This was the first time Li Zhuo saw Zhang Mai. Although he had already begun to imagine what kind of man Zhang Mai was when he was in Luoyang, he did not really see him until then.

At first glance, I was no longer young. I was in my twenties and fought all the way through the eastward expedition, spending the strongest years of my life in the yellow sand. Ten years of journey and ten years of wind and frost. Although it was not until the snow had stained my temples, there were wrinkles hidden in the corners of my eyes. Since war and government affairs occupy the majority of life, there was little contamination of wine, color and entertainment in the middle, the eyes looked majestic and focused, while the romantic and soothing were insufficient.

Looking at it again, I felt that this man's temperament was different from those he had seen before. He did not have the emperor's aura that was fully revealed as soon as he ascended the throne, nor did he have the domineering nature of Fan Yanguang and Du Chongwei, nor did he have the eloquence of writing and wine like Feng Dao and Han Yanhui. There was no such thing as emperor, general, saint, wise monarch, tyrant, treacherous hero, hero, and hero. There was no suitable one for Zhang Mai to describe Zhang Mai. Li Zhuo felt that the feeling this man gave him seemed to be incompatible with the world.

"Is it because he comes from the Western Regions?"

However, when I looked at it for the third time, I felt that although Zhang Mai's temperament was incompatible with the world he knew, it was integrated with the current environment. When I first entered Youzhou, Li Zhuo had a strange feeling - this city made him feel different from other prefectures and counties in the Central Plains, not because of the architecture, but because of the different customs and customs. When I was in the South City, I already had this feeling, and walked along the avenue. The more I went north, the stronger the feeling was. After entering the golden tent, Li Zhuo felt uncomfortable all over. It was not until now that he suddenly discovered that the source of this strangeness was in Zhang Mai.

"Is this because he comes from the Western Regions?"

He looked at Fan Zhi, Wei Renpu, and Fu Yanqing. The first two seemed to have completely integrated into this place, and the latter seemed to be very adaptable, and only he felt a little awkward.

———————

Zhang Mai also saw Li Zhuo for the first time. He guessed his identity, but did not think too much. Even his eyes only stayed on him for a moment, then pointed to a chair in the tent and said, "Sit down."

The same feeling as Zhao Zan, Li Zhuo also felt a little despised by Zhang Mai at this moment. In history books, the attitude of a wise monarch towards wise ministers, such as three visits to those who are cottages or those who are greeted by the back shoes, at least they have to show respect for themselves. However, in Zhang Mai, Li Zhuo did not feel his intentional contempt. It seemed that this "rude" was just his habit. Well. That's right, it was true that there was no "ritual" in Zhang Mai.

"Is this because he comes from the Western Regions?"

If he talks about his behavior, he is not like the Han people in the Central Plains, but if he talks about Hu Er from the Western Regions, he is not.

"Maybe. Just focus."

Li Zhuo immediately had an impulse to "transform Zhang Mai", which was not unique to him. Fan Zhi and Wei Renpu had done such things. And they still wanted to do it now. Confucian scholars with some knowledge always hoped to be able to renovate their monarch according to their understanding of Confucianism. And then to renovate the whole world, just as Shusun Tong renovated Emperor Gaozu of Han and renovated the entire Han Dynasty, and Wei Zheng renovated Emperor Taizong of Tang and renovated the entire Tang Dynasty - although this kind of revision in historical facts has never been successful. At least in historical books, they all succeeded.

——————————

Zhang Mai is indeed more focused now. He is dealing with matters in Chenzhou and Yingchang.

The two younger brothers recommended by Fu Yanqing are very capable, or very suitable.

The eighth brother Fu Yanlun was transformed by a man and was a general, but Zhe Dejian could not give him much troops.

Kaifeng is a large mansion and is located on a major transportation road. The grain in the Huaisi area was transported here and piled up. After Zhedejian entered the city, he seized a grain warehouse larger than Pingyoucang. Now the Tang army in Tiance is not short of soldiers, generals, or even money, but lacks food. Taking Kaifeng not only blocked the connection between Luoyang and Shandong, but obtained this granary, which also prevented a logistics supply point for Zhang Mai's army to go south in the future, so he seized it.

After Kaifeng, Zhe Dejian did not dare to leave easily, and no longer attacked everywhere, but made strict defenses. However, he brought only a few thousand troops. Although Zhang Mai subsequently added troops, and there were tens of thousands of surrendered troops in Kaifeng Prefecture, the newly surrendered troops did not dare to entrust important tasks for the time being, the storage area, the defense of the gates, the canal, and the road to the north, all four places must be protected without leaking water, and the troops at hand seemed tight.

