Chapter 797: The ministers debated the national policy, Su Yao pushed for equal distribution of land, and loyalty was finally rewarded (5K4)
In the evening, Anyi City.
In contrast to the noisy and cheering scene in the city, there was silence in the county governor's mansion.
After hearing Su Yao say the word "equal distribution of land", everyone's faces showed shock and fear.
As scholars who were well-read in scriptures, they were very clear about the well-field system and the military farming system.
This equal distribution of land is unheard of.
"Does the general want to divide the land equally?"
Sima Lang exclaimed.
In his opinion, the military farming was an unfair act. Now when he heard the term "equal distribution of land", the first thing that came to his mind was to distribute the land equally to everyone, regardless of their status or wealth.
As soon as this thought arose, his heart began to beat violently uncontrollably, and an unprecedented shock and panic spread in his heart.
"Absolutely not, General!"
Sima Lang's voice trembled as he said hurriedly:
"Lang believed that the collapse of the empire was due to the fact that Qin abolished the five-rank system and the counties and states had no preparation for hunting and training for war."
"Although the fifth rank cannot be restored now, it is still a good thing for the general to set up more garrisons and station troops in the local areas."
"But the idea of equal distribution of land has never been heard of before!"
As he spoke, Sima Lang became excited, gesticulating and saying:
"The way of the ancient sages is the well-field system. In the past, Duke Zhou established rituals and music, following the well-field system, and the world was in great order. The Cheng Zhou Dynasty flourished for 800 years. This is a model for all ages."
"I think that at that time, neighbors helped each other, went out and came as friends, watched over each other, supported each other in illness, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, with simple customs."
"After the Qin and Han dynasties, land was passed down from generation to generation among the people. It was a legacy that lasted for generations and was difficult to take away. That is why the well-field system no longer exists today, which is why we are experiencing the chaos and instability of the world today."
"Now the great general has made great military achievements, defeated bandits, eliminated traitors, and recovered countless official fields. In addition, the people have been scattered, and many lands are ownerless. It is time to restore the well-field system in time to lay the foundation for eternity!"
Iida, that's right.
Although Sima Lang was a generous and well-mannered person, and not a pedantic person, his ideology was that of a standard Confucian who revered the past.
But this is actually normal.
The Han Dynasty has continued to this day, and the dynasty has accumulated numerous problems. All knowledgeable people in the world have tried their best to find a way to save the country.
After Emperor Wu of Han abolished all schools of thought and promoted Confucianism alone, Confucianism became the world's orthodoxy.
The core of Confucianism is to rule the world with rites and music, which is manifested in respecting heaven, following ancestors, and worshipping saints.
Therefore, the trend of respecting the past and despising the present is very strong, and people always mention Yao and Shun, believing that the systems and moral standards established by the ancient sages are the only way to solve all current problems.
Sima Lang is one of the representatives, but...
"The well-field theory may not be feasible."
The person who spoke was Xun You.
As a fellow Confucian scholar, he was obviously not as reverent as Sima Lang, and the reason was very simple:
"Boda advocated the well-field system, which is admirable. However, although the ancient system is good, it may not be applicable to the present."
Xun You walked forward, glanced solemnly at everyone's faces, shook his head, and spoke slowly:
"In the past, Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty and was determined to restore the past. He promoted the Wangtian system, which was intended to imitate the well-field system. He wanted to nationalize all the land in the world and then redistribute it according to population, under the euphemistic name of 'Wangtian'."
"It prohibits the sale of land in an attempt to solve the problem of land annexation and restore the ancient peace and prosperity."
He paused slightly, his tone becoming heavier:
"At that time, Wang Mang was under the banner of restoring the ancient sages' way, and many scholars in the world supported him. But what was the result? Everyone knows: once this system was promulgated, there was chaos in the world!"
"Those aristocratic and powerful families regard land as their lifeblood. How could they easily hand over their land? They resisted openly or covertly, making it difficult to implement the government's orders."
"Although ordinary people were delighted when they first heard that they could get land, in the actual implementation process, corrupt officials took advantage of the situation, arbitrarily measured the land, and forcibly deprived people of their private property, causing public resentment."
"Wang Mang's reforms based on ancient practices not only failed to solve the accumulated problems, but made the already turbulent situation even worse. Eventually, the whole country rose up in rebellion, and the Xin Dynasty collapsed in just a few years."
