Since Princess Changle and his relatives, the devastated Tang Dynasty has become better step by step under his Li Shimin's governance.

It is visible to the naked eye for the better!

Besides.

Some time ago, Fang Xuanling also discovered that pork is an earth-shattering thing, which can popularize the people and the world.

Although in the early days of popularization, he was questioned by the people, but after he Li Shimin and many ministers tried their bodies in public, the people... They all began to accept the cheap meat they once had.

When they ate it, they were all amazed!

Since the first day of pork sales, sales have exploded, and they are getting higher and higher day by day!

Even, even Fang Xuanling spent more than a month to build the first pig farm in Datang, which is known as the first pig farm in Datang that can supply all the people of Chang'an City, can't be sold.

These days, the expansion of the farm is constantly continuing.

Farm after farm was built, and pig after pig was constantly being processed.

And that's just for Chang'an City.

Li Shimin also issued an order to set up a department called the "Pig Fang Division", so that many officials could go to the countryside or go to other cities in Datang in the name of the Datang Pig Fang Division to be responsible for building local pig farms.

He wants to popularize pigs throughout Datang, and let the people of Datang eat pork!

Step by step to get better, really....in getting better....

But, but....

Li Shimin looked at the content of the letter in front of him and felt incredulous.

There is not a lot of trust content.

There is only one piece of information to be revealed.

[I'm Datang, there are damn officials! ] 】

[Yanguo is accepting a large number of my Datang people, and it is not forced, but my Datang people are willing to go! ] 】

The number of words is small, but the thing is very big.

Their own people are willing to leave their homeland and go to the enemy country, even if they die halfway, they are willing to go, they....they are in the Tang Dynasty, how much they have been wronged!

Li Shimin's eyes were full of helplessness.

He is obviously working very hard to make Datang better as a whole, but all the time, someone has to drag him back.

These families, these families....

Do they have to force all the people of the Tang Dynasty to death to be willing?

Thinking of this, Li Shimin's eyes were full of resentment.

At that time, the Qu Yuanli incident was also the same, if it wasn't for the family, how could he lose his trust to the people of the world? Why send Changle to the enemy country?

These families!

Damn it! Damn it!!!

At this moment, more than ever, he wants to clean up this group of guys.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

At this time, Empress Eldest Sun was coming in with vegetables, and she couldn't help but be stunned when she saw that Li Shimin was so helpless and angry.

This kind of thing of delivering food was originally done by subordinates.

But she saw that Her Majesty had been so busy recently, and she couldn't help her with anything, coupled with the pain of losing her beloved daughter Changle, she thought about it and finally found something to do for herself.

Cook for Your Majesty personally, take the little son out to play or something, so as to constantly soothe the pain of losing a daughter.

Now.

Empress Eldest Sun hurriedly put the food aside, and then went to Li Shimin's side to soothe her heart.

"Your Majesty, what bad has happened?"

Again....

Empress Changsun used "again".

And counting the past few months, bad things for Datang have happened one after another.

The same is true historically.

During the Zhenguan years, there were always many disasters.

The previous pork news is already the only good news in the near future.

"Guanyin, Yanguo....you said Yanguo, will he be a good country?"

Li Shimin didn't answer the question, his eyes were soft and full of inquiry.

Empress Changsun was slightly stunned, thought for a while, and said: "The concubine thinks that there are only savages in the wilderness, and the Yan Kingdom may be better than the Turks, but it is definitely not much better than the Turks. ”

"After all, they are all countries in the wilderness, and plunder is their foundation, and the recent news about Yan is that Yan is at war with Goguryeo, which also verifies this."

"Really?" Li Shimin sighed: "Then why, the people of Youzhou in Datang are willing to go to the Yan country that is still at war, willing to leave their hometown, and unwilling to stay in Datang...."

Empress Eldest Sun's eyes widened: "Your Majesty, something happened in Youzhou?" ”

Li Shimin nodded lonely: "Guanyin, you can see for yourself, I....I don't want to see it again...."

He handed the letter over.

Empress Eldest Sun browsed quickly.

"This, this, this! This Yan Country! ”

Her eyes widened, stunned.

Just like the first time Li Shimin saw it, he was full of disbelief.