After Zhang Mai's order arrived in Kaifeng, Fu Yanlun did not seek elite soldiers and only drew 3,000 people from the surrendered army of Kaifeng Prefecture. After several days of training, he set out for Chenzhou. That's right, he did not go to Yingchang, but escorted his seventh brother Fu Yanyi to Chenzhou. Zhang Mai's order only asked his brothers to take the two states respectively, but did not limit the order of seizure, so Fu Yanqing adjusted the situation and asked the two younger brothers to go to Chenzhou first. The ending was indeed unsurprising. Outside, there was a Tiance army's powerful force, and inside, there were powerful men who were close to the Fu family as internal responses, and Chenzhou's prefectures and counties quickly surrendered.

After the Fu brothers took Chenzhou, they summoned local elders and powerful men and gathered many more soldiers in a few days. After Fu Yanlun expanded his troops to 12,000 in Chenzhou, he drove to Yingchang and Kaifeng. Chenzhou returned to the Tang Dynasty one after another, which had already caused a huge shock to Yingchang. Now that he saw a large number of soldiers blocking him, the officials, soldiers and civilians in Yingchang also changed their flags.

The news of good news in the south frequently came, which made Fan Zhi and Wei Renpu feel a little numb. Now for the people of the world, it seemed that it was a natural thing for the Tiance regime to take over all the inheritance left by the Shi Jin Dynasty.

In the following situation, even Li Zhuo was a little excited. If you continue to advance to the southeast from Chenzhou, Huai Si can get it! If you continue to advance to the southwest from Yingchang, Xiang Han can get it. But the order issued by Zhang Mai surprised Li Zhuo: "There are three-legged tripods in the south, and we will gain a foothold in the Central Plains. If we pass the orders, let Zhe Dejian and Sanfu use troops conservatively. Xiang Han and Huai Si are not in a hurry. In the next period of time, we must first focus on Hebei."

"Hebei?" Li Zhuo said intimately: "Why is Hebei? What else can we do here? We need to delay the war on the front line?"

——————————

At this time, Zhang Mai finally took his mind back from the map. He looked at Li Zhuo, a civil official who was recently high-profile and regarded as the representative of Hebei Shilin.

He invited all the generals out and asked Fu Yanqing to go down to handle the military affairs he had just arranged. Only Fan Zhi and Li Fang, who were also from Hebei, and Cao Yuanzhong and Wei Renpu were left in the tent.

After giving the ceremony again, Li Zhuo began to report the situation in Yedu to Zhang Mai. This time, Zhang Mai transferred him up in the name of his performance, and it was inevitable that he would make a statement.

Yedu’s government affairs were heavy, and it took half an hour to finish Li Zhuo. It should be said that Li Zhuo did a very good job in Yedu. Not only did he rectify the city of this Hebei city, heal the trauma caused by the arrival of troops a while ago, but also stabilized the surrounding situation. As the heart of Hebei, the Ningding of Yedu played a very good role. The reason why so many prefectures and counties in Shandong surrendered was the deterrent of military strength was one aspect, and the smoothness of civil affairs also played a demonstration role.

In addition to his skillful political skills, Li Zhuo was able to achieve such results in such a short period of time, and also benefited from his governance strategy. First, he did not break the original social pattern at the local level, second, he tried to balance the requirements of the new regime and the needs of the local government, and third, he relied on the original local tyrants and the power of the scholars to govern the local area. This kind of governance strategy is more elegant, and it is more indifferent to the people.

Li Zhuo was very mixed with each other, but Zhang Mai nodded while listening. But his frown brows seemed not completely satisfied.

After listening to it completely, Zhang Mai said: "Thank you for your hard work."

"The wise ruler is above, and the people are below. If the superiors are above, they will share the worries for the king, and if the inferiors are below, they will relieve the fatigue for the people. It will not work hard."

This is a standard response from the wise ministers.

But Zhang Mai said: "The local areas in Hebei are now stable, which is your credit. But after the stability, Mr. Li hopes to maintain the current situation and not make any changes?" After Li Zhuo took over Yedu, Zhang Mai added him a bachelor's title according to Fan Zhi's suggestion.

Li Zhuo browsed and asked vigilantly: "What changes are going to happen?"

"The current local order is the product of the separatist rule of the feudal states after the Anshi Rebellion. It is actually not healthy." Zhang Mai said: "If the agricultural affairs are not revised, the laws are not implemented. The power of the feudal states and the military men are in power, this is a large separatist rule, and the local governments are self-protection, and the orders of the emperors and subordinates are not allowed. This is a small separatist rule. If you really want to end this chaotic era, it is not enough to end the throne of Luoyang and sit on the throne. This chaotic order must be considered to be truly pacified."

