A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 925 What the people want

"What the people want is life. What the king fears is chaos. Without life there will be chaos, but benevolence will bring peace. Don't accumulate resentment, and don't let evil go unchecked."

Dongning City was built very quickly.

Wu Huaiyu sat in Wang Da's governor's office and drank tea with him.

"We need to be kinder to these tribes who have surrendered,"

Now that they have surrendered and behaved sincerely, they naturally have to give some positive feedback.

"Actually, we are kind enough to them. If nothing else, we give them thirty official student quotas for each tribe. What a benefit it is," Wang Da said. In the mainland of the Central Plains, although official students are the children of common people, You can be selected, but there are only twenty or thirty places in one county, so it is not easy to get into it.

But here, Wu Huaiyu only has thirty places for one clan, and he can study both classics and medicine.

"We need to take a long-term view. These island barbarians can't even speak to us now. Now they are afraid of relying on the power of the First World War, but they can't rule like this for a long time. We are now selecting some tribal teenagers to study, that is, they should be educated since childhood. Cultivate them and change them, not only to allow them to communicate with us, but also to allow them to accept our ideas,"

This is actually socialism and assimilation education, which is indispensable for land reclamation. Otherwise, different cultures will always separate the two ethnic groups and make it difficult to integrate.

"I'm also thinking of a way for you,"

Wanda had a sad face. His father separatized the six states of Xuanhang and called himself the King of Wu. He also divided the country for ten years and protected the country and the people. He was indeed deeply loved by the local people. But after all, that was back then. After returning to the Tang Dynasty, his father Soon after he entered the court, his father's brothers, even those of his generation, either went to Beijing or were sent to other places. The court had already transferred the Wang family from Jiangdong, so how could they continue to grow in power there.

"How is the construction of shops in various villages going?"

"What are you afraid of? I'm not asking you to recruit troops to rebel. You're just recruiting people to cultivate wasteland and farmland."

Huaiyu chuckled and said, "You are the governor of Liuzhou. You can't just sit back and wait. You have to take action. Your Wang family wants to recruit tens of thousands of people to promote Hangzhou in Jiangdong."

There are more than 15,000 island barbarian captives working here, and more than 8,000 island barbarians have surrendered.

Selecting these young people for education is to cultivate a group of people who can communicate and cooperate.

The people of the tribe thought that this was the proton that the Tang people wanted. Of course it was correct to think so, but it was only superficial, and it was much deeper than this.

"Well, we will send people to each village to build shops and sell goods. We can hire the village chief's children as assistants to help sell and receive goods. This shop needs to prepare some medicine," Wu Huaiyu said about some of his plans. This barbarian The shops in the village are not just for selling and collecting things;

There will also be other functions, such as collecting information in the village and monitoring the movements of the barbarians. Another example is that the store has to serve as a village primary school teacher to teach the village children Chinese and Chinese characters. There is even a barefoot doctor who can treat simple headaches, brain fever, trauma, etc. among the villagers.

"Wu Gong, Liuzhou has finally established a firm foothold and opened up the situation. But now that spring plowing has begun, I think there are still many problems. The biggest problem is that we have too few people here, especially the Han people in the Central Plains."

"It's already started,"

There is a big difference between Han and Yi.

The Wu family's twenty commercial villages this year will send at least a thousand villagers, although most of them may be hired.

"This is not enough. I think it needs at least ten thousand." Wanda said.

The Tang people had to outnumber the Yi people in order to be stable.

"Well, it needs to be formalized, but don't be impatient. Take it step by step. These village officials will also give some benefits,"

Liuzhou now has one state and two counties. Not to mention the county in Penghu Islands, just here. Not to mention the soldiers brought by Wu Huaiyu, these will soon leave.

"The Shou Cap Camp will visit each village regularly, but they must not disturb the people."

Wang Da is relatively supportive of Wu Huaiyu's plans, and even admires how he can use something as simple as a government school or a village shop to do such a profound thing.

In addition to the other Han people, there are now more than 3,000 Han people in Anping County. Many of them are hired craftsmen who were recruited to work here.

