Follow Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the country

Chapter 191: Burying bones, picking up babies, and supporting farmers and workers
"Just as Hu Yuan, the imperial censor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, you can collect rent of 500,000 dan in Jiangnan every year. As a result, your army can hardly have enough to eat."

Zhang Cheng couldn't help but smile.

Fu Shou remained silent because he had nothing to say.

After capturing Jiqing, Zhang Cheng now controlled a large amount of property that originally belonged to the powerful officials of the Yuan Dynasty.

For him, how to deal with these properties is a question that requires careful consideration.

Of course he could divide these properties with other rebel leaders.

But that is undoubtedly no different from the previous Yuan Ting.

Therefore, he needs to use a lot of property as the basis for developing and strengthening the rebel army, and also as the capital for subsequent economic development.

However, Zhang Cheng had to admit that Jiangnan was really prosperous. It was no wonder that Zhang Shicheng in history indulged in pleasure after taking possession of Su Songchang.

It should be noted that Fu Shou, a big landowner in the south of the Yangtze River, could collect rent of 500,000 shi every year.

"As for farmers, it is still necessary to clear the land and divide the land, turn a large number of tenants who used to belong to Hu Yuan's powerful bureaucrats into self-cultivators, and distribute a large number of the land of powerful bureaucrats who were abandoned by tenants who escaped due to highland rent to the landless people. This is abolished. The land is rented and a small tax is levied."

"In terms of craftsmen, we still need to improve the treatment of craftsmen. Whether they are government-run or private, they must be given enough rest time, their income must also be increased, and more projects must be carried out so that more unemployed people can have jobs and food. ”

If the common people wanted to benefit, they could only choose to sell themselves to the officers and soldiers as slaves at a low price, or wait until the kind-hearted officers and soldiers gave them some food.

Even for Yuan Ting's government-made firearms workshop, the old craftsman Qiu Dayuan, who was appointed as the owner of the workshop, did not think that there would be any difference in the future, and let the craftsmen in his workshop continue to work. He believed that the rebels would still take care of these craftsmen. Rice.

There were also those who wanted to reward themselves and went to various sensual entertainment venues, and even some gambled heavily in gambling halls.

"Keep going, it's none of our craftsmen's business!"

The tenant servant Tao Zongguo also went to the city honestly to pay the rent to Zhuangtou Tan Zheng'an.

Because these days, in Jiqing City, not to mention those who open shops, those who set up small stalls, or those who sell themselves and perform arts, are not from the lowest level of the people, they all have some background.

Thinking about my family, I bought many exquisite fabrics and gifts for them.

He was kind-hearted and specially bought a lot of food to distribute to the beggars in the city.

They should still be farming, and they should still be working in the workshops.

Even though Zhang Cheng paid sufficient salaries and silver rewards to the rebel officers and soldiers, he also encouraged the soldiers to spend money. However, the money did not flow to the hands of the lowest class of people, but only benefited wealthy businessmen, gentry, and the middle and upper classes who were prostitutes.

It would be perfectly fine for him and Zhu Yuanzhang, the rebel leaders, to spend only part of their food as expenses for military defense and then start living a prosperous and comfortable life.

Only the upper-middle-class Confucian scholars and gentry such as Sun Yan and Xia Xie discovered that the rebels had good military discipline. They did not break into civilian houses to plunder, nor did they take cards for food. They also made a lot of profits for the shops under their names. So he praised him.

Even so, the young gangster Qian Jiu could only carry a broken bowl and a bamboo stick in the streets and alleys, looking for work that could be exchanged for a meal.

Therefore, in September of the 15th year of Zhizheng, when the rebel army just invaded Jiqing, the general feeling for the workers and peasants at the bottom was that nothing had changed, except that the flags on the city walls were changed and the people in the government offices were changed.

However, most of the middle- and lower-level rebel soldiers do not have the worries of the upper-level generals, that is, how to distribute a large amount of land resources, food resources, and commercial resources after seizing them.

But the money they consume is still difficult to reach the hands of the people at the bottom.

They are now happily receiving their salaries and silver rewards, and then spending wildly in Jiqing City.

In other words.

Zhang Cheng knew that if he wanted to make the people truly wealthy after the emergence of the rebel army, he needed more reforms in distribution.

"In addition, for the old, weak, sick and disabled who are no longer able to engage in production, a minimum living security system should be established on Jiqing Road as soon as possible."

The current Jiqing City has the highest power decision-making group composed of Zhang Cheng, Zhu Yuanzhang, Guo Tianxu, Zhang Tianyou, and Shao Rong.

After questioning Fu Shou about Jiqing's economic situation, Zhang Cheng proposed his next economic reform ideas at the five-person meeting.

After hearing this, Shao Rong couldn't help but take the initiative to say to Zhang Cheng: "In this case, the real increase in income of our rebels, before the two taxes are levied next summer and autumn, will only be the confiscated stolen money from Hu Yuan's powerful officials; but next, we will increase The wages and salaries of the craftsmen will also need to be increased, and large-scale projects will need to be carried out to increase the security. If this happens, won’t the rebels attack Jiqing City and make themselves poorer and poorer? "

"This is true. It is not easy to seek wealth for the people. We really find it difficult. Let's see what you can do, Mr. Zhang."

