Although Li Zhi was the emperor, he still had some agricultural common sense in this purely agricultural society.
During the spring sowing season, the fields were empty. Li Zhi finally discovered the problem, and his face suddenly became ugly.
The food issue is so important that both the emperor's dignitaries and ordinary people value farming more than their own lives.
During such an important spring sowing season, no crops were planted on the ground.
"What's going on? Where are the crops? No matter who owns this land, if you don't plant crops in the spring, are you waiting to starve to death?" Li Zhi was a little angry.
Li Qinzai stood beside him and comforted him with gentle words: "Your Majesty, don't be anxious, there must be some misunderstanding..."
After a pause, Li Qinzai continued: "I see that this village has a lot of fields. A few pieces of land that are left uncultivated are nothing. The Tang Dynasty is so big, what can we do if we collect less food? We won't starve to death."
Li Zhi was taken aback and glanced at Li Qinzai quickly, obviously surprised by Li Qinzai's words.
"The Tang Dynasty is so big, but not an acre of land is redundant. As long as it is a field, crops must be planted when crops should be planted. There is no reason to let the fields become barren!" Li Zhi said with some dissatisfaction.
Li Qinzai said hurriedly: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Today, the monarch and his ministers are enjoying hunting. Why should we ruin your Majesty's pleasure for such a trivial matter? Why don't we continue to the mountain forest and let the guards surround the forest for hunting."
Li Zhi looked at him again.
For some reason, Li Zhi always felt that what Li Qinzai said today was a bit harsh. If Li Qinzai in the past was both capable and compassionate, then today's Li Qinzai looks like a playboy and prodigal who doesn't know the suffering and ignores the people.
Li Zhi didn't understand why Li Qinzai's temperament changed drastically today, but he was the emperor, so of course he couldn't turn a blind eye to the delay in spring sowing on farmland like Li Qinzai.
"No, come here, tell the landlord and the village chief of this village to come over. I must ask clearly." Li Zhi said with an ugly face.
The attendants in the palace hurriedly ran towards the village.
Li Zhi's face was as dark as water, and he stared at the barren farmland in silence.
Li Qinzai said, "Your Majesty, it's getting late. If we delay our hunting..."
Li Zhi finally couldn't help it anymore: "Jingchu, what's wrong with you today? What's more important in the world than delaying spring sowing? It doesn't matter if you know how to hunt. Today I must find out the reason for delaying spring sowing, and also know whether delaying spring sowing is just a matter of time." Examples like this can still be seen everywhere.”
"We have finally hoped for good weather this year. If landlords and villagers abandon their farmland for no reason, they will be damned!"
Li Qinzai smiled and stepped aside without saying a word.
After a long time, an old man in his sixties hurried over. Xu Shi, a palace official, told Li Zhi's identity. The old man came to Li Zhi, shook his head and bowed, saying that he was the emperor, and introduced himself as the villager. Miles long.
Li Zhi ordered the old man to stand up, pointed to the farmland and asked with a solemn face: "The spring sowing season is about to pass, what's going on with this farmland? Why are there no crops planted? If the big fields are not cultivated, why don't you wait for the imperial court to come to help you after autumn?" "
The old man was so frightened that he trembled all over and said calmly: "Your Majesty, it's not that the common people can't grow crops. It's actually that the village is now empty of ten rooms. The young people have been recruited. There are only a few old people, women and children left in the whole village. There is really nothing we can do." .”
Li Zhi was stunned: "This is the Taiping Period, and the Tang Dynasty has not launched a war. Why are all the ten houses empty, and why are all the young men recruited?"
There was a look of astonishment in the old man's eyes, and then he quickly lowered his head and said in a trembling voice: "I heard from the officials that His Majesty plans to enshrine Mount Tai next year. From Chang'an to Mount Tai, he will build roads and build palaces along the way. Almost all the strong people have been drafted, so there is no one to cultivate the farmland everywhere."
Li Zhi suddenly remembered that the recruitment of young men was his decree to the Shangshu Province, and the Shangshu Province would then promulgate the decree to various prefectures and counties.
Li Zhi's face became more and more ugly. After being stunned for a while, he said with some embarrassment: "My decree is to recruit young people after spring sowing, to seize farming time first, and then build palaces. How do the local government offices do things?"
The old man lowered his head and said, "I don't blame the county government. I heard that there is a tight rush from above. When work needs to be rushed, officials from Chang'an City come to the county magistrate almost every day to ask for people. The county magistrate has no choice but to recruit young people in a hurry."
"It was said that this time the young people were recruited, and each household could be compensated for three years of corvee service, so we told the young people that the spring sowing at home could be entrusted to the elderly, women and children in the village..."
The old man sighed and said: "After all, it is the old and the young who are not as good as the young and strong laborers. The old, weak, women and children in the village have tried their best, but they have still wasted a lot of fields. As the village chief, the grassroots are really ashamed of themselves." The young people in the village..."
Li Zhi took a deep breath, his face suddenly turned red, and he wanted to get angry, but he didn't know who to target.
Li Qinzai hurriedly comforted him: "Your Majesty, please calm down and don't let your body get so angry. It's just a few acres less sowing, it's okay."
Li Zhi said angrily: "Is it just a few acres of land? According to the chief, the delayed spring sowing farmland in Guanzhong is probably hundreds of thousands of acres. When the autumn harvest comes, how will the national treasury support it and how will the people live? "
Li Qinzai blinked in confusion: "Well, what is Your Majesty so angry about? Is it because of the Qi Zheng that makes you young and strong, or is it because of the Qi that the spring sowing is delayed?"
Li Zhi hesitated, opened his mouth, and found that he was speechless.
The initiator of everything was him, the emperor.
Li Qinzai laughed and said: "Your Majesty, there is no need to be angry over this trivial matter. Anyway, the spring sowing of the farmland has been delayed, and there is no way to make up for it. How about forgetting about it, how about we learn how to hunt quickly, and finally go home happily?"
Li Zhi said angrily: "What's going on with you today, Jingchu? You have always cared about the people, why do you keep making such cold-blooded remarks today? Do I still have the mood to deal with such a big matter?"
Li Qinzai whispered: "I wonder if your majesty has ever heard of the saying of 'natural selection'?"
Li Zhi was stunned: "What is 'natural selection'?"
Li Qinzai said slowly: "Natural selection means survival of the fittest. This is true for humans, poultry, and beasts."
"Born between heaven and earth, it is a cruel competition for survival. Whoever is more capable will have a chance to survive and live well. If someone is born weak, of course he cannot compete with those who are powerful and will be naturally eliminated and die naturally. That is not Is this a normal thing?”
"The same is true for people. If the grain harvest in Guanzhong is not enough this year, it will depend on who can survive the food shortage. Those who survive the difficulties are often extraordinary people. In other words, they are the winners. These people are very important to Your Majesty. He is a valuable person."
Li Zhi stared at him dumbfounded and said in shock: "Jingchu, why did you say such cruel words? Are you...possessed by a ghost?"
Li Qinzai's smile gradually faded, he looked directly into Li Zhi's eyes, and said slowly word by word: "Your Majesty, isn't this exactly what you are doing now?"
"Build roads, build palaces, and recruit hundreds of thousands of young people in Guanzhong. What your Majesty wants are wide and smooth roads, a magnificent palace, and a Mount Tai altar paved with brocade and satin."
"Spring sowing, farmland, harvest, damn them all! As long as you can seal Mount Tai, don't worry about the floods among the people! Your Majesty, the officials below are all doing things according to your will, and they do it perfectly. What are you angry about? "
