Chapter 50

Zhang Han and his companions were dressed in a way that was far from that of ordinary villagers. Although Zhang Han did not like luxurious clothing, his robe was made of Ning silk, well-tailored, and he wore a jade pendant at his waist. On his head, he wore a sun hat. If it were the young masters, they would also carry swords at their waists and hold fans in their hands. Zhang Han, knowing his martial skills were average, carried a musket and a sharp dagger made of fine steel hidden in his boot. Despite this, his attire was still quite outstanding in this rural area, where such sights were rare.

Looking at the young boys, all of them were bare-bodied. Although it was May and the sun was somewhat scorching, it was far from the time when one could go without clothes. They were also barefoot, each one thin and dark, rolling on the ground like mud monkeys. Zhang Han understood that the peasants in his estate must be living in very difficult conditions.

He did not speak but continued to walk forward. When he reached the village, many peasants stopped their work, and upon hearing that the landlord had arrived, many ran to the roadside to kneel and pay their respects. Zhang Han smiled and told them to get up quickly.

Ninety percent of the houses in the village were built with mud and grass. These houses were most afraid of snow pressure and excessive rain, which could cause them to collapse. Generally, such thatched houses needed to be repaired every year, with the thatch replaced and the structure reinforced. In recent years, there had been little rain, and when Zhang Han looked around, he saw that the thatched houses were all very old, indicating that they had not been renovated for years.

In the center of the village was an ancestral hall, one of the few brick and tile structures. Next to it was the courtyard where Li Xiangfu lived, with three tiled rooms in the center.

Li Xiangfu invited Zhang Han into the courtyard, and his wife served tea. Zhang Han took a sip; the tea was made with mountain spring water from the village, and although the tea leaves were ordinary, the water was good, giving it a slightly sweet taste.

"Landlord, the harvest this year is really poor..."

After everyone was seated, Li Xiangfu began to complain. According to him, there had been a lot of snow in the winter, and after the winter, there had been almost no rain. Thirty percent of the land in Li's Village was paddy fields, which could still be irrigated, but seventy percent was dry land, and the lack of water had led to a general reduction in crop yields. The average yield of paddy fields was usually three to four shi per mu, but now it was less than three shi. The average yield of dry land was about two shi per mu, but now it was only a little over one shi.

The estate could harvest about six thousand shi of wheat per season, of which Zhang Han's family should receive three thousand shi. The tenant farmers also had to provide meat such as chickens, ducks, pigs, and deer, as well as cloth, to the Zhang family. The estate also had to send able-bodied men to the Zhang family to serve in rotation. The bearers, gatekeepers, and gardeners at the Zhang family's residence were all from the estate. Apart from providing meals, the Zhang family did not need to pay them any money.

These standards were set when the estate was purchased, and after the contract was signed, the villagers were supposed to deliver a certain amount of grain and corresponding items to the landlord, regardless of the weather. If they could not pay, the landlord could terminate the lease and evict the tenants. With the high population and limited land, there was no shortage of people willing to farm the land. If the landlord had good relations with the government, he could obtain an official order to have the defaulting tenants beaten. Many landlords did this, but the Zhang family, being a family of scholars and farmers, was more benevolent and rarely did such things.

The village had a large population but very little land. According to the land allocation standards of the Tang Dynasty, the land was far from sufficient. Each able-bodied man only had about five mu of land. Zhang Han calculated that, according to Li Xiangfu's average yield, after paying nearly half to himself, each family would be left with less than six shi of wheat, or less than eight hundred pounds.

After summer, the village would plant millet, sorghum, beans, and millet. Some people had started planting corn, a crop that was more common in coastal areas. Zhang Han had noticed that the current yield of corn was very low, and it would take a long time of selection and improvement to increase its yield. However, corn was drought-resistant and could be grown on slopes and dry land, and it was gradually becoming popular.

Sweet potatoes were also grown, but their yield was also very low. However, they were good for fertilizing the land, and some people planted them to restore soil fertility without expecting much in terms of harvest.

These miscellaneous grains were collectively called "grain," and their yields were all very low. In Shanxi, the summer tax was 700,000 shi, and the autumn grain was 2 million shi, totaling 2.8 million shi. The two taxes had been converted to silver, and the labor services had also been converted to silver, with each mu of land being converted to about two taels of silver. This part was paid by the landlord, and the tenants did not need to worry about it. However, the local authorities often ignored the central government's orders. According to Zhang Han's understanding, the Single Whip System, which was supposed to be implemented nationwide during the late Wanli period, was largely a dead letter. Zhang Juzheng's reforms, which aimed to increase state revenue by clearing up land ownership and converting labor services to silver, had largely failed. The land was still mostly in the hands of the imperial family, nobles, and large landowners, who continued to hide land and evade taxes, shifting the burden to small and medium landowners and farmers.

