A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 489 Luoyang Dead City
Luoyang City is much worse than Huaiyu imagined.

This was once the eastern capital built by Yang Guang with the efforts of the whole country, and it was once the most prosperous center in the world.But since the Sui Dynasty, Luoyang has also become the place of the Four Wars, and the war has never stopped.

Wagang and Li Mi attacked Luoyang for a long time, and later Wang Shichong led reinforcements into Luoyang.

Li Shimin attacked Luoyang twice, especially in the fourth year of Wude. From July of the third year of Wude to April of the fourth year of Wude, the siege lasted nine months. It is said that the common people ate all the grass roots and leaves in the city. When it was over, they made cakes with floating mud and rice crumbs to satisfy their hunger. After eating, they all fell ill, and the streets were full of dead bodies.

Originally, [-] families moved into Miyagi, but in the end there were less than [-] families, and the families of Gongqing also starved to death.

At that time, a bolt of silk could only be exchanged for three liters of millet, especially when there was a shortage of salt. Ten bolts of cloth could be exchanged for one liter of salt. Later, a bucket of rice was worth [-] yuan. .

In the end, the food was exhausted and had to be dropped.

Li Shimin was not Li Mi. When Wang Shichong fought Li Mi, Luoyang City was short of food. Wang Shichong proposed to make a deal with Li Mi, exchanging gold, silver, money and silk for food.

Li Shimin's Battle of Luoyang is definitely a classic in the history of ancient Chinese warfare. While besieging Luoyang City, he fought Dou Jiande's reinforcements at Hulao Pass, and even fought a miraculous team battle where [-] broke [-].

Li Mi was very famous at the end of the Sui Dynasty. He was still Yang Xuangan's military adviser. When Yang Xuangan was defeated, he also said that Yang Xuangan didn't use his best strategy. If you can't attack, you have to fight to the end, but in the end you were wiped out by Wang Shichong.

Li Shimin did not fight a war of attrition with Wang Shichong under a fortified city like Luoyang City at all, and directly divided his troops into five groups, first clearing Wang Shichong's territory in Luoyang's periphery, and finally leaving Luoyang an isolated city.

Although Wang Shichong had prepared for a long time, he stored a lot of money, food and equipment in Luoyang City in advance, and strengthened the city defense. He also sent his trusted generals to sit in Hulao, Huaizhou and other strongholds, and planned to deal with Li Shimin in the same way as he dealt with Li Mi. Jiudi also formed an alliance with Hebei Dou Jiande, thinking that the chances of winning are great.

But who knows that Li Shimin's use of troops is even more sophisticated. In just four months, the Five Route Army captured all the surrounding areas of Wang Shichong. Wang Shichong was in Luoyang City, but he did not dare to send troops to rescue him. I can watch them being destroyed one by one.

Although Dou Jiande came to help with all his country, he was still defeated by Li Shimin in the first battle of Hulao, and even Dou Jiande himself became a prisoner.

Although the Turks contacted by Wang Shichong also took the opportunity to go south to disturb the Central Plains, but in the end Chuluo Khan died of illness halfway, Jieli immediately withdrew his troops after succeeding to the throne, and focused on stabilizing the Khan's position.

Wang Shichong, who was isolated and helpless, finally defended until his food ran out, so he could only surrender.

From Dongdu to today's Luozhou.

The level of Luoyang City has been lowered a lot.

Moreover, there was no recovery at all. The once most magnificent Ziwei Palace in Luoyang City was also demolished by Li Shimin after he entered the city.

Palace beams and pillars, gold bricks and glazed tiles no longer exist.

After Li Shimin entered Luoyang, he was ordered to demolish Luoyang city. The beams, pillars, bricks and tiles that were dismantled were all used by the people at will, and they were used to repair their own houses.

At the original location of the palace, there are only some ruins and a little foundation left. The former imperial garden and palace pond have now become vegetable gardens, grain fields and even wild ponds.

In fact, it has only been seven or eight years since Tang Jun entered Luoyang.

The population of Luoyang is less than one-tenth of that when Daye was prosperous.

The cities of Luoyang used to be more prosperous than the east and west cities of Chang'an, but they are not worth mentioning now.

Luozhou is not as lively as Zhengzhou and Xingyang to the east. Relying on the Grand Canal there, taking advantage of the water transport, business and industry are booming.

On the contrary, Luoyang, the former eastern capital, may have stagnated its development due to its sensitive status, and it has become more and more dilapidated and dilapidated.

At the beginning of this year, Wu Huaiyu proposed to focus on managing Luoyang as the center of the Kanto region and vigorously develop the industrial and commercial economy. He even suggested that Luoyang set up branch schools such as Guozijian and Taiyuan Hospital. In the future, half of the candidates will be selected in Luoyang. Some government-run handicraft workshops were also set up in Luoyang to promote revitalization.

The emperor also proposed to rebuild Luoyang Palace later, and the emperor would live in Luoyang for a period of time every year, but these proposals were opposed by many ministers.

Wei Zheng, in particular, felt that when Yang Guangying built the Luoyang Palace in the eastern capital, it cost a lot of people's fat and anointing. They were demolished a few years ago, and now they are going to be repaired.
Dai Zhou also said that the country cannot afford it.

Even Dou Gui said that the folk customs in Luoyang, Xingyang and other places are not ancient, and good businessmen compete for business and blindly seek profits. The court should crack down on this behavior.

The matter was put on hold like this.

