Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 355: Confidence in Victory (Special thanks to book friend 2022…6773 for the reward!)

When nearly three million people in Bianliang heard that the army was leaving, many of them stood on the main street to see them off, and the soldiers' families shed tears as they bid farewell.

"I heard that His Majesty sent five large corps to Central Asia this time because the Samanid Dynasty and dozens of countries of the Star Religion invaded our Great Zhou territory! The enemy army seems to have millions of people.

It looks like this is going to be a war that will last for many years!"

"All this is to blame on the exiled prince Ali of the Karakhanid Khanate! I heard that he gathered the Central Asian rebels on the border of the Samanid Dynasty and sent many envoys to various Star Religious countries to spread rumors that were unfavorable to our Great Zhou. This is what triggered the war!"

"Hey, do you think our Great Zhou can defeat the Star Cult coalition this time? I heard that more than 20 countries have sent troops, millions of them."

“Your Majesty has dispatched five regiments of the Longxiang Army to fight this time, which shows how much he values ​​this battle.

Your Majesty is an eternal sage monarch. With the powerful military of our Great Zhou and the many magical weapons developed by the Royal Academy of Sciences over the years, we will definitely win this battle!

As long as it is your majesty's decision, we, the people of the Great Zhou, will definitely support it with all our strength! If the court wants to recruit soldiers, I plan to let my second and third sons join the army!"

"Yes! If your Majesty had not been born, how could we, the common people, have the good life we ​​have now!
I remember when I was young, my parents were tenants of a government official’s family. They worked very hard to support three of my six brothers and sisters, and we had to eat coarse food and vegetables every day.

Who would have thought that today, I have reclaimed more than ten acres of land, raised pigs and chickens, and supported a family of six, and can also entertain the whole family with wine and meat from time to time? ! "

For a moment, the crowd excitedly talked about the poor days in the past that they could not bear to look back on, and lamented that after Emperor Chai Zongxun ascended the throne, he brought the people of the Great Zhou an unprecedented good life.

"Your Majesty is truly a benevolent ruler. Not long ago, you raised the tax exemption standards again, which is really good for us people!

Now that the Star Cult countries have united to invade, Your Majesty needs a lot of money to fight. I wonder if the national treasury will have enough money after the tax exemption?"

The people around were more and more moved as they talked, and one of them said loudly:

"Now that the enemy has invaded, Your Majesty has not imposed any additional taxes on us, the people. You are truly a benevolent monarch unprecedented in history!

When the country is in trouble, the people have a responsibility!
Although my family is not wealthy, I wish to donate all my remaining wealth, thirty taels of silver, to the imperial court to help our Great Zhou Empire defeat its powerful enemies!"

As soon as these words came out, the people around shouted:
"I will donate to the national treasury too! I will donate twenty taels!"

"I'll donate fifty taels!" "I'll donate ten taels!"

The people were so excited that when the army passed by, tens of thousands of people rushed to the government office in Bianliang.

When Li Mu, the governor of Bian Jing, received the report, he was shocked. He thought something big had happened among the people, and hurried out of the court to welcome the people.

Li Mu was born in the third year of Tiancheng in the Later Tang Dynasty (928), with the courtesy name Mengyong, and was from Yangwu, Kaifeng.

His father, Li Xianzhi, was the military commander of the Shanzhou Grand Military Governor's Office. Li Mu was able to write articles when he was young and had a noble character. If he found something lost on the road, he would visit the owner and return it to him. He studied the Book of Changes, Zhuangzi, and Laozi under the tutelage of Suanzao Wang Zhaosu, and exhausted all the principles.

In the early years of Xian De (954), he passed the imperial examination and was appointed as an official in Ying and Ru states, and was later promoted to the position of You Shi Yi.

After Chai Zongxun succeeded to the throne, he was appointed Zuo Shiyi and Zhizhigao. He was gentle and rigorous, and had a serious conduct.

From the ninth to the twelfth year of Kaixi, Li Mu mourned for his mother for three years.

