Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 348: Appearance Different but Spiritually Similar
"The grain is weighed carefully, don't make a mistake!"

"Ding Liulang, weigh 1,675 catties of grain, pay 670 catties of tax, and the remaining 1,005 catties of grain... pack it in bags!"

"Zhao Wu..."

Spring goes and autumn comes, and it is already September's harvest time.

In Longyou, the fields are full of busy scenes.

The people bent over, holding sickles, and were busy in the fields. Although their clothes were soaked with sweat, they could not hide the joy on their faces.

The people who had already harvested and bagged the grain began to calculate and weigh the grain on the official road with the household officer sent by the government.

The taxes in Longyou are very high, but they are clearly stated. As long as someone in the family has attended elementary school, the people can figure it out themselves.

Compared with the countless complicated taxes in the Tang Dynasty, the tax system in Longyou can be described as simple.

Of course, these are just visible taxes, but there are also invisible taxes in Longyou.

Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea...

All industries and trades in Longyou were monopolized by the Protectorate. Although there were private shops run by ordinary people, most people went to the shops run by the government to make their purchases.

Although the profit is meager after deducting labor and freight costs, these are also taxes levied by the government on the people. However, they are not direct taxes, but indirect taxes.

Because of this, the overall tax rate in Longyou can actually reach 45%, leaving only 55% for the people.

Even so, Longyou can still be a paradise on earth today.

It’s not that Longyou did a good job, but that it and the surrounding forces did a really bad job.

In addition, another point is that the distribution of production in Longyou is very good. If the means of production in Longyou are divided into ten parts, officials account for 20% and the people account for 80%.

In comparison, the Tang Dynasty, Dali, Bohai and other countries were not in such a good situation. After all, they were all powers that had been established for more than a hundred years and their resources had long been distributed.

The land that the people were allocated when the country was founded had long been taken away by the aristocratic and commoner families through various means, and the imperial court was unable to destroy it and then rebuild it, so the people naturally suffered.

"The population of Minzhou has indeed increased more than five times compared to ten years ago. I wonder how many people are listed in the records now?"

Under a thatched hut somewhere outside Yile County, Minzhou, Liu Jilong sat on a chair, looking at the people harvesting crops in the fields, a look of satisfaction on his face.

The people standing next to him were Chen Ying, who followed him south, and Wang Sifeng, the governor of Minzhou after his transfer.

When Wang Sifeng saw his commander asking, he immediately bowed and said, "Commander, there are 19,625 households and 92,657 people in the three counties of Minzhou."

"Although it is still a little short of five times the number of the past, after this battle, the population of Minzhou will definitely exceed 100,000!"

As he said this, his eyes would always glance at Liu Jilong's face from time to time. Once their eyes met, he would immediately and anxiously look away.

Although Liu Jilong noticed it, he did not get angry. He just said, "Things haven't even started yet. Unexpectedly, there will be changes. Don't be too sure about what you say."

"Yes..." Wang Sifeng's heart tightened, wondering if Marshal Ji was criticizing him.

"Chen Ying, what are the populations of Song, Dang, and Wu states respectively?"

Liu Jilong did not delve into Wang Sifeng's test of him, but changed the subject and asked Chen Ying.

"Reporting to the commander, Songzhou has nearly 60,000 people, Dangzhou has more than 9,000 people, and Wuzhou has more than 80,000 people."

Chen Ying answered without hesitation, and Liu Jilong thought about it after hearing it.

The terrain of Longnan is complex, and so are the six prefectures of Western Sichuan connected to it.

Liu Jilian had already learned about the official roads of these six states through Wang Tao and others. They were basically small roads and it was difficult for a large army to pass through.

Because of this, the population of the six states is not large, but the garrison is around 17,000.

Although there are 17,000 soldiers and horses, they have not seen a war for more than 30 years. Their combat effectiveness will have to be judged by their performance after Shang Moyan sends out the troops.

If Shang Moyan cannot take over the six states, then he will inevitably need to give up a few states.

