The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 367 Yangwu
"Yellow sheep meat, families with pregnant women can come and collect it, one ounce."

"Wild donkey meat, inferior quality with offal, two ounces."

"Liangzhou army horse meat, top grade, half price..."

"Watery soup noodles, with salt and oil, give me a bowl! If you're not starving, don't come, or you'll be beaten!"

The outskirts of Yangwu County are bustling with activity, thick smoke rises from chimneys, and people come and go.

Under a huge, open shed, over two hundred large pots were bubbling away, and over three hundred steaming racks were billowing with white steam. Hired men and women moved about among them, kneading dough, making flatbread, and butchering meat, their brows slick with sweat.

Livestock blood mixed with dirty water, and the wastewater was poured everywhere, turning the ground into a muddy mess, red and black.

On the distant green grass, dozens of soldiers lay down, sat on the ground, or rode on horseback, keeping watch and monitoring the area.

They were subordinates of Xia Xiaoguan, a member of the Imperial Guard, who was assigned to supervise construction and maintain order in Yangwu County.

Occasionally, some people would sit on the ground, eating and drinking heartily, while constantly waving and shouting, "Hey officials, do you have any wine? Bring me some wine!"

Under the shed, Fu Bao, the official in charge of the kitchen, pointed to the knife while writing accounts, and skillfully hung up signs to report rations.

“Take thirty packets of fever-reducing powder, decoct them to reduce fever and relieve ailments, especially effective for treating fever in children.”

"New plowshares, sickles, and oxen have arrived. Bring the land deeds stamped with the land official's seal to collect them!"

"How come there's still cheese? I can barely eat it a few times! Is it for disaster relief? I think the prime minister and his ilk have lost their minds, wasting the emperor's wealth like this!"

His colleagues mocked him, "Fu Bao, you're being cheeky again."

Fu Bao tapped the table: "Even the Prefect of the Capital, Lord Sun, calls me A Bao. Who dares to touch me?"

His colleagues just smiled and said nothing: "Keep being arrogant."

"Cheese, cheese!" Fu Bao called out weakly, "Women with babies or no breast milk, you're all lucky, come on over!"

Amidst the usual cacophony of the market, soldiers, creating a chaotic scene, slammed their fists on the ground and shouted, "Hey, Fu, where's our liquor?"

"You lackey! Go get the wine, you son of a bitch, still standing there, you pig!"

"Wine my ass..." Fu Bao muttered in dissatisfaction, then shouted, "This is a charity site, where would we get wine? Do you think this is a tavern? If you want to drink, go back to the army!"

"You'll get a beating sooner or later. Even a saint wouldn't dare talk to us like that!" The soldier pointed and poked, rubbing his back. "Damn it, all the other soldiers are on leave, but I have to come out and work, and there's no wine! I used to ride for a whole day and night without any problems. But here in this godforsaken place, I'm being pampered. It's just for security, and now I'm all sore, ouch!"

The men ignored the drinks and continued cutting the meat they had taken, stuffing their hands with their food: "Damn, this is scraggly pubic hair! These stupid women can't even clean it properly, and they're here to do the work? If we wait a few more days, this will torture us to death."

"Hey, how many of those ladies did you press?"

"Others may not know, but I find them disgusting. They're all starving, skinny as stalks, and their mouths stink. Many of them are women from wealthy and powerful families. Before, they would give you the cold shoulder, but now, no matter how hard you try, they only ask what you can give them, whether you'll buy them! When I first came, I managed to snag a few. Now, I lose interest just looking at them. If you want women, go back to Bianliang!"

The soldiers burst into laughter again.

Near Yangwu County, it seems that basic order has been restored under military control. Farmers have returned to the fields surrounding the city. Irrigation canals from the Yellow River have fallen into disrepair and become clogged, and servants of wealthy households are directing their tenant farmers, in groups of several, to dredge the canals.

Smoke rose slowly from the brick city.

The refugees flowed in, but there was no sign of them gathering in large groups.

Those who had received their items walked back in small groups.

At the city gate and along the country roads, people continued to arrive, helping the elderly and carrying children.

They joined the crowd outside the large tiled roof, anxiously peering out, waiting, and asking questions.

There are two other such relief centers in Yangwu County.

