Chapter 2781 I Will Touch What Others Dare Not Touch! I Will Take Care of What Others Dare Not Manage!

The imperial court set up many customs gates on the canal. Every time you pass a customs gate, you have to pay a tax. As you pay, many merchants will find that even if you reach the destination and sell the goods, the silver earned is not enough to pay the tax. So they simply burn the goods and return, because if you carry goods, you have to pay taxes again when you return. Empty ships do not need to do this, and burning goods along the river is a common thing.

There are even more outrageous things. Because small merchants cannot afford the customs duties for water transport, they can only rely on water transport chambers of commerce. Those chambers of commerce will swallow the goods at a low price and then sell them at a high price. Take the saltpeter mine in Taikang County as an example. The local ash households quarry and burn ash. The capital cannot eat such a large amount, so they can only transport it to various states for sale, but the tariffs are so heavy that they cannot afford it. The chamber of commerce took the opportunity to buy lime at a low price and transport it through its own channels. The ash households can only get 10% or even less profit. Barely filling their stomachs, the interests involved behind this are unimaginable. Even Wei Yuan was worried and dared not touch it.

Xu Zisheng's face was cold and heavy, his eyes flashed with sharpness, he sneered, turned around and left, leaving only a clear and firm voice.

"I will touch what the night watchman dare not touch! I will take care of what the civil and military officials in the court dare not manage!"

Emperor Yuan Jing practiced Taoism and made elixirs, which cost a lot of money, and these silvers did not come from the Ministry of Revenue, but were all provided by his own small treasury. So, how could Emperor Yuan Jing have so much silver for him to spend money crazily? It goes without saying.

In the Golden Palace, Emperor Yuan Jing sat high on the dragon throne, looking down at the civil and military officials in the hall, with great majesty, and said in a deep voice.

"If there is nothing else, let's disperse today!"

Xu Zisheng suddenly stepped forward, bowed slightly, raised the tablet in his hand, and said loudly.

"I have a memorial!"

As soon as these words came out, the ministers in the court were shocked and looked at Xu Zisheng in doubt. This man is a bad star. Who is he going to kill today?

Suddenly, all the civil and military officials trembled, thinking secretly about what they had done recently. There should be nothing that would involve the official hat on top. Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief. It had nothing to do with them. They just stood aside and watched Xu Zisheng.

Emperor Yuan Jing also had his eyes slightly condensed, and he was a little bit nervous. Every time Xu Zisheng made a memorial, it would cause an uproar in the court, making everyone uneasy. Even he was still frightened and tired. He checked and balanced the court to save his worries and concentrate on practicing Taoism and seeking immortality. Now Xu Zisheng made him even more tired.

"Lord Xu, what do you want to report?"

"I ask your majesty to reduce the tax on customs. The tax is too high and merchants cannot afford it. Burning goods along the river has happened repeatedly. If this continues, business will surely decline, and merchants and people will not be able to eat enough, and people will not be able to make a living!"

Xu Zisheng faced the angry eyes of Emperor Yuan Jing, did not give in, and said coldly with a firm look.

"Your Majesty, in order to cultivate Taoism, has imposed heavy taxes on the people, making the people miserable. This is a harsh policy! Harsh policies are more ferocious than tigers. Please correct your mistakes!"

"Xu Zisheng, you are so presumptuous!"

Emperor Yuan Jing was furious, his hair and beard stood upside down. No one had ever dared to accuse him of his mistakes in front of the whole court like this, which made the emperor with a strong desire for control suddenly murderous. Emperor Yuan Jing stood up from the dragon throne, stared at Xu Zisheng, and said angrily.

"Xu Zisheng, do you really think I dare not kill you?"

As soon as these words came out, an astonishing murderous intent filled the Golden Palace, making the civil and military officials silent. They lowered their heads and secretly glanced at Xu Zisheng, looking forward to the subsequent development of the matter.

Faced with Emperor Yuan Jing's anger, Xu Zisheng was not moved at all. He looked calm and looked directly at the furious Emperor Yuan Jing, and said very calmly.

"Your Majesty is not afraid to kill me, but knows that he can't kill me!"

"Since Your Majesty has allowed me to step into the center of the court, I will take my place and make my policies. Please, Your Majesty, reduce the customs duties and give merchants and people a way to survive!"

Xu Zisheng stepped forward, and a great and upright aura surged from his body, shaking the national destiny of Dafeng, full of inviolable awe, forcing Emperor Yuan Jing to give in.

Endless resentment surged over the canal, spanning the void, pouring into the sky above the palace, and pressuring the court. This was Xu Zisheng bringing the resentment of merchants and people to collide with the national destiny of Dafeng, warning Emperor Yuan Jing that if he did not agree, then the national destiny of Dafeng would be reduced.