Li Zhuodao: "Now my lord is so powerful that no one dares to disobey the orders whenever he calls them. Hebei and Shandong are all following the orders of my lord."

"Is that so? Then why can't a mere tax exemption order be implemented?" Zhang Mai sneered: "One acre of autumn tax is only half a dou. The families with a thousand acres of land only pay 50 stones, and the powerful people with a hundred hectares of fertile land only pay 50 stones. In this way, they have to be transferred to the heads of flat-headed villains! The consciences of these people are eaten by dogs!"

Li Zhuodao: "Thirty gentry who did not obey the law did have the grace of the marshal."

Zhang Mai was furious and said, "Li Zhuo!"

He is now the commander who controls the Wan Chengxiong Army invincible battle. He is angry and the master who is buried in a thousand miles. The roar is not loud, but everyone in the tent is shocked and his legs are trembling. Although Li Zhuo feels loyal, his heart is also pounding. He naturally knows why Zhang Mai is angry. If Zhang Mai really believes that the thirty or so gentry is all the tax concealer, he would not have called him here today.

Fan Zhi also looked at Li Zhuo and signaled him not to contradict Zhang Mai again.

"When following the order, it is a lip service," Zhang Mai said angrily: "This is even more abominable than direct disobeying orders!"

Although Li Zhuo felt a little weak, he still said: "If the government orders can win the hearts of the people, the people below will naturally not be slandered. If the government orders are not won by the hearts of the people, they will naturally encounter resistance."

Zhang Mai laughed at this: "Why is my tax exemption order unpopular?"

Li Zhuodao: "It is not the tax exemption order that is unpopular. Hebei gentry also supports the tax exemption order. However, the marshal heard the news that gentry concealed taxes from somewhere, and then sent people to the countryside to investigate. The reason why gentry was afraid of boycotting was that they were afraid that cruel officials would go to the countryside and disturb the local area."

Zhang Mai said: "In the local area, there are common people, gentry and powerful people. What you say is that you disturb the local area, is it that you disturb the common people, or does it that you disturb the gentry and powerful people?"

Li Zhuo: "Scholars and people are united, and the people are led by the people. If the hearts of the scholars are unstable, there will be turmoil! Marshal, now that the Central Plains are unification, Hebei, as the rear, should focus on stability and wait for the whole world to be unified. At that time, it would not be too late for the marshal to implement better good governance."

Fan Zhi saw Li Zhuo pressing Zhang Mai against every word, which made his face look ugly. He hurriedly said: "Li Yuxian is not actually opposed to the marshal's orders. He should just think that this marshal should be slowed down. On the other hand, Brother Yuxian is still loyal to the marshal."

Seeing that Zhang Mai's expression was slightly relieved, Li Zhuo stepped forward and knelt down two steps and said, "I have a secret match. Please hold everyone away and leave me alone."

After hearing this, Fu Yanqing and others were ready to get up, but Zhang Mai said, "No. If you have something to say, just say it. The politics of my Tiance Tang Dynasty is open and upright, and there is no need for so many conspiracies. If you have anything to say, just say it here!"

Li Zhuo was stunned and said, "If you don't have any secrets, you will lose your country. There are those who cannot speak before everyone."

Zhang Mai said: "If a regime needs to be maintained by conspiracy, it's better not to do so. Our country has just been established. I don't want it, I don't want this kind of atmosphere."

Li Zhuo was completely stunned, but he never expected to hear such an answer.

Zhang Mai said: "Do you say it or not? If you don't say it, then there is no need to say it."

Li Zhuo gritted his teeth: "Marson Rong Bing, the reason why I opposed the marshal's big fight for the gentry in Hebei was not for the sake of his own selfishness, nor for the interests of the family, nor for the interests of his relatives and friends, but for the sake of the marshal. "

"Lost big because of small? What is small? What is big?"

Li Zhuodao: "As the marshal said, the land tax is only five liters per acre. The common people have more than half a dou of rice but their lives are slightly wider, so they will not become rich because of this. If they lack this half a dou of rice but their belts are slightly tight, so they will not arouse civil unrest. Since the marshal issued a tax exemption order, everyone in the world has known the marshal's benevolent government and has won the hearts of the people. Even if they make great efforts to conceal taxes, even if a group of gentry was dealt with, my prestige of the Tang Dynasty would not increase much. This is small."

"What's that big?"

Li Zhuodao: "Now the Central Plains have not been unified yet. Fan Yanguang is unruly inside, An Chongrong, Shi Chonggui, Liu Zhiyuan, and Wu Yue, Shu Han, Chu and Fujian in the south. The powerful and powerful gentry in the area are all staring at the Central Plains. If the marshal is strict in dealing with things, I am afraid that these people will be afraid, which will only increase the unification of our Tang Dynasty. Since small things in front of us will hinder the overall situation of unification, we should make way for the overall situation."

