A Millennium Aristocratic Family Starting from the Shang Dynasty

Chapter 100 Sun Shuao (2)

The establishment of Yong'an Canal has brought abundant food in Huai Country.Sun Shuao also often goes to various farmland irrigation areas to check the effect of irrigation canals.

Sun Shu'ao drove around a ditch and walked back for half an hour. There were thousands of acres of good fields on both sides of the irrigation ditch, which looked very gratifying. After walking along the ditch for several miles, Sun Shu'ao suddenly asked the driver to stop.

Sun Shuao got out of the car and looked at the surrounding fields. Compared with the ones he had seen before, the growth of the fields here was much worse, and it seemed that they hadn't been irrigated for a while.

"My lord, is there something wrong here?" the attendant asked.

Sun Shuao said with a bad face: "Of course something is wrong. At this time when the seedlings are in need of water, there is plenty of water in the canal. Why is there no water here?"

The attendant said, "Do you want to ask, Your Majesty?"

Sun Shuao shook his head: "No need, there are people in the fields over there, just go and ask and it will be clear!"

A few people continued along the canal, and soon saw a few strong men patrolling the canal.

"What are you doing?" The strong man shouted vigilantly when he saw Kong Wu, the guard beside Sun Shuao, with a sharp sword on his waist, and the patrolling people rushed over.

A guard said sullenly, "Bold!"

These guards are all Habayashi guards who were killed from the mountain of corpses and the sea of ​​blood. They were specially sent by Wang Yong to protect Sun Shuao. They are just a few strong men, how can they bear the murderous spirit of these warriors?The few strong men only felt a fear rising from their hearts, and suddenly became a little submissive, without the arrogance just now.

Sun Shuao waved his hand, and said: "You guys don't need to be afraid, I just want to ask you some questions, please come forward and explain!"

Those people were a little scared and wanted to run away, but the guards next to them stared at the bull's-eye, making them dare not run away at all. After hesitating for a moment, they still came forward: "Is there anything you want to ask?"

"Let me ask you, it's time for the seedlings to be irrigated, why is the canal blocked?" Sun Shu'ao asked.

The man looked at the crowd, as if he had some scruples.

"Whatever you look at, if you let me tell you, just say it!" The guard next to him glared at him.The man didn't dare to hide anymore.Said quickly.

"This is the Zhang family's land in the east of the city. Only after the Zhang family has finished irrigating will it be the others' turn."

"Then I saw that Zhang's family has finished irrigating, why haven't those farmlands been irrigated yet?"

"That."

"Say!" Sun Shu'ao's voice was not high, but he was not angry and pretentious, which made people feel afraid.

"Yes, the Zhang family has taken a fancy to their land and wants to buy it." The man didn't dare to hide it, so he said hastily.

"Take them, go to the Zhang Family, bring the Patriarch of the Zhang Family here, and notify the people to divert water separately. If anyone dares to stop you, go directly to the city to report to the officials. If the officials don't care, then come to my official, my official country minister Sun Shuao Call the shots for them!"

"Here!" Several guards immediately grabbed those men and went to Zhang's house, while the other two guards went from house to house to call out the people, gathered in the open space in the village, and told them what happened.

Soon the carriage came from a distance, and several guards escorted the head of the Zhang family over.

"Are you the head of the Zhang family?" Sun Shuao looked at the obese middle-aged man in front of him and asked.

"It's me, who are you, you dare to arrest me, let me go quickly if you are sensible, or watch out for your head!" Zhang Yuan said arrogantly.

"Hahaha!" Sun Shuao laughed and said, "If you want my head, then let's see what you can do!"

"Come on!"

"exist!"

"Zhang Yuan cut off the ditches, seized the water sources, and robbed the people's fields. He was charged with fifty sticks, and then he was sent to prison for trial!" Sun Shu'ao ordered.

The two attendants immediately pinned Zhang Yuan to the ground and were about to start a fight.Seeing that they were actually coming for real, Zhang Yuan immediately shouted: "My elder brother is Doctor Zhang Shu, you can't beat me."

"Zhang Shu, right, my official Sun Shuao!"

Hearing this, Zhang Yuanshun, who was still yelling at first, was stunned in fright, and soon there was nothing left but howling under the cane punishment.

In front of the common people, Sun Shuao beat Zhang Yuan severely, and then took him back to the city, and ordered his attendants to collect news about other great clans.

Early the next morning, Sun Shuao, who had stayed up all night, went in to meet Wang Yong.

"Sun Shuqing came here in such a hurry, can we have breakfast? Come, give Xiangguo a portion." Wang Yong said with a smile.

After Sun Shuao expressed his gratitude to Wang Yong, he cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, when I searched among the people, I found that the land in the middle of the country was seriously annexed. The big households oppressed the small households and forced them to sell their land in order to expand. If you don't Restrictions, when the time comes, the rich will have fields and fields, and the poor will have no place to stand."

"And in the end, those landless people had to become slaves of big families, nobles and nobles!"

Wang Yong's face was solemn, he knew very well what the foundation of the country was.

"Can Xiangguo have a solution?" Wang Yong asked.

Sun Shu'ao said: "I don't have a one-time solution, only a temporary solution!"

"It's okay to speak bluntly!" Wang Yong said.

"Your Majesty, please issue an order to move the property of the nobles and nobles to five miles outside the city. No nobles and nobles are allowed to buy land within five miles from the city!"

"Why?" Wang Yong was a little surprised.

"Your Majesty, most of the lands of nobles and nobles are close to cities and ditches. The irrigation of rivers and canals must be done first with their lands, and then other people. If the nobles and nobles are left here, the common people will definitely find it difficult to irrigate. Therefore, it is necessary to Move these people farther afield."

"In addition, please issue an order that each household can own a maximum of one thousand mu of land. If it exceeds one thousand mu, the tax will be increased by [-]%!"

"Xiangguo, even if this decree is issued, it will have little effect on those nobles and nobles. They can completely distribute the property of their family to everyone and divide them into households, but in fact they are still in the hands of their clan!" Wang Yong shook his head and said.

"It's true, Your Majesty, but people's hearts will change." Sun Shu'ao said: "In the beginning, this method is naturally feasible, but if it goes on for a long time, or if the person who holds the property dies, who will the property belong to? Is it his son or the family?"

"According to Huai law, this land belongs to his heirs naturally, but will the original clan agree? There will definitely be troubles at that time. As long as the government is divided according to the household registration, the land will naturally belong to the household registration holder. Your Majesty thinks that these noble clans What will happen next?"

"The big households will become small households, and the power of the royal family will be weakened."

"These big households were split into small households, and their power was dispersed. Naturally, they could no longer bully the small households."

"Xiangguo's strategy is really wonderful!" After listening to the narration, Wang Yong immediately understood that this strategy is completely testing human nature, but human nature is the most untestable thing!
"Then act according to the policy of the Prime Minister!" Wang Yong agreed with Sun Shuao's suggestion, and then issued an edict.

Sun Shuao, Prime Minister of Huai State in the Spring and Autumn Period, famous statesman, military strategist, water conservancy engineer, economist, known as Sun Shuzi, Yong'an Lord or Yong'an Gong in history, because of the construction of Yong'an Canal, he assisted Huaicheng Duke to dominate, and was also called Guan Zhong The first phase of Spring and Autumn.Later generations called it "Huaixiang has a long career, and Yong'an has rich families. His achievements are the same as Dayu's, and his great achievements are the best in China." —— "Cambridge History of China Spring and Autumn Chapter Sun Shuao"

(End of this chapter)