In front of the Mu family ancestral hall, on a temporary platform, red scarf soldiers escorted the Mu family up. The leader was the gray-haired Mu Ren.
This old man, who was still very stubborn in the hall, was crying bitterly at this moment. His old body was softer than noodles. This scene was not unfamiliar to Zhu Yuanzhang, because he had killed a salt merchant in Haozhou City.
At that time, he chopped off the opponent's head with a knife, and Guo Zixing came to condemn him.
Now it was he who was completely in charge, and this gray head was only controlled by his thoughts.
Is this what life and death feel like?
Zhu Yuanzhang was immersed in it and did not rush to give orders.
Mu Ren misunderstood and thought he had a chance of survival, so he shouted to the crowd in the audience, "Everyone's surname is Mu, we are all a family! What does this old man usually do to you? Have you forgotten?"
This is the ancestral hall and temple of the Mu family, won’t you intercede for me?”
He pulled his neck and shouted, trying to save his life for the last time.
The few people who just said he was a good person have disappeared. As for the others, they are not sure of the situation and how can they have the courage to stand up and speak out.
At this moment, Zhang Ximeng spoke.
"Wealthy families can't all be wealthy! Mu Ren asks you, you guys might as well think about it, besides having the surname Mu, what are the other special benefits? A person is afraid of mistaking the wrong god and recognizing the wrong ancestor!
The white-eyed wolf takes him as a benefactor!"
Zhang Ximeng said these words, but he got to the point of pain... In these villages, people with the surname Mu accounted for 30 to 40 percent of the people in these villages.
But that's all.
What you really enjoy is not the few houses that control the land!
Not only did the others not benefit from it, they were bullied and exploited, no less than others!
At this time, a short and funny man emerged from the crowd. He usually sang some operas. He cursed angrily: "Your Excellency, you are right! This old man is already sixty and has married a pair of sixteen-year-old concubines.
! When they didn’t agree, he forced his father to death and made his mother jump into the river! The old man is like a toad pretending to be a little frog, he’s ugly but he still plays tricks!”
This one sentence made everyone laugh.
And everyone who woke up yelled together.
"Kill! Kill him!"
A flood of shouts gathered in Zhu Yuanzhang's ears.
Lao Zhu was stunned for a moment. Does he have the power of life and death?
no!
He is just following people's hearts!
"cut!"
After giving the order, Wu Zhen came up with the ghost-headed knife. The guy raised the knife and brought it down, but he didn't chop it on the old man's neck. Instead, he moved it down half a foot and struck it right on the back.
Blood spurted out, and Mu Ren let out a shrill scream, but he did not die.
With a sneer on his lips, Wu Zhen slashed his spine with another knife.
The old man couldn't cry out, couldn't struggle, and only had a pair of eyes left, still moving, unwilling to die.
The third knife fell, and then Mu Ren's head was accurately chopped off.
"Come here, hang it on the flagpole!"
Someone took Mu Ren's head and hung it up.
Three knives cut off a head, and the people present rejoiced.
"My lord, your skills are great! You can cut it happily! Just do it like this!"
Then came Mu Xin, who was so frightened that he lost control of his bowels and urine. The smell was so bad that the soldiers couldn't stand it.
But the common people are very happy. Is this the aloof Mu family?
Pooh!
Everyone accused him of the crime, but in the end it was Wu Zhen who took action and cut off his head.
In this way, people were dragged up and beheaded one after another... One head after another, Zhu Yuanzhang did not hesitate at all. The blood soaked through the platform, dripping and dripping, and flowed to the ground, a dark red color.
Lao Zhu turned a blind eye.
Just a few years ago, his family was ruined and his family was in dire straits.
At that time, he longed for Mr. Qingtian to stand up and avenge his family.
It's a pity that there was no one there at that time.
Since no one is willing to do it, let me do it!
Lao Zhu's jealous side was fully revealed.
Not only the Mu family, but also their evil slaves, as long as they commit serious crimes, Lao Zhu will not be polite to anyone.
And every beheading would be met with applause from the mountains and tsunamis.
At the end of the whole day, thirty-eight heads were hung on the flagpole.
Wu Zhen was chopped so hard that his arms were swollen, as if they were not his own, but he was still happy in his heart. Is this a way to do justice for heaven?
It feels so good!
The people also felt satisfied that their grievances for many years had finally been brought to light and they could now explain to their deceased relatives.
Just when everyone was about to leave, Zhang Ximeng found several wooden boxes and placed them in front of everyone.
There were bright torches all around. Zhang Ximeng opened the box. Inside were all things like land deeds, IOUs, deeds of sale, and house deeds.
In other words, this is the tool used by the Mu family to exploit people and suck out their marrow!
"My Lord, please forgive me for these things!"
Zhu Yuanzhang strode over, grabbed a few land deeds, and looked at them horizontally and vertically. Suddenly, he grabbed a torch and threw it accurately on the wooden box.
In an instant, flames soared into the sky, and after a brief hesitation, the people fell into madness.
Almost everyone cried.
The shackles on their bodies disappeared.
