Chapter 22 The Effects of the Curved-shaft Plough and the New Policies

Cao Cao's complexion looked extremely ugly. He finally understood why those officials and powerful clans of the gentry didn't take him seriously. It turned out that they had the audacity to be so arrogant.

"Then, in your opinion, sir, what should I do?" Cao Cao asked helplessly.

"The safest way is to do as Qiao Mao did and build good relationships with the gentry. Although it requires swallowing one's pride, it can save a lot of trouble." Lin Yu suggested.

"Out of the question!" Cao Cao immediately rejected the proposal. He had always been highly self-regarding. When he held the position of the Northern Captain in Luoyang, he refused to bow to the powerful and wealthy. Now, it was even more impossible for him to submit to these powerful clans of the gentry.

A trace of admiration flashed in Lin Yu's eyes, and he continued, "Another method is to suppress the gentry with all your might."

"How do you suppress them?" Cao Cao asked.

"Select talents and promote those from humble families to hold official positions." During the Han Dynasty, the selection of officials relied on the察举制 (system of recommendation and selection), but the power of recommendation and selection was mostly in the hands of the powerful clans of the gentry. Therefore, most of those selected were the descendants of the gentry, and it was extremely difficult for ordinary people to rise to prominence. If following Lin Yu's suggestion and vigorously selecting those from humble families, the power of the gentry could be curbed.

Cao Cao nodded thoughtfully, "What you said makes sense, but just this might not be enough. After all, the gentry still holds a large amount of land and population in their hands."

"Don't worry, my lord. I have a second move." Lin Yu smiled confidently, "Encourage the people to reclaim wasteland. The land reclaimed will belong to the people, but it cannot be bought or sold, and a certain amount of tax needs to be paid annually."

"This is indeed a good idea, but reclaiming wasteland is no easy feat." Cao Cao shook his head with a wry smile. In ancient times, reclaiming wasteland was extremely difficult and time-consuming. Cao Cao once incorporated three hundred thousand Yellow Turban rebels from Qingzhou and assigned Xiahou Dun to be in charge of the tuntian (farming by soldiers). However, he still couldn't completely solve the food problem. When attacking Yuan Shu, he even faced a shortage of food. If he hadn't borrowed one hundred thousand hu of grain from Sun Ce, he might have been defeated.

"Reclaiming wasteland is a difficult task for others, but it's a piece of cake for us!" Lin Yu said as he took out a drawing from his bosom. There was a tool drawn on it.

"What is this?" Cao Cao asked curiously.

"This is a tool called the curved-shaft plough. If it is used to reclaim wasteland, only one person and one ox are needed, and the efficiency is three times that of before!" Lin Yu explained with a smile.

"What?! How is this possible?" Cao Cao exclaimed in surprise. Even Xiahou Dun and others who had some knowledge of farming also showed astonished expressions. If the curved-shaft plough really had such miraculous effects, then reclaiming wasteland would indeed no longer be a problem.

"How would I dare to deceive you, my lord?" Lin Yu continued with a smile, "Didn't you get a batch of iron materials from Yuan Shao, my lord? They can be used to manufacture the curved-shaft plough." Cao Cao exchanged the Imperial Seal of the State with Yuan Shao and obtained not only Yuan Shao's support but also a large amount of grain, iron materials and other supplies.

"The government can provide the curved-shaft plough to the people free of charge in the name of the government." Lin Yu went on to say, "In this way, within a year, a large amount of land will be reclaimed!"

"Besides, I also have new crop seeds in my hand. The yield of these seeds is five times that of ordinary crops!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was dumbfounded. A curved-shaft plough was already astonishing enough, and Lin Yu also took out crop seeds with a yield five times higher. If they hadn't known about Lin Yu's character, everyone would almost have thought he was talking nonsense.

"Can the curved-shaft plough and the new crop seeds solve your problems, my lord?" Lin Yu asked with a smile.

Cao Cao took a few deep breaths, unable to conceal his excitement and shock, "If it can really be like this, all the problems will definitely be solved!"

Selecting talents and reusing those from humble families can gain their support. Providing the people with the curved-shaft plough and high-yield seeds and encouraging them to reclaim wasteland can enable the people to live and work in peace and contentment, and the tax problem can also be easily solved. In this way, Cao Cao doesn't need to bow to the gentry. Before long, the gentry will be suppressed by him.

"Sir, you are truly a remarkable person!" Cao Cao sincerely praised.

The Repercussions of the New Policies

Outside the city gate of Puyang County, a group of officials arrived and pasted the announcements on the city wall. Many people gathered around curiously.

"Sir official, what is written on it?" Someone asked bravely.

A minor official walked forward and said with a smile, "The prefect has an order. All the people in Dongjun Prefecture can freely reclaim wasteland. Not only that, as long as you register your personal information in the government office, the government will also lend farming tools and oxen to you free of charge! However, the land reclaimed belongs to the state. You only have the right to cultivate it and cannot trade it freely! Besides, the government will also provide high-yield seeds free of charge. The yield of these seeds is five times that of ordinary crops!"

Hearing these words, the people immediately started talking among themselves.

"What? The government actually lends farming tools and oxen free of charge?!"

"And it also provides seeds?"

"How is this possible?"

Seeing that the people didn't quite believe it, the minor official said with a smile, "Our Prefect Cao is extremely kind to the people. What's impossible about it? If you don't believe it, you can go to the county yamen to have a look!"

Everyone looked at each other. Then, someone shouted, "Let's go and have a look!" This proposal immediately got everyone's response. After all, in those days, most of the land was concentrated in the hands of the gentry. Most of the people relied on farming for the gentry to barely make a living. If the government's announcement was true, they would naturally prefer to reclaim wasteland themselves. Although the land nominally belonged to the government, as long as they paid taxes on time, it was no different from their own land and was much more cost-effective than farming for the gentry.

After the people left, another group of young people gathered around and, looking at the announcement, couldn't help asking, "Sir official, does it say on it that the government is recruiting talents?"

"Yes." The minor official looked at the young people and said with a smile, "The prefect is thirsty for talents and has specially issued a decree. All those who have talents, regardless of their origins, can hold official positions!"

The eyes of the group of young people were full of excitement. They considered themselves to have talents but couldn't hold official positions because of their humble origins. Now that Prefect Cao had issued such a policy, it undoubtedly gave them a chance to rise to prominence.

"Let's go to the county yamen!" The young people shouted in unison and immediately walked towards the direction of the county yamen.

Soon, a large number of people applying for reclaiming wasteland and those from humble families coming to seek refuge crowded the entrance of the county yamen so tightly that Cao Cao had to dispatch soldiers from the military camp to maintain order.

Looking at the sea of people in front of him, Cao Cao couldn't help showing a proud smile. He thought that as long as things developed like this, it wouldn't be long before he could truly control Dongjun Prefecture. And all of this was thanks to Lin Yu. That guy Liu Bei was really short-sighted. He let such a talented person go and allowed Cao Cao to pick up a bargain. What a lucky break!