"At this point, what are we missing?" Lu Shi, who had finished his newlywed Yan'er, was glowing with infinite brilliance, and asked confidently to the officials of all sizes in Shaanxi.

Looking at the hundreds of subordinate people sitting in the conference hall converted from the spacious hall of the former Xi'an Governor's Yamen, Lu Shi asked impassionedly.

The governor's hall, which originally looked dim and gloomy, became completely bright and spacious after removing all the almost airtight windows at Lu Shi's strong request. Garrison troops, militia units, and township veteran representatives from all military regions, prefectures and counties in Shaanxi, as well as the whole province, sat together on rows of benches that had not yet been painted, and listened carefully to Lu Shi's speech.

The March sun is so unscrupulous that it spills into the unobstructed lobby, shining on everyone's back, whether it is a standard official uniform or an old sheepskin jacket, it gives people a fresh and energetic feeling.

A row of secretaries (clerks) was leaning against the sun, waving their pens with excitement on their faces, recording the speeches and opinions of each of the participants, as well as every inspiring word they uttered.

"We lack funds, we lack seeds, we lack livestock, we lack manpower, we lack supplies, we lack the means to get what we produce, in short, as our representatives have pointed out to our government, we are now short of everything we need." Lu Shi wrenched his fingers and counted all the difficulties posed by all the delegates in the past few days.

"But we don't really lack anything anymore." Lu Shi waved his hand and straightened his waist.

At this time, what Lu Shi showed was no longer a scholar, a brother, a teacher, and a nephew who always had a faint smile and was very close to everyone. At this time, Lu Shi is the king of Chuang, the real master and the real leader of Shaanxi.

"Yes, we don't really lack anything right now." Lu Shi once again affirmed his statement.

Looking at the black and oppressive generals and officials at all levels, Lu Shi took a deep breath, and then said loudly: "Because, we have an incomparably powerful army in this world, they are our soldiers, because we have countless officials who serve the people, because they are the intimate people of the people, because we have vigorous industry and commerce, because they are the most reliable foundation for us to defend and build a base area, because we have business elites who collude with the world, because they are our opportunities for development, because, We have the most simple people, because they are the cornerstone of our survival and growth, so what do we lack? ”

There was silence in the lobby.

At this time, a spring breeze with cheerful bird chirping was blowing happily in the open porch of the lobby, and at that time, everyone felt joy from the heart and vitality from the heart.

Yes, with what King Chuang said, in fact, what do we lack? Actually, what are we missing, exactly? Everyone is excited about this reality.

This is the fifth day of March in the third year of Chongzhen, the fifth day of the recovery of all things, and it is also the first meeting of all officials and generals and representatives of all walks of life in Shaanxi after the establishment of the Chuang Wangfu in more than three months.

For the first time, I let all industries join the conference except for the officials.

At the beginning, there were many people who expressed resistance to this conference with the participation of others and others, after all, there was no precedent for scholars and scholars to sit in the court together for 5,000 years, which did make those officials who had just been promoted from slaves to officials very uncomfortable and unnatural.

However, Lu Shi insisted on this meeting, and at the same time, the third uncle and Guo Tianxing questioned those who had just become the prefects and county commanders of various places, as well as the officials of various ministries - what is your background? What is the content of our Gate Declaration, and what is our purpose.

After a series of rebukes, shame replaces disdain for the people.

So, there was this conference.

As a result, this is the first time in history.

"Now, our next important task is to completely solve our worries after the Tatar invasion of Gyeonggi and when the imperial court has not yet eased up, so that we can have the energy to fight when the official army is free to deal with us again."

The day after the conference ended, a group of core brothers left behind by Lu Shi sat together to discuss the future policies of the base area again.

At this time, Wu Tao, who was the secretary of the military department and still served as the military adviser of the army, put forward the next step, the most urgent task of the army, in the small courtyard of Lu Shi.

Although it has occupied the whole of Shaanxi, but, relative to the whole Ming Dynasty, Shaanxi is just a remote place where the poor are hungry, the output is limited, and the population is limited.

While pouring tea for everyone, Lu Shi, who encouraged Wu Tao approvingly, said: "Brother Wu Tao, at this time, he can still control the overall situation soberly, unlike someone, who knows that he is soaked in his cavalry all day long, I wonder, he is a generalissimo, is he eating dry rice for nothing?" ”

Of course, Guo Tianxing expressed his indifference to Lu Shi's "pointing at Sang and scolding Huai", as if Lu Shi was not talking about him, but someone else.

Looking at the brother Guo Tianxing, whose skin is rough and thick to a certain extent, Lu Shi is really helpless, so he is used to not talking deeply.

