Since ancient times, food has been the most important thing for people. If any power or country wants to gain a foothold, the first thing it must solve is the problem of food.
Zhou Baiyijie started from scratch, gradually gained fame and established a foundation. Now he is famous and famous. Mahayana immortality is within reach, and his thoughts and will are gradually changing.
The grand scene of the celestial dynasty that had appeared in countless dreams has become possible.
If you are poor, you will be good for yourself; if you are rich, you will be good for the world.
Zhou Bai now not only seeks his own transcendence, but also wants to change an era.
Through a series of measures such as clearing up wasteland and ridge farming to expand the size of mature farmland per capita; building water conservancy projects to resist drought and floods; crossbreeding and seed selection, and popularizing chemical fertilizers, the bitter cold border has become a fertile soil in the south of the Yangtze River.
Nowadays, the land of Shenting and the Dragon King and Water God are widely worshiped in various parts of the Xia Kingdom. There are many spiritual planters and Taoist officials spreading rain to drive away insects. A good harvest is no longer a matter of probability.
With the blessing of the prosperous national destiny, good weather and drought locusts, the surplus grain in the homes of Liangzhou people is more than three times that of the past.
This is only the first year. In the future, Liangzhou people will strengthen their confidence and synchronize various land policies with Dingzhou. It is possible to quadruple or five times the land policy.
During the Daxu Xiangxing period, the agricultural tax on land rent was one out of ten, and one out of every ten shi of grain produced was paid. Later, when the world was in chaos, all countries had to exceed this standard.
In order to maintain their huge armies and maintain their independence, some counties and small countries could only squeeze the people.
Zhao Qi implemented eight taxes and one tax in Liang State, so he was very popular among the Liang people. Unfortunately, he met Daxia.
The agricultural tax collection ratio of Daxia is one in ten taxes, which seems to be on par with other dynasties. However, Daxia's politics are clear and there are no exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes of any kind.
Liang Guo’s eight taxes and one benevolent policy?
However, the Liang State had weird taxes such as single tax, rat and bird consumption, cowhide tax, dung tax, etc., and there were forced assessments depending on the war situation.
For example, when the Jin Dynasty invaded two years ago, Liang Jun was defeated and retreated steadily, suffering heavy losses, so the anti-jin army came into being.
In contrast, Daxia not only abolished these miscellaneous taxes, but also reduced the Ding tax, another major tax, by Zhou Bai on the grounds of encouraging childbirth.
Those who gave birth to three or more sons were not only not given any gifts, but were actually rewarded.
However, there is one type of tax that has increased significantly in Daxia, and that is the commercial tax. As long as merchants pay heavy taxes, they can do business in the Jin Kingdom and Liaoyan.
For this reason, there is even an independent Taxation Department in addition to the Ministry of Household Affairs. There are tens of thousands of retired and wounded soldiers under the Taxation Department, called tax dings.
Those who dare to evade taxes will come to their doorstep with a knife and an abacus without sending out an army. Those who dare to evade taxes will be punished ten times.
Of course, the Taxation Department is responsible for protecting taxpayers and has various preferential policies. Large taxpayers can even be awarded third-class national scholars.
The tax collectors like tigers and wolves have eliminated the densely populated Lijin checkpoints in the past, and do not allow private customs clearance under any circumstances. With tax payment forms, a batch of goods will not pay the second commercial tax.
Therefore, even if heavy taxes were imposed, Daxia's commercial economy was becoming increasingly prosperous. Every time Zhou Bai opened a new territory, a large amount of tax money would be put into the treasury.
When mobilizing troops to fight a war, logistics is the most important thing, and logistics mainly depends on the economy and food. The economy is stabilized by commerce, and the rest is only sufficient food.
An ancient sage has a saying: "Three exams to depose Zhi, the remaining three years to eat, enter the industry is called Deng; the third ascend is said to be level, the remaining six years to eat; the third ascend is said to be Taiping, twenty-seven years old, and the remaining nine years to eat."
It means that under normal circumstances, people will have a good harvest after three years of farming, and can only have one year of food left. In this way, three years of food accumulation can be called "Deng".
Only with the "Deng" grain reserves can the country have the confidence to mobilize troops. Otherwise, it will be militaristic and ignore the people's livelihood.
Two "Deng"s keep food for six years, which is called "Ping". Three "Deng" have a good harvest for twenty-seven consecutive years. The remaining nine years of food in the people's homes can be called "Tai Ping".
Limited by various factors such as weather and productivity, peace may be just the simplest dream of saints and ordinary people, but in Daxia, this will be achievable with hard work.
