Chapter 2, the food that cannot kill people, this is certainly food that cannot kill people

The Old Li family possesses a total of 120 mu of Yongye farmland, all of which is under the control of the head of the household, the old gentleman. Despite facing difficulties, they have never sold any land. The allocated farmland amounts to 160 mu, which is divided among the old gentleman, the old father, the old mother, and the uncle.

The old gentleman gently said to Li Dan: "Learn something good, study the classics with your uncle. When your uncle passes the exam next year, I will send you to the Si Men Academy to study. Do not follow your father in that useless medical practice that neither saves lives nor cures diseases. His half-baked knowledge is not as extensive as what I learned from the lieutenant on the battlefield."

The old man went to the battlefield, wielding life and death, witnessing much bloodshed, and bearing many ailments, but the most distressing thing is this persistent phlegm.

The divided fields can only be used for growing grain crops

Although it seems that there is a lot of land, the yield is low

Li Fucheng feels extremely wronged: "Neighbors come to me for medicine... they never said it couldn't be cured..."

Take the small scale, squint your eyes, adjust the weights, and clearly see the reading

Old Master possesses profound internal strength! He must certainly have martial arts skills

There are still the Spring and Autumn Annals, but the Spring and Autumn Annals are not complete, and the Book of Songs is also not complete

I dreamt of an immortal, who imparted to me a prescription that can cure my grandfather's cough

There are only four people in the family who need to pay taxes, and indeed, Li Qishi also has taxes to pay

Currently, the currency in use is the wuzhu coin, which was minted during the Sui Dynasty. Although the coins from the Xin Dynasty have been minted, their circulation is still limited. Additionally, there are many private coins, which are generally insufficient in weight, with some even being replaced by iron coins, referred to as small coins. There are also larger copper coins, known as large coins, which are comparatively heavier.

Li Fucheng nodded: "Tomorrow I need to go to the pharmacy to procure some medicinal materials"

The Li family possesses books that are family heirlooms, and the value of these few books surpasses the entire family fortune, which can be considered a scholarly and agricultural lineage

The sugar in the cough syrup has been replaced with licorice, as licorice can also relieve coughs. It is considered a remarkably versatile medicine, known as the "national elder," harmonizing the properties of various medicines.

Prepare some licorice, mint, fritillaria, loquat leaves, and balloon flower, and boil them in water to see if it can resolve the issue. After all, with Li Dandao's limited knowledge, this is all that can be discerned.

Li Dandao hurriedly said: "It won't kill anyone, it definitely won't kill anyone."

The old gentleman planned to buy a book each year, but unfortunately, he was unable to fulfill this plan. For several years, he has been barely making ends meet, living frugally and meticulously budgeting.

A superior field of one mu can yield only over 300 jin of grain, which is a little over 2 shi, while a better quality field can yield up to 3 shi. However, that is for high-quality land, which is fertile and requires meticulous cultivation.

There are also two sheep, which are not here; this is the city. To go outside the city, to the edge of the fields, to the farmhouses used for work and rest, it is generally Li Dandao who takes on this responsibility, accompanied by Yaya and her younger sister

However, it is evident that the Old Li family has not yet reached the point of being divided into separate households

Li Dandao intends to devise some remedies for phlegm. Given the old gentleman's considerable temper, it is likely due to heat toxins. Phlegm is associated with dampness, and it is possible that wind and heat evils have entered the lungs.

When leaving, he took a small scale and a package wrapped in silk.

One, two, three, silver coins

The Tang Dynasty did not exist

Some herbs that can be gathered outside the city should not be purchased. Day after day, you keep calculating my meager savings. I haven't even had a chance to afford a good coffin! A flimsy coffin would be torn open by wild dogs, turning into a wandering spirit.

According to the Tang land distribution system, a strong man is allocated eighty mu of land, an elderly person is allocated half, and if the head of the household is a solitary elderly woman, she is allocated thirty mu.

However, at the very least, Li Fude became a scholar, and the old gentleman arranged for him to study at the Si Men Guan.

The form and quality of copper coins are not very uniform, so currently, one tael of silver can sometimes be worth up to three thousand wen, provided that it is good silver

The old gentleman said: "In the evening, I will send some rice to their family. Ahem... Back in the day, Chen Zaichong was in the same team as I was. What a pity, ahem... I have returned, but he has not. Their couple has also recently lost their young child... Truly pitiful. Now that peace is approaching, I will lend them some support to help them get through this difficult time.

