fifth form

Chapter 3307 The Army Search
The King of Jiangdu's offering of counterfeit gold was a grave offense, enough to warrant the court's review based on the principle of righteousness.

If the new emperor is more resolute, it is possible that he could use this opportunity to abolish the vassal states and strip the king of his throne.

The investigation into the Jiangdu Yiwang case actually involved breaking the original order of the vassal states, thereby tearing a hole in the vassal system.

The new emperor regretted the death of King Yi of Jiangdu, but his greater intention was to use this opportunity to bring Jiangdu back into the fold.

It wasn't until he had a brief discussion with Zhang Xuezhou that his restless heart finally calmed down.

"How did this black copper turn into gold?" the new emperor asked, puzzled.

"If beans can be turned into tofu, how much more so can black copper be turned into gold!"

Zhang Xuezhou replied, and the new emperor's heart skipped a beat, further confirming the source of this batch of magical gold.

"If I use this to weaken Jiangdu Kingdom, what are the chances of it causing chaos?" the new emperor asked.

"Ten out of ten," Zhang Xuezhou said, raising his finger. "Without irrefutable evidence to expose these fake gold pieces on the spot, as long as the other princes believe that this is a frame-up by the court, the situation will be reversed, and the court will ultimately be left without a legitimate reason to act!"

"Damn it, are we just going to let this go like this?"

"Your white deerskin isn't worth anything!"

The new emperor clenched his fists, and when Zhang Xuezhou made a sarcastic remark, he was momentarily embarrassed.

He didn't lose money by exchanging deerskin for counterfeit money, but he made a profit by exchanging it for other real money.

To be fair, Zhu Fuyan was quite adept at swindling people, and many people had to buy a Bailu coin even if they had to hold their noses.

Of course, buying Bailu coins is far from the end. Through this kind of trading, one can make a judgment about who has money, who doesn't have money, and whose money comes from illegitimate sources. It will also make it easier to investigate people in the future.

"Hey, are we just going to let this fake gold continue like this?"

Seeing Zhang Xuezhou take the White Deer Coins and about to leave, the new emperor quickly called out to him.

“Whether this money is real or fake, it circulates within the Han Dynasty. Some people will suffer losses, while others will benefit, but the overall balance will remain,” Zhang Xuezhou said. “When the time is right, Your Majesty can go and reap the rewards!”

"Pick the fruit, which one is the fruit?" the new emperor shouted.

"Whoever is the richest is Guoguo!"

When can I pick them?

Zhang Xuezhou ran incredibly fast; even the White Deer Coins didn't keep him from stopping for long.

The new emperor felt that Zhang Xuezhou knew something, but saying it wouldn't change anything, and he even left without answering the emperor's follow-up questions.

"Could this be the work of the Prince of Huainan? If so, he truly has the makings of a powerful figure!"

The advent of tofu turned the fodder meant for cattle and horses into a delicacy, and the appearance of gold meant countless riches.

As long as you exchange counterfeit money, you can get back real food, weapons, armor, minerals, medicine, and so on.

"It's a pity that Uncle Wang can't contribute to the court. If he could use the magic gold to trade with the Xiong Kingdom, the Xiong Kingdom's economy would collapse!"

The new emperor paced back and forth for a while, finally putting aside the matter that was about to cause a great upheaval, and instead took out another White Deer Coin from his Great Qiankun Bag.

"Next, I need to go to Zhuang Qingzhai's residence to sell the White Deer Coins. I need to see how many he can still buy!"

The matter that was enough to stir up countless storms in the Han Dynasty was put aside. After pondering and making up his mind, the new emperor could only pretend that nothing had happened. He would even appease the Crown Prince of Jiangdu and then support him in inheriting the throne.

If this were a different minister, he would have been in a great hurry to deal with it.

But Zhang Xuezhou had taught economics, and the new emperor also understood the principles of economics.

As long as the money doesn't run away, no matter how much it rolls around, it's all being adjusted within the Han Dynasty. Some people lose and some people gain, and everything is balanced.

"We need to sell these White Deer coins quickly. Judging from how eager Dongfang Shuo is to use them, this business might not be so easy in the future!"

As you step out of the mansion, the atmosphere of the New Year permeates every corner of Chang'an.

Despite the freezing weather, many people were warming themselves by the fire, while children went from house to house trying to please others.

