Chapter 39 Hope
It was entirely expected that Dengxiang would be singled out.
At this moment, in the main hall of the government office, Prefect Su sat upright, flanked by Scholar Fei and Clerk Zhu.
Sitting below them were Wu Shanyue, Wu Husi, and Lao Du, the deputy head of the Husi.
The other nine people in charge of household affairs all answered in response.
Looking at Deng Xiang's expression, everyone secretly rejoiced.
Fortunately, they didn't cause trouble for Su Qing back then, otherwise they would be suffering now.
Deng Xiang answered cautiously, making sure his answers were correct and that the new prefect would not find any mistakes.
Su Qing listened attentively.
She has been in the prefectural city for six days and has become familiar with everything she needs to be.
I have a general understanding of the situation regarding the three shifts and six rooms.
To her surprise, the previous prefect hadn't done nothing during that year.
Most of the officials in the government offices who did nothing were either dismissed or demoted by him; those who remained were all capable.
However, that's where it ends.
Because the most important tax revenue is still a complete mess.
For example, the accounts for this house.
The prefect before him, the one who fled at the very beginning of the war.
Under his rule, the situation in Guangyue Prefecture was not good. First, there was a severe drought, then bandits rose up everywhere, and finally, war broke out.
For several years, tax revenue was consistently insufficient to cover expenses, and the country even owed the imperial court money.
That's how it appears on the surface, but whether there's anything fishy going on is anyone's guess.
The previous official, Lord Zhao, only said that various documents had been stolen, and there was no way to verify it.
As for Lord Zhao, it's clear he's trying his best to salvage the situation, but to no avail.
However, at the end of last year, he seemed to have found a lifeline and encouraged various places to follow Nanjiang County in planting medicinal herbs.
Of course, this also led to problems such as an overabundance of medicinal herbs and a shortage of farmland.
The current high grain prices are partly his fault.
In summary...
The previous prefect was bad.
The previous prefect was stupid.
After several years of turmoil, the mess ended up in Su Qing's hands.
Deng Xiang continued, "Guangyue Prefecture has one city and seventeen counties, and each county is divided into three grades: upper, middle and lower."
The prefecture they live in must be Guang Le City.
The main tax revenue comes from port freight, various trades, and the various fruit trees planted in the surrounding area. There is also farmland, but it does not account for the majority of the income.
There are three counties in the upper part of the county, the two counties to the left and right of Guangle City, with tens of thousands of acres of fertile land and a population of over 300,000 in each.
The third county is definitely Nanjiang County. Now it relies on grain and medicinal herbs, and freight transportation is also gradually increasing. The population is now 260,000.
There are ten counties in the central region, which are mainly engaged in farming. Most of them cannot be self-sufficient, let alone pay taxes.
The remaining four counties are Jiangbei County, Jiangwu County, Shangkou County, and Yisong County.
These are places that everyone is already very familiar with.
The soldiers stationed in Jiangbei County have never been able to develop and their situation is extremely poor.
The last three were previously in the hands of the rebels and were severely exploited; they were only taken back last year.
The worst situation is definitely in Yisong County, where 60,000 troops are currently guarding the outskirts of the county.
The income of Zhongxian County is not even enough to cover its own profits and losses.
The situation in the lower counties will only get worse.
While learning about these circumstances, Su Qing unexpectedly learned something.
When the general was still in Yisong County, he mentioned transferring her to be the county magistrate.
They probably wanted her to be in charge of frontline logistics.
Unexpectedly, due to the mutiny in the capital, the general changed his mind and appointed her directly as the prefect, in charge of the affairs of the prefecture.
Okay, okay.
All I did was take one of his calligraphy practice books.
Is this how it's used?
Should we thank him for respecting us?
Su Qing was too lazy to think about it anymore, and nodded slightly to Deng Xiang: "Not bad, the situation in each county is explained very clearly."
This finally allowed Dengxiang to catch his breath and begin to summarize the situation of their government office.
"Because apart from our prefectural city and the three upper counties, other places can't pay taxes, so they can only keep the prefectural government running."
"Last year, the imperial court exempted our Guangyue Prefecture from taxes, but I'm afraid that won't be the case this year."
"Moreover, as you know, those 60,000 troops are still waiting for logistical supplies. The supplies originally intended for them have been moved to the outskirts of Beijing. Only our Guangyue Prefecture can provide them."
The more he spoke, the lower everyone's heads drooped.
On the contrary, the group that Su Qing brought seemed to be mentally prepared for this and did not appear as frustrated.
