"Sir, why did you ask me to wait here? You can tell me now." In the pavilion, as Li Kan, candidate, and Cheng Yin took their seats, it seemed a little crowded. Li Kan looked at Duan Xuan, with a trace of emotion in his eyes.
Disdain, straight to the point.
"Generals, you don't need to be so vigilant. This time Gong was ordered to come to Guanzhong, not to embarrass you." Chen Gong smiled and gestured to the waiter to bring the drinks, looked at the four people and said with a smile: "But Guanzhong has become what it is now.
It’s a sight that Gong had never imagined.”
"Hey, speaking of this, I admire you very much." The candidate picked up the wine glass and smelled it, but did not drink it. He just sneered and said: "Back then, if those prominent families in Guanzhong hadn't acted like monsters, Guanzhong would not have ended up like this.
In such a land, if Dong Gong could have had the courage of your Majesty to slaughter all the nobles, how could these things happen later?"
If you look for the reasons for the current chaos in Guanzhong from history books, then Dong Zhuo, Li Jue, Guo Si and others can be said to be the main culprits. However, when Dong Zhuo was in charge of Guanzhong, not to mention how good things were, but at least the people still had a way to survive.
But upon closer inspection, after Wang Yun and others joined forces with Lu Bu to murder Dong Zhuo, they directly forced hundreds of thousands of Xiliang troops to rebel, which was the root cause of the chaos in Guanzhong. If Wang Yun didn't want to kill everyone, how could so many things have happened?
What happens next?
Behind the many warlords in Guanzhong, none of them had the secret support of the nobles. In the end, they defeated each other and defeated Guanzhong. The nobles patted their butts and left, leaving them here to guard the dilapidated Guanzhong and struggle to support themselves.
There are fewer and fewer resources.
If this fight continues, everyone knows what the final result will be, but if they don't fight, the one who will die first will definitely die first, so even in the current situation, the generals in Guanzhong cannot stop the conquest.
The candidate did not complain, but looked at Chen Gong, then at Luo Ping'an behind Chen Gong, picked up the wine glass and said with a smile: "Guanzhong is like this now, but I don't know how you are going to treat me when you come here?"
"
Guanzhong is basically a wasteland now. Chen Gong is here just to ask for their help, to help Chu Nan deal with Yuan Shao, but why should they help Chu Nan?
"Don't worry, everyone, the palace will not be overly involved in Guanzhong affairs. However, the palace has come to Chang'an with the intention of inviting you to help the court suppress the rebellion." Chen Gong said with a smile.
You won’t interfere, so just take Duan Xuan down first?
Everyone turned their attention to Duan Yan. According to the intelligence they received, Duan Yan did not join Chen Gong voluntarily. The generals in the army had been replaced. Therefore, in the eyes of everyone, Chen Gong's words were not convincing.
force.
"Mr. Gongtai is joking. Now that the world is at peace, if we talk about rebellion, I'm afraid our place is more like a rebellion. If Mr. Gongtai wants to quell the rebellion, is he trying to pacify us?" Cheng Yin said with a smile.
What Chen Gong meant by suppressing the rebellion was that everyone knew very well that the situation between Chu Nan and Yuan Shao had become increasingly tense, and it was impossible for Chen Gong to take action against them at this time.
But it is impossible for them to help Chen Gong.
"Don't you want to hear my terms?" Chen Gong was not angry. He took a sip from his wine glass and looked at the four generals with a smile.
"I'd like to hear the details." Liang Xing's eyes lit up. This was what he was waiting for, but he didn't expect Chen Gong to take the initiative to mention it.
"The imperial court also knows a little about the current situation in Guanzhong. I have reported to the imperial court to allocate a batch of grain and grass to be sent to Guanzhong in batches. The approximate quantity is about one million dan." Chen Gong said calmly.
Millions of stones!?
Everyone, including Duan Xuan, breathed quickly.
What is the concept of a million shi? One hundred and twenty million kilograms of grain. If one person consumes two kilograms a day, this one million kilograms of grain is enough to feed an army of 100,000 people for nearly two years.
It can greatly alleviate the current predicament of the generals in Guanzhong.
If these grains were supplied exclusively to one family, then the one million stone grains would be even more.
"Sir, please don't deceive me!" The candidate stared at Chen Gong and said in a deep voice. Even if the imperial court can get so much food and grass, how can it be given to them? You must know that the imperial court is in a state of war with Yuan Shao at any time, even if
If there is food, it must be supplied to the front line. How can it be given to Guanzhong?
"This is a national policy that was decided last year. Guanzhong also belongs to the imperial court. With Guanzhong in such a state now, the imperial court will naturally want to save it, but I never thought it would be so serious." Chen Gong said and sighed: "Judging from the palace, even if
It's a million stones of food and grass, but it's just an urgent need to solve the problem."
"Sir, what you said is true." Liang Xing nodded and said, "I wonder how to divide these millions of stones of food and grass?"
"The imperial court also needs food now. It is impossible for millions of stones of food and grass to arrive in Guanzhong at once. Two hundred thousand stones of food and grass will be sent first to meet the urgent need. After the summer harvest, a second batch of food and grass will be sent. You may not know
, Now in the Central Plains, after a year of innovation, food can be harvested four times a year!" Chen Gong said with a smile.
"Four harvests a year!?" Everyone had heard about this, but they never believed it. How could it be possible to have four harvests a year? But seeing that Chen Gong didn't seem to be faking it, everyone couldn't help but get excited.
