Shu Chen

Chapter 128
The person who came to Hanzhong County to spread the message was Ma Di.

His official position has also come to a conclusion: he is no longer the assistant of the Xiangfu, the decision-making center of the great Han Dynasty, but has been transferred to the prefect of Hanzhong County.

The meaning of Zuoqian is clear at a glance.

After all, he joined the army with real power before, with the same authority as Jiang Wan, Yang Yi and others.

And now Jiang Wan has assisted Shi Zhangyi, the governor of the Liufu, to manage the affairs of the Liufu and make decisions on the government affairs of the entire Yizhou.

However, he was not decadent.

Prime Minister Zhuge Liang made such an arrangement, and he had some vague expectations for him.

Gaiyin Hanzhong County will now be used as the land of grain and fodder in Longyou, and the person guarding Hanzhong is Zhao Yun, who is known for his loyalty and honesty, and he is also the commander in chief who will deal with the invasion from the three eastern counties and Guanzhong against the Wei Dynasty.

As Ma Su, he can not only manage government affairs, but also participate in military affairs for Zhao Yun.

It can be said that people have done their best, and there will be no shortage of opportunities for recovery in the future.

The only embarrassing thing is that he will be under the command of Yang Yi, who was left in Hanzhong by the prime minister to allocate food and supplies.

However, he who has polished off his sharp edges and corners should no longer have conflicts between spirits and spirits.

With his arrival, Zhuge Qiao could also relinquish his position in Hanzhong as Liu Zuo Yang Yi, so he was summoned by the prime minister to rush to Longyou with Zheng Pu.

Zheng Pu asked Zhang Ni to lead the infantry behind, and Yang Ji led the cavalry to go to Luoying Village in Jixian County. He himself took Fu Qian and his subordinate Qi Yacuo and others, and went with Zhuge Qiao on the same road.

Along the way, I saw countless chariots and horses of the Longyou nobles, surrounded by servants and guarded by Han soldiers, stretching along Qishan Road for dozens of miles.

Also met Chen Shi.

Before and after his personal guard, he surrounded the most wealthy families.

Moreover, many rich families let their servants drive the carriage, and let their own branch women or young actors sit on it.

Yingying, Yanyan, and Yan walked along the road, smiling and walking on the way.

It made Chen Shi's face as if it was splashed with ink, and it was pitch black.

How can he not know, the plans of these wealthy families?
It was nothing more than looking for an opportunity to make a relationship with him, and then relying on his power in the army, he could still be a "powerful right" comfortably after moving to Hanzhong.It's just that these powerful families didn't think about it. He can be sent by the prime minister to take charge. How can he be a person who can be confused by just a few women?
However, he was upset, but he did not order the expulsion.

It has always been hard in the army, and I seldom return home.

Therefore, the soldiers who followed him, because these women were by his side, were full of energy, whether they were marching or guarding.

Alas, the right should be to let them look forward to plum blossoms and quench their thirst.

Zheng Pu and Zhuge Qiaozhi couldn't help smiling when they saw this.

Among them, Zheng Pu also relied on his familiarity, and even joked a few words such as "old and strong" in the Chen style.

Let Chen Shihu put on a face, pretend to be angry and blame him, wave his hand to drive them away, don't get in the way here.

Let's go, let's hurry.

Running all the way to Ji County.

After being notified by the soldiers, Zheng Pu and the two entered the prefect's mansion, which was changed by the prime minister to the Longyou official office.

In the hall, the prime minister sat in the middle of the seat.

Later, there was a person who sat down on the table and spread out the brush, ink and inkstone.

There are three seats on the left and right, and there are already people present.

On the right is Shi Xianglang, the head of the Xiangfu, who is the first, followed by Yao Ni, the former prefect of Guanghan, who is now the Xiangfu.

The empty seat at the end should be reserved for Zhuge Qiao.

On the left, Guan Xingju second, Jiang Wei again, vacating the chief.

It goes without saying that it was reserved for Zheng Pu.

He joined the army and took the military position in the prime minister's mansion, no matter the official position or power, he surpassed Guan Jiang and the other two.