The new emperor had just stepped into the grounds of Zhuang Qingzhai's residence when he saw Guo Sheren galloping towards him across the snow. Normally, the new emperor would have praised his agility, though it was far inferior to Zhang Xuezhou and others who could soar through the air, Guo Sheren was quite capable of delivering messages and handling affairs in Chang'an.

"It's terrible! It's an urgent report from 800 li away! The Xiong Kingdom has reached Shanggu County! They've all stormed in! We probably can't hold it!"

"what?"

Holding the White Deer Coin in his right hand, the new emperor did not take another step toward Zhuang Qingzhai's residence.

Since the ambush at Mayi, the Xiong Kingdom's army and the Han army have clashed repeatedly on the border, with the Han army still mainly relying on defensive counterattacks.

The court had basically settled its stance on the Xiong Kingdom, but the tactics were subject to endless back-and-forth arguments, with most generals favoring city battles.

The sporadic clashes lasted for nearly two years, and the consequences of prolonged defense inevitably followed.

Shanggu County is a major border city in the north. If it is breached, it means that a large gap has been torn open in the north.

If it weren't for the high mountains like Taihang and Wangwu blocking their way, the Xiong Kingdom's army could have marched straight towards Chang'an.

"Damn it, always thinking about the advantages of the city walls, how can we hold them for long?" the new emperor gritted his teeth.

"The urgent report says that siege engines, ladders, battering rams, and catapults have appeared in the Xiong Kingdom. They are no longer just a pure nomadic cavalry legion. They seem to have the confidence to attack the city," Guo Sheren whispered.

"The people of Xiong Kingdom always go into battle in plain clothes, so why are they carrying such heavy weapons this time?"

After the anger came reason; the changes in the Xiong Kingdom's tactics left the new emperor somewhat perplexed.

In past battles, the Xiong Kingdom people have always adopted a predatory approach, always using the simplest methods to attack and then plundering areas that are heavily fortified.

In this fierce battle for Shanggu County, there were also many casualties.

Every price paid demands a reward. The new emperor received the urgent report and meticulously reviewed every word of each message.

"Could they be heading towards Pingyang County?!"

Located behind Shanggu County, Pingyang County was not conspicuous, but only Pingyang County was worth such a great deal of effort.

Zhang Xuezhou avoided future troubles by feigning death, but the Marquis of Pingyang did not have such a method.

The more thoroughly Marquis Cao Shou of Pingyang hid, the higher the chance that the place would be thoroughly searched.

Having evaded the Daoist's possible search, Cao Shou was met with tens of thousands of cavalry.

After walking back and forth several times, the new emperor realized that no one could save Cao Shou.

A rescue operation needs at least a target; not only can Dao Jun not find Cao Shou, but they also cannot find Cao Shou at the moment.

"The longer Marquis Pingyang hides, the higher the chance of our counterattack. Now that we've entered the home territory of the Han Dynasty, let's see who still insists on holding on!"

If the new emperor had any hope, he could only hope that the Marquis of Pingyang could hold on for a while.

This marquis was not only skilled at maintaining his health, but also particularly adept at disguise. This was why the new emperor had always used Cao Shou's name in the past. He was a man of a thousand faces, and there was no problem with him impersonating anyone.

However, the trouble caused by his impersonation this time was too great, and Emperor Rao Xin also felt the pressure from Cao Shou.

"Immediately summon Li Guang, Wei Qing, Gongsun Ao, and Gongsun He!"

The new emperor summoned four people in one go, effectively transferring almost all the members of the pro-war faction led by the court.

Regardless of whether it works or not, whether it's a mule or a horse, the new emperor felt that a head-on confrontation was necessary.

Only by making the other party pay the price can we avoid endless troubles in the future.

With the venomous breath of the Celestial Court eliminated, and the King of Huainan and others preoccupied with the deaths of Shu Jin and the King of Jiangdu, daring not to act rashly, the threat to the rear of the Han Dynasty was almost temporarily quelled. It was also a rare moment when the new emperor could confidently deploy a large army.

"If we drag Zhu Jiuyin into this again, and let the Celestial Court deal with this old dragon, how can we not worry about the destruction of the Fiend Kingdom!"

As he hurried back to Weiyang Palace, the new emperor felt a jumble of chaotic information converging, but he was missing a thread to pull it all together.

He couldn't worry about anything else; the important thing had to be done first, and everything else could wait and see.