Chapter 260 – Food Programme

Liu Mang’s plan to recruit commoners was sent out and conducted quickly, but the result is not satisfying.

Those towns which borders Shouchun are Sishui County, Xiacai County and with the most farthest is City of Pengcheng. All of them belonged Xu Province which consequently belonged to Cao Cao. Sishui County was devastated due to Cao Cao’s assault when he goes to avenge Cao Song’s death during Tao Qian’s reign. The casualties even extended to City of Pengcheng and as Cao Cao’s own army casualties is also great, Cao Cao angrily ordered to extinguish all lives surrounding Sishui County in the radius of 100 li.

Later, Cao Cao redistribute his citizens in order to repopulate Xu Province, however, it is not an easy task. Therefore, Xu Province right now, doesn’t have too many people inhabiting it. Liu Mang Army only able to attract 2,000 commoners from all of Xu Province. And while on the way to Xu Province, they only able to get additional 3,000 commoners.

Liu Bei held his citizen from emigrating in Yingshang and Runan. Sun Ce of Jiangdong also held his citizens as he need the populace to develop his army and to farm his land. Only Cao Cao who just let his citizens emigrate to Shouchun as he is just finished the naval battle in Guandu and he just managed killed Yuan Shao’s 100,000 naval troops. Now Yuan Shao only had 150,000 troops while Cao Cao only had 40,000 troops in Guandu and it gave a big improvement on his provisions. Originally it can only last for 2 – 3 months but now, it can last at least 6 months now.

Liu Mang then tighten his brow and said “Only this much? How disappointing!!!” He is in need of massive population as this can help to maintain Lu Bu army’s combat potential. He did not fear to starve his commoners as there is sweet potatoes. Hell, even if all people of China is depending on Yang Province alone on food production, there is still enough sweet potatoes to spare.

Liu Neng who was assigned to handle emigration reported to him “Milord, it is not we did not make any contributions. But this is because all of warlords are banning their citizens from emigrating. Therefore it is hard to meet your targets!” Liu Neng has been appointed by Liu Mang since he had followed Liu Mang earnestly, therefore Liu Mang assigned him to do civil work. Liu Mang just stunned and said “All warlords banned emigration?!” Liu Mang truly had a headache from this population matter. But to think of it, this time is the chaos times, where men lives is lower than a dog’s life. Therefore, a view of plains covered with corpses is very normal these days. From Yellow Turban Rebellion until now, those who did assault and occupation always kill all of commoners and made their lives a living hell. Also the rewarding system for those either government office or rebels is based on how many kill count they did, therefore, again those commoners become victims of circumstances.

Later, because of nonstop war waged by warlords, and also all warlords was increasing their own grain tax, many places were deserted. Also with famine and floods, those warlords are insufficient in provisions and in confusion, so they can only do things like from the very lightest is to expel their own citizens to the heaviest is to unleash their own armies to kill those commoners. Now, out of those warlords, only a few left, therefore they start to care for commoners as they will be able to farm for them. Also before war started, Han Dynasty had population around 40 million people. Now, maybe only half of the population remained and with many fertile farmlands left, those nobles also followed suit with their warlords, caring for commoners. And for exactly that reason, Liu Neng said that they are all banning their commoners from emigration.

Liu Mang then snorted “Hmph!!! If they think banning would be effective. Just let them ban!!! We use different approach!!!” Population is a major problem. If this problem wasn’t solved, Lu Bu army will only suffer defeat with no way to recuperate, because the entire Lujiang’s population only numbered 100,000. In this cold weaponry warfare, no matter how good your tactics, no matter how good your weaponry, if you were overwhelmed by populace, you are dead. Regarding population, Sun Ce of Jiangdong had population of 2,000,000 people. Therefore Sun Ce can just throw away those 100,000 troops who died in Battle of Wancheng. The one who he cried for sometime are those 30,000 elite naval troops. Sun Ce already recuperated and had supplemented his 100,000 troops roster. Yuan Shao of Hebei wield 3 provinces of Hebei. Ji Province, You Province and Bing Province. You Province and Bing Province, both only totaled to 1 million people. But Ji Province, had full 4 million people. Therefore Yuan Shao can wield 300,000 troops and if the one who he faced in Guandu is Lu Bu army, he can just grind them into dust.