"Those tribes are still intimidated now. They are quite honest. We have divided the villages into townships and awarded the heads of the tribes the township elders, village chiefs, village chiefs and other township positions. Each village takes turns to be responsible for the affairs of the township, and needs to take turns. Go to the county government office to serve as an errand and coordinate with the township's taxation, household registration and other matters."

Not to mention development.

If this small village shop is run well, it will be of great help to Liuzhou Yamen in controlling these Yi people, and it can even bring the Han people closer to Yi people. After all, no matter where they go, gentlemen and doctors are the most popular people. Respected people.

"Mr. Wu, you also know that local officials are the most concerned about the household registration population. Everyone is very strict about the population. The people cannot leave the county without passing through the roads, and they will not easily agree to the people's migration."

Population is an important aspect of political performance, and naturally it is also an important local resource.

"Since Zhenguan, the imperial court has issued many clear new rules for household registration management and for people to be employed. If you are the governor of Liuzhou, or if a trading company wants to go to the frontier to set up trading villages and recruit workers, you only need to issue formal official documents. The local government cannot stop it."

"That's true, but in the eyes of the local officials, this is still robbing people. If they don't stop them openly, they will stop them secretly."

"Think of a solution. There are always more solutions than difficulties."

"Teach me, Prime Minister Wu!"

Wu Huaiyu picked up the teacup and took a sip, "Multi-pronged approach, for example, there will be people in various places who give local officials a headache,"

Wanda looked at him,

"for example?"

"For example, some people who are idle and committing crimes, such as some gangsters, or even thieves,"

The household registration population is indeed an important item in the performance of local officials, but of course local security is also an important one. If there are too many local lawsuits, prison cases, etc., it will actually affect the officials' performance.

"Or some are particularly poor. These people can't even pay the two taxes after the burden reduction, and it is also a burden to them."

"But these people," Wanda hesitated a little, he didn't want such people.

"What are you afraid of? No matter if he is a gangster, a thief, a robber, a murderer, or a poor or disabled person, as long as he is alive, we can recruit him. What is lacking here is people. It doesn't matter who he is.

When they come, we will allocate fields to them and provide them with interest-free loans. They can always support themselves. We can not consider collecting taxes from them for five or even ten years. But when they come, they can cultivate wasteland and grow food. Work and construction, these are all contributions to us,

We can even give those who behave well by giving them Yi girls as wives."

Population is what is most in short supply right now, so if the population is attracted, it will be wealth, and it will not be lost no matter what.

"I have already submitted a memorial to the imperial court. From now on, our Liuzhou will also be used as the imperial court's place of exile. I ask the imperial court to give priority to exiled prisoners to us."

Wanda couldn't help but admire Wu Huaiyu's operation. He was really brave and dared to hug him regardless of anything. But think about it, is there anything else to choose from in Liuzhou now?

"I also requested the imperial court to move some of the Turks, Mohe, Xi, and Khitan people from the north, as well as the Zahu and Dangxiang people from the northwest, and the barbarians from the west of Lingnan,"

"How about bringing so many barbarians?"

"It's a bit complicated anyway, so don't worry,"

After drinking tea, Wu Huaiyu asked Wang Da to write a letter to his hometown, and asked his family to help recruit workers to Liuzhou. He even directly sent his children to enclose land and farmland, and also mobilized members of his Wang family who were officials in various places. Relatives, try to recruit some people here.

Wu Huaiyu was not idle either. He wrote to Cheng Yaojin in Youzhou, Fan Xing in Liangzhou, Tang Jian in Chengdu, Qin Qiong in Qizhou and other acquaintances, asking them to help get people.

······

Youzhou,

In the dark prison, Governor Shi Lu Guogong Cheng Yaojin suddenly came to inspect the prison with a group of officials.

A group of prisoners were taken out of the prison,

"Mr. Cheng, we have brought here the prisoners in the prison and the prisoners in the prison in the city."

A group of prisoners were very uneasy when they saw the purple-robed Lord Lu.

Cheng Yaojin's Youzhou's reputation is still very strong.

