Steel Dynasty - Chapter 9

[Chapter 9 Reform]

After taking a bath, Xiao Ming got dressed under the care of Luluo and Aster.

After returning to his dormitory, he thought carefully about the issue of land reform. After thinking about it for a night, he had a plan in his mind, and went to the Governor’s Mansion very early the next day.

As soon as he arrived at the door, a middle-aged man in a green gown and a black scarf bumped into him.

The two stood still, and the man bowed and said, “Your Highness.”

Xiao Ming looked at the man. It was none other than Pang Changshi whom Lu Luo was talking about. Xiao Ming looked at him. His face was fair and he looked like a scholar. The eyes were a little dull, just like in the memory.

A few days ago, Pang Yukun went to Dengzhou to check the accounts, and he just came back.

“This fiefdom belongs to me. I can’t go anywhere. You came just in time. I have something to discuss with you.” Xiao Ming went straight into the Governor’s Mansion.

In his memory, Xiao Ming always had this tone towards Pang Yukun, and Xiao Ming imitated him.

Pang Yukun scratched his head. Xiao Ming had never been to the Governor’s Mansion since it was established. Although when he entered the city, he learned from the soldiers that King Qi had captured thirty barbarian cavalry yesterday.

But based on his understanding of Xiao Ming, it still felt a bit incredible.

“Your Highness, please tell me if you have anything to say.” Pang Yukun asked following Xiao Ming.

The structure of the Governor’s Mansion is very simple, with only three sets of black tables and chairs, and some documents are placed on the tables and chairs.

Sitting down at the table in the middle, Xiao Ming said: “I want to discuss with you the Salt Transportation Department and the land.”

Pang Yukun was surprised and suspected that he had heard wrong. He asked again: “Your Highness, What are you talking about!”

“This king orders you to immediately organize the fiefdom officials to set up a salt transportation department in Dengzhou and Laizhou, and announce to the six states that from today on, the government encourages people to open up wasteland and cultivate land. Anyone who reclaims land will own the land without exemption. After three years of taxation, the land reclaimed will be passed down from generation to generation, and those who own land will have their taxes reduced by 30% from now on,” Xiao Ming said loudly.

Pang Yukun was stunned. Xiao Ming’s series of political orders made him completely confused.

After coming back to his senses, he said: “There is no problem with the Salt Transportation Department and land reclamation, but if taxes are reduced or reduced, the expenditures of these six states will probably be beyond their means.”

“With the Salt Transportation Department, we should be able to make up for this part of the tax. And I will think of other ways to increase the government’s income.” Xiao Ming made up his mind.

Then he said: “What do you think should be done about the powerful people who invaded the people’s land?”

Pang Yukun’s head was a little hard to turn around. In the past days, he basically caught the evidence of the King of Qi’s evil deeds, and then went to the Prince of Qi’s Mansion to scold the King of Qi. A meal.

Then he wrote to the emperor. The emperor was writing to blame King Qi. Now that King Qi was discussing government affairs with him so seriously, he felt very strange.

However, Pang Yukun was not confused about the issue of powerful people. He said: “Your Highness, these local wealthy families are in-laws with each other. They are powerful and intertwined, and they are protected by many powerful ministers in the court. If their land is rashly confiscated, I am afraid there will be trouble. Your Highness Don’t forget Prince Ning back then…”

Xiao Ming narrowed his eyes. The Prince Ning Pang Yukun mentioned was his second emperor uncle, who was known as the wise king in Chang’an back then.

When he was thirteen years old, the first thing King Ning did when he became a vassal was to seize the land that had been seized by the powerful. However, within three months, someone in the court impeached King Ning for treason.

At that time, Xiao Wenxuan had just ascended the throne and was very afraid of King Ning, who was known as the wise king. He immediately sent troops to conquer King Ning. Unfortunately, King Ning was still buried in the dark, but he was killed by the sergeants placed in Prince Ning’s palace by the wealthy family. He died without evidence from then on. .

Now that Pang Yukun mentioned Prince Ning, he meant that Xiao Ming should not follow in Prince Ning’s footsteps.

In the past, Xiao Ming hated this Pang Yukun because Xiao Ming had never done any good things at that time. Now that he was discussing government affairs with Pang Yukun, he found that this nerd was not a bad person and was quite knowledgeable.

In this era of low knowledge penetration, it is rare to have a few literate people to assist you. It is necessary for him to make the best use of everything and make the best use of people’s talents.

“I understand. In this case, the land owned by the powerful will not be pursued for the time being. The focus is to mobilize the people to reclaim the wasteland. You have to be responsible for this. This year, the people will be exempted from corvee.” Xiao Ming said.

“Yes, Your Highness, I will do it right away.” Pang Yukun bowed and said.

When he first arrived in the fiefdom, he had proposed these decrees, but Xiao Ming, who was against him at that time, opposed them just for the sake of opposition. This also made the decrees of Qingzhou and other six states in chaos.

In the Governor’s Mansion, Xiao Ming personally watched Pang Yukun write the proclamation and issue the government order before he left the Governor’s Mansion.

Outside the city gate, as soon as the decree of the Governor’s Office was posted, it immediately aroused discussion among the people.

“Is this true or false?” One hundred people were very doubtful.

“The announcement of the Governor’s Mansion can still be false. King Qi has been in the fiefdom for five years, and now he finally knows how to sympathize with the people.”

“With such a good thing, what are you waiting for? Go home and reclaim the land. Whoever reclaims it first will be the one.” “

…”

At this moment, five fast horses ran out of Beicheng at the same time, and they would take the decree to the other five states.

On the city wall, Lu Fei looked at the people outside the city thoughtfully. This King of Qi is really different from the past.

After leaving the Governor’s Mansion, Xiao Ming did not go back, but went to the Equipment Department.

“Your Highness.” Soldier Cao Chen Wenlong saw Xiao Ming coming and stepped forward.

With the technology crystal in hand, Xiao Ming needs to find a place to take advantage of technology, and this place is the Equipment Department.

This equipment department belongs to the government, and the craftsmen in it are also the best in Qingzhou. Xiao Ming now wants to develop and expand this equipment department, not only forging, but also all kinds of industrial equipment will be born here in the future. This is the function he gave to the equipment department. .

“Chen Bingcao, from today on, this equipment department is directly under my command. You only need to obey my orders. You can ignore other people’s orders.” Xiao Ming said after a pause.

“Your Highness! Your Highness has failed in his duty, please punish me!” Chen Wenlong was shocked, bowed and said, a layer of cold sweat forming on the back of his forehead.

He thought Xiao Ming was here to pursue the insufficient reserves of caltrops.

“You misunderstood. I’m not here to blame you. It’s just that I don’t agree with the narrow words that everything is inferior, only educated people are good. In my opinion, this craftsmanship is not a fancy and obscene skill. On the contrary, I think this craftsmanship is inferior. It’s good for all kinds of work,” Xiao Ming said.

Chen Wenlong breathed a heavy sigh of relief, “Your Highness is wise, and I think so too. For example, in farming, if we have the tools at hand, we can cultivate more land.”

“Yes, so this equipment department is very important. From today on, you Gather the skilled craftsmen in the city, divide them into categories according to their skills, and join the Equipment Department,” Xiao Ming said.

“That’s fine, but Your Highness, the craftsmen in the Equipment Department also need to eat. This…” Chen Wenlong was confused.

(End of chapter)