Chapter 304: The Grain War

In the end, the top scholar of the township archery ceremony turned out to be Murong Xinzhang. Zhang Zhao was not actually surprised by this result.

Although Murong Xinzhang was not skilled at dismounted combat in heavy armor, since he was still a teenager whose physical development and fat reserves could not compare with someone like the brute bear Dunzhu.

But he had his own advantages. Coming from an aristocratic family, Murong Xinzhang had no intention of developing in the direction of foot combat; his direction was to become a cavalry general.

This could be seen from his build: tall with long legs and long arms, and he also had the fine skill of shooting equally well with either hand.

Moreover, because of his aristocratic background, his horsemanship was superb. In raising horses and treating warhorses' ailments, he had also been trained by a master. His mounted archery might even surpass Fan Quan's.

Thus, in the contests of the grand township archery ceremony, Murong Xinzhang took first place in mounted archery and horsemanship, second in horse handling, and third in foot archery, becoming the first Guiyi top scholar, a title of extraordinary significance.

In fact, Zhang Zhao understood in his heart that besides the advantages Murong Xinzhang possessed as listed above, he had one more advantage: his special relationship with Zhang Zhao himself.

For example, in the final round of mounted archery, Zhang Zhao felt that Ma Shacai had held back a little.

Back outside Shouchang Town, Ma Shacai had used the advantage of his warhorse to capture Murong Xinzhang.

Although there was an element of opportunism in that, in actual combat Ma Shacai was still slightly better than Murong Xinzhang.

But this time, in the final showdown, Ma Shacai's last shot went off form, handing over first place. Zhang Zhao always felt this did not seem like a mistake, but was deliberate.

The top scholar was Murong Xinzhang, and the second-place was Ma Yaozi. On Zhang Zhao's side, Ma Yaozi was an all-around warrior who could fight both mounted and on foot.

With Yan Jin possessing the same ability but already holding the honored post of Regional Commander of a garrison, and choosing not to enter the contest himself, Ma Yaozi unquestionably became the Guiyi second-place scholar.

The third-place scholar was the brute bear. He relied entirely on his terrifying foot-combat ability to offset his disadvantages in other areas and claim the third-place position.

And this township archery ceremony was not simply about deciding the top three and giving everyone several days of excitement.

Rather, through this event, it made the Han people of Liangzhou, the Sogdians, and the people of the Six Tribes all understand

that as long as one possessed real skill, one could distinguish oneself before Minister Zhang, gain benefits, and rise above others.

Unlike before, when no matter how capable one was, one could only serve tribal chieftains, and after fighting desperately, receive only a pittance.

At the same time, it made them understand that the person truly in charge of Liangzhou had changed, and that Minister Zhang was now everyone's leader.

After the township archery ceremony ended, the brothers Su Lunyan and Su Lunluxin, who had come from Lanzhou, also set out to return to Lanzhou.

Zhang Zhao sneered inwardly. According to the current situation, Lanzhou had at least more than twenty thousand households and a population of over one hundred forty thousand.

If this were a later age, such a large place with only a hundred-some thousand people would probably be a remote border region too poor to be any poorer.

But in the present Hexi and Longyou, having a population of over a hundred thousand basically made it the wealthiest prefecture after Liangzhou.

In such a wealthy place, the power structure was surely very complex, with many tribes.

Yet in the end, only the Sulun family came, and only because Zhang Zhao had forcibly commanded it through Weiyan Temple.

This is completely disregarding me, Minister Zhang!

In particular, the great Han and Qiang clans entrenched in Lanzhou city, led by the Wang family, did not even send a single person.

Indeed, the thing people find hardest to give up is power. Zhang Zhao had actually hoped the Wang family would come over upon hearing the news, but these people insisted on forcing him to act personally.

So the question now was whether to strike Lanzhou first, or Ganzhou first?

According to the current deployment, attacking Ganzhou should be the first priority. However, Yin Yaozi had a different view on this. He shook his head and, looking at Zhang Zhao, said:

"Since the Minister took charge of Liangzhou, we first repaired Liangzhou city and the two county towns of Guzang and Shenniao, and also rebuilt the five forts of Liangzhou.