Cao Cao’s fiefdoms consists of Yan Province, half Yu Province and Xu Province. Altogether he had 3 million population with main population centralized in Yan Province. His population can be brokedown into details like this: half of Yu Province had 1 million people, Yan Province had 1,5 million people and Xu Province only had 500,000 people. According to Xu Province register, they originally had 3 million people but due to constant war beginning by Tao Qian vs Cao Cao until Cao Cao vs Liu Bei, they only have 500,000 – 600,000 people left. The place with the most population is of course, Jing Province with 5 million people. Jing Province has been a place for seeking asylum since Yellow Turban Rebellion. This place is firmly secured that even Sun Ce of Jiangdong had difficulty to claim Jiangxia. Even those who from Central Plains seeks asylum in this very province and it made Jing Province the most wealthiest province in Three Kingdoms period. This is also during Battle of Chibi, Cao Cao able to obtain Cai Mao’s 300,000 naval troops. Liu Zhang of Yi Province also very prosperous. He wield a place called Sichuan. Sichuan had many mountains that worked as natural barrier and because of that barrier, fire from chaos have only little effects on his fiefdom. With Chengdu, Hanzhong as his capital, this place is China’s granary and his population is amounted to 3 million people.

Those of Xiliang Province such as Ma Teng and Han Sui also had many population. In Wu’An County and Tianshui County, there are Han citizens as well Qiang Tribes who lived side-by-side and their number amounted to 1 million people. The reason that Xiliang is very formidable is because they are all professional soldiers and warriors and skilled cavaliers as well and also they are in constant battles yearly due to local conflicts. Those in Liaodong, Gongsun Du fiefdoms, also had around 1 million people if Goguryeo’s people to be counted as well. Liu Bei who occupied the other half of Yu Province, had 300,000 people and added up with 200,000 people he brought from Xu Province, making it total to 500,000 people. With that comparison, Lu Bu army is the poorest of them all. Also Zhang Xiu of Fort Wan whose fiefdom is in Zhili region. Zhili region can be said to be mostly abandoned due to Dong Zhuo Uprising and Battle of Hulao Gate. Also combined with Li Jue and Guo Si took over the Luoyang Palace, the killing of Wang Yun and the expel of Lu Bu. It can be said that Luoyang and Chang’an had been really desolate. However, no matter how desolate that place, it still had 200,000 people. Zhang Xiu of Fort Wan, is a people who waits to join whichever warlords can give him berth. So, he had assets of 20,000 Xiliang cavalries and 10,000 infantries to offer warlords.

The last one is Lu Bu army, although Lujiang had 100,000 people but Shouchun only had 20,000 – 30,000 people at most courtesy of Great Tyrant Yuan who extorted grain tax ruthlessly and made those who lived there miserable. Those Danyang family members who become Liu Mang of Shouchun’s citizens are craftsmen not farmers. So population problem is extremely crucial. To obtain population had only two options, first is to dispatch troops to snatch commoners and the second one is to increase welfare benefits. Snatching commoners can be done by sending troops to seize regions, simultaneously expanding regions. The most easy places to snatch commoners are Central Plains, Cao Cao’s fiefdoms, Liu Bei fiefdoms and Jing Province’s counties such as Xinye, Yiyang and Zaoyang. Jiangdong also is feasible but it is a bit harder as they are separated by river, but this is a path to certain death. Cao Cao now is in an extreme volatile situation with Yuan Shao in Guandu, if Cao Cao were to be offended, he will strike back with all of his might. Sun Ce of Jiangdong also cannot be disturbed now, for when they are angry, they will unleash naval units upon Liu Mang and Liu Mang currently don’t have any naval units. Liu Biao also need to be in good terms with Lu Bu and Liu Mang. The one who can be snatched is only Liu Bei, but he is well armed and he is far from Huai River therefore it is hard to snatch people. What Liu Mang need now is to rest and recuperate, building up strength they lost when Pang Tong played them.

