Straight man of steel

Chapter 450 Return to Chang'an
If you ask the big man what season is the most beautiful.

I believe that everyone's return is autumn.

Plowing in spring, hot summer, abundant harvest in autumn, and rest in winter.

Ordinary people have lived like this for thousands of years, and no matter who is in power, they have not changed.

But this year is not a bumper harvest year. Zhang Yuan led the army all the way through Shangjun, Xihe County, and most of the people he saw on the road were listless.

Zhang Yuan can only hope that they will take back all the food as soon as possible, otherwise the real disaster will be when the 50 cattle and sheep cross the border.

But if they can harvest all the grain before the cattle and sheep cross the border, the soil fertility in the coming year will be stronger than this year's.

"General Wei, the common people don't treat us very well."

Li Jian said when he saw that the faces of the people along the way were not very good-looking.

"This year's harvest is not very good, and the big man still has to support such a huge army. When we went there, there were [-] troops, but now there are only [-] left.

The people are not blind. When they see our heavy losses, they understand that the system of the country may become stricter, and their lives will become difficult in the future. "

"Isn't the tax we collect on these common people always the same as thirty tax one?"

"You are right, but if those powerful people have to pay more money, they will definitely find a way to get it back from other places.

Hasn’t the phenomenon of buying and selling land by force has always existed? These ordinary people don’t even have their own land, so how can they pay taxes?

If there is no way to pay taxes, they have to sell themselves into the homes of those nobles, and work for others all their lives, and the identities of their sons and daughters have also been determined. "

"I hope the war can end as soon as possible, and the lives of the people will be better."

Zhang Yuan chuckled lightly, no matter what time it was, the life of the Chinese people was never easy.

If you want to be a master and want a better life, you have to sharpen your head and squeeze to the top, doing everything you can.

This is the second time for Zhang Yuan to go back and forth on this road in Shangjun.

It took only two large-scale wars to cut off half of the power of the Huns.

All in all, Zhang Yuan's goal has been achieved more than half.

When the army was still four or five days away from Chang'an City, Liu Che sent someone to inform Zhang Yuan that, except for the Habayashi Army Qimen Army, the rest of the army would directly return to the original station for repairs.

By the way, he took Zhang Yuan's Tiger Talisman back.

Although this victory came very exciting, Liu Che listened to Zhang Yuan's advice and did not hold any big celebrations.

Everyone's rewards will be announced before the autumn festival.

Zhang Yuan could bear all the pressure alone.

If Liu Che offered a reward at this time, the treasury would be empty in an instant.

But if the taxes are collected, the pressure will be greatly reduced.

But if you do this, the hearts of the soldiers will be half cold. It's like when you finally made it to the end of the year and are going to go home with your bonus and salary for a good year. Will send you the salary and bonus of the previous month.

When everyone is angry, just tell everyone that it was Xin'an Hou Zhang Yuan who suggested it.

In this way, Zhang Yuan's reputation will be damaged, while Liu Che's interests will be protected, and the big man will be more stable.

After receiving Liu Che's Tai Tu Seal, Zhang Yuan realized how right he was in accepting the box of treasures from King Hunxie.

This is definitely an act of self-defilement by Zhang Yuan. The bigger the official reputation, the better.

The reputation of being wise is best shown on the monarch. If you are in a high position, the people below will say that you are wise and considerate of the people. Is it the emperor's credit or yours?

At least at this time in Dahan, there has not been any talk of parents.

Apart from their biological parents, the common people only have the emperor and empress as their parents.

When the time came back to Chang'an, Zhang Yuan spread the news about accepting the gift from King Hunxie on purpose, so that Liu Che could hold onto a small trick of his own.

For the sake of being a courtier, Zhang Yuan felt that he was already capable.

After Wei Qing became a powerful minister, he chose to stay at home without leaving the door. However, after Xiao He became unofficial, he immediately chose to seize the people's property and even asked Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, to give the land of Shanglin Garden to the people. They farmed, and Liu Bang was so angry that he was imprisoned.

Zhang Yuan was riding a horse on the road, and the more he thought about it, the more complacent he became. If he would get out of prison like this, it would be best if he could deprive the Marquis and his official position.

Zhang Yuan on the road is thinking about his future, and the ladies in Chang'an City are also thinking about Zhang Yuan's future.

"Your Majesty intends to return the title to Duke Xiao's descendants. Xiao Qing has a sixteen-year-old daughter under his knees.

