At sensitive moments, all kinds of news spread particularly quickly. The next morning, an internal news shocked all the salt and iron judges. Yu Jiaxu, the most senior salt and iron judge, changed all the salt tax bills from last year to this year.
The railway company's warehouse changed the sign to the transshipment department's warehouse.
This news was quickly confirmed to be true, and with Yu Jiaxu taking the lead, all the salt and iron judges changed their tax bills.
The situation reversed in one day. Huangfu Wen was so angry that he went to Yu Jiaxu several times to settle accounts, but all failed. Yu Jiaxu knew that Huangfu Wen would not let him go, so he hid after changing the tax bill.
Make the situation irreversible.
Huangfu Wen was so angry that he directly used the power of the Salt and Iron Supervisory Order to suspend Yu Jiaxu. Yu Jiaxu was a sixth-grade court official. It was the power of the Ministry of Personnel to remove or dismiss him. Even if he was the chief officer of the Salt and Iron Supervisor,
The most he can do is suspend his subordinates.
In the afternoon, Huangfu Wen was sitting alone in his official room sulking. Suddenly, a clerk rushed in and reported urgently: "Reporting to the supervisor, the warehouse of our Salt and Iron Division has been surrounded by the army. They want to take all the supplies."
Take away the tax money!”
Huangfu Wen suddenly jumped up and strode towards the official warehouse at the back.
The Salt and Iron Supervisor Office and the Jianghuai Salt and Iron Supervisory Office were merged together. The Salt and Iron Supervisory Office itself is just an administrative agency, and it does not have any specific functional departments such as salt fields, warehouses, docks, and ships.
The warehouse of the Salt and Iron Supervision is actually the warehouse of the Jianghuai Salt and Iron Transfer Department, but the salt and iron warehouse among the two warehouses of the Jianghuai Division is controlled by the Salt and Iron Supervision.
The salt and iron warehouse is just north of the government office. Fifteen million in tax money is stored in it, ready to be transported back to Chang'an next spring.
At this time, the warehouse was surrounded by nearly a thousand soldiers. Liu Yan, wearing an official uniform and looking serious, ordered Cang Cao, who was in charge of the warehouse, to join the army: "As the Jianghuai Salt and Iron Transport Envoy, I order you to open the warehouse immediately, otherwise
I will arrest you for disobedience!"
Cansao joined the army and was panicked. He didn't know what to do.
At this time, Huangfu Wen walked over quickly and sneered: "Haha! Liu Shijun is so grand that he actually used so many troops."
He then asked Captain Luo Ziyu who was standing aside: "General Luo, what do you mean by leading your army to surround the warehouse of Yantie Supervisor?"
Luo Ziyu said calmly: "Reporting to the Imperial Supervisor, first of all, this is the warehouse of the Jianghuai Salt and Iron Transfer Department. Now the Jianghuai Salt and Iron Transfer Director Liu Shijun is short of manpower. Asking the local army for help is completely within the scope of the humble duty.
, I hope Huangfu Jianling will not think about things too complicated."
Huangfu Wen snorted and turned his gaze to Liu Yan, "The tax money has been deposited into the treasury and is not allowed to be moved anymore. This is a basic rule of the Salt and Iron Prison. Doesn't Liu Shijun know?"
Liu Yan smiled lightly and said: "There are exceptions to the basic rules. If Judge Yantie changes the tax bill and transfers the tax money to the treasury, this is completely in line with the rules."
He held up a thick stack of reissued and transferred tax receipts, looked at Huangfu Wen and said: "This is the tax receipt for reissued and transferred to warehouse by Judge Yantie. May I ask Huangfu's order, which one of them did I violate?"
Huangfu Wen knew that he could no longer stop Liu Yan. The opponent had credentials and an army. If he continued to fight, he would only bring humiliation to himself. He could only snort heavily.
"I think you don't take Mr. Yu seriously at all!"
Liu Yan stepped forward and whispered in his ear: "I think brother Huangfu doesn't take the Holy Emperor seriously. How long do you think Yu Chaoen can last? I'm afraid that your Jingzhao Huangfu family will be listed because of you."
How can you explain to your ancestors that you committed adultery with an eunuch? Brother Huangfu, think about it carefully!"
Huangfu Wen's expression changed drastically, he turned around and left quickly, not daring to say another word.
When Liu Yan saw him walking away, he waved his hand and said, "Open the warehouse!"
Cang Cao joined the army and immediately led his men forward and opened the warehouse door. Inside were all copper coins and silver packed in large wooden boxes. Each box had a number corresponding to each tax clearance slip.
"Everyone, be careful not to let the boxes fall apart!"
Nearly a thousand soldiers pushed carts and worked together to transport boxes of tax money to the transfer department warehouse outside the city.
As time gradually entered September, Liu Yan had completely controlled the Jianghuai salt tax. Of course, Huangfu Wen was not completely ignored. He just couldn't get involved in Jianghuai. His main focus was on other than Jianghuai, but those were the small heads of the salt tax.
That morning, Guo Song came to Liu Yan's official room, clasped his fists and saluted: "Your Majesty, are you looking for me?"
