Chapter 72: Implementing the Equal Field System
After breakfast that day, Li Ji brought Yu Cheng to Xingyang Tower.
Xingyanglou is a restaurant run by Zheng Shan, offering a complete range of services including food, drink, entertainment and accommodation.
Relying on the smooth water transportation conditions of the Tongji Canal, wealthy merchants from all over the country settled in Xingyang.
Li Ji came to the Xingyang Chamber of Commerce on the third floor, and representatives of Xingyang merchants stood up to greet him.
"Everyone, please take a seat."
Li Ji greeted everyone.
"Everyone knows that Xingyang has entered a stable period. In other words, Xingyang's economy needs to recover quickly."
Zheng Baiwan hurriedly said, "Yes, now there are wars everywhere, and Xingyang can maintain a stable development situation. This is all because of your good governance, Lord Li."
"The tax system reform I advocate is also based on the reform experience of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Of course, Emperor Gaozu Wen has already solved the problem."
"This is a great answer! To implement the equal-field system, the key is to increase the population, increase the land, and stabilize household registration management."
"The population census has come to an end, and I have carefully read the household registration information reported by each county. The new population has reached more than 10% , which is a good momentum."
Zheng Shan said hurriedly: "There are many farmers returning home. If we collect taxes based on the number of people, then finding out the population base is the first step."
Li Ji continued, "The population of the villages has been counted. The problem today is that the servants and maids of the merchants have not been fully counted."
He looked at the wealthy businessmen present with a stern gaze, expressed his ideas, and let these wealthy businessmen discuss them.
In order to ensure fairness in taxation, Li Ji required the hidden households of wealthy merchants and powerful families in Xingyang area to set up separate household registrations.
This is used as the basis and foundation for the county government to compile household registration.
Those who made false declarations would be punished, and a "law of household registration" was formulated for this purpose, which was a method of establishing household status and tax standards.
Li Ji made a unified requirement that every county in the prefecture should conduct an inspection on January 5th every year. Citizens would be grouped into groups of 300 to 500 households, and their household status would be determined according to a fixed model and written into a fixed register. This was the "method of registering as a household".
Using this method, a large number of hidden or escaped farmers will be registered as households in the county government.
By implementing the system of paying taxes and setting standards for household registration, the aristocratic and wealthy families were deprived of their dependent subjects and their economic power was weakened, thereby increasing the tax revenue of the county government.
In response to Li Ji's speech, the wealthy businessmen present nodded in agreement.
Zheng Bowan asked, "Lord Li has just explained the content of the equal-field system to you all. Do you understand what to do?"
Li Ji smiled and said, "If you have any opinions or suggestions, you can raise them. If you don't express your opinions, then I will do this."
After waiting for half an hour, Li Ji saw that everyone had quieted down, so he said loudly:
"Next, I announce an appointment. I appoint Zheng Baiwan as the head of the Xingyang tax collection team, and Zheng Shan as the deputy head."
Li Ji paused and asked, "Does anyone have different opinions?"
The whole audience was silent.
"Well, pass it with applause. From today, the Xingyang Tax Collection Group will be established at the Chamber of Commerce."
Li Ji held Zheng Bowan's hand and said:
"President Zheng, I'll leave the tax collection in Xingyang to you. If you have any problems, tell me."
Zheng Bowan smiled and said, "Don't worry, Lord Li, we will definitely follow the regulations. But right now, we may not have enough manpower."
"Don't worry about the manpower issue. My personal guards can be deployed at any time. We still rely mainly on the collection power ."
After solving the problem of land tax collection, Li Ji began to consider corvee labor.
In terms of corvée labor, all males must perform regular labor at the age of 21 until they are 60, serving for one month each year.
Li Ji also changed the number of days of service per year to 20 days, and reduced the amount of silk from four zhang to two zhang.
It was stipulated that those aged 50 and above were exempt from military service and could use money, goods or cloth to replace garrison service, which was called "exemption from military service".
"Exemption from military service and corvée". Since the age limit has been raised, while the original rule of granting land at the age of 21 has not been changed, farmers can enjoy three years of exemption from rent and corvée after reaching the age for granting land.
Li Ji carried out major reforms to the military service system, the core of which was to incorporate military households into civilian households.
The military households incorporated into civilian households no longer exist, but the military personnel’s military status remains, and their relationship with the military government has not changed.
Whether on active duty, in the army or at home, all matters within the scope of military service are under the management of the military government.
The essence of this reform is to change the separation of soldiers and civilians into the integration of soldiers and civilians.
Li Ji stipulated that men of Ding nationality would serve in the military for one month each year, and they would be responsible for their own clothing, food and equipment during their service.
During the period of Ding's military service, rent and transfer are completely exempted.
Li Ji thought, if we traveled to the end of the Sui Dynasty, we couldn’t be like a monkey picking corn, picking off one ear and throwing it away, and ending up with nothing.
We must proceed step by step and our top priority now is to govern Xingyang well.
Li Ji put forward some of his own ideas.
At this time, Zheng Bowan said: "Lord Li, land is the lifeblood of refugees. Now that we have the lifeblood, we can keep refugees. The rural governance must also keep up."
"Chairman Zheng is right. Food is the first necessity of the people. Food depends on the soil for safety. We need to allow displaced farmers to return to the land and reduce wasteland."
"Sir Li, now a large amount of land is occupied by aristocratic families, powerful people, and warlords. Can you control these people?"
Li Ji said hurriedly: "Who controls the land is a superficial issue. The key is not to conceal the number of acres and the population."
Li Ji thought that as long as the number of acres of land was clearly understood and household registration management was strengthened, leakage would be reduced.
The actually available equal-use land is only ownerless land and wasteland, and the share that farmers can receive is very small.
He looked at Zheng Bowan and said sternly:
"I also ask all the wealthy businessmen to take the lead. The equal-field system is not a panacea, but at least it can increase military revenue."
Zheng Bowan said: "Lord Li's judgment is very accurate. Although Xingyang County is basically stable now, the population has dropped sharply due to the war in the early stage, and there is a lot of barren land."
Li Ji said loudly: "I have arranged for the barracks to let the soldiers participate in farming and make the barren land green as soon as possible."
Li Ji was very satisfied. One hundred wealthy businessmen who attended the meeting signed a letter of guarantee, expressing their willingness to take the lead in paying taxes and supporting the land reform of the county government.
"President Zheng, I will invite everyone to have lunch at noon and make the county government's attitude clear. For law-abiding operators, we will protect your legitimate interests."
Zheng Shan said hurriedly, "Master Li, I have already made arrangements. It's in the restaurant on the second floor. There are ten tables in total."
"Okay, the meeting ends here. All the wealthy businessmen, please go to the second floor for dinner."
On the second floor of Xingyang Tower, there is a luxurious hall with ten luxurious dining tables.
Zheng Baiwan sat down at the main table with Li Ji.
Zheng Shan had already arranged the meals.
"Everyone please take your seats quickly, Lord Li is about to give a speech."
As soon as Zheng Baiwan finished speaking, Yu Cheng, the captain of the personal guard camp, ran in hurriedly.
"Report, sir!"
"What's the matter? Why are you so flustered?"
"The magistrate of Mi County has an urgent report. The Tan family of Tanjia Bay has gathered to cause trouble and organized more than a thousand militiamen to march towards the county government office."
Li Ji's face suddenly darkened, "Why are they causing trouble?"
