Emperor Sui Yang

The time for Lai Huer to rest was very precise. On the way from Luoyang to Jiangdu, he had carefully considered all the possible situations that might arise in the future.

He was sure that the prince would not allow Jiangnan to successfully suppress the rebellion, so the way to constrain him was to cut off food.

Lai Hu'er knew very well that the prince wanted to cut off Jiangdu's food supply, which was fair and just.

Therefore, after taking Liyang, he immediately rested, consolidated the city defense, built forts, and deployed defense lines. He did not plan to use troops in the short term.

The four warehouses in Luoyang, what are their functions?

First, the world's annual grain is stored and allocated by the Ministry of Civil Affairs according to local conditions. So where does the annual grain mainly come from?Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiangnan, Jingzhou.

Shanxi has barely been self-sufficient in food in recent years, and taxes are basically used locally. As for the other places that supply food to the four warehouses, only Henan and Jingzhou can do so.

Don't expect the other three, Hebei, Shandong, and Jiangnan, are now asking you for food with their mouths open.

Second, and most importantly, the grain reserves in the four warehouses are mainly supplied to Guanzhong, which to be more precise is called Jingzhao County.

There was a war in Guanzhong the year before last, but it has not recovered yet. Last year, several places were hit by drought, and the food shortage was severe. Luoyang's granaries this year only put 900 million shi into storage, and only 400 million shi were allocated to Guanzhong.

So for the rest, three mouths are asking for it, who should give it to them?
"There was a great chaos in Hebei, and half of the land was abandoned. Everyone from civilians to businessmen were short of food. The food gap reported by each county was as high as 900 million shi," Fang Xuanling lamented in the main hall of Luoyang East Palace: "Now it is Even if we use all the efforts of the Eastern Capital to save it, we can’t save it.”

This is called a war disaster. Before the war, the people suffered. When the war started, the people suffered. After the war, the people suffered.

"Where is Bashu's annual food last year?" Yu Juluo also realized the seriousness of the matter and asked with an ugly face.

Fang Xuanling sighed: "All the annual grains from Bashu have been sent to Guangtong Granary in Guanzhong. Secretary Geng Chunchen, the provincial eunuch, and Xiao Huaijing, the young minister of Taichang Temple, said in front of His Majesty that the Sui Dynasty King Qi has descended to the south, and the world's grain and rice should be gathered in Beijing. Zhao, keep the king's energy in Guanzhong."

Dou Kang and others were stunned. They had many excuses for wanting food. Why did they choose this one?

"In other words, there is actually no shortage of food in Guanzhong?" Yang Yichen asked.

Fang Xuanling explained: "Originally, there was a shortage, but with Bashu's annual grain, there is no shortage."

"We just allocated 400 million stones to the capital?" Dugu Zhuan asked: "What did the two warlocks say?"

Fang Xuanling said: "Geng Chunchen reported that it is like a canopy, and the Qi of the five colors of green, yellow, red, white, and black is prepared. Some dragon patterns appear, or some are decorated with phoenixes. This is called the Qi of the Son of Heaven. He observes the celestial phenomena, and the Qi of the Emperor is in Jiangdu.”

"Ah?" Yang Yichen said hoarsely: "Where does this person come from? Isn't this just nonsense?"

Li Jingdao, Duke of Jianguo, said: "This is simply nonsense. Your Majesty, after hearing such words, should immediately kill this official."

Yang Xuanzang's expression was extremely ugly and he said: "I have one more thing to say: Your Majesty needs to visit Jiangdu this summer to gather the emperor's energy."

Dou Kang rolled his eyes and thought, this is just an excuse for him to go to the river.

"That Xiao Huaijing, is he Xiao Ji's heir?" Yang Yichen asked.

Yang Xuanting, the third child, sneered: "Father and son, a pair of bastards, wait until I return to the capital and skin him."

Everyone was stunned, how much hatred is there?Say this?
Why did Xuanting say that?Because this matter of Xiao Huaijing reporting to Yang Guang has something to do with their family.

Xiao Huaijing's great-grandfather Xiao Yi was the eldest brother of Emperor Wu of Liang Xiao Yan. He was an orthodox Lanling Xiao. His father Xiao Ji was the number one magician around Yang Guang. In official terms, he was good at yin and yang arithmetic, but he died young.

At present, Yang Guang mainly asks Xiao Huaijing about superstitions about ghosts and gods.

What did Xiao Huaijing say?He said that Yang Xuangan's family's ancestral grave in Huayin County was smelling white gas.

If the white crotch is practiced, it is dim and unclear. It appears and disappears at times. Its shape is similar to that of a dog. It is called evil spirit. If the evil spirit is seen, there will be no great mourning in the world, but there will be mutiny.

Yang Guang felt uneasy after hearing this, because his family also recognized Hongnong Yang as their ancestor, so he asked if there was a solution. Xiao Huaijing replied that Xuangan should move their ancestral graves away. One move.

Isn’t this spitting in someone’s face?
Someone’s ancestral grave must be a geomantic treasure, right?Where does the evil spirit come from?
After everyone listened to Xuanting's explanation, everyone was very surprised.

Xuangan's ancestral tomb, isn't that Yang Su?What is this for?
Dugu compiled: "Those who confuse the public with their evil words and slander the important ministers of the country should be killed."

Yang Ming smiled: "The words of a warlock want to target the eight central centers. He doesn't have the ability yet. Yuan Tiangang also said that it is not evil spirit. It looks like smoke but not smoke, like clouds but not clouds. It is full of depression and looks like... Dragon shape, this is called auspicious energy, and when you see auspicious energy, you should do something auspicious, and you can help Xuangan ward off disaster."