Xun You looked at Su Yao, his eyes full of worry:
"General, now that you want to implement the equal distribution of land, I don't know how it differs from the royal land system, but you must be extremely cautious when it comes to touching the fundamental issue of land. If you fail to learn from Wang Mang's lesson, I'm afraid you will repeat the same mistake and cause even greater chaos."
"I deeply admire the general's love for the people, but what Mr. Xun said does make sense."
After Xun You finished speaking, Wei Ji also stood up. He cupped his hands and cautiously expressed his opposition:
"Let alone how the aristocratic families would resist, the details of measuring and distributing the land alone are extremely complicated."
"The world is so vast, and the land varies in quality and fertility. How can we formulate a fair and just distribution standard?"
"If there is any mistake, it will cause new disputes. I hope the general will act prudently."
"Good fellow, you three can give me so many responses from just one sentence."
Facing these numerous opposing voices, Su Yao remained calm and turned his gaze towards Guo Jia and Wang Ling who had remained silent:
"What do you two think?"
"Do you think I'm daydreaming?"
The two looked at each other and both smiled bitterly.
As Su Yao's close confidants who were promoted by him, they naturally would not oppose Su Yao at this time.
However, if you say that they have any confidence in this so-called equal distribution of land, that is pure nonsense.
So after thinking for a while, Wang Ling spoke first:
"General, Ling dare not speak rashly on military and national affairs, but this matter is of great importance and involves the interests of all parties. There may be many obstacles in its implementation."
"However, as long as the general has made the decision, Ling Ding will fully support it."
Wang Ling spoke bluntly, but Guo Jia became much more cunning:
"Jia believes that since the general has proposed equal distribution of land, it must be a decision made after careful consideration. It will be more beneficial than military farming. I hope the general will make it clear."
Seeing the attitudes of the two, Su Yao chuckled and said:
"What I mean by equal distribution of land is not simply dividing the land equally, but a complete system design."
After saying that, Su Yao stood up, glanced at Sima Lang, Xun You and others who had spoken earlier, and said slowly:
"How could I not know the difficulties you are talking about?"
"As the ancients said: The wise change with the times, the wise make decisions based on circumstances, and the way to govern a country should be the same."
"The well-field system is good, but it was the national policy of the pre-Zhou Dynasty. Times have changed and it is no longer suitable for today's era. The disastrous failure of Wang Mang's reform of the system by claiming to be ancient is a clear proof of this."
"However, the idea of nationalizing land and curbing mergers and acquisitions still has merits."
As he spoke, Su Yao closed his eyes, glanced at the policy introduction in his system, and said:
"What I mean by equal distribution of land is a careful plan made after absorbing the essence of the ancient system and considering the current situation."
"Please think about it. Why are the people displaced and the world in turmoil? It is nothing more than the disparity between the rich and the poor. The land is being annexed. The poor have no place to live, while the rich have fields stretching across the fields."
"This rebellion has shown us firsthand the harm done by the powerful and wealthy. They monopolize the land, oppress the people, and even collude with foreign enemies to commit treason and rebellion. If this problem is not completely resolved, there will never be peace in the world!"
Su Yao opened his eyes, his gaze sparkling:
"The equal-field system I am promoting is to break this situation and to reasonably distribute the unowned wasteland and government-paid land to the landless and land-poor people based on population, labor and other factors, so that those who till the land have their own land and those who live in the land have their own houses."
"In this way, with a stable source of livelihood, people will naturally be able to work with peace of mind, and society will tend to be stable."
"Besides, with the precedent of Wang Mang, I know that reform should be carried out gradually."
"Therefore, the core of the equal-field system is to grant land rather than to take it away."
"For those who have made contributions to the country and abide by the law, we will not forcibly deprive them of their land. Instead, we will conduct a land inventory and re-confirm land ownership to protect their private rights and interests."
"what?!"
“Land title confirmation?”
"Protecting private interests?"
Su Yao's words stunned everyone. The concepts of land title confirmation and protection of private rights were too new to them and difficult to understand for a while.
Only Wang Ling, who was used to Su Yao's strange words, was not overly shocked.
Finally, Sima Lang frowned and spoke:
"General, what exactly does this land title confirmation mean?"
"The so-called land title confirmation is a general term for clarifying the ownership, use rights, and other rights of the land."
After Su Yao finished speaking, everyone had different expressions on their faces, most of them seemed to understand but not quite.
"How is this different from the land scrolls of ordinary people?" Xun You asked. The land scrolls were the certificates for land and house transactions during the Qin and Han dynasties.
