A Brief Transition

In the following month, Jing Yi didn’t encounter the fragrance of Hui ink – Cang Lan, and he gradually let go of it. Analyzing the situation, the probability of it being an ally was higher. He decided not to dwell on it for now and focus on living his life.

Days returned to their usual calm routine, and it was time for the autumn harvest.

The Jing family had acquired quite a bit of land—fields in the village and two estates, all managed by tenants and servants. During the final grain harvest and tax collection of the year, Jing Yi accompanied his father and Jing An to oversee the two estates in the countryside and Anchang County, respectively.

After collecting the grains and paying the grain tax, Jing Yi shifted his attention to this year’s business tax. Generally, business taxes in Da Yuan Dynasty were paid quarterly. Considering the peace and prosperity, the business taxes ranged from eight to fifteen percent of the turnover based on the industry and scale.

It was already September, and the third quarter business taxes were due soon.

However, this wasn’t Jing Yi’s primary concern. Their family never made the tax collectors and yamen runners make extra trips; Steward Tong, always visited the county office ahead of time, settling the taxes and offering some “benefits” to the officials.

So, the Jing family’s shops were always considered quality businesses in Anchang County.

This time, Jing Yi was contemplating taking advantage of the tax payment to transfer ownership of several shops to Steward Tong, to avoid exceeding the three-year limit and inadvertently being classified as a merchant.

In fact, the suppression of merchants by the Da Yuan court had eased significantly over the past year since the heroic deeds of Wu Guang during the snow disaster. He had entered imperial service and gradually gained favor from the emperor. According to what Young Master Li mentioned at the Qinglu Pavillion, the court had circulated information that they might restore the qualification for business-related examinations next year or the year after.

Although the authenticity of this information was uncertain, it had caused quite a stir. Jing Yi perceived the ambition of the emperor to rely on talents for the prosperity of the country. If the channels for talent were controlled by the aristocratic families and some individuals were excluded due to class reasons, the nation would be drained of its potential in the long run.

Jing Yi supported and admired this perspective. However, he preferred a low-profile approach for the Jing family, which was still a small household.

The issue of the merchant examination had become a heated topic of discussion lately, with considerable support among the common people.

However, in the court, where there were those who agreed, there were also those who opposed. The pinnacle of power was a narrow peak, and no one wanted to share a slice of the pie. Therefore, Jing Yi believed that this was likely a tentative signal from the emperor. The specific progress would still require careful navigation.

Jing Yi hoped that Wu Guang would show some effort.

While these considerations were somewhat distant, Jing Yi couldn’t wait that long. Although Xiao An currently had no intention of participating in the imperial examinations, Jing Yi wanted him to have options different from his. It was something he needed to carefully think about.

Therefore, transferring the business under Steward Tong’s name seemed to be the safest and most convenient solution for now. Jing Yi patiently explained to the children in Steward Tong’s family, assuring them that when Xiao He and Xiao Miao restored their good status in the future, they could still choose to be farmers without worry.

“Steward Tong, Aunt  Tong, I checked the laws of Da Yuan. Now that the shops are under Steward Tong’s name, if Xiao He and Xiao Miao regain their free status, they can still choose to be farmers. No need to worry, even if it cost a little more.”

Upon hearing this, Steward Tong and Aunt Tong knelt down with a hint of trepidation. Steward Tong, with eyes slightly reddened, looked at Jing Yi and said, “Master, assisting you in business matters is what I should do. We are only happy to gain your trust; we have no…”

Although having their children registered as slaves was a hurdle in their hearts, Steward Tong didn’t want to exchange this matter for anything. The whole family was thankful to the Jing family. How could they act ungratefully?

Before Steward Tong finished, Jing Yi interrupted him, “This matter is unrelated. Trusting you with the business is indeed a sign of trust. As for the restoration of free status, don’t burden yourselves with it. I’ve said before that I run my household with clear rewards and punishments. I’ve already discussed with Chuxia, and after the New Year, we will establish a servant ranking system. Salaries and job titles will strictly follow this system, and the top rewards will include the restoration of free status. By then, you can refer to the standards yourself. Keep it up, Steward Tong; I have faith in you.”

After hearing this, Steward Tong and Aunt Tong were even more moved. The Jing family gave them not just charity or a cold exchange but a restoration of their dignity. It allowed them to strive through diligence and honesty.

The couple knelt down and kowtowed to Jing Yi and Chuxia three times. This time, Jing Yi didn’t stop them. Although it made him uncomfortable, he understood that this was an expression of gratitude from servants to their master in the hierarchical society of Da Yuan.

