A journey to the heavens starting from the Red Mansion

Chapter 146 The Promise of the Year

Lin Yao is now like the helmsman on a giant ship.

On the way to the future, not only must we always pay attention to wind, waves and obstacles, but we must also not leave behind partners who can walk side by side.

What the rebels want to overthrow is the cruel oppressor, not the people who work hard to get rich.

After Lin Yao brought the rebel army's actions back to the right path, he deeply understood that this period of time was not easy, and it was more troublesome than defeating the Song army.

The problems were similar, basically as Lin Yao expected.

It's not that the farmers who were allocated the fields were uncooperative. In the eyes of these workers, Lin Yao, who could redistribute the fields to them, was like the reincarnation of a "wise king", so he naturally cooperated with the rebels wholeheartedly.

It's just that they have a lot of ambition but not enough strength. They don't know a few Chinese characters and it's very difficult to do many things.

The difficulties in reality led to the goal of opening literacy classes throughout the two Zhejiang Provinces, which became the direction for the entire insurrectionary army to strive.

"It's good that you have this idea. Literacy is the first step to get rid of ignorance, and it is also the most critical step for us to awaken them. This step must be done well before we can carry out our subsequent actions."

According to Lin Yao's idea, it is difficult for an independent rebel army to become a great weapon. In this era, it is easy to become isolated and helpless, and will disappear completely after the backbone members are eliminated.

In addition to the feudal system, a completely new system must be constructed as the foundation of the rebel army.

The direct connection between the two eliminates the need for middlemen to make profit, and avoids the interference of evil spirits during the entrepreneurial period, thereby ensuring a concerted effort from the bottom up.

The countryside was responsible for production and self-government, and provided logistics and necessary blood transfusions to the rebel army, which became the rebel army's greatest source of confidence against the scholar-bureaucrats.

The rebel army ensured that the rural areas under their rule were free from war and aggression, and that they could live a good life.

At the same time, all taxes in the countryside are directly handed over to the logistics department of the rebel army.

This department is led by Lin Yao's personal guards, led by Wang Yuyan, who is responsible for supervising the entire process of tax application. She has the right to review anything that is unreasonable.

Through this appointment, Wang Yuyan's status as the logistics manager in the rebel army was confirmed.

Without this necessary supervision, coupled with the overall progress of farmers, bureaucrats and landlords may return.

Don't test the conscience of those people. "There is no idle land all over the world, and farmers are still starving to death" expresses the misery of the people at the bottom who freeze to death in the snow and starve to death.

Lin Yao recalled that when he went to Leigu Mountain with Wang Yuyan, he witnessed with his own eyes the process of a small official going to the countryside to collect taxes.

The petty officials arbitrarily increased the amount of taxation and various tax increases overwhelmed the peasants. They begged but were brutally beaten.

In addition to the normal taxation provided by the court, these officials will also use various excuses to create clever names. They are so greedy that they can't wait to exploit all the farmers' labor income.

Others increase taxes in order to fill the fiscal deficit caused by various operations and pass the damage on to farmers.

At that time, Lin Yao couldn't get the sand out of his eyes. He cut down all the way from Suzhou to Leigu Mountain, and he was even known as a bloodthirsty massacre among the people.

The scene of the two meeting in private left an indelible mark on her heart.

At that time, she and Lin Yao were walking side by side on the folk trails.

I saw low and dilapidated houses, villagers in shabby clothes, and women and children holding bamboo baskets.

Those houses were so dilapidated beyond her imagination that she couldn't even imagine what she would do if she lived in them.

That damp and dark house, let alone living in it, just looking at it makes me feel a little repelled.

The villagers at that time looked at this pair of neatly dressed and good-looking nobles in surprise, wondering how they could come to this poor and dilapidated countryside.

But no one dared to step forward to disturb them, and Lin Yao did not step forward to harm them.

The two people's hands inadvertently touched a few times as they continued to move forward without stopping.

The thick-skinned Lin Yao didn't care at all, while Wang Yuyan's face turned a little red.

