Chapter 756: Persuading the Li People with Benefits

The villages and clans of the Li people have always adhered to the principle of only belonging to their own clan, with chieftains making all decisions under a top-down clan-based governance system. The clan leaders, acting as local officials appointed by the imperial court, were responsible for conscripting labor and collecting taxes on behalf of the court. Some would travel thousands of miles to the capital to pay tribute, while others remained cautious and avoided dealings with the authorities. Besides Prefect Lu Haishan, there was another prefect in Qiongzhou Prefecture tasked with governing these local officials, who were not under the jurisdiction of other counties or prefectures. After the incident involving Gu Xingzu, that prefect sent people to recruit support from various places, resulting in many Li people who had previously pledged loyalty to the local authorities defecting to support the other prefect in order to avoid taxes and labor duties.

That afternoon, Lu Haishan hired reliable people to bring a bamboo sedan chair for Zhang Yue, Yu Qian, and the others to ride in. He personally led them to the Western Li people’s settlements outside Qiongsan County. As soon as they stepped out of the sedan chair, he pointed at the lush green mountains and waters around and said, “Sir, please take a look. The environment here is ideal. But just look at those Li people who toil hard in farming—how much grain can they produce in a year? It’s a pity the court appointed the wrong prefect to govern them. Not only are the Western Li people the most stubborn, but even among the Eastern Li, more and more are fleeing. Over time, even if the Li people don’t rebel, the population under our jurisdiction in Qiongzhou Prefecture will be reduced by half, and we won’t be able to collect any taxes at all!”

“You can’t say that,” Yu Qian interjected. “The reason so many Li people pledged loyalty was thanks to the efforts of previous prefects.” “Just by looking at the official records, it’s clear that Qiongzhou Prefecture has seen an increase in population over the years,” he added.

“Your Excellency Yu may not be aware of this. Although the population has increased, over the years, several prefects have caused the recorded numbers to drop by tens of thousands! Just during the tenth year of the Yongle era, my predecessor recorded that the prefect Liu Ming secretly separated out more than 20,000 households, totaling over 49,000 Li people, and placed them under his own jurisdiction. If we calculate the taxes and labor duties for each person, how much less revenue will that mean?”

Zhang Yue knew Yu Qian must have only had a brief overview of the situation in Guangdong and Hainan while on the ship. Seeing him frown, he stepped in to say, “Let’s not dwell on this. The position of prefect in charge of the Li people dates back to Emperor Taizong, and education and governance must proceed step by step. During the Tang and Song dynasties, Hainan relied entirely on a system of indirect control, with most officials being exiled there. In contrast, our dynasty selects officials carefully, making our foundation in Qiongzhou Prefecture far more solid than before. We can’t use too forceful methods to govern the Li people, or it will provoke uprisings.”

Seeing that Zhang Yue seemed unwilling to hold the prefect in charge of the Li people accountable, Lu Haishan grew somewhat disheartened and immediately invited Zhang Yue into a large tile-roofed house ahead. However, although this place was supposed to be the seat of the Western Li chieftain who governed ninety Li soldiers and a population of over a thousand households, there were only a few Li people carrying knives. It wasn’t until Lu Haishan angrily scolded a man who appeared to be an interpreter that someone hurriedly brought Zhang Yue and the others in, arranging stools and pouring tea.

Lu Haishan arranged for Zhang Yue to sit down and then complained about the difficulties faced by the prefect of Qiongzhou before describing the situation here: “This is a branch of the Thirty-Six Clans, led by a powerful chieftain named Wang Ying. Among the Li people, the Li surname was once the most common, but later it was the Wang and Fu surnames that became prevalent, with intricate kinship ties. Relying on the strength of the Thirty-Six Clans, he has never obeyed government authority, and the Li people under his control have never performed corvée labor for a single day. Moreover, now that the Li people are stirring up trouble, he is also inciting them…”

“Lord Lu, please don’t slander me behind my back just because my father isn’t here!”

As he spoke, a tall young man pushed aside the curtain and entered the room. He was tall and fair-skinned, wearing a green silk robe, with spotless black cloth shoes. He carried both the vigor of a Li person and the refinement of a scholar. After glancing around at everyone, his gaze fell on Zhang Yue and Yu Qian. After examining them from head to toe, he stepped forward and bowed deeply.

“I, a humble student, pay my respects to the governor, Lord Yu, and your esteemed father.”

Having just heard the word “father,” Zhang Yue was now surprised to hear him refer to himself as a student. At that moment, Lu Haishan gently coughed and then said awkwardly, “This boy is Wang Ying’s son, Wang Zhi. He has been learning to read since childhood. Recommended by Prefect Mao, who is in charge of the Li people, he passed the examinations and has been studying at the local school. I don’t know how he heard about your arrival today and came over.”

