Chapter 873: The Feast at Hongmen, Scooping Up the Poop (Part 2) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
"Does the nation's fortune protect farmers' harvests?"
The old man sitting next to Lin Feng looked slightly surprised.
The reactions of the various family heads varied. Some were incredulous, while others scoffed dismissively. Most simply didn't believe that Shen Tang, as the holder of the Imperial Seal, would be so generous. They were convinced that what she said was a pretext to deliberately make things difficult for them.
Lin Feng had already sat back down.
Hearing this, he smiled and said, "It has always been there."
Seeing that his great-grandfather seemed not to believe him, Lin Feng offered the most compelling evidence: "Heyin has a vast territory, and Longwu is also quite large, but in the initial state of both places, the common people within their jurisdictions could not even get enough to eat, let alone spare any surplus grain to support the army."
Although Lin Feng and Shen Tang were able to produce large quantities of grain on the spot, and Shen Tang's troops faced less pressure in terms of food and supplies compared to normal warlord forces, and the number of grain transporters and cooks could be reduced to an unbelievable figure, it was still in the tens of thousands! With so many mouths to feed, how could such a small territory support them if the yield per mu didn't increase? She didn't have a substantial family fortune to subsidize them.
Lin Feng's great-grandfather froze instantly, as if struck by lightning.
The head of the family, who had been secretly observing the grandfather and grandson, suddenly realized the truth.
Yes, Shen Youli came from humble beginnings and truly started from scratch. Where would she get so much food to feed these elite troops?
She just said she had 300,000 to 500,000 troops—that number is definitely exaggerated, the real figure should be at least halved, but even halved, feeding so many mouths is still an astronomical problem. Previously, Huang Liezhanghe was so short of food that he went crazy, using people as food, extorting money from families, and killing countless people in the process, but Shen Youli hadn't heard any similar rumors.
The way everyone looked at Shen Tang now carried a different meaning.
The family heads who were initially eager to oppose it gradually calmed down, reading the letter word by word, carefully considering its meaning, and weighing the pros and cons. Anyone with eyes could see that Shen Tang was determined to push forward with this land reform.
Everyone present is the target of this attack!
They dared to come, prepared for no return. Death wasn't their fear; their only fear was that their families would also be targeted, and that no one in their clan would escape unscathed. At this moment, the scales in their hearts were tipped with each bet. They were like gamblers at a betting table, blinded by greed, knowing full well they would lose, yet still clinging to the hope of a comeback. But some were hoping to minimize their losses.
There is something I don't understand.
A voice broke the silence.
Shen Tang first glanced at the sign on the man's desk.
The other party's surname is Kang, given name is Nian, and courtesy name is Bosui.
I couldn't help but mutter to myself—
Is this surname and the order of the characters in the name related to the Kang brothers?
He smiled and said, "If Patriarch Kang has any questions, please feel free to ask."
Quickly flipping through her notebook to determine whether this family was the ranking group or the beauty group, Shen Tang had just made up her mind when she heard the Kang family head speak: "Shen Jun said that each family can hand over their land and report the number of people in their clan. Those over the age of fifteen can rent a certain amount of land. Does this apply to everyone present, or to everyone?"
Shen Tang said, "Everyone."
He shook his head: "Shen Jun is digging his own grave. Regardless of social status or gender, everyone can have land. How can there be so much land available for rent? Even if it works now, once the situation stabilizes and men and women can reproduce in peace, the number of elderly people will be less than the number of newborns, and there will inevitably be a shortage of land. Although this measure can increase the population and guarantee taxes and corvée, it is only a short-sighted solution."
The flaws are simply too great.
Shen Tang showed no anger at his question. She even teased him, "Hmm, the Kang family head seems to have a lot of confidence in me. In your opinion, I'm not a short-lived ghost like Zheng Qiao? And that Kang Kingdom can be stable and prosperous for so long that there's no land left to distribute?"
Kang Nian's plan was definitely not this.
He merely wanted to argue that Shen Tang's policy was unnecessary, thereby gaining leverage in negotiations. However, he hadn't anticipated that Shen Tang's thought process was so unpredictable. Kang Nian not only failed to achieve his goal but was also ridiculed, yet he managed to maintain his composure.
"Please, Mr. Shen, do not try to change the subject."
Shen Tang's little head started working, and she quickly organized her thoughts.
