In the afternoon, Ding Chunqiu came to invite Chen Caozhi to visit Ding's villa. Although it was out of good intentions, he could not help showing off and boasting. Chen Caozhi didn't care, responded with a smile, and took Ran Sheng to visit Germany together.
Ding's villa occupies mountains and rivers, with 15,000 acres of fertile land. The five-mile-long Xiaohang River is also owned by Ding. Outsiders can pass by boat, but they are not allowed to fish in this section of the river. In the huge manor, In addition to the Ding clan, there are twenty shady households, two hundred tenants, sixty tribesmen who practice martial arts all year round, and Dianji, who occupy clothing and food customers, etc. The amount of land and tenants in Chenjiawu is really incomparable, and The scale of the Ding family's villa is considered small among the Jiangdong gentry. Rich families such as the Kong family in Kuaiji, the Zhou family in Yixing, the Lu family in Wujun, and the Gu family in Jinling all have several villas and estates, and each estate covers an area of several meters. Tens of thousands of acres, with hundreds of tenants and servants. According to historical records, the four surnames in Kuaiji "were snobbish and favored the king, accumulated wealth to the public office, formed an army of servants, and built a market behind closed doors. The cattle and sheep covered the plains, and the fields and ponds were spread thousands of miles away." It can be seen that at that time. The economic strength of the noble manors.
Ding Chunqiu didn't know rice, millet, mulberry or hemp. He was accompanied by a manor manager who explained all the way like a tour guide. Rice was grown here, wheat and millet were grown over there. On the hillside beside the Xiaohang River, There are peach, plum, apricot, plum, loquat and other fruit trees, and there are also handicraft industries such as textiles, wine making, and pottery making in the manor. It can be said that outside the manor, everything is turned upside down, but the manor can still be self-sufficient. This is a country within a country!
Chen Caozhi nodded silently. The high-ranking nobles were so tyrannical. It is no wonder that the Eastern Jin Dynasty wanted money but had no money and no one wanted people. All this has been deeply ingrained. It is not easy to change. Even Huan Wen and Xie An were unable to reverse the decline of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Could it be that Is it really only possible to wait for Sun En’s big fire forty years later?
After visiting Ding's villa, it was already dusk, the setting sun was still shining, the Hangzhou River was flowing eastward, and the cold air suppressed by the winter sun during the day began to erode and envelope the place. As far as the eye could see, the cold forest and declining grass, and the bustling villa also looked desolate.
On the way back, Lai De quietly said to Chen Caozhi: "Xiao Langjun, we will have such a big manor in the future."
Ran Sheng said: "It would be better to be bigger than this."
Chen Caozhi smiled and thought: "When you are born in this world, if you want to make a difference, you must first integrate into it. It seems that large manors are really necessary. The economy of gentry manors still has its progressive effect in today's world and can attract a large number of refugees. Enter the manor to farm and become tenants to prevent them from becoming bandits or slaves. Moreover, the large manor can organize a large number of tenants and tribes to operate in mountainous areas and waterfronts. They are more dynamic than self-cultivated farmers. Self-cultivated farmers are taxed heavily and often collapse in a natural disaster. Well, the economic development of the Sanwu area in the Eastern Jin Dynasty cannot be said to be the result of the manor system." He smiled and asked: "How about we own the entire Mingsheng Lake and the surrounding fields?"
When they came to De, Ran Sheng exclaimed, "Wow, that's too big. It would take several days to walk through it. It's so tiring."
…
Chen Caozhi returned to his sister-in-law Ding Youwei's small courtyard. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he smelled the sweet fragrance of Poria cocos and lotus seeds, and asked happily: "Has the Poria cocos and lotus seeds soup been stewed?"
A Xiu, who was downstairs, said happily: "My wife has just drank a bowl. At first she was worried that she would vomit again, but she is glad that everything is fine. She only said that she did not need to eat dinner because she was afraid that she would vomit the soup together with the dinner."
Chen Cao said: "What can I do? I have to eat some." Then he went upstairs to see his sister-in-law Ding Youwei.
Ding Youwei said: "The recipe is really good. After drinking the Poria, Lotus Seed Soup, I felt a little warm in my stomach. I feel much more comfortable than in the morning, but I still don't dare to eat dinner."
Chen Cao's advice: "Let the cook cook a bowl of white rice porridge. White rice porridge is better than bean porridge. Bean porridge can sometimes make people feel nauseated."
Axiu then went and held the lamp together with a strong servant girl carrying a large lacquer box. In the lacquer box were Chen Caozhi's dinner, Ding Youwei's rice porridge and a few side dishes.
After Axiu and Yuyan served Ding Youwei and Chen Caozhi dinner, they went to the servant dining hall to dine, and they took turns to go there, so someone had to stay here to serve them.
Ding Youwei ordered: "Axiu, Yuyan, you two go to have a meal together. I feel much better now. I don't need your service for the time being. Go quickly to avoid the food getting cold."
