Chapter 171 The most miserable farmers in the world
The Seventh Prince's words made Dongmai, who was standing to the side, burst out laughing.
"Your Highness, the rain has been good, and we've harvested more grain, but we still might not have enough to eat."
The seventh prince didn't understand why, if they had harvested more grain, they still weren't getting enough to eat.
Shangguan Jin smiled and looked at the Seventh Prince, then asked Dongmai to explain it to him carefully.
"Your Highness, farmers have to hand over the grain they grow to the emperor."
Our Great Yu treats farmers a little better than the previous dynasty.
In the previous dynasty, farmers had to hand over 35% of their land.
Farmers with land can barely make ends meet.
The imperial court of Dayu only required farmers to pay 25% of the imperial grain.
It's much lighter than the previous dynasty.
Those farmers who have no land can only rent other people's land to cultivate.
If you cultivate someone else's land, you still have to pay rent to them.
Tenants would probably have to pay landlords about 45% to 55% of the rent.
What's left is yours.
This only covers the imperial rations. If other things come up, such as military service, corvée labor, or miscellaneous duties...
Farmers bore the brunt of these costs.
"So it's really not easy for farmers to have enough to eat," Dongmai explained earnestly.
The seventh prince looked at the hunched-over farmers working hard in the fields in the distance and felt a pang of sadness.
"Then... how can the farmers get enough to eat?" the Seventh Prince asked in a low voice.
Dongmai sighed.
It's so hard for farmers to have enough to eat. An acre of land only yields so little grain, and whether they can have enough to eat depends entirely on the weather.
"For farmers to have enough to eat, it takes the efforts of many people."
It's not that if more grain is harvested from the fields, farmers will have enough to eat.
If too much grain is harvested, the price will be suppressed, and the price of grain will drop, so farmers won't get much money.
Therefore, regardless of how much or how little grain is harvested, it is ultimately the farmers who suffer.
The seventh prince pursed his lips and remained silent.
"These are things you can't learn from books; you have to see them with your own eyes to truly understand them."
You will encounter this kind of problem no matter what you do in the future.
What if a natural disaster strikes when you become a feudal lord in a fiefdom? What if the farmers go hungry?
What to do when the conflict between landlords and peasants is getting bigger and bigger?
Your Highness, these are the things you should learn.
In the capital, you have to study people and figure out what each person is thinking.
Here, you only need to think about how to feed the farmers.
"Why do you think farmers need to have enough to eat?" Shangguan Jin asked.
The seventh prince thought about it carefully before saying, "Only when farmers are well-fed can the country be at peace, and only when farmers are at peace can the country be at peace."
Regardless of their occupation, soldiers in the army and laborers who built fortifications were all farmers.
Farmers are the foundation.
Shangguan Jin patted the Seventh Prince on the shoulder with admiration.
This child is so smart!
The seventh prince smiled and kept looking at the farmers working not far away.
"In fact, in some places further south, many crops are harvested twice a year."
Further south, there are places where crops are harvested three times a year.
"The huge difference is entirely due to the climate," Shen Qingjun, who had been following Shangguan Jin, suddenly said.
Shangguan Jin was taken aback. How did this kid know?
"Cousin, how did you know? Three harvests a year? Does that mean a piece of land can yield grain three times a year?" the Seventh Prince asked in surprise.
Shen Qingjun nodded.
"Yes, I've read books on this topic. It seems that crops in the Lingnan region grow faster and ripen more easily due to temperature issues."
It is harvested at least twice a year.
It seems to be a rice-wheat rotation system! I didn't see the specifics, but when I have the chance to see it, I'll know what's going on.
Mother, food is very important. A better harvest means more than just enough food for the farmers.
The entire court will be more stable.
If the government has surplus grain, it can release it when there is a disaster.
"And the soldiers stationed on the border can also eat better now," Shen Qingjun said earnestly.
Upon hearing Shen Qingjun's words, the Seventh Prince immediately grabbed Shen Qingjun's hand.
"Cousin, do you think it's possible to have two or three harvests a year in the North, besides the South?"
Shen Qingjun thought for a moment and then shook his head.
"I'm not sure about that yet, but even if we can't do both, we can still increase production."
Previously, an acre of land could only yield less than one bushel of wheat.
We can now harvest more than 1.5 shi (a unit of dry measure) of wheat.
I think if we take good care of it, we should be able to harvest more grain.
Shangguan Jin looked at Shen Qingjun with some surprise.
This kid is usually very diligent in his studies; I originally thought he was aiming for the imperial examinations, but it turns out his mind is actually on farming...
"Jun-ge'er..."
“Mother, I only read some books occasionally, and it did not interfere with the Master’s lectures,” Shen Qingjun hurriedly said.
“Yes, my cousin only reads it occasionally; most of the time he reads the books the Master talks about,” the Seventh Prince chimed in, helping Shen Qingjun out.
"Your mother doesn't mean to blame you."
Watch whatever you like, just don't neglect the homework your teacher has assigned you.
After all... no matter what you do, you have to learn first!
"Alright, go play with the Seventh Prince! Mother needs to go check on other matters."
After saying this, Shangguan Jin sent the children away and took Dongmailin's mother and the others to another place.
The Seventh Prince clung to Shen Qingjun's sleeve, refusing to let go.
"Cousin, you're so interested in farming, can you help me out in the future?"
If I go to my fiefdom, you must come with me.
"I don't want to be an official!" Shen Qingjun said, puffing out his cheeks.
"Cousin..." the Seventh Prince immediately drawled out.
“But if I’m going to help you, I can be your right-hand man,” Shen Qingjun said earnestly.
The seventh prince was so happy he almost jumped for joy.
"I knew my cousin was the best! Cousin, from now on you'll be my right-hand man, I'll take you everywhere I go..."
“Me too! Me too! And me too!” Shen Qingming also chimed in.
"What does Second Cousin like to do?" the Seventh Prince asked with a smile.
"I'll tell you a secret: I like making money. Actually, I don't want to go to school at all. I want to open a shop and make money."
"I'm happiest when I sell something that costs five coins for fifty," Shen Qingming said softly.
Shen Qingjun's eyes widened immediately.
Ah, no wonder this kid was dozing off as soon as he entered school...
“Alright, then my second cousin will also be my right-hand man from now on, and he will be in charge of managing my money.” The Seventh Prince said immediately.
“I…I like some strange and ingenious techniques…” the youngest, Shen Qingrui, also said from the side.
"That's good. From now on, make things specifically for me, preferably something really powerful."
"From now on, you will all be my right-hand men," the Seventh Prince said solemnly.
"Okay! It's a deal!"
"Pinky promise, a hundred years from now, never to be broken!"
"Whoever transforms is a big bastard!"
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