For those who had lived in Chang'an for generations, daily life seemed no different from before.
Perhaps only that there were more foreign merchants entering the city. Perhaps that the market price of mixed tribal slaves had dropped a little.
Perhaps the East and West Markets had gained a few unfamiliar eateries. Or perhaps shops selling ironware had begun placing iron pots on their shelves.
Those who entered the city every morning to collect waste and filth had received government subsidies and were able to purchase a few new carts.
The Chang'an Lesser Treasury had, for once, begun sealing off sections of Vermilion Bird Avenue. It was said they intended to rebuild the Heavenly Street.
Normally, these changes would have been more than enough to serve as casual conversation topics.
But at the end of July, a new notice posted on the Chang'an city gates completely drew the attention of the entire city.
When notices are posted at the city gates, it means imperial rewards and punishments.
The city gates are the entrances to Chang'an, where countless commoners pass through daily.
Thus, whenever new policies are issued, the government always posts notices here and circulates them throughout the realm.
Pei Xingjian had just returned from outside the city after practicing horseback riding. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he looked at the tightly packed crowd at the gate and found it rather novel.
The coursework at the Hongwen Pavilion was far from heavy, so students often found other things to do in their spare time.
After returning from Liangzhou, Pei Xingjian decisively replaced his calligraphy practice with riding practice. Every morning, he took his small horse out of the city to run a few laps. Only after both man and horse were exhausted would he return to the city and spend the day on his studies.
Xue Rengui could control his horse and draw his bow in battle, firing continuous shots that all hit. Su Dingfang could launch surprise attacks and ride a hundred li in a rush. Both senior brothers were experts in horsemanship. Pei Xingjian had no intention of falling behind.
Moreover, if he were to go to the Western Regions, how could his riding be poor?
But at this moment, seeing the crowd at the gate as noisy as the markets before the New Year, Pei Xingjian grew curious. What had happened?
Focusing his hearing, the surrounding discussions became clear:
"… No permanent land. What kind of equal field system is this for Qinghai?"
"What does twenty mu of permanent land even matter? In my view, these two hundred mu of hereditary land are what really count."
"Nonsense. This so called hereditary land is just household land under another name."
"You fool. His Majesty's edict is written clearly. Hereditary land can be passed to sons and daughters. If the plots are not adjacent, the government will measure and fill in gaps. You cannot read, can you?"
"You damn dog. So what if I cannot read. I can report you to the yamen and have you arrested."
Pei Xingjian pinched the bridge of his nose. He took out a few copper coins and handed them to the nearby tea stall owner to entrust his horse, also showing his token to prevent any ill intentions.
Then, relying on the advantage of his short thirteen year old body, he squeezed inside. Only when he saw the posted notice with his own eyes did Pei Xingjian finally understand what had happened.
The notice clearly stated that His Majesty had issued a new equal field decree for Qinghai Circuit, now incorporated into Tang territory.
The Equal Field Order and the Rent Labor Tax Order were both issued in the seventh year of Wude. The people of Tang were already familiar with them.
Moreover, last year, after defeating the Turks, His Majesty had already issued an equal field order for the lands from Shuofang to Qikou, which had formerly been occupied by the Turks. He had also issued a migration order, granting money and exempting taxes and labor to those willing to go south of the desert to receive land.
Because of this, after hearing rumors of the court's destruction of Tuyuhun, many people had been quietly waiting for a new equal field order.
Although the southern desert lands were vast, they were cold and difficult to access. If roaming Turkic bandits appeared, the court might not be able to send aid in time.
Qinghai was different. It lay in Hexi, a vital route with frequent garrisons. Foreign merchants coming to Chang'an also said that the green salt produced in Qinghai Circuit was exceptional. Even if one could not receive salt fields, being nearby might still bring advantages.
Even if none of that worked out, just based on location alone, one might profit from convenience with Western Region merchants.
But this Qinghai Circuit equal field order was different from before.
