Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty
Chapter 395: Reform Advancement
Chapter 395: Reform Advancement
He Nan raised his eyebrows, his eyes firm. He flicked his sleeves and said firmly, "I will certainly not sit back and watch Lao Wan die, and I will certainly not let the brothers' families be buried with him."
After saying this, he turned around and walked down the ladder without hesitation. The officer wanted to persuade him again, but seeing He Nan's resolute back, he knew that persuasion was useless. He could only sigh helplessly and quickly followed with several brothers.
.
Meanwhile, outside Liaoyang, across vast fields, the construction of forts and garrisons was in full swing. In the distance, craftsmen busied themselves building forts, while soldiers wielded hoes and dug trenches. Thousands of civilians were being resettled, preparing to cultivate new fields to support the northern military system of garrison farming.
At this moment, Zhang Tianze was receiving Li Banghua who came to inspect in the camp.
"Sir Li, His Majesty has only given me one year. The garrison must be established as soon as possible. Otherwise, when winter comes, there will be nowhere to plant the last grains and vegetables. At that time, how will hundreds of thousands of people survive? Do we really want them to build roads for half a year and then start farming next year?" Zhang Tianze looked embarrassed and spoke in an anxious tone.
Li Banghua glanced around and frowned. "Your Majesty's order regarding the garrisons is indeed clear, but you also know that Liaodong's grain and fodder need to be shipped by sea and then transferred overland. While the food problem is a bit urgent, it will be available soon. The situation in the north is unstable. If we can't quickly establish a route and build a good defense, I'm afraid it will lead to even greater unrest."
"Lord Li, you have foresight and understand the situation in Liaodong better than I do." Zhang Tianze's tone was filled with anxiety. "Although the situation in various places is complicated, I can still handle it. However, the construction of the military garrison in Liaoyang cannot be delayed for a moment. Moreover, the military garrison is not just about providing land for the people, it is also related to the construction of military supply workshops. The production of military equipment and cotton clothing depends on it."
Zhang Tianze's eyes darkened as he spoke, his tone becoming more serious. "If anyone causes trouble again at this moment, I'm afraid the workshop won't be built, and the garrison will be ruined."
Li Banghua's expression darkened. He knew Zhang Tianze's words were true. The garrisons weren't simply a livelihood project; they were also crucial to the court's efforts to stabilize the northern defenses. If the Ming army wanted to truly establish a strong presence in the north, they had to quickly establish a stable food supply system. Otherwise, if war broke out again, the army would be starved of food, the people would flee, and the situation would spiral out of control once again.
However, the key point at the moment is that there are still remnants of the Tatars in many places, and most of the troops are further north to guard against the remnants fleeing north.
Li Banghua sighed softly and said:
"When the imperial court implements new policies in newly recovered areas, there's bound to be backlash. Let alone the situation outside the Great Wall, even the situation in Yingtian Prefecture within the Great Wall is complex. Those landlords and gentry may seem powerless, but they control vast amounts of manpower and material resources, and can even stir up trouble in the local area. If they truly unite to resist the new policies, what countermeasures will you offer?"
Zhang Tianze was well prepared. His eyes were sharp and his tone was steady as he replied, "Sir, aren't the Jinyiwei very capable in dealing with them? If it were me, I wouldn't confront them head-on. After all, the court can't force all the gentry into opposition. But those who actively obstruct the military farming, or even secretly collude with bandits, must be dealt with with drastic measures."
He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "The Jinyiwei must have had people closely monitoring the direction of the local situation. As long as the general trend is stable, they will not be able to stir up any more trouble."
Li Banghua nodded, a look of relief on his face as he said, "Well, Tianze, you have a very good idea. I will immediately report to His Majesty and request increased support for the construction of the garrisons outside the Great Wall."
The two exchanged glances, both realizing the gravity of this matter, which brooked no delay. The matter of the garrison was imminent, and action was imperative!
Li Banghua's eyes were steady, and he spoke in a calm voice:
"Tianze, I'm just here to remind you, not to put pressure on you."
Zhang Tianze frowned slightly as he said this, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. It seemed that Li Banghua, this clever old man, wanted to test him.
