Great Han Empire

Chapter 524 Immediately Shooting the Gun
In October, in Hedong, the chariots and riders traveled to Linfen, the mansion of the Great General.

Li Wei had just led his troops across the river to Fenglingdu, when he received the news from Luoyang that the imperial court issued a warning order.Li Wei was overjoyed, and immediately ordered captains Guo Xun and Liu Yu to take 1 troops each to garrison Fenglingdu and Maojin.Li Wei told them that if the order is issued, the merchants in Gyeonggi will flee when they hear the wind, so you should prepare more boats and help them escape to the east of the river for refuge.

Li Wei rushed to Anyi immediately after arranging the garrison along the river.Li Wei explained some things that happened in Luoyang to the prefect Wang Han, the governor of Hedong, Shi Sangyang, and Yantie captain Xie Ming in detail, and then they discussed the situation.Wang Han believed that the purpose of the imperial court's promulgation of censorship orders in individual states and counties was obviously not to collect tax evasion from merchants, but to confiscate merchants' property to fill the national treasury.

Sang Yang said that although the warning order can destroy the families of ordinary merchants on the ground in Gyeonggi, behind these merchants are powerful families. If the warning order is implemented for a long time, the powerful families will definitely be involved.Nowadays, many aristocratic families are actually giant businessmen. Which one of the Yuan clan, Yang clan, and horse clan in the court does not have a family property of billions of dollars?With their salaries and rewards from the emperor, can they accumulate so much money?The guards in Hedong are a prominent example. Since they could not enter the court as officials and participate in the government, they simply tore up their faces and became a big family who was both scholars and merchants, so that they could also influence the court's decision-making from another aspect.Once the warning order affects the survival of the nobles and nobles everywhere, the court will be in trouble.Although this method has temporarily solved the problem of food and pay for the expeditionary army and the depletion of the national treasury, it has too much impact on the nobles and nobles, seriously endangering their power, and there will be another dispute in Luoyang.

"As long as the expedition is successful, northern Xinjiang will be stable, and there will be no worries in northern Xinjiang. No matter how chaotic Luoyang is, it will not shake the safety of the country." Li Wei said with a smile, "The imperial court is determined to issue an order, which shows that they take this very seriously. Clear. As long as this policy is good for us in northern Xinjiang, it should be fully supported. We will talk about the future."

Li Wei then changed the subject and asked if Sima Zishao, Bo Qianzhao, and Yu Shilu from the former Hussar General's Mansion were still in Hedong.Li Wei said, if they are still here, I plan to enlist them to work in the mansion in the name of General Cheqi.Wang Han said that they all went to Jinyang.Before leaving Hedong, Mr. Lu recommended his disciple Zhang Xun to me.I admired Zhang Xuan's martial arts and talent very much, so I recruited him to serve as a soldier in the Hedong Prefecture, but he was recruited by you in a blink of an eye.Wang Han smiled and pointed to the disappointed Li Wei and said: "Zhong Yuan, you have conscripted a lot of officials in Luoyang for the Cheqi General's Mansion, and there should be enough manpower. Don't borrow people from me anymore. Don't be an example. .”

Li Wei sighed: "Bianjun is in short supply of manpower, but there are too few people who are willing to go to Bianjun. When I was in Luoyang recruiting officials for the northern frontier county, some students would rather do nothing in Luoyang than go to Bianjun. The county serves the country. In today's world, there are too many people who are greedy for comfort and pleasure. I have no choice but to recruit everywhere in the name of Cheqi Dajunfu. There are still too few people.”

Li Wei bid farewell to Wang Han and the others and hurried back to Linfen.He urgently wrote to Zhao Qi in Jinyang Xingyuan, begging him to leave Zishao, Qianzhao and Shilu for Beijiang.

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A few days after the imperial court promulgated the order, merchants in places where the Northern Army’s cavalry had not arrived had received news that some merchants with wealth of around one million and a small backer took the lead in carrying their relatives’ property to warehouses in Hedong, Hanoi, Jizhou, Jingzhou and other places. Flee in panic.The ban on merchants launched by Emperor Wu in the past almost wiped out merchants in the Han Kingdom. Still holding a little fantasy, they are reluctant to part with their luxurious house and huge manor, and they don't believe that the dignitaries in the court and China who are related to their own interests will kill them.

Taiwei Dong Zhuo mercilessly swung the bloody butcher knife and killed him to the end.The wealthy merchants woke up. While cursing Dong Zhuo's atrocities and the insidiousness of the dignitaries in the court, they abandoned their wealth and fled in all directions.

