"Sima Jun, pardon my ignorance. But, don't we need more manpower for these things to be done well?" Luyan Cheng asked.
The discussion at the Yuan Yao's manor continued abated without a pause.
"Mozhi, yes we need more manpower. That, we can get directly from the fief itself. We can pay these experts to get them to teach others. Also, peasants wouldn't resist fiercely as long as they know their Lord has ordered it, and they get compensation for their toil." Sima Lang explained.
"What if someone claims that they have a very good harvest even when they don't? What if they used their saved up money for buying grains and claimed it is from their own field?"
Yuan Yao answered this time. "That can be alleviated by taking the average of the last 5 or 10 harvests harvested by that farmer. He might be able to buy it once, even twice. But when he shows a bigger harvest he'll need to pay bigger tax as well. This would mean he would be making a loss as long as the compensation we give is just enough to offset the tax paid by the expert farmer compared to tax paid by the average good farmer."
Luyan Cheng nodded approvingly. "That makes sense, Lord Zhiyu. I suspect your idea is to open up a position for every expert you can find inside the fief. Isn't it?"
"That is the rough idea. Local people know the land best, so they can be used for crafts that use the land, and its knowledge. But if we need to grow we will need to hire experts from outside as well. For example it'll be very hard to come by a great Weaponsmith inside the fief, but inviting one will be much easier. And if we get him to teach more that'll be fantastic." Yuan Yao shared his ideas.
Luyan Cheng seriously thought about it for a while. "That is well thought out, Lord Zhiyu. Then, I believe you should make a trip to the main palace. There you need to ask Yuan Ji, the elder in charge, to give you the household list, and tax documents for them."
Yuan Yao nodded and agreed to it. He went to get ready, but as soon as he did so a messenger arrived.
"I salute Yuan Gongzi," The messenger said while he prostrated. "The Lord Gonglu has asked for you."
"This is a pleasant timing." Said Yuan Yao. "I'll make my way there very soon."
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Yuan Yao reached the main hall in the main palace. He approached his father respectfully with his head slightly bowed.
"Lord Father, why have you summoned me?" he asked.
"Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I have decided to confer you a title a little early." He pointed at an elder. "He will help you in the purification ceremony." Then he gave a signal to a maid standing beside him. She brought a tray which had a red sachet tied with green thread on it. "This will help you get through the ceremony."
Yuan Yao bowed deeply and accepted it. The red sachet was heavy as if there was a chunk of meteorite iron in it. He then followed the elder pointed by Yuan Shu.
"Respected Elder, may you help me in sending a word to my manor?" Yuan Yao asked the elder.
"My name is Yuan Ji, styled Shenbo. You may call me Elder Shenbo. I'll send a messenger to your abode." The elder answered in a gruff voice.
"Thank you, Elder Shenbo." Yuan Yao thanked him sincerely.
"Don't worry about it. Try to get through the next three days unharmed."
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Yuan Yao was led to a simple courtyard with no unnecessary decorations or amenities. It exuded the simple aura of an immortal's mansion.
He looked at this and thought, So, this is where I will spend the next three days, huh.
He wasn't totally disappointed, on the other hand he actually looked forward to the next three days. In the next three days he would not be allowed to eat anything, he would be bathed in various medicinal baths each day three times. And the rest of the time was spent paying respects to ancestors, reading the family cultivation books, and meditating on them. Perhaps, the next three days would be the only peaceful moments he would get in decades.
He made himself comfortable within the courtyard. After a short while a familiar face emerged. Ren Liqin came to the courtyard.
As soon as Yuan Yao saw her he was overcome with emotions; he wanted to hug her but she stopped him.
"Young master, please. You can't come into contact with anyone for the next three days."
She put forth a pot, "Young master, please drink this bitter earthen ginseng tea, and get into the bath of essence of Alabaster Stream Salamander."
He silently nodded and drank it in a gulp. Then he submerged himself in the bath. He suffered the attack from Qi from inside and out.
Gritting his teeth he brought the Red Sachet on top of his Dantian. As a result pain lessened to barely bearable level. He had to go through the same horrible pain eight more times.
He got out of the bath half an hour later. His maid brought him to a wide room that hosted a number of books.
In the room, on a raised dais, portraits, and life treasures of the Yuan family ancestors were placed. The room smelled of Tiger Blood Sandalwood incense, and lit by only candles made out of Dragon-claw Sting Beewax.
