A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 726 I'd Laugh in My Dreams
The emperor has abandoned his officials and left the capital three days ago.

The imperial court is in complete chaos.
The prime ministers of the State Council could no longer sit still. On the morning of the fourth day, on the advice of Wei Zheng and Wang Gui, they collectively went to Yusu Town.

"You've come at the perfect time! I was just about to send someone to summon you. The future of our Great Tang Dynasty is hidden here!"

Before Wei Zheng, Wang Gui, and others could raise their objections, the emperor spoke up with a smile.

The prime ministers were completely bewildered.

"Xuanling, Keming, you've been here a few times before, especially Keming, you should be very familiar with this place. Look at Yusu Township now, hasn't it changed a lot?" the emperor said with a smile.

Fang Xuanling nodded, "The changes are quite significant."

"The changes are more than just big; let Wuyi give you a proper introduction."

"Let's go, we can talk as we walk, let's tour first."

Li Yi then acted as the guide.

Leading the Tang Dynasty's top elite delegation on a tour of this small town near the capital.
Let's start from the bridgehead, where dreams began. It was a tall stone arch bridge, or a beautiful covered bridge, integrating bridge, corridor, and pavilion.

In the covered bridge,
There are also monuments.

The monument is inscribed with the villagers' charitable deeds, such as donating money to build bridges, support education, repair roads, and establish community granaries.

"Of all the bridges over the eight waterways in Chang'an, this one is truly remarkable," Fang Xuanling praised.

Li Yi highlighted the bridge association, a common model in rural areas. However, the bridge association in Yusu Township is more formalized, and now it owns and manages more assets.

They owned over a thousand acres of land along the thirty-mile stretch of the Hao River, as well as many orchards and other properties along the riverbank. They also had their own granaries, pawnshops, and money shops. The Qiaohui even funded the construction of a nursing home, an orphanage, a free school, and a plot of land for a cemetery.

This is not a simple organization that gathers people to build a bridge, nor is it temporary.

Named after a bridge, it is a large entity.

Thanks to this bridge association, even during years of torrential rain and floods, villagers no longer need to pool their money to repair the bridge, nor do they need to contribute money and labor to repair dikes and dredge rivers.
The bridge construction company will pay for regular maintenance.

During festivals and holidays, the bridge association would also organize some activities, invite people to perform operas, then slaughter pigs and distribute meat and grain, and offer condolences to the lonely and widowed.

Of course, it can also provide loans for money and grain to the local people, and the interest rates are relatively low.

There are now many such associations, non-governmental organizations, and public welfare organizations in Yushu Town.

Its functions are actually similar to those of some temples, which also have functions such as lending money from kitchens, providing collateral for longevity stores, renting out temple land, and distributing porridge during disasters.

However, the rents and interest rates for land tenancy and lending under the current leadership of Li Yi are even lower, and they provide more care for the local people, especially the elderly, widowed, and infirm.

Furthermore, each association has its own specific function; for example, the Bridge Association focuses on the construction and maintenance of bridges, while the Road Association focuses on the construction and maintenance of roads.

Learning will allow one to focus more on school.

“In the past, there was a bridge every three to five miles across the Hao River. The bridges were not big and were often destroyed by floods. They had to be repaired every year, sometimes two or three times a year.”

Every time the bridge needs to be repaired, money has to be raised and labor has to be contributed by everyone, which is a considerable burden for many villagers.

The bridge is frequently damaged, affecting travel and farming.

Now, a bridge has been built, tall and sturdy, no longer afraid of torrential rains and floods, and unimpeded travel between the two banks.

The people no longer need to frequently pool their money or contribute labor to bridge repairs.

The Bridge Association's initial funding came from donations, which are now commemorated with a monument, earning praise. Furthermore, the association can now sustain itself through the profits from its real estate investments…

Walking across the covered bridge,

Looking at the widened streets, the official road that originally connected Nanshan and Chang'an is now wider and flatter, with shops on both sides.

