Bai Yulou smiled kindly and looked at Huo Mianzhi: "Master Huo, everyone is muttering in their hearts that this household is under the jurisdiction of the county magistrate. You understand the situation, so why don't you explain it to everyone."
"Okay." Huo Mianzhi stood up, cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Everyone, in a nutshell, today's banquet is only for one thing, and that is to return the land."
Many people have not understood what Huo Mian said: "Master Yun of Dali Temple has found out that the criminal officials Gongsun Shang and Qiao Mingshui and others are colluding with many officials in western Liaoning to expropriate the people of western Liaoning and use various means.
, I have seized a large area of fertile land from you through clever plunder. As an official of the Tang Dynasty, if you do not think about the welfare of the people, but use your power to plunder, you are really guilty." After a pause, he said with a smile: "Everyone knows that Liaoxi
Several major cases have occurred in succession recently, and the imperial court sent envoys to investigate thoroughly, and the truth of the cases has been revealed. After the year, many criminals were escorted to Kyoto and handed over to the imperial court for disposal, and their stolen goods were also seized."
Everyone immediately started whispering to each other.
"Everyone, be quiet for a moment." You Fushui said loudly, "Everyone, listen to the Lord Commander."
After the hall fell silent, Huo Mianzhi continued: "The property in the mansion is naturally confiscated, but the land they obtained through plunder must be dealt with separately. After our discussion, both the county governor and General Qin felt that the property was taken away from them.
All the property should be returned to its original owner."
As soon as this statement came out, many people stood up in shock.
"Sir...Sir, are you telling the truth?"
"This...how is this possible!"
Bai Yulou said with a smile: "Don't get excited, please listen to Mr. Huo's explanation."
Everyone present was excited and excited at this time. Many people just felt that their ears were not good and they had misheard what Huo Mianzhi said.
"The Liaodong Army is a garrison in the northeast, and its duty is to protect the safety of the four northeastern counties." Huo Mianzhi said slowly: "However, the forest is so big that it is inevitable that the good and the bad will be mixed. A very small number of generals and local officials have taken advantage of the fertile land.
It is a violation of national law and the crime cannot be pardoned. Next, Hu Cao will carefully inspect and any fields involving local officials and Liaodong Army generals will be taken back and returned to the original owners." He looked at Prime Minister Duanmu and said with a smile: "For example, Gongsun
The one hundred acres of fertile land that I have asked for as a birthday gift from Master Duanmu will be returned to the Duanmu family."
Prime Minister Duanmu was overjoyed and said gratefully: "You sirs have clearly understood everything. I... the common people are grateful."
"So in the next period of time, we need to cooperate with Hu Cao." Huo Mianzhi said: "But having said that, if the property was deliberately embezzled by officials and generals, it can be returned to you, but the property that you have actively traded will be returned to you.
Not included in this list."
Everyone said: "That's nature, that's nature."
"This time, the county governor will take this opportunity to inspect the land again, and the amount of cultivated land in Liaoxi County will be recorded in the register." Huo Mianzhi said: "The land deeds will be issued to you for taking back the land. With the land deeds in hand, the government will protect you.
title to land."
Everyone cheered, and there was an endless stream of praise.
Originally many people
They all feel that there is no good banquet. Even if there is no danger of life at today's banquet, there will definitely be a lot of blood, money and misfortune.
No one expected that the government would take the initiative to return the land. This was something beyond their wildest dreams.
Bai Yulou coughed a few times, and everyone immediately fell silent.
"I know that many of your clansmen once served the imperial court, serving as officials in various places, and some of them worked as errands in Kyoto." Bai Yulou said slowly: "You are all from aristocratic families, and the imperial court has also treated you with kindness, and you have exempted many from it.
The family's tax corvee." He raised his hand and stroked his beard and said: "To put it bluntly, all of you here are famous families in western Liaoning. The land owned by your family accounts for nearly half of the fertile land in western Liaoning, but many families do not.
I have never paid taxes, let alone served in corvee. All taxes and corvee are assigned to ordinary people. The imperial court treats you with great kindness, but you seem to have never thought of sharing the worries of the imperial court."
Most of the people present were smart people. As soon as Bai Yulou said this, everyone understood what was going on. The originally joyful atmosphere suddenly became solemn.
"Sir, aristocratic families do not pay for food. This is a rule that has existed since ancient times." An old man stood up and cupped his hands and said: "The children of aristocratic families study poetry and books hard, serve the court, and govern the world. This has already fulfilled their duties, if so.
....If I continue to pay taxes and perform corvee labor, wouldn’t it be a bit unjustifiable?”
Everyone said yes, and someone followed up and said: "Sir, scholars, farmers, industry and merchants all perform their own duties. The family members who study, serve as officials, and educate the people are loyal to the court. If we all serve as corvees, we will be nothing like the common people.
If there is no difference, the decency will be messed up.”
