Time pulls back to autumn.

Zhao Qi drove all the way south, and before he reached Xiangyang, he was already a little desperate in his heart.

The abandonment of Jingnan Road has become more serious, and it has returned to the state before Wang Anshi's reform. In the past few decades, the continuous immigration and reclamation policy in this place has been completely abolished by the two eunuchs Yang Jian and Li Yan.

Of course, it can be so completely broken, and it is inseparable from Wang Hao's support.

A large number of rural huts were uninhabited, and entire villages of peasants fled. The remaining landlords had enough tenants to cultivate the most fertile paddy fields, leaving the rest of the dry land to be left uncultivated.

But even if the land is not cultivated, it still has to pay taxes to the government, and the rent of hidden fields, free money, and money are collected repeatedly...... As a result, the big landowners are also unable to make ends meet.

Even many yeoman farmers began to abandon their land and flee!

As long as they don't run, there is wasteland everywhere and they can cultivate it at will. Much of the land, which has only been abandoned for a year or two, can be cultivated as mature land, and the peasants can plant as much as they want.

But I still have to run because I can't afford to pay taxes.

Zhao Shu saw many homeless people in Xiangyang, and dragged his family to the northwest. He was very puzzled by this, and asked the soldiers who delivered the shop: "It's almost late autumn, why don't the displaced people return to their hometowns, and they don't stay in Xiangyang to beg for food, but go to the northwest in a swarm?" ”

The soldiers didn't dare to make a sound.

Zhao Shuping retreated from the idle people and others, and scolded: "Say it quickly! ”

Shop Bing replied boldly: "There are rumors that the peasants under the rule of Zhu Thief are living an excellent life. These homeless people fled to Hanzhong with their families and became thieves. ”

Zhao Shu was dumbfounded, and his three views exploded in an instant.

The people under the rule of the imperial court, helping the old and the young to be thieves?

Zhao Shu hurriedly entered the city and went straight to the Jingnan Road Punishment Division, and met Zhou Yin, the punishment envoy who rushed to greet him.

"Why don't you stop many people from thieves?" Zhao Yu asked.

Zhou Yin said with a bitter face: "How dare you stop it?" Stop it today, and tomorrow there will be a change in the people. I am afraid that someone will rebel and take Xiangyang and dedicate it to the Zhu thief. ”

Zhao Shu said: "You can recruit young and strong people as a van army, so that there are not only soldiers to suppress thieves, but also to prevent homeless people from becoming thieves." ”

Zhou Yin cried and said: "Where is there any money and food? Xicheng covers the hidden field, and it is almost to Xiangyang. The people of Jingnan Road have to pay not only the land tax, but also the rent of the hidden field, the economic system money, and the free husband money. The hidden land rent of the Xicheng Office was collected before the regular payment, and the taxes of the local states and counties were insufficient. ”

"All kinds of taxes, money and grain can only be apportioned by the rich, and they are unwilling to pay after a few more searches. There is a large family in Suizhou, sitting on thousands of acres of fertile land, and it was forced too hard by repeated apportionments, and even led the tenants to raise troops to rebel, claiming to be a general of the Qing monarch's side rebellion. I recruited the township soldiers in Hanzhong to guard against it, and I had to transfer to Suizhou to quell the rebellion, and the thief is still hiding in the mountains and has not been killed. ”

Zhao Shu asked, "How many township soldiers can you recruit?" ”

Zhou Yin simply opened up and said: "It's not how many soldiers I can recruit, but how much food I can use to recruit soldiers." If the imperial court does not stop the Xicheng City, there will be no peace on Jingnan Road, and if you exterminate a Zhu thief, you will also regenerate a horse thief and a Yang thief! I forgot to mention that the Flower Stone Compendium is still being recruited here! Genyue has been built, why do you need to spend Shigang to do? ”

"How many troops can you transfer to suppress the Zhu thief?" Zhao Shu asked.