"Young master, please bow to the heavens, and ancestors three times; then recite the Ancestral Sutra." The maid instructed.
Yuan Yao did as he was told. He would repeat this another eight times in the next three days.
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The three days of purification were finally completed. Yuan Yao wore a red black robe with wide sleeves, his white shirt peeked out at the neck, a vermillion sash bordered with gold hung at his right side from his belt. His hair was tied and a Jinxian Hat adorned his head.
He walked out of the courtyard and made his way to the main hall.
Everyone was already present in the hall. When Yuan Yao walked in everyone's gaze landed on him. Before long, he was called to receive his title.
"Yuan Yao, styled Zhiyu, please come forward and receive your title." The herald announced.
Yuan Yao stepped forward and came in front of Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu unfurled the edict and read it.
"By the mandate, and blessings of the ancestors, I hereby announce that Yuan Yao, scion of the Yuan clan, is entrusted with a thousand households as the Lord of Changpu."
Yuan Yao knelt and performed three bows after hearing the edict. "Get up," Yuan Shu extended the edict. "Take this edict and receive the seal. Then you'll officially be a Qianhuhou."
Yuan Yao got up and received the edict; Yuan Wei brought out a tray which contained a seal and a plaque.
"This seal is a gift from me, may it accompany you throughout your life. This plaque will help you bind the land, and if it is bestowed upon a subordinate he'll be able to rule in your stead."
Yuan Yao received the seal which was gently wrapped with purple ribbon and the gold plaque.
"The ceremony is finished. After the court is over you can go to the elders hall and receive the household registry of your charges, and the fief's location."
Yuan Yao returned to where he was; the court continued and various issues were discussed, finally the issue of Dong Zhuo came up.
"We have decided to oppose Dong Zhuo. We need to decide the amount of grain, weapons, and armour we need to collect and store. And we need to decide the deadline for doing so." A scholar brought the issue up.
"We need to estimate the number of soldiers that'll need to be fed, clothed, and armed before we calculate the needed supplies." Another scholar rebutted.
"In any case,we might have to wage war on Dong Zhuo for months. I propose, we collect 10 shi for every household the lord has." Another said.
"Wouldn't that be too much to ask?" Someone resisted.
"It is only one tenth of the typical tax collected for each household. I believe it is the bare minimum a lord loyal to the Yuan family should give." Another scholar retorted.
"I believe this can only be accepted if the lord isn't responsible for feeding his own troops after he rendezvous with the family. Also we will have to agree to arm one person for each household the lord has." Finally one of the high ranking scholars put forth a compromise.
Despite havoc caused by the droughts, diseases, and widespread rebellions five years ago, after these horrible events the Han territory received the favourable fortune of the heavens. The last two years, particularly, were blessed with great harvest throughout the central plains.
While asking ten shi per household would test the patience of the Yuan retainers, nevertheless it didn't cross their bottom lines; that is if you were a lord for a few years.
This minutiae was forgotten by the court, and even Yuan Yao didn't bring it up as he thought he didn't have enough influence among the courtiers to pull it off. Instead he would only be branded as the greedy noble who bites the hand that feeds him.
Heated discussions still continued in the court. The court finally decided on the compromise position that each lord would need to send 10 shi of grains to the Yuan family, and the Yuan family would lend the weapon, and armour of one person for this grain if the quota is fulfilled. If the lord provided any extra grain that would also earn him weapon, and armour of one person for every 10 shi.
Yuan Yao remained behind after the court adjourned, he wasn't in any hurry. A maid informed him that he was invited to his father's study.
Yuan Yao entered his father's office. His father sat behind a large brown wooden table. As he saw his son he spoke.
"I believe you've heard what the court decided." He picked up a bag and handed it to Yuan Yao. "This bang has the gold I promised and two years worth of Qianhuhou's income. Use it to buy enough grains to satisfy the court's requirements. As for soldiers, don't worry about it. I'll station you at the back along with supply troops. You only need to show up."
"Thank you, father." Yuan Yao happily thanked his father. "Father, I'll manage the fief with all of my ability."
"You don't need to work yourself to death. Remember that, always."
Yuan Yao bowed his head, "Alright, I won't hold you up any longer. Go to the elder's hall." Yuan Shu said.