Han Shizu

Chapter 795 Chaos in Shu

In the early autumn of the tenth year of Qianyou (957), Chengdu.

The hibiscus, which is densely covered inside and outside the city wall, is ready to show its most beautiful posture in front of Chengdu scholars and tourists.

Nearly three years have passed since the Great War between Qin and Feng, but the impact of the defeat on Hou Shu has become more and more serious with the passage of time. The peace treaty in exchange for paying tribute has made the people of Sichuan and Shu more and more exhausted.

The preparation and training of the northern defense army, the expenditure of military expenses, and the raising of annual tributes became a serious burden on the court of Houshu.Coupled with political corruption, political turmoil, extravagance, frequent chaos, and rumors and troubles among the enemies, it is not a problem to describe today's Hou Shu as a declining country and a precarious state.

More than 20 years of Taiping, more than 20 years of accumulation, in the long years of failure, it was exhausted, and the court of Hou Shu once again felt what it means to be empty.

In the case of internal and external troubles, on the contrary, Meng Chang, the lord of Shu, let go of the burden in his heart, and became more immersed in enjoyment. It is very easy to go from frugal to extravagant.As a result, Meng Chang's heirs and ministers also completely let go, wantonly enjoying the privileged life of the aristocrats, scrambling to be the first, desperate, and the luck of the dynasty was drastically consumed.

In order to maintain the rule and make up for the national treasury, all the burdens were finally transferred to the ordinary people in Sichuan.Taxes and taxes were increased, corvée was widely invited, and the people in Sichuan and Shu were very miserable, full of resentment and scolding.

It is very difficult for people to establish a positive and good image, but it is too easy to destroy it.It can be said that the image of diligence, thrift and love for the people established by Meng Chang for nearly 20 years has completely collapsed in the past two or three years.

Compared with the original history, it is much more serious. At least in the old history when the country was subjugated by the Song Dynasty and the whole family moved north, the Shu people felt sorry for it.However, nowadays, scolding is light. In the past few years, there have been more than [-] civil disturbances in various places in Sichuan and Sichuan, and behaviors of resisting taxes and donations have occurred frequently. The only way for the later Shu court is to continuously deploy troops. Send generals, eliminate, suppress.

Two expeditions to the north and one imperial conquest all ended in failure. The bad influence brought about by the Shu court is incalculable.The Shu court also had to rush to pay and pay taxes to meet the immediate needs, and the result was a vicious circle, and the political and public sentiments of the Shu Kingdom became more and more disintegrated.

Of course, apart from the imperial court, there were a lot of pushers that caused the chaos in the Shu Kingdom. The spies in the Northern Han Dynasty were afraid of chaos, and the officials who colluded with each other were laissez-faire.
However, no matter how dark the government is and how chaotic the two rivers are, Chengdu is still prosperous and the hustle and bustle remains the same.However, this is a kind of abnormal prosperity. Individuals can feel the tense atmosphere pervading the city, oppressive like dark clouds, and making people feel gloomy.

Ordinary people are getting more and more sad, the price of food is rising, the food is not good, the law and order are deteriorating, the conflicts in the square and the city are frequent, and it is difficult to see the joy of travel.Around Chengdu, the number of refugees who lost their land and went bankrupt is increasing. They keep gathering and being dispersed, and there is no hope in sight.

"The price of rice has risen again!" There was a sigh in front of a rice shop.

In front of the shop, there was a line of about twenty people, all of whom were ordinary people, carrying bags or baskets, looking at the newly written wooden signboard for the price of rice, all complaining.

Dou Mi 27 money!

Compared with that year, it has increased by six or seven times. Even compared to before the Qin Feng war, it has doubled, and there is still a trend of continuing to rise.The price still refers to copper coins, and the price of miscellaneous coins and iron coins is also calculated separately. If the "Qianyou Tongbao" introduced from the north, it will be cheaper.There was a lack of copper in Shu. After the signing of the Han-Shu Peace Agreement, the financial pressure increased. The later Shu court cast a large amount of iron coins for circulation.

Compared to the complaints of the people buying grain, the owner of the store couldn't help showing a hearty smile.There is always a balance in this world. When someone cries, someone laughs. Those who are in the grain business will never worry about the high price of grain. As for the suffering of the people and the livelihood of the people, that is something that the imperial court should consider, and it has nothing to do with him, a grain merchant.

"Everyone line up, prepare money, don't crowd, don't make trouble!" A few strong men stood guard in front of the shop, maintaining order, staring viciously at the people who bought grain, as if they were class enemies.