However, the land is classified as either 'perpetual use land' or 'allocated land'. Upon your death, the allocated land will be reclaimed by the government, while the perpetual use land can be freely bought and sold, as well as the choice of what to plant on it.

A male adult is required to pay two stones annually, providing two lengths of cloth. Payment is due upon reaching the age of fifteen, and once a total of forty years of payment has been made, no further payments are required. Although the duration may be shortened in the future, the emperor has not yet granted any reductions.

Composting agriculture was established during the Song Dynasty, and by the Southern Song period, it had become quite refined. At that time, human waste could still be sold, and there were public toilets on the streets

Li Fucheng awkwardly touched his nose

A book of Analects

To leave behind food supplies, one must also pound rice; many husks and bran are involved. The term "the wife of the coarse grain" refers to a wife who, due to careless rice pounding, ends up serving meals with a lot of husk. However, this expression is generally used for self-deprecation

Currently, silver is precious, and the Kaiyuan Tongbao has not yet been issued. It is not merely one or two taels of silver, but rather between eight hundred and one thousand wen.

The household tax is a head tax

Then there is the land tax, which depends on how many acres of land your family has. It is also referred to as tribute tax. While it is not substantial, it still represents a significant expense.

Take out some small silver coins, and then cut off a corner of a silver fish with scissors

Old Li's family has a cow, but it is not here. However, there is a horse here, but the old man is reluctant to use it for farming. It eats more delicately than Li Dandao, but it can earn money. The post station sometimes borrows it, and the county magistrate occasionally sends bailiffs to borrow the horse for show, even though it is old and can no longer go to battle

Juan opened it, revealing a jade bracelet, a gold ring, a jade thumb ring, and a cat's eye stone, all taken from the bodies of the dead, plundered from the enemies; these are the trophies of the old master from his past battles

The old gentleman leaned on his cane, turned around to enter the room, and heard the sound of rummaging, followed by the sound of a cabinet door closing

Bran is also useful; it can be used to feed horses, cattle, sheep...

Why are you following me to the pharmacy instead of going to study

Moreover, it is said that there is such a large quantity of grain, but after drying the rice, it will weigh less. Additionally, seeds must be reserved for planting, which requires leaving behind a significant amount. After all, during the Tang Dynasty, farming did not involve seedling cultivation; seeds were sown directly, making them vulnerable to birds and beasts. There are also various weeds that need to be manually cleared. Therefore, after paying taxes and reserving seeds, there truly cannot be much left for food.

This is indeed real silver, sir

Li Fucheng hurriedly said: "How could my son dare to? Some of the medicinal materials in the shop have become infested with insects, and some have gone moldy... They really need to be replaced. Although business is poor, the customers are all neighbors; if they get sick, it will tarnish our family's reputation... Isn't my younger brother studying right now?"

It is said that half of the Analects can govern the world, which reflects the significance of the Analects

There is also household tax, which is no longer based on population but on households. Dividing into households has its advantages, as it allows for the allocation of a piece of homestead land, the construction of houses, and the purchase of more farmland.

Old Master Li Baojing was furious upon hearing this: "Li Fucheng, if you want to poison me, don't involve the child!" With a loud bang, he struck the table, causing it to shake violently, and the teapot on it was knocked over, spilling water everywhere

When I bought the shop before, I sold several treasures from it, totaling more than thirty taels

Li Dandao said: "Father, I want to go to the pharmacy with you!"

Old Li's family cultivates part of their land themselves, while leasing another part to the government for cultivation. The government assigns this land to individuals who have committed minor offenses or to those who have been exiled from other regions.

Inferior silver is silver that has been alloyed with tin or similar materials, resulting in a fundamentally incorrect composition. Some inferior silver can only be exchanged for three hundred wen for one or two taels of silver

If it were not for the concern for his second son’s education, the family’s land holdings in Li Dan Dao could not have increased any further before he came of age, and everything had to be exchanged for land. As for that shop, the old man now regrets it, feeling that he spent money unnecessarily

The Li family has quite a lot of land

Grain is subject to taxation

"How dare my son!" Li Fucheng exclaimed in despair: "Which other father would so easily place such a charge upon his son? Filial piety is a grave sin, not to mention that this falls under the category of an unforgivable sin."

The Chen family next door is already unable to make ends meet and has begun to pawn his wife's jewelry, which consists of only two pieces of silverware in total. Li Qishi sighed

The old man said: "Opening this pharmacy hasn't shown any results; you can't even cure my cough... Hmph!" The old man spat out a mouthful of phlegm.