Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 625 Let the People of Hebei Suffer (First Update)
Walking out of the west wing hall, Li Chengqian glanced at the sky outside and calmly walked to the front of the main hall, with Zhang Daxiang following closely behind him.

Pei Yan, Li Yifu and Xu Jingzong stood a little behind.

Although the three of them are now considered the emperor's confidants, their position in the emperor's heart is much lower than that of Zhang Daxiang, who was the emperor's Eastern Palace Prince's attendant more than ten years ago.

In particular, Zhang Daxiang's father, Zhang Gongjin, was an old minister of the previous emperor when he was in the Qin Palace. He was one of the nine heroes who directly rushed into the Xuanwu Gate.

The real leader of the new generation of noble group.

Standing in front of the palace, looking at the winter city of Luoyang before him, Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Liu Shi did a very good job in Chenzhou this time. I originally thought he would do something, after all, Jie County is just across the Yellow River, and the Liu family in Hedong would be very easy to manipulate. I didn't expect him to do anything at all."

"Minister Liu is Xiuyi's uncle, after all. He's also a veteran minister from the Zhenguan era, so he understands many of the rules." After a brief pause, Zhang Daxiang said, "In fact, I think Minister Liu has sensed Your Majesty's ambitions, and with this promotion and grace, he's naturally dedicated to his work."

"I hope it's as you say." Li Chengqian smiled softly, then turned to look at Zhang Daxiang, his expression gentle. "Right now, things are not busy in Zhengzhou, so you should rest a little longer in Luoyang. The real busy time will come in the spring of next year."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang bowed, then said, "Although there was a war this year, fortunately, all taxes from Jiangnan and Qilu were transported to Liaodong by sea, eliminating the need to go north via the canal. This avoided the canal from freezing in winter, and this saved me a lot of effort."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded and said with emotion, "Transporting grain and grass in Jiangdong has always been the most troublesome. Going north along the canal to Luoyang, you have to pass through Sanmenxia to Chang'an. If you start shipping in October, it will arrive in Chang'an in April of the following year."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang bowed in admiration.

Although everyone knows that sea transportation saves effort, it is not easy for ordinary people to make the decision to ship by sea.

In particular, he sent all the food and grass in Jiangdong to Liaodong without reservation, and did not send any to Luoyang for reserve. Such courage is not something that ordinary people can have.

"That's why I have to make an east tour to Luoyang!" Li Chengqian couldn't help but sigh. In fact, it is also possible to manage the world in Chang'an. It's just a matter of sending people to run more trips between Luoyang and Chang'an.

However, the issue of food is the most important.

"I'm on an eastern tour of Luoyang. Court officials, tens of thousands of troops, and a small number of dignitaries have all arrived." Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "This way, not only can the grain in Guanzhong be supplied to Chang'an, but a portion can also be transported to the front of the army. This is the most important thing."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang nodded and said, "We also have food from Shuzhong and Lingnan. It's enough to ensure that even if there are any accidents, we can deal with them."

In previous years, grain from Bashu was sent directly to Chang'an. Not only was the journey difficult, but the loss along the way was also very serious.

Now it is transported from Bashu along the Yangtze River to Jingzhou, and then transferred north from Nanyang. Not only is it convenient, but the loss along the way is also much less.

Finally, the grain from Lingnan was transported to Luoyang.

Now the grain in Lingnan is harvested twice a year. In this way, at a critical moment, it can be transported directly to Liaodong along the coast, or it can be sent to Luoyang via the canal when convenient. It all depends on how the emperor arranges it.

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Li Chengqian walked out of Wensi Hall and looked up. The sky was gradually getting dark.

Li Chengqian turned around and said, "That's all for today. Those who need to go back and rest can do so. But as I said before, the secrets here must be kept strictly."

More than thirty officials from various departments walked out from the side halls on the east and west sides. They bowed to Li Chengqian and then walked out from his side one by one.

Li Chengqian looked at each of them calmly. These were the best people he had selected from the central government and local areas.

Even Lou Shide and Liu Yizhi were there.

It's a pity that Zhang Jianzhi went to Liaodong.

……

With a "creak", Wensi Hall was closed and Li Chengqian turned and left.

Zhang Daxiang followed calmly on the left.

Pei Yan, Li Yifu and Xu Jingzong followed on the right, a little later.

Although Xu Jingzong is now the Imperial Court Minister, for some reason he always feels that his bearing is not as dignified as Zhang Daxiang.

