The team sent to arrest Zhong Lihuan returned without success. Guan Ying just returned the favor, but Fan Kuai was so angry that he jumped up and scolded everyone he met.
"We clearly saw a tall man who looked like Zhong Lihuan in the north of the city, but he led him around a few times and then disappeared.
I'm afraid he ran out of the city! "
Everyone comforted him. Zhong Lihuan was a criminal whose Majesty had put a reward on his head for half a year without a trace. He must have great concealment skills, so he would not be caught so easily.
Unwilling to give up, he and Guan Ying led their elite soldiers to search Luoyang City for three days, turning every household upside down. They gave up when there was still no trace of Zhong Lihuan.
"Zhong Lihuan has no hope of seeking refuge with Han Xin. He has alerted the enemy and exposed his deeds. He will probably not hide in the Central Plains anymore...
Either go north to the Huns, or flee south to South Vietnam. "
These two directions were the usual routes for fugitives from China at that time, and compared to the South Vietnam Kingdom on the coast, the Huns in the north seemed to be closer to Luoyang.
Although there was no hope of catching the fugitive, the emperor did not delay the important matter.
In the past few days when people in the city were on their feet, the imperial court quietly issued an edict to the world that would shock the ages. It was called the "Edict of Emperor Gao for the Fifth Year".
According to the imperial edict, all 600,000 soldiers and officers should return home:
All innocent military officers and soldiers will be given a minimum reward of the fifth rank, and at least five hectares of land, and the whole family will be exempted from rent, tax, and corvee service for one year;
Those criminals such as "criminal officials" and "desperate" who were conscripted into the army during wartime, as well as soldiers who had violated military law, were immediately pardoned and became civilians.
In addition, the court would no longer pursue the refugees and bandits who gathered in Baoshanze during the war, and encouraged them to return to their original counties and counties, and compensated and restored their original land, fields and houses.
Those who sold themselves into slavery because of poverty were exempted from slavery and restored to civilian status.
This was an edict carefully polished by Liu Ji and his ministers. Its main purpose was to reward meritorious service and stabilize the world in the early stages of the establishment of the new dynasty.
And, safely disband the army and create a military class loyal to the Liu Dynasty out of thin air.
Among the population of about 15 million in the early Han Dynasty, this military class covered at least 3 million people. It can be said that it created the foundation stone for the old Liu family to protect the country.
***
This time, when Liu Ji came to the Beigong to once again examine the prince's understanding of the edict, Liu Ying, who had been punished by Shusun Tong'er and worked all night to make up for it, naturally answered fluently,
"Only when the people of the Li people have land, and with the government's national policy of encouraging farming and mulberry cultivation, and frivolous corvee and low taxes, can they live and work in peace and contentment, and only then will the national strength of our great Han Dynasty be improved."
"That's not bad." Liu Ji showed approval and said again,
"Let me ask you again, you said that the imperial court is now frivolous in corvee and low in taxes, but do you know how much the land rent of our court is now?"
"Well... I have made an agreement with the government to save the land. The land rent is lighter than that of Qin. The tax is one for fifteen."
"It's lighter than Qin. Do you know how much the land tax was in Qin?"
"...I don't know this."
Shusuntong forgot to mention this in his busy schedule.
Liu Ying could only look at Lu Pheasant helplessly, wanting to ask for help.
Lu Pheasant said warmly,
“I remember that for many years it was ‘three taxes and two taxes’.
Ying'er, you see, most of the annual harvest is used as field rent. In addition, you have to pay household tax and miscellaneous taxes.
People in the world don’t even have enough to eat, so aren’t they revolting? "
"In this case, when I grow up, I will definitely adjust the land rent downwards.
Well, the tax will be reduced to 1 for thirty, or even 1 for 100. "
Liu Ying thought for a moment and suddenly made a great wish.
"If this is true, then our Ying'er will be a good monarch praised by everyone."
