The imperial court had previously nationalized military settlements and fiefdoms, and also dealt with the land owned by criminals whose properties were confiscated and exiled, showing a relatively strong policy tendency, which made the landlords and gentry very uneasy.

After all, land is the most stable asset, providing a more stable income than trading. Many merchants, after making money, would also buy land and houses as a means of retirement.

But now that the dust has settled, the landlords, gentry, and even merchants can breathe a sigh of relief. You know, although the court will rigidly stipulate rents and taxes, the landlords and gentry will still gain certain benefits from it.

Well, this is also in line with the emperor's consistent principles. Although his methods are tough, he rarely pushes people into a desperate situation and always gives you room for choice.

The coexistence of state-owned and private ownership also gives tenants the right to choose.

As the country expands in all directions, there will be more and more land and fewer and fewer landless tenants.

Of course, life was not always smooth sailing, and there would always be landless tenants. However, as long as the imperial policy on immigration remained unchanged, the number of tenants would not increase significantly.

In this way, the master-servant relationship between landlords and tenants was likely to change. Just like in later generations, when a boss couldn't recruit workers, he would have to increase wages, or even swallow his pride and recruit workers himself.

Moreover, the imperial court also strongly supported the development of industry and commerce. The increase in jobs meant that the landless were no longer required to become tenants, and they had more options for making a living.

“It’s so exciting!”

"Get a few hundred acres of it and leave a legacy for future generations."

"That's the principle. Turn your money into land, plant it every year, harvest it every year, and you'll always make a profit."

…………

Even the merchants were enthusiastic about the court's new land policy.

Although the bank has launched it, it has not yet started the savings business. Even if it does, there will be no interest and a custody fee will be charged.

It's also because of people's traditional custom that keeping money at home is the safest. Now, buying land and running a business is much better than hiding it at home and doing nothing.

"Land needs people, and abandoning it is not allowed."

"As long as we don't abandon the land, it will be fine. Whether the crops are good or not depends on fate." A businessman stroked his beard with a sly smile and told his own idea.

Indeed, this is an inevitable loophole. Once you buy the land, it belongs to them. It doesn't matter what you plant, how many people you employ, or whether you plant well or poorly, it all falls under the law.

But the emperor didn't care about this little trick. His goal had been achieved, and the development of the Great Northern Wilderness would enter a new stage. The same policy was also applied to Dongfan Prefecture, Mekong Province, and the Burma area that was about to be occupied.

As long as the land is not barren and as long as there are people to manage and cultivate it, it is development, it’s just a matter of speed.

Yang Runmin and the others discussed for a while, then raised his hand and pressed it down, smiling and saying, "The new land policy is a gift from the imperial court. If you are interested, we can discuss and finalize it after the meeting. Vice President Chen has something else to announce, so please listen carefully."

Everyone fell silent and looked at Yang Runmin intently.

Chen Heyi laughed, cupped his hands, and began to speak: "Your Majesty is wise and powerful. You have pacified the Liao, exterminated the slaves, and crushed the local chieftains. The strength of the Ming army is obvious to all. Now Your Majesty wishes to expand the territory and make the Ming Dynasty more powerful, so you are issuing war bonds..."

The imperial court issued two bonds: the Ping Liao Bond and the Xing Liao Bond. The Ping Liao Bond had a five-year term and matured next year, while the Xing Liao Bond was issued last year and had a three-year term.

Although the bonds had not yet been repaid, no one worried that the court would not be able to repay them.

The situation is very good, and everyone can see it. Moreover, the Pingliao and Xingliao bonds are secured by the land and forests of Liaodong. Even if there is no money, there is still land!

Besides, while the interest on bonds isn't high, it's better than sitting idle at home! Therefore, unless someone needs money urgently, few people sell their bonds in advance.

To enhance the bond's credibility, the imperial court authorized banks to repurchase Ping Liao bonds starting this year. Of course, if the bond hasn't matured, you won't receive any interest and will only receive your principal.

Chen Heyi continued to explain the regulations for war bonds, and everyone listened attentively. As a major chamber of commerce supported by the imperial court, they certainly had to repay the court. It wasn't a free donation, so there wasn't much resistance.

War bonds, intended to expand territory, were essentially expansion and plunder. The more Chen Heyi spoke, the clearer it became to everyone.

This wasn't a fixed-interest bond; it was a risky investment. If you won the battle, you'd get more loot and a bigger share; if you lost, you'd lose everything, potentially even your entire investment.

Does the court lack money? There is no such thing as too much money. All you have can be spent.

But the emperor issued war bonds on the one hand to alleviate financial pressure, and on the other hand he hoped that the people of the Ming Dynasty would participate in the country's expansion.

Why do those who are warlike and aggressive will eventually perish? It is because the posture of war is wrong and the way it is waged is wrong.

There is nothing wrong with expansion and plundering in essence, but who are the beneficiaries, and which group is burdened with increased burdens?

Precisely because so few people benefit, the vast majority of ordinary people have to bear the burden of increased taxes. Winning the war will not bring any benefits; losing the war may result in even greater burdens, or even the destruction of families.

The wheels rumbled, the horses neighed, and the travelers held bows and arrows at their waists. Their parents and wives walked to see them off, but the dust obscured the view of the Xianyang Bridge.

He stopped the road, clutching his clothes and stamping his feet, crying, his cries reaching the sky. Passers-by on the road asked the pedestrians, but they only said they walked frequently.

The people's aversion to war is not without reason. If we want to achieve the goal of "being happy when hearing about war", we must let them experience the benefits of war.

Only in this way can a virtuous cycle be formed and a pioneering and enterprising spirit be fostered. Linking war with finance was something the Western barbarians had already done, with remarkable results.

"We'll see returns in about a year, probably no less than 10%." Chen Heyi glanced at the crowd and continued, "I have faith in the Ming Dynasty's military might and believe it can win every battle. Of course, everyone has their own ideas. The court has also made it clear that this is completely voluntary, with no levies or coercion."

After glancing at Yang Runmin and receiving a nod and a smile from him, Chen Heyi turned around and said, "There are risks, but business also has its ups and downs. Whether to buy or not, and how much to buy, we'll discuss this in detail after the meeting."

"May I ask Lord Yang if you could reveal the goal of this war?" A businessman asked with a bow.

Yang Runmin pondered for a moment and said, "The royal family of the barbarian country in the south is quite wealthy."

Champa? Water Chenla? Burma?

Those who knew something about the situation in the neighboring countries immediately started thinking about which country the Ming Dynasty should go to war with.

Chen Heyi chuckled twice and said, "I'm not trying to show off, and I'm not worth hundreds of millions. But the court is fighting against the barbarians and strengthening our country's prestige, so I still want to contribute a little. It's not much, just ten thousand yuan. If others want to laugh at me for being stingy, that's fine with them."

The vice president gave a sample. Ten thousand yuan wasn't much, and it was a gesture of respect for everyone. There was no need to take too much; it wouldn't be good to exceed the vice president's.

Everyone looked relaxed, talking in groups of three or four, and bowed to say goodbye.