16: Chapter 16: The entire court was shocked; national bonds to be issued?

"Where is the Minister of Agriculture and Finance!"

Zhao Fusu shouted.

"Your servant is here."

After hearing Zhao Fusu's summons, the Minister of Agriculture and Finance stepped out from among the officials.

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance was one of the Nine Ministers.

Although Zhao Fusu had abolished the system of the Three Ducal Ministers and Nine Ministers, the Minister of Agriculture and Finance remained an important position within the National Assembly.

His primary responsibility was to manage the nation's finances and economy, with the collection of agricultural taxes being a key component of his duties.

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance needed to tally the number of farmlands and crop yields nationwide to formulate reasonable tax standards, ensuring the state obtained a stable fiscal income from agricultural production. At the same time, he was responsible for managing the state's grain reserves, coordinating grain supplies, and ensuring the needs of the army and civilians. In years of famine, he was also responsible for organizing disaster relief, opening granaries to distribute food, and stabilizing social order.

"In the alkaline lands of over forty thousand qing, the harvest is one zhong per mu."

"However, in other areas of Guanzhong, the yield per mu of millet is only 1.5 dan."

"The gap is so vast."

"What do you think is the primary reason?"

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance replied, "The water of the Zheng Guo Canal is fertile; only with it can the forty thousand qing of alkaline land yield one zhong per mu."

"Oh."

Zhao Fusu understood.

The water of the Zheng Guo Canal possessed fertility.

This was likely related to the fish and microorganisms in the river water; their activities in the water resulted in an abundance of chemical elements that provided nutrients for crop growth.

"Chief of Agriculture."

Zhao Fusu shouted again.

"Your servant is here."

The Chief of Agriculture was an important official in charge of agricultural production in the State of Qin.

This official was responsible for the comprehensive planning and management of Qin's agricultural affairs, such as guiding land reclamation nationwide and arranging suitable crop varieties and acreages based on the soil and climate conditions of different regions to ensure stable growth in grain production. At the same time, he had to organize the construction of water conservancy facilities to ensure irrigation and was responsible for promoting agricultural production techniques, such as advanced farming methods and the use of new tools, to improve efficiency.

"What methods are there to increase farmland yields?"

"In response to the Head of State."

The Chief of Agriculture said, "Crop Rotation, as well as collecting human and animal waste, to improve the fertility of the land."

"But human and animal waste is often insufficient to meet the demand."

Zhao Fusu nodded.

Human and animal waste was limited; the amount available for use as fertilizer was far from enough.

As for Composting to make Organic Fertilizer, one still needed raw materials.

In an era without electricity or appliances, the common people needed wild grass and wood just to cook.

Weeds, one of the raw materials for Composting, were still being used by the people as fuel for cooking.

Large-scale Composting to produce Organic Fertilizer seemed unrealistic.

He still had to produce Chemical Fertilizer.

The significant increase in food production in modern society is inseparable from Chemical Fertilizers.

However, he had not yet signed in to obtain the methods and equipment for making Chemical Fertilizers.

Crude Organic Fertilizer still had to be developed.

"Minister of Agriculture and Finance."

Zhao Fusu said to him, "Have the Field Attendants in Guanzhong organize personnel for Composting and dredging pond silt to improve the fertility of the farmland."

"As for manpower..."

"Construction of the Epang Palace is suspended."

"Send the laborers who were building the Epang Palace to do Composting and dig up pond silt to improve the fertility of the farmland."

"Ensure that these farmers have three meals a day and that they are all eaten to satisfaction."

"Three meals a day?"

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance frowned slightly. Eating two meals a day already consumed a lot of grain. Eating three meals a day, and being full every time, would consume even more.

"The Minister of Agriculture and Finance need not worry about grain consumption."

Zhao Fusu said, "As long as our food production can increase, these investments will be worth it."

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance hesitated; he admitted that Zhao Fusu's methods could increase grain yields, but the investment was too great. Compared to the output, it seemed unworthy.

But now his words carried little weight, and the court was controlled by Zhao Fusu, so he could only remain silent.

Looking at his expression, Zhao Fusu roughly knew what the Minister of Agriculture and Finance was thinking.

He had his own plans.

For a project as massive as the Epang Palace, the number of laborers involved reached a staggering seven hundred thousand.

Most of them hadn't committed any crimes, but because of the harsh qin law, they were sentenced and dragged into corvée labor.

Building the Epang Palace not only earned them no money, but they also couldn't get enough to eat and even had to pay out of their own pockets.

Without money to buy food, their bodies simply couldn't withstand the toll of heavy physical labor; only death awaited them.

They must have loathed the Tyrannical Qin to the core.

If the Remnants of the Six States were willing to give them a chance, they would certainly follow them to start an uprising.

Now that Zhao Fusu was sending them to do Composting, the work intensity was not nearly as high as building the Epang Palace.

And allowing them three meals a day, eaten to satisfaction, was a dream job for the people of Great Qin who usually only ate two meals.

Their only doubt would be whether it was true or not.

As long as the policy was implemented, they would know it was real.

If they could eat their fill every day, they would no longer think about joining the Remnants of the Six States in their rebellion.

In terms of military manpower, Zhao Fusu's policy would deprive the Remnants of the Six States of seven hundred thousand anti-Qin soldiers.

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance was essentially the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance; he stood at a different angle from Zhao Fusu and thought about different problems. Therefore, he could not see what Zhao Fusu was planning.

The main hall of the Xianyang Palace gathered the most elite group of people in the entire State of Qin, both politically and militarily.

Li Si, Feng Quji, Wei Liao, General Wang Jian, and Meng Yi could more or less see the importance of this move for stabilizing the world.

They nodded continuously, an affirmation of Zhao Fusu's administrative capabilities.

"Stop the construction of the Great Wall, stop the construction of the Epang Palace, and stop the construction of the Qin Straight Road."

Zhao Fusu did not stop the construction of the Mount Li Tomb; after all, the First Emperor still needed to be laid to rest.

But the cessation of these massive projects was enough to free at least 1.7 million laborers.

The stopping of these large-scale projects would also greatly ease the rebellious sentiments of the people.

"The system of corvée labor is abolished."

Zhao Fusu dropped another bombshell.

"Head of State, you must not."

Li Si stood up in opposition, saying, "If the system of corvée labor is abolished, the financial pressure on our Great Qin Empire will be too immense."

"Head of State, that is indeed the case."

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance also stepped forward and said.

Zhao Fusu wanted 700,000 laborers to have three meals a day, eaten to satisfaction, which would require a massive amount of funds and grain.

Now he was ordering the abolition of corvée labor.

For the Great Qin Empire, this would be another astronomical expense.

corvée labor was not just for guarding the borders or building the Great Wall and the Epang Palace.

The daily defense and repairs of prefectures and counties were also done for free through corvée labor, which saved a great deal of money.

If Zhao Fusu cut corvée labor, then those expenses would all converge onto the Great Qin Empire's treasury.

For their Great Qin Empire, this would be a colossal expenditure.

Zhao Fusu nodded; for the current finances of the Great Qin Empire, it was indeed a major pressure.

The same was true for him.

He also needed time to sign in and obtain various industrial production machines.

Forget about six months; if given just one month, he could acquire a large amount of industrial equipment, thereby boosting productivity and creating vast wealth.

"How about this."

Zhao Fusu said, "Issue National Debt."

"Issue National Debt?"

All the civil and military officials in the court were shocked.

They looked at one another, their faces filled with confusion; none of them had ever heard of this 'National Debt.'