Yes, Madam Prime Minister

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"Really?" The eyes of the group lit up instantly.

That's wonderful! As for two taels of silver for a life, it's not a high price, but it's not low either, since it includes the elderly and children.

“Of course,” Ronan readily agreed.

Three years later, very few of them would be willing to return to Hunan, because Luo Nan would allocate land to them in Guangdong and arrange for them to work in factories.

Hunan was developed a thousand years ago, while Guangdong only started developing in the previous dynasty and now has only a few million people, so its potential is still huge.

In the original timeline of the Qing Dynasty, Luonan had a population of over ten million, but the agricultural production capacity that Luonan could bring far surpassed that of the Qing Dynasty.

He planned to bring these people to Meizhou, a place where the conflict between the local people and the Hakka people was serious, and it was time to introduce some new forces to buffer the situation.

For a moment, the people whose cattle and horses had been stolen were all smiles.

"What about the compensation?" the governor asked, and the atmosphere suddenly turned chilly again in the summer heat.

"We'll take care of things on our side ourselves. As for your side, we'll support you with some money, one million taels. Is that enough?" Ronan said. He absolutely wouldn't give any supplies, but as for money, he could give whatever he wanted, since there was plenty of silver in Guangdong anyway.

The officials breathed a sigh of relief. One million taels, plus the five hundred thousand taels they had originally planned to pay, was more than enough; they could even pocket a small profit. After all, the few superhumans who died or were injured would definitely receive their full compensation, but what about the mortals? Did mortals really expect to receive their full compensation?

Just when the group from Hunan thought things would continue to go smoothly, Ronan suddenly changed the subject, saying, "The three prefectures of Yongzhou, Chenzhou, and Hengyang will all be taken over by our Gongjin Society."

"That's impossible," the Hunan Provincial Governor was the first to object.

These three prefectures, along with the dozens of counties under their jurisdiction, together constitute the entire southern Hunan region.

Although these three prefectures are not the most desirable areas of Hunan, only slightly better than the barbarian-infested western Hunan, they are still large tracts of land with a population of over a million. How can they be so easily ceded to rebel groups?

“We only want this little bit of territory, you should be grateful. And to put it bluntly, the core interests of you gentlemen are all further north. What can’t we give you?” Ronan said, his smile gradually fading. “If you don’t give it to us, then there’s nothing we can do. Let’s continue fighting.”

Upon hearing this, the faces of the group from Hunan turned extremely grim.

Fight? We can't fight anymore. If we fight again, the gentlemen will really have to bleed. It's not that the gentlemen can't bleed, but there has to be something in it for them. What benefit would they gain from fighting to the death here? They are neither loyal dogs of the imperial court nor allies of Jiangnan.

However, ceding territory, while seemingly not affecting their core interests, raises the question: would the Gongjinhui be content with merely occupying southern Hunan? Absolutely not. If they occupy this area today, in two years they might launch an attack from here to seize the entire Hunan province.

Even if the entire Hunan province is occupied, the material interests of some of them may not decrease, and may even increase. After all, Ronan's economic policy is based on the pillars of farmers' associations, banks, and labor unions, which connect the entire agricultural and industrial sector.

But in terms of power, everyone would undoubtedly decline, and it would never be as easy as the current independent kingdom.

Wealth without the protection of power is merely temporarily stored in one's possession.

They really didn't want to agree.

At this moment, Ronan stood up. "If the imperial court wins, you won't fare well. At least those of you who are still officials will be in a bad situation. If Jiangnan wins, those of you who are bossing people around in the provinces can just focus on farming and exporting laborers. Neutrality? That's something only places like Yungui, far from the central government, can do. Sitting on the fence? That's only possible in peripheral places like Sichuan, which is located at the center of several forces. How can you expect to achieve anything there?"

"That's all I have to say. I'm leaving now. You two can continue your conversation." With that, Ronan turned and left.

Ronan spoke kindly to them, but the group of people didn't appreciate it and actually thought they were someone important.

Let them wait a few days before we talk about it.

Dinia yawned and left.

Once Ronan and Dinia left, Chairman Zhao also slipped away. It was simply not safe for him to stay on the scene. He still wanted to be emperor, and he couldn't just die inexplicably at the negotiating table.

A group of Hunanese were filled with righteous indignation, yet they were helpless.

Chapter 1058 Development, "Shareholders" and "Workers," Like a Rape

The next day, Hunan compromised. Ronan was unmoved, because what else could Hunan do but compromise?

If it were just one person making the decision, they might act impulsively. But the problem is that this decision was made jointly by a group of local gentry and powerful figures in Hunan and a bunch of officials from different regions. Moreover, the two sides did not actually fight. The Gongjin Society only abducted people; they did not destroy the river embankment, set fire to villages, or carry out any massacres or robberies.

Then the only possible decision is to make it based on self-interest.

From a perspective of interests, Hunan has no choice but to compromise.

Let Luo Gang lead a team to discuss the specifics, and let Chairman Zhao also have a chance to indulge in giving orders.

