Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 353 Assassination of Liu Bang ([-])

Han Xin frowned and asked, "So, is there anyone fleeing to Jiangdong?"

Han Xin really has to get involved in this matter, if not, he managed to seize the land of Liang, but all the people of Liang land fled to the east of the river, so what use would he want Liang land for?
Zhao Yan said: "All the counties fly reports that tens of thousands of people have already fled."

"These troublemakers!" Su Weilang said angrily, "Your Majesty, why don't you send troops to catch them back!"

Zhao Yan's face changed slightly, but he resisted saying nothing, but Han Xin raised his hand to stop Cao Yu, and said, "No, arresting alone can't solve the problem. Immediately order all counties and counties to set up porridge sheds. , Relief refugees, in addition to this, the land tax, oral tax and calculation tax for the next three years in the four counties and sixty counties of Liangdi will be exempted!"

Lou Jing couldn't help nodding slightly when he heard the words, and a smile appeared on his face.

Zhao Yan bowed to the ground when he heard the words, and said in an extremely sincere tone: "My lord, on behalf of more than 150 counties and more than [-] million people in the four counties of Liang, I would like to thank King Hongen."

Han Xin waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "The common people must be kind, but those spies who spread rumors and confuse people must be severely punished. All counties are ordered to kill one of the spies of Chu if they are caught!"

"Here!" Zhao Yan bowed to the ground again and took his orders.

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In the north of Xianyang City, Green Willow Villa.

Green Willow Villa is just an ordinary manor. There are no one hundred or eighty such manors in the north of Xianyang City. The people nearby only know that the owner of Green Willow Villa is a master of medicine, but few people know that Liuzhuang The master is also a hero with outstanding swordsmanship, and Lu Zhi knew it by accident.

Lu Zhi's carriage went directly into the village, and the gatekeeper didn't dare to stop it.

Hearing that the Queen had arrived, the owner of Liu Zhuang rushed out to meet him, and led Lu Zhi into the inner courtyard.

Backing away, Lu Zhi said bluntly: "Master Liu, I know that you have excellent medical skills, especially swordsmanship, so I would like to invite you to enter the palace to kill two people."

"Entering the palace to kill someone?" Liu Zhuangzhu said in astonishment, "The queen is joking, although I have learned swordsmanship for a few years, three or five ordinary idlers think it is no problem, but if you want to enter the palace to kill people, it is absolutely impossible. Just relying on my little swordsmanship, I'm afraid I can't even get close to the wall garden of the Forbidden Palace, let alone enter the palace to kill people."

"I have my own way of entering the palace." Lu Zhi waved his hands and said in a dark voice, "If I can send you to the palace, can you kill these two people for me?" , Lu Zhi took out two scrolls from his sleeve, and when he opened them, there were two portraits, one was a charming beauty, and the other was a ten-year-old boy.

Master Liu narrowed his eyes for a moment, and said, "This should be Mrs. Qi and Mr. Ruyi, right?"

"That's right." Lu Zhi didn't deny it, and said coldly, "It's this bitch and her son of a bitch."

Master Liu stroked the short beard under his chin, and said in a deep thought: "Madam Qi is the king's concubine, and Mr. Ruyi is the king's heart and soul. There must be a large number of guards guarding the two of them. If you want to assassinate the king in the palace They will definitely not be able to rely on the next person alone, and they have to find a few more masters of swordsmanship to go with them."

Lu Zhi asked, "Is there any suitable candidate for Master Liu?"

Master Liu said: "Queen, there are suitable candidates, but this matter is no small matter. After all, the identities of Mrs. Qi and Mr. Ruyi are there. Let's not talk about whether we can get out of the palace after we succeed. Even if we are lucky enough to escape, the big man We absolutely can't stay in the country anymore, so this price..."

Lu Zhi turned around and waved. A guard had already brought a big box into the hall, and then Lu Zhi personally stepped forward to open the box, but inside was a box full of gold, silver and jewels. With an undisguised greed, Lu Zhi smiled slightly and said: "Master Liu, these are all yours. After the matter is completed, I will thank you very much!"

Master Liu could no longer take his gaze away from the gleaming gold, silver and jewels, and while rubbing his hands, he said, "Queen, I'm accepting the deal next time. When your side is ready, send someone over again." Just let me know, as long as the queen can get my people into the palace, Madam Qi and Duke Ruyi will definitely die!"

"Okay." Lu Zhi nodded happily and said, "Then it's settled."

After all, Lu Zhi turned around and left without saying a word of nonsense.

As soon as the sound of Lu Zhi's footsteps went away, the greedy look in Liu Zhuang's eyes suddenly faded away, and then he directly moved forward to remove a row of bookshelves, and opened a secret door from behind the bookshelves, and entered a dark room. The secret room was slightly tilted, and a carrier pigeon flew out of a small window in the backyard of the Green Willow Villa, flapping its wings and flying into the night sky.

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Ziling, the upper study of the Chu Palace.

Xiang Zhuang is carefully reviewing some data about the industry and commerce in Chudi collected by the Lingyin Mansion. For example, how many handicraft workshops employ more than [-] people?For example, what is the total annual output of refined iron in Chudi?For example, how many catties of wine is brewed in a year, etc., Xiang Zhuang is very clear about what these data mean.

Looking at the series of data in his hand, Xiang Zhuang finally showed a smile on his face.

