Chapter 512 – Assault on Fengyi County (Twenty)
Wei Ci looked at his lord, feeling a surge of emotion.
In the past life, the Lord was the best at fighting; anyone who provoked her would face retaliation even at the cost of her wealth. But the current Lord seemed… more adept at painting grand visions? Her skill in stabilizing people’s hearts was truly exceptional. If the previous Lord had been this clever, why suffer so much?
First, she stabilized the female camp’s sentiments regarding household registration and marriage, slightly shifting the populace’s bias against the female troops in Xiangyang County. Now, she aimed to instill a competitive spirit in the female soldiers, igniting their ambition for glory and fortune. And now, she came up with a plan to appease the captives through agricultural settlement, stabilizing the backline and ensuring their unwavering dedication to work for her.
As for the female soldiers’ marriage and registration post-retirement? That’s still nowhere in sight. Yet, one by one, the female camp soldiers clamored to head into battle.
According to Meng Hunyun from the Vanguard Camp, these female soldiers were remarkable; their killing prowess made even the toughest men tremble.
Similarly, the agricultural settlement was merely a verbal proposal. The captives would need a six-month “mining observation period,” then they’d have to work to reclaim wasteland for the government. After clearing the land, they’d farm and engage in other physical labor, ultimately paying a hefty grain tax…
Analyzing this, it seemed the captives were at a disadvantage. But Wei Ci would bet his head that if this plan spread, they’d have no worries about an uprising or rebellion; the captives would work hard, grateful for the “one-tenth” grain tax.
Ah… the Lord’s skill in crafting grand visions had truly refined over time.
Wei Ci teased Jiang Pengji about her penchant for grandiosity, but he also knew that the visions she painted were ultimately feasible.
“What do you all think of this idea?”
Jiang Pengji spoke until her throat went dry, raising her hand to remove her water pouch and gulping down a few swigs.
Xu Ke pondered for a while. Coming from a peasant background, he naturally leaned more toward the interests of the common people.
However, as Jiang Pengji’s strategist, he had to prioritize her interests above all else.
With the Lord already seeking the welfare of the people, Xu Ke obviously wouldn’t suggest raising the grain tax.
He sincerely praised, “This plan is excellent; it can definitely restore livelihoods in a short time. The Lord is truly benevolent.”
Dongqing had suffered from constant natural disasters in recent years, with last year’s earthquake leading to severe food shortages. The conflicts with the Red Lotus Sect and the Green Garment Army had devastated northern agricultural operations, leaving the populace struggling for food and facing horrific situations where cannibalism occurred.
If Jiang Pengji’s agricultural settlement plan were implemented, not only could agriculture and livelihoods be restored swiftly, allowing the landless populace to return to farming, but they could also stockpile military provisions, alleviating worries about war due to a lack of supplies.
And that’s just one benefit!
Another advantage would be attracting many refugees struggling to survive!
In chaotic times, the population of the territory equates to capital; with a large enough population, how could they worry about recruiting sufficient forces?
Both Xu Ke and Wei Ci were foresighted individuals; their vision extended beyond immediate benefits to future gains.
Not only were these two strategists deep in thought, further refining the Lord’s spur-of-the-moment plan, but the audience in the live stream was also bustling with discussion.
【The fifth chapter is hard to deliver】: You shallow folks only care about looks, but I’m different! I adore the Host’s talent! Every time she earnestly thinks through a problem, it’s just… irresistibly handsome!
【Kneeling for monthly tickets】: Stop interrupting, fangirl at the right moment! Why does this agricultural settlement method sound so familiar? Isn’t it what Cao Cao’s subordinates, Zao Zhi and Han Hao, suggested for him?
【Rejecting eunuchs and stallions】: You’re not wrong, but these two plans seem quite different, right?
【Tuhui Boss】: I looked it up, and they are indeed different. Cao Cao’s agricultural settlement system largely restricted the freedom of the settlers, practically binding them to the land, and life was harsh. The government’s tax ratio was often fifty-fifty or sixty-forty, with severe exploitation later reaching eighty-twenty, leading to rebellions and escapes among the settlers. Eventually, land occupation became rampant, and the settlement system was basically abolished.
【Cross-dressing harms others】: How should I put this? After reading the info, I can only say—leave some leeway for others, so you can meet again down the road. Even if the settlers are just captives, refugees, or slaves, we shouldn’t cut off their survival completely. The tolerance of ordinary folk in ancient times exceeded all expectations; as long as they aren’t pushed to desperation, they’ll rarely revolt and instead choose to endure.
【Night Dance Flame Spirit】: So, the Host is really skilled at tricking people; it’s a talent worth emulating! Clearly, she’s getting them to reclaim unowned land while throwing in some small incentives, and once they reap the harvest, she takes a big cut. The common folks are grateful to her!
【Drifting Wind and Whispering Pines】: It’s not really a trick, though? For this chaotic world, the Host is practically a big-hearted savior.
Jiang Pengji furrowed her brows, her gaze skimming over terms like “subsequent exploitation,” “settler rebellions and escapes,” and “land occupation.”
At that moment, an audience member asked her.
【Cloud Comfort Baby】: How did the Host suddenly come up with this?
After some thought, Jiang Pengji explained her reasoning.
【Host V】: My troops will help the common people with their farming during the busy spring sowing and autumn harvest times. It was an inspiration. Plus, Mr. Cheng Cheng gifted me books that included records of agricultural settlement, albeit on a much smaller scale, which is why it’s not well-known.
To the ancients, her proposed agricultural settlement method might sound astonishing.
But from Jiang Pengji’s perspective, this suggestion was perfectly logical.
As Wei Ci mentioned, no matter how rich the iron ore, it won’t last forever. What will happen to the captives then?
With future captives only increasing, would they really be tossed away as miners?
Whether captives or common people, to her, they were all “her people.” She had an obligation to “care for” them.
But Jiang Pengji’s “care” wasn’t about preparing food supplies and letting them loaf around waiting for death; her “care” maximized their productivity and their contributions to society, enabling them to fend for themselves. If someone was too hopeless to support themselves, Jiang Pengji would simply abandon them.
This echoed Jiang Nongqin’s earlier words.
Those willing to save themselves can be rescued; those unwilling are beyond help.
From another angle, this could be seen as an alternative interpretation of the saying—teaching someone to fish rather than giving them fish.
With nothing else for the captives to do, they’ll help the army reclaim land and learn how to grow crops!
In Jiang Pengji’s past life, the Federation adhered to the belief that everyone should be able to fight, with every citizen possessing a certain combat capability.
Similarly, she hoped her common people would be equally fierce—not demanding extreme battle prowess, but they had to be capable!
Thus, during the off-seasons, they should learn some combat skills.
Combining all these thoughts leads clearly to the concept of “agricultural settlement.”
Hmm, the logic is that simple.
