Chapter 508: Imperial Power Goes to the Countryside
The scholars in the south of the Yangtze River were very conflicted. Most of them knew that they could not defeat them in a real fight, but they were unwilling to surrender.
The policy in the north is to take back the fields and disband the tribes. What the children of the aristocratic families object to is not the loss of money. Donating some family property is not unacceptable. They support the warlords and spend less money. However, the land can be annexed and the rights of livestock and labor are deprived.
This is an unacceptable place.
However, when it really comes to the point of no return, between life and money, they know what to choose.
Holding on now is just a matter of luck. It is impossible for them to fight to the death.
Didn't you see that the imperial court issued a recruitment order to their children? Don't you understand? The imperial court did not want to kill them all.
It's almost as long as it means what you mean. Those who are stubborn are all fools.
When the time comes, it's natural to eat the slurry in the pot to welcome Master Wang.
As for those powerful people who fled to the south, it was not that they wanted to leave their hometown, but that they could not survive in the north, so they had to firmly support the Jiangnan warlords and resist the imperial army.
The most fundamental problems of the two classes are different, and their ideas are naturally different, so they cannot agree on the same people.
Zhou Yu understood this, and so did Lu Su, but they were recruited by the imperial court, and if no powerful warlord dared to use them, the family would naturally be squeezed out.
Jiangnan is not as prosperous as the Central Plains. There are only so many profitable fields and industries, and there are so many big families going south. How can we not rob them? If you don’t rob others, rob them. If others become stronger, they will annex you. You can only fight, but you can’t.
Back off.
That recruitment order naming names is a conspiracy that cannot be solved.
In the final analysis, these warlords in Jiangnan have no ambition. Liu Xun, Ji Ling, Liu Miao, Huang Zu, and Zhou Xin are all unworthy and petty. Lu Kang and Zhang Zhongjing are only self-defeating and have no ambition.
It’s okay not to mention it.
As for Lu Bu, who is a despicable warrior and an evil thief who betrays his master, who would surrender to him? Do you want to lose face? Only a despicable person like Zuo Rong would rely on this lost dog.
If he hadn't built some kind of pagoda to deceive people with his nonsense, he would have been destroyed long ago.
"Liu Xiang claimed the throne. If he wanted to hold the river and defend it, someone must unite the south of the Yangtze River and ascend the throne to resist. Otherwise, the name is not justified. What is the result? Those few people still regard themselves as prefects and generals. They only have their own territory in their eyes. Although
They form an alliance, but it is difficult to join forces. Each one is narrow-minded and has no courage, and is definitely not a wise master."
Zhou Yu was very worried. Their family was the commander of Lujiang County. Once the Northern Army went south, there would be no way to escape.
"In today's world, who can resist Liu Yicheng? Alas... Gong Jin is harsh." Lu Su was also very worried. The emperor hated wealthy families, otherwise he would have run over to hug him.
It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I really can’t.
Who is the master? Needless to say? He doesn't want to hang out with those crooked melons and cracked jujubes in Jiangnan, but there is no other way.
He picked up the ladle, scooped out some turbid wine and filled it up for Zhou Yu. He raised the glass and said loudly: "Gong Jin, put aside your worries and get drunk!"
Zhou Yu raised his glass with both hands and responded: "Okay, it's better to get drunk with all kinds of sorrows and thoughts!"
"Drink victory!"
"Drink victory!"
In the fourth month of the lunar calendar, summer is approaching. The sunshine in the south of the Yangtze River becomes blazing, the Yang Qi rises, the climate is sultry, the new green has faded, and the dark green infects the earth. The trees weep their branches and the weeds bow their heads, struggling to resist the baking of the scorching sun.
The two of them were drunk under the withered tree, amidst the chaotic chirping of cicadas.
Jiangnan is hot and dry, but Guanzhong has a pleasant climate.
"It rained a lot last night and the ground is slippery and muddy. Your Majesty, please be careful," Fan Xian reminded as he led the way.
An envoy from the Ministry of Revenue discovered a kind of drought-tolerant woodgrass in Shu County. The locals called it Shumi, which is actually a kind of sorghum.
