I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 480 August Field
There is no problem for Lu Bu to enter the capital, but this... Liu Bian was thinking about the generals gathered around him. Are there too many of them in Luoyang now?

But he immediately realized that who would dislike having so many good generals around him? The more the better!

After spending some time in Zhuo County, Liu Bian did not continue to indulge in the road.

Although he enjoyed the days of traveling, he still had the issue of farming in August on his mind.

Liu Bian needs to return to Beijing to discuss the final strategy with Lu Zhi, Xun Yu and others!
Therefore, after the military performance in Zhuo County, he traveled through Zhongshan, Changshan, Shangdang, and then through Henei County, and finally returned to Luoyang.

During this time, except for one time when it rained heavily, we never stayed in one place for more than two days.

The so-called re-land survey does not simply mean re-measuring the land.

It also includes re-checking of people and households.

Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, it has been no secret that local forces, led by local nobles and powerful people, have been cheating in household registration and land registration.

On July 30th, the sixth year of Guangxi, in the Yuntai Hall, Liu Bian, Lu Zhi, Jia Xu, and Xun Yu were sitting in the hall, with no one else around.

After learning that Liu Bian was planning to take action this year, Xun Yu, who had already considered all this, said first: "In each village, the head of the village should be the one who is most familiar with the situation of each household. If we want to re-measure the land, we should immediately issue a strict order and set a date... If there are still people in the village who have false household registration or falsified land before the deadline, they will be punished according to the number of people, ranging from voluntary exile to border garrison to death..."

"My dynasty has always valued filial piety. When parents are still alive, they should only separate the household but not the family. However, there are many omissions in the implementation."

"Some of the common people who have land also rely on the power of powerful families to exempt themselves from taxes and labor service. However, powerful families will also collect rent from their land for their own use. The current land survey should announce the taxes payable for each household and its land. In my opinion, the current tax system may be lower than what powerful families collect."

"..."

Much of what Xun Yu said was based on the lessons learned from Emperor Guangwu's land survey, and was slightly modified based on the current situation which was different from that of Emperor Guangwu's time.

For all these reasons, at least Liu Bian felt that there were no loopholes.

After Xun Yu finished speaking, Liu Bian looked at Lu Zhi, hoping that Lu Zhi could give some suggestions to fill in the gaps.

But Lu Zhi said: "Wen Ruo's method has been revised and improved many times, and I can't find any loopholes."

"However, before re-measuring the land, I have a few words to say to Your Majesty."

Liu Bian said solemnly: "Master Lu, please speak!"

Xun Yu also straightened his back, and Jia Xu, who seemed calm, actually pricked up his ears.

"Once we start the land reclamation project, any hesitation will double the resistance, so we must move forward courageously."

"After measuring the land, Emperor Guangwu once said that he had killed too many people during the measurement. However, I personally think that if Emperor Guangwu were to measure the land again, he would still kill people."

“Sail against the current, if you don’t advance, you will retreat!”

Liu Bian understood that Lu Zhi came to strengthen his confidence to continue.

He responded solemnly: "Master Lu's words, I will definitely keep them in mind, and together with Du Tian, ​​I will never compromise!"

Lu Zhi nodded slightly, and said in a gentle but somewhat tired tone: "Your Majesty, I have been feeling physically exhausted for the past few months. I am afraid I can no longer worry about your majesty..."

Liu Bian was shocked when he heard this, and he immediately wanted to ask Hua Tuo to see Lu Zhi, but Lu Zhi said, "Your Majesty, don't worry. My health is not so bad yet. I can wait until the land is successfully measured."

"I am a commoner from Hebei. When I was young, I had great ambitions and devoted myself to studying. However, I often encountered setbacks... Fortunately, God has been kind to me and I have met Your Majesty."

"I still remember the first time I met Your Majesty... It was a camel..." Lu Zhi said with a smile.

Liu Bian did not expect that what Lu Zhi recorded that day was not the events in Liangzhou, but the oolong incident of mistaking a camel for a monster.

Although Jia Xu and Xun Yu did not understand the meaning, they listened quietly. They knew that Lu Zhi chose to say this when they were both present, which must have a deep meaning.

Lu Zhi said: "Your Majesty has the wisdom to judge people and the courage to employ people without doubt. Wenhe and Wenruo are both talented prime ministers. If they are employed, the country will be stable and secure."

"I think that we, the old ministers, should step aside, and the two of you can help Your Majesty in managing state affairs."

Liu Bian nodded. He understood what Lu Zhi meant. The ones who needed to remain firm were not only Liu Bian, but also Xun Yu and Jia Xu...especially Jia Xu, who was in charge of the school affairs department.

He needed to give Jia Xu a promise for the future, with Lu Zhi as a guarantor.

Liu Bian responded: "As Master Lu said, a prime minister's talent should be used as a prime minister."

Lu Zhi glanced at Jia Xu and Xun Yu, and saw that neither of them was secretly delighted by the emperor's statement. He was satisfied and continued to say to Jia Xu: "However, Wenhe may have experienced too much, and his style of doing things lacks some majestic grandeur. Wenhe must remember that those who govern the country must be upright and upright, so that evil spirits and monsters will have nowhere to hide!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Xu bowed to Lu Zhi solemnly and said, "I will accept your advice!"

After talking about Jia Xu, he looked at Xun Yu again: "Wen Ruo's career has been too smooth without any setbacks. When encountering things, you still lack some decisiveness. I know that you are gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, but outsiders may look down on you... Wen Ruo must be observed."

Xun Yu also bowed and replied, "I will accept your instruction!"

Finally, Lu Zhi smiled at Liu Bian and said, "Your Majesty, I have a selfish desire... Please let the historian record what I just said, so that my name will be recorded in the history books."

Liu Bian replied: "That's right!"

……

August 1st.

A grand court meeting was held on the first day of the lunar month.

All the officials from Luoyang were present in the court.

When the emperor arrived, the court judge Dong Zhuo wrote to the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, I have checked the old files and found that in the first year of Emperor Xiaohe's Yuanxing reign, the land was estimated at more than 730 million mu, and in the Yongshou reign of Emperor Xiaohuan, it was more than 690 million mu."

"However, since the Zhongping period, there have been unrests in various places, and the number of acres of farmland has been less than 500 million acres at its lowest point, and it is still less than 600 million acres today."

"But I have been traveling to various places in Hebei and have searched all the counties, but I have not seen any abandoned farmland. The farmland that was missing when the above calculation was made must have been hidden by the bad guys."

"I ask you to go back to the field again!"

As soon as Dong Zhuo finished speaking, a huge uproar broke out in the court.

Even with the constraints of court etiquette, the court could not stop turning into a vegetable market as soon as Dong Zhuo finished speaking.

But this time, the ministers seemed to have learned their lesson.

No one would believe that Dong Zhuo's memorial was just a spur-of-the-moment idea.

"What do you think of what the Minister of Justice said?" Liu Bian asked after the court fell silent again.

The audience was silent.

Seeing this, Liu Bian asked further: "Is there anyone who objects to the matter of reclaiming the land?"

After hearing this, the ministers thought to themselves, "As expected," but remained silent.

"Since no one objects, then let the officials carry it out!"

(End of this chapter)