Rejecting a Life of Ease

Liu Bei's betrothal gifts included grain and meat. That evening, Gan Ji had Gan Qian prepare a lavish meal. Remembering the fortune-teller's words from years ago, Gan Ji got drunk after two bowls of rice wine.

The next morning, the Gan family, Lan Tian included, changed into clean clothes, while Gan Qian put on the dark red wedding gown Jian Yong had brought.

As soon as the hour of the dragon arrived, gongs and drums sounded at the village entrance. Liu Bei came to receive the bride on a white horse, with Guan Yu and Zhang following at his sides.

Since she was becoming a concubine, there were none of the cumbersome rituals of the Three Letters and Six Rites. After Liu Bei brought Gan Qian back to Xiaopei, Sun Qian merely arranged several tables of banquet dishes, and the process was over.

At this time, Liu Bei was only temporarily residing in Xiaopei, like a hidden dragon yet to meet his moment.

After Gan Qian married Liu Bei, Gan Ji still returned to live in Wang Family Village. But from then on, he no longer had to work the fields. Wang Family Village also became Gan Family Village, and Gan Ji's dream of becoming a landlord was fulfilled in an instant.

At the beginning of the twelfth month of the first year of Xingping, Tao Qian, Governor of Xu Province, fell gravely ill and sent Mi Zhu, his Assistant Administrator, to Xiaopei to invite Liu Bei. He intended to yield the rule of Xu Province to him.

After receiving the news, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang set off with light cavalry alongside Mi Zhu for Tancheng to pay Tao Qian a visit.

At the end of the twelfth month, Liu Bei accepted the post of Governor of Xu Province after declining several times. Tao Qian died of illness in Tancheng later that same month.

Liu Bei moved the seat of government of Xu Province from Tancheng to Xiapi. The troops he had recruited in Xiaopei were also transferred to Xiapi for garrison duty, and he sent Guan Yu to bring Gan Qian's family to live there. Gan Ji could finally enjoy life in earnest.

When Guan Yu and Gan Qian came to Gan Family Village to collect the family, Lan Tian unexpectedly refused to go to Xiapi. Using his lack of martial skill and strategy as an excuse, he said he only wished to remain in Xiaopei and farm for a living.

Guan Yu had met Lan Tian twice before and had been deeply impressed by the frail youth.

"Little brother, I know you are naturally intelligent. Why not come with us? A true man, born between heaven and earth, ought to accomplish something. How can you simply grow old beneath the woods and springs?" Gan Qian urged.

"Big Sister, staying here is quite nice too. You know I really enjoy farming." Lan Tian grinned.

"I also know you enjoy reading. You've already finished all the bamboo slips left in the village, haven't you?" Gan Qian said, shaking her head.

Guan Yu was greatly surprised. This farm boy could actually read and write? "Sister-in-law is right. Once we reach Xiapi, I'll have my elder brother arrange a post as a clerk for you. It will certainly be better than facing the yellow earth with your back to the sky."

"Thank you, Big Sister. Thank you, General Guan. You should be on your way soon. General Liu has only just taken command of a great province, so he must have many important matters to discuss with you."

"Yes, yes, we cannot delay the son-in-law's important affairs. General Guan, do not try to persuade him anymore. This boy Lan Tian simply loves farming. I can rest easy leaving Gan Family Village to him." Gan Ji thought Lan Tian coveted the position of village master, thinking, This kid only has ambitions this small.

Guan Yu paid no attention to Gan Ji's words. Although Lan Tian had spoken lightly just now, the Second Lord felt that the youth was exceptionally articulate. He asked, "Since you are literate, do you have a courtesy name?"

"Uncle, my little brother does not yet have a courtesy name. Rather than wait for another day, why not do it today? Please trouble yourself to give him one." In this age, only those with courtesy names were considered scholars. Naturally, Gan Qian hoped others would look favorably upon her sworn younger brother.

"Hmm, allow me to think." Guan Yu stroked his long beard in thought.

"You should all set off as soon as possible. This humble one already has the courtesy name Ziyu, so there is no need to trouble General Guan." Lan Tian said with a smile.

"Ziyu? Little brother, who gave you that courtesy name?" Gan Qian asked in great confusion.

"I had nothing to do in my spare time, so I gave myself one." Lan Tian said, scratching his head.

"Lan Tian, Lan Ziyu? A fine name and a fine courtesy name indeed. I shall remember you. Sister-in-law, let us depart." Guan Yu flicked his handsome beard.

Lan Tian knew that surviving in troubled times was difficult. He had neither martial skill nor strategic talent, nor was he born into a powerful clan. All these conditions limited his path to advancement. Rather than follow Gan Qian and rely on family connections, he might as well lie low in Xiaopei and farm, which happened to fit his profession perfectly.

They were all farmers anyway. Wherever he farmed, he was still farming.

