In the past three months, Zhu Biao and Yang Xuan have been conducting in-depth private inspections.
During this period, Zhu Biao did not spare any of the corrupt officials and local tyrants and evil gentry who were found, and as long as there was sufficient evidence, he killed them all.
All the land under his name was also taken back and turned into the Imperial Mansion.
Zhu Biao personally announced to the tenants as the prince that only a small amount of rent would be paid every year, and there would be no other miscellaneous taxes.
If anyone collects other taxes in the name of the court, the tenants can hold the "Great Edict" and arrest the person in the capital.
This is the promise given by his prince.
This move won the support of the tenants, and Zhu Biao's prestige among the people was greatly improved.
Lao Zhu, who was far away in the capital, was very happy when he heard the news.
But in my heart I felt that the older man was too kind.
Why do we need enough evidence? It is enough to know that he is a corrupt official, a local tyrant and an evil gentry.
Lao Zhu has always been so simple and pure.
After three months, the officialdom in Jiangsu and Zhejiang was completely wiped out.
Coupled with the fact that Zhang Shicheng's mausoleum is being repaired, the hearts of the people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang have basically been won over.
Finally, before winter, the renovation of Zhang Shicheng's mausoleum was completed.
Compared to the previous abjection, the repaired one is much more grand.
Not only that, there is a temple built for Zhang Shicheng a few hundred meters away.
After reaching this point, no one can say a good word about the court, and Lao Zhu has a broad mind.
After all, since ancient times, how many people have built tombs and temples for their enemies?
On the day of memorial ceremony for Zhang Shicheng, many people came to watch the ceremony.
Zhu Biao didn't let anyone stop him.
The purpose of this memorial event was to let everyone in Jiangsu and Zhejiang see the court's attitude.
Seeing that this is the last moment of trembling, there can be no accident.
Fortunately, everything went well.
Finally, Zhu Biao announced on the spot that the imperial court would adjust the taxes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang to be the same as other places, and also emphasized what taxes the imperial court collected.
As for those miscellaneous taxes with various names, they are all imposed by corrupt officials in order to exploit the people.
Once someone is found to have cleverly created a name to collect taxes, he can take the "Great Edict" and take him to the capital.
This was unique to the Hongwu period in the feudal dynasty.
Lao Zhu specially issued the "Da Gao" in order to popularize the law.
In this era, it is very difficult to popularize the law, and people do not understand the legal provisions.
But who is Lao Zhu? He directly gives examples to teach people how to deal with corrupt officials.
There are a large number of examples in "Da Gao".
Moreover, if a common person commits a crime and has a "Da Gao" in his home, his crime can be reduced to one level.
If there is no "Da Gao", the crime will be increased to one level.
In this way, it can be said that every household has a "Da Gao".
After Yang Xuan learned this, he couldn't help but feel a deep admiration for Lao Zhu.
This is an emperor who really considers the people.
…
After the matter in Jiangsu and Zhejiang was over, Zhu Biao and his party did not stop and returned to the capital.
It’s been long enough to leave Beijing this time.
The capital is still the same, nothing has changed.
There were just a few people who committed crimes and were killed by Lao Zhu.
This is not a big deal in the capital, and everyone is used to it.
Zhu Biao took a day off and then devoted himself to state affairs.
Yang Xuan got a few days off and had a good time with An Qing.
They say a breakup is better than a wedding, right?
For several days, Yang Xuan did not leave the room.
Anqing couldn't bear it and called Xiuhe over to help.
It was a relief.
After recuperating, Yang Xuan headed to Zhuangzi on the outskirts of the city.
This is Anqing's dowry.
More than a hundred households in Zhuangzi are all their tenants.
For them, Yang Xuan lowered the rent early.
Not all are exempt.
As the old saying goes, a friend's favor is better than a rival's favor.
People's hearts are sinister, and Yang Xuan doesn't dare to gamble.
But this is enough for the people in Zhuangzi to live a good life.
After a year, I can still save some surplus food.
In the past few years, many young people in Zhuangzi have married wives.
They are all grateful to Yang Xuan and An Qing.
The person in charge of things in Zhuangzi is an elderly man named Fang.
Yang Xuan walked around the village and came to his home.
"Common people see you uncle."
When Lao Fang saw Yang Xuan, he saluted.
"No gift."
"I'm here this time to see you for something."
Yang Xuan said.
It's winter now and we can't plant any crops.
There is a lot of idle labor in Zhuangzi.
"Uncle, please speak." Lao Fang said respectfully.
Now their life in the village is easier, thanks to the master who did not exploit them.
Like some other Zhuangzi tenants he knew, life was much more difficult.
Most of the output from the fields must be handed over to the owner's family.
The rest, apart from grain for the coming year and food for myself, is not enough at all.
Every year, people starve to death or freeze to death in winter.
By comparison, they are already very satisfied with their current lives.
"That's it..." Yang Xuan spoke of his purpose.
He wanted to mobilize Zhuangzi's labor force to prepare in advance for next year's spring plowing.
Improving grain production depends on good grain seeds and fertile fields.
There is no chemical fertilizer in this era, and Yang Xuan cannot make chemical fertilizer.
Human manure and livestock manure are good choices and can be used to increase the fertility of the land.
However, fresh fertilizer must not be sprinkled directly on the ground.
Fertilizer is also needed in the early stage.
Over thousands of years, the broad masses of the people have long summarized a set of methods, and Yang Xuan is just good at summarizing.
This place is very close to the capital and there is no shortage of fertilizer.
Yang Xuan came here, firstly, to take a look at the situation in Zhuangzi, and secondly, to let the laborers in Zhuangzi collect fertilizer and fertilize it this winter.
After spring begins, these fertilizers can be spread on the ground.
As for the issue of grain seeds, Yang Xuan will ask people to pick some plump grains as seeds.
Yang Xuan's method of increasing grain production is very simple: fertilize the land with fertilizer, then select good seeds and eliminate the fittest.
If this continues, food production will definitely increase, but by how much is unknown.
You won’t know anything until you see the results.
"Okay, uncle, we will collect fertilizer according to your instructions." Lao Fang said respectfully.
He knew the effects of these fertilizers, after all, he had been farming for a lifetime.
When farming, he would sprinkle plant ash into the land to increase fertility.
But there is no fertilizer for livestock.
That's good fertilizer, and you have to spend money to buy it.
It's a pity that they are poor and have no money, so they can only use plant ash.
"Well, you just need to collect. Don't worry about money."
Yang Xuan gave Lao Fang a reassurance.
Finally, Yang Xuan returned to the capital with Lao Fang and the people in Zhuangzi seeing him off.
It’s already the end of November, and there’s still one month to go until the Chinese New Year.
There were many government affairs in the past year, and Yang Xuan was arrested by Zhu Biao again.
…