"Incredible, right? I also think it's incredible. ”

"The people are willing to go to the Yan Kingdom with the certainty of death, and they don't want to....and they don't want to stay in my Tang Dynasty!"

Li Shimin's voice trembled, and a line of tears fell from his eyes.

He couldn't imagine.

How difficult it is for their own people to pass through the layers of blocked borders in Youzhou.

It has to be on an unusual path, and an unusual path will lead to death.

They don't deserve to die like this, they don't deserve to die like this!!

They should live happily in this land, this is the scene Li Shimin wants to see.

"After all....I can't stand them."

"If I had worked a little harder and paid more attention to the matter of disaster relief food, there would not have been such a thing of enriching my own pockets."

"Obviously....Obviously, the incident of Qu Yuan's plough filling his own pockets is close at hand, and the pain of losing Changle is still there, but I still don't have a long memory, and I still believe in those damn families!"

"It's my fault, everything is my fault!!"

The more Li Shimin spoke, the more he felt his failure, and he burst into tears, crying for the people who should not have died, and angry at his incompetent behavior.

"Your Majesty, you've done well enough, you've done well enough...."

Seeing His Majesty crying bitterly, Empress Eldest Sun felt very uncomfortable, and couldn't help but hug Li Shimin and cry as well.

Half a day.

Li Shimin said in a trembling voice: "Guanyin, can I still save Changle?" ”

If it was before, Li Shimin believed that he could.

Throughout his life, he has never failed, and most of them win more with less, how can he not be sure about dealing with Yan Guo?

But the defeat of the Tang Dynasty, his own people were willing to go to the wartime Yanguo rather than stay in the Tang Dynasty.

These things all tell the story....The emperor of the Yan Kingdom, Yang Kuan, the ancestor of the Yang family, is much more powerful than himself!

Whether it is governing the country or fighting a war, it is much more powerful.

"Yes, Your Majesty, you must be able to!"

Empress Changsun's voice was choked, but her teary eyes were full of determination: "You will definitely be able to rescue Changle, the concubine believes in you, and she has always believed in Changle." ”

"This time it's just that the family is dragging its feet, as long as we take precautions against the family in the future, we can definitely do much better than now."

"Datang is getting better, haven't you seen it, Your Majesty? A few days ago, the people of the Tang Dynasty were outside the imperial city, singing your praises. ”

Hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but think of that pork carnival day, standing on the head of the city, and the people of Chang'an City kept singing praises of his greatness.

Bring them pork for him, and eagerly follow.

"Yes, I....I'll make Datang better step by step."

Li Shimin's eyes flickered, and he regained some confidence.

Wiping his tears, Li Shimin continued: "When I come back from biting gold, I will ask Na Yanguo what is going on." ”

Now, he was extremely eager to know about the Yan Kingdom.

Empress Eldest Sun was about to nod, but at this moment, a spy walked in.

"Your Majesty, there is a letter from Kaifeng City!"

The spies walked into the Taiji Palace without a report, which was Li Shimin's instruction, so that he had news about Kaifeng City, and he could come in without a report.

However, the spies never expected that they would see their own emperor, so....such a sentimental scene.

I can't help but wonder if I'm at the wrong time?

Li Shimin didn't have so many ideas, so he asked him to leave the letter and let him retreat.

About Kaifeng City.

Before, he remembered very well that Fang Xuanling said about pork, and before he found out, Kaifeng City had some circulation.

So he sent someone to find out what was going on.

Not surprisingly, this letter now shows the whole picture!

Open to view.

The more Li Shimin looked at it, the more frightened he became.

Seeing this, Empress Changsun on the side couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?" ”

Li Shimin sighed: "Sure enough, I guessed well before, the Zheng family in Kaifeng City hooked up with Jiangdong traitors." ”

Empress Eldest Sun's eyes widened: "Zheng family? One of the five surnames and seven hopes, Xingyang Zheng? ”

Li Shimin nodded: "Yes, it's them." ”

"These damn families, the northern families are constantly filling their pockets, forcing away the people of the Tang Dynasty step by step, and the southern families are not calm, and they have begun to hook up with the remnants of the King of Chu."

"Damn it, damn it!!"

He slammed the table angrily.

At this moment, Li Shimin finally knew why Yang Guang of the former Sui Dynasty was so eager to open the imperial examination and let the poor man enter the court.

