After passing Dingdingmen Street, passing Jishanfang, you will arrive at Guanglifang. To the north of the square is Luohe River, not far from Tianjin Bridge. This used to be a prosperous area in the city. Nowadays, people are fleeing and it is difficult to see human beings.
When he arrived at the military camp, Wang Xiaolian entered his commander's tent and ordered several generals to be called over.
Everyone entered the military tent and saluted with folded hands.
Wang Xiaolie said: "You don't have to be restrained here. You can just sit down."
Several people sat down. Wang Xiaolie said: "Now it seems that Luoyang is far inferior to Kaifeng. There were three military disasters, and this year the Jin people took people captive and went north. Now there are very few people in the city. We are stationed here, and it is difficult to find some money and food." .”
Yang Shen said: "I have inquired about this matter. Now the army in the city is collecting taxes from shops, and the other is looking for food from all over the country. Just now, the grain and grass officer of Taiwei Zhai's army informed me that Lichunmen Street and Dingdingmen Between the streets, from the city wall in the west to Luohe River in the north, the five squares in between are owned by our army. They will no longer collect taxes on the shops and will belong to our army. After leaving the city, outside the city are Luoyuan Township, Longmen Town, Peng All grain and grass from rural households in Po Town, Yique Town, and Ruzhou are also collected by our army. Now is the time to harvest summer grain, so we sent people out of the city early that morning to collect grain."
Wang Xiaolie couldn't help but shake his head after hearing this: "There are five squares in the city. It's clear from walking all the way that there are basically no households. What kind of rent and tax are collected? The only way is to send people to the countryside early to collect grain and grass. It's just that the Jin soldiers entered Ruzhou from Luoyang , there was a lot of damage along the way, it’s hard to say how much food and grass we can receive.”
The place Yang Shen mentioned happened to be on the road from Luoyang to Ruzhou. It seems that Zhai Jin also understands that when Wang Xiaolie comes to Luoyang this time, he is probably going to return to his hometown. This is the south-going road from Luoyang. It was severely damaged by the Jin army. I'm afraid it will be difficult to harvest much food.
Xie Linong said: "It seems that Taiwei Zhai has a good command of his troops and will not give us a place with abundant money and food."
Wang Xiaolie said: "That's natural. He has his own soldiers and horses to raise, so how can he give us a good place? In the future, I'm afraid I have to rely on myself to eat. Although Luoyang City is big, it is located between Shaanxi and Biannan. It is located on an important road and it is not easy to stay for a long time. Zongliu has left, and the court cannot be relied on. We have to return home as soon as possible. So, Shao Ling, you will take a hundred soldiers and horses tomorrow and return to Ruzhou. Wang Zhong has written many times, Ruzhou There are no officials or soldiers, as long as we go back, it can be our foothold."
Shao Ling crossed his hands and said yes.
Among Wang Xiaolie's men, Cao Zhiyan was a monk from Qingliang Temple, Shao Ling joined the army on the road, and only Xie Linong was a native of Ruzhou. However, Xie Linong is intolerant and not smooth in his work, so he is not suitable to be a forward in Ruzhou. Shao Ling has a calm personality and is a suitable candidate.
Wang Xiaolie said again: "Tomorrow, I will go to get the rural register of Henan Prefecture to see the taxes of the households. Cao Zhiyan and Yu Huan, you each lead a hundred people to the countryside to collect grain and grass. Although we did not collect much after the military disaster, We can’t let it go in vain.”
Cao Zhiyan said: "Xiaoshe people, why do you need to ask for the edition? Luoyang City has been destroyed several times, and I'm afraid the edition has disappeared. Besides, the Jin people kidnapped people and went north. It's hard to tell anything now. We just need to go In the countryside, if you see land, just collect grain."
Wang Xiaolie was silent for a while and said: "What you said makes sense. However, after all, there must be a reason to collect grain, and you must be honest and helpful. If you don't have much, how can you convince the public? We can't go anywhere, where are we?" The people hate us."
