The most arrogant in history

Chapter 301: A rogue.

In fact, with the bumper harvest in autumn, Yizhou has recovered its strength.

This season, the agricultural taxes collected by Ye Kun exceeded the total of the previous two years.

Because the rice yield was too low in the past, only about 100 jin per mu, even if the tax was 10% and 5%, the tax collected per mu was no more than 50 jin.

Now that new technologies are being promoted, the rice yield per mu is 250 kilograms, and the tax rate is 30%, so Ye Kun can still collect 75 kilograms.

More importantly, all the land that was concealed in various places was discovered, and the taxable land area doubled!

Because of the good harvest and the lower tax rate, people had a lot of grain stored.

A family of ten had about 100 mu of land, and they harvested more than 20,000 catties of rice and various grains in autumn. After paying taxes, they still had more than 10,000 catties left.

The people are almost well-off.

If the military rations are not enough, Ye Kun can use the money to buy them from the people.

Judging from the food stockpiles, it can fully support a medium-sized war.

It can even support a large-scale war that needs to be decided quickly!

The exhaustion of Yizhou that Xie Tong and others talked about did not exist at all.

They just don't want to fight, for fear that if they lose the war, they will be uprooted.

Guan Yong and Zhao Biao insisted on their own opinions:

"Xiahou Chang is our biggest opponent. We are now united with the Xiliang army to attack Xiahou Chang. This is a godsend opportunity. If we sit back and do nothing, and wait for Xiahou Chang to conquer Xiliang, we will be trapped in Yizhou, and it will be even more difficult to conquer the Central Plains in the north!"

After two or three years of fighting in many battles, continuous learning and practice, Guan Yong and Zhao Biao are now considered famous generals.

They also often discuss the world situation and have their own opinions.

Ye Kun also agreed with Guan Yong and Zhao Biao's opinions.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang led six expeditions to Qishan and Jiang Wei led nine expeditions to the Central Plains, but they all returned empty-handed and were unable to save the Han Dynasty from destruction.

That is because of the special terrain of Yizhou.

There are mountains all around, so the enemy can’t get in;

But if you want to get out, it's extremely difficult!

Xie Tong shook his head repeatedly and said:

"Lord Ye and Xiahou Chang once had a three-year agreement, but only half a year has passed. Moreover, we can contact Xiliang, but won't Xiahou Chang contact Xiao Dequan in Jiangdong? If our army is far away and the Jiangdong troops attack us, how will we respond? How can we take care of both the top leaders?"

Zhao Biao said angrily, "You are afraid of this and that. Are you going to be a coward for the rest of your life?"

Ye Kun stood up, clasped his fists and said, "Everyone, please be patient and listen to me."

Everyone shut up and looked at Ye Kun.

Ye Kun looked around and said, "General Guan and General Zhao want to establish their careers; Lord Xie and Lord Han want to consolidate their foundations. They are all right. I have decided... to follow the advice of Lord Xie and Lord Han, not to fight for the time being, and to focus on production."

Xie Tong and the others breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

Zhao Biao stamped his feet anxiously: "Brother, if you miss this village, I'm afraid you won't be able to find that store again!"

"Don't worry, I'll analyze the situation with you later."

Ye Kun waved his hand and said:

"But today, I have two announcements to make. First, starting today, the entire territory of Yizhou, regardless of whether you are an official or a civilian, will no longer need to kneel down and bow. When you meet someone, you can just bow your hands."

Everyone was shocked.

If there is no kneeling ceremony, doesn't it mean there is no distinction between the noble and the humble?

Ma Zhao was the first to object: "Lord Ye, the rituals established by Duke Zhou have been passed down for thousands of years. How can we abolish them so easily?"

"Master Ma, do you like kneeling? If you do, just kneel when you talk to me in the future." Ye Kun rolled his eyes and emphasized:

"This matter is settled, no objections are allowed. If anyone objects, you must kneel before me from now on. Remember, if you like to kneel, it is your business. However, you are not allowed to force others to kneel before you!"

