The next morning, Chen Biao slept until nearly noon before waking up.
He rubbed his little belly, washed up while still half asleep, slurped down a bowl of meat porridge, finished off a boiled egg, and finally became fully awake.
“Where’s my dad?”
The moment he remembered how his father had gone crazy and dragged him out of bed in the middle of the night, his stomach filled with resentment.
Li Zhen handed him a piece of fruit.
“He went out early this morning to organize the tuntian project.”
At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang had not yet transformed from a regional warlord into the ruler of an independent regime.
The economy of the territory under his control still revolved around military-agricultural colonies, where soldiers farmed to feed themselves. It did not yet involve taxing ordinary farmers’ land.
However, with Chen Biao’s assistance, Zhu Yuanzhang had already begun establishing much more reasonable commercial tax policies.
At present, aside from the Chen family’s business profits, nearly all of Zhu Yuanzhang’s income came from merchants paying taxes.
Chen Biao had also helped formulate the policies and details of the tuntian system.
Zhu Yuanzhang’s original plan had been far too crude, placing excessive burdens on the soldier-farmers and failing to fully unleash their productive capacity.
Of course, Chen Biao merely moved his lips and offered ideas.
The one running around implementing and refining every policy was “Chen Guorui.”
Every night, Chen Biao slept a full five hours and still took a half-hour nap at noon.
His father called him a little lazy pig every day, but still indulged him.
Knowing his father had gone off to work, Chen Biao certainly wasn’t going to seek trouble himself.
After eating and drinking his fill, he sat in a daze for a while before finally sighing and heading to the study.
He began writing:
“The Well-Field System with Great Ming Characteristics (First Draft).”
It wasn’t because Chen Biao had suddenly become a workaholic.
He was simply too bored.
Entertainment in this era was unbelievably scarce.
He had made all sorts of toys for children. Chen Shuang could play with them all day long.
But for Chen Biao himself, they were torture.
His daily entertainment consisted of nothing more than reading books and staring blankly into space.
He had become rounder and rounder from idleness.
Only after Zhu Yuanzhang started letting him participate in complicated affairs did Chen Biao finally become energetic instead of sleepy all day.
To say something a little immoral…
To Chen Biao, handling these troublesome matters was basically like playing a strategy game.
All he did was point and give orders.
Zhu Yuanzhang handled the implementation.
Zhu Yuanzhang also bore all the responsibility.
How was that any different from playing a video game?
Watching the Chen family’s wealth steadily increase and Zhu Yuanzhang’s territory grow ever more prosperous gave Chen Biao the same satisfying sense of achievement as watching a strategy game flourish.
Unfortunately…
Zhu Yuanzhang’s territory wasn’t his territory.
That always left a faint bitterness in his heart whenever he helped.
After writing for fifteen minutes, Chen Biao got up and did a round of radio calisthenics.
When he said he wanted to lose weight, he meant it.
While exercising, he muttered nonstop about Chen Guorui.
If Chen Guorui weren’t so honest, kind, and ridiculously loyal to Zhu Yuanzhang…
Xu Da and Tang He both call my dad Boss.
If my dad stabbed Zhu Yuanzhang in the back right now, putting on the imperial yellow robe would practically be guaranteed.
…Wait.
Xu Da and Tang He both called his father Boss.
Then what exactly was Zhu Yuanzhang?
Chen Biao narrowed his eyes.
Something didn’t seem right.
“Uncle,” he asked while Li Zhen wiped the sweat from his face, “why do all those Huaixi generals on our street call my dad Boss? Is it because he’s the oldest?”
Li Zhen laughed.
“Of course not. They call Guorui Boss because he’s the one who pays their salaries and supplies their grain.”
Chen Biao blinked.
“Huh? Isn’t the Grand Marshal the one paying them?”
“In theory, yes. But Guorui is the Grand Marshal’s money bag. Whether the army has food depends entirely on your father and you. Among the Huaixi generals, the Grand Marshal is the commander, while your father is naturally everyone’s Boss. Even the Grand Marshal jokingly calls your father Boss in private.”
Chen Biao nearly choked.
“My dad… doesn’t actually answer to that, does he?”
Li Zhen replaced the sweat cloth tucked behind Chen Biao’s back.
