Government orders come from top to bottom.

After setting a tax standard.

The officials visited the neutral wealthy families and squires in Jiangjie City respectively. The county official Chen Shiyuan was born in this county and was a real local snake.

He had friendships with most of the wealthy families and squires in the city, and even if he didn't have any friendship, he was still familiar with them. He left the county government office with two servants and rode on a small black donkey with a golden bell around its neck.

"Jingle bell"

Amidst the crisp ringing of bells, he arrived outside the Cheng family mansion. After negotiating with the concierge, the two government servants who came with him were invited to have tea in a side room.

Chen Shiyuan was led to the main room by the concierge. After receiving the news, Cheng Ruixiang and his two sons waited in front of the main room.

"Sir Chen." After Cheng Ruixiang saw Chen Shiyuan, he politely saluted with clasped fists.

"Ji Ren Gong, you are going to kill me." Chen Shiyuan's expression changed slightly and he quickly returned the salute with his fists clasped.

Whether in Chu or Goguryeo, the Juren Master held a certain status in the food chain, while county officials like him were not in the upper echelon.

He only knew Cheng Ruixiang and didn't have much contact with him. In the past, this master who promoted people would not be so polite to him.

Chen Shiyuan still felt a little proud in his heart.

It’s been thirty years in Hedong and thirty years in Hexi. I came out to help the general, so I can be so prosperous.

Although the general is now withdrawing his troops and returning to Liaodong, I am satisfied with the glory of this moment.

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Chen Shiyuan gradually became calmer and sat down on an equal footing with Cheng Ruixiang.

The two came to the main room and sat down on the two Taishi chairs on the north side. Brothers Cheng Jiushan and Cheng Jiuhai sat on the left and right respectively.

"Ji Ren Gong. As the saying goes, you don't go to the Three Treasures Palace for anything. I am here to visit you this time." Chen Shiyuan first explained the background, and then said: "After my general entered Goguryeo, he did nothing to the common people. For you rich people and squires,

, and there has never been any robbery."

"Since ancient times, there have been wars and chaos. The one who has soldiers is the Caotou King. Which general or soldier enters a prosperous city like Jiangjie City and doesn't want to rob it?"

"My general has enforced military discipline. Therefore, rich families and country gentry have to be grateful. Ju Ren Gong, don't you think so?"

Having said this, Chen Shiyuan narrowed his eyes, swept away the calmness just now, and his expression became a little dangerous.

Cheng Ruixiang and his son are not ordinary people. How could you not tell that Chen Shiyuan was trying to help Wu Nian collect money? The father and son were not surprised but overjoyed.

This gentle method is used to collect money, rather than massacre and looting.

This general who assisted the Han Dynasty can be regarded as an end.

He is a good general.

"Master Chen is talking about the general's kindness. We, father and son, are deeply grateful." Cheng Ruixiang took a deep breath and saluted with clasped fists seriously.

"Yes. Mr. Juren is really sensible." Chen Shiyuan showed a satisfied look, nodded gently and affirmed Cheng Ruixiang, and then said: "Now my general is short of military resources. Please donate 300 taels of silver, Mr. Juren. I don't know.

Ju Ren Gong, what do you think?"

Cheng Ruixiang immediately said: "Don't worry about it." He turned to look at Cheng Jiuhai and said: "Go to the warehouse immediately and get three hundred taels of silver."

"Yes." Cheng Jiuhai responded with clasped fists, immediately stood up and turned around to leave.

Before Cheng Jiuhai came back, the two had another warm conversation. When Cheng Jiuhai came back, he came to Chen Shiyuan with a wooden box in his hand and bent down to offer it.

Chen Shiyuan smiled and reached out to take it, then stood up and said to Cheng Ruixiang: "Ju Ren Gong. I will go back to my life. We will talk when we have time."

"Okay." Cheng Ruixiang agreed immediately, and then the father and son sent Chen Shiyuan out of the door in person. After watching Chen Shiyuan leave on his little donkey, they returned to the main room and sat down together.

"Father, Wu Nian is really going to withdraw from the army. This is really great."

"Yes, father. Although Wu Nian invaded Goguryeo and caused a lot of trouble to Goguryeo. But for us, it only lost three hundred taels of silver. After all, we did not surrender to Wu Nian, and our honor is still there."

Brothers Cheng Jiushan and Cheng Jiuhai looked happy.

"Yes. Congratulations." Cheng Ruixiang was also happy, stroking his palms and smiling. After a pause, he looked at Cheng Jiuhai with a smile and said: "Such a good thing, it would be a pity not to have a drink. You go to the kitchen immediately, let me

The cook will prepare a table full of delicious food, and we, Master, will have a good drink."

"Yes." Cheng Jiuhai responded with a happy face, turned around and went down.

The news spread.

Everyone in Jiangjie Prefecture and Yizhou Prefecture knew that Wu Nian was about to withdraw his troops.

This war is about to end.

For the people of Goguryeo, this war did not cause much trouble. For the wealthy families and gentry, it caused huge changes.

Some loyal ministers abandoned their family properties and fled to the capital, dragging their families with them.

Some outsiders and careerists turned to Wu Nian and are now preparing to run away with him.

Most of them are neutral families like the Cheng family, who have lost money and eliminated disasters.

Goguryeo will soon become the familiar Goguryeo, which is great.

Soon, Wu Nian's withdrawal of troops was confirmed.

Among Wu Nian's five thousand soldiers stationed outside Jiangjie City, Longqie's troops began to escort the grain, weapons, military supplies, copper coins, silver, gold, etc. that had been plundered from Jiangjie Mansion along the main road.

Go to the Yalu River.

............

Beijing.

Li Yunchong's residence, inside the main hall.

Zhao Mancheng is dressed in white clothes with narrow sleeves, sitting on the chair of the imperial master, his eyes seem to be closed but not closed, and open but not open. He is just like his name, Snow Qilin. Dressed in white clothes, he is not stained by dust.

Li Yunchong was very restless, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. After a long time, he stood still, turned around and said to Zhao Mancheng: "General Zhao, what do you think?"

"How about what?" Zhao Mancheng opened his eyes and said calmly.

Li Yunchong smiled bitterly and shook his head: "General Zhao, why do you ask questions knowingly? I am talking about Wu Nian's withdrawal. Is this true? Or false?"

"So what if it's true? So what if it's false?" Zhao Mancheng shook his head slightly, then grabbed the armrests of the Taishi's chair with both hands and stood up, saying.

"General Li, I know what you mean. But we can't gamble anymore. If we lose the bet, we will lose everything. If we win the bet, we will only get part of the land in Liaodong."

"Gamblers all know that a small gain can lead to a big gain. If we can win two Liaodongs or even more in this battle, then we can bet."

"The current situation is not worth our gamble."

"Losing the bet means the country will be destroyed."

"So I think that no matter what happened to Wu Nian, is it really because of the plague that he wants to withdraw his troops, or is he just trying to make us go to war?"

"We have only one solution."

"It is as immovable as a mountain. As long as I hold the capital, I will be invincible. Why gamble?"

Zhao Mancheng's expression was very calm, but his eyes were a bit stern. Although the current domestic situation is still dominated by the Li family.

But the weight of the Zhao family should not be underestimated. Li Jinzhu and Li Yunchong both trusted Zhao Mancheng's ability and knew that the real backbone was Zhao Mancheng.

Zhao Mancheng has a heavy responsibility and must be calm. As in the current scene, he must be strict.
Chapter completed!