Chapter 154: 152 The Gentry Flee (For Alliance Leader

Jishui, Wujiatang.

Though the Liu family had split into two households, this existed only on the household registers — they still lived together in the ancestral mansion.

Many of the household's hired laborers had been sent home during the day.

At the third watch, Liu Tongsheng slipped out in the dark. Including children, twenty-six people followed behind him!

Men and women alike, all carried their valuables as they left.

Liu Tongsheng was already forty-nine, but his body was still fairly robust.

Historically, when he passed the highest imperial examination and became Zhuangyuan, the Chongzhen Emperor asked his age and he answered fifty-one. The emperor exclaimed in admiration, "You look like a youth!"

Liu Tongsheng himself carried over thirty jin of silver on his back; his brothers and the younger generation of sons and nephews likewise bore silver.

A family of over twenty people groped through the dark to a small river. Midway, Liu Tongsheng even took a fall.

Boats had long been prepared at the riverbank. For fear of falling into the water, they could only light lanterns when boarding. They sailed from the small river into the Tong River, then from the Tong River into the Gan River. By daybreak, they had already left the borders of Jishui County.

After the land redistribution, their family still had over four hundred mu of land — now they were abandoning it!

Their family also had over two thousand dan of grain — abandoned as well!

There was even some silver left in the house that they simply could not carry — all of it abandoned!

They gave up everything and fled Jishui with the entire family, solely because they saw no hope and felt stifled living under Zhao Han's rule.

Historically, when the Manchus had just invaded Jiangxi and were still far from Jishui County, Liu Tongsheng abandoned his land and moved his whole family to Fujian, then donated his wealth to raise troops against the Qing.

He could be counted among the anti-Qing patriots.

Zhao Han's forced land redistribution was something Liu Tongsheng could temporarily endure to preserve his family, but there were other things he could not tolerate.

First, the prohibition on keeping slaves. Even if servants were permitted, how could they be as convenient to order about as before? And child labor was forbidden — servant boys under twelve were gone too.

Second, the prohibition on taking concubines. This law was not strictly enforced; the authorities would only intervene if a concubine herself reported to the yamen.

Although it strictly followed the Great Ming Code, Liu Tongsheng was deeply displeased. If everything were done by the Great Ming Code, the gentry's way of life would be impossible.

The Great Ming Code not only forbids commoners from keeping slaves, it also bars landlords from making tenant farmers carry their sedan chairs.

If the first two points could be tolerated, what Liu Tongsheng could least tolerate was Zhao Han's extreme disrespect for men of talent!

Liu Tongsheng not only excelled at the eight-legged essay, but was also thoroughly versed in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. He had even studied military texts and numerology.

Yet after throwing in his lot with Zhao Han, Liu Tongsheng was given only two choices.

One was to do ordinary clerical work at the Regional Command headquarters; the other was to go down to the countryside and assist the peasant associations with land redistribution.

Liu Tongsheng first chose the clerical post, but after a few days grew impatient, for it was the work of a mere copyist. He, a dignified juren, had been tossed into the role of a pettifogging scribe — and the lowest kind of scribe at that.

Next, Liu Tongsheng applied to go to the countryside for land redistribution. This time he lasted only one day.

He had thought he was going to direct the redistribution, but once he reached the fields, he was actually expected to go down and measure the land himself. This was no longer the work of a clerk, but of a menial runner.

What is a menial runner?

A base servitude, tantamount to the debased registers — their sons and grandsons are barred from the civil examinations!

In both posts, one after the other, Liu Tongsheng felt profoundly insulted.

One of his juren friends, eager to cling to the rebels, had thrown himself enthusiastically into land redistribution and was even promoted out of turn to town chief as a result.

But what kind of ridiculous thing was a town chief?

Luling County had eight towns, and Jishui County had seven. So a town chief in Jishui County was equivalent to one-seventh of a County Magistrate?

A rustic village post like that — Liu Tongsheng would not take it even if offered!

What was even more infuriating was that this same juren friend, just because he had slept with a prostitute, had now been arrested and was awaiting trial.

Liu Tongsheng's younger brother had married a daughter of a concubine to an official at the Regional Command headquarters, hoping thereby to gain the headquarters' patronage.

Yet the headquarters officials who had formed marriage ties with great clans were all demoted and reassigned by Zhao Han, leaving the gentry not the slightest opening.

All these things, this perverse and retrograde conduct, filled Liu Tongsheng with utter loathing.

He would rather abandon his land, abandon his grain, and flee with nothing but his silver, than live one more day under Zhao Han's governance.

