It is one of the thirteen states of the Han Dynasty, leading nine counties, including Taiyuan, Shangdang, Xihe, Yunzhong, Dingxiang, Yanmen, Shuofang, Wuyuan, and Shangjun. Jinyang is the seat of the state, in Taiyuan County, Jinyang City is also the Taiyuan City of later generations. Of course, there are still some deviations between Jinyang in ancient times and Taiyuan in later generations.

After several long journeys, Liu Zhang and others finally came to Jinyang, the seat of governance in Bingzhou. Looking at the tall but lifeless Jinyang City, Liu Zhang felt a little helpless in his heart. The world wants to be comfortable, and if he is not forced to do so, he really does not want to come to the state. Entering the city, Liu Zhang was even more disappointed. Although Jinyang is also a big city, it is quite withered, not to mention compared with a big city like Luoyang, even compared with Jixian County, Youzhou, it is slightly inferior.

Came to the Thorn History Mansion and checked the seal documents, Liu Zhang officially took over the state, how to say that the position of the state pastor was chosen by himself, even if he regretted it, it was too late! Liu Zhang himself did not like military affairs and government affairs, so he directly appointed Guo Jia as the other driver, Xi Zhicai as the Zhizhong, Liu Ye as the Gong Cao, Zhang Ren as the soldier Cao, and Liu Ye's brother Liu Jian as the main secretary to assist Guo Jia and the three.

Of course, although Guo Jia and the three of them only have the names of driving, Zhizhong and Gongcao, in fact, the government affairs of the state are basically handled by them, and only when they encounter major matters that they cannot decide, they ask Liu Zhang for instructions. As soon as people are bored, they have to find something to do, Liu Zhang has no burden of government affairs, so he pulls out the garrison troops in Jinyang City for training. When everyone saw the guards guarding Jinyang City, everyone was dumbfounded!

Is this the troops? Looking at the eyes in front of him, his clothes were ragged, and he was standing crookedly, there were fifty or sixty years old, and there were eleven or twelve years old Jinyang defenders, Liu Zhang and his generals all looked dull, which is the army, it is not as good as a beggar! Liu Zhang, who was helpless, had no choice but to disband the army.

"Big brother, is this the Jinyang defender?" Back in the state pastor's mansion, Zhang Fei's loud voice echoed in the hall, and Liu Zhang's ears buzzed.

Liu Zhang nodded bitterly, and Zhang Ren smiled when he saw this: "Why should the lord worry? Back then, we didn't start from nothing in Youzhou and slowly developed? ”

"It's different!" Liu Zhang said helplessly: "Back in Youzhou, my father could recruit soldiers and buy horses, depending on whether he had money and food, but now I not only have no qualifications to recruit soldiers, but also the money and food in the state don't seem to be too much, so I can only take the elite route." But look at those soldiers in Jinyang, not to mention elite soldiers, they are not even old, weak, sick and disabled! ”

"Why doesn't the lord have the qualifications to recruit soldiers?" Guo Jia picked up the gourd and took a sip, looking at Liu Zhang with a puzzled expression, Liu Zhang had no choice but to tell him about being jealous of Liu Hong. Guo Jia said with a smile: "Why worry about the lord, this matter is too easy!" Now that His Majesty is deaf, even if he thinks that your power is too great, he will not do anything to you. According to the lord's words, I think Your Majesty handed over the merger to you just to make up for the guilt in my heart! ”

"What does Fengxiao mean that Your Majesty just asked me to come to Bingzhou to be the emperor of the soil?" Liu Zhang was a little undeniable.

Guo Jia said with a smile: "Bingzhou does not produce grain, and the Qiang people are always disturbing, even if the lord spends money on food to recruit troops and horses, the population of Bingzhou is too small, and the number of soldiers who can be recruited is limited." For His Majesty, placing the lord here can not only make up for the guilt in his heart, but also restrict the development of the lord, which is the so-called imperial mind. ”

Liu Zhang shook his head with a smile and said, "It seems that Your Majesty really looks down on me!" Could this question be too much for me? Zhicai, immediately contact Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping in Youzhou, I..."

"Lord Qiqi, there are two people outside the door who claim to be Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping and ask to see you!" Before Liu Zhang's words were finished, a small school walked in.

"Uh... Hurry up..."After the little colonel went down, Guo Jia smiled and said: "The ground in Bingzhou is evil, just mentioned Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping, these two people have arrived!" ”

"See the lord!" Under the leadership of Xiaoxiao, Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping walked in, they were gorgeously dressed and no longer the down-and-out small businessmen of the year. is the Yuan family in Jizhou, and they also have to give them three points of thin noodles, because their lord Liu Zhang, in the eyes of the family, is a complete madman! Of course, even if they are rich, Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping also understand that without Liu Zhang, there would be no them. Therefore, as soon as Liu Zhang arrived in Bingzhou, the two of them came.

"Get up, please!" Liu Zhang's hands were in a false position, and Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping continued to salute before standing up straight. Liu Zhang smiled: "I'm not a formal person, why bother." You may be seated! ”

"Thank you, lord!" Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping sat down at the bottom of the position, after all, they were pure businessmen, and their status was not very high. If they were under the command of other princes, they might not even be qualified to accompany the last seat. However, the people under Liu Zhang's command are either poor or people who don't pay attention to etiquette, and they don't care much about this.

