My clone is on the other side of the starry sky

"Brother Chao, you guessed it. Then Cui Zheng sent people to look for you." On an isolated peak near the Hengduan Mountains in the west of Jinzhou, San Dao entered a bamboo house with food and looked at the man who was reading the Book of Songs. Lu Chao smiled and placed the food for him one by one: "It's a mess outside now."

"Oh?" Lu Chao took a bite of chicken and asked, "What's the specific situation?"

"In order to show that he is stronger than you, Cui Peng changed all the rules of the Fumin Chamber of Commerce and laid off many people. Our people also took the opportunity to withdraw, and just in time to collect grain, he Being clever, I have lowered the price a lot, and the wages of craftsmen have also been lowered. I have laid off many craftsmen. Prices have not changed, but the workmanship is much rougher than before. Now I am so scolded that I dare not go out." smiled.

"Besides, houses are no longer available for sale."

"Everything must be done in a mode, which does not mean that you cannot be good to the people, but that you must be reasonable. The surge in luck in the past ten years has actually collected the luck of the next decades or even centuries." Lu Chao took a sip of wine and said : "Now that the world is not at peace, this kind of endless kindness to the people can certainly bring luck, but it infinitely reduces one's ability to resist risks. A military disaster, a flood, or even a drought can turn this The seemingly prosperous world has returned to its original shape, but the disadvantage of Confucianism is that most Confucians only know how to read, but do not know to open their eyes to see the world. Ruling a country with Confucianism can maintain stability, but it is not a good thing if those in power also believe in Confucianism."

"Aren't you also a Confucian?" Liu Sandao said amusedly.

"I practice Confucianism, but I also know how to look at the world. When Confucianism was first founded, it was open to all rivers. But now, I look down on warriors, look down on merchants, look down on Buddhism and Taoism. I am stuck in my own way and shut myself in the cocoon that I have woven. This is Confucianism, and I study Confucianism. , but I don’t know how to be a Confucian! And I won’t underestimate any knowledge.” Lu Chao shook his head and said: “Actually, Cui Zheng has begun to delve into the ways of strategizing in recent years. He kicked me out, probably because he saw that my influence was getting stronger. It has threatened his status."

This is also related to Lu Chao's fate. He was protected very well by Lu Xuan since he was a child. When he should study, he was sent to the academy. After the chaos in the world, he was also the one protected by Lu Xuan during the rebellion. At that time, he was Just like those Confucian scholars nowadays who talk eloquently but have no practical application at all.

Later, under Lu Xuan's plan, he became a disciple of Li Xinian, but Li Xinian had already lost power. He followed Li Xinian and learned while walking. Half of the principles were what he read in books and half were experienced personally. This also led to Lu Chao after completing his studies. Different from other scholars, they only seek practicality in doing things and will not stick to the framework of the book. In the end, they saw their teacher die for their country for the Tao in their hearts, and they also understood the difference between Confucianism and Confucianism, and that was how Lu Chao became today.

"What should we do?" Liu Sandao asked worriedly.

"The situation has become a success. If I give him another ten years and his tactics become clearer, I may be able to gradually reduce my influence. But now, no one will give him this time. Enjoying Jinzhou's luck for more than ten years is already the limit. ." Lu Chao shook his head and smiled: "The Dao Alliance cannot control the human heart, and there is no need to control it. After all... I am now a member of the Xie family."

"Then what should we do next? Are we going to see Cui Zheng?" Liu Sandao asked.

"No." Lu Chao shook his head: "It's not chaotic enough now. Let's add fuel to his fire. You go and sell all the houses we have accumulated over the years at a low price, selling them at 20% of the local real estate market! Don't take the money either. Come back, exchange it for grain, remember, buy it at a high price, raise the grain price for him, I will make the people afraid to sell grain!"

"Understood!" Liu Sandao understood and immediately left.

With the implementation of Lu Chao's plan, some people began to sell houses at low prices on the market. Houses in the county that were originally worth thirty-fifty taels were now sold for fifty-taels.

At first, many people thought it was crazy, but the government sensed the crisis and wanted to stop it. However, in the past ten years, Kamikaze Hall has bought a large number of houses through secret agents from various places. Now, even if it is cut at the knee, it is still making money. , the sale of a large number of houses was completed in a short period of time. By the time the government reacted, most of the houses in the hands of Kamikaze Hall had been sold.

The sale of these houses caused a large number of people to panic and began to take action, like an avalanche. However, in just one month, the overall housing prices fell off a cliff to 20% or even lower than the original peak, and as the As houses continue to sell off, the price continues to drop, but it’s just slowing down.

A large number of people have lost all their money and returned home. Cui Zheng, who was originally praised like a god in these years, has completely lost the support of the people due to this incident. How high he was at the beginning, how miserable he is now, and these Lu Chao, who has been calling for a rational view of housing for many years, has also been raised again.

Now it seems that Lu Chao is undoubtedly really thinking about the people. At the same time, with the promotion of caring people, Lu Chao helped the government to settle down the people by trading fish for fish, and later established a business to enrich the people. The story has gradually spread, and many people are still the first to do so. I heard about Lu Chao's reputation for the first time.

What was subsequently reported was a series of scandalous operations after the Fumin Chamber of Commerce was taken over by Cui Peng.

