Thief Emperor

Chapter 150 Able to bend and stretch
In the past twenty years, the imperial court has become increasingly decadent, and as a result, taxation in various places has become increasingly heavy. The most direct result is that many people have chosen to go up the mountain and become bandits.

Here, there is a group of people who are desperate and become bandits, similar to the Cangshan Dazhai.

There are also some relatively "professional" bandits like those in Shiwangzhai.

This is the case in Xuanzhou, and of course Wuzhou will be no less.

These bandits have accumulated a lot of wealth over the decades. If we suppress them, we can get some "food expenses" and also train our soldiers at the same time.

Of course, if anyone in Wuzhou opposes Li, he can also be treated as a bandit and be eliminated.

As soon as he entered Wuzhou, Li Yun asked for the route and did not go to the provincial capital, but went straight to Dongyang County.

The entire Dongyang County is basically the border between Wuzhou and Yuezhou, with the addition of Wushang County slightly to the north.

When Li Yun and his companions arrived outside Dongyang County, Li Zheng and his companions, who had brought people to Dongyang in advance, had already bought pigs, sheep, and even a freshly slaughtered cow. They were setting up a big pot outside the city and boiling water for the slaughter.

After Li Yun arrived, he ordered his subordinates to set up camp outside Dongyang City. Among his subordinates, those who had followed Li Yun for a long time had already realized that the meat was killed for their own consumption, so they all cheered and went to set up camp.

The new recruits who followed Li Yun drooled at the sight of the meat and reluctantly went to set up camp.

Li Zheng also came forward and said, "Second brother, I arrived in Dongyang yesterday. People from the Dongyang County Government sent someone to inquire about it. I told them about the situation, and they said..."

"When you arrive, please go to the county government office to meet the county magistrate."

Mr. Li stretched himself lazily and pouted, "What a big deal! He even asked me to go see him. I'm staying outside the city today. Let's see whether he comes to see me or I go to see him."

Li Yun is now a military officer with a rank. Even if we put aside his identity as a military officer, he has a note from General Su in his hand. Not to mention the magistrate of Dongyang County, even the governor of Wuzhou has to actively cooperate with Li Yun.

A small county magistrate put on airs with him, showing that he really didn't take him seriously.

On that day, Li Yun stayed in a tent outside the city and did not enter the city. After settling down, he called Li Zheng.

"Shou Hou, go to the city and tell Dongyang County that I want to see a detailed geographical map of Dongyang County tomorrow."

"Also, within ten days, Dongyang County must gather at least 500 dan of food for my army."

"If there are any deficiencies, they will be treated as collaborators with the rebels."

Li Zheng looked at Li Yun and said, "Second brother, aren't you being too arrogant..."

"You just go when I tell you to. How can that be considered arrogant?"

Li curled his lips and said, "If your second brother had been a little more aggressive, he would have moved into the Dongyang County Office and driven that damn county magistrate out."

Li Zheng nodded as if he understood, but turned around and went out to run errands for Li Yun.

Captain Li picked up the roasted beef leg brought by his subordinates with one hand and took a big bite. Then he opened the military book given to him by General Su and began to read it for the second time.

The contents of this military book are not profound knowledge, nor difficult to understand, but they are very useful for beginners in the art of war, especially for pointing out some major taboos that commanders must not commit, such as the absolute taboo of building camps around mountains.

Furthermore, it would be best if there was a water source near the camp. Firstly, it would be convenient for getting water, and secondly, if the enemy attacked with fire, there would be a place to get water to put out the fire.

Previously, when Linshui City was on fire, the rebels fled in all directions because there was no water source nearby, and once the fire started, it would never end.

Although these are just common sense about leading troops, for someone like Li Yun who has never led troops before, these are the knowledge points that need to be made up urgently. Therefore, he seems to have gained a lot from this book, and he has started reading it for the second time in just a few days.

Li worked until late at night and finally went to bed to rest. The next morning, as soon as he got up, Li Zheng brought the Dongyang County Magistrate to the camp.

Mr. Li had just put on his clothes and walked out of the tent when he saw a middle-aged man in official uniform walking towards him under the guidance of Li Zheng. He found it funny in his heart, but no expression could be seen on his face.

After Li Zheng stepped forward, he turned around and looked at the middle-aged man and said, "County Magistrate Hu, this is our Lieutenant Li."

