Chapter 605 [Three Updates]
Liu Tan looked at Dou Sibo seriously, and after noticing no trace of joking on his face, he asked, "It's been three months. Why hasn't Chang'an received any news?"
Dou Sibo's expressionless face rarely showed a trace of emotion, a look difficult to describe. He bowed and said, "Before the Liaodong prefect died in the city, he sent someone to report the situation, but the messenger died suddenly before he could even leave Yan State. After a while, the Liaoxi prefect, worried about the dangers of losing one's teeth, also sent someone to Chang'an to report the situation. However, the messenger was killed by bandits. He then sent someone else, but on the way out of the city, the horse was injured by a wasp and went berserk, throwing the messenger to the ground and breaking his neck. After that... no one dared to go anymore."
Liu Tan: ???
He sat there for a while and didn't know what to say. Considering the current level of superstition, most people would probably think that Liaodong's return to Wuhuan was destiny, right?
This is a bit too evil.
He lowered his eyes and said, "I never believe in coincidences. Too much coincidence usually means someone has done something wrong."
Dou Sibo immediately turned to look at the Liaoxi County Governor. The Liaoxi County Governor's face turned pale, and he knelt on the ground and said, "Your Highness, please understand. I would not dare to deceive Your Majesty even if I had a hundred guts."
Liu Tan raised his hand and said to him, "Get up! It's not necessarily your fault. The State of Yan... is like a sieve right now."
Everyone lowered their heads. Among them, only Dou Sibo was the most innocent and blameless, because he had just taken office as the Prime Minister of Yan State not long ago.
Even if the others had been dismissed from their official positions before, they were the ones who managed the State of Yan before.
It took time for the State of Yan to become what it is today.
Liu Tan turned to Miao Rui and said, "Send a letter to the Emperor, explaining the situation in Liaodong."
Miao Rui immediately bowed and went to make arrangements. Liu Tan turned to glance at the hapless officials and said, "With Yan State in this state, nothing I say will help. I only hope that you will all work together with me to clean up the world and restore peace to Yan State."
All the officials immediately expressed their loyalty. What they were worried about was that His Royal Highness the King of the Northern Territory would come and deal with them after learning about the situation in Yan State.
This kind of thing has happened before. When this man first arrived in the Northern Border Kingdom, he was only fifteen years old and killed a county governor.
Now that he is getting older and more mature, who knows how he will deal with them?
However, what surprised them was that Liu Tan did not seem angry at all.
In fact, Liu Tan was not that angry. Perhaps it was because he had already understood how bad the Yan State was before he came. Since it had become so bad, he would not react too much no matter what happened next.
As for these county governors, they really have no ability. According to Liu Tan's standards, every one of them should be thrown into jail.
But Liu Tan chose them in the first place because these people knew Yan State well enough, and now Liu Tan needs such people.
Moreover, Yan State was only under his jurisdiction temporarily. Liu Tan did not intend to make too much trouble in Yan State. What he needed to do was to improve the defense line here, and then try his best to form a friendly alliance or even a strategic partnership between Yan State and Northern Border State. In the future, even if Liu Ku grew up, he would be able to take over quickly and the two sides would help each other.
As for providing livelihoods for the people here...it depends on the opportunity. If there is an opportunity, Liu Tan doesn't mind giving a hand, but if there is no good opportunity, he won't force it.
After resting for a night in Zhuo County, Liu Tan arrived in Jicheng accompanied by officials.
To be honest, Liu Tan, who had seemed very calm along the way, was rarely surprised when he saw Jicheng.
He knew that the situation in Yan was not good, but Jicheng was the capital after all, right? Even if Yan was destroyed for a few years, it was impossible for the capital of a country to become so destitute in just a few years, right?
Of course, if you say it is very dilapidated... Jicheng is not really that bad, at least it is much better than Zhuo County, Yuyang County and other counties that Liu Tan saw along the way.
It’s just that I don’t deserve the identity of the capital.
When Liu Tan entered the city, he found that the entire Jicheng was very quiet and there was no one on the streets.
Liu Tan couldn't help but turn around and ask, "Why is there no one here in broad daylight?"
The Jijun prefect immediately stepped forward and said with an apologetic smile, "Your Highness is so noble and precious, how could these poor people even look at him? They are hiding from him out of shame."
Before Liu Tan could say anything, he heard someone snort next to him. He looked over and found that it was Dou Sibo who was riding a horse in front of him.
It was obvious that Dou Sibo was very dissatisfied with the governor of Ji County.
Liu Tan laughed and said, "Did Liu Dan travel like this before?"
The Ji County Magistrate replied, "That's right."
Liu Tan nodded. This Liu Dan had no ability, but he was very pompous. Even when Emperor Wu of Han was traveling, he never asked the people to go home or escape. At most, he would clear a path, but he did not forbid the people from kneeling on both sides of the road.
Liu Dan was even more arrogant than the emperor.
As they walked along, Liu Tan's expression gradually became subtle.
He felt... maybe he should retract his previous thoughts, Jicheng... might not be in such a bad state.
He just felt desolate because he passed through the civilian area, but once he passed the east-west road in the city center, the whole city became completely different.