Famine relief and aid supplies were all transported here and then distributed.

Food.

medicine.

Winter wheat seeds that will be sown in the fields in the second half of the year.

Oxen that came from Shayuan.

Camels, donkeys, dogs, and other livestock are slaughtered and shipped on the spot.

Oh, and there are horses too, the bulk of them are military horses.

The fighting on both the eastern and western fronts was thrilling, but in reality, there were not many human casualties; it was the animals that suffered the most heavy losses.

Several thousand riders fell ill after being attacked by the Qili tribe, who were not adapted to the climate of the Western Sea.

To defeat Zhang Chengfeng, the Leopard Army made a long march, but snow blocked the roads, and they fought many battles, which exhausted the horses. Several thousand more horses were ruined.

Returning to reinforce Tongguan, the emperor moved slowly and suffered fewer losses, only a few hundred horses.

The King of Wu and Qiyan Shu, who left first, ran very fast. After they got off at Bianliang, they had tens of thousands of horses that were no longer needed.

Lots and lots of them.

Needless to say, camels, cattle, and horses were exhausted from corvée labor.

Over the past two months, under the supervision of Mozang Qiqi and Shayuan Jian, the cavalry command has been gradually changing its mounts. The discarded warhorses are nothing more than idle steeds, so several cavalry ministers reported this to the Emperor and then packed them up and sent them to Li Qun and the King of Wu. They'll see if they can be used for work or for food.

The supplies were varied and simple, covering most aspects of life, and were generally practical, aiming to help more people live longer.

Well, they give you whatever they have.

Rice? Sorry, we don't have any, haha.

Well, as for the process, it was indeed a bit rough around the edges.

However, with few officials and bureaucrats, the level of social governance is limited, so we can't expect too much.

"Sigh." Fu Bao was tired from work, so he picked up a stool and sat down, directing a woman to pour him tea. He crossed his legs and looked at the scene, only saying to his colleagues, "In the past few decades, human life has never been precious. From the emperor to the emperor, they all desperately harmed people. None of them were human. They were all extremely cruel and indifferent. Now, human life is so precious."

"Young man, may I ask how much this meal with noodles and meat costs?" The man took out a few coins from his bundle.

“It’s free,” Fu Bao interjected. “Your meager sum of money isn’t enough. If we sold it to you, you’d all starve.”

The old man was surprised and chuckled, "How much would that cost? I'm seventy years old, and I've only ever seen free relief once, when Zhu Wen went to the countryside to distribute cattle. Poor households were given cattle to eat and use as they pleased. He only charged a little money, so it was practically free."

This refers to events from many years ago.

When the Bian army attacked Sun Ru, they captured hundreds of thousands of cattle in Jiangnan, which Zhu Wen then distributed to the people of various prefectures.

“Hey, you old man,” Fu Bao laughed. “It’s not your money that’s being spent. The emperor has money. Livestock isn’t worth much in Guanzhong; it’s cheaper than rice.”

"This is strange."

"So you're just bumpkins, Henan bumpkins." Fu Bao gulped down a mouthful of tea, wiped his mouth, and sneered, "You attacked Lingzhou, Xiazhou, Xihai, Hexi... and took away countless livestock."

"Old man, since you're all alone, I won't give you the goods immediately, for fear of losing them." The man at the crossroads returned the basket and brought out a bowl of soup noodles: "Go eat outside."

"Thank you, thank you." The old man accepted the soup noodles and bowed deeply.

"My lord, when will this almsgiving end?" someone asked.

"Probably around the winter solstice. We're not sure. If the sage has a lot of money, he can manage for a longer period; if he has little money, he'll manage until the day is up, saving as many as he can."

"Fat-headed, big-eared bastard, faking hunger! I'll feed you!" A soldier grabbed someone from the crowd, pulled him by the hair, slammed him to the ground, and slapped him several times on the leg with the back of a knife. He then snatched a basin of hot water from a woman butchering a pig and poured it over his head: "Trying to freeload off me? You think we can't tell? You're so cheap! Want a knife or something?" The soldier held the knife to his neck and roared, "Get lost!"

The crowd fell silent, trembling with fear.

Amidst the screams, several people quietly left.

"This old man is useless and not worth it," the old man sighed, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect while holding the bowl.