"The contents of the letter are just preliminary ideas, only a general outline. Actual implementation will require considering many factors. What you've mentioned is based on the premise of limited land resources; within two generations, we'll face the dire situation of having no land left to distribute. But—why did I lease out all the land from the beginning? As I just said, the standard for leasing land per person is to support one person. If the yield per acre is far greater than what the Kang family head desires, then the amount of land leased per person won't be as much as you imagine. The lease recipients can be farmers of good social standing; those with other livelihoods are exempt. Most importantly—besides the Northwest, there are many other places on the continent where land can be cultivated! The world I envision is far larger than this tiny place!"
"besides--"
Shen Tang raised her finger and pointed to herself.
"A scholar with a literary heart, a warrior with a martial spirit—at my level of strength, unless I'm killed or I'm tired of living and decide to hang myself, I can live for many years. I won't say more, but two hundred years is certainly achievable! Then we can reform the land as needed. If I can reform it once, I can reform it a second time. No policy is perfect; what matters is what's suitable for the present. What does Patriarch Kang think?"
If we truly entered such a prosperous era, with the abilities of scholars and warriors, social productivity would have increased immeasurably. Furthermore, by promoting the idea of fewer children and more trees, and extending the national policy of eugenics, previously only applicable to women who had already given birth, to all women of childbearing age, we wouldn't fear a lack of land to distribute; the real fear would be that people at that time would be too lazy to farm.
The head of the Kang family bowed slightly and sat back down in his original seat.
Then, someone else nearby got up and asked.
Shen Tang glanced over and saw another familiar surname.
This man, surnamed Ning, was much older than Kang Nian, and the two did not seem to be of the same generation. He said, “I am not afraid of being laughed at by Lord Shen, but the Ning family has been living in dire straits these past few years, especially some of the children in the collateral branches. Without the support of the clan’s lands, they would have trouble even getting enough to eat, let alone starting their education. Lord Shen wants to take away the Ning family’s lands, and I dare not say no, but I implore Lord Shen to have pity on the innocent children.”
Smash the stall?
Can!
But after messing things up, a solution has to be provided.
The Ning family head's concerns are the same concerns of many family heads.
Shen Tang's confiscation of clan lands and tenant farmers had little impact on the main branch of the family, but many collateral branches suffered, with some orphans and widows losing their livelihoods. The main branch couldn't possibly continue to pay for this shortfall, could they? Those with weaker financial resources couldn't afford it either.
Shen Tang pondered for a moment and said, "I do have some ideas about children's early education. I previously tried to open an academy in Longwu County and summarized some experience. I plan to have the government take the lead in opening a school in the area, where children of school age can enroll by paying a small tuition fee. If they have talent for cultivation, they can transfer to a specialized academy for further training. As for clansmen who have temporarily lost their source of income, the government can also provide some subsidies. If that's not enough, then we'll have to ask each family to contribute some as well."
"Once the land is distributed, the problem will be easily solved."
Compared to her previous threats, Shen Tang's attitude at this moment was remarkably gentle, giving everyone an absurd illusion—that she genuinely wanted to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with each family, rather than actually tearing their hearts out!
Before the Ning family head could respond, Shen Tang changed the subject.
"Speaking of which, Patriarch Ning has a very familiar face; I felt an instant connection with him. It's like meeting an old friend."
The Ning family head was somewhat bewildered. Others would usually say this to try and get closer to him, but Shen Youli in front of him clearly did not have that quality. It was more like she was digging a pit for him: "It is my good fortune."
Shen Tang continued, "She also has the surname Ning."
The head of the Ning family exchanged pleasantries with her: "Perhaps we are from the same clan."
It's normal for people of the same ethnicity to have some similarities.
Shen Tang's next words stunned him: "Same clan? Possibly! Patriarch Ning knows a woman named Ning Yan?"
The head of the Ning family stammered out, "That's my daughter."
Shen Tang's face showed undisguised surprise: "The Ning family head is actually Tu Nan's father? Haha, what a coincidence! When Tu Nan returns, you and your daughter can have a reunion."
The head of the Ning family felt a jolt in his heart.
"What does Shen Jun mean by that?"