In the 15th year of Kaixi, Li Mu performed well in the examination. Chai Zongxun promoted him to be the prefect of Bianjing because of his gentle temperament and keen judgment of cases, and presided over the daily government affairs of the capital.

After asking, he found out that they were civilians who came to donate money to support the army. Li Mu felt relieved and said:
"Fellow villagers, there is no need to worry too much. His Majesty has already prepared for the invasion of the Star Religion country!
The treasury of our great Zhou has been abundant over the years, with a large annual surplus, and we do not need donations from our fellow villagers.

All the villagers need to do is obey the law and work hard, which is a strong support for the court and a loyal act to Your Majesty!" Many people still wanted to donate silver, saying:

"Sir, we common people now have food, clothing, shelter, and surplus food at home. Our children can go to the National School. We should donate the money we have saved over the years to the national treasury and build more Yansu artillery to shoot stars and teach thugs!"

"My Lord, whenever His Majesty needs to recruit soldiers to defend the country, we in Bianjing must be the first to post a notice!

My family has not produced many talented people, but I have three sons who are all young men. As long as they can kill the enemy for Your Majesty, even if they all die on the battlefield, I am willing to do so!"

Li Mu was touched and embarrassed, and said:
“My fellow countrymen, I understand your loyalty to the emperor and your patriotism.

But since Your Majesty has not given the order, I dare not accept the donations from my fellow villagers. This is against the law!

Please go back, folks. I will report your kindness to His Majesty."

Li Mu and the officials persuaded the people for a long time before they dispersed one after another.

Two days later, on the afternoon of July 18, the 27th year of Kaixi, Chai Zongxun saw the memorial submitted by Li Mu, the prefect of Bian Jing, when he was reading memorials in the Yangxin Palace.

After reading it, Chai Zongxun smiled and said:

"The Chinese people are truly the kindest, most grateful, and most patriotic people!
Although they don't know much about the national situation, when they heard that the Star Sect and other countries in the world were united to attack our Great Zhou, they thought of taking out their family's savings over the years to donate to the court!"

Tang Qi, the chief eunuch standing beside Chai Zongxun, said hurriedly:
"Mencius said: "Benevolence is human nature; benevolence is the human heart."

He also said: "If the ruler treats his subjects as his own hands and feet, then the subjects will treat the ruler as their confidant; if the ruler treats his subjects as dirt, then the subjects will treat the ruler as their enemy."

If the country does not know that it has people, then the people will not know that they have a country.

Your Majesty is an eternal sage monarch. You treat the people of the Great Zhou with such kindness that no other monarch in ancient or modern times can compare to you!

The people of our Great Zhou, including our slaves, are willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty, and will not refuse even a single death!"

Tang Qi said this with passion and determination, but Chai Zongxun knew it was not flattery. If he really wanted Tang Qi to die for the country, he would not frown at all.

After all, in the Great Zhou Empire of Chai Zongxun, all talents were selected through imperial examinations, meritorious officials were rewarded generously, and there were very few benevolent monarchs in history who allowed eunuch Tang Qi to adopt his sons and inherit the incense.

Chai Zongxun nodded and said:
“A court that uses force to coerce the people is in fact a tyrannical and illegal court.

Although the subjects shouted long live the emperor and sang praises every day, in fact, they knew that they were all lies! The oppressed and exploited people were afraid of the rulers' butcher knife. In order to survive and develop, they had to sing praises against their will, but in fact they cursed and hated the court in their hearts.

Such a court that rules the people by force and violence will soon collapse if it encounters a powerful foreign enemy or suffers a slight military disadvantage! "

Tang Qilian claimed yes.

Chai Zongxun picked up the tea bowl and took a few sips, then said:

“Now that the people of my Great Zhou are able to donate money voluntarily to aid the court, it is clear that my policies throughout the ages have brought great benefits to the people, and the administration of officials across the country is also clean enough!

With these millions of people here, I know that in this war against the Star Sect countries, our Great Zhou will surely win!"

(End of this chapter)