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Li Rui felt that Lu Chen’s measure was simply too bold, and it might lead to dissatisfaction among the common people.

Lu Chen said, “Reclaiming the ownership of the land is first to avoid the issue of land annexation and second to prepare for the future development and construction of North City.”

“The reason 1 dare to do this is that 1 naturally have reasons to be so bold. Firstly, there are currently not many large landlords in North City, and from today onward, all agricultural taxes in North City are abolished. As long as the common people are willing to farm, they can keep what they sow, and they can also apply for land from the North Prince Mansion. By paying a small land fee, they could contract a large plot of land. This is the benefit I’m offering to the common people after reclaiming the land.”

Li Rui was taken aback upon hearing Lu Chen’s words.

Abolishing all agricultural taxes?

Isn’t that a bit too bold?

In this era, agricultural tax is a major source of income for a country!

At this point, even Mu Changtian, the military general, couldn’t help but stand up and say, “Prince, isn’t the policy of abolishing all agricultural taxes too radical? Without agricultural taxes, how would the national treasury of North Country have money in the future?”

Lu Chen replied, “The agricultural taxes collected by North City aren’t even enough to cover the officials’ salaries. What’s the point of such a meager amount of tax? Moreover, the Prince’s Mansion has a large area of land for food cultivation. 1 don’t need the common people to deliver food to me.”

“As for where the newly established treasury of North Country should collect its money, naturally, it should come from increased commerce taxes. From now on, any goods entering or leaving North Country will have to pay commerce taxes. In addition, I will divest some of the industries from the North Prince Mansion and hand them over to the Ministry of Commerce. The money earned by those industries will all go to the national treasury.”

After hearing these words from Lu Chen, the officials were stunned again, not expecting the North Prince to be so generous.

One should know that the industries of the North Prince Mansion are highly profitable, especially the recently emerging coal industry. The common people in Qi Prince’s territories have been buying coal in a frenzy, and this winter, the North Prince Mansion has made an untold amount of silver.

If the North Prince Mansion hands over industries to the Ministry of Commerce, then the national treasury of North Country will certainly not be short of money in the future.

This makes the Ministry of Commerce seem extremely important, after all, it’s the department that makes money.

At this time, an official from Yan County asked, “Prince, wouldn’t this action potentially lead to a conflict of interest with the people?”

Lu Chen wasn’t angry about this question. He answered indifferently, “How would it lead to a conflict of interest? Did the common people ever own those industries of the North Prince Mansion? By divesting those industries and handing them over to the Ministry of Commerce and then hiring workers for those industries to provide food for the common people, isn’t that providing benefits to them? Who dares to accuse me of competing with the people for profit?”

“Unless someone wants my industries and uses that argument because the money is going into the national treasury, not their pockets. As far as I know, only the Aristocratic Families would think that way.”

“However, there shouldn’t be an Aristocratic Family bold enough to snatch nationally managed industries under my nose in North City, right?”

With Lu Chen’s words, everyone in the hall fell silent.

Indeed, if the industries divested by the North Prince Mansion were to actively recruit workers, then the vagrants of North City would have work and food in the future. That would be granting benefits to the common people, not competing with them for profit.

Of course, the common people include the Aristocratic Families too. The money the Aristocratic Families can’t make, if earned by the Ministry of Commerce and the North Prince Mansion, they will surely claim that the mansion is competing with the people for profit.

But it is unlikely that such a voice would emerge in North City.

At this moment, Lu Chen continued, “By the way, I’d like to ask General Mo and Lord Li, is it possible to change the name of my feudal state? You two are more familiar with court regulations and should know this.”

As far as Lu Chen knew, the name of a feudal state couldn’t be changed at will; it usually followed the title of the prince. Since he was the North Prince, his feudal state was consequently North Country.

However, Lu Chen always felt uncomfortable with the name North Country; it seemed too informal.

His father, the Sum Emperor, had disdained him and carelessly conferred upon him the title of a prince, causing even his state’s name to follow suit.

Mu Changtian replied, “Prince, as far as this servant is aware, it is possible to change the name. There is precedence for it in Great Sum, but it demands that the prince write to the emperor to request a change of title before the state’s name can be changed.”

“However, as the title was conferred by the emperor, who showers us with grace like thunder and rain, although there are precedents, if the prince requests a title change from the emperor, the emperor will surely reclaim some things.”

“Moreover, based on precedents, the prince who proposes a title change is likely to be relocated from their feudal state to another place.”

Upon hearing Mu Changtian’s words, Lu Chen immediately said, “Then forget it. Let’s end this topic here.”

Lu Chen didn’t believe that the Sum Emperor would grant him a new piece of land upon seeing his application; he felt instead that the emperor would take back many of his possessions, such as the Military Expansion Order.

If it was going to be so troublesome, then it was better not to change it.

North Country would remain North Country.

The name would have to be changed sooner or later anyway.

“If you have other questions, please continue to raise them. I’ve instructed the servants to prepare lunch, and we have ample time today to discuss the reform measures I’ve proposed.”

At this point, Li Rui continued, “Prince, your reform measures, when viewed in the long term, are beneficial to North Country, and these reforms are unlikely to face obstacles here. However, I believe the greatest obstacles may not lie within North Country, but in the imperial court.”

Let’s set aside whether Lu Chen’s establishment of the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Education violates ritual propriety. Just the reclamation of land ownership by the North Prince Mansion alone is enough to provoke denunciation from the court officials.

Land issues have always been sensitive in a feudal dynasty. Currently, North City has few common people and no large landlords, so Lu Chen can easily implement the decree with some pressure.

But within the confines of Great Sum, it’s a different story. The land held by the Aristocratic Families and officials tends to be the most extensive. A prince reclaiming all land ownership is like setting a dangerous precedent.

Even though this matter has yet to affect them, they would never allow anyone to set this precedent. If a prince can do this today, even the Sum Emperor might follow suit tomorrow..