After Deng Xiang returned to his position, the main hall was completely silent.
Everyone was waiting for Prefect Su to speak.
Everyone knows the situation in Nanjiang County.
What methods will Prefect Su use to increase tax revenue?
Seeing their expectant faces, Su Qing smiled helplessly and said, "The autumn harvest is just around the corner, and I need you to go on a business trip."
On business trip?
The officials looked at each other in bewilderment.
Another group of people arrived outside the door; it was Wei Lisi and his staff from the Lisi Bureau.
It's very simple.
The officials in charge of personnel and the officials in charge of household registration went together to check on the situation in the counties below.
Investigate only one thing.
The situation regarding farmland in various regions, including whether there is any concealment of farmland or population, etc.
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.
To put it bluntly, it's about investigating the issue of land consolidation.
Will the counties below agree?!
Even if the county magistrate cooperates, will the local wealthy and powerful families cooperate?
If things go wrong, you could lose your life here!
Not to mention the grim expressions on the faces of the officials in charge of household registration, do you think the expressions on the faces of the officials in charge of personnel are any better?
Audit the accounts and investigate the land taxes.
It has always been a deadly job.
They thought Prefect Su had some good ideas for generating revenue.
I never expected him to do something like this!
Su Qing remained unconcerned about the crowd's anger.
To reiterate, these people are hoping she'll come up with a new method, like in Nanjiang County, where she conjured up a way to grow medicinal herbs out of thin air.
This would help fill the local deficit.
As for the land annexation problem accelerated by war, it's best to pretend you don't see it.
To put it bluntly.
Whether it was the head of the Guangyue Prefecture Household Department or the departed Lord Zhao, it was all a matter of fact.
How could they not know the real reason why the counties couldn't collect taxes?
This is mostly because the land was concealed by wealthy landowners in various regions who refused to pay land taxes.
This kind of thing has happened throughout history.
Like an elephant in a house, everyone pretends not to see it.
After all, if it's really going to be touched, everyone should think it over carefully and consider whether they have the right to do it.
They are unwilling to do things that require both mental and physical effort.
Du, the deputy head of the household affairs office, stood up, frowned, and said, "Is this the method you came up with, sir?"
"Isn't this a bit too hasty?"
"The matter of surveying farmland should be handled with caution."
It's not that we don't want to investigate, but we can't rush things like this.
Lord Zhao hasn't been able to take any action all year; aren't you being too hasty?
Su Qing tapped the table and said with a smile, "Investigating land taxes and clearing up land are the very foundation of the government office."
"If these things are not investigated, then Guangyuefu is truly an empty shell."
Su Qing looked at the officials in charge of household registration and personnel and asked directly, "Except for the three upper counties and Yisong County, which has a garrison."
“The remaining ten medium-sized counties and three lower-sized counties will require the dispatch of three separate teams.”
Su Qing directly called out the names: two people from the Household Department and two people from the Personnel Department, forming the first group.
By the time the third group was called, some people couldn't hold back any longer.
"My lord! Even if we are just servants, we should not be ordered around like this."
"You should also ask us if we agree."
Upon hearing this, others chimed in, saying, "Which of those wealthy landowners are easy to deal with? Investigating their land holdings is far too difficult."
"Their guards and hunting dogs are extremely fierce, sir, you have no idea."
At this point, some people realized how the current Prefect Su became the Chief Clerk Su back then.
Back then, she had to fight with the local tycoons to subdue the local gentry, Wang, and prevent her subordinates from causing trouble.
Doesn't she know the methods of the local gentry and wealthy families?
She knows.
But she forced everyone to deal with them.
Once everyone had shut up, Su Qing's eyes swept coldly over the people in front of her.
It is said that the quality of a general determines the quality of his soldiers.
It goes without saying what kind of people she trained.
The people brought out by Lord Zhao have one thing in common.
weak.
This is both a disadvantage and a advantage.
Su Qing ignored them and continued, "The three groups have been divided up."
"Now is a good time to investigate the case while the autumn tax is being collected."
"Ten medium-sized counties and three low-lying counties, it's hard to categorize them all."
"Therefore, the first two who receive the orders can choose to take charge of four counties."
"The last group can only cover the remaining five counties."
These words were spoken.
The three groups of people were dumbfounded.
Deng Xiang immediately jumped out: "Me, our group will select these four counties."
Deng Xiang gave his group members a meaningful look, urging them to quickly agree.
