"Oh? Stirring up the tenant farmers to bring suits against you?" Chu Qiguang's mind stirred, knowing this was Magistrate He making his move.
Hao Xiangtong continued, "In the past, many of those tenants voluntarily commended their fields under our family's name to evade taxes, and some were bought outright by our family. Now that they see an advantage to be gained, they've started stirring up trouble again..."
Chu Qiguang thought to himself that the lands the Hao family had annexed through various means—fictitious commendation, underpriced coercion, fraudulent registration under other names, and the like—undoubtedly had procedural irregularities. Once the yamen conducted an open investigation, they would certainly uncover a substantial amount of concealed land.
Chu Qiguang mused inwardly, *The prominent clans are greedy to the core. Getting them to spit out the meat in their mouths is harder than scaling the heavens. At a time like this, a grand family like theirs won't be willing to yield a single step.*
Yet Chu Qiguang was unconcerned by this. With his current understanding of the Great Han Dynasty, even if this sort of land reform succeeded... it would merely prolong the imperial house's lifespan by a few decades. It could never resolve the cannibalistic nature of a feudal dynasty.
*In the end, it will take someone like me stepping up. This happens to be an opportunity.*
Looking at Hao Xiangtong, Chu Qiguang asked, "Then what does your family plan to do?"
Hao Xiangtong said, "I don't know. I heard Father and Eldest Brother are going to the Wu family to discuss what to do with Second Master Wu."
Chu Qiguang thought, *Are the Hao and Wu families standing and falling together?*
Chu Qiguang asked, "Could you help me pass word to your father? I have a way to make the magistrate back down."
Hao Xiangtong looked at Chu Qiguang skeptically. "You?"
Chu Qiguang smiled. "You can ask your father first whether the imperial court intends to negotiate peace and open border trade with the wolf demons."
Seeing the skepticism still lingering in Hao Xiangtong's eyes, Chu Qiguang said no more and resumed telling his story, while Hao Xiangtong once again turned her full attention to the tale.
As Wu Zetian gradually took control of state affairs, she began surveying land and standardizing taxes and corvée across the world, standing alone against the imperial clan, nobility, and officials at every level.
Hearing how Wu Zetian, a mere woman amidst treacherous circumstances, had to face the doubts of male ministers, the old emperor's lustful obsession, her parents' lack of understanding, and slander and rumors across the world—yet pressed forward undaunted, unyielding even in the face of death—Hao Xiangtong felt her emotions surge.
Chu Qiguang said, "All right, let's stop here for today. I need to get back to my reading."
Hao Xiangtong looked at Chu Qiguang, longing for more. *Sigh, this Young Master Chu... he doesn't want money, nor does he covet my beauty. Since I can't force him, all I can do is come listen to him every day.*
Looking at Chu Qiguang engrossed in his books, his earlier words also continued to swirl in her mind.
...
The next day, Second Master Hao of the Hao family, his principal wife, five concubines, his son Hao Yongtai, daughter Hao Xiangtong, along with two younger brothers and a younger sister—the large family sat together neatly around the dining table, sharing their meal.
This was a rule Second Master Hao had laid down: every morning, everyone in the family had to be present to take breakfast together. Because of this, even Hao Yongnian in the past had never dared stay out overnight, always returning home no matter how late it was.
The Hao family's First Master had taken his wives, concubines, and children to Shenjing, so the Hao family in Qingyang County was essentially under the Second Master's charge.
Hao Xiangtong had been pondering Chu Qiguang's words all of yesterday. After finishing breakfast today, she finally could not resist walking up to her father.
Hao Xiangtong chatted casually with her father for a few moments, then asked with feigned nonchalance, "Father, is the imperial court going to hold peace talks with the northwestern wolf demons? And open border trade?"
Second Master Hao frowned upon hearing this. He looked at his daughter and said, "Where did you hear such talk? It's completely baseless. A young girl like you shouldn't be babbling about affairs of state..."
Having been rebuked by her father first thing in the morning, Hao Xiangtong returned to her room both ashamed and vexed, fiercely cursing Chu Qiguang in her heart: *Foolish! I was truly foolish—how could I have believed that poor brat's nonsense?*
*No, next time I'll definitely make him tell several more chapters!*
On the other side, Second Master Hao, Hao Wen, did not take his reprimand of his daughter to heart. After resting briefly, he took some men with him to the Wu residence to discuss the matter of the land.
