Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 406 The First Priority in River Management is Soil Conservation
A gentle breeze and warm sunshine, cool as autumn.

The day we returned to Bianjing was unusually sunny.

Feng Dao, along with civil and military officials, went thirty miles outside the city to welcome the triumphant army.

Feng Dao, who was over seventy years old, personally read a pedantic, flattering article to praise Lin Dao's magnificent martial arts skills.

On one southward expedition, they swept through the various states south of the Yangtze River, reaching as far as Jiaozhi (Vietnam).

This is undoubtedly a magnificent martial art.

Even many famous generals in the early Tang Dynasty could only conquer a country in one campaign.

Only Emperor Taizong of Tang, who once conquered several countries in a single battle, could be compared to him.

Lin Dao, on horseback, listened quietly to the flattering words and slowly nodded, "It's good that you can speak frankly about the facts."

"He stayed in Bianjing and worked hard on national affairs; he did a good job."

"When he was the Prince of Langya, his fief was three thousand households, but his actual fief was one thousand two hundred households."

The living Feng Dao was extremely useful; his vast network of connections was perfectly suited for pacifying various regions.

Lin Dao hoped that he could set an example for all civil officials in the world.

Doing things properly will also lead to a way out.

At least this time, Lin Dao is willing to give the civil officials in this chaotic world a chance to prove themselves.

Upon being granted the title of Prince, Feng Dao displayed his joy and excitement, and everyone around him congratulated him.

However, it was all an act.

You could tell just by looking at the nonchalant expressions on the martial artists' faces.

Lin Dao adjusted the nobility conferment system.

Civil officials could also be granted titles, with the highest possible rank being that of a prince.

However, there is one limitation: the title follows the person.

Take Feng Dao, for example. He was granted the title of Prince of Langya, a title that belonged only to him.

After his death, this title and fief will be revoked, and his descendants will not be able to inherit them.

Feng Dao is over seventy years old this year, which is undoubtedly a long life in this era.

How many more years can he enjoy this glory?

So everyone offered their congratulations outwardly, but inwardly they were all unconvinced.

Those who could truly inherit the titles were the military generals.

Titles earned through military merit can be inherited.

A single-character title of prince can be passed down for five generations, while a double-character title of county prince can be passed down for four generations.

The dukes, marquises, and earls were respectively three generations, two generations, and one generation.

The titles below that were all abolished.

Lin Dao adopted Mencius's saying, "The blessings of a virtuous man will end after five generations," to determine the succession of noble titles.

If one wishes to retain the title, it can be continued if one's descendants make outstanding military achievements.

This is the most obvious example of prioritizing martial arts over academics.

It also serves as an encouragement to martial artists, inspiring them to fight even harder for the sake of their descendants.

The troops went to their respective camps outside the city to rest.

Next, they will take turns on a long vacation.

Of course, corresponding rewards are indispensable.

For these professional martial artists, demanding rewards is a matter of course.

Even in ancient times when the entire population was mobilized for war, the necessary benefits were still given.

The reason why the Qin army was so powerful was due to the rewards brought about by the military merit system.

After the grand banquet ended, Lin Dao finally had some private time.

"What's going on here?"

Upon returning to the palace, I immediately sensed the tense atmosphere.

With a cold expression, Fu Erniang sat in the chair without saying a word.

Lady Huarui, Zhou Ehuang, and Li Yanniang were all standing there receiving education.

Upon seeing Lin Dao enter, the women hurriedly came over to greet him.

"I was merely instructing them on the rules of the palace."

Fu Erniang offered a somewhat flustered explanation.

"Ah."

Lin Dao didn't say much about this matter.

Looking around, he casually asked Zhou Ehuang, "Where is your sister?"

"My little sister is a sleepyhead and has already gone to sleep."

Zhou Ehuang was clearly aggrieved and wanted to complain to Lin Dao, but she didn't dare in front of Fu Erniang.
Lin Dao genuinely had no interest in the power struggles between women.

He won't get involved unless it causes serious trouble.

Fu Erniang looked surprised, her gaze shifting between Zhou Ehuang and Lin Dao, seemingly lost in thought.

Lin Dao was too tired from today's banquet and went to sleep on his own without arranging for anyone to attend to him.

Meanwhile, Fu Erniang tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

After a while, she simply got up and instructed her personal maid, whom she had brought from home, "Tomorrow, arrange for someone to send a message to the mansion."

The maidservant first obeyed the order, then immediately inquired.

"What did the letter say?"

Fu Erniang was clearly hesitant.

But she quickly made up her mind: "Tell Father to send Third Sister to the palace!"

His Majesty is often away leading troops on campaigns, and even when he returns, he often spends time in seclusion to cultivate himself.

Although the number of women in the palace was small, even less than that of wealthy families in the countryside.

However, the total amount is too small to distribute, and the competition is already very fierce.

For Fu Erniang, who has no children yet, the pressure is immense.

If she still hasn't conceived a child after some time, she'll bring her eldest sister over!

Lin Dao didn't know anything about women's affairs and didn't care.

He was busy with national affairs.

This period of rest and recuperation will last for six months. After six months, we will head north to recover the Yan and Yun regions and, incidentally, destroy the Liao Kingdom.

During these six months, I naturally haven't been idle.

Besides punishing the powerful and distributing land, the most important tasks were river management and road construction.

Needless to say, river management naturally involves managing that "mother river," the one that would get you elbowed even if you cried out to its mother. Lin Dao has plenty of experience in this matter.

