I

The landowners in Yongyang Town are really interesting!

When tenants in surrounding villages and towns spontaneously rebelled, the landlords here began to train rural warriors. When they heard that Jie Xuelong was going to suppress the bandits, they immediately sent Xiang Yong there.

Now, Jie Xuelong has been defeated, and Zhao Han must take Yongyang Town.

Because this is the south gate of Ji'an Prefecture, if Zhao Han takes Yongyang Town as the center of his rule, he can control Yongxin County to the west, Anfu County to the north, Taihe County to the south, and go straight to the capital city in the east!

Landowners in their right minds knew that Zhao Yan was coming to Yongyang Town, but only a few packed up their belongings and ran away. Most of them are sitting at home waiting, not knowing what they are waiting for. Waiting to be killed to share the land, or waiting for Zhao Han to be kind?

"Master, the rebels have disembarked!"

"Explore again!"

Xiao Wanquan was trembling all over and fidgeting in the study room, a deep fear enveloped his heart.

"Master, there is a rebel bandit coming straight to our village!"

"What?"

Xiao Wanquan's legs felt weak, so he asked his slaves to help him out, and then ordered the whole family to be gathered together.

When Zhao Han personally led his troops to the Xiao family, he was already kneeling on the ground in front of him.

Zhao Han ignored these guys and looked up at the "Zhuangyuan Temple".

This ancestral hall is very interesting. The main entrance and side entrance are built like three archways. There are a lot of plaques, and the content written on them is scary: Number One Scholar, Number Two, Hanlin, Huiyuan, Jieyuan, Huikui, Jingkui, Da Sima, Da Sikou, Dazhong Cheng, Xuezheng... all obtained by the ancestors of the Xiao family. Glory, or the official position held by ancestors.

After visiting the Zhuangyuan Temple for a while, Zhao Han finally said with a smile: "Are you trying to become thieves?"

Xiao Wanquan knelt down and kowtowed, then knelt straight and cupped his hands and said: "Mr. Zhao cares about all the people and implements virtuous policies. I even heard that Mr. Zhao went to the capital, but he restrained all the people without committing any crimes. He is truly a righteous teacher, how can he be called a thief and bandit?" ?Although this old man is stupid, he also knows what people's intentions are, and today he is just surrendering to the Ming Lord."

"Hahahahaha!"

Zhao Han was amused by the old man and asked, "Do you know how I govern?"

"I heard a little bit." Xiao Wanquan's heart was beating wildly.

This guy still harbors illusions, thinking that Zhao Han's killing of landlords to divide their fields is a way to gather people's hearts in the early stage. Now that the governor has been defeated, his power will increase dramatically, and he will probably make good friends with the local gentry.

Zhao Han asked: "Are you willing to donate the Xiao family's fields?"

As soon as these words came out, Xiao Wanquan felt desperate and his illusions were shattered.

But he couldn't leave this place. There was the Xiao family's ancestral hall, the Xiao family's ancestral home, the Zhuangyuan Temple, and countless pieces of land owned by the Xiao family. After leaving, can the Xiao family still be called the Xiao family?

But if they don't cooperate with the rebels, Xiao may be killed!

After thinking about it, Xiao Wanquan kowtowed and said, "Mr. Xiao is willing to dedicate the family property and serve Mr. Zhao for generations to come!"

"Donate all the land?" Zhao Han asked.

"Give it all!" Xiao Wanquan said bravely.

Let me go, this is not easy to handle. Zhao Han felt a little embarrassed. He hoped that the Xiao family would rise up to resist.

"Hahahahaha!"

Zhao Han suddenly laughed heartily, helped Xiao Wanquan up with his own hands, and said comfortingly: "Old sir, I understand justice well, how could I ignore human feelings? Let's do this, the entire Xiao family, everyone over twelve years old, regardless of gender, old or young , each person can keep twenty acres of land."

Only twenty acres per person?

Xiao Wanquan was about to cry. He forced out a smile and flattered him: "Mr. Zhao is so kind and righteous. I am so grateful that I shed tears of gratitude."

