Early the next morning, Liu Bian got dressed under Tang Ji's service.
The two of them left the palace and went to the side hall. While eating breakfast, they exchanged opinions on some words.
"This character is constantly evolving. Bamboo slips, silk, and current paper will also develop in the future, becoming more standardized, and the changes in fonts will be more diverse..." Liu Bian said slowly.
Tang Ji sat opposite him, with pink cheeks and watery eyes.
Pan Yin stood aside, looking at his nose and nose, as if he didn't hear anything.
As Liu Bianzheng was talking, he saw a palace maid holding a pile of clothes at the door.
She came in to meet Liu Bian's gaze, quickly crossed the threshold, and said, "Your Majesty, these are the clothes that the empress asked the slave to bring to Xiaoniang Tang."
Liu Bian saw Tang Ji bow her head, her pretty face turned red, and she smacked her mouth. This old lady was really considerate.
He coughed, stood up and said, "You can eat, I have something else to do."
Liu Bian grabbed a piece of soup cake and left in a hurry, heading towards the study. He could vaguely hear Tang Ji's sweet hum.
Pan Yin followed Liu Bian, looking at his side face with a smile, and then said happily: "Your Majesty, the selection is in one month."
"Cai Xuan? What is Cai Xuan?" Liu Bian asked while biting the soup cake.
Pan Yin said: "It is the draft. In August, together with the taxation, the senior officials and Ye Tingcheng will be responsible for the work. They will be selected by the ministers and the best ones will be admitted to the palace, and your majesty will ascend to the throne."
Liu Bian understood, waved his hand, and said, "Let them all stop. Was there any result from the discussion at the Chancellor's desk yesterday?"
Pan Yin said: "No, Situ and Sikong don't agree with the taxation."
Since the outbreak of the Yellow Turban Army, the imperial court has repeatedly raised taxes. The courtiers no longer dare to increase taxes, but there are no other sources of taxation.
According to normal logic, we will still add more in the future, and more and more.
Liu Bian had already anticipated this and said, "Send a message to the Chancellor's Office and ask them to cut all unnecessary expenses, and the palace must also practice strict frugality."
"Yes." Pan Yin followed Liu Bian.
Liu Bian entered the study room and looked at the half-written words "Increase revenue and reduce expenditure" written on the desk last night. He said to himself in a comfortable manner: "I already have a solution for the money matter, and I just need to choose a shepherd from Yanzhou."
Zhang Wen deliberately avoided the court, so he had to make another choice.
Pan Yin poured tea for Liu Bian. From the corner of his eye, he saw Xun You hurriedly walking towards here and said to Liu Bian: "Your Majesty, Shangshu Xun is here."
Liu Bian hummed, sat on the chair and said, "Give me the information about Tang Mao, the prefect of the General District."
Tang Mao, the governor of Kuaiji, was Tang Ji’s father.
Pan Yin responded, went out and passed by Xun You.
Xun You came in with mixed emotions and said: "Your Majesty, Yanzhou is reporting."
Liu Bian looked at his expression and said with a smile, "What happened?"
Xun You couldn't wait for Liu Bian to read the memorial and said: "Your Majesty, Jin Shang, the governor of Yanzhou, has led his troops and has recovered six states and counties, beheaded more than 3,000 people, and recruited nearly 30,000 Yellow Turban bandits."
Jin Shang?
Liu Bian narrowed his eyes slightly and lowered his head to examine the memorial.
This is not a memorial written by Jin Shang, but a joint memorial written by the chief officials of various counties and counties in Yanzhou. There are as many as a dozen people praising Jin Shang for "being calm in the face of danger, being brave and resourceful, and protecting the country and the people. Please commend him."
'What a good idea...'
Liu Bian sighed in his heart, put it aside, looked at Xun You and said with a smile: "Xun Qing's family, I thought hard all night yesterday and came up with a way to raise money."
Pan Yin stood outside the door, listening to Liu Bian's words of "thinking hard all night", and glanced at him quietly, then quickly retracted.
Seeing that Liu Bian did not mention Jin Shang, Xun You was thoughtful and said, "Your Majesty, what can we do?"
Now the Han Dynasty has very little control over local areas. It all depends on the faces of local state shepherds and prefects. How much money to pay to the court is completely up to them. They understand the court's orders as 'requests'.
Liu Bian and Xun You looked at each other, their eyes flickering slightly, and he said: "I plan to order Yushitai, Shangshutai, and Da Sima to jointly dispatch officials as imperial envoys to transport local taxes directly from the local area to Luoyang. "
Liu Bian originally wanted to levy it directly, but this was not possible for the time being.
Xun You's expression changed suddenly as he listened.
He knew that this method could circumvent the layers of local exploitation, but it would arouse local resistance and would inevitably cause a big disturbance!