Merchants from Henan Yin, Hongnong County and Sanfu County poured into Hedong like a tide, and many merchants fled here alone with their families broken.After Li Wei heard the news, he immediately sent people to spread the news, saying that the warning order would be sent to Hedong, and everyone should flee to Jinyang and outside the Great Wall, otherwise they would be killed in the end.Merchants were panic-stricken, and everyone was in danger, and they all went north.

Xu Ling and Qu Zhongxin thought it was true, and rushed to Linfen to inquire about Li Wei.Li Wei said with a smile, so many merchants crossing the river to escape from misfortune, I am afraid it will arouse the anger of the court. If Dong Zhuo is angry and falsely promulgates an edict to the east of the river, you will be miserable.Now that the big city of Jinyang has prospered, and outside the Great Wall is garrisoning land and preparing to build a mutual market, there are opportunities to make money everywhere. Of course, it is better to go north to avoid disaster than to stay in Hedong.

Xu Ling and Qu Zhong immediately understood what Li Wei was thinking.He wants to drive these merchants to Jinyang and outside the Great Wall, so that the farming and mutual markets outside the Great Wall can get more help.Xu Ling said that these people are used to living a good life and will not stay outside the Great Wall for a long time.Li Wei smiled and said, I just need them to take a look and let them know that there is money to be made there.As long as there is money to be made, these merchants will make a second trip, a third trip, and even stay on the prairie for a long time.Then he asked the two of them: "Are you two also interested in going north? I suggest you go to Yunzhong County first, then go to Tuntian District in Hetao, and finally go to the desert. The county seat of Hanbei County is in Jinxueyuan, and Mr. Xianyu and Mr. Tian are there." Master, the two of you can enjoy the beautiful desert scenery."

Qu Zhong smiled and said, "Master Li, is this your order or your invitation?"

Li Wei laughed: "If the two of you go north together, the merchants will run faster, so please do help."

Xu Ling said: "Okay, okay, we should do something for such a small matter, besides, we are also thinking of going to the desert to have a look." He took out a brocade box from his pocket, "This time Qu Zhong and I have never met Thank you, sir. This is a little thought from us, please accept it with a smile."

Li Wei didn't even look at it, but waved and said, "Take it away."

Xu Ling wanted to persuade him again, but Li Wei said coldly: "I still want to live for a few more years, so you'd better not bother me. Also, I warn you two, since I can move you from Guanzhong, I will I can send you back."

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More than ten days later, the news of the imperial court's promulgation order has spread to merchants all over the world.Today the imperial court is only implementing it in Gyeonggi and neighboring states and counties, so what about tomorrow?The merchants in the Central Plains prefectures and counties started the great escape at the same time.In the face of money and life, merchants chose life without hesitation.Merchants fled in three directions, one was to go south to Yangzhou and Jingzhou, the other was to go west over the mountains and enter Bashu, and more people chose Bingzhou in the north.

After the notice order was delivered to Chang'an, Jingzhao Yin Gaixun first violated Yin and Yang, and let Guanzhong merchants go to Hedong.Later, the Northern Army's iron cavalry raids became more and more unscrupulous, and even the nobles of the Guanzhong clan began to be arrested.Gai Xun was furious, and on the pretext that the Northern Army had violated military regulations, he ordered the county soldiers in Chang'an to surround thousands of Northern Army cavalry.Some wealthy merchants in Guanzhong and Kansai took the opportunity to flee.When Dong Zhuo heard the news, he hurriedly played to the emperor, saying that Gai Xun was openly resisting the edict.Following Dong Zhuo's discussion, the emperor decreed to dismiss Gai Xun, ordered him to be escorted back to Beijing for trial, and worshiped Fengche Duwei Dong Min as Jing Zhaoyin.Dong Min then led Qianqi to Chang'an.

After Gai Xun received the news from the capital, he immediately left Yinshou and fled to Hedong with his family.Li Wei hurriedly sent someone to escort him to Jinyang.

Li Wei played the role of the emperor in the name of a chariot-riding general, exonerated Gai Xun, and demanded food and salary at the same time.Dong Zhuo didn't dare to go too far, and immediately went up to the emperor to take Gai Xun as his counselor, urging him to return to Beijing to take up his post.Gai Xun firmly resigned and refused to return to Beijing.

Under Li Wei's repeated urging, more and more grain, grass, and luggage were transported from Luoyang, Chang'an, and Jizhou to Beyond the Great Wall.Dong Zhuo promised Li Wei that he would speed up the transportation after the autumn harvest in October, and strive to send all the food, grass and supplies needed by the expeditionary army to the outside of the Great Wall in November. At the same time, he fulfilled his promise and sent Li Wei A relief of 20 billion dollars.

