Chapter 73: Du Chengfeng’s Promise (With thanks to reader twinklr for the generous reward of 1,888 book coins)

Before the magistrate could speak, Du Chengfeng took the initiative and said, “You must be the magistrate, sir. I apologize for having kept you waiting so long.” With that, he gave the magistrate a respectful bow.

Du Chengfeng’s manner was perfectly cordial, yet the magistrate dared not be the least bit negligent. After all, he was but a minor seventh-rank official, and to be saluted by a newly ennobled fifth-rank county lord was an honor he had never expected.

The magistrate straightened his robes, bowed deeply to Du Chengfeng with a beaming smile, and replied, “Indeed, I am the magistrate of Hu County, and I have been awaiting you for some time. Welcome home, my lord.”

“You have my thanks for your trouble, magistrate. Why don’t we proceed to the village to carry out the formalities?” Du Chengfeng responded calmly.

Seeing this, the village headman quickly stepped forward to lead the way for the two men. Although Du Family Village had only a few hundred households, it still boasted an ancestral hall, where all important village matters were discussed.

Naturally, the headman guided Du Chengfeng and the magistrate to the ancestral hall.

Once they were seated to either side of the hall, the magistrate spoke slowly, “My lord, Du Family Village currently counts 210 households, while the neighboring Zhang Family Village has 290. With the two villages combined, that makes exactly five hundred households.”

“The imperial edict of ennoblement clearly states that both Du Family Village and Zhang Family Village are to be your fief and domain. As for the eight hundred mu of perpetual farmland, it will need to be surveyed. I have brought all the relevant documents with me. Would you like to proceed with the survey now?”

Du Chengfeng considered the matter. He knew that, apart from wastelands, there was very little arable land left between Du Family Village and Zhang Family Village. The eight hundred mu of perpetual farmland was of little consequence to him.

But recalling the system base behind the mountain at Du Family Village, an idea came to him.

“Magistrate, would it be possible to exchange the eight hundred mu of perpetual farmland for the two small hills behind Du Family Village and the wasteland between them?” he inquired.

The magistrate hesitated for a moment, pondering the intent behind Du Chengfeng’s request. Ordinarily, perpetual farmland granted as a fief was the private property of the ennobled and could be disposed of at will, without any tax obligations.

In the magistrate’s eyes, exchanging eight hundred mu of fertile, tax-exempt land for a patch of wasteland and two small hills was an unprofitable bargain.

Still, since the young county lord himself had proposed it, the magistrate dared not question it further. Moreover, there was nothing in imperial law to prevent such an exchange, so he was happy to grant Du Chengfeng this favor.

“Of course, my lord. I need only return to the county office to draw up the necessary documents,” the magistrate replied respectfully.

Du Chengfeng was secretly delighted. In this way, the land where his system base sat would become his private property, and he would no longer have to worry about his base being discovered.

Although inwardly pleased, Du Chengfeng maintained an air of composure. “Thank you, magistrate. I will remember this kindness, and in days to come, I shall have much to rely on you for.”

Since his arrival in the great Tang, Du Chengfeng’s speech had, almost unwittingly, grown more formal and elaborate—a habit that he himself found unfamiliar.

“My lord is too kind. This is all my duty. Should you require anything, simply instruct me, and I will do all in my power,” the magistrate responded, all humility and barely concealed excitement.

“Very well. In a moment, I wish to make an announcement before the villagers. I would ask you, magistrate, to serve as a witness.” Du Chengfeng turned with a smile to the headman and Uncle Dazhu, who stood nearby. “Uncle Dazhu, Headman, in a little while, please gather the entire village before the ancestral hall. I have something to announce.”

“Of course, Feng,” Uncle Dazhu replied cheerfully. Of all people, he was the happiest for Du Chengfeng’s ennoblement—taking pride in it as if it were his own. Though even the magistrate addressed Du Chengfeng as “my lord,” Uncle Dazhu still called him by his childhood name.

Du Chengfeng didn’t mind in the least; on the contrary, it made him feel all the closer to his people.

Before long, thanks to Uncle Dazhu and the headman spreading the word, all the villagers had gathered in the open space before the ancestral hall. Hundreds crowded onto the narrow ground, yet no one complained.

Every face was alight with pride and joy. After all, they had watched Du Chengfeng grow up.

Seeing that all had arrived, Du Chengfeng strode out of the ancestral hall and addressed the villagers in a loud, clear voice, “Fellow villagers of Du Family Village! Since my childhood, you have cared for me and my grandfather.”

“Today, by the emperor’s grace, I have been ennobled as a founding county lord. Du Family Village and neighboring Zhang Family Village have been granted as my fief. I once promised Uncle Dazhu that if I ever could, I would ensure a better life for all in the village. Today marks the beginning of that promise fulfilled.”

He paused, glancing at the magistrate beside him, then continued with passionate conviction, “Now, with the magistrate as witness, I, Du Chengfeng, solemnly swear: For as long as I live, all taxes for the villagers will be completely abolished.”

“Furthermore, I guarantee that everyone in Du Family Village will have the chance to study, and every household will have surplus grain. And, of course, schooling will be free—no one need pay a single coin.”

“Starting tomorrow, I will establish more workshops in Du Family Village. The workshops will need many workers, and the wages will be just as generous as those at the distillery. After you finish your farm work, you can register with Uncle Dazhu to work in the workshops.”

No sooner had Du Chengfeng finished than the villagers erupted in excitement. His words swept through their hearts like a storm at sea, stirring up waves of hope and disbelief.

Many were stunned, staring at Du Chengfeng as if they were dreaming, unable to reconcile his promises with their reality.

For generations, their families had lived in this village, and except in the rare years when disaster prompted the emperor to remit taxes, they had never heard of such a thing as permanent exemption. And now, Du Chengfeng was promising to build more large workshops in the village, with wages so high that, after a year’s work, every family could expect to live in comfort.

Everyone knew well that Du Chengfeng paid several times more than even the wealthiest households in Chang’an.

The villagers were a simple folk; they sensed the sincerity in Du Chengfeng’s words. This young lord bore no airs of superiority—only a heartfelt desire to repay his people.

But what moved them most was his promise that every child could learn to read. For them, education had always been a distant dream. In the Tang Dynasty, books were monopolized by the aristocratic clans, and for the poor, the price of books was prohibitive, to say nothing of the costs of schooling itself.