Reclaiming Wasteland: Carefree Mountain Farmer

Chapter 169 The Sage King
Two or three months have passed since the autumn floods, and it's almost December now.

On this day, Beiji Wu summoned Mei Yifu, the envoy of the Wen Dynasty, and the governors of the five provinces under his jurisdiction.

"Ambassador Mei Yifu of the Wen Dynasty to the North pays his respects to King Wu!"

Mei Yifu, an elderly man in his sixties, remained steadfast and unyielding, refusing to yield to Arctic martial arts or kneel.

Fortunately, Arctic Martial doesn't care about those formalities.

The eunuchs in the vicinity never quite understood the customs of the mountain farmers, and they didn't know whether they should speak to those who didn't kneel.

Arctic Martial speaks his mind directly, only thinking about resolving the issue before getting busy with other things.

"From now on, you will live near the Honglu Temple. I have had a courtyard of one acre built for you next to it. Anyway, you are not here to enjoy yourself. You can spend whatever amount of money King Wen gives you. I will only provide you with accommodation. You can handle the rest yourself."

Mei Yifu nodded and said, "To be loyal to the ruler is the proper course of action, and Your Majesty need not trouble yourself with this."

The title "Great King" is somewhat inappropriate for a monarch, but fortunately, Beiji Wu truly doesn't care about titles.

"Alright, is there anything else? If not, go back and rest. I won't forbid you from moving around the city, but you'd better tell the people from the Court of State Ceremonial before you go out, and don't go to dangerous places, otherwise dying will affect our relationship."

“I’m not targeting you personally. I told the envoys I sent the same thing: don’t leave the city or travel alone.”

Mei Yifu placed his hands in front of him and said, “Since Your Majesty is worried about affecting the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, why not release the children of some Wenchao officials? My granddaughter was sold to a lowly place by Your Majesty.”

Beijiwu frowned. "Where is this filthy place you're talking about? Speak plainly, in the simplest terms I can understand. If you want to resolve things, then resolve them. Just state your demands. Don't question me. I don't know anything about magnanimity."

Beijiwu thought the man was referring to his idea of ​​distributing women to marry and have children.

Beijiwu had done this kind of thing many times. Whether it was distributing the female relatives of corrupt officials and criminals to unmarried men below, or sending nuns to the people and refugees of Luoyang, Beijiwu had done it many times.

Mei Yifu stared directly at Beijiwu, "Your Majesty doesn't even know what a brothel is?"

“Oh…that…” Beiji Wu nodded and said in a friendly tone, “You’re wronging me. There are no military prostitutes in my army. I abolished military prostitutes when I first took command of the army in Wuzhou. Brothels are a matter for the Han people and have nothing to do with me. I have never established a single brothel in Shannong Province, Huanghuai Province, Pingyuan Province and other places, let alone sent women to brothels.”

Mei Yifu was stunned, and immediately said, "Your Majesty really did not send the criminal woman to a brothel?"

Beijiwu said seriously, "I am the chief of the Mountain Farmer tribe. I have always been working to ensure that every man in the Mountain Farmer tribe can get a wife. If any of my subordinates have too many women, I always require them to distribute them."

"Since I entered Luoyang, I have not recruited a single woman into the palace. On the contrary, I have been sending palace maids home one after another, and each of them has been given silver. You may be referring to the palace maids who have been abducted and sold to brothels after leaving the palace."

"You can investigate this matter yourself, or you can bring people to investigate. If my Shan Nong clan is involved, I will not tolerate it. At best, one of them will die; at worst, they will all be killed!"

“I’ve done plenty of killings, but you’re really wronging me by accusing me of selling women to brothels. I’ve only been indulging myself a little lately because the national treasury has more money than I can spend. Besides, I’m recruiting people from my Shan Nong tribe, so I haven’t implicated any of you Han people.”

Mei Yifu believed what Beiji Wu said. Beiji Wu did indeed often distribute women to his subordinates to win their hearts. However, this was the first time Mei Yifu had learned that Beiji Wu had not established a single brothel in the Shan Nong tribe's territory. Instead, he wanted everyone to be able to get a wife.

"Your Majesty, I have wronged you. My granddaughter is not a palace maid. Seven years ago, she married Wu Shizhong, the grandson of the Duke of Liang. Before the new year, the Wu family sent someone to say that Your Majesty blamed them for the Wen Dynasty incident and sold my granddaughter to a brothel. I spent two thousand taels of silver but still could not redeem her."

Beiji Wu frowned, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Your granddaughter should be in Zhengcheng, 210 li away. There are no mountain farmers or commoners there. They are all former officials of the Wen Dynasty, from high-ranking officials to gatekeepers, all of whom are princes and nobles."

