After sending Liu Zai away, Zhou Jun sat alone in the study. He remembered the bag of tips Kong You had given him before leaving, so he simply opened it and took a look.
There was only a palm-sized piece of paper in the kit. Zhou Jun originally thought that there were only a few words on it, but unexpectedly, Kong You filled the entire piece of paper with tiny calligraphy.
Read it through and the gist is as follows.
The fault of the chaos in Shazhou was not caused by the people, but the quarrel between the big clans.
There will definitely be a fight between Guan Longxungui and Shazhou's tycoons. The former is seeking profit, while the latter is seeking survival. In contrast, the Shazhou tycoons will definitely not retreat, even if they offend the court.
The master's family has accepted the imperial edict to deal with the chaos in Shazhou. There is no need to worry about whether Guanlong or Shazhou is more important. They only need to think about how to benefit themselves in the future.
No matter how it is handled, the Shazhou Rebellion is the source of the changes in Longyou. The situation cannot be delayed, and the only way to cut off the mess is to cut it quickly.
After reading this side, Zhou Jun turned the piece of paper over again and saw that Kong You wrote another line of small words on the back: A pool of muddy water is the only way to move around, and the snipe and the clam are fighting to make far-reaching plans.
Zhou Jun burned the paper on the fire and sat down to think about Kong You's suggestion.
Kong You vaguely guessed the struggle between Guan Longxungui and the powerful people of Shazhou, and also expected that the locals of Shazhou would definitely rise up to resist, even if they went against the imperial court.
In his letter, Kong You did not clarify whether Zhou Jun should support Guan Longxungui or the powerful Shazhou. He only said that the situation in Shazhou cannot be delayed and should be dealt with as soon as possible.
However, Zhou Jun saw a lot of interesting things in the sixteen characters behind the piece of paper.
Shazhou was the gateway to Daqi Trade Road and an important transfer station for Zhou Jun to transport property, manpower, food, etc. to the Western Regions.
Guan Longxungui and Shazhou are powerful. If one of them is allowed to grow bigger and eventually eliminates the other, then Shazhou will completely fall into the hands of one party, which is not a good thing for Zhou Jun's future plans.
As long as Shazhou is in an open and covert struggle, both sides will try their best to win over Zhou Jun, so that the latter can obtain considerable political bargaining power in Shazhou, and take advantage of others' attention not being on him to move a large number of materials and personnel through
Daqi Trade Road, transporting goods to the Western Regions.
This is "a pool of muddy water, only then can we move."
As for the last eight words - the conflict between snipe and clam leads to long-term planning.
Compared with the first two sentences, Zhou Jun looked a little confused in the last two sentences.
Zhou Jun could tell that the word "snipe and clam quarreling" refers to the battle between Guanlong and Shazhou, but he was a little unsure about the word "yuanmou".
Is it possible that when Kong You was watching the battle in Shazhou, there was a back-up plan lurking in it?
To sum up, Kong You's opinion is that Shazhou is the source of the entire Longyou rebellion and must be resolved as soon as possible.
However, during the resolution process, neither Guan Long Xungui nor Shazhou's tycoons should be allowed to grow bigger. Instead, the power between the two should be balanced to maintain the situation in Shazhou in a confrontational but not life-and-death struggle.
The reasons for this are, firstly, to allow Zhou Jun to take advantage of the situation to seize power, and secondly, to confuse the public and use Shazhou to transport supplies and personnel to the Western Regions.
Next, Zhou Jun spent a few days sorting out the government affairs of Shazhou.
Finally, as the manager of Daqi Trading Road, Zhou Jun issued his first order after taking office - to abolish all the exorbitant taxes and commercial tax standards set by Wang Xian, and re-collect them in accordance with the customary twenty-one tax of the Tang Dynasty. In addition,
, the Daqi Commercial Road opened up trade, and all laws that favored the Tang people and discriminated against the border people were also abolished.
Once this order was issued, the people applauded.
Someone else recognized the Shangguan who signed the order. He was Zhou Junzhou, the city supervisor who used to be in charge of Daqi Trading Road.
Suddenly, the news that Zhou Jian had returned to Shazhou spread throughout the desert as if he had wings.
Soon, Zhou Jun issued the second order.
For any illegal matters involving mutual trading, customs, or business operations, as long as you have a complaint, you can come to the Dunhuang Mansion to beat the drum and complain.
Compared with the first one, this order caused an even greater uproar in Shazhou.
Who was Zhou Jun? He was the prince-in-law of the dynasty, the county uncle of the founding of the country, the deposed envoy of Longyou, and the envoy of Anxi. The most important thing is that the Daqi Trade Road was created from scratch, and it was under his single-handed leadership.
