Chapter 258: Emperor, Dao Master, Rulai (1/2)
Chapter 258: Emperor, Dao Master, Rulai
Translator: NinetalesEditor: DarkGem
”Many people don't realize what the reform was for, why they had to reform their lives. They say, wasn't it well in the past, everyone was living comfortably, was joyous and harmonious, while your reforms, aren't they just to satisfy your ambition of an emperor? By offending the blue bloods and the sects, aren't you doing it to expand the territory of Eternal Peace? All the natural calamities and man-made disasters over the years have been your fault, we've had to suffer all of them because of that reform. But this is a fallacy!”
In Bazhou Prefecture, Emperor Yanfeng led a group of civil and military officials through a street while looking at workers manning the porridge stall to feed the people lining up for food. Emperor Yanfeng went over and came to the front of a porridge stall. The worker was about to kneel down when Emperor Yanfeng held him back and said, ”There are few rules in such cold weather and frozen land. How much is one serving?”
”Your Majesty, an adult gets a bowl of porridge, two steamed buns, and a ladle of dried vegetables.”
Emperor Yanfeng nodded and dismissed him. He picked up the ladle and distributed food to the disaster victims, while behind him stood the civil and military officials of the imperial court. He then continued, ”We had all lived well in the past, we were never common people! Minister of Agriculture, tell them, before Imperial Preceptor's reform, how many people could be fed with six ares of fertile land.”
Minister of Agriculture immediately said, ”Before the reform, six ares of fertile land could produce three hundred and thirty pounds of crops. However, at that time, all the land belonged to influential families, monasteries, and Daoist temples, so there was no land in the hands of farmers.
”A farmer's family had seven-eight people and they took care of five hectares of land, which had grain, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. After slogging for a year and harvesting for two seasons, there was no surplus grain, and they could barely fill their stomachs. They could have one to two meals of meat every month and would starve if they met with natural calamities or man-made disasters. Back then, many elderly would automatically go up the mountain or jump into rivers during years of disaster so that they wouldn't be a burden to their families. Meanwhile, the influential families, monasteries, and Daoist temples were hoarding great amounts of grain and gold.”
Emperor Yanfeng said, ”Five hectares of land to only feed a family of seven to eight. After painstakingly planting a year's worth of grain, where did it go? Tell them, how many people can be fed by six ares of land after the reform?”
Minister of Agriculture continued, ”Your Majesty had order Imperial Preceptor to manage the reform and reclaim all the land. Influential families, monasteries. and Daoist temples can no longer manage any land.
”An adult male can manage five hectares of land, one hectare of which would be fertile land. In the recent years, there was a growth in population, so the rules had been changed. An adult male can now manage two and a half hectares of land and half a hectare of fertile land.
”Imperial Preceptor had also made martial arts practitioners and divine arts practitioners to help with agriculture. To provide a stable crop, rain was provided during drought and water drainage during floods, thus there was no starvation for one hundred and sixty years. Nowadays, six ares of land can produce eight hundred and twenty pounds of crops. Four hundred and forty pounds are used for the land tax, but farmers no longer find it too expensive to eat meat.”
”Three hundred and thirty pounds, eight hundred and twenty pounds.” Emperor Yanfeng picked two steamed buns and placed them in the bowl of a starving person before giving him a ladle of dried vegetables while sighing ruefully. ”What is buddha? This is buddha, a living buddha, a breathing buddha, the buddha of all common people! It's not by taking on the title of Rulai or Dao Master and giving talks on chicken soup for the soul would one become buddha or Dao Master! Minister of Agriculture, let me ask you again, since Imperial Preceptor's reform was good and the rations have also increased, why are there still starvation whenever a natural disaster breaks out?”
Minister of Agriculture had a troubled expression and hesitated. ”This…”
”Say it!”
”Yes. Other than the increase in population, there are still things like the eating of meat and wars. Feeding livestock requires grain, as well as feeding strange beasts in the army, training soldiers, fighting wars. All of it requires grain. But the most important reason is still the circulation of cultivated land. There are some pieces of land that were bought back by the influential families, sects, and temples, who then once again became landowners.”
