Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 478: Pingyuan County is permanently exempted from taxes

Hearing the noise of a commotion behind him, Pingyuan Prefect Wang Xiu immediately sent people to investigate. He learned that the disturbance was caused by an unintentional mistake made by his father-in-law, who was an old friend of the emperor.

He then nodded and chuckled, saying, "Your Majesty is kind and loving. I am old and it was an unintentional mistake, so you will not blame me."

"Put him down quickly, don't be rude to the old man!"

Wang Xiu ordered the servants not to embarrass his father-in-law, as if anything went wrong from the pushing and shoving, perhaps even the emperor would be held accountable.

Just then, the sound of horse hooves rumbled from the end of the road.

Everyone's eyes suddenly lit up, and before the messenger came riding up to report, the officials and soldiers who had been waiting anxiously hurriedly tidied their clothes.

The Confucian scholar who came from Beihai County even practiced the bow very respectfully to avoid making mistakes in a hurry.

Soldiers from Pingyuan Military Prefecture stood on both sides of the road with their weapons, standing straight and looking straight ahead, trying to leave a good impression on His Majesty.

"Report! The emperor's motorcade is approaching. You officials are ready to step forward and salute to welcome him. Don't make any mistakes!"

"Except for the governor of Pingyuan, the commander, the county clerk, the supervisor, the chief recorder, the chief accountant, the county magistrate, and the county magistrate, all the others should step back fifty steps."

The dozens of cavalrymen who came riding forward first shouted loudly.

One is to remind officials and people to be prepared, and the other is to deter evildoers.

As a ceremony to welcome the emperor, the steps are already complicated, and Liu Bei has simplified them.

Over the years, Liu Bei had encountered people of unknown origin who had infiltrated the civilian population. Fortunately, Zhao Yun often led the Ruichong Camp to guard him on his left and right, and soldiers composed of rangers such as Xu Chu and Dian Wei controlled various positions.

In addition, before the locals welcomed them, the military soldiers had already checked the belongings brought by the nobles, wealthy families, common people, and merchants many times, and isolated these people layer by layer, thus preventing any potential assassination attempt on the emperor from happening.

It is because of Your Majesty's drastic reforms that many people are secretly dissatisfied. If they are given the opportunity, they will definitely not mind changing the emperor.

Liu Bei was also very cautious about this. After all, from Emperor Gaozu to Emperor Xiaoling, there were people who dared to assassinate him, not to mention that he had touched the interests of so many people.

It is true that no one in the world would harbor evil intentions, unless the sun rises from the west.

"I'm coming."

"The Emperor has finally arrived!"

"Sir, please check if my clothes are in order."

"No need to look. You and I are both kneeling and bowing fifty steps away. We are not meeting the emperor in person. Who would notice your clothes?"

"You bastard! Are you really my Confucian disciple? You even forgot about etiquette. Just because I don't have the opportunity to go to the front to welcome the emperor, can't I dress properly? Haven't you heard about Zilu who died by tying his tassel?"

Just as the prefect Wang Xiu and other officials stepped forward to greet them, the scholars and Confucian scholars fifty steps away were whispering to each other, and some were glaring at each other, almost coming to blows because of their different views on how to deal with the world.

"Hoo ho ho..."

Soon, cavalry troops came rushing in like a torrent, waving banners and beating drums, with pennants covering the sky and high flags fluttering in the wind. The soldiers all looked like dragons and tigers, with a strong and imposing manner.

The common people and scholars looked up and saw that behind the numerous cavalrymen there were endless supply carts, raising clouds of dust as they marched.

Seeing this scene, many veterans who retired due to injuries could not help but burst into tears.

I'm back, finally back.

This was the Qingzhou Army that Nai Gong had selected to join the army and swept across the world, killing countless bandits and making them lose their minds in fear. "May your majesty live forever and enjoy eternal happiness!"

"Long live the big man!"

Every household in Pingyuan County had relatives who served as soldiers or auxiliary soldiers. Seeing such a familiar scene, how could they not blush and be overwhelmed with excitement.

Ever since the emperor moved the state to Luoyang, the scene of the Han army returning triumphantly has never been seen again.

Only if the Han army continued to win battles could it protect the country and the people and continue to maintain the arable land distributed by the emperor.

Prince Liu Yong, who was sitting in the carriage, was also startled by the cheers that resounded through the sky outside, and couldn't help but frown.

Liu Bei comforted him with his palm in time and said with a smile: "Don't be afraid, my son. The Emperor Liu is close to the people. He can get such cheers from the people and soldiers, and he can also make the treacherous and rebellious people dare not act recklessly and control the government."

"If you go to a place and see the common people and soldiers indifferent, then the powerful will definitely be tyrannical."

"If the people are seen to be in a panic, the court will no longer be under the control of the emperor."

"Your Highness must remember that if the common people become rich and powerful because of the emperor, they will only harm the powerful first, and in the last step will bring disaster to the emperor."

"But the nobles and powerful families are completely different. If they become powerful, they will humiliate the emperor and oppress the people."

"Since the Han Dynasty reunified the world, there has been no more war in various places, and the local nobles and gentry have been able to survive. However, after this chaotic period, the gentry have become more intermarried, and the nobles have become more willing to stick together for warmth."

"This is human nature. Even Xun Wenruo, Xun Gongda, and Guo Fengxiao of Yingchuan could not avoid it. They formed marriages with the Cai family of Chenliu, the Yang family of Taiyang, the Hu family of Gongyang, the Lu family of Taifu, the Yin family of Nanyang, the Chen family of Yingchuan, and so on."

"There are no signs of this happening right now, but a hundred years from now it will be a disaster for the world. Just as I once told Minister Xun, the world has always experienced decline and fall since ancient times. This is true for people, plants, and countries."

“It always takes a period of revival, then prosperity, and then gradual decline.”

"It started with Aung, and then the three generations of my grandsons prospered, and then it declined for several generations. When the descendants create another prosperous era, the Han family will enter the period of decline."

"What the previous emperor can do is to constantly rectify the administration of officials for the next generation, suppress the powerful, eliminate the tyrants, and be kind to the people. He must not lose the power of the villages, so as to create a glorious and prosperous Han Dynasty."

Liu Bei smiled and taught his eldest son that since ancient times, the decline of a country could not be stopped by anyone, so officials should not be allowed to grow recklessly and they needed to be managed regularly.

"Let's go. It's rare to return to Pingyuan County. You and Aung should go out and have a look. Even if it's been a long time, we should not forget the cheers of the people at this moment."

After that, Liu Bei led the Crown Prince Liu Yong out of the carriage, raised his hand and pointed at the people in the distance, then looked at the officials such as Wang Xiu who were bowing, and said with a smile: "No need to be polite, please stand up."

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty. I will obey your orders!"

When many officials heard the emperor's words, they immediately stood up and thanked him again.

When Liu Bei saw the nobles and common people bringing wine and meat to reward the army, he laughed out loud and said, "The people of Pingyuan have worked hard to conquer the world. How can we use the surplus food of the common people to reward the army now?"

"Today, I am returning to my hometown to celebrate with all the people."

"Pass on my decree. From this year on, the people of Pingyuan County will be exempt from taxes forever during the Han Dynasty!"

As soon as Liu Bei said this, thousands of people around him cheered and jumped for joy. They could no longer hold back their excitement and shouted in unison: "Long live the king!" "Long live the king!!"

"Long live your Majesty!"

"Long live the Liu family!!"

(End of this chapter)