Don't you all know how capable Su Qing is?
She did what she said she would do.
Moreover, the four counties I chose were in better condition and not very dangerous.
One person took the lead.
The others barely managed to keep up.
The remaining two groups also had members who stepped forward to take on the task.
What can I do if I don't accept it?
Magistrate Su was clearly trying to intimidate everyone.
Disobeying is definitely not acceptable.
As for how well he does this job, that's up to fate.
Su Qing naturally knew what they were thinking and nodded to Wei Lifang.
Wei Lifang said, "The Ministry of Personnel will evaluate how well this official mission was carried out."
"Once the autumn tax is paid, the prefect will have his own judgment."
The three groups not only have to investigate the case, but also compete with each other.
Such strictness is not a job for a human being.
Or should I resign from this damn official position?
That's what I was thinking, but anyone who could give up this official position would have run away long ago; who would still be here now?
Everyone could only grit their teeth and accept the order.
I used to just coast along, but now I have to actually do official business.
Most people were secretly complaining.
Unexpectedly, Prefect Su spoke up again: "Everyone doesn't need to worry about safety."
“I have a good relationship with the military and have already written to Lian Feiyang, the company commander.”
"This land survey is only to help the garrison procure food. If anyone tries to obstruct it, the local garrison soldiers will not allow it."
It's no secret that Su Qing has good relationships with the military.
Everyone knows how many wounded soldiers she saved when she was in Nanjiang County.
They even had a dispute with the government office in order to treat them.
Therefore, when she was in danger, she was willing to help even wounded soldiers.
Now, in order to ensure the logistical support for the soldiers, she is surveying the conditions of fields in various places.
Will the military support this?!
The answer is yes.
To put their minds at ease, Su Qing took out Lian Feiyang's letter and had everyone read it.
Lian Feiyang lived up to his name, writing letters with unrestrained abandon, even stating that he would write to the garrison commanders of more than a dozen counties.
Out of respect for him, everyone will ensure the safety of the investigating officials.
Even Fei Yang said so.
Every county will give this face.
Otherwise, if you really cause trouble, the military might ignore you now.
When danger comes, they will be the first to perish.
The most terrifying thing is a sword that is left hanging in the balance.
But there are real weapons in the military.
"It turns out that Lord Su was prepared all along."
"No wonder, we are really stupid."
"The commander had a perfect plan, so I feel much more at ease now."
Deng Xiang and the others wiped the sweat from their brows, subconsciously thinking, "As expected of Su Qing, she's truly formidable."
Su Qing continued, "If this succeeds, Guangyue Prefecture can also send tax revenue to Jinling."
"The imperial court is temporarily residing in Jinling, which is precisely the time when it needs to spend money."
"It is said that it is easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. I believe that His Majesty will remember your filial piety."
He slapped her.
Safety is also guaranteed.
What we need now is a sweet date.
yes.
If they do their job well, the Emperor will definitely remember it.
I heard that Prefect Su's fiancé is a very popular figure in the Jinling court.
Even the great Confucian scholars of Binaru were eloquent and persuasive.
If we can please them.
What about the future?
The scene was instantly filled with excitement.
Whether they genuinely wanted to do something or were lured by profit, they finally became happy.
As they were leaving, Clerk Luo couldn't help but whisper, "Sir, are they sure they can handle it?"
Su Qing smiled: "You can doubt their intentions, but you can't doubt their abilities."
Having navigated the officialdom for so long, who doesn't have a few hundred schemes in their mind?
Some things are not a matter of whether you can do them, but whether you want to do them.
Besides, things are already this bad in every place, so what if they get even worse?
Taking a step forward is a gain in itself.
To put it bluntly, even if a few of them were to die, it might not necessarily be a bad thing for her.
Su Qing sent people out.
The counties below were in a state of panic.
They know that a new broom sweeps clean.
Who would have thought it would burn like this?
The new prefect has just taken office and, instead of caring about anything else, he comes to inspect the fields?
The expressions of the county magistrates varied, but those who had nothing to hide were actually extremely welcoming.
Those who collude with local authorities each harbor their own ulterior motives.
However, the officials sent to investigate had a vested interest in the military, so no one dared to touch them.
No matter what, we'll have to bleed a little.
Documents were submitted daily detailing how they dealt with local gentry and bullies.
Su Qing will help if she can, and will not hesitate to offer advice if she can. The rest is just to wait and see.
As for the three upper counties that did not send officials, as well as Yisong County where the garrison was located, they were not ignored.