The words spoken by such a person are like nails hitting the ground, one sentence is like a hole.
Since he dares to say that he will avenge the people, he will never break his promise.
With this idea in mind, even though it was snowing heavily at the end of the year, many people still made the difficult journey to Dunhuang Mansion with petitions and beat the drums in front of the door.
Zhou Jun was also unambiguous. No matter who came or who he sued, all the complaints were kept and the case files were tried together.
Several of the drumsticks used to cry out for grievances were broken; a section of the threshold of the Yamen was trampled to pieces; candles were lit in the hall of the mansion all night long.
After the New Year's Eve of the 11th year of Tianbao, Zhou Jun, with the assistance of Liu Zai and other officials, gradually came to a conclusion in the trial. After obtaining conclusive evidence, he began to order arrests.
Suddenly, the state prison was overcrowded.
If you look closely, you will see that most of the people imprisoned are from merchants and wealthy families in Guanlong.
Seeing the situation develop to this point, Wei Huan, the governor of Dunhuang County, finally couldn't sit still.
He first found Zhou Jun and made insinuations, hoping that the latter would be noble and expose the matter.
Seeing that Zhou Jun was unmoved, Wei Huan simply brought a large number of subordinates who were from Guanlong and planned to go directly to the house for a showdown.
On this day, Zhou Jun was sitting in the upper seat, and sitting next to him was an imposing middle-aged man. The two were chatting and laughing happily.
There is a maid making tea in the hall, and the fragrance of tea fills the air, making people feel energetic.
The middle-aged man took a few deep breaths and couldn't help but sigh: "This cloud tea is really extraordinary. It only needs boiling water to brew, and the aroma of the tea is so strong."
Zhou Jun looked at the middle-aged man and asked with a smile: "Envoy Guo, when you were serving Shuofang before, have you ever heard of this cloud tea?"
Guo Ziyi cupped her hands to Zhou Jun and said, "I heard something."
Zhou Jun smiled.
There is a mutual market in Xishoujiang City in Shuofang, which specializes in trading horse silk and tea with the Mobei tribe. The Hengsai Army where Guo Ziyi served before was stationed near Xishoujiang City.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Since Wang Zhongsi served as the Jiedushi, Zhou Jun was grateful for his friendship with Shuofang's army, and the teahouse under his name has been supplying cloud tea to Shuofang's army at low prices.
Subsidize the army's food and salary.
Therefore, Guo Ziyi once served as the Hengsai military envoy and must have known that Shuofang's army had inherited Zhou Jun's kindness.
Zhou Jun did not expand too much on this topic, but asked: "The Tibetan army is currently stationed at Longle Mountain Pass, and will definitely attack in the spring. Does Guo Jun have any advice to teach me?"
Guo Ziyi said seriously: "Prince-in-law, since Guo took office as the military envoy of Moli, he has led troops to inspect Sanwei, Yanchi, Yangguan and other places. The people of Shazhou are in disarray. Now..."
Before he finished speaking, a servant's voice came from outside the door: "Prince-in-law, Governor Wei has brought many state officials to visit us."
Hearing this, Guo Ziyi was stunned.
Zhou Jun frowned and said nothing.
Guo Ziyi thought for a moment and suggested: "Husband-in-law, why don't Guo resign first?"
Zhou Jun glanced at Guo Ziyi and said, "Chief Wei is here to look for me. I'm afraid it's for official business. Envoy Guo might as well stay and listen."
Guo Ziyi had no choice but to stay.
Not long after, Wei Huan led a dozen officials and entered the hall aggressively.
Seeing Guo Ziyi present, Wei Huan was also startled, but he quickly remembered the business.
After bowing to Zhou Jun, Wei Huan continued: "The prince-in-law rejected the previous tax regulations and mutual trade relations. Although this move seems to be a change of orders overnight, it is still a matter of urgency. We have no objection. But
, the prince-in-law also encouraged the people to complain indiscriminately. Don't you know that this move played into the enemy's plan? The locals in Shazhou were uneducated, and there were many treacherous people who were in collusion with Tubo. The city of Dunhuang was now in chaos, and the prisons were filled with large numbers of people.
Tang people, isn’t the prince-in-law worried about betraying the people’s support and having no one available to him?!”
After hearing this, Guo Ziyi looked embarrassed.
This person is not here to discuss official matters. He is clearly here to raise an army and question the perpetrators.
Guo Ziyi could only stand there, looking out the window, neither leaving nor staying.
Zhou Jun sat with the expression on his face unchanged. While sipping tea, he asked: "President Wei said this, what about you? You all have the same idea?"
