Great Han Empire

Chapter 579: Troubled Times Heroic Chapter Dangerous
Zheng Yan categorically denied that Northern Xinjiang had any intention of attacking Jizhou and Hanoi.

Since the northern Xinjiang army regained the border counties and made an expedition to the desert, it suffered staggering losses.In the first battle of the setting sun, there were only more than 2 cavalry troops left, including Liu Bao's Xiongnu army and Loulu's Karasuma army.Now there are [-] Liao troops in Wuyuan, and [-] Fengyun cavalry in the desert. The rest of the old, weak, and disabled are all disbanded. They also returned to their tribes. At present, there are only [-] cavalry guarding the frontier in northern Xinjiang, and it is impossible to go south to the Great Wall.

Due to the repeated wars last year, the Hu people in the desert suffered losses to varying degrees, especially the Xiongnu Tugehu rebels and the Xianbei tribes, who were almost wiped out. In addition, they suffered from snowstorms in winter, and all of them were seriously injured , There is no time for five to ten years to recover at all.General Hussars now wants to forcibly recruit Hu cavalry, but the Hu tribe will not agree.Even if these big and small kings agree, it will be difficult for them to gather [-] capable cavalry, and this method of forcibly recruiting regardless of the life and death of the Hu tribe will make the Hu tribe even worse, and will arouse the hatred and resentment of the Hu tribe , with dire consequences.

There are still 10 infantry troops in the Northern Xinjiang Army.Of the [-] people, [-] are in the desert, [-] are stationed in border counties and key passes, and [-] are in the south of the Great Wall.The [-] troops north of the Great Wall will not go south anyway, unless the general Hussars intends to abandon the desert and the border county.Keeping [-] infantry and [-] cavalry is the minimum number of people guarding the frontier. In the future, as the strength of the Hu tribes gradually recovers, the number of troops guarding the frontier will increase year by year.

The 1-strong army south of the Great Wall is currently divided into three parts.General Zhang Yan led 2 people to garrison Changshan to guard the Tuntian area.General Qu Yi led 2 people to garrison various places in central Shanxi.General Yan Liang led [-] people in Luoyang to stabilize the situation in Gyeonggi.None of these three armies can be mobilized at will. May I ask what army North Xinjiang will use to attack Jizhou and Hanoi?In addition, the [-] troops are almost all the soldiers of the Yellow Turban Army in the past. The soldiers of the original Youzhou, Jizhou, Bingzhou and Xiliang have basically lost all of them in previous wars.What are the consequences of using the Yellow Turban Army to fight the Yellow Turban Army?Isn't the Hussar general afraid that the Northern Xinjiang army will turn against them?

There are still 20 field soldiers in northern Xinjiang.Some of these field soldiers were old, weak, sick and disabled in the Yellow Turban Army, and some were disaster victims and refugees who had poured into northern Xinjiang.Farming in northern Xinjiang is a heavy workload. During the slack season, they have to reclaim wasteland, repair ditches and various city wall passes, so they have hardly participated in any training. In addition, these people have never experienced a war, so they are usually taken out to scare them. It's okay to be scary, but if you want to pull it out to fight, that's death, don't even think about it.

Northern Xinjiang now has no troops for conquest.

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Northern Xinjiang not only has no troops to attack Jizhou and Hanoi, but also has no money and food to maintain the army's conquests.

General Hussars asked the court for 170 billion yuan last year.Among them, 100 billion yuan was used for farming in northern Xinjiang, 50 billion yuan was used for border defense, and 20 billion yuan was used for relief.

20亿钱赈济去年十月就用完了。李玮派人到各地买了500万石谷子，结果两三个月就被数百万灾民、流民吃光了。（汉代1石=2市斗，1市斗=13.5斤，1石=27市斤粟）后来为了救急，骠骑大将军还临时从屯田用资和军资中挪用了十几亿钱买粮。

General Hushi has a ten-year agreement with the imperial court, and the imperial court has already allocated all the funds for farming within these ten years.Now northern Xinjiang not only has four new villages in Hetao, Pingcheng, Changshan, and Zhongshan, but also two additional villages in Julu and Zhao. Ten billion yuan is definitely not enough. The 100 billion border military funds are now running out.In order to relocate and appease the Hu tribes in the desert, establish Hanbei County and Mobei Protectorate, provide compensation for tens of thousands of soldiers who died in battle, reorganize the army and repair the pass, the money has basically been used up.

There are 12 troops in northern Xinjiang that need to be supported. This is a huge expense. The military pay of the soldiers alone is nearly 12 million yuan a year. In addition to military rations, ordnance and other military supplies, Northern Xinjiang needs to maintain these [-] troops. Daily expenses, at least [-] million yuan is needed every year.Originally, the expenses of the frontier army were paid by the imperial court, but now the imperial court is an empty shelf, without any money, and Beijiang has to find a way to solve it by itself.

