Tang Dynasty: The seventh rank of official residence, and you will be given the Ten Thousand People

In fact, You Nailiang's death was like a melon seed peel thrown into a pool without causing any waves, because it was destined to end like this from the moment the two of them covered the sky with their hands.

The ministers' attention quickly shifted to a more important matter.

"Queen Mother, you said that the army was defeated at Russell Khan Mountain?"

As the current prime minister, Di Renjie was still a little shocked when he heard the news.

A few months ago, news came back from the front line that the army was advancing steadily. Unexpectedly, it was completely defeated in just one month.

Li Lingyue sighed solemnly.

"Yes, when Fan Xin told me about it yesterday, I was also shocked."

"I heard that the Tibetan army has a tendency to press hard on Liangzhou."

As soon as the news came out, the hall fell into shock.

Since Tuyuhun was taken back, the Liangzhou area has become a strategic location. The two are interdependent. If even that area is lost, the entire Hexi Corridor will completely become the territory of the Tubo people.

"Your Majesty, I believe that the top priority is to be prepared on both sides."

"First, recruit troops and horses to Liangzhou to consolidate the local garrison."

"Two, during the period of conscription and preparation for war, try to prevent Tibet from dealing with them."

Di Renjie cupped his hands and said.

"I have already thought about this issue. The Tang Dynasty needs to recruit at least 200,000 soldiers, which will cost 7 million yuan in money and food."

"In order to stabilize the situation in the Hexi area, this is a heavy task. I wonder what Di Qing has to say?"

Di Renjie bowed and said with confidence.

"The Queen Mother, I think that since we want to fight Tubo, it is not enough to recruit 200,000 troops."

"At least 300,000 soldiers need to be recruited! As for the money and food consumed, the people will only suffer a little more."

"The Jiangnan area will increase taxes by 30% on the original basis."

“Other states and counties that are relatively poor have a rate of 1.20% less.”

After hearing these words, the ministers stroked their beards and nodded. Indeed, this is the best way when the treasury is empty.

Seeing that everyone agreed to increase taxes on the people, Li Lingyue was about to order someone to draft a decree when a voice sounded in the hall.

"Wait a minute!"

"Prince Jin?"

Everyone frowned, wondering why he stopped him.

In full view of everyone, Fan Xin bowed his hand towards Di Renjie.

"Mr. Di Ge, the vitality of the Jiangnan area has been severely damaged since the beginning of the civil war. The people's stomachs are not full yet. You actually said that you will continue to suffer the people."

"Aren't you afraid that the people will rebel if they have nowhere to go?"

The whole palace was in an uproar when these words came out. Since ancient times, it has been the practice for the imperial court to increase taxes on the people when they are short of money.

Is His Highness Prince Jin confused? If we don’t suffer the people, why should we suffer the princes and ministers standing here?

Surprisingly, instead of being angry, Di Renjie said with a smile on his face.

"Oh? If we don't increase taxes on the people, could it be that His Highness the King of Jin has some other good ideas?"

Fan Xin......

"Yes, King Jin, you are the regent and the minister of household affairs. It is your duty to recruit troops, prepare for war, and raise money and food."

The ministers looked at Fan Xin with smiles on their faces. They had always been frustrated in the past, but this time they finally got angry.

Li Lingyue also showed a smile.

"Prince Jin, since you care about the people of the world, then take up this important responsibility."

Fan Xin found that he seemed to have been deceived. This serious imperial meeting was meant for his own ears.

Just waiting for him to step forward and take responsibility.

After realizing the truth of the matter, Fan Xin was too embarrassed to stay any longer, and left in a hurry amid the laughter of the ministers.

The laughter behind them got louder, and among them Li Lingyue seemed to laugh the loudest.

Returning to Prince Jin's Mansion, Fan Xin was lying on the imperial chair with a handkerchief on his head.

After all, he was still young, and he was plotted by a few old guys if he wasn't careful.

Recruitment is okay, you can get it together if you give it some time.

Where can I raise millions of copper coins in a short time?
"What's wrong, husband? Are you stumped by something?"

Princess Yinzhu walked into the room carrying a bowl of fish soup, put the bowl on the table and asked.

Fan Xin rubbed his temples and told the story of the conspiracy in the court.

Princess Yinzhu smiled and said after hearing this.

"So that's what happened. I have an idea, which can not only avenge you but also solve the problem of money and food."

"Oh? What's your idea?"

Fan Xin's eyes lit up and he sat up from the Grand Master's chair and looked at Princess Yinzhu curiously.

"Sir, think about who is the richest in the Tang Dynasty?"

"Who is the richest?" Fan Xin scratched his head and asked uncertainly.

“It should be the Queen Mother and the Emperor, they account for a larger share of the Luoyang Chamber of Commerce than me.

"Do you want me to go to them and ask for money?"

Princess Yinzhu smiled and shook her head.

