Chapter 11: The Passion of the People

The scorching sun was baking the earth. Read М

The rolling heat waves could not drown the fiery mood of the people of Yancheng.

"Li Yuan, is it true that the palace is recruiting tenants?"

On the official road south of Yancheng, a group of refugees surrounded the young man who had just returned from Yancheng.

They were all people who had lost their land, and they were unwilling to work like cows and horses for the wealthy.

"Really, I signed the contract, and I will go to get the land tomorrow." The young man spitted and showed the contract to the people around him.

But how many people in Yan County can read?

Everyone looked at me, I looked at you, "What is written on it, I don't understand, I won't be cheated."

"It must be wrong, I asked three scholars to help read it, and they all read the same." Li Yuan carefully folded the contract and tucked it into his belt like a treasure.

When the others heard it, their envious heartbeats accelerated.

Ignoring Li Yuan, they all went to Yancheng.

When they arrived at the gate of the palace, they saw a huge crowd of people in front of the palace, and they couldn't squeeze through.

"Oh, it's all our fault for hesitating. What should we do now? I'm afraid it won't be our turn." A middle-aged man slapped his thigh anxiously.

"I was afraid that the King of Yan was the same as the gentry, but I didn't expect that the King of Yan was a good man."

"Yes, it's really God's eyes that the King of Yan came to our Yan County."

"..."

At the gate of the palace.

Zhao Xu stood behind Qin Zhangfang, and every citizen who took the contract would salute him respectfully.

They had already learned that the young man at the door was the King of Yan, and out of gratitude, the salute was also spontaneous.

"Qin Zhangfang, how much land is left?" Zhao Xu asked.

In a blink of an eye, the palace was almost crowded.

Now that the news spread, more people gathered at the palace.

Taking this opportunity, he felt that he should take the opportunity to contact the people of Yan County and let them understand that Yan County is no longer the world of the Zhang family.

"Your Highness, there are still 40,000 mu left." Qin the accountant wiped the sweat off his forehead.

Zhao Xu nodded.

He checked the household register of Yan County. The total number of households in Yan County is currently 380,000, of which one-third are concentrated near Yancheng.

This time, he divided the land according to the household, that is, one household can only receive six mu of land.

In this way, 60,000 mu of land is enough to be distributed to 10,000 households.

In ancient times, the yield per mu was very low. It was good to harvest two or three hundred kilograms of grain per mu of land, so six mu was not much.

At the same time, he did not learn from the wealthy families to use contracts to turn the people into their slaves.

Generally speaking, in addition to farming and paying taxes, the wealthy families' contracts also have to obey the labor arranged by the gentry and serve as soldiers in war.

He crossed out all these things.

The reason is very simple. The wealthy families did this to squeeze the people as much as possible, while he did it to win the hearts of the people.

As long as the people's hearts are with him, it is much better than those people who are unwilling to be vassals of the wealthy families.

As for why he didn't return the land to the people.

He also had his reasons.

The people were the weak class, and they could not protect their property in front of the nobles. Only by holding the land in his name, the nobles would not dare to extend their evil hands.

This is why he took the opportunity to let the palace occupy the land and let the people cultivate it. In fact, it was also a disguised nationalization of the land.

It is said that the people who depend on the palace are tenants, but in fact they are just free people under his protection.

The eyes of the people are sharp, and so many people suddenly came today to prove it.

"Don't pull me, I want to be a personal guard."

When Zhao Xu was thinking, a noise attracted his attention.

A boy of sixteen or seventeen years old squeezed in front of Chang Wei despite the woman's dissuasion.

The distribution of land and conscription were carried out at the same time.

On his left was Qin's accountant, and on his right was Chang Wei.

"Huzi, don't you listen to your mother? Why don't you just take the land and go back to farm it? Why be a soldier?"

"I want to avenge my father and kill the Beidi people." The boy looked stubborn, "Besides, with three taels of silver, I can support my mother and sister."

"You can also support yourself by farming." The woman held the boy tightly.

