Chapter 152 Fighting local tyrants is the shortcut to getting rich!
Nanyang, Xinye.
Deng family.
In the study.
Deng Xun twisted his beard with one hand and held the book in the other. The corners of his lips were slightly raised, but his eyes were not on the book:
"Just after Zhang Zi was eliminated, he reached out to ask for troops and food from the Nanyang nobles. King Hongnong is quite courageous, but he just doesn't know how good this method is and whether he can control the Nanyang nobles."
Although this was expected, it came so early that Deng Xun was caught off guard.
If a prefect like Zhang Zi is parachuted in, the first step must be to show kindness and win over as many people as possible to stabilize the situation.
But King Hongnong did the opposite. Not only did he not show mercy, but he reached out to ask for soldiers and food. He also set a deadline, clearly showing the attitude of a superior king.
Even the nobles of the royal family would be unhappy with this.
What does the other party intend to do with this move?
What confidence do you have?
Next, Deng Tong bowed his head and said softly: "King Hongnong is indeed a bit reckless, but his reasons are very good. The momentum to challenge Dong is getting stronger. He is forcing the Nanyang nobles to take sides."
Deng Xun twisted his beard and smiled lightly, turning to glance at the other party: "Are you just forcing the Nanyang nobles to take sides?"
Deng Tong frowned slightly: "Could it be that King Hongnong has other ideas? Please give me some advice from the head of the family."
Deng Xun took a deep breath: "It's not clear yet whether King Hongnong has other ideas, but we can't simplify the problem. Although King Hongnong is young, he has a mature mind and should not be underestimated."
"I have a vague feeling..."
Deng Xun put down the book in his hand and kept thinking about the profound meaning of Liu Bian's move in his mind: "King Hongnong will not be like Emperor Guangwu of the past, who tried every means to win over the powerful Nanyang nobles, and he does not have the same tolerance as Emperor Guangwu towards the nobles. .”
Deng Tong nodded in agreement.
How can a person who can defeat the two fatal situations of Luoyang and Nanyang in a row be an easy person?
What's more, Emperor Guangwu started the uprising in Nanyang as a wealthy family, which was equivalent to the status of other wealthy families in Nanyang.
But King Hongnong was different. He was a prince, a king of Hongnong, a deposed emperor, and a former king. His starting point was definitely not comparable to that of Emperor Guangwu. Naturally, the methods of the two were different.
Deng Tong couldn't help but sigh.
The head of the family is worthy of being the head of the family. After going through ups and downs, his thoughts on those in power are far beyond those of ordinary people.
Only by maintaining absolute awe can we truly climb the chariot of King Hongnong.
Deng Tong pondered for a moment and said firmly: "Don't worry, head of the family, I don't care what other tribesmen decide, but I will definitely help and let King Hongnong see our sincerity."
"Um."
Deng Xun nodded with satisfaction: "Thank you for your hard work. If you need it in the future, you can come to me at any time. Although I am old, I still have some respect in the Deng family."
Deng Tong bowed and held up his hands: "Thank you very much, Master."
*****
Nanyang, Wancheng.
Kong family.
A tall man with round arms and waist frowned and said angrily: "I just killed Zhang Zi, and he reached out to us to ask for soldiers and food. King Hongnong doesn't really think he can secure Nanyang, does he?"
The man's name is Kong Ben, the head of the Kong clan in Wancheng.
In the Wancheng area, they are a well-known wealthy family.
Although it has only been a few hundred years since his family moved to Wancheng, their wealth is no less than that of the local gentry in Nanyang, or even worse.
"this......"
Under him, a young man with a generous figure hesitated: "I don't know whether King Hongnong can secure Nanyang, but the other noble families in Nanyang have sent troops and food one after another, especially the Deng family of Nanyang."
"Damn the Deng family."
Kong Ben’s thick eyebrows suddenly twisted, and his facial muscles twitched slightly, giving him a slightly sinister look.
The Deng family is second to none in Nanyang. If even they are so active, how can they fall behind?
but......
Kong Ben also has his own ideas.
He didn't think that at such a young age, King Hongnong would be able to sit firmly in Nanyang.
Once Dong Zhuo sends his troops south, the little money King Hongnong has will not be enough to compensate him.
For Kong Ben, the family that chose to support King Hongnong at this time was either stupid or foolish, and could not understand the situation at all.
But if you refuse to support King Hongnong, the other party's butcher's knife is likely to fall immediately.
Although the Kong family was rich, they had no official officials, no classics knowledge, and insufficient influence. In the eyes of King Hongnong, such a family was purely a money bag. Killing one at will would be enough for him to squander for several years.
Kong couldn't afford to gamble, let alone lose.
His son Kong Li leaned over and held up his hands, and asked tentatively: "Father, what should we do? Do we want to send private soldiers? How many will we send?"
Kong Ben frowned and pondered, and after a long time, he sighed and said: "Since even the Deng family has been sent, we naturally can't leave behind, otherwise it will be bad if we give them a handle."
