Ming Dynasty: He was ordered to give lectures in prison, but Lao Zhu eavesdropped and made people nu

Chapter 359 The Task of the Minister of Household Affairs

"The people here are suffering too much."

A middle-aged man in his forties, riding a horse, looked at the sweating common people in the fields.

I couldn’t help but sigh with emotion: “The Central Plains has been developed for thousands of years, and the land’s carrying capacity has reached its extreme.”

“In the past, through intensive farming, we could barely get enough food to feed ourselves, but now that the land is dry, it’s obviously a sign of a failed harvest.”

"If immigration measures are not used to alleviate the problem, I am afraid that many people will die of freezing and starvation this winter."

In this era, there are people who can tell the knowledge that Lin Che talks about.

He was also Du Peng, the knowledgeable Minister of Household Affairs in the Ming Dynasty, and a minister whom Zhu Yuanzhang and Prince Zhu Biao valued highly.

He was previously squeezed and suppressed by Prime Minister Hu Weiyong and spent some time in prison.

Later, under the care of Zhu Biao and Fu Youwen, he was rescued from prison.

From then on, he remained loyal to the two of them.

This trip to the Central Plains was entrusted by Fu Youwen, the Minister of Household Affairs, and also by the emperor's order to come to the Central Plains of Henan to implement the immigration plan.

Du Peng rushed to Zhangde Mansion as quickly as possible, the land at the junction of the Central Plains and the three provinces of Shanxi and Hebei.

Next to Du Peng, the old eunuch riding a donkey didn't understand what land carrying capacity was.

He is also indifferent to people's livelihood matters.

He just felt that it was too hot and wanted to find a cool place to rest.

Then he followed Du Peng's words and said, "Master Du is right, if it weren't for the kindness of the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince."

"We have to move a group of people to build factories on the coast. If the people here can survive half of next year, it is already thanks to the blessing of the old man."

"So we'd better go into the village quickly, gather the people here, and tell them the emperor and the prince's immigration strategy!"

Du Peng naturally heard the perfunctory meaning in the old eunuch's words.

However, I have experienced being falsely accused and imprisoned.

In line with the idea that he would rather offend a gentleman than a villain, Du Peng did not show any dissatisfaction.

Instead, he nodded and said to the attendant behind him: "Eunuch Li, what I said is exactly what I want. Let's enter the village now."

The captain of the Duwei Mansion, who scouted the route in advance, learned from the villagers' stammering responses that this place was called Niujia Village.

There is also a county magistrate named Ushibin who lives in the village.

He is also the largest and only landowner in the village.

"Greetings to the two sergeants. I wonder why the sergeants came to Niujia Village?"

Niu Bin hurried to the entrance of the village with his servants.

After seeing Du Peng in red robe and Eunuch Li dressed as a eunuch.

He quickly knelt down and saluted the two of them.

Du Peng originally planned to dismount, help up Niu Bin who was kneeling, and ask him about the situation in other nearby villages.

However, before he could make any move.

Eunuch Li said impatiently: "Let's go and gather all the villagers in this village. I have brought the oral instructions of His Highness the Crown Prince."

Ushi Bin couldn't help but look confused when he heard this.

I don't understand why the almighty Crown Prince sent someone to this remote village to announce his decree.

It's just that Eunuch Li is wearing the clothes of a great eunuch, so he is obviously an important figure in the palace.

What he said was far from what he, a retired county magistrate, was qualified to question and ask back.

Ushibin had no choice but to send his servants to ring the big bell on the threshing floor in the village and summon the villagers to listen to the order.

At the same time, a simple pergola was set up here and the best pastries from his family were also placed on it.

Please Du Peng and Eunuch Li rest here temporarily.

Waiting for the villagers to gather. Du Peng briefly asked about the population in the village and the number of acres of land.

Ushibin gave a very straightforward answer to the question of population.

To put it bluntly, Niujia Village has a population of nearly 800. Most of them have the surname Niu, and only a few have foreign surnames.

As for the land.

Niu Bin hesitated for a long time, but the captain standing guard with a knife nearby accidentally glanced and made a 20% off figure.

He also said that the fields in their village were of inferior quality and could not grow much food.

Just when the two of them were about to discuss the fateful issue of ownership of the farmland in the village.

Almost all the villagers in Niujia Village have arrived at the threshing floor.

Everyone was still noisy, wondering what happened when Mr. Niu suddenly called them here.

"Half of the wheat in my field has not been watered yet. Master Niu is calling us over now. What's going on?"

"Perhaps Mr. Niu is kind-hearted. He sees that there may be a disaster this year, so he wants to waive our rent."

"What good things are you thinking about? I saw that a lot of officials on horseback came to the village just now. Maybe they want to announce a rent increase."

Du Peng listened carefully to the villagers' chatter.

Even Ushibin, who had a flattering look on his face, was left alone.

It was Eunuch Li who said impatiently: "Mr. Du, since the villagers have already arrived, why not announce the prince's will quickly so that we can find a shady place to rest early."

Niu Bin was afraid that Du Peng would ask him about the ownership of the land in the village.

He also echoed from the side: "What Eunuch Li said is absolutely true. I have sent people to the mansion to prepare ice cubes to relieve the heat, as well as local delicacies. We are just waiting for the two gentlemen to sit down."

Du Peng saw a flash of worry in Niu Bin's eyes.

A knowing smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Then he strode to the temporary high platform built on the threshing floor.

Du Peng stood on the high platform and raised his hand to signal the chatting villagers to be quiet.

Due to the advance warning from Niu's servants, the villagers stopped talking very cooperatively.

Du Peng immediately said loudly: "His Majesty the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince are thinking of the hard work of the people. All areas suffering from drought this year will be exempted from taxes."

The villagers who had just calmed down suddenly exploded again.

They thought that a high-ranking official from the imperial court would bring so many people to their remote country.

He said that he would have to scrape the ground three feet before leaving.

Unexpectedly, opening their mouth brought them good news about taxation.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, His Royal Highness, for your kindness."

Several villagers who had spent several days studying immediately took the lead in kneeling down to Du Peng who was delivering the order.

Soon all the villagers knelt down one after another.

Although the harvest will be poor this year, if you don't pay taxes.

The family gritted their teeth and ate less food, and borrowed some grains from Mr. Niu.

It's pretty much the same, and I can cope with this disaster year.

However, there is still a small group of villagers who are completely indifferent to the tax exemption.

Because they are all foreigners and tenants of Niubin, tax exemption has nothing to do with them.

On the contrary, the food harvest is destined to be poor this year, but Mr. Niu has not said anything about exempting rent.

It's hard to say that if they don't get a grain of wheat, they'll have to write an IOU to the landlord.

Niu Bin, who was serving Eunuch Li in the pergola, couldn't help but have a look of surprise in his eyes when he heard Du Peng's tax cut.

(End of this chapter)