The county magistrate surnamed Hu then stepped forward, bowed and said, "Dongyang County Magistrate Hu Zhui greets Lieutenant Li."

Li Yun took a look at Magistrate Hu, and then he returned the greeting indifferently: "Mr. Hu, you are too polite. Why did you come to my military camp in person so early in the morning?"

"If there is anything, just send someone to tell me."

These two sentences were a bit sarcastic, but fortunately Magistrate Hu was thick-skinned enough to act as if nothing had happened. He said, "Some things must be clarified with Captain Li in person." The two of them entered Li Yun's tent one after the other. After they sat down in order of importance, Magistrate Hu coughed and said, "Captain Li, I received a document from the state yesterday and learned that Marshal Su had sent a letter to Wuzhou, asking Wuzhou to do its best to cooperate with Captain Li to station troops to quell the rebellion."

Li Yun smiled and said, "So, if the Marshal doesn't send a letter to Wuzhou, Wuzhou will not cooperate with me to suppress the rebellion?"

"Of course not."

Magistrate Hu coughed and said, "If the commander-in-chief has the order, Wuzhou can withdraw the taxes and grain to provide Lieutenant Li. If the commander-in-chief does not have the order, then even if Lieutenant Li's troops are still provided with money and grain by Wuzhou, we can only levy additional taxes on the people."

Li Yun rolled his eyes inwardly.

These local officials were all very shrewd. With Su Jing's letter, they could use the taxes that were originally to be paid to the court to provide to Li Yun.

However, it is difficult to say whether these taxes can be used up and how much has been used. In fact, it is just the amount they say.

If there was no such document, they would have a reason to increase taxes on the people, and maybe they could make a fortune again!
Although Li Yun can see these chaos, he currently has no way to solve them, let alone deal with these people.

Magistrate Hu looked at Li Yun and continued, "With the letter from Marshal Su, I will deliver the 500 dan of grain that Lieutenant Li requested as soon as possible. As for the geographical map that Lieutenant Li requested..."

He smiled bitterly and said, "It's not that Hu is unwilling to cooperate, it's just that I really don't have it. Please forgive me, Captain Li."

Li Yun frowned: "Your county government doesn't even have a map of the county?"

"Yes, they do, but they are very crude and cannot be used for marching or fighting."

“If there are no locals, you will most likely go the wrong way if you follow their instructions.”

Magistrate Hu smiled bitterly and said, "Captain Li, you don't know that drawing a map requires a lot of manpower and resources, and the court must step in. A county alone doesn't have the ability to make a map."

Li Yun frowned, then relaxed.

He knew that drawing a map was troublesome, but a county was not big, and there would always be someone who could walk through the entire county and draw a map. He did not expect that the county government of Dongyang County did not even have a decent map.

Captain Li pondered for a moment and then said, "Well, Magistrate Hu, I have a few things that I need your cooperation on."

Magistrate Hu breathed a sigh of relief.

Yesterday, Li Zheng went to the county government office and the first thing he did was accuse someone of colluding with the rebels, which scared him to death.

He knew that at this critical moment, the troops outside the city who were suppressing the rebellion held military power. If he really angered them, he would not be afraid of them writing to the court to report him. Instead, he was afraid that they would directly break into the county town, kill these officials with swords, and then report to the court, accusing them of colluding with the rebels and executing them on the spot.

There is really no place to reason.

The imperial court would never stand on the side of him as the county magistrate!

After hearing what Li Yun said, he felt that this captain, who was said to be a former captain, was quite reasonable and he relaxed.

He was about to continue speaking when he heard Li Yun say.

"I will send people to patrol the border between Dongyang County and Yuezhou, but the county government will also send people to keep a close eye on the movements in Yuezhou."

"also."

Mr. Li looked at Magistrate Hu and said with a smile, "We need to reconcile the money and grain that Dongyang gave to my department one by one, so as to avoid mistakes in the numbers later and blame each other."

This sentence made Magistrate Hu change his expression.

Because of Li Yun's words, Dongyang lost the chance to settle the account.

He first stood up, then looked at Li Yun, took a deep breath, and forced a smile on his face.

"Captain Li, I have prepared a banquet in the county to welcome you."

The corner of Li Yun's mouth curved into an arc.

These county magistrates are really flexible...

Even he called me “your humble official”!
(End of this chapter)