Without the imperial examination, only these families can provide officials, and if they make mistakes, the Son of Heaven can't help them!!

As long as these clans are present, the imperial power will never be truly supreme.

At best, it's just superficial, nominal supremacy.

A thousand-year-old family, a century-old court.

Li Shimin can be regarded as once again feeling the eight-character mantra ability left by his ancestors.

Soon.

After Li Shimin collected his feelings, he quickly formulated a series of policies related to the locust plague in the north.

He didn't move those families, but the relief food in the future will be led by his army and the generals of his lineage to the north, and he will personally hand it over to the people.

In other words, the relief food was distributed by the imperial court and sent by the imperial court.

It would be tiring to do so.

But there is no way, local officials, none of them can be trusted!

Now Li Shimin doesn't dare to make a move on these dog officials, after all, Datang has not yet stabilized, but when Datang stabilizes, he will be the first to replace this group of dog officials!

After the policy was issued, Cheng Yanjin arrived in Chang'an City in the afternoon of the same day.

When the officials of Chang'an City received the news, they were all shaken and responded to Li Shimin's call to enter the palace.

This is a rare afternoon meeting.

It is a rare use break.

But none of the officials complained.

After all....

They also want to know what is going on in that mysterious country!

….….….….….….

The other side.

Chai Shao, Guo Chao and others have arrived near the border of the Yan Kingdom.

They changed into casual clothes, dressed up, although they still looked like big families, out of place with the disaster victims, but there were still many people like them on the road, and there was no need to hide too much.

And this also made Chai Shao sigh, not only the victims want to join the Yan country, but even some good families.

This Yan Country, in the end...how attractive is it....

Now.

Chai Shao rode on the horse, looking at the scenery outside, and the tears in his eyes couldn't help but flow.

Not only on the border of Youzhou, where he was stationed, there were hungry people who escaped, but also in the places where other generals were stationed.

So along the way, he saw a lot of hungry people.

Miserable!

It's miserable!

Along the way, there were hungry people everywhere.

Why is this happening?

So much grain has been distributed by the imperial court, how can there still be disaster victims.

Is it the same as the county orders of those counties, filling their pockets?

Chai Shao investigated.

And then I learned that it was.

All this is because of the family.

The grain distributed by the imperial court, through layers of deductions, waited for the hands of the people far away from Chang'an City, and there was only a little bit left.

The sky is high and the emperor is far away.

These local officials all ate human blood steamed buns and hid all the food.

As a result, there are still so many victims in the north.

"Dadu Governor, these families are really my Tang Dynasty tumor!"

The cavalry guard accompanying him was extremely angry.

Chai Shao's eyes flickered, and he sighed: "This is why Your Majesty regards the five surnames and Qiwang as a thorn in your side, and what is even more terrifying is that the countless news of the victims in Youzhou cannot reach Your Majesty's ears." ”

"This means that the local officials in Youzhou are all biased towards the family...."

"Your Majesty, he has no control over Youzhou at all."

Xiao Cavalry Guard looked angry and said, "When we go back, we will inform Your Majesty?" Not only the county towns under our jurisdiction, but also the local officials under the rule of most other metropolitan governors, also participate in them! ”

Chai Shao sighed and said: "The report is definitely reported, it's just a solution...."

I can't grasp it in these words.

Your Majesty, will you do anything to those officials with five surnames and seven wangs?

Chai Shao wasn't sure.

After all

The impact is too complicated.

"Hey....let's keep walking."

Chai Shao sighed and rode his horse again.

On their way, they were densely populated with homeless people.

They flock to find a place to eat.

They were all thin and weak, and their eyes were full of green light from hunger.

The embarrassment is no longer enough to describe the victims.

They are miserable.

It's terrible!

Those local officials didn't give the people a way to live at all!

Chai Shao looked at them, Mu Mu was stunned, he really couldn't believe that the scenery in front of him was real.

The further north you go, the more people you will suffer.

And they did not flee to the land of Chang'an, but to the country of Yan further north.

In the eyes of these victims, the credibility of the capital of the Tang Dynasty is not as good as that of the enemy Yan State....

"Dadudu, there is a Zhuangzi in front, do you want to go and see it?"