“I have never heard of a ransom of two thousand taels of silver. The brothels in the city were originally run by Han Chinese. My mountain peasant tribe has its own rules. Visiting brothels is illegal and will result in fines if caught.”

"After I entered Luoyang, I didn't punish a single duke, whether it was one who had fought with me before or one who had betrayed me. So why would I sell your granddaughter to a brothel?"

Mei Yifu began to have some doubts about the Wu family, the Duke of Liang.

Arctic Martial has no interest in getting involved in other people's family affairs, but he still helped resolve this matter.

“I’ll give you two thousand taels of silver, twenty soldiers, and an iron carriage. Go to Zhengcheng and ask around. I don’t usually interfere in Han people’s affairs. If your granddaughter has really been sold to a brothel by Han people, you can handle it yourself. Those soldiers will only protect your safety; they won’t fight or kill for you.”

Just as Mei Yifu was about to speak, Ma Rudao, the governor of Huanghuai Province who had been listening for a long time, bowed and began to speak.

"Your Majesty, I do know some inside information."

Beijiwu could have easily dismissed the man, but seeing what this middle-aged man knew, he casually said, "Speak."

"As you command!" Ma Rudao steadied himself and smiled at Mei Yifu, saying, "Lord Mei, you may not know this, but the people of Zhengcheng receive a monthly salary of silver from His Majesty and also have hundreds or thousands of acres of fertile land. However, they do not know how to work or manage, and they only know how to sit and eat their wealth away."

"His Majesty provides money to support these people. Even the Wu family, a duke's family, receives 1,200 taels of silver every year. But as Lord Mei knows, every household has hundreds of servants, a dozen wives and concubines, and a large number of brothers and relatives who spend money. How can three taels of silver a day be enough for hundreds of people?"

"Zhengcheng has only been built for a year or two, but it is said that six or seven brothels and brothels have been open for a year or two. When the situation in the Southern Dynasty was not good before the new year, the Wu family thought that Lord Mei must have met with misfortune, so they sold her."

Mei Yifu was dumbfounded, yet it also felt like something that group of people could do.

"Is that really true?" Mei Yifu was still somewhat skeptical.

Ma Rudao smiled and said, "The Han people in Zhengcheng are all high-ranking officials and nobles, descendants of princes and nobles. What good things can happen when these people gather together? The mountain farmers who farm and work have nothing to do with them, and they can't be relied on for fighting or governing the country either."

"However, I've heard that recently a lot of people from Zhengcheng have come to Luoyang to buy beautiful clothes and cosmetics. I guess they're all thinking of sending their daughters into the palace so they can continue to enjoy wealth and luxury."

Beijiwu didn't want to listen to this nonsense and directly ordered: "Han people should handle their own affairs. Let the local officials punish what crime it is under Han law for selling one's wife into a brothel."

“I am a mountain farmer, and I cannot stand this kind of thing. I only gave them a status and salary far exceeding that of ordinary Han people because I thought that these people did not lead the common people to their deaths and allowed Luoyang to be brought under my control in an orderly manner.”

"Now it seems that these people are a mixed bag. How can the Wu Dynasty rely on a bunch of beasts who don't even love their own people?"

"All officials in Zhengcheng will have their year-end bonuses suspended. Brothels will be shut down. Those who sell their daughters into brothels will have their entire families escorted to Wenchao. After crossing the river, they will have to find their own way out!"

"Homeless people... will be sent to the embassy for resettlement."

Arctic Martial didn't want to get involved in such trivial matters. "This year's talent show is canceled. We'll talk about it after we've defeated the Khitan!"

"This matter ends here. You can resolve it yourselves after court." Beiji Wu looked at the other four. "Continue with the matter of the Mountain Farm Kingdom!"

The region was Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, but in reality, Chen Xiuyong, the Governor-General of the Southwest Province who only controlled Sichuan, bowed in respect.

"Your Majesty, the state-run textile workshops in Shu have been integrated. Currently, there are 6124 craftsmen, producing one million bolts of silk annually. As Your Majesty instructed, these people have been asked to recommend skilled workers to each other, and the number of workers will be expanded to 20,000 before the end of the year."

"The Tianfu Plain has a total of 12 million mu of public land, but only 5 million mu are cultivated. The farmland has been exchanged from the locals or purchased with money."

Of the 1200 million mu of farmland, only about 400 million mu are arable, the rest are mostly wasteland and wetlands.

"There are also 3 million mu of forest land and 1 million mu of grassland."

