A family of loyal martyrs, starting with nine wives to continue the family line.

Du Heng pressed the map of Huainan until it wrinkled.

"Luo Shao has been arrested?"

The scouts knelt below the hall, their heads pressed to the ground.

"Yes. Guiping City fell, and Luo Shao changed into a soldier's uniform and tried to escape through the back door, but was kicked over by the Xinwu Army. He has now been taken into the Prince's Mansion, and Wei Zhao is currently taking inventory of the treasury."

Du Heng's finger hovered over the two characters "Guiping" for a long time without moving.

He had originally thought that even if Luo Shao was useless, he should be able to hold out for ten days or half a month.

After all, Pingyang had 200,000 men, and Guiping had 50,000 cavalry under Han Dashan. The city, grain, and treasury were all there.

Even if Wei Zhao is a white-clad killing god, he can't just chew up Weinan in one bite, can he?

The results of it?

Chewed it up.

It was chewed clean.

Pingyang fell in half a day, and the 30,000-strong Red Blade Army was trapped in the city and devoured by Huo Qingluan. Guiping opened its gates in three days, and Luo Shaolian was pinned to the ground before he could even take off his royal robes.

Du Heng used to think Luo Shao was stupid.

Now I dare not think that way anymore.

He may be foolish, but Luo Shao has soldiers, grain, and cities at his disposal.

The faster such a person is defeated, the more it proves that Wei Zhao's sword was not fast, but accurate.

It's so precise that wherever you cut first, that's where it will break.

"How much is in the imperial treasury?"

The aide whispered, "There are 4.3 million taels of silver, 190,000 taels of gold, 280,000 shi of grain, as well as armor, horses, and crossbows."

Du Heng's eyelid twitched.

it is good.

This is really good.

That idiot Luo Shao, he's dead, yet he still managed to feed Wei Zhao such a huge chunk of meat.

Du Heng's last shred of hope was shattered by that string of numbers.

What was Wei Zhao lacking?

Not a soldier.

The Xinwu Army has been fighting for so long that it is taking in surrendered soldiers in batches. Those who can fight are brought into the camp, while those who cannot are transporting grain.

What Wei Zhao truly lacked was money and provisions, and the confidence to settle the millions of refugees of the Holy Fire Sect.

Now Luo Shao has delivered his confidence right to our doorstep.

Four million three hundred thousand taels of silver.

280,000 shi of grain.

This is not the imperial treasury; this is medicine to prolong the life of the new Emperor Wu.

The more Du Heng thought about it, the uglier his face became.

He controlled the Huainan Salt Road, had a strong navy, many ships, and a lot of silver.

These used to be his lucky charms.

If Wei Zhao wanted to attack him, he would have to cross the river, suffer losses at the salt road, and be attacked by the water fortress at night.

But things are different now.

After Wei Zhao captured Weinan, his supplies were replenished, his morale soared, and the courage of the rebel kings across the land was halved.

At this point, it would be strange if he didn't seize the opportunity to continue the fight.

Based on geographical location, the next most convenient option is Huainan.

The capital city, the new warehouse.

Su Qingyun's wrists ached after she finished flipping through the first batch of account books sent from Weinan.

"How long can Luo Shao's funds and provisions sustain Golden City?"

The accountant next to him immediately replied:

"If we only consider the soup kitchens, with coarse grains mixed with wheat bran, it can last for twenty-seven days. If we also consider medicine, seeds, livestock, and travel expenses back home, it will last for a maximum of twelve days."

Su Qingyun closed the ledger.

Twelfth day.

It sounds like a lot, but it's actually pitifully little.

The millions of displaced people are not just a single account, but a collection of mouths to feed.

I ate it today, and I'll eat it again tomorrow.

Today they gave us porridge, tomorrow they'll give us travel permits.

The seeds will be given the day after tomorrow, and afterwards, people will need to inspect the land, divide the fields, treat diseases, and prevent disease.

The faster Wei Zhao killed in front, the more ruthless she plotted behind.

Because if you're even a step too slow, someone will die.

Fang Fuyao sat opposite her, toying with a military merit medal in her hand.

After arriving in Beijing, she remained quiet, but every time she spoke, it was as if a needle was hidden in soft silk.

"Luo Shao has been dealt with, and the Holy Fire Cult has also been suppressed."

Fang Fuyao raised her eyes: "The military merit system should be abolished."

Su Qingyun looked at the bronze medal but did not respond immediately.

Military merit system.

Wei Zhao had mentioned this long ago.

Killing enemies is a meritorious act, capturing cities is a meritorious act, and beheading generals is a meritorious act.