At this time, the deputy general Guo Chao spoke.

Outside the border of the Tang Dynasty, there are also many Zhuangzi.

It was difficult for them to be protected by the Tang army, so they were also the targets of enemy countries such as the Turks in previous years.

"Good!"

Chai Shao nodded in agreement.

Riding his horse slowly drove into the village that Guo Chao had spoken.

He looked at the withered village, and then at the road in front of the village, which was already covered with fallen leaves and dead branches.

Here, no one should have lived here for a long time.

I think it was during the famine this year, and the host family had fled the place.

Chai Shao found a house and knocked on the door, but there was no one.

Some unwillingly, Chai Shao knocked on several doors one by one, but they were all closed and there was no one in sight.

Is this a Zhuangzi without people?

He doesn't give up.

I was about to keep knocking, but there was a sound next to me.

"Don't knock."

"Who are you looking for, descendants? The people here have all fled the desert before, and only the old man and I are left. ”

At this time, an old man came out of the courtyard next to him.

He was hunched over with a stick in his hand.

His hair is gray and his beard is white.

His eyes were cloudy, and he should be very old.

"Husband."

Chai Shao hurriedly walked over and supported him.

"What about our people here? If I remember correctly, the locust plague in Chang'an has been resolved, and the imperial court has also distributed a lot of food, so why are there still many victims along the way. ”

The old man sighed, shook his head and said: "Natural and man-made disasters can be solved, but people's hearts ....... difficult." ”

"I heard that the imperial court issued food, and many people came back to Zhuangzi, but as time passed, it has been some time since the imperial court issued food, but there is no food in the hands of our Zhuangzi people.

"Don't talk about this Zhuangzi, the surrounding Zhuangzi, one by one, are all about the same, and those who can run, all of them have run."

"The rest are only us, the old, the childless, where are we going? I can only stay and die. ”

The old man choked.

Hearing this, Chai Shao only felt panicked in his throat, and his hands were clutched, glowing red.

Here, it's the same as he's been all the way.

He wanted to hear that there was a good official who sent all the disaster relief food from the imperial court to the people, and he thought about it more....

But along the way, it was full of disappointment.

The circle of local officials in the north is completely stinky, and they are all embarrassed.

"So, old man, haven't you looked for this reason? The food of the imperial court will never disappear out of thin air. ”

Chai Shao asked again.

The old man smiled bitterly: "What else can it be, many people know that this reason is that it was detained by local officials, and there were other Zhuangzi people who went to Chang'an to report, but the official who listened was also an official of the family, and the person who reported it died that night." ”

"This has been going back and forth a lot, who would dare to report it?"

Chai Shao sighed: "These family officials....really, lawless...."

He inquired a lot about this kind of thing along the way, and every time he asked the same question, the answer he got was almost the same, and his ears were calloused.

But still ask.

He didn't know why he kept asking, maybe....still have a little luck, longing for a good official here.

But every time I hear it, I can't stop feeling helpless.

The old man waved his hand helplessly and said: "No way, this matter is like this, let's just discuss it to increase the anger of powerlessness, there is no need to talk about it." ”

"By the way, look at you dressed as southerners, so spirited, well-dressed, I don't know why you came here to suffer, harm, if you don't dislike it, and you don't have a foothold, come to my house and sit, I'm an old man, I haven't spoken for several days."

"Before I die, I can chat with you and solve your doubts, which can be regarded as blinding."

The old man said.

Chai Shao hurriedly helped him in.

The yard of the house was dried up and cracked into small pieces.

They sat down at the base of the wall, which was still a little shady.

"Uncle, can you tell me more about the government here?"

Chai Shao asked again.

Guo Chao and several Xiao cavalry guards also looked at the old man in an instant.

"The government here? Hehe, they care about our life and death, at the beginning, the imperial court issued food for a long time, and some of us went to ask the county lord, but the county lord said that the court's disaster relief food has not been distributed, and there is no food to provide disaster relief. ”

"Ridiculous, ridiculous! In the granary of the Ming County Ya, it is full of grain!! ”

The old man shook his head and sighed.

When Chai Shao heard this, his eyebrows furrowed tightly.

"And this is the case?" One of the horsemen was furious.

