Chapter 509: Migration to the North
In the spring of the eleventh year of Mingde, the Great Yan empire began relocating the populace from several southern prefectures to the north to replenish the population lost over years of war and turmoil.
Despite the underlying tensions within the imperial court, the rampant rumors spreading throughout the land, and the increasing disturbances caused by monsters and demons, Great Yan still demonstrated remarkable efficiency in executing its policies.
Upon receiving imperial orders, the local governments of Luozhou, Luzhou, Jingzhou, and Xuzhou swiftly mobilized. They organized large groups of struggling citizens—those barely able to feed themselves—into migration teams.
For most, even the simple promise of two full meals a day on the journey was enough to make them willing to head north, let alone the prospects of resettlement and stability upon arrival.
All the talk, in the end, boiled down to just one simple truth—they were simply seeking a way to survive.
At the same time, the government meticulously prepared the settlements in the migration zones.
As waves of immigrants arrived at Yuezhou, the primary relocation hub, they were temporarily settled under the supervision of local officials, either in newly established military-style farming colonies or in abandoned villages and towns.
In order to help them resume production as quickly as possible, the prosperous Great Yan showed no hesitation in its generosity. Not only did it promise to distribute farming tools, seeds, and oxen for free, as well as reduce or exempt taxes, but it also allocated farmland based on the population count.
Furthermore, in some of the more desolate areas, a policy of 'allowing cultivation without a fixed acreage limit' was introduced. This meant that the government provided grain, money, seeds, and farming tools, while exempting taxes for five years. Any land reclaimed by migrants during this period would fully belong to them as permanent property.
Additionally, a Department of Agriculture was established to oversee and manage the land reclamation efforts of the migrants.
By the time Song You reached Guangzhou, he had already encountered one of the migrant convoys heading north.