"Yu Yan, these four words 'people's suffering' are simple to say, but they weigh as much as a thousand pounds, because each word comes from blood and tears."

The girl trembled, a little unaccustomed to Lin Yao's so kind call, but she still couldn't help but raise her head and look at the young man beside her.At this time, Lin Yao no longer had the frivolity he had when he was at Mantuo Villa, and he no longer had the humor that made her happy and secretly annoyed all the way.

She looked extraordinarily calm in her eyes, and her face with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes added a bit of strange charm.

As the most talented woman in Tianlong, Wang Yuyan certainly knows how to write the word "people's suffering".

But before she stayed at home, she didn't know how cruel these seemingly simple four words were.

"This is the current situation of the people. There is no 'unnecessary' smile on their faces. After all, there is a heavy burden on their bodies and they can't straighten their waists. How can they laugh?"

"No one is born to be poor all their lives. Even if they are not rich, they are hardworking and capable and will not be unable to afford food.

In some early dynasties or during prosperous times, they could still afford to eat.Why is this? "

Before Wang Yuyan could ask, Lin Yao said seriously.

“In the early days of the dynasty or in the prosperous times, the wise monarchs and courtiers who had seen the power at the bottom understood how powerful this force was.

In addition, he still has the last bit of conscience as a human being, which suppresses the officials below to a certain extent.

Those at the bottom did not dare to go too far, but once this kind of supervision was lost, the emperor even became an arsonist, and the people at the bottom would become what they are now. "

Under the scorching sun, Wang Yuyan fell into shock and contemplation.

"Then...what can we do for them?"

Wang Yuyan raised her head and looked at Lin Yao. After many days of edification of Lin Yao's thoughts and verification of reality, her eyes lost the innocence in Mantuo Villa.

When their eyes met, Lin Yao saw the kindness and determination under the beautiful eyes in front of him and smiled happily.

"Let's try to build a force together, eradicate evil in the world, and build an unprecedented country. Taxation only retains basic land taxes, and does not impose corvee, but pays corresponding remuneration for employment.

In this way, they can keep the income from their hard work, have full stomachs, and even have a surplus of food.

Then we guarantee the price of grain and turn the surplus grain in their hands into money at a reasonable price. With money, they can buy goods and improve their quality of life.

They can also save, little by little, gradually afford more farm tools and cattle, and later rebuild the dilapidated house into a spacious and bright house, and the clothes they wear will become more and more decent. "

Lin Yao looked at Wang Yuyan who was listening raptly and couldn't help but pat her little head.

“We will give them the precious gift called hope, so that after hard work, they can carefully calculate how much savings they have after paying a little land tax, instead of being robbed by bureaucrats.

These savings, which far exceed those in the past, can be used to cut some fresh meat that was not available in the past, to make some beautiful new clothes for the family, and even to support the children in reading and literacy.

These hard-working people actually don’t need much, just enough food and clothing, and some money left over to improve their lives.But such a simple request has become an unattainable dream.

Since those courts are not willing to give it, then we will pull the scholar-bureaucrats down from their high positions and personally help the common people realize it, so that their lives will only get better and better. "

Wang Yuyan looked at Lin Yao, whose eyes were twinkling, for a long time, then moved her gaze away and looked at the farmers working numbly in the fields.

"Yu Yan, now I officially invite you to join my team, are you willing?"

Lin Yao raised his right hand, placed it in front of Wang Yuyan, and said softly.

At this time, a blazing wind blew over, making Wang Yuyan feel an unhappiness in her heart.

"Very happy!"

The two held hands lightly, and time seemed to stop at that moment.

From that time on, Wang Yuyan accepted Lin Yao's ideas and prepared to build a country where there would be no cruel exploitation, no additional taxes, and no people would starve to death.

I no longer believe in the so-called stories about talented men and beautiful women.

Those so-called talented men are keen on eloquent talks and talk about benevolence, justice and morality, but they turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people and even add fuel to the fire.

(End of this chapter)