Chapter 508: Fear in the Bone Since Wu Huaiyu came to Youzhou, it has become lively.
The six famous gentry families, headed by the Lu family of Fan Yang, the Hou family of Shanggu, the Yang family of Beiping, the Liu family of Yan State, the Zu family of Fan Yang, and the Kou family of Shanggu, have also been very busy recently.
The Lu family was busy organizing various banquets, giving the thirty-fifth mother to Wu Huaiyu as a concubine, and then betrothed Lu Chengqing's daughter to Wu Huaiyu's son.
Other families were sending gifts and congratulations, and at the same time they were busy sending their children to the Governor's Mansion to attend the conscription assessment.
Everyone is also busy arranging carriages and horses to transport the grain from the charity warehouse to Youzhou with the rent that was just collected this year. Not only is every bit less, but an additional 20% is generally added.
Loaded by vehicles and ships, connected by water and land, countless grains are entering the official warehouses in Youzhou.
The so-called powerful family must not only have a prominent family background, but also have a keen sense of smell, otherwise it will be difficult to pass down the family for hundreds of years without falling.
The land account books are turned in, and the grain from the charity warehouse is turned in.
Their cooperation even surprised the people of Youzhou. When did these noble families actually listen to the imperial court so much? "When Li Yuan came to control Youzhou, the families were not like this, right?"
"Who is Li Yuan?"
In a restaurant, several people were drinking and chatting. They were talking about the recent strange things in Youzhou. They were also very strange. When Li Yuan controlled Youzhou, he was the royal clan prince and the governor. But after all, he rebelled and was wiped out in one fell swoop.
However, he was killed by Wang Junkuo, his own relative and deputy.
Everyone did not have a good impression of this man. He was fond of drinking and drinking, he was also fond of beauty, he liked luxury and was greedy. After he arrived in Youzhou, he did not implement any benevolent and good governance, but he did a lot of plundering. Especially the businessmen were exploited a lot, and even
A businessman joined him, but because of his wife's beauty, his family was ruined and his wife was taken away.
"This Wu Shaobao is not comparable to Li Yuan. This is the emperor's heart of Emperor Zhenguan. Didn't you see the guard of honor when he entered the city? Double banners and double festivals!"
"When this Wu Shaobao arrived in Youzhou, he refused to see the noble families in Youzhou. He thought he was the same person as Yan Rong."
Speaking of Yan Rong, people in Youzhou have very deep memories.
Yan Rong, who was the general manager of Youzhou during the Kaihuang period of the Sui Dynasty, was a noble from Guanlong and came to Youzhou to be the general manager. He did not stay in Youzhou for a long time, but the people of Youzhou could not forget him in the following decades, especially
Lushi and other gate valves.
It was all because of this Yan Rong's nickname Yan Peipei. After arriving in Youzhou, he deliberately oppressed and insulted the famous noble families of Youzhou. For example, the head of the Youzhou noble family, the Fan Yang Lu family, had a fifth surname, but Yan Rong deliberately forced the children of the Lu family
Serving as a lowly servant such as a servant in the Yamen, deliberately humiliating you.
Not only that, he would also hang up and whip these former high-ranking disciples. He specially selected a group of extremely powerful soldiers to serve as the executioners, and often insulted and punished the descendants of the Lu family.
Beat him until his skin and flesh are exposed, and his bones are exposed.
He once went out for inspection and saw a bush of thorns on the side of the road, so he asked someone to get it and make a whipping tool. After making it, he directly tried the whip on the children of the Lu family. The children of the Lu family said that they had not made any mistakes, and Yan Rong directly
He said that if he is beaten now, he will be forgiven if he is found guilty later.
The man was beaten until blood flowed all over the floor. Not long after, Yan Rong found fault with him and tried to beat him again. The man said that he had beaten him last time. Yan Rong said directly, "I will beat you even if you are not guilty. What's more?"
Guilty? So he was beaten hard again.
Not only was Yan Rong cruel, he even heard that the wife and daughter of a descendant of the Lu family were beautiful, so he directly broke into other people's homes and insulted the women.
This kind of thing is cruel, cruel, and wanton, and it gets worse day by day.
In the end, Yan Rong was at odds with Yuan Hongsi, the chief minister who was also from the Guanlong noble family. He found reasons to beat him every day, and later put him in jail. Finally, Yuan Hongsi's wife secretly came to Beijing to accuse him, and Yan Rong was taken back to Beijing.
