Zhang Yuejing still remembers how Su Yonglin replied to him when he asked the same question on the ship selling smuggled salt.
At that time, Zhang Yuejing and many other people did not understand what Su Yonglin did and how he did things. They didn't know why he took so much care of them "servants" and taught them how to read and read.
They think that as long as they have food to eat, why do they need so much?
Su Yonglin just smiled and shook his head in response to their doubts.
"Because I don't think we are any different. There are always people who talk about blood origin, saying that some people are born noble and some people are born low. The two types of people are completely different, and they can't even breathe in the same place.
I find it very strange. They all have two eyes, one nose, one mouth, and two ears. They all walk on two feet and hold things with both hands. They all stand and walk. They all talk, eat, and drink. , there are so many similarities, why are they so different?
Are those who starve to death lazy? Not lazy at all, it's so hard to work in the summer heat and the sun is burning on your back. Are people who starve to death stupid? They are not stupid. They know how to farm, watch the growth of crops, catch insects, weed weeds, and divert water for irrigation. I don’t know any of these things. If they are stupid, aren’t I stupider than them?
They are not lazy, not stupid, and they work so hard. Why do they have no money, no land, no houses, and even food? They clearly grew so much food, how could it not be enough for them to eat? I have calculated that if the output is calculated based on the number of acres of land, it is impossible for people to starve to death as long as the harvest does not stop.
If it's not their fault, then who is? I thought about it for a long time and came to the conclusion that the fault was not with them, but with the gentlemen in Lin'an. They levied taxes indiscriminately. Normal taxes were not enough to satisfy their desires, so they levied additional taxes.
There is a tax on farming land, a tax on farm tools, a tax on cattle, a tax on fetching water, a tax on cutting firewood, and even a tax on walking. Where do you get so many taxes? This is not enough, there is really no name, so borrow money and food in advance, levy money and food in advance, temporarily increase money and food, temporarily levy money and food, and temporarily distribute money and food!
Look, there are so many. They try their best to collect as much as they grow in the ground. Aren't they trying to starve people to death? They charge too much, too much, too much! Why charge so much? People are starving to death, can’t you see?
At the time, I naively thought that they did nothing because they didn't see it. But later I found out that they had seen it, but that was their purpose. If the people didn't have enough to eat, they wouldn't have the energy to think about anything else. Strength rebels.
Their ideal state is a state where the people are not full but not hungry to death. When they are full, they have to think about what they don’t have. When they are starving to death, they want to rebel. Therefore, not having enough but not starving to death is the best. But they are too incompetent and greedy, so they always let the people starve to death!
This can't go on like this. If you don't have enough to eat, you will rebel. You will replace the original court with a new one. Then you won't have enough to eat and you will rebel again. Going around in circles, the world seems to have changed, but it seems that it has not changed. , there are always people starving to death.
Why can't anyone build a country where no one will starve to death? Why is no one willing to collect less taxes so that the people can have more food? I waited for several years, waiting and waiting, but I couldn't wait, so I gave up. Since no one came, I will. "
Su Yonglin turned to look at Zhang Yuejing and said with a smile: "I want to build a country where everyone can have a full stomach. No matter how difficult it is, no matter how many hardships and obstacles, I will try."
After the memory was over, Zhang Yuejing looked at Zhou Zhi with emotion and smiled.
"This is what Alang said to me back then. To be honest, I couldn't have imagined it. You said that Alang is a son of an official and has a huge fortune. What can he do wrong? Why should he rebel? Isn't it good for him to study hard and work as an official and a private dealer?
With his background and ability, not to mention being a high-ranking official, it is very simple to live in fine clothes and food for the rest of his life. As long as he wants to, who can take away his family property? Who can make him unable to lift his head? Why did he have to carry his head to the Kingdom of Jin to rebel?
I didn’t quite understand what he said at the time, and I didn’t think anyone could really build a country where everyone can have enough to eat. From ancient times to the present, no one has been able to do this. Why is Alang? ? I really couldn't understand it at the time.
But now I understand, Alang is not joking, he is really fighting, risking his life, he really wants everyone to have enough food, he is not just talking, so I feel that Alang is not an ordinary person. Intermediary. "
Zhou Zhi recalled what he knew about Su Yonglin's actions.
A commander in charge of hundreds of thousands of troops who are capable of conquering and fighting, and has laid a huge foundation. Even if he does not claim to be king and hegemon, it is natural for him to create some pomp and show for himself.
