Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

Countless gold and silver artifacts,

The confiscated money held by various religious groups in the Royal Bank alone amounted to over 20 million strings of cash.

It is unknown how many deposit slips and banknotes have been secretly kept by religious figures.

The imperial court's suppression of religion had just begun.

Without religious constraints,

Then a bald man, seemingly recently ordained a monk, swaggered through the streets.

They squandered money like water in brothels.

Zhao Yuan ordered that the confiscated bronze Buddhas, bronze bells, and gold and silver utensils be used to mint coins, and that iron statues be used to cast agricultural implements.

The land seized at the same time will be auctioned off.

Chapter 1568 Real Estate

The national treasury was full after the campaign to eradicate the religion.

The imperial court announced a reduction in salt prices.

The price was reduced from fifty cash per catty in the first year of the Tianqi reign to ten cash per catty.

The prices of alum, coal, and lamp oil, which were monopolized by the imperial court, have all decreased.

In the past, the lamp oil used by ordinary people was either vegetable oil or animal fat.

After Zhao Yuan had people distill petroleum to produce kerosene and gasoline,

The lamp oil used by ordinary people was replaced by kerosene.

Gasoline replaced the original high-powered fuel.

This added another source of revenue for the imperial court.

This also gave the Liang army a powerful weapon.

The battle to destroy the religion,

It can be said that the whole country has benefited.

Military and civilians celebrated.

However, there are also a few stubborn religious figures and ordinary people who harbor religious followers.

Tens of thousands of people were successively dispatched from various regions to the frontier to reclaim wasteland.

Although the Xiangguo Temple in Bianjing was built in a magnificent and resplendent style,

But in order to ensure the extermination of the religion,

Zhao Yuan still ordered the complete razing of the Xiangguo Temple.

Dozens of temples and Taoist monasteries, large and small, in Bianjing City were razed to the ground.

The temple had just been razed to the ground.

Many people have set their sights on these lands.

Although the main beam was only built two years ago.

But the world is unified

Exempt from corvée labor and reduce taxes.

The world is already in a state of great order and peace.

Land in Bianjing (Kaifeng) was extremely valuable.

Especially after Zhao Yuan announced the establishment of a noble academy,

Wealthy families from all over the country who paid money to be granted titles flocked to Bianjing.

Buying property in Bianjing (Kaifeng)

For the convenience of their own children and grandchildren's schooling.

This caused housing prices in Bianjing (Kaifeng) to skyrocket.

Some of the elderly people from Liangshan who were allocated courtyard houses,

Dazzled by the prices quoted by major players in various regions,

So he sold his house.

The next day, you would hear another price.

All I could do was stomp my feet and complain.

Therefore, after the temples in Bianjing were razed to the ground,

Several old men from Liangshan approached Zhao Yuan.

They hoped to buy these lands from the imperial court to build houses.

Given Zhao Yuan's personality, it's impossible for him to ask them for a high price.

We can only instruct the Ministry of Revenue to act expediently.

The fortune teller Jiang Jing pondered for a while,

Then they headed towards the Liang King's Palace.

Zhao Yuan has been working on the curriculum for the aristocratic academy during this period.

More than fifty princes have already been born in the Liang royal palace.

More than sixty princesses

In a few years,

It's time to begin early childhood education.

Zhao Yuan hoped that when his children grew up,

There is a mature college.

Instead of a fledgling aristocratic academy,

Therefore, he needs to establish a noble academy as soon as possible.

Those barons vying for admission to the noble academy became Zhao Yuan's test subjects.

However, the newly established aristocratic academy would not mislead its students.

The professors Zhao Yuan planned to invite were all renowned scholars.

Even if these sons of wealthy families weren't spoiled brats,

Ninety-nine percent of them would never have the chance to become disciples of these great Confucian scholars.

Of course, would these great scholars be so angered by these barons that they wanted to storm off?

Zhao Yuan doesn't know yet.

Zhao Yuan instructed the palace servants to serve tea to Jiang Jing, and said with a smile,

"The Ministry of Revenue must be very busy these days,"

"What brings you here?"