On September 15th, the rice in Xiyuan County, which is full of spiritual energy, matured early and the new grain was harvested. Xia Gong Zhou Bai personally went to the fields and supervised the harvest statistics.
In the end, Xiyuan reported a yield of eight stones per mu, the highest since the founding of Liangzhou. The grain of one county could feed millions of people in the capital.
This per-acre yield can be called the auspicious birth in the world.
It does not take twenty-seven years of savings to achieve peace in three years. A good harvest in one year will fill the warehouses. With two harvests in summer and autumn, there will be enough grain to use, and there is no need to increase the land tax when raising an army to attack.
…
Xiyuan's autumn harvest was auspicious, and Zhou Bai promptly announced that the king's ceremony would be held on October 1. The king's declaration was to achieve peace in the Great Xia.
The people above and below were all happy and willing to respect Duke Xia as the king of Xia.
In Longshouyuan, in Pingtian, there is a bamboo forest that occupies a large area, with several squares of grass and reeds scattered in it.
During the Daxu and Liang Dynasties, Pingtian was a place with outstanding grain production, and the county's political performance often depended on the harvest in Pingtian.
In such a fertile land with so many fields, it seems a bit strange that a bamboo forest suddenly appeared this year, and there are also grass and reeds for people to live in.
However, whether it is the busy farmers in the fields in the plains or the busy inspection and supervision of Li Zheng and county officials, they all avoid the bamboo forest.
Occasionally I glance at Cao Lu, and I feel a sense of awe subconsciously. Obviously, the owner of Cao Lu is extraordinary.
On this day, the news that the average yield of Xiyuan was eight stones per mu reached the bamboo forest, and the tacit silence of several months was broken. Six monks with extraordinary temperament walked out of the grass and reeds one after another.
Li Hong, the deacon of the Tuoyue Sect's outer sect, is one of them. He witnessed with his own eyes that the powerful sect surrendered to the court. There was once again a glimmer of hope in the path that had originally given up struggling.
The sect's resources are limited, and the Yin Shen realm's breakthrough resources are not available to him, so he simply joins Daxia to fight for the opportunity.
After Li Honglu registered his name as a Taoist, he rushed to the Daolu Si Yamen to report on his work as soon as possible, and successfully obtained the right of residence in the spiritual land of Xiyuan County and the status of a ninth-rank official.
A veteran in the second realm only received ninth-level treatment, which would be difficult for ordinary people to accept. However, Li Hong was content with himself and was a little lucky.
Because there are more wolves and less meat, the court, which coordinates the monks within the territory, will have a shortage of people to serve as Taoist officials.
Daxia is now in a period of rapid growth, and its luck is strong. Even ninth-level Taoist officials have considerable luck to promote their cultivation.
No, the six people in Zhulin are all Zhendao who have obtained the right to live in Xiyuan. They are named Tianya Pavilion and have received the task of sitting in Pingtianli.
But among these six people, only Li Hong was a Taoist official and was appointed by the imperial court to guard Pingtianli.
Li Hong's face was rosy, and he greeted everyone coming out of seclusion with a rather high-spirited hand: "Fellow Taoists, have you made any progress in your cultivation?"
This question seemed to ask about their innermost feelings.
"A small improvement is not worth mentioning."
"He Taoist fellow is too humble. After being baptized by the pure spirit of this place, his illness will be gone after he enters the Tao, and his transformation from ordinary life will not be far away."
"Aren't you all brave and diligent? Living in the Dragon Head Plain, with a peaceful mind, you can understand the wonders of cultivation."
"Yes, if you don't practice the true way, how can you enjoy the shade with your back against a big tree..."
While chatting and laughing, a middle-aged monk with a long beard laughed and said: "Hahaha, the few of us who are here are complimenting each other, I'm afraid the guard will laugh at it."
The scene was quiet for a moment. Yes, no matter how successful their practice was, how could Li Hongshun be blessed with luck?
Several people's eyes shifted, and from time to time they glanced at the small seal on Li Hong's waist, which was the ninth-grade Taoist official seal.
The middle-aged monk was thinking deeply, but his face showed joyful congratulations: "Look at the guard's aura, the life palace is full of aura, or the soul has broken through the sensory realm?"
Li Hong's eyes flashed. The middle-aged monk named Yuan Cheng was a second-level casual cultivator in Qubei County who was very talented and good at fighting. He was well-known in Liangzhou in the past.
Originally, if he had not been the guard, Yuan Cheng would have been in charge of Pingtian for several years, and it would not have been difficult for him to use his spiritual eyes to break through the Yin Shen.
Although the spiritual vein in Pingtian is small, it is also a node that connects other spiritual veins. It is supported by the dragon head spiritual vein and has its own destiny in the Great Xia.
