Chapter 1019: Aftermath (Three)

Jiao Tong stood to one side, mouth slightly open, watching Pan Yun descend slowly from midair, a black cat slung over her shoulder and a long sword strapped to her back.

The Sanbao Ding crashed onto the stage, but she leapt down before it even landed.

Xue Shao addressed the stunned soldiers and civilians: "This is the State Preceptor. The disaster caused by Cao Rong was entirely resolved thanks to the State Preceptor's aid; otherwise, the embezzled funds would have been transferred, inflicting catastrophic losses on the state and the people."

"Now, all embezzled funds have been seized. All military households who lost their land due to Cao Rong's oppression may reclaim their military farmland!"

At these words, a roar erupted like mountains and seas: "State Preceptor! State Preceptor—!"

The most excited among them rushed to the front and fell prostrate with a thud, banging their heads against the ground repeatedly.

The Spirit Realm buzzed frantically—beep, beep, beep—and the slow-moving blue Merit Value progress bar began visibly advancing.

Amid the roaring cheers, Pan Yun's heart surged with emotion.

This is true gratitude—~~

The people are so good—how could she bear not repaying them in some way?

To make the people of the realm prosper, the nation must grow wealthy and strong.

Only a wise monarch can make the nation wealthy and strong.

Pan Yun's gaze turned sharp. She stepped forward two paces, raised her hand to halt the tidal wave of praise, and declared loudly: "The Emperor is fully aware of all that has transpired here. He is deeply pained. Since the founding by Emperor Taizu, military households have been the first line of defense for Great Ming—defending the state and guarding the land is the duty of soldiers, and all soldiers come from military households."

"Because military household children bear greater burdens, Emperor Taizu granted them greater benefits!" Pan Yun said. "They farm land without paying taxes—instead, they pay military grain. The grain they deliver feeds themselves, their comrades, their brothers and sisters! Military household children have access to schools, homes, and medical care… These were the plans Emperor Taizu laid out for them. But at the time, the state's strength was limited, so full implementation was impossible."

"But now, the state's strength has grown. With our efforts, these promises can be fully realized," Pan Yun shouted. "The Emperor stands shoulder to shoulder with all military households to fulfill Emperor Taizu's vision as soon as possible!"

The military households were stirred to the core—even civilian household youths who had come merely to watch tugged at their fathers' sleeves and cried: "Father, I want to join the army! I want to become a military household!"

His father's excited face froze. He calmed down, then smacked his son's head: "Shut up. Being a military household isn't easy. It's just a pie in the sky—you can see it, touch it, but never eat it."

No sooner had he spoken than Pan Yun's voice rang out from the stage: "The Emperor has an edict."

Pan Yun pulled from her sleeve the imperial decree written by the Emperor before she left the palace—it was addressed to Xue Shao, but he had given it to her to read aloud on stage.

Pan Yun unrolled it, found the classical phrasing too convoluted, and spoke plainly: "The Emperor's decree: Next year, military grain taxes for troops stationed in Guangdong will be reduced by thirty percent. This year, each adult male in every household will receive five dou of grain; half-adults and female members will receive three dou, to serve as winter provisions."

The crowd fell silent. Then, military households knelt en masse, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" At this moment, the new Emperor's standing among Guangdong's soldiers and civilians reached its peak.

Pan Yun's lips curled slightly as she looked toward Xue Shao.

Xue Shao smiled broadly. When he saw her gaze, his smile spilled over into his eyes. He turned to look at Jiao Tong, standing nearby.

Jiao Tong stared at him in silence, his thoughts tangled.

After the propaganda, the real work began. Military households lined up according to their military farming units, presented their household registers, gave their names, and received new land deeds.

Xue Shao, along with the remaining officers of the Command Headquarters and the county's household office, returned nearly all the farmland previously seized from the military households.

For land that could not be recovered, equivalent plots nearby were allocated instead.

As long as they followed the land deeds, they could find their plots—and the military farming Zhang Guanshi would assist in measuring and confirming them.

After receiving their land deeds, they turned to the adjacent area to collect newly issued farming tools, winter grain as mandated by the Emperor, and some seeds.

In Guangzhou's winter, one can plant melons, beans, and various vegetables, for the garrison troops had been so brutally exploited they had no time to tend their own vegetable plots.

Now that the mountains of oppression—Cao Rong and others—had been toppled, everyone could finally plow and plant vegetables.

Growing vegetables, beans, and melons meant not only food for their own tables, but also goods to sell.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not forbid military household children from commerce or the imperial examinations; as long as one adult male per household enlisted, the rest could choose to farm their military land, study for the exams, or go into business.

In truth, military household children enjoyed relatively greater freedom.

Civilian households engaged in commerce were branded as merchants; artisans suffered more—they could not move freely and were forced into annual corvée labor.

Had Great Ming not been constantly at war, forcing military household children onto the battlefield, this would have been the most sought-after household status.

Yet now, those who had just received new land felt their hearts sweet as honey—they longed to pick up their spears and swords and charge into battle for the Emperor and Great Ming, and no longer felt it a burden to be a military household.

Jiao Tong watched it all, his thoughts even more tangled: "We struggled for years and achieved nothing. The State Preceptor appeared—and accomplished it all."

Song Hao stared in disbelief: "My lord, is that truly the State Preceptor?"

"Who in the realm would dare impersonate the State Preceptor? Who would dare forge an imperial decree—especially in front of you and me, and Xue Yushi?" Jiao Tong shot him a glance.

Song Hao stared at Pan Yun on the stage, murmuring: "Is she really the State Preceptor? The State Preceptor is so young…"

Jiao Tong fixed his gaze on Pan Yun. He had seen her once before—in Jingcheng—but it was only a fleeting glimpse.

At the time, in his eyes, she was merely Pan Hong's daughter, the censor involved in the Xue Xuan case.

He never imagined that those two little bitter melons from the capital, who once fought to clear their father's and uncle's names, had now become, one, the State Preceptor, and the other, a censor.

And those two who once stood shoulder to shoulder in battle now stood side by side once more.

Jiao Tong told Song Hao: "Stop thinking about Cao Rong's embezzled funds. Devote all your efforts to assisting Xue Shao in the aftermath."

Song Hao was startled: "My lord, Guangzhou Port still has a twenty-ten-thousand-ounce shortfall. The road from Guangzhou City to Guangzhou Port must be widened—estimated shortfall is thirteen thousand ounces alone, not to mention the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Office bought only bricks. These expenses…"

Jiao Tong cut him off: "Find another way. Most of this money lies with the State Preceptor. Xue Shao dared to record it clearly in the ledgers and entrust it to the Embroidered Uniform Guard—clearly, he does not intend to embezzle it with them, but to route it back to the imperial treasury without our interference. Do you think you can pull money from the Emperor's hands or the Ministry of Revenue's pockets?"

Song Hao couldn't help muttering: "Cao Rong was Regional Commander of Guangdong—he embezzled massively. These embezzled funds include the blood and sweat of Guangdong's common people. I have no objection to comforting the military households, but why must the remainder be entirely returned to the imperial treasury?"

Jiao Tong frowned.

Song Hao refused to give up, babbling in his ear: "Guangzhou Prefecture is desperate for funds. Beyond Guangzhou Port and the roads, education must also advance. My lord, the imperial court is promoting universal elementary education, opening community schools. Our Lingnan education has always lagged behind Jiangnan and the Central Plains—if we fall further behind in community schools, future imperial examinations may never list a single Guangdong candidate."