Chapter 10: Two Copper Coins

Chapter 10: Two Copper Coins

Li Tai returned to the duck farm, but before he had even approached, he caught the aroma of roast duck. Following the scent, he found Ma Zhou clutching a duck leg, chewing with great relish.

Seeing Li Tai arrive, Ma Zhou did not hurry to put the duck leg down. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, showing no sign of cowardice for being caught red-handed. Instead, he said with carefree ease, "Your Highness, you have returned? Would you like to join me?"

"Join you!" Li Tai did not stand on ceremony. He said to Ma Zhou, "Dou Jing has agreed to follow my plan for locust control, which is a crucial first step. Now, it remains to be seen how far the Court of Agriculture can push things forward."

"Does Your Highness intend to let go of the reins entirely?" Ma Zhou was somewhat surprised.

"If we want to advance the locust control efforts, I can have you stationed at the Court of Agriculture to participate in the work," Li Tai said, grabbing another duck leg for himself. "The Court of Agriculture needs a great deal of talent to push through these policies, as coordination and organization are certainly no easy tasks. If you wish to join, I can recommend you. I believe you will soon make a name for yourself. Once the locust control is successful, you should be able to secure an official rank of at least the eighth grade."

"Are there any other choices?" Ma Zhou asked upon hearing this. "Even if Minister Dou succeeds in controlling the locust plague this time, he will likely only balance his merits and demerits. On the other hand, Vice Minister Zhao might actually advance further. If I stay there, I will likely be burdened with the menial labor, and perhaps even suppressed by Vice Minister Zhao, who might view me as your plant within the Court."

"Zhao Yuankai..." Li Tai did not deny it. "Then you will have to stay by my side for the time being until I find another opportunity to recommend you."

Li Tai understood that as long as he did not place anyone else in the Court of Agriculture, Zhao Yuankai would serve as his link to the Court, allowing him to monitor the progress of locust control. If he were to install someone else, Dou Jing would likely bypass Zhao Yuankai and deal with him directly, as Dou Jing had always despised Zhao's sycophantic attitude. To do so would mean abandoning Zhao Yuankai, but Li Tai felt that trading that pawn for Ma Zhou was a bargain, so he did not care.

Ma Zhou also saw this, and thus did not want Li Tai to pay such a steep price to get him into the Court of Agriculture. He understood that the greater the price Li Tai paid, the deeper the mark of the Prince of Yue’s household would be on him.

After finishing the duck leg and licking the bone clean, Ma Zhou said with a solemn expression, "If Your Highness delegates everything to the Court of Agriculture, then what is the purpose of these villagers you have summoned?"

"To raise ducks!" Li Tai replied. "The primary task ahead is to raise them. Once we have mastered the techniques of artificial incubation, the number of duck eggs will increase, and so will the number of ducklings. Once we are hatching over two thousand eggs a day, we will likely find that we don't have enough people!"

"That many?" Ma Zhou was stunned. He recovered and said, "Your Highness doesn't even have that many duck eggs, do you?"

Li Tai explained, "Since the Court of Agriculture has begun full-scale locust control, I no longer need to subsidize it myself. Let them come forward to request duck eggs from the Imperial Livestock Bureau; combined with the incubation vats currently under construction, producing a thousand a day will not be difficult, and it will eventually grow. Of course, with the Court of Agriculture involved, the feed for two hundred thousand ducks will also be accounted for."

"Even if you solve that, what happens after the locust plague passes? How do you intend to handle two hundred thousand ducks?" Ma Zhou asked sternly. "Right now, the imperial court will provide coal and grain to feed these ducks, but once the plague is over, how will these birds be managed? Will they belong to the Livestock Bureau or the Court of Agriculture? If not handled well, this will surely give Your Highness a headache later!"

"Those who do not worry about the future will have immediate worries. You certainly think far ahead," Li Tai said. "What do you suggest?" He trusted that if Ma Zhou had raised the issue, he likely had a solution.

"I need to know what Your Highness truly wants!" Ma Zhou countered.

"After the locust plague passes, I hope my father will grant me a plot of land so I can pursue my ambition of focusing on agriculture," Li Tai said earnestly. "I want to establish a private academy, one dedicated to the study and research of agricultural knowledge."

"An agricultural academy?" Ma Zhou was somewhat taken aback.

"Yes," Li Tai nodded. "When the granaries are full, people will understand propriety; when they have enough food and clothing, they will understand honor and shame. I dream that for the people of our Great Tang, all who are diligent will enjoy bountiful harvests, and every respectable family will have a surplus year after year. My own strength is too small, so I must establish an academy to spread my ideas and find like-minded companions. To make agriculture my path—I shall not live in vain!"

"So that is it!" Ma Zhou felt a sense of poignancy. He had not expected Li Tai to have such a grand dream, let alone that he had already begun taking action.

Ma Zhou suggested, "I had hoped to propose giving these ducks to respectable families with land nearby. During a major disaster, noble clans will trigger a wave of land annexation. By giving these ducks to landowners and comparing the landholdings after the fact, we could clearly see the changes in land distribution. If Your Highness proposes this and lets the court handle the logistics, it could even soothe the people's lingering resentment toward the government. Though you would lose the twenty thousand ducks, you would gain the favor of the Emperor, which is most important for you. It would be a move with multiple benefits, but it seems that plan is no longer viable."

Ma Zhou sighed. In truth, his original plan was for the Emperor to notice him through this, allowing him to use Li Tai as a stepping stone to enter the eyes of Li Shimin.

"Why?" Li Tai asked, puzzled.

