Chapter 40: Sharing Production Tools

When the Cao Family brought out one thousand Yinzhou Plows, it truly caused a sensation throughout all of Yinzhou.

A tool that does the work of three laborers—who wouldn't want one?

The farmers were also very eager.

However, a very realistic problem arose.

These farmers were drooling at the market, but those who actually took out silver to buy one were few and far between.

"Why is this?"

Liu Zheng was stunned.

At this moment, Shen Xing walked over from the side and smiled helplessly: "Young Master, they are poor! Although this Yinzhou Plow is already very cheap, when all the costs are added together, it still takes two taels of silver!"

"That is two taels!"

"A household's annual expenses—how could they not hesitate to take that out to buy a tool?"

Hearing this, Liu Zheng could not help but feel an endless bitterness welling up in his heart.

Indeed.

A year's expenses...

Suddenly, Liu Zheng recalled a viewpoint he had seen in later generations. That was the ruling Method during the peak of the British Empire, as well as the peak of the Great Qing. It was to let the majority of the common people earn two taels of silver each year!

What did this mean?

It meant that these two taels of silver were just enough for a family to eat for a year.

Then, in order to survive, you had to keep laboring, without even the mental capacity to think about other things, to think about rebelling, to think about starting any movements, or to engage in ideological liberation.

In this way, two taels of silver were used to ensure the stability of an Empire.

Of course, the mortgages of later generations... also had a similar effect.

This is the wisdom of those in power, but at the same time, it is also the sorrow of the common people at the bottom.

Therefore, this led to the fact that every time a new clash of ideas or ideological liberation appeared, it mostly occurred among the elite. As for those peasant uprisings, unless it was a situation where even those two taels of silver could not be guaranteed—when they couldn't even eat their fill—if they didn't rebel against you, who would they rebel against?

So.

Looking at these commoners before him, their eyes burning with desire yet their pockets empty, Liu Zheng actually felt sorrow in his heart.

Among these farmers, those with savings were truly few and far between.

Furthermore, they would rather till the land by hand than risk spending money to buy such a tool.

What if it broke?

What if they had no money to eat?

What if they encountered a year of disaster?

Working a little harder and enduring a little more hardship to ensure the whole family was fed was their primary task!

"This..."

Liu Zheng felt a bit breathless.

At this time, several large horses galloped over from afar; they were people from the Wang Family. That Wang Zengming laughed loudly: "Master Cao, my Wang Family will take five hundred first!"

Cao Zhen looked depressed as he heard this and looked toward Liu Zheng.

This County Marquis's son had said that the Yinzhou Plows would be supplied to the commoners first, and only after five batches could they be sold to the Wang Family and those landlord families.

"What, others can buy them, but my Wang Family cannot?"

Seeing Cao Zhen's expression, Wang Zengming asked with a cold snort.

The commoners present shook their heads and sighed; a Powerful Clan was indeed a Powerful Clan, so wealthy and overbearing! They came and took five hundred at once, while these commoners couldn't even afford to buy one.

"Master Wang, this matter..."

Cao Zhen gave a bitter smile.

"These one thousand, the County Marquis Mansion will buy!"

Liu Zheng said coldly.

The whole crowd was in an uproar.

Cao Zhen stared blankly; wasn't it said they would supply the commoners first? The County Marquis Mansion was buying them now, what was going on?

Liu Zheng pulled on the reins and said loudly: "This batch of Yinzhou Plows being supplied to the commoners first is a promise from my County Marquis Mansion! All commoners present today, go to the County Marquis Mansion to register, and then collect a Yinzhou Plow!"

The whole scene became chaotic.

Cao Zhen's expression changed drastically: "Young Master Liu, this must not be done... that is two thousand taels of silver!"

That Wang Zengming's face also darkened, but he dared not defy Liu Zheng, so he could only say: "Young Master Liu, this precedent cannot be set! Human nature is inherently evil..."

Liu Zheng waved his hand.

In truth, how could he not understand this logic?

Free supply was impossible. Although he cared for the commoners, he could not give to them endlessly. Wang Zengming was right; human greed is infinite. The so-called "a handful of rice breeds gratitude, a bushel breeds enmity"—if he made it free today, he would foster a habit in these commoners and a strong dependence on the County Marquis Mansion.

When the day came that he stopped making it free, wouldn't they rebel?

Therefore.

Liu Zheng was actually pondering one thing in his mind.

How to balance the inequality of wealth in Yinzhou's farming sector.

These farm tools were only one aspect; there was also the infertility of the farmland, the Geography, some being flat, some on mountains, some near water, and some lacking water.

How to coordinate all of this?

Liu Zheng had to think of a Method!

"Young Master..."

Cao Zhen still wanted to say something.

Liu Zheng said: "Rest assured, the two thousand taels of silver will not be short; just send them to the County Marquis Mansion, and wait for my order to distribute them!"

After saying this, he rode away on his horse.

Cao Zhen had no Method, so he could only have people move all these Yinzhou Plows to the County Marquis Mansion.

The commoners were also extremely excited.

Although they did not know what kind of plan this Young Master Liu was going to come up with, being able to use these Yinzhou Plows for free was still a Great Good thing.

Returning to the County Marquis Mansion, Liu Dahao, who had grown another circle fatter, trotted up to greet him: "Zheng, what is this matter that is so lively?"

Liu Zheng rolled his eyes at him; he actually envied his old man right now.

Since arriving in Yinzhou, he had lived in luxury every day, without having to consider anything.

As for himself, he was out in the wind and rain every day, considering so many things day after day that his head felt like it was about to explode.

"Old man, I have an idea."

