"Angel Prince, do you still need to pray for this rebellion?"
The one who asked this question is Wang Huoxiu, who has a talent for both spirit mediumship and rebellion. Although his talent is high, he has not received formal "education in rebellion" and has not yet realized how good the current situation of rebellion is in Qing Dynasty.
"Wang Huoxiu," said Luo Yao Guo with a smile, picking up one of the three scrolls of "Reverse Classic" and handing it to him, "take a look at this. Can you recognize the characters on the cover?"
"Yes." Wang Huoxiu nodded, then kneeled forward a few steps, reaching the front of Luo Yao Guo, and took the "Reverse Classic" with both hands. He then raised it to his eyes and saw that the cover was inscribed with six characters in blue lines - Reverse Classic, Volume One, Peasant Rebellion.
"Your Highness, it says 'Reverse Classic', Volume One... The People's Rebellion."
Wang Huoxiu could read some characters, but he didn't recognize the character "shu" in "shumin" (common people).
"Common people, the common people's rebellion!" Luo Yao Guo said. "Common people are those like you, the small people. This volume of the 'Reverse Classic' talks about why common people in today's world are rebelling, for what, and what kind of world they want to create. Who can lead them to rebel?"
As Luo Yao Guo spoke, he glanced at the eight disciples in front of him, "All of you are common people. Those you will lead to rebellion are also common people. So you should start with the 'Rebellion of Common People'. Wang Huoxiu, turn to the first page and see if you can read the text on it?"
"Yes," Wang Huoxiu opened the 'Reverse Classic' in his hand and began to recite, "Rent is heavy, interest rates are high, and it's hard for the poor to survive these days. Open your doors early for peace, and let everyone be happy. Kill the Qing bandits, execute the bad gentry, open the city gates to welcome peace, and when peace comes, divide the land! Divide the land, divide the floating wealth, make sure everyone is well-fed and warm. No rent to pay, no debts to repay, there's equality everywhere in the world..."
It turned out that the first page of the common people volume of the 'Reverse Classic' was "Welcome to the King" by Luo Yao Guo, inspired by "Welcome to the Peace".
This "Welcome to the Peace" song, placed at the beginning of the common people volume of the "Reverse Classic," is naturally used to mobilize the common people.
The greatest suffering for the common people during the late Qing Dynasty... of course, was not having their own land or not having enough land!
By the end of Guangxu's reign and the beginning of Xianfeng's reign, China's population was estimated to be around 400 million, similar to the early years of the Republic of China. The land-resource conflict during this time was even more acute than during the early years of the Republic. This is because there was at least a 'Breakthrough to Manchuria' during the early years of the Republic, whereas by the end of Guangxu's reign and the beginning of Xianfeng's reign, there was none - as the Liantiao Biang (Reed Wall) was still in place! Historically, it wasn't until Xianfeng's tenth year that this wall would be abolished.
That means that the vast majority of the nearly 400 million Chinese people today have to rely on the farmland of the 18 Han provinces. On average, each person has a bit over two mu of land. Now, it is 1852... Without fertilizers, pesticides, good seeds, and without industry supporting agriculture, the yield per mu of farmland is extremely low. If having a bit over two mu as paddy fields was still manageable, then it would be, but paddy fields are a minority. The majority are dry land, even sloping land or terraced fields, and their yields are quite low.
With an average of only two mu of land per person, even if it were truly average, it could only maintain a situation where people are not starving and not dead. Most farmers would still feel that the land is not enough. Moreover, the Qing Dynasty never suppressed the concentration of land. It has been established for over two hundred years, and the land has naturally concentrated towards a few people.
So, the vast masses of hard-working people long for land even more!
Without those two mu of thin land, they would have to struggle for subsistence day and night!
