novelSusiti Chapter 33 Imperial Plans: Agriculture and War
Chapter 33 Imperial Plans: Agriculture and War
The three-day deadline passed in the blink of an eye. The Prince of Fu's mansion dared not delay or conceal anything and could only obediently hand over all the money, grain, and land in accordance with the imperial edict.
The 100,000 mu of irrigated farmland along the river in the Luoyang Basin was fully documented and registered, and the land deeds and documents were verified and transferred, officially transferring the property from the private property of the Fu Prince to the name of the Imperial Estate.
Meanwhile, the mountain of one million taels of silver and five hundred thousand shi of rice and flour were successively transferred to the newly built military granary outside Luoyang.
With this generous sum of money and provisions, it was enough to support the new army entering Henan, the 20,000 young men accompanying them, and the hundreds of thousands of displaced disaster victims in the Luoyang Basin through the entire spring and summer famine.
After the transfer of money, grain, land, and land was completed, the power to reorganize the Luoyang Basin was completely in the hands of the imperial court.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yuji, who had previously led his troops south to Ruyang, took over the defense of Ruyang and incorporated the garrison within the city. He then led a hundred cavalrymen, lightly armed, straight to Luoyang.
There was no other way; the heartland of Henan had long been drained of its vitality by the influx of bandits and even more severe natural disasters.
During his journey south, Zhou Yuji witnessed firsthand what it meant to live in a desolate, barren wasteland, with corpses strewn across the land – a scene straight out of hell.
The bandits' repeated crossings disrupted local order and production, leaving many destitute people to either flee to other places or starve to death in the wilderness.
With government orders failing to reach the prefectures and counties, the local areas were in complete chaos. Central and southern Henan were either desolate and uninhabited or riverside plains where local tyrants had built fortified villages and carved up the areas, leaving only farmland.
Under these circumstances, all Zhou Yuji could do was lead his troops to occupy Ruyang City, then reorganize the local garrison to strengthen the city's defenses and protect the precious military supplies within the city.
Relief for the people?
The displaced people who should have lived outside Ruyang City had all perished in large numbers during this year of severe drought.
There should still be quite a few surviving refugees in Nanyang Prefecture, which has better geographical conditions, barely surviving the natural disaster.
Apart from that, the Luoyang Basin in northwestern Henan is the only place where people can barely survive.
The reason is simple: four major rivers flow through the Luoyang Basin, and the Yellow River flows to the north, making it a rare blessed land in Henan Province during this year of severe drought.
Zhou Yuji was not afraid that the newly formed army he left behind would be unable to defend Ruyang City even with sufficient military supplies.
He had long been prepared to shoulder the heavy responsibility of implementing new policies in the Luoyang Basin.
Huang Degong, who had already prepared money, provisions, and manpower, did not wait more than a few days before welcoming his deputy general to the city of Luoyang.
Zhou Yuji, in his capacity as Deputy Military Commander of Henan and Director-General of Military Settlements in Henan, officially took over all matters related to the reform of military settlements, the dismantling of garrisons, and the resettlement of displaced people within the Luoyang Basin.
The regulations implemented were exactly the same as those issued by Emperor Chongzhen a few months earlier in Beizhili, when he ordered Lu Xiang-sheng to reorganize the garrisons north of Beijing.
At this moment, outside Luoyang City, all that could be seen was barren wasteland.
For several consecutive years, western Henan has suffered from severe drought, causing cracks in the fields and even fertile riverside farmland to succumb to the disaster.
This is also the critical period for wheat to develop heads and ears, which is the period when wheat needs the most water during its growth. The water consumption during heading and grain filling accounts for more than 30% of the total water consumption during the entire growth period.
At this time of year, even a single day of water shortage will result in a loss of wheat harvest, and if the drought continues, it will lead to a complete crop failure.
Within the Luoyang Basin, whether it is the fertile riverside fields of the former Prince Fu's mansion or the cultivated plains controlled by local gentry, all are facing a severe drought this year.
