Chapter 157 - Calculation

Chapter 157: Chapter 151 CalculationZhao Hanzhang tasted every dish, and as she walked out of the alley, many households came out with bowls to see her off, warmly inviting her to stay for dinner.

Zhao Hanzhang thanked them with a smile, and pulled Fu Tinghan away quickly.

It was only after they had walked a good distance that she let go of Fu Tinghan, sighing in relief, "Such enthusiasm can be overwhelming."

Fu Tinghan struggled to keep from laughing, "But I saw you enjoying yourself."

"They invited me to eat, how could I show that I found it unpleasant?" Zhao Hanzhang sighed, "Bean and wheat meals are truly difficult to stomach, especially the bean meals."

Fu Tinghan said, "Even though there is plenty of land per capita, the yield per mu is low here. If you want to eat only refined flour, it won’t be feasible in the short term. I think buns made with bran are not bad, and they can probably be made into pancakes."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Beans should be used for feed, making sauce, brewing vinegar, and extracting oil, maybe into some dishes. But turning them into meals is too harsh on the stomach."

Fu Tinghan: "Then you need to ensure that starting next year, the wheat harvested per person is enough to last a year."

"Let’s go back and calculate how much land is needed per person, and whether, after paying all taxes, it will be enough for a year’s consumption."

Geng Rong followed blankly, pondering for a while before deciding to ask, "Do you wish to eliminate bean meals in the community?"

"People can still eat it if they want to, I just hope their lives can improve a bit, reducing the consumption of bean meals and switching to better wheat meals or buns."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "Moreover, soybeans have many uses. For raising horses, cattle, brewing vinegar, extracting oil, all require a large amount of beans."

"Extracting oil from beans is quite wasteful," Geng Rong thought of the oil supplies that had been used in the defense of the city, "Tung oil should suffice."

"I’m talking about cooking oil. Haven’t you tried soya oil? I’ll have some pressed and let you try; it tastes very good."

Geng Rong was surprised, "Soya oil can be consumed?"

"If bean meals can be eaten, why can’t soya oil be ingested?"

Geng Rong thought about it and agreed. Tung oil isn’t edible because the tung nuts aren’t edible, but beans are, so naturally soya oil is edible too.

Zhao Hanzhang said, "After eating beans, horses become fat and shiny. Soya oil has the same effect on people. Bean residue can also feed pigs, cows, and horses—it’s perfect."

Fu Tinghan posed a critical question, "Do you know how to press oil?"

Zhao Hanzhang was silent for a moment and then said, "No."

Fu Tinghan, "Neither do I." He hadn’t even inquired about it before.

Zhao Hanzhang was undeterred, "At least we know about it, so we can figure it out. Let’s try it out later."

Back at the county government, Zhao Hanzhang invited Geng Rong to stay for a meal, "The autumn harvest is over, and it’s time to prepare for planting winter wheat. I’ve decided to allocate some land before then."

Geng Rong had heard Zhao Hanzhang mention it before, but he thought it was just a promise made when she first arrived to stabilize people’s hearts. He didn’t expect she really meant to distribute the land, so he asked, "Will everyone receive a share?"

"Only those with little or no land will receive it."

"Lady, the entire Xiping County is united at the moment, which is rare. Distributing land now might disrupt this unity."

Fu Tinghan also said, "It’s not scarcity that’s worrisome, but inequality."

"Therefore, I will make an announcement that those receiving land must pay an additional 10% rent to the county government, aside from taxes, for five years," Zhao Hanzhang said. "After five years, as long as the land is continuously cultivated, it will automatically belong to them. However, if there is a year of no farming, the county government will reclaim the land."

"Anyone who already has land and feels it’s insufficient can also apply to the county government, but all land granted or privately owned must be fully cultivated with the same requirements. During these five years, each year a 10% rent will be paid on the allocated land. If any piece lies fallow, it’s considered malicious occupation of public land. Not only will I reclaim the rented public land, but also confiscate their private land."

Fu Tinghan was surprised, "Such severe penalties?"

Zhao Hanzhang smiled coldly, "So, farming public land isn’t as easy as it seems."

This measure was mainly aimed at those who already had enough land but still eyed public land, wanting to occupy more.

Fu Tinghan thought for a moment and shook his head, "Why not convert the taxes into equivalent rent, directly renting to those with little or no land? After all, you are in charge of Xiping County now, and you don’t intend to hand over taxes to the higher authorities. You could exempt these people from taxes after collecting the rent."

He said, "By converting it into rent, it’s like they’re renting your land. Those with enough land for cultivation wouldn’t come to you to rent land. You could transfer land ownership to them after they’ve paid rent for a certain number of years, and then restore the tax and cancel the rent."

"But in doing so, it’s fine for those with no land, but for those with little land, their rent differs because of varying cultivated acres. How is that calculated?"

Fu Tinghan said, "Currently, they have extensive farming, with an average of twenty acres per person. Since you aim to improve yield and increase population, I suggest halving it and calculating based on ten acres per person. I can do the statistics on those with little land and their corresponding acres recorded. We can differentiate them from their families and determine the rent tiers from one to ten acres, then tax according to the record."

Zhao Hanzhang said, "This will significantly increase the county government’s workload."

Fu Tinghan shrugged, "That’s inevitable, you must choose one or the other."

After brief contemplation, Zhao Hanzhang said, "I’ll follow your recommendation. Besides, we need to train and recruit talent. Xiping County can serve as practice for them."

On the side, Geng Rong silently ate, already overwhelmed with confusion, unable to follow the conversation.

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at him, recalling his presence, and encouraged, "Geng Rong, assist Mr. Fu in this matter."

Geng Rong looked troubled, wanting to admit his lack of understanding, but hesitated, not wanting to leave a bad impression on his superiors. Zhao Hanzhang already looked away, placing a piece of egg onto Fu Tinghan’s plate, "Eat more protein, you’ve been using your brain quite a bit lately."

Fu Tinghan nonchalantly said, "It’s just simple calculations, really. It’s not brain-consuming, just tedious."

"By the way, where’s Fu An?" Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Have him select some clever people to accompany you, so you have help with your tasks."

Fu Tinghan paused, "Right, where’s Fu An?"

The two looked at each other, unable to recall, until Geng Rong said, "He seems to be with the second young master. I saw them running out of town earlier today, saying they were visiting the Wu Castle, not sure if they’ve returned yet."