In the spring night sky, the moonlight was pale, the stars were dim, and there was a bit of coolness. There was a faint mist in the Cangzhou government office, and the whole mansion was immersed in silence. The Ouchi sergeant in charge of the house guards had arranged a strict guard in the courtyards of the government office, with sentries, patrols, and rotations. It was very strict. .
Liu Chengyou strolled in the back office, looking at the slightly desolate moonlight, but his mood was particularly calm. What he saw and heard on this journey north was enough to make him feel happy. The nearly ten years of efforts to promote peace and stability had finally paid off.
In the troubled times at the end of the Jin Dynasty, he had witnessed and experienced the wars and exiles and the bandit turmoil. It is better to be a peace dog than a chaotic person. Although the people of Hebei today are still not rich, they can be called stable.
There are no enemy invaders from the outside and no bandits from the inside. Although in addition to the two taxes, labor and military service are still heavy, and they will starve in disaster years, but compared with the turbulent Nan'an, the precarious days are much happier.
And these, it can be said without shame, are all the achievements of peace under the leadership of him, the emperor of the Han Dynasty. Although, in essence, Liu Chengyou's actions since he ascended the throne were more aimed at stabilizing his position, strengthening his authority, and centralizing power. However, it is an indisputable fact that the people under the rule of the Han Dynasty gained benefits and stability.
Of course, as time goes by, the people at the bottom will slowly get used to peace, forget the trauma of war, and forget about war for a long time. They can no longer endure long-term poverty. They feel that taxes and conscription are too heavy, and they want to eat Fully clothed and warm. However, that was also a matter of another Han Dynasty developing to another stage. At that time, it was time for the court to adjust its policies.
Judging from the places I have traveled recently, the burden on the people is still very heavy. The "Two Tax Law" inherited from the Tang Dynasty has caused frequent problems. The adjustment of household registration and land acres has shown some results, but the distinction between the property of the rich and the poor is not so easy. It is even more wishful thinking to achieve equal burdens between the rich and the poor. .
Of course, due to the continuous tightening of local governance power by the imperial court, the growing prestige of the central government, political clarity, and the re-establishment and strengthening of the supervisory system, local officials no longer dared to arbitrarily apportion and create clever names in addition to regular taxation.
However, the drawbacks of the two tax laws still exist objectively. When Liu Chengyou came to the north, his most intuitive feeling was that money is expensive and things are cheap. There are still insufficient coins circulating in the market. In order to pay taxes, many people have to sell silk and grain at low prices. The value of silk is also fluctuating. Coupled with the hidden dangers of land annexation, etc., many people in the middle and late Tang Dynasty The shortcomings that have been exposed are still difficult to solve.
This is not only a limitation of the level of economic development, but also a flaw of monetary policy. As for the tax system of the imperial court, it is not perfect enough, and there are many problems from top to bottom. It is not that easy to carry out comprehensive reform and innovation. Firstly, there is a lack of talents capable of presiding over the national financial reform. Secondly, there is a lack of foundation. In addition, if the action is too big, it will easily cause instability and disorder. For the current people who are committed to unifying the world, For Liu Chengyou, what he dislikes the most is instability.
The more he thought about it, the more confused his mind became. He shook his head vigorously, as if he could clear away the complicated thoughts in his mind.
Looking around the back garden of the government office, the whole scene was cold and cold. The slightly swaying lights illuminated the Ouchi guard standing beside him. He had a tall and tall figure. Under the dim light, he looked even more determined.
When Liu Chengyou passed by, they all lowered their heads and held their swords to show respect. Standing in front of a young guard, he suddenly squatted down, startling the guard, and subconsciously wanted to make a move. Suddenly he heard Liu Chengyou's faint voice: "Don't move!"
"Yes!" In response, the guard realized that Liu Chengyou was squatting down to tie his loose shoelaces.
"Don't underestimate this rope. Without it, walking will be uncomfortable. You may lose your shoes or stumble. If you don't pay attention, you will somersault. If you are marching, you won't be able to run fast..." Stand up, Liu Chengyou chuckled and said, "I haven't tied someone's shoelaces for a long time. How tight are they? Is it still suitable?"
Facing the emperor's gentle words, the guard's face showed some mixed emotions. He was excited, touched, and a little at a loss. After holding it in for a while, he said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Looking at the guard, he was very young, with no hair on his mouth, but still quite tall. Liu Chengyou hesitated for a while and said: "I remember you, your name is Li, Li..."
"Return to your Majesty, your servant Li Shoujie!" the guard said quickly, relieving the emperor's embarrassment.