In previous years, they could rely on the Luohe and Yihe irrigation canals to draw water for irrigation, but now most of the canals are silted up and dried up, the water level in the river has dropped sharply, and gravity irrigation has almost stopped.
Large swaths of wheat seedlings in the fields were withered and yellow, the ears of grain were shriveled and could not be plump, and dead seedlings could be seen everywhere along the ridges of the fields, which would fall in a rustling sound when the wind blew.
The summer harvest, which symbolized the hope of the living, was about to be completely destroyed in this protracted drought.
The refugees around the basin were even more miserable and helpless.
Years of natural disasters, coupled with five waves of banditry in the preceding years, left the heartland of Luoyang in ruins. The lucky survivors either huddled in the city of Luoyang, barely surviving, or became slaves to the private estates and fortresses of gentry in various places, toiling every day but unable to earn a decent living.
Even so, those who are still alive are considered lucky.
Because there are many more destitute refugees wandering the wilderness, starving and living in constant fear, who could collapse and die at any moment on the desolate fields and ancient roads.
It can be said that the Luoyang Basin is now a hotbed of conflicting elements, and without a solution, it is very easy for a rebellion to break out.
Seeing this, Zhou Yuji no longer delayed. On his first day in office, he immediately issued a proclamation to the entire region, announcing that the court would implement three new policies simultaneously:
Work-for-relief programs were implemented, garrison posts were abolished, and military settlements were established.
The Henan Guard and other guard posts in the Luoyang Basin, including the former Luoyang Central Guard, have long been in disrepair and have become mere formalities after a century of decay.
Just like the garrisons in northern Beijing and northern Hubei and Hunan before, the military households had fled and scattered for generations, and only one in ten of the registered soldiers remained. The remaining old, weak and disabled soldiers had no fighting power and neglected their military preparations all day long.
This time, the imperial court holds the great cause, and with 20,000 able-bodied young men and capable new troops stationed in Luoyang, it is imperative to eradicate the long-standing problems of the garrison system in the Luoyang Basin.
Zhou Yuji issued an order to abolish all garrison systems in the Luoyang Basin and remove all registered garrison soldiers from their posts.
However, being removed from the official register does not mean that the imperial court will let the garrison troops fend for themselves.
First, the elderly, weak, women and children in the garrison were all registered and sent back to farming. Those with some strength were incorporated into the militia to participate in subsequent land reclamation and water conservancy work, receiving grain according to their labor and making a living through their work.
To prevent powerful figures from obstructing the process and officials from abusing their power, Zhou Yuji directly used the New Army as the basis for law enforcement. In accordance with Emperor Chongzhen's decree, he also promoted officials without official titles, litigators, and older students to serve in the army.
These local veterans, who are either literate or have been working at the grassroots level for many years and are skilled at getting things done, are not lacking in ability.
All they lacked was an opportunity—a chance to enter officialdom and bring glory to their family.
Now, the current emperor has personally presented them with the opportunity.
Whoever does a good job and helps the court to manage the Qingtian garrison will not only receive money and grain from the court, but will also be rewarded according to their merits and given a legitimate official position.
Even if it's just a low-ranking official of the ninth grade, that's still an official, different from commoners, enough to make these local officials and older students, who aren't even from poor families, work hard for him.
The issuance of this decree caused a great stir both inside and outside Luoyang. Overjoyed clerks and older students rushed to the Luoyang Military Garrison Office to spread the news.
With both soldiers and clerks at his disposal, Zhou Yuji quickly took action.
During the land clearing of the garrison, anyone who dared to conceal the garrison's land, obstruct the investigation and reform, or resist returning it to the public treasury would be treated as a traitor and a disobedient subject, and would be arrested and their property confiscated on the spot by the accompanying Imperial Guards!
At that time, not only will all the abandoned fields of the garrison that have been seized be returned to the state, but the property of the gentry who defied the imperial decree will also be confiscated. If one household rebels, the whole region will be warned and there will be no leniency.
