In the lobby.
All the civil and military personnel dispersed to prepare for their return to Chang'an. Only Wu Nian, two eunuchs, and Henan governor Chen Longcheng were left.
Chen Longcheng knew that the emperor must have something to say if he left him behind, so he lowered his head slightly in a listening posture.
"Dragon City. I asked you to run Nanyang well before. Now the situation is a little different." Wu Nian sighed and said.
Chen Longcheng's heart was moved, he raised his head and asked: "But are we going to take back the three-year tax exemption decree? Or push the decree back one year. Starting from next year?"
Although Shaanxi and Nanyang are separated by thousands of mountains, they are connected by Wuguan Road. The situation in Nanyang is very good now. Look at the crops in the fields. It must be a bumper harvest this year.
Nanyang is also a land of fish and rice, a land that produces grain.
Harvesting this year's grain first can reduce the pressure on Shaanxi.
Wu Nian shook his head and said with a smile: "Dragon City. You know everything right. But you guessed my thoughts wrongly."
"I don't dare to say that I will never be able to [joke] in my life. But for the people, I can do it like you can't joke. If I say it is tax-free for three years, I will not discount it."
"Nanyang's land tax is exempted this year. But you have to pay close attention to the grain produced. Don't let merchants or people with ulterior motives transport grain to Chu State. I buy it with money, collect the grain, and keep part of it as Part of the rations for the Nanyang garrison was sent to Shaanxi."
"Food. I can't change it, but I have plenty of money."
"yes."
Chen Longcheng was stunned for a moment, and then an unspeakable feeling arose in his heart. He took a deep breath, bent down and saluted, "Yes."
This is our great emperor.
You have no joke.
The promise made to the people will never be taken back. I'd rather buy it with money.
In fact, the decree granting tax exemption for three years has not yet been issued. No common people knew this. Taking it back is actually nothing.
Since ancient times, how many kings have been able to do this?
"Yes. You leave immediately, leave Zhangcheng, go to Nanyang City, and take charge of the overall situation." Wu Nian nodded slightly and waved.
"Yes." Chen Longcheng responded loudly, stood up and turned around to leave.
"Huh." Wu Nian exhaled a long breath, feeling a little tired, and said, "I'm tired, let's go to bed."
"Yes." The eunuch bent down and responded. They surrounded Wu Nian and headed to the bedroom.
The main force of the Han army rested in Zhangcheng for three days. On the morning of the fourth day, we set up camp and set up camp. Formed into a long dragon, headed for Wuguan Road and returned to Chang'an.
A drought, for a farming civilization, is tantamount to destroying the world. Shaanxi began to be in chaos.
Some villages were beaten to death or injured for their water source.
There are profiteers who are hoarding food and driving up food prices.
Some people began to prepare to flee. Go to Hebei, go to Bashu.
Go where there is food.
Shaanxi is a place where major droughts and minor droughts continue. Situations like this happen from time to time. In the past, when the Chu State was in the imperial court, this was what the people did.
Now that the Han Dynasty has come, can anything change?
Many people, especially those in southern Shaanxi, did not have much confidence in the Han court.
If things go badly, the ground will be covered with hundreds of corpses. Millions of refugees are about to sweep the world.
There is a way.
Princes, generals and prime ministers would rather have their own kind.
There is a way.
The sky is dead, and the yellow sky should stand.
A court that does not care for its people will eventually be overthrown.
Even if it loves the people, if the court is unable to save the people from disaster, it will be overthrown.
The common people are the ones who should not be messed with.
Word spread. Not only is Shaanxi internally unstable, external enemies are also beginning to make moves.
Xiangyang.
Although Xiangfan is important, to the Chu State, Guanzhong was still there before, and so was Nanyang. Xiangfan is not the front line.
Xiangyang has insufficient reserves of military supplies, grain and grass, etc. When Xiong Wuwo led 50,000 elite troops and stationed in Xiangfan, he confronted Wu Nian.
Grain and grass from Huguang, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and other places are constantly transported by water and gathered at the waterway hub of Xiangfan.
Transporting grain by water saves the food of civilians, mules and horses, and is very fast.
save time and energy.
When Wu Nian was stationing troops outside Fancheng, Xiong Wuwo was in Fancheng. When Wu Nian withdrew his troops and returned to Zhangcheng, Xiong Wuwo also crossed the river and entered Xiangyang.
As the Han army retreated, another general took charge. Xiangyang quickly returned to its former bustle.
The city gates are open, the city is bustling with traffic, and business is booming.
All kinds of scholars gathered together with their friends and went out to play outside the city.
In the city.
Xiong Wuwo stationed himself in a large house as a temporary government office.
In the lobby.
Xiong Wuwo was wearing official robes and sitting on the main seat, discussing matters with his old subordinates Beigong Boyu, Linghuyu and Liu Bao.
"Wu Nian returned to Zhangcheng. Although he will not stay in Nanyang for a long time, he will definitely strengthen Nanyang's defense. Our opportunity to retake Nanyang has been lost."
"Now Nanyang is gone, Guanzhong is gone. Luoyang is surrounded by Wu Nian on three sides. The Han army can still use Nanyang to send troops eastward to attack the Central Plains. Most of the role of the Yellow River's natural moat has been lost."
Xiong Wuwo sighed, shook his head and said.
Beigong Boyu, Linghuyu, and Liu Bao all looked bad, too. They were getting stronger step by step. Although Chu State was also working hard, it was not as fast as the Han army.
"Bashu will be left to Lu Jing. Let's discuss how to defend the Central Plains." Xiong Wuwo calmed down and said.
"Yes." Beigong Boyu responded in unison.
Xiong Wuwo asked someone to bring a map and a desk. Several people stood up and gathered around the desk, looking down at the topographic map.
At this moment, a soldier walked in from outside, holding a small black box in his hand.
"Sir, this is Guanzhong intelligence." The soldier stepped forward and carefully handed the box to Xiong Wuwo.
"Huh?!" Xiong Wuwo's expression was a little subtle. Guanzhong had fallen. Although there were spies operating there, there were not many.
Moreover, the spies over there are in a very dangerous situation, and they won't be able to pass on the news if nothing happens.
Could it be that Han Laocheng from the northwest has made significant progress?
Xiong Wuwo was in high spirits, reached for the small box, took out the letter, opened it and read it. Immediately, his expression became complicated.
There is both solemnity and joy.
Beigong Boyu and the others were very strange, their hearts felt like a cat scratching, itching terribly. Liu Bao couldn't hold back, clasped his fists and asked, "General. What happened in Guanzhong?"
"It's not just a matter in Guanzhong. It's a drought in the entire Shaanxi Province, and there are already signs of chaos." Xiong Wuwo sighed and handed the letter to the three of them.
The three of them passed the letters, and after reading them, they were all overjoyed. But they soon came to their senses and suppressed their joy.
Xiong Wuwo sighed: "Militarily speaking, the severe drought in Shaanxi is beneficial to us. If Wu Nian cannot hold on, millions of refugees will rise up, and Shaanxi will be in chaos. Nanyang will become an isolated island. I will take a moment, You can take it back."
"Then take the Wuguan Road, march into Shaanxi, and restore the previous territory."
"But. The people are innocent."
After saying that, Xiong Wuwo fell silent and let out another long sigh.
"Why."
He is also a man who kills without blinking an eye, but there are millions of people in Shaanxi. If Wu Nian couldn't handle it, how many people would die?
Soon, he regained his composure and said in a deep voice: "I am a military general, so you can ignore these things. Send the order, prepare the troops for war, and wait for the opportunity."
"yes."
The three generals also calmed down and clasped their fists in response.