“Every time the Grand Marshal calls your father Boss, your father immediately rolls around on the floor complaining that he’s already splitting every grain of rice in half to make ends meet and begging the Grand Marshal to go easy on him.”
Children sweated easily.
In wealthy families like the Shen household, the moment a child’s clothes became damp, they were changed into a fresh set.
Several outfits were changed every day.
If the garments were made from silk gauze that couldn’t easily be washed, they were simply thrown away after one use.
Even the imperial palace wasn’t much more extravagant.
The Chen family was also immensely wealthy.
But Chen Biao refused to wear clothes that could only be used once.
Instead, he placed absorbent cotton cloth against his back and simply changed the cloth whenever it became soaked.
Li Zhen had lived through hard times and remained extremely frugal.
Still, he understood his place and had never intended to stop Chen Biao from living a somewhat luxurious life.
To his surprise, Chen Biao understood thrift from such a young age, which only made Li Zhen feel sorry for him.
With the fortune Chen Biao had earned for the Chen family, there was absolutely no reason for a child to be so frugal.
But since Chen Biao insisted, Li Zhen could only change the cloth more frequently to keep him comfortable.
After replacing the cloth and wiping Chen Biao’s face, hands, and arms with a warm towel, Li Zhen continued,
“Biao’er, you should have more confidence in Guorui. He’s only simple and honest in front of you. Outside, he’s very shrewd. Otherwise, why would the Grand Marshal trust him so much?”
Chen Biao was persuaded.
“Fine. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe the Grand Marshal isn’t that petty.”
After stretching his body, he picked up his brush once more and continued outlining the Great Ming-style Well-Field System.
Not long afterward, Zhu Yuanzhang returned to their temporary residence looking like he’d been sculpted from mud.
Behind him staggered an equally muddy Xu Da, stumbling so badly he nearly walked into a tree several times.
Zhu Yuanzhang complained,
“What’s wrong with you today? Why are you so absent-minded? While digging, you even threw your hoe. It almost hit me.”
Xu Da forced his eyes open.
“Boss… don’t you know better than anyone why I’m absent-minded? I should be asking why you’re still so full of energy today.”
Last night, Zhu Yuanzhang had dragged him into the courtyard and talked for ages.
Then early this morning he’d dragged him off to work.
Xu Da was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open.
He genuinely couldn’t understand it.
Didn’t everyone have two eyes, one nose, and one mouth?
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted.
“You sleep too much every day. That’s why you’ve gotten lazy.”
Xu Da replied weakly,
“…I didn’t even sleep two hours last night!”
“You slept two whole hours! Isn’t that enough?!”
“…No. It isn’t. I’m going back to sleep. Boss, do whatever you want.”
He turned to leave.
Zhu Yuanzhang grabbed his sleeve.
“Where are you running? Lazy to death. Come see Biao’er with me first. I already told him your real identity.”
Xu Da forced himself to wake up a little more.
“Huh? Why? Wait… Biao’er still didn’t know who I really was? He’s so smart. My new name wasn’t exactly creative. Shouldn’t he have figured it out ages ago?”
Tang He was one thing.
But how different were “Xu Da” and “Xu Da”?
Scratching his muddy head with equally muddy hands, Zhu Yuanzhang only made himself dirtier.
“He trusts us. Since we never told him, he never suspected anything. Sigh… why am I starting to feel guilty?”
Xu Da replied,
“You should feel guilty. Look at Biao’er worrying every day that the Grand Marshal’s going to execute Chen Guorui. He’s worried himself thin.”
Zhu Yuanzhang grinned.
“Relax. He’s not nearly as worried anymore. I told him if the Grand Marshal executes anyone whose merit overshadows his lord’s, you’ll be first. Once you’re executed, we’ll still have time to run away.”
Xu Da rolled his eyes.
“Yes, yes. Chen Guorui can’t overshadow his lord, but Xu Da can. Then the Grand Marshal can execute me instead.”
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily.
“Don’t worry. After you’re executed, I’ll definitely build you an empty grave back home and take Biao’er there to perform the funeral rites.”
Xu Da actually laughed from sheer exasperation.