Under the original equal field system, adult males aged sixteen and above were granted one hundred mu. Of these, twenty mu were permanent private land, while eighty mu were household land that would be reclaimed by the state after death.
The Qinghai Circuit order stated that adult males aged sixteen and above could receive one hundred mu. If married, they would receive an additional one hundred mu.
However, the order did not mention permanent land or household land at all. Instead, all land was unified as hereditary land that could be passed to children but could not be bought or sold.
If a household died out or fled, the hereditary land would be reclaimed by His Majesty.
If there were private redemption or purchase, both buyer and seller would be punished equally.
After reading it, a thought he could not suppress jumped into Pei Xingjian's mind. Does His Majesty intend to compete with the people for profit?
The notice was not extremely detailed, since space was also needed to explain the migration policies for Qinghai Circuit, which were similar to those for the former Turkic lands.
Although the notice was not exhaustive, Chang'an never lacked people who could analyze texts and interpret meaning.
From what was implied, Pei Xingjian felt that at tomorrow's court assembly, civil and military officials would surely prepare many memorials and pointed questions for His Majesty.
After all, if today His Majesty did not grant permanent land, then the day after tomorrow he might issue an edict abolishing all permanent land.
Although this guess was terrifying, the decree was indeed thought provoking. It was hard not to think in this direction.
But in the end, it was useless.
Having personally experienced the Qinghai battlefield, Pei Xingjian knew clearly.
The more powerful the cannons, the firmer His Majesty's resolve.
It was a pity that although he now had merit, he held no official post and could not attend court. He would not be able to witness tomorrow's scene.
However, Pei Xingjian also thought of his master.
Since returning to the capital, his master had remained behind closed doors. Could it be that Master had already known of this controversial matter?
While Pei Xingjian worried, Li Shimin was in the inner palace, leisurely tasting tofu pudding made by the Empress, even having the leisure to comment on it.
"Guanyinbi's hands that prepare tofu pudding truly make it sweet in flavor."
Empress Zhangsun smiled helplessly, but still carefully cut another piece of tender white tofu and brought it over.
Watching her husband use his chopsticks to cut the still warm tofu into several pieces, dipping them one by one into fermented bean sauce, meat broth, and cane sugar preserve while swaying his head in enjoyment, Empress Zhangsun finally could not suppress her curiosity and sighed softly:
"Qinghai Circuit controls Hexi and commands the Western Regions from afar. Though not fertile land, it can be called good territory."
"Although Your Majesty has carried out equal field, taking an entire circuit's land under the Son of Heaven may invite criticism from the realm."
Li Shimin focused on the tofu before him and replied without lifting his head:
"Does Guanyinbi think I am wrong?"
Only here could Li Shimin set aside imperial formalities and forget royal self references.
Empress Zhangsun knelt beside him and leaned close, speaking softly:
"Of course not wrong. I only worry that public anger will cause my lord to burn his heart with worry."
Li Shimin sighed in satisfaction and said:
"The barking of petty men is not worth hanging in my heart."
After that, the hall fell silent. Only Chu Suiliang, standing to the side, continued to write and pause in his notebook.
As Li Shimin's court diarist, Chu Suiliang had personally witnessed another side of the young emperor during this period.
He had seen His Majesty stay awake through the night, staring silently at the light screen records.
He had seen the ruler of Great Tang summon worthy ministers and scholars for days on end to ask about solutions to land annexation.
He had finally seen this emperor, who had killed brothers and forced his father, sometimes speaking from the heart and sometimes raging in fury, ultimately persuade the chief ministers to try the new equal field order.
Even regarding that great debate, he had recorded it word for word in the court diary, just as His Majesty ordered.
Flipping two pages forward in his notebook, one could see the end of that argument.
Fang Xuanling said: Can this law allow the state to be passed down for ten thousand generations.
The Emperor said: It cannot be known.
Du Ruhui said: Why not wait for future generations to establish detailed laws, and then change according to them to accord with Heaven's mandate.
The Emperor said: With such a good opportunity, it may serve as a lesson for those who come later. In the end, it must be tried.