Running various businesses,

Similar businesses are concentrated in one area.

The Xiaowujibao complex is a large area that combines an academy and several technical schools, with more than a thousand students.

The area that was originally Nianwan was a large area of ​​workshops.

Along the way,
Li Yi introduced them as if they were his own treasures.

The chancellors were increasingly astonished as they listened; it was far beyond their expectations, especially for those chancellors who had been there before.
They know very well what this place was like a few years ago.

But now I can't recognize him at all.

When Pei Ju, the Chamberlain, heard that the association managing the market was making over a thousand strings of cash a year, he found it hard to believe.

This can only be considered a small rural market, with an annual income of a little over a thousand strings of cash.
"Did I hear that right, Li Situ?"

"To be precise, the original amount was over a thousand guan a year. This year, the expected revenue from the gathering will exceed two thousand guan. Part of it comes from self-operated businesses, part from lending and rent collection, and part from market entry fees, commissions, etc.," Li Yi said.

Pei Ju gasped.

"The capital city has two counties, Chang'an and Wannian, with a total of 104 townships. Wannian County has fewer townships, but still has 45."

Yushu Township is just one of the townships, with a registered population of only about 500 households.

"This grass market here can generate over two million in revenue a year?"

"Replacement guaranteed."

Li Shimin also smiled and spoke of the mystery behind it, "This small market in Yusu Township is quite remarkable, and the association that manages this market is even more remarkable."

I intend to establish Yushu Township as a town, not a military town, but a market town. Yushu Town will remain at the county-level township level, but its market and commerce will be strengthened.

The emperor then mentioned that a system of primary and secondary customers would be piloted here to facilitate some people's participation in industry and commerce.

One hundred and four townships in two counties of the capital city

Dokkyushu Township has now been upgraded to a town.

The Tang Dynasty had military garrisons, which were divided into three grades: upper, middle, and lower, each with its own general and deputy general.

The lower-ranking officers of the garrison were of the seventh rank, and the deputy garrison officers were of the seventh rank. They were also accompanied by subordinate officials such as clerks, military officers, and granary officers.

The upper garrison has 500 soldiers, the middle garrison has 300 soldiers, and the lower garrison has less than 300 soldiers.

By imperial decree, Yusu Township is now being upgraded to Yusu Town, and the township head, Guo Er, is being appointed as the town head, a rank of senior seventh grade. The former head of Luojiabao Village, Luo San, is being appointed as the deputy town head, a rank of junior seventh grade.

Two local officials from outside the capital,
Suddenly he became an official, and a seventh-rank official at that.

“Your Majesty, this is not in accordance with the regulations. A town is a military town, not a market town,” said Wang Gui, the Imperial Attendant, in objection.

Li Shimin waved his hand, "We didn't have it before, but we do now."

The Grand Secretary Wen Yanbo stood up to oppose directly appointing a township head or village head to the rank of a seventh-grade town head or deputy town official, arguing that it was too hasty.

"In just a few years, Yushu Township has undergone such a great transformation. The people live in peace and contentment, and have solved their basic needs. They have made great contributions and deserve to be rewarded and promoted." The emperor waved his hand, leaving no room for discussion.

Regarding the primary-customer system, people who own land are primary households. People who do not own land are registered as customers.

"The main household still pays land rent and household tax according to the rent, labor service and corvée system, and performs corvée labor. At the same time, two liters of grain from the public granary and household tax are collected per mu."

Customers were classified into households based on the number of able-bodied men and the amount of property they owned. Fees were levied on households based on their household size, and labor service was assigned to them. They were not required to pay rent, taxes, or grain from the public granaries.

The taxes of Yushu Town shall be levied on a per-household basis and shall not be shared with neighboring households.

Both the principal and the customer are registered citizens of the state.

Tenants of powerful landlords were also required to register and be included in the household register; concealing their population was not permitted.

