In order to regain Jinling as soon as possible and stabilize the situation in Chu, Emperor Yanyou made peace with his brother, King Yang Yuanpu, and granted him permission to establish the Huaidong vassal state based on the five states of Siyangtai and Chuhai. However, he insisted that the Huaidong salt field be returned to the direct jurisdiction of the Chu court.
On the one hand, people in Jiangdong, southern Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Huxiang and other places use sea salt produced in Huaidong for salt.
On the other hand, the production, collection, transportation, and sales of Huaidong Sea salt through the Salt and Iron Transfer Department can provide the central government with a net salt tax revenue of more than 600,000 yuan every year, which is to maintain the military and political system of the Chu Dynasty. A large source of wealth that is indispensable for its operation.
In comparison, the population of Shu is only one-third of that of Dachu, and its annual salt tax revenue of more than 400,000 yuan accounts for a more significant proportion and importance in the annual revenue of Dashu's treasury.
At this time, the Shu Kingdom's forbidden army consisted of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses, and almost one-third of the army's funding depended on salt tax revenue.
The reason why the Liao people in southern Sichuan have become a serious problem for the Shu Kingdom is that in addition to the fact that the Liao people are fierce and difficult to tame and pose a direct threat to the plains along the Yangtze River in southern Sichuan, there is also another reason. After Wang Jian, the leader of Shu, founded the Kingdom of Shu, he decided to take measures to deal with the Liao people in southern Sichuan. The key reason for the strategy of suppression and attack rather than appeasement and appeasement was that the Liao people in southern Sichuan trafficked private salt from Banan and flowed into the hinterland of Sichuan and Sichuan, seriously threatening the salt administration system of Sichuan and Sichuan.
At the suggestion of Han Qian, the Marquis of Changxiang, Wang Yong, wrote a letter to the Lord of Shu, Wang Jian, advocating the military strategy of Banan, which was widely supported by the Lord of Shu and his courtiers. On the one hand, the Lord of Shu, Wang Jian, did not want the power and personal reputation of his eldest son, Marquis Qingjiang, to be too strong. No one else among the scholars could check and balance. Another more direct reason is that the private salt trafficked by the Liao people in southern Sichuan mainly came from Banan.
Recovering and controlling the Banan area, on the one hand, can directly solve the threat of well salt smuggling to the salt government system and salt tax revenue of Shu. On the other hand, it can cut off the private salt income of Shanliao forces and weaken their ability to resist the rule of the Shu army. Resistance strength.
There are currently more than 380 salt wells dug in the Shu Kingdom, of which more than 60 are located in the Banan area. Most of the salt wells in the Banan area are located in the Qianjiang River Valley and mountains north of Wuchuan County. , there are currently only two salt wells in Wuchuan County.
This is also the key reason why Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, and most of the court officials of the Shu Kingdom advocated using Zheliao Village in the north of Wuchuan County to divide the boundary between Si and Chongqing.
The concept of land in the current world was far less stringent and important than that of later generations, and it was far from the point where every inch of land must be fought for. The main emphasis was on cost control, income, and the convenience of key passes.
The two salt wells in Wuchuan County produce more than 1,000 tons of well salt per year. Compared with the total output of 300,000 to 400,000 tons of well salt per year in Sichuan and Sichuan, the proportion is very small. Even if the salt tax is sufficient, it will only produce more than 2,000 yuan of salt per year. profit.
In addition to the low salinity, there were high mountains on both sides of the middle reaches of the Qianjiang River. The vast majority of the Wuliao people fled into the mountains and forests and refused to accept the rule. They were also filled with strong feelings of hatred.
If Yuzhou really wants to be greedy and control Wuchuan County under its command, apart from the entanglement with the Chu State and Sizhou, the defense line must be advanced 120 miles south along the Qianjiang River to guard against the possibility that the Wuliao people may attack from both sides at any time. Fighting out in the deep mountains and old forests - and even considering the collusion between the Wu Liao people and the Shan Liao people in southern Sichuan - requires the investment of a large number of elite soldiers and horses to maintain the smooth flow of the Qianjiang River waterway and subsequent naturalization. The annual consumption of military supplies and wages may be Even 20,000 yuan may not be able to stop it.
