The harvest was completed two days earlier than in previous years. Village Head Zhang Qingshan clearly felt he wasn't as tired this year compared to the last. It wasn't just because the sickles were well-sharpened. To make the work more convenient for everyone, the village had prepared better support for those going to the fields, following the procedures taught in the cadre training class. Whether it was the support with farm tools or the help from the nursery, it saved everyone a lot of worry.

Zhang Qingshan didn't relax because of this; after harvesting, there was still drying and threshing. He remained very busy. Moreover, Han Haitao, the Tax Collector from town, also began preparations to collect taxes in the village.

Han Haitao left a good impression on Zhang Qingshan. This cadre from the city dressed cleanly, didn't cause trouble in the village, and spoke little. The matter of the town sending grain to the village nursery was likely related to Han Haitao. The elderly women looking after the children said that the babies slept soundly after being fed and didn't fuss. Tax Collector Han Haitao had really been helpful.

According to the town's requirements, the six village cadres gathered the villagers for a study session with the Tax Collector to fully understand the brand-new tax policy. Only Captain Li, one of the three Militia Captains, was leading people on patrol and couldn't attend.

Han Haitao didn't make things complicated. He explained the current tax situation completely in less than ten sentences.

"Governor He is only collecting one kind of tax in the village, which is the Grain Tax. Governor He takes thirty percent; the remaining seventy percent is all yours. No miscellaneous taxes or levies will be collected. However, everyone still has to contribute labor for things like building reservoirs, constructing schools, and repairing the village threshing ground. In short, if the government asks everyone to leave the village for work, grain will be provided. If the work is within the village for the village's benefit, everyone should discuss how to handle it with the village cadres."

Hearing this, the tenants were overjoyed. The landlords' rent was forty percent, which was already higher than the tax set by Governor He. Moreover, tenants' head taxes and other levies had never been exempted. If only thirty percent tax was collected, everyone's life would really be better.

More importantly, Governor He had stated clearly: Tenants didn't have to pay rent to landlords this year, only tax to the government. The grain remaining after tax belonged to the tenants. A tenant immediately stood up and called out, "Can you come to my house to collect tax now? If you don't want to make the trip, I'll send the grain over first."

Zhang Qingshan was amused. It seemed these tenants wanted to solidify the arrangement while the government officials were present, so they wouldn't have to worry about the landlords turning hostile and reneging on the deal after the government people left.

The Tax Collector asked the villagers to sit down first and solemnly invited the six cadres to stand beside him. Then he continued, "Folks. We selected cadres to execute the government's policies. In the future, if anyone runs to the village demanding tax, everyone should go to the cadres and deal with them together. If the cadres can't handle it, go to the town to find the town government cadres. Our cadres are not like the *Baojia*[^1] of the past; they won't come up with all kinds of miscellaneous taxes because each of our cadres receives one silver dollar and 20 *jin* of sorghum flour from the government every month..."

The villagers involuntarily let out sighs of admiration. 20 *jin* of sorghum flour was enough for one person to eat for a month. As for the silver dollar, it was no small sum for ordinary villagers.

Zhang Qingshan had heard about this during the training class and had been eagerly anticipating it. Hearing it finally announced, his worries largely dissipated.

The Tax Collector took out six silver dollars from his pocket and distributed them to the six cadres in public. He also took out receipts for them to sign.

As he held the pen, Zhang Qingshan felt a slight tremor in his hand. According to the government, he could get one silver dollar every month in the future. That was twelve silver dollars a year. This sum was something Zhang Qingshan had previously only dared to dream of.

The tax policy had been explained, and the villagers saw that Zhang Qingshan and the others had publicly taken the government's money, confirming that the village cadres were really government people. That night, someone came to visit Zhang Qingshan's home; it was a local tenant farmer. Upon meeting, the tenant didn't even exchange pleasantries and asked straight to the point, "Brother Qingshan, when will the land distribution begin?"

Zhang Qingshan answered confidently, "The government said land distribution will start after the autumn harvest. Everyone should finish threshing the grain at least."

***

At the Siping Government offices, He Rui and cadres like Wu Youping were holding a meeting. Lu Daoming, now Deputy Director of the Water Conservancy Bureau, dressed in ordinary commoner's short clothes and looking travel-worn, said, "Governor, when distributing land, we must pay attention to irrigation issues. River channels and water canals must be reserved."

Hearing this, Wu Youping couldn't help complaining, "Director Lu should have said so earlier. Some villages have already started working."

Lu Daoming wasn't unhappy because of Wu Youping's words; instead, he sighed. "This matter is indeed my fault. I really didn't expect the Governor to just go ahead and do it like this."

Now the cadres looked a bit unhappy. He Rui was the first to smile. "Does Director Lu oppose land distribution?"

"Of course I support it. The common people's lives are too bitter," Lu Daoming sighed. After speaking, Lu Daoming asked again, "Governor, I see you want to build state-run farms on a large scale. Why is that?"

"Distributing land to the common people is largely to eliminate social contradictions. Director Wu here studied in the United States and has seen American farms. Our China has little arable land, and the population is four or five times that of the United States. Even if all the land is distributed to farmers, we cannot reach the American level. Given that, there is no need to consider copying the American model blindly."

Lu Daoming recalled the vast plains of the United States and nodded slightly. However, he still felt that the vast plains of the Northeast were not necessarily inferior to the Great Plains of America.

He Rui continued to explain, "Another matter is the mode of social production. The small-peasant economy emphasizes self-sufficiency; they produce what they can themselves, minimizing exchange. If China wants to become strong, it must achieve industrialization. Industrialization, on the other hand, relies on frequent transactions and standardized parts. It is inherently different from, and even conflicts with, the small-peasant economy. Thus, large-scale farming must be our direction."

Lu Daoming thought about it and felt there was no problem with this line of thought. But He Rui being so decisive indeed made Lu Daoming feel admiration.

At this time, Wu Youping asked, "Governor, land reclamation requires a large amount of labor. And much of it is virgin soil; I'm afraid the harvest in the first year won't be good."

"That depends on how many farm tools can be used during development. Deep plowing and sufficient fertilizer can improve yields. For fertilizer, we rely on livestock. How are our preparations for the green fodder processing site?"

There was some unhappiness in Wu Youping's tone. "Governor, we are buying sheep from the Mongol tribal territories to the west. I don't know what the tribes over there are thinking; the price they want isn't low. I suspect they are trying to take advantage of us."

"Regardless of the tribes' intentions, we don't need to follow their train of thought. Business is business; we can't let them force a sale either. We send people to buy livestock from tribes farther away. When going, make it clear to those tribes: lambs from early spring, sheep from autumn—as long as their price is reasonable and they drive them here, we will buy them all."

After speaking, He Rui said to Xu Chengfeng and others attending the meeting, "After the autumn harvest, bandits are rampant everywhere. Just as cattle and sheep need to fatten up for winter, bandits need to loot to survive it. We will absolutely not let them off the hook! Start preparing for combat."

"Yes." Wu Youping and Xu Chengfeng answered in unison.

***

[^1]: *Baojia* (保甲) - An old system of community self-policing/mutual responsibility.