Wenzhou, Fuzhou and Longzhou are more important. If these three states can be taken, Longyou will be able to gain the advantage of being high above Xichuan and attacking from a low position.

However, if he could take over all six states, he would be able to completely control Xichuan and regard it as his back garden.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong asked, "Have you ever calculated with the military officers in the palace how many soldiers and horses the three states can supply with human and animal power?"

Chen Ying bowed and answered without hesitation: "Based on the number of adults in the three states, if we calculate it from a distance of 100 miles, we can supply 60,000 troops; if we go 200 miles, we can supply 30,000 troops; if we go 300 miles, we can supply 15,000 troops, and so on."

Before the army moves, food and fodder must go first...

Although Liu Jilian did not establish a general staff, he set up a similar marching military officer in the Protectorate.

The number of male adults in the three states is enough to support Longyou to send 7,000 troops deep into the hinterland of Chengdu in Xichuan.

If the six states were taken, most of West Sichuan would be under the attack of the Longyou Army, and this was why Liu Jilian wanted to take the six states.

Only by taking over the six states and increasing their populations could he be prepared to take Shu into his possession at any time.

As long as he had Shuzhong and Longyou, he could repeat the actions of the Qin, Han and Tang dynasties, advance eastward with the western lands and take Guandong into his possession.

While thinking, Liu Jilong said to Chen Ying: "The more than 2,000 reserve officials and Zhibai should be heading south in the next few days. You should make good arrangements."

"Yes!" Chen Ying bowed and saluted, while Wang Sifeng quickly responded:
"General, I have already prepared the food. Please move."

"Yes!" Liu Jilong stood up and walked out of the straw hut, then mounted his horse and headed for Yile County. Wang Sifeng, Chen Ying and others followed closely behind him.

While Liu Jilong was inspecting the situation in Minzhou, the people sent by Prime Minister Jiang Shen to Hexi and the letters sent by Liu Jilong arrived in Xizhou one after another.

Xizhou was still hot in early October, living up to its later name of the Flaming Mountain.

Zhang Huaishen sat in the main seat in the main hall of the former Gaochang Palace, now the Anxi Protectorate. Standing on the left and right sides of the hall were Li En, Li Mingzhen, Wang Jingyi, Wang Jingzhi, Kang Tongxin and others.

In the center of the hall, the official sent by Prime Minister Jiang Shen also took off his disguise when he arrived in Xizhou.

"I am Liu Zongwang, the head of the Ministry of Rites. I am an angel sent by the court. The so-called delivery of the letter is just to conceal the truth."

"Now that I am in front of Marshal Jie, there is no need to pretend anymore."

After living in the open air for several months, the head of the Ministry of Rites lost a lot of weight.

Even so, when he introduced himself, he couldn't help but straighten his chest.

Faced with his self-confidence, Zhang Huaishen felt puzzled, but in order to test the purpose of the court sending this person to Xizhou, he still flattered:
"Since you are an angel, why do you need to look at the seat?"

As he spoke, several soldiers in the hall hurriedly brought a crescent stool.

Liu Zongwang bowed respectfully and knelt on the crescent stool. Zhang Huaishen also said directly: "I wonder why the court sent Liu to come here?"

Seeing that Zhang Huaishen was so direct, Liu Zongwang didn't want to delay any more. He just wanted to explain things clearly as soon as possible and then return to Chang'an.

"The court sent me here to promote the commander to the title of the founding duke of Gaochang County, and also to cut off the county duke's connection with Longyou."

"I think the county magistrate is also aware that Shang Moyan broke up with Liu Jilong, and the two sides fought in Fuqi City. Afterwards, Liu Jilong sent troops to sweep across Mochanchuan. The two sides have become mortal enemies."

"If the county lord is willing to cut off ties with Longyou, the court is willing to grant the county lord the Hexi Banner, help the county lord recapture Liangzhou, and allow the county lord to buy and sell imported horses from Guannei Road."

