Liu Xin thought to herself, I don't have the time to investigate a dandy. I didn't listen to my wife. If my wife hadn't pressed me hard, who would have taken care of your family affairs? He hesitated and said: "It's a long story.
It's all because my wife regards your daughter as a good sister and cares about her that she asked me to send someone to investigate."
At this time, Cai Yan also came back from the garden. Seeing his daughter's embarrassed appearance, Cai Yong asked in surprise: "Yan'er, what's wrong with you?"
Cai Yan first glanced at Liu Xin next to him, and then said hesitantly: "Dad, I accidentally fell in the garden. Fortunately, I didn't get hurt anywhere."
Cai Yong had already noticed that his daughter's expression was different. Liu Xin, who was beside him, was hesitant to speak. He believed in his judgment just now, but he couldn't make it happen on the spot. He had to say to Liu Xin: "My lord, please come back first."
, let me think carefully about what I just said."
He issued an order to expel guests, and Liu Xin was unable to stay here any longer, so she had to say goodbye sadly.
After Liu Xin left, Cai Yong asked his daughter again: "Yan'er, tell the truth to your father, what happened just now? Did you meet Mr. Liu?"
Cai Yan didn't expect that his father could even guess this, and his expression suddenly became panicked, and he said: "It's really nothing, it's just a fall. What does it have to do with Mr. Liu?"
Cai Yong sneered and said, "Humph, it doesn't matter. Do you know why Mr. Liu came to me just now?"
Cai Yan said strangely: "How can I know what business he has with you?"
Cai Yong's voice immediately rose an octave, and he shouted at Cai Yan: "Don't you know? He came to me because of your relationship, and he asked me to withdraw from the Wei family! Humph, there is no way!"
Cai Yan didn't expect that Liu Xin left in a hurry just to talk to his father about breaking off the engagement. He couldn't help but have mixed feelings. He also heard that Cai Yong said that he was not allowed to break off the engagement. He became anxious and cried: "Dad, my daughter really doesn't want to marry Wei Zhongdao."
."
Mrs. Cai heard the quarrel in the front hall from behind and rushed out. Knowing what Bian Yu had said, she naturally sided with Cai Yan and advised Cai Yong: "Master, calm down first. Ours
My daughter is still young, with her appearance like this, why should I worry about not getting married? If you don’t want to marry into the Wei family, then just marry her."
Cai Yong turned around and shouted at his wife: "You are used to it! Look at what she looks like now. She didn't know what she was doing in the garden with Liu Xin just now. Wait until something happens.
It's too late for you to regret it!" He was so angry that he even called out Liu Xin's name without caring about Cai Yan's feelings.
Cai Yan was so anxious that he stamped his feet: "Dad, what are you talking about? I just happened to meet Mr. Liu in the garden and said a few words."
When Cai Yong heard this, his suspicion was indeed confirmed. The two had met in the garden and became even more furious: "Say a few words? Will saying a few words make you look like this? So what if Liu Xin is a state pastor?"
, can you use force on my daughter?"
Cai Yan was embarrassed and anxious, and said with a cry: "Dad, I really fell down, and this has nothing to do with Mr. Liu at all. If you don't believe it, I will die for you if you don't believe it."
Mrs. Cai panicked, hugged her daughter quickly, and said to Cai Yong: "Master, aren't you ruining Yan'er's reputation by saying this? And I don't think Mr. Liu is that kind of person."
Cai Yong waved his hand to Cai Yan and said: "Okay, okay, let's stop talking. Go in and change your clothes quickly. You are not allowed to leave this courtyard in the future!"
Liu Xin's mission ended in failure, and Cai Yan was placed under house arrest from then on, and was even deprived of the right to go to the garden. However, Liu Xin quickly forgot about this incident, and only
Think of this as just an interlude in the hot summer, because he has so much to do.
Although Liu Xin's men have accumulated a group of civil and military talents, Liu Xin has introduced a lot of modern knowledge in terms of military construction and urban construction, and many systems have changed greatly from those of the Han Dynasty, making these men a little bit
At a loss what to do, Liu Xin needed to explain further to them. In fact, Liu Xin himself only had some general knowledge of this knowledge. He was not too clear about what to do specifically. As for whether he could adapt to this society, he didn't know.
The only way to deal with it is to cross the river by feeling the stones and explore slowly.
For example, in the institute, papermaking technology has made great progress, and Kong Wen also received an award from Liu Xin, which can be said to have gained both fame and fortune. However, although some other skilled craftsmen who were summoned to the institute were very jealous, they were all gearing up.
They also hope to make some innovative inventions and gain Liu Xin's appreciation, but they don't know where to start, so they need Liu Xin to point them in a direction.
Liu Xin's first thought was naturally to benefit the military. After repeated thinking, Liu Xin made some suggestions to the craftsmen.
The first thing is to try to improve the quality of iron iron. Liu Xin knows that iron iron is actually a kind of steel. At this time, the quality of steel is not satisfactory, and Liu Xin does not know how to make steel, but he still takes this as the first thing to mention.
He believed that with the ingenuity of the Han nation, satisfactory steel would one day be produced.
The second is the idea of making compound bows. Crossbows are the most powerful long-range weapons in this era and play a vital role in combat. Liu Xin once watched a short film introducing the manufacture of compound bows and vaguely remembers some of them.
The general content, but the specifics of how to make a bow with better range, higher accuracy, and greater power depends on the efforts of these craftsmen themselves.