Since paper was extremely precious at that time, the production of land certificates was even more difficult.
Therefore, the poor at that time mostly used wooden boards, while the rich carved them on stone slabs. They then asked the local headman, chief clerk and other minor officials in charge of writing to witness them and then buried them underground. These were early land deeds and house certificates.
However, since it is in its early stage, it naturally has great limitations.
After conquering so many territories and dealing with many land allocation issues, Su Yao saw the trick at a glance:
"The land certificates used by the people today are just vouchers for transactions, while land title confirmation is done by the government, which conducts a comprehensive inventory, measurement, and registration of all land, determines the legal ownership of each piece of land, and issues a legally binding land deed."
"This is not just a simple renewal of land certificates, but the establishment of a new, more standardized and rigorous land management system."
Everyone listened and thought deeply. Sima Lang, who had done the most research on land, came to his senses first, with a hint of excitement in his eyes:
"General, this will not only allow the people to have a clearer understanding of their land ownership, but the court can also take this opportunity to find out the details of the land in the world, which will facilitate future tax collection and land allocation. It is really a good strategy that kills two birds with one stone!"
Guo Jia nodded quickly after hearing this:
"Moreover, in my opinion, this land title confirmation will effectively curb land annexation."
"In the past, those powerful families relied on their power in the local area to change the situation arbitrarily, treating the land certificates as nothing, and willfully changing and encroaching on the people's land. The people suffered terribly but could do nothing about it."
"Now that the government has stepped in to sign a deed and keep it on file, it will be difficult for them to seize the land by force."
Facing Guo Jia's excitement, Xun You still frowned:
"Although this strategy is good, it may be difficult to implement."
Xun You, who was in charge of clerical work, saw the problem almost immediately:
"There is so much land in the world. It is not easy to conduct a comprehensive inventory and measurement, not to mention the amount of bamboo slips and paper needed to keep records for each household."
"This is a huge waste of manpower, material resources and time. How can we implement it in this turbulent time?"
"Don't forget, everyone. Right now, we can only control these two capitals and Sizhou."
"Even the noble families in the Central Plains and Guanzhong may not cooperate wholeheartedly."
"By that time, the fire outside won't be extinguished yet, and if there's more war at home, let alone implementing reforms, it's doubtful whether the new government can survive."
"In my opinion, we should put stability first. Any policies that may cause disputes should not be implemented in a hurry. It is wise to implement them when the world is peaceful."
Su Yao listened quietly to Xun You's words and did not refute immediately. Instead, he walked to the window, looked at Anyi City which was gradually recovering its vitality outside the window, and fell into a brief contemplation.
"What Gongda said is not without reason."
Su Yao spoke slowly:
"It is indeed a difficult task to implement the equal-field system and confirm land rights, and to establish a new land management system. It will take a lot of manpower, material resources and time, and it will not be accomplished overnight. It may also make those aristocratic families who are already dissatisfied even more opposed to radicalism."
"But we must not let this happen and watch the problem of land annexation become more and more serious while the people live in dire straits without intervening."
"This problem must not be delayed until the world is pacified before being solved, because land annexation is one of the root causes of chaos in the world."
"In the past, Emperor Taizu revived the Han Dynasty and turned the tide. In just twelve years, he wiped out the separatist regimes in all directions and initiated the Guangwu Restoration. His merits and achievements are outstanding."
"However, in order to consolidate his rule and win the support of the aristocratic families, he compromised on the land issue, which led to the accumulation of conflicts until now, and finally caused this irreversible disaster."
After saying this, Su Yao turned around and glanced at everyone one by one, his eyes revealing an unquestionable determination:
“Now, we must never make the same mistake again!”
"If we don't carry out reforms now while we hold the military power and the people support us, it will be even more difficult for us to implement reforms in the future when the world is stable and the aristocratic families regain their footing."
Su Yao's words were powerful, and his determination made everyone present fall into deep thought.
The first to break the silence was Wang Ling.
The young Jinyiwei officer straightened his clothes, then knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and said loudly:
"Ling is a man of limited talent and learning. I am grateful to the general for his kindness and for entrusting me with an important task. I dare not speak without thinking."
"But now I have heard of the great general's great ambitions, and I admire him greatly. This is truly a good strategy to save the people from danger and to save the Han Dynasty from collapse."