More importantly, Lan Tian did not think highly of Liu Bei. What virtues or abilities do you possess that make you worthy of being my lord? Besides, according to Lan Tian's knowledge of Three Kingdoms history, Liu Bei probably would not remain secure in Xu Province for long.

Gan Family Village's millet harvest was abundant, entirely thanks to the Scientific Planting techniques Lan Tian had taught them. With surplus grain on hand, the tenant farmers were grateful. They sold some grain and bought eggs, meat, melons, and fruit to bring to Gan Ji's home.

Gan Ji was now going to Xiapi to enjoy life, while his adopted son Lan Tian became the new village master. The tenant farmers felt that their days had become even more promising.

During the slack farming season in winter, Xiaopei lay on the flat Huai River Plain. With no hills to block the cold wind, the weather outside was bitterly cold.

The villagers all stayed home and fattened themselves up. Lan Tian wanted to find some leisure reading, but books were scarce resources in this era, mostly held tightly by powerful clans. There were simply no books to buy on the market.

The bamboo slips previously stored in the village had mostly been used to teach children their first lessons. Lan Tian finished them quickly. With the learning ability of an agricultural university graduate student, along with the perspective of one who knew the future, he encountered virtually no difficulty reading those ancient texts.

With so much time left over, he could only devote his energy to cooking. He was a loyal fan of A Bite of China, and the tenant farmers had sent over plenty of ingredients. He could shut the door and experiment freely, but with the limited seasonings of this era, he could only keep improving his dishes.

In the spring of 195, Gan Family Village began plowing and sowing. Even more farmers came here to learn how to farm. Besides those from the village itself, there were many commoners from neighboring villages. Through word of mouth among the tenant farmers, Lan Tian's reputation rapidly spread around Xiaopei.

When the millet was harvested in July, rain and pests meant Gan Family Village's yield was not as good as at the end of the previous year. But after paying rent and taxes, everyone still had a small amount of surplus grain. This was all thanks to Lan Tian's methods of fertilizing and pest control.

In a disaster year like this, people would starve to death elsewhere. Yet the tenant farmers near Xiaopei not only did not go hungry, but also learned many new skills. These agricultural skills would benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Lan Tian was gradually mythologized by these tenant farmers. He seemed to possess endless agricultural knowledge, and he had practically become the folk leader of the area around Gan Family Village.

Because Lan Tian was eloquent, able to distinguish right from wrong, and related by marriage to Liu Bei, Governor of Xu Province, the villagers no longer wished to trouble the authorities whenever disputes or conflicts arose. Instead, they sought him out to judge and settle them.

In late July, Lu Bu failed in his attempt to seize Yanzhou and came to seek refuge in Xu Province. Liu Bei had him garrison Xiaopei as a supporting force.

The farmers remained constant, while their lords came and went.

After Xiaopei's master changed from Liu Bei to Lu Bu, the farmers of Gan Family Village continued farming and paying rent and taxes. Their lives did not change at all. With the spread of Scientific Planting, their lives were gradually improving.

Lan Tian was now the master of Gan Family Village, and the estate tenants offered him grain every year. Thus, aside from improving certain crop varieties for experiments, he basically no longer needed to till the land himself.

Once basic food and warmth had been secured, he began longing for a better life.

To ensure a diverse range of foods, Lan Tian asked Gan Qian to purchase many vegetable, melon, and fruit seeds from Xiapi, then set aside a small plot of land to plant them experimentally.

After Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty traveled to the Western Regions, he brought back many seeds for fruits and vegetables. Now, aside from staple foods such as rice, broomcorn millet, beans, and foxtail millet, there were also vegetables and side dishes like scallions, garlic, broad beans, sesame, radishes, and cucumbers.

Besides clearing a vegetable garden in his backyard, Lan Tian also built a grape arbor in front of his house. His Li Ziqi-like little life gradually began to flourish.

After the autumn sowing ended in August, Lan Tian sat beneath his grape arbor enjoying the cool air. He saw a man and woman standing not far away, pointing at the entrance to his home.

"General Gao, what is that blackish thing? Grapes?"

"Grapes? Why do they not look like the ones I have eaten?"

"Then go ask."

"Yes. "Hey, what are those things hanging from the vines? Are they grapes?" the burly man asked.

"Miss, you have a good eye. They are indeed grapes." Lan Tian nodded as he fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan. Anyone who recognized grapes was certainly not from an ordinary family. Judging by the pair's unusual clothes, he knew they must have significant backgrounds.

"You, pick a few for me." The other girl pointed at Lan Tian and ordered.

Although the girl still had a childish air about her, she had delicate brows, bright eyes, red lips, and white teeth—a true beauty in the making. She appeared to be about the same age and height as Lan Tian.

"Sorry, I can't reach them." Lan Tian refused.