Five acres of paddy fields!
So vast!
And it's even double-crop irrigated land!
That's truly wealth beyond imagination! With these five acres of paddy fields, he won't have to worry about not being able to marry a wife anymore...
When Zhang Da took the land contract, his hands were shaking.
He was the uncle of the little Zhang Bao, and like him, he was a poor man with nothing at all, struggling just to avoid starvation.
Ever since he could remember, there was not a single piece of land in his family; they lived by renting land from Master Huang and borrowing interest-bearing loans from him.
Like most of the tenants around the Goose Lake Town, Zhang A Da has fallen into a cycle of paying rent and borrowing money from the landlord (Yu Lao La). However, his situation is better than those of Wang Yan and Wang Xiri, and it hasn't been completely exploited. With help from borrowing money from Yu Lao La, they can still carry out agricultural production - planting also requires investment!
Buy seeds, agricultural tools, and if you have enough money, you can buy a cow. You can also buy some farm manure, and even repair some water conservancy facilities. If you can plant some mulberry trees on the field and roadside, that would be even better. When the harvest is good, mulberry leaves can be used to raise silkworms and sheep. In case of drought years, people can also eat them.
Those farmers who are struggling on the brink of starvation don't have any extra funds to invest in agricultural production, so they have to borrow interest-bearing money from landlords like Huang Baipi...Renting land and borrowing capital, this leverage is pushed to the extreme, and a slight misstep can lead to complete bankruptcy.
To stay afloat in the desperate situation, Luo Yaogu led his men into Goose Lake Town to drive out Master Huang. At that moment, he was working as a beggar on the street of Goose Lake Town - temporarily begging for food!
Begging temporarily was a common occurrence in China during the 19th century, and even into the 20th century until the 1980s.
No choice, too poor!
Get as much as possible!
According to the original plan, he should have gone with several villagers from Zhang Wang village (including Zhang Bao) during the agricultural idle season to beg in Lingling. But unexpectedly, they were blocked in Goose Lake Town when they encountered the Taiping Army attacking Lingling.
Then he witnessed the collapse of Master Huang's rule in Goose Lake Town!
But unlike little Zhang Bao, he lacks the spirit of rebellion and does not raise his bowl to join in at the first opportunity. Instead, he returns to Zhang Wang village as a failed beggar to eat old rice, until two days ago when Wang Yan and Zhang Bao brought the "Land Redistribution Work Team" to Zhang Wang village, he has only found the second chance in his life, probably also the last one to change his fate.
And this time, he seized it resolutely.
Luo Yaoguo deliberately raised his voice and laughed at him, "Brother A Da, this is just the beginning! Wait until later to give you some floating wealth we seized from Huang Baipi...so that when you're fighting with us for the land, your parents at home will have enough to eat and drink."
When our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom conquers the realm, what are these five acres of water fields worth? At that time, you will have an official position and a beautiful wife! This good life is just beginning!”
This was not said just to Zhang A Da; it was said to the common people gathered at Zhang's ancestral hall today!
Wang Yan, the lecturer, knew that his Eryang hometown people could not understand Luo Yaoguo's official words, so he took over and loudly mobilized in the dialect of Yongzhou: "Fellow villagers... Those who do not join the Taiping Army will receive eighty mu of water fields or two mu of dry land from Tianfu Hongshen! Those who join the Taiping Army will receive five mu of water fields... That's right, five full acres! Plus double rewards for seized property!"
Can you save enough silver to buy five mu of water fields by working hard your whole life? Now, by joining the Taiping Army, you can get it immediately! And when we gain the empire, we'll be the children of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's banners... This is our chance to turn things around!
Don't think the Qing army is as strong as you think, the Taiping Army can easily defeat them! That bunch of double-gunners, once their addiction to smoking takes hold, they don't even need to be fought; they'll just lie down. How can they possibly stand against us Taiping Army? Zhang Bǎozhèng how did he escape? Huang Bāopí how did he escape? They even can't beat our Taiping Army sisters. Once our brothers arrive, it will be our turn to conquer Daozhou City!"
“Wang lecturer, I want to worship God!”
"Uncle Wang, I want my five mu of paddy fields, and I want to be a Taiping soldier!"
"I also want to be a Taiping soldier..."
As Wang Yan's stirring words resonated, soon there were dozens more rough men rolling up their sleeves and heading to the "hair-cutting site" to join the queue - what is meant by the "hair-cutting site" is just a place for cutting hair!