In a place like Shanxi, commerce was only developed in border trade areas, and wealth was concentrated in the hands of the imperial family and large merchants. Ordinary people were much poorer than those in the south, and their main source of income was land, making their burden particularly heavy.

"Truly, one must enter a place to understand its appearance, and one must understand its appearance to grasp its essence."

Zhang Han could not help but sigh. No wonder the Ming Dynasty's land tax seemed light on the surface, but the burden on the people was still heavy, especially for northern farmers, who, from the late Wanli period to the Tianqi and Chongzhen periods, joined the rebel forces in large numbers.

"Since there has been a disaster," Zhang Han looked at Li Xiangfu and said gently, "reducing the rent is inevitable. But there is one condition: as the manager of the estate, you cannot just cater to the villagers and stand up to me, the landlord. If you have such thoughts, I will not reduce the rent even if you say you will. Do you understand?"

Li Xiangfu's face first showed joy, and a hint of disdain appeared in his eyes, thinking that the young landlord was soft-hearted and had immediately agreed to his complaints. However, when he heard Zhang Han's next words, he was startled, and cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Zhang Han's words had hit the mark and were a serious warning. As the estate manager, he was paid by the Zhang family, and if he always sided with the tenants, the landlord would be dissatisfied and replace him. Thinking of the consequences of losing his position, Li Xiangfu could no longer stand still.

"Thank you, landlord, on behalf of the villagers," Li Xiangfu said, bowing. "The landlord is truly benevolent, but I can assure you that the harvest is indeed poor. You can check the fields and the threshing grounds yourself. I would not dare to deceive you to gain favor."

Zhang Han smiled. "Get up and speak. One sentence scared you so much... I just wanted to remind you. We will need you in the future, so don't be so suspicious."

With this carrot and stick approach, Li Xiangfu's dazed appearance vanished, and his face became energetic, his eyes full of determination. He had indeed been somewhat dismissive of Zhang Han's youth, but now he knew the severity of the situation.

Zhang Han was about to say more when the sound of a gong rang out. Li Xiangfu's face changed, and he said, "The list is being posted, and the tax collection is starting."

"Are you the head of the village?"

Li Xiangfu smiled bitterly. "Yes, these are my duties."

Each village had a head responsible for tax collection and other duties. Unlike the powerful heads of the townships, the village heads were often the ones who suffered if the taxes were not collected. The clerks and heads of the townships would not pay out of their own pockets.

Fortunately, Li Xiangfu was still the estate manager, and he had control over how much rent each tenant paid. As a respected elder in the clan, he could manage the duties of the village head. Originally, this was a rotating position, but he had taken on all the responsibilities.

"Let's go and see," Zhang Han said.

Everyone went out, and many people who were busy rushed over. Seeing Zhang Han, they had to bow and pay their respects. Zhang Han was very friendly, greeting everyone with a smile. Everyone felt that the young landlord had a good temperament, but Li Xiangfu secretly wiped his sweat, knowing that Zhang Han's appearance was just a facade, and his true character was different.

When they reached the village entrance, a large crowd had gathered. The proclamation pavilion at the village entrance, built during the early Ming Dynasty, was an order from Zhu Yuanzhang to be built in every village to announce government policies and promote virtue. However, this idealistic approach had become useless, and the pavilion was now only used to post tax collection notices.

Seeing everyone come out, the gong beater stopped. Li Xiangfu pointed to the man and whispered to Zhang Han, "That's Jin Tong, the brother-in-law of Li, the clerk in the Qing Army Hall. He has the job of collecting taxes and must be bribed, or he will deliberately target you. I have prepared some gifts for him."

Zhang Han smiled. "These matters are up to you. I will just watch."

Li Xiangfu felt relieved, knowing that the young landlord was indeed capable, managing what he should and not overstepping his bounds.

He excused himself and hurried forward, whispering to Jin Tong and slipping something into his sleeve. Zhang Han estimated it was a few strings of copper coins or a few pieces of silver. After receiving the bribe, Jin Tong's face showed a clear smile. When the crowd got closer, he loudly announced, "All taxes must be paid by July 20th. Those who fail to pay will be beaten. Don't say I didn't warn you!"