Liu Tongsheng stood at the prow, gazing at the spring scenery on both banks. He felt so utterly free, like a bird released from its cage.

As for the ragged peasants toiling in the fields, they had automatically become mere decorative touches within that beautiful scenery.

Regional Command headquarters.

Xiao Huan came in to report: "Commander, over a dozen gentry households have already fled with their entire families. We cannot possibly assign men to watch them around the clock."

"Why watch them?"

Zhao Han laughed. "Let them go. The land, houses, money, and grain they leave behind will be confiscated. Am I short those few gentry families?"

Li Banghua remained silent. The gentry had indeed become alienated. So many of his efforts had come to nothing.

Zhao Han, however, was completely at ease. Smiling, he said, "Mr. Li, they're not fleeing because of the Zou family, are they?"

"No," Li Banghua said. "It was because the headquarters officials who married into their families were demoted, and because scholars are made to start from low-ranking posts. That is what drove them to despair and made them leave."

Zhao Han sighed. "Those who truly wish to work — when have I ever treated them poorly? Take that juren Wang Yuanlu. He put in a little effort during land redistribution and was promoted to town chief, advancing countless times faster than an ordinary scholar. I had even planned that once we took Taihe County, I would promote him to County Magistrate of Taihe, to set an example for the sons of the gentry. Who knew the man was rotten to the core and got drunk and raped a female propaganda corps member!"

Li Banghua shook his head. "You think a town chief is an official, but they see a town chief as a mere clerk."

"If they won't even manage a single town, would I dare let them manage an entire county?" Zhao Han said with a laugh. "Anyway, there are countless low-level scholars. I'm not short of educated men. If the gentry's sons want to run, let them run."

Li Banghua did not wish to continue this topic. As Zhao Han had said, Jiangxi had countless low-level scholars — there truly was no shortage of educated men!

For every gentry son who fled, ten impoverished scholars would step forward. So many poor and struggling educated men were waiting to become officials.

Juren and xiucai from great households looked down on the post of town chief?

But give a poor scholar the post of town chief, and their joy was beyond words — their enthusiasm for work was on an entirely different level.

In that instant, Li Banghua fully understood.

The peasant masses were the foundation, and impoverished scholars were the backbone. It seemed the gentry really had no part to play after all.

"When do we dispatch troops to Anfu County?" Li Banghua asked.

"No hurry," Zhao Han said. "We must at least wait until the spring plowing is finished. We can't delay the farming season."

Li Banghua said, "The Garrison Commander brought back several thousand people from Yuanzhou. They've been waiting to be settled all this time."

Zhao Han shook his head. "Those people aren't getting land. They're all craftsmen — they don't know the first thing about farming. Pick the most honest gentry household, and add your nephew's family. I'll give each of you a kaolin mine. Of course, the mines have to be bought with money. Those kiln workers will settle near the mines and support their families by firing kilns from now on. Remember, don't mistreat the craftsmen. I'll send people to organize a guild."

"My nephew's family doesn't need a mine. I can simply choose two other gentry households instead." Li Banghua did not want to invite criticism.

This also served to win over a few compliant gentry, letting them open workshops and earn money.

As for the bow-making craftsmen, Tian Younian was already setting up an armory. That sort of thing had to be managed by the authorities.

Li Banghua suddenly said, "Let me go train troops. I truly have no desire to handle government affairs anymore."

This man was thoroughly weary too.

Zhao Han smiled. "Fine, but it won't be training troops — it'll be building the military-administrative framework. How many full-time soldiers, how many farmer-soldiers, how to recruit, how to train, how to issue pay, how to transport provisions, how to manufacture and procure arms and equipment… all of this, I'm handing to you, Mr. Li. I'll transfer Tian Younian over to be your deputy."

Zhao Han's army had never been systematized — or rather, the military system was incomplete. Li Banghua was absolutely capable of filling this post.

As for Li Banghua himself, he was avoiding suspicion, voluntarily stepping away from the civil administration and moving over to military affairs, lest he be seen as the factional leader of the Jishui clique.

After seeing Li Banghua off, Fei Chun came running over in high spirits. "The grain merchants have finally released their grain. We have those runaway gentry to thank for it."

"Well done!" Zhao Han said approvingly.

Those damned grain merchants had colluded with the gentry to hoard and corner the market, hoping to drive up grain prices in the spring and make a profit.

As a result, the grain bureau under Fei Chun's management kept releasing grain to stabilize prices, putting out half of its reserves. Just then, over a dozen gentry households suddenly fled, leaving behind a great deal of grain that was confiscated. Then the Zou clan's property was seized, and Qingyuan Temple was confiscated too — more grain came in from those as well.