Everyone does not understand why such a good official who is dedicated to the people not only does not reuse him, but uses Cui Peng instead.

Can the prince of the state do whatever he wants?

Ten years ago, no one would have had this idea, but now, after more than ten years of unremitting efforts by Lu Chao, people's living standards have improved, and while the houses represent face, it has also inspired people's self-esteem and responded to injustice. His tolerance also increased. Naturally, Cui Zheng had another wave of public resentment.

"Find Lu Chao for me and ask him to come back!" In Cui's mansion, Cui Zheng finally couldn't suppress the anger in his heart and roared at his men.

Cui Zheng's luck dropped to less than 30% of its peak during this period, and it continued to decline. Cui Zheng was very busy with this, but there was no improvement, and people's hearts suddenly disappeared.

Jinzhou is too small, just a corner of Jiuzhou. If Jiuzhou was a complete imperial court, there would still be a way to resolve this sudden public resentment. However, the Cui family, who is the only one in Jinzhou who is in seclusion, faces this problem alone, and it is like the sky is falling.

However, Lu Chao still couldn't be found. Cui Zheng wanted to try to find it through luck, but the place where Lu Chao was hiding was on the border between Jinzhou and the Hengduan Mountains. Jinzhou's luck was weak and he couldn't find it at all.

"I don't believe it. Without him, I can't do anything!" Cui Zheng, who had not heard from him for several days, directly dismissed Cui Peng from all his positions and asked him to reflect on it. At the same time, he arranged for the officials who had previously served as Lu Chao to take up their posts again. , responsible for this matter, does not require any achievements, as long as the rules of the former Fumin Chamber of Commerce are restored.

But in the past, in addition to the official support of Jinzhou, the most important thing for Fumin Chamber of Commerce was the large amount of financial subsidies brought by Lu Chao. In other words, Lu Xuan was behind this matter with the financial support of Guiyijiao. Otherwise, with the current transportation conditions, even small profits would be lost. It doesn't even count. Now that Lu Chao has left, it is naturally impossible to subsidize anymore, and the problem has arisen.

Cui Zheng was governing Jinzhou with Confucianism, and he lacked such people who were proficient in business. It was obviously not suitable for the current situation to copy the gourd's painting. The most critical thing was not here, but the yamen responsible for purchasing found that the people were unwilling to sell grain. .

At a time when the real estate market in Jinzhou was in dire straits, Lu Chao had already sold all the money he got from selling his houses into rice and grain, hoarding a large amount of grain and hiding it, while also raising the price of grain.

After all, the Fumin Chamber of Commerce collected grain this year at a very low price, but Lu Chao offered a high price. As a result, if there is no food, the Fumin Chamber of Commerce will have to allocate grain from the treasury if it wants to continue operating. In previous years, it encountered This is also done when the harvest is low.

But because of this, the government's food inventory has never been large, and with the military's consumption, if more funds are allocated to the Fumin Chamber of Commerce, there will be no food for the army.

Protect the army or protect the people's hearts and minds?

This is actually not a difficult choice. Even if the Fumin Chamber of Commerce recovers, it will be difficult to recover the lost popular support. In the past, the low prices of the Fumin Chamber of Commerce were obtained by relying on the Guanyi Church, but now that Lu Chao has withdrawn, the high welfare will naturally disappear. The people's support will not be dispersed for a while, but if the army is gone and the Guiyi Sect takes the opportunity to invade, they will not even have the ability to resist. The Taoist League has made it clear that they can help, but they will not directly attack ordinary people. It's the Taoist League's rules.

We can only protect the army first.

But something worse happened. The grain truck transporting military rations was robbed, and it was done by more than a dozen people at the same time.

Someone is plotting against me!

Cui Zheng came to his senses. If those previous things were considered coincidences, then the robbery of military rations this time must have been done by someone against him.

Who could it be! ?

Numerous thoughts flashed through Cui Zheng's mind: Lu Chao, who had returned to Yijiao and represented the Xie family, his subordinates Wen Wu, and those noble nobles who had been suppressed! ?

These people are motivated to do this kind of thing.

"My lord, without food and grass, all armies may mutiny. Please make a decision quickly, lord!" the official in charge of the treasury said bitterly.

"Check!" Cui Zheng no longer looked like the gentleman he once was. He looked at the other party with gloomy eyes and said, "Find this batch of robbed grain for me!"

"Yes! But I don't understand this. Can you ask the local government offices and the Ministry of Justice to cooperate?" The official hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded and agreed. He definitely can't bear this matter by himself. He has to find someone to work with him. If something goes wrong, everyone will bear it together. responsibility.

"Well, I will order a thorough investigation!" Cui Zheng nodded, waved his hand and said, "Go down."

"Yes!"

In the huge meeting hall, Cui Zheng was the only one left sitting there, staring blankly at the door. At this moment, he felt an unspeakable feeling of powerlessness. In just a few months, he suddenly fell from the clouds into the hall. Abyss of battles.

Naturally, they were not found. Lu Chao had been operating in Jinzhou for ten years, and with the help of his identity, he had already legalized the identities of a large number of Shenfengtang antics. Naturally, the government could not find these people.

It's January again, and there are no results here, but bad news comes from the border.

The army... mutinied!