Among the dozen or so officials who followed Wei Huan, some nodded, while others noticed something was wrong in the atmosphere and hesitated.
Zhou Jun gestured to Sun Aying behind him, and the latter left the central hall, and soon brought a group of soldiers to the small mountain-like Case Sect.
Zhou Jun put down his teacup, pointed at one of the officials and said: "Xiao Shixian, Sima of Wuwei County, Tianbao, at night on the ninth day of the fifth lunar month, the clan brother ordered his servants to set fire to their homesteads, leaving thirty-nine households in Fengyuan Village homeless.
Ownerless."
Zhou Jun pointed to another person and said: "Zheng Ao, the chief minister of Wuwei County, secretly made the map, framed the He family in Nest Mountain, and charged fifty-one members of the He family with treason. He also used it as an excuse to settle the people in the fields.
, appropriating the land and taking it as their own.”
Zhou Jun called over a dozen officials in the hall one by one. Every one of them had either committed a crime or behaved inappropriately.
The person whose name was called by Zhou Jun's legs went limp and fell to his knees, begging for mercy.
At the end, everyone in the hall fell to their knees, and only Wei Huan was still standing there, his face pale and shaky.
Zhou Jun glared at him coldly, found a memorial from the file, threw it directly on Wei Huan's body with his backhand, and shouted: "Read it!"
Wei Huan opened the memorial tremblingly, and after just one glance, he completely collapsed.
This memorial was written by him himself.
The content is to impeach Zhou Jun for acting excessively, disrupting government affairs, delaying the war, and worsening the situation in Shazhou.
However, he had just written this memorial a few days ago and kept it in his home study. After the meeting today, he planned to ask his subordinates to sign and sign it together, and then quickly send it to Chang'an to present it to the saint.
Wei Huan didn't know where the flaw was, and this memorial actually found its way into Zhou Jun's hands.
The officials kneeling on the ground in the hall cried bitterly and showed their ugly behavior. They just claimed that they had been deceived and begged the prince-in-law to show mercy.
Zhou Jun looked at these officials, feeling angry in his heart, and shouted in the hall: "A bunch of idiots full of straw! They usually only care about the common people, and they are so pissed off that they actually have the guts to come and challenge me?! I really don't know
How do you write the word death?!"
Hearing this loud shout, the officials were so frightened that they fell into silence. Some of them were old and frightened, and actually fainted.
Zhou Jun turned his attention to Wei Huan again and sneered: "As for you, Governor Wei, you are really brave. All the scandalous things you did when you worked with Wang Huan are recorded in the ledger... It is a troubled time now.
, I originally wanted to let you go, but you ended up seeking your own death..."
Hearing this, Wei Huan closed his eyes, knowing in his heart that he was finished.
After the guards took away the officials in the hall, Zhou Jun ordered his servants to tidy up and serve tea again.
After seeing the scene just now, Guo Ziyi felt awe-inspiring. When she looked at Zhou Jun again, her eyes changed a lot.
Zhou Jun and Yan Yue looked as if nothing had happened just now, and just asked Guo Ziyi to sit down and drink tea.
Guo Ziyi sat down carefully, hesitated again and again, and finally asked Zhou Jun: "Prince-in-law, how do you plan to deal with the prisoners in Wuwei County?"
Zhou Jun looked at Guo Ziyi: "In your opinion, how should we deal with it?"
The latter raised his hands and said, "I am a martial artist, I really don't know."
Seeing Guo Ziyi's secretive expression, Zhou Jun secretly laughed in his heart and said, "Wei Huan colluded with Wang Xian. The evidence is conclusive and he must be the culprit."
Guo Ziyi: “What about other officials?”
Zhou Jun: "As long as the crime committed is not among the ten evils, I plan to send the case to the offender's family immediately. As for how to deal with it, I will leave it to them to decide."
After hearing this, Guo Ziyi nodded in admiration.
The two of them made tea and talked for half an hour.
Afterwards, Guo Ziyi said goodbye to Zhou Jun and left the mansion.
The clerk who had been waiting outside the door saw the chief officer going out and hurriedly greeted him and said, "I just saw the guards escorting many officials out. I thought something had happened in the mansion and I was worried. I hope the military envoys are safe."
Guo Ziyi looked back, took a long breath, and then sighed: "It's strange, it's strange... A young man in his twenties has no background in aristocratic family, and he has not benefited from the merits of his ancestors. A slave-toothed man, just
Relying on his skill and resourcefulness, he actually became the emperor's son-in-law, and even had the opportunity to lead the army outside the country. He has great power. Looking at the hundred years of the Tang Dynasty, he is the only one."