Chapter 992

Duan Yu smiled and waved his hand to interrupt Zuo Feng's words: "I am friends with Eunuch Zuo."

"I don't have many friends, and Eunuch Zuo naturally counts as one."

"And I am not in Luoyang all year round, and I know very little about the news in Luoyang. These naturally have to rely on Eunuch Zuo to remind me."

"Eunuch Zuo is a person close to His Majesty, and I have to rely on Eunuch Zuo a lot."

"Marquis of Ji... Marquis of Ji is too polite," Zuo Feng said excitedly: "Since the Marquis of Ji treats the little one like this, the little one will naturally repay with all his strength."

Duan Yu smiled.

"Let His Majesty and Eunuch Zuo worry in Luoyang."

"Marquis of Ji, His Majesty is still very worried about the Marquis of Ji, but the little one is a bit puzzled, why did the Marquis of Ji let the rumors spread?"

"Marquis of Ji, you don't know, the new Minister of the Masses, Cui Lie, after learning the news of the Marquis of Ji's death in battle, united many public ministers to impeach the Marquis of Ji."

"Saying that the Marquis of Ji implemented the New Policy in Liangzhou, oppressed the people, and made them resentful."

"Also saying that the Marquis of Ji suppressed the Western Qiang tribes, making the Western Qiang tribes and miscellaneous Hu rebel."

"Isn't this clearly talking nonsense."

"The little one came all the way from Luoyang, and what I saw were people actively harvesting in autumn and the rich life of the people."

The Lesser Huangmen Eunuch Zuo Feng said vividly.

Duan Yu just nodded with a light smile.

If he didn't leak the news of his fake death, how would those great clans in Liangzhou dare to jump out?

Although this move seems a bit childish, it is indeed the most effective move.

As for that new Minister of the Masses, Cui Lie...

He didn't take him seriously at all.

Compared to the two old foxes Yuan Kui and Yang Ci, Cui Lie is a bit too young and too anxious.

A Minister of the Masses who spent fifty million coins to take office, if Liu Hong is unhappy one day, or if there is an earthquake somewhere, his time as Minister of the Masses will be over.

The reason he dared to jump out this time is nothing more than the promises and benefits given to him by these great clans in Liangzhou.

It is not urgent to clean up Cui Lie.

Now he is going to clean up those great clans in Liangzhou first.

"Of course, the Marquis of Ji doesn't have to worry about the false accusations of Cui Lie and others. His Majesty still trusts the Marquis of Ji very much."

Duan Yu smiled and nodded: "With these words from Eunuch Zuo, and His Majesty's trust, I have no worries."

"To tell you the truth, I am also about to submit a memorial to His Majesty."

"Regarding some mysteries about the ambush on me at Xiutu Lake, but since Eunuch Zuo is here, that's just right."

"Eunuch Zuo can just bring this message back to Luoyang, and since it is currently the autumn harvest, Eunuch Zuo can also escort the taxes and grain back to Luoyang on the way."

Taxes and grain?

The expression on Zuo Feng's face stiffened.

Although Zuo Feng is not a court official, he is still a close Lesser Huangmen Eunuch by Liu Hong's side.

He knows even more about some government affairs than some ordinary officials.

Speaking of taxes.

Why did a Yellow Turban Rebellion almost exhaust the money and grain that Liu Hong had stored in the West Garden for many years?

It was because the imperial court had no money at all.

In recent years, natural and man-made disasters have continued, and the money and grain taxes collected from various commanderies of the Great Han every year are not enough to maintain the daily expenses of the imperial court.

Natural disasters are because the days are unpredictable, and diseases are rampant.

But man-made disasters...

Almost everyone in the world knows this problem.

But there is no solution.

Natural disasters lead to the grain planted by the people in the fields not being harvested, and in the end, they have to be forced to sell their land cheaply, or even sell themselves as slaves.

After the great clans get the land, they start to hide the population and report false numbers of cultivated land.

In order to avoid taxes.

