Those Who Utilize the Land (2)
Once, I sat down with Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, and Seo Seo for a discussion.
"What’s the most effective way for tenant farmers to cultivate the land?"
How could we get everyone pitching in diligently on the farms? I wanted to collect their views and hash it out together.
"May I go first?"
"Of course, Yi."
"Competition."
Sima Yi’s proposal was competition.
"Reward the ones who produce the most from their plots. Humans are creatures who crave victory over others. Once rivals are set and stakes are clear, they’ll bust their asses to outdo each other and work the land hard."
"And specifically?"
"Check the crops monthly—give a pig to the best grower. At harvest, award a cow based on total yield. They can raise them or slaughter for a feast to savor their win."
"I see. So, prizes worthy of the victors."
Sima Yi advocated competition.
"Liang and Seo, what do you think?"
"Not good. Crops grow from a mix of soil, labor, terrain, and more. Judging winners and losers could crush the losers’ morale. Winners might slack off in smug satisfaction, while losers give up entirely."
Zhuge Liang shot down Sima Yi’s idea with surgical precision.
"And you, Seo Seo?"
"If I may offer a somewhat impertinent view?"
"Anything goes. Speak."
"Competition demands serious oversight. It’s not a quick sprint—from spring’s third month through autumn. Everyone wants to win, but by August or September, the outcome’s clear. If I thought I was losing..."
Seo Seo pointed at the lantern.
"I’d burn it."
"That’s..."
"Yes. A crime. But Yi, can you swear no one would? Humans do anything to win, right?"
"Hm..."
Sima Yi nodded gravely.
"Fair point. Losers need incentives too, and extremes are possible. But what if losers enjoy it anyway, and it’s a short contest?"
"A festival."
"Exactly. Ten days, using a portion of the harvest. Equal shares mean no gripes, and mingling clans fosters bonds."
"So, the actual contest?"
"Well..."
Sima Yi glanced slyly at Zhuge Liang before continuing.
"An acting competition?"
"Acting?"
"Who can most convincingly perform a given theme."
"You’d win that, Sima Yi."
"Oh? A rigged contest, and I’m the champ? Where’s such sincerity if not from me?"
"......."
A chill ran down my spine. I’d called this to find the best idea together, but why were Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang butting heads more and more?
Asking Zhuge Liang next would spell disaster. Sorry, but I redirected.
"Seo Seo, your thoughts?"
"......."
Her eyes screamed: Me? Now? But tough luck—teacher’s orders, and she’d claimed discipleship herself.
"Speak up."
"...Wouldn’t they just do it naturally?"
Seo Seo’s take was too vague for a real solution.
"People scramble to survive when hungry. Even tough jobs—they’ll shove arrowroot in their mouths if starving. Even after losing family. Even if grief beds them down, or guilt hits for eating while kin starve."
Yet in these chaotic times, her words rang truest.
"Survival of the fittest. When laws and morals fail, raw survival rules—people find their own path. If they want to live, they follow it. Life’s not for others to live for you."
"So Xu Province refugees will handle it themselves?"
"If their will to live is strong."
Seo Seo offered a survivalist fix. I could guess her angle.
A fierce will to live. If they want it bad enough, they’ll work hard—and farming follows.
She’d lived it: orphaned of father, overcoming chaos with her mother.
"Dunno." Sima Yi shook her head, face complicated.
"Humans are wicked yet frail. Not everyone’s as tough as Yuan Zhi. That’s why ‘self-determination’ exists."
"......."
"Some shatter when losing what’s dearest—their very will to live. Like Wang Yun, who gave all for Han."
Wang Yun, the Minister of Works. Masterminded Dong Zhuo’s assassination via the chain stratagem, but hounded by Li Jue and Guo Si’s faction, ended his own life.
"Sure, they’d likely kill him anyway, but if he truly wanted to live, wouldn’t he beg on his knees?"
"You call that weakness?"
Zhuge Liang clashed with Sima Yi again.
"Not weakness—loyalty to the realm, Han’s peril, the imperial house?"
"Eh. Prove loyalty with death? Bo Yi and Shu Qi starved rather than submit, but groveling..."
I raised my hand; they quieted.
"I get what you’re saying, but skip steps and no one follows. Especially you geniuses—omissions fly over heads."
They grasped each other’s intent flawlessly despite gaps. Long talks helped me catch on, barely.
"Self-determination from weak or strong will? Table for later. We’re here for farming."
"Sorry, I overstepped."
"No. Yuan Zhi’s right—if no will to live, they fade; if yes, they strive. But can we ease survival for the willing?"
Live easy. Apply that to farming?
"Work less, yield more—the ideal."
"What’s your view, teacher?"
"Me? Hm..."
If this had a pat answer, I’d cough and quote sages. But I had none—that’s why I asked.
"I’d focus on human desire."
"Desire?"
"Yes. Specifically, assets."
Gold and land—wealth.
"I already lend to holdovers, taking a cut of rent. Folks griped rates too low, but that draws them to my land, working harder."
"To claim more for themselves."
"Exactly."
Own it, and you grind. "My land, my crops—they’d kill for it."
Stimulate possession. My solution.
"Who’d refuse free land?"
* * *
"...I see. Give Ye Province elites’ lands to the people—settle and farm fifteen years, gain ownership."
Sun Uk grasped it instantly.
"Lord will hate it."
Oof.
"Could’ve folded into Cao clan lands, but you made it all Cao army—er, state—property."
"Just a proposal?"
"No. Your words through my mouth become her choice. She needs people’s loyalty, not traitors’ leftover dirt."
Sun Uk spread her arms over the vast fields.
"She wants the realm. This tuntian is the base to conquer it. If they stay loyal in Ye, they’ll be a powerhouse in a decade."
"Long view."
"Thanks to you—eyes wide open to the world."
Sun Uk reached for me.
"Coming along?"
"Nope."
"Heartless."
"......."
"Playing hard to get. Fine, awkward as ‘payment’ for help, but if things sour later, I’ll advise in earnest."
Sun Uk winked, hands in prayer pose.
"Don’t conquer Jingzhou by war."
"Thanks."
"No joke. Never again."
Her voice hardened.
"No more Xu Province repeats—if she accepts, embracing the people."
The civilian tuntian framework locked in.
* * *
"But that’s a fundamental flaw. Know what?"
"Yields rise, but..."
"Labor’s grueling. They’re working harder, after all."
"Easy" vanishes.
Sima Yi: competition, rivalry.
Seo Seo: tough will to survive.
Me: ownership craving.
...All stray from "work less, get more" efficiency.
Rooted in "hard work, hard reward."
My limit, try as I might.
"Liang, got a better way?"
"Not ‘better,’ but a direction."
Zhuge Liang pointed at the fields.
"Better to dig with a shovel than hands, right?"
"Sure."
"So make them. Tools to ease labor."
"...How."
"Hm."
Zhuge Liang said plainly.
"Well?"