Chapter 10: Father Emperor, I miss you

Everyone in Youzhou knew that as soon as the You Prince arrived at his fief, he began to encourage agriculture, promising to distribute the ownerless wasteland to the people for reclamation and planting.

Each household could reclaim five mu of ownerless wasteland; after finishing reclamation they could go to the government office to obtain a temporary land deed, and if they farmed for more than five years, the temporary deed could be exchanged for a permanent one.

For the wasteland reclaimed by the people themselves, no tax was levied in the first year; in the second year a tenth was taken; from the third to the fifth year a fifth was levied; only after the land became your permanent property from the fifth year onward did taxation follow the former court's rates.

Households with larger populations could also apply to reclaim additional mu.

In the short term, Youzhou's finances showed no sign of improvement, but if people were willing to work, their pockets and stomachs would surely become much richer.

The You Prince himself thought it over and considered it a good policy. But once the policy was announced, although it drew a big response and much discussion, few people shouldering farming tools went out to reclaim land; most remained hesitant.

Put bluntly, the people of Youzhou, just like the great king, lacked confidence in the region's security.

The fields lay outside Youzhou City; not only did bandits run rampant within the territory, but hungry neighbors also came to raid. They were not sure whether, after struggling desperately, they were merely making wedding clothes for the bandits.

The You Prince stood beneath the city wall, pinching his little fatty waist, and snorted angrily: 'Not only do the people lack confidence in them, but I, the prince, have no confidence either!'

The city guard soldiers standing on the wall before him all had white beards and faces full of wrinkles. If anyone attacked the city, who knew whether they would faint from excitement and collapse. Even the eunuchs of that advanced age in the palace had retired!

Zhao Chuan stood aside, observing his nose and heart without a word, but the city gate colonel in charge, Wang Meng, could not pretend to be dead.

He stepped forward, kowtowing, and said, 'Your Highness may not realize, but we cannot rely on Youzhou City's guards to resist the northern barbarians! That is the duty of the Grand General of Shanggu and the Eastern Capital, Liang Jin; besides, they lack that ability. Should the Xianbei or Xiongnu hostile neighbors attack, the Grand General of the Eastern Capital will certainly mobilize troops. He also believed Youzhou was quite safe—four years ago the city fell, that's true, but the Eastern Capital Marquis immediately marched over, drove off the Liaoxi Xianbei, and retook Youzhou City.'

Bai Li Jing really wanted to roll his eyes, not knowing what was going on—he didn't have this habit either? (Hint: in his previous life……

The great king struggled to hold back, thinking this colonel certainly didn't understand that relying on others is inferior to relying on oneself.

A principle I understood at age four, and he, at his age, still doesn't get it!

Besides, who among you understands my suffering? The city lord's heart said, 'When the city falls, the people perish!' He's already dead—if the Eastern Capital Marquis attacks again afterward, how could he possibly come back to life?!

Infuriating!

'Are you the You Prince, or am I the You Prince?'

The city gate colonel hurriedly knelt and kowtowed, begging for mercy, while the great king, puffing with anger, ordered: 'Remove the old, weak, sick, and disabled from the city guards, retrain them. Be mighty, have combat capability—understand? If you can't train them well, you might as well let Zhao Chuan take your place.'

The city gate colonel wore a bitter expression; with these people dismissed, how many could remain in the city guard?

'Your Highness, these are all old soldiers who retired from past battlefields; replacing them…… this…… they will likely struggle to make a living.'

……

Bai Li Jing understood; directly replacing them meant overturning the rice bowl of the old soldiers who had fought for the Great Jin.

He also began to scratch his head: using the old folks delays things; not using them…… how are they supposed to live?

You say give them some money to send them off—heh, what a coincidence, there's no extra money either.

Once again they entered a vicious cycle; the You Prince lacked men, lacked money, and also lacked grain.

This truly is a leaking roof met with continuous night rain, and a delayed boat encountering a headwind!

The great king's hands-on-hips gesture lacked its usual righteous vigor; rubbing his little fatty waist, he thought, 'The only thing I'm not lacking now is the flesh on my body.' Forget it—tonight I'll eat less; every bit saved is a bit gained.

Father Emperor~ I miss you!