The third one is relatively simple, that is stirrups. The cavalry at this time had not yet used stirrups. For Jingzhou soldiers who were mainly farmers, it took a lot of effort to train a qualified cavalry. With stirrups
, it can make the war horse easier to control. When the man and horse are integrated into one, the cavalry's hands can be freed. They can ride and shoot easily on the galloping horse, completing the military actions of slashing left and right. The training cycle of the cavalry
It will also be greatly shortened.
In addition to vigorously developing these military items, Liu Xin also made suggestions for the research of some civilian items. For example, with the successful mass production of Xiang paper, new stationery supplies such as paperweights can be born, and folding fans made of paper can also be produced.
It will definitely become a favorite item among literati. Liu Xin even began to imagine that in the future, Zhuge Liang would no longer hold a feather fan in his hand, but a folding fan, and the feather fan scarf would never appear again. As for when he was in Hejian, he asked a carpenter to make it
Older tables and chairs are more practical in humid southern areas like Jingzhou.
In order to increase the enthusiasm of soldiers for training, Liu Xin also introduced the concept of military ranks, dividing soldiers' ranks into six levels: private, upper class private, corporal, sergeant, staff sergeant, and sergeant major. The higher the rank, the more military pay you get.
In order to strengthen his control over the counties, Liu Xin also adopted Ma Yun's advice and further strengthened the management of household registration. In the past, many maids and slaves in large gentry families did not register their household registration. Now Liu Xin requires all maids and servants to get married.
Those who give birth, die, or buy and sell people must go to the local government in time to register changes. If they are overdue, they will be punished accordingly.
With so many things going on at the same time, the amount of money required was not a small amount. Even though there were more than 6 billion in property seized from the Yellow Turbans when Nanyang was recovered, Liu Xin still felt a little overwhelmed, so he started thinking about taxation.
Regarding taxes, Liu Xin discovered a very strange phenomenon. In fact, the taxes in the Han Dynasty were not very high. It used to be only 10% tax per 30%, but now it has increased to 15% tax per 100%. However, it is not even 10% per cent, but the people are still very poor.
, life is extremely difficult.
After much understanding, Liu Xin finally discovered the mystery. That is, a large amount of land was annexed by gentry landlords, and farmers were forced to depend on these gentry landlords. These gentry landlords also served in the government and the public and had absolute say. They formulated
The country's policy was low tax rates and high rents. Most of the farmers' harvests were handed over to the gentry landlords, leaving little for themselves. It was very difficult to support their families even in good years. Once there was a disaster, they had no choice but to sell their jobs.
Slave. This is also the main reason why Zhang Jiao can respond to hundreds of people everywhere.
Liu Xin carried out reforms decisively and imposed new rent and tax ratios. The maximum land rent allowed was only 45%, and the tax was 10%. The head tax and household tax were no longer levied. This policy greatly harmed the interests of the gentry landlords, and gradually
There were many voices of opposition. But Liu Xin was unmoved. He knew that now was the best time to implement the new policy in Jingzhou.
The gentry landlords in the four counties of Jingxiang, Nanyang, and Nanxiang under the control of Liu Xin have ceased to exist in name only, and the land is basically controlled by Liu Xin. The implementation of this policy is still beneficial to the majority of farmers, and there is almost no impact.
resistance.
In Xiangyang County, the past four major families, the Chen family, have been confiscated, and the land has fallen into the hands of Liu Xin. The Kuai and Cai families have already taken the initiative to join Liu Xin, so it is naturally inconvenient for them to come forward to oppose it. The Wang family is mainly engaged in business, and rents land.
The reduction has almost no impact on them. On the contrary, with more money in the hands of the people, their business will be better, so they support Liu Xin's reform. Other small families and small landowners all act based on the faces of these three families.
They don't dare to stir up any trouble.
The only one with resistance was Changsha County. There were two big families in Changsha, Su and Song, who controlled more than 80% of the county's land. They suffered the most losses. Surprisingly, these two families accepted the facts calmly and did not
Many small families came out to make trouble. However, many small families gathered to attack the county government. They were immediately brutally suppressed by Tian Feng and Xu Chu. They killed many people and ransacked many homes before putting an end to the turmoil.
Liu Xin knew that Cao Cao suppressed the gentry very severely during the Three Kingdoms period. Later, the Sima family took advantage of the gentry's resentment towards the Cao family and relied on the power of these gentry to usurp power. Liu Xin would not tolerate such a thing, so he treated the gentry
Liu Xin's attitude was more resolute than Cao Cao's. Regarding the nobles who dared to take the lead, Liu Xin's policy was not to suppress them, but to directly kill them!
Seeing that her policy was being implemented forcefully, Liu Xin finally breathed a sigh of relief, and then she was in the mood to sit down and listen to Jushou's report.
Jushou spent a lot of energy during this period to build the framework of the secret spy organization. After a period of pilot work, it has begun formal operation. He said to Liu Xin: "Lord, I gave this secret spy a
The name is Feng Ying. What do you think, my lord?"
Liu Xin was very curious and asked: "Why did you choose this name?"
Jushou said seriously: "The wind is tasteless and invisible, but it is pervasive, while the shadow is visible but intangible. It is in line with the characteristics of a secret spy, so it is named Fengying."
Liu Xin pondered and said: "It makes sense, but the name is not very loud. Whether it's wind or shadow, the meanings are similar. I think I need to change it."