Chapter 99: Nectar Wine

Chapter 99: Nectar Wine

Xiao Ce listened to their words and said with a smile, “This Prince already thought of that long ago!”

“Although This Prince wants to reform! This is, after all, my first time coming to the Northern Desert. Reforms must also proceed step by step. Taking too big a step at once is easy… to trip up!”

“If we directly confiscated the land of those wealthy and prominent families, it would certainly cause great unrest. This Prince can’t just go and kill them all! If that happened, wouldn’t every wealthy person in the future live in constant fear?”

“This Prince’s principle has always been to win people over by virtue!”

“You all go back first and register all the people. Then, distribute land according to our rules here! As for which land it is, you don’t need to tell the common people yet. First, tell them how much land each person can get, let them have a clear idea.”

“Our policy is a land ownership system, meaning those who possess the land only have the right to use it, while the ownership belongs to This Prince! Although This Prince has proclaimed a tax exemption policy, this exemption is based on the official land allocation per person. That is, even those from prominent families enjoy the tax exemption, but any land beyond the allotted amount will not be exempt. Also, for everyone’s farmland, unless there’s a natural disaster, it cannot be left uncultivated. If land is left barren, a heavy fine must be paid!”

“Once the common people receive their land and have their own plots, they naturally won’t farm for others or work as bonded people for meager grains. After the bonded people leave, those prominent and powerful families will have so much land but no one to farm it. They will still have to pay land taxes, and if the land is left barren, they’ll have to pay fines. After a long time, this land will become a hot potato in their hands, and they will want to get rid of it.”

“When the time comes, you will then use market prices to purchase their land. The money for buying the fields will come from the finances of each prefecture. Is there a problem with that?”

Everyone listened to Xiao Ce’s plan, and their eyes couldn’t help but brighten a little. They first nodded in approval.

Then they found a problem: “Prince, just verbally assigning them land. Then there still isn’t any land to actually give to those commoners! The commoners will have no land to farm and will end up becoming tenant farmers for those prominent and powerful families.”

Xiao Ce said with a laugh, “Don’t rush! After you assign the land, This Prince will issue a decree. Those who are assigned land but for whom the prefecture has no reserved land in stock can be given the qualification to help cultivate military farmlands. That means arranging for them to go to the places This Prince designates to form Production Corps and reclaim wasteland! At that time, This Prince will subsidize them with silver. This Prince guarantees that the silver each person receives will be higher than their income from farming for a year!”

After hearing Xiao Ce’s words, their eyes lit up: “Prince, this is indeed a method. But, what is this Production Corps you mentioned, what is it used for?”

“This Prince plans to establish two Production Corps in the Four Northern Desert Prefectures. A Production Corps means they serve as soldiers during wartime and civilians during peacetime! Two locations: one will be set up in Yanmen City at Yanmen Pass, and the other in Yanbei City. One is the throat into the Central Plains, the other the throat into the Turkic regions. They are also the two gates where This Prince will station troops in the future!”

“After this period of time, those prominent families will certainly be as anxious as ants on a hot pan. Then you will have a lot of room to operate.”

Yin Pan’er couldn’t help but ask, “Prince, if so much land lies fallow, will next year be a famine year?”

Xiao Ce laughed and said, “No, those prominent families are all crafty as monkeys. Once these few policies come out, they will rush to return the land to the court! And the price we pay to take back the land is based on market price, so we won’t cheat them either! Our goal is to return the land to the farmers! Furthermore, winter is coming very soon now, and the weather here is bitterly cold and frozen.”

“Once this plan is complete, the government can smoothly take back all the land! Then, when spring comes and flowers bloom, it will be perfect for farming!”

Kan Shanyue cupped his hands respectfully: “Prince, your wisdom is brilliant. Having you is a blessing for us people of the Northern Desert!”

Liu Qi on the side said, “Then Prince, when are we going to fight the Turks?”

Looking at Liu Qi’s anxious expression, he knew that one of Liu Qi’s daughters had been married off by his elder brother Liu Xuan to a man from a Turkic tribe.

He had not seen her for many years.

Xiao Ce said, “That is This Prince’s military secret. However, what This Prince can tell you is that good news will arrive very soon!”

Everyone looked at Xiao Ce with anticipation.

Xiao Ce said with a smile, “Alright! Qian Lai, bring out the Nectar Wine This Prince prepared. Let everyone have a taste of this legendary divine brew!”

Qian Lai then ordered the servants, each carrying an exquisite wine pot.

Xiao Ce continued, with the herald repeating his words beside him.

“Because it is divine brew, the quantity is limited. You all must have heard that This Prince knows a wandering Immortal. The Immortal bestowed upon This Prince Tianshan Snow Frost Sugar and Tianshan Snow Salt. Actually, they also gifted This Prince a divine brew, which This Prince originally intended for private collection! However, on such a joyous day, This Prince will bring out all the divine brew to share the joy with everyone!”

“Let us join hands with This Prince to restore the past glory of the Northern Desert!”

Xiao Ce watched as everyone had their wine poured and raised his cup.

