Chapter 259 The Beginning of Darkness

"My lord, this matter is a bit difficult to handle."

Jin Mao frowned even more tightly.

This frightened Jia Xu greatly, and he quickly organized his words and said, "The main reason is that the court is controlled by Dong Zhuo. It is difficult to force the craftsmen to work hard in the form of corvée."

What a poisoner!

Jin Mao's brows relaxed instantly. He originally wanted to be a Cybertronian, but he just didn't want to pay triple overtime pay.

Jia Xu, on the other hand, was a capitalist who emerged early. Not only did he ask the craftsmen to provide their labor for free, he even provided them with food and accommodation!

In the Han Dynasty, corvée labor was divided into three categories: regular soldiers, border guards, and shift soldiers.

Regular soldiers only need to serve for two years before they can be retired, one year serving in the county and one year serving in the capital. They will only return to the army when they are called up in wartime.

Therefore, this is the channel used to gild the capital's wealthy children. If they work in the Imperial Guard for two years, they can be promoted if they have family connections.

There is no need to say much about guarding the border. It only takes one year, and half a year in wartime. The government will take care of food, clothing, housing and transportation. It is one of the few ways out for the poor, but it is very dangerous.

This is how He Wei and He Xiaozhang's father earned an old war horse and a set of armor. That was a long time ago.

The third type of night guards are the corvée labor that Jia Xu mentioned. Those who do not have a rank of Fifth Officer or above can be exempted from corvée labor by paying money!

Otherwise, before the age of fifty-six, ordinary people would have to perform one month of corvee labor every year, which was free of charge and required them to bring their own meals.

During the Qin Dynasty, the government provided food and accommodation for the night watchmen, and this was also the case in the early Eastern and Western Han Dynasties. However, everything changed in the late Eastern Han Dynasty.

Jin Mao naturally understood what Jia Xu meant, and immediately explained, "No."

"I don't want them to do corvée. One month a year is not enough. I want them to do it all year round!"

This statement is very ambiguous, but at least Jia Xu understood it more deeply and was thinking about its feasibility.

Fortunately, Jinmao changed his words quickly: "I will pay them as long as they work for me wholeheartedly."

The turning point came so quickly that Jia Xu almost couldn't wrap his mind around it.

To confirm that he had heard correctly, Jia Xu asked in a roundabout way, "My Lord, do you mean to help these craftsmen by providing them with work instead of relief?"

"It's not work-for-relief." Jin Mao corrected him: "It's paid labor!"

Jia Xu understood and said, "So it's an employment relationship."

"My lord, don't worry about this. There are plenty of people willing to do it!"

Jin Mao was not sure: "Really?"

Jia Xu was quite speechless. This lord really didn't know the sufferings of the world. Is a craftsman considered a human being?

Not only are they provided with food and lodging while working, they can also get paid. Are the craftsmen in Luoyang really that wealthy?
You have to know that the craftsmen who built the emperor's mausoleum might be buried with him. Even the craftsmen who built the imperial palace, did they really think they were treated well?
It's not a bit better than the dog of a rich family, or even worse!
Of course, the head craftsmen are excluded.

Jia Xu did not pat his chest to make a promise, that was not his style, he just said: "My lord, you can release a recruitment manifesto and see the effect."

Jin Mao thought it made a lot of sense, so he said, "Then I'll leave this matter to you."

Jia Xu's heart tightened, thinking that Jin Mao was going to do something weird again.

Jinmao turned around and changed the topic.

However, after hearing what happened next, Jia Xu hoped that Jin Mao would do something weird.

"Among the people of Luoyang, craftsmen are only a minority, and the majority are still farmers who cultivate the land."

"What should I do if I want them to work for me?"

This is a difficult situation for Jia Xu.

where is this place?
Luoyang!

Beijing!

Who has the most people?
Officials! They are all high-ranking officials!
The corresponding people are naturally the nobles and powerful families.

Where do the people come from?
Those are all just servants of the nobles and powerful families!

How many families can maintain their independence?
Jia Xu had never seen it.

In Jia Xu's opinion, Jin Mao's words meant that he wanted to snatch people from the nobles and powerful families!

Is this something a human can say?

Do you know your current situation?
Do you know why Dong Zhuo hid in Luoyang and dared not come out?
Really can’t beat him?
Jia Xu really wanted to tell Jin Mao the truth.

It wasn't that Dong Zhuo couldn't win the battle, but he was overwhelmed by the powerful aristocratic families near Luoyang.

This is the fundamental reason why Dong Zhuo couldn't concentrate on the decisive battle with Jin Mao!
Therefore, Dong Zhuo moved the capital because he was afraid of Jin Mao, and he wanted to uproot these aristocratic families.

Instead of killing a chicken to scare the monkey like Jinmao did in Jingzhou, it was just a small-scale action.

But the truth cannot be told, Jia Xu carefully considered his words and said tactfully: "My lord, you can discuss with his master to see if he can be released."

In an instant, Jin Mao understood what Jia Xu meant.

