Chapter 170 Land Reclamation
Everyone's eyes gradually became fanatical!
"Then some people asked, without taxation, how would our Lan County government function?"
Many people were so excited by Ming Xiaoshuang's speech that they wished he could speak faster.
"So, this piece of land between Ye County and Lan County was originally planned to be reclaimed, with some of the farmland rewarded to the soldiers guarding the city walls, and some used as taxes for Lan County. Actually, your arrival is quite coincidental. As you can see, our preliminary surveying work is in full swing. So, after receiving the city lord's order, we simply surveyed all the arable land along the river. Our research team fully considered factors such as the location and size of the land, slope, water sources, and sunlight. Starting from the land you stand on, extending for dozens of kilometers on both sides, all of this will be our future farmland! The city lord even gave this place a new name: the First Demonstration Base of the New Rural Area."
Someone immediately realized that this was the inscription on the plaque on the door of the pavilion.
Someone asked: "Why is it the first base, where is the second?"
"Is there anyone else coming?"
Ming Xiaoshuang explained, "Last year, Jinzhou Prefecture suffered a severe disaster. According to our reliable intelligence sources, there are at least 100,000 or 200,000 refugees in Jinzhou Prefecture. These refugees either starved to death or froze to death, but some of them must have survived the winter and are coming to our warm land of Lan County! As long as they come, they will be like you today, the people of Lan County! As long as they come, they will all be Lan County people! As long as they come, we will give them land so that they can no longer be displaced and live a decent life!"
These words made many refugees' eyes tear up.
"Little Shuangye is right! Once you're here, you're from Lan County! We're all brothers and sisters!"
"Yes, as long as we are here, we are all neighbors and we must help each other!"
Even the Xu family members were quite touched.
Seeing that the atmosphere was getting more or less heated, Ming Xiaoshuang continued, "So this piece of land where we stand will be our new home! We're going to cultivate the land here, build houses, get married, and have children!"
Someone immediately asked, "Since the city lord promised to divide the land, why don't you want to divide the land so that we can feel at peace?"
This topic was indeed what the refugees were most concerned about. As soon as this person spoke, he immediately attracted the agreement of almost all the refugees.
"Yes, since the land will be divided sooner or later, why not divide it first? This way we can have something to look forward to!"
"We've all come here, and we don't even know which piece of land belongs to which family. How are we supposed to reclaim it?"
"Yes, this reclaimed land couldn't be used to grow crops in the past two years. It was divided up early. If you have any plans or what you want to grow, you can make arrangements in advance, right?"
"And what about the farm tools? You can't just let us clear the land with our bare hands. I see there's a lot of weeds and trees around here, so it's going to be quite difficult to reclaim the wasteland. Without farm tools, we'll need at least oxen, horses, or a small cart or something like that."
"You still want farm tools? Where can you find enough tools for tens of thousands of people to clear the wasteland? Don't make things too difficult for Master Xiao Shuang!"
The refugees started talking again, but fortunately Ming Xiaoshuang's loudspeaker was loud enough to barely calm them down.
"The decision to reclaim the wasteland before dividing the land was a deliberate one by the city lord. There are two reasons for this. First, the land distribution for 40,000 people will take at least several months, and there will undoubtedly be constant bickering among you. The eastern family claims their land is not good, the western family claims theirs is too far from the river. All this arguing will waste time reclaiming the wasteland and easily lead to disputes!"
"The second reason is that, because the land is not divided, everyone works on it as if it were their own. This also helps families without male heirs or with low male labor capacity, which actually increases efficiency."
Ming Xiaoshuang answered one by one in an orderly manner.
"And our city lord has a composting method, so you don't have to worry. It won't take more than a year or two for this land to be cleared. As long as you use the city lord's composting method, you can quickly make this land fertile!"
Wow, my goodness, when it comes to farming and composting, the refugees can't stop talking.
The fields that the ancients reclaimed would take at least several years to fertilize, not to mention how much energy it took to reclaim land. First, they had to clear away the large and small stones, vegetation and trees on the land, then turn the land over to increase its fluidity, and then make compost to fertilize the land. The whole process would take at least three to five years.
Ming Xiaoshuang had no choice but to order people to beat gongs and drums.
——Bang bang bang!
The sound of gongs echoed in the valley.