“An empty grave? What, there won’t even be a corpse left? Even people who die horribly still leave behind a body!”
Behind them, the nearly invisible Chen Ying listened to their ridiculous conversation with twitching lips.
Execution.
Death.
Bodies.
Didn’t his adoptive father and Marshal Xu think any of this was terribly inauspicious?
Seeing the two of them about to barge straight into the study, Chen Ying finally spoke up.
“Adoptive Father, General Xu… shouldn’t we wash all this mud off before seeing Biao’er?”
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced down at himself.
“No need. I was planning to smear Biao’er with mud too, then take him to bathe together.”
Xu Da: “…Wenying!”
“Yes!”
“Do it!”
One grabbed Zhu Yuanzhang’s left arm.
The other grabbed his right.
Together they dragged him toward the well.
Zhu Yuanzhang roared,
“What are you doing?! Are you rebelling?!”
Xu Da answered casually,
“Yep. Rebelling.”
Chen Ying added,
“Adoptive Father, don’t bully Biao’er.”
Chen Wenzheng, who had been hiding in a tree eating Li Bao’er’s stash of dried meat, jumped down.
“What are you doing? Let go of Adoptive Father!”
Xu Da replied,
“He wants to smear Biao’er with mud.”
Chen Ying said,
“Help us drag him to wash!”
Chen Wenzheng burst out laughing.
“Isn’t that fun? Adoptive Father, I’ll help you— Ah! Bao’er! When did you get here?!”
Li Bao’er snarled,
“When do you think? Finally caught you! Give me back my dried meat!”
Clutching the jar tightly, Chen Wenzheng turned and ran.
“Adoptive Father! I believe in you! You’ll definitely break free! I’m leaving first!”
Li Bao’er shouted while chasing him,
“Adoptive Father, hurry and take your bath… Zhu Wenzheng! Stop right there!”
Being dragged across the ground, Zhu Yuanzhang left two long tracks with his feet.
“Zhu Wenzheng! Is your adoptive father worth less than a jar of dried meat?! You unfilial brat! And Bao’er! It’s only one jar! How can you be so stingy?!”
Chen Wenzheng and Li Bao’er vanished without answering.
Inside the study, Chen Biao stopped writing.
“Uncle… did you hear some miserable howling?”
While laying out the freshly written pages to dry, Li Zhen calmly replied,
“Probably the stubborn donkey in the backyard fighting again.”
Chen Biao frowned.
“A donkey? It doesn’t really sound like one.”
Li Zhen nodded seriously.
“Donkeys don’t usually sound like that. Only stubborn donkeys fighting do.”
“Really?”
Scratching his head, Chen Biao accidentally dragged his brush across his own face, instantly turning himself into a little tabby cat.
Suppressing a laugh, Li Zhen carefully wiped the ink away.
What a pity.
If only he knew how to paint.
He would certainly have preserved this adorable scene forever.
After finishing the rough draft of The Well-Field System with Great Ming Characteristics (First Draft) and leaving the details to be filled in later according to actual circumstances, Zhu Yuanzhang, Xu Da, and Chen Ying finally returned after bathing and changing clothes.
Chen Biao was hopping around the study stretching his body.
The moment he saw them, his eyes lit up.
Like a tiny cannonball, he shot forward.
Zhu Yuanzhang broke into a huge grin, crouched down, and spread his arms wide.
Chen Biao darted straight underneath those open arms.
“Brother Ying! I missed you so much!”
Chen Ying lifted him into his arms and rubbed his soft chubby cheeks.
“I missed you too, Biao’er.”
Zhu Yuanzhang froze.
Xu Da burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Hahahahahahahaha!”
Even if I’m dying of sleepiness, I’m still going to laugh as loudly as possible!
Standing up stiffly, Zhu Yuanzhang punched Xu Da once before turning around with a wounded expression.
“Biao’er… your father’s standing right here.”
Chen Biao bared his teeth.
“I don’t want the father who shook me awake in the middle of the night while I was sleeping.”
Rubbing the spot where Zhu Yuanzhang had punched him, Xu Da added,
“Boss, waking me up in the middle of the night was bad enough. Why’d you bother Biao’er too? He’s still so little. If he doesn’t get enough sleep and grows up short, you’ll be the one crying.”