After Liu Zongwang finished speaking, Kang Tongxun and others looked at Zhang Huaishen, and even Zhang Huaishen himself was a little surprised.

The imperial seal of the Hexi Jiedushi, which was something that could not be obtained no matter how much one begged in the past, was now delivered to him by the imperial court.

Not only that, he was able to resume the horse trading at Guannei Road that he had always dreamed of, and was also awarded the title of founding county duke.

Thinking of this, Zhang Huaishen was not excited. He just felt that all the efforts he and his uncle had made in the past were like a joke.

If he had known that it would be so easy to obtain the military governor's seal, he would have supported Liu Jilian long ago and let the court feel the threat of the tiger lying in wait.

"This is a serious matter. I need to discuss it with the eunuchs. Please go to Yin Hotel and rest first, Lord Liu."

"Of course. I will take my leave now."

Zhang Huaishen dealt with Liu Zongwang and signaled a general from Xizhou to take him away.

After they left, Wang Jingzhi immediately stood up.

"General, we can't be treacherous!"

"That's right!" Wang Jingyi also stood up to agree, while Li En pondered:

"The price offered by the court is very high. We can pretend to obey but secretly disobey."

"I think even if Liu Jilong knew, he wouldn't blame us."

Several people disagreed with breaking with Longyou. It was not because they had foresight, but because the Hexi Guiyi Army had long been frightened by the imperial court.

Ever since Suo Xun rebelled in Liang Province, the Hexi Guiyi Army has never had a smooth journey.

It was not until the Hexi Guiyi Army severed ties with the imperial court and relied on Longyou for development that it gradually got on the right track.

It was certainly tempting to trade in horses from Guannei Road, but Liu Jilian had completed nearly 30,000 horse trades with them in the past few years, and also won over the Khitans to form an alliance with them.

If the migrating population had not yet resumed production, Zhang Huaishen would probably have joined forces with the Khitans to sweep the remaining Uighurs north and south of the Tianshan Mountains out of the Western Regions.

"This matter does need to be told to Liu Muzhi, but it has to be done quickly." Zhang Huaishen set the tone for this matter, because he knew that the relationship between Longyou and Hexi is very close.

The truth that the lips and teeth are interdependent has been played out many times in the Helong area.

From Emperor Dazhong Li Chen to the current Emperor Xiantong Li Yu, they are all full of suspicion towards the Guiyi Army.

Zhang Huaishen had long been disappointed with the so-called Tang Dynasty, especially after the sudden rise of Longyou, he even changed his slogan to "The Han Dynasty will not be content with a single move."

"General Jie, a letter has been sent from Longyou!"

Suddenly, a voice of reporting came from outside the hall. Zhang Huaishen heard it without thinking: "Come in!"

At his signal, the general outside the hall quickly walked into the hall and handed him the letter sent by Liu Jilong.

He originally thought that Liu Jilong had guessed the court's actions, but he did not expect that the content of the letter actually reminded him of the matters of the monks in the Hexi Buddhist temple and the expedition against the remnants of the Uighurs.

"It seems that you are not as omniscient as a god, and you don't know everything..."

Looking at things that had nothing to do with what he was experiencing at the moment, a smile appeared on Zhang Huaishen's face. Finally, he burned the letter, picked up a pen and wrote a copy by hand. After blowing the ink dry, he dripped sealing wax on it and sealed it with his own private seal.

"Send this letter to Longyou Protectorate as quickly as possible, eight hundred miles away."

"The last general takes orders!!"

The general took the letter and then respectfully left the main hall.

After he left, Zhang Huaishen began to discuss the issue of military farming in Xizhou with everyone.

As for the letter he sent, it took about fifteen days to reach Longyou.

Liu Jilong returned to Longyou before the heavy snow closed the mountains, and before he even sat down he received the news of this handwritten letter.

"Crackling..."

As the fire wall was emitting heat, Liu Jilong took off his fur coat and sat in the main seat. He picked up Zhang Huaishen's handwriting and began to examine it carefully.