"Scholar Fei and Clerk Zhu, you two go to the left and right counties."
"Registration Officer Luo, I need you to make a trip to Yisong County in person."
For the last county, Nanjiang, Su Qing sent Lao Du, the deputy head of the Household Department.
Old Du was somewhat surprised.
Own?
Go to Prefect Su's territory?
What can be found?
Su Qing is nearly fifty years old and the head of the household affairs office, Lao Du, is very capable, but he is worn down by his job and has lost his ambition.
She doesn't care about ambition; if you have the ability, you should work hard.
"Please feel free to check. If there are any omissions, just point them out."
Su Qing was assigning tasks, which was also a way of currying favor with Lao Du.
Let this subordinate know that since she dared to let someone investigate, she wasn't afraid of making a mistake.
Only by doing things well yourself can you gain the trust of others.
By August 20th, news of Su Qing's first task after taking office at Guangyue Prefecture spread not only throughout Guangyue Prefecture but also to Jinling.
Such radical methods have drawn the attention of many.
Most officials are unwilling to deal with things like investigating land taxes.
Even though everyone knows that this is a recipe for disaster, they are still unwilling to do it.
The potential profits are too great; why offend people for this?
This sparked strong reactions from various families in Jiangnan, who submitted memorials criticizing the move.
They said that women were indeed not suited to be officials, and so on.
He had assumed that once these words were spoken, the gentry of the capital would surely oppose them.
Every family has its share of messy debts.
If people like Su Qing are allowed to rise to power, we're all doomed.
But the gentry of the capital hesitated and refused to say more.
Soon, the gentry of Jiangnan understood.
Their own land is still there.
But the lands of the gentry in the capital are no longer in their hands.
They were all desperately poor and were hoping that officials like Su Qing would collect more money from the local areas so they could send it over.
Even Su Qing himself said that once they had thoroughly investigated the land in Guangyue Prefecture, they could send silver to Jinling and to the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
That's a vulgar way to put it.
But who doesn't need money in this world?
Anyway, the Emperor and Empress Dowager knew about this, so they suppressed the impeachment against Su Qing.
The commotion in Jinling has nothing to do with Guangyuefu.
Su Qing would at most convey the Emperor's attitude to the people who went out on their missions, in order to encourage them.
By the end of August, reports on the situation in various places under the jurisdiction of Guangyue Prefecture were being sent back one after another.
First, there were the two counties on the left and right, because they were very close to the capital, so there was not much to check in their accounts.
Everyone's hands are clean, so no major mistakes can be found.
Especially in the prefectural city and the Hua family, which has many industries in the left and right counties, it can be described as "clean and tidy," at least on the surface.
Old Du from the household office also returned from Nanjiang County.
He and his men had extremely mixed feelings throughout the journey.
Because Nanjiang County is genuinely clean, not just pretending.
The people lived in peace and contentment, and the port's commerce was safe and stable.
If he were to retire, he would likely choose to live out his remaining years in Nanjiang County.
Even this year's tax revenue remains the highest in Guangyue Prefecture, and that's after deducting the cost of treating wounded soldiers.
Upon their return, Lao Du and his men held Prefect Su in high esteem.
When these words reached the ears of other departments, they inevitably sparked further discussion.
Of those ten medium-sized counties, three were lower-sized counties.
The situation is much more complicated.
There were many battles of wits and courage, and even life-or-death struggles.
Although the results varied, many instances of land consolidation were cleaned up and some unreasonable transactions were reversed.
Overall, the people are pleased.
Su Qing also selected a few capable and thoughtful individuals from among them, and upon their return, they were promoted and given important responsibilities.
In the final Yisong County, after Luo, the registrar, returned, he only told Su Qing about the situation; the others didn't need to know.
There are troops stationed there, making the situation unusual.
This major undertaking has indeed been very effective.
This year's tax revenue is significantly higher than in previous years, totaling a staggering 760,000 taels of silver.
Compared to before the war, it is definitely not as good.
But the situation is significantly better than it was two years ago.
However, Deng Xiang, who had just returned from the lower area, clearly sensed that something was amiss.
Before they left, did the people in the government office really listen to Su Qing like that?
How come in less than half a month, everyone in the three shifts and six rooms is obeying orders?
Besides the men Su Qing brought with him, he even had other trusted confidants?
Deng Xiang broke out in a cold sweat.
He wasn't the only one who discovered this.
Du, the deputy head of the household affairs office, sat in his seat and said in a low voice, "Divide it up."