At this temporary base, Ronan was contemplating development plans after taking over Yongzhou, Hengyang, and Chenzhou.

Yongzhou is surrounded by mountains on three sides, where the Xiao and Xiang rivers converge, forming a dense network of waterways. Traveling south by waterway, one can reach western Guangdong and Guangxi, and going north, one can even reach the Yangtze River. In an era without trains or steamships, it was a relatively important transportation hub.

What's truly valuable is that this area has large basins suitable for farming.

Some people have already been taken away, but it has had no impact whatsoever. In fact, given the current level of agricultural production, Hunan is already experiencing a population surplus, as is the case in many parts of Seris.

In this agricultural era, more than a hundred years after the founding of the nation, the conflict between people and land has intensified.

Moreover, Yongzhou was not well developed at that time. People always thought that with plains and water, agriculture would be great, but they didn't know that rivers can sometimes be deadly. Without enough water conservancy projects, too many waterways and mountains and hills could cause floods at any time, which would be detrimental to farming.

However, a farmers' association will be established, and a large amount of funds will be invested in its operation to extensively develop water conservancy projects, and the great undertaking will be accomplished.

As for Hengyang, it was the place where the Gongjinhui fought against the Hunan army. Its terrain is high in the south and low in the north, and the Gongjinhui was always on the high ground.

Hengyang is also a basin, and its agricultural potential is no less than that of Yongzhou.

In addition, there are mineral resources here. Although coal and iron are difficult to mine and the grade is not good, it is better to have them than nothing. There are also lead, copper and zinc.

Then, Chenzhou.

Chenzhou is a bit lacking; it has too many mountains and forests.

But it still has potential.

"Why is the structure of the farmers' association here different from the previous ones?" Guo Hanlu asked.

Ronan, who was deep in thought, did not respond.

Intensive agricultural production can be carried out within the framework of farmers' associations, and land can be directly collectively owned.

Like the peasant associations in Guangdong under the rule of the Gongjinhui, this collective ownership, though seemingly existing, was actually nonexistent. It was absolutely not about distributing land; no single peasant could freely buy or sell land, not even by uniting together.

This "collective" is an abstract major shareholder; in short, the land is not in the hands of the farmers.

However, the land was not in the hands of the landlords.

Landlords could no longer directly control the land and instead became capitalists who operated commercialized agricultural products.

However, this capitalist is not a capitalist in the conventional sense; he also possesses strong lordly attributes.

The exclusive rights in a certain agricultural product sector, combined with the shares of the farmers' association, constitute a kind of "feudal territory".

His assets are the shares and rights of the farmers' association, not the land. If he wants to transfer the shares and rights of the farmers' association, the person who takes over must also bear the tax obligations and fulfill the responsibilities of a shareholder and manager of the farmers' association.

Just like feudal lords who had to bear the responsibility of paying tribute and military obligations.

Simply cash out and leave? No way.

What's even more interesting is that, upon closer examination, the land is not state-owned or government-owned.

Because farmers' associations always hold economic power, they are the "shareholders" of the country, not just "workers".

The farmland is there, and everyone feels that each plot is their own, but in reality, it doesn't belong to anyone.

This is the new order.

Ronan did all this to correct the mistakes that had plagued Seris for millennia. The mistake was that the people were not allowed to have "organizations," which turned everyone, including the superhumans, into laborers. No one was a shareholder, and even the founding emperor was a laborer of an abstract creation called "the state."

It's not good for specific individuals to become "shareholders," that's a step backward, but it's acceptable for an "organization" to become a shareholder, such as farmers' associations or trade unions.

"It's starting to feel like the future is unpredictable; it's like a road we never imagined."

Ronan, who was scribbling on the manuscript paper, couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Let Yongzhou be the first testing ground."

Guangdong is his base, so he wouldn't dare to act recklessly. But with Hunan being newly incorporated, he can pick a piece out and cause trouble.

"You're already acting crazy before we've even reached an agreement," Guo Hanlu suddenly said from behind Ronan, then placed a cup of tea and a plate of snacks on Ronan's table.

"It's just some rough planning. As for talks, that's only a matter of time," Ronan said with a smile, as he reached his hand under Guo Hanlu's skirt and caressed her slender legs encased in stockings.

Guo Hanlu, who hadn't been touched in a long time, instinctively squeezed her legs together as soon as her crotch was touched.

Ronan gently scratched through the stockings and underwear with his middle finger. It was so light that it was incredibly itchy, causing Guo Hanlu's little anus to twitch.

"Stop messing around, it's time to eat," Guo Hanlu said, her breathing heavy.

Ronan turned his head to the side. "I can hurry too, so it won't delay our meal."

Guo Hanlu gritted her teeth and glared at Ronan. If Ronan didn't control his speed, they could finish before mealtime, but if he did that, she was afraid she wouldn't be able to walk steadily later.

Ronan chuckled. "It's still your fault for being too thin; you can't handle the strain."