"That's about it for this year, but next year's spring planting will be a big problem." Li Chengqian's expression gradually became serious after leaving Wencheng Gate. He looked at Zhang Daxiang and said, "Your Excellency, you will have to work harder next year. Keep an eye on Hebei and Qilu. I will personally monitor Heluo."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang bowed earnestly, thought for a moment, and then said, "With the Sikong in charge of Guanzhong, Bashu, and Longyou, there shouldn't be any problems. Jingzhou and Heluo have already been stored in the Luoyang warehouse, and Jiangdong's grain taxes are being shipped directly to Liaodong. They should have returned by the time of spring planting. The real problem is Hebei."

The army's rations would be delivered in batches every autumn, mainly from Qi, Lu and Jiangdong.

As for other food and fodder, they will be stored in Wannian Warehouse, Luoyang Warehouse, and Dingzhou Warehouse, and will be delivered at different times every month.

In addition, there are military equipment. Of course, escorting military equipment is not something that ordinary civilians can be responsible for.

It’s easy to get to other places, but whether it’s the grain from Wannian Warehouse, Luoyang Warehouse, or even Dingzhou Warehouse, they have to pass through Hebei before they can be transported to Liaodong.

This resulted in a large amount of food and fodder being sent from Hebei to Liaodong almost every month, requiring the mobilization of a large number of civilian laborers.

"Especially during next year's spring planting season, Hebei's burden will still be very heavy, and it may even delay planting." Zhang Daxiang looked at Li Chengqian seriously and said, "Your Majesty, I suggest that we suspend the transportation of military rations for a few days during the spring planting season to facilitate planting, and then rush to complete the transportation later."

Li Chengqian glanced at Zhang Daxiang and asked, "Do you think the weather will be warmer after spring planting, so you want to rush to transport the crops after that?"

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang bowed and said, "This way, spring planting won't be delayed, and neither will the transportation of military rations."

Li Chengqian looked at Zhang Daxiang and asked, "Have you ever thought about an unexpected situation? What if there's a sudden storm, or someone suddenly disappears? What should you do?"

Zhang Daxiang's expression tightened slightly, then he cupped his hands and said, "I've thought about it, but I'll just have to step it up later."

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "You have to understand that the current grain and fodder transportation system has been established and has even become a habit. If this habit is broken, restoring it will take a long time, and what will happen to the military rations that will be delayed. Moreover, grain transportation after spring planting should be stepped up because the battle is about to begin on the front line."

"Your Majesty..." Zhang Daxiang didn't know what to say for a moment.

"The transportation of grain and fodder should be stepped up after spring planting. So if we want to leave time for spring planting, we have to rush these days ahead of time, as well as the time needed to recover from the effects of the disease." Li Chengqian walked forward calmly, saying, "You will coordinate the transportation of grain from the Luoyang and Wannian warehouses to Hebei ahead of time, and then expedite its transportation to Liaodong. This way, we can begin spring planting."

If the food and fodder are to be delivered in advance, the food and fodder from Luoyang and Chang'an must first be transported to Hebei.

There is far more to this than just one aspect.

It can only make the people of Hebei work harder.

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang bowed solemnly. He knew that this was not an easy job, and it was even possible that he himself would not be able to have a good New Year.

……

Zhang Daxiang took two quick steps and followed Li Chengqian out of Chunhui Gate.

Looking at the Qianyuan Hall in front of him, which had been stopped halfway through construction, Zhang Daxiang couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, Hebei has some taxes now, but they're not a big deal. Can you cancel one or two of them first to calm people's hearts? Otherwise, the people will be exhausted and things will easily get into trouble over time."

Li Chengqian stopped and looked past Zhang Daxiang at Pei Yan, Li Yifu and Xu Jingzong behind him.

The three of them took a few steps back in understanding.

The surroundings suddenly became empty.

Li Chengqian looked back at Zhang Daxiang and said, "Under normal circumstances, I would consider your request, but this is wartime. Every grain and every Kaiyuan Tongbao coin in the court is being spent like crazy. If one is shortchanged, it's likely to cause a chain reaction. As the Minister of Revenue, you should understand this principle first and foremost."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang nodded and said, "I wonder if there's something tighter?"

Li Chengqian sighed softly, then turned and walked forward, saying, "When my father led the Eastern Expedition to Goguryeo, I was in charge of logistics, and you were watching from the side."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang nodded seriously.

Li Chengqian continued, "When the army marched eastward, father built the Dingzhou granary long in advance. Back then, there were also 100,000 troops marching eastward. The reason why it was easier was because half of the battle was spent in Liaodong, and the next half was spent fighting in Pingrang City. The distance was not that far, so the transportation pressure was not great." Zhang Daxiang nodded. Of course, when they attacked Liaodong, the army was initially only in Pingzhou and Youzhou, so the logistical pressure was not that great.

