Eastern Jin Dynasty: My powerful father

Chapter 225 Financial Worries

The next day, everyone in the Xie family left Nanyang County, and Huan Wen also set off south. When parting, after saying goodbye to Xie Yi, Huan Wen held Xie An's hand and said reluctantly:

"Since I had a long talk with Anshi, I have been deeply inspired. I really want to get along with Anshi day and night. However, my wish has not come true, and we will part ways today."

Huan Wen's attention also made Xie An feel grateful. As the saying goes, a scholar will die for a confidant, and a woman will look good for someone who pleases her.

If Xie An had not accepted Huan Xi's invitation in advance, he might have changed his mind and went to Xiangyang with Huan Wen.

Xie An bowed and said:

"I hope that the Duke of Chu will live for thousands of years. In time, my subordinates will be able to serve the Duke of Chu."

Huan Wen nodded when he heard this. What Xie An said was true.

As long as Huan Wen can stabilize the operation of Luoyang, force the Jin Dynasty to return to the old capital, and use this to autocratic the court, when Huan Wen begins to integrate the power of father and son, the civil servants and generals of Liang will finally be able to listen to Huan Wen.

The two parties parted ways in the west of the city and set off on their own journeys to their destinations.

At the same time, the news that Xie Yi and Xie An moved their families to Chang'an was also known to Huan Xi. Of course he was happy that Xie An could help him, but the happiest ones were Xie Daoyun and Xie Xuan.

It is a great joy to have parents and brothers as companions.

In Shangshu Province, Huan Xi talked to Wang Meng about Xie An:

Xie An didn't know that Huan Xi and Wang Meng had already decided on his official position in Liang State in just a few words.

Shangshu Zuocheng assists Shangshu Ling and is responsible for general discipline. Shangshu Youcheng assists Zuo Pushe and is in charge of Qiangu and other matters.

In the fourth year of Emperor Xian's reign of the Han Dynasty, he was divided into left and right servants, and his power was second only to Shangshu Ling.

Huan Xi planned to wait for Xie An to make achievements in the position of Shangshu Zuocheng before pushing him to the position of servant. After all, Huan Xi sent people to Jiangdong to conquer Xie An in order to share the government affairs with Wang Meng.

"Congratulations to the Duke of Chu. You have returned victoriously and restored the old capital. Your contribution is to the country."

"How can I be entrusted with the position of servant and shooter when I have just arrived? If people don't know the truth, they will definitely think that I am nepotistic.

Xi Chao stepped forward to congratulate him.

"The war is certainly dangerous, but without Jingxing to stabilize the rear for me, I can rest assured that the enemy will remain in a stalemate.

"In this case, I would like to make him Zuocheng, the minister, to assist you in handling official affairs. What do you think?"

“It’s just that he is really talented and cannot be compromised.

Xi Chao, as the Minister of the State of Chu, was the leader of the ministers and led them to greet him on the outskirts of the city.

On February 355, the th year of Yonghe (AD ), the Chu army crossed the Han River south and returned to Xiangyang.

Huan Wen got off the carriage, held Xi Chao's hand, and said:

Although Xie An was not as comprehensive as Wang Meng and did not have outstanding military talents, the most important thing under Huan Xi's command was generals who were good at fighting.

"Liang Gong acted carefully, and I have no objections."

Huan Xi was well aware of Xie An's abilities.

Wang Meng naturally would not object to Huan Xi’s arrangement and praised:

"Xie Anshi is a man of extraordinary talents. If you get along with him in the future, sir, you will be able to understand his talents."

Huan Xi shook his head and said:

"Although Xie Anshi is famous in the south of the Yangtze River, in the north, he is just unknown.

Wang Meng heard this and suggested with a smile:

"Liang Gong is always good at recognizing people. Today's words are conclusive. It can be seen that Xie Anshi is of extraordinary quality. In this case, why not let him join the Shangshu Province and serve as a servant?"

"Jingxing is based in Jingzhou, taking charge of logistics and allocating military rations. There is never a shortage. Jingxing deserves the most credit for the recapture of Luoyang."