”Grain has once again returned into their hands. The reason why the sects were able to rebel the previous time was because they had the money and the rations, that's why they were so daring. Still, this issue of starvation shouldn't have been so severe. It was all because after fighting the war, the empire's treasury had been emptied and the influential families, sects, and temples refused to give out rations. The effect caused by the previous rebellion of the sects is huge…”
Emperor Yanfeng turned his head back and took a glance at the officials. ”Influential families, sects, monasteries, and Daoist temples were always seated high above, eating exotic delicacies daily, talking about wind, flowers, snow, and the moon, chatting about paths, skills, and divine arts, discussing immortality and longevity. There are farmers feeding them, but who of them is willing to lend a hand to those farmers? If the farmers refuse to comply, they will send disasters and calamities on them straight away! Is this snow disaster strange? No, it isn't. When sects ruled their own countries, these kind of snow disasters weren't rare, either! However, it wasn't gods sending those calamities nor was it Heaven. It was the sects sending those calamities and disasters to make the common people comply and not dare to rebel!”
”Imperial Preceptor's reform made sects have to work for farmers, for merchants, this is what made them displeased, and they didn't want to do it. In the meantime, Imperial Preceptor created more reforms and founded primary schools, colleges, and Imperial College. He used them to pass down the abilities of sects to the people of the world, to let them be able to protect themselves, and the sects were even more displeased. They wanted to rebel, to kill people! Little did they think that their ancestors from eight generations back were all farmers, none of them an exception!”
”Look and listen clearly. I have executed them this time, and if you guys act like them the next time, I will execute you guys as well! The officials I want aren't from those sects that are high above or any experts or buddhas. The officials I want are those that are able to handle matters in a down-to-earth manner! Scholars must be able to work for farmers, artisans, and merchants! There are actually some scholarly officials who think they are a level higher than others. Damn it—scribe, allow me to say a profanity—damn it, they only know how to grumble and view themselves highly! I wish for more than anything to execute them!”
The civil and military officials lowered their heads and didn't dare to say a word.
Two scribes looked at each other, both of their expressions troubled. The older scribe then said softly, ”Your Majesty, Son of Heaven needs to watch his language.”
”I don't say profanities frequently, wasn't I really angered which was why I had scolded people? Pardon me, scribe.”
While he had been speaking, the person in queue for food was a high monk who was holding onto a golden alms bowl with a smile. ”That was a very good speech, Your Majesty. However now that the natural disaster has come, the righteous path is to stop the disaster and save the common people from suffering.”
Emperor Yanfeng took a look at this high monk and gave him a bowl of porridge, two steamed buns, and a ladle of dried vegetables before saying, ”Not only was my speech good, what I do is even better. High monk, eat slowly, don't bother the people of the secular world.”
That high monk agreed and carried his golden alms bowl away.
”Rulai!” The people behind Emperor Yanfeng were stunned when they saw that high monk.
After he left, an old Daoist came from the back. His clothes were disheveled, and his hair was slightly messy. While carrying a bowl, he smiled, ”Has Your Majesty eaten?”
Emperor Yanfeng had a grim expression as he scooped porridge for him and shook his head. ”Not yet.”
”Your Majesty should eat more, it's easier to be move if you're full.”
Emperor Yanfeng nodded and grabbed two steamed buns and a bowl of porridge. He said to the civil and military officials, ”Come and eat some too, we have trouble.”
The civil and military officials looked at the monk and Daoist like they had met formidable foes, but the two people only squatted down at the corner of a wall. They drank the porridge and ate the buns and dried vegetables, enduring hardship gladly.
The officials went forward and took a serving each before squatting down beside another wall. Emperor Yanfeng soon did the same and ate silently.
After eating, he came to the front of pressure well to wash his bowls, and the officials all lined up behind him. Rulai and Dao Master also came forward to wash their bowls while saying, ”It's been awhile since we ate meals of the human world, they have a different kind of flavor to them now.”
”I and these ministers have been eating them for months.” Emperor Yanfeng said seriously. ”Dao brothers should eat them more and not let yourselves stay too high above.”