1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 17 Master Qiu
Stepping over the threshold and past the screen wall, a spacious courtyard comes into view.

In addition to a well, there is a large drying ground in the courtyard, with the ground paved with smooth bluestone slabs, and a few stubborn green grasses occasionally sprouting from the gaps between the slabs.

Directly in front of the courtyard stands the grand main hall, with its flying eaves, bracket sets, carved beams, and painted pillars, exuding a magnificent aura.

Qiu Gusan welcomed Liu Bingwen and his student Peng Gang to sit down in the main hall.

Qiu Gusan was somewhat disappointed to learn that Liu Bingwen had come to sell Peng Gang's land and houses.

Liu Bingwen noticed Qiu Gusan's disappointment and, taking advantage of the conversation, pointed out that Peng Gang was a student who ranked second in last year's county examination. Only then did Qiu Gusan's expression relax again, and he couldn't help but turn his head to take a few more glances at Peng Gang.

It turns out that he was the son of the person who came from the county who ranked second in the high school exam last year.

He was indeed a well-read person; not only was he handsome, but his demeanor was also different from that of ordinary children.

Many young men came to Qiu Gusan to pawn their fields and houses, but they all had long faces as they came and went. The timid young men didn't even dare to look him in the eye.

Qiu Gusan had never seen a young man like Peng Gang, who could remain calm and composed even after selling his land and house, and who seemed unfazed by the sight of the Qiu family's grand mansion.

If Liu Bingwen hadn't said he was his student, Qiu Gusan would have thought Peng Gang was Liu Bingwen's nephew.

Qiu Gusan looked at Peng Gang, then at his own good-for-nothing sons, his eyes filled with disappointment and frustration.

When Liu Bingwen first opened his school and started accepting students, Qiu Gusan also sent his nephews and nieces to study there. However, Liu Bingwen refused to accept any of them, citing reasons such as poor character, dullness, and incorrigibility. This made Qiu Gusan lose face, and he still holds a grudge to this day. Are all the descendants of the Qiu family really so worthless?

"Since it's a sale of land and houses, did you bring the land deeds and property deeds?" Qiu Gusan asked indifferently.

Peng Gang, who was well-prepared, readily took out a camphor wood box from the zipper, opened it, and took out the land deeds and farm deeds, along with a list of furniture and livestock, and placed them on the table for Qiu Gusan to review.

“Mr. Qiu, I’m selling my family’s farm bones, along with my oxen, fishpond, and six piglets.”

Qiu Gusan was used to being addressed as "Master" by others, so he was quite pleased to be called "Teacher" by a young scholar. He smiled and ordered the servant to bring up the abacus.

Qiu Gusan, who had grabbed the abacus in one hand, buried himself in examining the contract while fiddling with the abacus beads that were blackened by soot.

Qiu Gusan was thinking that he owned land near Qingfeng Village. The Qiu family would naturally not want to live in the Peng family's small courtyard, but he could buy it at a low price to use as a granary, store farm tools and oxen, and provide accommodation for the Qiu family's long-term workers.

This deal was not only worthwhile, but it also earned Liu Bingwen a favor.

Qiu Gusan was multitasking, working on the abacus in his mind and on the abacus in his hands at the same time. A young member of the Qiu family, who was slightly younger than Peng Gang, watched Qiu Gusan skillfully manipulating the abacus beads and felt a little sorry for him.

He leaned close to Peng Gang and whispered in his ear, "You don't seem like someone who's desperate. It wasn't easy for your family to save up some land. My father won't ask for too much. You can still back out now."

"Thank you for the reminder. I appreciate your kind offer, but I've already made up my mind to sell the land and house, and I have no regrets." Peng Gang thanked the Qiu family scion who had kindly reminded him.

"Nine mu of top-quality paddy fields, at the market price of nine taels per mu, that's eighty-one taels. Eight mu of medium-quality fields, that's six taels per mu, that's forty-eight taels." The abacus beads clicked in Qiu Gusan's hands.

"Sixteen mu of dry sloping land, three taels per mu, for a total of forty-eight taels. Five tiled-roof mud-brick houses with half a mu of vegetable garden, a fish pond, and all the furniture and livestock. For Mr. Liu's sake, I'll give you seventy-five taels."

"A total of two hundred and fifty-two taels, are you willing to sell?"

Qiu Gusan's heart is a bit black, but not completely black. He probably just wants to get a favor from Liu Bingwen out of respect for him.

Although the price was a bit low, Peng Gang could still accept it. He figured that other big clients might not offer him more money than Qiu Gusan.

