Chapter 1175

First Volume, Chapter 1175: The Advanced Experience of Beixi County

Jing Ci and the others still viewed Beixi County as an extraordinarily wealthy county city.

Even the most prosperous county city is still just a county city.

But…

Beixi County had utterly shattered their understanding: though officially named a "county," it was in fact the scale of a Zhou Fu.

After multiple expansions, the city's size surpassed even the "First City of Heaven," Yucheng of the Di, in grandeur.

As they stepped further inside, Jing Ci's shock deepened.

Beixi County's three-layer Outer Wall was originally purely for military use, but due to the county's enormous population…

Even the Outer Wall had been transformed into a Semi-Military Semi-Livelihood zone, with only the City Wall area retaining its military function, while the interior space was almost entirely filled with houses.

The First Outer Wall, the largest in area, was planted with vast fields and dotted with Village Settlements.

Though early spring left the fields barren and cold, strangely, common people were frequently seen passing through the fields.

These common people either rode donkeys or drove horse-drawn carts, with very few walking.

Jing Ci was speechless with astonishment: "Could it be… that the common people of Beixi County have become so wealthy that even ordinary farming households can afford livestock?"

She quickly turned and ran to the escort team, finding Lin Quqi, the Beixi County Magistrate, who had come to meet them.

"Lin County Magistrate, where did these common people get their livestock? Are they raising them on behalf of wealthy families?"

Hearing Jing Ci's question, Lin Quqi smiled and began to explain.

"These livestock were all purchased by the common people themselves."

What?!

Jing Ci could not believe her ears: even in the Di, where horses were bred, ordinary common people could never afford them.

The Di relied on vast pastures, so the cost of raising horses was low—but even then, each War Horse cost twenty taels of silver.

An ordinary Di household could save only one tael of silver per year.

In other words, to buy one War Horse, one would need to save without spending for twenty years.

"Lin County Magistrate, how much silver can an ordinary household save in a year?"

Lin Quqi did not hesitate: "About eight or nine taels of silver."

This time, not only Jing Ci, but even the Di merchants and officials accompanying her were stunned.

Their gazes at Lin Quqi were filled with disbelief.

"An ordinary farming household saves eight or nine taels of silver a year? Are the grains of Beixi County made of gold particles?"

"Heavens, in our Di, even wealthy households cannot save eight or nine taels of silver in a year."

"Lin County Magistrate must be joking."

Facing their skepticism, Lin Quqi smiled faintly, clearly proud, and explained further.

"All of this is thanks to the governance of the Qin Prince."

"You have all seen: Beixi County has three layers of Outer Wall, and the outermost layer serves the greatest military function."

"In wartime, the First Outer Wall will store large quantities of troops and Materials and Supplies, serving as the first DefensiveLine for Military Defense."

"This First Outer Wall, also called the Outer City, covers twenty thousand mu of land, yet fewer than five hundred people live there."

"These twenty thousand mu of land are cultivated by these five hundred people."

Hearing this, Jing Ci frowned slightly.

"Lin County Magistrate, are you saying these five hundred farmers are… landlords?"

Landlord? Hearing this word, Lin Quqi chuckled.

This was Beixi County—Qin Feng had long since wiped out all landlords and gentry here.

Even a real landlord, upon hearing the name Beixi County, would flee as far as possible.

"Princess Jing Ci, the Qin Prince despises landlords above all."

"In Beixi County, there are only Farm Owners, no landlords."

"All land within Beixi County belongs to the County Yamen; anyone wishing to use land may only lease it, never own it outright."

"These five hundred Farm Owners pay only five taels of silver in Land Rent to the court each year."

"How much grain they grow, how much profit they make—none of that concerns the County Yamen. Moreover, according to the Beixi County local laws compiled by the Qin Prince, the County Yamen must provide free assistance to any common person in need."

Jing Ci could not believe her ears.

Twenty thousand mu of land, yet only five hundred Farm Owners—meaning each received forty mu!

What shocked Jing Ci most was that these Farm Owners—no longer farmers—needed only pay five taels of silver in Land Rent annually, with no other fees whatsoever.

All profits from the forty mu belonged entirely to the Farm Owners.

Heavens!

That Qin Feng must have lost his mind—if the County Yamen controlled all twenty thousand mu, how much profit could it make in a year?!

As if sensing Jing Ci's confusion, Lin Quqi smiled lightly.

"At first, I too could not understand the Qin Prince's laws."

"It was practically charity."

"But after long-term verification, it proved that the Qin Prince's laws brought countless benefits with no drawbacks."

"These five hundred Farm Owners could not possibly cultivate twenty thousand mu alone, so they must hire local common people long-term."

"Wages in the county city are extremely high—even if each household hires ten workers, the annual Labor Cost alone reaches eighty to ninety taels of silver."

"Thus, these Farm Owners effectively support five thousand five hundred people in Beixi County."

"Moreover, self-cultivation helps meet part of the county city's grain needs; if wartime disrupts supply lines, the city's own farmland alone can sustain it for a time."

"Therefore, these Farm Owners do not actually earn much—only eight or nine taels of silver, perhaps up to ten or fifteen in good years, never exceeding twenty taels of silver."

Lin Quqi spoke as if it were trivial, but the Beixi intake delegation was left speechless.

What do you mean, it won't exceed twenty taels of silver anyway?

Common People, who manage to save five hundred cash to one tael of silver annually, are already considered to be living well.

Those who save more than two taels of silver are said to enjoy Food and Clothing Security.

Only scholars and literati, relying on their stipends plus their own farmland, can save three or four taels of silver annually.

A medium-sized merchant household can profit roughly ten or so taels of silver in a year.

A farmer living in the Outer City of Beixi County earns as much in a year as a small or medium merchant from Beixi—this… this is simply unbelievable.

No wonder nearly every farmer in the Outer City keeps livestock.

In a good year, they can sell one Warhorse!

At this moment, Lin Quqi's words stunned Jing Ci and the others once again.

"These livestock are mostly Warhorses and Draft Horses retired by the Army or Logistics."

"We sell each for ten taels of silver at a low price to the people who need them, effectively recovering part of our initial horse-training costs."