Thief Emperor

Chapter 712 Confidence!

In Li Yun's other world, public opinion is very important and very developed. Once manipulated, it is likely to explode with earth-shaking power.

The public opinion in this world is actually equally important, or even more important.

Because people of this era have very limited channels for receiving information, or even an extreme lack thereof.

Once any news gets out, it is likely to become ingrained in people's minds and never change throughout their lives.

In fact, public opinion in this era can also be manipulated by people.

For example, if the fact that Zhou Xu came here to "bow" to Li Yun this time was not spread, it would actually be just a small matter and would not cause any particularly big impact.

But once this matter is spread, Li's image in the world will suddenly expand, and then it will bring benefits to Jiangdong at all levels.

Although this kind of benefit may not be immediate, its impact will undoubtedly be huge in the long run.

Because of this, Jiangdong will definitely find ways to spread the news of Zhou Xu's visit.

In fact, for a long time before, there has been someone in Jiangdong who is responsible for this kind of "public opinion warfare" in a general direction, and that person is Du Qian.

A qualified "entrepreneurial presence" must not only be able to manage internal affairs, but also learn to manage the internal and external image of his or her employer.

Therefore, Du Qian would deliberately select some targeted news and spread it out.

And these news are basically true.

Only true news can be impeccable.

Although Yao Zhong joined Jiangdong Group not too early, the level of people he came into contact with was quite high. As soon as he joined, he worked at the senior level of Jiangdong Group, so he was exposed to relatively more things.

Du Qian would entrust him with some tasks, and Yao Zhong was quite knowledgeable about such matters.

His words "the overlord of the world" seemed to be flattering Li, but in fact, he was telling Li Yun the direction of Jiangdong's external public opinion in the future.

Li Yun could understand what he said. He turned to look at Zhang Sui and said with a smile, "Little scholar, do you think I am the overlord of the world?"

Zhang Sui stood up immediately. He looked at Yao Zhong nervously. Yao Zhong looked calm and did not give him any feedback. Zhang Sui could only take a deep breath and said with his head down: "Your Majesty has won a great victory over Shuofang and subdued Pinglu. Naturally, you are the overlord of the world."

Li Yun shook his head slightly and said with a smile: "You still need to learn more."

After saying this, Li Yun looked at Yao Zhong and said slowly: "Mr. Yao, the Chinese New Year is only a month or two away. Most of the soldiers will spend the Chinese New Year in a foreign land. Try to get more meat from various states and counties, and bring it with you when you transport food and grass. Also, the first batch of land and houses awarded by military merit should be implemented next year."

Yao Zhong said quickly, "Yes, Your Majesty. I am planning to meet with Envoy Xue these days to discuss this matter with him. Your Majesty, rest assured that no matter what, the soldiers in the army will not be wronged."

"We will do our best to complete the tasks that the king has requested."

Li Yun nodded and asked, "Is the money and food enough to go around?"

Yao Zhong looked up at Li Yun, then lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, if the ten states in Shannan East Road and the several states in the Central Plains are all places that we originally had in Jiangdong, it would be difficult to support them with money and grain for a while, but these places are new and have paid a lot of money and grain. In terms of money and grain, it is barely enough to support them."

"I dare not say for other ministers, but by the end of next year, the money and food for the existing army will not be a problem."

The reason is simple. If these places belonged to Li Yun, then after taking them back, there would only be long-term returns but no immediate benefits. However, these places originally belonged to others. After the Jiangdong Army took them, some wealthy families who were "rich but unkind" and "bringing disasters to the people" could be eliminated and some immediate benefits could be obtained.

The Great Zhou has been around for hundreds of years. There are many families in these local states and counties that have been in business for more than a hundred years. Their accumulation over the past hundred years is considerable, so supporting military expenditures is not a big problem.

This is because Li Yun's restraints on the army are "harsh". If there are no restraints, the short-term benefits of the Jiangdong Army will only be greater. However, doing so will be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs, which will affect the long-term benefits.

Li Yun spent some time talking with Yao Zhong about the money and grain accounts. When they were almost done, he smiled and said, "Du He should still be in Jingxiang and not back to Nanjing. I have more and more things to do. I will ask Xue Shou and Du He to come here together to help Mr. Yao deal with some things."

Yao Zhong took a deep breath, stood up and saluted Li Yun, and said with a wry smile: "I have been waiting for your words for a long time!"

He wasn't lying when he said this.

If it is a sound administrative system, it is natural that the more things a person is in charge of, the better. After all, the more things one is in charge of, the greater the power. As for specific matters, there are of course corresponding government departments to do them.