Of the three departments and six offices, the most important are the Household Registration Office and the Personnel Office.
When Su Qing arrived, he first arranged for his own people to join the team, and then assigned them an extremely difficult task.
Whether it works or not, the person has already left.
The remaining people could naturally be used by her.
This is not a survey of fields in various places.
This was clearly killing two birds with one stone, and incidentally subduing the local people.
They used the autumn tax collection to figure out who was in charge of the government office and promote those they could use.
This action, though seemingly radical, actually took less than a month.
They can manipulate everyone at will.
So, it seems that raising local land taxes was just a side effect?!
wrong.
Old Du frowned; it wasn't just a side effect.
Just look at the situation in Nanjiang County to understand.
Su Qing's purpose in taking power was for the sake of the people.
"I'm a little curious, what will you do next? Why are you in such a hurry to take control of the government office?" Old Du's eyes flashed with a sharp light, as if he had become more alert, but also more puzzled.
At this moment, Su Qing looked at the 760,000 taels of tax silver from Guangyue Prefecture.
Then look at the documents from various places that demand money.
“Everything costs money,” Fei Xiucai complained. “Jiangbei County, Jiangwu County, Shangkou County, and Yisong County all need to build city walls and request funding.”
"There are still several counties where the river embankments need to be repaired."
"The city walls and official roads of the prefecture are also dilapidated and need to be repaired."
"Even the official schools said that the buildings had collapsed and that they were continuing to repair them."
Su Qing listened to his complaints, looked up and smiled, "Go on."
Scholar Fei gritted his teeth: "The imperial court in Jinling also needs money."
At this time, there were only Su Qing, Fei Xiucai, and Zhu Shuli.
Seeing his audacity, the clerk quickly warned him, "Don't talk nonsense."
“We’re all on the same side, what’s there to be afraid of?” Fei Xiucai couldn’t help but say. “Lord Su, why don’t you talk to Gu Juren and ask him to plead with the Emperor on our behalf?”
"Our Guangyue Prefecture doesn't even have enough money to spend, and the clerk from the army is about to arrive."
"There really isn't much money."
Su Qing shook her head and said, "It's not easy for Scholar Gu."
He faced a lot of pressure, and although it wasn't mentioned in the letter, he couldn't pretend he didn't know.
Regardless of whether the money from Jinling is given or not, we must not let Gu Congsi say too much, otherwise it will only harm him.
However, this letter made Su Qing realize something.
Have Professor Gu and his wife not sent the letter of annulment yet?
Otherwise, why would the letter mention that it bought her two nice pieces of jewelry?
According to Su Qing, weren't the Gu couple already hoping to annul the engagement?
The higher their official rank, the more they wanted to annul the engagement.
Su Qing had a headache and stuffed the letter at the bottom: "When will the military official arrive? Is there any news?"
The clerk immediately replied, "Eunuch Qi will arrive tomorrow."
The various expenses that Scholar Fei just mentioned are simply insignificant compared to the logistics of the army.
Only when the palace officials arrive can they plan where to spend this year's tax revenue.
But it's obvious.
This amount of money is nothing.
Su Qing felt her head was hurting even more. The clerks in Jinling were not only not helpful, but were actually making things worse.
Speaking of which, the general has already arrived in the outskirts of Beijing, but there's still no news about the battle situation there.
Never mind, let's focus on the present first.
Time is of the essence for Guangyuefu as well.
The next evening, Qi, the palace official, was pale from his long journey.
When he saw Su Qing, he felt a mix of emotions.
When I first met Su Qing, she was just the head of Nanjiang County.
He was still furious with her, thinking she was incredibly cunning.
Su Qing was now dressed in a deep crimson official robe, with a gold belt around his waist that made him appear exceptionally upright.
He was already a true official appointed by the imperial court.
Judging from her good spirits, she has clearly taken control of the entire Guangle Prefecture government office.
Such ability deserves everyone's respect.
Qi, the palace official, sighed inwardly.
Who would have thought that the lives and fortunes of everyone in Guangyue Prefecture, with its million inhabitants and tens of thousands of soldiers stationed there, were in the hands of this woman, Su Qing.
Her next move will determine everyone's fate.
But her character made Qi Neiguan feel that what he wanted to ask for was actually not difficult to agree to.
At least that's how it is for Su Qing.
Yunxi and her younger sister first paid their respects to Uncle Qi, and then served him tea and snacks.