Zhou Yin said: "There are only five thousand, and there can't be more." This year, rice has been levied several times, and if it is levied again, it will force the rich to rebel, and the government can only spend money to buy it. But the local rich families were reluctant to sell their grain, they would rather transport the grain to Hanzhong than sell it to the government! ”

Zhao Shu said strangely: "Why don't the rich families sell grain to the government nearby, but instead risk killing their heads and sell grain to thieves from afar?" ”

Zhou Yin gritted his teeth and said: "Thanks to the current prime minister, I will issue iron money on Jingnan Road." The local people are accustomed to using copper money, and they all regard iron money as scrap iron, and a stone of rice has risen to 4,000 yuan of iron money. Now I only have iron money in my hand, and the thief uses real money to buy grain, and you guess who the rich will sell grain to? Jinzhou and Yangzhou are rich in gold and silver! ”

Zhao said: "The gold mine in Fangzhou is bigger, where did the gold go? ”

"I have to ask Chang Ping." Zhou Yin sneered.

Zhao Shu gritted his teeth and said fiercely: "Give me a team of yaqian officials!" ”

Two quarters of an hour later, Zhao Shu took the former officials and went straight to the Changping Division.

Chang Ping made Mu Zhe not there, and Zhao Shu roared angrily: "No matter where he is, call me immediately!" ”

Mu Zhe was feasting on the guests, and immediately rushed back when he got the news: "Meet President Zhao." ”

Zhao Shu said: "All the gold mined in Fangzhou was used to buy grain and recruit soldiers. ”

Mu Zhe is embarrassed: "This is not in accordance with the rules, and there is really no way to deal with the head down." ”

Zhao Yu said: "It was Wang Hao who asked me to lead the money and grain of the soldiers and horses in the southwest, and I can use the money and grain at will to recruit troops and suppress thieves, including the gold of Changping Division on Jingnan Road!" ”

Mu Zhe picked out the words and said: "Your Excellency is the commander of the southwest of the Great Song Dynasty, but this is the southwest of Beijing." Moreover, gold is not money. ”

"Take it down for me, pry open the treasury of Changping Division!" Zhao Shu was furious.

The officials looked at each other, and no one dared to make a move against Chang Ping.

Boom!

Zhao Shu drew his sword out of the sheath and scolded: "Whoever dares to disobey the order will be punished as a thief!" ”

Only then did the officials act and set up the wooden ruts left and right.

Mu Zhe said anxiously: "Mr. Zhao, the gold has been shipped to Beijing in the summer, and there is not much gold left in the treasury, even if you take it out, you can't buy a few grains." ”

"Buy as much as you want!"

Zhao Shu turned to Zhou Yin and said, "Intercept the refugees and caravans, don't let a single person go to Hanzhong to be a thief, and don't let a grain of grain leave Jingnan Road." Then recruit merchant ships to train sailors, don't block the exit of Jinzhou, I only ask you! ”

Zhou Yin had already broken the jar and broken: "I really can't afford such a big crime, so I can only go all out." The transfer envoy and deputy envoy were supposed to maintain the situation, but they were all demoted by the prime minister, and there is no news about the new governor so far. ”

Zhao Shu was helpless, and slowed down his attitude: "Everything here depends on Your Excellency." ”

"Don't dare." Zhou Yin returned the gift.

Zhao Shu took a boat south to Jiangling, where the Jinghu North Road Transshipment Division was located, and the Jiangling Prefect was also the transshipment judge.

The prefect of Jiangling is called Bi Yan, the champion of the first year of Shaosheng.

The dignified champion of the Yuangong, who has been an official for 28 years, is still a prefect, and he must not know how many times he has been demoted.

Zhao Shu didn't dare to take a stand in front of him, and said respectfully: "Before leaving Beijing, I had already sent an official document to Jinghu, Mr. Zhijin has prepared money and food?" ”

Bi gradually said: "The money is 6,000 guan and the grain is 800 stones, which are already in the warehouse and can be transported to Bashu at any time." ”

"That's it?" Zhao Yu was incredulous.

