I, Emperor Chongzhen, have extended the life of the Ming Dynasty by five hundred years.

The battle was won, and the whole city rejoiced.

The Baoding government held a grand celebration banquet, but Zhu Youjian could not smile.

Because just now, he saw the true faces of those traitors.

In this battle, the rebel army suffered over 10,000 casualties, and countless others surrendered.

Preliminary statistics indicate that the number has exceeded 50,000.

Outside the city, a dark mass of people thronged, more like homeless refugees than rebels or bandits.

Zhu Youjian stood on the city wall, watching from afar.

These people were dressed in rags, their faces were sallow and they were so thin that they looked as if a gust of wind could blow them over.

Standing behind Zhu Youjian, Li Ruolian asked, "Your Majesty, there are too many surrendered rebels. How should we deal with them?"

"Li Ruolian, have you ever gone hungry?"

"this……"

Li Ruolian froze on the spot, unsure how to respond.

Zhu Youjian asked again, "I ask you, have you ever experienced hunger?"

Li Ruolian replied, "My family is quite well-off."

"Look at them again!"

Zhu Youjian pointed to the city walls and said, "I'm wondering, if they can all have enough to eat and wear, would they still rebel?"

Li Ruolian didn't say anything more, because she didn't know what to say.

The fate of these people—whether they were killed or spared—was entirely up to Emperor Chongzhen.

All he has to do now is wait for the divine judgment and then carry it out.

After a long silence, Zhu Youjian slowly spoke: "The ancestral precepts of the Ming Dynasty state that those who plot rebellion should be executed, but the common people who have been coerced should be treated leniently. These are all my subjects, release them!"

Li Ruolian frowned and asked, "Your Majesty, these people are traitors. Have they all been released?"

"Those who are willing to join the army may stay; those who are unwilling to stay will be given travel expenses and sent back to their hometowns."

"But what if we release them, and they turn around and join the rebels again?"

Zhu Youjian turned around and said, "In my heart, Li Zicheng has never been a major threat!"

"Although this man commands an army of a million, they are all starving refugees. I bear a great responsibility for their plight."

"But the true enemies of our Great Ming are the Jurchens beyond the Great Wall, and the barbarian countries thousands of miles away."

"If I continue fighting Li Zicheng, I will give Dorgon an opportunity. If the Jurchens seize the throne, how will I face my ancestors?"

Li Ruolian remained silent, thinking to herself, "If Li Zicheng were to seize the throne, would you have the face to face your ancestors?"

Zhu Youjian continued, "When the people are starving, they either starve to death or become bandits; there is no third option. Among the bandits, some outlaws gradually learn how to lead them and how to unite the people. Thus, people like Li Zicheng emerged."

"Before Li Zicheng, there were Wang Jiayin, Wang Zuogua, Zhang Cunmeng, Gao Yingxiang..."

"The imperial court spends vast sums of money, provisions, and troops, yet for every one they eliminate, a new one springs up; they can never be eradicated!"

"Does this mean I should kill all my own people?"

Li Ruolian couldn't help but say, "I am a soldier by birth and do not understand these grand principles. If Your Majesty needs me to charge into battle, I will charge into battle. If Your Majesty needs me to die, I will die without hesitation!"

"But these people are true traitors. If we just let them go, what will the world think? If rebels and traitors don't receive the punishment they deserve, wouldn't that tell the world that anyone can rebel, and when you can't win, you can simply lay down your weapons and be forgiven!"

Zhu Youjian nodded slowly and said, "Rebellion and treason must be punished, so the ringleaders should be executed! Especially people like Chen Yan, who take the court's salary and betray the government, are truly hateful!"

"But these people... I simply can't bring myself to harm them!"

"I'm thinking about how to keep them alive..."

At this moment, He Fu, the prefect of Baoding, walked up to the city wall and bowed in salute.

"Your Majesty, I have apprehended all the gentry and wealthy households in the city who had flown rebel flags, and they await their fate!"

Zhu Youjian suddenly had a thought and asked, "Were their homes searched?"

"It's already been confiscated. A total of 7.6 million taels of silver, 1.3 million taels of gold, and countless pieces of jewelry, jade, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings have been obtained. The value hasn't been appraised yet."

"What about the land deeds and property deeds?"

"The statistics aren't complete yet, but based on current estimates, it's at least over 20,000 hectares!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian gasped in shock and said, "The entire Baoding Prefecture has less than 30,000 hectares of farmland. Doesn't that mean that more than 60% of the land is controlled by these people?"

He Fu shook his head: "It's more than 60%; according to my estimate, it's at least 80%!"

Zhu Youjian, enraged, laughed: "No wonder the people of the world rebelled against me. They've even lost the land they depend on for survival. If it were me, I would have risen up in rebellion against this corrupt Ming Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, He Fu's face turned deathly pale. He knelt and kowtowed, saying, "As the prefect, I have allowed the gentry to seize land, causing the people to be displaced and forced into banditry. I am guilty!"

