Chapter 122: Award Silver from the Imperial Court

The winter days were a little boring. Since Chen Xiao Mi was pregnant, Lu Lin had forbidden Chen Xiao Mi from doing heavy work.

In quiet and cold winter, Chen Xiao Mi's greatest pleasure was counting silver. He held their saving pot and counted the silver ingots and coins inside.

"Hmm, there's less money in this pot now!" Chen Xiao Mi said.

Lu Lin nodded and said, "The basic necessities of life are not cheap. My salary is three tales per month and we don't have any other income other than the tofu shop! And we need to pay our employees on time." Lu Lin raised his head and thought to himself, 'Time has changed, I need to be responsible for other people's living. I really need to work hard!'

Chen Xiao Mi shook his head and said, "I didn't expect becoming an official would be this costly."

" I've spent a lot of money on hiring craftsmen recently. We are going to make some money after we sell some curved iron ploughs."

Lu Lin rubbed his chin and pondered it for a while. During this period of time, he had been spending money. Even though every sum seemed to be rather small, it all added up, he had spent more than 100 tales of silver already.

Chen Xiao Mi frowned and said, "I'm afraid that not many people in Sha County can afford this plough."

Furthermore, the plough is a farm tool and the farmers were not exactly wealthy people. They couldn't price out of the market.

Lu Lin replied thoughtfully, "If the plough doesn't sell in Sha County, we can always explore the market in the neighboring counties. Are you afraid that we aren't able to sell such good things?" Besides, Ji Cheng Kang said we might be awarded with a handsome amount of silver. I don't know how much it will be, hopefully the Emperor was generous and award us a few thousand taels of silver, haha, how great would that be! We can retire and enjoy life after that!"

Chen Xiao Mi looked at Lu Lin with a doting smile and said, "Yeah, dream on!"

Lu Lin made a face.

It was said that the Emperor was rather stingy. Therefore, Chen Xiao Mi called Lu Lin daydreaming.

But on second thought, Chen Xiao Mi added, "Maybe your dream will come true, we are talking about the emperor, it's going to be embarrassing for him if he doesn't give us a handsome award."

Lu Lin nodded and said, "I hope that's the case, we can certainly use some more money at this stage. A lean camel is bigger than a horse, and we are talking about the emperor."

It took the messenger a lot of time to send the plough to the capital because of the long journey, and the emperor personally went to see the demonstration of the "trolley" ploughing the fields, the emperor was overjoyed. He felt that this was a sign of the prosperity of the country. His Majesty praised the Ji family who had reported this and ordered the Ministry of Works to make mass production so they could popularize this tool for spring ploughing season.

Seeing the situation, the officials fawned upon on the emperor by saying it was due to His Majesty's virtue and wisdom that Heaven had enlightened the military camp to develop the 'trolley'.

Lu Lin was overjoyed to receive the commendation and the reward of 2,000 taels silver from the Imperial Court.

Lu Lin originally thought that he couldn't get any extra income from being an official. But he felt the prospect of his official career was quite promising when he held the silver in hand.

Ji Cheng Kang said embarrassedly, "The Emperor's reward was originally more than two thousand taels, but there isn't so much left from all the corruption from the higher-up officials."

Ji Cheng Kang was no stranger to that feeling. The military pay and provisions had encountered the same situation.

Lu Lin nodded and said, "Two thousand taels is quite a lot."

"Originally, the Emperor planned to promote you, but you are still young and inexperienced. Other officials in the capital city have raised objection, but His Majesty did say he would love to give you more opportunity to grow in the future," said Ji Cheng Kang.

Lu Lin secretly let out a sigh when he heard the other officials raised objections about his promotion, he firmly believed a saying 'A tall tree catches the wind - a person in a high position is liable to be attacked'.

Lu Lin nodded and said, "I'm more than grateful to become a county magistrate, I don't think I can handle more responsibility at the moment."

Lu Lin pondered on the implications of what Ji Cheng Kang just said. The reasons why other officials raised objections on his promotion was definitely not as simple as 'Lu Lin is young and inexperienced', more importantly, it was because he used to be a merchant and he bought his official title! The scholars looked down upon on merchants the most.

Many officials held the colleagues who bought their official titles in contempt.

This 'purchasing an official position and fishing for higher rank' system was just a makeshift for the government to fill the national treasury. Lu Lin knew his position very well.

Ji Cheng Kang looked at Lu Lin's calm attitude and gave Lu Lin a thumbs up in his heart.

When Lu Lin first came here, the people in Sha County thought that Lu Lin would not be able to handle the job well. But now everyone regarded Lu Lin with special esteem as he gained a firm foothold and made peace with the patrolling camp.

"Our military camp wants to order ten trolleys from you."

Lu Lin was shocked and said, "Ten is a lot."

Even though Ji Cheng Kang had the sketch in hand, Lu Lin was the actual creator of the plough. Ji Cheng Kang did not want to make ploughs by himself in case it appeared as disrespectful. Plus the craftsmen had all signed contract with Lu Lin that they would prioritize work from Lu Lin.

"Yeah, we have reclaimed a lot of land around the camp for more food and vegetables. So I've been thinking about using those trolleys to plough the fields, it can save both time and labor."

