Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 270 Yacht
The mutual harm among the lower classes is not necessarily because the people are inherently wicked; it often stems from a lack of food to share.

If there aren't enough pancakes to go around, it's usually because someone at the top has eaten too many.

The water dispute between Dongxi Village and Xizhuang is a case in point.

Luo Xuan, the magistrate of Huxian County, filled in the original lake to turn it into farmland. This not only caused the lake to lose its original water storage capacity, but also required a large amount of water to be used for irrigating the silted-up fields.

This unseemly practice directly caused harm to dozens of surrounding villages.

Lan Suting's mediation of the dispute between the East and West villages was merely a stopgap measure. Given her limited authority, she couldn't easily address the root cause.

There's a story about a general who was shot in the arm by an arrow. He went to see a surgeon, who sawed off the arrow that was sticking out. The general was confused and asked, "Why did you only saw off one part? What about the other half inside my arm?" The surgeon smiled and said, "I'm a surgeon. Go see an internist for the part inside."

At first glance, it seems like an absurd joke, but it illustrates a true truth about the world.

If there were enough physicians who could remove the arrowhead, it wouldn't be a problem. But in this world, there are often many who can saw the arrow, but few who can remove the arrowhead.

Zhu Wen knew that Lan Suting had made great progress in handling interpersonal relationships and was capable of helping him deal with many things. She was still young, so there was no need to be overly critical of her.

Neither Zhu Wen himself nor his mentor Huang Chao had many opportunities to solve problems by addressing the root cause.

When Wang Xianzhi, the leader of the rebel alliance, raised his army, he declared that Heaven would restore equality and ensure that every farmer had his own land. Since the rebel army's activities themselves required a huge amount of resources and long-term cultivation, the land was indeed the most suitable spoils of war to be distributed to the people in order to win their hearts and minds.

Over the years, the rebel army fought many battles, including killing corrupt officials and wealthy gentry and redistributing land.

However, most local powerful figures do not make themselves universally condemned or drive the people to hostility. On the one hand, they use small favors to win over the people and gain their support; on the other hand, they are interconnected and have a complex network of relationships, making it easy to drag themselves into a quagmire if one of them is dealt with.

These people were also adept at changing their tune and assessing the situation. Once they discovered that the rebel army was gaining the upper hand, they would immediately offer them lavish gifts and bribes. As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face. The rebel army couldn't do too much of the kind of thing that involves taking benefits and then discarding the useful person, for fear of inciting resentment.

Farmland is the foundation of farmers. Achieving an average land distribution, ensuring that every farmer owns their land, remains an age-old problem. This is true not only for those who maintain the status quo, but also for entrepreneurs like those in grassroots organizations who often hesitate to act decisively.

In the early years of this dynasty, the distribution of land to the people was handled quite well. It wasn't due to any extraordinary or timeless method, but simply because more than half the population had died in the wars at the end of the Sui dynasty, leaving behind countless unclaimed fields. Labor had become more valuable than farmland. Therefore, the distribution of land didn't require much effort to seize land from powerful and wealthy families.

Zhu Wen thought to himself, "Qian Liu spread rumors that 'Huang Chao killed eight million people and is doomed.' The current population of the Tang Dynasty, including those who have fled or are hiding, should be forty to fifty million."

If there were enough land to distribute, even eight million deaths wouldn't be enough.

There is a saying that great chaos is followed by great order, but is the death of tens of millions of people really the necessary price for the arrival of a peaceful world?
Zhu Wen was unwilling to think about this problem further.

Unless one is so cold-blooded as to have no compassion for life, this question is far too heavy for people living in this era.

Huang Chao always believed that: "To bear the stain of the nation is to be the master of the state; to bear the misfortune of the nation is to be the king of the world." He believed that if one were to rebel, one should be prepared to either be remembered for good or for evil. Of course, he couldn't avoid sometimes getting his hands dirty and committing some wicked deeds.