Liu Yan put down his pen and said with a smile: "I heard that Mr. Guo plans to go back?"
"Exactly, Liu Shijun has taken control of the salt tax, and my mission has been completed. It's time to go back."
Liu Yan smiled bitterly and shook his head: "It's too early to talk about controlling the salt tax now. Luo Ziyu will be transferred at any time. As long as a captain is replaced who is biased towards Yu Chaoen, I'm afraid the situation will turn around. Even now, I can't talk about it.
Complete control of the salt tax."
"Liu Shijun, are you still in trouble?" Guo Song heard something in Liu Yan's words.
Liu Yan nodded and took an ultimatum from the table, "This is why I came to discuss it with you. I just received an official ultimatum from the Ministry of Revenue, requiring us to transport the salt tax inventory back to the capital as soon as possible."
Guo Song was startled, "Shouldn't it be transferred to Beijing next spring?"
Liu Yan smiled slightly and said: "March every year is only the fiscal and tax settlement period, and it is not necessary to enter Beijing in the spring. For example, this spring, a large number of tankers were used to transport grain, which resulted in the backlog of salt tax last year. And the imperial court's fiscal expenditures are tight at the end of the year, so I want to
Hurry up and transport this salt tax into the capital before the river freezes."
"Could it be that Yu Chaoen deliberately arranged for the salt tax to be brought to Beijing?"
"No! The Minister of Household Affairs who succeeded Huangfu Wen is Han Huang. He is also the envoy to Duzhi. He is a very upright minister and will never give in to Yu Chaoen's pressure. I am not worried about the court, but worried about the road."
Guo Song understood Liu Yan's worries. He smiled and said, "Are you worried that something will happen on the road?"
Liu Yan stood up and walked to the window, stared out of the window, and asked after a while: "How much do you know about the warlords in various parts of the Tang Dynasty?"
"You know something about it! Why did the envoy mention them?" Guo Song asked in confusion.
"Because I have been in charge of the Tang Dynasty's finances, I have a very thorough understanding of the financial situation in various places. Like the imperial court, the biggest constraint for warlords in various places is financial constraints. They are desperately trying to expand their armies, but army expansion requires money, so these warlords are doing everything possible to
Money, at its best, encourages business and expands financial resources; at its worst, it exploits farmers and sets up checkpoints along the way; at its worse, it sells private salt and digs ancient tombs. All of this makes me very worried. Once the tax money comes to Beijing, some people will
With the instigation of others, will the warlords along the way take risks?"
Guo Song immediately said: "If it worries you, then apply for the imperial court to send troops to escort!"
"Of course I have to apply, but even if the military escort can only start from Luoyang, I can only rely on myself in the Jianghuai and Central Plains areas in the middle."
"Why?" Guo Song asked in confusion.
"Because Bian, Song, Bo, and Xu Sizhou are Tian Shengong's territory. It's okay for Tian Shengong to be loyal to the court. But after his death at the beginning of the year, Bian, Song, Bo, and Xu Sizhou were taken over by his brother Tian Shenyu. Tian Shenyu
He is very good at making appearances. On the surface, he inherited his brother's legacy and was loyal to the court. But in fact, he was very ambitious and secretly colluded with Yu Chaoen. He asked the court several times to make him the king of Chenliu County. You have to know that once you make him the king of Chenliu County, it is tantamount to
The imperial court recognized it as a vassal town, so the imperial court has been refusing to recognize it, and the two sides have been in a stalemate until now. Therefore, the Bian-Song area is very sensitive, and the imperial army will not enter easily to avoid forcing Tian Shenyu to rebel."
"What about Sizhou, Chuzhou and Yangzhou? Can't the imperial army escort them?" Guo Song continued to ask.
Liu Yan smiled bitterly and said: "These three states involve another warlord, Huaixi Li Zhongchen. He is a vassal town recognized by the imperial court, but the imperial court has reached an agreement with him. His army cannot expand to Jianghuai, and the imperial army cannot
Entering Jianghuai, once the imperial army enters Jianghuai, he will find an excuse. He dreams of controlling Yangzhou!"
Only then did Guo Song finally understand the status quo of the feudal separatist regime, which was actually various compromises between the imperial court and the feudal town. The imperial court may only tolerate it temporarily because it was not strong enough to cut down the feudal vassal, and the feudal town was also just not powerful enough to expand.
Temporary subordination, once their respective strengths are sufficient, these agreements will be just a piece of waste paper to them.
"Your Majesty, you think Li Zhongchen and Tian Shenyu are going to send troops to seize the salt tax?"
Liu Yan was silent for a moment and said: "Yesterday Huangfu Wen gave me a hint."
"Huangfu Wen?"
Liu Yan laughed and said: "Except eunuchs, no one will be truly loyal to an eunuch like Yu Chaoen. Yu Chaoen also understands this, so he tied himself to King Zheng and formed the idea that supporting him means supporting King Zheng."
Such a situation, I have never believed that the Huangfu family, a prominent family in Jingzhao, would be loyal to a eunuch."
Speaking of this, Liu Yan looked at Guo Song and said: "This time the salt tax is brought to Beijing, it is no small matter. I will personally escort it. I hope you can assist me secretly."