Chapter 114: The Meng Family Treatise on Agriculture

Upon returning to Feiyi, Meng Di immediately took charge of agricultural affairs. The reason was simple: in these chaotic times, food was of paramount importance, and the most critical task was to ensure the survival of his people.

With the current population density, a grain shortage would lead to grave consequences. Meng Di was no stranger to agriculture, and his knowledge of what to plant and when far surpassed that of the people of his era.

In this age, the life of an ordinary farmer was difficult. As time passed, land annexation became increasingly rampant, though in this era, it differed from later periods. It simply meant that the most fertile land was falling into the hands of the nobility, while much of the surrounding territory remained barren. This was a clear case of underutilization, exacerbated by the fact that the populace had little incentive to reclaim wasteland.

If commoners were to clear the land through years of backbreaking labor, the nobility would inevitably find ways to seize it. Without security of tenure, the farmers lacked motivation and were forced to rely solely on the whims of the heavens for their harvest. Ultimately, it was a man-made disaster.

Meng Di gathered over a hundred experienced farmers to consult them, gaining a solid grasp of the situation. Returning to his study with a few scribes, he spent several days drafting a new agricultural manual. He ordered the scribes to memorize its contents and travel to various regions to assess soil quality and determine the best crops for cultivation, followed by instructions on intensive farming techniques. However, they still lacked proper tools. Meng Di sent word to Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, instructing them to assemble a team specifically for the forging of agricultural implements.

Just then, Ji Ran approached him and whispered, "My Lord, messengers from the Tian clan of Qi have arrived. They wish to purchase war chariots and have offered a very fair price."

Meng Di pondered this for a moment before looking at Ji Ran. "Master Ji, you must have some concerns, or you would not have made a special trip to tell me this."

Ji Ran’s face clouded with worry. He sighed and said helplessly, "Exactly. My concern is that selling all these chariots to Qi might do more harm than good. Since you do not intend to train a chariot corps and wish to offload them, we must tread carefully given our current circumstances."

Ultimately, it came down to their lack of strength. With Yang Hu watching from within and the Tian clan from without, Meng Di was treated like fish on a chopping block, constantly under threat. Upon hearing Ji Ran’s analysis, he understood.

"You mean to say that Yang Hu might grow suspicious?"

Ji Ran nodded without hesitation, his expression grave. "That is certain. Yang Hu has never trusted you. Our great victory in Ju is known throughout Lu; while they may not know the exact details of our spoils, they can surely guess."

Ji Ran’s words served as a warning. The Tian clan’s grand arrival to purchase chariots was clearly a probe. After considering the matter, Meng Di came to a decision.

"We previously gave Yang Hu fifty chariots. Since the Tian clan wants to buy them—and Tian Chang did not come himself, likely to see if I intend to train a chariot unit—we shall sell them a few dozen."

"If Yang Hu demands chariots in the future, we can simply claim a shortage of skilled craftsmen and that the damaged chariots cannot be repaired. We will ask him to send us some craftsmen, and then we can repair those chariots and sell them to him. In this way, we not only gain more craftsmen but also alleviate their mutual suspicion to some extent. Most importantly, we will demand grain instead of money from the Tian clan, preparing for the day we might have to break with them."

Meng Di had hoped to proceed step by step, but the current situation left him no room for delay. If the states of Qi and Zheng were to join forces, and then pull the state of Wei into the fray, the situation in Lu would take a sharp turn for the worse. By then, the Tian clan would likely sever all ties to avoid arousing the suspicion of Gao Zhang. A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he asked, "Has anyone come from Guo Yuan? I sent him a letter some time ago, but there has been no response. I feel something is amiss, though I cannot pinpoint what."

Ji Ran frowned and pondered for a moment before replying, "The Guo clan likely finds it inconvenient to contact us. There is only one explanation: a tacit understanding has likely been reached between Qi and Zheng, and they are now planning their next move. That is why Guo Yuan has not been in touch."

Meng Di nodded slowly. He understood Guo Yuan’s predicament; to speak would be against the interests of Qi, yet to remain silent would be a betrayal of their friendship. Thus, silence was his only recourse.

"The state of Qi is playing its hand too early," Meng Di remarked. "Although Fan Yang is currently unpopular in Jin, a centipede dies but never falls stiff—the state of Jin remains powerful and is not something Qi can easily challenge. They should have waited longer."

Ji Ran pondered this and asked, "Does my Lord mean that we should wait until Zhi Li takes command as the commander of the central army of Jin?"

Meng Di looked helpless, recalling his own time in Jin. "Precisely. Zhi Li is a man of 'good intentions' who has offended no one for years. A man like that cannot suppress Zhao Yang. When the time comes, chaos will surely descend upon Jin."

There was a hint of melancholy in his words. That such a vast state as Jin had fallen to such a state was truly lamentable. The Six Ministers continued to push the ruling house aside, focusing their energy solely on internal strife. Only Zhao Yang showed promise, but he was still too young, and there was no possibility of him stabilizing the state in the short term. This guaranteed a period of turmoil for Jin.

Ji Ran understood this well, his tone equally weary. "Before Fan Yang, the Six Ministers of Jin often had those who cared for the ruling house, which is why Jin’s hegemony lasted for a century. But now, it seems they are truly running out of momentum. Yet, such is the way of the world."