Water Margin people

Huang Zhongfu's heart was bleeding as he looked at the empty money box. The treasury of Guangzhou Prefecture had already been emptied by distributing money to the common people, and now that he was giving money to the chieftains, the treasury of Guangzhou Prefecture was empty enough to run horses.

"Because of this expression, smile!"

Sun Lei glanced at Huang Zhongfu and spoke.

"Your Majesty, Guangzhou Prefecture has no taxes to pay this year!"

Huang Zhongfu still spoke bitterly, he had thought about handing over tens of thousands of strings of cash this year, but now he really has nothing left.

"Who said that? We still need several million coins! And Guangzhou Port will also be responsible for half of the military expenses and supplies for the navy's southern expedition!"

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and said, as for the other half of the military expenses and supplies, Quanzhou Port would naturally be responsible.

"Your Majesty, we simply cannot afford the money this year! The Guangzhou Port still needs to be rebuilt, and I'm afraid we will have to ask the court for money."

  Huang Zhongfu looked at Sun Lei begging, he really couldn't come up with the money. The army's expedition to the south would require at least one million strings of cash, how could Guangzhou government come up with that?

"If I say you can take it out, then you can definitely take it out!"

Sun Lei smiled and pointed in the direction of the city gate, only to see Wang Jin and Lu Zhishen riding in on horseback, followed by soldiers in an orderly and high-spirited manner.

The people of Guangzhou had never seen such elite soldiers before. The fierce murderous aura made the people feel fear from the bottom of their hearts.

The chieftain's soldiers who were still waiting at the city gate to receive their money were so frightened that their faces turned pale and their legs trembled. They had never expected that there would be such an elite army in the world, and they had never expected that they would almost have to fight against such a large army. At this moment, they were glad that they surrendered early.

"Your Majesty, should we send the army to rob? But Guangzhou is poor here, and the chieftains don't have much money."

Huang Zhongfu looked at the army, and the first thing he thought of was to rob them, but who could be robbed nearby? The chieftains were so poor that their pants were patched, and there was not much oil left even if they were squeezed dry.

"What are you thinking! Since the chieftain has surrendered, he is a citizen of Qi. No matter how poor I am, I cannot rob my own people!"

Sun Lei slapped Huang Zhongfu on the head, knocking his official hat askew.

"Prefect Huang, when has Your Majesty ever done a business that was at a disadvantage? Your Majesty has already figured out how to make up for the loss!"

Zhu Wu smiled and pointed at several prison carts at the rear of the army, where those bearded Arabs were being held.

"Big cannibal!"

Huang Zhongfu then realized that these Arabs colluded with pirates to capture Guangzhou Port, intending to attack Guangzhou Prefecture and assassinate the Emperor. Each of these crimes was punishable by the extermination of the entire family.

And each of these Arabs was extremely wealthy. Any foreign merchant who had been doing business in Guangzhou Port for more than ten years would have no problem accumulating a fortune of millions.

Huang Zhongfu looked at the Arab merchants with drooling. What he saw now were not people, but mountains of gold.

"When we were in Quanzhou, we raided the homes of some foreign merchants and took out a lot of money. These people actually dared to rebel, so we must not let them off easily. Go, raid their homes!"

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and gave the order.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Huang Zhongfu excitedly took the order and left. He was going to get the money, which could be used as military expenses, to rebuild the Port of Guangzhou, and would become the bulk of this year's taxes.

  Wang Jin and Lu Zhishen led a large army to parade through the city. The mighty army made the people feel more at ease than ever before. The emperor was here, and the elite army was here. Was there any place in the world safer than Guangzhou?

As for the Arabs, the people who lived there vented their anger on them, and they kept throwing rotten eggs and vegetable leaves at them.

After the parade, the army returned to the prepared military camp and the people dispersed excitedly, but the bustle of Guangzhou City showed no sign of abating and the people flocked to Guangzhou Prefecture.

The government has posted a notice that the foreigners colluded with pirates and rushed into Guangzhou Port when the emperor and the people were having fun. Although the imperial army surrounded and suppressed them, the pirates were desperate and set fire to the port. Fortunately, there were no civilians in the port and no casualties were caused.

His Majesty the Emperor sympathized with the people's difficulties and allocated funds to order the prefect of Guangzhou to select craftsmen to rebuild Guangzhou Port and rebuild the people's homes. Rebuilding Guangzhou Port and rebuilding the people's homes were both major events, requiring countless manpower and material resources. The court had already paid, and only manpower was needed. Guangzhou Prefecture recruited craftsmen and laborers from all over the country and offered a salary that was in line with the market, which gave idle people an opportunity to make money.

"Your Majesty, I'm rich!"

Huang Zhongfu came to the palace with a smile on his face to announce the good news that the homes of the Arab merchants who had participated in the rebellion had been raided, and more than 8 million strings of cash had been seized.

"So much? It seems that we have not only the money to conquer the South China Sea, but also the money to manage Guangnan West Road!"

Sun Lei looked at the catalog and nodded. Eight million strings of cash could do a lot of things.

"Guangnan West Road?"

Huang Zhongfu looked at Sun Lei in surprise. Guangnan West Road is larger in area than Guangnan East Road, but its population is only half of that of Guangnan East Road. The territory is almost entirely covered with continuous mountains, and it also borders foreign countries such as Dali and Li Dynasty.

"Why? I have already accepted the surrender of the chieftains of various tribes. That place is now the territory of Qi!"

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and asked.

"No, I dare not!"

Huang Zhongfu said in panic that since it was Qi's territory, there was no reason not to accept it, and development and governance were both things that should be done.

"Also, more goods from Guangzhou should be shipped to Guangnan West Road in the future!"

Sun Lei looked at Huang Zhongfu and said that the construction and expansion of Guangzhou required him to provide blood transfusion to the west. As for the Central Plains, other ports would take on the responsibility including the Yangtze River and the canal waterway.

"I understand!"

Huang Zhongfu nodded. The reason why Guangzhou Port was surpassed by Quanzhou Port was that the export of goods was not as convenient as Quanzhou Port. If Guangnan West Road could be opened, it would be extremely beneficial to Guangzhou Port.

Huang Zhongfu already had a plan in mind. The current one was to rebuild the Port of Guangzhou, then encourage trade, repair the Guangnan East and West roads, sell all the goods there, and strengthen the management of the West Road. If he did a good enough job, the Guangzhou prefect would most likely be promoted to the Governor-General of Guangnan, commanding both Guangnan routes.

Several Arabs were brought up.

"It stinks. Can you rinse it with water?"

Sun Lei frowned as he looked at the Arabs covered in rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs, then waved his hand and ordered the soldiers to drag them out.

Soon, several cannibals who were soaked like drowned rats were brought up again.

"Do you know your guilt?"

Chai Jin looked at those Arabs and scolded them.

"You can't kill me! I'm a Arab, and a noble!"

Xin Yiluo said with some fear.

"So what if you are from the Arabs? This is not your Arabs! You have committed a crime punishable by the extermination of all your clans. Even if your emperor comes, he will die!"

Sun Lei said disdainfully.

"If you kill me, the Arab Empire will not let you go! If a war breaks out, you can't afford it!"

Xin Yiluo gritted his teeth and roared, forcing himself to be brave. (End of this chapter)