The so-called Wasteland Reclamation Decree, as the na implies, was to expand cultivated land, ensure sufficient food, and strengthen the military. The imperial court opened up ownerless wastelands across the world, including barren mountains, barren slopes, and saline-alkali land.
All commoners of the Kingdom of Jing could apply to reclaim them, in order to stabilize the people's livelihood and consolidate the foundation of the state.
Ordinary wasteland could be exempt from grain tax for three years, riverside tidal flats for five years, and if it was saline-alkali land, it would be exempt for as long as seven years.
Even after the tax exemption period passed, not only would taxes be collected at only seventy percent of the rate for fertile land, but one could also apply to the governnt office for a reclamation loan.
The limit for each household was five taels, to be used for purchasing farm tools, and to be repaid together when taxes were collected.
Li Shoutian said, "You know the land in our Pinecone Village. There are quite a few barren mountains and slopes. If we can reclaim a few more acres of fertile land, it would be a good deed that benefits our descendants."
"But right now, half of the male adults in the village haven't grown up yet, and the other half were injured a few years ago, leaving mostly the elderly, weak, won, and children."
"The county office requires us to reclaim at least sixty acres of wasteland a year, otherwise we'll be punished. It's really putting in a difficult position."
With the imperial court's decree, local officials naturally wanted to produce results early to give their superiors an account.
But how could reclaiming wasteland be that easy? Sixty acres didn't sound like much, but the actual difficulty was very high.
Even if it was reclaid within a year, it still required ti to improve the soil and apply fertilizer.
Usually, without two or three years' ti, these fields wouldn't have any good harvests.
Working in vain for several years, and if they couldn't complete it, they would still be punished.
No one in the village wanted to take on this job. Li Shoutian talked from door to door and barely managed to apportion over twenty acres.
Although there were still a few families he hadn't talked to, the remaining thirty-plus acres couldn't be distributed so simply.
Zhang Anxiu was unhappy hearing this, "You're not going to give all the remaining wasteland to Brother Xun, are you? That won't do. Even if he were an old yellow ox, he'd be exhausted to death!"
Li Shoutian gave a dry laugh and said, "What are you saying? Am I an unreasonable person? But I was thinking, when the ti cos, we'll set up a rit Stele. Whoever reclaims the most, their na will be carved at the very front!"
"The county also said that if any family reclaims more than thirty acres of wasteland, they will be given the title of 'Village Honored Guest'. Not only can they attend the county office's Village Worthies Banquet every year, but they can also pay less grain tax."
Chu Xun's heart stirred upon hearing this. To others, reclaiming wasteland was very troubleso, clearly a thankless task.
But to him, it was very easy.
Once the Earth Control Spell was cast, the stones and such buried in the ground would obediently co out on their own.
Improving the soil, applying fertilizer, and leveling the ground were even less of an issue.
Not to ntion too much, he could still manage dozens of acres of land in a year.
Things like a rit Stele were, to put it bluntly, just a seniority ranking set up by the village itself.
But the "Village Honored Guest" given by the county office was a good thing.
Just paying less grain tax could save a lot every year.
Chu Xun was still young now, and he would be able to live a very long ti in the future.
The grain tax saved in one or two years wasn't much, but calculated over decades, it would be a lot.
The only thing he needed to consider was not to do it too exaggeratedly, lest people discover his secret.
After thinking slightly, Chu Xun said, "If you can buy a plowing ox, I can reclaim at least thirty acres or more."
Li Shoutian's eyes lit up upon hearing this, "Really? Don't say I didn't tell you, if you can't complete it when the ti cos, being short one acre ans a fine of at least twenty copper coins!"
Zhang Anxiu hurriedly reminded him, "Brother Xun, think clearly. Even with a plowing ox, that's reclaiming wasteland, not plowing existing fields. How could it be that easy?"
Chu Xun smiled at her and said, "Heaven rewards the diligent, there's nothing that can't be done. Maybe we'll have good luck, and reclaiming the wasteland won't be that troubleso when the ti cos."
Zhang Anxiu still wanted to say sothing, but Li Shoutian had already stood up and grabbed Chu Xun's hand, "Then it's settled! Your family will take on thirty acres first! As for the plowing ox, I'll go to the county town to find one for you right now!"
After saying that, without waiting for Chu Xun to speak, Li Shoutian had already run off without a trace, afraid he would go back on his word.
Zhang Anxiu was so anxious she was getting angry, "Brother Xun, aren't you just asking for trouble! If the others in the village know, they'll probably wake up laughing in their sleep!"
Chu Xun alone took on thirty acres. For the other families, even fully calculated, at most one family would only take on a little over an acre. Could they not be happy?
Compared to Zhang Anxiu's anxiety, Chu Xun was completely at ease.
Others might think thirty acres was a lot, but he still felt it was too little.
If he wasn't afraid of scaring the villagers, even if he took on dozens more acres, it wasn't like he wouldn't have a chance to complete it.
"Let's not talk about this for now. Is the food ready?" Chu Xun asked.
