As the approaching figures drew nearer, Shao Xun dismounted from his horse.
"Greetings, Young Master," the group of people bowed in unison.
For the master of the estate, servants, guests, and retainers could address him as "Master" or "Lord."
However, since Shao Xun was still young, they could also call him "Young Master."
If he were older, they might refer to him as "Lord."
If he were a high-ranking official or a renowned scholar, they would call him "Illustrious Lord."
"No need for formalities," Shao Xun said gently, raising his hands slightly in a gesture of modesty.
"Old servant Pei Jin, currently the steward of the Shao estate, respectfully invites the Young Master to follow me and meet the guests of food and clothing in the estate," the leading figure said, taking a couple of steps forward with a respectful demeanor.
"Very well," Shao Xun replied without hesitation.
He handed his horsewhip to Chen Yougen, who had hurried over, and then walked forward, casually asking, "How many guests of food and clothing are there in the estate?"
"To inform the Young Master, the Shao estate has one steward, one accountant, two attendants, four regular followers, six guests, eight houseboys, and twelve maidservants," Pei Jin reported.
Shao Xun's expression changed slightly.
"So many people? Can I afford to support them all?"
"Young Master, there's no need to worry," Pei Jin reassured him.
"The estate has two water mills, thirteen qing of farmland, and over thirty households of tenant farmers. The output is more than enough to cover the expenses."
"Where did these tenant farmers come from?" Shao Xun asked.
Thirteen qing of land amounted to 1,300 mu, which was no small amount.
Had the Huangfu family been so ruthless?
Recently, while reading, Shao Xun had learned that after Zhou Chu died in battle, the court had "posthumously awarded him the title of General Who Pacifies the West, granted one million coins, one qing of burial land, fifty mu of land in the capital for a residence, and five qing of nearby farmland to the Wang family."
It had only been seven years since Zhou Chu's death.
In such a short time, Huangfu Shang, who had been a close confidant of both Prince Sima Jiong of Qi and Prince Sima Yi of Changsha, had managed to acquire even more land than Zhou Chu.
Was it because of his high status, or had the social climate deteriorated to the point where officials and nobles no longer cared about appearances and were accelerating land annexation?
Perhaps it was a bit of both.
Over a thousand mu of land, and in the suburbs of Luoyang no less—something he had never dared to dream of before.
"Young Master, your reputation in the capital has been rising, and many tenant farmers are willing to pledge their allegiance to you," Pei Jin explained.
His tone was matter-of-fact, as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
With the chaos of the times, not to mention the passing armies, even the deteriorating security situation and the rampant bandits posed a serious threat to the common people.
Gathering together for self-protection had become a natural response.
Shao Xun's fame in the capital was considerable.
Now that he had been granted an estate, it was only natural that some common folk would be willing to join him—abandoning their ancestral lands, fleeing with their families, and attaching themselves to fortified estates as tenant farmers or retainers had become a common practice.
The lands they abandoned would naturally be taken over by others.
"Young Master Shao, you'll need to get used to this," Mi Huang said with a smile.
"If you're really worried, I can write a letter and have your family brought here from Donghai to help manage the estate. That way, you can focus on training your troops."
Pei Jin lowered his head.
After some thought, Shao Xun said, "That's a good idea. I'll have my eldest nephew and third brother come over and learn from Steward Pei how to manage the estate."
His eldest nephew was the son of his late elder brother, named Shao Shen, who was thirteen years old.
His third brother was named Shao Fan, aged sixteen.
Having his own family members come over would indeed make him feel more at ease.
However, he wouldn't remove Pei Jin from his position just yet.
This wasn't about anything else—it was simply a matter of social etiquette.
"Let's go inside the estate," Shao Xun said, looking up at the relatively new walls and gatehouse.
The entire estate covered about thirty to forty mu, and with only a few dozen people inside, it felt rather empty and unimpressive.
Shao Xun's attention was mainly focused on the overall structure of the estate.
First, there were several rows of buildings, totaling dozens of rooms, for the master and his servants to live in.
In the northeastern corner stood a three-story tower, which served as the highest point of the estate.
To the left of the buildings was a large grove of trees, which Pei Jin explained contained thousands of trees of various species, attracting flocks of birds.
Behind the grove was a small natural lake, with streams flowing in and out.
It seemed that the streams had been artificially diverted to encircle the estate.
To the right of the buildings was another grove, though this one had been artificially transplanted.
Shao Xun took a closer look and saw that there were over a thousand fruit trees, including jujube, peach, plum, apricot, pear, persimmon, chestnut, and grape.