Although the three were not related by blood, they became true family through the late eunuch Yu.
Seeing that the two children had grown taller and their hair and clothes were neat, Qi, the eunuch, knew that they had been well cared for. He sighed and said, "Lord Su, I heard that you received the imperial decree at the end of July and arrived at the government office on the sixth day of August."
"It's only August 30th now, and he's already got the government in his hands, and most of the counties below are obedient to him."
It is said that civil officials are known for their gentle and refined manners.
This makes it sound like Su Qing is very impatient, and has a strong sense of power aversion.
But Su Qing wasn't angry about it; she could tell that Eunuch Qi still had something to say.
"Lord Su, why are you in such a hurry?"
"But do you know anything?"
Very few people knew about Su Qing's meeting with the general.
Qi Neiguan's question was merely a guess.
He wanted to know if Su Qing had heard something.
Those were things that the Jinling court was unaware of, or rather, unwilling to be aware of.
Seeing that Eunuch Qi had gotten straight to the point, Su Qing asked, "Eunuch Qi, you've come in such a hurry, is there something important to discuss?"
"Is there some unusual activity in Gaoqing Prefecture?"
Gaoqing Prefecture.
The territory of the valiant prince.
Upon hearing this, Qi's subordinates took a deep breath, clearly already aware of the situation.
Yunxi, the youngest sister, Fei Xiucai, Zhu Shuli, and the others looked on in disbelief.
Yunxi and her younger sister, in particular, were so frightened that they bit their lips and trembled all over.
The younger sister held her brother's hand, almost bursting into tears.
Everyone knows what this means.
This means that the war in the capital is not over.
Gaoqing Prefecture might be about to attack.
The God of War General was not present.
What should they do?
Everyone looked at Qi, the eunuch, who nodded slightly and said in a heavy tone, "The Martial Prince has been fighting since childhood and has an excellent grasp of the opportunities in battle."
"If we hadn't been severely damaged by the general, he would have attacked long ago."
"Some people say that Gaoqing Prefecture is already recruiting soldiers, and such activity is not a good thing."
Gaoqing Prefecture has already taken action.
What about Guangyuefu?
Qi, the eunuch, rarely praised, "Fortunately, you are now the prefect of Guangle Prefecture, and you have secured this position in the shortest possible time."
"What if Nanjing really doesn't allocate supplies to the garrison?"
"The safety of Guangyue Prefecture, and the supplies for the soldiers."
"It all depends on you, Prefect Su."
Upon hearing this, Su Qing smiled and leaned back in her chair, clearly not surprised at all.
Seeing her like this, the eunuch Qi relaxed considerably.
Su Qing said helplessly, "Although I don't want to say much, my eagerness to take office is indeed to prepare for war."
"The people can't withstand another war." Su Qing thought of many things, but in the end he only said, "They have worked hard to live, and they deserve a more peaceful life."
So she received the taxes.
It's highly likely that it won't be given to Nanjing, but rather to the garrison.
Recruit soldiers for the garrison and improve logistics for the army.
She can do everything: farming, making medicine, stabilizing the rear, building city walls.
As for what Jinling is thinking.
Gu Congsi should be able to solve this, right?
If not, should we send the general?
Qi, the eunuch, had been at the front lines for a year and had witnessed countless horrific scenes.
Their gazes fell on Yunxi.
And also those who lost their families in the war.
He even thought of Magistrate Tian of Nanjiang County, whose shadow of war and the unrest caused by the rebels have not yet subsided.
If possible, Su Qing would do everything in her power to avoid war.
If war breaks out, we must defend it outside Guangyuefu.
They will work hard for it.
Even though this seems very difficult.
Seeing the somber atmosphere, the younger sister, clearly recalling the scenes of war from back then, cried so hard she could hardly breathe.
Su Qing said, "I recall a passage in the historical records."
Everyone looked at him, and then they heard Lord Su say, "It is about a country that fought to the last moment for its compatriots and children. Everyone thought that they were going to perish and their race would be wiped out. Most people felt that there was no hope for the future."
And then what?
Su Qing smiled: "In the end, they successfully resisted the invaders, and the people lived in peace and prosperity, with no one picking up lost items on the road. They even became a first-class powerful nation."
Fei Xiucai racked his brains but still couldn't figure out which country it was.
But this ending seems really good.
Su Qing said slowly, "Compared to them, the difficulties we face are really nothing."
"For the sake of the people and to reduce unnecessary sacrifices, we must resist the rebels and defend Guangyuefu."
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