Liu Ying's words were a bit presumptuous, but he was still young and had no restraints in his childish talk. Liu Ji, who was in a good mood, didn't mind. After a few compliments, he asked the palace servants to take the prince down.
He turned to Lu Pheasant and said,
"I plan to confer the title of King of Zhao in two days, and then Lu Yuan and the others will have to leave Luoyang and go to the north to live in the country.
***
Lu Pheasant nodded,
"The two children are in love with each other, so it would be better to go there as soon as possible.
It's just that my daughter is too young, so I followed Zhang Ao to Zhao State, which made me a little worried. "
"There's nothing you can do about it. Is it possible that you can still send someone to follow?
I just settled for Zhang Cang, and I wasted so much time and effort. It was really frustrating. "
When Liu Ji thought of the various vassal states where a needle could not penetrate and water could not pour, he became filled with resentment.
"I mentioned it to Zhang Ao. Brother Shi Zhi has been complaining that Luoyang is too hot recently, which makes him feel angry and coughing.
It would be better to let him, his uncle, escort Lu Yuan to Zhao State, just in time to get some fresh air.
Zhang Ao raised no objection. "
"That's fine. It's reasonable and reasonable for my maternal uncle to send me the bride. It's just a relief from the hard work."
Liu Ji agreed without hesitation.
***
After the grand canonization ceremony, the new Zhao King Zhang Ao and Zhao Queen Lu Yuan left the capital of Luoyang, the country of Zhao, with a vast entourage.
In the past few days, the princess' apple-like plump little face has always had a dazed and satisfied smile. Even though she was in the spacious carriage, she was still as happy as in a dream.
The carriage she was traveling in was huge, with a black cabin and dazzling vermilion wheels. The patterns painted on the hubs rotated as the wheels turned, making them dazzling.
The thick shān cloth covering the top of the carriage is also coated with bright black paint to protect it from wind, rain and sun.
Due to the noble status of King Zhao and Queen, there are layers of feather covers on the tarpaulin, which makes them look particularly luxurious.
There is a front hatch (yǒu) in the middle of the car and a rear door, with a clothing barrier between them, dividing the spacious carriage into two parts, the front and rear.
Lu Yuan leaned slightly reservedly on the hollow table of his queen, taking advantage of the bumps in the carriage to secretly glance at the high-spirited man next to him, one after another.
Everything he had hoped for since the girl was pregnant has finally come true, but what does the distant Zhao Kingdom and the unpredictable Zhao Palace look like?
Also, King Zhao had already given birth to two sons with his concubine before Princess Shang.
It is said that the people of Zhao are rough and bold. I wonder if the other women in the palace are easy to get along with and whether they will respect me as the new queen who has come from afar.
Thinking of this, even Lu Yuan, who had been beaming with joy for days, couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
Fortunately, the queen mother had gone to great lengths to help her make careful arrangements.
The accompanying palace attendants were all personally appointed by Lu Pheasant. Most of them were new faces that they had never seen before, and they were all older women, not the young girls who were usually seen in the North Palace.
Lu Yuan did not understand his mother's intention at first, and thought that Lu Pheasant deliberately replaced all his female envoys with strong women to prevent Zhang Ao's sexual advances.
For this reason, she actually had a bad temper with her mother, thinking that her mother's cautiousness had underestimated her and him.
Unexpectedly, the always amiable mother turned out to be extremely serious. She ignored her dissatisfaction at all, kept a straight face, and insisted on doing it.
Lu Yuan would not know that most of these palace people she was not familiar with came from the Xianyang Palace of the pre-Qin Dynasty, as well as the current Yongxiang and Yeting. Some of them could ride and shoot, some were good at close-quarters fists, and some Some are good at using weapons, some are good at pharmacology, and they come in all shapes and sizes, each with their own abilities.
The biggest thing these palace people have in common is that they have experienced various intrigues and turmoils, and are well versed in the secrets and secrets of the palace.
Moreover, due to the constraints of the Queen's various means, their loyalty can be relied on.
