"Okay, let's go."
Su Jing took Zhu Biao away from the river embankment. It was noon time and it was time for them to eat.
He came very fast, but when he left, Zhu Biao's steps were heavy.
Before seeing it with his own eyes today, he had not thought much about corvee.
After all, this has been passed down since ancient times, and it has never changed.
When something becomes a habit, no one will deliberately care about it.
"Master Su, I'm a little confused."
Zhu Biao stopped and said to Su Jing.
Su Jing also stopped, turned around and said, "Let's go eat first. Niu Su is still at home. If there's anything else, we'll talk about it after dinner."
"Even those people who are doing corvee work still have time to eat."
Zhu Biao nodded and said, "Yes, Master Su."
The two soon returned home and took Zhu Zhu to Shaxian snacks for dinner.
"Brother, what's wrong with you? Why do you seem to have no appetite?"
Zhu Ju looked at Zhu Biao opposite who looked like he was not thinking about food and drink, and said with concern.
Zhu Biao raised his head and forced a smile: "Brother, it's okay. Fifth brother, please eat well."
"yes, Sir."
Zhu Xi knew that it probably had something to do with Su Jing taking Zhu Biao out during the day, but Zhu Biao didn't say anything, and he didn't intend to ask.
Su Jing said: "Niu Yi, let's eat. Only when you are full can you have the strength to think."
Mere sympathy means nothing.
Although Su Jing also felt that it was very hard for the people who served as corvees, this was the reality of the feudal dynasty.
All he can do is to try his best to develop the economy of Lishui County and let everyone have more money. This Shaxian snack can bring more ordinary people.
"Yes, students understand."
Zhu Biao nodded and started to pull.
Under Su Jing's long-term teachings by words and deeds, Zhu Biao also fully understood the importance of eating, or in other words, the body.
After eating, the three returned home.
Zhu Ju was still reading, but Zhu Biao took the initiative to go to the river bank with Su Jing to watch the people doing corvées.
Su Jing naturally agreed, and the two of them arrived not far from the river embankment.
Zhu Biao watched the people carrying the goods repeatedly, thinking about how to break the corvee situation.
However, a corvée service that had lasted for more than a thousand years by the feudal dynasty was not something he could break just by thinking about it.
"Master Su, you said that the people hate corvee labor, but you can't abolish corvee labor. Is this the only way? Is there no solution?"
Zhu Biao finally asked Su Jing.
Su Jing said calmly: "If you want to solve this problem, you must first understand why the people hate corvee."
Zhu Biao immediately replied: "Corvee labor will occupy the people's normal working time, and they will have to endure the reprimands and insults of the officers and soldiers, but will not get any reward."
"Yes, you are right. The key is that there is no compensation, that is, it is free."
Su Jing agreed: "In the final analysis, the essence of corvee is the unpaid labor that rulers force civilians to do. When broken down, there are many types. I have also gone into too much detail."
"If we say the simplest and most straightforward solution, it is to change the unpaid work into paid work. In this case, the people have paid for their labor and it is equivalent to working."
Just as Su Jing finished speaking, Zhu Biao immediately said: "Master Su, the court does not have so much money."
As the prince, Zhu Biao was very clear about Ming Dynasty's finances.
If one pays according to what Su Jing said, even if the price is extremely low, it will definitely be an astronomical figure based on the number of corvees required throughout the Ming Dynasty.
"Um."
Su Jing looked at Zhu Biao and said, "Yes, lack of money is the biggest problem. This is also the biggest reason why the corvee system has been able to continue since its emergence until now."
"Corvee service, in the eyes of rulers, is itself part of the national finances."
“Would you use your money to buy money to use?”
Su Jing's few simple words made Zhu Biao immediately realize the nature of corvee, which was a problem he had never thought about.
Yes, corvee can actually be regarded as money.
"Master Su explained it thoroughly and the students understood it."
Zhu Biao asked seriously.
Su Jing continued: "Do you still remember what I told you? The free ones are the most expensive."
Is the free one the most expensive?
Zhu Biao was stunned, not understanding why he was contacted again.
"Students don't understand very well."
Zhu Biao answered truthfully.
Su Jing said calmly: "Corvee service and taxes are a big mountain that weighs on the people. As the dynasty continues, this big mountain will continue to expand."
"When rulers need finance, taxation and corvee are the most direct source. Every extra point is an extra point of squeezing people's power."
"And when these accumulate to a certain extent, an uprising will break out and the dynasty will be destroyed."
"This is the price you pay for being free. Now do you understand what is free and the most expensive?"
Su Jing's plain words spoke of the collapse of a dynasty.
Even Zhu Biao, who had heard the theory of the collapse of the dynasty, was still deeply shocked.
He carefully recalled what Su Jing said and felt that it was completely correct.
Corvee service is really something more terrifying than land annexation!
"Master Su, students are taught!"
Zhu Biao bowed to Su Jing again, and now he only asked Su Jing to give him a solution.
Su Jing smiled and said: "This is a lesson. I just told the facts and didn't offer any solutions."
In fact, the ancient sages had foreseen the problem of corvee, and Su Jing was not the first to discover it.
"Master Su, is there really a solution?"
Zhu Biao said in surprise, his face full of excitement.
He was already eager to know how to solve it.
Su Jing said lightly: "Isn't that simple? Fewer corvees will bring peace to the people. Just fewer corvees will suffice."
As soon as Su Jing finished speaking, Zhu Biao immediately added: "If there are fewer corvees, the people will be safe. If the people are safe, there will be no heavy power at the bottom. If there is no weight at the bottom, the power will be destroyed. If the power is destroyed, virtue will be at the top." This is "Han Feizi·Binei" "What it says."