Give death.
That Yan Peipei back then, now his granddaughter is Emperor Zhenguan’s Concubine Yan De.
The people of Youzhou were extremely afraid of Yan Rong. The Fan Yang Lu family was once insulted by Yan Rong and had to swallow their anger. This was all because the Lu family rebelled after the Qi Dynasty was destroyed and was eventually put down. Yan Rong's behavior towards the Lu family was obviously known to the court but deliberately turned a blind eye.
Yes, Yan Rong was just the whip. The one who really whipped the whip was the Emperor of Sui Dynasty.
What's more, the Sui Dynasty deposed all state officials and returned electoral rights to the central government. Local famous families like the Lu family lost the opportunity to control local power.
Although Wu Huaiyu was young and always had a smile on his face, this man who had killed Luo Yi, Wang Junkuo, Liang Shidu, Chang'an's third-level sect Xingyang Dahai Temple and other famous religious temples could not escape his purges.
There is also a third-order temple in Youzhou.
"It turns out that those so-called five surnames and seven families are all paper tigers, they are just superficially majestic, hehe."
"It depends on who you compare with,"
······· Youzhou Zicheng,
The military camp that had been vacant for a long time was cleared by Wu Huaiyu and expanded.
There are three thousand troops stationed in the city.
It was the elites selected from Hebei who requested the order, the Youzhou Cavalry with one thousand armored cavalry, and the Mo Dao Army with two thousand heavily armored Mo Dao.
In addition, the Dudu Mansion in the center of the city was stationed with 300 fine cavalry of the Forbidden Army selected by the emperor to guard it, as well as 100 military corps of Wu Huaiyu.
After the entire Zicheng was cleaned up, the Youzhou Governor's Office, the prefecture government office, and the Jixian County government office were all placed in the city. In addition, the military city and Cangcheng city were also located in the city. Huaiyu also arranged the prefecture and county schools, hospitals, and hospitals in Youzhou.
Schools were moved to Zicheng, and a new Youzhou Military Hospital was even built.
On the south bank across the river from Youzhou, there is the Longhuo City. It was originally the seat of Yinxiang County in the Western Han Dynasty. Its ruins are called Longhuo City. In the third year of Wude, Dou Jiande sent Gao Shixing to lead an army to attack Luo Yi in Youzhou.
Unable to defeat the enemy, they retreated to Longhuo City. Luo Yi led Xue Wanche and others to attack at night, and were severely defeated, beheading more than 5,000 people.
After this battle, Dou Jiande also listened to the slander and killed Wang Fubao, the general who was the most brave among the three armies.
In October of the same year, Dou Jiande personally led an army of 200,000 to attack Youzhou again. The Xia army had already climbed up to the city gate, but brother Xue Wanche led a death squad to sneak out of the city from the tunnel and made a surprise attack from behind the Xia army, repelling the Xia army.
Luo Yi repeated his old tricks and attacked again at night, but Dou Jiande was well prepared. He lined up in the camp, filled in the trench, defeated Luo Yi, and chased him to the gate of Youzhou City. After that, Luo Yi attacked Longhuo City again. The two sides were in a stalemate.
In the end, Dou Jiande had no choice but to retreat.
Conghuo City was originally inconspicuous, but it became an important fortress in the late Sui Dynasty.
There used to be a Tang army stationed here. When Wu Huaiyu came, they increased the number to 2,600 troops, including both infantry and cavalry. This was one of the seven armies of a field legion.
Wu Huaiyu stationed 3,000 selected light cavalry outside the military capital, and handed them over to Su Lie, the governor of Beiyan Prefecture, for training, and asked him to use Turkic methods to train these light cavalry into wolf cavalry.
The continuous gathering of stronger troops has made the atmosphere in Youzhou a little tense. Although it is still calm on the surface, the pressure on the Lu family and other aristocratic families is extremely great.
Wu Huaiyu had already communicated with them, saying that it was an autumn training, and also to prevent the autumn, and to prevent the Turks or the tribes that were angry with Qi from attacking. However, when everyone saw these troops gathering, it would be a lie to say that they were not nervous. Who knew these soldiers
Will the horses suddenly deal with them? Anyway, since groups of people and horses have been stationed in Youzhou Zicheng and Longhuo City, Wu Huaiyu even began to assemble rural regiments, organize and train rural regiments' martial arts, and stationed in the suburbs of Youzhou for training.