Li Wei immediately sent money and food to several border counties such as Beidi, Shuofang, Wuyuan, and Shanggu. The prefects of each border county had money and food, and then accelerated the speed of moving northward to the Hu people.Li Wei also sent a batch of money and food to Jinyang, and the relief situation of the disaster victims in Bingzhou was eased as a result.Zhao Jian, the captain of Diannong in Changshan, also received money and food from Li Wei, and the people in the villages of Changshan and Zhongshan temporarily settled the food and clothing for the winter.Li Wei also allocated a sum of money to Zhang Baiqi, the general of Diannong Zhonglang, and asked him to start large-scale military training immediately after the autumn harvest in case of urgent needs.

At the same time, Li Wei sent dozens of officials to buy grain to states and counties with abundant grain harvests.Li Wei told them, buy as much grain as you have, no matter how high the price is, you will buy it back for me.A clerk asked, what does Mr. Li need so much food for?Do adults want to hoard food in advance so that they can make a fortune next year?
Li Wei smiled wryly and said: "Hanbei County and the six border counties need at least [-] to [-] troops to ensure the stability of northern Xinjiang and the desert. With so many troops stationed far outside the Great Wall, how much food do they need to consume in a year? At present, Hetao Peace City outside the Great Wall The two places have just started farming, and in less than three years there will be no surplus grain at all, and a bag of grain transported from Jinyang to the desert can only leave half a bag at most. You can think about it, if domestic rebellions and disasters occur frequently within these three years , or there are frequent wars and natural disasters in the desert, so what will our army eat? How can Hanbei County stick to it? How can northern Xinjiang be stable? There are only a few counties and counties in the lower reaches of the Yellow River with a population of more than one million, and most of the counties have a bumper harvest, so we have to take advantage of this good opportunity to buy a large amount of grain, and at least let the [-] troops have three years of grain reserves."

Li Wei pointed to himself and said, "I don't want to sleep and eat in these three years, and live in fear." Then he pointed his hand at the side and sighed: "After the expedition is over, we don't need to count on Luoyang. Our own destiny is up to us." Master it, otherwise it can only be a dead end."

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It was already late at night after Li Wei and the governor of the mansion finished their discussions, he didn't go back to the backyard to sleep, but went directly to the study.He has to deal with a mountain of official affairs every day, and he has to discuss non-stop with Kai Shi, and it is hard to sleep for two hours.In the study, Xiao Lan was writing a book at her desk.Xiao Lan is still the middle man in charge of the Cheqi General's Mansion, if Li Wei is not around, she will act as the agent.

Seeing Li Wei coming in, Xiao Lan immediately picked up a roll of papers and pointed at Li Wei and asked, "Are you trying to kill Lianzhi?"

Li Wei was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Madam, what joke are you talking about? How could I kill Lianzhi?"

Xiao Lan shook her head, Shui Lingling's big eyes were full of anger, "Look for yourself. This volume of documents accusing Lianzhi of accepting huge bribes has been here for seven days, why didn't you tell me? What do you want to do? You Why don't you call him and ask?"

"I'm checking."

"Check it out?"

"The investigation is clear." Li Wei said with a frown, "but I'm not sure whether Lianzhi really received this huge sum of money. I'm in a dilemma and I'm trying to find a way."

"Recently merchants have taken refuge in Hedong. In order to find a way to make money, they will of course try their best to get through Lianzhi's joint." Xiao Lan said, "It is inevitable that someone will bribe Lianzhi, but as long as Lianzhi does not accept the bribe, He did not violate the law. We are good friends with Lianzhi. You can’t treat your brother like this. We should help him instead of making trouble. Back then he sent you to Xiliang, traveling more than 1000 miles and going through hardships. Did you Forgot all?"

Li Wei thought for a long time, then walked slowly to the door, and said to the attendants standing outside: "Order Cao Jiewu, the supervisor under the door, and tell him to bring a hundred cavalry to Anyi overnight, and give the captain of Yantie, Mr. Xie, to Anyi." I invite you."

The next morning, Xie Ming came and brought a roll of account books, which recorded in detail all the property he had received during his tenure as Captain Yantie.Xie Ming said that he handed over all these properties to the treasury of Yantie Captain's Mansion, and there are records in the account books in the treasury mansion, and people can be sent to check at any time.Xiao Lan looked at the account book carefully, sighed, and handed him the file of denunciation.Xie Ming's face changed drastically, and he blurted out in surprise: "Who wants to harm me?"

Li Wei said: "At present, I am not sure whether the general has received this document, so I plan to let you leave Hedong and go to the counties outside the Great Wall to inspect it first. After the expedition is over, we will explain to the general."

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(End of this chapter)