Because of the strict succession laws of the Han army soldiers, a large number of children of the army soldiers had no chance to become regular soldiers and could only wait hard for the opportunity.
For this reason, Huan Wen's recruitment of troops in Chengdu soon bore fruit.
"It's really unexpected!"
Liu Yu looked at the report in his hand and sighed in his heart.
"In just three months, we have already recruited soldiers from the Twelfth Army of the Southern Expedition."
"There are a full 20,000 strong men, but all of them were reduced to auxiliary soldiers or market members. It is really a pity."
In this report, Huan Wen believed that he reported on the recruitment situation in Chengdu.
The soldiers recruited are basically auxiliary soldiers under the military rule, or they are civilians in the city.
These people have gone through strict selection, and all those selected are no worse than regular soldiers of the military government.
"Your Majesty, now that the imperial court is expanding its territory, I don't know how many people have been granted marquisships and generals because of this. Your Majesty has rewarded and punished them appropriately. This has attracted all the loyal and righteous people from the people to serve."
Gongsun Sheng next to him said with a smile.
He helped implement this method of recruiting troops in Chengdu.
He is truly honored for such achievements.
"It is enough for Chengdu to recruit troops so quickly. In that case, the safety of Guanzhong and Jingzhou will basically be guaranteed."
Liu Yu said with satisfaction.
Chengdu's standing army can respond to surrounding emergencies at any time as long as it is trained.
"Looking at it now, the situation in Huainan should come first."
"Your Majesty, the transfer orders sent to the military offices of various states have been completed. The army can be assembled in a month at most." Gongsun Sheng said.
"Well, very good."
Liu Yu nodded and continued.
"Sima Rui of Jiangdong has been clamoring to abdicate in favor of his son to inherit the throne. The whole Jiangdong court and public are in a state of panic. He has no time to care about Huainan. As long as the army shows its flag, I'm afraid it will be decided."
Regarding this situation, Liu Yu still had some small expectations.
Huainan has gathered a large number of northern refugees.
These refugees themselves are extremely eager to return to their homes.
However, it was difficult to break away from the constraints of the local Jin Dynasty officials and troops.
If the Han army marched south and crossed the Huaihe River, the situation would change drastically.
Most of these northern refugees will become potential reinforcements for the Han army.
"Capturing Huainan is easy, but the difficult problem lies behind." Gongsun Sheng said.
"Not to mention the food supplies needed to conquer Huainan, the tens of thousands of refugees in Huainan will all depend on His Majesty to provide them with food rations."
When Liu Yu heard this question, he also fell into thinking.
Huainan suffered a severe drought this year, and most of the water in Huainan has receded.
As for the farmland in Huainan, it is natural that it is almost out of production.
The refugees, who have basically no food reserves, will definitely go hungry.
If there was no news that the Han army was about to move south, these refugees in Huainan and north of the Yangtze River would voluntarily or be forced to continue fleeing south.
Jiangdong in the south is dominated by aristocratic families and Jiangdong local tycoons.
These are weak and scattered refugees who will inevitably become their slaves and subordinates as long as they go to Jiangdong.
In a desperate situation, this is their only way to survive.
However, things are different now. Liu Yu will soon send troops south to capture Huainan.
At that time, some of them will be able to get rid of the oppression of the Jin Dynasty officials.
"These refugees, no, not just these refugees, in fact all of them, are real wealth."
When Liu Yu heard Gongsun Sheng's concerns, he did not answer hastily, but spoke slowly.
"As long as we can truly transform these refugees into people of the Han Dynasty and allocate some food and grass, it doesn't matter."
"But, doesn't your Majesty know that there is basically not much food and grass in the treasury now, except for the reserves to prepare for border wars, so how can we raise excess food?" Gongsun Sheng asked.
"Haha, do you really think this is a problem of insufficient food?" Liu Yu said with a smile.
"That's natural. The imperial treasury is not rich in food. Isn't it because there is not enough food?" Gongsun Sheng asked doubtfully.
"You only know one, but not the other."
Liu Yu smiled mysteriously.
"I am stupid, your Majesty should say it clearly." Gongsun Sheng was not in the mood to play charades.
"In the past two years, the world has been basically peaceful, and there have not been too many major disasters. The rare famines have been overcome. Under such circumstances, how can it be possible that tens of thousands of homeless households are short of food rations." Liu Yu said.
"But, the reserves in the grain depot are really running low." Gongsun Sheng said, taking out the memorial of Da Si Nong from the table.
"I don't need to look at that thing. The grain I want to talk about is no longer in the grain depot."
"If it's not in the grain depot, where is it?" Gongsun Sheng asked.
"This food is no longer in the homes of ordinary people, nor in my treasury. Where else can it be?" Liu Yu said.
"Ah, Chen understands. What your Majesty means is that there must be food in the family of a wealthy family."
"More than just having food in stock, it doesn't take much."
Liu Yu thought to himself that he had thought too simply before.