"They do have money, but it's nothing compared to you."

As she spoke, Princess Yinzhu opened the small cabinet and took out an account book from the box.

"We have a pharmacy, a cloth shop, gourmet takeaways, a wine shop, plus dividends from the Luoyang Chamber of Commerce."

"The total revenue has reached this amount."

Princess Yinzhu stretched out two white and tender fingers.

"two thousand…!"

Halfway through his words, Fan Xin quickly went to the ground and closed the window, lest anyone hear him.

"Yinzhu, you're not going to ask me to raise money and food out of my own pocket, are you?"

"what are you thinking."

Princess Yinzhu rolled her eyes: "I want you to pay taxes to the officials and merchants."

"The tax rate decreases in descending order according to the size of the merchant, and it increases more for people like you."

"The smaller ones will increase less, and the vendors who support their families will remain the same."

Fan Xin rubbed his chin and thought about it. It was indeed a good idea to tax merchants according to their scale.

Although he will suffer a little loss, it is nothing compared to the replenishment of the national treasury.

"Okay, I'll do as you say. I will draw up a detailed plan and submit it to you."

Seeing Fan Xinfeng's angry look, Princess Yinzhu grabbed him angrily.

"Wait a minute, taxing officials and businessmen will ultimately harm other people's interests."

"You must state in the fold that this is a temporary measure during a special period."

"The original tax system will be gradually restored after the war ends."

"And large tax payers will not pay in vain. The Ministry of Household Affairs will issue honorary plaques to them in the name of the court."

“Every year, government procurement will give priority to large tax payers.”

"In this way, the backlash you face from officials and businessmen will be much smaller..."

Looking at Princess Yinzhu talking eloquently, Fan Xin was stunned for a moment.

Her skin is like gelatin, her hands are like catkins, and her cold and pretty face is full of unique charm.

For some reason, Fan Xin remembered that sentence.

There is a beautiful woman in the north. She is small and pure, leaving a fragrance with each step and looking at the chaotic world.

"Husband, why are you looking at me like this?"

Princess Yinzhu lowered her head with her face flushed, and stirred together with her white and tender hands.

My heart was beating like a deer.

Seeing this, Fan Xin couldn't help but stretched out his hand to wrap around Princess Yinzhu's waist...

At this moment, the window was pushed open, and a little girl with a sheep's tail and a huge horse head stuck out.

"Hey, mother, what are you and dad doing?"

"Ah, there's nothing to do. Your father and I are studying the account books."

Princess Yinzhu's face flushed and she dusted her sleeves, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to slip in.

Fortunately nothing happened, otherwise I would have been so embarrassed to have been hit by my daughter and a horse.

"Really?"

After looking at the two of them, the little girl scratched her head in confusion.

"Okay, didn't you and Heifengma go for a walk in Luohe?"

"Why are you back so soon?"

Fan Xin glared at the little girl Fianzi angrily. Thinking of the business, the little girl's big eyes suddenly lit up and she said excitedly.

"Hei Fengma and I were walking halfway down the road when we heard that a group of masters from the Western Regions had come to the temple fair, and they came to see you specially."

"Experts from the Western Regions?
Fan Xin was startled. Masters from the Western Regions have come to Chang'an and Luoyang to perform every year since the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty. This is not surprising.

What he was curious about was that it was not an important holiday now, so why did the master from the Western Region suddenly come here.

"Husband, since the children are willing to watch, you can take them with you."

"I am staying at home to help you draft a tax memorial."

"Then trouble you."

After thanking Princess Yinzhu, Fan Xin ordered someone to hitch a carriage and head to the temple fair followed by his guards.

In his decades of official career, he has never seen a performance by an expert from the Western Regions.

Just go and have a look while there's nothing big going on.

When we came to the street, the road became crowded, and an endless crowd of people rushed towards the temple fair.

Everyone wants to see what strange spells the masters from the Western Regions know.

Seeing the Jin King's motorcade coming, the new Yongzhou Mu Zhao Hua came to greet him.
"Your Majesty, please see His Royal Highness the King of Jin."

"Master Zhao, there is no need to be polite. I heard that there are masters from the Western Regions performing magic, so I came here to have a look."

While talking, Fan Xin took a look at the temple fair square, but there was no trace of the master from the Western Regions.

"King Jin is unaware of something. The masters from the Western Regions are resting in the Siyi Pavilion and will be here later."

"Please follow me this way."

Fan Xin jumped out of the carriage and took his daughter and the maids from the mansion to sit in the awning.

Not long after, several women wearing black veils walked towards the square amid the cheers of the people.

"My lord, these women are experts from the Western Region. I heard they know a lot of magic."

Zhao Zhoumu sat aside and introduced with a smile.

Fan Xin nodded and looked at the several Heisha women.

Whether it was an illusion or not, he felt that one of the women glanced at him.

soon.