"You old bastard!" Fu Bao cursed, then raised his hand and said, "Just live well! The sage will always find a way."

"Fu Bao, come here for a moment."

"What's wrong?"

"It seems the King of Wu has arrived! Come and see!"

"A large army is coming over there too! Could it be another inspection tour? Or perhaps the Grand Minister of Agriculture?"

"Shut up, stop making a scene, and stand still!"

There was a commotion in the shed. Fu Bao wiped his hands and ran away.

Sure enough, it was King Wu who had arrived at the edge of the field.

During this period, he was in charge of land allocation and distribution, as well as relief work.

I just came from Fengqiu County.

Beside him, his newlywed wife, Dugu Yun, rode alongside him, her face masked with pain.

Even when he was newly married, King Wu would take his beautiful wife with him when he went out on business.

He was used to causing trouble, but it was Dugu Yun who suffered.

The young girl is socially anxious and uncomfortable in various situations. After riding horses or cars for a long time, she feels dizzy and uncomfortable all over.

"It's been like this the whole way. It's a bit chaotic." King Wu paused and stared for a long time, then shook his head in dissatisfaction. "I have many ideas, and I need to discuss reforms with the Grand Minister of Agriculture. My Lord, where is the Grand Minister of Agriculture? In Zhengzhou?"

"Yes, they haven't come back yet," Yuan Xie replied.

"Let's find a place to sit down in a bit, and I'll jot down some ideas," said the King of Wu. "Let's go and see which county official is behind this. It's a complete mess! Even worse than Fengqiu. Oh, and call the person in charge here; I have some new decrees to issue."

"Li Lang, my head hurts, and my groin hurts too." Dugu Yun rubbed her forehead, leaned close to her husband, and said softly with a frown, "I want to go back."

"This..." King Wu hesitated for a moment, then said, "I need to delay in Yangwu for a while longer."

"I have a headache and my groin hurts," Dugu Yun repeated.

"Just bear with it a little longer, don't be so delicate, we'll go back this afternoon."

"Since Your Majesty speaks in this way, I have nothing more to say." Dugu Yun, her face somewhat unpleasant, spurred her horse forward.

They had only taken a few steps when suddenly a guard rode back from ahead, crossed his arms, and announced loudly, "Your Highness, halt! There are military troops passing through the area." "What military troops?" Dugu Yun asked.

"I don't know, I only saw that it was the banner of the King of Liang."

Dugu Yun and the others looked around.

Under the blue sky, the lonely, desolate ancient road is painted on the boundless green plain.

Across the main road, behind the bustling stalls, lies Yangwu City.

Beside the shed, a row of soldiers and officials were looking in this direction.

To the west of the shed, the road was submerged in weeds. After a short while, several ministers in red robes appeared on horseback.

Large groups of infantry and cavalry came into view one after another.

The female historians and eunuchs wore official hats, and the horses' hooves clattered.

The large, dark column moved slowly forward, its banners fluttering in the wind.

“It really is King Liang,” Dugu Yun said to her husband, turning her head to him.

"I saw it."

“Wu Xiong, a few dozen soldiers can manage so many people.” On the main road, King Liang looked into the distance with great interest: “One leaf can tell that autumn is coming. Chenliu, Yongqiu, Zhongmu, Guancheng, and Sishui should all be starting. Good, good. This summer, few people have a harvest. I heard from my mother that many people didn’t even have enough to plant. They didn’t even sow winter wheat; it was all looted by the Zhu bandits. Now it’s June, and nothing else is possible, but we can barely manage to plant beans. If we tighten our belts and help them get through this difficult time and winter planting, things will be better when spring comes.”

“You are quite the believer,” Wu Xiong said. “We will gather the power of the world to restore them.”

“It’s not that bad,” said the Prince of Liang. “I’ve heard from my mother that while many have died, even more have survived. Many have gone bankrupt, and those with resources are even worse off. The people won’t all just sit at home waiting for Zhu Dalang to torment them until they’re destitute. I heard that after the pacification of Chao and Cai, Henan Prefecture was littered with bones and overgrown with thorns, and Luoyang had fewer than a hundred households. When Zhang Quanyi took office, he implemented countless benevolent policies, and within a few years, there was no idle land in the capital region, and the population grew to hundreds of thousands. Did all the people die or go bankrupt? No, they fled. It’s the same in these places. With a little effort and a little money, the villages and countryside will prosper. Alas, in fact, as long as the prefectural and county officials don’t cause trouble and the emperor doesn’t interfere excessively, the people don’t need any help. But why is it that everyone who is taught the importance of the people, yet engages in such gluttonous acts?”