“Cheers!”

Xiao Ce drank it all in one go. This wine was brewed after he arrived, using a small device he made.

Though he said he brewed it, it was actually operated by the Solar Term Maidens.

What he let Lin Zhong try before was this distilled white liquor.

He also named this wine: “Nectar.”

Everyone at the venue initially raised their cups, not thinking much of it.

Because most of the wine here was watery wine, and the taste of such wine was pretty similar. The better-tasting ones were fermented from fruit.

However, as the taste of this wine hit their tongues, their eyes slightly brightened.

Initially, the mouthfeel was delicate, smooth and soft upon entry, pure, cool, and pleasantly brisk. Then, a spicy sensation went down the throat, coursed through the body, leaving a long aftertaste. Soon after, they all felt slightly warm and wonderfully refreshed!

Everyone present was either wealthy or noble. They had tasted all kinds of delicacies and sampled various fine foods.

In one sip, they recognized the exceptional quality of this wine.

Yin Pan’er beside Xiao Ce was also tasting this wine for the first time.

“Prince, you have such good wine, how come you never let me taste it before!”

Saying this, she offered some to Nie Bing beside her, who had a solemn expression.

Nie Bing initially wanted to refuse, but couldn’t withstand Yin Pan’er’s insistence and drank a cup.

Her gaze clearly brightened a little.

The family heads of the Four Great Families on the side couldn’t help but have their eyes light up.

“Prince, truly excellent wine!”

“Yes, indeed worthy of being a divine brew. This single cup makes one feel thoroughly refreshed! Extremely comfortable.”

“Thank you, Prince, for granting us this divine brew!”

Seeing this, Xiao Ce said, “Do you like it?”

Everyone naturally nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Ce said to Xiao Jiu on the side, “Xiao Jiu, later, send one jar each to the people of the Four Great Families!”

Several of them quickly waved their hands and said, “Prince, it’s too precious… We cannot accept it!”

Xiao Ce said to everyone, “There’s nothing you cannot accept. This Prince told you last night. As long as you are loyal and follow This Prince wholeheartedly, This Prince will not be lacking in benefits for you. This Prince won’t boast about anything else. Work with This Prince, and in the future, your Four Great Families won’t just be the Four Great Families of the Northern Desert. This Prince can make you the Four Great Families of the Xiao Kingdom!”

After hearing Xiao Ce’s words, the several family heads came forward again, kowtowing to Xiao Ce to express their loyalty.

Xiao Ce said, “Alright, This Prince doesn’t like sweet talk! This Prince will watch what you do!”

“Prince, no matter what, we only recognize you!”

Xiao Ce laughed heartily: “Good! I hope that whether in good times or bad! You all remain steadfast from beginning to end! There’s one more thing This Prince needs to tell you: in the future, no matter the situation, the Princess Consort can fully represent This Prince. Sometimes, when This Prince is absent, the Princess Consort can fully represent This Prince. Her meaning is This Prince’s meaning.”

Everyone listening nodded in agreement. Xiao Ce was laying the groundwork for what was to come.

After all, the Northern Desert was now initially settled. What it needed next was time.

He had to go and do the next things.

Yin Pan’er listened, feeling somewhat moved yet also looking at Xiao Ce with a trace of confusion.

Because there were many people here, she didn’t ask out loud.

On the side, Cai Yong, who had remained silent until now, said to Xiao Ce: “By the way, Prince, I wonder if you have considered the next problems.”

Xiao Ce said to Cai Yong, “The next problems?”

Cai Yong glanced at the servants here.

Xiao Ce said, “The people here are all people This Prince can absolutely trust. And you all should be on our side, right?”

The family heads of the Four Great Families nodded in agreement.

Cai Yong then continued: “First, people in the Capital have already started to harbor the intention to kill you. Moreover, without the Emperor’s consent, the Second Prince would not dare to give such an order. So, Prince, if you make a big move, they will certainly know. Second, once Maoming City has a garrison, it means our connection with the Central Plains Region is cut off.”

“If we have no grain from the Central Plains Region, even if we take out all the stored grain of the entire Four Northern Desert Prefectures, it won’t be enough to last until next autumn’s harvest. I’m afraid we will run out of food by May or June next year! And all this is if the Turks don’t invade. If the Turks come and plunder it, we might run out of food right after spring begins.”

Lin Nan chimed in: “That’s right. And the biggest problem now is still the Turkic side!”

Xiao Ce asked, “What trouble have they stirred up over there?”

Lin Nan bowed: “Prince! Before we came here, we already heard that the Ashina Tribe of the Turkic Kingdom, leading the various tribes of the Turkic Kingdom, is gathering. According to the scouts we sent out, their gathering this time is unprecedented. It is said the Ashina Tribe has nearly turned out in full force!”

“Oh? More than the last time they sent out?”

Lin Nan nodded and said, “Prince, according to the intelligence we received, that is the case! This time, I’m afraid they are planning a major operation!”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ce showed not the slightest worry but instead laughed heartily, repeatedly exclaiming: “Heaven helps me! Heaven helps me!”