Zhu Yuanzhang stiffened his neck.
“You shut up! Ah… Biao’er, didn’t Dad already admit he was wrong? Come on, let Dad hold you.”
Chen Ying looked toward Chen Biao.
Only after Chen Biao nodded did he hand him over.
Zhu Yuanzhang shot Chen Ying a glare before laughing himself.
“You… ever since Biao’er came along, you don’t listen to me anymore.”
Before Chen Ying could answer, Chen Biao proudly puffed out his chest.
“Of course! If my opinion and yours ever disagree, then obviously I’m the one who’s absolutely right!”
Xu Da said, “Biao’er is right!”
Li Zhen nodded. “That’s true.”
Chen Ying added, “Godmother said that in everything, we should listen to Biao’er.”
“Oh, so you’ve all teamed up against me now?” Zhu Yuanzhang wiped the spot on his son’s face that had just rubbed against Chen Ying, then vigorously ruffled his hair twice. “The bump has already gone down? As expected of my son—tough as nails!”
Chen Biao grabbed Zhu Yuanzhang’s loose hair. “Dad, last night you woke me up, and you woke Uncle Xu up too. When exactly did you sleep?”
Li Zhen smiled. “More than that. After Guorui came back, he kept reading until dawn. He only extinguished the lamp and slept for less than half a shichen before getting up to work on the tuntian fields outside the city.”
Chen Biao yanked harder on Zhu Yuanzhang’s hair.
“Dad!”
Zhu Yuanzhang replied weakly, “…I’m here, I’m here!”
Chen Biao sighed helplessly. “Even if you don’t feel sleepy mentally, your body can’t take it. Take a nap later. I’ll sleep with you.”
Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head.
“…All right.”
Whenever his son slept beside him, Zhu Yuanzhang found it very easy to fall asleep. Even if he wanted to get up halfway through the nap and go back to work, he probably wouldn’t be able to.
Xu Da yawned. “I need to go back and take another nap too. Your father thinks everyone is like him and can go without sleep. Sigh… Today I nearly threw my hoe.”
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted.
“And it almost hit me.”
Chen Biao said, “Serves you right. That’s karma! Who told you to ruin people’s sleep in the middle of the night?”
Zhu Yuanzhang fell silent.
Xu Da was delighted.
See? At last, someone can keep you in line!
“Biao’er, I heard from Boss that you have a new tuntian plan.” After watching Zhu Yuanzhang get scolded, Xu Da finally looked a little more awake.
Both hands pressed against Zhu Yuanzhang’s face as he tried to rub against him again, Chen Biao turned to Xu Da and said, “It’s not about tuntian anymore. It’s about distributing land. Marshal Zhu has taken over so much territory. It’s time to think about establishing a stable government. Land distribution is the first step. Uncle Xu, if you’re sleepy, go sleep first. There’s no rush. Yangzhou doesn’t have that many refugees yet… Dad! Your beard is all rough and prickly. Don’t rub it against my face! It hurts!”
Chen Ying watched helplessly as Zhu Yuanzhang pinned Chen Biao down and bullied him until the little boy’s tender face suffered another beard attack.
If Godmother were here, I’d dare snatch him away directly.
Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang laughing triumphantly while Chen Biao covered his face and puffed out his cheeks in anger, Chen Ying felt deeply distressed.
Only after Zhu Yuanzhang stuffed Chen Biao back into Chen Ying’s arms and turned to read the land distribution policy Chen Biao had written did Chen Ying finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Xu Da also wanted to see what Chen Biao had written, but he was so sleepy that his mind was already a blur.
In the end, he simply found a bed next door and fell asleep immediately, not even bothering to return to his own quarters.
From Chen Ying’s arms, Chen Biao poked out his head and bared his teeth at Zhu Yuanzhang while muttering nonstop.
Just look at yourself! Look what you’ve done!
Chen Ying quickly pressed Chen Biao back against his chest, afraid that Zhu Yuanzhang would get annoyed and punish the poor little face with another beard attack.
Fortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang had already been completely absorbed by The Well-Field System with Great Ming Characteristics and paid no attention to Chen Biao’s grumbling.