Ma Zhou spoke solemnly: "Does Your Highness think the expenses of your household can support an academy? An academy is extremely costly, especially one as unique as an agricultural academy. Therefore, Your Highness must secure a source of wealth—one that allows you to sustain such an institution. These two hundred thousand ducks are that source."

"If so, how should I plan?" Li Tai pondered.

"Return to the beginning: the Emperor," Ma Zhou reasoned. "Your Highness needs to give the Emperor a reason to let you keep these ducks as a source of wealth, while simultaneously allowing, or even supporting, your opening of an agricultural academy!"

Li Tai felt a sense of clarity. Ma Zhou made his goals more precise and comprehensive. It felt as if a path previously shrouded in mist had suddenly become clear.

In the following days, Li Tai shuttled between the duck farm and the Prince of Yue’s household, watching the number of ducks grow day and night. Meanwhile, the Court of Agriculture, following Li Tai's advice, began mobilizing the peasantry in a grand campaign. All fields eaten by locusts were organized to be plowed, exposing the eggs to the sun. The people did not complain much, as they would have had to plow the fields for winter wheat anyway. Now, although it was hard work, the government was organizing it, and they received subsidies and even access to oxen.

By early June, small poultry shops had opened in the markets near the four gates of Chang'an. These shops both slaughtered poultry and sold young birds. The idea of "using ducks to defeat locusts" began to spread through Chang'an, a theory officially acknowledged by Minister Dou of the Court of Agriculture. This intrigued many landowners.

What really moved them, however, was the price: each duckling was only two copper coins. A normal duckling cost about three coins, and an adult duck cost thirty to forty. At two coins, it was a bargain. Many respectable families with land didn't mind the small cost, and even those with a bit of spare change bought them as pets. While the shops were not constantly swamped, they frequently sold out, though they were replenished with startling speed the next day.

When some censors discovered this, they immediately submitted memorials impeaching the Prince of Yue for engaging in commerce, which was considered beneath his dignity. While competing with the people for profit was not a major issue in the Tang Dynasty, a prince personally engaging in business was seen as disgraceful. The censors would not miss such an opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Consequently, Li Tai, who was studying at the farm, was summoned to the Crown Prince’s palace for a lecture.

Li Shimin looked at the thick stack of memorials from the censors and said, "These are all impeaching you for abusing your power for private gain and engaging in commerce. They are stacked higher than I am. Tell me, what is going on?"

"The censors truly just listen to rumors and act; they’ve dragged me right into this!" Li Tai pouted, detesting the censors.

"In all of Chang'an, you are the only one working on artificial incubation. Now that these ducklings are everywhere, who else could it be?" Li Shimin frowned at Li Tai's unwilling expression. "Tell me yourself, is this your doing?"

"I admit to engaging in commerce, but I do not admit to abusing my office for private gain!" Li Tai could tell Li Shimin did not truly intend to punish him.

"As a member of the royal family, you have the audacity to engage in trade!" Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table. His previously calm demeanor vanished, replaced by a sudden, thunderous rage.

"Father is a sage. As your son and subject, I would never lie to you. Whatever Father asks, I can only respond with honesty!" Li Tai replied.

"Then are you short on money?" Li Shimin asked. "I know you fronted 160 gold pieces for the locust control. If you are short on money, you can tell me. You must not abuse your position for private gain or commit corruption!"

Li Tai smiled bitterly and handed a ledger to Li Shimin. "Father, I have brought the main ledger. Every income and expenditure is inside. I am not selling ducklings for private gain, but for locust control!"

"Locust control?" Li Shimin said. "What is your method?"

"Locusts are difficult to control because they can emerge from any land, especially farmland, at any time. Even if the Court of Agriculture organizes large-scale plowing, they cannot eliminate all the eggs; there will always be survivors. It is unrealistic for the state to plow every single inch of land. So, when the plague strikes, we can release the ducks in the wild to feed, but we cannot do that in the fields, or the crops will be trampled. Therefore, we must have the farmers practice intensive cultivation and use the ducks' natural instinct to eat insects as a preventative measure."

"If that is the case, why not just give a duck to every household and let them raise them?" Li Shimin asked, having understood Li Tai's reasoning. "Why go to such lengths and increase the burden on the people?"

"Because this is a screening process!" Li Tai looked at Li Shimin. "After the disaster, some have sold their land and children. If we give them away freely, the ducks might end up with those who don't need them, leading to an uneven distribution. Selling them at a price lower than the market rate serves three purposes: first, it prevents hoarding and stabilizes prices; second, farmers with land who want a bountiful harvest won't mind the two coins; and third, as the number of hatched ducks increases, the cost of feed for the Court of Agriculture grows. We need to get these ducks to people who can actually raise them. Anyone who cannot afford two coins will likely eat the duck the same day. That is why I sell them for two coins—at least until the plague is contained, I believe it is necessary!"

Li Shimin pondered this. To be honest, Li Tai's economic approach to solving the problem was something he had never considered. However, he had to admit that, theoretically, Li Tai's method achieved a win-win situation. Other than the fact that a Prince of Yue personally running a business was a bit unseemly, it was actually justifiable.

"Continue your work for now. I will see if you can truly contain this plague and ensure the autumn planting goes smoothly. If you fail, you are to never touch these commercial matters again!" Li Shimin finally decided.

"Phew!" Li Tai smiled slightly. "Father, there is a share for you in this as well. If there is any profit, we shall split it three-seventy!"

"Get out!" Li Shimin laughed and scolded, unable to help himself.