"Yes, all of that grain is stored grain, but they won't give it to us, the people."

"It's easy to want it, buy it, but the price is scary, and the people don't run, what can you do?"

The old man said.

"Aren't they afraid of the court being held accountable?" The cavalry guard next to him was also angry.

"Accountability? Who chases? The people who came down to hold them accountable are the same as the people who went to Chang'an City to denounce them, and the officials are their relatives, so there is no way. ”

The old man was already desperate.

His whole body trembled as he spoke.

But in the end, he sighed heavily, and seemed to give up the struggle and accept all this.

Chai Shao's hands clenched.

"yes."

Chai Shao nodded and said: "The family gate valve is like a towering tree, they shade the descendants, this tree is getting bigger and bigger, the root system is becoming more and more developed, and it is close to the Central Plains under the earth, no way, no way." ”

Chai Shao went from a state of anger to melancholy.

"Okay, don't talk about this, haven't you eaten, I'm here....Eh, I'm sorry, the old man has no rice at home today, I can't invite you to dinner, forgive me."

The old man patted the back of Chai Shao's hand, and his voice was embarrassed.

"No, no! Guo Chao, go, get some food! ”

Chai Shao immediately commanded.

Guo Chao received the order and hurriedly took down half a bag of grain from the horse.

"Uncle, take it, it's been so many days, I believe that the imperial court, the disaster relief food should be free."

"Your Majesty, I won't let it go."

Chai Shao put the grain in the hands of his father-in-law.

"No, no, no, it's too precious, it's too precious!!"

"There's nothing left at home, and I don't have any money for you."

The old man was a little excited.

"Don't want money, take it, we are young and strong, and we can't be hungry."

Chai Shao stood up.

The old man clutched the bag of grain, struggling to get up, but he was old after all, and when he got up, Chai Shao and the others were already about to walk out of the door.

The old man couldn't keep up, so he could only kneel down directly and kowtow several times.

Chai Shao's steps were a little faster.

Waiting for the horse, the atmosphere was a little solemn.

"Let's go."

After a while, Chai Shao sighed and said.

Several people rode their horses again.

On the road.

Chai Shao swallowed his saliva with difficulty, his throat hurt, and he looked at the bleak scene around him, and his breathing was a little uncomfortable.

Ma Er came up with Zhuangzi.

All the way north.

On the way, they also passed through several Zhuangzi.

The situation is not bad.

Even, it passed through several small counties.

In the city, I can finally see some figures.

These are people who have a little money and can buy enough food.

However, if you continue to walk, there are fewer and fewer people in the county.

At the same time, there are fewer and fewer victims on the road.

"General, look ahead! There's a bunch of people up ahead!! ”

When passing by another place, the voice of the cavalry guard at the front suddenly came.

Chai Shao and the others immediately looked over.

Sure enough.

There were a large number of people in front of them, but they didn't move, as if someone in the middle was telling them something.

"Let's take a look."

Chai Shao immediately ordered.

This bunch of people....

The complexion is much better.

He suddenly had a guess in his mind.

"Hurry, hurry!"

After getting on the horse, Chai Shao urged again.

They came to the crowd.

Chai Shao and several people dismounted.

There were a few Xiao cavalry guards, who immediately went to squeeze through the crowd and walked to the front with Chai Shao.

In the middle of the crowd, there was indeed a person giving an excited speech.

"Don't hesitate, really don't hesitate!!"

"When you arrive, you will know that Yanguo is the real northern immortal place, where you can have enough food, and the head of that village will also give us land to help us build our homes."

"In addition, there are many guards in Yanguo, who will be responsible for our safety, and now that Yanguo is outside, all of them are homeless, if you don't go, there may really be no place in the back, after all, there is only one Yanyun City in Yanguo."

"Everyone is a fellow countryman, I can lie to you, if you get there, you are not satisfied, I will personally send you back."

This person's voice was loud, and as he spoke, the fist in his hand slammed into the air a few times, and his movements were extremely skillful and energetic.

He's full!

So it's infectious!

"Really, come with me, the situation in Chang'an City is indeed very good, you can eat enough there, but it is too far away from us, I'm afraid you will starve to death on the road before you get there."

"And in Chang'an, you can eat enough, but in addition to farming, you are a slave to the clan lord, but Yanguo is different, and you will never think of their way of working, you have money for everything."