"Although there are not many Jinyiwei, they are all loyal and brave. Ling is willing to be the pioneer of the general and lead his brothers to go deep into the people and investigate the movements of the noble families. Anyone who dares to defy the reform and do bad things in secret will be caught and punished to uphold the law. For the general's will, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
The Jinyiwei's first statement surprised everyone.
The role of the Jinyiwei was crucial in pacifying the chaos in Hanoi and Hedong.
Especially Xun You, he was stroking his beard and thinking secretly.
Although General Su Yao seems to be unruly and often does something eccentric.
However, when it comes to major decision-making, he is often one step ahead of others.
Could it be that the establishment of the Jinyiwei was done for the purpose of reform?
I'm afraid the general's idea is not just a spur-of-the-moment thing.
Thinking of this, Xun You immediately began to consider whether he should change his position.
While Xun You was deep in thought, Guo Jia stepped forward and said:
"The general has a far-sighted vision, and Jia deeply admires him. The implementation of the equal-field system and land rights confirmation is indeed a grand strategy to turn the tide and save the people from suffering. However, Mr. Xun's concerns are also reasonable."
"Therefore, according to Jiazhi's opinion, we might as well try to roll it out in Hedong first."
"Hedong has just experienced war and rebellion. A large amount of land has been left barren, and the powerful families have almost been uprooted. This is the perfect time to implement the policy of the general."
"We can gather together the confiscated land of the rebels and the unowned wasteland, distribute it to the people according to the rules of the equal-field system, and at the same time carry out land title confirmation work."
"This way, the policy can be easily implemented and the resources consumed will not be too much to bear. After the initial results are seen here, we can promote it in Hanoi, Luoyang, and other regions, and it will be twice the result with half the effort."
Policy pilot is something Su Yao has done in the past.
Su Yao had a policy for each newly conquered county, reforming the separation of powers, setting up garrisons, etc., to prevent violent turmoil.
Now that Guo Jia proposed the equal-field system and tried it out in Hedong, it was exactly what Su Yao wanted. He immediately praised:
"This plan of Fengxiao is exactly what I want!"
"The Hedong area has been through a great turmoil and is in need of reconstruction. It is the perfect place to try out the new policy."
"Moreover, if we want to better implement the equal-field system, it is particularly important to have clean and honest officials. We must have a group of honest and upright officials who are familiar with farming to be responsible for the specific implementation, to ensure that the land is distributed fairly and justly, and to avoid favoritism and fraud."
"When the imperial examination is held later, some of the officials selected can be sent here to take charge of this matter."
"As new officials, they do not have many conflicts of interest and are more likely to be fair. At the same time, with the support of our existing capable officials, we will be able to do a good job in this pilot project if we cooperate with each other."
"The general is wise."
Xun You cupped his hands and exclaimed:
"When the new policy was first implemented, people were in a state of panic. These new officials had just arrived and were reckless, so they could do their work in a bold and decisive manner. The old officials could assist them and correct mistakes in a timely manner to ensure the smooth implementation of the new policy."
"In this way, we can not only rectify the reputation of the imperial examination system, but also, after this experience, the new officials will become the supporters of the new policies and the backbone of the new policies' promotion to various places in the future."
Seeing that Xun You, who was the most opposed to this matter, had changed his attitude, everyone nodded and expressed their agreement with this arrangement.
Seeing that everyone had finally reached a consensus, Su Yao immediately gave orders to start the new policy pilot work in Hedong in full swing:
"In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the land survey and population census, I intend to set up a Statistics Department under the Ministry of Revenue to be solely responsible for this matter."
As he spoke, under everyone's shocked gaze, Su Yao directly named Wei Ji:
"During the Hedong Rebellion, the Wei family stood firm and their loyalty was commendable. Bo Ju played an indispensable role. He was also known for his wisdom and had a good understanding of the local area of Hedong."
"Therefore, this general has decided that you will serve as the first director of the Statistics Department, responsible for coordinating the land and population census affairs in the Hedong area. Are you willing to take on this important task?"
"Me? Director of the Statistics Department?!"
As a member of a local aristocratic family in Hedong, his position in this meeting where people were discussing how to suppress the powerful aristocratic families was quite embarrassing.
Therefore, Wei Ji had been very careful and did not dare to express his opinions casually, for fear of causing disaster and being held accountable later.
As a result, he never expected that Su Yao would mention his name at this time.
But soon, the panic in his eyes was replaced by determination and excitement.
He calmed himself, lifted up his clothes, and knelt on the ground with a loud and excited voice:
"I am a person of limited talent and learning, but I am grateful for the great general's kindness. I will do my best to live up to your trust!"
