While the common people were complacent about the opportunity to become nobles, the local powerful landlords were already rejoicing in the title they were about to obtain.

Huiji City, the palace.

As soon as Zhu Xing entered the door, he saw Wang Feng, the owner of the palace, ignoring the anxiety on his face, and asked with anticipation: "Brother Wang, your business is all over the counties around Huiji, and you are well-informed, I don't know if the news from Huiji today is true, did the King of Chu really issue an edict to bestow a knight?" ”

After Zhu Xing finished speaking, he immediately held his breath and stared at Wang Feng intently.

His ancestors are also nobles in the Yue Kingdom, and they are still one of the top nobles in the Yue Kingdom, but unfortunately, no matter how powerful the family is, it can't withstand the passage of time. The turmoil in the Yue Kingdom a hundred years ago caused many Yue nobles to decline, and his Zhu clan was one of them. The original clans of the Yue Kingdom have not only lost their titles, but also lost their fiefs, and now only 300 acres of fertile land are left to heirlooms, living a worry-free life.

Although he had no worries about food and clothing, Zhu Xing was not satisfied, and he wanted to restore the status of the Zhu clan in the Yue Kingdom.

However, after the decline of the Yue Kingdom, the Zhu clan left the official Yue Kingdom, and the Yue King employed people, most of whom were members of the royal family, as well as other big nobles.

He Zhuxing traveled to Wucheng for more than a year ten years ago, spent 100 gold, exhausted the capital accumulated by his ancestors, and did not see the king of Yue.

So, he completely gave up, returned to Huiji, and inherited the family business.

However, today, as soon as he heard the edict of the king of Chu and heard that the king of Chu was going to give him a knight according to the size of the cultivated land at home, the heart that had already cooled down suddenly became hot again, and he immediately found Wang Feng, the world friend, to ask for details.

Wang Feng was originally the royal family of Yue, but when the Vietnamese civil strife occurred, the king of Yue died tragically one after another, and even the king of Yue wanted to run to the mountains to be a savage. At that time, the tragedy of the Yue royal family made Wang Fengzu afraid and worried about being implicated, so he expelled himself from the royal family, changed his surname to Wang, and did not participate in political affairs, but did business, in order to show that he had no intention of participating in the royal family fight.

Over the past few decades, relying on the special status of the Wang family, it has also flourished, and its business has spread all over Jiangdong.

At this time, Wang Feng heard Zhu Xing's inquiry, and responded with a bitter face: "Yes, the king of Chu really announced the news of giving knights according to the fields, and how many fields in the family can be given the corresponding titles." ”

When Zhu Xing heard this, he said happily: "Okay, good, great." ”

Saying that, Zhu Xing frowned again and asked: "Brother Wang is well-informed, can I know that according to the king's edict, my Zhu's good land is 300 acres, what title can I get?" ”

Wang Feng calmed down when he heard this, then gathered his mind and patiently explained to Zhu Xing: "According to the edict of the King of Chu, the first-level knighthood can have 200 acres of land, and the brothers' families have 300 acres of land, and they should be named second-level knights, or third-level knights. ”

"It's only the second and third level." Zhu Xing frowned when he heard this, although his Zhu clan does not have a title now, although it is dilapidated, but the Zhu clan is still the top among the untitled families around Huiji.

Wang Feng saw the displeasure on Zhu Xing's face, and immediately comforted: "Brothers don't know, although the yield of Huiji Land is higher than that of other places, three hectares of land can be compared to ten hectares of Shangyu Wu Land and other places, in terms of output, it is comparable to the eighth rank of Chu State. However, the edict of the king of Chu only based on the amount of cultivated land, so although the brothers have the wealth of the upper middle, they can only enjoy the lord of the scholar. ”

Zhu Xing suddenly took the throne and asked in disappointment: "Brother Wang, how is the title of this Chu State calculated?" ”

Wang Fengying said: "Chu State originally had five doctors, including the national doctor, the Lie doctor, the upper room, the seventh doctor, and the five doctors, plus the new five scholars, such as Shiwu, Shishi, Xiangshi, County Shi, and Shangshi, a total of ten titles.

