Liu Xin said: "I did think about the monopoly of salt and iron for a long time, but it is not the time to implement the monopoly of salt and iron. Besides, the purpose of the monopoly of salt and iron is not to extract profit from it, but because These two things are directly related to the lives of the people, and their prices need to be stabilized at a relatively reasonable level. However, when you mention the salt and iron monopoly now, it reminds me of one thing."
Jushou always thought that Liu Xin wanted to implement the salt and iron monopoly, but it was just to solve a tax channel, but he did not think that Liu Xin was for this purpose. He couldn't help but admire him, and repeatedly asked: "I don't know what the lord thought of."
Liu Xin was silent for a moment, and said, "Now the three counties in the south of the Yangtze River are under control. There should be a place to cook salt close to the sea. In the future, several more government-run salt farms can be opened. If enough salt is produced, it will be fine. Monopoly has been implemented. Now food prices in various places have skyrocketed. Only the food prices in Jing and Yizhu prefectures remain at their original levels. If salt can be maintained at a lower price level, more people will be attracted to emigrate. ,"
Population is an important resource, and it goes down and down. As long as the people under the rule of Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and others emigrate, they will not be able to recruit enough soldiers, and it will be difficult to organize a strong army. ,
Jushou naturally understands this truth. He nodded and said: "The lord is wise, there is Yu Zhongxiang’s hometown, and setting up a salt farm is also beneficial to the local people. According to his subordinates, he will handle this matter. All right,"
Liu Xin gradually introduced the topic to the three counties in the south of the Yangtze River. In fact, he was thinking of Er Qiao, but he couldn't ask how Jushou was doing. Seeing that he didn't seem to understand what he meant, he had to say haha and said, "It's over. I plan to go to two places in the next year, one is Jiangnan, to see how Zhongxiang is doing there, and the other is the Western Regions. I must open up a new market for Xiangzhi and White Porcelain."
Jushou said anxiously: "Lord, there will be a big battle between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, and the Xuzhou Rebellion is right in front of you. Xiangyang is still under your command. You must not leave."
Liu Xin waved his hand and said, "If I expected it, the chaos in Xuzhou will end before the end of the year. At the turn of the spring and summer next year, Yuan and Cao’s two families will meet each other in battle. Jing, Yi, Si, and Liang will not be there for the time being. There will be something, Liu should hurry around this time to travel around, which is good for clarifying the next step."
Jushou knew that Liu Xin was an unstoppable temper. In order to quietly launch an offensive against Yizhou that year, he hid in the mansion for more than half a year and barely got sick. So I heard that Liu Xin wanted to go for a walk again. I can’t persuade him, I can only give up.
Wang Tu has been driven out of Xiangyang City at this time. His injuries are all on his face. Now he has used good gold creation medicines, and is tightly bandaged. From a distance, he looks a bit like A San from a later generation. Before leaving, that Zhu San even frightened him and told him not to take it apart within three days, otherwise he would have life worry. Wang Tu originally thought that he had offended Liu Xin and would undoubtedly die. Now it is a blessing to be able to save his life. How dare you not listen to Zhu San's words? I really dare not unwrap the white cloth covering the wounds along the way.
The journey from Xiangyang to Puyang was not short. Fortunately, Wang Tu’s injuries were all on his face, which did not affect his riding on the road. After three days, the group of people had left Liu Xin’s site. Wang Tu was very relieved. He asked the soldiers accompanying him to unwrap the white cloth, and looked for a bronze mirror to take a photo. He was shocked. His originally fair and handsome face was marked with many scars, and the scars were all in color. It became black, the nose was also cut off, and two black nostrils were exposed in the pitch-black wound, which was very ugly.
It turned out that Zhu San himself was ugly and could not see anyone else handsome. He mixed some ink in the Jinchuang medicine applied to Wang Tu, and directly dyed Wang Tu's wound black, just like a tattoo on his face, for three days. After that, now he can't wash it off even if he wants to wash it.
Wang Tu didn’t have any real talents. The reason why he was favored by Cao Cao was because of this face. He was behind Cao Cao, which made Cao Cao feel very face. Now that this face has been ruined, Wang Tu is really wanting. Cry without tears,
After a few more days, Wang Tu finally returned to Puyang, and hurried to meet Cao Cao. He was the captain of the prime minister’s mansion. He had a waist card and was favored by Cao Cao, so he didn’t need to report and went straight to him. In the study, Wang Tu is always obedient and respectful and respectful to Cao Cao alone. The soldiers under his opponent are very mean, so the soldiers didn’t like him. Those soldiers who followed him to Xiangyang knew that Wang Tu became With this look, I don’t know how happy I was behind my back. As soon as I returned to Puyang, I spread the incident, and almost no one in the prime minister’s mansion knew about it.
Although Cao Cao knows people well and knows that Wang Tu has no real ability, Wang Tu followed him a long time ago, but he was given a captain of the soldiers, not an important position, and he didn’t want him to have any talents. Moreover, Wang Tu also followed the rules in front of him, and looked courteous in front of other civil and military forces, so no one said bad things about him in front of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao had no way of knowing his performance in front of the people.