"They all study the sages' books about putting the people first, but nine out of ten are studying them with the intention of gaining power, wealth, and beautiful women. That's why I say civil officials are the most hateful, and those who write calligraphy deserve to die the most." Wu Xiong shrugged: "Also, whose side are you on? Zhang Quanyi is a big thief!"

"So what?" King Liang said, "If I were the emperor, I would pardon him. It is the emperor who should be concerned about preventing people like Zhang Quanyi from becoming thieves and allowing true thieves like Wei Baoheng to seize the position of prime minister."

“It’s nothing more than systems and personnel management,” Wu Xiong continued. “It’s easy to say, I can write thousands of words about it, but it’s incredibly difficult to do. There may be perfect systems, but there are certainly no perfect people. There aren’t that many, and systems will always fail. That’s the eternal law of heaven.”

"You mean the Tang Dynasty is doomed sooner or later?"

"I didn't say it, you did."

King Liang sighed twice: "I am still a king, yet I am worried that my descendants will be incompetent and immoral, and bring down my state."

Suddenly, a messenger arrived to report that the King of Wu and his wife were ahead.

"Brother?" King Liang immediately stopped his casual conversation and said, "Take me to pay my respects to my brother and sister-in-law."

Wu Xiong, Zhang Yanshou, and others followed on horseback.

The army made way for them.

"Brother, sister-in-law!" Soon, King Liang saw King Wu and his entourage rein in their horses by the roadside. He raised his hand in greeting from his horse, then dismounted and strode forward: "I haven't seen you for many days. I only heard that you were in charge of surveying the fields. I didn't expect to meet you here. How come you and your sister-in-law are in Yangwu?"

“Brother, don’t be so formal. Your elder brother is also in charge of disaster relief and is here on inspection. It’s quite a coincidence that we meet here.” Dugu Yun forced himself to stay alert and dismounted: “Where are you going?”

"Recruit soldiers in Hebei and Shandong."

"Then we should go through Huazhou or Caozhou," Dugu Yun asked, puzzled. The two had met several times at weddings and family banquets and were quite familiar with each other.

“Sister-in-law, you don’t know this. If you go through Huazhou, you will cross the river at Baima and enter Xiangzhou, thus missing Weizhou. Yunzhou is newly established and not safe.”

Dugu Yun nodded: "Sister-in-law doesn't understand these things either, so please be careful."

"Indeed." King Liang looked at the listless Dugu Yun and asked with concern, "Why are you sweating so much and looking so dispirited, sister-in-law?"

Dugu Yun forced a smile and replied, "I'm tired from the journey, and Tiankui isn't feeling well, but it's nothing, I'll be fine after a rest."

At this moment, Zhang Yanshou walked to the side of the King of Liang and said, "The King of Wu is busy with official duties, and Your Highness also has a mission. It is getting late. He is the elder, so please let him pass."

"What's the rush?" King Wu loosened the reins, stepped forward, and said with a smile, "I've been busy lately and didn't know Zhengyang was going on a long journey. Otherwise, I would have seen you off. Why don't we find a roadside inn and have a feast?"

"I couldn't be happier." King Liang clapped his hands, then shook his head in distress: "But it's past noon, and once we finish our meal, it will be afternoon. The group has decided to spend the night at the ferry in preparation for crossing the river. The order has already been delivered to the army, and it's not good to change it overnight."

"Very well," King Wu said calmly. "Life is full of unexpected encounters. When you return, your brother and sister-in-law will host a banquet in the mansion to welcome you back."

King Liang bowed obediently: "It is an honor. Brother, are you going to that shed to take care of some business?"

"Yes."

“Then I won’t bother you any longer, brother. There are two paths for people, but only one way, and there must be a sequence. Please go first, elder brother—” King Liang gestured, then led King Wu’s horse over, patted its belly, and laughed, “Elder brother, come, let me help you mount the horse.”

