the Jade Emperor Mountain was surrounded by green pines and cypresses, and the cemetery was quiet. Chen Caozhi and his two wives, Lu Weirui and Xie Daoyun, came here to pay homage to their late father Chen Su and late mother Li.
I came here to worship, then as a friend, now as Chen’s daughter-in-law, so naturally it’s very different——
Since Lu Weirui came to Qiantang to pay homage to Mrs. Chen's mother Li in the summer when she was sixteen years old, she has never been to Qiantang again. For Chen's mother Li's funeral, she could only send a short hoe to fulfill her filial piety on her behalf. Thinking of Chen's mother Li
His kindness and the voice of "good boy" are still in my ears, but now they are buried in the tomb. I feel so sad when I touch the scene, and I can't help but burst into tears——
Ding Youwei on the side comforted her softly: "Weirui, don't be too sad, Agu likes you very much. When she died, Agu was still thinking about Xiaolang's marriage to you. Today you and Xiaolang came to pay homage. Agu knows secretly,
I will definitely be happy and happy.”
After the worship, the two daughters Lu and Xie were registered in the Chen family genealogy of Qiantang. From then on, they officially became members of the Chen family of Qiantang. That night, Chenjiawu held a banquet. Except for the Chen family members, all the Chen family members
Each household, tenant farmer, and craftsman received five kilograms of meat and one piece of cloth. This was a reward from the two newly arrived mistresses. Chenjiawu was full of joy and everyone was very happy.
Because Chen Cao was leaving Qiantang for Jingkou on the tenth day of the lunar month, the day after worshiping his ancestors, Ding Youwei discussed with Lu Weirui and Xie Daoyun that Chen Cao would take Xiaochan as his concubine. Lu and Xie both knew that this was the case.
It was Chen's mother Li's last wish that Xiao Chan was gentle and attentive. She had served Chen Caozhi for many years and should have moved into his house long ago. However, it was delayed until now because Chen Caozhi did not marry a wife. On Chinese Valentine's Day the year before last, Xie Daoyun accidentally heard Xiao Chan through the wall.
I was very moved by the prayers of Empress Tiansun. Although aristocratic men at that time had only one wife, they had dozens of concubines. It was really rare for Chen Cao to be pure and ascetic. Xie Daoyun and Lu Weirui certainly did not want their husbands to be like those dissolute men.
Such a wide collection of concubines for fun, but neither of them would object to taking Xiaochan as a concubine.
Taking a concubine is not as good as marrying a wife. You can decide it on the day and it will be a good thing that night. However, Ding Youwei did not despise Xiaochan so much. When she chose the eighth auspicious day of the lunar month, she ordered someone to set up a separate room for Xiaochan in the west courtyard of Fangwu Fort as a wedding room.
, and asked people to dress and dress Xiaochan. Xiaochan sat indoors and the woman who made the face twisted her noodles. Axiu, Yuyan and Qingzhi accompanied her, dressing her and saying some blessings. Xiaochan seemed to be carried by someone.
I was wandering around like I was on a shelf, in the fog, I couldn't think of anything, I just felt so happy that I wanted to shed tears——
Xiaochan was accompanied by Axiu and Yuyan to the ancestral hall to meet the elders of the Chen family. The old patriarch Chen Xian said some ancestral family rules, which were nothing more than to respect Lu, thank the two ladies, serve the husband well, and not flatter and compete for favors, etc., and so on.
Then I went to see the young mistress Ding Youwei of the West Tower and the two young mistresses, Lu Weirui and Xie Daoyun, who were very polite to Xiaochan. Of course, Lu Weirui could no longer call sister Xiaochan as before, and only called Xiaochan——
The autumn night was deep, the red candle was burning high, and the brocade curtain was hung low. Xiaochan felt dizzy and knelt down on the big bed, looking at the young man Cao Zhi facing him. She suddenly woke up and said shyly: "Little man, Xiaochan, please serve me."
You should rest."
Chen Caozhi looked at the twenty-seven-year-old Xiaochan. If in later generations, she would still be in her prime and not worry about getting married, but in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, there were very few unmarried women at the age of twenty-seven, unless they became monks and became Taoists.
For Ni, of course, Xiao Chan does not look old. She has a round face, a tender temperament, and a particularly amiable demeanor. They have been together for many years. Of course, Chen Caozhi has feelings for Xiao Chan. This is a kind of family affection.
But that doesn't bother him to take Xiao Chan as his concubine. Doesn't love also have to turn into family love to be stronger and more permanent? He is willing to let Xiao Chan be with him and give Xiao Chan a title, even a concubine is also a title——
Xiaochan blushed and came to serve Chen Caozhi undressing and undressing. This was not the first time. She had served Chen Caozhi in the showers for the past few years, but tonight was particularly different. She blushed, her heart beat, and she was clumsy——
Chen Caozhi grabbed Xiao Chan's hand and said, "I'll do it myself." But he stretched out his hand to undress Xiao Chan and chuckled, "I will serve Sister Xiao Chan tonight." Xiao Chan's body became stiff.
, and after a while, I trembled slightly again, and my body became soft, thinking to myself: "It's so embarrassing, Xiao Langjun still calls me Sister Xiaochan, does Xiao Langjun think I am too old? It seems not, Xiao Langjun is here
Look at my body, ah-"
…
On the tenth day of the ninth lunar month, Chen Caozhi rushed to Jingkou with twenty of his Beifu retinues. Huang Xiaotong set up "Rule Tian" and "Fuyao" two eagles accompanied him. When Chen Caozhi left, his troops were in high spirits and he was not necessarily free during the New Year.
After returning, Lu Weirui and Xie Daoyun saw their husbands off to Fenglin Ferry and said goodbye. Chen Caozhi agreed to try to return to Chenjiawu before going to the Central Plains. Xie Daoyun said: "Mr. Chen, Wei Rui and I will return to Jiankang after the New Year. Jiankang
It's also close to Jingkou, so it's more convenient for Mr. Chen to come visit, how about that?"
Chen Caozhi said: "Very good." After a few more words, he got on the ferry. The horses were brought on board one after another. The ship sailed towards the center of the river. Chen Caozhi waved goodbye to his relatives on the south bank.