“I’m willing to sell, but I’d like to exchange two hundred taels of silver for Mr. Qiu’s nine hundred mu of mountain land in Honglianping, Pingzaishan,” Peng Gang said.

Two hundred taels of silver for nine hundred acres of mountain land?
Upon hearing this, Qiu Gusan immediately flew into a rage: "You ungrateful young man! I only gave you a good price because of Mr. Liu! Although Pingzai Mountain is remote, there are plenty of good trees there! You think you can exchange my nine hundred acres of mountain land for two hundred taels of silver? Are you still dreaming? Or have you lost your mind?"
Besides, two hundred taels is just the nominal amount; after paying the deed tax, the actual amount you'll receive will be far more than that!

"Mr. Qiu, please allow the young man to finish speaking." Only after Qiu Gusan finished his rambling speech did Peng Gang speak up to explain.

“It was my fault for not explaining things clearly, which caused Mr. Qiu to misunderstand. This two hundred taels of silver is equivalent to renting nine hundred acres of Honglianping Mountain for three years. After three years, the rent will be paid annually as usual, and the rent will be determined by Mr. Qiu.”

Qiu Gusan's expression softened slightly upon hearing this. Renting 900 mu of mountain land for three years for 200 taels of silver was a bit cheap, but with the condition that he would set the rent after three years, it wasn't impossible to rent it.

After pondering for a while, Qiu Gu ordered someone to bring him pen and ink, and with a flourish of his brush, he drafted a set of rules for renting out the mountain land on credit. The rules had four clauses. The first clause was: Compassion and concessions.

From the 28th year of the Daoguang Emperor's reign (1848) to the 31st year (1851), the mountain rent was exempted, and the profits and losses were borne by the individual.

Harvesting is permitted for cedar, oak, and other miscellaneous trees, but camphor, nanmu, and rosewood require prior approval and inspection.

All profits from charcoal burning belong to him, but he must pay tribute of 200 catties of charcoal during festivals.

The second rule: draw points for retaking the course.

Starting from the 32nd year of the Daoguang Emperor's reign, taxes were levied at a rate of 60% to

For every hundred catties of charcoal produced, a rent of sixty catties is charged.

Those who burn charcoal in kilns shall pay an additional five taels of silver per kiln per year.

Bamboo, wood, mushrooms, and other fungi within the mountain area are all sold at 60% of the market price in silver.

The third item: Deed of seizure and lock.

A pledge of fifty taels of silver is made.

If the lease is not renewed in the third year, the deposit will be forfeited.

If the lease expires and the tenant wishes to terminate the lease, 10,000 saplings must be planted to offset the interest.

Fourth rule: Thunderous restraint.

Those who abscond during the rent-free period will be fined five qian of silver per day.

If a forest fire burns, compensation will be sought ten times the amount stipulated in the "Xunzhou Prefecture Forest Fire Compensation Regulations" promulgated in the fifteenth year of the Daoguang reign.

Those who die or are injured shall accept their fate and shall not disturb the mountain lord.

If they are unable to continue renting after three years, they are willing to bring their younger siblings to the Qiu family as servants, with the men serving as guards and the women as laundry workers, and they will never regret it.

Faced with the prospect of personal gain, Qiu Gusan's ugly face was ultimately revealed.

Master Qiu wants not only money, but also people.

Qiu Gusan's proficiency in drafting the rules for renting out mountain land on credit indicates that he has drafted many such rules before.

The harsh terms made Liu Bingwen frown and signaled to Peng Gang not to agree.

Except for the third clause, which stipulated a pledge of fifty taels of silver, which Peng Gang found unacceptable, he could accept the other clauses.

Three years from now, you still want me to pay you 60% rent and take out high-interest loans to work for you?

I'm afraid that even if Yun Zhongxue comes to your door to pay the rent, you, Master Qiu, won't dare to accept it.

The only thing that gave Peng Gang a headache was the clause about the fifty taels of silver as collateral. If he gave Qiu Gu fifty-three taels of silver as collateral, then he would only be able to get two taels of silver from Qiu Gu San.

He didn't have much silver left, but he still had eighteen bushels of grain.

The 18 shi of rice they could sell was not enough to open up the mountain area and start the kiln for charcoal production.

Recruiting people and buying slaves, building sheds to live in at Honglianping, and bribing local Green Standard Army officers—all of these required money.

Peng Gang wouldn't receive a single penny until the first batch of charcoal was sold.

He needs to have some money on hand for emergencies.

(End of this chapter)