Chapter 2133 - Fundraising for Rehabilitation

This demand to "shoulder the greater load" fell within expected parameters—though the Rehabilitation Bureau directors all wore miserable expressions, at least half were merely performing.

The key to successful charity fundraising, since time immemorial, lay in execution. As long as the task of raising funds and grain remained under the Bureau's control, methods existed to shift burdens elsewhere.

This "Grand Rehabilitation Fundraising" for Wuzhou followed the traditional "Reasonable Burden" model. In essence, the Bureau itself would conduct the fundraising, levying primarily from Wuzhou's various trade guilds and local wealthy households.

The approach differed slightly from classical Reasonable Burden practices. Traditional levies were relatively general—taking a village, town, or trade guild as a unit and assigning a lump sum. The internal allocation ratios were then distributed by these entities themselves.

This Reasonable Burden allocation, however, was remarkably detailed. Not only was each trade guild specified individually, but even gentry households and business establishments were called out by name. Essentially, no wealthy person in the city escaped notice.

Since the Rehabilitation Bureau seats were dominated by the Rice and Grain Guild and the Weighing and Commission Guild, Xie Erren had instituted safeguards against power abuse. These two largest guilds in Wuzhou would jointly bear forty percent of the total Reasonable Burden. Other guilds would share the remainder proportionally according to economic strength. Finally, twelve percent fell to local gentry households owning substantial landholdings.

The specific ratios and figures weren't conjured from Xie Erren's imagination—Luo Yangming's years of undercover work had focused precisely on collecting economic and social intelligence about Wuzhou. Details of the commercial system and local notables naturally constituted the highest priorities. Small wonder Xie Erren could produce such precision.

The directors sat dumbfounded. This allocation struck with both accuracy and ruthlessness. Roughly speaking, each notable's assigned figure would make them feel the sting of being flayed alive—yet not quite enough to break bones or snap tendons.

In ordinary times, everyone would grit their teeth and pay. However, Xiong Wencan's officers and soldiers had already ravaged them once. The Senate returning for Reasonable Burden so soon amounted to a second skinning—everyone felt the vertigo of excessive blood loss.

"Don't rush to plead poverty with me," Xie Erren said, convinced his flesh-cutting smile must look supremely handsome. "The Senate possesses crystal-clear understanding of Wuzhou City's foundations. This ratio wrongs no one—those with more money pay more, those with less pay less, those with none pay nothing. So don't tell me this is inappropriate or that won't work. Within three days, have all money and grain ready."

Master Qiao, the Rehabilitation Bureau's Deputy Director, had initially intended to remain silent. But sensing every pair of eyes stripping him bare, he was forced to bite the bullet. He stood, cupped his hands, and reported:

"Chief! We're not trying to haggle. These allocated ratios and amounts would be nothing in normal times—we wouldn't dare utter a word of complaint. It's truly that the officers and soldiers—the Ming Army—brought disaster upon the city's residents. Every major household suffered devastating losses. My shop alone had three thousand dan of rice requisitioned without a single copper in compensation! They scraped away several hundred taels of silver as well... Every household here, large or small, has suffered losses. Some shops were looted bare by the soldiers and can't even conduct business anymore... To allocate these amounts now, I fear... I fear..."

Xie Erren's frown deepened. My first project barely launches and you challenge me already? You truly don't take me, a Senator, seriously. Displeasure darkened his features. "So you're saying everyone can't continue living?"

Master Qiao trembled—the tone boded ill. He somewhat regretted speaking up, but as head of the Rice and Grain Guild and Chief Headman of the Southern City, failing to stick his neck out would render him unable to function in local circles. He pressed on:

"Master... The Chief came to govern, and the desire for order burns urgent. But Wuzhou has just survived the fires of war. All parties suffered losses—not just commoners enduring hunger and cold. It would be better... better... to prioritize preserving vitality. I beg the Master to reduce or exempt a portion... The entire city would be grateful for your benevolence..."

Xie Erren's dissatisfaction intensified. Sure enough, none of these old moneybags proved trustworthy. They seemingly required a taste of "dictatorship" before they'd listen. Instead, he smiled faintly. "In that case, how much does Master Qiao believe should be reduced?"

Master Qiao was a seasoned old fox. Seeing Xie Erren smile rather than rage—yet with fierce light glinting in his eyes—he recognized that this refined-looking Bandit was also a Crude One. Still, having spoken this far, retreat was impossible. He steadied himself: "I dare not speak rashly about specific reductions—I only beg the Chief to consider preserving Wuzhou's vitality and reduce or exempt one or two portions as appropriate. The people of the entire city would be grateful..."

"What 'people of the entire city'? You mean you people would be grateful, correct?" Xie Erren sneered.

Master Qiao could only bow his head in silence. The atmosphere suddenly congealed with tension.