"In Sichuan, tea, salt, iron, and other commodities have also been registered separately. The majority of those who are unwilling to move to the mountains are farmers, and only a little over a thousand are willing. Their household registrations have already been completed. As per His Majesty's instructions, this will only be said once, and no further demands will be made."

Beijiwu nodded. "Starting next year, the salaries of the Southwest Province will be paid by the imperial court. The specific standards will be based on the newspapers, and I will announce it to the world."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Chen Xiuyong respectfully retreated to his original position.

Ma Rudao stepped forward and reported to His Majesty, "This year, the production of celadon from Baofeng Ru Kiln in Huanghuai Province and polychrome porcelain from Yuzhou Jun Kiln has increased to a staggering one million pieces per year." Beiji Wu remained silent, clearly not taking this seriously.

Ma Rudao immediately said, "This year, the Han people in Huanghuai Province have been able to rest and recuperate, with places to live, food to eat, and clothes to wear. His Majesty has also promoted the replacement of midwives with obstetricians. This year, a total of 36 male and female infants were born in the areas inhabited by Han people and mountain farmers."

Arctic Martial felt that the number was a bit high, but he still nodded.

"First, issue an order to instruct all regions to register the newborns' household registrations. If the father is a mountain farmer, the children can choose to be either a mountain farmer or a Han Chinese, regardless of their maternal lineage."

"As I mentioned before, I will give a reward of 3,000 coins when my daughter turns three. The reward will be issued based on the household registration. Those who miss the registration or are under three years old will not receive the reward."

Ma Rudao immediately replied, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Governor Zhao Pengcheng of Pingyuan Province stepped forward to report on official business.

The porcelain-making techniques in Hebei are also quite good, but Zhao Pengcheng clearly sensed that King Wu didn't care about this matter.

"Your Majesty, this year in Pingyuan Province, there were more than 2000 newborn mountain farmers and more than 16000 newborn Han Chinese."

This is the number that Arctic Martial believes is normal!
Beijiwu instructed: "From now on, Han people and mountain farmers will be reported together. There is no need to report separately. When summarizing the specific figures, just ask the local chiliarchs."

"Next year, I will focus on the Pingyuan Province. There should be at least 60 million mu of public land in the central region. No compensation will be given for the land here. If it is occupied, it is occupied. All the people will be resettled near several major cities, and each household will be given 10 mu of land to farm for fun."

Zhao Pengcheng replied, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Governor-General of Son Nong Province, Wang Qing, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, 75 newborns were born in Son Nong Province this year."

Arctic Martial frowned. "Why are there so many?"

This birth rate has seriously impacted Arctic military plans.

With a population of 12 million, it's impossible for there to be 6 million couples of marriageable age. Excluding the elderly and children, the proportion of men of marriageable age is less than one-tenth.

Arctic Wu estimated that the annual birth rate was about 2% of the population. Considering the medical conditions available to infants in that era, and excluding infant deaths, the annual population growth should be between 1% and 2%.

1200万的百分之一二就是12~24万，出生应该是30~50万之间。

Currently, the three provinces have a total of 102 million children, while the birth rate of the Huanghuai Province, which has a similar population, is less than half that of the Shannong Province. This makes Beijiwu suspect that the data is inflated.

Wang Qing immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I have calculated this number several times and it is always the same. I have also investigated the facts in several places."

"16 people were born in Wuzhou this year, accounting for one-fifth of the total. Most of them were born to Mongolian women. Almost every mountain farmer in Wuzhou has one wife and two or three concubines of non-Han ethnicity, including Mongolians, Xianbei, and Khitans."

"Wuzhou has a total population of 400,000. The original Beiyuanwei had 20,000 households and more than 100,000 people. Later, 20,000 households were added, totaling 20,000 households. Then, more than 100,000 people were immigrated from Jizhou. Later, more than 50,000 women from Jinzhou and Qinzhou were added from beyond the Great Wall."

"According to the average marriage system designated by Your Majesty, every eligible man has been assigned one or two women. Currently, there are 125104 men aged 16 to 35 in Wuzhou, and more than 200,000 eligible women."

"I have visited each of the thousand households and inquired. Because each territory is short of people to work, even women with children are taken in. It is possible that children from outsiders are included. However, most of these women were sold by Hu people, so they were not counted."

Beijiwu frowned. "That's fine. We can speak the same language and write the same characters. The only ones who can serve me are the Shannong people. This is permissible."

"It's understandable that Wuzhou has a high birth rate because it's close to the border and is a place where mountain farmers live and recuperate. But why do other places also have a high birth rate?"

Another important reason is that when the Borjigin tribe ransomed people, they took a lot of women in exchange for people. In addition, they used money and wine to exchange for people from the grasslands, which led to a large number of women becoming the main force of childbearing.