Guo Tianxu echoed.

Zhang Cheng said with a smile: "It is indeed not an easy task to seek wealth for the people. What Shao Shenzheng said just now is that if the rebel army does not increase revenue and only increases expenditures to benefit the people, and also allocates fields to the people, indeed It will appear that the rebels are getting poorer as they fight, so they have to increase their income.”

"For open source, what I mean is to continue to do the following five things." "The first is to continue to expand foreign trade."

"The second is to invest in more profitable industries."

"The third is to continue to adjust the tax policy and continue to implement the luxury tax and other tax policies that we implemented before."

"Fourth, we must continue to expand outward and collect more illegal gains from corrupt officials and evil gentry."

"The fifth is to continue to encourage the improvement of skills, from farming skills to industrial manufacturing skills."

After Zhang Cheng said this, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "That's all we can do now. We can't really ignore the hungry people outside who are waiting for food."

"Okay, we are willing to believe Mr. Zhang."

Guo Tianxu said this specifically and did not hide in front of Zhu Yuanzhang that he wanted to obey Zhang Cheng's orders.

Seeing this, Zhang Tianyou shook his head.

"The first thing to do next is to set up the Jiqing Prefecture Health Bureau and recruit people as health workers to collect bones, pick up babies and children, and sweep the roads."

After the discussion, Zhang Cheng issued a new order to Yang Xian, who was temporarily appointed as the prefect of Jiqing Prefecture.

So, just when the people felt that not much had changed since the rebels entered the city, the sound of gongs appeared in the streets and alleys of Jiqing City.

"The government recruits people to serve as health workers. Those who have sound limbs, can walk basically, and are not deaf or mute can sign up. Each person will be responsible for three meals and will be given three buckets of rice every day."

After the gong sounded, the soldiers who beat the gong shouted the government's purpose.

Tao Zongguo, a tenant servant who had just paid his rent, thought that the autumn harvest would be over and there would not be so much farm work in the fields, so he came over and asked, "Master Bing, is it true?"

"How can this be false? What good does it do us to deceive you, poor people wrapped in rags?"

After the soldier said this, Tao Zongguo thought about it and felt that except for his life, people like him had nothing to deceive or take, so he smiled and asked: "We want to try it for a day."

"After you register in the book, you can change into new clothes from the basket, go to the designated place with our people to get food, and get rice after you finish your work."

The soldiers then told Tao Zongguo about the specific arrangements. He took out the booklet in his hand, spread it on the ground, and sat on the ground. Then he took out the pen and ink in his arms and placed it on the ground. He also took out a water bag and placed it on the ink stone. I poured water on it and started grinding it. After a while, after grinding out the ink, I took the pen in my right hand and dipped it in it. Then I picked up the booklet in my left hand and asked Tao Zongguo: "Name, birthplace, and place of residence."

Tao Zongguo reported his name, place of origin and address, and informed them to the soldiers.

The soldiers asked him about his age, education level, family situation, and professional background, and then asked him to get his clothes first and then follow the designated person to the designated place.

After Tao Zongguo put on the new clothes he had received, he touched them over and over again because it was the first time for him to wear clothes without pudding.

Qian Jiu, a gangster who has been making a living in the city by begging and doing odd jobs, happens to be here, and has been watching Tao Zongguo's contact with soldiers from the Rebel Health Bureau.

And when he saw Tao Zongguo really got the clothes, he rolled like a carp, ran over with a broken bowl and a bamboo pole, and said with a flattering smile: "Master Bing, I'll sign up too!"

So, Qian Jiu soon put on new clothes and said happily: "Now I don't have to wear clothes taken from the dead."

What made Qian Jiu even more happy was that he was actually taken to a place called the "Big Canteen" and received food. After being hungry for a day, he finally had something to eat.

"Brother, do you think it's really different when the rebels come?"

After Qian Jiu finished his meal, he struck up a conversation with Tao Zongguo who was beside him.

Tao Zongguo said while picking up the remains of sesame cakes on the ground: "Didn't the official who came over just now say that the rebel army is an army that rises for the common people, so it is naturally different."

"I originally wanted to follow the rebels in the uprising, but Sun Yuanwai refused to let me follow the rebels in the uprising, saying that I was not worthy! But now I can still do things for the rebels, which shows that I am still worthy."

Qian Jiu was not only happy that he could now rely on the rebels to get food, he was also happy that his value was recognized by the rebels. The rebels were actually willing to use him to do things and did not feel that he was unworthy.

This is of great significance to Qian Jiu, who also needs to be respected and valued.

In fact, this is indeed the case. The people at the bottom of the world not only need to be sympathized with, but also need to be respected and valued.

Because the Health Bureau is willing to use ordinary people to work and provide them with food, clothing and clothing, many unemployed people in Jiqing City have applied for the job.

Soon, many people wearing uniform blue shorts appeared in and outside Jiqing City. In the bright September sun, they were burying bones, picking up babies and children, and sweeping the streets.

(End of this chapter)