After he learned of the court's intentions, he immediately laughed and said, "Our Supreme is not slow in his actions. It has only been less than two months since I sent the news to Chang'an, and he has already contacted Hexi."

"It's a pity that he and the late emperor never reflected on what they did to the Guiyi Army. They thought that by giving us some rewards, we would bow down to them."

As he finished speaking, he signaled Shen Yin to pass Zhang Huaishen's handwriting to everyone for reading.

Soon, the handwritten letter was passed around in everyone's hands, and Li Ji's eyes flashed with brilliance when he saw it, and he bowed quickly and said:
"General, the court is unjust, why should we still stick to our loyalty?"

"A few days ago, I heard from Army Officer Cui that there are thousands of students graduating every year in the country. They have studied hard for many years. We can't let them go home and farm, right?"

“Why not take this opportunity to capture Jiannan Road and Shannan West Road and grant them reliable official positions!”

"General, I second the motion!" Ma Cheng agreed without hesitation, while Shang Duoluo and Cui Shu also looked at each other privately, and then bowed to Liu Jilong:

"General, I second the motion!"

There were only eight people in the hall. Excluding Liu Jilian himself, half of them had agreed. Only Gao Jinda, Chen Ying, and Han Zheng, the military assistant of the Law Department and deputy envoy of the Censorate, had not expressed their opinions.

"What do you three think?"

Liu Jilong did not agree, but asked Gao Jinda and the other two, which already expressed his attitude.

Gao Jinda bowed and said, "General Jie used the eighteen-character formula to govern Helong in the past. Now the war in the Central Plains is gradually easing, and the court is surrounded by peace."

"If our army were to rebel, we would surely become the target of public criticism."

Liu Jilong's so-called fifteen-word key points in the past were "build high walls, store up grain, develop water conservancy, strengthen the military, and promote manual labor." Later, he added the three-word key point of "eliminate corruption," making a total of eighteen words.

Facts have proved that these eighteen words have enabled Longyou to develop rapidly. The Tang court wanted to take action against Longyou several times, but was unable to find an excuse because it was not strong enough and had to give up.

If Longyou were to force its way out now, it would inevitably be caught by the imperial court.

However, this matter was not a big deal at all in the eyes of Li Ji and others. After all, they had also learned a lot from the court's tolerant attitude towards the vassal states in recent years.

They thought the same as Liu Jilian did at the time, believing that even if the imperial court sent troops, as long as they could defeat the government troops, they would be able to force the imperial court to surrender to Longyou on its own initiative.

It is for this reason that they continue to instigate Liu Jilian to take the initiative.

However, Liu Jilian still maintained the same attitude. He could force the Tang Dynasty to send troops and then counterattack, but he could not take the initiative to attack. These were two different concepts.

It is not even twenty years later, not to mention that even after twenty years, many officials are still loyal to the Tang Dynasty, and this is the legacy left by Emperor Taizong.

"There is no need to discuss this matter any further. This time I am only seeking to seize six states."

"If the imperial court raises troops because of the six states, there is no harm in discussing this matter again!"

Liu Jilong decided on this matter, and Li Ji and others looked obviously unwilling.

They hoped that Liu Jilian would take the initiative to send troops, go to war with the imperial court directly, and then defeat the government troops on the battlefield, rather than procrastinating and just taking advantage of the situation.

"Peace has lasted too long, and people's hearts are agitated..."

Looking at their expressions, Liu Jilong thought of the students at Linzhou University.

In a few years, he should be able to use these students to solve the ideological problems in the army.

Even if he cannot reach the height he wants, there will be no old ministers like Li Ji in the army who dare to stir up trouble.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong looked at Gao Jinda and said, "The grain trade with the imperial court can be put back on the agenda."

"But don't sell it too quickly this time. Sell it little by little to make the court cautious."

"In addition, I will write back to Zhang Huaishen and ask them to break up with us openly. This will be more conducive to our future development, but the trade between the two sides will continue and cannot be terminated."