After skimming through it once, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, “Why is it called ‘Great Ming’? Does it mean something greater than the Little Ming King?”
Chen Biao rolled his eyes.
“What Little Ming King? Our ‘Ming’ has nothing to do with them! ‘Ming’ means the sun and the moon. Marshal Zhu will sweep away the darkness clouding heaven and earth and restore the brilliance of the sun and moon to the world. What does that have to do with the Little Ming King? Those people want to restore the Song Dynasty. Does Marshal Zhu want to restore the Song Dynasty too? The Song only ruled such a tiny piece of land! What’s there to restore?”
After a pause, he continued, “Those Han Song people not only want to restore the Song, they even claim to be descendants of Emperor Huizong of Song, rushing to inherit the disgrace of the Jingkang Incident. If they absolutely had to claim descent from the Song imperial family, why not choose Emperor Taizu of Song instead? Incredible.”
Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless.
Earlier that year, he had captured Wuzhou, Yangzhou, and other territories, bringing most of eastern Zhejiang under his control. He had originally planned to become a little more high-profile that year, to shout a slogan and recruit more heroes to his banner.
He had already thought of one.
“China’s rivers and mountains are once again ours; beneath the sun and moon, the Song heavens are reborn.”
Or perhaps:
“The sun and moon reopen Heaven’s rightful path; the Song realm regains its treasured map.”
Listen to that!
Wasn’t it magnificent?
Yet after hearing his son’s words, Zhu Yuanzhang choked and broke out in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, after those pedantic Confucian scholars angrily packed up and left, no one remained to polish his writing, so he had postponed announcing the slogan.
Otherwise…
Wouldn’t Biao’er’s opinion of Zhu Yuanzhang have become even worse?
Taking a deep breath, Zhu Yuanzhang calmly said, “You’re right. Great Ming has nothing to do with Han Song…”
Wait.
Hold on.
I haven’t even decided on my state’s name yet, and Biao’er is already calling it Great Ming?
As expected! I, Old Zhu, really am destined to become Emperor!
His excitement lasted only a moment before he remembered that several hundred years later, Great Ming would still perish, and the “heaven-sent hero” Biao’er spoke of would step over its decaying corpse to truly reopen heaven and earth.
Instantly, all his excitement vanished.
Forget it.
What’s so special about being a founding emperor?
History has had countless founding emperors.
I’d only be one more among them.
Why can’t I be the one who truly opens a new era?
No.
What did Biao’er say before?
Success doesn’t have to be achieved by me, but I must be part of achieving it.
I have to work even harder.
“This well-field system does look quite good,” Zhu Yuanzhang said. “But what exactly is a well-field system? And why is it said to have Great Ming characteristics?”
Chen Biao looked at him speechlessly.
“Dad, just admit you didn’t understand a single thing. I won’t laugh at you.”
Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”
“Give me Biao’er!”
Chen Ying hugged Chen Biao and immediately took several steps back, ready to flee at any moment.
Chen Biao said, “Go ahead and hand me over. I don’t believe he can actually do anything to me! Hmph. Dad, if you stab me with your beard again, I won’t explain anything. Figure it out yourself!”
Lifting Chen Biao by the collar, Zhu Yuanzhang scolded, “You’re getting more and more unruly, you unfilial brat!”
Chen Biao stuck out his tongue.
“That’s right! I’m unfilial! If you’ve got the guts, throw away your unfilial son!”
Zhu Yuanzhang barked, “Wenying! Why are you still standing there? Got nothing better to do? Get out!”
Chen Ying replied, “…Yes.”
Looks like Biao’er will be fine.
Even when Godfather was angry, he only took it out on other people. He would never scold Biao’er.
When Chen Ying stepped out of the study, Li Zhen was feeding the chickens in the courtyard.
Although Yangzhou was only a temporary residence, Li Zhen made full use of every patch of empty ground. Wherever vegetables could be planted, he planted vegetables. Wherever chickens could be raised, he raised chickens. When it came time to move, whatever could be taken would be taken; whatever couldn’t would simply be left for the next occupants to tend. Nothing would go to waste.
Seeing Chen Ying come out, Li Zhen smiled.
