Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 36 The Curved Plow Enters the Imperial Palace!

Xiao Ran probably never imagined that when he went to Zhang Erya's house for a meal and casually brought some rice, it would end up being delivered to Lizheng Hall.

Good things generally end up in the hands of the upper class.

Li Lizhi stared at the rice. "Mother, is this for Grandfather?"

Li Lizhi had previously mentioned that the rice lacked aroma, but had a delicate texture.

"Let's divide it in half!" Empress Zhangsun looked at the two little princesses playing on the other side, "and leave some for Sizi Fanyin as well."

"Okay!" Li Lizhi was actually very curious about how this rice got to Qin Qiong's residence.

In the evening, Li Shimin returned to the Lizheng Hall and naturally saw the rice.

Her reaction was similar to Li Lizhi's: "Lizhi, did Xiao Ran send this?"

“Father, no, it’s the Duchess of Ji.”

Li Shimin grabbed a handful of rice. "Shubao shouldn't be going. What's going on?"

Zhang Anan, standing beside him, hesitated, unsure of what to say.

Li Shimin saw this and asked, "Anan, what do you know?"

"Your Majesty, I remember that the land Your Majesty bestowed upon the Duke of Ji was in Kaolao Village. Young Master Xiao Ran lives in the village. Could it be that the young master gave it to a tenant of the Duke of Ji's mansion, and the tenant thought it was a good thing and gave it to the Duke of Ji?"

"Well, that makes sense." Li Shimin couldn't very well ask Qin Qiong about such a trivial matter.

Wang Shen arrived in Chang'an with the curved plow and finally managed to meet the county magistrate of Wannian County.

Xiao Ran originally didn't want to be allowed to register his household registration.

However, the matter of the curved plow is a different story.

Although Wang Shen's words were incredibly eloquent and surprised the people in the county, such things should not be believed lightly.

Since the matter was of great importance, even the county magistrate's men had to personally test the effect of the curved plow.

I dare not report it to my superiors rashly.

By the time the experiment with other farm tools and oxen outside Chang'an was completed, it was too late to report it to higher authorities.

There is no Jingzhao Prefecture yet; Chang'an County and Wannian County are both under the jurisdiction of Yongzhou Prefecture.

The current governor of Yongzhou is Li Yuanjing, the sixth son of Li Yuan.

Li Shimin's sixth brother!

The next day, the county magistrate, knowing the matter was of great importance, immediately took the curved plow to the prefectural capital.

Wang Shen is no longer needed, but he cannot leave yet because the matter of his affiliation with another household has not been approved.

The application for dependent residency is definitely not a problem, but we need to let the higher-ups know about it first.

Wang Shen could only wait inside Chang'an City.

Otherwise, I won't be able to explain it to Xiao Ran when I go back.

If the curved plow can be taken back, it definitely should be taken back; otherwise, I'll have to pay Xiao Ran money in return.

Li Yuanjing, accompanied by his men, carried a curved plow to Dai Zhou, the Minister of Civil Affairs.

Everyone else in the Ministry of Personnel was bewildered.

Officials from the six ministries all work here; they are all high-ranking officials of the Tang Dynasty, and powerful ones at that.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?" Dai Zhou asked, looking puzzled.

"Minister Dai, this is extraordinary; it is a curved plow presented by Wannian County."

Dai Zhou interrupted Li Yuanjing, "Your Highness, wasn't it a straight-shaft plow? How did it become a curved-shaft plow?"

"Minister Dai, take a look. This is different; it's not like the straight-plow."

Dai Zhou, being older, nodded and asked, "It is indeed different. Why did Your Highness send this?"

"A curved-shaft plow can easily plow the land with just one person and one ox, making it much easier than a straight-shaft plow."

Upon hearing this, Dai Zhou could no longer remain calm. "Is this really true?"

"The county authorities have tried it. I didn't believe it, so I had someone send it over to try as well. It's indeed the case. This matter is of great importance to the country and must be reported!"

Dai Zhou's eyes lit up immediately. "If that's really the case, then it's incredible. We have to try it, and then we'll report it to the Left Minister."

"I knew Minister Dai was cautious; he had prepared oxen and other tools."

It would be awkward if the application didn't work.

The curved plow was sent out of Chang'an for the third time, and it was used to plow a piece of land.

Having experimented with the plow and witnessed its effects firsthand, Dai Zhou, without hesitation, inquired about the details and immediately sought out the Left Minister, Fang Xuanling.

As for Xiao Ran's affiliation, it still hasn't been approved, but it was submitted along with other documents.

The household registration, which could be decided by the county magistrate, has already been reported to the Ministry of Personnel.

Fang Xuanling stared intently at the curved plow.

Knowing that this information was reported to Li Shimin would surely have greatly pleased the emperor.

"Xiao Ran." Fang Xuanling was also amused. He had come up with a great treasure that would benefit the country and its people in order to register his household registration.

"Get ready, we're going to the Taiji Hall to meet the Emperor!"

Dai Zhou was a subordinate, but he was too old.

