Chapter 78: The Money-Making Plan and Visiting Grandmother's House

Li Su had been mulling over his plan for quite some time. The money in his hands needed to circulate, for only then could money breed more money.

During the county exam, the prefectural exam, and the academy exam, the dates were closely packed, and the journeys long. To ensure he topped every session, he did not allow himself distractions. Now, the children's exam was over, and he had been admitted as a scholar. There was ample time before the provincial exam.

He wanted to build a distillery in the village to brew spirits of higher concentration than those found on the market. The workers could be recruited from his village and the surrounding villages. Many villagers were industrious and honest, and he could bring them along to earn some money; with money in hand, all things became easier.

He felt the name "Apricot Blossom Village" was perfectly suited for brewing and selling spirits. "May I ask where the tavern is? The shepherd boy points far away to Apricot Blossom Village." Was this not apt for selling spirits?

If all went well, he planned to market this spirit as a specialty product of the county, and could discuss this with the county magistrate. Now that he was a scholar, he no longer needed to kneel before the magistrate.

He had considered presenting the curved plow to the magistrate before, but at the time, he was merely a child from a farming family, a minor scholar without any official recognition. To meet the magistrate meant kneeling and performing rites. Having just arrived, he could not accept such customs easily. Most importantly, he feared the magistrate might harbor ill intentions. A minor scholar without official honors, taking a valuable invention to the magistrate, would have to gamble on whether the magistrate was upright. If not, even offering it as a gift for the magistrate’s achievements could lead to trouble; the magistrate might wish to claim the credit and silence him, and he would have nowhere to seek justice.

His original intention was simply to lighten his family's burden—there was no need to risk such dangers. As is well known, those who play politics tend to be ruthless and cunning, rivaling the capitalists.

Now things were different. He was not only a scholar, but also a "Little Three Yuan," recognized not just in the county but throughout the province. The magistrate could not move against him so easily. Most importantly, he now had the protection of his master; the magistrate would need to consider whether his master would approve before making any move.

Li Su was thus fearless, and considered mutually beneficial cooperation.

Even now, Li Su had not fully accepted the custom of kneeling for rites. He intended to continue his studies, strive for an imperial decree exempting him from kneeling—even before the emperor himself.

Having just passed the scholar’s exam, Li Su already dreamed big.

Brewing spirits required vast quantities of grain. He would purchase several farms, grow grain, and have his uncles and grandfather supervise the management. They need not work in the fields themselves; after taxes, part of the harvest would supply the distillery, part would belong to them.

After buying these farms and lands, his family would be registered as landowners. Shops in the city would be secondary businesses, so their status would not change to merchant. Although the dynasty did not strictly forbid merchants from taking exams, Li Su believed it safest not to be registered as merchants.

The farms and distillery would be registered under his parents’ names, while his elder brothers managed the two city shops, which would be in their names. The distillery, however, would be managed mainly by his third sister, who would receive a share of the profits.

This way, whatever plans his third sister might have in the future, the distillery would grant her extra capital.

Li Su kept nothing under his own name; he did not lack money, and if he did, his family would surely provide. Before leaving to study, he would arrange everything for his family.

Buying land in ancient times was never a losing proposition. As a scholar, he had fifty acres exempt from tax, which he would use for the family. The farms’ other lands would pay taxes normally, but the higher his rank, the more tax-exempt land he would gain, which he could later use for the farms.

Regarding the farms, he had already looked into them when meeting Qin Ming’s father and had settled on his choices.

…

Early the next morning, Feng Cuicui’s face was aglow with smiles; anyone who saw her could tell she was in high spirits, radiant with joy.

She loaded rice, oil, and meat onto the ox cart—all gifts for her family.

“Fourth, are you ready?” Feng Cuicui knocked on the door as she spoke.

Li Su set down his brush; he was preparing a proposal for the county magistrate, though it was not yet finished.

“All ready,” Li Su replied, rising to open the door, meeting Feng Cuicui’s beaming smile.

Given the state of transportation and the busy households, a married daughter could only visit her family for special occasions; seeing them was not easy unless they lived close by.

“Is father coming too?” Li Su asked.

He saw his father, Li Daping, dressed smartly in the courtyard, nothing like the typical farmer’s attire.

Li Su could not help but marvel at how spirited his father looked today; his mother was equally impressive.

“He’s driving for us,” Feng Cuicui explained. She herself could not drive the ox cart, and as for letting Li Su drive—she would never allow her youngest to do such work.

Everyone said the fourth child was a star descended from the heavens; how could he do something as mundane as driving a cart?

Feng Cuicui felt such tasks were unsuitable for Li Su, and since she couldn’t do it, Li Daping would accompany them.

That morning, Li Daping fussed over his appearance, as if he were a shy bride meeting her in-laws for the first time…

She had never noticed how much her husband cared about his image before.

To Li Daping, now that his son was a scholar, he as the scholar’s father must not bring shame to him.

Li Su glanced at his mother and father, but said nothing.

“Let’s go, let’s go, get on the cart,” Feng Cuicui urged.

Li Su nodded and climbed onto the ox cart with Feng Cuicui, finding a spot to sit.

Li Daping drove the cart slowly toward the Feng family home.

The Feng family lived even farther away than the county seat.

As the ox cart entered Feng’s village, it drew the attention of many villagers.

“Who’s visiting relatives? I don’t recall seeing them before.”

“The driver looks familiar, but I just can’t place him.”

“They’re dressed like city folk.”

“He looks like the husband of the Feng daughter who married into Apricot Blossom Village. I remember seeing him a few years ago.”

“You must be mistaken. Who in Apricot Blossom Village would look like that?”

The ox cart rolled up to the Feng family’s gate, which stood open. Feng Cuicui and Li Daping walked ahead, with Li Su following behind, curiously surveying the courtyard.

The yard resembled the Li family’s, not much different—though more like their old house than the newly built one.

“Mother, I’ll fetch some water first,” a hearty male voice called out.

The man bore a resemblance to Feng Cuicui; Li Su guessed he must be his uncle.

“Second Brother,” Feng Cuicui greeted him warmly.