The Rebellious Officials and Traitors of the Late Han Dynasty

Chapter 553 Returning to Beijing in Secret
"Gongda, Gongjin, did you see this?" Qin Shou said in a low voice, "Is this the Tang Dynasty under my rule? On the surface, it seems to be a prosperous era, but in reality, the people are starving!"

Xun You said solemnly, "Your Majesty, land annexation has existed since ancient times. During wars, the people were displaced, and the powerful took the opportunity to occupy the land. When the people returned, they had no place to live and could only become tenants."

Zhou Yu added: "What's even more frightening is that these aristocratic families often collude with local officials, and the people have no way to appeal, so they can only swallow their anger."

Qin Shou slapped his saddle hard and said angrily: "How can this be! I am fighting on the front line to defend my country, but these parasites are eating away my people in the rear!"

Xun You cautiously reminded: "Your Majesty, calm down. This matter involves a lot of people. The Lu family is a big family in Youzhou, and they also have relatives and old friends in the court. If we want to deal with it, I'm afraid it will be very difficult."

"What are you afraid of?" Qin Shou interrupted coldly, sneering, "Are you afraid that you will offend the aristocratic families? Are you afraid that it will cause unrest in the court? Gongda, do you know that if you let this matter go unchecked, within ten years, all the land in the world will belong to the powerful, and the people will have no land to farm. That will be the real unrest!"

Zhou Yu nodded in agreement and said, "Your Majesty, you are wise. The fall of the Former Han Dynasty was mainly due to land annexation. If we don't stop it soon, we may repeat the same mistake."

Qin Shou looked at the lights gradually lighting up in the distance, which was the direction of Chang'an City. He was silent for a long time, and suddenly asked: "How many people in the world are like Zhao Laohan?"

Xun You sighed and said, "I'm afraid it's about 60 to 70 percent."

This number shocked Qin Shou. He thought it was just an isolated phenomenon, but he didn't expect it to be so common.

"After returning to the palace, I will immediately summon the heads of the three provinces and six ministries to discuss the matter." Qin Shou made up his mind, "I will thoroughly investigate the land in the country and return the land to the people!"

Xun You hesitated to speak, and finally bowed deeply: "Your Majesty is wise. But this matter needs to be considered carefully, and we should not rush it."

Qin Shou understood Xun You's concerns. Reforming the land system was equivalent to directly challenging the fundamental interests of the aristocratic families. If he was not careful, it might trigger a strong backlash. But he knew even more clearly that if this problem was not solved in time, the so-called "Zhenguan Prosperity" would be nothing but a mirage.

"Don't worry, Gongda. I won't act rashly." Qin Shou's eyes were firm. "But this matter must be resolved, and it must be resolved thoroughly. I would rather face temporary turmoil than see the people enslaved for generations!"

As night fell, the group rode towards Chang'an City. Qin Shou looked back at the small village hidden in the darkness and made a decision.

On the official road outside Chang'an City, dozens of fast horses quietly left the capital under the cover of night. The man in the lead was dressed in plain clothes, but he could not hide his majestic demeanor. He was the current emperor Qin Shou. Following behind him were the crown prince Qin Chengqian, his trusted advisers Xun You, Zhou Yu, Dian Wei and others.

"Your Majesty, we will reach Weinan County in the distance." Xun You lowered his voice and said, "According to secret reports, land annexation in this area is particularly serious."

Qin Shou pulled the reins of his horse, looked at the vague outline of the village in the distance, frowned, and sighed: "I have controlled the country for more than ten years, and I boasted that I worked hard to govern the country, but I didn't know that the people were suffering so much. Today I must see with my own eyes what Guanzhong really looks like!"

Zhou Yu sighed: "Your Majesty cares about the people, which is a blessing for all people. But this trip is dangerous. If the ministers in the court know about it..."

After all, this matter involves a wide range of people, and it is inevitable that some people will have other ideas. "I have made up my mind." Qin Shou interrupted, "Gongjin, there is no need to say more. If I dare not even face the suffering of the people, what is the point of my being an emperor?"

The four changed their clothes and pretended to be traveling merchants. Dian Wei led the army and followed them. Qin Shou and others walked slowly along the country road. The autumn harvest had just passed, but there was no joy of a good harvest in the fields. Only ragged farmers were hunched over and picking up the missed ears of grain in the fields.

In Lantian County, a seventy-year-old woman took her grandson to pick up wheat ears one by one in the fields after the harvest, because there was no surplus food in the family after paying the rent; in the suburbs of Chang'an, the original self-cultivating farmers were reduced to slaves of the wealthy, and any resistance would be sent to the government for punishment.

What shocked Qin Shou the most was that when they arrived at a village only thirty miles away from Chang'an, they found that all the land here belonged to the family of Gu Yong, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet of the current dynasty.

"Grand Secretary Gu has always been known for his integrity in the court," Xun You said with a complicated expression.

Qin Shou sneered: "What an honest man! Five hundred hectares of fertile land, is this his 'incorruptible character'?"

Prince Qin Chengqian remained silent all the way, with more and more shock in his eyes. On the eve of returning to Chang'an, he finally couldn't help but ask: "Father, doesn't the court have an equal distribution order? Why is it so?"

"Because once the decree leaves Chang'an, it becomes a piece of waste paper!" Qin Shou said sternly, "Local officials collude with the powerful, and the good laws and good intentions of the court have become a tool for them to exploit the people! Cheng Qian, you must remember that a monarch cannot be blinded by the beautiful words in the memorial!"

After returning to Chang'an, Qin Shou immediately ordered his confidants to count the land situation in Guanzhong. The result was shocking: within a radius of 500 miles from Chang'an, less than 10% of the land was owned by self-cultivating farmers, and the rest of the land belonged to aristocratic families, ministers and nobles.

In the imperial study, Qin Shou slammed the statistics book on the table and said, "This is my kingdom! On the surface, it is a prosperous era, but in reality, the people are hungry and complaining!"

Xun You said cautiously: "Your Majesty, this matter involves too many people. More than half of the ministers in the court have land in Guanzhong. If we rashly reform...

"Then punish them together!" Qin Shou said angrily, "I would rather half of the court be empty than not give the people justice!"

Zhou Yu said, "Your Majesty, calm down. This matter needs to be considered in the long run. You can first order people to draft the "Detailed Rules of the Equal Field System" to clarify the land distribution and rent and tax standards, and then send imperial envoys to inspect various places and severely punish corrupt officials."

Qin Shou took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down: "Gongjin is right. But I can't wait any longer. Every day of delay will cause more people to lose their homes and lives." He turned to the prince, "Chengqian, you will be in charge of this matter, and Zhou Yu and Xun You will assist you. Within three months, I want to see a practical plan!"

When the civil and military officials in the court learned of Qin Shou's secret return, the whole court was shaken. Undercurrents surged in Chang'an City, and various factions secretly connected with each other.

"Master Gu, Your Majesty is visiting the farmland in disguise this time. I'm afraid..." Cui Yan, the Minister of Revenue, lowered his voice and rubbed his hands anxiously in the back garden of Gu Yong's mansion, "I am in the three hundred hectares of land in Lantian..."

Gu Yong paused for a moment, but said calmly, "Why are you panicking? If His Majesty really wants to investigate, he should first investigate those who have occupied the people's land. Which of the lands under our names is not a legal transaction?"

(End of this chapter)