Luo Yaoguo is planning to make Goose Lake Town a part of the revolutionary base on the border of Hunan, Guangdong, and Jiangxi. Therefore, he cannot cut off the "new brothers'" way of life by burning houses. He can only use the tricks of dividing land, distributing surplus property, and cutting hair to make the new brothers who have joined the Taiping Army understand that they have no way back!
They have already divided the land and property of Master Huang... Can they still return it? Can they afford to return it? If not, then they have to defend their newly-acquired land!
And their tails are cut off, they can't be loyal subjects anymore!
On the first day Luo Yaoguo arrived in Goose Lake Town, he received over two hundred new brothers, as well as dozens of new sisters. Over the next two days, another three to four hundred people joined the Taiping Army in Goose Lake Town!
Luo Yaoguo also distributed land contracts to each of them and talked to them individually. He watched as they cut off their hair and was busy for two full days.
Now, Luo Yaoguo has arrived at Zhang Wang Village, personally addressing and distributing land contracts to over one hundred newly recruited brothers in this area.
By evening, Luo Yaoguo led these over one hundred brothers, who had had their hair cut, received land and surplus property, and were no longer able to pass as loyal subjects of the Qing Dynasty, back to Goose Lake Town.
As soon as he entered the South Gate of Dike Street, he saw Su Sanmiao hurrying over, leaning close to his ear and whispering, "Your Majesty, the Qing troops have arrived. There are two thousand horsemen and infantry. They are less than thirty li away from here, setting up camp now. They will most likely reach Goose Lake Town tomorrow!"
"Hahaha..." Luo Yaoguo laughed three times, "Just in time!"
He turned around to look at the over one hundred newly recruited brothers who followed him to Goose Lake Town, "Brothers of the heavenly army, the Qing troops, led by Yuan Qing, will bring two thousand irregular soldiers to help Huang Baipi take your land! What should you do?"
"Fight to the death!" It was Wang Yan, the lecturer, who raised his arm and shouted first.
Then Zhang Bao shouted as well, "We've already looted Huang Baipi's house, divided his land... and cut off our hair. We have no way back!"
"There's no way back, we have to fight!"
"Let's fight against Yuan the demon chief and Huang Baipi!"
"Damn it, even without fighting, we'll starve to death eventually!"
The over one hundred newly recruited brothers under Luo Yaoguo's command quickly "exploded" into action!
The land they had just received was their hope for survival, for getting married, and for a better life... Who would be willing to give it up?
Luo Yaoguo nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself, "The effect of dividing land, distributing surplus property is truly excellent! The four years I spent studying history were not in vain. I have really learned something useful..."
......
"What's your plan, Sister Sanmiao?"
When Luo Yaoguo asked this question, he had already returned with Su Sanmiao to the big house of Huang.
Here was Luo Yaoguo's temporary Angels' Manor and the residence of the Lecturers' Team of Worshiping God, as well as the residence of Sister Sanmiao's 1st Army Division of the women's camp.
Additionally, a "branch hall of the Society of God's People in Goose Lake Town," composed of several female soldiers who could read and write, was also established and posted a sign in this grand mansion.
Now, the administrative functions of Goose Lake Town, as well as the goods seized from Huang Baipi's and other landlords' households, and from the opium dens in the town, including opium, are temporarily stored in this "branch hall." Without Luo Yaoguo's approval, no one is allowed to draw on this "branch hall" storehouse, even with the order of Hong Xingkan's eldest brother Hong Renfa!
"Your Majesty," Su Sanmiao leaned in close to Luo Yaoguo and whispered, "I plan to use silver, women, rifles, ball cartridges, and ambushing tactics to deal with the Green Flag soldiers of Yuan the demon chief. I'll lure them into Goose Lake Town to fight..."
"Can the newly recruited brothers of the eight hundred or so help them see some blood and fight on the battlefield?" Luo Yaoguo asked again. "Only by killing the demons, can they truly become one with us!"
"Of course they can!" Su Sanmiao nodded, "But they can't lead the attack. Have them hide in ambushes within the town. Let my men wear them down first. Once their opium kicks in, we'll bring them into Goose Lake Town, and let those new brothers charge out. It will definitely have a remarkable effect!"
"Good! That's how we'll do it!"