Liu Zheng called over Shen Xing and several Counselors, and they gathered into a group.

"What is the matter?"

Liu Dahao let out a wine burp and laughed heartily: "No matter what it is, Zheng shall make the decision!"

Shen Xing and the others rolled their eyes as well.

In reality, everyone knew who called the shots in this County Marquis Mansion.

Liu Zheng looked around the circle and said: "I have decided to establish Production Teams of various levels in Yinzhou!"

"Production Teams?"

The few of them were all bewildered.

What kind of term was this, and what kind of operation was it?

The Writing Counselor nearby hurriedly brought over a brush to record the spirit of this meeting.

Shen Xing asked: "Young Master, what exactly is this Production Team?"

Liu Zheng explained: "It is actually very simple. Within the borders of Yinzhou, there are three Powerful Clans, dozens of landlords, and hundreds of thousands of commoners; the gap between rich and poor is too uneven. This has also led to an unequal distribution of land and farming tools. I now want to divide the farmers into Production Teams according to villages, towns, and regions. Farmers within the jurisdiction of a Production Team can share the Production Team's labor tools, such as oxen, Yinzhou Plows..."

Unfair distribution of labor tools!

This was the biggest problem currently existing in Yinzhou's agricultural affairs!

Therefore, this was the only Method Liu Zheng could think of at the moment!

Production Teams!

By sharing labor tools, the strength of the collective would always be great. Each Production Team would be allocated a certain number of production tools, and these shared tools could solve the situation where farmers could not afford to buy them themselves!

Then, after using the tools, the farmers would pay some remuneration, or each Production Team would collect some management fees themselves every year; the specifics were matters for Shen Xing and his group of Counselors to plan.

For now, Liu Zheng only proposed a concept.

The few of them were stunned as they listened.

Shen Xing took a deep breath, his eyes shining brightly: "Young Master, this Method is a Great Good, a merit that will last for a thousand autumns!"

"It is feasible!"

"Production Teams, absolutely brilliant!"

"In this way, the labor force of the entire Yinzhou will be balanced!"

The few of them listened with growing respect and exclaimed one after another.

Liu Zheng chuckled: "For the wealthy households willing to provide production tools, there must be compensation! Since this is a policy of my County Marquis Mansion, the first batch of production tools will naturally be provided by our County Marquis Mansion!"

Shen Xing smiled bitterly: "But the funds, the accounts of the County Marquis Mansion..."

Speaking of this, Liu Zheng felt a headache.

That was, the County Marquis Mansion had no money again!

He gritted his teeth and said: "I will think of a Method! These five hundred Yinzhou Plows must be implemented first!"

"Yes!"

"Young Master, I will draft the official decree immediately!"

Once Liu Zheng gave the order, everyone became busy. After Liu Zheng's explanation, these people were all very excited. Although this type of production model had never appeared in history, they believed that for Yinzhou, which suffered from wealth inequality and backward productivity, this was definitely a stimulating policy!

At this time.

Outside the County Marquis Mansion, heads were moving.

"What exactly is the plan?"

"Where is Young Master Liu?"

People were looking forward to it; those Yinzhou Plows were very mouth-watering to look at.

"He's coming, he's coming!"

Suddenly someone exclaimed. Shen Xing held a copy of the official decree and ran toward the city gate, while the farmers waiting for news behind him also ran after him one by one, shouting and yelling.

Such a grand scene was rarely seen in Yinzhou.

"County Marquis Mansion Order: All villages, towns, and streets are to establish Production Teams!"

"Production Teams shall each elect one team leader; the specific duties of the team leader are as follows..."

"Production Teams may share production tools; mutual help and assistance can earn Work Points... The Work Point calculation method is as follows..."

This official decree caused a huge uproar in Yinzhou. The commoners were extremely excited, because this meant that even without spending money to purchase them, they could use these advanced Yinzhou Plows, at most giving up a portion of the harvest each year...

In this way.

It could allow these people living on "two taels of silver" to minimize their risks.

The Powerful Clans, however, were dumbfounded.

This Production Team of the County Marquis Mansion was undoubtedly detrimental to the interests of the Powerful Clans.

After all, since ancient times, these Powerful Clans had controlled the production tools, which allowed them to accumulate vast wealth. Once Liu Zheng arrived, land, the most core production tool, had become something everyone possessed. They thought to themselves, you have fields, but you don't have Yinzhou Plows, right?

At this moment, Liu Zheng had come up with another Production Team.

With this, the advantages of the Powerful Clans were instantly wiped out.

However...

Now that Liu Zheng held three thousand elite soldiers in his hands, although the Powerful Clans were resentful, they could only endure it.

What's more, the Sales Right to Liu Zheng's fine wine made them afraid to show the slightest defiance.

Regarding agriculture...

This had already been tightly controlled by Liu Zheng.

They could only think of some Method in commerce, and could only hope that this young master of the Liu Family would conjure up some more valuable things.

Unknowingly, after these few rounds, the three great Powerful Clans were held in the palm of Liu Zheng's hand.

In a flash, three days had passed.

According to Shen Xing's statistics, a craze for establishing Production Teams had broken out in Yinzhou. In three days, roughly calculated, fifty Production Teams had already been established across all of Yinzhou. Based on Yinzhou's population of three hundred thousand, fifty teams meant six thousand people per Production Team; at six people per household, that was one thousand households per Production Team.

This basically aligned with Liu Zheng's estimates.

One thousand households...

Liu Zheng began to feel melancholy again.

How much more money would this County Marquis Mansion have to shell out?

Fortunately, on this day, Zheng Yueru came to his door in high spirits.