Since Yuan Qi operated in the northwest and conquered Nanyang, the Qing Dynasty seems to have entered a peak period of immigration, one after another immigration waves have continued one after another, and large-scale immigration waves have emerged in flood-prone areas in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins, as well as barren and poor areas in Shanxi and Shaanxi, and in areas with few people in Shandong, Fujian and other places.

Large-scale planned and step-by-step organization of immigration, both Yuan Qi and the imperial court have accumulated rich experience over the years, and the method of organizing large-scale immigration to threaten the local gentry and landlords to force rent reduction is really fresh, and I am afraid that only Yi Zhizhi can come up with it.

But I have to say that this method is indeed feasible, if Yuan Qi or the imperial court, or even Yuan Qi and the imperial court jointly organize large-scale immigration, it can be said to be a great threat to the local gentry and landlords!

After all, Yuanqi's immigration policy is famous for its generosity, and the people of many provinces in the Qing Dynasty are eager to suffer disasters in their hometowns, so as to get Yuanqi's large-scale organization of immigration.

Yuan Qi not only gave free land to immigrants, exempted from taxes for three to five years, but also provided interest-free loans and free education, and I don't know how many peasants were envious, and those who were lucky enough to work in factories in Guangzhou and Shanghai were even more enviable.

The immigrants organized by the imperial court to reclaim the northeast were also on favorable terms, allowing the immigrants to obtain the land they coveted for free, and the various taxes and servitudes were far lower than those in the inland provinces.

It can be said that in addition to the rich provinces such as Jiangnan, as long as Yuanqi and the imperial court call for immigrants in other provinces, it will inevitably be a situation where all calls are echoed! Once there is a large-scale migration in the local area, it is natural that the land is vast and sparsely populated, and the manpower is expensive, and the loss is far from being comparable to rent reduction.

It works! Su Shun pondered it for a while, but after all, this is something that offends people, especially offending the gentry class, although it is quite mild, but after all, it is detrimental to the interests of the gentry class, and it is hated by others, if Yuan Qi can be pushed in front, it will be more secure.

However, he was always a little wary of Yuan Qi's contentment with Yi, and he was not in a hurry to express his position, but said tentatively: "Listening to Brother Guocheng's tone, this rent reduction seems to be only the first step, what about after the rent reduction?" ”

"The rent reduction is followed by a limit on the amount of land owned by private individuals." Yi Zhizhi said with a smile, "This matter can't be rushed, it must wait until the rent reduction has received good results before it is implemented, and the rent reduction nationwide is conservatively estimated to take five or six years, but if it can be implemented, Brother Yuting's prestige in the government and the opposition will definitely be unmatched." ”

Limit the amount of land owned by private individuals? Su Shun's heart sank, this was directly touching the fundamental interests of the gentry class, and after a little hesitation, he asked: "What is the purpose of Brother Guocheng's implementation of land reform?" ”

"Two purposes." Yi Zhizu stretched out two fingers and said unhurriedly: "First, it is to promote the industrialization process of the Qing Dynasty. The first is to lay a good foundation for the imperial court to implement constitutional government. ”

Promoting the process of industrialization? Su Shun frowned, and said with a puzzled expression: "The English land enclosure movement is to encourage a high degree of land concentration and large-scale operation, why should Brother Guocheng do the opposite and disperse the land?" In this way, a large number of yeoman farmers will inevitably be created, and it should be ........ that it is not conducive to industrial development. ”

Su Shun was able to say this, which made Yi Zhifen a little surprised, and he couldn't help but smile, "Brother Yuting has grown up a lot over the years, and it seems that he has studied England quite thoroughly. ”

"In recent years, the west wind has become stronger, and England is the head of the West, how dare you not understand a little?" Su Shun said with a smile: "However, when it comes to understanding the West, no one in the Qing Dynasty can match Brother Guocheng, and he got an axe at the end of work, which made Brother Guocheng laugh." ”

"The west wind prevails in the government and the opposition, which is a good thing." Yi Zhishu affirmed: "The imperial court members must indeed have a detailed understanding of the Western powers, and they must also maintain sufficient attention to the major international events, and the Qing Dynasty is now one of the world's great powers." ”

As he spoke, his tone changed, "Brother Yuting has indeed seen the enclosure movement in England quite thoroughly. However, the Qing Dynasty was completely different from England's national conditions, England's population was limited, and the development of industry required a large number of laborers, so it was necessary to provide sufficient labor for industry through the enclosure movement.

