Yun Chang and Yun Ye were a little silent, and Tang Ning said in a deep voice: "High Priest, since the Desolate Clan is sincere to our dynasty, then all the past will go with the wind, and I am a desolate clan and a member of the Great Zhou." ”

"But I will never allow the existence of a self-reliant small kingdom in the territory of the Great Zhou, I have already treated the desolate clan very favorably, I hope you can understand my sincerity."

"I want peace in the world, and I hope that the desolate tribe will live a peaceful life after migrating to the Central Plains, and if the desolate tribe is too independent, it is difficult to guarantee that no one will forget the past in the future, breed ambitions, pull the flag to rebel, and fight against the imperial court, it will be an endless war......"

Yun Chang's face was a little heavy when he heard this, he knew that what the emperor said was not alarmist.

Tang Ning continued: "I know that although you want to be obedient, you are still wary of the imperial court, which is also inevitable, and I can understand it. ”

"That's why I want to appoint officials to the Desolate Clan, not only to help you govern, but also to protect you, you should understand this."

"In the past, I elected officials not to rule you, but to govern, to build schools, to repair water conservancy, to educate the people, to give alms to the people, and to collect taxes and ......."

Before Tang Ning's words were finished, Yun Ye exclaimed, "Tax? And you want to tax my desolate? ”

Not only did Yun Ye's face change drastically, but Yun Chang couldn't help but change color slightly, and even Wang Ge Lao and the others also changed color slightly, because when they discussed it before, they didn't talk about taxation.

Tang Ning said in a deep voice: "Since the desolate clan has returned to my dynasty, they are the people of my Great Zhou, shouldn't they pay taxes?" ”

Yun Chang whispered: "But Your Majesty, the desolate people migrated out of the Great Wilderness, and then went to the southwest jungle to settle, traveled a long distance, did not adapt to the water and soil, and had no life, and although the southwest jungle said that there are a lot of materials, but compared to the Central Plains, if it is taxed, the people in the clan are afraid that they will not be able to live." ”

Tang Ning said in a deep voice: "The desolate people migrated out of the great wilderness and settled in the southwest, the road is far away, and there are many difficulties, and the imperial court will not sit idly by. ”

"The imperial court will send chariots, horses, money and food to help the desolate people migrate, and after the desolate people arrive in the jungle in the southwest, the officials I have selected will also help the desolate people settle down, and the necessary materials can be reported to the imperial court, and the imperial court will allocate them."

"Considering that the desolate clan has just arrived in the southwest, I can issue a decree to temporarily exempt the tax for one year, but the tax must be paid!"

"How to collect the tax, I will decide at my discretion, even if each household levies a leaf, this tax must be collected!"

In the end, Tang Ning is categorical, and there is an unquestionable meaning.

Wang Gelao, Peng Shangshu, and General Lin couldn't help but change color slightly, but they didn't expect the emperor to take taxes so seriously.

The population of the barren tribe itself is not large, and the southwest jungle is far less rich than the Central Plains, and there is not much to levie, to be honest, this tax is really not eye-catching, so Wang Gelao, General Lin, and Peng Shangshu are a little puzzled.

Wang Ge Lao and they were just a little puzzled, but Yun Chang and Yun Ye were a little vomiting blood, even if each household levied a leaf?

It's not like this if you're poor and crazy, don't talk about leaves, cut down a tree and hand it in one by one, there are not many other trees in the southwest jungle!

After Yun Chang was shocked, he also understood that the emperor did not care about the tax, but about the tax itself, or the emperor felt that it was a symbol.

Hong Cheng walked in quietly and whispered in Tang Ning's ear: "Your Majesty, the hour has come, and the imperial dining room has been prepared." ”

Tang Ning smiled: "If you don't even pay taxes, then how can you count the people of Da Zhou?" The High Priest is reassured that I have always been sympathetic to the people and will not levy heavy taxes. ”

"I just cared about talking, but I forgot the time, I invited the high priest and Sizhu into the palace today to wash the dust for the high priest and Si Zhu, welcome the high priest to the capital, come, prepare a banquet, I want to have two drinks with the high priest today!"

This time the royal banquet was very grand, and the imperial dining room had even been preparing it a few days before. Tangning advocated frugality and continued the style of the first emperor, and the imperial banquet on weekdays was only a dozen dishes.

However, this time, in order to feast on the high priest and priest of the desolate clan, he ordered the imperial dining room to prepare sixty-four dishes, which can be described as complete with delicacies from the mountains and seas.

Because it is difficult for the desolate people to survive in the great wilderness, the high priest and the priest Zhu live extremely simple in the great wilderness, and they do not enjoy themselves because of their noble status.

At the beginning, they only knew what food was for the first time in Shuozhou, and they were very satisfied with the food they ate all the way into Beijing.

However, today in the palace, they found that compared to the imperial banquet in the palace, those are nothing.

However, there are only a few people, but there are sixty-four dishes, and the delicacies of the mountains and seas are full of flavor, color and fragrance, and there is also the imperial wine treasured in the palace, which can be described as extravagant.

Elder Wang Ge also noticed Yun Chang and Yun Ye's shock, and explained with a smile: "The saint has always been frugal, in order to welcome the high priest into Beijing, the imperial dining room was ceremoniously prepared, and this banquet and imperial dining room were prepared for three days, and we all had such blessings thanks to the high priest. ”

Yun Chang sighed with emotion: "Your Majesty's courtesy makes me sincerely afraid and grateful. ”

Tang Ning raised his glass and said: "When I went to the Sword Pavilion, the pavilion master once told me about the situation of the Great Wilderness, Xiao Qi's cry shocked me, and I also began to face this endless war from then on, hoping for the day of peace." ”

"My Great Zhou has never been afraid of war, but I pity my people, so I hope that the world is peaceful, this cup I welcome and thank the high priest for going to the capital in person, and also respect the peace of the world!"

Yun Chang raised his glass and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty, respect for the peace of the world!" ”

Although the imperial banquet in the palace was extremely delicious, Yun Chang and Yun Ye did not have an aftertaste, because their hearts were still heavy.

After leaving the palace, Yun Chang and Yun Ye did not go back to the Sifang Pavilion directly, but went to the Tang Mansion instead.

"Please let me know, the deceased is visiting."

Yun Chang and Yun Ye stood quietly in front of the gate and waited, and it didn't take long for someone to greet them.

Senior Brother Jiu solemnly saluted and said, "High priest, Sizhu, please inside." ”

The pavilion master was sitting in the back garden, still wearing the black hat on his head, Yun Chang walked in with the ninth senior brother, and looked at the pavilion master's black hat with some surprise, so abrupt and dazzling in the sun.

"Old friend, we haven't seen each other for ten years, and we're finally meeting again, aren't we?" The Pavilion Master's hoarse voice rang out.

Yun Chang stared at the pavilion master's black hat and opened his mouth, and finally his expression calmed down, and he sighed a little: "Yes, I haven't seen you for ten years, and we finally met." ”