Aspiring to the Ten Kingdoms

Chapter 421
After Xue Juzheng left Shu, he returned to Bianjing non-stop and reported everything to Luo Youdu.

"Your Majesty, Meng Xuanzhe, the lord of Shu, is very humble to his subordinates, acting like the lord of a small country."

Luo Youdu didn't find it strange that the imperial court in central Shu was occupied by a group of corrupt officials, but being able to become a corrupt official was also a skill, so he wouldn't be reckless with himself.

"Then that's how you responded?"

Xue Juzheng said: "This subordinate is the envoy of the upper kingdom, so he maintains the demeanor of the imperial court and is arrogant."

Luo Youdu laughed loudly: "What a supercilious one, what I want is supercilious. The small country of Sichuan and Shu, and my majestic Central Plains, didn't take it to heart at all. Only in this way, they have the courage to break ground on Taisui's head."

Pointing to the stool beside him, he said, "Sit down, Xue Qing, and speak slowly. I want to hear what you've seen along the way."

Xue Juzheng pondered for a moment and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the situation in the middle of Sichuan can be described in five words as the world of wealth and poverty. When I enter Shu from the Three Gorges, the first stop is Kuizhou. The people here are poor and content, and they admire me in the Central Plains."

Luo Youdu was greatly surprised and said, "How do you say that?"

Xue Juzheng said: "The taxation of the people in Shu is extremely heavy, and the people are in poverty, but Kuizhou borders on our Xiazhou. The traders between the two places pass through Kuizhou one after another, so the people in Kuizhou mainly use the coins of our dynasty, which is affected by Kuizhou. The people in Kuizhou have no problem with food and clothing, and they often communicate with the people of Xiazhou. They have a certain understanding of the taxation situation in our dynasty.

Luo Youdu nodded in understanding.

Xue Juzheng continued: "Passing through Kuizhou and heading west along the Yangtze River is Kaizhou. From then on, the people gradually bartered and exchanged things without using coins. Especially the mountain people in Daba Mountain, they only accept For barter, all currencies are not accepted, so many conflicts with local merchants."

Xue Juzheng talked about the situation from state to state. When he talked about Chengdu, he couldn't help but shook his head and said: "After entering Chengdu, I was amazed by the sights I saw. This Chengdu lives in the Chengdu Plain, which was affected by Li Bing's flood control in the past. The canals are criss-crossed, the agriculture is developed, the products are rich, and it is called Tianfu, but because of Mrs. Huarui's words, Meng Chang went directly to the fields forty miles around Chengdu to plant flower beds."

"The officials who greeted me proudly told me that I didn't come at the right time. He said that if I arrived in Chengdu in April and May, I would see hibiscus blooming forty miles along the city, like a beautiful pavement, called Chengdu. For Hibiscus City."

"I was stunned when I heard this, and I really don't understand why this matter is worth touting?"

Xue Juzheng continued: "Entering the city of Chengdu, the sights in the city are astounding, and the smell of wine is overflowing in the streets. This is still in the midst of the national mourning, if it is not for the national mourning, I am afraid that the wind of feasting will be even more rampant."

"I have seen and heard all the way, and dare to assert that the people in Sichuan have been looking forward to Master Wang for a long time."

Listening to Xue Juzheng explaining what he saw and heard along the way, Luo Youdu suddenly felt dumbfounded.

Understand why the land of Shu is so difficult to attack, the Song Dynasty could destroy Shu in 66 days.

I understand why the rebellion in Shu continues, and even Zhao Kuangyi, the god of the Gaoliang River chariot, has the idea of ​​​​giving up Shu.

Because of Meng Chang's arrogance and extravagance, the people of Shu Kingdom lived in dire straits. He had already lost his popularity in Shu Kingdom, and the surrounding prefectures except Chengdu hoped for a savior to save them from the fire.

It turned out not to be a savior, but a group of demons.

Under the command of Wang Quanbin, the Song army raped and looted in Shu, and trapped and killed Shu soldiers, which completely aroused public anger.

Under Meng Chang's rule, at least he can survive.