A faint dragon roar came to Emperor Yuan Jing's ears, and the voice was full of fear, as if he was extremely afraid of the resentment that permeated the sky above Kyoto.

Emperor Yuan Jing looked at Xu Zisheng with great frustration. In the previous dynasty, there was a second-rank Confucian scholar who brought the people's resentment to shake the country's destiny, causing the people of the world to revolt. This is how Taizu established Dafeng.

Emperor Yuan Jing did not dare to fall out with Xu Zisheng. If the national destiny of Dafeng was really shaken, he, the supreme ruler, would not be as stable as he is now, and he could practice Taoism to seek immortality.

"Good, good, good! Xu Aiqing really did not forget his original intention!"

"The people are water, the king is the boat, the water can carry the boat, but it can also overturn the boat! Please encourage each other, Your Majesty!"

"The people are the most important, the country is second, and the king is the least! Is this your Confucianism?"

Emperor Yuan Jing looked extremely gloomy, and stared at Xu Zisheng with cold eyes. He naturally knew the inscription written by Xu Zisheng in Yunlu Academy that year. It was for this reason that Emperor Yuan Jing rejected Xu Zisheng. This was an arrogant person who disregarded the monarch.

"Your Majesty is right, this is exactly my Confucianism!"

"In that case, as you wish, the customs duties will be reduced to 50%!"

"Dismiss the court!"

Emperor Yuan Jing waved the sleeves of his dragon robe and said angrily. He took a deep look at Xu Zisheng, turned around and left the Golden Palace.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Xu Zisheng bowed and shouted loudly, with an extremely respectful look, as if he was truly in awe of Emperor Yuan Jing.

The civil and military officials in the court looked at Xu Zisheng, who was acting on his own, with complicated expressions. They felt happy about the misfortune in their hearts, but for some reason, they showed admiration in their eyes. Asking for the people and angering the emperor was the ideal of the ministers when they were studying, but now things have changed and they have lost this original intention.

The Dafeng Geography Records recorded that Yunzhou was 60,000 miles long and wide, with rich products, such as agriculture, mulberry, porcelain, and herbs. Before Emperor Wuzong rose up, Yunzhou's wealth was among the top five in Dafeng.

In the early years of Yuan Jing, the total population of Yunzhou reached 5 million. After that, the Yellow Book was compiled every ten years, and the population gradually decreased. In the 30th year of Yuan Jing, the population of Yunzhou was more than 3.5 million.

The population reduction of 1.5 million in 30 years is a very terrifying thing. The actual population reduction will be even greater than this. Because the land in Yunzhou is fertile, there is no need to consider famine if there is no natural disaster.

That is to say, if the population grows normally in 30 years, it can grow steadily. From 5 million to 3.5 million, it is not a simple subtraction. The actual population reduction is at least doubled. Half of the population loss is due to heavy taxes, abandoning the land and becoming refugees, or going to the city to find another way to make a living, or becoming bandits. These people are not recorded in the Yellow Book. In addition, the bandit problem is serious, burning, killing and looting, which makes the situation worse. Sometimes, in order to supplement the labor force, the mountain bandits will take the initiative to go down the mountain to rob the people. Oh, of course, mountain bandits are not included in the Yellow Book.

Yunzhou has taken a sharp turn for the worse in the past 20 years, almost since Emperor Yuan Jing practiced Taoism. It can be seen how stupid this Taoist emperor is, making Dafeng a mess and the country's fortune declining!

Xu Qian'an and his party met the transport officer of the Yuzhou Canal Transport Office who was embezzling and transporting military supplies to Yunzhou, but found that he was killed in the study, and the clues were interrupted. As soon as he arrived in Yunzhou, he encountered the murder of Yang Yingying, the mistress of the spy. He cracked the code left by the night watchman, and got the account book left by the spy in the black market dog meat shop.

Xu Qian'an and others immediately arrested Yang Chuannan, the commander of Yunzhou. This was a hornet's nest. The commander of Yunzhou Guards assembled 3,000 troops and surrounded the gate of Yunzhou. The commander of the guards, Xu Huchen, even said that if the commander was not released within half an hour and they were given an explanation, they would enter the city to make military remonstrances!

The so-called military remonstrance is to persuade the monarch or elders to obey by force. In short, it is to force you to submit with fists.

The difference between military remonstrance and coup d'état is that the purpose is different, but the behavior is the same. However, military remonstrance is a death remonstrance, and no one will use it unless it is absolutely necessary.

In order to delay time, Xu Qian'an and Li Miaozhen came to the South Gate together. After showing their waist cards, the two climbed up the city and were personally received by the thousand households of the city defense army.

Li Miaozhen is the saint of the Tianzong sect of Taoism. She is a disciple of Bingyi Yuanjun and the second in the Tiandihui. She has a very good appearance, delicate facial features, a rosy mouth, and a high nose that highlights the three-dimensional sense of her facial features, but her sharpness will make people ignore her beauty.