I always think that the world has been at war for more than ten years, but it has only been stable for a total of three to five years.
Even for those powerful families, life at home must be tight.
However, I never expected it.
Liu Yu's newly established 'Embroidered Clothes Envoy' returned one after another according to their investigation.
Nowadays, the houses of powerful people with powerful surnames in various states and counties are already full again.
Many powerful families even have enough grain to make wine.
You know, in order to reduce food consumption.
In today's Han Dynasty, brewing is strictly controlled.
Ordinary drinks can only be purchased at specialized markets.
Except for folk-brewed fruit wine, all wines are subject to high taxes.
This method of "scraping the land" was learned by Liu Yu from the "Fu Song Dynasty" of later generations.
Tax everything that can be taxed as much as possible.
This will create a 'scene of prosperity'.
"Your Majesty, I feel that the basic needs of these aristocratic families are food and land. I don't know how to deal with possible situations if we use their food again."
Gongsun Sheng remonstrated with some embarrassment.
He felt that he had guessed Liu Yu's intention.
Since the powerful families have food in their homes.
Then just go grab it.
Just like how we dealt with those powerful people who were unwilling to cooperate, we could just place a random accusation and have our homes ransacked.
However, the confiscation of the house was a momentary pleasure, but the subsequent "rabbit's death and fox's sorrow" effect was quite troublesome.
Now, there are no ferocious 'Hulu' out there to attract hatred.
If there is any dissatisfaction, it will all be spit on Liu Yu's head.
"Hahaha, sir, where are you thinking?"
Liu Yu suddenly burst into laughter.
"Did I make a mistake?"
"I have no intention of robbing powerful and wealthy businessmen, I just want them to donate their money." Liu Yu said.
"Offer yourselves?"
When Gongsun Sheng heard this, he shook his head.
"Your Majesty, I feel that the possibility of asking them to donate it voluntarily is not as convenient as grabbing it directly."
He is very clear about the faces of those powerful families.
Although everyone talks about loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and justice, in fact, they are all about interests that are worth every penny.
"You and I, the king and my ministers, are talking like a pair of robbers."
Liu Yu was obviously in a good mood.
"Actually, my method is very simple."
"These powerful families have food and money in their hands, so they can be considered as rich people, but there is one thing that only I have in my hands."
"What is your Majesty talking about?"
"That's an official position!" Liu Yu said.
Gongsun Sheng frowned and suddenly felt that it was not very reliable.
"Your Majesty, selling one's official position to get a title is a taboo in governing the country! Back then, the Second Emperor Huan Ling lost all the people's support by selling one's official position to make money."
"Although a lot of the money from those who sold their official positions was spent on quelling the Qiang rebellion in Xiliang, but once the name of selling their official positions is revealed, it will cause endless harm."
Liu Yu also knew a lot about what Gongsun Sheng said.
The two emperors Huan Ling of the Eastern Han Dynasty faced an era when aristocratic families were becoming increasingly tyrannical.
The common people who pay taxes are getting poorer and poorer, and the imperial court is naturally getting poorer and poorer.
However, the amount of money needed to spend on border wars and military expenditures is increasing.
Even under such circumstances, the emperor opened the door to sell his official position, but he was immediately sprayed with blood.
"Haha, of course I know this situation."
"However, in this case, it depends on how to operate."
"It's the same as selling an official position. Selling an official position to a poor businessman is very different from selling an official position to a Qingliu family."
"If you sell your official position to a poor businessman, people will say that the imperial court is taking jujube pills."
"If you sell your official position to the Qingliu family, not only will people not scold you, but they will probably pretend not to see it."
"Some people will even come out and say this is 'elegant politics'."
Liu Yu is full of expectations for the emergence of this situation.
"Your Majesty, do you mean to sell your official position to a wealthy family?"
After hearing this, Liu Yu nodded and continued.
"Yes, that's what I thought."
"It is said that today is different from the past. In those days, the appointment and dismissal of the emperor Huan Ling and the officials of the imperial court were all in the hands of a group of celebrities who evaluated and recommended them every day."
"But in today's world, the granting of official positions is in my hands."
"Even if you are a famous person, if you don't participate in the imperial examination, you will have no future."
"That's why I am so confident."
When Gongsun Sheng heard this, he immediately became energetic.
"Your Majesty, what official position are you planning to sell?"
"I don't know if he is a court official or a literary scholar in Taige?"
Although these official positions mentioned by Gongsun Sheng are not very high-level, they are all considered close ministers of the emperor and possess unique dignity.
"It's not about being an official, nor about literature." Liu Yu shook his head.
"Then what official position does Your Majesty intend to sell?" Gongsun Sheng asked.
"The governor!"
"What? Governor?!" Gongsun Sheng suddenly suspected that he had heard wrongly.
"Yes, he is the governor of a state with a rank of twenty stones! The new prefectures and counties of Piao Kingdom!"