(End of this chapter)
In the evening, Anyi City.
In contrast to the noisy and cheering scene in the city, there was silence in the county governor's mansion.
After hearing Su Yao say the word "equal distribution of land", everyone's faces showed shock and fear.
As scholars who were well-read in scriptures, they were very clear about the well-field system and the military farming system.
This equal distribution of land is unheard of.
"Does the general want to divide the land equally?"
Sima Lang exclaimed.
In his opinion, the military farming was an unfair act. Now when he heard the term "equal distribution of land", the first thing that came to his mind was to distribute the land equally to everyone, regardless of their status or wealth.
As soon as this thought arose, his heart began to beat violently uncontrollably, and an unprecedented shock and panic spread in his heart.
"Absolutely not, General!"
Sima Lang's voice trembled as he said hurriedly:
"Lang believed that the collapse of the empire was due to the fact that Qin abolished the five-rank system and the counties and states had no preparation for hunting and training for war."
"Although the fifth rank cannot be restored now, it is still a good thing for the general to set up more garrisons and station troops in the local areas."
"But the idea of equal distribution of land has never been heard of before!"
As he spoke, Sima Lang became excited, gesticulating and saying:
"The way of the ancient sages is the well-field system. In the past, Duke Zhou established rituals and music, following the well-field system, and the world was in great order. The Cheng Zhou Dynasty flourished for 800 years. This is a model for all ages."
"I think that at that time, neighbors helped each other, went out and came as friends, watched over each other, supported each other in illness, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, with simple customs."
"After the Qin and Han dynasties, land was passed down from generation to generation among the people. It was a legacy that lasted for generations and was difficult to take away. That is why the well-field system no longer exists today, which is why we are experiencing the chaos and instability of the world today."
"Now the great general has made great military achievements, defeated bandits, eliminated traitors, and recovered countless official fields. In addition, the people have been scattered, and many lands are ownerless. It is time to restore the well-field system in time to lay the foundation for eternity!"
Iida, that's right.
Although Sima Lang was a generous and well-mannered person, and not a pedantic person, his ideology was that of a standard Confucian who revered the past.
But this is actually normal.
The Han Dynasty has continued to this day, and the dynasty has accumulated numerous problems. All knowledgeable people in the world have tried their best to find a way to save the country.
After Emperor Wu of Han abolished all schools of thought and promoted Confucianism alone, Confucianism became the world's orthodoxy.
The core of Confucianism is to rule the world with rites and music, which is manifested in respecting heaven, following ancestors, and worshipping saints.
Therefore, the trend of respecting the past and despising the present is very strong, and people always mention Yao and Shun, believing that the systems and moral standards established by the ancient sages are the only way to solve all current problems.
Sima Lang is one of the representatives, but...
"The well-field theory may not be feasible."
The person who spoke was Xun You.
As a fellow Confucian scholar, he was obviously not as reverent as Sima Lang, and the reason was very simple:
"Boda advocated the well-field system, which is admirable. However, although the ancient system is good, it may not be applicable to the present."
Xun You walked forward, glanced solemnly at everyone's faces, shook his head, and spoke slowly:
"In the past, Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty and was determined to restore the past. He promoted the Wangtian system, which was intended to imitate the well-field system. He wanted to nationalize all the land in the world and then redistribute it according to population, under the euphemistic name of 'Wangtian'."
"It prohibits the sale of land in an attempt to solve the problem of land annexation and restore the ancient peace and prosperity."
He paused slightly, his tone becoming heavier:
"At that time, Wang Mang was under the banner of restoring the ancient sages' way, and many scholars in the world supported him. But what was the result? Everyone knows: once this system was promulgated, there was chaos in the world!"
"Those aristocratic and powerful families regard land as their lifeblood. How could they easily hand over their land? They resisted openly or covertly, making it difficult to implement the government's orders."
"Although ordinary people were delighted when they first heard that they could get land, in the actual implementation process, corrupt officials took advantage of the situation, arbitrarily measured the land, and forcibly deprived people of their private property, causing public resentment."
"Wang Mang's reforms based on ancient practices not only failed to solve the accumulated problems, but made the already turbulent situation even worse. Eventually, the whole country rose up in rebellion, and the Xin Dynasty collapsed in just a few years."