He has forgotten that this is the world of the nobles and powerful families. So where are the places with the most nobles and powerful families in the world?
Of course it must be in Luoyang!
No wonder the new policy that worked so well in Yangzhou failed in Luoyang. It turns out the root of the problem was here.

"Is there no other way?"

Jin Mao was still unwilling to give in and asked, "If I recruit farmers in the same way as I recruited craftsmen, will it work?"

Jia Xu shook his head decisively and said, "It won't work!"

"That will only bring unnecessary enemies to the lord!"

"Enemy?" Jin Mao stood up suddenly, looking fiercely at him.

Jia Xu immediately lowered his head and acted like an ostrich.

After a long time.

Jin Mao asked hoarsely, "Why did Dong Zhuo move the capital?"

"Are you really afraid of me?"

Jia Xu sighed, and said part of what he didn't want to say: "Move the capital, and solve the problem once and for all!"

Jin Mao smiled.

The smile is very creepy.

"In that case, I have to help Dong Zhuo."

Jia Xu, continue to bow your head and act like an ostrich.

"But I don't want Dong Zhuo to be the only one to benefit!"

"Did Wenhe teach me?"

When Jia Xu met Jin Mao's dangerous gaze, he relaxed instead.

When the smiling tiger changes its face, it means that the suspicion stage is over. Next, you either get through it safely or die!

"My lord, haven't you made the arrangements?"

Jia Xu said calmly: "Moving the capital is not a matter of one day or one night. With the lord watching closely, if Dong Zhuo wants to move the capital safely, he must share the benefits with you."

“That depends on what your next goal is.”

"Should we annihilate Dong Zhuo, or let him go?"

At this moment, the venomous scholar Jia Xu began to induce like a demon: "Secondly, it depends on whether the lord can give up the lives of some people."

"Death is inevitable!"

Suddenly, Jinmao was in a difficult situation to make a decision.

A question lingered in his mind and wouldn't go away.

"What on earth should I do?"

In other words, what are your future goals?
It takes great strength to make all ethnic minorities speak the same language.

Although Jinmao owns two states, it will take many years for Jingzhou to truly become its territory.

Maybe three to five years, maybe a lifetime.

If Jinmao continues to dominate, how will other places be absorbed?

For example, even if we conquer all of Yanzhou, Yuzhou, Xuzhou, Jizhou, and Sili, where many powerful noble families gather, how many years would it take? And how many people would die for this?
Jinmao never thought about it in depth.

Since traveling through time, he initially just wanted to survive in the troubled times.

So what is the reason that has led Jinmao to this point today?

As for Jinmao now, I dare not say anything else. As long as he wants to protect himself, it will be enough for him to manage the two states well and conquer Yizhou at most.

By that time, which prince in the world would dare to say that he is 100% sure of destroying Jinmao?
I'm afraid even Cao Cao in his heyday in history didn't have this ability!
So what is the next step from self-protection?

Are you moving towards your ideal?
Then why come to Luoyang and wade into muddy water?

Wouldn't it be much stronger if we could take over Yizhou?
Then, they further cultivated Jiaozhou in the south and turned it into a major grain-producing area. Next, they developed sea transportation and occupied Izhou (Taiwan), Japan, the Malay Archipelago, and the Southeast Asian Peninsula.

There are so many places, enough for Jinmao to teach them to speak elegant language, and he would never be able to finish teaching them in his lifetime!

but!

Is that enough?
If we ask ourselves honestly, deep down, Jinmao still wants to give it a try.

Dominate the world!
What an exciting word!

Unify the writing! Unify the measurement! Unify the language!

What an intoxicating word!
There are many people who have achieved the former in history, but the latter is an achievement of an emperor who is unique in history. How many people have achieved this throughout history?
Not even enough to fit on the palm of one hand!

That is the ultimate goal of countless emperors!
Then let’s set a small goal first, to unify the world!
Jin Mao's eyes gradually became firm, he looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle and said: "If sacrifice is necessary, then let's sacrifice some people!"

Jia Xu was overwhelmed with emotion, but he did not show it on his face. He asked, "Should Dong Zhuo be released or kept?"

It sounded as if these words would definitely keep Dong Zhuo.

Jin Mao took the opportunity to ask, "If I want to keep Dong Zhuo, can the military advisor teach me?"

Jia Xu bowed and said, "Then please proceed according to the original plan, my lord. We only need to siege the city for a year, and Dong Zhuo will die in Luoyang!"

"but."

Jia Xu seemed to be hesitating whether to say it or not.

"Say!"

After getting Jin Mao's approval, Jia Xu said, "I think letting Dong Zhuo go will do more good than harm!"

"Oh?" Jin Mao asked with interest for the first time, "What do you mean?"

Jia Xu raised his head and glanced at Jin Mao, but he couldn't see any element of acting in him.

Instantly, Jia Xu's heart was filled with alarm. He had been careless just now and had actually exposed himself. This was totally unlike him.

"emperor!"

In Jia Xu's opinion, Jin Mao must not want to welcome back the emperor. Now it is so good. He can attack anyone he wants in the name of "clearing the court".