“Got scolded, didn’t you? When those father and son are discussing serious matters, don’t crowd around. That’s just how Guorui is. Every time Biao’er gives him an earful, he has to vent it on somebody else.”
Chen Ying rubbed his nose.
“I know. I just wanted to see Biao’er a little longer. Soon I’ll be serving under another general.”
Chen Ying had performed exceptionally well this time. Zhu Yuanzhang had no intention of leaving him in Yangzhou to oversee tuntian. Instead, he wanted Chen Ying to experience more battles and earn greater military achievements.
Chen Ying intended to repay Zhu Yuanzhang’s trust with everything he had.
Still, the thought that he wouldn’t see Biao’er again for quite some time inevitably left him feeling down.
Li Zhen understood the feeling well.
Biao’er was simply too lovable.
Anyone who had spent enough time with him would start missing him terribly after being apart for more than five days.
After living with Biao’er for several years, Li Zhen hardly even missed his own son anymore.
It almost felt as though Biao’er had become his precious youngest son, while his eldest son, Li Bao’er, had merely been picked up from a grain field during harvest.
Seeing him once in a while was fine.
Seeing him too often became annoying.
“Whenever you’re away, Biao’er thinks about you every day. And whenever he misses you, he goes to the craftsmen and has them make all sorts of strange things I can’t understand,” Li Zhen said. “The next time you see him, he’ll definitely have a surprise waiting for you.”
Chen Ying broke into a bright smile.
“I’ll definitely return with military merit!”
Li Zhen put on a stern face.
“I said come back safely. Whether you’ve earned merit doesn’t matter. Just don’t come back missing an arm or a leg. Biao’er will cry.”
Chen Ying immediately became serious.
“I’ll do my utmost to return safely.”
Li Zhen handed him a bowl of grain husks.
“That’s better. I’ll go tell the kitchen to start cooking. You feed the chickens. Once Biao’er finishes his work and comes out, he’ll see you waiting.”
Taking the bowl, Chen Ying sat on the steps outside, feeding the chickens while quietly waiting.
Inside the study, Chen Biao sat on Zhu Yuanzhang’s lap. After exhausting himself with explanations, he finally managed to make Zhu Yuanzhang understand both the well-field system described by Mencius and the modified version he had devised himself.
Under the well-field system of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, all land belonged to the Son of Heaven of Zhou. It could not be bought or sold. The king granted land to the feudal lords, who in turn ordered the common people to cultivate it.
In reality, those common people were essentially the feudal lords’ slaves.
As productivity developed, however, the feudal lords began opening up private fields outside the official well-fields, and ordinary people secretly reclaimed wasteland for themselves.
Private fields were untaxed, while the official well-fields gradually fell into neglect.
Later, as the various states carried out reforms, the well-field system was abolished, taxes began to be levied according to acreage, and society gradually entered the feudal era.
Under the feudal system of private land ownership, land annexation was inevitable.
At the beginning of each dynasty, an equal-field system would generally be implemented. But once land annexation became severe enough that most commoners could no longer survive, they would overthrow the old dynasty, establish a new one, and the cycle would repeat.
Thoughtful scholars represented by the Confucians therefore hoped to restore the well-field system, placing all farmland under government allocation so as to restrain land annexation and ensure that even the poor had enough grain to survive.
Obviously, however, that was impossible.
A communal rice bowl for everyone was never a workable solution.
Later generations of great Confucian scholars all built their economic theories upon the concept of the well-field system.
For example, land would still be taxed according to acreage, but ownership would belong to the state.
At that point, it already bore considerable resemblance to the modern land contract system.
Only in this lifetime had Chen Biao seriously studied the historical records.
The more he studied, the more he marveled.
Five thousand years of uninterrupted Chinese civilization was truly astonishing.
Even many problems of the modern age could be addressed simply by opening the history books, patching together ideas from policies their ancestors had once implemented, and adapting them to present circumstances.
“All land belongs to the state, not to the Emperor personally. Just as at the founding of the Tang Dynasty, an equal-field system is implemented. Every adult man and woman receives an allocation of land. But the land is merely contracted out to the people for a period of thirty years. After thirty years, the government redistributes the fields. Those still alive have their contracts renewed for another thirty years, while land belonging to those who have died is reclaimed and redistributed.”