Xun You looked at Su Yao, his eyes full of worry:
"General, now that you want to implement the equal distribution of land, I don't know how it differs from the royal land system, but you must be extremely cautious when it comes to touching the fundamental issue of land. If you fail to learn from Wang Mang's lesson, I'm afraid you will repeat the same mistake and cause even greater chaos."
"I deeply admire the general's love for the people, but what Mr. Xun said does make sense."
After Xun You finished speaking, Wei Ji also stood up. He cupped his hands and cautiously expressed his opposition:
"Let alone how the aristocratic families would resist, the details of measuring and distributing the land alone are extremely complicated."
"The world is so vast, and the land varies in quality and fertility. How can we formulate a fair and just distribution standard?"
"If there is any mistake, it will cause new disputes. I hope the general will act prudently."
"Good fellow, you three can give me so many responses from just one sentence."
Facing these numerous opposing voices, Su Yao remained calm and turned his gaze towards Guo Jia and Wang Ling who had remained silent:
"What do you two think?"
"Do you think I'm daydreaming?"
The two looked at each other and both smiled bitterly.
As Su Yao's close confidants who were promoted by him, they naturally would not oppose Su Yao at this time.
However, if you say that they have any confidence in this so-called equal distribution of land, that is pure nonsense.
So after thinking for a while, Wang Ling spoke first:
"General, Ling dare not speak rashly on military and national affairs, but this matter is of great importance and involves the interests of all parties. There may be many obstacles in its implementation."
"However, as long as the general has made the decision, Ling Ding will fully support it."
Wang Ling spoke bluntly, but Guo Jia became much more cunning:
"Jia believes that since the general has proposed equal distribution of land, it must be a decision made after careful consideration. It will be more beneficial than military farming. I hope the general will make it clear."
Seeing the attitudes of the two, Su Yao chuckled and said:
"What I mean by equal distribution of land is not simply dividing the land equally, but a complete system design."
After saying that, Su Yao stood up, glanced at Sima Lang, Xun You and others who had spoken earlier, and said slowly:
"How could I not know the difficulties you are talking about?"
"As the ancients said: The wise change with the times, the wise make decisions based on circumstances, and the way to govern a country should be the same."
"The well-field system is good, but it was the national policy of the pre-Zhou Dynasty. Times have changed and it is no longer suitable for today's era. The disastrous failure of Wang Mang's reform of the system by claiming to be ancient is a clear proof of this."
"However, the idea of nationalizing land and curbing mergers and acquisitions still has merits."
As he spoke, Su Yao closed his eyes, glanced at the policy introduction in his system, and said:
"What I mean by equal distribution of land is a careful plan made after absorbing the essence of the ancient system and considering the current situation."
"Please think about it. Why are the people displaced and the world in turmoil? It is nothing more than the disparity between the rich and the poor. The land is being annexed. The poor have no place to live, while the rich have fields stretching across the fields."
"This rebellion has shown us firsthand the harm done by the powerful and wealthy. They monopolize the land, oppress the people, and even collude with foreign enemies to commit treason and rebellion. If this problem is not completely resolved, there will never be peace in the world!"
Su Yao opened his eyes, his gaze sparkling:
"The equal-field system I am promoting is to break this situation and to reasonably distribute the unowned wasteland and government-paid land to the landless and land-poor people based on population, labor and other factors, so that those who till the land have their own land and those who live in the land have their own houses."
"In this way, with a stable source of livelihood, people will naturally be able to work with peace of mind, and society will tend to be stable."
"Besides, with the precedent of Wang Mang, I know that reform should be carried out gradually."
"Therefore, the core of the equal-field system is to grant land rather than to take it away."
"For those who have made contributions to the country and abide by the law, we will not forcibly deprive them of their land. Instead, we will conduct a land inventory and re-confirm land ownership to protect their private rights and interests."
"what?!"
“Land title confirmation?”
"Protecting private interests?"
Su Yao's words stunned everyone. The concepts of land title confirmation and protection of private rights were too new to them and difficult to understand for a while.
Only Wang Ling, who was used to Su Yao's strange words, was not overly shocked.
Finally, Sima Lang frowned and spoke:
"General, what exactly does this land title confirmation mean?"
"The so-called land title confirmation is a general term for clarifying the ownership, use rights, and other rights of the land."
After Su Yao finished speaking, everyone had different expressions on their faces, most of them seemed to understand but not quite.
"How is this different from the land scrolls of ordinary people?" Xun You asked. The land scrolls were the certificates for land and house transactions during the Qin and Han dynasties.
Since paper was extremely precious at that time, the production of land certificates was even more difficult.
