Chapter 338 Land Reform
When Zhao Yuanxi heard Ying Zheng cursing like that, he couldn't help but laugh, but he also understood that he had no intention of doing anything to Hu Lang.
Even a tiger will not eat its own cubs. Although Ying Zheng was not close to his children, he still cared about the blood relationship. Hu Hai's mistakes were due to his own stupidity, but as the saying goes, if a child is not taught well, it is the fault of the father. Moreover, he was the one who planted the seeds of disaster.
How could Ying Zheng not know what Zhao Yuanxi understood, but he still couldn't help getting angry.
But he found it ridiculous that this child who had just learned to speak was the Qin State's foundation of more than 500 years, destroyed in the hands of his son.
"How could I have given birth to such a fool like you?"
Fusu, who rushed over, couldn't help shivering when he heard his father's angry scolding. He inexplicably felt that he was also scolded. He walked silently to his great mother, being very honest.
"You called me here, Queen Mother?" Ying Zheng glanced at him expressionlessly.
Fusu was startled and quickly apologized, "I'm worried that your father might be hurt. Besides, my eighteenth brother is still young. If he really acted impolitely, I'll let him learn more in the future."
"Humph, you are filial!"
Zhao Yuanxi stepped forward to comfort her, "Okay, no matter how angry you are, you don't have to take it out on the children. What do they know now?"
She half-knelt down and touched Little Eighteen's head, "Eighteen, tell your father, what is your name now?"
Hu Lang sobbed, snot bubbles coming out of his nose, and answered incoherently, "My name is Ying Hu Lang."
"Look, there's no Hu Hai or Zhao Gao here, so don't worry. I know what you're worried about, but it's not as bad as you think."
Zhao Yuanxi took Hu Lang's hand and placed it in Ying Zheng's palm.
Ying Zheng's gaze fell on Hu Lang, examining him. He was so small that he could strangle him to death with just a stretch of his hand. He even seemed to be in poor health due to premature birth.
If he is demoted to a commoner, it will be no different from sentencing him to death.
Hu Lang wanted to withdraw his hand in fear, but his hand was held by his father, so he could only look at his mother for help.
Ying Zheng was also looking at Jiang Liangren. The coldness between his brows dissipated a little, and he loosened his hand. "Teach him well. If he makes a mistake, you will be punished as well."
Jiang Liangren held Hu Lang in her arms and quickly bowed to the emperor in thanks, "Yes, I will definitely teach Lang'er well."
A small disturbance subsided.
Zhao Yuanxi and Ying Zheng walked slowly along the corridor, with a group of palace servants following behind them from a distance.
"Did the Queen Mother name Hu Lang for today?"
"No, I just think the name Hu Hai is unlucky."
Ying Zheng burst out laughing. This was indeed the Queen Mother's style.
"You saved his life."
"It wasn't me who saved him, it was you who saved him. I just changed his name, but you are the one who can truly change his fate. Just like the Qin Dynasty in your hands, you think I saved it, but in fact, it was you who saved it!"
If it weren't for Ying Zheng's deep love for the Qin State, he would not have compromised with himself again and again.
"So does the Queen Mother have any new suggestions?"
Zhao Yuanxi laughed out loud, "You're being rude now."
"Since the Queen Mother is the Queen Mother of Qin, it is natural for her to share the worries of Qin."
Zhao Yuanxi was helpless, but then he thought, "It's true. When I was dealing with the locust plague before, I noticed that the problem of land trading persists despite repeated bans. Some wealthy merchants and powerful people are even using various means to seize the people's land. If a large amount of land is concentrated in the hands of a few people, then most people in the world will become tenants. They will have to pay rent to the wealthy merchants and powerful people, and then pay taxes to the Qin State. With each layer of exploitation, there will only be more and more people who don't have enough to eat in the future!"
"Farmers should only pay taxes to the Qin State, and the rest of the income should belong to them and not be taken by others."
"Land should be owned entirely by the state in accordance with Qin law. Common people may own and manage the land, but they cannot buy or sell it."
"As for those soldiers who have made military achievements and received titles but haven't been allocated enough land, why not send them to measure the land area of the country, count the amount, and then distribute the land management rights to them according to their titles."
"Anyway, let's have a land reform!"
…
How could a piece of land that could accommodate 1.4 billion people not be able to support tens of millions of people in Qin State?
The land has always been here! It’s just waiting for people to develop its true value!
All Qin soldiers who retreated from the battlefield and could read and do math received a special task: to travel around the country to count the amount of various lands and their ownership.
This investigation not only clarified the national land area, but also provided specific arable land data.
If you don't check, you won't know. Once you check, Ying Zheng will find out how much land and taxes have been concealed.
It is very difficult to promote land reform. Those who hold the most land are mostly important officials in the court. How could they easily give up their land ownership?
Those people knelt in front of Ying Zheng and cried that these lands were hard-earned. If these lands were taken away, their entire family would be left with nothing.
Because of this matter, the court has been arguing for several days.
When Ying Zheng heard his officials clamoring to resign, his face turned black and he was about to drag a few of them out to make an example of them.
The eunuch beside him whispered in his ear
"Please come in, Queen Mother."
"The Queen Mother has arrived—"
The ministers were stunned, not understanding why the empress dowager, who had long since stopped caring about state affairs, came to the court today?
They looked at each other, feeling somewhat uneasy.
They have also heard about what the Queen Mother has done over the years. Now they will definitely not regard the Queen Mother as a woman who knows nothing about government affairs. The Queen Mother's sudden visit must be because His Majesty wants to change the ownership of the land.
Zhao Yuanxi walked slowly in from the main gate, dressed in formal attire and adorned with various pearls and jade, looking elegant and noble. Behind her were two palace maids holding trays with a thick pile of papers on them.
"How come you have time to come here today, mother?" Ying Zheng stood up to greet her.
Zhao Yuanxi smiled and said, "Excuse me for interrupting the Emperor and his ministers. I heard that the Emperor wants to take back the land. Although I am a woman, I am fortunate that the Emperor once gave me some good farmland. As the Empress Dowager, I should set an example for the world. I have come here today to return these lands."
Over the years, Zhao Yuanxi has owned a lot of land, most of which is located in Yunzhong County, and some is in the State of Chu.
"There are a total of 1.86 million mu here, 1.2 million of which are in Yunzhong County. The emperor allowed me to have people reclaim wasteland here. Another 60,000 mu was awarded to me by the emperor when I was in Yongcheng, and another 600,000 mu was acquired while operating in Chu. All of this land was acquired legally and is now being returned to Qin."
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