weaving

Chapter 1500 The Heart of Avoiding Misfortune and Seeking Fortune
Inside the main hall of the Censorate.

Marquis Yongning Zhang Cheng looked at Ling Yiqu with a serious expression and said in a deep voice, "If that's really the case, what will happen to Luo Rucai's tens of thousands of soldiers and more than 100,000 family members?"

He stared at Ling Yiqu and asked, enunciating each word clearly, "Were they all killed?"

Ling Yiqu was taken aback upon hearing this, but quickly realized what was happening and said somewhat flusteredly, "With the ringleader executed, what can the rest of us do?"

Just as the Earl of Yongning was about to lash out, he heard Li Banghua's voice: "Since Luo Rucai has already surrendered, if there is no real evidence, it would be contrary to the laws of our dynasty to execute him on trumped-up charges. It would also damage the prestige of our dynasty, and I'm afraid the people of the world would not accept it."

After listening to Li Banghua's words, the Earl of Yongning's anger subsided. He looked at Li Banghua and said, "As Mr. Li said, Luo Rucai should not only not be killed, but should also be made a role model for all traitors in the world, so that those who come after him will follow suit!"

After finishing speaking, the Earl of Yongning turned to look at Ling Yiqu and continued, "You two only saw the ferocity of the bandits, but you did not see the true nature of the corrupt officials, wicked gentry and evil gentry."

"What does the Earl of Yongning mean by this?" Li Banghua asked.

"Just like the local officials of the imperial court in Henan, and the ubiquitous local tyrants and gentry, one only knows how to urge taxes, and the other only knows how to urge rent and taxes. What will be the result?"

The people were destitute, and in every village, only one in ten survived. Most people were scattered and fled to other places, eventually becoming groups of refugees. This was the source of the frequent turmoil in the Central Plains.

Such officials and gentry are more harmful than bandits. Calling them corrupt officials or wicked gentry is not enough to show their crimes. They are a group of petty people who have no respect for the emperor or the people.

They have only family in their hearts, not country; they only see their own wealth, completely oblivious to the suffering of the people; such people, who only know how to enjoy themselves and have no sense of justice, are incapable of repaying the emperor's kindness above, nor of benefiting the common people below..."

Finally, the Earl of Yongning, his voice filled with murderous intent, uttered four words, each one deliberate and forceful: "What use is there in keeping them alive?"

Li Banghua remained calm and composed, as steadfast as an old pine tree, but Ling Yiqu's body trembled slightly as he asked, "Earl of Yongning... are you about to unleash a massacre?"

Zhang Cheng smiled slightly and said, "Although they are guilty, I will not punish them with private force. The court's legal officials will determine their crimes and then deal with them. However..."

"But what?" Li Banghua couldn't help but ask.

"Humph."

Zhang Cheng snorted angrily before saying, "If there is any evidence of collusion with traitors, embezzlement, spreading rumors and slander, or inciting unrest, I will deal with it according to the laws for governing chaos!"

Upon hearing this, Li Banghua felt a chill in his heart and said, "Earl of Yongning, you must not act rashly with murderous thoughts. Even if there is a serious crime, you should conduct a thorough investigation and obtain complete evidence before taking action."

“Of course,” Zhang Cheng said with a smile. “Mr. Li, we were just talking about military settlements. There are abandoned fields everywhere in the prefectures and counties of the Central Plains. If they are not cultivated, there will be no harvest next year. The original owners of these abandoned fields are neither able to cultivate them nor willing to give them to starving people.”

Now, in accordance with the laws of the court, this bo is being taken back to the court and given to the starving people to cultivate. Next year, they will have some harvest, and the starving people will no longer be able to wander around. This is truly a good strategy to stabilize the situation in the Central Plains.

Furthermore, the soldiers and their families discharged from Yuan and Luo's units also need to be allocated land and resettled. But where will the land come from? Won't it all come from these wastelands? Do you two gentlemen have a better solution?

The Earl of Yongning asked three questions in a row, and Li Banghua and Ling Yiqu were speechless.

After a moment of silence, Li Banghua spoke up: "It can only be limited to wasteland."