After Wu Huaiyu left, he took over the charge of Youzhou. Although he was a long history officer, he could actually preside over the affairs of the governor's office.

"Bring up the steamed cakes and give each person two steamed cakes and a bowl of meat porridge."

Cheng Yaojin waved his hand,

Immediately, some tooth soldiers came to bring baskets of hot steamed cakes fresh from the oven, as well as buckets of millet porridge with pork.

In February,

It's still very cold in Youzhou. The prisoners stood in the open space and shivered. But when they saw the tempting food smell, they couldn't help but sniff.

It smells so good.

Some of these prisoners have serious crimes and may even be executed later in the year, while others are not serious and have been sentenced to prison terms and need to be locked up in Tufang, where they are taken to build roads and cities every day.

"Bring all the female prisoners here too,"

There are relatively few female prisoners, but they also bring a lot. Female prisoners usually work in government-run workshops such as textiles and undergo labor reform.

"Eat first,"

Cheng Yaojin waved his hand and said nothing in a hurry.

All the prisoners were uneasy, but holding two steamed cakes and a bowl of meat porridge, they finally couldn't help but eat and drink first. Whether they are death row prisoners or prisoners, since they are criminals, they will not receive any good treatment.

It would be nice to have two steamed buns a day, but they are often cold.

Being able to eat such hot and fragrant steamed cakes and meat porridge on this cold day makes me want to cry.

After a while, I finished two steamed cakes and a bowl of meat porridge, and I still had more to eat.

"Do you want to leave the prison and apprenticeship, and do you want to be able to eat steamed cakes and meat porridge in the future?"

“You people have all committed crimes and done bad things. Some of you were sentenced to death and executed in the autumn. Some were sentenced to exile and will be exiled to the frontier. Some were sentenced to prison terms and reform through hard labor.

This is the price of doing something wrong, and it’s not an easy price to pay,"

"Now, there is an opportunity before you,"

"The Crown Prince and Taibao Jin Guogong Wu Gong requested an imperial edict from the saint to give you a chance to change your ways and a chance to start over. As long as you are willing, you can leave the prison and apprenticeship, and you do not need to be sent to prison again,"

The prisoners' eyes widened one by one, and many of them's lips trembled.

Of course they knew that Duke Wu Huaiyu of Jin State had served as the governor of Youzhou before, and I heard that he was now serving as an observer and strategic envoy to Lingnan.

"Going to Liuzhou is not about being exiled or being sent to labor, nor is it about doing hard labor, but it is about starting over from scratch in your life.

As long as you are willing, the Wuxiang Guild will send someone to pick you up. When you get there, each of you will be granted a hundred acres of land, and it will be permanent land. If you take your family with you, you will be granted another hundred acres of land, and it will also be permanent land. Industry. "

"When you get there, there will be settling-in fees and interest-free loans to help you settle down, clear up wasteland, and farm. And after you settle there, you will be exempted from paying two taxes for the first five years and half of it for the next five years."

One attractive offer after another.

No matter what crime you commit now, as long as you go to Liuzhou, you will be exempted from punishment. When you settle down, you will receive land allocation, various assistance, and even tax exemption.

"If you don't have a wife or husband, when you get there, Liuzhou will provide you with an official matchmaker, and even give you a sum of money for your wedding..."

incredible.

Especially for many death row prisoners, the original verdict has to wait for review by the Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple and others. Once approved, they can only wait until autumn for execution.

Suddenly a ray of sunlight shines into the dim life,

A chance to start over,

That opportunity is in Liuzhou.

Many people don't know where Liuzhou is. They only know that it was arranged by Wu Huaiyu.

do not care,

There is hope in Liuzhou, and that is enough.

"I go!"

A man with a messy beard shouted loudly. He was a very fierce-looking man and was a horse thief. He was guilty of various crimes such as horse theft, smuggling, and murder. He was to be executed in the future.

The bearded man doesn't want to die,

"I'm going to Liuzhou,"

After he finished speaking, many prisoners also shouted,

"I would like to go to Liuzhou!"

(End of this chapter)