Capítulo 1646: Chapter 1621: Investigation and Canvassing
Even though she was ntally prepared, Manbao was still choked for a mont, feeling a bit sad, “Why?”
The young man stamred, unable to reply, and after a long while he finally said, “Farming these lands is too exhausting and we still can’t get enough to eat.”
Unable to articulate the reason, a few slightly older youths answered for him, “The governnt land is hard to farm. Outside this area, there is an estate owned by Old Master Fang, where renting his land only requires paying fifty percent of the harvest.”
Manbao asked, “How much fixed rent does the court demand from you?”
“The soil in this area of governnt land is not bad, so they set it at six dou of rice and five dou of flour.”
Six dou of rice — that’s almost one stone and two dou of grain. A piece of land yields only about two or three stones, which is also fifty percent. But if this fixed rent applies to both dry fields and paddy fields, then the lands for growing beans aren’t worth it.
The young man continued, “But Old Master Fang gives us half of the seeds, and for every hundred mu, he also provides us with an ox to use. If our farming tools break, he covers half the repair costs. The governntal office gives us nothing; we have to pay for all the seeds and tools ourselves, and every season we also have to collect grass for your official horses…”
Bai Shan and the other two were particularly curious, “What’s official grass?”
“You don’t even know what official grass is? It’s the grass your horses eat,” the young man said. “Every year, just preparing grass for you takes up a lot of labor ti. You’re lucky you’re not a military officer; otherwise, with more horses at ho, all the burden would fall on us, and we’d even have to cut horse grass for you during the New Year.”
Manbao swallowed, “So there’s sothing like official grass too?”
“Of course, there are lots of things. Sotis the adults co down to check. If they see we’ve raised chickens or ducks, they want a share of the eggs and even so of the poultry, saying these chickens and ducks are also raised on the governnt land.”
Bai Erlang and Bai Shan turned to look at Manbao together.
Manbao was embarrassed, quietly saying, “This has nothing to do with . I’m only just starting to take over the governnt land.”
Bai Shan then asked the young man, “Where is your ho? Can we go visit your ho?”
The young man ate all the candy in his hand, feeling that although they were noble people too, they were quite different from the nobles he’d t in Yongzhou City, and were quite friendly. So he didn’t mind bringing them to his ho.
These houses were built only about ten years ago, yet they looked very old because they were made of straw mixed with yellow mud, and the houses were very low. In the whole village, except for three families, everyone else lived under thatched roofs.
Bai Shan wasn’t particularly tall, but he had to slightly bend over to enter the house. Inside, he found it very dark and realized that the windows were particularly small. Seeing them look at the windows, the young man said, “Oh, the window paper is broken. It’s too expensive, and since it’s not cold right now, we haven’t fixed it.”
Manbao asked, “Why are your windows so small?”
“Wouldn’t it be freezing if they were big? The heat inside wouldn’t stay in during winter if they were any bigger.”
The three could only accept this explanation. After nodding, they turned to go out.
Manbao simply gathered the children who had co to join the fun and began visiting each household.
Both Manbao and Bai Shan noticed that there were very few chickens and ducks in the village. It was unclear whether this was because they were afraid of them being taken by the court or because they couldn’t afford to raise them.
They walked around the village, and by the ti they returned to the Chief’s house, the adults had finished their talk, and the sunset appeared in the sky, indicating it was almost dusk.
The Chief already knew from several of his sons that Zhou Man was following the village children around for a look. He initially wanted to stop it, but then realized there wasn’t anything in the village they couldn’t know.
The villagers just didn’t want to rent and farm their lands, so what could they do?
Unless they could persuade the county office to have the magistrate forcibly allocate the governnt land.
This is the difference between managing it oneself and the court managing it. If the court manages it, the Ministry of Revenue could send a letter to the county office, and the Chief would have to run around tirelessly for the governnt land.
But if it’s an individual’s responsibility, renting out the governnt land depends entirely on their own ability.
Anyway, the governnt land has been handed over for you to operate, so the profit and loss are your responsibility.
Old Zhou saw Manbao and imdiately pulled her aside, whispering, “Manbao, dad just talked to the Chief, and he actually said people aren’t too willing to rent our land and have already decided to rent from so Old Master Fang.”
Old Zhou was quite worried, “I asked the steward from Yongzhou City today; there are many people there, but no one is willing to co and farm the governnt land.”
“It’s quite strange, isn’t it? Isn’t this governnt land still land? I think it looks pretty good. Why is it that no one wants to farm it?”
Manbao said, “Dad, leave this to . It’s getting late now. You and mom should get on the carriage and go back first. I’ll talk to the Chief.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry. It won’t get dark so soon. We can quickly catch up on horseback, plus Daji and the others are here.”
Only then did Old Zhou agree to head back first.
Mr. Zhuang called the three of them over for a lecture and said, “As officials, you must be kind to the people, but you can’t be too soft. Your strength lies in your youth, thin skin, and kind hearts, but that’s also your weakness. Set your terms before you talk, and once set, don’t easily change your bottom line.”
Mr. Zhuang said aningfully, “There must be gains if there are losses; otherwise, it will be a losing proposition.”
The three started to ponder.
Then Mr. Zhuang and Old Zhou took the carriage with the others and left first.
Bai Erlang turned to the two and asked, “What does Mr. Zhuang an?”
Bai Shan said, “Mr. Zhuang is telling us not to be too soft-hearted. Don’t give in without a bottom line just because their days are hard, or it’ll hurt both them and us.”
Manbao said, “Mr. Zhuang said if I give them benefits, they must pay a corresponding price or take on responsibility in return. Only then will it be fair.”
Bai Erlang was skeptical, “Really? I didn’t get that from what he said.”
Bai Shan and Manbao ignored him and instead turned to face the Chief with courteous smiles.
Watching Old Zhou and the others’ carriage leave, the Chief, who was smiling and about to send off Zhou Man and the others, couldn’t help but shiver at their smiles.
Manbao said, “Chief, why don’t we sit down and talk with you and the villagers?”
The Chief was taken aback and asked, “Talk about what?”
“Talk about the tenants’ rent.”
The Chief’s face stiffened and he forced a smile, “Lord Zhou, the rent for tenant farming should be voluntary, right? You ca a bit late, and they’ve already agreed to rent Old Master Fang’s land before.”
It was a lie. The grain had just been harvested not too long ago. How could they have already decided on the next rental?
Besides, all those kids ntioned that the adults were worried, which was why they gathered outside the Chief’s house—they didn’t want to rent and farm the governnt land anymore.
Manbao then smiled at the Chief at the door, “I won’t collect fixed rent. You know, this governnt land is now personally managed by , so it no longer involves the governnt office. As long as I’m in charge, I have the final say on how to farm this land.”
She said, “I don’t want fixed rent; instead, I’m asking for forty percent of the harvest. What do you think?”
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