An Tong laughed: "Don't have this ability? Zhang Shangshu, Cui Shilang, don't think that we men outside the Great Wall don't know the situation in your Central Plains. The Fanyang Lu family and the Qinghe Cui family will always be the most powerful family in the north. That Lu Xun
The ancestors were the descendants of Lu Zhan, the great-great-grandson of Lu Zhi, the general of the Later Han Dynasty. Lu Zhan died in the Ran Min Rebellion. His eldest son, Lu Xu, traveled to the south, while his fourth son, Lu Yan, stayed in the north and defected to the former Yan regime.
, from then on, the Lu family was divided into two branches, the north and the south. Lu Xun was just the southern branch. The last time Lu Xun led the demon Taoists to counterattack Yecheng, they were mostly his troops from the south. Most of the tribesmen from the north were in Lu Yan.
He surrendered his homeland under the leadership of his descendants and did not help him attack Yecheng. Do you think I don't know about these things?"
Cui Hong looked at An Tong and said in a deep voice: "That's because the Lu family of Fan Yang suffered heavy losses in the many years of war in the north. Just like the Lu family, there are many nephews in this family. The head of the family died in the war. In Yecheng,
After the war, Lu Xun fled back to the south, but the Lu family in the north were massacred in revenge by the Murong family. Their strength is far from what you think."
An Tong sneered and said: "Lu Yan's descendants are not as unknown as you said. His sons Lu Miao and Lu Pu were both governors of Hou Yan's prefectures and counties. They had thousands of clans and tribes, and their strength was extraordinary.
When Murong Chui raised his army, they built a fort to defend themselves, attracting a large number of Han and Hu refugees to join them. They were so powerful that even Murong Chui was afraid of them, so they could only appoint high-ranking officials as governors to win over them. Even if Lu Xun counterattacked,
Yecheng failed, but Lu Miao and Lu Pu were not implicated and continued to serve as their governors. How can they be said to have no strength?"
Zhang Gun sighed: "This is the way to survive for our Han family in the north. Since Yongjia, there has been great chaos in the north. The king's flag has been changed at the top of the city. Hu leaders have established political power one after another, but no one knows how long the next one will last.
, Therefore, the Han people often only accept this nominal title to protect the country and the people. When the former Qin Dynasty was hegemonic, they submitted to Fu Jian, and when the later Yan Dynasty rose, they recognized Murong Chui as their leader and paid taxes according to the national system."
Tuoba Gui frowned: "Just like on our grassland, those servant tribes only respect me as the Great Khan, but they won't sincerely surrender and obey?"
Zhang Gun nodded: "If the monarchy is strong and can overcome their local resistance, they can send their own people as governors. But even if these people do not have the position of governors, they can still become governors relying on the influence of their ancestors for thousands of years.
The people who actually control the local area, after all, in troubled times, these people can respond to everything and protect the surrounding neighbors. This kind of kindness, or the influence on the local area, is much greater than that of the emperor who is above the emperor."
Tuoba Gui gritted his teeth: "Then this time I, the Wei Dynasty, go to Hebei, will these local snakes help Murong Bao, or will they help me?"
Cui Hong said with a smile: "It's their usual practice. They don't help each other, they just sit on the fence and watch the show. The great Wei Sheng will be loyal to the great Wei, and the later Yan Sheng will join the later Yan. Anyway, they will not suffer any loss, and they will not really help anyone.
.At most, it’s just a form of providing military rations.”
A hint of murderous intent flashed in Tuoba Gui's eyes: "Hmph, the tribes who dared to disrespect me like this on the grassland have been almost wiped out. Zhang Shangshu, you taught me the method of combining kindness and power with thunderous tactics.
Yes, now, I want to use this trick of yours in Hebei, so I will leave it to you. If these high-ranking Han families named Lu, Cui, and Gao continue to play double-dealing tricks, they will be killed.
How about destroying them all and leaving no one alive?"
Zhang Gun quickly waved his hand and said: "Your Majesty, you must not do it. The conditions in the Central Plains and the grasslands are very different. The same method can be used in the grasslands, but not in the Central Plains."
An Tong sneered and said: "Because these high-ranking aristocratic families are your Han people, right? Or is it that you, Mr. Zhang, have been married to these aristocratic families for generations and can't resist such cruelty?"
A trace of anger flashed in Zhang Gun's eyes, and he said loudly: "Of course not. Since I, Zhang Gun, have abandoned Yan and defected to Wei, I will be loyal to Your Majesty wholeheartedly. How can there be any distinction between Han and Hu? The reason why I say this is because of the situation in the Central Plains.
It is completely different from the grassland, and the same practices that established authority in the grassland cannot be applied to the Central Plains."
Tuoba Gui said solemnly: "Why is it different? Could it be that the Han people from the Central Plains are more courageous and bloody than the men from the grassland, and can fight more fiercely? If this were really the case, would they have been conquered and ruled by foreigners for so long?"
Zhang Gun sighed: "Your Majesty, have you ever thought about one thing? Why are the tough, barbaric and cruel people like Shihu taking advantage of these Han Wubao? The rich people have no choice but to compromise and be soft in the end? Is it because he is not cruel enough to dare to massacre the city?
?”
Tuoba Gui said with a smile: "Shi Jilong is ruthless and cruel. Massacres in cities and traps of prisoners are commonplace. When I was a hostage in the Central Plains, I heard about these methods of his, which shocked me so much that I couldn't sleep at night. So I also wondered why those Han people
Can Wubao still exist? Is it because he is unable to pacify these Wubao? He can even capture Guanggu City, the most fortified city in the world, but I don’t believe he can’t even conquer a few fortresses.”
Cui Hong nodded: "Your Majesty is wise. Yes, with the ferocity of the stone tiger, if you really want to attack the Wubao in various places without any effort, you can win it. However, there is a person who does just that. His name is Ran Min."
Tuoba Gui's expression changed: "You mean, the result of doing this will be like Ran Min, causing people in Hebei to eat each other and have no one to farm?"
Cui Hong said seriously: "Yes, that's it. The Han people in the Central Plains are a farming people. They are not like nomads in the grassland. They can kill all the people on the grassland and only take cattle and sheep. As long as there are cattle and sheep, there will be food. But in the Central Plains there is no
Similarly, farmland needs people to cultivate and take care of it, and they cannot slack off for a day. Even if the barbarian warriors kill all the people in the Central Plains, who will grow the food in the end? Food will not come out of the ground by itself.
"
Tuobagui said thoughtfully: "What you mean is that these Han aristocratic families organize and protect people's production in exchange for paying taxes to the Hu rulers in exchange for them not interfering with their local power.
Right."
Cui Hong smiled slightly: "That's right. So, they have the confidence to not help each other. Your Majesty, for these people, we can't simply kill them. Killing them will leave no one to farm. They have to cooperate."
Tuoba Gui looked at Zhang Gun: "Then please recommend Mr. Zhang to me. Who are the famous people with the surname Lu and Cui? I am very thirsty for talents here, and Murong's family will be given by the Yan State, whether it is an official position or a title.
I’ll double the price! However, we must first provide rations for our army to show our sincerity!”
This chapter has been completed!