Everyone finally stopped talking.
Ming Xiaoshuang spoke until his mouth was dry. Only then did he realize that although Xu Zhenying looked glorious on the stage, his throat was actually almost hoarse from talking.
No wonder Xu Zhenying never appears in person to mobilize people unless it is a major occasion. He almost always asks his right and left hands to prepare and memorize the script in advance before going on stage.
Ming Xiaoshuang used to think that this was an opportunity for their subordinates to show off.
Now it seems, huh, the city lord clearly doesn't want to speak loudly!
"I understand your doubts about our city lord. But regardless of the outcome, reclaiming the wasteland is imperative! We've already sent people to find the farm tools and livestock you requested! Please persevere for the next two days and use local materials. We have a forest behind us, and some of the materials are timber and bamboo. Some farm tools can even be made from wood. Just use them as an emergency measure."
Qian Zhenniang quietly asked Xu Yinxi, "The most efficient tools are iron ones, but tens of thousands of people need them. Where can we get so many of them? I haven't heard the city lord mention them before."
Xu Yinxi smiled and reminded her, "Don't you have your good sister Feng'er here? I heard that she's been very successful since she went south. It hasn't been long since she left, but she's already earned ten thousand taels of silver. Her earning ability is probably on par with the former city lord. The city lord has already instructed her to purchase some farm tools first, and then look for a mine for us."
Qian Zhenniang was genuinely happy for Feng'er. "That girl was fortunate enough to have studied with the City Lord for a while. Ultimately, it was the City Lord's skillful training! Did you and I ever imagine that we would have such a high-spirited moment like this?"
That’s true.
The two people were moved for a moment.
"Let me emphasize discipline again!" Ming Xiaoshuang's voice was clearly hoarse as he spoke. "Everyone is paid on a work point system. Those doing manual labor on the front lines, clearing wasteland, earn 20 work points a day. Those helping out in the logistics department, like cooking and washing clothes, earn 10 work points. Each household is the unit. For example, if your family consists of your wife, your son, and your mother, the work points of all four of you are combined. These work points can be exchanged for food, land, or even a house! But! But!"
Seeing that the refugees were about to start talking again, Ming Xiaoshuang quickly stopped them: "But if there are bonus points, there are deductions. For example, those who gossip, slack off at work, and fight will all have points deducted. The team leader will tell you the details of the deductions later! You must remember them all, so you don't come to me to make trouble after being deducted points! Finally, the land will be divided according to work points. Those with more work points can choose more land! In short, you can think of work points as silver. The more work points you earn, the more silver you will have. There will always be a place for it in the future!"
This time everyone understood.
"Master Xiaoshuang, how many work points can you exchange for an acre of land?"
"It depends on how much land you've reclaimed. The more land you reclaim, the more you'll get in the future. After all, you're all working for yourselves now. As long as you work hard, you'll definitely get more land than others in the future!"
Everyone nodded.
Someone else asked, "Are there any extra points?! Xiao Shuangye just said that fighting will be deducted points, so if I persuade them, can I get extra points? -"
"That's a good question!" Ming Xiaoshuang couldn't help but praise. He finally understood why the city lord liked smart people. Look, before he even spoke, someone bumped into him.
"Our city lord likes smart people and religious people. We have a Scientology church in Lan County. We don't need you to burn incense or pray, nor do we need you to donate any money. As long as you join our Scientology church, memorize and recite our doctrine, and pass our beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes, your treatment will be almost the same as mine!"
There was an uproar in the square.
Everyone in the Xu family managed to hold back their laughter with great difficulty.
It was also thanks to Xu Zhenying that he was so naughty that he came up with such a mischievous name.
But everyone had to admire this trick.
If you just tell them to study, I'm afraid few people would be willing to read and write. But once you change it to religion, everyone immediately becomes fanatical!
"Regardless of gender, anyone who passes the beginner's class exam will receive an additional five work points per day! For the intermediate class, there's no need to reclaim wasteland; you'll be allocated land directly! For the advanced class—"
Ming Xiaoshuang paused deliberately, and the refugees all stared at his mouth intently! Their eyes gradually became fanatical!
"If you're in the advanced class, the city lord will directly let you work in the government office, with a monthly salary of at least one or two taels of silver! This time, it's not just work points, it's real money!"
