The new official made three mistakes when he took office, and Li Siwen was the same. After occupying Jieli Khan's residence, smashing over-standard stone carvings and other objects, and then hanging a plaque with his own handwriting of "Dingxiang County Government", Li Siwen announced
issued his own three political decrees.
One day, give the land! There are many fertile fields around Dingxiang City. When the Turks were there, they did not produce or cultivate, and these fertile fields were deserted. Therefore, Li Siwen ordered that as long as people from the Central Plains moved to Dingxiang to register, they would immediately
Give us as much land as you can cultivate, as long as you can cultivate it.
On the second day, give a house! In order to attract merchants, Li Siwen ordered that all merchants who come to Xiangcheng to trade will be given to South Street shops as appropriate after checking the scale. Small merchants also have discounts, either leasing or purchasing, at the original price.
There is a discount.
Third, tax exemption! As long as you settle in Dingxiang City, you will be free from land tax for farming and free from commercial tax for trade within one year, and you don’t need to pay a penny to the court.
These three decrees show that Li Siwen still has something in his stomach. If it were a county in the hinterland of the Central Plains, these three decrees would definitely bring a large number of people and trade. Unfortunately, this is Dingxiang City, a city that has just emerged from
The situation in the border towns taken back from the Turks was different.
Since Li Siwen promulgated the decree, he has been guarding the Yamen every day. From sunrise to sunset, he has been working diligently. However, after three days, no one has come to register, and there are no merchants. Li Siwen's fire-like enthusiasm has been doused.
A basin of cold water made me feel exhausted. I squatted at the yamen gate and watched the grain trucks passing by, sighing constantly.
"Li Mu... Li Mu!!!" Li Siwen roared, interrupting Li Mu who was doing carpentry in the backyard of the Yamen. He had nothing to do these days and happened to take this time to make some furniture. The wood was Wang Hu
They went to the woods outside the city to cut down fine fir trees, excellent furniture materials, which were rare in later generations, but were available everywhere in the Tang Dynasty.
Listening to Li Siwen's tone, Li Mu knew that the young master had reached the limit of his endurance, so he quickly put down the saw in his hand and ran over from the backyard.
"Li Mu, can you stop sawing wood? The sound of your sawing wood is echoing in my head. It makes my brain hurt! You are my county magistrate, county magistrate.
Is the Prime Minister a carpenter?! You can help me think of a way. It has been three days and no one has come to the door. If outsiders find out, will they laugh out loud? Your Majesty is still waiting to see my political achievements. I
How can we do this?"
While they were talking, Wang Hu drove an ox cart back to transport wood. Li Siwen glanced at him, became even more angry, and shouted: "Wang Hu! Are you my county captain or Li Mu's follower?
Can't you do something that a county captain should do? Isn't it fun to chop wood every day?"
Wang Hu replied expressionlessly: "Sir, I am neither your county captain nor Li Mu's follower. I am the general's personal soldier. I don't do the county captain's work because I have nothing to do. Li Mu asked us
I'm paid to chop wood, so I don't do it in vain, I just do it while I'm idle, and I can earn some money for drinking."
"Li Mu!!" Li Siwen gritted his teeth, turned around and pinched Li Mu's neck. He opened his mouth so that his throat could be seen, and shouted: "If you don't help me come up with an idea, I will strangle you to death before I am reprimanded by His Majesty.
!”
"Ahem!" Li Mu pulled Li Siwen's hand away and said, "Lord County Magistrate, please calm down!"
"I can't calm down anymore!" Li Siwen had lost his mind and was wandering around like an ant on a hot pot.
Seeing that the fire was almost done, Li Mu said: "My lord, magistrate, don't take everything at face value. You see me doing carpentry all day long, but in fact I am thinking."
"What are you thinking?! You are just doing carpentry! I saw it, you are making a dressing cabinet! You made it for your wife, don't think I don't know anything!"
Li Mu grinned awkwardly, but fortunately he was thick-skinned enough, so he pretended not to hear and continued: "I was really thinking, and I have already figured out a solution!"
Li Siwen suddenly appeared in front of Li Mu, grabbed his shoulder and asked: "Are you serious? If you lie to me, I will kill myself, and then let Wang Hu tell my father that you forced me!"
"Seriously..." Li Mu said quickly: "I have thought about it these past few days. First of all, I must make sure that there is no problem with your decree. The problem lies with the people. Dingxiang City is a border town, and a few months ago it was a Turk
Although the news coming back is that our Tang Dynasty army is invincible and is chasing the remnants of the Turks. But the common people don’t know this news. Even if they heard a little, they don’t know whether it is true or not. Just imagine, if you are a common people
, Under such circumstances, do you dare to come to Dingxiang City? Even if you give land, housing, and tax exemption, if the Turks come back again and Dingxiang City changes hands again, no matter how much you get, it will be like a mirror, and it will be gone in the blink of an eye? Who?
Those who know how to leave their homes and careers will move here."
Li Siwen nodded silently, and Li Mu added: "Furthermore, population is fundamental. Will the nearby counties allow the population of this county to move away? I'm afraid not. They will try every means to stop it."
"You're right!" Li Siwen said worriedly: "So, doesn't it mean there is no hope?"
"No, no, no!" Li Mu waved his hand and said, "When I was sawing wood just now, I suddenly thought of something. Do you still remember how I was caught by the Turks?"
Li Siwen was stunned for a moment and said: "Remember, weren't you transported by the Turkic cavalry and were robbed of grain and grass? Why are you talking about this? Does it matter?"
"Of course it does matter." Li Mu said: "Why I go to transport grain and grass is because I have no money and I want to make money. Although transporting grain and grass is risky, I am willing to do it in order to make money. This is called the death of man for money.
Now we want to attract people to Dingxiang City, and the fastest and most effective way is to recruit workers!"
"Recruiting workers?" Li Siwen frowned and said, "But now the army doesn't need food and grass. Not only does it not have to transport food and grass to Dingxiang City, but it has to transport food and grass back. What are you recruiting workers for?"
He couldn't understand this? Li Mu suddenly felt tired, but he still patiently explained: "Do we need people to repair the city wall? Dingxiang City is a border city, and if the city wall is not built higher and stronger, can it be done? You are always shouting.
When we defend the city, do we only defend the ruins and ruins?"
Li Siwen then remembered that the city wall of Dingxiang City had been razed to the ground when Li Jing's army attacked the city. As the county magistrate of Dingxiang City, he should have built the city wall.
"But I still don't understand," Li Siwen stared at Li Mu with a pair of bull's eyes and asked, "We recruit workers like this. After the work is done, they leave and they can't stay."
Li Mu sighed and said: "Lord County Magistrate, we are recruiting workers not just to build the city wall, but to let them know that Dingxiang City is now safe. Like other counties, it is a city under the rule of the Tang Dynasty.
.As long as they believe this and your decree, why worry about no one coming to settle down? We will send people to various counties to promote and organize several fairs. As long as safety can be guaranteed, once the fairs are formed,
People are used to it, so why worry about no one doing business?"
Only then did Li Siwen understand Li Mu's intention, his eyes suddenly lit up, and his heart suddenly became enlightened.
"Wonderful! Li Mu, you are such a smart man! I want you just like Liu Bei wants Kong Ming! Come on, come on, hurry up, Wang Hu, tell the brothers to prepare their horses. I will write a notice and distribute it to all counties immediately.