"Brother Yuan has a keen eye, and every small breakthrough is thanks to the blessing of the imperial court. He also relies on you all to maintain the stability of the spiritual veins in Pingtian."
Li Hong bowed towards the Dragon Head Palace and lifted them up with good words. The slightly weird atmosphere became harmonious again.
Yuan Cheng opened his mouth but didn't say anything more. As a Taoist official guarding the area, it was natural for Li Hong to enjoy the nourishment of pure spiritual energy from the core spiritual eye.
"Xia Gong is about to be crowned king, and we can also benefit from the honor of being a true Taoist. At least we can practice here in Caolu without being harassed by demons."
"It's a pity. If I could fight for a Taoist position like Li Zhenshou, I would benefit even more after the Daxia Principality is upgraded."
"Today is different from the past. It is not Yuan Cong. It is too difficult for a monk in the first level to pass the Taoist official examination."
"Come on, without an official, you will feel lighter. The court has restrictions and performance appraisals."
"Comrades, if you have this time, why not exchange your thoughts and experiences? No matter how the Taoist official rolls the exam, there will always be a place for Zhenren Yin Shen."
The bamboo forest is secluded, and spiritual mist surges at sunset. The group sips tea and discusses Taoism, which makes several passing monks envious.
Zhou Bai was promoted to the fifth realm and made Xiyuan City the capital of Daxia. The prices of land and houses in Xiyuan County have naturally risen crazily.
Fortunately for mortals, as long as they are willing to farm, there is always room for them in the countryside.
But most of the monks who need spiritual cultivation can only squeeze in and out of Xiyuan City. The price of renting a cave can make casual cultivators bankrupt.
The next day, the six people in the bamboo forest returned to Lu, leaving only Li Hong and Yuan Cheng staying at the edge of the bamboo forest to talk.
Li Hong didn't care what Yuan Cheng was thinking, and pointed it out directly: "The sect recommended me to join the newly formed Anbei Chamber of Commerce, and I agreed."
"The post of guard in Pingtian will be handed over in the near future. The new guard may be selected from you, or he may be parachuted in from Daolu Division."
There is no conflict of interest, which is why Li Hong is tolerant and generous and does not care about others.
Yuan Cheng was a little unbelievable, frowned and asked: "Why are you guarding this? There are many people watching in Pingtian."
"Well, I am an outer deacon, and I am used to being diplomatic. Although things at the Chamber of Commerce are complicated, it is a good place to make contributions." Li Hong patted Yuan Cheng on the shoulder and sighed.
"The Yin God is extremely fragile when it comes out of the body for the first time. Do you want a protective object?" They are monks who have traveled far in the second realm. How could Yuan Cheng not understand Li Hong's sigh.
The road is long, with each realm leading to a major barrier, especially starting from the three realms of Yin Shen. If you fail to break through the realm, there is a high probability that you will perish.
"The one who knows me is Yuan Cheng."
Li Hong's voice was calm and his eyes showed kindness, and Yuan Cheng's heart suddenly moved.
He is usually a bit pretentious, but he is not a fool. Of course he can see Li Hong's intention to win over.
The Duke of Daxia, Zhou Baicheng, is a divine warrior, and the future of Daxia is immeasurable. He must board this sailing battleship.
Borrowing the power of Yuezong, stepping into the guarding position in Pingtianli is the first step.
As his thoughts turned around, Yuan Cheng lowered his arrogant head, bowed his hands and said, "In the future, my Taoist brother will have to do something for you, and Yuan is obligated to do so. He is willing to serve as an official in the same court as my brother."
This is the first "transaction" between monks, and this sentence is enough.
"Hahahaha, good..."
Li Hong laughed happily and immediately sent a message solemnly: "The grain in the flat fields has not been completely collected. There may be scattered clouds and siltation in recent days. You should pay attention to disperse them."
"In addition, the day when the Duke becomes king is approaching, and there will be sneaky foreign enemies causing trouble. Pay attention to patrol the four directions to ensure that the nodes in Pingtian are stable."
It was night, the stars were dim, and many mysterious light spots gradually appeared in Longshouyuan, either like the bright moon or like the twilight, like the Milky Way turning upside down and the stars coming to earth.
These are the nodes where Daxia's dragon energy and spiritual energy are surging, and the boundless energy is converging towards the Dragon Head Palace to form the cornerstone of the throne.
A king is crowned with a crown and dominates the wind and clouds. With one word, all the people can bow their heads and hundreds of souls surrender.
However, before he ascends to the throne, he must undergo a catastrophic test before he can ascend to the throne with an overwhelming attitude.
(End of chapter)
