Chapter 149: Even the Landlord's Household Has No Surplus Grain!

That night, at the residence of the village head Zhang Bo in the eastern part of the county seat, Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu conferred in low voices for a long time before finally giving an answer to Heifu, who sat across from them.

"The Eastern Zhang can contribute three hundred dan."

"The Western Zhang can contribute two hundred dan."

"The remaining fifteen hundred dan will have to come from the thousand households of the township and county, one and a half dan per household — that is not too much..."

Zhang Bo cupped his hands toward Heifu and said, "Constable, this is the result of our discussion."

Heifu sighed inwardly and glanced at Chen Ping, who sat upright and solemn at the far end of the hall.

Just as expected, it was exactly as Chen Ping had predicted: the Zhang clan, which owned half of all the cultivated land in the township, was willing to contribute only a quarter of the grain levy.

Fifty years ago, during the reign of King Zhao of Qin, Fan Ju once proposed a "Decree to Attract Migrants." The basic idea was that Qin had vast lands but a sparse population, unable to fully develop its fields and resources, so it needed to attract immigrants from east of the Xiao Mountains.

Han and Wei, located in the Central Plains, had city walls within sight of one another and dense populations — the exact opposite of Qin's population and land situation: they had many people but little land. The "Decree to Attract Migrants" used the analogy that in states like Han and Wei, the land was narrow and the people numerous, their dwellings clustered and crowded together. Because there was not enough farmland, large numbers of people flooded into the mountains and marshes to clear wasteland. Even so, each family could only get twenty or thirty mu, like Chen Ping's family, barely enough to scrape by. And there were still large numbers of people with no land at all, who could only become tenant farmers, or go into trade, wander about, or become slaves and bondservants.

This is a case of the land being insufficient to sustain its people, much as Qin's people are insufficient to fill its land!

Therefore, in Han and Wei, the problem of land annexation had already emerged; local rural magnates often held the greater part of the local land, and large numbers of landless people were reduced to hired laborers and tenant farmers.

"The rich have fields stretching across the footpaths, the poor have no ground to plant an awl" — this was not the situation in Qin proper, but the current state of Han, Wei, and Qi.

Under these circumstances, when Heifu was ordered to levy grain, the bulk of it should naturally come from rural magnates like the Zhang clan. Yet now, they were unwilling to bear too large a share.

Zhang Bo even put on a pained expression with his fat face and said to him, "The rural magnates' households have no surplus grain either. We already emptied our granaries to supply rations for the Constable and the various soldiers earlier."

Heifu did not believe a word of this. He would not have paid them a visit if he had not already investigated thoroughly.

"Is that so? Then how is it that I have heard the Eastern Zhang hold thirty qing of land in Huyou Township, with an annual harvest of six thousand dan, and the Western Zhang hold twenty qing, with an annual harvest of four thousand dan?" Heifu said with a smile.

"Moreover, Zhang Zihu, who serves as a clerk in Xianyang, frequently exchanges letters with the family. I have heard that several years ago he predicted there would inevitably be war between Qin and Wei, and the two Zhang families began buying up and stockpiling grain everywhere three years ago. By now, your two granaries must hold at least four or five thousand dan of grain..."

The amount Heifu estimated was very close to the Zhang clan's actual grain reserves. Zhang Bo's face stiffened at once. Then he dropped his smile and said in a hard, blunt tone:

"So what? This grain was saved up grain by grain by us two brothers through frugal living and scrimping, precisely because we feared the chaos of war and the rise of blades, and dreaded that our family might starve. The Zhang clan has a large estate and many mouths to feed. We have hundreds of servants and bondservants alone, consuming five hundred dan a month. Surely the Constable does not intend to make the Zhang clan supply all two thousand dan of the levy?"

That is exactly what I intend, Heifu thought to himself. The wheat ripens in the fifth month, and the autumn harvest is in the seventh. Even if they contributed two thousand dan, the Zhang clan's remaining grain would be more than enough to eat their fill until then.

But aloud he said with a smile, "Of course not. It is just that your two families are the foremost worthies of the township. Would it not be better to contribute a little more, enough to make a round thousand? That would not only lighten the common people's burden, but also bring additional benefits..."

"What!" Parting with grain was more painful to Zhang Bo than cutting off his own flesh. He immediately slammed the table and roared.

Zhang Fu, shrewder than his clansman, stopped his impulsive cousin and asked, "May I ask the Constable, what benefits?"

"Ranks of nobility." Heifu smiled and pointed to the board crown on his own head. "I am already a Bugeng. The warrior outside the gate, Dongmen Bao, is already a Zanniao. This man seated below me, Zhongming, is already a Shangzao. May I ask you two gentlemen, what ranks do you hold?"

Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu looked somewhat embarrassed. Although they were local township clerks, they had only been granted the rank of "Gongshi" after their surrender.

"Just as I thought." Heifu sighed, putting on an expression of concern for the two. "Qin is not like Wei; everything must accord with noble rank. As Lord Shang said, one must ensure that wealth matches rank. You two gentlemen enjoy the wealth and honor of a Grand Master, yet hold only the rank of Gongshi. This is a case of name and reality not matching."

Zhang Fu replied, "But Qin ranks are hard to obtain. They cannot be gained except by taking heads on the battlefield. Most people in the township, rich or poor, are commoners without rank... Does the Constable perhaps know of other avenues?"

Heifu clapped his hands. "Indeed. Qin has a system of conferring ranks for grain contributions, implemented in famine years and wartime. This policy might well benefit the Zhang clan!"

"Conferring ranks for grain contributions?" The two Zhangs looked at each other.

Heifu knew they would not easily believe it, so he nodded toward Zhongming at his side, signaling him to explain the situation to the two Zhangs.

"This humble clerk is a man of Henei Commandery."

Zhongming cupped his hands toward the two Zhangs. "Over thirty years ago, before I was born, Qin and Zhao fought a great battle at Changping in Shangdang, and the Zhao army was besieged by the Qin army. At that time, when the King of Qin heard that Zhao's supply routes were cut off, he went in person to Henei, granted the common people one rank of nobility each, and dispatched all those aged fifteen and above to hurry to Changping to block Zhao's relief troops and supplies. In addition, he ordered that any rural magnate household in Hedong and Henei that could contribute a thousand dan of grain for army provisions be granted one rank of nobility... In Wen County, where this humble clerk is from, three households offered a thousand dan of grain and were raised from commoner to Gongshi."

"Such a thing happened?" Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu, being men of Wei, knew very little about Qin institutions.

"It is a true event, and not an isolated case."

Heifu took over. "Twenty years ago, in the third year of our present king, locusts came from the east and blotted out the sky; there was a great famine in Guanzhong. Moreover, Nan Commandery and Nanyang were also struck by plague, and every commandery lacked grain. The King therefore issued an order: any commoner who contributed a thousand dan of grain would be granted one rank of nobility. A merchant family in this very county offered a thousand dan of grain at that time and was thus able to gain a rank, rising from Gongshi to Shangzao..."

Heifu was speaking of none other than the Yuan Bai family, whom he had dealt with while performing corvée labor in Anlu County and who had given him quite a bit of money for free.

"In the campaigns against Zhao and Yan a few years ago, households in the commanderies and counties near the front lines were all allowed to contribute grain for ranks. This is established precedent. If I am not mistaken, General Wang has already petitioned the King and will also implement the decree of conferring ranks for grain contributions in the Wei territories that have submitted to Qin — it simply has not been issued in time yet."

This might seem like the "selling of offices and ranks" criticized by later generations, but in fact it was not, because when Shang Yang established the rank system, it was precisely to encourage farming and warfare. "Farming" meant producing more grain. In Qin proper, farmers who worked diligently and brought in a good harvest were sometimes rewarded with one rank of nobility. And in commanderies and counties Qin had only recently occupied, conferring ranks for grain contributions — since very few locals held any rank — at most granted a Gongshi or a Shangzao, yet could yield a thousand dan of grain, enough to feed a thousand soldiers for over half a month. It was a bargain.

Moreover, ranks obtained through grain contributions could not exceed Grand Master, and thus would not harm the foundation of the military rank system.

After explaining the system of conferring ranks for grain contributions, Heifu added, "That is why I said, since the two Zhangs must contribute grain anyway, why not contribute a bit more to make a round thousand dan, and declare it as the contribution of a single household? When the ranks are issued retroactively, whichever family gets it first — you two gentlemen can discuss that among yourselves..."

"If that is the case, it might be worth considering."

Zhang Cang, far away in Xianyang, had written home and not failed to recount at length how extremely Qin valued noble ranks. Now, hearing that offering a thousand dan of grain had a great chance of earning a rank, the thoughts of the Zhang brothers began to stir.

After conferring in low voices for a while, the two made their decision. Since they had to contribute grain anyway, contributing six hundred dan brought no benefit, while contributing a thousand dan offered a chance at a rank — they might as well contribute a bit more. In any case, because they had prepared early, their household had stockpiled several thousand dan and simply did not lack grain.

"Good!"

