There is no doubt that food is the basis for the survival of a regime and power at all times, and the production and storage of sufficient food is of great strategic importance. Liu He came from later generations, although he did not experience the extremely difficult period of "three years of natural disasters" when New China was first founded, but he has a deep understanding of the importance of grain reserves.

In fact, not only Liu He attaches great importance to grain reserves, but the ancestors of thousands of years ago attached great importance to grain reserves very early, and gradually formed a set of effective systems, that is, "often closing positions". Compared with the far-reaching "Four Great Inventions", the standing position system has been forgotten by many people in later generations, but this system has actually become an important system that has been implemented and continuously improved by various countries in later generations, and has never been abandoned.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Chinese began to store grain, and since then, grain reserves have had some major functions in later generations, such as stabilizing grain prices, preventing bad harvests in bad years, and dealing with major national events, such as military or engineering construction. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Li Kui and Fan Li also formulated specific measures.

During the reign of Emperor Yi of the Western Han Dynasty, Geng Shouchang, the chief farmer, was an official in charge of agriculture at that time, and he was proficient in the "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic", and was good at calculating the utilitarian benefits and gains and losses of economic measures, so as to be appreciated by the emperor. Geng Shouchang has made a lot of important remarks, and put forward some policies and measures that have won the support of the people and promoted economic and social development, and among the many institutional measures he proposed, "often closing positions" is one of the most characteristic ones, and it is not too much to describe it as "glorious through the ages, and Ze will be used by future generations".

According to historical records, before Geng Shouchang took office, the imperial court had to transport a lot of grain from Kanto to Luoyang every year, which caused a waste of manpower, material and financial resources, which was not cost-effective. During Geng Shouchang's tenure, he wrote to Emperor Yi of the Han Dynasty. In the year of the bumper harvest, the company purchased grain nearby and stockpiled it to supply the capital, which could reduce more than half of the soldiers transporting grain from the Kanto region. Although Emperor Yi was not well-known in the history books, he was not a faint monarch, so he quickly accepted Geng Shouchang's Jianyì and quickly promoted it to the world.

The Chang Ping system, which was strongly advocated and established by Geng Shouchang, is mainly to use the law of value to adjust the grain supply and give full play to the role of stabilizing the market value of grain. When the price of grain in the market was low, the price of grain was appropriately raised and a large number of purchases were made, which not only filled the large granaries "Taicang" and "Ganquancang" where the imperial court stored grain. Moreover, the border counties are also full. When the price of grain in the market is high, these grain reserves will be opened and the price will be appropriately lowered to sell to the common people. This measure has not only prevented "grain cheapness from hurting the peasants" but also preventing "grain from hurting the people," and has played a very good role in calming down the grain market.

Although there were different opinions and opinions on the "standing liquidation system" at that time, and successive dynasties also had the rise and fall of this system from time to time, the standing closing system has become an important economic policy since its appearance. It has been promoted until the 21st century, when science and technology are highly developed.

The Book of Han? When summarizing the predecessors' expositions on grain production and reserves, the Food and Goods Chronicle quoted a sentence from Mencius: "The dog eats people and does not know how to collect it, and the wild is hungry and knows the hair." The meaning of this sentence is that Mencius reproaches the king: "In the good year, the society has pigs and dogs that eat the food that people eat, but they do not know how to save food; Fierce years. There are poor people in the wilderness who are dying of hunger, and they do not know how to lend food to the people." The emergence of this social phenomenon proves the importance of the "standing position system" from the opposite side.

The fundamental purpose of the system is to safeguard the interests of the broad masses of peasants and the whole society, and to avoid "cheap grain hurting peasants" and "expensive grain hurting the people." In addition to the normal agricultural abundance. The standing liquidation system can also ensure that when a serious natural disaster occurs, the state will open a warehouse and release grain, and provide relief to the victims free of charge.

The system is good. But it is also up to those who hold power and implement policies to carry it out. The Han Dynasty has implemented the Changping system for hundreds of years, and the government at all levels is also familiar with how to implement this system, but because of the increasingly decadent and degenerate of the central court and the continuous annexation of the land of poor peasants by the wealthy families, coupled with the continuous various natural disasters, so after the Yellow Turban Uprising, the Changping system existed in name only, so that the entire Han Dynasty fell into a situation where people everywhere rebelled because there was no food to eat, and then destroyed more fertile land, leading more people to have no food to eat. Then more people rise up and rebel against this vicious circle.

Liu He realized this very early, so after he fled back to Youzhou from Chang'an, he firmly grasped two things.

The first is to protect the territory and the people, and the second is to increase grain production.

In order to maintain the stability and stability of the territory, Liu He fought with Gongsun Zhan, Yuan Shao, Xianbei people, and Wuhuan people, and even constantly pushed the battle line outward, which was tantamount to expanding his territory in disguise. In order to increase grain production, Liu He absorbed and resettled a large number of displaced people, implemented military and civilian settlements, built farmland and water conservancy, and restored the system of regular liquidation in the territory under his control......