Or to put it another way, Zheng Pu's power now, apart from Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, Wu Yi, Gao Xiang and other veteran generals of the older generation, can already be called No. 1 in the army of the young and middle-aged.

After all, Guan Xing is still at the side of the prime minister, acting as a general in battle.

Jiang Wei, who was transferred to the Tiger Army, served as a general and was under the control of Meng Yan, the commander of the Tiger Army.

As for why the prime minister made such a big post, he summoned many generals from Yuancong, Jingxiang, Dongzhou, Yizhou, and Longyou to discuss it. It was because Zheng Pu's letter was to join the army as a post to participate in the government. Thousands of words.

The matter involved is not just the desire to move the White Horse Qiang into Huawai.

After a salute, each took his seat.

And Wang Shan, who lives behind the prime minister, has already written a pen and ink, waiting to record the words and events.

I saw the prime minister waved his hand, telling the soldiers guarding the door to stay away and be on guard. He looked sideways at Zheng Pu and said, "I have read Zijin's book. I have also shared many details with everyone present here. We have discussed it together, and there are many contradictory theories in the details. Zijin is called here urgently because I want to hear in detail the original intention of Zijin's remonstrance and various strategies, so as to make a conclusion. Hmm."

At this point, the prime minister lost his final word.

Looking down at the cases, he selected one of the many pieces of cloth with one hand, and then continued, "Zijin will describe the strategy of 'strengthening the foundation and benefiting the state' in detail."

"promise."

Accepting the order with bowed head respectfully, Zheng Pulang said, "Prime Minister, gentlemen, let me try to say it. If there are any inappropriate words, please feel free to correct them."

After being modest and polite, he began to talk eloquently.

"Now, our great Han recaptured Longyou, which is the result of several years of dormancy. After this battle, regardless of the loss of soldiers, food, fodder and supplies, they have already been injured. Moreover, the rebellious Wei will definitely not be reconciled to losing Longyou, and will definitely send heavy troops. Come and garrison Guanzhong and Liangzhou, and counterattack our army."

"Our great Han is declining. If we don't accumulate food and people, it may be difficult to resist the consumption of frequent wars against Wei. My great Han is basically Yizhou. If we can't consolidate our base, Longyou will have no foundation for continuous warfare and cannot be defended!"

"That's why, Pu has been thinking recently, and has obtained three strategies to consolidate the foundation and benefit the state. Please discuss it with the prime minister and all the lords."

Having said this, Zheng Pu got up, and bowed his hands to salute the people present at the table.

"One of them is to encourage Li Shu to give birth."

Encouraging childbirth has been done in all dynasties.

The most typical one is Goujian, king of Yue, who said, "For a husband, two pots of wine, and a dog; for a daughter, two pots of wine, and a dolphin; for three people, the father and the mother; for two sons, the father and the mother."

However, the entire country's wealth of the great Han is now used for conquest, and there is no money left to follow suit.

Therefore, Zheng Pu's remonstrance was to change the way the imperial court collected "oral Fu" and "calculated Fu" from Li Shu according to their population.

The oral tax belongs to the military tax, which is the money "for the management of the treasury, soldiers, chariots and horses".

The Fu belongs to the Shaofu and is used by the royal family. It is paid from the age of seven to fourteen. 【Note 1】

However, the world has been turbulent for decades, and the annexation of land and acres has been serious. There are not many Li Shu who have a permanent property, and they dare not have more children because they cannot afford to pay taxes.

If you want to breed people, you must let Li Shu get rid of this layer of worries.

And Zheng Pu's method is to remove the "oral Fu" and "calculated Fu" and change it to "spreading into the mu"!
The tax on the land is levied instead of the tax per person, so that Li Shu can give birth to offspring without worrying about not being able to pay the tax.

Naturally, if the acres of the rich family's fields are now forcibly measured, it may cause turmoil in the land of Bashu.And Zheng Pu's original intention was to try to implement it in Hanzhong County and Wudu County.

The population of these places has long been migrated away by Ni Wei.