"So, I proposed that the Shaofu purchase grain from the people of Jiangnan and then send it to Hebei for sale." Li Chengqian looked at Zhang Daxiang calmly and said, "Even though the price of grain from Jiangnan in Hebei was already quite high, it was still quite low compared to the price at that time. Therefore, the people of Hebei immediately calmed down."

"Then why doesn't Your Majesty implement this strategy this time?" Zhang Daxiang asked subconsciously.

"The Shaofu is out of money." Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "It's not that the Shaofu is out of money, but this war is so large and long that the Shaofu's money needs to be reserved for preparations, not only now, but also after the war. Purchasing grain from Jiangnan to Hebei, although a small gain can help calm people's hearts, if something goes wrong, even a small thing, it will affect the overall situation."

The Shaofu's money was used for the final suppression, and this time the war lasted for a long time.

If the Shaofu's money is used easily, it will easily give someone with ulterior motives an opportunity to attack.

Once the money of the Shaofu is not stable enough, then it will not just be Hebei that will be in chaos, but the entire world.

"Then why not let private grain merchants get involved? Let them get grain from Jiangnan and transport it to Hebei. This will also appease some people." Zhang Daxiang advised seriously.

Li Chengqian smiled, looked at Zhang Daxiang, and said, "Do you know what the consequences of this are?"

Zhang Daxiang was stunned and said, "Your Majesty, please enlighten me."

Li Chengqian nodded calmly and said, "The price of grain may be lower at first, but over time, it will rise unnoticed. Besides, you can't just let people sell without letting them buy. After autumn, they will buy grain at a high price, and then sell it at an even higher price the following year..."

"That would mean killing someone." Zhang Daxiang's face turned cold.

"The ability to transport grain from Jiangnan to Hebei is not something you can find in ordinary families." Li Chengqian turned calmly and said lightly, "Even if you can handle these things, I don't have the time or energy to play with them."

Zhang Daxiang followed closely, thought for a moment, and said, "Your Majesty has always been benevolent. I believe that Your Majesty has already prepared a plan to deal with this method."

Li Chengqian didn't answer. He walked up the steps of the Qianyuan Hall, where construction had stopped. He looked out at the entire Luoyang City before him and said calmly, "What you are worried about, my dear minister, is nothing more than the unrest among the people of Hebei, and the possibility of unrest and rebellion."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang nodded seriously and said, "If something happens in Hebei, the entire food supply route will be cut off, and there will be big problems on the front line of the army."

"That's why I've assigned Duke Lu, Lord Zhang, along with Minister Cui, Fang Yizhi, and Zhang Yanshi, to Hebei to suppress any potential incidents." Li Chengqian looked south and said softly, "Liu Shi is currently traveling around investigating tax theft. Once he's successful, he'll head to Hebei."

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said, "With this experience, he should be able to grasp the scale and know who to punish severely and who to let go. This way, Hebei's grain can be transported to the front of the army to the greatest extent possible."

Zhang Daxiang nodded slightly. He understood the principle that when the water is too clear, there will be no fish. However, some people are always unaware of the dangers and are always greedy. These people should be dismissed from office and their property confiscated.

"As for the people's hearts in Hebei," Li Chengqian took a deep breath and said, "Three solutions."

"Your Majesty, please give your instructions!" Zhang Daxiang bowed seriously.

"First, increase the recruitment of soldiers in Hebei." Li Chengqian turned slightly and looked towards Hebei, and said calmly: "The taxes and corvée in Hebei are very heavy. I understand this, but compared to other places in the Tang Dynasty, it is heavy, but not too outrageous.

What really caused the excessive pressure on the people of Hebei was that although Hebei had government soldiers, very few of them were recruited by Hebei people.”

Normally, taxes that need to be paid cannot be reduced or exempted, but if someone in the family can become a government soldier, the tax exemption policy they enjoy will greatly reduce the pressure on the family.

Normally, there should be tens of thousands of soldiers in the dozens of Zhechoufu in Hebei, but in reality, there are very few people from Hebei among these soldiers.

Even the Turks and Khitans could become palace soldiers, but the opportunities for people from Hebei were very few.

The pressure on Hebei people is the heaviest in the world, but they also have the fewest options.

Of course, if we trace back the reasons, whether it is Dou Jiande, Li Jiancheng, or the large and small anti-Tang forces since the Zhenguan period, it is not surprising that the court is now targeting Hebei.