"Actually, now is the early spring of the green and yellow, and the biggest threat to us is not the imperial court, but the poles of other provinces." Wu Tao took the teacup handed by Lu Shi, owed his body, expressed his gratitude, took a sip gently, then put it down, and continued his words.

Chen Ce agreed with Wu Tao's proposal, and gently knocked on the stone table in the courtyard and said: "What Wu Junjun said is extremely true, now, it is the green and yellow, and the officials and soldiers are not capable of dealing with us, but it is this season, it is the time when the displaced people in various places are rising up, and the imperial court has no ability to appease and provide relief, so it can only suppress it, so where can these displaced people go?" Seeing that everyone didn't ask, he coughed, and then explained to himself: "There can only be two directions, one south and one north." ”

"Yes." Zheng Hao nodded: "The south is relatively rich, but for the northern provinces, the birthplace of the displaced people, there are congenital deficiencies. And the rest are other provinces in the north, although there has been a drought for many years, but after all, everyone still has a bit of blood, plus the people in the north are simple, and they also have the feeling of watching and helping each other, so the displaced people are more willing to flow to the north. ”

Of course, Li Chunhou, the head of the household, stood at his own starting point and commented: "Looking at the entire northern part of the Ming Dynasty, only our Shaanxi can be regarded as extremely rich, so it has become inevitable for displaced people to flow to Shaanxi." ”

"However, we have both opportunities and difficulties." Li Wenzhong, the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, is full of bitterness and expectation, which is really the so-called pain and happiness.

"How?" Lu Shi picked up the empty bowl he had drunk and poured it for him. Although Lu Shi is in Shaanxi, he is already the absolute first person, but in everyone's hearts, he is still everyone's brother, so he is still as casual as before.

Lu Shi also enjoys this atmosphere the most, there is no estrangement, no suspicion, still brothers treat each other, and they are still brothers. At the same time, he is also satisfied that he has been imperceptibly influencing the formation of this atmosphere of expressing his own opinions.

"The thing that makes me happy is that we have a small number of people in Shaanxi, plus we confiscated the land of several princes and county kings, and according to the meaning of King Chuang, it is a decision to rather abandon the land for a while than give it to the people, so that we have a situation where the land is idle, which is really heart-wrenching at that time. However, now it seems that King Chuang is still far-sighted. A sincere sycophant passed, and Lu Shi glared at him. Li Wenzhong pretended not to see it, and continued his words: "Where is King Chuang's vision? That is, foreseeing the stability of Shaanxi, there will be an influx of a large number of displaced people from all over the world, and once the displaced people pour in, we will not be able to allocate land, then it will cause the disappointment of the displaced people, and thus produce turmoil within our Shaanxi and affect spring and summer planting, and now it seems that this kind of thing does not exist. ”

At the beginning, everyone got a large amount of land that was encroached upon by the princes and county kings, and all the people, especially the people, wanted to share more land with red eyes, after all, in the bones of the Chinese people, the most endless need is land.

However, Lu Shi resolutely rejected the people's request, which made the people, who had always believed that as long as the people needed it, the king would not be satisfied, and they were more or less dissatisfied with Lu Shi.

However, at that time, Lu Shi thought that the great drought would continue throughout North China, and more and more people in other provinces would become displaced people, and where would those displaced people who had no land to grow eventually go? As Zheng Hao said, either it will flow into Shaanxi, which is relatively rich and stable, or it will join the poles in various places and become a rogue.

However, because the displaced people who have flowed into Shaanxi cannot get land arrangements, then it will become a hidden danger for the whole of Shaanxi, so setting aside some land to prepare for the resettlement of those displaced people has become something that Shaanxi must prepare.

"But the benefits are also emerging." Li Wenzhong (Mr. Li) once again put on a happy expression and said: "That is, the factories and mines that we urgently need labor will solve the urgently needed manpower, which will provide the conditions for our industry and commerce to reach a new level again." ”

Wu Tao nodded in agreement with Li Wenzhong and the others, but after a change of words, he once again pulled back the topic of the conference that was about to go off-topic: "However, in addition to these future major threats we face, it will be those that have been hungry and red-eyed, and the poles that have been formed, such as——" Taking a deep breath, he glanced at Lu Shi, and after getting Lu Shi's affirmation, Wu Tao said sadly: "For example, Li Zicheng, who has brought us countless crises. ”

"Yes." Lu Shi paused to put down the teapot and said in a heavy but firm tone: "The military advisor is right, the biggest threat to our base area now is not the displaced people, not the official army, but Li Zicheng, who has always been hostile to us. Looking at everyone who felt the same way, Lu Shi said firmly: "Therefore, I have decided that everyone has their own duties, then, I will lead the elite of the army and send troops to sweep Li Zicheng." ”