Chapter 1754: Chapter 1754: Migration

General Liang was the first to stand up and concur: "What the Assistant Minister said is very true. Tonight, we shall eat vegetarian to show our respect for the soldiers who died in battle."

Afraid, afraid, if they call the beauties to serve them, and if Qin San Lang makes another self-castrating oath, then where would the faces of these soldiers be?

To avoid letting the officials from the Capital think that the soldiers are afraid of their wives and cowards, General Liang couldn’t wait to just drink water and eat greens tonight!

Vice Minister Ban was quite pleased: "General Liang is indeed worthy of being a general, with such respect for the fallen soldiers, they can rest in peace knowing."

Compared to someone like Duan Changlin, General Liang indeed counts as a good general with soldiers in his heart. After pondering for a while, he boldly said: "I can’t do much for them, just hope that next year the weather will be favorable, and their families can receive more compensation silver."

Uh, the way this is said, are you looking to make trouble here?

Doctor Xu of the Ministry of War held his water cup in silence... I’m just a humble doctor at the Ministry of War, matters of compensation silver, go to the Ministry of Revenue.

Doctor Liu of the Ministry of Revenue stared straight ahead... I’m just a humble laborer at the Ministry of Revenue, matters of distributing silver, go to the Chief of Staff.

Vice Minister Ban, after hearing this, thought of those fallen soldiers, and his nose tingled, and he promised: "When I send the memorial back to the Capital, I will mention this matter."

As for whether it can succeed, that’s not something he can control.

"Thank you, Assistant Minister!" General Liang expressed his gratitude, saying: "I toast you with a cup!"

With that said, he drained the cup of water.

His subordinates, including Vice General Lu, Company Commander, Chief Commander, and Kangrong Generals like Qin San Lang also stood up, using water as a substitute for wine, thanked Vice Minister Ban.

Vice Minister Ban looked at Vice General Lu, pointed at his hand and asked: "What happened to your hand? Can you still fight?"

Vice General Lu was injured, his right hand having only the thumb and index finger left, the other three fingers were all cut off.

Vice General Lu smiled: "At first it was somewhat uncomfortable, but after practicing for a few months, now I can hold a knife and draw a bow, rest assured, Assistant Minister."

Vice Minister Ban nodded upon hearing, and further asked: "How many are there like you who are lightly injured in the army?"

Vice General Lu did not conceal, he truthfully said: "There are many, at least over two hundred per thousand, but it doesn’t matter, once on the battlefield, they can still fight Rong people!"

The last half of the sentence, Vice General Lu said very loudly, fearing that Vice Minister Ban might submit a memorial, causing them lightly injured soldiers to be sent home... Those who can keep serving in the Northwest Army are all from poor families, many rely on military salary to get by, and besides fighting, soldiers know not how to do other jobs, if they are sent home during such times, then surely wives and children would starve.

Vice Minister Ban, upon hearing this, his eyes turned a bit red, did not expect the Northwest soldiers to suffer to such an extent... When Duke Wei’s faction was still around, the Northwest only lacked water and wasn’t wealthy, there was no need to worry about raising soldiers.

"Regarding compensation silver, I will think of a way." The Ban family isn’t prominent, but Vice Minister Ban was promoted by Ouyang Zhang, he planned to write a letter to Ouyang Zhang, asking him to speak on the matter of compensation silver.

The two adults of the Imperial Censorate, upon hearing this, their expressions turned somewhat unsightly, yet they did not confront Vice Minister Ban, as their ranks were not as high as his.

Vice Minister Ban asked about the grain situation in the Northwest.

Magistrate Hao thought Vice Minister Ban was approachable, so he told him truthfully, also saying: "Due to the Rong bandits besieging the city and the poisonous insect disease, many have died inside and outside the city, and many families have sold their lands and houses, moving with their whole families, so now there are lots of lands but few people, some lands outside the city have been abandoned."