As he spoke, he glared at Wang Ying and asked, “The school isn’t on holiday today—how did you get out?”

“The school may not be on holiday, but a student can ask for leave.”

Wang Zhi straightened up, smiled, and shut Lu Haishan up with a single sentence. Then he turned to Zhang Yue and said, “Although I am far away in Hainan, I have heard of Lord Fan Tai’s reputation. If you truly came because of that incident before, I can give an assurance on behalf of my father: it is inevitable for the imperial court to have some scoundrels, and the same is true among us as well. But most people just want to live a peaceful life. They might fail to pay taxes, but they won’t harbor thoughts of rebellion. As for matters here, I can take charge of half of them. If you have any concerns, you don’t need to summon my father; talking to me is just as good.”

Qiongshan County had five districts, nine townships, nine villages, and several tribes. Among the various prefectures and counties in Qiongzhou Prefecture, it had the largest number of Han people and the fewest Li people. For this reason, the neighboring Li chieftains, who interacted frequently with the Han people, adopted their ways of life, including their enthusiasm for gold, silver, cloth, and silk. Yet not a single chieftain was willing to send his sons to study for the imperial examinations. Thus, facing this young man who was about his own age but overly clever, Zhang Yue found him quite pleasing.

“There is a prefect in charge of governing the Li people. My arrival here is merely incidental; what’s important is another matter,” said Zhang Yue, gently closing the fan in his hand. Then he asked, “Let me ask you—how do your people make a living?”

Wang Zhi was momentarily puzzled. “How do we make a living… Isn’t this a rhetorical question, sir? Although there are rivers and mountains in our area, we are no longer those barbarians who hunt and fish. Naturally, we live by farming.”

Staring at Wang Zhi’s confused face, Zhang Yue pressed on, “Good. Then let me ask again—what is the yield per mu of land in Qiongshan County? How many times a year can it be harvested?”

Compared to those pedantic scholars who didn’t even know the difference between grains, Wang Zhi, as the eldest son, had always been trained to be the heir. Being intelligent and quick-witted, he had some understanding of agriculture, weather, and military affairs. Though his brows furrowed upon hearing the question, he still tried hard to recall. “About one shi of grain per mu, maybe a little more in good years. Two shi if we urge the people to work hard in the fields. Perhaps three shi. As for harvesting, it can only be done once a year. Why do you ask?”
“Very good. What if it could be harvested twice or even three times a year?”

Although he was studying at the prefectural school, news from Qiongzhou Prefecture was still not as up-to-date as that from other parts of Guangdong. As a result, Wang Zhi had no idea about double-cropping or triple-cropping rice, which surprised him greatly. After thinking carefully, he raised his head and asked, “Please forgive my ignorance. I humbly ask Your Excellency to clarify.”

“Qiongzhou Prefecture is a very hot place with no winter throughout the year. Traditionally, people have only cultivated once a year, relying on that single harvest for sustenance. But to the south of Qiongzhou Prefecture, there are many foreign island nations with a climate similar to this one, yet they can harvest twice or even three times a year! In those island nations, if the first harvest of the year is two dan, the second harvest is at least one dan, and the third harvest is between seven or eight dou. In this way, their annual yield almost doubles. Our office has already started experimenting with double-cropping and triple-cropping rice in some counties of Guangdong. My visit to Qiongzhou Prefecture is mainly for this purpose.”

Wang Zhi stood there, listening and thinking. By the end, his eyes lit up. Though young, he had always been clear about right and wrong. He was not among the most outstanding students at the prefectural school, as he believed his strength lay in his clan and the land passed down from his ancestors. He did not expect to pass the imperial examinations and become an official, but if it could help strengthen his family, he would be happy to do so. As soon as Zhang Yue finished speaking, he immediately bowed.

“I have always heard that Your Excellency is dedicated to serving the people. Now that I meet you, I see why the reputation precedes you! If you truly came for this purpose, I am willing to do my part, even inviting my father to meet the chiefs of the surrounding villages. Everyone will surely agree to such a good idea! However, although I have never worked in the fields, I know that farming is not just about talking; factors like weather, soil conditions, and pests must all be considered. Are you really confident you can succeed? Also, if you implement this system, is there anything we, the people of Sai, can do to assist?”

