Chapter 529: Huo Guang's Rivers Flow Forever
In the summer of the fifteenth year of Lingjue, Luo Bai succeeded Zhaogong and the emperor took over the government. There was a severe drought in Guandong, from Qingzhou to Yuzhou. All the counties and states had no harvest, and many people fled. The people could not bear it.
The provincial governors of Qingzhou, Yanzhou, Yuzhou and Xuzhou did not dare to conceal the truth and immediately submitted memorials to the court. The county magistrates and prime ministers of the four states also submitted memorials one after another. At one moment, countless memorials poured towards Chang'an Changle like snowflakes.
"Your Majesty, there are nearly 200,000 refugees gathered in the counties and states of Qingzhou, and the land is full of starving people. The states, counties and states have opened their granaries to release grain, but Qingzhou suffered a disaster last year, and the grain reserves are insufficient."
"In Yuzhou, refugees ate leaves and roots, and whizzed by, very brave. The kings, marquises, and powerful merchants either gave them food to survive or fought each other. The winner got food, and the loser died."
"Your Majesty, Xinzheng City was attacked. I carefully defended the city and killed hundreds of refugees. I am worried that the refugees will take the opportunity to cause chaos. I will lead the private army of the marquisate to resist. If it cannot be stopped within ten days, I will use the golden order to command the officers and soldiers of the county, open the arsenal, and quell the unrest."
Liu She never expected that he would encounter such a major event just after taking power. In the palace, Prime Minister Liu Xiang's face was as gloomy as water. The empress dowager looked at the somewhat panicked emperor and asked in a deep voice: "Where is the general?"
After Huo Guang returned to power, he no longer needed to attend court to handle government affairs, but sometimes the empress dowager and the emperor would send envoys to ask for his opinion, and sometimes they would invite him to the palace.
"The general has arrived!"
"The Grand Minister of Agriculture has arrived!"
The palace's Yulin Guards carried the sedan chair into the hall. Huo Guang's health had been getting worse in recent years, so Luo Qing followed him in. Naturally, he had received information about the situation in Guandong.
He was not only the chief academic officer of the Imperial Academy and the director of the Imperial Observatory, but also the Minister of Agriculture, one of the Nine Ministers, in charge of the empire's grain and military supplies. Nearly a quarter of the money and grain was in his hands. This was a position that Huo Guang had requested him to take.
Seeing Huo Guang coming, the emperor seemed to have found his backbone. When Huo Guang leaned on the seat, he asked directly: "General, Minister of Agriculture, what should we do about the Guandong issue?"
Huo Guang's voice was a little weak, but he said calmly: "Your Majesty, don't worry for the time being. The four clans of Lü, Han, Xiao, and Zhang are stationed in the four states of Qing, Yan, Yu, and Xu. The Luo clan is in Jizhou, and Jizhou has not been affected by the disaster. There will be no chaos in Guandong in the short term. As long as the court can deal with it in time, it will be fine.
But we can't be careless, the people of Guandong are very brave.
He often kills officials for revenge.
Now some kingdoms and marquisates are being attacked by evil people, not by the common people, but it is hard to say what will happen in the future.
You have always had a reputation for kindness, and the people believe that you will save them. They are now waiting for the court to act. Once the court's actions are not to their liking, bandits will soon rise up.
This is what I am worried about. Isn’t this the old story of Emperor Li?
There are only two options to resolve the issue in Guandong now. The first is to close the city tightly, send troops to encircle and suppress it, and wait until there is enough food in Guandong, and then there will be no problem. The second is to transfer grain from Guanzhong, Jizhou and Yangzhou to relieve the difficulties of the four states.
Which path will Your Majesty choose?"
Huo Guang said so much in one breath, but in fact, there was only one way for the emperor. Besides, Liu She was kind and benevolent, so he sighed and said, "The people are all my subjects. They are all waiting for me to save them in Guandong. I have nothing to blame for letting them die. Naturally, I will do my best to save them."
Several people in the hall nodded, and Luo Qing began to calculate how much food and supplies could be allocated from the treasury. Huo Guang said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty is kind and benevolent. This is a blessing for all the people in the world.
But disaster relief cannot be accomplished by just talking. Those cunning and evil clerks will certainly eat as much as they can, even at the risk of being beheaded by the court and being retaliated by the people!
For every dan of grain allocated by the court, eight percent ends up in the stomachs of the people, while 20 percent, or even none at all, depends on supervision.
The disaster this time was too severe, involving a vast territory, a large population, and important cities. If an accident occurred, it would almost shake the Han Dynasty.
Emperor Xiaoxuan's restoration and your eternal reputation depend on this. I really cannot help but worry.
I am worried about other people going, so I request to go to Guandong myself.
It is useless for me to stay in Chang'an. The only thing I can do now is to use the prestige I have accumulated over the past decade to intimidate the villains.
Please, Your Majesty and the Queen Mother, agree!"
The emperor and the empress dowager looked at each other in bewilderment. Just as they were about to refuse, Huo Guang asked Luo Qing again, "Cousin, are you willing to follow me to Guandong?"
The Luo family was a local tyrant, and he needed Luo's assistance. When the emperor saw this, he knew Huo Guang had made up his mind, and he could only weep and say, "General, you must take care of yourself.
I also want to build a tall tower in Chang'an, and name it Qilin, where I will include the important ministers of Emperor Xiaoxuan's reign. On the day of completion, I want the general to open the foundation with me!"
Huo Guang's originally somewhat limp body suddenly straightened up, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, he held Liu She's hand tightly, everything was self-evident.
