In the Chu Palace.

When the monarchs and ministers met, Jing Cui and the others saw that the King of Chu had changed his attitude today, smiled, looked at each other, and immediately congratulated: "Congratulations to the king, congratulations to the king." ”

Xiong Huai responded with a smile: "Zhuqing is exempt from courtesy." ”

After the four of them sat down, Xiong Huai smiled and said: "Zhuqing, the widow is happy to get two sons today, and he originally planned to celebrate in the palace, but the queen persuaded the widow to rejoice with the people in the country, and the widow thought so.

Moreover, in the past year, the people have paid a lot to support the national war. Therefore, the widow decided to take this opportunity to give a favor to the people, and to give taxes in the land for one year, and this year's autumn harvest, and the next year's wheat harvest, to exempt the people of the whole country from the land tax, and to exempt the people of the country from forced labor this winter. ”

When Dou You heard this, he hurriedly dissuaded: "The king, this matter must not be allowed, after the previous year's war, Taifu spent countless amounts of money and grain, if the whole country is tax-free for a year, once something happens, the minister is afraid that the king will have no money and food available." ”

Jing Cui also said: "The king, the minister thinks that what Taifu Yin said is very true, if the war continues today, the whole country is exempt from taxes, and the minister thinks it is inappropriate." If the king must be exempt from taxes, why not avoid the fields harvested this autumn. ”

At this time, Qu Yuan looked at the King of Chu and couldn't help but show a heavy look.

Unlike Dou You Jingcui to guard against various countries, Qu Yuan thought about how to prevent nobles from all over the country from inciting the people in the country, which is the most likely place for the Chu State to have a crisis in the next few years.

And if you want to prevent this time, as long as the people have the king of Chu in their hearts, instead of the feudal lords and nobles from all over the country, in this way, even if the nobles in the country are dissatisfied with the king, they will not be able to set off big waves.

Winning the hearts and minds of the people is the top priority.

Thinking about it, Qu Yuan immediately spoke after Jing Cui's voice fell: "King, Lao Ziyun: After the soldiers, there will be a disaster year. The minister thought that this was very true.

In order to deal with various countries, our Chu State mobilized nearly a million troops, especially to guard against Yingdu, and even recruited Jiang Han Ding Zhuang to be empty, for this reason, many places have delayed spring ploughing, and only rely on strong women and old and weak to farm at home. In the northern Han provinces, it was reduced to a battlefield, and the people were plundered by Qin and Han, not only the spring plowing was delayed, but even the savings of previous years were also taken away. ”

Xiong Huai nodded when he heard this, and strongly agreed with Qu Yuan's words.

When Gongsun Yan repelled the Qin and Han countries, he seized a large amount of money and grain from the enemy army, where did this money and grain come from?

If the Qin and Han countries will bring their own food, then the money is undoubtedly obtained from the people of Chu.

And these are enough to show the suffering of the people of Hanbei, if the tax exemption is not carried out, I am afraid that this winter, after the delay of spring ploughing, the people will have a large number of bankrupt fleeing, and then rely on the aristocracy.

At this time, Qu Yuan saw the king of Chu nodding, and immediately continued: "Therefore, the minister thinks that the tax exemption is imperative, because of the spring ploughing, only exempting the fields harvested in autumn this year, I am afraid it will be difficult for the people to ease up, and the tax on wheat and rice must be exempted in spring and summer."

Not only that, but the ministers thought that the lands of northern Han had been ravaged by Qin and Han, and it was only tax-free for one year, and I am afraid that the people would still be poor. Therefore, in order to let the people stay in Hanbei with hope, the minister asked the king to be tax-free in Hanbei for two years. ”

When Dou You heard this, Qu Yuan wanted to be tax-free for two years in the fertile land of Hanbei, and immediately said angrily: "Zuo disciple, you don't have to inch in, tax exemption for one year, the pressure on Taifu is already great, if Hanbei is tax-free for two years, once something happens, where will the grain come from?" ”

"King!" Jing Cui followed: "Qu Yuan is a sycophant, please the people, invite fame and hope, and ask Qu Yuan to be cured of a crime of disloyalty." ”

When Xiong Huai heard this, he looked at Qu Yuan curiously, and Qu Yuan went one step further in his proposal to be tax-free in Hanbei for two years, which greatly surprised him.