Guo Hanlu was furious. "Nonsense! I'm a superhuman. It's useful for ordinary people to gain some weight, but it doesn't matter whether a superhuman is thin or fat."

"Uh, so you can blame yourself for being too flashy?" Ronan retorted, still sporting a smug smile.

Guo Hanlu was so angry that she didn't want to talk anymore, but Luo Nan's sudden fingertip attack made her groan.

She pushed Ronan's hand away and turned to leave, but in the next instant, Ronan pressed her down on the table and twisted her hands behind her back.

She tried to resist, but Ronan used a little force and pushed Guo Hanlu's closed silk legs apart with one leg.

The stockings were skin-colored and extremely thin. When the summer sun shone through, the stockings did not diminish the bright, white sheen of the thigh skin at all.

With one hand, she lifted her long skirt, pulled down her ultra-thin skin-colored pantyhose and equally thin silk panties, and instead of thrusting in, she guided the not-yet-fully-erect, thick, long member between the labia of her vagina.

Soon, even though Guo Hanlu bit her lip and kept silent, she couldn't stop herself from getting wet.

Then came the brutal insertion, while Ronan twisted Guo Hanlu's hands behind her back with one hand. The posture, and the contrast between their figures, made it look like a strong man raping a delicate beauty.

Especially the contrast between Ronan's enormous thing and Guo Hanlu's fair, round breasts was like a thick wooden stick poking a white peach.

“It’s okay if you scream, there’s no one around,” Ronan said, inserting two fingers of one hand into Guo Hanlu’s anus.

She exclaimed, "Oh!"

Chapter 1059 The Chaos in Hubei, the Difficulty of Persuasion, and the "Strategist" Ambriina

While the Gongjin Association continued negotiations with the Hunan side, the battle in Hubei had already begun.

For the imperial court, once they take Hubei—no, they don't even need the whole of Hubei, just Xiangyang and Wuhan, and control the key points of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the Han River—or, to exaggerate a bit further, just Xiangyang.

If Jiangnan were to capture Hubei, it would further strengthen its advantage on the Yangtze River. Then, by launching simultaneous attacks from both Hubei and Huainan, the great cause could be accomplished.

But this was not so easy, as the imperial navy was inadequate.

The navy is inadequate; taking this fortified city and important town will not be easy.

As for Jiangnan, the problem is that there are few troops that can be deployed, since the majority of the troops are on the Jianghuai battlefield, and the ability to project troops is not as good as that of the imperial court that has occupied Henan.

Like Hunan, Hubei, after the domestic turmoil, didn't intend to participate in the struggle for power. They knew very well that they lacked the ability. They just wanted to wait for the situation to become clearer before choosing which side to align with; in short, they wanted to sit on the fence.

Now, the imperial court is coming from the north, while the Jiangnan army is attacking from the south.

Hubei still has no intention of siding with either side and intends to remain steadfast.

Being attacked from both the north and the south, it is bound to be unable to hold out sooner or later, but trying to sit on the fence is not stupid, but rather hoping to create value and make both sides compete for it.

At that time, the highest bidder wins.

However, neither the imperial court nor Jiangnan intended to make an offer at the outset; they wanted to fight first and discuss the consequences later.

If the imperial court successfully captures Xiangyang, Hubei will definitely surrender without paying a high price and will gain a navy for free.

Jiangnan shares the same mentality: if they quickly storm Wuhan, Hubei will also turn to them and will never dare to raise its own value again.

There are reasons why both sides hold this view.

The reason is that the Hubei army was very weak, including the navy.

The Kingdom of David suddenly transitioned from a time of peace to one of civil war, rather than from a situation where long-term regional separatism had effectively honed local armies.

Previously, the Hunan army, which was part of the Gongjin Society, had the occasional need to suppress the local barbarians in western Hunan and also to suppress bandits. The government army was still somewhat capable, at least their marches were not chaotic. However, the Hubei army had no such need. Without combat needs, their training was neglected, and they simply went to the barracks to clock in and out.

People can be mobilized, and weapons are available, but without a trained army, one can only cower in fear.

Anyone with a basic understanding of military affairs knows that huddling in a defensive position is not the proper way to defend a city. The proper way to defend a city is to have mobile forces.

The imperial court and the armies in Jiangnan are both strong enough.

Although the imperial army had no combat needs, its training was not neglected. Meanwhile, the people of Jiangnan had long wanted to rebel, and their training was equally adequate. Moreover, the two sides had been locked in a stalemate for two years, and the new recruits had been trained.

Thus began a three-way game.

In the blink of an eye, a month has passed.

Neither the imperial court nor the Jiangnan region is doing well.

The city of Xiangyang taught the Henan government troops a lesson, showing them what a formidable city was all about.

The exaggerated moat and thick city walls are merely historical accumulations. They might have been effective in the era of cold weapons, but they are not so effective in this era. What is truly outrageous are the numerous artillery emplacements that were built and integrated into the city walls after the founding emperor of the Wei Kingdom raised his army and occupied this area.

It's absolutely heartbreaking.