Good Landlord of the Tang Dynasty.

Summary

Li Chao informed Emperor Li Shi Min that he had 8 million shi of grain, which could be processed into 30 million shi of disaster relief grain. This revelation astonished the emperor, as the court typically collected only about 5 million shi annually. Li Chao explained that he had acquired this grain through audits of official granaries, public fields, and purchases from wealthy households. He noted that the population in the sixteen prefectures of Sannan was around 8 million, necessitating at least 30 million shi of grain annually, especially during disasters. While the relief grain provided temporary sustenance, it lacked nutrition and could lead to health issues if consumed excessively. The emperor expressed concern for the dire situation in Henan and Hebei, where starvation was occurring, and requested grain transfers from Sannan to alleviate the crisis.

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