But it is indeed a pity to see Luoyang like this with one's own eyes.

It is hard to imagine how prosperous this place was ten years ago.

As the former prime minister, Yang Gongren came out of Luoyang as the governor. He succeeded Qu Tutong. These two people can be regarded as famous ministers, but when governing Luoyang, their main policy was to restore their careers.

That is to let the common people work in agriculture with peace of mind, men farming and women weaving.

Both of them were actively persuading Sang Kenong. They thought that the common people engaged in business and industry were idle, and asked Li Zheng and the head of the household to report these people to the prefecture and county for direct punishment.

Under the governance of these two executives, Luoyang, a national commercial metropolis, is rapidly becoming an agricultural state.

There are many lifangs in the huge city of Luoyang, which are even more exaggerated than the ghost workshops in the south of Chang'an City. Most of Luoyang City has become grain fields, vegetable fields, orchards, etc.

Yang Gongren was still introducing to Huaiyu the changes in Luoyang, how much population had been restored, how much food production had increased, etc. Huaiyu sighed inwardly.

It is very necessary to restore people's livelihood after the war. Putting food first is indeed the foundation of stability. However, it has been eight years since the destruction of Zheng in the fourth year of Wude to the second year of Zhenguan, and it has been going back more and more.

Without agriculture, there is no stability, but without work, there is no prosperity, and without business, there is no life.

Without agriculture, society will be unstable; without industry, the country will not be rich; without commerce, the economic life of the people will not be active.It means that it is not acceptable to leave any industry in the society.

Blindly emphasizing agriculture while suppressing industry and commerce, this approach, especially in Luoyang, is wrong and has serious problems.

This also caused many craftsmen, businessmen and even ordinary people to run from Luoyang to Xingyang and Zhengzhou, where a decent canal market was spontaneously formed, with a large number of workshops.

But now Dou Gui said that these people are lazy and lazy people, greedy for comfort, loathe labor, not diligent in farming, and should be punished.

After passing through a gate, there was a large row of people in front of him.

"What did these people do?"

Yang Gongren waved his hand, and called a few unscrupulous people standing nearby to ask, "Tell Wu Shaobao what these people have committed?"

Seeing that the young man was Emperor Xin Wu Shaobao, the bad guys quickly saluted respectfully and introduced them one by one.

"This man's name is Kang Qianmao, and he resells grain."

"This Zhao Mingli is reselling old clothes and waste."

"This Zou Yi, he secretly brews and sells wine."

······
This group of people who can't lift their heads under the shackles are actually small merchants. That Kang Qianmao is a Sogdian Hu. His ancestors moved to Luoyang several generations ago and have been doing business. A small business is actually going to the countryside to collect grain from farmers, and then process it into rice noodles and sell it to earn some hard money, although it will also get rid of the old rice mixed with new grain.

That Zhao Mingli is a junk collector, who collects all kinds of junk and old things that others don't want, sorts them out, or refurbishes them, and then sells them on the street to earn some hard money.

Other things like making wine and vinegar, making utensils, etc.
They are all craftsmen or businessmen engaged in business, but they are regarded by the Luozhou Governor's Mansion as idlers, not doing their jobs, or even breaking the law.

See one catch one, severely punish.

Even if you set up a stall in Luoyang City, you will be arrested by bad people. Not only will you be fined, but you will also be exposed to the public.

He followed Yang Gongren to the governor's mansion.

Wu Huaiyu couldn't help but directly mentioned his opinion to Yang Gongren, "Mr. Yang, it's been eight years since the war in Luoyang, and it's still very poor."

"I think it's always good to relax some appropriately so that people can have more means of livelihood, increase their income, and improve their living conditions."

However, Yang Gongren believes that because of the bad situation in Luoyang City, it is more necessary to manage and guide people well, and let everyone resume their jobs, so that they can live and work in peace and contentment.

"No farming is unstable, but no job is not rich, no business is not living, and it is impossible to farm all the land. In addition to clothing and food, the common people also need various handmade goods,"

Yang Gongren said that there is no business and no adultery.

It's not entirely wrong to have no business and no adultery, but it can't prevent people from doing business because of this, just like that Zhao Mingli, he collects old junk, reorganizes it and refurbishes it, and sells it. The people buy what they need at the price of old things, and this is also what they need.

As for someone making bootleg wine, or someone secretly making copper and iron ware, and someone making private money, those who violate the law should be dealt with, but they should not be banned blindly, they must be guided.

For example, now in Luoyang, Yang Gongren actually severely cracked down on lending and mortgages, and the industry and commerce he engaged in became more depressed and lifeless. Luoyang, the majestic eastern capital, now half of the city is farmland and vegetable fields, and there is no urban scene in the city.

Compared with Chang'an, which is demolishing workshops and walls to build markets and revitalize industry and commerce, this place seems to be an isolated and remote frontier, and the wind has not yet blown.

Luoyang has good conditions and unique advantages. It is easy to recover and develop if it is well managed.

But in the hands of Yang Gongren and Qu Tutong, they were really pressed to death, and they almost ran away.

Wu Huaiyu, who failed to convince Yang Gongren, wrote a long secret note to Emperor Chang'an that night, detailing the various situations he discovered on his way to the east, especially the dead state of Luoyang.

He suggested that the emperor change someone to come to Luoyang to be the governor, and change a minister who can keep up with the situation of the court and understand the thoughts of the saint.

Let Yang Gongren go down as the governor, and Luoyang will really become a dead city.

(End of this chapter)