Chapter 221 Killing the chicken to scare the monkey
Tang Dingquan nodded vigorously and said.
"His Royal Highness Jianguo is so kind to ordinary people like us!"
"Not only do they give us porridge, but they also divide the fields for us!"
Zhu Hongyu was ashamed of his selfishness.
The words of the honest man in front of him made him feel embarrassed.
If he really thought about the people wholeheartedly, after he conquered Qiongzhou, it would be time to "attack the local tyrants and divide the land."
But he didn't do that!
Not only was he not prepared to attack the local tyrants to divide their land, he was also prepared to win over the landlords and gentry.
Of course, after Zhu Hongyu captured Qiongzhou, it was impossible not to liquidate it completely.
But the most he could do was to put on trial some of the landowners and gentry who were deeply tied to the Manchus or whose reputations were notorious.
Nationalize their land and then lease it to tenants at reduced rents and interest rates.
But for the vast majority of ordinary landowners and gentry, he must protect the interests!
Zhu Hongyu did not want to offend the landlords and gentry to death and force the landlords and gentry to the side of the Manchus.
Of course, what's more important is that Zhu Hongyu clearly realized that attacking the local tyrants and dividing the land would not work.
Even if we don't talk about the power of the landowners and gentry, he would not be able to pass the military level alone.
Once Zhu Hongyu chose to "attack the local tyrants and divide the land".
Soldiers in the army will think that we have to fight to the death on the battlefield to get the land.
Why can those mud-legged people get land even if they don’t do anything?
If this happens, the morale of the military will be turbulent!
Furthermore, once Zhu Hongyu engaged in "attacking the local tyrants and dividing the land" in Qiongzhou, he would definitely force the landlords and gentry who controlled a large number of people and wealth to the side of the Manchus.
Think about your future Northern Expedition.
There is a fierce battle with the Manchus on the front line, and the scene of the landlords and gentry in the rear leading people to sabotage him and cut off his food supply...
Isn’t that the end of the world?
Besides, the only land conflict that exists in the whole of China is probably in this corner of Qiongzhou.
Compared with the late Ming Dynasty, the population on the mainland has dropped to almost two-thirds, and there is still a ridiculous land conflict.
Since there is no land conflict, Zhu Hongyu only wants to engage in "attack local tyrants and divide the land" when he is full.
Why, do you think it was too easy to overthrow the Manchus and do you want to put an extra burden on yourself?
Zhu Hongyu left Qiongzhou City with his entourage, returned to the city, and ordered that the public trial be put on the agenda quickly.
He could leave ordinary landowners and gentry alone, but those who resolutely sided with the Qing Dynasty, or committed heinous crimes, must be liquidated.
While appeasing the people of Qiongzhou, we must also stabilize the rear!
After the Northern Expedition in the future and the main force of the Ming army leaves Qiongzhou, these people will become unstable factors, so it is better to eliminate them in advance.
…
Although Tang Dingquan had already thought about going to Luzon to make a living, he did not make up his mind immediately.
"Recruiting workers, recruiting workers, the imperial court is recruiting workers. They will take care of food, food and housing, and they will receive favorable treatment. We will serve meat and vegetables every ten days!"
"The daily wages are thirty cents, ten percent of the Ming Dynasty copper coins, now settled!
"
Hearing the sound of recruiting workers not far away, many people in Qiongzhou, including Tang Dingquan, were moved.
Thirty Wen per day...
Then if you work for a month, wouldn’t it be worth just one tael of silver!
A large number of people flocked to sign up!
Soon, the recruitment office was overcrowded.
However, what is even more popular is the recruitment point set up by the Liberation Army outside Qiongzhou City.
Just joining the army and dividing their land can attract a large number of landless people to join the army!
Chinese people in this era value land more than anything else.
For the sake of land, they really dare to risk their lives to fight for it!
…
The sixteenth year of the Yongli calendar, the year 1662 of the Western calendar, early February!
On this day, a high platform was erected outside Qiongzhou City, and the Liberation Army in armor stood guard around the high platform.
Zhu Hongyu personally stepped onto the high platform and began to preside over Qiongzhou's first public trial.
Representatives of Qiongzhou's landowners and gentry were also invited to the stage as onlookers.
A celebrity prisoner was brought to the fore!
Soldiers of the Liberation Army with loud voices stood up and read out the names of these people's crimes, and then read out the verdict.
In order to show his integrity, Zhu Hongyu also asked the landowners and gentry in Qiongzhou to serve as the jury at the public trial and give their own opinions on the outcome of the trial.
Of course, their opinions are basically no opinions!
Otherwise, Zhu Hongyu doesn't care if there are so many more prisoners on trial!
Of course, the landlords and gentry in Qiongzhou also understood that Zhu Hongyu was trying to scare the monkeys!
Those who were put on public trial were the chickens that were killed, and they were the monkeys that were frightened...
Amid the cheers of the people in Qiongzhou, those landowners and gentry who had firmly stood with the Qing Dynasty and those with a bad reputation fell to the ground.
The Liberation Army used the blood of some landowners and gentry to once again swear to everyone their rule over Qiongzhou!
With such a public trial, the Liberation Army faced significantly less pressure when searching for Dingkou and clearing the land.
The landowners and gentry who had adopted a non-violent and non-cooperative attitude towards the Liberation Army's inspection of Dingkou and land clearings in the past began to actively cooperate with the Liberation Army's work.
…
When the public trial was held, Tang Dingquan was among the crowd.
Seeing the heads of those landowners who used to be aloof from above being seen on the high platform he built with his own hands, he felt as if the blood all over his body was burning.
Among the landlords whose heads were beheaded, one was the rich old man Xu from their village.
Rich old man Xu was beheaded and his land was confiscated by the court.
These tenants who used to rent the land from rich man Xu's family became tenants of the imperial court.
The tax was waived and the rent was set at 30%!
And more importantly, as long as they pay 30% of the rent for five years, the rented land will be theirs.
Instead, you don’t have to pay rent, just pay taxes as normal!
Although 30% rent is quite a lot, compared with the original 70% to 80% rent of Mr. Xu, it is a real conscience.
More importantly, if he pays the rent for five consecutive years, the field will be his!
Although the official who came from the imperial court said that he only had the permanent right to use this land and the ownership belonged to the imperial court.
He can pass it on to his children and grandchildren, but he cannot resell it.
Tang Dingquan didn't think it mattered about this. No serious person would sell land!
There was no need to tell the court about this matter. He definitely couldn't sell it, but wanted to pass the land to his son.
Selling land is something only a prodigal would do!
Tang Dingquan had already been dazzled by the sudden good things, and completely forgot about what the young nobleman said about immigrating to Luzon.
He thought that he would farm when the farm was busy and work during the slack time to support his family.
After working hard for several years, when I have a son in the future, maybe I can send my son to study!
What if my son can take the exam and become an official?
In the future, my family may be able to live a magical life of eating white rice and white flour steamed buns every day.
After watching the public trial, Tang Dingquan returned to his home.
It was almost spring plowing, so he went to the ground with a hoe and prepared to weed. This year, he was more energetic than in previous years...