With the government granaries amply stocked, the grain merchants had no choice but to concede defeat and sell their rice at fair prices obediently.

Fei Chun suddenly said, "Oh, by the way, I saw Fei Yu outside."

Fei Yu was Fei Yuanjian's study boy. The several dozen taels in manuscript fees for *The Legend of the Condor Heroes* — it was Fei Yu who had brought the book merchant.

Zhao Han said, "He's been tempered for a year. He's been transferred here to serve as Chief Clerk for civil affairs."

"That's wonderful," Fei Chun said with a smile. "Back when we were selling the periodical, Fei Yu and I were the ones who ran the hardest. He really is a capable worker."

Faction-forming was inevitable — even Zhao Han could not avoid it.

Fei Yuanjian was now the Registrar of Luling County, and Liu Ziren was the Registrar of Jishui County, each managing the affairs of his entire county yamen.

Fei Chun asked, "That case… when will it be tried?"

"In half a month. I'll preside over it myself. You may come and observe if you wish," Zhao Han said.

……

The eighth year of Chongzhen, fourth month.

The Great Ming's military payroll budget was 7.86 million piculs. The provinces delivered 6.8 million piculs to the ministry, leaving a shortfall of 1 million piculs in military funds.

Governor-General of the Five Provinces Hong Chengchou ordered Sichuan Regional Commander Deng Qi to defend Fancheng. His subordinate officers mutinied over pay and killed two of Deng Qi's household retainers. The dignified Regional Commander of Sichuan fled over the wall in terror. Fires broke out throughout the city. Deng Qi ducked into a fire alley and could not get out. He was burned alive.

Governor-General of Liangguang Shen Youlong and Fujian Governor Zou Weilian each marched their troops north.

Neither of them came directly to Jiangxi. Instead, they first swept the bandits along the borders of Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi. The rebels and bandits had been running rampant there for several years.

The rebels of western Fujian in particular had been plundering across multiple counties, vanishing into the mountains the moment government troops appeared.

Faced with a joint encirclement by Guangdong and Fujian, the rebels along the three-province border united and acclaimed He Zhiyuan of Ruijin as their leader. Over thirty thousand peasant soldiers began waging Mobile Corps Commander warfare in the great mountains against the Governor-General of Liangguang and the Governor of Fujian.

They want to march north and suppress Zhao Han?

They'll have to deal with the rebels on the three-province border first!

Before the trial date arrived, Xiao Huan came rushing in to report: "Garrison Commander, Pingxiang County, Yichun County, Fenyi County, and Yongxin County have all risen in revolt!"

"When did this happen?" Zhao Han asked.

Xiao Huan answered, "The moment the Garrison Commander led his troops out of Yuanzhou Prefecture, the tenant farmers of Yichun County rose up right behind you. Fenyi County and Pingxiang County followed suit. Then it spread south to Yongxin County, and from there all the way to Taihe County. Six counties along the borders of our territory have risen in revolt."

"Let them take their time killing the landlords. I'll go clean up after they're done." Zhao Han was growing increasingly cold-blooded and darkly calculating.

Uprisings in the various counties of central Jiangxi were hardly surprising.

Zhao Han's influence had merely brought this insurrection forward and made it larger in scale.

Historically, after Xie Xuelong left Jiangxi, the common people of Anfu, Yongxin, Luling, Pingxiang, and other counties rose up one after another, clutching improvised weapons. The main sources of the rebel army were tenant farmers, hired laborers, and household slaves.

The cause of the uprising was that the common people could not survive. The court had suddenly imposed a new training surtax, and it happened to coincide with a year of great disaster.

In a certain sense, the great landlords who voluntarily surrendered their land had their wretched lives saved by Zhao Han.

Without Zhao Han, these landlords would not only have lost their family estates — they would have been slaughtered by the insurgent commoners until rivers of blood flowed.

Forcibly taking the landlords' fields — was that unreasonable bandit behavior?

Heh. Zhao Han was being extremely reasonable. Peasant soldiers who had lost all reason — now *they* truly did not care for reason. They spoke only with sickles and hoes!

That fourth month, the gentry within Zhao Han's territory were trembling in terror at the news coming from the surrounding areas.

By extension, Zhao Han himself suddenly seemed benevolent. After all, this lord only wanted their land — he didn't want their money, their grain, or their lives.

(Just noticed there's a new Alliance Master. Thank you to 'Second Look at the World' for the reward, and thank you to all readers for your rewards and subscriptions!)

(End of Chapter)