"The gentry of Yingtian Prefecture are really difficult to deal with. Their petition has been submitted to me." Li Banghua sighed and said with a hint of helplessness:
"Right now, I can still suppress it, but most of them are related to each other and have far-reaching connections. If I don't take drastic measures, I'm afraid this case will sooner or later come before His Majesty."
Zhang Tianze remained silent upon hearing this. He certainly knew what these so-called "appeals" were all about. They were simply the result of the war, when the powerful and influential people who had lost power wanted to take advantage of the situation before it was completely stabilized to regain their interests.
Li Banghua was no ordinary man. Having spent decades in the imperial court and in the local areas, he was renowned for his integrity, honesty, and ability to combat powerful individuals. He had quelled the Zuo Liangyu rebellion, ensuring the local people could live and work in peace and contentment, earning him the title of capable official.
Now, because His Majesty had ordered him to appease the local gentry, he had to change his previous tough attitude and even accepted the "tribute" from some powerful families. Zhang Tianze sneered and said lightly, "Sir, I believe you know better than me how deep the water is in this matter, right?"
He paused, his voice rising slightly, a hint of indignation in his tone as he continued, "Of those who filed complaints, how many were genuine victims? And how many were simply making unreasonable demands? Some of them couldn't even produce a shred of evidence, yet they dared to make exorbitant demands, demanding land, silver, and even slaves."
He looked up at Li Banghua, his expression grim. "When the war broke out, the world was in chaos. How many people were displaced? How many land deeds were lost in the chaos? Even many tenant farmers, seeing the landlords' entire families wiped out, were so audacious as to impersonate and claim the land for themselves."
A glimmer of anger ignited in his eyes, and he sneered, "Even worse, just because they have some distant relationship with those landlords, they want to use this as a pretext to seize the land and property, hoping to once again bully the people and oppress them."
At this point, his tone suddenly darkened: "They've made a brilliant plan, but unfortunately, the world is no longer what it used to be!"
Li Banghua narrowed his eyes slightly and sighed softly: "I know what you said, too."
He stood up, paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, and after a long while he said quietly, "The local tyrants are deeply entrenched and intertwined. Even today, they are still arrogant and domineering, as if even if the emperor changed, we would still have to rely on them."
Zhang Tianze nodded and sneered, "They think their status will never change."
Li Banghua's eyes were solemn, and his voice was slow but carried an undeniable edge: "Yes, even if the Qing Dynasty was in power, they would still dare to resist taxes, evading those who should evade taxes and bribing those who should bribe. Without thundering measures, expecting them to pay taxes voluntarily is wishful thinking!"
Zhang Tianze sneered, "That's why Your Majesty wants to take this opportunity to completely clip their wings!"
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "In your majesty's eyes, these lands are the foundation of the imperial court's military might. We must seize this opportunity to nationalize them and use them as funds to support the army. However, those powerful individuals are trying to seize this opportunity to devour them and once again become local landlords."
His tone was filled with a murderous intent. "They wanted to use their money and local influence to force us into submission, and even wanted to unite and put pressure on us. Unfortunately... they miscalculated!" Li Banghua slowly sat down and said in a deep voice:
"The reason the rebel army was able to sweep across the world in such a short period of time was due to their swift and swift tactics. They left no room for bargaining with these powerful families, and instead slashed their very foundations with their swords."
Zhang Tianze sneered, "The Ming Dynasty can no longer tolerate these parasites continuing to occupy its territory. Reclaiming the land and completely eliminating their power is not only for the sake of the army's supplies, but also for the long-term stability of the country!"
He looked at Li Banghua and said solemnly, "Sir, if this matter were brought before His Majesty, I'm afraid the final result would be even more severe than it is now. Rather than letting the sword fall, it is better to let them retreat now!"
Li Banghua pondered for a long time, then slowly nodded, his gaze piercing as he spoke, "Tianze, your talent and courage are truly extraordinary! Your words are very insightful. This matter truly cannot be delayed any longer."
Zhang Tianze stood up and looked out the window, his eyes gleaming as he said, "I'm afraid this matter won't be that simple."
Li Banghua sighed softly, stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes equally profound as he spoke, "But what is to come will eventually come. His Majesty has already established the rules. If there is a solid deed that can prove ownership of the land, it can be registered in the form of a joint venture. Fifty percent of the annual harvest will be used as a share for the settlers. After deducting 20% of the land tax, the rest will be theirs."