But if we welcome the emperor back, the same question arises: who do the subordinates listen to?
Therefore, Jia Xu had speculated that what Jin Mao wanted to do most was to let the emperor be in the hands of someone else.

Jin Mao himself holds the late emperor's will in his hand and can do whatever he wants. No one can stop him!

But how could such outrageous words be spoken?
Jia Xu said: "The emperor is young. If you welcome him back, you will be suspected of bullying the emperor."

"Why not wait until the emperor comes of age and then go and bring him back?"

If these words fell into the ears of loyal ministers, they would definitely kill Jia Xu without hesitation.

But this is what Jinmao thinks!

"You have a point."

Jin Mao nodded and said, "Your Majesty, please ask Dong Zhuo to take care of him until he reaches adulthood."

Jia Xu bowed hastily and buried his face in his sleeves, not daring to show his facial expression.

When Jia Xu truly guessed Jin Mao's thoughts, he became extremely panicked.

Because this shows that Jin Mao had long had rebellious intentions, and such a person is attacking others under the name of a loyal minister.

The term "smiling tiger" is not enough to describe it; this is really a tiger in human skin!

At this moment, Jia Xu decided that from now on, as long as Jin Mao did not ask questions, he would remain mute and not comment on anything.

Who knows if we will be as lucky next time!

Once the basic principles are established, there will be nothing else to worry about.

No matter what Jin Mao asked, Jia Xu would find a very reasonable answer.

However, even Jia Xu did not realize that the mentality of "using any means to achieve the goal" that he inadvertently revealed was gradually changing Jin Mao's mind.

...

Luoyang, Imperial Palace.

Jia Xu's departure did not cause any trouble to Dong Zhuo.

He is just a captain with mediocre ability. Dong Zhuo has at least eighty such people under his command!
But Dong Zhuo ignored what was in Jia Xu’s mind, which is called wisdom!

Just as Jia Xu had expected, Dong Zhuo was overwhelmed by these ministers.

Not long ago, General Huangfu Song, who had a feud with Dong Zhuo, came to the capital Luoyang.

What else is there to say? Dong Zhuo immediately put Huangfu Song in prison and wanted to kill him.

However, all the ministers gave their advice and used all kinds of allusions.

"Whoever dares to oppose me will be killed by me!"

I thought that all the ministers were frightened and Huangfu Song would definitely die.

Unexpectedly, Huangfu Song's son Huangfu Jianshou was worried about Huangfu Song and also followed him to Luoyang.

Dong Zhuo knew Huangfu Jianshou, and only after Huangfu Jianshou's crying and begging did Dong Zhuo release Huangfu Song, but he also removed him from his position as Left General and appointed him as Counselor.

The end of this incident also allowed Dong Zhuo to vent his anger.

Unexpectedly, the next troublesome person pops up.

Grand Commandant Zhu Jun!

Originally, Dong Zhuo had just dismissed the three former ministers Huang Wan, Yang Biao and others because they opposed the relocation of the capital, and replaced them with Zhu Jun as the Grand Marshal, Wang Yun as the Minister of Civil Affairs, and Zhou Zhong as the Minister of Works.

This was originally Dong Zhuo's way of winning over Zhu Jun, hoping that the latter would know the current situation. It would be even better if he could recruit Jin Mao and Jing.

Who would have thought that after Zhu Jun became the Grand Marshal, he immediately changed his attitude, and sang a different tune from Dong Zhuo in court, opposing the relocation of the capital.

Horse riding!
When the capital was halfway moved, this traitor jumped out.

Dong Zhuo cursed inwardly: "Yangzhou rats!"

He is really the same as that guy Jinmao outside the city. They turn against each other faster than turning the pages of a book!
Fortunately, not all the civil and military officials in the court are cowards.

At least Wang Yun and Zhou Zhong were very good and gave Dong Zhuo advice on how to move the capital.

Sometimes, Dong Zhuo couldn't help but sigh, can someone like Zhou Zhong be considered a human being?
You know, last year, Dong Zhuo killed Zhou Zhong’s own son Zhou Hui. As a result, Zhou Zhong was promoted to Sikong by Dong Zhuo and began to give advice?
To be honest, Dong Zhuo began to understand why Jin Mao wanted to kill the Guandong samurai.

These rats!

Simply inhumane!
However, Dong Zhuo also really needed people like Wang Yun and Zhou Zhong to give him advice, so some things did not need to be made so clearly.

But the trouble doesn't end there.

this day.

He Yong, Zheng Tai and others conspired and sent Wu Fu, a captain of Yue cavalry who was close to Dong Zhuo, to act as an assassin in an attempt to assassinate Dong Zhuo.

Fortunately, Dong Zhuo reacted quickly and escaped, otherwise he would have been injured.

Although Wu Fu and his three clans, He Yong, Zheng Tai and others were imprisoned one after another, Dong Zhuo was still very upset.

After so much effort to be open-hearted to others, in the end, people really wanted to be open-hearted to Dong Zhuo.

I would have my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon illuminates the ditch.

From this moment on, Dong Zhuo is no longer a human being!
　Starting tomorrow, I will challenge my weak spot!

　　Three updates a day!!

　　Please give me strength!!!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)