“Hey,” King Wu stopped him, “The Prefect of Kaifeng is a Special Envoy, and his official rank in Zhengyang is second grade. I, your elder brother, am only in charge of the Pacification and Control Commissioner of Dongjing, Zhengzhou, and Huazhou. At home we are brothers, and there is a seniority. When we are officials in the same court, there is a hierarchy. Now that we are out in the field, it is only right that my younger brother goes first. Let’s go, it’s alright.”

Upon hearing this, the expressions of both sides' servants stiffened.

Yuan Xie turned his back and shouted loudly to his group, "What are you still looking at? Avoid the King of Liang!"

“Brother…” King Liang slowed his voice and said softly, “No matter what our status is, you are my elder brother and I am your younger brother. No matter who has a higher or lower official rank, we are brothers first and foremost, like hands and feet.”

The King of Wu remained silent.

After saying this, King Liang pulled on the stirrup with his right hand and his elder brother with his left, smiling broadly: "Brother, mount your horse."

The King of Wu smiled, thinking that such humility would never end, and was also moved by the King of Liang's sincerity, so he grabbed the saddle and sat down.

“Brother, cheer up. Every time I see you, you always have a worried look on your face.” King Liang led the reins for a while and said, “This is a time for saving the world and bringing peace to the country. Your responsibilities are still heavy.”

"Having lived in the deep palace for so many years, apart from my mother and uncle—" King Wu sighed, then hesitated to speak.

King Liang returned the reins and raised his fist: "It doesn't matter if my clothes are soiled, as long as my wish is fulfilled!"

King Wu nodded solemnly.

King Liang waved to Dugu Yun again: "Sister-in-law, take care."

The main force followed.

Once they had walked some distance, Yuan Xie said to those around him, "With the eldest son still alive, there is no precedent among the princes. Yet Zhao Ruxin has granted the Prince of Liang such an official position and great responsibility. His servants are numerous, and his processions are as grand as those of the Crown Prince. None of the ministers or the nine consorts dare to speak out. The Zhao family is so arrogant and domineering; let's see how they die in the future!"

"I haven't even heard a single rumor of her declining the position. Zhao Ruxin has been the Privy Councilor for several years. She really is a second emperor."

"The death of a sage is likely to be like that of Wu Jiang."

"In contrast, entrusting him with a militaryly sensitive matter suggests that the sage intends to target the King of Liang. There is precedent in our dynasty for deposing the eldest son in favor of the younger one." Someone worried, "If the sage really intends to do this, there will be scholars to debate the classics for him, and the ancient system of the crown prince is simply not enough to counter them."

"Then what should we do? Shall we first go to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to make connections?"

"What good are civil officials?!"

"Let's wait and see. There are quite a few powerful holy sons in the maternal clan. Once the kings grow older, the Zhao family will have a good show to watch."

"Alright, stop trying to sow discord between my brothers." King Wu looked around and stopped his confidants from discussing the matter: "The world is not yet at peace, and you're already preparing for internal strife?"

"Are we going to fight amongst ourselves?" Yuan Xie retorted. "How many more awkward situations like this will there be in the future, such as meeting on the road, the order of court discussions, and the seating arrangements at banquets? If this continues three or five times, I'm afraid both the people and the common folk will truly regard Prince Liang as the crown prince. How will Your Majesty conduct yourself then?"

“What you can think of, even a sage can consider.”

"So what? They knowingly did it despite the drawbacks. Isn't it obvious that the Emperor's favor is gradually shifting towards Prince Liang? No, I must go back and submit a memorial outlining the advantages and disadvantages. I'll risk my life to ensure that the Prince surpasses Prince Liang, at least in official rank!"

The King of Wu roared, "Thank you, Yuan Xie!"

The men looked grim, somewhat angry at their lack of resolve, but they didn't argue back: "We wouldn't dare."

In his emotional state, King Wu coughed heavily a few times. After calming down, he saw the men with their heads down and said, "You've all suffered, following my eldest son. Don't be so hasty. Although Prince Liang is intelligent and praised by the court and the public, he is still young, and his future is uncertain. He won't be enthroned so quickly. Besides, as long as I haven't done anything wrong, it won't be so easy for him to make Prince Liang his successor. Although our Great Tang has had many incidents like the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the eldest son has always succeeded to the throne, even when the eunuchs were in power. We must remember our teacher's teachings: be respectful and cautious."

