In the Years When I Was a Father

Chapter 45: Strict Father in Ancient Times (2)

Qi Sheng didn’t wake until the exact moment of the chen hour the next day. After he had washed and dressed, his wife ordered the maidservants to serve breakfast.

Arriving at the main hall, Qi Sheng saw the Qi family members already waiting for him. He sat at the head of the table, and only then did the others take their seats.

The Qi family didn’t have a strict rule about silence during meals, but perhaps because Qi Sheng had lost his temper the day before, the atmosphere at the table was especially quiet.

Qi Sheng glanced at his main wife, Lady Wang. She had married the original Qi Sheng when he was still a xiucai (county-level scholar). Her family, the Wang clan, had a scholarly background as well—her father had passed the juren exam and opened a private academy in town. The family was reasonably well-off. The Qi family, on the other hand, came from humble, farming stock—though people liked to paint them as a scholarly farming household. Lady Wang’s father had seen promise in the then-16-year-old Qi Sheng, who had passed the xiucai exam at an early age.

Thinking of it that way, Qi Sheng passing the imperial exams at age 25 was nothing short of a miracle for the Qi family.

Most of the expenses for his later trip to the capital to take the higher exams had come from the Wang family. Unfortunately, once Qi Sheng was placed on the imperial list and was appointed as deputy magistrate of Baiyuan County, he half-heartedly accepted the daughter of a local minor merchant as his concubine…

Thankfully, Qi Sheng had still treated Lady Wang with some respect over the years, and though Concubine Liu was beautiful, she hadn’t caused much trouble. The inner courtyard of the Qi household was, all in all, peaceful.

Qi Sheng smirked—he was realizing that the original man whose life he now inhabited was quite a complicated character.

You couldn’t call him a power-hungry official, as he had never dabbled in corruption or oppressed the local people, nor did he flatter his superiors with excessive groveling. But you couldn’t call him upright and unyielding either—he’d agreed to a political marriage when it was offered and tacitly accepted financial support from the Liu family, even offering them some minor benefits in return.

He had two sons and a daughter. The eldest son and the daughter were born to his main wife. The daughter, Qi [Name Unspecified], was now seventeen and had married the previous year. She was currently pregnant. Her husband was the eldest son of the scholarly Zhang family in the county. He had already passed the xiucai exam, and becoming a juren in the next couple of years would likely not be an issue—going any higher would be much more difficult. The younger son, Qi Xiuli, was born to Concubine Liu. He was ten years old this year. Though not as gifted in his studies as the eldest, he was still a bright and precocious child. The original Qi Sheng had invested considerable effort in raising him, though his main focus had always been on his firstborn.

Perhaps because he had grown up under strict discipline, Qi Xiuli held a great deal of fear and respect for his father. After witnessing his older brother being punished the day before, he was especially obedient today, not even daring to reach across the table for food.

Qi Sheng found this amusing, but mindful of his predecessor’s stern and serious demeanor, he refrained from showing it.

The meal passed in unusual silence. After breakfast, Qi Sheng, still concerned about his eldest son, made his way alone to the Wenqing Courtyard. His daughter-in-law was still attending Lady Wang, so Qi Sheng headed straight to the bedroom, where he found his son lying on his stomach reading a book.

Qi Sheng sighed inwardly. Just look at what the poor kid’s been turned into…

He stepped forward and took the book from his son’s hands. Flipping through it, he saw that it was a commentary on the Book of Songs (Shijing), with notes and insights from Master Zhang.

Master Zhang was indeed a scholar of great talent. If not for a series of misfortunes and the fact that he was from Yuping County, Qi Sheng wouldn’t have been able to hire someone so learned as his son’s tutor.

Closing the book and setting it on the bedside table, Qi Sheng lifted the blanket and checked the wounds on his son’s back. Fortunately, they had already scabbed over. He instructed, “Just rest well these next few days. Wait until you’re healed before you study again.”