But the Qing Dynasty had a large population and an abundant labor force, so there was no need to drive the peasants from the land to the factories. The implementation of land reform and rent reduction policies by the imperial court and the granting of their own land to the peasants would not only increase their incomes, but also increase their enthusiasm for production, which was also conducive to promoting the development of industry. ”

After a pause, he changed his serious tone, "Whether it is a development model that makes the country rich and the people strong, or a development model that makes the people rich and the country strong, there is a basic point that must be guaranteed, the people cannot be too poor, if the people are not able to make a living, no matter how large the population is, no matter how vast the territory is, the country will never be strong even if it is rich."

If you want to enrich the country and strengthen the army, the people are rich and the country is the foundation, and the same way, if you want to develop industry, the people are rich and the country is also the foundation, and the reason why we want to implement constitutional government is to enrich the country and strengthen the army, and the people are rich and the country is strong!

To implement the constitution, we must put the interests of the people in the first place, if we still only pay attention to a few interests, it will lose the significance of the constitution, the land issue is undoubtedly the most fundamental interests of the people, the imperial court must be determined to promote land reform! ”

Land reform is not so easy to implement, Su Shun sighed secretly, and then said: "The imperial court implements land reform, how much support can Yuan Qi give?" ”

Is this trying to bargain? Yi Zhizhi smiled, "If the imperial court is sincere in implementing land reform, Yuan Qi will definitely support it." ”

Strong support, what is a strong support? Su Shun was a little dissatisfied in his heart, but he didn't dare to mention the conditions, he knew the other party's temperament, and if he didn't do anything, it would only be counterproductive, and he groaned slightly, and then he said: "Even if the court wants to reduce the rent, there has to be a reason, right?" ”

"I'll do this wicked man." Yi Zhicontent smiled.

Su Shun spent three days in Shanghai, and the day after he left, the major newspapers of the southeastern provinces published an article on the front page entitled "The Prosperity of the Country and the Strength of the People and the Prosperity of the People and the Strength of the Country."

This article is very short, in the article, Yi Zhizu expounded the two ideas of a rich country and a strong people, and a strong country with a rich people, and took it as two models of national development, and then directly asked, which development model should be chosen for the implementation of the constitution in the Qing Dynasty?

As soon as the article was published, it attracted the attention of the government and the opposition, and the officials focused on speculating on the hidden signals behind the article, while the gentry and businessmen and the common people were discussing which model was better.

In the next two days, the major newspapers soon published a number of discussion articles, some in favor of a prosperous country and a strong people, and some in favor of a prosperous and strong country.

The newspapers argued endlessly, and the government and the opposition also sparked extensive debates, arguing about which model was more in line with the national conditions of the Qing Dynasty, and many officials were confused, not knowing what the purpose of Yi Zhi's content was in throwing out this article.

Su Shun had already seen Yi Zhizi's "Theory of the Wealth of the Country and the Strength of the People and the Prosperity of the People" written by Yi Zhizu on the train, and couldn't help but laugh secretly, that guy doesn't like to talk in circles and likes to go straight, but he acts in a secretive way, if he is not clear about the other party's intentions, he will be inexplicable, and he doesn't know what the purpose of this article is.

As soon as Ci'an saw this article, she guessed that it must be related to Su Shun's trip to Shanghai, and she was a little unhappy in her heart.

As soon as he got out of Majiapu Station, Su Shun went straight to the city by carriage and didn't even return to the mansion, so he hurriedly entered the palace, he knew very well that Yi Zhi's content would provoke Ci'an to publish this article, although the imperial court had announced that it was preparing to establish a constitution, but after all, it was only a preparation, and the nine-year preparatory period was full of infinite variables, at least for now, he could not have a bad relationship with Ci'an.

