Chapter 616: Forced Reform

The problems and phenomena raised by Lu Hongniang are common and are also the pain points of Shuozhou and Hezhong County.

Gu Nanxi humbly asked: "What suggestions does Madam Lu have?"

Lu Hongniang said modestly: "It can't be called a suggestion, but I have some experience. The basis for their manipulation is that the boundaries are not clear! Regarding the [ponds and ditches], we can completely stipulate that [any ditch less than five feet wide will be counted as farmland]."

No, if you say it is a ditch, it is a ditch. If you say it is a road, it is land.

Anything less than five feet is counted as part of the field.

Gu Nanxi realized that Lu Hongniang was equivalent to a standard science student in later generations.

When it comes to surveying the land, Lu Hongniang's main purpose is to stipulate everything that can be stipulated, and then do the work carefully and conscientiously, leaving no room for those with ulterior motives to tamper with it.

Sure enough, Lu Hongniang's next proposal confirmed Gu Nanxi's guess.

Lu Hongniang: "I suggest that we use natural villages as maps, with ten maps forming one li. Each household's land is registered at four boundaries. We use a measuring cart with a metal measuring tape engraved with the official flame."

The four boundaries are to state that the east is a certain ditch, the west is a certain road, the south is a certain place, and the north is a certain place.

Gu Nanxi was a little annoyed that the four directions had been used until later generations.

But this was just like eating and drinking, so infrequent and common that Gu Nanxi didn’t remember for a moment that there was no registration method for the four directions in that era!

Gu Nanxi concluded: "I understand what you mean, that is, we need to standardize tools and measure fields scientifically."

Luo Hongniang's eyes sparkled, as if she had met a soulmate, and she nodded repeatedly, "That's right! As expected of the Duke of Yun, you have summed it up perfectly."

Gu Nanxi stood up and bowed 90 degrees to Lu Hongniang. "Measurement is not just a mathematical technique, it is related to the country and people's livelihood. I want to measure the land of the three counties and make a fish scale map so that the fields have a fixed location and the tax has a fixed quota, so as to ensure fair taxation. I beg Madam Lu to help me!"

The fields are located, the taxes are fixed, and the taxes are fair? !

Lu Hongniang finally understood why she had felt a lump in her chest all these years.

This is because she sees the problem and has an idea of ​​a solution, but she doesn’t know how to implement it.

In the eyes of high-ranking officials, measuring land is just a small technique. They talk big but never think that a calculation can change anything.

Lu Hongniang's eyes were red, and she finally understood why her nephew admired Duke Yun so much.

Duke Yun's research on mathematics and his understanding of things are hundreds of blocks ahead of those officials.

Duke Yun's foresight is beyond their reach!

Suddenly, the officials sitting below stood up one after another and bowed to Lu Hongniang, imitating Gu Nanxi's example.

"I beg Madam Lu to help us!"

Everything in front of Lu Hongniang was blurry.

She carefully examined the expressions of the officials below.

More than half of these officials are young people. They have outstanding abilities to be able to sit in their current positions, and their future is bright and visible to the naked eye.

But at this moment, their eyes were full of sincerity and admiration, and they did not look down on her at all just because she was a woman.

They sincerely asked me to help them.

Lu Hongniang's heart was filled with emotion. Duke Yun was different, and the officials under her were also different.

Appoint people based on their merits, which is best reflected here!

Lu Hongniang took a deep breath and returned the greeting: "I am willing to go through fire and water for Duke Yun, no matter what!"

Gu Nanxi was excited to be able to recruit such professional talents under his command. He immediately gave orders and asked the kitchen staff to prepare dinner.

The first is to welcome Lu Hongniang to join the team, and the second is to create an opportunity for Lu Hongniang to get acquainted with other officials.

Gu Nanxi held Lu Hongniang's hand and smiled and said, "You don't have to stay with me later. Mingde, take Madam Lu for a walk and introduce our partners to her."

Lu Hongniang felt a little embarrassed because there were only men outside and she was the only woman.

Although he was over 30 years old, if the news got out, it might affect the reputation of those young officials.

Gu Nanxi encouraged him, "What are you afraid of? When you become an official in the future, you will inevitably have to deal with them. Can you really avoid them all the time? Although there are procedures, wouldn't it be smoother if you have a better relationship with your colleagues?"

Lu Hongniang nodded habitually, and halfway through, she suddenly seemed to realize something. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened so wide that an egg could almost fit in.

She suddenly raised her head and looked at Gu Nanxi, stammering, "Dangdang official? Who?"

Gu Nanxi didn't understand why she was so surprised, and said as a matter of course: "Of course it's you. Apart from you, who else can take on this important task?"

"Me?! I'm an official?!" Lu Hongniang really doubted whether she was dreaming.

Can women also be officials?

Although there is the role model of Duke Yun, she is Duke Yun. Not to mention women, even men can hardly compare to her.

In Lu Hongniang's heart, Duke Yun has transcended the category of human and ascended to become a god!

Even her younger sister, who was regarded as the number one in her family, only married Qin Liang from the coastal area and became a general's wife!

But just now, Duke Yun asked himself to be an official?

Lu Hongniang was in a daze, her mind was in turmoil.

Gu Nanxi smiled and said, "Madam Lu is the first official female officer under my command. The responsibility is arduous and the future is full of thorns. Is Madam Lu scary?"

When measuring the fields in the three counties, even with Gu Nanxi's support, there would definitely be various obstacles.

Not to mention this matter, you must lead a team.

Whether the team members can obey her and whether there will be internal conflicts are huge tests.

Moreover, once Lu Hongniang becomes the first female official, she will inevitably attract a lot of attention.

These people would use a magnifying glass to watch Lu Hongniang's every move.

Her achievements will be displayed to everyone.

Similarly, the mistakes she made would be infinitely magnified under the magnifying glass.

Whether she can succeed and to what extent she can succeed will also affect those who come after her to a certain extent.

Gu Nanxi would not stop using female officials just because of Lu Hongniang's failure, but if Lu Hongniang did an outstanding job, it would definitely reduce the resistance that Gu Nanxi would encounter in employing female officials.

Lu Hongniang felt the heavy burden on her shoulders and her first reaction was to retreat.

She thought again of her sisters, her aunts, and her nieces.

The girls of the Lu family were so outstanding, but all they could do was marry men and become wives or concubines.

The highest peak you can reach is to marry high!

If I could become a female official, if I could take a new path, could the women of the Lu family escape the fate of marrying off and shine in their respective fields? !

Thinking of this, Lu Hongniang's eyes became more determined: "Please rest assured, Duke Yun, even if the road ahead is full of thorns, I can still make a way for it!"

"Okay!" Gu Nanxi laughed, "That's great, you wait for my news."