Regarding the matter of business registration, Jing Yi didn’t handle it alone. He also reminded his father-in-law. Once Father Lin selected suitable candidates Jing Yi would bring them to the county office to complete the registration.

With this matter resolved, it was like a massive burden lifted off Jing Yi’s shoulders, allowing him to feel more at ease.

After the busy autumn harvest and settling the business registration, it was already mid-September. The weather was crisp and pleasant, making it an excellent time for an outing.

Originally, Jing Yi planned to wait until things settled down a bit and then work on the small hill next to the estate, turning it into an orchard. Whether for personal consumption or for the store, it would provide a great deal of convenience.

At this moment, autumn was the peak season for the growth of many fruit trees, and planting at this time had a very high survival rate.

The weather was perfect, so Jing Yi decided to take a stroll outside with Chuxia, buying fruit tree seedlings and enjoying an outing.

“Wife, are you going to handle official business or have some fun?” teased Jing Yi.

“Handling official business and having fun aren’t mutually exclusive. Besides, we haven’t had much alone time lately, and I almost forgot that wonderful feeling!” Jing Yi shouted loudly when he noticed Chuxia still hesitating, behaving like a three-year-old who hadn’t received candy.

“Hey! Don’t shout!” Chuxia looked around, seeing Aunt Cui stifling a laugh as she carried a basin of dough into the kitchen. He blushed and looked at Jing Yi, “What are you doing? Are you trying to embarrass me?”

“What? Can’t I be happy?” Jing Yi retorted. He looked left and right, and seeing an opportunity with Aunt Cui in the kitchen, he hugged Chuxia tightly, “Come on, let’s make them jealous!”

“Ugh! You’re shameless!” Chuxia blushed even more, pinched Jing Yi’s arm, but it only hurt his hand because his muscles were firm.

Seeing that Chuxia was a bit angry, Jing Yi quickly changed his tone, “I was too hasty. Let me check if your hand hurts. Next time, just tell me, and I’ll do it myself.”

“Humph! Acting all sweet!” Chuxia paused, then mumbled softly, “I didn’t say I won’t go.”

Jing Yi felt that something was lacking whenever he entered, and occasionally, he felt a bit uneasy. Perhaps he had been too busy lately, and the stress was getting to him. Going out for a walk might be good, refreshing his mood, and making him feel more relaxed and energetic.

It had been a year since their marriage, and there was still no sign of any movement in Chuxia’s belly. Although the Jing family had never pressured him, he was starting to feel a bit anxious. Besides, due to his reserved nature, he was hesitant to talk to anyone about such matters.

This time, they were heading to Taoyuan County, the neighboring county of Qingzhou. This county was famous for its fruit trees, including apples, pears, oranges, and, most notably, peaches. It attracted numerous merchants from various states to purchase seedlings and fruits.

Even though Zhizhou was not as wealthy as Qingzhou, lacking giant cities like Qingzhou Prefecture, Taoyuan County was much more affluent than Anchang County. It was a prosperous county prioritized by Zhizhou for development, and it played a crucial role in tax revenue. The road to this county was well-built and safe, reflecting the government’s investment.

After some preparations, they set off.

Although it was supposed to be a romantic getaway, Jing Yi still brought some people along. Aunt Cui would certainly accompany them, and he also brought Carpenter Jing Ming, who had extensive experience with wood and knew a thing or two about the quality of saplings.

For safety, Jing Yi also brought along Jing Renyi and Jing Renhe, two strong men.

During the refreshing autumn outing, not only was the scenery along the way beautiful, but the people on the road also had cheerful expressions.

Although this year’s summer was hot, it had sufficient rainfall, resulting in a good harvest. Many farming families were not only busy with the harvest but also contemplating happy events, such as their children’s weddings or building new houses.

Sitting in the carriage, observing the pedestrians on the road, despite the hurried pace, most faces showed joy rather than sorrow. Seeing this, Chuxia couldn’t help but feel good, and his mood lifted.

These days, Chuxia’s mood had been fluctuating, and Jing Yi had long noticed it, feeling worried. Mental health was sometimes overlooked compared to physical health, and Jing Yi tried to cheer him up by acting silly and finding ways to take him out. After all, one didn’t need peaches from Taoyuan County specifically; they were running a small business in a town, and it wasn’t necessary to insist on eating nationally renowned peaches.

Now that he saw Chuxia’s mood brightening, he couldn’t help but feel relieved. Perhaps he had been too busy, and being overly tense could easily lead to emotional problems. In the future, he needed to pay more attention to Chuxia.