After more than ten years of painstaking cultivation, the industry and commerce of Chu State has finally begun to take shape.

In the previous decade or so, the advantages of the Chu state were not obvious compared with the Han state, and even slightly inferior. The most direct manifestation is that the food accumulated by the Han state is obviously more than that of the Chu state, but there is a reason for this, because Chu The country needs to spend more to cultivate industry and commerce, while the Han country implements a national policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing business, so there is no need to rob agriculture to benefit business.

But now, the industry and commerce of Chu State has begun to take shape. From then on, there is no need to rob farmers and businessmen. Xiang Zhuang has reason to believe that Chu State's national power will usher in an explosive growth. To use a term from later generations, Chu State's "Chicken's fart" will soon leave the country of Han far behind, not to mention the countries of Qi, Zhao, and Huainan.

With the increase of "chicken farts", the war potential of Chu State will also grow. As long as the soldiers from Jingxiang and Bashu are trained into an army, Chu State will be able to continue to use troops abroad, and there will never be any problems due to food shortages. The shortage and unsustainable situation, at most, is that the excessive consumption of national power leads to soaring prices, that is, inflation.

In a word, Chu State exchanged ten years of subjugation for the development of industry and commerce.

Now, industry and commerce will in turn promote Chu’s external expansion. This is because Chu’s industry and commerce are closely related to the war. Only when Chu continues to use troops abroad can the soldiers of the Chu army continue to receive bonuses. The soldiers of the Chu army received bonuses. Only then will there be consumption, and the industry and commerce of Chu State will develop. This has become a cycle.

When Xiang Zhuang was secretly rejoicing, Qu Bucai suddenly came out from the corner and said: "My lord, I just received a letter from Feige from Xianyang, and Wumuya Xianyang branch just received an extraordinary business. The queen of the Han Dynasty, Lu Zhi, paid a lot of money and asked our people to enter the palace for her to assassinate Madam Qi and Liu Ruyi."

"Huh?!" Xiang Zhuang's heart skipped a beat when he heard the words, "Is there such a thing?"

"This is a secret letter." After Qu Bucai finished speaking, he handed a small roll of letterhead to Xiang Zhuang.

Xiang Zhuang took the secret letter and read it hastily, a thought popped into his mind, he asked Qu Bucai immediately, "Old Qu, if I remember correctly, Madam Qi and Liu Ruyi should live in Weiyang Palace, right?"

Qu Bucai nodded, and replied: "Yes, Liu Bang has lived in Weiyang Palace since the completion of Weiyang Palace, but Changle Palace has been given over to Prince Liu Ying and Queen Lu Zhi. Mrs. Qi is Liu Bang's favorite. Concubine Ji and Liu Ruyi are Liu Bang's favorite sons, so the mother and son also lived in Weiyang Palace."

A flash of coldness flashed across Xiang Zhuang's eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "If Lu Zhi can bring our people to Madam Qi and Liu Ruyi, he can also bring our people to Liu Bang, and our people can assassinate Madam Qi and Liu Ruyi have a chance to assassinate Liu Bang, old Qu, isn't that right?"

As soon as this idea appeared, Xiang Zhuang could no longer calm down. In the current Han Dynasty, the conflict between the Liu family and the Lu family is on the verge of breaking out. If Liu Bang dies suddenly at this time...

Qu Bucai said: "Your Majesty, it seems so."

Xiang Zhuang slapped Jie hard, and said: "Old Qu, we have to figure this matter out..."

Qu Bucai nodded, and leaned in front of Xiang Zhuang, the monarch and his ministers conspired with each other.

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At Hangu Pass, Liu Bang's convoy had just passed the pass and was slowly heading towards Xianyang.

Walking on the luxury carriage in the middle, Liu Bang, who was dozing off with his eyes closed, suddenly shivered and woke up suddenly from his daze. Said: "My lord, what's the matter?"

"No, nothing." Liu Bang waved his hand and said inexplicably, "I just felt a little cold just now, but it's better now."

"Cold?" Liu Bi was stunned when he heard the words. On this hot day, wearing armor was like being locked in a steamer. It was so hot that people were going crazy, but the king actually felt cold?Your Majesty is suffering from a cold, right?At that moment Liu Bi said again, "Your Majesty, do you want to send the imperial physician here to show you?"

"What does the imperial physician do? The widow is not sick." Liu Bang frowned, and said again, "Where is Governor Lu?"

Liu Bi hurriedly said: "Mr. Lu just took a fast horse and went to Xianyang." After a pause, Liu Bi said again, "By the way, before leaving, he asked the last general to tell the king that he will not go to Xianyang this time. I will live up to your expectations, Your Majesty."

Liu Bang breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Ze's words were nonsensical. Liu Bi couldn't understand, but Liu Bang knew what he meant. Lu Ze was clearly telling Liu Bang that he would try to persuade Lu Zhi, Lu Tai and others to go to Xianyang. All Lu's children, let the entire Lu's group be loyal to Liu Han forever, and never give birth to dissent.

I have to say that Chen Ping's abdication strategy is still very clever. Chen Ping has a good grasp of Lu Ze's human nature. He knows that Lu Ze is generous by nature. Once Liu Bang shows his intention to abdicate, Lu Ze will definitely feel guilty. , Instead, asked the entire Lu Group to make major concessions to ensure Liu Han's dominance.

(End of this chapter)