Late Tang

Several projects for work relief were completed successively, and Li Jing prepared several new foundation projects together with state and county officials.The remaining manpower was all arranged for the imperial court to reclaim wasteland.Although the summer planting has been missed right now, but now when there is free time, they can concentrate their manpower on reclaiming the wasteland and wait until after autumn to plant the winter wheat.Li Jing had already announced in advance that all the reclaimed land would be used as army farmland, but the land reclaimed by each township would be handed over equally to the people of each township for farming.These lands are not taxed, but they only need to pay military rations at the rate of one bucket per mu.If it is a disaster year, it can also be adjusted down according to the actual harvest, basically maintaining the [-]th harvest.

After the announcement was made, enthusiasm for land reclamation rose everywhere.The speed of some other disaster relief projects has increased a lot, and everyone is eager to complete the work earlier and cultivate more fields.Tax-free [-] to pay grain, this kind of rent is nothing more than rent to landlords, many of them pay [-] to [-] grains, and even landlords and tenants to four.Who is not happy to meet someone who only rents [-]% of the rent now.

However, while enthusiastically cultivating land, there are many self-cultivating farmers who want to sell their cattle to the government.Most of these self-cultivating farmers are originally well-off and self-sufficient families, with dozens of acres of land and hundreds of acres of land, and large livestock at home.In this disaster relief, many self-cultivating farmers did not accept the disaster relief.Most of the people are simple, and as long as their families can live on, they will not accept relief.However, in the current situation, people can barely maintain it, but it is difficult to continue to take care of a large animal.Many people had no choice but to prepare to sell cattle to the government, and some mules and horses also had this plan.

I heard a report from below that Huang County has bought hundreds of cattle, horses and mules, some of which were sold by local farmers in Huang County, and most of them were sold by Laizhou next door.The prices for harvesting are very low. A big bull originally cost [-] guan, a cow costs about [-] guan, and a big mule costs [-] guan.But the current purchase price is only about five or six guan, basically at half price.

Cui De'an, the county magistrate of Huang County, thought it was a political achievement, so he happily reported it to Li Jing in the state city.Unexpectedly, after Li Jing saw it, his complexion turned very dark.Li Jing slapped the table heavily, and shouted: "This Cui De'an doesn't even know half the truth. In this famine year, what the government should do is to help the people tide over the difficulties, not to take advantage of the fire. Doesn't he know that a big animal Is that an important property for a well-to-do family?"

Li Jing's family used to have three cows, but later the family was defeated, leaving only dozens of acres of land and a calf of arable land.The calf is cherished by Bao Bao, and he has to get up in the middle of the night to feed it, and he also cherishes the plowing field.He deeply knows the status of a cow, a horse and a mule in the common people's family.

"It's just nonsense. If this matter is done, the people must not be disappointed with the government behind their backs? What will the people think of us in the future?"

Changshi Han Anmin and Sima Xiao Dingbang also nodded. Li Jing valued the hearts of the people and spared no effort in the current disaster relief, but Huang County's handling of it was indeed not appropriate.

"Immediately send someone to notify Huang County to ask Cui De'an to make up the difference at the previous year's price for the purchased cattle and mules. In addition, the cattle and horses should be registered to which family they belong to, so that the county can raise them well so that they don't lose weight. After autumn or next year when the people need cattle, let them pay to buy back the cattle. If the money is not in hand for a while, let them take it first, and make up the money later.”

In a calamity year, the price of livestock will inevitably drop.If the common people sell at the current price and buy at the current price after the disaster in the coming year, the price difference between them will cause them a lot of losses.The government is not a businessman and must not make this money.Now the government has provided some manpower and financial resources to help the common people raise good cattle, which will be returned to the common people next year.Cattle are an important material. If everyone can't keep them and sell them, it will not only be a loss for the people, but also delay and affect production, and finally the government will also be affected.