"Get up first, this isn't just your problem."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

He Fu stood up, feeling his cheeks burning.

Because Emperor Chongzhen was right: the people could not survive and had no choice but to rebel.

As a local official, I should bear the primary responsibility.

Zhu Youjian suddenly asked, "If these 20,000 hectares of land were distributed among the people, at a rate of five mu per person, how many people could be served?"

He Fu did a quick mental calculation and replied, "Roughly 400,000 people can be allocated."

"Minister He, draft the imperial edict!"

Zhu Youjian's expression changed; he had already made his decision.

How did Li Zicheng manage to recruit a million followers?

Because his slogan was "When the rebel king comes, we will not pay taxes!"

This land belongs to me. Even if we don't pay taxes, I should still be the one to call the shots!

Why should Li Zicheng get the advantage for nothing?

He Fu hurriedly knelt down, awaiting the imperial decree.

Zhu Youjian closed his eyes and pondered for a short while before suddenly speaking.

"I consider that you are all subjects of the Great Ming Dynasty, trapped by the current situation, or coerced by treacherous officials, which is not your own wish. Therefore, I have decided to pardon your crimes and forgive your past transgressions, to show the boundless grace of the Emperor."

"I know that you are all displaced and homeless, so I hereby grant each of you five mu of fertile land to support your livelihood. The land tax will be reduced to only one-tenth, to lessen your burden. Furthermore, the government shall not create any pretext to arbitrarily increase the people's taxes. If anyone violates this order, the people may take this imperial edict and appeal directly to the next higher authority to set the record straight. If the higher authorities do not accept your case, you may go directly to the capital, where I will personally investigate to reassure the people."

"Since my ascension to the throne, I have worked tirelessly day and night. However, this world does not belong to me alone, but to all the people. If you can live in peace and prosperity, I will be greatly gratified. The future of the Ming Dynasty requires the joint efforts of all the people. I will strive together with you!"

He Fu's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He proposed distributing land and reducing taxes.

"Your Majesty, if the land were distributed to the people, wouldn't that be... wouldn't that be..."

Zhu Youjian countered, "What's the problem?"

He Fu wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "They are rebels, yet not only are they not punished, but land is being distributed to them. What will the people of the world think?"

"I want to tell the people of the world that following the rebel leader means living for a day without a tomorrow, while following me means living in peace and prosperity. What's wrong with that?"

"But if even rebels can get land, what will the local people think?"

"Everyone will receive land. Baoding Prefecture will be my pilot project. I will implement new policies to ensure that every farmer in this land owns his land! I want everyone to know that what Li Zicheng could give you, I can give you too; and what Li Zicheng couldn't give, I can still give you!"

He Fu felt cold sweat all over his back and thought to himself, "Whose land did you divide up?"

These are not your lands, Emperor Chongzhen's lands, but lands seized from the gentry!

Today we can seize Baoding Prefecture, but who will we seize tomorrow?

At that time, it won't be ordinary people who rebel, but the gentry of the whole country!

"This move could bring down the entire nation; Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"snort!"

Zhu Youjian sneered and said, "Two hundred and seventy years have passed. The Ming Dynasty has reached a point where it cannot be rebuilt without destruction. It's time for a change in the state of the nation!"

"But, but..."

He Fu panicked completely. He couldn't understand whether Emperor Chongzhen had suffered some kind of shock.

If this edict were issued, the consequences would be unimaginable!

On the bright side, it could appease the displaced people and even persuade the rebels to surrender.

However, the gentry and officials of the land could not stand idly by and watch Baoding Prefecture set this precedent.

Some large families have been continuously acquiring land for over two hundred years.

When ordinary people lose their land, they can only become tenants.

The usual rent is 20% to 30%, and after deducting land tax and various miscellaneous taxes, the final harvest is less than 50%, barely enough to make a living.

In recent years, the three taxes have become an unbearable burden for the people.

If Baoding Prefecture were to introduce new policies and collect only 10% of the taxes, the result would be obvious: refugees from all over the country would flock to Baoding.

The landlords' land was left uncultivated, so the only solution was to lower the rent.

What's the difference between this and robbing someone out of their pocket?

This is truly competing with the people for profit!

Of course, the "people" here does not refer to ordinary citizens, but rather to the gentry.

Because He Fuben was a scholar, and the "people" that scholars talk about are never ordinary people.

Zhu Youjian looked at Li Ruolian and asked, "Li Qing, what do you think?"

Li Ruolian remained calm and composed, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, my only responsibility is to mount my horse and fight. Whoever Your Majesty commands me to kill, I will kill!"

"What if the whole world opposes me?"

"Then kill everyone in the world!"

"very good!"

Zhu Youjian nodded, then turned and walked down the city wall.

Li Ruolian quickly followed, leaving He Fu standing alone in the wind, bewildered.

If Baoding Prefecture sets this precedent, it will immediately become the target of public criticism!

Scholars across the land will immediately turn their attention to him and launch a united attack!

At that point, I'm afraid I, as the prefect, won't be able to withstand it...