stubborn thief

Xi'an Mansion does not need Liu Chengzong.

It's just that the Xi'an Mansion without Liu Chengzong had to be ravaged by soldiers and horses from all walks of life.

Compared with the mobs coming from all walks of life, Liu Chengzong's moderate marshal army is obviously more trustworthy.

But in the final analysis, this is nothing more than two evils: the front door rejects the tiger and the back door lets in the wolf.

Liu Chengzong and the officials and gentry from all over Xi'an knew this very well.

Liu Chengzong's army marched in separate directions in the Guanzhong Plain until they reached the Xianyang Plateau on the north bank of the Wei River. Then they spread out their troops and set up nine company camps along the coast.

The labor banquet prepared by Zhao Jifang, the magistrate of Xianyang, for the marshal's army failed to come into use after all.

Liu Chengzong only requisitioned thousands of tables and chairs placed outside the city in Xianyang City, and all the meals were cooked by the soldiers in each battalion. Even the ingredients were not prepared by Xianyang County.

Firstly, he was worried, and secondly, he couldn't afford to invite him to Xianyang...

Zhao Jichang only prepared food to entertain 10,000 people, but his army alone as far as Xianyang Plateau already numbered 40,000.

Zhao Jichang was very distressed about this. These ingredients were purchased by Xianyang gentry with their own donations... He had been the county magistrate for three years and had summoned the gentry to donate salaries more than once. He had never seen such a grand occasion.

A rare spectacle has appeared. Hey, Liu Chengzong doesn’t appreciate it!

Zhao Zhixian was so angry that his teeth itched and he did not dare to say anything.

Fortunately, Liu Chengzong never wastes food.

He met Zhao Jichang's brother Zhao Jifang outside the city and found a way out for this batch of food: "Go back and tell Zhao's parents in Xianyang that during the war, many people were displaced. Xianyang is a good place, and these foods are here Several porridge shacks were set up outside the city, and hundreds of hungry families were recruited to feed them."

Liu Shizi glanced at Xianyang City not far away and said: "If those gentry who donated money ask, just say that I want to do it, so as to reassure them. Since I am willing to let Zhao's parents host a banquet, I will not refuse the hospitality." .”

As he spoke, a smile appeared on his face: "I have sent someone to invite the gentry and officials from the six prefectures and fourteen counties of Xi'an Prefecture on behalf of Zhao's parents. Since it is a banquet, it is better to have more people."

Zhao Jifang's eyes widened and he looked around the company camps. On the shore, he could even see pontoon bridges and parts of siege equipment being made. Two battalions had dinner outside the city yesterday and immediately broke up and headed towards Tongguan. went.

Even a blind man would know your plan of going south to attack the city of Xi'an.

Co-writing Marshal Liu's banquet program is to attack Qinchuan's most powerful city?

Zhao Jifang raised her eyes and looked at Liu Chengzong cautiously, feeling like a cat scratching her head. She especially wanted to remind that Hongmen was in Lintong County in the east, not in Xianyang.

In response, Liu Shishi just smiled.

In fact, for the young scholar Zhao Jifang, who was sent out of the city to spread the word this time by his elder brother... it was more like a young fan meeting an idol than a son of an official family meeting a rebel leader.

When Liu Chengzong invaded Shanxi, Zhao Jichang was teaching in Jiexiu, and Zhao Jifang was studying with his brother in Jiexiu. At that time, before he was admitted as a scholar, he had already heard about Liu Chengzong's campaign to suppress bandits and soldiers in Shanxi. deeds.

Those deeds that were both hypocritical and ferocious were, in young Zhao Jichang's mind, closer to chivalry than the stories told by teahouse storytellers.

But now that they met, Zhao Jifang felt that Liu Chengzong's appearance, demeanor and even temperament seemed to be far from the image of the rough and bold, black and white hero he imagined.

Zhao Jifang read something hidden behind Liu Chengzong's words from Liu Chengzong's insincere smile. He asked, "What did the commander just say, fourteen counties?"

As Liu Chengzong nodded, Zhao Jifang was shocked.

