116. Strange Desire To Win.

116. Strange Desire To Win.

Chu Hechao originally intended to play around with him, but when Yuan Li mentioned this, he couldn't help but feel a headache. He rubbed his forehead and asked helplessly, "What is the strategy of farming settlements (Tuntian Policy) ?"

Yuan Li earnestly explained, "The farming settlement strategy refers to reclaiming barren and ownerless farmland, recruiting refugees and soldiers to form groups according to military organization, providing them with land, seeds, plows, and farm tools. They will cultivate the land and share the harvest obtained with the country and the settlers according to a certain proportion. With the wealthy and noble families fleeing due to the chaos in Youzhou and Bingzhou, we have a lot of ownerless land on hand, which is perfect for implementing settlement farming."

Chu Hechao pondered for a moment, "Isn't that similar to hiring tenant farmers?"

"More or less," Yuan Li thought for a moment, "but there are military and civilian settlements. Civilian settlements mainly focus on farming and producing food, while military settlements prioritize defense and attack. During peaceful times, they cultivate the land to provide food for the army, making the army self-sufficient."

Chu Hechao pulled him over to sit in a chair.

Yuan Li was an adult man, but his weight was nothing for Chu Hechao. He surrounded Yuan Li and kissed the back of his neck, "Good idea. It can also solve the problem of long-distance transportation of grain."

"Itchy..." Yuan Li shrunk his neck, leaning away from Chu Hechao, and looked back at him unhappily, "Your stubble is scratching me."

Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow and deliberately grazed his neck with his chin.

Yuan Li jumped off his lap and asked Lin Tian to bring a basin of water and a razor to shave Chu Hechao.

The tools were quickly prepared, and Chu Hechao lazily sat in the chair, tilting his head back, enjoying the attention like a lady.

Yuan Li placed a towel on his chin and teased him, "Don't move. If my hand shakes, you'll ruin your looks."

Chu Hechao didn't dare to move, fearing that even a slight tremor from Yuan Li would ruin his handsome face.

As Yuan Li shaved his beard, he continued, "We provide the settlers with land, tools, plows, seeds, and they only need to give sixty percent of the harvest to the government, while the remaining forty percent is kept by the people. If the people use their own cattle for farming, they only need to give fifty percent of the harvest to the government. What do you think?"

Chu Hechao moved his lips, "Good. Recruiting refugees for settlement farming, is it mandatory or voluntary... ouch."

Yuanli picked up the razor, looked at the faint bleeding scar on the man's sharp jawline, innocently said, "Didn't I tell you not to move?"

Chu Hechao's temples twitched as he spoke slowly, "You asked me a question."

Feeling guilty, Yuan Li remained silent and just blinked at him.

Chu Hechao realized he was being melodramatic and couldn't help but feel both angry and amused. Outsiders thought Yuan Li was a dignified and witty gentleman with a sense of justice, and everything he said and did carried deep meaning.

But in his presence, Yuan Li's playful side almost reached the heavens.

His heart chuckled as he pretended to be angry, "Still pretending?"

Yuan Li pursed his lips, "You're being mean to me again."

Chu Hechao was speechless, unable to resist pulling him closer with a smile, and reasoning with him, "You've cut my chin, can't I scold you back a little? Yuan Lejun, let's talk about right and wrong."

"In that case, you should shave me too," Yuan Li sighed pitifully, tilting his chin towards him, "Be gentle, brother."

Chu Hechao's heart softened, feeling reluctant to shave him, he playfully lifted his hand and patted Yuan Li's buttocks, teasing, "It's fine, go ahead and shave. Come on, continue talking about your settlement farming strategy."

Yuan Li, more cautiously, continued to shave his beard, "Naturally, it's voluntary."

In history, even Cao Cao also implemented settlement farming, initially through coercion, but fearing lack of harvest or military oppression, many people would escape. Later, the policy was changed to voluntary enlistment.

Yuan Li used capital accumulation. With the decrease in soap production, the trade of white sugar and fine salt remained steady. He was more confident than Cao Cao and didn't need to forcibly settle refugees for farming.

He planned to sell the last batch of soap and then stop exporting it, saving it for his own people. After all, in troubled times, the market for soap would diminish. In contrast, the value of white sugar and fine salt would increase, and the price of grains would rise.

"The 'bones left in the wilderness, no rooster crows for a thousand miles' applies to the current Northern Zhou," Yuan Li sighed, "Although the settlement farming policy may bring some disadvantages to refugees and soldiers, at least it provides a stable place for them to farm peacefully."

Disadvantages? Chu Hechao didn't see it that way.

In the current chaotic world, countless people are dying of hunger. Many refugees are starving, and vast uncultivated land lies idle. Implementing settlement farming provides a stable environment for farming, and the people will be extremely satisfied.

As long as the refugees work diligently, they can harvest forty percent of the grains with everything provided by the government, including working oxen replacing human labor, enabling the cultivation of more land and the production of more food.

This way, at least it ensures that the settled refugees can eat their fill, at least ensuring their survival.

In a chaotic era, being able to survive and eat well is considered relatively happy and stable.

"Since it's voluntary enlistment, it means they are willingly accepting settlement farming," Chu Hechao said calmly, "Refugees have modest expectations, being able to eat their fill and have land to farm. That would be something they'd be extremely grateful for."

Having experienced hunger and spent many years in the Northern border, he knew what hungry soldiers and refugees were thinking.