This time, I also sent someone to send the birthday horoscope and portrait. "

Princess Pingyang looked at the portrait in her hand and said to Wei Qing's two sisters.

"The descendants of Marquis Feng Wen are trying to take advantage of the situation?"

"That's right, they have been lost for four generations, and the founding hero of the great Han Dynasty is Feng Wen, the last marquis. Now that they are declining, they naturally want to get help from outside.

If you don't want to send your daughter to the palace, Xin'an Marquis Zhang Yuan would be the best choice. "

Wei Junru said so, and then the three women looked at each other, and immediately decided to match Xiao He's great-granddaughter with Zhang Yuan.

Wei Zifu in the palace is about to give birth, and there must be no other accidents at this time.

"Send someone to tell Xiao's family that this young lady can be sent to Pingyang Houfu.

After the Marquis of Xin'an returns to Chang'an in a few days, I will send someone to inquire about his wishes. "

The maidservant next to Princess Pingyang promised and withdrew.

"Son, please go to the Xin'an Marquis Mansion for me.

Tell Zhuo Wenjun about this in advance to avoid causing trouble for her later. "

"Your Highness, Princess, why do you need to worry about a merchant's daughter?"

"Just do it. Marquis Xin'an is different from ordinary people. I'm afraid Zhuo Wenjun's words are more effective than His Majesty's."

"Yes."

It's quite funny to think about it, Xiao He's descendants want to marry Zhang Yuan, and they can be regarded as Gao Pan.

But blame the Xiao family's short life, it has been passed down for seven or eight generations in just a few decades.

As long as there are descendants of the founding heroes in Chang'an City, they are probably the elders of the Xiao family.

However, the Xiao family is also the one with the most marquis generations in the Western Han Dynasty, even the Cao family can't compare.

It seems that except for Xiao He, the members of their Xiao family would not be able to live too long if they sat in the position of Marquis.

Princess Pingyang is in a hurry to choose a wife for Zhang Yuan.

Looking at Zhang Yuan's Ce Wen, Liu Che scratched his head and got a headache.

The abolition of the county's minting rights is a major event, a very great event.

A large portion of the counties' income comes from this.

The taxes collected by the county governments will not be retained by themselves, and basically all will be handed over to the court.

And the way they keep themselves afloat is by printing money.

As long as there are copper mines in the government, copper coins will be minted if there is no money.

These are all within the rules.

If Liu Che takes back the right to mint coins, all counties and counties will have to apply to Liu Che if they have something to do in the future.

Apply layer by layer, and then Liu Che allocates funds.

The reason Liu Che hesitated was because he didn't want to understand.

He consciously thinks that as long as it is in his hands, it is his. If he is happy, he can send you some, but if he is not happy, he will not send it.

In fact, he didn't know that after the minting rights were withdrawn, more copper coins would be minted by the central government, and the more copper coins were actually printed by the counties themselves in the past.

It's like a country takes back the land and then sells the land again, but only the right to use it.

Such is the psychology of rulers.

What is in my hands is mine. I don't care what you did before, but now you have to follow my way.

Although Liu Che didn't figure it out, he still reorganized the official system of Shanglinyuan according to Zhang Yuan's suggestion.

Gathered up the minting rights of the Inner History Realm, and then completely received the entire system from Zhuo Wangsun.

The effect of this is that the whole world knows that Liu Che is going to promote five baht coins, and those who have already exchanged their family copper coins for five baht coins from Zhang Yuan earlier are secretly happy.

They knew that Zhang Yuan must have made money during the casting process, but Zhang Yuan's heart was no darker than Liu Che's.

"Your Majesty, I think the exchange ratio should be set at six to one.

There will be losses during casting, and their coins are not enough.

The imperial court also needs to pay those craftsmen some money for casting coins.

After the conversion ratio of six to one is fixed, you can increase the value of the five baht coin, which will be very convenient when collecting taxes in the future or shopping in Shanglinyuan, the Shaofu of the inner treasury. "

"Just do as you said, but first focus on the copper coins in the hands of the common people, and then exchange them for those noble ones.

Zhang Yuan said that this would help the five-baht coins circulate in the market sooner. "

"I understand."

For the officials in Shanglinyuan, Liu Che has not yet found suitable candidates to manage them, so he can only let Sang Hongyang worry about these issues for him first.

Counting the days, Zhang Yuan will almost arrive in Chang'an soon.

Liu Che wondered whether Zhang Yuan would directly accept the Seal of the Grand Tutor.

If you accept it, then you really have something to play with.