If this is true, it can explain why the imperial court was so generous.
"As for how to distribute..." Chen Gong paused here, looked at the four people and said with a smile: "The reason why we contacted the four people first this time is because there is not enough food and grass, only enough for four people, so this first batch
The two hundred thousand stones of food and grass can only be divided among four people."
The four people nodded quickly when they heard this: "Sir, you are wise."
"Of course, these grains cannot be distributed in vain, they must be effective. Now that the people's livelihood in Guanzhong is in decline, your majesty and lord are very worried. Therefore, the four rulers need to open up trade with the Central Plains, allow merchants from the Central Plains to trade, and provide protection.
Chen Gong said with a smile: "In addition, the imperial court is planning to arrange county magistrates in Fufeng and Feng Yi counties to rectify people's livelihood. You can rest assured that your military power will not be taken away. But once there is war in the imperial court, four more troops will be needed to help!"
"
"This is natural." Liang Xing nodded decisively and said: "We are also ministers of the Han Dynasty, and it is our duty to share the worries of the imperial court!"
As long as the military power is in hand, what if the local political power is controlled by the other party?
"The initial 200,000 stones of grain and grass will arrive in Chang'an in about three days. At that time, the four families will be equally divided. The county magistrates from various places prepared by the imperial court will also arrive with the grain and grass. I hope the four of you can cooperate." Chen Gong laughed.
He said.
"It's natural. Sir, don't worry. I have long wanted to surrender to you. I just wish I had no way to worship you. Now that you are here, my wish has been fulfilled." Liang Xing said with a sincere face.
Chen Gong just thought it was a fart. If he really had this intention, wouldn't it be better to surrender directly now? Why wait for him to go around so many twists and turns?
After discussing many details with the four people, it was not until it was getting dark that Chen Gong said goodbye to the four people and went to prepare for the resettlement.
"Sir, I have something unclear!" On the way back, Duan Yan finally couldn't help but speak.
"It doesn't matter if you are loyal and wise." Chen Gong achieved his goal and was in a happy mood. Hearing this, he nodded with a smile.
"Those four people clearly have no intention of surrendering. With the imperial court's support, wouldn't it mean that millions of grain and grass were thrown away here in vain?" Duan Xuan asked in confusion.
"Aren't you asking for the right to trade and the position of county magistrate?" Chen Gong said with a smile.
"What's the use of this?" Duan Xuan was puzzled.
The military power is all in other people's hands. If you get the power to govern the counties and the right to trade, don't you have to depend on other people's faces?
"With political power, people's livelihood can be consolidated. Now the people in Guanzhong are confused, have nowhere to go, and all their industries are in ruins. Therefore, it is necessary to gather the people's hearts first. As for the power of trade, it can increase the four people's dependence on the imperial court. With these two powers
, plus there is already a certain amount of military strength in Chang'an as a deterrent, so they will not mess around unless they have to." Chen Gong explained as he walked.
"How can we rely on trade?" Duan Xuan wondered, what is the necessary connection between the two?
"Trade can enhance circulation. The circulation of not only food, but also coins, clothing, food, housing and transportation will help, and all kinds of industries will gradually flourish. However, once trade in Guanzhong stops, these will be abandoned, and Guanzhong will return to what it is today." Chen Gong said with emotion.
: "As the saying goes, it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality. If people want to live a prosperous life, they will naturally turn to the court, and so do they."
In this matter, the imperial court had a way out, but they could only rely on the imperial court. Even if Yuan Shao wanted to win over them at this time, it would be high-ranking officials and generous salaries, not food, grass, and commerce, which Yuan Shao could not give them.
"But the imperial court and Yuan Shao are about to fight, a million stones of food and grass is too much..." Duan Yan didn't know how to say, a million stones of food and grass is too much.
"There are not a million stones of food and grass, only two hundred thousand stones, of which one hundred thousand stones were borrowed from Nanyang." Chen Gong shook his head. The court is indeed not short of food now, but firstly, the war is imminent, and secondly, when the Central Plains are here, there are
Thousands of miles away, the transportation of grain and grass is very problematic, and Yuan Shao may be noticed and interfered with in the process.
The movement of millions of stones of grain and grass must be extremely loud, and it is impossible for Yuan Shao not to notice it.
"Then sir, are you lying to them?" Duan Xuan looked at Chen Gong in shock.
"It's not a lie. There is a shortage of food in Guanzhong, so the price of food must be high. After opening up trade, grain merchants will be attracted. Officials and merchants from the imperial court will also come over. Millions of grain and grass will be available, but not for them, but for Guanzhong.
It is a way for the people to survive. After the spring plowing, the people's livelihood is expected, and more food and grass will naturally appear." Chen Gong shook his head, he only said that the court was preparing, and did not say that the millions of stones of food and grass were provided by the court.
Can this be considered cheating?
Obviously not.
"And once I control the military and financial power, they will no longer have the final say on what happens next." Chen Gong straightened up on his horse, looked at the outline of Chang'an City in the distance, and sighed.
Having said that, it is really heart-breaking for Guanzhong to be reduced to what it is today.
"Sir, you are brilliant!" Duan Yan looked at Chen Gong and said sincerely.
He had some complaints before, but now after hearing Chen Gong's plan for the four people, he felt that he did not lose unfairly.
Chen Gong shook his head and looked at Zhao Yun standing aside. He was not saying this just to clear up Duan Xuan's doubts. Seeing Zhao Yun's thoughtful expression, he nodded with satisfaction and continued to ride towards Chang'an...