Several cases were filled with bamboo slips. Although the paper was convenient, it was too expensive. Cao Cao couldn’t afford it, so he had to continue to use bamboo slips to convey military information. Although he controlled Qing, Yanerzhou and most of Yuzhou, these places passed. Affected by the Yellow Turban Rebellion, most of the people were poor, so Cao Cao was not wealthy. A lot of his military expenses were supplemented by the robbing of the tombs of the kings and the public.
Cao Cao was immersed in the news reported from various places, making the final preparations for attacking Xuzhou. Cao Cao knew very well that the war between himself and Yuan Shao was inevitable, and the agreement between him and Liu Xin was only two years old. He must After defeating Yuan Shao in two years or something, it is possible to vacate his hands for a showdown with Liu Xin.
However, in order to defeat Yuan Shao, the first thing to do is to solve his worries. One is Liu Xin and the other is Tao Qian. Liu Xin has promised not to use troops against him for two years. Although it is not entirely believed, he can let him put it down. With some thoughts, Tao Qian in Xuzhou would not have been taken seriously by him, but once he went to war with Yuan Shao, Xuzhou would be behind him. If Tao Qian changed, he would fall into a situation where he was attacked by the enemy, so If he wants to use force with Yuan Shao, he must first deal with Tao Qian. That is to say, even if there is no murder of his father's family, he will do it against Tao Qian, but his father's murder provides him with a better reason to go to war. Nothing more,
Cao Cao thought for a long time, suddenly raised his head, and saw an ugly man with a bare head and a messy face and no ears and nose appeared in front of him. He was shocked, jumped from the table and shouted angrily: "Who are you, how dare you come here,"
The ugly man said in a crying voice: "Master, the villain is Wang Tu,"
Cao Cao was suspicious. I saw a stranger just now, fearing that he would come to assassinate him. He was about to draw his sword to defend himself. Now listening to him, his voice was indeed Wang Tu no doubt, and he couldn't help calming down. Then he realized that he was already in a cold sweat, Cao Cao. Sit down again, and asked in a deep voice: "You are Wang Tu, how come you have become like this?"
When Wang Tu heard Cao Cao's question, he couldn't help but burst into tears. He even cried and told about his experience in Xiangyang.
Cao Cao pondered: "You said that woman is Liu Xin's woman,"
Wang Tu nodded vigorously, and said: "Back to the lord, the villain heard the girl named Father Liu Xin, calling that woman a mother, and there will never be a holiday."
Since Cao Cao’s power has grown stronger, he has listed Liu Xin as an important opponent and sent people to Xiangyang to collect Liu Xin’s information. Knowing that Liu Xin does have a few beautiful family members around him, Cao Cao can’t help but remember when he was in Luoyang. Outside the South Gate, Ma Yun’s stunning beauty, and the drunk Yu Linglong, I don’t know if the woman Wang Tu met was the two of them, but I haven’t heard that the two of them have given birth to daughters. Could it be Cai Yan? Cao Cao took another look at Wang Tu before he knew it. He said to his heart, you guys are so Yanfu, although he didn’t eat his mouth, his hands are really enjoyable, but the master can only think about it once in a dream, but One thing Cao Cao can be sure of is that no matter how tightly defended Xiangyang is, when Liu Xin's woman is also alone, then there is a chance to take advantage of it. Cao Cao can't help but give birth to a bad idea.
Wang Tu saw that Cao Cao's face was uncertain, and said nervously: "Lord, then Liu Xin asked the villain to bring a letter back."
Cao Cao sank his face and said, "Take me to see."
He saw Wang Tu’s face now, how uncomfortable he looked, and wished to send him away now, so as not to be ashamed in front of him. Cao Cao endured his unhappiness and read the letter, but there was nothing on it. To say too much, only to say that Liu Xin expressed extreme regret and condolences for Cao Song’s death. In addition, he advised Cao Cao to try his best to ensure the safety of the people when he sent troops to Xuzhou. In order to show his neutrality, he will also garrison all the troops stationed in Xuzhou. All withdrawn back,
In fact, no matter which party princes, they will now place many spies in various places. Cao Cao knew about the news of Liu Xin’s withdrawal from Xuzhou. Liu Xin knew this very well, but he didn’t want to let any one show himself. It was a great opportunity, so I turned it over again, so that Cao Cao felt that he owed himself a favor.
Of course Cao Cao would not owe Liu Xin this favor. He sneered: "The cat cries and the mouse fakes mercy."
Although this letter was carried all the way by Wang Tu, it was sealed with a strange fire paint pattern. No matter how courageous Wang Tu was, he did not dare to open it and take a peek, so he didn’t know what was written in the letter. What happened? Now that I heard Cao Cao say this, I only thought Liu Xin apologized for his torment in the letter. He couldn't help but feel sad, and said with a drooling face: "What the lord said is that this Liu Xin is too vicious and hurts the villain. In this way, I am embarrassed to fake mercy in front of the lord,"