Fan Xian chose a plateau outside Chang'an City that was not suitable for irrigation and tried planting. The results turned out that the growth was okay. Liu Xiang was very happy, so he wanted to come and take a look in person.
If it can be successfully planted in the dry plateau and hills, it will be awesome. At least hundreds of thousands of hectares of fields will be created, and millions more people will be supported. There are too many wastelands that are not suitable for irrigation. He cannot
Irrigation canals were built in all places, but the terrain did not allow it and the technology was not up to the task.
Moreover, the yield of sorghum is not low, and the stems can also be used to make sugar and feed livestock. It was originally one of the staple foods of the Han people, so there is no difficulty in promoting it.
With excitement, the group climbed up to the platform dozens of meters high, regardless of the mud under their feet.
More than ten acres of wasteland have been opened here. The sorghum in the field has grown to above the knees, but it is a little sparse. It seems that the germination rate is relatively low because of not being irrigated in time. However, there are not many weeds in the field ridges, and the farmers responsible for planting are not.
be lazy.
Liu Xiang guessed that he deliberately did not use artificial watering to see how much harvest he could get from rainwater alone.
He opened his mouth and asked: "What is Ziming's estimate of the output here?"
"Your Majesty, if there is no drought, it should be one to one and a half stones. If it is planted in mature fields, it should be about two stones." Fan Xian replied and explained: "This land is barren and lacks water. Even if you plant mulberry and hemp, it will be about two stones."
It’s also a bad place.”
Liu Xiang had cultivated the land before, and was not a noble person who could not touch the spring water with his index finger. He understood this, nodded, and asked Xun Yu who came with him to inspect: "Wen Ruo, what do you think? Maybe it can be generalized?"
Xun Yu pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and replied: "Your Majesty, farming should not be neglected. It will take several years of trial planting before it can be promoted."
This is indeed the truth. Liu Xiang knew that he was impatient: "If Wen Ruo said this, he would be wise to the country. When I saw such drought-resistant crops, I was distracted by them and couldn't think carefully."
"Your Majesty cares about the people, which is a blessing to the world." Xun Yu flattered him in order to encourage the emperor to conduct more benevolent policies.
Liu Xiang had heard too much flattery and was already numb. He waved his hand and said: "This area is too small to see the actual effect. Wen Ruo and Ziming have arranged for two military camps in Hedong and Henan to open up wasteland next year.
If you try to grow sorghum on the wasteland, if there is something wrong, you can detect it early."
If sorghum is really not suitable for large-scale cultivation, he can bear these losses.
"Your Majesty is wise." The two of them naturally understood this truth.
"Let's go back." He has already seen what he needs to see, and there is no point in reading more. Liu Xiang is not going to waste time anymore. There are still many things to deal with.
When he got off the platform, several kilograms of mud were stuck to the soles and uppers of his shoes. While holding the carriage to scrape the mud from the wheels, he said to Xun Yu: "Wen Ruo, I often hear that the emperor does not go to the countryside, and the roses in the countryside are just planners.
Assistants only assist in collecting taxes. The li chiefs and pavilion chiefs are just public security officials under Cao Cao, and they are not involved in civil affairs.
But since we raised the army, we have used militia to govern the countryside, and the military dispatch has already reached the bottom. Can we also delegate the power to govern the people? Is the imperial power not going to the countryside? I am not happy in my heart."
There are too many issues involved in this topic, such as clan autonomy; aristocratic families obstructing the government's governance; too few people are literate; the addition of officials leads to excessive salaries, which drags down central finances; and so on.
In short, there are mixed pros and cons.
Xun Yu felt that this issue involved too much and could not be explained clearly in a few words.
"Your Majesty, can you please allow me to think carefully before giving an answer?"
"This matter really needs to be thought about carefully." Liu Xiang also knew that it was not easy to let the central government's power go directly to the bottom. Apart from that, the cost of governance would inevitably increase, but he still wanted to do it, because if he didn't do it, this power would be lost.
If it is invaded by those big clans, powerful clans will take this opportunity to resurrect.
"I have already extended my hand into the village pavilion, and I will never retreat!"