In the three Eastern Crusades, the Great Sui suffered heavy losses, but Goguryeo's national strength was also dragged down, and now it needs to recuperate; Pei Ju suddenly understood that the reason why Yang Chong personally came to conquer Li Shimin was to build Hebei and Liaoxi into a barrier in the north. In the final analysis, Yang Chong was still worried that when the Turkic army of hundreds of thousands went south, Beiping and Zhuojun would fall into a heavy siege, but the border generals were in charge of the military and government, and there would be the possibility of a big separation.

Or Yang Chong's foundation is not solid, in Hebei, in the face of strong men like Li Shimin and Jieli Khan, the Hexi Army lacks figures like Zhuge Quan and Fang Xuanling who can stabilize the overall situation. When Yang Chong's foundation was unstable, he actually embarked on the same path as Yang Guang, and transferred Du Yan to come, hoping that Du Yan could suppress the influence of the Cui family and assist Xu Shiji and others in completing the strategy in the northeast.

But what about money? Pei Ju knew about it, and he had discussed it many times with Li Shimin and Yang Shanjing. With the unexpected success of the war, Yang Chong was actually very short of money, no different from Yang Guang back then, but Yang Chong insisted on a stable tax policy and would not change. However, when he learned that a large number of Taoist priests came to the gate of the Yue Wang Xing camp, he returned to the post house and met the monks of the Luoyang Sifang Pavilion and the Shaolin Temple Supervisor Liushan.

Buddhism and Taoism are both rich masters, like the Sifang Pavilion and Shaolin Temple, not only the big landowners in Henan, their influence on Buddhism is also immeasurable, and they can affect other temples in Henan. If Yang Chong had a way, he would definitely be able to get some money out of the hands of these monks and Taoists.

Yang Chong is more worried about the crisis of faith in Hebei, since Wang Bo raised the army, Hebei has been in continuous war for several years, the people have died five or six, the fields are barren, there are countless bitterness hidden in the heart, and there are countless disobedience, from top to bottom, all of them are hostile to Guanzhong. Dou Jiande was defeated, and most people chose to take refuge in Li Shimin, which had a great effect on this mentality, and they just wanted to shout out that "dissatisfied". Maitreyaism was extinguished in Guanzhong, and it has repeatedly resurfaced in Hebei because of the soil that grows.

Buddhism is too easy to be used by Maitreya, so Yang Chong decided to promote Taoism in Hebei, and asked Louguandao and Maoshan Sect to send people north, and Yang Chong waited for them in Zhuo County, just to see the ambition and strength of the two families. We all know that the goal of the Sui army must be the northeast after Hebei, and Louguan Dao is determined to win, Guangchengzi, Feng Qiquan, and Lu Jian came together, and Feng Qiquan raised a lot of funds from Hexi.

Chang'an Caotang Temple is a semi-official organization, Louguandao's movements have not been hidden from them, Caotang Temple is not willing to be lonely, on the grounds of investigating the twelve stick monks, sent four monks led by Huicheng to negotiate. However, the Buddhists and Daomen all knew that Yang Chong did not want to see each other, so he first came to visit around, inquire about the news, and when the people arrived, they went to visit Yang Chong successively; Although the standard of the banquet in the camp is the first point, vegetarian food is still okay.

Yang Chong hurriedly returned to the camp, and before the banquet was opened, the first person he saw was Feng Qiquan, and he invited him to the study to talk alone: "Second senior brother, it's really troublesome for you, follow me from Gaochang to Hebei, and keep spending money, I'm really sorry." ”

Feng Qiquan smiled indifferently: "What are you and I polite, missionaries should be home all over the world, besides, relying on your help all these years, I have been making money, and now I have surpassed Qihui and is the richest person in Louguan." Tell us about your plan, how do we get started? ”

Yang Chong was no longer polite, and asked people to bring a map of Hebei, and compared it and said: "Weishui, Anping, Zhuojun, Anyang, Xingzhou, and Huaxian belong to you, and Bohai Bay is for Maoshan Sect; Shandong, you negotiate by yourself, and I won't interfere. As brothers, let's talk about business, the business of the steel mill. ”

Feng Qicheng's spirit was shocked, Yang Chong gave a lot of benefits to the Cui family, but Feng Qiquan knew that this little junior brother had unpredictable abilities, although the affairs of Yunmengshan were tightly sealed, but the news of the scaly claws was still revealed, and that potato alone was enough to cause a sensation in the world. As long as Louguan can participate in the iron factory, he will have face and a steady stream of funds in front of the government, and the rest is to see if Louguan has a suitable candidate. Feng Qiquan asked in a low voice: "No matter how much money is needed, I will raise it." ”

Yang Chong handed over a piece of paper and said: "I am going to open an iron factory in the area of Anyang, Lu Yan will take you to the mining area, the senior brother has already bought it first, and will transfer it to you later, the output of the iron factory will exceed that of Jiuquan, but good ore is needed, so I am not at ease in the hands of others." ”

Yang Chong has a long-term vision, so he naturally leaves an extra way out. When there is no way to control it, leaving enough participants is another way to take advantage of when the situation suddenly changes. Feng Qi laughed and agreed, this is a win-win situation, at least when his senior brother can call the shots, he doesn't have to consider any changes.

Everyone watched Yang Chong and the two come out to the table, and learned that Yang Chong had assigned Bohai Bay to Maoshan Sect, Cui Fengju shook his head happily, no wonder his father Cui Hongdu praised Yang Chong, and Yang Chong could see his personal bottom line clearly every time. Du Yan smiled bitterly and asked, "What about Buddhism?" ”

Du Yan couldn't help but ask, Caotang Temple had found himself many times, and he always had to help; Yang Chong said understandingly: "The government will set aside four pieces of land in Yingzhou, Dajiaocheng, Shanggu, and Yanshan, and give them to Buddhism to make temples, and each temple will give 100 acres of land. I didn't see them anymore, so I sent someone to the post house to inform them and let them come with a plan. ”

Du Yan nodded, there is no answer to the matter of the twelve stick monks, and Yang Chong is benevolent and righteous in doing so. Yang Chong turned around and said to Xu Shiji: "I said that I would give you an iron factory, but you refused, this time I gave Hebei and Henan soldiers an iron factory, so don't refuse." This iron factory is owned by the Ministry of Households, just in the garrison of the Tuntian Army, called the Antun Iron Works, seventy percent of the annual profits are used for the families of soldiers who have died on the front line in recent years, whether it is to run a school or subsidize, you decide for yourself, report to the Privy Council and the Ministry of Households for filing. The workers of the iron works give priority to the elderly veterans and wounded soldiers, and you have to arrange a few reliable people in Liyang, Anyang, and Yecheng, and I don't want to be blamed. ”

Liyang is Xu Shiji's base camp, I heard that an iron plant was going to be built nearby, one by one the generals were overjoyed, tens of thousands of soldiers died on the front line, and the life of those broken families was difficult, relying on the so-called crops, it was very difficult; With this iron factory, there is at least a hope. Xu Shiji got up and thanked: "King Yue, don't worry, if there is someone who fills his own pockets and makes mistakes, the lower officials will definitely take his head." ”

Yang Chong smiled and waved his hand and said: "It's not that serious, while everyone is here, let me talk about my idea, the iron factory is just the first step, I will choose a city among the three places and build a northern Jiuquan City." When the plan comes out, you still have to help and recommend more people. ”

(End of chapter)