But immediately Xun You lowered his head to think, and after a moment he said: "Your Majesty, this matter needs careful planning and preparation. I believe that we should start from a certain state first and gradually promote it, and a capable person must come forward to stop Youyou's mouth. "
Liu Bian picked up Jin Shang's memorial and said, "I want to be a state pastor. Why am I so calculating?"
Xun You was startled and said, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid it's not enough."
As a governor, Jin Shang really couldn't do it.
Liu Bian looked out the door calmly and said, "I heard that Mr. Yuan has taken leave from time to time due to illness."
Listening to Liu Bian's calm tone, Xun You suddenly felt shocked: "Your Majesty, are you ready to deal with the Yuan family?" '
Liu Bian picked up the tea cup and took a sip of tea, and said with a smile: "No matter what they have in mind, whether they want an official position, power, prestige or influence, they always think wrong, that is, I am not the father, and nothing can be done. It’s not up to them, I have the final say in everything! If I don’t give it, they won’t get it!”
Xun You sensed a certain firm attitude from Liu Bian's words. He paused and did not say more about it. Instead, he said: "Your Majesty, I recommend Ding Yuan, the governor of Bingzhou, to be the governor of Yanzhou."
Liu Bian frowned and said, "Ding Yuan? Is his ability a little lacking? I'm worried that he won't be able to control Yanzhou."
Ding Yuan is still capable, but Yanzhou is too complicated, and the border with Sizhou is the most chaotic. Various forces are intertwined. Liu Bian feels that he may not be able to control the situation.
Xun You said calmly, "Your Majesty, Yanzhou is not far from Sili. There is a big commander at the top, a fierce general at the bottom, Liu Shijun from Youzhou in the north, and Zhu Shijun from Qingzhou in the east. We can only work together and there is no reason to pacify it. There is no Yanzhou."
Liu Bian thought about it again and again, nodded slightly, and said, "That makes sense. Okay, I'll just follow what the Qing family said on this matter."
Seeing this, Xun You took out a memorial from his arms and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty. In addition, I have made a detailed plan for the 'Tuntian', and please see it."
'Tuntian' is also a good way to save money and food, increase revenue and reduce expenditure, and strengthen the army. Liu Bian quickly reached out to take it and opened it to take a look.
There are a total of eighteen items, describing the methods, pros and cons of 'farming'.
Liu Bian read it carefully and was silent.
This 'garrisoning' naturally has many benefits, but one huge disadvantage is that once troops are stationed, the military power will fall into the hands of local state shepherds, prefects, and generals, making it difficult for the court to control it.
'Unless this farmland has to be near Sili and handed over to someone who is reliable and can control it...'
Liu Bian was silently thinking about a few candidates, one for Cao Cao, one for Xu Rong, and one more, each with 20,000 people, which should be enough to cope with the situation for the time being.
When he stabilizes the court and sorts out his financial resources, he can add another 40,000.
'With an army of 100,000 in hand, we can be more relaxed. '
Liu Bianpan calculated this, and smiled unconsciously on his face.
At this time, a small yellow doorman came to the door and said: "Your Majesty, Situ's memorial."
Pan Yin quickly stepped forward to take it and handed it to Liu Bian.
"Ding Palace?"
Liu Bian opened it curiously and just took a look. A sharp light flashed in his eyes, and his expression gradually became indifferent.
Seeing this, Xun You asked tentatively: "Your Majesty, is this the memorial of Situ Gong?"
Liu Bian's face quickly returned to normal, and he said with a smile: "The Ding Qing family recommended Jin Shang to be the shepherd of Yanzhou."
Xun You was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted, with a look of astonishment in his eyes.
Did Situ Ding Palace also fall in love with the Yuan family?
Liu Bian looked at Xun You quietly, and then said softly for a long time: "Xunqing's family, I think that the harmony between the monarch and his ministers, the unity of the court, will be beneficial to the family and the country, so I endure it again and again, and give in again and again, but The Yuan family is pushing the envelope and forcing me again and again. What else can I do?"
When Xun You heard this, his expression became ugly, and he raised his hand angrily and said, "Your Majesty, the Yuan family has ulterior motives and is acting in reverse. They disobey the emperor and bully the people. All the subjects can see clearly that it is the will of heaven to punish the Yuan family. What the people want!”
Liu Bian's expression was obscure and his meaning was unclear, and he said: "The fourth and third sons of the Yuan family are the most famous in the world. They are respected by all the scholars in the world and what the people want? Where are the hundreds of officials in the government and the public, and the famous families in the world?"
Xun You fell to the ground fiercely, with a livid look on his face, and said in a deep voice: "You have humiliated me to death. Please leave the Yuan family to your Majesty's disposal. Your Majesty's majesty will not be harmed!"