In fact, when Huan Wen asked for titles for his generals, he listed Xi Chao as the first meritorious service.

Of course, the most important thing is that although the Battle of Luoyang was huge, in the final analysis, Huan Wen and Murong Ke were fighting a logistical battle. Therefore, it is only natural that the first credit goes to Xi Chao, who is sitting in the rear and in charge of logistics.

With this contribution, Xi Chao was awarded the title of Marquis of Gaoping County.

It stands to reason that being the county magistrate is more than enough to regain Luoyang for the first time. After all, the political impact of regaining the old capital cannot be ignored.

However, Xi Chao's father, Xi Min, was the Duke of Nanchang County, and the Wei and Jin Dynasties ruled the world with filial piety. In this era where filial piety was respected, Huan Wen and Huan Xi, father and son, were neck and neck in terms of official titles. After all, they were just exceptions.

Huan Wen and Xi Chao entered the city hand in hand, which dispelled the joy of reunion. The two had to face the financial constraints of Chu State.

Huanxi increased fiscal revenue by reforming commercial taxes, but this was because Huanxi had previously established lower tax rates in order to encourage the development of business.

Although Huan Xi ruled Guanlong for a short time, with the encouragement of his policies, the commercial prosperity of Guanlong area was even greater than that of Jiangnan.

In the Jiangnan area, commercial taxes are not heavy. In addition to the one-tenth tariff, there is also a 4% transaction tax. At the same time, there are also miscellaneous commercial taxes such as cattle tax, ferry tax, etc. Many.

Huan Wen and Xi Chao continued to think of ways to use commercial taxes to subsidize the finances, but they were afraid that they would be squandering the benefits.

As for the suffering people, it is even more impossible to impose exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes on them.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the Tian family conspired to usurp the throne and cultivated personal favors. They used big buckets to lend rice to the people and small buckets to take it back.

Yan Ying, a senior official in the state of Qi, once predicted:

'Qi Zheng died and returned to the Tian family.

"Although Tian has no great virtues, he uses public power for private purposes, but he is virtuous to the people and the people love him." '

Therefore, even if Huan Wen tightened his belt and lived a tight life, he could not increase taxes to enrich himself by taking away the people.

Huan Wen and Xi Chao discussed for a long time, but finally got nothing. In desperation, he sighed:

"For the current plan, we can only rest our troops and rest until the national strength is restored before making further calculations."

Xi Chao blamed himself:

"I am incompetent and cannot share the Lord's worries."

Huan Wen knew that Xi Chao could not be blamed for this matter.

"Why should Jingxing blame himself so hard? I underestimated the difficulty of the Northern Expedition."

Huan Wen once used 10,000 elite soldiers to destroy the Han Dynasty in a few months.

When he led 50,000 cavalry north, facing Zhou Cheng, a soft persimmon, and mistakenly thought that he had captured him, he did not expect that when Zhou Cheng had no contact with the Yan State, Murong Ke would actually take the 100,000 The cavalry went south to rescue.

As a result, the development of things completely exceeded Huan Wen's expectations, and the Northern Expedition became a war of attrition.

Although Luoyang was recaptured as expected, the accumulation of seven years was almost squandered.

Seeing Huan Wen standing up to leave with disappointment, Xi Chao hesitated again and again, and finally couldn't help but offer advice:

"Why doesn't the Duke of Chu implement the rule of land extermination and increase the number of tax households?"

Both the Longkang Huan family and the Gaoping Xi family were overseas Chinese in the north, and Tuduan wanted to harm the interests of the overseas Chinese. It was no wonder that Xi Chao had kept silent until he had nothing to do before he made suggestions to Huan Wen.

It was easy for Huan Wen to rest his troops and rest, but would Yan and Yu really sit back and watch Huan Wen control Luoyang?

Once Murong Ke and Fu Jian led their troops south to attack Luoyang, Huan Wen would not save them.

After hearing the word "Tu Duan", Huan Wen sat back in his seat and was silent.

(End of this chapter)