“During the contract period, people may temporarily transfer the remaining years of their contracts to others. That transfer functions much like buying and selling land…”
A nation depends upon grain.
The people regard food as heaven.
If one wished to develop productivity, the first step was ensuring that everyone had enough to eat.
Only after people could fill their stomachs would they have the time and energy to study other things and advance productive relations.
As Guan Zhong once said:
“When the granaries are full, people know propriety and moderation; when they have enough food and clothing, they know honor and shame.”
It was the same principle.
Zhu Yuanzhang rested his chin atop Chen Biao’s head.
Rain still fell outside.
The damp breeze carried a pleasant coolness, while the warmth radiating from his son in his arms was just right.
Chen Biao said that if every family had land of its own, no one would go hungry.
He said that by not prohibiting land transfers, families who accumulated wealth could temporarily transfer their land-use rights, gather capital to become merchants, pursue education, or engage in other occupations instead of remaining forever tied to the soil.
He said that when better farming tools appeared and a single person could cultivate more land, some degree of land concentration would naturally increase grain production. But such concentration had to remain under state control, which was why contracts lasted only thirty years.
Even if illegal land annexation occurred during those thirty years, a comprehensive review every thirty years would prevent the problem from becoming impossible to cure.
Zhu Yuanzhang asked quietly,
“Would this guarantee that the common people always have at least the means to survive?”
Chen Biao laughed.
“Of course not. Dad, policies are dead. People are alive. No matter how good a policy is, if no one enforces it properly, it’s useless.”
He pointed at his manuscript.
“For example, during the thirty-year land and population review, if corrupt officials collude with powerful local families and keep land registered under the names of dead people while the landlords secretly own everything, then land annexation can’t be stopped. Or perhaps a later Emperor simply abolishes the policy altogether…”
Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted,
“Marshal Zhu can decree that the laws established by our ancestors must never be altered by later generations!”
Chen Biao replied,
“If Marshal Zhu really issued such an order, then Great Ming would decay very quickly. Dad, you still need to study the philosophy in the first half of the Heavenly Book more carefully. Everything is constantly developing. Every action must begin from present realities…”
Zhu Yuanzhang vigorously rubbed Chen Biao’s head.
Chen Biao immediately knew his father had gotten lost again.
So he used himself as an example.
“In a normal family, no father would sit here listening to his five-year-old son ramble. Before you thought I was an immortal child, you wouldn’t have listened to me either. But now you’re holding me while listening to all my rambling. That’s what it means to act according to present realities.”
Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled.
“I understand now.”
Whenever Biao’er taught someone, his explanations were always so easy to understand.
And always entertaining.
Chen Biao continued,
“So if Marshal Zhu establishes this rule, later generations may find it impossible to improve it because they’ll be constrained by the ancestral instructions. Dad, you’ve still read too little history. There have already been cases where ‘the ancestral laws cannot be changed’ became a weapon in the struggle between ministers and Emperors. Whenever an ancestral rule benefited officials, they’d insist it couldn’t be changed. Whenever it harmed them, suddenly it had to be ‘interpreted flexibly.’ Dad, I’ll say it again—rules are dead. People are alive.”
Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time.
His arms unconsciously tightened around his son.
“So you’re saying… as long as the Emperor is wise, this new well-field system can allow the people to live well. But once a bad Emperor—or even just an incompetent one—takes the throne, then even the best policy becomes useless.”
Chen Biao nodded.
The father and son sat in silence for a long while.
Then Chen Biao stretched his neck upward and rubbed the top of his head against Zhu Yuanzhang’s chin.
“Marshal Zhu may not treat his meritorious officials very well, but he’s not bad to the common people. If he can accept this well-field system, then at least during his reign the people will finally have a chance to catch their breath. After that, we can persuade Marshal Zhu to take the next step—enlightening the people.”
Zhu Yuanzhang asked,
“If everyone has enough to eat, then they can peacefully learn to read and write?”
“Mhm.”
“Only when knowledge is no longer monopolized by a small minority is there any chance of collapsing a rotten system from within. Otherwise, we can only wait for external forces to destroy everything, allowing a new world to rise from the ashes.”
