The martial juren

Half a county's farmland belonged to the gentry.

The Zhang Clan counted as a minor household, not just in Baiyang County, but even outside the county town.

The reputation Zhang Lingfeng had built so far had spread only within martial school circles, Baile Ward, and Zhang Family Gully. Otherwise, Great Saber Hong would not have been ignorant of his name.

But this time, he had brought a group of martial school brothers, along with Huang Jiefu and a large contingent of constables, back to Zhang Family Gully and successfully rescued Wang Biao from Great Saber Hong. This still caused a small stir around Zhang Family Gully.

"Father, Zhang Lingfeng really did rescue Wang Biao. I saw Master Wang take Wang Biao back from Zhang Laochong. I also heard that Great Saber Hong got wind of it in advance and was so frightened by Zhang Lingfeng that he nearly pissed and shat himself. He let Wang Biao go without asking for a single coin."

Li Hongwei rushed home and told Li Mingtian what had happened.

"Zhang Lingfeng has caused such a commotion. It seems he intends to expand the Zhang Clan's influence without end. Zhang Laochong can no longer hide his ambition."

Li Mingtian sighed.

"Father, will our fields be affected?"

Li Hongwei asked worriedly.

Like the Zhang Clan, the Li Clan had a thriving population. Li Mingtian also had several sons who normally helped manage their remaining four thousand-plus mu of fertile farmland.

"Seventy percent of our remaining fields are already registered under Juren Zhang's name. Zhang Laochong won't dare go too far. But most of the Wang Family's remaining fields border ours, and several important water sources have to pass through their land. Zhang Laochong will certainly make a great fuss over that.

"We cannot let Zhang Laochong do as he pleases over this."

Li Mingtian analyzed the situation.

Under Great Qing law, a xiucai could claim tax exemptions on five hundred mu of farmland, and a juren on three thousand mu.

Inside and outside the county town, many landlords registered their farmland under a xiucai's or juren's name to reduce their taxes. Each year, they gave the other party sixty to seventy percent of the taxes they would otherwise owe. This not only reduced their tax burden by thirty percent, but also secured protection.

However, there was also the possibility that the other party would seize the farmland for themselves.

Thus, landlords who dared register their farmland under a juren's or xiucai's name generally had some connections and influence. If not for the trouble with Little Moon Mountain's water supply, coupled with Zhang Lingfeng's overwhelming momentum of growth,

Li Mingtian would not have recently registered three thousand mu under Juren Zhang's name.

But thinking of the commotion the Zhang Clan was causing now, Li Mingtian felt immensely relieved. To be safe, he specifically had his hired farmhands prepare some meat and drive him to Juren Zhang's home in a horse-drawn carriage.

Juren Zhang's name was Zhang Qilin.

He was a martial juren.

He had earned a first-class result in the martial examination.

Someone like Huang Jiefu, who had earned a third-class result, could only be considered a xiucai, with tax exemptions on only around five hundred mu each year.

Zhang Qilin came from a humble family. His father had originally been merely a constable without an official post. Possessing middling bone aptitude, and having obtained financial support by attaching himself to a gang, Zhang Qilin had finally earned a first-class result in the previous martial examination after years of cultivation. He was now attempting to break through to transforming Jin and awaiting an appointment from the court.

If appointed within Baiyang County, he would start as at least a constabulary superintendent or garrison commandant.

With three thousand mu of fertile farmland registered under Zhang Qilin's name, seventy percent of the taxes payable each year went into his pocket. But to gain Zhang Qilin's approval, Li Mingtian gave him ninety percent of the taxes due.

Through Zhang Qilin, he had also drawn closer to the clerk Liu Dongsheng, allowing him to collect taxes in Zhang Family Gully and skim some benefits in the process.

"Great Saber Hong is a coward who clings to life and fears death. His reputation is hollow."

"Zhang Lingfeng, a disciple under Master Guo-is he a personal disciple?"

"If he isn't, what is there to fear?"

Zhang Qilin held an examination degree and was already attempting to break through to transforming Jin. Never mind outside the town-even across all of Baiyang County, he stood at the very peak of the pyramid.