Not to mention the arduous and dangerous defensive environment, which had a negative impact on the morale of the generals.
In this case, the Marquis of Changxiang advocated that Wuchuan be allocated to Sizhou for demarcation. If the Marquis of Qingjiang wanted to jump out and cause trouble, or if the Marquis of Changxiang wanted to cause trouble, he would be isolated from the Great Shu court.
If a large-scale salt brine resource is discovered underground in Wuchuan, and it is possible to dig dozens of salt wells in Wuchuan within the expected time, the situation will be completely different.
If Sizhou is able to defend Wuchuan, the problem will be smaller. For Shu, it will at most lose tens of thousands of dollars in salt profits every year. But if the Yang family in Sizhou is hit by this civil unrest and their vitality is seriously damaged,
Wuchuan County fell back into the hands of the Wu Liao people, which even meant the bankruptcy of Dashu's strategic intention to manage Banan.
And by then the national boundary has been determined, Shu will lose the excuse to directly send out troops to suppress Wuchuan.
Therefore, as long as this false news is passed to the ears of Qingjiang Marquis, he will be convinced that it is true, and also make him believe that Changxiang Marquis intends to conceal the news, and is eager to promote an alliance between the two countries, so that he can use the power of Chu State in the future.
Fight for position, and the rest of the drama will take place.
As for how to deliver this false news to the ears of Qingjiang Marquis, Feng Liao believed that the Jing Qiongwen, a court official in the Shu Palace, was secretly helping him, and at the same time, Changxiang Marquis, who also controlled the remaining power of the Sichuan-Shu Shenling Division, had his own way and did not need Xuzhou.
What effort?
What he wanted to determine during this trip was whether Changxiang Hou Wang Yong, Cao Qian and others were determined to form a secret alliance with Xuzhou, and whether they were determined to help Xuzhou annex Sizhou.
Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, looked at Cao Qian.
Even if Qingyang sent back her opinion, even if Feng Liao made clear Xuzhou's position and intentions, and even spelled out the strategies to be implemented, the matter was so important that he still had difficulty making a decision.
However, the Marquis of Changxiang and Wang Yong could not make a decision. What could Cao Gan say? He asked in a low voice, "Maybe I can go see Jinggong in person?"
Cao Gan came back in the name of coming back to ask for an order, so it was appropriate for him to go to the capital of Shu to meet Jing Qiongwen to discuss the matter.
Changxiang Hou Wangyong asked with concern: "Can you bear it?"
From Yuzhou to the capital of Shu, there is a galloping road connecting it, a distance of thousands of miles. In theory, a fast horse of 500 miles can run back and forth in four days, but Cao Qian was almost 50 years old.
He had rushed back to Yuzhou from Jinling non-stop. Even though he had insisted on exercising his body over the years, if he continued to run like this, the Marquis of Changxiang and Wang Yong were worried about whether his body could bear it.
"After a few more days of hard work, the king will make a decision and let someone else go to Jinling to speak to Lord Wei." Cao Gan said. Although Cao Gan also found it hard, this kind of thing must be handled by someone who knows enough about the inside story.
Jing Qiongwen secretly communicated that there was no other suitable candidate besides him.
As for the prince of Changxiang, Wang Yong, not to mention that he could not easily return to the capital of Shu without an edict. Even if the ruler of the country had an edict, he would have to think carefully before deciding whether to return to the capital of Shu.
"Well, it's better for you to go there in person." Wang Yong, the Marquis of Changxiang, said.
From the initial cooperation to disagreements and then cooperation with Han Qian, at this moment they were bound together even more tightly, and he couldn't help but hesitate.
And Han Qian was good at using cunning tactics, so Feng Liao's words must contain some concealment, but how much was concealed, and whether Xuzhou's true intention was really what Feng Liao had said, Changxiang Marquis Wang Yong had doubts in his heart.
of.