There are exquisite houses and clean and tidy streets here. There are some people walking on the roadside, and even some vendors - these vendors are well dressed.
Liu Tan asked with a slight puzzlement, "This place seems very different from before."
The Ji County Magistrate replied, "Your Highness, we just passed through the outer city, and now we have entered the inner city. In fact, the inner city also has a road leading to the outside of the city. Your Highness can use the inner city in the future."
The prefect of Ji County glanced at Dou Sibo as he spoke, and his meaning was very clear: this routine was arranged by the Prime Minister of Yan State.
Liu Tan felt that Dou Sibo was not completely without ideas. In this respect, what he did was very much to Liu Tan's liking.
After entering the inner city and walking for about a quarter of an hour, Liu Tan finally heard Miao Rui say, "Your Highness, we have arrived at the palace."
Just now, Liu Tan observed the houses of the residents of Jicheng along the way. Not to mention the civilians, in Liu Tan's eyes, those houses could not be called houses at all. They were all covered with yellow mud, and some were even just thatched houses without even yellow mud.
To be honest, Liu Tan rarely sees such houses. He saw some when he first arrived in the Northern Border. Later, as he got more and more things, the labor force in the Northern Border has never been insufficient, but never excessive. In addition, Liu Tan consciously arranges various recruitments during the slack season. It can be said that in the Northern Border, as long as you are willing to work hard, you will definitely have food, clothing and a house to live in.
However, he could not ask for too much in the current situation of Yan State. But he never expected that the capital of Yan State was not very good, at least the civilians were not very good, but the palace of the King of Yan was very luxurious.
Liu Tan knew at a glance that Liu Dan must have added to or rebuilt the palace, and the main hall of the palace was even comparable in height to the Weiyang Palace.
This is absolutely not allowed in the Han Dynasty.
After entering, there is a corridor every three steps and a scene every five steps. It has to be said that Liu Dan's aesthetic taste is still good. Even though the palace has become a little dilapidated because no one has lived in it for several years, the overall effect is still there.
After Liu Tan walked into the main hall, he found that there was a layer of gold foil on each pillar of the main hall.
He sat on the throne, surveyed the area, and then smiled, "It seems the Kingdom of Yan... doesn't seem like I need to worry. It's at least richer than the Northern Kingdom. I haven't even used gold foil on the pillars of the palace, but the King of Yan actually has the financial resources to do so. He's truly extraordinary."
A group of people standing below were sweating profusely after hearing what he said.
The excitement of being reinstated had begun to fade, and these people began to break out in cold sweats on their backs, as if they had suddenly remembered that the King of the North never kept corrupt officials.
Of course, Dou Sibo is not among these people.
Liu Tan was also very clear about these people's situation and said directly, "I won't waste any more time on nonsense. I hope you won't repeat the things you did before. If I find out, it will be more than just dismissal."
Everyone immediately knelt in response, and Liu Tan added, "Oh, by the way, don't think you can escape just because you're far from the royal city. No one in this world can hide what I want to know from me."
Everyone was shocked for a moment, and couldn't help but think of this person's divine personality. They were a little hesitant for a moment. Could it be that... those were all true?
Liu Tan turned to look at Dou Sibo. "I don't know how Yan State was governed in the past, nor do I want to know. From today on, everything in Yan State will be as close to that of Northern Border State as possible. Here are the administrative documents from Northern Border State. Take them back and read them. If you have any questions, you can ask. However, I will not accept any objections. If you feel you are not qualified, please speak up and I will let you go."
Everyone: ...
They had thought that His Royal Highness the King of the North was very amiable and easy to talk to, but they didn't expect that it was because he hadn't shown his fangs before.
However, after hearing what Liu Tan said, Dou Sibo felt relieved. He had been worried about the situation in Yan State before. The political system in Yan State before... was no different from non-existent. From the princes to the court, they basically ignored the suffering of the people.
The climate in Yan State is extremely cold, and there are snowstorms every winter, which leave a large number of victims homeless. If it were to happen in other places, even if there were no better solutions, they would do their best to deal with it.
However, the prime minister of Yan State let it go, and as for the King of Yan... the prime minister didn't listen to him anyway.
When Dou Sibo discovered that tens of thousands of people died in snow disasters every year in Yan State, he was furious.
Judging from this incident, it is not unfair that the State of Yan was attacked from top to bottom.
But when he first arrived here, he felt like he was stuck in a quagmire - these people knew each other so well that they could even form an invisible alliance.
Dou Sibo was indeed the prime minister, but the position of prime minister that was sidelined was just an empty title.
Now that he saw the Northern King's tough measures, he relaxed a little, but... he didn't know how much effect the Northern King's toughness would have.
Dou Sibo did not have much confidence in Liu Tan. After returning, he first studied the proposal document given to him by Liu Tan. After reading it, he could not help but sigh that it was no accident that the Northern Border Kingdom could develop to this point. At least the county governor had to be evaluated every year and submit files. Such measures were enough to restrain those county governors from acting recklessly.
I just don’t know if the King of the Northern Territory’s tricks will still work in Yan State?
Soon, Liu Tan told him with facts that it had to be done even if it was impossible!
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