Among them, the sergeant can have 200 acres of land, and 100 acres of land for each liter, until the sergeant has 600 acres of land, 800 acres of national doctors, 10 acres of Lie's doctors, 20 acres of Shangzhong, 40 acres of 7 doctors, and 80 acres of 55 doctors. ”

Saying that, Wang Feng shook his head: "As for the lords after the five doctors, the king of Chu has not announced it now, and they should all be military meritorious titles." Of course, there are very few marquis in Jiangdong, and there is only one marquis in Yuedi, and as for the highest marquis, there are only two marquis of Wu and Marquis Yue. ”

When Zhu Xing heard this, he sighed and said: "Damn, if you can use the annual output, my Zhu's three hectares of land are comparable to more than a dozen hectares of land in ordinary places, and this time it can be included in the title of doctor." As a result, now he can only be reduced to a mere sergeant, which is sad and lamentable. ”

Wang Feng saw that Zhu Xing was not worried, and immediately said calmly: "Brothers, although the title you get is low, but you don't have to be discouraged, you must know that there is little arable land around Huiji, when the king of Chu divided the land, the ordinary people were only divided into twenty-five acres, and other families that originally had land, more than 100 acres are even less, and there are even fewer families who can get Shiwu.

Except for those families who were originally named the eldest doctor, who can surpass the brothers in the land of Huiji.

Moreover, the edict of the king of Chu decreed that the subordinate officials in the county would give priority to those with high titles, so that soon the brothers would be officials and officials, and with the talents of the brothers, they thought that they would definitely make contributions soon. ”

Hearing this, Zhu Xing immediately nodded.

He is in Huiji, naturally he can't compare with those places in Wu Diyu, as the so-called title is not high or low, as long as it is compared with the people around him.

Thinking about it, my heart suddenly felt much better.

Zhu Xing was about to speak, when he suddenly caught a glimpse of Wang Feng being depressed, his face was very ugly, and he couldn't help asking, "Brother Wang, why are you doing this, but what happened at home?" Is there a place to serve? ”

Wang Feng shook his head and said sadly: "Brothers don't know, the edict of the king of Chu, merchants are equal to ordinary people, and they are not allowed to have concubines, slaves, maids, etc., once they are exceeded, the family property will be confiscated, and the whole clan will be distributed to Dongting to reclaim the wasteland." ”

Saying that, Wang Feng couldn't help but burst into tears: "My Wang family has been in business for several generations, and my family has a lot of money, and these properties will soon be unable to be saved!" ”

When Zhu Xing heard this, he opened his mouth, but he couldn't say anything comforting.

The wealth of several lifetimes has all been reduced to nothing, which makes him so comforted.

At this time, Wang Feng saw that Zhu Xing was speechless, and cried even more: "What's even more hateful is that the titles of the people around Huiji are too low, and it is just that the utensils of a certain house can't be sent, and even the concubines and maids in a certain family can't be sent out, so I can only watch my concubine being taken away by the Chu people, and I don't know where she is." ”

As soon as Zhu Xing heard that Wang Feng planned to scatter all his family wealth, he suddenly remembered the ten hectares of woodland in Wang Feng's hands, and then, Zhu Xing's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly said: "Brother Wang, didn't your ancestors pass down ten hectares of woodland?" Since the king is simply giving him a lord by land, why doesn't the king reclaim all the forest land into arable land, so that he can also get a lord of the lie, or the lord of the upper room. ”

Wang Feng was stunned and hesitated: "But that is the source of spices in my Yue country, and it is the root of my Wang family, so how can I bear to destroy it." ”

Zhu Xing said angrily: "Brother Wang, if you become an ordinary person, can you keep those spices?" ”

Wang Feng's face turned pale when he heard this, and then he bit his lip fiercely until the blood flowed, and then he spoke: "Okay, let's go and close all the shops and gather all the concubines and slaves to follow!" ”

"Brother Wang still wants to scatter all his family wealth?"

"No, I'm going to deforest." Wang Feng gritted his teeth and said: "Now that the life and death of the Wang family is at stake, I will personally lead all the clansmen in my family to go to the reclamation together, and we must be able to open up ten hectares of cultivated land within a month." ”

With that, Wang Feng ignored Zhuxing and went straight out.

When Zhu Xing heard this, he immediately hated it in his heart, but it was a pity that the land around Huiji could not be opened up for arable land.

Thinking about it, Zhu Xing was stunned, and then shouted at Wang Feng's back: "Brother Wang, wait, you and I are friends of the two families, and now that the Wang family is in trouble, I should do my best to help..."