Luo Yangming sensed impending disaster. Just as he prepared to intervene and smooth things over, someone beside him stepped forward with bent waist, bowing ninety degrees to Xie Erren. "Chief, we're not trying to challenge you. Truly, everyone has been plagued bitterly by those soldiers! Even my shop lost several hundred dan of grain to the Puppet Ming Army—I don't know what to do! But no matter our difficulties, they pale compared to those refugees on the streets. Whatever grain and funds the Chief requires, we'll definitely prepare in full!"

Luo Yangming looked closer—it was Da Xinxuan. Xie Erren, thinking this fellow sensible, asked, "You are...?"

"This humble person is the shopkeeper of Yuxin Firm—Da Xinxuan." He bowed deeply, exceedingly humble.

Xie Erren thought for a moment and recalled the business from his materials. A rice and grain firm that also handled weighing and commission. Crucially, the financier behind it was the Wu Zhixiang family—Senate business partners.

Through Wu Zhixiang's connections, the Wu family maintained close ties with Senate enterprises in Guangzhou. Beyond rice and grain dealings with Dachang, they also operated as weighing and commission agents, purchasing various materials for the Senate in Wuzhou.

Given this "Senate business partner" background, Xie Erren couldn't help showing courtesy. He immediately gestured. "Sit and speak, sit and speak."

Da Xinxuan didn't sit, instead continuing: "It's true that each family suffered varying degrees of damage. Some shops—though major households—suffered heavily from Puppet Ming soldiers precisely because tall trees catch the wind. If we collect according to these exact shares, even forcing them to hang themselves or jump into the river won't produce the amounts. This would inevitably tarnish the Senate's virtue of cherishing life. This humble person boldly begs the Chief not to limit each family's share rigidly, but allow us to allocate internally—in sum, this grain and money will not be short by a single coin or grain, and will be prepared for the Chief within three days."

His words carried both sincerity and sound reasoning. Xie Erren found himself momentarily unable to refute. Reconsidering: As long as the money and grain arrive, he also needed to grant the Wu family and Bureau directors some face. Complete deadlock from the outset would make future work impossible—after all, counting soldiers, he commanded barely over a hundred men and still needed to rely on this group for administrative functions.

He nodded. "In that case, I'll grant your proposal. Only, this money and grain must be properly prepared within three days!"

Da Xinxuan hastily replied, "We'll definitely accomplish it." Master Qiao and the other directors immediately echoed agreement. Luo Yangming, as a hidden cadre focused on observation and monitoring, naturally found it inconvenient to speak casually. He blended with the crowd.

With money and grain matters settled, subsequent business proceeded smoothly. Xie Erren immediately ordered disbandment of the militia squads various she had previously formed for defense. These were temporarily conscripted citizens from industry, commerce, or suburban farms. Their combat effectiveness was minimal, morale low. Gathering over a thousand people without engaging in production—while useful for public security—consumed vast quantities of money and grain. The cost-effectiveness ratio was abysmal, and they'd prove useless if Ming forces counterattacked or bandit suppression became necessary.

"Any damaged street barricades must be repaired immediately. Missing watchmen must be replaced promptly. Security within the city still relies on everyone's joint efforts."

Everyone favored this measure. After all, each day the militia squads existed meant another day's expenditure. Maintaining public security clearly meant more to them than to the poor and refugees.

The third item addressed industry and commerce within the city. All commercial operations must resume business within a limited timeframe. Those whose shops, goods, or personnel suffered significant wartime damage could file reports and receive partial commercial tax exemptions. Those unable to resume business short-term must report within fifteen days. Otherwise, shops would be confiscated.

Xie Erren's reasoning: Wuzhou was a key commercial hub. Restoring commercial circulation as rapidly as possible would solve money and grain problems. Moreover, industry and commerce themselves addressed employment issues. Wuzhou possessed a substantial non-agricultural population from the start. Failing to restore commerce quickly would strap them with this ticking time bomb of massive unemployment.

"Starting today, grain and cloth selling prices will implement daily government guidance pricing. Increases or decreases must not exceed ten percent of the guidance price. Hoarding and refusal to sell are strictly prohibited! Those who hoard for speculation or drive up prices will be dealt with according to military law!"

Xie Erren spoke sternly, sweeping the flower hall with a gaze he believed "could kill." Everyone dared not protest, but muttered internally: With war raging now, the Guangxi grain source is severed. Reserves decrease with every sale. How can 'no price increase' be maintained? Isn't this forcing everyone to sell at controlled low prices?!

But everyone recognized this as the Australians' method of cultivating popular support. Resistance was impossible—one might become the unlucky chicken killed to frighten monkeys. So they all agreed submissively.

Next came discussion of various rehabilitation affairs, particularly the thousands of corpses abandoned inside and outside the city walls—all requiring collection and burial. Beyond corpses claimed and buried by families, many deceased were either visiting troops from elsewhere or poor migrants who'd come to Wuzhou seeking livelihoods, mostly performing odd jobs or short-term labor. Even their names remained unknown in death. Even when employers existed, some refused to identify bodies to avoid bearing funeral expenses.

All these corpses required collection and burial. Xie Erren planned to assign prisoner labor teams to collection work. However, another task would also require labor teams: clearing weapons from battlefields.