The people who lined up were basically honest, or they were prepared according to their words, or they were planning to give away rice to buy millet, or they made plans to leave with their money.However, the impact of rising food prices is very intuitive. There may be people who leave, but more people come with sacks after hearing the news.The scramble to buy food gradually spread in the city.
"If this goes on like this, the scholars in Chengdu will not even be able to keep their stomachs full!" In a restaurant, several scholars were worried about drinking light wine, and one of them couldn't help but sigh with emotion when he heard the rush to buy food in the city.

These young scholars are students of government schools. On weekdays, it is inevitable to call friends and friends, talk about state affairs, and discuss the current situation freely.With the gradual collapse of post-Shu politics, people of insight are indispensable, heartbroken, and want to call for improvement, but they are often unable to do what they want.

"It's already hard to eat!" One person said even more indignantly: "Food prices are high, refugees breed, and people's sentiments are turbulent. Why does the court do nothing? The people can carry a boat, and they can also overturn it. Such a simple truth, don't the princes of the court understand? ?"

"Why do the government not care about those profiteers driving up grain prices? There is a shortage of grain in Sichuan, so the imperial court should come up with effective policies to crack down on profiteers, ban grain from making wine, open warehouses to release grain, and stabilize prices!" Landing on the food table, he said angrily.

"The people standing behind these profiteers are the high-ranking officials of the court. How can they manage? How can they manage?" Hearing this, another person said angrily: "As for the official food of the court, it is necessary to raise officials, raise the army, and support the peace. Rebellion, but also to pay tribute to the Northern Han Dynasty, how can we care about the heads of the people!"

"Only after the autumn harvest, when the autumn grain is stored in the warehouse and the new grain enters Beijing, can it be relieved."

"I heard Zitong is in chaos again!"

"The rebellion in Lingzhou and Rongzhou has not subsided yet, so Zhao Jiwen is too useless to let a bunch of savages run rampant until now!" One person shouted, "Why doesn't the court change generals?"

In the winter of last year, Liao people in Shuling and Rong prefectures rebelled, thousands of people rebelled, and they attacked the official Shu people, causing a great disturbance.The court of Shu sent Zhao Jiwen to lead the army to suppress the rebellion. Although they won the battle, the remaining rebels were difficult to subdue, and the damage has been done to this day, which involved a lot of financial and military resources of Hou Shu.For Hou Shu, who was suffering from internal and external troubles, it was tantamount to making matters worse.

"There are strong men staring at the outside, and there are rebellions one after another inside, and the country is precarious! Alas." No matter how much anger, it can only turn into a ray of helpless emotion in the end.

"Great Shu can't go on like this, otherwise it will be merged by the Northern Han Dynasty sooner or later. We will pay homage to the palace and ask Your Majesty to change the course, reform the bad government, appease the people, and enrich the country and strengthen the army!" Someone suggested righteously.

But there are very few people who respond, and it's just talk. If you want to take action, isn't it embarrassing?

There is one thing to say, the Northern Han Dynasty should bear a large part of the responsibility for the chaos in the later Shu. Several conquests broke the economic balance in the middle of Shu.

Of course, the effects of the Northern Han Dynasty are all external factors.The bottom line is that the court of the Kingdom of Shu was in chaos. Starting from the Lord of Shu, Meng Chang, it has been rotten layer by layer, and it cannot be stopped.

Inside and outside Chengdu, when the people's sentiments were surging, the Shu Palace, the Crystal Palace built on the Maha Pool, was still full of brilliance, romantic sounds, and melodious sounds lingering inside and outside the palace.

Meng Chang, the lord of Shu, is enjoying himself with his Huarui wives. The sufferings of the people are no longer what he cares about, or he deliberately ignores them.

As the ruler of Sichuan and Shu for more than 20 years, it is impossible for Meng Chang to be unaware of the domestic chaos and turmoil in the past few years, but if you know it, you know it.

He also has no way to deal with the corruption of the government. When the country was stable, he couldn't make up his mind to rectify the abuses of the nobles and bureaucrats.

For Meng Chang today, instead of worrying about those boring affairs, it's better to let go and make up for the enjoyment of the previous 20 years.

The sound of silk and bamboo is melodious, surrounded by singing and dancing, and Meng Chao's obviously fat figure shuttles among them, holding a wine glass and jug in his hand, pouring himself a drink. , intoxicated by it, unaware of the vicissitudes of the world.
Depravity, sinking, and escaping are the truest portrayals of the current Shu Lord.

(End of this chapter)