Zhao Han added: "The Xiao family must divide the family assets. Excluding children, there are no more than ten people in a household."

Xiao Wanquan almost fainted and wanted to bite Zhao Han to death.

Once the family is separated, people's hearts will be dispersed and his appeal will be gone.

Zhao Han asked: "Does the old gentleman disagree?"

"Yes, I am willing!" Xiao Wanquan said quickly.

Zhao Han continued: "All Xiao family slaves must be released. Those who are willing to share the land, I will give them land. Those who are willing to stay will all be changed into servant contracts. In the future, please do not beat or scold the servants at will."

Xiao Wanquan had nothing to say. If the land could be divided, how many slaves would be willing to stay?

Zhao Han smiled and said: "I am short of talents. Mr. Xiao can recommend his children to be officials."

Xiao Wanquan seemed to be alive again, and he was not afraid of losing his position as an official. This rebel has made a big fuss and will probably be recruited in the future, and the children of the Xiao family will follow suit. If the rebels really took over the world, wouldn't the Xiao family be the hero of Conglong?

Xiao Wanquan straightened his back and said: "I, the Xiao family, have one scholar, seven scholars, and countless children and students. I am willing to follow you!"

"Are there any Jinshi who are serving as officials?" Zhao Han asked.

Xiao Wanquan replied: "The style of writing has declined. There are currently no non-commissioned officers, and there are only two who have promoted people to become officials."

No wonder they surrendered to thieves so easily. It turned out that there were no Jinshi in these two generations.

As long as you are a scholar, accept them all.

However, these scholars cannot all stay in Yongyang Town. When allocating land to them, it must be dispersed and distributed to other villages and towns, otherwise it will definitely become an internal hidden danger.

Even if there is land in Yongyang Town, the land will have to be taken back. At worst, a few more acres will be allocated elsewhere as compensation!

Zhao Han was very satisfied with the Xiao family's surrender and sent an order to Chen Maosheng: "Maosheng, the Xiao family's righteous deeds can serve as an example. Let the missionary team inform other landowners. Also make it clear to the common people that although this Xiao family has had bad deeds, they have already done so." Change your mind...well," Zhao Han suddenly said to Xiao Wanquan, "Old sir, if you are angry for the common people, can you get some housekeepers and stewards to come out? They deceive the superiors and exploit the people, they really deserve to die!"

Xiao Wanquan was extremely angry, and at the same time extremely frightened, because those evil slaves died on behalf of their masters.

If a few evil slaves don't die, it's him, Xiao Wanquan, who will die!

However, if he pushes his trusted slaves out to suffer, who will listen to him in the future?

It's over, everything is over!

Xiao Wanquan suddenly knelt down: "The evil slave deserves to die, even this old man wants to kill him quickly!"

"Hahahahahaha!"

Zhao Han helped Xiao Wanquan up again, pointed to the Zhuangyuan Temple and said: "The Xiao family's ancestral home, ancestral hall and Zhuangyuan Temple can all be kept. As for the Hall of Heroes, let's change it to a disobedient landlord!"

With the Xiao family setting an example, two-thirds of the nearby landowners took the initiative to donate their land.

Naturally, they had a calculation in mind. It would be great if Conglong succeeded, and they would be able to accept recruitment in the future. If it is recruited, the land allocated can be regained through various means. Anyway, we can't offend the rebels now, otherwise all the clan members will be killed.

The reaction of these big landowners was completely beyond Zhao Han's expectation.

He killed many landlords in the neighboring villages and towns, but as long as the soldiers pressed the territory, the landlord class was not as stubborn as imagined. Instead of resisting, they actively contributed land and property and provided a large number of scholars.

Haha, so interesting!

As for the remaining one-third, those big landowners who refused to be thieves all had clan members who were high-ranking officials in the court.

Of course Zhao Han would not be lenient and would just take advantage of these guys.

Chen Maosheng's missionary team soon expanded to 200 people. They used Yongyang Town and surrounding villages to train missionaries while working.