However, few people are willing to accept this arrangement. Most people still want to restore the status quo. Some even want to continue to enjoy tax exemptions.
Zhang Tianze frowned slightly when he heard this, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes: "Their greed is really helpless."
Li Banghua sneered, a hint of disdain in his tone: "Humph, they wishful thinking. In the current situation, being able to keep one's own land is already lucky. How can one continue to enjoy the glory and wealth of the past?"
He paused, a trace of deep thought flickering in his eyes, and continued, "Your Majesty is trying out this method in Nanzhili this time, obviously with the intention of promoting it in the heart of the Central Plains, especially in Henan, in the future.
In the future, if we can recover Saibei, we can even implement this method in some places. In this way, the land and food will be truly in our hands, and the situation can be completely controlled."
Zhang Tianze nodded silently, his eyes sharp, as if he had seen through the deeper meaning. "Your Majesty, that's indeed what you meant. This is a temporary solution given the current situation. If everyone takes a step back, perhaps that's the only way to resolve the issue."
Li Banghua nodded slightly and said slowly, "That's right. But Tianze, you also have to know that these local gentry are not easy to deal with. They are very cunning."
He paused, his expression becoming serious. He whispered, "Right now, those people have already started pushing money into my pocket. You and I both know they have no intention of compromising. At least not until we get serious about it."
Zhang Tianze was slightly shocked when he heard this, and then he realized that the situation was far more complicated than he had imagined. Li Banghua's face was kind and his words were relaxed, but the implicit threat was extremely obvious.
Seeing this, he smiled faintly, leaned forward slightly, and said in a low but natural voice, "Although I'm not the official in charge of this matter, if necessary, I can certainly take action. If the situation really becomes critical, I can find a crime and arrest these guys in one fell swoop. It's probably not difficult to find a suitable excuse to deal with these people."
When Zhang Tianze heard this, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. He knew a lot about Li Banghua, but only now did he realize that the way this elegant and easy-going senior in front of him handled things was far from as simple as it seemed.
Li Banghua spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he was just chatting about family matters, but the deep meaning in his words could not be ignored.
"However, this matter cannot be handled hastily. If handled improperly, Your Majesty's prestige will be damaged, and your management of the garrisons in Henan and Shandong, which have long been plagued by war, will also be affected. If the gentry in these areas get wind of this, they will undoubtedly become suspicious, and it may even affect future cooperation."
Zhang Tianze narrowed his eyes slightly, his mind gradually comprehending the situation. What Li Banghua said was not without reason. If they wanted to resolve this matter thoroughly, they had to take a long-term approach and avoid any actions that might lead to distrust.
He nodded, his tone solemn, "Your Excellency is very perceptive, and I admire you. If you really want to take action, you must do it in a reasonable and legitimate way, so that no one can find fault with it."
Li Banghua smiled and nodded, a flicker of approval in his eyes. "That's right. You and I can take measures in secret, but ultimately, if we want to make this happen publicly, we must have the right name and reason to gain wider support and legitimacy."
Zhang Tianze remained silent for a moment, but a sense of vigilance welled up within him. He sensed a subtle aura in Li Banghua's words. Although Li Banghua appeared gentle and courteous, he was well versed in maneuvering on the chessboard of power, even resorting to extreme measures at crucial moments.
Seeing that he remained silent, Li Banghua continued, "Tianze, you are a promising talent. Although I cannot intervene in everything, if Tianze needs help, I will naturally not refuse. As long as you need me, I will help. However, there are some things that cannot be done alone. You must work in harmony with His Majesty and ensure that the right time, place and people are in place."
Zhang Tianze looked at Li Banghua, his eyes penetrating with deep thought. His composure and confidence suggested a prescient understanding. He took a deep breath and finally spoke, "I understand your meaning, sir. Now that things have come to this, we can only avoid any potential controversy and ensure every step is safe and thorough."
Li Banghua nodded, with a look of satisfaction on his face, and said, "Tianze has such awareness, his future is limitless!"
Zhang Tianze had already made up his mind at this point, and whispered, "Then, what are your plans for the future..."
Li Banghua smiled slightly, a meaningful expression on his face: "You and I both know what to do."
(End of this chapter)
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