"Yes!" Gao Jinda responded quickly. He supported Liu Jilong's steady and cautious attitude.

Of course, the reason why he supported it was because he heard from Liu Jilong that Longyou would move eastward in a few years.

"Go back all!"

Liu Jilong stood up and walked towards the central hall. Li Ji and others gathered together after he left, while Gao Jinda shook his head and walked out.

Chen Ying and Han Zhengke followed him out and went to the Changshi Hall to sit down.

"Deputy Protector General Li and his men are behaving more and more outrageously. Doesn't the commander-in-chief do anything about it?"

Han Zheng might have been chosen by Liu Jilian as the deputy envoy of the Censorate. Naturally, he had a strong temper, so he couldn't stand the relentless attitude of Li Ji and others.

Chen Ying was reluctant to talk about this matter, after all, he came from the military.

Fortunately, he belongs to Chen Jingchong's faction, so he can reconcile appropriately.

Facing Han Zhengke's anger, Chen Ying comforted him, "They are also eager to achieve success. Essentially, they still want to help Marshal Jie achieve great things. They are just too radical."

When Chen Ying finished speaking, she took the opportunity to glance at Gao Jinda, who sighed and said:
"Li Ji and his group are too impatient. They think they are invincible, but they don't expect that there are so many soldiers in the various towns. If we take the initiative to mobilize troops, not only will it tarnish the reputation of the Guiyi Army, but it will also make it easy for the various towns to target us."

"General Jie is right. The first bird to stick its head out gets shot down. Now that we can't show up, it's not a bad idea to nibble away at the border states step by step."

"What's more, once the war breaks out in the southwest, it will inevitably cause turmoil in other provinces. At that time, the court will have no choice but to increase taxes."

"The decline of the imperial court is inevitable. If the refugees in the Central Plains do not receive relief, they will definitely take the opportunity to cause chaos."

"Marshal Jie told me that in four or five years, we will suffer from a shortage of students. It is clear that Marshal Jie has already thought about the time to go east."

"Before that, we need to stick to our original intentions and not be disturbed by Deputy Governor Li and his men."

"Yes..." Chen Ying and Han Zhengke nodded, and Gao Jinda looked at Han Zhengke and said:
"With war imminent, the Censorate and the Law Enforcement Department must strictly enforce the prefectures and counties to prevent anyone from stealing or extorting money and ruining our plans for Longyou!"

"Don't worry, Chief Secretary!" Han Zhengke bowed and said:
"I have already informed the 600 colleagues in the Censorate and the Law Office that anyone who stands in the way of our recovery of the six prefectures in Longyou will be killed without mercy!"

"Good..." Gao Jinda nodded with satisfaction, and then turned the topic to other government affairs. The soldier outside the door heard this and said to his comrade beside him: "I'm going to the toilet and will be back after a cup of tea."

"Go quickly." The comrade didn't think much about it, and the soldier hurriedly walked out of the Changshi Hall.

However, he did not go to the toilet, but went to the yamen of the deputy governor and told the captain in the yamen about the matter.

Li Ji, who had returned to the yamen with everyone, had just sat down when he saw a captain coming from outside the hall and whispering something to him.

"Did Gao Jinda really say this?"

Li Ji's eyes lit up, and the captain nodded and said, "This is the news from the Changshi Hall, it should not be wrong."

"Okay!" Li Ji stood up excitedly, put his hands behind his back and walked back and forth, saying: "Since the commander has a plan, I won't be in a hurry."

"What's wrong?" Ma Cheng and others looked at him. Li Ji smiled and said:

"General Jie has a plan. The expedition to the east will be in five years!"

"Good!" Several people clapped their hands and cheered.

"I'll take my leave..." Seeing them like this, the captain quietly left the yamen.

There were constant cheers coming from behind him, but he ignored them and just walked out of the yamen and walked towards the central hall indifferently...

(End of this chapter)