Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 153 Wang Lie
“Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap—!”

A series of deep, rhythmic booms, like thunderclaps, resounded across the threshing floor! Flails rose and fell, one after another, incessantly, creating a deafening wave of sound! Each heavy strike was accompanied by the delicate, crisp sound of wheat grains bursting from their husks.

Golden wheat grains, fine chaff, and dust swirled together, forming a hazy golden mist under the autumn sun, filling the air with a rich, dry fragrance unique to new wheat.

The women and children responsible for turning over the wheat ears seized the gaps between the rise and fall of the flail and quickly used wooden forks to pick up and turn over the wheat stalks on the ground, ensuring that every ear of wheat was pounded evenly.

Their movements were swift and rhythmic, perfectly matching the rhythm of the men swinging their flails.

Sweat soaked their clothes, and dust covered their faces, but each of them had a bright light in their eyes and a satisfied smile on their lips.

"Over here! Stack up the straw!" the person in charge of the cleanup shouted. The straw, which had been beaten down to its bare stalks, was quickly cleared to one side and piled into tall haystacks that smelled of sunshine.

These are valuable fodder for livestock in winter, and also good materials for repairing roofs and weaving straw mats.

In the center of the field, the threshed wheat grains, mixed with chaff and debris, gradually accumulated into an increasingly thick layer under the constant pounding of the flail.

At this moment, experienced farmers stepped in. They picked up wooden shovels, took the wind direction, and tossed the wheat grains mixed with impurities high into the air!
Yangchang separates wheat grains from straw.

The autumn wind blows just in time, carrying away the light wheat husks and crumbs, scattering them far away, while the plump and heavy wheat grains fall vertically like golden raindrops onto the spread reed mats or clean rammed earth.

After threshing.

"The following wet grains were stored in Liu Si Village, Xiahe Town: 898 jin of millet, 748 jin of wheat, 327 jin of beans, and 4200 jin of pumpkin."

The clerk in charge of recording the grain delivered to the granary by the people of Luqi was calling out loudly, his pen moving swiftly across the paper before affixing the official seal of the county government.

Three copies were made: one was given to the people who stored the grain, one to the granary official, and the last to be kept by the county government.

This ensures that there will be no mistakes in receiving the share of grain later. Even if someone carelessly loses or damages their receipt, the government can compare the two copies.

The Liu family's total wet grain amounted to 6,173 jin. After the profit sharing, 30% of the wet grain was 1,851 jin. Even after removing the moisture from the dried grain, there was still a minimum profit sharing of over 1,600 jin.

The county government and the people of Lüsi divided the land 70/30. After the first batch of grain was dried in a few days, Liu Si could go to the granary with the receipt to collect the 1,600-plus catties of grain that he was entitled to.

This is net income; all taxes are already included in the 70% share given to the county government.

The Liu family, consisting of five members, owned sixteen mu of land, including five mu of millet fields, five mu of wheat fields, four mu of bean fields, and two mu of pumpkin fields. (Crop harvests vary depending on planting time, but I've calculated them all here to avoid making the description too tedious.)
Most people in Lüchi County are like this. They started dividing up the land in early winter last year, and with the reclamation after spring planting, now most farmers in Lüchi County have about sixteen mu of land.

At the desk, Liu Si smiled broadly and solemnly put away the paper receipt.

Another family came forward, and people were weighing and inspecting their items at the table, all in great order.

Looking around, there were sixty or seventy such tables in the entire spacious area, and there were similar tables next to each one.

Han Ji walked through this bustling yet orderly field, filled with the joy of harvest.

Sometimes he would stop by the threshing floor, watching the flail rise and fall, the wheat grains falling like golden rain; sometimes he would squat down beside the winnowed wheat pile, grab a handful of heavy wheat grains, feel their full and firm texture and the warmth of the sun; sometimes he would walk to the pumpkin processing area, looking at the rows of orange-yellow pumpkins spread out on the shelves, and smelling their rich, sweet aroma.

His official robe was covered in dust at the hem, and his boots were covered in a fine layer of wheat ash, but he didn't care.

A tremendous, unprecedented sense of satisfaction and accomplishment filled his heart, almost overflowing.

This is the fundamental point that our lord was referring to!

These mountains of millet and wheat, these granaries overflowing with golden melons, this air thick with the scent of abundance—these are the most solid backbone supporting the sharp blades of the Armored Battalion! They are a million-strong army that would deter any covetous enemy from Bingzhou!

As the last rays of the setting sun bathed the city of Lüchi, the mountains of grain piled high on the threshing floor, and every busy and contented figure in a golden glow, a golden edge was cast upon them.