Cao Zhiyan said: "It is summer grain now, so we will only collect summer grain. As long as we don't go to the people to collect it again, how can we hate it? The people still understand the truth. Now that the Jin people are rampant, it is natural to supply military grain."
Wang Xiaolie thought for a while, but couldn't think of a way, so he had to agree.
According to the method in Wang Xiaolie's memory, at this time, it is of course the most cost-effective to fight against the local tyrants. But this was not the later generation. Before the crazy land concentration in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, there were not many rural landowners. Those big landowners often have their own villages. It is not easy to defeat the local tyrants. It would be better if the grain and grass were not collected, but instead forced the local tyrants to rebel, and the gain outweighed the loss.
Many experiences from previous lives cannot be applied to this era. After the late Tang and Five Dynasties, the aristocratic families had just disappeared and the slave system had just been abolished. The class conflicts at this time were far less intense than in later generations. Moreover, the population was small, a large amount of land was not developed, and the contradiction between more people and less land was not as serious as that of later generations. Relying on the conditions of farmers is actually immature.
The more he understood about this era, the less Wang Xiaolie dared to act rashly. Many things need to be thought clearly before they can be done.
After ordering several people to go out, Wang Xiaolie left Yang Shen behind. Said: "Luoyang is a big city. Although it is dilapidated now, it is not comparable to the states and counties. When we are stationed here, we must find ways to make some money."
Yang Shen said: "What do you want from a small house? To make money, there is nothing more than wine and vinegar. But here we have few shops and no time to make wine, so it is really difficult. In other businesses, it is not easy to make money."
Wang Xiaolie nodded: "Yes, the easiest way to make money now is wine and vinegar, but we are too late. By the way, can we make money in other ways? For example, our army now has soybean oil, tofu, and If you buy a big iron pot, can you make money from this?"
Yang Shen thought for a while and said: "If these businesses are well done, they can make money. However, our garrison in the fifth square has no households at all, but the business cannot be done. If you want to make money, you can only go to the city."
Wang Xiaolie nodded. After thinking for a while, he said: "If you go to the city, go to the city! We are doing business that others don't have, so what can others do? You bring some gifts tomorrow and go to see the grain and grass officer in Dong Xian's army. Make an agreement with him and go to a prosperous place in the city. Set up some stalls.”
Yang Shen said: "I'm afraid they won't agree with this matter. I heard people say that this Mr. Dong is the most brave in battle, but he is just a good treasure. We are making money in the city, and he doesn't have it, so how can we agree to it?"
This shouldn't have been a problem. Dong Xian and Wang Xiaolie were both rebels and subordinate to the imperial court, so they should help each other. The problem is that Dong Xian has nothing wrong with him except that he has good money. If Wang Xiaolie's business is booming, how can Dong Xian not be greedy?
After thinking for a while, Wang Xiaolie said: "There is no way. What can be hidden from Mr. Dong in Luoyang City at this time? Well, just prepare tomorrow, and I will go to see Mr. Dong. Tell him that he will allow us Let’s do some business in the city. When we come to guard Luoyang, it’s fine that Zhai Jin, as the prefect of Henan, doesn’t provide us with food and grass. He has to let us make money.”
Yang Shen crossed his hands and said yes. As long as Dong agrees first, things will be easy to do in the future. Although Mr. Dong is rich in wealth, he is not so shameless that he will regret it. And it seems that Wang Xiaolie will not be stationed in Luoyang for a long time, and there is no need to consider the long term.
After telling Yang Shen to go out, Wang Xiaolie rubbed his forehead and was stunned for a while. In this world, everything really requires money. With money everything is good, but without money nothing works. If you want to grow and develop, you must find ways to make money.
Is it enough to just tell people that you want to fight against the Jin Army? Of course not. You must have money to feed and clothe the troops. You must have money so that the burden on the people under your rule is not heavy. We must have money so that the generals and officials can have adequate salaries. If you have enough money, everything will be easy.
This is a characteristic of the times. People in the Song Dynasty attached great importance to money. Only when they had enough money and food could they build a strong army.