Lu Lin nodded and said, "I'm more than happy to help our soldiers to have more food on the table, please take 10 ploughs from the warehouse, I need to make it clear in advance though, I won't take a cent for those ploughs."

"How can I take 10 ploughs from you for nothing?" Ji Cheng Kang asked awkwardly.

Lu Lin waved his hand and said, "General Ji, have you forgotten about the award issued by the Imperial Court? 2000 tales of silver is not nothing."

Ji Cheng Kang knew Lu Lin always said what he meant, there was no need to stand on ceremony with him now that he insisted.

"Magistrate Lu, please allow me to say a thank you on behalf of our soldiers."

Lu Lin smiled and said, "You are welcome, glad to help."

......

The winter days were peaceful and quiet. From time to time, Lu Lin would take several people to do some ploughing in the desolate land that were under Chen Xiao Mi's name now.

Lu Lin had invited a few experienced farmers to help out on the first time.

The villagers tended to follow them to the field whenever Lu Lin and his group went to the field, some of them would volunteer to do the ploughing so that they could try the ploughs.

Quite a few villagers asked Qin Yi if this farm tool was for sale, and if it was, how much it was.

Qin Yi didn't have the heart to dampen their mood, so he explained they couldn't sell them just yet considering it took a lot of time and effort to produce one, but they would sell them after they found a way for mass production.

Knowing that the ploughs were not for sale for the time being, many villagers were disappointed. However, they didn't feel as bad when they took the price of the plough into consideration, such a farm tool must be expensive.

"Your Lordship," Tian Zheng walked to Lu Lin with a fawning smile.

Lu Lin glanced at Tian Zheng and asked, "How can I help you?"

The blacksmiths and carpenters he had hired had all done military service before, and they were very respectful to Ji Cheng Kang. Lu Lin had been expecting the same respect from them, and now it looked like he had won their respect even though sometimes he thought these people acted respectful towards him for the sake of money.

"I've noticed there are many trolleys in the warehouse now, are you considering selling them?" Tian Zheng asked.

Lu Lin glanced at Tian Zheng and said, "The workmanship of this farm tool is very complicated, you know it better more than anyone. I'm afraid I need to sell them for at least one tale of silver each."

Tian Zheng frowned and said, "So expensive!"

Lu Lin nodded, "Yeah! One tale of silver is actually very cheap considering the time and effort we've out into it. The farmers only use them in spring ploughing season, so I don't think the best solution is to sell them, I've been thinking about renting them out."

"Renting them out, how does that work?" Tian Zheng asked curiously.

"Anyone who works for me for free for two days can rent the trolley for one day, the mules in the yard are also up for rent, work for me for free for one day and you can rent the mule for one day. Look at these mules, getting so chunky, they need some exercise."

Tian Zheng's eyes lit up and he asked, "Your Lordship, a carpenter like me can do carpentry to rent a trolley from you. What if a regular farmer wants to rent the trolley?"

"Easy, they can do farm work, as a matter of fact, any work will do," said Lu Lin.

"But do you have so much work to do, Your Lordship?" Tian Zheng asked curiously.

Lu Lin nodded, "Not yet, but soon! I will reclaim more land in spring, and I'm going to plant more trees." Lu Lin had many ideas in his mind, but he hadn't come up with a perfect way to execute them yet.

Tian Zheng smiled and secretly exclaimed that Lu Lin had it all figured out already. However, Lu Lin's conditions were generous. The villagers would be more than happy to work for him to rent the mules and the ploughs.

"Your Lordship, you're really farsighted!" Tian Zheng said.

Lu Lin smiled and said, "Thank you."

Tian Zheng rented a mule and a plough after he talked to Lu Lin, Chen Xiao Cai recorded that in the account book.

Tian Zheng felt fully contented as he held a mule and a plough in hand.

In order to show off the mule and plough, Tian Zheng didn't go directly to the field, but he took a detour in the village instead.

The villagers were actually very curious about the plough, but they were too shy to swarm to the ploughs when Lu Lin was around. It was different when it was their fellow villager Tian Zheng who was holding the plough, they swooped to Tian Zheng and grabbed the plough from him, studying every part of the plough.

They wished they could tear it apart for better study.

"Zheng, this is the trolley that you guys have developed?"

Tian Zheng said smugly, "Yes, Magistrate Lu is the one who designed it, but me and my friends made it."

Tian Zheng enjoyed the villagers' attention and admiration, but deep down he felt so guilty. He had no idea what Lu Lin was up to until he saw the assembled product, so he felt a bit guilty for taking some credit, but he convinced himself that he didn't lie and he deserved some credit.

"Fancy this new county magistrate knows how to make farm tools," a farmer said in surprise.

Tian Zheng was surprised as well, he thought to himself, 'The new county magistrate looks like he's been living a comfortable, well-fed life, how come he knows about farm tools!'

In fact, the host Lu Lin was indeed a farmer, but Lu Lin managed to build up a family fortune not long after he transmigrated here, his skin got pale and his callus from farm work had all disappeared. No wonder people couldn't see any connection between him and farm work.

Several more villagers came to rent the ploughs after Tian Zheng rented one, but the majority of the villagers still had their hesitations.

The first ones who had rented the ploughs were the carpenters and blacksmiths who had worked with Lu Lin. The workers had spread Lu Lin's good name in the village, then the majority of the villagers started to come around.