The clamor of threshing, shouts, and laughter gradually subsided in the golden twilight, transforming into a heavy, incredibly reassuring tranquility.

Han Ji did not return to the county government immediately.

Alone, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, he walked into that vast and secluded granary area.

The granaries stood like silent giants in the twilight. Most of the gates that were wide open during the day were now closed, leaving only the granary officials and patrolling soldiers to hang lanterns at the gates to keep out the wind.

The rich aroma of the newly harvested grain, a blend of soil, sunshine, and the unique fragrance of cereals, did not dissipate in the air; instead, it became even more intense and pure as dusk settled.

In the following days, the wet grains that had been stored in the warehouse had to be taken out to dry.

Han Ji stopped in front of a huge granary storing fresh millet.

The warehouse clerk on duty recognized him immediately, bowed respectfully, and silently opened the heavy warehouse door.

"crunch-"

With the clanking of the door hinges turning, a stronger, more intense, warm aroma unique to freshly harvested millet wafted over, instantly enveloping Han Ji.

He stepped inside.

There were no lights inside the warehouse, only the faint light from the lanterns at the entrance shining obliquely in, barely outlining the huge interior.

It takes a moment for the eyes to adjust to the near-absolute darkness.

However, an invisible yet heavy pressure was already clearly perceptible: the almost tangible sense of spatial oppression brought about by the mountains of grain!

By the dim light filtering in from the doorway, Han Ji saw rows of huge, cone-shaped grain bins standing before him.

The grain bins were wrapped in reed mats and filled with millet that had just been stored that day and was still warm from the sun.

They stood side by side, stretching all the way into the deepest, most obscure darkness of the warehouse.

Han Ji walked to the deepest part of the granary.

The light here is even dimmer, with only a tiny glimmer of light at the doorway.

He leaned against a huge grain bin, the rough reed mat against his back, giving him the unique, warm, and reassuring feel of the grain.

He closed his eyes, and exhaustion washed over him like a tide, but in the warm embrace of the grain, this exhaustion became incredibly peaceful and satisfying.

All the hard work and dedication of the past few days, the arduous journey of spring planting, the anxiety and torment of running out of summer grain... all the efforts have been given the most perfect meaning by this bountiful harvest.

After an unknown amount of time, a soft footstep came from the doorway, accompanied by a cautious whisper: "Chief Secretary? Are you still inside?"

He was the county clerk, carrying a small lantern. The dim light barely dispelled a small patch of darkness, illuminating Han Ji's figure leaning against the grain bin.

Han Ji slowly opened his eyes, his face showing no displeasure at being disturbed, only a calm and composed light.

He stood up, dusted off the dust from his official robes, and his voice sounded particularly calm in the empty granary: "What is it?"

"Urgent report from Jinyang." The registrar presented a bamboo slip sealed with sealing wax with both hands: "It was sent by Magistrate Xun."

Han Ji took the bamboo slips and, by the light of the lantern in the registrar's hand, quickly removed the sealing wax and unfolded the slips.

In the dim light, his eyes quickly scanned the words on it.

The contents of the bamboo slips do not seem to be urgent; they are more about the follow-up arrangements for the autumn tax collection and resettlement of displaced people in Taiyuan Prefecture. The words convey a sense of composure that the overall situation has been settled.

After reading it, Han Ji revealed a knowing smile.

He handed the bamboo slip back to the registrar: "Reply to Magistrate Xun, the autumn grain of Lüchi has been fully stored in the granary, and the money and grain are sufficient to ensure the safety of the northern border. As for the affairs of Taiyuan, please let Wenruo do his job. Lüchi is his most solid assistant!"

"Yes!" the registrar replied, his voice filled with confidence.

Han Ji took one last look at the silent, mountain-like granaries in the darkness, exuding the warm scent of grain, then turned and walked steadily out of this enormous treasure trove.

A few days later, the county government of Luqi County compiled all the data records after the autumn harvest and calculated the total output of this year's autumn harvest.

The wheat fields yielded an average of 149 jin each, covering an area of ​​29,600 mu, and produced 4,428,000 jin of grain.

Each millet field yields an average of 180 catties, covering an area of ​​22,200 mu, and produces 3,989,500 catties of grain.

The soybean field yielded an average of 81 jin per mu, covering an area of ​​11,100 mu (newly reclaimed wasteland), and produced 907,400 jin of grain.

Each pumpkin field yields 2,100 jin on average, covering an area of ​​11,100 mu (sloping and sandy land), and produces 23,310,000 jin of grain.