Fang Xuanling, the Left Minister of Works, and Li Yuanjing, a prince of the imperial clan and governor of Yongzhou, personally carried him to the Taiji Hall.

This event will surely be recorded in history.

It's very important, so naturally I have to do it myself.

In front of the Taiji Hall, Li Shimin, Li Jing, Wei Zheng, Ma Zhou, and others were talking.

Li Shimin and Li Jing were both dumbfounded when they saw Fang Xuanling and the other two.

"Left Minister, do you still want to farm in the Taiji Palace?" Li Shimin was in a good mood and teased Fang Xuanling.

During the Zhenguan era, the relationship between the emperor and his ministers was relatively harmonious.

Fang Xuanling and Li Yuanjing placed the curved plow not far in front of Li Shimin and quickly bowed.

"What does this mean?" Li Shimin pointed to the curved plow, feeling that it was different from the ones he had seen before.

Li Yuanjing and Dai Zhou glanced at Fang Xuanling, signaling him to speak.

Fang Xuanling was his superior.

"Your Majesty, this matter must begin with a refugee," Fang Xuanling said with a smile.

"The migrants had no household registration and wanted to apply for temporary registration in Kaolao Village, but their applications were rejected when they were submitted to the village head."

Upon hearing the name Kaolao Village, Li Shimin felt a sense of familiarity, but couldn't quite place it.

He's extremely busy and has too many things to handle.

"In order to pass the village head's registration review, he modified the straight-shafted plow."

“I knew this looked different from the straight-shafted plow; it turns out it’s been modified.” Li Shimin nodded, signaling Fang Xuanling to continue. “How is the effect after the modification? Compared to the previous straight-shafted plow, besides being a bit smaller, what are the differences?”

Fang Xuanling became even more excited. "Your Majesty, in the past, when plowing the fields with a straight-plow, two oxen were needed. One ox was not strong enough, so two people were needed, one of whom had to lead the plow from the front. Turning the plow around was also troublesome."

"This is called a curved plow now. It only requires one person and one ox, and turning around is very easy."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin, Li Jing, and others' expressions changed.

They all realized what this meant. "Is this really true?" Li Shimin became serious.

"Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you!" Fang Xuanling replied.

Dai Zhou, who was standing next to him, chimed in, "After the curved plow was modified, it was tested in Kaolao Village. The village head, who was in his sixties, even tried it out. The village head, Wang Shen, thought it was fine. Since it was a matter of great importance, he took the curved plow to Wannian County as soon as possible."

"Yesterday, the county magistrate of Wannian County also took a curved plow out of the city to plow the fields. It was indeed no problem. One person and one ox made it easier than before."

"This matter is of great importance, and we dare not be careless. Your Highness and I have also tried it, and what the village head Wang Shen said is true."

Li Yuanjing nodded as well.

Li Shimin leaned closer and stared intently at the curved plow. Ma Zhou, Wei Zheng, and the others also came over, and the group surrounded the plow.

Li Shimin's eyes burned with fervor, "Save half the manpower and oxen!"

"'Weapons should be adapted to the times'—this plow is curved like a crescent moon, which perfectly matches the rule in the 'Kaogongji' that 'the cart maker makes the plow, and the length of the plow is an inch,' yet it is a hundred times better than ancient tools!"

"One man and one ox can cultivate a hundred acres of land; a single bend and an arc can save the lives of countless people. This is not a farming tool, but the plow and hoe of Shennong, which enabled me to establish my rule over the world!"

"Okay, okay, okay!"

"With this curved plow, the people are blessed, and the Tang Dynasty is fortunate!"

Li Shimin looked at Fang Xuanling and asked, "By the way, what is that refugee's name?"

“Your Majesty, my surname is Xiao, and my given name is Ran,” Fang Xuanling replied.

"Xiao Ran!!!" Li Shimin suddenly looked up, his face full of disbelief.

Others also noticed Li Shimin's reaction; it was clear that Li Shimin seemed to know this person.

"Your Majesty, is there something amiss?" Fang Xuanling asked.

"Why isn't the application for official registration approved? Right now, what the Tang Dynasty needs most are young and strong men!" Li Shimin questioned Fang Xuanling.

Fang Xuanling didn't know much about Dai Zhou, so he looked at him.

Dai Zhou glanced at Li Yuanjing.

Li Yuanjing quickly explained, "Your Majesty, the county magistrate said that although Xiao Ran has the appearance of a Tang person and is not a blond-haired, blue-eyed barbarian, he has short hair and dresses strangely, unlike a person from the Tang Dynasty. He has traveled a long way from the Western Regions and has not been through these customs. Moreover, he is in high spirits and does not look like a rogue at all. That's why he was not allowed to pass."

Upon hearing this description, Li Shimin became even more certain that it was Xiao Ran.

I also remembered that the fishing spot was Kaolao Village.

All right.

“The village head has done his job well and deserves a reward.” Li Shimin had met Xiao Ran and understood the village head Wang Shen’s concerns.

“It is Your Majesty!” Li Yuanjing said hurriedly.

"Ananda, prepare other farming tools and oxen. I also want to try!" Li Shimin shouted.

"It's your Majesty!"