Qi Xiuwen, who had kept his head bowed since Qi Sheng entered the room, was stunned by his father’s words. He looked up in surprise. But Qi Sheng’s face was as expressionless as ever, revealing no emotion, and Qi Xiuwen didn’t dare ask questions. He simply nodded and replied obediently.

Only when he felt the warmth of his father’s palm gently resting on his head did he look up again.

“Father!”

“Mm. Rest well.”

Qi Sheng said no more. He gave his son a gentle pat on the head before turning to leave.

Qi Xiuwen remained dazed for a moment, staring blankly at the commentary on the Book of Songs by his side.

Qi Sheng spent the rest of the day in his study, sorting through county records and organizing data from recent years: population, land, taxation, education levels, and so on.

Yuping County had suffered a severe drought five years prior. It was only recently that the common folk had begun to recover. The original Qi Sheng had not been a harsh local official, and in his four years of governance, had given the region time to recuperate. Now that Qi Sheng was determined to improve conditions, there was finally a foundation to build upon.

Most of the county’s residents grew wheat and soybeans, alternating crops between seasons. Though the land was never left idle, yields were low. After taxes, households could barely keep themselves fed.

Qi Sheng pondered this. Corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes had not yet made it to this part of the world. These were hardy crops with high yields—perfect for filling stomachs.

He checked the seeds stored in his soul-space. Fortunately, he had come prepared. Anticipating the uncertainty of traversing into another world, he had brought along a good supply of such seeds. Still, producing them out of nowhere would be suspicious, so he planned to first send people to scout around.

If these crops could be found locally, it would be far easier to introduce them.

As for population growth—once people’s basic needs were met, birth rates would naturally increase. In this era, the saying “more children, more blessings” was taken to heart. If not for hunger and poverty, the population would likely have boomed long ago.

Education was another matter. For those who barely had enough to eat, mere survival was a challenge—who had money to spare for schooling their children? And in this time period, raising a scholar was practically a financial black hole for a peasant family.

Truly, no matter the time or place, the saying holds true: the economic base determines the superstructure.

The next day, Qi Sheng brought six trusted subordinates and set out for Xuzhou Prefecture, the closest and relatively most prosperous city nearby. Compared to Jizhou Prefecture, which Yuping County was under, this place was far more advanced in both agriculture and economy.

They rode hard, barely stopping along the way, and still only arrived by early evening on the second day. Xu Dong, one of the men, was quite puzzled. Their lord hadn’t explained anything, simply delegated official duties to the county assistant and the registrar, then brought them all the way to Xuzhou. The urgency of the journey had made them think something serious must’ve happened!

But once they arrived, their usually serious county magistrate seemed to become leisurely instead—strolling along the East Street one moment, browsing the West Street the next. When he came across something novel or interesting, he’d even stop and watch for quite some time.

The six yamen runners followed him around, thoroughly confused. Did they really rush all the way here just to go shopping?

Qi Sheng familiarized himself with the types of businesses in Xuzhou, even setting aside an entire day to visit the largest trade market there. He browsed casually and actually made some valuable discoveries—not the crops he most urgently needed, but connections with several caravans that regularly traveled to the borderlands.

He inquired extensively about border trade and even requested several caravans to keep an eye out for any food crops different from those of the Dasheng Dynasty.

The traders, seeing that Qi Sheng was knowledgeable and well-informed about border affairs, were happy to form a good relationship and agreed to help him keep an eye out.

Fortunately, the Dasheng Dynasty was currently engaging in trade with several small neighboring nations, so asking about exotic goods and curiosities didn’t raise suspicion.

As luck would have it, just as Qi Sheng was preparing to leave, something truly exciting happened.

Two roughly dressed men were squatting in a corner of the marketplace beside two pots of very ordinary-looking “flowers,” looking rather despondent.

If Qi Sheng hadn’t been observant, he might not have even noticed those two pots tucked away in the shadows.

He approached and asked, “What are these?”

