Chapter 91: Buying Land

◎ The emperor truly deserves to be the worst profession since ancient times ◇

News had spread that the wealthiest landowner in town, Master Chen, was selling his fields.

This news came out just a few days after Yu Lian's family had finished planting barley. During this time, Yu Lian had been resting at home, occasionally stretching and practicing yoga to alleviate her aching muscles. Even Mrs. Chen, the elder of the family, had joined her in these exercises.

Master Chen was the largest landowner in the vicinity, owning plots of land in virtually every village. For instance, in Upper Village, at least one-third of the land belonged to the Chen family. The villagers owned very little or no land of their own, so they rented from the landowners, giving six parts of their harvest to the landowners and keeping only four for themselves, while still having to pay taxes.

This was why the villagers lived such difficult lives. Even in bountiful years, they could barely make ends meet, and any silver they managed to save was obtained through strict frugality. In lean years, they would work in vain, perhaps even ending up owing rent and taxes to the landowners – it was an unjust predicament.

It was only last year, when working for Yu Lian's family, that most households in the village managed to save a bit of silver. Coupled with the fact that last year was blessed with good weather and no natural disasters, life had slightly improved.

In a society where agricultural productivity reigned supreme, land was the invaluable wealth in the eyes of the common folk.

Hua Sanduo chuckled and said, "Master Chen's son is not a credit to the family. He has accumulated a mountain of gambling debts. Initially, we thought the family fortune would be squandered by this wayward son. But then rumors emerged that Master Chen's daughter has caught the eye of the emperor and has now become a concubine, enjoying imperial favor."

Yu Lian: "..."

Though Chen, the landowner, possessed some wealth, he was still considered no different from an ordinary commoner in the eyes of the elite. He was merely a rural landowner, a lowly civilian with no rank or title. It didn't matter how beautiful his daughter was; without the proper channels to bring her to the emperor's attention, her beauty would go unnoticed.

It was through Hua Sanduo's sharing of gossip that Yu Lian learned the truth. The landowner's youngest daughter, fair and lovely, had employed all her resources and connections to secure a position as a maid in the Empress Dowager's court.

This Empress Dowager was none other than Li Xiang's older sister, the daughter of the Ru Yang Marquis.

The young girl had taken advantage of the Empress Dowager's pregnancy to ensnare the emperor, eventually finding herself in his bed. Perhaps, after indulging in lavish banquets, the emperor found a simple, unassuming beauty like hers to be a refreshing change, akin to savoring plain congee and vegetables after a feast of seafood.

The emperor found the taste delightful and favored her for two consecutive days. As a result, the young maid was swiftly promoted from a palace servant to a Concubine. One must know that before attaining the rank of Concubine, there were several other ranks, such as Noble Lady, to ascend through.

Thus, the Chen family, having gained prosperity through their daughter, decided to sell their properties and lands, relocating the entire household to the capital, aspiring to become one of the city's "new aristocrats."

Yu Lian: "This..."

Firstly, it was evident that Li Xiang's Imperial Concubine sister was being openly mistreated, but it could also be a strategic move. Pregnant and about to give birth, she might be provoking the queen's jealousy by becoming a target. This way, the emperor would feel more guilt towards her, which could work in her favor.

Secondly, how significant was the rank of a Concubine? According to the current dynasty's hierarchy of imperial consorts, excluding those without official ranks, a Concubine was merely at the entry level with a title. In terms of ranking, she was second to last, with the lowest being a Beauty.

It seems that Concubine Chen holds a rather insignificant position in the imperial harem. For Lord Chen's family to hastily sell their land and seek refuge with their "favorite concubine" daughter, isn't this rush a bit too eager?

In the imperial harem, should any concubine meddle in affairs, it's likely that Concubine Chen would be chopped into bits and fed to the flowers in the royal garden, hurrying her entire family to be reincarnated?

Upon closer reflection, it's understandable that a humble country landowner, with limited horizons and an earnest desire to transcend his social class, lured by the allure of wealth and prosperity in the capital, might not ponder the intricacies too deeply. He would simply seize the opportunity with both hands, eager to make his move.

Let alone petty landowners, even some minor officials and immense wealth holders would likely find it hard to resist the allure of becoming an "imperial relative" to the emperor.

None of this concerned Yu Lian; at most, she would sigh with a tinge of irony, acknowledging that the emperor had indeed been the most wayward occupation since ancient times. The same could be said for the novel's male lead, who seemed capable of becoming entangled with any woman, truly a master of dalliance.

In that instant, she also realized how intense and pressing the struggles in the imperial court and harem had become. Her parents and Li Xiang had mentioned the situation in the capital in their letters; it seemed it was true, and the circumstances were far more severe than Yu Lian had imagined.

The strangest part was that didn't His Majesty the Emperor realize his court and harem were on the verge of fragmenting? How could he still have the leisure to dally with women?

Or did he think he could benefit from the conflicts between others, playing the game of imperial balance?

From Yu Lian's perspective, that was wishful thinking. If he lacked the skill, he should honestly govern the nation and do more practical things for the people. All this talk about imperial strategy would only lead him astray in the end.

She couldn't help but wonder: in the novel, the story ended with the third prince ascending the throne. There wasn't much content about the aftermath. Could it be that after the grand finale, the male lead's intelligence had transformed from being the driving force to becoming an obstacle?