There are fourteen counties in Xi'an Prefecture, including Chang'an County attached to Guo Xi'an Prefecture.

The co-authored marshal's army's siege against Xi'an Fucheng had already begun at the moment before the siege.

The first battle is called attacking the heart.

Liu Chengzong's invitation letter was thrown on the tower of Xi'an Fucheng.

Not only were they sent to the prestigious gentry in Chang'an County in Xi'an Prefecture, but even Governor Chen Qiyu and Governor Lian Guoshi were regarded as local parents and found their own invitations on the high city gate tower.

Zhao Jifang was even imagining how ugly the faces of Chen Qiyu, Lian Guoshi and others would be when they saw the invitation letter written by Liu Chengzong.

He asked Liu Chengzong: "The commander-in-chief wants to shake the determination of the defenders of Xi'an Fucheng?"

Liu Chengzong looked in the direction of Xi'an City, nodded slowly, and then shook his head: "Not entirely, but also for you."

Zhao Jifang's eyes widened: "Us?"

"Yes, it's you, the officials, gentry, and officials of the counties in Xi'an Prefecture. You and I both know that Xi'an Prefecture has not surrendered to me. Now... ha!"

Liu Shizi chuckled: "At the moment, this is just a temporary measure to frighten the army, but it is different now."

"Xi'an Fucheng has long been an isolated city. They don't know anything about what happens outside the city. If I don't tell them, how do they know that the county chiefs, gentry, and students are attending my banquet with Liu Chengzong outside Xianyang City?"

As he spoke, he turned his head, met Zhao Jifang's confused eyes, and said, "If I don't tell you, how do you know that the governors of the five provinces and the governor of Shaanxi already know that you are coming to my banquet?"

Of course Liu Chengzong knew that Chen Qiyu and Lian Guoshi would not go out of the city to attend the banquet. It didn't matter whether they came or not.

But notification is important.

He wanted to let the garrison of Xi'an Prefecture know that the Marshal's Palace was hosting a banquet for the gentry of Xi'an Prefecture, and that the subordinate towns in the mansion were already vying to surrender, imagining that they would have a happy chat with him and even mix up the distribution of profits after the war.

He also wanted to let the gentry in the counties of Xi'an know that the governors of the five provinces and the governor of Shaanxi in the city already knew that they had turned to the Marshal's Mansion.

Zhao Jifang felt furious when Liu Chengzong saw him: "Then, Marshal, isn't my brother finished?"

"What's the word?"

Liu Shishi looked serious: "As the magistrate of Xianyang County, your brother invited the gentry in the mansion for me. His official career there will naturally be over, but my Marshal's Mansion is about to employ people. As long as he has real talent and practical knowledge, is he still afraid?" No official job?"

Zhao Jifang was actually still immersed in the shock that Liu Chengzong had used a table of food from Xianyang to disturb the mentality of two groups of people inside and outside Xi'an.

He had already determined that the Liu Chengzong in front of him was definitely different from the rebel leader he had imagined.

In fact, if he hadn't witnessed with his own eyes a month ago when the Marshal's Mansion army crushed the official army on the Xianyang Plateau, he would have even suspected that Liu Chengzong had brought down such a huge Shaanxi Province by playing tricks.

My brother is provoking someone. Xi'an Prefecture is a subordinate town. Compared with Xingping County, Xianyang is a very uncooperative county.

In the face of a large army, they did not open the city to surrender. As a result of this oversight, my brother agreed to hold a labor banquet for the gentry in the city who had bought the trophies of the marshal's army.

You made it seem as if my brother had secretly surrendered to the Marshal's Mansion a long time ago!

However, Liu Chengzong didn't know Zhao Jifang's shock. He just said very seriously: "The same goes for you. Liu is a man with few talents and few virtues. The Marshal's Mansion is also a weak place. It is exactly what we need learned people like you." When helping.

Instead of staying in the county school to study, why not follow me and become a general's staff? When the war is over, Shaanxi will be in ruins and need to be revitalized. There are many places lacking chief officials, so why worry about having nothing to use for your talents and learning? "

In fact, Zhao Jifang was already stupid when he heard that he had few talents and few virtues.