"Everyone, please go back and rest first. We will forgive your debts. As for the acres, they will be redistributed starting tomorrow!" Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly in a low voice.
In the ears of the people, these words were as loud as thunder.
Zhu Yuanzhang has used dozens of heads to prove his supreme authority.
Our Lao Zhu means what he says.
Yes, even the Mu family was killed, who can stop Lao Zhu?
Many people did not go home, but went directly to his farmland, lying in the fields, chatting excitedly while waiting for the fields to be divided.
I don’t know how many generations have passed, but I finally have a piece of land of my own!
These farm men, who could barely smile, grinned with big mouths and were countless times more joyful than marrying a wife during the Chinese New Year.
Turn around and it will be the day of dividing the fields.
Zhang Ximeng prepared a detailed plan in advance. He stood in front of everyone and read it aloud.
"All adults over the age of sixteen, regardless of gender, are each allocated three acres of ration fields and five acres of mulberry and hemp fields, without paying any land tax. In addition to the ration fields, there is also transferable land, and each person can be allocated five acres.
The transferable land is based on family units and adopts a progressive tax system. The more surplus grain, the higher the land tax. As for the specific payment amount, it needs to be evaluated based on the yield per mu and announced before harvesting. The highest tax rate is 25%. Please rest assured that we will definitely let everyone
Enough to live on! Live and work in peace and contentment!”
After Zhang Ximeng's announcement, the crowd burst into cheers that were ten times stronger than yesterday.
There is no need to pay land taxes in the ration fields and mulberry fields. Food and clothing are provided. It may not be enough, but you can definitely survive.
Those who have handed over enough red scarves in the circulation field will keep the rest.
The more fields and grain there are, the more land taxes will be paid.
Fair and reasonable, everyone is convinced!
But some people are not convinced. Why can women share the same land as men? What’s the point?
Faced with some people's doubts, Zhang Ximeng only asked one sentence and dismissed them.
"Look around, how many bachelors are there?"
"You think girls are useless. They belong to other people sooner or later, and they are a waste of food. Some people even secretly strangle baby girls to death. You may have killed other people's wives, but others can also strangle yours! How come there are so many bachelors?
? Isn’t it clear yet?”
The person who was shouting just now couldn't help but lower his head.
"Allocating land to girls means that they can grow up safely so that they can get married and provide husbands and children. A future decree can be announced here. Anyone who dares to drown a female infant will have their land taken back immediately, and their biological parents will be demoted.
As a slave. Don’t blame the strict laws, tigers can’t eat their seeds, and you can’t live without a bottom line!”
When it comes to this, who dares to question it?
The people responded enthusiastically.
Zhang Ximeng also knew that just relying on his words could not fundamentally solve the problem, it could only be a beginning.
After the general strategy was clearly explained, Zhang Ximeng turned around and faced Zhu Yuanzhang again.
"My lord, the old land deed has been burned, and now a new land deed needs to be made. Who do you think will be the sealer of this land deed?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned and didn't understand why. Zhang Ximeng smiled and said: "If my lord finds it troublesome, I can do it for you. If my lord spares no effort, please ask me to give each household a seal to confirm the amount of their land."
While saying that, Zhang Ximeng also took off a red gold seal from his lower back, which was about an inch square.
There is nothing else engraved on it, just three simple words: Zhu Yuanzhang!
"When my lord went south, I asked them to prepare it."
Lao Zhu stared at the golden seal with his eyes wide open!
I actually feel like my mouth is dry!
Don't underestimate this thing, this golden seal represents power!
How could Zhang Ximeng be allowed to exercise authority over something so important?
Of course we will come in person!
Zhu Yuanzhang grabbed the golden seal in his hand.
"Let's go, let's divide the fields for everyone!"
Zhang Ximeng smiled and said nothing. He had definitely figured out Zhu Yuanzhang's pulse. Who made him willing to do it himself? It was natural for Zhu Yuanzhang to do such a hard thing himself.
After only one day's work, Lao Zhu's hands were like chicken claws, which was more tiring than fighting for a whole day!
But Lao Zhu is such a donkey-tempered person.
No matter how tired he is, he will hold on... There are thousands of people and less than a thousand households. If these people are allowed to do it, who will listen to us!
Zhu Yuanzhang worked tirelessly. Every time he completed the issuance of a land deed, he gained the loyalty of his family. His increasing strength made up for all the fatigue.
I can only say that ordinary people don’t understand Lao Zhu’s happiness!
With the implementation of the land allocation, Lao Zhu has completely taken root in the fertile land on both sides of the Haoshui River, and has a base that cannot be defeated or taken away!
At this moment, hundreds of people ran out from the direction of Hengjian Mountain, and they went directly to Lupai Village to surrender.
"We don't want to mess with Lao Zhang anymore... As long as General Zhu can give us a piece of land so that we can live and work in peace and contentment, our brothers are willing to be our guides and carry the Hengjian Mountain to kill all the Yuan Tatars!"
The leader of the surrendered soldiers knelt on the ground and begged loudly.