“Otherwise…” Marquis Yongning smiled mysteriously: “How much wasteland is there? Due to the chaos caused by the bandits, many fields are now difficult to find their owners. It’s not good to leave them idle like this. Naturally, they should be incorporated into the military settlements.”

Upon hearing this, Ling Yiqu hesitated and said, "The landowner may have fled elsewhere. Once the Central Plains is stable, what will happen if the former landowner returns?"

"In any case, it cannot be taken back within three years."

"Ah!" Zhang Cheng smiled and said, "I have petitioned the court and the emperor to exempt the people of Henan Province from three years' worth of taxes, as well as all previously owed taxes."

"Ah, the Earl of Yongning is kind-hearted, truly a blessing to the people of the Central Plains," Li Banghua praised.

"It's more than that."

"Earl of Yongning, what do you mean by this?" Ling Yiqu pressed.

"In addition to establishing military settlements to pacify the people and supply the army, and requesting a three-year tax exemption, I also ordered a land survey throughout Henan Province, requiring all gentry to pay taxes to support the suppression of bandits. At the same time, I also ordered the implementation of a rent and interest reduction policy throughout Henan Province."

"Gentlemen pay taxes together? Rent and interest reduction?" Li Banghua and Ling Yiqu repeated the same question at the same time, then looked at each other with questions in their eyes.

"Yes, it's 'gentry paying taxes together' and 'rent and interest reduction'."

"Earl of Yongning, have you gone mad?" Ling Yiqu's hands were trembling as he said this.

"Mr. Ling, what makes you say that? I'm perfectly fine now."

"Gentry and gentry paying taxes together? Have you considered what the outcome would be if this were actually implemented?"

What was the result?

“Then…then…” Ling Yiqu stammered, “Earl of Yongning…you will become the mortal enemy of all the gentry in the land!”

"So what?" Zhang Cheng seemed unconcerned: "In Xuanda, the gentry have long paid taxes together, and nothing has happened."

Ling Yiqu seemed to have something more to say, but Li Banghua stopped him: "Junfu, we're only asking about 'military settlements,' so let's not discuss anything unrelated for now."

He then asked Zhang Cheng, "Earl of Yongning, may I ask, what is meant by 'rent and interest reduction'?"

"Rent reduction means that landlords are allowed to rent out their surplus land to landless or displaced people for cultivation. However, starting next year, the rent must be reduced by 25% from the original amount, and the maximum rent shall not exceed 35% of the land's productive output."

At the same time, in the name of the Bandit Suppression Commander's Office, they will vigorously promote the redemption of mortgaged and pawned land, as well as the purchase of owned, abandoned land at a fair price for use as military farms.

"Ah. And what about 'interest rate cuts'?"

"Interest rate reduction means acknowledging the existence of a previous lending relationship, but the annual interest rate shall not exceed 1.5%. If the interest paid by the borrower exceeds twice the original principal, the interest payment can be suspended and only the principal needs to be repaid. If the interest paid exceeds twice the original principal, both the principal and interest payments will be suspended immediately, and the original lending relationship will be regarded as null and void."

"Ah." Li Banghua was quite shocked. He stared at the Earl of Yongning and said, "Although the Earl of Yongning's actions are of great benefit to the people and conducive to stabilizing the situation in the Central Plains, does the Earl of Yongning know that these actions will also bring you undeserved disaster?"

"Hahaha..." Marquis Zhang Cheng of Yongning laughed loudly and said, "A true man should stand between heaven and earth, thinking of repaying the emperor's kindness and protecting the people. How can he have the heart to avoid disaster and seek fortune!"

Li Banghua suddenly stood up from his seat, clasped his hands in a salute, and said solemnly, "Banghua admires the actions of the Earl of Yongning. This time, I will only ask about military settlements and will not ask about anything else."

“Mr. Li, I have prepared some small gifts for you two. Please accept them.”

"Banghua has never had such a good item, please ask the Earl of Yongning to take it back."

"Alas. They are not valuable items, but writing implements seized from bandits. They are useless to me, so I might as well give them to you two gentlemen."

Although the Earl of Yongning offered his gifts with great enthusiasm, both Li Banghua and Ling Yiqu insisted on refusing them, so in the end, Li Banghua could only reluctantly take back the two meager gifts...