Then we settled more than two hundred thousand people of the Six Tribes around Liangzhou, and also newly established Minqin County. In all, we conscripted the people on a scale of several hundred thousand person-times.

Although the expenditures were all covered by gold and silver the Minister took from his personal treasury, the grain purchased with that gold and silver was the maximum that the area around Liangzhou could produce.

If we immediately launch a great army to attack Ganzhou at the beginning of the year, the grain problem will become a very serious one."

Zhang Zhao nodded. The problem Yin Yaozi raised did indeed exist.

After Zhang Zhao had launched so many large-scale conscriptions of able-bodied men, the price of grain in Liangzhou had risen from twenty cash per dou of millet to twenty-eight cash.

Although part of this was due to the fact that grain prices at year's end are inevitably higher than at harvest time, it did prove that neither the Han people nor the Six Tribes had much grain left in hand.

In two months, it would be the season for planting millet and spring wheat. If war were launched at that time, it would greatly affect this year's food security.

Yan Jin also added: "Although the Ganzhou Uyghurs lost several thousand soldiers in the last battle at Suzhou, and lost more than sixty percent of their armored troops,

they have been our Guiyi Army's enemies for decades and will not easily submit.

To destroy Ganzhou, we would need to deploy an army of more than four thousand and conscript tens of thousands of laborers. Using so much manpower would inevitably affect this year's spring wheat planting.

If we send out only a few thousand cavalry, as we did last time at Suzhou, I fear it would be very difficult to break through Ganzhou city.

Lanzhou, however, is different. The various tribes of Lanzhou have countless ties with Liangzhou. The Sulun family, in fact, migrated from the Six Tribes to Lanzhou.

Moreover, although Lanzhou has a population of over a hundred thousand, they are divided among various tribes with no unified command.

We do not need to send a great army. With just over a thousand elite troops, plus strategies of sowing discord, dividing them, and winning them over with bribes, we can defeat them one by one.

Furthermore, the Minister issued an order a month ago requiring the tribal leaders of Lanzhou to send people to Liangzhou to explain the matter of attacking the imperial envoy.

But in the end, only members of the Sulun family came, while the other tribes ignored the order entirely. This is a provocation of the Minister's authority.

If the Minister does not severely punish these families, who in Hexi and Longyou will still heed our words?"

That was correct. Zhang Zhao nodded. This was the most important reason he had hesitated between Lanzhou first or Ganzhou first.

He, Zhang Zhao, had issued a threat to the various tribes of Lanzhou, but they refused to come. If he could not punish those who did not come, it would inevitably deal a serious blow to his prestige.

"Li Cunhui, take one hundred cavalry and head south immediately. Chase down the brothers Su Lunyan and Su Lunluxin, and make clear that I intend to punish the various tribes of Lanzhou.

If the Sulun family is willing to serve as our inside agents, the future Prefect of Lanzhou will belong to no family but theirs. If they refuse, then when I flatten Lanzhou, their entire family will be enslaved!"

"Yes!" Li Cunhui saluted with folded hands, rose immediately, and went out the door to assemble his cavalry and pursue the Sulun brothers.

They had left Liangzhou only half a day ago, so if they moved fast, they could certainly catch up.

"Yan Jin, you are responsible for drawing one thousand men from the brave warriors of the various tribes, plus five hundred from the Hanhai Garrison. Have Ma Shacai and Erzhu Jing prepare to go to Lanzhou."

As the saying goes, among life's three great bonds, one is having borne arms together. The warriors of Liangzhou had been given titles, offices, gold, silver, and grain by Zhang Chao, so they must be put to use at the proper time.

Only by using them would they develop a sense of belonging and regard Zhang Zhao as one of their own.

With Lanzhou arranged, although Ganzhou would not be attacked for the time being, the strategy of weakening Ganzhou could not stop either.

"Cao Wantong, have your Sogdian merchant guild continue buying grain from Ganzhou without pause. No matter how expensive the price, it does not matter."

