But Nugang was sitting on a brand-new sedan and was on his way from Yucheng to Luzhou. Along the way, the fields were dry, and most of the seedlings had already died, and the rest were hanging half-dead, except for patches of poppies swaying in the wind. I don't know when the armies in central Sichuan have regarded the trading of hibiscus paste as an important source of raising military salaries, and the taxes extracted from the big tobacco and the huge profits obtained from the direct opium trade add up to no less than 30 million per year, which has exceeded the salt tax and Tian Fu to become a veritable "economic pillar" of the Sichuan army, and at the same time, it also makes the generals of the Sichuan army full of eunuchs. But now, their good fortune is coming to an end, because he has been appointed by the Yucheng Xingying as the Sichuan anti-smoking superintendent.

Chen Guzhi, the assistant who was sitting next to Dan Nugang, saw him with a thoughtful look, so he smiled and said: "Nugong, this time the national political axe's ban on smoking is probably a real thing, Yungui's side began to strictly prohibit it last year, and the tobacco tax and tobacco fines have also been abolished. ”

Smoking bans are always a good thing, and who's to say it's not? But Nugang sighed softly: "Ruilin, this is their plan, using free and smoking to drive our people to a dead end!" ”

In addition to the ban on smoking, there is also a three-year exemption from the field tax, under the pretext that it is a drought in Sichuan, and the warlords are fighting and the people are not living, in order to recuperate with the people, the national political axe decided to exempt the whole Sichuan Tianfu for three years, and the corresponding financial gap in the local political axe in Sichuan will be subsidized by the Ministry of Finance. As soon as these two pieces of news came out, the whole Sichuan was naturally jubilant, and the Sichuan people, who had been exploited by the warlords, immediately regarded Sun Yat-sen as a great savior and red sun, and almost every household offered Sun Yat-sen's immortal tablet. Even the public opinion of the whole of China applauded, in this troubled era of the Republic of China, I only heard that there was an increase in taxes, when did I hear about the strange thing of tax exemption?

"There is a great drought in central Sichuan, and the Sichuan army has been sending additional pre-conscriptions year after year, many such as Liu Cunhou have been enlisted for 100 years, and even Liu Ziqian and Lai Dexiang have been enlisted for 40 years in the Republic of China. Now that the national government has been exempted for three years, is it good governance for the sake of the people of Sichuan? How did it drive us to a dead end? Chen Guzhi still had a happy and sincere expression, and he smiled again: "The gap in our provincial finances will be subsidized by the Ministry of Finance, in fact, there are nearly 20 million salt taxes, and the commercial tax of the whole Sichuan is almost enough for the expenses after the training and six years of free education." ”

"But what about military spending?" But Nu Gang's brows frowned tightly, and he sighed: "Now Lai Dexiang has 30,000 soldiers, Liu Ziqian's army has expanded to 70,000, and the two families together have 100,000 troops to raise, and the territory is only Sichuanbian, Luzhou, and Fushun, what is left now?" The opium is gone, the land tax is also exempted, the salt tax is returned to the central government, and there is only a little commercial tax left, how much can it be? ”

"This-" Chen Guzhi frowned, thought for a while, and said, "Didn't you say that the financial gap would be subsidized by the Ministry of Finance?" Their army--" Speaking of this, Chen Guzhi also shook his head, will the Ministry of Finance pay Lai Dacang and Liu Wenhui? It's funny to think about.

"Then Lai Dexiang and Liu Ziqian won't ignore them?" Chen Guzhi then smiled again: "I don't think this Yang Mou is very good, now the territory is in the hands of our people, if our people don't listen to them, what can we do?" ”

"How? Deng Jinkang and Tian Songyao didn't just let them out of Sichuan? But Nugang shook his head and said with a wry smile: "This time, Luo Yaoguo is afraid that he is looking forward to Lai Dexiang and Liu Ziqian making mistakes, and he has an excuse to use the sword." Now the Fifth, Seventh, and Eighth Armies are all approaching in the direction of Sichuan and Luzhou. ”

……

Lai Cannon's mansion was built on Zhongshan Mountain in Luzhou City, and from here you can overlook the entire city, which is Lai Cannon's favorite thing to do in his spare time. Soak a pot of fragrant tea, prepare two or three dried fruits, sit on a large bamboo couch, and admire this city of its own from the pavilion of his mansion.

