Chapter 179 Deep Friendship
Some things will pass as long as you don't think about them carefully, and there is no point in thinking about them.
Li Tai was carried back to the village last night and fell asleep. He didn't even bother to eat dinner. He slept until dawn and his arms were still sore. If I hadn't practiced diligently, it would have been difficult to get up today.
He could no longer remember what exactly happened yesterday, but he still remembered that Dugu Xin had promised to give him the armored horse weapon staff for three hundred men. Thinking of this, he was full of energy and couldn't help but laugh silly when he got up to have breakfast, which made others murmur inwardly.
There is a large canteen in Shangyuan Village. All residents in the village are provided with two meals in the morning and evening. This is not an obligation of the lord Li Tai, but a benefit of working in the village.
Most of the first batch of soldiers who came to Shangyuan with Li Tai were already married. After getting married, the villagers would provide them with housing and pay for their work. The bankers also protect their savings assets and do not forcefully collect them.
In addition to not being naturalized by the official government, their lives are no different from ordinary free people. Even because of the protection provided by the manor, they have better living security than ordinary equal-field households.
Of course, Li Tai is not an idealist with high morals, pursuing a utopian life. When these households calculate their wages every quarter, they have to deduct one-tenth to maintain the operation of the manor and public expenses.
At the same time, there is also a rule in the manor, that is, the manor is not allowed to spend money outside, and the original money maker wants to take the original flowers out. Only in this way can various industries of the manor be developed and expanded, based on domestic demand, and gradually develop outward.
Today, there are nearly twenty types of workshop industries centered on Shang Yuan, covering basically all aspects of food, clothing, housing and transportation. Some are developing well, while others are still only able to meet the estate's own needs.
Shangyuan Village covers an area of more than 20 hectares. Various workshops and Shangyuan Market already occupy more than half of the area, while the cultivated land has been reduced to almost nothing. This year, only one hectare of land is left to grow flowers, herbs and other crops of high economic value.
Nowadays, in the whole of Huazhou, and even in the huge Guanxi area, Li Tai's manor is probably the only one that has broken away from agricultural production and mainly produces various handicrafts.
Of course, it is also very dangerous and risky to completely break away from agricultural production without absolute strength.
What's more, the population of Shangyuanzhuang has further increased. With the addition of the rural households and the old households of Hebasheng who have moved here, the number of registered villagers has reached more than a thousand. When you open your eyes, you will have to face the problem of food and survival for thousands of people. The pressure is quite high.
In addition to the grain processing income of Luoshui Qiyai, Shangyuanzhuang also has a long-term grain purchase agreement with nearby rural households. Through the public-private exchange, Li Tai set aside fifty hectares of fertile land in the public land of the Dushui Administrative Office for lease from Shangyuan Village.
Right now, Shang Yuanzhuang has nearly 80,000 shi of corn, wheat and other miscellaneous vegetables in stock, and there are still more than 30,000 shi of orders being delivered in the countryside. Even if the size of the tribe reaches 10,000, it will be more than enough to last until the spring of next year.
If you want to maintain and expand the industrial scale of the manor, the cooperation of the surrounding environment is also essential.
For example, last year Li Tai clearly had the weapon of a big spinning wheel, but he couldn't even purchase basic raw materials to meet production needs. If we expect the manor to be self-produced and self-sufficient, we will have to wait until the Year of the Ox and the Moon of the Horse to see significant improvements.
This year, Li Taixiang's power has surged. At least among the powerful families in Wuxiang County, no one dares to stare at him and deny him face.
After the Longshou Canal was built, according to statistics from the Canal League, the number of winter wheat plantings in Wuxiang County alone increased by more than 2,000 hectares. Based on a harvest of three to five shi per mu, this directly increased the county's new grain income by hundreds of thousands of shi.
Winter wheat is sown in the air around late autumn. At this time, the rivers and canals in Guanzhong are generally dry. Even if the wheat does not require too much water, it will always be needed. If the ground is not sufficiently moistened before sowing, the harvest will be greatly reduced.
The next year's harvest usually occurs in April and May, seamlessly connecting with, and even slightly overlapping with, the sowing of spring grain. Wheat overwintering also faces the risk of reduced yield due to bad weather conditions, and processing is difficult. Therefore, wheat is often used as a food preparation for famine in Guanzhong, and is not the main crop.
Last year, there were only more than 700 hectares of winter wheat planted in Wuxiang County. This is the county government's summary data. It does not include the shady land that is not taxed by the powerful. But even if it were doubled, it would still be less than 2,000 hectares.
But this year, with the construction of Longshou Canal, the area under cultivation alone has reached more than 2,000 hectares, which shows how powerful the water conservancy environment is in promoting agricultural production.
The more than two thousand hectares of new winter wheat planting naturally does not belong to Li Tai, and it does not seem to have a direct interest in him. But with so much wheat added, what about the processing links? If farmers only rely on their own grinding, they won’t have to do anything else during the busy farming months next year.
Therefore, the demand for water conservancy projects will surge, and this is exactly within Li Tai's responsibilities. Take advantage of this winter to clean up the riverbanks. If we can't get 100,000 dan to increase grain production next year, it will all be in vain!