A few years ago, when Youzhou and Jizhou suffered from a major drought and locust plague, because Youzhou's grain reserves were relatively sufficient, and Liu He's response was decisive and quick, he survived this disaster that might have caused a great loss of vitality in Youzhou and Jizhou. After this crisis, Liu He's prestige in Youzhou and Jizhou was on par with Liu Yu's, and the county and county governments paid more attention to the construction of Chang Ping. After several years of savings, the granaries of Youzhou and Jizhou were full of grain, and when the catastrophe that swept through the Han Dynasty broke out, it finally came in handy.

Liu He's orders to all states, counties, and armies were to be transmitted to the north and east by land and sea as quickly as possible.

In the Jicheng Prefecture Pastoral Mansion, after receiving Liu He's handwritten letter, Liu Hui, who had just taken office, immediately convened an emergency meeting of officials at all levels in the state.

Liu Hui said to the big and small officials: "This official has just received an urgent report from the hussar general from Yecheng, asking Youzhou to enter a state of emergency immediately!" ”

Don't drive Qi Zhou and ask: "But do you want to use troops against the state?" ”

"This time the state of emergency is not for the use of troops, but for disaster relief!"

Wei You frowned and asked: "Youzhou has been in good weather last year, farming has been smooth since this spring, and the people in each county have enough food, so how can you say disaster relief?" ”

Liu Hui said with a solemn face: "Gongzi this time he wants to rely on the grain reserves of Youzhou, Jizhou and Liaozhou to save the tens of millions of people who are struggling between life and death!" ”

"What!"

"This matter is not trivial, once the regular liquidation of Youzhou is hollowed out, in case the famine spreads to the territory in the coming year, how to deal with it!"

"The hussar general is a little rash this time, Youzhou only suffered a major disaster a few years ago, and now the situation has just improved, how can you forget the lesson."

There were many opinions in the conference hall, and many people did not understand Liu He's decision, and even opposed it.

Liu Hui seemed to have expected everyone's reaction, but he listened to everyone's noise with a cold face, and after everyone finished complaining, he said with a stern face: "There is no room for bargaining in this matter!" The hussar general is the governor of the military and political affairs of the five northern counties, and his orders must be implemented in Youzhou to the letter! This official announced that from this moment on, Youzhou will enter a state of emergency, and all officials will immediately go to each county to supervise the grain delivery of Chang Ping! If there is a person who violates the yang and the yin, obstructs under the pretext, and fills his own pockets, he will be dealt with according to military law and will not be tolerated! ”

The officials in the hall quickly thought that although Liu Yu's father and son had left Youzhou now, there were still five thousand dragon and tiger guards in Jicheng, and Youzhou was guarded by three armies, Xiaoqi, Youyan, and Zhenbei.

In view of the great prestige of Liu Yu's father and son and Liu He's rigid methods, the counties and counties of Youzhou quickly took action, and a large number of grain began to be transported to the west and south.

Yuyang Diping, the garrison of the Zhenbei Army, the main general Xu Rong has just received a military order from Liu He.

"The general will order that the person in charge of each tunbao will come to the military headquarters tomorrow to discuss matters, and those who are not outdated will be engaged in military law!"

Soon, dozens of horsemen galloped out of the barracks with heralds holding military orders, roaring towards the vast field.

At the end of the second day, the leaders of dozens of tunbao were all present, and none of them were absent.

"The hussar general ordered that in addition to keeping enough grain before the autumn harvest, the rest of the grain should be immediately bagged and loaded into trucks and transported to Quanzhou within seven days. This grain transportation is related to the lives of millions of Li people, and there must be no delay or interception in each fort, if anyone disobeys the military order, they will not be spared! ”

With Xu Rong's order, the 20,000 Zhenbei army immediately took action, and no one questioned and disobeyed Liu He's order.

Liu He's order was transmitted by sea to Xiangping in Liaozhou, and Zhao Cai, the commander of the Liaozhou army, and Xian Yuyin, the chief general of the Liao army, received Liu He's handwritten letter almost at the same time, and the two immediately met to discuss the transportation of grain from Benzhou to Luoyang.

Zhao Gai said: "Gongzi has the people of the world in his heart, and this time he wants to make up for the crack in the sky with his own strength, and we, as subordinates, should do our best to support him." Although Liaozhou was founded, it is vast and sparsely populated, and the annual grain output is not low. ”

Xian Yuyin said without hesitation: "It should be so!" Gongzi is watching us in Yecheng, although Liaozhou is located in a remote area, this time we have to let the Han states see how we do things. Zhou Mu rest assured that the Duliao Military Boat Division will definitely do its best to undertake the transportation, and it will definitely be on call, and there will be no delay! ”

Don't drive Wang Liejian yì said: "You can send someone to Lelang to raise food from Gongsun Du, and when the country is in danger, he should also share some of it." ”

"That's right! Can't be cheaper! In addition to raising food from Lelang, you can also buy food from Fuyu country, although the quantity is not much, but how many count, we work hard here, and there may be fewer people in the affected places. (To be continued......)