Li Miaozhen is wearing a scale armor, a bright red cloak behind her, no helmet, and her long hair is tied into a ponytail to her waist. She is heroic and valiant, like a dignified female war god. She wanted to go down the mountain with her senior brother Li Lingsu to practice the supreme way of forgetting feelings of "entering the world first and then leaving the world", but because of her strong sense of justice, she struggled in the world and couldn't extricate herself. After arriving in Yunzhou, she saw that Yunzhou was plagued by bandits and the people were in dire straits. She immediately recruited soldiers and established a private army, and began a tireless journey to suppress bandits.

Li Miaozhen is a chivalrous and courageous female knight. Wherever she goes, justice is supported and justice is maintained. In just a few years, she became famous in the martial arts world and became a well-known hero. Because of her eagerness to help others, she was known as the Flying Swallow Heroine.

"Governor, why haven't you come yet?"

The burly captain holding a saber, with a square face and triangular eyes, looked at the empty street, unable to hide his disappointment.

"Governor is investigating a case in the Commandery and cannot come for the time being. The general of the cavalry and I will delay the time first."

Xu Qi'an explained. He stood on the top of the city and looked down. There were two square formations outside the city. The larger square formation was the army of the Guards, with cavalry in front, infantry in the back, and artillery in the middle.

Flags fluttered, and three thousand soldiers looked at the top of the city, silent, and an indescribable fierceness came over them.

Since Xu Qi'an got the Dharma Image given by Xu Zisheng, he has made rapid progress and is now half a step into the realm of refining the spirit. However, facing this battle-hardened army, the first thought that flashed in his mind was still to avoid it and not to confront it head-on.

He fought for 3,000 miles and used his sword to defeat a million soldiers. That was a feat that only high-ranking warriors could achieve. It was not something that Xu Qi'an, a mere eighth-rank warrior, could do.

The army of Yunzhou was extremely fierce. They would fight at any time and were not afraid of death. Banditry was rampant in Yunzhou. It would be strange if a soldier in Yunzhou was not fierce. Soldiers who had been fighting for many years were full of evil spirits. They usually only recognized the leaders who fought with them. It was difficult for outsiders to control them. They were not as careful about their lives as soldiers in a comfortable place.

"Which army is that in the small square over there?"

Xu Qi'an looked out of the city, pointed in a direction, and asked Li Miaozhen beside him.

The troops at the gates of the city were the Wei Command and Envoy Division under the jurisdiction of Baidi City, also known as the Wei Division. The next level was the station. The small square on the side looked like it had about four or five hundred people. Xu Qi'an guessed that it was a county-level station.

Li Miaozhen looked at it and was embarrassed. She said shyly.

"That's my Feiyan Army."

Xu Qi'an looked at her with eyes full of distrust. Is there any mistake? Your army actually participated in the military revolt. You are not a young man, are you?

Seeing this, Li Miaozhen didn't understand Xu Qi'an's thoughts and quickly explained.

"I have indeed thought about using the military to exert pressure. This is a bad habit developed in the Yunzhou army."

Li Miaozhen also knew how to pass the blame and passed the blame to the Yunzhou army. Anyway, nothing happened to her and she was innocent!

"Then what should we do now? Is it possible that we have to leave the city?"

Xu Qi'an breathed a sigh of relief. This delay required Li Miaozhen's cooperation. If the other party was really a young man, he would be dead.

"Um."

Li Miaozhen nodded. She was very famous in Yunzhou. Even Xu Huchen, the commander of the guards, wanted to give her some face.

"Can I not go?"

"The governor you represent cannot go without going!"

Li Miaozhen glanced at Xu Qian, who was as timid as a mouse, and said in a deep voice with disdain.

"Commander Wei Xu Huchen has a bad temper and is headstrong. Since you want to resolve the conflict, you must be patient."

"You can't even save your face?"

Xu Qi'an swallowed, and his palms were full of sweat. This work was really not done by humans. If he was not careful, he might be beheaded by the insurgents.

"If I don't accompany him, he will chop off your gong without any hesitation."

Li Miaozhen glanced at Xu Qian with disdain and said with great pride.

"Hey, soldiers are really unreasonable."

The city gate opened with a creaking sound. Qianhu from the city defense army sent the two people out of the city. He waved his hands and said to the two people with a look of sympathy that he would never step out of the city gate.

"FD."

Xu Qian looked back on the horse, with a look of reluctance in his eyes, and opened his mouth to invite.

"Master Qianhu, why don't you come with us?"

Qianhu immediately covered his ears with his hands, looked at Xu Qi'an innocently, and shouted loudly.