When Qu Yuan saw the King of Chu coming over, he immediately bowed his hand firmly and said: "The king, the ministers are loyal to the king, please let the king know it." ”

Saying that, Qu Yuan bowed and said: "The king, please be tax-free in the land of northern Han for two years, all out of the service of the country and the people, please think twice." ”

Xiong Huai heard it and thought about it, although he hadn't figured out Qu Yuan's intention of deliberately being tax-free in Hanbei for two years, but since Qu Yuan had already wanted to invite him twice, out of trust in Qu Yuan, he still nodded and said, "Okay, the quasi-leftist disciple is invited to be tax-free in Hanbei for two years." ”

When Qu Yuan heard this, his heart was hot, and he bowed again: "The king is wise." ”

When Jing Cui Dou heard this, he hurriedly said: "The king..."

Before he could say anything, he was interrupted by Xiong Huai.

"This matter has been decided, so that Yin Taifu Yin does not need to persuade again. Moreover, the Chu State had gained a lot in the Yue State before, and with the savings of the Yue State for more than a thousand years, there was no danger that my Chu State would have money in a short period of time. If there is a real shortage of food, then the money will be used to buy wheat and rice from various countries. ”

Seeing that the King of Chu planned to use the wealth of the Yue Kingdom again, Dou You immediately sighed slightly.

It's just that when I thought that there was still a lot of money in Yue Country, and there were more treasures and heavy weapons, which were enough for Chu State to support for several years, I thought about it, so I stopped persuading.

At this time, Jing Cui sighed in her heart.

Thinking back then, when Zhaoyang Jingli served as Ling Yin, what a scenery it was. I don't want to, but when he was Ling Yin himself, he was so aggrieved. In the two days after taking office, the monarch and ministers discussed the meeting twice, and as a result, the king of Chu did not listen to any of his suggestions.

"Alas!" A long sigh expressed the endless helplessness in his heart.

At this time, Xiong Huai didn't pay attention to Jing Cuidou and the two, but turned to look at Zhao Ju, who had not spoken, and asked, "Zhu Guo, I don't know what Qing wants." ”

When Zhao Ju heard this, he looked at Qu Yuan with his eyes, although he did not understand Qu Yuan's intention of deliberately being tax-free in Hanbei for two years, but he would not return to the King of Chu's move to buy people's hearts.

"The king is wise!"

"Okay." Xiong Huai nodded: "Since everyone has no objections, then on the first day of the eighth month, after the sacrifice is completed, please ask Ling Yin to speak." ”

"Yui!" And they all answered together.

Soon after everyone left, Qu Yuan returned to the main hall again.

"Meet the King."

"Excuse me!" Xiong Huai looked at Qu Yuan and groaned for a while, and then asked: "Just now in the palace, Xianqing twice asked for tax exemption in Hanbei for two years, why is this?" ”

When Qu Yuan heard this, he immediately responded: "The king, the minister asked Hanbei to be tax-free for two years, just to prepare for the next change." ”

"Hmm!" Xiong Huai looked at Qu Yuan thoughtfully.

"Your Majesty, the purpose of this change is to enrich the country and strengthen the army, expand the country's tax revenue, and increase the number of people in the country's household registration. And in order to achieve these goals, it is necessary to compete with the nobles for population. ”

Xiong Huai nodded when he heard this, Chu has never lacked land, what is lacking is only population.

Similarly, Xiong Huai also knew that the population of Chu was not small, but the population controlled by the state was small.

The reason why the common people were few was because the taxes on cultivating the royal fields were too heavy, and in the event of an accident, it was difficult to bear, so they had to rely on the nobles to avoid the taxes.

It's just that in the current situation in the world, the focus of all countries is on war, and war, especially siege warfare, consumes money and food, and once the country is poor and weak, it will be attacked by other countries, and the army will be defeated and cut down, and the country will be destroyed at worst.

Under these circumstances, all the nations intensified their exploitation of the common people in order to obtain money and food, so as not to run out of money and food in the midst of war.

Tax exemptions are occasionally acceptable, but if they are used to compete for population, this simply does not work in the current era of such fierce annexation wars.

Thinking of this, Xiong Huai looked at Qu Yuan and asked, "Please tell Xianqing in detail, how to compete with Xungui for population!" ”