"Abandoned! How can this be, we must quickly find people to cultivate them." Vice Minister Ban heard this and his heart clenched, food is the primary need of the people, especially in the grain-scarce Northwest, having lands with no one to till, it truly is infuriating!

Magistrate Hao glanced at Vice Minister Ban, recalled what Ms. Gao Lei told him, then said: "Sir, the people of the Northwest have mostly fled if they could, there’s no one to cultivate the land, now, there are only two ways to prevent land abandonment."

Vice Minister Ban eagerly asked: "What are those two ways, Magistrate Hao, please tell!"

Magistrate Hao said: "One is to immediately decree that the Northwest people are not allowed to move without government office papers, and the other is to relocate people, moving the people of Great Chu from elsewhere, with the court giving them land and houses, with no taxes for three years."

These two ways are quite bold; the first would offend the noble and wealthy families wishing to leave the Northwest, while the second would offend the court, as it means granting lands and houses to the people for free.

Vice Minister Ban, however, was all ears: "Explain in detail."

The ways, although not perfect, could save the Northwest; otherwise, if the Northwest becomes abandoned, the losses would be even greater.

"I have already written down the plan, Sir, please take a look." Magistrate Hao drew out a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Vice Minister Ban, it wasn’t written by him, it was given to him by Ms. Gao Lei.

Vice Minister Ban couldn’t wait for the servant to present it, directly got up to retrieve the paper, immediately unfolded and read it, after a full quarter of an hour of reading, he clapped and exclaimed: "Good, good, good, Magistrate Hao’s plan sure is comprehensive, the south, Central State, Capital, Zhili, all have beggars and landless destitute people, relocating them to the Northwest, giving them a chance to live, they should be willing."

However, Vice Minister Ban misunderstood, the southern beggars and landless destitute people would rather sell themselves as slaves to rich families in the south than come to the Northwest.

In their eyes, the Northwest was like a hellish place where the Rong bandits slaughter cities every day!

But in the end, the relocation of Southern people to the Northwest was accomplished by Emperor Jingyuan, simply because Emperor Jingyuan gave a strict order, requiring each prefecture to send a certain number of beggars and landless people to the Northwest.

Noble families, local noblemen, and rich households trying to take advantage by buying indentured servants at low prices, were executed for treason!

"And there’s this, for each soldier’s family willing to relocate to the Northwest, an additional two taels of silver is given."

"This is truly wonderful, with silver, those soldiers’ families who haven’t come should be willing to move over. Once settled, the land won’t lie fallow, the source of soldiers won’t dry up, and prosperity in the Northwest is hopeful, hopeful indeed!" Vice Minister Ban was so moved that he wiped his tears, grasped Magistrate Hao’s hand and said: "Magistrate Hao, you are truly a good minister of Great Chu, please accept my sincere bow."

Saying this, he solemnly bowed to Magistrate Hao.

"I dare not accept such an honor, Sir, this is Old Madam Gao’s idea!" Magistrate Hao was frightened into telling the truth.

Vice Minister Ban was stunned: "It was Old Madam Gao’s excellent strategy, such a nation-saving strategy, I must prepare a significant gift to thank her properly."

However, this idea wasn’t thought up by Ms. Gao Lei, but by Gu Jinli, who discussed it with Ms. Gao Lei.

It’s just that Gu Jinli felt that her family was currently too high-profile, wanted to keep a low profile, and didn’t want to come up with any more astounding strategies, so she asked Ms. Gao Lei to speak with Magistrate Hao; if it succeeded, it would be a good deed.

Ms. Gao Lei was also troubled by the matter of relocating Northwest people, so upon hearing this, she immediately agreed and approached Magistrate Hao.

But Magistrate Hao was a bit afraid of death, knowing that although the strategy was good, it would offend people, so he hesitated to submit it to the court until Vice Minister Ban came, he calculated in his mind, then told the strategy to Vice Minister Ban, letting Vice Minister Ban submit it to the Capital.

If it succeeded, he would also have merit.

If it failed, it wouldn’t be him who faced consequences, perfect!

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