"That's true. While we're resting, why don't we say a prayer for Prime Minister Chu's safety? We can't repay him in any other way."
"Hey! Old Liu, your mind is sharp! That's the way to do it!"
The two men exchanged a look and smiled, no longer showing the usual numbness and unease.
They quickly called their families to close their eyes and silently pray for Chu Chen.
"May Heaven bless Prime Minister Chu with a safe life. We are humble tenant farmers and cannot repay a great figure like Prime Minister Chu. We only ask the Lord to open his eyes and protect Prime Minister Chu!"
After reciting their prayers several times, they opened their eyes.
"Right, Old Liu, don't forget what the Embroidered Uniform Guard said. When people outside the manor ask, we still need to mention His Majesty in our answers. We can't cause any trouble for Prime Minister Chu."
"I know, don't worry. My whole family has it in mind."
Old Liu nodded cautiously.
To prevent the common folk from only thinking of their own well-being and forgetting that this world still belonged to His Majesty Li Kongxi, Chu Chen had naturally instructed the Embroidered Uniform Guard in charge of the farms to teach the tenants how to respond when outsiders inquired.
This was to avoid anyone accusing him of the people of the world only knowing Prime Minister Chu and not His Majesty, which would be troublesome.
"Old Wang, do you think there will be more of those... beneficial policies in the manor in the future?"
"That's for sure. Don't you see how much has improved recently?"
Old Wang replied without hesitation.
Old Liu recalled that when he first joined the Royal Merchant Guild, he was only attracted by the low rent for the land. Initially, that was the only benefit.
But later, due to various problems faced by the tenants, the Embroidered Uniform Guard sent a carrier pigeon to inform Chu Chen of the issues.
After careful consideration, Chu Chen added several beneficial policies as welfare for the tenants who joined the Royal Merchant Guild farms.
The first, needless to say, was a rent of fifty percent for twenty mu of land. Compared to the common seventy percent rent charged by local gentry and nobles in Yunyue Kingdom, this was undoubtedly a great benefit. Twenty mu was the upper limit; any more would be too much for the tenants, whose physical condition was not yet sufficient, to cultivate, making it a waste.
The second was free scraps of fabric, which could be brought to the manor and sewn into patches by his wife and daughters on the spot. These fabrics were remnants from the Royal Weaving Workshop and Tailoring Workshop. While they could be reused, it was too troublesome, so they were simply given as free benefits to the guild tenants, a simple and straightforward way to deal with them.
The third was interest-free loans of up to one hundred coins, which could be used to purchase grain from the manor, Yunyue plows, or rent animal power. A Yunyue plow now cost fifty coins due to increased craftsman benefits, while renting one cost only two coins per day.
The fourth was the open rental and sale of grain at equivalent value. That is, for the amount of grain rented, one would return the same weight plus a one percent handling fee upon harvest the following year.
This benefit was implemented because many tenants looked gaunt and weak, appearing as if they might starve to death at any moment, and their families often had to skip meals. With such a physique, training was out of the question; they needed to be nourished first. But if the tenants had grain, would they be in such a state? Most of the harvest was paid as land rent and other rental fees to the gentry and nobles, leaving them with little for seeds and food for their families, making their meals extremely scarce.
With this benefit, seeds would not be a problem, and neither would food.
The fifth was the provision of coarse tea, also made from the by-products of tea production. This included tea from imperial farms, the court, and even from the homes of the powerful and wealthy. The quality of these materials was indeed very poor; even gentry of lower status would not drink such tea. It was usually discarded or used as fertilizer for garden plants. Now, selling it to the Royal Merchant Guild could earn them some money, so why not?
The Royal Merchant Guild's acquisition cost was also very low, a very small expenditure. A thousand taels would be enough to supply coarse tea to all the farms nationwide. It was a matter of buying and selling by the dou.
But for the tenants who joined the farms, these were incredibly novel things. Not only could they supplement some vitamins, but they could also give the tea some flavor. Most importantly, they could learn from their landlords and the wealthy, making themselves appear more human!
One coin per dou was enough for a family's coarse tea consumption for a month, making it completely affordable.
"Heh heh, life is truly comfortable!"
Taking a sip of tea, Old Liu sighed again and continued, "This time, before the snow, we planted these small cabbages. Burying them in snow during winter means we won't worry about vegetables for the entire winter."
Old Wang chuckled and said, "Of course. And the rent for these vegetables in the manor is only thirty percent. The remaining seventy percent belongs to us. If we can't eat them all, we can sell them at a lower price, and it's still some money."
"Yes, if the manor also provided cheap coarse salt, that would be even better. Then perhaps we could even make some pickles. Eating them with porridge would be absolutely delicious!"
"Haha, Old Liu, you're dreaming. Coarse salt is still salt, and it's not cheap. Even if the guild sells it cheaply, we still won't be able to afford it before next year's harvest. Stop dreaming."
"Heh heh, I was just thinking about it. The more I think about it, the more hopeful I become!"
"Alright, stop thinking about it. We've rested enough. Let's get back to work! The people in the fields on the right have already started!"
The wives of the two families urged them.
"Got it~"
Old Liu and Old Wang's families quickly tidied up and continued working with renewed vigor.
Meanwhile, in the capital city of Shuangyue, Chu Chen was handling court affairs at the administrative desk.
Suddenly, a figure in black from the Dark Department appeared before Chu Chen: "Reporting to the Lord, there is a letter from the Embroidered Uniform Guard via carrier pigeon."
Chu Chen looked up in confusion and took the letter from the Dark Department.
A moment later, Chu Chen's face turned furious. He slammed his palm onto the desk in front of him, scattering papers everywhere.
The loud noise startled the guards on duty and the officials handling official business. They rushed over to investigate.
"What happened? What has made Prime Minister Chu so angry?"
Everyone was bewildered, standing at a distance and looking towards Chu Chen.
"It's nothing important. You all should go back to your work."
Chu Chen suppressed his anger and waved the guards and officials away.
After they left, he said indignantly, "Good, I thought with the existence of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Six Doors, these people wouldn't dare to resist. Who knew they were holding back for a fierce blow? Fine, very fine!"
"Issue an order to notify the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the three counties bordering Liaonan Prefecture to dispatch half of their personnel from each county to reinforce Xia Prefecture. Order Yu Jin to lead three thousand cavalry from the Beast Extermination Division to rush there. Finally, notify the Six Doors to investigate which martial arts sects are responsible!"
"Yes!"