Chapter 100: A Visit to the Gongsun Manor

In modern terms, Liu Yitiao was a shill, or rather, a walking advertisement. He was also a remarkably conscientious boss, never forgetting to promote his plows even while breaking new ground and tilling the fields.

It was Liu Yitiao who quietly spread the word that the old Liu family had come up with a new kind of plow that was both effective and easy to use.

On the very first day of cultivation, nearly half the villagers of Gutin Village came to watch. On that same day, all the stock at Yuan Fang’s Liu Family Plow Workshop was snapped up by those villagers. From the outset, the Liu plow found itself in a state of demand far exceeding supply. The daily output of twenty plowshares was no longer enough to satisfy the villagers’ needs. Yuan Fang had even begun to consider whether he ought to recruit a few more apprentices.

Liu Yitiao believed this was only the beginning. In the future, the demand for the Liu family’s plows would only grow greater.

First Gutin Village, then Lower Ear Village, then Little Xin Manor, then Sanyuan County, then Chang’an City, and then the whole Great Tang Empire. This plow would surely spread through every village of the Tang realm like a spring breeze.

The next day, Liu Yitiao did not go to the fields. First, because Li Dechen was there and he trusted him; second, because plowing and farming were the work of tenant farmers. As a landlord, it was enough for him to offer guidance from the side. There was no need for him to sweat and toil himself. Which landlord, after all, ever truly bent his back over the fields and took up a sickle in earnest?

And from what he had seen the day before, every tenant had been working with all their heart, laboring hard over the patch of land assigned to them. The measures Liu Yitiao had set in place earlier were already taking effect, and they had greatly stirred the tenants’ enthusiasm for farming. So long as this spirit could be maintained, his life as a landlord would only grow better and better.

Thus, early in the morning, after breakfast, Liu Yitiao led Liu Wuhen out the door and headed for the county town to buy the grain seed needed for spring sowing. On the way, he also planned to visit Gongsun Heran, who was still lying in bed.

So many days had passed that, by courtesy, he ought to go and call on him. Besides, there was a strong chance that Gongsun Heran’s injury had been caused by his own involvement. Liu Yitiao also wanted to learn the details; he did not know how the two old brothers, Gongsun Wuda and Gongsun Wenda, were faring in their investigation, or whether they had found the murderer. This concerned his own safety in the days to come, so he could not afford not to care.

When he arrived at the Gongsun residence, the servants warmly invited Liu Yitiao into the courtyard. Ever since he had saved Gongsun Heran last time, everyone in the Gongsun household had treated him as an honored guest. Many even addressed him as Young Master Liu.

Liu Yitiao handed Liu Wuhen over to the servants and stood in the courtyard, waiting for the two masters of the Gongsun family to receive him.

"Yitiao, my good nephew!" came Gongsun Wuda’s booming voice from far off as he called out to Liu Yitiao. Gongsun Wenda, too, smiled and nodded in his direction. The two of them had actually come out personally to greet him.

Seeing this, a warm feeling rose in Liu Yitiao’s heart. In such a rigid feudal society, where lineage and status were everything, for these two old men to show such respect to him, a newly risen little landlord, was truly rare.

He hurried forward at a run, and when he reached them, he bowed deeply to Gongsun Wuda and Gongsun Wenda in salute.

"This junior pays respects to both uncles! May both uncles be in good health!"

"There is no need for such ceremony, nephew Yitiao," Gongsun Wuda said warmly as he stepped forward and grabbed Liu Yitiao’s arm, laughing in his rough voice. "Come, come with this old man at once to the inner hall and let us speak there!"

As befit a general, Gongsun Wuda had tremendous strength in his hands. He clamped onto Liu Yitiao’s arm and pulled him inward, making Liu Yitiao wince in pain. This old man was far too enthusiastic.

At last they made it into the room, and only then did Gongsun Wuda let go of his arm. Both sides took their seats in order of guest and host. Gongsun Wuda and Gongsun Wenda sat in the place of honor, while Liu Yitiao sat to Gongsun Wuda’s right.

Once the servants had brought in tea, Gongsun Wenda waved away the attendants standing by and smiled at Liu Yitiao. "You have come at just the right time, nephew Yitiao. I was just discussing with my elder brother that we should send for you, hehe..."

"Oh? May I ask what business the two uncles had in sending for me?" Liu Yitiao straightened himself and asked Gongsun Wenda respectfully, "Could it be that the hidden culprit has already been found?"

Gongsun Wenda nodded. "As you said, the leader of the thieves has indeed been identified. It is only that exacting vengeance upon him may prove difficult."

Liu Yitiao’s heart gave a jolt. Since even a great household like the Gongsuns could not deal with this person, his position must be higher even than Gongsun Wuda’s as Left Gate General.

He clasped his hands toward Gongsun Wenda and asked, "May I ask, Uncle Gongsun, who exactly is this thief leader?"

"The fourth son of the present emperor, Prince of Wei, Li Tai," Gongsun Wenda said, glancing at Liu Yitiao. "I wonder whether my nephew has ever had any enmity with this Prince of Wei?"

Li Tai?

The son of Emperor Li Shimin.

Liu Yitiao felt a chill run through him, and a heavy blockage seemed to lodge in his chest. What sort of absurd fate was this? How had even this great Buddha, one who could not even spare his own sons, been dragged into the matter? Was he not being allowed to live?

He gave a wry smile and said to Gongsun Wenda, "Uncle Gongsun, you think too highly of me. I am but a commoner. Setting aside the fact that I would have no chance of even seeing Prince Wei, even if I were lucky enough to meet him, you could hand me two more hearts and I still would not dare to make an enemy of a prince of the realm. I am still young; I would like to live a few more years."

"Rest easy, nephew," Gongsun Wuda said. "Whether you have any grievance with him or not, since he dared to send men to assassinate you and Little Lan'er, he has made himself an enemy of my Gongsun household. Last night, I already sent someone to warn him. In the future, he will not dare to come again."

With two hundred and fifteen of Li Tai’s dead soldiers wiped out in one stroke, nearly all of his hidden forces had been destroyed. It was the same as severing one of his arms. Even if Li Tai wanted to send more men, he had no one left to send.

"General Gongsun, would doing this..." Liu Yitiao began to worry for Gongsun Wuda. How could this old man dare to do anything? His courage was a little too great. Warn a prince? That was no joke.

In history, Li Tai had also been a man of some renown. In order to seize the position of crown prince and replace Li Chengqian, he had courted many powerful ministers and nobles at court. He could be counted among the more influential princes. By acting so openly, was Gongsun Wuda not afraid that he would be avenged later?

"Do not worry, nephew Yitiao," Gongsun Wuda said, clearly seeing his concern. "With the emperor here, that little brat Wei can hardly stir up any great storm. I am not afraid of him."

After all, Gongsun Wuda was, in Li Shimin’s eyes, an old hand. He had been a retainer of the Qin Prince’s household, and he had his share of merit during the Xuanwu Gate upheaval as well. With those old loyalties and achievements behind him, a mere Prince of Wei like Li Tai could do him no harm.

Seeing how firmly he spoke, Liu Yitiao understood that he must have some backing, or else Li Tai had not yet begun to amass his power. He said nothing more, only nodded. "Since General Gongsun is so confident, I am relieved."

He lifted his teacup and took a small sip, then asked, "Uncle Gongsun, besides missing the two of you, I came today especially to visit Brother Heran. I wonder where he is now, and whether his injuries have fully healed?"