"Prime Minister Han?" Yuan Xie confirmed.

King Wu nodded: "If things really get serious, he will speak up for me first, so why should you all go and fight? He will also fight for me for official positions. Besides, the Sage has not given up on me yet, I can feel it."

“Those of equal wisdom cannot be used together, and those of equal strength cannot be defeated.” Yuan Xie patted his horse, still indignant, and said, “No, we cannot stand by and watch the King of Liang carry out this military campaign.”

Fu Miao then said, "It will still be some time before the King of Liang returns. Before that, Your Majesty should first achieve a great victory."

“If the mission of pacification and control is accomplished well, it will be a great achievement,” Chao Xian said.

"The more the better," Yuan Xie sneered.

"Where does the merit come from?" King Wu asked. "Currently, there are still matters to be done, such as selecting military and civil officials, repairing the Mingtang, and relocating people to the counties of the Western Sea. These are all being handled by ministers. Even if I were to take over, it would be difficult to call it a great achievement."

Yuan Xie said calmly, "How can recruiting soldiers compare to leading an army? As long as Your Majesty leads the army to victory on your own, you will naturally surpass the Liang King in prestige. Although Bianliang is occupied, there are still many bandits in all directions."

King Wu was initially startled, but then said, "I recently heard from the palace discussion that the number of rebel armies and bandits in various places is probably no less than two hundred thousand, spreading from Yanzhou south of Bianzhou to north of the Yangtze River. When Zhu Dalang was alive, he successively sent Yuan Zheng, Xu Huaiyu, and others to quell the rebellion, but they could not be quelled. We—"

Yuan Xie was about to devise a plan when Chao Xian, who had been listening and thinking, chimed in, "This is not advisable. If our army is defeated, the rebels will be able to threaten Bianliang. This is not Guanzhong, where you can simply close the gates if you lose. How could the Emperor allow His Majesty to take such a risk? He certainly wouldn't agree."

Yuan Xie thought for a moment and then asked, "I heard that the Sage unexpectedly released the King to Hunan to quell the rebellion. Is that true?"

The King of Wu nodded: "My mother said it, it's true."

"In my humble opinion, it would be better to comply." Yuan Xie pondered for a moment and said, "Yang Siyuan, Lu Jingren, and the other four bandits are not very capable. They only managed to usurp the throne through their personal courage and the opportunities presented by the chaotic times. Liu Chongwang, an old man, went to the town alone and led a rabble, yet he still managed to defeat them several times. After the death of the late Minister of Works, his advisors did not return to the capital, and I heard that his troops are still there. With Your Majesty's talent, if you lead several thousand imperial guards to your post and join forces with the late Minister of Works' army, the bandits will be no match for you. Moreover, even if things go wrong, with the skills of those dead soldiers in the army, they will not suffer a major defeat."

Chao Xian echoed, "Lord Yuan's insight is brilliant. To pacify Hunan and kill that old scoundrel Lei Man is a truly great achievement! To command troops and cultivate civil officials in the provinces is far superior to being in the capital. The Zhao family is powerful in the court; why should we use our weaknesses to compete with their strengths?"

The King of Wu was somewhat worried: "What if we get caught up in this? Will we slink back in disgrace?"

This is different from attacking Bianliang. Last time, we had Laozi backing us up, the support of the feudal lords, and a bunch of capable generals by our side.

"If you're outmatched, you have to get through this," Yuan Xie sighed.

"Very well, I will first request permission to send troops to Hunan and see what the sage says." King Wu gazed at the group: "If it is successful, all of you will come with me, sharing both glory and hardship!"

Then we arrived at the shed.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Fu Bao and the others greeted him.

"Li Lang, I feel dizzy..." Behind him, Dugu Yun swayed as he rode up on his horse, then collapsed onto the horse, tears streaming down his face.

How could I have married someone as heartless as you?

King Wu hurriedly turned back and asked, "Rest for a while, we'll be leaving soon. Yuan Xie? Find a place here for the Queen to sleep for a while, and cook some food and drink."

(End of this chapter)