Amid everyone's expectations, a woman held a flute in both hands and played a piece of music.

What is surprising is that as the tune changes, the python coiled on the shoulder suddenly stands up and starts shaking.

The shocked onlookers covered their mouths.

On the other side, a woman lifted a corner of her veil and blew lightly on the torch.

A fire dragon burst out suddenly, scaring the nearby people into screaming and retreating.

Just when everyone was watching with great interest, an officer hurriedly came to Zhao Zhoumu with his saber in hand and whispered a few words.

The latter's face turned extremely ugly upon hearing this.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"It's absolutely true. The person was just fished out, and the time of death should be three days ago."

"Okay, you go to the scene first and I'll be here later."

After sending his subordinates away, Zhaozhou Mu awkwardly handed over to Fan Xingong.

"His Royal Highness Prince Jin, someone just fished out a faceless corpse from the river. I'm afraid I'll be with you for a while."

"Go and do your business and don't worry about me."

Watching Zhao Hua leave, Fan Xin frowned slightly. The murderer had killed everyone, so why did he take the face of the deceased?

"it is good!"

Fan Xin's thoughts were interrupted by the deafening cheers while he was deep in thought.

Looking up, I saw a woman wearing a veil turning back from time to time.

Every time I turned around there was a new face on my face.

"Change your face!"

Fan Xin did not expect that the masters from the Western Regions would also change their faces in the Bashu area.

I became curious for a while.

At ten o'clock in the evening, the master of the Western Regions bowed to the onlookers and left towards the Siyi Pavilion.

"Okay, let's go back too."

Fan Xin said hello, took a dozen little girls and got on the carriage and headed back.

When they arrived at the door of the house, the two Qianniu Guards waiting here knelt on one knee and said.

"This is to inform the King of Jin that the Queen Mother has urgently summoned you to the palace to meet the Holy Spirit."

"understood."

Handing the reins to the guard, Fan Xin took the six sons and followed the Qianniu Guard towards Tai'an Palace.

When we arrived at the main hall, there were already many ministers standing here.

Everyone gathered together in twos and threes, speculating on what had happened.

"Prince Jin, you are the regent. Do you know why the Queen Mother summoned us so late?"

Di Renjie asked in a low voice.

"Mr. Di Ge is joking. You, the prime minister, don't even know about it. How could a subordinate know about it?"

Fan Xin shook his head and replied.

Although I have some guesses in my mind, it shouldn't be so fast.

So he didn't know what his wife was doing with the gang.

As the chamberlain put on the palace lantern, Li Lingyue sat on the dragon chair accompanied by Yingniang.

He glanced at everyone and said with a smile.

"My dear friends, don't worry. I have come to you to announce some great news."

As soon as these words were spoken, the tense atmosphere in the hall suddenly relaxed.

Di Renjie said with a smile.

"I wonder if the Queen Mother has any good news to announce that she can't wait even one night?"

"Yes, Queen Mother, isn't it because the Tibetan army that sent troops to Liangzhou has withdrawn?"

Facing the curiosity of the ministers, Li Lingyue laughed and waved towards the curtain.

"Tell your dear ladies about it."

"Sir, obey the order."

A man in a cloak walked out of the curtain and hugged everyone.

"My lords, a few days ago the Queen Mother was destined to go to Tubo to secretly drive a wedge between the Tubo King and the first family."

"After receiving the news, the King of Tubo expressed his willingness to discuss an alliance with our country on the spot."

"Let's eradicate the powerful officials who bring disaster to the country and the people together!"

After saying that, the imagined celebration did not appear.

Di Renjie hesitated and said.

"Queen Mother, the Qinling family is the number one family in Tubo. We, the Tang Dynasty, have suffered losses at their hands several times."

"Isn't it possible that the King of Tubo agreed so happily and was deceitful?"

Li Lingyue smiled lightly.

"Of course it's not that simple. Although the King of Tubo promised us to discuss an alliance together."

"But there are two conditions."

"

"First, after the Lun Qinling family was eliminated, Tubo withdrew its troops and the Tang Dynasty officially recognized Tubo's territorial status."

"Second, and most importantly, the King of Tubo personally invites me to Liangzhou to discuss the alliance!"

The second one was like a huge rock smashing into the water, causing an uproar immediately.

More than two hundred ministers stopped him in unison.

"Queen Mother, this must not be done! The ambitions of Tubo wolves are deceitful!"

Li Lingyue smiled slightly and waved her hand indifferently.

"My dear friends, don't worry. The governor of Liangzhou sent someone to send an urgent and secret letter eight hundred miles away."

"He told me that there are currently 40,000 troops stationed in Liangzhou."

"You can definitely protect this palace."

Li Lingyue paused and nodded to his confidants, who took out two secret documents and showed them to the ministers.

"This is a secret message sent by the Liangzhou Intelligence Department and the local governor. There is absolutely no problem with safety..."

(End of this chapter)