But Jiangdong is not sound and complete.

During this period, even with Yao Zhong's energy, he was almost unable to hold on.

Li Yun looked at him and smiled. He did not respond, but turned to look at Zhang Sui and said with a smile: "Although you are a student of Brother Shouyi, you might as well learn from Mr. Yao. It is never a bad thing to learn more."

This time, Zhang Sui was very smart. He stood up almost immediately and bowed deeply to Yao Zhong.

"Mr. Center."

Yao Zhong hurriedly supported him and was about to look back at Li Yun, only to see that Li Yun had already stood up and walked out.

"You guys talk, you guys talk."

"I'm going out to move around."

Mr. Li strode out of the room and soon arrived at the courtyard of the headquarters. The early winter breeze blowing over him immediately made him much more awake.

He walked out of the camp, with his hands behind his back, on the street. Meng Hai followed him carefully.
"What has Zhou Xu been doing these days?"

Meng Hai lowered his head slightly and replied, "Sir, General Zhou didn't do anything except eating, sleeping, and occasionally going out for a walk." Li Yun looked back at Meng Hai, a little curious: "Did he go to the brothel?"

Meng Hai shook his head: "No."

Li Yun smiled dumbly: "You really have changed your personality."

Meng Hai lowered his head and smiled: "Otherwise, I will find him a few girls and send them to his room."

"Nonsense."

Li Yun glanced back at him and scolded him with a smile: "He is already this old, and so weak. If he dies in a woman's belly, can you bear the responsibility?"

"Send more people to watch him."

Li Yun took a deep breath and looked up at the sky: "Don't let him die on our land."

Meng Hai responded with a yes.

"Don't worry, sir. I'll be watching over it myself."

…………

Outside Xuzhou, the city gates were wide open.

Meng Qing rode on his horse, following behind Zhao Cheng. He looked up at the wide-open gates of Xuzhou and said in disbelief, "General, they actually opened the gates!"

Zhao Cheng hummed, looked up at the city in front of him, and murmured, "It's a hub."

Meng Qing also showed a smile on his face, and said with a smile: "I didn't expect that our fight in the front would not be as useful as the few words from the superior in the back."

Zhao Cheng smiled and continued, "Many things in this world are like this."

"A few words from a big shot can decide so many things."

Zhao Cheng said this, turned around and looked at Meng Qing, and said, "Xiao Meng, you take your men to guard outside the city, I will go into the city to meet them."

Meng Qing hesitated and said, "General, how about I go and meet them, and you stay and take charge of the situation."

Zhao Cheng shook his head slightly and said with a smile: "Want to steal the limelight?"

Meng Qing quickly shook his head: "I'm just worried about the general."

"Relax, there won't be any big problems. If there are any problems, you can always help us out when you are outside the city."

Meng Qing hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed. Zhao Cheng only brought a force of the size of a colonel battalion into Xuzhou City.

In Xuzhou city, the commander of the Pinglu Army stationed here is Deputy General Luo Zhen, who is fifty years old this year.

He personally went outside the city to greet Zhao Cheng. Before Zhao Cheng's horse even approached, he saluted from a distance with his fists clasped: "Qingzhou Luo Zhen, nice to meet you!"

Zhao Cheng turned over and dismounted, clasped his fists in return, and smiled: "Zhao Cheng of Yuezhou, polite."

Luo Zhen looked Zhao Cheng up and down and said with emotion: "General Zhao's age is really enviable."

Zhao Cheng shook his head and smiled: "People in their thirties are not young anymore."

Luo Zhen looked at him, then at the army behind him, and said slowly: "According to the order from above, you and I will each leave 3,000 men to garrison Xuzhou. How will General Zhao garrison?"

"This is simple."

Zhao Cheng said without hesitation: "You and I will each control two sides of the four walls, and then station some troops inside the city and some outside the city."

Luo Zhen nodded in agreement and asked, "What about your army's food and supplies?"

"The money should be provided by Bozhou, not by Xuzhou."

Zhao Cheng said calmly: "Our king said that we will not interfere in Xuzhou's political affairs and money and grain for the time being."

"it is good!"

Luo Zhen smiled and said, "Come on, I'll treat General Zhao to a drink."

Zhao Cheng smiled and said, "Then I will not be polite. General, lead the way."

Luo Zhen led the way and said with a smile: "General Zhao is really straightforward, aren't you afraid at all?"

"Not afraid."

Zhao Cheng said calmly: "The gates of Xuzhou are open, what should I be afraid of? If I die in Xuzhou."

he said with a smile.

"In the first half of next year, my king will worship me in Qingzhou."

(End of this chapter)