"but......"
Kong Benzang said: "There is no need to send too many people. Our Kong family cannot compare with the nobles in Nanyang. Others send a hundred people to join the army, but we can only send twenty. Do you understand?"
Kong Li already had some concerns in his mind and nodded: "Don't worry, father, the child understands."
Kong Ben hummed: "Go and make arrangements quickly, the deadline is tomorrow."
Kong Li cupped his hands and said, "No."
****
The deadline passes in a blink of an eye.
Prefect's Mansion.
Side hall.
Xun Yu was holding the compiled materials and was reporting to King Hongnong: "Your Highness, all the Nanyang nobles have sent people to join the army and sent food and fodder before the deadline. I have them all registered and made a list. Please take a look at it."
"Um."
Liu Bian took the roster and started browsing it.
The first in line is the Xinye Deng family, which is still the first family to send people to join the army and provide food and grass.
Followed by the Yin family, Li family...
Xun Yu arranged them in first-come, first-served order. Even Liu Bian was a little vague about the family names that came later, and he had even never heard of some families.
Liu Bian browsed the roster while listening to Xun Yu's report: "As of today, a total of 8,634 people from various families have sent people to join the army. They have all been sent to Wenyuan and he is responsible for training."
"Although these people come from noble families and have quite bad tempers, Your Highness can rest assured that Wen Yuan will be able to control them and the army will never have any problems."
"Um."
Liu Bian nodded slowly: "Very good."
Immediately.
Continue browsing the roster.
After all, this is also a detailed list of Nanyang nobles, which is extremely precious information for later generations of scholars.
The Alliance of Military Advisors helped him survive and develop in the late Han Dynasty, while he provided some historical information to the best of his ability.
"In addition, we also received a total of 188,633 dan of grain and grass, of which the Xinye Deng family provided 70,000 dan of grain and grass. It is said that the Deng Tong family alone provided 30,000 dan of grain and grass, and the Deng family raised the rest.
of."
"Um."
Liu Bianyun said calmly: "The Deng family is not bad."
Xun Yu continued: "As for the other noble families, things are not as good as expected. Some families have more than ten thousand acres of fertile land, but they only provide thousands of stones of grain and grass, and most of them are old grain and old rice that are more than three years old."
Liu Bian raised his eyes and looked at Xun Yu: "Wen Ruo, the word 'three' at the bottom of the roster means old rice that has been used for more than three years?"
Xun Yu nodded: "That's right, that's exactly what it means. I'll mark it all clearly below so that His Highness can check it."
"very good."
Liu Bian was very satisfied with Xun Yu's work ability.
He knows his next actions, so he has arranged them in categories, making them clear and clear at a glance.
Liu Bian unfolded the last piece of bamboo slips, and the words "Wan County Kong Family" came into view.
"Huh?"
Liu Bian couldn't help but be curious. He flipped it back and compared it with the previous gentry data: "Wen Ruo, what's going on with the Kong family in Wan County? They obviously sent a lot of troops and not a lot of food, so why did it end up here?"
"Oh~~"
Xun Yu was obviously well prepared and answered fluently: "Firstly, it is because Kong arrived relatively late and only arrived on the same day. He is originally from a wealthy family in Wancheng. If he sincerely joins His Highness, he should be at the forefront."
Liu Bian nodded slowly, deeply convinced.
Xun Yu continued: "Secondly, as far as I know, the Kong family is a wealthy family in Wan County and has a lot of wealth. Even the Zhu family in Wan County can't match it. Their family's main business is smelting and casting, and it has developed to this day.
The family assets have already exceeded 100 million."
"But if your Highness takes a closer look, this person only provides hundreds of private soldiers, and all of them are over thirty years old. It should be noted that strong labor is the best for smelting, and those over thirty years old can only do miscellaneous jobs in the Kong family."
"Moreover..."
Xun Yu started from the details and made a succinct analysis: "The grain and grass provided by the Kong family are disproportionate to their family resources, and are even less than those of the Zhu family in Wancheng, and all of them are old grain and old rice."
"I believe that Kong's attitude is different and he does not sincerely support His Highness. This move is just forced by the situation, so I will list it at the end and mark it carefully for future observation and decision-making."
Is this what it means to enter the pending area?
Somewhat interesting.
Liu Bian frowned slightly and murmured to himself: "Kong family?"
At this moment, the voice of the Military Advisor Alliance sounded: "Master Bian, this Kong family is not that Kong family. It has nothing to do with the Confucius family. Don't get me wrong."
"Historical experts have reviewed the information and found that the ancestors of the Kong family in Wancheng were from the Wei State. When the Qin State attacked the Wei State, the Kong family was moved to Wancheng."
"The Kong clan makes a living by smelting iron. Historical records record that the Kong clan made a 'big drum' in Wancheng. In the Western Han Dynasty, they were already rich and had thousands of gold in their homes. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the merchants who made a living by smelting iron were all extremely wealthy.
.”