Bi gradually said: "Jinghu Road is vast and sparsely populated, and there are many barbarians. Heavy taxes have been levied repeatedly, and barbarians have rebelled. Fang La's remnants and seven Buddhas raised troops in Jingnan to resurrect, and the transfer envoy was personally leading the army to suppress the thieves. Jinghu and the two roads are too busy to take care of themselves, how can there be money and grain soldiers to transport Sichuan? ”

Zhao Shu was already about to go crazy, and said in a gentle tone as much as possible: "Please be sure to collect 50,000 yuan, 10,000 stone grain, 5,000 township soldiers, and send them to Shuzhong in the spring of next year." ”

This champion who has been in a state for 28 years was so angry that he slapped the table, pointed to the north and said: "Isn't he Zhao Ji arrogant and lascivious? Don't ordinary people eat and dress? If you want me to forcibly levy money and food, you can let the puppet in Tokyo stop the flower stone gang first! ”

not only called the emperor's name, but also denounced the emperor as a puppet, and the champion was really mighty.

Zhao Shu said: "Huashigang stop immediately!" ”

Bi gradually sneered: "You said stop, stop?" You've been staying in Gangneung? As a judge of Jingbei Road, I can't suppress the state and county to offer flowers and stones! The officials below are already crazy, they don't care about any anti-thieves, they just want to please the faint king and traitorous ministers so that they can be promoted! ”

Zhao Shu left in despair and wrote a letter asking the emperor to cancel the Huashigang on Jingxi Road and Jinghu Road.

That's all he can do.

Along the Yangtze River, he took a boat to Kuizhou Road, and Zhao Shu immediately summoned the transfer envoy Guo Lun.

Guo Lun also called Zhang Shen, who was his cousin-in-law, who knew a lot about military affairs.

Zhang Shen said: "Hezhou has been trapped by thieves, and there are more than 12,000 soldiers and horses on Kuizhou Road. 3,000 were stationed at the mouth of the Jiajiang River in Dazhou, 7,000 were stationed in Gongzhou (Chongqing), and the remaining 2,000 were arranged in various water villages. ”

Kuizhou Road is still a little good, but Hezhou has been lost, and Zhao Shu is really not happy.

Zhao Shu said: "The terrain of Gongzhou (Chongqing) is dangerous, so there is no need to garrison heavy troops. Mobilize 4,000 to Dazhou, recruit another 3,000 troops, and you lead 10,000 troops out of the mouth of the Jiajiang River to make it look like attacking Quzhou. If you can recover Quzhou, you will fight hard, and if you can't recover it, you must fight slowly. It is necessary to contain the thieves in Hezhou, so that the thieves cannot go west, and it is best to lure the thieves back to the Qujiang River for rescue. Remember, once the situation is not good, retreat to the mouth of the Jiajiang River and keep the Kuizhou Road not lost! ”

"Yes!" Zhang Shen gave up his hand.

Zhao Shu took a boat up the river that day and came to Zizhou Road and found that it had rotted.

The elite soldiers of Zizhou Road are all guarding against Lunanyi in the south.

Although the barbarians were successfully suppressed in the past few years, they were not completely subdued, and there were often small-scale rebellions.

Hearing that there was a Han rebellion in the north, Lu Nanyi was ready to move again, so frightened that the soldiers and horses of Zizhou Road did not dare to go north, resulting in Hezhou being easily attacked by Li Bao.

Zhao Shu felt that he had prestige among the barbarians, so he personally went to Luzhou and sent people to summon the barbarian chieftains.

But the barbarians didn't give face, and none of them came!

Zhao Shu had no choice but to explain his affairs and rush to Zitong by boat.

Seeing Huang Xuan, Zhao Shu immediately asked: "Why is the Sword Gate Pass gone?" ”

Huang Yi shook the pot and said: "Deputy envoy Gao Jingshan has an old relationship with Zhu thief, and he took the defenders of Jianmen to all the thieves. ”

"Gao Jingshan is a thief?" Zhao Yu was incredulous.

In fact, Huang Xuan didn't know, and said vaguely: "Most of them have become thieves." ”

Zhao Shu was very angry: "What do you mean mostly?" ”

Huang Xuan said: "The main army of the Zhu thieves has arrived at Zitong for 20 days. If it weren't for Gao Jingshan's thief, how could the Zhu thief pass the Sword Gate? As he spoke, he asked rhetorically, "How much money and food did General Zhao bring?" ”

Zhao Shu painted a cake and said: "After the beginning of spring, you can have 100,000 yuan, 30,000 stone grain, and 10,000 elite soldiers!" ”

Huang Ji has no doubt about him: "Then stick to the beginning of spring!" ”

(End of chapter)