"It turns out that this is the small and big thing in your mind. It turns out that as long as you don't reach the bottom line of arousing civil unrest, the common people can control it at will..." Zhang Mai said: "You only consider the gentry and tyrants in various places, but not the people in various places. What is the first sentence you said when you came in just now! The king is above and the people are below! Listening to the two passages just now, do you really think of the two words "people" in your heart?"

Li Zhuo almost smiled bitterly: "Marcel, I didn't think about it, but..." Speaking of this, he was forced to say helplessly, and finally said: "The people, there is no power. Only the powerful can help the marshal get the world, and only the gentry can help the marshal stabilize the world in the end! The powerful are martial artists, and the gentry are literary scholars! If the marshal wants to win the world, the hearts of civil and military scholars must not be lost. If the marshals win the hearts of civil and military soldiers, the world can be obtained. If the marshals lose their hearts, the situation in front of them may be shaken in the future."

Speaking of this, the official article was finally exposed. Although Fan Zhi and Wei Renpu and others found these words harsh, Li Zhuo's words were not unreasonable in terms of the essence of taking the world and seizing the world, and serving the people has always been just a slogan. Taking the world and seizing the world and seizing the world has always relied on the ruling class.

Fu Yanqing also stared at Zhang Mai, wanting to see how Zhang Mai responded.

This time, Zhang Mai didn't stay for long, and said word by word: "Li Zhuo! You... were wrong!"

Li Zhuo was originally lying on the ground, but his head suddenly raised.

Zhang Mai said: "Li Zhuo is wrong, many people are wrong! You are wrong. Do you think my brothers and I come from Anxi to start a war, so many people died and so much blood shed, so why I, Zhang Mai, want to be the emperor? What is why my brothers want to be the general and be granted marquis and be rich for generations?"

Li Zhuo held a word in his throat and couldn't say it.

To be an emperor, to be a marquis and ministers, it is not easy to say, but isn’t it? No matter how warriors are, even scholars, even if they are scholars, they always talk about the people, but who in the end is not for fame and fortune?

Zhang Mai looked at Li Zhuo. He looked at Fu Yanqing and then at Li Fang: "Some words you can't say after all, but you can tell from your eyes that you are indeed thinking that way. But you are wrong!

"You are wrong. You are wrong. You are wrong about the big and the small. Do you think that the five-liter rice of Hebei people is small, but the unification of the world is big. Now let me tell you, I can be an emperor or not, and the world can be unified or not. But I must implement the tax exemption order in Hebei. I will definitely investigate those who conceal the tax exemption order and pass it on to the small people, because in my opinion, the five-liter rice is not a small matter, but a big matter! Who else told you that I, Zhang Mai, must unify the world?"

If Li Zhuo Fu Yanqing could still think of Zhang Mai's first few words, then the last sentence was extremely surprised. Not only him, but also Fan Zhi and Wei Renpu were also shocked.

I don’t know when the concept of great unification has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people. Once a powerful regime has the possibility of unifying the world, it will definitely carry out this matter. As far as Zhang Mai’s position is concerned, everyone thinks it is natural for him to seek unification. It is unimaginable that the potential energy does not take the tripod!

Li Zhuo and Fu Yanqing's eyes also went straight. They stared at Zhang Mai, feeling that their brains were not enough.

Zhang Mai said: "Why? I don't want to unify the world, can't it?"

"This...this..."

Logically speaking, as the supreme leader of the Tang army of Tiance, Zhang Mai could of course decide whether to unify the world, but... but how can this be! How can this be!

Li Zhuo knelt on the ground, wanting to speak but couldn't speak. He almost wanted to yell at Zhang Mai: "Marson, don't argue with me!"

But Zhang Mai's eyes were very calm, without any joking intentions.

"My brother and I, but we fought all the way, were different from what you thought. In your opinion, unifying the world and ascending the throne and becoming emperor seemed to be the goal, but our original intention was never like this!"

Li Zhuo couldn't help asking: "What is the original intention of the marshal?"

"Our original intention is to go home."

go home……

go home!

Although I had heard the story of the Tang army in Anxi before, as the Tang army in Tiance rose to the most powerful force in the world, the legend of the Western Regions had become very far away. Li Zhuo and Fu Yanqing never expected that Zhang Mai still remembered the initial thoughts when he raised an army at this time.

Yes, how many people have forgotten that the Tang army in Tiance launched an army in the Western Regions. Their original purpose was to go home.
To be continued...