The 30th day of the twelfth lunar month in the second year of Taichang.
The sound of firecrackers marks the end of the year, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu.
On the last day of the Lunar New Year, Kaiyuan is filled with festive joy.
The past year has been of great significance to Kaiyuan System.
In terms of military affairs, Hou Jin was completely defeated and landed in Shandong. The soldiers and cavalry were further expanded. The size of the army was growing rapidly like a snowball. The army's firepower equipment rate increased to 70%. The Liaodong Navy began to equip warships, and the navy was fully equipped. The number of employees in the workshop has been expanded to 1,000. New rockets and field guns have been successfully developed and put into mass production. Breech-loaded flintlock guns have been continuously improved. The problem of poor air-locking performance of gun bolts will be solved. In addition, a hot-air balloon project for actual combat has also been approved· ····
In terms of civil affairs, the population under the rule of Marquis Pingliao exceeded three million, and refugees from all over the country came to seek refuge every day.
More factories and mines were developed, and iron ore from North Korea, gold ore from Shandong, coal from Fushun, and forests from Hetuala were continuously transported to Kaiyuan to provide the raw materials needed for smelting and manufacturing for the workshops.
The results of the Houjin and Wenxiangjiao battles were fully digested by the civil affairs, and the influence of Liaodong Trading Company radiated to the Ming Dynasty, North Korea, and Mongolia. A large amount of money and material resources continued to pour into Kaiyuan, and a considerable part of the money was used for the construction of post roads, schools, workshops, and forts. Large-scale infrastructure construction effectively suppressed inflation. The people's pockets are bulging, but prices have not risen significantly. Everyone's life is more prosperous and they are more and more hopeful.
Externally, after controlling the former Houjin's sphere of influence, they continued to strengthen their pressure on Liao Town, gradually encroached on Shandong, and strengthened their control over North Korea.
In addition, preparations for a northern expedition team and an ocean-going whaling team composed of soldiers, sailors, and hunters are accelerating.
These two expedition forces, which are affiliated with the civil affairs, will respectively be responsible for tasks such as expansion into the Northeast and ocean exploration. It is expected that they will set off from Kaiyuan in April next year and carry out their own operations.
The espionage activities against Japan were also jointly initiated by the industrial and commercial departments and the Intelligence Bureau. The first batch of spies dressed as traders had already entered the port of Nagasaki, Japan in the twelfth lunar month...
In terms of team building, the Zhenfu soldiers, war soldier representatives, and intelligence bureaus check and balance each other, divide power, and assist Ping Liao Marquis to strengthen control over the military, industry and commerce and other departments; the training officer system has been further improved to strengthen the control of public opinion and enhance Ping Liao Marquis' personal An important tool for credibility.
In addition, the moths hidden in the Kaiyuan system were cleared away, all the Dongchang fans lurking in the city were killed, a group of arrogant soldiers and generals were suppressed, and the behavior of forming cliques for personal gain was severely beaten. Newcomers were promoted, a group of elders lost their power, various factions were reshuffled, and the power in the hands of Liu Zhaosun was consolidated and strengthened. With the end of the rectification movement, the conditions for Kaiyuan's rebellion have matured, and the matter of Liu Zhaosun becoming emperor is no longer far away.
Despite the prosperity of the faction, Liu Zhaosun always felt uneasy.
The New Year’s Eve dinner on New Year’s Eve is even more sumptuous than last year. Yang Qing'er and her two maids worked hard for a long time, preparing a table of sumptuous dishes.
Ping Liaohou and his wife paid homage to the ancestral tablet and burned paper money for his adoptive father Liu Wei. Then he sat down and raised his chopsticks.
After chewing two pieces of steamed cakes, the scene of giving Jin Yuji ice cream when she got married appeared in front of her eyes.
"Husband, is it not to your liking?"
Yang Qing'er thought that Liu Zhaosun had worked too hard these days and had a poor appetite, so she got up and filled her husband's glass with wine.
"It's very fitting. Thank you for your hard work, madam."