Cao Wentong nodded, but said with some difficulty: "Last time Ganzhou passed through the Sikong's grain-buying campaign. After the rush to purchase grain, millet there is far more expensive than in Liangzhou, already reaching over forty cash per dou.

If we keep buying, I fear people from Liangzhou will pass off Liangzhou rice as Ganzhou rice."

Zhang Zhao understood what Cao Wentong meant — Sogdians, when there is money to be made, probably do not have much of a bottom line.

Right now grain prices in Ganzhou were double those in Liangzhou. Before Zhang Zhao had Cao Wantong continue buying Ganzhou grain, the situation had actually already arisen of Liangzhou millet flowing into Ganzhou.

Zhang Zhao's face turned cold, and he looked toward Shen Nianban beside him. "Shen Nianban, you are to immediately draw three hundred cavalry from each unit, along with the village elders and headmen of every county, and the Loyalty-and-Integrity Colonels in the villages will also follow your command, to form an Inspection Regiment.

From this day forward, anyone who dares sell Liangzhou grain to Ganzhou — sell one dou and go to prison; sell ten dou and lose your head; sell fifty dou or more and your whole family is punished by enslavement as herders.

Anyone who dares buy grain locally in Liangzhou and pass it off as Ganzhou grain to sell back — the whole family is beheaded!"

"Yes!" Shen Nianban also stood and answered with a crossed-hand salute.

Zhang Chao thought for a moment, then continued: "The Inspection Regiment is commanded by Shen Nianban, but it must fully heed the opinions of Captain Cao Wantong."

Cao Wantong was immediately overjoyed. The matter of buying up Ganzhou grain had originally been under his direction, and now he had also gained the help of the Inspection Regiment — that meant he immediately held real power!

From Liangzhou to Ganzhou, how many merchants travel west? With this authority in hand, would they not all have to listen to him, Cao Wantong!

Although the matter was indeed somewhat troublesome, and he would offend a few more people, his power had grown greater.

With the discussion concluded, Zhang Zhao sent everyone off to make their separate preparations, waiting only for the spring planting to be completed and grain and fodder to be fully stockpiled before striking Ganzhou again.

For Zhang Zhao, however, the strategy of buying Ganzhou grain at high prices was merely a light command tossed off.

But when it landed on the heads of the Ganzhou Uyghurs, it was no less crushing than Mount Tai bearing down.

Cao Wantong had in fact been conservative — the situation in Ganzhou was even more terrifying than the reports he had received.

Just after the Lantern Festival, millet in Ganzhou soared from nearly fifty cash per dou to sixty cash per dou, and it was still rising.

Because after last autumn's harvest, Liangzhou had frantically bought up Ganzhou grain at prices fifty percent above the market rate.

Moreover, it forcibly ordered merchants of every people coming from Ganzhou to Liangzhou to carry a certain amount of grain before they could pass the Liangzhou customs.

This was utterly vicious! With profit to be made, farmers were naturally willing to sell, and merchants who wanted to pass the customs could only buy up grain with all their might.

By the time Khagan Renyu of Ganzhou reacted, Ganzhou had lost at least a hundred thousand shi of grain over the course of two months.

For the Ganzhou Uyghurs, who numbered only a little over two hundred thousand people, this was absolutely devastating.

Even now, because no matter how high grain prices rose in Ganzhou there were still people buying grain, grain had become a store of value surpassing gold, silver, cloth, and silk.

Thus bandits rose everywhere, horse thieves roamed in all directions, and what they plundered was no longer gold and silver, but grain.

The bandits sold their plundered grain to Liangzhou through various routes. At the same time, Yaoluoge Tongli, who had sought to replace Khagan Renyu in the Battle of Suzhou, had also drifted to the southwest of Ganzhou.

With no way out, he could only pledge loyalty to Zhang Zhao, and through the mountain roads of southwestern Ganzhou he too kept shipping Ganzhou grain to Liangzhou, making Ganzhou's situation even worse.

Under Zhang Zhao's instigation, a brutal economic war was about to reach its climax.

All chapters have been cached for you. Download the APP to view them.