Zhao Han's current territory is bordered by Yongxin County to the west (with Fei Yinggon in the middle), Anfu County to the north, and Taihe County to the south. The east side is divided by Lushui River, and the area east of Lushui River is under the jurisdiction of the government.

To be honest, the government's territory is more fertile, while Zhao Han's territory is relatively barren, with many villages and towns having large areas of mountainous land.

But a barren land is more conducive to consolidating the foundation, training officials and training soldiers, otherwise the rate of corruption will be very fast!

Zhao Han's top priority is not to blindly expand his territory, otherwise he would just stay in Fucheng.

He has to strengthen the missionary group and train grassroots officials!

Once the power is consolidated, there is no need to send troops at all, and farmers' associations can be formed directly on the government's territory. The peasant association led the tenants to bear rent and resist interest rates, and led the tenants to oppose the landlords. It could extend its tentacles to the three surrounding counties without occupying any city.

This strategy is not to defeat the officers and soldiers, but to paralyze the court.

As long as the county, state, and prefectural cities are not lost, local officials will help Zhao Han deceive the central government. Maybe after actually controlling the entire Ji'an Prefecture, Emperor Chongzhen will not even know that the Zhao thief has grown bigger.

As for the government not being able to collect taxes?

Alas, there must be another major disaster. Anyway, it happens every year in Jiangxi. It just means that the tax revenue deported to the central government becomes less.

Just as Zhao Han was consolidating his territory, the peasant army moving south had already occupied half of Taihe County.

The tens of thousands of bandits captured by Jie Xuelong in the north were originally planned to be released home and arranged for farming, but now they are making trouble again. Some of them fled in Anfu County, and some returned to Luling County spontaneously and asked Zhao Han to allocate land to them.

Zhao Han was short of grassroots officials and missionary personnel, otherwise the northern and southern counties could easily acquire them.

Even officials from Taihe County and Anfu County will help Zhao Han consolidate his territory - Zhao Yan, the bandit who does not attack the county seat, is much cuter than those bandits!

Things in the world are so absurd, and the government actually wants Zhao Han...

Winter, the sixth year of Chongzhen.

The officers and soldiers from all walks of life encircled and suppressed the bandits flowing from the northwest. The peasant army took advantage of the freezing of the Yellow River to break out of the ten-way encirclement of officers and soldiers. Mianchi, Lushi, and Yiyang were captured one after another, and the peasant army entered the borders of Henan.

The governor of Henan blocked the attack with heavy troops, and the peasant army turned south, plundering Ruzhou, Xichuan, Neixiang, Guanghua, and Nanyang along the way.

Facing the pursuit of officers and soldiers, the peasant army that had merged suddenly dispersed into several groups. Not only did they wander around Henan, but Lao Huihui and other bandits from the five groups even turned around and invaded Huguang.

I can't take it anymore!

In Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Henan, and Huguang, bandits can be seen everywhere. Even in Beizhili, there were small groups of peasant troops fleeing. How could the imperial court care about Jiangxi?

Li Banghua and Ouyang Zhan, who were "invited" by Zhao Han, were supported by simple meals. Zhao Han did not meet them and only allowed them to accompany the missionary team to observe the administration.

At the same time, Zhao Han captured Ji'an Fucheng and the news that the governor was defeated and committed suicide quickly spread throughout Jiangxi.

Everyone knows the reputation of "Zhao Yan", and he is said to be a giant bandit who kills without blinking an eye.

This brought about a series of chain reactions. The Tantric sect, which was originally developing in the countryside, took the opportunity to gather people in advance to start an uprising. Uprisings broke out at the same time in Qianshan County and Nanfeng County.

On the other side of Poyang Lake, the Duchang County uprising also broke out in advance and colluded with the Poyang Lake water bandits.

If the next governor of Jiangxi is also a capable minister, he will not bother to conquer Zhao Han at all. The government must first eliminate the Duchang rebels. This place is so important. Whether it is from a political, military or economic perspective, the Duchang rebels must be put down first!

Tomorrow, he is completely disabled.

(End of this volume.)