She is different from the empress in the history books

Chapter 21
Except for Zhou Keping, everyone was familiar with them. They were busy on the way, and they often sat and ate together. When Pei Peng moved his chopsticks, the others followed naturally.

Zhou Keping was a little restrained, but after a few glasses of wine, he felt relaxed and took the initiative to stir up the topic:

"Why did Your Highness go out today?"

"It doesn't really have any purpose. I just want to live here for a long time in the future, so I need to know more about the people's customs."

Pei Peng also has something to ask:
"Going around today, I found that some people who have had a hard life, and the farmers' households don't have enough food to eat, have to come to the city to do hard work. I don't know if it's because of the disaster, or something else?"

Zhou Keping made a ashamed look at the right time:
"It's the lack of ability of the lower officials. Chengyang County has not had any major disasters in recent years, but Taizhou is prone to drought and cold. There are few types of food that can be grown. If they are planted, the harvest will be poor."

Xu Shu is curious:

"I see that the land here in Taizhou is vast and sparsely populated. Can't we allocate more land to them? If there is more land, there will be more food that can be grown."

Xu Zhao explained to his cousin:
"Although there is a lot of land, not all of it can be used as farmland. It takes a lot of effort to raise a well-cultivated land. Farmers can't cultivate the original land intensively, let alone reclaim other land."

Thanks to the crazy tutoring in the past month, Xu Zhao, who has never been exposed to farming, can talk about it.

Zhou Keping agreed:
"That's the reason. There is a lot of wasteland in Chengyang County, but it is barren and has many rocks, so it is difficult to cultivate. Even if it is cultivated, the fertility in the past few years cannot keep up, and the output is too little. Many people feel that the gain is not worth the loss."

Xu Shu sighed:

"But in the long run, it is more beneficial to open up more wasteland. In the first few years, the harvest will be small and laborious, but in a few years we will have stable output."

Zhou Keping put it succinctly:

"His Royal Highness is right, and the officials are also trying to change the views of the people."

Cheng Fei couldn't help but say:

"I can't get enough to eat now, how can I have the ability to think about the future?"

Xu Zhao tried to find fault:

"Hmph, what's the difference between what you say and fishing at the end of the river? Because if you don't have enough to eat now, you have to muddle through, so that you won't have enough to eat in the future? The people are ignorant and don't understand these principles, so the county government needs to issue a decree. The law supervised their pioneering."

Cheng Fei felt that Xu Zhao’s intentions were good, although his approach was too one-size-fits-all, so he calmly explained to him:
"What you want to do from the bottom of your heart is not the same as what you are forced to do. What's more, it is difficult for them to eat enough now, and you force them to work more to open up wasteland. Even if the intention is good, but they If we die of hunger and exhaustion before the land is cleared, then this is bad governance.”

Xu Zhao was dismissed, but he felt that what Cheng Fei said was also reasonable, and he cursed in his heart that this fool turned out to be smart for a while.

"You're right, but what should we do?"

Cheng Fei spread his hands:
"I can only talk on paper, how to do it specifically, Yang Luo, what do you say."

Yang Luo was a little absent-minded. He was caught off guard and was dragged into the battle, and he was stunned for a moment.

Fortunately, he also listened to their discussion and answered while thinking:

"Using government decrees and laws to form constraints is conducive to promoting the long-term development of land reclamation, and can ensure the ownership of the land to a greater extent. But at present, it can still be lured. Farmers feel that land reclamation cannot solve the current difficulties, so then Let them benefit from pioneering and make sure they have enough energy and food to open up wasteland."

Xu Shu was inspired and said:
"Then... give wages? Free of field tax for a few years? Or distribute grain seeds for free?"

Pei Peng listened to a few young people discussing back and forth, and found it interesting.

The Xu family has been very aggressive in promoting Confucianism in recent years, while Xu Zhao's father is partial to Lao Zhuang, but he did not expect that the children raised by such a family would be somewhat Legalist - although the path taken is a bit biased. The problem is not considered thoroughly enough.

As for Cheng Fei, although asking her to do things may not be better than Xu Zhao, her position in considering issues is more comprehensive and flexible.

Yang Luo is more practical and able to integrate different concepts for his own use.

Pei Peng was quite satisfied and asked Zhou Keping:
"Master Zhou, what do you think? Should these young people I brought here be used properly?"

Zhou Keping gave Pei Peng face, and felt that they were indeed good, so he nodded and praised:
"Everyone is the best among people. Your Highness the Princess is especially decisive, and she came up with good ideas so quickly."

Pei Peng asked someone to pour wine for Zhou Keping, and first picked up the wine glass to toast him.

Zhou Keping was a little frightened, so he quickly picked up his wine glass and responded. After drinking a glass, with a hint of alcohol on his face, he heard Pei Peng's voice.

"Lord Zhou, look, since they have some opinions on this matter, why not let them try it. If they do it well, it will relieve your worries. If they don't do it well, I will help them make up for it. The losses that come from that. How?"

Zhou Keping's face froze and he slowly turned his head, feeling that all the drunkenness that had just surfaced was forced back.

It's really impossible to guard against.

But the word has come to this point, Pei Peng didn't ask him for any official position, he just said to let them try.

Zhou Keping could only nod his head resignedly:

"Then let's give it a try, but it's a matter of farming, and the stakes are high. You still have to think carefully before doing anything."

Pei Peng couldn't push the envelope too far and responded:
"That's natural. I will ask them to report to the county government more about how to do it."

After finishing the meal, Pei Peng was in a good mood. He sent someone to take Zhou Keping back to his house to rest after drinking, and then took a stroll back to his house.

Xu Shu moved closer and asked:
"Aniang, are we really going to be in charge of land reclamation?"

"Why, you don't want to do it?"

"Not really, but I've never been in contact with it, and I'm afraid it won't work well, and it won't be good if it delays the people from farming."

Of course, Pei Peng couldn't make fun of the livelihood of so many farmers in the county, saying:
"You can start with one village first. Before deciding on a method, discuss more, go to the village to take a look, and if there is anything you don't understand, you can ask the county magistrate Zhou."

Xu Shu nodded and said:
"I think this County Magistrate is pretty good."

Cheng Fei answered:

"I also think that from what he means, his two sons are still studying, and they are said to be very diligent and eager to learn."

Pei Peng said "Oh?", confirming his previous guess and said:

"Since it is a material that can be made, wait for me to go back and ask someone to give some books and copybooks to his children."

She smiled again and said to her daughter:

"Aniang can pay the tuition fees for you. When you are doing things, you should consult the county magistrate Zhou a lot."

Everyone laughed, and the apprehension of temporarily receiving the task eased a little.

Over there, County Magistrate Zhou was half-drunk and was carried home in a sedan chair. After the people from the Princess's Mansion left, he let out a sigh.

"Dad, what's wrong with you?"

　People who are allergic to poplar tree hairs, it is really difficult to move an inch in the northern spring
　　
　
(End of this chapter)