Spring and Autumn Confucian Heroes

Chapter 406: The Beginning of Reform
"Snapped!"

The whip was thrown down violently, and the thin slave fell down in response, but even though the slave was covered with scars, he still didn't dare to howl.

"Don't be lazy!"

The ferocious slave owner held a whip and looked at the slave with unkind eyes. The whip was flying in the air, and the crisp sound was so harsh.

"Master, spare your life, master, spare your life, master, spare your life!"

The scarred slave, with a look of horror on his face, struggled to get up from the ground, and continued to stagger to work.

"A lowly slave who won't work hard without a good whip!"

Seeing the performance of the slave, the slave owner suddenly showed a smug expression on his face, then stroked the pet dog in his arms, and prepared to walk out of the courtyard with his head held high.

In the eyes of the slave owner, the humble slave in front of him was not even comparable to the pet dog in his arms.

In today's Kyushu mainland, many nobles still keep many slaves in captivity. These slaves are extremely humble, even inferior to pigs and dogs.

In the face of these slaves, the slave owners have the right to life and death, and do not have to bear any legal responsibility at all.

Slaves are not only cheap, but also hard-working, which has led to Kyushu for more than a thousand years, even if many people with lofty ideals advocated the abolition of slavery, it still failed to be fully realized.

Powerful nobles and slave owners are the biggest obstacles.

"boom!"

However, just as the slave owner turned around and was about to leave, the gate of the courtyard was suddenly violently kicked open, and five heavily armed soldiers were seen running towards the slave owner aggressively.

"Who are you, dare to trespass on private houses!"

After seeing the five soldiers in armor, the slave owner's face turned livid. Instead of showing the slightest fear, he yelled loudly at no one.

Although the status of a slave owner is not very respected, he is also a very powerful and powerful local, and he is not afraid of the people in the government.

"Order of the General: Any slave owner who owns a slave must free the slave within five days, and then go to the government to receive compensation."

"It's already the sixth day, and you still haven't released the slaves at home. You have violated the new law. We have the right to detain you!"

The leader of the corps took out a notice, swayed it in front of the slave owner a few times, and then waved his hand to let the two soldiers behind him come forward and arrest the slave owner.

"I have a reputation, how dare you arrest me!"

The slave owner immediately flew into a rage, struggling desperately, and shouting at the top of his mouth.

This person is not ignorant of the new law promulgated by the government, but the government has promulgated laws like this before, but they have been obstructed by many parties, and the new law always ends without a problem.

As the number of times increased, the prestige naturally became weaker and weaker due to changes in government orders. Therefore, when the new law to abolish slaves was promulgated again, the slave owners did not take it seriously at all.

Moreover, according to the laws of the Song Dynasty, the punishment cannot be punished by a doctor, and the courtesy cannot be inferior to a common man.

Although the slave owner is not a prominent person like a doctor, he also has a reputation, so naturally he is not afraid of the officers and soldiers in front of him.

Don't say that the slave owner didn't do something that violated the law. Even if he did, his reputation can offset part of the guilt, which makes him seem confident.

"Hmph, the general moved to Shangqiu to establish his faith. Everyone in Shangqiu knows that the general will do what he says, but you ignore the general's decree and dare to shout here!"

"Take this person away and detain him according to law!"

The corporal leader looked at the clamoring slave owner, snorted a few times and ignored him, and asked two soldiers to take him away.

It wasn't until this moment that the slave owner's face changed, and his body struggled violently, but he couldn't escape the soldier's detention no matter what.

The abolition of slavery was the first decree promulgated by General Huan Chang.

Ever since Huan Chang wiped out all the bandits in Song State as a rebellious general, he began to reform and strengthen the country.

Even with the support of Song Gong and the Song Dynasty's clan, Huan Chang still prepared for a whole year before promulgating the new law.

Before promulgating the new law, Song Gong also promoted Huan Chang's official position to general, in charge of all the soldiers and horses of Song State, and was one of the most powerful people in Song State.

Because the government has changed its decrees day and night, every time the government promulgates a new decree, the people will not take it to heart at all, thinking that this decree cannot last long, let alone abide by it carefully.

In order to restore the prestige of the government and establish personal prestige, Huan often erected a log at the gate of the city, telling the people that as long as someone can move the log 200 meters from the gate of the city, they can get a hundred taels of gold.

This kind of thing is very simple, adult men can easily do it, but no one stepped forward to move the wood, because no one believed in the government, let alone that they could earn a hundred taels of gold so easily.

Later, a 16-year-old emaciated boy, in order to raise money for his mother to see a doctor, moved the wood with the mentality of trying, and actually got a hundred taels of gold.

After this time, the image of Huan Chang's saying that he must do what he said has been imprinted in the hearts of everyone, and the prestige of the government has also been enhanced.

Therefore, when the slave owner remembered that this decree came from General Huan Chang, his face changed drastically.

"The two of you gathered all the slaves here, and then took them to the government to register."

The corporal glanced at the thin slave, with a look of pity in his eyes, and then gave instructions to the other two soldiers.

The emaciated slave who was grinding the mill, when he heard the corporal leader's words, an unbelievable light flashed in his eyes.

However, the corporal leader ignored the scarred slave and strode towards the door instead.

Because, today he still needs to do many of the same things.

At the same time, many similar things were happening inside and outside Shangqiu City. Many nobles, tyrants, and slave owners thought that the new law promulgated by the government was just for show.

Therefore, many people did not free their slaves within five days.

When the fully armed soldiers rushed into these people's houses, they suddenly woke up, but they still couldn't believe it.

During this process, some domineering nobles and powerful men did not pay attention to the soldiers at all, let alone being taken to the government by the soldiers.

Those who went too far even sent home guards to injure soldiers.

In this way, these people seemed to have stabbed a hornet's nest, and soon a group of heavily armed soldiers surrounded these noble mansions and arrested all relevant people.

If there are still resisters, kill them on the spot.

Within a day, the entire Shangqiu City set off huge waves, and many nobles and powerful men were caught off guard and taken to the government.

The common people watched the soldiers coming and going, escorting the nobles away, and they all felt like they were in a dream.

At this moment, the only thought left in everyone's mind is: the state of Song is about to change.

(End of this chapter)