Military merits could be exchanged for land, silver, noble titles, exemption from military service, and even allowed poor families, surrendered soldiers, and refugees to enter the new military register based on their military achievements.

If this thing is pushed down, the soldiers will go mad.

The people will be moved.

The displaced will see a new path.

Even powerful families, tycoons, and former officials can go mad.

Because once the military merit system is implemented, the old social hierarchy will be disrupted.

In the past, land was in the hands of powerful families, official positions were in the hands of old officials, and money was in the hands of tycoons. If ordinary people wanted to turn their lives around, they could only wait for their ancestors' graves to emit auspicious smoke.

Now Wei Zhao wants to tell them that cutting off the enemy's head can also exchange for land.

This is not just about training soldiers.

This is a change of rules.

Su Qingyun knew very well how ruthless this thing was. It was far more ruthless than simply confiscating the property of a few corrupt officials.

Confiscating property is merely cutting off the flesh; the military merit system is changing the very bones.

"The powerful families will object," Su Qingyun said.

Fang Fuyao smiled.

"They've been opposing it all along."

"Even the chaebols will object."

Su Qingyun tapped her fingertip on the account book:

"Land can be rewarded, silver can be rewarded, but once it is distributed according to military merit, those who originally used grain prices, salt prices, and land deeds to oppress others will lose a lot of their flesh."

Fang Fuyao placed the bronze plaque on the table.

"Then let them have fewer."

Su Qingyun glanced at her.

These words may sound light, but they come from bloodshed.

Su Qingyun wasn't afraid of blood. She had followed Wei Zhao to this day and had seen far too many dead people.

But she was in charge of finances and knew that the new Wu Dynasty was still in its early stages.

Aristocratic families can provide accounting offices, financial magnates can provide ships, and veteran officials can run errands for local officials.

If you really push everyone too far, the grain transport system, banks, household registration system, and government granaries can all find ways to trip you up.

In war, one fears no open warfare.

Governing a country requires the use of underhanded tactics.

"What if they team up to default on their debts?"

Su Qingyun asked, "The grain isn't being transported, the ships aren't being dispatched, the accountant is claiming illness, and the local officials say the household registers have been burned. On the surface, they're not rebelling, but secretly they're preventing the military merit system from being implemented."

Fang Fuyao pressed his finger against the bronze plaque.

"Li Huai's knife is very sharp."

Su Qingyun paused for a moment.

Fang Fuyao continued, "Those who default on debts will have their homes confiscated. Those who hoard grain will have their homes confiscated. Those who falsify household registrations will be beheaded. Those who incite gentry to resist orders will be treated as traitors."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it showed no intention of negotiating.

"Xinwu isn't asking them to nod; he's telling them to kneel down."

Su Qingyun suddenly smiled.

If Wei Zhao had said this, she wouldn't have been surprised. But it sounded quite pleasant coming from Fang Fuyao.

"You're more like a tyrant than His Majesty."

Fang Fuyao looked at her, her expression indifferent.

"Tyrants will not give porridge to displaced people, nor will they reward those from poor families with military merits."

She pushed the bronze medal in front of Su Qingyun.

"A true tyrant is one who starves his people to death, hides his silver in cellars, and then accuses them of rebellion."

Su Qingyun's smile slowly faded.

That's right.

That's absolutely right.

Luo Shao's treasury was displayed on the tent.

Four million three hundred thousand taels of silver and twenty-eight thousand shi of grain.

However, 30,000 people starved to death outside Guiping City.

If the former retainers of powerful families still want to uphold benevolence, righteousness, and propriety, then let them open the cellar first.

"Where do the military merit fields come from?" Su Qingyun asked.

"Weinan".

Fang Fuyao said, "The fields that Luo Shaotun took over should be cleared first. The fields of the powerful and treacherous officials who sided with the rebels should be cleared next. Unclaimed wasteland, fields of runaway households, and fields hidden by temples and monasteries should all be registered together."

Su Qingyun's eyes lit up.

Correct.

Instead of targeting the main residence of the prominent families in the capital, they will start by targeting Weinan.

Weinan had just been pacified, the rebel forces had been eliminated, and the local powerful families had not yet had time to regroup.

At this time, implementing a merit-based military system would face the least resistance and yield the greatest results.

The soldiers had just finished fighting when they immediately saw their rewards.

The refugees had just put down their knives when they immediately saw the fields.

The surrendered soldiers had just changed their flags when they immediately saw that the new Wu Dynasty not only wanted them to risk their lives, but also truly gave them a way out.

That's what you call stable.