Water Margin people

Persian Gulf.

Zhang Qingzheng was preparing to leave Baghdad with a team of soldiers for an inspection.

"General, Saladin has sent another letter. General Qiongying asks you to go back!"

A soldier came on horseback to report.

"Another letter, is this ever going to end?"

Zhang Qing frowned. He really didn't want to pay attention to Saladin. His mission was to stay in the Persian Gulf. As long as he could guard and govern this place well, it would be a great achievement. He was too lazy to engage in diplomacy and didn't bother to do these things.

"You guys prepare the supplies for going out first, I'll be back soon."

Zhang Qing looked at the soldiers around him, gave the order, and then rode back to the City Lord's Mansion.

"What did that fellow Saladin say again?"

Zhang Qing looked at Qiongying and asked.

"It is said that Yue Fei and his men are surrounded, and hundreds of thousands of Western troops are surrounding Venice."

Qiongying said.

"Hundreds of thousands? What's that? Yue Fei and his men have the most advanced weapons, they are not afraid of these at all!"

Zhang Qing sat down and drank a sip of tea and said nonchalantly, let alone the special forces under Yue Fei, even if he brought thousands of elite troops, he would not be afraid of these.

"We are not worried, but Saladin is. He said that if we want to go to support him, he can open the port and let us pass through!"

Qiong Yao took out the sheepskin letter and spoke.

"What's this Saladin up to?"

Zhang Qing frowned.

"It's definitely not a good medicine. They don't know we've sent the navy around!"

Qiongying said that the navy's detour was a military secret and outsiders did not know about it.

"Ignore him, or just pretend you know nothing! You didn't ask me to come back just for this, did you?"

Zhang Qing said.

"Of course not. There's news from the Red Sea that the navy has arrived in the Mediterranean. Zhang Shun is bringing his fleet to pick up people. Ruan Xiaoqi and Li Jun have already taken people to Venice!"

Qiongying said.

"Then there's even less need to worry!"

Zhang Qing was now completely relieved. Since the navy had already gone, what else was there to worry about?

"Your Majesty has also sent us an order, asking us to pay attention and be careful of Saladin's actions. After all, the troops on the front line have gone to the west."

Qiongying said.

"Have you asked the military advisor about this situation?"

Zhang Qing looked at Qiongying and asked.

"I sent a telegram, but Han Shizhong said that the military advisor had already gone to the port of Alexandria with the army. A telegram will arrive later. I also sent a copy to Liangshan."

Qiongying said.

"Then I understand. This time I go out, I will pay special attention to the western desert."

Zhang Qing spoke up, and at this point he understood what Qiongying meant. The news must not be leaked too early, and it was still necessary to paralyze Saladin.

Liangshan City.

"The weather is getting colder day by day!"

Sun Lei was wearing a thick fur coat and watching the snow falling in the garden. The children were very excited and were playing happily in the snow, not caring about the wind, snow and cold winter at all.

Sun Lei looked at the children playing snowball fights and wrapped his fur coat tightly around himself. He felt that he was really old and was particularly afraid of the cold in winter.

"Don't forget the morning court tomorrow! You get up later than the kids every day!"

Hua Chan glanced at Sun Lei with dissatisfaction. He was not a good father at all and could easily lead his child astray.

"Why would you say something so depressing on such a happy day?"

Sun Lei sighed and said, who would get up before dawn to go to work in the middle of winter? I have become an emperor, why am I still like a social animal?

"Sister Qingzhao is about to give birth, I have to go and see her more often. No one will wake you up tomorrow! If the officials kneel outside the palace and say you are reluctant to leave, we will not acknowledge you!"

Hua Chan rolled her eyes at Sun Lei and said, "The king's absence from the morning court cannot be blamed on them. They are very busy even though they don't have one." Just as Sun Lei was about to sigh, a small snowball hit him in the face, freezing him.

When Sun Yao realized that he was in trouble, he started to run away, while the other children were all laughing.

"How dare you to stab the emperor? I will punish you!"

Sun Lei untied his cloak, walked in front of Sun Yao in three or two steps, and picked up the naughty boy.

"Father, I was wrong! I was wrong! Mother, help me!"

Sun Yao flapped his hands and feet and begged for mercy, and looked at Hua Chan in the pavilion for help.

Hua Chan smiled but did not move. The kids were having too much fun and it was time for them to focus.

"Let's go back to the warm room!"

Sun Lei carried Sun Yao towards the palace. There was heating in the palace. The children's faces were red from the cold and it was time for them to go back and rest.

Morning the next day.

The Ministry of War reported the situation in the West as soon as possible.

"After so long, it's finally set up!"

When Sun Lei heard that the navy had arrived in the Mediterranean, he finally put his mind at ease. As long as the navy arrived, there would be no need to worry too much about the front line.

"Your Majesty, the follow-up supplies are also ready, and we will be able to set sail in two days."

Jiang Jing spoke.

"Well, let's set sail as planned!"

Sun Lei nodded.

After the report on the Ministry of War was completed, a cabinet official came out to talk about government affairs.

It is the end of the year again and taxes from all over the country have been sorted out.

When it comes to taxes, all officials become alert. The most intuitive reflection of a government's performance in the year is how much tax can be collected.

"This year, the Ministry of War paid 150 million silver coins in taxes!"

The cabinet official read out that the first one was the Ministry of War.

Lin Chong held his head high and chest out, with a look of pride. The army has been a money-eating beast since ancient times, and wars are fought for money and food. No dynasty has been able to resolve this deadlock.

But now they have solved it. The army can also bring considerable tax revenue to the country and can also feed the country.

The civil servants were all envious, as they could not pay so much even if they worked their butts off in a year.

"Robbery makes money faster!"

Sun Lei couldn't help but sigh. This business with no capital investment is good, but it's a pity that this business can't be continued forever.

The following is a detailed account of the composition of the military's taxes, most of which were plundered from attacking cities and destroying nations.

"All provinces, prefectures, states, and counties in the country paid taxes of 130 million silver coins."

Another cabinet official reported in with a memorial.

"Yeah, not bad, not bad, that's a lot!"

Sun Lei is also very satisfied with this figure. These are sustainable taxes, and as long as there is steady development, they will get higher and higher.

As the names of the state capitals were read out one by one, everyone was thoughtful.

In the past, the most heavily taxed areas were the prosperous areas in the Central Plains, headed by Kaifeng.

But this year all this has quietly changed. Tax revenues in port cities such as Dengzhou, the Yangtze River coast, Quanzhou, and Guangzhou have increased dramatically, even surpassing Kaifeng and approaching Liangshan City.

"Is maritime trade so profitable?"

The officials were confused. They didn't understand why the emperor was obsessed with opening up overseas markets. Now they understood that overseas was not only a place for plundering, but also for trade.

"Huang Zhongfu did a good job."

Sun Lei sighed. When he first went to Guangzhou, he found Huang Zhongfu to be very smart. He didn't expect that he was really good at governing a place. (End of this chapter)