But he doesn't live in a simple place, eat simple things, wear simple clothes, and use simple things. There is no splendor and jewels in the house, and it is quite rare to spend money on yourself.
In contrast, it is hard to make money, trying every means to earn copper coins, but even if you earn copper coins, you will not enjoy them yourself, but will spend a lot of money on the army.
Three meals a day, every meal is full, and a piece of meat and a spoon of oil are given every now and then.
Many of the soldiers who were demoted had never seen such good food at all. They felt that the life they lived in the past was not a human life. They joined the Liberation Army and followed Su Yonglin, and that was when they became ordinary people.
This is certainly true.
Since the Zhao Kaishan era, the food and clothing expenses of Su Yonglin's soldiers have been much better than those of other troops. No one has ever starved to death, which is remarkable.
Everyone will follow whoever can make a good living. This simple thought exists in everyone's heart. It was also because of this that he followed Zhao Kaishan and made a good living.
Everyone in Su Yonglin's army from top to bottom can have three meals to fill their stomachs, and they can also eat good food occasionally. This alone is the strongest recruiting tool.
Of course, he manages the army as well as the people.
He took care of the farmers living in the new rural areas, and abolished all excessive taxes and unreasonable donations.
Not only that, they also divided the land, gave them farm tools, and gave them cattle for farming. Everything they stole from the Jin people was thrown into the countryside.
We also spent time and effort teaching them how to read, and organized some experienced farmers to summarize their farming experience, write it down on paper, and then sent special personnel to sort it out and send it to various farmers' associations for them to organize collective learning.
Thinking of this, Zhou Zhi felt that the question of why Su Yonglin came to Shandong to rebel was meaningless.
All answers lie in what Su Yonglin has done.
You don't have to listen to anything, just look at what he does and you'll get the answer.
Because listening to a person say a hundred words is worse than watching him do one thing.
From this moment on, Zhou Zhi felt that if he had to trust, follow, and admire someone in this life, then that person could only be Su Yonglin.
I'm convinced, I'm really convinced, I'm not that convinced at all.
He sincerely wants to keep everyone fed. This ambition far exceeds that of any person who has ever been king and hegemon.
"Perhaps Shuai Su is the god in heaven who couldn't stand how miserable we were, so he came down to earth to save us."
Zhou Zhi smiled and joked with Zhang Yuejing. Zhang Yuejing smiled and shook his head.
"That's not the case. Many of us have said this before. When Alang found out, he immediately shook his head and said that he is just an ordinary person. There are no gods in the world. Even if there are, he is just a bastard. He has suffered for thousands of years. Why now? Just come down to earth?
Since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors came to the officials of the Song Dynasty and were kidnapped by the Jin people, how many people had starved to death in the previous thousands of years? How many people froze to death? How many people were oppressed to death? After suffering for so long, what did those gods do? Drunk? Still blind? Has it been cured until now? "
Zhou Zhi was stunned for a moment, then couldn't hold it back and laughed out loud.
"Yes, yes, there are no gods in the world. Even if there are gods, they must be bastards. Otherwise, why didn't any gods come to save me when I was about to die from hunger?"
"Yes, so fuck the gods, I don't believe in them! I don't believe in any gods! There was a severe drought that year, my parents prayed to all the gods and Buddhas in the sky, but no rain came. My family was ruined, and I starved to death. Those who were beaten to death were beaten to death!
It was Alang who saved me, it was Alang who kept me fed, it was Alang who taught me how to read, read and learn the art of war, it was Alang who made me what I am today, it was Alang who asked me to lead thousands of troops to beat up the golden thief, so I Don’t believe in gods! I just believe him! "
When Zhang Yuejing said this, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, as if he wanted to pour out all the pain in his heart for the past ten years of his life.
Zhou Zhi also feels that this is indeed the case.
What Zhang Yuejing said may be what most people in this army have experienced.
They have experienced the most miserable things in the world, and have felt the deepest despair and helplessness, so they are so yearning for, so dependent on, and so thirsty for this beam of light.
So he nodded in agreement, saying that he also believed in Su Yonglin and didn't believe in other people, let alone any ghosts or gods.
Feeling that the atmosphere was almost complete, Zhang Yuejing clearly stated his purpose.
"Speaking of which, Alang established an organization called the Fuxing Society not long ago. Have you heard of it?"