"Yes! Li Jun's son!" Liu Chengyou looked as if he was suddenly enlightened and said with a smile: "There is a bit of your father's brilliance between his eyebrows! He should be less than twenty now!"
"I am eighteen years old!" Li Shoujie responded.
"At this age, it is not easy to be selected into the palace and hold a position in front of the emperor!" Liu Chengyou said, looking at Li Shoujie.
"It's all thanks to your Majesty's promotion and giving me the opportunity to serve as a bodyguard!" Li Shoujie puffed up his chest and said.
"The imperial court took over Jinghu. Your father has made great military exploits. Now he is in Hunan for the imperial court to suppress the barbarians, suppress violence and rebellion, and protect the country and the people. He is really a go-getter of the imperial court!" Liu Chengyou patted his shoulder and encouraged: "You want to Follow your father’s example!”
"I must remember your Majesty's teachings!"
"Isn't it Zhang Qiong who is in charge of the guard tonight?" Liu Chengyou suddenly asked.
"yes!"
Liu Chengyou ordered: "Go and call him!"
Looking at the back of Li Shoujie walking away quickly, Liu Chengyou had a satisfied smile on his lips. Among the guards who guarded Liu Chengyou in the Imperial Army, there were also many generals and bureaucrats like Li Shoujie. Of course, the standards for selection have never been lowered.
Eighteen years old is an age full of nostalgia and memories. I think of him, Liu Chengyou, who had just ascended the throne as emperor when he was eighteen years old and took over a country...
Liu Chengyou suddenly remembered that in his early years, he could name all the guards on duty in front of the emperor, whether they were officers or guards.
But now it’s no longer possible. Let alone their names, some of them can’t even remember their appearance. Seeing the big from the small, Liu Chengyou murmured: "I have really changed without realizing it, but I don't know whether this change is a good thing or a bad thing..."
Weiji, a tall and rough-looking military general, came over, saluted Liu Chengyou, and said with a strong voice: "Your Majesty, I wonder why you have summoned the last general?"
This general's name is Zhang Qiong. He is a typical Hebei man. He is bold, brave and good at shooting. When he was young, he led the rogues from his hometown to fight against the Khitans. After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, he joined the army.
He was later selected into the Forbidden Army and participated in two battles against Hou Shu in Pinghe. He fought very bravely. In the words of Wang Jun and Zhao Hui, he was a fierce soldier who did not care about life and death. He fought without risking his life.
In the sixth year of Qianyou's reign, he was transferred to Beijing. This man's bravery was rarely matched by anyone in the army. Later, Zhao Kuangyin valued him and recommended him to Liu Chengyou. Because of his loyalty and bravery, and his outstanding performance in all military reviews, he gradually caught the attention of Liu Chengyou, and was transferred to the Dauchi Army and stood guard in the Forbidden Palace for more than two years.
"It's nothing much, I'm just bored and wanted to inquire about the camping!" Liu Chengyou said.
Zhang Qiong suddenly understood and immediately responded: "The guards entering the city have arranged one hundred soldiers each at the north and south gates. There are one hundred soldiers at the intersections along the streets. They are assisted by government soldiers and state soldiers. There are two hundred soldiers in the government offices divided into three squads. Occupy the middle entrance, lobby, and back garden!”
"Where are the officials, subordinates and waiters in the government office?" Liu Chengyou asked.
"Those who went home instead went home, and the rest were rushed to the west mansion by the general to take care of them!" Zhang Qiong said carelessly.
Hearing his words, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but said: "You, your style is still so rough and direct!"
Zhang Qiong said: "Although those people are from the yamen, they may be hiding different intentions. The general is too lazy to identify them, so he might as well keep them all under guard so as not to threaten the safety of His Majesty, his wife, and His Highnesses!"
"No wonder I just saw that Chu Zhaofu's face looked a little ugly. It turns out that this is the problem..." Liu Chengyou said.
"Then Magistrate Chu, you still dare to accuse the last general?" Zhang Qiong was a little angry.
"He didn't say anything. You guys, don't make any assumptions!" Liu Chengyou glared at him.
Zhang Qiong's expression softened, and she glanced at Liu Chengyou. After a slight hesitation, she cupped her hands and said, "Your Majesty..."
"Speak directly and hesitantly if you have anything to say, that's not your style, Zhang Qiong!"
"Then let me tell you the truth!" Zhang Qiong grinned and said: "This matter of arranging the guards is too complicated and cannot make any mistakes. It is really not suitable for the general. I beg your majesty to show mercy and let the general go out. Fight, fight!"
Hearing what he said, Liu Chengyou's eyebrows suddenly raised: "Why, you are wronged by being my general bodyguard, but you are still not happy, so you want to go out?"