The two men perked up immediately, finally getting some attention, and started promoting their wares enthusiastically. One claimed the red fruits of the unassuming flowers were highly decorative, while the other added that the plant was rare and sure to be sought after by nobles.

Qi Sheng listened with a neutral expression, barely able to recognize what he was seeing.

Wasn’t this just chili peppers? While the small white flowers didn’t look like much now, once the fruits matured, they’d be enough to whet anyone’s appetite!

He hadn’t expected to make such a find—he had completely forgotten that chili peppers hadn’t yet been introduced here!

As a crucial spice in countless dishes, even if the northern folk weren’t as fond of spicy food as those in Sichuan, chili would still be a novelty—one that could bring extra income to Yuping County in the early stages of cultivation.

Qi Sheng feigned disinterest and said, “You say it’s rare, but that just means it’ll be hard to grow. It might die before I even see these so-called red fruits. Besides, I’ve never seen anything like this—who knows if it’ll actually produce anything pretty.”

The two men looked disappointed. They had rescued some survivors from a caravan that had been raided by bandits, using their last few pieces of dried food. The caravan had nothing valuable left, but one of the foreigners in the group had given them these two pots of “flowers.”

That foreigner had said the fruits of the plant were called “chili peppers,” with a unique flavor that rich families would surely pay well for.

The men had been skeptical. They’d never seen the plant before and didn’t trust the foreigner’s claims—especially since it was supposed to be edible. What if it made people sick?

So, although they’d heard the fruits were edible, they didn’t dare mention it, instead marketing the plant as a rare ornamental flower.

But chili pepper plants didn’t look particularly attractive—the leaves were plain, and the flowers even duller. No one had ever heard of a flower admired for its fruit.

Qi Sheng, seeing their silence, sighed inwardly. No wonder they hadn’t sold it yet—with salesmanship like that, who would buy it?

He fiddled with the leaves and pressed further, “So where did you get these from?”

The two men honestly shared the story of the ambushed caravan. Qi Sheng couldn’t help but reflect on fate—if not for that robbery, chili peppers might have entered Dasheng Dynasty through that caravan eventually.

He asked more questions until the men finally relayed what the foreigner had said.

Qi Sheng asked casually, “You’re sure these peppers are edible?”

The taller man, a little nervous, said, “That’s what he said, but we’ve never tried it. We can’t promise anything, sir. If you’re just curious and want something novel to look at, fine—but eating it? What if that foreigner lied just to get revenge on us?”

Qi Sheng continued examining the plants and asked, “Did the foreigner say how it should be eaten?”

The shorter man, ignoring the taller one’s attempt to stop him, said, “Sir, he said you can just stir-fry it. You can even dry them and store them. Just add a little when cooking. The caravan had dried peppers, too, but the bandits took them. These pots were all that was left. If you’re curious, maybe buy them to try!”

Qi Sheng wasn’t bothered by their reluctance. The fact that they hadn’t told anyone the fruits were edible showed they weren’t greedy men. They’d only confessed now because they were truly desperate—and because he’d pushed them.

In fact, he had wanted the method of using chili peppers to be spoken out loud so that his followers could hear it.

Satisfied, he bought both pots for twenty taels each.

The two men, having traded a few stale buns for forty taels of silver, were overjoyed. They repeatedly warned Qi Sheng not to eat the peppers carelessly, then packed up and prepared to leave, beaming with happiness.

Qi Sheng had the two pots carried by his men and was more than satisfied as he prepared to return home.

At this point, the six yamen runners were thoroughly bewildered. Two days of hard riding—just to buy two pots of “flowers”? They’d never known their magistrate had a thing for rare plants. But honestly, these “flowers” didn’t even look good!

Still confused, two of them carefully carried the pots.

Because of the delicate chili plants, the group traveled slower on the return trip, not arriving back at the Qi residence until noon on the third day.

Qi Sheng carefully inspected the plants and found that although they looked a bit wilted, they were still alive and well.

He handed them over to Granny Zhang in the kitchen garden, giving her a few instructions on how to care for them before finally heading back to wash up and rest.