Normal people use the word "scarce in talent and shallow in learning", but "sparse in talent and moral integrity" is not a word that serious people would use.

Except for the emperor, who cares whether you are virtuous or not?

Not to mention that the Marshal's Mansion is alone and weak, Zhao Jifang can't complain about this adjective.

However, Liu Chengzong was very serious and looked modest. He lowered his head and asked, "Zhifang, if you were my staff at this moment."

Liu Shizi pondered for a moment and asked: "Fifty thousand troops are stationed in Xi'an, fifty thousand troops are stationed elsewhere, and one hundred thousand troops and horses. Besides attacking the city of Xi'an, what else should be done?"

Zhao Jifang took a deep breath and was speechless: Do you call this being alone and weak? "The commander-in-chief wants to hear it, conquer Tongguan, march to Beijing, and seize the throne of Bird Emperor?"

Liu Shizi was happy to hear this: "Do you like to read story books?"

"Come back to me, Marshal, and listen more."

"Just listen to the story. The way of using soldiers is much different from the imagination of the down-and-out literati who compiled the story. Having more soldiers is not necessarily a good thing."

Liu Shizi sighed, his emotions were half-truths and half-falsehoods. On the one hand, he liked chatting with scholars, and on the other hand, Zhao Jifang represented his brother Zhao Jichang in his eyes.

Although the official position of the magistrate of Xianyang is low, he is also a parent. Behind him is the city of Xianyang. If he can rely on words and people's hearts to conquer the city, he can save the soldiers who died in the attack.

Those were the lives of hundreds of subordinates, and the hearts of thousands of people in the city.

Therefore, he said rather helplessly: "Liu led 5,000 athletes across the world. No one who can stop me has been born yet, but he led 50,000 men and stayed in Xi'an Mansion unable to get out. Do you know why?"

Zhao Jifang thought to himself, is it possible that the commander is not good at generals and can only manage 49,000?

However, he did not dare to say this, so he only dared to follow Liu Chengzong's words and ask: "I don't know, please give me some advice from the commander-in-chief."

"Because of the lack of money and food, 50,000 soldiers and horses have to eat the horses' chews. They need 50,000 shi of raw food a month. Only by capturing the city of Xi'an and evacuating the Prince of Qin's palace can the problem be easily solved."

Zhao Jifang blinked, fifty thousand shi of grain per month, is it a lot?

Marshal, you are in Xi'an!

He frowned. On the one hand, he felt that he should not give Liu Chengzong advice, but on the other hand, he was worried that Liu Chengzong would continue to fight or even plunder places if he still could not make up for the military expenses after attacking Qin's palace.

Unexpectedly, Liu Shizi felt happy just by watching him think.

The answer to this question itself is not important to him. What is important is that Zhao Jifang thinks about it.

After he finished thinking, he came up with the answer, and got on the boat of the Marshal's Mansion. His younger brother got on the boat, and his brother couldn't escape, which meant that the door of Xianyang County was now open for him.

A city was captured.

And with the first city, the hearts of the counties in Xi'an Prefecture have been opened, and it will be easy to win more cities.

Zhao Jifang's thinking did not last long. In the end, worry prevailed, and at the same time, it was also mixed with the natural tendency of many young people to show off their knowledge.

He said: "General, why don't you announce a plan to calm the people and inform the counties in Xi'an Prefecture to keep everything as it is? In this way, the problem of military rations will be solved."

"Ok?"

Liu Shizi really didn't understand what he said: "What do you mean? How come the army rations are solved?"

"Everything remains as it is, people are at peace, and taxes will continue to be levied. This year's tax collection has not yet been completed. The taxes of the Xi'an government are enough for the general to support 50,000 soldiers, or even more than enough."

Liu Shishi seemed to be hit by a huge surprise and blurted out: "How much tax can Xi'an Prefecture levy?"

This is not because he is pretending, but because he really doesn’t know how much tax Xi’an Prefecture can levy.

He has been wandering around in poverty-stricken places, and what he is good at is organizing the poor people to equalize the reproduction of land. In a wealthy place like Xi'an... it really touches on his knowledge blind spot.