...
Shortly afterward, in the parlor of the Wu family estate in Qingyang County.
Several key figures of the Wu and Hao families were gathered together, discussing the matter of the county yamen opening the board for complaints. Hao Yongtai had also come along, taking part in this major family affair in his capacity as the eldest son.
Grand Secretary Wu of the Wu family was stationed in Shenjing with his eldest son, while the head of affairs in Qingyang County was Grand Secretary Wu's second son, Wu Wei. Wu Wei spoke with a grim expression, "He Wenyan clearly comes with hostile intent."
Hao Yongtai's father, Hao Wen, nodded and said, "Why don't we yield five hundred or a thousand mu? It could be considered giving He Wenyan some face, letting him stop here."
"Give him face?" Wu Wei said coldly. "If we take the lead in surrendering land, how will the other families view it? And how will the tenants below look upon it?
"If the local gentry and magnates throughout the entire county surrender their fields, it will become an unstoppable tide.
"When the time comes, if you yield five hundred mu, he will dare demand five thousand, or fifty thousand. Will you give that as well?"
Hao Wen asked, "Then Grand Secretary Wu's side... can he not find a way?"
Wu Wei said, "Surveying the lands and equalizing taxes—this is a national policy set by the Grand Secretariat. Father likely cannot intervene directly either. We still have to find a way ourselves.
"I just didn't expect it to start from our Qingyang County..." Wu Wei sighed. "This time, someone in the imperial court is likely targeting Father."
Hao Yongtai said in surprise, "Someone is moving against Grand Secretary Wu?"
Wu Wei said, "For our Wu family to lose a few parcels of land is a minor matter. But once word reaches Shenjing, if someone with ulterior motives fans the flames, then even a non-issue will be turned into a crisis."
The Hao and Wu families were closely tied by marriage and had always stood and fallen together. Hearing this, Hao Wen nodded in deep agreement. Thinking of his own family's fields, he added, "Whatever happens, we must protect Grand Secretary Wu's prestige. But why hasn't anyone from the Ding family arrived?"
Wu Wei sneered, "The Ding family never had much land to begin with. Over these years, they've poured their efforts into the coal mines and ironware trade in Mount Mei. Surrendering land wouldn't hurt their vitality."
After a thought, Wu Wei said uneasily, "No, we still need to bring people together and speak with them one by one. We must present a united front and stand together."
Second Master Hao, Hao Wen, was still astonished by the news that someone was plotting against Grand Secretary Wu—the Wu family was the Hao family's greatest patron, after all. He could not resist probing indirectly, eager to learn who was moving against Grand Secretary Wu.
Wu Wei looked at Hao Wen for a few moments, then finally said, "There is a matter I won't hide from you. In recent years, the northwestern wolf demons have grown increasingly restless, repeatedly raiding southward. Although they and the northern military garrisons have traded victories and defeats, it has consumed far too much military expenditure.
"The southeastern coast has also suffered raids from the dragon clan, disrupting maritime trade.
"The annual pay owed to the several major northern military garrisons keeps piling up. In recent years, the Ministry of Revenue has only been robbing Peter to pay Paul. Never mind our Lingzhou—even the stipends for officials of every rank in Shenjing have been in arrears for several months.
"Father and several other grand secretaries have already coordinated. They plan to negotiate peace with the wolf demons and open border trade. First, to secure a dozen years of peace in the north; second, to curtail the military spending of the northern garrisons and ease the court's burden; and third, to open new sources of revenue so the court has more silver at its disposal. Only then can they free their hands to subjugate the East Sea dragon clan.
"However, once this happens... some people will likely be unable to sit still.
"Otherwise, how would a sesame-seed seventh-rank county magistrate like He Wenyan dare make such a reckless move without regard for the consequences? Those people are utterly frenzied, trying to obstruct the peace talks and border trade."
Hao Wen listened in astonishment to the news of the peace talks, his head filled entirely with what Hao Xiangtong had said that morning: *...Xiangtong... How did Xiangtong know about this?*
Chapter 66