Before they make a decision, they must weigh the pros and cons more deeply and carefully, and examine the overall situation, in order to avoid the possibility of harming others in the future.
"Master Feng, come with me to Shudu?" Cao Gan looked at Feng Liao and asked.
"Feng can just stay in the Hou Mansion. I don't dare to compare with General Cao in my body." Feng Liao apologized. He didn't want to see Jing Qiongwen. On the one hand, he was worried that his whereabouts would be leaked, and on the other hand, he was really carrying the physical burden.
Can't live.
Under the escort of his retinue, he crossed the Wuling Mountains and rushed to Yuzhou. He walked on the treacherous mountain road for nearly a month. One of the people lost his footing and fell off the cliff. In the next few days, he was carried into Yuzhou City on his back.
of.
…………
…………
After bidding farewell to the Marquis of Changxiang, Cao Gan took his son Cao Zhe and other cadres to cross the river on fast horses and headed north along the Chi Road. He couldn't bear it any longer, so he rested for an extra day and rushed in before nightfall on the third day.
The capital city of Shu.
Cao Qian first sent someone to inform Yousi, and while waiting for the summons, he met Jing Qiongwen privately.
After hearing many inside stories, Jing Qiongwen pondered for a long time and said: "The situation in the DPRK has changed slightly. The only solution now is to conspire with the Marquis of Qianyang..."
"What's wrong? What changes have occurred in the court?" Cao Qian was slightly startled and said, "I just rushed back to Yuzhou, but I didn't hear any news at all?"
"The day before yesterday, the king summoned the deputy privy envoys to discuss the situation between Shu and Chu. The deputy privy envoys said that Chu and Shu had made an alliance, and the affairs in the southeast were resting. There would be no other worries in a short period of time. He suggested that the marquis be transferred to Liangzhou," Jing Qiongwen said,
"I was about to send someone to Yuzhou to talk about this, so you rushed to the capital of Shu."
"..." Cao Gan took a breath, feeling that the situation in the court was much more serious than he expected, and the crown prince had already begun to stumble them.
Liangzhou, also known as Hanzhong, is connected with the Guanzhong area controlled by the Liang Kingdom. There are Chencang Road, Baoxie Road, Tangluo Road, Ziwu Road, Yugu Road and other roads that pass through the Qinling Mountains.
If the Liang Kingdom wants to conquer Shu, they must first attack Liangzhou, and then they can invade Shu via Liangzhou.
Now that they are transferred to defend Liangzhou, they must first withstand the first wave of Liang army's offensive.
Even if they can barely hold on, it will definitely be a tragic victory with serious casualties for the generals. The general will not get any credit and may even be held accountable, just like the Chu State general Du Chongtao who was responsible for guarding Xiangzhou in the battle of Jingxiang.
Not to mention that they had to give up Yuzhou, which had just started to improve but had no solid foundation yet - and the prince came up with such an idea because he didn't want them to have a solid foundation in Yuzhou.
Now they cannot fall into the trap and can only conspire with Xuzhou to "create" trouble in Banan.
"It's not too late, I'm afraid we can't delay it any longer?" Cao Qian looked at Jing Qiongwen inquiringly and asked.
Cao Qian wanted to stay in the capital of Shu and wait for an interview, so he had no way to leave immediately and rush back to Yuzhou. However, even if he sent his son Cao Zhe to Yuzhou quickly to see the Marquis of Changxiang to report the matter, after receiving the order from the Marquis of Changxiang, they would go back to Yuzhou.
If we act according to the plan, it will be four days at the earliest.
And within these four days, the leader of the country may make the final decision on the national boundary without consulting the Marquis of Changxiang.
In that case, it would be quite disadvantageous for them.
"..." Jing Qiongwen nodded and decided to send Cao Zhe to Yuzhou to meet the Marquis of Changxiang. At the same time, they would first use a secret line to deliver false news to the ministers of the Marquis of Qingjiang and arouse them first.