In front of the grove, a row of wooden huts had been built to serve as stables, firewood storage, and warehouses.
Behind the buildings was a large bamboo grove and a meticulously maintained garden.
Two small ponds had been dug, one to the east and one to the west, with lotus flowers planted in them.
According to Pei Jin, the ponds were home to carp, crucian carp, and eels, which occasionally leaped out of the water, adding a touch of liveliness to the scene.
There were other areas as well, but Shao Xun only gave them a cursory glance, feeling as if he had just opened his eyes to a new world.
Huangfu Shang wasn't even a high-ranking official...
Yet his estate was of such a scale, and this was in the relatively land-scarce outskirts of Luoyang.
It made one wonder: what was the situation like in the outer provinces?
"During the Han dynasty, Zhongchang Tong once said, 'Let one reside on fertile land with a spacious estate, backed by mountains and facing a river, with moats encircling it, bamboo and trees surrounding it, fields in front, and orchards behind. Boats and carriages can replace the hardship of walking, and servants can relieve the toil of the body. There will be delicacies to nourish one's parents, and one's wife and children will not suffer from labor,'" Mi Huang said after walking around the estate.
He then looked at Shao Xun with a complex expression.
"Young Master, you now have an official position and an estate. You're no longer an ordinary person. My family—"
At this point, Mi Huang stopped himself.
He had been about to say, "My family has a daughter," but he thought better of it.
Princess Pei had arranged a marriage for his eldest son, Mi Zhi, with a woman from the Zhuge family of Langya.
She was dignified, virtuous, and well-educated, and marrying into the Mi family was considered a step down for her.
Mi Huang was deeply grateful and, while expressing his thanks, had mentioned that Shao Xun was already seventeen and that he intended to marry his daughter to him.
However, Princess Pei didn't seem too pleased, so Mi Huang didn't bring it up again.
Being a shrewd man, Mi Huang sensed that Princess Pei must have other plans, and this wasn't something he could interfere with.
Today, upon seeing this estate, he had once again entertained the thought, but ultimately, he didn't dare to voice it.
"My family's estate, though vast, cannot compare to the estates in the precious lands of Luoyang," Mi Huang said with a laugh, noticing Shao Xun's puzzled look.
Estates were the lifeblood of aristocratic families.
If Zhongchang Tong of the Eastern Han had proposed a standard layout for aristocratic estates, he had also articulated their essence: "To roam freely above the world, to look down upon the heavens and the earth. To not be bound by the wealth of the present, to preserve one's life for eternity. Thus, one can soar above the clouds and venture beyond the universe. Why envy those who enter the gates of emperors?"
In short, with an estate in hand, one could have the world.
During the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, aristocratic estates were "filled with servants like an army, closed off like a market, with cattle and sheep covering the plains, and fields and ponds stretching for thousands of li."
The estates controlled by aristocratic families were entirely self-sufficient.
All daily necessities and means of production could be traded internally, forming a market that resembled a small city.
The residences of aristocratic sons could even rival the Shanglin Garden and the Taiji Palace: "Gardens rivaling Shanglin, mansions surpassing Taiji."
Even local strongmen without noble pedigrees were formidable: "The homes of the powerful have hundreds of connected buildings, fertile fields covering the land, thousands of servants, and tens of thousands of dependents."
This was all before the Western Jin.
After the turmoil of the Three Kingdoms, the Western Jin enjoyed several decades of peace, during which aristocratic families became even more aggressive, reaching their peak by the middle of the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
Xie Xuan's estate was "bordered by the Yangtze River on the right, adjacent to mountains on the left, with flat ridges and clear lakes... Roads were built in the lake, leading eastward to the mountains, straight and level..."
A single estate of Kong Lingfu of the Southern Song dynasty was "thirty-three li in circumference, with 265 qing of land and water, encompassing two mountains and nine orchards."
With such resources, when they banded together, they could indeed oppose imperial authority, even to the point of changing emperors.
Compared to them, Shao Xun's new estate was nothing.
After all, this was Luoyang.
Even the famous Golden Valley Garden couldn't compare to the estates of aristocratic families in the outer provinces in terms of land area or population.
"Young Master," Pei Jin continued, seeing that Shao Xun and Mi Huang had fallen silent, "beyond the river are the attached farmlands, usually planted with millet, wheat, and beans. This year, we recruited tenant farmers a bit late, so we didn't have time to plant millet and only sowed some beans and miscellaneous grains. Once the harvest is complete, we can make bean porridge, which Shi Chong often served to his guests."
