I Became a Genius Commander at the Academy

Chapter 23: Reclaim The Territory (2)

Humans might be beings who forget the past, but they are also animals that learn from their past experiences. This meant that if there were experiences that had yielded good results in the past, developments could be made based on those. However, if there were experiences of abuse or painful failures, a passive attitude, feelings of helplessness, and fear were unconsciously learned.

Why was I thinking of this? It was because the people who suffered severely from the previous lord had just entered the assembly hall and started fervently pleading with me, the newly arrived lord.

“Lord, please, we beg you to lower the taxes. Spare us. Above all, we hope you abolish the damn night privileges and the death tax.”

“In other territories, landlords and village chiefs like us torment the people, but we’ve never done such a thing!”

“I’d willingly offer my daughter as a concubine! Please, just lower the taxes by half. We have nothing to eat. Ten people in our village starved to death last winter.”

While listening to them, I scanned the attire, faces, and skin conditions of the speaking lords in the territory. They wore clothes made of very rough and crude fabric, and they had rough, dry skin, which proved their long-term malnutrition.

Normally, local lords wear coarse clothes in front of the lord to save every penny. However, if there were enough food for them to live, they wouldn’t appear so tormented in front of me with the intention of gaining something. So, I sighed and said,

“It’s serious, very serious. I’ve heard that the previous lord, that wretched Kokon, collected enormous taxes, leaving the people in destitution. But I never expected that even you, who have some status in the provinces, would be in such a state.”

Some started looking at me with wet eyes, hopeful and curious, clearly expecting me to lower the taxes. Whether the village chiefs or the lords asked or not, I was planning to normalize the taxes anyway.

“For now, before I speak my thoughts in detail, let’s solve this. According to imperial law, I’ll lower the taxes Kokon imposed on you from ninety percent to sixty percent. The grain that the previous lord extorted will be returned from Bruno Castle to each village. Also, night privileges and the death tax will be completely abolished from this moment on.”

When my words ended, the lords and village chiefs, all of whom were seated, stood up and shouted hurrahs and hugged each other.

“Hurray for the Lord!”

“We are saved. Thank you, Deus.”

“The taxes are now so light! We only have to pay sixty percent! Is this a dream or reality?”

Even in Korea, the government deducting sixty percent of income as tax would’ve caused an uproar, but here, people were shouting cheers for this rate.

Having reincarnated into the Reich Empire for fifteen years, this place felt like another world within the Reich Empire.

“Additionally, the taxes collected this year will be used for construction and other works that will benefit you all the most.”

I received 11,000 gold from the Emperor and Crown Prince, with which I could avoid collecting taxes for two to three years while providing benefits to the people, including welfare.

However, if I didn’t collect taxes for one to two years, considering the dire state of this territory, neighboring nobles would demand tax reductions, risking impeachment for disturbing imperial order.

My only supporter, the Crown Prince, would most likely leave me be, facing such criticisms. And once people enjoyed ‘tax exemption’, they couldn’t go back to paying the previous taxes.

“But Lord, what exactly are the works that will help us…”

“It’s clearing unused lands in the territory, building reservoirs, constructing roads, and refurbishing villages.”

Then, a village chief made a rather offensive remark.

“How would that help us? We peasants are bound to participate in any work you wish for free.”

It wasn’t wrong. That was why the tax-devouring swine of a previous lord could impose a ninety percent tax and yet further strip the peasants of their assets through death taxes and night privileges.

Local lords and village chiefs didn’t want to share this horrendous story, but there were records indicating that many couples had to spend their first night with the lord because they couldn’t afford the marriage tax.

The Lord had absolute control in this village, so instead of using force, I continued to explain it to them slowly.

“Instead, the families participating in such works will be given a cow and enough food to last through winter and spring. Of course, I won’t provide benefits like ‘the right to cultivate the land and ten years of tax exemption’, given by imperial law to those who reclaim lands, as I am the one providing the food… Isn’t the food that you’ll eat tomorrow more urgent than the present?”

By implementing these measures, peasants struggling to survive could resolve their sustenance issues, resembling a kind of New Deal policy. Given that there is currently a relatively idle period in farming, like winter or early spring, if more than 3000 laborers and cows were invested in land reclamation work, they could cultivate a considerable area of fields.

Upon hearing this, the landlords nodded approvingly, indicating they liked the benefits I was providing.

“If you do as you have said, we would have nothing more to desire.”

“Now, peasants won’t starve to death in winter…”

“Thank you, Lord. Thank you.”

I understood their happy sentiments, but I never expected to see people of some status in the province be grateful for resolving matters that peasants were usually concerned about… While it was infuriating to see what they had become due to the previous lord, I couldn’t show such reactions in front of genuinely happy people.

Instead, to lighten the mood, I clapped twice and said,

“If single men and women without fiancés and the second or third sons in each village work on projects like road construction for six days a week, I will support their livelihoods with food. And after working like this for two years, I will support suitable men and women to get married.”

In Korea, where marriage through romance is normalized, such a policy would be criticized as a violation of human rights. However, in this era, it was more common for people to marry as their families decided, even for peasants, rather than through romance. Thus, my suggestion would be accepted as a kind policy, increasing marriage rates by marrying bachelors and spinsters.

To seal the deal, I said,

“I will resolve the cost of the cows lent to the peasant families and the minimum grain needed for the peasants to live on with the money I brought. Additionally, I will provide a minimum salary to those of you who are entrusted with heavy responsibilities.”

It might cost a substantial amount, but the Emperor and Crown Prince must have given me abundant grants for such purposes. So, it was better to consider this as an investment for the future.

“Also, using my authority as the temporary regimental commander, I will investigate and decide the punishments for the non-commissioned officers and soldiers who exploited the people. The officers had already been transferred to the military court, so please understand.”

Mentioning the cut-off from the authorities that had exploited the people until now, the village chiefs and landlords expressed their gratitude sincerely once again.

“Thank you. Thank you, Lord…”

“Can we really live like human beings now? We will serve you loyally.”

To this, I responded as if it were only natural.

“I just enforced the law. Also, the officers sent to the military court would have their crimes thoroughly investigated, so escaping execution would be difficult for them. So, let’s not look back on the past anymore and live new lives under my rule.”

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