"Young Master, the collected land deeds have been tallied. Including the Daimyo Manor's original land, it now accounts for sixty percent of the Land of Water's current arable land, and all of it is prime farmland."
"Uncle He, send out the policy reform announcement I've written."
Shimotsuki Kongming pushed a paper covered in writing towards Uchiha Kawa.
The next day, various regions of the Land of Water received an announcement from the Daimyo Manor:
Effective from the date of this announcement, the original place names of the Feudal Lords' territories are abolished. The Land of Water will be divided into eighteen counties.
All land in the Land of Water belongs to the Daimyo Manor. The Common People have the right to Cultivate it, and private land sales are prohibited.
The Daimyo Manor has seized a large amount of prime farmland, which will be distributed to the Common People soon. Those who still possess land deeds can claim compensation with their deeds: five thousand taels per mu for prime farmland, and one thousand taels per mu for other land.
Agricultural tax will be collected once a year per mu, at a rate of ten percent. Once land distribution is complete, the Common People can clear and Cultivate land on their own. After certification by the local government, they will have the right to Cultivate it for ten years, with the same tax rate.
Upon the expiration of ten years, if new children are born into the family within those ten years, the children will receive a specified amount of land. Before the age of twelve, the land can be Cultivated by their parents.
The more children, the more land is distributed. If there are no new children or if the Cultivated land exceeds the amount due to new children in the family, the land will be reclaimed by the Daimyo Manor.
Commerce is encouraged, with a commercial tax of ten percent, collected once a month. Any acts of making false accounts, misreporting income, or using any other means to underpay or avoid taxes will be subject to legal sanctions from the Daimyo Manor.
Considering the Land of Water has experienced unfavorable weather this year, and on the occasion of the Land of Water's unification, August 15th of each year is designated as Matsuri Moon Festival. May the Land of Water enjoy favorable weather year after year, and may the Common People of the Land of Water be reunited and healthy!
"Long live Lord Shimotsuki! We'll soon have our own land."
"Why! I refuse. He just takes my land as he pleases. Let's all protest! Lord Shimotsuki must give us an explanation." A Ding Shouta appeared in the crowd.
"Didn't the announcement say you'd get one thousand taels in compensation? What more do you want?"
Ding Shouta emphasized, "What can I do with such a small amount of compensation? Why do some people get five thousand taels, and I only get one thousand?"
"That plot of land of yours, one year's harvest isn't enough for you to eat for three days. You still want five thousand taels?"
"My land can be passed down to my son, and my son to my grandson, generation after generation without end. How is it not worth five thousand taels?"
"Slap!" An unknown person delivered a hard slap to Ding Shouta's face.
"Are you going to pass it down to me, your father, you damn troublemaker? Lord Shimotsuki is distributing prime farmland for us to Cultivate, and he's still slandering Lord Shimotsuki. Beat him up!"
"Daimyo Kongming is good to the Common People. If anyone speaks ill of him in the future, I'll be the first to object. Beat him up!"
Ding Shouta took a beating and ran off.
Shimotsuki Kongming gained the support of many Common People, and the policies were implemented very smoothly, with a large number of land deeds being recovered.
In the central regions untouched by Shimotsuki Kongming's destruction, land surveying and population counting had already begun.
On August 15th, the first festival set by Shimotsuki Kongming arrived as scheduled.
At night, the moon was high in the sky.
"Guo Er, haven't you changed yet? Do you want me to come in and help you choose?"
Shimotsuki Kongming put his hand on the doorknob, pretending to break into the room.
Before he could make another move, he heard the sound of the room door being locked from inside.
"No, Young Master. My father said that boys shouldn't see my body, not even the Young Master."
Shimotsuki Kongming took out a small notebook and wrote down Uchiha Kawa's name. This was the second time he had ruined his plans.
"All right, Young Master, let's go!"
In front of Shimotsuki Kongming, Guo Er looked up with her pretty little face. Her big eyes stared at him affectionately, and emotions welled up deep inside him. He said very seriously,
"Guo Er, you forgot to wear your colored contacts."