Han Anmin, Xiao Dingbang, King Zhao, etc. all praised Li Jing's solution. In this way, although the government subsidized some money, it could return a good prestige among the people.

After Cui De'an from Huang County was reprimanded, he quickly figured it out. He didn't complain, but felt a little ashamed. He even wrote a letter of self-criticism to Li Jing himself.Then he personally took the people from the county government, one by one, to Dengzhou, and sent the difference in money to those who sold the animals, and explained the governor Li Jing's handling of the matter in earnest.Those self-cultivating farmers who had no choice but to sell their cattle and horses were very excited with the money in their hands when they heard the result.Most of these self-cultivating farmers and small landlords did not directly receive favors in this disaster relief.Now Li Jing's move made them very grateful.

And not only did they subsidize the money, but Li Jing also issued a notice that those families who are unable to raise large livestock during the disaster year can first register with the yamen, and then go to the bank to receive a special loan, which is completely interest-free , to return within a three-year period.With this money, everyone can go to the Yamen to buy fodder, feed the animals, and get through this difficulty.

However, this is only limited to Dengzhou and Liaodong two cities under the Zhendong Army. Although Laizhou has subsidized some money, it does not have such a loan.After receiving the subsidy, the small owner farmers in Laizhou were really surprised for a while, and then they all became grateful to Li Jing.

As a result, since then, a large number of people in Laizhou who cannot keep large animals have come to sell their animals to Dengzhou.Some cunning businessmen even started to buy cattle and horses at low prices everywhere, and then rushed to Dengzhou to sell them.But to their disappointment, Dengzhou only accepts cows and horses from self-cultivating farmers, and does not buy cows and horses from such unscrupulous businessmen.In the end, these people had no choice but to sell at a low price. Not only did they not make any money, they also lost a fortune.

The governor of Laizhou also heard the news and rushed to Dengzhou with several carts of gifts to ask Li Jing to see him.

As soon as they met, they took Li Jing's hand very enthusiastically and said: "The county magistrate has outstanding abilities, but he can still provide food and clothing for the people in a disaster year. I am really envious of this old man." Dengzhou has been prosperous, but Laizhou has been gloomy.During this period of time, a large number of Laizhou people flooded into Dengzhou with those refugees and went to work in Dengzhou.

Although I am also happy that many hungry people have been eliminated, and a lot of pressure has been reduced.But there was always something wrong in my heart.Now he began to worry, once the famine was over, what would happen if the people who went to Dengzhou refused to come back?

If you want to keep the people, you have to keep their hearts.Zheng Qian knew that he had to do something, otherwise all the people in Laizhou would go to Dengzhou, so what kind of governor would he be?But he has no money or food in his hands, so he really can't keep the people.For example, this time, the people in Laizhou sold cattle and horses. At the beginning, Laizhou also bought a lot, mostly at half price.There was nothing wrong at first, but after Li Jing made such a move, the gap was immediately revealed.

Especially when those people near Huang County who had received compensation mentioned the matter, Laizhou almost fell into chaos.The cattle sellers demanded that the Laizhou government also compensate them.This matter made Zheng Qian quite passive.

This time, I just wanted to borrow some money and food from Li Jing, firstly to compensate the farmers who sold cattle, and secondly, to use food for work relief.

Li Jing smiled after hearing Zheng Qian hesitantly said the request with some embarrassment.Qingzhou had just borrowed grain, and Laizhou followed.They all knew that there was food in Dengzhou, but Li Jing was very happy to hear Zheng Qian's purpose of borrowing food.After all, Laizhou and Dengzhou border, if Laizhou is really chaotic, it will not be good for Dengzhou.

After pondering for a while, Li Jing said: "The last time my family teacher Cui Sima came to borrow grain, he took all kinds of military materials in exchange. I don't know what kind of trade grain Mr. Zheng brought this time? It was agreed in advance, and now the grain Mr. Jingui Zheng should understand. If it weren’t for the fact that the two states of Denglai are neighbors, and you and I are under the command of the general, I wouldn’t have brought out so much food. Even if we distribute some to Laizhou, we still have to rely on it. Save it between your teeth."