But Huang Chao kept encouraging his soldiers, saying that they would successfully overthrow the Tang dynasty and seize the throne, without dragging the country into the chaos of the late Han and late Sui dynasties, where more than half the population had died. He believed that once they seized the imperial court, they could find a way to correct the various oppressive policies and bad customs.

If so many people were to die, most of the rebels, along with their parents, wives, children, relatives, and friends, would become the price of history.

Ten days later.

Zhu Wen, still working in the fields, carried buckets to the river to fetch water.

In winter, the Xijiang River becomes calm, the river breeze is rustling, the river flows gently, and the evergreen trees on both banks reflect the deep blue water.

A blonde beauty dressed in purple, her face veiled with a light gauze, holding a pipa, arrived leisurely on a yacht.

The yacht had a gilded stern, its purple sails fully unfurled, and silver oars propelled it to the rhythm of flutes and five-stringed zithers. A beautiful woman lay beneath a canopy woven from gold thread, dressed like the goddess Luo in a painting. A handsome male maidservant, dressed like Xiao Shi, the son-in-law of Duke Mu of Qin who summoned the phoenix with his flute in the "Biographies of Immortals," served her, fanning her with a round fan. Several other maidservants, dressed and graceful like the daughters of the River God Feng Yi and the Sea God Ruo, some steered at the stern, others manipulating the ropes. A delicate fragrance emanated from the boat, spreading in all directions.

"Do not waste your golden robes, but cherish your youth. Pluck the flower while it blooms, lest you break a bare branch when there are no flowers left."

A beautiful woman plays the pipa, her voice melodious and captivating. The song conveys a sentiment that urges one to cherish youth, treasure beauty, and live life to the fullest.

Soon, the yacht was moored and docked. The beautiful woman at the bow smiled sweetly and said, "Governor Zhu, you've worked hard. Why don't you come aboard and rest?"

Her semi-transparent veil was also a light purple color, and through the veil, one could vaguely see the corners of her mouth turned up, a smile as enchanting as seeing flowers through mist.

There were also a group of people around, carrying water, fishing, and strolling around. When they heard the blonde beauty's seductive voice, they all felt as if their bones were melting.

They had often seen the beautiful female registrar bringing water and wiping sweat for the young governor, and couldn't help but feel a little envious. However, Lan Suting was not a stunning beauty; in terms of looks, Governor Zhu was actually more beautiful than her.

This stunningly beautiful Hu woman arrived in her boat with such flirtatious flair, extending a gentle invitation to Lord Zhu, which truly made everyone so envious that their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Even with the lower half of her face veiled, her unparalleled beauty was still evident. Her skin was as white as milk and as delicate as the finest silk. Her eyes, as they moved, were like invisible whirlpools in the void, capable of captivating the souls of those around them with a gentle turn.

Everyone couldn't help but think to themselves: This young governor has so many romantic entanglements!
Since Zhu Wen took office, many wealthy and powerful families had offered him beautiful women to serve them, but he sternly refused them all. Everyone now thought to themselves—"So the magistrate has such a stunningly beautiful confidante!" Having seen the ocean, one finds it hard to be satisfied with a mere stream; how could she possibly be interested in the common beauties of this small place, Fengzhou?

Zhu Wen, carrying two buckets of water, was in a panic and almost tripped and knocked the buckets over.

Why did Kao Yu-tzu come looking for me again in such a short time, and in broad daylight?
As an enemy of the rebel army, she should be a target with a bounty on her head.

Zhu Wen's question was quickly answered.

A jade hand, white and smooth as if translucent, was raised in the air and unfolded a document written on white rattan paper.

The document clearly states that Huang Chao, the military governor of Lingnan and commander of a million-strong rebel army, has appointed You Di as the deputy commissioner of the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Office.

She is now on the side of the rebels, so Zhu Wen has no choice but to make peace and not to draw his sword against her again.

(End of this chapter)