There are plenty of vacant lands, and the Li and Shu who have newly migrated and settled down are determined by the government's unified painting of land, and there is no such thing as infringing on the interests of the rich.As long as this policy is implemented, and the Li Shu of Bashu promises to move to Hanzhong to grant land, there will be countless poor Li Shu, who will be the slaves of wealthy and powerful households, or reclusive households who have fled to the mountains due to taxation. Come.

After all, the common people of the Li family only want to live on food and clothing.

Who would refuse to have their own acres of land to cultivate and support their family without being attached to others or suffering from taxes?
In this way, the population of Hanzhong County can be rapidly increased, and it will become a place of food and fodder for future battles in Longyou.

However, the method of "spread into the mu" is a long-term solution.

Fifteen males become males, and it is not the work of 20 years, so the grand occasion of population growth cannot be seen.

Therefore, Zheng Pu's short-term effective strategy is the second: attracting people.

The southern and central counties are located in remote places. The Han Dynasty has always carried out the policy of "retaining" the tribal leaders to maintain local stability.

It is only to let the tribes pay tribute regularly, and no tax is collected.

To some extent, it will also lead to a situation where the nobles are hereditary and the poor are slaves for generations.

Moreover, among the tribes, there are often mutual attacks and mergers.

However, Zheng Pu advised the imperial court to set up "envoys to appease the people" and send them to Nanzhong counties for long-term stationing, so as to recruit those defeated tribes or barbarians who no longer wanted to be "servants of others" to migrate to Hanzhong or Shu to settle down.

Moreover, since the "Tea-Horse Ancient Road" is now open again, Zheng Pu also advised the imperial court to form a "National Merchants" privately, and carry Shu brocade and other trade items to negotiate with the local barbarians in the southwestern part of Yongchang County who refused to accept the king's transformation. The native men and women returned as slaves.

Whether it is as a labor force in the Yanjing Iron Mine, or as a household register to cultivate food and fodder for the country, it can be beneficial for a while.

Naturally, for the Baima Qiang outside the northwest, Yang Ji, the original Baima Di king, tried to communicate that there was no possibility of "internal attachment".

However, it wasn't Yang Ji's elder father, Yang Teng, who called Hu into the house, gathered people to live together, and raised tigers to cause trouble.

It is to imitate the policy of Fuzhang, the king of Wudu, to seal the leader's prominent official position, let his direct blood lineage be entrusted with wealth and honor for generations, and scatter his tribes into various counties and counties for resettlement.

Either recruit them as soldiers, or let them work in farming and mulberry, for the benefit of the country.

After a bit of dry mouth, Zheng Pu clasped his hands again and said, "Prime Minister, gentlemen, this is the strategy of 'Yizhou Consolidation' that I have in mind. If there are any details that are not fully described, please feel free to explain to me .”

"Well, Zijin's heart to benefit the country is commendable!"

The prime minister Zhuge Liang, who was at the top of the throne, had a gurgling smile on his face. He first appreciated Zheng Pu's intentions, and then he looked at the audience and said, "Zijin's plan has been made clear. If you have doubts, or feel that it is inappropriate Here, let’s say it all. Now it’s time to make a policy for the country, and you don’t have to take other considerations into account, but each expresses his or her own views, seeking common ground while reserving differences!”

"promise!"

When everyone got to speak, they all responded loudly.

And Xiang Lang, who has the highest official position and the most important experience under the group, bowed his hands slightly to Zheng Pu and asked the first question, "Zijin, as the head of the prime minister's office, I have the responsibility to manage the country's funds, food and fodder. Therefore, I also know that the current treasury is not abundant. If Zijin follows Zijin’s policy of paying oral taxes and counting taxes, and changing the policy of levying land mu tax; and spending money and food to relocate people, I am afraid that within three to five years old, the country will have no funds for the Northern Expedition. I don’t know what Zijin can do Zeng Yousi, how to supplement the needs of the military?"

Hearing the question, Zheng Pu bowed his hands and bowed, then smiled coyly, "Returning to Chang Shi, I have thought about it."

