Hm?
That was actually a promising angle.
Once he got back, he would purchase a plow and study it thoroughly.
If he really managed to pull it off… who knew what might come of it?
Yun Chuhe's eyes lit up. Just as he was about to say something dismissive, he made a sharp turn and pivoted with a complete reversal in tone.
"Fifth Sister's insight is as sharp as ever. Rest assured, Third Brother shall not disappoint you!"
"Then I shall await good news from Third Brother with great anticipation." Yun Shu saw him off with a beaming smile. As soon as he left, her smile faded into a long sigh.
What a pity. Grand Preceptor Ye held too low a rank to be invited to the palace banquet.
Otherwise, she would've had all three fall guys assembled, freeing herself entirely from this mess.
Still… even if Grand Preceptor Ye could not enter the palace these days, that didn't mean she couldn't leave it. As a student, wasn't it perfectly natural to pay a visit to her mentor during the New Year holiday?
The seven-day holiday had just begun. If she made her visit early, it would give Grand Preceptor Ye a few extra days to reflect deeply on her "confusion."
Perfect.
Having made up her mind, Yun Shu sprang into action. Early on the second day of the new year, she had a few flawless New Year gifts prepared and climbed into her carriage, which clattered briskly out of the palace.
Perhaps it was due to Ye Qing'an's humble background and young age, but even though he nominally held the position of tutor to both the Fifth Princess and Sixth Prince, the gate of the Ye residence remained quiet and unfrequented that morning.
When Yun Shu's newly commissioned carriage rolled to a stop before the front gate, the young servant sweeping snow outside looked momentarily stunned. It took him a beat to gather himself and approach with hesitant steps.
"May I ask who—"
"Why haven't you gone to announce it yet? Princess Sheng An is here."
Ting Xue drew aside the curtain and handed over a token. The servant received it with both hands. The moment he realized it was the princess herself, he was so terrified he forgot all decorum, threw down his broom, and bolted into the residence.
"Wait—!"
Ting Xue called after him, but he didn't even turn around. She had no choice but to lower the curtain again with a sigh and mutter under her breath,
"What a slow-witted little servant."
"Perhaps he's just not used to it." Yun Shu waved a hand dismissively, unconcerned, then lifted the curtain and stepped down from the carriage.
Sure enough, not long after, Ye Qing'an hurried out to receive her. But once he stood before Yun Shu, his movements were composed, his demeanor elegant and measured as he offered a respectful bow.
"This humble subject was unaware of Your Highness' visit. Forgive me for not welcoming you sooner."
"Please, Grand Preceptor, there is no need to be so formal. What student pays a New Year call to her teacher and expects him to be waiting outside?"
She already felt guilty enough, dragging someone out during the holidays to do work for her. If she didn't at least act with a bit of humility, her conscience would keep her up at night.
She quickly had the gifts brought down from the carriage.
Yun Shu didn't bother with formal pleasantries. She got straight to the point.
"To speak frankly, I came today not only to offer New Year's greetings but also because I have some matters weighing on me. I hope Grand Preceptor might help resolve a few doubts."
She had deliberately referred to herself as "student." Sure enough, upon hearing that, Ye Qing'an dispensed with further ceremonial words and personally invited her into the main hall, where he poured her a cup of tea with his own hands.
"What troubles Your Highness?"
"Grand Preceptor Ye, you may not have heard. At the palace banquet on New Year's Eve, I publicly pledged before Father Emperor and the assembled ministers to find a solution for the challenges of reclaiming wasteland.
The issue of irrigation, I have already passed to Sixth Brother to handle.
The lack of oxen, I have entrusted to Third Brother.
As for taxation… let us set that aside for now. The most difficult obstacle at present is land consolidation."
Yun Shu cradled her tea in both hands, brow furrowed, her expression a picture of distress.
"Grand Preceptor, why has land consolidation become such a severe problem?"
"There are many reasons."
During the holidays, even the Capital Weekly had suspended publication. Ye Qing'an had remained in his residence and had little contact with court officials these past few days. Naturally, he was unaware that the princess had managed to shoulder such a tremendous burden in the mere span of a meal.
While silently marveling at Yun Shu's daring and ability, he slowly broke the issue down for her.
"The root cause lies in the system of private land ownership and the flourishing land trade that accompanies it.
Taxation is also a major factor in this phenomenon.
At present, the state primarily collects two types of taxes from farmers. One is the land tax, levied per mu of cultivated land.
The other is the household tax, levied according to the number of people.
The latter cannot be avoided—if one lives, one must pay.
But the former… leaves room for manipulation.
Consider this, Your Highness: in a year of poor harvest, if the yield from the fields cannot even cover the taxes owed, and the family is already too impoverished to cook a meal, and then a noble house or wealthy landlord comes offering to purchase the taxed land—would you sell, or not?"
"I would sell."
Yun Shu followed his line of thought and nodded.
"If I don't sell, we starve. If I do, even if it fetches little silver, at least I'll owe less in taxes."
"Precisely."
Ye Qing'an sighed lightly.
"So during times like these, aristocratic families often seize the opportunity to buy up land at rock-bottom prices. Some go so far as to engineer disasters or unrest themselves, using force or coercion to rob farmers of their land.
That is land consolidation.
Bureaucratic clans and landed gentry are exempt from taxation. Great houses with ties to court officials use these advantages to recklessly amass fertile land."
Yun Shu rested her cheek in one hand, thoughtful.
"Then if we made them pay taxes as well, wouldn't that solve the problem?"
"In theory, it might be effective." Ye Qing'an paused, seeming to weigh the matter carefully. After some time, however, he slowly shook his head.
"Does Your Highness know why no minister has ever proposed such a reform?"
"Because they're all beneficiaries of the system."
The question was too easy. Yun Shu didn't even hesitate.
"It's like I would never suggest that Grand Preceptor assign me extra homework. Likewise, those ministers would never volunteer to pay more taxes."
"Just so."
Hearing her compare it to schoolwork, Ye Qing'an couldn't help but chuckle. He followed her analogy with one of his own.
"Then if His Highness the Sixth Prince were to suddenly request that I assign all of you an extra task—say, copying texts three times over every day—would Your Highness agree?"
"Of course not. I'd beat up Sixth Brother and make him shut up!"
Yun Shu replied with a grin, then added with a spark of realization,
"So what Grand Preceptor means is, if anyone did raise such a proposal, the rest of the ministers would gang up to destroy him?"