According to our calculations, the military funds and relief funds needed in northern Xinjiang this year, plus all the expenses of the northern Xinjiang prefectures, are about 15 billion yuan. 15 billion yuan is equivalent to about [-]% of the taxes that my big man collects every year. Where can I get so much money in northern Xinjiang?Although the funds used for farming can temporarily meet the needs of farming, but we have money but no food, so where can we get food for the people in farming?
The salt and iron income of northern Xinjiang and various taxes are added together, and the maximum is [-] million yuan a year. If the [-] million yuan filled by Jizhou is added, and the military funds of the frontier army are paid by the court, then northern Xinjiang can barely support it, but Now the imperial court has no money, and it is estimated that there is no money in the past few years, and the [-] million yuan in Jizhou is also gone because of the generosity of the Hushi general.

There is a vacancy of one billion yuan in expenditures in northern Xinjiang, and there is a serious shortage of food in northern Xinjiang. How can the general Hushi attack Jizhou at this time?Is he going to give up Damo and Bianjun?Since he wanted to give up, why bother to wait until now?

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Zheng Yan tried hard to persuade him for a long time, with an extremely earnest expression, he almost swore an oath, but Zheng Yan's miserable and sincere analysis and explanation not only failed to remove Yuan Shao's doubts, but made him more determined. guess.

General Hussars is going to attack Jizhou.Beijiang deployed 17 main forces of Northern Xinjiang and 17 field soldiers to the south of the Great Wall. Together with Gongsun Zan's [-] troops from Youzhou, [-] troops attacked Jizhou. They were strong enough that no one could stop them.Northern Xinjiang is not only short of food this year, but also has a shortfall of one billion yuan. This is the main reason why Li Hong can't wait to occupy Jizhou.There is food in Jizhou, and the income from salt and iron plus taxes is at least one billion yuan. If Jizhou is conquered, Li Hong can solve all problems.Although Northern Xinjiang currently has no money and food to support the conquest of [-] troops, Li Hong can give up farming, giving up refugees, and giving up the Dahan community.It is false that Li Hong occupied Jizhou, but it is true that he seized Dahan Sheji.Li Hong's ambition and viciousness are ten times and a hundred times stronger than Dong Zhuo's.Yuan Shao felt fear for the first time, the big man was really going to die.

Yuan Shao looked at Zheng Yan and was very angry.The hussar general's subordinate did not lie, he knew all about the situation in northern Xinjiang, and this was the main reason why he dared to openly confront Li Hong.In his own eyes, Li Hong was just a dying leopard, and sooner or later the northern border would collapse due to the overwhelming load.Now the vicious leopard has finally come to its senses, and it is about to open its sharp claws and strike.The consequence of this blow must be the overthrow of the country.I will never let this leopard succeed.

Yuan Shao suddenly smiled.If you tell lies and wantonly exaggerate the strength of Beijiang, I believe that the leopards have no intention of attacking Jizhou. This move is just a bluff to scare me, but now you have fully revealed the situation in Beijiang, which shows your intentions...

"Go back and tell Li Hong that if he attacks Jizhou, I will let the ant thief in. What he gets is nothing but ruins and millions of mobs." Yuan Shao sneered, "Not only Sima Ju, but Bai Rao will attack him , even Zhang Yan and Yang Feng wanted to rebel against him. Back then, he was able to appease Zhang Yan because of the support of the imperial court. Now he wants money but no money, no food, how can he appease him? How can he appease Zhang Yan? ?”

A gleam of joy suddenly appeared in Zheng Yan's eyes, then he jumped up, pointed at Yuan Shao furiously and said, "How dare you defeat my big man?"

"Hmph, you know better than me who wants to kill me." Yuan Shao waved his hand disdainfully and said, "I'll let Chen Lin accompany you to Jinyang. If Li Hong is willing to help me conquer Luoyang, help me repel the Black Mountain Ant Thief, I will take a step back. I can put aside the matter of the emperor’s order for the time being. We will work together to suppress the rebellion first, and then we will work together to bring down Chang’an and eradicate Dong thief. If Li Hong is unwilling and insists on going his own way, I will let him die without a burial. land."

Zheng Yan sneered and walked away.

Yuan Shao turned to his back and said, "Let's go tonight. I'll order the army to open the road leading to Jizhou, and send you and Chen Lin to Yecheng safely first."

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Yuan Shao, Xu You and others discussed the countermeasures again.

Xin Ping said anxiously, Li Hong has already fired his arrow and is ready to go, the situation is very critical.If Li Hong attacks Jizhou, and we allow the Ant Thieves Heishan and Qingzhou Ant Thieves to join up and go north, where will we go?Yuzhou and Nanyang are now in Yuan Shu's hands, and the area around Yanqing and Xu is densely populated with ants, where do we end up in a hurry?