…
"Zi Meng, your body is already exhausted. I'm afraid you won't be able to return to Chang'an."
Huo Guang sat up, there was endless light in his eyes, and his whole body was emitting a kind of brilliance. Looking at the palace walls on both sides that were constantly receding, there seemed to be a trace of attachment in his eyes.
"My cousin, everyone will die one day in this life. Some people die like weeds on the roadside, and no one cares.
When some people die, the whole world mourns for them, just like King Luo Wen and Emperor Xiao Wen in the past. It has been almost a hundred years, but the people of the Han Dynasty still remember them.
"Cousin, you are a member of the Luo family. I have always been curious about how the Luo family views a saint like King Luo Wen."
Luo Qing was startled when he heard this, then he slowly said: “Of course I yearn for it, and it’s no different from those outside the Luo family.
It's just that the Luo family's pursuit of this aspect emphasizes following one's heart and letting things take their own course. King Luo Wen's status and position were all created by chance. Even King Zhaosheng didn't have such an opportunity. We can't envy it. "
Huo Guang smiled and said, "Yes.
Because of my father's contribution in the Jingnan Campaign, I was able to enter the Imperial Palace. Later, I gained the trust of Your Majesty and served as a close minister for twenty years. How could I have imagined that I would be in my current position?
But in the end I have come to this point. This is the chance and coincidence bestowed upon me by God. My reputation will be engraved on the high mountains and in the surging rivers.
The reputations of all people in the world have been annihilated, but I am like an eternal river!"
Your body and name will be destroyed, but the rivers and mountains will flow forever!
"Well, let me accompany you to Kanto. Don't let the people of Kanto suffer any more."
Luo Qing was somewhat shocked by Huo Guang's ambition and great wish, and then he sighed leisurely. Huo Guang smiled and said, "Thank you, cousin."
…
The problem in Guandong is indeed serious. Just as Huo Guang said, the four prefectures and counties where the drought broke out are basically the core areas of Guandong.
The population living in the four states is simply too large. Once they rebel against the imperial court, it will not be possible to quell the rebellion in a short period of time, and the events of the last years of Emperor Li may even repeat themselves.
But it’s not that serious to say the least.
Because Liu Xun abolished Liu Dan's "Serious Crimes Order", counties and states that were affected by famine and caused banditry could report directly to the court, and as long as the man-made disasters were not serious, they would all be pardoned.
This was an improvement made by Liu Xun after he had learned from the lessons learned during the reign of Emperor Li, when officials below him covered up matters and dared not report them. Therefore, the court was quickly informed of the situation in Guandong this time.
The court system between the various states and counties in the entire Guandong region has not collapsed yet. The princes and fiefdoms are trying their best to maintain order in the cities and their surrounding areas, and large-scale riots have not yet occurred.
Although the number of refugees is increasing, it is still under control. Most of the powerful people directly pay for their food to keep the refugees alive to a minimum.
After all, refugees will never watch themselves starve to death, nor will they ask the government for food. Given the style of the people in Guandong, if the government and the wealthy do not give them food, they will just fight for it.
A classic saying that has spread across the land of Kanto is, "If you don't let me live, then no one else will live!"
The people are tough!
Huo Guang came here to prevent the people and the government from being in conflict, and to prevent certain evil officials and powerful people from taking advantage of the disaster and the power of the court to create hatred between the people and the court.
There are too many such things. The tax rates in all dynasties were not high, but there were too many levies and miscellaneous taxes. Most of the money was pocketed by local tyrants and officials, but in the end, the hatred fell on the imperial court.
This time, Huo Guang wanted to distribute the food directly into the stomachs of every disaster victim. Whoever dared to stop him would have his family killed.
It is imperative that all disaster victims in Kanto feel the emperor’s grace and return to farming, doing handicrafts, and doing business in peace.
A huge convoy appeared in Kanto in a mighty manner. All those who had grain in Kanto were summoned and purchased grain from merchants and powerful families according to the grain prices of previous years.
If someone hoards items in front of Huo Guang, it means he wants to get tickets to the Three Clans Match 3 game.
Coupled with the grain transported from the counties and states of Jizhou, the civil unrest in the four states was quickly suppressed.
————
Huo Guang, Marquis of Bowang Wulie, was the grandson of Marquis of Guanjun Jinghuan. He was born into a family of marquis, but he did not like reading when he was young, and he inherited his grandfather's style of not seeking to understand everything.
In the Jingnan Campaign, Guan Jun Pinglie Hou made great contributions and was recommended as a talented person and appointed as a Lang. Emperor Xiaoxuan loved him and promoted him to Shizhong, serving in the inner court.
Guang was cautious by nature, taciturn, courageous and insightful. After Emperor Xiaoxuan's death, Guang assisted in the establishment of the Han Dynasty, continued the imperial cause, and ensured the revival of the Han Dynasty.
When he returned to power, his reputation grew even higher, and people of his time called him the second best after King Wen.
At that time, there was a change in Guandong, and Guang was often ill. His carriage went to Yu and Yan, and his horse went to Qing and Xu. People from the four states, countries, and counties came to pay him a visit, and they all looked up to him. This shows Guang's reputation.
After the four states were settled and the people were at peace, Guang could not bear his fate and passed away in Heluo. The whole country was shocked and people came to see him off in an endless stream.
The emperor cried bitterly.
Wu Lie is majestic, like Mount Tai, like a river! - "Book of Han: Biography of Marquis Bowang"
(End of this chapter)
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