When Li Chengqian was regent, he deliberately began to increase the number of government soldiers in Hebei and increase the number of scholars who passed the imperial examinations in Hebei.

Even in recent years, there have been two top scorers.

The top scholar for two consecutive years was a descendant of the Cui family. Do you really think he did it by chance?

The purpose is to open up an upward channel for the people of Hebei and stabilize the hearts of the local families in Hebei.

In addition, important ministers and powerful generals were in charge, and he himself was keeping an eye on Luoyang.

In this way, he can feel at ease.

"This year, the Ministry of War will increase the number of recruits for the prefectural soldiers in Hebei. Each county will have dozens of them, totaling over a thousand men in the Zhechou Prefecture." Li Chengqian glanced at Zhang Daxiang and nodded, saying, "They will be transferred back to the front line, and their families will be exempted from taxes. This will fill people with hope and also lower food prices."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang looked at Li Chengqian and bowed. He knew that such means could not bring much benefit to the people, but more of a hope for the future.

"Second, investigate those corrupt officials who are causing great public resentment and are extremely corrupt, and sell the confiscated grain to the people at a low price." Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly and said, "Send people to Hebei to spread the word, so that they will be more grateful for the court's kindness."

"Yes!" Zhang Daxiang nodded silently, but it still had little effect.

"Third," Li Chengqian raised his head and continued, "Liaodong is vast and sparsely populated. The court has been trying to increase its population for years, but various methods have been ineffective. As the Minister of Revenue, you can post an official document in Hebei next year. If you are willing to move to Liaodong, you can pay taxes normally for three years. After the war is over, Liaodong will be tax-free for three years!"

During the war, even Liaodong was not tax-exempt.

"The overall rent and labor service in Liaodong is much lower than that in Hebei. I think some people will be interested in it." Zhang Daxiang nodded slightly. The emperor did not directly exempt taxes for three years. Even though the taxes were low, there were still not many benefits.

"Besides, spring planting in Liaodong will start late. After the spring planting in Hebei is finished, transporting grain to Liaodong can still catch up with the next spring planting." Li Chengqian said lightly.

Zhang Daxiang's breathing stopped and he didn't know what to say for a moment.

"This is all I can do to prevent the war, but..." Li Chengqian looked at Zhang Daxiang and said, "If the people of Hebei truly can't survive, then migrating to Liaodong is their best option. It also happens to coincide with the delivery of food and fodder, and there are even occasional horse-drawn carriages available. But if they're still unwilling to migrate, then it only means they haven't reached the point where they can't survive."

They haven't reached the point where they can't survive.

Zhang Daxiang fell silent for a moment.

Li Chengqian looked up at Chang'an City ahead and said softly, "I also want to resolve the Hebei issue thoroughly and fundamentally, but you must understand that now is not the time."

Zhang Daxiang bowed and said, "May I ask, Your Majesty, when was that?"

"The three kingdoms of Goguryeo will be completely destroyed." Li Chengqian clenched his fists and said softly, "As long as the three kingdoms of Goguryeo are completely destroyed, then the Tang Dynasty will not need to station too many troops in Liaodong, or even Goguryeo. This will greatly reduce the pressure on logistics. Then I will announce tax reductions to attract more people to move to Liaodong. In this way, Liaodong can bear some of the pressure on Hebei. In due time, I will gradually cancel taxes in Hebei. In this way, the problems in Hebei can be gradually resolved."

Everything needs to be done step by step, not too fast or too hasty.

"Your Majesty is benevolent." Zhang Daxiang bowed gently. He could feel the emperor's desire to solve the Hebei problem, but the current situation had too much impact, so he could only take it step by step. Moreover, the emperor's layout could really restore Hebei to normal.

"Also!" Li Chengqian raised his head, looked at Zhang Ananda, and said, "I will grit my teeth and save some money from the palace, then send people to buy grain in the future. Finally, after deducting the purchase price, shipping costs, and labor costs, I will sell the grain to the people of Hebei at the lowest price. This is the only thing I can do."

"Your Majesty is so benevolent and holy!" Zhang Daxiang immediately bowed deeply, with gratitude in his eyes.

The emperor didn't have to do this. His other arrangements were enough to keep the court stable for the next few years. It just made the people suffer a little.

However, the emperor chose to share the joys and sorrows with the people.

This is the way of a benevolent ruler.

Suddenly, a burst of rapid horse hoof sounds came from the direction of Duanmen.

Li Chengqian and Zhang Daxiang looked up at the same time.

A dusty Qianniu Guard came from the front of the army in the wind and snow to deliver a message.

(End of this chapter)