The town mayor, Guo Erlang, and the deputy mayor, Luo San, had their first task to investigate and register all the fields in Yusu Town. They had to establish a land register, measure all the land clearly, and clarify its ownership. They even had to distinguish between upper and lower fields based on the fertility of the land.

The second is the registered population.

Everyone in the town had to register, including the head of household, tenants, number of people, land ownership, and even the specific details of family members, young and old. Only by clarifying the land and people could the head of household, tenants, and other relevant information be determined, and only then could taxes be collected.

Furthermore, regarding commerce, trade, and taxation, there is already mature experience in these areas.
Merchants levied taxes, taking two-hundredths of the value.

The tax levied on merchants who stayed at home was three percent of the value of their property.

Workshop production and sales are also taxed as if they were stationary businesses.

For all large transactions such as buying and selling slaves, cattle, horses, fields, and houses, a contract must be drawn up, and taxes must be levied. The tax rate is four percent, with the seller paying three percent and the buyer paying one percent.

There are only a few temporary industrial and commercial taxes: transit tax, residence tax, and import tax.

“Your Majesty, how can a country have two systems?” Wang Gui objected loudly.

"Isn't it worth studying how Yushu Township has developed into such a prosperous and wealthy place in just a few years?"

The emperor was young and not rigid or bound by tradition; he was even able to overthrow the retired emperor.

He witnessed firsthand the tremendous changes that had taken place in Yusu Township in just a few years, and he also heard firsthand the stories of the reclusive households in Sanjia Village who were unwilling to relocate and be granted land by Kuanxiang Township.

The commerce and industry of Odori Market were thriving.

Everything here is so vibrant and full of life. Although it is protected by the powerful Li family, its prosperity is indeed worth a try.

A town in a township can earn more than a thousand strings of cash a year. Chang'an has 104 townships. If each township earns a thousand strings of cash, that would be more than 100,000 strings of cash. And this is only for two counties.

Yongzhou alone has twenty-two counties.

There are more than 1,600 counties in the country.

Let alone tens of thousands of strings of cash in a county, even if a prefecture only had 10,000 strings of cash, there are still more than 300 prefectures in the country.

If the imperial court were to suddenly increase commercial taxes by several million strings of cash,
Li Shimin would be laughing in his dreams, especially with the millions of bushels of grain stored in the public granaries.

We have plenty of grain and money.
Why worry that the Tang Dynasty will not prosper?

Once the primary customer system is implemented, a large number of hidden accounts can be uncovered, and many new accounts and laborers can be added.

Li Yi has already shown him a bright path.
Since Li Shimin had already seen it, it was impossible for him not to be tempted.

He already showed great restraint by piloting the program in Yushu Township first.

noon,

The emperor, along with his ministers who had toured the town, went to the Puji Orphanage for lunch.

No special treatment was provided.

They eat the same food as the orphans.

Millet and pumpkin porridge, cornbread, and vegetable soup.

There's no meat chunks or egg drop soup today.

"This is how the food is usually served in the Puji Temple's canteen. The dining conditions are also quite simple. There are only these long wooden tables, no chairs, so everyone will have to eat standing up," Li Shimin said to the group of prime ministers, and then picked up a cornbread and started eating.

Changsun Wuji came with the prime ministers today, and after wandering around the town all day with his obese body, he still has to stand up and eat this coarse food.

The cornbread was exactly the same as the small cornbread his family made, so coarse it was hard to swallow.

But what was most disheartening was that the emperor wanted to establish Yusu Township as Yusu Town and implement new policies there, including the collection of two sheng of grain per mu from the granary.

This is something he has been leading the opposition to recently, and it seems the emperor is determined to implement it.

The client system, isn't it just about snatching hidden households from the hands of nobles and powerful families? Although it doesn't sound like it involves clearing out hidden households, relocating them to more open villages, or distributing land.

However, he still felt that once the unregistered tenants were registered as customers by the imperial court, their control over these tenants would be weakened.