The six major noble families in the state became more and more respectful to the Governor's Mansion and were extremely cooperative with various government orders.
In a short period of time, all the grain from Yicang was transported to Youzhou and put into warehouses. Not only was it all new grain, but it was also not mixed with any dirt, let alone a small amount.
After paying the full two liters per mu, an additional 20% was paid, which was donated to the military warehouse to support the pay.
Wu Huaiyu spoke highly of their performance. Wu Huaiyu recruited hundreds of children from the six major gentry clans and granted them the rank of eighth or ninth grade. There were also countless children from side branches and even their in-laws who were also granted official posts outside the country.
For a time, the Youzhou Governor's Mansion and the eight subordinate states, as well as the yamen of the counties, were full of children from famous families of the Youzhou gentry working as officials.
However, Wu Huaiyu's army did not have any of these famous disciples.
Even the newly formed rural regiment martial cavalry and local regiments, and these militia infantry cavalry, were all selected from poor families and descendants of powerful landlords.
Wu Huaiyu's reason was also very simple. The Youzhou gentry headed by the six major gentry clans, with their well-established family backgrounds, were naturally more suitable to be assigned to civil servants in the yamen. It would be too wasteful to use them for the menial work of killing and killing in the army.
"I didn't expect that the six major noble families would be so cowardly."
Li Jinyan looked through the account books, looking at the charity grains and even the money for subsidies handed over by the six major families, and shook his head with disdain.
"Those who know the current affairs are heroes. This is a good thing. I don't want to make it so complicated and ugly. This is good. Hello, I am good, everyone is good. We are all harmonious, and harmony brings wealth." Huaiyu said with a smile.
Maybe it's because he has a great background, or maybe his sword is sharply sharpened, but the famous noble families in Youzhou have cooperated incomparably, marrying off their daughters, taking the initiative to turn over to Tianshan, actively paying all the food for charity, and even donating stipends.
Accept the conscription and serve as officials.
"What is Erlang planning to do next?" Li Jinyan asked.
"What do you think?" Huaiyu asked.
"I think since they are so cowardly, we can take a bigger step. Didn't they hand over the field register? Then we can check according to the map."
"Clear out the fields they have occupied, even those who have surrendered their land. The cleared land can be used as military camps or given to customers."
"Is it too fast? They support me so much, but I immediately stab them?" Huaiyu asked with a smile.
"Strike while the iron is hot,"
"Then what?"
"You can check the accounts and the old accounts of various yamen. The subordinate officials in various prefectures and counties in Youzhou are basically people from various aristocratic families. They are full of disciples and relatives, and many of them are from side branches. Although these people have inconspicuous status, they are
But actually controls all the yamen,
None of the accounts they handled have been investigated. Not only were there losses of money and corruption, but through manipulation, each family could easily conceal themselves, escape, and occupy their fields. As long as you check carefully, you can find out a lot of things.
.”
"Well, what happens after you find out?"
Li Jinyan said rudely, "If the governor gives them face, then they can just pick a few chickens and kill them as a warning to the monkeys, and then let them make up for the shortfall and spit out what they have occupied. If the governor doesn't give them face, then they might as well take the opportunity to do something cruel."
Killing a group of people ruthlessly and killing everyone will naturally have the greatest deterrent effect."
Huaiyu thought for a while and said, "If you let me know, tell me that I am going to prepare an inventory of the treasury accounts and conduct a strict investigation."
"Captain, what is this?"
"Give them a chance, let them self-correct and self-examine, then make up for their shortfalls and clean up their encroachments. As long as they wipe their butts clean, I don't have to pursue the past."
"It would be better to kill a few," Li Jinyan persuaded.
This lame guy is quite cruel.
"Killing is not a goal, but a means. As long as we can achieve the goal, we don't necessarily have to use killing methods. Killing blindly is not conducive to harmony. We must make everyone rich so that people can be united."
Wu Huaiyu looked at the map of Youzhou, "I plan to transform Youzhou City like Chang'an. In addition, we will strengthen trade with the Hu people, and we will use our coastal advantages to make and sell salt. You can contact various companies for me."
Let’s talk, let’s cooperate and develop together.”
"Your family has always done trade with Turks, Mohe and even Goguryeo people, right?"