If he didn't accept it, Liu Che felt that he might look up to Zhang Yuan.

In this way, a few days passed quickly.

Chang'an City did not hold a grand celebration ceremony. When Zhang Yuan and others returned to Chang'an City, they were riding horses on the streets, and no ordinary people even looked at them.

The last time I had fun with the people was a few years ago, and besides, Zhang Yuan doesn't often appear in the public's sight.

Because they are returning from victory, several people have to go directly to Weiyang Palace, not Jianzhang Palace.

This has been the case since the founding of the country.

Since entering the city, Zhang Yuan held a wooden box in his hand, and the rest of the people didn't know what Zhang Yuan contained in the wooden box.

All the way to the front hall of Weiyang Palace, apart from handing over the sword on his body, Zhang Yuan even put the wooden box in his hand.

There were only four people who returned to Chang'an, Zhang Yuan, Li Jian, Xue Ren and Zhang Cigong.

The remaining four lieutenants led the army back to their respective garrisons to recuperate.

As for the Yulin Army, they also returned to station at the edge of Jianzhang Palace, and the Qimen Army returned to Ganquan Palace.

To tell the truth, Zhang Yuan felt sorry for them. With such a huge casualty and such a huge victory, he couldn't accept the cheers from the common people when he came back. He was really aggrieved.

"I will meet your Majesty at the end."

Entering the main hall, only Liu Che and the two servants of the Huangmen were inside.

The clanging sound of several people's armors spread throughout the hall.

"These are all meritorious ministers, so get up quickly."

Everyone else stood up, but Zhang Yuan continued to kneel on the ground.

"Your Majesty, please take back this wooden box. I am really not qualified to accept your Majesty's kindness."

"Zhang Yuan, have you thought about it?

Take it back now, if you want to take it back in the future, it may be decades later.

What will happen in these decades is still unknown. "

"After General Mo received this wooden box, he was thinking about this day and night.

I don't think about tea, I don't think about food, and I haven't had a good night's sleep for a long time. I am afraid that if I accept it, I will fall ill in bed in the long run. "

"Alright then, I will take back the wooden box for the sake of your body.

Please take care of yourself, Marquis Xin'an, you are a pillar of the great man. "

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhang Yuan felt relaxed when the servant of the Huangmen took the wooden box from Zhang Yuan's hand.

"The battle report sent back said that Li Ju was missing and Li Shuo was captured?
This is how the same thing? "

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Antou Hou and General Li Shuo led the vanguard against the Xiongnu army at Fuyangju Mountain Narrows.

Afterwards, the vanguard army was dispersed, and General Li Shuo disappeared, and then he learned that he was captured by the Huns and sent to the city of Tuidang.

General Li Ju led a cavalry to buy time for our army to retreat, and then when cleaning the battlefield, he did not find General Li Ju's body. "

Zhang Yuan reported the truth.

"Where is King Xiutu being held now?"

"Habayashi Army camp."

"Who is King Hunxie's document?"

"Your Majesty is here with me, and it should be true that King Hunxie intends to seek refuge with me.

When the Xiongnu sets, they may not be able to hold on for much longer under the iron heel of our Han Dynasty. King Hunxie is already at odds with the Xiongnu chieftain and his military officials, so it is more in his interest to seek refuge with the Han Dynasty. "

After speaking, Zhang Yuan took out the letter of King Hunxie from his bosom.

It could have been sent to Chang'an in advance, but this matter was very important and related to his attitude towards the Huns later, so Zhang Yuan did not dare to leave it to others.

"Your Majesty, this is a letter from King Hunxie."

Liu Che took the letter and opened it directly.

This is the best news he has received in years.

King Hunxie's entire tribe has a population of between 20 and 30, and King Xiutu's tribe is about the same.

Now that King Xiutu is in his hands, King Hunxie is about to surrender again.

With a population of nearly 50, the power of the Huns was cut by half at once.

And there are so many cattle, sheep and horses, these are all big men's.

Liu Che was delighted that this was very natural.

"Who does Marquis Xin'an think he should send to the tribe of King Hunxie?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I think Zhang Qian is more suitable. After all, he has lived in the Huns for more than ten years and knows the customs of the Huns very well.

When he goes to the tribe of King Hunxie, we can also deepen our understanding of the Huns. "

"If I accept King Hunxie's tribe, how should we deal with these hundreds of thousands of Huns?"

"Your Majesty can treat the Huns the same way they treated the Yiqu people in the previous dynasty. Over time, they will become our weapons to defend the north."

(End of this chapter)