These three taxes—transit tax, residence tax, and valuation tax—are taxes on industry and commerce. From having no taxes to levying them, they appear to be taxes levied on merchants and artisans, but in reality, industry and commerce are dependent on powerful families and clans, and the owners behind them are these nobles and powerful figures.

This is still about seizing their interests.

Changsun Wuji looked at the cornbread in his hand and felt as uncomfortable as if he had eaten shit.

The emperor stayed in Yusu Township for three days.

It's unclear what kind of spell Li Yi cast on the emperor to make him bring up these things.

Isn't this going against all the noble families, powerful landlords and gentry?

The emperor ate all the coarse food very cleanly.

After dinner,

Li Shimin pointed to the group of children who washed their own tableware after finishing their meal and left in an orderly manner.

"They are all children under the age of ten, yet they have become orphans with no one to rely on at a young age. If it weren't for the Puji Temple taking them in, these children would have perished in the turmoil long ago."

Did you know that the Puji Temple has taken in 500 orphans aged five to nine? In addition, there is an orphanage that has taken in hundreds of infants under the age of five, and Yushu Town has also taken in hundreds of orphans over the age of ten.

I feel very uncomfortable.

The Tang Dynasty has been established for six years, yet its efforts in providing relief to orphans and widows are far inferior to those of Yusu Township. Why is it that Yusu Township, a single township, can take in one or two thousand orphans and continue to provide assistance and relief to many orphans and widows?
The Yushu Township established a market to promote industry and commerce, taking from the people and using the resources for the people.

"No leisure."

"His Majesty."

Looking at the group of orphans resting after lunch, Li Shimin said, "I plan to bring a boy and a girl back to the palace from the Puji Temple and raise them together with the children of meritorious officials."

The emperor also raised the young children of some deceased meritorious officials in the palace, and now he wants to take two orphans back to raise them together.

"Your Majesty is merciful."

Li Yi did not object.

In fact, orphanages also accept adoptions from the public, and they agree to accept adoptions as long as certain conditions are met.

However, the children in the Pujiyuan are all over five years old. People who adopt children that age are generally unwilling to adopt them. They prefer to adopt younger children who have no memory of them and it is easier to build a bond with them.

Adoption by the emperor was naturally an exception.

The emperor wasn't going to take her back and raise her as his son.

If the emperor were to choose one of them and take him away, he would undoubtedly have no worries about the future.

"I have visited several times in the past few days, and these children are really sensible. You can choose one or two to take home and raise. They can be companions or tutors for your children. It would be a good deed."

Changsun Wuji immediately smiled and said he wanted to pick a few more.

“Just pick one or two. If you’re interested, you can learn from Wu Yi and spend money to build an orphanage or nursery to take in some abandoned orphans.”

"Absolutely, I will take care of it as soon as I get back," Changsun Wuji assured him, patting his chest.

With the emperor's words,

Each of the prime ministers naturally adopted two servants. Even a prime minister like Wei Zheng, who was not wealthy, could afford to support two young pageboys and maids.

“Take these people back, but there’s one thing to note: they’re not lowly slaves. At most, they’re your hired laborers. You’ll not only have to provide for their food and clothing, but also pay them wages. And when they grow up and want to leave, you can’t stop them.”

The emperor and his ministers wanted to select orphans to take away and raise.
This shocked everyone at Puji Hospital.
Finally, Li Yi recommended Li Enyi to the emperor. This child was diligent, ambitious, intelligent, sensible, and somewhat precocious.

After seeing it, Li Shimin asked some questions and was very satisfied, so he decided on the spot to take it back to the palace to adopt it.

When Li Enyi heard that the emperor wanted to take him back to the palace to be raised, his mind went blank, and in the end he could only look to his father Li Yi for help.

"Why don't you thank His Majesty for his grace? Once you're in the palace, study hard and serve His Majesty and the country in the future." Li Yi patted his thin shoulder and gave him an encouraging look.

(End of this chapter)