“Master, why have you been away from home for so many days this time?” Madam Wang asked while serving food to Qi Sheng.

Qi Sheng swallowed his bite and replied, “Our Yuping County is too poor, so I went to Xuzhou Prefecture to see if there were any ways to increase the yield.”

Madam Wang placed more dishes for Qi Sheng before continuing, “Xuzhou is indeed prosperous, and it’s along the Grand Canal. Our Jizhou Prefecture is also near the canal, but unfortunately, Yuping County is too remote within Jizhou. Did you find any feasible methods, Master?”

Madam Wang had received some education, and after following her husband for all these years, she had developed some insight. The common people depended on the heavens for food, and cities along the canal relied on water for livelihood. Their land was not fertile and far from the canal. Even in the absence of natural disasters, they remained a minor county with little tax contribution.

Qi Sheng nodded, “There are some possibilities, but I’m still exploring them.” Since nothing was finalized yet, he didn’t elaborate.

Madam Wang assumed he hadn’t found a concrete method yet and didn’t ask further, but she did wonder aloud, “Why did you suddenly think of this, Master?”

The couple had lived together for over twenty years. She understood her husband’s temperament well. When he was assigned to this remote and impoverished county, she had sensed his dissatisfaction. In the early years, he had no choice but to reduce taxes so the people could survive. However, this also meant he had no visible achievements to report to his superiors. Now, with this sudden effort to find new ways to increase tax revenue—was it that he was no longer content with staying here?

Qi Sheng glanced at her and after some thought said, “I’m in my prime now. It’s time I put in more effort. If I can get a promotion, the children will have more to rely on in the future. Besides, Yuping County has more or less recovered. Now’s the time to think about flexible strategies—restoring normal taxes won’t make life too hard for the people.”

Madam Wang was surprised. Her husband had previously placed all hopes on their son. Now…? “Master, ever since Wen’er recovered, he’s been studying even harder. Just a few days ago, Master Zhang praised his writing progress. Would you like to see for yourself?”

Qi Sheng nodded, “Yes, I should take a look.”

After finishing his meal and leaving, Madam Wang watched his departing figure and shook her head. Did I overthink it? Has he not lost hope in our son after all?

When Qi Sheng arrived at the study, he saw Qi Xiuwen already waiting with an essay he had recently written.

Qi Sheng took the essay handed to him with both hands by his eldest son and read it carefully. He roughly understood the situation—his son’s writing was indeed elegant.

“What did Master Zhang say?”

Qi Xiuwen bowed and replied, “Father, he… he said my wording is elegant, but… the content is a bit shallow.”

Qi Xiuwen was nervous. Although the teacher did praise his improvement, fundamentally there hadn’t been much change. He had been strictly supervised in his studies since childhood, kept away from the mundane world and practical affairs. Now, his essays were increasingly becoming exercises in empty talk.

Qi Sheng nodded, “Master Zhang has mentioned that before. What do you think?”

Qi Xiuwen lifted his robes and knelt, bracing himself, “Your son is dull in talent, and my progress is slow. I’ve failed your expectations and beg for your forgiveness. I humbly request… I request permission to travel around Jizhou Prefecture.”

After he finished, Qi Xiuwen kowtowed, feeling like he was courting disaster. The last time he’d asked for this, he’d been punished with a beating. And now, only days after sneaking out, he was asking again—wasn’t this asking for trouble?

He recalled his father’s kindness during his recent visit and thought that it was exactly this show of affection that emboldened him to “push his luck” today.

Qi Sheng could see his son’s nervousness and found it amusing. Still, he frowned and asked, “Travel alone? For how many days?”

Qi Xiuwen didn’t expect his father to actually allow it and assumed he was being interrogated. Being an honest son, he didn’t dare lie. “Not alone, Father. I’ll travel with Juren Xu Jingyuan from Jiaping County, Juren Wang Zhiran from Heping County, and Juren Sun Yuxing from Jizhou Prefecture. We originally planned a three-month trip. They’ve already set out and are currently in the nearby Shangping County.”