Therefore, the poor at that time mostly used wooden boards, while the rich carved them on stone slabs. They then asked the local headman, chief clerk and other minor officials in charge of writing to witness them and then buried them underground. These were early land deeds and house certificates.
However, since it is in its early stage, it naturally has great limitations.
After conquering so many territories and dealing with many land allocation issues, Su Yao saw the trick at a glance:
"The land certificates used by the people today are just vouchers for transactions, while land title confirmation is done by the government, which conducts a comprehensive inventory, measurement, and registration of all land, determines the legal ownership of each piece of land, and issues a legally binding land deed."
"This is not just a simple renewal of land certificates, but the establishment of a new, more standardized and rigorous land management system."
Everyone listened and thought deeply. Sima Lang, who had done the most research on land, came to his senses first, with a hint of excitement in his eyes:
"General, this will not only allow the people to have a clearer understanding of their land ownership, but the court can also take this opportunity to find out the details of the land in the world, which will facilitate future tax collection and land allocation. It is really a good strategy that kills two birds with one stone!"
Guo Jia nodded quickly after hearing this:
"Moreover, in my opinion, this land title confirmation will effectively curb land annexation."
"In the past, those powerful families relied on their power in the local area to change the situation arbitrarily, treating the land certificates as nothing, and willfully changing and encroaching on the people's land. The people suffered terribly but could do nothing about it."
"Now that the government has stepped in to sign a deed and keep it on file, it will be difficult for them to seize the land by force."
Facing Guo Jia's excitement, Xun You still frowned:
"Although this strategy is good, it may be difficult to implement."
Xun You, who was in charge of clerical work, saw the problem almost immediately:
"There is so much land in the world. It is not easy to conduct a comprehensive inventory and measurement, not to mention the amount of bamboo slips and paper needed to keep records for each household."
"This is a huge waste of manpower, material resources and time. How can we implement it in this turbulent time?"
"Don't forget, everyone. Right now, we can only control these two capitals and Sizhou."
"Even the noble families in the Central Plains and Guanzhong may not cooperate wholeheartedly."
"By that time, the fire outside won't be extinguished yet, and if there's more war at home, let alone implementing reforms, it's doubtful whether the new government can survive."
"In my opinion, we should put stability first. Any policies that may cause disputes should not be implemented in a hurry. It is wise to implement them when the world is peaceful."
Su Yao listened quietly to Xun You's words and did not refute immediately. Instead, he walked to the window, looked at Anyi City which was gradually recovering its vitality outside the window, and fell into a brief contemplation.
"What Gongda said is not without reason."
Su Yao spoke slowly:
"It is indeed a difficult task to implement the equal-field system and confirm land rights, and to establish a new land management system. It will take a lot of manpower, material resources and time, and it will not be accomplished overnight. It may also make those aristocratic families who are already dissatisfied even more opposed to radicalism."
"But we must not let this happen and watch the problem of land annexation become more and more serious while the people live in dire straits without intervening."
"This problem must not be delayed until the world is pacified before being solved, because land annexation is one of the root causes of chaos in the world."
"In the past, Emperor Taizu revived the Han Dynasty and turned the tide. In just twelve years, he wiped out the separatist regimes in all directions and initiated the Guangwu Restoration. His merits and achievements are outstanding."
"However, in order to consolidate his rule and win the support of the aristocratic families, he compromised on the land issue, which led to the accumulation of conflicts until now, and finally caused this irreversible disaster."
After saying this, Su Yao turned around and glanced at everyone one by one, his eyes revealing an unquestionable determination:
“Now, we must never make the same mistake again!”
"If we don't carry out reforms now while we hold the military power and the people support us, it will be even more difficult for us to implement reforms in the future when the world is stable and the aristocratic families regain their footing."
Su Yao's words were powerful, and his determination made everyone present fall into deep thought.
The first to break the silence was Wang Ling.
The young Jinyiwei officer straightened his clothes, then knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and said loudly:
"Ling is a man of limited talent and learning. I am grateful to the general for his kindness and for entrusting me with an important task. I dare not speak without thinking."
"But now I have heard of the great general's great ambitions, and I admire him greatly. This is truly a good strategy to save the people from danger and to save the Han Dynasty from collapse."
"Although there are not many Jinyiwei, they are all loyal and brave. Ling is willing to be the pioneer of the general and lead his brothers to go deep into the people and investigate the movements of the noble families. Anyone who dares to defy the reform and do bad things in secret will be caught and punished to uphold the law. For the general's will, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
The Jinyiwei's first statement surprised everyone.