Wu Qiong smiled bitterly and said, "Since Lord Ye said so, we will do as he says. But it takes time to change a person's habits. We have to do it slowly."

Ye Kun instructed the chief clerk: "When you draft the notice, just say what I mean. Human beings are born equal, and there is no distinction between high and low. Officials should work for the people, and not be high and mighty. Scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans all eat their own food, not beggars begging for food, and there is no need to kneel down to anyone."

The chief clerk nodded.

Ye Kun added: "The second thing is to abolish the 'slave class', 'lowly class' and 'music class' in the entire territory of Yizhou. From now on, officials and people in Yizhou are all equal, there will be no slaves and servants, and no lowly people."

Ye Kun had long wanted to abolish the kneeling ceremony and slavery.

In the past, our foundation was unstable and we did not dare to act rashly.

Yizhou is now under the complete control of Ye Kun, and it is time to carry out drastic reforms!

Xie Tong frowned and said, "But some slaves were bought by the rich. Now that slavery has been abolished, wouldn't the money spent by the rich be wasted? Moreover, many slaves were sold by the government. The government went back on its word, which..."

Ye Kun interrupted Xie Tong:

"Since last March, when I took over Yizhou, the government has been responsible for redeeming the women sold by the government. Before that, I don't care. Whoever buys them will be in trouble!

Anyone who dares to conceal the existence of slave population will be executed immediately!"

Xie Tong took a breath and stepped back.

Wu Qiong stepped forward and said, "These slaves have no home or job, and are just hooligans. Lord Ye, what do you plan to do with them?"

In ancient times, people without houses wandered around, which was called "liu".

People who do not have proper jobs are called ruffians.

The word "hooligan" had nothing to do with morality at the beginning. It simply described those homeless and jobless vagrants.

Ye Kun was confident and said with a smile: "Don't worry about that. I'll take them all. The men will be sent to porcelain workshops and glass workshops. The women will be sent to spinning mills and textile factories. If they can't do it, they will be sent to military farms."

The number of slaves and slaves in Yizhou totaled only about 10,000 to 20,000.

Ye Kun can absorb and digest it completely.

Just pair them up as husband and wife and send them to farm.

After these people were freed from their status as slaves, they would be completely loyal to Ye Kun and be grateful to him.

Everyone clasped their fists together and said, "We will listen to Master Ye and arrange it right away."

Ye Kun also nodded, called Zhao Biao and Guan Yong to the back hall.

Jiang Yourong cooked a few dishes and invited Guan Yong and Zhao Biao to eat together.

Guan Yafu, Ma Zhao and Zhuge Feng were also there.

Zhao Biao said to Ye Kun: "Brother, why do you care about Xie Tong and Han Chun's opinions? If we don't fight Xia Houchang now, we won't have many chances in the future!"

"Two brothers, listen to me." Ye Kun drank a glass of wine and said with a smile:

"We are now attacking Xiahouchang. We have almost enough food and grass, but not enough weapons. In the spring, we fought Hanzhong and Xiahouchang, and we used up all our gunpowder. Now we have produced some more, but it is only enough for defense in various places.

If we go to fight Xiahou Chang without enough gunpowder, even if we win, we will suffer heavy casualties."

Guan Yong said: "But once Xiahou Chang takes Yong and Liang provinces, we will be trapped in Yizhou."

"Once we have enough gunpowder, no one can trap us!"

Ye Kun waved his hand and said with a smile: "Give me another year or so to prepare, so that Yizhou can become richer and have enough gunpowder. Then we can move step by step, leave Hanzhong, and take over Yongliang and Liangzhou."

Now when fighting against Xiahou Chang, Ye Kun doesn’t have much advantage.

With more preparation, productivity and weapons to crush Xiahou Chang, the fight will be easy.

Besides, it would be difficult to settle and digest the two states of Yong and Liang now.

Guan Yong and Zhao Biao smiled bitterly together: "Brother, I think you don't want to fight, you just want to stay in Yizhou."