Under such strict orders, the local gentry around Luoyang who used to occupy military farmland and exploit military households all fell silent.
The military leaders of the garrisons, under the "gracious pardon" of the imperial court, also slunk away from Luoyang with their wealth and families.
Within just three days, more than 200,000 mu of occupied military farmland in the Luoyang Basin were returned to the imperial estates, and the rest are still being investigated.
After excluding abandoned land that was completely encroached upon by river channels and severely salinized and uncultivable, a total of 140,000 mu of arable land was finally identified.
Among them are a few remaining irrigated fields, as well as large areas of flat, dry land lacking only water for irrigation. Some fields may appear barren, but in fact they are quite fertile and can be cultivated with a little effort.
These lands were all assigned to the imperial estates and military settlements, and were uniformly registered and recorded, nominally becoming Emperor Chongzhen's private lands.
By this time, Emperor Chongzhen had begun to control a considerable amount of farmland in the Luoyang Basin.
However, Zhou Yuji did not intend to directly invest a large amount of money and grain to restore all the confiscated land to cultivation.
He selected the best 50,000 mu of farmland, and added the 100,000 mu of riverside fertile land handed over by Prince Fu, totaling 150,000 mu of high-quality land, which became the foundation for the new army's land reclamation and resettlement of displaced people.
With the land issue temporarily resolved, the next step is to address the water shortage problem.
The drought in the Luoyang Basin in mid-to-late April was severe, with no rain to be expected and no water to draw upon. Even with more than 100,000 mu of fertile land, if the irrigation problem could not be solved, there would still be no harvest and no output from the fields.
Repairing water conservancy projects is necessary, as it is a plan for the future. However, right now, it is more important to vigorously drill wells and extract groundwater to sustain life.
The clerks and officials around Luoyang, who had been brought under the control of the Military Settlement Administration, had long since figured out the hydrology and topography of the Luoyang Basin.
This place has four layers of sedimentary soil from the river, and the shallow groundwater is extremely abundant. The groundwater level along the riverbanks is only two to eight meters, and even in the dry plains of the basin, the water level does not exceed twenty meters.
Therefore, even if the riverbed dries up and the canals and weirs dry up during the dry season, the underground well water remains stable and inexhaustible, which is the natural foundation for drought resistance.
The 20,000 able-bodied men and women who followed the new army south from Beizhili were all strong laborers carefully selected by the imperial court. They had previously experienced the work-for-relief process in Beizhili and were rich in work experience.
They now bring their own complete set of well-drilling and land reclamation tools and equipment, and many of them can also repair the equipment. They are experienced and have plenty of manpower.
Furthermore, the imperial court has provided a massive amount of money, grain, and supplies from the Prince of Fu's residence, so there is no need to worry about consumables and food. The ample silver and grain are enough to support them in leading the local refugees to dig wells to combat drought and reclaim wasteland.
While providing relief to local refugees and selecting manpower, Zhou Yuji also glimpsed an opportunity to acquire more land in the basin from the well-drilling and water-drawing project.
He ordered notices to be posted at the four gates of Luoyang and in the surrounding villages and towns, clearly announcing the new policies of the imperial court:
All large clans and wealthy households around Luoyang City that own private fields that are dry and on the verge of crop failure can exchange them with the imperial court for irrigation resources.
To put it simply, the imperial court mobilized able-bodied men and a full set of equipment to dig wells and springs in the designated fields to divert water and combat drought, ensuring the survival of the wheat seedlings for the season and guaranteeing a bountiful summer harvest.
However, as a price to pay, the imperial court will determine a specific land exchange ratio based on the quality and size of the land:
For any superior private land with the best terrain, fertile soil, close proximity to a river, and extremely low difficulty in digging wells, the imperial court would take full responsibility for digging wells and irrigation, ensuring a bumper summer harvest for the remaining 80% of the land, provided that only 20% of the land was handed over to the public.
For ordinary dry land with moderate terrain, decent soil, and regular well irrigation, 30% of the land must be handed over to the public in order to enjoy the guarantee of well irrigation throughout the area.