Realizing that he had lost his composure, Liu Zhaosun quickly took the glass and drank it in one gulp.
When Yang Qing'er saw his appearance, she knew it was Jin Yuji's fault. She held back her sadness and consoled her:
"Zhang Chao and the others have great kung fu, and they have reinforcements from the Second Army. They will definitely not let the traitors escape to Shandong. Please rest assured, husband. Besides, we still have our soldiers in Shandong."
Liu Zhaosun was not worried about whether Zhang Chao could catch up with the rebels. According to the investigation by the Zhenfu soldiers, Song Yingsheng brought more than a dozen carts of gold, silver and jewelry with him when he left the city. He would definitely not be able to go far. He was worried that Zu Dashou would be defeated and sent troops to stop the pursuit. Cheng Liang's few hundred men alone were no match for Liao Town. Based on the current situation in Kaiyuan and Liao Zhen, Zu Dashou is very likely to do this. If Dongfang Fanzi and Song Yingsheng were allowed to flee to Wendeng and collude inside and outside, the consequences would be disastrous.
He thought this in his heart, but on the surface he pretended to be pleased and smiled at Yang Qing'er:
"Madam is still thinking carefully, but I am worrying too much."
"My husband is resting at home these days during the New Year. Bumubutai will return to the grassland after the New Year. You should spend more time with your little sister."
When Yang Qing'er saw Liu Zhaosun's brows tightening, he stood up to pour wine for her husband. Bu Mu Butai grabbed the wine bottle and filled his own cup.
Yang Qing'er smiled and said: "Children, don't drink, you won't grow taller in the future."
"What kid? He will soon be called Horqin Great Khan. When I see him in Horqin from now on, I will call him Great Khan."
Bu Mu Butai put down the wine cup. Whether it was because he was drunk or because of his true feelings, his eyes were bright and he looked at Liu Zhaosun longingly.
"Even if I do, you will always be my brother, okay?"
Liu Zhaosun stretched out his fingers, hooked up with the little sister, nodded to her and said:
"Good brothers, it's a deal."
Yang Qing'er rolled her eyes at the two of them, put vegetables in her husband's bowl, and poured wine for him.
"Stop talking nonsense and eat more mutton to make up for it."
"No more. Madam knows that I can only drink three drinks. I have to go to Sun Chuanting's house later."
Yang Qing'er was shocked: "It's New Year's Eve and it's snowing outside again. Why are you going to someone else's house if you don't stay with us?"
Liu Zhaosun had a sad look on his face, but he hadn't spoken yet and was about to shed tears. Seeing him like this, Yang Qing'er quickly asked what was going on.
Marquis Ping Liao sighed.
On the day when Ping Liao Hou killed Song Yingding, Song Yingsheng took Fanzi and three thousand taels of silver to the Sun family, and persuaded Sun Chuanting to escape from Yuan with them, sail to the sea in Jinzhou, and defect to the imperial court.
Song Yingsheng repeatedly promised that as long as he was willing to return to the capital, the factory owner would arrange for him to be the head of the Ministry of War. After Liu Zhaosun was eliminated, Sun Chuanting would be promoted to Minister of the Ministry of War. With Sun Chuanting's talents, he would definitely be the material to be the chief assistant.
Sun Chuanting has not yet gotten married, and his only mother passed away last year. In Song Yingsheng's view, given such conditions, the other party will definitely leave with him.
Unexpectedly, Sun Chuanting refused sternly. Not only that, he also pointed at Song Yingsheng's nose and yelled, telling Song Yingsheng to take the money and get out immediately.
Song Yingsheng felt incredible. He must know that Sun Chuanting had just been humiliated by Liu Zhaosun. Because of Kang Yingqian's fault, he was demoted from the lord of a city to a low-ranking official, who had to endure hardships. It is said that the person named Sun now should hate Kaiyuan deeply, but why is this the case.