First, there's the Guanzhong Plain upstream, especially northern Shaanxi.

"Control the amount of farmland and the population."

"I have already determined the exact amount of farmland and the maximum population limit."

"All farmland exceeding the limit will be converted back to forest."

"Population exceeding the limit~"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall felt a chill run down their spines.

Could it be that it's being made into reserve grain according to the standards used by the previous warlords?

"Relocate them all to the newly established land!"

Lin Dao's gaze swept over everyone. "You guys don't actually think we're going to turn you into a vegetable, do you?"

Everyone laughed, repeatedly saying that His Majesty was benevolent and would never do such a thing.
“I have already issued the imperial edict.”

Lin Dao calmly said, "All those who prepare vegetables shall be punished with a thousand cuts and ten thousand slices."

"This is not something I'm saying to you, but something I'm telling you to do."

"Those who feed on their own kind are not of the same kind."

"Since they are not of the same kind, they must be exterminated!"

Everyone was awed and obeyed the order.

Getting back to the topic, Lin Dao continued discussing river management, saying, "The data here has been scientifically verified."

Although they didn't know what science was, seeing Lin Dao so serious, everyone was impressed but didn't understand.

He handed the thick A4 sheet of paper to Feng Dao, saying, "Every prefecture, every county, and even every village must strictly implement this."

"The most important point is that sheep farming is not allowed in Guanzhong!"

"When sheep eat grass, they eat the grass roots as well, which causes grassland degradation and leads to soil erosion."

"Therefore, raising sheep is not allowed in Guanzhong."

"In addition, logging is prohibited."

"If we want to control the river, the first thing we need to do is stabilize the soil."

"To stabilize the soil, there must be enough forests and trees."

"Otherwise, no matter how well it is repaired, it will only delay the outbreak."

The people inside the hall whispered among themselves.

In the end, it was Feng Dao who stepped forward to ask, "Your Majesty, you are not allowed to cultivate more land, raise sheep, or cut down trees."

"May I ask, how do the people of Guanzhong survive?"

"Could it be that we're going to make the people of Guanzhong suffer so that the people downstream won't have to suffer from floods anymore?"

"Why?" Lin Dao frowned. "Why should the people of Guanzhong suffer?"

"We are all the same people, so why should the lives of the people in Guanzhong be sacrificed to benefit the people downstream?"

These rhetorical questions left everyone in the hall completely baffled.

Your Majesty, are you perhaps experiencing a mental breakdown? You were the one who arranged all those things before!
"I have a plan here."

Lin Dao pointed to the thick A4 paper in Feng Dao's hand and said, "The population carrying capacity of the Guanzhong region will be greatly reduced."

"In this way, the people who remain will be able to receive enough farmland, lakes, and forests."

"Living standards will not decline; they may even rise."

"As for the surplus people from Guanzhong, I have also found a way out for them."

He raised his hand and slapped it on the map. "Here!"

"Once I destroy the Liao Kingdom, I will divide the vast grasslands into pastures and distribute them to the migrating people of Guanzhong."

"Each household will be allocated at least 3,000 mu of pasture!"

"Once you get to the grasslands, if you like raising sheep, then raise sheep; if you like foreign women, then raise them as you please."

"If there are good places, we should give them to our own people first!"

He always believed that there was nothing the Han people couldn't do.

It's just herding; there's no talent involved. Anyone can learn if they want to.

Throughout history, the vast grasslands have been occupied by nomadic tribes.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, they went south to plunder and slaughter.

Since that's the case, Lin Dao simply dismantled their foundation!

They defeated the Liao Kingdom, cleared the grasslands, relocated the people, and distributed pastures and livestock.

Let the people of Guanzhong be the first to enjoy this good thing.

Lin Dao's hand moved westward from the vast grasslands on the map. "Afterwards, we will also need to recover the Western Regions. The land we recover will also be prioritized for supplying the relocated people of Guanzhong."

"As for banning tree cutting, it doesn't mean that the people of Guanzhong should eat raw food."

"There are many coal mines in Guanzhong. We arranged for criminals and prisoners to mine them."

"In the future, not only Guanzhong, but the whole world will gradually switch to using coal."

"Coal was purchased and sold uniformly by the Coal Department of the Ministry of Industry."

"In terms of price, each kilogram of coal must not exceed the current price of firewood."

"If there are more than that, all the people involved will be sent to the coal mine to mine."

Lin Dao paced back and forth in the hall. “If we want to control the river, the first step is to reduce soil erosion at its source.”

"Otherwise, no matter how much we try to manage it, it will be useless."

“Your Majesty,” Feng Dao said again, “the Lingxia region is inhabited by many Dangxiang and Qiang peoples, and they are unlikely to be so obedient.”

"Disobedient?" Lin Dao said calmly, "If you disobey, just kill you."

"Arrange for people to relay the orders to the various Tangut tribes."

"Order each department to assemble troops in Bianjing City within six months, based on the population size and according to the standard of one out of every three able-bodied men."

He wasn't finished speaking: "Also, continue to gather manpower to repair the river by drawing one out of every three men."

“This…” Feng Dao hesitated slightly. “I’m afraid not many tribes will comply.”

With war and river repairs, two out of three men are out of town. What will become of the tribe?

Few tribes would agree to such a cruel decree to conscript men.

"No need to care."

A hint of mockery flashed in Lin Dao's bright eyes. "They've already been given the chance."

"They can choose their own path!"

(End of this chapter)