There is another person who is here to see the scenery with him today, this person is dignified, with big ears, and a faint smile always hangs on his face, giving people a feeling of spring breeze.

"Brother Bochang! What should I do? Lai Xinhui stood up, looked at the small city that looked so comfortable and quiet under the sunset, and sighed: "I'm afraid that this place will soon change hands, will I still have a place to go then?" ”

The person who was called Brother Bo Chang by Lai Xinhui was named Zhang Dulun, a Kuomintang general from Hubei, who once served as Lai Xinhui's senior senator. Now he has just been appointed as the chief of staff of the Yucheng camp, and he was sent by Luo Yaoguo to meet his old friend Lai Xinhui and show him a way out by the way.

Seeing Lai Xinhui's overwhelmed appearance, Zhang Dulun couldn't help but chuckle: "What should I do?" Take refuge! Brother Dexiang, what's going on with you lately? I can't understand such a simple truth, how powerful are the uncles and nephews of the Luo family now? One family, three members, two generals and uncles and nephews, in addition to Hu Zhangong and Xu Rugong and Jiang Jiegong in the Kuomintang, they are their uncles and nephews, and you will oppose him if you don't take refuge in such a force! Isn't this self-inflicted? ”

Lai Xinhui squinted at this old friend beside him, and said in his heart Who doesn't want to take refuge! It's just that this refuge is also in order, isn't it? Is it too late to take refuge now? Now I don't know if there is a division commander who can do it?

Seeing that Lai Xinhui was looking at him with suspicious eyes, Zhang Dulun laughed and said: "There is no particular order of refuge, the key is to be useful, it is not too late to be useful, and it is useless to use it sooner." Now it depends on whether Brother Dexiang is willing to be used by Luo Fuwen. ”

Use? It turns out that I can use it. Lai Xinhui smiled bitterly and said, "Brother Bo Chang thinks that junior brother, what else can I use for General Fuwen?" If you want to fight, I relied on the cannon to be considered brave in the Sichuan army, but now compared to An Sihua, Li Delin and even Chen Mingren of the Second Division, I am ashamed of myself. What is the use of my artillery other than charging into battle? ”

"Isn't Brother Dexiang the commander of the Kawabe garrison now?" Zhang Dulun looked at Lai Xinhui and saw that he was still ignorant, so he didn't sell it: "General Fuwen means to let Brother Dexiang's army advance into the Sichuan to force Liu Ziqian away, and in the future, Brother Dexiang will be the veritable commander of the Sichuan garrison, and your army will naturally be reorganized into the Sichuan Security Corps, and eat the imperial food of the national political axe." General Fuwen gave you a quota of 20,000 people, and also guaranteed that all your backbones would remain in office. ”

Lai Xinhui was stunned when he heard this, turned his head and stared at Zhang Dulun tightly, and said coldly: "Brother Bo Chang wants me and Liu Ziqian to die together?" You don't spend a single shot to reap the benefits, and General Fuwen's abacus is too fine, right? ”

Zhang Dulun still had a smiling face, pointed to the sky with his finger, and said with a smile: "Brother Dexiang didn't understand General Fuwen's intentions, he didn't want Brother Lai to die, nor did he want Liu Ziqian to die, he just wanted Liu Ziqian to rise to a higher level, so he needed Brother Dexiang to force him." ”

"Ascension?" Lai Xinhui thought about it for a while, and then understood Luo Yaoguo's intentions, the so-called promotion is of course not a promotion, but to let Liu Wenhui's army move to a higher place, Liu Wenhui is now on the mountain by the river, wouldn't he want to enter Tibet if he is promoted again? Thinking of this, Lai Xinhui smiled and said, "Could it be that General Fuwen wants Liu Ziqian to enter Tibet?" Hehe, this time the bitterness of General Ziqian is delicious. ”

Zhang Dulun laughed and said: "Someone has to eat this hardship, and now that Liu Ziqian is already at the gate of Tibetan Province, who will go if he doesn't go?" Is this busy Brother Dexiang help? ”

"Help! Of course helped. I, Lai Xinhui, am willing to follow the work of dogs and horses, and invite Liu Ziqian to Tibet Province to eat snow. "Don't people destroy heaven and earth for their own sake! As a warlord, Lai Xinhui certainly won't think about Liu Wenhui.