"In addition, in the fourth year of Yuanshou, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty took the salt and iron into the official business. In the following year, he appointed the great businessmen Dongguo Xianyang and Kong Ji as the agricultural ministers to manage the salt and iron industry. This Kong Ji was a member of the Kong clan and later served as the chief minister.
Farmer."
Liu Bian was surprised: "Kong only came from the Kong family in Wancheng?"
The Alliance of Military Advisors was extremely certain: "That's right! It's the Kong family in Wancheng."
Hiss~~~
Liu Bian took a breath.
Did he really not expect that the little-known Kong family actually had a great Sinong in his ancestors?
It is a pity that such wealthy officials cannot last long. Their protection lasts for a while, but not for a lifetime. It is far less sustainable than a noble family with many generations of officials and the influence of Confucian classics.
"And Mr. Ben..."
The Military Advisor Alliance once again reminded: "We will definitely climb the technology tree in the future. Iron smelting is a very important aspect. If we can get the Kong family's smelting and foundry workshop, it will be of great benefit to us in the future."
"According to expert speculation, the 'Dagu Zhu' in historical records is a blast iron smelting furnace. This technology was not lagging behind even in the Eastern Han Dynasty, which is enough to prove that Kong's iron smelting technology was first-rate."
Nanyang was a very prosperous county in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Not only did it have a vast territory, thousands of miles of fertile fields, and a large population, it was also a world-famous smelting center at that time. There were a large number of iron officials responsible for managing this area of affairs.
In the archeology of later generations, Nanyang has the largest number of iron smelting sites and the best preservation. The Han Dynasty iron smelting site at Wafangzhuang, Beiguan, Nanyang City, is an outstanding representative.
(PS: Interested readers can take a look and learn more about the iron smelting technology of the Han Dynasty. It is really very mature, and even in the next few hundred years, there was not much progress.)
"I see."
Liu Bian nodded with interest.
He stared at the Kong family on the roster, raised the corners of his lips slightly, and hid his sword in his smile.
Xun Yu seemed to have noticed something: "Your Highness, the Kong family was born as a merchant and has a narrow vision. It is normal for you not to understand your Highness's capabilities. When the lord truly takes control of Nanyang, the Kong family will help him."
"Are you following the trend?"
"Hmph~~"
Liu Bian snorted softly, with murderous intent in his eyes: "You didn't help me when I was in the most difficult situation, but you want to get a piece of the pie when you are brilliant? Is it so easy to fool me?"
"Wen Ruo."
Liu Bian stared at Xun Yu with burning eyes: "According to your plan, this move is to screen the nobles. It doesn't matter how much food, troops and horses are handed over. The key lies in the nobles' attitude towards Gu."
"The family has over 100 million yuan, but they only say that it is only 500, and they will hand over less than one hundredth of it. They are evasive and hesitant, and they are both obedient and evil. If it is left behind, it will be a big problem. It should be eliminated quickly."
"This is just the first time. If our war situation becomes urgent and we ask for food and grass for the second, third, or even fourth or fifth time, what will those nobles do?"
In fact, the Alliance of Military Advisors had already expected that no one would dare to deny food and grass to the soldiers and horses, so this was just the first trial. In the next battle against Dong, they would continue to ask for food and grass until the patience of the Nanyang nobles was exhausted.
.
Only at this time can we truly screen out those who are loyal and those who violate the law. It is simply impossible to rely on a single trial, a first-come-first-served basis, and no matter the amount of troops, horses, money and food.
at this point.
How could Xun Yu not understand?
He just couldn't believe that King Hongnong was so determined: "Your Highness, constantly asking for money, food, troops, and horses can certainly wear down the patience of the powerful nobles and make the violators of the law surface."
"but......"
When the conversation changed, Xun Yu kindly reminded: "It is quite dangerous to act like this. Once it offends the public, it will not be easy to end. Your Highness may be in danger of overthrowing."
But Liu Bian didn't care at all: "If Wen Ruo doesn't worry, Gu Gu will have his own concerns."
According to the predictions of the Alliance of Military Advisors, after the rebellion against Dong Feng, Sun Jian, the governor of Changsha, would definitely launch an army. This guy was a ruthless character, and he would do nothing if he didn't take action. He killed Wang Rui, the governor of Jingzhou, with one strike.
This Wang Rui is amazing.
He was born in the Langya Wang family, a well-known first-class family, and was officially appointed by the imperial court as the governor of Jingzhou.
But even so, Sun Jian had no legitimate reason and killed the opponent. Such a reckless Tie Hanhan led more than ten thousand troops to Nanyang. How could the Nanyang nobles dare to tolerate him?
Who will take action then?
I'm afraid I can only rely on Liu Bian.
As long as the nobles wanted something from him, the initiative would be in Liu Bian's hands.
In this way, there is no need to worry that these nobles dare to cause trouble and provoke trouble. When Liu Bian subdues Sun Jian's troops and becomes more powerful, these nobles will only be meat on the chopping board and be slaughtered by others.