Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 99 Dead Water
After paying this year's interest, Xun Xinzhi never caused any trouble again.

Of the remaining two thousand or so coins, Gao Xun, Zhou Zheng, Liu Heipi, Liu Guangzhi, Liu Zhong, Zhao Lunzhi, Li Damu, and Mao Dezuo each received one hundred coins, and the rest were distributed to Xu Changming, Gou Zhong, Yin Shan, Hu Jianfu and other subordinates. Each of them could get more than ten coins, so that they could have a good new year.

Gao Xun felt that he should not accept the reward without merit, so he refused it firmly, and Liu Daogui did not force him.

The military government is still as slow as ever.

The right Sima was still not coming down, and the Lanling Commandant mentioned by Yuan He was nowhere to be seen.

Huan Hong went to Jiangling recently, and it was said that he was there to congratulate Yin Zhongkan on his appointment as the governor of Jingzhou.

This time he disappeared for more than a month...

Liu Yi and Lu Zongzhi, who led the troops to the battle, returned with a look of bad luck on their faces. Before they reached Luoyang, Zhu Xu displayed his might and defeated Murong Yong and Zhai Liao. They fought back and forth but gained nothing.

They were attacked by bandits on the way, losing more than 200 soldiers and a lot of supplies.

He was ridiculed by Xun Xinzhi in front of all the military officials.

However, Liu Yi was not an ordinary person. He remained calm, which made Xun Xinzhi lose interest.

The military government is still as stagnant as ever, as if there is an invisible force that prevents anyone from making a breakthrough.

Liu Daogui failed to become the Lanling Commander, and Liu Yi tried to gain influence everywhere, but he still remained unchanged...

The days passed quickly, and at the end of the year, Jingkou distributed this year's salary for the first time, a total of eleven strings of cash and three pieces of cloth. Even ordinary soldiers received a reward, although it was not much, only one string of cash.

But compared to last year, it's like heaven and earth.

Winter clothes were also distributed, so the soldiers no longer had to suffer from hunger like last year.

"Please remember this is a favor from His Majesty and Lord Wang."

The clerks held up several banners with the word "king" on them and were beating drums and gongs and shouting in the city.

Wang Gong held the title of "Lord of the Central Secretariat" and was the commander-in-chief of the military forces in Yan, Qing, Ji, You, Bing, Xu and Jinling of Yangzhou. He was also the Minister of the Central Secretariat. The title of "Lord" was several levels higher than that of the commander-in-chief.

"As expected of the Wang family of Taiyuan, they are so wealthy and powerful." Liu Daogui exclaimed in admiration.

Gao Xun said, "It's just a way to win over the troops. As soon as Wang Lingjun took office, he recruited the people around Jingkou to build a Buddhist temple."

Sima Yao and Sima Daozi both believed in Buddhism, and Wang Gong was no pushover either.

The Buddhist sect was best at climbing the social ladder, and it was becoming increasingly prosperous in Jiangzuo. Buddhist temples were everywhere, and they owned farmland and tenants. They also received the imperial court's favor and did not have to pay land taxes...

"A Buddhist temple is being built in Jingkou?" Liu Daogui was surprised.

"Lord Wang ordered that Buddhist temples must be magnificent to prove his piety, which caused public outrage." Gao Xun seemed to disapprove of Wang Gong.

Last year we built a Buddhist temple in Jiangcheng, and this year we went to Jingkou to build one.

Liu Daogui originally thought that Wang Gong was well-known and had always had a good reputation, but he didn't expect that he was almost the same as Sima Daozi.

The people of Jiangzuo were starving and underfed, yet no one cared...

At this time, Zhao Lunzhi and Li Damu entered the house together, and were greeted by a fishy smell.

"Agui is finally back." Zhao Lunzhi's face was full of joy.

"What's the matter, uncle?"

"We've figured out the details of Yandu."

Zhao Lunzhi is popular and loyal. He has been in Yandu for three or four months and should have infiltrated most of the place.

"Tell me in detail." Liu Daogui poured him a bowl of coarse tea.

Zhao Lun drank it all and wiped his mouth, "Yandu has 103 salt fields of various sizes, 97 of which are the private property of Langya King Sima Daozi!" "What?" Liu Daogui couldn't believe it.

Sima Daozi, a powerful prince, actually started selling illegal salt.

During the Han and Wei dynasties, salt and iron were owned by the imperial court, but now they are privately owned...

But if you think about it deeply, it is understandable. The profits from private salt are so huge, at least hundreds of thousands of coins every year. Sima Daozi is extravagant and has too many places to spend money, so he must have relied on some shameful means.

The master of Tianshi Dao, Sun Tai, happened to be Sima Daozi's official.

It all makes sense.

Gao Xun said disappointedly: "If it is Sima Daozi's property, it cannot be touched."

"Why can't we move?" Liu Daogui asked back.

The bandits around Lanling have been almost wiped out, and there is no stable source of income in the surrounding area.

If you have no money, you can only farm and develop slowly, but the income from farming is too slow, and it also depends on the weather. In case of a natural disaster, you may not get a single harvest.

Lanling is located on the border. If the people coming this year are bandits, we can still fight them. But if they are a large army of Hu people, it may not be possible.

Moreover, Yuan He and Xun Xinzhi have already set their sights on Lan Ling. They may not be able to do something well if asked to do it, but they are experts at ruining something.

Gao Xun advised: "You must think twice before you speak."

Liu Daogui turned the tea bowl on the table. "Jiangzuo has always been a stagnant place. If we continue to follow the rules, when will we ever be able to make a breakthrough? Sima Daozi is extremely extravagant and has left Jiangzuo with starving people. If we steal his salt, we are acting in the name of justice. What's wrong with that?"

Ever since being struck by lightning, Liu Daogui often dreamed of that bizarre world. He felt that he did not belong to this era, but to that world.

Their thinking and ideas are very different from those of people today, and at least they are not bound by the rules and morals of this era.

What loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness are are nothing but tricks of the Sima family. Besides, the Sima family has never been kind and righteous to us, so why should we be loyal and filial to them?
Thinking of his family's struggle for survival and the tragic scenes he had witnessed in recent years, Liu Daogui felt an inexplicable anger surge in his heart.

The Sima family has never followed any loyalty, filial piety, benevolence or righteousness.

They will stop at nothing to gain power and drag China into the abyss step by step.

Of course, I won’t tell the deeper thoughts in my heart to the people in front of me.

People always take things one step at a time. Liu Daogui only knew that he needed money right now, a lot of it. "As I said, if Brother Gao doesn't want to get involved, I won't force him."

Gao Xun raised his eyebrows. "You've already dragged me into this conspiracy, how can I force you to do it?"

"Brother Gao, don't panic. We're only robbing their saltworks, not raising the flag of rebellion. As long as we act quickly and covertly, no one will know it was us. Sima Daozi has many enemies."

Liu Daogui comforted a few people.

Gao Xun is a close friend, Zhao Lunzhi is his uncle, and Li Damu has no family background. He is almost a subordinate of Liu Daogui. They are all his own people.

The wages of avarice is death.

The world is already in a mess, so you might as well be bolder.

Gao Xun said, "However, this matter still needs to be carefully planned. The military forces must not be used."

These old soldiers from the Northern Palace are the best fighters on the battlefield, but in private, each one is more rebellious than the other.

Liu Daogui repeatedly told them to keep a low profile, but they showed their true colors as soon as they returned to Guangling.

Yuan He and Xun Xinzhi received the news so quickly, there might be their spies among these old soldiers of the Northern Palace.

"Of course we can't use the Northern Army."

(End of this chapter)