"It makes sense, it makes sense!" Suddenly a crisp sound was heard, and everyone looked to follow the sound, only to see a young man walking in from the door.
The person who came here was less than twenty years old. He was dressed in casual clothes. He had pretty features, slightly dark skin, and an angular face. Although he was young, he had an air of maturity that did not match his age. His eyes were like stars in the night sky, bright and lively, but his gaze was
As far as I can see, it's extremely sharp.
Most of the people present were confused, wondering which family's descendant this sudden appearance was?
"General Qin!" Bai Yulou and Huo Mianzhi had already bowed to the visitor. Bai Yulou introduced with a smile: "This is General Qin, the lieutenant general of the Long Rui Army!"
Qin Xiao's famous name is naturally known to everyone in Guangning City.
Many people were shocked by the introduction of Baiyulou.
Qin Xiao had a great reputation. He put down the rebellion in Jiangnan, beheaded the Prince of Bohai, conquered the Black Mountains, and entered western Liaoning. None of these things could be accomplished by ordinary people.
Although everyone knows that General Qin is not very old, it is unbelievable to see that the famous General Qin is so young at this moment.
After coming back to their senses, everyone stood up and saluted.
Anyone who is not a fool knows that the real master of Liaoxi County is the young man in front of him.
"Everyone, sit down." Qin Xiao raised his hand to signal everyone to sit down. Huo Mianzhi had already stepped forward to greet Qin Xiao. After sitting down, Qin Xiao smiled and said: "Just now, someone said that scholars, farmers, industry and merchants should each perform their duties. This
That's really true. When soldiers of the Tang Dynasty defended their country, the first thing they had to do was to have something in their hands.
Weapons, scholars study to become officials and educate the people, so they naturally need books in their hands, and if farmers want to farm, they naturally need land. You all think that reading is your first duty, so I will give you some more books. It will take two days.
What to do? After all, you don’t plow the fields, and the books belong to you. Should the fields be distributed to the farmers?”
As soon as this statement came out, everyone's expression changed slightly.
"I shouldn't have come to participate in today's matter." Qin Xiao said: "However, the reason for repaying the farmland this time is that there were unscrupulous generals in the Liaodong Army who stole the land. The matter involved the military, and I was also a member of the army. Today
I come here to express my position to everyone. If you find anyone in Long Rui's army occupying and seizing land in the future, report it immediately. I will never take it lightly. I can promise you that I will never take it from the Liaoxi family.
Take a field."
Before everyone had time to cheer, Qin Xiao's face darkened and he said coldly: "Some of you may have heard that Liaoxi is already planning to implement the land equalization policy. The land equalization policy is very complicated to talk about. Mr. Bai and Mr. Huo will issue announcements on their own.
, explain it clearly to everyone. But in my opinion, the land equalization policy is actually very simple. In the final analysis, it is to treat everyone equally on the land. Once the land equalization policy is implemented, the people will have land to cultivate, no matter who owns the land.
Everyone has to pay taxes according to the field. If you have ten acres of land, you will pay the tax according to the ten acres. If you have a thousand acres, you will pay the tax according to the thousand acres. You will not favor one or another because of your status."
Everyone heard Qin Xiao's firm tone and was not angry, so they didn't dare to say a word for a while.
"As for performing corvee service, everyone is responsible." Qin Xiao said: "I know that people from aristocratic families respect their status and feel that performing corvee service is inconsistent with their status. This is no problem. If anyone is unwilling to perform corvee service, you can pay a sum of money.
Give it to the government, and the government will use the money to help you hire someone to replace you. If anyone is willing to help you, you can just pay the money."
If this were the case in the past, and the government forced aristocratic families to pay taxes and perform corvee labor, the aristocratic families would definitely be resentful and even join forces to fight against the government.
However, the Northeastern sects who have been attacked by warlords have long lost the arrogance they once had.
Some people are already thinking that if the government really returns the seized farmland, even if they pay taxes, the benefits will be much higher than the land they own now. In fact, it will be beneficial and harmless to the aristocratic family.
It's just that the aristocratic family has to do corvee labor, which still makes everyone lose face.
The aristocratic family has the reputation of being an aristocratic family, and no one is willing to lower themselves to serve in corvee service with the common people.
However, Qin Xiao told everyone that they could pay a sum of money to hire people to do corvee service, which made everyone relax. It was not impossible to spend money to buy respect.
Some people are more open-minded.
What Bai Yulou and Qin Xiao said today at least ensured the family's ownership of their own land. Even if they paid taxes, it would be far better than the Liaodong Army's violent expropriation of the family. Under these conditions, choose one of the Liaodong Army and Long Rui Army to support
, there is no doubt that we must fully support Long Ruijun.
Some people even thought that it was fortunate that Qin Xiao controlled western Liaoning, so that the aristocratic families in western Liaoning could take back their fields. Once the news of the return of their properties spread, I am afraid that the wealthy families in other counties in the Northeast would be envious of the aristocratic families in western Liaoning.