Once Song Jun came, there was no way to survive.

This is not anti-Song, but against whom?
Luo Youdu said leisurely: "It is easy to destroy Shu, but it is difficult to rule Shu!"

Xue Juzheng said solemnly: "Actually, it's not difficult, but we must follow the example of Emperor Zhaolie's army when they crossed the border without committing any crimes, cultivate kindness, and return Shu to their hearts."

Luo Youdu frowned slightly, and said, "It's easy to say, but it's really not easy to do."

The current military discipline is much better than before.

In the past, the army was full of regular gangsters. Now, after two generations of self-government, the atmosphere of the army has changed drastically.

But the sky in Shu is high and the emperor is far away. If one of them really gets dizzy, he will do something.

It is not easy for Luo Youdu, who is far away in Bianjing, to restore the situation.

Xue Juzheng also knew this, and said: "If His Majesty personally conquers..."

Luo Youdu waited for this sentence, and said: "Ai Qing is right."

Xue Juzheng was dumbfounded, he didn't know how to make it up, he was just making a random opinion...

Luo Youdu looked at Xue Juzheng, and said mysteriously: "This matter is not allowed to be revealed."

Xue Juzheng felt that he was on a pirate ship, so he silently agreed.

In the following time, the institutions of the Central Plains court began to operate at high speed.

The deployment of military pay, the operation of food and grass.

Officials at all levels are running for the war.

In addition to the service of front-line soldiers and officers, the dispatch of the rear is also extremely important in the victory or defeat of the battle.

All kinds of armaments and materials were transferred to the south.

Two waves of supplies, one gathered in Yangzhou and the other gathered in Jiangling.

Cao Bin had already arrived at the front line in Yangzhou, but he did not start the battle in time.

It has been snowing heavily in the south of the Yangtze River for the past few days, and most of the soldiers in his hands are from the northern part of the Central Plains, so he is a little unfamiliar with the water and soil in the south of the Yangtze River.

In this bad weather, it is not suitable to fight.

Therefore, I prepared for the war in Yangzhou and waited for the heavy snow to pass.

Pan Mei also arrived in Hengyang and took over the defense of Hengyang. He was not in a hurry to attack Guiyang, but planned to wait for Li Chong to attack and destroy Wuling and eliminate Zhou Xingfeng before going south.

Nanhan also saw Pan Mei's intentions, and planned to take advantage of Pan Mei's lack of troops to attack Hengyang again, to avenge his shame.

The result is obvious, under the training of Luo Youdu, Pan Mei is even better than in history.

Pan Mei, who was in a defensive position, swallowed the attacking soldiers and horses of the Southern Han Dynasty in one gulp, and none of the horses returned.

This day in the hall, Luo Youdu took out the memorabilia written by Pan Mei and gave it to all civil and military officials in the hall to read.

Luo Youdu laughed and said: "Pan Zhaozhao found out the reality of the Lingnan Han Kingdom on the front line. He said that the false emperor Liu Yuyong of Lingnan was cowardly and incompetent. He didn't know how to govern the country and was very suspicious. He didn't trust the ministers and entrusted all important affairs in the country to the eunuchs." Gong Chengshu, Chen Yanshou, and Lu Qiongxian among the maids. He felt that all the officials had families and would refuse to be loyal in order to take care of their children and grandchildren, so he made a special decree that if they want to be reused, the officials must leave the palace."

There was also a chuckle in the hall. They had heard about it, but it was too unbelievable, and they all listened to it as a rumor and joke.

After all, rumors only stop at the wise, and whoever believes in this kind of thing is an idiot.

It turns out that the reality is even more absurd than the rumors...

Many officials can only hide their embarrassment.

Luo Youdu said grimly: "You really are a strange person, a strange thing. How dare you call this kind of person lonely?"

He glanced at the courtiers, and said: "Pan Zhaozhuo asked the court to send troops to conquer, saying that the Southern Han Dynasty was ridiculous and vulnerable. Give him tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, and within three months, Lingnan can be flattened."

"What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)