Landlords' methods of seizing land were mostly brutal. The vast majority of them lent grain to farmers at high interest rates, thereby achieving the goal of seizing land.
Nine out, thirteen back?
That's all considered good.
For example, right now, in the dead of winter, there is a severe food shortage, and people are barely surviving. Some people in the village have already started eating clay.
For as long as ten days, or as short as seven days, most of the villagers would have to go to the Zhong family.
The situation will be even worse next year.
Those with some savings might be able to hold out for a couple more days, but those without savings had no choice but to borrow grain from landlords.
Once you borrow grain, it's like having a noose around your neck.
When the following year arrived, unable to repay the grain debt, they obediently used the land as collateral.
In order to get the Wang family to sell their land, Zhao Zheng didn't push them to the brink of ruin. He allowed them to farm their own land again next year, and even gave them a 50/50 split.
Generally speaking, in good years, the profit split is 40/60, but some unscrupulous people might split it 30/70, neither letting you eat your fill nor letting you die.
A 50/50 split is something only a truly philanthropic person would offer.
If Zhao Zheng wants to become a landlord, he can't bypass the Zhong family.
It's only a matter of time before we face each other.
He only needs to be slightly more kind-hearted than the Zhong family, and these people will inevitably side with him.
Now, the Zhong family is making a fortune off the disaster, splitting the profits 30/70 with the tenants. After deducting costs, the tenants will probably only receive enough grain to survive.
"Alright, since everyone has expressed their opinions, I can't shirk my responsibility." Zhao Zheng immediately said, "I plan to set up a workshop in the village. As for what kind of workshop it is, I'll keep you in suspense for now."
"If you have time to help out, I can't afford to pay you too much, but I can still afford to treat you to a bowl of thick porridge."
Upon hearing this, everyone echoed, "Anything with thick porridge will do!"
"I haven't had thick porridge in ages!"
Many people couldn't help but swallow hard; it was clear that many had reached their limit.
"Follow me!" Zhao Zheng waved his hand and led twenty men in a grand procession toward his own land.
His family's land was located halfway up the mountain behind the house. Although it was not as good as Zhao Wei's and Zhao Yi's land, it was still considered quite good in the village.
"Today, let's widen the road leading up the mountain!"
"Make sure the ground is compacted; we'll be working from here in our makeshift sheds!"
Everyone responded enthusiastically and worked quickly.
Some people have even changed their address to "Master Zhao".
This was how tenant farmers addressed landlords, and Zhao Zheng didn't correct them. Instead, he shouted, "Men, work hard! I'm going back to prepare food!"
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.
Seeing them working enthusiastically, Zhao Zheng called Niu Dalei aside.
"Old...master, what are your orders?" Niu Dalei changed his words.
"Da Lei, are you making fun of me?"
"How could that be? Aren't you the boss now?"
Niu Dalei works a lot outside and is very good at navigating interpersonal relationships. He also knows that when you're begging for a living under someone else's thumb, you have to be sweet-talking.
Zhao Zheng smiled and shook his head, too lazy to argue with him. "Da Lei, you're a craftsman. In good years, you could support your family with your skills."
"But this drought has lasted for two years, and now it's winter. The north already gets very little rain, so I reckon it will continue. Have you thought about your plans for the future?"
Niu Dalei gave a wry smile. "I won't lie to you. If it weren't for the money and food you gave me, my family would have been starving. We were even planning to ask Uncle Youde to help me borrow grain from the landlord."
"Can one borrow grain for a lifetime?"
"What can we do? We have so many people in our family; they have to survive." Niu Dalei sighed. "Boss, if you're willing to help me, I, Niu Dalei, will sell my life to you!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Zheng nodded secretly. This Niu Dalei was indeed a very perceptive person.
He responded after I casually mentioned it.
"What use is your life to me?" Zhao Zheng hooked his arm around his shoulder. "There aren't many smart people in the village, but you, Da Lei, are definitely smart. Let me tell you the truth, I'm involved in both buying mountain goods and running a workshop; I'm doing things for others!"
"Yao Youjiao?" Niu Dalei blinked. "Could it be that the Yao family has their eyes on our little mountain village?"
Zhao Zheng nodded slightly, "The more famine there is, the better it is for these local gentry and powerful figures to seize land."
"No wonder he sent you out; he wanted you to do this kind of thing..."
"How else can I survive?" Zhao Zheng sighed. "Do you think I don't know that being a tenant farmer is tough?"
Niu Dalei's eyes dimmed. He was barely surviving, so who cared about conscience anymore?
Those who were stubborn and unwilling to lend grain started eating dirt.
In some remote areas where the land is barren, landlords are unwilling to lend grain, so people sell their children.
"How do you want me to help you?" Niu Dalei asked softly.
"Help me manage this workshop well, and also tell the members of Team Six that I can lend grain at low interest rates, with a 90% return rate, but you need to use land as collateral."
"If next year's harvest is good, I'll borrow spring seedlings again. I'll borrow one bushel in spring, return two pints in summer, and three pints in autumn!"
"Not only that, I can also lend money here. Borrow one tael in the spring and repay one tael and fifty cents in the winter!"
Niu Dalei was calculating in his mind. Needless to say, the price of "nine out and eleven back" was a full 20% cheaper, which would be very low even in a good year. Now that it was a famine year, he heard that people outside were calling it "nine out and eighteen back"!
When releasing seedlings in spring, it is common practice to borrow one peck in spring, return three pints in summer, and return five pints in autumn.
That saved me a full two liters, which is such a great deal!
There's also the option of borrowing one tael in spring and returning one tael and fifty cents in winter, which is equally cost-effective.
This type of lending is called "borrow one, repay two". For example, if you borrow one tael at the beginning of the year and repay two taels at the end of the year, it is also called "lamb interest", where the principal and interest are the same.
He licked his chapped lips. "Boss, is this true?"
"Of course," Zhao Zheng said. "I don't want to go against Uncle Youde right now, so I need you to help me privately and bring as many people over as possible."
"Sure, I'll give you a pound of rice!"
"In addition, you will manage the workshop for me, and I will give you three hundred cash and ten catties of millet each month, or twenty catties of old rice!"
Niu Dalei's breathing became rapid.
Which carpenter could resist such temptation?
"I, I... I choose twenty catties of aged rice!" Niu Dalei said with difficulty.
"Da Lei, since you've made your choice, you need to sign a long-term contract with me. I'm not asking you to be a contractor or a tenant!" Zhao Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Five years. Work for me for five years, and whether you renew the contract after that is up to you!"
"Can!"
At this critical juncture, let alone five years, fifty years would be fine.
Even if he has a skill to rely on and is confident that he can repay the food debt, as Zhao Zheng said, no one knows whether the disaster will continue.
Survival is the key.
"Good brother, come with me." Zhao Zheng patted him on the shoulder, led him home, drafted a document, and then took out a bag of rice from the cellar, which was full of old rice.
The price in the mall is less than a penny per pound, it's very cheap.
In other words, he earned a loyal farmhand for a dozen or so coins a month.
Even capitalists would weep upon seeing this.
"Here are your twenty catties of stale rice."
Upon receiving the heavy bag of rice, Niu Dalei was momentarily dazed. Twenty pounds of rice, just like that, in his hands?
Even old rice is much, much better than millet!