Last time, Zhang Ping was obsessed with research to improve the quality of life, and he also made the first batch of chicken essence.

While Zhang Ping was busy with scientific research, Han Ting began to reward those who had made meritorious contributions in exterminating the Yellow Turban Thieves.

Although the Yellow Turban Thieves have not yet been completely exterminated, the bandit leaders Zhang Jiao and Feng Zhen have died in their internal strife one after another, and the Yellow Turban Thieves have no leader and have to retreat into the barren mountains and dense forests to survive.

During this period, He Jin, the generalissimo of the world's soldiers and horses, was able to use his talents and strategize, and the ministers unanimously believed that He Jin should be the first to make the first contribution and should be made a marquis.

Since everyone has the same opinion, Liu Hong can only make He Jin a cautious marquis, in recognition of He Jin's role in the process of exterminating the Yellow Turban Thief.

Liu Hong said secretly: Isn't the role of General He to be cautious and drag down my army! also said that there was a mole, and now I haven't seen him find out this mole, but Zhang Jiao died by himself. Of course, General He's credit is indeed great, and the army led by him is too cowardly, which caused the Yellow Turban thieves to think that my big man is easy to bully, so there was a mutiny and a seizure of power......

In addition to He Jin, the ministers also put forward a list of people who have made outstanding contributions.

Liu Hong really didn't know that the Yellow Turban Thieves infighting was made by the ministers of the court, and there could be a batch of lists? Which of these people went to the front?

But no matter how Liu Hong slandered the people on this list, he could only reward these people one by one according to the wishes of the ministers.

It's so easy, and finally rewarded the meritorious ministers, Liu Hong suddenly threw a hot topic to the ministers. Liu Hong said: "At present, the Yellow Turban thieves in various places have not been completely eradicated, and a quarter of the guards in Beijing have also been dispatched, and there cannot be enough troops in Beijing to guard them. I decided to form a new army, which would be responsible for guarding the palace and guarding the capital divisions, and I could send them to various places to intensify their efforts to exterminate the Yellow Turban thieves. ”

He Jin heard that Liu Hong planned to form a new army, and it was obvious that he wanted to thin up the power in his hands, so he immediately wanted to oppose it. But before he could stand up, there were already people around him who stood up against Liu Hong's decision. He Jin took a closer look and found that the person was Yang Ci, so he was happy to watch the play on the side.

He Jin thought in his heart that people like Yang Ci were really funny, they couldn't get used to others abusing power, but what the emperor said, they stood up against it for the first time, and they didn't know what they wanted.

Yang Ci said earnestly: "Please think twice, Your Majesty." ”

Liu Hong saw that the first person to oppose him was not He Jin, but his teacher, and immediately became angry, and asked fiercely: "Why is this?" ”

Yang Ci lowered his head and said ashamedly: "The treasury is empty. ”

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the financial situation was originally poor, and the output of society was mainly concentrated in the hands of the large scholars, and now they are tax-free. In the early days of the founding of the Han Dynasty, there was only one kind of person who was exempt from tax, and that was the elderly. For those who have no offspring, or are eighty or ninety years old, there are tax exemptions and preferential policies. But scholars still have to pay taxes. It's just that with the transmission of the successive emperors, the imperial power is getting weaker and weaker, and the power of the scholars is getting stronger and stronger. Since they can speak for themselves, of course they will make generous policies for themselves. As a result, their taxes were exempted (Note 1).

In addition, these emperors behind them are greedy for pleasure, spending money like running water, and the treasury is even more than able to make ends meet. Otherwise, Liu Hong would not have come up with a policy of betraying his official position to make a fortune.

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In addition, there were many rebellions in various places, which not only increased the expenditure of the imperial court on the defenders, but also seriously affected the local tax revenue, which made the national treasury even worse.

But Liu Hong made up his mind to form an army under his control, so he said very arrogantly: "This money comes from my inner treasury!" ”

Since Liu Hong paid for it himself, Yang Ci had no opinion, and he also hoped that Liu Hong could use this new army to restrain He Jin's situation in the army. It's just that I don't know how large an army Liu Hong's inner library can support.

As soon as He Jin heard that Liu Hong had paid for the formation of the army by himself, he knew that he had no way to oppose it. He could only comfort himself that maintaining the army was very expensive, and Liu Hong should not put his underwear in it.

Liu Hong paid for the army built by himself, and there was no need to ask He Jin's opinion on the candidate for the leader, Liu Hong handed over the task of building the army to Jian Shuo, and announced his retreat from the dynasty.

Jian Shuo chased after Liu Hong's ass and ran out of the Chongde Palace, he chased after Liu Hong, and whispered eagerly behind Liu Hong: "Shengshang, there is not much money left in the inner library. ”

As soon as Liu Hong heard Jian Shuo's words, he would rather be struck by lightning. He turned around and glared at Jian Shuo in disbelief and asked, "Why is there no more?" How did you do that? ”

Jian Shuo knelt on the ground at once, and while smacking his mouth, he said, "The slave is incompetent, and she has been entrusted by the saint." ”

"I just want to know why!" Liu Hong's voice seeped through as if it was squeezed out of his teeth.

Jian Shuocheng said with trepidation: "Neiku used to be Zhang Shizhong in charge of ......"

"You're saying that Zhang let that minion steal my money?" Liu Hong's eyes shot a cold light like a sharp sword, he wanted to kill.

Jian Shuo replied honestly: "No! It's the slave who doesn't have the ability of Zhang Shizhong, and he doesn't know where he got the money from the saint. ”

Hearing Jian Shuo's answer, Liu Hong was speechless. Since his mother Dong Sijun gave Jian Shuo to Liu Hong, Liu Hong has always been very relieved of Jian Shuo, without him, Jian Shuo's personality is too solid, Liu Hong is very suspicious that Jian Shuo will know how to pick it up when he sees gold on the ground. Such an honest person, if he wants him to make money for himself, it is really difficult for him.

Liu Hong looked at Jian Shuo, who had been kneeling on the ground, and felt that he had a headache. This joke is big, just now at the court meeting boasted about Haikou, paid out of his own pocket to build a new army, now where will the money come from? Do you have to rely on Zhang to let them?

Thinking of this, Liu Hong shook his head, he resolutely would not rely on those who had betrayed him again. This problem can only be solved by himself, and for the sake of now, before the money is raised, he can only pretend to be busy with preparations such as selecting candidates for leadership, so as not to let the ministers see that they have no money to form a new army.

In addition to rewarding meritorious officials in the court, Huangfu Song's side also ushered in the winner of the Yellow Turban Thief.

Zhang Fei took off his fur hat, shook off the snow on it, and said scoldingly: "Doesn't this Huangfu general know that it's cold outside now?" Not a single ghost. What do we do when we are summoned? ”

Liu Bei patted off the snow on his body and whispered to Zhang Fei: "Third brother, don't talk when you see General Huangfu later!" ”

Regarding whether the scholars were taxed at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the author is not clear at all. The author is based on the Ming Dynasty, when the Donglin Party used its voice in the court to prevent the emperor's attempt to tax them, which eventually led to the miserable situation of the country having no money to use.

And the preferential tax policy of the Han Dynasty for the elderly is true.

(End of chapter)