"The estate also raises cattle and sheep. If the Young Master wishes to eat milk cakes, you can have them anytime. If you want marrow cakes, it's best to wait until next year, as we don't have enough livestock yet."
Milk cakes were made from cow or goat milk mixed with flour and were more commonly eaten.
Marrow cakes, however, were rarer, as they were made from the marrow of cattle or sheep mixed with honey and flour, typically a delicacy for the nobility.
"If you wish to drink wine, we can brew more this year, and the Young Master can taste it anytime."
"With a thousand fruit trees, the yield is plentiful. Since the Young Master is busy training troops, I will regularly select fresh fruits and send them to the army for your enjoyment."
Pei Jin rattled off a long list, showcasing his familiarity with the estate and his competent management skills.
Any estate owner hearing this would surely be delighted.
"How much surplus does the estate produce each year?" Shao Xun suddenly interrupted.
"This is the first year, so we don't know yet," Pei Jin answered honestly.
"Could we support more people?" Shao Xun asked again.
"Several dozen more would be possible," Pei Jin replied, somewhat puzzled.
What was the Young Master planning?
During the Wei dynasty, some estate owners had "over a thousand households of guests" and would often lead them out to raid merchants and travelers.
In this dynasty, Shi Chong was known for leading his tenant farmers and retainers on raids, gradually becoming one of the wealthiest families in the Jin.
Could it be that the Young Master wanted to...
"Luoyang has been through many wars, and the people are displaced," Shao Xun said.
"Find a way to recruit some children and teenagers, preferably between ten and fifteen years old, and bring them to live in the estate. You just need to find them; I'll arrange for their care. Let's limit it to a hundred for now. Get it done as soon as possible!"
Pei Jin was first stunned, then said, "Young Master, the estate could barely support a hundred children and teenagers, but that would leave no surplus. We might even run a deficit. You're only seventeen and will need to start a family and build a career. If you don't accumulate wealth soon, in the future..."
"That's enough. Just do as I say," Shao Xun said, raising his voice.
"How long this estate in Luoyang will last is uncertain. If you're bold, organize the tenant farmers to occupy more wasteland outside. No one will likely care. The Pan Garden east of the city—I was there a year ago cultivating the land. After I left, I heard it's still empty. With the chaos of war, the people of Luoyang don't have much heart for farming anymore. Don't worry too much; just do as I say."
"Yes," Pei Jin reluctantly agreed, feeling a bit uneasy.
The current situation did seem to align with what the Young Master had said.
Mi Huang watched from the side without intervening.
Raising guests and training retainers was something every aristocratic family was doing.
As the situation continued to deteriorate, they were even accelerating the process.
The combat strength of their retainers and tenant farmers was growing day by day, as if preparing for war.
What Shao Xun was doing wasn't fundamentally different, and it seemed he was taking it a step further—through this military reorganization, Mi Huang once again confirmed that Shao Xun was cultivating officers.
In truth, this wasn't unusual.
Everyone was doing it.
Some were doing it in the imperial guards, some in their own estates, and others in the provinces, nurturing private forces.
To put it bluntly, no one had much faith in the Jin dynasty anymore, and they were instinctively trying to do something about it.
Yet, what they were doing seemed to be undermining the foundations of the Jin dynasty, hastening its decline.
Shao Xun's mind was clear, his goals well-defined, and he was making the most of every bit of capital he had.
Having just been granted an estate, he was immediately using the surplus to support young people, teaching them martial and literary skills, and cultivating a private faction.
He seemed unwavering, always knowing what he wanted to do.
Considering his age, Mi Huang felt both fear and excitement.
The name "Liu Xuande" floated through his mind.
This was a name the Mi family preferred not to mention.
They had failed once before, but the Mi family had survived and even thrived.
But if they failed this time, what would happen?
Shao Xun's background couldn't compare to that of Lord Xuande.
Though Lord Xuande had been so poor at one point that he might not have had enough to eat, he was still a descendant of the Han imperial family.
Once that identity was recognized, it carried significant influence, as people would naturally think of Emperor Guangwu, who had restored the Han dynasty.
Wait a bit longer, Mi Huang thought, taking a deep breath.
Princess Pei was intelligent, wise, and far-sighted.
When considering matters, she could set aside emotional factors, something Mi Huang greatly admired.
Princess Pei had no personal ties to Shao Xun and could evaluate his abilities and future without bias.
If Princess Pei was optimistic about him, then the Mi family could afford to invest more.
That settled it!
(End of Chapter)