RMBLCUCS – Chapter 48: Tang Mo Takes Charge

As the morning light shifted in hue, the coolness of dawn gradually faded. Xin An and Tang Mo, who had been watching children catch fish along the field ridges, reluctantly made their way back. Steward Yang was already waiting with the estate workers.

“Young Madam, would you like these fish? My mother says that if you coat them in egg and fry them, they’ll be incredibly fragrant.”

A young boy, barely past childhood, held up a half-full bucket of finger-sized fish, his wide eyes expectant as he looked at Xin An. She smiled. “Your name is Ershan, isn’t it? I’ll take the fish. Why don’t you bring them to the estate? Let’s have them fried for lunch, and I’ll invite you all to join us for a meal. How about that?”

The children’s eyes lit up, especially Ershan’s. He had never actually tasted the dish himself—how could peasant families afford eggs and oil-fried food? Even his mother had only heard about it from working in wealthy households. Seeing that this beautiful Young Madam was kind, he had gathered his courage to ask, hoping to secure a small treat for his younger companions.

Setting down the bucket, he swiftly knelt and kowtowed. “Thank you, Young Madam, for your generosity.”

Seeing him kneel, he quickly motioned for his younger companions to do the same. A group of half-grown children knelt in the dirt, all for a single meal. Xin An laughed and waved them up. “The sun is still early in the sky. Why don’t you catch some more? The more we have, the better.”

In the distance, a group of dogs approached. Xin An recognized them as the ones from the evening before. Ershan stood up. “I’ll escort you and Young Master back. These dogs don’t bite.”

Tang Mo raised a brow. “You’re quite sharp.”

Ershan grinned sheepishly, urging his companions to continue fishing while he, barefoot, accompanied the two back to the estate. Along the way, he answered all of Tang Mo’s questions, and Xin An soon learned that the estate had no tenant farmers—it was only about sixty mu in size, too small for a tenant system. The people living here were all somehow connected to Prince Jin’s household. When Prince Jin fell from grace, they had not been implicated and had remained to work the land.

“Did Prince Jin visit often?”

“He came every year when the jasmine bloomed, usually staying for half a month.”

Though Ershan appeared to be only thirteen or fourteen, he seemed quite knowledgeable about the estate. Tang Mo was beginning to form ideas of his own—after all, the jasmine here truly thrived.

At the entrance, Ershan did not enter, instead bowing to Steward Yang before turning and dashing off. Steward Yang stepped forward and invited Tang Mo inside.

“Our estate is not large, only sixty mu of land. There are three agricultural stewards, each overseeing the rice paddies, dry fields, vegetable gardens, and fruit orchards. They have all been here for many years.”

“In the past, the grain and vegetables produced here supplied Prince Jin’s household. After he fell from favor, the estate’s produce was sent to the palace. Fruits, which the palace had no need for, were sold, and the earnings pooled to distribute monthly stipends.”

What Steward Yang left unsaid was that ever since Prince Jin’s downfall, the estate workers had received no stipends. The palace had ceased all oversight, leaving them to fend for themselves. That was why, the moment the estate was transferred to the marquis’s household, Steward Yang had personally gone to secure the reinstatement of their wages.

At present, a dozen people, men and women alike, stood in the courtyard. Steward Yang introduced Tang Mo to them, making it clear that from now on, he was the master of the estate.

The gathered workers immediately knelt and kowtowed. Tang Mo gestured for them to rise. He did not take the grand chair that had been set out for him, but instead addressed them directly.

“Though this estate isn’t too far from the capital, it’s not particularly close either. In the future, when seasonal fruits ripen, send some to the marquis’s residence, but there’s no need to make regular deliveries.”

“I have reviewed the records—you are all long-time residents of this estate. Since Prince Jin trusted you before, I have no reason not to do the same. From now on, continue as you have. However, this estate is small, and you are the only ones here. I will not tolerate any bullying or abuse. If I find out about such behavior, I will show no mercy.”

The workers quickly voiced their agreement. What Tang Mo did not know was that Prince Jin had always been strict with his subordinates. Years ago, when a steward had been caught embezzling wages, the prince had personally beaten him nearly to death and cast him out. The remaining estate workers were all familiar with one another, and they generally coexisted peacefully.

Tang Mo continued, “I’ve noticed there aren’t many fruit trees on the estate. I plan to set aside a plot to cultivate a proper orchard, a place where friends can gather in the future. Within the next couple of days, I expect you to draw up a plan. Also, Young Madam is fond of the jasmine here. Make sure to take good care of it and plant more. The gardeners must give it special attention.”

The current gardeners had been tending vegetables. Learning that their skills would now be valued for flower cultivation, they eagerly accepted the task.

Seeing that Tang Mo was easygoing, the workers were relieved. The greatest fear of servants was a new master who changed all the rules. Despite the hardships Prince Jin’s household had suffered, the workers still held fond memories of it—especially of Princess Jin, who had been kind and considerate. The jasmine had once been her favorite, and its continued presence served as a quiet remembrance of her.

Seeing that Tang Mo was easygoing, the estate workers felt relieved. The greatest fear of subordinates was a new master who would change all the rules. Despite the hardships Prince Jin’s household had suffered, many of them still held fond memories of it—especially of Princess Jin, who had been kind and fair. The jasmine, which had been her favorite, had become a quiet tribute to her, and its continued presence on the estate allowed them to preserve that remembrance.

When the young pageboy Lailai emerged carrying a tray, the workers grew even more excited. They had been waiting anxiously to see if their new master would distribute rewards.

After offering a few words of encouragement, Tang Mo announced that the entire estate would receive a silver bonus. Each steward was given two taels of silver, while all laborers—men, women, and even infants—received one string of copper coins each.

The estate erupted into joy.

Once the crowd dispersed, Tang Mo called for Steward Yang to remain. As the chief steward, many matters would inevitably fall under his management. Not one to be stingy, Tang Mo directly rewarded him with five taels of silver.

“You’ve managed the estate well. Keep it up. This year, the grain doesn’t need to be sent to the household—I have other plans.”

“I might bring guests here from time to time. The garden I mentioned earlier needs to be properly developed—it should be fresh, interesting, and inviting enough to make people want to stay.”

Steward Yang, eyes twinkling, gladly accepted the silver. He explained that while the estate was small, its scenic beauty was exceptional. The water used on the estate flowed directly from the nearby mountains, which also provided an abundance of wild delicacies for entertaining guests. Additionally, there was an old lotus pond, which had been well-maintained over the years and still produced excellent lotus roots.

“The garden can be built by the lotus pond. With blooming flowers and fruit trees, guests can fish as well. We can also construct a few pavilions for shade. On the other side of the pond, we raise chickens and ducks, and gathering fresh eggs is a small pleasure in itself—just this morning, the Old Madam and the Madam picked a few.”

“We could also raise some rabbits. They’re pleasing to look at, and their manure is good for fertilizing the land.”

Steward Yang had already formulated a detailed plan. In his experience, noblemen had seen all sorts of luxuries—so when they visited the estate, they needed to experience something unique. Even the jasmine flowers, which had been cultivated at great expense in Prince Jin’s residence, had a different charm when growing naturally in the countryside.

Tang Mo felt his money had been well spent. “I’ll leave this in your hands—get it done.”

“Oh, and one more thing. There’s a boy named Ershan. I think he’s quite sharp. For the next few days, let him run errands for me.”

He couldn’t always rely on the steward for every little task—besides, stewards were too smooth-tongued, whereas a half-grown boy was much easier to manipulate.