Qi Sheng now understood. His son had already been denied once. This time, he seemed determined. “Stand up. Come here and take a look at this.”

Qi Xiuwen stood up, surprised. His father hadn’t punished him and even seemed… agreeable?

Qi Sheng handed over a report on the current conditions in Yuping County and said, “See if you have any ideas.”

Qi Xiuwen took it with both hands and read carefully, jotting notes as he went. He was thrilled—his father was actually letting him get involved in public matters! But after reviewing the situation, his brows furrowed again. Yuping County was indeed impoverished. Even with recent improvements, many families still struggled to feed themselves.

“Since the great drought five years ago, we’ve been reducing taxes. But this year, it’s time to return to normal rates. Otherwise, it’s hard to justify to the superiors.”

Qi Xiuwen frowned. A five-year tax reduction was already a huge favor for the people. But judging by their current condition, restoring taxes would essentially reduce their ability to survive. If public resentment grew and people went hungry, even increased taxes wouldn’t help his father’s record.

Qi Sheng said, “During your travels, observe and think about ways to help our people escape this hardship.”

Qi Xiuwen bowed in acceptance. The joy of being allowed to travel had now dimmed a bit. He had been so focused on exploring broader issues that he’d overlooked the dire situation right in front of him.

When he returned to the Wenqing Courtyard, he was still pondering how to resolve the poverty in Yuping.

“Brother Wen, Father finally agreed to let you go out. Why aren’t you happy?” Lin Shi looked at him strangely.

Qi Xiuwen shook his head and smiled bitterly, “I thought I was clever, but I can’t even solve the problem in front of me. All I thought about was exploring elsewhere!”

Lin Shi was puzzled, “What problem is in front of you?”

Qi Xiuwen replied, “I wanted to travel and study public sentiment. But it’s ridiculous—I was born into a farming family. Though Father hadn’t yet passed the exam at the time, he already had a degree and valued my education. So ever since I was born, I’ve never worked the land. I was either studying at his side or sent to school. After Father passed the exam, we moved to Baiyuan County, and I just kept reading. I’ve never even explored the customs of the areas we lived in. And now I’m chasing after public sentiment elsewhere, while ignoring what’s right in front of me!”

Lin Shi thought carefully and felt he was overthinking. The Qi family’s old home was in Anzhou, a fertile port city along the Grand Canal. With wealth and trade, children there weren’t expected to work the land. Besides, with her father-in-law already holding a degree, of course the family would nurture another scholar. Her husband had already passed the county-level exam young—most would see the Qi family as already distinguished.

Lin Shi comforted him, “Yuping is remote and was hit by disasters. It’s normal for it to be poor. You don’t need to dwell on it too much. Once you pass the next exam, I’ll ask my father to pull some strings. If you can be assigned to a more prosperous region, you won’t have to worry about these things.”

Transforming a county’s economy is hard even in modern times, let alone in an era of underdevelopment. So Lin Shi’s thinking wasn’t wrong. Qi Sheng was assigned to a poor area because he lacked backing. But now, her father had gained some influence in court and could help her husband if needed.

Qi Xiuwen shook his head, disagreeing. He picked up their toddler, who was learning to walk, and smiled, “We call ourselves ‘parents of the people’—we’re supposed to speak for them and ease their burdens. If I can find a solution during this trip, then the journey will be worth it.”

The toddler didn’t understand the grown-up talk, but laughed along with his father’s smile: “Daddy!”

Qi Xiuwen affectionately played with his son and looked at his wife, “While I’m away, please take care of Father and Mother. Hua’er is still little, so I’ll have to trouble you even more.”

Lin Shi was reluctant but knew a man must pursue his ambitions. Now that he finally had a chance to travel, she wouldn’t let their presence hold him back. “I understand your aspirations. Go. I’ll take care of everything at home. I won’t let you down.”