Wang Qing replied, "Because the Nine Provinces behind the mountains are wealthy, the birth rate has been increasing year by year. In the northwest region, it either doesn't snow or it snows heavily. When the herders have children, they can't raise them, so they sell them here, or they attach themselves to the Guinong tribe and do business with us."

"Today, there are more than 20,000 naturalized women from tribes who give birth to children for the mountain farmers. Many mountain farmers do not like to have children because of their labor and work, so they pay women from outside to give birth to children and bring them back to raise."

"Another reason is that people who migrated there knew that if they had a child in the Son Nong Province, they would be considered Son Nong people, so they kept having children."

Beijiwu frowned and remained silent for a long time.

"Women who won't have children will spend money to buy children? People from the mountains and farms would never do such a despicable thing!"

“Go back and tell Adaihai of the Gui Nong tribe that once those women’s babies are born, they can be given to whoever is the father. I will give 10,000 Mountain Farmer quotas to these women who have suffered the pain of separation from their children, so they can join the Mountain Farmer tribe.”

"I will send another 100,000 taels of silver, 100,000 strings of copper coins, 10 tons of tea, 500,000 bolts of silk cloth, and 200,000 head of cattle and sheep. As the chief of the mountain farmers, I apologize to those ignorant Han Chinese mountain farmers on their behalf. From now on, if you want to marry a woman from the tribe, you must do so legitimately."

"Act on this immediately. From now on, buying and selling will be equally punishable. Anyone who buys and sells children will be sentenced to death!"

Wang Qingying replied, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Beijiwu then issued another order: "I don't care how many wives and concubines they have, or how many children they have. Those who need to be registered should register. From now on, whether it's collecting taxes or distributing money, it will be based on households, not individuals. Without a household registration, they will not be allowed to marry, attend school, or inherit the family business."

Wang Qing accepted the order again and only withdrew after seeing that Beiji Wu was alright.

The governor of Huanghuai Province breathed a sigh of relief. The low birth rate in Huanghuai Province was mainly due to the large number of female slaves brought back by Beiji Wu, as well as the dismissal of 60,000 to 70,000 palace maids and the distribution of maids and concubines from many noble families in Luoyang to his soldiers and farmers.

The mountain farmers distribute money, land, and women. Their birth rate is very high, and many have two or three wives. As long as someone is registered as a mountain farmer, they will definitely have a woman.

Governor-General Nie Zhen of the Lianghu Province said: "I have just taken office and do not yet know the exact number of births in various parts of Lianghu. Currently, there are about 500,000 people in the vicinity of the north shore of Lianghu. Many mountain bandits and river pirates have returned to their original villages or fled to the south because of His Majesty's suppression of bandits."

"Today, the four prefectures of Jiangling, Ezhou, Xiangyang, and Xiazhou on the north bank have a population of about 500,000, spanning more than 20 cities."

"The four prefectures of Tanzhou, Hengzhou, Yuezhou, and Lizhou on the south bank comprise more than ten cities and have a population of approximately 300,000."

"The troops stationed on the south bank have been withdrawn back to Jiangnan, leaving only a small number of troops to supervise tax collection."

The civil and military dynasties were divided by the north and south of the Yangtze River, but even now, there are still times when their influence cannot be fully utilized.

Beijiwu said, "After registering the current households and planning the land, we will leave 30 million mu of arable land, which may include lakes and swamps, to be handed over to the mountain farmers for development in the future. The rest of the people can be allocated 50 mu of land to each household near the city."

"The focus there is on building roads and encouraging people to cultivate the land themselves. They are exempt from taxes and allowed to recuperate. Local officials teach people to read and write, and the rest is up to them to manage themselves."

As for the people of Hubei and Hunan provinces, Beijiwu chose to let them be.

After the matter was settled, Bei Jiwu dismissed the others and continued working on the planning documents for highways and railways.

A few days later, Mei Yifu met his granddaughter at a brothel in Zhengcheng and learned that her clients were all young masters and nobles, as well as officials and their servants.

Mei Yifu has ruined everyone's lives. Not only were some people exiled to the Southern Dynasty for selling women into brothels, but others lost their year-end bonuses and a thousand taels of silver because of this incident!

Furthermore, after King Wu reported this matter, he directly abolished the practice of sending daughters to the palace as concubines in recent years, and also revoked the original succession rights of the Three Dukes and Six Ministries...

Even if something happens to Beijiwu in the future, the small court in Zhengcheng will not be allowed to manage the entire Shannong Kingdom in his place.

(End of this chapter)