The auspicious aura in Xuangan's ancestral tomb is due to the auspiciousness of the emperor. Isn't this nonsense?This kind of forceful trick, which Yuan Tiangang can fool you, is actually trying to blame the royal family on Hongnong Yang, which means that it is not the auspiciousness of Xuangan's ancestral tomb, but the auspiciousness of His Majesty's ancestral tomb.

Not to mention, many people think his explanation is reasonable. After all, this kid is very popular in the capital and is a great warlock recognized by many big families.

But he is not Yang Guang's spokesperson, so Yang Guang will not reuse him.Just like Zhang Qiu Taiyi, Yang Jian's royal warlock, he is still alive, but Yang Guang doesn't know how to use it.

Every emperor will have several such people around him. Don't underestimate such people. A few made-up words can kill you.

"Xiao Huaijing is so brave that he dares to mess with our family, and so is my father. Why should he swallow his anger in front of such a person? A small sixth-grade official, find an excuse to kill him, and it will be over." Yang Yuanqing was young and energetic, and could not swallow this breath. , said angrily.

Dou Kang couldn't help but laugh and said: "Yuan Qing hates evil as much as hatred, and it is human nature to be righteous and angry. Xiao Huaijing's father did not seem to have had a good deal with Yue Gong during his lifetime, right?"

"Well," Yang Xuanzong, the second eldest child, said, "My father naturally looks down on the slaves with the third surname."

Which three masters?Emperor Jing of Liang, Xiao Fangzhi, Emperor Gong of the Western Wei Dynasty, Yuan Kuo, and Emperor Xuan of the Zhou Dynasty, Yu Wenyun.

The biography of Xiao Ji in "History of the North" records: He was aloof by nature, did not get along well with the ministers, and was not in harmony with Yang Su, so he was abandoned and depressed.

During the reign of Emperor Kaihuang, if you offended Gao Xi and Yang Su, you could only feel depressed and frustrated.

"Okay, okay, these kind of flimsy and slanderous remarks have no effect on Xuangan. Let's continue discussing the food allocation," Yang Ming said.

In fact, he knew in his heart that Yang Guang must have the intention to deal with the Hongnong Yang family, but this would have to wait until Yang Yue died.

The Yang family is too rich, and Yang Guang has always been unhappy with them. Although Yang Yue spit out all the money he gave away, he is still not satisfied.

Don't think that Yang Guang will take Yang Rui's feelings into consideration. What is there to worry about?I am your grandfather, and you are a descendant of our family. Is it possible that your elbows are turned outward?

Historically, there have been many emperors who took care of their mother's side of the family.

"Luoyang must keep at least half of the 500 million stones of grain remaining in the treasury," Dugu compiled. "That is to say, Hebei, Shandong, and Jiangnan can only divide 250 million. How to divide it is up to His Highness."

Xue Shou said: "I thought that the south of the Yangtze River is a land of plenty and plenty. Now that I have come to protect my children and win a great victory, I can take back eight counties and be self-sufficient, right?"

Everyone knew that what he said was a lie with open eyes.

The taxes of the eight counties were collected in advance by Xiao Xian and Du Fuwei. What you are left with is a mess. How do you collect it?Peel off the skin again?

You can do this, but you have to consider the consequences.

Dou Kang frowned and said: "In short, there must be more in Hebei. Now the trade along the canal is recovering, and the gap in Hebei is too big. If we can't appease it properly, and with the strong people's customs here, and another rebellion, it will be really difficult to recover." .”

In fact, they are afraid of the people in Hebei, and would rather attack Jiangnan twice than attack Hebei again.

"Do you have the census results for each county?" Yang Yichen asked.

Du Ruhui nodded and said: "Currently there is only a rough investigation result. A total of 130 million people were lost in Hebei due to the chaos. Of course, many of them had gone out to seek refuge and had not yet returned."

Dou Kang sighed and put his forehead with one hand, frowning.

Huangfu Wuyi said: "I suggest that 150 million shi be allocated to Hebei and [-] to Shandong and Jiangnan."

"That's not what King Qi wants," Li Jiancheng said. "They will ask you for 200 million. If you give me 50, I'm afraid that they will sue us all with a memorandum."

Yang Ming smiled and said: "If you want to sue, you are suing me. Why are you nervous?"

"I am complaining for His Highness," Li Jiancheng said angrily: "One Guan Chong and the other Liu Yuanjin have now surrendered to the imperial court, and Jinling and Wu Commandery have been protected from further military disasters. This shows that the prince's initial strategy was completely correct. If the King of Qi hadn't been constrained in Jiangnan, Duke Wei would have handled this matter, why would he let the Xiao thieves wreak havoc in Jingzhou like this?"

Dou Kang grinned and said, "You can give him as much as he wants? Luoyang still has to have so much food for him, 50, divided into five times, and delivered to him within two months, and he will figure out the rest by himself."

Yang Yichen nodded and said: "I think it's okay. Chen Leng's ship has also passed by. We can definitely supply along the coast. He wants to empty Luoyang, but we don't dare to let him empty it."

Yang Ming looked at Dugu Zhuan and said: "Since everyone said so, let's do it this way. Zhang Xutuo and Huaiyi have not spoken, but they must be in embarrassment. The situation in Shandong is very good now, and there are three or two more The month is over, so send the food over as soon as possible and let them use it to appease the people."

Dugu Zuan nodded and said: "I will do it as soon as possible."

In fact, the situation in Shandong is very optimistic. After all, Zhang Xutuo has worked here for so long and has maintained good relations with aristocratic families from all over the country. With the support of these people, he has captured half of Shandong and the remaining rebels. The army is only a matter of two or three months.

Moreover, Zhang Xutuo and the others are not short of food now, because Zhou Fashang from the Andong Protectorate across the sea has been supplying them.

The jurisdiction of the Andong Protectorate was half of Goguryeo.