Su Jing was also surprised when she heard Zhu Biao's words.
Zhu Biao has read so much, and he can still remember the source. I can only say that he reads very seriously.
"Han Feizi has already given the answer, isn't it great?"
Su Jing said smoothly.
He actually didn't know the content of "Han Feizi·Binei" because he hadn't read it.
But Han Feizi still knew it, and what he said was convincing enough.
Zhu Biao's expression was not too excited, because such an answer did not meet Zhu Biao's expectations for Su Jing.
The people hated corvees, so it was enough to reduce them.
This seems to be said, but it seems not to be said.
"Master Su, the student thinks that this is not a radical cure."
Zhu Biao expressed his thoughts to Su Jing.
If you have a headache, treat your head, if your feet hurt, treat your feet. It is indeed a bit too simple.
Su Jing also glanced at Zhu Biao, nodded in agreement and said: "This is indeed not a radical cure."
"Master Su, please teach me."
Zhu Biao didn't care if Su Jing had other options, he just showed his attitude first.
"Niu Yi, you, you, are really concerned about these things."
Su Jing asked and sighed.
Zhu Biao maintained a respectful attitude and continued: "Master Su, please don't dislike the student's stubbornness. The student just wants to know if there is a better way to solve this problem."
Su Jing smiled and said: "Niu Yi, stubbornness is not a shortcoming. Perseverance is a very good quality. I have never disliked it."
Zhu Biao's aura of never giving up until he reaches his goal is what Su Jing admires.
Thinking about the ups and downs in the business world in his previous life, and his ultimate success, didn't he also rely on this momentum.
Only such people can accomplish great things.
"Master Su praised me, students are just eager to learn."
Zhu Biao said modestly.
Su Jing did not continue to be humble to him, but said: "We have just talked about the nature of corvee, which is actually part of the national finance."
"Under normal circumstances, these corvees are distributed evenly among the people of the country. Although it is unpaid labor, if it is distributed equally to each person, it is not that much."
"But the reality is that this is not the case. First of all, there is the official and gentry class. They not only have the right to be exempted from taxes, but also have the right to be exempted from corvee."
"This resulted in the land being annexed by the gentry class, but whether it was taxes or corvees, the remaining common people had to bear it."
"If things go on like this, the people will inevitably be unable to bear it. When they can no longer survive, they will have no choice but to revolt."
Su Jing did not rush to give an answer, but first did a wave of analysis.
Zhu Biao listened clearly, with a thoughtful look on his face. He frowned and said, "So what Master Su means is that the gentry class should also do corvee service?"
Zhu Biao naturally thought of this method because he thought of what Su Jing said before about officials and gentry receiving food from one person.
"Half right."
Su Jing said lightly.
half?
Zhu Biao was stunned and didn't quite understand.
Su Jing continued: "The officials and gentry must do corvee work, but it is not simply to let them work, but to turn the corvee into a bond that can be purchased with silver."
Bond?
Zhu Biao was confused again. He even knew every word, but when they were put together, he didn't understand.
"Master Su, the student doesn't understand very well."
Zhu Biao said doubtfully.
Su Jing explained: "Actually, it is to turn the corvee into quantifiable property. As I said before, the corvee is the national finance. So after turning it into bonds, the officials and gentry can choose to pay for the corvee, that is, they will Buy this bond.”
"As for the corvées that originally required the officials and gentry to perform, they can use the money they paid to hire other common people to do them."
"To put it bluntly, it means converting the strong men that every household needs to do corvee work into taels of silver. You can call it the dingyin system."
"In this way, do you understand?"
Su Jing actually used her own understanding of Zhang Juzheng's whipping method and the Dingyin system, which was a wise move.
Zhu Biao silently sorted out what Su Jing said, constantly understanding what Su Jing said in his mind.
After a while, he nodded and said: "Master Su, the student probably understands, but not very clearly, why do you do this?"
Turn the corvee into a bond, and then use the money to buy the bond, so that you don't have to do the corvee, but you have to pay money.
This money can be used to hire other people to do the work.
It feels like a constant turnover, but in the end nothing much changes.
Su Jing said calmly: "Don't worry, this is just to pave the way for the follow-up."
“The real core, in fact, is just four words: sharing a small family into an equal amount.”
"Corvee collection is not based on the number of households, but the number of acres of land."
Divide into acres!
When Zhu Biao heard these four words, combined with the Ding Yin system that Su Jing mentioned before, his mind suddenly buzzed.
He just felt as if everything had been solved, it was a stroke of genius.
Su Jing was smiling. He quite admired Yong Zheng, the promoter of sharing the family with his own family. Such an exquisite idea was not so easy to come up with.
Zhu Biao looked at Su Jing and said: "Master Su, if we follow the method of dividing the land into acres, then the fields all over the country will be the source of corvee labor. In this case, when the officials and gentry annex the land, it will mean that they have to do more corvee labor and have no land. The people will not have to do corvee service."
"In this way, not only will the corvee burden on the people be reduced, but the land annexation will also be greatly eased. What a second!"
Zhu Biao was also smart, and he immediately understood the beauty of this idea.
It’s simply a double-edged sword!
But Su Jing immediately poured cold water on him:
"Although the method is good, it must be implemented. Besides, this hidden field incident has been common in all dynasties. There is still a long way to go between this method and its implementation!"
Su Jing knew the situation in the Qing Dynasty, and she came up with this clever trick of spreading the family into an entire family when she was forced to do nothing.
It’s still early for Ming Dynasty now.
(End of chapter)
