Chapter 479 - Autumn Levy (Part 34)
"In nurturing the people, the essential principle is 'tranquility'! In ancient times, the Emperors Wen and Jing of Han..."
Xiong Buyou listened patiently through a lengthy discourse and discovered that the jinshi's entire theory amounted to this: "Rulers should do nothing whatsoever; everything should continue operating in the existing order, so as not to disturb the people."
Liu Dalin continued: land surveying might seem reasonable and beneficial to the people, but in practice it was often exploited by "villains." What was originally intended to benefit the nation and people invariably ended up causing harm. Without hesitation, he cited Chen Minggang as evidence.
"If not for Chen Minggang's land survey, we wouldn't have thought of this issue..." Xiong Buyou deflected the responsibility directly onto him. "Though his motives were corrupt, we don't believe the matter of land surveying and tax clarification itself is wrong."
"Land surveying and tax clarification—it's all just about collecting more grain and money. The people of this county are already suffering enough!" Liu Dalin grew agitated, launching into a lengthy account of living conditions in Lingao. Though he lived in the county seat reading behind closed doors, he learned the true state of the countryside from family members, relatives, teachers, students, and his own tenants. He understood a great deal about the decline of the rural economy and the hardships of the farmers.
"Everything Master Liu says is true," Xiong Buyou replied. "But since the founding of the Great Ming, Lingao has enjoyed peace for nearly three hundred years. Over those three hundred years, the people have become increasingly impoverished. What exactly is the reason?"
"External troubles from Li rebellions and pirates, internal troubles from bandits, continuous natural disasters..."
"Those are only part of it. Surely Master Liu knows that Lingao's registered population has been declining year by year?" Xiong Buyou began with this question.
Liu Dalin certainly knew this.
"At the beginning of the Ming dynasty, this county had a registered population of nearly sixty thousand." Xiong Buyou let the figure hang in the air. "How many now?"
Liu Dalin was momentarily stumped. He actually didn't know the county's current registered population.
"Barely over twenty thousand. Over these two hundred seventy years, though Lingao has experienced the Li rebellions, pirates, and bandits as Master Liu describes, the overall situation has been relatively stable. 'Crude peace in people's livelihood'—those four characters are well deserved."
Liu Dalin nodded. This was true. Though Qiongzhou Prefecture was no earthly paradise, large-scale upheavals were far rarer than on the mainland. Logically, in such a place, registered population should increase. That it had decreased only indicated runaways and unregistered households had multiplied. He was aware of the latter—several whole villages in the county were unregistered, sheltering under some local strongman. Under his own name, too, were a small number of unregistered households.
The root of the problem lay in the Great Ming's tax system! Xiong Buyou pointed out its flaws without ceremony.
He began with the massive "false registrations" and "hidden fields." Large landowners used various means to evade taxes, thereby increasing the burden on landless or smallholding peasants. Moreover, major households colluded with authorities and bribed clerks. All manner of illegal behavior went uncorrected. Ordinary people couldn't reduce their payments by a single grain; instead, they were forced through various schemes to bear additional burdens.
"The wealthy occupy ten thousand mu without contributing a grain of rice, and no one investigates; the poor and weak, who don't own a blade of grass, must pay heavy taxes year after year with no recourse." Land concentrated; levies grew unequal. Peasants either fled or registered their land under others' names. "...During the Hongzhi reign, the Great Ming had 1.5 million fewer households than in the Hongwu era, and over 7 million fewer people. And today? Even worse!" Xiong Buyou spoke with conviction. "Surveying land and equalizing taxes has become an urgent necessity that can no longer be delayed! If we continue merely 'keeping tranquility,' the people will ultimately have no choice: the strong become bandits, the weak end up in ditches!" His tone sharpened. "Master Liu has many old friends on the mainland, and you read the official gazettes. Surely you understand the current state of affairs better than we do."
Xiong Buyou's materials were comprehensive—facts supported by facts, figures backed by figures. Unlike the vague emotional platitudes traditional scholars used about "people unable to make a living" or "corpses everywhere." The social survey after the New Year had given the transmigrators abundant local data. To handle situations like today's, the data department had long since summarized all available research materials on Ming-era taxes and corvée from the database into a lengthy report for the Leadership Group's study. Now everyone in the Leadership Group counted as half an expert on Ming tax and corvée systems.
Sure enough, Liu Dalin was left without reply. Though he possessed considerable understanding of Lingao's declining rural economy, that understanding remained superficial—his scholarship wasn't focused on economic matters. Xiong Buyou's well-reasoned and thoroughly documented argument commanded admiration.
However, it also left him deeply puzzled. The Australians claimed to be descendants of Song-era Chinese who had drifted overseas for several centuries. If so, how could they know so much about the Great Ming? They even knew the words and memorials of court ministers and local officials from the past!
Clearly, there must be scholars of this dynasty among the Australians. And these scholars' learning and knowledge were surely no less than his own—nine out of ten, they far surpassed him. The thought made him wary.
"I am enlightened!" Liu Dalin cupped his hands in salute, his tone grave. "I never imagined Australians would know the Great Ming in such detail. I am truly humbled!"
