inspire-indiana Chapter 1328 In Liuyang Prefecture, what kind of conflict is there between officials and the people?
Chapter 1328 In Liuyang Prefecture, what kind of conflict is there between officials and the people?
Since ancient times, there has been a difficult problem to resolve between local officials and the people—land expropriation.
For ordinary people, farmland is their lifeline.
Money can be earned back, houses can be rebuilt, but if farmland is gone, it's truly gone.
Therefore, the people have always been extremely wary of government land acquisition for road construction and the building of memorial archways, and secretly harbored a deep sense of resistance.
The common people were no different in the face of the Liuyang government's requisition of land to build an official road.
Although they knew that repairing the official road from the prefectural city to Tong'an County would be of great benefit to the entire Liuyang Prefecture.
Does the happiness and fulfillment of the "big family" necessarily have to be built on the foundation of the disintegration of the "small family"?
Farmers along the way did not agree with this point, since people only know the pain when the branding iron falls on their own bodies.
But before they could deliver the joint letter to the government office, the government office sent someone over.
At noon that day, the official who arrived was tall and thin, and handsome. He said, "I am Xu Yunyan, the clerk of the prefectural office. I have come here on the orders of Lord Shen to discuss the land acquisition with you all."
Listen to this: good-looking people always have pleasant voices.
The farmers along the way recognized him: "You must be the registrar of Tong'an County! We've heard of you. You're Lord Shen's right-hand man! You're so young and promising! Your future is bright!"
It's unclear which compliment touched the official's heart, but his serious expression softened somewhat: "Gentlemen, where is the village head?"
"Here it is! Here it is!"
The elderly village head was helped out of the crowd by two young men.
Compared to the anxiety that was almost written on the faces of young people, Lao Li was much more at ease.
Ziru protested: "Sir, we cannot agree to the land requisition. Our ancestors have relied on this land for generations. We sow in spring, fertilize in summer, harvest in autumn, and cultivate the fields in winter. We dare not stop for a single day. To us, this land is our family, our lifeline! The government is requisitioning this land to build the official road. It is like tearing out our heart..."
The other farmers were surprised by the old village head's bluntness, but they also understood what it meant to be "a person of low status with little influence."
Under such circumstances, there is absolutely no reason to let the old village chief fight alone.
They all stepped forward, their voices trembling with apprehension, yet their logic remained relatively clear: "Yes, sir, we certainly support the government building the official road, but this land requisition... can we discuss it further? After all, there's more than one road from the prefectural city to Tong'an County, and besides, aren't all roads in this world... made by people walking on them? Why should the government requisition land for road construction..."
“You have a point,” Xu Yunyan nodded.
Perhaps because he had spent too much time with Shen Zheng, he looked regretful and deliberately added, "It's just a pity about that fertile land at the east end of the village."
"East end of the village?"
"Fertile soil?"
The farmers looked at each other in bewilderment.
“Those hundred acres of fertile land were previously owned by the Huai family, the Jin family, and the Liu family, but now they have unfortunately become unclaimed land and are temporarily under the management of the government.” As he spoke, Xu Yunyan slowly unfolded a map and gently pointed to the circled area on the map. “Lord Shen originally wanted to offer to exchange this land with you for two more fen per acre. If you are unwilling, then forget it.”
The autumn wind lifted a corner of the paper, and the farmers' hearts were lifted along with it.
The village head stammered, "Lord Xu, Lord Xu, are you saying that we can exchange this land for the fertile paddy fields at the east end of the village, and... it's one mu for one and a half mu?"
20%!
That extra 20% of land, how much rice could they grow?!
Furthermore, the land here can only be considered medium-grade farmland; how can it compare to the excellent fertile farmland to the east of the village?
They made a huge profit from this exchange!
"Lord Xu..." The old village head couldn't believe it: "Is the government going to return the land to us directly, or will they take us in as tenants and have us help cultivate the land?"
This needs to be clarified!
The difference between a tenant farmer and a landlord is huge!
Xu Yunyan looked at Fang Xianyue, who immediately took out a contract from his bosom and beckoned, "Come, come, everyone listen to me!"
The farmers all gathered around.
Fang Xianyue waved the contract and said loudly, "Don't worry, everyone! Lord Shen has ordered that your medium-sized fields, which were requisitioned, be exchanged for the unclaimed fertile paddy fields at the east end of the village. One mu will be exchanged for one and a half mu. The land deeds will be directly transferred to each family's name. The government will not charge any fees, and you will not be made tenants! Once the deeds are signed, that fertile paddy field will be your ancestral property!"
As soon as he finished speaking, gasps of surprise rose from all around.
"How could a land deed be forged?"
"That piece of land in the east of the village is incredibly fertile! It used to be tightly controlled by that corrupt official surnamed Huai and those heartless merchants, but now... Lord Shen has actually granted it to us?"
"This is fantastic news!"
Amidst the murmurs, Fang Xianyue added, "There's one more thing! Any able-bodied men from the farmers whose land has been requisitioned who wish to repair the official road will be given priority for employment! The pay will be eighty copper coins a day, including three meals!"
His words were like a gentle spring breeze, extinguishing all the farmers' anxiety and resistance.
fertile paddy fields...
Right of first refusal...
What's there to hesitate about?
"Sir! My family is willing to have our land requisitioned by the government!"
"Sir! My family is willing too!"
"Sir! When can the contract be finalized?"
"Sir..."
As the autumn wind blew across the field ridges, Xu Yunyan chuckled softly as he looked at Fang Xianyue, who was surrounded by layers of farmers.
In Liuyang Prefecture, what kind of conflict could there be between officials and the people?
Lord Shen has always been generous to the people.
......
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
The day before Manniang's wedding, Shen Zheng, with her family in tow, boarded a carriage back to Tongan County.
As soon as the carriage started moving, Yu Shizhang let out a puzzled sound: "Hmm—?"
Hearing his drawn-out tone, Shen Zheng smiled and said, "You sensed it?"
This carriage is quite different from the usual ones!
Yu Shizhang braced himself on the seat cushion with both hands, carefully felt the sensation for a while, and then confirmed: "It's not bumpy anymore!"
He was extremely surprised.
In the past, when he rode in a horse-drawn carriage, even a slightly uneven road would make him feel extremely uncomfortable and tormented.
But today the carriage was unusually stable. Not only did it not sway left or right, but even the "clattering" sound from the axle seemed to have disappeared.
"What's going on?" He placed his palm against the carriage wall, feeling the vibrations transmitted through the frame. "Compared to before, this carriage has reduced the vibration by at least 80% today!"
"Eighty percent?" Shen Zheng shook her head with a smile. "Your evaluation is too high. Xiao Mu only added rubber pads to the axle head, shaft, and bottom of the carriage. At most, it can reduce the shock by 50% or 60%. If you really want to achieve 80% shock reduction, you would have to replace the wheels with rubber ones as well."
Yu Shizhang was stunned for a moment, and when he came to his senses, he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.
He didn't care about the 50% or 80% figures; all he knew was, "Is this the carriage you promised me before, the one that wouldn't bump around?"