Zhu Yuanzhang asked,
“Biao’er, when you say external forces, do you mean the Mongol Yuan?”
Chen Biao shook his head.
“Dad, you’ve already gone overseas. Don’t you know how big the world is? We think we’re the center of the world. Europeans think exactly the same thing. While we stop moving forward, they keep running ahead with everything they’ve got. If we fall behind, won’t we end up being beaten? We’re more advanced than they are now because we’ve been running faster—not because we’re somehow born superior.”
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.
“No. We’re definitely born superior!”
Chen Biao clicked his tongue at his father’s arrogance.
“Uh… if that makes you happy. Anyway, let’s show this modified version of the well-field system to Marshal Zhu first. Elsewhere, wealthy merchants and powerful landowners already occupy the land, so it won’t be easy to implement. But Yangzhou’s people have all fled. Before those landlords return waving Yuan land deeds and demanding their fields back, hurry up and redistribute the land. If we’re too late, it’ll become troublesome.”
Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow.
Troublesome?
What trouble?
Could they really wave Yuan land deeds around and expect Zhu Yuanzhang, Emperor of the Great Ming, to hand the land back?
Great Ming wouldn’t fall for several hundred years!
I’d only just founded the dynasty!
…Wait.
No, I haven’t even founded it yet.
Zhu Yuanzhang kissed Chen Biao on the cheek.
“Biao’er, this well-field system of yours is incredible! I’ll go discuss it with your Uncle Xu right away!”
Chen Biao disgustedly wiped away the wet kiss mark.
“Don’t! Uncle Xu just fell asleep. Don’t wake him up again! You should hurry up and take your nap too! We agreed I’d sleep with you!”
Zhu Yuanzhang pleaded,
“But Biao’er, you just said land distribution is extremely urgent. How can I possibly sleep? Missing one nap won’t matter.”
Chen Biao jumped off Zhu Yuanzhang’s lap and dragged him toward the door by his sleeve.
“Land distribution can wait this little while. Sleeping can’t! Besides, my well-field system is still missing countless details. You still need to discuss it with many more people. Your body is your capital for working. Get a full sleep first, then go work with energy!”
Five-year-old Chen Biao dragged Zhu Yuanzhang along by the sleeve.
“But I’m already full of energy.”
Chen Biao let out a fierce little tiger’s roar.
“I say you’re sleepy, so you’re sleepy!”
Zhu Yuanzhang begged,
“Biao’er, I’m really not sleepy. I want to work.”
Chen Biao glared fiercely.
“No. You’re very sleepy. You do not want to work.”
Seeing Chen Biao practically dragging Zhu Yuanzhang out of the study, Chen Ying stood up from the steps.
“Have something to eat before sleeping. Godfather has been hoeing fields all morning. He must be hungry.”
Chen Biao nodded.
“Okay! Brother Ying, help me hold on to Dad. Charge!”
“Charge what—hey?! Wenying! Are you looking for death?!”
Holding Chen Biao in one arm, Chen Ying grabbed Zhu Yuanzhang’s wrist with the other and lunged forward, nearly pulling Zhu Yuanzhang off his feet.
Lying over Chen Ying’s shoulder, Chen Biao waved happily.
“Dad, run!”
Zhu Yuanzhang cursed,
“Run your heads! Stop pulling! I’ll run by myself!”
“Hahaha!”
Chen Biao burst into laughter.
Chen Ying had held it in for so long that he finally couldn’t help laughing too.
While laughing himself, Zhu Yuanzhang scolded,
“I already told you to let go, you two little rascals!”
At that moment, Zhu Wenzheng jumped down from a tree.
“Is it time to eat?”
Li Bao’er suddenly appeared from who knew where.
“Give me back my dried meat!”
Li Zhen carried dishes from the kitchen toward the dining hall.
“Bao’er, you’ve been chasing him for this long and still haven’t caught Wenzheng? Your skills are lacking.”
Li Bao’er’s face flushed bright red with embarrassment.
While the Zhu family noisily gathered for lunch, Xu Da lay in the guest room with one leg kicking the thin blanket aside, scratching his exposed belly as his thunderous snores shook the room.
Fast asleep, he had no idea that Marshal Zhu had almost dragged him out of bed again.