Li Jinyan was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
"Don't worry, I don't have any other intentions. I just want to ask you if you are familiar with the people at Tuli Little Khan's side."
"The governor wants to contact the young Khan of Tuli?"
"Um,"
Ashina Shibobi, the young Khan of Tuli, was the sworn brother of Emperor Zhenguan Li Shimin. He was stationed in the north of Youzhou and commanded the Xi, Khitan, Lin, Shiwei and Mohe tribes in the eastern part of the Turks. His territory was similar to that of Youzhou.
border.
During the Wei River Alliance, Li Shimin also granted Tuli the title of General of the Right Guards of the Tang Dynasty and the title of Prince of Peiping. After that, the Tang Dynasty deliberately provoked Jieli and Tuli's uncle and nephew. On the one hand, Tuli was granted marriage and marriage, and trade continued, but on the other hand, he did not follow Jieli.
Even when the Turks suffered disasters, they only rewarded Turks with benefits and traded with them, exchanging livestock for grain, cloth, etc. to help them survive the disaster, but ignored the benefits.
Now the relationship between Jieli and Tuli is extremely tense.
Yugu She, Tuo She and others were unable to defeat the Tiele people who rebelled in Mobei. Jieli asked the young Khan of Tuli to lead the army to conquer, but Tuli did not obey the order to send troops. Jieli sent people to collect them and Tang from Tuli.
To collect taxes from trade, Tu Li directly hung up the people he sent and whipped them, then tied them to horses and drove them back.
Although the uncle and nephew are not directly at war with each other yet, they are already incompatible with each other.
Wu Huaiyu planned to add more fuel to their fire.
Of course, it would also be good to expand trade with Tuli by the way, so that the Youzhou Governor's Office can increase tax revenue, and everyone can increase their income.
Wouldn't it be an unexpected surprise if we could directly reverse the sudden profit?
Li Jinyan was relieved to understand that Wu Huaiyu was not pursuing the Li family's smuggling trade, and he quickly agreed.
Wu Huaiyu picked up the tea cup and took a sip, "In the future, there will be several new border cities on the Youzhou border, and import and export trade must be registered and taxed. Your Li family's trade is quite large, and I heard that the profits are not low. Remember to do so in the future.
Good procedure, don't forget it, otherwise it will be smuggling. Su's two thousand elite cavalry will patrol the border frequently. If it is discovered, the consequences will be serious."
"Thank you, Governor, for reminding me." Li Jinyan quickly agreed.
"I think the autumn has been refreshing recently and the weather is very good. How about inviting all the noble families, powerful people, and major business houses in Youzhou to have a lively polo match?
At that time, our Youzhou Governor's Office and each army will also send a polo team to compete with everyone."
Li Jinyan was a little confused as to why this young Emperor's heart was so out of touch with his words. He suddenly jumped from Tuli Little Khan to trade and smuggling, and then jumped to playing polo.
However, he still responded seriously.
Just as he was about to leave, Huaiyu took out something and handed it to him.
"This was just sent from Chang'an, your confession."
Wu Huaiyu asked Li Laoer to apply for a military position at the eighth rank of the Youzhou Governor's Mansion from the emperor. This was a formal application stamped with the official seal of the Ministry of Personnel.
Li Jinyan looked at this exquisite body, and then looked at Li Jinyan's name on it, and felt his nose was sore.
"I am disabled..."
"You are just disabled but not disabled."
"But to become an official, you have to take a test of personal, verbal and written judgment. My body and appearance are not good enough."
"That's just a requirement for ordinary officials. You are a special talent. I will explain your talents to His Majesty. Your Majesty will specially grant you the eighth rank to join the military."
Wu Ji never thought that since he was a child, he disliked dogs and his father did not care for him and his mother did not love him. He was born with a lame leg. Later, he was thrown into the fire and burned half of his face. Children would be frightened and cry when they saw him. Wu Huaiyu not only used him, but also
He was also offered a formal official position.
Lu Wulang of the Lu family in Fanyang was just a member of the Youzhou Governor's Mansion and joined the military.
How could he be compared to that Lu Wulang because of his kindness and virtue? He was just an ugly guy in the shadows who couldn't see the light.
"You are very talented, don't underestimate yourself."
Wu Ji directly knelt on the ground and said, "Thank you so much, Duke Wu. From now on, I will go through fire and water, and I will be driven by you, no matter how hard I die!"