"You two must have some good news to tell me!" Liu Zhang smiled at Su and Zhang: "Every time you come, you will surprise me, I don't know what you will bring me this time?" ”

Su Shuang stood up and said with a smile: "We are here to ask the lord for an official!" ”

"Sit down!" Liu Zhang smiled and asked, "I don't know what official position you two are going to ask for?" ”

"The two of us have limited ability, so it's enough to ask for a book!" Zhang Shiping said with a smile: "The two of us have no other skills, so we will do some business." Since the lord was appointed as the pastor of the state, and the state does not produce grain and grass, we think that the lord can develop business in the state. Doing business is our forte, so we want to ask Shucao to take up the position of scrivener! ”

"You two are worthy of being businessmen, and I have this intention!" Liu Zhang said with a smile: "The grain output in Bingzhou is very small, but Jizhou, which borders it, is a large output state, and we can buy grain from Jizhou, even Yanzhou and Xuzhou." When the time comes, we will need a lot of money. However, although the state does not produce grain, it does produce strategic materials such as war horses. Come to think of it, the trading of tea, horses, salt and iron is exactly the specialty of the two! ”

"Those who know me, the lord also!" Su Shuang said with a smile: "Brother Shiping and I have just received the news that the lord has taken office as the governor of the state, so we scattered all the family property and purchased a large amount of grain in the five prefectures of Hebei, Yan, Xu, Jing and Yang, and now we have accumulated more than 20 million stones, and the first batch of 5 million stones of grain has arrived in Jinyang!" ”

"What?!" Listening to Su Shuang's words, everyone in the hall was stunned. What is the concept of 20 million stone grain? Even if one stone is two hundred catties, ten stones are one ton, and twenty million stones are two million tons! Even if one person eats three catties a day, it is enough for 200,000 people to eat for nearly 20 years! You must know that the annual grain output of the whole Han Dynasty is not 20 million stones, and Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping have made a bloody investment this time!

Everyone was stunned for a while, and Guo Jia suddenly laughed and said: "The lord is really the lord of the destiny of heaven, we were still worried about the lack of money and food just now, and we could not develop and merge states and recruit troops, so someone sent money and food." Congratulations! ”

"This is all the credit of Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping!" Liu Zhang said with a smile: "Two, from today onwards, you are my subordinate Shuzuo, and you will temporarily act on behalf of Shucao to deal with the money and food under my command." However, food is the top priority, and no matter what the situation, we can only collect grain and cannot sell grain to the state. ”

"Obey the Lord's orders!" Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping were very happy. In history, they sent money and food everywhere, didn't they just want to have a share of security in troubled times?

"Lord, there is one more thing for my subordinates!" Su Shuang was a little embarrassed, and Zhang Shiping was also a little hesitant.

"Since it's my subordinate, I have something to say! Even if I do something wrong, as long as I don't do it sincerely, I won't care too much. Of course, it's not okay to make a mistake that is too big! Liu Zhang saw that Su and Zhang's faces were wrong, so he gave them a reassurance.

Zhang Shiping lowered his head and said: "Xuzhou is a big grain-producing state, and we are hoarding grain and grass for our lord, so naturally we can't let it go." When the grain was harvested, Xuzhou Thorn Shi Taoqian and his subordinates had to contribute, and they intended to buy some high-grade war horses from the lord, but we didn't dare to agree, but we promised to introduce them to them..."

"You did nothing wrong!" Liu Zhang smiled: "It's just that next time it's best to send someone to ask for instructions, if I'm not there, you can ask Mr. Xi and Mr. Guo!" ”

"Yes!" Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang saluted again. Putting down the big stone in their hearts, the two of them were much more comfortable, and the tiredness on their faces gradually disappeared.

Seeing that Su and Zhang breathed a sigh of relief, Liu Zhang smiled and asked, "When is Tao Xuzhou going to send someone?" ”

"Back to the lord, the envoy sent by Tao Xuzhou is already on the way, this person is Xuzhou!" Seeing Liu Zhang's question, Su Shuang quickly stood up and answered. The businessman values credibility the most, and he is really afraid that Liu Zhang will not see Tao Qian's messenger.

"Mi Zhu?" Liu Zhang thought for a while and said, "Okay, when he arrives, you can introduce me to him!" I heard that Xuzhou Mi Zizhong is an ancient gentleman, and I am quite interested in him! Also, as businessmen, you can spread the word in other states and counties, and the states are ready to absorb the homeless! ”

"This..."Zhang Shiping said cautiously: "Some of those displaced people used to be..."

"No matter!" Liu Zhang said categorically: "If you let out the rumors, no matter what they did before, as long as they live well in Bingzhou, abide by my regulations and the laws of the Han Dynasty, I will treat them as the people of Bingzhou." If they want, they can register with the state and county government offices, and the government will distribute the land, and as for seeds and other things, the government will also lend them money, and even plough cattle! Fengxiao, Zhicai, this is the most important thing we have now, and I will leave it to you! Lao Dian, transfer a hundred tiger guards to the two gentlemen for personal protection! ”

"Yes!" Guo Jia, Xi Zhicai, and Dian Wei stood up solemnly to answer the order. Waiting for Xi Zhicai and Dian Wei to sit down, Guo Jia asked, "Lord, if anyone is not convinced..."

Liu Zhang said with a ruthless face: "Kill!" Whether it is a big family or a homeless bandit, I can only hear my voice in Bingzhou, and those who dare to disobey will be killed! Of course, it's up to you to take the right measure! ”

"Got it!" Although Guo Jia is not a poisoner, he will never be ambiguous when he should be ruthless.

(To be continued)