There is a joke that a mentally retarded person will pull his opponent within his own intelligence range to win with experience, and the same applies to Li Tai.
Of course, he cannot control the sky with one hand in terms of power. He cannot intervene in the powers and spheres of influence of many counties, counties and powerful people, so he can only introduce everyone's needs into my scope of powers.
Power can only be manifested in a dynamic game. The eunuch who has no eggs can control the government, not because he is really strong, but because his position can be taken. Of course, Li Tai has it.
What Li Tai dislikes most is the current self-sufficient manor economy of large manors, which lacks the exchange of materials and the flow of wealth, which greatly reduces the operational space.
Although he is now striding on this path, it does not prevent him from showing off his ideas to others. After all, his manor workshop needs a large number of raw material suppliers.
The fundamental reason why trade in Kansai is not prosperous is that the current situation is long-term unrest, bandits are rampant in the wilderness, and there is no long-term stable environment. Even some powerful military leaders occasionally appear as bandits.
Li Tai had been helpless in the face of this situation before. Once he gained power, he put the elimination of bandits as his top priority, at least ensuring that people and things in the Luoshui Basin could flow unimpeded.
Dugu Xin was indeed as his name suggests. Not long after Li Tai finished breakfast, the first batch of ordnance promised as a gift was transported to Shangyuan Village.
The person who escorted the supplies arrived was Li Tun, an old acquaintance. When they met, he first gave a few compliments, and then pointed to the carts behind him and said: "My lord, I have a servant to tell Lang Jun that most of the tribes live in Longyou, and there is insufficient accumulation in the pass. Because I know Lang Your army is in urgent need, so I will send a batch first, and the rest will be sent before the year after returning to town!"
"Please take me to thank Dugu for opening the mansion. It is a long and hard work to open the mansion, but you still care about my trivial matter so much. When I leave for town tomorrow, please let me know and I will see you later and thank you again!"
Li Tai held Li Tun's hand and thanked him warmly and gratefully.
The first batch of ordnance sent included 500 swords and bows, and 300 horse spears. Of course, they were all standard. Although they were not as good as the Gao Aocao old spears used by Li Tai, they were still fine and useful. There are more than two hundred armor pockets, most of which are double armors, and there are also more than two hundred vests.
As for the horses, there were 300 of them, all good horses from Hexi. Their majestic posture made people feel like they were full of blood. Bow strings, ruffles, whetstones, felt furs, saddles and bridles, and other miscellaneous items were also provided, and the number far exceeded the number of three hundred people.
While Li Tun accompanied Li Tai to collect the weapons, he said with emotion: "My lord is indeed very fond of my husband. Although he has always been known for his generosity and often gives gifts, it is rare for him to give generously this time. This autumn, when we attend the Grand Parade, we will bring many war horses with us. It is better to make up for these good horses with the tune of the entourage..."
He said this not to show off, but to give out such a big favor, even if it is not his own, it would feel painful to see it, and the recipient must understand its value and meaning.
After Li Tai heard the words, he nodded repeatedly and said: "The friendship is profound. Although it is not measured in terms of material things, if it is not caring, how can it not be spared in material resources? This kind of kindness will never be forgotten by Bo Shan. He is loyal, hard-working and brave, and hopes to become a person as soon as possible. Dugu Kaifu’s moral support is worthy of this kindness!”
With so many armored and horse equipment, many powerful military leaders who have been in business for many years may not have this kind of wealth.
Although Dugu Xinsuo Town is far away from Longbian and is not at the forefront of the war between the two Wei Dynasties, so it can have a safe environment to develop its power, but it cannot be said that it is unblinking to bring out so many heavy goods at once.
Three hundred heavy cavalry with horse armor can be said to be a considerable force no matter what kind of battlefield they are on.
With the Bafu's main force Biji Hefang, Li Tai can even be said to be somewhat qualified to run rampant in Kansai. Although he also buys ordnance from the powerful families in Hedong, not to mention the price, the powerful people in Hedong themselves may not have so many good horses and armor!
If Yu Wentai's promotion gave Li Tai a nominal position of power, then Dugu Xin's gift gave him the power to truly support this position!
So in addition to being excited, Li Tai was also very grateful to Dugu Xin. It might be an exaggeration to say that a scholar died for his confidant, but when the power of the Western Wei Dynasty and Northern Zhou Dynasty changed in the future, he would not be able to die based on this friendship alone. Standing in Brother Sabao’s camp.
Although Yu Wenhu was not bad to him and nominally shouldered the debt of 100,000 bolts of silk for him, Dugu Xin was also a real angel investor, which made Li Tai feel a bit of a dilemma.
Why can't you just have a good relationship and have to fight among each other? If you can't, leave this political power to me, make each of you a duke, and we can share the wealth and honor. How wonderful!
After the inspection of the ordnance supplies was completed, Li Tun said with regret: "It's a pity that Lang Jun has already fulfilled his duties. Otherwise, I would have advised the lord to summon Lang Jun to go to Longyou with him. Therefore, Zong has been traveling east for a long time, and Sangzi has not been with us for many years." I heard the old sound..."
Before Li Tai could reply after hearing this emotion, another member of his family, Li Mu, also came outside Shangyuan Village with a team of followers.