After saying that, he bowed to the prime minister, "Prime Minister, Pu secretly thinks that within the age of three or five, I, a big man, should put the defense of the border and the people at the top, and no more troops will come out to attack."

"Hahaha~~~~~"

Immediately, the prime minister clapped his hands and laughed, and said with relief, "Zijin's words won my heart!"

After a pause, he nodded lightly again, and urged, "Juda has a lot of political affairs, so it's hard to have time to think about military strategies, and there may be some unknown people at the table. Hmm."

With a slight nasal sound, the prime minister turned his attention to Jiang Wei, "Bo Yue is from Ji County, and he has a strategy in mind. Let's talk about the reason, so there is no need to hesitate."

"promise!"

Hearing this, Jiang Wei bowed his head and responded respectfully.

He also gave a salute to all the people at the table, "I'm not talented, let me just say that, it's just for your reference. I secretly think that Zheng's intention to join the army is the land of the four fortresses in Longyou, and it is difficult for our army to capture it all. "

However, due to the terrain shaped by the trend of mountains and rivers, Longyou also has the theory of four fortresses.

The most dangerous part of Nansai is the Qishan River Valley through which the Western Han River passes.

Just guard the wooden doorway, Simen Valley (Dongting) and Maoyan Gorge (Houtian Shuiguan) in the Qishan Valley of Qishan Mountain to defeat the enemy from the south.

The dangerous points of the Eastern Fortress are Xiaoguan Road, Longguan Road and Weishui River Valley.

Now the east and south are already occupied by the big Han.

The most dangerous part of the Northern Fortress is the Shuyin City Fort Ferry located in Zuli County in Wuwei County.

Its terrain, with the Quwu Mountains in the east and north, cuts off the invasion from the Hetao Plain, and it is the place where the Zuli River flows into the Dahe (Yellow River), which is a natural dangerous pass.

As for the dangerous point of Xisai, located in Jincheng County, it is the Siwang Gorge that can cross the four Hexi counties in the north and connect the Hehuang Valley in the west. 【Note 2】

Its canyon is named after looking around and looking at the river.

It is the confluence of big rivers, where the Zhuanglang River flows into the north, the big river flows out of the gorge in the east, the big river flows into the gorge in the southwest, and the Huangshui flows into the big river in the northwest.Similar to the Fortress of Yuyin, it is a natural danger created by the terrain.

The four fortresses in Longyou are dangerous, if they can all be returned to the big man, then they can rest easy.

Even if an army of tens of thousands against the Wei Dynasty came to attack, the big Han only needed to send thousands of soldiers to each of the four fortresses, and leave [-] soldiers and horses in Tianshui County as a mobile aid to keep the enemy out.

And Jiang Wei claimed that the dangers in the four directions of Longyou are now unattainable, because the big man has too few cavalry pawns!
Siwang Gorge in Jincheng County can still go out of the head of the Longxi River on foot, from Didao along the Taoshui River, go north and attack it.

But now, Xu Miao, the governor of Liangzhou against the Wei Dynasty, has already sent a large army to station in Jincheng.

The big man can't win it all at once.

But it is even more difficult for Yuyinsai City.

Because it is hundreds of miles away from Ji County in Tianshui!

Among them, the Zuli River is a river of bitter water, and neither humans, animals, nor animals can drink it.

Moreover, within the watershed, the drought is abnormal, and vegetation is difficult to grow, so there is no human habitation.

It is a natural place for riding and fighting!
If the big man wants to attack, he must have four to five thousand elite cavalry pawns, spread out guards along the road, so as to protect the grain road from being attacked by cavalry pawns who rebelled against Wei.

Today, the cavalry pawns of the Han Dynasty cannot be called elite, and there are very few of them.

If you can't protect the grain road, you can't have delusions.
-
[Note 1: "Lingling Xianxian Biography" records, "At the end of the Han Dynasty, when a child was born at the age of one, he would export (fu) money, and most people did not give birth."]

[Note 2: Siwang Gorge was renamed "Bapan Gorge" in Ming and Qing Dynasties.It got its name because of the twists and turns of the climbing path, which is almost [-] percent off. 】

(End of this chapter)