"Oh dear, I was in a hurry and forgot. I'll go put them on now. Young Master, please wait a few more minutes for me."
Daimyo City was brightly lit tonight. Shimotsuki Kongming was distributing meat buns and meat porridge to the disaster victims, and shops in the city also offered free food.
Holding Uchiha Guo's small hand, the two strolled through the streets of Daimyo City.
They watched the passersby, the hawkers on the street, and the children running around. They listened to the deafening firecrackers, the cheers in front of the juggling stalls, and the noisy drinking games in the taverns, feeling the strong festive atmosphere.
"Guo Er, stop looking. There aren't that many bad people." Shimotsuki Kongming pulled Uchiha Guo.
"It's okay, Young Master. You can play whatever you want. Your safety is in Guo Er's hands. With me here, I definitely won't let you die before me."
Shimotsuki Kongming found such a Guo Er very reassuring. He thought about finding an opportunity to take her to Penglai Island to Cultivate. He wondered if her small body could handle it.
"How much are the candied hawthorns? Give me two skewers."
Shimotsuki Kongming stopped at a candied hawthorn stall, looking at the straw sticks filled with candied hawthorns, hesitating which one to choose.
"Lord Shimotsuki! You can pick whichever kind you want. Or why don't you take them all back and eat them slowly?"
"That's quite unnecessary. Guo Er, see which kind you'd like to eat."
"I want this one,"
Guo Er quickly made her choice. He thought about it and bought the same flavor as Guo Er.
"Alright, two of these. How much?"
"No charge. My three mu of land, nothing grows well but everything else, not only did I receive three thousand taels in compensation, but I also got prime farmland. Life is getting better and better, all thanks to you."
"If my father knew I charged you for two skewers of candied hawthorns, he'd break my legs."
"Alright then, I wish you good fortune."
"Thank you for your auspicious words! Everyone, come and see, Lord Shimotsuki is here!"
"Where? Let me see quickly! It really is Lord Shimotsuki! Lord Shimotsuki, please come and try my fried meatballs!"
"Lord Shimotsuki, his fried meatballs aren't good. My grilled fish has a secret recipe, guaranteed to satisfy you."
In a blink of an eye, Shimotsuki Kongming's hands were filled with snacks.
"And mine! My tofu is the best in the whole city. Lord Shimotsuki, eat my tofu!"
Shimotsuki glanced at the tofu-selling uncle, thinking, you fifty-year-old uncle, watch your words, or I'll sue you for defamation.
"Eat mine!"
"Eat mine first!"
..."Alright, alright, I'll take all these things and enjoy them slowly later. Thank you all for the food. Go back to your businesses, it's rare for it to be this lively today."
"It's fine, business won't suffer for this short while. Lord Shimotsuki, please sit down and have a cup of tea."
Beside Shimotsuki Kongming, a chair and a table appeared at some point, with a pot of tea on the table.
Seeing that he couldn't leave, he simply sat down and chatted with the Common People.
"Have you all received your compensation? Is anyone dissatisfied with this policy? You can bring it up now."
"No, we're too grateful to be dissatisfied! The only thing we're not satisfied with is that you gave us too much, and we eat too much every day, it's a bit unusual." The Common People made a small joke.
Shimotsuki Kongming always kept the Land of Water's population problem in mind, never forgetting to promote his baby-making plan.
"It's good to eat well! After eating well, don't forget to make babies. The more children you have at home, the more land you'll be allocated, and the more money you'll earn."
"Hahaha, Lord Shimotsuki is right! You should also get married soon! Is the person next to you the future Daimyo Lady?"
"Maybe so," Shimotsuki Kongming winked at Uchiha Guo, whose big, fluttering eyes stared back at him.
"What are you all doing, crowding here? Don't you have businesses to run?"
Shimotsuki Kongming listened angrily to the hoarse voice that appeared at an inopportune moment. The surrounding Common People also shook their heads, their noses wrinkled, eyebrows slightly furrowed, and lips lightly pursed, all looking constipated.