The only feasible ways to attract commoners is to increase welfare benefits. Enhance their chance to gain wealth so that they are able to prosper in Shouchun. Liu Mang then said “Brother Neng. You promote this. “As long as they are willing to become my citizens. All commoners will be granted 2 mu of fertile farmlands for 3 years. The tax is of course only 30%. If you open up wastelands into farming fields, that farming fields will be assisted by our military to farm for 5 years. After 5 years, the land will become for their ownership complete with deeds!!! Also for those officers who died in battle, the tax is reduced into 20%!” Liu Mang will need to be impartial in this particular cases. Eh, fertile farmlands 2 mu?! Thought Liu Neng who began to count with his fingers. If Liu Mang words is to be implemented, then a family of five, consisting of 4 adults and 1 children will get 9 mu of fertile farmlands. 9 mu fertile farmlands only burdened with 30% grain tax leaving 6 mu farmlands not burdened by tax. 6 mu fertile farmlands is worth of a middle-class family.

And with tax reduction as well, what can we use for our military expense? Thought Liu Neng. An army needs both provisions and salaries, if only 30% grain tax, there is nothing to eat. A fertile farmland is able to produce 400 jin in a year and one mu can produce 1-shi of food. Only enough to maintain food supply. Other expenses such as building dams, building roads, repairing bridge and disaster reliefs, will not be able to be covered.

Liu Neng responded “Would not it be too high, Milord?!” Liu Mang responded “Brother Neng, you don’t need to worry a bit. If you plant those seeds that I bring, it can produce at least 2,000 jin per mu.” This digit had only said by Liu Mang to only Liu Ye and Xu Shu, because Liu Mang is still unsure. Now he is dishing out the digits because Liu Neng need digits. Liu Neng then stood up and said “Is that for real?!” 2000 jin per mu of fertile farmlands. Liu Neng recalled that when there is a bountiful years, they only had less than 500 jin per mu and it is also further reduced by tax. It is basically made all of farmers unable to eat until full but Liu Mang just easily said 2,000 jin per mu. This is 4 times more than bountiful years harvest. In ancient times, birth rate is extremely high, to the point that 1 couple can have 7 – 8 children. This is because there is no birth control and also due to mortality rate is higher due to death by starvation. The mortality is so high that China to just reach population of 100 million, it need several thousand years. In order to reach 200 million, needs several hundred years. To reach 300 million, needs 40 years and to reach 400 million needs 30 years. All because of food problems. The present days food problems were solved by planting sweet potatoes, solving hunger problems. The second solutions were Yuan Longping’s hybrid rice. With his hybrid rice, he had solved 10 to 100 millions of population food problem. Why Liu Mang did not bring hybrid rice back? It is because, he need research first in order to recreate it in Han Dynasty and it is not possible at Han Dynasty scientific level.

Liu Mang said again “Oh yes, 2000 jin that I said it is for non-fertile lands. If the land is very fertile, the output shouold be 4000 jin!!!” Liu Mang told Liu Neng all of the possible results. Because in the manual, it said that the minimum output is 2000 kg. And in fertile farmland, it could produce 4000 kg. But then, in this time of age, there is no fertilizer and no intensive farming, therefore he dropped the amount to twice of its supposed to be.

“Milord, this, this….!!!” Liu Neng said stutteredly. He really cannot say anything at all. If all goes well, then this is a seed from gods themselves and this will really turn Yang Province into a granary for the whole nation. Liu Mang then ordered “Go then. Issue my policies. I want to know how they will block this generous offer!!!” Liu Mang waved to Liu Neng and Liu Neng quickly excused himself. Liu Mang needs to resolve other issues now. Population is a big problem but there are a lot of major issues in Lu Bu army that he needs to tackle such as Lu Bu army is 100% foundation-less and had no industrial infrastructure. A warlord needs to be self-sufficient in order to become warlords. Li Jue and Guo Si don’t know how to do management and finally died full of regrets, that goes to Dong Zhuo who left 70,000 Xiliang cavalry and 100,000 infantries. They are all missing without any notice at all and Zhang Xiu of Fort Wan who wield 20,000 Xiliang cavalries suffered the same fate with all of them. They all perish by the ravages of time

Liu Mang send out his orders to obtain commoners along with his job advertisement, all spreaded with Yang Hong’s intelligence network to all cities held by all warlords.