For marginal fields that are on higher ground, with thinner soil layers, and require deeper wells, 40% of the land must be handed over to the public. The imperial court will still be fully responsible for digging wells and repairing canals to ensure water supply and a good harvest.
In addition, the dry fields and sloping lands scattered throughout the Prince Fu's residence that required the court's assistance in digging wells for irrigation were exchanged for land at the same rate as the marginal lands of the gentry.
Despite the "ruthless" measures taken by the imperial court, the local gentry, local tyrants, and powerful families in Luoyang were able to revitalize most of their land without having to pay anything.
They paid a price for irrigation water, but if they refused, the land that continued to fail would still not produce anything for them.
This decree caused an uproar among the local gentry in the Luoyang Basin who still had the capacity to collect taxes from the people.
After all, before this, these local gentry and wealthy families and the stewards of the royal palace were already in despair, and could only watch helplessly as the wheat seedlings withered and died all over the land.
The drought that has lasted for several years has already exhausted their savings and resources.
Lacking the capacity for large-scale water conservancy repairs and well drilling for irrigation, they could only watch helplessly as the summer harvest failed and the fields lay fallow.
The court's new policies are cutting into their very lifeline, but at the same time, they're giving them a chance to turn things around from this desperate situation.
By simply ceding some of their land, they could preserve most of their harvest and barely manage to safeguard their wealth and fortune.
Compared to the outcome of a complete crop failure, abandoned farmland, and eventual annihilation by rebel soldiers and refugees, this exchange condition is quite generous.
Regardless of the era, landlords and gentry were mostly bad, not stupid. They naturally knew how to weigh the pros and cons and make the choice that was most beneficial to the survival of their families.
The day after the notice was posted, gentry, clan leaders, and estate managers from all over Luoyang flocked to the military settlement office to register their land and voluntarily exchange their land for irrigation resources.
Within two days, more than 80,000 mu of private land were voluntarily reported for exchange, and more than 90% of them were high-quality land with fertile soil, flat terrain, and excellent well-drilling conditions.
Zhou Yuji was overjoyed and immediately divided the 20,000 young men who accompanied the army into groups and established clear construction areas.
Twelve thousand able-bodied laborers were assigned to reclamation and well-drilling teams, stationed in villages and fields, with priority given to areas of privately owned land that had been reported for exchange, and priority given to rescuing wheat fields that were on the verge of dying.
In the shallow waters near the river, a group of three to five people can dig a deep well in a few days, and one well can provide irrigation water for dozens of acres of farmland.
In arid plains, wells are being deepened and canals widened, with workers working in shifts day and night to combat drought.
Four thousand able-bodied men were assigned to a water conservancy repair team, specifically to clear old canals and tributaries in the Luoyang Basin that had been silted up for years. They connected newly dug wells with the remaining river channels, built simple ditches, and formed an irrigation system that linked wells and canals.
The remaining four thousand able-bodied men were assigned to road administration, to simultaneously repair the damaged and collapsed official roads and rural roads outside Luoyang, level the roads and land, and take into account the passage and security of the military settlements.
Local refugees receiving government relief would be registered and selected, then assigned to different construction teams in batches to increase manpower for construction.
After the division of labor, the young and strong men from Beizhi who had work experience took the lead in digging wells, clearing canals and repairing roads in various places.
For a time, the fields surrounding Luoyang were filled with the sounds of able-bodied men toiling away, digging wells, excavating soil, and leveling roads, all day and night.
Just a few days later, deep wells emerged from the ground in fields across the country and took shape one after another.
Then, streams of clear spring water, representing hope, gushed from the ground and flowed slowly into the cracked fields along the newly built irrigation ditches.
The withered wheat seedlings that were on the verge of dying were revived by watering, and gradually turned green and began to grow ears. The summer grain that was originally destined to fail was even rescued from the drought.
With substantial and continuous investment of funds, resources, and manpower, the parched Luoyang Basin has finally regained its long-lost vitality.