In the sixth year of Guanghe (183), the total grain harvested in Lüqi amounted to 32,635,100 catties!

Approximately 5.4 million shi (60 catties per kilogram)!
The autumn harvest was not limited to Luqi; over a period of more than a month, Taiyuan and even the entire Bingzhou region successively completed the autumn harvest.

It's not so clear about other places yet, but for the people of Taiyuan, this year has been much better. The people of Yangqu are among the biggest beneficiaries.

The first blow from the judicial office landed on Yangqu. The Zhang family's property was confiscated and their assets seized. The remaining powerful families dared not escape either. The various exorbitant taxes that they had previously imposed on the common people were now back in their hands.

It was almost the day after all the grain in Yangqu County had been stored in the granary.

A convoy from Jinyang City headed towards Yangqu.

A simple oxcart with a green canopy, escorted by more than ten county officials and twenty elite guards, drove out of the south gate of Jinyang. The wheels creaked as they rolled over the official road.

Inside the carriage, Wang Lie was wrapped in a worn blue cotton robe, his hair and beard were as white as snow, and his face was thin and frail.

He held a scroll in his hands, which was the detailed rules of his "Edict to Encourage Agriculture," but his gaze was cast through the slightly lifted carriage curtain to the vast and somewhat desolate fields on both sides of the road.

Large swaths of grayish-yellow earth were exposed between the ridges; these were abandoned fields that had been left unattended since last autumn's harvest.

There are a few scattered villages, with mud walls and thatched cottages, and thin wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys, giving them a desolate feel.

"The people are suffering, and all industries are in dire need of development." Wang Lie put down the scroll and sighed softly.

Sitting next to him was a middle-aged man in his thirties with a dark complexion and large hands, named Tian Sui. He was Wang Lie's most knowledgeable disciple in agriculture and had been appointed as the "Commander of Agricultural Promotion" in Taiyuan Prefecture, in charge of promoting new agricultural tools and teaching agricultural methods.

“Teacher,” Tian Sui’s voice was steady, carrying the honesty characteristic of a farmer.

“In the Yangqu and Qixian areas, the powerful and wealthy have hidden the most land, and the common people have lost the most land. Magistrate Zhang’s swift and decisive measures to take back these lands and rent them to the landless people is a great act of kindness.”

However… the students worried that the tenant farmers, who had been dependent on powerful families for generations, might have doubts or even fears about suddenly having a new master and hearing that they would be using a 'curved plow' they had never seen before.”

Wang Lie nodded slightly: "Doubt is human nature. Therefore, the reason why I personally went to Yangqu was to set an example and move people with sincerity. The benefits of new equipment cannot be proven by words alone. Only by letting them see and try it themselves can they know how wonderful it can save labor and increase production."

His eyes gleamed with wisdom: “Tian Sui, remember, farming is fundamental and cannot be rushed. When you preach, you must be humble and explain in detail. You should also choose diligent and down-to-earth old farmers who have some prestige in the countryside to try it first. Once they have tasted the benefits, they will spread the word by word, which is better than the government’s thousands of words of forceful promotion.”

"The student understands," Tian Sui replied solemnly.

When the convoy arrived in Yangqu County, it was nearly noon.

Sun Qian, the magistrate of Yangqu (who had been subdued), was already waiting outside the city gate with a group of people from the county government.

Sun Qian's face was still somewhat pale; the guillotine of the judicial officer had only been used recently, and he was still shaken.

"Your humble servant Sun Qian respectfully welcomes Prefect Wang!" Sun Qian bowed deeply, adopting an extremely humble posture.

Wang Lie calmly returned the greeting: "Magistrate Sun, there's no need for such formalities. I've come here solely for agricultural matters. Now that the autumn harvest is complete, a short break in farming is just the right time to give a speech."

"Knowing the purpose of the Prefect's visit, the venue for the lecture has already been prepared," Sun Qian said hastily.

"It's in Lijiazhuang, just three miles south of the city! The terrain there is flat, close to a water source, and there are many tenant farmers there! I've already ordered people to build a wooden platform and prepared... prepared several oxen." He wanted to show off his thorough preparations, but when he thought that the core of Wang Lie's trip was the new farm tools, his voice lowered.

Wang Lie nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Magistrate Sun. Let's head to Li Family Village then."

The threshing ground in Lijiazhuang was already bustling with people.

Hundreds of ragged, emaciated tenant farmers were summoned by the village head and yamen runners, their faces showing bewilderment, curiosity, and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

On the open ground beside the field, a few old cows were tied up all by themselves.