Once Heifu received their answer, he breathed a sigh of relief. But just as the Zhang brothers thought the matter was settled, he suddenly said, "Right now it is the lean season before the harvest. The common households in the township have little surplus grain. If each household contributes one dan, they will barely be able to fill their stomachs, and some families will not even last until the summer wheat harvest. Since you two gentlemen are already contributing a thousand dan, why not also advance the thousand dan of grain that is to be apportioned among the farming households of the township?"

"What!"

At these words, the two Zhangs looked shocked and horrified. Zhang Bo even shot to his feet and slammed the table, pointing at Heifu. "Heifu, do not push it too far! Do you think our Zhang clan is weak and easy to bully?"

Heifu, however, looked toward Chen Ping. The strategy of the character "Rank" that he had written on his palm was already spent; what came next would depend on Chen Ping...

Chen Ping immediately rose and bowed deeply and respectfully toward the furious Zhang Bo and the silent Zhang Fu. "Gentlemen, please do not be hasty. The Constable's meaning is not that the Zhang clan should give grain away for nothing, but rather that, in this lean season when the common people have no grain at home to pay, you first lend the surplus grain from your household to the thousand common households of the county, one dan per household. Draw up a contract with them, and it will not be too late to collect repayment when the summer and autumn harvests are abundant..."

"Lend grain to the villagers?" Zhang Bo and Zhang Fu were both taken aback. As the major household in the township, they had done plenty of lending of grain, money, and silk, but lending one dan to every single household in the township at once was something that had never happened before.

This was the true meaning of the character "Lend" that Chen Ping had written on his palm, and it was a common practice in past years — the two Zhangs would not be unfamiliar with it. But convincing them to advance the grain would still require some persuasion.

So Chen Ping said, "When I was traveling and studying in a neighboring county, I once heard a story like this. In Qi, there was a man named Dongguo Chang. His household had ten thousand in gold, and his ambitions were lofty. His disciple's family was poor and begged for relief, but Dongguo Chang refused to give any, even declaring, 'I intend to amass ten thousand in gold, and then use the wealth to seek office in Linzi.' Afterwards, the people of Qi all said that Dongguo Chang begrudged what he had not yet obtained, yet was unwilling to relieve his disciple who was about to starve — this was inhumanity. In the end, Dongguo Chang did amass ten thousand in gold and obtained an official post in Linzi, but when he returned to his hometown to serve as an official, the villagers showed him no respect..."

After telling this story, Chen Ping continued, "Now you two gentlemen are willing to contribute a thousand dan of grain to obtain a Qin noble rank, yet are unwilling to lend an equal amount of grain to help your fellow townsmen through this hardship. If word of this gets out, you will surely be condemned by the villagers. How would that be any different from Dongguo Chang of Qi? You must not pursue rank alone and lose the esteem of the local community..."

After this speech, Zhang Bo was still mulling it over, but Zhang Fu was already lost in thought.

Heifu also inwardly admired Chen Ping's eloquence. These scholars of the Central Plains always liked to begin with a parable when persuading others.

Seeing that the two Zhangs had already begun to consider the matter, Chen Ping pressed on with his persuasion. "What is more, have you gentlemen not heard the story of Lord Mengchang and the three burrows of the cunning rabbit?"

"In former times, the King of Qi dismissed Lord Mengchang from his post as Chancellor, and Lord Mengchang had no choice but to retire to Xue. The people of Xue had once received the kindness of Feng Nuan burning the debt contracts. Hearing that Lord Mengchang was coming, they supported the elderly and led the young by the hand, walking out for dozens of li to line the roads and welcome him. This was the humanity and righteousness that Feng Nuan had purchased for Lord Mengchang. From that time on, in addition to the court at Linzi, Lord Mengchang had one more burrow in which to shelter."

Zhang Bo, unlearned and untutored, listened in a daze, but Zhang Fu knew this story. His eyes lit up as he looked at Chen Ping. "You mean..."

"Indeed. Of the Zhang clan's burrows, the first is Zhang Zihu in Xianyang; the second is Qin official posts and noble ranks; and the third is precisely the local community's esteem — the gratitude of the local common people..."

When he said "gratitude," Chen Ping looked toward Heifu. He too was very grateful — grateful that Heifu had once again given him a stage on which to display his abilities. This was already the second time.

He steadied his mind, faced the crowd in the hall, and spoke with confidence: "Therefore, when the Zhang clan lends grain today, what we lend is not grain, but benevolence and righteousness!"

Chen Ping spread his hands and said with a smile: "When the autumn harvest comes, not only will we recover the thousand dan of millet, but we will also gain the tearful gratitude of the local community. This is a plan that kills two birds with one stone — why would you two gentlemen not gladly undertake it?"

(End of chapter)