We now go to Jiangdong Wuhu County. In the midst of crowd, suddenly there is a butler-attired middle-aged man saying “Everyone!!! I heard His Highness Prince of Shu in Shouchun Yang Province, is recruiting commoners people there!!!”

Some people replied to that butler-attired man “Recruiting commoners?! What good is recruiting commoner for?!” With that conversation, many people stopped their steps in order to hear more. They are all in the same thinking with that people who speaks profit of recruiting commoners. What is the good recruiting commoners? The butler-attired man smiled and responded “His Highness Prince of Shu, is looking for commoners to farm for him. In order for him to govern as well!!!”

A middle-aged man replied “Shouchun, Yang Province. That is several hundred-li from here. That place is far from Yangtze River. Who in their right mind wants to go there? And you say Shouchun, didn’t you? We came from Shouchun. That place is a terrible place to live!!! It is desolate and unhabitable and the taxes is ridiculously high!!!” Hearing that response, the butler-attired man just took a deep breath and said “What do you know? Shouchun is far from here, yes. But His Highness Prince of Shu said, as long as you are willing to emigrate, you will be given 2-mu fertile farmlands!!!” The middle-aged man said in disdainful tone “Only 2-mu? My family had at least 10-mu now!!!” They are a family with four children and had 10-mu farmland, but they still cannot make ends meet. So the father needs to go fishing and the mother needs to weave cloth. The butler-attired man replied “How can your fertile farmland be compared to His Highness Prince of Shu’s farmland?!”

The middle-aged man replied “It is incomparable!!! How can fertile farmland of Shouchun be compared to our Jiangdong’s?!” Geographically speaking, Shouchun is located in Jiangsu, Anhui Province while Jiangdong is locating in Zhejiang, Anhui Province. The place had no difference at all, but the middle-aged man just said it to save his face. The butler-attired man did not debate anymore, instead asked “How much taxes your family should pay?!”

The middle-aged man said it proudly “We are indebted to the General Sun Ce for freeing us from miserable life in Shouchun. We gladly pay Marquis of Wu, 60% grain tax!!!” This middle-aged man’s son died while being in Sun Ce’s employ. Sun Ce, in order to appease their families, reduce 10% of their taxes. Sun Ce actually did what Liu Mang planned to do first. However, with harvest 200 – 300 jin / year, how many reduction can it have effects? However, when listening to the middle-aged man, the crowd were awe-struck and it made middle-aged man very prideful. He then said to butler-attired man and said in disdain tone “So, how much taxes your family pay?!” [TN: At this time, Sun Ce already given title as Marquis of Wu, it is not told anywhere in this story. So all of you readers can read it in either kongming.net or other sites)

The butler-attired just show three fingers while smiling. The middle-aged man then enraged “70%, eh? You don’t have any base to laugh at my family!!!” The butler-attired said “No no no, my tax is only 30%. His Highness Prince of Shu dictates that as long as any people reach Shouchun, they will have 2-mu farmlands and their tax is only 30% forever with no more additional tax.” The middle-aged man screamed while pointing to the butler-attired man “IMPOSSIBLE!!! YOU ARE A LIAR AND A CHEAT!!!!! THERE IS NO WARLORDS IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD ONLY TAKE 30% GRAIN TAX!!! HOW CAN HE BUILD HIS ARMY??? HOW CAN HE SUPPORT HIS PEOPLE??? HOW CAN HE PAY SALARY???” In this times of chaos, any warlord who only take 50% of grain tax is already said to love his people. Now there is a person who only take 30%, is there anyone alive who would believe this kind of talk? The nearby people also nodding and said “Yes, 30% is impossible. Even if the sky fall, that is impossible!!!” The crowd then said “Yes, we should not go!!!”