Especially after thinking about it carefully, I found that even in the drought in Xi'an Prefecture, there seemed to be no trouble due to taxation.

Even Yang Guodong of the Lintao Brigade used to be very good in the governor's Biao camp, but he was starved into the army after being transferred to Guyuan.

"I don't know the exact amount. Last year, I heard from my brother that we collected six to seven hundred thousand shi of summer wheat and autumn rice, more than 100,000 shi of military field, 6,700 taels of silk and silk, and more than 100,000 pieces of cloth and 45,000 pieces of grass. One hundred thousand bunches, and another 450,000 taels of Liao pay, more than 90% of the collection has been completed."

Zhao Jifang gave an approximate amount, because he was afraid that it would be lower than the amount he knew because he was afraid of being wrong.

But it was enough for Liu Chengzong to raise his troops.

Zhao Jifang then added: "In order to win people's hearts, the commander-in-chief even waived Liao's salary and implemented benevolent policies."

What he didn't say is that part of the 450,000 taels of silver each year is used to supply the army to suppress you. You can't pay yourself to suppress yourself, right?

"Huh? It's inevitable."

Liu Chengzong shook his head decisively.

Just kidding, if the people are displaced and have no food to eat, then why should we levy taxes and just take them to work hard to survive?

However, the imperial court collected taxes very efficiently in Xi'an Prefecture.

Why, the Ming Dynasty conquered it, but I can’t?

What's more, we have a strong waist!

Liu Shizi raised his head and said, "What's the Liao salary? Our general Yang Qi is meeting the Donglu outside the mouth. The Liao salary from Xi'an must be collected!"

Zhao Jifang quickly opened his mouth to persuade, but unexpectedly, Liu Shishi couldn't listen anymore.

This scholar who studied in Xianyang inadvertently opened the door to a new world for Liu Chengzong.

Marshal Liu is already immersed in the design of the basic framework for the next political establishment.

After taking Xi'an Fucheng, the Marshal's Mansion's organizational structure must be improved to rule the entire Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai. The past method of equalizing land and buying taxes like Xining Mansion will no longer work.

The manpower base required is too large, and the requirements for road facilities are also too high. It cannot adapt to the environment in Shaanxi where large areas of land have been abandoned and people have been displaced.

But on the other hand, he couldn't give up on such a large piece of taxable fat in Xi'an Prefecture, let alone implement this tax system throughout the territory.

Liu Shizi already had an idea.

Not only did he want to levy Liao's wages, but he also wanted to collect the suppression and training wages that Chongzhen had not started collecting together.

Training new soldiers, annihilating the Ming army, and conquering the Eastern captives were all done without any delay.

Moreover, all these assessments must be included in the regular tax, and at the same time, the sentiments of the people who had previously surrendered to him should be taken into account, and the poor and kind-hearted people should not be levied hard.

Fortunately, this matter can be solved easily.

Just use the ladder system immediately. After all, the people who had surrendered to Liu Chengzong earlier had accepted the equalization of land. Even in Kangning Mansion with poor land, the most was only 200 acres per household.

In more places in Shaanxi, there is no time to equalize the land. Households with 100 acres of land will be levied an additional 1.2 cents, those with more than 5 hectares will be levied additionally, and those with more than 10 hectares and 100 hectares will be levied additionally.

As a result, the new tax law has reduced the burden on the people of Hehuang who used to implement land equalization and pay taxes in the past.

However, Liu Chengzong had to leave the specific amount to more professional people. He called over a few Yu Linqi and said: "Let the gentry of Xi'an Mansion go. The fields are all owned by the Marshal's Mansion, more than a hundred acres of land. One tael of silver must be donated to redeem one acre of land.”

Zhao Jifang was shocked when he heard this and said quickly: "The commander-in-chief can't do it, otherwise those wealthy gentry with large amounts of land will not return home!"

"Fifty thousand troops are stationed in Xi'an Prefecture, and there will be no trouble."

Liu Chengzong smiled all over his face: "Let them redeem the purchase first. When they are mentally prepared, I will come up with the new tax law and levy a small salary. Will it be easy for them to accept it?" (End of Chapter)