Zheng Qian said with some embarrassment: "Laizhou is a small place, neither has the population of Qingzhou, nor is it as big as Dengzhou with Dengzhou Port and other large ports. Hey, there is really nothing to sell at the moment."

Seeing this, Li Jing smiled in his heart. He had been thinking about the Yuanda gold mine in Laizhou for a long time, but he had no way to mine it.Now Zheng Qian personally delivered it to the door, this is a big golden mountain delivered to the door.

"How much grain is Mr. Zheng planning to borrow?"

"I plan to follow Li Shijun's example of using work for relief, and I want to borrow 50 stone grain." Zheng Qian said expectantly.

Li Jing pretended to be embarrassed and said: "But if Mr. Zheng has nothing to exchange, I'm afraid this matter will be difficult. Otherwise, when everyone knows it, they will all come to borrow food. Even if I have thousands of granaries, I can't pass it." Borrow it. How about, Mr. Zheng give me something in exchange?"

"But I really don't have any ordnance materials in Laizhou."

"If there is no material, there are other things. Recently, we have discovered a lot of minerals in Dengzhou, and we are organizing the hungry people to open mines in exchange for some food. Do you have any minerals in Laizhou?" Li Jing followed the guidance.

"I really don't know about this." Zheng Qian was a little embarrassed, "Why don't Li Shijun invite those who control the mines to go to Laizhou to investigate, and if they find any minerals, they can exchange them with Li Shijun for food. ?”

Hearing that Zheng Qian was so good, Li Jing was very happy, but on the surface he still pretended to be embarrassed.After a long time, I gritted my teeth and said, "We are all neighbors, just this one time, and this matter cannot be spread, otherwise everyone will come to borrow food like this, I can't stand it."

"Definitely, definitely." Zheng Qian was happier than Li Jing when he saw that the matter had come to fruition, his old face burst into smiles.

The next day, Li Jing asked the expedition team to go to Laizhou. After returning, Li Jing did not look at the few small mines found in their investigation report. Linglong Mountain in Zhaoyuan and the surrounding mountains with gold mines in memory, as well as the Sanshan Island gold mine are all drawn on the map.Ask for food to be exchanged for these mines.

Zheng Qian didn't care much about minerals at all. Although Li Jing vaguely told him that there might be gold mines in it, Zheng Qian didn't care.In the end, he hurriedly pulled Li Jing to write down the matter in the contract, and finalized the matter of borrowing food.

Taking a few mountains and a small deserted island, he got 50 shi of grain, Zheng Qian thought it was worth it.This Li Jing is really a prodigal, no matter how many mines there are, he can't eat them, and he has to spend a lot of manpower and material resources to mine them.He Zheng Qian sold a few mountains in exchange for a year's rations for the people of Laizhou. This business is too profitable.

Li Jing is also very happy, this is not just a golden mountain.There are more than a dozen gold mountains, and these are all gold mines with huge reserves that were discovered earlier by later generations. There is a lot of food for 50 shi, and the gold mines that can be bought are worth more if they are mined.Although gold can't fill the stomach when hungry, and can't warm the body when cold, it is just right to use it to pay taxes to the emperor.Moreover, gold has great purchasing power in the grasslands, Liaodong, Silla, and Japan, and it can be used to buy more grain.

Both of them were very satisfied with this cooperation, everyone smiled and praised each other, and Li Jing arranged a banquet for Zheng Qian to drink before sending him back.

"Get rich, more than a dozen golden mountains!" After Zheng Qian's carriage had gone far, Li Jing still couldn't help but sighed excitedly.As soon as he turned around, he immediately asked Tie Danzi behind him to notify the officials to come to a meeting and prepare to start mining the gold mountain.

(To be continued)