Ning Yan married far away, making it difficult for her to even send a message home. Her father and daughter hadn't seen each other for years. The Ning family head only knew that his daughter had given birth to a granddaughter, but he didn't know what she looked like. The most recent news was that his son-in-law, Yan An, had died in an assassination attempt on Zheng Qiao. Leaving behind a mother and daughter completely defenseless, and with Zheng Qiao issuing a kill order, what hope was there for them to survive?
He wanted to go look for it too, but was stopped.
Everyone in the clan was terrified that the fire would spread to them.
Once things calmed down, he secretly sent people to inquire, but he didn't hear any news of the mother and daughter being captured; they were simply missing. In this chaotic world, the disappearance of a frail mother and daughter was practically equivalent to death. Several years passed in the blink of an eye, and he accepted reality.
I never expected to hear my daughter's name again.
Listen to what Shen Tang means—
The head of the Ning family seemed to have thought of something, but hesitated to speak.
Not only him, but the other family heads also thought of it, and they all cast meaningful glances at him, the kind of glances one would give a traitor!
Good heavens, the Ning family actually had a secret affair with Shen Tang?
They have this connection but pretend they don't know! It's truly hateful!
The Ning family head, who was inexplicably branded as a traitor, had no way to express his bitterness. The Kang family head, standing to the side, covered his mouth with his fist, a smile playing on his lips, as if he were watching a joke. But his smile quickly faded. Shen Tang then said, "The Kang family head's name reminds me of Ji Shou."
Kang Nian: "..."
Shen Tang asked, "Does Patriarch Kang know him?"
Kang Nian asked cautiously, "Does Shen Jun know my younger brother?"
Shen Tang frankly said, "He is my right-hand man."
Kang Nian: "..."
Patriarch Ning: "..."
Other family heads: "..."
This scene deserves a few 6s!
Traitors, two traitors! Adding the Lin and Xie families, four traitors! The family heads were ashen-faced and heartbroken! They deeply suspected that these families were spies planted by Shen Tang!
Kang Nian and the Ning family head both looked rather unwell.
Because they hadn't received any letters from Kang Shi or Ning Yan, and hadn't contacted each other even once! Shen Tang's ambiguous attitude made it clear that they had a prior connection. They were like a mute eating bitter herbs, unable to express their suffering.
With the threat of Shen Tang's powerful army from the outside and the collusion of traitors from within, coupled with Shen Tang's earnest meetings with everyone, the patriarchs' thoughts of resistance were completely extinguished. The die was cast; all they could do was minimize their own losses…
There are policies from above, and countermeasures from below.
It's okay to do some minor tricks during the execution process.
For example, there are discrepancies in measuring tools and even copper weights in different regions.
This leads to a situation where the unit of measurement for one mu (a Chinese unit of land area) is the same in two different locations, but the actual area and harvest differ, and there are many ways to rig this. They can not only manipulate the measurements but also conceal some of the area. After all, they are the local strongmen; they can't transparently disclose what constitutes good farmland, what constitutes bad farmland, or what areas are suitable for reclamation…
Because of these factors, there is a great deal of room for maneuver in the land redistribution.
The heads of the various families each had their own thoughts.
Shen Tang, seemingly unaware of their thoughts, subtly probed them for information, obtaining their promise to hand over relevant land ownership documents, including but not limited to land deeds and past harvests. As the conversation progressed, the tense atmosphere between the two sides dissipated.
until--
Shen Tang introduced her right and left arms to everyone.
Of course, not Kang Shi.
"This is Gong Su, surnamed Qin, given name Li. He will be in charge of this land reform." Shen Tang smiled so broadly that his teeth were almost invisible. Everyone was impressed by Qin Li's handsome appearance and refined demeanor, and they all greeted him.
Qin Li has a refined face that makes him seem easy to bully.
Shen Tang then dropped a bombshell!
"His scholarly knowledge allows him to clearly understand the terrain within a certain area, the amount of land, and whether it is good or bad. With him joining us, everything will be fine. It will save a lot of manpower and be highly efficient. He will ensure that none of you lose even a single penny!"
Shen Tang emphasized the word "one cent and one cent".
Everyone: "..."
After introducing Qin Li, Shen Tang clapped her hands again.
Two female soldiers came up carrying two trays of food.
One of them is very familiar to everyone.
Copper power!
|ω`)
It's not finished yet; there are still some words left to add, and it's free.
P.S.: Finished watching, time to grab some late-night snacks.
(End of this chapter)
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