Most eye-catching were several oddly shaped objects placed in the center of the site: a plow with a curved shaft and ingenious structure, a seeding tool (an improved seed drill) with a funnel-shaped wooden box and several pointed tips, and several brand-new, gleaming shovels and hoes.

"Look! Is that the new plow the government was talking about? It's crooked and looks weird..."

"And that one, is it a seed drill? Why does it look so different from the seed drills we used to know?"

"I heard they're giving it to us for free? Where in the world is there such a good deal? Are they kidding us?"

"You must be a fool. This is the magistrate's intention. Are you saying the magistrate is trying to deceive you?"

"...Of course not! I just didn't realize it yet!"

The buzzing of discussion gradually subsided as Wang Lie's oxcart slowly drove into the threshing ground.

All eyes were focused on the white-haired old man.

With Tian Sui's help, Wang Lie steadily walked up the simple wooden platform.

He didn't give a long opening speech; his gaze gently swept over the weathered, suffering faces below the stage.

"Fellow villagers," Wang Lie's aged yet clear voice echoed throughout the area, "I, Wang Lie, have been ordered by Lady Xun to oversee agricultural affairs in Taiyuan. I have come here today for only one purpose: to ensure that your land yields more grain and that your bowls contain more rice!"

The simple and straightforward words instantly captured everyone's hearts, and the audience fell silent.

Wang Lie pointed to the curved plow in the arena: "This thing is called the curved plow. It was not created by this old man, but by Magistrate Zhang who commissioned skilled craftsmen to make it. What is so wonderful about it?"

He stepped down from the wooden platform and gestured for Tian Sui to lead over an ox. He then personally harnessed the ox to the plow, while Tian Sui held the plow, and a strong prefectural guard led the ox in front.

"Everyone, watch carefully!" Wang Lie raised his voice.

"Compared to the old straight-shaft plow, this plow has a curved shaft and is lighter, making it easier to turn around. It can be easily driven by one person and one ox! Moreover, the plowshare goes deeper into the soil and breaks up the soil more finely, saving nearly half the effort!"

With a shout from Tian Sui, the guards lifted the plow and led the oxen slowly into the newly harvested field.

The plow is put down, and the oxen begin to move.

The curved plowshare turned nimbly, the plowshare cutting deep into the soil where there were still inch-long stalks of straw. It easily turned over and broke up a large clod of earth along with the straw, leaving a neat and soft furrow.

It is significantly faster and easier than the old-fashioned straight plow!

"Huh? It's really light and agile!"

"Look at the churned-up soil, so deep and broken!"

"You managed it all by yourself? That saves you a lot of work!"

A murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd, and the tenant farmers' eyes lit up.

Saving effort means they can cultivate more land, or conserve precious energy during busy farming seasons.

Next, Tian Sui demonstrated the improved seed drill.

The carefully selected wheat seeds are poured into a wooden box funnel. One person leads an ox forward, and the pointed nozzle under the seed drill evenly digs furrows, sows the seeds, and covers them with soil in the soft soil in one go. The row spacing and depth are uniform, and the efficiency is far superior to traditional seed drill sowing.

"Wow! This thing is much faster too!"

"It spreads evenly and quickly! Much better than the seed drills we used before!"

"Saves seeds! And it's not afraid of birds pecking at it!"

The effect of demonstrating new agricultural tools far surpasses any verbal persuasion.

The tenant farmers gathered around, carefully stroking the smooth plowshare and sharp plowshare, their eyes filled with eagerness. Their previous doubts and fears about the new policy had been largely dispelled by the tangible benefits.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Wang Lie announced the core contents of the "Edict to Encourage Agriculture" regarding the spring planting next year: renting official land, providing oxen, new farming tools, improved seeds, and rent and taxes under the Luqi system!

It also explained in detail the key points of the new farming methods, such as composting, crop rotation, and fallow.

He specifically selected several well-known and experienced farmers from Lijiazhuang to be the first to try out the new farming tools and methods. The prefectural government will send officials such as Tian Sui, who are "promoting agriculture," to provide on-site guidance.

"The government...the government really keeps its word?" asked Li Laoshi, a thin old farmer, his voice trembling, his eyes filled with disbelief and hope.

Wang Lie walked up to him, patted his rough hand with his aged hand, and said in a firm voice, "I, Wang Lie, guarantee with my lifelong reputation! What you say, sir, will be done! As long as the villagers are willing to work hard, these fields can support people and enable them to live a good life!"

"Your Excellency is so benevolent!" Old Li knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face. "I...I believe you! I believe in Your Excellency! I'm willing to try planting next spring!"

"I would like it too!"

"Count me in!"

(End of this chapter)