Chapter 124: The Country Became the Landlord
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
After hearing Jiang Xia’s explanation, Shen Mo couldn’t help but frown. The communal dining system aimed to distribute grain equally, fostering fairness and justice, but according to Jiang Xia, this approach seemed to create not only unfairness but also waste of food.
Regardless of Shen Mo’s reaction, Jiang Xia continued, “Moreover, in the village, everyone collectively farms the land. The grains they harvest don’t belong to them, and it’s unclear whether everyone is genuinely working hard or just doing the bare minimum for their work points.”
“You mean the land should be evenly distributed to the farmers?” Shen Mo asked, knitting his eyebrows.
Although he phrased it as a question, Shen Mo knew this was improbable. If all the land were given to the farmers, what would happen to the country?
Jiang Xia chuckled lightly, “Not at all. I was suggesting that the land could be leased to the farmers.”
Shen Mo didn’t quite understand Jiang Xia’s meaning and looked at her, puzzled.
Jiang Xia thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered a word. She hesitated, worried that it might cause a misunderstanding. Seeing her struggle, Shen Mo could tell she was in a dilemma.
“Speak your mind. Only I will hear it, so don’t worry about saying something wrong.” Shen Mo’s tone was as calm as always, but he was indeed trying to reassure Jiang Xia.
Encouraged by Shen Mo’s assurance, Jiang Xia decided to share her idea. “Actually, what I’m suggesting is a bit like the old landlords, except in this case, the ‘landlord’ would be the country.
Immediately after the word ‘landlord’ escaped her lips, Jiang Xia could feel a distinct drop in temperature around her. The campaigns against landlords hadn’t entirely faded, and yet here she was, daring to suggest the country could act as a landlord. It seemed as if she was asking for trouble.
Sneaking a glance at Shen Mo, Jiang Xia found him looking at her coldly. Her heart jolted, and she contemplated fleeing. He had reassured her that it was safe to express her thoughts, but she doubted if she could trust him!
Fortunately, Shen Mo was quick to react and grabbed Jiang Xia before she could dart off.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked in a stern voice.
Caught off guard, Jiang Xia quickly came up with an excuse. She turned around, forcing a smile, “Oh, nothing. I just wanted to see why my mother hasn’t come back yet. She’s running a bit late.”
As she finished speaking, she attempted to free her arm, but Shen Mo’s grip remained firm.
“Finish your thought.” Shen Mo’s gaze fixed on Jiang Xia, his voice stern.
Jiang Xia tried to retract her arm but failed, giving Shen Mo a placating smile, “Big brother, I’ve said all I have to. There’s nothing else.
Shen Mo silently stared at Jiang Xia, neither speaking nor retracting his hand.
Sighing, Jiang Xia started again, “At the end of the day, although the methods may seem similar, there’s a fundamental difference between the country and landlords. By giving land to farmers and collecting a fixed amount of grain, leaving the surplus to the farmers, those working the land will think about how to increase output, how to grow more grain on limited land. When 1 say that the country and landlords are different, I mean that landlords exploit workers for their own wealth, while the country is ensuring that the people of the nation survive. Collecting and allocating grain so that it can serve its maximum purpose, isn’t that exactly what the country wants?”
Frowning, Shen Mo asked, “Wouldn’t this lead to people hoarding large amounts of land and reverting back to being landlords?”
“That’s where country regulation comes in! Limit the amount of land that a person can own, and even if they do become landlords, it would take some time. At present, no household is wealthy enough to hoard land. They need money for that, and where would they get the money? They have to farm the land well. During this period, the country can perfect the system, not giving them the opportunity to grow stronger. This can delay the ‘birth’ of landlords. Besides, isn’t the primary concern now to solve the famine?” Jiang Xia countered Shen Mo.
Shen Mo lifted his head to look at Jiang Xia. He suddenly felt that her smile was somewhat dazzling. From what he understood, Jiang Xia couldn’t possibly know so much, so why…
“Why are you zoning out?” Jiang Xia’s hand waved in front of Shen Mo’s eyes.
Shen Mo came back to his senses abruptly, turning his face away in embarrassment, his hand also releasing its grip.
“What you suggested is worth trying. I will appropriately relay this to the higher-ups. Even if it’s successful, it can only be implemented next year. But what about the coming winter?”
During this time, Shen Mo and Wang Wen had been secretly visiting many villages. The grain yields were all poor. He had also investigated the amount of grain these villages handed over in the past and compared it with the known grain production. The results were shocking..