"Not yet. Wasn't it because the Village Chief ca? If I had known, I wouldn't have paid attention to him!" Zhang Anxiu went out pouting.
Chu Xun followed her out and squatted down to look at the Spirit Pearl Grass at the door.
Now the Spirit Pearl Grass had grown to fifteen leaves. The leaves were erald green, nestled by the yellow mud wall, possessing a sowhat unique beauty.
"Five more years, and it will be able to bloom," Chu Xun thought, smilingly reaching out to touch the thick leaves. "I wonder what color the flowers it blooms in the future will be?"
Twenty years to bloom, and another twenty years to bear fruit.
When the ti ca, Chu Xun's cultivation would be able to advance to the Foundation Establishnt Stage, and his lifespan would also be greatly increased.
Standing up, he stretched his arms and legs, only feeling full of energy!
The future was promising!
Li Shoutian didn't go ho, but went to his eldest brother Li Tianjian's house.
As soon as he entered the door, he said to Li Tianjian, who was sitting there eating, "Big Brother, Ah Xun over there agreed to take on thirty acres. Later, our two families, along with a few children who have established their own households, will take on the rest. What do you think?"
Li Tianjian was slightly short and looked like an ordinary, dark-skinned old farr.
The wrinkles on his forehead could pinch a fly to death.
Hearing these words, his face was full of astonishnt, "Ah Xun's family is taking on thirty acres? How did he agree?"
"He said as long as I find him a plowing ox, it's fine," Li Shoutian said.
Li Tianjian's wife nearby curled her lips upon hearing this, "That callow youth only knows how to show off. Even with a plowing ox, he has seventeen acres of his own land, and he still wants to reclaim thirty acres of wasteland. How can he manage it all?"
"When the ti cos and the county office fines him silver for insufficient reclamation quota, I'll see if he still shows off!"
Over the past few years, Chu Xun had done many good deeds, and with enough farmland in his hands, his prestige in the village was rising.
Not everyone hoped for him to have smooth sailing. Like Li Tianjian's wife, she hoped Chu Xun would suffer a bit of a loss.
Even if she couldn't take advantage herself, she just felt refreshed in her heart.
Li Tianjian also had similar thoughts. The Li family had been in Pinecone Village for several generations and had very deep seniority.
A callow youth rising to fa and gradually surpassing them—that wouldn't do!
Since Chu Xun was willing to take on this hardship, what else was there to say?
If he could complete it, it was his ability; if he couldn't, he deserved it.
As for his own family and the few children who had established households taking on the remaining wasteland reclamation, he had no objections.
Although he wasn't the Village Chief, the old Li family had deep seniority in Pinecone Village. No matter what, they had to take the lead and couldn't let others look down on them!
Having settled this matter, Li Shoutian imdiately felt relaxed all over. Without even eating, he turned and left the village, heading to the county town to find a plowing ox.
This job wasn't easy either. Even if he found one, he had to go to the county office to report it before it could be bought or sold.
Plowing oxen were precious treasures. Every year, the county office would send people to inspect them.
If this ox had a problem and died or went missing, one would face severe punishnt.
At best, a fine of silver and a beating with a board; at worst, imprisonnt or even exile.
Li Tianjian's wife was still chattering endlessly, "I think Chu Xun is just a reckless youth. He thinks that just because he farms a few more acres of land, he can accomplish anything."
Li Tianjian frowned and said, "At any rate, he solved this matter for our family, so it's not good to say too much about him."
"What do you an solved the matter for our family? Your younger brother is the Village Chief, not you!" The wife's face was full of displeasure. "I just don't understand, why didn't you know to fight for it back then? Why is it that he, the second son, gets to be the Village Chief?"
"Back then, when fighting for water, you charged at the very front and bled three catties. Didn't the second son just carry the old man back!"
"No matter what, it should be you who takes the position! You didn't do any less of the hard and tiring work, but he took all the face-saving matters!"
The wife muttered and shouted for a while, but Li Tianjian didn't make a sound.
Over the years, whether it was his wife or children at ho, they all had quite a few complaints about this matter.
He was the eldest in the family, so why didn't he inherit the position of Village Chief, but instead let Li Shoutian snatch it away?
Actually, Li Tianjian understood in his heart that in terms of ability, his younger brother was stronger than him.
Before his old dad passed away, Li Shoutian worried about many matters in the village, and he was happy to be at leisure.
So during the recomndation at that ti, he was too embarrassed to fight for it.
Originally, he felt it was nothing; they were all family, whoever took the position was the sa.
But being talked about so much, he inevitably felt sowhat unhappy in his heart.
"Eat, eat, why so many words!" Li Tianjian said unhappily.
It was just that while shoveling rice into his mouth, he couldn't help but think that if Chu Xun couldn't reclaim that much wasteland, maybe when the ti ca and Li Shoutian was punished, he would be able to beco the Village Chief.
The two sons beside him, who hadn't spoken all along and hadn't yet married or established their own households, were half-grown boys.
They looked at each other, seemingly having thought of sothing. They exchanged a subtle glance and continued to lower their heads and eat.
(End of Chapter)
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