“The task our office asks of you is not difficult—it’s merely the taxes imposed by the imperial court. For Qiongzhou Prefecture, the land tax is only three sheng, three he, and five shao per mu. Even if calculated at one shi per mu as it is now, it’s still only 30% tax. If the land could be harvested two or three times a year, the tax would still be a mere fraction. This is the official tax imposed by the court. Since the Li people are also subjects of the empire, aside from exemptions in times of disaster, this tax cannot be abolished. As for corvée labor, when I came from Qiongshan County before, it took me two whole hours in a bamboo sedan to reach here. Your area is already the closest to Qiongshan County—what if it were even further? I know the Li people have skilled craftsmanship, but without roads for vehicles and horses, even the best products cannot be transported, and they will still be seen as barbarians by others! Therefore, this corvée labor will undoubtedly be of great benefit to you.”

Lu Haishan had previously been secretly complaining that Zhang Yue ignored the difficulties of collecting taxes in the Li region and failed to understand their hardships. But now, seeing him explain everything in terms of benefits, he was completely convinced and even felt a sense of satisfaction. The income for the governor in charge of the Li region didn’t come from the meager salary given by the court; instead, by helping the Li people settle down and obtain official positions through the court, he could extract benefits from them. Moreover, keeping separate registers allowed him to amass wealth. Seeing Wang Zhi deeply moved by Zhang Yue’s words, he couldn’t help but praise Yu Qian beside him, “Censor Yu, it seems this matter will surely succeed!”

Seeing Wang Zhi so enthusiastic, Zhang Yue smiled slightly and continued, “By paying just a fraction of the tax and fulfilling the required corvée labor, you can work to build roads, irrigation systems, bridges, and more. Qiongshan County is located by the sea. Once roads are built, goods from the mountains can be sold to other counties in Guangdong at good prices through sea transport. Moreover, Qiongzhou Prefecture often suffers from floods in summer. With proper irrigation, even disasters can be mitigated. If the people’s lives improve, they will naturally be grateful to you and your family. And if you manage this region well, the court will surely reward you further.”

Hearing Zhang Yue present such compelling arguments that were hard to refuse, Yu Qian couldn’t help but recall what Zhang Yue had said to him before, and he felt deeply moved. In the past, he would have dismissed such profit-driven tactics, but after seeing the magnificent ships set sail and the prosperity of Huangpu Town a few days ago, he had gradually begun to be persuaded.

Wang Zhi pondered for a long time before speaking seriously, “Lord Prefect, to be honest, due to previous incidents, the leaders of the Thirty-Six Clans are secretly gathering with the powerful chieftains from neighboring counties. This place is rather simple; if you agree, I am willing to take you there. If we can persuade them, then through marital ties, at least one-third of the Sai people in the entire Qiongzhou Prefecture will obey us!”
At these words, Lu Haishan’s face turned pale. The authorities feared nothing more than barbarians conspiring in secret, and now there was even a large gathering of the Thirty-Six Clans. If Wang Zhi hadn’t mentioned it, he would never have known about this dangerous scheme. Worried that Zhang Yue might blame him, he stepped forward angrily and said, “Wang Zhi, not only is private gathering a serious crime, but you dare to invite Lord Zhang to meet with them…”
Zhang Yue waved his hand to interrupt him and then said firmly, “It’s fine. As long as it can bring peace and prosperity to this place, the trip is worth it! But…” He glanced at Wang Zhi and smiled slightly. “Even among the Lijia chieftains, only one in a hundred can read. Even if you, as a scholar, may not pass the exams to become a juren or jinshi, the court still has the system of imperial students! Your father’s position may not be enough, but I can recommend you. ‘Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles’—you should definitely go to Beijing!”
Throughout the Yongle era, many Lijia chieftains from Qiongzhou Prefecture traveled thousands of miles to Nanjing or Beijing to pay tribute. The stories they witnessed along the way are still passed down among the clans to this day. But Wang Zhi, being young, missed such great opportunities. If the benefits mentioned earlier were enough to persuade him, the prospect of becoming an imperial student was enough to deeply move him. At the prefectural school, Pan Long, an imperial student from Yazhou, had been given the position of county magistrate by volunteering to govern the Lijia people. If he could do the same, his family would surely gain even more influence among the Thirty-Six Clans in the future.
Instantly, blood rushed to his head, and he bowed deeply, saying, “Lord, rest assured. I will do my utmost on this mission!”
As Wang Zhi hurried out to make arrangements, Lu Haishan quickly stepped forward to persuade him. Seeing that Zhang Yue refused to listen, and even Yu Qian agreed that the trip was necessary, he felt utterly overwhelmed. As the prefect of Qiongzhou, he had never wanted to deal with the Lijia people. Now, this governor with unlimited prospects insisted on going, and what about Yu Qian, the newly appointed imperial censor, joining in? If everything were uncovered, even if he survived by chance, what would he do in the future?