Li Hui chuckled and said: "Okay, okay. This county and you are not enemies, and there is no need to surrender. This is a good thing that kills multiple birds with one stone and benefits everyone. If you resume farming this year, you may not get much.
You will even have to lose some money and grain. But what about next year, the year after, and even beyond? It will definitely be made up for. Moreover, not only the money and grain income, but also the matter of your return to resume farming, the county will vigorously publicize it
, let the people appreciate your kindness and righteousness. This is something that money and food cannot buy, right?"
Everyone had no choice but to say: "Whatever you say is whatever you say. Everything you say is right."
Li Hui said with a smile: "Heads of the clan, don't be so downcast. This county will report your actions to the county governor to praise you. This is of great benefit to you. If nothing else, I live in Chao County.
In the Zhongzheng review after the year, I will give priority to recommending the children of the clan. Isn't this what you hope for most? I hope that the children of the clan can be of high rank and be appointed officials. In the future, they can do the same thing as in this county.
A promising official will bring glory to your family, hahaha."
Everyone rolled their eyes. Li Hui became more and more shameless. He said that he was as capable as him. He was bragging and shameless. Being like him, he was a despicable and shameless person.
However, what Li Hui said struck a chord with them. As a small local clan, who wouldn’t want someone in their family to become an official in Zhongzheng and strengthen their family. However, Juchao County has been in chaos for several years, and the qualifications for selection and recommendation by Zhongzheng have been suspended for several years.
Although he was able to settle down in other counties, he was a guest and could not participate in the recommendation and evaluation of the local Zhongzheng. If Li Hui really fulfilled his promise, that would definitely be something they would like to see.
…
It took three hours from early morning to afternoon, and Li Hui finally settled the matter of the wealthy families in Juchao County returning to their estates to resume farming.
In order to prevent this group of duplicitous people from changing their minds after returning, Li Hui temporarily drafted a re-cultivation agreement, the content of which is roughly as follows.
1. More than a dozen large families in Juchao County must formally resume farming before the end of February. Each large family hires local people to farm for them. From the date of employment, they must be responsible for the residence and basic food and clothing of the employed people.
2. The relationship between the employed common people and the big clan is not a master-servant relationship, but a normal employment relationship. The employment period is three years, and the common people are not allowed to leave during the three years. After the three-year period, if the employed common people are willing to leave, the big clan cannot stop them. During these three years, the hired common people are not allowed to leave.
, the land obtained will be divided into thirty-seven. The rich families will get three, and the common people will get seven. After the three-year period, those who are willing to continue farming and hire, the two parties will discuss the distribution ratio by themselves, and both parties will agree fairly and abide by it.
3. A wealthy family is not allowed to fire employees without reason. If there are thefts, sabotage, intentional damage to fields, ditches, farm tools, misconduct, etc. and there is evidence, they can be reported to the Juchao County Yamen for dismissal. If a wealthy family beats, scolds, humiliates, and exploits the people for no reason.
Those who get it will be punished by the Juchao County government.
Fourth, in order to commend the local wealthy families for their righteous deeds, the Juchao County Magistrate will personally commend them and award them with a plaque of 'Righteous Clan', and the county will post an announcement to commend them. The County Magistrate Li Hui will personally recommend the children of the wealthy families, and each wealthy family will be given priority in allocating Zhongzheng qualifications.
5. Major tribes that open industrial shops in the city and employ people from the county will be exempted from customs duties and city taxes for one year.
6. When the major tribes are in need in Juchao County, they need to send out servants to provide materials and manpower to help resist foreign enemies. Li Hui, the magistrate of this county, promised to protect the safety of the lands of the wealthy tribes and compensate them according to the price if they are damaged by foreign enemies.
Prevent large investors from suffering losses.
The above terms were all reached through fierce bargaining and spitting between Li Hui and the heads of the major clans. Although this agreement cannot be called perfect, it has basically taken care of the main demands and responsibilities and obligations of both parties.
What Li Hui needs now is to arrange for the naturalized refugees to settle down as soon as possible. Although being hired by a wealthy family is not the best solution, at least within the next three years, their lives will be guaranteed. Under the terms that restrict the wealthy family from firing them at will
, they can settle down and have food and warmth.
Moreover, Li Hui made it clear that the common people who farmed the land were only farm laborers, in order to prevent these common people from becoming tenants of the big family and becoming vassals of the big family. In this way, they would have the freedom to withdraw at any time.
Of course, the three-year limit is also to make up for the debts of the wealthy families in the first year. This year, starting from March, the wealthy families will have to bear the food and accommodation of the employed people. And the food produced in the fields in the first year will definitely be insufficient.
of.
Originally, the wealthy families insisted on a 40-60 share, but how could Li Hui allow them to exploit the people in this way? The taxation in Jin Dynasty was very heavy, and Li Hui remembered that the farmhands in the Gu family in Wu County could only get 50% of their income, which shows how serious the exploitation was.
.A 30-70 split is already a very good result.
Of course, this group of rich people is not a fuel-efficient lamp. They agreed to a 30-70 share, but they proposed to provide their own production tools and did not provide any production tools, including water trucks and cattle. Li Hui thought about it again and again, and agreed to them.
.After all, purchasing production tools is necessary for people to be self-reliant in the future. This cannot be regarded as a harsh condition.