"Then let's first try the settlement farming strategy in Guangyang County," Yuan Li decisively said, "Using Guangyang County as the experimental area for settlement farming, recruiting refugees for farming. Starting from next spring, the Northern border army and Youzhou soldiers will also begin the settlement. If it proves successful, then the settlement farming strategy will be extended to Youzhou and Bingzhou counties."

Yuan Li had previously set up a "potato experimental base," so Chu Hechao understood the meaning of the word "experiment."

"Alright," Chu Hechao pondered, "Once the chaos ends, this policy needs to be abolished."

Yuan Li finished shaving off his remaining stubble, sighed in relief, "Exactly. Exploiting refugees and soldiers in times of peace could lead to rebellion. Okay, all done."

Chu Hechao stood up and looked at himself in the basin, then reached out to touch it, chuckled, "You shaved well."

Yuan Li was also satisfied, he put the razor aside, "Let Guo Mao and He Lang handle this matter."

"He Lang is returning to the Northern border," Chu Hechao stood up, pulling him out of the study, and they walked together by the pond, "He has stayed in Youzhou long enough, he needs to go back to guard the Northern border, let someone else come back for rest. When he's gone, Yuan Congyun will come back, he is familiar with you, so you can instruct him."

Yuan Li remembered Yuan Congyun and smiled, "Mr. Yuan is good, much more meticulous than He Lang."

Chu Hechao chuckled, "If He Lang hears you say that, he might start crying."

Yuan Li laughed.

On the late evening of September, there was a hint of coolness. The gentle breeze felt particularly pleasant.

A pavilion was built by the pond, as they passed by it, Chu Hechao pulled Yuan Li in, pressing him against the railing of the pavilion, embracing him, his hands firmly holding his waist, pressing down twice, then covering and kneading, with a hint of suggestive intent.

As the mourning period drew to a close, Chu Hechao became more daring, his eyes hiding a frightening desire for Yuan Li, every move carrying sparks of restless passion.

From head to toe, every gaze contained a devouring desire, every touch of their skin spoke of longing for Yuan Li.

The actions became more forceful and rough, reminiscent of a bandit or a rustic farmer, wild and straightforward, causing cheeks to blush, hearts to race, toes to curl in embarrassment.

Yuan Li became more restless and fearful with each passing moment.

A man who had abstained for three years, no, nearly thirty years... truly terrifying.

He grasped Chu Hechao's hands, breathing heavily, swallowing hard, softly saying, "Don't move."

Chu Hechao's hands paused but didn't release him, fingers deep in his flesh. He bent slightly, circling Yuan Li in his arms, his tall figure almost entirely enveloping Yuan Li, a faint scent of sweat, his voice low and urgent, "Then when can I move?"

He answered his own question, "Oh, in nine days, I'll be able to move."

Yuan Li's eyes widened.

In ancient times, the mourning period was roughly described as three years, but in reality, it was twenty-seven months, equivalent to two years and three months. The Prince Chu and Consort had passed away in April two years ago.

If we count from that time, Chu Hechao's mourning period had already ended. However, by the time the mourning period reached Youzhou, it was already July, and the interment took place in August.

Chu Hechao wanted to complete the full twenty-seven months of mourning for his parents, so he started counting from August two years ago, and now he was almost at the end of the mourning period.

In nine days, he would be able to end the mourning period.

The increasingly heated gazes and hints day by day made Yuan Li worry about what to do after Chu Hechao's mourning period was over. However, he also felt that since this was inevitable, he might as well use these nine days when Chu Hechao couldn't move to torture him.

But what if he retaliated after being tormented?

And even if he didn't torment him, they still had to sleep... It would be a shame to let this opportunity pass.

With conflicting thoughts, Yuan Li ultimately felt that he couldn't give in. A strange desire for victory was ignited once again, and he smirked, "Are you sure you'll be able to move after nine days? Who knows what might happen by then."

With a meaningful glance, Chu Hechao affectionately pinched his face and whispered, "Yuan Li, I love this side of you, so bold."

Yuan Li, "..."

Summoning his courage, he replied without changing his expression, "I quite like it too..."

Yuan Li suddenly paused, a contemplative look on his face.

Following Chu Hechao's words, wouldn't he be giving him an advantage for nothing?

After a moment of silence, Chu Hechao asked, "Like what?"

"What do you think of Zhang Liangdong?" Yuan Li seamlessly changed the subject, "He sent a message with his disciple to me, and the content doesn't seem like something he would typically say. Yang Zhongfa and He Lang both know that the grain being sent to the capital is intended for Li Li. Zhang Liangdong used to be one of the Three Excellencies. Is he really so foolishly loyal now?"

Initially meant to divert Chu Hechao's attention, the conversation evolved in a way that made Yuan Li increasingly uneasy. He murmured, "While the common people may go hungry, how could the Emperor starve... This doesn't sound like something Zhang Liangdong would say. It just doesn't make sense."

Although Zhang Liangdong was loyal to the Emperor, a traditional loyal minister, he wouldn't typically utter such foolish statements.

Even if he truly felt that way, he wouldn't express it directly.

The fact that such words were spoken when they shouldn't have been seemed deliberate, almost like a hint...

"It's like a hint..." Yuan Li pondered.

"Hint?"

*

In the Yamen County of Yanmen, in the Prefectural Governor's office.

Xiang Hongyun sat in front of Zhang Liangdong, furrowing his brows and pondering for a moment, "Please enlighten me, teacher."