Hua Sanduo was unaware that his employer had been contemplating so much in such a short time. With a smile, he offered his advice, "Why not take this opportunity to purchase some land? Regardless of the outcome of your business, owning land provides an extra layer of security. Besides, those ten acres you have aren't fertile; they're unsuitable for fruit trees or wheat, and how valuable can barley be?"

Yu Lian nodded with a grin. She had been thinking the same thing. Having capable people around saved her a lot of worry. Hua Sanduo not only considered the situation on her behalf but also proactively proposed solutions. More importantly, he had perceived her needs and promptly informed her of the news.

Worried that news of Landlord Chen's intention to sell might prompt others to snatch up the good plots, Yu Lian hastily fetched some silver, took Hua Sanduo along, and called for Zhu Ying and her father-in-law before rushing to Landlord Chen's residence.

The Chen household was bustling with activity. Some visitors had come to congratulate them on their daughter's favor with the emperor, hoping for favors in return. Others had heard about the land sale and were planning to move to the capital city in anticipation of opportunities.

Yu Lian belonged to the latter group, hoping that Landlord Chen would be eager to sell quickly, thus lowering the price. This time, she didn't want inferior land; she aimed for the best fields!

Indeed, Landlord Chen was in a hurry to sell. His ungrateful son had accumulated significant gambling debts, and the backers of the gambling den were rumored to be influential figures from the capital. He feared that if he didn't repay the debt swiftly, it could offend them and, worse, ruin his concubine-born daughter's future.

Thus, selling the land served two purposes: raising money to pay off debts and relocating the family to the capital hastily, to avoid any complications that might arise. It would also help wean his son off gambling.

However, his desperation had alerted the cunning merchants, who were now pushing for a steep discount, driving down the value of the land by at least thirty to forty percent. How could that be acceptable? Would the family not need a house, living expenses, or support for their daughter in the palace?

Everything would require spending, so he couldn't allow these unscrupulous merchants to depress the price too much. Unfortunately, these merchants were local power brokers. By silently agreeing to lower the prices, they intimidated others from making offers. As a result, no land was sold, leaving Landlord Chen with all the plots unsold in his hands.

Yu Lian approached the entrance just as the "shrewd merchants" were being politely escorted out of Master Chen's residence by the butler. When they were out of sight, Yu Lian inquired, "I've heard that Master Chen is selling his fields?"

The old butler gave her a thorough glance, noticing that even beneath her veil, the woman was strikingly beautiful, perhaps even surpassing his own lady, who now resided in the palace, by a tenth or more in terms of appearance. Strangely, she was accompanied by three men, all of whom seemed to follow her lead, and none of them spoke except for this stunning beauty.

"What are you looking at?"

Perhaps the butler's prolonged gaze at Yu Lian had irked the three men behind her. Hua Sanduo felt that his employer came from an esteemed background and shouldn't be so casually ogled by commoners. Zhu Ying perceived that his young mistress was being disrespected, while Hua Zhan, at his core, remained the strategic War God Marquis, never tolerating such curious stares on his daughter-in-law.

He stepped aside, blocking the butler's view.

Startled, the butler quickly regained his composure, refraining from further scrutiny. He replied politely, "To answer your question, indeed, that is the case."

Yu Lian's line of sight was obstructed by her father-in-law's robust figure, leaving her no choice but to sigh and ask, "If it's convenient, could we take a look at the land registry?"

As the property belonged to Master Chen, they would naturally have records for potential buyers to peruse.

The butler sighed, "It would be a fruitless endeavor for the guest to look. Several prominent families led by the Li family have their eyes on our master's land. It's impossible to sell now, and if you were to purchase it, you might invite trouble. Moreover... unless sold to those families, the county office won't process the transfer."

There were many intricacies involved in this matter. The Chen family's roots weren't native to this area; their ancestors were wealthy merchants who sought refuge here and, with some silver in hand, acquired substantial lands. Unlike the local power brokers, they had even managed to gain the favor of the county magistrate.

That was why Mrs. Chen was so eager to climb the social ladder and seek alliance with influential forces. She was even willing to send her daughter to the palace, hoping she would catch the Emperor's favor.

The County Magistrate didn't wish for this either. He was aware that Miss Chen had received the Emperor's favor. Though a concubine of the rank of Companion wasn't a significant imperial consort, there was no guarantee that things couldn't change. What if, in the future, she rose to wealth and status, only to have her past held against her in a reckoning?

But those influential families argued that she was merely a concubine with no noble background or influential connections. They wondered how long her favor would last. Having enjoyed the emperor's attention for just two days, she had already offended the queen, the favorite concubine, and a host of other consorts. With her own position unstable, who in the harem would truly take her seriously?

It was only the Chen family's narrow vision that made them rush to seek refuge with their daughter, perhaps not realizing they might be heading to mourn her instead.

The County Magistrate pondered and found it to be true. Back then, the Chen family's ancestors had acquired vast tracts of land, which even stirred the County Magistrate's desire. If he could acquire them at a low price, it would bring enormous profits. Deducting the transfer taxes, the ledger of the county office would look much more impressive this year.

Yu Lian's brow furrowed slightly; the Li in question was likely Lady Li, the wife of the man who had helped her open five franchise branches.