As for the one-year exemption of customs and municipal taxes, it is not actually a privilege for wealthy families. In fact, Li Hui plans to do this to all shops in Juchao County. After all, everything is waiting for improvement, and the people must survive this year.
, it would be great if they can open a shop and do business and survive. The one-year exemption from customs and city taxes is also to promote their enthusiasm and allow them to survive better.
Regarding other honors, such as the promise to recommend Zhongzheng and the priority of Zhongzheng, they are all fictitious things. Li Hui is naturally willing to provide these things. Not to mention awarding the plaque of 'Righteous Clan', just award more.
Li Hui didn't even frown at other plaques praising them. These things were given as much as he wanted. As long as the people of Juchao County could settle down and everything was restored and on track, Li Hui's goal would be achieved.
.
It is worth mentioning that the last one is to recruit manpower and materials from the powerful families when encountering foreign enemies. This one is extremely important. Others don't know it, but Li Hui understands it in his heart. Yuan Zhen rebelled in Shouchun, and Huan Wen wanted to
If they lead an army to crusade, they will definitely have a big battle. Once a fight breaks out, the chaos, the refugee army, and the defeated defeated soldiers will all be dangerous, and there is no guarantee that Juchao County will not be affected.
If this matter is not prepared in advance, I am afraid that I will suffer a big loss when the time comes. But Li Hui cannot afford to raise many soldiers and horses, and he is not allowed to raise his own soldiers. These wealthy families have guardian servants, vassals, and food and iron tools.
, then as long as there are more than ten people from a family, one or two hundred people will be available to provide emergency relief.
In short, since I want to deceive them, I will simply deceive them to the end. Anyway, I have already given them a very bad impression. It is impossible to have a harmonious relationship with them, so there is no need to worry too much.
Of course, the wealthy people strongly disagreed with this article and felt that Li Hui would find reasons to deceive them. However, Li Hui added an article to ensure the safety of their properties and mansions, and that the government would be responsible for compensation if they suffered losses, so they were willing
promise.
Originally, it was Li Hui's duty to protect the property and personal safety of the county's wealthy families and common people, so Li Hui's addition was not an outlier. As for compensation from the government, it was pure deception. The wealthy families were not unaware of this either.
It's just that they also know in their hearts that if they don't agree, it won't work. It's better to get a promise, even if it's an empty promise, than nothing at all, at least it's real.
In short, after some mouth-drying haggling, more than a dozen clan leaders and Li Hui pressed their fingerprints on the agreement, and each left with a copy.
Li Hui personally sent them out of the county government office, watched them get in the car and leave, and then returned to the lobby with satisfaction.
Zhou Che, Jiang Sheng and others stood in the hall and looked at Li Hui, with no concealed surprise and admiration in their eyes. They saw with their own eyes how Li Hui subdued these aggressive guys. At this moment, their hearts
The feeling can only be described as falling to the ground.
…
In mid-March, the warm breeze blows into the house, everything flourishes, and spring has already arrived.
Although Juchao County is in the north of the Yangtze River, it is actually only across the river from the south of the Yangtze River. When the south of the Yangtze River enters the peak spring season, everything in Juchao County is already green and full of vitality.
Warmer weather is naturally a good thing for the poor people. Hunger and cold are the biggest enemies of the poor people. At least they will not freeze to death now. But hunger still exists. The lack of spring is also the time when famine is most likely to occur.
A few days ago, Li Hui carried out the last relief effort. This time, the large-scale relief effort was aimed at the refugees who had settled down. Especially those who were reclaiming wasteland. Unlike the people who originally lived in Chao County, they still had some emergency food stored in their homes.
For example, the refugees who were hired by the rich families have solved the problem of food and clothing. The group of people who work as coolies in the city are also paid and can barely make ends meet.
Therefore, the relief this time must be biased and more precise.
Of course, the main reason is that Li Hui has limited resources and cannot carry out large-scale relief. Li Hui asked Wang Muzhi, the governor of Liyang County, to allocate relief grains, but Wang Muzhi only ordered a few hundred kilograms of rice and noodles.
It is said that Li Hui, Zhou Che and others received their official salary for several months, and the rest is gone.
Wang Muzhi told Li Hui in the letter that there is a shortage of food in various places, even in the capital, not to mention the counties in Jiangbei? Therefore, he can only find a way to solve it himself. Li Hui knew that this was probably the truth, so he had to give up.
During this relief, Li Hui distributed one thousand shi of rice and all the dried fish. He only had some flour and 500 shi of grain left on hand. These must not be moved, as they are to ensure the normal operation of the yamen. Now the yamen people
With nearly a hundred people on hand, plus the more than 100 members of the "Vigilante Group" who maintain law and order, there are more than 200 people who need to be fed. It is not possible for these people to go hungry.
When Li Hui was providing relief, he also made it clear to the people that after this relief, he would have to rely on himself for the rest of the day. He had done everything he could, and there was really nothing he could do.
Of course the people of Juchao County understand the difficulties faced by Magistrate Li. Magistrate Li has been worried about people like himself in the past few months. The fair young man has lost a lot of weight and is as black as a charcoal burner.
They all saw the hard work they put in. They saw with their own eyes that the mountains of food were distributed by County Magistrate Li. Magistrate Li did not take the food for himself, which made them grateful.