This is not a strange thing; almost everyone with power and influence is doing this.

And the imperial court is powerless to stop it.

Those local officials are all children of great clans.

Great clans protect their families with officials, intermarry, and shield each other.

The imperial court has no money, but those great clans are all rich, holding a large amount of land and population.

The Central Plains are like this, let alone the border areas thousands of miles away from Luoyang.

Places like Youzhou, Bingzhou, and Yangzhou are already good if they don't need disaster relief from the imperial court every year.

Therefore, when Zuo Feng heard Duan Yu say he wanted to hand over taxes, he was stunned in place.

Duan Yu beckoned to Tie Shitou behind him.

Tie Shitou handed a memorial that had been drafted in advance to Duan Yu.

"Eunuch Zuo, this is the memorial I am submitting to His Majesty."

"Last year, under the New Policy I implemented, the people of Liangzhou were rich."

"According to the census, the population of Liangzhou, excluding the million who moved into Liangzhou last year, is over 600,000."

"According to the poll tax, the population under three years old and over fifty-six years old is about 100,000."

"The poll tax is 120 coins per person per year."

"The total poll tax is 60 million coins."

"However, this is the population of the entire Liangzhou. I have only collected taxes from Longxi, Hanyang, and Jincheng commanderies, which is about 30 million coins."

"Excluding the poll tax, Liangzhou had favorable weather this year. I implemented the production team model New Policy in Hanyang, Jincheng, and Longxi commanderies, reclaimed barren land, and obtained 70,000 shi of surplus grain."

"According to the imperial court's law on tax collection, 10 coins are collected per mu. The three commanderies together have 77 mu of land per household, and the total population of the three commanderies is 300,000, resulting in 6.6 million mu of land."

"According to the imperial court's tax of 10 coins per mu, the tax is 70 million coins."

"70,000 shi of grain and 100 million coins is the tax for the three commanderies of Liangzhou last year."

"Of course, this is not all."

"Last year, I suppressed the Western Qiang tribes and implemented mulberry planting and silkworm raising, obtaining 20,000 bolts of silk. These will all be sent to Luoyang together."

"Eunuch Zuo will escort these back to Luoyang this time, which I think is a great achievement."

"Perhaps His Majesty will be happy and confer the title of Middle Regular Attendant on Eunuch Zuo," Duan Yu said with a smile.

Hearing the series of numbers from Duan Yu's mouth, Zuo Feng was completely stunned as if he had been cast with a freezing spell.

It wasn't until long after Duan Yu's words fell that Zuo Feng reacted.

"Marquis of Ji... the Marquis of Ji is truly a virtuous official of the Great Han. If His Majesty learns of this news, he will surely reward the Marquis of Ji."

"This..."

"The Marquis of Ji lets the little one escort these money and grain back, how dare the little one."

"If there is any change on the road..."

Duan Yu waved his hand with a smile: "Eunuch Zuo, don't worry, I will send a strong army to return to Luoyang with Eunuch Zuo."

Zuo Feng stood up excitedly.

This is a great achievement.

Definitely a great achievement.

Just as Duan Yu said, if the emperor is happy, it is really possible to promote him, and Middle Regular Attendant is not impossible.

"How should the little one thank the Marquis of Ji."

Zuo Feng saluted Duan Yu excitedly: "Marquis of Ji, don't worry, in the future, whenever there is a place where the little one can be used, the little one will never refuse."

"The Marquis of Ji's words, the little one will also convey to His Majesty word for word."

"Eunuch Zuo, sit down first."

Duan Yu waved his hand and continued, "There is indeed a matter regarding the ambush I encountered at Xiutuo Marsh last time that needs to be submitted to Your Majesty."

Duan Yu's gaze turned cold.

The foreshadowing is almost done, and now it is time to use the killing move.

100 million coins, plus 70,000 shi of grain and fodder, and 20,000 bolts of silk.

These are the life-buying money for the ten clans and eight families of Liangzhou!