Song Yingsheng was shocked and angry, so he left a message to kill people and silence him. Worried that the matter would be exposed, he hurriedly went to find Eunuch Zeng. The two planned overnight, bribed an officer in Ximen, and hurriedly escaped from Liyuan the next day.
Fanzi, who was in charge of the murder, stabbed Sun Chuanting sharply. When he saw that the other party passed out and was about to stab him again, there were soldiers patrolling outside. Fanzi was worried that he would not be able to escape later, so he dropped the knife and fled Sun's house in a hurry.
There was only one servant around Sun Chuanting. This man had followed Sun Chuanting for many years, all the way from the capital to Kaiyuan. The servant was sleeping next door that night. When he found out the next day, there was only a hairspring left in Sun Chuanting's mouth. The servant untied his official uniform, and an account book slipped out of Sun Chuanting's arms, with a hole in it...
The small courtyard was deserted. A deaf and mute old man squatted in the courtyard to light a fire. His shoulders were almost covered with snow.
Thick black smoke came out of the coal stove, choking Liu Zhaosun to tears.
The guard was about to step forward when Liu Zhaosun stopped him.
"Old man, does Sun Baigu live here?"
The old man looked back at everyone and led the way without saying a word.
Liu Zhaosun followed the old man into the living room. This was his first time in his subordinate's home.
“We need to visit their homes more often in the future.”
The living room is very simple, with only four walls and a few pieces of furniture.
I was also an official in Kaiyuan. In two years, some people took away more than a dozen carts of gold and silver, and some people's homes were stripped bare.
Liu Zhaosun sighed slightly: "You are even more frugal than me."
He secretly made up his mind to further improve the treatment standards of Kaiyuan officials in the future. It is unrealistic to expect moral restraint on integrity.
Various supervision systems must be combined with maintaining integrity through salary. We must not be as mean as Zhu Yuanzhang, who let the horse run but did not let the horse eat grass.
He looked at the old man leading the way and asked:
"Your elder was assassinated, how is he doing now?"
Just after I finished asking, I remembered that the old man was deaf and mute, so I had to give up. ~~~~
Marquis Pingliao looked at Sun Chuanting on the bed. When Sun Chuanting heard the voice of Liu Zhaosun, he struggled to sit up and was still putting on his official uniform.
"No need to worry, there are no outsiders here, don't do these false etiquette!"
Liu Zhaosun glanced at the snowflakes flying outside the window, then looked at Sun Chuanting on the bed, and said heartbrokenly:
"Are you okay? You were so angry yesterday that you were so busy sending people to hunt down the traitors that I didn't have time to look at you! Don't blame me, Mr. Sun!"
After that, he gently helped Sun Chuanting up. At this time, the deaf-mute old man was already standing at the door, holding a bowl of steaming soup in his hand.
The guard looked the man up and down and let him in.
Liu Zhaosun raised his hand to signal the old man to stop, took the decoction from his hand, tasted it himself, and supported Sun Chuanting to drink it.
Sun Chuanting's eyes were red as he talked about his experience of being assassinated that day.
"If I hadn't rushed to take stock and come back with the account book, I could have just blocked the knife for Xiaguan. The knife only hit his ribs. I would have feared that I would never see Marquis Pingliao again."
"Master Sun has worked hard and done so many things for the people, God will open his eyes!"
It was chilly in the room. Liu Zhaosun shivered and looked around.
He waved to the guards to come forward and ask them to get a cloak.
He put it on Sun Chuanting himself.
Sun Chuanting looked shocked, and Marquis Pingliao held his cold hand:
"These are my clothes. You can feel free to wear them and ask the guards to bring the charcoal to the stove. The winter in Kaiyuan is cold, so don't let the cold hit my closest ministers. Mr. Sun, I have wronged you these days. When you recover, I will resume my duties." , follow me to fight in western Liaoning. I am going to destroy Liao Town."
The flying snow rustled and knocked on the old window lattice, and everyone in the room burst into tears.
"General Liu, have you caught Song Yingsheng?"
"Hurry up, he can't run away!"
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