Yuan Shao said calmly: "Once the ant thief goes north, we will go to Yangzhou. There is enough money and food, and there is no war disaster, and we can advance and retreat freely with our back on the east of the river. We can regroup the army and accumulate strength. We are going to fight fiercely with the ants for a period of time, so we will take advantage of this time to quickly occupy the four prefectures of Yanqing, Xuyang, so as to form a confrontation with the leopards across the river."

Xu You shook his head and said: "This is the worst policy. In my opinion, preventing Li Hong from attacking Jizhou is the best policy. Li Hong occupies Jizhou, and his strength will recover in a few years. If he and Dong Zhuo join forces to attack us, we will Not necessarily an opponent. Trapping Li Hong in northern Xinjiang is the best strategy."

Yuan Shao asked, "What is Ziyuan's strategy?"

"It's a bit late to form an alliance with Li Hong at this time. He must ask for a lot of money, so we must find a way to regain control of the situation." Xu You said, "Last time we sent Gongsun Zan a lot of money to urge Lord Liu Yu to go south. I hope He was able to help us, but in the end he took money, but it was a disservice to us. But from this incident, we can see that this person is a person who is greedy for money and power, and he can be used. You know, because Regarding Liu Yu's relationship, Gongsun Zan is not currently under Li Hong's control, and Liu Yu has a very good relationship with us, so..."

"Unite with Gongsun Zan to attack Li Hong." Yuan Shao frowned and thought, "That's a good idea."

"Li Hong fought Jizhou, and we defended Jizhou, all for the sake of Jizhou's money and food, which cannot solve the problem of revitalizing the country." Xu You continued, "We must do everything possible to occupy Luoyang as soon as possible. After the Lord sits in the world, we In the south there are the foundations of Yuzhou and Nanyang, in the east there are the strengths of Ji, Yan, Qing, and Xu states, and then Li Hong is connected to the north, and Dong Zhuo is attacked in the west. The meritorious service of building the world, the reputation of the world."

Yuan Shao smiled wryly, "I have completely offended Master Zhu Jun. Taking Luoyang at this time is even more difficult than ascending to heaven."

Xu You smiled slightly, "Didn't your lord just say that you won't mention the emperor's reunification for the time being? In fact, I also think it's unwise to hold on to the emperor's reunification before the society is settled."

Yuan Shao thought for a while, and said, "Ziyuan, you go to Luoyang immediately. I leave it to you to persuade Mr. Zhu." Then he pointed to Xin Ping and said, "Go to Youzhou and give Gongsun Zan a great gift. Send a great gift that he has no choice but to join hands with us to love Li Hong."

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In June, Luoyang.

Yuan Shu drove Taichang Ma Rixun (di) and Yushi Zhongcheng Huangfusong back to Chang'an, and blocked the Chidao leading to Guanzhong again.

People in Guanzhong were panicked, and the price of grain rose day by day, and a stone of millet was sold for an astonishing [-] yuan.Although Dong Zhuo repeatedly increased the salaries of the ministers and the soldiers of the Northern Army, they still couldn't afford food.The dignitaries are all hungry, let alone the ordinary people in the city.

Dong Zhuo discussed countermeasures with the ministers.Situ Wangyun proposed to abolish the five baht coin and replace it with small coins to overcome difficulties.Taiwei Zhao Qian and Sikong Zhongfu strongly opposed it. (In May, Sikong Xun Shuang died of illness, and Dr. Guanglu Zhongfu succeeded Sikong.) They believed that although this move could solve the urgent need, it would cause endless troubles.Ministers such as Jiuqing Zhuqing had different reactions, some agreed and some disapproved.In order to prevent this, Ma Rixun, Cai Yong and others united a group of ministers who opposed the abolition of the five baht coin to make repeated admonitions, and even went to the Xiangguo Mansion to admonish each other with death.

Of course Dong Zhuo knew the consequences of abolishing the five baht coin, but how to solve the current crisis in Guanzhong?If you want everyone to buy food and fill their stomachs, you need more money, but the speed of the three officials in Shanglin's minting money is far behind the speed of food price increases. The only way is to change big money into small money.Dong Zhuo thought, if there is chaos in Chang'an at this time, and Li Hong takes the opportunity to attack, he will be finished.Most of these people have money, and some of them have a lot of food in their homes, so they don't have to worry about not being able to eat enough, and many of these people are in favor of it.

The proposal to abolish the five baht coin was passed under the debate of the ministers and Dong Zhuo's insistence.

At the end of June, the emperor issued an edict to abolish the five baht coin and use small coins instead.

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(End of this chapter)