As soon as Ming Xiaoshuang said this, everyone became excited and chattered non-stop.
"Master Xiaoshuang, are you serious? If you believe in that Scientology and pass the exam, you're no longer a farmer? You can even get a government job."
"Oh my god, is there such a thing as a free lunch? What is Scientology? Does it have a lot of teachings? My mother used to believe in Buddhist scriptures and burned incense every morning and evening. She had copied a thick stack of Buddhist scriptures!"
"I know that. I've been to the city before and heard people there say they all believe in this religion. They even teach people arithmetic and pinyin. They say that people who believe in science become smarter and smarter, especially children. They learn to read much faster after believing in this religion!"
Ming Xiaoshuang raised his hand to stop everyone from whispering, and said, "That's right! The teachings are very simple, much simpler than the contents of the Buddhist scriptures. Children and the elderly can memorize them by heart! If you can't memorize them, it means you are not sincere! From now on, when you work, we will ask you to recite them anytime, anywhere. If you answer well, there will be extra rewards!"
Everyone in the square was like crazy and couldn't hear what Ming Xiaoshuang said later. Their minds were full of food, land reclamation, religion, money, etc., and they looked very excited.
After receiving the order, the team leader dispersed them and took them all to their corresponding points to start working.
The logistics team started to set up the pot and cook.
Qian Zhenniang looked at Xu Yinxi, who was standing beside her with a frown on her face, and couldn't help but ask, "The land reclamation work is going so smoothly, why do you still look so worried?"
"Others may not know, but don't we two know? Lan County may seem prosperous, but in reality, it's on the brink of collapse. Where will we find food and fodder for over 50,000 people? I'm truly worried. In a dozen days, our Lan County granaries will be empty, and then these refugees will riot! The city lord's painstakingly built foundation will be destroyed!"
Qian Zhenniang immediately became worried and melancholy. "Is there no other way? Like bringing in grain from outside?"
"There's no surplus food near Jinzhou Prefecture. Even if you go there with silver, you can't buy any. The only way is to go to Xingyuan Prefecture, but that's too far, and the loss on the way would be very serious. It's simply not worth it. The lights in the City Lord's study have been on constantly for the past few days. I'm sure she's also worried about the food issue."
Qian Zhenniang bit her lower lip tightly, momentarily at a loss for ideas. She could only pray, "I just hope the City Lord can come up with a plan quickly."
Xu Yinxi was inexplicably annoyed by Qian Zhenniang's behavior.
What's the use of hope and prayer.
You have to rely on yourself for everything.
No, she has to help think of a solution.
She would never let the rebellion die in the cradle because of food problems.
The work of dividing the land and reclaiming wasteland must be done well, and the composting method mentioned by the city lord must be promoted to all villages in Lan County. With fertilizer in the land, the crops will grow faster, and they will no longer be constrained by the problem of food and fodder in the future.
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Wang Sanniang had just had two days off when she rushed back home without stopping.
When she returned to Wang's house, even the gatekeeper almost didn't recognize her.
She was wearing plain clothes, which were covered with mud and dust.
She came back exhausted, and seemed taller, thinner, and darker. Her eyes were as bright as black pearls on the grassland. She moved carefree, and looked heroic when she dismounted. Her actions were decisive and efficient. There was no sign that she was the spoiled girl from the Wang family who had once been kept in seclusion.
Especially the long sword at his waist, which adds a touch of heroic spirit when he walks.
The woman dismounted, threw the whip in her hand, and said in a clear voice: "Go on! Feed my horse!"
The servant stared at her blankly for several seconds before reacting and announcing the news cheerfully: "Master, Madam! The Third Miss is back! The Third Miss is back!"
Wang Sanniang sighed.
It turns out that she is loved wherever she goes.
I remember when she was distributing land in Ye County a few days ago, the refugees liked her very much. Whenever they saw her, they called her "Instructor Wang!", which was very affectionate!
The first one to emerge was her eldest brother. As soon as they met, he smiled and teased her, "You've gotten darker and fatter! But you look more energetic too! How's the land distribution work going in Ye County? I heard you're doing a great job. The commendation letter from the county government has even been delivered to your home. Come on, tell me about the interesting things that happened during the land distribution!"
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