Zhang Lingfeng was neither Guo Wei's personal disciple nor the holder of an examination degree. Zhang Qilin paid him no mind at all.

What did interest him greatly was that, in little more than a year, the Zhang Clan's farmland had grown from over seven hundred mu to over two thousand mu, multiplying several times over.

Although becoming a martial juren had brought three thousand mu of farmland under his name, it was not truly his, after all.

"What do you intend to do, worthy nephew?"

Li Mingtian asked with a smile.

He and Zhang Qilin's father had been childhood friends. That was precisely why he had dared register his farmland under Zhang Qilin's name.

"You should be asking whether the Zhang Clan dares act recklessly. If you had registered your farmland under my name earlier, they wouldn't have dared touch Little Moon Mountain's water supply even with ten times the courage."

Zhang Qilin snorted coldly.

"You are right to rebuke me, worthy nephew. It is too late for regrets now."

Li Mingtian wholeheartedly agreed.

"It isn't too late. If you want to reclaim Little Moon Mountain's water supply, I can help you."

Zhang Qilin said.

"Do you mean that?"

Li Mingtian looked excited.

"Hmm?"

Zhang Qilin frowned.

"Thank you, worthy nephew. If we can reclaim the water supply on Little Moon Mountain, we can make the Zhang Clan sell those thousand-plus mu of fertile farmland to me for a pittance. When the land is recovered, I will give seventy percent of it to you."

Li Mingtian said, making his calculations.

"Good!"

Zhang Qilin nodded with a smile.

Zhang Lingfeng had dinner at home with his martial brothers, Huang Jiefu, and the others. After a brief rest, they returned to the county town in a great procession.

"What a pity. Li Mingtian registered three thousand mu of farmland under Juren Zhang's name. Otherwise, since the water for those fields has to pass through our Zhang Clan's irrigation channels, we could have stripped another layer of skin off him."

After Wang Biao was rescued, Wang Jinshan kept the final tenth of his farmland and transferred all the rest to the Zhang Clan. The deeds had already been prepared and sent to the county yamen for registration.

At that moment, Zhang Laochong was inspecting the newly acquired fields with his three sons.

Eighty percent of Baiyang County's land lay on the plains.

The fields held by the major landlords were essentially all outside the town. Little Moon Mountain was merely a relatively well-known stretch of farmland near Zhang Family Gully.

The truly vast expanse of a hundred thousand qing of fertile farmland had nothing to do with Little Moon Mountain.

These fertile lands were clearly divided.

There were public fields belonging to the authorities, great estates held by the powerful, sacrificial fields collectively owned by clans, school fields allocated by the local gentry, military fields occupied by the army, and perpetual holdings controlled by Buddhist and Daoist temples, among others.

Only by controlling grain could one control the lifeline.

Whether the Yan Lineage, the great pharmacies, or even martial masters like Guo Wei and Elder Zheng, all held farmland. The difference lay in whether they had clansmen manage it, rented it to tenant farmers, or hired laborers to tend it.

Stockpiling grain was second nature to every household.

Zhang Laochong was not the only one who did so.

The next day.

Xu Laiyi came running back from Little Moon Mountain.

"Master, Juren Zhang has seized Little Moon Mountain's water supply, and Master Chen has been taken away too. They said that if we want to settle the water supply issue, the young master must go see Juren Zhang."

Xu Laiyi said quickly.

"Outrageous! This must have been Li Mingtian's idea. I haven't even cut off his water yet, and he's already climbed onto my head!"

Zhang Laochong said furiously.

"Father, Zhang Qilin is a martial juren. Lingfeng is no match for him."

Zhang Da said worriedly.

"He captured Chen Qing instead of crippling him outright. Perhaps he did that out of respect for Master Guo. In any case, there is still room to maneuver. Notify Lingfeng at once and have him come back."

Zhang Laochong instructed.

"All right."

Zhang Da's thoughts were in turmoil. He had thought that, with Zhang Lingfeng bringing back so many martial brothers this time, as well as Huang Jiefu and a large contingent of constables, they could give everyone in the surrounding area a proper warning.

He had not expected Zhang Qilin to suddenly appear and catch them all off guard.

PS: Please send monthly votes.