Jiang Jing laughed and said, "You wouldn't come to the Three Treasures Hall without a reason."

"After those temples and Taoist monasteries in the capital were destroyed,"

"There is much more land,"

“Someone approached the Emperor wanting to buy these lands.”

"I've come to see if the King of Liang has anything he needs,"

"If not, I'll let them choose a few."

"The rest will be auctioned off publicly,"

"To avoid anyone coming to the Ministry of Revenue again and making things difficult for me."

Zhao Yuan laughed and asked, "Who went to the Emperor's place?"

Jiang Jing shook his head and said, "Bai Sheng, Du Qian, and Song Wan."

Zhao Yuan was also somewhat displeased upon hearing this.

He originally wanted to conquer the world.

These three then became unwilling to make any progress.

They never participated in the war after that.

They were just hiding in the back.

After the world was unified,

These three people reaped the benefits without lifting a finger.

When the imperial court bestowed generous rewards upon the founding ministers,

These three men also rose to the rank of founding viscount.

This caused considerable dissatisfaction among the crowd.

But Zhao Yuan insisted,

Others didn't say much either.

The other founding generals,

Lu Junyi and Lin Chong were granted the title of Duke of the Founding State;

Yan Qing, Guan Sheng, Huyan Zhuo, Shi Wengong, Lu Zhishen, Wu Song, Qin Ming, Hua Rong, Dong Ping, Zhang Qing, Li Ying, Luan Tingyu, Yang Zhi, Xu Ning, Suo Chao, Liu Tang, Li Kui, Sun Li, Shi Xiu, Mu Hong, and Hu Cheng were granted the title of Marquis of the Founding State.

Xuan Zan, Hao Siwen, Han Tao, Peng Qi, Wei Dingguo, Shan Tinggui, Gong Wang, Ding Desun, Fan Rui; Li Jun, Ruan Xiaoer, Ruan Xiaowu, Ruan Xiaoqi, Zhang Heng, Zhang Shun of the Navy; Dai Zong, Shi Qian, Zhu Gui of the Intelligence Division; Ling Zhen of the Gunpowder Bureau; and Tang Longshou, the Founding Earl of the Gun and Cannon Bureau.

Zhao Yuan's personal guards leaders Shi Yong, Xue Yong, Xie Zhen, Xie Bao, Lü Fang, Guo Sheng, Yang Xiong, Sun Xin, Zou Yuan, and Zou Run, along with the naval forces Tong Wei, Tong Meng, Bai Sheng, Du Qian, and Song Wan, and the intelligence officers Sun Erniang, Zhang Qing, Zhu Fu, Li Li, Duan Jingzhu, Jiao Ting, Xiang Chong, Li Gun, and Zheng Tianshou, were granted the title of Founding Viscount.

Chapter 1569 Demanding Land

Civil officials Xu Guanzhong, Wen Huanzhang, and others were granted the title of Duke of the Founding State.

Gongsun Sheng, Pei Xuan, and Jiang Jing were granted the title of Marquis of the Founding State.

Zhang Shuye, Wang Huan, Li Congji, Zhang Kai, Han Cunbao, Liu Menglong, Han Shizhong, Liu Qi, Yao Pingzhong, and others were also granted titles.

However, none of them were founding nobles.

All the founding nobles were people who had been in the court since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty in Qingzhou.

Excluding Zhao Mingcheng,

They can all be described as old men from Liangshan.

Shi Yong and the others had been protecting Zhao Yuan all along.

He had not rendered many merits and could only be ranked as a viscount.

The intelligence department staff also made significant contributions.

However, Bai Sheng, Du Qian, and Song Wan were granted the same noble titles as them.

Zhao Yuan, however, was somewhat unwilling.

It's just because there are too many barons.

The founding generals were at least viscounts.

Zhao Yuan did not want the three to be disappointed.

They could only bestow these gifts upon their personal guards in private.

Zhao Yuan said unhappily, "What do they want the land for?"

Jiang Jingdao said, "They sold all the houses bestowed by the Emperor to wealthy merchants from Jiangnan."