The role of the Jinyiwei was crucial in pacifying the chaos in Hanoi and Hedong.
Especially Xun You, he was stroking his beard and thinking secretly.
Although General Su Yao seems to be unruly and often does something eccentric.
However, when it comes to major decision-making, he is often one step ahead of others.
Could it be that the establishment of the Jinyiwei was done for the purpose of reform?
I'm afraid the general's idea is not just a spur-of-the-moment thing.
Thinking of this, Xun You immediately began to consider whether he should change his position.
While Xun You was deep in thought, Guo Jia stepped forward and said:
"The general has a far-sighted vision, and Jia deeply admires him. The implementation of the equal-field system and land rights confirmation is indeed a grand strategy to turn the tide and save the people from suffering. However, Mr. Xun's concerns are also reasonable."
"Therefore, according to Jiazhi's opinion, we might as well try to roll it out in Hedong first."
"Hedong has just experienced war and rebellion. A large amount of land has been left barren, and the powerful families have almost been uprooted. This is the perfect time to implement the policy of the general."
"We can gather together the confiscated land of the rebels and the unowned wasteland, distribute it to the people according to the rules of the equal-field system, and at the same time carry out land title confirmation work."
"This way, the policy can be easily implemented and the resources consumed will not be too much to bear. After the initial results are seen here, we can promote it in Hanoi, Luoyang, and other regions, and it will be twice the result with half the effort."
Policy pilot is something Su Yao has done in the past.
Su Yao had a policy for each newly conquered county, reforming the separation of powers, setting up garrisons, etc., to prevent violent turmoil.
Now that Guo Jia proposed the equal-field system and tried it out in Hedong, it was exactly what Su Yao wanted. He immediately praised:
"This plan of Fengxiao is exactly what I want!"
"The Hedong area has been through a great turmoil and is in need of reconstruction. It is the perfect place to try out the new policy."
"Moreover, if we want to better implement the equal-field system, it is particularly important to have clean and honest officials. We must have a group of honest and upright officials who are familiar with farming to be responsible for the specific implementation, to ensure that the land is distributed fairly and justly, and to avoid favoritism and fraud."
"When the imperial examination is held later, some of the officials selected can be sent here to take charge of this matter."
"As new officials, they do not have many conflicts of interest and are more likely to be fair. At the same time, with the support of our existing capable officials, we will be able to do a good job in this pilot project if we cooperate with each other."
"The general is wise."
Xun You cupped his hands and exclaimed:
"When the new policy was first implemented, people were in a state of panic. These new officials had just arrived and were reckless, so they could do their work in a bold and decisive manner. The old officials could assist them and correct mistakes in a timely manner to ensure the smooth implementation of the new policy."
"In this way, we can not only rectify the reputation of the imperial examination system, but also, after this experience, the new officials will become the supporters of the new policies and the backbone of the new policies' promotion to various places in the future."
Seeing that Xun You, who was the most opposed to this matter, had changed his attitude, everyone nodded and expressed their agreement with this arrangement.
Seeing that everyone had finally reached a consensus, Su Yao immediately gave orders to start the new policy pilot work in Hedong in full swing:
"In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the land survey and population census, I intend to set up a Statistics Department under the Ministry of Revenue to be solely responsible for this matter."
As he spoke, under everyone's shocked gaze, Su Yao directly named Wei Ji:
"During the Hedong Rebellion, the Wei family stood firm and their loyalty was commendable. Bo Ju played an indispensable role. He was also known for his wisdom and had a good understanding of the local area of Hedong."
"Therefore, this general has decided that you will serve as the first director of the Statistics Department, responsible for coordinating the land and population census affairs in the Hedong area. Are you willing to take on this important task?"
"Me? Director of the Statistics Department?!"
As a member of a local aristocratic family in Hedong, his position in this meeting where people were discussing how to suppress the powerful aristocratic families was quite embarrassing.
Therefore, Wei Ji had been very careful and did not dare to express his opinions casually, for fear of causing disaster and being held accountable later.
As a result, he never expected that Su Yao would mention his name at this time.
But soon, the panic in his eyes was replaced by determination and excitement.
He calmed himself, lifted up his clothes, and knelt on the ground with a loud and excited voice:
"I am a person of limited talent and learning, but I am grateful for the great general's kindness. I will do my best to live up to your trust!"
(End of this chapter)
