Niu Zheng soon stepped into his role and began to take care of the trivial tasks of Qinghua City. Thanh Hoa City was originally a commercial city, and 70% of its tax revenue came from merchants. As a result, in this war, the merchants evacuated one after another, no one paid taxes, and there was not much money left in Taicang. Niu Zheng, as the county magistrate, was very worried about this, so he had no choice but to ask Zhang Shumo to come to the county government to discuss.

"Master Zhang, I think we should now implement the policy of valuing agriculture and suppressing business. Before the war subsided, agriculture was encouraged, taxes on commercial activities were increased, and the people were prevented from abandoning agriculture and business, leaving the people on the land! So as to increase agricultural tax revenue and reduce the proportion of commercial tax revenue, so as to fill Taicang. ”

Niu Zheng said his thoughts in one breath, and Zhang Shumo nodded after listening: "This method is very good, but the effect is too slow." After the beginning of spring, there must be a battle between us and Liu Ye, if we lose, this policy will be useless. But Lord Niu doesn't have to worry too much, just implement it, maybe we won. ”

The rest of the Niu family couldn't help but pinch a cold sweat after hearing this, and they didn't have any confidence at all when they heard Zhang Shumo's tone.

Niu Zheng thought for a while and continued: "Can I use one or two of the stored grain in Taicang?" My Niu family is quite wealthy, and there is no shortage of money and food. But the rest of the people haven't paid their money last month, so I want to use the grain to offset their money. ”

When Zhang Shumo heard this, he immediately shook his head: "No!" I'll be of great use to this stockpile! Speaking of this, Zhang Shumo looked at Shang Lei again: "Have all the displaced people in the city been resettled?" ”

Shang Lei nodded: "We have already scared the displaced people away in this war, and there are only a few hundred people left in the city who are gathered in the barracks according to your orders, as long as they train hard, they will be given food, and those who are old, weak, sick and disabled will also be given a meal every day." ”

Zhang Shumo nodded with satisfaction after listening, and then Niu Zheng couldn't help but say: "Master Zhang, you even give food to the old, weak, sick and disabled homeless, but why don't you care about the officials in the city?" ”

After listening to Niu Zheng's words, Zhang Shumo looked at the people present, these people were all officials in the city, and they must have been dissatisfied with their actions.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I know you have some grievances in your hearts, but please listen to what I have to say. I'll gather these outcasts and train them, and you don't need me to say that you all understand my purpose, right? Why don't they understand? But they have no choice, they can only go to the battlefield to work hard in order to have enough to eat! Do you think I should give these outcasts money? But I don't have any money, so I can only feed them! ”

Speaking of this, Zhang Shumo paused: "But how can they support their families without Yulu?" Those old, weak, sick and disabled people may be their parents, their wives and children, and I let them go to the battlefield to die for me, and I can't even ignore their families, right? Do you think I should give food to the old, weak, sick and disabled homeless? ”

After listening to Zhang Shumo's words, everyone fell silent. Zhang Shumo continued: "But please rest assured, I won't let you do it in vain. Lord Niu Bao, from now on, all the officials in the city will only distribute the necessary food every month, and you can write down all the troubles that are lacking, and I will definitely return them to you in the future! ”

After speaking, Zhang Shumo bowed deeply to everyone. Everyone is also sensible people, and those who are about to go to war are just having enough to eat, so how can they ask for more?

Leaving the county office, Zhang Shumo and Shang Lei came to the barracks, although the weather was cold, Lin Xiu still took the new homeless people to train in the school field.

Shang Lei introduced on the side: "There are more than 400 newcomers here, plus more than 500 prisoners just recruited, our total strength has only reached 2,500 people, and the combat power of these more than 400 newcomers is still unknown." ”

Zhang Shumo smiled: "These more than 400 people have been practicing for so long, and there will be more homeless people coming over in the future, and the combat power of those people is unknown." ”

Shang Lei frowned when he heard this: "There will still be homeless people?" But we don't have much food left, and if we continue to collect the displaced people, I am afraid that the remaining food will not be enough for even a year! ”

Zhang Shumo sighed: "One year is definitely not enough, I have already asked Lu Li to send people to Xiuwuzhi and Mengzhou to spread the news, and soon the displaced people in the two places will know that we are here to give food to the displaced people, and there will be more displaced people coming over!" As long as there is enough food to eat until the beginning of spring next year, we can take in as many people as we can! ”

Shang Lei smashed his mouth when he heard it: "Then my military camp has to be expanded a little more!" ”

While the two were talking, Liu naturally rode over and came over, and when he saw Zhang Shumo, he said, "I said, why are you running around all day?" Zhang Yan came over with someone and waited for you in Taicang for a long time! ”

Zhang Shumo clapped his hands excitedly when he heard this: "Great! Now I can work hard for 10,000 people! ”

Liu naturally took Zhang Shumo to Taicang, Niu Zheng and Niu Bao were counting the grains brought by Zhang Yan and putting them into storage one by one.

As soon as Zhang Shumo came, he said to Niu Bao: "Lord Niu, store the grain brought by General Zhang separately from our grain. ”

Before Zhang Yan could say hello to Zhang Shumo, he was puzzled when he heard his words, "Why is Zhang Gongzi?" ”

Zhang Shumo smiled: "Since it is a conscription with grain, of course the soldiers levied by the grain of Jiudu Village are yours, how can it be counted if it is not separated?" ”

Zhang Yan also smiled: "In that case, I won't shirk it." ”

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Shumo ordered Shang Lei to settle Zhang Yan's men and horses, and then the two discussed the issue of recruit training. Not long after, Niu Zheng and Niu Bao had already counted the grain in the warehouse and found the two with the account book.

Zhang Shumo was taken aback when he looked at the account book, he didn't expect that the food brought by Jiudu Village was actually 90,000 stones, and saving some food could be enough for 10,000 people to eat for three months, plus the grain in Qinghua City, it is possible to levy 20,000 people this time!

Thinking of this, Zhang Shumo stood up excitedly: "Great, it's possible for us to levy 20,000 people with so much food!" In this way, we can let Liu Ye have no return! ”

"Zhang Gongzi should not be too optimistic, first of all, it is still unknown whether we can find so many young and strong homeless, even if we recruit enough, the combat power of these people still needs to be tested." Zhang Yan said on the side.

Zhang Shumo smiled: "I have already thought about these things!" Now there is still a month before the Chinese New Year, so let's take advantage of this time to hurry up the recruitment of new recruits for drills. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, let's pull out recruits to attack Xiuwuzhi and Mengzhou City, first, to give the recruits a chance to exercise, and second, to find the county commanders of the two cities to borrow some food! ”

Zhang Yan frowned when he heard this: "Isn't this going to rob?" ”

Zhang Shumo nodded: "Since the county commanders of the two cities are unwilling to support us, then we will go and support ourselves!" ”