The New Year passed, and after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, everyone began to get busy again. Things that had piled up during the New Year were quickly dealt with, and the government resumed operations.
Presidential Palace, in the conference room.
Li Zhen and the major government leaders gathered together to discuss the five-year plan.
Years ago, Li Zhen proposed a five-year plan, placing the country's economic development as the top priority of the five-year plan. With nearly a month of preparation, Li Zhen believed that all departments were fully prepared, but he did not know that one day Shocked, Li Zhen carefully read the plans submitted by each department and could only shake his head, because each plan was not enough to support several years of planning.
Especially when it comes to plans for industry and transportation, people in various government departments have no concept and no detailed understanding of industry and transportation. As a result, the plans submitted are empty and not convincing at all.
Li Zhen felt helpless about this situation.
Li Zhen threw all the plans aside and said helplessly: "I have read all the plans, and every plan lacks a lot and is difficult to meet the standards. In this case, we will make the five-year plan bit by bit. Let’s analyze the four major factors of population, agriculture, industry, and transportation one by one. Now, let’s take population as a breakthrough point and discuss it first.”
After a pause, Li Zhen continued: "I have mentioned before that we should count the entire population in the country, but the specific notice was passed on, and the detailed data was not reported at the same time. The people above did not know who was below. What is the situation? It is said that slavery is to be abolished, but is it really abolished? I'm afraid not. These people have violated the law and have not been punished. They must be dealt with seriously. Killing chickens to scare monkeys is always the best way. If you kill a group of people, things will be better. It’s easy to handle.”
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the conference room changed their colors.
Li Zhen's words already showed his determination.
Li Zhen personally stated that the census was definitely not a joke, he had really made up his mind. In the past, Li Zhen had been busy with war matters and had no time to take care of the country's affairs, but now he puts aside other things. If you go all out to deal with national development matters, countless people will surely suffer.
The atmosphere in the conference room became depressing.
No matter it was Zeng Guofan, Shi Dakai, Zuo Zongtang or even the others, they all fell silent.
Li Zhen was completely unaware and continued: "Only through a clear national population survey can we ensure the distribution of land and the development of agriculture. This is a systemic problem that affects the whole body. Moreover, the population survey has important effects on the whole country." It has benefits for generations to come. No matter what difficulties there are in going there, you must do it and do it well.”
Zeng Guofan took a deep breath and said, "President, I was wrong."
"Oh, what's going on?" Li Zhen asked.
Zeng Guofan looked ashamed and said: "I betrayed the president's trust and failed to carry out the census. As far as my Zeng family is concerned, the Zeng family is a big family that has raised countless slaves and captured There are countless lands where even I myself have been dishonest and asked the president to punish me and to monitor the people's affairs. I have made mistakes myself and it is difficult for me to serve as an official and enforce the law."
Li Zhen frowned and said, "You can correct your mistakes if you recognize them. I believe Brother Bohan."
"President, I am guilty."
Zeng Guofan lowered his head, looking very ashamed.
Li Zhen stared at Zeng Guofan and said in a serious tone: "Brother Bohan, surveying the population can clarify the situation of the country and ensure the orderly development of the country. To put it more broadly, this is a matter of peace for all generations. I hope to get Bohan Brother’s full support, and I also hope that Brother Bohan will not let me bear the responsibility alone at the critical moment. We are together, a team, and we will shoulder the blame together. You are guilty. It is my fault in leadership and it is also my fault. "
"President, I..."
After Zeng Guofan heard this, he was deeply moved.
A scholar dies for a confidant.
Li Zhen valued him so much, which made Zeng Guofan feel less loyal to his family.
yes.
Speaking more broadly, the census is a major event to bring peace to all generations, and one cannot worry about personal affairs. Before that, Zeng Guofan was indeed grateful to Li Zhen for his kindness and was willing to die for Li Zhen, but when it came to the interests of the family, he had The stubborn thought always puts the interests of the family first. Because of this, the census and the emancipation of slaves were just a formality and were not implemented.
Now Li Zhen's words made Zeng Guofan figure it out.
nation.
The reason why it is a country is that there is a country first and then a home.
It is not about having a home first and then a country.
Li Zhen was angry at Zeng Guofan's previous inaction, but he knew that anger would not help, and removing Zeng Guofan would not help. It would only make things worse. The only way was to resolve Zeng Guofan's knot and let Zeng Guofan stand on his side. He must do things Relying on a team, he cannot work alone. Only by having comrades who can support him can he continue on.
Therefore, Li Zhen did not criticize Zeng Guofan harshly.
Now it seems that this effect is undoubtedly good.
Li Zhen looked serious and said: "Let bygones be bygones for the Zeng family, and let bygones be bygones for those who have not abolished slavery in the country. From now on, we will issue an announcement immediately, ordering all landlords to release all slaves within a month and take back all the land in the country." The land is owned by the state and then distributed to the people. For landlords or families who own a large amount of land, after the state recovers the land, it will give certain compensation to compensate for their losses. "
Zuo Zongtang, Shi Dakai and others were relieved at first, but they were immediately worried again.
Zeng Guofan has his own family, and why don't they? Everyone has a family behind them, and they all control a large amount of land. Li Zhen is undoubtedly the best choice to let things go.
But what Li Zhen said later made them frightened.
Taking all land under national ownership is a major event, an unprecedented event. Doing so will touch the interests of countless people and breed countless people to resist.
Zeng Guofan was mature and prudent. After careful consideration, he said: "President, if the population census and land confiscation are carried out at the same time, I am afraid it will trigger unrest. I suggest boiling the frog in warm water and proceeding step by step. First, count the population and then confiscate the land."
Li Zhen did not refuse, nodded and said: "That's the truth, we have to do it step by step. We have five years. We can complete the population census in one to two years, and then use the remaining time to take back the land and complete the land. Once again, we will distribute the land, so that every common person can have their own land, and let the common people rely on land to survive this transition period. As time goes by, I believe that the development of the country will get better and better, and the rural people will also rely on land. It will gradually weaken.”
These words were spoken by Li Zhen based on the circumstances of later generations.
In fact, with the development of cities and towns and the vigorous development of industrialization, countless people will flow into cities. At that time, a large amount of rural land will be deserted, and rural people's reliance on land will decrease.
Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang and others were skeptical and did not believe it very much.
For thousands of years in China, there has never been a situation where people did not rely on the land to live.