"Merely superficial observations."
"What Chief Xiong says is sound reasoning. But has your distinguished company considered this?" Liu Dalin wasn't ready to concede. "In this world, reasonable matters become unreasonable, good intentions turn to bad outcomes—examples are too numerous to count! Your company intends to survey land and equalize taxes. Do you have confidence you can succeed?"
"We're aware of this." Xiong Buyou spoke solemnly. "Master Liu, I once heard Secretary Wang and Magistrate Wu say they had long wished to accomplish a few things for Lingao's people. Do you know what those were?"
"I do." Liu Dalin was the county's foremost gentry figure; any major county affairs would be discussed with him first. "Suppressing bandits, building roads, promoting education."
"Were they accomplished?"
Liu Dalin grasped his point: these three things Wu Mingjin had planned for years without success. The Australians had accomplished them all within a year of arrival—no wonder they were so confident and proud.
It seemed the Australians were determined to proceed with surveying land and clarifying taxes. If they could actually accomplish this, it would be a great and benevolent policy. Liu Dalin thought to himself as he nodded, then issued another reminder:
"Your suppression of bandits, road construction, and promotion of education succeeded because you have money and power. Surveying land and taxes is an enormously complex matter. I urge you to proceed carefully." He paused. "Especially in the matter of personnel—you must be cautious."
"Yes, we understand this." Xiong Buyou noticed that his tone was no longer one of vehement opposition and was quite surprised. Could my little speech have moved him? Perhaps this landlord class element is relatively enlightened after all.
"...Furthermore, since your company intends to clarify taxes, this will inevitably involve the county's major households and gentry. When the time comes, I would ask you to show some mercy and preserve some dignity."
"Of course, of course." Xiong Buyou replied noncommittally.
News that the Baldies intended to re-survey the land soon spread throughout the city. Huang Binkun went to see Liu Dalin again but couldn't extract any new ideas—Liu Dalin simply claimed illness and refused all visitors.
The major households were completely bewildered, unable to discern which way the wind was blowing. If "disturbing the people" was supposedly bad, then land surveying was also disturbing—so why had they only arrested Chen Minggang while continuing with the survey?
Huang Binkun understood the jinshi had probably hit a wall. The Baldies' minds were made up. He discussed the matter with Li Xiaopeng for a long time without reaching any conclusion. Li Xiaopeng proposed mobilizing grain households to submit another joint petition. Huang Binkun shook his head with a bitter smile—he knew these major grain households too well: typical bullies who feared the strong. Who dared tug the Australians' tiger whiskers? Before, at least they had Liu Dalin as a figurehead. Now that he was unwilling to take the lead, even if Huang Binkun talked himself hoarse, it might not help. Moreover, since the Australians had already punished Chen Minggang, causing more trouble now would be "refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit."
Liu Family Stronghold.
Liu Youren was once again studying the newly-delivered grain notice, just brought over by Liu Guangbiao.
The grain notice was quite different from the crude account-book paper of the past, stamped with wooden seals and scrawled with brush strokes. This notice was printed on thick, sturdy paper. It listed Huang Family Stronghold's taxable land in mu, the base levy per mu, the tribute rice per shi, and specified a date by which to submit payment at Delong Grain Trading Company in the county seat, East Gate Market, Bopu, or Nanbo. Besides rough rice, Delong's grain circulation coupons were also acceptable. Overdue payments would be collected at the door with a 1% daily late fee.
"Who was the grain runner who delivered the notice? Please show him in. I'd like to meet him." Liu Youren kept thoroughly informed about county affairs even from Jialai. Since Chen Minggang's gang had been purged, he should meet the new "Grain Collection Bureau" runners and cultivate some rapport. This was customary practice.
"He left right after delivery. My nephew invited him to stay for a meal, but he refused."
"Did you give him the 'straw-sandal money'?"
"Five hundred wen, but—" Liu Guangbiao's tone betrayed disbelief. "He wouldn't take it."
"Wouldn't take it? Too little?"
"No." Liu Guangbiao shook his head. "His refusal was quite firm, not merely for show."
"How strange!" Liu Youren recalled people saying the Australians never accepted bribes and didn't allow their subordinates to take any benefits either. He had assumed this was mere talk, or that they only enforced it under the Australians' watchful eyes. He hadn't expected them to actually follow through.
"What was his name?"
"Your nephew doesn't know—"
"What kind of work is this!" Liu Youren scolded disapprovingly.
"I asked, but he wouldn't say. He just said his work number was—was—" Liu Guangbiao pointed to the grain notice. At the bottom, after "Delivery Agent," was a string of crooked symbols called Arabic numerals.
"He just asked me to tear off a receipt and had me put my thumbprint on it."
Liu Youren examined the notice. The lower portion had been torn off, with numbers running across the perforation. He had no inclination to study this novel arrangement at the moment. He asked:
"Three dou of tribute rice per shi of autumn levy?"
"That's three sheng less than under Chen Minggang." Liu Youren grumbled with dissatisfaction. But looking more closely, the taxable land figure on the notice was three hundred eighty mu—same as before.
(End of Chapter)