Pan Long was startled by Li Wu's words. "Di Luonan wants to launch reforms? How does he plan to do it?"
"First, he'll survey all the land in the realm—imperial land, official land, private land. Every plot must be accounted for. He'll also investigate every enterprise... In short, he wants answers to two questions: 'Who owns it?' and 'Who receives the profits?'"
Li Wu stopped after only a few sentences. "There's too much to explain all at once. The document was more than a dozen thick pages when I saw it, and I didn't read it closely. Anyway, your martial arts are excellent. After the new year, word should reach the Northlands. Its administrative seat is North Peace City; you can go there and have a look."
Pan Long nodded, but he could not help frowning.
He, too, thought the Great Xia Dynasty had many problems and had reached the point where reform was unavoidable. But Di Luonan was going straight for the most important issues. That could sharpen every conflict. If the reforms failed and rebellions broke out everywhere instead, they would be in real trouble!
He voiced his concerns, but Li Wu thought little of them.
"Sharpen conflicts? Rebellions? That would be a good thing!" Li Wu smiled faintly and said with ease, "Anyone willing to rise in rebellion would be doing us a great favor. Great Xia has stood for a thousand years without fighting many major wars. Every branch of the army longs for military merit. If someone rebels, we can put them down, chop off tens of thousands of heads with justice on our side, and win promotions and titles for everyone."
Seeing how relaxed he looked, Pan Long could not help asking, "What if people rise up everywhere?"
"They won't all do it at