“Your Majesty, these things were prepared in advance and can be used at any time,” Dai Zhou said with a smile, knowing that Li Shimin would do this.

I know Li Shimin's character all too well.

"That's perfect, bring it here!"

"Your Majesty, what about the matter of registering a household?" Li Yuanjing knew that Li Shimin knew Xiao Ran, so he had to be careful.

"A single curved plow can liberate a person and an ox. It's no exaggeration to call it a national treasure. With such a contribution, even if he were a non-Hu (barbarian), he should be granted household registration!"

"Such a great achievement deserves more than just approval of the household registration; rewards are also due. The Left Minister of Works, the Minister of Revenue, and the Governor of Yongzhou all deserve great credit. In addition, the County Magistrate of Wannian County and the Village Head Wang Shen did not delay this matter or misappropriate Xiao Ran's merits; they all deserve rewards."

Li Shimin was in a great mood, but he hadn't decided how to reward them yet, so he put it aside for the time being.

Li Shimin needed to think about it; Xiao Ran was rather special.

"Right Minister!" Li Shimin shouted.

“Your Majesty, I am here!” Li Jing replied.

"In a moment, take the curved plow back to the Ministry of Works, measure its dimensions, draw up blueprints, and announce this to the world. We also need to send the blueprints of the curved plow to all the prefectures and counties as quickly as possible, so that the people can use the curved plow next year."

Now, the Tang Dynasty has a lot of land, including a lot of wasteland, but what it lacks is manpower and oxen for plowing.

Killing a cow now carries a death penalty, as cattle are an important agricultural resource and are strictly controlled by the imperial court.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Everyone was overjoyed. Fang Xuanling, Dai Zhou, and others had also made contributions, and Li Shimin rewarded them all.

After finishing his work, Li Shimin returned to the Lizheng Hall as soon as possible.

I want to share this with Empress Zhangsun.

It was just time for dinner, and the rice that had been prepared earlier was cooked separately by the Imperial Kitchen.

When Li Shimin returned, Empress Zhangsun and Li Lizhi got up to greet him.

"Father, what makes you so happy?" Li Lizhi could tell that her father couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

"Hahaha! Something incredibly good happened today!" Li Shimin pulled Empress Zhangsun down to sit and told her about the curved plow.

The two little princesses are too young to understand these things.

Li Lizhi, the "curved plow," also understood what this meant for the Tang Dynasty.

“Girl, the person who modified the curved plow was in Kaolao Village. He modified the curved plow for the purpose of registering a household,” Li Shimin said last.

"Could it be that Mr. Xiao Ran from Kaolao Village?" Li Lizhi asked hurriedly.

"That's right, it's Xiao Ran. This guy, even though he knows we're not ordinary people, and that it would only take a word for him to ask us about the household registration, he insisted on doing it himself." Li Shimin laughed. Xiao Ran had indeed given Li Shimin a huge surprise.

"Perhaps she doesn't want to trouble others. That's fine too, as all the people in the world will benefit," Empress Zhangsun said with a smile.

"Now that I have bestowed rewards upon others, I am unsure how to bestow them upon Xiao Ran." Li Shimin had not yet decided.

Li Lizhi seemed thoughtful. "Father, when we were talking by the pool about the granary, the young master seemed to be standing up for the people of Kaolao Village. I guess there are quite a few people in the village who are having a hard time."

"For example, when we saw the young woman picking millet ears in the field, we can add one more item to the other rewards, following the normal procedure."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "Girl, tell me what you think."

"Young master could have just asked his father, but he insisted on obtaining household registration in Kaolao Village through his own efforts. He will definitely stay in Kaolao Village in the future."

“The young man is an outsider and may be ostracized by the villagers. We’ll do him a favor, such as exempting Kaolao Village from taxes for a year.”

Li Shimin nodded. "The curved plow came from Kaolao Village. The village head and the old carpenter both deserve credit. That's fine. Ananda, convey my oral decree and have the Secretariat draft an edict."

"Also, approve Xiao Ran's application to be near the location first; the reward will be distributed later."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Anan was to convey Li Shimin's message, instructing the Secretariat to follow established rules and regulations and to refine the wording of the emperor's decrees, sometimes referencing historical precedents or policy precedents.

Wang Shen, who had been waiting patiently, finally received a reply: Xiao Ran's application for dependent residence had been approved.

The county magistrate dared not make the decision; this was the will of Li Yuanjing, the governor of Yongzhou.

Wang Shen received considerable rewards and honors, and his excellent performance record was also recognized as a major achievement.

However, Wang Shen could not take the curved plow with him; it was already in the Ministry of Works and would be collected by the imperial court in the future because it was of extraordinary significance, being the first curved plow of the Tang Dynasty.

Wang Shen didn't care; the reward money was enough for him to compensate Xiao Ran tenfold.

Village head Zhang Mingde and the carpenter's third grandfather also made contributions, and the two received monetary rewards, in addition to a handwritten commendation document from the county magistrate.

Carrying his own gifts and those from Zhang Mingde's third grandfather, he happily left Chang'an!
(End of this chapter)