I directed the Xuanwumen Incident

Chapter 274 There is no idle land in the world, and the farmers are still starving to death!Li Er's surprise

Li Shimin couldn't help but startled when he heard this.

"What...how do you say this?"

He couldn't help asking,

"With such a bountiful harvest, can we only drink porridge?"

The old farmer put down the sickle in his hand, drank several sips of water in a row, and just burped contentedly.

"Young student, at first glance, you are from Chang'an City, have you never been to the ground?"

He asked rhetorically.

Li Shimin touched his nose in embarrassment and nodded.

From the moment he was born, he was the noble son of the country, and indeed he had never worked in the land.

"Although this year is a good year, but the harvest has come up, and the rent to be paid will be even more. How can the landlord let you take advantage of the common people?"

The old farmer said hesitantly,
"Then, we need to prepare a batch of grain and reserve a batch of taxes to pay to the state."

"If these three things are cut off, how many mouthfuls can the old man eat?"

"It would be nice to mix it with thick porridge every day!"

Li Shimin: "..."

Ministers: "..."

Obviously, such an answer did not make them happy.

"Old man, you said this land is not yours? It is rented?"

Changsun Wuji couldn't help asking,
"After the founding of the Tang Dynasty, didn't the land be divided? Why didn't your family get it?"

This is the most benevolent place under the feet of the emperor!
Is there anyone who dares to take it by force?

"Hey... At that time, it was allotted, but the next few years were disaster years, and the harvest could not even take care of food and clothing. At that time, the poll tax was heavy, and the children in the family had to eat..."

The old farmer sighed,
"There is nothing to eat, so we can only sell the land to the landlord, so we can only rent the land as tenants."

"Fortunately, after those years, the dolls have grown up and can help with work, so we won't starve to death."

Li Shimin frowned and remained silent.

"Throughout the dynasties, large-scale annexation of land has left the common people with no land to grow, and they have to pay heavy poll taxes for landlords as tenants. This is one of the main reasons leading to the subjugation of the country."

Xu Fenglei said in a deep voice,

"There is a poem that says:"

"Plant one grain of millet in spring, and harvest ten thousand seeds in autumn. There is no idle field in the world..."

"The farmer is still starving to death."

Everyone in the entourage had a serious look on their faces.

"There is no idle land in the world, and the farmers are still starving to death! Thinking about it...it really makes people feel chills down the spine."

Du Ruhui couldn't help but sigh with emotion,
"If there is such a day, it is reasonable for the dynasty to overthrow."

"His Majesty."

He turned his gaze to Li Shimin and said earnestly:
"The people's livelihood is so difficult, please lower your majesty's taxes so that the people's lives can be more stable."

Li Shimin pondered for a moment.

"No."

Hubu Shangshu Pei Ju shook his head and said,
"The national treasury is already empty, and we are all counting on a good harvest this year, so that the taxes can be collected so that the military pay can be settled, and salaries can be paid to the officials and lords."

"If taxes are reduced or exempted, where should the money be found?"

"Although the people are hard, the country is not easy!"

As soon as these words came out, Du Ruhui also closed his mouth, closed his eyes and sighed.

In the final analysis, Datang's foundation is too weak. Once the tax is reduced or exempted, the finances will be in urgent need!
There is no cure.

While struggling, a shout suddenly came from a distance:
"Put the meal away! Uncles and brothers, take a rest, let's eat first!"

I saw a few women walking towards here with baskets in their hands.

Hearing the word "eat", the men stopped holding the sickles in their hands, wiped the sweat from their foreheads, swallowed, and smiled.

After working hard all morning, they were already hungry.

"Here, drink some water first."

"Come on, here's steamed buns, my sister-in-law and the others just steamed them."

"Wow! Brother, this is all the wheat you cut? You are stronger than animals!"

"..."

The women brought water and steamed buns to their relatives at home, and there was a lot of laughter and joy for a while.

In rural areas, saying that a man is "tougher than an animal" is undoubtedly the greatest compliment.

"Da, are you exhausted? Here, mother said to bring you some more today."

A dark-skinned but handsome woman walked through the wheat field, brought the basket to the old farmer, and wiped his sweat carefully.

"Hey, I'm not tired, I still think there's not enough wheat."

When the old farmer saw his daughter coming to deliver the meal, his eyes were already narrowed, and he said with a smile,
"Baby, have you eaten yet?"

The girl shook her head.

The old farmer took out a piece of yellowed and whitish steamed bun from the basket, and handed it to his daughter.

"Come, eat, eat..."

A face of kindness.

"That's okay! This is the steamed bun my mother gave you to Ada!" The girl was shocked, and hurriedly pushed away, "If you don't want to eat, I'll go back after drinking saliva. There is food left at home..."

Hearing this, the old farmer grabbed her hand and forced the bun into her hand.

"The ones at home...how can this bun be so strong and hungry!"

he urged,

"Eat, eat! Look at how thin you are..."

"This year's harvest is bumper, and Ada has to find a good family for you... It's not good for this girl to be skinny, no husband's family wants it!"

"Eat... good girl."

When the girl heard this, her eyes became a little brighter.

click.

Holding the steamed bun in both hands, she took a bite and chewed without saying a word.

This thing is really not delicious, but for farmers, it is already the best food, because it is hungry.

Seeing his daughter chewing, the old farmer opened the basket and counted—four more.

He looked at Li Shimin and the others, hesitated for a while, but finally didn't speak, squatted on the ground and started chewing.

"Father, father! The child is hungry!"

Li Lizhi stepped forward and hugged Li Shimin's thigh, shouting,

"Next meal, next meal, I want next meal!"

Xu Fenglei frowned.

"Girl, you don't have any missing teeth now, why are you still talking?"

he rebuked,
"This problem has to be corrected, or you will be laughed at by others in the future! Do you know?"

Li Lizhi wrinkled her nose.

"It's so cute..."

she muttered,

"It's Master, the child knows."

"Hahaha..." Li Shimin patted her on the head and said with a smile, "It's noon, it's time to eat. Let's go and don't disturb them. Let's go across the river to eat."

After finishing speaking, he led the crowd back to the small bridge and to the other side.

The accompanying imperial cook had already set up the grill, put a few freshly slaughtered lambs on it, lit it, brushed it with oil, and turned it gently.

In addition, all kinds of gourmet pastries are also neatly arranged on the dining table, like a buffet, for everyone to enjoy.

crackle crackle crackle!

The light yellow suet dripped and poured on the firewood pile, making a sound.

And that smell of mutton has been blown to the other side by the wind.

The old farmer looked at the steamed bun in his hand, and then at the luxurious picnic on the other side, and suddenly felt that the steamed bun was not fragrant...

(End of this chapter)