"We can go to work in a steel mill, and the monthly salary is much better than ours in this broken place, and there are also bicycle factories, honeycomb coal factories, weapons factories, etc...."

"There is a lot of easy and free work, and I am not tired! When they get there, everyone is self-reliant, that is, women are able to work, they can earn money, they can support themselves. ”

"Words, I've already brought it to you, you want to go with me, go now, go!"

The man roared again, and he waved his hands and walked towards the Yan Kingdom.

You look at me, I look at you.

They were all people fleeing from the famine in the vicinity.

There was a throbbing, a dazedness, and a tangled look on their faces.

Do you really want to leave your hometown and travel to a strange and more northern village?

In an instant, the crowd was a little confused, but no one moved.

but

In the next breath, a man walked out.

"Damn, I'll go! We Zhuangzi, many people have gone to Yanguo, brothers, we may not know what the situation is in Yanguo, but we should all know what the situation is in Chang'an. ”

"Chang'an, I went, just like that, I lived like a beast, but, Yanguo! There is a chance in the Yan Country that we can live like human beings! ”

"I'm going to Yanguo, I'm going to fight, Lao Tzu is a single, I'm afraid of a ball!!"

The man roared angrily and strode after him.

"Yes, yes, I heard that Chang'an is not going anywhere, I can only barely live, and I can't die of hunger."

"Yanguo....I'll go, I'll go!"

"Fellows, I know that you may be very unfamiliar with Yanguo, and some of you have never heard of the name Yanguo, but I can guarantee that it will not disappoint you, that's all!!"

"I'm going first!!"

This man said, with his family and children. Quickly followed.

As soon as these two words came out, in an instant, the people, who were still a little entangled, followed suit.

Of course, there are still many people left in the same place.

They don't know what to do anymore.

Chai Shao stood in the crowd and watched all this quietly.

This scene is really terrible and helpless.

They were the most loyal generals and soldiers in the Tang Dynasty, but at this moment, they could only watch them go to the Yan Kingdom.

They are powerless to change the status quo....and they are powerless to feed them....

Chai Shao exhaled and said melancholy: "It's not much better for the people to go to Chang'an to live, and if they go to Yanguo, they may be able to live a good life, hey, this is also due to human nature." ”

"Let's go, let's go, it's almost there, let's go to Yanguo to have a look."

"Go and see, what kind of fairy place is this! It deserves so much attention from so many victims and biting gold!! ”

Chai Shao's eyes flickered.

He wants to take a look, he wants to see with his own eyes what is going on in Yanguo.

A group of guards looked at each other and hurriedly followed.

On the road.

Chai Shao sighed again: "Why is this happening? ”

One of the horsemen comforted: "General, this is not to blame Your Majesty, it is the people, it is the people who do not trust the court." ”

"Distrusted?" Chai Shao shook his head, his helpless eyes revealed sadness, and continued: "This is not called distrust, the people, they must live." ”

"And Chang'an is extremely far away, coupled with the fact that there are many family valves, the difficulty coefficient is too great."

"Dare to ask, what would you do if someone were going to starve you to death?"

The guards were dumbfounded.

"It's the court that is sorry for them, if the court can feed them, the people will definitely not leave their hometown."

"This is how aggrieved, helpless, and helpless I felt in my heart, so I chose to leave my homeland and choose to go to a strange and north-biased country."

"And Yanguo, what kind of country is this?"

On the road.

They did not enter the town again, nor did they enter the Zhuangzi.

Rather, it's all the way north.

The direction of the Yan country, no need to look for it.

Because the further north you go, the more people in the Tang Dynasty will be, and these are all migrating to Chuhe Village.

When passing by these Datang towns and villages on the border, a few people really realized what desolation is.

People, none of them are gone.

Not even the old man is gone.

All went to the country of Yan!!

Soon the horse continued on its way.

Make a beeline for that mysterious empire.

Walking and walking, a road, appeared.

At the same time, Chai Shao's gaze froze.

He saw it.

That banner that belongs to the Yan Empire!

The shape of the flag is a blood-like base color. It was covered with stars, fluttering, dancing in the wind.

Deep!

Mysterious!

Unite!

(End of chapter)