Su Shun met him, and the first thing Ci'an asked was, "To implement the constitution, it is easy to know that it can have the meaning of regency?" ”

"Back to the Queen Mother." Su Shun hurriedly said: "Yi Zhishu has no intention of being a regent, he said that for the smooth implementation of the constitution and the stability of the court, he is not suitable for regent, and it is appropriate to elect a person of high moral integrity to be regent." ”

Ci'an said suspiciously: "Is this credible? ”

"Wechen secretly thinks that this statement is credible." Su Shun said firmly: "If Yi Zhixiang wants to be regent, no one can stop him, and there is no need for him to be with Wei Chen. ”

Ci'an's biggest concern was that Yi Zhixiang took the opportunity of the constitution to steal the country, and when he heard this, he couldn't help but be suspicious, and asked instead: "What is the intention of Yi Zhi's new article?" ”

Su Shun did not hide it, and said in detail about Yi Zhi's instigation of the imperial court to implement land reform, rent reduction? Limit the amount of privately owned land? Ci'an didn't dare to speak rashly, although she was a woman, she also knew that the serious and high concentration of land annexation was the biggest social contradiction and the biggest source of local chaos, and if the land problem could be properly solved, it would be more conducive to the continuation of the Qing Dynasty.

But this matter was brought up by Yi Zhisuff, which made her very vigilant, is the other party sincerely thinking about the court? Or is there another intention? After a long silence, she spoke: "Land reform affects the whole body, and if you are not careful, the imperial court will fall into a situation from which you will never recover. ”

"Wechen obeys." Su Shun hurriedly bowed down, but he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, what he was most worried about was Ci'an's clear opposition, although this matter was for the benefit of the country and the people, but this woman was quite wary of Yi Zhi's contentment and was very likely to oppose it, and now it seems that this woman still knows that state affairs are the most important.

Since Ci'an did not explicitly oppose it, Su Shun had no scruples and began to convene a group of cronies and cadres to discuss the preparation of the land reform plan.

While Su Shun was busy discussing and preparing for the land reform plan, the debate in the newspapers of the north and south of the country about whether the country was rich and the people were strong or the people was rich and the country was strong was also in full swing.

Shanghai, Zhenneng Palace, Changle Book House.

Zhao Liewen put down the newspaper, glanced at Yi Zhicontent, and said in a deep voice: "Big shopkeeper, students don't understand very well, what is the connection between this land reform and the implementation of industrialization?" ”

Hearing his question, Yi Zhifen took his eyes off the newspaper and said, "Why does England continue to colonize and expand? In addition to the need to obtain cheap raw materials, there is also the dumping market, the Qing Dynasty has a population of 400 million, accounting for a quarter of the world's population, known as the world's largest market, but after the opening of the four treaty ports, a large number of British merchants flocked to the Qing Dynasty, but they were disappointed in this so-called world's largest market.

Why? Because the Qing Dynasty was not the ideal market for British dumping goods, one was that the Qing Dynasty was a self-sufficient closed economy, and the other was that the Qing people were too poor and had limited purchasing power!

With the industrialization of Western countries, the demand for domestic and foreign markets will be more and more large, and the competition in the market will become more and more fierce and even cruel. Cultivate your own domestic market!

Only by carrying out land reform can the peasants, who account for the vast majority of the population, get rid of poverty, become rich, and have a certain amount of purchasing power, so that a good and huge domestic market can be formed, and then we can rely on the domestic market to open up foreign markets, which will be greatly conducive to promoting the industrialization of our country. ”

Cultivating the domestic market? Zhao Liewen was a little surprised, so in this way, the result of industrialization is to make the people rich? After a slight groan, he said: "Is the reform of serfdom implemented in Russia also the purpose?" ”

"In terms of the general purpose, it is really the same, all to promote industrialization." Yi Zhizu nodded slightly: "However, the purpose of the reform is different, our land reform is to make the peasants rich and cultivate the domestic market, but the serfdom reform in Russia is aimed at plundering the peasants and accumulating funds. ”

Speaking of this, he smiled, "Industrialization is not a simple and easy thing, it requires a huge amount of money to back it up, our research institutes and laboratories in Shanghai and Guangzhou are extremely expensive, and some large-scale industrial application experiments in the future require a large amount of funds, as well as education, which is a bottomless pit."

Russia had suffered a crushing defeat in the Crimean War, the country's finances were on the verge of bankruptcy, and the only way to industrialize was to exploit the peasantry.

The Qing Dynasty should be glad to have Yuanqi, over the years, Yuanqi has frequently used troops against neighboring countries, armed aggression followed by financial aggression, monopoly of foreign trade commodities, monopoly of trade with Japanese people, and the use of the American Civil War to make war money in Europe, all of which can be regarded as the accumulation of primitive funds.

It is precisely because Yuanqi has accumulated a large amount of money that the Qing Dynasty does not need to exploit the domestic peasants like Russia! ”