The butler-attired man just kept listening to people’s words, then he gestured his arm to be silent and said “His Highness Prince of Shu, is impossible to deceive people. Do you all still remember when His Highness issued job advertisement? Everyone who came to answer the job was given position. None was rejected!!!” They are all silenced with the mention of job advertisement. It is true that job advertisement offended nobles. Therefore Sun Ce, in a collusion with all nobles to kill Liu Mang, he did not stop the job advertisement. Therefore all of commoners around know all about it.

The commoners around said “Yes, His Highness Prince of Shu did that and I heard the fourth-son of Zhao family, he went to Shouchun and was received warmly!!!” They all trusted that Liu Mang did not threw any person out, but their heart is still full of doubts. The middle-aged man, not fully convinced and was made uncomfortable with people praising Prince of Shu, said again “Now, you haven’t explained about the 30%. How it is not deceiving people?!” The butler-attired man then said “Hahaha, I believe you had said before that you are a native of Shouchun right? Do you still remember how big Shouchun’s lands is?!” The middle-aged man said “Yes, it have a lot and vast land!!!” But this man is only a commoner, how can he possibly understand the vastness of Shouchun. “Haha, yes. Shouchun’s land is vast. But you said it is desolate and uninhabited now. You think it is wise to just leave those fertile unattended, while you yourself selling cloth?!” The butler-attired man said that while pointing toward the homemade cloth the middle-aged man is holding.

“What are you doing, pointing to my cloth?!” Said the middle-aged man while holding tightly to his cloth. The butler-attired man asked “You, how much is this cloth?!” “This is 20 cents!” The middle-aged man answered and asked “You want to buy?!” He goes out to the market to sell this cloth and due to the argument, he had forgotten.

The butler-attired said “20 cents? If I give you 10 cents, you sell?!” While saying that, he pulls out 10 coins from his pocket. The middle-aged man said “No way, no sell to you. This is my wife’s handmade, she weaved it using top-grade hemp. 20 cents or no sell!!!” The butler-attired man then gestured as if he is going to snatch the cloth and said “Oh, no sell? How about if I snatch this from you? Like you can retaliate at all!!!” The middle-aged man then tightly held the cloth to his chest and said “You dare to snatch it? If you dare to snatch this cloth, I will fight you to the death!!!”

The butler-attired man said “No, I am just saying IF!!! Now, if the government who want to fine you with your cloth? What are you going to do?!” The middle-aged man stunned “Fine?!” In this ancient times, it meant to rob you of your possessions in exchange of grain tax. At that time, the cloth was worthless. The middle-aged man then muttered “It…Is…Impossible!!! Marquis of Wu is not possible to fine me!!!” His mouth said that but his expression said otherwise. The Marquis of Wu had fined him and robbed him off his possessions.

The butler-attired man then asked “So, if you are in danger of being fined, which one is better. Sell the cloth to me for 10 cents or being fined?!” The middle-aged man quickly answered “Better sell to you!!” Those of commoners understand the very basic things like being fined meant their possessions doesn’t worth anything. Better sell the cloth for money, than being fined. The butler-attired man said “So you understand that simple truth, let alone His Highness Prince of Shu!!! That illustration with your cloth, is the same with the land in Shouchun. If nobody cultivates it, similar with your cloth, yours will be fined by government, worthless. If got people to plough the land, His Highness Prince of Shu promised that everyone got 2-mu of fertile farmlands and although got tax, but the tax only 30%. That analogy can be compared to this cloth. Although you suffered loss at first, but the opportunity is already on your grasp! Also His Highness Prince of Shu said that if you have a son, you will be granted additional 1-mu and if you have a daughter, ½-mu. Also you will be given a capital of 100 coins!!!” This is the repopulation incentive plan that Liu Mang creates. As long as you are married and had kids, boy will be granted 1-mu and girl will be granted ½-mu. With this incentive, commoners can become human again. Liu Mang wanted to make earth populated again, with Yang Province as its example.

With that simple analogy explained by that butler-attired man, all of commoners understood completely what is Prince of Shu’s scheme. An adult person got 2-mu, and a family of four with two adult sons got 8-mu and the tax is only 30%. therefore those 5-mu