Chapter 112: Inspecting The Military Fields
Outside Nanchang City, there were many military fields, cultivated by the families of soldiers from Nanchang.
Gan Ning and Zhao Yun rode horses along the official road, with endless wheat fields on both sides.
“Military fields are the foundation of our army system. First, after a soldier enlists, his family is changed to a military household. Only military households can be granted military fields, with twenty mu of superior land per household. If the situation is special, there will be a slight increase.”
“May I ask, Lord, what situation is considered special?” Zhao Yun asked with a smile.
“It mainly depends on the number of dependents the soldier needs to support, such as having many children at home, or parents. However, such situations are generally not allowed for enlistment. But if there are brothers at home, they can enlist. In this case, the military fields will be increased by three to five mu as appropriate, but not too much, otherwise, it will make other soldiers feel unfair.”
Gan Ning pointed his horsewhip at the wheat fields on both sides of the official road, which were turning from green to yellow. “These are all military fields. The land deeds belong to the army, and the soldiers’ families can cultivate them free of charge and are exempt from land tax. If the soldier dies in battle or after retirement, the land ownership will belong to the military household.”
Zhao Yun pondered for a moment and asked, “What happens if a soldier surrenders to the enemy?”
Gan Ning nodded. “This is indeed a tricky problem, and the handling varies from place to place. Huang Zu directly deprives them of their military fields and makes them pay back taxes. We are not so harsh. In this case, the military household is converted to a civilian household and cultivated official fields. Official fields are also tax-exempt, but a forty percent rent is charged.”
At this moment, a village appeared ahead, with a military flag planted. This was a military household village, inhabited by military households.
“This village is all military households. Let’s go take a look.”
Gan Ning, accompanied by Zhao Yun and protected by dozens of personal guards, rode off the official road and followed a small path towards the village. Farmers who were cultivating in the fields had already run back to the village to report.
Upon hearing that the Lord had arrived, the village head led all the citizens out to welcome them.
Gan Ning said to everyone with a smile, “General Zhao and I have come to inspect the military fields and also to visit all of you, my elders and friends.”
The village head quickly said, “Please come into the house, my Lord!”
Gan Ning saw a large tree at the village entrance, strong and tall, spreading like a canopy. He smiled and said, “Let’s just sit under the big tree! We won’t go into the village.”
Everyone hurried home to get mats and spread them on the ground. Gan Ning sat on the ground, and then invited everyone to sit down. The others politely declined, and finally, only a few elders sat down.
“The harvest this year looks like it should be good. Everyone estimate, what will the wheat yield per mu be this year?”
“Reporting to my Lord, we have been discussing the wheat yield this year for the past two days. We estimate it will break five hundred jin per mu.”
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, one jin was less than half of what it is today. Five hundred jin per mu is equivalent to more than two hundred jin today. For the Eastern Han Dynasty, the wheat yield in the north was only equivalent to more than one hundred jin today. Therefore, more than two hundred jin of wheat per mu is already good.
Gan Ning nodded and asked, “Has everyone started using the curved shaft plow?”
“Replying to my Lord, we have all started using them. They are very easy to use, much better than the straight shaft plow. Previously, two people could plow at most thirty mu, but now with the curved shaft plow, they can plow fifty to sixty mu. It is simply too practical.”
The curved shaft plow appeared last autumn and was first promoted around Nanchang County. Gan Ning knew that everyone praised its convenience and ease of use, and most importantly, it greatly improved plowing efficiency, which would greatly increase the income of ordinary citizens and boost grain production.
In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, although a large number of northern farmers had migrated south, the vast southern regions still had few people and abundant land. If the curved shaft plow were promoted, plowing efficiency would double, cultivated land would double, and grain production would double.
Therefore, a small innovation in agricultural tools, coupled with the appearance of water wheels, was a revolution for agriculture and greatly beneficial for population growth.
“What difficulties do you all have now? Please bring them up! If they are common difficulties, we will find a way to solve them.”
An elder said, “There is one difficulty that everyone hopes to improve, and that is the scarcity of family letters. We are very eager to receive more family letters.”
Gan Ning smiled and said, “I will find a way to solve this difficulty, and results will be seen soon. Do you have any other difficulties?”
A woman said, “We also hope to build a school to give children the opportunity to study. Every time my child’s father writes a letter, we cannot find anyone to read it, and we have to take chickens and ducks to the neighboring village to ask someone to read the letter.”
This statement resonated with many people, who said, “Not only do we have to carry things, but we also have to be humble and smile before they are willing to read letters or write them.”
Gan Ning nodded. “In the second half of this year, many new schools will begin construction. There should be one nearby. Also, I will soon restore the post stations and courier stations. There will be a station every twenty li and a courier station every hundred li. Everyone can go to the post station to send letters, write letters, and mail items. Ordinary citizens will be charged a small fee, but military households will be completely exempt.”
Post stations and courier stations were basic communication facilities established by the Han Dynasty throughout the world. Due to warfare, they had fallen into disrepair everywhere. The South was slightly better. The alliance treaty between Gan Ning and Jiangdong included this clause: both sides would jointly restore water and land post stations and courier stations. Many post station and courier station buildings were still there, just abandoned, and could be restored by repairing them.
The crowd made suggestions one after another, and Gan Ning had them all recorded.
Zhao Yun remained silent throughout, listening quietly to the conversation between his Lord and the military households. He deeply understood his Lord’s sincerity and concern for the military households and common people, which was a genuine concern from the heart. He listened patiently and solved their difficulties, treating the soldiers’ families as his own. How could such a Lord not have the soldiers fight for him with all their might?
If Gongsun Zan had even half of his Lord’s benevolence and righteousness, he would not have ultimately perished.
After leaving the village, Gan Ning said to Zhao Yun with a smile, “I demand that all generals care for their soldiers, not just the soldiers themselves, but more importantly, their families, and solve their difficulties to the best of their ability. If they cannot solve them themselves, they must report them. The soldiers see this and keep it in their hearts. On the battlefield, every soldier will fight with all their might against the enemy. They are not fighting to repay a favor; they are defending the system that allows their families to live and work in peace and no longer be displaced.”
‘They are not fighting to repay a favor, but to defend the system that allows their families to live and work in peace.’
these words deeply touched Zhao Yun. It was the first time he knew why soldiers fought.
He bowed and said, “My Lord, I will engrave these words in my heart. I will certainly care for the soldiers and their families as you do.”
Gan Ning took great pains to subtly increase Zhao Yun’s loyalty to him. Loyalty was not just about rewards; it was also about making him accept and recognize his ideology and governance style. He and Zhao Yun had too little time together, so he wanted to take advantage of this gathering in Nanchang to spend more time communicating with him and to foster mutual understanding.
Gan Ning pointed his horsewhip to the east and smiled. “We are only twenty li from the largest horse farm in our Yuzhang Commandery. In the afternoon, if you have nothing else to do, General Zi Long, would you like to come with me to take a look?”
Zhao Yun happily replied, “This subordinate is willing to accompany my Lord.”
Everyone sped up their horses and headed towards the horse farm.