After the two maids left, Ding Youwei asked Chen Caozhi to follow her to the study, brighten the silver lamp, add some sawdust to the bronze heater, and hand it to Xiao Lang to warm his hands.
Chen Cao said: "Sister-in-law keeps warm by herself. I am young, full of energy and blood, and not afraid of the cold. Didn't sister-in-law see that Xiao Sheng? She is only thirteen years old on New Year's Day. She is taller than me and as strong as an ox. It's snowing.
He only wore two single clothes and asked him to put on a winter coat, but he complained that it was too hot and tight. It is really incomparable."
Ding You smiled and said: "It's rare to see someone as strong as Ran Sheng. He's from the north, he is. The people from the north are taller, but you are also tall after all."
After chatting for a while, Ding Youwei asked: "Cao Zhi, tell your sister-in-law now what did you suddenly think of when you were talking about Zong Zhi and Run'er's interesting things?"
Chen Caozhi raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "I suddenly thought of something. It's very important. In May last year, I told my sister-in-law that I would strive to promote the Chen family of Qiantang to a noble family. Didn't my sister-in-law tell me to hire someone to write the book "The Three Generations of the Chen Family"?
In the biography, we should avoid the important and neglect the important, mention the officials less, and only remember their leisurely and elegant affairs. It should be novel, elegant, and literary. In short, it should make the reputation of the three generations of the Qiantang and Chen family spread, right?"
Ding Youwei said: "Yes, but this should be done after you have officially finalized the product and obtained the sixth-level exemption certificate. Don't be too ambitious."
Chen Caozhi nodded and said: "What my sister-in-law said is true, but I think that even if I have an exemption and a certain reputation, if I write a biography for my father and brother alone, no one will want to read it, and I will easily be laughed at."
Ding Youwei frowned and said, "It's all right." Then he smiled and asked, "Have you thought of a good idea?"
Chen Caozhi smiled: "Sister-in-law, I want to write a notebook-style novel similar to Liu Xiang's "Shi Shuo" in the former Han Dynasty. Huan Tan's "New Theory" said, "If the novelist, combined with Cong Can Xiaoyu, has written a novel in recent times,
By taking examples and discussing them, I can write a short book about personal governance and family management, which has some valuable words.' I just wanted to write such a short book about personal governance and family governance, without touching on the road of governing and transforming the people, recording the records from the Later Han Dynasty to the Wei and Jin Dynasties.
The anecdotes of the famous celebrities and high sages are written from a small point of view, and the character's style and charm are described, aiming to be mysterious, distant, cool, and elegant. Of course, the anecdotes of the three generations of the Chen family in Qian and Tang Dynasties are also recorded, and the founding of the Nine-Pin Zhongzheng System
Of course, the anecdotes of my ancestor Changwen Gong should be mentioned even more."
Ding Youwei pondered for a while, then smiled sweetly and said: "This is a good idea. My sister-in-law believes that Xiao Lang can write this book well." He then asked: "Have you thought about the title of the book?"
Chen Cao said: "I haven't decided yet, please ask my sister-in-law to give me a name."
Ding Youwei thought for a while and said: "It is the season of ice and snow at this time, and this book is written by Xuanyuan Lengjun. How about calling it "A Volume of Ice and Snow Essays"?"
Chen Caozhi was overjoyed: ""A Volume of Ice and Snow Essays" is great! I will write one now for my sister-in-law to read. It is the story of the Seven Sages in the Bamboo Grove, a story I have known for a long time." He immediately sharpened his ink and picked up his pen.
Slowly wrote:
"When Wang Rong was seven years old, he went out with his children and saw that there were many plum trees along the road, and the branches were about to break. The children raced to get them, but Rong couldn't move. When someone asked about it, he replied: 'There are many trees along the road.
Son, this must be a bitter plum. 'Take it and taste it, you will believe it."
Ding Youwei looked at it and said with a smile: "It's wonderful. In just a few words, the expression is revealed, but this requires extensive knowledge."
Chen Cao said: "I am not in a hurry. I can write it in three years or five years. I will spread it while writing. Anyway, it is a small story."
Ah Xiu, Yu Yan has come back at this time. After listening to Ding Youwei's explanation of this little story, Yu Yan said: "The young man of our clan is also so smart, let alone the young lady Run'er."
Ding You smiled and said: "Tomorrow Zongzhi, Run'er, you two, don't praise them too much. Children can easily become complacent."
Chen Cao said: "If you don't praise too much, it will be fine. Children should be praised more, so that they will learn more energetically and become smarter."
Ding You smiled, hesitated, and said, "Fuck, sister-in-law, I have one more thing to ask you—"
Chen Cao said: "Sister-in-law, please ask."
Ding Youwei asked Axiu and Yuyan to wait in the side room first. She had something important to ask Xiaolang.