Ming Dynasty: He was ordered to give lectures in prison, but Lao Zhu eavesdropped and made people nu

Chapter 712 The Land Issue in Jinan
The setting sun cast its slanting rays through the carved window lattice onto the floor of the imperial study, casting a long shadow of Zhu Yuanzhang. He clutched a memorial in his hand, his brow furrowed, his knuckles white from the pressure. The memorial boldly proclaimed, "The number of displaced people in the three prefectures of Jinan is increasing daily, and bandits are rising up everywhere. We implore the court to quickly allocate funds and grain for relief."

"More demands for money and grain!" Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, slamming the memorial down on the table, making the teacups clink. "What can these local officials do besides asking the court for money?"

The eunuch Wang Jinghong, standing to the side, held his breath, not daring to make a sound. Since the land dispute in Jinan broke out, the emperor's temper had become increasingly volatile, and three eunuchs had already been punished by being sent to the laundry department for accidentally knocking over teacups.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and paced back and forth in the imperial study, his hands behind his back. His steps were heavy and powerful, the soles of his boots striking the gold bricks with a dull thud. Outside the window, dusk was deepening, and the outline of the Forbidden City appeared particularly solemn in the setting sun.

"Jinghong." Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Wang Jinghong replied hastily, bowing.

"Go and invite Mr. Lin here. Tell him I have important matters to discuss with him."

"As you command." Wang Jinghong backed out of the imperial study before turning and quickly leaving.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat back on the dragon throne, pulled out a brocade box from under the table, opened it, and took out a stack of secret reports. These were the results of the secret investigations conducted by the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) he had sent to Jinnan. The reports detailed the land annexation situation in Jinnan—60% of the fertile land was concentrated in the hands of 38 powerful families, while nearly half of the farmers had become tenants or vagrants.

"Outrageous!" Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the table, and the teacup finally broke under the impact, spilling tea onto the memorial, leaving a dark stain. He seemed not to notice, staring intently at the numbers, his eyes blazing with anger.

These powerful figures were mostly his old subordinates who had followed him since he raised his army, but now they had become parasites sucking the blood of the people! What's even more hateful is that the local officials not only did not stop them, but also colluded with the powerful figures to conceal land ownership and evade taxes!

Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. As the founding emperor, he knew better than anyone that the land issue was crucial to the foundation of the nation. How did the Yuan Dynasty fall? Wasn't it because of land annexation, leading to widespread poverty and ultimately the Red Turban Rebellion? Was the Ming Dynasty, which he had painstakingly built, destined to repeat the same mistakes?

A soft footstep came from outside the door, interrupting Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts.

"Your Majesty, Lord Lin Che has arrived," Wang Jinghong announced softly from outside the door.

“Xuan.”

The eunuch immediately withdrew, and a moment later, Lin Che, dressed in an indigo official robe, walked calmly into the imperial study. He was over fifty years old, with slightly graying temples, but his back was straight, his eyes were bright and piercing, and he exuded a composed and dignified air as he walked.

Lin Che walked up to Zhu Yuanzhang and bowed, saying, "Your subject Lin Che greets Your Majesty."

“Sir, there’s no need for such formality.” Zhu Yuanzhang gestured for him to rise, his anger softening slightly. Lin Che was one of his most trusted advisors, having followed him since before the founding of the dynasty, offering advice and making significant contributions. After the establishment of the dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang intended to appoint him as prime minister, but Lin Che firmly declined, preferring to remain a state advisor without real power, focusing on assisting in governing the country.

"Your Majesty, there has been new progress in the land issue in Jinan, and I have come here specifically to report this." Lin Che went straight to the point.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward unconsciously: "What news do you have, sir? Tell me in detail quickly."