"What's the use of just farming? The Beidi people will rob everything when they come. Mother said that the King of Yan is a good man. If no one joins the army, who will protect the King of Yan? When the Beidi people come, can the Yan Wang Mansion stay in Yan County? Then we have to farm the land of the nobles." The boy pushed the woman's hand and pressed his fingerprint on the book in front of Chang Wei.

The people around were touched when they heard this.

They have been oppressed by the nobles and the Beidi people for too long. Now, the appearance of a King of Yan brings them a glimmer of hope for change.

For this glimmer of hope, they also want to gamble with their lives. Maybe they will really have a different life in the future.

Thinking of this, some young men who were originally in charge of the fields moved to join the army.

Chang Wei looked back at Zhao Xu, and there was a different emotion in his eyes.

He was surprised for a long time when he learned that Zhao Xu collected such a low rent.

It can be said that no one in Dasong would do this.

Even those famous scholars who claim to live for the people would at least collect 50% of the rent.

But now, he seems to understand Zhao Xu's intention.

He did collect less rent, but he won the hearts of the people.

In Yan County, compared with the extremely vicious nobles, the actions of the Prince of Yan's Mansion were undoubtedly earth-shattering.

People are all made of flesh and blood, and the passionate young men are naturally willing to sacrifice their lives for such a Prince of Yan.

But this time, he really admired Zhao Xu and felt that he was a blessing in disguise and followed the right person.

"What's your name?" After figuring out the whole story, Zhao Xu was moved.

In Yan County, the people's life is too difficult.

He didn't expect that people would be so grateful if he just did something a little bit.

"This is His Highness King Yan." Someone reminded.

"Back to Your Highness, common man Chen Hu." The young man glanced at Zhao Xu, who was still young, in surprise, and bowed hurriedly.

Zhao Xu nodded. Chen Hu was wearing a tattered short shirt, and his dark face was dirty.

But a pair of eyes are particularly bright.

Not just Chen Hu, most people are like this.

Basically the clothes are in rags and the face is withered.

"No gift." Zhao Xu patted Chen Hu on the shoulder, "He is a tough man, but you are the only son in the family and you have lost your father. You should be more cautious and take more care of your mother and sister."

Chen Hu looked at his mother, his eyes darkened for a moment, but he still persisted, "Your Highness has just come to Yan County. I'm afraid he has never seen the ferocity of the Beidi people. The Beidi people looted the year before last, and my father and brother were killed. Last year, I came again, sister." He was taken away and his life and death are still unknown.”

A little choked, he continued: "If the Beidi people come again this year, maybe my mother and sister will suffer misfortune, so even if the common people are unfilial, they will go to the battlefield to protect them."

When the woman heard this, she burst into tears and sighed, "Huzi, mother won't stop you anymore, you can go ahead."

Then she saluted Zhao Xu and asked: "Your Highness, please forgive the rudeness of the civilian woman. Please tell the civilian woman whether your Royal Highness's troops will protect the people of Yan County and resist the Beidi people."

"Yes!" Zhao Xu replied decisively, "As long as I am here, Yan County will not allow the Beidi people to be unruly!"

He said this not only to Huzi's mother, but also to the young men who joined the pro-army.

Zhao Xu's words instantly made many young and strong eyes light up. They were so eager for someone to lead them to live a good life and drive away the barbarian enemies.

Whenever the Beidi people come, the wealthy families and officials of Yan County will only huddle in their own forts to protect their gold and silver treasures, not caring about their lives or lives.

It is also easy to enter the Wubao, that is, work as cattle and horses for them, farm ten percent of the land, and guard the Wubao when the Beidi people come.

Chang Wei nodded appreciatively.

He was never just a pro-army general.

It was more about leading the pro-army to expel Beidi.

"Your Highness, King Yan, is mighty!" He shouted as his blood surged up.

As the saying goes, if there are generals, there must be soldiers. Of course, all of Chang Wei's soldiers are real men, and they also drank loudly.

"The King of Yan is mighty."

Infected by the emotions of Chang Wei and others, Huzi and the young men who joined the army started shouting.

Waves of sound soared into the sky.

Zhao Xu's heart twitched.

Looking at the people of Yan County who put their hope in him, he suddenly felt a heavy weight on his shoulders.