"It's windy here. What did your lord say? I can't hear you clearly! Oh, my lord, you said to close the city gate? Okay, I won't open the city gate even if I beat you to death."

The city gate slowly closed, and Qianhu's figure disappeared in front of Xu Qian's eyes. His heart sank to the bottom of the sea, and he cursed angrily!

"Dry!"

Li Miaozhen did not attack Wei Si directly, but turned his horse and went to his Feiyan Army. He called for dozens of cavalry to press the formation, and then he met Wei Si's 3,000 soldiers and horses.

"My Feiyan Army has the lowest level of cultivation in the refinement realm. There are 437 people in total. They are at the peak of refinement of the corps commander, at the Qi refinement realm, and at the bronze skin and iron bone realm of the Hundred Households."

Li Miaozhen's voice was pleasant and clear, and he introduced his private army to Xu Qian with a hint of pride. With four in the sixth-level realm and forty in the Qi-training realm, Li Miaozhen’s Feiyan Army is extremely powerful. Li Miaozhen's connections in the world are deeper and unpredictable than imagined. He can actually gather such a powerful force. No wonder he is famous in Yunzhou.

Know yourself and the enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without danger. Xu Qi'an will not fight an uncertain battle, and asked Li Miaozhen about the details of Xu Huchen.

"Then what kind of cultivation level does Xu Huchen have?"

"The peak of the God Refining Realm."

"My cultivation level is not very high."

Marching and fighting is not about being brave and ruthless. A high-quality warrior can fight one against a hundred or one against a thousand, but he may not be able to command an army of thousands. Li Miaozhen's commanding ability was already at its limit with five hundred men. However, Xu Huchen could command an army of 3,000 to 5,000 men. In a head-to-head confrontation on the battlefield, Li Miaozhen was definitely no match for Xu Huchen and would definitely be defeated.

Violence is aesthetics, war is art, two completely different concepts. Li Miaozhen stopped five feet away from the Wei Si army and said loudly.

"Commander Xu, come here and talk."

As soon as a horse came out of the queue, the general at the head was eight feet tall, and the mount under his crotch was taller than an ordinary horse. He had a long spear in his hand. Those who dared to use the long spear were all brave generals.

Xu Huchen held a long spear in his hand, his eyes were sharp, and his dark blue chin had just been scratched. He nodded slightly towards Li Miaozhen and asked.

"General Li also rescued the Commander-in-Chief with us?"

Li Miaozhen shook his head in denial, which made Xu Qi'an secretly relieved. This teammate was still reliable, not just a kid, and his safety was guaranteed.

"Master Yang, everything is fine. General Xu was too impulsive. Do you know the consequences of doing so?"

"The worst case scenario is death."

Xu Huchen's performance was very bachelor, revealing the fierceness of Yunzhou sergeant. He didn't take his own life seriously and said with a grin.

"My commander-in-chief saved my life. If the court wants to cure him, I will risk my life."

Xu Qian frowned slightly, feeling a little confused. Their arrest of Yang Chuan was a secret, so he asked quickly.

"How did you know this news?"

Xu Huchen looked sideways at Xu Qi'an and did not answer his question. Instead, he spat disdainfully and said coldly.

"It turns out to be the eagle claw under Wei Wei's hand."

"You say I'm fine, but saying that my father Wei is too much!"

Xu Qian, who wanted to be Wei Yuan's adopted son, flicked his thumb, unsheathed the long black gold sword on his waist and said in a deep voice.

"General Xu, don't challenge the majesty of the imperial court. I'm here with sincerity. If you didn't know how to appreciate me, I would have just killed you."

Reasoning is what scholars do. Soldiers only talk about fists. Only when your fists are strong can you have dignity. Xu Qian's idea is to show force first, win respect, and scare these guys who are not afraid of death, and then he can reason properly.

Xu Huchen was polite to Li Miaozhen, and directly sneered at Xu Qian. This was a sign of lack of dignity, but directly killing people would definitely not work, as it would intensify the conflict.

Xu Qi'an turned his horse around and went to the other side silently. Xu Huchen, Li Miaozhen, and dozens of cavalrymen of the Feiyan Army followed him. Then, he flicked his left thumb and pushed his saber half an inch out. He held the hilt with his right hand and briefly accumulated strength. With a clang, the piercing sound of the saber being unsheathed echoed in the air. In the eyes of Xu Huchen and others, and in the eyes of thousands of troops, they only felt that the air was distorted and something seemed to have passed through.

The next moment, with a dull sound, a thin crack appeared on the ground, extending from Xu Qi'an's feet to the front of the army, more than ten feet long. The cavalry in the front row became agitated, and the horses seemed to be frightened.

Xu Huchen widened his eyes, unbelievable. This general who led the troops to fight and was extremely fierce, felt a little awe in his heart.