Lin Che smiled slightly, took out a secret report from his sleeve, and presented it with both hands: "This is the result of an investigation conducted secretly by my disciples. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

Zhu Yuanzhang eagerly took the secret memorial and quickly began to read it carefully. The memorial was filled with detailed data on land ownership in the three prefectures and twenty-eight counties of Jinan, the amount of land owned by each powerful family, the amount of tax evaded, and even evidence of their dealings with local officials. The level of detail surprised even Zhu Yuanzhang. As he read further, his hands began to tremble slightly. He knew that land annexation was serious in Jinan, but he hadn't expected it to have reached this level! What enraged him most was that several of the powerful families who had been amassed so much land were actually his old subordinates who had fought alongside him to establish the empire!
"You insolent fools!" Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the secret report shut, his eyes blazing with fury. "Wasn't it enough that I gave them high-ranking positions and generous salaries? They insist on competing with the people for profit and undermining my cause?!"

Lin Che stood quietly to the side, watching Zhu Yuanzhang's changing expressions. As a strategist who had followed Zhu Yuanzhang for many years, he knew the founding emperor's deep hatred for corrupt officials and understood the weight the land issue held in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

After a moment of silence, Zhu Yuanzhang finally put the secret memorial aside, a look of weariness and hesitation on his face. He rubbed his temples, his voice low and deep: "Sir, what do you think I should do about the land issue in Jinan? This concerns the people's livelihood and the future development of the country, and I have been troubled by it for a long time."

Lin Che pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, land is the foundation of a nation and the basis of its people's livelihood. The problems in Jinan are a microcosm of the entire country's problems. If they are not addressed promptly, they could escalate into a major disaster."

"How could I not know?" Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, "But pulling one hair can affect the whole situation. These powerful figures have many intricate connections with court officials; if not handled properly..."

Lin Che understood Zhu Yuanzhang's concerns. The Ming Dynasty had only recently been established, and the power dynamics within the court were deeply entrenched. Although most of the meritorious officials and nobles were currently behaving themselves, it was difficult to guarantee that they wouldn't unite against the imperial power if their fundamental interests were threatened.

"Your Majesty, I have three strategies that may resolve this predicament," Lin Che said slowly.

"Tell me quickly, sir!" Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up.

"Firstly, a thorough land survey was conducted. An imperial commissioner was dispatched to Jinan to remeasure all land and register it. Any land concealed or failed to be reported was confiscated."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "This method is excellent, but I'm afraid it will encounter resistance. Those powerful clans have long colluded with local officials and will surely have ways to counter it."

Lin Che smiled slightly: "Therefore, we have a second strategy—to recover evaded taxes. Based on the newly measured acreage, we will recover the taxes evaded over the past five years. Those unable to pay will have their taxes offset by land."

A glint flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, and his fingers unconsciously tapped the table: "In this way, those powerful families who have occupied too much land will either suffer heavy losses or have to give up some of their land."

“Exactly,” Lin Che continued. “The third strategy is to distribute land among the people. Confiscated and recovered land should be given to landless or land-poor farmers to cultivate, with the court collecting reasonable taxes. In this way, displaced people can live in peace, and bandits will naturally cease.”

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and paced back and forth in the imperial study, pondering Lin Che's suggestions. These three interconnected strategies could indeed fundamentally solve the land problem in Jinan. However...
"Sir, this method is good, but if it is implemented in Jinan, it may cause panic among powerful families in other regions. If they unite..." Zhu Yuanzhang did not finish his sentence, but his meaning was already clear.

Lin Che calmly replied, "Your Majesty's concerns are extremely valid. Therefore, I suggest that we first implement this reform in Jinan to observe its effects. If it proves effective, we can then gradually extend it nationwide. At the same time, we should provide certain compensation to the powerful families who cooperate with the reform, such as reducing or exempting some taxes or granting them honorary titles, to appease them."

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped and stared intently at Lin Che: "Sir, are you suggesting I both punish and appease you?"

"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish," Lin Che quoted Lao Tzu. "Too much heat will burn it; too little heat will leave it raw. Reform cannot be rushed, nor can it be delayed."

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly burst into laughter, the sound echoing throughout the imperial study: "What a wonderful saying, 'Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish'! Your words resonate deeply with me!"

(End of this chapter)